Document Document Title
US07832539B2 Multiple disc clutch apparatus
A multiple disc clutch apparatus in which driven plates and drive plates are arranged alternately to overlap with each other and which is arranged to be engaged or released in response to an action mode or a non-action mode switched over by the pressing force of a piston, comprises piston regulation means which regulates an amount of movement of the piston so that metallic plates forming the substrates of the driven plates and the drive plates do not adhere to each other.
US07832533B2 Article of luggage
A method of producing an article of luggage characterized by a “soft” case construction characterized by the steps of molding from a material exhibiting “soft” case characteristics lid forming and base forming sections of such construction as to be shape wise self supporting in the absence of a perimeter frame and side, base or back panels whereby the form of the case is established and maintained by the molded lid and base sections; and an article of luggage produced by the method and characterized by a “soft” case construction including lid and base forming sections of such construction as to be shape wise self supporting in the absence of a perimeter frame and side, base or back panels whereby the form of the case is established and maintained by the molded lid and base sections.
US07832528B1 Brake mechanism for operating table
A brake mechanism is provided on one of four corners of a rectangular base of an operating table. Each brake mechanism has a cam fixed by a rotating shaft, an a hydraulic cylinder and a braking post. When braking, the hydraulic cylinder pushes the cam to rotate, and the cam abuts the braking post to press against the floor. Wheels on the base of the operating table depart upward a distance from the floor for braking. Detecting sheets are provided on the rotating shafts of two brake mechanisms which stand on the same sides. The detecting sheets match detectors to control action of the hydraulic cylinders.
US07832521B2 Axle assembly and vehicle
An axle assembly for a vehicle, the axle assembly comprising a differential gear having an input for connection to a drive shaft, and a first wheel hub to support a first wheel and a second wheel hub to support a second wheel, the first wheel hub and the second wheel hub being drivingly connected to the differential gear, wherein the first wheel hub is drivingly connected to the differential gear via a reverser mechanism, the reverser mechanism having a first operating mode where the first wheel hub is driven in the same direction as the second wheel hub and a second operating mode where the first wheel hub is driven in the opposite direction to the second wheel hub.
US07832518B2 Torque distribution control in a motor vehicle
In a vehicle powertrain that continually transmits power to a first set of vehicle wheels and selectively transmits power through a clutch to a second set of vehicle wheels, a method for controlling the clutch includes determining that brakes for slowing the vehicle wheels are applied and that an accelerator pedal of the vehicle is depressed less than a reference magnitude, determining that the rate of change of the average front wheel speed is greater than the rate of change of the average rear wheel speed, and setting the torque capacity of the clutch to a target magnitude.
US07832514B2 Axle drive unit for a hybrid electric vehicle
A drive unit for a hybrid electric motor vehicle includes an engine, an electric motor/generator, a layshaft supporting a first coupler and a second coupler, a first drive path including the layshaft and the first coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and the motor/generator, and a second drive path including the layshaft and the second coupler for driveably connecting and disconnecting the engine and an output of the drive unit, the first coupler and the second coupler being operative to connect concurrently the engine, the motor/generator and said output.
US07832510B2 Power output apparatus for hybrid vehicle
A hybrid vehicle of the invention has an engine, a planetary gear unit including a carrier linked with rankshaft of the engine and a ring gear linked with a drive shaft, a motor MG1 inputting and outputting power to and from a sun gear of the planetary gear unit, and a motor MG2 inputting and outputting power to and from the drive shaft. During a drive of the hybrid vehicle in a light load state and under a drive restriction of the motor MG2, the hybrid vehicle corrects a target revolution speed Ne* of the engine to make a calculated average charge-discharge electric power Wbave of a battery equal to a charge-discharge electric power demand Wb*, while keeping a torque of the engine unchanged (steps S300 to S330), and controls actuation of the engine and the motors MG1 and MG2.
US07832507B2 Electrical system, hybrid vehicle and method of controlling hybrid vehicle
During the communication with a house through an electric power line, a control device determines whether an engine is operating or not. If it is determined that the engine is operating, the control device stops the engine and a motor generator to stop the electric power generation by the motor generator using the output of the engine.
US07832497B2 Shock dampening post driver
A post driver having rotational handles and a dampening device adapted to isolate the hands and arms of the user from shock.
US07832492B1 Portable fire fighting apparatus and method
The present invention is a portable fire suppression apparatus. The fire suppression apparatus comprises a conduit with an open end and a closed end. In some embodiments of this invention the conduit may be a combination of several similar conduits connected with couplings with the last conduit having a closed end. The conduit has a plurality of apertures disposed upon its length at periodic intervals. When a fire suppression medium is forced throughout the conduit, the medium streams from each apertures and drenches the surrounding area and provides a fire break and air borne spark suppression capability. In the preferred embodiment, this apparatus also includes a means for stabilizing the conduit against rotation when high pressure medium is forced through.
US07832490B2 Compositions containing shape-conforming materials and nanoparticles to enhance elastic modulus
A composition, apparatus and method of use of the composition and apparatus are described. In one aspect, a composition may include a shape-conforming material and nanoparticles sufficient to provide an elastic modulus of the composition that is greater than the elastic modulus of the shape-conforming material. A method of deploying an apparatus using such a composition may include placing the apparatus at a suitable location in a wellbore and activating the composition to deploy the apparatus in the wellbore.
US07832489B2 Methods and systems for completing a well with fluid tight lower completion
An apparatus and method for completing a well. The apparatus can include a packer located downhole of a sand control sliding sleeve extension device to create an upper annulus and a lower annulus. The apparatus can also include a formation isolation well control barrier device located downhole of both the sand control sliding sleeve extension and the packer to create a lower tubular region an upper tubular region.
US07832485B2 Riserless deployment system
A method of deploying a tool into a pressurized well is provided that includes providing the well with a wellhead having a blow out preventer coupled thereto; setting a pressure barrier within the well at a distance below the blow out preventer that is at least as long as the length of the tool to create a pressure chamber between the blow out preventer and the pressure barrier; and opening the blow out preventer to allow for conveyance of the tool into the pressure chamber.
US07832480B1 Apparatus and method for extracting a tubular string from a bore hole
A tubular extraction system for use in a plug and abandonment process and may include a structural mounting for adaptation to a well head, various mountings may be used to provide a structure for attaching actuators for griping the tubular string, indenting or crimping the tubular and shearing the tubular string. The system further use a fork supported on a lifting apparatus such as a top drive unit, draw works or portable crane, the fork is inserted within the mounting structure of the system to engage the crimped or indented portion of the tubular section being extracted and thus allow removal of sequentially sheared sections of the tubular string.
US07832477B2 Casing deformation and control for inclusion propagation
Casing deformation and control for inclusion propagation in earth formations. A method of forming at least one inclusion in a subterranean formation includes the steps of: installing a liner within a casing section in a wellbore intersecting the formation; and expanding the liner and the casing section, thereby applying an increased compressive stress to the formation. Another method of forming the inclusion includes the steps of: installing an expansion control device on a casing section, the device including at least one latch member; expanding the casing section radially outward in a wellbore, the expanding step including widening at least one opening in a sidewall of the casing section, and displacing the latch member in one direction; and preventing a narrowing of the opening after the expanding step, the latch member resisting displacement thereof in an opposite direction.
US07832475B2 Biogenic methane production enhancement systems
Systems for enhanced in-situ or perhaps even ex-situ biogenic methane production from hydrocarbon-bearing formations (1) including coal seam, oil shale, coal, coal derivates and the like are presented in embodiments such as but not limited to: increasing and perhaps even selection of microbial populations (2), amending CBM water and other microbe-containing media, diminishing sulfate reduction competition, enhancing organic matter concentrations and generation of biogenic methane (10), universally treating hydrocarbon-bearing formations, and introducing amendments (3) to hydrocarbon-bearing formations.
US07832469B2 Device for remotely actuating the safety lock of individual oil pumping apparatus
A device for remotely actuating the safety lock of individual oil pumping apparatuses, (also known as AIB) employed in oil wells for extraction of this fluid. The actuating device or locking device permits an AIB operator to remotely actuate a safety lock for locking the entire movement of the AIB, without the need for the operator to go into an area of the AIB where the safety lock is usually housed. For this purpose the locking device includes an actuator for moving upwardly and downwardly the safety lock. The locking device also includes an indicator for indicating the position of the safety lock.
US07832466B2 Water supply system
A water supply system includes a main water tank and a sub-tank of smaller dimensions than the main tank for supplying hot and cold water for household use. The sub-tank is surrounded by a tubular coil of refrigerant in contact with the sub-tank, a layer of insulation and an outer wall for maintaining the insulation in place and protecting the tubular coil and sub-tank from being damaged. A water heater is disposed in or below a lower part of the tank and a three-way switch is provided for selecting heating or refrigeration during different seasons of the year.
US07832460B2 Process and system for manufacturing metal strips and sheets without discontinuity between continuous casting and rolling
A process and system for manufacturing metal strips of 0.14-20 mm thickness and metal sheets of 10-100 mm thickness from slabs of thickness between 30 and 300 mm by continuous casting of the bow type. The slab upon casting is fed without discontinuity directly to the rolling step after heating in an induction furnace without any intermediate product. The rolled flat product is withdrawn as sheet upon controlled cooling, by means of cutting and withdrawal device or wound on a reel to form a coil of a continuous strip severable by cutting device downstream of a cooling system. Surface cooling devices can be provided between rolling stands. The feed speed from continuous casting to the end of rolling is increasing step by step in relation to the thickness reductions and the quality of the end product, with regulation in cascade to the downstream direction.
US07832453B2 Adjusting structure of a curtain for adjusting the angle of curtain blade
An adjustable structure of a curtain for adjusting the angle of curtain blades includes a winding tube disposed in an upper rail. A pulling string is wound around the winding tube for controlling the rise and fall of the curtain and then passes through the curtain blades. One end of the winding tube is disposed with a rubbing wheel for hanging the top end of a suspending string provided for insertion of the curtain blades. Thereby, during the rise and fall of the curtain blades, the suspending string is pulled towards the rotating direction of the winding tube, so that the angle of the curtain blades is adjusted.
US07832450B2 Lift cord system for retractable covering
A lift cord system for operating a retractable covering for architectural openings includes at least one cord loop which extends from a tassel through a fabric for the covering where it is slidably connected to the bottom rail for adjustment of the desired maximum spacing of the top rail and bottom rail and the orientation of the bottom rail relative to the top rail so the rails can be easily maintained in a parallel relationship. The cord loop is also anchored to the bottom rail at a separate location in a manner so as to fix the maximum separation between the top and bottom rails so the covering desirably fits the size of the architectural opening in which it is mounted. Alternative embodiments include top down/bottom up coverings and coverings including a middle rail in addition to top and bottom rails.
US07832442B2 Apparatus and method for manufacture and use of composite fiber components
A fiber lay-up apparatus and method includes one or more fiber sources from at least one fiber supply wherein a fiber may be fed under tension to provide a pre-stress to the fiber. The fiber lay-up apparatus may include a resin impregnator for impregnating a fiber with a resin. The fiber may be impregnated under pressure to reduce friction, to provide a motive force to move the fiber through the impregnator, or to enhance control over impregnation. The fiber may be shaped by a fiber shaping unit including one or more active or passive shaping members that provide enhanced control over the shape and placement of the fiber as the fiber leaves the fiber lay-up apparatus. A cutting element for cutting a fiber as it is being layed-up may be positioned proximal to the one or more shaping members, and may enable the fiber lay-up apparatus to end the lay-up of one fiber (or set of fibers) and begin the lay-up of a new fiber (or set of fibers) without delay. A UV or other curing element may be provided downstream from the cutting element. A splicing unit may be employed to detect when a fiber supply is exhausted, and may splice a trailing end of an exhausted fiber supply to a leading end of a new fiber supply to provide a continuous (or substantially continuous) fiber feed. The splicing unit may also splice at least one sensor into a fiber being fed from the at least one fiber supply to provide information about the fiber either before, during, or after the fiber is layed-up.
US07832440B2 Machine and method for applying pressure sensitive sample chips to a card
A machine for applying pressure sensitive sample chips to a card includes a linear conveyor for receiving and transporting cards, and at least one sample application station disposed along the conveyor. The sample application station includes a feed roller overlying and spaced from the conveyor for holding a spool containing at least one row of individual pressure sensitive sample chips on a substrate. A plate has an edge immediately overlying and spaced from the conveyor to permit passage of cards beneath the edge. A drive roller is spaced from the feed roller and from the plate for drawing the substrate from the spool on the feed roller over the plate edge to separate the sample chips from the substrate and apply the chips to the cards. A resilient roller preferably is disposed adjacent to the plate edge for pressing the sample chips removed from the substrate onto the cards transported on the conveyor.
US07832436B2 Movable blade unit for wood cutting machine
A movable blade unit for wood cutting machine is mounted to the rotating shaft of the wood cutting machine and includes a blade and an inner ring which is located between the blade and the rotating shaft. A movable ring is connected to the movable blade unit and includes a flange, an outer collar and the inner ring, wherein the flange is connected to the outer collar which is rotatably connected to the inner ring. The inner ring is mounted to the rotating shaft and a gap is defined between the inner ring and the rotating shaft. The inner ring includes multiple sets of rotating members which are in contact with the grooves in the rotating shaft so that the inner ring is rotatable and movable relative to the rotating shaft with little or reduced friction.
US07832434B2 Automated filling system for bulk liquid
An automated filling system to conduct a filling operation in which a bulk liquid transport vehicle is filled with a bulk liquid and quality assurance tests are performed by a gas analyzer. A programmable logic controller, employed to control the filling operation, is responsive to pressure within a fill line connected to the vehicle and is programmed to determine that there exists sufficient pressure within the vehicle to conduct an initial quality assurance test and that the fill line is properly connected to the fill line, without breaks in its flow integrity. The programmable logic controller also initiates and controls a pressurization process if there is not sufficient pressure to conduct the initial quality assurance test.
US07832433B2 Hydrogen generating fuel cell cartridges
A gas-generating apparatus includes a fuel storage chamber having a fuel gas stored within a plurality of microspheres. A releasing mechanism releases the gas from the microspheres, such as by fracturing the spheres or diffusing the gas through the spheres. A ratcheting mechanism controls the release of the gas, such as hydrogen, from the microspheres. The ratcheting mechanism is controlled by either the pressure within the fuel storage chamber or an electronic controller. Additionally, the gas-generating apparatus of the present invention includes a fuel introducing system that has a fuel transporting system that is pressure regulated.
US07832431B2 Valves and pumps
A check valve (10) comprises, a flexible tube (11) having first and second end portions defining an inlet (13) and an outlet (14), respectively, and a rigid valve body (12) surrounding the flexible tube (11). The end portions of the flexible tube are sealingly fixed to the valve body (12) to define an enclosed space (17) between the exterior of the flexible tube and the interior of the valve body. A fixed volume of a substantially incompressible fluid is located in the enclosed space (17). When the pressure at the outlet (14) is greater than the pressure at the inlet (13), the flexible tube is substantially collapsed so as to close the valve or allow severely restricted flow. However when the pressure at the inlet is greater than that at the outlet, some of the fluid is displaced from the inlet area towards the outlet area so that the flexible tube (11) is expanded in the area adjacent the inlet and the tube is substantially open. A pump based on a series of valves having some of the attributes of the check valve is also disclosed, as is a vacuum driven sewer system that incorporates a pinch valve.
US07832429B2 Microfluidic pump and valve structures and fabrication methods
Plastic microfluidic structures having a substantially rigid diaphragm that actuates between a relaxed state wherein the diaphragm sits against the surface of a substrate and an actuated state wherein the diaphragm is moved away from the substrate. As will be seen from the following description, the microfluidic structures formed with this diaphragm provide easy to manufacture and robust systems, as well readily made components such as valves and pumps.
US07832428B2 Sanitary fitting
Sanitary fitting comprising a basic element which is designed to be fastened to an object and has a passage defining an axis, a fitting part having a sleeve-shaped portion which in a free end region has a casing-side transverse groove, the sleeve-shaped portion reaching through the passage, being mounted in the basic element, and an annular, single-part guide clamp disposed coaxially to the axis and having a guide portion for the mounting of the fitting part in the basic element, and a latching portion for cooperation with the transverse groove configured as a ring groove. The guide clamp is fixed in the transverse groove and has between the guide portion and the latching portion a radial slot running in the peripheral direction. The latching portion protrudes radially outwards over the guide portion disposed in the passage and thereby cooperates with a mating shoulder configured on the basic element.
US07832425B2 Flow for port guided globe valve
A valve assembly includes a valve body, a valve seat, and a valve plug. The valve body defines a flow path for a fluid. The valve plug is adapted for displacement between a closed position and an open position in the valve body. The valve plug includes a crown, a skirt and a protrusion. The crown is for sealingly engaging the valve seat when the valve plug is in the closed position. The skirt defines a flow path for accommodating the fluid when the valve plug is in the open position. The protrusion is substantially concentrically aligned with the skirt. Each of the skirt or the protrusion have a surface treatment for enhancing the flow of the fluid through the valve when in the one or more open positions.
US07832422B2 Valve
A valve includes a valve element; a valve seat; a coil spring; and a spring bearing portion. The coil spring, provided between the valve element and the spring bearing portion, presses the valve element toward the valve seat. An effective upper winding end of the coil spring and an effective lower winding end of the coil spring are offset from each other by 180 degrees in a plan view.
US07832406B2 Percutaneous myocardial revascularization
Devices and methods for creating a series of percutaneous myocardial revascularization (PMR) channels in the heart. One method includes forming a pattern of channels in the myocardium leading from healthy tissue to hibernating tissue. Suitable channel patterns include lines and arrays. One method includes anchoring a radiopaque marker to a position in the ventricle wall, then using fluoroscopy repeatedly to guide positioning of a cutting tip in the formation of multiple channels. Another method uses radiopaque material injected into each channel formed, as a marker. Yet another method utilizes an anchorable, rotatable cutting probe for channel formation about an anchor member, where the cutting probe can vary in radial distance from the anchor. Still another method utilizes a multiple wire radio frequency burning probe, for formation of multiple channels simultaneously. Still another method utilizes liquid nitrogen to cause localized tissue death.
US07832403B2 Mandible positioning devices
A pharyngeal airway adjuster, or mandible positioning device, has a maxillary dentition engagement component and a mandibular dentition engagement component, each on opposite sides of a plane extending therebetween. An adjustable connection couples the maxillary dentition engagement component with the mandibular dentition engagement component. The adjustable connection has a first adjustment screw having a longitudinal axis parallel to the plane and a second adjustment screw having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the plane. The first and second adjustable screws are independently adjustable and structured to effect horizontal and vertical displacement, respectively, of the maxillary dentition engagement component relative to the mandibular dentition engagement component. The pharyngeal airway adjuster has a number of indicators adapted to indicate the amount of forwardly and rearwardly displacement effected by the first adjustment screw and/or the amount of upwardly and downwardly displacement effected by the second adjustment screw.
US07832397B2 Aerosol powder delivery device
An aerosol powder delivery device, a method of producing or delivering aerosol particles, a method of making a delivery device, and an inhaler kit are provided. The device can be used to produce an aerosolizable powder by breaking or deagglomerating the aerosolizable powder into aerosol particles for inhalation. The aerosol particles can be produced by mechanically agitating or shaking a hollow device with the aerosolizable powder and a second powder to mechanically break or loosen aerosol particles from the aerosolizable powder. Thus, a small, lightweight, simple, sealed and stable device without complex moving parts, external power sources or heat is provided to aerosolize powder into aerosol particles for transmucosal delivery into a mouth upon inhalation.
US07832377B2 Thermal protection for fuel injectors
A fuel injector is provided. The fuel injector includes an injector support and a heat shield coupled to the injector support. The heat shield only interacts with the injector support by way of contacts such as point contacts, line contacts or surface contacts. Further, the heat shield includes a body portion, a radially extending flared end portion and a radially directed shoulder interposed between the body portion and the flared end portion. The shoulder portion acts as a flexure point that flexes and absorbs thermal expansion of the heat shield.
US07832362B2 Lightweight, hollow, reusable, food-dispensing treat toy and combination of food-dispensing treat toy with an enclosing container designed for intellectual stimulation, enrichment and amusement of animals, and reduction of boredom or separation anxiety that may lead to destructive or undesirable behavior in puppies and/or other animals
This invention is directed toward a hollow food dispensing treat toy that can be filled and re-filled with animal food for unfrozen or frozen applications. The treat toy is designed to provide a mental and physical challenge to an animal desiring to lick out the contents of the container. The treat toys can be frozen in a conveniently-sized storage sleeve that fits in the shelf portion of an average freezer, and then removed at desired times. Whether unfrozen or frozen, the treat toys can be either given to the animal directly, or placed inside a larger hollow enclosing container with a hole such that the animal must align the holes in the containers to have easy access to the treat inside. Because of the design of the invention, an animal can remain entertained at length trying to extract all of the treats.
US07832354B2 Cathode liner with wafer edge gas injection in a plasma reactor chamber
The disclosure concerns a wafer support for use in a plasma reactor chamber, in which the wafer support has a wafer edge gas injector adjacent and surrounding the wafer edge.
US07832326B1 Auto-loading firearm with gas piston facility
A firearm has a body with a bolt assembly reciprocating within the body. A barrel having a bore extends from the body. A gas block with an elongated chamber is connected to the barrel, and a gas passage connects the barrel bore to the gas block chamber. An operating rod has a forward end portion closely received in the gas block chamber and a rear end positioned to operably engage the bolt assembly. The gas block chamber has a forward portion closely receiving the forward end portion of the rod, and the gas block chamber has a rear portion with a profile larger than the forward portion. The forward portion of the rod may be a cylinder, and the rear portion of the gas block chamber may be fluted to provide clearance for flushing out contaminants. The rod may rotate freely to prevent accumulation of contaminants.
US07832325B1 Ballistic armor shield for hatch area of armored vehicle
A ballistic armor shield assembly attached to a Stryker armored vehicle comprises a three-sided armor shield assembly with transparent armor, which is bolted around a driver hatch directly onto the military armored vehicle using existing bolts and holes. The armor shield assembly comprises a front, left and right side armor frames forming the 3-sided assembly to which transparent armor (ballistic glass) sections are attached and secured. An enclosure is provided on the left side of the armored shield assembly for attaching and removing the entire left side transparent armor in order to facilitate vehicle engine maintenance. The driver is provided with full armor protection while operating the vehicle with his body extending out of the open hatch for improved vision. When the hatch is partially closed, the driver has full protection on the front, left, and right from the armor shield assembly as well as above from the hatch.
US07832322B1 Ambidextrous charging handle for a firearm
An ambidextrous charging handle for a firearm consists of two separate assemblies, these being an oblong handle that contains a latch mechanism and a central shaft member. The parts are joined together by a combination of the latch mechanism and alignment grooves in the central shaft member interacting with a locating flange on the handle, and a pair of retaining and pivoting connectors that secure the latch to the handle and the central shaft member. The latch mechanism includes cam activation via a retention relief cut acting against a fixed retention and pivot connector. The second point of retention for the assembly is via a second retaining connector that transmits the retraction force applied to the handle on one end of the latch and to the central shaft member through the interconnection of the second combination retention and pivot connector on the proximal end of the latch body.
US07832317B2 Gage plate alignment mechanism and method for a food slicer
A food slicer is provided having a support member including a base portion and an upstanding portion integrally formed with the base portion. The upstanding portion includes a rotating cutting blade secured thereto for slicing food product and at least one motor positioned within the upstanding portion for rotating the cutting blade. The base portion includes a food product table slidably secured thereto and is movable across the cutting blade for holding product while it is being sliced by the cutting blade. An adjustable gage plate also is provided for determining the thickness of a food product to be sliced by the cutting blade along with an adjustable gage plate alignment mechanism connecting the upstanding portion to the gage plate at an upper portion of the gage plate.
US07832313B2 Device and method for through-cutting of an extruded ice mass
A device for through-cutting of an extruded ice mass, which has a first knife which is reciprocably arranged in a transverse first plane immediately after the outlet of the nozzle and arranged with a first length of stroke and a second knife which is reciprocably arranged in a plane which is parallel to the first plane and which is arranged immediately below the first knife with respect to the flow direction out of the nozzle, the second knife is arranged with a second stroke length which is smaller than the first stroke length, and a control for producing simultaneous reciprocation of the first and the second knife. Hereby, a shearing is achieved which is more precise and commonly applicable for manufacturing of ice cream portions by an automated production of ice cream products.
US07832310B2 Torque power tool
A hand-held torque power wrench for tightening and loosening fasteners, the torque power tool has a motor, a housing, at least one handle configured to hold the torque power wrench in a position and to pull a trigger with one hand of an operator, and a safety device operatable by the other hand of the operator, so that when it is operated by the other hand of the operator the torque power wrench is functioning to tighten or loosen the fastener, but when the only one hand of the operator is used for holding the torque power wrench in position and pulling the trigger, the torque power wrench is not functioning to tighten or loosen the fastener.
US07832302B2 Shift-by-wire shifter with default to park
A shift-by-wire shifter system includes a spring biased DTP lever engageable with a shifter lever assembly to move the shifter lever assembly to a park position. A DTP lock assembly secures the DTP lever so that the shifter lever assembly is selectively movable along the shift path during normal operation and releases the DTP lever so that the DTP lever moves the shifter lever assembly to the park position upon the loss of system power. A DTP actuator unlocks the shifter lever assembly and the DPT lock assembly upon the loss of system power so that the DTP lever automatically moves the shifter lever assembly to the park position upon the loss of system power. A power storage device is provided to release power to the DPT actuator upon the loss of system power.
US07832300B2 Roller screw
There is provided a roller screw comprising a screw shaft 1 having an outer peripheral surface in which a spiral roller rolling groove 1a is formed, a nut member 2 having an inner peripheral surface in which a spiral loaded roller rolling groove 2a is formed so as to oppose to the roller rolling groove of the screw shaft, a return pipe 4 in which a roller return passage 5 is formed so as to connect one and another ends of a loaded roller rolling passage 3 between the roller rolling groove 1a of the screw shaft 1 and the loaded roller rolling groove 2a of the nut member 2, a number of rollers 6 disposed in the loaded roller rolling passage 3 and the roller return passage 5, wherein the roller return passage 5 is twisted so that an attitude of the roller 6 changes as the roller moves in an axial direction of the return pipe 4. Such roller screw enables to provide an easy assembling and compact structure and to realize smooth circulation of the roller.
US07832298B2 Countershaft clutch and gear assembly
A low inertia clutch and gear assembly for disposition on a countershaft of a dual clutch automatic transmission (DCT) includes a gear which is in constant mesh with a gear secured to the input shaft of the transmission and which is freely rotatably disposed on one of the countershafts or lay shafts. The lower inertia components of the clutch, i.e., the clutch hub and the smaller diameter friction plates are secured to the countershaft whereas the higher inertia components, i.e., the clutch housing, the larger diameter friction plates, the reaction plate, the piston and the return springs, rotate with the gear.
US07832290B2 Axial force transducer
Disclosed is an axial force transducer comprising a deformable element (1) which forms a measuring spring and is rotationally symmetrical to the force inducing axis as well as strain gauges (15, 18) that are arranged in pairs in areas extending in opposite directions and are connected so as to form an electrical resistance bridge. The deformable element (1) is provided with a central location hole (8) which extends radially under the effect of an axial force and whose edge (12) is connected to a deformable disk (13) via an annular rib (10), said deformable disk (13) being disposed at an axial distance from the location hole (8). The edge (14) of the deformable disk (13) radially protrudes from the annular rib (10). The strain gauges (15, 18) are applied to the face of the deformable disk (13) in pairs, inside and outside the diameter of the annular rib (10).
US07832289B2 Devices and methods for detecting rates of change of torque
Sensors for outputting signals indicative of a rate of change of torque experienced by a magnetized member in response to a change in torque experienced by the member are described. Such sensors include at least one sense element capable of detecting a change in a magnetic parameter of a magnetized region of the member positioned proximate to the sense element in response to a change in torque applied to the member. Devices for detecting and/or measuring rates of changes in or of torque that employ one or more of these sensors are also described, as are various applications for such devices.
US07832286B2 Torque wrench
The invention seek to enable to share main components other than a tightening unit even in use for different effective lengths corresponding to ranges of tightening torques. There are provided: a tightening unit 10 such as a ratchet; a housing 20 having a two-divided structure including a front side cover part 21 and a back side grip part 22; a strain body 30 provided inside the housing 20 and replaceably coupling the tightening unit 10 thereto; a distortion sensor 40, provided to the strain body 30, for detecting the distorted amount of the strain body 30 due to the tightening force of the tightening unit 10; a microprocessor chip 100 having functions including computing the tightening torque of the tightening unit 10 based on torque reference values prepared in advance and detection results of the distortion sensor 40; and an output unit 300 for outputting such as the tightening torque.
US07832279B2 Semiconductor device including a pressure sensor
A semiconductor device includes a first cavity within a semiconductor substrate and a second cavity within the semiconductor substrate. The second cavity is open to an atmosphere and defines a first lamella between the first cavity and the second cavity. The semiconductor device includes a first sense element configured for sensing a pressure on the first lamella.
US07832272B2 Tuning fork vibrator and vibratory gyroscope using the same
A tuning fork vibrator includes a vibrating body having the shape of a tuning fork as a whole. The vibrating body includes legs having a meandering shape and a base coupled to an end of the legs. A support is formed so as to extend between the legs from the base. Two electrodes arranged separately in the width direction are formed on one of the legs, and two electrodes arranged separately in the width direction are formed on the other of the legs. The outermost electrodes on each of the legs are connected to a connection electrode formed on the base. The connection electrode is formed so as to extend toward the support. The innermost electrodes on each of the legs are formed so as to extend toward the support through the base. A common electrode is formed on a second principal surface of the vibrating body. A vibratory gyroscope can be formed using the tuning fork vibrator.
US07832270B2 Apparatus for measuring rotational imbalance of a turbocharger core assembly
Apparatus for measuring rotational imbalance of a turbocharger core assembly, comprising a base frame (30) having a housing (31) in the form of an exhaust duct. Attached by leaf springs (33) to the housing (31) is a support part (35) and a co-axial adaptor (36) to which a turbocharger core assembly (38) is removably attached by quick-release clamps (37). An air inlet (40) receives air to drive the turbocharger core assembly via a volute within the adaptor (36), and any imbalance of the turbocharger core assembly, causing oscillatory vibration via the leaf springs (33) is measured by an accelerometer (40) mounted on the support part (35).
US07832268B2 Level sensor arrangement
The level sensor arrangement comprises a paddle directly driven by a stepping or stepper motor to rotate in use unless the paddle is arrested in use by a material level, the arrangement including a sensor to determine paddle rotation and the sensor providing a signal to a controller indicative of paddle rotation.
US07832264B2 Tire sensor system and vehicle body having the same mounted thereon
The position of the rotation of a tire complicates the establishing of a wireless connection between a sensor unit attached to the tire and a sensor control unit attached to a vehicle body.A reflection plate is attached to an inner surface of a wheel housing at a position different from that of a sensor control unit. A transmission electromagnetic field from the sensor control unit is reflected by the metal reflection plate and transmitted to a sensor unit rotated to a position to which the field does not readily reach directly from the sensor control unit. The sensor unit varies an impedance of a coil antenna in accordance with transmission data, and generates a variation in the transmission electromagnetic field. The variation is detected via the reflection plate as a variation in a transmission load of the sensor control unit, and the transmission data from the sensor unit is detected in the sensor control unit.
US07832260B2 Abnormality diagnosis apparatus for internal combustion engine
An abnormality diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an abnormality diagnosis unit, an other fuel contamination determination unit, and a misdiagnosis prohibition unit. The abnormality diagnosis unit determines whether there is an abnormality in a fuel system based on an output from an exhaust gas sensor mounted on an exhaust duct of the internal combustion engine. The other fuel contamination determination unit determines whether an other fuel contaminates a supply fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine. The misdiagnosis prohibition unit conducts one of (a) changing an abnormality determination condition for the abnormality diagnosis in the fuel system and (b) prohibiting the abnormality diagnosis in the fuel system, when the other fuel contamination determination unit determines that the other fuel contaminates the supply fuel.
US07832258B2 Atomizer monitoring system
An atomizer monitoring system monitors parts or components that are utilized in atomizers for flue gas desulfurization or in spray drying applications, taking into account each part's longevity, installation date, and expiration period, using wireless sensors and radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology, whereby small, inexpensive RFID tags are placed on, or embedded in the atomizers, for example, in an atomizer wheel. The monitor system can avoid failure of parts within an atomizer and costly downtime associated with removal and replacement of parts that have reached their useful life. The preferred embodiment utilizes radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology which is linked to a web-based data base.
US07832257B2 Determining fluid rheological properties
Controlling a well injection operation, such as a well fracturing operation, includes identifying a flow characteristic of a fracturing fluid, identifying a flow characteristic of a base fluid used for forming the fracturing fluid, determining an amount of friction reduction change of the fracturing fluid, and adjusting the amount of friction reduction of the fracturing fluid to coincide with a selected friction reduction amount. Identifying a flow characteristic may be performed by a rheology measuring device including a measurement tube, a first pressure sensor disposed at a first position on the measurement tube, a second pressure sensor disposed at a second position on the measurement tube, a flow meter disposed at a third position along the measurement tube, a temperature sensor disposed at a fourth location along the measurement tube, and a control unit interconnected to the first and second pressure sensors, the flow meter, and the temperature sensor.
US07832256B2 Method and apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of fluids in a pipeline
A method and apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of an undesirable fluid, such as water, in a pipeline and for removing the undesirable fluid are disclosed. A detecting substance, for example, sugar, naphthalene or a pigmented solid is carried by a sweeping pig. The sweeping pig is inserted into the pipeline, propelled along the pipeline and recovered from the pipeline. The detecting substance is examined upon recovery of the sweeping pig to determine whether the undesirable fluid is present in the pipeline. The pipeline can be swept multiple times until examination of the detecting substance indicates that the undesirable fluid is not present in the pipeline.
US07832254B2 Particulate sensor and method for operating a particulate sensor
A sensor for determining the concentration of particulates in gas mixtures is described, a soot sensor in particular, having a ceramic sensor body surrounded by a metallic housing and having a first and a second measuring electrode. In this instance, the first measuring electrode is connected to the metallic housing of the sensor or the metallic housing of the sensor is designed as the first measuring electrode. By additional electrodes on the ceramic body, the sensor is operable also as a lambda sensor.
US07832253B1 Portable weather resistant gas chromatograph system
A portable weather resistant gas chromatograph system with a gas chromatograph enclosure having a body and a movable door and a seal, a gas chromatograph with a frame assembly removably secured in the enclosure, a plurality of exhaust gas lines connected to the gas chromatograph, an explosion proof terminal box with circuit breakers and terminals mounted to the enclosure, a communication conduit and armored power cable between the explosion proof terminal box and the gas chromatograph, a purge gas conduit port for the gas chromatograph, a pedestal for the enclosure, and at least two lifting eyes connected to the enclosure.
US07832235B2 Apparatus and method for winding at least one fiber
An apparatus for winding a fiber strand onto a former, wherein there is provided a separating means for fixing and separating the fiber strand at the end of an operation of winding on a finish-wound first former and for bringing the fixed fiber-strand end to a second former to be wound in order to begin a new winding operation. At least one thread buffer for temporary storage of a fiber-strand portion between the end of one winding operation and the beginning of a new winding operation is disposed upstream from the separating means in the feed direction.
US07832228B2 Ice making device and refrigerator having the same
An ice making device that is capable of more easily and conveniently separating ice from ice trays through a simple manipulation and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The ice making device includes a support frame for rotatably supporting at least one ice tray, at least one manipulation button mounted to the support frame such that the manipulation button can be moved forward and backward, and an interlocking unit for rotating the ice tray with respect to the support frame according to the movement of the manipulation button.
US07832224B2 Apparatus and method for controlling lamp of refrigerator
An apparatus is provided for controlling a lamp of a refrigerator. The apparatus may include a dispenser provided on a refrigerator door and a lamp installed within the dispenser for illuminating the dispenser. The dispenser may include a rotary member that rotates as an operation lever provided in the dispenser is operated and a duct door for selectively opening and closing an ice duct. The rotary member may include a rotary shaft supported by side walls of the dispenser and a connector part that extends from the rotary shaft. The duct door may be coupled to the connection part.
US07832223B2 Controller area network based climate control system for a self-propelled work machine and method of operation of the same
A controller area network based climate control system for a work machine, and a method of operation of the same, which advantageously and economically integrates into and utilizes the resources and capabilities of a CAN of a work machine, including, but not limited to, shared data from other systems of the machine, particularly engine data including engine operating speed and temperature, for controlling climate control system operation, as well as for troubleshooting and diagnosing problems.
US07832218B2 High efficiency apparatus and method for cooling produce
An apparatus for the efficient cooling of produce directed to the cooling of freshly picked produce in containers on pallets. The apparatus has a first opening for the entrance of stacks of containers to be moved through cooling enclosure. The stacks of containers are moved through to a first cooling area wherein the containers are exposed to cooling air provided in a first direction. The stacks of containers are then moved through to a second cooling area wherein the containers are exposed to cooling air in a second direction. Isolation of the containers and routing of the air flow is supplemented with air inflatable seals which abut the containers. A method for the efficient cooling of produce utilizing an apparatus as described.
US07832217B1 Method of control of thermal energy module background of the invention
A control system measures the pressure/temperature of the refrigerant within a Thermal Energy Module having a heat exchanger and calculates the thickness of ice within the Thermal Energy Module. A controller calculates an integral starting from the moment when ice accumulation begins: I(t)=∫Tr(τ)*dτ where Tr is the refrigerant saturation temperature changing with time t. The thickness of the ice on one side of the heat exchanger can be calculated using the following formula: X=√(2*I*K*Ui/ρi/ci) where Ui is the thermal conductance of ice ρi is the density of the ice Ci is the latent heat of the ice K is a correction coefficient associated with the type of the heat exchanger.
US07832211B2 Gas turbine combustor and a gas turbine equipped therewith
In order to realize a stable decrease in NOx, a gas turbine combustor is supplied which can reduce combustion vibration. A combustor (3) is provided with a first box body (30), which is installed outside an object body (20) such as a combustor basket (6), a transition piece (7) or a bypass duct (11) so as to form a first internal space (31) having a predetermined capacity; and a first throat (32) having a predetermined length which has one end (32a) open to a side wall (20a) of the object body (20) and has the other end (32b) open to a first internal space (31); wherein, a first resistive element (33) having a multiple number of through-holes is inserted and engaged to one end (32a). Fluid particles serving as vibration elements of combustion vibration caused in a combustion region are effectively trapped by the first resistive element (33) and at the same time resonate with the air of the first internal space (31) being connected through the first throat (32) and vibrate in the neighborhood of the first resistive element (33), thereby damping vibration amplitude thereof.
US07832207B2 Systems and methods for energy storage and recovery using compressed gas
The invention relates to methods and systems for the storage and recovery of energy using open-air hydraulic-pneumatic accumulator and intensifier arrangements that combine at least one accumulator and at least one intensifier in communication with a high-pressure gas storage reservoir on a gas-side of the circuits and a combination fluid motor/pump, coupled to a combination electric generator/motor on the fluid side of the circuits.
US07832206B2 Systems and methods for controlling automatic transmission fluid
Systems and methods of controlling automatic transmission fluid (ATF) in a vehicle include torque converter systems generally having a pump, a turbine and a stator. The stator is selectively rotated during periods of predetermined low ATF temperature, thereby causing temporarily induced inefficiencies that warm the ATF.
US07832201B2 Method for regeneration a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst
To remove the nitrogen oxides from the exhaust gas from lean-burn engines, these engines are equipped with a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst, which has to be regenerated frequently by the engine being briefly switched to rich-burn mode. The regeneration is usually initiated when the nitrogen oxide concentration downstream of the catalyst rises above a permissible value. In this context, there is a risk of the bed temperature of the catalyst during and after regeneration being pushed into a range with incipient thermal desorption of the nitrogen oxides on account of the heat which is released during the conversion of the nitrogen oxides by the reducing constituents of the exhaust gas. This can lead to increased nitrogen oxide emission both during the regeneration itself and after the engine has been switched back to lean-burn mode. To eliminate this problem, it is proposed to divide the rich-burn mode into two rich pulses which follow one another in time, the first rich pulse being of shorter duration than the second rich pulse.
US07832192B2 Method for injecting a liquid mist into an intake duct
A system for the atomization of liquid is arranged on the intake duct of a gas turbo set. This atomization system comprises a number of nozzle tubes with atomizer nozzles, switching valves for selective action upon the nozzle tubes by liquid and a pump for conveying the liquid to be atomized. According to the invention, the pump is connected to a variable-speed drive. The switching valves are preferably designed as proportional valves. In a corresponding regulating circuit, this makes it possible to limit pressure gradients in the atomization system and consequently to avoid hammers.
US07832188B2 Apparatus and method for sealing a lidstock to a container
The invention relates to a method for heat sealing a lidstock (9) to a container (1) for a blister package, the container having a top surface comprising a substantially flat sealing flange (3) surrounding a blister (2) and a lip (4) having at least one raised surface (6), the method comprising the steps of a) locating the lidstock on the top surface; b) providing a first seal between the lidstock and the at least one raised surface of the lip with a first heat sealing tool (11); c) providing a second hermetic seal between the lidstock and the sealing flange surrounding the blister with a second heat sealing tool. The invention also relates to a package for storing a hydrophilic contact lens comprising a lip having at least one raised surface and a removable lidstock sealed to a sealing flange and to the at least one raised surface. Also disclosed is an apparatus for heat sealing the lidstock to the container.
US07832181B2 Detection system
A foil lid inspection system for detecting and separating defective foil lids on a container in a production line includes one or more light sources, an inspection camera, and inspection software. The light sources are positioned to direct light in an upward direction to illuminate the container. The inspection camera is positioned above the foil lid, and the camera includes one or more outputs. The inspection software is in communication with the inspection camera. The inspection software is constructed and arranged to determine if the foil lid on the container is defective. A reject signal is applied to an output if the software determines that the foil lid is defective.
US07832179B2 I joist
Disclosed is an I joist comprising: a top flange made from a wood composite material selected from the group comprising oriented strand lumber and oriented strand board; a bottom flange composed of laminated veneer lumber or dimension lumber; and a webstock member, made from a wood composite material selected from the group comprising oriented strand lumber and oriented strand board, which interconnects the top flange and the bottom flange.
US07832165B2 Pocket assemblies for sports flooring sub-floor systems
A subfloor assembly for supporting a floor on a substrate includes a plurality of lower subfloor panels and a plurality of upper subfloor panels. The lower subfloor panels are resiliently disposed over the substrate while the upper subfloor panels are disposed over the lower subfloor panels. Each of the upper subfloor panels has at least one pocket and the pocket is disposed over a void that is provided between adjacent lower subfloor panels. An anchor is positioned in each pocket and is attached to the substrate. The anchor also engages a surface of a shoulder of at least one of the lower subfloor panels that is exposed under the pocket to thereby limit resilient upward movement of the subfloor assembly.
US07832163B2 Screed rail
A boundary screed rail assembly with screed rails (14) supported by feet members (42). The screed rails (14) providing a perimeter part (24) with upper and lower protection parts (26). The upper part (26) provides a planar horizontal surface (28), with a plurality of recesses (30) extending thereinto, alternating with downwardly extending engagement members (32) engageable in the concrete of a slab.
US07832162B1 Corner wall structure to prevent corner damage
A corner drift connector for preventing damage to exterior walls of buildings during wind, earthquake, or other building-deforming events is described. The corner drift connector is slidably attached to each of two angled walls which form a corner of a building. Slots in flanges of the corner drift connector facilitate utilizing connectors to attach the corner drift connector to the walls while allowing relative motion between the walls and the connector. A cover placed outside the corner drift connector conceals the connector and its intersections with the walls.
US07832147B2 Method and apparatus for elevated stacking of planters
A modular planter assembly formed of a base planter housing having a cavity volume for dirt or growing material defined by a surrounding vertically disposed sidewall. Smaller elevated planters are supportable above the base planter on support members extending between a pair of vertically disposed elongated members which engage passages formed in the sidewall of the base planter. The elongated members may be one piece, or formed of a plurality of component members to allow the user to lengthen them and add multiple elevated planters to the formed device.
US07832145B2 Plant-cultivating device and plant-cultivating method
A device having a shape capable of receiving the plant body to be cultivated. As at least a portion of the device, a film which can substantially be integrated with the root of the plant body is disposed. Such a structure can provide a plant-cultivating device, a plant-film integrate, and a plant-cultivating method which can preferably attain both of the supply of oxygen and the supply of water and a fertilizer component to the root of the plant body.
US07832139B1 Slip line apparatus for fishing float
A slip clip line apparatus designed for use with fishing floats and sinkers to aid in their attachment to a fishing line. The slip clip has a slip body which engages the fishing line and allows the slip clip to slide freely along a predetermined length of fishing line. The slip body is a U-shaped apparatus having an open and centrally located line slip which is substantially closed. The slip clip further has a lower insertion body which may be connected to a piece of tubing that in turn may be connected to a float or a sinker.
US07832135B1 Model 1911 type firearm safety lock
A firearm safety lock for an automatic pistol such as the Model 1911 firearm is disclosed. The safety lock includes a means of arresting the operation of the main trigger or hammer spring in the pistol grip of the firearm to prevent movement of the hammer, thereby locking the gun in a safe condition. A means and a method is disclosed for locking a pistol in a sale condition by arresting the movement of the hammer spring buffer through insertion of a locking shaft through the pistol grip housing which can be keyed to prevent unauthorized removal of the locking shaft. The disclosed invention may be used on newly manufactured firearms or provides a method to easily convert an existing firearm without permanent modification or damage to the firearm.
US07832130B2 Multiple mounting bracket for a mobile processor attachment mounted on a hydraulic excavator
A mounting bracket is designed to interchangeably connect a processor attachment to the stick of a larger excavator or the boom of a smaller excavator in place of the stick. The mounting bracket includes mounting assemblies that are designed to operatively attach the bracket to the stick and related bucket cylinder linkage assembly of a larger excavator. The mounting bracket also includes mounting assemblies that are designed to operatively attach the bracket to the boom and related stick cylinder of a smaller excavator. The mounting bracket may avoid the need to obtain and maintain plural mounting brackets for different mounting applications (e.g., stick or boom).
US07832113B1 Collapsible level and utility device
The present invention resides in a collapsible level comprising a first segment; at least one additional segment, physically independent of the first segment and operable with the first segment to form the level; a leveling vial supported in at least one of the segments; and a linking member operable with the segments to permit the segments to be assembled and to secure an assembled relationship between the segments, as well as to maintain a connection between the segments when disassembled. In an alternative embodiment, the linking member is removed and the segments link together magnetically. The present invention further provides means for longitudinally extending the length of the collapsible level, thereby providing the collapsible level with the ability to level a wide range of shaped and sized surfaces. The present invention further resides in an accessory device operable with a level to enhance the functionality of the level, the accessory device comprising: a housing; and means for attaching the housing to the level in both a removable and slidable manner.
US07832110B1 Quasi-uniaxial solar trajectory tracking transit system
The present invention relates to a quasi-uniaxial solar trajectory tracking transit system including a canopy, a case, a first positioning ring, a second positioning ring and a positioning pole. The canopy is a transparent hemisphere marked with a graduation line indicating elevation angles. The first positioning ring is a hollow body for receiving the second positioning ring. The two sides of the positioning ring have an axle respectively to connect with the case. The second positioning ring is a hollow fan-shape body for receiving the positioning pole. The second positioning ring has an axle perpendicular to the two sides of the axles of the first positioning ring for connecting to the first positioning ring thereby. The flange of the second positioning ring has a groove, and the central of the second positioning ring has an axle. A partial of positioning pole is hollow as a hollow pole and the other partial of the positioning pole is solid as a solid pole. A through hole is formed at the upper flange of the hollow pole and a sight is set at the lower flange thereof. The solid pole is axially connected to the axle of the second positioning ring.
US07832099B2 Method of manufacturing a wiring material
A wiring material is provided by electrically connecting a connecting terminal with two single line conductors arranged in parallel. The connecting terminal is provided with a tube-shaped section for storing two single line conductors, the two single line conductors are inserted into the tube-shaped section, resistance welding is performed by carrying electricity from the external of the tube-shaped section in a status where the tube-shaped section and the single line conductors are mutually brought into contact, and the connecting terminal is electrically connected with the two single line conductors.
US07832098B2 Method of manufacturing a multilayered printed circuit board
An opening is formed in resin 20 by a laser beam so that a via hole is formed. At this time, copper foil 22, the thickness of which is reduced (to 3 μm) by performing etching to lower the thermal conductivity is used as a conformal mask. Therefore, an opening 20a can be formed in the resin 20 if the number of irradiation of pulse-shape laser beam is reduced. Therefore, occurrence of undercut of the resin 20 which forms an interlayer insulating resin layer can be prevented. Thus, the reliability of the connection of the via holes can be improved.
US07832085B2 Method of manufacturing magnetic head and method of manufacturing magnetic head substructure
A method of manufacturing a magnetic head includes the steps of: fabricating a substructure in which pre-head portions are aligned in a plurality of rows by forming components of a plurality of magnetic heads on a single substrate; and fabricating the plurality of magnetic heads by separating the pre-head portions from one another through cutting the substructure. In the step of fabricating the substructure, the resistance of an MR film that will be formed into an MR element by undergoing lapping later is detected to determine the target position of the boundary between a track width defining portion and a wide portion of a pole layer based on the resistance detected, and the pole layer is thereby formed. In the step of fabricating the magnetic heads, the surface formed by cutting the substructure is lapped such that the MR film is lapped and the resistance thereof thereby reaches a predetermined value.
US07832082B1 Method for manufacturing an integrated lead suspension component
A method for manufacturing an integrated lead suspension component. One or more first conductive ground planes are formed on a stainless steel base layer. One or more second conductive ground planes, including portions on the surface of the first conductive ground planes, are formed at void portions and backed portions of the stainless steel base layer. The material of the second conductive ground planes is non-reactive to a first etchant. An insulating layer is formed on the second ground planes on the side opposite the stainless steel base layer and on the stainless steel base layer. Traces are formed on the insulating layer. Voids are formed in void portions of the stainless steel base layer using the first etchant and the second conductive ground planes at the void portions as etch stops.
US07832081B2 Method of applying outer insulation to a bare stator bar
A method of applying an outer insulation to a bare stator bar to form an insulated stator bar. The method entails extruding at least one extruded member that will form the outer insulation. The extruded member has an opposing pair of edges that are parallel to the longitudinal length of the extruded member. In addition, the extrusion process creates an inner cavity that extends the longitudinal length of the extruded member. A bare stator bar is then inserted into the inner cavity of the outer insulation so that the outer insulation surrounds the perimeter of the bar and extends along a longitudinal length thereof. The opposing pair of edges of the extruded member are then attached together so that the perimeter of the bar is entirely enclosed by the extruded member.
US07832070B2 Apparatus and method for strengthening gear teeth
An apparatus and method for increasing the operating life of a rotating gear element including a plurality of outwardly-projecting gear teeth each having an involute profile, with each gear tooth having a pair of flanks and a pair of generally semi-circular root portions. A ring tool having a plurality of hardened, inwardly-projecting burnishing teeth is employed to plastically deform only the root portions of the gear element being formed, while avoiding contact with the flanks as the gear element is passed through the ring tool. The ring tool also includes a plurality of broaching surfaces or cutting edges for removing excess stock material from the surfaces of the root portions. The ring tool increases the compressive residual stresses in the root portion of the gear element being formed, thereby creating an optimal residual stress profile and greater bending strength within the root portion of the gear element.
US07832069B2 Capacitor device and method of manufacturing the same
A capacitor device includes a capacitor Q constituted by a lower electrode (12) formed on a substrate (10), a dielectric film (14), and an upper electrode (16); an insulating film (18) covering the capacitor Q; a first contact hole (18a) formed in the insulating film (18) on a connection portion (16a) of the upper electrode (16); an electrode pad (20) for preventing a diffusion of solder, formed in the first contact hole (18a); and a solder bump (22) electrically connected to the electrode pad (20), and the upper electrode (16) has a protrusion portion (16a) protruding from the dielectric film (14), and is connected to the first contact hole (18a) on the protrusion portion (16a).
US07832065B2 Device for creating a seal between fabrics or other materials
A fastening system is provided that interconnects and disengages two fastening members. Further, a method of sealing the two fastening members is provided wherein a device that is adapted to separate adjoined fastening members is also used to create an obstruction between the fastening members to prevent the free flow of liquid and/or gas.
US07832063B2 Paper holder
A paper holder has a holding piece made of an elastic material such as synthetic rubber provided with a fixed portion in a flat-plate-like shape and a holding portion integrally formed with the fixed portion at a connection top portion having a joint portion with a long and thin cross section in a direction orthogonal to the insertion direction of papers. The papers are clipped between a holding end portion located on the other side of the connection top portion and a case by return force of the holding portion that rotates with the connection top portion as a fulcrum. An attached elastic auxiliary member adds the return force by regulating the movement of the holding portion.
US07832060B2 Device on a draw frame having a drafting system for textile fibre slivers
In a device on a draw frame having a drafting system for textile fiber slivers with weighting of the upper rolls of the drafting system which comprises roll pairs arranged one behind the other, the pairs having lower and upper rolls, the rotating journals at the ends of the upper roll are mounted by means of bearing elements and the bearing elements each have at least one deep-groove ball bearing having an immovable outer housing (outer ring) and an internal rotational body (inner ring). In order to provide a structurally simple way in which the bearing housings can be mounted on or removed from the presser roll in a simple, quick and reliable manner, the bearing elements are in the form of deep-groove ball bearings and there is a coupling between the journal and the rotational body.
US07832057B2 Extendable multi-axis door hinge
Embodiments of multi-axis vehicle door hinges are provided that are adapted to facilitate pivotal motion of a vehicle door about a substantially vertical axis of rotation for swing-out rotation, lateral motion of a vehicle door about a substantially horizontal plane, as well as to facilitate pivotal motion of a vehicle door about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation for vertical-lift rotation and providing means for adjusting the opening angle of the hinge in both the horizontal and vertical axis of rotation.
US07832054B2 Free stop hinge
The present invention provides a free stop hinge which can be stopped at any angle, the hinge having a structure in which a pressing force by means for pressing can be set with little variation and can be adjusted easily. The free stop hinge of the present invention connects an opening and closing member to a main body portion so that the opening and closing member can be opened and closed with respect to the main body portion and can be stopped at an arbitrary opening angle, which includes a hinge base and a hinge arm rotatably connected to the hinge base through an intermediation of a support shaft. The hinge base and the hinge arm are provided with bearing plates having shaft holes, respectively. Between the bearing plates, a friction plate having a shaft hole is disposed and the hinge arm is supported by a support shaft so as to be rotatable with respect to the hinge base. There is disposed a compression coil spring for biasing one of the bearing plates so as to be pressed to another of the bearing plates through an intermediation of the friction plate the friction plate.
US07832050B2 Floor care apparatus with a three section wand assembly
A floor care apparatus includes a housing having a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly. A suction inlet is provided on the nozzle assembly. A dirt collection vessel, a suction generator and a wand receiver are carried on the housing. The cleaning wand assembly includes a telescoping subassembly, including two telescoping wand sections, and a handle subassembly including a third wand section.
US07832049B2 Snap-together wet nozzle for vacuum appliance
A snap-together wet nozzle for use with a vacuum assembly is described, as well as a removable squeegee assembly for use in combination with a wet nozzle for a vacuum assembly. The snap-together wet nozzle includes an elongated, generally U-shaped nozzle housing having outwardly tapering walls, spaced apart closed ends, and a connecting tube passageway for association with a vacuum-producing means, such as a wet/dry vacuum, and further includes a squeegee assembly capable of being insertably mounted within the elongated, generally U-shaped nozzle housing. The squeegee assembly generally includes a squeegee element comprising a plurality of openings extending through the squeegee element; a first, elongated squeegee bar having spaced apart end grooves at each of its ends; and a second, elongated squeegee bar having spaced apart locking end tabs at each of its ends and a plurality of vanes spaced across the interior face of the bar, wherein when the squeegee assembly is assembled and ready for insertion into the nozzle, the squeegee element is located intermediate between the first and second squeegee bars, and wherein the first and second squeegee bars interlock by the engagement of the end tabs of the second squeegee bar with the end grooves of the first squeegee bar.
US07832040B2 Suspended flexible matrix support system
A suspended matrix support structure has a perimeter frame which supports a flexible matrix formed with intersecting flexible members, the ends of which are supported by the perimeter frame. Edges of the flexible members are held within channels which form a frame about the flexible matrix. In one embodiment, the perimeter frame is constructed of foam with contoured features which support the frame of the flexible matrix. The flexible members of the flexible matrix extend across the expanse within the perimeter frame to provide a flexible support structure which can be used as a mattress, mattress foundation or both in combination.
US07832035B2 Surgical support for patient limb
A surgical arm rest or leg rest for supporting a patient's limb has concave tray or trough supported on a post member that extends downward. An elongated rod member situated below the tray with clamp member adjustably supports the post of the tray. A clamp member permits the rotation angle and tilt angle of the support post to be adjusted. An L-shaped support arm has a vertical arm portion adapted to be received into a support clamp mounted on the surgical table, and a horizontal arm that holds a sleeve member which supports the rod member. A locking lever on the sleeve member locks the rod member in place in the sleeve member.
US07832032B2 Multipurpose sleeping bag
A multipurpose sleeping bag has an opening in the center that can be drawn around one's neck in an over garment mode, or closed in a sleeping bag mode. A draw cord is employed to compress a foot portion and, optionally, a foot draft tube, into a knot-like configuration for the sleeping bag mode. For operations other than the sleeping bag mode, the foot portion is left open to form a skirt-like configuration. Another embodiment configures a multipurpose hypothermia sleeping bag, which includes flap panels positioned on the top side thereof to provide an opening for IV or catheter administration to a hypothermia patient. Each flap panel can also accept a heating device. Chest and back pockets, respectively above and below the head opening, accept heating devices to provide warmth while using the sleeping bag in an over garment mode of operation.
US07832031B1 Bunk bed with integral staircase
The bunk bed with integral staircase includes upper and lower bunks with a set of steps or stairs assembled integrally therewith as a single unit. The staircase includes a chest of drawers therein to provide storage. The staircase structure is configured to allow certain components to be interchanged from one side to the other, permitting the staircase to be assembled to either end of the bunk bed structure as desired. The drawers of the chest extend laterally from the side of the staircase, and may be removed, turned around, and reinstalled in the opposite side of the staircase as desired, according to which end of the bunks the staircase is attached. The bed structure, and particularly the lower bunk, may include additional features, such as additional storage drawers therebeneath, and/or the lower bunk may have a greater width than the upper bunk.
US07832021B2 Medical glove with stethoscope protection
A medical glove is provided for protection against the transmission of infectious agents. The glove comprises a glove body sized to tightly enclose a wearer's hand. The glove body has a palm portion and adjoining finger portions. A webbing adjoins two of the finger portions. The webbing is sized to receive a stethoscope head between the finger portions when the finger portions are separated. The glove is formed of an acoustically transmissive elastomeric material that is substantially non-porous and sufficiently thin to allow tactile sensitivity and dexterity.
US07832018B2 Camouflage suit
A camouflage suit for reducing the discoverability of persons in the visible and infrared spectrum, as for example the thermal infrared spectrum, exhibits a breath-active fabric exhibiting an open fabric structure based on a textile backing. The backing here exhibits a low-emitting surface. This can be achieved by at least partly sheathing or coating the textile backing with an electrically conductive material.
US07836506B2 Threat protection network
Threat protection networks are described. Embodiments of threat protection network in accordance with the invention use expert systems to determine the nature of potential threats to a remote computer. In several embodiments, a secure peer-to-peer network is used to rapidly distribute information concerning the nature of the potential threat through the threat protection network. One embodiment of the invention includes at least one client computer connected to a network, a server that stores threat definition data and is connected to the network, an expert system in communication with the server. In addition, the client computer is configured to refer potential threats to the server, the server is configured to refer to the expert system any potential threat forwarded by a client computer that is not identified in the threat definition data and the expert system is configured to determine whether the potential threat is an actual threat by exposing at least one test computer to the potential threat and observing the behavior of the test computer.
US07836505B2 Accelerated file scanning
Files are tested for presence of a predefined data pattern, such as a virus definition. For each one file of a first plurality of files, physical address data is derived from logical address information. Also, an entry is made in a first data structure. The entry includes file information and the derived physical address data. For each one cylinder of a hard drive, the first data structure is tested to identify any files having file contents stored in the cylinder. When the testing determines that the first data structure includes an entry having physical address data corresponding to the one cylinder, a read operation I requested to read the cylinder. Such testing and reading is repeated to read in multiple cylinders in a generally sequential order. The cylinder content is stored in a buffer. File content is read from the buffer for each one file of a second plurality of files. The read file content is tested for the presence of the predefined data pattern.
US07836498B2 Device to protect victim sites during denial of service attacks
A system architecture for thwarting denial of service attacks on a victim data center is described. The system includes a first plurality of monitors that monitor network traffic flow through the network. The first plurality of monitors is disposed at a second plurality of points in the network. The system includes a central controller that receives data from the plurality of monitors, over a hardened, redundant network. The central controller analyzes network traffic statistics to identify malicious network traffic. In some embodiments of the system, a gateway device is disposed to pass network packets between the network and the victim site. The gateway is disposed to protect the victim site, and is coupled to the control center by the redundant hardened network.
US07836497B2 Apparatus and method for resilient IP security/internet key exchange security gateway
A method and apparatus adapting a Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) between a set of physical SEGs that realize a V-SEG function towards a remote IPsec/IKE peer. In tandem with the VRRP, a new protocol, referred to herein as the IPsec/IKE SA Transfer Protocol (SATP), is introduced to exchange IKE and IPsec SA information between VRRP capable SEGs. SATP synchronizes all participating SEGs with respect to dynamic IPsec state information in near real time. Thus, in the event of a master VRRP SEG failure, one of the hot-standby SEGs takes over the V-SEG function. This allows the V-SEG function to remain functional despite the possible failure of one or more participating SEGs.
US07836485B2 System and method for enrolling in a biometric system
The present invention is a system and method of enrolling potential system users for a biometric system for identity verification. Potential system user information is entered into the system, either by the user or a system operator, and is stored as a partially-enabled user record. The user of a partially-enabled user record fully enables the record by presenting information previously stored in the user record and presenting the remainder of user information necessary to complete record activation. Enrollment data is used to authenticate the system user's identity and authorize related transaction accesses in a biometric system for identity verification.
US07836484B2 Method and apparatus for providing access to an identity service
Method, apparatus and computer program for providing access to identity services of users. A Discovery Service DS server (100) stores for a set of users references (RO1A,ROnB) of identity services (IDSRV-A,IDSRV-B) available for them and usable to contact respectively with the Service Providers SPs (120,130) hosting each of said identity services. For a given identity service not yet registered for a given user, the DS server selects a SP (140) that is able to provide it, and stores a new resource offering (RO2X) that corresponds to the registration of said identity service. For selecting the appropriate SP, the DS server can check a service capability storage (103-2,301) that comprises information about what identity service(s) can be provided by a given SP, and which can be dynamically updated from SPs with the identity services they respectively support. The DS server can contact the user to collect SP preferences and/or service data.
US07836482B2 Information management system
An information management system is described comprising one or more workstations running applications to allow a user of the workstation to connect to a network, such as the Internet. Each application has an analyser, which monitors transmission data that the application is about to transmit to the network or about to receive from the network and which determines an appropriate action to take regarding that transmission data. Such actions may be extracting data from the transmission data, such as passwords and usernames, digital certificates or eCommerce transaction details for storage in a database; ensuring that the transmission data is transmitted at an encryption strength appropriate to the contents of the transmission data; determining whether a check needs to be made as to whether a digital certificate received in transmission data is in force, and determining whether a transaction about to be made by a user of one of the workstations needs third party approval before it is made. The analyser may consult a policy data containing a policy to govern the workstations in order to make its determination. The information management system provides many advantages in the eCommerce environment to on-line trading companies, who may benefit by being able to regulate the transactions made by their staff according to their instructions in a policy data, automatically maintain records of passwords and business conducted on-line, avoid paying for unnecessary checks on the validity of digital certificates and ensure that transmissions of data made by their staff are always protected at an agreed strength of encryption.
US07836479B2 Information provisioning apparatus and information provisioning method
The present invention comprises a synchronization section for performing synchronization of an AV stream and metadata, and a capsulization section for capsulizing an AV stream and metadata every metadata unit, and by reconfiguring metadata unit by unit and capsulizing an AV stream by this means, makes possible partial execution of metadata, and makes it possible to carry out program distribution for processing a segment comprising part of an AV stream, speeding up of response times, reduction of the necessary storage capacity, and reduction of network traffic.
US07836472B2 System and method for loading content in an in-flight entertainment system
An in-flight entertainment system is shown wherein digital content servers are interconnected with network servers such that the content servers can communicate with one another and with a portable data loader. The loader stores digital content files that are to be downloaded to the content servers. A script downloaded to each content server is executed by the server to download some of the files from the portable data loader and cross-load other files from other content servers. Alternatively, a content inventory list is downloaded to each content server that indicates which content server is to download each content file and which content servers are to receive the content file. Each content server parses the list to identify files for which it is the download server, request download of those files, identify other files that it should have and request cross-load of those files from other content servers.
US07836466B2 Methods and systems for generating electronic program guides
Various embodiments provide ways to collect, organize and process metadata associated with particular instances of media content. Metadata can be collected from a variety of metadata providers and organized in individual content folders that can be provided to various client devices. The client devices can process the content folders to provide an electronic program guide for its users. Methods and systems can also make use of user-specific data to evaluate various media content and then make recommendations as to which content a user would most likely wish to experience. Such user-specific data can comprise one or more user preference files that contain information associated with individual users, and one or more significance files that hold values, for individual users, that can be used to determine the significance of any matches found between the user preference files and media content.
US07836463B2 Optical disk drive comprising dust removing apparatus
An optical disk drive which includes a main frame, an upper case coupled to an upper portion of the main frame, and a tray slidably installed on the main frame to carry a disk. The optical disk drive also includes a plurality of projections arranged on at least a top surface of the tray to remove dust contained in air flowing inside the optical disk drive, and a dust adsorbing filter is attached to a surface of each of the projections to adsorb and/or collect dust contained in air passing through an area where the projections are arranged.
US07836455B2 Method and apparatus for signaling transmission code set in data broadcasting
A method of and an apparatus are provided for signaling a transmission code set in data broadcasting. A client using the transmission code set signaling method includes a demultiplexer demultiplexing a packetized elementary stream (PES) packet corresponding to a program selected by a user from the broadcasting stream received by the system interface, an image decoder decoding the demultiplexed PES for images, a sound decoder decoding the demultiplexed PES for sound, and a CPU fetching information about a transmission code set of a character string used in an object carousel message from the demultiplexed message PES and decoding the character string used in the object carousel message based on the fetched information about the transmission code set.
US07836452B2 System, method and program for estimating a requisite amount of server resources
System, method and program product for determining if a plurality of applications executed on a plurality of servers can be executed on a single server. First program instructions determine if the single server has sufficient processor power to execute the plurality of applications. Second program instructions determine if the plurality of applications have a same type of operating system on the plurality of servers. Third program instructions determine if the plurality of applications have a same type of middleware on the plurality of servers. The first program instructions determine peak processor utilizations and times of the peak processor utilizations for the plurality of applications, respectively, to determine whether the single server has sufficient processor power to execute the plurality of applications. Other program instructions determine the single server to be a standard vendor server which has a smallest processor adequate to support processing requirements of the plurality of applications and has a predetermined, minimum processing power in reserve. Other program instructions determine if the plurality of applications have a similar function or are identical. Other program instructions determine if the plurality of applications have a same type of application environment on the plurality of servers.
US07836450B2 Symmetric multiprocessor operating system for execution on non-independent lightweight thread contexts
A multiprocessing system is disclosed. The system includes a multithreading microprocessor, including a plurality of thread contexts (TCs), each comprising a first control indicator for controlling whether the TC is exempt from servicing interrupt requests to an exception domain for the plurality of TCs, and a virtual processing element (VPE), comprising the exception domain, configured to receive the interrupt requests, wherein the interrupt requests are non-specific to the plurality of TCs, wherein the VPE is configured to select a non-exempt one of the plurality of TCs to service each of the interrupt requests, the VPE further comprising a second control indicator for controlling whether the VPE is enabled to select one of the plurality of TCs to service the interrupt requests. The system also includes a multiprocessor operating system (OS), configured to initially set the second control indicator to enable the VPE to service the interrupts, and further configured to schedule execution of threads on the plurality of TCs, wherein each of the threads is configured to individually disable itself from servicing the interrupts by setting the first control indicator, rather than by clearing the second control indicator.
US07836443B2 Network application apparatus
An apparatus and method to distribute applications and services throughout a network, including switch functionality and the ability to apply applications and services to received data according to subscriber profiles. Network Processor Modules (NPMs) receive and recognize data flows from subscribers, extract profile information for the subscribers, and utilize flow scheduling techniques to forward the data to Flow Processor Modules (FPMs). The FPMs utilize resident applications to process data received from the NPMs. A Control Processor Module facilitates applications processing and maintains connections to the NPMs, FPMs, local and remote storage devices, and a Management Server (MS) module that can monitor the health and maintenance of the various modules. The MS can download and otherwise control applications on the FPMs to provide an open architecture for downloading, executing, modifying, and otherwise managing applications.
US07836438B1 Modified classfile registration with a dispatch unit that is responsible for dispatching invocations during runtime execution of modified bytecode
A byte code modification method for a classfile is described. The classfile describes properties of a class within an object oriented environment. The byte code modification method entails modifying a classfile after the classfile has been compiled from source code. The modification of the classfile entails modifying a method information structure by adding byte code instructions to the byte code instructions of the method information structure's respective method. The added, byte code instructions cause a plug-in module's handler method to execute an output function for the method when it is executed during runtime. The modification of the classfile also entails adding a method information structure that includes byte code instructions for registering the identities of the class and the method with a dispatch unit. The dispatch unit is responsible for dispatching an invocation to the plug-in module during runtime execution of the modified byte code, where, the invocation is directed to the dispatch unit from the added byte code instructions.
US07836421B2 Semiconductor layout design apparatus and method for evaluating a floorplan using distances between standard cells and macrocells
A semiconductor layout design apparatus has an inter-block connection information extracting part, a cell initial placement part and an evaluation value. The inter-block connection information extracting part configured to extract the number of wiring connections between a plurality of blocks including standard cells and macrocells based on a net list, library information, floor plan information and technology information. The cell initial placement part configured to initially place the standard cells and the macrocells in an placement region to generate an initial floor plan. The evaluation value calculating part configured to calculate an evaluation value of the floor plan based on distances between a plurality of blocks including the standard cells and the macrocells initially placed by the cell initial placement part and the extracted number of the wiring connections between a plurality of blocks.
US07836415B2 Circuit design method and circuit design system for calculating power consumption considering IR-drop
In a circuit design method, a computer calculates power of each of cells, calculates an IR drop value by calculating a voltage decreased due to an IR drop for each cell by using the power for each cell, determines whether a difference between a current IR drop value and a previous IR drop is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and defines a voltage after the IR drop occurs for each cell by using the IR drop value when the difference is greater than the predetermined value. The computer repeats calculating the power, calculating the IR drop value, and defining the value after the IR drop occurs until the difference becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value.
US07836409B2 Systems and methods for using interaction information to deform representations of digital content
User behavior while interacting with one or more first representations of digital content can be monitored. Interaction information can be determined by monitoring the user behavior while interacting. Interaction information can include information identifying interaction areas of the first representation, degree of interaction information, and sequence of interaction information. The interaction information can be maintained and used to deform a second representation of digital content. The first and second representations can be of the same or different digital content.
US07836407B2 Smart fields
Systems and methods are provided for smart interfaces that shift the burden of cognition from a user or data input source to the computer system controlling the software or user interfaces requiring data input. More particularly, according to embodiments of present invention, by using information known about a user or the user's preferences, a user's geographic location, and/or the geographic location of the site or product being used etc., rules about how to interpret data inputs can be applied to data entries so that the data entries are redisplayed or processed in a normalized format.
US07836405B2 Method for integrating user models to interface design
Designing user interfaces for users in a user population includes modeling behaviorally distinct groups of the users and customizing the user interfaces based on either or both interactive testing by the users and modeling the behaviorally distinct groups of the users. The user population is categorized into the behaviorally distinct groups of the users based on predetermined characteristics and behaviors for the users.
US07836399B2 Detection of lists in vector graphics documents
Various technologies and techniques detect lists in vector graphics based documents and use them in meaningful ways. The system detects at least one list in a vector graphics based document using a set of rules. Pattern detection logic identifies characters, symbols, numbers, letters, and/or images that may start a list. Additional pattern detection logic determines if a list exists. The system can identify and parse bulleted lists, numbered or lettered lists, and nested lists that are any combination of both. Once identified, the content is translated into a modified format. The content can be output to a destination application in the modified format that is more suitable for output or use by the destination application.
US07836392B2 Layout information for data component
In a computer system that is configured to contain schema definitions for several data components, layout information for at least one of the data components is stored in the schema definition for the at least one data component. A method of providing display of data in a graphical user interface includes accessing layout information for a data component, the layout information being included in a schema definition for the data component, and providing, using the accessed layout information, an instance of the data component for display in a graphical user interface. A browser can parse XSD artifacts of reusable building blocks and generate a graphical user interface with the embedded relative layout information of every building block.
US07836390B2 Strategies for processing annotations
Annotation engines are described for handling annotations added to a base document. The annotation engines automatically classify the type of annotations, including, but not limited to: a highlight annotation; a blob annotation (comprising an enclosing-type annotation); an underline annotation; a vertical bracket annotation; a call-out annotation; and a free-note annotation. The annotation engines accept input in the form of a hierarchical tree of document elements and generate an output in the form of a hierarchical tree of annotation elements. Among other uses, a reflow engine can use the output of the annotation engines to properly reposition annotations within a layout-modified base document.
US07836376B2 Method and apparatus for encoding blocks of data with a blocks oriented code and for decoding such blocks with a controllable latency decoding, in particular for a wireless communication system of the WLAN or WPAN type
To control a decoding latency, larger blocks are nonequally segmented into smaller ones. The decoding process starts directly after reception of the first small block. The latency is defined by the latency of the last small block decoding. Changing the number of iterations during the turbo-code decoding also permits control of the decoding latency.
US07836372B2 Memory controller with loopback test interface
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises an interconnect; at least one processor coupled to the interconnect; and at least one memory controller coupled to the interconnect. The memory controller is programmable by the processor into a loopback test mode of operation and, in the loopback test mode, the memory controller is configured to receive a first write operation from the processor over the interconnect. The memory controller is configured to route write data from the first write operation through a plurality of drivers and receivers connected to a plurality of data pins that are capable of connection to one or more memory modules. The memory controller is further configured to return the write data as read data on the interconnect for a first read operation received from the processor on the interconnect.
US07836368B2 Dynamically reconfigurable shared scan-in test architecture
A low overhead dynamically reconfigurable shared scan-in test architecture is provided. This test architecture advantageously allows for changing scan inputs during the scan operation on a per shift basis. The flexibility of reconfiguring the scan input to scan chain mapping every shift cycle can advantageously reduce both test data volume and test application time.
US07836367B2 Dynamically reconfigurable shared scan-in test architecture
A low overhead dynamically reconfigurable shared scan-in test architecture is provided. This test architecture advantageously allows for changing scan inputs during the scan operation on a per shift basis. The flexibility of reconfiguring the scan input to scan chain mapping every shift cycle can advantageously reduce both test data volume and test application time.
US07836365B2 System and method for testing a circuit
Systems and methods for testing a circuit are provided. In one example, a sequential device for use in a scan chain is described. The sequential device may include a scan input, a scan output and a functional data output. The functional data output may be coupled to the scan input and to the scan output. The functional data output may be coupled to the scan output via a delay buffer.
US07836361B2 Apparatus and method for deciding adaptive target packet error rate in wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for deciding a target Packet Error Rate (PER) in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes setting a target PER, comparing a variance of the target PER (Δp(k)) with a previous target PER variance (Δp(k−1)), and updating a next target PER variance (Δp(k+1)) using an average capacity and a previous average capacity in accordance with the comparison result between the target PER variance (Δp(k)) and the previous target PER variance (Δp(k−1)).
US07836350B2 Method of managing paths for an externally-connected storage system and method of detecting a fault site
Provided is a method of controlling a computer system that includes: a computer; a first storage device connected to the computer via a first path and a second path; and a second storage device externally-connected to the first storage system via a third path and connected to the computer via a fourth path, the first storage device providing a first storage area to the computer, the second storage device including a second storage area corresponding to the first storage area, the method including: judging whether or not a fault has occurred in at least one of the first to fourth paths; selecting, a path used for access to the first or second storage area; and transmitting the access request for the first or second storage area by using the selected path. Accordingly, in the computer system, an application can be prevented from being stopped despite a fault in a path.
US07836346B1 Method and system for analyzing software test results
A method for analyzing software test results that includes identifying a test result of a failed test case in a test log, determining whether the failed test case has a related defect report, and storing a selectable link to the related defect report in the test result when the failed test case has the related defect report.
US07836344B2 Method for automatic dump assurance
A computer implemented method, an apparatus, and a computer usable program product are provided for adjusting a dump file space in a data processing system. Events with a potential to cause a dump are detected in a data processing system. A dump file size is estimated based on the detected events. The estimated dump file size is compared to the size of an allocated dump file space. A value results from the comparison reflecting the difference between the estimated dump file size and the size of the allocated dump file space. If the allocated dump file space is insufficient to hold a dump file of the estimated size, storage space is reclaimed and the allocated dump file space is expanded to at least the estimated size.
US07836333B2 Redundant configuration method of a storage system maintenance/management apparatus
Provided is a method of managing a computer system including a plurality of storage systems and a plurality of management appliances for managing the plurality of storage systems. A first management appliance and a second management appliance hold an identifier of a first storage system and management data obtained from the first storage system. The method includes the steps of: selecting a third management appliance from the plurality of management appliances when a failure occurs in the first management appliance; transmitting the identifier held in the second management appliance from the second management appliance to the selected third management appliance; and holding the identifier transmitted from the second management appliance in the selected third management appliance. Thus, it is possible to prevent, after failing-over due to an abnormality of a maintenance/management appliance, a single point of failure from occurring to reduce reliability of the maintenance/management appliance.
US07836327B2 Signal processing circuit for accessing a memory based on adjustable memory control clock
A delay time of a reference clock CLK is changed to generate a memory control clock CLKd, a data value output from a write data generating section is written in a memory based on the memory control clock CLKd, while successively changing the delay time of the memory control clock CLKd with respect to the reference clock CLK, the data value written in the memory is read, and the delay time suitable for access to the memory is selected from the delay time of the memory control clock CLKd with respect to the reference clock CLK based on a comparison result of the data values.
US07836326B2 Apparatus with variable pipeline stages via unification processing and cancellation
To satisfy a required processing speed and achieve the maximum power-saving effect in a microprocessor. A control value is calculated by performing proportional and integral processing on a deviation of a target instruction execution number from a measured instruction execution number. Unification processing or unification cancellation processing is performed in accordance with the control value. The unification processing stops supply of clocks to selected pipeline registers and controls the pipeline such that a signal passes through the pipeline registers so as to reduce the number of stages of the pipeline. The unification cancellation processing resumes the supply of clocks to the selected pipeline registers and controls the pipeline such that the pipeline registers latch the signal in synchronism with the clocks so as to increase the number of stages of the pipeline. The frequency of clocks supplied to the pipeline registers is changed in accordance with the changed number of stages.
US07836322B2 System for controlling an array of point-of-load regulators and auxiliary devices
A power control system comprises at least one programmable voltage regulator, at least one non-programmable auxiliary voltage regulator, and a system controller operatively connected to the at least one programmable voltage regulator and to said at least one auxiliary voltage regulator via a common serial data bus. The at least one programmable voltage regulator is adapted to provide a corresponding output voltage having characteristics defined by received programming data and to provide monitoring data reflecting operational status of the at least one programmable voltage regulator. The at least one non-programmable auxiliary voltage regulator is adapted to provide a corresponding output voltage in response to an enable signal. The system controller is adapted to send the programming data and receive the monitoring data via the serial data bus. A data monitoring circuit is operatively coupled to the at least one auxiliary voltage regulator to receive analog measurements therefrom and communicate corresponding monitoring data to the system controller.
US07836312B2 Information acquisition enabled/disabled inspection system
A technique for acquiring information. In response to receiving a request to read data stored in a database, said data is read from said database. In response to receiving a request to deliver particular data among said read data at a point in time when said particular data is to be used, it is determined whether said delivery request satisfies predetermined criteria. Said particular data is delivered in response to determining that said delivery request satisfies said predetermined criteria.
US07836306B2 Establishing secure mutual trust using an insecure password
A process for establishing secure mutual trust includes generating a one-time-password. The one-time-password is transferred between the devices in a communication occurring off of the network. Each device generates a set of authenticators by hashing a plurality of sub-strings of the password and the device's authentication certificate with a respective set of nonces. The devices exchange the respective sets of authenticators. Each device then alternates revealing its respective set of nonces and its authentication certificate in a multi-stage process. The devices re-calculate the authenticators based upon the respective set of nonces and authentication certificate revealed by the other device along with the one-time-password sub-strings that it posses. If each device determines that the authenticators re-calculated by the given device matches the authenticators previously received from the other device, secure mutual trust is established.
US07836292B1 System for configuration of dynamic computing environments using a visual interface
The present invention discloses a user interface for creating a dynamic computing environment using allocateable resources. The interface enables the fast, efficient selection and configuration of resources for the computing environment. The resources are fully selectable and allocable by a system architect. In a first embodiment, the ability is provided that allows a customer or system architect to design a system by allocating resources and specifying how the resources are to be used. The system architect may create a computing environment from a remotely accessible user interface such as a web page on the Internet. Thus, the system architect can create, modify and operate the environment from anywhere in the world.
US07836291B2 Method, medium, and apparatus with interrupt handling in a reconfigurable array
A method, medium, and apparatus to effectively handle an interrupt in a reconfigurable array. In the method, the reconfigurable array pauses execution of an operation when an interrupt request occurs, and after storing register values of a register to be used for handling the interrupt request, an interrupt service is performed by select processing units of the reconfigurable array in response to the interrupt request. Upon completion of the interrupt service, the register values are restored, and the reconfigurable array resumes execution of the operation.
US07836290B2 Return address stack recovery in a speculative execution computing apparatus
A technique recovers return address stack (RAS) content and restores alignment of a RAS top-of-stack (TOS) pointer for occurrences of mispredictions due to speculative operation, out-of-order instruction processing, and exception handling. In at least one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes a speculative execution processor pipeline, a first structure for maintaining return addresses relative to instruction flow at a first stage of the pipeline, at least a second structure for maintaining return addresses relative to instruction flow at a second stage of the pipeline. The second stage of the pipeline is deeper in the pipeline than the first stage. The apparatus includes circuitry operable to reproduce at least return addresses from the second structure to the first structure.
US07836288B2 Branch prediction mechanism including a branch prediction memory and a branch prediction cache
A data processing system 2 incorporating an instruction pipeline 14 and a prefetch unit 16 is provided with a branch prediction mechanism using both a branch prediction memory 20 storing 1-bit values indicating strongly taken or strongly not taken together with a branch prediction cache indicating for certain selected branch history values either weakly taken or weakly not taken predictions. When a conditional branch instruction is encountered, then the preceding branch prediction history is used to access a first prediction within the branch prediction memory 20 and is looked up to check for a hit within the branch prediction cache 22. If a hit occurs, then a second prediction within the branch prediction cache 22 is used in preference to the first prediction, otherwise the first prediction is used. The misprediction by a first prediction value stored within the branch prediction memory 20 triggers a second prediction to be cached within the branch prediction cache 22 corresponding to that mispredicted history value.
US07836285B2 Implementation of variable length instruction encoding using alias addressing
A digital processor and method of operation utilize an alias address space to implement variable length instruction encoding on a legacy processor. The method includes storing instructions of a code sequence in memory; generating instruction addresses of the code sequence; automatically switching between a first operating mode and a second operating mode in response to a transition in instruction addresses between a first address space and a second address space, wherein addresses in the first and second address spaces access a common memory space; in the first operating mode, accessing instructions in the first address space; in the second operating mode, accessing instructions in the second address space; and executing the accessed instructions of the code sequence. Instructions of different instruction lengths may be utilized in the first and second operating modes.
US07836281B1 Continuing execution in scout mode while a main thread resumes normal execution
A system that facilitates improving performance of a processor during scout mode. During a normal-execution mode, the system executes instructions for using main thread. Upon encountering a stall condition during execution of the main thread, the system generates a checkpoint. The system then enters a scout mode, wherein instructions are speculatively executed by a speculative thread to prefetch future memory references, but results are not committed to the architectural state of the processor. Upon encountering a memory reference during scout mode, the system issues a prefetch for the memory reference. If the stall condition that caused the processor to enter scout mode is resolved, the system uses the checkpoint to resume execution of the main thread from the instruction that caused the stall condition, and simultaneously continues executing instructions in scout mode using the speculative thread from the point where the speculative thread left off.
US07836270B2 Method of improving the detection of opening and method for reducing the booting time of a wireless terminal
Disclosed is a method for reducing booting time of a wireless terminal by decreasing the time taken for copying the codes of the NAND memory to the RAM, and thus shortening the time taken for readying the wireless terminal. The method includes executing a program counter of the code region of a virtual memory, determining whether a page table contains the physical address of a first physical memory mapped by the corresponding virtual address of the virtual memory reached by the program counter, causing an abort handler to assign the physical address mapped by the corresponding virtual address to the page table if the page table does not contain the physical address mapped by the corresponding virtual address, copying the code of the corresponding virtual address for performing the booting mode at the corresponding physical address of the first physical memory, and repeating the previous steps to copy all the codes for performing the booting mode to the first physical memory.
US07836266B2 Managing snapshot history in a data storage system
A method for creating logical volume snapshots in a data storage system, including receiving a first write command to write first data to a partition of a logical volume, generating a first partition descriptor record (PDR), and storing the first data at a first physical location associated with the first PDR. A snapshot command is then received to form a snapshot of the logical volume, after which a second write command is received to write second data to the partition. In response to the second write command, a second PDR is generated and the second data is stored at a second physical location associated with the second PDR. A pointer between the first PDR and the second PDR is generated. In response to a read command indicating a number of a desired snapshot of the logical volume, the first PDR is accessed using the pointer.
US07836262B2 Converting victim writeback to a fill
In one embodiment, a processor may be configured to write ECC granular stores into the data cache, while non-ECC granular stores may be merged with cache data in a memory request buffer. In one embodiment, a processor may be configured to detect that a victim block writeback hits one or more stores in a memory request buffer (or vice versa) and may convert the victim block writeback to a fill. In one embodiment, a processor may speculatively issue stores that are subsequent to a load from a load/store queue, but prevent the update for the stores in response to a snoop hit on the load.
US07836257B2 System and method for cache line replacement selection in a multiprocessor environment
A method for managing a cache operates in a data processing system with a system memory and a plurality of processing units (PUs). A first PU determines that one of a plurality of cache lines in a first cache of the first PU must be replaced with a first data block, and determines whether the first data block is a victim cache line from another one of the plurality of PUs. In the event the first data block is not a victim cache line from another one of the plurality of PUs, the first cache does not contain a cache line in coherency state invalid, and the first cache contains a cache line in coherency state moved, the first PU selects a cache line in coherency state moved, stores the first data block in the selected cache line and updates the coherency state of the first data block.
US07836256B2 Method and apparatus for application-specific dynamic cache placement
One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for application-specific dynamic cache placement includes grouping sets of data in a cache memory system into two or more virtual partitions and processing a load/store instruction in accordance with the virtual partitions, where the load/store instruction specifies at least one of the virtual partitions to which the load/store instruction is assigned.
US07836239B2 Secured USB peripheral
A device includes a serial port for connecting as a slave to a master device through a serial link. The device further includes a detection circuit for detecting the presence of an impedance of the master device, linked to a terminal of the serial port. The device can be used with microprocessor cards comprising a USB port.
US07836238B2 Hot-plug/remove of a new component in a running PCIe fabric
Mechanisms for hot-plug/remove of a new component in a running communication fabric, such as a PCIe fabric, are provided. With these mechanisms, the addition of a new component in the fabric is detected and an event is sent to a multiple root fabric configuration manager. The multiple root fabric configuration manager gathers information about the new component and updates its I/O component tree structure in its configuration data structure to include the new component. The new component may then be utilized via the updated configuration data structure. When a component is to be removed, the multiple root fabric configuration manager receives an event indicating the component to be removed, determines which branches of the tree structure are affected by the removal, and updates its configuration data structure accordingly to remove the component and its associated components from the virtual plane of the removed component.
US07836237B2 Changeable CPU module apparatus for a computer
The invention relates to a changeable central processing unit (CPU) module apparatus for a computer, comprising a system control module board, a CPU module board and a heat-dissipating device. A second bus connector of the CPU module board is a golden finger plug extending from the CPU module board and is installed on a socket plug of a first bus connector of the system control module board. With the invention, a user can reduce the cost of updating the CPU and increase the period of using a peripheral equipment of the computer.
US07836236B2 Extended secure-digital (SD) devices and hosts
Systems and methods for communicating using various protocols through the Secured Digital (SD) physical interface are disclosed. The invention covers, among others, single-mode and multi-mode hosts, single-mode and multi-mode devices, as well as techniques for initializing these hosts and devices in order to facilitate the aforementioned communication.
US07836232B2 Single wire serial communication system
Disclosed is a single wire communication system for communicating between integrated circuits. The single wire communication system comprises an upper control device generating control commands, a to-be-controlled chip operating with the control commands, and a single wire communication module transferring the control commands. The single wire communication module processes the control commands from the upper control device with the control commands separated into a start signal, a data signal, an end signal, and an ack signal, converts them to at least one or more bits of data bits, and the transfers them to the to-be-controlled chip. By doing so, the present invention can transfer the control commands from the upper control device to the to-be-controlled chip without any loss or distortion caused from unstable factors such as noises, and enables high speed process of a number of commands.
US07836222B2 System and method for tracking messages between a processing unit and an external device
An apparatus which uses channel counters in combination with channel count read instructions as a means of providing information that data in a given channel is valid or has not been previously read. The counter may also, in the situation of the channel being defined as blocking, be used to prevent the unintentional overwriting of data in a register used by the channel or, alternatively, prevent further communications with the device assigned to that channel when a given count occurs. Intelligent external devices may also use channel count read instructions sent to the counting mechanism for reading from and writing to the channel.
US07836215B2 Method for providing high performance storage devices
The exemplary embodiments of this invention provide in one non-limiting aspect thereof a control device operable to execute a filter layer, and includes a first interface for coupling to a first storage device and a second interface for coupling to a second storage device. The filter layer receives communications and, in a first mode, synchronously transmits the communications to the first storage device and asynchronously transmits the communications to the second storage device, and, in a second mode, synchronously transmits the communications to the second storage device.
US07836214B2 Managing configuration of computer systems on a computer network
A system configuration manager provides a graphical user interface that allows a system administrator to easily administer configuration settings for different computer systems and platforms on a computer network. The system configuration manager allows identifying one system configuration or a settings profile as a “model system”. Once the model system is defined, other computer systems may be compared to the model system. Differences between the selected computer systems and the model system are then displayed, and the system configuration manager may be used to update the selected computer systems with configuration settings specified in the model system. Cross-platform support is provided by a configuration mapping mechanism that maps configuration information from one platform to corresponding configuration information for another platform. The configuration mapping mechanism effectively hides the differences between platforms by translating the configuration information from a selected platform to corresponding configuration information for the model system.
US07836206B2 Context transfer and common IP address for DHCP proxy solution in WiMAX
A network comprising a network component configured with a common internet protocol (IP) address, wherein a similar network component in a similar network is configured with the common IP address, and wherein the network is in communication with the similar network. The disclosure includes a network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising communicating with a mobile station (MS) using an IP address that is common for similar elements in similar networks, and receiving a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) context associated with the MS. Also disclosed is a first access network in communication with a second access network, the first access network comprising a first DHCP proxy configured with a substantially identical IP address as a second DHCP proxy in the second access network, and an agent configured to promote transfer of a DHCP context to the second access network.
US07836192B2 Parental controls for a media console
Techniques to enable parental control for a media console are described. One such technique involves enabling user-specific security (or rights) settings. This technique includes first receiving a user identifier from a user interface of a media console. The technique includes next determining a first security profile for the media console based on the user identifier. In this technique, the first security profile defines a supervised operating configuration for the media console that is specific to the user identifier, and which is controlled by an authorized party, such as a parent. Finally, the technique includes enabling use of the first media console subject to the first security profile. In this technique, the first security profile thereby defines parental control choices regarding use of the first media console by the first user, e.g., a child.
US07836191B2 Apparatus, method and computer program product for guaranteed content delivery incorporating putting a client on-hold based on response time
An apparatus, method and computer program product for guaranteeing network client-server response time while providing a way of putting the client on-hold when the response time temporarily prohibits access to the requested server. The apparatus is implemented within an interface unit connecting a plurality of servers and an on-hold server to the Internet, which is connected to a plurality of clients. According to one aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of opening a connection between a client and the interface unit; determining which server the client desires a page from; determining the current response time of the requested server; if the response time is acceptable then opening a connection between the interface unit and the requested server if no free connection is open between the interface unit and the requested server; allowing the client to access information on the requested server via the connections; and closing the connection between the client and the interface unit while keeping open the connection between the interface unit and the requested server. Alternatively, if the response time is not acceptable, then putting the client on-hold by redirecting the client to an on-hold server until the response time of the requested server becomes acceptable. According to a “on-hold distribution” aspect of the invention, the interface unit determines the on-hold preference of the client and selects the server hosting that on-hold preference. According to another aspect of the invention, instead of utilizing the interface unit, each server has the intelligence to put the client on-hold when applicable.
US07836189B2 Multiple simultaneous wireless connections in a wireless local area network
Multiple simultaneous associations with Wireless Access Points (WAPs) may be formed by a given wireless client to enable handoffs between the WAPs to be accelerated and, optionally, to enable both WAPs to provide simultaneous wireless services to the wireless client. Upon forming a primary association with one WAP the wireless client scans for beacon signals from other WAPs. Upon detecting another WAP, the wireless client transmits a Request To Send (RTS) message to the new WAP indicating the identity of the primary WAP. The wireless client may also identify the new WAP to the primary WAP using a RTS message. The primary and secondary WAPs exchange information so that, in the event of a handoff, the required information has already been shared with the new WAP. Optionally, the several WAPs may provide simultaneous service to the wireless client.
US07836188B1 IP unified agent using an XML voice enabled web based application server
A method for inter-process communication between non-persistent application instances includes establishing a first non-persistent application instance serving a first party and establishing a second non-persistent application instance serving a second party. In the first application instance, an HTML page is generated having instructions for a persistent browser instance having received the HTML page to initiate a new application session for the second party. Thus, inter-application communication is possible where one non-persistent application instance is able to notify and/or interrupt another non-persistent application instance by way of an associated real time component (web browser or proxy browser).
US07836187B2 Method to identify transactions and manage the capacity to support the transaction
A monitoring program contains a method for detecting a load imbalance in a group of servers and providing notification so that corrections can be made. An embodiment of the invention reads from the address resolution protocol (ARP) cache to determine which server addresses are present, then clears the ARP cache. The address resolution protocol will repopulate the cache from traffic it snoops and from new requests. By performing this query and clear operation periodically, the tracking program can form a picture of the activity levels of the servers. When a significant imbalance exists, the program notifies a control console for human intervention to solve the problem. The tracking program will periodically write its results to a log file, allowing reports for various time periods to be produced as needed. By this mechanism, not only can an imbalance be quickly detected, but underutilization can be picked up by comparing known capability of a resource to its actual usage.
US07836182B1 Network device having universal address pool manager and a multi-protocol network address pool
The invention relates to a universal Address Pool Manager (APM) for processing network access address requests from clients operating at one of many access protocols. The APM, located within a network device, such as a router, manages an aggregated pool of network addresses and assigns addresses to the clients from the pool in accordance with the multiple access protocols. The aggregated address pool may be co-located within the network device with the APM, or alternatively, the address pool may be located within an off-box network device, such as an off-box authentication server or an off-box DHCP server. Utilization of an APM that manages an aggregated address pool for processing requests from multiple access protocols may reduce operational costs for network service providers that support multiple access networks.
US07836180B2 Secure segregation of data of two or more domains or trust realms transmitted through a common data channel
A system for transporting data comprising a first domain comprising a first plurality of filters in a first communication channel, the first communications channel including a common portion, the first plurality of filters employing a first plurality of filtering criteria; a second domain comprising a second plurality of filters in a second communications channel, the second communications channel including the common portion, the second plurality of filters employing a second plurality of filtering criteria; a plurality of managers each coupled to one of the first plurality of filters and the second plurality of filters, each of the plurality of managers comprising means for configuring the one of the first plurality of filters and the second plurality of filters; and at least one control terminal coupled to the plurality of managers for controlling said plurality of managers.
US07836175B2 Apparatus and method for processing management information
An apparatus for processing management information, comprising; a processing engine operable to receive current data and store the current data in a data store, a forecaster engine operable to read past data and current data from the data store and generate forecast data, and store the forecast data in a forecast data store, and a user interface module operable to read the past data, current data and forecast data and generate a common output in accordance with the past data, current and forecast data.
US07836171B2 Communication link interception using link fingerprint analysis
A method for monitoring communication includes intercepting one or more communication links, which are part of a communication system that includes a plurality of the communication links. Data content that is carried by the one or more communication links is decoded. First and second mathematical fingerprints related to the one or more intercepted communication links are computed by evaluating statistical characteristics of the data content decoded from the one or more communication links. The first and second fingerprints are compared to produce a matching result, and a predefined action is performed with respect to the one or more communication links responsively to the matching result.
US07836170B2 Suspension and reinstatement of reference handles
A handle administration system is described in which software agents receive handles to various resources that they can use to obtain the resources. The described embodiments provide multiple states that can be assumed by the handles. An unassigned state is provided in which handles are not assigned to a particular resource, nor can they be dereferenced to obtain pointers to any resources. An assigned state is provided in which handles are assigned to a particular resource and can be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to the resource. A suspended state is provided in which the handles are assigned to a particular resource but cannot be dereferenced to obtain a pointer to that resource.
US07836168B1 System and methodology providing flexible and distributed processing in an industrial controller environment
The present invention relates to a system and methodology facilitating flexible resource distribution in an industrial control environment. A query component is provided to determine one or more system resources from a networked industrial controller system, wherein the resources can include listings of applications, configurations, variable settings, and performance capabilities associated with a controller. Upon receiving available resource listings from various control devices, a distribution component can update the devices based in part on the resource listings and according to various criteria. A configuration component can be utilized in the controller system to provide network updates of controller parameters and to facilitate automated protocol selections when interacting with out-of-network devices. An analysis component can interact with the query, distribution, and configuration components to support higher-level decision-making in the resource distribution and allocation process.
US07836166B2 Determining the service set identification of an access point in a wireless local area network
The service set identification (SSID) of an access point (AP) in a wireless local area network (WLAN), where the AP suppresses its SSID in beacon frames broadcasted by the AP, is determined. At a detector located in the WLAN, a probe request broadcasted by a station through the WLAN is received. At the detector, a probe response sent by the AP to the station through the WLAN in response to the probe request broadcasted by the station is received. At the detector, the SSID of the AP is obtained from the received probe response.
US07836155B2 Method and system for address assignment in mobile ad-hoc network
A method for assigning a global address to a node in an ad-hoc network is provided. A joining node to the ad-hoc network generates a local address using its MAC address. The joining node inquires of its one-hop nodes about whether they occupy a local address that is the same as the generated local address. When the joining node is informed that there are no nodes occupying the same local address, it generates a global address using the generated local address and a global prefix provided from neighbor nodes. The joining node inquires of an Internet gateway about whether the generated global address is currently used. When the joining node is informed that there are no nodes currently using the same global address, the joining node is assigned the generated global address. Further, the joining node and the Internet gateway communicate messages via a relay node using a tunneling.
US07836153B1 Method and system to facilitate management of a distributed network
A distributed system having improved management characteristics. A management entity is coupled to a plurality of hub nodes in the distributed network. The hub nodes are each associated with a plurality of integrated access devices (IADs). The hub node proxies each of the associated IADs such that from the management entity point of view, the hub node and associated IADs appear to be a single network element. Management requests for the IAD are then handled in the hub node transparently to the management entity.
US07836148B2 Method and apparatus for generating object-oriented world wide web pages
In the present invention, HTML elements are mapped to objects in an object-oriented environment. Classes of objects are defined for each HTML element as well as the HTML document (or page). By providing a one-to-one mapping between each HTML element and object classes, HTML documents can be manipulated programmatically. The properties of each element are stored in instance variables of the associated object. Each object class can include methods to manipulate the HTML element within an HTML document.
US07836146B2 System and method for concurrently downloading digital content and recording to removable media
A method, system and program product to simultaneously download and burn digital media files via the Internet, including audio, video, video games and other digital content and data, onto removable storage media on personal computer burners. Large media files can be downloaded by pushing files or portions of files to computer memory and simultaneously downloading and burning files selected by a user. Once a file is burned to disc, it is then deleted from the computer's memory. A lossless compression scheme is used for audio files to decrease file size, making the downloading process faster and requiring less hard drive space. Content files other than audio are downloaded and burned through the same one-step process, without using a lossless compression scheme. An alternative method delays the start of the burn process to ensure that the downloaded files are written continuously to the removable storage media.
US07836141B2 Systems and method for storing, delivering, and managing messages
Systems and methods of storing a message directed to a user and delivering the message from a network server to a user's client device provide for receiving the message and storing the message to an access-restricted user-specific message storage area. When an access request from an application program executing on the user's client device is received via a packet switched network in accordance with an Internet protocol, a determination is made whether to grant or deny the access request. If the request is granted, a link is provided to the user, wherein selection of the link causes the message to be transmitted to the application program via the packet switched network in accordance with the Internet protocol.
US07836139B1 Method for grouping exchange 2007 journal messages
During an initial scan of a journal inbox, journal reports are modified so that the Internet Message ID in the text body appears as a custom message ID value in a new custom message ID MAPI property created on the journal reports. Further, the message class value of the message class MAPI property on the journal reports is modified to a journal part. During a secondary scan of the journal inbox, related journal parts are grouped together based on the custom message ID value and message content. Also, the message class value is modified to prevent the journal reports from being considered in subsequent initial or secondary scans. One of the journal reports of each group is selected as a master copy. A new custom related journal parts MAPI property is created on the master copy that includes a related journal parts value which is a list of identifiers that can be used to locate the other related journal parts of the group.
US07836136B1 Method and apparatus for processing electronic messages
Methods and apparatuses for processing electronic messages are described herein. In one aspect of the invention, for an outgoing message addressed to a mail address of a recipient, the mail client determines whether is an alternative messaging system available to the mail address of the recipient. If there is an alternative messaging system available, the mail client determines whether the recipient's alternative messaging system is online. If so, the mail client sends the mail message to the recipient via the alternative messaging system. Otherwise, the mail client sends the message via normal mail system. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07836130B2 Method and system for providing a collaboration service in enterprise business software
Disclosed is a method and system for creating a first collaboration service node for a first software object node and linking the first collaboration service node to a second collaboration service node hierarchically to represent a link structure between the first software object node and a second software object node. A collaboration service provided by the first collaboration service node is determined based on a type of the first software object node and the collaboration service for the first software object node is executed.
US07836125B2 System and method for updating message data in an interactive disc player network
An interactive DVD system for reproducing chatting data is provided. The Content disk player is connected to a content server via a communication network. The Content disk player system comprises means for forwarding a request to the content server to receive new chatting data associated with content for play-back by the Content disk player, wherein the request comprises a first LUT information; means for receiving the new chatting data and a second LUT information associated with the new chatting data; means for playing back the new chatting data in synchronization with content provided from a content source.
US07836114B2 Apparatus for generating ranging binary code sequence at high-speed, and method thereof
Provided is an apparatus for generating a ranging binary code sequence at a high-speed, and a method thereof. The apparatus includes: an initial register value generator for generating initial register values of minimum valid ranging codes; a storage for storing the generated initial register values of the valid ranging codes(≦K, where K is the ranging value transmitted by base station); a binary code sequence generator for generating a binary code sequence of a corresponding ranging code; and a procedure for incrementally updating the initial register values as receiving the new ranging code from base station.
US07836113B2 Dedicated logic cells employing configurable logic and dedicated logic functions
A dedicated logic cell in a programmable logic structure is described that comprises the following primary components: a configurable logic function or look-up table (LL), a dedicated logic function (DL), a sequential logic function (LS), and a control logic function (LC). In this illustration, the dedicated logic cell comprises two configurable logic functions, two sequential logic functions, a dedicate logic function, and a control logic function. In a first embodiment, the dedicated logic cell is constructed with a combination of configurable logic functions that are coupled to a dedicated logic function in order to perform a four 2-input function, an AND function, an OR function, or an XOR function. In a second embodiment, the dedicated logic cell is constructed with a combination of configurable logic functions that are coupled to a dedicated logic function in order to perform a four 2-to-1 multiplexer function. It a third embodiment, the dedicated logic cell is constructed with a plurality of configurable logic functions that operate as a two 6-input function with separate inputs. In a fourth embodiment, the dedicated logic cell is constructed with a combination of a configurable logic function with sequential logic functions that operate as a loadable, resettable, clearable shift register. In a fifth embodiment, the dedicated logic cell is constructed with a combination of configurable logic functions, a dedicated logic function, and sequential logic functions that operate as an accumulator.
US07836108B1 Clustering by previous representative
A method may include identifying documents in a current clustering operation, assigning the identified documents to one or more clusters, selecting a current representative document for each of the one or more clusters, determining whether the current representative document has been re-crawled, determining a previous representative document with which the current representative document was previously associated in a prior clustering operation, if it is determined that the current representative document has not been re-crawled, determining one of the one or more clusters to which the previous representative document has been assigned in the current clustering operation, combining one of the one or more clusters associated with the current representative document that has not been re-crawled with the one of the one or more clusters associated with the previous representative document into a combined cluster, and storing information regarding the combined cluster.
US07836099B2 Mail compression scheme with individual message decompressability
Embodiments of the present inversion relate to a two-pass compression scheme that achieves compression performance on par with existing methods while admitting individual message decompression. These methods provide both storage savings and lower end-user latency. They preserve the advantages of standard text compression in exploiting short-range similarities in data, while introducing a second step to take advantage of long-range similarities often present in certain types of structured data, e.g. email archival files.
US07836098B2 Accelerating value-based lookup of XML document in XQuery
A method and apparatus for accelerating value-based lookups of XML documents in XQuery is provided. XML indices can help to optimize SQL queries of XML documents stored in object-relational databases. Certain SQL/XML functions such as XMLTABLE( ) use XQuery expressions to query XML documents. Previously, such queries could not use the XML index because the PATH table of the XML index was not defined for XQuery semantics. Techniques described herein extend the XML index for use with queries that require evaluation of XQuery expressions. Consequently, techniques described herein accelerate value-based lookups of XML documents in XQuery by introducing the possibility of an index-assisted evaluation of XQuery expressions.
US07836091B2 Systems and methods for providing access to an embedded thumbnail image
Systems and methods are disclosed for providing access to a thumbnail image that is embedded within an image file along with a corresponding main image. An exemplary method involves receiving a request from a client for the thumbnail image. The thumbnail image is retrieved from an image host. The entire image file is not retrieved from the image host. The thumbnail image may be sent to the client. Alternatively, the thumbnail location information may be sent to the client. Retrieving the thumbnail image from the image host may involve identifying a location of the thumbnail image within the image file, and retrieving data from the image file corresponding to the location.
US07836081B2 Event notification verification and escalation
Documents to be accessed over a computer network are stored in network data storage such that each document is associated with a document archive and a task is associated with each stored document. An escalation list is created for each task and is associated with the document archive so as to specify an ordered list of escalation items to be satisfied until fulfillment of the task. When a parameter associated with each escalation list item has been satisfied, process operations associated with the next escalation list item are performed. Fulfillment of the task results in appending a verification of task fulfillment to the document archive.
US07836076B2 Distributing content indices
A query-centric system and process for distributing reverse indices for a distributed content system. Relevance ranking techniques in organizing distributed system indices. Query-centric configuration subprocesses (1) analyze query data, partitioning terms for reverse index server(s) (RIS), (2) distribute each partitioned data set by generally localizing search terms for the RIS that have some query-centric correlation, and (3) generate and maintain a map for the partitioned reverse index system terms by mapping the terms for the reverse index to a plurality of different index server nodes. Indexing subprocess element builds distributed reverse indices from content host indices. Routines of the query execution use the map derived in the configuration to more efficiently return more relevant search results to the searcher.
US07836071B2 Displaying relevant abstract database elements
Embodiments of the invention enable users of an abstract database to use logical fields that are relevant to a given model entity. In one embodiment, a user may be presented with a query interface that includes relevant fields, and which may be used to compose abstract queries. In another embodiment, the query interface may include an initial query result, and may include relevant fields for model entities included in the initial query result. The query interface may be configured to enable a user to perform subsequent query operations using the included relevant fields.
US07836064B2 System and method for providing improved access to a search tool in electronic mail-enabled applications
Disclosed is a system and method for providing users of web-accessible E-mail services with improved access to their E-mail messages and other information. In one embodiment, access to a search tool is provided to users of a web-accessible electronic mail service by software which integrates with a mail-enabled application running on a user's client machine. The software displays a field within a user interface of the mail-enabled application for receiving user input of a search term. The search term is used to build a URL that is communicated to a web-accessible E-mail service. A browser is launched to display at least one page resulting from the communication of the URL.
US07836039B2 Searching descendant pages for persistent keywords
A request is received that includes a primary keyword and a persistent keyword. In response to the request, a root page is found that includes a first term that matches the primary keyword. Descendant pages of the root page are searched for a second term that matches the persistent keyword. The search determines that the descendant pages are at levels on paths from the root page and that the levels are within a depth from the root page. A descendant page is found that is a descendant of the root page and that includes a second term that matches the persistent keyword. A root link that points at the root page and a descendant link that points at the descendant page are sent to the requester. If the number of times that the primary keyword was received is greater than a threshold number, then the primary keyword is added to the persistent keywords.
US07836032B2 Remapping child references when parent reference updates are processed
The present invention presents a method, system and computer-implementable medium for remapping child references when parent reference updates are processed. The method includes the steps of creating a table that is used to store List Of Value (LOV) reference updates that need to be processed for remapping; creating triggers to populate the table dynamically as the LOV reference updates occur; extracting object mapping definitions from a definition repository; storing extracted object mapping definitions into a control table in memory; capturing LOV reference updates dynamically as they occur and populating the updates in the table via the triggers; matching the extracted object mapping definitions with the LOV reference updates; and remapping child references of parent LOV data using matched object mapping definitions
US07836029B2 Systems and methods of searching for and determining modified blocks in a file system
The invention relates to a method of determining if a block was modified in a file system by comparing the versions of the base snapshot, the delta snapshot, and the space map block entry (b, e). In another aspect, the invention relates to a method of searching for blocks modified in a tree structured file system. The invention relates to methods and systems of snapshot management of a file system in a data storage system. To represent the snapshots, the invention maintains pointers to the root block pointer of each snapshot. When the active file system is modified, this invention avoids overwriting any blocks used by previous snapshots by allocating new blocks for the modified blocks. When the invention needs to put an established block in a new location, it must update a parent block to point to the new location. The update to the parent block may then require allocating a new block for the new parent block and so forth. Parts of the file system not modified since a snapshot remain in place. The amount of space required to represent snapshots scales with the fraction of the file system that users modify. To maintain snapshot integrity, this invention keeps track of the first and last snapshots that use each block in space map blocks spread throughout the file system data space. When users delete snapshots, this invention may use a background process to find blocks no longer used by any snapshot and makes them available for future use.
US07836027B2 Method and apparatus for communicating list orders
A terminal for use by a list broker, a terminal for use by a list manager, and a terminal for use by a service bureau (list provider) of a supply chain in the list industry, each terminal including means for translating to and/or from native format an indication of a subset of a list expressed in XML. An intermediate node is also provided, for optional use as a router and validator of XML statements exchanged between the elements of the supply chain. Advantageously, the indication of a subset of a list expressed in XML is provided using terms (tagged field values serving as select filter parameters) from a with the tags according to a list of terms in an XML schema description, and the possible values, in some embodiments, according to a predetermined “lingo” or, in other words, a standardized vocabulary. Corresponding methods are also provided.
US07836019B2 System and method for tracking documents in an on-demand service
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for tracking documents in an on-demand service. These mechanisms and methods for tracking documents in an on-demand service can enable embodiments to provide the sharing of documents and the tracking of whether one of the shared documents was changed. The ability of embodiments to provide the sharing of documents and the tracking can enable a safeguard that a user knows whether the document that they have in their possession is the most recent version.In an embodiment, the shared documents are stored in a document management storage. In an embodiment, each file has an ID that includes version information for checking whether the document is the most recent version. In an embodiment, an application is downloaded onto the user system that automatically upon opening a document checks whether a document is the most recent version.
US07836008B2 System and method for identifying and evaluating nanomaterial-related risk
A system, method, and processor-readable medium are provided for quantitatively evaluating risk associated with nanotechnology. An insurance company computing system obtains nanomaterial-related data from a variety of sources, including nanomaterial sensors such as differential mobility analyzers located on-site at an insured facility. The insurance computing system uses the obtained data and a computerized model to compute a risk score that is used in evaluating the insurability of the facility or the operating entity. An insurance policy or modifications to an existing insurance premium are subsequently produced based on the computed risk score.
US07836001B2 Recommender system with AD-HOC, dynamic model composition
One embodiment of the present invention provides recommender system for generating a recommendation of an item by combining a set of utility models adaptively to facilitate a decision-making process. The system includes a utility model database containing the set of utility models and a query module for receiving at least one query about the item from a querying entity. The system also includes a rule engine to specify a subset of utility models to be applied to the item and to specify a weight function of the specified utility models. Further included in the system is a set generator coupled to the utility model database, the query module, and the rule engine. The set generator computes a set of ratings by applying each of the utility model in the subset to the item and generates an overall rating for the item based on the weight function. The system further a communication module to return the overall rating.
US07835997B2 System for therapy
The invention is a system for remotely conducting psychotherapy between a client having and a therapist over the internet. The system includes a first web enabled computer device operated by the client, said first computer device having a web browser and being operatively coupled to the Internet. The system further includes a second web enabled computer device operated by the therapist, said second computer device having a web browser and being operatively coupled to the Internet. The system also includes a server operatively coupled to the Internet and a web server application resident on the server and a web site resident on the server. The web server application is operatively coupled to a private web based chat application, said chat application being activated by the client by engaging a first link on the web site. The private chat application is adapted and configured to relay live text, audio and video messages between the client and therapist via the web browsers of the first and second computer devices. The web server application and the private chat applications are adapted and configured to permit the client to interact anonymously with the therapist via the chat application.
US07835986B2 System and method for monitoring events associated with a person or property
A system and method for retrieving a transaction associated with a property including obtaining property information pertaining to a property fl-om a third party source, storing the property information in a database, receiving a name to monitor or an address of a property to monitor, and transmitting a property information request including the name and/or address to the database. The system and method may also include searching the property information for a match with the name or address, identifying a transaction associated with the matched name or address and transmitting the transaction to a device.
US07835975B1 Automated synchronization of orders represented in multiple markets
An market process internal to a platform is configured to operate with a market external to the platform. Generally, the market process first attempts to reflect an order related action at the external market, and if successful, internally commits the order related action. In some situations, such as when trading becomes fast or when the external market expects to have control over all orders posted thereat, the market acts as a router for orders received from trading processing on the platform. When the external market elects to return to the try-commit operational protocol, the order file of the market process is resynchronized with the order file of the external market.
US07835971B2 Method and system configured for facilitating management of international trade receivables transactions
A receivables transaction management platform is configured for facilitating management of international trade receivables transactions. The platform includes a task manager layer and a platform functionality layer. The task manager layer is configured for facilitating management of transaction information workflow tasks and export receivables tasks. The platform functionality layer is accessible by at least a portion of the managers and is configured for enabling facilitation of the transaction information workflow tasks and the export receivables tasks. Managing the transaction information workflow tasks and export receivables tasks includes facilitating preparation of a document and data portfolio required for settlement of an international trade receivables transaction, facilitating electronic submission of the document and data portfolio to a designated recipient and facilitating acceptance of the document and data portfolio. The platform functional components are configured for enabling user workflow functionality, data mapping functionality, data analysis functionality, data storage functionality and third party access functionality.
US07835969B1 Computer assisted method of performing intellectual property (IP) audit optionally over network architecture
An intellectual property computer-implemented audit system for valuing an intellectual property portfolio includes a first database storing first information relating to the intellectual property portfolio and a database access and collection device connected to the first database and accessing the first database and retrieving the first information. In addition, the intellectual property audit system also includes a second database storing empirical data relating to known intellectual property portfolios, and a comparison device connected to the database access and collection device and to the second database, the comparison device receiving the first information from the database access and collection device and comparing the first information to the empirical data retrieved from the second database producing an intellectual property worth indicator indicating the worth of the intellectual property portfolio.
US07835968B1 Methods, systems and program products for market analysis
A method, data processor and program product, for performing an analysis of one or more instruments and/or one or more actors acting on the one or more instruments. In one embodiment a competence measure Cij is computed for at least one pair of instrument i and actor j; wherein i is an index which runs through the one or more instruments and j is an index which runs through the one or more actors; and wherein said computing the competence measure Cij of actor j on instrument i comprises maintaining a cumulative sell valueij and a cumulative purchase valueij respectively based on sell valuesij and/or purchase valuesij, and computing a value which is about equal to: ( cumulative ⁢ ⁢ sell ⁢ ⁢ value ij - cumulative ⁢ ⁢ purchase ⁢ ⁢ value ij ) minimum ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ( cumulative ⁢ ⁢ sell ⁢ ⁢ value ij , ⁢ cumulative ⁢ ⁢ purchase ⁢ ⁢ value ij ) .
US07835967B2 Methods and systems for providing book accounting indices
In at least one aspect, the invention comprises a method comprising the steps of: identifying a first portfolio of securities as corresponding, at a specified time, to an index; calculating, for the first portfolio, a first set of performance values comprising one or more of: book yield, book income, and book return; calculating, for a second portfolio of securities, a second set of performance values corresponding to the first set of performance values; and comparing the second set of performance values to the first set of performance values to obtain a performance measure for the second portfolio.
US07835955B1 Time and/or attendance system using synchronized code
A time and/or attendance system is provided which includes a service location. The service location has a server with a first periodically changing random code that is correlated with actual time. A device displaying a second periodically changing random code is located at a selected location. The second periodically changing random code has the same sequence as the first periodically changing random code but the code being displayed on the device is offset in time from the first periodically changing random code. An employee who is expected to provide services at the selected location notes the second periodically changing random code at the beginning of an event at the selected location. Thereafter, the employee notes the second periodically changing random code at the end of the event at the selected location. After leaving the selected location, the employee communicates both the beginning code and the ending code to the service location. The communicated code is decoded at the service location to determine the times corresponding to the beginning code and the ending code, and such times are logged.
US07835948B2 Floral network methods and systems for processing floral arrangements
A floral network system and method allows for collecting, storing and retrieving data regarding the processing of personalized or custom floral arrangements linked to personal accounts for a plurality of customers. For example, a floral network method and system may store one or more close-up or detailed images of a personalized or custom-made floral arrangement for a customer along with data regarding the order, the customer, and a recipient. The next time that the customer places an order, the close-up or detailed images and data on past orders can be retrieved and viewed by the customer and used by the florist in the preparing a subsequent floral arrangement. Reminders may also be sent to the customers for important events where floral arrangements may be desired.
US07835947B2 Advertising and distribution method for event photographs
A method for providing on-line event photographs includes the steps of capturing multiple photographs during an event, and associating identifying data with each photograph taken. A database is accessed to search for the photograph utilizing the identifying data. A photograph is selected for ordering at a reduced price or for free. A field is created in the digital photograph, such as in a corner or a margin thereof, and visual advertisement indicia is associated with the field. An electronic link may also be associated with the field for connecting the user to an advertiser's electronic document or web-site. The photograph, containing the visual field, is electronically transferred to the user's electronic device or otherwise sent to the user.
US07835935B2 Usability and functionality of manager self-service reminder of dates iview
A software tool allows a manager to integrate the dates displayed in the Reminder of Dates iView with his personal calendar. A manager may also make modify those dates automatically entered into his personal calendar, and these changes with also modify the information maintained in the backend system.
US07835931B2 Method and system for network-based, distributed, real-time command and control of an enterprise
Methods and systems for command and control of an enterprise. An enterprise operating system is disclosed including five frameworks: an enterprise bridge framework, an enterprise controller framework, a performance measurement framework, a control processing framework, and an enterprise operating system services framework. A system is disclosed to receive a plurality of messages, filter and sort the messages, generate courses of action based on the messages, validate and resource the courses of action (create plans of record), execute the plans of record, and monitor the performance of executing plans of record.
US07835917B2 Apparatus and method of processing an audio signal
In one embodiment, at least one audio data frame having at least one channel is generated. Each channel is divided into a plurality of blocks. A sub-block partitioning scheme is selected, and a number of sub-blocks into which the block is to be partitioned is selected. The selected number of sub-blocks is chosen from numbers of sub-blocks available for the selected sub-block partitioning scheme. The block of audio data is partitioned into sub-blocks according to the selected number of sub-blocks, and the partitioned sub-blocks are coded according to a selected entropy coding scheme.
US07835913B2 Speaker-dependent voice recognition method and voice recognition system
A speaker-dependent speech recognition method is provided involving the use of a speech recognition system, during which voice utterances of the user are trained, and commands are assigned to the trained voice utterances. The present disclosure seeks to carry out a training of new commands in a time-saving manner. To this end, in the event of a non-recognition of a voice utterance, the speech recognition system provides the user with the opportunity to immediately assign the voice utterance to a new command.
US07835905B2 Apparatus and method for detecting degree of voicing of speech signal
In order to detect a degree of voicing of a speech signal, an input speech signal is converted to a speech signal in the frequency domain, a pitch value is calculated from the speech signal, a plurality of harmonic peaks existing in the speech signal are detected, and a difference obtained by comparing the pitch value to an interval between adjacent harmonic peaks among the detected harmonic peaks is detected as the degree of voicing included in the speech signal.
US07835898B2 Satisfiability (SAT) based bounded model checkers
A method uses a SAT solver operating to cycle k to find bugs in a model having finite computation paths therein, wherein said bugs are on computation paths of less than length k. Another method includes adding an additional state variable to a model to be checked, where a governing state machine of the additional variable has a “sink” state. The method includes having a translation using the additional variable whenever a state indicates a bad state and performing satisfiability solving with the model and the translation.
US07835897B2 Apparatus and method for connecting hardware to a circuit simulation
A system and method is described for connecting a logic circuit simulation to a hardware peripheral that includes a computer running software for communicating data to and from the hardware peripheral. The software transmits the data received from the hardware peripheral to the device being simulated by the logic circuit simulation. The computer also transmits the data received from the device being simulated by the electronic circuit simulation to the hardware peripheral. This allows the user to test the device being simulated using real hardware for input and output instead of simulated hardware.
US07835896B1 Apparatus for evaluating and demonstrating electronic circuits and components
A new system for simulation of electrical circuits and devices over a network is disclosed. The system consists of at least a client computer, a server computer, a network that connects them (including intermediate proxy servers and routers) and software methods. New software methods are disclosed that combine client-submitted data from the internet with template data, simulate the combined data using a simulator such as SPICE and create display and other data for transport to and display on the client computer. Additional methods are disclosed relating to circuit synthesis prior to simulation, access control, limiting resource use and abuse, expiration of temporary files and identifiers and usage logging.
US07835894B2 System and method for simulating home network
A system and method are provided for simulating a home network, in which elements of the home network are implemented by software even before the home network is equipped with all necessary elements, so that a user can simulate the home network through a graphical user interface. The system includes: a client having a graphical user interface through which a user inputs a control message which controls a device and recognizes a response message to the input control message; and a server transmitting a device entity corresponding to the input control message, and selectively transmits multiple response messages to the client in response to the received control message.
US07835892B2 Ultrasound simulation apparatus and method
A method includes receiving data values associated with one of a position and orientation of a simulated scanner relative to an object. Image values are calculated, substantially in real-time, based on the data values. A simulated ultrasound image is rendered in a graphical display based on the image values. The simulated ultrasound image is representative of an interior or a simulated interior of the object on the ultrasound scan plane.
US07835875B2 Determination of end of life of oil by electrical means
Electrical measures of resistivity and permittivity of engine lubricating oil are gathered continuously under normal vehicle engine operating conditions and combined into a composite parameter, the aggregated electrical measure, which, is indicative of engine oil condition and when plotted over the useful life of the oil displays a first linear slope anticipatory of the end of oil life followed by a second, steeper slope indicative of the end of oil life. An algorithm, implementable in an on-vehicle computer, to reliably detect these features is described.
US07835874B2 System and method for gas flow verification
A gas flow rate verification apparatus is provided for shared use in a multiple tool semiconductor processing platform. The gas flow rate verification apparatus is defined to measure a pressure rate of rise and temperature within a test volume for determination of a corresponding gas flow rate. The apparatus includes first and second volumes, wherein the second volume is larger than the first volume. The apparatus also includes first and second pressure measurement devices, wherein the second pressure measurement device is capable of measuring higher pressures. Based on the target gas flow rate to be measured, either the first or second volume can be selected as the test volume, and either the first or second pressure measurement device can be selected to measure the pressure in the test volume. Configurability of the apparatus enables accurate measurement of gas flow rates over a broad range and in an time efficient manner.
US07835872B2 Robust deconvolution of complex mixtures by covariance spectroscopy
Methods and systems are provided for the deconvolution of the NMR spectrum of a mixture into individual components and spin systems by combining covariance total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY) spectra with covariance NMR. The method may include obtaining a 2D TOCSY spectra of a chemical mixture and then performing a series of analytical steps to identify the individual components of the mixture.
US07835856B2 Method and system for telematics location sensing
The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system to provide a current telematics device geographic location. The method includes receiving odometer information including velocity information for a specified time period, and receiving positional information including velocity information for a specified time period. The method further includes determining a first distance traveled value based on the received odometer information and determining a second distance traveled value based on the received positional information. The method additionally includes selecting one of the first and second distance traveled values as a primary distance traveled value based on predetermined criteria, and determining a current telematics device geographic location based on the primary distance traveled value. The odometer information may include velocity information from a power-train sensor. The positional information may include velocity information from one or more wheel sensors.
US07835852B2 Apparatus for detecting and identifying component failure in a fuel system
A detector for detecting the operational status of one or more fuel pumps in a fuel system of a vehicle, the system comprising an accumulator volume for storing high pressure fuel, one or more injectors arranged in fluid communication with the accumulator volume and one or more high pressure fuel pumps arranged in fluid communication with the accumulator volume so as to supply high pressure fuel thereto, the operation of the one or more fuel pumps being controlled by a filling pulse signal from a control means, the detector comprising inputs for receiving data representing at least one current system parameter; processing means arranged to compare the at least one current system parameter against one or more predetermined system parameters in order to identify the operational status of the one or more fuel pumps.
US07835839B2 Drive-permission apparatus
An ECU controls a starter relay. Output angle detector detects a rotational angle of an output shaft in a rotary actuator. The ECU stores a first rotational angle which is detected by the output angle detector when a starting switch is OFF. When the starting switch is ON and when the difference between a second rotational angle detected at that time by the output angle detector and the first rotational angle already stored is not within a certain value, the ECU inhibits the operation of the starter relay to inhibit engine start.
US07835832B2 Vehicle control system
A vehicle control system having a controller and a spatial database adapted to provide spatial data to the controller at control speed. The spatial data provided from the spatial database to the controller can be any kind of data or information that has some relationship or association with “real world” geographical location, or if it is stored somehow with reference to geographical location. The spatial data received by the controller from the database forms at least part of the control inputs that the controller operates on to control the vehicle. The fact that the controller operates directly on information that is inherently associated with “real world” geographic location represents a change in thinking compared with existing vehicle control systems. In particular, it means that the control system of the present invention “thinks” directly in terms of spatial location. A vehicle control system in accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention comprises a task path generator, a spatial database, at least one external spatial data receiver, a vehicle attitude compensation module, a position error generator, a controller, and actuators to control the vehicle.
US07835831B2 Power-down control method of fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle
A power-down control method of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle includes determining an operation mode when a key-off command is input. If the mode is a fuel cell mode, the method includes: converting a low voltage DC-DC converter connected to an auxiliary battery to a boost mode; maintaining a driving state of a high voltage part, powered by voltage from the auxiliary battery and boosted by the low voltage DC-DC converter; subsequently stopping operation of a fuel cell stack and turning off the high voltage part; and subsequently turning off the low voltage DC-DC converter. If the mode is a hybrid mode, the method includes: maintaining a driving state of the high voltage part, powered by voltage from a super capacitor; subsequently stopping operation of the fuel cell stack and turning off the high voltage part; subsequently turning off the DC-DC converters; and subsequently cutting power of the super capacitor.
US07835830B2 Device for the generation of reliable status signals of a vehicle that is movable along a given path of travel
A device for generating safe status signals of a vehicle (9) that is movable along a given guideway includes data transmitters disposed along said guideway and provided with data (28a, 28b), data acquisition units (21) mounted on the vehicle and used for scanning the data transmitters and for supplying data signals, and an evaluation device (24) connected to said data acquisition units (21) evaluating the data signals. At least two of the data acquisition units (21) are provided which are connected to the evaluation device (24), and the evaluation device (24) has an output (25) for delivering safe status signals when and as long as at least two data acquisition units (21) supply matching data.
US07835828B2 Method for computer-assisted determination of an optimum-fuel control of nozzles
Method for the computer-assisted determination of an optimum-fuel control of nozzles according to a control instruction b=Ax. A defined matrix transformation of starting constraints for the mass flow of the nozzles and of the minimization criterion thereby takes place in a computer-assisted manner, a data processing representation of a geometric description of the matrix-transformed starting constraints, a computer-assisted determination of limiting point sets of the geometric description of the starting constraints through a computer-assisted geometric search procedure in the vector space and the application of the matrix-transformed minimization criterion to the points of the limiting point sets.
US07835823B2 Method for tracking and reporting usage events to determine when preventive maintenance is due for a medical robotic system
A medical robotic system comprises a number of components that may be monitored to determine their preventive maintenance needs by recording usage-related information for the monitored components into associated non-volatile memories. When usage of the component exceeds a specified usage threshold, the system displays a warning message on its display screen to have preventive maintenance performed for the component. If the usage continues without such maintenance and exceeds a higher usage threshold, the system displays an error message on its display screen and the system transitions into an error state during which medical procedures are not allowed to be performed. The usage-related information may also be communicated to a remote computer which gathers and processes usage-related information from a number of medical robotic systems to estimate resource requirements for timely performing preventive maintenance on the medical robotic systems, and anticipated service revenues from such maintenance.
US07835816B2 Heat processing apparatus, heat processing method, computer program and storage medium
In a vertical-type heat processing apparatus, it is intended to stabilize the temperature of an inner wall of the reaction vessel upon loading as well as to reduce particle contamination, for example, by suppressing peeling of films attached to the inner wall. An inner wall temperature sensor is attached, in advance, to the inner wall of the reaction vessel, so as to obtain each time series data of detection values of the inner wall temperature sensor and a command value of power to be supplied to heating means. The inner wall temperature is predicted from the command value of the power obtained just before, based on the data, during an initial time of loading, so as to use the predicted value of the inner wall temperature as an object to be controlled. Thereafter, around the end time of loading, the object to be controlled is gradually changed into a temperature detection value of a temperature detecting section provided outside the reaction vessel, so as to be completely changed over time into the temperature detection value.
US07835810B2 Tools and methods for designing a structure using prefabricated panels
The disclosed technology enables manufacturers to efficiently design and manufacture structural wall panels, floor panels and roof panels from cold-formed steel for use in residential and commercial construction. The panels are individual components that can be installed at a building site to form a structure that includes walls, floor and a roof. Structures may be manufactured in a manufacturing facility and delivered to a construction site for installation.
US07835803B1 Lead assemblies with one or more switching networks
Exemplary lead assemblies include a lead body having a plurality of conductor wires embedded therein, a plurality of electrode contacts at least partially disposed on an outer surface of the lead body, and a plurality of switching networks each configured to control an operation of one or more of the plurality of electrode contacts.
US07835797B2 Method and system for implantable pressure transducer for regulating blood pressure
An apparatus and a system can chronically and automatically measure a physiologic parameter associated with the high pressure side of the vasculature and/or regulate blood pressure based upon the measured parameter. The apparatus may be made up of a transducer, a baroreflex activation device having one or more electrodes, and a lead having two or more conductors. The system can measure a physiologic parameter and selectively administer a therapy, such as, for example, electro-stimulation of baroreceptors, based upon the measurement. The transducer for measuring the physiologic parameter can be chronically implanted in the high-pressure side of the vasculature. The implantation method may include intravascularly positioning the transducer in the external carotid artery in such a way that the transducer is first introduced into the arterial vasculature through the superior thyroid artery.
US07835796B2 Weight loss method and device
A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically, mechanically and/or pharmaceutically/chemically stimulating a of the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so as to induce afferent action potentials on the vagus nerve. The device may be noninvasively adjusted after implantation to provide increased or decreased restriction on the patient's gastrointestinal tract. Each stimulus may be administered as a series of programmed pulses of defined amplitude, duration and period, to evoke a responsive signal to the brain by the target nerve, effective for producing a temporary feeling of satiety in the person. An implantable stimulus generator may be operatively coupled to a nerve electrode, pressure device or chemical outlet to apply a defined signal to a selected nerve branch. The implantable stimulus generator is programmable to allow clinician programming of defined signal parameters effective to treat the eating disorder of the patient. Methods are also provided to identify electrodes nearest to a branch of the vagus nerve to apply an electrical stimulation signal with improved efficiency.
US07835795B2 Lead retention assembly
A lead retention assembly includes first, second and third retention members. The first retention member defines a first opening configured to receive a lead body. The second retention member is longitudinally spaced apart from the first retention member and defines a second opening configured to receive the lead body. The first and second retention members are substantially aligned along a first axis. The third retention member defines a third opening configured to receive the lead body. The third retention member is disposed between the first and second retention members and is biased in a position such that the third opening is substantially centered on a second axis. Upon application of a compressive force, the third retention member is moveable to a position such that the first, second, and third openings are substantially aligned along a common axis, allowing the lead body to be inserted within the first, second and third openings.
US07835792B2 Implantable cardiac device
A heart stimulator is adapted to adapt an atrioventricular delay interval or an interventricular delay interval or both during night time by adding a delay interval to a respective daytime interval, and the device statistics for day and night are calculated, stored, and can be displayed separately.
US07835790B2 Anterior active housing subcutaneous positioning methods
A subcutaneous cardiac device includes a subcutaneous electrode and a housing coupled to the subcutaneous electrode by a lead with a lead wire. The subcutaneous electrode is adapted to be implanted in a frontal region of the patient so as to overlap a portion of the patient's heart.
US07835784B2 Method and apparatus for positioning a reference frame
A method and apparatus to perform a procedure that can include a processor assisted surgical procedure. During the procedure patient space and image space can be registered to allow for tracking of various tracking sensors. A dynamic reference frame can be used to maintain localization of the patient space with the image space. The dynamic reference frame can be fixedly interconnected with a bone portion of the anatomy.
US07835777B2 Device and method for determining analyte levels
Devices and methods for determining analyte levels are described. The devices and methods allow for the implantation of analyte-monitoring devices, such as glucose monitoring devices, that result in the delivery of a dependable flow of blood to deliver sample to the implanted device. The devices comprise a unique microarchitectural arrangement in the sensor region that allows accurate data to be obtained over long periods of time.
US07835773B2 Systems and methods for adjustable audio operation in a mobile communication device
A method for adjusting the volume and frequency response for the audio output in a mobile communication device comprises estimating the noise level of the environment surrounding the mobile communication device and then adjusting the volume and frequency response based on the estimated noise level.
US07835751B2 Method of seamless roaming between wireless local area networks and cellular carrier networks
A scheme that enables seamless roaming between the WLAN and the cellular carrier network by enabling a user that originates a call in the WLAN and happens to go outside the range of the WLAN to automatically switch over to the cellular carrier network without losing connection with the other party. This solution assumes that the mobile device has the capability to operate in at least two modes that include the WLAN mode and one of the cellular carrier modes, such as the GSM, IS-95 CDMA, IS-136 TDMA, and iDEN.
US07835741B2 Method for selecting system in a mobile terminal
A method for selecting a system in a mobile terminal is disclosed. The method includes upon power-up of the mobile terminal, reading system information included in a Most Recently Used (MRU) table from memory, and registering the system information in a variable area of a system search table; reading system information from a Preferred Roaming List Acquisition (PRL ACQ) table stored in the memory, and registering the system information in a fixed area of the system search table; and performing system search based on the system search table.
US07835738B1 Method and system for managing call authorizations for prepaid wireless service
A prepaid service platform monitors a prepaid balance for a mobile station that operates in accordance with a prepaid wireless service plan. When the prepaid balance reaches a predetermined value, such as zero, the prepaid service platform signals to the mobile station's home location register (HLR). In response, the HLR changes at least one call authorization in an HLR profile for the mobile station and also signals to the serving system currently serving the mobile station. The serving system responsively changes at least one call authorization in a serving-system profile for the mobile station. As a result of these changes to the mobile station's call authorizations, the mobile station may be prevented from making and/or receiving chargeable calls.
US07835737B2 Service network
The present invention relates to a method for transfer of (voice) data of users of a service network for the purpose of communication over mobile networks, comprising the steps of: storing data about mobile devices of users and/or data about users in one or more first data files of the service network; transfer coordinated by the service network and/or by the service network itself of (voice) data which users wish to have transferred and/or data used to route and/or store the data; using one or more mobile networks to provide mobile network facilities for connecting the mobile devices of the users to the first service network, wherein the mobile devices, when they sign on to a mobile network, are signed on to each of the telephony networks as local devices for the network in question.
US07835736B2 System and method for initializing a portable communication device within a group at a point of activation
Methods and systems are provided for managing a group of portable communication devices. In accordance with one implementation, a method is provided for initializing a portable communication device in a group of portable communication devices at a point of activation. The method includes the steps of acquiring, by an initialization computer, a device identifier of the portable communication device, acquiring, by the initialization computer, a group identifier of the group, and associating the portable communication device with the group based on the group identifier. The method may further include accessing, by the initialization computer, a member profile associated with one of the portable communication devices, and storing the member profile in a memory accessible by the portable communication device.
US07835734B2 System and method for wireless routing of data from an aircraft
An avionics communication system comprises a wireless router located on an aircraft and configured to transceive wireless signals; and a processing unit located in the aircraft and configured to supply the wireless router with configuration parameters after determining it is time to connect to a ground network, the configuration parameters based on the location of the aircraft; wherein the wireless router uses the configuration parameters to establish a wireless connection with the ground network and route data from at least one client application on the aircraft to at least one ground application server.
US07835724B2 Method and apparatus for authenticating service to a wireless communications device
A cellular communications service provider authenticates a provider of a location-dependent service, such as a wireless hotspot. Once the cellular communications service provider is aware of potential use of the service by the user, it authenticates the service provider and provides an authentication to the user. Users can thus avoid untrustworthy providers of local services.
US07835715B2 Log-antilog mixer circuit and method for producing frequency conversion
According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for producing frequency conversion of a communication signal comprises performing a logarithmic transformation of the communication signal to form a logarithmically transformed communication signal, adding the logarithmically transformed communication signal to a logarithmic local oscillator signal, to form a sum signal, and performing an anti-logarithmic transformation of the sum signal. In one embodiment, the method may be used to down-convert a reception signal to baseband. In one embodiment, a log-antilog mixer circuit for producing frequency conversion of a communication signal comprises a signal log block configured to receive the communication signal as an input and to provide a logarithmically transformed communication signal as an output, and an antilog block configured to receive a sum signal of the logarithmically transformed communication signal and a logarithmic local oscillator signal.
US07835714B2 Radio wave reception device, radio wave clock
A received low-frequency standard radio wave, which is an amplitude modulation signal, is converted to an intermediate frequency signal Sa, and is output to a detection circuit and an AGC circuit. The detection circuit and AGC circuit generates an RF control signal Sf1 and IF control signal Sf2 from the input intermediate frequency signal Sa, and controls an RF control circuit and IF control circuit by outputting the generated RF control signal Sf1 and IF control signal Sf2 to the RF control circuit and IF control circuit. By this a radio wave reception device can speed up AGC operation.
US07835701B2 Detecting and eliminating spurious energy in communications systems via multi-channel processing
The present invention allows multi-channel communications equipment to detect and eliminate a false interpretation of interference as a valid signal. The solution is based on the observation that the simultaneous arrival of energy on two independent channels is an impossible event. So, when such an event happens, it is a reliable signature of confusing out-of-band energy for a valid signal.
US07835685B2 Image forming apparatus and control method therefor
An image forming apparatus capable of reducing a part of a sheet exposed outside the apparatus on standby after finishing printing a first side in both-sided printing. A transfer material P having an image formed on its first side is fed until a part thereof gets exposed outside a full-color printer 1 and is fed to a refeeding path in the full-color printer 1. The transfer material P inverted by a flapper 44 is fed to a standby position to form an image on a second side thereof and is stopped there. In the case where a preparation for forming the image on the second side is not completed, the standby position for having the transfer material P stopped is changed corresponding to length of the inverted transfer material P in a feeding direction.
US07835684B2 Method and device for controlling an electrographic printer or copier
In a method for control of an electrophotographic printer or copier, information that refer to a single sheet are determined from print data supplied to the printer or copier. Dependent on said information, a transport path of the single sheet through the printer or copier to generate at least one print image on at least one side of the sheet is determined. A system time of the printer or copier is provided that is the same for at least first and second control units of the printer or copier. At least one desired point in time at or until which at least one sensor signal is expected or at least one actuator is activated is established dependent on the transport path, the desired point in time referring to the system time of the printer or copier.
US07835676B2 Developing apparatus image forming apparatus, and method of charging a developer using charging particles
A developing apparatus for visualizing an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image bearing member by using a developer including toner and carrier particles, has a developer including toner and carrier particles, a first transport member, a second transport member positioned to oppose to the first transport member across a first region and to the electrostatic latent image bearing member across a second region. A first electric field forming unit forms a first electric field between the first and second transport members to move the toner particles from the first transport member to the second transport member. A second electric field forming unit forms a second electric field between the second transport member and the electrostatic latent image bearing member to move the toner particles from the second transport member to the electrostatic latent image bearing member and thereby to visualize an electrostatic latent image on the image into a visible image. The developer further includes charging particles releasably retained on surfaces of the toner particles. Once released from the toner particles and then held on surfaces of the carrier particles, the third particles function to provide an electric charge of the first polarity to the toner particles by the contact therewith.
US07835672B2 Developing device, image carrier unit and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a first developer containing chamber, a second developer containing chamber, a first inflow section, a second inflow section, a first conveyance member and a second conveyance member. The first inflow section allows the developer to flow from the second developer containing chamber into the first developer containing chamber. The second inflow section allows the developer to flow from the first developer containing chamber into the second developer containing chamber. The first conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the first developer containing chamber in a first developer conveyance direction. The second conveyance member conveys the developer contained in the second developer containing chamber in a second developer conveyance direction. In a range corresponding to the first inflow section, an area of a cross section, perpendicular to the second developer conveyance direction, of the second developer containing chamber decreases along the second developer conveyance direction.
US07835666B2 Image forming apparatus and power transmission unit thereof
An image forming apparatus including: a main body including a manipulating unit which manipulates the power transmission unit, a driving component having a driving assembling member which is disposed in a direction of a rotational driving axial line; a developing device which has a driven assembling member capable of being engaged with and disengaged from the driving assembling member along the direction of the rotational driving axial line; a power transmission unit which is disposed between the driving assembling member and the driven assembling member and enables at least one of the driving assembling and the driven assembling member is moveable in the direction of the rotational driving axial line.
US07835655B2 Charger, image forming apparatus, and charge control method
A charger includes: a first charging member that contacts an image carrier and a second charging member that contacts the image carrier downstream from the first charging member. At the time of image formation, a voltage higher than the discharge start voltage of the first charging member is applied to the first charging member and a voltage lower than the discharge start voltage of the second charging member and lower than the voltage applied to the first charging member is applied to the second charging member, and at the time when an image is not formed, a voltage lower than the discharge start voltage of the first charging member is applied to the first charging member and a voltage higher than the discharge start voltage of the second charging member and higher than the voltage applied to the first charging member is applied to the second charging member.
US07835653B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a developing unit, a developer agitating unit, a developer conveying unit, and a toner supplementing unit. The developing unit develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with a developer containing toner and carrier. The developer agitating unit agitates the developer. The developer conveying unit connects the developing unit and the developer agitating unit, and conveys the developer from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit. The toner supplementing unit is connected to the developer conveying unit, and supplements toner to the developer conveyed from the developing unit to the developer agitating unit.
US07835639B2 Imaging apparatus with strobe consecutive shooting mode
When the mode is set to a strobe consecutive shooting mode, an imaging apparatus sets the mode to a pixel addition drive mode for reading out image data using pixel addition drive (S7), performs metering operation using preliminary flashing (S8) and calculates an appropriate amount of flashing on the basis of the metering operation (S9). Next, the imaging apparatus judges whether or not it is possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing (S10). If it is judged that it is not possible to flash three times consecutively with the calculated amount of flashing (NO in S10), the imaging apparatus limits the amount of flashing to the largest amount of flashing within the range of amounts of flashing with which flashing of strobe light three times consecutively is possible (S11), and performs strobe consecutive shooting with the limited amount of flashing (S13 to S17).
US07835635B2 Interchangeable lens, camera body, camera system and method for controlling same
There is provided an interchangeable lens, a camera body, a camera system, and a method for controlling the same, with which a highly efficient and stable image blur correction effect can be obtained. A camera system 1 has a camera body 10 and an interchangeable lens 20 that can be attached to and detached from the camera body 10. The camera body 10 has an imaging unit for imaging a subject through the interchangeable lens 20, and a sequence microcomputer 100 capable of sending and receiving information to and from a lens microcomputer 200 and for controlling the imaging operation of an imaging unit 120. The interchangeable lens 20 includes a shake detection unit 201 for detecting shake in the camera system 1, an image blur correction device 210 for adjusting the optical path from a subject to the camera body 10 and thereby correcting the blurring of an image caused by shaking of the camera system 1, and the lens microcomputer 200 capable of sending and receiving information to and from the sequence microcomputer 100, and for controlling the drive of the image blur correction device 210 according to the amount of shake detected by the shake detection unit 201. The lens microcomputer 200 actuates the shake correction device 210 once a specific amount of time has elapsed since a command for actuating the image blur correction unit was received from the sequence microcomputer 100.
US07835632B2 Apparatus and method for photographing marine organism specimen
Apparatus and methods for photographing marine organism specimens are disclosed, capable of easily and motionlessly fixing marine organism specimen even on a sailing ship by epochal improvement to the conventional equipment for photographing marine organism specimens. Diffused reflection does not occur during the photographing, and this facilitates lively and realistic photographing of the marine organism specimens. The apparatus generally comprises a support centrally defined by a round hole, a top-opened cylindrical Petri dish supported at a periphery of the hole of the support by a lower circumference for accommodating therein water and marine organism specimen(s), a top-opened cylindrical cover wherein a lower surface is inserted from an upper surface of the Petri dish and an external lateral surface contacts an inner lateral surface of the Petri dish, whereby surface of water accommodated into the Petri dish is pushed to fix the marine organism specimen, a lighting system irradiating light toward a lateral surface of the Petri dish, and a camera installed upward of the Petri dish.
US07835630B2 Adaptive and reconfigurable system for DC motor control
An integrated circuit for controlling a DC motor is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes at least one digital position and speed circuit (DPS) for providing measurements of speed, position, and direction of the motor, the DPS being in signal communication with the motor for receiving a pair of signals having a quadrature relationship; and at least one programmable gain amplifier (PGA) electrically coupled to the motor, the PGA being configured to receive a feedback signal indicative of current flowing through the motor and to apply a second signal to the motor for adjusting the speed of the motor; and at least two analog-to-digital converters (A/D), one A/D being used to quantize the output of the PGA for an off-chip processor; and another A/D to provide motor reference position from an analog sensor, such as a potentiometer; and at least two digital-to-analog converters (D/A), one D/A used to set the motor voltage; and another D/A used to set the motor current limit. The integrated circuit can be incorporated into a larger motor control loop which further includes a summing amplifier for providing the feedback signal to the motor that is indicative of current flowing through the motor; a buffer amplifier electrically for sensing the output current of the motor, and a processor for providing control signals to the system monolithic module and for receiving the measurements of speed, position, and direction of the motor.
US07835625B2 Recording medium, playback apparatus, management program and playback method
A BD-ROM on which an AVClip and a Java™ application are recorded. The AVClip includes a video stream and an audio stream multiplexed therein. On the BD-ROM recorded further are management information and the Mixing_On flag corresponding to the management information. The management information indicates a playback control of the AVClip that is to be played back when the Java™ application is executed. The Mixing_On flag indicates whether or not when a user performs an operation on the Java™ application being executed while the AVClip is under the playback control, mixing of the click sound with an audio output of the AVClip is available.
US07835623B2 Recording medium having data structure for managing reproduction of video data recorded thereon
The data structure for managing reproduction of at least video data recorded on the recording medium includes a general information file area storing at least one general information file. The general information file includes at least one playlist identifier identifying a playlist file forming a title of video data recorded on the recording medium and title management information for managing reproduction of the video data by title. A playlist directory area stores at least one playlist directory, and each playlist directory includes at least one playlist file identified by a playlist identifier in the general information file. Each playlist file identifies at least one playitem, and each playitem identifies a clip of the video data.
US07835604B2 Fiber Bragg grating element
The present invention provides a fiber Bragg grating element which is simply configured and capable of obtaining a high cut-off amount exceeding 40 dB in a wide range. A fiber Bragg grating element of the present invention has a plurality of gratings formed in an optical waveguide having a core and a cladding around the core thereby to perform high rejection filtering on an input optical signal over a desired bandwidth˜ the gratings being formed with a grating pitch between adjacent two of the gratings increasing toward a center in a longitudinal direction of the optical waveguide.
US07835603B2 Mode converter
An in-fiber mode converter comprises fiber portions (10) constituting an input microlens, a fiber portion (20) constituting a phase shifting region adapted to convert a propagation mode of an optical signal into another propagation mode, and fiber portions (30) constituting an output microlens. The fiber portions are spliced, the converter is compact and losses are minimized relative to mode conversion in free space.
US07835595B2 Image processing system and method for image scaling
An image processing method for scaling an image from an original resolution to a target resolution is provided. A pixel value PT of a target pixel point NT in the target resolution is theoretically composed of original pixel values P1-PK of original pixel points N1-NK in the original resolution, wherein K is a positive integer larger than 1. First, theoretical combination ratios R1-RK corresponding to the original pixel points N1-NK are found. Then, the theoretical combination ratios R1-RK are converted to corresponding weights W1-WK, wherein each of the corresponding weights W1-WK is an integer between 1 and 2n, n is an integer, and the sum of the corresponding weights W1-WK is 2n. The original pixel values P1-PK are calculated with the corresponding weights W1-WK using a scaler, to generate the pixel value PT of the target pixel point NT and complete the image processing.
US07835590B2 Image processing apparatus and imaging device
An image processing apparatus generates a brightness component image of a low-sensitivity image by applying a smoothing filter to the low-sensitivity image, generates a brightness component image of a high-sensitivity image by applying the smoothing filter to the high-sensitivity image, generates a contrast component image of the low-sensitivity image by dividing the low-sensitivity image by the brightness component image of the low-sensitivity image, generating a contrast component image of the high-sensitivity image by dividing the high-sensitivity image by the brightness component image of the high-sensitivity image, generates a combined brightness component image by combining the brightness component images of the low-sensitivity image and of the high-sensitivity image, generates a combined contrast component image by combining the contrast component images of the low-sensitivity image and of the high-sensitivity image, and finally generates a contrast-expanded image by multiplying the combined brightness component image and the combined contrast component image.
US07835589B2 Photographic document imaging system
An apparatus and method for processing a captured image and, more particularly, for processing a captured image comprising a document. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprising a camera to capture documents is described. In another embodiment, a method for processing a captured image that includes a document comprises the steps of distinguishing an imaged document from its background, adjusting the captured image to reduce distortions created from use of a camera and properly orienting the document is described.
US07835584B1 Method and apparatus for processing video data
A video processing device processes pixels in columns. That is, the pixel array is divided into columns, and the video processing device first processes one row of pixels within a first column, then moves on to the next row within that column, and so on until that column is completely processed, and then moves on to the next column, to process the rows of pixels in that column, and so on. When performing a video processing function that calculates an output pixel value as a function of an input pixel value for the pixel of interest, and of input pixel values for one or more adjacent or surrounding pixels, this reduces the requirement for buffer storage of the input pixel values within the processing device, and allows them to be retrieved from an external memory device in an efficient manner.
US07835575B2 Apparatus and method for converting preference color
An apparatus and method are provided for converting a preference color, in which the color space of a preference color selected by a user is divided into a plurality of sub-regions according to color distribution characteristics, and the colors of the respective regions of an input image corresponding to the user's preference color are converted into colors of proper sub-regions among the plurality of sub-regions. The apparatus for converting a preference color includes an image extraction unit which extracts at least one image region that includes a preference color from an input image, an image analysis unit which analyzes color distribution characteristics of the image region, a color-space extraction unit which extracts a divided space corresponding to the color distribution characteristics from divided spaces included in a color space of the preference color, and a color conversion unit which converts a color of the image region by using a color conversion model corresponding to the extracted divided space.
US07835565B2 System and method of providing mask defect printability analysis
A simulated wafer image of a physical mask and a defect-free reference image are used to generate a severity score for each defect, thereby giving a customer meaningful information to accurately assess the consequences of using a mask or repairing that mask. The defect severity score is calculated based on a number of factors relating to the changes in critical dimensions of the neighbor features to the defect. A common process window can also be used to provide objective information regarding defect printability. Certain other aspects of the mask relating to mask quality, such as line edge roughness and contact corner rounding, can also be quantified by using the simulated wafer image of the physical mask.
US07835562B2 Methods and apparatus for noise reduction filtering of images
A method for reducing noise in images includes utilizing an original image to generate a segmentation mask and a filtered image, and utilizing the filtered image, the original image, the segmentation mask and separate blending parameters for structural and nonstructural portions of the filtered image to generate a blended image. The method further includes contrast matching the blended image with the original image to produce an output image.
US07835555B2 System and method for airway detection
A method and system for detecting airways in 3D lung image data is disclosed. The 3D lung image data is filtered using one or more filters based on first and second order derivatives of the CT image data. Each filter calculates a value for each voxel of the 3D lung image data, and the values from all of the filters are combined to determine a voxel score for each voxel. If the voxel score for a voxel is greater than or equal to a threshold value, the voxel is considered an airway candidate.
US07835554B2 Multispectral imaging biometrics
Methods and systems are provided for performing a biometric measurement on an individual. A purported skin site of the individual is illuminated under a plurality of distinct optical conditions during a single illumination session. Light scattered beneath a surface of the purported skin site is received separately for each of the plurality of distinct optical conditions. A multispectral image of the purported skin site is derived from the received light. A biometric function is performed with the derived multispectral image.
US07835551B2 Television set and authentication device
A television set allowing a small amount of information to be processed to authenticate at least a portion of a face with high precision, is configured as follows: The television set includes a memory, a camera and a CPU. The memory stores feature information in association with a position. The CPU detects the position of the facial portion of a person in an image. The CPU extracts feature information based on the image. The CPU collates the feature information extracted thereby with that of the feature information stored in the memory which corresponds to the position detected thereby. The CPU selects a channel corresponding to a result of the collation. The television set further includes a tuner and a display. The tuner extracts a broadcast signal of the channel selected by the CPU. The display displays a video image corresponding to the signal extracted by the tuner.
US07835544B2 Method and system for far field image absolute navigation sensing
A method and system for far field image navigation sensing are described. The method includes pre-processing an image from a remote beacon into gray scale and contour data. Multiple frames of the image, including the gray scale and contour data are buffered. The beacon image is reconstructed from the buffered frames, which include blur data related to the beacon image. A position of the beacon is measured from the buffered frames. The blur data are analyzed to generate a blur vector. The beacon position and blur vector are processed to generate navigation information based on the beacon.
US07835538B2 Loudspeaker
The loudspeaker includes a dome diaphragm that is made of a base material impregnated in a thermosetting resin; a cone diaphragm whose outer circumference side end portion is coupled with an outer circumference end portion of the dome diaphragm; and a voice coil having a bobbin whose one end is coupled to a back surface of the dome diaphragm, and whose outer curved surface is coupled with an inner circumference end portion of the cone diaphragm, wherein the dome diaphragm is provided with a plurality of cone-shaped projections that is formed by hardening the thermosetting resin, projecting from the back surface, and disposed in a circular pattern with a space between each other, the plurality of cone-shaped projections defining a coupling portion to which the one end of the bobbin is coupled.
US07835537B2 Loudspeaker including slotted waveguide for enhanced directivity and associated methods
A loudspeaker may include a baffle, a planar diaphragm transducer carried by the baffle and having a front surface for radiating acoustic energy therefrom, and a slotted waveguide adjacent the front surface of the planar diaphragm transducer. The planar diaphragm transducer may be operable to a desired high frequency, and the slotted opening may have a width not substantially greater than a wavelength corresponding to the desired high frequency. For example, for a desired high frequency of about 20 KHz, the slotted opening may have a width not greater than about two-thirds of an inch. Accordingly, the loudspeaker including the slotted waveguide may provide nearly constant horizontal directivity over a large angle. In another embodiment, the loudspeaker may include a conical diaphragm transducer with a slotted waveguide adjacent its front surface.
US07835536B2 Electro-acoustic transducer with multi-faced diaphragm assembly
One mode of the present invention provides an electroacoustic transducer composed of a multifaced diaphragm assembly and a multifaced speaker housing assembly that is housed inside the multifaced diaphragm assembly. The multifaced speaker housing is configured by combining the outer peripheral surface of a plurality of individual speaker drive units into a nearly spherical shell. The multifaced diaphragm assembly, which has thereinside the multifaced speaker housing assembly, is configured to have a plurality of regular pentagonal diaphragm segments that are combined together into a nearly spherical shape shell, and a plurality of speaker drive units opposing the diaphragm segments from inside in one-to-one relation. Each speaker drive unit has a bobbin, the one end portion of which is adhered to the center portion of the inner surface of each diaphragm segment.
US07835529B2 Sound canceling systems and methods
A system for sound cancellation includes a source microphone for detecting sound and a speaker for broadcasting a canceling sound with respect to a cancellation location. A computational module is in communication with the source microphone and the speaker. The computational module is configured to receive a signal from the source microphone, identify a cancellation signal using a predetermined adaptive filtering function responsive to acoustics of the cancellation location, and transmit a cancellation signal to the speaker.
US07835528B2 Method and apparatus for refreshing keys within a bootstrapping architecture
An approach is provided for refreshing keys in a communication system. An application request is transmitted to a network element configured to provide secure services. A message is received, in response to the application request, indicating refreshment of a key that is used to provide secure communications with the network element. A refreshed key is derived based on the received message.
US07835520B2 Unique identifier per chip for digital audio/video data encryption/decryption in personal video recorders
The invention provides techniques to implement unique identifier for an integrated chip and how this ID can be employed to enhance the security of content in personal video recorder type systems. The storage device can be a hard disk, a removable storage medium or any other type of storage medium. An integrated circuit (IC) within the personal video recorder stores a unique identifier that is used in for encryption and decryption of data stored on the storage device. Several embodiments are disclosed herein that maintain the secrecy of the unique ID such that it is not easily accessible thereby defeating the security scheme.
US07835518B2 System and method for write failure recovery
When cipher block chaining encryption/decryption is employed, write fault recovery is accomplished by storing information useful for the writing of cipher block chaining processed data before it is written to storage cells. Hence when write failure is discovered, this information stored can be retrieved for rewriting the data to the cells. Preferably, the information stored includes security configuration information for cipher block chaining processing a unit of data.
US07835510B2 Conference system and terminal apparatus
The conference system includes a plurality of terminal apparatuses and a conference management apparatus. The terminal apparatus has an access privilege granting unit, a permission information storage device, and an access privilege setting unit. The conference management apparatus has an access control information updating unit and an access restriction management unit. The access privilege granting unit generates permission information, and send the permission information to a target terminal apparatus. Upon receiving the permission information, the access privilege setting unit causes the permission information to be stored in the permission information storage device, and also sends the permission information to the conference management apparatus. Then, the access control information updating unit updates access control information according to the permission information. The access restriction management unit performs access restriction to system resources based on the updated access control information.
US07835506B2 Method and system for real-time notification and disposition of voice services in a cable services network
A method and system are provided for providing real-time notification and disposition of voice services in a cable television services system. A voice services application server enables communications between one or more telecommunications sources and subscriber set-top boxes in the cable television services system. The voice services application server, in communication with a telecommunications network, enables a subscriber to receive real-time notification of incoming telephone calls on a television connected to a set-top box and to issue disposition instructions for managing the incoming telephone calls. The disposition instructions may include answering a call, not answering a call, or forwarding a call to a voicemail system, or forwarding a call to an alternate telephone number.
US07835504B1 Telephone number parsing and linking
The present invention relates to identifying phone numbers in a text string including multiple data types and multiple number formatting types. A device such as a mobile device receives text strings from, for example, a memory, a networked content provider, another mobile device, or a keypad. A parsing engine comprises a telephone number module to analyze the text string by applying a set of parsing rules from a parsing rules database that describe telephone number characteristics. The parsing engine also comprises a non-telephone number module to identify non-telephone numbers such as an IP address, an email, a social security number, or the like. The parsing engine outputs parsing information including identified telephone numbers to a display application. The display application renders a user interface that displays the text string other than the telephone number in a first format and the telephone number in a second format including an activatable link.
US07835502B2 Target pedestal assembly and method of preserving the target
An x-ray target pedestal assembly and a method of protecting the x-ray target from breaking down as a result of the extreme heat that is produced when an electron beam is aimed at the target to produce x-rays. The target is submerged in cooling fluid and is rotated by a constant flow of the cooling fluid over and around the target in order to dissipate heat. The fluid is guided by integrated flow diverters in the target cover. The target may also be protectively coated either in its entirety or along the electron beam path in order to further protect it from the heat of the electron beam impact or from breakdown as a result of attack of free radicals or other chemically reactive components of the cooling fluid which are produced in the extreme target environment.
US07835493B2 Method and system for four dimensional intensity modulated radiation therapy for motion compensated treatments
A deliverable four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning method is disclosed, for delivery using a linear accelerator with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator (DMLC). A 4D computed tomography (CT) scan is used for segmenting tumor anatomy on a reference phase of periodic motion of the tumor. Deformable registration of the 4D CT data is used to generate corresponding anatomical structures on other phases. Preferably, the collimator for each beam position is aligned using the gross tumor volume (GTV) centroid motion corresponding to the periodic motion of the tumor, as determined from the two dimensional (2D) projection of a given beam position. A deliverable IMRT plan is created on the 4D CT image set in which the MLC leaf positions and beam on/off status can vary as a function of respiratory phase by solving a four dimensional optimization problem. The mechanical constraints of the MLC leaves are included in the optimization.
US07835492B1 Lethal and sublethal damage repair inhibiting image guided simultaneous all field divergent and pencil beam photon and electron radiation therapy and radiosurgery
A medical accelerator system is provided for simultaneous radiation therapy to all treatment fields. It provides the single dose effect of radiation on cell survival. It eliminates the inter-field interrupted, subfractionated fractionated radiation therapy. Single or four beams S-band, C-band or X-band accelerators are connected to treatment heads through connecting beam lines. It is placed in a radiation shielding vault which minimizes the leakage and scattered radiation and the size and weight of the treatment head. In one version, treatment heads are arranged circularly and connected with the beam line. In another version, a pair of treatment heads is mounted to each ends of narrow gantries and multiple such treatment heads mounted gantries are assembled together. Electron beam is steered to all the treatment heads simultaneously to treat all the fields simultaneously. Radiating beam's intensity in a treatment field is modulated with combined divergent and pencil beam, selective beam's energy, dose rate and weight and not with MLC and similar devices. Since all the treatment fields are treated simultaneously the dose rate at the tumor site is the sum of each of the converging beam's dose rate at depth. It represents the biological dose rate. The dose rate at d-max for a given field is the individual machine dose rate. Its treatment options includes divergent or pencil beam modes. It enables to treat a tumor with lesser radiation toxicities to normal tissue and higher tumor cure and control.
US07835484B2 Anti-fretting wear spacer grid with canoe-shaped spring
The present invention relates to an anti-fretting wear spacer grid having a plurality of canoe-shaped springs formed thereon, wherein each of the canoe-shaped springs includes: a fuel rod-contacting part having a flat surface having a predetermined longitudinal length so as to have linear contact with the fuel rod; a curved face-connecting part formed on the upper and lower portions of the fuel rod-contacting part; a leg-connecting part formed on the end portion of the curved face-connecting part; and legs each being formed of a plate shape having a predetermined length and connecting the both sides of the leg-connecting part with one unit grid cell surface.
US07835478B2 Method and apparatus for performing analog-to-digital conversion in receiver supporting software defined multi-standard radios
Disclosed are an analog-to-digital conversion method and apparatus capable of reducing quantization distortion in a receiver supporting multi-standard radios for which digital signal processing must be differently performed. The analog-to-digital conversion apparatus includes a first filter for filtering an input analog signal into a plurality of sub-band signals, a down-sampler for down-sampling the sub-band signals, a sub-band processor for allocating quantization bits for the sub-band signals, respectively, and digitizing the sub-band signals by using the allocated quantization bits, an up-sampler for up-sampling the digitized sub-band signals, and a second filter for reconstructing the sub-band signals into one digital signal. Multi-standard radio signals can be processed into digital signals in a receiver to which SDR is applied, and quantization distortion can be reduced during a procedure of converting the radio signal into the digital signal.
US07835470B2 Data slicer reference generator for multiple burst data signals
A slice level reference generator and method for performing improved data slicing operations when gaps are present in a data stream is disclosed that involves applying a nominal reference signal to the comparator the during signal gaps. In one embodiment, a receiver circuit includes a slice level detector and a comparator that operate in a conventional manner, and control circuitry that utilizes a signal detector and a switch to store a slice level reference signal generated by the slice level detector during a first signal burst, and to apply the stored reference signal to the comparator during signal gaps. In one embodiment a timer circuit is used to detect signal gaps. In another embodiment a predetermined fixed reference signal is applied to the comparator during signal gaps.
US07835466B1 Baseline wander compensation for perpendicular recording
Baseline wander is removed. A first decision signal is generated from an input signal using a first detector. Baseline wander associated with the input signal is estimated using the first decision signal. The estimated baseline wander is removed from the input signal. A second decision signal is generated from the input signal with the baseline wander removed using a second detector.
US07835460B2 Apparatus and methods for reducing channel estimation noise in a wireless transceiver
Apparatus and methods for use in a wireless communication system are disclosed for reducing channel estimation noise in a device such as a wireless transceiver. A disclosed apparatus includes a processor that determines a channel activity portion and a noise portion of a channel estimation. The processor also determines a threshold noise level based on channel estimate values in the noise portion of the channel estimation. The processor compares channel estimate energy values in the channel estimation to the threshold noise level and sets each of the channel estimate energy values being less than the threshold noise level to a predetermined value such as zero in order to reduce or eliminate the noise. Similar methods are also disclosed.
US07835456B2 Spur mitigation techniques
Spurs cause significant problems with signal detecting, amplifier gain adjustment, and signal decoding. Various techniques can be used to mitigate the effects of spurs on a received signal. Generally, these techniques work by either canceling or ignoring the spurs. For example, a pilot mask can be used to ignore pilot information in one or more sub-channels. A Viterbi mask can determine the weighting given to bits in a sub-channel based on spur and data rate information. Channel interpolation can compute a pseudo channel estimate for a sub-channel known to have a spur location can be computed by interpolating the channel estimates of adjacent good sub-channels. Filtering of the received signal using a low-pass filter, a growing box filter, or a low-pass filter with self-correlation can be used to cancel a spur.
US07835452B2 Method for encoding and decoding video signal
Disclosed is a method for encoding a decoding a video signal. In the procedure of encoding the video signal, when a frame temporarily simultaneous with a frame including a macro block of an enhanced layer which will obtain a prediction video does not exist in a base layer, the macro block is encoded based on difference values of residual data using corresponding residual blocks in a past frame and a future frame of the base layer which are residual data corresponding to image difference values and using a residual block for the macro block of the enhanced layer. In another embodiment, the macro block is encoded based on difference values of residual data using corresponding residual blocks in a past frame and a future frame of the enhanced layer and the residual block for the macro block. Accordingly, a residual prediction mode is applied for a macro block of an enhanced layer even if a frame temporally simultaneous with a frame of the enhanced layer does not exist in a base layer, thereby improve coding efficiency.
US07835449B2 Method of selecting a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes determining reference picture index numbers in a reference picture list. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having a decreasing display order with respect to a picture including the macroblock. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having an increasing display order with respect to the picture including the macroblock, and the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having a decreasing display order are less than the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having an increasing display order. The embodiment further includes reordering the reference picture index number allocated to each reference picture in the reference picture list, obtaining a field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock, determining a frame reference picture index based on the field reference picture index divided by 2, and selecting a field reference picture based on the selected frame reference picture and the field reference picture index.
US07835448B2 Method of selecting a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a reference picture list including multiple reference pictures, obtaining a field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock, and determining a frame reference picture index based on the field reference picture index. A field reference picture having a parity different from a parity of the field macroblock is selected if the field reference picture index is an odd value.
US07835447B2 Method of selecting a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a reference picture list including multiple reference pictures, and reordering a reference picture index allocated to each reference picture in the reference picture list. A field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock is obtained, and a frame reference picture index is determined based on the field reference picture index and the reference picture index. The reference picture in field unit is selected based on the reference picture index information and the reference picture in frame unit.
US07835446B2 Method of selecting a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes determining reference picture index numbers in a reference picture list. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having a decreasing display order with respect to a picture including the macroblock. The reference picture index numbers increase for reference pictures having an increasing display order with respect to the picture including the macroblock, and the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having a decreasing display order are less than the reference picture index numbers of the reference pictures having an increasing display order. The embodiment further includes reordering the reference picture index number allocated to each reference picture in the reference picture list, obtaining a field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock, determining a frame reference picture index based on the field reference picture index and the reference picture index numbers, and selecting a field reference picture having a parity different from a parity of the field macroblock if the field reference picture index is an odd value.
US07835442B2 Method of selecting a reference picture
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a reference picture list including multiple reference pictures, reordering a reference picture index allocated to each reference picture in the reference picture list, obtaining a field reference picture index associated with the current field macroblock, determining a frame reference picture index based on the field reference picture index and the reference picture index. The reference picture in field unit having a parity different from a parity of the field macroblock is selected if the reference picture index is odd value.
US07835425B1 Architectures, circuits, systems and methods for reducing latency in data communications
Circuits, architectures, systems and methods for facilitating data communications and/or reducing latency in data communications. The architecture includes a clock recovery loop receiving data from a host device and providing a recovered clock signal, a filter circuit receiving recovered clock signal information and providing a control signal that adjusts the transmitter clock in response to recovered clock signal information and the two clock signals, and a transmitter receiving the control signal and transmitting data to a destination device in accordance with the transmitter clock. The circuitry generally includes a clock alignment block receiving first and second periodic signals and providing a control signal in response thereto, a filter for first periodic signal information, and a logic circuit configured to combine the control signal and the filtered information, thereby providing an adjustment signal for the second periodic signal. The systems generally relate to those that include the present architecture and/or circuit. The method generally includes determining a phase difference between first and second periodic signals, one of the periodic signals being recovered from a data stream; adjusting the other periodic signal in response to the phase difference and filtered information from the recovered periodic signal; and transmitting the data stream in accordance with said adjusted periodic signal. The present invention advantageously eliminates a FIFO memory in the data path, thereby reducing transceiver latency and improving system performance.
US07835424B2 Path selection method and device
A method and to a device for selecting paths of a multipath channel. The method selects a path if an estimate of the relative contribution of the current path to the output signal-to-noise ratio of the receiver exceeds a given threshold.
US07835421B1 Electric detector circuit
A detector is provided for determining the carrier frequency of symmetrical, direct sequence, spread spectrum (DSSS) signals. The DSSS signal is divided between two signal paths, one path containing a frequency band inverter and the other a time delay unit. The outputs of the inverter and delay unit are connected to a multiplier and thence to a filter isolating the difference frequency of the inverted and non-inverted DSSS signals. The frequency inverter comprises an input band pass filter, a local oscillator, a second multiplier and a band pass filter. Frequency inversion is carried out by the multiplier and filter providing the difference signal between the local oscillator signal and the DSSS signal. The difference frequency provided by the filter is the known local oscillator frequency minus twice the DSSS carrier frequency.
US07835417B2 Narrow spectrum light source
An apparatus and method are disclosed for decreasing the spectral bandwidth of a semiconductor laser, such as a vertical cavity surface emitting laser.
US07835415B2 Single longitudinal mode laser diode
A single-mode, etched facet distributed Bragg reflector laser includes an AlGaInAs/InP laser cavity, a front mirror stack with multiple Fabry-Perot elements, a rear DBR reflector, and a rear detector. The front mirror stack elements and the rear reflector elements include input and output etched facets, and the laser cavity is an etched ridge cavity, all formed from an epitaxial wafer by a two-step lithography and CAIBE process.
US07835412B2 Laser control system, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus
A control system for a laser source driven by a direct current drive voltage includes a system control board, a laser driver, and a power stabilizing circuit. The system control board is configured to output a control signal based on input data. The laser driver is coupled to the laser source and to the system control board. The laser driver is configured to drive the laser source with the drive voltage to generate a laser beam modulated according to the control signal. The power stabilizing circuit is configured to regulate the drive voltage to a given constant level. The power stabilizing circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit is configured to boost the drive voltage to a level exceeding the given constant level. The second circuit is configured to limit the boosted drive voltage to the given constant level.
US07835409B2 Illumination light source device and laser projection device
An illumination light source is provided with a laser light source having a laser medium with a specified gain region, and a reflector having a narrow band reflection characteristic. A part of a laser light emitted from the laser light source is reflected and fed back by the reflector, so that an oscillation wavelength of the laser light source is fixed at a reflection wavelength. A peak of a gain region of the laser medium is shifted from the reflection wavelength by a change of an oscillation characteristic of the laser light source, so that the oscillation wavelength of the laser light source is changed from the reflection wavelength. Thus, an oscillation spectrum of the laser light source is spread to reduce speckle noise.
US07835399B2 IP header compression context identifier synergism
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: establishing a plurality of flows; assigning a context identifier to each flow, wherein a length of each context identifier for a first subset of the flows is a first number of bits and a length of each context identifier for a second subset of the flows is a second number of bits greater than the first number of bits; receiving a packet associated with a new flow, wherein a value of a context identifier assigned to the new flow must fit within the first number of bits; determining that the context identifiers for the plurality of flows have occupied all values within the first number of bits; assigning a context identifier of an existing flow to the new flow; and assigning a new context identifier to the existing flow.
US07835382B2 High definition and low power partial functionality communication link
Communication link including a cable containing four pairs of wires, three transmitters to transmit uncompressed video data and audio data over three of the pairs of wires to three receivers, and two transceivers to form a bidirectional multi data type communication link over the fourth pair of wires. An active mode of operation for transmitting the uncompressed video data and the audio data over the three pairs of wires, and for transmitting bidirectional data over the fourth pair of wires. And a first low power partial functionality mode of operation for transmitting bidirectional system controls.
US07835376B2 Communication device, communication system, and LAG management table management method used therefor
A communication device has link aggregation management tables, one for each of a plurality of line cards, each of the link aggregation management tables managing a relation between a link aggregation group and ports belonging thereto. The communication device has a function, which makes statuses of the link aggregation management tables consistent, in each of the plurality of line cards.
US07835375B2 Method and apparatus for providing multi-protocol, multi-stage, real-time frame classification
A multi-protocol, multi-stage, real-time frame classifier is disclosed. A preliminary multi-protocol frame composition analyzer is provided for performing preliminary multi-protocol frame classification for incoming frames. A parsing instruction generator is provided for processing at least the incoming frame and the preliminary multi-protocol frame classification to provide parsing instructions. A multi-stage parsing engine provides multi-stage parsing of the incoming frame according to the parsing instructions to generate search results presenting information about the incoming frame. An advanced level of data extraction is provided across various frame protocols without imposing a performance penalty. Longest prefix match searches and/or direct lookup searches are supported. Moreover, conditional extractions, instruction branching, multi-stage processing are all performed in real time.
US07835371B2 Method and apparatus to provide data streaming over a network connection in a wireless MAC processor
A method of wirelessly transmitting or receiving a packet of information, and an apparatus to wirelessly transmit or receive a packet of information. In the case of transmitting, the method includes streaming a data element, including at least some of the contents of the packet, over a network link during transmit time. In the case of receiving, the method includes streaming a data element, including at least some of the contents of the received packet, over a network link during receive time. The transmitting or receiving is by a station of a wireless network and the streaming is to or from the station from or to a network device coupled to the station by the network link.
US07835367B2 Network connection method, network connection system, and, layer 2 switch and management server forming the network connection system
In a network connection method for interconnecting a virtual LAN distributed over plural sites via a network formed by plural layer 2 switches, a layer 2 switch monitors a first virtual LAN configuring frame sent from a site in the plural sites for configuring the virtual LAN, a network virtual LAN identifier is assigned based on the monitored first virtual LAN configuring frame, and the layer 2 switch generates a second virtual LAN configuring frame based on the assigned network virtual LAN identifier, and transmits the second virtual LAN configuring frame to the plural layer 2 switches in the network so as to establish the virtual LAN distributed over the plural sites. Accordingly, configuration and operation of a virtual LAN in a network of the layer 2 switches can be performed efficiently according to the virtual LAN tag of the subscriber.
US07835366B2 Three-way message exchange clock synchronization
The invention includes a technique for clock recovery in a network having master and slave clocks in respective Time Division Multiplexing (“TDM”) network segments which are interconnected by a non-TDM segment. Master clock timestamps are sent to the slave. The slave measures a master clock timestamp inter-arrival interval, and sends slave clock timestamps to the master. The master measures a slave clock timestamp inter-arrival interval, and sends that slave clock timestamp inter-arrival interval to the slave. The slave then calculates an error signal based at least in-part on the difference between the master clock timestamp inter-arrival interval and the slave clock timestamp inter-arrival interval, and employs the difference to recover the first service clock in the second TDM segment.
US07835356B2 Method and device for fragmented packet routing in virtualized environments
A method and device for routing fragmented data frames is provided. A data frame may be fragmented into a plurality of fragments, each fragment including a packet identifier and a fragment offset. The first fragment may further include a port number associated with a target partition of a plurality of partitions. If the fragment is a first fragment as determined from the fragment offset, the packet identifier and target partition is stored at a location in a hash table, the location calculated by using the packet identifier of the fragment as a hash key. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07835342B2 Dedicated device for automatically accessing wireless internet network and supplying wireless packet data-based indoor-capable GPS locations
A dedicated device and method for connecting between a packet-data-capable wireless modem and a high sensitivity indoor-capable Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and is able to access a commercially available cellular or PCS band wireless Internet network for supplying indoor and outdoor GPS locations to a designated remote Internet server, in an independent, periodic, and automatic manner. Implemented with TCP/IP UDP PPP protocol stacks, the device automatically accesses and retries for always connecting to the wireless Internet network in packet data mode. The device also automatically retrieves the aiding/assisted-GPS (A-GPS) information from either a wireless base station or a specified separate A-GPS server. The device periodically supplies the A-GPS information and receives the indoor-capable GPS locations, to and from the GPS receiver. The indoor-capable GPS locations are packed into Internet User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet data format and periodically sent to a designated remote server through the wireless Internet network.
US07835340B2 Method of supporting multiple codes in a wireless mobile communication system
A method of supporting multiple code types in a wireless mobile communication system is disclosed. More specifically, a mobile station (MS) receives a channel descriptor from a base station (BS), wherein the channel descriptor includes at least one burst profile which includes a code type and an interval usage code. Thereafter, the MS, first, recognizes the code type which includes information on coding scheme to be used by the BS or the MS, and recognizes, second, an interval usage code which is used for classifying all data bursts.
US07835337B2 Method for transmitting downlink control information
A method for efficiently transmitting downlink control information is described. A method for transmitting control information in a multiple antenna system which can simultaneously transmit a maximum of two codewords includes transmitting modulation and coding scheme (MCS) information, a new data indicator (NDI) and a redundancy version (RV) for information blocks transmitted through the two codewords, and transmitting additional control information including at least one of a swapping indicator and enable/disable information. The swapping indicator indicates whether or not swapping occurs between the information blocks transmitted through the two codewords, and the enable/disable information indicates whether or not any one of transmissions through the two codewords is disabled. The swapping indicator is reserved when any one of transmissions through the two codewords is disabled, thereby reducing signaling overhead and efficiently transmitting necessary information.
US07835334B2 Output queued switch with a parallel shared memory, and method of operating same
A network switch includes an input layer to receive a data stream with a set of cells. Each cell includes data and a header to designate a destination device. The input layer includes a set of input layer circuits. A selected input layer circuit of the set of input layer circuits receives the data stream. The selected input layer circuit includes a set of queues corresponding to a set of destination devices. The selected input layer circuit is configured to assign a selected cell from the data stream to a selected queue of the set of queues. The selected queue corresponds to a selected destination device specified by the header of the selected cell. An intermediate layer includes a set of intermediate layer circuits, each intermediate layer circuit has a set of buffers corresponding to the set of destination devices. A selected intermediate layer circuit of the set of intermediate layer circuits receives the selected cell and assigns the selected cell to a selected buffer corresponding to the selected destination device. An output layer includes a set of output layer circuits corresponding to the set of destination devices. A selected output layer circuit of the set of output layer circuits stores the selected cell prior to routing the selected cell to a selected output layer circuit output node.
US07835333B2 Method of refining node position information in wireless sensor network
Provided is a method for refining node position information in a wireless sensor network having an ultra wideband communication network and a wireless personal area network where the initial positions of respective nodes are set, by utilizing nodes at a 2-hop distance, or more than a 2-hop distance when the number of neighboring nodes at a 1-hop distance is not sufficient to perform triangulation, and to refine the position of nodes based on a distance measured between the respective nodes. Because the initial position is refined and confirmed in a wireless sensor network, a user node operates as a pseudo anchor node for the nodes which have no anchor node nearby. Furthermore, as a node has the refined position, it can act as a pseudo anchor node and be used to compute the position of the other nodes. Additionally, positions of nodes of the wireless sensor network can be estimated with more accuracy.
US07835332B2 Method and apparatus for scheduling in WLAN mesh communication system
A method and apparatus for scheduling in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) mesh communication system including a plurality of Mesh Access Points (MAPs) are provided, in which, when a message to be transmitted from a first MAP of the MAPs to MAPs adjacent to first MAP is generated, setting a first interval for transmitting the generated message during a predetermined period, and setting a remaining interval excluding the first interval during the predetermined period as a second interval for receiving messages from the adjacent MAPs.
US07835321B2 Method of allocating uplink transmission channels in a communication system
A method of allocating channels in a user equipment is disclosed. In particular, a method of allocating a plurality of Dedicated Physical Channels (DPCHs) and Enhanced Dedicated Channels (E-DCHs) in a user equipment of a multicode transmission system. The method includes determining whether a High Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) is configured for the user equipment (UE) and determining a number of codes used by the DPCH and the E-DCH. The method further includes allocating the DPCH and the E-DCH channels to an I branch or a Q branch based on the number of codes used by the DPCH and the E-DCH and the HS-DSCH configuration.
US07835316B2 Method for mobile network operational state indication
A method to indicate a transitional operational state of a communication link is provided. The method includes indicating the operational state of the communication link is operable, transmitting data between a communication management unit and an endpoint via the communication link, and determining if the transmitted data is received at the endpoint. The method also comprises continuing to indicate the operational state of the communication link is operable when the transmitted data is received at the endpoint and determining if a transport layer has timed out when the transmitted data is not received at the endpoint within a pre-selected time. The method also comprises indicating the operational state of the communication link is transitional when the transport layer has not timed out and the transmitted data is not received at the endpoint within the pre-selected time.
US07835315B2 Method and apparatus for providing addressing in a multi-carrier communication system
An approach is provided for addressing in a multiple carrier communication system. In one embodiment, a group index is assigned to a group of terminals of a communication network. The group index permits sharing of addressing indices supported by the communication network for transmission of data to the group of terminals. In another embodiment, a plurality of terminals is classified using preamble indices corresponding to the terminals into one or more classes. A multi-user packet, which utilizes the preamble indices to activate only a class of the terminals for processing the multi-user packet, is generated.
US07835303B2 Packet-switched network topology tracking method and system
The present invention permits a network operator to maintain a timely view of changes to an operational packet-switched network.
US07835300B2 Network diagnostic systems and methods for handling multiple data transmission rates
A network diagnostic system may include a network diagnostic module. The network diagnostic module may be configured to generate one or more network diagnostic statistics. The network diagnostic module may be configured to automatically handle multiple data transmission rates.
US07835291B2 Disabled state and state signaling for link aggregation
A device enables a disabled timer state for a link aggregation group (LAG) link if a disabled timer condition is determined for the LAG link, and enables a disabled state for the LAG link if a disabled condition is determined for the LAG link in the disabled timer state.
US07835287B2 Mobile station, downstream transmission rate control method, and downstream transmission rate control program
An aspect of the invention provides a mobile station which can restrict an upper limit of a transmission rate according to a processing capacity in processing packet data received from a base station. The mobile station includes packet data retaining means 16 for tentatively retaining packet data received from a base station 100; reject ratio computation means 16 for computing a ratio of rejected packet data in the packet data retained by the packet data retaining means 16; transmission rate setting means 30 for setting an upper limit of a downstream transmission rate based on the ratio computed by the reject ratio computation means 16; and transmission rate notification means 25 for notifying the base station 100 of the upper limit of the transmission rate set by the transmission rate setting means 30.
US07835286B2 Dynamic multi-objective grid resources access
Various exemplary embodiments are a method and apparatus for selecting an access solution in a Grid network including one or more of the following: receiving an application request, the application request having an associated application cost; identifying a plurality of Grid endpoints for which the application cost is not more than an amount of available resources at each of the plurality of Grid endpoints; computing, for each of the plurality of Grid endpoints, a lowest cost path to access the Grid endpoint; and selecting, as the access solution, a first Grid endpoint of the plurality of Grid endpoints. Various exemplary embodiments are a method of selecting aback-up access solution in a Grid network including one or more of the following: ordering a first plurality of couples according to one or more metrics; determining a strategy; and calculating a share of resource load for each couple in the strategy.
US07835284B2 Method and apparatus for routing data in an inter-nodal communications lattice of a massively parallel computer system by routing through transporter nodes
A massively parallel computer system contains an inter-nodal communications network of node-to-node links. An automated routing strategy routes packets through one or more intermediate nodes of the network to reach a destination. Some packets are constrained to be routed through respective designated transporter nodes, the automated routing strategy determining a path from a respective source node to a respective transporter node, and from a respective transporter node to a respective destination node. Preferably, the source node chooses a routing policy from among multiple possible choices, and that policy is followed by all intermediate nodes. The use of transporter nodes allows greater flexibility in routing.
US07835283B2 Method and system for managing quality of service by feeding information into the packet network
The invention relates to a method for managing Quality of Service (QoS) in a packet network (10). The method comprises feeding a predetermined information flow into the packet network. (10) for measurement purposes and measuring the characteristics of said information flow by means of a continual measurement for producing QoS information. Said Qos information is used to control communications traffic in the packet network (10) in order to manage the Quality of Service (QoS) of the packet network (10). The invention further relates to a system for managing Quality of Service (QoS) in the packet network (10).
US07835275B1 Dynamic assignment of quality of service (QoS) to an active session in an ipsec tunnel
Quality of Service (QoS) is provided to a secure data tunnel such an an IPsec tunnel using information about the tunnel and the underlying data session to formulate a set of bandwidth requirements. A policy server operates to receive the information to create the set of bandwidth requirements which are enforced by a termination device. The termination device sets the bandwidths. QoS can be provided on a static or continuous basis. QoS can be provided on a dynamic basis. QoS can be provided at different levels depending on the type of data session. Multiple QoS can be provided for multiple data sessions existing simultaneously using multiple SSIDs.
US07835269B1 Fast link down
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a physical layer controller adapted to start a first timer for a physical link comprising a receive physical link; and a physical link monitor comprising a monitor module adapted to determine a local receiver status for the receive physical link, and a controller adapted to indicate a link status is OK for the physical link when the local receiver status is OK, wherein the controller comprises a speed up mode circuit to indicate the link status is FAIL for the physical link when the local receiver status is not OK and a speed up mode is enabled, regardless of the status of the first timer.
US07835267B2 Dynamic path protection in an optical network
A method and system for dynamic protection of virtual links for paths of an optical network in communication with an IP network are disclosed. The method includes establishing two or more paths within the optical network and grouping the paths in a dynamic bundle. The grouping is selected at a control plane level and the bundle of paths are recognized as a single routing adjacency in the IP network so that as long as one or more paths within the bundle is operating, the routing adjacency in the IP network is not affected by changes within the bundle.
US07835258B2 Recording medium, information recording and reproducing method, and recording and reproducing apparatus
Conventionally, as in the case of switching between a DVD-R and a DVD-RAM, when the method of record mark arrangement in a track is changed, the physical format of the disk is also changed. This makes it difficult to ensure compatibility between pieces of data recorded by a plurality of different methods of record mark arrangement. According to the present invention, sector address data and block address data are recorded in each sector by using wobbling or deformation of a recording groove. Then, depending on which address is used, sector data structure is modified, thereby making it possible to select an address data detection and a data structure on a disk in a single physical format depending on the purpose.
US07835254B2 Optical recording condition setting method, optical recording/reproducing device, control program, and recording medium
In order to provide an optical recording condition setting method which reduces effects from uneven properties of a rewritable or recordable optical disk and an optical recording/reproducing device, and to provide an optical recording/reproducing device which executes the method, (i) a test writing is carried out with respect to an optical disk under various settings of recording-power parameters for use in forming a shortest record-mark (S1 to S3), (iii) a test pattern used in the test writing is reproduced (S4), and then (iv) recording-power parameters that result in a good quality of reproduced signals are selected (S5).
US07835248B2 Optical disk apparatus
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, after test write is performed with a predetermined test power to a first track on an optical disk, test write is performed with the same test power as the first track to a second track adjacent to the first track. Then, reproduction signals are obtained by reproducing the first track and the second track respectively, and a determination whether or not the test power is set to a recording laser power in recording main information is made based on a relationship between the obtained reproduction signals.
US07835247B2 Backup method of record information and method for reading backed up record information
A backup method includes reading record information of an optical disc; when the reading operation fails, utilizing an optical disc drive to read backed up record information at a plurality of specified positions in the lead-out area; checking a status of a session as a preparation for following recording; utilizing the optical disc drive to record data into a session on the optical disc; updating record information of the optical disc to generate an updated record information when recording of the session is completed and simultaneously recording the updated record information including a TOC block within the lead-in area of the optical disc to a plurality of specified positions on the optical disc according to different data types of the record information to serve as backed up record information; and ending a recording operation of the session.
US07835241B2 Optical disc playback apparatus
An optical disc playback apparatus with which collision of a lens and an optical disc is avoided is provided. Processes executed by a microcomputer of the optical disc playback apparatus when a disc is played back include: the step of outputting a signal for performing focus search at a predetermined speed; the step of outputting a signal for reducing search speed when reflection of laser light from a surface of the optical disc is detected; and the step of outputting a signal for indicating disc error when S-shape is not detected and a certain time has elapsed since the detection of the reflection.
US07835237B2 Optical pickup device and information recording/reproducing apparatus
There are obtainable reliable and proper tracking correction and CTC even when fluctuations occur in an irradiation position of a sub-beam in a track at the time of performing tracking correction and CTC using three beams. Five beams (a main beam, sub-beams inA and inB, and sub-beams outA and outB) are generated. Reflection beams of the five beams are received, and a differential push pull signal DPPin corresponding to the sub-beams “in” as ± first-order beams and a differential push pull signal DPPout corresponding to the sub-beams “out” as ± second-order beams are generated. By assigning weights to the differential push pull signals DPPin and DPPout and computing the sum of the weighted signals, a tracking error signal Ste having an amplitude value which can perform tracking correction is generated.
US07835236B2 Servo control apparatus and method, and disk recording or playback apparatus
There is provided a servo controller that can automatically set a filter intended for stabilizing a closed loop. The servo controller includes a repetitive controller. The repetitive controller implements repetitive control of a servo error signal (observation signal y(t)) by producing, by an adaptive line spectrum enhancer or adaptive linear prediction unit, a second error signal (including mainly a rotational sync signal) resulted from reduction of an irrotational sync component from a first error signal resulted from subtraction of the observation signal y(t) from a target signal r(t) and producing a third error signal obtained by sequentially updating the first error signal while making one-period delay of the second error signal.
US07835233B2 Disc autoloader and duplicator having one-dimensional robotic arm movement
The present invention relates to design and construction of a mini and compact optical disc autoloader. By way of a flip-flop device positioned and pivoted between two disc trays, the robotic arm movement is simplified to a one-dimensional linear fashion and greatly reduces the cost of production and also cost of maintenance. The present invention also allows for multiple write drives to be easily built into present invention, creating an efficient duplicating system. It can be used for the home and small business environment for small volume optical duplication, storage and management.
US07835225B2 Method for attenuating particle motion sensor noise in dual sensor towed marine seismic streamers
Signals detected by particle motion sensors in a towed dual sensor marine seismic streamer are scaled to match signals detected by pressure sensors in the streamer. The pressure sensor signals and the scaled particle motion sensor signals are combined to generate up-going and down-going pressure wavefield components. The up-going and down-going pressure wavefield components are extrapolated to a position just below a water surface. A first matching filter is applied to the extrapolated down-going pressure wavefield component. The filtered down-going pressure wavefield component is subtracted from the extrapolated up-going pressure wavefield component, generating an up-going pressure wavefield component with attenuated particle motion sensor noise. A second matching filter is applied to the extrapolated up-going pressure wavefield component. The filtered up-going pressure wavefield component is subtracted from the extrapolated down-going pressure wavefield component, generating a down-going pressure wavefield component with attenuated particle motion sensor noise.
US07835222B2 Anti-biofouling seismic streamer casing and method of manufacture
An anti-biofouling seismic streamer casing (100,100′) is provided that is formed by a flexible tubing (110) coated with a layer of a two-part heat cured silicone elastomer (120). The seismic streamer casing (100, 100′) is formed by a method that includes steps of providing a flexible tubing (200) and pre-treating the outer surface of the tubing (210). Two parts of a two-part silicone elastomer are then mixed together (220). The method also includes coating the mixed two-part silicone elastomer on the flexible tubing (230), and heating the flexible tubing to cure the coating (240).
US07835219B2 Multi-port memory device
A multi-port memory device including a plurality of ports, a plurality of banks and a plurality of bank controllers, wherein all of the bank controllers share all of the ports, the device includes a phase locked loop (PLL) unit for generating an internal clock signal; a delay unit, provided in each bank controller, for generating first and second delayed clock signals by delaying the internal clock signal; a serializer, provided in each bank controller, for receiving a plurality of parallel data from all of the ports and fitting the parallel data for a corresponding data frame in response to the first delayed clock signal; and a command decoder, provided in each bank controller, for decoding output data of the serializer to generate command signals in response to the second delayed clock signal.
US07835206B2 Semiconductor memory device capable of relieving defective bits found after packaging
A semiconductor memory device includes plural banks, defect relief circuits individually provided for these banks, a defective-address storing circuit that stores defective addresses, and a comparing circuit that compares an access-requested address with a defective address. The defective-address storing circuit and the comparing circuit are allocated in common to two banks, respectively. With this arrangement, a chip area can be decreased.
US07835200B2 Level shifter
A level shifter circuit includes first and second supply inputs for receiving a first supply voltage and a second supply voltage, respectively. The level shifter circuit further comprises a shifting circuit configured to receive an input voltage and output a selected one of the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage according to the value of the input voltage. The shifting circuit includes a circuit branch connected between the first supply input and the second supply input. The circuit branch includes a plurality of series-connected electronic devices and a voltage dropper device connected in series with the plurality of electronic devices for introducing a voltage drop. The level shifter circuit includes a bias generator configured to generate a bias voltage for the voltage dropper device according to values of the first supply voltage and the second supply voltage, said voltage drop depending on the bias voltage.
US07835188B2 Semiconductor memory device
Provided is a semiconductor memory device, which realizes characteristic evaluation even in a case where a threshold voltage is a negative potential by a test method which is similar to a case of a positive potential. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells for storing data. When a test signal is input, the semiconductor memory device changes from a normal mode to a test mode for evaluating characteristics of the plurality of memory cells. The semiconductor memory device also includes: a memory cell selecting portion for selecting a memory cell; a constant voltage portion for generating a reference voltage; a constant current portion for generating a reference current; an X switch voltage switching control circuit for supplying one of an X selection signal and a voltage signal input from an external terminal to a gate of the memory cell; a Y switch portion for supplying the reference current to a drain of the memory cell selected by a Y selection signal; a comparator for detecting whether or not a drain voltage that is a voltage of the drain has exceeded the reference voltage; and a decision level changing portion for adjusting a current value of the reference current and a voltage value of the reference voltage so as to change a decision level of the comparator based on a control signal in the test mode.
US07835185B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device in accordance with the present invention is provided with a plurality of memory cells of field effect transistor type, a source bias control circuit, and a drain bias control circuit. The source bias control circuit variably sets the potential of a source line connected in common to the sources of the plurality of memory cells at the time of write operation. The drain bias control circuit variably sets the potential of the drains of the plurality of memory cells at the time of write operation according to the potential of the source line.
US07835181B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device is disclosed, which includes a plurality of NAND cells each comprising a plurality of series-connected memory cell transistors, and a drain-side select transistor and a source-side select transistor connected to a drain-side end and a source-side end of the series-connected memory cell transistors, respectively, a source line commonly connected to the source-side select transistors in the plurality of NAND cells, a first discharge circuit which is connected between the source line and a reference potential and whose conduction/non-conduction is controlled by a first control signal, and a second discharge circuit which is connected between the source line and the reference potential and whose conduction/ non-conduction is controlled by a second control signal different from the first control signal.
US07835171B2 Semiconductor memory device
A resistance variable memory reduces the nonuniformity of resistance values after programming, so that a rewrite operation can be performed on a memory cell at high speed. A reference resistor is connected in series with the resistance variable memory cell, and a sensor amplifier detects whether the potential at an intermediate node between the memory cell and the reference resistor exceeds a given threshold voltage, so as to stop the write operation based on a detection result.
US07835169B2 Semiconductor memory device and semiconductor memory system
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cell arrays each including a plurality of memory cells arranged in a matrix pattern, and a plurality of cell plate lines each being shared by the memory cell arrays, each of the cell plate lines corresponding to each of rows of the memory cells and each of the cell plate lines being connected to the memory cells of a corresponding one of the rows. Each of the memory cell arrays includes a plurality of word lines each of which corresponds to each of the rows of the memory cells in the memory cell array. The number of the memory cells connected to each of the cell plate lines is larger than the number of the memory cells connected to one of the word lines corresponding to the each of the cell plate lines.
US07835161B2 DC-AC converter and method of supplying AC power
A dc-ac converter capable of supplying a finely regulated ac drive voltage to a load is provided. For this purpose, the converter includes, in a primary winding of a transformer, a full-bridge or half-bridge type semiconductor switch circuit whose switch can be controlled by pulse-width modulation. Transformer has a secondary winding for connection with a load. Based on PWM signals and by use of adequate switching logics for controlling multiple semiconductor switches, sophisticated control including zero-current switching and penetrating current prevention can be effected. Moreover, by means of regulated burst control of the ratio of on-duty period to off-duty period together with pulse-width modulation control, power supplied to the load can be regulated over a wide range beyond the limits of control obtained by the pulse-width modulation.
US07835156B2 Power drive unit
In a power drive unit having power modules (three-phase inverter circuits) connected to a control circuit board, bus bars extending from the power modules and a current sensor each installed near the bus bars and including a sensing element that detects currents outputted from the bus bars, there are provided a sensor board on which the sensing element is mounted, and lead pins each connecting the sensor board to the control circuit board and having a bowed shape whose one end is connected to the sensor board and other end once extends away from the circuit board and then turns back toward the circuit board. With this, the circuit board and current sensors can be connected through the lead pins without increasing the distance therebetween and stress produced in the lead pins can be alleviated, thereby enabling the unit to be minimized in size and utilized in a harsh service environment.
US07835149B2 Computer enclosure with airflow guide
A computer enclosure includes a chassis with a plurality of heat generating components installed therein and an airflow guide structure. The airflow guide structure includes a fan and a duct attached to the fan. A pair of airflow outlets aligned with the fan is defined in the duct. The duct includes a plurality of pivot panels pivotally attached at airflow outlets. The pivot panels are configured to guide airflow from the fan to different positions of heat generating components in the chassis.
US07835139B2 Solid electrolytic capacitor
Cathode electrode part 5 of flat plate-like element 1 is joined with cathode com terminal 7 with a conductive adhesive or the like. Element mounting part 6a of anode terminal 6 is provided with a pair of joint parts 6b for wrapping anode electrode part 4 from both sides. The tips of joint parts 6b and anode electrode part 4 are joined by laser welding such that the ratio (w/d) of the width (w) of each tip of joint parts 6b and the diameter (d) of the welding trace to be welded is 0.5 to 1.5, and more preferably, 0.5 to 1.25 for providing low ESR means for concentrating the quantity of heat at the time of welding on welding parts 6c without escape. Therefore, a stable welded state is obtained, so that the ESR is improved for achieving low ESR of the solid capacitor.
US07835138B2 Solid electrolytic capacitor and method of manufacturing same
A solid electrolytic capacitor is provided in which volume efficiency of its capacitor element is improved. A converting substrate having an anode terminal forming portion and cathode terminal portion obtained by forming notches on faces exposed on outside faces of the anode and cathode portions and performing plating in the notches in portions in which the anode and cathode portions of a lower-face electrode type solid electrolytic capacitor is connected to the capacitor element and, after a sheathing resin is formed therein, the sheathed portion and converting substrate are cut along cutting planes to form fillet forming faces on the outside faces of the anode portion and cathode portion of the lower-face electrode type solid electrolytic capacitor.
US07835136B2 Electric double layer capacitance device
An electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) device is disclosed having an electrode containing an activated carbon cryogel with a tunable pore structure, the carbon cryogel having a surface area of at least 1500 m2/g as determined by nitrogen sorption at 77K and BET analysis, and the pore structure having a pore volume ranging from about 0.01 cc/g to about 0.25 cc/g for pores having a pore diameter of 0.6 to 1.0 nm.
US07835132B2 Concealable electric shock device
A concealable electric shock device is described. The concealable electric shock device includes a housing that allows a user to affix the device against the user's body to “electrify” the user. The device is formed to accommodate a DC power source (e.g., 12 volt battery) and convert the DC power to a high-voltage AC power. Both a primary on/off switch and a secondary on/off switch (e.g., magnetic reed switch) are included to allow a user to selectively become electrified. Additionally, a user-side electrical contact is attached with the housing to provide AC power directly to a user's body. A flash system (e.g., flash bulb) is also included to allow a user to selectively generate a flash effect. Finally, a messaging system (e.g., vibrator motor) is included to allow a user's assistant to discreetly provide messages to the user, thereby providing the illusion of mentalism.
US07835127B2 Driver device and liquid droplet ejection head
In a switch (mechanical switch) in a drive circuit, an electric potential according to the temperature of a driver IC is given to a gate electrode from a switch control circuit. During normal operation, a lever is in contact with terminals, and thus a terminal connected to an input terminal to which power is supplied from outside and a terminal connected to the drive circuit are connected to each other. On the other hand, when the electric potential given to the gate electrode is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, the lever is deformed due to electrostatic forces between the lever and the gate electrode and separates from the terminal, and thus the connection between the terminals is disconnected. The driver IC including the switch and the above-mentioned circuit is constructed as MEMS.
US07835124B2 Short circuit and over-voltage protection for a data bus
An apparatus for protecting a device against an over-voltage condition that is in excess of its breakdown voltage includes a detector for detecting the over-voltage condition and a protection circuit for protecting the device in response to detection of the over-voltage condition. The protection circuit may include a transmission gate and a PMOS transistor for producing a protection signal. The protection signal may be applied to a gate and/or a drain and/or a source and/or a well of the device such that a voltage across the device does not exceed the breakdown voltage. The protection signal may be derived from the over-voltage condition independent of whether a supply of power to the device is present.
US07835123B2 Electrical and electronic system
An electrical and electronic system includes an air-bag ECU and a squib. The air-bag ECU has a power supply circuit, an electronic element, a noise protection line, a switching element and a voltage detector. The noise protection line is connected between an element line, which is connected to the electronic element and the squib and to the ground. The switching element is connected to the noise protection line in series. When the voltage detector detects a large noise, it turns on the switching element to protect the electronic element from such a large noise.
US07835111B2 Magnetic write head with upper return pole optimization for reduced trailing shield protrusion
A magnetic write head for perpendicular magnetic recording that is resistant to write pole and trailing shield protrusion. The write pole includes a magnetic return pole that is magnetically connected with the trailing shield, the return pole being resistant to deformation or recession such as from mechanically abrasive slider cleaning operations such as soda blast.
US07835106B2 Method of controlling the position of a read/write head and apparatus for testing a read/write head
A method of controlling the position of a read/write head relative to a disk in a test apparatus is disclosed. The test apparatus has a positioner for positioning the head. The positioner has a sensor to measure the actual position achieved by the positioner. The method includes generating a sensor signal measuring the actual position achieved by the positioner; generating a position error signal of the head relative to the disk detected at the head; high pass filtering the head position error signal and low pass filtering the sensor signal so that there is substantially no overlap in frequency between them; and, deriving a low frequency head error signal from the head position error signal corresponding to any drift of the head.
US07835104B2 Storage device, control method, control device, and program
A heater for changing a projection distance protrusion value by thermal expansion accompanying electric-power-distributed heating is provided in a head having at least a reading element. At desired correction timing, a changed distance detection unit measures a clearance changed distance in a state in which the head is positioned to a track on the recording medium while increasing the amount of electric power distributed to the heater. A contact determination unit determines that the head is brought into contact with the recording medium when a derivative value of the clearance changed distance is below a predetermined threshold value. A measurement output unit outputs the clearance changed distance detected by the changed distance detection unit at the time of contact determination of the contact determination unit as a measurement result of the clearance between the reading element and the recording medium.
US07835092B2 Medium for a color changer
A flexible medium for a scrolling color changer and method of making thereof. The medium is made by applying an ink using a Meyer Rod which has varying cell lengths along its length. This leaves varying size cells of ink at different locations along the length of the medium. The ink has special characteristics whereby its evaporation rate and viscosity are carefully controlled. The viscosity is such that an amount of levelling will occur will be equal to the distance between any cells, but that cell to cell levelling will not, in general, occur.
US07835088B2 Light shielding structure of an optical device
A light shielding structure of an optical device, includes a plurality of optical elements arranged at different positions in an optical axis direction. The light shielding structure includes at least one annular light shielding member positioned between two of the optical elements to shield harmful light, and a plurality of springs held between the two optical elements to be resiliently deformable in the optical axis direction. The springs include at least two springs, one of which is held between one of the two optical elements and the annular light shielding member while the other of the two springs is held between the other of the two optical elements and the annular light shielding member. The annular light shielding member is supported between the two optical elements in a balanced state between the spring forces of the plurality of springs.
US07835086B2 Lens barrel and imaging apparatus
The positioning of the first through the third lenses in the optical axis direction is performed in the state that the optical axes are aligned by press-fitting the outer circumference surfaces of the first through the third lenses of the second lens group respectively to the first through the third lens holding portions of the lens frame and the state that the first reference plane of the first lens and the second reference plane of the second lens are contacted and the third reference plane of the second lens and the fourth reference plane of the third lens are contacted.
US07835075B2 Replacement device for microscopes
A changing device for receiving optical elements, particularly for microscopes, has a stand comprising a side wall, front wall and rear wall. This changing device is arranged at a holder in the telecentric part of the microscope beam path and is outfitted with a quantity of optical components influencing the beam path. The arrangement is mounted so as to be rotatable around an axis of rotation which is situated in the holder and which intersects the optical axis of the microscope beam path.
US07835066B2 Systems and methods for generating electromagnetic radiation
Systems and methods for generating electromagnetic waves are provided. In one embodiment, a system for generating electromagnetic waves is provided. The system comprises a dielectric column comprising a spherical portion and at least one cylindrical portion, wherein the spherical portion receives a first wave from a first source and a second wave from a second source and generates a resulting electromagnetic wave along the interior of the cylindrical portion having a difference frequency caused by whispering gallery modes of the spherical portion, and the at least one cylindrical portion having at least one output for outputting the resulting electromagnetic wave.
US07835061B2 Support structures for free-standing electromechanical devices
A microelectromechanical (MEMS) device includes a functional layer including a first material, a deformable layer including a second material different from the first material, and a connecting element including the first material. The connecting element is mechanically coupled to the deformable layer and the functional layer. The connecting element and the deformable layer form an interface between the first material and the second material. The interface is spaced from the functional layer.
US07835060B2 Variable attenuated transmittance device control system
Some embodiments include an automotive variable attenuated transmittance device having a predetermined minimum transmittance. Such devices can include a suspended particle device, liquid crystal device, polymer dispersed liquid crystal device, or electrochromic device. Some embodiments also include a manual and/or automatic control system for varying transmittance according to any of a variety of data including, without limitation, position, orientation, transmitted power, and/or the position of an occupant's head.
US07835038B2 Illumination source comprising more light emitting diodes than terminals
An illumination source for a scanner comprises a plurality of terminals and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) with at least two LEDs having different wavelengths. Each LED is coupled to a terminal and each LED is capable of being turned on and off via a signal provided to a terminal to which that LED is coupled. The number of LEDs is greater than the number of terminals.
US07835035B2 Intelligent toner saving for color printing
A software-controlled method for minimizing color toner use during printing of a color page by a color printer including (a) examining the image data for such a page to identify different pre-selected categories of page-contained image elements, (b) associating, with identified different-categories of such elements, specific, respective, pre-determined color-toner usage rules, and (c) following the associating step, outputting the elements to the printer along with instructions that the printer use, in the printing of such elements, the correct, respectively associated color-toner usage rule(s). From a structural point of view, the invention includes examining structure, associating structure, and output structure designed to perform the basic core methodology steps of the invention.
US07835015B1 Auto focus system for reticle inspection
Methods and apparatus relating to the inspection of photomasks are described. In an embodiment, an inspection tool may be automatically focused on a reticle utilizing various topographic mapping techniques. Other embodiments are also described.
US07834999B2 Optical analysis system and optical train
A multivariate optical computing and analysis system includes a light source configured to radiate a first light along a first ray path; a modulator disposed in the first ray path, the modulator configured to modulate the first light to a desired frequency; a spectral element disposed proximate the modulator, the spectral element configured to filter the first light for a spectral range of interest of a sample; a cavity disposed in communication with the spectral element, the cavity configured to direct the first light in a direction of the sample; a tube disposed proximate the cavity, the tube configured to receive and direct a second light generated by a reflection of the first light from the sample, the tube being further configured to separate the first and second lights; a beamsplitter configured to split the second light into a first beam and a second beam; an optical filter mechanism disposed to receive the first beam, the optical filter mechanism configured to optically filter data carried by the first beam into at least one orthogonal component of the first beam; and a detector mechanism in communication with the optical filter mechanism to measure a property of the orthogonal component to measure the data.
US07834994B2 Sensors for dynamically detecting substrate breakage and misalignment of a moving substrate
An apparatus and method incorporating at least two sensors that detect the presence of a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for transferring a substrate in a processing system is described. The method includes positioning a substrate on an end effector in a first chamber, moving the substrate through an opening between the first chamber and a second chamber along a substrate travel path, and sensing opposing sides of the substrate travel path using at least two sensors positioned proximate to the opening, each of the at least two sensors defining a beam path that is directed through opposing edge regions of the substrate when at least a portion of an edge region traverses the beam path.
US07834990B2 Evaluation method for evaluating optical characteristics of optical system, evaluation method for evaluating projector, evaluation device for evaluating optical characteristics, and screen
An evaluation method for evaluating optical characteristics of an optical system, the evaluation method includes: providing an optical system that is an evaluation object and that has a light incidence section and a light emission section; disposing a first pattern having a fist predetermined pitch, in an optical path of light which is incident onto the light incidence section; disposing a projection surface having a second pattern with a second predetermined pitch, at the position to which the light emitted from the light emission section is reached; projecting an image of the first pattern onto the projection surface through the optical system; and evaluating the optical characteristics of the optical system by observing a state of moiré fringes which are generated onto the projection surface due to interference between the image and the second pattern.
US07834985B2 Surface profile measurement
An imaging system has a transmission system (2) for transmitting a modulated optical signal and a reception system (3) for receiving a received optical signal which is a reflected and delayed version of the transmitted signal. The reception system includes a controllable shutter arrangement for allowing reception in a controllable time window. A memory (4) collects reception data derived from different time windows, and a measure of distance is obtained corresponding to a maximum correlation between the received optical signal and the timing of the controllable time window. Surface profile information is derived from multiple distance measurements.The shutter arrangement enables the distance measurement (and the subsequent profile calculation) to be free from noise from other scattering sources.
US07834984B2 Device for optical distance measurement
The invention relates to a device for optically measuring distance, in particular a hand-held device, comprising an transmitter unit (12) which is provided with a light source (17, 18) for transmitting optical measuring radiation (13, 20, 22) to a target object (15), and a capturing unit (14) which is arranged at a distance on the optical axis (38) of the transmitter unit (14). Said capturing unit (14) comprises at least one optical detector (54) comprising a detection surface (66) for capturing optical radiation (16, 49, 50) reflected by the target object (15). According to the invention, the detection surface (66) of the detector (54) comprises an optical near range element (68), whose optically active surface (72, 74) is elongated in the direction (61) of the radiation shift for receding target object separations (48) and expands or has at least one essentially constant extension.
US07834982B2 Substrate holder and exposure apparatus having the same
A substrate holding apparatus including a first holding member for attracting a first surface of a substrate, a second holding member which contacts a second surface, opposite to the first surface, of the substrate, in which the second holding member attracts the second surface, and a forcing member for forcing the first holding member toward the second holding member.
US07834979B2 Off-axis catadioptric projection optical system for lithography
An off-axis catadioptric projection optical systems for use in lithography tools for processing modulated light used to form an image on a substrate is provided. The optical system includes an off-axis mirror segment, a fold mirror, a relay, an aperture stop and a refractive lens group. Modulated light is transmitted through the system to form an image on a substrate. The projection system includes an off-axis mirror segment, an aperture stop and a refractive lens group. Alternatively, the projection system includes an off-axis mirror segment, a negative refractive lens group, a concave mirror, a relay, an aperture stop, and a refractive lens group.
US07834978B2 Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method
An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to light. A substrate stage holds and moves the substrate, a scope measures a predetermined mark to align the substrate, and a controller controls the position of the substrate stage and the operation of the scope, thereby executing a first measurement and a second measurement necessary for a single calibration of the apparatus to align the substrate. The controller executes the first measurement and the second measurement at frequencies different from each other.
US07834973B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device comprises a layer of liquid crystal material (3) between spaced-apart cell walls (1,2), and electrodes (5) provided on at least one cell wall for applying an electric field across at least a part of said liquid crystal material. The liquid crystal material has anisotropic light-absorbing particles dispersed therein and substantially aligned therewith. The invention also provides a composition for use in the display.
US07834971B2 Multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display having two sub-pixel regions
An exemplary liquid crystal display includes a first substrate; a second substrate opposite the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates; a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed at the second substrate; a plurality of parallel first data lines alternately disposed at the second substrate; a plurality of parallel second data lines alternately disposed at the second substrate. Each of the first data lines is disposed upon and insulative to a corresponding second data line, and each of the first and second data lines provides signals to a corresponding pixel electrode.
US07834960B2 Thin film transistor array substrate structures
A thin film transistor array substrate structure. The array substrate structure includes a thin film transistor array substrate, an organic material layer formed thereon, and a plurality of black matrices and color filter patterns disposed on the organic material layer. The invention also provides a method of fabricating the thin film transistor array substrate.
US07834957B2 Display device employing light control member and display device manufacturing method
A liquid crystal is sealed with a sealing member between first and second transparent substrates, whereby a liquid crystal cell capable of transmitting ultraviolet light is produced. The liquid crystal cell is inserted into a mold into which an ultraviolet-setting resin is dropped and which is used to produce a light control member. The ultraviolet-setting resin is pressed to be bonded to the liquid crystal cell. In this state, ultraviolet light is irradiated to the liquid crystal cell in the mold from outside the mold. Thus, the ultraviolet-setting resin is set while bonding to the liquid crystal cell. Thereafter, the liquid crystal cell is removed from the mold. Consequently, the light control member is directly formed on the liquid crystal cell.
US07834951B2 EMI shielding film of a panel display device
An EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding film of a flat panel display device includes a mesh unit formed of conductive meshes that are intersected with each other, and a mesh frame for surrounding the mesh unit to support the mesh unit and to define an effective display area on a screen. Both the mesh unit and the mesh frame are formed integrally together by a base film which has PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and metal foil.
US07834950B2 Liquid crystal display device
The object of the present invention is to make parts and kinds of liquid crystal display devices in common for cope stably and flexibly with commercial products of computer makers and television makers which have been promoted in various kinds, for simplifying maintenance of a liquid crystal display unit mounted on computers, display monitors therefor or televisions, and preferably for enabling to omit positional adjustment of a light source unit and a liquid crystal display panel during the maintenance of the liquid crystal display device. For this object, the invention provides a liquid crystal display device comprising first, second, and third housings, a liquid crystal display panel fixed between the first and second housings, a light source (cold-cathode fluorescent tubes) fixed to the third housing, the second and third housings being detachable to one another, being constructed by overlapping the first, second and third housings with each other, wherein a timing-converter board fixed to an opposite side surface of the third housing to a side surface to which the light source is fixed, and protrusions formed on the opposite side surface so as to determine a maximum thickness of the liquid crystal display device.
US07834944B2 Method for the orientation of a parallax barrier screen on a display screen
A method for the orientation of a parallax barrier screen on a display screen with pixels x(ij) in a pattern of rows (i) and columns (j) for the production of a display screen for three-dimensional representation. Particularly, a test image is presented comprising various views A(k) where k=1, . . . , n and n=6 or n=7, wherein the test image comprises at least two first straight lines having two different directions of extension from one another, said lines being disposed in different horizontal positions in the n=6 or n=7 views A(k), wherein the test image comprises at least two second straight lines that are each oriented parallel to one of the first straight lines and that are disposed at least at the same horizontal positions in the n=6 or n=7 views A(k). The method according to the invention may be performed quickly and with a high degree of accuracy and is therefore suitable for industrial use for the production of display screens for three-dimensional representation.
US07834940B2 Photo sensor, display panel having the same and display device having the display panel
A display device that includes a first substrate having pixel electrodes; a second substrate having a color filter corresponding to the pixel electrodes to display images; a photo switching element disposed at the first substrate; a red or green color filter corresponding to the photo switching element formed at the second substrate to sense an amount of external light; a driving controller configured to output a driving control signal responsive to the amount of external light sensed by the light sensing unit; and a light generation unit configured to provide the display unit with an internal light controlled by the driving control signal. This photo sensor is well suited to human-eye luminosity and uses external light to determine how much backlight is needed.
US07834932B2 De-interlacing method
An image de-interlacing method for estimating an interpolation luminance of an interpolated pixel, including: selecting a plurality of first and second candidate pixels respectively on upper and lower lines adjacent to the interpolated pixel, calculating a plurality of weighted directional differences respectively associated with one of the first candidate pixels and one of the second candidate pixels with weighting values determined by comparing similarity of luminance decreasing/increasing patterns near the associated first and second candidate pixels on the upper and lower lines, selecting a first selected pixel and a second selected pixel respectively from the first and second candidate pixels associated with the smallest weighted directional difference, and obtaining the interpolation luminance according to the first and second selected pixels.
US07834926B2 Semiconductor image sensing element and fabrication method therefor, and semiconductor image sensing device and fabrication method therefor
A semiconductor image sensing element has a semiconductor element including an image sensing area, a peripheral circuit region, a plurality of electrode portions provided in the peripheral circuit region, and a plurality of micro-lenses provided on the image sensing area and an optical member having a configuration covering at least the image sensing area and bonded over the micro-lenses via a transparent bonding member. The side surface region of the optical member is formed with a light shielding film for preventing the irradiation of the image sensing area with a reflected light beam or a scattered light beam from the side surface region.
US07834923B2 Apparatus and method for producing and storing multiple video streams
A digital imaging device produces and stores multiple video streams from a single imaging sensor array. The stored video streams may be post-processed using video editing software to create a combined video presentation.
US07834918B2 Method and device for evaluating random noise in image sensor
A random noise evaluation method is comprised of: capturing and obtaining current image data; calculating a difference between the current image data and an average of previous image data; calculating a current difference square sum using a sum of the difference and a previous difference square sum; and calculating a random noise value using the current difference square sum. Since a noise evaluation algorithm obtains random noises without storing image data for all pixels of a*b*n, it is able to evaluate random noise evaluation for a high-resolution image sensor even with a relatively small size of memory.
US07834917B2 Imaging apparatus, noise reduction apparatus, noise reduction method, and noise reduction program
Noise reduction is performed on the basis of characteristics of an image in a detection range. A noise reduction block 4′ performs a second-order differentiation process and a symmetry process to decide adjacent pixels with which noise reduction is preformed for an attention pixel. With the pixel level of the attention pixel in the detection range and the pixel levels of adjacent pixels used for noise reduction, an arithmetic mean processing section 16 calculates a mean value. A median filter 17 selects a median value. With the number of pixels used for noise reduction, it is determined whether the image in the detection range contains a flat portion, a ramp portion, or an edge. The mean value and the median value are weight-added with a weighted coefficient that are changed on the basis of characteristics of the image. The result is substituted for the level of the attention pixel. When the attention pixel is an isolated point, an all-pixel median filter section 31 selects a medium value of the levels of all the pixels in the detection range including the attention pixel and substitutes the median value for the level of the attention pixel.
US07834916B2 Video content editing support system and method
A video content edition support system that includes an imaging device used to record captured video content data to a recording medium An editor's terminal unit displays video content data transmitted from the imaging device and a network connects the imaging device and the editor's terminal unit to each other. The video content edition support system further includes a recorder to describe electronic mark data related to the video content data in the video content data, an electronic mark list generator to generate electronic mark list data including header information on the video content data, and an edition unit to edit the video content data on the basis of the electronic mark list data.
US07834915B2 Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, imaging processing method, and computer program
An image processing apparatus that processes input image data includes an exposure-correction-value acquiring unit that acquires exposure correction values at plural stages with respect to an exposure control value during imaging of the input image data, an illumination-component generating unit that generates illumination components on the basis of the input image data, a gain-amount calculating unit that multiplies each of plural weighting coefficients with a multiplication coefficient corresponding to the exposure correction value corresponding to the weighting coefficient and adds up multiplied values to calculate a gain amount, and a gain applying unit that applies, for each of pixels, the gain amount calculated by the gain-amount calculating unit to the input image data.
US07834914B2 Image pickup apparatus and signal processor
An image pickup apparatus includes an imaging unit outputting two kinds of imaging signals, that is, a first imaging signal and a second imaging signal. A first calculating unit selectively processes the two kinds of imaging signals to generate an AE evaluation value. A second calculating unit selectively processes the two kinds of imaging signals to generate a luminance signal, and generates an AF evaluation value from the generated luminance signal. An image processor executes image processing with respect to the two kinds of imaging signals to obtain an image data.
US07834909B2 Image processing method and image processing apparatus
When a message indicating that a hand that wears a glove (21) is laid out in accordance with a hand-shaped virtual object is detected, the position and orientation relationship between a magnetic receiver (203) and the hand-shaped virtual object is calculated using the position and orientation relationship between the magnetic receiver (203) and a magnetic receiver (202) and that of the hand-shaped virtual object and the magnetic receiver (202).
US07834904B2 Video surveillance system
A video transmission system typically includes a video server adapted to receive video data from one or more video cameras. In some instance, the video server may be operable to buffer the video data and transmit the video data across a network to various client computing devices. In an improved video transmission system of the present invention, the client computing devices may be further configured to retransmit video data across the network to other client computing devices, thereby reducing the bandwidth and computing load placed on the video server.
US07834901B2 Image forming apparatus which executes an image quality control
The present invention uses a pattern that enables image quality maintaining control to be performed at a resolution lower than that used for a normal image forming process. Thus, during an initial operation upon power-on, the image quality maintaining control is performed at the resolution lower than that used for the normal image forming process.
US07834899B2 Laser marking system
A laser marking system comprises means for transmitting the laser-emitted light onto one or a plurality of points on a substrate, with means for displacing the substrate and laser light emitting source relative to one another, wherein the substrate is selected to be sufficiently sensitive to the emitted light so that a reaction occurs at either said point or plurality of points which marks the substrate and characterised by the feature that the laser light emitting source comprises an array of lasers.
US07834888B2 Mechanism for color-space neutral (video) effects scripting engine
A first command is retrieved from a script containing one or more commands written for a first color space. The first command is associated with zero or more input buffers and zero or more output buffers. The first command has zero or more parameters. A behavior of the first command in the first color space and in a second color space is determined. The behavior comprises one of unique behavior, transparent behavior, and different behavior. The first command has the unique behavior when the first command only operates in the first color space. The first command has the transparent behavior when the first command generates similar results in the first color space and in the second color space. The first command has the different behavior when the first command generates different results in the first color space and in the second color space. Using the behavior of the first command, an operation associated with the first command is processed. The operation is processed in a preferred format based on current formats of the input buffers.
US07834887B2 Methods and systems for combining luminance preserving quantization and halftoning
A color quantization or re-quantization method is provided that combines two dimensional halftoning with luminance preserving quantization (LPQ) for better perception results of high precision color video quantization. A combination of LPQ and error diffusion, and a combination of LPQ and spatial dithering, is provided. To combine LPQ and spatial dithering, the spatial dithering is regarded as a two-step processing, a mapping and a simple rounding. To combine LPQ and dithering together, a rounding step is replaced by the LPQ algorithm in the combination. Further a method is provided for post-processing which is applicable to both cases to reduce the color perception for grayscale image.
US07834884B2 Method and apparatus for displaying information
A method for displaying large amounts of information. The method includes the steps of forming a spatial layout of tiles each corresponding to a representative reference element; mapping observed elements onto the spatial layout of tiles of representative reference elements; assigning a respective value to each respective tile of the spatial layout of the representative elements; and displaying an image of the spatial layout of tiles of representative elements. Each tile includes atomic attributes of representative elements. The invention also relates to an apparatus for displaying large amounts of information. The apparatus includes a tiler forming a spatial layout of tiles, each corresponding to a representative reference element; a comparator mapping observed elements onto said spatial layout of tiles of representative reference elements; an assigner assigning a respective value to each respective tile of said spatial layout of representative reference elements; and a display displaying an image of the spatial layout of tiles of representative reference elements.
US07834856B2 Capacitive sense toggle touch dimmer
A touch/toggle dimmer circuit that includes a controller coupled to at least one measurement capacitor whose capacitance is known, and at least one touch pad where the controller is configured by an algorithm to measure changes in the capacitance of the touch pad in response to a user touching the pad. These measurements are used to adjust the power delivered to a load independent of the polarity of the connection between the power source and the dimmer circuit.
US07834855B2 Wide touchpad on a portable computer
In one exemplary embodiment, a portable computer having a display assembly coupled to a base assembly to alternate between a closed position and an open position. Palm rest areas are formed by a touchpad disposed on the surface of the base assembly. In an alternative embodiment, a touchpad disposed on the base assembly has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas of the base assembly.
US07834852B2 System having sensing device for interaction with computer software
A system for enabling user interaction with computer software. The system includes a sensing device and a computer system. The computer system generates print data and transfers it to a printer. The printer prints a form by printing information related to an interactive element and coded data indicative of the interactive element in response to the print data. The sensing device has an image sensor for capturing images of the coded data, which is coincident with the information, and a processor for identifying the coded data from the captured images, determine an orientation and position of the coded data, decode the coded data, and generate indicating data using the determined information. The indicating data, which is indicative of the interactive element is used by the computer system to identify the interactive element and perform a corresponding action.
US07834846B1 Interactive video display system
A device allows easy and unencumbered interaction between a person and a computer display system using the person's (or another object's) movement and position as input to the computer. In some configurations, the display can be projected around the user so that that the person's actions are displayed around them. The video camera and projector operate on different wavelengths so that they do not interfere with each other. Uses for such a device include, but are not limited to, interactive lighting effects for people at clubs or events, interactive advertising displays, etc. Computer-generated characters and virtual objects can be made to react to the movements of passers-by, generate interactive ambient lighting for social spaces such as restaurants, lobbies and parks, video game systems and create interactive information spaces and art installations. Patterned illumination and brightness and gradient processing can be used to improve the ability to detect an object against a background of video images.
US07834838B2 Image display device and testing method of the same
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple and accurate testing circuit and a testing method while occupying as small space as possible in an image display device. The testing circuit including a NAND circuit connected in series is mounted on the image display device. A broken wiring on a data signal line and a defect in a data latch circuit can be detected by observing an output waveform from the testing circuit. Accordingly, a broken wiring or the like on the data signal line and a scanning line and a defect in the latch circuit can be tested simply and accurately without an expensive testing apparatus and a great deal of time while occupying as small space as possible.
US07834837B2 Active matrix liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
An exemplary active matrix LCD (200) includes an LCD panel, a gate driver (211), a data driver (212), and a voltage compensating circuit (240). The LCD panel includes a plurality of gate lines (221) and a plurality of data lines (222) crossing the data lines to define a plurality of pixel units (230). Each pixel unit includes a liquid crystal capacitor (227) and a TFT (223). The liquid crystal capacitor includes a pixel electrode (224) and a common electrode (225). The voltage compensating circuit is configured for detecting a first voltage of a source electrode of one of the TFTs when the TFT turns on, detecting a second voltage of a drain electrode of the TFT when the TFT turns off, and then outputting a compensating voltage according to the first voltage and the second voltage for compensating a kick-back voltage of the TFT.
US07834826B2 Organic light emitting display device with improved luminance uniformity by using a feedback signal and driving method of the same
An organic light emitting display device and a driving method for the same is provided. The device includes a data driver that can cause a display of an image having a uniform luminance. The data driver includes a ramp pulse generating part for generating a ramp pulse. The data driver also includes a current digital-to-analog converting part for generating a data current using data provided to the data driver. The data driver also includes a current control part for providing the ramp pulse to data lines coupled to a pixel and comparing a pixel current from the pixel with the data current to control providing of the ramp pulse to the data lines. The pixel current corresponds to the ramp pulse.
US07834824B2 Display driver circuits
This disclosure generally relates to display driver circuits for electro-optic displays, and more particularly relates to circuits and methods for driving active matrix organic light emitting diode displays with greater efficiency. A display driver for an electroluminescent display, the display including a plurality of electroluminescent display elements each associated with a display element driver circuit, each display element driver circuit including a drive transistor having a control connection for driving the associated display element in accordance with a voltage on the control connection, the display driver including at least one display element brightness controller to provide an output to drive a control connection to control the electroluminescent output from a display element; a voltage sensor to sense the voltage on a control connection; and a power controller for controlling an adjustable power supply for providing an adjustable voltage to the electroluminescent display to power said drive transistors for driving said display elements, the power controller being configured to provide a control signal to adjust said power supply voltage in response to said sensed voltage.
US07834817B2 Load control device having a compact antenna
A load control device for controlling the power delivered to an electrical load has a power switch, a transmitter and/or a receiver in communication with a controller for the switch; a mounting yoke for a traditional style faceplate; an actuator button extending through an opening of the faceplate; an antenna receiving a first signal from a remote control device and/or transmitting a second signal to a remote control device, the receiver coupling the first signal from the antenna to the controller for controlling the switch, the transmitter coupling the second signal from the controller to the antenna. The antenna has a printed circuit board disposed perpendicular to the yoke; first and second magnetically coupled conductive loops; the antenna disposed inside and behind the actuator button and extending through and beyond the opening of the faceplate.
US07834809B2 Multi-antenna integration module
The present invention discloses a multi-antenna integration module, which comprises a first antenna, a second antenna and a common unit. The first antenna further comprises a first feeder cable, a first feeder member, a coupling unit, which has a first and second coupling members, and an extension conductor. The second antenna further comprises a second feeder cable, a radiation conductor and a coupling conductor. The common unit further comprises a common conductor which has a first and second conductor, a common short-circuit member and a common ground member. In the present invention, the design of the common unit integrates the radiation conductors, short-circuit members and ground members of different antenna systems into a single structure, whereby the isolation effect is promoted, and the signal interference among different antennae is decreased, and the space occupied by the antenna layout is reduced.
US07834807B2 Retro-directive ground-terminal antenna for communication with geostationary satellites in slightly inclined orbits
A retro-directive antenna for communicating with a geostationary satellite autonomously detects the direction from which a signal is received, and transmits a beam that points back along the same direction. An array feed is used to illuminate a parabolic reflector. Each feed element of the retro-directive antenna is associated with a unique pointing direction of the beam in the far field. As the transmit energy is switched to different feed elements, the far-field beam is scanned, making it possible to track a geostationary satellite in a slightly inclined orbit. This eliminates the need for mechanical tracking and maintains high antenna gain in the direction of the geostationary satellite. The use of a toroidal reflector with multiple linear array feeds spaced in the azimuth direction enables multi-beam operation, allowing multiple geostationary satellites, spaced by up to fifteen beam widths in azimuth, to be tracked simultaneously and independently.
US07834806B2 System and method for utility asset data collection and management
A method and apparatus, including software, for the development and operational use of precise utility location and utility asset management information. Field-usable data sets may be produced that meet standards of accuracy and usability that are sufficient for use by field operations personnel participating in damage prevention activities associated with ground penetrating projects (e.g., excavating, trenching, boring, driving, and tunneling) or other asset applications. Some embodiments relate to integrating utility asset data including coordinate location, and geographical information data using a consistently available and accurate coordinates reference for collecting the data and for aligning the geographical information data. Some embodiments relate to managing projects with equipment that provides real time images and the updating of the data as required with this desired accuracy.
US07834804B2 Radar apparatus
A beat signal normalizing section in a correction control section normalizes a group of sampling data of an input beat signal in one processing group. A phase amount measuring section calculates an amount of phase change of each sampling data. A correction control value calculating section compares the actually measured amount of phase change of each sampling data with an ideal amount of phase change of each sampling data and generates correction voltage data such that the actually measured amount of phase change matches with the ideal amount of phase change. Correction control data provided as the correction voltage data at each sampling time is applied to a transmission control section. The transmission control section generates transmission control data based on the correction control data and applies the transmission control data to a VCO through a DAC.
US07834791B2 Current steering DAC and voltage booster of same
A digital-to-analog converter is coupled to a first voltage source and used for converting a digital input into an analog output. The DAC includes a voltage booster providing a first gate-source voltage and a second gate-source voltage to generate a voltage of a first level according to the first voltage source and the first gate-source voltage, and to generate a voltage of a second level according to the voltage of the first level and the second gate-source voltage; and a current-guiding circuit selectively receiving the voltage of the first level or the second level according to the digital input to generate the analog output. The first level and the second level vary with the first voltage source.
US07834777B2 Downhole power source
A power source for use in a downhole environment. The power source can include a microgenerator, where the microgenerator is comprised of a motive source, a rotor, a stator, and an electrical load. The motive source can be compressed gas, liquid, two-phase fluid, or combustion gases. The rotor may comprise a magnet and the stator may comprise a coil, such that rotating the rotor coaxially proximate to the stator produces electrical current. The electrical load includes any device used in downhole exploration and production that requires electrical energy.
US07834760B2 System and method for locating an individual
A system for locating an individual includes a chip with a unique code, a monitor with the unique code, a monitoring station in communication with the monitor, a satellite communication station in communication with the monitoring station, and satellites in communication with the satellite communication station. The chip is implantable in the individual. The satellites transmit a search signal over a search area of predetermined size. The search area is increased until the chip is located. The search signals from the satellites form triangulation data. Location data is formed from the triangulation data and transmitted to the monitor.
US07834759B2 Wireless sensor and system that determines exposure to an enviromental element based on local conditions
A system (100) that determines exposure based on local conditions is disclosed. The system can include a sensor (172) configured to sense local conditions local to a user of the system, a sensor local wireless transmitter (174) coupled to the sensor, and an electronic device (105). The electronic device can include a controller (120) configured to control operations of the electronic device, a device local wireless transceiver (155) coupled to the controller and wirelessly coupled to the sensor local wireless transmitter, a network interface coupled (150) to a wide area network and coupled to the controller, the network interface configured to obtain local environmental conditions, and an exposure module (190) coupled to the controller. The exposure module can determine exposure to an environmental element based at least on the local conditions sensed by the sensor and the local environmental conditions obtained by the network interface.
US07834756B2 Failure current measurement for electronic control module
A method and system for assessing or otherwise determining defective operation of an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU may be a vehicle or non-vehicle ECU having any number of modules configured to provide and/or support any number of operations. The defective ECU operations may be determined as a function of a voltage drop across a shunt included on the ECU.
US07834742B2 Method of inventorying transponders by means of a communication station
In a method of inventorying a plurality of transponders (2) by means of a communication station (1) communicating with the transponders (2) in contactless manner, the communication station (1) emits an unmodulated carrier signal (NMCS) in a communications range of the communication station (1) and each transponder (2) on entering the communications range then emits a presence-signaling signal (PRES) and the communication station (1) on receiving a presence-signaling signal (PRES) then emits an inventorying command signal (INVS) and each transponder (2) on receiving the inventorying command signal (INVS) then emits a response signal (RESPS) permitting inventorying of the transponder (2) and the communication station (1) on correctly receiving a response signal (RESPS) then undertakes inventorying of the relevant transponder (2).
US07834740B2 Audible command method for handing off messages between two appliances
A method for receiving messages in an appliance such as a clock radio modified to retrieve messages from a remote computer, converting the retrieved messages into corresponding audio messages, generating a wake up signal to the user at a selected time in the radio appliance, starting the delivery of the audio messages from a speaker in the radio appliance in response to the generated wake up signal, and receiving audible commands in the radio from the user to control delivery of the messages. In a first embodiment, these method steps are performed in the radio appliance and, in a second embodiment, a remote computer performs all of the messages except delivery of the audio messages and receiving audible commands which occur at the appliance. Where two or more appliances are used, audio commands can cause the delivery of messages to stop in one appliance and resume in another appliance.
US07834739B2 Baggage management gate
A baggage management gate includes a first reading device and a second reading device, a detecting device, a determining unit, a first opening and closing device and a second opening and closing device. The baggage management gate manages baggage that is restricted to be carried in or out from a predetermined region. And in order away from the region in which the baggage is managed, the first reading device, the second opening and closing device, the detecting device for both the first person and the second person, the first opening and closing device, and the second reading device are arranged in an entrance direction from the passage to the management region in which the baggage is managed.
US07834738B2 Current limiting fuse
A mounting assembly couples a current limiting fuse to an element that defines a longitudinal axis. The mounting assembly includes a mounting member on the element; a first attachment member coupled to the mounting member in a fixed position relative to the mounting member; and a second attachment member coupleable to the current limiting fuse. The first and second attachment members are configured to be attached to one another in a plurality of discreet positions about an axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.
US07834733B2 Inductive component
An inductive component includes a coil former comprising connection pins, a first winding and a second winding on the coil former, and protective components comprising either a PTC element or a polyswitch. The protective components are connected directly to the coil former; and the protective components and the windings are electrically connected to the connection pins.
US07834732B2 Ignition coil, in particular for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle
An ignition coil, in particular for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, has an inner magnet core which is concentrically enclosed by a primary coil and a secondary coil. The inner magnet coil is made up of sheet-metal strips stacked on top of each other, the sheet-metal strips forming a substantially rectangular or square cross-section surface of the inner magnet core. At least the lower and the upper sheet-metal strips, delimiting the inner magnet core, have, at least in partial areas, a reduced width viewed in the longitudinal direction compared to the other sheet-metal strips of the inner magnet core. This makes a primary bobbin and a secondary bobbin having an enlarged corner radius and a more uniform winding density of the primary coil and the secondary coil possible.
US07834725B2 Magnetic activation and deactivation circuit and system
A circuit (10) comprising a latching device (20) operatively arranged to change from a first output state to a second output state as a function of a magnetic field (40) applied in a first direction, to maintain the second output state when the magnetic field is either no longer applied in the first direction or applied again in the first direction, and to change from the second output state to the first output state as a function of a magnetic field applied in a second direction, a power switching device (30) coupled to a power source (15), a load (35) and the latching device and operatively arranged such that the power switching device connects the power source and the load when the latching device is in the second state and disconnects the power source and the load when the latching device is in the first state, a magnetic switching device (25) coupled between the latching device and the power source and having an open default disconnected state and operatively arranged to change from the open default state to a closed connected state when the magnetic field is applied in the first direction and to return to the open default state when the magnetic field is removed, the latching device and magnetic switching device arranged such that the magnetic field applied in the first direction causes the magnetic switching device to change from the open default state to the closed connected state, thereby powering the latching device, and the latching device to change from the first state to the second state, thereby signaling the power switching device to connect the power source and the load.
US07834722B2 RF MEMS switch with a flexible and free switch membrane
The RF MEMS switch comprising micromechanical switching means that are carried by a substrate (1) and that can be actuated between two positions: a first position (off-state/FIG. 1) and a second position (on-state), and actuation means for actuating the position of the switching means. The micromechanical switching means comprise a flexible membrane (6) which is freely supported by support means (3), which is bendable under the action of the actuation means (7), and which can freely slide relatively to the support means (3) during its bending movement.
US07834721B2 System and method for tuning multicavity filters
The invention refers to a system and method to tune a multicavity filter of microwave signals, said filter comprising a filter body (CF), a removable lid (CO), n resonant cavities dug out in said filter body (CF) and n tuners (TU) susceptible of displacement under the action of movement means. Typically a sub-system to absorb the oscillations and vibrations generated in such displacements is associated to each tuner.
US07834719B2 Lange-ferrite circulator for simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) with high isolation and noise suppression
A three port circulator capable of simultaneous transmit and receive operations, high frequency, enhanced high isolation, noise suppression at the receive port and broadband performance comprising: an antenna port; a transmission port; a receiving port; wherein each port is connected to a 90 degree combiner/divider or a quadrature hybrid for splitting an input signal into two output components, the said output components have a ninety degrees relative phase difference to each other; each of said 90 degree combiners/dividers or quadrature hybrids in addition to the connection to the above mentioned ports has at least two output connections each of which are connected to a ferrite circulator and if a fourth connection, said fourth connection is attached to a matching load circuit; this arrangement of circuits allows the phase shifted signals from the transmit port to enter the 90 degree combiner/divider or quadrature hybrid and be recombined in phase at the antenna port, any residue signal due to impedance mismatch at the antenna port and/or the isolation or imperfect suppression of mode degeneracy of the ferrite circulator at the Y-junction will get to the 90 degree combiner/divider or quadrature hybrid at the receive port and is phased cancelled; said arrangement simultaneously allows the receive signal entering the antenna port and proceeding to the 90 degree combiner/divider or quadrature hybrid at the antenna port and to be combined in phase by the 90 degree combiner/divider or quadrature hybrid at the receive port.
US07834717B2 Nonreciprocal circuit device
A nonreciprocal circuit device (2-port isolator) includes a ferrite-magnet assembly including a ferrite, a first center electrode, and a second center electrode. The ferrite is sandwiched between a pair of permanent magnets and receives a direct-current magnetic field applied thereto. The first and second center electrodes are arranged on the ferrite. The ferrite includes a center layer and an outer layer ensuring an insulation state of the first and second center electrodes. The saturation magnetization of the outer layer is smaller than that of the center layer.
US07834713B2 Synthesized local oscillator and method of operation thereof
A method for controlling a synthesized local oscillator (SLO) includes: receiving a control input specifying a desired SLO output; receiving reference clock signal; generating a predefined set of dynamic clock signals from the reference clock signal; selecting a dynamic clock signal from the predefined set of dynamic clock signals in response to the control input; using the dynamic clock signal as an input to a direct digital synthesizer (DDS) module to generate a DDS output signal; selecting a DDS output band in response to the control input, the DDS output band including one of a baseband and an alias band; and processing the DDS output band to generate the SLO output.
US07834710B2 Oscillator circuit and electronic device having oscillator circuit
An oscillator circuit includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a resonator that is connected to the first terminal and the second terminal, a first capacitor that is connected to the first terminal and a ground line supplying the ground electric potential, a second capacitor that is connected to the second terminal and the ground line, m inverters, where m is an odd number equal to or larger than three, which are connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal, and a third capacitor that is connected to an input terminal of the n-th (where n is an integer satisfying 1≦n
US07834709B2 Circuit for voltage controlled oscillator
A voltage controlled oscillator and a load cell circuit usable in VCO are provided. The VCO features an internal compensation for process, voltage and temperature using a replica of half of the oscillating stage. The load cell circuit comprises a bias transistor to drain a predetermined current from the oscillating stage, a control transistor to vary resistance offered by it responsive to a control voltage applied and a resistor adapted to provide a clamp resistance.
US07834704B2 Low-noise amplifier circuit and receiving system
In a broadband low-noise amplifier circuit to be used in a multichannel reception system, a capacitance of a variable capacitor (9) is controlled by a resonance frequency control circuit (4) so that a resonance frequency of a load unit (2) comprising the variable capacitor (9) and an inductor (10) matches a desired RF signal frequency. Therefore, high gain and broadband can be realized at the same time without increasing power consumption, and consequently, a reception system having reduced power consumption and high sensitivity for all channels can be realized.
US07834703B2 Amplifier with single-ended input and differential output
An amplifier provided according to an aspect of the present invention includes a set of passive impedances forming a tuned load to a gain stage and also to provide a 180 degrees phase shifted signal of a gain signal received from the gain stage. The output of the gain stage and the 180 degrees phase shifted signal together form a differential amplified signal corresponding to an input signal gained by the gain stage. In an embodiment, the set of passive impedances includes a three terminal centre tapped inductor in combination with a capacitor, together operating as a filter to pass only a desired frequency band. The windings of the inductor may be designed to provide mutual coupling between two portions such that there is a negative correlation between the strength of the received gained signal and the 180 degree phase shifted signal.
US07834697B1 Differential low frequency noise suppression technique for a common mode feedback circuit
Disclosed is a common mode feedback circuit for a differential amplifier that eliminates the effects of low frequency noise. A modulator is placed in a common mode feedback loop that modulates the feedback loop signal at a predetermined frequency to up-convert the low frequency noise. The predetermined frequency may be selected to be above the operating range of the downstream circuitry. In addition, a low pass filter can be used to eliminate the up-converted noise.
US07834691B2 Broadband low noise amplifier
Aspects provide for the broadband amplification of RF signals. Other aspects provide for the conversion of single ended input to differential output. Various aspects provide for tuning the response to a particular frequency band. Other aspects provide for various transconductance elements. In several aspects, broadband current to voltage converters and voltage to current converters are presented. Some implementations incorporate a buffer circuit, and various implementations incorporate feedback circuits.
US07834689B1 MOS operational amplifier with current mirroring gain and method of operation
An amplifier has an input stage coupled to a current mirror for providing a first control signal. A gain boosting stage has first and second sections, each having first and second inputs and an output. The first input of the first section is coupled to the input stage. The second input of the first section is a first node between a source and a drain of a first pair of series-coupled transistors. The first input of the second section is coupled to the current mirror. The second input of the second section is a second node between a source and a drain of a second pair of series-coupled transistors. A pre-driver stage has inputs coupled to the input stage and the gain boosting stage. The pre-driver stage provides inputs to the gain boosting stage and receives outputs from the gain boosting stage prior to coupling to an output stage.
US07834681B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a first transistor which has one end connected to a first node where a first voltage is output, and which transfers the first voltage to an output terminal, a second transistor which has one end connected to a second node where the second voltage is output, and which transfers the second voltage to the output terminal, a third booster circuit which supplies a third voltage obtained by further boosting the first voltage to a control terminal of the first transistor, and a fourth booster circuit which supplies a fourth voltage obtained by further boosting the second voltage to a control terminal of the second transistor. The third booster circuit lowers a voltage supplied to the control terminal of the first transistor to turn off the first transistor at a time after discharging of the first node is started. The fourth booster circuit increases, in accordance with a signal from the third booster circuit, a voltage supplied to the control terminal of the second transistor to turn on the second transistor after the first transistor is turned off.
US07834676B2 Method and apparatus for accounting for changes in transistor characteristics
A device for accounting for changes in characteristics of a transistor is presented. The device includes a transistor and a comparator receiving a feedback signal from the transistor and a reference signal. The comparator provides an output to a bias voltage generator. The bias voltage generator includes an input connected to the output of the comparator and an output connected to the transistor. In some embodiments of the invention the transistor is a double gate transistor and the bias voltage generator is applied to a top gate of the double gate transistor in order to control characteristics of the transistor such as turn on voltage.
US07834675B2 Clock control circuit and semiconductor memory device using the same
A clock control circuit comprises a control signal generating unit configured to generate a control signal disabled in a predetermined state while in an active mode, and a clock transferring unit configured to transfer an external clock in response to the control signal.
US07834673B2 Variable delay circuit and delay amount control method
A variable delay circuit comprising a first delay element configured to delay an input signal, a second delay element coupled to the first delay element in parallel and also configured to delay the input signal, a control current supply section configured to supply control currents for adjusting a delay amount of the first delay element and a delay amount of the second delay element, and an output signal selecting section configured to select any one of an output signal from the first delay element and an output signal from the second delay element according to a selecting signal for selecting delay time of the input signal.
US07834672B2 Low power charge pump
A charge pump is configured to control current flow at an output node in response to input signals. A plurality of control signals are generated based upon the input signals. The control signals operate to control the timing and duration of current flows within the charge pump and to thereby reduce charge pump power consumption. Based upon the control signals, the conductivity of a first path between a power supply and the output node and a second path between the output node and a ground potential is varied. Optionally, the charge pump is disposed as part of a phase-locked loop (PLL), the input signals are produced by a phase/frequency detector, and current flow at the output node controls an oscillator element.
US07834668B2 Single threshold and single conductivity type amplifier/buffer
An amplifier/buffer composed from circuit elements of a single threshold and single conductivity type, comprising an input stage for receiving one or more inputs for buffering/amplification and providing an intermediate to control output of the amplifier/buffer. The intermediate signal is provided to a boosting circuit configured to boosts said signal when said signal has exceeded a predetermined value. The amplifier/buffer further has an output stage for receiving at least said signal and providing an amplified/buffered output.
US07834662B2 Level shifter with embedded logic and low minimum voltage
In one embodiment, a level shifter circuit may include a shift stage that also embeds transistors that implement a logic operation on two or more inputs to the level shifter. At least one of the inputs may be sourced from circuitry that is powered by a different power supply than the level shifter and circuitry that receives the level shifter output. Additionally, the level shifter includes one or more dummy transistors that match transistors the perform the logic operation, to improve symmetry of the level shifter circuit. In some embodiments, certain design and layout rules may be applied to the level shifter circuit to limit variation in the symmetry over various manufacturing variations.
US07834657B1 Inverter circuit with compensation for threshold voltage variations
An inverter circuit has a digital signal amplitude converter having an input coupled to an inverter circuit input node, and an amplitude converter output. A positive threshold voltage compensation generator has a positive threshold voltage compensation generator input coupled to the amplitude converter output. A negative threshold voltage compensation generator has a negative threshold voltage compensation generator input coupled to the inverter circuit input node, and a negative threshold voltage compensation generator output. A multiplexer has a first input coupled to the positive threshold voltage compensation generator output, a second input, coupled to the negative threshold voltage compensation generator output, and a multiplexer output. An inverter module has an output providing an inverter circuit output node, and an inverter module input is coupled to the multiplexer output. The inverter circuit at least partially compensates for variations in a threshold voltage associated with switching of transistors that form the inverter module.
US07834649B2 Method and apparatus for statistical CMOS device characterization
A unified test structure having a large number of electronic devices under test is used to characterize both capacitance-voltage parameters (C-V) and current-voltage parameters (I-V) of the devices. The devices are arranged in an array of columns and rows, and selected by control logic which gates input/output pins that act variously as current sources, sinks, clamps, measurement ports and sense lines. The capacitance-voltage parameter is measured by taking baseline and excited current measurements for different excitation voltage frequencies, calculating current differences between the baseline and excited current measurements, and generating a linear relationship between the current differences and the different frequencies. The capacitance is then derived by dividing a slope of a line representing the linear relationship by the excitation voltage. Different electronic devices may be so tested, including transistors and interconnect structures.
US07834645B2 Variable capacitance circuit, voltage measuring apparatus, and power measuring apparatus
A variable capacitance circuit includes a capacitance changing structure constructed by connecting a first construction unit, a second construction unit, a third construction unit, and a fourth construction unit, which each include a first electric element that hinders transmission of a direct current (DC) signal and has a capacitance that changes in accordance with the magnitude of an absolute value of an applied voltage, in the mentioned order in a ring. A voltage measuring apparatus measures the voltage of a measured object and includes a detection electrode capable of being disposed facing the measured object and the variable capacitance circuit described above. A power measuring apparatus includes a current measuring apparatus that measures current flowing in a measured object and the voltage measuring apparatus that measures the voltage of the measured object.
US07834643B2 Systems and methods for reducing distortion in a power source using an active harmonics filter
Systems and methods for reducing harmonic distortion in a power system resulting from non-linear loading on the power system. The power at an interface with a power source is measured, and then distortion in the waveforms of the supplied power is identified. Cancellation signals which cancel all or part of the distortion are then generated and injected at the interface. In one embodiment, the power is sampled to determine the waveform, and then a Fast Fourier Transform is performed on the waveform to convert it to the frequency domain. Harmonics of the fundamental frequency can then be identified, and conjugates of the harmonics generated. An inverse Fast Fourier Transform is performed on the conjugates to generate a signal which is amplified to produce the cancellation signal.
US07834641B1 Phase-gain calibration of impedance/admittance meter
A method for calibrating an impedance/admittance meter for measurements of a DUT includes measuring a pure capacitance at a desired frequency; using the capacitance measurement to establish the phase response of the meter; measuring the admittance value of a resistor with the meter at the desired frequency, the resistor having a known DC conductance and being known to primarily exhibit parallel capacitive frequency dependency; and adjusting the gain of the meter to provide the known DC conductance as the real component of the admittance value.
US07834635B2 Car power source apparatus
The car power source apparatus is provided with a driving battery 1 that supplies power to the car's electric motor, a voltage detection circuit 3 that measures the voltage of batteries 2 in the driving battery 1, a plurality of voltage detection lines 8 connected in parallel between the input-side of the voltage detection circuit 3 and driving battery 1 voltage detection nodes 9, and a decision circuit 6 that determines if a voltage detection line 8 is open circuited from the voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 3. Each voltage detection line 8 has a voltage drop resistor 10 connected in series. The voltage detection circuit 3 is provided with input resistors 13 on its input-side. The car power source apparatus makes computations on the voltage measured by the voltage detection circuit 3, which is from the voltage divider formed by the input resistor 13 and voltage drop resistors 10, to detect voltage detection line 8 open circuit.
US07834633B2 Monitoring a protective device arranged upstream of a switching device
There is described a method and a system for monitoring a protective apparatus, which is connected upstream of a switching device and is connected to the switching device via at least one main current path. The wiring complexity for monitoring of the protective apparatus is minimized. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that the sate of the protective apparatus is determined by a tap of the at least one main current path at or in the switching device by means of an evaluation unit. As a result of this direct evaluation of the switching state of the protective organ on the switching device, the wiring which until now has been required for an addition auxiliary switch on the protective device is dispensed with a possible fault source also being minimized along with the wiring complexity. For this purpose, the proposed solution is also independent of the physical design (branch-oriented or row-oriented, distance between the devices) in a switchgear cabinet.
US07834631B2 Locating arrangement and method using boring tool and cable locating signals
An arrangement and an associated method are described in which a boring tool is moved through the ground within a given region along a path in which region a cable is buried. The boring tool and the cable transmit a boring tool locating signal and a cable locating signal, respectively. Intensities of the boring tool locating signal and the cable locating signal are measured along with a pitch orientation of the boring tool. Using the measured intensities and established pitch orientation, a positional relationship is determined to relative scale including at least the boring tool and the cable in the region. The positional relationship is displayed to scale in one view. The positional relationship may be determined and displayed including the forward locate point in scaled relation to the boring tool and the cable. Cable depth determination techniques are described including a two-point ground depth determination method.
US07834628B2 Arrangement to transmit magnetic resonance signals via multiplexed multiplexer reception branches
An arrangement to transmit magnetic resonance signals has at least two reception branches. Each reception branch contains a single antenna of a local coil as well as an amplifier connected with the single antenna, such that an amplified magnetic resonance signal is formed from a magnetic resonance signal that is acquired via the single antenna. In a multiplexer, each input is connected with a respective reception branch, such that the amplified magnetic resonance signals of the reception branch are combined by the multiplexer into a resulting signal using a time multiplexing method. A transmission path is connected on one side with an output of the multiplexer and on the other side with a receiver, such that the resulting signal is transmitted from the multiplexer to the receiver via the transmission path.
US07834625B2 Split-echo with fractional temporal-interpolation
An MRI to form an image of a patient includes at least one emitting coil which produces RF pulses and gradients. The MRI includes a controller in communication with the emitting coil for obtaining a steady-state image of the patient, where gradient areas balance to zero for each time repetition (TR) interval, and for causing the emitting coil to produce the RF pulses without interruption during the time repetition interval. The MRI includes at least one receiving coil in communication with the controller which receives the RF pulses and provides the RF pulses to the controller for the controller to obtain the image. A method to form an image of a patient with an MRI. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium to form an image of a patient with an MRI.
US07834619B2 Magnetic detection device
A magnetic detection device includes a sensor unit including a sensor pattern having a plurality of magnetoresistance effect films whose ends in the length direction thereof are coupled via return portions, and electrode units formed at both ends of the sensor pattern in the longitudinal direction thereof. A non-magnetic conductor is electrically connected across a top surface of one of a pair of magnetoresistance effect films that are coupled via the corresponding one of the return portions and that face each other and a top surface of the other magnetoresistance effect film. Therefore, the resistance value between the electrode units can be adjusted without increasing the dimensions of the sensor unit, and deterioration or variation in magnetic characteristics can be reduced.
US07834615B2 Bist DDR memory interface circuit and method for self-testing the same using phase relationship between a data signal and a data strobe signal
An apparatus and method for self-testing a DDR memory interface are disclosed. In one aspect, a built-in-self-test (BIST) memory interface circuit includes a signal multiplier for receiving a first clock signal from a tester and outputs a multiplied clock signal. A first multiplexer is used for selecting between a test mode and a normal operating mode and provides an output signal. A delay magnitude generator is coupled to the signal multiplier to receive the multiplied clock signal and provides a second clock signal and a phase control signal. A plurality of digitally controlled delay line blocks are used for each receiving the second clock signal and the phase control signal and outputting a phase shifted data strobe output signal in response to receiving an internal data strobe input signal. A second multiplexer selects one of the internal data strobe input signals and a third multiplexer selects the phase shifted data strobe output signal that corresponds to the selected internal data strobe input signal. A phase detector determines a phase difference between the selected internal data strobe input signal and the selected phase shifted data strobe output signal and outputs a phase difference value.
US07834613B2 Isolated current to voltage, voltage to voltage converter
A current sensor is provided that employs a primary winding that carries the current to be measured, and a secondary winding that controls the flux inside the magnetic core, provides a sample of the primary current, and also helps to control the flux at small primary currents and to saturate the transformer. An auxiliary winding is optionally used to control the flux in order to simplify control of the sensor. By periodically applying a certain voltage at the secondary winding, the transformer core is forced out of saturation, and a sample of the primary current is taken by a sensing circuit that may include a sample-and-hold circuit and an analog-to-digital converter. A control circuit is employed to control the currents flowing in the secondary winding and optional auxiliary winding and to manage the sensing circuit.
US07834607B2 Voltage generator with current limiting and semiconductor testing device
A voltage generator with current limiting generates a voltage to be fed to a load of which load current is limited. The voltage generator includes an operational amplifier; an output resistance connected between an output terminal of the operational amplifier and a load connecting terminal; a feedback resistor connected between the load connecting terminal and an inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier; a first clamper connected between the output terminal of the operational amplifier and the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier; and a second clamper connected between the load connecting terminal and a non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier and configured with diodes. The first clamper generates a predetermined constant voltage, limits a current flowing into the output resistance, and varies the generated constant voltage. The first clamper has a predetermined abrupt current-voltage characteristic.
US07834604B2 Digital control of power converters
A system and method for controlling a power converter is presented. An embodiment comprises an analog differential circuit connected to an analog-to-digital converter, and comparing the digital error signal to at least a first threshold value. If the digital error signal is less than the first threshold value, a pulse is generated to control the power converter. Another embodiment includes multiple thresholds that may be compared against the digital error signal.
US07834601B2 Circuit and method for reducing output noise of regulator
A circuit and a method for reducing output noise when a pulse width modulation mode is started. A pulse width modulation circuit generates a first pulse signal having a duty cycle that is in accordance with an output voltage of a regulator circuit. A drive circuit generates the output voltage from an input voltage in response to the first pulse signal provided from the pulse width modulation circuit. A feed forward circuit controls the pulse width modulation circuit in a manner to generate the first pulse signal having a duty cycle that maintains the output voltage at a desired level before the pulse width modulation circuit provides the first pulse signal to the drive circuit.
US07834600B2 Regulated power supply system and an operating method therefore
A power supply system includes a regulator for receiving an input voltage and producing an output voltage, the regulator including an output device and a controller coupled to the regulator. The controller is configured to monitor at least one operating parameter of the output device and, in response, generate a control signal that adjusts the input voltage to a minimum input voltage needed to maintain the output device in saturation regardless of variation in the monitored operating parameter.
US07834597B1 System and method for AC voltage regulation
In an embodiment, a power converter system is provided for AC voltage regulation. The power converter system receives an AC input voltage at an input terminal and provides an AC output voltage to a load at an output terminal. A main bi-directional switch is coupled between the input terminal and the output terminal. The main bi-directional switch is operable to control the provision of the AC output voltage. A reactive current flows through the main bi-directional switch if the load is reactive. An auxiliary bi-directional switch is coupled to the output terminal. The auxiliary bi-directional switch is operable to circulate the reactive current due to the reactive load, thereby reducing any voltage spikes in the power converter system.
US07834596B2 Analog power-saving apparatus and method thereof for sharing electric charges
An analog power-saving apparatus and a method thereof for sharing electric charges enable the application device to entirely achieve power-saving goal by using an analog judgment mechanism. According to the judgment mechanism, in a duration when the energy-storing unit must distribute the stored electric charges to the load capacitor and an amount of the electric charges stored in the energy-storing unit is less than an amount of the electric charges stored in the load capacitor, the path for the energy-storing unit to distribute electric charges to the load capacitor is blocked; and after the load capacitor releases the electric charges thereof to the energy-storing unit for storage, the electric charges stored in the load capacitor after discharge are controlled to be not less than an amount of the electric charges stored in the energy-storing unit after storage.
US07834592B2 Circuit for generating triangular waveform having relatively short linear rise time and substantially long linear fall time
A circuit includes a pulse transformer having primary and secondary windings. An oscillating waveform is applied to the primary winding to induce an oscillating waveform at the secondary winding. A transistor in series with a first resistor is coupled between the secondary winding and the ground. An R-C network formed by a second and a third resistor and a capacitor is coupled to a base junction of the transistor. The R-C network causes a slow, tapered linear pinch off of the transistor's conductance to enable the circuit to output a triangular waveform, which is characterized by a relatively short linear rise time followed by a substantially long linear fall time. The R-C network is coupled to the secondary winding via a first and a second diode, respectively.
US07834591B2 Switching battery charging systems and methods
Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for charging a battery using a switching regulator. Some embodiments include programmable switching battery chargers that can be configured using digital techniques. Other embodiments include switching battery chargers that modify the battery current based on sensed circuit conditions such as battery voltage or input current to the switching regulator. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a USB battery charger.
US07834587B1 Non-isolated charger with bi-polar inputs
Systems and methods are provided for an uninterruptable power supply having a positive DC bus, a neutral DC bus, and a negative DC bus. The uninterruptible power supply includes a battery charger circuit having an inductor, a first charger output, and a second charger output. A first switch connected to a first end of the inductor is configured to couple the positive DC bus with the first charger output. A second switch connected to a second end of the inductor is configured to couple the negative DC bus with the inductor. The neutral DC bus can be coupled to the second charger output. The battery charger circuit can be configured to draw power from at to least one of the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus to charge a battery coupled to the first charger output and the second charger output.
US07834580B2 Solar powered apparatus
A solar powered apparatus that includes a battery, at least one photovoltaic cell (which may be part of a solar module comprising multiple photovoltaic cells), and a DC-capable AC appliance, such as a compact fluorescent light. The solar powered apparatus may also include a first DC to DC converter that receives a first electrical signal from the at least one photovoltaic cell and provides a charging signal to the battery, and a second DC to DC converter that receives a second electrical signal from the battery and provides a DC power signal to the DC-capable AC appliance.
US07834578B2 Load driving apparatus, vehicle, and abnormality processing method at load driving apparatus
When an ECU determines that the motor count of a motor generator exceeds a predetermined limit value, control is effected to set the torque of motor generator to zero. Further, when the ECU determines that motor count exceeds the predetermined limit value, voltage control of inverter input voltage is reduced by a predetermined level.
US07834566B2 Generic motor control system
A method for controlling the operation of a motor utilizing a generic motor control module. The method includes sampling at least one motor operating criterion during operation of the motor and executing a generic control algorithm at a predetermined periodic interval. Execution of the algorithm provides a firing angle, duty cycle, or other suitable control function solution for an electronic valve for each periodic interval, thereby controlling the behavior of the motor. Additionally, the method includes firing the electronic valve at the calculated timing during each periodic interval such that the motor functions in accordance with desired motor operational parameters.
US07834562B2 Discharge lamp lighting device
To provide a discharge lamp lighting device in which the initial state of discharge in a wiring of a circuit on the secondary side of a transformer in the discharge lamp lighting device is accurately detected and the operation thereof stops and which can be applied to a large-scaled liquid crystal display device. The discharge lamp lighting device according to the present invention includes a transformer 5, a transformer drive circuit 4, and a control circuit 3 for controlling the transformer drive circuit 4. The transformer drive circuit 4 drives the primary side of the transformer 5, and a discharge lamp 6 is lit on by being connected to the secondary side of the transformer 5. The discharge lamp lighting device further includes a discharge detecting pattern 13 having one end connected to the ground and the other end connected to the control circuit 3, and means that detects a voltage induced by electromagnetic waves received by the discharge detecting pattern 13 and stops the power supply to the secondary side of the transformer 5, and at least one part of the discharge detecting pattern 13 is disposed adjacent to a portion of a high-voltage wiring of a circuit on the secondary side of the transformer 5.
US07834561B2 Systems and methods for powering a light emitting diode lamp
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an electronic circuit for providing a power current to an LED lamp. The electronic circuit comprises a logic drive circuit, a VCO, a power switch, and a first current sensor. The VCO is coupled to provide a first logic control signal to the logic drive circuit. The power switch has a first terminal and second terminal coupled to deliver the power current to the LED lamp and a control terminal coupled to receive a power control signal from the logic drive circuit. The first current sensor is coupled to sense a peak current passing through the power switch and coupled to provide a second logic control signal to the logic drive circuit.
US07834558B2 Control of delivery of current through one or more discharge lamps
Control of delivery of current through one or more discharge lamps. Methods include alternately switching on and off switching elements that control a fluorescent lamp, in response to receiving input, until the brightness of the lamp decreases to a threshold. Further, methods include providing control signals at complementary duty cycles to further decrease the brightness and alternating the duty cycles of the signals applied to the filaments of the fluorescent lamp. Methods also include identify parameter sets stored in memory to operate fluorescent lamps.
US07834556B2 Driving method for organic electroluminescence light emitting section
A driving method for an organic electroluminescence light emitting section using a driving circuit, the driving circuit includes a driving transistor, an image signal writing transistor, a light emission control transistor, and a capacitor section. The driving method includes the steps of: carrying out a preprocess of applying a first node initialization voltage and applying a second node initialization voltage; carrying out a threshold voltage cancellation process; placing the light emission control transistor into an on state, a writing process of applying an image signal; and placing the image signal writing transistor into an off state so that current is supplied to the organic electroluminescence light emitting section to drive the organic electroluminescence light emitting section.
US07834555B2 Method and system for luminance characterization
A system for luminance characterization of a luminaire includes a ballast coil and a multi-tap capacitor connected in series with the ballast coil. The multi-tap capacitor has a plurality of tap capacitors integrated into a capacitor housing. A plurality of switches are each coupled to one of the plurality of tap capacitors for selectively coupling the tap capacitors together to produce a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to a configuration of the plurality of switches. A lamp is connected in series with the multi-tap capacitor and the ballast coil. A photometer is located to measure light intensity of the lamp and to produce a lumen output measurement. A memory is used to store a database having a plurality of lumen output measurements, each corresponding to a multi-tap capacitance corresponding to all configurations of the plurality of switches.
US07834554B2 Dual mode ion source for ion implantation
An ion source is disclosed for providing a range of ion beams consisting of either ionized clusters, such as B2Hx+, B5Hx+, B18Hx+, B18Hx+, P4+ or As4+, or monomer ions, such as Ge+, In+, Sb+, B+, As+, and P+, to enable cluster implants and monomer implants into silicon substrates for the purpose of manufacturing CMOS devices, and to do so with high productivity. The range of ion beams is generated by a universal ion source in accordance with the present invention which is configured to operate in two discrete modes: an electron impact mode, which efficiently produces ionized clusters, and an arc discharge mode, which efficiently produces monomer ions.
US07834550B2 Organic light emitting display and fabricating method of the same
Disclosed are an organic light emitting display and a fabricating method of the same, which improve impact resistance and sealing property of a device using a reinforcing member besides a sealant. A first substrate includes a pixel region and a non-pixel region, at least one organic light emitting diode is formed at the pixel region and has a first electrode, an organic layer, and a second electrode, and the non-pixel region is formed at a peripheral portion of the pixel region. A second substrate is bonded to one region of the first substrate having the pixel region. A frit is disposed between the non-pixel region of the first substrate and the second substrate for adhering the first and second substrates to each other. An adhesive being coated to be spaced along a peripheral region of the frit, and including at least two discontinuous portions. A reinforcing member is disposed between the frit and the adhesive.
US07834546B2 OLED lighting devices having multi element light extraction and luminescence conversion layer
An apparatus such as a light source has a multi element light extraction and luminescence conversion layer disposed over a transparent layer of the light source and on the exterior of said light source. The multi-element light extraction and luminescence conversion layer includes a plurality of light extraction elements and a plurality of luminescence conversion elements. The light extraction elements diffuses the light from the light source while luminescence conversion elements absorbs a first spectrum of light from said light source and emits a second spectrum of light.
US07834530B2 Carbon nanotube high-current-density field emitters
High-current density field emission sources using arrays of nanofeatures bundles and methods of manufacturing such field emission sources are provided. Variable field emission performance is provided with the variance in the bundle diameter and the inter-bundle spacing, and optimal geometries for the lithographically patterned arrays were determined. Arrays of 1-μm and 2-μm diameter multi-walled carbon nanotube bundles spaced 5 μm apart (edge-to-edge spacing) were identified as the most optimum combination, routinely producing 1.5 to 1.8 A/cm2 at low electric fields of approximately 4 V/μm, rising to >6 A/cm2 at 20 V/μm over a ˜100-μm-diameter area.
US07834516B2 Piezoelectric ultrasonic motor
A piezoelectric ultrasonic motor includes a piezoelectric stator including a hollow metal tube having a quadrangular cross section and four piezoelectric elements each installed in each outer face of the metal tube; a rotary shaft including a rotation bar inserted into an inner space of the metal tube, an upper rotation member provided around the rotation bar in contact with an upper surface of the piezoelectric stator, the rotation member rotating in response to the strain of the piezoelectric stator, a lower rotation member adapted to restrain the rotation of the rotation bar and contacting a lower surface of the piezoelectric stator and a power transmission member provided at one portion of the rotation bar to transmit the rotation of the rotation member to an object to be transported; and a power supply to apply a supply voltage necessary for the actuation of the piezoelectric stator.
US07834500B2 Lubrication arrangement for a generator system
A generator system is disclosed. The generator system includes an input gear, a gear train coupled to the input gear, and a clutch associated with the input gear, wherein the clutch is exposed to the gear train.
US07834497B2 Starter
In a starter, a grommet attached to a yoke of a motor supports a motor terminal plate made of metal. The motor terminal plate is inserted in a penetration hole formed in the grommet. A pig-tail of a positive electrode brush is connected to one end of the M terminal plate projecting toward the inside of the yoke through the penetration hole. The other end of the M terminal plate projecting toward the outside of the yoke through the penetration hole is inserted into the inside of the resin cover through an insert groove formed in the resin cover of the electromagnetic switch. The M terminal plate is positioned in the grommet in the insert direction thereof to limit the movement of the M terminal plate toward the electromagnetic switch side and the motor side. This configuration provides a stable position of the M contact against the resin cover.
US07834488B2 Electric linear drive unit
The invention proposes an electric linear drive unit with an electric linear motor that is arranged in or on a basic housing. A sensor device arranged in or on the basic housing serves for determining at least one position of a driving element that is driven by the linear motor. Electric lines are routed from a coil system of the linear motor and from the sensor device to a common connecting point on the basic housing through at least one duct that extends within the basic housing, wherein said electric lines extend through the connecting point to a connector that is arranged at the connecting point and contains connecting means for producing a connection with external lines or cables. The connecting point is sealed by means of an insulating casting- or injection-molding compound at least in the region in which the lines extend from the connecting point.
US07834487B2 Shorting stick for safing of high-voltage equipment
An electrical shorting stick and method of using it. The apparatus and method allow the user to work on or about high-voltage equipment at tremendously reduced risk of accidental electrocution. The apparatus permits the user to secure a reliable short-circuit of the equipment to the absolute ground, so that current cannot be directed through the bodies of the service crew. The apparatus is placed into contact with the equipment of interest. While in contact with the equipment, the apparatus is manipulated by the user to safely discharge to absolute ground all potentially hazardous electrical current. The apparatus has a handle assembly movable upon a main road assembly. When the handle assembly is placed into a first position, current is directed from the equipment to the absolute ground via the apparatus including a resistor. The handle assembly is shifted to a second position, in which current is directed through the apparatus, but bypassing the resistor, in a conductive circuit directly to absolute ground, thus providing a safe “hard” grounding of the equipment of interest.
US07834485B2 Controlling apparatus of a power converter of single-phase current for photovoltaic generation system
A control apparatus of a single-phase power converter for a photovoltaic power generation system is disclosed, including a POS MPPT controller for calculating a rating current by applying a POS MPPT control method to an output current detected through a current transformer of a single-phase AC filter, a bandpass filter for filtering only signals of a low-frequency band from a load, a single-phase reference current generator for producing a reference current by matching a phase of the current from the POS MPPT controller to a phase from the bandpass filter, a single-phase current subtractor for subtracting an output current of a current transformer from the reference current calculated by the single-phase reference current generator to thereby calculate a difference current between the output current of the current transformer and the reference current, a PI controller for outputting a control signal, corresponding to the difference current from the single-phase current subtractor, to a PWM signal generator, and the PWM signal generator for generating a PWM phase control signal corresponding to the control signal from the PI controller.
US07834481B2 Threshold detection in back-up power supply systems
A threshold detection circuit includes, in one embodiment, a comparator having a first input connection for receiving a backup voltage from a backup power source, a second input connection for receiving a primary voltage from a primary power source, and an output connection for providing an output voltage; a first resistor and a first capacitor that are coupled in series between the first input connection and the output connection; and a second resistor that is coupled between the first input connection and the output connection, and that is coupled in parallel to the series of first resistor and the first capacitor.
US07834478B2 Single- or dual-inverter auxiliary power conversion apparatus and system and narrow-hysteresis charging method
A fuel-efficient auxiliary power generation, conversion, and supply system is configured within the periphery of a vehicular conveyance, and typically including a plurality of batteries, a power generator, an internal combustion engine, and an instrument control assembly including one or more inverter portions and a rectifier portion. A method for charging the batteries within a narrow hysteresis voltage range to reduce charging stress is described.
US07834474B2 Wave power energy generation apparatus
The present invention relates to a wave energy conversion device (1), for use in relatively shallow water, which has a base portion (2) for anchoring to the bed of a body of water (6) and an upstanding flap portion (8) pivotally connected (12) to the base portion. The flap portion is biased to the vertical and oscillates, backwards and forwards about the vertical in response to wave motion acting on its faces. Power extraction means extract energy from the movement of the flap portion. When the base portion (2) is anchored to the bed of a body of water (6) with the flap portion (8) facing the wave motion, the base portion (2) and the flap portion (8) extend vertically through at least the entire depth of the water, to present a substantially continuous surface to the wave motion throughout the full depth of water from the wave crest to the sea bed. A plurality of devices can be interconnected to form one system. The distance between the plurality of flaps is dependent on the wavelength.
US07834469B2 Stacked type chip package structure including a chip package and a chip that are stacked on a lead frame
A stacked type chip package structure including a lead frame, a chip package, a second chip, and a second molding compound is provided. The lead frame includes a plurality of first leads and second leads insulated from one another. The first leads have a first upper surface, and the second leads have a second upper surface which is not co-planar with the first upper surface. The chip package is disposed on the first leads and includes a substrate, a first chip, and a first molding compound. The second chip is stacked on the chip package and electrically connected to the second leads. The second molding compound is disposed on the lead frame and filled among the first leads and the second leads for encapsulating the chip package and the second chip.
US07834467B2 Layer between interfaces of different components in semiconductor devices
A layer improves adhesion between interfaces of different components in semiconductor devices. The interface of a first component includes surfaces of a circuit carrier and the interface of a second component includes contact surfaces of a plastic package molding compound. The adhesion-improving layer includes a mixture of polymeric chain molecules and carbon nanotubes.
US07834458B2 Interconnect structure for semiconductor devices
A cap layer for a copper interconnect structure formed in a first dielectric layer is provided. In an embodiment, the cap layer may be formed by an in-situ deposition process in which a process gas comprising germanium, arsenic, tungsten, or gallium is introduced, thereby forming a copper-metal cap layer. In another embodiment, a copper-metal silicide cap is provided. In this embodiment, silane is introduced before, during, or after a process gas is introduced, the process gas comprising germanium, arsenic, tungsten, or gallium. Thereafter, an optional etch stop layer may be formed, and a second dielectric layer may be formed over the etch stop layer or the first dielectric layer.