US08893723B2
Method and device for removing foreign bodies from a first tobacco stream that is conveyed via an air flow in a region of a first foreign body detection device. Method includes detecting, with a first foreign body detection device, the foreign bodies in the first tobacco stream based on at least one property, and removing, with a jet of compressed air, the foreign bodies from the first tobacco stream. In this manner, a foreign body freed tobacco stream and a second tobacco stream including tobacco particles and the foreign bodies entrained by the jet of compressed air are formed. Method also includes at least one of: accelerating the second stream at a distance from the first tobacco stream; and detecting, with a second foreign body detector, foreign bodies in the second stream based on at least one property and removing the detected foreign bodies with a second jet of compressed air.
US08893719B2
The present invention provides intra-oral interfaces, systems and methods for preventing sleep apnea, the interfaces comprises a conduit adapted to receive continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) from a CPAP source, and for delivering positive air pressure to a mouth of a patient, a mouthpiece through which the conduit extends, the mouthpiece having a portion configured to reside between the teeth and inner part of the lips and cheeks in the mouth of the patient; and an active seal associated with the mouthpiece, the active seal having at least a portion thereof adapted to reside in a buccal vestibulum of the patient, the active seal being configured to bulge and contract as the patient breathes.
US08893717B2
Methods and systems for delivering a pharmaceutical gas to a patient. The methods and systems provide a known desired quantity of the pharmaceutical gas to the patient independent of the respiratory pattern of the patient over a plurality of breaths every nth breath, where n is greater than or equal to 1. The pharmaceutical gases include CO and NO, both of which are provided as a concentration in a carrier gas. The gas control system determines the delivery of the pharmaceutical gas to the patient to result in the known desired quantity (e.g. in molecules, milligrams or other quantified units) of the pharmaceutical gas being delivered. Upon completion of that known desired quantity of pharmaceutical gas over a plurality of breaths, the system can either terminate, continue, activate and alarm, etc.
US08893712B2
A housing for a solar absorber module for a solar thermal power plant is described. The housing has a first tapered housing section with a first free end to accommodate a ceramic solar absorber element and a second end with a reduced cross-sectional area compared to the first end. The housing also has a second housing section with a cross-section substantially constant over its length. The second housing section is linked to the second end of the first housing section. A wall with a plurality of openings and extending across the entire internal cross-section of the first housing section is arranged in the first tapered housing section. A method for producing such housing is also described, as well as a method for fastening the housing to a support structure.
US08893710B2
A solar collection system is described that includes an elongate central truss angled upward from ground horizontal and mounted on a plurality of ground support legs, a collector subsystem mounted at one end of the central truss, a cross truss perpendicular to the central truss and mounted at an end of the central truss opposite the collector subsystem, and a reflector subsystem mounted on the cross truss. The collector subsystem includes a truncated trapezoid-shaped housing with a front side facing the reflector subsystem, the front side including a glassed-in opening fronting a V-shaped core heat mechanism enclosed within the housing interior that captures reflected photon energy from the reflector subsystem which heats a fluent medium within the V-shaped core heat mechanism for output to an external source for thermal power operations.
US08893707B2
A portable gas-fired heater comprising a housing, a burner assembly, and a carbon dioxide detector system. The housing is adapted to at least partially enclose a fuel source. The burner assembly is enclosed by the housing.
US08893700B2
An archery bow stabilizer including a stabilizer body and a plurality of asymmetrical dampening extensions radially extending from the stabilizer body. The dampening extensions can be laterally offset with respect to the stabilizer body from an adjacent dampening extension and/or can include laterally extending protuberances that extend in an opposite direction from as adjacent dampening extension.
US08893696B2
A projectile launcher comprising an elongate barrel provided with a bore, a magnetic detent, an associated discarding sabot, and an associated subcaliber projectile. Pending launch, the magnetic detent exerts a magnetic restraining influence to hold the subcaliber projectile inside the bore within proximity of the sabot. Launch thrust overcomes the magnetic restraining influence of the detent upon the projectile, and the sabot separates from the projectile after launch under the influence of atmospheric drag.
US08893692B2
An ignition system and method for internal combustion engines with which a reliable triggering of an ignition spark is provided with control of the ignition process over the entire firing duration, wherein an excessive stress on the ignition coil and spark plug is avoided. By detecting the primary current and evaluating it in a control loop, the state of the secondary circuit can be detected reliably. In the case of a disturbance, for example at strongly spent spark plug, the ignition current is immediately readjusted via the control circuit in order to avoid a disruption in spark. This ignition current control thus reacts automatically to sources of defect on the secondary side current.
US08893689B2
A method and system is provided for regenerating and cleaning an air-oil coalescer of a crankcase ventilation system of an internal combustion engine generating blowby gas in a crankcase. The coalescer coalesces oil from the blowby gas. The method and system includes regenerating and cleaning the coalescer by intermittent rotation thereof.
US08893688B2
The present invention relates to a device for venting a crank space in an internal combustion engine (1) having a suction device (5) for sucking out blow-by gases from the crank space (3) and having a venting line (4) which leads from the crank space (3) to the suction device (5) and in the course of which a throttle device (6) or a pressure regulating element (7) is arranged in order to bound a partial pressure which is generated by the suction device (5) in the crank space (3). It is essential to the invention here that an oil mist separator (8) which is embodied as an impactor is integrated into the throttle device (6) or into the pressure regulating element (7).
US08893687B2
A method using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in an internal combustion engine. The engine has at least one “dedicated EGR cylinder”, whose entire exhaust is recirculated back to all the engine cylinders. The dedicated EGR cylinder is operated at a rich air-fuel ratio, and the other cylinders are operated stoichiometrically so that a conventional three way catalyst may be used to treat the exhaust. A fuel injector is used to inject fuel into the combustion chamber of the dedicated EGR cylinder after initiation of the main combustion event. This post injection method overcomes flammability limits of a dedicated EGR cylinder, and increases the hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) in its exhaust.
US08893684B2
In one aspect, described is a rotary engine having a purge port located rearwardly of the inlet port and forwardly of the exhaust port along a direction of the revolutions of the rotor, the purge port being in communication with the exhaust port through each of the chambers along a respective portion of each revolution, and the inlet and outlet ports being relatively located such that a volumetric compression ratio of the engine is lower than a volumetric expansion ratio of the engine.
US08893683B2
An opposed-piston engine has a plurality of intake ports wrapped around the cylinder wall. It is desirable to obtain high swirl ratio flow with minimal pressure drop. A system have a generally-volute shaped plenum is disclosed. A centerline of the volute spirals inwardly. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of the volute decreases in the direction of flow. The area is decreased as the flow from the plenum enters intake ports so that the velocity of flow in the plenum near the downstream end does not slow precipitously. The intake system may have multiple such volute-shaped plena coupled to mutually exclusive subsets of the intake ports. The volute shape leads to a high swirl ratio with limited drop in flow energy.
US08893680B2
An intake valve of an internal combustion engine includes a valve body and a valve stem extending from a central portion of the valve body. The valve body includes a valve body framework portion and a valve body thick portion provided on an outer side of the valve body framework portion. The valve body framework portion and the valve stem are made of iron material and the valve body thick portion is made of aluminum alloy.
US08893679B2
The present embodiments provide a control system and method that is able to automatically start and/or stop a portable engine-driven power source. For example, in one embodiment, a system includes an engine-driven power source having an engine, a compressor driven by the engine, a sensor configured to generate a first signal indicative of a demand for air pressure from the compressor and a second signal indicative of no demand for air pressure from the compressor. The engine-driven power source also includes a controller configured to stop the engine in response to the second signal.
US08893673B2
A tubular valve for adjusting the compression ratio of a variable compression ratio engine includes a straight tube capable of longitudinal translational movement in a valve casing including a low-pressure chamber, the straight tube including a first end opening into the low-pressure chamber and a second end opening into a high-pressure chamber, the second end adapted to contact with at least one shut-off surface secured to the valve casing to seal the second end, the straight tube contacting the shut-off surface by at least one nonreturn and shut-off spring; sealing element for sealing between the external surface of the straight tube and the valve casing isolating the high-pressure chamber from the low-pressure chamber, the sealing element including a nonreturn tube inside which the straight tube is held; and an electric actuator for applying to the straight tube a force opposing that of the spring.
US08893668B2
A method of cooling an engine of a vehicle includes measuring a temperature of a cylinder head of the engine, determining whether the measured temperature of the cylinder head may be equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, when the temperature of the cylinder head may be equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, moving coolant of the cylinder head and a cylinder block to a separate coolant tank, determining whether the measured temperature of the cylinder head may be equal to or higher than a specific temperature, and when the measured temperature of the cylinder head may be equal to or higher than the specific temperature, supplying coolant stored in the coolant tank to the cylinder head or the cylinder block.
US08893667B2
An internal combustion engine includes a deactivatable cylinder group, a constantly operating cylinder group, a first water passage, a second water passage, an upstream integrated water passage, a downstream integrated water passage, a connecting passage, a third water passage, and a device. The downstream integrated water passage includes a junction and an upstream end. The upstream end is closer to the second water passage than to the first water passage in the downstream integrated water passage. The third water passage connects the connecting passage and a portion provided between the junction and the upstream end in the downstream integrated water passage. The device is provided adjacent to at least a part of the third water passage to exchange heat with water flowing in the third water passage.
US08893655B2
Disclosed is a game feeder that may be operated by weak or weakened operators for low costs. In one embodiment, the disclosed game feeder comprises: a base with stabilizing legs; a yoke with uprights and a back support extending upwardly from the base; a lifting arm pivotally positioned above the yoke so that said arm extends forward and rearward; an operating jack extending upwardly from the base and connected to the rear end of the lifting arm for pivoting the lifting arm on the yoke; and a barrel with a distributor which are positioned at the front end of the lifting arm. Practically, an operator of the game feeder may suitably lower the barrel, provide feed to a receptacle of the barrel, raise the barrel, and activate the distributor to spread the feed to the ground area near the game feeder.
US08893651B1
A plasma-arc vaporization chamber includes features configured to permit very high-energy plasmas, preferably with high hydrogen content. The vaporization chamber includes a female electrode having an internal chamber with a target region made of a conductive material highly resistant to thermal degradation and an isthmus region of sufficient width to slow plasma flow therethrough enough to permit vaporization within the internal chamber of a material delivered into the plasma. The material is preferably injected at an angle counter to the flow of the plasma. The vaporization chamber also includes a flange-cooling chamber adjacent to a flange of the female electrode. Additionally, the chamber preferably includes vortexing gas injectors configured to provide a helical gas flow within at least a portion of the internal chamber.
US08893643B2
Provided is a coating apparatus in which a liquid substance is less likely to splash around and a chemical solution can be coated on a specific region of the inside surface of a tubular container. The coating apparatus 10 includes a spraying direction changing member 12, fixed to a tip portion of a spray nozzle 4 with an inner tube 6 and an outer tube 7, for changing the direction of spray of a sol oriented outward to a direction intersecting a direction of discharge of the liquid substance from the inner tube 6.
US08893640B2
A hydrofoil assembly for a waterborne vessel, comprising: a body; a hydrofoil mounted to the body, the hydrofoil being adjustable to vary its lift characteristics; and a control mechanism operative to control the adjustment of the hydrofoil assembly relative to the support.
US08893633B2
A sewing machine includes a needle bar, a sewing machine motor, an acquisition portion that acquires a reference length, an image capture portion that generates image data by image capture of one of the sewing object and at least one marker, a computation portion that computes an amount of movement of one of the sewing object and the at least one marker, a speed control portion that sets a revolution speed of the sewing machine motor to not greater than a specified value in a case where it is determined that sewing is being performed in a specified range, and a sewing control portion that terminates the sewing of the stitch portion in a case where it is determined that a length that has been sewn in the reference direction of the stitch portion is not less than the reference length.
US08893621B1
A projectile comprised of an ogive section, a bearing surface section and a boattail section. A cavity is formed inside the projectile from an aperture on the aft end of the boattail section and forward to about the transition point (shoulder) between the ogive section and bearing surface section. The cavity is centered about the centerline of the projectile and open on the aft end of the projectile.
US08893612B2
The present invention relates to an improved process for extract purification of sugar beet raw juice, especially for reduction of lime consumption during the purification of sugar beet raw juice, to a process for producing a nutrient-rich non-sucrose concentrate from sugar beet raw juice, to the non-sucrose substance concentrate thus produced, to uses of the non-sucrose substance concentrate and to an apparatus for preliming sugar beet raw juice and/or for obtaining the non-sucrose substance concentrate.
US08893594B2
A fastener extraction device includes a body configured for attachment to a power driver tool, and allows a rotating chuck provided thereby to extend therethrough. The extraction device includes a plurality of spring-biased grasping arms that are pivotably attached to the body and are moved between opened and closed positions by a actuation collar that is in operative engagement with the grasping arms. When the grasping arms are moved to a closed position, the extraction guides form an extraction aperture around the shank of the fastener below its head, allowing the operator to pull on the fastener using the leverage of the power driver tool to extract it from a surface in which it is embedded. Once the fastener is extracted, the actuation collar is rotated, so as to allow the grasping arms to move to an open position, whereupon the extraction guides release the fastener.
US08893589B2
A ratchet including a handle and a head connected to the handle. The ratchet further includes a rotating drum rotationally mounted within the head. A top edge of the rotating drum is open and a bottom edge of the rotating drum is closed by a surface. A rotating head extends from the surface of the rotating drum. One or more pawls within the head interact with the rotating drum to drive the rotating drum and rotating head in a first direction or a second direction in response to a force being applied to the handle. The ratchet includes a direction toggle connected to the one or more pawls being operable to engage the one or more pawls for selecting to drive the rotary head of the rotating drum in the first direction or the second direction corresponding to a first position or a second position of the direction toggle, respectively.
US08893574B2
A ball screw with sectional circulating assemblies comprises an inner circulating block and an outer circulating block. In assembly, the inner circulating block is initially placed between the screw shaft and the nut before the rolling balls and the screw shaft are positioned, thus preventing the rolling balls from dropping out and the interference with the threads of the screw shaft. After the rolling balls and the screw shaft are positioned, the outer circulating block is placed into the nut and engaged with the inner circulating block, and the outer circulating block is fixed to the nut. This method can maintain the tightness of the nut, thus preventing the leakage of noise.
US08893566B2
The invention concerns a fluid rotary machine (1) with a housing (2), a shaft (3) led out of the housing (2) and a sensor arrangement (10) comprising a transmitter (12) in active connection with the shaft (3), and a receiver (15). It is endeavored to arrange the sensor arrangement in an advantageous manner on the fluid rotary machine. For this purpose, the sensor arrangement (10) comprises an accommodation area, in which the transmitter (12) is arranged, the accommodation area being in fluid connection with the inside of the housing (2) and sealed towards the outside, and the receiver (15) is arranged outside the housing (2) and the accommodation area.
US08893562B2
A torque sensing device for measuring the torque applied to a rotatable shaft, and also measuring the magnetic field noise affecting the device. The device incorporates a switching function thereby enabling the device to operate in a common signal detection mode and a differential noise detection mode. The device is capable of determining the torque applied to the rotatable shaft based upon output signals obtained from magnetic field sensors operating in both the common signal detection mode and the differential noise detection mode. The device is capable of accurately measuring a torque induced magnetic field and is capable of canceling measurement error resulting from noise induced magnetic fields.
US08893545B2
A seal member (60) has a dual-tube structure consisting of an outer tubular seal member (160a) and an inner tubular seal member (160b); the outer tubular seal member (160a) is welded, at its rear end portion, to the inner circumferential surface of a forward-end housing (131), thereby forming a housing-side joint W2; the inner tubular seal member (160b) is welded, at its forward end portion, to a forward end portion of the outer tubular seal member (160a), thereby forming an inter-tubular-seal-member joint W3; and the inner tubular seal member (160b) is welded, at its portion located rearward of the joint W3, to the outer circumferential surface of the heater (10), thereby forming a heater-side joint W1. An action of pressing the heater forward is effected on the basis of an axial dimension L1 between the joints W2 and W1 shorter than an axial dimension between the joints W2 and W3 and is, therefore, mitigated.
US08893541B2
Appliances and methods are disclosed for testing operation of an acoustic device that generates beams of acoustic energy. An imaging array generates electrical signals in response to impinging receipt of acoustic energy. An acoustic-energy direction system is disposed to focus acoustic energy onto the imaging array. A controller is electrically coupled with the acoustic device and with the imaging array. The controller has instructions to generate an image on a display from electrical signals received by the controller from the imaging array. The electrical signals are received by the controller in response to generation of a beam of acoustic energy by the acoustic device. The beam of acoustic energy is directed towards the acoustic-energy direction system. The image provides a representation of the generated beam of acoustic energy.
US08893539B2
An embodiment of a method for profiling a tube of given length, whereby, after inserting the tube between at least one pair of rolls having respective coplanar, parallel axes of rotation crosswise to the tube, the rolls are moved onto the tube and pressed gradually against the tube, which, at the same time, is moved axially back and forth.
US08893535B2
A lock cylinder of a motor vehicle has a cylinder housing formed from plastic and the cylinder housing has an opening for receiving a cylinder core. The plastic of the cylindrical housing is reinforced at least in certain regions with aramid fibers. Thus, the cylinder housing is extremely robust and increases the forcing resistance of a door lock equipped therewith.
US08893533B2
A machine for cutting leathers has a bearing structure and an operating element exhibiting a rotation axis and three distinct work planes each arranged about the rotation axis and provided with an aspirating plate that is activatable/deactivatable such as to retain or release the leathers. The operating element successively positions each work plane at three successive and distinct positions with respect to the bearing structure: a first position in which the leathers can be positioned and stretched above the work plane and held stretched thereon, a second position in which the work plane with the leathers stretched and retained thereon is located below a cutter, and a third position wherein the leathers can be unloaded from the work plane by force of gravity following deactivation of the respective aspirating plate.
US08893526B2
A method for manufacturing curved glass sheet includes the following: an equipment, including a matching first mold core and a second mold core, is provided; a raw glass sheet is provided and placed on the second mold core covering second mold cavity; a pressure is controlled in the first and second mold cavities to a first pressure; the mold cores are closed and heated, to raise the raw glass sheet to a temperature of about glass transition temperature of raw glass sheet; a gas is supplied into the first mold cavity to raise the pressure in the first mold cavity to a second pressure which is greater than first pressure, in which the raw glass sheet is bent to the second forming surface of second mold core under pressure; mold cores are opened and cooled down to obtain the curved glass sheet.
US08893522B2
A cooling device for a charger capable of simplifying the device configuration and reducing the power consumption is provided. Cooling device for cooling the charger for charging a battery with use of power supply received from a power source includes a compressor for circulating a cooling agent, a condenser for condensing the cooling agent, a decompressor for decompressing the cooling agent condensed by condenser, an evaporator for evaporating the cooling agent decompressed by the decompressor, and a cooling portion for cooling the charger with use of the cooling agent flowing from the condenser, and the cooling portion is provided on a path of the cooling agent flowing from the condenser to the evaporator.
US08893519B2
A cooling system and method for a machining process. The system includes a coolant supply and a coolant activation assembly, where the coolant supply is configured to provide coolant to the coolant activation assembly. The coolant activation assembly includes a plurality of piezoelectric actuators. Each of the plurality of piezoelectric actuators is configured to emit a coolant stream and to impart an ultrasonic or megasonic vibration component to each coolant stream. The coolant activation assembly is configured to provide cooling to a focal point in a work zone by directing multiple coolant streams emitted by the plurality of piezoelectric actuators to the focal point such that multiple coolant streams converge at the focal point.
US08893513B2
A thermoelectric heat exchanger component includes a circuit board and multiple thermoelectric devices attached to the circuit board. Heights of at least two of the thermoelectric devices are different due to, for example, tolerances in a manufacturing process for the thermoelectric devices. The thermoelectric heat exchanger component also includes a first heat spreading lid over a first surface of the thermoelectric devices and a second heat spreading lid over a second surface of the thermoelectric devices. A thermal interface material is present between each one of the thermoelectric devices and the first and second heat spreading lids. The first heat spreading lid and the second heat spreading lid are oriented such that the thickness of the thermal interface material, and thus a thermal interface resistance, is optimized for the thermoelectric devices.
US08893504B2
An igniter arranged to ignite combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the igniter including one or more geometric features arranged to: induce a shockwave flow structure at least partially disposed in the primary flow; and ignite the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure. The present disclosure also relates to a method of igniting combustion in a primary flow including a fuel and air mixture, the method including: providing one or more geometric features arranged to induce a shockwave flow structure; inducing the shockwave flow structure at least partially in the primary flow; and igniting the fuel and air mixture by virtue of the shockwave flow structure.
US08893502B2
An augmentor for a gas turbine engine includes an augmentor spray bar with a spray bar outlet, and an augmentor spray bar tip. The spray bar tip includes a tip body, a tip bushing and a tip support strut. The tip body includes a first flow passage extending therethrough between a tip inlet and a tip outlet, wherein the tip inlet is connected to the spray bar outlet. The tip bushing includes a bushing bore. The tip body extends through the bushing bore defining a second flow passage between the tip body and the tip bushing. The tip support strut connects the tip body to the tip bushing across the second flow passage.
US08893492B2
An underwater wave energy converter (WEC) (10) has a piston (32) that reciprocates up and down as recurring waves (22) pass over. Downward motion of the piston (32) drives the rods or plungers (50b) of a multiplicity of hydraulic jacks (50) to pressurize hydraulic fluid in an energy conversion system. Ultimately, the energy conversion system powers one or more hydraulic motors (511, 512) that drive an electric generator (510) or multiple generators. A sensor system (25) detects characteristics of in-coming waves such as by detecting changes in pressure as in-coming waves (22) pass over the sensor system (25). The sensors can be mounted on the ocean floor seaward from the WECs (10), and a control computer system (231) calculates characteristics of the in-coming waves such as wave height and speed data, and uses the data to control aspects of the WECs (10) and other components of the energy conversion system.
US08893489B2
A vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, a first hydraulic pump/motor coupled with the internal combustion engine, and a second hydraulic pump/motor is coupled with at least one driven wheel of the vehicle. A clutch establishes a driving connection between the first hydraulic pump/motor and the internal combustion engine, and selectively interrupts the driving connection when disengaged. At least one vehicle accessory device is coupled to the first hydraulic pump/motor. The at least one vehicle accessory device is operable under power of the internal combustion engine when the clutch is engaged and the internal combustion engine is running, and the at least one vehicle accessory device is operable directly by the first hydraulic pump/motor operating in a motor mode when the clutch is disengaged, regardless of whether or not the internal combustion engine is running. A corresponding method of operating the vehicle is also provided.
US08893470B2
In a method for preventing clogging of a urea injection nozzle in an after-run operation of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system which supplies urea stored in a urea tank through a supply module, a urea injection nozzle and a urea line connecting the supply module and the urea injection nozzle, the method may include an emptying step where the urea is withdrawn into the urea tank by creating negative pressure in the supply module and a pressure equilibrium step where the pressure in the supply module is recovered by stopping creation of negative pressure in the supply module, wherein in the pressure equilibrium step, whether to forcibly inject the urea is controlled on the basis of pressure after a predetermined time has passed since the pressure equilibrium step began.
US08893449B1
A suspended ceiling grid assembly including parallel spaced main runners and pairs of cross runners on opposite sides of a main runner, the main runners having vertical slots spaced along their lengths, the cross runners having end connectors mutually inter-engaged in a common main runner slot, a brace stabilizing the pair of cross runners against relative hinge action in a vertical plane, the brace being a thin metal body having a cross section complimentary to a cross section of the cross runners, the brace abutting sides of the cross runners and being rigidly attached thereto.
US08893445B2
A solar module includes a first supporting element, a first clamping assembly, a first pivotal member, and a frame. A first fixing hole of the first supporting element has a first and second dented portions. A first angle is formed between two connection lines respectively connecting the apexes of the first and second dented portions to the center of the first fixing hole. A second fixing hole of the first clamping assembly has a third and fourth dented portions. A second angle is formed between two connection lines respectively connecting the apexes of the third and fourth dented portions to the center of the second fixing hole. The pivotal member is pivotally connected to the first and second fixing holes. A protruding portion of the pivotal member can be engaged with the first and third dented portions or with the second and fourth dented portions.
US08893444B2
A post securing system that secures a post in the ground, while allowing for a full range of vertical adjustment via a coupling assembly that includes an articulating ball joint element that is connected to a post support element secured within two clamp assemblies. The clamp assemblies each include an anchor assembly which, when assembled, secures at least three stake elements at a predetermined angle. The post securing kit includes both the coupling assembly and the anchor assembly to allow securing a post into a non-horizontal ground, while maintaining the desired vertical alignment of the post held therewithin.
US08893436B2
An invisible sliding door link structure includes a door bracket disposed at an inner surface of a door sliding part of a vehicle body to open or close, a body bracket provided in an invisible slider to slide the door, a main arm with one end connected to one side of the door bracket and the other end connected to one side of the body bracket, a first link having one end rotatably connected to the other side of the body bracket, a second link having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the first link and the other end connected to the other side of the door bracket, and a third link having one end rotatably connected to one side of the main arm and the other end connected to a hinge point at which the first and second links are connected to each other.
US08893435B2
A movable barrier operator (200) comprises a motor (201) having an output drive shaft that itself comprises a first end (202) and a second end (203) that is disposed opposite to the first end. The movable barrier operator also comprises a hand-operated chain hoist (204) that is connected to the second end of this output drive shaft. By one approach, the movable barrier operator also comprises a reduction mechanism (207) and a transmission (210). The reduction mechanism is disposed parallel to and laterally of the motor and comprises a movable barrier drive output (208) and an input drive shaft (209). The transmission, in turn, is disposed to couple the first end of the output drive shaft of the motor to the input drive shaft of the reduction mechanism.
US08893432B2
A watering device for potted plants with a water storage device and a water transporting line having a fiber strand which operates by capillary action includes a storage tank, a lid arrangement, a duct and a retaining device. The storage tank opens toward the top. The lid arrangement closes the storage tank in a removable manner. The duct for the water transporting line is formed on the water storage device. The retaining device protrudes downward into the storage tank in the assembled state and guides a section of the fiber strand in a bottom area of the storage tank. A fixing element for fixing the water transporting line in a tension-proof manner is provided on the lid arrangement. The fixing element is arranged on a side of the retaining device which faces away from the duct and is designed for fixing the fiber strand.
US08893422B2
A replacement slide assembly for a pistol, the slide assembly having a barrel assembly with a barrel and a firing chamber. The barrel assembly also has a guide member which is a protrusion that extends horizontally outward from the barrel assembly. The replacement slide assembly also includes a housing with an interior wall that defines a groove that receives the guide member. The guide member and the groove in the housing are located forward of a firing pin assembly also mounted within the housing. The slide assembly or any firearm also includes an adjustable sight assembly that permits interchangeability between different types of sights without requiring that the firearm be re-sighted.
US08893421B2
A muzzle attachment for a shotgun is disclosed including a first portion that has a first end, a second end, a central axis extending from the first end to the second end, and a through bore extending from the first end to the second end, concentric about the axis. The muzzle attachment also includes a second portion having a pair of opposing extensions defining a gap therebetween. Each extension has a base adjacent the second end of the first portion and a distal end extending away from the base. Additionally, the gap has a narrow end adjacent the base, a wide end adjacent to the distal end, and a pair of opposing lateral sides extending along a projection of the axis. Each of the sides includes a webbing disposed at the narrow end; wherein each webbing has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a radial thickness which tapers from the narrow end to the wide end.
US08893414B1
An illumination control device includes a housing having opposed illumination surfaces for the respective display of opposed visual messages. The housing further including a light inlet port for coupling light from a light source, and the housing constructed and arranged to form an enclosed light chamber. The device further includes a pair of oppositely directed arcuate reflective surfaces joined at a common light inlet edge, with the pair of oppositely directed arcuate reflective surfaces disposed in the enclosed light chamber and in line with the housing light inlet port.
US08893409B1
An excavating bucket apparatus pivotally mounts on an articulating arm of a mobile excavating machine. The bucket includes a scoop member that has a frame and defines a top configured for pivotal connection to the excavating machine's articulating arm. Each of the opposed ends of the scoop member can be open to receive and pass through any material dug or scraped by the scoop member, which defines a bottom disposed opposite the top. The bottom of the scoop member can define a generally banana-shaped bottom profile. The frame carries a screening mechanism disposed at the bottom of the scoop member, and the screening mechanism can define at least two stacked screening decks and a generally banana-shaped profile. The screening mechanism can be mechanically vibrated while being isolated mechanically from the scoop member. The frame accommodates different screening mechanisms, which are easily removed and re-installed.
US08893408B2
An underwater excavation apparatus having various mechanisms for moving the underwater excavation apparatus that are provided on or adjacent to the apparatus is described. The mechanisms for moving the underwater excavation apparatus provide for orienting, positioning, rotating, counteracting reactive torque and/or steering the apparatus.
US08893402B2
A method for controlling the atmosphere in a protective gas chamber for the continuous treatment of metal strips. A metal strip is guided into and out of the protective gas chamber via locks. At least one lock has at least two sealing elements for the metal strip which runs through it, with the result that a sealed chamber is formed between the two sealing elements. The gas pressure (P2, PD) is measured in the protective gas chamber and in the sealed chamber of the lock and the pressure (PD) in the sealed chamber is regulated, to be precise in such a way that, during operation, the differential pressure between the protective gas chamber and the sealed chamber is kept as far as possible to an optimum value.
US08893401B2
A lamp heater and a drying apparatus including the same, the lamp heater including a plurality of three-phase power source lamps, a dummy load, the dummy load being configured to maintain a phase balance of the three-phase power source lamps, and a controller, the controller controlling the three-phase power source lamps and the dummy load depending on a lighting condition of the three-phase power source lamps.
US08893391B2
A rotary knife includes a handle, a rotatable annular blade, and a blade carrier assembly. The blade carrier assembly includes an expandable blade housing operably coupled to the handle and configured to removably support the blade. The blade housing is movable relative to the handle between a blade-securing condition, in which the blade housing securely supports the blade for rotational operation, and a relatively expanded blade-releasing condition, in which the blade housing permits removal and installation of the blade relative to the blade housing. The carrier assembly includes a lever mechanism shiftably mounted relative to the handle and configured when shifted to expand the blade housing from the blade-securing condition to the blade-releasing condition.
US08893390B2
A power tool includes a replaceable blade, a fixing device for clamping and securing the blade, a control circuit for controlling a driving device, and a main switch electrically connected to the control circuit. A safety device prevents the blade from moving when the fixing device is opened.
US08893382B2
A method of assembling a combustion system for a gas turbine engine includes providing a combustion chamber frame, an inner casing structure, and an outer casing structure. The method also includes mounting the combustion chamber frame between the inner casing structure and the outer casing structure such that the combustion chamber frame is coupled to the inner casing structure and the outer casing structure.
US08893375B1
A method of manufacturing a stator core including stacking a plurality of teeth into a plurality of stacks, said teeth are obtained from a jigsaw pattern of said teeth, said teeth are substantially identical to each other in size, each said tooth is substantially T-shaped via two arms protruding sideways from a leg, said teeth substantially aligning with each other in each said stack; winding said stacks with a plurality of windings; placing said stacks along a perimeter of a polygonal inner surface of a ferromagnetic tube, said inner surface defining an inner space within said tube, each side of said polygonal inner surface corresponding to each said stack and contacting the bases of said legs of each said stack; inserting a shaft into said inner space, the top surfaces of said arms facing said shaft; vacuum encapsulating said inner space in an epoxy resin; removing said shaft.
US08893368B2
A pivot joint assembly has a first part with a hole. A pivot pin passes through the hole. A second part is carried by the pivot pin to be rotatable relative to the first part. A bush has an annular sleeve with an inner face engaging the pivot pin and an outer face engaging a bore wall of the first part. A sealing ring between the bush and the first part. The sealing ring has a body attached to the first part, and a sealing member extending away from the body in a radial direction to a sealing lip which engages the bush without being attached thereto. The sealing member is resiliently compressed to urge the sealing lip towards the bush to maintain engagement with the bush in the event that the bush moves away from the body in the radial direction.
US08893361B2
A method and apparatus for joining a first workpiece and a second workpiece. A layer of exothermic material is placed between the first workpiece and the second workpiece. A plurality of currents is applied to the layer of exothermic material in a plurality of locations and substantially at the same time such that an exothermic reaction occurs in the layer of exothermic material.
US08893360B2
A method for manufacturing a high-strength motor vehicle door hinge from a steel plate blank includes a cold heading step of forming a cylindrical bulging portion at one end of the blank in the width direction, a shaft hole forming step of forming a shaft hole in the cylindrical bulging portion, and a shaft hole finishing step. In the shaft hole forming step, a shaft hole is formed using a first punch having a top end with a shape of a cone and a first die having an inner wall with a gap volume relative to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical bulging portion of the blank.
US08893357B1
A device and system for assisting in the loading of a cremation container with a bottom surface into a crematory chamber with a floor. The device and system include a cylindrical body, with the body having a longitudinal axis and an external surface extending a length between a first end and a second end. The device and system further include an adhesive applied to the external surface, at one or more points along the length of the cylindrical body. The adhesive temporarily attaches the cylindrical body to the bottom surface of the cremation container.
US08893336B2
A method for automatically adjusting the hardness of a mattress based on an operator's lying position or an operator's side lying position and a device are disclosed. The device comprises: a base, having hollow platforms that have support legs; a lifting device, below the hollow platforms; a mattress body, disposed on the base and comprising a bed surface, a bed bottom, flexible support units, and gravity sensors, through holes being disposed in the bed bottom and corresponding to the lifting device, the flexible support unit being constructed by a first flexible member female-connected with a second flexible member; and a control device, connected with the lifting device and the gravity sensors, wherein the control device determines that the touching number of the gravity sensors is greater, equal to or less than a preset value and therefore automatically adjusts the hardness of the mattress.
US08893325B2
A child containment system includes a child containment structure that has a bottom and a perimeter wall surrounding the bottom; a bassinet that has an infant support surface and a surrounding wall around the support surface, the bassinet mounted to the child containment structure with the bottom panel elevated above the support surface; and an infant support unit that has a frame, a bed supported by the frame, and a connector structure positioned adjacent each opposed end of the infant support unit. In a first operational mode the infant support unit is removably mounted to the child containment structure with the bed overlying the support surface with each connector structure coupled to a corresponding portion of the perimeter wall. The frame is configured to support the bed above a rest surface in a second operational mode in which the infant support unit is detached from the child containment structure.
US08893321B2
A drain system includes a basin and a drain, where a first one of the basin and the drain comprises at least two substantially inflexible protrusions and a second one of the basin and the drain forms at least two apertures. The protrusions and apertures form male-female connections that facilitate positioning and anchoring of the drain in the basin. Further, stoppers/strainer and ball valves for limiting or ceasing water flow through a drain are disclosed. The stoppers/strainers and quarter turn valves may be switch-activated and moved into position by electricity, water pressure, air pressure and the like.
US08898811B2
Disclosed herein describes an SERS sensing substrate comprising upright metal nanostructures made by using oblique angle deposition (OAD) collocating with self-rotation substrate, wherein said upright nanostructures include individual upright nanopillars and metal/dielectric multilayered upright nanopillar stacks. The SERS sensing substrate exhibits higher and enhanced adsorption spectra for unpolarized incident rays in the visible and infrared wavelength regimes.
US08898805B2
A method may include forwarding, by a mobile device, a request for identification information associated with a user of the mobile device. The method may also include receiving, from an identification provider, the identification information, and displaying, by the mobile device, at least some of the identification information.
US08898797B2
Option ROM updates are performed in a secure manner with centralized control through system initialization firmware, such as the system BIOS. An option ROM updater manages copying an option ROM update to an auxiliary subsystem if an update bit is set, such as by a secure system management interface with the BIOS. Upon detection of an update bit, the option ROM updater unlocks a write protect at the auxiliary subsystem firmware and copies an option ROM update to the auxiliary subsystem to update the option ROM. After completing the option ROM update, the option ROM updater locks write protection of the option ROM to maintain system security.
US08898793B2
An approach is provided for selecting a security policy. A security policy manager determines one or more factors for adjusting a safety score associated with a device. The safety score is based, at least in part, on a context associated with the device. The security policy manager then processes and/or facilitates a processing of the one or more factors and the safety score to calculate an adjusted safety score, and determines to select a security policy based, at least in part, on the adjusted safety score.
US08898790B2
The invention provides a method for preventing a mobile communication device from leaking secret and a system thereof. In the method, by adopting a mobile communication device side and PC side structure, a controlling module installation package is transferred from a PC side to the mobile communication device; a controlling module runs automatically and obtains root privilege of the operating system of the mobile communication device; the controlling module forbids functions of silently dialing, silently answering, photo taking, video recording, voice recording, Bluetooth and infrared connection. The advantages of the present invention are that the present invention is suitable for on-site operation and possibility of leaking secret by any mobile communication device is eliminated by a PC terminal.
US08898785B2
Described is a method of assigning a network address to a trap, the network address being a dark address of a virtual private network. The network traffic destined for the network address is monitored and a classification of the network traffic is determined. After the classification, a predetermined response is executed based on the classification of the traffic.
US08898784B1
Electronic network security by establishing a network topology, including multiple devices, where the network includes a command and control layer and a transport layer, where the command and control layer is changeable by the transport layer and vice versa. All phases of an intrusion attempt are monitored to anticipate an intrusion, prevent an intrusion, and remedy a successful intrusion. An assessment of the threat is made in multiple dimensions. The topology of the network may be changed in accordance with the threat assessment. In addition, computer traffic in the network and from the intrusion source may be modified or stopped to guard against an intrusion, prevent an intrusion, and remedy a successful intrusion. The command and control layer is changeable by the transport layer and vice versa.
US08898777B1
A computer-implemented method to determine whether user interaction activities are indicative of deceptive actions is described. Performance of at least one user interaction activity on a computing device is detected. The performance of the at least one user interaction activity is logged. A determination is made as to whether the logged user interaction activity matches a signature. A notification message is generated based on the determination that the logged user interaction activity matches the signature.
US08898776B2
An automatic context-sensitive sanitization technique detects errors due to the mismatch of a sanitizer sequence with a browser parsing context. A pre-deployment analyzer automatically detects violating paths that contain a sanitizer sequence that is inconsistent with a browsing context associated with outputting an untrusted input. The pre-deployment analyzer determines a correct sanitizer sequence which is stored in a sanitization cache. During the runtime execution of the web application, a path detector tracks execution of the web application in relation to the violating paths. The correct sanitizer sequence can be applied when the runtime execution follows a violating path.
US08898770B2
A method and apparatus for accessing contact records in an electronic device with multiple operation perimeters is provided. When accessing contact records from within one operation perimeter, only contact information accessible from that operation perimeter is retrieved. An option is provided to also access contact records of an alternative operation perimeter. If the alternative operation perimeter has a higher security level than the current operation perimeter, a password or other authorization may be required. The contact records may be accessed, for example, to find information for an outgoing communication, to identify information associated with an incoming communication, or to edit a contact record.
US08898769B2
A system is described that can perform a method for receiving a request to modify a universal integrated circuit card, generating a package comprising configuration data for modifying the universal integrated circuit card, instructing an over-the-air system to transmit the package encrypting the package with a transport key to generate an encrypted package, and transmitting the encrypted package to a communication device communicatively coupled to the universal integrated circuit card to provision the universal integrated circuit card. The system can also perform a method of providing a mobile network operator trusted service manager system information relating to the configuration data to enable the mobile network operator trusted service manager system to manage content and memory allocation of the universal integrated circuit card.
US08898766B2
A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for controlling a local utility are disclosed. A first request originating from an application and including a first token is received at a local utility. The application received a web page, including a plurality of links and the first token, from a first server. The plurality of links are received by the application from a second server. The first token is authenticated. Authentication includes sending the first token to a third server. In response to authenticating the first token, a second token is generated at the local utility. The second token is sent to the application for inclusion in subsequent requests from the application.
US08898763B1
This disclosure is directed, at least partly, to automating infrastructure operations performed for a computing service. The infrastructure operations may include many tasks that are infrequently preformed by a service owner. In some embodiments, the infrastructure operations may include procuring hardware, configuring network settings, configuring security, determining and implementing monitors/alarms, deploying the computing service, and/or scaling or otherwise maintaining the computing service. Since the service owners infrequently perform these tasks, deployment of each computing service may require the service owner to reinvent or relearn each of the infrastructure operations, which may result in large inefficiencies, errors, delays, unnecessary costs, and other undesirable outcomes. By automating at least a portion of the infrastructure operations, or otherwise creating a simplified portal with a common user interface, the service owners may more easily deploy their computing service, thereby reducing errors, delays, and unnecessary costs.
US08898759B2
A system that includes a memory to store registration information for a particular application hosted by a particular user device, where the registration information includes context information regarding the particular user device and an integrity code based on credentials associated with the particular application. The system also includes a first server to receive, from a second server, a request to receive a service on behalf of a user device that hosts an application, the request including other credentials associated with the application; generate, using a data integrity algorithm, another integrity code based on the other credentials; determine that the application is trusted when the integrity code matches the other integrity code; compare other context information associated with the user device with the context information when the application is trusted; and send an instruction to the user device to re-register the application when the context information does not match the other context information.
US08898751B2
Systems and method for authorizing third-party authentication to a service are disclosed herein. As exemplary method includes an online service provider subsystem, which is configured to provide a service, 1) receiving a request from a user to use a third-party authentication service to authenticate the user to the service, 2) directing, in response to the request, the user to authenticate to the third-party authentication service, 3) receiving, from a third-party subsystem that provides the third-party authentication service, a third-party user identifier for the user, 4) requiring the user to verify an identity of the user, and 5) authorizing, based on the verified identity of the user, use of the third-party user identifier to authenticate the user to the service. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08898745B2
A system and method of accessing a service on a terminal node. The system includes a chain of nodes, the chain comprising a first node, one or more intermediate nodes, and the terminal node, the terminal node maintaining the service, wherein the first node is arranged to initiate an access request and to transmit the access request to an adjacent node, each intermediate node is arranged to authenticate the transmitting node and to transmit the access request to an adjacent node, and the terminal node is arranged to authenticate the transmitting node and to execute the access request.
US08898742B2
A computer-implemented method is provided for controlling use of a file on a user device. The method includes transmitting authentication information to a system and downloading the file from the system over the network upon successful authentication by the system. The method also includes limiting access of the file to a client application of the user device and preventing altering of the file, printing of the file and opening of the file outside of the client application. Notes corresponding to the file can be stored in a local storage area.
US08898738B2
The present invention discloses an apparatus, system and method for accessing internet webpage. The system includes a user terminal and a proxy server. The user terminal is configured to initiate an access request to the proxy server, the access request including URL information of a target webpage which carries an identifier of requiring security authentication, and receive and display target webpage information outputted from the proxy server. The proxy server is configured to receive the access request, perform security authentication on the URL information of the target webpage which carries the identifier of requiring security authentication according to pre-stored webpage security database information; if the security authentication is passed, obtain the target webpage information and output the target webpage information to the user terminal. By applying the present invention, network delay overload for accessing the internet webpage can be reduced, and user experience can be improved.
US08898737B2
The authentication method for stateless address allocation in IPv6 networks provides a P2P trust-verification approach for identifying a rogue node. Alternatively, the authentication method provides an information hiding scheme to avoid being plagued by rogue nodes. In both cases, the authentication method is embodied in a computer software product having machine readable code.
US08898732B2
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing a managed browser are presented. In various embodiments, a computing device may load a managed browser. The managed browser may, for instance, be configured to provide a managed mode in which one or more policies are applied to the managed browser, and an unmanaged mode in which such policies might not be applied and/or in which the browser might not be managed by at least one device manager agent running on the computing device. Based on device state information and/or one or more policies, the managed browser may switch between the managed mode and the unmanaged mode, and the managed browser may provide various functionalities, which may include selectively providing access to enterprise resources, based on such state information and/or the one or more policies.
US08898731B2
A method for associating service policies based on application of message content filters to messages sent by a consumer may include receiving a message in which the message relates to a service accessible via a network and access to the service is restricted by a policy enforcement runtime. The method may further include applying at least one message content filter to the message content received to extract information indicative of a message flow associated with a configured policy attachment and correlating the message flow to a selected policy regarding consumer access to the service. The method may further include enforcing the selected policy relative to access to the service by the consumer.
US08898726B2
The invention relates to apparatus which can be used in first and second modes and to the manner in which the change in modes of operation can be achieved. In a first mode, the apparatus operates to receive data which is received typically from a television programme broadcast system and process the same and in the second mode the apparatus has the additional feature of a data storage device in which received data can be stored and be made available for subsequent retrieval. The data storage device can be provided as part of an assembly which can be mechanically and electrically connected to the apparatus housing and which allows the transfer of data between the assembly and the remainder of the apparatus. In one embodiment the assembly also includes cooling means which allow a cooling functionality to be provided to the apparatus.
US08898721B2
An interactve television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage ad maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs”for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.
US08898712B2
The invention provides a new solution for multimedia service guides, so as to aid the user equipment to receive multimedia service. The multimedia service management device notifies a service identifier and a service address of the multimedia service to a network server, and notifies the service identifier of the multimedia service to multimedia service guide device. Multimedia service guide device generates multimedia service guides comprising service identifier. After the user equipment obtains the multimedia service guides, it queries the network server for the service address corresponding to the multimedia service according to the service identifier comprised in the multimedia service guides, and obtains the multimedia service according to the service address.
US08898710B2
A wireless transmission system is provided that can minimize the control command transmission amount by operating a plurality of sink devices in conjunction with each other with respect to each group. The wireless transmission system includes: a bridge device (1) which wireless-transmits an AV content; and a plurality of wireless sink devices (5, 6) which reproduce the wireless-transmitted AV content. The bridge device (1) has a group identification table which stores a group identifier for identifying a group formed by the wireless sink device (5, 6). The bridge device (1) adds a group identifier extracted from the group identification table to a control command for controlling the sink devices (5, 6) and wireless-transmits the control command having the group identifier. The wireless sink devices (5, 6) receive a control command wireless-transmitted from the bridge device (1) if a corresponding group identifier is added to the control command.
US08898700B2
A method and system for displaying digital broadcast signals are disclosed. The method displays a broadcast signal, transmitted from a portable terminal having a digital broadcast receiver, on an external device having a decoding unit. When the external device transmits a digital broadcast playback request and selected channel information, the portable terminal controls the digital broadcast receiver to select a broadcast channel according to the selected channel information, demultiplexes a broadcast signal of the selected broadcast channel, and transmits the demodulated broadcast signal. The external device classifies the demodulated broadcast signal as audio, video, and broadcast information, decodes the classified signals and plays them back. When a communication event is generated while the portable terminal demodulates and transmits the broadcast signals of the selected broadcast channel, the communication event is transmitted to the external device and a wireless communication route is established to process the communication event.
US08898698B2
Social media content items and references to events that occur therein are aligned with the time-based media events they describe. These mappings may be used as the basis for sending messages to populations of authors of content items, where the populations are determined based on whether the author has written a content item that refers to a specific TV show or advertisement. TV streams are monitored to detect when and where a specific advertisement for a particular advertiser is shown. Concurrently, social media streams are monitored for content items that refer to or are about specific TV shows and advertisements. Responsive to a specific advertisement being detected as being shown during a specific TV show, a message associated with the advertisement is sent to the authors of the content items associated with that TV show or advertisement. The messages can be transmitted while the advertisement is being shown.
US08898693B2
Apparatus and methods for providing content by presenting multimedia content on a mobile device; receiving, on the mobile device, indicia of at least one insertion point in the multimedia content; receiving, on the mobile device, at least one identifier associated with the at least one insertion point, the identifier identifying one or more executable content; and presenting the executable content to a user of the mobile device proximate to the at least one insertion point.
US08898691B2
A disclosed method of enabling a subscriber to control access to multimedia content received from a multimedia distribution network includes provisioning the network with an access control application. The application is operable to respond to an invocation by a member of a subscriber class by enabling at least one subscriber class function, wherein the subscriber class function enables the subscriber class member to define an access restriction for members of a controlled class. The application responds to an invocation by a member of the controlled class by enabling the controlled class member to access content not subject to the defined restrictions permitting the controlled class member to define preferences from content not subject to the defined restrictions. The definable preferences may include TV channel preferences and interactive games preferences. Restrictions may be defined based on channel identification, a rating associated with requested content, an elapsed viewing time, and a monetary charge.
US08898686B2
A system and method for soliciting a selection of video content from a user after presenting the user with an interface showing the user the video content currently available for viewing. The system provides the user an option of both viewing the content in its entirety and partially viewing the content. With the partial viewing options the user may select and view a scene or scenes, or may navigate through the content to find the portion or “snippet” of the content they wish to view. The system tracks the length of viewing and the client is charged in accordance with the amount of content viewed.
US08898679B2
A method and associated system for interfacing between a caller application and a service module. Upon receiving a request for performing a transaction that includes at least one caller application attribute describing the request, the service module builds a service module data structure pursuant to the received request. The service module data structure includes a generic service document and at least one service module attribute. Each service module attribute is stored in a relational table of the service module data structure, which includes. The request is serviced within the service module data structure, resulting in instantiating the generic service document. The generic service document is returned to the caller application. Storing each service module attribute in the relational table includes: determining a category and a level of a first service module attribute; and storing in the relational table a first container pursuant to the category and the level.
US08898676B2
An approach to managing software components in a datacenter having virtualized components includes maintaining a suitable data construct for representing the virtualized elements. In embodiments, virtualized elements include knowledge relating to instantiations of virtual machines. Management of software components includes traversing a data representation of the datacenter, and assessing the compatibility of the software component with components in the datacenter that relate to the target of the software component.
US08898672B2
Various embodiments provide a method and apparatus of creating an application isolated virtual space without the need to run multiple OSs. Application isolated virtual spaces are created by an Operating System (OS) utilizing a resource manager. The resource manager isolates applications from each other by re-writing the network stack and the I/O subsystem of the conventional OS kernel to have multiple isolated network stack/virtual I/O views of the physical resources managed by the OS. Isolated network stacks and virtual I/O views identify the resources allocated to an application's isolated virtual space and are mapped to applications via an isolating identifier.
US08898669B2
Automated techniques are disclosed for coordinating request or transaction processing in a data processing system. For example, a technique for handling requests in a data processing system comprises the following steps. A compound request comprising at least two individual requests of different types is received. An individual request r1 of the compound request is placed on a queue for requests of type t1, wherein t1 is the request type of r1. After r1 has reached the front of the queue, it is determined if at least one individual request of said compound request can execute. The compound request is executed if it is determined that all individual requests of the compound request can execute.
US08898667B2
An intelligent prediction approach populates and depopulates multiple applications at the system level across applications. The detection and management of user behavior patterns anticipates the user's next request and relates dynamically to user behavior and where that user behavior changes to adjust so as to more accurately set forth a desired result for a user of the present invention.
US08898662B2
A method and device for generating a software installation package is disclosed in the present invention. The method includes: in the process of generating the software installation package, a plurality of support library files required to develop the software are divided according to file types, and the support library files of the same type are compressed together, and the compressed support library files of the same type are located in the same one part of the software installation package. By adopting the present invention, the size of APP installation packages can be reduced greatly, the network propagation speeds up greatly when applied to the network transmission field, and flash space, as well as the cost, is greatly reduced when the software installation packages are written into flash directly.
US08898652B2
Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing a hardware accelerated software transactional memory application. The software transactional memory application has access to metadata in a cache of a central processing unit that can be used to improve the operation of the STM system. For example, open read barrier filtering is provided that uses an opened-for-read bit that is contained in the metadata to avoid redundant open read processing. Similarly, redundant read log validation can be avoided using the metadata. For example, upon entering commit processing for a particular transaction, a get-evictions instruction in an instruction set architecture of the central processing unit is invoked. A retry operation can be optimized using the metadata. The particular transaction is aborted at a current point and put to sleep. The corresponding cache line metadata in the metadata are marked appropriately to efficiently detect a write by another CPU.
US08898647B2
A method provides for a way to test coverage data used in testing small computing platforms by assigning unique signatures to each node in the control flow graph and embedding control function calls. Signatures are embedded into the program during compilation time using the custom parser. When the program is executed the “exercised” signatures sequence is checked for correctness and used for deriving test coverage metric. This metric is used for improving unit and black-box tests. Thus, a way to collect the path-based test coverage with minimal memory and code/size impact on target system is provided.
US08898645B2
Breakpoints are handled in an asynchronous debug model by building a queue of basic operations to run a debug application program interface (API). User commands are each broken down into a simple command and placed on the queue. In response to a debug event, a new simple command is generated. If, when a first command on the queue is processed, a thread is not stopped at a location with an installed breakpoint, an operation corresponding to the first command is started, the operation is removed from the queue, and a next operation is started. If the thread is stopped at the location with the breakpoint, the thread performs a hop. When the hop terminates, the first command is removed from the queue. If the first command is a run command, and there is no cause to stop the thread, the run command is moved to the end of the queue.
US08898635B2
A system and method for field analysis, in an organization is described herein. According to the present invention, the system parses the software code to prepare an abstract syntax tree, extract attributes and relational report, load the report in a common repository, perform impact analysis on the said common repository based on user provided seed, and prepare the list of impacted variables. Further, if required the impacted fields are expanded based on the target size information provided.
US08898633B2
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a system. The system can comprise a user interface renderer, which can be adapted to render a plurality of distinct user interfaces. Each user interface from the plurality of distinct user interfaces can be adapted to configure a corresponding software application from a plurality of software applications associated with operating a programmable logic controller (PLC).
US08898627B2
The present application is directed towards systems and methods for applying one or more rules that transform objects of an application from a previous instance of the application. Customized functions, objects, databases, and code of the instance of the application may be analyzed by an application transformation tool to identify one or more objects that have been modified. The modified objects may be further analyzed to detect if they are permissibly alterable. The application transformation tool may determine whether each of the permissibly alterable objects reference a standard interface of the application. The application transformation tool may apply one or more rules that transform objects to those permissibly alterable objects that do not reference the standard interface of the application.
US08898621B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for implementing a logical programming model that separates a resource from its state and processes the resource and the state of the resource independently. According to one embodiment, a method of method for implementing a logical programming model can comprise defining a resource and defining one or more state objects for the resource. An application can be defined including at least one instance of the defined resource and at least one instance of the defined one or more state objects. Logic of the application can handle the one or more state objects independent from the resource.
US08898620B2
A system and a method for automated process management of software in a computer network having a plurality of computers, including for deployment. The automated process management optionally and preferably includes modeling the software application according to one or more requirements of the computer network. The modeling also preferably includes operational modeling. This modeling bridges the gap between development and operation teams. The automated process management is preferably controlled at a management server via a console, such that one or more users may more preferably adjust the process management or at least optionally view progress of any actions within the automated process performance. Such management server preferably enables the software product to be deployed, managed, verified, monitored and tracked from a single location. More preferably, the system and method provide management reports, for generating deployment and/or other automated process management reports for the technical (software professional and/or deployment professional) and management level.
US08898616B2
Software controlled transistor body bias. A target frequency is accessed. Using software, transistor body-biasing values are determined for the target frequency in order to enhance a characteristic of a circuit. The bodies of the transistors are biased based on the body-biasing values, wherein the characteristic is enhanced.
US08898611B2
VLSI layouts of generalized multi-stage and pyramid networks for broadcast, unicast and multicast connections are presented using only horizontal and vertical links with spacial locality exploitation. The VLSI layouts employ shuffle exchange links where outlet links of cross links from switches in a stage in one sub-integrated circuit block are connected to inlet links of switches in the succeeding stage in another sub-integrated circuit block so that said cross links are either vertical links or horizontal and vice versa. Furthermore the shuffle exchange links are employed between different sub-integrated circuit blocks so that spacially nearer sub-integrated circuit blocks are connected with shorter links compared to the shuffle exchange links between spacially farther sub-integrated circuit blocks. In one embodiment the sub-integrated circuit blocks are arranged in a hypercube arrangement in a two-dimensional plane. The VLSI layouts exploit the benefits of significantly lower cross points, lower signal latency, lower power and full connectivity with significantly fast compilation.The VLSI layouts with spacial locality exploitation presented are applicable to generalized multi-stage and pyramid networks, generalized folded multi-stage and pyramid networks, generalized butterfly fat tree and pyramid networks, generalized multi-link multi-stage and pyramid networks, generalized folded multi-link multi-stage and pyramid networks, generalized multi-link butterfly fat tree and pyramid networks, generalized hypercube networks, and generalized cube connected cycles networks for speedup of s≧1. The embodiments of VLSI layouts are useful in wide target applications such as FPGAs, CPLDs, pSoCs, ASIC placement and route tools, networking applications, parallel & distributed computing, and reconfigurable computing.
US08898603B1
A method for processing signals in a system includes deriving a signal activity for a signal from a timing requirement assignment for the signal.
US08898596B2
A mobile terminal and data extracting method therein are provided, by which specific data meeting a specific condition can be selected and extracted conveniently and quickly in the course of displaying a data list constructed with a plurality of data. The mobile terminal receives an input of a touch action for selecting specific data and a classification condition corresponding to the specific data using a displayed data list upon receiving the input of the touch action, selects at least one data including the specific data as the data including the classification condition from a plurality of data, receives an input of an extraction command signal for extracting the selected data, and extracts the selected data upon receiving the input of the extraction command signal.
US08898594B2
A device for and a method of refreshing presentation of icons for objects processed on an electronic device are provided. The method comprises: providing a first template for a layout of the icons having a first trigger condition based on a time for the device, the layout of the icons including a first icon layout where an icon of the icons is placed in a first location on the display and other icons are placed in ranked order in the display according to their respective activity levels; providing a second template for the layout of the icons having a second trigger condition based on a location condition for the device; refreshing the layout of the icons to highlight an icon associated with a more frequently used communication technology using one of the first or second templates when either of the first or second trigger conditions is detected by the device; and providing a graphical user interface (GUI) to list options for the first or second triggering conditions, the GUI including an interface to allow entry of a selection of a format for the layout of icons and to allow for entry for a parameter for a triggering event for the format.
US08898585B2
An electronic device, an input method thereof, and a computer-readable medium using the method are provided, wherein the electronic device has a function key corresponding to a predetermined function. In the method, when a function key input is received, whether the function key input is inputted successively is determined according to a time interval between a reception time of the function key input and a reception time of a previous key input. The electronic device is prohibited from executing the predetermined function relevant to the function key if the function key input is inputted successively.
US08898578B1
A system and method for generating a conference call within a social network is disclosed. The participants are all members of an affinity group and they communicate with each other using different social streams. When the stream becomes too complicated, a participant transforms the social stream into a conference call so that the discussion is held in real-time. The participant that requests the conference call is designated as a moderator. The moderator controls the conference, including the members of the affinity group, through a user interface. Once the conference is established a notification can be sent to invitees and other members of the affinity group. The notification can also be published on a social network.
US08898574B2
An invention that degrades avatar appearances in a virtual universe is provided. In one embodiment, there is a degradation tool, including a visual obstruction component configured to: identify an object in the virtual universe as an object of interest, and determine whether a set of avatars within the virtual universe is likely to cause a visual obstruction of the object of interest to an avatar. The degradation tool further comprises a modification component configured to degrade an appearance of at least one of the set of avatars within the virtual universe if the set of avatars within the virtual universe is likely to cause a visual obstruction of the object of interest to the avatar.
US08898566B1
A handheld dedicated electronic book (“eBook”) reader device renders an image on a screen during periods of inactivity of the device. The device detects certain screen conversion events such as a timeout period or a user indication. Upon detection of such events, the device renders, as the last screen image to remain visible after the user ceases using the device, an image that conveys some meaningful association with a content item accessible by the device. In the context of eBooks, the eBook reader device renders a representation of an author of the eBook as the last screen image. A highlighted portion of the eBook may additionally or alternatively be presented as the last screen image.
US08898557B1
A computer-implemented method includes providing, from a server including one or more processors, a user interface element to a first computing device, wherein the first computing device is associated with a user, and the server determines that the user is associated with a second computing device that is a mobile computing device having a digital display and is logged into an account at both the first and second computing devices. The method further includes receiving a user request for a rendering of a document issued by the first computing device upon selection of the user interface element by a user, and transmitting a command to the second computing device that causes the second computing device to automatically display the rendering of the document. The method further includes receiving and storing annotation information corresponding to one or more annotations to the rendering made at the second computing device.
US08898553B1
Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a system, device and a method performing N read cycles on a plurality of memory cells of a memory sector, wherein N is an integer greater than one; constructing (N+1) bin histograms based at least in part on performing the N read cycles; identifying a shortest bin histogram of the (N+1) bin histograms; and based on a height of the shortest histogram, assigning a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) to the shortest bin histogram. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08898547B2
Rate control adaptable communications. A common trellis is employed at both ends of a communication system (in an encoder and decoder) to code and decode data at different rates. The encoding employs a single encoder whose output bits may be selectively punctured to support multiple modulations (constellations and mappings) according to a rate control sequence. A single decoder is operable to decode each of the various rates at which the data is encoded by the encoder. The rate control sequence may include a number of rate controls arranged in a period that is repeated during encoding and decoding. Either one or both of the encoder and decoder may adaptively select a new rate control sequence based on a variety of operational parameters including operating conditions of the communication system, a change in signal to noise ratio (SNR), etc.
US08898545B2
A memory controller adds the redundant information that is used to correct an error for each of data of a predetermined length and stores the data into the nonvolatile memory in the case in which data is written to the nonvolatile memory, the memory controller reads data and the redundant information that has been added to the data from the nonvolatile memory in the case in which data is read from the nonvolatile memory, and the memory controller corrects an error based on the redundant information in the case in which the data includes an error. The memory controller stores data that is in a basic unit that is a unit of an error correction configured by the data of a predetermined length and the redundant information that is added to the data of a predetermined length into a plurality of predetermined pages in a dispersed manner.
US08898542B2
A method begins by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module receiving a partial task regarding an encoded data block grouping. The method continues with the DS processing module performing the partial task on the encoded data block grouping to produce a partial task result and determining subsequent treatment of the partial task result. When the subsequent treatment includes storage of the partial task result, the method continues with the DS processing module determining a manner in which the partial task result is to be stored. When the manner in which the partial task result is to be stored is dispersed storage, the method continues with the DS processing module dispersed storage error encoding the partial task result to produce one or more sets of encoded partial task result blocks and outputting the one or more sets of encoded partial task result blocks to a set of DST execution units.
US08898539B2
A receive path of a communications system comprises an error-correction decoder, an error-detection decoder, and a codeword adjuster. The error-correction decoder performs error-correction decoding on a received codeword to generate a valid codeword. The error-detection decoder performs error-detection decoding on the valid codeword to determine whether or not the valid codeword is the correct codeword that was transmitted. If the valid codeword is not the correct codeword, then the codeword adjuster generates an adjusted valid codeword by applying an error vector to the valid codeword. The error-detection decoder performs error-detection decoding on the adjusted valid codeword to determine whether or not the adjusted valid codeword is the correct codeword. When the error-correction decoder generates an incorrect valid codeword, adjusting the valid codeword enables the receive path to recover the correct codeword without retransmitting or re-detecting the codeword.
US08898537B2
Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes offer error correction at rates approaching the link channel capacity and reliable and efficient information transfer over bandwidth or return-channel constrained links with data-corrupting noise present. LDPC codes also offer error correction performance approaching channel capacity exponentially fast in terms of the code length, linear processing complexity, and parallelism that scales with the code length. They also offer challenges relating to the decoding complexity of the binary error-correction codes themselves and error floors limiting achievable bit-error rates. A new Relaxed Half-Stochastic (RHS) decoding algorithm is presented that reduces decoding complexity for high decoding throughput applications. The RHS algorithm uses an approach based on stochastic decoding algorithms but differs significantly from the conventional approaches of LDPC decoder implementation. The RHS algorithm also leads to a randomized decoding technique called redecoding that addresses the error floor limitation.
US08898516B2
A system and method for providing a fault-tolerant basis to execute instructions is disclosed. The system comprises an error detector, a rewriting module, a recovery engine, a fault locator and a fallback programming module. The error detector detects a first error in the execution of an instruction in a faulty stage unit of a first pipeline unit. The rewriting module rewrites the instruction to form a rewritten instruction responsive to detecting the first error. The recovery engine executes the rewritten instruction in the first pipeline unit. The error detector determines if a second error occurs in the execution of the rewritten instruction. Responsive to detecting the second error, the recovery engine selects a substitute stage unit for the faulty stage unit from a second pipeline unit. The fault locator locates a faulty component for the faulty stage unit. The fallback programming module establishes a fallback unit for the faulty component.
US08898509B2
Embodiments include a checkpointing fault tolerance network architecture enables a first computer system to be remotely located from a second computer system. An intermediary computer system is situated between the first computer system and the second computer system to manage the transmission of checkpoint information from the first computer system to the second computer system in an efficient manner. The intermediary computer system responds to requests from the second computer system for updated data corresponding to memory pages selected by the second computer system, or memory pages identified through application of policy information defined by the second computer system.
US08898505B2
A stream application may allocate processing elements to one or more compute nodes (or hosts) to achieve a desired optimization goal. Each optimization mode may define processing element selection criteria and/or host selection criteria. When allocating a processing element to a host, a scheduler may place each processing element individually. Accordingly, the scheduler may use the processing element selection criteria for selecting which processing element in the stream application to allocate next. The scheduler may then determine, based on one or more constraints, which host the processing element can be placed on. If the scheduler determines that multiple hosts are suitable candidates for the processing element, it may use the host selection criteria to pick one of the candidate hosts that further optimize the stream application to meet the desired goal.
US08898500B2
Various methods for performing energy management via a sub-system are provided. One example method includes receiving a user input while a main processing system is in a power saving mode and buffering a representation of the user input. The example method further includes, in response to receiving the user input, triggering a wake up of a main processing system from the power saving mode, and causing transmission of the representation of the user input to the main processing system for processing. Similar and related example methods and example apparatuses are also provided.
US08898497B2
Includes receiving, from a link partner, a message specifying a link partner receive wake time and resolving to the lesser of the received link partner receive wake time and a local transmit wake time.
US08898495B2
A method for switching an operating system (OS) and an electronic apparatus are provided. While switching to a first OS, a system firmware stored in a memory unit declares that a first segment of a system memory is in a usable state and a second segment of the system memory is in a reserved state by using a first resource description table, so that the first OS is in a working state in the first segment and a second OS is in a power-saving state in the second segment. While switching to the second OS, the system firmware declares that the second segment is in the usable state and the first segment is in the reserved state by using a second resource description table, so that the second OS is in the working state and the first OS is in the power-saving state.
US08898494B2
An apparatus, method and system is described herein for efficiently balancing performance and power between processing elements based on measured workloads. If a workload of a processing element indicates that it is a bottleneck, then its performance may be increased. However, if a platform or integrated circuit including the processing element is already operating at a power or thermal limit, the increase in performance is counterbalanced by a reduction or cap in another processing elements performance to maintain compliance with the power or thermal limit. As a result, bottlenecks are identified and alleviated by balancing power allocation, even when multiple processing elements are operating at a power or thermal limit.
US08898493B2
This application includes systems and techniques that permit computers to remain accessible while in a low-power mode. In some implementations, the technique includes receiving at a first computer, via a computer network, information regarding a second computer transitioning to a low-power mode of operation; receiving at the first computer network communications designated for the second computer; processing at the first computer at least a portion of the network communications on behalf of the second computer without transitioning the second computer out of the low-power mode of operation, where the processing comprises processing the at least a portion of the network communications on behalf of the second computer within a virtual machine corresponding to the second computer; and initiating, via the computer network, a transition of the second computer out of the low-power mode of operation when at least one of the network communications satisfies a predetermined condition.
US08898489B2
A wireless power module couples to an information handling system to accept power from a wireless power source and to provide the power to the information handling system through a docking station connector of the information handling system. The wireless power module selectively decouples from the information handling so that an end user can elect to reduce the footprint of the information handling system by removing the wireless power module when not taking advantage of wireless power.
US08898488B2
A processing device coupled to a host device via a connection device and including a connection port, a control unit and a switching unit is disclosed. The connection port connects to the connection device. The control unit controls a switching signal according to the kind of the connection device when the connection port is coupled between the connection port and the host device. The switching unit transmits an external power to the control unit according to the switching signal. When the switching unit transmits the external power to the control unit, the control unit operates according to the external power provided by an external device. When the switching unit does not transmit the external power to the control unit, the control unit operates according to a host power provided by the host device.
US08898483B2
A device for generating a born encrypted optical file includes a photovoltaic matrix for converting an optical image into a digital file. The digital file is a collection of digital data that has not been processed by any image processing logic and thus cannot be used to directly generate a reproduced image of the object. An encryption logic converts the digital file into an encrypted digital file that can be exported from the device to an authorized device to create a decrypted digital file. This decrypted digital file is capable of being used by a display logic to display an image of the object.
US08898482B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a first user—the creator—uses a web browser to encrypt some information. The web browser provides to the creator a URL which contains the key used for encryption, such as in the form of an anchor embedded within a URL. The web browser also provides a hash of the cryptographic key and the encrypted information to a web server. The creator transmits the URL to a second user—the viewer—who provides the URL to a web browser, thereby causing the web browser to navigate to a decryption web page maintained by the web server, but without transmitting the cryptographic key to the web server. The viewer's web browser hashes the cryptographic key and sends the hash to the web server, which uses the hash to identify and return the encrypted information to the viewer's web browser, which in turn uses the encryption key to decrypt the message and display the decrypted message to the viewer.
US08898478B2
A client queries a set of encrypted data instances located at a server with a query attribute of the client. The set of encrypted data instances is associated with a set of ciphertexts, wherein a ciphertext is an encrypted function of a representation of a corresponding data instance and a data instance attribute extracted from the corresponding data instance. The client decrypts the ciphertext from the set of ciphertexts based on a distance function of the query attribute and the data instance attribute to produce the representation, and accesses the corresponding data instance using the representation.
US08898473B2
System and method for compressing secure E-mail for exchange with a mobile data communication device
A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device: the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to encryption and/or authentication aspect. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a remote system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the remote system to one or more receivers.
US08898466B1
Secure block acknowledgment techniques for use in communication networks are discussed. In one embodiment, a method includes setting up a session with a transmitting station in which the transmitting station is to perform a block acknowledgment to confirm receipt of packets, the session including determining whether the transmitting station has a capability to implement a mechanism to securely perform a block acknowledgement. The embodiment includes receiving an information unit including information indicative of a request for the communication device to adjust a receiving window associated with the session, determining whether the received information unit is in accordance with the mechanism, adjusting the receiving window if the received information unit is in accordance with the mechanism, and not adjusting the receiving window if (i) the received information unit is not in accordance with the mechanism, and (ii) the transmitting station is determined to have the capability to implement the mechanism.
US08898465B2
A client hosted virtualization system includes a processor to execute code, a non-volatile memory, and a switch. The memory includes code to implement a basic input/output system (BIOS) for the CHVS, and code to implement a virtualization manager. The virtualization manager is operable to initialize the CHVS, authenticate a virtual machine image associated with a virtual machine, and launch the virtual machine on the CHVS. The switch is operable to select one of a first state and a second state. The processor operates to execute the BIOS code when the switch is in the first state and to execute the virtualization manager code when the switch is in the second state.
US08898460B2
Described is a technology by which files that are hardware protected on a storage device, such as a USB flash drive, are managed on a host, including by integration with an existing file system. Each file maintained on a storage device is associated with a protection attribute that corresponds to that file's device hardware protection level. Requests directed towards accessing metadata or actual file data are processed based upon the protection attribute and a state of authentication, e.g., to allow or deny access, show file icons along with their level of protection, change levels, and so forth. Also described is splitting a file system file table into multiple file tables, one file table for each level of protection. Entries in the split file tables are maintained based on each file's current level; space allocation tracking entries are also maintained to track the space used by other split tables.
US08898459B2
Methods, articles of manufacture, and apparatus to perform policy configuration for mobile device applications are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes determining whether a digital certificate associated with a application executable on a mobile device has been signed by a first trusted certificate authority, the first trusted certificate authority being included in a list of trusted certificate authorities hard-coded in the mobile device, and when the digital certificate is determined to have been signed by the first trusted certificate authority, configuring the application for execution on the mobile device based on an access privilege indicating a physical interface of the mobile device the application is permitted to access, and execution configuration information associated with the application.
US08898455B2
A system and method for authentication of a communication device is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller element to compute a shared secret key based at least in part on a communication device private key and a cryptography algorithm, where the communication device private key is stored in an identity module of the communication device and is unknown to an authentication center, and wherein the communication device is authenticated by the authentication center based at least in part on the shared secret key. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08898454B2
There is provided a communication device in which a network access authenticating unit executes a network access authentication process with an authentication server to establish a connection to a network, the authentication process including generation of information shared with the authentication server, a communication unit receives an authentication result message from the authentication server when succeeding in the network access authentication process, the authentication result message containing an authentication result indicating success in the network access authentication process and an encrypted network key; a key transport key generating unit generates a key transport key by use of the information generated in the network access authentication process; and a network key acquiring unit acquires a network key by decrypting the encrypted network key contained in the authentication result message with the key transport key, the communication unit encrypts data with the network key and transmits encrypted data to the network.
US08898448B2
Systems and methods for wireless communications are provided. These include data deciphering components, interrupt processing components, adaptive aggregations methods, optimized data path processing, buffer pool processing, application processing where data is formatted in a suitable format for a destination process, and Keystream bank processing among other hardware acceleration features. Such systems and methods are provided to simplify logic designs and mitigate processing steps during wireless network data processing.
US08898444B1
Described are techniques for providing access to storage devices. An I/O request directed to a storage device is sent over a network connection from a first computer system to a second computer system. The second computer system includes a simulated computing environment simulating aspects of the first computer system. The I/O request is received at the second computer system. The data storage system is connected to the second computer system over a first connection operating in accordance with a first protocol thereby providing the second computer system access to the storage device of the data storage system. The simulated computing environment of the second computer system may, for example, include emulation capabilities in accordance with the first protocol thereby allowing the second computer system to issue the first I/O request to the first storage device on behalf of the first computer system.
US08898439B2
A serial flash memory and an address transmission method thereof. The serial flash memory selectively addresses a first memory space according to a first address length or addresses a second memory space according to a second address length longer than the first address length. If the first memory space is addressed according to the first address length, a first memory address is completely received within an address time duration so that data corresponding to the first memory address is initially outputted from a starting clock. In the address transmission method, if the second memory space is addressed according to the second address length, a portion of a second memory address is received within the address time duration. The other portion of the second memory address is received within a waiting time duration so that data corresponding to the second memory address is initially outputted from the starting clock.
US08898434B2
A technique for optimizing program instruction execution throughput in a central processing unit core (CPU). The CPU implements a simultaneous multithreading (SMT) operational mode wherein program instructions associated with at least two software threads are executed in parallel as hardware threads while sharing one or more hardware resources used by the CPU, such as cache memory, translation lookaside buffers, functional execution units, etc. As part of the SMT mode, the CPU implements an autothread (AT) operational mode. During the AT operational mode, a determination is made whether there is a resource conflict between the hardware threads that undermines instruction execution throughput. If a resource conflict is detected, the CPU adjusts the relative instruction execution rates of the hardware threads based on relative priorities of the software threads.
US08898424B2
The present disclosure includes devices, systems, and methods for memory address translation. One or more embodiments include a memory array and a controller coupled to the array. The array includes a first table having a number of records, wherein each record includes a number of entries, wherein each entry includes a physical address corresponding to a data segment stored in the array and a logical address. The controller includes a second table having a number of records, wherein each record includes a number of entries, wherein each entry includes a physical address corresponding to a record in the first table and a logical address. The controller also includes a third table having a number of records, wherein each record includes a number of entries, wherein each entry includes a physical address corresponding to a record in the second table and a logical address.
US08898419B2
A modular block allocator includes a front end module and a back end module communicating with each another via an application programming interface (API). The front end module receives cleaner messages requesting dirty buffers associated with the cleaner messages be cleaned. The back end module provides low and high level data structures which are formed by examining bitmaps associated with data storage devices. A stripe set data structure mapping to the low level data structures are formed. The front end module cleans the dirty buffers by allocating data blocks in the high level data structures to the dirty buffers. The low level data structures are used to map the allocated data blocks to the stripe set and when the stripe set is full it is sent to the data storage devices.
US08898402B1
A storage pool manager (SPM) simplifies the provisioning of storage in virtualized environments (VEs). The SPM pushes the provisioning of storage from a storage administrator out to virtualization users and administrators. By de-centralizing storage administration, storage provisioning is made as dynamic as server provisioning in a virtualization environment. Use of the SPM enables virtualization users to select storage for provisioning based on selection of a type of storage and an amount without having to be knowledgeable about storage provisioning operations. Details of creating the storage and performing masking operations to the servers are done automatically. Using a virtual container, the storage administrator is able to control the storage that is accessible to virtualization users for provisioning and is able to set boundaries and policies around what storage the virtualization users can provision from. Additionally, the virtualization administrator is allowed to sub-divide the storage made accessible from the storage administrator.
US08898397B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for memory and process sharing via input/output (I/O) with virtualization. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a circuit design/system in which multiple chipsets are present that communicate with one another via a communications channel. Each chipset generally comprises a processor coupled to a memory unit. Moreover, each component has its own distinct/separate power supply. Pursuant to a communication and/or command exchange with a main controller, a processor of a particular chipset may disengage a memory unit coupled thereto, and then access a memory unit of another chipset (e.g., coupled to another processer in the system). Among other things, such an inventive configuration reduces memory leakage and enhances overall performance and/or efficiency of the system.
US08898380B2
Disclosed is a RAID data checking system. I/O controllers to read data RAID data from the storage devices and transfer that data to virtual memory address ranges. The P+Q checking function receives the data sent to the virtual memory address ranges. However, instead of storing the incoming data, the P+Q checking function updates intermediate values of the P and Q redundant data calculations associated with the incoming data. When all of the strips have been received, the P+Q checking function will have completed the calculation of P and Q redundant data. In this case, after all the strips and the P or Q data have been received, the P+Q checking function will hold zeroes if all the data and the P and Q data was correct and hold non-zero values if there was an error.
US08898377B2
A semiconductor device includes a first operation circuit configured to generate addition data by adding a column address and a page address and output a remainder obtained by dividing the addition data by a set value as seed data, a mask data output circuit configured to output mask data corresponding to the respective seed data, and a second operation circuit configured to generate random data by performing a logic operation on the mask data and program data corresponding to the column and page addresses.
US08898374B2
A flash memory device includes a flash memory and a controller. The flash memory includes a single level memory module and a multi level memory module. The single level memory module includes a first data bus and at least one single level cell flash memory. Each memory cell of the single level cell flash memory stores one bit of data. The multi level memory module includes a second data bus and at least one multi level cell flash memory. Each memory cell of the multi level cell flash memory stores more than one bit of data. The first data bus is coupled to the second data bus. During a write operation, the controller writes data to the single level memory module, and the single level memory module further transmits the data to the multi level memory module through the first and second data buses coupled therebetween without passing the data through the controller.
US08898373B1
Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for improving wear leveling performance in solid-state memory. The embodiments described herein make more consistent the number of wear leveling operations that needs to be performed, so that sudden spikes in the number wear leveling operations may be reduced in solid-state memory. In one embodiment, a staggered threshold-based wear leveling approach is used to spread out the execution of wear leveling operations that otherwise would have been triggered in clusters. Under the staggered threshold-based approach, wear leveling is periodically triggered by different wear leveling thresholds that are associated with various units of solid-state memory such as a group of blocks, so that only a certain amount of units are wear leveled at any given time.
US08898372B2
A memory storage device, a memory controller, and a data writing method are provided. The memory storage device has a rewritable non-volatile memory chip including a plurality of physical units, and each of the physical units has a plurality of physical pages. The data writing method includes configuring a plurality of logical units to be mapped to a portion of the physical units, and each of the logical unit has a plurality of logical pages. The data writing method also includes receiving a first write data from a host system and writing the first write data into the ith physical page in a substitute physical unit selected from the physical units. The data writing method further includes writing a first address access information corresponding to the first write data and a second address access information into the ith physical page. Herein i is a positive integer.
US08898370B2
A data storage method for storing data into a flash memory chip is provided. The flash memory chip has a plurality of physical addresses, and these physical addresses include a plurality of fast physical addresses and a plurality of slow physical addresses. In the data storage method, the usage rate of the physical addresses is monitored. When the usage rate is not larger than a usage rate threshold value, only the fast physical addresses are used for storing the data into the flash memory chip. When the usage rate is larger than the usage rate threshold value, the fast physical addresses and the slow physical addresses are used for storing the data into the flash memory chip. Thereby, the speed of storing data into the flash memory chip is effectively increased.
US08898367B2
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with unified information bus are described. One example method includes receiving a unified information object that includes data and associated meta-data; identifying an object type for the unified information object, selecting one or more data transfer components that perform operations on the identified object type and transferring the unified information object to the one or more selected data transfer components.
US08898364B2
The invention relates to a bus coupler which converts a network-specific telegram arriving from an external network to an internal data telegram which transmits only the payload data from the network-specific telegram. The internal data telegram also contains at least one state information field for internal control information. The internal data telegram is transferred from the bus coupler to an internal bus system to which multiple bus users are connected in series. Each bus user connected to the internal bus system is able to monitor, in a decentralized and preferably autonomous manner, the communication quality of the lower-level bus system, and to initiate actions, depending on the implementation, on the basis of the internal control information received from the bus coupler, the internal control information generated by the particular bus user, and/or the internal control information received from the directly adjacent bus users.
US08898361B2
Methods and systems for advanced interrupt processing and scheduling are provided. The system comprises a memory operable to store interrupt priorities, an interface, and a processor operable to acquire incoming interrupts and to handle the incoming interrupts according to the interrupt priorities. The processor is also operable to receive interrupt processing criteria from the interface (sent, for example, from a device not directly coupled with the system), and to modify the interrupt priorities of the memory based upon the interrupt processing criteria without losing incoming processing requests for the system. Additionally, the processor is operable to process the incoming interrupts according to the modified interrupt priorities responsive to modifying the interrupt priorities.
US08898352B2
A storage device is provided which includes a nonvolatile memory device and a controller configured to write meta information, indicating that a transfer of unit data is completed, in a buffer memory when the unit data is transferred to the buffer memory from the nonvolatile memory device.
US08898350B2
Systems and methods that can facilitate an expedient and efficient transfer of data between memory components (e.g., flash memory) and host components (e.g., multimedia cards, secure digital cards, etc.) are presented. A memory controller component can be employed to facilitate transferring between the memory components and host components by utilizing a multi-bus architecture. A controller first bus can be utilized for code that can be executed by a controller processor while a controller second bus can be designated for the transfer of data to the mass storage devices. By architecting the memory controller component with two buses, this innovation can provide a higher data throughput than conventional memory controllers.
US08898347B2
A repeater device connected to source and sink devices includes: an input terminal receiving transmission data supplied from the source device; relay means for relaying the transmission data; an output terminal outputting the transmission data relayed by the relay means to the sink device; control means for setting an operating mode of a limited state where a dynamic function of causing a superficial dynamic change and allowing a user to visually confirm the superficial dynamic change is deactivated and only a static function of not causing the superficial dynamic change is activated in response to a user's predetermined operation even when the source and sink device are connected to each other in a controllable state; and switch means for switching activated and deactivated states of a connecting line to the sink device by controlling the ON and OFF states.
US08898345B2
Out-of-band management of third party adapter configuration settings in a computing system, the computing system including one or more configurable adapters, including: retrieving, by an out-of-band configuration manager from an out-of-band configuration repository, out-of-band configuration settings for a configurable adapter; determining, by the out-of-band configuration manager, whether the out-of-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter have been updated; and responsive to determining that the out-of-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter have been updated: updating, by the out-of-band configuration manager, in-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter, wherein the in-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter are stored in an in-band configuration repository; retrieving, by the out-of-band configuration manager from the in-band configuration repository, metadata that includes updated in-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter; and sending, by the out-of-band configuration manager to a configuration implementer, the metadata that includes updated in-band configuration settings for the configurable adapter.
US08898343B2
An information processing apparatus includes a processing unit configured to issue a read command to a device, a memory configured to store data, and a switching controller configured to connect the processing unit, the memory, and the device. The switching controller includes a command detection circuit configured to detect the read command issued from the processing unit, a command processing circuit configured to process the read command and to output the processed read command, and a pre-read request issuance circuit configured to generate a read request for at least part of data within data specified by the read command and to transmit the read request to the memory. The switching controller receives the part of the data from the memory, and transmits the part of the data to the device.
US08898340B2
A method and apparatus for dynamic network link acceleration provides a managed communication link for accelerated and reliable network communication between a client and other network devices. In one or more embodiments, a client computing device which generates communication packets of a first type is enhanced with a front end mechanism which selectively encodes the data packets into packets of a second type. The data packets which are encoded into a second type are transmitted over a managed communication link which may provide error correction, security, quality of service, and other services including acceleration of communications.
US08898316B2
An enhanced collaboration system makes it possible for viewers of post-original video presentations to collaborate online with others who are viewing the same video presentation at the same time. A collaborate room controller establishes and maintains sets of online collaboration sessions for the post-original video presentation with each collaboration session being associated with a particular time slot in the presentation. Typically, a viewer is assigned to a collaboration session that is associated with the user's current view point; i.e., the presentation time slot the user is currently viewing. A graphical user interface conveys information about existing collaboration sessions to the user to assist the user in selecting an appropriate collaboration session.
US08898313B2
A relay device, when receiving response information for initial request information, extracts, from the received response information, first session identification information for identifying a session established between an information processing terminal having transmitted the request information and an information processing device having received the request information, transmits the response information to the information processing terminal, transmits the response information to the information processing terminal, transmits session supporting address information to another relay device, extracts second session identification information from request information for the second time or later received from the information processing terminal, and queries the relay device to which the session supporting address information has already been transmitted, for the session supporting address information corresponding to the extracted second session identification information.
US08898312B2
A terminal allows immediate receipt of notification, while holding down the load on a management control device. The terminal has a timer value storage for storing a timer value, a counter for counting the cycle indicated by the timer value, a connection request part for transmitting a connection request to the management control device every time when the counting is finished, an event detector for detecting an event, and a timer value modifier for modifying the timer value to a value indicating a shorter cycle, upon occurrence of the event. The connection request part further transmits the connection request to the management control device, upon occurrence of detecting the event, and the timer value modifier modifies the timer value a value indicating a longer cycle, upon receiving a message indicating that there is no processing request from the management control device.
US08898305B2
A software provisioning server can communicate with a power management system of the target machines to alter the power state of the target machines during actions requiring a change in the power state, such as power cycling the target machines during a software installation. The software provisioning server can communicate with the power management system of the target machines and instruct the power management systems to alter the power state of the target machines during the actions.
US08898291B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for dynamically expanding cloud capacity (e.g., computing resources), based on infrastructure needs. In a typical embodiment, an available capacity of a set (e.g., at least one) of computing resources in the networked computing environment will be determined. Then, a future capacity needed for processing a set of workloads in the networked computing environment will be forecasted. Such a forecast can be made based on multiple factors/approaches. For example, the forecast can be made based upon at least one of the following: an average consumption of the set of computing resources over a predetermined period of time, a periodic estimation of consumption of the set of computing resources, a scheduled consumption of the set of computing resources, and/or a potential capacity of the set of computing resources. In general, the scheduled consumption can be determined based on at least one resource consumption schedule stored in a computer data structure, while the potential capacity can be determined based upon a set of application events associated with the set of workloads. Regardless of the approach utilized, once the future capacity has been forecasted, it will be determined whether the future capacity exceeds the available capacity. If so, the available capacity of the set of computing resources will be expanded (e.g., hardware and/or software elements will be added to the networked computing infrastructure and/or made available) until the available capacity at least meets the future capacity.
US08898288B2
Systems and methods are provided for following status updates of users. In one embodiment, a requestor selects a crowd of users. In response, one or more crowds of users that match the selected crowd of users to at least a predefined threshold degree are identified. Status updates sent by users in at least one of the one or more matching crowds of users are then delivered to the requestor. In another embodiment, a requestor selects a Point of Interest (POI). In response, one or more POIs that match the selected POI to at least a predefined threshold degree are identified. Status updates sent by users located at one or more POIs of the one or more matching POIs are delivered to the requestor.
US08898287B2
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for monitoring data activity utilizing a shared data store. These mechanisms and methods for monitoring data activity utilizing a shared data store can enable enhanced data monitoring, more efficient data storage, improved system resource utilization, etc.
US08898272B1
Processes are disclosed for identifying site-specific or domain-specific URL parameters that are likely associated with personally identifiable information (PII). The processes involve analyzing the browsing session records of multiple users to assess, for a given site or domain, the uniqueness levels of particular URL parameters. These uniqueness levels, alone or in combination with other criteria, are used to determine whether each such parameter is likely associated with PII. The results of this analysis may be used to filter likely PII from session records, such as by modifying and/or deleting the URLs likely to contain PII.
US08898270B1
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining source information for subscribe and unsubscribe events to channels, indicating referring sources from which subscribers initiated the events, and presenting the source information to content providers of the channels.
US08898266B2
An apparatus and method for setting a role based on capability of a terminal are provided. The apparatus includes a calculation unit calculating a capability value of the terminal to check whether the role set in a pertinent terminal is suitable, a determination unit determining whether the role set on the pertinent terminal is suitable based on the calculated capability value, and a setting unit changing and managing information for setting the role set in the pertinent terminal.
US08898264B1
Managing content is disclosed. An indication is received that a content item comprising a body of managed content is associated with a business object not included in the body of managed content. The content item is linked with the business object.
US08898256B2
A method, system and apparatus for the prioritized distribution of application components based upon computing process impact. An application component distribution system which has been configured in accordance with the present invention can include a resource management system configured to manage communicatively coupled client computing devices over a computer communications network. A data store can be arranged to store prioritization data specifying which of the client computing devices are to first receive distributions of specified application components. Finally, a selective deployment processor can be programmed to selectively deploy application components to the client computing devices based upon the prioritization data.
US08898252B2
Social network information of a player of a computer-implemented game is accessed to identify non-active players from the social network information. The non-active players each have a minimum number of unreciprocated communications with the player within a time duration. A recommendation of the recommended players is generated to the player based on the non-active players.
US08898250B2
Methods and systems are provided that allow for matched content to be provided between users of electronic devices, based on factors such as geographic proximity and common interests. Embodiments of the present invention allow commercial entities to target advertisements and other content to potential customers likely to be receptive to such information based on their interests and behaviors. Other embodiments facilitate communication between non-commercial users by identifying interests they may share or objectives they may have that complement one another.
US08898240B2
Example methods and apparatus associated with a messaging policy controlled email deduplication are provided. In one example a messaging policy is accessed. It is determined whether a received message complies with the policy based on rules of the messaging policy. If a message complies with the messaging policy, the message is displayed. If the message does not comply with the messaging policy, it is determined whether the message is duplicative. If the message is deemed duplicative it is not displayed. Conversely, if the message is not deemed duplicative it is displayed.
US08898238B2
When a user receives potential junk e-mail from an unknown sender address, an active filter installed in or cooperating with the user's e-mail system sends a challenge e-mail back to the sender address. Unless the user receives a correct response e-mail from the sender address and/or a response that meets formal criteria, the active filter rejects the original e-mail and blocks future e-mail from that sender address. The challenge preferably includes a question that the sender must correctly answer in his response. The question is such that only humans can interpret and respond to it correctly. For example, the question may relate to and/or be incorporated in an image in the challenge. Lists of approved and blocked sender addresses are compiled. The user may directly enter addresses in the address lists. Addresses to which the user has sent e-mail may also be included directly in the approved list.
US08898232B2
A method and system for live streaming in a peer-to-peer network are described including determining peer entitled and excess degree, identifying and contacting a potential parent peer and executing a contribution aware connection policy.
US08898230B2
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to instant messaging and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for probabilistic prediction of availability in an instant messaging system. In one embodiment of the invention, a probabilistic prediction method for instant messaging can be provided. The method can include collecting statistics for when different collaborators in an instant messaging system become available and unavailable. Thereafter, a particular one of the different collaborators can be selected and a probabilistic likelihood can be computed that the particular one of the collaborators will become available by a specified time. Finally, the computed probabilistic likelihood can be rendered in association with the particular one of the different collaborators.
US08898223B2
A computer-implemented method and system of providing application message delivery, includes the following steps performed with at least one data processor: at a plurality of log servers coupled to at least an application server: receiving asynchronously from the server, application messages containing application information; and control messages at a predetermined interval; at each log server: storing received application messages in a current application data file and received control messages in a control file; and upon receiving an open-close control message, closing the current application data file, storing the closed application data file and creating a new current application data file; comparing the control files of the plurality of log servers for a given interval; and based on this comparison, determining from a plurality of application data files from each log server, an application data file as a best-candidate for a given interval and forwarding the best-candidate file for post-processing.
US08898209B2
Sensor data is received from one or more sensors. The sensor data is organized within a hierarchy. The sensor data is organized within a hierarchy that is non-dyadic. A processor of a computing device generates a discrete wavelet transform, based on the sensor data and based on the hierarchy of the sensor data, to compress the sensor data. The sensor data, as has been compressed via generation of the discrete wavelet transform, is processed.
US08898208B2
The present disclosure describes a method and a system for processing images. The method includes: determining a target folder selected by a user; searching for image information of the target folder, searching for information of all subfolders of the target folder, traversing all subfolders corresponding to the information of all subfolders and obtaining image information of all subfolders; and obtaining images according to the image information of the target folder and the image information of all subfolders, processing the obtained images and displaying the processed images in a flat-folder-view manner.
US08898205B2
Object store management operations within compute-centric object stores are provided herein. An exemplary method may include transforming an object storage dump into an object store table by a table generator container, wherein the object storage dump includes at least objects within an object store that are marked for deletion, transmitting records for objects from the object store table to reducer containers, such that each reducer container receives object records for at least one object, the object records comprising all object records for the at least one object, generating a set of cleanup tasks by the reducer containers, and executing the cleanup tasks by a cleanup agents.
US08898202B2
When using finite-state devices to perform various functions, it is beneficial to use finite state devices representing regular grammars with terminals having markup-language-based semantics. By using markup-language-based symbols in the finite state devices, it is possible to generate valid markup-language expressions by concatenating the symbols representing the result of the performed function. The markup-language expression can be used by other applications and/or devices. Finite-state devices are used to convert strings of words and gestures into valid markup-language, for example, XML, expressions that can be used, for example, to provide an application program interface to underlying system applications.
US08898193B2
According to one embodiment, the resource access unit accesses a first resource including a replication target object and policy data assigned to the object. The policy data includes base policy data including a first condition and assertion policy data including a second condition. The first retrieval unit obtains first attribute data for accessing the first resource. The first policy evaluation unit determines whether the first attribute satisfies the first condition. When the first condition is satisfied, the copy processing unit executes the copy processing for copying the object. The second retrieval unit obtains the second attribute data for accessing the second resource. The second policy evaluation unit determines whether the second attribute data satisfies the second condition. When the second condition is satisfied, the paste processing unit executes paste processing for pasting the object to the second resource.
US08898188B2
Performing string analysis based on three-valued logic by including expressing a property of a string in a computer software application as a three-valued logic shape predicate, performing a three-valued logic shape analysis using the shape predicate to reach a fixpoint solution, and evaluating the fixpoint solution to determine a three-valued logic value of the property.
US08898184B1
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection search engine. User actions may be detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination may be made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information may be extracted electronically from, for example, third party websites, direct supplier connections, and/or intermediate databases. Potential suppliers may be automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries may be formulated from the user search and transferred to one or more selected suppliers over a network coupling (e.g., the Internet and/or an intranet). The queries may include one or more requests for information. One or more responses may be received from the suppliers, and the responses may be used to generate a result list for the user. The result list may include information and/or query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a website of one or more of the supplies from which the information was derived.
US08898181B2
Technologies are described herein for integrating external data from an external system into a client system. A subscription filed is selected. The subscription filed may include a read method and a query method. The read method may define fields of a client cache operating on the client system. The query method may be executed to retrieve, from the external system, field values corresponding to at least a subset of the fields. Upon executing the query method, the read method may also be executed to retrieve, from the external system, additional field values corresponding to a remaining subset of the fields that were not retrieved by executing the query method. The client cache is populated with the field values and the additional field values according to the fields.
US08898180B2
Performing a query includes receiving a user input, determining a first set of query keywords based at least in part on the user input, obtaining, based on at least some of the first set of query keywords, a user feedback log that includes historical query results, determining a second set of query keywords based on the user feedback log, and making a query based on at least some of the second set of query keywords.
US08898177B2
A plurality of segments in an e-mail collection by parsing content of e-mails is generated. Corresponding segment signature for each segment is created and a signature index is populated using the generated segment signatures. After receiving a query e-mail, a plurality of query segments in the query e-mail is generated using content of the query e-mail and corresponding query segment signature for each query segment is generated. A query root segment is identified and corresponding query root segment signature is generated. A set of root segment signatures of the signature index is identified and the query root segment signature is compared with each root segment signature from the signature index. A subset of the signature index is identified, using a match between the root segment signature and the query root segment signature. An e-mail thread hierarchy is built using the identified subset of the signature index.
US08898176B2
A computer-implemented method includes receiving (i) a request for ratable content, and (ii) information specifying a geographic location of a computing device; accessing a data repository configured to store items of ratable content, with an item of ratable content associated with a geographic location; obtaining a plurality of items of ratable content related to the geographic location of the computing device; sending, from the obtained items of ratable content, an item of ratable content to the computing device; receiving a request for ratable content associated with a level of granularity relative that is higher than the level of granularity of the sent item of ratable content; sending, to the computing device, another item of ratable content, from the obtained items of ratable content, that is associated with a level of granularity that is higher than the level of granularity of the previously sent item of ratable content.
US08898172B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for enhanced parallel latent Dirichlet allocation (PLDA+). A PLDA+ system is a system of multiple processors that are configured to generate topics from multiple documents. The multiple processors are designated as two types: document processors and matrix processors. The documents are distributed among the document processors. Generated topics are distributed among the matrix processors. Tasks performed on the document processors and matrix processors are segregated into two types of tasks: computation-bound tasks and communication-bound tasks. Computation-bound tasks are CPU intensive tasks; communication-bound tasks are network intensive tasks. Data placement and pipeline strategies are employed such that the computation-bound tasks and the communication-bound tasks are distributed to the processors in a balanced manner, and performed in parallel.
US08898166B1
Systems and methods of the present disclosure relate generally to facilitating temporal content selection. In one implementation, the system parses a first plurality of online documents to generate a first data structure comprising historical keyword co-occurrences. The system can generate, via parsing a second plurality of online documents different from the first plurality of online documents, a second data structure comprising keyword co-occurrences not in the first data structure. The system can temporally link a first keyword of the second data structure with a second keyword of the second data structure. The second keyword may co-occur with the first keyword on a subset of the second plurality of online documents. The system can the temporally linked second keyword to a content selection server.
US08898150B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for collecting and compiling information regarding search operations. In one aspect, a query log that stores search event data items for identifiers is accessed. A proper subset of the search event data items is identified, the proper subset of search event data items being search event data items for search events related to an image search. A proper subset of the identifiers is identified, the proper subset of identifiers being identifiers associated with a search event data item for a search event related to an image search. For each identifier of the proper subset of identifiers, an image search session data object is generated using the proper subset of search event data items.
US08898146B2
A method and device may accept a first database query plan including a plurality of rows and a second database query plan including a plurality of rows, compare each row in the first database query plan with a corresponding row in the second database query plan, and based on each comparison, calculate a difference between the compared rows. Each difference may be recorded in an output file.
US08898143B2
A system and method include receiving a request for data at a programmed computer, the request identifying a field and an operation for an embedded database, translating the request via the programmed computer into multiple requests tailored to schemas of multiple different databases, estimating a cost to execute the request against each of the multiple different databases, and identifying the database that can execute the request with the least cost.
US08898140B2
Linguistic analysis is used to identify queries that use different natural language formations to request similar information. Common intent categories are identified for the queries requesting similar information. Intent responses can then be provided that are associated with the identified intent categories. An intent management tool can be used for identifying new intent categories, identifying obsolete intent categories, or refining existing intent categories.
US08898134B2
An improved search engine creates correlations linking terms from inputs provided by a user to selected target terms. The correlation search process receives pre-processed inputs from a user including a wide variety of input formats including keywords, phrases, sentences, concepts, compound queries, complex queries and orthogonal queries. The pre-processing also includes pre-processing of general digital information objects and static or dynamic generation of questions. After a correlation search of the information presented by the pre-processing, the search results are processed in novel ways to provide an improved relevance ranking of results.
US08898129B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for query clarification. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in computer-implemented methods that include the actions of receiving in a search interface a user input associated with a search query; determining whether the associated search query is a trigger query, the trigger query being a query identified for clarification; when the search query is a trigger query, prompting the user for additional information to form a clarified search query, the clarified search query including the additional information, the prompting occurring prior to submission of the search query to a search system; and submitting the clarified search query to the search system.
US08898120B1
A computer-implemented method for distributed data deduplication may include (1) identifying a deduplicated data system, the deduplicated data system include a plurality of nodes, wherein each node within the plurality of nodes is configured to deduplicate data stored on the node, (2) identifying a data object to store within the deduplicated data system, (3) generating a similarity hash of the data object, the similarity hash representing a probabilistic dimension-reduction of the data object, (4) selecting, based at least in part on the similarity hash, a target node from the plurality nodes on which to store the data object, and then (5) routing the data object for storage on the target node based on the selection of the target node. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08898117B2
A system and method for transparently compressing file system data using compression group descriptors is provided. When data contained within a compression group be compressed beyond a predefined threshold value, a compression group descriptor is included in the compression group that signifies that the data for the group of level 0 blocks is compressed into a lesser number of physical data blocks. When performing a read operation, the file system first determines the appropriate compression group that contains the desired data and determines whether the compression group has been compressed. If so, the file system decompresses the data in the compression group before returning the decompressed data. If the magic value is not the first pointer position, then the data within the compression group was previously stored in an uncompressed format, and the data may be returned without performing a decompression operation.
US08898115B1
A computer-implemented method for using data archiving to expedite server migration may include: 1) archiving data from at least one source computing system to an archiving system in accordance with an archiving policy, 2) altering metadata associated with the archived data on the archiving system so that the metadata references a desired target computing system instead of the source computing system, and then, upon bringing the target computing system online, 3) restoring at least a portion of the archived data from the archiving system to the target computing system. Various other methods, systems, and configured computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08898095B2
Systems and methods use machine learning techniques to resolve location ambiguity in search queries. In one aspect, a dataset generator generates a training dataset using query logs of a search engine. A training engine applies a machine learning technique to the training dataset to generate a location disambiguation model. A location disambiguation engine uses the location disambiguation model to resolve location ambiguity in subsequent search queries.
US08898093B1
A method for analyzing data is provided. The method includes generating, using a processing device, a graph from raw data, the graph including a plurality of nodes and edges, deriving, using the processing device, at least one label for each node using a deep belief network, and identifying, using the processing device, a predetermined pattern in the graph based at least in part on the labeled nodes.
US08898091B2
Computing a situation-dependent affective response baseline levels for a user involves: receiving an identifier of a situation, receiving affective response indicator values from a database corresponding to time periods in which the user was in the situation, and computing the situation-dependent baseline level corresponding to the situation based on data comprising the affective response indicator values.
US08898084B2
A general user given beforehand a proxy right by an administrator is allowed to register a special user having the right to use an apparatus in a range of the function right equal to that of himself by operating a special user setting window.
US08898081B2
A system and method for upgrading existing credit cards with additional lines of credit is disclosed. Credit information associated with customers holding credit cards issued by a credit card issuer are analyzed to determine a level of risk associated with each customer. One or more extra line of credit may be established for selected customers based on the determined level of risk associated with each customer. Each extra credit line may be exclusively associated with a selected set of vendors that have a partnership agreement with the credit card issuer. The credit card issuer may allow customers to select vendors to be associated with the extra credit line or may automatically choose vendors for selected customers. Customers with established extra credit lines may purchase goods and/or service directly from vendor sites or at the credit card issuer's web sites. Purchases at selected vendor sites may be automatically applied to a customer's newly established extra credit line. Additionally, a customer may choose to apply purchases to their extra credit lines or their primary line of credit.
US08898077B2
A system for tracking an authenticated item is provided. The system includes an authentication device affixed to the item. An item registration system receives authentication device data from the authentication device and associated item data and stores the authentication device data and the associated item data. An owner registration system receives owner registration data after a buyer has acquired the item. A buyer verification system receives the authentication device data, the associated item data and the owner registration data and stores buyer verified data if the associated item data correlates to the owner registration data, such as if the external tag number or event data entered by the owner matches external tag number or event data for the item.
US08898065B2
Techniques for combining the results of multiple recognizers in a distributed speech recognition architecture. Speech data input to a client device is encoded and processed both locally and remotely by different recognizers configured to be proficient at different speech recognition tasks. The client/server architecture is configurable to enable network providers to specify a policy directed to a trade-off between reducing recognition latency perceived by a user and usage of network resources. The results of the local and remote speech recognition engines are combined based, at least in part, on logic stored by one or more components of the client/server architecture.
US08898060B2
Method and arrangement in a network node for adapting a property of source coding to the quality of a communication link in packet switched conversational services in a communication system. The method comprises obtaining (404) information related to the quality of a communication link. The method further comprises selecting (406) a source coding mode with an associated source coding delay, based on the obtained information and the associated source coding delay. The selected source coding mode is selected from a set of at least two source coding modes associated with different source coding delays, and is to be used when source coding voice data to be transmitted over the communication link.
US08898057B2
Disclosed is an encoding apparatus that can efficiently encode a signal that is a broad or extra-broad band signal or the like, thereby improving the quality of a decoded signal. This encoding apparatus includes a band establishing unit (301) that generate, based on the characteristic of the input signal, band establishment information to be used for dividing the band of the input signal to establish a first band part of lower frequency side and a second band part of higher frequency side; a lower frequency encoding unit (302) for encoding, based on the band establishment information, the input signal of the first band part to generate encoded lower frequency part information; and a higher frequency encoding unit (303) for encoding, based on the band establishment information, the input signal of the second band part to generate encoded higher frequency part information.
US08898054B2
Aspects relate to machine recognition of human voices in live or recorded audio content, and delivering text derived from such live or recorded content as real time text, with contextual information derived from characteristics of the audio. For example, volume information can be encoded as larger and smaller font sizes. Speaker changes can be detected and indicated through text additions, or color changes to the font. A variety of other context information can be detected and encoded in graphical rendition commands available through RTT, or by extending the information provided with RTT packets, and processing that extended information accordingly for modifying the display of the RTT text content.
US08898038B2
A method for determining a beam parameter of an unflattened photon beam generated by an accelerator includes measuring radiation dose values in the plane perpendicular to the beam propagation direction, determining the extension of the unflattened beam using a definition of the beam extension of a flattened beam. The method also includes normalizing the radiation dose values, such that essentially the same value for the extension of the unflattened beam is obtained as would be obtained if the beam was flattened and determining the beam parameter of the unflattened beam using a beam parameter definition of a flattened beam.
US08898035B2
A computer-implemented method may include measuring a performance of a virtual channel carrying packets through a transport network for a time period, measuring a performance of an ingress interface to the transport network carrying the virtual channel packets for the time period, and measuring a performance of an internal interface carrying the virtual channel packets internal to the transport network for the time period. The computer-implemented method may determine that the performance of the virtual channel during the time period does not meet a first performance standard, and, when the performance of the virtual channel does not meet the first performance standard, may automatically determine whether the performance of the ingress interface meets a second performance standard and whether the performance of the internal interface meets a third performance standard.
US08898032B2
A Method is provided for estimating a temperature of an exhaust gas in an exhaust line of an internal combustion engine. The exhaust line is provided with a NOx sensor that includes, but is not limited to a heater. The method includes, but is not limited to determining a value of a parameter indicative of a heat released by the heater of the NOx sensor, and of calculating a value of the temperature of the exhaust gas as a function of the determined value of this parameter.
US08898028B2
A device to inspect a non-pattern wafer includes a light source to emit light that reflected from a wafer. A judgment unit converts the detected light into a quantitative measured value to determine whether the wafer is faulty. The wafer comprises a first region and a second region. The detection unit sequentially detects lights reflected from the first and second regions of the wafer, and a judgment unit converts the lights reflected from the first and second regions of the wafer into first and second quantitative measured values, respectively. The second region of the wafer is determined to be faulty by comparing the second measured value with a first reference value, wherein the first reference value is calculated using an average value between the first and second measured values, and a characteristic value that indicates distribution of the first and second measured values.
US08898020B2
A method, having application to petroleum exploration or production, for picking the arrival time of seismic waves and use thereof for orienting the components of a multi-component sensor. After acquisition of seismic data using a VSP type method, with a multi-component sensor, a module signal is constructed by calculating the square root of the sum of the squares of at least two orthogonal seismic components. Arrival times of a direct seismic wave are then picked on an amplitude extremum of this module signal. Based on this picking, the seismic components can then be oriented in a unique reference frame whatever the depth of the sensor. A time window is defined on either side of the picked arrival times and the azimuthal direction is determined by maximizing the energy of the horizontal components within this time window. Finally, the three components are oriented in a reference frame defined with respect to the azimuthal direction, which is identical for each depth.
US08898018B2
Methods and systems are described for hydrocarbon production. One method embodiment of the invention comprises analyzing phases of hydrocarbon oil, gas and water at flowing conditions extracted from a hydrocarbon well; separating the oil, water and gas mixture into oil portions, water portions and gas portions, each respective portion being substantially only oil, water or gas; analyzing the separated oil portion and determining if the separated oil portion meets predetermined oil standards, and treating any separated oil portion that does not meet the oil standards to achieve those standards; transferring the oil portion meeting the predetermined oil standards to a predetermined destination; analyzing the separated water portion to determine if the water portion meets predetermined water standards and treating any separated water portion that does not meet the water standards to achieve those standards; and transferring the treated water portion meeting the predetermined standards to a destination.
US08898011B2
Technology for generating a H1 protection level from an N−1 position in a global positioning system (GPS) receiver is disclosed. One approach can include an H1 monitor configured to generate an H1 protection level from an N number of N−1 positions. The N−1 position can be derived by a differential global positioning system (GPS) satellite measurement removed from a plurality of N differential GPS satellites measurements.
US08898001B2
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: receiving a change request with a proposed change for an item; verifying a validity of the change request based on a confidence level meeting or exceeding a change threshold with a control unit; and updating a target element of the item based on the validity of the proposed change for avoiding an incorrect update to the target element for displaying on a device.
US08898000B2
A method of implementing an optimal avoidance filter for interposing between a human operator issued movement commands and a corresponding machine control system of a movable machine, for the avoidance of collisions with objects. The method: includes inputting a detailed representation of objects in the vicinity of the movable machine; and formulating a hierarchical set of bounding boxes around the objects. The hierarchical set including refinement details depending on the current positional state of the movable machine, with objects closer to the machine having higher levels of refinement details. The method further includes utilizing the resultant hierarchical set as a set of constraints for a mixed integer optimization problem to determine any alterations to the issued movement commands so as to avoid collisions with any objects.
US08897991B2
A fuel quality monitoring system includes a fuel composition sensor configured to provide an indication of a composition of a liquid fuel within a fuel tank, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive the indication of the monitored fuel composition from the fuel composition sensor; detect an amount of an impurity from the received indication; and compare the amount of the impurity to a threshold. If the amount of the impurity exceeds the threshold, the controller is configured to adjust an operating parameter of an engine to account for the detected impurity. When the amount of the impurity exceeds a threshold which makes engine combustion unmanageable, the fuel is restricted from entering the engine or fuel tank.
US08897988B2
A system for a vehicle includes a desired mass air flowrate (MAF) module and a desired effective area module. The desired MAF module generates a desired MAF through a throttle valve of an engine based on an engine torque request. The desired effective area module generates a desired effective area of the throttle valve based on a throttle inlet air pressure (TIAP) and the desired MAF. A throttle actuator module adjusts opening of the throttle valve based on the desired effective area.
US08897987B2
A traction control system in vehicle comprises a detector for detecting a monitored value which changes according to a degree of a drive wheel slip; a condition determiner for determining whether or not the monitored value meets a control start condition and whether or not the monitored value meets a control termination condition; and a controller for executing traction control to reduce a driving power of the drive wheel during a period of time from when the condition determiner determines that the monitored value meets the control start condition until the condition determiner determines that the monitored value meets the control termination condition; the condition determiner being configured to set at least the control start condition variably based on a slip determination factor which changes according to a vehicle state and such that the control start condition changes more greatly according to the vehicle state than the control termination condition.
US08897985B2
In a method for controlling the brake-application energy of a vehicle combination having a tractor vehicle equipped with an electronically controlled brake system, at least one front axle and a rear axle, and a trailer vehicle having at least one trailer axle, the functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system is monitored and a status signal is produced as a function thereof. A coupling force control factor is set as a function of the status signal such that, in the event of absent/impaired functional capability of the electronically controlled brake system, a minimal coupling force control factor is set, and the coupling force control factor is set greater than or equal to the minimal control factor, wherein the minimal control factor is not equal to zero and/or is selected such that ascertained separate brake-application energy levels for the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle are dependent on a brake-application energy reference value and on axle load distribution.
US08897980B2
A method of estimating transmission torque of a dry clutch, may include a) slowly releasing a dry clutch until a slip of the dry clutch occurs, b) acquiring and storing stroke of an actuator and torque of an engine at a starting time point at which the slip of the dry clutch occurs at step a), and c) determining the stroke of the actuator and the transmission torque of the dry clutch at the starting time point at which the slip of the dry clutch occurs, by using the stroke of the actuator and the torque of the engine stored at step b).
US08897979B2
A method of determining temperatures for a dry dual clutch mechanism includes one or more steps, such as determining a first heat input from a first clutch and determining a second heat input from a second clutch. The second clutch is separated from the first clutch by a center plate. The method also includes determining a housing air temperature of housing air within a bell housing case of the dry dual clutch mechanism. A thermal model is applied with the determined first heat input and second heat input. The thermal model includes temperature states for at least the first clutch, the second clutch, and the center plate. From the thermal model, the method determines at least a first clutch temperature and a second clutch temperature. The method includes executing a control action with the determined first clutch temperature and second clutch temperature.
US08897977B2
A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
US08897968B2
In an electric power steering system, a control signal output section outputs independent dual-system control signals to driver circuits that are disposed in connection with independent dual-system motor coils. The control signal output section gives high priority to the output of the control signal to the other system, when the occurrence of energization failure is detected in one system. When the energization failure occurring phase is only one phase and the value of the basic command exceeds the upper limit of the priority command, the control signal output section outputs the control signal to the driver circuit in the system where the energization failure has occurred in order to supply electric power in which the two phases other than the energization failure occurring phase are used as the energized phases on the bases of the complementary command that corresponds to the excess of the upper limit.
US08897966B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for reducing steering effort in a vehicle. In one embodiment, a method for installing a steering-assist system onto a vehicle having an electrically powered steering system is provided. The method includes placing a controller between a torque sensor and an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed on the vehicle, coupling a primary signal line from the torque sensor to be in electrical communication with the controller, and coupling a secondary signal line to the controller to be in electrical communication with the ECU, wherein, when movement is detected by the torque sensor, the torque sensor provides a primary signal to the controller and the controller provides a secondary signal to the ECU, the secondary signal being different than the primary signal.
US08897956B2
A system includes a pedal position sensor that senses a pedal position of a vehicle pedal when the vehicle pedal is in a known position. The system also includes a learn window determination module that selects between a first pedal position range and a second pedal position range that corresponds to the known position. The system further includes a pedal fault determination module that determines a fault in the vehicle pedal based on the pedal position and the selected one of the first pedal position range and the second pedal position range.
US08897955B2
A system for a vehicle includes a conversion efficiency module, a threshold determination module, and a catalyst fault indication module. The conversion efficiency module generates an ozone conversion efficiency of a catalyst that converts ozone into oxygen based on a first amount of ozone in air measured upstream of the catalyst and a second amount of ozone in air measured downstream of the catalyst. The threshold determination module generates an efficiency threshold based on ambient humidity. The catalyst fault indication module selectively indicates that a fault is present in the catalyst when the ozone conversion efficiency is less than the efficiency threshold.
US08897954B2
A method is provided of calibrating a position sensor of an electric motor of a vehicle.
US08897947B2
An autonomous mobile device that moves while autonomously avoiding zones into which entry should be avoided even if no obstacle exists therein includes a laser range finder that acquires peripheral obstacle information, a storage unit that stores an environment map that shows an obstacle zone where an obstacle exists, and a no-entry zone map which shows a no-entry zone into which entry is prohibited, a self-location estimation unit that estimates the self-location of a host device by using the obstacle information acquired by the laser range finder and the environment map, and a travel control unit that controls the host device to autonomously travel to the destination by avoiding the obstacle zone and the no-entry zone based on the estimated self-location, the environment map, and the no-entry zone map.
US08897945B2
This electromotive-vehicular motor control apparatus includes: a motor; a power drive unit; a torque control unit that controls an output torque of the motor; an electric current control unit; a number-of-revolutions detection unit; a target number-of-revolutions setting unit; a number-of-revolutions deviation calculation unit; and a removal unit that outputs a signal of a second number-of-revolutions deviation, in which the torque control unit controls the output torque based on the second number-of-revolutions deviation that has been output from the removal unit.
US08897939B2
There is provided an automatic steering device with which an optimal duty ratio for achieving an optimal rudder turning speed at a cruising speed can be found simply and accurately. An automatic steering device 10 includes a correspondence acquisition component 24 and a duty ratio calculator 25. The correspondence acquisition component 24 finds a correspondence between a duty ratio and a rudder turning speed based on a first rudder turning speed while a steering mechanism 11 is controlled at a first duty ratio, and a second rudder turning speed while the steering mechanism 11 is controlled at a second duty ratio. The duty ratio calculator 25 calculates the duty ratio corresponding to a specific rudder turning speed based on the correspondence found by the correspondence acquisition component 24.
US08897929B2
The invention in particular has as an object the control of execution of software commands of a data-processing system in an aircraft cockpit comprising means for allowing a user to call up these commands. For these purposes, the means making it possible to call up these commands initially are locked in order to block calls to software commands. At the time of reception of an information item for unlocking these means, they are unlocked and the software commands may be called up. The software commands may be called up via the call-up means only if these means are in an unlocked state.
US08897921B2
A system for controlling energy consumption in a building having a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) which includes using an external application to perform HVAC energy consumption optimization algorithms and other external energy control functions and transmit application control data to a building automation system (BAS), which in turn provides hardware level equipment control for the HVAC system. The external application evaluates equipment data received from the HVAC system by way of the BAS and processes these equipment data to provide application control data back to the BAS. The application control data are calculated to achieve a desired operating efficiency for the HVAC system.
US08897916B2
A compact, lightweight manipulation system that excels in operability and has a force feedback capability is provided. When automatic operation of a slave manipulator 105 that follows manual operation of a master manipulator 101 is bilaterally controlled by means of communication, the force acting on the slave manipulator is fed back to the master manipulator by operating the master manipulator primarily under electrically-driven speed control and the slave manipulator primarily under pneumatically-driven force control. Therefore, in the master manipulator, it is not necessary to compensate for the dynamics and the self-weight of the master manipulator in the motion range of a user, allowing highly accurate, broadband positional control, which is specific to an electrically-driven system, and in the slave manipulator, nonlinearity characteristics specific to a pneumatically-driven system presents passive softness, provides a high mass-to-output ratio, and produces a large force.
US08897913B2
An automatic stacked parking or storage system includes a plurality of stationary docking cells, a plurality of carriages, and a central management system communicating with and controlling operations of the docking cells. Each docking cell has a ground driving device affixed on the bottom of the docking cell to drive a carriage horizontally in different directions of the docking cell, a docking cell control and interface unit (CIU), and one or more carriage position and ID sensor. A loaded carriage is moved horizontally by the ground driving devices of corresponding docking cells from a starting to a destination docking cell according to a route selected by a route optimization module. The location of the loaded carriage in the selected route is dynamically updated according to real time reports from each CIU of the corresponding docking cells. The system transports multiple loaded carriages at the same time for parking/storage and retrieval.
US08897907B2
A data generating device includes a selection portion that selects a plurality of patterns from among patterns that are to be sewn based on sewing data stored in a storage portion, an acquisition portion that acquires first sewing data that are sewing data for sewing the plurality of patterns selected by the selection portion, an arrangement setting portion that sets an arrangement of the plurality of patterns selected by the selection portion, a first sewing data generating portion that generates second sewing data based on the first sewing data that are acquired by the acquisition portion, and a first storage control portion that causes the second sewing data generated by the first sewing data generating portion to be stored in the storage portion such that it can be acquired by the acquisition portion.
US08897904B2
Media content playback includes providing a plurality of media contents; providing for each of the media contents information identifying the respective media content; receiving from a user selection instructions that effect selecting or deselecting of a specific media content; providing context data based on measurements of at least one of absolute time, absolute position and of at least one physical quantity at or in the vicinity of the location where the selected media content is to be reproduced; providing or adapting a user profile that assigns for each specific media content user instructions to the context data provided at the time of receipt of the respective instruction; selecting according to the user profile one of the media contents dependent on the context data at the time of selection; and reproducing the selected media content.
US08897899B2
A method and programming chart having viewable indicia thereon for programming a decoder-based controller is disclosed. The programming chart comprises a specific portion comprising a station number area for one or more stations being controlled by a decoder-based irrigation controller, a decoder address area adapted to receive an entry indicating an address of a decoder being associated with each of the one or more stations and a plurality of other information areas for each of the one or more stations to receive information pertaining to each of the one or more stations. Furthermore, a method is provided for programming a decoder-based irrigation controller comprising associating a decoder unit with at least a first station, removing a decoder address indicator provided with the decoder unit and recording the decoder address indicator onto a programming chart onto an area designated for a decoder address associated with the first station.
US08897894B1
A microcircuit integrated cochlear electrode array and a process for the manufacture thereof, the electrode array comprising a multiconductor tail portion with longitudinally spaced outwardly exposed electrode receiving pads and a flat multiconductor head portion connected to the tail portion and having spaced outwardly exposed circuit attachment pads, the tail and head portions being laminated between a nonconductive film substrate and an insulating cover and the tail portion being helically wrapped into a helix with the electrode receiving circuit attachment pads exposed and carrying ring electrodes overmolded with a suitable polymeric material.
US08897893B2
A method for implanting an electrical stimulation lead into a patient includes advancing a distal end of a multi-armed lead into an epidural space of the patient. The multi-armed lead includes first and second stimulation arms extending from a main body portion. The first stimulation arm is guided into and through a first intervertebral foramen. The first stimulation arm is positioned in proximity to a first dorsal root ganglion. The first stimulation aim is positioned with electrodes disposed along the first stimulation arm in operational proximity to the first dorsal root ganglion. The second stimulation arm is guided into and through a second intervertebral foramen. The second stimulation arm is positioned in proximity to a second dorsal root ganglion. The second stimulation arm is positioned with electrodes disposed along the second stimulation arm in operational proximity to the second dorsal root ganglion.
US08897882B2
An electrode for continuously stimulating a facial nerve root capable of a stable holding required for an electrode that continuously stimulates a facial nerve root, and an apparatus for monitoring electromyograms of facial muscles using the electrode for continuously stimulating the facial nerve root, are provided. The electrode for continuously stimulating the facial nerve root comprises an electrode unit, a contact unit, a guard unit, an extension unit, and a wire unit. The electrode for continuously stimulating the facial nerve root is held by clamping the extension unit between the facial nerve root and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery or the small artery so that the contact unit closely contacts to the facial nerve root and is fixed.
US08897875B2
A medical device includes a pulse generator and an electrode configured to contact tissue in a body vessel. The medical device includes a lead that includes a lead connector. The lead connector connects a pulse generator with an electrode via a conductive path. An electrode switch is electrically connected between the lead conductor and the electrode. The electrode switch includes an open state preventing the conductive path between the lead and the electrode. The electrode switch includes a closed state establishing the conductive path between the lead and the electrode when a voltage is applied across the electrode switch that exceeds a threshold voltage. The electrode switch in the open state electrically shields the electrode from electromagnetic radiation and induced voltages during magnetic resonance imaging.
US08897867B2
System and method for processing signals for the real-time detection of a functional cyclic activity
A system and method for processing signals for the real-time detection of a functional cyclic activity, include: elements for simultaneously receiving signals acquired by a sensor array having at least two sensors; elements for recording and preprocessing the acquired signals during a plurality of consecutive cycles; elements for identifying event combinations from the recordings of the acquired signals, enabling a calibration to be carried out, including: elements for identifying a plurality of events in the acquired signals, each signal including an identified event; elements for defining a model of the functional activity, consisting of a time order of the events and the mean delays between the events, and elements for defining a detection time window from the functional activity model.
US08897865B2
An ECG lead system for use with a plurality of unique diverse ECG floor monitors for when a patient is substantially immobile and/or a plurality of unique diverse ECG telemetry monitors, is provided. The ECG lead system includes a plurality of unique adapters, wherein each adapter includes an input receptacle configured for selective electrical connection with a device connector of an ECG lead set assembly; and at least one unique monitor plug electrically connected to the input receptacle. Each monitor plug is configured to selectively electrically connect to a corresponding receptacle of a respective unique diverse ECG floor monitor or unique diverse ECG telemetry monitor.
US08897863B2
A method for identifying a target arrhythmia, for example, atrial fibrillation, with very high specificity includes obtaining heart rhythm data such as EKG data, selecting and analyzing a segment of the data for arrhythmia, if an arrhythmia is found then reanalyzing the segment of data for a hidden regularity that would indicate the data is not the target arrhythmia. If no hidden regularity is found, then identifying the segment as the target arrhythmia.
US08897858B2
Biological tissue such as skeletal and cardiac muscle can be imaged by using an objective-based probe in the tissue and scanning at a sufficiently fast rate to mitigate motion artifacts due to physiological motion. According to one example embodiment, such a probe is part of a system that is capable of reverse-direction high-resolution imaging without needing to stain or otherwise introduce a foreign element used to generate or otherwise increase the sensed light. The probe can include a light generator for generating light pulses that are directed towards structures located within the thick tissue. The system can additionally include aspects that lessen adverse image-quality degradation. Further, the system can additionally be constructed as a hand-held device.
US08897849B2
A cardiovascular risk evaluation apparatus includes a hypoxic acquisition unit for acquiring a measurement result that includes a blood oxygen saturation level measured in a hypoxic period in which the blood oxygen saturation level of a subject is lower than a threshold value, and a blood pressure measured when the blood oxygen saturation level was measured; a non-hypoxic acquisition unit for acquiring a measurement result that includes a blood oxygen saturation level measured in a non-hypoxic period of the blood oxygen saturation level of the subject, and a blood pressure measured when the blood oxygen saturation level was measured; and an indicator acquisition unit for acquiring a cardiovascular risk evaluation indicator for the subject based on the relationship between blood oxygen saturation level and blood pressure, which is based on the measurement results acquired by the hypoxic acquisition unit and the non-hypoxic acquisition unit.
US08897843B2
A case for a wireless device includes a number of RF coupling elements mounted in the case and configured such that RF radiation is coupled from an internal antenna of the wireless device out of the device to a first RF coupling element, and from the first RF coupling element to a RF redirector coupling element that redirects the RF radiation in a direction outward from said wireless device that is opposite to a user side of the wireless device. A corrugated metallic shield is optionally provided on an opposite side of the case, facing a user of the device.
US08897839B2
A method for controlling a distributed antenna system includes the following steps. A target propagation delay value is defined according to a transmit/receive transition gap. Propagation delay time of a service antenna unit corresponding to a base station is estimated. The service antenna unit is turned on to perform downlink signal transmission, and the propagation delay time of the service antenna unit is compensated to the target propagation delay value.
US08897837B2
An integral communication device and method for controlling the integral communication device are provided for expanding the communication capability of a mobile terminal. An integral communication device of the present invention includes a plurality of communication modules that operate with different communication standards, a connector having terminals for electrical connection to a mobile terminal, a switch for switching the terminals of the connector between the communication modules, and a device controller for controlling the switch to establish electric links to the communication modules individually.
US08897829B2
One aspect provides a method of controlling transmit power in a wireless device, wherein a desired transmit power is determined as a result of detection of a receive signal parameter. The method comprises detecting a desired maximum transmit power and generating a sequence of attenuation factors. The sequence is generated by monotonically increasing a variable at a controlled rate between a starting value and the maximum transmit power. The method further comprises using each attenuation factor in turn to: (a) reduce the measured value of the received signal power; and (b) reduce a determined desired value of the transmit power, where the transmit power is continually reduced as the variable is increased.
US08897815B2
In a universal mobile telecommunications system, a radio access network includes multiple base stations for communicating with user equipment. The radio access network is configured to send the user equipment a measurement control message which includes configuration information and a location reporting indicator. The user equipment is configured to perform a minimization of drive test according to the configuration information, and provide location information along with the recorded measurement result according to the location reporting indicator.
US08897814B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining indoor context information relating to a location of a mobile device. Indoor context information may be utilized by a mobile device or a network element to obtain an estimate of a location of the mobile device within an indoor environment.
US08897808B2
In an exemplary method, a request is received from a mobile device, a geographic location of the mobile device is determined, the geographic location of the mobile device is confirmed to be within a predefined range of a premises reference location located within a premises area, and a third-party service associated with the premises reference location is facilitated in response to the request and the confirmation. In certain embodiments, the third-party service includes adding a user associated with the mobile device to a wait list. In certain embodiments, the third-party service further includes providing a notification message to the mobile device when a wait period is over. In certain embodiments, the third-party service includes a food service provided at the premises reference location.
US08897804B2
A portable technical support device includes a location-determining element configured to allow the portable technical support device to be location-aware, and a communicating element configured to allow the portable technical support device to access a network management system, the network management system having information relating to a communication device, wherein the portable technical support device obtains from the management system the information relating to the communication device by making the network management system aware of the location of the communication device using the portable technical support device as a location-determining element.
US08897801B2
Techniques for transmitting location information as an aid to location services are described. In one design, a transmitter may generate a message including coordinate information and uncertainty information for the location of the transmitter. The coordinate information may include latitude and longitude for horizontal location and possibly the height of the transmitter. The uncertainty information may include uncertainty of the horizontal location and possibly uncertainty of the height of the transmitter. The horizontal location uncertainty may be given by a radius of a circle centered at the latitude and longitude of the transmitter. The height uncertainty may be given by a deviation from the height of the transmitter. The transmitter may send the message to at least one receiver in a wireless network. The transmitter may be a base station that may broadcast the message to terminals within its coverage.
US08897799B2
A wireless communication apparatus includes: a receiving unit that receives a signal indicating a frequency band having the highest priority of selection among a plurality of frequency bands; and a transmitting unit that transmits data in parallel, using the frequency band having the highest priority of selection and a frequency band having a priority of selection lower than that of the frequency band having the highest priority of selection.
US08897786B2
A call connection method and apparatus are disclosed. When a service is released in a portable terminal that supports different communication modes due to a network problem, the call connection method and apparatus reconnects the service to another network. The call connection method includes performing a first service through a first network, analyzing, when the connected first service is released, the cause of disconnection, acquiring, when the cause of disconnection is a problem in the first network, connection information, and attempting to connect a second service through a second network based on the connection information.
US08897782B2
An extensible framework for offloading data traffic sent to a mobile computing device over a cellular network to a wireless network comprises software plugins, a plugin host that is typically part of the mobile device operating system, and plugin interfaces through which the plugin host communicates with the plugins. A plugin is associated with one or more mobile operators. The framework can comprise one or more plugins, but typically, only one plugin is active at a time. The framework can automatically detect and connect to wireless networks associated with a mobile operator associated with an active plugin. The plugin can automatically authenticate the mobile device or a mobile device user with the mobile operator over the connected wireless network. The plugins are not allowed access to operating system functions responsible for detecting and connecting and disconnecting to a wireless network, which can improve mobile operating system stability and battery life.
US08897778B2
An infrastructure assisted network transition scheme is provided. In a multi-mode wireless communication device, handover threshold data is received from a management server associated with a first wireless network comprising one or more wireless access points. The multi-mode wireless communication device receives signals from the one or more wireless access point devices of the first wireless network and generates data representing the received signals. The multi-mode wireless communication device analyzes the data representing the received signals with respect to the handover threshold data to determine when the multi-mode wireless communication device should initiate hand-in to the first wireless network and when to initiate hand-out from the first wireless network to the second wireless network. Functions are provided at the management server to enable the generation of the handover threshold data from network configuration information associated with the first wireless network.
US08897771B1
A user device may receive roaming policy information. The roaming policy information may identify a roaming network and one or more services available to the user device via the roaming network. The user device may determine that the user device is to connect to the roaming network. The user device may determine a service, of the one or more services, to be provided to the user device via the roaming network. The determination may be based on the roaming policy information. The user device may provide, to a network device associated with the roaming network, information identifying the service to be provided via the roaming network, based on determining that the user device is to connect to the roaming network.
US08897770B1
Embodiments of apparatus for providing distributed airborne wireless communications are provided herein. In some embodiments, a distributed communication payload includes: a payload control electronics module; an air-to-user link module to provide wireless communication links between airborne platforms and end-user devices; and an air-to-air link module to provide wireless communication links between airborne platforms; wherein the air-to-user and air-to-air link modules are subdivided into multiple sections that can be disposed on different airborne platforms.
US08897765B2
A method and apparatus for controlling signal transmission is provided. The method includes determining whether a signal to noise ratio (SNR) between a first base station and a signal receiving node is less than a threshold, and controlling the first base station and a second base station to cooperatively transmit a signal to the signal receiving node in response to the SNR being less than the threshold. Further, the second base station is located in an adjacent cell to a cell containing the first base station.
US08897764B2
A system that links a mobile device with a vehicle on-board unit includes a data control section that restricts use of at least one of a plurality of registered application software products provided on the mobile device, and a data output section that outputs an indication representing the at least one registered application software product to a display section of the vehicle on-board unit when the at least one application software product is available according to conditions of the vehicle.
US08897760B1
A system and method enabling a user of a communication network with services including having a mobile communication system and a plurality of mobile devices connected by the communication network to interact in mobile and stationary environments seamlessly by allowing the user the ability and flexibility to send and receive voice and data communications from anywhere a user has access to any of said devices.
US08897759B2
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for dynamically forwarding incoming calls and/or messages to different mobile communications devices (“MCDs”). In one embodiment, a method may include: storing associations between multiple MCDs and a user and identifying that at least one of the MCDs is inactive and that at least one of the MCDs is active. The method may further include: receiving an incoming call or message intended for the at least one inactive MCD; and if only one of the MCDs is active, causing the incoming call or message to be forwarded to the one active MCD; and if more than one of the MCDs is active, either: (a) causing the incoming call or message to be forwarded to at least one of the active MCDs or (b) not causing the incoming call or message to be forwarded.
US08897754B1
Methods and products for ensuring that incoming voicemails are stored on a voicemail server are provided. One embodiment of a method includes receiving an incoming voicemail that is to be stored in connection with a user account, determining that a threshold capacity of storage allocation associated with storing the voicemail has been crossed; identifying a mobile device associated with the user account, and moving a given amount of data from the storage location to the mobile device.
US08897748B2
A computer implemented method for monitoring message usage on a communication device. An audible message may be outputted on the communication device in replacement of a pre-determined telephone tone. A duration parameter of outputting the audible message in replacement of the pre-determined telephone tone may be determined, and provided to a billing system for determining a compensation parameter.
US08897746B1
Prepaid account balance of a mobile station user on the mobile station is synchronized with a prepaid account balance stored in a prepaid server. The mobile station receives messages indicating the prepaid account balance generated by the prepaid server via a communication link established by a wireless network system. The prepaid server determines elapsed time since the last message regarding the prepaid account and sends a new message indicating the prepaid account balance to the mobile station if a predetermined time has elapsed. The prepaid server's operations may be performed periodically by the prepaid server or performed when the mobile station is powered on from power off state or the mobile station to a service coverage area from a non-service coverage area. The new message showing the prepaid account balance is displayed on the mobile station upon receiving the new message.
US08897742B2
Provided is a distributed system and method for enabling new and useful location dependent features and functionality to mobile data processing systems. Mobile data processing Systems (MSs) interact with each other as peers in communications and interoperability. Data is shared between mobile data processing systems to carry out novel Location Based eXchanges (LBX) of data for new mobile applications. Information transmitted inbound to, transmitted outbound from, is in process at, or is application modified at a mobile data processing system triggers processing of actions in accordance with user configured permissions, charters, and other configurations. In a preferred embodiment, a user configurable platform is provided for quickly building well behaving LBX applications at MSs and across a plurality of interoperating MSs. Tools, triggered interfaces and integrated applications are disclosed for a breadth of MS LBX configurations and functionality.
US08897740B2
Techniques are described for establishing a two-way voice communication session with an alarm system. The alarm system may establish a two-way voice communication session with an operator associated with a monitoring service that provides monitoring services for alarm events detected by the alarm system. The alarm system also may establish a two-way voice communication session with a notification recipient that is interested in receiving notifications associated with events detected by the alarm system.
US08897733B2
Methods and systems for dynamically tuning and calibrating an antenna using on-chip digitally controlled array of capacitors are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include dynamically tuning a mobile terminal antenna (MTA) using on-chip arrays of capacitive devices. The tuning may be, for example, to compensate for center frequency drift during operation of the mobile terminal. The tuning may be accomplished by selecting capacitive devices in the on-chip arrays of capacitive devices to use in conjunction with an inductive circuit coupled to the MTA, where the inductive circuit may be either off the chip or on the chip. Accordingly, an impedance of the circuit formed by the capacitive devices in the on-chip arrays of capacitive devices and the inductive circuit may be adjusted with respect to the MTA. A valid circuit configuration may include a configuration where no capacitive device may be selected for use with the inductive circuit.
US08897713B2
A system, method, and computer program product for wireless network monitoring. Some particular features of various embodiments include notification via mobile phones (or other wireless devices) of outages in the wireless environment, an automated incident log, a web page to enter the resolution of an outage, a contact list containing personnel who could potential be contacted during an outage, and pop up messages that occur when an outage is detected.
US08897706B1
Different scan modes are provided for Bluetooth devices. In at least some embodiments, a narrowband scanning mode looks for signal energy on individual transmission frequencies at a time. By looking for signal energy rather than decoding transmitted packets, at least some of the components in a Bluetooth device can remain in an idle or rest state. A midband scanning mode looks for signal energy across multiple different frequencies at a time. Again, by looking for signal energy across multiple different frequencies rather than decoding transmitted packets, at least some of the components in a Bluetooth device can remain in an idle or rest state. A wideband scanning mode looks for signal energies across all relevant frequencies at a time. At least some embodiments enable a Bluetooth device to switch between scanning modes.
US08897704B1
A method and apparatus to provide easier pairing based on motion data is described. The method of associating two devices comprises receiving a signal to enter into pairing mode, and detecting a motion indicating a pairing. The method further comprises establishing a secure connection with another device for pairing, the secure connection established based on the motion, and exchanging data.
US08897701B2
A system and a method in which a first frequency correction is determined for a frequency of a local oscillator with respect to a frequency of a first time slot of a received signal. The first frequency correction is applied to adjust the frequency of the local oscillator. A second frequency correction is determined for the frequency of the local oscillator with respect to a frequency of a second time slot of the received signal. The second frequency correction is applied to adjust the frequency of the local oscillator. A third frequency correction is determined for the frequency of the local oscillator with respect to a frequency of a third time slot and a fourth time slot of the received signal, and the third frequency correction is applied to adjust the frequency of the local oscillator.
US08897699B2
A near field communications (NFC) device is disclosed that interacts with other NFC devices to exchange information and/or the data. Another NFC device inductively couples a received communications signal onto an antenna circuit of the NFC device to provide a recovered communications signal. An overvoltage protection module regulates a power level of the recovered communication signal by detuning the antenna circuit when the power level of the recovered communication signal may cause damage the NFC device. Active components of the overvoltage protection module, such as voltage controlled impedances, operate in their linear mode of operation to reduce unwanted emissions during this regulation process.
US08897697B1
A millimeter-wave surface-wave communications system to provide network connectivity for a backhaul network and a distributed antenna system. Rather than building new structures, and installing additional fiber and cable, embodiments described herein disclose using high-bandwidth, millimeter-wave communications propagating over existing power line infrastructure. The wavelength of the transmission is comparable in size or smaller than the circumference of the power lines.
US08897694B2
Telecommunication service is regulated in a confined area in which telecommunication is restricted. Regulation includes control of wireless resources and access thereto, and monitoring wireless activity and locating sources thereof within the confined area. Regulation can be accomplished through networked femtocell access points and distributed antenna systems. Control of wireless resources is accomplished through selective jamming within the confined area; selective jamming can be updated based on performance metrics of telecommunication service. Configurable lists that authorize mobile device(s) to consume wireless service within the confined area control access to wireless resources. Access can be granted, or denied statically or dynamically. Monitoring of wireless activity within the confined area includes tracking and recordation of signaling or traffic activity. The monitoring of signaling activity can enable location of a source of wireless activity, while monitoring of traffic can lead to identification of a user thereof.
US08897690B2
A cleaning blade, including a strip-shaped elastic blade to contact the surface of a member to be cleaned, traveling on an edge line of the elastic blade, to remove a powder from the surface thereof, wherein the edge line of the elastic blade is impregnated with an ultraviolet curable resin including a fluorinated acrylic monomer, a surface layer harder than the elastic blade is formed on each of an under surface thereof, having the edge line as one line of the under surface and facing the member, and an apical surface thereof, having the edge line as one line of the apical surface and being parallel to a direction of the thickness thereof, and the apical surface is impregnated with the ultraviolet curable resin at a depth of from 50 to 150 μm and the under surface is impregnated therewith at a depth of from 20 to 100 μm.
US08897680B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a toner supply section that supplies toner to a plurality of developing sections; a carrier supply section that supplies carrier to the plurality of developing sections; and a control section that controls an operation of the carrier supply section. The carrier supply section includes: a carrier housing section; a carrier distributing section that receives a predetermined amount of carrier that has freely fallen from the carrier housing section and guides the predetermined amount of carrier to each of the plurality of developing sections; a support frame section that slidably supports the carrier distributing section; and a vibration exciter section that vibrates the carrier distributing section.
US08897679B2
An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a developing device, a support frame, a developer case, and an intermediate hopper. The support frame selectively positions the developing device to a detachment position and a developing position. The intermediate hopper includes a first hopper, a second hopper, and a third hopper. The first hopper receives developer from the developer case through a developer inlet port. The second hopper has a developer outlet port, through which the developer is supplied to the developing device. The upper and lower end portions of the third hopper are respectively connected to the first and second hoppers. Parts where the first to third hoppers are connected one another are rotatable in directions that allow the support frame to move.
US08897669B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a first metal side plate frame; a second metal side plate frame arranged to face the first metal side plate frame; a sheet-metal stay electrically connecting the first metal side plate frame and the second metal side plate frame; a base portion provided at the sheet-metal stay and extending horizontally; and an abutting portion rising from the base portion and abutting each of the outer surface of the first metal side plate frame and the outer surface of the second metal side plate frame, and any one of the first metal side plate frame and the second metal side plate frame is directly grounded.
US08897666B2
A fixing device includes a rotatable pressure member; a heating member that is provided so as to oppose the pressure member, and that includes a heat source; a fixing member that fixes an image to a recording medium as a result of transporting the recording medium while the recording medium is nipped at a nip when the fixing member is pressed by the pressure member, the image being formed of toner including a separating agent; a cooling unit that cools the pressure member at a location that is situated downstream of the nip; a removing roller that, while being driven and rotated by the pressure member, removes the separating agent from the pressure member, the separating agent being transferred from the fixing member; and a removing member that contacts the removing roller and removes the separating agent adhered to the removing roller from the removing roller.
US08897661B2
A system and method are provided for sensing occasions of operations in image forming devices that result in larger than normal volumes of residual toner needing to be removed from an intermediate transfer element by an intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Based on this sensing, an operating speed for an auger component in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system may be temporarily increased. This temporary increase in operating speed may address the intermittent increased toner volume conditions without introducing unacceptable physical configuration changes, or undesirable operating characteristic modifications, for the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system. Upon sensing an actual or anticipated higher-than-normal amount of toner to be removed, a signal is sent to temporarily increase a speed of operation of toner removal components in the intermediate transfer element toner cleaning system to account for the temporary increase.
US08897655B2
An optical transport system in which (i) an optical transmitter is configured to adaptively change an operative constellation to use a constellation that provides optimal performance characteristics for the present optical-link conditions and/or (ii) an optical receiver is configured to change shapes of the decision regions corresponding to an operative constellation to adapt them to the type of signal distortions experienced by a transmitted optical signal in the optical link between the transmitter and receiver. Under some optical-link conditions, the optical receiver might use a decision-region configuration in which a decision region corresponding to a first constellation point includes an area that is closer in distance to a different second constellation point than to the first constellation point.
US08897650B2
A sending/receiving system includes first and second sending/receiving apparatuses. The first sending/receiving apparatus includes a first sending section that sends link establishment information via first transmission channels. The second sending/receiving apparatus includes a second sending section, link establishing sections, and a controller. The second sending section sends link establishment information to the first sending/receiving apparatus via a second transmission channel. Each of the link establishing sections is provided for a corresponding one of the first transmission channels and establishes a link in the corresponding first transmission channel on the basis of the link establishment information. When links have been established in all of the first transmission channels by the link establishing sections, the controller causes the second sending section to send the link establishment information in order to cause the first sending/receiving apparatus to establish a link in the second transmission channel.
US08897646B2
An optical add/drop multiplexer including one or more optical drop multiplexers connected in free space or fused by optical fiber pigtails, a wavelength blocker with an input port connected to an output port of the optical drop multiplexer through the fusion of the fiber pigtails, one or more optical add multiplexers connected in free space or fused by fiber pigtails, a digital signal processor, an analog-to-digital signal converter, a digital-to-analog converter, and a plurality of electronic control and feedback loops for tuning and scanning an optical wavelength.
US08897644B2
Technology to provide linked control of bandwidth allocation to a plurality of optical network units among the plural wavelengths by a bandwidth allocation section coupled to the plural optical network units.
US08897639B2
Systems and methods according to these exemplary embodiments provide for methods and systems that allow for either reducing signal loss or improving the optical signal strength in a PON for increasing optical signal range.
US08897637B2
The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for identifying at least one object, wherein the object has a connection unit that can be connected to a receptacle unit of a receptacle arrangement, wherein contactless information transfer takes place between the connection unit and the receptacle unit if the connection unit is connected to the receptacle unit, wherein the contactless information transfer is realized as optical information transfer, wherein an optical signal having predetermined optical properties is generated and transmitted by at least one transmitting unit, is transferred via at least one optical transfer path and is received by at least one receiving unit, wherein an evaluation and control unit (14) connected to the receiving unit evaluates the optical properties and/or propagation time properties of the received optical signal and carries out an identification of the object by means of a comparison with stored optical properties and/or by means of a comparison with stored propagation times, wherein the transmitting unit is arranged on the connection unit side or on the receptacle unit side and the receiving unit is arranged on the connection unit side or on the receptacle unit side.
US08897636B2
Disclosed herein is an optical network terminal. The Optical Network Terminal (ONT) includes a laser diode for generating an optical signal to be transmitted to the OLT. A laser diode driving unit supplies driving current required for light emission of the laser diode. A driving current detection unit detects the driving current. A light emission time determination unit calculates a light emission time of the laser diode depending on a time for which the driving current is detected, and outputs a power control signal including information about results of a comparison between the light emission time of the laser diode and a preset reference time. A power supply voltage control unit interrupts a power supply voltage of the laser diode driving unit when the power control signal includes information indicating that the light emission time of the laser diode is longer than the reference time.
US08897634B2
A system and method is disclosed for enabling user friendly interaction with a camera system. Specifically, the inventive system and method has several aspects to improve the interaction with a camera system, including voice recognition, gaze tracking, touch sensitive inputs and others. The voice recognition unit is operable for, among other things, receiving multiple different voice commands, recognizing the vocal commands, associating the different voice commands to one camera command and controlling at least some aspect of the digital camera operation in response to these voice commands. The gaze tracking unit is operable for, among other things, determining the location on the viewfinder image that the user is gazing upon. One aspect of the touch sensitive inputs provides that the touch sensitive pad is mouse-like and is operable for, among other things, receiving user touch inputs to control at least some aspect of the camera operation. Another aspect of the disclosed invention provides for gesture recognition to be used to interface with and control the camera system.
US08897625B2
A display control apparatus includes: reading means for reading still image data from a recording medium on which the still image data are recorded in a predetermined order; display control means for displaying the still images read by the reading means; and still image accepting means for accepting commands regarding display of the still images, wherein when a command for a slideshow of the still images has been accepted by the still image accepting means with one of the still images under display, the reading means reads pieces of the still image data successively, starting with the still image data next to the still image data corresponding to the one under display, and the display control means displays still images corresponding to the still image data read by the reading means successively, following the one under display, whereby to make the slideshow display.
US08897622B2
A media recording element having capabilities to facilitate recording media for subsequent playback. The recording element further including features associated with limiting operations of a hard drive or other similarly mechanical memory under certain operating conditions so as to limit power consumption and/or memory degradation.
US08897616B2
A signal processing apparatus includes an upconversion processing unit upconverting content data stored in a data storage unit, and an upconversion control unit determining an upconversion-target component and the upconversion processing order of components based on component attribute information such as a component type or a tag value of each component of the content data such as elementary streams.
US08897604B2
Image analysis includes: determining, using one or more processors, an image quality score associated with an image, including: determining a foreground and a background in the image; calculating a set of one or more characteristic parameters of the image based on the determined foreground and background; calculating the image quality score based at least in part on the set of characteristic parameters, wherein calculating the image quality score comprises using an image quality computation model that has been pre-trained; and in response to a search query, generating a set of search results that includes a set the images, wherein inclusion of the images or ranking of the search results is based at least in part on image quality scores associated with the set of images.
US08897601B2
An image conversion parameter calculation device accurately calculates a conversion parameter for image alignment with a processing amount that does not depend on the size of an image to be aligned. A pixel selection element randomly selects pixels from a predetermined number or pixels of not more than the predetermined number from a first image. A parameter derivation element derives a conversion parameter by performing processing for pixels selected by the pixel selection element, the conversion parameter being a parameter for converting, to the first image, a second image that is subject to image alignment with the first image.
US08897600B1
Method, system, device and computer program product for determining vanishing point candidates of a text portion in an image document distorted by perspective. The method includes the steps of image binarization, connected component analysis, estimating a number of text lines in a Cartesian coordinate system, transforming the text lines to data points in a homogenous coordinate system, assigning a confidence level to the data points, grouping a number of data points into a priority sample array, clustering the data points in the priority sample array into a number of sample groups and assigning a group confidence value to each sample group. A RANSAC algorithm is applied to determine among the data points a set of inliers, initiated with the sample group having the highest group confidence value. A vanishing point candidate is determined from the text lines corresponding to the set of inliers.
US08897598B1
Aspects of the present disclosure propose techniques for reconstructing a document mosaic using video streams of the document. The streams provide information identifying a layout that relates sequential frames of a video to each other. Once the streams are captured using a mobile device, it is then possible to reconstruct a virtual view of the entire document as though it were taken with a single camera shot. The reconstructed virtual view of the document will be suitable as input to an optical character recognition engine, which can be used for translating the document.
US08897595B2
Multiframe reconstruction combines a set of acquired images into a reconstructed image. Here, which images to acquire are selected based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. In one approach, a set of at least three images of an object are acquired at different acquisition settings. For at least one of the images in the set, the acquisition setting for the image is determined based at least in part on the content of previously acquired images. Multiframe image reconstruction is applied to the set of acquired images to synthesize a reconstructed image of the object.
US08897589B2
A method of detecting the subject of an image and imaging device thereof are disclosed. The method comprises the following steps of providing an image capturing module to capture the temporal image, providing the image processing module to receive the temporal image and to determine a plurality of objects from the temporal image, using the image processing module to define a plurality of regions on the temporal image based on the center of temporal image, using the image processing module to assign an initial setup value to each of the objects according to the region corresponding to each of the objects, using the imaging processing module to execute an operation to increase or decrease each of the initial setup values, using the image processing module to execute a sorting, and selecting at least one of the objects as a subject of the temporal image.
US08897578B2
An image recognition device that improves the accuracy of generic object recognition compared with conventional technologies by reducing the influence of the position, size, background clutter and the like of an object that is targeted to be recognized in the input image by the generic object recognition. The image recognition device performs a generic object recognition and includes: a segmenting unit configured to segment an input image into a plurality of regions in accordance with meanings extracted from content of the input image; a generating unit configured to compute feature data for each of the plurality of regions and generate feature data of the input image reflecting the computed feature data; and a checking unit configured to check whether or not a recognition-target object is present in the input image in accordance with the feature data of the input image.
US08897575B2
Systems and methods for object detection are presented herein. Embodiments of the present invention utilizing a cascade feature, one or more features at different scales, one or more multi-scale features in combination with a perspective feature, or combinations thereof to detect an object of interest in an input image. In embodiments, the various features are used to train classifiers. In embodiments, the trained classifiers are used in detecting an object of interest in one or more input images.
US08897574B2
There are provided an image processing apparatus, line detection method and a computer-readable, non-transitory medium that can precisely detect boundaries of a document from a read image. The image processing apparatus includes an edge pixel extractor for extracting edge pixels from an input image which includes a document, a grouping unit for forming mutually adjoining edge pixels in the extracted edge pixels into a group, and an approximated line detector for detecting a line which connects edge pixels which are positioned at the two ends in a horizontal direction and vertical direction among edge pixels which are included in the group as a line which approximates an end of the document.
US08897572B2
A method for generating a feature descriptor is provided. A set of pre-generated sparse projection vectors is obtained. A scale space for an image is also obtained, where the scale space having a plurality scale levels. A descriptor for a keypoint in the scale space is then generated based on a combination of the sparse projection vectors and sparsely sampled pixel information for a plurality of pixels across the plurality of scale levels.
US08897562B2
Methods and apparatus for adaptive trimap propagation. Methods are described that allow a trimap to be propagated from one frame to the next in a temporally coherent way. A radius-based method propagates automatically computed local trimap radii from frame to frame. A mesh-based method employs pins on the binary segmentation boundary and a mesh generated for the unknown region; the pins are tracked from one frame to the next according to an optical flow technique, the mesh is deformed from one frame to the next according to the movement of the pins, and the adaptive trimap is then warped according to the deformed mesh. These methods can be used separately, or the first method can be used to propagate some regions of the adaptive trimap, and the second method can be used to propagate other regions of the adaptive trimap.
US08897561B2
Method for detecting disappearance of a pattern is used to detect whether a fixed-still pattern in dynamic displayed images disappears. Method includes analyzing a pattern characteristic parameter which represents the fixed-still pattern from each of images continuously displayed in a time sequence, It is checked whether the pattern characteristic parameter fast decreases from at least greater than a high level to at least less than a low level, as a first state transition. Sum of absolute difference (SAD) values for all of the pixels between a previous image and a current image is calculated. It is checked whether the sum of the SAD values fast increases from at least less than a low level to at least greater than a high level, as a second state transition. When the first state transition and the second state transition occur simultaneously, it is determined that the fixed-still pattern disappears in the display.
US08897554B2
Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for video comparison using color histograms are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to compare a first video and a second video comprises obtaining a first color histogram corresponding to a sequence of frames of the first video, obtaining a second color histogram corresponding to a sequence of frames of the second video, determining a first comparison metric based on differences between bin values of the first color histogram and adjusted bin values of the second color histogram, and determining whether the first video and the second video match based on the first comparison metric.
US08897538B1
The present invention relates to the automated processing of documents and, more specifically, to methods and systems for aligning, capturing and processing document images using mobile and desktop devices. In accordance with various embodiments, methods and systems for document image alignment, capture, transmission, and verification are provided such that accurate data capture is optimized. These methods and systems may comprise capturing an image on a mobile or stationary device, converting the color image into a black and white image, testing the accuracy of the image captured and transmitted, and processing the image for data extraction. Additionally, these may comprise aiding the user in capturing the image, providing geometric correction of document images, converting the image to black and white, transmitting both the images to a server, optimizing image size, analyzing images using iterative and weighting procedures, and comparing data the images to maximize data capture confidence.
US08897536B2
A method for analysis of 2-D gel images obtained using electrophoresis. More particularly, a molecular block-matching method for establishing the correspondence between protein spots in a diagnostic-test image and protein spots in a reference image. Individual protein spot matching is performed, thereby removing the need for alignment of the entire reference and test images and permitting automatic labeling of individual protein spots. The method for analysis of 2-D gel images is fully automated, thus making it ideally suited for protein information retrieval systems.
US08897532B2
A method for determining image information for an image of an object includes obtaining at least one image of an object of interest, automatically determining an image type and a presence or absence of a contrast agent, automatically generating a label that indicates the image type and the presence or absence of the contrast agent, and modifying the at least one image to include the label. A system and non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.
US08897526B2
A procedure for creating a dental prosthetic includes registering three-dimensional (3D) dental impression image data of a tooth restoration site and 3D x-ray image data of the tooth restoration site, and removing image data corresponding to soft tissue in the tooth restoration site from the 3D dental impression image data. A system for producing a dental prosthetic includes at least one processor operable to register 3D dental impression image data of a tooth restoration site and 3D x-ray image data of the tooth restoration site and remove image data corresponding to soft tissue in the tooth restoration site from the 3D dental impression image data.
US08897524B2
A method of processing a computerized tomography image is disclosed. The method comprises preprocessing the image using contrast enhancement weight function, thereby providing a preprocessed image having a first dynamic range; and applying a companding procedure to the preprocessed image, so as to reduce the first dynamic range.
US08897515B2
A method for image reconstruction that utilizes the benefits of compressed sensing (“CS”) while incorporating a priori knowledge of object spatial support into the image reconstruction is provided. Image data is acquired from a subject, for example, with a medical imaging system, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system or a computed tomography (“CT”) system. An estimate of the spatial support of the subject is produced, for example, using a low resolution image of the subject, or an image reconstructed from undersampled image data in a traditional sense. An estimate image of the subject is also produced by using traditional image reconstruction methods on the acquired image data. An image of the subject is then reconstructed using the produced estimate image and produced spatial support estimate. This method allows for the reconstruction of quality images from undersampled image data in a computationally efficient manner.
US08897514B2
The invention concerns a system and method for generating a 3D imaging data set of an object or of at least two elements, including: obtaining a 3D image data set of the object or the at least two elements in a first shape, first absolute position, or first relative position, moving at least one of the elements and/or deforming the object to have a second shape, second absolute position, or second relative position, different from the first shape, first absolute position, or first relative position; obtaining a 2D data set of the object or the at least two elements while in the second shape, second absolute position, or second relative position; and calculating a 3D image data set of the object or the at least two elements in the second shape, absolute, or relative position using said 2D image data set and said 3D image data set. The method also may be performed by obtaining the 2D image data set in the first position and obtaining the 3D image data set in the second position.
US08897500B2
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for performing speaker verification. A system configured to practice the method receives a request to verify a speaker, generates a text challenge that is unique to the request, and, in response to the request, prompts the speaker to utter the text challenge. Then the system records a dynamic image feature of the speaker as the speaker utters the text challenge, and performs speaker verification based on the dynamic image feature and the text challenge. Recording the dynamic image feature of the speaker can include recording video of the speaker while speaking the text challenge. The dynamic feature can include a movement pattern of head, lips, mouth, eyes, and/or eyebrows of the speaker. The dynamic image feature can relate to phonetic content of the speaker speaking the challenge, speech prosody, and the speaker's facial expression responding to content of the challenge.
US08897497B2
An object detecting device includes a camera ECU that detects an object from image data for a predetermined area has been captured by a monocular camera, a fusion processing portion that calculates the pre-correction horizontal width of the detected object, a numerical value calculating portion that estimates the length in the image depth direction of the calculated pre-correction horizontal width, and a collision determining portion that corrects the pre-correction horizontal width calculated by the fusion processing portion, based on the estimated length in the image depth direction.
US08897495B2
An image such as a depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device. A grid of voxels may then be generated based on the depth image such that the depth image may be downsampled. A model may be adjusted based on a location or position of one or more extremities estimated or determined for a human target in the grid of voxels. The model may also be adjusted based on a default location or position of the model in a default pose such as a T-pose, a DaVinci pose, and/or a natural pose.
US08897493B2
A depth image of a scene may be received, observed, or captured by a device. The depth image may then be analyzed to determine whether the depth image includes a human target. For example, the depth image may include one or more targets including a human target and non-human targets. Each of the targets may be flood filled and compared to a pattern to determine whether the target may be a human target. If one or more of the targets in the depth image includes a human target, the human target may be scanned. A skeletal model of the human target may then be generated based on the scan.
US08897491B2
A system and method are disclosed relating to a pipeline for generating a computer model of a target user, including a hand model of the user's hands and fingers, captured by an image sensor in a NUI system. The computer model represents a best estimate of the position and orientation of a user's hand or hands. The generated hand model may be used by a gaming or other application to determine such things as user gestures and control actions.
US08897484B1
At a social network server, a request is obtained from a first user to upload a digital visual medium (digital photograph or digital video). The digital visual medium is marked for identification thereof. At the social network server, a request is obtained from a second user to upload the digital visual medium. Based on the marking, it is determined whether the request from the second user to upload the digital visual medium is inappropriate.
US08897483B2
A system and method for computing an amount of timber that can be harvested from a plurality of trees is provided. An image related to a plurality of trees in a region may be obtained. A digital representation of the image may be analyzed to determine at least one of a presence, a location and/or a height of at least some of the trees. An inventory report related to an amount of timber that may be harvested may be generated based on at least one of the presence, location and/or a height of trees in the region.
US08897461B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for cleaning an audio segment. For a given audio segment, an offset amount is calculated where the audio segment is maximally correlated to the audio segment as offset by the offset amount. The audio segment and the audio segment as offset by the offset amount are averaged to produce a cleaned audio segment, which has had noise features reduced while having signal features (such as voiced audio) enhanced.
US08897458B2
An earplug which conforms to the concha of the ear and extends into the ear canal. The construction consists of a flexible outer skin with at least one filler material, preferably two or more materials of varying hardness, to form an essentially solid structure except for sound channels, or electronics packages, or other devices, parts and cavities that may be located within the flexible skin. The flexible skin can be fabricated using a rapid-prototyping printing process.
US08897457B2
An earpiece (100) and a method (640) for acoustic management of multiple microphones is provided. The method can include capturing an ambient acoustic signal from an Ambient Sound Microphone (ASM) to produce an electronic ambient signal, capturing in an ear canal an internal sound from an Ear Canal Microphone (ECM) to produce an electronic internal signal, measuring a background noise signal, and mixing the electronic ambient signal with the electronic internal signal in a ratio dependent on the background noise signal to produce a mixed signal. The mixing can adjust an internal gain of the electronic internal signal and an external gain of the electronic ambient signal based on the background noise characteristics. The mixing can account for an acoustic attenuation level and an audio content level of the earpiece.
US08897453B2
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a first bit sequence of a first length is assigned to a first group of signaling bits. Further, a second bit sequence of a second length is assigned to a second group of signaling bits. The first bit sequence is scrambled with a first scrambling sequence, and the second bit sequence is scrambled with a second scrambling sequence different from the first scrambling sequence. A first and a second orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol are assigned to the first and the second scrambled bit sequences respectively, and the first and second orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols are transmitted as synchronization symbols of a data frame. Further, a corresponding method for receiving the data frame, and apparatuses for transmission and reception are disclosed.
US08897444B2
According to at least one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes: a content acquiring module configured to receive or store a content according to a first copyright protection method; a filter configured to acquire PIDs from first packets of the content; an analyzing module configured to acquire a PAT/PMT from each of the PIDs; a generating module configured to generate a PMT based on the PAT/PMT according to a second copyright protection method; encrypters configured to encrypt PES payloads by managing independent sets of an encryption key and an initial vector for the respective PIDs; and a packet generating module configured to generate second packets based on encryption results.
US08897441B2
When being triggered by a call setting request that has been made, dummy information that is different from information to be transmitted and is information used for creating a path on which encrypted communication is to be performed is generated. The path on which the encrypted communication is to be performed is established by using the generated dummy information. A responding process of responding to the call setting request is performed after the path on which the encrypted communication is to be performed has been established. Thus, in the case where information that is obtained after the responding process of responding to the call setting request is encrypted and transmitted, it is possible to transmit the information while maintaining the real-time characteristics of the information to be transmitted.
US08897438B2
Techniques for message forwarding based on a relationship between a sender and a recipient are described herein. In one embodiment, a process includes, but is not limited to, in response to a message from a sender over a network, identifying a list of candidate recipients to handle the message based on roles of the candidate recipients within an organization in view of the sender, and forwarding the message to a recipient selected from the list of the candidate recipient to enable the selected recipient to handle the message. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08897436B2
A method and apparatus for enabling calling parties to request the VoIP network to provide a special ring tone to be signaled as the occurrence of an urgent call to called parties are disclosed. Alternatively, a high frequency intercept tone or call waiting tone is also provided when the called parties are already engaged in conversation when an urgent call is incoming.
US08897428B2
A device for recording the content of live communications sessions allocates each session with a unique identifier which is also communicated to a server, exchange, switch or endpoint having control of that session. A log of events occurring in the session is updated with the unique identifier of the recorded content, and following the session, the log of events is communicated to the recording device, indexed under the unique identifier, and stored with the recorded content of the session itself.
US08897417B2
A device for planning an irradiation is provided. The device includes an evaluation module with an input for receiving input data, a memory and an output for outputting determined output data. The evaluation module is designed for using the input data that includes the type and number of the imaging units present, variables characterizing the tumor and/or variables characterizing the patient, in order to determine the output data that includes the type of the imaging unit, the frequency of use of the imaging unit and/or the parameters for setting the imaging unit to be used in the form of an imaging plan with the aid of a functional relationship, which is based on experience, stored in the memory.
US08897411B2
A delay compensation circuit for a delay locked loop which includes a main delay line having a fine delay line comprising fine delay elements and a coarse delay line comprising coarse delay elements, the main delay line being controlled by a controller, the delay compensation circuit comprising: an adjustable fine delay for modeling a coarse delay element, a counter for controlling the adjustable fine delay to a value which is substantially the same as that of a coarse delay element, a circuit for applying a representation of the system clock to the delay compensation circuit, and a circuit for applying the fine delay count from the counter to the controller for adjusting the fine delay line of the main delay line to a value which is substantially the same as that of a coarse delay element of the main delay line.
US08897409B2
Symbol timing acquisition is described for a wireless broadband signal received at a user terminal from a gateway via a satellite. In-phase and quadrature channels of the wireless signal may each be sampled at a rate of one sample per symbol. The samples may be interpolated to generate an early interpolation and a late interpolation for each of the samples. A difference measurement is obtained between the early interpolation and the late interpolation for a set of the samples. A number of the difference measurements may be averaged, and symbol timing may be modified based on the average. This process may be continued on an iterative basis to acquire symbol timing.
US08897406B2
A method of operation of a communication system includes: receiving an input signal having an input primary codeword and an input parallel codeword; calculating a primary codeword signal by removing a parallel soft information average of the input parallel codeword from the input signal; filtering a residual parallel interference of the input parallel codeword from the primary codeword signal with a primary whitening filter to generate a primary codeword estimation of the input primary codeword; and calculating a primary detected soft information for the primary codeword estimation for communicating with a device.
US08897401B2
Automatic gain control in a receiver. A method for controlling operating range of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) by an automatic gain control circuit includes estimating a peak-to-average ratio corresponding to an analog signal from digital samples of the analog signal. The method includes determining a peak value corresponding to the analog signal based on the peak-to-average ratio. Further, the method includes maintaining magnitude of the analog signal at an input of the ADC and gain of the receiver based on the peak value.
US08897393B1
In one or more embodiments, in a communications terminal an estimated channel matrix is constructed based on a codebook. A modified estimated channel matrix is calculated based on both the estimated channel matrix and a protection matrix, and a channel submatrix is selected from the modified estimated channel matrix. A selection matrix is calculated from the channel submatrix, and fed back to be used in generating a steering matrix.
US08897390B2
The present invention relates to a method of transmitting and a method of receiving signals and corresponding apparatus. One aspect of the present invention relates to an efficient L1 signaling method for an efficient transmitter and an efficient receiver using the efficient L1 signaling method for an efficient cable broadcasting.
US08897388B2
Crest factor reduction (CFR) techniques are provided using asymmetrical pulses. A crest factor reduction method comprises obtaining one or more data samples; detecting at least one peak in the one or more data samples; performing peak cancellation on the at least one detected peak by applying an asymmetric cancellation pulse to the at least one detected peak; and providing processed versions of the one or more data samples. The asymmetric cancellation pulse is generated, for example, by a minimum phase filter and has a substantially minimum group delay. New peaks associated with peak re-growth are introduced substantially only to the one side of the asymmetric cancellation pulse. The process can optionally rewind by an amount greater than or substantially equal to a group delay of the asymmetric cancellation pulse to address the limited number of pre-cursors that may be present in the asymmetric cancellation pulse.
US08897384B2
A codebook C is provided in a MIMO transmitter as well as a MIMO receiver. The codebook C will include M codewords ci, where i is a unique codeword index for each codeword ci. Each codeword defines weighting factors to apply to the MIMO signals, and may correspond to channel matrices or vectors to apply to the MIMO signals prior to transmission from the respective antennas of the MIMO transmitter. The present invention creates codeword subsets Si for each codeword ci of the codebook C. Each codeword subset Si defines L codewords cj, which are selected from all the codewords ci in the codebook C. The codewords cj in a codeword subset Si are the L codewords in the entire codebook that best correlate with the corresponding codeword ci.
US08897378B2
An automated, computerized method for processing a video is provided. The method includes providing a video file depicting a video, in a computer memory; providing a video file depicting a video, in a computer memory; scale separating the video file by applying an edge-preserving blurring filter to generate a detail scale-separated video and a level scale-separated video corresponding to the video; temporally blurring the detail scale-separated video and spatially blurring the level scale-separated video; combining the filtered detailed scale-separated video and the filtered level scale-separated video to provide an output video; and outputting the output video for use in a data compression operation.
US08897374B2
An audio visual system includes an input unit for receiving data containing video data and audio data and dividing the data into the audio data and the video data, a video decoder for decoding the video data divided by the input unit, an audio decoder for decoding the audio data divided by the input unit, and an output unit for superimposing and outputting the video data decoded by the video decoder and the audio data decoded by the audio decoder. The video decoder or audio decoder has a plurality of data output paths and sets delay times for each of the output paths to synchronize the decoded video data with the decoded audio data.
US08897371B2
The disclosure is directed to a receiver. The receiver includes a video decoder and a frame throttle configured to receive a video sequence comprising a plurality of video frames. The frame throttle is further configured to drop one or more of the video frames from the video sequence before providing the video sequence to the video decoder.
US08897360B2
The present invention relates to a method and to an apparatus for encoding and decoding images by adaptively using an interpolation filter in consideration of the characteristics of input images. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a prediction block-generating unit including a selector for adaptively selecting an interpolation filter for generating a prediction block in consideration of the context information of an input image block, a filter bank in which groups of interpolation filters are stored in correspondence with the context information, and a specific interpolation filter which is selected from the filter bank in accordance with the control of the selector, and which interpolates a reference image block associated with the input image block.
US08897358B2
Methods for processing of video sequences that may contain telecined (3:2 pull down) frame sequences are provided. A method for detecting 3:2 pull down is provided that measures vertical detail in frames of a video sequence and uses the variation in vertical detail over time to decide whether the video sequence contains normal interlace content or 3:2 pull down content. A method for improving the compression of detected 3:2 pull down content is also provided that controls the selection of field or frame coding mode for frames of 3:2 pull down content and the selection of reference fields for encoding duplicated fields in the 3:2 pull down content.
US08897347B2
A vectored DSL system reduces or eliminates correlated alien interference in active DSL lines in the vectored system by collecting pseudo signals from inactive lines that do not carry upstream DSL transmissions and/or from common-mode voltage signals from active lines. The collected pseudo signals contain in-domain interference, such as FEXT interference from the active DSL lines in the vectored system, and correlated alien interference. After removing the in-domain interference from the pseudo signals, the remaining alien interference data can be used to generate FEXT cancellation coefficients or the like that are used in DSL vectoring to remove the correlated alien interference from upstream DSL user signals from the active DSL lines. The generated FEXT cancellation coefficients are used in a manner analogous to in-domain FEXT data collected from the active lines during training, tracking, etc.
US08897338B2
A receiver receives multipath signals in a W-CDMA system. Channel estimates and timing reference signals are generated utilizing the received multipath signals. Timing correction signals indicating a location of the received multipath signals may be generated and the received multipath signals may be combined based on the computed channel estimates and/or the generated timing reference signals. The multipath signals may be combined as a signal cluster. Circuitry may be provided that computes channel estimates based on at least one of a plurality of received multipath signals, and generates timing reference signals indicating a location of at least one of the plurality of received multipath signals. Circuitry may also be provided that combines at least a portion of the plurality of received multipath signals based on at least a portion of the computed channel estimates and/or the generated timing reference signals.
US08897336B2
A communication apparatus and method for operating a communication apparatus are provided. The communication apparatus is configured to determine whether a sub-frequency band causing interference is present among sub-frequency bands included in a reception frequency band group, and to send to another communication apparatus an interference avoidance request signal which requests the other communication apparatus to transmit signals by use of remaining sub-frequency bands except the sub-frequency band causing interference, leading to simpler and more efficient interference avoidance.
US08897333B2
Efficient laser diode excited Thulium (Tm) doped solid state systems, directly matched to a combination band pump transition of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), have matured to the point that utilization of such in combination with CO2 admits effectively a laser diode pumped CO2 laser. The laser diode excited Tm solid state pump permits Continuous Wave (CW) or pulsed energy application. Appropriate optical pumping admits catalyzer free near indefinite gas lifetime courtesy of the absence of significant discharge driven dissociation and contamination. As a direct consequence of the preceding arbitrary multi isotopologue CO2, symmetric and asymmetric, gas mixes may be utilized without significant degradation or departure from initial mix specifications. This would admit, at raised pressure, a system continuously tunable from approximately 9 μm to approximately 11.5 μm, or sub picosecond amplification. This methodology offers advantages in regards scalability, pulse energy and power over alternative non linear conversion techniques in access to this spectral region.
US08897332B2
A laser cavity structure is disclosed which pertains to laser resonator geometries possessing circular symmetry, such as in the case of disk or spherical lasers. The disclosed invention utilizes a very-high finesse Bragg reflector (VHF-BR) thin film reflectors of many layer pairs of very small refractive index difference, the VHF-BR deposited on a surface of revolution, thereby forming an optical cavity. These dielectric reflectors are disposed in such a way as to allow selection of preferred low order modes and suppression of parasitic modes while allowing a high cavity Q factor for preferred modes. The invention disclosed, in its preferred embodiments, is seen as particularly useful in applications requiring high efficiency in the production and coupling of coherent radiation. This is accomplished in a cavity design that is relatively compact and economical.
US08897317B2
Apparatuses and methods for providing distributed capacity based channel assignment in a radio frequency base station servicing a local area. A method can include determining that an additional channel is needed, receiving reports from user equipment connected to the base station over the air interface indicating the gain in capacity due to the added channel, adding the new channel, receiving loss reports from one or more neighboring base stations indicating the loss in capacity and the interference caused to user equipments serviced by the neighboring base stations due to the use of the new channel. The method can also include comparing the gain in capacity to the loss of capacity by the worst user connected to the neighboring base stations due to the added channel and determining whether to continue to add the channel to increase capacity.
US08897316B2
Embodiments of the invention include a method for avoiding memory bandwidth utilization during packet processing. The packet processing core receives a plurality of packets. The packet processing core identifies the packet's quality of service (QoS) descriptor. The packet processing core determines that at least one packet should be moved to an off-chip packet stored prior to the packet being transmitted to the egress port. The packet processing core bases that determination, at least in part, on the packet's QoS descriptor. The packet processing core moves the determined packets to the off-chip packet store. The packet processing core determines that at least one packet should not be moved to the off-chip packet store prior to the packet being transmitted to the egress port. This determination is also made, at least in part, based on the packet's QoS descriptor.
US08897315B1
A network switch device includes a plurality of ingress processors, each ingress processor has a packet memory to store packets received via a plurality of ingress ports. A plurality of egress processors are coupled to the plurality of ingress processors via a switch fabric. Each egress processor has a plurality of egress ports. Each ingress processor is configured to create descriptors for packets received via ingress ports, each descriptor having a smaller size than the corresponding packet, store the packets in the packet memory, process each descriptor to determine at least the appropriate egress processor among the egress processors to which to forward the descriptor, transmit, via the switch fabric, descriptors to egress processors, and, in response to receiving PULL messages from the egress processors, transmit packets to the egress processors via the switch fabric.
US08897306B2
The path management controller 1 refers to resource information 131 including reservation statuses of working paths and advance reserved paths that are set in every link, so as to calculate a route for setting a new path and set this path in this calculated route. If the route for setting this new path cannot be obtained (1) because of a shortage of residual bandwidth of a link of interest, the path management controller 1 refers to the resource reservation information 131 of working paths and advance reserved paths and calculates an alternative route for another existing path used in the link of interest, and moves this path to the calculated alternative route. On the other hand, if the route for setting this new path cannot be obtained (2) because there is no continuous bandwidth sufficient for setting this new path in the link of interest, the path management controller 1 refers to the resource reservation information regarding working paths and advance reserved paths in the link of interest in the resource information 131, so as to execute the time slot rearrangement.
US08897297B2
A method of transmitting a data packet of a multimedia service is provided. The method includes generating a media characteristic corresponding to a single media content component or aggregated media characteristics corresponding to a plurality of multimedia content components, obtaining information used for generating the data packet from the generated media characteristics or aggregated media characteristics, and generating the data packet based on the obtained information used for generating the data packet and transmitting the generated data packet.
US08897293B1
In a media access control (MAC) processor, a programmable controller is configured to execute machine readable instructions for implementing MAC functions corresponding to data received by a communication device. A tightly coupled memory is associated with the programmable controller. A system memory is coupled to the programmable controller via a system bus, and a hardware processor is coupled to the system bus and the tightly coupled memory. The hardware processor is configured to implement MAC functions on data received in a communication frame, store, in the tightly coupled memory, processed data corresponding to data in the communication frame that indicates a structure of downlink data in the communication frame, and store, in the system memory, processed data corresponding to other data in the communication frame.
US08897286B2
A method can be used for facilitating uplink synchronization between a first transceiver and a second transceiver within a cell in a multi-user cellular communication system. The first transceiver receives a signal for the uplink synchronization from the second transceiver. The signal includes a first signature sequence generated, at least in part, from a sequence with a zero-correlation zone. The first transceiver then performs a correlation of the signal for detection of the first signature sequence.
US08897284B2
A radio base station (eNB) according to the present invention includes: an RI acquisition unit (11) configured to acquire, from a mobile station (UE), an “RI” indicating number of streams determined by the mobile station (UE); an adjustment unit (12) configured to adjust the “RI” acquired by the RI acquisition unit (11), by using an offset value “RI offset” unique to the mobile station (UE); and a stream-number determination unit (13) configured to determine the number of streams to be simultaneously transmitted to the mobile station (UE), based on the “RI” adjusted by the adjustment unit (12).
US08897283B2
A method and device for allocating resources in a multiple frequency band system are disclosed. In a method for detecting a resource indication value (RIV) indicating not only a start index (S) of consecutive virtual resource blocks (VRBs) allocated to a first UE capable of simultaneously receiving information from a plurality of frequency bands, but also a length (L) of the consecutive VRBs, in a wireless mobile communication system capable of using the plurality of frequency bands, the method includes receiving, by the first UE, the RIV, and detecting the RIV, wherein the detected is greater than a maximum value usable as an RIV allocated to a second UE capable of receiving information from only one frequency band.
US08897281B2
Provided is a radio base station apparatus capable of transmitting a control signal efficiently even in radio communications using a system band that includes a plurality of component carriers. In the radio base station apparatus, control signals of transport blocks corresponding to the plural component carriers are coded jointly and the coded control signal is assigned to one or plural component carriers to be transmitted. A mobile terminal apparatus receives data from the radio base station apparatus, separates the control signal from the received data and decodes the separated control signal thereby to obtain control information of the transport blocks of the corresponding component carriers.
US08897278B2
An OFDM receiver receives an OFDM signal. The OFDM signal is composed of a useful symbol period for transmitting a signal relating to data and a guard interval period for transmitting a signal that is the same as part of the signal transmitted in the useful symbol period. An interference wave cancel circuit cancels a narrow-band interference wave component relating to a narrow-band interference wave from the OFDM signal, and outputs the OFDM signal from which the narrow-band interference wave component has been canceled, as a cancel signal. The correlation detection circuit calculates a correlation between a cancel signal output from the interference wave cancel circuit and a cancel signal which has been delayed by the useful symbol period delay circuit by the useful symbol period.
US08897277B2
A detecting base station comprises a device beacon detector that is configured to apply wireless wide area network (WWAN) system timing to receive a device beacon transmitted by a wireless communication device in accordance with the WWAN system timing and outside of a WWAN uplink channel. The detecting base station may include a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface configured to receive the WWAN system timing from the WWAN.
US08897271B2
The present invention relates to assigning addresses to communication devices in a radio access network and notifying communication devices of scheduled uplink transmission time periods. Related methods, communication devices and control units are disclosed. A method of assigning an address to a communication device in a radio access network for use in notification of scheduled uplink transmission time periods for the communication device is provided. The method comprises assigning to the communication device an uplink state flag (USF) value. Furthermore, the method comprises assigning to the communication device an extended USF (eUSF) value. The address assigned to the communication device is a combination of the assigned USF value and the assigned eUSF value. By means of the eUSF value, the normal address range provided by the USF is extended, thereby facilitating use of more communication devices in the radio access network.
US08897251B2
A base station device is provided with features in which multicast data can be prevented from deterioration in the accuracy of channel estimation due to interference of a unicast data pilot signal when multicast data and unicast data are multiplexed for transmission. In this device, a unicast pilot signal generating unit (105-1) generates a unicast data pilot signal, a multicast pilot signal generating unit (105-2) generates a multicast data pilot signal, a disposing unit (106) disposes a unicast data symbol, a multicast data symbol, the unicast data pilot signal, and the multicast pilot signal at either position on a two-dimensional plane comprised of a frequency axis and a time axis to output them to an IFFT unit (107). In this case, the disposing unit (106) disposes the multicast data pilot signal at a position on the two-dimensional plane comprised of the frequency axis and the time axis where the unicast data pilot signal does not interfere with it.
US08897241B2
A method of and apparatus for allocating radio resources to a UE according to the capability of the UE, wherein the radio resources to be allocated include a set of radio resources which are incompatible with a first type of UE and are compatible with at least a second type of UE, the method comprising: receiving a random access preamble from a UE; transmitting a first random access response assigning a first set of radio resources compatible with the first type of UE, and a second random access response assigning a second set of radio resources incompatible with the first type of UE; wherein the first random access response is scheduled differently in time and/or frequency to the second access response; receiving a connection request message from the UE; wherein, if the connection request message is received on the first set of radio resources it is determined that the UE is a UE of the first type; and wherein if the connection request message is received on the second set of radio resources, it is determined that the UE is not of the first type.
US08897235B2
Certain aspects of the disclosure provide for the protection of broadcast signals in heterogeneous networks. As described herein, a first set of resources used for downlink transmission in a first cell may overlap with a second set of resources used for broadcast signals in a second cell. The broadcast signals may be protected by allocating a third set of resources for the downlink transmission in the first cell, wherein the third set of resources is based, at least in part, on the overlapping set of resources.
US08897232B2
A broadband wireless communication system is provided. A sending apparatus in the broadband wireless communication system includes a controller for distributing packets to a plurality of processors to transmit the packets in a multi-Frequency Allocation (FA) access mode; the plurality of the processors for processing the packet provided from the controller in a Media Access Control (MAC) layer; and a plurality of senders for encoding the packets provided from the corresponding processors in a physical layer and transmitting a signal generated through the physical layer encoding.
US08897228B2
Based on a sounding reference signal, a base station apparatus performs efficient scheduling. The base station apparatus includes information for requesting the transmission of the sounding reference signal in a first downlink control information format or a second downlink control information format, and transmits the information to the mobile station apparatus, the mobile station apparatus transmits, based on detection of the information, the sounding reference signal to the base station apparatus, and a first parameter used for the transmission of the sounding reference signal based on the detection of the information included in the first downlink control information format and a second parameter used for the transmission of the sounding reference signal based on the detection of the information included in the second downlink control information format are individually set by a signal of a higher layer transmitted from the base station apparatus.
US08897224B2
A method includes storing in a mobile communication terminal a definition of a set of frequency bands in which the terminal is capable of communicating, including at least first and second frequency bands. One or more combinations of at least portions of the frequency bands in the set, which cannot be allocated in proximity to one another due to interference, are determined in the terminal. A search is conducted in the terminal over the set of the frequency bands. Upon detecting a presence of a candidate wireless network in a first portion of the first frequency band, which cannot be allocated in proximity to at least a second portion of the second frequency band in accordance with the specification, at least the second portion is omitted from the search.
US08897222B2
The present invention relates to wireless communications. More especially it relates to wireless packet data communications. Particularly it relates to latency reduction by distinguishing connection initiation of circuit switched and packet switched connections, respectively.
US08897217B2
A system and method for providing wireless communications between a medical controller hub and an implant node are disclosed. The hub transmits signals to facilitate communication connections with the node. The signals include connection invitation polls with identification parameters. A node monitors the hub's transmissions for the connection invitation polls. When a poll is detected, the node compares the identification parameters to a list of preferred identification values. If the received identification parameter is on the preferred list, and the node and hub are not already connected, then the node responds to the connection invitation poll. If the received identification parameter is not on the preferred list, then the node continues to monitor hub transmissions for other connection invitation polls that include identification parameters that are on the preferred list.
US08897216B2
A method and apparatus for acknowledge mode data (AMD) re-segmentation are disclosed. An AMD protocol data unit (PDU) is generated from at least one RLC SDU. The AMD PDU size is within a flexible maximum AMD PDU size. The original AMD PDU is stored in a retransmission buffer, and transmitted. If transmission of the original AMD PDU fails and the original AMD PDU size is larger than an updated maximum AMD PDU size, the original AMD PDU is segmented to segmented AMD PDUs. If transmission of one of the segmented AMD PDUs fails, the original AMD PDU may be re-segmented to smaller size AMD PDUs.
US08897215B2
It is provided a method for transmitting a wireless signal on Ethernet wiring The wireless signal is received in a hub unit for delivery to a remote unit In the hub unit the wireless signal is down converted to a down-converted frequency band for propagation on the Ethernet wiring A reference signal associated with a local oscillator used for the down conversion is embedded on a synchronous Ethernet stream that may include Ethernet data received at hub unit The synchronous Ethernet stream and the down converted wireless signal are submitted through the Ethernet wiring to the remote unit. The synchronous Ethernet stream may include data for management of electronic circuits installed in the remote unit, as well as a synchronization signal used thereof A converted replica of the first signal may be included in digital form in frames of the synchronous Ethernet stream.
US08897214B2
An apparatus is capable of sharing information through a presence service in a communication network and capable of providing presence information of a Mobile Station (MS). The apparatus extracts at least one of application information and contents indication information from an application in execution. Presence information is generated that includes at least one of the application information and the contents indication information, and transmitting the presence information to a presence server.
US08897213B2
A system and method for communicating wirelessly from a mobile device to a remote receiver station is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to monitor a status of the mobile device and, upon an initiation event, initiate a data transfer process to wirelessly communicate data to the remote receiver station. The system also includes a voice-band modem that, upon initiation of the data transfer process. The voice-band modem is configured to receive data for transfer to the remote receiver station, encode the data using a fountain code encoding protocol to form a series encoded packets, and repeatedly transmit the encoded packets until receiving an indication that the series of packets has been received at the receiving station.
US08897209B2
A method for parallel communication with wireless local area network (WLAN) receivers is described. A parallel transmission is started. A first MAC protocol data unit (MPDU) is sent to a first WLAN receiver. An acknowledgment (ACK) request is sent to the first WLAN receiver. An ACK is received from the first WLAN receiver.
US08897206B2
Aspects of the invention provide a system and method to allow inroute frame timing synchronization without the aid of hub signal loopback or satellite ephemeris data. Furthermore, it allows tracking and compensating of the satellite motion to allow multiple remotes to use TDMA on the inroute frequencies, while minimizing the aperture. Two main techniques proposed are CLT and polling based approaches, which are used in combination for an optimum solution. In CLT based approach, hub transmits remote specific timing correction feedback messages on the outroute on as needed basis. In polling based approach, the remotes derive their timing based on a per-beam average delay estimate broadcast by the hub and a measured local delay specific to each outroute stream from a remote. An aspect of the invention uses triangulation method to determine satellite position. Furthermore, an aspect of the invention uses hub burst arrival method instead of polling approach.
US08897204B2
A method of communicating with a first network node by an user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system using three types of subframes is disclosed. The present invention comprises receiving information on the three types of subframes from the first network node; communicating with the first network node on a first type subframe, wherein a transmission of signals in a second network node is restricted; and communicating with the first network node on a second type subframe, wherein the transmission of signals in the second network node is not restricted, wherein no communication is performed with the first network node on a third type subframe.
US08897197B2
An Access Point (“AP”) apparatus comprising one or more processors containing program code. The program code may be configured to: (i) cause the AP to broadcast a beacon containing a single SSID identifying the AP; (ii) cause the AP to receive from the STA an query for network information for at least one network operator accessible through the AP; and (iii) cause the AP to send to the STA, for the at least one network operator, a network information description element, in response to the network information query. The AP providing the plural responses broadcasts only a single service set identification (“SSID”).
US08897184B2
A system and method of wirelessly communicating in a backplane mesh network is disclosed. A data message received from a first network device is handled at a first antenna system located in a first network device cabinet via a first network interface. The data message is wirelessly transmitted from a first millimeter wave antenna coupled to the first antenna system over a high speed backplane network to a second network device in a second device cabinet using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation. The data message is wirelessly received at a second millimeter wave antenna over the high speed backplane network using emitted millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation, wherein the received data message is handled by a second antenna system coupled to the second millimeter wave antenna. The received data message is sent, via a second network interface, from the second antenna system to the second network device.
US08897182B2
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting muting information in a wireless communication system, and to an apparatus and a method for acquiring channel state using same. In an exemplary embodiment, muting information includes: a first data field, having a serving cell for receiving from peripheral cells in a multi-cell environment, at least one of a CSI-RS pattern, the number of CSI-RS antenna ports, a CSI-RS duty cycle, and CSI-RS transmission subframe offset information, and using same for expressing the cycle and the offset of muting subframes, which pertain to information on a resource block that can generate interference between the peripheral cells and CSI-RS; and a second data field for expressing a specific muting pattern, which must be muted within the muting subframes, having either 12 bits or 28 bits that display muting application in a bitmap format.
US08897175B2
A system for delayed message delivery can include an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network that is in communication with at least one of a first user equipment and a second user equipment, and a message application server. The message application server can be configured to receive a message sent from the first user equipment, store the message temporarily in accordance with a time parameter, and send the message to a gateway when the time parameter is satisfied. The gateway can be configured to receive a message formatted in accordance with a first protocol used by the IMS network and convert the message into a format in accordance with a second protocol used by a message center. The message center can be configured to receive the message formatted in accordance with the second protocol and forward the message to the second user equipment. Other systems for delayed message delivery and corresponding methods are disclosed.
US08897168B2
Systems and methods for improved communications using tunneled direct link setup are described herein. The systems and methods relate to discovery, link setup, channel switching, multicasting, link selection, and quality of service implemented in conjunction with tunneled direct link setup.
US08897161B2
To reduce an uplink interference in a network with a first base station of a large output and a second base station of a small output. Detecting the interference, the second base station urges the first base station to hand over a terminal causing it to the second base station. Multiple base stations and one or more terminals exist in this system, each terminal connects with one base station, and a serving base station is changed according to a communication state of each terminal. If the different second base station other than the first base station to which the terminal connects detects a large interference, the second base station will multicast transmit information for urging handover to the base stations except itself. The base station having received the information specifies a terminal giving the interference to the second base station, and makes it to be handed over thereto.
US08897159B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for transmitting feedback information in a wireless communication system containing a relay station. A subband is divided by a plurality of partitions, and the relay station measures feedback information for each of the partitions, and transmits feedback information measured for each of the partitions cyclically at a predetermined interval. Each partition can be a physical resource unit (PRU), and one PRU contains 18 subcarriers. Feedback information for each partition can be cyclically transmitted in the order fixed in the subband.
US08897158B2
Methods and systems for on-demand adaptation of packet time-to-live in time-slotted barrage relay networks are disclosed. For example, one disclosed method includes: transmitting a first packet from a first node in a wireless ad hoc network to a second node in the wireless ad hoc network; determining a first path distance, in terms of number of hops, from the first node to the second node, based on the first packet transmission; transmitting a second packet from the second node to the first node, wherein the second packet includes content representing the first path distance; and determining a time-to-live value for subsequent transfers from the first node to the second node, by taking into account the first path distance, wherein the time-to-live value limits the number of hops each packet is allowed to take in subsequent transfers from the first node to the second node.
US08897156B2
The present invention discloses a method for uplink synchronization control, wherein network side and a user equipment (UE) maintain a timing alignment timer (TAT) for the UE, and maintain an uplink transmission timing adjustment amount for uplink component carriers, and the method includes following steps: the network side measuring uplink component carriers of the UE, and obtaining an uplink transmission TA amount of the uplink component carriers; and before the TAT expires, the network side transmitting to the UE an adjustment command comprising information of the uplink transmission TA amount for at least one of the uplink component carriers of the UE. Also disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention are a method for uplink synchronization control at the UE side, and a base station and a UE for implementing the above methods. The solution of the present invention enables accurate adjustment of the uplink synchronization for each component carrier in a carrier aggregation mechanism.
US08897154B2
Exemplary embodiments for processing, by a service gateway, data packets sent over a communication session between a host and a server are disclosed. The service gateway processes data packets using a hybrid-stateful or hybrid-stateless processing method, depending on whether a hybrid-stateless or hybrid-stateful condition is satisfied. When the condition is satisfied, the service gateway allows for the changing from a hybrid-stateful to a hybrid-stateless processing method, or vice versa, for a subsequently received data packet. Otherwise, the service gateway continues processing the subsequently received data packets using the current hybrid processing method.
US08897148B2
A method of operating a wireless device includes communicating in one of peer-to-peer data resources or non peer-to-peer resources. The peer-to-peer data resources include a first set of peer-to-peer resources with a first bandwidth and a second set of peer-to-peer resources with a second bandwidth greater than the first bandwidth. The first set of peer-to-peer resources is parallel in time with the non peer-to-peer resources. In addition, the method includes estimating a signal quality for a data transmission on the peer-to-peer data resources. Furthermore, the method includes determining whether to send the data transmission in one of the first set of peer-to-peer resources or the second set of peer-to-peer resources based on the estimated signal quality.
US08897145B2
Network service providers have largely addressed the growth in demand for communications networks in two ways: employing faster and more robust communications protocols through equipment upgrades and increasing use of Operations, Administrations, and Management (OAM) procedures for improved network performance. Typically, OAM operations procedures used by a network protocol are unique to that protocol and are not compatible with other network protocols. Service providers with networks that use multiple communications protocols, such as networks using legacy and newly installed equipment, can have difficulty ensuring optimal performance due to non-compatible OAM operations. A method, and corresponding apparatus, for supporting OAM interworking between first and second communications protocols used in an interworking circuit of a communications network is disclosed. The method, or corresponding apparatus, allows network service providers to ensure optimal network performance in a manner that does not affect customer traffic, is transparent to customers, and can be seamlessly integrated into existing interworking network nodes.
US08897142B2
A communication monitoring device 20 includes a first communication guidance unit 23 which guides a communication from a inspection target node 90 to the communication monitoring device 20, a second communication guidance unit 24 which guides, to the communication monitoring device 20, the communication to the inspection target node 90 from another information processing device, a transmitting/receiving unit 25 which receives the communication addressed to the communication monitoring device 20, a guidance success determining unit 26 which determines, when receiving the communication addressed to the communication monitoring device 20 from the inspection target node 90, that the first communication guidance unit 23 succeeds in the guidance, and a communication guidance canceling unit 28 which cancels, when determining that the first communication guidance unit 23 succeeds in the guidance, the communication guidance of the second communication guidance unit 24.
US08897141B2
The routing method includes: receiving identification information of nodes to construct a network topology diagram and receiving support rates of connection ports through a controller; monitoring data rates of the connection ports through the controller; receiving a route planning request through the controller; separately calculating costs of links according to the data rates of the connection ports and the support rates of the connection ports after receiving the route planning request through the controller; searching a plurality of candidate paths between a source-destination pair according to the route planning request and the network topology diagram through the controller; summing the costs of links passed by each candidate path to acquire a sum of link-cost of each candidate path through the controller; and, selecting one of the candidate paths with the smallest sum of link-cost as a packet transmitting path between the source-destination pair through the controller.
US08897134B2
A method performed by a network element, for notifying a controller of a change to a packet forwarding configuration of the network element. The network element is separated from the controller by a communication channel. The method includes determining the change to the packet forwarding configuration of the network element. The packet forwarding configuration specifies how packets are to be forwarded by the network element. The method also includes actively notifying the controller of the change to the packet forwarding configuration by sending a message to the controller over the communication channel. The message, in addition to indicating the change, also indicates at least one detail about the packet forwarding configuration after the change.
US08897130B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a switch fabric. The switch fabric may be configured to assign packets to either a first flow set or a second flow set based on fields included in the packets. The switch fabric may also be configured to send a first packet from the first flow set to a first flow set destination via a first path. The switch fabric may also be configured to determine, based at least in part on delays of the first path and a second path, whether sending a second packet from the first flow set to the first flow set destination via a second path will result in the second packet reaching the first flow set destination after the first packet reaches the first flow set destination, the second packet having been received by the router after the first packet. The switch fabric may also be configured to send the second packet to the first flow set destination via the second path based at least in part on the determining that sending the second packet from the first flow set to the first flow set destination via a second path will result in the second packet reaching the first flow set destination after the first packet reaches the first flow set destination.
US08897129B1
Various embodiments provide a way to adjust transmission rates of a medium access controller (MAC) to a physical layer (PHY) to accommodate for packet expansions due to encryption that takes place in the PHY. In at least some embodiments, a communication interface between different MACs in a system is re-purposed to allow the PHY to communicate to a system MAC to notify the system MAC to pause and then resume, at an appropriate time, its packet transmissions.
US08897124B2
A wireless terminal adapted to function in a code division multiple access (CDMA) communications system is provided. The terminal includes a receiver adapted to receive frames having a slot structure in which there is a user identification channel and a shared channel, the shared channel having been transmitted using a plurality of Walsh codes, and containing content for either a plurality of voice users, a plurality of voice users and one high-rate data user, or only one high-rate data user. A slot of the shared channel contains content for a plurality of users which was transmitted in parallel using different Walsh code spaces for different users. The wireless terminal is adapted to decode the user identification channel to determine when a slot of the shared channel contains voice and/or high-rate data content for the wireless terminal.
US08897121B2
A method is disclosed for frequency offset compensation and equalization in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system. The method comprises: acquiring a channel estimation value h and a frequency offset value f at a reference symbol; acquiring a Toeplitz matrix M(f) based on the frequency offset value f; performing phase compensation on the channel estimation value h to obtain a channel estimation value h′ at a data symbol; and acquiring an estimation value of a transmitted symbol x based on M(f) and h′. A device is also disclosed for frequency offset compensation and equalization in the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system. The device comprises a channel estimation unit, a frequency offset acquisition unit, a channel compensation unit and an equalization estimation unit.
US08897116B1
The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with data storage using atomic films, such as graphene, boron nitride, or silicene. A platter assembly may include at least one platter that has one or more substantially planar surfaces. One or more layers of a monolayer atomic film, such as graphene, may be positioned on a planar surface. Data may be stored on the atomic film using one or more vacancies, dopants, defects, and/or functionalized groups (presence or lack thereof) to represent one of a plurality of states in a multi-state data representation model, such as a binary, a ternary, or another base N data storage model. A read module may detect the vacancies, dopants, and/or functionalized groups (or a topographical feature resulting therefrom) to read the data stored on the atomic film.
US08897108B1
An apparatus and a method for reducing an offset error in a position of an objective lens of an optical disk reader by using a single beam push-pull signal. The apparatus includes a radial actuator that is configured to control the position of the objective lens. A controller that receives a push-pull signal that corresponds to the offset error of the objective lens and estimates the offset based on the push-pull signal. A sine generator generates a sine wave based on the estimated offset and further generates a feedback signal based on the sine wave to drive the radial actuator to reduce the offset error in the position of the objective lens. The apparatus also includes a data detector that is utilized to change the tracking method of the optical disk reader to a differential phase detection method upon detecting data in a data spire of the optical disk.
US08897099B2
A small electronic timepiece with an internal antenna can maintain high GPS reception performance and affords greater freedom developing different models. The timepiece has an outside case; a time display unit that displays time and that is disposed inside the outside case; a drive unit that drives the time display unit and that is disposed inside the outside case; and an antenna that is disposed around the drive unit inside the outside case, and includes an C-shaped or annular antenna element in contact with the dielectric base. The timepiece may include power supply nodes from which power is supplied to the antenna, one such node being disposed at one end of the C-shaped antenna element and the other being disposed at the other end of the C-shaped antenna element. The annular antenna element may be embedded in the dielectric base.
US08897095B2
An object probing device includes: a sound source which projects a sound pulse within a propagation environment; a transducer array disposed in a region for receiving the forward scattered wave scattered forward from the object existing in the propagation environment; an addition processing unit which extracts only a signal of the forward scattered wave by applying vector addition processing on a reference signal in a reference sound field received by the transducer array when the object does not exist in the propagation environment and a mixed signal in a probe sound field received when the object exists; a time reversal processing unit which generates a time-reversed sound pulse by applying time reversal processing on the extracted forward scattered wave; and a phase conjugation determination unit which checks whether or not a phase conjugacy is established in the propagation environment by employing a passive phase conjugation to the time-reversed sound pulse.
US08897093B2
A controlling method of a connector, the connector, and a memory storage device are provided. The controlling method includes following steps. A first clock signal generated by a first oscillator in the connector is obtained. A second clock signal generated by a second oscillator in the connector is obtained. A frequency shift of the first oscillator is smaller than a frequency shift of the second oscillator. A detection window information corresponding to the second clock signal is corrected according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal. The first oscillator is turned off. A signal stream including a first signal is received. A detection window is generated according to the corrected detection window information and the second clock signal, and whether the first signal is a burst signal is determined according to the detection window. Thereby, the power consumption of the connector is reduced.
US08897081B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a pad configured to receive a first write data from outside of the semiconductor memory device, and a write circuit configured to generate a plurality of second write data which are to be written in memory cells of all banks to be tested in response to a test mode signal, data strobe signals, a write enable signal, and the first write data transferred through the pad.
US08897072B2
The present disclosure includes apparatuses and methods for sensing data stored in memory. A number of embodiments include an array of memory cells, and a controller coupled to the array and configured to sense a page of memory cells coupled to an activated access line by pre-charging only a single subset of a number of data lines coupled to the page, wherein more than two subsets of data lines are coupled to the page and the single subset is coupled to those memory cells storing at least a portion of a single sector of data of the page, and sensing the single subset of the number of data lines to determine the at least a portion of the single sector of data.
US08897066B2
A method of programming a nonvolatile memory device includes sequentially programming first to (n−1)th logical pages of all the physical pages of a first memory block of the memory blocks in response to a first program command, a step of loading data of the first to (n−1)th logical pages stored in a first physical page of the first memory block and latching the loaded data in first to (n−1)th latches of each of the page buffers, respectively, when receiving a second program command after programming all the first to (n−1)th logical pages, and latching new program data, received along with the second program command, in an nth latch of the corresponding page buffer and programming the data, stored in the first to nth latches of the page buffer, into a first physical page of a second memory block of the memory blocks.
US08897065B2
A method for data storage includes initially storing a sequence of data pages in a memory that includes multiple memory arrays, such that successive data pages in the sequence are stored in alternation in a first number of the memory arrays. The initially-stored data pages are rearranged in the memory so as to store the successive data pages in the sequence in a second number of the memory arrays, which is less than the first number. The rearranged data pages are read from the second number of the memory arrays.
US08897062B2
Systems, methods, and devices for iteratively writing contents to memory locations are provided. A statistical model is used to determine a sequence of pulses to write desired contents to a memory location. The contents can be expressed as a resistance value in a range to store one or more bits in a memory cell. For phase change memory, an adaptive reset pulse and one or more annealing pulses are selected based on a desired resistance range. Reading the resistance value of the memory cell can provide feedback to determine adjustments in an overall pulse application strategy. The statistical model and a look up table can be used to select and modify pulses. Adaptively updating the statistical model and look up table may reduce the number of looping iterations to shift the resistance value of the memory cell into the desired resistance range.
US08897056B2
A pillar-shaped memory cell is provided that includes a steering element, and a non-volatile state change element coupled in series with the steering element. Other aspects are also provided.
US08897049B2
To provide a semiconductor device whose power can be turned off without the need for a peripheral circuit for data to escape temporarily and in which stored data is not lost even in an off state of the power of the device, and a memory device including the semiconductor device. In a holding circuit of the semiconductor device, a transistor that includes a semiconductor layer (at least a channel formation region) including an oxide semiconductor material with which small off-state current can be achieved is used. Further, the semiconductor device includes a switching element which enables a comparison circuit in which comparison between data stored in the holding circuit and reference data input from the outside does not need to be performed to become forcibly inactive.
US08897046B2
A DC voltage conversion module includes a substrate, an input terminal, an output terminal, a ground terminal, a DC voltage conversion control element mounted on the substrate, a coil mounted on the substrate and connected to the DC voltage conversion control element and the output terminal, an input-side capacitor mounted on the substrate and connected to the input terminal and the ground terminal, and an output-side capacitor mounted on the substrate and connected to the output terminal and the ground terminal. The input terminal, the output terminal and the ground terminal project in a predetermined projecting direction parallel to each other. The ground terminal is arranged between the input terminal and the output terminal in a direction perpendicular to the projecting direction.
US08897039B2
A pulse frequency modulation (PFM) controller for controlling a switching mode power supply. The controller includes an output terminal for providing a control signal to turn on and off a current in the power supply to regulate an output of the power supply. A first input terminal receives a feedback signal related to the output of the power supply, the feedback signal exhibiting a ringing waveform when the current in the power supply is turned off. The controller also includes a control circuit configured to provide the control signal in response to the feedback signal. The control signal is adapted to turn on the current in the power supply when the feedback signal is substantially at a valley of the ringing waveform of the feedback signal. In an embodiment, such a PFM controller can reduce turn-on transition loss in a power supply and provides frequency dithering to reduce electromagnetic interference.
US08897036B2
A switching regulator related to aspects of the invention can include an auxiliary winding for monitoring the voltage across the primary winding of a transformer, a differentiation detecting circuit that detects the timing of reversal start or reversal end of the signal detected by the auxiliary winding and a dead time adjusting circuit that receives a signal to trigger turn OFF of a first switch or a second switch and, after passing a predetermined delay time from the detection of the signal, generates a signal to trigger turn ON of the first switch or the second switch. The differentiation detecting circuit can confirm current transfer between body diodes. The dead time adjusting circuit can adjust a dead time to deliver the signal after a predetermined time from the confirmation of the current transfer. In some aspects of the invention, occurrence of hard switching and short-circuit current can be suppressed.
US08897030B2
An expansion apparatus includes a first connector having first power pins and first signal pins, and a second connector having second power pins and second signal pins. A power circuit is connected to the first and second power pins. A serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) expansion controller is connected to the first and second signal pins. First control chips are connected to the SATA expansion controller and the power circuit. First storage chips are connected to the first control chips and the power circuit. A third connector has third power pins corresponding to second power pins, and third signal pins corresponding to second signal pins. Second control chips are connected to the third power pins and the third signal pins. Second storage chips are connected to the second control chips and the third power pins.
US08897012B2
The disclosure provides an electronic device and a heat dissipation module having an imaginary structural plane. The heat dissipation module includes a fin assembly, a connecting part and a heat pipe. The fin assembly is disposed on the structural plane and includes a plurality of fin elements extending along a first direction. The connecting part is connected to the fin elements. The fin elements are connected to each other via the connecting part. At least one portion of the connecting part is connected to at least one portion of the heat pipe, and the connecting part and the heat pipe both extend along a second direction. The fin assembly and the connecting part are integrated and formed into one piece by die casting. The first direction and the second direction form a first included angle greater than 0 degree.
US08897011B2
Disclosed herein is a heat dissipation system for a power module, the heat dissipation system including: first and second heat dissipation plates spaced apart from each other while facing each other, to form a cooling medium flow passage; first and second inflow lines extended to the cooling medium flow passage of the first and second heat dissipation plates, to transfer cooling media flowing therein at different flow rates or different fluxes to the cooling medium flow passage; and first and second inlets respectively connected with the first and second inflow lines to allow the cooling media to flow therein.
US08897009B2
A parallel redundant fan system includes at least first and second fans located adjacent each other. Each fan includes: (i) a fan housing defining a fan chamber in which an impeller is supported for rotation about an axis of rotation; (ii) a first chamber outlet in communication with the fan chamber and defined by an opening in a first wall of the fan housing; (iii) a second chamber outlet in communication with the fan chamber and defined by an opening in a second wall of the fan housing; and, (iii) first and second backflow prevention dampers respectively associated with the first and second chamber outlets. The first and second dampers respectively include first and second damper plates that selectively pivot from their closed positions toward their opened positions against the closing force of respective first and second counterweights in response to exhaust air flow pressure exerted thereon.
US08897007B2
A portable computing device can include one or more clutch assemblies that can include a conductive elastomer configured to contact at least a portion of the clutch assembly of the portable computing device. The conductive elastomer can be configured to also contact at least one region of the base portion of the portable computing device and can include highly conductive regions. A USB grounding plate can be attached to a portion of a case for the portable computing device and can be configured to provide a ground pathway between the case and a ground sheath of a USB connector inserted into an opening in a side wall of the case.
US08897001B2
An aesthetically pleasing small form factor desktop computer is described. The small form factor desktop computer can be formed of a single piece seamless housing that in the described embodiment is machined from a single billet of aluminum. In some embodiments, the housing includes a fastening system for securing and electrically grounding internal components to the housing. Fewer components and less time and effort can be required for assembly of the small form factor desktop computer and the absence of seams in the single piece housing can provide good protection against environmental contamination of internal components as well as EM shielding.
US08896996B2
A display device includes: a display panel; a rear housing covering a back face of the display panel, and including a plurality of first screw holes at a peripheral portion thereof; a frame including a front portion, a side portion, a rear portion, and a plurality of second screw holes provided in the rear portion, the front portion covering a peripheral portion of a front face of the display panel, the side portion covering a side face of the display panel, the rear portion covering the peripheral portion of the rear housing, and the second screw holes being arranged alternately with the first screw holes; and a back face plate covering the rear portion of the frame and the rear housing, and including third screw holes corresponding to the first screw holes and the second screw holes.
US08896992B2
A wearable computer system that provides for convenient and efficient use of all fingers while the user is standing, reclining or using hands intermittently for other tasks. The central unit hangs from a neck strap and communicates with a head mounted display. The central unit's front surface has keys, accessible from opposite edges by each hand. Typing is similar to the traditional, but rotated 90 degrees on each side. Keys are individually assignable to any letter, symbol, musical note, color, action, or macro. Back panels have thumb keys and controls, and can be modified to accept alternate thumb controls and additional hardware, such as sensors, circuits, cameras, and auxiliary connectors for specific tasks such as musical instrument performance or augmented reality game play. Smartphones, can be incorporated within or connected to the central unit. Desktop use can be accomplished by unfolding the panels of one embodiment.
US08896982B2
A deployment unit for an electronic control device (ECD) used as a weapon provides a current from a signal generator of the ECD through tissue of a human or animal target. The deployment unit includes a housing, an interface, a filament, and an electrode. The interface couples the housing to the signal generator. The filament includes a first end coupled to the interface for receiving the current and comprises a second end. The filament conducts the current for inhibiting voluntary movement by the target. The electrode, stored in the housing prior to deployment, mechanically couples the filament to the target when deployed. The electrode includes an assembly of a first part and a second part that after assembly cooperate to bind the second end of the filament to the electrode.
US08896979B2
An arrester includes a stacked internal element, a pair of electrodes respectively arranged on both sides of the internal element in a stacking direction, a plurality of FRP rods arranged so as to surround the internal element each having a flat plate shape extending in the stacking direction and including protruding portions in a dumbbell shape with a width increasing from a center side to an end side in an axial direction at a constant inclination angle and then becoming a constant width thereafter, the FRP rods being fixed by the protruding portions respectively being fitted into electrode grooves respectively provided on the electrodes, and an outer cover formed of polymer material and integrally covering at least the internal element, the electrodes, and the FRP rods.
US08896978B2
Integrated circuits as well as fabrication and operating methods are presented in which user circuitry of the IC is selectively disabled in response to detection of a single event latchup condition in a sensing circuit that is prone to latchup in response to ionic radiation at a specific linear energy transfer level.
US08896971B2
Various apparatus and associated method embodiments are generally directed to a magnetic stack positioned on an air bearing surface (ABS) and biased to a predetermined magnetization by a bias magnet. The bias magnet can be separated from the magnetic stack and at least one magnetic shield by a self-aligned magnetic insulating feature that is comprised of first and second insulating layers.
US08896970B1
Various embodiments concern a suspension having a DSA structure on a gimbaled flexure comprising a loadbeam having a load point dimple and a flexure attached to the loadbeam. The flexure comprising a metal layer having a pair of spring arms, a tongue located between the spring arms, and a pair of struts. The struts connect the pair of spring arms to the tongue. One of the struts is located distal of the other strut. The pair of struts has a midline centered between the pair of struts. The suspension further comprises a motor mounted on the flexure. Electrical activation of the motor bends the pair of struts to rotate the tongue about an axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is aligned with the dimple. The midline is offset distally or proximally with respect to the axis of rotation. The offset counters a mass in imbalance of the tongue.
US08896962B2
There are provided a spindle motor and a hard disk drive including the same. The spindle motor includes: a sleeve installed on a base member and having a circulation hole; a shaft inserted into the sleeve; a rotor hub installed on an upper end portion of the shaft; and a thrust member installed in an installation groove formed in an upper portion of the sleeve and forming a connection part, the connection part allowing the circulation hole to be in communication with a sealing part formed by the sleeve and the rotor hub and having a liquid-vapor interface disposed therein, wherein the connection part is formed between the sleeve and the thrust member in a circumferential direction, and at least any one part of the connection part has a radial gap wider than that of another part thereof in the circumferential direction.
US08896961B1
Systems and methods are disclosed for positioning of a reader element in a data storage device employing shingled recording. In an embodiment, a system may comprise a data storage medium configured to store data in a shingled manner where at least one track is partially overlapped by an adjacent track, a read element to read data from the data storage medium, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive a read command to retrieve data from the data storage medium, and when the data is stored to a shingled portion of the data storage medium, adjust a position of the read element according to a squeeze offset value based on an amount of overwrite of a shingled data track by an adjacent data track.
US08896958B2
A tape drive is disclosed. The tape drive determines a current tape width and writes data to the tape as well as the current tape width. The tape width written to the tape is associated with the data. When reading data from a tape the tape drive reads the stored tape width and adjusts the current tape width to match the stored tape width before reading the data associated with the stored tape width.
US08896953B2
According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes a storage device, a writing controller, and a controller. The storage device includes a nonvolatile cache area in which a part of consecutive data is temporarily stored. The writing controller is configured to write the consecutive data in a recording area on a disk by an SMR method, the recording area being different from the cache area. The controller is configured to write the part of the data to the cache area, to invalidate data corresponding to logical addresses of the part of the data and recorded in the recording area on the disk, and to set a recording area with the invalidated data recorded therein to be an update recording area in which new data is recordable.
US08896952B2
According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes an interrupt controller and a servo controller. The interrupt controller determines whether or not to carry out servo interrupt processing and holds a number of negative results of the determination. The servo controller includes an internal model configured to calculate an estimated current position of the head. The servo controller corrects a state of the internal model based on the number of negative results of the determination and performs head positioning control based on a result of a calculation of the internal model, if the result of the determination by the interrupt controller is affirmative.
US08896945B2
A barrel driving mechanism and an image pickup device thereof. The barrel driving mechanism comprises a fixing-barrel, a driving-barrel and a moving-barrel. The fixing-barrel has a first groove with a first stop-position and a first position. The driving-barrel disposed in the fixing-barrel has a second groove with a second stop-position and a second position. The driving-barrel has a first guiding protrusion inserted into the first groove. The moving-barrel disposed in the driving-barrel having a second guiding protrusion is inserted into the second groove. Wherein, the first stop-position to the first position and the second stop-position to the second position are slanted grooves. When the driving-barrel is rotated, the driving-barrel shifts a first axial distance and the moving-barrel shifts a second axial distance. The sum of the first axial distance and the second axial distance equals the total displacement of the moving barrel.
US08896944B2
A lens barrel includes: a lens frame including at least one lens; a lens adjusting frame to which the lens frame is attached; and a fixed frame to which the lens adjusting frame is attached. The lens adjusting frame is attached to the fixed frame such that a position or a tilt angle of the lens adjusting frame is adjustable. The lens frame is attached to the lens adjusting frame such that the lens frame is detachable from the lens adjusting frame.
US08896943B2
A lens assembly is disclosed, which includes a base and a lens barrel. The base has a front edge, a back edge opposite to the front edge and a passage penetrating the front edge and the back edge. The lens barrel is disposed in the passage and includes a lens and a lens holding member holding the lens, wherein an outer surface of the lens holding member is in contact with an inner wall of the passage, and at least one of the inner wall of the passage and the outer surface of the lens holding member includes a smooth surface, arranged such that a thrust force applied on the lens barrel while assembling the lens assembly causes a sliding movement between the base and the lens barrel on the smooth surface.
US08896938B2
A catadioptric lens system includes, in order of light travel: a first lens group that includes a concave mirror and a convex mirror and has a positive refractive power; a second lens group that is positioned on the image side of the concave mirror and has a negative refractive power; and a third lens group that has a positive refractive power, wherein the first lens group has a plurality of lenses on the image side of the concave mirror, and some lenses of the plurality of lenses are formed as a vibration-proof group so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis.
US08896936B2
An image capturing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element has refractive power, wherein both of an object-side surface and an image-side surface thereof are aspheric. The fifth lens element with positive refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, wherein both of the object-side surface and the image-side surface thereof are aspheric. Each of the first through fifth lens elements with refractive power is single and non-cemented. The image capturing lens assembly has a total of five lens elements with refractive power.
US08896927B2
A real-image variable-magnification viewfinder substantially consists of, in order from the object side: an objective lens system substantially consisting of a positive first lens, a negative second lens, a positive third lens, and a positive fourth lens; an erect optical system formed by a plurality of optical members; and a positive eyepiece lens system. The first lens and the third lens are fixed relative to the optical axis direction during magnification change, and the second lens and the fourth lens are moved in the optical axis direction during magnification change. All optical surfaces of all the optical members forming the erect optical system are planar surfaces. At least one of the optical members forming the erect optical system is made of a glass material. A predetermined conditional expression is satisfied.
US08896926B1
An optical system for a head-mounted display in which image rays provided from a display device are divergent to form and provide an enlarged image is configured so that first and second lenses are sequentially disposed from an object along an optical axis and provide the enlarged image on an image plane, and angles of principal rays are gradually increased from the optical axis toward the edge of the image plane. Thus, as the angles of principal rays are increased, an angle of view is improved to provide a large screen so that it is possible to appreciate a vivid image due to an increase in the sense of presence and the degree of involvement. The entire size of the optical system can be reduced. The head-mounted display can be made compact and lightweight.
US08896915B2
The various laser architectures described herein provide increased gain of optical energy as well as compensation of optical phase distortions in a thin disk gain medium. An optical amplifier presented herein provides for scalable high energy extraction and gains based on a number of passes of the signal beam through a gain medium. Multiple, spatially separate, optical paths may also be passed through the same gain region to provide gain clearing by splitting off a small percentage of an output pulse and sending it back through the amplifier along a slightly different path. By clearing out the residual gain, uniform signal amplitudes can be obtained.
US08896914B2
An optical amplifying device includes an optical system including a first end and a second end, the optical system configured to receive signal light through the first end, to lead the received signal light to an optical amplifying medium, and to output the signal light amplified by the optical amplifying medium through the second end, the optical system including a first optical isolator and a second optical isolator which are arranged on respective sides of the optical amplifying medium, wherein with respect to a direction in which the signal light propagates, each of the first optical isolator and the second optical isolator is capable of allowing light propagating in the same direction to pass therethrough and blocking light propagating in the opposite direction, and the first optical isolator and the second optical isolator have different center isolation wavelengths for the light propagating in the opposite direction.
US08896903B2
The present invention relates to a method of making an electrowetting display device having a plurality of picture elements, each picture element being defined by walls surrounding a display region, the plurality of picture elements covering a first area of a support plate. The method comprises the steps of: applying a hydrophobic layer covering at least the first area; lowering the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic layer over a second area substantially outside the display regions; forming the walls on the hydrophobic layer over the first area. The present invention further relates to an electrowetting display device.
US08896902B2
A microelectromechanical system substrate includes a first substrate and an optical gate that is disposed on the first substrate and configured to move to at least two different positions. The optical gate comprises a color filter and a light absorbing section. A display apparatus includes a first substrate; a second substrate that faces the first substrate; an optical gate disposed on the first substrate, configured to move to at least two different positions, and comprising a color filter and a light absorbing section; and a light shielding layer that contacts the second substrate.
US08896889B2
A document scanning apparatus for scanning a document is provided. The document scanning apparatus includes an image sensor unit which irradiates an incident light towards the document and generates image data by sensing a reflected light reflected from the document, a supporting unit which supports the image sensor unit, a movement unit which moves the image sensor unit between a scanning position and a calibration position, a housing which houses the image sensor unit, the supporting unit, and the movement unit, a transparent plate which transmits the incident light and the reflected light, a calibration sheet which is attached to a surface of the transparent plate, which is exposed to outside and is positioned in an area including the calibration position, and a housing cover which is coupled to the housing and seals inside of the housing.
US08896878B2
Disclose is an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to easily change the display magnification factor of the print preview image, by conducting intuitive operations. A print function setting section of the apparatus includes: a first designating section to accept a designation of a display magnification factor to be employed for displaying the print preview; a second designating section to accept a designation of a display mode; a magnification factor determining section to calculate display magnification factors; an image creating section to create the print preview, based on the display magnification factor designated by the first designating section, or another display magnification factor calculated by the magnification factor determining section; and a display controlling section to implement controlling operations for displaying the print preview, the slider and the buttons onto the display screen, indicating the current magnification factor and displaying a button corresponding to the fit page display mode.
US08896876B2
In the case of disposing regions of various sizes within a page, many blank areas appear and a layout result that is visually attractive could not be obtained. Therefore the present invention determines the starting position of a new row or column, using the difference in sizes of the multiple regions disposed in each row or column.
US08896874B2
A communication apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention determines, in a case where a communication request for communicating with an external apparatus has occurred, whether direct wireless communication between a communication terminal and the communication apparatus with one of the communication terminal and the communication apparatus functioning as an access point is being executed or not. In a case where it is determined that the direct wireless communication is being executed, controls the communication apparatus to not communicate with the external apparatus based on the communication request until a communication method switches from the direct wireless communication to a different communication method, and causes communication with the external apparatus based on the communication request to be executed using the different communication method in response to switching of the communication method.
US08896871B2
Methods and systems execute a first scan job using a scanner device to produce a first electronic scan item, and automatically transmit the first electronic scan item from the scanner device to a computerized device over a network. Exemplary methods herein start execution of a second scan job immediately after executing the first scan job (without waiting for confirmation that the computerized device received the first scan job) using the scanner device to produce a second electronic scan item. Further, such methods automatically generate a first scan receipt confirmation using the computerized device and automatically transmit the first scan receipt confirmation from the computerized device to at least one receiving device (e.g., the scanner device) over the network. Such exemplary methods can therefore automatically display the first scan receipt confirmation (on a graphic user interface of the at least one receiving device) after starting execution of the second scan job.
US08896870B2
An image forming system comprises an image forming apparatus and an external terminal. The image forming apparatus has a receiving part for receiving operation input information on an operation input into an operation screen from the external terminal, a specifying part for specifying a first program to which an execution instruction is given through the operation screen on the basis of the operation input information, a determination part for determining a second program having the same function as that of the first program as an execution object program on the condition that the second program is installed in the external terminal, and a notification part for notifying the external terminal that the second program is determined as the execution object program. The external terminal executes a processing in accordance with the second program and displays a result of the processing executed in accordance with the second program.
US08896869B2
A system includes telephone and packet-switched network interfaces and a translator. The translator receives messages. Outgoing messages originate from a multiple-function peripheral (MFP) and are received via a transfer agent (TA). Outgoing e-mail messages include an attached file in an image file format. The translator removes and delivers the attachment in facsimile format. Incoming fax messages are attached to an e-mail message. The TA receives and relays the e-mail message to an identified MFP, which discards the e-mail message and prints the attachment. A method for processing fax messages includes associating an identifier with a MFP, receiving a fax intended for the MFP, generating an e-mail message with an attachment representing the fax and communicating the e-mail message to a transfer agent that relays the e-mail to the MFP, which discards the e-mail body and prints the attachment.
US08896867B2
A method of assigning a job to a production device may include identifying a queue comprising a plurality of print jobs, identifying a plurality of print production devices capable of processing the plurality of print jobs, determining that one of the identified print production devices is an idle print production device, identifying a top priority print job from the queue, determining a completion time associated with processing the top priority print job by each of the identified print production devices, identifying a fastest print production device, assigning the top priority print job to the fastest print production device, determining whether the fastest print production device is the idle print production device, and in response to determining that the fastest print production device is the idle print production device, sending the top priority print job to the fastest print production device and removing the top priority print job from the queue.
US08896866B2
An information processing apparatus according to this invention, when accepting an instruction to execute a job based on a history of a previously executed job, identifies settings allowed to be reflected to the job to be executed based on the instruction from among settings of the previously executed job. The information processing apparatus executes the job based on the instruction according to the settings obtained by reflecting the identified settings to default settings of the job to be executed.
US08896865B2
A printing system includes a post-processing apparatus and an information processing apparatus. The post-processing apparatus applies post processing to a sheet material output from a printing apparatus related to execution of a print job. The information processing apparatus manages a print workflow that associates an operation executed by the post-processing apparatus with a first operation performed by a worker managing the first operation or a serviceman maintaining the printing apparatus. The apparatus generates a print workflow, acquires operation information related to a component to be replaced in the print job, and determines whether the component needs to be replaced during the execution of the print job. In response to determining that the component needs to be replaced, the apparatus distinguishes whether the component characteristic affects image quality or bookkeeping quality, decides an operation position, and updates the print workflow by incorporating the component replacement operation into the operation position.
US08896862B2
An information processing apparatus includes a specification unit configured to specify a layer of a record level from print data of a hierarchical structure having metadata, a display control unit configured to display the metadata contained in the layer specified by the specification unit, a receiving unit configured to receive selection of specific metadata for filter printing from the metadata displayed by the display control unit, and a determination unit configured to determine a record in which the specific metadata received by the receiving unit is set to be a print target.
US08896861B2
An image reading apparatus includes: a document reading unit; a storage storing a user ID and viewing limiting information indicating whether or not viewing of image data is permitted or not, in association with each other for each user; a control unit activating the document reading unit when authentication based on the user ID is successful; and a limiting information adding unit for adding, to the image data, authentication requesting data indicating that authentication is necessary for viewing the image data, in accordance with the viewing limiting information associated with the authenticated user ID.
US08896857B2
In one embodiment, first content is received, via an email address from which printable content is received from a plurality of computing devices, from a network-connected computing device. The first content is stored. An access code is sent to the publisher device. The code is received from a network-connected printer. The code is compared to a database or registry that associates the access code with the first content. The first content is caused to be rendered. The rendered first content is sent to the printer for printing.
US08896840B2
An interferometric method for detecting information about a sample includes emitting a laser beam; splitting the laser beam into a reference beam and an object beam; transmitting the object beam through the sample in an incident angle; combining the reference beam with the object beam passed through the sample to form an interference pattern; detecting the interference pattern, and non-linearly scanning the object beam in order to detect a plurality of interference patterns.
US08896836B1
Fluid properties measurements using wavelength modulation spectroscopy with first harmonic detection
An apparatus and method for monitoring gas velocity, temperature, and pressure in combustion systems and flow devices, in particular at inlets and isolators of scramjet engines. The invention employs wavelength modulation spectroscopy with first harmonic detection and without the need to scan the full absorption spectra.
US08896814B2
A catadioptric projection objective has a multiplicity of lenses and at least one concave mirror, and also two deflection mirrors in order to separate a partial beam path running from the object field to the concave mirror from the partial beam path running from the concave mirror to the image field. The deflection mirrors are tilted relative to the optical axis of the projection objective about tilting axes running parallel to a first direction (x-direction). The first deflection mirror is arranged in optical proximity to a first field plane and the second deflection mirror is arranged in optical proximity to a second field plane, which is optically conjugate with respect to the first field plane. A displacement device for the synchronous displacement of the deflection mirrors is provided. The deflection mirrors have different local distributions of their reflection properties in first and second reflection regions, respectively.
US08896810B2
A liquid immersion scanning exposure system utilizes an immersion liquid confined within a watertight lens hood having a base portion formed from a solid optical element. During operation, a bottom portion of a lens assembly is disposed within the immersion liquid and the solid optical element is placed upon a photoresist material or layer (to be patterned). The lens assembly moves laterally through the immersion liquid parallel to the photoresist material. Because the solid optical element separates the immersion liquid from the photoresist material and does not move relative to the photoresist material, the photoresist material does not contact with the immersion liquid and the solid optical element and is not susceptible to damage or scratching by the solid optical element.
US08896792B2
A display device that prevents occurrence of a phenomenon where a boundary portion of a pixel region becomes dark, and a method of manufacturing the same. The display device includes a first substrate arrangement including a domain forming layer having a depression pattern for forming a liquid crystal domain in a pixel region, and a pixel electrode arranged on the domain forming layer, a second substrate arrangement including a common electrode arranged on an entire surface facing the first substrate arrangement, a liquid crystal layer arranged between the first and second substrate arrangements and including a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and a reactive mesogen (RM) to fix the liquid crystal molecules to form the liquid crystal domain, a sealant arranged between the first and second substrate arrangements to adhere the first and second substrate arrangement together and a light blocker arranged between the sealant and the liquid crystal layer to block light incident from an external side of the sealant.
US08896783B2
The present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which includes a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and fixedly coupled to the rear enclosure, a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame, and a surface decoration arranged at a lower end of the liquid crystal display panel and mounted to the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel is coupled to the mold frame by coupling sections, each of which includes a rectangular plate, an engagement section, and a connection section that connects the rectangular plate and the engagement section. The mold frame forms retention slots corresponding to the coupling sections and each of the retention slots including first and openings and a channel communicating with the first and second openings. The first opening is greater than the second opening.
US08896781B2
This display device includes a display portion, a first frame including an engaging protrusion portion, and a second frame including an engaging hole, while the engaging protrusion portion of the first frame includes a first engaging portion engaging with the engaging hole to regulate movement of the first frame in a second direction separating from the second frame and a second engaging portion engaging with the engaging hole to regulate movement of the first frame in a fourth direction opposite to a first direction with respect to the second frame.
US08896771B2
A touching display panel and a display device using the same are provided. The touching display panel includes a liquid crystal layer, a first substrate having a hard surface structure, a second substrate, a touch sensor layer, a thin-film transistor layer, and a color filter layer. The first and second substrates are respectively disposed at two sides of the liquid crystal layer. The touch sensor layer is disposed between the first substrate and the liquid crystal layer, and is formed on the first substrate. The thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer are both disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. At least one of the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer is formed on the first substrate.
US08896769B2
A projection system includes an illumination device, a LCOS microdisplay element, an optical projection lens, a total internal reflection prism, and a polarizer. The polarizer is a reflective polarizer or an absorptive polarizer. The total internal reflection prism is arranged between the illumination device, the LCOS microdisplay element and the optical projection lens. A plurality of lighting paths are created between the illumination device and the LCOS microdisplay element. A plurality of imaging paths are created between the LCOS microdisplay element and the optical projection lens. The polarizer is only located in the lighting paths.
US08896767B2
The backlight device (12) of the present invention is provided with: an LED (24); an LED substrate (25) on which the LED (24) is mounted; a reflective sheet (29) that reflects light from the LED (24), has a lens insertion hole (29d) into which the LED (24) is inserted, and is arranged so as to cover the mounting surface (25a1) of the LED (24) on the LED substrate (25); a first light-reflecting layer (30) that is formed in at least the portion of the mounting surface (25a1) of the LED substrate (25) that is inside the lens insertion hole (29d), and that reflects light from the LED (24); and a second light-reflecting layer (31) that is arranged in at least the portion of the mounting surface (25a1) of the LED substrate (25) that is inside the lens insertion hole (29d), has a light reflectance different from that of the first light-reflecting layer (30), and is formed to have a shape partially covering the first light-reflecting layer (30).
US08896758B2
A video signal processing circuit includes: a control unit that calculates a luminance integrated value on the basis of an input video signal and performs luminance control for the video signal on the basis of the calculated luminance integrated value, wherein the control unit calculates the luminance integrated value at a period shorter than time equivalent to one frame.
US08896756B2
A display apparatus includes an image processor commonly provided to a plurality of channels, and configured to provide processing to an image signal of a selected channel selected by a channel switch in accordance with a parameter, a parameter acquirer commonly provided to the plurality of channels, and configured to obtain the parameter in accordance with a format of the image signal of the selected channel, a memory controller configured to hold the parameter for a first channel in a memory while a detector detects the image signal in the first channel even after the channel switch switches from the first channel to a second channel, and to delete the parameter when the detector detects no image signal in the first channel, and an image processing controller configured to set the parameter to the image processor without acquiring a new parameter from the parameter acquirer.
US08896752B2
A system for enhancing the appearance of an object comprises an illumination device (5) for providing enhancement illumination and a light recording device (1) for recording the reflection by the object of illumination on the object. A reference illumination is mixed (8) with the enhancement illumination. The information in the reflected light is filtered (9) to filter the reflection data (1) due to the reference illumination. These data are used for calculating the enhancement illumination in a processor (3).
US08896746B2
A driving circuit drives a voice coil motor having a spring return mechanism. A driving current generating unit supplies, to a coil of the voice coil motor, a driving current that corresponds to an analog control signal. Waveform memory stores digital waveform data which indicates the time waveform of a driving current to be supplied to the voice coil motor. A predetermined frequency component is removed from the frequency components of the waveform data. A control unit reads out the waveform data from the waveform memory at a rate that corresponds to the resonance frequency of the voice coil motor, and outputs the waveform data thus read out as a digital code. A D/A converter converts a digital code into an analog control signal, and outputs the analog control signal to the driving current generating unit.
US08896745B2
An image pickup apparatus includes an optical sensor including a light receiving unit, a sealing material configured to protect the optical sensor on a side of the light receiving unit, an intermediate layer formed at least between the light receiving unit and a first surface of the sealing material, the first surface being an opposed surface to the light receiving unit, and a control film configured to cause a cutoff wavelength to shift to a short wave side in accordance with an incident angle of light that is incident thereon obliquely, in which the control film includes a first control film formed on the first surface of the sealing material, the first surface being the opposed surface to the light receiving unit, and a second control film formed on a second surface of the sealing material, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.
US08896744B2
According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes a pixel array and an infrared light eliminating portion. The pixel array has a plurality of pixel cells arranged as being array-shaped. The pixel array detects a signal level of each color light as being shared for each pixel cell. The infrared light eliminating portion eliminates infrared light from light proceeding toward a photoelectric conversion element. The infrared light eliminating portion is arranged for each pixel cell. The infrared light eliminating portion has selection wavelength being set in accordance with color light to be a detection target of the pixel cell.
US08896741B2
A photographing device to photograph an object includes a displaying unit to display an image acquired from the object, an image recording unit to record the image, an enlarged image generating unit to extract a portion or whole of the image displayed on the displaying unit to generate an enlarged image from the image, and a display control unit to display the enlarged image instead of the image on the displaying unit or in an overlapped manner with the image before capturing the image into the image recording unit.
US08896737B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus has a plurality of pixels, wherein each of the pixels includes: a photoelectric conversion element for converting incident light to an electric charge; an accumulating element accumulating the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element; a first transfer element for transferring the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element; a second transfer element for transferring the electric charge accumulated in the accumulating element to a floating diffusion region; and an amplifying element for amplifying the electric charge in the floating diffusion region, wherein the first transfer element transfers the electric charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element to the accumulating element a plurality of times and causes the accumulating element to cumulatively accumulate the electric charge transferred the plurality of times.
US08896736B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a pixel unit in which pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element and a signal accumulation circuit are arranged in a matrix shape and a plurality of pixels in a range of two or more rows form the same group, and a control unit that performs control to associate a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements that are targets from which signals are read in the same group with a plurality of signal accumulation circuits in the same group of an array having a number of rows smaller than a number of rows in an array of the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, transfer signals generated by the plurality of photoelectric conversion elements to the signal accumulation circuits associated with the respective photoelectric conversion elements, and output the signals accumulated in the signal accumulation circuits for each row.
US08896728B2
An image capturing device which continuously captures images having high sensitivity and high resolution and synthesizes the continuously-captures images when lighting is very dark or when a luminance value of an object is small, the image capturing device including: an image capturing unit which receives light from the object and generates an image in which the object is captured; a continuously-captured-image synthesizing unit which generates a synthesized continuously-captured image in which the object is captured, by synthesizing two or more images temporally continuously captured by the image capturing unit; and a parameter setting unit which sets a shutter speed at which each of the two or more images is captured, according to the luminance value of the object and a speed of the object.
US08896722B2
An image data processing apparatus includes a data size conversion device that changes a data size of an image data at an optional ratio, the image data has a plurality of pixels each of which includes any one of a plurality of color components, and the plurality of color components being arranged in a specific order. The data size conversion device newly calculates a value of color component of each pixel after changing the data size based upon values of color components of a plurality of same color pixels before changing the data size, while maintaining the order of arrangement of the plurality of color components.
US08896719B1
A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
US08896711B2
The present invention is an anti-vibration actuator (10) for moving an image stabilizing lens (16), having: a fixed portion (12); a movable portion (14) to which an image stabilizing lens is attached; a movable support member (18) for supporting this movable portion so that it is movable within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the image stabilizing lens; drive coils (20) attached to one of either the fixed portion or the movable portion; drive magnets (22) attached to the other of either the fixed portion or the movable portion so as to respectively face these drive coils; and at least one yoke (26) disposed on the side of the drive coils not facing the drive magnets; whereby magnetic force suppressing cutouts (26a) are provided on the yoke in a position overlapping the drive coils in order to suppress magnetic force received from the drive coils.
US08896700B2
A camera vision system for a vehicle includes a rear backup video camera operable to capture video images rearward of the vehicle during a rear backup maneuver of the vehicle. The rearward field of view of the rear backup video camera encompasses a vehicle hitch of the vehicle, which is configured to connect to a trailer tongue of a trailer to connect the trailer to the vehicle. A display device includes a video screen operable to display video images captured by the rear backup video camera for viewing by a driver of the vehicle, such as when a transmission of the equipped vehicle is shifted into reverse gear by the driver. The control continues to display video images captured by the rear backup video camera during a short term forward movement of the vehicle after the shifting of the transmission of the equipped vehicle into reverse gear.
US08896699B2
Disclosed is an image synthesis device including an area determining unit 3 for selecting a vehicle-mounted camera 1 used for generation of a bird's-eye view image viewed from an arbitrary point of view from vehicle-mounted cameras 1a to 1d mounted at different positions, and for determining an area corresponding to the bird's-eye view image in an image captured by the vehicle-mounted camera 1, and an input video signal control unit 4 for receiving image data about the area determined by the area determining unit 3, the image data being included in image data showing the image captured by the vehicle-mounted camera 1, to store the image data in an input frame buffer 5, in which an image processing device 6 generates a bird's-eye view image from the image data stored in the input frame buffer 5.
US08896698B2
A vehicle camera mount has a bracket, a support arm, and a camera housing. The bracket is used to fasten the support arm to a vehicle. The camera housing is connected to the support arm, the camera housing contains a camera, and the camera housing has a wind resistance reducing aerodynamic profile configured to reduce wind resistance by the camera housing as the vehicle is moving. The support arm is configured to support the camera housing to the vehicle so that the camera housing is above a front fender of the vehicle and alongside a hood of the vehicle.
US08896692B2
An image processing apparatus at one site obtains a currently captured image that includes a drawing image of a drawing area of a drawing object and an image of a peripheral area of the drawing object, determines whether the drawing image changes from a time when a previously captured image is obtained, and transmits a differential image that reflects the drawing image to a counterpart site.
US08896686B2
Systems, devices, features, and methods for determining a geometric parameter from an image are disclosed. For example, one method for determining the geometric parameter is used to develop a navigation database. The method comprises determining calibration values corresponding to a camera mounted on a vehicle or a pedestrian. A plurality of images of geographic features are captured by the camera. A single image from the plurality of images is identified or selected. A geometric parameter of a region in the single image is determined based on the determined calibration values. For example, the geometric parameter is a real-world distance, such as a real-world length or width.
US08896685B2
An information processing apparatus and method are disclosed. The method includes obtaining vacant space information of a parking lot, and obtaining a position and a direction of a car in the parking lot. The method further includes determining one or more vacant spaces existing in a traveling direction of the car, and determining one or more routes from the car location to a vacant space. Moreover, the method includes generating one or more virtual space images at least indicating a position of the vacant space in the parking lot, and transmitting the generated one or more virtual space images to the car.
