| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07979914B2 |
Time-based digital content authorization
Methods and apparatuses for time-based access to digital content are provided. Access to a set of digital content is provided for a predetermined period of time. During the predetermined period of time, a user can access (e.g., download, play) any digital content in the set of digital content. At the end of the predetermined period of time, the user is denied access to the digital content regardless of where the content is stored (e.g., in a digital content library, on a computer system controlled by the user, on a playback device controlled by the user). Simplified access and control of digital content is thereby provided in the form of time-based access. |
| US07979909B2 |
Application controlled encryption of web browser data
A browser cache-securing component facilitates online communication of confidential data, such as for financial information, purchasing transactions, or user identification. Caching webpages for subsequent presentation enhances user productivity and efficiency while reducing burdens on network resources. Yet, the security risks of intrusions into cache memory are mitigated by retaining encrypted data in cache memory without prior decryption. A modest overhead in decrypting when and if the webpage is to be presented again gains a security and privacy advantage without taking away functionality. Decrypted versions of confidential data can thereby be relegated to volatile memory. Upon termination of a session, a session key shared by a network server is deleted, preventing subsequent decryption. Executing the browser cache-securing component in a virtual machine environment allows multiple browser types to benefit from the security feature. |
| US07979902B2 |
Using object based security for controlling object specific actions on a surface based computing device
The present invention discloses a solution for object level security on a surface based computing device that includes software objects and behavior tokens. The behavior tokens can control an extent that users are able to manipulate the software objects using the surface based computing device. Different levels of control can be established on an object-by-object basis for different users. The extent users are able to manipulate the software objects can also depends upon set of users proximate to the surface based computing device. |
| US07979899B2 |
Trusted device-specific authentication
An authentication system combines device credential verification with user credential verification to provide a more robust authentication mechanism that is convenient to the user and effective across enterprise boundaries. In one implementation, user credential verification and device credential verification are combined to provide a convenient two-factor authentication. In this manner, an account authority service or other authentication provider verify both factors and provide a security token in accordance with the security policy of the account network resource the user is intending to access. The level of privilege granted by the target account network resource can vary depending on the number and type of factors verified by the account authority service. |
| US07979895B2 |
System and method for partitioning a multi-level security namespace
The invention provides a system and method for “partitioning” a “namespace” managed by a name (or “directory”) registration server according to “security label” or other security attributes to allow the same registered (e.g., “domain”) name to be used for processing resource(s)/service(s)/application(s) operating under different security labels. |
| US07979893B2 |
Tailored system management interface
Processes and techniques for tailoring operations management in a system are described. The processes and techniques allow a user to customize operations management based on the user's function within a system and the particular tasks that the user wishes to accomplish. Simplified user interfaces can be created by scoping the interfaces based on user profiles, preferences and system components. |
| US07979892B2 |
Peripheral device
A peripheral device having one or more functions comprises: an input unit letting a user input identification information; function selection buttons each of which is previously associated with one of the functions and can be operated for selecting the associated function; a usage permission information storing unit previously storing usage permission information (indicating whether the use of each function has been permitted or not) while associating it with the identification information on each user; and a notification unit notifying the user whether the user is permitted to use each function or not when the identification information is inputted, by displaying the function selection buttons regarding functions that the user has been permitted to use and the function selection buttons regarding functions that the user has not been permitted to use in different styles discriminable from each other based on the usage permission information associated with the inputted identification information. |
| US07979864B2 |
Apparatus for setting used license of executing job into unused license state and allocating the set unused license to a to be executed job based on priority
A job management apparatus includes a detection section that detects the number of unused licenses, a determination section that determines whether or not the number of unused licenses is sufficient to cover the number of licenses necessary for execution of a first job to be executed, and a job control section that sets a used license that is used by a second job into an unused state, in which a priority rank assigned to the second job is lower than a priority rank assigned to the first job, when the determination section determines that the number of unused licenses is not sufficient to cover the number of licenses necessary for execution of the first job, and allocates the used license set into the unused state to the first job. |
| US07979862B2 |
System and method for replacing an inoperable master workload management process
In one embodiment, a method comprises executing respective workload management processes within a plurality of computing compartments to allocate at least processor resources to applications executed within the plurality of computing compartments, selecting a master workload management process to reallocate processor resources between the plurality of computing compartments in response to requests from the workload management processes to receive additional resources, monitoring operations of the master workload management process by the other workload management processes, detecting, by the other workload management processes, when the master workload management process becomes inoperable, and selecting a replacement master workload management process by the other workload management processes in response to the detecting. |
| US07979856B2 |
Network-based software extensions
Methods and systems for network-based or Internet-based software delivery are described. In one embodiment, an application program or software platform resides on a client. The program or platform is configured so that it is extensible based on software extensions that are deliverable over a network such as the Internet. In the described embodiment, extension files that comprise a software extension are hosted on an Internet server. Additional files are also hosted on the Internet server and describe aspects of the software extension. Extensions are incorporated on a client by navigating to a particular Internet site through which the extensions can be accessed. The files describing the extension files are downloaded on the client. The extension files are then downloaded and incorporated into the program or platform. |
| US07979850B2 |
Method and system for generating a common trace data format
A method for generating a common trace data format is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes generating trace data at a provider, identifying a format of the trace data, comparing the format of the trace data with a common format to determine if the format is in compliance with the common format, and modifying the format to comply with the common format, if the format is not in compliance with the common format. |
| US07979848B2 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for pattern matching in procedure development and verification
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which, in some embodiments, a formal specification is pattern-matched from scenarios, the formal specification is analyzed, and flaws in the formal specification are corrected. The systems, methods and apparatus may include pattern-matching an equivalent formal model from an informal specification. Such a model can be analyzed for contradictions, conflicts, use of resources before the resources are available, competition for resources, and so forth. From such a formal model, an implementation can be automatically generated in a variety of notations. The approach can improve the resulting implementation, which, in some embodiments, is provably equivalent to the procedures described at the outset, which in turn can improve confidence that the system reflects the requirements, and in turn reduces system development time and reduces the amount of testing required of a new system. Moreover, in some embodiments, two or more implementations can be “reversed” to appropriate formal models, the models can be combined, and the resulting combination checked for conflicts. Then, the combined, error-free model can be used to generate a new (single) implementation that combines the functionality of the original separate implementations, and may be more likely to be correct. |
| US07979847B2 |
Visual debugger for declarative/data-flow applications
A framework is implemented. The framework is configured to execute an application within the framework, the application includes instantiated runtime objects. New instantiated runtime objects may be created and instantiated runtime objects destroyed while the application is executing. The framework is further configured to implement a debugger within the framework. At the debugger, instantiated runtime objects are correlated with lines of code of the application. Some embodiments allow users to debug executing applications. This can be accomplished by a user interacting with the executing application which then causes indications in the debugger or interacting with the debugger and which causes indications on instantiated runtime objects in the application. |
| US07979846B2 |
Automatic test generation for reference testing
A system for application reference testing (SMART) solves the technical problem of generating test data and test cases from graphical user interface applications (GAPs) to test web services, effectively and non-invasively. SMART allows organizations to easily and promptly identify and resolve software bugs, ensure higher quality software and development productivity, complete software projects faster, deliver software products to market quicker, and improve the return on investment for software development projects. SMART provides a user friendly visualization mechanism that interacts with an accessibility layer to enable organizations to economically and easily define user interactions with GAPs, by performing point-and-click, drag-and-drop operations on the GAPs, and generate reusable test data and test cases for web services. |
| US07979843B2 |
Conversion of a first executable diagram having interconnected nodes to a second executable diagram using an intermediate XML representation
A system and method for programmatically generating a graphical program in response to state diagram information. The state diagram information may specify a plurality of states and state transitions, wherein each state transition specifies a transition from a first state to a second state. A graphical program generation program (GPG program), may receive the state diagram information and automatically, i.e., programmatically, generate a graphical program (or graphical program portion) based on the state diagram information. |
| US07979841B2 |
Programmatically determining calling information of a graphical program
A system and method for programmatically determining interface information for a graphical program. Interface information for a graphical program may include information necessary to invoke execution of the graphical program. A first program may receive a request for information regarding an interface of a graphical program. In response to the request, the first program may programmatically determine the information regarding the interface of the graphical program. The interface information may include such information as parameters of the graphical program, their respective data types, whether each parameter is an input parameter, an output parameter, or both, and default values for input parameters. The programmatically determined information regarding the interface of the graphical program may then be returned to a second program. The second program may invoke execution of the graphical program according to the received information. |
| US07979829B2 |
Integrated circuit cell library with cell-level process compensation technique (PCT) application and associated methods
A layout of cells is generated to satisfy a netlist of an integrated circuit. Cell-level process compensation technique (PCT) processing is performed on a number of levels of one or more cells in the layout to generate a PCT processed version of the one more cells in the layout. An as-fabricated aerial image of each PCT processed cell level is generated to facilitate evaluation of PCT processing adequacy. Cell-level circuit extraction is performed on the PCT processed version of each cell using the generated as-fabricated aerial images. The cell-level PCT processing and cell-level circuit extraction are performed before placing and routing of the layout on a chip. The PCT processed version of the one or more cells and corresponding as-fabricated aerial images are stored in a cell library. |
| US07979825B2 |
Method and system for the calculation of the sensitivities of an electrical parameter of an integrated circuit
A method and system for determining electrical parameter data for a layer of an integrated circuit that can include a nominal electrical parameter value, and sensitivity values which represent the sensitivities of the nominal electrical parameter value to variations in the nominal parameter values. A template of the layer geometry is provided from a portion of which a set of linear equations are developed and which equations are solved using a two step method and from which solution the nominal electrical parameter values are determined. An auxiliary set of the original linear equations is developed from the original set using the adjoint method and from the solution of the auxiliary set using the two step method the sensitivity values are calculated. |
| US07979819B2 |
Minterm tracing and reporting
Disclosed are a method, a system and a computer program product for determining and reporting minterms to aid in implementing an engineering change order (ECO). A Minterm Tracing and Reporting (MTR) utility, which executes on a computer system, receives two or more timing points of an optimized netlist, where one or more of the two or more timing points are received from one or more of a user, a memory medium, and/or a network. For example, a timing point is a primary input, a primary output, or a latch point. After receiving the two or more timing points of the optimized netlist, the MTR utility determines two or more minterms of the optimized netlist. In determining the minterms, from one timing point to a next timing point: a polarity at the timing point may be determined, and a forward trace from the timing point to the next timing point is performed to determine the two or more minterms of the optimized netlist. In the forward trace from the timing point to the next timing point, the MTR utility determines two or more logical cones and one or more intersections of the logical cones. The MTR utility reports (e.g., communicates) each of the determined minterms, the determined polarities, and the one or more intersections of logical cones to one or more of a computer-executable application, a network, a memory medium, and/or a display. |
| US07979811B2 |
Intermediate layout for resolution enhancement in semiconductor fabrication
Intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts are generated based upon an original non-resolution enhanced layout of an integrated circuit and an associated resolution-enhanced layout. The intermediate resolution-enhancement state layout includes fragments corresponding to parts of the original layout and biases associated with the fragments, where the biases indicate distances between the fragments and the resolution-enhanced layout. The fragments are also assigned attributes such as fragment type, fragment location, and biases. The intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts can be combined to generate the layout for a full chip IC. Two or more intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts are assembled and are locally reconverged to adjust the resolution enhancement associated with the intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts and obtain the intermediate resolution-enhancement state layouts for the full IC. |
| US07979807B2 |
Method and system for communicating and exchanging data between browser frames
Browser frames residing on different domain servers may exchange information indirectly without compromising security that ordinary restricts frame to frame communication. The first browser frame causes the browser to generate a notification of a change of state of the browser frame. The browser sends the notification, together with data values from the content of the first browser frame, to a domain server that hosts the second frame. The server software running on the domain server receives and interprets the notification and data values, and updates the content of the second frame according to the interpretation. The domain server then sends the updated content back to the browser that issued the notification. The browser displays the updated content in the area allocated to the second frame. |
| US07979801B2 |
Media presentation driven by meta-data events
A presentation application provides for authoring and playback of multi-media presentations. Each page of the presentation may contain one or more types of media, including video, text, images and other media. A user may interact with the presentation during playback by selecting different instances of the media. Media elements of the presentation may be tagged with meta-data. Tagged media elements may generate a tag event associated with meta-data in response to being selected, perform an action when a tag event with a particular meta-data occurs, or both. When a user selects a tagged media instance during presentation playback, the tagged media generates a tag event with a particular meta-data. The application detects the tag event, determines one or more other media instances (if any) configured to perform an action upon detection of the tag event with the particular meta-data, and carries out the corresponding action. |
| US07979796B2 |
Searching for commands and other elements of a user interface
The present invention provides a search capability to allow a user to easily locate a menu command or other user interface element associated with a search result. In one embodiment, a user enters a search term (or a portion thereof) in a search field. A list of results is displayed, for example in a results menu. The user can select or highlight any of the listed results; in response, the corresponding command is brought into view in context within the user interface, and is highlighted. The user can activate the selected command directly from the search results menu. |
| US07979791B2 |
Cross-domain communication
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes generating, within a web-accessible document, a parent container document associated with a first Internet domain and one or more child container documents within the parent container document and associated with a second Internet domain. The method also includes receiving, by the parent container document, information requested from a server associated with the first Internet domain, and communicating the information from the first Internet domain to the second Internet domain using the parent container document associated with the first Internet domain to transmit the information to the one or more child container documents associated with the second Internet domain. |
| US07979782B2 |
Low complexity blind transport format detection
Provided is a method, apparatus and computer program product for detecting a transport format of a multiplexed transport channel used for transferring binary data. A path metric value is determined, which estimates likelihood for a hypothetical trellis path to end at a predetermined state, for every state of a trellis stage of a possible end bit position of a data block of the transport channel. Then, for each possible end bit position a number of path metric values which indicate higher likelihood for the hypothetical trellis path to end at said predetermined state than an initial state is calculated, and the best end bit positions which lead to highest values of the calculated number are selected and error checking is performed for the selected best end bit positions to detect the transport format. The proposed selection of best end bit positions leads to a reduced number of decoding operations. |
| US07979781B2 |
Method and system for performing Viterbi decoding using a reduced trellis memory
A method for performing Viterbi decoding using a reduced trellis memory is provided that includes dividing a block of data into a plurality of segments. A feed-forward process is performed on each of the segments to generate a trellis for each of the segments. A traceback process is performed on each of a plurality of overlapping segment pairs, each segment pair comprising a first segment and a second segment, to generate a traceback result for the first segment and a traceback result for the second segment. The traceback result for the second segment is discarded to generate a decoder output based on the traceback result for the first segment. |
| US07979772B2 |
Method and system for providing a contention-free interleaver for channel coding
A method for operating a contention-free interleaver for channel coding is provided that includes generating a sub-table based on a data block size, N, and an offset vector, v, of length x and generating an interleave table based on the sub-table. For a particular embodiment, the interleave table is generated based on the sub-table by generating a plurality of multiplets that together form the interleave table. In addition, the sub-table may be generated based on the data block size and the offset vector by (i) rounding the data block size up to a nearest multiple of the length, x, of the offset vector to generate a modified block size, N′, and (ii) generating the sub-table of a size equal to N′/x. |
| US07979767B2 |
Automatic repeat request (ARQ) reset method
An Automatic Repeat-reQuest (ARQ) Reset method for an ARQ transmitter disables (120) transmission, starts (130) an ARQ transmitter window at a first unacknowledged block, and discards (140) service data units (SDUs) in the ARQ transmitter window having zero blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state. Thus, for all SDUs having no blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state, the blocks in an ‘outstanding’ or ‘waiting-for-retransmission’ state are changed to a ‘discard’ state. Next, the ARQ transmitter sets (150) the state of all blocks in partially unsent SDUs of the ARQ transmitter window to ‘not-sent.’ So, any remaining blocks in an ‘outstanding,’ ‘waiting-for-transmission’ or ‘discard’ state are changed to ‘not-sent.’ After the ARQ transmitter enables (160) transmission and ends (190) the ARQ Reset procedure, the ARQ transmitter will send blocks in the ‘not-sent’ state. This ARQ Reset method avoids retransmitting blocks that might cause duplicate packets at the ARQ receiver, which some protocols cannot handle. |
| US07979761B2 |
Memory test device and memory test method
A memory test device, including a universal register to conduct an operation by a predetermined universal command language; an extension register having a larger capacity than the universal register and to conduct an operation by a predetermined extension command language; and a controller to write a predetermined test pattern in an external memory using the extension command language, to read the test pattern written in the memory, to determine the identity of the written test pattern and the read test pattern, and to determine a presence of an error in the memory using the universal command language. |
| US07979760B2 |
Test system for conducting parallel bit test
Provided is a test system conducting a parallel bit test. The test system, conducting a parallel bit test on a plurality of memory modules mounted on a socket, comprises a plurality of counters and a comparator. Each of the counters counts the number of data output signals in the same logic state, among the data output signals outputted from each memory of the memory modules, and outputs a count signal. The comparator compares the count signal outputted from each of the counters and outputs a comparison signal corresponding to a defect of the memory modules. According to the test system, defects in a memory module can be accurately detected and a possibility of an error in the detection can be reduced when a plurality of memory modules are tested, as compared to conventional test systems. |
| US07979749B2 |
Method and infrastructure for detecting and/or servicing a failing/failed operating system instance
A method and infrastructure for a diagnosis and/or repair mechanism in a computer system, that includes an auxiliary service system running on the computer system. |
| US07979737B2 |
Method for accessing a Flash memory, and associated memory device and controller thereof
A method for accessing a Flash memory including a plurality of blocks includes: selectively programming a page in a first block of the blocks; when a status of the Flash memory is abnormal, determining whether a number of error bits is less than a predetermined value; and when the number of error bits is not less than the predetermined value, moving the first block. An associated memory device and a controller thereof are also provided, where the controller includes: a read only memory (ROM) arranged to store a program code; and a microprocessor arranged to execute the program code to control the access to the Flash memory. In addition, when the number of error bits is not less than the predetermined value, the controller that executes the program code by utilizing the microprocessor moves the first block. |
| US07979734B2 |
Method and system for preventing service disruption of internet protocol (IP) based services due to domain name resolution failures
A method for preventing service disruption for a device in a network is provided. The method includes populating a filter list with an IP address declared to be valid for a server in the network and populating a rainy day list with an IP address discovered to be valid for the server. The method also includes requesting a DNS server to resolve a server domain name to a server IP address. When no response to the request is received, an IP address on the rainy day list is used to attempt to contact the server. When a response is received, the received IP address is compared to an IP address on the filter list or the rainy day list. When the received IP address matches an IP addresses on the filter list or the rainy day list, the received IP address is used to contact the server. |
| US07979722B2 |
Flash memory distribution of digital content
Methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for distributing digital content. One embodiment comprises an apparatus comprising: a device (100) communications bus; coupled to the device communications bus (150), a bi-directional communications controller (110) capable of communicatively interfacing with a computer (710); coupled to the device communications bus (150), an integrated processor (130) capable of executing (270) computer-executable instructions; and coupled to the integrated processor (130), a storage module (140) capable of storing computer-executable instructions. |
| US07979717B2 |
Secure removable card having a plurality of integrated circuit dies
A secure removable card has electrical connections for communication therewith. The card comprises a first integrated circuit die, with the first die including a processor. The card has a second integrated circuit die, with the second die including a non-volatile memory for storing a secret key, and a controller for controlling the operation of the non-volatile memory. A bus connects the first die with the second die. The processor can generate a key pair, having a public key portion and a private key portion upon power up, and transfers the public key portion across the bus to the second die. The controller can receive the public key and encrypt the secret key with the public key to generate a first encrypted key, and can transfer the first encrypted key across the bus to the first die. The processor can receive the first encrypted key and can decrypt the first encrypted key to recover the secret key, and can encrypt data with the secret key for communicating along the electrical connections external to the card. |
| US07979713B2 |
Methods and arrangments for realising betting with off-line terminals
Methods and arrangements are provided for handling, within a communications system comprising a distributed domain and a central domain, electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of a certain incident. Within the distributed domain there is generated, before the outcome of the incident is known, a multitude of electronic records that contain predictions of the outcome of the incident. The electronic records are conveyed from the distributed domain to the central domain. After the outcome of the incident is known, the central domain finds out which of the electronic records, if any, contain correct predictions of the outcome of the incident. Each of the electronic records is furnished, within the distributed domain, with a cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record. The central domain accepts only those of the electronic records conveyed thereto as valid for which the cryptographically protected proof of a certain moment of time associated with the generation of the electronic record shows that said certain moment of time was not later in time than a certain time limit. |
| US07979703B2 |
Determining the reputation of a sender of communications
A method and system for determining the reputation of a sender for sending desirable communications is provided. The reputation system identifies senders of communications by keys sent along with the communications. The reputation system then may process a communication to determine whether it is a desirable communication. The reputation system then establishes a reputation for the sender of the communication based on the assessment of whether that communication and other communications sent by that sender are desirable. Once the reputation of a sender is established, the reputation system can discard communications from senders with undesired reputations, provide to the recipient communications from senders with desired reputations, and place in a suspect folder communications from senders with an unknown reputation. |
| US07979701B1 |
Cross mapping graphical interface to show encryption relationships between hosts and storage devices
The invention operates in connection with a secure storage compartment feature of a storage security appliance to allow users to see the encryption and permission relationships between hosts and storage in one view. The invention also provides a user tool that enables users to manage secure storage compartments (encryption/key relationship) easily and access permissions between them. The invention also provides a user tool that helps users find missing relationships/permissions easily when troubleshooting a host's missing storage after a storage security appliance is installed. The invention further provides a user tool that overlays cross mapping/relationship information on top of a topology view, thereby making it easy for a user to see missing or extraneous relationships between hosts and storage. |
| US07979692B1 |
Device-to-device and client server based video monitoring and video teleconferencing/server networking technology for remote monitoring
Integration of the components of video monitoring, audio messaging, IP telephony, and video conferencing on a single infrastructure platform is provided. Data communications enable voice and video devices to communicate directly with compatible platforms at unlimited geographical locations supported by common wired and wireless networking standards and telecommunications protocols. Completely software driven encryption methods are used to ensure a portable, private, encryption-secure device-to-device and client server based video monitoring and teleconferencing system. Voice biometrics are also used as an authentication method to access the integrated system. |
| US07979682B2 |
Method and system for preventing livelock due to competing updates of prediction information
A system to prevent livelock. An outcome of an event is predicted to form an event outcome prediction. The event outcome prediction is compared with a correct value for a datum to be accessed. An instruction is appended with a real event outcome when the outcome of the event is mispredicted to form an appended instruction. A prediction override bit is set on the appended instruction. Then, the appended instruction is executed with the real event outcome. |
| US07979680B2 |
Multi-threaded parallel processor methods and apparatus
A processor system may implement multiple contexts on one or more processors having a local memory. Code and/or data for first and second contexts may be respectively stored simultaneously in first and second regions of a processor's local memory, storing code and/or data for a second context in a second region of the local memory, the secondary processor may execute the first context while the second context waits. Code and/or data for the first context may be transferred from the first region to the second and code and/or data for the second context may be transferred from the second region to the first, and the processor may execute the second context during a pause or stoppage of execution of the first context. Alternatively, the code and/or data for the second context may be transferred to another processor's local memory. |
| US07979676B2 |
Method for instructing a data processor to process data
A data processor which executes instructions described in first and second instruction formats. The first instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a predetermined size, while the second instruction format defines a register-addressing field of a size larger than that of the register-addressing field defined by the first instruction format. The data processor includes: instruction-type identifier, responsive to an instruction, for identifying the received instruction as being described in the first or second instruction format by the instruction itself; a first register file including a plurality of registers; and a second register file also including a plurality of registers, the number of the registers included in the second register file being larger than that of the registers included in the first register file. |
| US07979673B2 |
Method and apparatus for matrix decompositions in programmable logic devices
A processor is adapted for performing a QR-decomposition. The processor has a program memory, a program controller, connected to the program memory to receive program instructions, and at least one processing unit. The processing unit includes a CORDIC calculation block, and has a distributed memory structure, with separate memory blocks for storing respective parameter values. |
| US07979670B2 |
Methods and systems for vectored data de-duplication
The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes. |
| US07979669B1 |
Method and system for caching attribute data for matching attributes with physical addresses
A method for caching attribute data for matching attributes with physical addresses. The method includes storing a plurality of attribute entries in a memory, wherein the memory is configured to provide at least one attribute entry when accessed with a physical address, and wherein the attribute entry provided describes characteristics of the physical address. |
| US07979668B2 |
Method and system for automatically distributing real memory between virtual memory page sizes
A method, system and computer program product for allocating real memory to virtual memory page sizes when all real memory is in use is disclosed. In response to a page fault, a page frame for a virtual page is selected. In response to determining that said page does not represent a new page, a page is paged-in into said page frame a repaging rate for a page size of the page is modified in a repaging rates data structure. |
| US07979655B2 |
Dynamic optimization of device limits and thresholds in a write cache
A method, computer program product and system for dynamically optimizing the limit and the thresholds of a write cache for a storage adapter connected to storage devices, includes measuring continually an overall locality of data in the write cache for the storage devices, calculating the limit of the write cache dynamically for each storage device using the overall locality and a device-related information, and calculating the threshold of the write cache dynamically for each storage device by combining a fair amount and a device-related additional amount. |
| US07979649B1 |
Method and apparatus for implementing a storage lifecycle policy of a snapshot image
A method and apparatus for managing a lifecycle of a snapshot image using a storage lifecycle policy is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises recording a snapshot image of a volume and creating a copy of the snapshot image, wherein the copy is to be used to implement a storage lifecycle policy for the snapshot image. |
| US07979647B2 |
Method of storing data on a secondary storage device
A backup method relies on a single secondary storage device, such as a tape storage device, which emulates multiple secondary storage devices. The emulated secondary storage devices are coupled to data sources. Data which is received from the data sources is tagged with respective unique identifiers, interleaved and stored on a removable storage medium, such as a tape. This facilitates maximum usage of the media access bandwidth of the single secondary storage device. |
| US07979643B2 |
Method for tuning a cache
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for tuning the size of the cache. In particular, when a page fault occurs, non-resident page data is checked to determine if that page was previously accessed. If the page is found in the non-resident page data, an inter-reference distance for the faulted page is determined and the distance of the oldest resident page is determined. The size of the cache may then be tuned based on comparing the inter-reference distance of the newly faulted page relative to the distance of the oldest resident page. |
| US07979642B2 |
Managing the storage of high-priority storage items in storage units in multi-core and multi-threaded systems using history storage and control circuitry
A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing circuitry for executing multiple program threads. At least one storage unit is shared between the multiple program threads and comprises multiple entries, each entry for storing a storage item either associated with a high priority program thread or a lower priority program thread. A history storage for retaining a history field for each of a plurality of blocks of the storage unit is also provided. On detection of a high priority storage item being evicted from the storage unit as a result of allocation to that entry of a lower priority storage item, the history field for the block containing that entry is populated with an indication of the evicted high priority storage item. When later a high priority storage item is allocated to a selected entry of the storage unit, a comparison operation between the allocated high priority storage item and the indication in the history field for the block containing the selected entry is carried out, and on detection of a match condition a lock indication associated with that entry is set to inhibit further eviction of that high priority storage item. |
| US07979628B2 |
Re-flash protection for flash memory
A method for storing data includes providing a memory package including an integrated circuit containing a non-volatile memory and counter circuitry. The data is written to the non-volatile memory. The counter circuitry is operated to maintain a count of write operations performed on the non-volatile memory. The data and the count from the memory package are received at a controller, separate from the memory package, and the data is authenticated in response to the count. |
| US07979622B2 |
Memory access method
A memory access method intended for a memory required to provide an interval of a predetermined number of clock cycles or longer between successive occurrences of access when the same bank is successively accessed, and that eliminates an idle time between successive occurrences of access to allow for improved performance. Pieces of data are written into 0th, the first, the second, and the third banks, respectively. No idle time is caused between successive occurrences of access because different banks are successively accessed. Since a burst length of each of the pieces of data is eight, an interval of 16 cycles which is longer than 15 cycles is provided between a start of writing of first data and a start of second writing of data. Accordingly, no idle time is caused also between completion of writing of the first data and start of writing of the second data. |
| US07979617B2 |
Quad aware locking primitive
A method and computer system for efficiently handling high contention locking in a multiprocessor computer system. At least some of the processors in the system are organized into a hierarchy, and process an interruptible lock in response to the hierarchy. The method utilizes two alternative methods of acquiring the lock, including a conditional lock acquisition primitive and an unconditional lock acquisition primitive, and an unconditional lock release primitive for releasing the lock from a particular processor. To prevent races between processors requesting a lock acquisition and a processor releasing the lock, a release flag is utilized. Furthermore, in order to ensure that the a processor utilizing the unconditional lock acquisition primitive is granted the lock, a handoff flag is utilized. |
| US07979616B2 |
System and method for providing a configurable command sequence for a memory interface device
A system and method for providing a configurable command sequence for a memory interface device (MID). The system includes a MID intended for use in a cascade interconnect system and in communication with one or more memory devices. The MID includes a first connection to a high speed bus operating at a first data rate, a second connection to the high speed bus, an alternate communication means and logic. The first connection to the high speed bus includes receiver circuitry operating at the first data rate. The alternate communication means operates at a second data rate that is slower than the first data rate. The logic facilitates receiving commands via the first connection from the high speed bus operating at the first data rate and using a first command sequence. The logic also facilitates receiving the commands via the alternate communication means using a second command sequence which differs from the first command sequence in the speed in which the commands are transferred. The logic further facilitates processing the commands if the commands are directed to the MID and redriving the commands via the second connection onto the high speed bus. |
| US07979615B1 |
Apparatus for masked arbitration between masters and requestors and method for operating the same
An apparatus is disclosed for handling multiple requestors desiring access to a resource. The apparatus includes a plurality of masters and a plurality of arbitrators. Each arbitrator is assigned to a different one of the plurality of masters. Also, each arbitrator is defined to consider a different portion of the multiple requestors when selecting a requestor to be serviced by the master to which the arbitrator is assigned. Each arbitrator is further defined to select a requestor from the different portion of the multiple requestors, such that selection of a particular requestor is not duplicated among the plurality of arbitrators. Additionally, requestor selection by each of the plurality of arbitrators is performed in a same clock cycle. |
| US07979612B2 |
Communication method and apparatus
A communication method allows a host to access and send commands to an apparatus across a network or communication system by encoding data as a sequence of status signals and sending the data from the host on a communication channel between the host and an auxiliary device. The apparatus detects the status signals sent on the communication channel and decodes the status signals to retrieve the data. The apparatus further comprises a data filter to filter keystroke data by removing break code data. The keystroke data can be reconstructed by the host. |
| US07979609B2 |
Control system and communication system for digital mixer
In a control system of a digital mixer, first class devices are connected via a first class bus, and second class devices are connected to each first class device via a second class bus. The number of first class devices, which require a specific function for adding source and destination addresses to data, can be reduced by the number of the second class devices. Moreover, the second class device which does not require the specific function for adding source and destination addresses to data input/output operations is cheaper than the first class device, resulting in the implementation of simplified configuration and reduced production costs. |
| US07979602B2 |
Method and system for storing memory compressed data onto memory compressed disks
A method (and system) of storing information, includes storing main memory compressed information onto a memory compressed disk, where pages are stored and retrieved individually, without decompressing the main memory compressed information. |
| US07979597B2 |
Programming parallel I2C slave devices from a single I2C data stream
Consistent with one example embodiment, communications systems, using a serial data transfer bus having a serial data line and a clock line used to implement a communications protocol, incorporate programming of parallel slave devices concurrently using an I2C serial bus. At least two slave devices are coupled in parallel on the data transfer bus and configured to load serial data over the serial data line using the communications protocol. Each slave device includes a programmable configuration register configured to be programmed, using the communications protocol, to select one of a plurality of selectable slave device configurations. One of the selectable slave device configurations causes the at least two slave devices to load the serial data in parallel, and another of the selectable slave device configurations causes the at least two slave devices to be loaded one at a time. |
| US07979591B2 |
Network views for a multi display network supporting CEC
Method and devices for discovering, maintaining and updating network views of a multi display network supporting CEC. Some embodiments include determining CEC logical addresses of HDMI-CEC devices coupled to HDMI-CEC ports using selective CEC message generation and handling. Other embodiments eliminate an HDMI-CEC device from selected cluster trees upon identifying TMDS communication. |
| US07979590B2 |
Multiple sink configuration supporting HDMI-CEC
Methods and devices for enabling a chain of displays to communicate with HDMI-CEC sources using HDMI-CEC. Also disclosed is a display device supporting picture-in-picture through two HDMI-CEC input ports, where each port communicates using HDMI-CEC with an HDMI-CEC source. |
| US07979589B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for port multiplier enhancement
A method, apparatus and system are provided for enhancing port multipliers. In one embodiment, a port multiplier is configured to couple a network host with port multipliers. The port multiplier includes a top port multiplier to establish and maintain communication with each of the port multipliers to communicate with the network host, and the port multipliers having intermediate port multipliers and/or bottom port multipliers. Further, network devices are in communication with the port multipliers, the port multiplier, and the network host. |
| US07979578B2 |
Dynamic and evolutionary placement in an event-driven component-oriented network data processing system
Method, system and computer readable program code for dynamic and evolutionary component placement in an event processing system having producers, consumers, a plurality of nodes between the producers and the consumers, and a flow graph representing operator components to be executed between the producers and the consumers. A description of a change to the system is received. At each node, next-hop neighbor nodes for each consumer are identified. A routing value is assigned to each next-hop neighbor node for each consumer and the routing values are updated according to an update rule that represents a chromosome in a routing probe. The update rule in a routing probe is selectively updated from a plurality of update rules at the consumer. The probability of selecting a particular update rule is reinforced or decayed based on the success of an update rule in allowing routing probes to create many different efficient routes. At each producer, nests of scouting probes are adaptively selected from an available set of nests and dispatched to execute hypothetical placement of a query by an independent agent called a “leader”. A placement of the operator components that minimizes performance cost of the system relative to the hypothetical placement is selected. Each scouting probe contains chromosomes that guide placement. Scouting probes in two different nests have different chromosomes. The performance cost of the hypothetical changed placement is evaluated and the performance evaluation is used to evolve at least one chromosome of a scouting ant in each nest. |
| US07979577B2 |
Arrangement in a multi-homed transport endpoint for selecting a source address based on source-destination address pair metrics
A multi-homed endpoint, having multiple interfaces with respective source addresses, selects a source address for transport of a message according to a prescribed multi-homed transfer protocol, based on source-destination address pair metrics, each source-destination address pair metric identifying link performance between a corresponding source address and a corresponding destination address. Each source-destination address pair is assigned a counter for tracking respective acknowledgements to messages output via the corresponding source-destination address pair. The multi-homed endpoint selects a source-destination address pair, for transport of messages, based on the corresponding metric identifying the highest relative link performance. Heartbeat messages are periodically sent for unselected source-destination pairs to maintain updated link performance metrics between the respective source-destination address pairs. Hence, the multi-homed endpoint can ensure selection of a link having opimum link performance based on the corresponding counter specifying the highest relative link performance for the corresponding source-destination address pair. |
| US07979575B2 |
Attack detecting system and attack detecting method
An IPS examines a communication packet exchanged between an internal communication network and an external communication network, and detects a particular packet that satisfies a particular condition. The IPS creates a detection request message which includes a request to detect the source of the particular packet and the destination of which is set to the address (virtual address) of the virtual server, and transmits the created message to an SLB, upon detection of the particular packet transmitted from the internal communication network. An RIP detecting device extracts a real address indicated as the destination in the detection request message upon receipt of the detection request message the destination of which is rewritten by the SLB from the virtual address to the real address of the server, which is the source of the particular packet. |
| US07979571B2 |
Method and system for providing load sensitive throttling
An approach is provided for shaping traffic of a communication system. Resource usage of a network element of the communication system is determined. The usage is compared with thresholds that are established according to loading of the communication system; these thresholds correspond to various transmission states that limit usage of the resources of the communication system (e.g., bandwidth). Further, based on the comparison, the resource usage of the network element is controlled according to a particular transmission state, thereby ensuring fair access. This approach as particular applicability to shared capacity systems, such as a satellite communication system. |
| US07979568B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating last uniform resource identifier, and recording medium storing program for executing the method
A method and apparatus for creating a LastURI (uniform resource identifier) of a content asset in order to share the content asset based on a multiphoto video (MPV) file in content recorders and/or reproducers having different file systems, and a recording medium storing program for executing the method are provided. The method creates one of an absolute LastURI and a relative LastURI as the LastURI of the content asset according to protocol type information, so that content recorders and/or reproducers using different file systems can easily find and share the content asset based on the MPV file. |
| US07979563B2 |
Method and system for dynamic client/server network management using proxy servers
The invention discloses a programming method and system for dynamic client/server network management using proxy servers, by allowing each active proxy server in an arrayed cluster to maintain an updated list of all other operating proxy servers in the cluster. When a client message requesting access to an application server is received by a clustered proxy server, the message may be forwarded to another proxy server (within the cluster) so that message (re)transmissions can pass through the same proxy server as the original message, allowing a proxy server to make consistent routing decisions (and other decisions) pertaining to that message. |
| US07979560B2 |
Method of providing push service to mobile terminal in a mobile communication system for high-speed data transmission and push server apparatus using the same
A method of providing a push service to an AT and a push server apparatus using the same to facilitate a data receiving service comprising reception of paging messages at the AT in a mobile communication system for high-speed data transmission are provided. The mobile communication system comprises at least one DLR for allocating a UATI to the AT when a communication is connected to the AT, a home DLR for storing the ID of the AT with respect to the identification information of the DLR, a PDSN for establishing a PPP session with the AT, a DNS, and a push server for buffering push data for the AT received from a CN and requesting paging of the AT for push data transmission to the AT from which the PPP session has been terminated. |
| US07979556B2 |
Methods for providing security for ad hoc networked computerized devices
Methods for providing communication security between computerized devices in, for example, an ad hoc or temporary networked environment. In one embodiment, the network comprises an untrusted network, and the method includes providing network security apparatus adapted to create security associations between devices on the network, including mutual authentication. The method further may comprise encrypting traffic between the associated devices for e.g., data confidentiality and integrity protection by running one or more computer programs on the respective devices. In one variant, the network security apparatus comprises a software entity disposed at least partly within the software stack of the devices. The associated devices may be for example fixed or portable, and may be untrusted (e.g., have an untrusted operating systems). |
| US07979549B2 |
Network supporting centralized management of QoS policies
A computer system that implements a quality of service policy. Information defining the quality of service policy is stored in a central location, such as a server within an enterprise. Policy management software on clients in the network download quality of service policy information from the central location to the clients. Within a client, a portion of the policy information is selected based on its applicability to a particular connection. The selected information is cached with an association to the connection so that, as datagrams are generated for transmission over the network, relevant policy information is quickly accessed for use in controlling transmission characteristics of datagrams sent using that connection. Additionally, time information may be associated with information in the cache as well as policy information available from the server. Whenever a datagram is to be transmitted over a connection associated with out-of-date policy information in the cache, the cache information is updated. |
| US07979542B2 |
Methods and systems for transaction record delivery using thresholds and multi-stage protocol
The present invention provides systems and methods for conducting electronic transactions in a distributed computing environment. A communications protocol is provided that enables reliable transactional state synchronization for peers participating in a distributed transaction. A transaction processing application is deployed on a local computer system to manage transactions thereon. The local computer system contacts a remote computer system to obtain authorization to execute a transaction. The local computer system initiates a failure-recovery job that is operable to automatically resend status signals and other information to the remote system if the communication with the remote system exhibits certain predefined fault conditions. The remote system is able to dynamically adjust the definition of the predefined fault conditions. If the transaction concludes without triggering the predefined fault conditions, the failure-recovery job is cancelled. The transaction processing application may also allow deferred transactions between remote parties. The transaction processing application maintains a record of the transactions performed by the consumer on the consumer's local system. Upon the occurrence of predefined conditions, transactional records are sent to a remote vendor or clearinghouse. The vendor or clearinghouse can manage the risk it bears by setting the predefined conditions appropriately. |
| US07979536B2 |
Method and system of remote diagnostic, control and information collection using a dynamic linked library for multiple formats and multiple protocols with sharing the resource
A system, method and program product for diagnosing, controlling and collecting information from devices. Information regarding events of a target application executing in an application unit is collected and formatted into one of multiple data formats for transmission through one of multiple communication protocols using at least one shared system resource. The formatted data is transmitted through, e.g., e-mail or FTP to a predetermined destination or may be saved to local storage, e.g., a local disk. By sharing resources, code duplication is reduced or eliminated. |
| US07979535B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for monitoring communications and taking a responsive action
Exemplary embodiments include a device for monitoring communications and taking a responsive action including: a receiver operable for receiving an input signal from a user; a transmitter operable for transmitting an output signal to a communications network and a command signal to a secondary device; and a processor in operable communication with the receiver and the transmitter. The processor is operable for monitoring the input signal for an event and responsively instructing the transmitter to transmit the command to the secondary device. |
| US07979534B2 |
Method of configuring a computer to include the available options of a printer
A method of configuring a computer connected to a printer via a network by transmitting commands, such as SNMP commands, to the printer in order to retrieve the available options of the printer. In response to the transmitted commands, the printer transmits its available options to the computer, and the printer driver resident on the computer is then updated without manually selecting individual printer options to include the retrieved options. The present invention also provides a computer program product and corresponding GUI to configure a computer to include the available printer options. The GUI according to the present invention includes a plurality of pop-up menus having various display controls to operate the computer program, and is updated by the printer driver to reflect the available printer options. |
| US07979530B1 |
Inventory life cycle management for a computer network
An inventory management system (IMS) is described herein that captures historical data for network elements of a computer network. The IMS maintains the historical data to provide a life cycle view of the elements as utilized within the computer network. For example, the IMS may include a network scan module that receives current inventory information from at least one of the network devices, wherein the current inventory information lists elements currently deployed within network device. An event generator compares the current inventory information with the stored inventory information. A database manager updates the database to store historical data for the network devices based on the comparison. |
| US07979529B2 |
Method and telecommunications system for monitoring a data flow in a data network
The invention relates to a method and telecommunications system (SYS) for monitoring a data flow (DAT) in a data network (WWW) between at least two telecommunications terminals (TEA, TEB), which are connected to the data network via at least one access server (AAA, AAB). When monitoring, the data flow (DAT) between the telecommunications terminals (TEA, TEB) is rerouted from the access server (AAA, AAB) via a monitoring server (PRO), which makes a copy (KOP) of the data flow (DAT) and transmits it to an evaluation unit (ASW). |
| US07979519B2 |
System for providing information between different protocol environments cooperative with each other and a method therefor
The service providing system uses cooperation managers both in SIP and Web systems to process information of the SIP and HTTP protocols with SOAP/CORBA and the like as a communication protocol that can be handled in common. The service providing system thereby facilitates cooperation between the SIP and Web systems through the SPAP/CORBA network, thereby accomplishing information transfer on a real time basis. |
| US07979515B2 |
Distribution management method, a distribution management system and a distribution management server
A distribution management system is provided which can have a high software distribution efficiency by using client terminals substituting for software distribution relay and can reliably collect distribution results without depending upon the statuses of client terminals. A distribution management server groups a plurality of representative clients in charge of software distribution relay, and changes assignment of software distribution target client terminals by monitoring the distribution execution status of each representative client terminal. Further, the client terminal can reliably notify the distribution result to the distribution management server in accordance with a list of grouped representative client terminals. Furthermore, for the client terminal not notifying the distribution result even if the notice term expires, a distribution result notice representative client terminal is set further so that the distribution result can be reliably notified to the distribution management server. |
| US07979512B2 |
Service delivery online
In one embodiment, a computer system configures an online service to function as a service delivery platform, where the online service includes a plurality of service delivery platform components configured to process inputs received from services that are to be hosted by the online service. The computer system receives an indication that a service is to be hosted using the online service, where the indication includes a service configured for hosting by the online service and a portion of use information indicating how the service delivery platform components are to be used to host the service for various computer clients. The computer system processes the portion of use information received with the indication to configure the service delivery platform components in an appropriate manner for hosting the service and provides the hosted service to computer clients in the appropriate manner as determined by the accessed use information. |
| US07979509B1 |
Clustered network acceleration devices having shared cache
A network acceleration device provides application programming interface (API) that facilitates the sharing of cache resources among multiple network acceleration devices, thereby allowing the network acceleration devices to be clustered and share a common cache of network content. This clustered approach may advantageously allow clients serviced by one network acceleration device to benefit from previous network access requests issued by clients serviced by a different network acceleration device of the cluster. |
| US07979506B2 |
System and method for restrictively exchange product data between communication devices of a limited-user network
A novel and non-trivial system and method for restrictively exchanging product data between communication devices of a limited-user network is disclosed. A processor in communication with a plurality of user communication devices of a limited-user network is used for controlling and restricting the exchange of product data. In such network, the processor may establish a communication connection with an initiating communication device of an initiating user, receive initiating product data from the initiating communication device and corresponding first users (e.g., defined trusted users) data, provide the initiating product data to at least one available first user communication device, receive responding product data responsive to the initiating product data, and provide the responding product data to the initiating communication device. Additionally, the processor may provide interested users who have not been defined as trusted users with the initiating product data and receive responding product data from such interested users. |
| US07979504B2 |
Systems and methods for providing resource allocation in a networked environment
Systems and methods are described for adjusting an item characteristic. An illustrative system includes a first network interface, a database storing information regarding a plurality of items, a load balancer, a web proxy processor configured to selectively block or route an inbound user browser request, a cache cluster system configured to cache data and states for access by other system components, and program code stored in computer readable memory, which, when executed is configured to receive a plurality of requests for items from corresponding users, wherein the plurality of requests are associated with corresponding offer amounts and determine what the users are to provide for the items based at least in part on how many requests were received, how many items are allocated to users, and/or how many unallocated items are available, wherein at least a portion of the users are to provide an amount different than their corresponding offer amount. |
| US07979500B2 |
Email composition and processing
A computer implemented user interface allows composition of an electronic mail message. A user selects at least one pre-existing email from an email inbox. An envelope is then created by parsing each of the selected pre-existing emails. The pre-existing email is displayed as a tree structure comprising an envelope with at least a label sub-node in a new email view. A new email is composed by selecting parts from the tree structure. The sub-nodes may further comprise a content sub-node. The content sub-node further comprises multi-media parts, and the new email body is composed by selecting parts from the content sub-node. |
| US07979496B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring health and performance of a messaging system
Software agents perform a process to monitor the availability and/or performance of various functions of a messaging system. A call is initiated to an endpoint, where the endpoint is registered with a messaging system and is configured to forward incoming messages to the messaging system. A first agent transmits a message to the endpoint for forwarding to the messaging system. A second agent determines whether the endpoint receives a message notification. In an embodiment, the time that elapses between arrival of the message at the endpoint and reception of a message notification is determined. In an embodiment, if the second agent is able to retrieve the transmitted message, then the retrieved message is compared with the version of the original message that was received at the endpoint. Whether the retrieved message suffered any degradation from its path through the messaging system is determined based on the comparison. |
| US07979494B1 |
Systems and methods for monitoring messaging systems
Systems and methods for monitoring and/or auditing of events in an electronic messaging environment, such as Microsoft® Exchange, are described. One or more monitoring components are installed on messaging system servers to collect, in real-time, information on messaging system events. Certain embodiments are configured to audit and/or provide alerts regarding non-owner activity, such as when a user or administrator has gained access to another user's mailbox. Alerts can advantageously facilitate prompt corrective action by delivering detailed information about the access activity, such as which email message or folder was accessed, when the access occurred, from what location (e.g., IP address) when the access was initiated, and the type of access, as well as permission changes made to the mailbox or folders. The monitoring systems can also be configured to audit changes to client permissions for folders and delegate assignment and/or changes to configuration objects of the messaging system. |
| US07979493B2 |
Customize an email using an expertise level rules engine
A Web site, through the use of a Rules Engine, determines an expertise level of a User for one or more topics on a Web page. The Rules Engine may analyze User related data, such as the search term used by the User to find the Web site, the past products purchased by the User, the path through the Web site taken by the User, the usage history by the User on the Web site, the demographics of the User and/or the self declared expertise level of the User, to determine an expertise level of the User for the topics on the Web page. A Display Engine may customize a Web page based on the expertise levels of a User so that topics on the Web page are presented in a manner most appropriate for the User. An Email Engine may be used to customize emails to the User so that topics in the email are presented in manner most appropriate for the User. A Support Entity Engine may also be used to route an incoming support inquiries from a User to an appropriate technical support person for the User. |
| US07979480B2 |
Discrete signal processing device and processing method
A signal processing device and a signal processing method are provided which can reproduce a smooth signal in the reproduction of a discrete signal having a non-uniform sample point interval. The device includes a coefficient calculation unit 4 that inputs a sample point signal E2 representative of the time of a sample point of a discrete signal E1 having a non-uniform sample point interval to obtain a coefficient of a sampling function corresponding to the discrete signal, and a reproduction signal calculation unit 5 that obtains a continuous reproduction signal E3 by calculating and outputting a function value within the sample point interval from the discrete signal and the value of the coefficient outputted by the coefficient calculation unit. |
| US07979474B2 |
Search center dynamic configuration using field mappings
A mechanism for dynamically configuring searchable fields of interest within a search center is provided. A field mappings file is used to define relationships between searchable fields of interest in searchable objects and fields within a search index accessible to an enterprise-wide search center. The field mappings file can provide the defined relationships between searchable object fields and search index fields at runtime of a user session, thus avoiding a rigid configuration at the time of search center initialization. |
| US07979467B2 |
Information processing device, information management device, information processing system and computer readable medium
An information processing device includes a lock section, a creation section, a transmission section, a reception section, and a release section. The lock section disables an authorization function of the information processing device under a given condition. The creation section creates a first lock release file that is capable of releasing the authorization function disabled by the lock section. The transmission section transmits the first lock release file to an information management device. The reception section receives a second lock release file, which is based on the first lock release file, from the information management device. The release section tries to enable the authorization function of the information processing device when the second lock release file is determined to be valid. |
| US07979460B2 |
Systems and methods for server management
Exemplary systems and methods for server management are provided. An exemplary system comprises a plurality of servers, with each server having the ability to access a database or, in some embodiments, be configured to perform a calculation, computation or make a determination of a particular value, values or other information. A communications network delivers queries to each server whereby a look-up table directs query processing by the servers. Further embodiments of the system feature a program logic controller for rebalancing the workload of the network servers. Exemplary methods of processing queries on the system comprise submitting a query to the network, communicating the query to each server in the network and each server looking-up on a look-up table the processing responsibilities of the servers in the network. The query is processed by the server having primary responsibility for processing the query while other the servers monitor query processing. Transmission of a query result to a user typically completes the process. |
| US07979458B2 |
Associating security trimmers with documents in an enterprise search system
Methods and computer-readable media are provided for associating security trimmers with documents in an enterprise search system. According to one method, a search index is maintained that includes one or more document identifiers corresponding to documents stored at back-end computing systems. Each document identifier in the search index is associated with one or more security trimmer implementations. When a query request is received from a user, the search index is queried to identify documents referenced by the search index that match search terms provided with the query request. For each document that matches the search terms, the associated security trimmer implementations are identified and executed to retrieve the access rights to view the document for the current user from the back-end computing system where the document is stored. |
| US07979456B2 |
Method of managing and providing parameterized queries
Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for managing parameterized queries and making them available to users based on associations between parameterized queries and fields belonging to result sets are provided. By associating fields with parameterized queries, a query manager can be configured to provide users with a contextually appropriate selection of parameterized queries that can be used to obtain data related to objects in a result set. The selection of parameterized queries may be provided to users via a variety of interfaces including graphic interfaces and plug-in components utilized by external applications. |
| US07979454B2 |
Information processing apparatus, and method and system for searching for reputation of content
An information processing apparatus, includes: an acquisition section configured to acquire content-related information; a keyword extraction section configured to extract a search keyword from the content-related information; a site search section configured to perform a search through the Internet for websites with a web page, and acquire information concerning websites; a first site selection section configured to select top N websites from the websites; a second site selection section configured to access each of the N websites to extract a written text from a web page of each of the N websites, and select two or more of the N websites as seed sites; and a reputation result acquisition section configured to collect written texts from the seed sites and subordinate websites linked to the seed sites, and acquire a reputation result of the content from the collected written texts. |
| US07979452B2 |
System and method for retrieving task information using task-based semantic indexes
Described is a method for retrieving task information using task-based indexes. The method includes an act of acquiring task-based categories and documents. Task-descriptive symbols are then associated with each task-based category. The documents are indexed to create an index having index words and pointers. The index words reflect the information in the documents and the pointers connect particular index words to particular documents or subparts of documents. The task-descriptive symbols are correlated with the index words to create an alignment of words having similar meaning such that index words are matched with similar task-descriptive symbols. The task-based indexes are formed by grouping the alignment of words with the respective task-based category. A user may use the task-based index by inputting task descriptive symbols into the task-based index to retrieve a document having task information pertaining to the task-descriptive symbols. |
| US07979450B2 |
Instance management of code in a database
The compiled code of a computer program is stored in multiple pieces within a database. Each piece is optionally stored within a separate data record. Execution of the computer program includes using database queries to retrieve pieces of the compiled code for execution. The database and associated database management logic are used to provide numerous advantages in execution and management of the computer program. For example, in some embodiments, database queries are used to help facilitate program flow logic. In another example, database queries are based on a command line or universal resource locator. These queries may be used to select functionality of a computer program in response to the command line or universal resource locator. |
| US07979449B2 |
System and method for representing, organizing, storing and retrieving information
A data structure for representing information as a binary directional graph comprising a set of points connected by three distinct types of directed edges. Each point must have a unique left (parenting) edge and a unique right (parenting) edge with end points, and an identity edge that can be null (i.e. have no end point). All connected paths of edges upwards eventually converge at a maximal point in the structure. The points are uniformly assigned a fixed set of data as their content. Rules are defined to construct the structure and allow representation of information, with methods described for translating conventional forms of representation, such as tables, properties, classes, relations, and functions. The structure can be represented as a single relation (i.e. a single table with a fixed structure) and can be implemented using a conventional relational database. |
| US07979438B2 |
Document management method and apparatus and document search method and apparatus
A document management method includes shifting a character string of characters from document data and clipping it, determining that a management Gram obtained by the clipping is one of a first Gram of low frequency and a second Gram of high frequency, storing first post data in a first post region in association with a Gram value obtained by computing the character string of first Gram, the first post data having a set of a document identification (ID) indicating the document data including the first Gram and an intra-document offset indicating a character string position thereof, and storing second post data in a second post region in association with the character string of second Gram, the second post data having a set of a document identification (ID) indicating document data including the second Gram and an intra-document offset indicating a character string position thereof. |
| US07979436B2 |
Entity-based business intelligence
A method is disclosed for conducting a query to transform data in a pre-existing database, the method comprising: collecting database information from the pre-existing database, the database information including inconsistent dimensional tables and fact tables; running an entity discovery process on the inconsistent dimensional tables and the fact tables to produce entity mapping tables; using the entity mapping tables to resolve the inconsistent dimensional tables into resolved dimensional tables; and running the query on a resolved database to obtain a query result, the resolved database including the resolved dimensional table. |
| US07979435B2 |
Method of grouping images from a video sequence
The method utilizing a graph-like structure is comprises the following iteration: calculation of the potential of node nm, merging of two nodes ni and nj, as a function of the distances between the attributes of the key images and as a function of the temporal distance of these key images, calculation of the potential of each edge connecting the merged node to another node of the graph previously connected to nodes ni or nj, merging of the two nodes and validation of the new graph if the energy of this graph is less than the energy of the graph before merging. |
| US07979432B2 |
Apparatus, computer program product and system for processing information
In an information processing apparatus, an extracting unit extracts a feature quantity from a subject content. A detecting unit detects from the second content a similar portion where a degree of coincidence between each feature quantity extracted from the second content and the feature quantity included in the key information is higher than a first threshold value, and outputs range information specifying a range of the similar portion. A correspondence generating unit retrieves the similar portion included in the range indicated by the detected range information, and generates correspondence information associating the retrieved similar portion with the key information. A presenting unit presents the key information selectably based on the correspondence information. |
| US07979428B2 |
Time-shift image distribution system, time-shift image distribution method, time-shift image requesting apparatus, and image server
A time-shift image distribution system includes an image server and a time-shift image requesting apparatus. The image server includes a first communication unit configured to carry out communications with the time-shift image requesting apparatus, an image database configured to store image data of captured images in association with meta information for image data of a captured image matching search-condition information, and an image providing unit configured to provide the image data of the captured image detected by the searching unit to the time-shift image requesting apparatus. The time-shift image requesting apparatus includes a second communication unit configured to carry out communications with the image server, and a unit configured to send a search request including information representing an imaging time and information for identifying a subject image as search-condition information to the image server via the second communication unit. |
| US07979422B2 |
Hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with hybrid optimization strategies in automatic SQL tuning are described. One example method includes receiving a first (e.g., cost-based) execution plan for a user structured query language statement (User SQL) from a first (e.g., cost-based) optimizer. The example method may also include receiving a second (e.g., rules-based) execution plan for the User SQL from a second, different (e.g., rules-based) query optimizer. The method may include identifying a preferred execution plan based on data produced by test executing the execution plans in a reproduced execution environment that reproduces at least a portion of an execution environment in which the user SQL runs. The method may also include controlling a database to execute the User SQL using the preferred execution plan. |
| US07979418B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for processing a prefix tree file utilizing a selected agent
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for processing a prefix tree file utilizing a selected agent. In use, a file including a prefix tree is identified. Additionally, an agent is selected from a plurality of agents to process the file. Further, the file is processed utilizing the agent. |
| US07979411B2 |
Relating people finding results by social distance
Search results are displayed according to relevance and grouped by the social distance between the person associated with the profile and the user performing the search. Metadata is defined of each of the profiles indicating groups affiliated the profile and a relevance value is determined as a function of the metadata for each of the profiles in the result set. The social distance is determined as a function of a colleague designation associated with the profile. |
| US07979410B2 |
Maintaining referential integrity while masking
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with maintaining referential integrity while masking database columns are described. One example method includes determining a transitive closure for dependency relationships involving a column to be masked and other columns related to the column to be masked through a dependency relationship. The example method may also include identifying a root column for a column in the transitive closure and creating a mapping table that stores original values and masking values for the root column. The method includes masking the root column and related child columns based on the mapping table in a manner that maintains referential integrity between the root column and the child column. Integrity may be maintained by masking corresponding values in the root column and a child column(s) with identical mask values from the mapping table. |
| US07979408B2 |
Allocation locks and their use
Systems and methodologies are provided that employ an allocation lock, which permits only a single transaction to acquire space on a particular page at any one time. The allocation lock of the present invention facilitates operations of concurrent transactions at a subpage level (e.g., a row level), and in conjunction with a heap manager can enforce a set of conditions such that prior to a commit stage of a transaction, a space availability for a particular page can be typically assured (e.g., that transactions operating on various copies of the page do not consume all of storage space on that page), and reorganization of data around the page is mitigated (e.g., that a transaction need not move data around the page for purpose of merging various copies.) |
| US07979403B2 |
Method and system for compression of files for storage and operation on compressed files
A method and system for creating, reading and writing compressed files for use with a file access storage. The compressed data of a raw file are packed into a plurality of compressed units and stored as compressed files. One or more corresponding compressed units may be read and/or updated with no need for restoring the entire file whilst maintaining de-fragmented structure of the compressed file. |
| US07979402B1 |
System and method for managing file data during consistency points
A system and method for managing data during consistency points in a storage system is provided. A buffer data control structure is modified to include a flags array that tracks various status flags for both a current and a next consistency point (CP). By utilizing multiple pointers within a buffer control structure, the storage system may permit write operations to continue to a data container undergoing write allocation. Received writes during a write allocation procedure are stored in raw data buffers and the buffer control structure is marked as being dirty for a next CP. |
| US07979396B1 |
System and method for performing consistent resynchronization between synchronized copies
A method involves detecting that a first storage device is inaccessible. The information stored on the first storage device is a synchronized copy of information stored on a second storage device. In response to detecting that the first storage device is inaccessible, modification logging is initiated. Modification logging involves detecting modifications to information stored on the second storage device and storing information that indicates an order in which the modifications occur to the second storage device. The stored information can indicate the order explicitly (e.g., by including a timestamp or sequence number) or indirectly (e.g., the order of entries stored in a log can indicate the order of the modifications represented by those entries). The stored information can also include the new values generated by the modifications. The stored information can then be used to resynchronize the information stored on the first and second storage devices. |
| US07979391B2 |
Data management system, data management method, server apparatus, receiving apparatus, control program, and computer-readable recording medium recording same
A server apparatus (1) includes a deletion information decision section (104) and a management information update section (105). The deletion information decision section (104) decides a file from among files of an AV content already stored in a storage section (202) of a receiving apparatus (2), the file to be decided being so deleted as to be prevented from being used in the receiving apparatus (2) when files constituting an AV content that is to be newly transmitted is stored in the storage section (202). The management information update section (105) transmits, to the receiving apparatus (2), management information including deletion information for specifying the file thus decided. The receiving apparatus (2) includes a deletion section (205) for deleting, from the storage section (202), the file specified by the deletion information of the management information received from the server apparatus (1). |
| US07979390B2 |
Software, systems, and methodologies for realignment of remote databases by a central database in support field representative territory assignments
A method for realigning a database server and a client database is provided. During realignment at least one table of the database server is copied to a workspace, and a set of records copied to the workspace is identified that are associated with the client. The set of records associated with the client are modified and can include a subset of records newly associated with the client. An association-rule is created that defines the modified set of records as accessible by the client and includes an effective time. The association-rule and the newly associated records are distributed to the client, preferably during database synchronization. At the effective time, the modifications to the workspace records are made effective on the server and activated on the client. Optionally, the association-rule and the newly associated records are distributed in response to receiving approval of the modified set of records. |
| US07979386B1 |
Method and system for performing search engine optimizations
In general, the invention relates to a method for performing search engine optimizations using a financial application configured to manage a number of products. The method includes obtaining product data from the financial application, where the product data is associated with a first product of the number of products. The method further includes processing the product data to obtain optimization data, where the optimization data is configured to increase web traffic of a web page associated with the first product. The method further includes sending the optimization data to the financial application, where the web page is updated based on the optimization data. |
| US07979382B2 |
Component based information linking during claim processing
A computer program is provided for developing component based software capable of linking insurance-related information. The program includes a data component that stores, retrieves and manipulates data utilizing a plurality of functions. Also provided is a client component that includes an adapter component that transmits and receives data to/from the data component. The client component also includes a business component that serves as a data cache and includes logic for manipulating the data. A controller component is also included which is adapted to handle events generated by a user utilizing the business component to cache data and the adapter component to ultimately persist data to a data repository. In use, the client component is provided with insurance-related information concerning an individual and an event. The user is then able to input information concerning the involvement of the individual in the event. In addition, the user is able to link the individual to the event. Finally, the linked information concerning the individual, the event and the involvement of the individual in the event are displayed. |
| US07979378B2 |
Medical device user interface automatically resolving interaction between programmable parameters
This document discusses, among other things, a user interface capable of resolving interactions between programmable parameters for operation of a personal medical device. Programming these devices is a difficult task when many parameters are involved. The medical device interface attempts to reduce and minimize constraint violations between interdependent parameters using an initial set of parameter values supplied by user (typically a physician) input, and constraint violations describing invalid parameter values. A user is given the option to select one or more parameters to remain constant. If possible, a set of parameter values with less egregious constraint violations is displayed to the user. A user is prompted to accept the set of parameter values and program the medical device. |
| US07979377B2 |
Method and system of deploying server-based applications
A computer implemented method of constructing a computer application for automatically implementing a complex comparison programming task provides a compare design wizard to a display of a user's computer. The user interacts with the compare design wizard to specify (a) at least first and second data groups each containing associated data elements, (b) one or more keys from the first data group, and (c) one or more keys from the second data group, the keys comprising data elements that the user desires to be compared by the computer application. The user further interacts with the compare design wizard to specify one or more actions to be taken by the computer application based on data element comparisons to be performed by the computer application of: the keys matching between the first and second data groups; excess data being found in one of the groups; and excess data being found in a different one of the groups. |
| US07979365B2 |
Methods and systems for interactive computing
Methods and systems for creating a synthetic surrogate fitness function. User decisions are received representing fitness for a plurality of solutions. A partial ordering of the plurality of solutions is provided based on the received user decisions, wherein at least some of the plurality of solutions are represented to have a greater relative fitness than other of the plurality of solutions. A complete order of at least the plurality of solutions is induced based on the normalized partial ordering. A synthetic surrogate fitness function is generated using the induced complete order. |
| US07979361B2 |
Composition of web services using representations
A system for composing Web services may include a goal determiner unit and a composer unit. The goal determiner unit may be configured to access a primary goal of final states of Web service representations. The composer unit may be configured to compute a set of transitions from initial states of the Web service representations to the primary goal, compute intermediate states of one or more Web service representations, and generate a copy rule of the set of transitions, the copy rule having a condition part that specifies the intermediate states and a portion of the final states of the primary goal and an activity part that includes assignments of input variables consumed by transitions from the intermediate states. |
| US07979359B1 |
System and method for selectively applying an item sortation process
Various embodiments may include a shipping consolidation analyzer configured to determine whether a sortation process is to be applied to at least a subset of an item group at a facility. Such item group may include multiple items to be shipped to a common destination. Each item of the item group may be associated with a default non-sortable status. Such sortation process may include a process for indicating at least two items of the subset as consolidated for shipment. The shipping consolidation analyzer may, in response to determining that the sortation process is to be applied to the subset, generate an instruction such that the sortation process is applied at the materials handling facility to the subset of the item group. |
| US07979358B1 |
Quality assurance of image-customization of computer-based value-bearing items
The exemplary embodiment of the present invention will provide methods and a computer system for managing image content review for image customization of computer-based value-bearing items such as, for example, an exemplary image-customized computer-based postage label 1 in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, the exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will bear an image 2 that would be provided by a corresponding user, namely by the user that orders the customized computer-based postage label. The user may provide image 2 in an electronic form, such as by uploading a digital representation of image 2. In a variation of the exemplary embodiment, a user could alternatively provide a hardcopy image. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will bear a human-readable indication of the country 4 for which the postage is approved. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a human-readable indication of an amount of postage 5. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a human-readable identifier (such as a serial number) 6 that will uniquely identify the particular customized computer-based postage label. The exemplary customized computer-based postage label 1 will also bear a machine-readable set of information 7. |
| US07979357B2 |
Electronic commerce method, electronic commerce system, certificate terminal, and principal certification method by agent
In order to prevent without fail the abuse of certificate information which are exchanged on a network, an orderer inputs the certificate information to a certificate terminal when placing an order for a commodity, the certificate terminal encrypts the certificate information to send it to an order receiver and holds the certificate information and a decryption key. A deliveryman, at the time of commodity delivery, inputs the encrypted certificate information to the certificate terminal, and the orderer inputs data of terminal certification to the certificate terminal. The certificate terminal, when it certifies by the data that the orderer is the valid owner of the certificate terminal, decrypts the encrypted certificate information input by the deliveryman, by the decryption key in the certificate terminal, verifies decrypted certificate information with the certificate information in the certificate terminal, and the deliveryman hands over the commodity to the orderer when the certificate information match. |
| US07979355B2 |
Content bank for objects
A content bank for objects hosts all information regarding an object and serves as a proxy for that object. The content bank comprises at least one instance of a digital identity corresponding the object. Object identity modules or services are available through the digital identity instance. Via the content bank system, the digital identity instance receives object-related information from a source and targeted to a specific service. Conversely, the digital identity instance also serves to determine when object-related information should be provided to a third party by a given service, or when object-related information needs to be manipulated by one or more services. A multi-mode interface is available for third parties to communicate with the digital identity instance. In this manner, third parties are not only able to access data regarding an object, but are actually able to communicate with an object via the digital identity instance. |
| US07979336B2 |
System for pricing financial instruments
A method of determining an estimate of the market value of a traded unit of a financial instrument, and apparatus for carrying out the method, said instrument comprising a fund of individually priced securities and the exact composition of said fund being withheld from the market, said method comprising selecting a plurality of mutually independent risk factors, each risk factor being representative of market behaviour estimated to be significant to the price behaviour of the traded unit, obtaining information from a third party holding information regarding the composition of said fund regarding the actual significance of said risk factors to the value of said traded unit, and calculating a value for said traded unit on the basis of said significances. |
| US07979333B2 |
Method for creating and delivering customized compliance information
A method and system to create personalized investor information packages, based on investor information, to be delivered to the investor to satisfy both compliance regulations and investor preferences. The method and system may deliver information in a paper or electronic format. |
| US07979325B2 |
Online merchandising system, server, estimation managing method, computer program product, and computer data signal
A shopping server accepts a request for estimation of arbitrary designated items given by a client terminal, and generates estimation data for the designated items in accordance with the accepted request. The shopping server stores the generated estimation data at a shopping DB system. In response to retrieval of inventory status information for the items indicated by the estimation data stored in the shopping DB system, the shopping server updates the estimation data concerned in accordance with the retrieved inventory status information. The shopping server presents the updated estimation data to other client terminal in response to a request given by the client terminal which requested the estimation. |
| US07979321B2 |
Merchandising items of topical interest
Various embodiments are described herein that provide one or more of a systems, methods, software, and data structures within an Internet marketp lace context that are useful to promote products that may be associated with an event occurrence. Some embodiments further utilize collaborative filtering to augment event-based product recommendations. |
| US07979319B2 |
Method and systems for facilitating a purchase corresponding to an event by determining a purchase recommendation based on a record of a given screensaver being used
The present invention is directed to facilitating purchases for events, and more particularly, displaying purchase recommendations and links in conjunction with events in a calendar displayed in a computer desktop application. In one aspect, the invention is a method comprising displaying a calendar in a computer desktop application; receiving information from a server corresponding to an event; displaying a reminder in the calendar corresponding to the given event, said reminder comprising information corresponding to said event and at least one link to an online store; and determining a purchase recommendation corresponding to the given event, wherein the purchase recommendation is determined with respect to a record of a given screensaver being used. |
| US07979311B2 |
Payment transfer strategies for bandwidth sharing in ad hoc networks
Systems and methods for compensating lenders of bandwidth in an ad hoc network and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing payment strategies for bandwidth sharing in an ad-hoc network. The method comprises establishing an ad-hoc network between a borrower and at least one lender of bandwidth, and providing compensation instructions to compensate the at least one lender of bandwidth for lending the bandwidth to the borrower. The system may be a computer infrastructure for implementing the steps of the method. |
| US07979308B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for sorting lists for presentation
Methods and apparatuses for sorting seller listings or advertisements of a seller network. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and, sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue. |
| US07979306B2 |
System and method for redemption of awards by award program participants
A system and method for maximizing airline award program participant's use of the accumulated award miles even in light of mileage shortfalls for the redemption of mileage awards is described. The system and method not only a benefit to the award program participant, but also provides financial benefits to the airline offering the award program, and these financial benefits are ones that the airline would not ordinarily obtain. |
| US07979305B2 |
Method of assisting a sales representative in selling
A computer implemented method of providing feedback to a sales representative for a sales opportunity to a customer, comprising: determining, in dependence on information received from the sales representative, a probability that the sales opportunity will result in a sale by the sales representative; determining, in dependence on information received from the sales representative, a location on a sales cycle time line for the sales opportunity; assigning a priority to the sales opportunity in dependence on the location on the sales cycle time line and the probability that the sales opportunity will result in a sale; and rendering on a display a visual representation of the probability and the priority. |
| US07979303B2 |
System and method for analyzing an operation of an organization
A method for analyzing an operation of an organization, especially in the context of an outsourcing. The method includes decomposing the operation along a value chain containing a plurality of processes, associating a process of the value chain with an element that is subject to the process, and designating a characteristic of the associated process and element. As an example, the element is a device (e.g., PC workstation) that is subject to processes (e.g., customer relationship management). As an example, the characteristic is an actor (e.g., an organization or an outsourcer) responsible for performing at the intersection of the associated process and element. |
| US07979285B2 |
Systems and methods for enhanced min/max edit for drug claim submission verification
Systems and methods are provided for verification of claims submitted by one or more pharmacies. The systems and methods include storing a Multiple Package Edit (MPE) table that includes drug package size information, storing an audit table that includes drug dose information, and storing a user table that includes pharmacy-supplied drug information. The systems and methods also include receiving a first claim submission from a pharmacy computer, where the first claim submission includes at least one identifier, a quantity, and days supply for a requested drug. The systems and methods further include determining that the first claim submission includes an error in at least one of the quantity and days supply based upon information obtained from at least one of the user table, the MPE table, and the audit table, and messaging the pharmacy computer with an indication of the determined error. |
| US07979281B2 |
Methods and systems for creating a second generation session file
The present disclosure provides a speech editor for creating a session file having text segments synchronized with an audio file. The editor receives a text segment and a first file that has tag information lines associated with the text segment. Each tag information line has a portion of original text transcribed from the audio file and a corresponding audio length value. The editor stores the audio length of a current line in a new tag information line for the second file, determines whether the original text portion of the current line is found in the text segment, and if the original text portion of the current line is not found in the text segment, identifies a corrected text of the text segment adjusting the audio length of the new tag information line of the session file to correspond to the corrected text. |
| US07979274B2 |
Method and system for preventing speech comprehension by interactive voice response systems
A method of and system for generating a speech signal with an overlayed random frequency signal using prosody modification of a speech signal output by a text-to-speech (TTS) system to substantially prevent an interactive voice response (IVR) system from understanding the speech signal without significantly degrading the speech signal with respect to human understanding. The present invention involves modifying a prosody of the speech output signal by using a prosody of the user's response to a prompt. In addition, a randomly generated overlay frequency is used to modify the speech signal to further prevent the IVR system from recognizing the TTS output. The randomly generated frequency may be periodically changed using an overlay timer that changes the random frequency signal at a predetermined intervals. |
| US07979271B2 |
Methods and devices for switching between sound signal coding modes at a coder and for producing target signals at a decoder
Methods and devices are used for switching between sound signal coding modes and for producing from a decoded target signal, an overlap-add target signal in a current frame coded according to a first mode. On a coder side, switching is at the junction between a previous frame coded according to a first coding mode and a current frame coded according to a second coding mode, a sound signal is filtered through a weighting filter to produce a weighted signal in the current frame, and a windowed zero-input response of the weighting filter is removed from the weighted signal. On a decoder side, a current frame of the target signal is first windowed, a left portion of a resulting window is skipped, and then a windowed zero-input response of the weighting filter is added to the decoded target signal to reconstruct the overlap-add target signal. |
| US07979265B2 |
Machine translation system, method and program for translating text having a structure
Machine translation system includes storage unit configured to store interpretation data items each including first expression element representing first expression of first language, word set element including first expression, and second expression element representing second expression of second language, first expression being to be translated into second expression, first expression and second expression belonging to category, acquiring unit configured to acquire predetermined expression of first language, predetermined expression being contained in to-be-translated text having structure, detecting unit configured to detect, from interpretation data items, interpretation data items each including expression element representing predetermined expression, selection unit configured to select, from detected interpretation data items, interpretation data item including word set element corresponding to same attribute or equivalent positional relationship in structure, and translation unit configured to translate predetermined expression into second language, using selected interpretation data item. |
| US07979264B2 |
System and method for interfacing a media processing apparatus with a computer
A system comprising a media processing apparatus and a computer where the media processing apparatus emulates a mass storage device and interfaces with the computer is disclosed. In one embodiment the media processing apparatus appears to the computer as a Universal serial bus (USB) mass storage device, and the operating system (OS) on the computer, using its pre-installed USB mass storage device driver, establishes bi-directional communication channel with the media processing apparatus. Thus, the need to develop an OS specific kernel-mode device driver for the media processing apparatus is eliminated. The system may employ a proprietary communication protocol on the USB bus to send and receive data between the computer and the media processing apparatus. In one embodiment, the computer sends and receives data by executing read and write operations to sectors of the emulated USB mass storage device; while the media processing apparatus deciphers the read and write operations on emulated sectors and takes appropriate actions. User-mode applications on the computer and the media processing apparatus may employ Remote Procedure Call (RPC) mechanisms to issue commands and share their respective resources with each other. |
| US07979261B2 |
Circuit simulation model generation apparatus, circuit simulation model generation method and circuit simulation apparatus
A circuit simulation model generation apparatus includes: a power supply wiring model generation section that generates a power supply wiring model which is a model of the power supply wiring; a logic circuit model generation section that generates a logic circuit model which is a model of the logic circuit; and a link section that adds, to the logic circuit model and the power supply wiring model, a voltage controller that acquires a potential value of a logic circuit connecting terminal and gives the acquired potential value to a power supply wiring connecting terminal and a current controller that acquires a current value of the power supply wiring connecting terminal and gives the acquired current value to the logic circuit connecting terminal in the simulation, and links the logic circuit model and the power supply wiring model to generate a simulation model. |
| US07979259B2 |
Diabetes care management system
A diabetes care management system for managing blood glucose levels associated with diabetes comprising a computing device and an insulin delivery device. The computing device generally includes (i) a memory comprising one or more optimal blood glucose values, one or more self care values of a patient, one or more measured blood glucose values, and one or more scaling factors for weighting the impact on a future blood glucose value and that are customizable to an individual patient to predict the effect on the blood glucose of self care actions performed by the individual patient; (ii) a microprocessor, in communication with the memory, programmed to (A) determine the one or more scaling factors from one or more physiological parameters including body mass, metabolism rate, fitness level or hepatic or peripheral insulin sensitivity, or combinations thereof, and (B) calculate a further value, the further value being based on the self care values, and on the one or more optimal blood glucose values, and on the one or more scaling factors; and (iii) a display configured to display information according to the further value; and (iv) a housing, wherein the memory and the microprocessor are housed within the housing, thereby providing a hand-held, readily transportable computing device. The insulin delivery device may deliver insulin in response to information associated with the further value. |
| US07979258B2 |
Self-calibration of mass spectra using robust statistical methods
The use of a robust statistical method for self-calibration of a measuring instrument, such as a mass spectrometer, is disclosed. The method involves the use of differences in mass and complementary pairs for example, to estimate calibration parameters. Self-calibration of various mass spectra is described. Related systems and computer-readable media are also described. |
| US07979246B2 |
System and method for automatic selection of transmission line macromodels
Transmission line macromodels can be classified into main categories of delay-extraction and rational approximation. The exponential solution of the Telegrapher's Equation is used to create a system and method that enable a time-domain circuit simulator to automatically select the most appropriate macromodel for a given transmission line structure. |
| US07979242B2 |
Method and structure for providing optimal design of toleranced parts in manufacturing
A method and structure for a computerized method for providing an optimization solution, includes, for a process, wherein is defined a linear functional form y=f(X,c), where X comprises a set of independent variables X={x1, . . . xn}, c includes a set of functional parameters c={c1, . . . cn}, and y comprises a dependent variable, where the independent variables set X is partitioned into two subsets, X1 and X2, receiving data for the process and minimizing y with respect to X1. Dependent variable y is maximized with respect to X2, subject to a set of constraints. The maximizing y includes a global optimum for the process. |
| US07979240B2 |
System and method for real-time monitoring and failure prediction of electrical submersible pumps
The present application relates to a system and method for real-time monitoring and failure prediction of electrical submersible pumps. The design includes generating a failure prediction value with a management system by calculating a percentage change of the respective first measurement values and the corresponding user-supplied stable operating values, the failure prediction value representing likelihood of failure of the electrical submersible pump. |
| US07979235B2 |
Method and device for detecting anomalous events for an electronic apparatus, in particular a portable apparatus
Detection of an anomalous event in an electronic apparatus includes detecting accelerations acting on the electronic apparatus, establishing a normal-mode range of accelerations that corresponds to normal operation of the apparatus, and detecting the anomalous event when a level of acceleration of the electronic apparatus exits the normal-mode range and remains outside the normal mode range for more than a defined duration. The method includes displacing the normal-mode range toward a current level of acceleration of the electronic apparatus while the level of acceleration remains outside the normal-mode range. Additionally, the normal-mode range is increased toward a maximum size while the level of acceleration remains outside the normal-mode range, and is decreased toward a minimum size while the level of acceleration is within the normal-mode range. |
| US07979232B2 |
Apparatuses and methods for determining configuration of SAS and SATA cables
Apparatus, systems, and methods for testing SAS cables by applying a signal to one end of a SAS cable, receiving the signal from another end of the SAS cable, and generating an output of information relating to the testing. The testing apparatus may test one or more configuration characteristic of the SAS cable, including, for example a crossover status, a polarity status of transmit (“TX”) wires, and a polarity status of receive (“RX”) wires. |
| US07979231B2 |
Method and system for estimation of inertial sensor errors in remote inertial measurement unit
A method and system for estimation of inertial sensor errors is provided. The method includes receiving first inertial output data from a master inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on a host platform, with the first inertial output data comprising a change in velocity (delta V) and a change in angle (delta theta), and receiving second inertial output data from a remote IMU mounted on the host platform at a predetermined fixed distance from the master IMU, with the second inertial output data comprising a delta V and a delta theta. The first inertial output data is compared with the second inertial output data to determine a difference between the delta V of the first inertial output data and the delta V of the second inertial output data, and to determine a difference between the delta theta of the first inertial output data and the delta theta of the second inertial output data. The determined differences are applied to estimate inertial sensor errors in the remote IMU. |
| US07979224B2 |
Configurable voltage regulator
A configurable semiconductor device includes at least one select pin configured to connect to one of a plurality of impedances. The impedances are external to the configurable semiconductor device and have impedance values within predetermined tolerances. A measurement circuit is connected to the at least one select pin. The measurement circuit is configured to measure electrical characteristics of the plurality of impedances, correlate the electrical characteristics to respective predetermined ranges of impedances, and generate digital output values corresponding to the correlation. A controller is configured to control a characteristic of the configurable semiconductor device based on the digital output values. Spacing between the respective predetermined ranges of impedances is based on the predetermined tolerances. |
| US07979212B2 |
Method and system for morphology based mitosis identification and classification of digital images
A method and system for morphology based mitosis identification and classification of digital images. Luminance parameters such as intensity, etc. from a digital image of a biological sample (e.g., tissue cells) to which a chemical compound (e.g., a marker dye) has been applied are analyzed and corrected if necessary. Morphological parameters (e.g., size, elongation ratio, parallelism, boundary roughness, convex hull shape, etc.) from individual components within the biological sample are analyzed. A medical conclusion (e.g., type and count of mitotic cells) or a life science and biotechnology experiment conclusion is determined from the analyzed luminance and morphological parameters. The method and system may be used to develop applications for automatically obtaining a medical diagnosis (e.g., a carcinoma diagnosis). |
| US07979208B2 |
Mobile terminal with position measurement function
A mobile terminal according to this invention includes the first calculation module which autonomously calculates its own position based on a GPS signal, and the second calculation module which calculates its own position based on a acquired auxiliary information from a server and the GPS signal. A first control module causes a timer to start a time counting if the second position calculation module accesses the server. When the auxiliary information which satisfies a predetermined condition is not acquired in the time of the timer, the calculation module changes from the second calculation module to the first calculation module. The second control module determines the connection state with the server within the time of the timer. At the time point if the second control module determines that the connection state is an auxiliary information unobtainable state, the calculation module changes from the second calculation module to the first calculation module. |
| US07979202B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing a locator service
Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing a locator service are provided. A method includes receiving object identification information and location identification information from a vehicle. The location identification information indicates the presence of the vehicle at a parking space. The method also includes creating an occupancy record that includes the object identification information and the location identification information. The method further includes receiving a request to locate the vehicle during an exiting process, the request including at least a portion of the objection identification information. The method further includes retrieving the location identification information from the occupancy record associated with the object identification information, and presenting the location identification information of the parking space to the operator. The location identification information is received at the computer system via a radio frequency identifier associated with the parking space. |
| US07979201B2 |
Navigation apparatus
A navigation apparatus includes a map data acquiring means 11a, 11, 12, and 5 for acquiring map data including data about roads for which whether or not a car pool lane is also provided is specified; a current position determining means 13, 14, 15, and 10 for determining a current position; and a route searching unit 130 for searching for a route from the current position determined by the current position determining means to a destination inputted by an input unit on the basis of the map data acquired by the map data acquiring means, and for, when a road where a car pool lane is also provided is included in a route acquired through the route search, presenting, as a recommended route, the route using the car pool lane if the distance over which the road will be traveled is equal to or longer than a predetermined value. |
| US07979198B1 |
Vehicular traffic congestion monitoring through inter-vehicle communication and traffic chain counter
Methods and systems are disclosed for monitoring vehicular traffic congestion through the use of inter-vehicle communication and traffic chain counters. Data packets including counter, vehicle identification, direction, location, and speed information are transmitted between vehicles via short-range wireless communications. A receiving vehicle edits a data packet if the data packet reflects that the receiving vehicle has not yet edited the packet and is traveling in substantially the same direction as the vehicle which transmitted the packet to the receiving vehicle. If a receiving vehicle is the last vehicle to edit a packet, the receiving vehicle transmits a reporting packet to a traffic monitoring server via long-range wireless communications. |
| US07979194B2 |
System and method for controlling fuel injection
The operation of a fuel injector for an internal combustion engine is controlled, wherein the fuel injector has an on time that includes a pull-in time during which injector current increases to a pull-in current followed by a hold time during which the injector current is limited to a hold current that is less than the pull-in current. A control circuit receives a pressure signal from a pressure sensor that corresponds to a pressure of fuel supplied to the fuel injector for injection into the engine, correlates the pressure signal with fuel pressure, and decreases the pull-in time with increasing fuel pressure. |
| US07979189B2 |
Vehicle behavior control system and method
A vehicle behavior control system includes: a first drive power control unit that executes a turning control over right and left drive wheels of a vehicle to reduce the turning radius of the vehicle based on a drive power difference between the right and left drive wheels; a second drive power control unit that executes a traction control when any drive power difference between the right and left drive wheels exists, in order to reduce the existing drive power difference; and a traction control restriction unit that restricts the traction control from being executed when the turning control over the right and left drive wheels is executed. |
| US07979188B2 |
Method for activating and deactivating the four-wheel drive of service and working vehicles without interactive differential locks
A method for activating and deactivating the four-wheel drive of a service or a working vehicle not having interaxle differential locks. According to the method, the activation and deactivation of the four-wheel drive is derived from at least one of the following parameters, namely, the driving and load conditions of the vehicle (1), the vehicle speed and the output torque of the gearbox. |
| US07979174B2 |
Automatic planning and regulation of the speed of autonomous vehicles
An autonomous vehicle comprises one or more sensors configured to obtain data regarding conditions which affect movement of the autonomous vehicle; a speed planner coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to calculate a desired speed based, at least in part, on the data obtained from the one or more sensors; and one or more actuators responsive to signals from the speed planner and configured to adjust the speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the desired speed calculated by the speed planner. |
| US07979165B2 |
Mass flow rate control apparatus, its calibration method and semiconductor-producing apparatus
A method for calibrating a mass flow controller comprising a calibrating valve disposed on the most upstream side of a path, a mass flow rate control valve mechanism, a tank provided at the path on the upstream side of the mass flow rate control valve mechanism, a mass-flow-rate-sensing means, a pressure-sensing means, a means for controlling the mass flow rate control valve mechanism, and a mass flow rate calibration control means, the method comprising the steps of (1) permitting a fluid at a set mass flow rate to flow through the path, (2) setting the mass flow rate control valve mechanism at a degree of opening that the mass flow rate of the fluid is equal to the set mass flow rate, (3) closing the calibrating valve, (4) measuring the pressure and mass flow rate of the fluid after a fluid flow from the tank is stabilized, (5) determining a variation ratio of the pressure and mass flow rate to reference pressure and mass flow rate measured by the same procedures in an initial state, and (6) performing calibration depending on the variation ratio. |
| US07979162B2 |
Wireless controller and a method for wireless control of a device mounted on a robot
A wireless controller for controlling and/or monitoring a device arranged mounted on or relative to an industrial robot. A wireless communicator including a processor arranged with software means handles wireless communication to and from the device. A control carries out at least one control function for one or more actuators of the device. Also, a method, a computer program and a graphic user interface. |
| US07979158B2 |
Blending algorithm for trajectory planning
The present exemplary embodiment relates to motion control and planning algorithms to facilitate execution of a series of moves within a motion trajectory. In one example, a trajectory is specified as a sequence of one or more path segments. A velocity profile is calculated for each of the one or more path segments, wherein each velocity profile is divided into a blend-in region, a blend-out region and a remainder region. Each path segment is executed such that the blend-in region of its velocity profile overlaps only with the blend-out region of the previous profile. |
| US07979146B2 |
System and method for automatically producing haptic events from a digital audio signal
The system and method described is directed to receiving digital audio files and automatically converting the received files into haptic events. In an embodiment, the received files are of sampled digital or digitized analog audio files. The system and method separates the audio signal into a plurality of sub-band signals and segments the sub-band signals into a plurality of events. The system and method then assigns haptic effects to the events to produce haptic event signals which are to be output by an actuator. The system and method utilizes clipping and minimum time separation parameters along with physical parameters of the actuator and frequency characteristics in the audio signal to analyze and provide discrete haptic events which correspond with the audio. |
| US07979141B2 |
Transvascular reshaping lead system
A system for selective activation of a nerve trunk using a transvascular reshaping lead is provided. One aspect of this disclosure relates to a system for spreading nerve bundles in a nerve trunk. The system includes a lead adapted to be chronically implanted in a blood vessel proximate a nerve trunk, and having an expandable portion adapted to be expanded to reshape the blood vessel to an elongated shape and to reshape the nerve trunk into an elongated shape to spread nerve bundles of the nerve trunk. The system also includes a plurality of electrodes and an implantable device coupled to the lead, where an electrical signal is delivered from the implanted medical device to one of the plurality of electrodes to transvascularly deliver neural stimulation from the electrode to at least one of the nerve bundles of the nerve trunk. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein. |
| US07979140B2 |
Segmented electrode
An electrode having a plurality of electrically conductive segments, each segment being electrically isolated from adjacent segments. The segments are adapted to control living tissue, typically a neuromuscular pathway for delivery of stimulation signals to a desired pathway. The segments may be selectively chosen for the delivery of the stimulation signals, so as to avoid delivery of stimulation signals to tissue in contact with segments not chosen. |
| US07979138B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring disc pressure during heat treatment of an intervertebral disc
A probe system and method for treating an intervertebral disc of a patient are disclosed. A probe has a cannula having an open end defined at a distal end and adapted to couple to a power source. A stylet fits into the cannula so that a distal end of the stylet occludes the open end at the distal end of the cannula. The probe system also includes a pressure monitoring apparatus coupled to the stylet, with the stylet including a pressure sensor in proximity to the distal end of the stylet. The pressure sensor communicates with the pressure monitoring apparatus to measure the pressure of the intervertebral disc. The power source delivers power to the distal end of the cannula, causing heating of the disc when the distal end of the cannula is disposed within the disc, thereby relieving patient pain associated with the disc. |
| US07979137B2 |
System and method for nerve stimulation
A system and method for stimulating a nerve, wherein the system includes a first waveform generator adapted to generate a first waveform having a frequency capable of stimulating a predetermined nerve of the mammal, a second waveform generator adapted to generate a carrier waveform having a frequency capable of passing through tissue of the mammal, a modulation device electrically coupled to the first and second waveform generators and adapted to modulate the first and carrier waveforms to create a modulated waveform, and an electrode electrically coupled to the modulation device and positioned substantially adjacent to skin of the mammal, and adapted to apply the modulated waveform thereto. |
| US07979135B2 |
Cochlear implant pitch intensity
A system and method are described for generating electrode stimulation signals for an implanted electrode array having multiple stimulation electrodes. An acoustic audio signal is processed to determine associated pitch characteristics and frequency component information. From the pitch characteristics and the frequency component information, electrode stimulation signals are determined which have intensity levels that reflect the pitch characteristics. Then audio nerve tissue is stimulated by applying the electrode stimulation signals to the electrodes in the implanted electrode array. |
| US07979129B2 |
Deep brain stimulation of the zona incerta
That deep brain stimulation can be used in the treatment of movement disorders and for identifying an area of the brain to be targeted by DBS in the treatment of movement disorders. |
| US07979120B2 |
Method and apparatus for solid state pulse therapy capacitor
One embodiment includes an apparatus that includes an implantable device housing, a capacitor disposed in the implantable device housing, the capacitor including a dielectric comprising CaCu3Ti4O12 and BaTiO3, the dielectric insulating an anode from a cathode and pulse control electronics disposed in the implantable device housing and connected to the capacitor. |
| US07979119B2 |
Display graphics for use in stimulation therapies
Tissue stimulation systems, such as spinal cord stimulation systems, include a pulse generator to generate pulses at various amplitude, duration, and frequency through one or more electrodes. A visual depiction of both a pulse and an electrode configuration is thus provided herein. These depictions may be used in a stimulation display interface to readily convey stimulation parameter information to a user, wherein the interface is used in a stimulation session. |
| US07979112B2 |
Reconstruction of a surface electrocardiogram based upon an endocardial electrogram
The reconstruction of a surface electrocardiogram based upon an endocardial electrogram. This method includes: (a) acquisition (10) of a plurality of endocardial electrogram signals (EGM) through a plurality of endocardial leads defined based upon endocardial electrodes; (b) calculation (12), by combining the endocardial electrogram (EGM) signals acquired at step (a), of the corresponding endocardial vectogram (VGM); (c) angular resealing (14) of the orthonormalized mark of the endocardial vectogram (VGM) with that of the surface vectocardiogram (VCG); (d) estimation (16), based upon the endocardial vectogram (VGM) calculated at step (b), of a reconstructed surface vectocardiogram (VCGreconstructed), and (e) calculation (18) of the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) corresponding to said reconstructed surface vectocardiogram (VCGreconstructed). |
| US07979108B2 |
Automated vessel repair system, devices and methods
Systems, devices and automated methods for minimally invasive surgery. A device is fabricated of bio-compatible semiconductor elements, and can be assembled, delivered, navigated and implanted by automated methods, using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology. |
| US07979104B2 |
System and methods for processing analyte sensor data
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor. |
| US07979102B2 |
Hat-based oximeter sensor
A method for use and an improved oximeter sensor substrate that is conforming to the shape of the patient's forehead. In one embodiment, the present invention is an oximeter sensor, having a substrate with a shape similar to a shape of at least a portion of a patient's forehead and including a section adapted to substantially fit over a portion of a forehead of a patient; an emitter disposed on the substrate at a position located on the section; and a detector disposed on the substrate at a distance from the emitter. In one embodiment, the substrate includes a hat that holds the emitter and the detector in a spaced-part manner against the patient's forehead. |
| US07979084B2 |
Method and apparatus relating to power control
The present invention pertains to power control in cellular networks (1). A power control algorithm (201) is operated to control transmission powers on radio links (downlinks and/or uplinks). An information collector (203; 127) is adapted to collect power distribution information indicating how the transmission powers of a selected plurality of radio links are distributed in a dynamic power range extending from a minimum power level Pmin to a maximum power level Pmax. A feedback generator (205; 129) is adapted to generate feedback for modifying the operation of the power control algorithm (201) based on the power distribution information. The feedback makes the operation of the power control algorithm (201) less sensitive to initial settings of operational parameters and varying conditions in the radio environment. The burden on the operator to select optimal settings for operational parameters is therefore lowered. The invention can be achieved using conventional measurement reports from user terminals. |
| US07979082B2 |
Method and apparatus for message identification
A method and apparatus for identifying an unwanted short message service (SMS) message from SMS messages received by a cellular mobile communication system, which comprises at least a history database (HB) for storing a set (H) of the messages received by the cellular mobile communication system. The method includes the steps of: measuring a difference in an information content between a SMS message (m) received by the cellular mobile communication system and the set (H) of messages stored in the history database (HB), and marking the SMS message (m) as being an unwanted SMS message if the difference that is measured is less than or equal to a predefined threshold value. |
| US07979076B2 |
Method of managing resources in a cognitive radio communication system
A resource management method in a Cognitive Radio communication system where at least two Base Stations of heterogeneous networks provide a connection service to Mobile Stations within their service areas is provided. In the method, at least one BS having candidate resources broadcasts its candidate resource information on the downlink of a system information channel. At least one BS lacking in resources searches the downlinks of system information channels from neighbor heterogeneous networks, selects an offer BS among the BSs having candidate resources, and rents resources from the selected offer BS by negotiations. |
| US07979074B2 |
Method and system for creating and deploying a mesh network
A method and system for creating and deploying a mesh network are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing a mesh router having a plurality of radios. The mesh router is used in a cell of a plurality of cells that covers a geographic region. Channels are assigned to the plurality of radios. The channels are selected from a plurality of channels to allow channel reuse throughout the plurality of cells. |
| US07979068B2 |
Method and device for traversing a scan list in a communication system
A wireless communication device accesses a scan list that includes a plurality of scan members sorted at least by receive frequency and attempts to detect whether a call of interest exists on a receive frequency by performing a group scan for a group of scan members that are marked scan undone and that have the same corresponding receive frequency, wherein the group includes a first scan member and at least one other scan member. The group scan includes inspecting the receive frequency to obtain inspection results; using the inspection results to determine that there is no signal on the receive frequency having signal attributes that match a set of attributes for the first scan member; and using the inspection results to evaluate at least one of the other scan members in the group to determine whether there is a corresponding signal of interest on the receive frequency. |
| US07979063B2 |
System and method for reshaping customer areas of a telecommunications carrier
A system and method for changing area boundaries that encompass customers serviced by a telecommunications carrier may include an electronic display configured to display graphical images and a storage unit configured to store information associated with the customers serviced by a telecommunications carrier and area boundaries. A processing unit may be in communication with the electronic display and storage unit, and be configured to execute software. The software may display indicia representative of a geographic area of the customers serviced by the telecommunications carrier. Adjacent area boundaries may be displayed on the geographic area, where at least two of the area boundaries share at least one common point along the boundaries. The processing unit may further enable a user to selectively reposition a common point along at least two area boundaries of different types and reshape the area boundaries based on the repositioned common point. |
| US07979061B2 |
Handset personalisation
A communication terminal has a number of user selectable profiles each including a group of user adjustable operating characteristics. These selectable profiles may be transferred from one communication terminal to another included in a message containing a group of user adjustable operating characteristics. When the communication terminal receives this message transmitted via a communication channel, the message is analyzed and the terminal saves the group of user adjustable operating characteristics as a profile. |
| US07979052B2 |
Communication method, communication system, key management device, relay device and recording medium
A key management device for communicating with relay devices is provided, and one of the relay devices, which is communicating with a communication device based on master key information, transmits the master key information to the key management device. If the communication with the communication device has been enabled, the other relay devices makes a request to the key management device for transmission of the master key information. Then, the key management device transmits the master key information, which has been received from the one of the relay devices, to the other relay device, and then the other relay device can communicates with the communication device using the received master key information. |
| US07979046B2 |
Transceiver development in VHF/UHF/GSM/GPS/bluetooth/cordless telephones
A digital communication circuit can be implemented can be implemented in a CMOS, or other IC structure. The digital circuit can utilize negative frequency removers or image frequency removers in the digital domain. The circuit can include mixers, switches, a complex filter, a low noise amplifier and summers. The image frequency can be removed digitally. |
| US07979044B2 |
Method and system for utilizing undersampling and/or a digital delay line to remove out-of-band blocker signals
Methods and systems for wireless communication are disclosed and may include generating first and second signals by band-limiting a received wireless signal in two frequency ranges utilizing programmable bandpass filters. The first and second signals may be undersampled utilizing a clock signal. A delay of the second signal may be coarse-tuned by delaying the undersampling clock signal and may be fine-tuned by delaying the undersampled second signal utilizing a programmable delay line. The delayed, undersampled second signal may be subtracted from the undersampled first signal. A center frequency of the first range may be configured to a desired signal frequency, and a center frequency of the second range may be configured to a blocker signal frequency. The delay line may include an array of CMOS inverters, and may be fine-tuned utilizing programmable capacitors. The bandpass filters may include one or more coplanar waveguide or microstrip bandpass filters. |
| US07979037B2 |
Frequency modulation circuit, transmission circuit, and communication apparatus
A bandpass type delta sigma modulation section performs delta sigma modulation on an inputted modulation signal such that quantization noise is reduced in a frequency band which requires low noise. A low pass filter removes a noise component in a high frequency region from the signal on which the delta sigma modulation has been performed. A frequency modulation circuit reduces noise in the frequency band which requires low noise with the bandpass type delta sigma modulation section and the low pass filter, and reduces noise in the vicinity of a direct current component DC with a feedback comparison section and a loop filter. |
| US07979036B2 |
Fully integrated ultra wideband transmitter circuits and systems
Disclosed is a novel design of a fully integrated UWB transmitter. The transmitter includes a pulse generator, a pulse modulator, and an ultra-wideband drive amplifier. A new low voltage low power pulse generator circuit is disclosed which can be fully integrated in CMOS or BiCMOS process. This circuit includes a squaring stage, an exponential stage, and a second-order derivative stage. Based on this, PPM, BPSK and PAM pulse modulator circuits and system are disclosed. The modulated pulse is symmetrical second-order derivative Gaussian pulses with a bandwidth up to 5 GHz and having sufficient swing for UWB applications. An ultra-wideband driver amplifier is proposed to amplify the modulator output and drive the antenna. For the driver amplifier, common source resistor and inductor shunt feedback with current reuse technique is employed to achieve the ultra-wideband bandwidth, high gain, and providing matching for the antenna simultaneously. |
| US07979030B1 |
Circuit for transmitting a RFID signal
A circuit for transmitting a RFID signal while conserving the battery power for a circuit in continuous operation is disclosed herein. The circuit includes a RFID component, a microprocessor, an accelerometer and a battery. The battery preferably has no more than 225 milliamp hours of power. The accelerometer is preferably a multiple axis accelerometer. The circuit is preferably utilized with a device for shot tracking. |
| US07979027B2 |
Method and system for selecting, transmitting, and receiving an unused carrier frequency and transmitting over the unused carrier frequency
In some embodiments, a method of transmitting electrical signals over at least one unused first frequency includes: (a) using a first electrical device to receive information identifying the at least one unused first frequency; (b) selecting a first transmission frequency from the at least one unused first frequency; (c) communicating the first transmission frequency to a user; and (d) using the transmitter of the first electrical device to broadcast the electrical signals over the first transmission frequency. Other embodiments are disclosed in this application. |
| US07979023B2 |
Mobile communication system with moving base station
A mobile communication system employs moving base stations moving in the direction of flow of traffic moving along a roadway. The moving base station communicates with fixed radio ports connected to a gateway office. A plurality of moving base stations are spaced apart on a closed loop and move with the flow of traffic along one roadway on one leg of the loop and with a flow of traffic on another roadway in another leg of the loop. The moving base stations communicate with a plurality of fixed radio ports connected by a signal transmission link to a gateway office which, in turn, is connected to the wire line network. The moving base stations are each provided with a pair of directional antennas with one antenna directed toward the flow of traffic and another antenna directed to the fixed radio ports. |
| US07979018B2 |
Image forming apparatus for controlling the occurrence of residual images
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes: an image carrier on whose surface is formed a latent image; a developing unit that forms a developer image with a developer including toner, carrier and additive; a transfer unit that transfers the developer image onto a recording medium; a recovery member that recovers the developer remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the developer image is transferred; a supply member that supplies, to the image carrier, a recovery promoter; and a voltage application unit that applies, to the supply member, an alternating-current voltage whose amplitude is changed in accordance with a change in the percentages of the amount of toner and the amount of carrier per unit area of a developer image forming portion of the developing unit. |
| US07979017B2 |
Image-bearing member protecting agent, protective layer forming device, image forming method, image forming apparatus and process cartridge
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an image-bearing member protecting agent capable of preventing abrasion of an image-bearing member, filming on an image-bearing member, smearing of a charging member and leakage of toner. The image-bearing member protecting agent includes a fatty acid metal salt and boron nitride, wherein the boron nitride is crystals having an average diameter of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm and forms secondary particles of a crystal aggregate having an average diameter of 3.0 μm to 14.0 μm. |
| US07979011B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a photoconductive drum
An image forming apparatus that includes: a photoconductive drum; a developing roller that is arranged opposite the photoconductive drum and that carries toner; a detecting portion that detects an occurrence of electrical discharge between the developing roller and the photoconductive drum; a control portion that controls the apparatus, that receives an output of the detecting portion and then recognizes the occurrence of the electrical discharge; a direct voltage applying portion that is connected to the developing roller; and an alternating voltage applying portion is disclosed herein. |
| US07979003B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method
The image forming apparatus including: a photoconductor provided with a charge generation layer and an overcoat layer; a first charging unit charging the photoconductor when an image is formed; an exposure unit irradiating the photoconductor with light having a wavelength to which a relative sensitivity of the charge generation layer is larger than a relative sensitivity of the overcoat layer; a development unit developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor by the first charging unit and the exposure unit with toner; a transfer unit transferring an image developed on the photoconductor to a medium; a light irradiation unit irradiating the photoconductor with light having a wavelength to which the relative sensitivity of the overcoat layer is larger than the relative sensitivity of the charge generation layer; and an erasing unit erasing a charge from the photoconductor irradiated with light by the light irradiation unit. |
| US07978999B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge is configured to be mounted in an apparatus main body along a predetermined mounting direction. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum drive input member into which a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is inputted; and a frame which holds the photosensitive drum and the drum drive input member; the frame including: a substantially cylindrical first protecting member which is formed on the frame. The first protecting member is configured to accommodate the drum drive input member, and project in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, wherein a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at a downstream side in the mounting direction is smaller than a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at an upstream side in the mounting direction. |
| US07978994B2 |
Image forming apparatus including detector units
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the image formed on the recording medium by the image forming unit by applying heat; a first detector unit that detects a length of the recording medium in a transport direction, the first detector unit being disposed upstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction; and a second detector unit that detects the length of the recording medium in the transport direction, the second detector unit being disposed downstream of the fixing unit in the transport direction. |
| US07978993B2 |
Image forming apparatus, computer program product for forming image, and image forming method
A first calculating unit calculates an allocation time required for forming a patch pattern. A second calculating unit calculates a maximum patch-pattern length of the patch pattern that can be formed within the allocation time based on the number of patch patterns that can be formed within the allocation time. A setting unit calculates a difference between an environmental temperature around the image forming apparatus and an environmental temperature at which the image forming condition stored in the storing unit is set, and newly sets an image forming condition for the patch patterns based on a result of comparing the difference with a predetermined threshold. |
| US07978988B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, which has a plurality of image forming units, comprises a plurality of cartridges adapted to supply developer; a plurality of supply members adapted to supply developer to the image forming units from a plurality of the cartridges; a drive unit adapted to drive a plurality of the supply members; and a control unit adapted to supply developer from a plurality of the cartridges by selectively operating a plurality of the supply members based on the amount of developer accommodated in the cartridges. |
| US07978985B2 |
Clipping correction system and method for correcting clipped signals in a receiver
A system and method for restoring a clipped signal may be used in an optical receiver that detects a clipped modulated optical signal. The clipped modulated optical signal is detected to produce a clipped electrical signal including a series of clipped negative peaks and corresponding positive peaks. The clipped signal may be corrected by detecting at least one trigger peak preceding one or more clipped negative peaks to be restored and generating a replacement tip signal segment for the clipped negative peak(s) to be restored. The replacement tip signal segment may be combined with the clipped electrical signal such that the replacement tip signal segment coincides with a clipped end of the clipped negative peak to be restored to produce a restored negative peak. |
| US07978965B2 |
Tank heating system
The invention relates to a tank heater, especially for a urea tank of an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing (2) in which at least one PTC element is arranged, an electrical connecting cable (3, 4) that is joined to the PTC element so as to conduct a heating current through the PTC element, and an intake pipe (5) for conveying liquid. At least one section of the electrical connecting cable (5) is embodied as a resistive heating element which is connected in a thermally conducting manner to the interior of the intake pipe (5). |
| US07978960B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07978947B2 |
Photonic bandgap fiber
A photonic bandgap fiber includes a first core having a refractive index equal to or smaller than a refractive index of a cladding, a second core that is provided to surround the first core and has a refractive index smaller than the refractive index of the first core, the cladding that surrounds the second core, and a periodic structure portion that is provided in the cladding around the second core, and in which high-refractive index portions having a refractive index larger than the refractive index of the cladding form a periodic structure. The periodic structure is configured such that at least the propagation constant of the fundamental mode at a wavelength to be used is in a photonic bandgap, and the propagation constant of a higher-order mode at the wavelength to be used is outside of the photonic bandgap. |
| US07978946B2 |
Optical fibers with improved resistance to ingressing molecules
An optical fiber includes a glass fiber having a glass core and a cladding which contains voids spaced apart from the core. The voids act as trapping sites for ingressing molecules from the surrounding environment, thereby reducing the effect of such molecules on the fiber's light-transmission properties. |
| US07978945B2 |
Nonlinearity compensation in a fiber optic communications system
An optical communications link is described, comprising first and second fiber lines in substantial scaled translational symmetry by a common scaling factor with respect to a second-order dispersion coefficient profile (oppositely signed) and with respect to at least one of a loss/gain coefficient profile and a nonlinear coefficient-power product profile for facilitating progressive compensation along the second fiber line of at least one nonlinearity introduced along the first fiber line. |
| US07978937B2 |
Using photographic images as a search attribute
Method and computer program product including executable instructions on a computer readable medium for using a photographic image in a component search. A plurality of attributes for searching a component information source is gathered, including a photographic image of space available for receiving a component. The photographic image is analyzed to determine the physical dimensions of the space available. A component information source may then be searched to identify components that satisfy the plurality of attributes. The attribute of the photographic image is satisfied with respect to a particular component if the physical dimensions of the space available are determined to allow proper installation of the particular component. Search results are communicated to a user, wherein the results include the identification of at least one component from the information source satisfying each of the plurality of attributes. |
| US07978926B2 |
Edge ringing artifact suppression methods and apparatuses
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to methods or suppressing edge ringing in images. For example, in some embodiments a method of processing an image to suppress ringing and broadened edges induced by image correction processing, includes high-pass filtering a first image to obtain a second image, processing said second image including applying non-linear apodization to said second image to obtain a third image, low-pass filtering said first image to obtain a fourth image, and combining the third image and the fourth image to obtain an output image, wherein the output image is characterized by having reduced edge-response sidelobes as compared to the first images. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to devices comprising means and/or modules to suppress edge ringing in images. |
| US07978919B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding in inter mode based on multiple scanning
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding in an inter mode based on a multiple scanning through which efficiency of the inter mode is improved by using a spatial relationship within a frame and obtaining estimation information from numerous references. The method includes dividing an input image into basic encoding/decoding units including predetermined sized blocks, scanning at least one of the basic encoding/decoding units, determining whether references for motion estimation of a current basic encoding/decoding unit can be used as references to encode/decode the current basic encoding/decoding unit, and selectively encoding/decoding the current basic encoding/decoding unit according to a result of the determination. A decoded previous frame or blocks decoded before the final scan of a current frame is used the references for motion estimation. |
| US07978916B2 |
System and method for identifying a vascular border
A system and method is provided for using a first vascular image, or more particularly a plurality of control points located thereon, to identify a border on a second vascular image. Embodiments of the present invention operate in accordance with an intra-vascular ultrasound (IVUS) device and a computing device electrically connected thereto. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, an IVUS console is electrically connected to a computing device and adapted to acquire IVUS data. The IVUS data (or multiple sets thereof) is then provided to (or acquired by) the computing device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the computing device includes a plurality of applications operating thereon—i.e., a border-detection application, an extrapolation application, and an active-contour application. These applications are used to (i) identify a border and control points on a first IVUS image (i.e., any IVUS image), (ii) extrapolate the control points to a second IVUS image (i.e., another IVUS image), (iii) identify a border on the second IVUS image, and (iv) adjust the border on the second IVUS image in accordance with at least one factor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one factor is selected from a group consisting of gradient factor, continuity factor, and curvature factor. |
| US07978907B2 |
Image analyzer
An image analyzer for detecting a target object from image data, includes a reference detection unit, a primary detection unit, a secondary detection unit and an output unit. The reference detection unit detects a reference object included in the image data. The primary detection unit detects candidates for the target object from the image data. The secondary detection unit specifies a portion including the target object from among the candidates, by using a correlation between a feature of the detected reference object and a feature of the candidates. The output unit outputs information representing the portion including the target object specified by the secondary detection unit. |
| US07978904B2 |
Pattern inspection apparatus and semiconductor inspection system
There is provided a pattern inspection apparatus that is capable of detecting a defect accurately and efficiently to inspect a pattern of a semiconductor device. The pattern inspection apparatus includes: a contour extraction means for extracting contour data of a pattern from a captured image of the semiconductor device; a non-linear part extraction means for extracting a non-linear part from the contour data; an angular part extraction means for extracting an angular part of a pattern from design data of the semiconductor device; and a defect detection section that compares a position of the non-linear part extracted by the non-linear part extraction section with a position of the angular part extracted by the angular part extraction section so as to detect a position of a defective part of a pattern. |
| US07978887B2 |
Methods and apparatus for identifying subject matter in view data
In one aspect, a method and apparatus for detecting subject matter of interest in view data obtained by scanning an object including generating a filter adapted to respond to the subject matter of interest, splatting the filter onto a portion of the view data to provide a filter splat, and performing at least one operation on the portion of the view data using the filter splat to facilitate determining whether the subject matter of interest is present in the portion of the view data. |
| US07978879B2 |
Tracking device and image-capturing apparatus
A tracking device includes: an image sensor that obtains image information of an image present within an image plane formed via an optical system; a tracking unit that tracks a target within the image plane based upon the image information; a focus detection unit that detects a focus adjustment state of the optical system over at least one focus detection area set in the image plane; a focus adjustment unit that executes focus adjustment for the optical system based upon the focus adjustment state detected in the focus detection area corresponding to a position of the target; a decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not the target is being tracked based upon results of tracking operation executed by the tracking unit; and a control unit that bans the focus adjustment based upon results of the decision made by the decision-making unit. |
| US07978869B2 |
Wireless microphone
A wireless microphone includes a perforated front cover mounted on a front open end of a tubular housing, and a control module mounted fixedly on a rear open end of the housing and having an outer surrounding surface provided with a power switch and electrode plates. A rear cover is connected detachably to the control module, and is formed with a switch-receiving groove and through holes. The rear cover is operable so as to be disposed between an adjusted position, where the power switch is exposed from the switch-receiving groove and where the electrode plates are respectively exposed from the through holes, and a used position, where the power switch and the electrode plates are fully covered by the rear cover. A positioning member positions the rear cover at a selected one of the used and adjusted positions. |
| US07978867B2 |
Audio signal system
An audio signal system is provided having, in one embodiment, a magnetostrictive core of varying shapes, sizes, and permeability. The core is wound with a wire, thereby forming an inductor for producing a magnetic field when current is passed through the wire. A speaker, or other audio output device, is positioned in parallel or series with the inductor. In operation, an audio signal is received and transmitted to the speaker or other audio output device, wherein a replication of the received signal is produced. An output of the magnetostrictive inductor couples with the replicated audio signal to modify and enhance the quality of the projected signal. In yet another embodiment, digital signal processing may be used to modify the received signal as well. |
| US07978865B2 |
Audio processing apparatus
An audio processing apparatus comprising: channel determination section for determining which one of a combination of the first left audio signal and the first right audio signal and a combination of the second left audio signal and the second right audio signal is included in multichannel audio data; and switching section for causing the first amplification section to amplify the first left audio signal and supply the amplified first left audio signal to the first speaker terminal and causing the second amplification section to amplify the first right audio signal and supply the amplified first right audio signal to the second speaker terminal when the combination of the first left audio signal and the first right audio signal is determined to be included; and causing the first amplification section to amplify the second left audio signal and supply the amplified second left audio signal to the third speaker terminal and causing the second amplification section to amplify the second right audio signal and supply the amplified second right audio signal to the fourth speaker terminal when the combination of the second left audio signal and the second right audio signal is determined to be included. |
| US07978864B2 |
Audio signal processing system
In a mixer system including an editing device that edits a configuration of signal processing by designating a combination of a plurality of components and a DSP that processes audio signals in accordance with the signal processing configuration edited by the editing device, when the mixer engine does not store a predetermined enabling key, audio signal processing including a protected component in the mixer engine is disabled, and when the mixer engine stores the predetermined enabling key, the audio signal processing is enabled. Further, the editing device is permitted to edit a signal processing configuration including the protected component irrespective of storage of the enabling key in the mixer engine. |
| US07978862B2 |
Method and apparatus for audio signal processing
A sampled digital audio signal is displayed on a spectrogram, in terms of frequency vs. time. An unwanted noise in the signal is visible in the spectrogram and the portion of the signal containing the unwanted noise can be selected using time and frequency constraints. An estimate for the signal within the selected portion is then interpolated on the basis of desired portions of the signal outside the time constraints defining the selected portion. The interpolated estimate can then be used to attenuate or remove the unwanted sound. |
| US07978844B1 |
Selective telephone ringing-signal interruption
Systems and methods are disclosed which allow a person to pre-set preferred calling times for receiving incoming calls. During these pre-set times (which could vary from day to day) calls that arrive are interrupted such that ringing tone is not applied to at least some of the telephones at the user's premises. The caller is informed that the user prefers not to receive calls until the pre-set time. In one embodiment, the caller is given the option of leaving a message or, if the caller desires, completing the call. The system can be implemented by a call answer machine at the customer's premises while in another embodiment the interrupt occurs at a central switching point. |
| US07978839B2 |
Communication system, server equipment and terminal equipment
PoC server has an audio data receiving section 305 that receives the audio data transmitted from a cellular phone, an audio data transmitting section that transfers the audio data to individual cellular phones other than the speaker's one, of two or more cellular phones, a receiving user storage section that stores therein receiving association data indicative of the association between the cellular phone having the speaker right and the cellular phones of the receiving users, and a receiving user grasp section that causes the audio data transmitting section to transfer the audio data with designation of the cellular phone of the receiver. |
| US07978828B1 |
Methods and apparatus for multimedia tracking
A system collects a plurality of communications including at least two different types of communications. The system links the plurality of communications with an identifier that can be used to identify the plurality of communications, and stores the plurality of communications. The system allows a user to perform an action on at least one of the plurality of communications. |
| US07978817B2 |
Carrying out and monitoring irradiation of a moving object
A system for carrying out or monitoring irradiation of a moving object using a particle beam is provided. A particle beam may be directed onto the moving object from a beam outlet. X-ray images from different directions are recorded by an imaging unit. The imaging unit may include an x-ray detector and an x-ray emitter opposite the x-ray detector. The imaging unit may be positioned around the object independently of the position of the beam outlet, for example, during application of the particle beam. The X-ray images may be used to reconstruct a series of digital tomosynthesis images of the moving object online. The reconstructed digital tomosynthesis images are evaluated so that movement of the moving object is captured and the irradiation profile is controlled. |
| US07978813B2 |
X-ray CT imaging apparatus
An x-ray CT imaging apparatus emits an x-ray cone beam to an object to generate an x-ray CT image on the basis of a transmission x-ray which is transmitted through the object. An image generation part generates an image obtained by superposing an imaging object region display on a position setting image representing the object and displays the image on a display part. The image generation part changes the imaging object region display in accordance with an x-ray CT imaging mode selected by an imaging mode selection part. |
| US07978809B2 |
Shift register of a display device
A shift register includes a plurality of shift register units each including an input circuit, a pull-up circuit and a pull-down circuit. The shift register unit receives an input voltage at an input end and provides an output voltage at an output end. The input circuit controls the signal transmission path between a first clock signal and a first node according to the input voltage. The pull-up circuit controls the signal transmission path between a second clock signal and the output end according to the level of the first node. The pull-down circuit includes a pull-down unit and a control unit. The pull-down unit maintains the level of the first node or the output end according to the level of the second node. The control unit maintains the level of the second node according to the first clock signal, the second clock signal and the level of the first node. |
| US07978806B1 |
Seafloor power station
The Seafloor Power Station is one or more unmanned electric power generating Units (2) sending power to and operated from existing coastal sites by a manned facility (1) by connecting lines and hoses (3) delivering power to a grid by lines (4). Each Unit's hull (11) maintained in a vacuum, contains both nuclear steam and electricity generating systems. The hull functions as overpressure containment and as condenser in the event of a loss of coolant accident or other steam release. The Units operate submerged in very cold water, with depth set by remotely controlled vertical mooring systems, mounted on gravity mats (27). A Unit must be surfaced by its mooring system to refuel the reactor, an action both conspicuous and public, enabling international oversight of the fuel disposition. |
| US07978804B2 |
Low power neutron generators
A neutron generator and method of constructing the same. The generator includes a grid configured to produce an ionizable gas when heated by electrons impinging thereon. A cathode emits electrons to heat the grid and to collide with produced ionizable gas atoms to generate ions. Neutrons are generated from a collision of ions impinging on a target in the generator. A tool for subsurface use incorporating the neutron generator. |
| US07978802B1 |
Method and apparatus for a mesochronous transmission system
A method and apparatus for a multiple lane transmission system that provides both a low latency mode of operation, while at the same time, provides reduced lane-lane skew. The overall transmission system operates as a mesochronous system, whereby each clock domain of the transmission system is synchronized to the leaf nodes of a global clock tree. A phase aligner is then used to align the phase of both the bit and byte clocks of each transmission lane to the clock signal generated at the leaf nodes of the global clock tree. |
| US07978800B2 |
Circuit for converting a transponder controller chip output into an appropriate input signal for a host device
A translation circuit for mediating between a fiber-optic controller chip and a host device. The translation circuit may be on a fiber-optic transponder. The controller chip includes a phase locked loop that outputs a short synchronization signal when a hunting frequency passes through a target data signal frequency while hunting for a data signal and outputs a synchronization signal when the phase locked loop is locked onto a data signal. The translation circuit distinguishes between the synchronization signals and generates a lock signal when the phase locked loop is locked onto a data signal, but does not when the hunting frequency passes through the target data signal frequency. The lock signal may be used by a host device into which the fiber-optic transponder has been in installed. Errors from misinterpreted signals can thus be mitigated. |
| US07978794B2 |
Front-end for digital video receiver and method for automatic gain control thereof
A method for automatic gain control of a front-end for a digital video receiver is provided. The method includes the following steps. First, a radio frequency signal is received and converted to an intermediate frequency signal. Then, the IF signal is amplified according to a gain. Next, the amplified IF signal is demodulated into a base-band signal, and the base-band signal is encoded into a transport stream. After that, a DC level of a pulse width modulation signal is controlled by at least one variable resistor to adjust the gain, the PWM signal being related to a setting of the gain. Afterwards, a BER measurement at each potential setting of the gain and the variable resistor under one or more power levels of the RF signal is read, and an optimum setting of the gain and the variable resistor is selected according to the BER measurements. |
| US07978789B2 |
Frequency shift keying modulator and applications thereof
An FSK modulator and applications thereof are disclosed. The FSK modulator comprises a phase-locked loop, a frequency divider module, an image rejection mixer and a summing module. The phase-locked loop is operably coupled to generate a first oscillation from a reference oscillation. The frequency divider module is operably coupled to divide the first oscillation to produce a second oscillation. The image-rejection mixer is operably coupled to mix the second oscillation with a low intermediate oscillation to produce a mixed data signal, and the summing module is operably coupled to sum the mixed data signal with the first oscillation to produce an FSK modulated signal. |
| US07978787B2 |
Semiconductor device
It is an object of the present invention to prevent an error or malfunction such as nonresponse which is caused due to difference in pulse width in a semiconductor device capable of communicating data wirelessly. In a semiconductor device, a level shift circuit is provided between a data demodulation circuit and each circuit block where demodulated signals are outputted from the data demodulation circuit. In such a manner, voltage amplitude of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of the outputted signals from each circuit block. Accordingly, a pulse width of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of signals in each circuit block, or a pulse width of the demodulated signal is made almost equal to that of the outputted signals from each circuit block. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent an error or malfunction such as nonresponse which is caused due to difference in pulse width. |
| US07978786B2 |
Apparatus and method for quantization in digital communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for actively adjusting the quantization interval of signals inputted to a decoder in a digital communication system. The apparatus includes a quantization level generator for measuring a dynamic range of received packet data and calculating a corresponding scale factor, and an input signal converter for scaling a received data signal according to the scale factor so as to output a quantized signal. |
| US07978778B2 |
Receiver structures for spatial spreading with space-time or space-frequency transmit diversity
A receiving entity obtains received symbols for a data transmission having at least one data symbol stream sent with space-time transmit diversity (STTD). The receiving entity derives an overall channel response matrix in accordance with the STTD encoding scheme used for the data transmission, derives a spatial filter matrix based on the overall channel response matrix, and performs spatial matched filtering on a vector of received symbols for each 2-symbol interval to obtain a vector of detected symbols for the 2-symbol interval. The receiving entity may perform post-processing (e.g., conjugation) on the detected symbols if needed. Alternatively, the receiving entity derives a spatial filter matrix based on an effective channel response matrix, performs spatial matched filtering on the received symbols for each symbol period to obtain detected symbols for that symbol period, and combines multiple estimates obtained for each data symbol sent with STTD. |
| US07978773B2 |
Multi-channel receiver with improved AGC
An improved multi-channel receiver for satellite broadcast applications or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, a primary AGC loop controls an analog sub-receiver adapted to simultaneously receive multiple signals. Multiple digital demodulators, coupled to the sub-receiver, demodulate the multiple received signals. Multiple secondary AGC loops, one for each received signal, compensate for variations in demodulated signal strengths caused by the primary AGC loop. A feed-forward AGC compensation technique generates scalar control values for scaling the demodulated signals before the demodulated signals are processed by the secondary AGC loops. This at least partially compensates for gain variations caused by the primary AGC, reducing received signal drop-outs before the secondary AGC loops can compensate for the gain variations. Because of systemic delays in the sub-receiver and the demodulators, the scalar control values are independently timed to be coincident with the variations in the demodulated signal strengths caused by the primary AGC loop. |
| US07978770B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion vector prediction in temporal video compression
A method for motion vector prediction for a current block, the current block having a set of neighboring blocks that includes blocks that do not have an associated motion vector, is disclosed. The method including deriving a candidate motion vector for each block in the set of neighboring blocks that does not have an associated motion vector; and using the candidate motion vector for each block in the set of neighboring blocks that does not have the associated motion vector to predict a current motion vector for the current block. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed. |
| US07978769B2 |
Method and apparatus for coding motion information
Video compression algorithms typically represent visual information by a combination of motion and texture data. Motion data describes the temporal relationship between the content of a frame and that of a previous frame. This invention describes a method and apparatus for efficiently encoding motion data, particularly in the presence of horizontal and/or vertical motion boundaries. |
| US07978758B1 |
Efficient blind equalization for quadrature amplitude modulation
Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving a signal transmitted with a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) constellation. In an embodiment of the invention, a blind equalization algorithm can be performed to equalize the signal, and a constellation recovery algorithm can be performed to identify a constellation index corresponding to the QAM constellation. The blind equalization algorithm can be altered based on the identified constellation index. The invention advantageously allows for relatively efficient and relatively reliable equalization of signals transmitted with an unknown QAM constellation. |
| US07978746B2 |
Unstable laser disk resonator
An unstable laser disk resonator combines the output laser power of multiple laser disks to produce a high power, single transverse mode laser output beam, which is near diffraction limited. |
| US07978730B2 |
Controlling software distribution or file transfer
An example of a solution provided here comprises automatically measuring bandwidth of a network connection; comparing results of the measuring, with bandwidth parameters; preventing a transfer of a file via the network connection, if measured bandwidth is less than a minimum acceptable value; providing to an end user an option of transferring a file via the network connection, if measured bandwidth is not less than a minimum acceptable value, but is less than an optimal value; and automatically transferring a file via the network connection, if measured bandwidth is greater than or equal to an optimal value. |
| US07978729B2 |
High data throughput WLAN frame format
A frame format for high data throughput wireless local area network transmissions includes a first preamble segment, a second preamble segment, and a variable length data segment. The first preamble segment includes at least one training sequence and a high throughput channel indication. The second preamble segment includes a high data throughput training sequence when the high throughput channel indication is set and includes a null segment when the high data throughput training sequence is not set. |
| US07978724B1 |
Systems and methods of allocating radio resources
Systems and methods of allocating radio resources are provided. It is determined whether a bandwidth assigned to a communication station can be satisfied using available subchannels and a modulation and coding scheme (MCS). When the bandwidth cannot be satisfied using available subchannels and MCS, a number of the available subchannels and an MCS are selected. A power level for communications transmitted to the communication station is adjusted relative to a power level determined based a signal quality measurement. Information is transmitted to the communication station using the selected number of subchannels, MCS and adjusted power level. |
| US07978721B2 |
Multi-serial interface stacked-die memory architecture
Systems and methods disclosed herein substantially concurrently transfer a plurality of streams of commands, addresses, and/or data across a corresponding plurality of serialized communication link interfaces (SCLIs) between one or more originating devices or destination devices such as a processor and a switch. At the switch, one or more commands, addresses, or data corresponding to each stream can be transferred to a corresponding destination memory vault controller (MVC) associated with a corresponding memory vault. The destination MVC can perform write operations, read operations, and/or memory vault housekeeping operations independently from concurrent operations associated with other MVCs coupled to a corresponding plurality of memory vaults. |
| US07978720B2 |
Digital media device having media content transfer capability
Systems and methods for media content transfer are described. One exemplary embodiment of a method for transferring content from a first digital video recorder (DVR) set-top to a second DVR set-top includes recording instances of media content to a first storage medium located internal to a housing of the first DVR set-top and receiving an indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top. One exemplary method further includes, in response to receiving the indication that the instances of media content stored to the first storage medium are to be made available for playback using the second DVR set-top, providing the instances of media content to the second DVR set-top over a communication interface of the second DVR set-top, the communication interface accessible from an external port of the second DVR set-top. |
| US07978714B2 |
Methods and systems for securing access to private networks using encryption and authentication technology built in to peripheral devices
A method for routing packets from a peripheral device to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) gateway includes the step of implementing, by a peripheral device, a change to a routing table. The peripheral device receives an outbound packet. The peripheral device transmits information about the outbound packet to a VPN client application. The peripheral device modifies address information on the outbound packet with address information associated with the VPN client application. The peripheral device transmits the modified outbound packet to the VPN client application. |
| US07978712B2 |
Method and apparatus for transporting client signal in optical transport network
A method for transporting a client signal in an optical transport network (OTN) includes steps as follows. A byte number Cn of a client signal transported in a current OTN frame period is generated according to a client signal clock and a system clock. If the Cn of the current OTN frame falls in a certain range, a predetermined area in an optical channel payload unit-k (OPUk) overhead field is identified as normal, and the Cn is filled in the OPUk overhead field of the current OTN frame. Therefore, the reliability for transporting the client byte number can be improved and an OPUk overhead byte space needed for transporting the client signal byte number can be saved. |
| US07978707B2 |
Method and apparatus for securely establishing L3-SVC connections
A system and method are provided for securely establishing Layer-3 SVCs or SPVCs across an ATM network. An originating multiservice switch that generates the connection setup message for the Layer-3 connection includes security information within the setup message, such as a Closed User Group Interlock Code. When the destination multiservice switch receives the setup message, it extracts the embedded security information and compares it with stored security information corresponding to the connection. The correspondence may be determined from the destination user. If the embedded security information matches the stored security information, the destination multiservice switch allows the connection to be established. |
| US07978703B2 |
Intelligent ALG functionality in networks supporting endpoints performing network address translation
In one embodiment, a signaling message is received from an endpoint. It is determined from the signaling message whether, prior to sending the signaling message, the endpoint performed network address translation on the body of the signaling message. If it is determined from the signaling message that, prior to sending the signaling message, the endpoint did not perform network address translation on the body of the signaling message, application layer gateway functionality is applied to the body of the signaling message such that a modified signaling message is generated. |
| US07978694B2 |
Method for transmitting layer 2 packet and access device thereof
A method for Layer 2 packet transmission is disclosed, wherein a corresponding relationship between packet attribute information and public MAC addresses is configured in an access device such that the access device could find a corresponding public MAC address in the corresponding relationship when receiving a packet from a user terminal, then replaces the source MAC address with the public MAC address found, and then sends the packet to a convergence layer device. A method for transmission of a Layer 2 packet without character information is also disclosed. The access device needs to obtain the packet attribute information and carry the information in the packet to be sent to the convergence layer device. An access device is also disclosed. As a result, the capacity of the VLAN and the MAC address table items needed for the convergence layer device to convert MAC addresses is greatly decreased. |
| US07978692B2 |
Integrated cross-switching unit and service scheduling method thereof
An integrated cross-switching unit and a service scheduling method thereof are provided. The integrated cross-switching unit includes: a bus identification module, a cross-connecting module, a mapping/de-mapping module, an encapsulation/de-encapsulation module, and a packet scheduling module; the bus identification module identifies service source, transmits service from a line unit to the cross-connecting module and directly sends the data packets from the data service processing unit to the packet scheduling module to implement scheduling; the cross-connecting module implements TDM service cross-connecting, and transmits the data service of the service from the line unit to the packet scheduling module via the mapping/de-mapping module and the encapsulation/de-encapsulation module to implement scheduling. This solution integrates the cross-connecting function and switching function of TDM service and data service in the same unit, reducing system slots and realizing larger-capacity service scheduling. |
| US07978691B1 |
Connectivity manager with location services
A system and method are disclosed for managing the connectivity of a mobile device to a plurality of network connectivity locations. A mobile device comprising a network connectivity manager accesses a repository of predetermined network connectivity management information stored on a network host. The network connectivity manager uses a first predetermined subset of the information to discover the presence of a first network and then manages connectivity between the mobile device and the first discovered network. A second predetermined subset of information is then used to discover the presence of a second network. The network connectivity manager then transfers the mobile device's connectivity from the first network to the second network. Transfer of connectivity is dependent upon successful submission and acceptance of predetermined user credentials and each network's compliance with predetermined connectivity policies. |
| US07978686B2 |
System and method for feature-based services control using SIP
A system and method for feature-based service control using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) in an Internet Protocol Automatic Branch Exchanges (IPABX) system is described. The system and method include a new Event package and new Enhanced SIP methods to control information for various feature-based services like wakeup alarm, call forwarding, voicemail configuration, and other services provided by traditional PBX systems. A user provides input to a client device to activate or deactivate feature-based services. In response, the client device sends a message to the IPABX server to activate or deactivate the feature-based service(s). The IPABX server then notifies the client device that the feature based-service(s) have been activated or deactivated. |
| US07978681B2 |
Network apparatus, system and method for discovering path MTU in data communication network
An apparatus, system, and method for discovering a path MTU in a data communication network, wherein a path MTU option header is included in a signal message or first data packet and thus a MTU suitable for a routing path can be determined. A network apparatus for discovering a path MTU maximum transmission unit (MTU) in a data communication network, including a MTU-comparing unit MTU-comparer detecting a path MTU recorded on a predetermined packet transferred over a routing path between a source node and a destination node and comparing the detected path MTU with an internal MTU stored in the MTU-comparing unit MTU-comparer; and an event-processing unit event-processor updating the path MTU recorded on the predetermined packet to contain the internal MTU if the detected path MTU is larger than the internal MTU. |
| US07978673B1 |
Channel allocation based on random plus planned processes
Wireless communication traffic channels are allocated based on random plus planned processes. A request for a traffic channel is sent on a random traffic channel that is not a dedicated random access channel. A determination is made whether to allocate a traffic channel based on status of a subscriber that sere the traffic channel request, including determining base on temps of subscription of the subscriber. An implementation at a base station includes receiving the request on a traffic channel making the determination, and assigning either the traffic channel on which the request was received, or another channel. In a user terminal, the user terminal sends the request on a random traffic channel that it is not assigned to, and receives a traffic channel allocation, or an indication that no channel is available. |
| US07978662B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving downlink data for UE in soft handover region in an OFDM system
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving downlink data for signal combining at a UE in an OFDM cellular system are provided. A Node B sends combining information to the UE, and combinable cells use the same radio resources and the same scrambling sequence in data transmission to the UE. Therefore, the UE can receive naturally combined data without an additional operation. Also, the UE combines channel estimates calculated using pilot signals received form the cells and compensates the combined data signal using the combined channel estimate. |
| US07978660B2 |
Base station, mobile terminal, and communications method
A base station, to which Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing/Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access is applied, communicates with a mobile terminal according to Time Division Duplex, in which a transmission frame includes a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe. The base station includes multiple antennas; a radio communications part configured to transmit the downlink subframe through a first one of the antennas and to receive an initial ranging code transmitted by the mobile terminal through a second one of the antennas during the transmission of the downlink subframe; and a ranging processing part configured to perform ranging based on the initial ranging code received by the radio communications part. |
| US07978654B2 |
Method for connecting mobile station to base station, mobile station, base station, multi-carrier mobile communication system, and random access channel mapping method
As a random access channel (RACH), two types of RACHs, a synchronous RACH and an asynchronous RACH are prepared, condition of a mobile station is classified depending on whether there is temporal synchronization in the mobile station and whether a resource is allocated, and depending on each case, any one of the synchronous RACH/the asynchronous RACH/uplink shared control channel (USCCH) is adaptively selected to carry out connection processing. |
| US07978652B2 |
Wireless communications environment overlay
A method is provided, wherein the method comprises identifying nearby wireless communication access points (APs) to which a client computing environment can cooperate with to communicate and receive data through a subscription to a neighborcast group from indentified nearby cooperating access points such that illustratively the neighborcast group comprises a communications overlay between cooperating client computing environments employing the identified nearby wireless communications access points. In an illustrative implementation, a wireless communications environment comprises at least two client computing environments comprising a communications overlay engine operable to process at least one instruction from an exemplary instruction set to perform one or more wireless communications operations over the exemplary communications overlay comprising scanning for cooperating client computing environments and/or wireless access points and/or RSS servers, subscribing to the communications overlay group, and publishing data for consumption by cooperating components of the wireless communications overlay. |
| US07978651B2 |
Internal data structure of mobile terminal for QoS-based uplink data transmission, and operational methods thereof
A recording medium having an internal data structure for uplink data transmission based on QoS in a mobile terminal of an OFDMA/TDMA-based high-speed portable Internet system, the internal data structure comprising a connection identifier index indicating a predetermined connection of the mobile terminal; a service class index indicating QoS classes of uplink data; a control channel index indicating a type of a control channel for transmission of a management message of the mobile terminal; an access type index indicating a type of access for a bandwidth request of the mobile terminal; a user packet list having IP packets linked to each other through a linked list; a management message list having the management messages linked to each other through a linked list; and a bandwidth request list having informative elements that are linked to each other for the bandwidth request through a linked list. |
| US07978647B2 |
Efficient piconet formation and maintenance in a bluetooth wireless network
The invention is addressing the problem of efficient formation and maintenance of piconets with assistance from the master of an already existing piconet. The master of an existing piconet initiates the formation of a new helper piconet by at least two of its slaves. One of the slaves of the existing piconet becomes the master of the newly formed helper piconet and the other slave becomes a slave of the helper piconet. This process can be used to expand the number of Bluetooth devices that can use an Internet access point. It can also be used to permit two slave devices to communicate directly with one another so as not to unnecessarily use bandwidth available through the master. Finally, the method and system could be used to provide a method of efficient hand-off from one piconet to another. |
| US07978645B2 |
Method of configuring default values for cell re-selection in a wireless communication system
A method of configuring values of cell re-selection parameters for cell re-selection from a serving cell to a neighboring cell in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving from a network a first message via a first control channel, wherein the first message includes values of a first group of cell selection parameters, assigning pre-stored values of the cell selection parameters for the serving cell to values of a second group of the cell selection parameters, if the first message does not include the values of the second group of the cell selection parameters, and calculating the values of the cell re-selection parameters using the values of the first and the second groups of the cell selection parameters. |
| US07978634B2 |
TDD system based cell handoff method and user equipment
The present invention discloses a cell handoff method and a UE based on a TDD system. A UE measures received pilot channels of a source cell and a neighboring cell according to a measurement control message and reports measurement result to a RNC. The RNC, determines whether a target cell to be subject to a cell handoff process has available resources at a time slot different from that of the source cell and if yes, transmits a cell handoff command to the UE, allocates available resources for the UE in the target cell and transmits traffic carrier data of the UE to the source cell and the target cell respectively. After receiving the cell handoff command, the UE communicates with the source cell and the target cell at a same frame and at same time according to the allocated available resources. |
| US07978629B2 |
Method for network design to maximize difference of revenue and network cost
A method determines an optimal or near-optimal conveyance network layout in which revenue from serviced customer locations is maximized while the cost of installing and/or maintaining the conveyance is minimized. The conveyance may, for example, be a fiber optic telecommunications cable or a power or utility distribution system. Algorithms in the method generate primal and dual bounds in a Prize-Collecting Steiner Tree Problem in Graphs (PCSPG). Those algorithms originate from a Lagrangian Non-Delayed Relax-and-Cut (NDRC) based approach and incorporate ingredients such as a new PCSPG reduction test, an effective Local Search procedure and a modification in the NDRC framework that allows additional reductions in duality gaps to be attained. |
| US07978617B2 |
Methods for providing performance improvement recommendations
In a method of providing a performance improvement recommendation for a connection between a first network node in communication with a second network node, information is transmitted from the first node to the second node to provide communication between the nodes, via a number of transmission components. An elapsed time of transmission of the information between a subset of the transmission components is measured, the aggregation of the measurements representing time elapsed for end-to-end transmission of the information that includes preparing, by the first node, the information for transmission and processing, by the second node, the information upon receipt. A determination is made that one of the measured transmission components has a performance that crosses a predetermined threshold. A recommendation is identified to improve the performance of the identified component. |
| US07978612B2 |
Two-hop relay for reducing distance vector routing information
In one embodiment, a method for using a two-hop relay includes receiving an update message for a distance vector routing protocol from a first neighbor. The update message is sent to a different neighbor. Often, it is first determined whether the receiving node is a relay node for the first neighbor in the protocol. The relay node is a node preferred to update a particular node two hops from the first neighbor. In another embodiment, a method for serving as the two-hop relay includes receiving from each neighbor a first message that includes neighbor data that indicates nodes that are in direct communication with the neighbor. A relay set of fewer than all neighbors is determined. Every node two hops from the first node is updated using only the relay set of neighbors. The relay set is sent in a second message for the protocol. |
| US07978604B2 |
Optimising resource usage in a packet switched network
A method of optimising the bandwidth usage on a Real-Time Protocol managed link transporting media from a Media Resource Function of a cellular telecommunications network to User Equipment. The method comprises monitoring properties of the link and, as a result of said monitoring, adapting the sending rate over the link by re-packetising media, received at the Media Resource Function from third party nodes, to increase or decrease the size of packets sent over the link. |
| US07978599B2 |
Method and system to identify and alleviate remote overload
A method and system to identify an overload state in a remote network device within a communications network in which a local network device can send at least one message to the remote network device. The method comprises detecting at least one message transmission timeout for the message sent from the local network device to the remote network device, the message transmission timeout corresponding to a retransmission of the message from the local network device to the remote network device. The number of message transmission timeouts for the message or several messages is counted, with the method further comprising comparing the number of message transmission timeouts to a predetermined timeout threshold so that an overload state for the remote network device can be inferred when the number of message transmission timeouts exceeds the predetermined timeout threshold. |
| US07978598B1 |
Connection replication
A standby content switch module maintains a connection after failure of the active CSM by maintaining a replicate connection state of the connection state of the active CSM. The active CSM transmits a replicate TCP SYN segment to the standby CSM to replicate a connection state on the standby CSM. The replicate SYN is constructed to appear to originate from the client originating the connection to the active CSM. The replicate SYN further includes encoded information enabling the standby CSM to distinguish the replicate SYN from an actual SYN. The replicate SYN frame contains information needed to create a connection state on the standby CSM that is a replica of the connection state on the active CSM. |
| US07978596B2 |
Connection-oriented network node
A connection-oriented network node capable of becoming an originating node of a protection path serving as a bypath of a protection segment included in a working path in a network system in which data is transferred via a path previously set up between nodes, comprises a usage bandwidth determining unit determining, when setting up the protection path, a usage bandwidth of the setup target protection path on the basis of a working path including the protection segment to be protected by the setup target protection path, and a generation unit generating, if a value obtained by adding the determined usage bandwidth to a current protection path usage bandwidth of an interface transmitting data that is forwarded on the setup target protection path, does not exceed a usable bandwidth for the protection path that is preset with respect to the interface, a signaling message for setting up the setup target protection path to send this message. |
| US07978588B2 |
Optical data reading/writing with stationary dish mirror
Apparatus and method for reading data from or writing data to a stationary optical storage medium. A light beam redirecting mechanism is rotatable about an axis through a stationary dish mirror that faces a stationary optical storage medium from which data may be read or to which data may be written. |
| US07978577B2 |
Method of and apparatus for managing disc defects using temporary defect information (TDFL) and temporary defect management information (TDDS), and disc having the TDFL and TDDS
A disc having an updatable defect management area used by an apparatus for managing defects on the disc, the disc including a user data area which includes user data, a spare area that is a substitute area for a defect existing in the user data area, and an area in which are recorded an address of data that is last recorded in the user data area and an address of a replacement data recorded in the spare area. Accordingly, the disc defect management method and apparatus are applicable to a recordable disc such as a write-once disc while effectively using a defect management area of the disc. |
| US07978566B1 |
Timing apparatus for alerting a user when time has elapsed
A timing apparatus for alerting a user when time has elapsed which comprises a base. A post extends vertically and centrally from the base. A mechanism extends through the base and the post, for indicating when a set time has elapsed. |
| US07978557B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and data processing system including the semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor device that includes a plurality of memory cell arrays, a plurality of ports, a plurality of internal address generating circuits, and a controller. The plurality of internal address generating circuits may generate first and second internal addresses of first and second memory cell arrays of the plurality of memory cell arrays. The first internal address may designate a first area of the first memory cell array. The second internal address may designate a second area of the second memory cell array. The controller reads a series of data from the first area sequentially and writes the series of read data into the second area sequentially without transferring the series of read data to the plurality of ports. |
| US07978542B2 |
Thin film magnetic memory device writing data with bidirectional current
An end of a selected bit line in a selected column is electrically coupled to an end of a corresponding current return line by one of first and second write column select gates, which are selectively turned on in response to results of column selection. A data write circuit sets the other end of the selected bit line and the other end of the current return line to one and the other of a power supply voltage and a ground voltage in accordance with a level of write data via one of first and second data buses and an inverted data bus, respectively. |
| US07978535B2 |
Data input/output circuit and method of semiconductor memory apparatus
A first timing control unit controls an active timing of a first control signal to output a first driving control signal. A first data input/output unit transmits write data from a data input/output buffer to a global input/output line or transmits read data from the global input/output line to the data input/output buffer, in response to the first driving control signal. A second timing control unit controls an active timing of a second control signal to output a second driving control signal. A second data input/output unit transmits the write data from the global input/output line to a local input/output line or transmits the read data from the local input/output line to the global input/output line, in response to the second driving control signal. |
| US07978532B2 |
Erase method of flash memory device
Erase and program methods of a flash memory device including MLCs for increasing the program speed. In the erase method, MLCs are pre-programmed so that a voltage range in which threshold voltages of MLCs are distributed can be reduced. Therefore, a fail occurrence ratio can be reduced when erasing MLCs, the threshold voltage distribution of MLCs can be improved and an overall program time can be shortened in a subsequent program operation. |
| US07978521B2 |
Memory device and method of programming thereof
The method of programming data in a memory device includes applying a plurality of pulses to a plurality of memory cells, at least one of the plurality of pulses being a positive pulse having a positive voltage and at least one of the plurality of pulses being a negative pulse having a negative voltage, and a temporal interval existing between subsequent pulses of the plurality of pulses, and controlling at least one of a width of at least one of the temporal intervals and a magnitude of at least one of the plurality of pulses. |
| US07978504B2 |
Floating gate device with graphite floating gate
One or more embodiments relate to a memory device, comprising: a substrate; a charge storage layer disposed over the substrate; and a control gate disposed over the charge storage layer, wherein the charge storage layer or the control gate layer comprises a carbon allotrope. |
| US07978502B2 |
Method of programming a memory device of the one-time programmable type and integrated circuit incorporating such a memory
A memory device of the irreversibly electrically programmable type is provided with a memory cell having a dielectric zone disposed between a first electrode and second electrode. An access transistor is connected in series with the second electrode, and an auxiliary transistor is connected in series with the first electrode. The auxiliary transistor is biased to have a saturation current which is lower than a saturation current of the access transistor when both the auxiliary and access transistors are actuated. A number of the memory cells are arranged in a memory plane to form the memory device. |
| US07978501B2 |
Method for contemporaneous margin verification and memory access for memory cells in cross-point memory arrays
Circuitry and methods for restoring data values in non-volatile memory are disclosed. An integrated circuit includes a memory access circuit and a sensing circuit configured to sense a data signal during a read operation to at least one two-terminal non-volatile cross-point memory array. Each memory array includes a plurality of two-terminal memory cells. A plurality of the memory arrays can be fabricated over the substrate and vertically stacked on one another. Further, the integrated circuit can include a margin manager circuit configured to manage a read margin for the two-terminal memory cells substantially during the read operation, thereby providing for contemporaneous read and margin determination operations. Stored data read from the two-terminal memory cells may have a value of the stored data restored (e.g., re-written to the same cell or another cell) if the value is not associated with a read margin (e.g., a hard programmed or hard erased state). |
| US07978497B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a memory cell array including first and second mutually crossing lines and electrically erasable programmable memory cells arranged at intersections of the first and second lines, each memory cell containing a variable resistive element; a data write circuit operative to apply a voltage required for data write to the memory cell via the first and second lines; and a current limit circuit operative to limit the value of current flowing in the memory cell on the data write at a certain current limit value. |
| US07978491B2 |
Stacked memory cell structure and method of forming such a structure
This invention relates to memory technology and new variations on memory array architecture to incorporate certain advantages from both cross-point and 1T-1Cell architectures. The fast read-time and higher signal-to-noise ratio of the 1T-1Cell architecture and the higher packing density of the cross-point architecture are both exploited by combining certain characteristics of these layouts. A single access transistor 16 is used to read multiple memory cells, which can be stacked vertically above one another in a plurality of memory array layers arranged in a “Z” axis direction. |
| US07978489B1 |
Integrated power converters
A power supply adapter is provided. The power supply adapter includes a power converter circuit configured to generate a regulated voltage signal. The power converter circuit includes a rectifier coupled with AC power blades. A regulator circuit is coupled with the rectifier. A transformer is coupled with the regulator circuit. The transformer includes a primary and a secondary. The transformer is coupled with the regulator circuit via the primary. An output circuit is coupled with the secondary of the transformer. The output circuit includes an output capacitor. A flexible contact is coupled with each of a first and a second printed circuit board and flexibly biased to couple with a proximate end of the AC power blades. The adapter includes an EMI shield substantially surrounding a connector receptacle. The power converter circuit can include a forward or a flyback power converter. The transformer can include a planar format transformer coupled with the first or the second PCB. The transformer can include a metallic core of a ferrite material. The transformer core can be coupled with the EMI shield to provide thermal spreading. The adapter can include an enclosure for housing the power converter circuit. The enclosure includes a thermally conductive potting material substantially filling an empty space of an interior of the enclosure. |
| US07978482B2 |
Modular high-power fuse carrier
A modular fuse carrier provides an insulating housing of standard form factor incorporating adapter bus bars having multiple mounting points for different fuse brackets at different separations. The adapter bus bars may be attached to connectors and/or bus bars in fixed configurations to allow standardization and pre-manufacture of electrical assemblies that remain amenable to a wide variety of different fuse types and capacities. |
| US07978481B2 |
Harness routing structure
A harness routing structure comprises: a battery case that defines an internal space which houses a battery and an electric appliance on a hybrid motor vehicle, and that is formed of a first member; a reinforcement that is provided in the battery case, and that is formed of a second member having a greater strength than the first member and that reinforces the battery case; and a harness routed at a position along the reinforcement. |
| US07978474B2 |
Liquid-cooled portable computer
Embodiments of a computer system are described. This computer system includes a power source that is coupled to a heat pipe, where the power source includes an integrated circuit. This heat pipe may contain a liquid coolant that has a density greater than a first pre-determined value at room temperature. A pump is coupled to the heat pipe is configured to circulate the liquid coolant through the heat pipe. Furthermore, a heat exchanger coupled to the heat pipe is configured to transfer heat from the heat pipe to an environment external to the computer system. |
| US07978469B2 |
Computer apparatus and method having dual air chambers
A computer system including an enclosure having a plurality of components; a first chamber including a first set of components; and a second chamber including a second set of components, the second chamber located adjacent to the first chamber and the first set of components being different than the second set of components; wherein air flow is prevented from flowing between the first chamber and the second chamber; and wherein the first chamber includes a first set of cooling devices and the second chamber includes a second set of cooling devices. |
| US07978468B2 |
Power converter
The object is to provide a power converter which is capable of minimizing an extent to which the power converter components other than the semiconductor module are thermally affected by the heat originating from the semiconductor module.A casing houses: semiconductor modules 20, 30 constituting a main circuit for power conversion; a capacitor 50 electrically connected to the main circuit; drive circuits 70, 71 that provide main circuit with a drive signal used in power conversion operation; a control circuit 74 that provides the drive circuit with a control signal used to prompt the drive circuit to provide the drive signal. Within the casing, a cooling chamber including a coolant passage 28 is formed, and a chamber wall of the cooling chamber is formed with a thermally conductive material. At least the semiconductor modules 20, 30 are housed inside the cooling chamber, and at least the capacitor 50 and the control circuit 74 are disposed outside the cooling chamber |
| US07978463B1 |
Transportable weatherproof battery power supply and storage for electronic equipment
One or more embodiments of transportable weatherproof battery power supply and storage for electronic equipment are provided. The transportable weatherproof enclosure can include a base, an enclosure removably engaged to a base plate; a first door pivotably connected to the first wall, a second door pivotably connected to the second wall, and a first battery pack disposed within the enclosure. |
| US07978460B2 |
Generator set having two-piece terminal box
A terminal box for a use with a generator set is provided. The terminal box may have a customer connection, a first housing piece configured to be mounted proximate a generator of the generator set, and at least one cable housed within the first housing piece to electrically connect the generator with the customer connection. The terminal box may also have a second housing piece mounted to the first housing piece distal the generator, and at least one control component housed within the second housing piece to regulate a characteristic of electrical power produced by the generator. |
| US07978452B2 |
Automotive overcurrent protection
Overcurrent is prevented in an automotive vehicle based on sensing at least one operating condition. An overcurrent threshold is determined based on characteristics of the load and on the sensed condition. If the sensed flow of current exceeds the determined overcurrent threshold, the flow of current to the load is interrupted. The sensed condition may be, for example, ambient temperature. |
| US07978442B2 |
CPP device with a plurality of metal oxide templates in a confining current path (CCP) spacer
A novel CCP scheme is disclosed for a CPP-GMR sensor in which an amorphous metal/alloy layer such as Hf is inserted between a lower Cu spacer and an oxidizable layer such as Al, Mg, or AlCu prior to performing a pre-ion treatment (PIT) and ion assisted oxidation (IAO) to transform the amorphous layer into a first metal oxide template and the oxidizable layer into a second metal oxide template both having Cu metal paths therein. The amorphous layer promotes smoothness and smaller grain size in the oxidizable layer to minimize variations in the metal paths and thereby improves dR/R, R, and dR uniformity by 50% or more. An amorphous Hf layer may be used without an oxidizable layer, or a thin Cu layer may be inserted in the CCP scheme to form a Hf/PIT/IAO or Hf/Cu/Al/PIT/IAO configuration. A double PIT/IAO process may be used as in Hf/PIT/IAO/Al/PIT/IAO or Hf/PIT/IAO/Hf/PIT/IAO schemes. |
| US07978429B2 |
Low track pitch write module and bidirectional tape head
A low track pitch write module and bidirectional tape head for writing and/or reading data on a magnetic recording tape. The write module and tape head have a tape bearing surface for engaging the magnetic recording tape and plural write elements. The write elements are arranged so that the write gaps of adjacent write elements are spaced from each other by not more than approximately one write gap width, while being generally aligned along an axis that is perpendicular to a direction of movement of the magnetic recording tape. The write elements may have a planar or vertical construction comprising plural thin film layers oriented in generally parallel or perpendicular relationship with the tape bearing surface. One or more read element arrays may also be provided. |
| US07978424B2 |
Lens barrel
A lens barrel includes front and rear holding members holding front and rear optical elements; an advancing/retracting member; a first guide portion guiding the front holding member relative to the advancing/retracting member; a first biasing member biasing the front holding member rearwards; a second guide portion guiding the rear holding member independently of the advancing/retracting member; a second biasing member biasing the rear holding member forwards; and first contact portions provided between the front and rear holding members, a rearward movement of the front holding member causing the first contact portions to contact and transmit a rearward moving force to the rear holding member when the lens barrel moves to the lens barrel accommodated state. The first and second guide portions, force-applied portions provided between the first/second biasing members and the front/rear holding members, and the first contact portions being all positioned within one of four equiangular ranges. |
| US07978423B2 |
Objective optical system for endoscopes
An objective optical system includes, in order from the object side, a first unit having two lenses with negative refracting power and positive refracting power, a stop, and a second unit with positive refracting power to satisfy the following condition: 3.0 |
| US07978417B2 |
Eyepiece optical system and electronic view finder incorporating the same
The invention relates to an eyepiece optical system that, albeit being of small size, works in favor of gaining an angle of field and optical performance, and an electronic view finder incorporating such an eyepiece optical system. Specifically, the invention is characterized by comprising, in order from an object side to an exit side thereof, a first lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, a second lens group that is a single lens that has negative refracting power and is in a meniscus configuration concave on its object side, and a third lens group that is a single lens that has positive refracting power, wherein an object-side concave lens surface in the first lens group is an aspheric surface, an object-side concave lens surface in the second lens group is an aspheric surface, and an exit-side lens surface in the third lens group is an aspheric surface.Alternatively, the eyepiece optical system is characterized by comprising a first lens group having a curved refractive surface, and a rear lens group having positive refracting power, wherein while the first lens group remains fixed, the rear lens group moves along an optical axis with satisfaction of given conditions, thereby implementing diopter adjustment. |
| US07978408B2 |
Polarizing device and laser unit
A polarizing device for converting a circularly polarized light beam into a radial polarized light beam, wherein the circularly polarized light beam is obtained by passing a linearly polarized light beam oscillated from a laser oscillator through a quarter-wave plate. The polarizing device includes an axicon lens having a conical surface and a dielectric film formed on the conical surface of the axicon lens. |
| US07978407B1 |
Holovision (TM) 3D imaging with rotating light-emitting members
This invention is a novel device that displays three-dimensional moving images featuring binocular disparity and motion parallax that can be seen simultaneously by multiple viewers in different positions without requiring headgear. This device comprises: longitudinal light-guiding members that rotate around their longitudinal axes; and light-emitting members inside, or attached to, each longitudinal light-guiding member. Changes in the content of light rays from the light-emitting members are coordinated with changes in the directions of these light rays so that viewers in different positions can see appropriate three-dimensional images. Advantageous features include: no headgear required, allows multiple viewers, high image resolution, avoids pseudoscopic images, offers wide viewing range, scalable to large size displays, multi-directional motion parallax, high light efficiency, avoids head tracking, avoids reciprocal motion, avoids fluid lag, avoids ghost-like images, and avoids use of coherent light. |
| US07978406B2 |
Projection screen
A projection screen includes a reflection layer, a light absorbing structure, a plurality of light diffusion layers, and a lens structure. The light absorbing structure is disposed on the reflection layer and has a plurality of apertures. A part of the reflection layer is exposed via the apertures. The light diffusion layers have a first index of refraction. Each of the light diffusion layer is disposed in the corresponding aperture and contacts the corresponding reflection layer exposed via the corresponding aperture. The lens structure is disposed on the light diffusion layers and the light absorbing structure. A light incidence side of the lens structure includes a plurality of convex lenses. The convex lenses are respectively corresponding with the light diffusion layers. The lens structure has a second index of refraction, and the second index of refraction is smaller than the first index of refraction. |
| US07978392B2 |
Bi-stable display device
A bi-stable display device including a first substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) array layer and a bi-stable display panel is provided. The TFT array layer is formed on the first substrate and the bi-stable display panel is disposed on the TFT array layer. The first substrate includes at least two patterns with two predetermined ranges for respectively limiting the shift along a first axis and a second axis, and the first axis is perpendicular to the second axis. |
| US07978389B2 |
Optical scanning device and image output apparatus
The present invention provides an optical scanning device that prevents a disadvantageous increase in device size. Transfer optical system 17 includes at least concave mirrors 19 and 20. Furthermore, transfer optical system 17 allows a light beam scanned by scan mirror 16 to enter the scan mirror again at least via concave mirrors 19 and 20. Then, scan mirror 16 scans and emits the laser light beam received via concave mirrors 19 and 20, to a plane of projection. |
| US07978377B2 |
Image playback method, image playback apparatus, and image playback program
An image playback method is provided which allows the viewer to easily recognize how much time has elapsed and to evoke, with nostalgia, the memories from the time when the image was acquired. This image playback method includes the steps of determining a time elapsed from image acquisition based on an acquisition date and time of image information obtained by the image acquisition and a current date and time; determining a fading rate based on the determined elapsed time; subjecting the image information to image processing in which the image information is faded based on the determined fading rate; and displaying the image-processed image information to play back the image. |
| US07978375B2 |
Printer for duplex printing with transfer rollers
A printer is provided having a print media feed mechanism for feeding print media along a feed path, opposed transfer rollers for simultaneously contacting both sides of the print media as the print media is fed along the feed path, and printheads for printing on the transfer rollers so that material printed on the transfer rollers is simultaneously transferred to both sides of the print media by the transfer rollers. |
| US07978372B2 |
Printhead driven by multiple print engine controllers
A print engine controller configured to be coupled with others to drive an ink drop printhead comprising: an interface at which to receive compressed page data; image decoders to decode compressed image planes in the received compressed page data; a half-toner/compositer to composite respective strips of the decoded image planes; and a printhead interface to output the composite strip to a printhead, the printhead interface including: a multi-segment printhead interface outputting printhead formatted data; and a synchronization signal generator outputting a synchronization signal to couple print engine controllers to synchronize their respective strips at the printhead. |
| US07978367B2 |
Printer control system, printer control method and printer
A print and colorimetry instructing section delivers an exclusive-use start instruction to start exclusive use of the printer prior to delivery of the printing instruction and the colorimetry instruction, the print and colorimetry instructing section delivering an exclusive-use canceling instruction to cancel the exclusive use of the printer at a predetermined time subsequent to delivery of the exclusive-use start instruction. The printer carries out only a process according to the instruction from the print and colorimetry instructing section having delivered the exclusive-use start instruction until accepting a predetermined exclusive-use canceling instruction subsequent to acceptance of the exclusive-use start instruction. |
| US07978366B2 |
Method for compensating for color variations among multiple printers
A method for compensating for color variations among multiple user printers by providing a target simulation process in each user printer that modifies its default color characteristics so that it has the same color characteristics as a designated target printer. In a WCS implementation, a target CDMP and a user CDMP representing color characteristics of the target printer and the user printer, respectively, are stored and used by the WCS workflow to perform color conversion when printing an image on the user printer. In an ICC implementation, a color simulation profile is generated that matches the color characteristics of the user printer to those of the target printer. The color simulation profile is combined with the default color profile of the printer to generate a combined color profile which is used to perform color conversion when printing an image on the user printer. |
| US07978362B2 |
Image forming apparatus for printing image data in removable storage
The contents of a print-file-selection settings file “SELFL.TXT” have folder path “/FLD1” and print attribute settings file path “/PTYFL.TXT” which are provided to print file decision section and file detection section, respectively. The print file decision section successively provides the contents of each of PDF files in folder “FLD1” to bitmap conversion section. The file detection section reads the contents of “PTYFL.TXT”, provides print attribute values to bitmap conversion section, and print control values to printer. The bitmap conversion section converts the contents of a PDF file into one in PDL, further into bitmap format, and sends it to the printer. Alternatively, the number of characters N of each filenames to be displayed is obtained, the number of files M whose N exceeds N0 is counted, and if this exceeds M0, all the filenames together with their file IDs are automatically printed. |
| US07978358B2 |
Double-sided image forming device
The present invention provides an image forming device that forms visible images by scanning in a first scan direction and a slow scan direction that is perpendicular to the first scan direction, image data that are arranged in the first scan direction and the slow scan direction. The image data include actual latent image lines formed from actual data, and artificial latent image lines formed using the actual data. The image forming device has a data storage unit that stores the image data so that the total number of scan lines in the image data from one end to the other end in the slow scan direction is an odd number. |
| US07978351B2 |
Printer configuration data setting method and server using the printer configuration data
A method for setting configuration data of a printer for a printer driver in a server is provided, in which the server is used in an image printing system that includes a client, the printer and the server including the printer driver for the printer. In the method, the server stores the configuration data obtained from the printer, and a configuration data obtaining part in the server reads the stored configuration data according to a request from the printer driver, and sends the configuration data to the printer driver. |
| US07978349B1 |
Apparatus and method for high speed printing of form and variable data
A web platform has multiple print modules adapted to print form data and variable data in a continuous operation. A controller with access to a form image database and a variable document database is connected to the web platform. Each print module on the web platform uses single color, ink jet, print heads. Form data is printed by a plurality of single color print modules. Variable data is printed by a single color print module. Bulk paper in rolls is fed through the web platform to print the forms and customer statements. The controller can direct printing of multiple statements simultaneously in discrete lanes on the web platform. Printed customer statements are subsequently separated into individual finished documents for process and mailing. |
| US07978337B2 |
Interferometer utilizing polarization scanning
In one aspect, the disclosure features methods that include using a microscope to direct light to a test object and to direct the light reflected from the test object to a detector, where the light includes components having orthogonal polarization states, varying an optical path length difference (OPD) between the components of the light, acquiring an interference signal from the detector while varying the OPD between the components, and determining information about the test object based on the acquired interference signal. |
| US07978336B2 |
Three wavelength quantitative imaging systems
An optical system includes more than two optical interferometers that generate interference phenomena between optical waves to measure a plurality of distances, a plurality of thicknesses, and a plurality of indices of refraction of a sample. An electromagnetic detector receives an output of the optical interferometers to render a magnified image of at least a portion of the sample. A controller reduces or eliminates undesired optical signals through a hierarchical phase unwrapping of the output of the electromagnetic detector. |
| US07978326B2 |
DNA sequencing system
An apparatus for detecting labeled beads is provided. The apparatus can include: one or more irradiation sources disposed for irradiating the one or more detection zones with radiation; at least one detector disposed for collecting charges corresponding to light signals emitted from labeled beads in the one or more detection zones, which have been excited by the radiation; and a system coupled to the at least one detector for effecting time delay integration of the charges by accumulating the charges before reading the charges at the output of the at least one detector. |
| US07978324B2 |
Multi-channel array spectrometer and method for using the same
A multi-channel array spectrometer combines a spectral measurement system and a reference detector which measures photometric or radiometric qualities. High accuracy photometric or radiometric measurement of a wide dynamic range can be achieved by correcting measurement results of the reference detector with a spectral correction factor. The multi-channel array spectrometer comprises a bandpass filter wheel holding a set of bandpass filters and an open hole. The wheel is placed between an entrance slit and gratings. A test light beam passes through a turret of the bandpass filters. The test light beam can be precisely measured band by band. The spectrometer can also quickly and accurately measure a plurality of test light sources having similar spectral characteristics by using the stray light correction factor. |
| US07978312B2 |
Three-dimensional range imaging apparatus and method
A three-dimensional range imager includes a light source for providing a modulated light signal, a multiplexer, an optical fiber connecting the light source to the multiplexer, a plurality of optical fibers connected at first ends to the multiplexer and at second ends to a first fiber array, and a transmitter optic disposed adjacent the first fiber array for projecting a pixel pattern of the array onto a target. |
| US07978310B2 |
Projection optical system, exposure system, and exposure method
A liquid immersion type projection optical system that can stably prevent the outflow of immersion liquid into inside of an optical system and can maintain good imaging performance. In the projection optical system of the present invention, an optical path between a light transmitting member (Lp) disposed closest to a second surface (W) side and the second surface is filled with a liquid (Lm1) having a refractive index greater than 1.1, and a light shielding film (36) for shielding the passing of light is formed on the side surfaces (41, 42) of the light transmitting member. When D is a space between the second surface and the light shielding film, Θ is a maximum incident angle of an image forming beam which reaches the second surface, and Ym is a maximum image height on the second surface, the condition of 0.25 |
| US07978306B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus may include an optical element, such as an immersion fluid reservoir, which supported at least in part by a bearing, such as a gas bearing. To enable illumination by the lithographic apparatus of an edge of the substrate, a surrounding structure is provided that surrounds the substrate. A level parameter of the substrate, such as a thickness of the substrate, is measured by a sensor, such as a thickness sensor. By means of an actuator, the substrate table on which the substrate is or will be held is positioned with respect to the surrounding structure, such that a surface of the substrate would be on a substantially same level as a surface of the surrounding structure, thus enabling the optical element to transition from the surface of the substrate to the surface of the surrounding structure and vice versa. |
| US07978294B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The disclosed liquid crystal display device includes gate lines, data lines formed to intersect with the gate lines, thereby defining sub-pixel regions, vertical common lines formed in parallel to the data lines such that at least one vertical common line is arranged for one pixel region, which is constituted by at least three sub-pixel regions, thin film transistors each connected to a corresponding one of the gate lines and a corresponding one of the data lines, pixel electrodes each connected to a corresponding one of the thin film transistors, and common electrodes each connected to a corresponding one of the vertical common lines. |
| US07978286B2 |
Illumination unit and liquid crystal display device
An illumination unit includes a light guide having an incidence surface, a frame which is spaced apart from the incidence surface of the light guide, an accommodation section which is formed between the incidence surface of the light guide and the frame, and a light source unit including light-emitting diodes, a film substrate on which the light-emitting diodes are amounted, a heat radiation member having a support portion which supports the film substrate and a reflection portion which extends from the support portion, and an adhesive tape which adheres the film substrate to the support portion and has heat radiation properties, the light source unit being accommodated in the accommodation section. |
| US07978282B2 |
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display, wherein a printed circuit board equipped with light emission diodes serving as a light source is disposed on the rear surface of a reflection plate, to reduce manufacturing costs of the product by reducing a number of parts forming a back light unit and to easily emit heat, includes a liquid crystal panel, light emission diodes to emit light to be illuminated on the liquid crystal panel, a printed circuit board equipped with the light emission diodes, and a reflection plate to reflect light emitted from the light emission diodes toward the liquid crystal panel and includes through holes to pass the light emission diodes therethrough, wherein the printed circuit board is coupled to a rear surface of the reflection plate. |
| US07978278B2 |
Display apparatus and repair method thereof
A display apparatus comprises a substrate, a first lead, a second lead and a third lead. The first lead and second lead are provided on the substrate and intersect at a first overlapping area. The third lead surrounds the first overlapping area where the first lead and second lead cross each other. The third lead intersects the first lead respectively at a second overlapping area and a third overlapping area. |
| US07978275B2 |
Active matrix display and method for producing the same
A method for producing a display comprising: forming a plurality of pixels arrayed on a flexible substrate and independently driven by TFTs, wherein the TFTs are formed in such a manner that the direction of the channel length L between the source and drain of each TFT is the direction of two orthogonal directions on the substrate in which the substrate has a smaller dimensional change ratio than the other direction. When the TFTs include a switching TFT and a driving TFT, the TFTs are formed in such a manner that the direction of the channel length between the source and drain of at least the driving TFT is the direction of the two orthogonal directions on the substrate in which the substrate has a smaller dimensional change ratio than the other direction. |
| US07978272B2 |
Liquid crystal display device comprising a surface of the pixel electrode on an insulating film in the area where the auxiliary capacitance is formed is uneven
The invention relates to an active matrix liquid crystal display device which uses a switching device to control a pixel, and an object is to provide a liquid crystal display device which has an excellent viewing angle property and high brightness and a fabrication method of the same. A TFT substrate has a structure which reduces the film thickness of a protective insulating film in a control capacitance part in which control capacitance is formed and the film thickness of a protective insulating film in an auxiliary capacitance part in which auxiliary capacitance is formed thinner than the film thickness of a protective insulating film which covers a TFT and the other elements. |
| US07978266B2 |
Ticker processing in video sequences
An improved motion compensated interpolation of images in video sequences, in particular, for use in up-conversion processing. In order to achieve a smooth object motion in the interpolated image sequence, separate image areas are processed differently if an image change occurs in the video sequence. While for one image area motion compensation is suspended, the other image area is subjected to motion compensated interpolation. |
| US07978264B2 |
Digital camera
A digital camera of the present invention has: a lens group reflecting photographic object light entering along a first optical axis to a second optical axis direction perpendicular to the first optical axis and forming an image of light flux thereof on an image pickup device located on the second optical axis; and a driving force generating member blocking or allowing entering light flux along the first optical axis by driving a barrier member, and has a camera body having an optical housing, a containing portion containing the optical housing and the barrier member, and having a transmitting member transmitting driving force of the driving force generating member to the barrier member, wherein the coupling relation between the driving force generating member and the driving force transmitting member is maintained. |
| US07978254B2 |
Image capturing apparatus, its controlling method, and program
The present invention enables showing main objects position as position of focus measuring point even in case main object has moved after focusing by focus control unit, within the image screen due to framing alternation. It is an image capturing apparatus wherein image sensor conducts photo-electric conversion of object image created by photographing-lens, comprise of distance measuring unit which calculate displacement of aimed object on image sensors imaging screen, due to changes of direction of image capturing apparatus within the time interval, starting from the moment aimed object focused to photographing-lens focus point by focus control unit to the moment actual photo shooting is conducted, and recording unit which records displacement information of aimed object on imaging screen and linked image data. |
| US07978251B2 |
Imaging apparatus and arranging method for the same
An optical system for a CMOS sensor includes an aspherical lens with which an exit pupil distance appears short in a central region of an imaging plane and long in a peripheral region of the imaging plane. The aspherical lens functions such that the exit pupil distance monotonously increases from a central region of the imaging plane toward a peripheral region of the imaging plane. In addition, pupil correction is performed in accordance with an exit pupil distance d which satisfies (d1+d2)/2 |
| US07978249B2 |
Image capturing device and auto-focus method for same
An image capturing device includes a taking lens, an image sensor, an image processing unit, an input device, a processor, and a driving unit for moving the taking lens. The image processing unit is configured for receiving the electrical signals from the image sensor and obtaining image information of each image. The input device is configured for selecting focus areas in a photographing area and setting a focus power of each of the focus areas. The processor is configured for performing an auto-focus process using a base evaluation value of an image of the photographing area, wherein the base evaluation value is calculated by taking the total of multiplying an evaluation value of each of the focus areas and non-focus areas of the photographing area by the focus power corresponding to said each of the focus areas and a focus power corresponding to each of the non-focus areas. |
| US07978248B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method for displaying image capture mode candidates
A data processing apparatus includes: an image capture mode storing section that stores image capture modes each associated with a feature value related to a subject as a selection condition for selecting an image capture mode candidate according to the subject; a feature value extracting section that extracts a feature value included in captured data that is captured by converting incident light from the subject; an image capture mode candidate selecting section that selects image capture mode candidates from among the image capture modes stored in the image capture mode storing section, on the basis of the feature value extracted from the feature value extracting section; and a display control section that displays on a display section the image capture mode candidates selected by the image capture mode candidate selecting section. |
| US07978246B2 |
Electronic mirror
An Electronic Mirror is described that can capture and display, using a digital/video camera or cameras, the image of a subject as they look when viewing themselves in a mirror. The captured image is displayed on a video monitor or TV set. A widescreen flat panel monitor is utilized, having the ability to physically rotate 90°. In portrait mode the monitor functions as an Electronic Mirror, and in landscape mode is capable of functioning as a conventional TV set or video monitor. Rotation is either manual or motorized. Captured images of a subject may be split such that a portion reflecting one type of outfit may be combined with a portion reflecting a different outfit, thus electronically creating a combination of clothing that may never have been actually worn. Video capture may also be supported enabling a subject to capture and display a 360 degree view as they turn around. |
| US07978242B2 |
Configurable timing generator
In one embodiment, a configurable timing generator outputs at least one timing signal. The configurable timing generator comprises a first timing generator configurable to output the at least one timing signal so that the at least one timing signal is adaptable to a plurality of applications. In one embodiment, a configurable parameter storage unit comprising a parameter storage area configurable so as to store a plurality of parameters at least partially defining a desired plurality of waveform hierarchy elements, where the desired plurality of waveform hierarchy elements enable the definition of a waveform. In one embodiment, a method of constructing a waveform for a configurable timing generator, the method comprising acts of constructing a first pattern waveform, where the first pattern waveform comprises a first basic pulse, and constructing a first sequence waveform, where the first sequence waveform comprises a plurality of repetitions of the first pattern waveform. |
| US07978237B2 |
Method and apparatus for canceling fixed pattern noise in CMOS image sensor
An apparatus for canceling a fixed pattern noise in a CMOS image sensor includes a storage device, a fixed pattern noise operation circuit, and a fixed pattern noise canceling circuit. The storage device stores first reference fixed pattern noises operated in a vertical blank section of an (n−1)th frame. The fixed pattern noise operation circuit calculates second reference fixed pattern noises based on the first reference fixed pattern noises stored in the storage device and blank fixed pattern noises output in a vertical blank section of an n-th frame and outputs the second reference fixed pattern noises to the storage device to update the first reference fixed pattern noises to the second reference fixed pattern noises. The fixed pattern noise canceling circuit cancels active fixed pattern noises in combination signals based on the combination signals output in an active section of an (n+1)th frame and including the active fixed pattern noises and pixel signals and the second reference fixed pattern noises output from the storage device. |
| US07978230B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a camera module to compensate for the color spectrum of a white LED
A method and an apparatus enabling use of a light source emitting a spectrum of light not following characteristics of a blackbody source of light with a camera module programmed for use with light sources following characteristics of blackbody sources of light, wherein a white-balance patch is transmitted to the camera module to cause the camera module to accept color coordinates representing a point on a chromaticity chart that partly defines a region of color coordinates on the chromaticity chart into which color coordinates of the light source fall and to which color coordinates of a reference white color derived by a white-balance routine of the camera module are constrained. |
| US07978229B2 |
Image pickup apparatus and method for controlling the same
An image pickup apparatus including a photoelectric conversion element, first, a shutter speed for still-image pickup is set. Next, an image-pickup frame rate is set on the basis of the shutter speed for still-image pickup. Then, an operation of the photoelectric conversion element is controlled such that picked-up images are output at the set image-pickup frame rate. When the image-pickup frame rate that is set is higher than a moving-image-reproducing frame rate, a frame for use in a moving-image reproduction is generated from a plurality of frames of the picked-up images and reproduction is performed at the moving-image-reproduction frame rate. |
| US07978227B2 |
Imaging apparatus with viewfinder and light sensing detector
An imaging apparatus, includes a viewfinder optical system for guiding an observation light beam to a viewfinder window, the observation light beam being output from an imaging optical system and then reflected from a main reflective surface, an imaging element for generating an image signal in response to the reception of the observation light beam, an exposure control unit for performing exposure control of the imaging element in response to the image signal from the imaging element, and a light sensing detector, arranged in the vicinity of the imaging element, for measuring light. The exposure control unit determines an exposure control value in the exposure control in response to a light measurement value provided by the light sensing detector if a predetermined condition is satisfied. |
| US07978226B2 |
Imaging apparatus and system adopting extraction-type, camera shake correction, and control method thereof
An imaging apparatus comprises a plurality of pixels, a driving unit configured to successively reset signal charges stored in a photoelectric conversion unit at every predetermined line and successively read out a signal based on the signal charges at every predetermined line, and a control unit. The control unit has a first mode in which a starting readout line of the pixels is fixed and a second mode in which the starting readout line of the pixels is changeable based on input control information. The control unit changes a reset timing of the pixels of the starting readout line in the second mode so as to cause a second charge storage period to be less or equal to a first charge storage period in the second mode. |
| US07978217B2 |
System for promoting physical activity employing impact position sensing and response
A system for promoting physical activity includes at least two cameras which capture images of an object and generate image signals indicative of the captured images. A processor in communication with the cameras receives the image signals from the cameras and determines, based at least on part upon the image signals, when and in what position the object impacts a surface. The processor generates, based at least in part upon the determination of when and in what position the object impacts the surface, feedback signals indicative of feedback to be provided to a user of the system. A projector in communication with the processor receives the feedback signals and, based at least in part upon the feedback signals, displaying visual feedback to the user on the surface. |
| US07978214B2 |
Apparatus and method of reducing banding artifact visibility in a scanning apparatus
A method of, and apparatus for, reducing the visibility of banding artifacts on a printed medium comprising producing synthetic artifacts on the printed medium, overlapping scan lines at swath boundaries and controlling exposure along a scan line to reduce the visibility of the banding artifacts. |
| US07978209B2 |
Image forming apparatus, image forming method and image forming program
An image displayer 7 displays image data correlated to a plurality of block regions. An image selector 9 receives a selection of a displayed arbitrary block region and a selection of modifying an image mode of the image data corresponding to the selected block region. An image processor 11 executes processing of modifying the image data corresponding to the selected block region, to the selected image mode and displaying this modified image data in the image displayer 7. When modified image data displayed in the image displayer 7 is selected and determined, an image replacement section (image selector) 9 replaces image data portion before modification, with the modified image data whose image mode is modified. As a result, since the image data is previewed and the image mode is modified before printing, a desired expected print mode can be obtained. |
| US07978202B2 |
High dynamic range image editing
A high dynamic range image editing system for editing an image file having pixels spanning a first range of light intensity levels in an image editing system that only displays differences in the light intensity levels of pixels within a second range of light intensity levels that is less than the first range of light intensity levels, without reducing the range of light intensity levels in the image file. |
| US07978182B2 |
Screen rotation gestures on a portable multifunction device
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method performed at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display includes displaying information on the touch screen display in a portrait orientation. The method also includes detecting simultaneous rotation of two thumbs in a first sense of rotation on the touch screen display, and in response to detecting the simultaneous rotation of the two thumbs in the first sense of rotation, displaying the information in a landscape orientation. In some embodiments, the method further includes detecting simultaneous rotation of the two thumbs in a second sense of rotation that is opposite the first sense of rotation, and in response to detecting the simultaneous rotation of the two thumbs in the second sense of rotation, displaying the information in a portrait orientation. |
| US07978177B2 |
Scrolling behavior-influenced algorithm selection to facilitate adaptive scrolling
Methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving one or more input factors associated with scrolling behavior of a user are described herein. Based on the received one or more input factors, at least one of (1) a tunable scrolling algorithm and (2) one or more non-linear scrolling algorithms of a plurality of non-linear scrolling algorithms may be selected for use in evaluating the scrolling behavior of the user. |
| US07978176B2 |
Portrait-landscape rotation heuristics for a portable multifunction device
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display and one or more accelerometers. The method includes displaying information on the touch screen display in a portrait view or a landscape view based on an analysis of data received from the one or more accelerometers. The method also includes detecting a predetermined finger gesture on or near the touch screen display while the information is displayed in a first view, and in response to detecting the predetermined finger gesture, displaying the information in a second view and locking the display of information in the second view. The method further includes unlocking the display of information in the second view when the device is placed in an orientation where the second view is displayed based on an analysis of data received from the one or more accelerometers. |
| US07978174B2 |
System and method for interactive three-dimensional position tracking
A system and method for tracking the x, y and z coordinates of a position of an input device in an interactive computer system is disclosed. An image sensor situated on the input device captures images of an electronic marker displayed on a display screen. As the position of the input device changes, the features of the electronic marker as captured by the image sensor also change. Images of the electronic marker captured during game play are compared to a calibration image of the electronic marker to determine current x, y and z coordinates of positions of the input device. The game display is updated to reflect the movements of the input device. |
| US07978172B2 |
Switching device and switching methods of the same
A switching device that selectively changes a computer to be operated from multiple computers including a control unit that the control unit detects a cursor position on the computer to be operated based on coordinate data and a computer resolution of the computer to be operated, the coordinate data being generated by performing a same acceleration process as the computer to be operated, on relative coordinate data that has been acquired from a given pointing device, and the control unit selectively changing changes the computer to be operated according to the cursor position. It is thus possible to selectively change the computer to be operated without any dedicated software or requiring a given space for manipulation. |
| US07978168B2 |
D/A converter
A D/A converter for receiving a plurality of divisional voltages and converting a digital signal to an analog voltage with the divisional voltages, the D/A converter includes a selection circuit for receiving the divisional voltages and the digital signal to select one of the divisional voltages. The selection circuit includes a plurality of first switch circuits that are selectively activated in response to the digital signal to select one of the divisional voltages, with each of the first switch circuits being provided with a logic switch function and having an ON resistance when activated, and at least an activated one of the first switch circuits further dividing the selected one of the divisional voltages with the ON resistance. The plurality of switch circuits includes at least one voltage dividing switch circuit used to further divide the selected one of the divisional voltages. |
| US07978159B2 |
Organic light emitting diode display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display device for changing a gamma reference voltage step by step in accordance with an image brightness of a current frame to reduce damage with which the organic light emitting diode and the driving transistor thereof are applied is disclosed. In the organic light emitting diode display device, a brightness detector calculates a maximum brightness value of each pixel using inputted image data of current frame. An adder adds all maximum brightness values of each pixel which are detected by the brightness detector. An average value calculator calculates an average brightness value of a current frame using an added value of maximum brightness values which are added by the adder. A gamma weight calculator calculates a gamma reference voltage weight which is set to correspond to the calculated average brightness value among predetermined gamma reference voltage weights. And a gamma reference voltage generator changes a gamma reference voltage step by step in accordance with a gamma reference voltage weight which is calculated by the gamma weight calculator. |
| US07978155B2 |
Plasma display device and driving method thereof
A plasma display device includes: a sustain drive unit that applies a sustain pulse having a first voltage and a second voltage lower than the first voltage to a plurality of first electrodes; a scan drive unit including a plurality of selection circuits coupled to the first electrodes and each including first and second switches; and a clamping unit including a clamping diode coupled to at least one of the selection circuits and clamps the voltage of the first electrode at the first voltage when it exceeds the first voltage. The plasma display device can prevent overshoot that can occur when the first voltage of the sustain pulse is applied to the first electrode in a sustain period so as to apply a stable discharge pulse. The magnitude of the overshoot may depend on the distance between the scan driving board and each of the plurality of selection circuits IC. |
| US07978149B2 |
Dielectric resonator antenna with bending metallic planes
The present invention relates to a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) with bending metallic planes. The ground plane of the dielectric resonator antenna is bent around the DRA to increase the half-power beam width (HPBW) and the gain on H-plane, moreover, to improve the pattern on E-plane. The ground plane of the invention is further bent in different angles to reshape the radiation pattern of the dielectric resonator antenna, and a well is carved in the dielectric resonator antenna to increase its radiation bandwidth. The invention can also be adjusted as WiMAX sectorial antenna. |
| US07978147B2 |
Electronic monitoring systems, shipment container monitoring systems and methods of monitoring a shipment in a container
A shipping container has a passive radio antenna element having internal and external antennas. A connector spanning the wall joins the two antennas. An internal communications device is disposed within the container and an external communications device is disposed external to the container. Another shipping container has a repeater element having internal and external antennas. A repeater unit spans the wall joining the two antennas. A communications device is disposed within the container and another communications device is disposed externally. RF signals are re-radiated by the antennas. Methodology includes emitting RF signals from a communication device disposed at a first location, receiving the signals through an antenna comprised by an antenna element, and re-radiating the signal from a second antenna comprised by the element, where the element spans the wall of a shipping container. The re-radiated signal is received by a second communications device disposed at a second location. |
| US07978145B2 |
Reconfigurable fluidic shutter for selectively shielding an antenna array
A reconfigurable fluidic shutter for selectively shielding an antenna array includes a first surface and second surface spaced apart and defining a cavity; and a pump configured to pump liquid that attenuates electromagnetic radiation, such as a liquefied metal or alloy composition, into and out of the cavity. The first and second surface are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, for instance, microwave or other RF radiation. |
| US07978143B2 |
Multiband jamming antenna
Disclosed is a multiband jamming antenna for use with RF jamming systems. An exemplary embodiment of the antenna comprises high-band, medium-band and low-band radiating structures arranged in a collinear manner. The three radiating structures are operable in three respective overlapping frequency bands. In the exemplary embodiment, the high-band radiating structure comprises a hybrid biconical/dipole antenna disposed at an upper end of the antenna. The medium-band radiating structure is collinearly coupled to the high-band radiating structure and comprises upper and lower dipole elements that are tuned using a dual section coaxial transformer. The low-band radiating structure is collinearly coupled to the medium-band radiating structure. The low-band radiating structure comprises a coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer that is coupled to the low-band radiating structure, and a feeder cable that connected to the coaxial Ruthroff UNUN transformer, and the high-band, medium-band, and low-band radiating structures. |
| US07978132B2 |
GPS signal data converter for providing GPS signals to a plurality of connection ports
A global positioning system (GPS) signal data converter device includes a plurality of output ports configured to connect with and transmit GPS information to devices connected with the output ports, and a processor configured to receive GPS information in a first format, convert the GPS information from the first format into a second format, and to transmit the GPS information to at least two output ports in the first and second formats. |
| US07978131B2 |
System and/or method for determining sufficiency of pseudorange measurements
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a system and method for determining a sufficiency of measurements for locating positions. In one example, although claimed subject matter is not so limited, a process to improve accuracy of pseudorange measurements may be conducted using multiple dwells. |
| US07978129B2 |
System and method for collecting and updating geographical data
A system and method for generating a GIS data transaction including information about a topography of a region and utilities within the region. The method and system include providing information about the topography of the region; receiving information about a user collecting data related to one or more utilities in the region; receiving information about time and date of the collected data; receiving information about each of the utilities; receiving information about location of each of the utilities; and receiving information about the manner of collecting data. The system and method further include receiving information about revisions made to the information about the map; and integrating the received information with the information about the topography of the region into a GIS data transaction. |
| US07978128B2 |
Land survey system
A method and system obtains precise survey-grade position data of target points in zones where precise GPS data cannot be obtained, due to natural or man-made objects such as foliage and buildings. The system comprises position measurement components such as a GPS receiver, together with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and an electronic distance meter (EDM) or an image capture device all mounted on a survey pole. The system and method obtains GPS data when outside the zone and uses the other position measurement systems, such as the IMU, inside the zone to traverse to a target point. The EDM or the image capture device may be used within or without the zone to obtain data to reduce accumulated position errors. |
| US07978122B2 |
Object sensing system
An object sensing system includes a radar system including at least one aperture through which a radar signal is transmitted and at least one aperture through which reflected radar signals are received. The sensing system also includes a stereo vision system including a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor and the second sensor are separated by an offset. The stereo vision system is mounted to the radar system to form a single assembly. The radar system is positioned in the offset between the first sensor and the second sensor. |
| US07978121B2 |
Distributed and cable reduced TCAS
A direction finding antenna system for determining the relative bearing of a second aircraft from a first aircraft in conjunction with Distance Measuring Equipment (DME). The system includes a first antenna and a second antenna located on a top surface of the first aircraft, spaced apart along a first axis, as well as a third antenna and a fourth antenna located on a bottom surface of the first aircraft, spaced apart along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The system further includes a transmitting, receiving, and processing system coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth antennas, wherein the transmitting, receiving, and processing system is configured to transmit DME interrogations, receive DME replies, and process the DME replies to determine the relative bearing of the second aircraft from the first aircraft. |
| US07978115B2 |
System and method for analog-to-digital conversion
A system for converting an analog signal to a digital signal may include a plurality of converter stages. One of the converter stages may include a multiplying digital-to-analog converter (MDAC) and an analog-to-digital subconverter (ADSC). The MDAC may be configured to (i) receive from a previous stage a first residue analog signal and a first idealized digital signal representing a first portion of the digital signal and corresponding to the first residue analog signal; (ii) convert the first idealized digital signal to an idealized analog signal; and (iii) output a second residue analog signal based on the difference between the first residue analog signal and the idealized analog signal. The ADSC may be configured to convert the second residue analog signal into a second idealized digital signal representing a second portion of the digital signal and corresponding to the second residue analog signal, the ADSC comprising a sloping analog-to-digital converter. |
| US07978112B2 |
Flash converter differential reference ladder adjustment with stable common mode voltage
An adjustment circuit for use with a resistive reference ladder that establishes nominal reference steps and a common mode voltage for a plurality of comparators, such as used in a flash converter. An “H” arrangement of current sources injects current at a first node, VH, and sinks at a second node, VL. with VH, and VL. being coupled to ends of the ladder. The voltage difference between these two nodes thus controls the scale applied to the reference ladder, without affecting a common mode voltage reference Vcm. Alternatively, the current source may inject current at VL and sink current at VH to decrease the reference for each comparator. |
| US07978111B2 |
High resolution time-to-digital converter
A time-to-digital converter (TDC) can have a resolution that is finer than the propagation delay of an inverter. In one example, a fractional-delay element circuit receives a TDC input signal and generates therefrom a second signal that is a time-shifted facsimile of a first signal. The first signal is supplied to a first delay line timestamp circuit (DLTC) and the second signal is supplied to a second DLTC. The first DLTC generates a first timestamp indicative of a time between an edge of a reference input signal to the TDC and an edge of the first signal. The second DLTC generates a second timestamp indicative of a time between the edge of the reference input signal and an edge of the second signal. The first and second timestamps are combined and together constitute a high-resolution overall TDC timestamp that has a finer resolution than either the first or second timestamps. |
| US07978110B2 |
Digital-to-analog converter
A system for converting a digital signal to an analog signal is provided. The present invention provides a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that can convert a large bit value digital signal to a corresponding analog signal. The digital-to-analog converter includes a bias regeneration circuit, and three sub-DACs. The bias regeneration circuit provides biasing to the three sub-DACs allowing the DAC to be implemented with smaller circuit area. In addition, the three sub-DACs may be digitally calibrated during the conversion process to increase the linearity of the DAC. |
| US07978109B1 |
Output apparatus and test apparatus
Provided is an output apparatus for outputting a current from an output end, including: a plurality of current sources; a plurality of switches provided in association with the plurality of current sources respectively, and switching whether to supply a current of a corresponding current source to the output end; a time changing section that changes a propagation time of each of a plurality of control signals for controlling switching states of the plurality of switches respectively; and an adjusting section that adjusts the propagation time of each of the plurality of control signals to reduce glitch noise contained in a current supplied to the output end. |
| US07978108B2 |
Parallel data output control circuit and semiconductor device
A CPU outputs digital data from a built-in RAM to a buffer in response to a request from the buffer. The buffer has a FIFO configured of a plurality of stages, each stage of the FIFO is capable of storing one unit (10 bits) of digital data, the buffer as a whole is capable of storing digital data in number of units equivalent to the number of configured stages. A register captures digital data stored inside the buffer by each unit in synchronous with an output control clock. The digital data stored in the register is outputted to a parallel DAC as data for D/A conversion. A WR signal output timer generates a writing control signal having one shot pulse of “L” in synchronous with the output control clock. |
| US07978097B2 |
Dynamic speed limit system
A method, medium and implementing processing system are provided in which the presence of workers in a long highway construction zone is monitored and the electronically-controlled posted speed limit is adjusted in accordance with the detected presence of workers in the immediate area. In an example, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) scanners or readers are strategically placed in a construction or working area. Such RFID reading devices may be embedded, for example, in construction speed limit signs. The displayed speed limit is controlled by the detected proximity of construction workers wearing RFID-embedded clothing, for example, such as safety vests or helmets. The speed limit sign includes logic to display one of many possible speed limit displays based on the nearest, and/or the number of RFID signals detected in a given area. Vehicular traffic is thereby enabled to travel faster through construction zones where no workers are present and, when appropriate, traffic is slowed when workers are present within a given proximity of the RFID reading devices. |
| US07978086B2 |
Method and device for recognizing tiredness
In a method and in a device for detecting when the driver of a motor vehicle becomes tired, the tiredness is determined as a function of a detected steering inactivity phase and a subsequent steering action. In this context, the steering inactivity phase is logically combined with the steering action, and the logic combination is stored at various times. The logic combination is stored with an assigned weighting factor, and the weighting factor is determined as a function of a classification of a steering situation. |
| US07978085B1 |
Human and physical asset movement pattern analyzer
A system of tracking and analyzing the movement of human subjects. UWB is used to track the location of all persons and/or physical objects (assets) occupying a defined area, giving their location with an accuracy of under twenty centimeters, their acceleration, their path, and a time/date-stamp for each observation. The system then uses artificial intelligence to detect variations in patterns of movement of designated individuals and movable physical objects in the defined space. The extracted patterns inform the design of intelligent methods to automatically track behavioral markers of movement. The system can be used to detect dementia in otherwise healthy human subjects and to identify changes in movement pursuant to medication or health changes and which may precede a fall or to detect proper movement in military training scenarios such as battlefield simulations. |
| US07978083B2 |
Hand washing compliance detection system
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring use of hand washing agents to determine compliance with hand hygiene guidelines. A hand washing agent is provided with a detectable, volatile compound, such as odors, which is then rubbed onto a subject's hands using the subject's hand washing technique. After the hand washing event, the subject's hand is then exposed to an detector (such as a badge), which includes a sensor capable of detecting the volatile compound, and an indicator that communicates detection of the volatile compound, indicating use of the hand washing agent and hand hygiene compliance. |
| US07978082B2 |
RFID-based personnel tracking
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for RFID-based personnel tracking. A method of tracking employees includes, in a first computer system, prompting a user for identification input, validating the identification input, receiving data from a first scan of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag upon initiation of a task, receiving data from a second scan of the RFID tag upon termination of the task, and uploading the identification input and the data of the first and second scans to a second computer system for storage and correlation. |
| US07978075B2 |
Apparatus and a method for recognizing an activity of daily living
Provided is an apparatus for recognizing an activity of daily living (ADL). The apparatus includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for reading the information of an RFID tag to recognize a motion object, a motion detector attached on a moving subject for acquiring acceleration information and recognizing a motion characteristic, and a controller for receiving information on the motion object from the RFID reader and information on the motion characteristic from the motion detector and then recognizing an ADL. |
| US07978074B2 |
Method and apparatus for RFID tag detection and characterization
This disclosure discloses methods and apparatus for detecting and characterizing radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. |
| US07978071B2 |
Device and method for detecting the presence of an object
A device for detecting the presence of an object in a detection zone is provided. The device includes a transmission line, a generator which is connected to an input of the transmission line and which is able to generate an input signal, and a receiver which is connected to an output of the transmission line and which is able to measure an output signal, the transmission line being able to radiate a radiated signal in the detection zone when the generator generates the input signal, the detection device further including analysis means which are able to detect the presence of an object in the detection zone in accordance with the output signal. |
| US07978059B2 |
System and method for monitoring and controlling remote devices
The present invention is generally directed to a system for monitoring a variety of environmental and/or other conditions within a defined remotely located region. Such a system may be configured to monitor utility meters in a defined area. The system is implemented by using a plurality of wireless transmitters, wherein each wireless transmitter is integrated into a sensor adapted to monitor a particular data input. The system also includes a plurality of transceivers that are dispersed throughout the region at defined locations. The system uses a local gateway to translate and transfer information from the transmitters to a dedicated computer on a network. The dedicated computer, collects, compiles, and stores the data for retrieval upon client demand across the network. The computer further includes means for evaluating the received information and identifying an appropriate control signal, the system further including means for applying the control signal at a designated actuator. |
| US07978057B2 |
Information storage apparatus
There is provided an information storage apparatus capable of storing information on a parked vehicle acquired before and after detection of unusual conditions with lesser amount of power to be consumed. During halt of a vehicle, at least one of image information and sound information of the interior of the vehicle is acquired by an anti-theft device main body, and the acquired information is transmitted from the anti-theft device main body to a drive recorder at a transmission interval that varies between before and after detection of unusual vehicle conditions by the anti-theft device main body. A drive recorder main body allows a second RAM to store therein information received from an anti-theft device at a second transmission period and information received from the anti-theft device at a first transmission period. |
| US07978048B2 |
Keyless entry system
A keyless entry system includes a portable transmitter that transmits a lock signal and an unlock signal, each of which contains a unique identification code, for a predetermined period, and an operation unit that locks and unlocks doors of a vehicle in response to the lock signal and the unlock signal from the portable transmitter. The operation unit includes a receiver that outputs a lock command signal or an unlock command signal having a predetermined time length, and a controller that drives an actuator to lock or unlock the doors of the vehicle in response to the lock command signal or the unlock command signal from the receiver. The time length of the unlock command signal from the receiver is shorter than the time length of the unlock signal from the portable transmitter. |
| US07978037B2 |
Switch device
A movable contact positioned in a sealed case is moved together with a movable contact spring provided with an armature by a magnetic shunt body which is moved outside the sealed case. The movement of the movable contact (movement of the movable contact spring) due to the movement of the magnetic shunt body is based on the change of the magnetically attracting force of a magnet with respect to the armature through a pair of yokes. The movable contact spring is provided with a bent portion which is bent in spaced-apart relation to the armature, the bent portion being provided between a fulcrum portion at a time when the movable contact spring moves and a portion where the armature is provided. |
| US07978034B2 |
Electromechanical element and electronic equipment using the same
A quick response/low voltage driven electromechanical switch equipped with a mechanism for adjusting a spring constant of a movable electrode is provided. The electromechanical element includes a first electrode formed on a substrate, a second electrode formed at a predetermined interval to the first electrode so that the interval is changed, and supporting portions for supporting the second electrode, wherein the supporting portions of the second electrode are able to be displaced. |
| US07978030B2 |
High-speed interconnects
In one example embodiment, a high-speed transponder includes a printed circuit board having a set of coplanar high-speed traces, and a high-speed circuit and a package mounted to the printed circuit board. The package includes an outside housing and a second high-speed circuit positioned inside the housing. The high-speed transponder also includes a high-speed feed thru which includes an inside coplanar structure positioned inside the housing, a strip line structure positioned through the housing, and an outside coplanar structure positioned outside the housing. The second high-speed circuit is operably coupled to the inside coplanar structure, which is operably coupled to the strip line structure, which is operably coupled to the outside coplanar structure, which is operably coupled to the first high-speed circuit via the set of coplanar high-speed traces. The signal plane of the outside coplanar structure is flipped with respect to a signal plane of the inside coplanar structure. |
| US07978027B2 |
Coplanar waveguide resonator and coplanar waveguide filter using the same
A coplanar waveguide resonator (100a) has a center conductor (101) formed on a dielectric substrate (105) that has a line conductor (a center line conductor) (101b) extending in the input/output direction, a ground conductor (103) that is disposed on the dielectric substrate (105) across a gap section from the center conductor (101), and a line conductor (a base stub) (104) formed as an extension line from the ground conductor (103), and a part of the base stub (104) constitutes a line conductor (a first collateral line conductor) (104a) disposed in parallel with the center line conductor (101b). |
| US07978020B2 |
Waveguide junction having angular and linear offsets for providing polarization rotation
A junction (300) for connecting two waveguides having an angular offset between longitudinal symmetry axes of their cross-sections and a first linear offset of the center axes of the waveguides. The junction (300) comprises at least a first and a second transformer sections (202, 206) both having said first angular offset between longitudinal symmetry axes of their cross-sections and said first linear offset of their center axes, wherein each of said transformer sections (202, 206) has one protruded ridge (204, 208) on broad walls, wherein the first ridge (204) is mainly situated outside the cross section of the second transformer section 206 and the second ridge (208) is mainly situated outside the cross section of the first transformer section (202). |
| US07978016B2 |
Crystal oscillator
A crystal oscillator is provided to secure a space for housing the IC and electronic components, even if the vibrator is small in size. In this crystal oscillator, there is not a hindrance to the wire connections between the IC and the electronic components, and the limitation on the vibrator and oscillator design is reduced. Also, the influence of the heat from the IC and the electronic components is made smaller. Thus, desired characteristics can be readily achieved with this crystal oscillator. In this crystal oscillator, the IC and the electronic components are housed in a concave portion formed in the ceramic package. A pedestal formed with a crystal plate made of the same material as the vibrator is provided to cover almost the entire opening of the concave portion, and the vibrator is placed on the pedestal. |
| US07978015B2 |
Oscillator with reduced phase noise characteristics
One well known problem associated with voltage controlled oscillators or VCOs is phase noise, and it is desirable to reduce phase noise in order to improve VCO performance. Here, a VCO is provided where gain elements are provided that reduce phase noise. These gain elements are generally comprised of oscillator tanks. |
| US07978006B2 |
Quantum interference transistors and methods of manufacturing and operating the same
A quantum interference transistor may include a source; a drain; N channels (N≧2), between the source and the drain, and having N−1 path differences between the source and the drain; and at least one gate disposed at one or more of the N channels. One or more of the N channels may be formed in a graphene sheet. A method of manufacturing the quantum interference transistor may include forming one or more of the N channels using a graphene sheet. A method of operating the quantum interference transistor may include applying a voltage to the at least one gate. The voltage may shift a phase of a wave of electrons passing through a channel at which the at least one gate is disposed. |
| US07977997B2 |
Generating a full rail signal
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed, such as those that comprise a center-swing signal generator that includes a push-pull center-swing driver coupled to a common-mode pre-emphasis module, the center-swing signal generator to receive a low swing current mode logic (CML) signal and output a center-swing signal, and a full-swing cross-coupled inverter coupled to the center-swing signal generator, the full-swing cross-coupled inverter to receive the center-swing signal and output a full-rail single-ended swing signal. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US07977995B2 |
Configurable pulse generator
The described embodiments provide a circuit that can be configured as a pulse generator or as an oscillator. The circuit includes a pulse generator circuit and a test circuit that is coupled to the pulse generator circuit. In the described embodiments, an disable signal is coupled to the test circuit. When the disable signal is asserted, the test circuit is disabled, and the pulse generator circuit outputs pulses of a predetermined duration. In contrast, when the disable signal is deasserted, the test circuit is enabled, and the pulse generator circuit outputs an oscillating signal. |
| US07977986B2 |
Semiconductor device having delay locked loop and method for driving the same
A delay locked loop includes: a control voltage generator configured to generate a voltage control signal having a voltage level corresponding to a phase difference between an external clock and a feedback clock; a voltage controlled delay line configured to generate a plurality of output signals by reflecting a different delay time on the external clock in response to the voltage control signal; an internal clock multiplexer configured to output one of the plurality of output signals as an internal clock in response to a skew information signal; a delay replica model configured to output the feedback clock by reflecting a delay of an actual clock/data path on the internal clock; and a skew information signal generator configured to generate the skew information signal. |
| US07977974B2 |
Integrated circuit device and electronic instrument
An integrated circuit device includes a digital power supply regulation circuit, an analog power supply regulation circuit, a control logic circuit, an analog circuit, and a power supply wiring region. A digital power supply line which supplies a digital power supply voltage and an analog power supply line which supplies an analog power supply voltage are provided in the power supply wiring region. The digital power supply regulation circuit, the analog circuit, and the analog power supply regulation circuit are disposed in a first direction with respect to the control logic circuit. The power supply wiring region is formed along a second direction in a region between the control logic circuit and the digital power supply regulation circuit, the analog circuit, and the analog power supply regulation circuit. |
| US07977958B2 |
Bi-directional buffer for interfacing test system channel
An emitter follower or source follower transistor is provided in the channel of a wafer test system between a DUT and a test system controller to enable a low power DUT to drive a test system channel. A bypass resistor is included between the base and emitter of the emitter follower transistor to enable bi-directional signals to be provided between the DUT channel and test system controller, as well as to enable parametric tests to be performed. The emitter follower transistor and bypass resistor can be provided on the probe card, with a pull down termination circuit included in the test system controller. The test system controller can provide compensation for the base to emitter voltage drop of the emitter follower transistor. |
| US07977956B2 |
Method and apparatus for probe card alignment in a test system
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for aligning a probe card assembly in a test system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for testing devices may include a probe card assembly having a plurality of probes, each probe having a tip for contacting a device to be tested, and having an identified set of one or more features that are preselected in accordance with selected criteria for aligning the probe card assembly within a prober after installation therein. In some embodiments, the identity of the identified set of one or more features may be communicated to the prober to facilitate a global alignment of the probe card assembly that minimizes an aggregate misalignment of all of the tips in the probe card assembly. |
| US07977955B2 |
Particulate matter sensor
A particulate matter sensor which may be used as an onboard particulate matter diagnostic sensor includes an insulating base that has at least a pair of opposing plane surfaces, an electrode nucleus that is formed on one of the pair of opposing plane surfaces of the base, and forms an electrode when a conductive substance adheres to the plane surface, and an electrode that is disposed parallel to the electrode nucleus and is provided on the other of the pair of opposing plane surfaces, or provided on a side surface of the base that is adjacent to the pair of opposing plane surfaces, or provided inside the base. |
| US07977953B2 |
In-mould molding touch module and method for manufacturing the same
An in-mold molding touch module includes a plastic film, a touch circuit and a molding rind. The plastic film includes an inner surface and an outer surface for handling and touching. At least one region of the inner surface and a corresponding region of the outer surface define a touch area. The touch circuit is arranged on the inner surface in the touch area. The molding rind is integrated on the inner surface by an in-mold injecting mode to contain the touch circuit for forming a one-piece body. In addition, the invention also provides a method for manufacturing an in-mold molding touch module. |
| US07977952B2 |
Polymeric structures and methods for producing and monitoring polymeric structures
A method for monitoring a component formed of a polymer material, and the polymer component. The component includes an electrically-conductive polymer sensing element integrally incorporated into the component. An electric potential is applied to the polymer sensing element, and an electric signal generated by the polymer sensing element is sensed in response to the polymer sensing element physically responding to a transitory or permanent distortion of the component. A signal can then be generated if the electric signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value for the component. |
| US07977943B2 |
Method and system for reconstructing images
A method for reconstructing an image in a magnetic resonance imaging system is provided. The method includes steps of acquiring magnetic resonance signals from a plurality of receiver coils placed about a subject, each receiver coil having a coil sensitivity, iteratively polling each acquired magnetic resonance signal for determining one or more significant wavelet components of each acquired magnetic resonance signal by utilizing a coil sensitivity function of each receiver coil for each acquired magnetic resonance signal, iteratively determining one or more coefficients based on the one or more significant wavelet components to generate a plurality of coefficients for each acquired magnetic resonance signal, reconstructing an image utilizing a corresponding plurality of coefficients corresponding to each acquired magnetic resonance signal, and generating a composite image by combining the reconstructed images. |
| US07977941B2 |
Magnetic field sensing device
A magnetic field sensing device for determining the strength of a magnetic field, includes four magnetic tunnel junction elements or element arrays (100) configured as a bridge (200). A current source is coupled to a current line (116) disposed near each of the four magnetic tunnel junction elements (100) for selectively supplying temporally spaced first and second currents. Sampling circuitry (412, 414) coupled to the current source samples the bridge output during the first and second currents and determines the value of the magnetic field from the difference of the first and second values. A method for sensing the magnetic field includes supplying a first current to the current line (116), supplying a second current the current line (116), sampling the value at the output for each of the first and second currents, determining the difference between the sampled values during each of the first and second currents, and determining a measured magnetic field based on the determined difference. |
| US07977938B2 |
Device and method of detecting ferrite and non-ferrite objects
A metal detector for detecting the presence of a ferrite object in the proximity of inductively coupled sensor having overlapping D shaped transmitter and receiver coils. The metal detector has a phase shift circuit to phase shifting a sensor output signal by a known amount and a switch operating in synchronization with an excitation signal of the sensor for sampling the amplitude of the phase shifted output signal. |
| US07977926B2 |
Boost and up-down switching regulator with synchronous freewheeling MOSFET
A freewheeling MOSFET is connected in parallel with the inductor in a switched DC/DC converter. When the freewheeling MOSFET is turned on during the switching operation of the converter, while the low-side and energy transfer MOSFETs are turned off, the inductor current circulates or “freewheels” through the freewheeling MOSFET. The frequency of the converter is thereby made independent of the lengths of the magnetizing and energy transfer stages, allowing far greater flexibility in operating and converter and overcoming numerous problems associated with conventional DC/DC converters. For example, the converter may operate in either step-up or step-down mode and may even transition for one mode to the other as the values of the input voltage and desired output voltage vary. |
| US07977914B2 |
Battery maintenance tool with probe light
A battery maintenance tool, which electrically couples to a battery, includes a maintenance tool housing and electronic circuitry within the maintenance tool housing. A cable, substantially external to the maintenance tool housing includes a plurality of conductors. At least some conductors of the plurality conductors are configured to electrically couple to the electronic circuitry within the maintenance tool housing. At least one probe light that is configured to electrically couple to at least two of the plurality of conductors in the cable is also included. The probe light, which is separate from the maintenance tool housing, receives power via the at least two of the plurality of conductors to which it is electrically coupled. |
| US07977910B2 |
Method of starting a synchronous motor with a brushless DC exciter
A starting method and system for a motor where the motor may be started as an induction motor by applying a magnetizing current to build flux through the stator, with the field current set at the maximum permissible exciter stator current (i.e., the current that will cause rated no-load current in the main field at the transition speed). The motor stator currents will be maintained at a value that allows the motor to generate sufficient breakaway torque to overcome any stiction. At a specific transition speed or after a period of time, the drive will initiate a transition from induction motor control to synchronous motor control by removing the initial magnetizing current, and a field current is then applied to the motor through the DC exciter. Once this transition is completed, the drive may ramp up to the desired speed demand. |
| US07977907B2 |
Driving system for mobile robot
In a system for driving a mobile robot having a body, a plurality of legs each comprising a thigh link and a shank link, a first electric motor and a second motor for driving the thigh link in a forwarding direction, a power line connecting a power source to the first and the second motors, and a motor driver that supplies drive voltage to the first and second motors, a booster that boosts the drive voltage to be supplied to the first and second motors is provided such that the booster and the motor driver are installed in the thigh link where the first and second motors are installed, thereby enabling to satisfy both the low-voltage demand and high-voltage demand and to supply drive voltage to the motors effectively. |
| US07977905B1 |
Electric drive
An electric drive which has an inductor with poles, an armature having a plurality of windings and rotatable relative to the inductor and its poles, and a control unit which, when a respective one of the windings of the armature approaches a respective one of the poles of the inductor, turns off a voltage supply to the winding so that when the winding passes the pole it does not have a voltage, and when the winding moves away from the pole the control unit supplies opposite voltage to the winding, and therefore no counter electric motive force is generated during the operation of the electric drive. |
| US07977897B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling or regulating an oscillating deflectable micromechanical element
The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for controlling or regulating the deflection of micromechanically manufactured deflectable elements which, driven electrostatically, are deflected in an oscillating manner. It is the object of the invention to provide a possibility with which a much larger deflection range can be utilized and in so doing the required voltage potential difference for the electrostatic drive of a deflection can be kept small and the occurrence of the pull-in effect can be avoided. In accordance with the invention, a deflectable element is present which is held at a frame element by at least one spring element and which can be deflected using an electrostatic drive. The deflection can be achieved by means of at least one counter-electrode and the deflectable element usable as an electrode. In addition, at least one detector is present which is suitable for the contactless detection of at least one deflection position and which is connected to an electronic evaluation and control unit to influence the electrical voltage potential difference between the deflectable element and the counter-electrode(s) in dependence of a specific deflection position. |
| US07977894B1 |
Programmed start ballast for gas discharge lamps
An electronic ballast has control circuitry to provide a pre-heating signal to the filaments of a gas discharge lamp for a predetermined length of time before the lamp is ignited and, further, cease providing the pre-heating signal after the lamp has been ignited. |
| US07977888B2 |
Direct coupled balancer drive for floating lamp structure
A backlighting arrangement constituted of a driving transformer arrangement; a plurality of lamp pairs, each of the constituent lamps of the plurality of lamp pairs exhibiting a first electrical connection and a second electrical connection; and a plurality of balancing transformers, each comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding, and each associated with a particular one of the plurality of lamp pairs, the primary winding of each of the plurality of balancing transformers serially connected between the second electrical connections of the constituent lamps of the associated lamp pair, the secondary windings of the plurality of balancing transformers serially connected in phase, with a first end of the serially connected secondary windings of the balancing transformers connected to one phase output of the driving transformer arrangement. |
| US07977878B2 |
Photomultiplier and its manufacturing method
The present invention relates to a photomultiplier having a structure for making it possible to easily realize high detection accuracy and fine processing, and a method of manufacturing the same. The photomultiplier comprises an enclosure having an inside kept in a vacuum state, whereas a photocathode emitting electrons in response to incident light, an electron multiplier section multiplying in a cascading manner the electron emitted from the photocathode, and an anode for taking out a secondary electron generated in the electron multiplier section are arranged in the enclosure. A part of the enclosure is constructed by a glass substrate having a flat part, whereas each of the electron multiplier section and anode is two-dimensionally arranged on the flat part in the glass substrate. |
| US07977874B2 |
Organic EL display device comprising a reflection structure
The present invention provides an organic EL display device which has a long lifetime. The organic EL display device includes a plurality of pixels each of which is constituted of a top-emission-type active matrix organic EL element. The EL element includes: a pixel electrode; a reflective layer arranged between the pixel electrode and an active element and is formed over a leveling layer; an organic light emission layer; and a common electrode. The reflective layer includes: a first reflective layer which is made of high-melting-point metal; and a second reflective layer which is arranged on the first reflective layer. The second reflective layer includes a planar pattern in which an outer periphery of the second reflective layer is surrounded by the first reflective layer. The pixel electrode extends outward from the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer. |
| US07977872B2 |
High-color-temperature tandem white OLED
An OLED device having two spaced electrodes including: first, second, and third light-emitting units 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 and third light-emitting units produce light that has substantial emission at wavelengths shorter than 500 nm; intermediate connectors respectively disposed between the first and second light-emitting units, and between the second and third light-emitting units; and wherein the OLED device emits light with a color temperature greater than 7,000K. |
| US07977864B2 |
Method and materials for patterning of an amorphous, non-polymeric, organic matrix with electrically active material disposed therein
In one method of making an organic electroluminescent device, a transfer layer is solution coated on a donor substrate. The transfer layer includes an amorphous, non-polymeric, organic matrix with a light emitting material disposed in the matrix. The transfer layer is then selectively patterned on a receptor. Examples of patterning methods include laser thermal transfer or thermal head transfer. The method and associated materials can be used to form, for example, organic electroluminescent devices. |
| US07977855B2 |
Incandescent lamp and illumination system with optimized filament shape and size
An incandescent lamp that is specially adapted for use in combination with a concave reflector in providing a high-intensity beam of light. The lamp includes an optimized filament shape that consist of a filament arranged in coiled coils having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the reflector longitudinal axis and the larger coils of the coiled coil filament spaced from each other by a distance substantially the same as the filament coil diameter. The filament length, width, and height can be limited to substantially twelve millimeters to optimize the lamp for use with concave reflectors having a focal length of substantially twenty five millimeters, any type curvature, and any size diameter. |
| US07977854B2 |
Component for an electric lamp with outer bulb
An assembly for an electric lamp with an elongated inner bulb, which is sealed at two ends, the inner bulb including a lamp axis, and a light-emitter being accommodated in the inner bulb, the inner bulb being surrounded by an outer bulb, wherein the outer bulb is substantially circular-cylindrical, and includes two parts, at least one part having a rounded-off, sealed first end, and the two parts each having an open second end, which ends are matched to one another in terms of diameter, and the parts being connected to one another in the region of the open end via a certain sealing path, the inner bulb being held in the outer bulb via two frame wires, which are passed out of the outer bulb between the two parts. |
| US07977852B2 |
Method and apparatus for harvesting energy from mechanical vibrations
A method of harvesting energy from a vibrational energy source having a varying energy characteristic. The method includes the step of varying a characteristic of a harvesting arrangement arranged to harvest the energy, the characteristic of the harvesting arrangement being varied in response to the varying energy characteristic of the vibrational energy source. |
| US07977850B2 |
Bulk acoustic wave device with a semiconductor layer
A bulk acoustic wave device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a piezoelectric layer arranged between the first and second electrodes and a semiconductor layer arranged between the first and second electrodes. The semiconductor layer is electrically isolated from the first electrode. |
| US07977826B2 |
Multipole permanent-magnet synchronous machine having tooth-wound coils
The permanently excited synchronous machine (1) includes a rotor (3) and a stand (2) which contains a three-branched winding system (8) which comprises tooth coils. The stand (2) has a total of three or six grooves (5) and a tooth (6, 7) is formed there between. A total of three tooth coils (9) are arranged in the grooves (5) and each coil is associated with one of the three winding phases. The number of user pole pairs (pN) is four or five. The rotor (3) has twice as many user pole pairs (pN) of permanent magnets (18) which are evenly distributed on the periphery. |
| US07977807B1 |
Wearable device to generate electricity from human movement
This invention uses hydraulic or pneumatic passageways to create a wearable, portable, washable, and relatively unobtrusive device for efficiently converting movement of a relatively large portion of the human body into electricity. This device comprises: a flowable substance; passageways through which the flowable substance flows that are worn over the exterior of the human body; and energy-converting members that convert the energy of the flow of the flowable substance into electricity. |
| US07977803B2 |
Chip structure with bumps and testing pads
A chip structure comprising a silicon substrate, a MOS device, dielectric layers, a metallization structure, a passivation layer, a plurality of metal layers and a polymer layer. The metallization structure comprises a first circuit layer and a second circuit layer over the first circuit layer, and comprises a damascene electroplated copper. The passivation layer is over the metallization structure and dielectric layers, the passivation layer including a first opening exposing a contact point of the metallization structure. The polymer layer is disposed over the passivation layer and the first metal layer, a second opening in the polymer layer being over a second contact point of the first metal layer, the polymer layer covering a top surface and sidewall of the first metal layer. The second contact point is connected to the first contact point through the first opening, the second opening not being vertically over the first opening. |
| US07977801B2 |
Integrated circuit chip component, multi-chip module, their integration structure, and their fabrication method
A multi-chip module and an integrated structure of the present invention including: at least one of either a terminal unit formation area expanded type integrated circuit chip, or a terminal unit formation area identical type integrated circuit chip; terminal unit formation areas of these integrated circuits that are covered with protective layers, and expanded wiring units and terminal units formed in the protective layers; one or a plurality of the terminal unit formation area expanded type and the terminal unit formation area identical type integrated circuit chip components that are two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally aligned in further protective layers; a horizontal or a vertical wiring formed for arbitrarily connecting the plurality of the integrated circuit chip components in the further protective layers. |
| US07977799B2 |
Planar packageless semiconductor structure with via and coplanar contacts
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first side and a second side and an epitaxial layer disposed over the second side. The device also includes a conductive via extending through the epitaxial layer to the second side and comprising a conductive contact; and a bond pad disposed over the epitaxial layer and comprising a conductive material, wherein the semiconductor is not provided in a package. |
| US07977797B2 |
Integrated circuit with contact region and multiple etch stop insulation layer
The present invention is a semiconductor contact formation system and method. Contact insulation regions are formed with multiple etch stop sublayers that facilitate formation of contacts. This contact formation process provides relatively small substrate connections while addressing critical lithographic printing limitation concerns in forming contact holes with small dimensions. In one embodiment, a multiple etch stop insulation layer comprising multiple etch stop layers is deposited. A contact region is formed in the multiple etch stop insulation layer by selectively removing (e.g., etching) some of the multiple etch stop insulation layer. In one embodiment, a larger portion of the multiple etch stop insulation layer is removed close to the metal layer and a smaller portion is removed closer to the substrate. The different contact region widths are achieved by performing multiple etching processes controlled by the multiple etch stop layers in the multiple etch stop insulation layer and spacer formation to shrink contact size at a bottom portion. Electrical conducting material (e.g., tungsten) is deposited in the contact region. |
| US07977795B2 |
Semiconductor device, method of fabricating the same, and pattern generating method
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention has: a semiconductor substrate; an interlayer insulating film formed above the semiconductor substrate; a protective film formed on the interlayer insulating film, the protective film having a higher density than that of the interlayer insulating film; at least one of a wiring and a dummy wiring formed in the interlayer insulating film and the protective film; and a separation wall formed within the interlayer insulating film so as to surround a low density region to separate the low density region from other regions, a sum of covering densities of the wiring and the dummy wiring being lower than a predetermined prescribed value in the low density region. |
| US07977789B2 |
Bump with multiple vias for semiconductor package and fabrication method thereof, and semiconductor package utilizing the same
A bump for a semiconductor package forms a polymer layer having multiple vias on an electrode pad above a semiconductor chip to increase an electrical contact area between the electrode pad and a metal bump. Further, the bump forms a polymer layer having multiple vias on a redistribution electrode pad to increase a surface area of an electrode interconnection. The multiple vias increase electrical and mechanical contact areas, thereby preventing current crowding and improving joint reliability. The bump for a semiconductor package may further comprise a stress relaxation layer at the lower portion of the bump. |
| US07977782B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with dual connectivity
An integrated circuit package system includes: forming a lead having a both top contact portion and a bottom contact portion; connecting an integrated circuit die and the lead; and forming a package encapsulation, having a top side and a bottom side, over the integrated circuit die. The forming the package encapsulation includes partially exposing the top contact portion at the top side, and partially exposing the bottom contact portion along the bottom side with the bottom contact portion extending beyond a nonhorizontal portion of the package encapsulation. |
| US07977778B2 |
Integrated circuit package system with interference-fit feature
An integrated circuit package system is provided including forming an integrated circuit die, forming an interference-fit feature in the integrated circuit die, fitting a support element within the interference-fit feature, connecting an external interconnect and the integrated circuit die, and encapsulating the integrated circuit die. |
| US07977776B2 |
Multichip discrete package
A multichip discrete package with a leadframe having a plurality of leads and a first die attach pad (DAP), the first DAP having side portions that extend above the first DAP, a first discrete die bonded to the first DAP, at least a first wirebond which forms an electrical connections between the first discrete die and a first selected one of the plurality of leads, a metal plate attached to tops of the side portions forming a second DAP, a second discrete die bonded to the second DAP, at least a second wirebond which forms an electrical connections between the second discrete die and a second selected one of the leads; and encapsulating material formed around the first and second die and the first and second DAPs. |
| US07977775B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
The present invention enables improvement of bonding reliability of the conductive adhesive interposed between a semiconductor chip and a die pad portion. Provided is a semiconductor device, in which a silicon chip is mounted over the die pad portion integrally formed with a drain lead, has a source pad over the main surface and a drain electrode of a power MOSFET over the back side, and is bonded onto the die pad portion via an Ag paste. In the device, a source lead and the source pad are electrically coupled via an Al ribbon. Over the back surface of the silicon chip, an Ag nanoparticle coated film is formed, while another Ag nanoparticle coated film is formed over the die pad portion and lead (drain lead and source lead). |
| US07977771B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor chip including a wire and a passivation film formed on the outermost surface with an opening partially exposing the wire; a resin layer stacked on the semiconductor chip and provided with a through-hole in a position opposed to a portion of the wire facing the opening; and a pad formed on a peripheral portion of the through-hole in the resin layer and in the through-hole so that an external connection terminal is arranged on the surface thereof. The peripheral portion of the resin layer is formed more thickly than the remaining portion of the resin layer other than the peripheral portion. |
| US07977759B2 |
Fingerprint sensor chip package method and the package structure thereof
A fingerprint sensor chip package method and the package structure thereof are disclosed. The invention includes: providing a substrate; arranging a sensor chip on the substrate, with an active surface of the sensor chip facing upward; forming a patterned conductive colloid on the sensor chip, wherein the patterned conductive colloid extends from the periphery of the active surface of the sensor chip along the side wall of the sensor and electrically connects with the circuit layer of the substrate; forming a non-conductive film to cover the sensor chip, the patterned conductive colloid and a portion of the substrate; and forming a conductive film on the non-conductive film. The patterned conductive colloid replaces the conventional bond wires to improve the product yield and to omit the molding process. The conductive film is electrically connected with the grounding point/area on the substrate to dissipate the static charges for protecting the chip. |
| US07977758B2 |
Ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics for noise isolation in integrated circuits, packaging, and system architectures
Disclosed are ferroelectric and ferromagnetic noise isolation structures that reduce electromagnetic interference and noise in integrated circuit devices and system architectures. Representative structures comprise two or more devices that are vertically disposed relative to one another, and a thin ferroelectric or ferromagnetic film layer disposed between the respective devices that isolates electromagnetic energy coupling from one device to another. |
| US07977756B2 |
Semiconductor storage device using magnetoresistive effect element and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor storage device includes a semiconductor substrate, a source region, a source line, and a bit line. The source region is formed in an element region formed on the semiconductor substrate. The source line is formed to overlap with the source region in planar view. The bit line is formed on a layer higher than the source line. |
| US07977749B2 |
Semiconductor device with increased channel area
A semiconductor device includes an active region defining at least four surfaces, the four surfaces including first, second, third, and fourth surfaces, a gate insulation layer formed around the four surfaces of the active region, and a gate electrode formed around the gate insulation layer and the four surfaces of the active region. |
| US07977741B2 |
Manufacturing method of flexible semiconductor device and flexible semiconductor device
A layered film of a three-layer clad foil formed with a first metal layer 23, a second metal layer 25, and an inorganic insulating layer 35 interposed therebetween is prepared. After the second metal layer 25 is partially etched to form a gate electrode 20g, the first metal layer 23 is partially etched to form source/drain electrodes 20s, 20d in a region corresponding to the gate electrode 20g. A semiconductor layer 40 is then formed in contact with the source/drain electrodes 20s, 20d and on the gate electrode 20g with the inorganic insulating layer 35 interposed therebetween. The inorganic insulating layer 35 on the gate electrode 20g functions as a gate insulating film 30, and the semiconductor layer 40 between the source/drain electrodes 20s, 20d on the inorganic insulating layer 35 functions as a channel. |
| US07977740B2 |
Configuration of high-voltage semiconductor power device to achieve three dimensional charge coupling
This invention discloses semiconductor device that includes a top region and a bottom region with an intermediate region disposed between said top region and said bottom region with a controllable current path traversing through the intermediate region. The semiconductor device further includes a trench with padded with insulation layer on sidewalls extended from the top region through the intermediate region toward the bottom region wherein the trench includes randomly and substantially uniformly distributed nano-nodules as charge-islands in contact with a drain region below the trench for electrically coupling with the intermediate region for continuously and uniformly distributing a voltage drop through the current path. |
| US07977739B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method for semiconductor device
Generally, a power MOSFET mainly includes an active region occupying most of an internal region (a region where a gate electrode made of polysilicon or the like is integrated), and a surrounding gate contact region (where the gate electrode made of polysilicon or the like is derived outside a source metal covered region to make contact with a gate metal) (see FIG. 65 in a comparative example). Since the gate electrode made of polysilicon or the like has a stepped portion existing between both regions, a focus margin may be reduced in a lithography step, including exposure or the like, for formation of a contact hole for a source or for a gate. The invention of the present application provides a semiconductor device having a trench gate type power MISFET with a gate electrode protruding from an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, in which respective main upper surfaces of the gate electrode in an active region and a gate contact region are substantially at the same height. |
| US07977725B2 |
Integrated circuit semiconductor device including stacked level transistors
An integrated circuit semiconductor device includes a first transistor formed at a lower substrate and configured with at least one of a vertical transistor and a planar transistor. A bonding insulation layer is formed on the first transistor, and an upper substrate is bonded on the bonding insulation layer. A second transistor configured with at least one of a vertical transistor and a planar transistor is formed at the upper substrate. The first transistor and the second transistor are connected by an interconnection layer. |
| US07977724B2 |
Capacitor and method of manufacturing the same comprising a stabilizing member
A capacitor includes a cylindrical storage electrode formed on a substrate. A ring-shaped stabilizing member encloses an upper portion of the storage electrode to structurally support the storage electrode and an adjacent storage electrode. The ring-shaped stabilizing member is substantially perpendicular to the storage electrode and extends in a direction where the adjacent storage electrode is arranged. A dielectric layer is formed on the storage electrode. A plate electrode is formed on the dielectric layer. |
| US07977723B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an active region formed in the semiconductor substrate and extending in a first direction, the active region including a transistor sub-region and a capacitor sub-region, a first trench extending around the transistor sub-region, an isolation layer disposed in the first trench, a second trench extending around the capacitor sub-region, a first transistor including a first insulating layer disposed on the transistor sub-region, the first transistor including a first conductive layer disposed on the first insulating layer, and a first capacitor including a second insulating layer extending over the capacitor sub-region and a sidewall of the second trench, the first capacitor including a second conductive layer disposed on the second insulating layer, the active region having an end portion in the first direction opposite to the transistor sub-region and extending across the first capacitor. |
| US07977718B2 |
Image sensor photodiodes using a multi-layer substrate and contact method and structure thereof
The present invention relates to a photodiode of an image sensor using a three-dimensional multi-layer substrate, and more particularly, to a method of implementing a buried type photodiode and a structure thereof, and a trench contact method for connecting a photodiode in a multi-layer substrate and a transistor for signal detection. |
| US07977713B2 |
Semiconductor devices with non-punch-through semiconductor channels having enhanced conduction and methods of making
Semiconductor devices are described wherein current flow in the device is confined between the rectifying junctions (e.g., p-n junctions or metal-semiconductor junctions). The device provides non-punch-through behavior and enhanced current conduction capability. The devices can be power semiconductor devices as such as Junction Field-Effect Transistors (VJFETs), Static Induction Transistors (SITs), Junction Field Effect Thyristors, or JFET current limiters. The devices can be made in wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC). According to some embodiments, the device can be a normally-off SiC vertical junction field effect transistor. Methods of making the devices and circuits comprising the devices are also described. |
| US07977710B2 |
Solid state imaging device
A solid state imaging device in which Υ characteristic is obtained and enlargement of dynamic range is provided. The solid state imaging device of the present invention includes a vertical overflow function and has a feature in which potential of a semiconductor substrate is changed from a high potential to a low potential in a stepwise manner during a period from an exposure start to an exposure end. |
| US07977708B1 |
HBT/FET process integration
A co-integrated HBT/FET apparatus and system, and methods for making the same, are disclosed. A co-integrated HBT/FET apparatus may include a first epitaxial structure formed over a substrate, the first epitaxial structure forming, at least in part, a FET device, a separation layer formed over the first epitaxial structure, and a second epitaxial structure formed over the separation layer, the second epitaxial structure forming, at least in part, a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) device. |
| US07977698B2 |
System and method for surface mountable display
A system and method is disclosed for allowing a solid substrate, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), to act as the support structure for an electronic circuit. In one embodiment, the LEDs which form a part of a scrambler assembly are constructed on a first substrate and the electrical connections are run to the edges of the substrate and end in electrical contacts positioned thereat. The substrate is then connected to the scrambler package by a series of electrical and mechanical connections to form the LED package. The electrical contacts which are part of the LED package extend from the LED package so as to enable electrical contact with a separate controller substrate. |
| US07977696B2 |
Light-emitting element mounting substrate, light-emitting element package, display device, and illumination device
A light emitting element mounting substrate that enables a high quality light emitting element package to be readily manufactured with minimal variations in the chromaticity when manufacturing a white LED, a light emitting element package that employs the substrate, and a display device and illumination device that employs this package, are provided. In the light emitting element mounting substrate, at least a light emitting element mounting portion of a surface of a core metal is coated with a fluorescent enamel layer that consists of a fluorescent material-containing glass. In the light emitting element package, a light emitting element is mounted on the light emitting element mounting substrate, and the light emitting element is sealed with a transparent sealing resin. |
| US07977693B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting material with tetrahedral structure formed therein
A semiconductor light-emitting material includes a semiconductor substance including a matrix semiconductor whose constituent atoms are bonded to form a tetrahedral structure, an impurity atom S substituted for an atom in a lattice site of the matrix semiconductor, and an impurity atom I inserted in a interstitial site of the matrix semiconductor, the impurity atom S and the impurity atom I being bonded through charge transfer therebetween in a state that the impurity atom S has an electric charge coincident with that of the constituent atom of the matrix semiconductor and the impurity atom I has an electron configuration of a closed shell structure, in which the semiconductor substance is stretched in a direction of a bond forming the tetrahedral structure. |
| US07977688B2 |
Light emitting device, light emitting system having the same, and fabricating method of the light emitting device and the light emitting system
A semiconductor device includes a first light emitting chip, the first light emitting chip having a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and a first active layer disposed therebetween, a second light emitting chip disposed on the first light emitting chip, the second light emitting chip having a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, and a second active layer disposed therebetween, and a conductive layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer, the first semiconductor layer and the fourth semiconductor layer having different conductivity types. |
| US07977671B2 |
Compound having oxadiazole ring structure substituted with pyridyl group and organic electroluminescence device
The present invention relates to a compound having an oxadiazole ring structure having a substituted pyridyl group connected thereto, represented by the following general formula (1). According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide an organic compound having excellent characteristic of high stability in a thin film state, and the emission efficiency and durability of conventional organic EL devices can be remarkably improved. |
| US07977668B2 |
Multilayer structure with zirconium-oxide tunnel barriers and applications of same
A multilayer structure with zirconium-oxide tunnel barriers. In one embodiment, the multilayer structure includes a first niobium (Nb) layer, a second niobium (Nb) layer, and a plurality of zirconium-oxide tunnel barriers sandwiched between the first niobium (Nb) layer and the second niobium (Nb) layer, wherein the plurality of zirconium-oxide tunnel barriers is formed with N layers of zirconium-oxide, N being an integer greater than 1, and M layers of zirconium, M being an integer no less than N, such that between any two neighboring layers of zirconium-oxide, a layer of zirconium is sandwiched therebetween. |
| US07977665B2 |
Nitride-based light emitting device
A nitride-based light emitting device capable of achieving an enhancement in light emission efficiency and an enhancement in reliability is disclosed. The nitride-based light emitting device includes a light emitting layer including a quantum well layer and a quantum barrier layer, and a stress accommodating layer arranged on at least one surface of the quantum well layer of the light emitting layer. |
| US07977663B2 |
Semiconductor light-emitting device with a highly reflective ohmic-electrode
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a multilayer semiconductor structure on a conductive substrate. The multilayer semiconductor structure includes a first doped semiconductor layer situated above the conductive substrate, a second doped semiconductor layer situated above the first doped semiconductor layer, and/or an MQW active layer situated between the first and second doped semiconductor layers. The device also includes a reflective ohmic-contact metal layer between the first doped semiconductor layer and the conductive substrate, which includes Ag, and at least one of: Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Au, Os, Ir, and Pt; plus at least one of: Zn, Mg Be, and Cd; and a number of: W, Cu, Fe, Ti, Ta, and Cr. The device further includes a bonding layer between the reflective ohmic-contact metal layer and the conductive substrate, a first electrode coupled to the conductive substrate, and a second electrode coupled to the second doped semiconductor layer. |
| US07977649B2 |
Plasma ion source mass spectrometer
Provided is a plasma ion source mass spectrometer with an ion deflector lens having an improved removal ratio of photons and neutral particles as compared with the conventional art while an ion transmittance is maintained. The ion deflector includes an input side plate-like electrode, an output side plate-like electrode, and a tubular electrode disposed between the input side plate-like electrode and the output side plate-like electrode. The tubular electrode is of a point asymmetrical configuration. The tubular electrode is arranged so that a center axis of the tubular electrode is closer to an axis of travel of ions upstream of the input side plate-like electrode than an axis of travel of ions downstream of the output side plate-like electrode. |
| US07977635B2 |
Radiant energy imager using null switching
In some aspects, the present invention embodies both the method and apparatus for converting a pattern of irradiation to a visible image. An embodiment of the present invention provides an array of micro-electro-mechanical sensors with each sensor includes a deflectable micro-cantilever, responsive to absorbed incident radiation and to an applied repulsive electrostatic field. In an aspect, the sensor device also includes a null-sensing circuit coupled to a switch contact on or near the substrate, which senses when the micro-cantilever reaches its null location, by electrical connection with an upper switch contact on the micro-cantilever. Other embodiments are also described. |
| US07977634B2 |
Thermal imaging camera
A thermal imaging camera (1) is provided in which the utilization of the energy reserve carried along is improved in a thermal imaging camera. A sensor element (9) is provided at the carrying device of the thermal imaging camera. The sensor element (9) generates a switching signal for switching between a standby phase and an operating phase. |
| US07977628B2 |
System and method for reducing particles and contamination by matching beam complementary aperture shapes to beam shapes
An ion implantation system comprising an ion source configured to generate an ion beam along a beam path, a mass analyzer is located downstream of the ion source wherein the mass analyzer is configured to perform mass analysis of the ion beam and a beam complementary aperture located downstream of the mass analyzer and along the beam path, the beam complementary aperture having a size and shape corresponding to a cross-sectional beam envelope of the ion beam. |
| US07977616B2 |
Microscope equipped with automatic focusing mechanism and adjustment method thereof
Provided is a microscope equipped with an automatic focusing mechanism, comprising an illumination light source; an objective lens for focusing first light emitted from the illumination light source onto an object to be detected; an illumination light source for imaging the first light that is reflected by the object to be detected and passes through the objective lens; and a focal-point detector for detecting a positional shift of a microtiter plate from a focal position of the objective lens, wherein the focal-point detector includes a focal-point-detection light source for emitting focal-point-detection light serving as second light, a focal-point detection light acquisition unit on which the focal-point-detection light is focused, and a region setting unit which can set an in-focus assessable region of the focal-point-detection light acquired by the focal-point detection light acquisition unit to any position on the focal-point detection light acquisition unit. |
| US07977612B2 |
Container for microwaveable food
A container for microwavable food has a main container part for accommodating a food product to be cooked and open from above, a cover covering the main container part from above, and at least one insert accommodated in the container part and provided with a plurality of perforations for placing a food product to be steamed on the insert. |
| US07977611B2 |
Systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of metal components
Systems and methods for providing localized heat treatment of metal components are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: identifying a portion of a metal component to which localized heat treatment is to be performed; shielding an area in a vicinity of the portion of the metal component; and directing electromagnetic energy in the infrared (IR) spectrum toward the portion of the metal component such that the portion is heated to a desired temperature and such that the area in the vicinity of the portion that is subjected to shielding does not heat to the temperature desired for the heat treatment. |
| US07977605B2 |
Heating assembly comprising a PTC element, in particular for a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a heating assembly (1) comprising at least one PCT element, in particular for a motor vehicle, said PCT element (2) being located between two contact sheets (3, 4), which are used to make electrical contact. According to the invention, the heating assembly (1) comprises a frame (7) and at least one of the two contact sheets (3)comprises a staggered section outside the frame (7), said staggered section of the projecting part (10) of the contact sheet (3) running parallel with the remaining part (11) of said sheet (3). |
| US07977590B2 |
Switch lockout device
A lockout device for a switch assembly includes a body and first and second laterally extending pins and a cam member assembled with the body. The laterally extending pins are laterally movable between hole engaging and hole disengaging positions. The cam member is pivotable with respect to the body between locking and unlocked positions. When the cam member is in the locking position, the cam member holds the first and second pins in the hole engaging position. When the cam member is in the unlocked position, the first and second pins are movable from the hole engaging position to the hole disengaging position. The body defines a lock opening configured to receive a lock member to secure the cam member in the locking position. |
| US07977587B2 |
Two-stage switch assembly
A switch assembly is provided to actuate a pair of switches using a single push key, e.g. for a camera that utilizes a first switch to activate an image focusing function and a second switch to activate a camera shutter. The switch assembly comprises a contact pad switch and a dome switch that are located laterally to one another. When the push key receives a first downward force, only the contact pad switch becomes activated and a first electric circuit is completed. When the push key receives a second downward force that is greater than the first force, the dome switch collapses and a second electric circuit is completed. |
| US07977584B2 |
Electric apparatus module
The invention provides an electric apparatus unit which can be easily assembled. The electric apparatus module includes an upper case, a lower case assembled with the upper case and having an opening, an electric apparatus unit accommodated in the upper case and the lower case, a connection unit including a board, a connector mounted on the board and connected to the electric apparatus unit, and a connecting member, a first end of the connecting member attached to the board and a second end of the connecting member guided to outside of the lower case through the opening, and an assembling portion provided on the connection unit and the lower case and assembling the connection unit to the lower case, the assembling portion enabling the board to move along surficial direction of the board and restricting the board to move in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the board. |
| US07977581B2 |
Shifted segment layout for differential signal traces to mitigate bundle weave effect
An article of manufacture includes a circuit board and a pair of traces on or in the circuit board. The pair of traces includes a first trace and a second trace. The first trace includes a first segment and a second segment continuously joined to the first segment. The first segment coincides with a first longitudinal axis. The second trace includes a first segment that runs alongside the first segment of the first trace. The second trace also includes a second segment that runs alongside the second segment of the first trace. The second segment of the second trace is continuously joined to the first segment of the second trace. The second segment of the second trace coincides with the first longitudinal axis. |
| US07977570B2 |
Dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device
The invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device, using oxide semiconductor fine particles sensitized with a methine dye represented by the following formula (1) and a solar cell using the same, and a solar cell high in conversion efficiency can be obtained at low cost: in the formula (1), n represents an integer of 0 to 7; R1 represents an optionally-substituted aromatic residue or optionally-substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, or an acyl group; X represents an optionally-substituted hydrocarbon residue which has 2 to 4 carbon atoms; Y represents a hydrogen atom, an optionally-substituted aromatic residue or aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, a carboxyl group or the like, and preferably represents a carboxyl group; Z represents an optionally-substituted aromatic residue or aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, or an acyl group; A1, A2 and A3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an optionally-substituted aromatic residue or aliphatic hydrocarbon residue or the like, and preferably represent a hydrogen atom; and a benzene ring a may have substituent(s) other than those shown in the above formula. |
| US07977569B2 |
Dye sensitized solar cell module and manufacturing method thereof
A solar cell module is provided with a plurality of dye sensitized solar cells arranged on a plane and connected in series with an intercell region interposed therebetween. A first transparent substrate, a first transparent conductive film, a dye carrying oxide semiconductor layer, an electrolyte layer, a catalyst layer, a second transparent conductive film and a second transparent substrate are laminated. An insulating barrier seals cells on both sides thereof in fluid tightness and insulates them in the intercell region. An electrode connecting portion provided in a vertical central part of the insulating barrier connects an extended portion of the first transparent conductive film of one of the cells to that of a second transparent conductive film of the other cell, and the electrode connecting portion penetrates through at least one of the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate in the vertical direction and is thus exposed. |
| US07977567B2 |
Photovoltaic module and the use thereof
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic module, comprising at least two component cell groups (SCA) which are connected to each other and disposed on an electrically insulating basic body, which groups comprise respectively one solar cell which is applied on a thermally and electrically conductive carrier and a bypass diode which is applied at a spacing thereto, and which are contacted with each other via an electrical conductor, the bypass diode having a polarity which is inverse to the solar cell and the solar cell and the bypass diode being applied on the conductive carrier via a conductive connecting layer. |
| US07977566B2 |
Optical instrument pickup
A optoelectronic pickup for a musical instrument includes at least one light source which directs light to impinge a string of the musical instrument in at least one photoreceiver located to detect the reflected light, so as to generate an electrical signal that is responsive to string vibrations. A number of dissimilar filter approaches are included to control undesired effects of spurious light, the filter approaches may be structure-based, signal processing-based, and/or optics-based. |
| US07977560B2 |
Automated generation of a song for process learning
Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to ad hoc music creation to facilitate learning and provide a method, system and computer program product for the automated generation of a song for process learning. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for automated generation of a song for process learning can include loading from fixed storage a process description for transformation into a song intended to facilitate learning of the process by a target listener. The method also can include defining lyrical segments for the process description, selecting a particular melody from a set of melodies stored in fixed storage, and mapping the defined lyrical segments to musical phrases in the particular melody. Finally, the method can include merging pre-recorded audio segments corresponding to the defined lyrical segments with the musical phrases in the particular melody according to the mapping to generate the song. |
| US07977551B1 |
Maize variety hybrid X7K438
A novel maize variety designated X7K438 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety X7K438 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7K438 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7K438, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7K438. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7K438. |
| US07977547B1 |
Soybean variety XB26W09
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB26W09. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB26W09, to the plants of soybean XB26W09 to plant parts of soybean variety XB26W09 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB26W09 with another soybean plant, using XB26W09 as either the male or the female parent. |
| US07977540B2 |
Sclerotinia-resistant Brassica
The invention provides Brassica plants and lines having an improved Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Disease Incidence (SSDI %) score and represented by, or descended from, NCIMB accession number 41393. |
| US07977535B2 |
DNA encoding ring zinc-finger protein and the use of the DNA in vectors and bacteria and in plants
The present inventions relate to compositions and methods for providing stress tolerant transgenic plants comprising a RING domain zinc-finger motif transcription factor protein. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions and methods comprising a RING-H2 domain transcription factor protein for providing drought and salt tolerant plants, in particular comprising a recombinant XERICO gene and protein. |
| US07977534B2 |
Promotion of somatic embryogenesis in plants by Wuschel gene expression
The present invention relates to methods for promoting somatic embryogenesis from a tissue or organ of a plant, by overexpressing a Wuschel gene in said tissue or organ. In one embodiment, such overexpression can be used as a silent selectable marker for transgenic plants. In another embodiment, such expression can be used to confer apomixis to a plant. In another embodiment, such overexpression can be used to create haploid plants, which can be used to produce dihaploid plants. |
| US07977519B2 |
Production of aromatic hydrocarbons from methane
In a process for converting methane to higher hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons, a feed containing methane is contacted with a dehydrocyclization catalyst in a reaction zone under conditions effective to convert said methane to aromatic hydrocarbons. A first portion of the catalyst is transferred from the reaction zone to a heating zone, where the first catalyst portion is heated by contacting the catalyst with hot combustion gases generated by burning a supplemental source of fuel. The heated first catalyst portion is then returned to the reaction zone. |
| US07977517B2 |
Synthesis of liquid fuels and chemicals from oxygenated hydrocarbons
Processes and reactor systems are provided for the conversion of oxygenated hydrocarbons to hydrocarbons, ketones and alcohols useful as liquid fuels, such as gasoline, jet fuel or diesel fuel, and industrial chemicals. The process involves the conversion of mono-oxygenated hydrocarbons, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, furans, carboxylic acids, diols, triols, and/or other polyols, to C4+ hydrocarbons, alcohols and/or ketones, by condensation. The oxygenated hydrocarbons may originate from any source, but are preferably derived from biomass. |
| US07977510B2 |
Fluorine-containing polyether compound and process for producing the same
A fluorine-containing polyether compound having the following general formula: (where R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group; X is a bromine atom or an iodine atom; l and m each are independently an integer of 10 or more; and l+m is 30-200) can be produced by reaction of a fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid fluoride compound having the following general formula: (where l and m each are independently an integer of 10 or more, and l+m is 30-200) with an aromatic amine compound having the following general formula: [where R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, R2 is a hydrogen atom or a group represented by the general formula —SiR3R4R5 (where R3, R4 and R5 each are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a phenyl group); and X is a bromine atom or an iodine atom] preferably in the presence of pyridine or a tertiary amine compound such as triethylamine, etc. |
| US07977508B2 |
Methods for synthesizing ammonia borane
Methods of synthesizing ammonia borane are provided. The methods comprise reacting at least one amine borane with ammonia such that ammonia borane is produced. Ammonia borane has a chemical formula Of NH3—BH3 and provides a good source of storage hydrogen making it useful in a variety of applications including a potential hydrogen source for fuel cells. The methods can further comprise separating the ammonia borane from the other products of the reaction. Exemplary methods can produce ammonia borane having purity greater than about 90 percent. In further examples, the methods can produce ammonia borane having purity greater than about 95 percent or greater than about 99 percent. |
| US07977505B2 |
Optimized liquid-phase oxidation
Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process. |
| US07977499B2 |
Bis(ferrocenylphosphino) ferrocene ligands used in asymmetric hydrogenation reactions
Abstract Compounds of the formula (I) in the form of racemates, enantiomerically pure diastereomers or a mixture of diastereomers, where the radicals R1 are identical or different and are each C1-C4-alkyl; m is 0 or an integer from 1 to 4; n is 0 or an integer from 1 to 3; p is 0 or an integer from 1 to 5; R2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon radical or a C-bonded heterohydrocarbon radical and R3 is an aliphatic or C-bonded heteroaliphatic hydrocarbon radical; R2 and R3 are identical or different and are each an aliphatic or C-bonded heteroaliphatic hydrocarbon radical; R4 is an unsubstituted or C1-C6-alkyl-, C1-C6-alkoxy- or halogen-substituted hydrocarbon radical; and A is a secondary amino group, are ligands for metal complexes which are suitable as catalysts for homogeneous enantioselective hydrogenation. |
| US07977496B2 |
Process for producing nitroguanidine derivatives
Disclosed is an improved process for producing nitroguanidine derivatives represented by the formula (3), which has an insecticidal activity, or a salt thereof, wherein the substituents are defined herein, in which nitroisourea derivatives represented by the following general formula (1) or a salt thereof wherein the substituents are defined herein, and compounds represented by the following general formula (2) or a salt thereof, wherein the substituents are defined herein, are reacted in the presence of a base in an aqueous solution wherein an inorganic salt is dissolved at not less than 50% of its saturated solubility. |
| US07977492B2 |
Crystal of 3-[5-[4-(cyclopentyloxy)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]-2-[(3-hydroxy-1,2-benzisoxazol-6-yl)methoxy]phenyl]propionic acid
The crystal of 3-{5-[4-(cyclopentyloxy)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]-2-[(3-hydroxy-1,2-benzisoxazol-6-yl)methoxy]phenyl}propionic acid having peaks at the position of 14.0, 16.0, 23.3, 23.7 and 26.3° and the crystal of 3-{5-[4-(cyclopentyloxy)-2-hydroxybenzoyl]-2-[(3-hydroxy-1,2-benzisoxazol-6-yl)methoxy]phenyl}propionic acid having peaks at the position of 14.6, 23.1, 24.7, 25.6 and 26.0° on 2θ of diffraction angle in a powder X-ray diffraction pattern have a small specific volume, are hard to be charged with electricity, are easily handled and are useful for an active pharmaceutical ingredient of excellent anti-rheumatic agents. |
| US07977491B2 |
Dendron and dendrimer, method of producing the same, and method of producing a thioacetal compound
A dendron or dendrimer, which has, as a recurring unit of each branch, a structure of formula (I): wherein TC designates a linkage to a former generation in the direction to a focal point of the dendron or a core of the dendrimer; TT designates a linkage to a next generation in the direction to a terminal; X is a divalent group comprised of at least one heteroatom; L1 and L2 each are a divalent linking group; R is a hydrogen atom or a substituent; and a method of producing a dendron or a dendrimer; and a method of producing a thioacetal compound. |
| US07977490B2 |
Process for producing thiazole compound
A process for producing a thiazole compound of the formula (3): wherein X1 is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, which comprises reacting a compound of the formula (1): wherein X1 is as defined above, and X2 represents a halogen atom, with ammonia and formaldehyde to obtain a hexahydrotriazine compound of the formula (2): wherein X1 is as defined above, and reacting the resulting hexahydrotriazine compound with hydroxylamine under acidic conditions. According to this process, the thiazole compound of the formula (3) can be industrially advantageously produced using inexpensive ammonia with suppressing the formation of a byproduct of the formula (4): wherein X1 is as defined above. |
| US07977488B2 |
1-heterocyclylsulfonyl, 2-aminomethyl, 5-(hetero-) aryl substituted 1-H-pyrrole derivatives as acid secretion inhibitors
The present invention provides a compound having a superior acid secretion inhibitory effect and showing an antiulcer activity and the like. The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula (I) wherein R1 is a nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle, the nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle optionally has substituent(s), R2 is an optionally substituted C6-14 aryl group, an optionally substituted thienyl group or an optionally substituted pyridyl group, R3 and R4 are each a hydrogen atom, or one of R3 and R4 is a hydrogen atom and the other is an optionally substituted lower alkyl group, an acyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group or a nitro group, and R5 is an alkyl group or a salt thereof. |
| US07977484B2 |
Crystalline form of cyano-1-cyclopropy1-7-1S,6S-2,8-diazabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-8-yl)-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-3-quinoline carboxylic acid
The present invention relates to the trihydrate of pradofloxacin, to a process for its preparation and to antibacterial compositions comprising them. |
| US07977483B2 |
Process for making topotecan
A process of making topotecan or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof comprising reacting an iminium salt with 10-hydroxy-camptothecin. |
| US07977460B2 |
Compositions comprising coagulation factors IXA and VIII for the treatment of haemophilia A or B
The present invention relates to the use of FIXa and FVIII in the preparation of a composition for the treatment of haemophilia A or haemophilia B in a subject which does not present with anti-FVIII antibodies. The present invention further relates to a composition comprising FIXa and a composition comprising FVIII for simultaneous, simultaneous separate or sequential use in the treatment of haemophilia A or haemophilia B in a subject which does not present with anti-FVIII antibodies. |
| US07977453B2 |
Processes for hydrolyzing polyphosphoric acid in shaped articles
The present invention relates to processes for hydrolyzing polyphosphoric acid in shaped articles. |
| US07977450B2 |
Synthesis of caprolactam from lysine
In various embodiments, the present invention can involve a method of synthesizing α-amino-ε-caprolactam. The method can comprise heating a salt of L-lysine in a solvent comprising an alcohol. In other embodiments, the present invention can involve methods for synthesizing ε-caprolactam. The methods can comprise heating a salt of L-lysine in a solvent comprising an alcohol and deaminating the reaction product. In various embodiments, the invention can include methods of converting biomass into nylon 6. The methods can comprise heating L-lysine in a solvent comprising an alcohol to produce α-amino-ε-caprolactam, deaminating to produce ε-caprolactam and polymerizing into nylon 6, wherein the L-lysine is derived from the biomass. In other embodiments, the present invention can include methods of making nylon 6. The methods can comprise synthesizing ε-caprolactam and then polymerizing, wherein the ε-caprolactam is derived from L-lysine. |
| US07977449B2 |
Polyamide piece reinforced with long fibers
The present invention relates to reinforced articles based on a polyamide matrix of high melt flow index and on long fibers. The articles according to the invention exhibit good mechanical properties, such as good tensile strength, good surface finish and good moldability. |
| US07977444B2 |
Process for polymerizaing 1-hexene or higher alpha-olefins
A process for preparing a polymer containing derived units of one or more alpha olefins of formula CH2═CHW wherein W is a C3-C10 hydrocarbon radical and optionally from 0 to 81% by mol of derived units of propylene or 1-butene, comprising contacting under polymerization conditions one or more alpha olefins of formula CH2═CHW and optionally propylene or 1-butene in the presence of a catalyst system obtainable by contacting:a) a metallocene compound of formula (I) wherein M, X, L, T, R1, R2, R7 and R8 are described in the text; and (b) an alumoxane or a compound capable of forming an alkyl metallocene cation. |
| US07977441B2 |
Acetylene-based polymer
An acetylene-based polymer, comprising n recurring units represented by the following Formula (1): CH═CAn (1) wherein, n is an integer of 10 to 10,000; each A represents a group selected from a naphthyl group, a phenanthryl group, a pyrenyl group and an anthryl group, which is mono- or di-substituted with a group selected from alkyl groups, alkyl groups substituted with aromatic hydrocarbon groups, R1—O— groups, —S—R2 groups, —NR3R4 groups, a cyano group, a carboxyl group, R5SO2— groups, —COOR6 groups, —CON(R7)(R8) groups and —COR9 groups (each of R1, R5, R6 and R9 is an alkyl group, each of R2, R3, R4, R7 and R8 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group); and the recurring units may be the same as or different from each other. |
| US07977435B2 |
Propylene polymer compositions and processes for making the same
Provided are a propylene polymer compositions comprising a propylene copolymer and a propylene homopolymer polymerized in the presence of the propylene copolymer. The propylene polymer compositions exhibit properties such as broad molecular weight distribution, low crystallinity, high solubles and superior crystallization kinetics and are useful in fast cycle-time processing methods such as injection molding, sheet extrusion, thermoforming, and oriented film fabrication. Also provided is a process for preparing the propylene polymer compositions in the presence of a catalyst and at least two electron donors using sequential or parallel polymerization reaction zones. Finally, articles made from the propylene polymer composition are provided, particularly articles requiring high stiffness, high heat deflection temperature, good fatigue resistance and low temperature impact resistance such as appliance parts. |
| US07977427B2 |
Method involving 1-benzotriazolyl carbonate esters of polymers
The invention provides a method comprising the steps of (i) reacting a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more terminal hydroxyl groups with di(1-benzotriazolyl)carbonate to form a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester groups; and (ii) reacting the water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester groups with a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having three or more primary amino groups under conditions effective to form a cross-linked polymer composition. |
| US07977407B1 |
Antifouling coating composition, antifouling coating film formed from the composition, coated object having the coating film on surface, and method of antifouling by forming the coating film
An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for forming an environment friendly antifouling coating film that can effectively exhibit an antifouling effect in seawater for a long period of time and furthermore exhibits a small temperature dependency of the coating film dissolving amount. The present invention provides an antifouling coating composition comprising: (A) a triorganosilyl ester-containing copolymer obtained by a mixture of (a) a triorganosilyl methacrylate monomer represented by a general formula (1) in which R1, R2, and R3 are equal or different each other, and each represent an alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbons and branched on α-position or a phenyl group, and (b) a methoxyalkyl methacrylate monomer represented by a general formula (2) in which R4 represents an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbons, wherein a content ratio of the monomer (a) in the mixture is 45 to 65 weight %, and a total content of the monomer (a) and the monomer (b) in the mixture is 80 weight % or more, and a copper salt that is at least one member selected from the group consisting of rosin copper salts and copper salts of rosin derivatives. |
| US07977406B2 |
Endodontics sealer
The present invention discloses an endodontic sealer which comprises a urethane-monoacrylate oligomer, a diluting monomer, at least one photo-initiator, at least one thermal-initiator, and a filler, wherein the urethane-monoacrylate oligomer is obtained by firstly reacting the acrylate with the diisocyanate to form an intermediate with only one isocyanate group, and then reacting the intermediate with the polyol to form the desired urethane-monoacrylate oligomer. |
| US07977401B2 |
Ultraviolet-curable resin composition containing a polyfunctional oxetanyl group
An ultraviolet curable resin composition, which comprises a cationic photopolymerization initiator (B) and a urethane prepolymer (A) having a structure represented by the general formula (1); (wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent an alkylene group, R3, R4 and R5 each independently represent an alkyl group or hydrogen atom, R6 and R7 each independently represent an alkylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms, a represents 0 or 1, and b and c each independently represent an integer of 0 to 10). |
| US07977395B2 |
Electronically and ionically conductive porous material and method for manufacture of resin wafers therefrom
An electrically and ionically conductive porous material including a thermoplastic binder and one or more of anion exchange moieties or cation exchange moieties or mixtures thereof and/or one or more of a protein capture resin and an electrically conductive material. The thermoplastic binder immobilizes the moieties with respect to each other but does not substantially coat the moieties and forms the electrically conductive porous material. A wafer of the material and a method of making the material and wafer are disclosed. |
| US07977392B2 |
Water insoluble additive for improving conductivity of an ion exchange membrane
A water insoluble additive for improving the performance of an ion-exchange membrane, such as in the context of the high temperature operation of electrochemical fuel cells. The insoluble additive comprises a metal oxide cross-linked matrix having proton conducting groups covalently attached to the matrix through linkers. In one embodiment, the metal is silicon and the cross-linked matrix is a siloxane cross-linked matrix containing silicon atoms cross-linked by multiple disiloxy bonds and having proton conducting groups covalently attached to the silicon atoms through alkanediyl linkers. |
| US07977391B2 |
Process for producing condensed-phase product from one or more gas-phase reactants
Process for the production of a condensed-phase product from one or more gas-phase reactants, by feeding one or more reactants into a reactor, in which reactor the one or more reactants react in the gas-phase in the presence of a solid catalyst having one or more catalyst components to produce at least one product which is in a condensed-phase under reaction conditions. The solid catalyst is present as a bed having two or more regions in which the contact time of the one or more gas-phase reactants with the one or more catalyst components is different. |
| US07977385B2 |
Agents for corneal or intrastromal administration to treat or prevent disorders of the eye
Methods and preparations for treating disorders of the eye and/or causing dissolution of corneal proteoglycans and organized healing of corneal stroma, softening of the cornea for non-surgical refractive correction of eyesight, removing corneal haze and opacification, inhibiting fibroblasts and preventing corneal fibrosis and scar formation, treating pterigiums and treating corneal neovascularization as well as iris neovascularization. Preparations containing a) urea, b) urea derivatives (e.g., hydroxyurea, thiourea), c) antimetabolites, e) urea, urea derivatives, non-enzymatic proteins, nucleosides, nucleotides and their derivatives (e.g., adenine, adenosine, cytosine, cytadine, guanine, guanitadine, guanidinium, guanidinium chloride, guanidinium salts, thymidine, thymitadine, uradine, uracil, cysteine), reduced thioctic acid, uric acid, calcium acetyl salicylate, ammonium sulfate, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol or other compound capable of causing nonenzymatic dissolution of the corneal protoeglycans or f) any of the possible combinations thereof, are administered to the eye in therapeutically effective amounts. |
| US07977384B1 |
Anticancer tobacco cembranoids
In the specification and drawings a method of treating cancer is described and shown. The method includes delivering an amount of at least one compound to an area containing a cancer cell. A compound and a method of preparing a compound are also described and shown. |
| US07977375B2 |
Antibiotic and method of production thereof
The invention relates to a novel antibiotic from the macrolactin group and a microbial method for production of macrolactins and a novel isolated Bacillus subtilis, of application as the producing strain for the known Macrolactin A and the novel derivative. |
| US07977373B2 |
Prodrugs of ion channel modulating compounds and uses thereof
Prodrugs of ion channeling modulating compounds, including, for example, prodrugs of the ion channel modulating compound of the following formula: are described herein, as well as methods of making and using such prodrugs and pharmaceutical compositions containing such prodrugs. |
| US07977365B2 |
Antiviral drugs for treatment of arenavirus infection
Compounds, methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating viral infections, by administering certain novel compounds in therapeutically effective amounts are disclosed. Methods for preparing the compounds and methods of using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are also disclosed. In particular, the treatment and prophylaxis of viral infections such as caused by hemorrhagic fever viruses is disclosed, i.e., including but not limited to, Arenaviridae (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Lassa, Tacaribe, Pichinde, and LCMV), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg viruses), Flaviviridae (yellow fever, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and Kyasanur Forest disease viruses), and Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever). |
| US07977358B2 |
Pyrazol derivatives
The invention is concerned with novel pyrazol derivatives of formula (I), wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, X and Y are as defined herein, as well as physiologically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds are antagonists of CCR-2 receptor and/or CCR-5 receptor and can be used as medicaments. |
| US07977353B2 |
Heterocyclic aromatic compounds useful as growth hormone secretagogues
Novel heterocyclic aromatic compounds are provided that are useful in stimulating endogenous production or release of growth hormone, said compounds having the general structure of formula I wherein R1, R1′, R2, R3, R4, Xa, Y, Z and n are as described herein. The compounds provided herein are useful in treating obesity, osteoporosis (improving bone density) and in improving muscle mass and muscle strength. |
| US07977351B2 |
Heteroaryl dihydroindolones as kinase inhibitors
The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula: wherein the variables R1, b, R6, Y, Z, X, R and a are defined in the specification. Said compound may be used in a method for treating diseases related to unregulated tyrosine kinase signal transduction, wherein said disease is selected from the group consisting of cancer, blood vessel proliferative disorders, fibrotic disorders, mesangial cell proliferative disorders, and metabolic diseases. |