Document Document Title
US07950061B2 Copy-protected audio, video and or data optical disk
Copy-Protected Audio, Video and or Data Optical Disk and the Protection Process for such Disk includes a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program which when once installed onto a computer system blocks any attempt to copy any designated Audio, Video or any Data on such Copy-Protected Optical Disk and or the Hard Drive. Additionally this system further includes a means of an optional Password Key which could be a Key Floppy or any suitable media. Optionally the password could be obtained by logging-on to an Internet based authentication terminal that unlocks the system and allows access to the stored contents on the disk for the first time user of the Copy-Protected Optical Disk thus increasing the pay per use revenues for Audio, Video and or Software Sales, Registration and or Rentals.
US07950059B2 Universal worm catcher
A method for detecting malicious code in a stream of data traffic input (400) to a gateway in a data network by monitoring for suspicious data in the stream of data traffic (407). Upon detecting the suspicious data, an attempt is made to disassemble the suspicious data (403) and a treat weight is assigned for each instruction. The attempt to disassemble is initiated at initial instructions each with a different offset within the suspicious portion of data. The threat weights are accumulated respectively for each branch option in the disassembled code (403), producing respectively an accumulated threat weight for each branch option. When the accumulated threat weight exceeds a previously defined threshold level, an alert is generated and/or traffic is blocked from the source of the malicious code.
US07950055B2 Cross-domain authentication
Providing services within a network of service providers sharing an authentication service and a set of business rules. A central server receives a first request from a first server to provide a first service to a user via a client without forcing the user to present credentials. In response to the received first request, the central server stores data identifying the first service on the client. The central server further receives a second request from a second server to provide a second service to the user via the client after the user presents the credentials to the second service. After receiving the second request and the presented credentials, the central server allows the user access to the second service. In response to allowing the user access to the second service, the central server further allows the user access to the first service as a result of the stored data.
US07950042B2 Fast switching between time division multiplexed (TDM) channels
A system and method of reducing a channel switching delay in TDM mobile television systems comprises transmitting a sequence of data bursts associated with channels for reception on a RF channel bandwidth received on a mobile television receiver; switching between an active state of transmission and a non-active state of transmission during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth, wherein the active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user-preferred channels and the non-active state of transmission comprises transmission of data bursts associated with user non-preferred channels; anticipating a particular user-preferred channel that a user will likely switch to during reception of channels on the RF channel bandwidth; decoding the sequence of data bursts during the active state of transmission; buffering one decoded data burst for each of the user-preferred channels; and replacing a previously buffered data burst with a newly buffered data burst.
US07950038B2 Transponder tuning and mapping
Multiple systems for delivering satellite signals are described. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a receive antenna, including at least one low noise block amplifier (LNB); and a module, coupled to and proximate the receive antenna, the module comprising a multiswitch, coupled to the LNB, for directing the satellite signal received by the LNB to an output of the multiswitch, at least one tuner, coupled to the output of the multiswitch, for tuning to a specific portion of the satellite signal, the specific portion of the satellite signal selected based on commands received from a new Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD), at least one demodulator, coupled to the at least one tuner, for demodulating the specific portion of the signal into a plurality of demodulated signals, and an interface for delivering a specific demodulated signal to the new IRD, wherein the specific demodulated signal is selected based on the commands received from the new IRD, and the specific demodulated signal is mapped to a new address based on a private channel number associated with the new IRD.
US07950036B2 Differentiated PSIP table update interval technology
An apparatus, method and data structure for generating at least one table in a broadcast environment, are provided. The apparatus includes a generator to generate an event information table (EIT) and an extended text table (ETT). The ETT has program guide information for an n-hour span and has a transmission interval. The ETT has a transmission interval and program description information according to the EIT. The transmission interval of the EIT is shorter than the transmission interval of the ETT.
US07950031B2 Interactive reward associated with a broadcast
An interactive technique for generating a supplementary, program-related output. A programming signal and a supplementary, program-related data signal are combined into a broadcast signal which is then broadcast from a program signal source. The broadcast signal is received, and the programming signal of the received broadcast signal is performed with reproduction equipment for an audience. The supplementary, program-related data signal of the received broadcast signal is stored, and retrieval of the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is enabled interactively with the programming signal being performed. In response to a control signal being actuated by a member of the audience tuned to the programming signal being performed, the stored supplementary, program-related data signal is retrieved and used to generate the supplementary, program-related output. The supplementary, program-related data signal can be used, for example, to print a reward, such as a discount coupon for purchasing a product advertised as part of the programming signal.
US07950025B1 Common software environment
Described are techniques for facilitating communication between code modules. A first code module is provided that makes at least one call using an application programming interface. The application programming interface facilitates communication between the first code module and a target code module and provides support for performing the at least one call from a first execution mode associated with the first code module and a second execution mode associated with the target code module. The application programming interface provides support for user space to user space communication, user space to kernel space communication, kernel space to kernel space communication, and kernel to user space communication. The first execution mode of the first code module and said second execution mode of the target code module are determined. A communication path is established between the code modules in accordance with the first and second execution modes.
US07950022B1 Techniques for use with device drivers in a common software environment
Described are techniques for facilitating communication between device drivers. A device driver is provided that makes at least one call using an application programming interface. The application programming interface facilitates communication between the device driver module and a target code module. The application programming interface provides support for performing the at least one call from a first execution mode associated with the device driver module and a second execution mode associated with the target code module. The application programming interface provides support for user space to user space communication, user space to kernel space communication, kernel space to kernel space communication, and kernel to user space communication. The first execution mode of the device driver module and said second execution mode of the target code module are determined. A communication path between the modules is established in accordance with said first execution mode and said second execution mode.
US07950008B2 Software installation in multiple operating systems
A software application can be installed under one operating system, and accessed for execution by a second operating system compatible with the first operating system by identifying and making appropriate changes to system parameters in the second operating system. The two operating systems may be installed on the same of different machines. A record can be made of changes in system parameters that are made upon installation of the software application in the first operating system as a basis for making appropriate changes in the system parameters of the second operating system to allow the software application to be accessed for execution from the second operating system.
US07949999B1 Providing support for multiple interface access to software services
Techniques are described for providing enhanced access to software services or other software programs that provide interfaces for use by clients. The enhanced access may, for example, be provided for a software service having multiple distinct versions with distinct corresponding interfaces, such as if some clients continue to initiate access to older versions of the software service using corresponding older interfaces, while other clients initiate access to a current software service version using a corresponding current interface version. The enhanced access techniques may further include automatically adapting requests that correspond to older interface versions of a software service so that the adapted requests correspond to the current interface version for the software service, and responses may similarly be adapted from a format for a current version of a software service to a format for a prior interface version used by the request that resulted in the response.
US07949977B2 Method and device for estimating simultaneous switching noise in semiconductor device, and storage medium
The method comprises a number of simultaneously switching signals calculation step in which the number of simultaneously switching signals is calculated for each set of user setting information for the input and output signal on the basis of pin arrangement information and the user setting information of the pins in a neighboring area of a pin to be executed in the estimation process; and a simultaneous switching noise calculation step in which a difference is calculated between noise corresponding to an initial point and that to a terminal point in a range of the number of simultaneously switching signals calculated for each set of user setting information on the basis of a relationship between the number of simultaneously switching signals and the noise caused by the number of simultaneously switching signals for each set of user setting information.
US07949976B2 Systematic approach for performing cell replacement in a circuit to meet timing requirements
An improved, systematic approach is provided for automatically determining which cells in a circuit should be replaced to satisfy timing adjustment requirements (TAR's), and automatically replacing the cells with replacement cells to meet the TAR's. With the improved approach, there is a high likelihood that an optimal replacement scheme will be found which requires the fewest number of cells to be replaced while still satisfying all of the TAR's.
US07949971B2 Method and apparatus for on-the-fly minimum power state transition
The invention includes a design structure embodied in a computer readable medium for performing a method for inserting a scan chain into a VLSI circuit design. The scan chain structure, or structures, are included in the design structure for the VLSI circuit design. The scan chain structure includes a first flip-flop (L1) and a second flip-flop (L2) configured to operate the first flip-flop (L1) in normal mode operation, in scan mode operation, in initialization mode and in low leakage power mode operation. A buffer circuit is electrically connected between the scan-out output of the second flip-flop (L2) and the scan-in input of the first flip-flop (L1) for the next latch in the scan chain. Buffer circuit control elements control the first flip-flop (L1) to switch between scan mode or low power leakage mode. The switching occurs in only one clock cycle. The design structure can include a netlist, which describes the VLSI circuit, reside on storage medium as a data format used for the exchange of layout data of integrated circuits, and preferably includes at least one of test data files, characterization data, verification data, or design specifications.
US07949967B2 Design Pattern correcting method, process proximity effect correcting method, and semiconductor device manufacturing method
A design pattern correcting method of correcting a design pattern in relation to a minute step of the design pattern, is disclosed, which comprises extracting at least one of two edges extended from a vertex of the design pattern, measuring a length of the extracted edge, determining whether or not the length of the measured edge is shorter than a predetermined value, extracting two vertexes connected to the extracted edge if it is determined that the length of the extracted edge is shorter than the predetermined value, and reshaping the design pattern to match positions of the two extracted vertexes with each other.
US07949963B1 1-2-3 Dynamic on-top tabular (DTT) web page editing
A method and system for a user to consistently edit information on web pages at real-time. It starts with a authorize login for the said web pages. And then, the process of editing the select data can be done in 3 steps: First a user selects an option from an initial command menu, a tabular form is generated for said selected option; Second, said user inputs data in said tabular form, said user will then selects said option from a command menu on said tabular form; Third, wherein said user selects cancel from said command menu on said tabular form, said user will return back to the initial said command menu, or wherein said user selects submit option from said command menu on said tabular form, said server will store that data in to said data storage, said server will save the data as current data in the web control, said server will generate a new html document and post back onto said system with input data as view data, said system will render the new html document to said web page. Wherein said user elects to make additional changes to said web page, said process would be repeated by starting again at said initial command menu.
US07949954B1 Dynamic functionality based on window characteristics
A system and method are described for changing window's functionality upon detecting resizing events. According to one example method, a plurality of size thresholds is defined that are associated with a plurality of functional states for a window. Upon detecting that a size of a window reaches a first size threshold, a first functional state is applied to a window. Then, upon detecting another size threshold as the window is being increased or decreased in size, another functional state associated with the detected threshold is applied to the window.
US07949938B2 Comparing and merging multiple documents
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for comparing and merging multiple merge documents, wherein each merge document includes content element locations having user content or empty. A determination is made in the determined merge documents of content element locations in at least two of the merge documents having a same content and content element locations in at least two of the determined merge documents having different content. An aggregate document is generated including content element locations corresponding to the content element locations in the determined merge documents. A content graphical indicator is rendered with content element locations in the aggregate document for which at least two of the determined merge documents provide different content, and information is rendered in response to user selection for the content in the plurality of the merge documents provided for the selected content element location.
US07949928B2 Semiconductor memory device and data error detection and correction method of the same
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a mode setting circuit, a parity data generation unit, and a data error detection and correction unit. The memory cell array has a plurality of first memory banks for storing normal data, and a predetermined number of second memory banks less than the number of the first memory banks for storing parity data according to control of a first flag signal. The mode setting circuit sets the first flag signal and a second flag signal controlling based on whether a separate memory bank is used to store the parity data in the second memory banks. The parity data generation unit receives normal write data during a write operation, generates parity data with respect to the normal write data in response to the second flag signal, and outputs the normal data and the parity data. The data error detection and correction unit receives normal read data and parity read data read from the memory cell array during a read operation, detects errors of the normal read data in response to the second flag signal, corrects the normal read data when the errors are detected, and outputs the corrected read data.
US07949921B2 Method and apparatus for synthesis of augmented multimode compactors
Methods and apparatuses for synthesizing and/or implementing an augmented multimode compactor are described. An integrated circuit has circuitry that compacts test response data from scan chains in the integrated circuit under test. In many cases groups of the scan chains are coupled to output registers, such that a same group of scan chains is coupled to sequential elements of different output registers; and the same group is a subset of the scan chains including two or more scan chains. Various computer-implemented methods divide scan chains among at least groups and partitions. The groups disallow sharing a common scan chain from the scan chains, within a particular partition. At least one common scan chain is shared between the groups of different partitions.
US07949906B2 Management supporting system, management supporting method, and management supporting program
An object of the present invention is to enable a user to grasp the operation of the autonomous system for executing a countermeasure corresponding to a state of a system to be managed and to enable the user to check if a problem has been solved after the countermeasure taken against the problem of the system to be managed is performed by the user or by the autonomous system when the countermeasure performed by the autonomous system has failed or when the user wants to confirm the solution by the countermeasure performed by the autonomous system. An autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 indistinctively records the content of a countermeasure corresponding to a manual operation and the content of a countermeasure taken not by the manual operation but by an autonomous operation in an autonomous collaborative work log storage section 5. The autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 and autonomous collaborative work screen drawing section 7 display the fault of a system to be managed the solution of which has not been confirmed to allow the user to select an unresolved fault. Further, the autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 and autonomous collaborative work screen drawing section 7 displays a screen for determining the countermeasure content for solving the fault. The autonomous collaborative work operation control section 6 executes the countermeasure according to the operation performed by the user and adds a log.
US07949905B2 Apparatus and method for dynamically detecting improper configuration data provided in a network
A system (such as a process control system or communication system) includes one or more sources of configuration data (such as one or more BootP or DHCP servers). A testing mechanism transmits one or more requests for configuration data over a network. One or more sources of configuration data may respond to the requests, such as by providing configuration data (like IP addresses or NTP parameters) to the testing mechanism. The testing mechanism uses the response(s) to identify problems with the sources of configuration data. For example, if responses are received from multiple sources of configuration data, the testing mechanism could generate a notification indicating that a problem exists when the responses contain inconsistent configuration data. Also, if no responses are received, the testing mechanism could generate a notification indicating that a problem exists since no configuration data has been received. Any other or additional problems could also be detected.
US07949877B2 Rights enforcement and usage reporting on a client device
An integrity hash is obtained of rights information stored at a client device. The rights information is associated with content stored at the client device. The integrity hash is encrypted using a client device key to generate an encrypted hash. The client device key is externally inaccessible from the client device. The encrypted hash is stored on the client device.
US07949874B2 Secure firmware execution environment for systems employing option read-only memories
A method for providing a secure firmware operating environment includes detecting the presence of a new component, for example, a peripheral device. Next, a determination is made as to whether the peripheral device includes an option read-only memory. Next, a determination is made as to whether the option read-only memory is authorized to be executed on the corresponding device. If the option read-only memory is authorized, the code contained within the option read-only memory is executed. By only allowing execution of peripheral devices or components including authorized option read-only memories, security related breaches are substantially reduced or eliminated; thereby, enhancing device integrity.
US07949873B2 Secure instant messaging
Secure instant messaging is described. In an embodiment, a messaging device encrypts a challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge message, and communicates the encrypted challenge message via a peer-to-peer communication link to a recipient messaging device. The recipient messaging device decrypts the encrypted challenge message and encrypts the challenge identifier as a return challenge identifier to generate an encrypted challenge return. The messaging device receives the encrypted challenge return from the recipient messaging device, decrypts the encrypted challenge return, and verifies that the return challenge identifier matches the challenge identifier to establish that communications are secure when communicated via the peer-to-peer communication link and, optionally, to establish control policies pertaining to a communication received at the recipient messaging device.
US07949867B2 Secure communications
There are disclosed processes and systems for establishing secure, communication channels between computing devices. The computing devices include respective agents which verify the relative identity of one another and thereby authenticate the communication channel. The agents continue to play a role in the communications to ensure that the communication channel is secure.
US07949856B2 Method and apparatus for separate control processing and data path processing in a dual path processor with a shared load/store unit
According to embodiments of the invention, there is disclosed a computer processor architecture; and in particular a computer processor, a method of operating the same, and a computer program product that makes use of an instruction set for the computer. In one embodiment according to the invention, there is provided a computer processor comprising: a decode unit for decoding a stream of instruction packets from a memory, each instruction packet comprising a plurality of instructions; a first processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform control processing operations; a second processing channel comprising a plurality of functional units and operable to perform data processing operations; wherein the decode unit is operable to receive an instruction packet and to detect if the instruction packet defines (i) a plurality of control instructions or (ii) a plurality of instructions one or more of which is a data processing instruction, and wherein when the decode unit detects that the instruction packet comprises a plurality of control instructions said control instructions are supplied to the first processing channel for execution in program order.
US07949853B2 Two dimensional addressing of a matrix-vector register array
A processor for processing matrix data. The processor includes M independent vector register files which are adapted to collectively store a matrix of L data elements. Each data element has B binary bits. The matrix has N rows and M columns, and L=N*M. Each column has K subcolumns. N≧2, M≧2, K≧2, and B≧1. Each row and each subcolumn is addressable. The processor does not duplicatively store the L data elements. The matrix includes a set of arrays such that each array is a row or subcolumn of the matrix. The processor may execute an instruction that performs an operation on a first array of the set of arrays, such that the operation is performed with selectivity with respect to the data elements of the first array.
US07949852B2 Memory system, computer system and memory
The correspondence between logical addresses and physical addresses is determined so that the logical addresses in ascending order may be assigned to the physical addresses in ascending order with the physical addresses of defective blocks in a memory skipped. Then, the physical addresses of the defective blocks in ascending order are sequentially stored into the second blocks in ascending order of the physical addresses of the second blocks, respectively. To obtain a physical address from a logical address, a target block is retrieved out of a plurality of second blocks on the basis of the logical address, and the physical address of the target block is added to the logical address to obtain the physical address. Thus, it is possible to reduce the required capacity of a reserve storage region used for conversion of logical addresses into physical addresses without deteriorating the access speed.
US07949840B2 Method for saving computer data
The invention relates to a method for saving computer data which consist in transferring the data to be saved from a client computer to a buffer storage formed by the hard disc of a backup server, organized in a plurality of volumes of predetermined size, and in then transferring the data from said buffer storage onto a final medium (for example magnetic cartridge). The invention is characterized in that it consists in recording on said permanent medium, after transferring the volumes from the buffer storage onto the final medium, a single sequence of data specific to each of said volumes (basic data), the method further comprising a step which consists in constituting a database wherein are recorded the basic data.
US07949839B2 Managing memory pages
A method, and corresponding software and system, is described for paging memory used for one or more sequentially-accessed data structure. The method includes providing a data structure representing an order in which memory pages are to be reused; and maintaining the data structure according to a history of access to a memory page associated with one of the sequentially-accessed data structures. A position of the memory page in the order depends on a transition of sequential access off of the memory page.
US07949837B2 Contention detection and resolution
A multiple computer system is disclosed in which n computers (M1, M2 . . . Mn) each run a different portion of a single application program written to execute only on a single computer. The local memory of each computer is maintained substantially the same by updating all computers with every change made to addressed memory locations. Contention can arise when the same memory location is substantially simultaneously updated by two or more machines because of transmission delays and latency of the communications network interconnecting all the computers. In particular a method of detecting and resolving contention is disclosed which utilizes a count value indicative of the number of the sequence of occasions on which each memory location has been updated. Contention is indicated if the currently stored count value and the incoming updating count value are the same. The contention can be resolved by providing a further rule. One such further rule is that in the presence of contention the updating message from the higher numbered computer is to be accepted and the updating message from the lower numbered computer is to be rejected. Other further rules are also disclosed.
US07949836B2 Memory controller and method for copying mirrored memory that allows processor accesses to memory during a mirror copy operation
A memory controller performs a mirror copy function in a way that allows processor accesses to memory to continue during the mirror copy operations that make up the mirror copy function. Data integrity of mirror copy operations is assured by protocols set up in the memory controller. The result is a memory controller that performs a mirror copy function in a way that allows normal processor accesses to memory to be interleaved with mirror copy operations, thereby minimizing the impact on system performance of executing the mirror copy function.
US07949834B2 Method and apparatus for setting cache policies in a processor
According to the methods and apparatus taught herein, processor caching policies are determined using cache policy information associated with a target memory device accessed during a memory operation. According to one embodiment of a processor, the processor comprises at least one cache and a memory management unit. The at least one cache is configured to store information local to the processor. The memory management unit is configured to set one or more cache policies for the at least one cache. The memory management unit sets the one or more cache policies based on cache policy information associated with one or more target memory devices configured to store information used by the processor.
US07949831B2 Maintaining cache coherence using load-mark metadata to deny invalidation of load-marked cache lines
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that maintains load-marks on cache lines. The system includes: (1) a cache which accommodates a set of cache lines, wherein each cache line includes metadata for load-marking the cache line, and (2) a local cache controller for the cache. Upon determining that a remote cache controller has made a request for a cache line that would cause the local cache controller to invalidate a copy of the cache line in the cache, the local cache controller determines if there is a load-mark in the metadata for the copy of the cache line. If not, the local cache controller invalidates the copy of the cache line. Otherwise, the local cache controller signals a denial of the invalidation of the cache line and retains the copy of the cache line and the load-mark in the metadata for the copy of the cache line.
US07949826B2 Runtime machine supported method level caching
A computer system includes a disk space comprising at least one type of memory and an operating system for controlling allocations and access to the disk space. A runtime machine runs applications through at least one of the operating system or directly on at least one processor of the computer system. In addition, the runtime machine manages a selected runtime disk space allocated to the runtime machine by the operating system and manages a separate method cache within the selected virtual disk space. The virtual machine controls caching within the method cache of a separate result of at least one method of the application marked as cache capable. For a next instance of the method detected by the runtime machine, the runtime machine accesses the cached separate result of the method in lieu of executing the method again.
US07949822B2 Storage capacity status
In one embodiment of the present invention, a memory device is disclosed to include memory organized into blocks, each block having a status associated therewith and all of the blocks of the nonvolatile memory having collectively a capacity status associated therewith and a display for showing the capacity status even when no power is being applied to the display.
US07949818B2 Memory system comprising semiconductor memory having plural different operation modes
A memory system includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a controller. The controller controls the nonvolatile semiconductor memory. The controller selects whether to use the nonvolatile semiconductor memory in a first read mode or in a second read mode having shorter access intervals than the first read mode.
US07949810B2 Techniques for transferring data between a media player and an accessory having a tuner
A method, system, and connector interface for controlling an accessory. The method includes obtaining, by a portable media player, tuning information from the accessory; and controlling, by the portable media player, the accessory based on the tuning information. According to the system and method disclosed herein, the portable media player and accessory may utilize a plurality of commands utilized in a variety of environments such as within a connector interface system environment to control access to the portable media player.
US07949805B2 Wireless human interface device (HID) coordination
A method relating to wireless human interface device (HID) coordination is disclosed. A first human interface device (HID) is wirelessly coupled to two or more computing devices, wherein the first HID is configured to toggle between interactions with each of the two or more computing devices. An inquiry or paging message is broadcast to one or more HIDs, including a second HID wirelessly coupled to the two or more computing devices, wherein the second HID is configured to receive and provide a response to the inquiry or paging message. The second HID is located based on the response to the inquiry or paging message. A wireless link is established between the first HID and the second HID based on the identifying, wherein the first HID is configured to coordinate, via the wireless link, interactions with the two or more computing devices by both the first HID and the second HID based on the toggle.
US07949800B2 Method for exchanging information with physical layer component registers
A device and a method for exchanging information with registers of a physical layer component. The method includes allocating at least one receive buffer for receiving the status information; associating at least one receive buffer descriptor with the at least one receive buffer; sending to a physical layer component a request to read status information stored in a selected status register of the physical layer component; and writing the status information to the at least one receive buffer descriptor.
US07949787B2 Open content model Web service messaging
Systems and methods for open content model Web service messaging in a networked computing environment are described. In one aspect, a transport neutral message is generated that includes message recipient, endpoint addressing information, and one or more reference properties. The reference properties include selectively opaque message context. The transport neutral message is bound to a transport protocol for communication to the message recipient. At least a portion of the selectively opaque message context is not directed to the message recipient.
US07949782B2 Extended link monitoring channel for 10 Gb/s Ethernet
The invention provides a method for utilizing the Inter Packet Gaps (IPGs) to create an Extended Link Monitoring Channel in a physical layer transceiver for a 10 Gb/s Ethernet link for communicating link related information, thus providing an extensive link maintenance capability. A corresponding transceiver between an Ethernet media access control (MAC) layer device and a 10 Gb/s Ethernet link, comprising a physical coding sublayer (PCS) extension circuit for implementing the Extended Link Monitoring Channel is also provided.
US07949778B2 Systems, methods, apparatus and computer program products for providing packet-level FEC with higher throughput using user datagram protocol (UDP)
A method and system for data delivery from a server to a client is provided. The server maintains a session counter and transmits data to a client at a transmission speed. The server receives a message from the client indicating a percentage of packets lost in a current session and compares the percentage of packets lost to a predefined range of packet loss, and modifies the transmission speed based on the comparison. Forward Error Correction (FEC) may be used to reconstruct the lost packets.
US07949776B2 Seek minimized recoverable streaming file system
A method for storing data, comprising the steps of (A) receiving a stream of data, (B) storing the stream of data in a series of data clusters each comprising (i) a predecessor link, (ii) a data portion, and (iii) a successor link, where the predecessor links and successor links are configured to minimize seek time between the clusters during contiguous stream operations.
US07949775B2 Stream selection for enhanced media streaming
The present disclosure relates to playback of video/audio streaming media data to provide a glitch-free experience. The system adapts the media stream to the user connection in order to provide the glitch-free experience. Stream selection can be made using a heuristics module located on the playback device that analyzes various aspects of the playback to make intelligent decisions about which media stream to download from a network.
US07949774B2 Automated content source validation for streaming data
One or more validation keys are embedded in a data stream at a server. A client requests the data stream from the server. The server sends the data stream to the client. The client receives the data stream, and samples the data stream to detect one or more validation keys.
US07949768B2 Method and system for connecting of wireless-internet using domain based numeral
The present invention relates to a system and method for connecting wireless internet using number-base domain, the method according to the present invention may comprise the steps of (a) receiving an internet connection request signal from the mobile telephone; (b) determining if the received internet connection request signal is a number domain connection request signal and determining if the number domain exists in pre-stored number structure; (c) converting the number domain into a letter domain if the number domain exists in the pre-stored number structure; (d) transmitting web site information corresponding to the converted number domain to the mobile terminal. According to present invention, the domain input process can be simpler as the user has only to input number domain corresponding to homepage to be connected and press execution button.
US07949767B2 System and method for multiple address of record registration using a single explicit SIP request
One embodiment of the present invention is a method for registering multiple addresses of record. The method comprises receiving a session initiation protocol register request. The session initiation protocol register request comprises a plurality of addresses of record and a contact address for a session initiation protocol endpoint. The method further comprises associating each of the plurality of addresses of record with the contact address for the session initiation protocol endpoint.
US07949751B1 Method for a network device to describe itself and the services it requires to a AAA server
The invention relates to a method for requesting access to services across a computer network, preferably although not exclusively to a network in which access is controlled by a AAA server. Instead of defining on the AAA server all possible network devices that may require or provide access, along with the respective services they may need, in the present invention the network devices submit access request messages which include information both identifying the device and also specifying explicitly which services are needed. On receipt of such requests, the AAA server uses its internal policies to confirm or deny access, to select appropriate services from those requested, and to instruct the provisioning of those services. The invention provides additional granularity in authentication/authorization, and also significantly reduces the amount of work required to set up and maintain the AAA server.
US07949747B1 Method and system of communication in a wireless water treatment system
A method of communication within a network of a water treatment system is disclosed. The water treatment system includes a plurality of devices. The devices including at least one AC powered device. The method comprising the steps of continually checking, by a first AC powered device, the network for broadcasts by other devices, detecting, by the first AC powered device, a broadcast by another device, establishing, by the first AC powered device, a logical connection with the other device, receiving, by the first AC powered device, any request by the other device for data, the request including the identification of a data element, and the address of the device which relates to the data element, and receiving, by the first AC powered device, any data offered by the other device, the data including the identification of a data element, the data element value, and the identification of the device which originated the data element value.
US07949745B2 Dynamic activity model of network services
An activity model is generated at a computer. The activity model may be generated by monitoring incoming and outgoing data in the computer. The collected data is analyzed to form a graph that describes and predicts what output is generated in response to received input. Later, a window of input and output data is collected from the computer. This collected window of data is used to query the activity model. The graph in the activity model is then used to give the probability that the collected window of data was collected from the computer used to generate the activity model. A high probability indicates that the computer is performing normally, while a low probability indicates that the computer may behaving erratically and there may be a problem with the computer.
US07949741B2 Printer user interface redirection over a terminal services session
User interface (“UI”) redirection for a local device, such as a printer that is operatively coupled to a client, is provided by an arrangement in which a dummy driver is installed on the terminal server. When an application on the terminal server makes a call to show a UI, the dummy driver redirects the call to a process operating on the client that exposes the specific UI associated with the local device. User input to the UI indicative of preferences and/or other user-selected parameters is recorded and passed to the terminal server through the dummy driver and reported to the calling application. In an illustrative example, the terminal server and client communicate over a virtual channel using a remote desktop protocol in order to redirect print jobs to a local printer that is coupled to the client either directly or over a network such as a local area network.
US07949736B2 Centralization configuration of data processing systems
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for configuring a remote data processing system. A configuration is identified for the remote data processing system to form an identified configuration. The hardware for the remote data processing system is configured. An installation application is sent to the remote data processing system across a communications link after the hardware in the remote data processing system has been configured, wherein the installation application executes on the remote data processing system to configure the remote data processing system. Installation files are sent across the communications link to the installation application executing on the remote data processing system. The installation program uses the installation files to configure install a set of operating systems, install applications, and configure software on the remote data processing system.
US07949735B2 Transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a rule-based network
The invention proposes a transaction process for the provisioning of rules in a network which includes at least one rule server and one rule server client. The process includes a first stage of transmission from the server to the client of a request for acceptance of the provisioning of a set of rules. The process also includes a second stage of reservation by the client of the resources necessary for the reception and the putting into application of the rules if the request is accepted by the client. The process includes a third stage of response to the request, from the client to the server, and a fourth stage for provisioning the set of rules to the client if the response to the request is favorable. When the network has several clients, each of the clients responds to the request from the server, and the provisioning stage is executed only if each response is favorable.
US07949734B1 Method and apparatus for re-generating configuration commands of a network device using an object-based approach
A method is disclosed for re-generating a configuration command of a network device. A method includes receiving a request to re-generate a configuration command previously issued to a network device, wherein the configuration command has one or more parameters; retrieving a template and a pattern associated with the configuration command, wherein the template represents a syntax for the configuration command, wherein the pattern represents a storage location for the configuration command; based on the pattern, retrieving from an object database all objects containing values for all the particular parameters from the storage location specified by the pattern; and creating a re-generated configuration command by substituting the values of the retrieved objects into the template.
US07949727B2 Table based distributed control for a network of consumer electronics
A system with a number of consumer electronics units interconnected by a digital data network, each of the units comprising a computer for controlling the functioning of the unit itself and the functioning in interplay with the other units in the network. The computer is provided with at least one general table with interrelated table entrances, wherein each available functional state of the unit and each available interplay with other units is given by an entrance in this at least one table.
US07949724B1 Determining attention data using DNS information
Generally, the present invention provides for monitoring user Internet activity based on DNS information. The invention includes accessing a plurality of query logs from a plurality of DNS servers and retrieving a plurality of DNS requests from the query logs. The DNS requests are requests from a various computing devices that have requested web content from web servers indicated by IP addresses. The invention further includes processing the DNS requests to determine Internet-based activity information by the plurality of computing devices that requested the web content and determining attention data based on the activity information. The attention data indicates web search trends based on the corresponding IP addresses accessed by the requesting computing devices.
US07949719B2 Multimedia message transfer
A method for multi-media message transfer transmits a message to multiple recipients. The method includes receiving a message addressed to multiple recipients. The method also includes determining an indication of a state of each recipient. The method also includes transmitting an acknowledgement. The acknowledgment includes at least one message identifying at least one recipient and the associated state of the at least one recipient.
US07949716B2 Correlation and analysis of entity attributes
Methods and systems for operation upon one or more data processors for assigning a reputation to a messaging entity by analyzing the attributes of the entity, correlating the attributes with known attributes to define relationships between entities sharing attributes, and attributing a portion of the reputation of one related entity to the reputation of the other related entity.
US07949714B1 System and method for targeting advertisements or other information using user geographical information
A request for information items may include content information associated with one or more electronic messages and geographical information associated with the requesting user. A set of information items is identified based on the user geographical information and the message content of the one or more electronic messages. In some embodiments, at least one of the information items is identified based on both on the user geographical information and the message content. In some embodiments, if the user geographical information is different from the user's default geographical information, at least one of the information items is identified based on the user geographical information, but not the message content. A subset of the identified information items may be selected in accordance with a scoring or ranking function. The selected information items are transferred to the requesting client and displayed concurrently with (e.g., next to) the electronic messages.
US07949711B2 Method, system, and program for integrating disjoined but related network components into collaborative communities
A system for integrating disjoined but related network components is presented. The system includes a network including a plurality of integrated collaborators where at least one of the integrated collaborators is designated as a head, at least one of integrated collaborators is designated as a parent and at least one of integrated collaborators is designated as a child. The head, parent and child are connected by a plurality of links. The integrated collaborators are grouped into clusters where one or more clusters form a cluster cloud. The integrated collaborators are configured to receive a data set, from a connected member, in a pre-determined format and deliver the data set in an acceptable format to a receiving member over the network. If necessary, at least one integrated collaborator converts the pre-determined format to the acceptable format such that the network components communicate with each other and conduct collaborative activities.
US07949708B2 Using a remote handheld device as a local device
A data connection can be established between a handheld device (e.g., a mobile phone or smartphone) and a computerized second device. For example, an action associated with a keyboard scancode can be mapped to a key on the keypad of the handheld device. A key press on a keypad of the handheld device can be translated into key press data. The key press data can be sent to the second device over the data connection, causing the action to be executed on the second device.
US07949705B1 Dynamic desktop switching for thin clients
A method for viewing a desktop on a first client involves initiating a first desktop session and a second desktop session, populating a first virtual frame buffer (VFB) using the first desktop session, populating a second VFB using the second desktop session, storing an extended virtual frame buffer (EVFB) using the first VFB and the second VFB, and selecting a first portion of the EVFB to view on the desktop using a first VFB scout.
US07949694B2 Management of contract data
A method and system for contract processing. Sent by a procurement contract management system (PCMS) to decentralized execution systems is a list of I identifiers identifying a contract dataset in the PCMS earmarked for archiving. The PCMS receives from each DES a return list of M of the I identifiers approved by each DES for archiving. A generated intersection list includes a logical intersection of the return lists received from the decentralized execution systems. If the intersection list is not empty, the PCMS archives each contract dataset identified in the list of I identifiers and appearing in the intersection list and communicates to each DES that the archiving was performed by the PCMS for the contract datasets appearing in the intersection list. If the intersection list is empty, the PCMS communicates to each DES that the archiving will not be performed.
US07949692B2 Systems and methods for portals into snapshot data
In one embodiment, a user or client device communicates with a distributed file system comprised of one or more physical nodes. The data on each of the physical nodes store metadata about files and directories within the file system. Some of the embodiments permit a user to take a snapshot of data stored on the file system. The snapshot may include a single file, a single directory, a plurality of files within a directory, a plurality of directories, a path on the file system that includes nested files and subdirectories, or more than one path on the file system that each includes nested files and directories. In some embodiments, systems and methods intelligently choose whether to use copy-on-write or point-in-time copy when saving data in a snapshot version of a file whose current version is being overwritten. In some embodiments, systems and methods allow snapshot users to return from a snapshot directory to the immediate parent directory from which the user entered into the snapshot.
US07949690B2 Project structure
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to define a project in a computer graphics program. A project file is defined with general information regarding the project. A folder structure for the project is defined where one or more project drawing files are organized into various folders by drawing file type. A companion file for each project drawing file is defined with information to link each project drawing file to the project.
US07949689B2 Media indexing beacon and capture device
A system and method for indexing media files includes capturing a subject in a media file with a media capture device. The media capture device also receives index information from a media indexing beacon, wherein the index information is related to the subject in the media file. The system and method associates the index information with the media file. The media file may then be provided to a media storage device containing other media files having index information associated therewith, whereupon the media files are searchable based on the index information and pertinent media files may be retrieved.
US07949688B2 Method of recording and backtracking business information model changes
A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing the evolution of a data model through the application of change statements. Each change statement comprises a change operator operable to perform change operations on the elements of a target data model. The change statements are appended to a data model change stack. Execution of the change statements stored in the data model change stack results in change operations being performed on the target data model. Each change statement is associated with a version ID and a timestamp which identify the scope of the data model version and time instance of the change.
US07949682B2 Method for providing a flat view of a hierarchical namespace without requiring unique leaf names
A set of flat identifiers are received, and a locality of reference cue determined. A cache is searched to locate an association including the combination of the set of flat identifiers and the locality of reference cue. If such an association is found in the cache, the hierarchical object(s) associated with that combination are used first in attempting to map the set of flat identifiers onto a hierarchical namespace.
US07949681B2 Aggregating content of disparate data types from disparate data sources for single point access
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for aggregating content of disparate data types from disparate data sources for single point access by a user. Embodiments include establishing a user account for the user; retrieving content of disparate data types from identified disparate data sources associated with the user account; storing the retrieved content; and associating the stored content with the user account.
US07949679B2 Efficient storage for finite state machines
A method of operating a storage of a finite state machine includes organizing information concerning an operation of the machine in a payload-transition matrix, in which a given number of columns of the matrix reflect features of a state of the machine and other columns describe valid transitions between the states of the machine depending on input characters, and compressing the payload-transition matrix in a row-displaced format.
US07949675B2 Data retrieval method
A method of retrieving data from any one of a plurality of data sources is disclosed. The data stored by each data source are arranged according to an associated data format. The method comprises: issuing a retrieval request for data stored on a designated one of the plurality of data sources to a control process; passing the retrieval request from the control process to the one a plurality of retrieval processes that is associated with the designated data source, said one of the retrieval processes retrieving the requested data from the designated data source and rearranging the retrieved data into a common output format, if it is not already in the common output format; and passing the data in the common output format to the control process.
US07949667B2 Information processing apparatus, method, and program
An information processing apparatus which may include acquisition means for acquiring meta-data of a content; morphological analyzing means for performing morphological analysis on text information included in the meta-data of the content; comparison means for comparing a morphological analysis result of the morphological analyzing means and a plurality of list patterns of predetermined performer names; and when there is a list pattern of predetermined performer names having matched at least one part or more out of the morphological analysis result on the basis of the comparison result of the comparison means, first extraction means for extracting a performer name with the list pattern of the matched predetermined performer name.
US07949666B2 Synchronizing distributed work through document logs
A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for synchronizing distributed work. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving first and second metadata entries, adding the first and second metadata entries to a set corresponding to a digital object, and providing access to first and second unique identifiers used for referencing the first and second metadata entries respectively, where the first and second unique identifiers are based on contents of the first and second metadata entries respectively.
US07949662B2 De-duplication of data in a data processing system
In a data processing system, a method includes deleting a particular copy of a data item when at least one other copy of the data item is available. The presence of another copy of the data item is determined, at least in part, based on an identifier for the data item, the identifier having been computed using all of the data in the data item and only the data in the data item, wherein two identical data items in the data processing system will have identical identifiers. The particular copy of the data item may be deleted if another copy of the data is determined to be present on another processor in the system or on the same processor. The identifier of the data item is computed using a function such as a message digest or hash function which may be: MD4, MD5, or SHA.
US07949659B2 Recommendation system with multiple integrated recommenders
A recommendations system is provided in various embodiments for selecting items to recommend to a user. The system includes a recommendation engine with a plurality of recommenders, and each recommender identifies a different type of reason for recommending items. In one embodiment, each recommender retrieves item preference data and generates candidate recommendations responsive to a subset of that data. The recommenders also score the candidate recommendations. In certain embodiments, a normalization engine normalizes the scores of the candidate recommendations provided by each recommender. A candidate selector selects at least a portion of the candidate recommendations based on the normalized scores to provide as recommendations to the user. The candidate selector also outputs the recommendations with associated reasons for recommending the items.
US07949656B2 Information augmentation method
A method of augmentation in a data processing apparatus is provided. The data processing apparatus has access to an information repository (either local or remote, or both), has an operating system for executing an application (e.g. a word processing application) and a temporary data storage area (e.g. a clipboard). A specification (e.g. key word or phrase) is entered into the application and is copied from the application into the temporary data storage area. An information augmentation means polls the area in order to detect change (e.g. addition of a specification) and on doing so, retrieves the specification. The specification is used to search the repository for relating information and the search results are passed back to the area. The results are now pasted from the area to the application.
US07949643B2 Method and apparatus for rating user generated content in search results
Generally, a method and apparatus provides for rating user generated content (UGC) with respect to search engine results. The method and apparatus includes recognizing a UGC data field collected from a web document located at a web location. The method and apparatus calculates: a document goodness factor for the web document; an author rank for an author of the UGC data field; and a location rank for web location. The method and apparatus thereby generates a rating factor for the UGC field based on the document goodness factor, the author rank and the location rank. The method and apparatus also outputs a search result that includes the UGC data field positioned in the search results based on the rating factor.
US07949642B2 System and method for managing and presenting entity information
A system and method for managing and presenting entity information is described. In an illustrative implementation, information such as product availability and operating hours is stored in a server (130). A query may be sent from a client (202) having a time (1402), date (1410), or both inquiring, for example, which entities are open at a certain or range of times, in the past, present or future. The server (130) compares the queried time with stored information, such as hours entries (4000, 4050). The results are displayed on a map (300) with open entities represented by a first symbol (930R) and closed entities by a second symbol (930G) such that all the entities on the map (300) are viewable without further searches. Clicking on a symbol (422) leads to a display (940) containing information about the associated entity, thereby enabling an entity's information to be found using only its location.
US07949641B1 Systems and methods for validating a portion of a file that is downloaded from another computer system
In an exemplary method that is performed by a first computer system, one or more file blocks are identified within a target file. The one or more file blocks comprise a desired portion of the target file. At least one file block is downloaded from a second computer system. However, the entire target file is not downloaded. A previously calculated validation value is received for a file block that has been downloaded. A new validation value is calculated for the downloaded file block. If the new validation value for the file block does not match the previously calculated validation value for the file block, the file block is discarded.
US07949630B1 Storage of data addresses with hashes in backup systems
Seek operations required to perform restore processes at an HFS server are reduced by storing storage addresses of data associated with hash values included in recipes with the recipes. In a typical embodiment, an HFS server receives a recipe for entry into a hash file system and performs a reference check on the recipe to avoid data corruption. This includes using hash values of the associated data to lookup storage addresses for the associated data in corresponding index stripes. The identified storage addresses can be appended to/stored with the recipe when the recipe is stored by the HFS server. Later during a restore process, retrieval of the recipe also retrieves the storage addresses without having to look up the storage addresses in the corresponding index stripes. Consequently, seek operations during restore can be cut in half and the speed of performing the restore can be doubled.
US07949629B2 Method and system for personal information extraction and modeling with fully generalized extraction contexts
Systems and methods for modeling information from a set of documents are disclosed. A tool allows a user to model concepts of interest and extract information from a set of documents in an editable format. The extracted information includes a list of instances of a document from the set of documents that contains the selected concept. The user may modify the extracted information to create subsets of information, add new concepts to the model, and share the model with others.
US07949619B2 Business process analyzer that serializes obtained business process data and identifies patterns in serialized business processs data
A system and method for analyzing enterprise applications driven by business processes is provided. The method for analyzing business processes comprises the steps of obtaining process data, serializing the process data, identifying patterns in the serialized process data, creating analyzed process data based on the identified patterns, and publishing the analyzed process data. In addition, the patterns can be identified using one or more of user-defined algorithms, rules, and reference process models, and the user-defined algorithms can be plug-ins. Also, information regarding the analyzed process data can be displayed.
US07949616B2 Telepresence by human-assisted remote controlled devices and robots
A telepresence system comprising a workstation which allows a user to specify a venue located at a remote site. The workstation accepts control information from, and conveys sensory information to, the user. The telepresence system also comprises several remotely controlled systems at remote locations, which carry sensors collecting sensory information from their environment. Each remotely controlled system also requires human assistance to operate according to control information sent by the user. The telepresence system also comprises a means for allocating one of the remotely controlled systems to the specified venue. The telepresence system also comprises a means for allocating a human assistant to assist the allocated remote system. The telepresence system also comprises a bi-directional communication channel which links the workstation to the allocated remote system and transmits control information from the workstation to the allocated remote system and sensory information from the allocated remote system to the workstation.
US07949615B2 System and method of controlling delivery and/or usage of a commodity
A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivering to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node for controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.
US07949603B1 Secure online transaction system and method
In one embodiment, an online financial account has an associated telephone registered to the account. The financial account may be accessed over a computer network, such as the Internet. Upon receipt of a request to access the account, a text message containing a dynamic password is forwarded to the telephone over a telephone network. The user trying to access the account may use the telephone to reply to the text message with another text message that includes the dynamic password. The request to access the account may be granted if the reply includes a portion that corresponds to the dynamic password.
US07949601B2 Method and system for providing minimum contract values in an annuity with lifetime benefit payments
A data processing method administers a deferred annuity contract during the accumulation phase for a relevant life. The annuity contract has a contract value, a guarantee of lifetime benefit payments and a minimum contract value. Administration of the contract determines a minimum contract value, while paying a lifetime benefit payment less than the minimum contract value and a guaranteed death benefit not less than the minimum contract value. The lifetime benefit payment does not reduce the contract value below the minimum contract value.
US07949592B1 Method and system for integrating investment advice with financial account statement information
A method and system which provides for generating an integrated report. The method and system utilize information in a data storage system to provide individual account holders with an integrated report which includes detailed information regarding the financial account, and integrates financial planning recommendation information with the information regarding the financial account. Typically, the information regarding the financial account will be of sufficient detail so that a separate account statement need not be sent to the individual. The system and method herein provide individual account holders with a single report which provides the individual with financial account information, and financial planning advice, utilizing data available in a data storage system. Thus, the individual need not seek out advice, rather it is proactively delivered to the individual. Further, the method and system can provide for periodically generating the integrated report without requiring periodic input or action on the part of the account holder.
US07949591B2 System and method for selecting securities for an investment portfolio
Methods and systems for selecting and weighting securities for an actively managed exchange-traded fund. An initial selection of stocks includes domestic or international stocks, which are selected based at least in part on market capitalization. Each stock is scored using a plurality of growth and value factors to generate one or more growth scores and one or more value scores. A selection score is determined for each stock, and the stocks are ranked according to selection scores. A predetermined amount of stocks are eliminated from the stock portfolio based on selection score ranking, and the remaining stocks are split into a plurality of sub-groups. A stock portfolio is generated by weighting the remaining stocks according to the sub-groups they are in, with each stock being equally weighted within its sub-group. An exchange-traded fund is offered to consumers based on the stock portfolio.
US07949588B2 Marketing and delivering financial coaching services
Marketing and delivering financial coaching services involves sponsoring a website pertaining to financial coaching services, engaging an electronic communications media partner to direct potential customers to the website, and calculating a behavior-based quality rating reflecting the business opportunity value of the potential customer. When the quality rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the potential customer is associated to an assigned sales agent who determines an interest rating reflecting the importance of the financial coaching services to the potential customer. When the interest rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the potential customer is associated to an assigned enroller who determines a readiness rating reflecting the willingness of the potential customer to purchase financial coaching services. When the readiness rating for the potential customer exceeds a predetermined rating, the potential customer is enrolled for financial coaching services, oriented by telephone, and receives an ordered sequence of one-on-one financial coaching sessions and financial coaching resources.
US07949582B2 Machine and method for redeeming currency to dispense a value card
A document processing system comprises an input receptacle for receiving documents. A transport mechanism receives the documents from the input receptacle and transports the documents past a full image scanner and a discrimination unit. An output receptacle receives the documents from the transport mechanism after being transported past the full image scanner and the discrimination unit. The full image scanner includes means for obtaining a full video image of said documents, means for obtaining a image of a selected area of said documents, and means for obtaining information contained in said selected area of said document. The discrimination unit includes means for determining the authenticity of said document. A system controller directs the flows of documents over the transport mechanism.
US07949573B1 Displaying product recommendations in electronic commerce
A system for presenting a set of recommended items corresponding to a first item is presented. The system comprises a processor, a memory; and a computer executable component. The computer executable component executes on the system, via the processor, and is configured to perform the following. An indication is received requesting the display of recommended items corresponding to the first item. A set of recommended items corresponding to the first item is then obtained. Display information is generated for displaying a list of items and the corresponding set of recommended items. The list of items includes the first item. Additionally, display information is provided, the display information for displaying the list of items and the corresponding set of recommended items on a consumer device.
US07949570B2 Computerized article customization system and method for use thereof
The present invention is a method for soliciting orders for customized apparel. The apparel can be appendage apparel, such as footwear, gloves, or head gear, or non-appendage apparel such as jackets. The present method includes providing an order form accessible through at least one computer by one or more users. The present method further includes providing one or more possible design parameters, requesting the user to customize the apparel by entering at least one of the parameters on the order form. The user submits the order form through the computer and receives apparel according to the order form. The parameters may include size, material, model, style, color, material treatment, or personalization.
US07949568B2 Determination of product display parameters based on image processing
Image analysis techniques, including object recognition analysis, are applied to images obtained by one or more image capture devices deployed within inventory environments. The object recognition analysis provides object recognition data (that may include one or more recognized product instances) based on stored product (training) images. In turn, a variety of functionalities may be enabled based on the object recognition data. For example, a planogram may be extracted and compared to a target planogram, or at least one product display parameter for a product can be determined and used to assess presence of the product within the inventory environment, or to determine compliance of display of the product with a promotional objective. In yet another embodiment, comparisons may be made within a single image or between multiple images over time to detect potential conditions requiring response. In this manner, efficiency and effectiveness of many previously manually-implemented tasks may be improved.
US07949562B2 System and method for optimizing advertisement campaigns using a limited budget
The present invention relates to systems and methods for the optimized selection and delivery of one or more advertisements from among one or more advertising campaigns. The method of the present invention comprises generating one or more media plans identifying execution parameters for the optimized selection and delivery of one or more advertisements. One or more advertisements organized according to one or more advertisement campaigns are retrieved. Additionally, advertiser specified constraint and target values associated with the one or more advertisements are retrieved. A forecast for the performance of the one or more advertisements is generated. A media plan is generated for the one or more advertisements according to the constraint and target values, as well as the forecast data. The one or more advertisements are distributed according to the execution parameters identified by the media plan.
US07949552B2 Systems and methods for context drilling in workforce optimization
The systems and methods described herein provide a drill through engine that facilitates integration of solutions for performing workforce management, quality monitoring, e-learning, performance management, and analytics functionality. The drill through engine facilitates combining quality monitoring/call recording with performance management and e-learning functionality as a unified integrated solution. The combination can be delivered through a single platform and enables users to gain more insight and make smarter decisions faster about sales, service, and overall operations. This takes customer center tools beyond the traditional “suite” approach to a true single workforce optimization platform.
US07949551B2 Processing of compensation scopes in workflow management systems
The current invention relates to a technology for processing of compensation scopes comprised within atomic scopes of a process model by a Workflow Management System or a computer system with comparable functionality (WFMS). The method comprises a step of checking whether the atomic scope of the process instance of that process model has been aborted abnormally. If this is the case, in a further step it is analyzed if in the process model the compensation scope has been associated with a specific atomic scope behavior specification, defining a specific abort handling for the compensation scope in the particular case that the compensation scope is comprised within an atomic scope and the atomic scope has been aborted. In a final step the compensation scope is processed according to the specific atomic scope behavior specification.
US07949539B1 Document audit analysis system and method
A document audit system includes a digital controller, a document data entry device, and a document report generator. The document data entry device is in communication with the digital controller. The document report generator is in communication with the digital controller. The digital controller is programmed to cause characteristic document data indicative of the characteristics of each of a plurality of selected documents to be received, compare the characteristic document data for each document to migration data metrics which specify the characteristic document data of documents that can appropriately be assigned to one of a plurality of migration categories, save the identities of the documents having characteristic document data that meet document data specified by the migration data metrics for the one of the plurality of migration categories, and enable the document report generator to generate a migration report. The migration report lists the identities of the documents having characteristic document data that meet document data specified by the migration data metrics for the one of the plurality of migration categories.
US07949534B2 Speech recognition and transcription among users having heterogeneous protocols
A system is disclosed for facilitating speech recognition and transcription among users employing incompatible protocols for generating, transcribing, and exchanging speech. The system includes a system transaction manager that receives a speech information request from at least one of the users. The speech information request includes formatted spoken text generated using a first protocol. The system also includes a speech recognition and transcription engine, which communicates with the system transaction manager. The speech recognition and transcription engine receives the speech information request from the system transaction manager and generates a transcribed response, which includes a formatted transcription of the formatted speech. The system transmits the response to the system transaction manager, which routes the response to one or more of the users. The latter users employ a second protocol to handle the response, which may be the same as or different than the first protocol. The system transaction manager utilizes a uniform system protocol for handling the speech information request and the response.
US07949526B2 Voice aware demographic personalization
A voice interaction system is configured to analyze an utterance and identify inherent attributes that are indicative of a demographic characteristic of the system user that spoke the utterance. The system then selects and presents a personalized response to the user, the response being selected based at least in part on the identified demographic characteristic. In one embodiment, the demographic characteristic is one or more of the caller's age, gender, ethnicity, education level, emotional state, health status and geographic group. In another embodiment, the selection of the response is further based on consideration of corroborative caller data.
US07949523B2 Apparatus, method, and computer program product for processing voice in speech
A speech processing apparatus includes a rule storing unit that stores therein a rule that correlates one another causes of errors in speech recognition, responding methods each of which is used when an error has occurred during the speech recognition, and responding users each of whom is one of a plurality of users and serving as a target of a response; a detecting unit that detects a cause of an error that has occurred during the recognition of the speech; a method selecting unit that selects one of the responding methods that is correlated with the detected cause of the error from the rule storing unit; a user selecting unit that selects one of the responding users that is correlated with the detected cause of the error from the rule storing unit; and an executing unit that executes the response by the selected responding method to the selected responding user.
US07949516B2 Handheld electronic device and method employing logical proximity of characters in spell checking
An improved handheld electronic device and associated method employing an improved spell checking routine enable proposed spelling corrections having a close logical proximity to an active input to be output at a position of preference for easy selection by the user. By way of example, a base character and the various accented forms thereof can be said to have a logical proximity to one another that is closer than their logical proximity to any character having a different base character, whether additionally having a diacritical element or not.
US07949514B2 Method for building parallel corpora
A method for identifying documents for enriching a statistical translation tool includes retrieving a source document which is responsive to a source language query that may be specific to a selected domain. A set of text segments is extracted from the retrieved source document and translated into corresponding target language segments with a statistical translation tool to be enriched. Target language queries based on the target language segments are formulated. Sets of target documents responsive to the target language queries are retrieved. The sets of retrieved target documents are filtered, including identifying any candidate documents which meet a selection criterion that is based on co-occurrence of a document in a plurality of the sets. The candidate documents, where found, are compared with the retrieved source document for determining whether any of the candidate documents match the source document. Matching documents can then be stored and used at their turn in a training phase for enriching the translation tool.
US07949510B2 Distributed simultaneous simulation
A method and system for distributed simultaneous simulation are provided, the method including providing a state of at least one storage unit, providing a segment of the circuit bounded by the at least one storage unit, and simulating the segment in accordance with the state of the at least one storage unit; and the system including a memory for describing storage units of a circuit, maintaining states of the storage units, and identifying distributed segments comprising combinational logic separated by the storage units, and processing units, each for simultaneously simulating at least one of the segments in accordance with the maintained states.
US07949508B2 Low vibration rectification in a closed-loop, in-plane MEMS device
A method for a geometry of a lateral comb drive for an in-plane, electrostatic force feedback, closed-loop, micromachined accelerometer or closed-loop Coriolis rate gyroscope device, or closed-loop capacitive pressure or force measuring device. When vibration is applied to the device, the error in the time-average output, which is vibration rectification error, due to this input vibration is minimized or eliminated. The geometry resulting from practice of the present invention is space-efficient because drive force is maximized while vibration rectification is minimized or eliminated.
US07949506B1 Method for determining and compensating for a weight loss energy gap
The present invention provides a weight loss maintenance system. The invention incorporates supplements (dietary, pharmaceutical or neutraceutical) that aid in maintaining weight loss as well as physical activity. The invention further provides a personal plan that can include instruction, ideas and support based on user input, indicated preferences and various calculations. This invention calculates an Energy Gap™ that is produced by a specific amount of weight loss in an individual and fills this quantitative energy gap with activity and/or products which reduce hunger and/or increase metabolic rate.
US07949504B2 System and method for optimizing block diagram models
A method includes in a system determining a constraint for constraining operation of a portion of a block diagram model, determining if the portion of the block diagram model violates the constraint, and providing a user information based on the violating of the first constraint.
US07949503B2 Facilities optimization method
The facilities optimization method utilizes Coulomb's law to model placement of facilities relative to a population using the facilities. The natural phenomenon of electrical charge attraction and repulsion can be used to model a wide variety of facility layout and planning problems. The physical phenomenon of charge interaction is simulated and used to effectively find a solution for a facilities supply-demand problem. Utilizing the charge model, problem solutions are naturally reached and are self-adjusting in response to parameter changes in the problem. A methodology for static, dynamic, elastic or inelastic demand is provided. The charge simulation approach supports any distance metric. The method always provides a solution regardless of the initial conditions used. The method provides high flexibility in choosing arbitrary demand and supply patterns.
US07949499B2 Filtering techniques to remove noise from a periodic signal and Irms calculations
A signal filtering technique is designed to remove the effects of a periodic, low-frequency noise signal from a signal of interest. A signal waveform is sampled at different points of a number of consecutive periodic noise signal cycles and the collected samples are averaged to produce a corrected signal. The number of consecutive cycles in which samples are taken and averaged is inversely related to the signal amplitude such that as the signal level decreases, the number of cycles examined increases. The technique is particularly applicable to periodic signals associated with the output of Hall effect sensors in an electrical metrology environment. Improved RMS calculations are obtained for filtering low-frequency random noise from Hall sensors by averaging samples at different points of a signal cycle to create a composite desired signal cycle to facilitate other signal calculations. In a given electricity utility meter incorporating solid state circuitry, such metrology RMS calculations may be implemented in a metrology section of solid state devices provided on printed circuit boards, such as utilizing programmable integrated circuit components. By varying the number of cycles summed, the algorithm will adapt to amplitude changes more quickly. By using time averaged samples to filter random noise from the periodic signal of interest, the overall requirements for complex filtering is reduced. Instead, the technique relies on buffering and averaging synchronized samples for a given number of line cycles, so that by increasing the buffer size, larger numbers of line cycles can be accumulated and the filter cut-off frequency reduced.
US07949496B2 Analysis system
An apparatus for analyzing the condition of a machine having a rotating shaft, comprising: at least one input for receiving measurement data from a sensor for surveying a measuring point of the machine, the measurement data being dependent on rotation of the shaft; a data processor for processing condition data dependent on the measurement data; the data processor performing a plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn). At least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2 Fn) is a restricted function having a disabled state and an enabled state; the disabled state prohibiting complete execution of the condition monitoring function, and the enabled sate allowing execution. The apparatus allows a limited amount of use of the at least one restricted condition monitoring function; and at least one of the plurality of condition monitoring functions (F1, F2, Fn) is an unrestricted function.
US07949493B2 Energy efficient achievement of integrated circuit performance goals
A system and method for meeting performance goals in an electronic system in an energy efficient manner. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise operating an electrical circuit at a current level of performance and a current level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a current set of power characteristics (e.g., utilizing a power control module). The current level of performance may be determined (e.g., by a performance monitor) and compared to a desired level of performance (e.g., by the power control module). If the current level of performance is higher than the desired level of performance, then the electrical circuit may be operated at a next (e.g., lower) level of performance and a next (e.g., higher) level of energy efficiency by providing the electrical circuit with electrical power characterized by a next set of power characteristics.
US07949492B2 Measuring mechanical propulsive power by energy conversion
Measuring mechanical propulsive power includes establishing a first power and a second power. The first power is associated with a first rate of energy conversion by a device in a fluid, where the device is in the wake of a self-propelled conveyance moving with respect to the fluid. The average distance between the device and self-propelled conveyance may remain substantially unchanged. The second power is associated with a second rate of energy conversion by the device in the fluid without the self-propelled conveyance, where the other physical factors are substantially similar to that associated with the first power. The difference between the first power and the second power is calculated. The mechanical propulsive power for the self-propelled conveyance is determined using mappings, where a mapping associates the difference with the mechanical propulsive power.
US07949491B2 System and method for identifying road features
A system and method identifies road features that may not appear on a map database, such as paths not described as roads on the map database, and whether all the roads at a crossing cross at the same grade level. The system and method may thus be used to identify points of departure from, or points of merging onto, a road described by the map database or a path identified as described herein, but not described by the map database.
US07949489B2 Detecting cable length in a storage subsystem with wide ports
A mechanism detects cable length in a storage subsystem with wide ports. The mechanism uses in-situ bidirectional cable wrapping for determining different cable lengths. The mechanism under-margins transmitter output to failure for each external port and even for each PHY within a wide port. Based on the transition point from “good” wrap to “bad” wrap, the cable length may be determined. The transition point identifies if the cable is long or short, at which point the optimum tuning parameters can accordingly be set. A calibration mechanism calibrates the high speed transmitter/receiver pair characteristics, and, thus, optimizes the transmission performance between subsystems. The calibration mechanism mitigates the need for frequent error correction and does not incur the performance degradation associated with error correction techniques.
US07949488B2 Movement monitoring systems and associated methods
Systems and methods are disclosed that monitor movement of a person, or of a vehicle ridden by the person, to determine speed, distance traveled and/or airtime of the person or vehicle. Accelerometer-based sensors, pressure sensors or Doppler sensors may be employed in these systems and methods. A liquid crystal display may attach to the person to display speed, distance traveled and/or airtime.
US07949486B2 Method and apparatus for calibrating an image capturing device, and a method and apparatus for outputting image frames from sequentially captured image frames with compensation for image capture device offset
A camera (17) mounted on a rear view minor housing (5) of a vehicle (1), which captures a plan view image of the ground on one side of the vehicle for display on an in-vehicle visual display unit (13) is calibrated to correct for offset of the camera (17) from an ideal position. During calibration an image of a reference point (34) on the vehicle (1) is captured as the mirror housing (5) is swiveled from a rest position to an operative position. The offset of the actual position of the image of the reference point in the captured image from its ideal position is computed, and a look-up table is prepared, which indicates the position at which pixels of subsequently captured image frames should be located to produce image frames with offset correction.
US07949485B2 Portable terminal device
A portable terminal device 101 of the invention having at least two or more cases joinable in a plurality of different joining shapes includes a magnetism detection section 8 being provided in at least one of the two or more cases for detecting a magnetism quantity; a storage section 9 for storing the effect amount produced by magnetism from a magnetism generation source of the portable terminal device 101 in the detected magnetism quantities for each of the plurality of different joining shapes of the portable terminal device 101; a case shape detection section 4 for detecting a joining shape of the portable terminal device 101; a data processing section 3 for correcting the detected magnetism quantity based on the stored effect amount in the detected joining shape; and a position measurement section 2 for measuring an azimuth based on the corrected magnetism quantity.
US07949477B2 Method for monitoring an arrangement for determining the concentration of an analyte in a body fluid
The invention relates to a method for monitoring an arrangement for determining a concentration of an analyte in a body fluid. The determination of the concentration of the analyte by means of the arrangement involves a procedure in which the analyte from the body fluid passes through an interface and is transported in a stream of liquid into a flowmeter chamber, in which a measurement is carried out to determine the concentration of the analyte. The evaluation of the measurement takes place in a signal processor. The monitoring of the arrangement comprises the following steps: measurement of measured values of at least two correlated system parameters of the arrangement by means of a sensor system, and comparison of the measured values with limit values stored for each of the system parameters in a storage unit, to obtain a combination of at least two comparison results.
US07949476B2 Method for estimating molecule concentrations in a sampling and equipment therefor
A method for estimating molecule concentrations in a sample, the method including: obtaining a signal generated by a sample analyzing apparatus, the signal including at least one spectrum, the spectrum including peaks representative of the molecule concentrations in the sample and being expressed as a function of at least one variable; obtaining an analytical modeling of the signal with a modeling function, wherein the modeling function is based on the molecule concentrations and factors including gain factors of the equipment and description factors of the peaks; selecting uncertain factors in the factors; determining a priori probability distributions for the uncertain factors and the molecule concentrations; establishing, with the modeling function and the signal, posteriori probability distributions for the molecule concentrations and the uncertain factors; and estimating, with a processing module, the molecule concentrations and the uncertain factors from a parameter inferred from the posteriori probability distributions.
US07949475B2 System and method for analyzing metabolomic data
The present invention generates a visual display of metabolomic data compiled by a database and associated processor. More particularly, the present invention provides a database for automatically receiving a three-dimensional spectrometry data set for a group of samples. The present invention also provides a processor device for manipulating the data sets to produce plots that are directly comparable to a plurality of characteristic plots corresponding to a plurality of selected metabolites. Furthermore, the processor device may generate a visual display indicating the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Thus, the present invention enables a user to analyze a series of complex data sets in a visual display that may indicate the presence of the selected metabolites across the group of samples. Furthermore, the visual display generated by embodiments of the present invention also expedites the subjective analysis of the spectrometry data sets.
US07949473B2 Method for detecting erroneous measurement results obtained with ion-selective electrodes
A method for measuring the concentration of at least two analytes in a biological liquid sample by using a set of ion selective electrodes is disclosed. The method obtains from the ion selective electrodes first voltage values representative of the concentration of sodium and potassium respectively in those biological samples, and obtains from the ion selective electrodes second voltage values representative of the concentration of sodium and potassium respectively in calibration standards. The method verifies by a predetermined procedure whether each of the second voltage values obtained by measuring the calibration standards has an abnormal value caused by a disturbance of the measurement conditions in one of the ion selective electrodes, and if this is the case, marks with a flag as doubtful the measurement results derived from the first voltage values obtained for the corresponding sample which was measured before measuring the calibration standards for sodium and potassium.
US07949464B2 Method of operating a navigation system to provide parking availability information
A method of operating a navigation system includes obtaining a destination location and identifying a parking facility proximate said destination location. The method further includes transmitting a parking message including a determined parking availability. The determined parking availability is based on historic parking availability information and real time parking availability data. The parking message may include an identification code of said parking facility.
US07949461B2 Engine start control apparatus, engine start control method, and motor vehicle equipped with engine start control apparatus
In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine. When the amount of fuel Q1 specified at step S220 is equal to zero, the cylinder Cyin is not subject to the first combustion. Such control desirably prevents poor emission.
US07949453B2 Control method for clutch arrangement
A method controlling a clutch arrangement that serves, in a powertrain of a motor vehicle, for the transmission of a torque from an input element to an output element. Starting from an activated state of the clutch arrangement, a respective estimated torque value is calculated in repeating calculation cycles. A torque build-up value is calculated in dependence on at least one speed difference value. A torque reduction value is calculated in dependence on at least the last calculated estimated torque value. The estimated torque value is re-calculated on the basis of the last calculated estimated torque value by up integration of the calculated torque build-up value and down integration of the calculated torque reduction value. The recalculated estimated torque value is compared with a torque threshold value. The clutch arrangement is deactivated when the recalculated estimated torque value is below the torque threshold value.
US07949442B2 System and method for boosting torque output of a drive train
A method and system for boosting a torque output of a drive train comprises an engine speed detector for detecting an engine speed of an engine having a baseline torque versus engine speed curve. A data processor determines if the detected engine speed is within a first range of engine speeds, if the detected engine speed is within the first range, the electric motor is activated to rotate substantially synchronously with the engine speed within the first range in an electric propulsion mode in accordance with a supplemental torque versus engine speed curve. The supplemental torque versus engine speed curve intercepts the baseline torque versus engine speed curve at a lower engine speed point and a higher engine speed point.
US07949436B2 Method and apparatus for automatically detecting and correcting misalignment of a semiconductor chip
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that automatically detects and corrects a misalignment of a semiconductor chip. During operation, the system uses a position-detection mechanism integrated with the chip to determine the misalignment of the chip from a desired alignment for the chip. Next, the system uses an actuation mechanism integrated with the chip to automatically correct the misalignment, thereby improving performance and reliability of the chip.
US07949434B2 Method for controlling a wind energy park
The present invention is related to a method for controlling a wind energy park with plural wind energy plants and plural control units, which perform control tasks in the wind energy park, comprising the following steps: a) one priority at a time is assigned to the control units, depending on the control tasks they must perform, b) during the operation of the wind energy park, the control units communicate continuously with each other and/or with a central communication unit, c) in case that a failure of a first control unit of the wind energy park takes place, a second control unit of the wind energy park takes over the control tasks of the defective control unit, wherein the second control unit is selected depending on the priority assigned thereto and has the same as or a lower priority than the defective control unit.
US07949432B2 Method of monitoring surface associated microbiological activity in process streams
An apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling microbiological activity in a process stream by measuring dissolved oxygen is disclosed.
US07949428B2 Robot apparatus and method of controlling the same
A robot apparatus having a plurality of movable sections includes a motion control section that generates a control signal for the periodic motion of at least part of the movable sections according to the output of an oscillator showing self-oscillation and entrainment characteristics, an environment measuring section that measures the motion according to the control signal for the movable sections or the physical environment at the time of the motion of the movable sections, a periodic oscillator control section that inputs a periodic signal to the oscillator as feedback according to the outcome of the measurement by the environment measuring section and generates an entrainment phenomenon and a non-periodic oscillator control section that inputs a non-periodic or temporary feedback signal to the oscillator.
US07949426B2 Medicaments container with display component
Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein for a medicament container with a multi-colored, multi-functional display. In some embodiments, the display is adapted to output multiple colors and/or characters. In one embodiment, the display may change colors and/or blinking status in order to indicate the working status of the tray. For example, the display may show a green light to indicate that the medicament container is working properly, a yellow light to indicate that the tray needs to be replenished soon, or a blinking red light to indicate that the tray is empty.
US07949424B2 Virtual code for delivery to the nearest building of organizations having multiple buildings
A method that enables the post to deliver mail addressed to a recipient nearest location virtual address to be delivery directly to the recipient's nearest designated location or facility to the place the mail was posted. Mail addressed to the nearest location virtual address (mapping to a street address or post office box) would be captured by the post during the post's sortation process and routed to the nearest location or facility to the place the mail was posted. This enables the recipient to receive their mail more quickly since the amount of delivery time is reduced.
US07949411B1 Epicardial lead
Embodiments include electrical leads and methods of using electrical leads that may be used for delivering both cardioversion/defibrillation signals and pacing signals and sensing to target tissue. Some of these embodiments may also be used to sense and transmit electrical signals from target tissue. Some electrical lead embodiments are configured to be delivered into a patient's intrapericardial space by non-invasive methods.
US07949408B2 System and method for electrically probing and providing medical electrical stimulation
A system for providing medical electrical stimulation including a lead assembly and a cannula. The lead assembly includes a lead body and a needle tip. The lead body has a distal section and a proximal section. The needle tip is formed of an electrically conductive material and is connected to the distal section of the lead body. The lead body is slidably disposed within a cannula lumen, with a distal end of the cannula being selectively connected to an abutment surface of the needle tip such that the needle tip extends distal the cannula to define a needle probe. With this construction, the lead assembly can be delivered to a desired implantation site via manipulation of the cannula and/or energization of the needle tip, and the cannula can be removed from the lead body without requiring movement of the needle tip.
US07949405B2 Cardiac stimulation control and communication system
Cardiac stimulation control and communication system, including a pacemaker, having a processor for processing input signals to and/or from one or more electrodes located in a heart. A signal processing network for receiving input signals and for providing a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), a filtered signal, spread spectrum signal and/or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) signal to a selector for selection and transmission. In-phase and quadrature-phase cross-correlated spread spectrum signals are provided to a modulator for modulation and transmission of signals received from one or more electrodes or probes or sensors used by a patient. An implantable cardiac stimulation device and a telemetry transmitter and telemetry wired or wireless receiver, for transmission and reception of wireless and or wired signals, wherein said telemetry signals are for monitoring and/or controlling the implantable cardiac stimulation device. A pacemaker, receiver and demodulator for receiving and demodulating a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for receiving location finder signals or a receiver and demodulator for receiving and demodulating other than GPS signals and for providing location finder signals and for connecting said location finder signals to a transmitter for transmitting said location finder signals. A Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) signal is provided to a non-quadrature modulator for non-quadrature modulation of TDMA signal and a filtered signal is processed into a cross-correlated spread spectrum in-phase and quadrature-phase filtered signal and provided to a quadrature modulator for quadrature modulation of said cross-correlated spread spectrum filtered signal. The transmitted signals are received and used by a nurse or other health professionals.
US07949403B2 Electrical stimulation device and method for the treatment of neurological disorders
An electrical stimulation system and method for the treatment of neurological disorders is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical stimulation system includes channels of electrodes positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a neuromuscular target body region of a patient to provide pattered neuromuscular stimulation to the patient's musculature. In addition, at least one electrode from a channel is positioned in electrical contact with a tissue of the motor control region of the brain. A series of patterned electrical pulses are then applied to the patient through the channels to provide peripheral neuromuscular stimulation, and a direct current is applied transcranially to the brain. Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.
US07949401B2 Electromagnetic signal delivery for tissue affected by neuronal dysfunction, degradation, damage, and/or necrosis, and associated systems and methods
Electromagnetic signal delivery for tissue affected by neuronal dysfunction, degradation, damage, and/or necrosis, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes identifying an affected region, with the affected region including neuronal tissue that, at least during a pre-dysfunctional period, was in neural communication with neuronal tissue in a dysfunctional region. The affected tissue can be functionally adversely affected by neuronal dysfunction in the dysfunctional region. The method can further include applying electromagnetic signals to the neuronal tissue in the affected region. For example, the electromagnetic signals can be applied to a hypo-active neural region that is not physically damaged, and has been identified as likely to recover at least in part as a result of electromagnetic signals. Signals can be applied at sub-threshold levels to cortical and/or subcortical regions.
US07949398B1 Acquiring nerve activity from carotid body and/or sinus
An exemplary includes acquiring an electroneurogram of the right carotid sinus nerve or the left carotid sinus nerve, analyzing the electroneurogram for at least one of chemosensory information and barosensory information and calling for one or more therapeutic actions based at least in part on the analyzing. Therapeutic actions may aim to treat conditions such as sleep apnea, an increase in metabolic demand, hypoglycemia, hypertension, renal failure, and congestive heart failure. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US07949393B2 Implantable pulse generator comprising fractional voltage converter
In one embodiment, an implantable pulse generator comprises: pulse generating circuitry for generating pulses and delivering the pulses to outputs of the implantable pulse generator; a controller; wherein the pulse generating circuitry comprises a voltage multiplier for multiplying a battery voltage, the voltage multiplier including multiple outputs, wherein a first output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is programmably selectable from a plurality of voltages including non-integer multiples of the battery voltage, wherein a second output of the multiple outputs provides a voltage that is a fixed multiple of the battery voltage; wherein the controller controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a first pulse for stimulation of the patient using a first output of the multiple outputs and controls the pulse generator circuitry to generate a second pulse to discharge output capacitors of residual charge from the first pulse using a second output of the multiple outputs.
US07949389B2 Fetal ECG monitoring
A method for fetal monitoring includes acquiring electrical signals from a set of electrodes, for example, a set of surface electrodes applied to a maternal abdominal region. The electrical signals are analyzed, including by performing a morphological analysis of fetal electrocardiogram signals. A clinical indicator is then determined from a result of performing the morphological analysis.
US07949387B2 Method for evaluating relative oxygen saturation in body tissues
A new method was discovered to analyze continuous spectral curves to determine relative hemoglobin oxygen saturation, using spectral curves collected from a continuous range of wavelengths from about 530 nm to about 584 nm, including spectra from transmitted or reflected light. Using isosbestic points and curve areas, a relative saturation index was calculated. With this method, noninvasive, in vivo measurement of relative oxygen saturation was made using light reflected from blood vessels in the eye and to map and measure relative changes in hemoglobin oxygen saturation in primate retinal vessels and optic nerve head in response to controlled changes in inspired oxygen and intraocular pressure (IOP). This method could also measure oxygen saturation from other blood vessels that reflect light sufficient to give a clear spectra from the blood hemoglobin. Changes in blood oxygen saturation can be monitored with this method for early detection of disease.
US07949382B2 Devices, systems, methods and tools for continuous glucose monitoring
One aspect of the invention provides a glucose monitor having a plurality of tissue piercing elements, each tissue piercing element having a distal opening, a proximal opening and interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings; a sensing area in fluid communication with the proximal openings of the tissue piercing elements; sensing fluid extending from the sensing area into substantially the entire interior space of the tissue piercing elements; and a glucose sensor adapted to detect a concentration of glucose in the sensing fluid within the sensing area. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of in vivo monitoring of an individual's interstitial fluid glucose concentration including the following steps: inserting distal ends of a plurality of tissue piercing elements through a stratum corneum area of the individual's skin, the tissue piercing elements each having a distal opening, a proximal opening, an interior space extending between the distal and proximal openings, and a sensing fluid filling substantially the entire interior space; and sensing a glucose concentration of the sensing fluid.
US07949380B2 Oximeter sensor with digital memory encoding sensor data
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods that relate to a sensor with memory. Specifically, one embodiment includes a sensor, comprising a light emitting element configured to emit light, a light detecting element configured to detect the light, and a memory storing data corresponding to algorithms used by an oximeter monitor, the memory providing access to the oximeter monitor to read the data.
US07949378B2 Rotatable connecting mechanism for a portable electronic device
A rotatable connecting mechanism (100) includes a cover (10), a base (30), a toothed element (20) and an elastic element (24). The cover is rotatably mounted on the base. The toothed element is configured on a surface of the cover facing the base and includes a plurality of slots (224) defined thereon. The elastic element having an engaging portion (2422) formed thereon and configured on a surface of the base facing the cover. The engaging portion rotatably engages with the slots of the toothed element.
US07949372B2 Data communications enabled by wire free power transfer
A system and method is provided for enabling data transfer over the same electrical routing network utilized by the mobile device to obtain electric power from an external power source. The system includes a contact base connected to a power supply, and mobile device adapters. The contact base is a flat surface that comprises a segmented conductive area with conductive contact pads on the surface, and a plurality of base controller modules that detect the presence of compatible mobile devices placed on the contact surface and routes the electrical power through the contact points on the surface to the compatible mobile devices accordingly, after a handshake protocol. The data communication portion of the system comprises a power line communication bypass circuit and a repeater for power line communication either within or adjunct to the power supply that powers the contact base. It further comprises, on the mobile device side, a power line communication adapter which converts the analog waveform the mobile device receives through its electrical contacts into digital data and vice versa.
US07949365B2 Systems and methods of RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including architectural embodiments of same
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
US07949364B2 System for managing radio modems
A system for managing the operation of a plurality of radio modems contained within the same WCD. One or more of the plurality of radio modems may be a dual-mode radio modem enabled to communicate using at least two separate radio protocols concurrently. The operation of the one or more dual-mode modems may be managed by resources encompassed in a radio modem interface coupled to, or integrated within, the dual-mode radio modem. These management resources may receive information from the operating system level of the WCD and from the at least two radio modem stacks utilizing the resources of the dual mode radio modem in order to coordinate the operation of the at least two radio protocols concurrently active in the modem.
US07949355B2 System and method for processing attachments to messages sent to a mobile device
A system and method for processing attachments to messages sent to a mobile device is described herein. Embodiments described herein apply to encrypted messages comprising multiple message parts, in which different encryption keys (e.g. session keys) have been used to encrypt the different message parts. In at least one example embodiment, the encrypted session keys for every message content part comprising an attachment is received at the mobile device. In one embodiment, all of the encrypted session keys are stored together in a main message header. The mobile device may then decrypt the encrypted session key associated with a user requested attachment, and transmits the decrypted session key to one or more remote servers in an attachment request for use in decrypting the requested attachment. Data associated with the requested attachment, in decrypted form, is returned to the mobile device.
US07949354B2 Method and apparatus for sharing transport channel for node serving plural cells with multimedia broadcast/multicast
A radio access network (11) facilitates transmission of a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service to plural user equipment units served by a radio base station. A radio network controller node (26) includes in a first message (70) of a Common Transport Channel Setup procedure an indication that sharing of a common transport bearer (60) involved in a session of the Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service is allowed. A radio base station (28) makes a determination whether to share the common transport bearer (60) among user equipment units (30) situated in plural cells (C) served by the radio base station (28). If the determination is positive, the radio base station (28) includes in a second message (80) of the Common Transport Channel Setup procedure an identification of an already-established channel to be used as the shared common transport bearer. The radio network controller (26) then uses the already-established channel as the shared common transport bearer for transmitting Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service user data to user equipment units (30) situated in plural cells served by the radio base station.
US07949350B2 Mobile communication system for providing area information together with control information
To provide a mobile communication system which can distribute area information from a radio Node to a mobile terminal in a unit of cell. A mobile communication system comprising: a radio Node having a plurality of cells; host apparatus connected to the radio Node so as to be able to communicate information with the radio Node; and a mobile terminal receiving information distributed from the radio Node, wherein area information different for each cell is distributed from the radio Node to the mobile terminals 40 existing in the cell included in the radio Node, the area information is transmitted, together with control information including type information added according to a content of the area information, from the host apparatus to the radio Node, and the cell to be distributed with the information is determined based on the type information.
US07949339B2 Communication method, communication apparatus and communication system
A communication method enabling communication on a predetermined mobile communication network and communication on a predetermined wireless communication network different from the predetermined mobile communication network, includes the step of: switching, means for carrying out predetermined data transfer while maintaining a communication channel on the predetermined mobile communication network, between communication on the predetermined mobile communication network and communication on the predetermined wireless communication network, or activating or deactivating a part concerning the predetermined wireless communication included in a mobile terminal.
US07949332B2 Feature sharing
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile telephone operable to use a feature of a second mobile telephone comprising a share module for obtaining details of one or more features on the second mobile telephone which are available for use by the mobile telephone a user interface for selecting an available feature; and a communication module for communicating data with the second mobile telephone to enable the selected feature to be used by the mobile telephone.
US07949328B2 System for delivering user-generated short-text notified multimedia messages between operator networks
A system for delivering a multimedia message from a message sender in a sender voice/video short messaging service system (VVSS) operator network to a message recipient in a recipient operator network. The system comprises a services hub suitable for routing the multimedia message, the services hub comprising one or more of a first interface with a sender in the sender VVSS operator network, a second interface with a second VVSS in the recipient operator network, a third interface with a third-party VVSS in a third-party VVSS operator network, wherein the third-party operator network is in communication with the recipient operator network, and a fourth interface with another services hub. Further, the services hub communicates with a sender VVSS and a recipient operator. The recipient operator may be a recipient VVSS operator or a non-VVSS recipient operator.
US07949325B2 RF transmitter and integrated circuit with programmable filter module and methods for use therewith
A radio frequency (RF) transmitter includes a transmitter processing module that generates a processed signal based on outbound data, wherein the processed signal includes one of: a baseband signal and a low intermediate frequency signal. An up-conversion module up-converts the processed signal to generate an up-converted signal. A programmable filter module generates a plurality of delayed signals from the up-converted signal and that generates a filtered up-converted signal by combining the up-converted signal and the plurality of delayed signals, wherein a delayed signal of the plurality of delayed signals is scaled based on one of a plurality of coefficients, wherein the plurality of coefficients are selected based on a control signal. A radio transmitter front-end generates a transmit signal based on the filtered up-converted signal. A processing module generates the control signal to attenuate at least RF spur of the up-converted signal.
US07949320B1 Constant modulus indication for detection of RF signals
In a technique for detecting single or multiple channels in a broadcast RF signal, a receiver determines a constant modulus indication value for each frequency of the receiver's local oscillator, as that oscillator is tuned across a range of possible channel frequencies. The receiver may determine this constant modulus indication value by determining the magnitudes of a constant modulus signal and a noise signal, for a signal output from a digital front end, that signal representing a mixing of the local oscillator frequency signal with the broadcast RF signal and a channelization thereof. As the local oscillator frequency signal is tuned through the range of possible channel frequencies, the receiver evaluates the constant modulus indication value course and or fine frequency increments to determine if the constant modulus indication value at any frequency rises above a threshold value, thereby indicating that the local oscillator frequency signal has locked onto an RF channel in the original RF signal.
US07949317B2 Momentary burst protocol for wireless communication
A method for communicating data using a “burst protocol” includes enabling power to transmitters and receivers when needed to balance power consumption with latency and unscheduled communication. A transmitter transmits a plurality of packets indicative of substantially the same payload. Power then may be disabled to the transmitter. A first predetermined time is determined to enable a receiver. A second predetermined time is determined to disable the receiver. Power then may be enabled to the receiver based on the first predetermined time. The payload is output in response to receiving one or more of the plurality of packets. Power to the receiver is disabled based on the second predetermined time.
US07949313B2 Direct conversion device with compensation means for a transmission path of a wireless communication equipment
A conversion device (CD) is dedicated to conversion of baseband analog I/Q input signals into RF signals in a transmitting path of a wireless communication equipment. This device (CD) comprises i) first (PP1) and second (PP2) processing paths each comprising i1) an input node (IN1, IN2) receiving an input signal (I/Q), i2) an input path (IP1, IP2) connected to the input node and delivering an input current representative of the input signal (I/Q), i3) an amplification means (A1, A2) having first and second inputs fed with the input current and a common-mode current and outputting an amplified signal, and i4) a transconductor (T1, T2) delivering first and second currents from the amplified signal, the first current feeding a negative feedback path connected to the first input of the amplification means and being essentially equal to the input current, and the second current being a chosen scaled copy of the first current and representative of a voltage difference between the input signals (I/Q), H) a common-mode input path (CIP) connected to the input nodes (IN1, IN2) and delivering the common-mode current from the input signals (I/Q) to feed the second input of each amplification means (A1, A2), and iii) a switch core (SC) for mixing the second current delivered by a chosen one of the transconductors (T1, T2) with a local oscillator RF carrier to deliver output RF signals representative of the input signals (I/Q).
US07949309B2 Antenna system for use within a wireless communication device
An antenna system includes an antenna, a transmission line, an inductor module, a tunable capacitor module, and control logic. The transmission line is coupled to the antenna and to the inductor module. The tunable capacitor module is coupled to the transmission line in accordance with a capacitance control signal to provide a desired capacitance such that inductance of the inductor module and the desired capacitance tunes the antenna system. The control logic is coupled to generate the capacitance control signal based on the operational parameters.
US07949306B2 Distortion reduction calibration
Techniques are disclosed for compensating for second-order distortion in a wireless communication device. In a zero-intermediate frequency (IF) or low-IF architecture, IM2 distortion generated by the mixer (20) results in undesirable distortion levels in the baseband output signal. A compensation circuit (104) provides a measure of the IM2 distortion current independent of the radio frequency (RF) pathway to generate an IM2 calibration current. The IM2 calibration current is combined with the baseband output signal to thereby eliminate the IM2 currents generated within the RF pathway. In one embodiment, the calibration is provided at the factory during final testing. In alternative embodiment, additional circuitry (156, 158) may be added to the wireless communication device to provide a pathway between the transmitter (150) and the receiver (146). The transmitter signal is provided to the receiver to permit automatic calibration of the unit. An internal signal source (162) may be used in place of the transmitter (150). The auto-calibration may be performed to eliminate IM2 distortion or permit optimization of the circuit to minimize other forms of distortion or interference.
US07949294B2 Image forming apparatus with switchback transport path in the stapling unit
An image forming apparatus in which an original reading portion is disposed in an upper portion of the apparatus main body, a feed portion is disposed in a lower portion of the apparatus main body, and a printing portion is disposed between the original reading portion and the feed portion as an image forming system, is configured as follows. A paper post-processing portion that can perform a plurality of types of paper post-processing for recording paper transported from the apparatus main body after printing by the printing portion is finished, and a discharge portion to which recording paper is discharged after paper post-processing by the paper post-processing portion is finished, are disposed in a space of the apparatus main body formed by the original reading portion, the printing portion, and the feed portion.
US07949291B2 Fixing device, fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus
A fixing device having at least a cylindrical base material, an elastic layer disposed on the base material, and a surface layer disposed on the elastic layer is provided. The cylindrical base material has a variation in thickness within about ±10% when the cylindrical base material is in an endless belt shape having flexibility, or within a variation in outer diameter within about ±0.5% when the cylindrical base material is in a circular cylinder tube shape having rigidity. The elastic layer has a variation in thickness within about ±5%. The surface layer has a variation, along the circumferential direction of the base material, in thickness of the surface within about ±5% and with a surface elongation percentage which increases from a center portion toward both end portions in the widthwise direction of the base material. A fixing apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the fixing device are also provided.
US07949290B2 Image fixing apparatus and an image formation apparatus including a magnetic flux adjuster
An image fixing apparatus includes a fixing member, a magnetic flux generator, a heat member, a core, and a magnetic flux adjuster. The fixing member fixes the toner image onto the recording medium. The magnetic flux generator generates a magnetic flux. The heat member has a heat layer which is heated inductively by the magnetic flux generated by the magnetic flux generator and heats the fixing member. The core faces the magnetic flux via the heat member. The magnetic flux adjuster is configured to vary a heating range of the heat member in the width direction. The heat layer has a predetermined Curie point.
US07949289B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming adjustment method
Multiple photoconductive drums on which images with different color components are formed respectively are rotated using individual motors, multiple adjustment images are formed at a predetermined interval along the cycle length of one rotation of each photoconductive drum, the reference phases for the rotation of the respective photoconductive drums are determined based on the maximum portions of the divergences between the predetermined interval and the detection interval of each adjustment image, and the individual motors are controlled so that the respective reference phases determined are aligned. The image forming region corresponding to the cycle length of one rotation of the photoconductive drum is divided into four or more even-numbered regions, the divergence amount of each region is calculated, and the maximum portions of the divergences are determined based on the difference between the divergence amounts of the divided regions being away from each other by a half cycle length.
US07949282B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus including the same
A developing device includes a housing, a developing roller that carries developer, a supply roller for supplying the developer, a developer cartridge that accommodates the developer, a first sealing member that is provided at both ends of the developing roller, a developer passage opening provided in at least one of the housing and the developer cartridge, and a second sealing member provided in a vicinity of the developer passage opening. At least a part of the second sealing member overlaps the first sealing member in a direction in which the developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the housing. A portion of a shadow of the second sealing member cast in a direction, in which the developer passes through the developer passage opening, overlaps the first sealing member. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from the housing at a position opposed to the developing roller.
US07949278B2 Apparatus for registering a predetermined number of jobs simultaneously
A recording apparatus connected to a computer executes jobs in a desired order at the time of carrying out plural jobs transmitted from the computer. A printer for carrying out plural jobs transmitted from the computer and recording an image on a recording medium registers the jobs transmitted from the computer as object jobs corresponding to a first LED and a second LED for displaying job states and a first instruction button 21 and a second instruction button for inputting operations of carrying out the registered jobs, executes the job corresponding to the operated button in response to the operation of the first instruction button or the second instruction button, and gives notification using the first LED or the second LED corresponding to the job.
US07949276B2 Image formation apparatus and associated methodology for patch image frequency updating
An apparatus and method to update patch image formation frequency, in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image supporting object, and the electrostatic latent image is developed with a toner. The image formation apparatus includes a developing unit, a toner supply unit for supplying the toner to the developing unit, a patch image density detecting unit for detecting the density of a patch image formed on the image supporting object, a toner density detecting unit for detecting the density of the toner held in the developing unit, and a control unit that adjusts a generating interval of the patch image according to a detection result of the patch image density detecting unit.
US07949270B2 Development method and image forming apparatus
In an embodiment in which an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of a photoreceptor is developed with a toner by applying an oscillating bias voltage in which a development-side electrical potential and an opposite development-side electrical potential alternate with each other, between a development sleeve of a development roller and the photoreceptor, the development-side electrical potential is applied in two stages, and, in the two-staged development-side electrical potential, the absolute value of a first electrical potential V1 that is initially applied is larger than the absolute value of a second electrical potential V2 that is subsequently applied.
US07949268B2 Dynamic photo receptor wear rate adjustment based on environmental sensor feedback
A xerographic marking engine adjusts a charging actuator value, such as an AC peak-to-peak voltage or an AC peak-to-peak current, based on a determined knee value, VKNEE, of a charge curve for an imaging apparatus photoreceptor within the xerographic marking engine and environmental sensor data. The environmental sensor data may measure environment temperature and environment humidity. In near A-zone environments, for example, operational environments in which the temperature is 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the relative humidity is 80%, the charging actuator value may be selected to achieve a predetermined photoreceptor wear rate that avoids print quality defects due to lateral charge migration. In other than A-zone environments, the charging actuator value may be selected to minimize the photoreceptor wear rate, while avoiding print quality defects. The described approach allows optimal photoconductor wear to be achieved, in all operational environments, without increasing the risk of print quality defects.
US07949261B2 Partial DPSK (PDPSK) transmission systems
An optical receiver includes a demodulator having a delay interferometer comprising an optical input that receives a phase modulated optical signal from a bandwidth limited transmission system. The delay interferometer has a free spectral range that is larger than a symbol rate of the phase modulated optical signal by an amount that improves receiver performance. The receiver also includes a differential detector having a first and a second photodetector. The first photodetector is optically coupled to the constructive optical output of the delay interferometer. The second photodetector is optically coupled to the destructive optical output of the delay interferometer. The differential detector combines a first electrical detection signal generated by the first photodetector and a second electrical detection signal generated by the second photodetector to generate an electrical reception signal.
US07949259B2 Visible light communication system and method therefor
In a visible light communication system, a transmission device includes a data modulation section which assigns 1-bit information to each of visible lights of RGB, and modulates transmission data into 3-bit modulation data. An LED light emission section transmits a multiplexed visible light signal, in which the RGB visible lights are multiplexed in accordance with the modulation data.
US07949243B2 Optical apparatus
An optical apparatus includes an anti-shake lens L3 shifting with respect to an optical axis AXL of an optical system, a movable lens L4 moving along the optical axis, a light intensity controlling member 5 controlling light intensity, first and second actuators including magnets 33a and 33b and coils 34a and 34b, respectively, which shifts the anti-shake lens to directions different from each other, a third actuator including a magnet 63 and a coil 54 which moves the movable lens, a fourth actuator 51 which operates the light intensity controlling member, and a barrel member 7 which contains the anti-shake lens, the movable lens, the light intensity controlling member, and the first to the fourth actuators. The first to the fourth actuators are disposed inside the barrel member so as not to overlap with one another when viewed in an optical axis direction.
US07949239B2 Photobooth
A portable photobooth system includes a frame, fabric, a movable curtain, and a digital camera. The frame includes a plurality of tubular members configured to be connected together and capable of disassembly for storage and transport. The plurality of tubular members of the frame includes a substantially vertically-extending first bar and a U-shaped fitting attached to the first bar. The fabric covers at least portions of the frame to define a rectangular box-like enclosure having a doorway. The movable curtain is configured for covering the doorway. The digital camera is supported by the U-shaped fitting. A case configured to hold some or all of the plurality of tubular members, in a disassembled state, for storage or transport.
US07949235B2 Electronic module and arrangement for signal transmission with the former
The invention concerns an electronic module for a motor vehicle, in particular a fan regulator (4″) with a control input (S) for a signal, in particular a pulse width modulated signal, transmitted via a signal line (3). The electronic module is designed for the generation of an essentially constant potential (Ubias, Ubias−UBE) at the control input (S), which preferably is designed as a current-controlled, low resistance control input. The invention also concerns an arrangement (1″) for the transmission of a preferably pulse width modulated signal with: a control device (2′) for the generation of the signal, a signal line for the transmission of the signal, and an electronic module as described above.
US07949232B2 Apparatus, method and control system for inputting a reproduction speed of a video signal
An input apparatus that inputs a reproduction speed of a video signal is disclosed. The input apparatus has a position detection section and a control section. The position detection section linearly detects a position that a user's finger has touched. The control section detects a moving speed of the user's finger that has touched the position detection section corresponding to a first position and a second position detected by the position detection section and outputs reproduction speed information corresponding to the moving speed. After the first position has been detected and a predetermined time period has elapsed, the second position is detected by the position detection section.
US07949230B2 Electronic equipment, system for video content, and display method
An electronic equipment device that includes a storage section storing data for creating a menu screen. A metadata acquisition section acquires metadata for displaying a menu item for operating external equipment, from the external equipment. The metadata having data for defining a type of the menu item and transition of a menu focus. A remote commander operation detection section detects operation performed on a remote commander. A menu screen generation processing section adds the menu item based on the metadata to the menu screen, for assembly; and a notification processing section notifies the external equipment of the menu item selected on the menu screen.
US07949224B2 Data processing system and method
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a data processing system including means to play an interruptible or skipable video sequence; and a random number generator for generating a random number associated with an interruption of the interruptible or skipable video sequence.
US07949217B2 Selectively enhancing angular beam deflection
According to one embodiment, an apparatus for deflecting light beams comprises an input deflector and one or more Bragg gratings. The input deflector receives light beams from input channels, and deflects each light beam to an initial deflection angle. A Bragg grating deflects at least one light beam from the initial deflection angle to an increased deflection angle, where the increased deflection angle is at least closer to an output channel than the initial deflection angle.
US07949209B2 Image processing apparatus, control method therefor, computer program, and computer-readable storage medium
In this invention, when images, in image files managed according to photographing dates, which match a search condition are to be displayed, the images matching the search condition are sequentially displayed such that the positions or distribution of the image files, of all image files, which match the search condition can be checked. For this reason, when the search condition is changed by operating upper and lower keys provided on the back face of a digital camera, a search is made for images matching the condition after the change. Indicators indicating the relative positions of the images matching the search condition in the list of image files arranged in the order of photographing dates are displayed. When the left and right keys are operated, one of images matching the search condition is displayed in the image display area.
US07949207B2 Video structuring device and method
A video structuring device includes: character string extraction means for determining whether or not a character string is present in a frame image, and if it determines that a character string is present, generating character string position information for the character string present in a character string present frame image in which the character string is present, and outputting the character string position information, frame identifying information for identifying the character string present frame image, and the character string present frame image; video information storage means for storing frame identifying information, character string present frame image and character string position information in an index file all associated with one another; and structure information presentation means for associating character string display in the form of an image which is produced by cutting an area where the character string is present based on the character string present frame image and character string position information stored in the index file and displaying them on display means.
US07949201B2 Image correction processing system and image correction processing method
An image processing system includes a local area selecting section configured to select a local area as at least one correction target from an input image, the local area including at least one pixel; a correction amount calculating section configured to calculate a gradation correction amount for the local area as the correction target; and a local gradation correcting section configured to perform a gradation correction to correct a gradation value of the local area based on the gradation correction amount to generate an image with a local gradation correction. Also, the correction amount calculating section includes a peripheral area gradation value calculating section configured to calculate a gradation value of a peripheral area of the local area; and a local area correction amount converting section configured to calculate the gradation correction amount by using the calculated gradation value of the peripheral area.
US07949198B2 Fast response discrete time infinite impulse response (IIR) filter
An infinite impulse response (IIR) filter provides fast response time without significant effects of ringing or overshoot. In a first step, an input signal is received and a preliminary output signal is computed based upon at least the input signal and a prior output signal. The preliminary output signal is compared to the input signal, and if the preliminary output signal and the input signal differ by more than a significant amount, the input signal is provided as the output signal. Otherwise, the preliminary output signal can be provided as the output signal. Such a filter be readily implemented in software or other programmable logic, and may have particular utility in preserving the contrast in a filtered video image represented by discrete digital data within a display system.
US07949192B2 Techniques for converting analog medical video to digital objects
Techniques for converting analog medical video data to digital objects include receiving a digital video signal. The signal is produced by converting an analog video signal from playing a legacy analog medical video medium on an appropriate analog video player. Without human intervention, a first portion of a video frame of the digital video signal is determined where characters are imaged onto the analog medical video by the legacy system. The first portion of the video frame is processed in a video optical character recognition process to generate first character data. Non-video descriptive data associated with the analog medical video data is determined based on the first character data. Digital video data based on the digital video signal is stored in association with the non-video descriptive data. These techniques allow one or more extensive analog medical video libraries to be converted quickly and at low cost in human labor.
US07949191B1 Method and system for searching for information on a network in response to an image query sent by a user from a mobile communications device
Image-based searching for information on a network is provided in response to an image query sent by a user. The image query includes an image captured using a mobile communications device with a camera. The image is processed to detect any text present in the image, and any detected text can be analyzed using a process such as optical character recognition (OCR). The analyzed text is used to search for matches in at least one corresponding domain database, selected from various domain databases present in the network. Thereafter, one or more selected matches and any additional related information can be sent to the user as one or more results for the submitted image query.
US07949189B2 Imaging apparatus and recording medium
In a digital camera 1, when the shutter button is half-depressed (Y at S2), face detection processing is performed on periodically imaged frame images until it is fully depressed (N at S6), and face detection results are cyclically stored in a detection result storage area. When it is fully depressed (Y at S6), a still-image imaging operation is performed, and the face detection processing is performed on an imaged still-image (S7 and S8). Then, after a high priority face detection result is selected from among the face detection results currently stored in the detection result storing area (S9), the selected face detection result and the face detection result of the still-image are compared and judged whether or not they are in agreement (S10 and S11). When judged not to be in agreement, the still-image is displayed as a preview and the warning display of this disagreement is performed (S13).
US07949187B2 Character string recognition method and device
A character string recognition method for recognizing a character string may include a first step in which a first projection data of image data are calculated in a direction of the character string and a second step in which a position of the character string is detected on the basis of the first projection data. In the first step, the image data are divided into a plurality of segments in the direction of the character string and projection in the segment is calculated. The method may further include a third step in which a second projection data in the segment are calculated on the basis of the position of the character string and a fourth step in which a position where the second projection data exceeds a threshold value is detected as a boundary position of a character, and the threshold value may be changed according to pixel number between both ends of the character string.
US07949177B2 Bi-directional magnetic character reader
A manually operated document scanner and methods of operation and use are disclosed. The document scanner includes a document bed having a document positioning surface. The document scanner also includes a scanner module slidably attached to the document bed. The scanner module has a magnetic character reader, a first magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a first direction of travel of the scanner module, and a second magnet placed along a leading edge of the magnetic character reader in a second direction of travel of the scanner module opposite to the first direction of travel.
US07949175B2 Counterfeit deterrence using dispersed miniature security marks
A method is disclosed for detection of miniature security mark configurations within documents and images, wherein the miniature security marks are in the form of dispersed miniature security marks and may include data marks or a combination of data marks and anchor marks. The method includes sub-sampling a received image, which is a digital representation possible recipient(s) of the miniature security marks, to generate a reduced-resolution image of the received image. Maximum/minimum points detection is performed and the maximum/minimum points are grouped into one or more clusters according to location distances between the maximum/minimum points. Group configuration is checked to match the clusters with a pre-defined template configuration. Dot parameter verification is then performed to verify mark location and configuration between the received image and a pre-defined template dot specification.
US07949174B2 System and method for calibrating an X-ray detector
A method and system are provided for generating high and low-frequency components for the pixels of a detector array. The method includes the act of generating a gain map image comprised of gain coefficients for one or more pixels of a detector array. A frequency-based transform is applied to the gain map image to generate a high-frequency component and a low-frequency component of the gain map coefficients for each pixel. The high and low-frequency components may be differentially applied in the processing of images.
US07949167B2 Automatic learning of image features to predict disease
A method for training a computer system for automatic detection of regions of interest includes receiving patient records. For each of the received patient records a text field and a medical image are identified from within the patient record and the medical image is automatically segmented to identify a structure of interest. The text field is searched for one or more keywords indicative of a particular abnormality associated with the structure of interest. The medical image is added to a grouping representing the particular abnormality when the text field indicates that the patient has the particular abnormality and the medical image is added to a grouping representing the absence of the particular abnormality when the text field does not indicate that the patient has the particular abnormality. The groupings of medical images are used to automatically train a computer system for the subsequent detection of the particular abnormality.
US07949164B2 Lung cancer diagnosis using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained at three time points
A malignancy classification method and medium for diagnosing a region of lung tissue based on MRI data are disclosed. The classifying includes: setting time points T1 and T2 measured from injection of a contrast agent. T1 represents a wash-in time point for malignant lung tissue at which a first concentration value of the injected contrast agent is substantially equal to or near a peak for injected contrast agent concentration in the region of lung tissue. Patient concentration values of the contrast agent for the area of lung tissue at time points T1 and T2 are obtained, and a malignancy classification for the region of lung tissue is provided by comparing the obtained sample concentration values with a predetermined malignancy profile. A visual representation of the malignancy classification of the region of lung tissue is outputted.
US07949158B2 Method and apparatus for extracting face feature
A method and apparatus for extracting a face feature to construct a face search system having a high recognition rate are provided. The method includes calculating an average image of each of a plurality of candidates having one or more face images to which different weights are given according to an order in which the face images are acquired and calculating a total average image of all face images of the plurality of candidates, calculating a between-class scatter matrix based on a difference between each candidate's average image and the total average image and a within-class scatter matrix based on a difference between each candidate's average image and each candidate's predetermined face image of the one or more face images, and generating a base vector that maximizes a criterion defined by a ratio between the between-class scatter matrix and the within-class scatter matrix.
US07949152B2 Driver assistance system for vehicle
A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imaging device having a field of view forward of a vehicle and an image processor operable to process image data captured by the imaging device. The vehicle includes a control system operable at least in part to control the speed of the vehicle. The control system may reduce the speed of the vehicle responsive at least in part to a detection of a curve in the road ahead of the vehicle via processing by the image processor of image data captured by the imaging device. The control system may control the speed of the vehicle to a reduced speed for traveling around the detected curve in the road, and may increase the speed of the vehicle to above the reduced speed when the vehicle is traveling along a straighter section of road after the curve in the road.
US07949144B2 Method for monitoring a hearing device and hearing device with self-monitoring function
There is provided a method for monitoring a hearing device having an electroacoustic output transducer worn at a user's ear or in a user's ear canal, the method includes the steps of measuring the electrical impedance of the output transducer; analyzing the measured electrical impedance of the output transducer in order to evaluate the status of the output transducer and/or of an acoustical system cooperating with the output transducer; and outputting a status signal representative of the status of the output transducer and/or of the acoustical system cooperating with the output transducer.
US07949121B1 Method and apparatus for the simultaneous delivery of multiple contacts to an agent
A contact center 100 including a grouping agent 232 that is operable to (a) select a first work item 308a, 312a, 316a, or 320a for servicing by a contact center resource; (b) determine whether the first work item is related to a second work item 308b, 312b, 316b, or 320b; and (c) when the first work item is related to the second work item, create, for servicing by the contact center resource, a first work item grouping comprising the first and second work items.
US07949120B2 Information processing system in which information expressing a current time point is transmitted from one computer to another for use in calculating an amount of delay in transferring data between the computers
In a system in which a first computer transmits data to a second computer, the first computer transmits data conveying time information to the second computer, with the information expressing a first time point that occurs prior to commencement of the transmission and, following reception of the time information, the second computer compares the first time point information with a current time point, to thereby obtain a communication delay amount that includes a delay in transmitting data from the first to the second computer.
US07949119B2 Telephone exchange system
According to one embodiment, a telephone exchange system includes a first telephone exchange apparatus, a second telephone exchange apparatus which is connected to the first telephone exchange apparatus via a first communication network, a computer apparatus which establishes a communication link with the first telephone exchange apparatus via the first communication network and executes a part of function regarding exchange processing by the first and the second telephone exchange apparatuses, a second communication network which connects among a plurality of telephone terminals and the first and the second telephone exchange apparatuses, a communicator which connects a telephone terminal of a request source to the first telephone exchange apparatus via the second communication network, and a controller which executes the service based on a communication result by the communicator.
US07949116B2 Primary data stream communication
A method for communicating one or more primary data streams between a plurality of attendees connected to a communications network includes steps of communicating a plurality of data streams from each of the attendees to all others of the attendees, and of designating at least one of the streams from one of the attendees as primary. The primary stream is identified using a primary selection command.
US07949113B2 Contact image selection and association method and system for mobile device
A method of associating an image with a contact record on a mobile device. The contact record is displayed in a user interface and the user selects an image file for association with the contact record. The selected image is rendered and overlaid with a cropping shape. The image is cropped in accordance with a position of the cropping shape to produce a sub-image, which is then encoding in accordance with a predefined image format to produce a sub-image file, and stored in association with the contact record.
US07949110B2 Distributed architecture for IP-based telemetry services
A system and method are described whereby an IP telemetry gateway is hosted by an MVNO in order to relay the telemetry information between remote devices located in an IP network and telemetry servers operated by legacy telemetry customers. In an embodiment, the IP network is a CDMA2000 1X wireless network. Once the IP network identifies a device as part of the telemetry network, it assigns such device a static private IP address. A VPN connection is used to extend the private network of remote devices to the IP telemetry gateway. The IP telemetry gateway maps each remote device's legacy address to its corresponding IP address in order to communicate with the legacy servers and the wireless network via circuit switched and packet data connections respectively. Preferably, the remote devices maintain an always on data connection to allow the telemetry servers to address the remote devices at any time.
US07949100B2 Dual-colour pyrometric measurement of X-ray focal spot temperature
An x-ray tube disclosed here in includes an emitter arranged to emit electrons on to a focal spot on a rotatable anode. The x-ray tube also includes a hollow tube arranged to receive electromagnetic radiation from the focal spot at one end of the hollow tube and transmit it to another end. The x-ray tube also includes two or more sensors arranged to detect the electromagnetic radiation through the hollow tube.
US07949087B2 Radiography apparatus
For the purpose of improving efficiency in diagnosis by performing image reconstruction for slice planes lying at the same position in a subject both in a forward direction FD and backward direction BD, an amount of positional offset ‘dz’ is acquired, which amount represents a difference in a body axis direction ‘z’ along the forward direction FD and backward direction BD between a first subject position and a second subject position, the first subject position being a position to which a region to be imaged in the subject laid on a cradle 401 is moved when the cradle 401 is moved in the forward direction FD, and the second subject position being a position to which the region to be imaged in the subject laid on the moving cradle 401 is moved when the cradle 401 is moved in the backward direction BD such that the region to be imaged in the subject coincides with the first subject position. Then, respective pixel positions in the forward-path image and backward-path image are corrected based on the amount of positional offset ‘dz’ such that the pixel positions lie at positions corresponding to each other in the body axis direction ‘z’ along the forward direction FD and backward direction BD.
US07949082B2 Phase lock loop and method for coded waveforms
A system and method is disclosed for maintaining synchronization in a communication system in which a signal is sent from a transmitter to a receiver which includes a phase lock loop. The receiver compares the output of a Viterbi decoder with the output of a quick decision circuit. The Viterbi decoder, which incorporates traceback, determines the minimum aggregate Euclidean distance for multiple symbols. The quick decision circuit determines the minimum Euclidean distance for a single symbol without decoding the symbol. If the difference in the output signals of the Viterbi decoder and the quick decision circuit is greater than a predetermined threshold, the phase error signal in the phase lock loop is prevented from updating the phase lock loop filter. A synchronization loss detector may also be used to prevent the phase error signal from updating the phase lock loop filter if synchronization loss is detected.
US07949073B2 Dual-mode system and method for receiving wireless signals
A wireless receiver (100) is provided, comprising: a non-coherent signal detector (130) configured to receive an incoming signal and perform a non-coherent signal analysis in response to a first control signal; a coherent signal detector (140) configured to receive the incoming signal and perform a coherent signal analysis to extract coherently-encoded data from the incoming signal in response to a second control signal; and a receiver circuit (160) configured to process the coherently-encoded data. The non-coherently-encoded data provides an indication as to whether the incoming signal includes the coherently-encoded data, and the coherent signal detector is further configured to enter in a low power sleep state in response to a third control signal.
US07949062B2 Encoding system using a non-binary turbo code and an encoding method thereof
An encoding system using a non-binary turbo code and an encoding method thereof is capable of encoding an input signal at a low code rate and at once by spreading the input signal. An input information bit sequence is spread according to the obtained channel code rate and outputting the same in the form of one pair of input sequences, the pair of input sequences is encoded, and a parity bit sequence is generated and an encoded data sequence is generated by multiplexing the parity bit sequence.
US07949060B2 Method and apparatus for utilizing channel state information in a wireless communication system
Techniques for transmitting data from a transmitter unit to a receiver unit in a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system. In one method, at the receiver unit, a number of signals are received via a number of receive antennas, with the received signal from each receive antenna comprising a combination of one or more signals transmitted from the transmitter unit. The received signals are processed to derive channel state information (CSI) indicative of characteristics of a number of transmission channels used for data transmission. The CSI is transmitted back to the transmitter unit. At the transmitter unit, the CSI from the receiver unit is received and data for transmission to the receiver unit is processed based on the received CSI.
US07949057B2 Spectrum coding apparatus, spectrum decoding apparatus, acoustic signal transmission apparatus, acoustic signal reception apparatus and methods thereof
A spectrum coding apparatus capable of performing coding at a low bit rate and with high quality is disclosed. This apparatus is provided with a section that performs the frequency transformation of a first signal and calculates a first spectrum, a section that converts the frequency of a second signal and calculates a second spectrum, a section that estimates the shape of the second spectrum in a band of FL≦k
US07949053B2 Method and assembly for video encoding, the video encoding including texture analysis and texture synthesis, and corresponding computer program and corresponding computer-readable storage medium
The invention relates to a method and assembly for video coding comprising a texture analysis, texture synthesis, corresponding computer program and a computer-readable recording medium. Said invention can be used, in particular for reducing a data rate during a video data transmission. An analysis of video scene texture by an encoder is performed in such a way that synthesized texture areas are determined. The video scene coding is carried out with the aid of data for said synthesized texture areas. Information on the texture of said areas, metadata used for describing the determined areas and the synthesized texture are generated. Coded data and metadata are evaluated by a decoder in such a way that the video scenes are reconstructed by synthetically generated textures by means of evaluation of metadata for determined areas.
US07949050B2 Method and system for semantically segmenting scenes of a video sequence
A shot-based video content analysis method and system is described for providing automatic recognition of logical story units (LSUs). The method employs vector quantization (VQ) to represent the visual content of a shot, following which a shot clustering algorithm is employed together with automatic determination of merging and splitting events. The method provides an automated way of performing the time-consuming and laborious process of organising and indexing increasingly large video databases such that they can be easily browsed and searched using natural query structures.
US07949049B2 Memory efficient 3-D wavelet transform for video coding without boundary effects
A video coding system and method utilizes a 3-D wavelet transform that is memory efficient and reduces boundary effect across frame boundaries. The transform employs a lifting-based scheme and buffers wavelet coefficients at intermediate lifting steps towards the end of one GOP (group of pictures) until intermediate coefficients from the beginning of the next GOP are available. The wavelet transform scheme does not physically break the video sequence into GOPs, but processes the sequence without intermission. In this manner, the system simulates an infinite wavelet transformation across frame boundaries and the boundary effect is significantly reduced or essentially eliminated. Moreover, the buffering is very small and the scheme can be used to implement other decomposition structures. The wavelet transform scheme provides superb video playback quality with little or no boundary effects.
US07949047B2 System and method for partial intraframe encoding for wireless multimedia transmission
Digital multimedia includes intraframe information and interframe information. In addition to sending separate complete intraframes that are referenced by interframes, some interframes (“hybrid” frames) contain partial intraframe information, so that if a complete intraframe is lost, referencing interframes can obtain at least some intraframe information from the hybrid frames.
US07949046B2 Signal compressing system
A multi-scanner scans a signal according to several different patterns. A scanning pattern selector determines which scanning pattern produced the most efficient coding result, for example, for runlength coding, and outputs a coded signal, coded most efficiently, and a selection signal which identifies the scanning pattern found to be most efficient.
US07949039B2 Home network testing
A home network testing device includes an input port with any one or more of a variety of different connectors for receiving different types of communication cables, e.g. coaxial cable, telephone cable, and electrical cable; and a testing apparatus section with a variety of different testing apparatuses for testing for the presence of different forms of home networks, e.g. MoCA, HomePlug, and HPNA. The present invention uses discrete components to analyze the physical layer in the time domain, looking for a specifically timed RF power pulse that is characteristic of and different in each of the network protocols.
US07949036B2 Determining a detection signal in a spread spectrum communications system
Disclosed is a method of generating a detection signal for detecting energy in a spread-spectrum signal, comprising: de-spreading the spread-spectrum signal by applying a predetermined spreading code to obtain a sequence of de-spread signal symbols (202A-202D); accumulating a number of said signal symbols to obtain a single detection signal. The accumulation includes: obtaining a first and a second subset of said de-spread signal symbols, wherein the symbols of the first subset have values that are known to the receiver or at least known to be the same for all symbols of the first subset, and wherein the symbols of the second subset have unknown values; coherently accumulating the symbols of the first subset to obtain a first partial detection signal (203A, 203B, 203C); non-coherently accumulating the symbols of the second subset to obtain a second partial detection signal (204A, 204B, 204C); and combining the first and second partial detection signals to obtain the single detection signal (208).
US07949035B2 GPS signal acquisition system and method
A Global Position System signal acquiring system and method is provided in this invention. Pluralities of counters are set, each corresponding to a code bin and a frequency bin of the signal. Subsequently, the signal corresponding to the counters is repeatedly received in a unit of time and the counters are accordingly updated for a pre-determined iteration. At last, a maximum value among the counters is found to acquire the signal corresponding to the counter having the maximum value.
US07949029B2 Wavelength tunable semiconductor laser having multiple sets of intercavity spacings
An array of optically coupled cavities (called micro-cavities) of a semiconductor laser are defined by either an etch and/or by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. An etch and/or native oxide defines a refractive index change for the longitudinal optical mode and confines the optical field within the micro-cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe in the form of an optically coupled micro-cavity. The wavelength of emission of the laser is controlled by a combination of the length of the optical micro-cavities and the spacing between adjacent optical micro-cavities. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended drive current range. In one embodiment, two or more linear arrays of end-coupled micro-cavities are arranged in the longitudinal axis of the laser cavity to obtain a tunable laser. The device, with multiple reflectors constructed out of optical micro-cavities, is tuned either thermally or by current injection partitioned among the elements. The tunable laser exhibits a vernier tuning amongst resonances of the two or more optically-coupled micro-cavities.
US07949028B2 Method of tuning a semiconductor laser device having coupled cavities
An array of optically coupled cavities (called micro-cavities) of a semiconductor laser are defined by either an etch and/or by a native oxide of an aluminum-bearing III-V semiconductor material and are arranged serially end-to-end along the longitudinal direction. An etch and/or native oxide defines a refractive index change for the longitudinal optical mode and confines the optical field within the micro-cavities, resulting in reflection and optical feedback distributed periodically along the laser stripe in the form of an optically coupled micro-cavity. The wavelength of emission of the laser is controlled by a combination of the length of the optical micro-cavities and the spacing between adjacent optical micro-cavities. Single-longitudinal-mode operation is exhibited over an extended drive current range. In one embodiment, two or more linear arrays of end-coupled micro-cavities are arranged in the longitudinal axis of the laser cavity to obtain a tunable laser. The device, with multiple reflectors constructed out of optical micro-cavities, is tuned either thermally or by current injection partitioned among the elements. The tunable laser exhibits a vernier tuning amongst resonances of the two or more optically-coupled micro-cavities.
US07949026B2 Group III nitride semiconductor laser
A group III nitride semiconductor laser is provided that has a good optical confinement property and includes an InGaN well layer having good crystal quality.An active layer 19 is provided between a first optical guiding layer 21 and a second optical guiding layer 23. The active layer 19 can include well layers 27a, 27b, and 27c and further includes at least one first barrier layer 29a provided between the well layers. The first and second optical guiding layers 21 and 23 respectively include first and second InGaN regions 21a and 23a smaller than the band gap E29 of the first barrier layer 29a, and hence the average refractive index nGUIDE of the first and second optical guiding layers 21 and 23 can be made larger than the refractive index n29 of the first barrier layer 29a. Thus, good optical confinement is achieved. The band gap E29 of the first barrier layer 29a is larger than the band gaps E21 and E23 of the first and second InGaN regions 21a and 23a.
US07949022B2 Diode pumping of a laser gain medium
An integrated, low profile, high power laser light emission device is disclosed. The integrated laser light emission device provides uniform heat dissipation, as well as uniform pumping of the laser gain medium without the need for a pumping cavity. The laser system includes a pump diode array that can be mounted directly to a laser gain medium without intervening correcting optics hardware. Heat generated by the laser light emission device is cooled by a single cooling system. In the laser device, a pump diode array is preferably a Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array. VCSEL arrays are mounted on the laser gain crystal by a metal cavity frame or metal stilts. The slightly elevated mounting of the VCSEL's enables increased cooling and maximizing the quantity of VCSEL's on the laser gain medium in order to achieve highly efficient and high power laser light output.
US07949019B2 Wavelength tuning source based on a rotatable reflector
An apparatus and source arrangement for filtering an electromagnetic radiation can be provided which may include at least one spectral separating arrangement configured to physically separate one or more components of the electromagnetic radiation based on a frequency of the electromagnetic radiation. The apparatus and source arrangement may also have at least one continuously rotating optical arrangement, e.g., polygonal scanning mirror and spinning reflector disk scanner, which is configured to receive at least one signal that is associated with the one or more components. Further, the apparatus and source arrangement can include at least one beam selecting arrangement configured to receive the signal.
US07949014B2 Apparatus and method of encoding and decoding audio signal
In one embodiment, at least first and second channels in a frame of the audio signal are independently subdivided into blocks if the first and second channels are not correlated with each other. The first and second channels are corresponding subdivided into blocks such that the lengths of the blocks into which the second channel is subdivided correspond to the lengths of the blocks into which the first channel is subdivided if the first and second channels are correlated with each other. First information may be generated to indicate the subdivision of the channel into the blocks and the first information is generated commonly for first and second channels when the channels are correlated, and the first information is generated respectively for each of first and second channels when the channels are not correlated.
US07949011B2 Method and apparatus for controlling link aggregation
A method and apparatus for controlling link aggregation are provided. When a transmission path for transmitting data is established, it is detected whether an available bandwidth of a bearer link at a destination end of the transmission path to be established is sufficient for bearing the data to be transmitted. If not, it is determined whether the destination end has sufficient available aggregatable Ethernet links for bearing the data to be transmitted. If the destination end has sufficient available aggregatable Ethernet links for bearing the data to be transmitted, the destination end is notified to perform a link aggregation sufficient for bearing the data to be transmitted.
US07949005B2 Device, system, and method of wireless communication of base stations
Device, system and method of wireless communication of base stations. In some demonstrative embodiments a method may include, for example, transmitting a downlink transmission over a frequency band from a first base station during a first time period; and receiving at a second base station an uplink transmission over the frequency band during a second time period at least partially overlapping the first time period. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07949004B2 Method and system for data exchange with a multimedia and ethernet enabled LAN subsystem
Aspects of a method and system for data exchange with a multimedia and Ethernet enabled LAN subsystem are provided. A multimedia networking interface may be enabled to process multimedia data and communicate the data between a networking interface and one or both of a graphics processor and an audio processor. In some instances, the networking interface may comprise a LAN interface and may enable communicating multimedia data over a network. The multimedia networking interface may be enabled to communicate auxiliary and/or control data associated with communicated multimedia content. The multimedia networking interface may process multimedia content prior to or subsequent to transmission of said content. In this regard, the multimedia networking interface may be enabled to parse, format, encapsulate, decapsulate, packetize, depacketize, and/or otherwise format the multimedia content.
US07948996B2 Communicating constraint information for determining a path subject to such constraints
Path determination constraints may be encoded in the form of a program having one or more instructions. Each of instructions may include an operation code, and operands (or pointers to locations where operands are stored). In this way, an extensible, interoperable way for a nodes (e.g., label-switching routers) to communicate constraints within a network is provided. Such constraints may be inserted (e.g., as one or more CONSTRAINT objects) into signaling messages (e.g., a PATH RSVP message). By enabling the signaling of constraints, the determination of constraint-based (label-switched) paths can be distributed among a number of (label-switching) routers or other nodes. Upon receiving a message with constraints (e.g., a CONSTRAINT object(s)), a node may (i) ignore the constraints if the node is a tail-end node (label-switching router), (ii) apply the constraints to a link if the next hop in the (label-switched) path is strict, and/or (iii) perform a constraint-based path determination to a next hop if the next hop is loose.
US07948992B1 Ethernet-to-ATM interworking technique
A network interworking facility (24) advantageously interworks Ethernet and ATM networks (22, 26) having different protocols to permit the data from in one network to pass to the other and vice versa without the need for the source in to account for the protocol of the destination. Upon receipt of an information frame from the source, the interworking facility forms a second frame of a format compatible with the destination network and including the information payload from the first frame. The interworking facility also maps the destination address incorporated in the origin frame to a corresponding destination address of a format compatible with the destination network to facilitate forwarding of the second frame to the destination.
US07948986B1 Applying services within MPLS networks
In general, techniques are described that facilitate application of service within MPLS networks. More specifically, a router comprises a forwarding plane, a service plane and a routing engine. The routing engine maintains data defining an association between a handle identifying a property common to a plurality of packets of a particular context and one or more MPLS labels associated with these packets. The routing engine automatically generates and installs a filter to identify these packets within both the forwarding and service planes. The forwarding plane applies the filter to incoming packets to determine whether each of the incoming packets includes a label matching any of the labels of the filter and forwards the incoming packets to the service plane upon a match. The service card selects one or more services identified by the filter and applies the selected one or more services to the incoming packet.
US07948983B2 Method, computer program product, and apparatus for providing passive automated provisioning
An apparatus for providing passive automated provisioning may include an address monitoring element and an address provisioning element in communication with the address monitoring element. The address monitoring element may be configured to issue a first query for a device assigned to a monitoring address. The address provisioning element may be configured to assume or maintain a passive address, different than the monitoring address, if another device responds to the first query and to invoke an address replacement routine if no other device responds to the first query.
US07948977B2 Packet routing with payload analysis, encapsulation and service module vectoring
An Internet infrastructure with network devices and end point devices containing service module manager and service modules, that supports packet analysis, encapsulation and vectoring, and interleaving applications. The network device that supports packet content analysis on arriving packet, consists of a plurality of packet switched interface circuitries, user interface circuitry, local storage comprising the service module manager software and a plurality of local service modules, and processing circuitry communicatively coupled to each of the packet switched interfaces, local storage and user interface circuit. The processing circuitry executes service module manager and thus analyzes the packet content and applies one or more selected local service module processing using the packet. The processing circuitry thus takes one or more actions on the packet. A packet switching exchange that supports packet content analysis, encapsulation and vectoring on arriving packet, consisting a plurality of interconnecting switches, a plurality of line cards, general primary processing card. A client device that supports packet content analysis on arriving packet containing a plurality of network interfaces, user interface circuitry, local storage and processing circuitry communicatively coupled to each of the network interfaces, local storage and user interface circuitry.
US07948972B2 System and method for providing an integrated communications manager
A system and method for providing an integrated communications manager that enables change in a number of voice communication channels and/or data communication channels is provided. Generally, an integrated communication manager (hereafter, “device”) contains at least two interfaces, where each interface is capable of receiving data and/or voice. A memory is located within the device, having software stored therein. A processor is also located within the device, and configured by the memory to: allow a user of the device to designate a number of data communication channels to be accommodated by the device; allow the user of the device to designate a number of voice communication channels to be accommodated by the device; and allow the user to personally change the designation of the number of data communication channels and voice communication channels in accordance with present needs.
US07948967B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for enabling non-IMS queries of a common telephone number mapping system
Methods of routing a non-IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) message from a first user terminal that has telecommunications service provided by a first carrier to a second user terminal that has telecommunications service provided by a second carrier are provided. Pursuant to these methods, a first telephone number mapping (ENUM) database is queried to identify an address of a second ENUM database that is operated by the second carrier. The identified address is used to query the second ENUM database. Routing information for the non-IMS message is received from the second ENUM database in response to the query to the second ENUM database. The non-IMS message may then be routed to the second user terminal based on the routing information received from the second ENUM database. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.
US07948964B1 Synchronizing a radio frequency transmit message with an asynchronous radio frequency receive message
The present invention relates to synchronization circuitry that is used to synchronize an asynchronous received RF message with a transmitted RF message. In one embodiment of the present invention, the synchronization circuitry includes at least one counter, which is used to associate timing of the asynchronous received RF message with a receive count value, and associate timing of the transmitted RF message with a transmit count value. A time delay between occurrence of the receive count value and the transmit count value provides accurate timing for the start of the transmitted RF message.
US07948962B2 Cellular communication system, apparatus and method for management of backhaul resources
A communication network element comprises traffic scheduler logic capable of scheduling transmission of a first category of queued traffic across a backhaul interface in accordance with a rate control value. The communication network element further comprises traffic manager logic capable of scheduling transmission of a second category of queued traffic across the backhaul interface in accordance with a determined backhaul bandwidth allocation, the backhaul bandwidth allocation being based on a determination of available bandwidth across the backhaul interface not required for scheduled first category traffic.
US07948961B2 Wireless proximity estimation
A wireless content protection system includes a coordinator, a source device, and a sink device. The coordinator includes a scheduler. The source and sink devices each have a content protection manager. One of the content protection manager allocates and releases bandwidth via the coordinator for a test message and a response message for a round-trip time computation. The test message is transmitted in a source-to-sink channel time block. The response message is transmitted in a sink-to-source channel time block. The round-trip time is the period between the end of the source-to-sink channel time block and the beginning of the sink-to-source channel time block.
US07948945B2 Method and apparatus for improved message delivery for higher priority nodes or messages in an industrial wireless network
A method includes communicating, during a first time slot, with a first wireless node in a wireless network. The method also includes determining that the communication with the first wireless node requires additional time beyond the first time slot. The method further includes identifying a priority associated with the first wireless node and a priority associated with a second wireless node in the wireless network, where the second wireless node is associated with a second time slot. In addition, the method includes communicating, during the second time slot, with the first wireless node when the priority associated with the first wireless node exceeds the priority associated with the second wireless node. The method may also include identifying routes through the wireless network for data associated with the first wireless node and data associated with the second wireless node. The routes may be based on the priorities of the wireless nodes.
US07948944B2 Method and system for multi-carrier packet communication with reduced overhead
A method and system for minimizing the control overhead in a multi-carrier wireless communication network that utilizes a time-frequency resource is disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more zones in the time-frequency resource are designated for particular applications, such as a zone dedicated for voice-over-IP (VoIP) applications. By grouping applications of a similar type together within a zone, a reduction in the number of bits necessary for mapping a packet stream to a portion of the time-frequency resource can be achieved. In some embodiments, modular coding schemes associated with the packet streams may be selected that further reduce the amount of necessary control information. In some embodiments, packets may be classified for transmission in accordance with application type, QoS parameters, and other properties. In some embodiments, improved control messages may be constructed to facilitate the control process and minimize associated overhead.
US07948941B2 Method and apparatus for allocating communication resources using virtual circuit switching in a wireless communication system and method for transmitting and receiving data in a mobile station using the same
A method and apparatus using Virtual Circuit Switching (VCS) in a new scheme are provided for allocating and employing resources by combining Circuit Switching (CS) and Packet Switching (PS), in which a base station allocates resources of a dedicated channel using the CS to a user and then transmits data on the dedicated channel. When data is not transmitted to the user, the base station allocates the allocated dedicated channel resources for resources of a shared channel and transmits data of a different user. Therefore, system capacity can be increased and a waste of communication resources can be minimized in a wireless communication system for frequently transmitting a small amount of traffic that is sensitive to a delay time.
US07948940B2 Method and apparatus for selecting frequency layer for connected mode UE in an MBMS mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for selecting the PL of an interested MBMS service for a UE in an MBMS mobile communication system are provided. A connected mode UE receives FLC applicability information for an interested MBMS service and keeps a current frequency or reselects to the PL of the MBMS service according to the FLC applicability information. Even if the FLC applicability information restricts FLC from the connected mode UE, the connected mode UE can reselect to the PL of the MBMS service according to its priority level.
US07948937B2 Fast call setup method
In according with the teachings of the present invention, a method and apparatus for performing fast call set-up in a wireless network is presented (FIG. 2). A number of efficiencies are implemented to diminish the time required for establishing a call in a packet-based network. For example, call initiation (224) and Base Station Subsystem (BSS-202) resource allocation are performed contemporaneously; radio Link resources and packet resources are initiated contemporaneously (242-244); an A10 interface is established immediately after allocating and connecting packet control function (PCF) resources for a packet data session (246); and a service connection request (254) is performed immediately after a channel assignment process (250) is performed.
US07948936B2 Quality-of-service (QoS)-aware scheduling for uplink transmission on dedicated channels
The invention relates to a method for scheduling in a mobile communication system where data of priority flows is transmitted by mobile terminals via dedicated uplink channels to a base station. Each mobile terminal transmits at least data of one priority flow via one of the dedicated uplink channels. Moreover, the invention relates to a base station for scheduling priority flows transmitted by mobile terminals via dedicated uplink channels to the base station. Further, a mobile terminal transmitting at least data of one priority flow via a dedicated uplink channel to a base station is provided. In order to optimize base station controlled-scheduling functions in a mobile communication system the invention proposes to provide the scheduling base station with QoS requirements of individual priority flows transmitted via an uplink dedicated channel and to adapt the mobile terminals to indicate the priority flows of which data is to be transmitted to the base stations for scheduling.
US07948935B2 Base station device, mobile station device, control information transmission method, control information reception method and program
In a radio system which allocates resources using as units resource blocks which are formed by frequency components and time components, control information for mobile station devices, and identification information which is used to identify a format for a control information transmission channel which transmits the control information is transmitted from the base station device to the mobile station devices by means of the control information transmission channel.
US07948930B2 Network protocol
A system includes wireless network devices and a terminal device. The wireless network devices include a base station and plural repeater devices for routing data. The terminal device runs a network protocol to establish a presence in a wireless network that includes the wireless network devices. The terminal device enters a low-power mode when not communicating over the wireless network.
US07948920B2 Trunking with port aggregation for fabric ports in a fibre channel fabric and attached devices
Trunking with port aggregation for fabric ports in a Fiber Channel (FC) fabric and attached devices is described. In some examples, a method of establishing a connection between a node and the FC fabric includes: negotiating a first link between a first trunking node port in the node with a first trunking fabric port in the FC fabric; creating a trunking port channel with the first link as a first member, the trunking port channel supporting a plurality of virtual fabrics; logging in a logical interface for each of the plurality of virtual fabrics to the FC fabric over the trunking port channel; negotiating a second link between a second trunking node port in the node and a second trunking fabric port in the FC fabric; and adding the second link to the trunking port channel as a second member aggregated with the first member.
US07948919B2 Network terminal device
A network terminal device is configured to include a plurality of network applications that generate process instructions to cause devices on a network to execute processes, a storage unit that stores common network configuration information of the plurality of network applications, and a network terminal device where each of the plurality of network applications is capable of reading out the common network configuration information from the storage unit and reflecting the same in its own network configuration. Each application may transmit the process instructions to the device on the network based on the network configuration.
US07948908B2 Apparatus and method for encoding and decoding in a mobile communication system
A system and method are provided for setting a point of time when information is applied in a mobile communication system. A broadcast overhead message including additional information is received and its application time-point is computed. The broadcast overhead message including the additional information is then applied at the computed time-point.
US07948907B2 Selective network switching in a wireless broadcast network
The disclosure is directed to a mobile communication device that may receive wireless broadcast signals from a number of different base stations or transmitters. As the location of the device moves relative to the transmitters, one transmitter will likely be identified as the transmitter broadcast the strongest, or highest quality, signal. When that determination is made, the user of the mobile device is presented the opportunity to switch to receiving that transmitters signal. Based on the user's reply, the device may remain with the current transmitter, even though it does not have the strongest signal, or the device may be configured to acquire and start receiving the new transmitter's signal. The measuring of the quality of a transmitter's signal may be based on a composite score that combines a number of individual measurements made over a predetermined period of time.
US07948895B2 Frame traffic balancing across trunk groups
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses and systems for balancing flow across trunk groups are disclosed. For example, a method of routing a flow of frames may include applying a correspondence between logical ports and physical ports of a switch. Other examples may include receiving at least one frame; selecting an exit port of a switch for the one frame to exit, based at least in part, on balancing flow across trunk groups; and transmitting the at least one frame.
US07948886B2 System and method for the control of the transmission rate in packet-based digital communications
A transmission bit rate control mechanism for a packet-based communication system in which sender transmission bit rates can vary over time is provided. The transmission bit rate mechanism includes a receiver recording mechanism, which receives transmission time information, computes and records statistical parameters of packets received from a sender; and a receiver processing mechanism, which selectively computes a new transmission bit rate using the recorded statistical parameters, and communicates a new transmission bit rate to the sender.
US07948883B1 Applying router quality of service on a cable modem interface on a per-service-flow basis
In one embodiment, a cable modem determines network backpressure per service-flow, and transmits the network backpressure per service-flow to a router (e.g., co-located on a same network device). Also, the cable modem may transmit service-flow classifications to the router, such that the router may then control traffic per service-flow based on the network backpressure per service-flow, accordingly.
US07948881B2 Distributed bandwidth allocation for resilient packet ring networks
Methods and apparatus provide for allocating bandwidth in a resilient packet ring (RPR), including: determining a relationship between an arrival rate A(n) as a function of a fairness rate Fk(n) of a kth node of the RPR over time; computing an estimate of a slope -M of the relationship A(Fk(n)) at time n; and computing a next fairness rate Fk(n+1) of the kth node as a function of the slope M at time n+1.
US07948880B2 Adaptive dynamic thresholding mechanism for link level flow control scheme
A flow control sender includes an ingress port with one or more Class Groups (CG) defined including a shared buffer pool, a shared counter per ingress port per CG tracking an amount of the shared buffer pool utilized by each CG, an ingress port utilization counter per ingress port tracking an amount of the shared buffer pool utilized by the ingress port, and a controller computing a dynamic threshold for each CG, comparing the dynamic threshold of each CG with the ingress port utilization counter, and determining a particular CG experiencing congestion when the ingress port utilization counter is greater than the dynamic threshold for the particular CG. A flow control receiver ceases transmission of data packets to the particular CG experiencing congestion and allows transmission of the data packets corresponding to other CGs.
US07948877B2 Systems and methods for packet forward control
Systems and methods for packet forward control. The system comprises a plurality of ports and a processing module configured to receive a packet. The processing module comprises a resource management module and a forward control module. The resource management module detects whether congestion occurs on at least one specific port among the ports. The forward control module determines whether the specific port comprises a predetermined port within the ports, and if so, forwards the packet to at least one of the ports excepting the predetermined port.
US07948874B2 Transitioning a virtual interface from one tunnel to another tunnel
Packet switch operating methods and packet switches provision a plurality of tunnels on a packet switch by associating each of the plurality of tunnels with a packet switch port and by configuring the packet switch to modify packets relayed by the tunnel to include a transport identifier associated with the tunnel. The tunnels of the plurality relay packets when permitted by a tunnel index. The plurality of tunnels and the tunnel index are associated with a virtual interface. The methods and packet switches also permit a first tunnel of the plurality of tunnels to relay packets by configuring the tunnel index to indicate the first tunnel. The tunnel index indicates only one tunnel. The methods and packet switches also enable a second tunnel of the plurality of tunnels to relay packets by configuring the tunnel index to indicate the second tunnel, thereby preventing the first tunnel from relaying packets.
US07948871B2 Method and apparatus for mobility agent recovery
Techniques for recovering Mobile Internet Protocol (IP) session(s) of a mobility agent in a Mobile IP network are described herein. In one embodiment of the invention, for each mobility session associated with a mobility agent, the mobility agent distributively backs up mobility agent specific information to the mobility agent peer associated with that mobility session. The mobility agent specific information is not used by the mobility agent peer. Upon the mobility agent inadvertently losing at least one mobility session, the mobility agent recovers the stored mobility agent specific information associated with those sessions from the mobility agent peers respectively associated with those sessions. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US07948866B2 Low complexity design of primary synchronization sequence for OFDMA
The present disclosure provides a base station transmitter, a user equipment receiver and methods of operating a base station transmitter and a user equipment receiver. In one embodiment, the base station transmitter is for use with a cellular communication system and includes a scheduling unit configured to provide a primary synchronization sequence that is distinguishable from other primary synchronization sequences employed by adjacent base station transmitters located in contiguous communication cells, wherein a primary synchronization sequence structure is based on a reduced computational complexity for identification of the primary synchronization sequence in a user equipment receiver. Additionally, the base station transmitter also includes a transmit unit configured to transmit a primary synchronization signal corresponding to the primary synchronization sequence.
US07948863B2 Pilot pattern design for a STTD scheme in an OFDM system
A transmitting device for transmitting data and pilot symbols in an OFDM transmission system having transmission antennas. The device includes symbol generating means for generating data and pilot symbols, means for transmitting the data and pilot symbols using subcarriers of the OFDM system. The symbol generating means generates a first and second type pilot symbol, the second having an inverted value of the first so that a first pilot symbol pattern to be transmitted by using one of said plurality of transmission antennas has a different pattern in the frequency and time dimension from a second pilot symbol pattern to be transmitted by using another transmission antenna. First and second pilot symbols are comprised in respective first and second pilot symbol patterns, where at least some of the first and second pilot symbols have the same time allocation and being alternately identical and inverted to each other.
US07948859B2 Information recording medium, information recording device and method, information reproducing device and method, information recording/reproducing device and recording method, and computer program
An information recording medium (100) is provided with: a first pre-recording area, in which reproducible preformed information including physical address information is recorded in advance and in which preformed address information assigned in advance is not recorded; a second pre-recording area, which is adjacent to the first pre-recording area and in which each of the preformed address information and unreproducible preformed information is recorded in advance; a first recording area, which is adjacent to the second pre-recording area and in which first record information is recorded and which is reproduced by an information reproducing apparatus in reproduction, the first record information including physical address information which can be reproduced by the information reproducing apparatus; and a second recording area, which is adjacent to the first recording area and in which predetermined second record information is recorded.
US07948857B2 Optical pickup apparatus, objective optical element and optical information recording reproducing apparatus
An optical pickup apparatus according to the present invention includes: a first light source for emitting a first light flux; a second light source for emitting a second light flux; a third light source for emitting-a third light flux; and an objective optical element. The objective optical element has an optical surface including at least two areas provided with optical path difference providing structures. The objective optical element converges the first to third light fluxes each passing through the predetermined areas on the objective optical element onto respective information recording surfaces of the first to third optical disks. The optical pickup apparatus provides a wavelength dependency of a spherical aberration so as to correct a change in a spherical aberration due to a refractive index change with a temperature change of the objective optical element.
US07948853B2 Optical disc device and optical information recording method
An optical disc device that irradiates a light beam on an optical disc having a recording layer in which information is recorded and a positioning layer in which tracks for specifying a recording position of the information in the recording layer are provided includes an information recording unit that irradiates a light beam for information on a target position in the recording layer to record the information by shifting a position in an optical axis direction of the light beam for information, a terminal-end recognizing unit that recognizes, when new information is recorded in a recording layer having a recorded area in which information is already recorded, a terminal end of the recorded area, and a target-position setting unit that sets the target position to separate the terminal end of the recorded area and a start end of a recording planned area in which information is recorded anew.
US07948851B2 Optical storage medium, optical read/write apparatus, and optical read/write method
An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.
US07948849B2 Removable storage device with vibration reduction structure
A removable storage device includes a base including a first frame and a second frame connected to a first frame. A containing space is formed on the second frame. A first connector is disposed on an end of the second frame. A height difference is formed between the first frame and the second frame. The removable storage device further includes a storage module installed on the first frame. A second connector is disposed on an end of the storage module. The removable storage device further includes a cable. One end of the cable is connected to the first connector, and the other end of the cable is connected to the second connector. A part of the cable is contained in the containing space of the second frame.
US07948845B2 Drive device
A drive apparatus including a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section is disclosed. The drive apparatus is configured for recording data in an information recording media and for reproducing data recorded in the information recording media. The drive apparatus performs a pseudo-overwrite recording for a write-once recording medium. The drive control section receives a recording instruction including a location at which data is to be recorded and controls the recording/reproduction section to record data at a replacement location in the user data area, instead of the location included in the recording instruction.
US07948841B2 Diffraction grating, optical pickup device and optical disc apparatus
A pickup device splits and detects a light beam reflected from a disc with the use of a grating. The grating has first to six areas, wherein the first area and the second area, the third area and the fifth area, and the fourth area and the sixth area are arranged in point symmetry with respect to the center of the grating, respectively. The first area is interposed between the fourth area and the fifth area and the second area is interposed between the third area and the sixth area. Further, the centers of the first area and the second area are arranged to be spaced by a distance d in a direction perpendicular to the displacement direction of the optical pickup device. Even though the center of an optical disc is not located on a straight line in the displacement direction of the optical pickup device, objective lens can obtain a stable servo signal.
US07948839B2 Optical disk apparatus
An optical disk apparatus includes: an optical pickup unit for reading out information recorded on an optical disk; a demodulation circuit for demodulating digital data from an output signal of the optical pickup unit; and a controller for performing a servo control based on the output signal of the optical pickup unit. When performing a focus/tracking control in a recess and a protrusion of a guide groove of the optical disk, the controller obtains a focus control gain difference between the recess and the protrusion by comparing focus offsets with respect to variations in amplitudes of signals from the optical disk for the recess and the protrusion, respectively.
US07948837B2 TE signal polarity determining system and related method thereof
A TE signal polarity determining method, includes: (a) obtaining a wobble related signal, an RF related signal, a TE signal and an accessing direction; and (b) determining if an original polarity of a TE signal should be changed or not according to phases of the RF related signal, the wobble related signal and/or the accessing direction.
US07948835B2 Optical disc device, method for activating optical disc device, and control circuit
An optical disc device includes: a light source; a condensing system including a solid immersion lens for emitting light from the light source onto an optical disc; a gap control circuit for setting a distance between the solid immersion lens and the optical disc to a constant value; a CPU for adjusting a condensing position of emission light from the solid immersion lens with respect to an information recording/reproducing surface of the optical disc by moving a concave lens in a direction of an optical axis; and a focus control circuit for setting the condensing position on the information recording/reproducing surface, while following plane displacement of the information recording/reproducing surface, using a focus error signal. The CPU is operable to correct coma aberration in focus position adjustment by moving the concave lens in a direction perpendicularly intersecting with the optical axis.
US07948829B2 Locator system and method including node and target acquisition
The present disclosure relates to a method and system for finding and physically altering underground targets. Multiple nodes are dispersed into the ground and determine their spatial orientation using seismic waves, and then operate as an array to locate and properly time kinetic pulses to focus seismic waves on the target.
US07948827B2 Seismic data acquisition system
A seismic survey system having remote acquisition modules (RAMs) for acquiring seismic signals and communicating with a central recording system (CRU) via a network of cables, other RAMs, and line tap units (LTUs), arranged in a matrix of receiver lines and base lines. Each RAM cyclically converts analog signal values to digital, forming data packets. Interrogation commands emanating from the CRU and relayed with strategic delays by intervening LTUs and RAMs are received by the RAM. Each command causes the RAM to transmit a data packet. Strategic delays are set such that the transmission capacity of the line is best utilized. Power and frequency of transmission are selectable by the CRU to optimize performance. Cables contain multiple communication pairs. The network path between the RAM and the CRU is established from the CRU and altered in event of malfunction. All types of network elements are interconnectable. Recorded samples are synchronous.
US07948826B2 Limited radon transformations for removal of noise from seismic data
Methods of processing seismic data to remove unwanted noise from meaningful reflection signals are provided for. The methods comprise the steps of assembling seismic data into common geometry gathers in an offset-time domain without correcting the data for normal moveout. The amplitude data are then transformed from the offset-time domain to the time-slowness domain using a limited Radon transformation. That is, the Radon transformation is applied within defined slowness limits pmin and pmax, where pmin is a predetermined minimum slowness and pmax is a predetermined maximum slowness. A corrective filter is then applied to the transformed data enhance the primary reflection signal content of the data and to eliminate unwanted noise events. After filtering, the enhanced signal content is inverse transformed from the time-slowness domain back to the offset-time domain using an inverse Radon transformation.
US07948804B2 Semiconductor memory device and data write method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a control circuit. The control circuit executes control to perform a verify operation with respect to only a lowest threshold voltage level of a memory cell at a time of a data write operation, and to skip the verify operation with respect to the other threshold voltage levels. The control circuit determines whether a verify pass bit number of the lowest threshold voltage level, which is counted by a bit scan circuit, is a prescribed bit number or more, and the control circuit further executes control, if the verify pass bit number is the prescribed bit number or more, to perform the verify operation with respect to only the lowest threshold voltage level and a threshold voltage level that is higher than the lowest threshold voltage level, and to skip the verify operation with respect to the other threshold voltage levels.
US07948789B2 Resistance variable element, nonvolatile switching element, and resistance variable memory apparatus
A resistance variable element comprises a first electrode (2), a second electrode (4), and a resistance variable layer (3) which is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the resistance variable layer comprises material including TaOX (1.6≦X≦2.2), an electric resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode is lowered by application of a first voltage pulse having a first voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the electric resistance between the first electrode and the second electrode is increased by application of a second voltage pulse having a second voltage of the same polarity as the first voltage, between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US07948787B2 Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells each including a holding circuit for holding memory data, and a read-only output circuit for outputting a signal corresponding to the data held by the holding circuit. The read-only output circuit has a read drive transistor controlled in accordance with a signal held by the holding circuit. A gate length of the read drive transistor is longer than a gate length of a transistor included in the holding circuit. Alternatively, the read-only output circuit has a read access transistor controlled in accordance with a read word select signal, and a gate length of the read access transistor is longer than a gate length of a transistor included in the holding circuit.
US07948783B2 MRAM
An MRAM comprises: a plurality of magnetic memory cells each having a magnetoresistive element; and a magnetic field application section. The magnetic field application section applies an offset adjustment magnetic field in a certain direction to the plurality of magnetic memory cells from outside the plurality of magnetic memory cells. Respective data stored in the plurality of magnetic memory cells become the same when the offset adjustment magnetic field is removed.
US07948778B2 Self-testing power supply apparatus, methods and computer program products
A power supply apparatus includes first and second parallel-connected uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs), each including an AC/DC converter circuit and a DC/AC converter circuit having an input coupled to an output of the AC/DC converter circuit by a DC link, inputs of the AC/DC converter circuits of the first and second UPSs connected in common to an AC source and outputs of the DC/AC converter circuits of the first and second UPSs connected in common to a load. The first and second UPSs are configured to support a test mode wherein the first UPS is test loaded by transferring power from the output of the DC/AC converter circuit of the first UPS to the output of the DC/AC converter circuit of the second UPS. The first UPS may be configured to provide power to the load concurrent with test loading by the second UPS.
US07948777B2 Switching mode power supply and a method of operating the power supply in a power save mode
A switching mode power supply and a method of operating the power supply in a power save mode. The switching mode power supply includes a first PWM controller and a second PWM controller that are driven by different driving voltages and control first and the second voltages to be output, respectively, a first transformer that is controlled by the first PWM controller to output the first voltage and having a primary coil, a secondary coil to induce the first voltage, and an auxiliary winding, and a rectifier that rectifies and smoothes a current flowing through the auxiliary winding of the first transformer, generates a power save mode voltage based on the respective driving voltages of the first and the second PWM controllers, and supplies the power save mode voltage to the first and the second PWM controllers. Accordingly, the power save mode is operated using a voltage difference without requiring an extra controller.
US07948769B2 Tightly-coupled PCB GNSS circuit and manufacturing method
A tightly-coupled printed circuit board (PCB) circuit includes components mounted on a PCB enabling smaller integrations using decoupled lines extending between reference layers, such as ground planes, form isolation islands on the PCB. The decouplers are capacitors, inductors and/or resistors in tandem with ground layers of the PCB. The isolated components can comprise high-frequency RF antennas and receivers, for example in a GNSS antenna-receiver circuit. Multiple antennas can be connected to one for more receivers with multiple, independent RF front end components by RF traces, which are either embedded within the PCB between the ground planes, or by surface microstrip antenna traces.
US07948765B2 Reconfigurable control panel
A control panel for use with a beverage brewing device is provided. The control panel includes a circuit board and connector assembly in combination with a least one overlay. The circuit board, board includes at least one and commonly a plurality of devices which may include switches and lights. A plurality of overlays are configured for use with control areas. The control areas are analogous to switch controls or light areas which are provided on the circuit board. The overlays may have but are not required to have a one-to-one correspondence with the components on the circuit board. The multiple overlays in combination with a single circuit board allows for a many-to-one combination of overlays to circuit board. Additionally, the circuit board may be programmed to activate or deactivate selected components so that components underlying an overlay without a corresponding control area cannot be activated. Reprogramming may be done in a variety of situation and may be provided in a self programmable configuration which may include, but is not limited to and RFID device carried on at least one of the circuit board and overlay.
US07948748B1 System and apparatus for removably mounting hard disk drives
A system and apparatus are described for removably mounting one or more hard disk drives within a computer system. According to one embodiment, the system includes a disk drive carrier cage configured to receive a disk drive backplane and up to eight pair of disk drive carrier rails. The disk drive carrier cage is sized for insertion into a drive bay having the dimensions of two optical mass storage devices compatible with a 5.25 inch form factor. The system also includes a disk drive backplane for receiving up to eight hard disk drives, disk drive carriers for holding the hard disk drives, and disk drive carrier rails mountable within the disk drive carrier cage for slidably receiving the disk drive carriers. The disk drive carriers and disk drive carrier rails are translucent thereby permitting light emanating from the backplane to be viewed at the front of the cage.
US07948744B2 Multi-purpose flat panel display cover
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a multi-purpose flat panel display cover. One embodiment of the present invention may include a cover for a flat panel display, the cover comprising a shield portion configured to protect a flat panel display screen, and a handle portion coupled to the shield portion, wherein the cover is configured to hingedly couple with the flat panel display and rotate into a display support configuration.
US07948743B2 Bezal support for flat panel display device
A flat panel display includes a bezel having a first substrate part and a second substrate part perpendicularly extending from one side of the first substrate part. A flexible printed circuit board is attached to the second substrate part by a conductive tape, and electrostatic discharge and damage caused by external mechanical interference can be prevented.
US07948741B2 Electronic device with detachable touchpad
A portable computer includes a main body having a top surface, a keyboard, a touchpad, an ejector assembly, and a latching assembly. A receiving recess and a receiving hole are defined in the top surface. The receiving hole is positioned between the receiving recess and the keyboard and communicates with the receiving recess to form a connecting portion. The touchpad is detachably received in the receiving recess and includes a touchpad body and an engaging member with an engaging portion protruding from the touchpad body adjacent to the keyboard. The ejector assembly includes at least one elastic member. One end of the elastic member is fixed to a side of the receiving recess, and the other end abuts the touchpad body. The latching assembly includes a first restricting member connected to the connecting portion and a second restricting member fixed to the receiving hole and exposed from the receiving hole.
US07948733B2 Static eliminator
There is provided a static eliminator for accurately detecting a contamination condition of a discharge electrode, in which a target value as a target frame ground current value is changed from, for example, zero as a reference alternately to the plus side and the minus side to such a degree as not to affect the ion balance of a workpiece, and the follow-up time, namely a phase delay, with respect to the change in target value differs depending on the contamination condition of the discharge electrode, and becomes longer with the progress of the contamination, and by use of this characteristic, a plurality of thresholds are prepared and compared with a detected frame ground current value, so as to detect the contamination condition of the discharge electrode.
US07948730B2 Fast turn-off and fast turn-on of an inductive load and usage in vehicle application
A fast turn-off and fast turn-on circuit (10) providing at least one power source (12, 20), at least one switching device (14, 22), a coil (16), and at least a first voltage control device (18). The at least one switching device (14, 22) is connected to the at least one power source (12, 20) for selectively connecting the at least one power source (12, 20) to portions of the circuit (10). An electrical current from at least one power source (12, 20) charges the coil (16) and creates an electromagnetic field when the at least one switching device (14, 22) is in a closed position and connects the at least one power source (12, 20) with the coil (16). The first voltage control device (18) limits a voltage in the circuit (10) when the electromagnetic field decays.
US07948729B2 Method and circuit for over-current protection
In one embodiment the present invention includes an over-current protection method. The method comprises generating a switching signal, starting and stopping a timer, sensing a current through a switch, comparing a response time to a reference time, and generating an over-current alarm signal. The switching signal activates one or more switches in a switching regulator. The timer is started in response to the switch being activated and is stopped in response to the sensed current exceeding a threshold. The response time indicates the time period between the starting and the stopping of the timer. The over-current alarm signal is generated if the response time is less than the reference time.
US07948718B2 Magnetoresistive head having an insulating layer with a particular compressive stress
An MR element incorporates: a nonmagnetic conductive layer having two surfaces facing toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the nonmagnetic conductive layer, wherein the direction of magnetization in the free layer changes in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the nonmagnetic conductive layer, wherein the direction of magnetization in the pinned layer is fixed to the direction orthogonal to the air bearing surface. The MR element does not include any layer provided for fixing the direction of magnetization in the pinned layer. The pinned layer incorporates a ferromagnetic layer made of a ferromagnetic material having a positive magnetostriction constant. A bottom shield gap film and a top shield gap film disposed adjacent to the MR element each have a compressive stress of 600 MPa or greater.
US07948701B2 Servo patterns for self-assembled island arrays
Servo patterns and associated methods of fabricating servo patterns are described. For patterned storage media, data sectors and servo sectors may be patterned using self-assembly. In one embodiment, self-assembly is used to form a first array of islands and a second array of islands in servo sectors that are track-wise offset. A servo writing process is then performed to write a desired servo pattern in the arrays, such as for burst fields, synchronization fields, etc.
US07948698B2 Pattern transfer apparatus and pattern transfer method
A pattern transfer apparatus includes a storage-medium-surface detecting unit that detects a foreign substance or defect on a surface of a storage medium and specifies a position and a size of the foreign substance or defect; a relative-position adjusting unit that adjusts a relative position on a contact surface between the surface of the storage medium and a transfer pattern surface of a transfer master, and a relative-position-adjustment instructing unit that calculates an adjusted value of the relative position according to a detection result, and instructs the relative-position adjusting unit to adjust the relative position based on the adjusted value.
US07948695B2 Optical element positioning apparatus, projection optical system and exposure apparatus
An optical element is moved in six-degrees-of-freedom. Three first displacement sensors are disposed on a base plate and measure respective displacement amounts of three mutually different points on the optical element in a first direction. A second displacement sensor measures a displacement amount of one point on the optical element in a second direction. Two third displacement sensors measure respective displacement amounts of two mutually different points on the optical element in a third direction. A transformation processor transforms the six measured displacement amounts. A calibration processor calibrates the transformed displacement amounts with a calibration matrix of which coefficients are previously obtained to calibrate the displacement amounts in the six-degrees-of-freedom, which have errors due to measurement errors of the displacement sensors. A controller outputs command values based on differences between the calibrated displacement amounts and target displacement amounts.
US07948694B2 Apparatus for an optoelectronic device and componnent having an optoelectronic device and an apparatus
An apparatus having a least one fixing element is specified, the fixing element being provided for fixing the apparatus to a housing body of an optoelectronic device and the apparatus being designed as a mount for a separate optical element.
US07948689B2 Image pickup lens, image pickup device, and mobile terminal device
An image pickup lens, comprises sequentially from an object side: an aperture stop, a first lens being a positive meniscus lens which has a convex surface at the object side and a concave surface at an image side opposite to the object side, and a second lens having a concave surface at the object side and an image side surface whose radius of curvature on an paraxial region is infinite or a negative value, wherein the first lens is the second lens and the image side surface of the second lens includes an aspheric surface to make a positive power strong toward a lens peripheral region, and wherein the image pickup lens is made to satisfy the following conditional formulas: 1.55
US07948683B2 Fluidic lens with manually-adjustable focus
A fluidic lens may have a transparent window member, a transparent distensible membrane, an inner ring between the window member and membrane, and a top ring disposed such that the membrane is between the piston ring and the inner ring. A layer of liquid may be stored between the window member, the inner ring and the membrane. The top ring may be adapted to apply a liquid displacement force to the membrane in a direction perpendicular to a plane of an aperture of the inner ring to cause a change in a radius of curvature of the membrane. The membrane may be pre-tensioned prior to assembly with the other components.
US07948676B2 Automated cassette and slide handling system for an automatic microscope
An automated cassette and slide handling system is disclosed which organizes microscope slides in cassettes, automatically and sequentially removes individual slides from their respective cassettes, positioned each slide under the microscope as provided by the protocol, and after examination returns the slide to its proper cassette.
US07948674B2 Electro-optic windows
An electro-optic window is made of a material substantially transparent to infra-red radiation and is treated to have reduced RF transmission characteristics by the provision of carbon nanotubes within the window or on at least one, surface thereof.
US07948668B2 Scanning mirror control having least mean square tone adder
A scanning beam projection system includes a scanning mirror having a fast-scan axis and a slow-scan axis. Movement on the slow-scan axis is controlled by a slow-scan scanning mirror control system. The control system receives position information describing angular displacement of the mirror. An outer loop of the control system includes least mean square (LMS) tone adders that determine harmonically related signals that when combined produce a scanning mirror drive signal. An inner loop of the control system compensates for a scanning mirror resonant vibration mode at a frequency within the frequency band occupied by the harmonically related signals.
US07948660B2 Electronic mail receiving device and facsimile machine
A facsimile machine including an electronic mail receiving device, a condition data setting portion sets various condition data related to output of electronic mail (e-mail) message and stores the set condition data into an EEPROM. The condition data is used when an output method and an output timing of the e-mail message are specified based on contents of the e-mail message. The condition data can be set by a user using an operation inputting portion to meet user's needs. Next, an output condition determining portion compares the e-mail message received at a mail receiving portion, with the set condition data, to specify an output method according to the condition data.
US07948659B2 Halftoning device and halftoning method and laser printer including the same
A halftoning device that converts an input pixel signal of 8 bits per pixel into an output pixel signal of r bits per pixel(r<8), the halftoning device includes: a gradation correction unit that expands the input pixel signal into an expanded pixel signal of n bits per pixel(n>8); a threshold value array storage that stores a threshold value array having a threshold value of 8 bits; and a threshold value expansion unit that expands the threshold value of 8 bits to expanded threshold value of n bits per pixel. A range of the expanded pixel signal output from the gradation correction unit is matched with a range of the expanded threshold value. The output pixel signal is set according to a comparison of the expanded pixel signal with the expanded threshold value corresponding to the threshold value that is selected for each input pixel signal.
US07948641B2 Device for measuring distance and method for operating said type of device
A hand-held device (10, 10′) for contactless distance measurement measures a distance (d) between a target object (18) and at least one reference point (20) of the device (10) using an emitted modulated measurement signal (16). The device includes a housing (12, 13, 56) with a first end (34) that faces the object (18) to be measured, and a second end (35) facing away from the object (18) to be measured. The housing includes an output unit (22, 28, 29, 31) for depicting measured results. Several measured distance values are to be assigned to at least one subsection of the path between the object (18) to be measured and the opposite end (35) of the housing (12, 13, 56) via a length-measurement scale (36, 38, 54) that is displayable in the output unit (22, 28, 29, 31).
US07948638B2 Scanning interferometric methods and apparatus for measuring aspheric surfaces and wavefronts
Interferometric scanning method(s) and apparatus for measuring test optics having aspherical surfaces including those with large departures from spherical. A reference wavefront is generated from a known origin along a scanning axis. A test optic is aligned on the scanning axis and selectively moved along it relative to the known origin so that the reference wavefront intersects the test optic at the apex of the aspherical surface and at one or more radial positions where the reference wavefront and the aspheric surface intersect at points of common tangency (“zones”) to generate interferograms containing phase information about the differences in optical path length between the center of the test optic and the one or more radial positions. The interferograms are imaged onto a detector to provide an electronic signal carrying the phase information. The axial distance, ν, by which the test optic is moved with respect to the origin is interferometrically measured, and the detector pixel height corresponding to where the reference wavefront and test surface slopes match for each scan position is determined. The angles, α, of the actual normal to the surface of points Q at each “zone” are determined against the scan or z-axis. Using the angles, α, the coordinates z and h of the aspheric surface are determined at common points of tangency and at their vicinity with αmin≦α≦αmax, where αmin and αmax correspond to detector pixels heights where the fringe density in the interferogram is still low. The results can be reported as a departure from the design or in absolute terms.
US07948636B2 Interferometer and method for measuring characteristics of optically unresolved surface features
Disclosed is an interferometry analysis method that includes comparing information derivable from multiple interferometry signals corresponding to different surface locations of a test object to information corresponding to multiple models of the test object, wherein the multiple models are parametrized by a series of characteristics that relate to one or more under-resolved lateral features of the test object; and outputting information about the under-resolved surface feature based on the comparison.
US07948629B2 Microscope and method for total internal reflection-microscopy
A microscope for total internal reflection microscopy. The microscope includes at least one light source configured to provide an illumination light to an illumination beam path for an evanescent illumination of a specimen so as to reflect the illumination light at an interface to the specimen or a specimen cover so as to return reflection light into the illumination beam path, an objective through which the illumination light and detection light are directable, a detection device, and a coupling device. The coupling device includes a mirror disposed in the illumination beam path. The mirror has a reflecting surface and a hole, the hole being configured to pass the illumination light there through so as to couple the illumination light into the illumination beam path. The reflecting surface is configured to couple out at least a part of the reflection light and to direct the coupled-out reflection light to the detection devices so as to enable determination from a beam path of the coupled-out reflection light, at least one of a quantifiable parameter and a qualifiable parameter of at least one of the evanescent illumination and an evanescent field created in the specimen.
US07948622B2 System, method and apparatus for image processing and image format
According to the present invention, a polarized image is captured, a variation in its light intensity is approximated with a sinusoidal function, and then the object is spatially divided into a specular reflection area (S-area) and a diffuse reflection area (D-area) in Step S402 of dividing a reflection area. Information about the object's refractive index is entered in Step S405, thereby obtaining surface normals by mutually different techniques in Steps S406 and S407, respectively. Finally, in Steps S410 and S411, the two normals are matched to each other in the vicinity of the boundary between the S- and D-areas.
US07948612B2 Measurement system
A measurement system 1 for measuring a distance to an object to be measured, includes: a half mirror 10; a measurement light emitting unit 11; a projection unit 12; a light-receiving unit 13; a distance calculation unit 14; and a diffusion lens 16.
US07948606B2 Moving beam with respect to diffractive optics in order to reduce interference patterns
A system and method are used to form incoherent beams from at least a partially coherent beam, such that interference or speckle patterns are substantially eliminated. A rotating optical element directs the partially coherent beam to reflect from an angular distribution changing element to form an incoherent beam. The partially coherent beam can be directed at varying angles or positions onto the angular distribution changing element through rotation of the rotating optical element. The angles can vary as a function of time.
US07948603B2 Vacuum device, operation method for vacuum device, exposure system, and operation method for exposure system
The exposure apparatus 100 comprises a double shell structure which has an upper vacuum chamber 140 on the outside of the reticle chamber 135, and a lower vacuum chamber 160 on the outside of the wafer chamber 155. A cryo pump CP and a turbo molecular pump TMP/dry pump DP are connected in parallel to each of the chambers, i.e., the reticle chamber 135 and wafer chamber 155. During exposure operation and alignment of the exposure apparatus 100, only the cryo pump CP (vibration-free type vacuum pump) is operated; the turbo molecular pump TMP/dry pump DP (vibrating type vacuum pump) is stopped. As a result, it is possible to cut off the transmission of vibration from the vibrating type vacuum pump during exposure operation and alignment of the exposure apparatus, so that the precision of the stage devices 137 and 157 can be ensured to a much greater degree; accordingly, deterioration of the exposure performance can be reduced to a much greater extent.
US07948590B2 Retardation substrate, semi-transparent liquid crystal display, and method for manufacturing retardation substrate
A retardation substrate is provided, which includes a substrate and an optically anisotropic solidified liquid crystal layer which is supported by the substrate and formed as a continuous film made from a same material. The solidified liquid crystal layer comprises first to third regions each having two sub-regions which are a sub-region A and a sub-region B, an in-plane birefringence of the 1A sub-region is larger than that of the 2A sub-region, the in-plane birefringence of the 3A sub-region is smaller than that of the 2A sub-region, and an in-plane birefringence of the 1B sub-region is the same as that of the 3B sub-region, smaller than that of the 1A sub-region and larger than that of the 3A sub-region.
US07948582B2 Liquid crystal display device, in which a wide viewing angle mode and a narrow viewing mode can be easily selected, and driving method thereof
A liquid crystal display device and a method for driving the same are provided. The liquid crystal display device includes a first liquid crystal layer selectively driven by a first electric field in a first direction; and a second liquid crystal layer selectively driven a second electric field in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction.
US07948581B2 Liquid crystal display
In a liquid crystal display equipped with a side edge backlight device, visualization of “a dot provided to a light guide plate” in the vicinity of the light source while keeping the luminance of the display screen. The shapes and the arrangement of the light diffusing dots (dots) provided to the principal surface of the light guide plate of the backlight device are made different between the area of the principal surface in the vicinity of the light source and the other areas, thereby adjusting the whiteness of the light guide plate in the vicinity of the light source. The plurality of dots formed in the vicinity of the light source are each composed of a first section for diffusing the light propagating the light guide plate, and a second section surrounded by the first section and less capable of diffusing the light, and are disposed in the vicinity of the light source in a zigzag manner.
US07948573B2 Back-light assembly and liquid crystal display including the same
A back-light assembly capable of preventing light leakage and a liquid crystal display including the same. The back-light assembly includes a lamp emitting light, a lamp holder comprising a reflecting part into which the lamp is inserted and an absorbing part, wherein the absorbing part absorbs the light, and the reflecting part reflects the light, a side member comprising a through hole, the lamp being inserted into the through hole, and a bottom chassis comprising a bottom surface and side surfaces, the side surfaces extending from the bottom surface.
US07948572B2 Hollow mold for receiving liquid crystal panel and diffuser plate and liquid crystal display including hollow mold
Provided are a hollow mold for receiving a liquid crystal panel and a diffuser plate, the hollow mold capable of automating an assembling process of a liquid crystal display (LCD) and fixing a reflective sheet, and an LCD including the hollow mold. The hollow mold includes an outer side surface; a top surface; an inner side surface comprising a first step which is formed in a stepped shape, defines an upper receiving space and performs a supporting function, a second step which defines a lower receiving space and performs the supporting function, and an inclined surface which slopes downward from the second step; and a bottom surface.
US07948569B2 Active matrix type display device
An electro-optical device comprising a display drive system with the display timing related to the unit time t for writing-in a picture element and to the time F for writing-in one picture is disclosed. In the device, a gradated display corresponding to the ratio of the division can be obtained by time-sharing the signal during a write-in of time t without changing the time F.
US07948562B2 System and method for controlling TV display lamp brightness
The remote control signal receiver of a TV sends not only user-generated commands to the TV processor but also, when no commands are sensed, an ambient light signal that can be used to adjust the brightness of the TV.
US07948560B2 On-screen signal processing apparatus and broadcast receiving apparatus for displaying image data according to attribute data
An on-screen signal processing apparatus comprises a first display memory for storing binary image data, a second display memory for storing decoration data (i.e., “attribute data”) for decorating the binary image data stored in the first display memory in a unit of a fixed plurality of pixels, and a first color look-up table for storing data concerning a character color and a background color for decorating the binary image data stored in the first display memory. A first converter reads the binary image data of the first display memory and the decoration data of the second display memory every unit of the fixed plurality of pixels and searches the first color look-up table based on the character color and the background color designated in the decoration data, and further performs color-conversion to the binary image data of the first display memory.
US07948547B2 Apparatus and method for capturing and viewing images
A dual sided viewing panel and a method of capturing and displaying images, is disclosed. The dual sided viewing panel includes a first viewing panel and a second viewing panel. The first and second viewing panels are controllable by a control device to capture an image and display an image. The first and second viewing panels are positioned in an aligned back to back relationship to each other. In a method, a first image is captured by the first viewing panel and a second image is captured by the second viewing panel. The first captured image is displayed on the second viewing panel and the second captured image is displayed on the first viewing panel. The viewing direction of the first viewing panel is opposed to the viewing direction of the second viewing panel.
US07948544B2 CMOS image sensor
Disclosed herein is a CMOS image sensor for improving an image quality by removing an offset noise occurred in a path difference. The CMOS image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of a first pixel and a second pixel; a first analog data bus and a second analog data bus for transferring a first pixel data and a second pixel data, each generated from the first pixel and the second pixel; a first analog signal processing unit and a second analog signal processing unit, each for amplifying an inputted pixel data to extract a pure pixel data; and a swapping unit for swapping the first pixel data and the second pixel data to thereby delivery each of first and second swapped pixel data into each of the first and the second analog signal processing unit.
US07948534B2 Charge-coupled device image sensor with vertical binning of same-color pixels
A CCD image sensor comprises photosensitive elements arranged in rows and columns, vertical CCDs each having vertical shift elements associated with respective ones of the photosensitive elements of a corresponding one of the columns, and a horizontal CCD comprising horizontal shift elements. The image sensor further comprises a transition region arranged between the vertical CCDs and the horizontal CCD. The transition region is configured to separate each of a plurality of signal channels provided by respective ones of the vertical CCDs into first and second parallel signal channels and to controllably direct selected ones of the parallel signal channels to the horizontal shift elements of the horizontal CCD in accordance with a designated readout sequence.
US07948531B2 Imaging apparatus and correction method of image data
An imaging apparatus is provided for reducing noise which is derived from random noise contained in a correction signal used for correcting an image data and is newly generated on correction of the image data. The imaging apparatus drives vertical transfer registers with no signal charge from photoelectric transducers read out to the vertical transfer registers to obtain and store a correction signal into a field memory. The apparatus subtracts the correction signal from the image data by a subtractor.
US07948529B2 Black card controlling method and electronic device thereof
A black card controlling method and an electronic device thereof are disclosed. The black card controlling method comprises the steps of: providing an electronic device used for photographing, wherein the electronic device comprises a photosensitive element, a shutter, a lens module and a black card device; obtaining an image by the photosensitive element; obtaining light contrast information by analyzing the image; moving the black card device and setting a shaking parameter of the black card device according to the light contrast information; starting the shutter; and shaking the black device according to the shaking parameter of the black card device.
US07948526B2 Imaging apparatus, imaging method and program thereof
In a digital camera 1, when a lagged-timing is recorded (Yes at Step S9), from the frame image picked up when the shutter is fully depressed, a frame image picked up at a timing equivalent to the lagged-timing is displayed (Step S10). When the cross-shaped key is operated before the SET key is operated, the displayed frame image is changed based on the operation (Step S12 and Step S13). Next, when the SET key is operated, the displayed frame image is recorded. In addition, a lag between the timing at which the recorded frame image is picked up and the timing at which the frame image picked up when the shutter is fully depressed is picked up is recorded (Step S15).
US07948510B2 Thermal printer and method of controlling the same
Detecting a print density for the thermal paper based on the outputs of the first and second mark sensors, and adjusting print densities of the first and second thermal heads according to the detection results.
US07948502B2 Method of displaying picture having location data and apparatus thereof
One objective of the present invention is to provide a method of displaying picture having location data and apparatus thereof. The method comprising the steps of providing an electronic map and a plurality of pictures having location data, and generating a plurality of thumbnails corresponding to the pictures based on a scale, and then displaying the thumbnails on the electronic map based on the location data of corresponding picture of each thumbnail, and further overlappingly displaying the thumbnails of which the distance between the thumbnails is shorter than a threshold on the electronic map.
US07948498B1 Efficient texture state cache
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that store a large number of texture states in an efficient manner. A level-one texture cache includes cache lines that are distributed throughout a texture pipeline, where each cache line stores a texture state. The cache lines can be updated by retrieving data from a second-level texture state cache, which in turn is updated from a frame buffer or graphics memory. The second-level texture state cache can prefetch texture states using a list of textures that are needed for a shader program or program portion.
US07948495B1 Linking texture headers and texture samplers
Systems and methods used for binding texture state stored in independent structures may be used by more than one graphics applications programming interface (API). A texture header portion of the texture state defines texture data characteristics and is stored in a first structure. A texture sampler portion of the texture state specifies texture processing attributes and is stored in a second structure. A single unified structure is emulated for use by APIs that store the texture state in a single structure. Therefore, a graphics processor may support more than one graphics API for processing texture data.
US07948494B2 Character rendering device, display device, and printer
A character rendering device includes: a first drawing unit that divides a shape of a character represented by character shape data into partial areas, and renders the shape of the character area by area; a second drawing unit that renders the character on the basis of the shape of the character drawn by the first drawing unit; a transfer unit that transfers the rendered character; a first memory that stores data; a second memory whose read/write rate is lower than that of the first memory, and whose storage capacity is larger than that of the first memory; and a selection unit that, if a number of the partial areas created by the first drawing unit is equal to or smaller than a threshold value, selects the first memory, and if the number of the partial areas is larger than the threshold value, selects the second memory.
US07948491B2 System and method for reorienting clusters within a display to provide a perspective-corrected representation
A system and method for reorienting clusters within a display is provided. Clusters are maintained within a display. Each cluster includes a center located at a distance relative to a common origin for the display and a radius measured from the center. A pair of the clusters is selected and a bounding region is determined for each cluster in the pair by forming a pair of tangent vectors about the cluster and originating at the common origin. The bounding regions of the clusters in the pair are compared. The distance from the common origin of one of the clusters in the pair is increased upon overlap of the bounding regions as a perspective-corrected distance, which is determined as a function of the distances, the radii, and an angle between tangent vectors. The one cluster is moved to reorient the cluster's center at the perspective-corrected distance in the display.
US07948489B1 Minimizing tessellation of surfaces
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for minimizing tessellation of surfaces. A first plurality of polygons may be generated, wherein the first plurality of polygons are adjacent to a plurality of boundaries of a surface. Each of the first plurality of polygons comprises at least one outside edge approximating a straight line within a first flatness tolerance. A second plurality of polygons may be generated, wherein the second plurality of polygons are on the interior of the surface. Each of the second plurality of polygons comprises a plurality of inside edges approximating the straight line within a second flatness tolerance. The first flatness tolerance may be smaller than the second flatness tolerance.
US07948482B2 Apparatus for testing driving circuit for display
An apparatus for testing a driving circuit for a display is disclosed. The apparatus includes a selecting circuit, a reference voltage generator and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The selecting circuit includes many input terminals and an output terminal. The input terminals are respectively coupled to many output pins of the driving circuit, while the selecting circuit is used for selecting one of the output pins to electrically connect the output terminal of the selecting circuit. The reference voltage generator is coupled to at least one of the output pins for generating a reference voltage. The ADC is coupled to the output terminal of the selecting circuit for outputting a digital value based on a difference between an output voltage outputted from the output terminal of the selecting circuit and the reference voltage produced by the reference voltage generator.
US07948465B2 Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same
A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a timing controller, N source drive integrated circuits (ICs), where N is an integer equal to or greater than 2, N pairs of data bus lines, each of which connects the timing controller to each of the N source drive ICs in a point-to-point manner, a lock check line that connects a first source drive IC of the N source drive ICs to the timing controller and cascade-connects the N source drive ICs to one another, and a feedback lock check line connecting a last source drive IC of the N source drive ICs to the timing controller. A swing width of an output voltage of the timing controller increases in proportion to a distance between the timing controller and the N source drive ICs.
US07948460B2 Liquid crystal display apparatus
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display unit, a drive rod, and an adjusting module. The display unit is for displaying information. The drive rod is connected to the display unit for moving along with the display unit. The adjusting module is connected to the drive rod, for rotating the drive rod.
US07948458B2 Amplifier circuit and display device
An amplifier circuit and display device utilizing the amplifier circuit are provided. The amplifier circuit comprises a buffer amplifier which stabilizes an input signal and outputs a stabilized output signal. By supplying to the input terminal of the buffer amplifier, a voltage derived by adding a difference between the input signal and the output signal to the input signal, it is possible to change the input signal level in accordance with the deviation of the buffer amplifier, which allows correction of the output level to a suitable level.
US07948457B2 Systems and methods of actuating MEMS display elements
Methods of writing display data to MEMS display elements are configured to minimize charge buildup and differential aging. Prior to writing rows of image data, a pre-write operation is performed. The pre-write operation with either actuate or release substantially all pixels in a row prior to writing the image data. In some embodiments, the selection between actuating or releasing is performed in a random or pseudo-random manner.
US07948452B2 Self-emission type display device
The invention provides an organic EL display device usable for both negative and positive polarity video signals. The organic EL display device of the invention has a polarity switching circuit switching a polarity of a digital video signal. In a case where a display panel is made for a negative polarity video signal, when a negative digital video signal is inputted, this polarity switching circuit lets the negative polarity digital video signal pass therethrough without inverting its polarity. When a positive polarity digital video signal is inputted, this polarity switching circuit inverts a polarity of the positive polarity digital video signal and inverts and switches reference data for a white level and reference data for a black level in order to obtain an accurate inverted image. An output of the polarity switching circuit is converted into an analog video signal through a first D/A converter and outputted to the display panel.
US07948447B2 Mobile display
A mobile, multi-room display environment. The display environment has a first room, the first room having a first set of sensory cues, and a second room, the second room having a second set of sensory cues substantially different from the first set of sensory cues. The first and second rooms are designed for temporary use and can be easily disassembled for transport from one location to another.
US07948436B2 Array antenna arrangement
The present invention relates to an array antenna arrangement comprising at least two antenna sub-arrays and at least one antenna element in each antenna sub-array. The array antenna arrangement is adapted for calculation of a total covariance matrix (R) of a received signal vector (x). The array antenna arrangement further comprises at least one switch, where the number of switches corresponds to the number of antenna elements in each antenna sub-array. Each switch is connected to a respective radio chain, and is arranged to connect the antenna elements of a respective corresponding antenna sub-array to the respective radio chain cyclically. At least one full switch cycle, comprising a set of received signals for each switch configuration, is carried out for a calculation of the total covariance matrix (R). The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.
US07948432B2 Electronic device and method for searching satellites
A method for searching satellites includes obtaining a position information, obtaining a time information, calculating a regional range according to the position information, finding out numbers of target satellites corresponding to the time information and within the regional range from ephemeris data in an ephemeris database, searching the target satellites corresponding to the numbers, and receiving the satellite signals from each searched target satellite. In an electronic device capable of searching satellites, an operation interface is used to output the position information, and a calculation unit is used to calculate the regional range according to the received position information. A look-up unit is electrically connected to the ephemeris database, and used to find out the numbers of the target satellites corresponding to time information and within the regional range from the ephemeris data.
US07948428B2 Millimeter wave imaging system with frequency scanning antenna
A millimeter wave imaging system. The system includes one or more millimeter wave frequency scanning antenna for collecting frequency dependent beams of millimeter wave radiation from a narrow one-dimensional field of view and millimeter wave amplifier components for amplifying the millimeter wave radiation collected by each antenna. The system includes a beam-former that separates the amplified radiation to produce frequency dependent signals corresponding to the frequency dependent beams. The beam-former includes delay lines, a millimeter wave lens, and an array of millimeter wave power detectors for detecting the power in each frequency dependent beam. A sampling circuit reads out the frequency dependent signals to produce a one-dimensional image of the antenna field of view. A two dimensional image of a target may be obtained by moving the target (or having the target move) across the field of view of the scanning antenna or by moving the antenna in order to scan its line of focus over the target. In preferred embodiments a 2×2 Dicke switch is provided to permit sampling a reference thermal source for gain control while continuing to collect image information. This 2×2 Dicke switch provides a square root of 2 improvement in temperature sensitivity over a single receiver version. Preferred embodiments also include features for focusing the antenna within a range of about 5 feet to infinity.
US07948419B2 Circuit configuration for obtaining a binary output signal
A circuit configuration for obtaining a binary output signal from a current signal delivered by a magnetic-field sensor comprises a magnetic-field sensor, a voltage-supply unit, a measuring device, a signal-conditioning stage, a control stage, wherein the signal values represent the two current values of the current signal, alternating in pulse shape, as supplied by the magnetic-field sensor, for supplying the currently obtained first and second signal values to a memory device after every pulse-shaped change in the current signal and for identifying a digital changeover-threshold signal in accordance with a first algorithm from the real-time first and second signal values, the memory device for storing the currently obtained first and second signal values, a digital/analogue converter stage, and a comparator.
US07948411B2 Track and hold amplifiers and analog to digital converters
A track and hold amplifier is provided. The track and hold amplifier includes an input node receiving an analog signal, a buffer coupled between a first node and an output node, a first switch coupled between the input node and the first node, a plurality of switching circuits and a voltage generating unit. Each of the switching circuits includes a capacitor coupled between the first node and a second node. The voltage generating unit selectively provides a common signal or a reference signal to the capacitors of the switching circuits, wherein the reference signal is independent from the analog signal.
US07948409B2 Automatic power control system for optical disc drive and method thereof
A method for calibrating an initial driving signal for driving an optical pick-up head of an optical disk drive is provided. On one embodiment, said optical disk drive is utilized for reading or writing data on an optical disk, the optical disk comprises a plurality of auto power control areas (APC areas) and a plurality of data areas, and the APC areas and the data areas are interleaved in between. First, in the APC areas, an initial driving signal is used to drive the optical pick-up head to emit laserbeam. A detected level of the laserbeam is then obtained. An update initial driving signal is then calibrated according to the detected level and a target level.
US07948400B2 Predictive models of road reliability for traffic sensor configuration and routing
Methods for decision making about sensor location/configuration for traffic sensing and routing are described. Construction of predictive models via machine learning that infer variance of road speeds, in general or for specific contexts (e.g., rush hours for a traffic system) occurs. The predictive models for road reliability are built from libraries of data about sensed variances and road segments. The datasets include information for road segments monitored by fixed sensors/moving probes, road segment properties, geometric relationships among road segments, and proximal resources. Road segments are labeled by the sensed variance seen in traffic speeds over similar contexts. A model is created that can apply estimates of the variance of the traffic speed for a segment, including non-sensed segments via generalization to non-sensed road segments. Methods are described for employing the predictive models of variance, along with demand and propagation models, to make decisions about configuration of sensors.
US07948395B2 Downhole transmission system comprising a coaxial capacitor
A transmission system in a downhole component comprises a plurality of data transmission elements. A coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor is disposed within a passage in the downhole component such that at least one capacitor is disposed in the passage and having a first terminal coupled to the inner conductor and a second terminal coupled to the outer conductor. Preferably the transmission element comprises an electrically conducting coil. Preferably, within the passage a connector is adapted to electrically connect the inner conductor of the coaxial cable and the lead wire. The coaxial capacitor may be disposed between and in electrically communication with the connector and the passage. In another embodiment a connector is adapted to electrical connect a first and a second portion of the inner conductor of the coaxial cable and a coaxial capacitor is in electrical communication with the connector and the passage.
US07948387B2 Drowsiness determination apparatus, program, and method
An apparatus for accurately determining a drowsiness level is provided. A doze prevention system includes a photographic apparatus, a drowsiness determination apparatus, and other apparatuses for doze prevention such as an alarm apparatus, a neck air conditioning apparatus, a seat belt vibrating apparatus, and a brake control apparatus. The photographic apparatus captures a facial image of a driver of a vehicle. The drowsiness determination apparatus determines a drowsiness level based on the facial image. The drowsiness determination apparatus uses a facial image captured by the photographic apparatus, detects a sign of drowsiness or a sign of struggle, and determines the drowsiness level based on the detection results.
US07948385B2 Systems and methods for using ferrite alignment keys in wireless remote sensors
The present invention related to devices and methods for using ferrite alignment keys in wireless remote sensor assemblies. In one aspect, the invention provides wireless resonant sensor assemblies comprising a pick-up coil, a ferrite alignment key positioned in and extending from the pick-up coil, and wireless resonant sensor having a receiving element wherein the pick-up coil and the wireless resonant sensor align upon insertion of the ferrite alignment key into the receiving element. The ferrite alignment key may also be part of a resonant sensor such that insertion of a pick-up coil into a receiving element of the alignment key results in a configuration where the alignment key is positioned in and extended from the pick-up coil. Methods of measuring one or more parameters of a monitoring system are also provided. The insertion of the ferrite alignment key aligns the pick-up coil and wireless resonant sensor thereby increasing sensing of the wireless resonant sensor by the pick-up coil.
US07948382B2 Electronic communication devices, methods of forming electrical communication devices, and communications methods
The present invention provides electronic communication devices, methods of forming electrical communication devices, and communications methods. An electronic communication device adapted to receive electronic signals includes: a housing comprising a substrate and an encapsulant; an integrated circuit provided within the housing and comprising transponder circuitry operable to communicate an identification signal responsive to receiving a polling signal; an antenna provided within the housing and being coupled with the transponder circuitry; and a ground plane provided within the housing and being spaced from the antenna and configured to shield some of the electronic signals from the antenna and reflect others of the electronic signals towards the antenna. A method of forming an electronic signal communication device includes providing a substrate having a support surface; providing a conductive layer adjacent at least a portion of the support surface; providing a dielectric layer over the conductive layer; providing an antenna over the dielectric layer; coupling an integrated circuit with the antenna; and encapsulating the antenna, the dielectric layer, and the integrated circuit using a flowable encapsulant.
US07948379B2 Optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus, remote controller, and content management method
Disclosed are an optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus, a remote controller, and a content management method capable of allowing a user to easily confirm contents recorded on an optical disk, wherein an optical disk is integrally provided with a read-only RFID tag that records only a disk ID to identify the optical disk as an individual. When a content is recorded on the optical disk, a video recorder records disk management information including the disk ID of the optical disk and index information about the content. After the content is recorded, a remote controller noncontactly reads the disk ID from the RFID tag of the optical disk and transmits the disk ID to the video recorder. The video recorder extracts index information corresponding to the received disk ID from the disk management information and displays the index information in a list.
US07948376B2 Fuel dispenser
A fuel dispenser comprising a housing, a fuel dispensing apparatus mounted within the housing, control electronics operatively connected to the fuel dispensing apparatus, at least one display mounted in the housing and operatively coupled to the control electronics, and a nozzle operatively coupled to the fuel dispensing apparatus and the fuel dispensing apparatus control electronics, the nozzle configured to produce electromagnetic signals. The dispenser is configured to trigger an alarm when the nozzle is brought into close proximity to the at least one display to prevent the user from using the nozzle to make data entries.
US07948372B1 Method and apparatus for concealing sensors in urban and industrial environments
The present invention provides a method of monitoring the position of a vehicle, vessel, rail car, barge, tanker truck that is loaded with bulk or hazardous material. A G.P.S unit is set to send a signal to a radio transmitter if the unit moves beyond a maximum permissible distance (for example, 50 feet or more). An oxygen sensor can be used to send a signal to a radio transmitter if oxygen levels fall below a selected minimum concentration. The radio transmitter can send the message to a tugboat crew, police department, fire department, company headquarters, civil defense office or other personnel if either of the unit has moved beyond the selected maximum travel distance or if oxygen levels fall below a minimum concentration. In addition to the radio transmission of oxygen concentration data and/or G.P.S position data, visible or audible alarms can be used such as strobe light, horn or the like. Also disclosed is a system for concealment of chemical and/or biological sensors in a building for urban or industrial environments.
US07948371B2 Material handling apparatus with a cellular communications device
The invention involves a material handling apparatus tracking system that uses cellular communications to send and receive information between the apparatus and a network. The cellular communication devices operate in radio frequency rich environments and contain additional communications capabilities. The apparatus compartments capable of enclosing electronic devices populated with a plurality of components to provide track and trace functionality and various levels of granularity. Sensors and actuators are used in connection with the material handling apparatus.
US07948363B2 Method and system for radio-frequency signal coupling to medium tension power lines with auto-tuning device
In one aspect, the present invention comprises a method for tuning a power line communication inductive signal coupling device comprising a coupler and a plurality of capacitors, the method comprising: passing a carrier frequency signal through the coupler; sensing an amplitude of the signal; and switching the capacitors until the amplitude of the signal reaches a maximum. In various embodiments: (a) the signal is transmitted by a second transmitter, and the method further comprises switching to a first transmitter for data transmission; (b) the signal is received by a receiver after passing through the coupler; and (c) the capacitors are switched by a relay controller receiving commands from a microprocessor.
US07948360B2 Write-protection module and method for storage device
A write-protection module for a storage device and the method thereof are disclosed. The write-protection module includes a power supply circuit, a fingerprint sensor, a database, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor for receiving the working power produced by the power supply circuit to maintain operation is respectively coupled to the power supply circuit, the fingerprint sensor, and the database. The fingerprint sensor receives the fingerprint input of a user, and the microprocessor receives the output signal of the fingerprint sensor and converts the output signal into an input cryptograph. Finally, the microprocessor compares the input cryptograph with a predetermined cryptograph stored in the database to produce a comparison information, and determines whether or not the user may access data.
US07948353B2 Power-circuit breaking device
A power-circuit breaking device, which can easily mount a fuse and has a small number of component and a simple structure. The power-circuit breaking device includes a first connector housing having a pair of circuit terminals connected with a power circuit, and a second connector housing closing the power circuit by fitting with the first connector housing. The second connector housing includes a fuse having a pair of terminals to be connected with the pair of circuit terminals, a housing having a lock arm engaged with a cutout provided at the terminal and a cover an entry opening of a receiving section of the housing. The cover includes a limiter limiting the lock arm to move to disengaging the terminal.
US07948345B2 Transformer and transformer device
A transformer that is capable of setting any characteristics of a detection voltage of a detection winding and accurately detecting an output voltage includes a bobbin, a magnetic core, a first input winding, an output winding, a second input winding, and a detection winding. The bobbin is tubular and includes a plurality of winding regions located at its outer portion. The magnetic core is inserted in the bobbin. The first input winding is wound in a first winding region. The output winding is wound in a second winding region adjacent to the first winding region. The second input winding is wound in a third winding region adjacent to the second winding region. The detection winding is wound in the vicinity of the first input winding. The first input winding and the second input winding have different numbers of turns and are connected in series in the same winding direction.
US07948337B2 Simultaneous rotational control using offset linear actuators
An apparatus includes a movable member, and first and second actuators coupled to the movable member at positions offset from a first axis that passes through a centroid of the movable member. A controller independently controls the first and second actuators to exert a first force on the movable member in a direction generally parallel to the first axis, thereby controlling both linear and rotational orientation of the movable member. The apparatus can further include third and fourth actuators coupled to the movable member at positions offset from a second axis that passes through the centroid of the movable member, and the controller can independently controlling third and fourth actuators.
US07948327B1 Simplified phase lock loop control model system and method
A phase-locked loop control system and method are described. Present invention phase-locked loop control systems and methods facilitate control of phase-lock loop operations. In one embodiment, phase-lock loop control systems and methods are utilized in the implementation of a modulated frequency synthesizer for facilitating efficient frequency spreading over a designated spectrum. It is appreciated that present invention embodiments can have a variety of implementations and can be compatible with vector accumulation. For example, a phase-locked loop control system or method can facilitate generation of a variety of modulation patterns, including but not necessarily limited to linear or non-linear modulation, standard or non-standard modulation, etc.
US07948326B2 Method for carrying out a frequency change
The invention relates to a method for carrying out a frequency change whilst retaining the phase relationship between several devices, in particular, network analyzers. Each device has at least one signal generator for stimulating an object for measurement and at least one local oscillator, connected to at least one mixer, for receiving a measuring signal obtained from the object for measurement by the superposition principle. On changing frequency, in a first step, only the frequency of the local oscillators of all devices is changed and the frequency of the signal generators of all devices remains unchanged. In a second step, only the frequency of at least one signal generator is changed and the frequency of the local oscillators of all devices remains unchanged.
US07948313B2 Class D amplifier circuit
A class D amplifier circuit includes a signal generation section that generates a first pulse width modulation signal and a second pulse width modulation signal based on an input signal. When a level of the input signal is zero, the signal generation section generates: the first pulse width modulation signal having a repeated first wide-width pulse signal portion, which has a wide width and a repeated first narrow-width pulse signal portion, which has a narrow width which is narrower than the wide width of the first wide-width pulse signal; and the second pulse width modulation signal having a repeated second narrow-width pulse signal portion, which has a narrow width and a repeated second wide-width pulse signal portion, which has a wide width which is wider than the narrow width of the second narrow-width pulse signal portion. A rising point in time of the second narrow-width pulse signal portion occurs after a rising point in time of the first wide-width pulse signal portion and a falling point in time of the second narrow-width pulse signal portion occurs before a falling point in time of the first wide-width pulse signal portion. A rising point in time of the first narrow-width pulse signal portion occurs after a rising point in time of the second wide-width pulse signal portion and a falling point in time of the first narrow-width pulse signal portion occurs before a falling point in time of the second wide-width pulse signal portion.
US07948311B2 Power series predistorter and control method thereof
A power series predistorter of the present invention includes a delay path for delaying a signal, a distortion generation path having an N-th order distortion generator and a vector adjuster, a divider for dividing an input signal between the delay path and the distortion generation path, a combiner for combining the output signal of the delay path and the output signal of the distortion generation path, and a controller for controlling the vector adjuster. The controller includes a setting unit, a distortion component measurement unit, a minimum condition calculation unit, and a recording unit. The setting unit specifies the phase or amplitude value of the vector adjuster. The distortion component measurement unit measures the distortion component of a power amplifier. The minimum condition calculation unit obtains a phase or amplitude value that minimizes the distortion component by function approximation, using the magnitude of the distortion components corresponding to three or more phase or amplitude values specified for sampling by the setting unit.
US07948308B2 Filter compensation for switching amplifiers
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for limiting bipolar current flow in a switching amplifier. Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a multi-referenced switching amplifier. In some embodiment, the switching amplifier is a dual referenced switching amplifier comprising a regulator between the two references, where the first reference provides coarse modulation to a load and the second reference provides fine modulation to the load. The dual referenced switching amplifiers comprise the output filters made up of an inductor and a capacitor. In some embodiments, fine modulation is not applied to the load, thus limiting bipolar current flow induced by the filter inductors.
US07948300B2 Negative supply voltage generating circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit having the same
A negative supply voltage generating circuit includes a pulse generating circuit and a charge pump. The pulse generating circuit generates a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal in response to a clock signal. The first and second pulse signals have pulse widths different from each other. The charge pump generates a negative supply voltage by performing a charge pumping operation in response to the first and second pulse signals, and has a time interval between a switch-on time duration for charging a flying capacitor and a switch-on time duration for transmitting charges to an output capacitor.
US07948298B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit and operation method for the same
The semiconductor integrated circuit is provided, in which an external temperature control or temperature monitoring is possible, with little influence by the noise of a system board which mounts the semiconductor integrated circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit includes the temperature detection circuit which detects the chip temperature, and the functional module which flows a large operating current. An external terminal which supplies operating voltage, and an external terminal which supplies ground voltage are coupled to the functional module. The temperature detection circuit generates a temperature detection signal and a reference signal. The reference signal and the temperature detection signal are led out to the exterior of the semiconductor integrated circuit via a first external output terminal and a second external output terminal, respectively, and are supplied to an external temperature control/monitoring circuit which has a circuitry type of a differential amplifier circuit.
US07948297B1 Circuits and methods to minimize thermally generated offset voltages
A circuit to minimize thermally generated offset voltages includes a differential pair of transistors having a first transistor and a second transistor and coupled to a current source, a differential input having a first input coupled to the first transistor and having a second input coupled to the second transistor, a pair of bypass transistors having a first bypass transistor and a second bypass transistor, the first bypass transistor coupled in parallel with the first transistor and the second bypass transistor coupled in parallel with the second transistor, wherein the pair of bypass transistors is coupled to the current source, and control circuitry coupled to the pair of bypass transistors for controlling current through the pair of bypass transistors.
US07948291B2 Logic circuit
The invention includes a two terminal switching device having two stable resistivity values for each applied voltage, which when a voltage of not more than a first threshold voltage (Vth1) is applied, becomes in a first state having a higher resistivity, whereas when a larger second threshold voltage (Vth2) or more is applied, becomes in a second state having a lower resistivity; a resistance connected in series to the switching device; a terminal for applying a bias voltage (Vt) to both ends of a series circuit of the switching device and the resistance; a first pulse inputting terminal; and a second pulse inputting terminal. The invention provides a simple realization of a flip-flop circuit for a sequential logic circuit.
US07948285B2 PLL circuit, radio terminal device and control method of PLL circuit
There is provided a PLL circuit including a phase comparison unit that compares an accumulated addition value of a division ratio converted into a digital value and that of an oscillating signal from an oscillator controlled by using the digital value in each cycle of a reference frequency, a data conversion unit that has a variable gain amplification unit to change a gain and causes output of the phase comparison unit to converge to an arbitrary setting value, an offset detection unit that detects an offset arising due to a change in gain of the variable gain amplification unit using output of the phase comparison unit, and an offset compensation unit that compensates for the offset detected by the offset detection unit in timing when the gain of the variable gain amplification unit changes.
US07948272B2 Input buffer for detecting an input signal
An input buffer which detects an input signal. The input buffer including an output node, a first buffer, and a second buffer. The first buffer may control the voltage level of the output node when the voltage level of a reference voltage signal is equal to a predetermined voltage level. The second buffer may control the voltage level of the output node in response to the input signal when the voltage level of the reference voltage signal is lower than the predetermined voltage level. The second buffer may maintain the output node at a first level. The second buffer may include an output control section and a level control unit. The output control section may receive the input signal and generate a level output signal at a second level. The level control section may generate a control signal which maintains the output node at the first level, in response to the level output signal when the voltage level of the reference voltage signal is lower than the predetermined voltage level of the first voltage and may intercept the control signal when the voltage level of the reference voltage signal is equal to the predetermined voltage level.
US07948265B1 Circuits for replicating self-timed logic
Circuits for implementing logic replication in self-timed integrated circuits are provided. An exemplary circuit includes first and second copies of a replicated circuit, an input circuit, an output circuit, and a pipelined routing path. The first and second copies each have a self-timed input and a self-timed output. The input circuit provides a self-timed input signal alternately to the self-timed inputs of the first and second copies. The output circuit receives the self-timed output from the first copy and the self-timed output from the second copy, and outputs a selected one of the self-timed outputs based on a value of a self-timed select signal. The pipelined routing path routes the self-timed select signal from the input circuit to the output circuit. The number of pipeline stages in the pipelined routing path can be different from, e.g., less than, the number of stages in both the first and second copies.
US07948264B2 Systems, methods, and integrated circuits with inrush-limited power islands
A new approach for managing turn-on of power islands uses a precharge phase to begin the process of bringing up the island's internal supply voltage, while minimizing transients and associated power-control-logic instability.
US07948257B2 Method and apparatus for testing and protecting digital output circuits
A method and system for testing and protecting the operability of an output module. An output channel includes a transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain. The output channel drives a load with a load voltage and a load current in dependence upon a gate drive signal applied to the gate. The system determines a voltage threshold and a current threshold and monotonically varies the gate drive signal from a starting value for a predetermined time interval while monitoring the load current and the load voltage. The system returns the gate drive signal to the starting value if any of the load voltage reaches the voltage threshold, the load current reaches the current threshold, or a predetermined time interval expires indicating the condition of the output module.
US07948254B2 Digital communications test system for multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) systems
A digital communications test system and method for testing a plurality of devices under test (DUTs) in which multiple sets of a single vector signal analyzer (VSA) and single vector signal generator (VSG) can be used together to perform error vector magnitude (EVM) measurements for one or more DUTs in parallel, including one or more of composite, switched and multiple input multiple output (MIMO) EVM measurements. This allows N pairs of a VSA and VSG to test N DUTs with N×N MIMO in substantially the sane time as a single VSA and VSG pair can test a single DUT, thereby allowing a substantial increase in testing throughput as compared to that possible with only a single VSA and VSG set.
US07948245B2 Methods and systems for detecting a capacitance using sigma-delta measurement techniques
Methods, systems and devices are described for detecting a measurable capacitance using sigma-delta measurement techniques. According to various embodiments, a voltage is applied to the measurable capacitance using a first switch. The measurable capacitance is allowed to share charge with a passive network. If the charge on the passive network is past a threshold value, then the charge on the passive network is changed by a known amount for a sufficient number of repetitions until the measurable capacitance can be detected. Such a detection scheme may be readily implemented using conventional components, and can be particularly useful in sensing the position of a finger, stylus or other object with respect to a button, slider, touchpad or other input sensor.
US07948243B2 Testable integrated circuit, system in package and test instruction set
An integrated circuit die includes first and second test data inputs, a test data output, and a test arrangement for testing the integrated circuit die. The test arrangement includes a multiplexer coupled to the first and second test data inputs, a further multiplexer coupled to the test data output, a plurality of shift registers including an instruction register, each of the shift registers being coupled between the multiplexer and the further multiplexer, and a controller for controlling the multiplexers in response to the instruction register. Such a test arrangement facilitates JTAG compliant testing of a system in package (SiP) by providing a direct connection between the SiP test data input pin and the second test data input of the IC die, and the SiP test data output pin and the test data output of the IC die, thus facilitating the bypassing of other test arrangements in the SiP.
US07948241B2 Fault direction determination
The invention concerns a method and computer program product for determining the direction of fault in an electrical power system as well as to a fault handling device. In the fault handling device the voltage at a measurement node of the power system is measured, the phase (φPF) of this voltage (VPF) before a fault is stored, the phase (φF) of this voltage (VF) at the end of a time interval (TI) following directly after a detected fault is determined, a phase offset (φO) is determined as the difference between the phase (φPF) of the measured voltage (VPF) before the fault and the phase (φF) of the measured voltage (VF) at the end of the time interval (TI) and the phase (φF) of the measured voltage (VF) after the detection of the fault is adjusted with the phase offset (φO). Thereafter the adjusted measured voltage is used in determining the direction of fault in relation to the measurement node.
US07948238B2 Electromagnetic wave resistivity tool having a tilted antenna for determining properties of earth formations
This invention is directed to a downhole method and apparatus for simultaneously determining the horizontal resistivity, vertical resistivity, and relative dip angle for anisotropic earth formations. The present invention accomplishes this objective by using an antenna configuration in which a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna are oriented in non-parallel planes such that the vertical resistivity and the relative dip angle are decoupled. Preferably, either the transmitter or the receiver is mounted in a conventional orientation in a first plane that is normal to the tool axis, and the other antenna is mounted in a second plane that is not parallel to the first plane. Although this invention is primarily intended for MWD or LWD applications, this invention is also applicable to wireline and possibly other applications.
US07948236B1 Adaptive multichannel locator system for multiple proximity detection
A man-portable locator system for locating buried or otherwise inaccessible pipes, conduits, cables, wires and inserted transmitters using detector arrays and stochastic signal processing and similar techniques to analyze and display multiple target objects at differing frequencies in a layered user interface (UI). For example, the locator UI may be adapted to present a target plurality sorted by proximity of target conductor to the locator operator together with other useful information specifying the multiple objects, frequencies and changes in the subterranean landscape by means of a useful combination of graphical, numeric and acoustic representations.
US07948235B2 Low power broadband spin decoupling
In a magnetic resonance data acquisition method, magnetic resonance is excited (72, 74) in an observed nuclear species. Magnetic resonance data of the observed nuclear species are acquired (76). A plurality of different broadband decoupling radio frequency pulses (80) configured to decouple a coupled nuclear species from the observed nuclear species are applied. Each broadband decoupling radio frequency pulse has a different or randomized or pseudorandomized amplitude (110) as a function of time. Each broadband decoupling radio frequency pulse has about the same peak power, pulse duration, and frequency spread. The differences between the broadband decoupling radio frequency pulses are effective to substantially suppress cycling sidebands.
US07948232B2 Position measuring apparatus
A position measuring apparatus includes at least one bearing, a rod of magnetizable material guided in the at least one bearing, a linear magnetic field sensor, and a magnet disposed next to the linear magnetic field sensor. The rod includes a cutout, and the magnet is arranged in the cutout within an enveloping cylinder lateral surface around the rod.
US07948231B2 Rotation detecting apparatus having magnetic sensor array and bearing provided with same
A rotation detecting apparatus capable of increasing the angle detecting precision without being affected by an offset signal resulting from a stress in a silicon chip. The rotation detecting apparatus includes a magnetic sensor array and a magnet rotatable in face-to-face relation with the magnetic sensor array. The magnetic sensor array includes a plurality of groups of sensor elements, each group including four sensor elements. The four sensor elements of each combined sensor element group are so arranged as to be oriented vertically and horizontally in four directions and connected parallel to each other.
US07948226B2 Traceable fiber optic jumpers
An optical fiber jumper cable includes a single tracing conductor for tracing the jumper cable through a fiber cross-connect facility such as a central office. An electrical locating tone is impressed on the conductor so that the conductor radiates an electromagnetic field along the length of the fiber jumper cable. A locating tone detector is used to trace the fiber jumper cable along its length by monitoring a presence-indicating signal emitted by the locating tone detector.
US07948224B2 Feedback controller having multiple feedback paths
A feedback controller comprises first and second feedback circuits. The first feedback circuit is connected between an input node and an output node and has an error node. The first feedback circuit comprising a feedback amplifier for comparing a feedback signal to a reference signal and providing an error signal, and a comparator for comparing the error signal to a second reference signal and providing an output signal. The second feedback circuit is connected between the input node and the error node and comprises a current source coupled to the error node and a controller coupled to the input node for controlling the current source in response to a value of the feedback signal being above or below a threshold value.
US07948208B2 Power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices
A power source, charging system, and inductive receiver for mobile devices. A pad or similar base unit comprises a primary, which creates a magnetic field by applying an alternating current to a winding, coil, or any type of current carrying wire. A receiver comprises a means for receiving the energy from the alternating magnetic field and transferring it to a mobile or other device. The receiver can also comprise electronic components or logic to set the voltage and current to the appropriate levels required by the mobile device, or to communicate information or data to and from the pad. The system may also incorporate efficiency measures that improve the efficiency of power transfer between the charger and receiver.
US07948201B2 Induction motor control device
An induction motor control device includes an inverter circuit for driving an induction motor by outputting a command voltage, a current detector for detecting an output current, a magnetic flux estimation observer for generating an estimated magnetic flux, an estimated current, and a phase command for the motor using the command voltage and the output current, a primary angular speed estimator for estimating a primary angular speed using the estimated magnetic flux, a slip compensator for calculating a slip angular frequency using the output current, a first angular speed estimator for estimating a first angular speed using the primary angular speed and the output current, a second angular speed estimator for estimating a second angular speed using the output current, the estimated magnetic flux, and the estimated current, and a resistance estimator for estimating a secondary resistance value of the motor using the first and second angular speeds.
US07948198B2 Reaction force cancel system
Increasing in size of a reaction force cancel system is suppressed. The reaction force cancel system is provided in a stage device including: a surface plate having a plurality of plate surfaces with different heights from each other, and installed on a floor via a vibration-isolating spring; and stages disposed on the plate surfaces respectively, and moving on the plate surfaces, and cancels reaction forces generated on the surface plate upon movements of the stages. In addition, the reaction force cancel system includes a first and a second reaction force canceling actuator that apply counter-thrusts to the surface plate, and a control section that controls the magnitudes of the counter-thrusts. In the reaction force cancel system, the heights of action points of counter-thrusts in the surface plate are different from each other, and the control section controls the counter-thrusts so as to counterbalance the reaction forces as resultant forces and resultant moments.
US07948183B2 Three-dimensional miniaturized power supply
A three-dimensional miniaturized power supply is composed of at least two of a first circuit board and a second circuit board which are assembled in a chamber of a container in a three-dimensional spatial form, wherein an insulation spacing, which is in compliance with an ITE safety regulation, is provided between a circuit of the first circuit board and a circuit of the second circuit board, allowing an area and a volume of the power supply to be miniaturized, such that the power supply can be emplaced in a small container.
US07948180B2 Plasma display panel and plasma display panel device with reduced driving voltage
In a panel unit 10, a discharge gas is filled into a discharge space 13. A protective layer 114 is provided in a partial region (a front panel 11 side) facing the inner space 13, and a phosphor layer 124 is provided in a counter region (a back panel 12 side) which holds the discharge space 13. The discharge gas is set at a total pressure of not less than 1.50×104 [Pa] and not more than 6.66×104 [Pa], and comprises an Xe gas as a first gas component and an Ar gas as a second gas component and is free from an Ne gas, provided that the Ne gas may be contained in the discharge gas at a partial pressure ratio of not more than 0.5[%] based on the total pressure.
US07948172B2 LED device having improved light output
A thin-film, white-light-emitting diode device includes a reflective, conductive thin-film structure and a semi-transparent, conductive thin-film structure. One or more thin-film layers are formed between the reflective and semi-transparent conductive thin-film structures to form two or more commonly-controlled microcavity structures. The thin-film layers emit white light in response to current provided by the conductive thin-film structure. Each of the two or more commonly-controlled microcavity structures has a different resonant frequency within one or more optical cavities and emits light with a smaller spectral range than the spectral range of the white-light-emitting thin-film layer(s). A combination of light emitted from the two or more commonly-controlled microcavity structures is white.
US07948168B2 Organic light emitting display and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light emitting display includes a first substrate having a plurality of pixel areas, a driving transistor disposed on the first substrate, an organic layer disposed on the driving transistor, a first electrode disposed on the organic layer and electrically connected to the driving transistor, an insulating layer pattern disposed on the organic layer, the insulating layer pattern having a first opening corresponding to each pixel area, a bank pattern disposed on the insulating layer pattern, the bank pattern having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, an organic light emitting layer disposed in the first and second openings, and a second electrode disposed on the organic light emitting layer.
US07948165B2 High-performance tandem white OLED
A tandem OLED device having two spaced electrodes comprising: first and second light-emitting units that produce different emission spectra disposed between the electrodes, the first light-emitting unit produces light that has multiple peaks at wavelengths longer than 500 nm and substantially no emission at wavelengths shorter than 480 nm, and the second light-emitting unit produces light that has substantial emission at wavelengths shorter than 500 nm; and an intermediate connector disposed between the light-emitting units.
US07948161B2 Display device
A display device includes an insulating substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface opposing the upper surface, a display element including a first electrode, an organic light emitting layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the organic light emitting layer, a first film connected to a first side of the upper surface, and a first circuit substrate connected to the first film and including a first surface facing the display element, a second surface opposing the first surface, and an electric element protruding from the second surface.
US07948146B2 Clip
A clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly, the clip taking the form of a band comprising first and second axially spaced ring-like members joined by a plurality of inwardly facing substantially arch shaped sections, the arch shaped sections defining the minimum inner diameter of the band, whereby axial displacement of the ring-like members way from one another causes flexing of the arch shaped sections to increase the minimum inner diameter of the band while axial displacement of the ring-like members towards one another causes flexing of the arch shaped sections to reduce the minimum inner diameter of the band thereby, when in use, to increase a clamping force applied to the sleeve.
US07948136B2 Permanent magnet motor with magnets in an adjusted position to reduce cogging torque
To reduce the cogging torque of servomotors, electric power steering motors, and others, there is provided a permanent magnet motor comprising: a rotor 10 comprising a rotor yoke 11 and a plurality of permanent magnets (M1-M10); and a stator 20 comprising a stator yoke 22, salient magnetic poles 21, and armature windings 23, wherein at least one of the permanent magnets is disposed in an adjustment position that is displaced from a corresponding reference position in at least one of the circumferential, radial, and axial directions of the rotor yoke, and the plurality of permanent magnets excluding the permanent magnet disposed in the adjustment position is disposed in the reference positions, and wherein the adjustment position is set so that the permanent magnet motor in which at least one of the plurality of permanent magnets is disposed in the adjustment position has a smaller cogging torque than a permanent magnet motor in which all of the plurality of permanent magnets are disposed in the reference positions; and a method for adjusting a cogging torque of a permanent magnet motor.
US07948132B2 Axial gap-type electric motor
An electric motor includes a stator, at least one rotor, an output shaft engaged with the at least one rotor, and a contact area changing device configured to change an area of contact between the at least one rotor and the output shaft, wherein the area of contact between the at least one rotor and the output shaft affects a characteristic resonant frequency of the at least one rotor. A method to reduce vibrations in an electric motor includes engaging an output shaft into at least one rotor, rotating the output shaft and the at least one rotor with respect to a stator, changing an area of contact between the at least one rotor and a radial protrusion of the output shaft, and shifting the resonant frequency of the at least one rotor with the changed area of contact.
US07948130B2 Rotating electrical machine
A rotating electrical machine includes a stator of which winding terminals are connected to conductive members using a connection substrate on which the conductive members are disposed and which includes an insulating plate. The connection substrate includes a plurality of circumferential grooves and a plurality of radial grooves. The conductive members are fitted to the circumferential grooves in a concentric manner. The conductive members coated with insulating films are formed in a bent shape such that the conductive members project from the radial grooves to an outside of the connection substrate and are connected to the winding terminals of the stator.
US07948110B2 Wind-driven electricity generation device with Savonius rotor
A vertical wind-driven electricity generation device is described, which utilizes a unique segmented Savonius rotor and which is easily handled, transported, assembled and maintained, even by a single person. The blades of the rotor are segmented into a plurality of modest size blade pair segments, each of which comprises two (or optionally, three or four) low height, helically curved blade portions. The blade pair segments are preferably of the same height and diameter. The rotor is mounted on a central vertical shaft connected to a generator. When the plurality of blade portions are installed on the device's central shaft, the overall blade configuration functions as an unitary Savonius rotor. Flow of gas (normally air in the form of wind) causes the segmented Savonius rotor to move, turning the shaft and rotating member of the generator to rotate, causing the generator to generate electricity.
US07948108B2 Systems and methods for converting marine currents into electrical energy
Systems and methods for converting marine current into electrical energy are provided. Certain systems include a housing with an opening that is adjustable between an open position and a closed position and a plunger that is configurable between a porous state and a non-porous state. The plunger can be configured to translate about the housing in a first direction when the opening is in the open position and the plunger is in the non-porous state, and in the opposite direction when the opening is in the closed position and the plunger is in the porous state. Certain systems include an axis configured to rotate, decks extending radially from the axis, and a vane disposed between the decks. The vane can be configured to translate between a first end of the decks and a second end of the decks when the axis rotates one hundred and eighty degrees.
US07948100B2 Braking and positioning system for a wind turbine rotor
A method of positioning a wind turbine rotor comprises defining a predetermined angular position in a main rotation plane of the rotor and controlling a rate of deceleration of the rotor, such as to stop the rotor at the predetermined angular position.
US07948098B2 Electric rotary starter for an engine of a radio control model
An electric rotary starter for an engine of a radio control model includes a motor mounted therein. A drive shaft is electrified and longitudinally connected to the motor and rotated by the motor. A conduct tube is electrified and movably sleeved on the drive shaft, wherein the conduct tube is insulated from the drive shaft. When starting the engine, the drive shaft is longitudinally inserted into the engine for providing torsion. Simultaneously, the conduct tube is longitudinally moved relative to the drive shaft to make the front end of the conduct tube contract with the engine. The conduct tube and the drive shaft from a circuit and the power from the electric rotary starter is transmitted to the spark plug in the engine to make the spark plug sparkle for starting engine.
US07948096B2 Semiconductor using specific contact angle for immersion lithography
A semiconductor device having a specific contact angle for immersion lithography is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes a substrate and a top layer disposed on the substrate. The top layer used in an immersion lithography process includes a composition such that a fluid droplet that occurs during the immersion lithographic process and is not part of an exposure fluid puddle, will have a contact angle between about 40° and about 80° with a surface of the top layer.
US07948086B2 Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same and designing the same
There is provided a technique for improving the flatness at the surface of members embedded in a plurality of recesses without resulting in an increase in the time required for the manufacturing processes. According to this technique, the dummy patterns can be placed up to the area near the boundary BL between the element forming region DA and dummy region FA by placing the first dummy pattern DP1 of relatively wider area and the second dummy pattern DP2 of relatively small area in the dummy region FA. Thereby, the flatness of the surface of the silicon oxide film embedded within the isolation groove can be improved over the entire part of the dummy region FA. Moreover, an increase of the mask data can be controlled when the first dummy patterns DP1 occupy a relatively wide region among the dummy region FA.
US07948066B2 Integrated circuit package system with lead locking structure
A mountable integrated circuit package system includes: providing a base; depositing a photoresist on the base; patterning the photoresist with an opening; filling the opening with a metal; depositing a further metal on the metal to form a lead pad; removing the photoresist; attaching a die over the base; bonding wires between the die and the lead pad; encapsulating the die and the lead pad in an encapsulation formed into a lead pad lock adjacent the lead pad; and removing the base.
US07948055B2 Inductor formed on semiconductor substrate
An inductor formed on a semiconductor substrate is provided in the present invention. The inductor comprises a metal layer and an insulator layer. The metal layer constitutes the coil of the inductor. The insulator layer comprises at least one insulator slot, and each insulator slot is encompassed in the metal layer.
US07948050B2 Core-shell nanowire transistor
A semiconductor structure is provided, which includes multiple sections arranged along a longitudinal axis. Preferably, the semiconductor structure comprises a middle section and two terminal sections located at opposite ends of the middle section. A semiconductor core having a first dopant concentration preferably extends along the longitudinal axis through the middle section and the two terminal sections. A semiconductor shell having a second, higher dopant concentration preferably encircles a portion of the semiconductor core at the two terminal sections, but not at the middle section, of the semiconductor structure. It is particularly preferred that the semiconductor structure is a nanostructure having a cross-sectional dimension of not more than 100 nm.
US07948043B2 MEMS package that includes MEMS device wafer bonded to cap wafer and exposed array pads
A package of a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) device includes a cap wafer, a plurality of bonding bumps formed over the cap wafer, a plurality of array pads arrayed on an outer side of the bonding bumps, and an MEMS device wafer bonded to an upper portion of the cap wafer in a manner to expose the array pads.
US07948040B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer overlapping with a gate electrode and having an impurity region outside a region which overlaps with the gate electrode; a first conductive layer which is provided on a side provided with the gate electrode of the semiconductor layer and partially in contact with the impurity region; an insulating layer provided over the gate electrode and the first conductive layer; and a second conductive layer which is formed in the insulating layer and in contact with the first conductive layer through an opening at least part of which overlaps with the first conductive layer.
US07948035B2 Decoding system capable of charging protection for flash memory devices
The present invention relates to a flash memory array. The flash memory array includes at least two word lines of gate electrode material. At least one of the word lines is connected through a first metal level to a discharge circuit, while other word line(s) may connect to a discharge circuit through a first and second metal level. The memory array further includes a shorting path between the word lines of the memory array. The shorting path is a high resistance layer of undoped gate electrode material. The resistance value of the gate electrode material is such that the word lines can be used to read, write, or erase without effecting each other, but that during the formation of a first metal level, as charges will build up on a first word line which requires a second metal level to connect to its discharge junction circuit, it will short the first word line to an adjacent second word line that has a connection to its junction circuit on the first metal level.
US07948028B2 DRAM device having a gate dielectric layer with multiple thicknesses
A transistor device employed in a support circuit of a DRAM includes a semiconductor substrate having thereon a gate trench, a recessed gate embedded in the gate trench, a source doping region disposed at one side of the recessed gate, a drain doping region disposed at the other side of the recessed gate, and a gate dielectric layer between the recessed gate and the semiconductor substrate. The gate dielectric layer has at least two thicknesses that render the high-voltage transistor device asymmetric. The thicker gate dielectric layer is between the recessed gate and the drain doping region, while the thinner gate dielectric layer is between the recessed gate and the source doping region.
US07948017B2 Digital radiography imager with buried interconnect layer in silicon-on-glass and method of fabricating same
A method of forming an imaging array includes providing a single crystal silicon substrate having an internal separation layer, forming a patterned conductive layer proximate a first side of the single crystal silicon substrate, forming an electrically conductive layer on the first side of the single crystal silicon substrate and in communication with the patterned conductive layer, securing the single crystal silicon substrate having the patterned conductive layer and electrically conductive layer formed thereon to a glass substrate with the first side of the single crystal silicon substrate proximate the glass substrate, separating the single crystal silicon substrate at the internal separation layer to create an exposed surface opposite the first side of the single crystal silicon substrate and forming an array comprising a plurality of photosensitive elements and readout elements on the exposed surface.
US07948011B2 N-polar aluminum gallium nitride/gallium nitride enhancement-mode field effect transistor
A novel enhancement mode field effect transistor (FET), such as a High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT), has an N-polar surface uses polarization fields to reduce the electron population under the gate in the N-polar orientation, has improved dispersion suppression, and low gate leakage.
US07948009B2 Nitride semiconductor epitaxial wafer and nitride semiconductor device
A nitride semiconductor epitaxial wafer includes a growth substrate including a surface for growing a nitride semiconductor thereon, a first structure layer formed on the growth substrate, a dislocation propagation direction changing layer formed on the first structure layer for changing a propagation direction of a dislocation propagated in the first structure layer into a lateral direction, a second structure layer formed on the dislocation propagation direction changing layer, and a buffer layer formed on the second structure layer for changing a propagation direction of a dislocation propagated in the second structure layer.
US07948005B2 Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)
A fourth semiconductor region of a first conduction type is provided in a partial region of a third semiconductor region of a second conduction type. This configuration enhances the blocking voltage at the time when the sheet carrier concentration of a fifth semiconductor region is enhanced.
US07947994B2 Nitride semiconductor device
According to the nitride semiconductor device with the active layer made of the multiple quantum well structure of the present invention, the performance of the multiple quantum well structure can be brought out to intensify the luminous output thereof thereby contributing an expanded application of the nitride semiconductor device. In the nitride semiconductor device comprises an n-region having a plurality of nitride semiconductor films, a p-region having a plurality of nitride semiconductor films, and an active layer interposed therebetween, a multi-film layer with two kinds of the nitride semiconductor films is formed in at least one of the n-region or the p-region.
US07947983B2 Thin film transistor matrix device including first and second conducting connections formed outside an image display region
A thin film transistor matrix device including an insulating substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) on the insulating substrate, and a plurality of picture element electrodes on the insulating substrate in a matrix to define an image display region. A first conducting film is on the insulating substrate. A first insulating film is on the first conducting film. A second conducting film is on the first insulating film, and a second insulating film is over the first insulating film and the second conducting film. A first conducting connection is formed, outside the image display region, to pass through the first and second insulating films, and to electrically connect the first conducting film to a third conducting film. A second conducting connection is formed, outside the image display region, to pass through the second insulating film and to electrically connect the second conducting film to the third conducting film.
US07947982B2 Thin film transistor matrix device including a plurality of thin film transistors arranged on the substrate
A thin film transistor matrix device including an insulating substrate, a plurality of thin film transistors (TFTs) on the insulating substrate, and a plurality of picture element electrodes (connected to the TFTs) on the insulating substrate in a matrix to define an image display region. A first conductor is on the insulating substrate. A first insulating film is on the first conductor, a second conductor is on the first insulating film, and a second insulating film is over the first insulating film and the second conductor. A first contact hole is formed in the first and second insulating films, a second contact hole is formed in the second insulating film, and a conducting connection is formed between the first and second contact holes. The first and second conductors are connected to the conducting connection via the first and second contact holes, respectively, which are both outside the image display region.
US07947981B2 Display device
It is an object to provide a display device including a thin film transistor which can operate at high speed and is driven at a low voltage in a drive circuit region, and a thin film transistor having high voltage-resistance and high reliability in a pixel region. Accordingly, it is an object to provide a high reliable display device which consumes less power. A display device including a pixel region and a drive circuit region over a substrate having an insulating surface is provided. A thin film transistor is provided in each of the pixel region and the drive circuit region. A channel formation region in a semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor provided in the drive circuit region is formed to be locally thin, and the thickness of the channel formation region is smaller than that in the pixel region.
US07947963B2 Method and apparatus for measuring radioactivity
A method of measuring radioactivity includes determining a fitted spectral distribution region for recorded counts data of at least a first activity peak determining characteristic data of the fitted spectral distribution region, and using the characteristic data to determine a spectral distribution region of a second activity peak.
US07947957B2 Radiation detection system using a multichannel spectrometer and method thereof
The invention provides a data processing device for processing an reference background spectrum and a measurement spectrum of a radioactive material represented by a multichannel spectrum to acquire energy region information of detected gamma rays comprises: energy region dividing means for degenerating multichannel spectrum into a degenerated spectrum of limited channels; degenerated spectrum calculating means for calculating a background and measurement degenerated spectrum corresponding to degenerated spectrum of limited channels respectively; energy ratio calculating means for calculating a energy ratio based on the calculated background and measurement degenerated spectrum; peak-detection means, for searching a peak value in the calculated energy ratios; energy region determining information for determining a corresponding energy region of gamma rays based on the searched peak value in the energy ratios. The invention also provides a radiation detection method and a radiation detection system employing the data processing device.
US07947956B2 Fluorescent material, a method of manufacturing the fluorescent material, a radiation detector using the fluorescent material, and an X-ray CT scanner
Scintillator with both high fluorescence intensity and weak afterglow, can be offered.An aspect in accordance with the present invention provides, a fluorescent material with garnet structure containing Gd, Al, Ga, and O at least, containing Lu and/or Y, and also containing Ce as an activator, wherein said fluorescent material is expressed as (Gd1-x-zLxCez)3+a(Al1-uGau) 5-aO12, wherein L is Lu and/or Y, wherein 0
US07947951B2 Multi-beam ion/electron spectra-microscope
This invention is a multi-beam charged particle instrument that can simultaneously focus electrons and a variety of positive and negative ions, such as Gallium, Oxygen and Cesium ions, onto the same material target. In addition, the instrument has provision to simultaneously capture the spectrum of both secondary electrons and ions. The highly dispersive, high resolution mass spectrometer portion of the instrument is expected to detect and identify secondary ion species across the entire range of the periodic table, and also record a portion of their emitted energy spectrum. The electron energy spectrometer part of the instrument is designed to acquire the entire range of scattered electrons, from the low energy secondary electrons through to the elastic backscattered electrons.
US07947931B2 System and method for shaft heat treament for correction slow roll
Certain exemplary embodiments comprise an computer readable storage device having instructions stored therein that are indicative of reducing slow roll electrical runout value of a shaft of an electric motor, the shaft having a runout sensing area; the instructions including determining an electrical runout value for the runout sensing area; rotating the shaft; determining the temperature range and time interval for heating the runout sensing area of the shaft sufficient to reduce the electrical runout value; and heating the shaft sensing area during shaft rotation at the calculated temperature range for the calculated time interval.
US07947929B2 Control apparatus for dryer
A control apparatus for a dryer is provided. The control apparatus provides a connection for a detecting circuit adapted to determine a clogging degree of the dryer. The control apparatus includes a power supply circuit including a heating coil arranged in a heater case, a temperature control member mounted to the heater case, the temperature control member being configured to receive power and supply the received power to the heating coil, a microcomputer that controls an operation of the dryer, and a connecting line that connects the power supply circuit to the microcomputer. The microcomputer can detect a state of the power supply circuit through the connecting line.
US07947923B2 Encoded optical element of a laser processing head
A device for a laser processing head includes an optical element configured for attachment to the laser processing head, a housing for the laser processing head configured to receive the optical element, and a mechanical encoding disposed on at least one of the optical element and the housing to permit installation of a predetermined optical element at a predetermined orientation into the housing.
US07947922B2 Multiple beam micro-machining system and method
A system for delivering energy to a substrate includes a laser energy source providing a plurality of laser beams, wherein each of the beams is steered to an independently selectable location on a target, and is independently focused onto the target.
US07947921B2 Electric wire insulation center stripping method and device
An insulated electric wire having a conductive core and an insulation jacket is center stripped by cutting a pattern in one side of the insulation jacket with a laser beam, and then cutting a coordinated pattern in an opposite side of the insulation jacket with a laser beam to produce two axially spaced circumferential cuts connected by a plurality of generally axial cuts that define at least two removeable insulation slugs for exposing the conductive core while the insulation jacket on either side of the exposed conductive core is left intact. An in-line center stripping device or a multiple wire rotation device may be used for center stripping the insulated electric wire. The insulated slugs may by removed by an insulation removal device on an offal removal assembly.
US07947918B2 Method and generator for electrical discharge machining
The invention relates to a method and a generator for generating a time sequence of discharge pulses separated from each other by pulse pauses for electrical discharge machining. At least two pulse capacitors are discharged each in the form of a partial pulse into the spark gap for forming together a discharge pulse. A discharge pulse having a predetermined waveform is selected from a plurality of discharge pulses having differing predetermined waveforms. The discharge of the at least two pulse capacitors is controlled such that the selected discharge pulse is generated with the predetermined waveform.
US07947913B1 Slide bar interlocking device
A slide bar interlocking device includes a first group of constrained switch actuators and a second group of unconstrained switch actuators. Only one unconstrained actuator in the first group may be thrown in combination with any switch actuator in the second group and any combination of switch actuators in the second group. A base plate has a fixed position and a movable plate is slideably mounted to the base plate. A plurality of elongate slots is formed in the movable plate and at least one truncate slot is formed in each of the elongate slots. The movable plate has first, second, third, and fourth positions where a switch actuator in the first group is in alignment with a truncate slot so that the aligned switch actuator can be thrown and where all other switch actuators in the first group cannot be thrown.
US07947895B2 Photovoltaic device
A photovoltaic device capable of suppressing reduction of the yield in production also when a transparent conductive film has small surface roughness is obtained. This photovoltaic device comprises a photovoltaic element including a transparent conductive oxide film having arithmetic mean deviation of the profile of not more than about 2 nm and a paste electrode, formed on the transparent conductive oxide film, containing at least a metal material and a resin material, while the resin material contains at least about 60 percent by weight and not more than about 100 percent by weight of epoxy resin.
US07947891B2 Resonance tone generating apparatus and electronic musical instrument
A product-sum operation circuit has delay circuits of the first to the (n−1)th stage for delaying musical tone data, multiplying circuits 60-6(n−1) for multiplying the musical signal data or the delayed musical signal data output from the delay circuits by impulse response coefficients, and adders 71-7(n−1) for summing up data output from the multiplying circuits. The product-sum operation circuit is provided with a feed back circuit. The feed back circuit includes a multiplying circuit 80 that receives the delayed data from the delay circuit at the (n−1)th stage and multiplies the received data by a multiplication coefficient, and an adder 81 for adding data from the multiplying circuit 80 to the delayed data from the delay circuit at the “p”th stage.
US07947887B2 Touch control apparatus of electronic musical instrument
In order to detect a state of a key 30, a differential acceleration sensor 38 is provided in addition to a common position sensor 35 and a velocity sensor 36. A reaction force applied by a solenoid unit 20 is determined on the basis of a function which monotonously increases with respect to a differential acceleration signal j in an initial period which is an early stage of depression of a key. After a lapse of the initial period, the reaction force is determined in accordance with velocity, acceleration and the like, referring to a table. As a result, the reaction force rises up rapidly when a key is depressed strongly.
US07947886B2 Guitar slide holder
This is a device that will securely store and hold a guitar slide while allowing the user to perform single-handed guitar slide transitions (installation or removal of a guitar slide) with minimal interruption.
US07947877B2 Plants and seeds of spring canola variety SCV328921
A canola line designated SCV328921 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of canola line SCV328921, to the plants of canola SCV328921, to plant parts of canola line SCV328921 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing canola line SCV328921 with itself or with another canola line. The invention also relates to methods for producing a canola plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic canola plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to canola lines or breeding lines and plant parts derived from canola line SCV328921, to methods for producing other canola lines, lines or plant parts derived from canola line SCV328921 and to the canola plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid canola seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the line SCV328921 with another canola line.
US07947876B2 Plant and plant storage organ having GLP-1 derivative accumulated therein and method of producing the same
The present invention is regarding plants and plant storage organs thereof in which GLP-1 derivatives are accumulated, and methods of producing them. The transgenic plants and plant storage organs thereof accumulate tandem repeated GLP-1 derivatives cleavable with intestinal digestive enzyme to monomeric molecules and are produced by methods comprising: integrating into vectors linked DNAs which comprise tandem repeated DNAs encoding the GLP-1 derivative with trypsin resistance in which the amino acid in the 26th position is Gln, the amino acid in the 34th position is Asn or Asp, and C-terminal consists of Arg or Lys to produce monomeric molecules; introducing the vectors into plant cells; and redifferentiating the obtained transformants. The edible transgenic plants and plant storage organs are useful for treating diabetes and can be ingested by diabetic patients.
US07947870B2 Generation of plants with altered oil, protein, or fiber content
The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an HIO nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.
US07947869B2 Methods for inducing cotton embryogenic callus
Methods for the regeneration of cotton plants are disclosed. The use of novel compositions of media, media additives and new growth conditions during stages of development results in increased frequencies of embryogenesis, embryo maturation and embryo germination. The improved process results in higher production frequencies of transformed cotton plants.
US07947865B2 Absorbent structure comprising water-swellable material
An absorbent structure formed from a process of providing water-swellable material that includes water-swellable polymer particles, which are coated with a coating agent. The coating agent is a phase-separating elastomeric material that has a first and second glass transition temperature. The coated water-swellable polymer particles are able to swell without breakage of the coating.
US07947859B2 Process for production of cycloolefin
According to the present invention, when cycloolefins are produced by partially hydrogenating a monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbon with hydrogen in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst, water, and a metal sulfate, the decrease in catalytic activity and cycloolefin selectivity is suppressed by reducing the concentration of chloride ions dissolved in the water in which the catalyst is present to 300 wt ppm or less and regenerating a part or all of the catalyst for reuse. Zinc sulfate is preferably used as the metal sulfate. Further, the raw materials and catalyst to be supplied to the reaction preferably have a reduced chloride ion content. This method can suppress the decrease in long-term catalytic activity and cycloolefin selectivity. Furthermore, the catalytic activity and cycloolefin selectivity after catalyst regeneration can be maintained at a high level. As a result, cycloolefins can be efficiently produced for a long period of time.
US07947858B2 Method and apparatus for thermal processing of biomass
In a method and apparatus for thermal processing of catalytically active biomass, the biomass is subjected in a receiving tank to a cracking temperature to undergo a cracking reaction. The biomass is transferred to a mixer pump to produce a reaction mixture which is directed into an outgassing chamber of an intermediate tank to produce an outgassed fraction and a non-outgassed liquid fraction. The outgassed fraction to produce fuel is cooled down, and a first portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is returned and subjected again to the cracking temperature in the receiving tank. A second portion of the non-outgassed liquid fraction is conducted in a bypass to the outgassing chamber of the intermediate tank for outgassing while fresh biomass is added. Residual matter settling in the intermediate tank is periodically removed.
US07947856B2 Process for the preparation of halogenated hydrocarbons with at least 3 carbon atoms in the presence of iron and a phosphite
A telomerisation process is described whereby haloalkanes like tetrachloromethane are added to halogenated olefins like 2-chloroprop-1-ene in the presence of an iron catalyst and a phosphite. The reaction products, e.g. 1,1,1,3,3-pentachlorobutane, can be fluorinated.
US07947855B2 Process for the purification of 1,4-butanediol mononitrate
A process for the purification of 1,4-butanediol mononitrate from 1,4-butanediol dinitrate and 1,4-butanediol, by selective extraction with solvents is herein disclosed.
US07947849B2 UV-absorbers for ophthalmic lens materials
UV absorbing monomers that are particularly useful in ophthalmic devices are disclosed.
US07947843B2 Crystalline chemotherapeutic
N-[4-(3-Amino-1H-indazol-4-yl)phenyl]-N′-(2-fluoro-5-methylphenyl)urea Hydrate Crystalline Form 1, ways to make it, formulations comprising it and made with it and methods of treating patients having disease using it are disclosed.
US07947842B2 Hydrates of alkaline-earth salts of irbesartan and the preparation thereof
The invention relates to hydrates of pharmaceutically acceptable alkaline-earth salts of irbesartan and to their preparation in an aqueous medium.
US07947841B2 Compounds, methods and formulations for the oral delivery of a glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 compound or a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4) agonist peptide
The present application relates to novel compounds, methods and formulations useful for the oral delivery of a glucagon like peptide-1 compound or a melanocortin 4 receptor agonist peptide.
US07947833B2 Preparation of quinoxaline compounds
Certain methods that are useful in the preparation of amidophenyl-sulfonylamino-quinoxaline compounds are disclosed. The compounds are of the class of quinoxaline sulfonamides and constitute CCK2 receptor modulators, useful in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.
US07947832B2 Water compatible sterically hindered alkoxyamines and hydroxy substituted alkoxyamines
Sterically hindered hydroxy substituted alkoxyamine stabilizer compounds are made water compatible via certain backbones with affinity towards water. The sterically hindered amines are for example of the formula (8)-(10) These compounds are particularly effective in stabilizing aqueous polymer systems against the deleterious effects of oxidative, thermal and actinic radiation. The compounds are effective for example in stabilizing water borne coatings, aqueous inks, aqueous ink jet media and photocured aqueous systems.
US07947831B2 Sulfoxides or sulfones grafted onto polymers
Polymers grafted with a compound of formula I, wherein the general symbols are as defined within, have outstanding stability against oxidative, thermal, dynamic, light-induced and/or ozone-induced degradation.
US07947830B2 Substituted propenyl piperazine derivatives as novel inhibitors of histone deacetylase
This invention comprises the novel compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and X have defined meanings, having histone deacetylase inhibiting enzymatic activity; their preparation, compositions containing them and their use as a medicine.
US07947829B2 Method of making porphyrins
A method of making a compound of Formula I: is carried out by condensing a pair of compounds of Formula II (which pair may be the same or different), or by condensing a compound of Formula III with a compound Formula IV, to produce a compound of Formula I. The condensing step may be carried out with a metal salt under basic conditions.
US07947828B2 Methods and intermediates for the synthesis of dipyrrin-substituted porphyrinic macrocycles
The present invention provides dipyrrin substituted porphyrinic macrocycles, intermediates useful for making the same, and methods of making the same. Such compounds may be used for purposes including the making of molecular memory devices, solar cells and light harvesting arrays.
US07947824B2 Process for preparing purine nucleosides
The present invention for the stereoselective preparation of 2-deoxy-β-D-adenine nucleosides wherein a blocked 2-deoxy-α-D-arabinofuranosyl halide is coupled with the salt of an adenine derivative.
US07947823B2 siRNA expression system
The authors describe an expression system for the correct, stable and effective expression in mammalian cells of a siRNA comprising: a) a polymerase II RNA-dependent promoter derived from the U1 RNA gene; downstream from the sequence b) suitable restriction sites for the cloning of the sequence transcribing the pre-siRNA; downstream from these sites c) sequences derived from the sequences at 3′ of the gene for U1 snRNA that are necessary and sufficient for the correct formation of 3′ of the presiRNA.
US07947809B2 Compositions and methods relating to glucagon receptor antibodies
The present disclosure provides compositions and methods relating to antigen binding proteins, in particular, antibodies which specifically bind to the human glucagon receptor. The disclosure provides nucleic acids encoding such antigen binding proteins and antibodies and methods of making and using such antibodies including methods of treating and preventing type 2 diabetes and related disorders by administering such antibodies to a subject in need of such treatment.
US07947807B2 Method for obtaining G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) diffraction-quality crystals employing a monoclonal antibody that binds to the third intracellular loop (IL3)
An antibody that specifically binds a three dimensional epitope on the IC3 loop of a GPCR is provided. The antibody may be employed in a method that comprises: contacting a GPCR with a monovalent version of the antibody binding conditions to form a complex; and crystallizing the complex.
US07947806B2 Mussel bioadhesive
The present invention relates to a bioadhesive derived from mussel. In particular, it relates to a novel MGFP-3A MUTANT(Mytilus galloprovincialis foot protein type-3A MUTANT) protein and a recombinant protein that is a hybrid of MGFP-3A MUTANT, FP(Foot Protein)-1 and MGFP-5(Mytilus galloprovincialis foot protein type-5). According to the present invention, the adhesive protein can be economically produced in large scale and can be used instead of chemical adhesives.
US07947801B2 Polyfluorene method
A method of synthesizing a poly(9,9-disubstituted-fluorene) includes reacting a 9,9-disubstituted-fluorene with an alkyl lithium in the presence of a catalytic amount of a nickel amine complex. The 9,9-disubstituted-fluorene includes solubility-enhancing substituents in the 9-position and leaving groups in the 2-position and the 7-position. The product poly(9,9-disubstituted-fluorene)s are fluorescent conjugated polymers that are useful as, for example, blue light-emitting materials.
US07947796B2 Materials for making hydrophobic intraocular lens
The present invention provides copolymers made up of alkoxyalkyl methacrylate and/or alkoxyalkyl acrylate monomers in combination with one or more additional hydrophobic monomers. The copolymers may be used in the manufacture of intraocular lenses, including both the optic and haptic portions of the lenses. The present invention also provide methods for making intraocular lenses from the copolymers.
US07947795B2 Polymer for filling gaps in semiconductor substrate and coating composition using the same
A polymer for filling gaps in a semiconductor substrate and a composition using the polymer are provided. According to the composition, holes having a diameter of 100 nm or less and an aspect ratio (i.e. a ratio between the diameter and height of the holes) of 1 or higher in semiconductor substrates can be substantially completely filled by common spin coating without formation of defects, e.g., air voids, the film can be dissolved by an aqueous alkaline solution (i.e. a developing solution) until a desired thickness is reached, the film is highly resistant to isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and plasma etching after curing by baking, and residue can be rapidly removed from the inside of the holes by ashing.
US07947785B2 Polyoxazolidones derived from bisanhydrohexitols
Disclosed is a method for preparing polyoxazolidones wherein an ether of a bisanhydrohexitol is reacted with a diisocyanate under conditions which form polyoxazolidones. Preferred bisanhydrohexitols include isoidide, isomannide and isosorbide. The polyoxazolidones are highly crosslinked, rigid, and have high solvent resistance.
US07947784B2 Reactive compounding of hydrogels
This invention provides methods to form modified hydrogel materials using reactive compounding. The method includes mixing a hydrogel material with a plasticizer in a compounding apparatus. During mixing, a reactive chemical compound is added to the mixture that reacts with the hydrogel material to form a modified hydrogel material.
US07947782B2 Microgel-containing vulcanisable composition
The present invention concerns a vulcanizable composition, vulcanized products produced from it, and their use in particular in the production of golf balls or roll coverings.
US07947778B2 Aqueous dispersions
The invention concerns hydrous compositions based on polychloroprene and hydroxylamine derivatives, processes for their production and their use as adhesives. The polychloroprene dispersions are stabilized by the addition of hydroxyalkylamine after removal of residual monomer.
US07947771B2 Insoluble metal sulfates in water absorbing polymeric particles
The invention concerns water-absorbing polymeric particles possessing high saline flow conductivity in the swollen state which comprise insoluble metal sulfates as synergistic fillers, and also a process for their production and their use.
US07947770B2 Flame retardant polycarbonate compositions
The present invention relates to novel flame retardant polycarbonate resin compositions comprising at least one aromatic polycarbonate resin, at least one anti-drip agent, and at least one salt as defined herein. The present invention also provides methods for preparing articles comprising said flame retardant composition, and articles made therefrom.
US07947765B2 Binder and wood board product from maillard reactants
Binders to produce or promote cohesion in non or loosely assembled matter.
US07947734B2 Substituted para-trifluoromethyl phenylate compounds and its preparation and use thereof
The invention relates to substituted para-trifluoromethyl phenyl ether compounds and its preparation and use thereof especially. The substituted para-trifluoromethyl phenyl ether compounds of the invention having general formula (I): The substitutes see Description.The compounds of present invention have broad-spectrum activity, and may be used to control diseases in all sorts of plants caused by oomycete, basidiomycete, ascomycete pathogens and deuteromycete, and it may also provide good control efficacy at very low dosage because of the high activity. The compounds of the invention have good insecticidal activity and have good activity against many pests, especially for Carmine spider mite. The compounds are fit for synthetical control against many kinds of pests.
US07947732B2 Therapeutic substituted chlorocyclopentanols
Disclosed herein is a compound having a formula therapeutic methods, compositions, and medicaments related thereto are also disclosed.
US07947728B1 Indole and indazole analogs as glycogen synthase activators
Provided herein are compounds of the formula (I): as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein the substituents are as those disclosed in the specification. These compounds, and the pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases and disorders such as, for example, type II diabetes mellitus.
US07947723B2 Synthesis and anti-proliferative effect of benzimidazole derivatives
This invention provides for compounds, compositions, and methods that involve anti-proliferative and anti-neoplastic activity in cancer cells. In particular, a series of benzimidazole, purine, imidazopyridine, and imidazopyrizine compounds having selected substitution patterns are disclosed, and the activity of various subject compounds is demonstrated. For example, the invention provides compounds having the general formula: their pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of treatment using the subject compounds and compositions.
US07947719B2 Biologically active compounds obtainable from Sorangium cellulosum
The present invention relates to a novel group of compounds having antibiotic, antifungal and/or cytostatic properties, which are obtainable from myxobacteria, especially of the genus Sorangium, preferably Sorangium cellulosum. One representative of this group of compounds is currently named Disorazole Z and Disorazole Z-epoxide, respectively, with specific substituents and specific unsaturated bonds to its cyclic core structure:
US07947715B2 Isoxazoline compound and pesticide
There is provided a novel pesticide, particularly an insecticide or an acaricide. A substituted isoxazoline compound of formula (1) or a salt thereof: wherein A1, A2 and A3 independently of one another are carbon atom or nitrogen atom, G is benzene ring, etc., L is —CH2—, —C(CH3)—, —CH(CN)—, etc., X is halogen atom, C1-C6haloalkyl, etc., Y is halogen atom, C1-C6alkyl, etc., R1 is —C(O)R1a, —C(O)OR1a, —C(O)NHR1a, etc., R2 is hydrogen atom, C1-C6haloalkyl, —C1-C4alkoxy C1-C4alkyl, cyano C1-C6alkyl, C3-C6alkenyl, C3-C6alkynyl, —C(O)R15, —C(O)OR15, etc., R3 is C1-C6haloalkyl, etc., m is an integer of 0 to 5, n is an integer of 0 to 4. The pesticide containing these compounds.
US07947689B2 Substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines as metabotropic glutamate receptor modulators
The invention relates to pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives of formula (I) wherein Y1, Y2 and Y3 independently are e.g. CR10, NH, S or O, whereby at least one of Y1, Y2 and Y3 represents CR10; R1 represents chloro or bromo; R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 represent e.g. hydrogen or C1-C6-alkyl, and R10 represents e.g. hydrogen, halogen or phenyl; which are potent mGluR5 modulators and are e.g. useful for the treatment of various neurological disorders.
US07947688B2 N-[3-(3-substituted-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl)phenyl]-sulfonamides, and compositions, and methods related thereto
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I): wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the claims. The compounds have specific affinity for the GABAA receptor and are therefore useful in the treatment and prevention of diseases modulated by the α1- and α2-GABAA receptors.
US07947686B2 Substituted pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridine derivatives active as kinase inhibitors
Substituted pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridine derivatives of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as defined in the specification, process for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; the compounds of the invention may be useful in therapy in the treatment of diseases associated with a dysregulated protein kinase activity, like cancer.
US07947684B2 1-aroyl-piperidinyl benzamidines
This invention relates to compounds of formula which inhibit Factor Xa or tryptase, to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, and to the use of the compounds for the treatment of patients suffering from conditions which can be ameliorated by the administration of an inhibitor of Factor Xa or tryptase.
US07947683B2 3-(1,2,4-triazol-3-ylalkyl) azabicyclo (3.1.0) hexane derivatives as modulators of dopamine D3 receptors
The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: processes for their preparation, intermediates used in these processes, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy, as modulators of dopamine D3 receptors, e.g. to treat drug dependency, as antipsychotic agents, to treat obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders, premature ejaculation or cognition impairment.
US07947681B2 Methods of administering tetrahydrobiopterin, associated compositions, and methods of measuring
The present invention is directed to treatment methods of administering tetrahydrobiopterin, including in oral dosage forms, in intravenous formulations, and with food. Also disclosed herein are biopterin assays for measuring the amount of biopterin and metabolites of biopterin in a sample.
US07947674B2 Meso-substituted porphyrins
Meso-substituted porphyrins of general formula (I) suitable for the use as photosensitizing agents, in particular in photodynamic therapy, are herein described.
US07947657B2 Method for selective inhibition of human N-myc gene in N-myc expressing tumors through antisense and antigen peptido-nucleic acids (PNA)
The present invention refers to sense and antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNAs). The present invention further refers to the use of said PNAs for preparing drugs for treating genetic diseases.
US07947654B2 Pharmaceutical formulations
Good bioavailability of desmopressin can be obtained by means of an orodispersible pharmaceutical dosage form. Preferred dosage forms comprise desmopressin and an open matrix network which is an inert water-soluble or water-dispersible carrier material. Desmopressin formulated in this way is useful for voiding postponement, or the treatment or prevention of incontinence, primary noctural enuresis (PNE), nocturia or central diabetes insipidus. Peptides other than desmopressin can also be formulated in this way.
US07947647B2 Synthetic mimics of mammalian cell surface receptors: method and compositions
The present invention relates to new synthetic receptors. More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of the synthetic receptors for delivering a protein, peptide, drug, prodrug, lipid, nucleic acid, carbohydrate or small molecule into a target cell via receptor-mediated endocytosis. According to the invention, novel synthetic mimics of cell surface receptors have been designed and methods for use of the same are disclosed.
US07947645B2 APO E analogs and methods for their use
Novel ApoE-protein transduction domain conjugates are disclosed which are useful for treating disorders including CNS inflammation, traumatic brain injury, cerebral ischema, Alzheimer's Disease and other brain disorders.
US07947644B2 Dryer sheet and methods for manufacturing and using a dryer sheet
A dryer sheet is provided that includes a nonwoven substrate comprising a mixture of natural fiber and regenerated cellulose fiber, and a fabric conditioning agent. The dryer sheet, if desired, can be provided so that it satisfies the test for biodegradability according to ASTM D 6868-03. A method for manufacturing and a method for using a dryer sheet are provided.
US07947639B2 Non-aqueous, non-corrosive microelectronic cleaning compositions containing polymeric corrosion inhibitors
Photoresist strippers and cleaning compositions of this invention are provided by non-aqueous cleaning compositions that are essentially non-corrosive toward copper as well as aluminum and that comprise at least one polar organic solvent, at least one hydroxylated organic amine, and at least one corrosion inhibitor polymer having multiple hydroxyl- or amino-functional groups pendant from the polymer backbone.
US07947637B2 Cleaning formulation for removing residues on surfaces
The present disclosure provides a non-corrosive cleaning composition that is useful for removing residues from a semiconductor substrate. The composition can comprise water, at least one hydrazinocarboxylic acid ester, at least one water soluble carboxylic acid, optionally, at least one fluoride-containing compound, and, optionally, at least one corrosion inhibitor not containing a carboxyl group. The present disclosure also provides a method of cleaning residues from a semiconductor substrate using the non-corrosive cleaning composition.
US07947623B2 Hydroprocessing bulk catalyst and uses thereof
A hydroprocessing bulk catalyst is provided. A process to prepare hydroprocessing bulk catalysts is also provided. The hydroprocessing catalyst has the formula (Mt)a(Lu)b(Sv)d(Cw)e(Hx)f(Oy)g(Nz)h,, wherein M is at least one group VIB metal; promoter metal L is optional and if present, L is at least one Group VIII non-noble metal; t, u, v, w, x, y, z representing the total charge for each of the components (M, L, S, C, H, O and N, respectively); ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh=0; 0=
US07947621B2 Method of making and process for using molecular sieve catalyst
This invention provides a process for manufacturing a catalyst with a desired attrition index, comprising the steps of selecting at least one molecular sieve having a morphology and size index (MSI) of from 1 to about 1000 to secure said desired attrition index of said catalyst.
US07947620B2 Mullite bodies and methods of forming mullite bodies
A method of forming a porous mullite composition of acicular mullite grains having improved properties is described, where the mullite is formed at some time in the presence of a fluorine containing gas. For example, it has been discovered that improved properties may result from heating the mullite to a high temperature in an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of water vapor, oxygen, an inert gas or mixtures thereof or forming the mullite composition from precursors having an Al/Si ratio of at most 2.95.
US07947616B2 Pavement marking, reflective elements, and methods of making microspheres
Presently described are retroreflective articles, such as pavement markings, that comprise transparent microspheres partially embedded in a (e.g., polymeric) binder. Also described are (e.g., glass-ceramic) microspheres, methods of making microspheres, as well as compositions of glass materials and compositions of glass-ceramic materials. The microspheres generally comprise lanthanide series oxide(s), titanium oxide (TiO2), and optionally zirconium oxide (ZrO2).
US07947614B2 Multi-layered fire retardant
Disclosed is a multi-layered metal panel with a fire retardant inner core disposed between two wire mesh layers. The fire retardant inner core is a substrate coated with a fire retardant material. The wire mesh layers on top and bottom of the inner core affix the fire retardant inner core in between. A wire frame surrounds the peripheral edge of the wire mesh layers to provide structural rigidity to the panel. A protective sheet surrounds the entire panel to protect it from rain and wind.
US07947613B2 Low-density cleaning substrate
The present invention is directed to a low-density substrate, which has an optimized pore volume distribution. The optimized pore volume distribution allows the substrate to hold at least 50 percent of its cumulative volume within pores with a radius size of about 110 to 250 microns. The optimized pore volume distribution can also be characterized by having a dry fibrous web that absorbs less than 20 percent of the cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 75 microns. The optimized pore volume distribution of the substrate enables it to controllably release a fluid composition effectively onto a surface. The basis weight of the substrate is about 80 to 20 gsm and the density of the substrate is below 0.1 g/cc. The substrate may be a pre-loaded wipe, which is either moistened by a consumer prior to use or moistened prior to packaging. The composition loaded onto the substrate may contain dry and/or liquid compositions preferably for cleaning hard or soft surfaces.
US07947606B2 Methods of forming conductive features and structures thereof
Methods of forming features and structures thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming a feature includes forming a first material over a workpiece, forming a first pattern for a lower portion of the feature in the first material, and filling the first pattern with a sacrificial material. A second material is formed over the first material and the sacrificial material, and a second pattern for an upper portion of the feature is formed in the second material. The sacrificial material is removed. The first pattern and the second pattern are filled with a third material.
US07947599B2 Laser annealing for 3-D chip integration
A laser annealing method for annealing a stacked semiconductor structure having at least two stacked layers is disclosed. A laser beam is focused on a lower layer of the stacked layers. The laser beam is then scanned to anneal features in the lower layer. The laser beam is then focused on an upper layer of the stacked layers, and the laser beam is scanned to anneal features in the upper layer. The laser has a wavelength of less than one micrometer. The beam size, depth of focus, energy dosage, and scan speed of the laser beam are programmable. Features in the lower layer are offset from features in the upper layer such that these features do not overlap along a plane parallel to a path of the laser beam. Each of the stacked layers includes active devices, such as transistors. Also, the first and second layers may be annealed simultaneously.
US07947591B2 Semiconductor devices with dual-metal gate structures and fabrication methods thereof
Semiconductor devices with dual-metal gate structures and fabrication methods thereof. A semiconductor substrate with a first doped region and a second doped region separated by an insulation layer is provided. A first metal gate stack is formed on the first doped region, and a second metal gate stack is formed on the second doped region. A sealing layer is disposed on sidewalls of the first gate stack and the second gate stack. The first metal gate stack comprises an interfacial layer, a high-k dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, a first metal layer on the high-k dielectric layer, a metal insertion layer on the first metal layer, a second metal layer on the metal insertion layer, and a polysilicon layer on the second metal layer. The second metal gate stack comprises an interfacial layer, a high-k dielectric layer on the interfacial layer, a second metal layer on the high-k dielectric layer, and a polysilicon layer on the second metal layer.
US07947589B2 FinFET formation with a thermal oxide spacer hard mask formed from crystalline silicon layer
A semiconductor process and apparatus provide a FinFET device by forming a second single crystal semiconductor layer (19) that is isolated from an underlying first single crystal semiconductor layer (17) by a buried insulator layer (18); patterning and etching the second single crystal semiconductor layer (19) to form a single crystal mandrel (42) having vertical sidewalls; thermally oxidizing the vertical sidewalls of the single crystal mandrel to grow oxide spacers (52) having a substantially uniform thickness; selectively removing any remaining portion of the single crystal mandrel (42) while substantially retaining the oxide spacers (52); and selectively etching the first single crystal semiconductor layer (17) using the oxide spacers (52) to form one or more FinFET channel regions (92).
US07947587B2 High voltage semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device, particularly, a method for manufacturing a high voltage semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes forming a high voltage gate oxide film on a semiconductor substrate having a high voltage device region and a low voltage device region, forming a gate electrode on the semiconductor substrate having the high voltage gate oxide film, forming a fluorinated silicate glass (FSG) film and a liner film sequentially on an entire surface of the semiconductor substrate including the gate electrode, and forming an interlayer insulating film on the liner film. Thus, it is possible to prevent an increase in leakage current of the high voltage semiconductor device such as a MOS transistor.
US07947586B2 Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed, wherein a plating layer is formed on a first surface side of a semiconductor substrate stably and at a low cost, while preventing the plating liquid from being contaminated and avoiding deposition of uneven plating layer on a second surface side. An electrode is formed on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, and another electrode is formed on the second surface. A curing resin is applied on the electrode on the second surface and a film is stuck on the curing resin, and the curing resin is then cured. After that, a plating process is conducted on the first surface. The film and the curing resin are then peeled off.
US07947583B2 Forming of silicide areas in a semiconductor device
An embodiment of a method for forming silicide areas of different thicknesses in a device comprising first and second silicon areas, comprising the steps of: implanting antimony or aluminum in the upper portion of the first silicon areas; covering the silicon areas with a metallic material; and heating the device to transform all or part of the silicon areas into silicide areas, whereby the silicide areas formed at the level of the first silicon areas are thinner than the silicide areas formed at the level of the second silicon areas.
US07947577B2 Method and apparatus for producing group III nitride
A method of producing a group III nitride such as aluminum nitride, comprising the step of reacting a group III halide gas such as aluminum trichloride gas with a nitrogen source gas such as ammonia gas in a growth chamber to grow a group III nitride on a substrate held in the growth chamber, wherein the method further comprises premixing together the group III halide gas and the nitrogen source gas to obtain a mixed gas and then introducing the mixed gas into the growth chamber without forming a deposit in the mixed gas substantially to be reacted each other.For the growth of a group III nitride such as an aluminum-based group III nitride by HVPE, there are provided a method of producing the group III nitride having as high quality as that obtained by the method of the prior art at a high yield and an apparatus used in the method.
US07947570B2 Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus of semiconductor substrate
It is an object to provide a homogeneous semiconductor substrate in which defective bonding is reduced. Such a semiconductor substrate can be formed by the steps of: disposing a first substrate in a substrate bonding chamber which includes a substrate supporting base where a plurality of openings is provided, substrate supporting mechanisms provided in the plurality of openings, and raising and lowering mechanisms which raise and lower the substrate supporting mechanisms; disposing a second substrate over the first substrate so as not to be in contact with the first substrate; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate by using the raising and lowering mechanisms to raise the substrate supporting mechanisms.
US07947568B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a process of forming a STI trench in a substrate, a process of forming a thermal oxide film on a sidewall and a bottom surface of the STI trench, a process of performing a plasma treatment on a surface of the thermal oxide film that is located at a bottom portion of the STI trench, and a process of forming an insulating film in the STI trench using a CVD method.
US07947565B2 Forming method of porous low-k layer and interconnect process
A method of forming a porous low-k layer is described. A CVD process is conducted to a substrate, wherein a framework precursor and a porogen precursor are supplied. In an end period of the supply of the framework precursor, the value of at least one deposition parameter negatively correlated with the density of the product of the CVD process is decreased.
US07947564B2 Method of fabricating a mixed microtechnology structure and a structure obtained thereby
A method of fabricating a mixed microtechnology structure includes providing a provisional substrate including a sacrificial layer on which is formed a mixed layer including at least first patterns of a first material and second patterns of a second material different from the first material, where the first and second patterns reside adjacent the sacrificial layer. The sacrificial layer is removed exposing a mixed surface of the mixed layer, the mixed surface including portions of the first patterns and portions of the second patterns. A continuous is formed covering layer of a third material on the mixed surface by direct bonding.
US07947563B2 Chip ID applying method suitable for use in semiconductor integrated circuit
A chip forming position specifying method for applying chip IDs indicative of positions on a wafer where semiconductor chips are formed, and thereby specifying their positions. In the chip forming position specifying method, different marks are formed for every chip in a transfer mask (hereinafter called “mark forming mask”) used to form a wiring layer, in addition to normal functional wirings. The positions of the chips on the wafer are respectively specified according to combinations of the marks of a plurality of the mark forming masks, which have been transferred onto the wafer.
US07947560B2 Method of nickel disilicide formation and method of nickel disilicate source/drain formation
A method for forming silicide includes the steps of: forming a nickel film on a silicon layer (or a silicon substrate); introducing nitrogen into at least one of the nickel film and the interface between the nickel film and the silicon layer (or the silicon substrate); and after the introduction of the nitrogen, applying heat treatment to the nickel film and the silicon layer (or the silicon substrate) under predetermined conditions to form a nickel disilicide layer.
US07947557B2 Heterojunction tunneling field effect transistors, and methods for fabricating the same
The present invention relates to a heterojunction tunneling effect transistor (TFET), which comprises spaced apart source and drain regions with a channel region located therebetween and a gate stack located over the channel region. The drain region comprises a first semiconductor material and is doped with a first dopant species of a first conductivity type. The source region comprises a second, different semiconductor material and is doped with a second dopant species of a second, different conductivity type. The gate stack comprises at least a gate dielectric and a gate conductor. When the heterojunction TFET is an n-channel TFET, the drain region comprises n-doped silicon, while the source region comprises p-doped silicon germanium.