Document Document Title
US08011016B2 SPM probe with shortened cantilever
An SPM probe with an elongated support element and a cantilever projecting beyond the front face of the support element and carrying a scanning tip, with the cantilever arranged at a front face side of the support element of the probe, protruding there from a front face side flank, and with the support element having an essentially trapezoidal cross-section with a longer and a shorter transverse edge at the face side flank, and also with critical corners at one of the transverse edges of the face side flank that are closest to a sample during the scanning process, wherein the support element has an elongated raised portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the support element and of the cantilever, with the raised portion having an essentially trapezoidal cross-section, and with the cantilever arranged on the face side on a narrow transverse edge of the raised portion of the support element, and with the raised portion with the cantilever arranged preferably at the longer transverse edge of the face side flank of the support element, and with the plane extending between the scanning tip and a theoretical straight line passing through one of the critical corners, parallel to the lateral longitudinal edges of the underside of the support element, forming an angle of tilt of at least 5 degrees relative to the transverse edge.
US08011015B2 Content access in a media network environment
Methods and apparatus for managing devices and content in a network environment. In one implementation, a method of presenting content data includes: receiving at a client in a hub network a present request indicating locked content data; checking a license corresponding to said locked content data to determine if said license permits said client to present said locked content data; and presenting said locked content data through a presentation component connected to said client; wherein said license of said locked content data is bound to said hub network.
US08011014B2 System and method for password validation based on password's value and manner of entering the password
A method and system for password validation. A user identifier (ID) and a user keying password are received from a user in conjunction with reception of a request from the user to obtain access to an application. The user keying password is a sequence of characters including at least one character from a first set of characters and at least one character from a second set of characters. The first set of characters are text characters allowed for defining a user password. The second set of characters are keying characters not allowed for defining a user password. It is determined whether the received user keying password matches a keying password reference. The keying password reference is based on a password definition rule.
US08010996B2 Authentication seal for online applications
A network device and method are directed towards providing a client side sign-in seal for use detecting phishing attempts. In one embodiment, a user of a client device may provide anti-phishing data through a sign-in setup user interface for a website, application, or the like. In one embodiment, the anti-phishing data is an image provided by the user. The user may also provide text, symbols, an audio clip, or the like. The user may also modify aspects of the image, text, symbols, or the like, such as a color. When the user accesses the website, application, or the like, the client device may provide client device data used to locate and display the sign-in seal. If the user is being phished, the anti-phishing data may not be displayed or otherwise played.
US08010988B2 Using features extracted from an audio and/or video work to obtain information about the work
Information about an audio or video file played on a device is provided by (a) extracting features from the audio or video file, (b) communicating the features to a database, and (c) receiving the information about the audio or video file from the database. The information might include a song title, an album title, and/or a performer name. The information might include a title of a video work, a director of the video work, and/or names of performers in the video work. The information might be rendered on an output of the device. The information might be stored (e.g., persistently) locally on the device.
US08010986B2 Synchronization and automation in an ITV environment
A synchronization mechanism embeds synchronization triggers into a television signal or stream at regular intervals. The triggers include an accurate representation of the time in which the triggers were embedded. A receiving device decodes the triggers and synchronizes its internal timer based on the triggers. In this regard, the receiving device obtains a reference time from the internal timer and computes an offset between the reference time and the trigger time. The computed offset is then applied to the reference time. With the receipt of each new trigger, the application compares the trigger time to a new reference time with the most recently computed offset value applied. If there is any variance between these two values, the application creates a new smoothed offset.
US08010984B2 Redirection of streaming content
Redirection of streaming content is described. In an implementation, a method includes receiving a request at a client from another client, wherein the request is to redirect on-demand content being streamed from a head end to the other client and includes a bookmark that specifies a point in time during an output of the on-demand content by the second client. A communication is formed for being communicated to the head end to cause redirection of the streaming of the on-demand content to the client corresponding to the point in time specified by the bookmark.
US08010983B1 Method and apparatus for enabling switched video service on a host media server
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed to enable switched video service on a host media server using a component within the media server to relay messages between a set of one or more tuners coupled with the media server and an interpreter device connected to a network source node that allocates switched video channels.
US08010977B2 Broadcast receiving apparatus and pay program providing system
A broadcast receiving apparatus receives a broadcast signal containing video image information representing a video image, pay program identifying information indicating whether or not the video image is a pay program video image, and address information indicating a predetermined communications server, the broadcast signal containing the video image information, the pay program identifying information, and the address information in a predetermined format. The broadcast receiving apparatus has: a display portion displaying the video image; a pay program judging portion judging whether or not the video image information is pay program video image information based on the pay program identifying information; and a recording portion recording the video image information. If the pay program judging portion judges that the video image information is pay program video image information, the recording portion records the address information in addition to the video image information. A pay program providing system includes the broadcast receiving apparatus. Thus, provided are the broadcast receiving apparatus and the pay program providing system that, without hampering collection of a viewing fee, make it easy for a viewer to record a pay program without the need for making a subscription agreement or the like in advance.
US08010974B2 Disk apparatus
A disk apparatus includes a chassis, a disk tray and a tray panel unit. The tray panel unit includes a panel main body and a spring body. The spring body has a coil part, a pair of end attachment parts and a middle attachment part. An axial direction of the coil part is aligned with a width direction of the tray panel unit. The pair of end attachment parts extends from both axial ends of the coil part, respectively. The end attachment parts are fixedly coupled to one of the panel main body and a front end part of the disk tray. The middle attachment part is provided to an axial middle portion of the coil part. The middle attachment part is fixedly coupled to the other of the panel main body and the front end part of the disk tray.
US08010971B2 Voice over internet protocol remote upgrading
An application destined for a client VoIP device is available at a service provider 20 and is loaded first to a client-side device over an unsecure public network, using a secure protocol. The VoIP device is not able to receive the application directly using the secure protocol and the client side device is instructed to load the application to the client VoIP device over a private network using an unsecure protocol.
US08010964B2 Methods for monitoring and managing processes
Systems and methods are provided for managing process execution within an operating system. The systems and method store a process initialization file, preparing a process list of processes that can be controlled by an individual user, and monitoring execution of the processes based on the process list for each user. The process initialization file is managed by a user with a first level of access to the operating system, and indicates which processes may have process execution controlled by users of the system having a different second level of access to the operating system. A process list is prepared for each individual user having the second level of access.
US08010963B2 Method, apparatus and program storage device for providing light weight system calls to improve user mode performance
A method, apparatus and program storage device for providing light weight system calls to improve user mode performance is disclosed. A range of system call code for the light weight system calls is provided in a system call table. The light weight system calls skip the code for saving and restore processor context.
US08010959B2 System and method for updating device drivers
A host connects to a peripheral device having upgraded firmware. The host also includes a device driver to communicate with the peripheral device. If the device drivers currently installed on the host are not compatible with the upgraded firmware, upgraded device drivers are automatically downloaded to the host from the peripheral device. Once installed on the host, the peripheral device is reset and the upgraded device drivers are used to communicate with the peripheral device.
US08010955B2 Reducing the run-time cost of incorporating custom tags in a server page
The present invention is a method, system and apparatus for modifying a server page to reduce the cost of incorporating a custom tag in the server page. Specifically, the method can include the step of modifying program code translated from a server page to replace at least one method defined in the program code and corresponding to a custom tag with an optimized method defined for the custom tag. The modifying step further can include the step of modifying the program code prior to compiling the program code into a directly callable program object. Alternatively, the modifying step further can include the step of modifying the program code by modifying byte code produced by compiling the program code.
US08010953B2 Method for compiling scalar code for a single instruction multiple data (SIMD) execution engine
Performing scalar operations using a SIMD data parallel execution unit is provided. With the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments, scalar operations in application code are identified that may be executed using vector operations in a SIMD data parallel execution unit. The scalar operations are converted, such as by a static or dynamic compiler, into one or more vector load instructions and one or more vector computation instructions. In addition, control words may be generated to adjust the alignment of the scalar values for the scalar operation within the vector registers to which these scalar values are loaded using the vector load instructions. The alignment amounts for adjusting the scalar values within the vector registers may be statically or dynamically determined.
US08010950B1 Method and apparatus for testing a binding application programming interface
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for testing a binding Application Programming Interface (API) on a device, wherein the binding API is bound to a native API for the device and provides different commands than the native API. During operation, the system executes a native-API test on the device through the native API to produce a native-API test-result. The system subsequently receives the native-API test-result from the device at a test-harness. Next, the system sends a binding-API test to a test-agent on the device which enables the test-agent to execute the binding-API test through the binding API to produce a binding-API test-result. The system then receives the binding-API test-result from the test-agent. Finally, the system compares the native-API test-result to the binding-API test-result to determine if the binding API is functionally equivalent to the native API.
US08010947B2 Discovering multi-component software products based on weighted scores
A solution for discovering shared software components (C1-C9) of software products (PRODa-PRODe) installed on a data processing system is proposed. In order to achieve this result, for each software product the corresponding software components are aggregated into groups (Ga1-Ge1); each group includes software components that must be linked by a corresponding relationship (such as a co-location on the same operating system image). In this way, it is possible to assign a software component available on the system to its software product even when it may be used by more of them. Particularly, the operation is performed deterministically when the available software component is included in a single valid group (i.e., a group including all the required software components); in this case, the available software component (C2) is assigned to the software product (PRODb) associated with the single valid group (Gb1). Alternatively, when an (ambiguous) available software component (C4,C8,C9) is included in more valid groups, a score is calculated for each associated (eligible) software product according to the corresponding available software components; the eligible software product with the highest score (PRODc) is then selected for assigning the ambiguous software component.
US08010944B1 Vector data types with swizzling and write masking for C++
One embodiment of the invention includes a method for extending an object-oriented programming language to include support for a shading language vector data type. The method generally includes defining a template class for a shading language vector, defining a template class for a swizzled vector, and partially specializing the vector template class for vectors of one, two, three, and four elements. The partial specialization includes a union of instances of the vector swizzle template, where each instance represents a desired vector swizzle. In addition to defining the vector and vector swizzle data types, the templates classes may overload operators provided by the object-oriented programming language to perform operations corresponding to operations of the operators in the shading language.
US08010942B1 Resilient application design and displaying design profile via graphical user interface
A method is provided for designing a service which is made up of one or more service applications in which availability definitions are displayed on a graphical user interface in the class selection process. The method involves displaying classes and class definitions on a graphical user interface, selecting a class for each of the service applications, displaying an availability definition for each of the selected classes, and prompting a user to confirm the selection of the class based on the availability definition. If the selection of the class is confirmed, a design profile indicating the resources required for the class is generated and displayed. If the selection of the class is not confirmed, the classes are redisplayed.
US08010940B2 Methods and apparatus for designing a workflow process using inheritance
The disclosed system empowers technical and non technical users to author logical business objects, author intelligent business forms, and create automated workflows. The logical business objects include data definitions and methods from existing and new data sources. An object broker interprets the business object definition and brokers data/information and method calls to the data sources. The intelligent business forms are created by an information worker in a rich web-based tooling environment. Each form is intelligent enough to recognize other forms that it might co-exist with on a single page, as well as how to react based on events that occur on these related forms. The automated workflow tools include process discovery features that assist users during the process identification phase. The tools assist both technical and non technical users to identify processes within the organization, including supporting solution artifacts such as forms, rules, actions, outcomes and business objects involved. Process modeling features include the ability to combine defined artifacts into a process model that can be published into a runtime environment where it can be executed and used by business users in the organization.
US08010934B2 Method and system for testing bit failures in array elements of an electronic circuit
The invention relates to a method and system for testing bit failures in array elements of an electronic circuit. Said method comprising the steps of changing an original hardware representation (DD) of the array such that errors can be injected in a memory by manipulation of associated read and/or write logic of the memory via input signals, building an emulator model (SME) from said changed hardware representation for emulating the array, and injecting errors into the changed hardware representation for determining the array to get stick capabilities.
US08010924B1 Assignment of select input/output blocks to banks for integrated circuits using integer linear programming with proximity optimization
A method of assigning a plurality of input/output (I/O) objects of a circuit design to banks of a programmable integrated circuit (IC) using integer linear programming can include storing a plurality of constraints that depend upon a plurality of variables, wherein the plurality of constraints regulate assignment of each of the plurality of I/O objects to banks of the programmable IC (125-184), and storing a linear function that depends upon the plurality of constraints and a plurality of cost metrics, wherein each cost metric imposes a penalty when a selected I/O object of the circuit design is assigned to a bank of the programmable IC that is different from a bank to which the selected I/O object is assigned within a reference solution that is infeasible (190). A result indicating whether a feasible solution exists for assignment of the plurality of I/O objects of the circuit design to banks of the target programmable IC can be determined by minimizing the linear function (192) subject to the plurality of constraints and outputting the result (196, 198).
US08010919B2 Method for evaluating the quality of a computer program
The invention relates to a method for rating the quality of a computer program whose execution involves an integrated circuit's input data and output data being influenced, comprising (a) provision of a mutated integrated circuit which is obtained by incorporating one or more functional mutations into the (unmutated) integrated circuit; (b) influencing of the mutated integrated circuit's input data and output data, with the output data from the mutated integrated circuit being recorded; (c) comparison of the output data obtained in this manner from the mutated integrated circuit with the output data which the computer program expects when the unmutated integrated circuit is influenced; and (d) rating of the quality of the computer program on the basis of the comparison results.
US08010918B2 Method for creating HDL description files of digital systems, and systems obtained
The invention relates to a method comprising the following steps: HDL instruction sequences which are to be at the origin of memory elements during the synthesis of the system are automatically localized in the original HDL description files; and so-called SCAN HDL instructions are inserted into at least some of the HDL description files in an automatic sequential manner and without relational or functional analysis of the identified memory elements, ensuring that at least one so-called SCAN channel is obtained during the synthesis of the system, linking the memory elements.
US08010915B2 Grid-based fragmentation for optical proximity correction in photolithography mask applications
An optical proximity correction (OPC) method for photolithography applications can be utilized to reduce the processing time, cost, and post-OPC file size associated with conventional methods. The OPC method provides a target layout pattern that represents a corresponding mask pattern for a photolithography mask, and aligns the target layout pattern relative to a suitably dimensioned fragmentation grid. Then, at least one feature of the target layout pattern is fragmented using the fragmentation grid. Thereafter, a fragment data set is generated in response to the grid-based fragmentation of the target layout pattern.
US08010913B2 Model-based assist feature placement using inverse imaging approach
Some embodiments provide techniques and systems to identify locations in a target mask layout for placing assist features. During operation, an embodiment can determine a spatial sampling frequency to sample the target mask layout, wherein sampling the target mask layout at the spatial sampling frequency prevents spatial aliasing in a gradient of a cost function which is used for computing an inverse mask field. Next, the system can generate a grayscale image by sampling the target mask layout at the spatial sampling frequency. The system can then compute the inverse mask field by iteratively modifying the grayscale image. The system can use the gradient of the cost function to guide the iterative modification process. Next, the system can filter the inverse mask field using a morphological operator, and use the filtered inverse mask field to identify assist feature locations in the target mask layout.
US08010905B2 Open model ingestion for master data management
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to import a first data model into a meta-data representation in one or more computers. An import wizard or graphical user interface is invoked and guides a user through a process of importing the first data model into the meta-data representation. A source is selected that specifies database connectivity information of a source database containing the first data model. A schema is selected from the selected source, from which tables will be imported into the meta-data representation. A list of all table names within the selected schema is retrieved and displayed. Tables are selected from the list of all table names to import into the meta-data representation. Table information, for all of the selected tables, is populated into the meta-data representation.
US08010903B2 System and method for visualizing and navigating dynamic content in a graphical user interface
A system and method for visualizing and navigating dynamic documents including data from an ongoing process and including instances of specified search terms. A summary view including a condensed abstract representation of a dynamic document provides a global overview of the distribution of search terms. The invention updates the document and aggregates the instances of search terms when the representation includes a nonlinear scale or uses multiple display regions having different resolution levels. The invention supports rapid skimming of dynamic documents and dynamic document collections, including enhancements triggered by cursor brushing, while keeping the user in context. Navigation to a segment of the dynamic document by selecting a corresponding portion of the summary view can replace the use of conventional scrolling techniques.
US08010899B2 System offering a data-skin based on standard schema and the method
The present invention provides to a system and method of providing a data-skin based on a standard schema. In the data skin provision method, a user accesses and logs in to a data skin server. A meta-database is searched for a list of XSDs and skins to represent data. If desired XSD exists, the data skin server maps the XSD to data of the user, thus creating an XML document. A skin storage means is searched for a skin file and the skin file is selected. If the selected skin file is a payable skin file, user information is input to a payment server, and then payment is processed and an approval is obtained. The selected skin file is downloaded to a user computer, or the XML document is mapped to the skin file and various format documents are created and downloaded to the user computer.
US08010879B2 Error correction method and apparatus for data storage device
The present invention provides a data storage device comprising a disk storage medium containing user data in a plurality of sectors, a head for writing or reading the user data and error correcting means for correcting an error that occurs in the user data during the reading process. The error correcting means comprises a syndrome generator for generating syndromes on the basis of the user data contained in predetermined sectors, registers for storing the syndromes generated and an exclusive OR circuit for exclusive ORing the values stored in the registers.
US08010877B2 Communication apparatus, communication control method, and computer product
A communication apparatus that is present between each of receiver and sender LANs including a user network and a WAN, and relays a packet exchanged between the sender and receiver LANs through the WAN while correcting an error in the packet. The communication apparatus determines whether to perform error correction on a packet received from the sender LAN. When it is determined not to perform the error correction, the communication apparatus instantly transfers the packet to the receiver LAN.
US08010876B2 Method of facilitating reliable access of flash memory
A method of facilitating reliably accessing flash memory is provided. During the write-in process, the present invention utilizes the steps of coding write-in data to generate extra data, and then generating the first error correction code by performing an error-correcting operation on the write-in data and the extra data. Finally, store the N write-in data and the generated K extra data into the data area and the first ECC into the spare area. During read process, the present invention utilizes the steps of reading data from the data area of the target flash-memory page to generate the second ECC, counting with the counter a number of bit differences between the first ECC and the second ECC, and selecting M data from the N write-in data and the K extra data as decoding factors to retrieve the N write-in data. The higher the counter values, the lower the likelihood the corresponding bit is selected to be retrieved.
US08010874B2 Triple parity technique for enabling efficient recovery from triple failures in a storage array
A method for recovering from three failed data storage devices is disclosed. A plurality of data storage devices hold data, and a row parity storage device holds row parity for them. The data storage devices and the row parity storage device form a set of storage devices. A diagonal parity storage device and an anti-diagonal parity storage device hold parity computed diagonally over the set of storage devices. In the event of a failure of three data storage devices of the set of storage devices, a first failed storage device is chosen for first restoration. A missing block of the first failed storage device is computed by using the remaining set of storage devices, and the diagonal parity storage device, and the anti-diagonal parity storage device. The remaining two failed storage devices are restored by a diagonal parity restoration technique.
US08010870B2 Coding apparatus and coding method
The present invention relates to a coding apparatus and a coding method by which the circuit scale can be reduced without changing the operation speed in coding of a linear code. An adder 13 integrates the product of an information word D13 of six bits supplied from a cyclic shift circuit 12 and the information part of a check matrix H corresponding to the information for each row in a unit of six rows and supplies the integrated value as a sum D15 to a RAM 14. The RAM 14 stores the sum D15. Further, the RAM 14 successively reads out sums D16 of 2 bits stored already therein and supplies the read out sums D16 as sums D17 to an accumulator 16 through an interleaver 15. The accumulator 16 integrates the sums D17 and outputs a sum D18 obtained as a result of the integration as a parity bit p of a codeword c through a selector 17. The present invention can be applied to an apparatus of a broadcasting station which transmits a satellite broadcast.
US08010869B2 Method and device for controlling the decoding of a LDPC encoded codeword, in particular for DVB-S2 LDPC encoded codewords
This is a method for controlling the decoding of a LDPC encoded codeword composed of several digital data, said LDPC code being represented by a bipartite graph between check nodes (CN1) and variable nodes (VNi). Said method comprises updating messages exchanged iteratively between variable nodes (VN1) and check nodes (CN1). Said method comprises, at each iteration, calculating for each variable node a first sum (Λn) of all the incident messages (λi) received by said variable node and the corresponding digital data (λch) and calculating a second sum (VNRnew) of all the absolute values of the first sums (Λn), and stopping the decoding process if the second sum (VNRnew) is unchanged or decreases within two successive iterations and if a predetermined threshold condition is satisfied.
US08010868B2 Method for processing noise interference
A method for processing noise interference in a serial AT Attachment (SATA) interface. The method includes the steps of detecting whether there is an error in CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) checksum or whether an R_ERR primitive (reception error primitive) is received, detecting whether a FIS (Frame Information Structure) is a data type if there is any error and returning back to error state detecting step if there is no any error, detecting whether the FIS is a ATAPI packet command CDB (Command Descriptor Block) when the FIS is the data format, and writing a special tag to the CDB and returning back to the error detecting step.
US08010866B2 Memory system and method using stacked memory device dice, and system using the memory system
A memory system and method uses stacked memory device dice coupled to each other and to a logic die. The logic die may include a timing correction system that is operable to control the timing at which the logic die receives signals, such as read data signals, from each of the memory device dice. The timing correction controls the timing of the read data or other signals by adjusting the timing of respective strobe signals, such as read strobe signals, that are applied to each of the memory device dice. The memory device dice may transmit read data to the memory device at a time determined by when it receives the respective strobe signals. The timing of each of the strobe signals is adjusted so that the read data or other signals from all of the memory device dice are received at the same time.
US08010865B2 System and method for encoding and decoding in wireless communication systems
A control channel encoder that uses a channel structure that efficiently transmits more information bits, yet achieves sufficient detection and false alarm performance. Disclosed embodiments use a fixed encoder packet size, tail-biting convolutional coding, and Cyclical Redundancy Check (CRC). Further disclosed is a control channel decoder using Viterbi Decoding and a circular trellis check.
US08010864B2 Parameter setting with error correction for analog circuits
A system and method for setting analog circuit parameters requires providing a first set of data bits which represent the parameters to be set, deriving a first set of error correction bits from the values of the data bits in accordance with a predefined algorithm which enables the detection of at least one data bit error, receiving the data bits and error correction bits, deriving a second set of error correction bits from the values of the received bits in accordance with the predefined algorithm, comparing the first and second sets of error correction bits to detect the presence of data bit errors in the received data bits, correcting the data bit errors in the received data bits, and providing the corrected received data bits to the at least one analog circuit.
US08010858B2 Transmitter apparatus and multiantenna transmitter apparatus
A transmitter apparatus wherein a relatively simple structure is used to suppress burst errors without changing the block sizes of encoded blocks even when the number of modulation multi-values is increased. An encoding part subjects transport data to a block encoding process to form block encoded data. A modulating part modulates the block encoded data to form data symbols; and an arranging (interleaving) part arranges(interleaves) the block encoded data in such a manner that the intra-block encoded data of the encoded blocks, which include their respective single different data symbol, get together, and then supplies the arranged(interleaved) block encoded data to the modulating part. In this way, there can be provided a transmitter apparatus wherein a relatively simple structure is used to suppress burst errors without changing the block sizes of encoded blocks even when the number of modulation multi-values is increased.
US08010850B2 Client extended error handling
Techniques for clients and servers to use the web authoring extensions, and in particular, extended error handling to allow servers to provider richer web authoring error information to clients. One technique includes sending an authoring request to a server, receiving a response message with extended error information by a client, and sending the extended error information to an application program. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08010849B2 Diagnosing faults within programs being executed by virtual machines
A debug interface is disclosed that is operable to receive diagnostic signals from a host debugger, amend the diagnostic signals and send the amended diagnostic signals to a virtual machine operable to process a plurality of applications in parallel. The debug interface comprises: at least one port corresponding to at least one of said plurality of applications; and diagnostic signal processing logic; wherein said at least one port is operable to receive a diagnostic signal from said host debugger, said diagnostic signal specifying a diagnostic operation to be performed on an application running on said virtual machine; and said diagnostic signal processing logic is operable to determine which of said plurality of applications said received diagnostic signal pertains to in dependence upon said at least one port said diagnostic signal was received at, and to amend said received diagnostic signal to identify said application prior to sending said amended diagnostic signal to said virtual machine.
US08010846B1 Scalable self-checking processing platform including processors executing both coupled and uncoupled applications within a frame
Methods and systems for a scalable self-checking processing platform are described herein. According to one embodiment, during an execution frame, a first processing element executes both a high-criticality application and a first low-criticality application. During that same execution frame, a second processing element executes both the high-criticality application and a second low-criticality application. The high-criticality application output from the first processing element is compared with that from the second processing element before the next execution frame, and a fault occurs when the output does not match. The low-criticality application is not duplicated or compared. This and other embodiments allow high-criticality applications to be appropriated checked while avoiding the over-dedication of resources to low-criticality applications that do not warrant self-checking.
US08010842B2 Intelligent mobile device management client
Embodiments of an intelligent agent for an OMA DM enabled mobile client device are described. The intelligent agent includes modules for storing management property values in one or more nodes of an OMA DM management tree of the mobile client device. At least some of the management values are analyzed and set in a server computer coupled to the mobile client device over a wireless network. The intelligent mobile client is configured to manage itself based on initial instructions and policies provided by a server that are transferred to the client by the OMA DM protocol. For example, a client might notice that the battery is nearly empty and so it automatically decreases its own backlight illumination level. The intelligent agent defines a set of management properties to include a status property representing a node severity value, and a property group consisting of a rule, an action property representing an action that is executed if the rule is satisfied, and a threshold value that represents a minimum value that is used as a rule parameter.
US08010835B2 Storage device realignment
Realigning storage devices arranged as storage arrays when one of the storage arrays enters a critical state after failure of a storage device is disclosed. The method is particularly useful for RAID groups of storage devices. The method may be used with hard disk drives, solid-state drives, and other storage devices arranged as groups. The method includes identifying when a storage array of a plurality of storage arrays is in a critical condition. A critical condition storage array and a healthy storage array are identified. Both the critical condition storage array and the healthy storage array are rebuilt. The rebuilding includes configuring the critical condition storage array to include a storage device from the healthy storage array and configuring the healthy storage array to function with one less storage device. The method may be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.
US08010832B2 Transitional replacement of operations performed by a central hub
A central hub is coupled to a plurality of computational devices. The central hub stores a data structure that grants locks for accessing common data stored at the central hub, wherein the common data is shared by the plurality of computational devices. Each computational device maintains locally those locks that are held by the computational device in the data structure stored at the central hub. In response to a failure of the data structure stored at the central hub, a selected computational device of the plurality of computational devices is determined to be a manager system. Other computational devices besides the manager system communicate to the manager system all locks held by the other computational devices in the data structure stored at the central hub. The data structure and the common data are generated and stored at the manager system. Transactions are performed with respect to the data structure stored at the manager system, until the data structure stored at the central hub is operational.
US08010831B1 High availability data center
Method/system is disclosed for recovering computing capacity and critical applications after a catastrophic failure. The method/system involves distributing the computing capacity over multiple computing clusters, each computing cluster having concurrent access to shared data and software applications of other computing clusters. Sufficient backup computing capacity is reserved on each computing cluster to recover some or all active computing capacity on the other computing clusters. Message traffic throughout the computing clusters is monitored for indications of a catastrophic failure. Upon confirmation of a catastrophic failure at one computing cluster, the workloads of that computing cluster are transferred to the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Software applications that have been designated for recovery are then brought up on the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Such an arrangement allows computing capacity and critical software applications to be quickly recovered after a catastrophic failure.
US08010830B2 Failover method, program, failover apparatus and failover system
The invention is to provide a failover method for improving overall reliability of a system including a large number of servers. Priorities set based on operating statuses of respective servers and shared devices capable of communicating with the respective servers in a failover system are stored in a storage portion while the priorities are associated with the respective servers, so that a failure processing portion of a management server retrieves a server based on the priorities and designates the retrieved server as a spare server when a failure occurs in one of the servers.
US08010827B2 Method and computer system for failover
In a computer system wherein plural servers are connected with an external disk device via a network, each server incorporates therein a logic partition module for configuring at least one logic partition in the server, and the operating system stored in the logic partition is booted by the boot disk of an external disk device, the failover operation is performed only for the logic partition affected by a failure when the task being executed by a working server is taken over by another server at the time of the failure occurring in the working server.
US08010823B2 Power supply with integrated uninterruptible power control
An architecture for a power supply with an integrated UPS control system to which generic batteries may be connected. Such an architecture greatly reduces the overall cost, complexity, size and inefficiency of providing uninterruptible power to a device such as a computer system.
US08010821B2 Systems and methods for wake on event in a network
Embodiments include systems and methods for allowing a host CPU to sleep while service presence packets and responses to search requests are sent by an alternate processor. While the CPU is in a low power state, the alternate processor monitors the network for incoming request packets. Also, while the CPU is asleep, the alternate processor periodically may transmit presence packets, announcing the presence of a service available from the host system of the CPU. In one embodiment, the alternate processor is a low power processor. If a search request is received when the CPU is in a low power state, the alternate processor responds to the search request according to whether the PC provides that service. If a service request is received, then the ME wakes the CPU of the PC to provide the requested service. In the wireless case, when the CPU is asleep, portions of the wireless upper MAC are implemented by the ME. When the CPU is awake the wireless upper MAC is implemented in the CPU. Thus, embodiments enable the PC to appear available to wireless devices when the CPU is asleep.
US08010819B2 Microcontroller unit (MCU) with power saving mode
A microcontroller unit includes a processor for generating a first control signal to start a comatose mode of operation for the microcontroller unit. Control logic responsive to the first control signal generates an enable signal at a first level and the control logic is further responsive to a second control signal for generating the enable signal at a second level. A voltage regulator generates regulated voltage from an input voltage. The voltage regulator shuts down to provide a zero volt regulated voltage responsive to the enable signal at the first level and powers up to provide a regulated voltage at an operating level responsive to the enable signal at the second level.
US08010811B2 Power controller coupling assemblies and methods
A variety of power controller coupling assemblies are provided that include at least one power controller, at least one cable assembly coupled to the power controller, and a plurality of power loads coupled to the power controller and the cable assembly. Power is provided from the power controller to the power loads through the cable assembly in a configuration such that power is provided to each of the power loads if one or more of the power loads should become disconnected from the power controller coupling assembly. Additionally, various cable assemblies are provided that include a plurality of power cables connecting a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors defining a number of conductor positions for providing power from a power source to at least one power controller and to a plurality of power loads.
US08010810B1 Techniques for protecting data using an electronic encryption endpoint device
An electronic encryption endpoint device includes a management interface, a storage device interface and a controller. The management interface is capable of operating as a control interface (e.g., connecting to an array controller). The storage device interface is arranged to communicate with a set of storage devices. The controller is arranged to (i) receive a key encryption key through the management interface, (ii) decrypt a portion of a key table entry of a key table using the key encryption key to extract a data encryption key from the portion of the key table entry, the data encryption key being initially encrypted within the portion of the key table entry prior to decrypting the portion of the key table entry, and (iii) encrypt data using the data encryption key and store the encrypted data in the set of storage devices through the storage device interface.
US08010802B2 Cryptographic device having session memory bus
Provided is a cryptographic device performing encryption or decryption on input data, and more particularly, a cryptographic device having a session memory bus for communicating with a session memory. The cryptographic device includes: an external session memory for storing cryptographic information on each session; a cryptographic processor for encrypting or decrypting input data using the cryptographic information; an external session memory bus connected to the external session memory and the cryptographic processor; and a Central Processing Unit (CPU) for transferring and receiving data to and from the external session memory via the cryptographic processor. The separate session memory buses allow the cryptographic processor to access a session memory without being disturbed by another device, thereby improving the entire performance of the cryptographic device.
US08010801B2 Multi-data rate security architecture for network security
An architecture and associated methods and devices are described in which a first selectable data path may be associated with a first port operating at a first data rate, a second selectable data path may be associated with a second port operating at a second data rate, and a third selectable data path may be associated with a third port operating at a third data rate that is higher than the first data rate and the second data rate. A plurality of security engines may be included which may be configurable to provide cipher key-based security for data associated with the first port and the second port using the first selectable path and the second selectable path, respectively, and configurable to provide cipher key-based security of data associated with the third port using the third selectable data path.
US08010796B2 System and method for digitally signing an electronic document
A method for digitally signing an electronic document is disclosed. The method includes generating an electronic document to be signed and notifying an authorized signer to sign the electronic document. The method includes validating if the user is the authorized signer for the electronic document by comparing the received identification and the password with a digital certificate of the authorized signer stored in a database. Additionally, the method includes obtaining an image including a digital signature of the authorized signer from a database and resizing the image and inserting the resized image into the signature area of the electronic document if the user is the authorized signer.
US08010795B2 Secure information transfer using dedicated public key pairs
A method and apparatus for secure information transfer using dedicated public key pairs for articles of information. A first public key pair may be generated for an article of information. The article of information may be combined with a first public key from the first public key pair to form an information packet. The information packet may be digitally signed with a second private key from a second private key pair.
US08010794B2 Method for securing a transmission, associated system and mediation platform
In a system comprising a broadcasting subsystem and a radiocommunication subsystem each connected to a mediation platform, said transmission being ciphered and arranged for being deciphered by using a key, the following steps are performed at the mediation platform, relatively to a user or group of users having terminals: determining one first and at least one second sets of values from said key, so that the knowledge of all the determined sets of values is required to retrieve the key; and controlling the broadcasting subsystem so that it transmits the first set of values to the user or group of users and the radiocommunication subsystem so that it transmits the at least one second set of values to the user or group of users.
US08010792B2 Content transmission apparatus, content reception apparatus and content transmission method
A copyright of a content is protected by preventing creation of illegal copies of the content and the content is prevented from being transmitted beyond a range of personal use in a process to transmit the content through a LAN.Before transmission of a content, a content transmission apparatus and a content reception apparatus perform a determination of authentication information available in a predetermined command accompanying authentication information, or an authentication determination based on a time until reception of a response to a predetermined command request accompanying predetermined authentication information. If the authentication is unsuccessful, the requested content is not transmitted to the content reception apparatus. With such arrangement, it is possible to effectively protect a copyright when a content is transmitted by way of a network.
US08010784B2 Method and apparatus for achieving conformant public key infrastructures
Method and apparatus are described wherein, in one example embodiment, a public key certificate issued by a certificate authority includes at least one characteristic that does not conform to at least one rule established for the operation of a public key infrastructure. An attribute certificate is issued to be used to modify the public key certificate in accordance with information contained in the attribute certificate to create a modified public key certificate wherein the at least one characteristic is modified so as conform to the at least one rule. According to one example embodiment, the attribute certificates may be distributed by a certificate authority, or embedded in an application that includes an engine that is used to modify the non-conforming public key certificate.
US08010780B2 Methods and apparatus for providing integrity protection for management and control traffic of wireless communication networks
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method comprising transmitting, by a communication node, an information element (IE), the IE including a feature field indicating whether the communication node operates in accordance with an integrity protection protocol specifically for management frames, and the IE further including an enforcement field that advertises whether the integrity protection protocol for management and control frames is mandatory, and generating, by the communication node, a pairwise transient key (PTK), the PTK including a first plurality of keys and a pairwise integrity key (PIK), wherein the first plurality of keys are configured to protect an integrity of data frames transmitted by the communication node and the PIK is configured to protect an integrity of management frames transmitted by the communication node, wherein management frames are dedicated to management traffic and wherein the first plurality of keys and the PIK are different keys. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08010774B2 Breakpointing on register access events or I/O port access events
A data processing system is provided with breakpoint circuitry having breakpoint registers which can specify a variety of different types of breakpoint conditions. These breakpoint conditions include register access breakpoints which are triggered when an access is made to either a general purpose register or a configuration register. The breakpoints can also include input/output port access breakpoints which are triggered when an access is made to a predetermined one of a plurality of input/output ports by an appropriate program instruction or in another way.
US08010773B2 Hardware constrained software execution
Restricting execution by a computing device of instructions within an application program. The application program is modified such that execution of the selected instructions is dependent upon a corresponding expected state of one or more hardware components in the computing device. In an embodiment, the application program is modified to place the hardware components in the expected states prior to execution of the corresponding selected instructions. Creating the dependency on the hardware components prevents the unintended or malicious execution of the selected instructions.
US08010770B2 Caching device for NAND flash translation layer
A caching device is positioned between a memory read/write controller and a flash memory, which contains an instruction register, a logical address register, a data register, a pair of auxiliary controllers, a microprocessor, an address translation unit, a flash memory address register, a caching control unit, and a caching instruction and data buffer area. Among them, the microprocessor is the core of the caching device responsible not only for the reading and writing the flash memory but also for the caching operation for logical and physical address translation. The caching control unit is a programmable device containing the instruction and data for caching the logical and physical address mapping. The caching instruction and data buffer area temporarily stores the caching instruction and data used by the caching control unit.
US08010769B2 Systems and methods for classifying and transferring information in a storage network
Systems and methods for data classification to facilitate and improve data management within an enterprise are described. The disclosed systems and methods evaluate and define data management operations based on data characteristics rather than data location, among other things. Also provided are methods for generating a data structure of metadata that describes system data and storage operations. This data structure may be consulted to determine changes in system data rather than scanning the data files themselves.
US08010768B2 Secure and scalable solid state disk system
A solid state disk system is disclosed. The system comprises a user token and at least one level secure virtual storage controller, coupled to the host system. The system includes a plurality of virtual storage devices coupled to at least one secure virtual storage controller. A system and method in accordance with the present invention could be utilized in flash based storage, disk storage systems, portable storage devices, corporate storage systems, PCs, servers, wireless storage, and multimedia storage systems.
US08010763B2 Hypervisor-enforced isolation of entities within a single logical partition's virtual address space
Access control to shared virtual address space within a single logical partition is provided. The access control includes: associating, by a hypervisor of the data processing system, a memory protection key with a portion of a single logical partition's virtual address space being shared by multiple entities, the key preventing access by one of the multiple entities to that portion of the virtual address space, and allowing access by another of the entities to that portion of the virtual address space; and locking by the hypervisor the memory protection key from modification by the one entity, wherein the locking prevents the one entity from modifying the key and thereby gaining access to the portion of the single logical partition's virtual address space with the associated memory protection key. In one embodiment, the one entity is the single logical partition itself, and the another entity is a partition adjunct.
US08010755B2 States encoding in multi-bit flash cells for optimizing error rate
To store N bits of M≧2 logical pages, the bits are interleaved and the interleaved bits are programmed to [N/M] memory cells, M bits per cell. Preferably, the interleaving puts the same number of bits from each logical page into each bit-page of the [N/M] cells. When the bits are read from the cells, the bits are de-interleaved. The interleaving may be deterministic or random, and may be effected by software or by dedicated hardware.
US08010751B2 Data forwarding engine
A distributed multi-processor out-of-order system includes multiple processors, an arbiter, a data dispatcher, a memory controller, a storage unit, multiple memory access requests issued by the multiple processors, and multiple data units that provide the results of the multiple memory access requests. Each of the multiple memory access requests includes a tag that identifies the priority of the processor that issued the memory access request, a processor identification number that identifies the processor that issued the request, and a processor access sequence number that identifies the order that the particular one of the processors issued the request. Each of the data units also includes a tag that specifies the processor identification number, the processor access sequence number, and a data sequence number that identifies the order of the data units satisfying the corresponding one of the memory requests. Using the tags, a distributed arbiter and data dispatcher can execute the requests out-of-order, handle simultaneous memory requests, order the memory requests based on, for example, the priority, return the data units to the processor that requested it, and reassemble the data units.
US08010740B2 Optimizing memory operations in an electronic storage device
To optimize memory operations, a mapping table may be used that includes: logical fields representing a plurality of LBA sets, including first and second logical fields for representing respectively first and second LBA sets, the first and second LBA sets each representing a consecutive LBA set; PBA fields representing PBAs, including a first PBA disposed for representing a first access parameter set and a second PBA disposed for representing a second access parameter set, each PBA associated with a physical memory location in a memory store, and these logical fields and PBA fields disposed to associate the first and second LBA sets with the first and second PBAs; and, upon receiving an I/O transaction request associated with the first and second LBA sets, the mapping table causes optimized memory operations to be performed on memory locations respectively associated with the first and second PBAs.
US08010724B2 12C/SMBus ladders and ladder enabled ICs
I2C/SMBus ladders and ladder enabled ICs (devices) to enable daisy-chained I2C/SMBus communication. The devices are particularly useful in monitoring and/or servicing high-voltage battery stacks and other voltage stacks. The devices are powered from a respective voltage increment in the voltage stack, and include level shifting circuitry so as to be operative with an input voltage up to the breakdown voltage of the level shifting circuitry. Various features are disclosed, including but not limited to a unique data line drive, capacitive coupling between devices in a daisy chain with line clamps for circuitry protection and capacitive coupling charge wiping, and clock stretching to accommodate chain latency.
US08010721B2 Universal serial bus device having driving program
A universal serial bus (USB) device includes a USB interface, a storage unit storing driving programs of the USB device, and a microprocessor unit storing function programs of the USB device. When the USB device is connected to a computer via the USB interface, the microprocessor unit transfers the driving programs to the computer, and the microprocessor unit executes function programs of the USB device, to allow the USB device to communicate with the computer.
US08010718B2 Direct memory access in a hybrid computing environment
Direct memory access (‘DMA’) in a hybrid computing environment that includes a host computer, an accelerator, the host computer and the accelerator adapted to one another for data communications by a system level message passing module, where DMA includes identifying, by the system level message passing module, a buffer of data to be transferred from the host computer to the accelerator according to a DMA protocol; segmenting, by the system level message passing module, the buffer of data into a predefined number of memory segments; pinning, by the system level message passing module, the memory segments against paging; and asynchronously with respect to pinning the memory segments, effecting, by the system level message passing module, DMA transfers of the pinned memory segments from the host computer to the accelerator.
US08010717B2 Method and system for communication and collaboration between a patient and healthcare professional
Methods and platforms for enhancing collaboration and communication between a patient and his healthcare team are described. A personal health record is created for a patient and maintained by a service provider. The health record is updated with self-monitored or remote device readings. These readings are sent, in a secure format that insures patient privacy, to the service provider and inserted into a health record via a computer connected to the Internet or via a telephone line without the use of a computer, i.e., by directly connecting an intermediate device to a phone outlet. Other health and wellness data may be written to the health record via a computer or via conventional means. By enhancing collaboration between patients and their healthcare teams, patients are more likely to improve their health conditions, particularly chronic conditions, and reduce healthcare costs.
US08010715B2 System and method for virtual router enabled electronic documents
A system and method provide for producing and/or implementing a virtual device enabled electronic document. The electronic document includes documentary information and one or more virtual device initiators corresponding to the same or different target devices, or further, to device systems. At least a portion of the documentary information and a corresponding virtual device initiator, in one embodiment, correspond to at least one device operation of the device. A user invoking a virtual device initiator, in one embodiment, causes a document system to configure and initiate a virtual device, or further, other system devices with which the virtual device may interact.
US08010690B2 Arrangement for connectivity within an advanced multimedia content framework
Arrangements and methods are provided that allow integration of connected online services within a high-definition interactive framework, and in particular within an advanced content interactivity layer. In this way, the online services may enjoy enhanced features on an advanced content media device. For example, content running on an advanced content media device may be configured to detect an online service's feature and may thus present the user with additional features that interact with the online service. An advanced content media device may detect another user's advanced content media device through a network, and in particular a media service on the network, allowing chat and synchronized playback of content. Advanced content media devices may vary, but may include, e.g., a multimedia player, a media center, a game console, a personal computer, and so on.
US08010685B2 Method and apparatus for content classification
A method and apparatus is described to select a representative signature for use in identifying content in a packet stream. The method may comprise receiving the packet stream and obtaining content from a data payload of the packet. Thereafter, a plurality of signatures is identified from the content and a complexity score or a frequency score is determined based on the content. A signature of the plurality of signatures is then selected as the representative signature based on the complexity score or the frequency score.
US08010682B2 Early coherency indication for return data in shared memory architecture
In a shared memory architecture, early coherency indication is used to notify a communications interface, prior to the data for a memory request is returned, and prior to updating a coherency directory in response to the memory request, that the return data can be used by the communications interface when it is received thereby from a source of the return data. By doing so, the communications interface can often begin forwarding the return data over its associated communication link with little or no latency once the data is retrieved from its source. In addition, the communications interface is often no longer required to wait for updating of the coherency directory to complete prior to forwarding the return data over the communication link. As such, the overall latency for handling the memory request is typically reduced.
US08010668B1 Selective compression for network connections
A system, apparatus, and method selectively provides content compression to a client based, in part, on whether the network connection from the client is determined to be a high latency, low-bandwidth connection. The present invention gathers one or more network metrics associated with the connection from the client. In one embodiment, the metrics include estimated TCP metrics, including smoothed round trip time, maximum segment size (MSS), and bandwidth delay product (BWDP). These estimated network metrics are employed to make an application layer decision of whether the client connection is a high latency, low-bandwidth connection. If it is, then content may be selectively compressed virtually on the fly for transfer over the network connection. In one embodiment, the selective compression uses a content encoding compression feature of the HTTP protocol standard.
US08010664B2 Hypothesis development based on selective reported events
A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited to: acquiring events data including data indicating incidence of a first one or more reported events and data indicating incidence of a second one or more reported events, at least one of the first one or more reported events and the second one or more reported events being associated with a user; determining an events pattern based selectively on the incidences of the first one or more reported events and the second one or more reported events; and developing a hypothesis associated with the user based, at least in part, on the determined events pattern. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08010661B2 Method for executing discovery and status update polling procedures of networked devices
In a system of networked devices such as printers managed by a computer connected to them by a network, a method is described for executing device discovery and device status update at independent time intervals using a SNMP broadcast method while eliminating thread safety risk. Device discovery and status update are executed as subroutines within a main routine and each subroutine has its own decrement counter. The entire routine is repeated one cycle every time unit. In each cycle, the decrement counters are evaluated. If a counter is a positive value, the corresponding subroutine is skipped and the counter is decremented by one. If a counter is zero, the corresponding subroutine is executed and its counter is reset to the user-specified time interval afterwards.
US08010646B2 Method, apparatus, and program product for efficiently defining relationships in a comprehension state of a collection of information
Aspects of the disclosed technology present a workspace window responsive to a relationship data structure that represents a comprehension state including a presentation of a first instance-representation that represents a first separately-movable instance object and a second instance-representation that represents a second separately-movable instance object. This aspect enables the first instance-representation and detects when the first instance-representation is dropped within a threshold distance of the second instance-representation. When the first instance-representation is dropped, the technology identifies, responsive to the step of detecting, one of a plurality of spatial relationships between the first instance-representation and the second instance-representation. Responsive to the identified spatial relationship, the technology selects an operation, and responsive to the operation modifies a composite object in the relationship data structure. The composite object incorporates an entity/relationship object that is represented by the first separately-movable instance object and an entity/relationship object represented by the second separately-movable instance object. After the composite object as modified, an instance-representation that represents the composite object is presented in the workspace window.
US08010642B2 Apparatus for mediating in management orders
A method and an apparatus are described herein for mediating management orders between a plurality of origin managers and a plurality of managed devices in a telecommunications system. The apparatus comprises: a Communication Receiver Component arranged for receiving management orders, a Communication Sender Component arranged to send an allowed management order to a managed device, and a Management Verifier Component, arranged to determine whether a received management order is an allowed management order.
US08010631B2 Method and system for providing image, video and audio data to remote users
A system and method of notifying a remote client of a sensor triggering event and providing data related to the sensor triggering event to the remote client. The method has the steps of receiving a first notification signal indicating that a sensor has been triggered; identifying a data recording device associated with the triggered sensor wherein the data recording device records video data; identifying a client device designated to receive the video data when the sensor has been triggered; transmitting to the client device a second notification signal indicating that the sensor has been triggered; receiving an acknowledgement signal from the client device; and transmitting the video data to the client device.
US08010630B2 Local device redirection
A system for redirecting a local device to a remote system includes a proxy configured to communicate with a remote access module. The remote access module is configured to establish a remote access connection between a system and a remote system. The proxy is configured to receive socket connection information for establishing a socket connection between the system and the remote system. The proxy is also configured to receive, from the remote system over the socket connection, at least one device transaction designated for a virtual device local to the remote system. The virtual device may correspond with a Universal Serial Bus device locally connected to the system. A system for automatically redirecting a local device to a remote system, as well as a system for utilizing a local device of a remote system, are also provided. Methods and machine-readable media are also provided.
US08010625B2 Content storage medium making method, computer program, and content providing system
A content providing technique stores content data 120, sends a program for detecting a drive 35 capable of writing on a removable medium D on a user terminal 30, sends a program for determining whether or not a removable medium D is loaded on the drive 35, sends blocks of content data 120 to the user terminal 30, sends a program for writing blocks of content data 120 successively onto the removable medium D, and stores the sent content data blocks 120 successively onto the removable medium D by the drive 35.
US08010620B2 Method and apparatus for managing bookmark information for content stored in a networked media server
A method and apparatus for managing bookmark information of a media server through a network based on the UPnP AV standard is disclosed. If a request for bookmarking a content item is made, a bookmark item is created and the created bookmark item is linked to the content item by adding the ID of the created bookmark item to the property information of the content item and recording the ID of the content item to be bookmarked in the created bookmark item.
US08010603B2 Automated web conference system for generating higher quality of presentation slide by client and submitting to server
A web conference client device determines that it is configured to generate a higher-quality rendered output than a quality of a web conference presentation slide received from a server. A slide presentation file associated with the web conference presentation slide is received from the server. Rendered output of the slide presentation file is generated. The rendered output of the slide presentation file is sent to the server.
US08010591B2 Four-gate transistor analog multiplier circuit
A differential output analog multiplier circuit utilizing four G4-FETs, each source connected to a current source. The four G4-FETs may be grouped into two pairs of two G4-FETs each, where one pair has its drains connected to a load, and the other par has its drains connected to another load. The differential output voltage is taken at the two loads. In one embodiment, for each G4-FET, the first and second junction gates are each connected together, where a first input voltage is applied to the front gates of each pair, and a second input voltage is applied to the first junction gates of each pair. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08010580B2 Information browser, method of controlling same, and program
A meta-information-read unit, a display-cache unit, a pre-reading-cache unit, a display-state-management unit, an operation-input unit, a meta-information-pre-reading unit, and an input-operation-determination unit are provided. The meta-information-pre-reading unit changes a pre-reading condition and pre-reads meta information on the basis of a result of determination made by the input-operation-determination unit and display-state-management information managed by the display-state-management unit.
US08010574B2 System and method for indexing, searching and retrieving semantic objects
A method and structure for storing information for one or more semantic objects derived from raw data. A semantic object extracted from the raw data and classified to comprise the semantic object is received, the received semantic object having one or more attributes. A summary of attributes of the semantic object by calculating one or more statistics of one or more of the one or more attributes of the received semantic object, a confidence level of the received semantic object that quantifies a degree of certainty that the received semantic object has been correctly classified and/or labeled; and a compact representation of raw data of the received semantic object are generated. Indexing information for one or more of the summary of attributes and the compact representation of the semantic object is generated. The semantic object, along with its associated summary of attributes, confidence level, compact representation, and indexing information, stored in a semantic object database associated with a database storing the raw data.
US08010569B2 Adding and subtracting KStores
The KStore is a datastore made up of a forest of interconnected, highly unconventional trees of one or more levels. One KStore can be added to an existing KStore to create an updated KStore by traversing the trees of the KStores and incrementing the count fields to reflect the added counts of analogous nodes. New KStore structure is added as needed. A KStore can be subtracted from an existing KStore to create an updated KStore by traversing trees KStores and decrementing the count fields in the updated KStore to reflect the subtracted counts of analogous nodes. KStore structure is removed as needed. Portions of a KStore can be added or subtracted from another KStore by isolating the paths to be used for updating. Instead of incrementing or decrementing counts, a dataset of individual records can be recreated from the KStore.
US08010565B2 Enterprise rack management method, apparatus and media
An information handling system having a processor and a computer readable medium accessible by the processor and having stored thereon a data structure operable as a directory service. The data structure includes a field comprising an service level object representing a service and comprising data defining roles for the service level object, and policies for service level object. The data structure also includes a field comprising a rack object map subordinate to and in relationship with the service level object, representing hardware or software supporting the service, and comprising data defining roles for the rack object map, policies for the rack object map, and service oriented architecture polices for the rack object map.
US08010557B2 Retrieving method for fixed length data
IP addresses included in a route table are segmented so as to be able to be retrieved all together, and are retrieved at a high rate. As means for retrieving the IP address, a pointer table 200, a secondary pointer table, a local table, and a route table are provided, and a table with a numerical value comparing function is also provided when the further segmentation is necessary. In the retrieval for the ACL table, a fixed length data table of fixed length data configured in the ACL table is generated, and the ACL table is retrieved by using a retrieving method for retrieving the route table. Such tables are provided with a table manager 600 as means for efficiently composing and managing the table, and managing to prevent the retrieving operation from being obstructed.
US08010556B2 System and method for providing a search feature in a network environment
An apparatus for providing a feature in a network environment is provided that includes a central web site operable to interface with one or more end users and to manage information related to one or more of the end users. The central web site is operable to populate a queue of a first end user with a profile of a second end user. The central web site includes a search component that, once the first end user has reviewed the profile, allows the first end user to search for one or more other end users using specified criteria.
US08010554B1 Processing a temporal aggregate query in a database system
A query is received to perform a temporal aggregate on at least one attribute of a temporal table. In response to the query, value changes of the at least one attribute at timestamps are computed, and the value changes are aggregated to produce an aggregate value for the query.
US08010546B2 System and method for providing enhanced questions for matching in a network environment
An apparatus for providing a feature in a network environment is provided that includes a central web site operable to interface with one or more end users and to manage information related to one or more of the end users. The central web site includes a set of questions for one or more of the end users to complete, whereby the central web site is operable to display a comparison of answers for the questions that are submitted by a first end user and a second end user.
US08010538B2 Methods and systems for reporting regions of interest in content files
A content file is examined and compared against one or more comparison files. An indication is provided that the content file is similar to the one comparison file that is the best match with the examined content file.
US08010533B2 System for executing a database query
For a database management system installed in a data processing system, the database management system for managing a database having partitions for storing table data based on a partitioning schema, in which each partition has an associated partition identifier, and in which the database has database catalog information associated therewith, a method for executing a query against the database is disclosed. The method includes identifying a partition identifier in accordance with the partitioning schema, selecting the partition identifier based on the contents of the query and the database catalog information, and executing the query against the identified partition. The method improves the execution of queries while minimizing the consumption of network resources.
US08010527B2 System and method for recommending information resources to user based on history of user's online activity
Blogs (and other information sources) are recommended to a user based history of user's online activities. The system: (1) processes the user's web history, (2) identifies blog posts (and web pages) that link to pages read by the user, (3) generates multiple relevance scores for each identified post/page, and (4) produces multiple rankings of the corresponding source blogs (and web sites) by aggregating individual relevance scores (or combinations of relevance scores), according to users' preferences. The system allows the discovery of information sources that are likely to be interesting to the user and allows sources lost in the “long tail” to be seamlessly discovered.
US08010526B1 Instance counting and ranking
In one general aspect, entity instances are monitored during a first interval, each entity instance being one of several types of entity instances. A first ranked list of entity instances is determined from the entity instances monitored during the first interval. The types of entity instances are ranked in the first list according to the number of times each type of entity instance occurred during the first interval and the first ranked list has a first cardinality of types of entity instances. Entity instances are monitored during a second interval. A second ranked list of entity instances is determined. The second ranked list has the first cardinality of types of entity instances. The first ranked list and the second ranked list are merged into a third ranked list of entities instances. The third ranked list has a second cardinality that is less than or equal to the first cardinality.
US08010522B2 System, method and program product for detecting SQL queries injected into data fields of requests made to applications
System, method and program product for detecting a malicious SQL query in a parameter value field of a request. The parameter value field is searched for query operands, characters and/or symbols and combinations of query operands, characters and/or symbols indicative of malicious SQL injection. A respective score assigned to each of the query operands, characters and/or symbols or combinations of query operands, characters and/or symbols found in the parameter value field is added to yield a total score for at least two of the query operands, characters and/or symbols or combinations of query operands, characters and/or symbols found in the parameter value field. Responsive to the total score exceeding a threshold, the request is blocked.
US08010521B2 Systems and methods for managing foreign key constraints
Systems and methods consistent with the invention may include generating, via a processor, an entity relationship model to indicate a plurality of types of relationships between the entities, determining relationships between the database tables corresponding to the entities by using the entity relationship model, wherein the database tables are stored in a computer memory device, generating a graph based on the entity relationship model, generating sets of database elements representing the entities and corresponding data objects stored in the database tables, wherein the element sets are generated based on the generated graph, assigning ordering numbers to the database element sets and database elements included in the database element sets and executing the query transaction by using the data objects in an order based on the ordering numbers.
US08010518B2 Method for multicontext XML fragment reuse and validation in a content management system
Method, article and apparatus for the reusability of data objects such as XML document fragments managed by a content management system (CMS). Embodiments of the invention may be used to enforce validation requirements for a multi-context XML fragment (i.e., for a fragment referenced in two or more documents managed by the CMS). When changes are made to a multi-context fragment, the CMS may detect any validation problems and take corrective action to resolve the validation problem.
US08010514B2 System and method for a distributed object store
An improved system and method for flexible object placement and soft-state indexing of objects in a distributed object store is provided. A distributed object store may be provided by a large number of system nodes operably coupled to a network. A system node provided may include an access module for communicating with a client, an index module for building an index of a replicated data object, a data module for storing a data object on a computer readable medium, and a membership and routing module for detecting the configuration of operable nodes in the distributed system. Upon failure of an index node, the failure may be detected at other nodes, including those nodes that store the replicas of the object. These nodes may then send new index rebuilding requests to a different node that may rebuild the index for servicing any access request to the object.
US08010512B2 System and method for model-driven object store
Disclosed is a system and method for model-driven datastore. The model-driven datastore includes an object persistence model editor for developing specific object persistence models based on an object persistence metamodel. The object persistence model consists of object model, object access pattern and user defined functions. The object model consists of a collection of object definition, said object definition supports at least one basic type or structure type of attributes. The object access pattern defines the access path that are used to retrieve the object instances, where the access path is consists of a collection of actions. The actions comprise at least one of the following a self action, parent action, or children action. User defined functions are declaratively defined and supports group operators. The model driven datastore further includes a model transformer for generating an object index based on object access patterns and executable code for supporting object access patterns and user defined functions and an object store manager for executing generated code that allows applications to create, update, retrieval or persist objects.
US08010498B2 Virtually infinite reliable storage across multiple storage devices and storage services
A logical file system that distributes copies of files across various different physical storage resources yet provides a consistent view to the user of his or her data, regardless of which machine the user is accessing the files from, and even when the user's computer is offline. The distributed file system uses smart data redundancy to enable a virtually infinite amount of storage as long as additional storage resources are made available to the distributed file system. The result is a reliable storage system that does not necessarily tie the user's data to the user's particular computer. Instead, the user's data is associated with the user—for life—or for however long the user would like the data to be maintained, regardless of whether the user's computer or data storage components are replaced or destroyed.
US08010497B2 Database management system with efficient version control
A two copy versioning scheme is proposed. The scheme provides efficient implementation for a high read load database and eliminates read dependencies. The versioning scheme provides efficient implementation for transactions executing under ANSI READ COMMITTED isolation, and is extensible to serializable isolation. The two-copy versioning scheme is garbage free meaning that all versions of data records are used during execution and is adapted to index scanning operations. A “deferred delete” scheme allows read transactions to complete data deallocation operations. Statements that require “snapshots” are efficiently supported.
US08010475B2 Online fault detection and avoidance framework for distributed factory control systems
An on-line fault detection and avoidance method is provided for industrial control systems that include multiple interacting process controllers. The method addresses the problem that not all faults can be determined and removed at the time of system design and testing. When a fault translates into a time-out condition in one or more controllers, symptoms are identified, persistence is measured, other involved controllers are identified, the fault condition is identified and control laws are reconfigured to avoid the fault condition in the future.
US08010468B2 Method for wafer analysis with artificial neural network and system thereof
A method for wafer analysis with artificial neural network and the system thereof are disclosed. The method of the system of the present invention has several steps, including: first of all, providing a test unit for wafer test and generating a plurality of test data; next, transmitting the test data to a processing unit for transferring to output data; then, comparing the output data with predictive value and modifying bias and making the output data close to the predictive value, and repeating the steps mentioned above to train this system; finally, analyzing wafers by the trained system. Using this system to analyze wafers not only saves time, but also reduces manpower and the risk resulting from artificial analysis.
US08010466B2 Method, apparatus, and system for clustering and classification
The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for classification and clustering electronic data streams such as email, images and sound files for identification, sorting and efficient storage. The method further utilizes learning machines in combination with hashing schemes to cluster and classify documents. In one embodiment hash apparatuses and methods taxonomize clusters. In yet another embodiment, clusters of documents utilize geometric hash to contain the documents in a data corpus without the overhead of search and storage.
US08010463B2 Method, system, carrier server and mobile device for shipping a package without the shipper being required to apply a shipping label
A method, carrier server and system are provided for shipping a package wherein a shipper can arrange for shipment of a package, simply through an interactive contact with the carrier, without the need for the shipper to use official carrier documentation or forms. In particular a shipper may contact a carrier using any communication device, such as a cellular telephone, standard landline telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop, or other wired, wireless or optically-based device, in order to communicate shipping information to the carrier and, in response, receive a unique easy identifier. Thereafter, the shipper need only associate the easy identifier with the package, for example by simply hand writing the identifier on the package, and either deposit the package at the closest drop off box or carrier facility, or leave the package to be picked up by a carrier vehicle that has been, or will shortly thereafter be, dispatched fort the purpose of picking up the package.
US08010461B2 Method of detection of radioactive material
A method is disclosed to determine an inspection protocol for radioactive material in shipping containers using an inspection technique threshold characteristic. The method includes weighing a container prior to shipment and determining a relative position of the container weight to at least one of a number of predetermined inspection technique threshold lines in an inspection threshold characteristic. Each of the of the predetermined inspection technique threshold lines corresponds to at least one of a number of inspection techniques. The container is classified as either a heavy container or a light container relative to at least one of the inspection techniques according to the relative position of the container weight to at least one of the predetermined inspection technique threshold lines. An inspection protocol for radioactive material in the container is selected according to the classification of the container.
US08010459B2 Methods and systems for rating associated members in a social network
Systems and methods for rating associated members in a social network are set forth. According to one embodiment a method comprising outputting a ratings interface for rating at least one member of a social network associated with a user, wherein the rating interface provides the user with the ability to rate the member in one or more categories, receiving ratings for the member from the user, associating the ratings with the member, and connecting the ratings for the member with the user is set forth.
US08010458B2 System and method for managing information flow between members of an online social network
An online social network is provided in which members of the online social network control who may view their personal information and who may communicate with them. The members control who may view their personal information by setting a visibility preference. A member may not view another member's full personal profile if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the visibility preference of the other member. The members also control who may communicate with them by setting a contactability preference. A member may not communicate with another member if the measure of relatedness between the two is greater than the contactability preference of the other member.
US08010452B2 Communication routing apparatus
A communication routing system receives signals from sources thereof and converts them into a standard format, using mapping definitions selected on the basis of their sources. Signals in the standard format are converted into output formats according to their destinations using mapping definitions selected on the basis of their destinations. In a preferred embodiment, the standard format involves distributing data from each received signal across a plurality of tables of a database.
US08010450B2 Systems and methods for processing commercial financial transactions
Systems and methods for processing commercial financial transactions are provided. In one aspect, a method for processing a commercial financial transaction between a customer and a merchant is provided. The method includes approving a customer for receiving a financing package for engaging in the commercial financial transaction with a merchant, and issuing the financing package to the customer from the originator, wherein the financing package includes a check having a plurality of security features and a security agreement between the customer and the originator. The method also includes entering into a financing agreement between the customer and the originator upon execution of the check and the security agreement, receiving first purchase data from the merchant, performing an initial verification of the commercial financial transaction including comparing stored financing package data to the first purchase data, and processing the commercial financial transaction if the initial verification is satisfied.
US08010449B2 Consumer behaviors at lender level
The present disclosure generally relates to financial data processing, and in particular it relates to lender credit scoring, lender profiling, lender behavior analysis and modeling. More specifically, it relates to rating lenders based on data derived from their respective consumers. Also, the present disclosure relates to rating consumer lenders based on the predicted spend capacity of their consumers.
US08010448B1 System for repurchase agreement matchbook and method of risk management
A system for structuring a repurchase agreement matchbook (“repo matchbook”) includes in one aspect, separating a repo matchbook from other capital market businesses of a company (such as a dealer). In one embodiment, an independent broker-dealer is created for the sole use of such a dealer. In another embodiment, an independent broker-dealer is created to gain profit by an independent group of investors. Another aspect of the system provides a method for creating a multi-tiered, varied risk capitalization structure for the creation of a new company, which in some embodiments is the independent broker-dealer. A method of risk management that may be applied to the operation of the repo matchbook or another business includes setting out strict operational guidelines for risk mitigation.
US08010447B2 Operational risk control apparatus and method for data processing
An apparatus for controlling operational risk in a data processing system comprises a risk domain segmenter for segmenting the data processing system into a plurality of risk domains, a domain risk threshold selector for selecting a domain risk threshold for at least one of the plurality of risk domains, a system element monitor operable to query the data processing system for an indication of presence of system elements, a risk quantizer for evaluating a system element for element risk and for computing the potential contribution of the element risk to a domain risk total, a risk threshold comparator for comparing the domain risk total with the domain risk threshold, and a domain assignor operable to assign the system element to a risk domain in dependency upon an output of the risk threshold comparator.
US08010429B2 Customized financial transaction pricing
Enabling innovative merchant transaction pricing capability, while improving pricing process efficiency, is disclosed. When a merchant submits financial transaction account records to a payment processor for payment, the payment processor utilizes granular transaction data to calculate complex merchant transaction pricing rules. The system accesses individual transaction data, aggregate transaction data, transaction history, customer data, merchant data and product data to enable flexible, innovative and dynamic pricing capabilities that increase revenue and increase customer satisfaction.
US08010425B1 Method and apparatus for extending credit
In one aspect of the invention, a customer accesses an eCommerce server maintained by a merchant via a communications network such as the Internet. Before the customer can complete a transaction, such as ordering goods or receiving on-line services, the merchant requests a tender of payment. If the tender of payment is declined, the merchant offers the customer credit for completing the transaction wherein the credit is guaranteed by a guarantor. The guarantor pays the merchant for the customer's transaction and sends an account statement including a request for payment to the customer. The amount the guarantor pays to the merchant may be dependent on the reason for the decline and one whether or not customer information is used to verify the customer. The account statement may also include an offer to the customer by the guarantor of a credit account.
US08010421B2 Automatic internet account authentication system and authentication card printer
An automatic account generation system includes an account generator having an IP address and exhibiting an account management function, a printer and at least one apparatus capable of providing wireless Internet access. The Internet user access authentication information can be acquired and printed from the account generator via an input device of the printer. When a user inputs the Internet user access authentication information into a wireless access apparatus, such as a notebook or a PDA equipped with a WLAN card, he or she can automatically access the WLAN where he or she is located. Moreover, the present system is equipped with a payment apparatus that can be connected to the account generator, so that it can accept payment made, whether by cash or by credit card, for getting the Internet user access authentication information.
US08010409B2 Article sales data processing apparatus
An article sales data processing apparatus has an electronic tag data memory and an article item buffer. In the case where the same data as electronic tag data read by an electronic tag reader is not stored in the electronic tag data memory, the read electronic tag data is added to the electronic tag data memory. When the operating mode is switched to the cancel mode, data in the electronic tag data memory is cleared. In the case where the input mode is selected, article sales data is acquired based on the electronic tag data added to the electronic tag data memory and the acquired article sales data is added to an article item buffer. In the case where the cancel mode is selected, the article sales data acquired based on the electronic tag data added to the electronic tag data memory is deleted from the article item buffer.
US08010402B1 Method for augmenting transaction data with visually extracted demographics of people using computer vision
The present invention is a system and framework for augmenting any retail transaction system with information about the involved customers. This invention provides a method to combine the transaction data records and a customer or a group of customers with the automatically extracted demographic features (e.g., gender, age, and ethnicity), shopping group information, and behavioral information using computer vision algorithms. First, the system detects faces from face view, tracks them individually, and estimates poses of each of the tracked faces to normalize. These facial images are processed by the demographics classification module to determine and record the demographics feature vector. The system detects and tracks customers to analyze the dynamic behavior of the tracked customers so that their shopping group membership and checkout behavior can be recognized. Then the instances of faces and the instances of bodies can be matched and combined. Finally, the transaction data from the transaction data and the demographics, group, and checkout behavior data that belong to the same person or the same group of people are combined.
US08010399B1 Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for analyzing initiatives for a business network
A system, method, and article of manufacture is disclosed for analyzing a business initiative for a business network including business locations separated into control group sites and test sites that have implemented the business initiative for a predetermined test period. Each of the sites have an associated set of attributes reflecting various characteristics corresponding to the respective site, such as geographical location, size of business location, number of employees, etc. In one aspect of the invention, a process is performed that collects a performance value for each of the test and control group sites reflecting a level of performance of each respective sites during the test period. The performance of the test sites is then measured relative to the performance of the control sites over the same time period. The process may segment the performance values for each test site attribute to identify those attributes that have a greater impact on the performance values of the test sites than other attributes. Further, the process configures a model for predicting the performance values of the test sites using the identified attributes and determines whether the model accurately predicts these performance values. If so, the process applies the model to the non-tested sites to predict the performance values of these sites. Based on the predicted performance values, a user may select one or more of the sites to implement the business initiative.
US08010393B1 Event-linked credit protection structure
A process that provides protection to an entity against the risk that a third party experiences a credit-related problem as a result of, or following a fortuitous, identifiable, insurable event, where the entity is exposed to the credit risk of the third party. The process may comprise the step of entering into, by the entity, an insurance agreement with an insurer, wherein the obligations of the insurer under the insurance agreement are triggered upon the occurrence of both (1) a credit-related problem of the third party and (2) the event. The entity may be, for example, a person or a business. Where the entity is an insurance provider, the insurer may be a reinsurer, and the insurance agreement between the two may be a reinsurance agreement. The credit-related problem of the third party may be a solvency problem or a failure to borrow a certain amount of money on the part of the third party. The failure to borrow may arise out of a failure to obtain a loan on the part of the third party or a failure to raise by the third party the certain amount of money through the issuance of debt or equity securities.
US08010389B2 Multiple policy claims processing
Methods and systems are provided for processing claims. A claim management case is created for an insured in response to a notice of a claim. One or more insurance policies covering the insured are associated with the claim management case. In some embodiments, all of the insurance policies covering the insured are associated with the claim management case. At least one process relating to the claim management case is performed at a claim management case level. The process performed at the claim management case level applies to at least one of the insurance policies associated with the claim management case. The processes performed at the claim management case level may apply to all the insurance policies associated with the claim management case. One or more processes relating to the claim management case are performed at a policy level.
US08010384B2 Medical billing auditing method and system
A method for assessing billing compliance of a medical related decision may include receiving medical related information relating to the medical related decision and applying at least one rule to the medical related information. The method may also include auditing the medical related decision for compliance with the at least one rule and providing results of the audit.
US08010381B2 System and method for disease diagnosis from patient structural deviation data
A data processing technique is provided. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method includes accessing patient deviation data of a structural difference between a patient anatomical feature and a standardized anatomical feature. The method may also include comparing the patient deviation data to reference deviation data sets representative of multiple disease types. Each reference deviation data set may be representative of an expected deviation from the standardized anatomical feature for a particular disease type. The method may further include automatically identifying one or more potential patient disease types based at least in part on the comparison. Additional methods, systems, and manufactures are also disclosed.
US08010378B2 Method and system for detecting and analyzing clinical pictures and the causes thereof and for determining proposals for appropriate therapy
The invention relates to a method for detecting and analyzing clinical pictures and the causes thereof and determining appropriate therapy proposals. The invention is a system for detecting and analyzing clinical pictures and the causes thereof and for determining proposals for appropriate therapy, which can lead to a diagnosis and a corresponding therapy proposal even in the case of complex clinical causes and pictures, said proposal involving a maximum diagnostic certainty and minimum risk for the patient.
US08010377B1 Systems and methods for generating a model for home value scoring
Systems and methods are provided for generating a model for providing one or more scores indicating a likelihood that an appraisal value is faulty. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving information representative of at least one of a borrower, a property, or one or more demographics; receiving a first appraisal value of the property; receiving a second appraisal value of the property, such that the second appraisal verifies the first appraisal; and determining one or more parameters for the model based on the received information, the received first appraisal value, and the received second appraisal value, such that the one or more parameters enable the model to provide the one or more scores.
US08010375B2 Object model for global trade applications
Data management systems are described for managing product data during global trade scenarios. Product objects are used within a system landscape of a business or other organization to refer to products traded by the organization. Each product object is related to, but de-coupled for the purposes of global trading from, one or more trade item objects, where the trade item objects include information related to specific global trade standards, trade scenarios, or trading partners. This model results in a “handshake model” in which in-house processing and operations are implemented using the product object(s), while global trade processing is implemented using the corresponding trade item object(s).
US08010374B2 Audio coding apparatus and audio decoding apparatus
An audio coding apparatus includes an audio coding unit 101 for, when it has received an audio signal input, performing coding to the audio signal input and outputting coded audio data and coding related data which is data relating to the coding, as specific data, an ancillary audio coding unit 102 for, when it has received an ancillary audio signal, performing coding to the ancillary audio signal and outputting coded ancillary audio data, and an auxiliary data output unit 103 for producing, from the specific data and the coded auxiliary data, auxiliary data including both of the specific data and the coded ancillary audio data, and outputting the auxiliary data.
US08010367B2 Spoken free-form passwords for light-weight speaker verification using standard speech recognition engines
The present invention discloses a system and a method for authenticating a user based upon a spoken password processed though a standard speech recognition engine lacking specialized speaker identification and verification (SIV) capabilities. It should be noted that the standard speech recognition grammar can be capable of acoustically generating speech recognition grammars in accordance with the cross referenced application indicated herein. The invention can prompt a user for a free-form password and can receive a user utterance in response. The utterance can be processed through a speech recognition engine (e.g., during a grammar enrollment operation) to generate an acoustic baseform. Future user utterances can be matched against the acoustic baseform. Results from the future matches can be used to determine whether to grant the user access to a secure resource.
US08010366B1 Personal hearing suite
A hearing application suite includes enhancement and training for listening and hearing of prerecorded speech, extemporaneous voice communication, and non-speech sound. Enhancement includes modification of audio according to audiometric data representing subjective hearing abilities of the user, display of textual captions contemporaneously with the display of the audiovisual content, user-initiated repeating of a most recently played portion of the audiovisual content, user-controlled adjustment of the rate of playback of the audiovisual content, user-controlled dynamic range compression/expansion, and user controlled noise reduction. Training includes testing the user's ability to discern speech and/or various other qualities of audio with varying degrees of quality.
US08010363B2 Commercial detection apparatus and video playback apparatus
An aspect of the invention provides a commercial detection apparatus for detecting commercials that includes a silent detector configured to detect a silent segment based on the strength of the audio signal output in content, and a determination unit configured to determine a sound segment as a commercial if three or more silent segments are detected essentially within a set time span, and if the sound segment is found between two of the three silent segments.
US08010359B2 Speech recognition system, speech recognition method and storage medium
Provided are a speech recognition system, a method and a storage medium capable of, even in a case where plural speakers input superimposed speeches, recognizing a speech of an individual each speaker and making a single application program sharable among the speakers in execution. In a speech recognition system receiving speeches of plural speakers to execute a predetermined application program, the received speeches are separated according to the respective speakers if necessary, the received speeches of individual speakers are speech-recognized, results of speech recognition are matched with data items necessary for executing the application program, one of results of recognition of plural speeches which are found as a result of the matching to be overlapping is selected, and the results of recognition of plural speeches which are found as a result of the matching not to be overlapping are linked to the selected result of speech recognition.
US08010352B2 Method and apparatus for adaptively encoding and decoding high frequency band
Provided are a method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an audio signal. According to the present application, a signal of a high frequency band above a preset frequency band is adaptively encoded or decoded in the time domain or in the frequency domain by using a signal of a low frequency band below the preset frequency band. As such, the sound quality of a high frequency signal is not deteriorate even when an audio signal is encoded or decoded by using a small number of bits and thus coding efficiency may be maximized.
US08010346B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting wideband speech signals
A method and an apparatus for transmitting a speech signal are provided. A speech signal transmitter includes a quadrature mirror filter, a base sub-band encoder, an enhancement sub-band encoder, and a network connector. The quadrature mirror filter receives a speech signal, divides the speech signal into an enhancement band speech signal and a base band speech signal, and outputs the enhancement band speech signal and the base band speech signal. The base sub-band encoder receives and encodes the base band speech signal. The enhancement sub-band encoder receives and encodes the enhancement band speech signal. The network connector multiplexes the encoded enhancement band speech signal and the encoded base band speech signal based on the kinds of networks over which speech signals are transmitted, and transmits the multiplexed signals to the networks. A speech signal is multiplexed and transmitted by various methods based on the kinds of networks. Thus, the speech signal can be efficiently transmitted.
US08010338B2 Dynamic modification of a messaging language
A method for dynamically modifying an outgoing message language includes receiving a message from a sender. A language associated with the received message is identified and an outgoing message language is automatically set to the identified language associated with the received message.
US08010337B2 Predicting database system performance
A prediction system may perform capacity planning for one or more resources of a database systems, such as by understanding how different workloads are using the system resources and/or predicting how the performance of the workloads will change when the hardware configuration of the resource is changed and/or when the workload changes. The prediction system may use a detailed, low-level tracing of a live database system running an application workload to monitor the performance of the current database system. In this manner, the current monitoring traces and analysis may be combined with a simulation to predict the workload's performance on a different hardware configuration. More specifically, performance may be indicated as throughput and/or latency, which may be for all transactions, for a particular transaction type, and/or for an individual transaction. Database system performance prediction may include instrumentation and tracing, demand trace extraction, cache simulation, disk scaling, CPU scaling, background activity prediction, throughput analysis, latency analysis, visualization, optimization, and the like.
US08010333B2 Process for developing and implementing a model for the formal description of a collaborative system comprised of multiple distributed components, especially an intelligent, flexible production and/or process automation system
Process for developing and implementing a model (ASM) for the formal description of a collaborative system including multiple, distributed components, wherein analyzable models of the components are generated via simulation processes. The invention includes the steps of generation of models of collaborative units, preparation of a catalog of models of the collaborative units, assignment of a set of rules to the catalog for the specification of interactions among the autonomous models of the collaborative units and for the development of the model of the complex collaborative system, generation of the desired model using selected models of the collaborative units as the basic module from the catalog, and taking selected rules into account, and automatic adaptation of the model by deriving new rules, taking into account evaluation parameters for each application in one process operation.
US08010332B2 Hydrophobic moment of multi-domain proteins
Techniques for protein structure analysis are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus for characterizing a multi-domain protein structure comprises the following steps. For at least one domain, a hydrophobic dipole, e.g., defined as a first-order hydrophobic moment of the domain, is calculated. A score representing the orientation of the hydrophobic dipole of the at least one domain relative to a hydrophobic dipole of one or more other domains of the multi-domain protein structure is then calculated.
US08010330B1 Extracting temporally coherent surfaces from particle systems
The space including a particle system is discretized into volume elements. Signed distance values at each time and velocity values at a time are assigned to volume elements based on the particle system. The each volume element's position at the current time is extrapolated to an additional position at each additional time based on its respective velocity value. A temporally coherent signed distance value for each volume element is determined from its signed distance value and the signed distance values at the associated additional position at each additional time. A surface extracted from the temporally coherent signed distance values will be temporally coherent over the interval including the current time and the one or more additional times. Arbitrary surface properties may also be associated with volume elements and temporally coherent surface property values may be determined for each volume element using its respective velocity value in a similar manner.
US08010319B2 Light management system having networked intelligent luminaire managers
A network operation center for a light management system having networked intelligent luminaire managers. A plurality of networked luminaire managers, each collocated with a respective luminaire, monitor the status of their respective luminaires. The luminaire managers include transmitters for transmitting status information about their respective luminaires and third-party devices to a network server. The network server forwards the received status information from the networked luminaire managers to a computer of an owner/operator of the plurality of luminaires and/or a third-party user. The luminaire managers communicate with each other, whereby they form a network.
US08010314B2 Methods for estimating location using signal with varying signal speed
Robust methods are developed to provide bounds and probability distributions for the locations of objects as well as for associated variables that affect the accuracy of the location such as the positions of stations, the measurements, and errors in the speed of signal propagation. Realistic prior probability distributions of pertinent variables are permitted for the locations of stations, the speed of signal propagation, and errors in measurements. Bounds and probability distributions can be obtained without making any assumption of linearity. The sequential methods used for location are applicable in other applications in which a function of the probability distribution is desired for variables that are related to measurements.
US08010305B2 Method for determining battery capacity
An electrical device is powered by a battery. The device includes transition phase determining circuitry operatively connected to the battery to determine that the battery has entered a transition phase based on the occurrence of a change in direction of current flowing through the battery. Battery capacity determining circuitry is operatively connected to the transition phase determining circuitry and configured to determine, in response to the transition phase determining circuitry determining that the battery is in the transition phase, a capacity of the battery based on a transition phase battery capacity model of capacity-vs.-voltage. The transition phase determining circuitry is further configured to determine an end of the transition phase based on the transition phase battery capacity model and a non-transition battery capacity model of capacity-vs.-voltage yielding the same capacity value for a given measured voltage of the battery.
US08010300B1 Determination of gas flux using airborne dial lidar
A system is provided for determining emission rate of a gas from a source. The system includes a selector for designating an in-plume area extending across a plume of gas. The in-plume area includes a length dimension greater than a width dimension. The system also includes a processor for determining an area-integrated concentration value for the in-plume area. The system further includes a wind vector received by the processor. The processor determines the emission rate of the gas based on the area-integrated concentration value and a vector component of the wind vector.
US08010298B2 Identifying antigen clusters for monitoring a global state of an immune system
Method, system and an article of manufacture for clustering and thereby identifying predefined antigens reactive with undetermined immunoglobulins of sera derived from patient subjects in need of diagnosis of disease or monitoring of treatment.
US08010288B2 Aircraft terrain avoidance and alarm method and device
An aircraft terrain avoidance system include a device having a first unit knowing a profile of the terrain that is located at the front of the aircraft, a second unit for determining an avoidance trajectory, a third unit which is connected to the first and second units and used to verify if there is a terrain collision risk for the aircraft, a fourth unit for emitting an alarm signal in the event of detection of a collision risk by the third unit, at least one aircraft performance database relating to an avoidance maneuvering gradient which can be flown by the aircraft according to particular flight parameters, and a fifth unit for determining the effective values of the particular parameters during the flight of the aircraft. The third unit is formed such that it is possible to determine the avoidance trajectory according to information received from the database and the fifth unit.
US08010286B2 Automated narration and recording for drive events
“Automatically presenting content to an occupant of a vehicle as the vehicle traverses a route (e.g., during a test drive or other drive event). Content items are associated with data tags placed throughout the route. A data tag reader on the vehicle reads each data tag as the vehicle traverses the route, and the content item associated with the read data tag is presented to the occupant of the vehicle. Audio and/or video of the occupant may be captured and stored on a computing device remote from the vehicle. The captured audio and/or video represents feedback from the occupant during the drive event.”
US08010278B2 Control apparatus for internal combustion engine
An engine is operated with air-fuel ratio F/B control interrupted, by regarding an alcohol concentration value ALC1 inputted from outside as a tentative concentration value, and by detecting the rotation-speed fluctuation amount of an engine, the appropriateness of the tentative concentration value is determined. In the case where it is determined that the tentative concentration value is appropriate, an estimated alcohol concentration value ALC2 stored in a storage means is replaced by the tentatively changed alcohol concentration value ALC1.
US08010267B2 Methods and system for time of arrival control using available speed authority
Methods and a system for a vehicle control system using a reference time profile including an upper control bound and a lower control bound are provided. The system includes an input device configured to receive a required time of arrival at a waypoint and a processor communicatively coupled to said input device wherein the processor is programmed to generate a reference time profile using a first speed profile up to an intermediate control point and a second speed profile between the intermediate control point and an RTA waypoint. The system also includes an output device communicatively coupled to the processor wherein the output device is configured to transmit a speed control signal based on the reference time profile to a vehicle speed control system.
US08010266B2 System and method for controlling thrust force of belt of continuously variable transmission
The present invention relates to a system and a method for controlling the thrust force of a belt of a CVT. The method includes: determining whether a rough road condition is satisfied; continuously calculating, in a case that the condition is satisfied, a thrust force for a first predetermined time by gradually increasing a safety factor to a safety factor of the rough road condition; increasing the thrust force of the belt to the calculated thrust force; and maintaining the thrust force according to the safety factor of the rough road condition for a second predetermined time. With that method, belt slip can be prevented and fuel efficiency can be improved.
US08010265B2 Effective driveline vibration detection algorithm in transmission TCC slip control
A method for adjusting the slip of a torque converter for a plurality of selected engine speeds, transmission gears and engine torque. A sensor is used to determine vibrations transmitted through the torque converter to the driveline of the vehicle. The sensor signal is sent to a controller where it is converted to the frequency domain. If the amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a threshold, then the algorithm increases/decreases the converter slip until the driveline vibrations equal a threshold.
US08010260B2 Method and device for controlling power output of engine for working machine
An engine control device detects the state of work of a working vehicle such as a construction machine or the like, and controls the power output capacity of an engine automatically. A determination is made as to whether excavation or uphill traveling is being performed, based upon the detection signals from a hydraulic oil pressure detector for a hydraulic cylinder of an arm, detectors for arm and bucket operation commands, a shift operation detector for a transmission, a pitch angle detector for the vehicle body, a traveling acceleration detector, and an accelerator opening degree detector. When the result of this determination is that excavation or uphill traveling is being performed, the engine is controlled to operate at a high power capacity, while at other times it is controlled to operate at a low power output capacity.
US08010255B2 Movable or removable seat for a motor vehicle
A movable or removable seat for a motor vehicle is disclosed which preferably takes the form of a re-movable vehicle seat (1). The removable seat incorporates a first inductor (17) which forms part of an inductive coupling between the removable seat and a second inductor (21) which is mounted on the motor vehicle. The first inductor forms part of a resonant circuit which incorporates at least one capacitor. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is variable in response to a sensed parameter such as, for example, the position of a head-rest of the seat, the inclination of the back-rest of the seat and such like. A central unit (23) generates a square wave which excites the resonant circuit. A signal is transmitted from the resonant circuit to the central unit (23) which analyses the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit.
US08010254B2 Vehicle steering controller
A vehicle steering controller produces a steering system friction value and a tire lateral force value. A steering reactive force having a magnitude based on the tire lateral force value and the steering system friction value is generated for application to a steering wheel of the vehicle. By reflecting both the tire lateral force and the steering system friction in the steering reactive force, a good steering sensation can be realized in a steer-by-wire system.
US08010237B2 System and method for using ramped setpoint temperature variation with networked thermostats to improve efficiency
The invention comprises systems and methods for ramping setpoints on thermostats controlling HVAC systems. At least one thermostat is located inside a structure and is used to control an HVAC system in the structure. At least one remote processor is in communication with said thermostat and at least one database stores data reported by the thermostat. At least one processor compares the outside temperature at least one location and at least one point in time to information reported to the remote processor from the thermostat. The remote processor ramps the setpoint on the thermostat so as to reduce the average spread between inside temperature and outside temperature in order to reduce energy consumption with affecting comfort. The remote processor takes into account the effect of weather conditions and occupant preferences in determining whether and when to ramp setpoints.
US08010233B2 Image processor for robot system and robot system including the same
An image processor for a robot system, performing image processing for a video signal output from a camera. The camera can output a first video signal including obtained image data as well as internal vertical and horizontal synchronization signals, and output a second video signal including image data obtained based on external vertical and horizontal synchronization signals as well as the external vertical and horizontal synchronization signals. The image processor includes a synchronization signal separation section separating the internal horizontal synchronization signal from the first video signal output from the camera; a synchronization frequency detection section detecting a frequency of the separated internal horizontal synchronization signal; an external synchronization signal generation section generating the external vertical and horizontal synchronization signals; and a processing section allowing, at desired timing, the external synchronization signal generation section to generate the external vertical synchronization signal, to generate the external horizontal synchronization signal at the detected frequency of the internal horizontal synchronization signal, and to supply the generated external vertical and horizontal synchronization signals to the camera.
US08010229B2 Method and apparatus for returning cleaning robot to charge station
Provided are a method and apparatus for ensuring a cleaning robot to return to a charge station. The method includes the steps of: (a) measuring a battery usable time, a running speed, and an actual return distance of a cleaning robot during a cleaning operation; (b) calculating an allowable return distance on the basis of the battery usable time and the running speed; (c) comparing the actual return distance with the allowable return distance; and (d) returning the cleaning robot to the charge station when the actual return distance is larger than the allowable return distance as a result of the comparison. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the cleaning robot from being not returned to the charge station, thereby providing convenience to a user.
US08010225B2 Method and system of monitoring manufacturing equipment
A method and system is provided for monitoring manufacturing equipment and, more particularly, for monitoring manufacturing equipment in a semiconductor fabrication facility using existing tool elements. The method includes operating a tool working at an operating mode such that at least one of its control parameters is outside of a normal operating range, and measuring the at least on of the control parameters of the tool working at the operating mode outside of the normal operating range. The method further includes detecting a change to a condition of the tool based on the measuring of the at least one control parameter.
US08010222B2 Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, or a characteristic of a polishing pad or tool
Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.
US08010220B1 Synchronous and optimum line delivery utilizing tact information
A parts delivery management system and method that synchronizes production line side parts deliveries with a production schedule to facilitate delivering the right part to the right production line location at the right time. A consolidation center for receiving parts from suppliers is co-located with an assembly plant. Parts are received in returnable containers and organized for line side delivery according to the manufacturer's production schedule. Parts are delivered to production line locations using multi-cart “trains” that transport parts to the locations. Trains made of multiple carts are assembled throughout the production day and loaded with containers holding the parts that are then delivered line side. A delivery management system application executing on a computer receives production schedule data as well as part and container data to determine which parts are needed throughout the day at the various production line side locations and when they are needed.
US08010218B2 Industrial automation interfaces integrated with enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) systems
A visualization system integrated with an enterprise manufacturing intelligence (EMI) system utilizing preconfigured EMI data models, workflow reports and process event notifications to optimize a manufacturing process. The visualization system and the EMI system exchange data and information providing both systems with a broader process view than either system has independently. The visualization system can specifically target information and action requests to different classes of manufacturing personnel such as operators and engineers. Additionally, the visualization system maintains an audit log of all production identities, raw material usage, and requested corrective actions.
US08010214B2 Digital audio processing
An audio processing unit for an integrated audio reproduction system comprising an audio data recovery device for recovering audio data from an audio data source, sound generation apparatus and a user input device for user input of audio processing control data, the audio processing unit comprising a digital processor provided on an integrated circuit and connected to the data recovery device, the sound generation apparatus and the user selection device and arranged to receive input audio data from the data recovery device, process the input audio data in the digital domain in accordance with the audio processing control data to generate an audio output signal, and provide the audio output signal to the sound generation apparatus, and to control at least one electromechanical function of the audio data recovery device.
US08010212B2 Fuzzy control method for adjusting a semiconductor machine
A method of fuzzy control for adjusting a semiconductor machine comprising: providing measurement values from first the “parameter of a pre-semiconductor manufacturing process”, second the “parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process”, and third the “operation parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process”; performing a fuzzy control to define two inputs and one output corresponding to the measurement values, wherein the difference between the first and third values, and the difference between the second and third values, forms the two inputs, then from the two inputs one target output is calculated by fuzzy inference; finally, determining if the target output is in or out of an acceptable range. Whereby the target output is the “machine control parameter of the semiconductor manufacturing process” and when within an acceptable range is used for adjusting the semiconductor machine.
US08010206B2 External coil assembly for implantable medical prostheses
Methods and devices for inductively coupled implants on the human or animal body are disclosed. An external coil assembly to be used with the implant has a transmitting coil and one or more receiving coils. The number of the receiving coils, their distance from the transmitting coil and their shape is chosen to reduce the influence of a noise signal received by the external coil assembly.
US08010201B2 Device for removing deleterious charged molecules from brain tissue
A system for removing charged particles from the brain in which a cannula with a distal anode, a proximal cathode and a vacuum are used. The cannula also comprises a fluid delivery port that is functionally connected to a vacuum, and holes with the distal end of the cannula. The charged species in the brain tissue are drawn to the anode that is on the distal end of the probe, when a cathode is placed on the skull of the patient and an appropriate electric field is applied between the anode and cathode. The use of a vacuum within the device to remove the destructive charged particles.
US08010199B2 Blood pressure regulating system by substituting native biological regulatory function
A blood pressure regulating system uses a native regulation rule to estimate at least one nerve activity in response to blood pressure changes, comprising at least one blood pressure sensing means which senses blood pressure and outputs a input blood pressure signal, a calculating means which receives the input blood pressure signal, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of a normal blood pressure signal and a normal sympathetic nerve activity from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a sympathetic nerve stimulation signal using a convolution integral between the input blood pressure signal and the impulse response, and outputs the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and a stimulating means which receives the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and stimulates the sympathetic nerve innervating vascular beds based on the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal such that blood pressure is regulated.
US08010198B2 Systems and methods for avoiding neural stimulation habituation
An embodiment relates to a method for delivering a vagal stimulation therapy to a vagus nerve, including delivering a neural stimulation signal to non-selectively stimulate both afferent axons and efferent axons in the vagus nerve according to a predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy, and selecting a value for at least one parameter for the predetermined schedule for the vagal stimulation therapy to control the neural stimulation therapy to avoid physiological habituation to the vagal stimulation therapy. The parameter(s) include at least one parameter selected from the group of parameters consisting of a predetermined therapy duration parameter for a predetermined therapy period, and a predetermined intermittent neural stimulation parameter associated with on/off timing for the intermittent neural stimulation parameter.
US08010196B1 Tissue characterization using intracardiac impedances with an implantable lead system
An implantable system acquires intracardiac impedance with an implantable lead system. In one implementation, the system generates frequency-rich, low energy, multi-phasic waveforms that provide a net-zero charge and a net-zero voltage. When applied to bodily tissues, current pulses or voltage pulses having the multi-phasic waveform provide increased specificity and sensitivity in probing tissue. The effects of the applied pulses are sensed as a corresponding waveform. The waveforms of the applied and sensed pulses can be integrated to obtain corresponding area values that represent the current and voltage across a spectrum of frequencies. These areas can be compared to obtain a reliable impedance value for the tissue. Frequency response, phase delay, and response to modulated pulse width can also be measured to determine a relative capacitance of the tissue, indicative of infarcted tissue, blood to tissue ratio, degree of edema, and other physiological parameters.
US08010195B2 Cardiac pacing system by substituting native biological regulatory function
The present invention provides a cardiac pacing system based on biological activities, comprising: a) at least one nerve activity sensing means which senses nerve activity of a cardiac sympathetic nerve and/or a vagal nerve, and outputs a plurality of input nerve activity signals; b) a calculating means which receives the input nerve activity signals, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of normal nerve activity signals and a normal heart rate signal from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a plurality of pacing signals for control of a heart rate using a convolution integral between the input nerve activity signals and the impulse response, and outputs the pacing signals; and c) a pacing means which receives the pacing signals, and stimulates the heart based on the pacing signals such that heart rate is regulated.
US08010190B2 CPR feedback method and apparatus
The present invention comprises a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) feedback device and a method for performing CPR. A chest compression detector device is provided that measures chest compression during the administration of CPR. The chest compression detector device comprises a signal transmitter operably positioned on the chest of the patient and adapted to broadcast a signal, and a signal receiver adapted to receive the signal. The chest compression detector device also comprises a processor, operably connected to the signal transmitter and the signal receiver. The processor repeatedly analyzes the signal received to determine from the signal a series of measurements of compression of the chest, and feedback is provided to the rescuer based on the series of measurements.
US08010179B2 Method and apparatus of gradient echo imaging with on-the-fly optimization of tissue suppression
The present invention provides a system and method for on-the-fly optimization of the timing of suppression pulses and a k-space filling scheme for user-prescribed imaging parameters. The invention also minimizes total data acquisition time for the sequence tailored to the particular user-prescribed imaging parameters. A pulse sequence uses a 180° pulse to invert the magnetization corresponding to the suppressed tissue so that a maximum amount of time is provided to play out alpha or imaging pulses after each inversion. The pulse sequence optimizes the number of alpha pulses played out after each inversion pulse based on a specific protocol or imaging parameters selected by the user. This pulse sequence allows for a modified k-space filling scheme that places, at the center of k-space, the echo that most closely corresponds to the null point of the suppressed tissue. For the first inversion pulse, a flip angle less than 180° is used to drive the suppressed tissue magnetization into a steady-state condition immediately.
US08010177B2 Intraoperative image registration
A system to allow registration of a patient to image space is disclosed. The registration can be performed without touching a plurality of fiducial points on the patient or in the image data. The registration process can eliminate manual steps of image to patient registration and image to image registration.
US08010175B2 Patient-specific coronary territory mapping
A system and method for patient-specific coronary territory mapping are provided, the system including an adapter unit for receiving three-dimensional (“3D”) image data, a modeling unit in signal communication with the adapter unit for fitting a geometric model to the received data and segmenting coronary vessels from the received data, and a mapping unit in signal communication with the modeling unit for mapping the segmented vessels to the surface of the model; and the method including receiving 3D image data, fitting a geometric model to the received data, segmenting coronary vessels from the received data, and mapping the segmented vessels to the surface of the model.
US08010172B2 Electronic device
An electronic device including a first module, a second module, at least one first spacer, and at least one second spacer is provided. The first module has a carrying surface. The second module is slidably disposed on the carrying surface and has a bottom surface opposite to the carrying surface. The first spacer is fixed on the carrying surface and suitable for being slid on the bottom surface. The second spacer is fixed on the bottom surface and suitable for being slid on the carrying surface. The first spacer and the second spacer are always kept within an overlapping region between the bottom surface and the carrying surface.
US08010170B2 Battery cover latch mechanism and portable electronic device using same
A battery cover latching mechanism (20) used in a portable electronic device is described including a cover member (22) and a latch base (21). The latch base includes a first guiding rail (24) and a latching projection (218). The latch base defines a sliding groove (217) adjacent to the first guiding rail. The cover member can slide relative to the latch base and includes a second guiding rail (25) and a latching portion (23). The second guiding rail engages the first guiding rail. The latching portion is slidably received in the sliding groove. The first guiding rail guides the second guiding rail to slide along the guiding rail. The latching portion slides within the sliding groove and then latched by the latching projection.
US08010168B2 Efficient power management in wireless local area networks
A method of providing power management in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is presented. The method includes receiving a Traffic Indication Map (TIM) at a station, indicating the presence of buffered frames, associated with any AC, for the station at an Access Point (AP). The method further includes sending, by the station, one of an uplink data frame if one is buffered, and a null frame to retrieve the buffered frames from said AP. The station remains awake to receive frames from the AP until a downlink frame is received containing an indication that it is the last frame to be transmitted in the service period. The method may further include determining at the end of service period whether there are more frames remaining buffered for the station at the AP.
US08010153B2 RFIC with cellular and RFID functionality
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a baseband processing module and a radio frequency (RF) section. The baseband processing module is coupled to convert outbound data into amplitude modulation information and phase modulation information when the IC is in a cellular data mode and to convert an outbound radio frequency identification (RFID) signal into RFID amplitude modulation information when the IC is in an RFID mode. The RF section is coupled to generate an outbound RF data signal in accordance with the amplitude modulation information and the phase modulation information when the IC is in the cellular data mode and to generate an outbound RF RFID signal in accordance with the RFID amplitude information when the IC is in the RFID mode.
US08010150B2 Technique for negotiating on behalf of a mobile ambient network within a multi-operator wireless communication system
A mobile ambient network (MAN) negotiator 106 is provided for negotiating with ambient access networks (AANs) 102 on behalf of a MAN 104 to select a particular AAN to handle a wireless communication session for the MAN. The MAN is, e.g., either a user terminal (UT) or a private area network (PAN). The negotiations performed by the MAN negotiator on behalf of the MAN include establishing a secure, trusted relationship between the MAN and the AAN, as well as negotiating costs, billing arrangements and the like. The MAN negotiator communicates with the MAN via a dedicated wireless communication channel but preferably communicates with the AANs via non-wireless, i.e. fixed, connections.
US08010139B2 Method improving the cross-layer multimedia transmission quality in cognitive radio networks
The present invention relates to a paper-breaker touching safety protector, of which the control circuit unit is connected with the paper-breaking machinery part via the motor driving circuit unit, the control circuit unit is connected with the conductive touch panel via the touch detecting circuit unit, the power unit is connected respectively with the control circuit unit and motor driving circuit unit, wherein the touch detecting circuit unit includes the bio-voltage control switch circuit and ground switch circuit, the input control terminal of bio-voltage control switch circuit is connected with the conductive touch panel, the output terminal of control switch circuit is connected with the input control terminal of the ground switch circuit, the output terminal of the ground switch circuit is connected with the input control terminal of the control circuit unit. The paper-breaker touching safety protector with this structure could effect a protective rule from the accident harm and a real-time monitor; the controlling is safe and sensitive with a simple circuit structure and reliable operation performance, it functions a convenient manipulation and wide usability with the safety.
US08010134B2 Architecture for mobile advertising with location
Systems and methods are provided for mobile device advertising. The system includes a mobile device, a content provider, and an advertisement provider. A plurality of location fix technologies is executed to determine a plurality of location fixes for the mobile device, and the plurality of location fixes is stored in the mobile device. A location request is received for the mobile device, the plurality of stored location fixes is retrieved from the mobile device, and the plurality of stored location fixes is sent to the content provider. The content provider receives the plurality of location fixes for the mobile device from the mobile device, forwards the plurality of location fixes to the advertisement provider, and transmits content to the mobile device. The advertisement provider selects an advertisement based on location fixes, and transmits the advertisement to the mobile device.
US08010132B2 System for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as locating sets of desired locations
A system and associated method receives a command from a user's mobile device to locate points of interest near the mobile device's location. The points of interest are associated with different, user-identified, point of interest categories. Based at least in part on the mobile device's location, the system substantially simultaneously provides a list of points of interest for at least some of the point of interest categories.
US08010128B2 Mobile phone system for printing webpage and retrieving content
A system for printing a webpage and retrieving content via the printed webpage. The system includes a print medium provided with first and second coded data encoding a print media identifier in different formats, and a mobile telecommunications device. The mobile telecommunications device includes: a media feed path; a printer positioned in the media feed path for printing the webpage onto the print medium; an optical encoder for reading the first coded data; a transceiver; and a sensor module for sensing at the second coded data. The processor determines a print media identifier from the first coded data, initiates linking of the webpage to the print media identifier, determines the print media identifier and a coordinate location from the second coded data, and initiates retrieval of the content using the print media identifier and the coordinate location.
US08010124B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for providing location determination information to an assisted location service
Systems for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network include a satellite positioning system receiver that generates a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites. A conversion circuit of the system, separate from the satellite positioning system receiver, is configured to receive the set of first format location information from the satellite positioning system receiver and to convert the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format to provide the location determination information. The system further includes a transmitter configured to transmit the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network. Methods and computer program products for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network are also provided.
US08010119B2 Real-time transmission of a video between mobile stations
A real-time transmission of a video from a first mobile station to a second mobile station is performed through employment of a data path between the first mobile station and the second mobile station.
US08010117B1 Method and system for dynamically merging wireless service sectors
A method and system is disclosed for dynamically merging wireless service sectors in a wireless communication system. The method and system determines when certain conditions exist under which dynamically merging a plurality of wireless service sectors would advantageously yield an increased data rate for transmissions to access terminals (ATs) operating the plurality, while, at the same time, not resulting in a total traffic load that would be detrimental to system performance. The method and system also incorporate the manner and means of merging sectors so as to cause the plurality of wireless service sectors to operate as a single, dynamically-merged wireless service sector. Each access terminal operating in a dynamically-merged wireless service sector receives the full, combined power of all the sectors of the plurality during transmissions to that AT.
US08010116B2 Distributed antenna communications system
A distributed antenna system comprises a base transceiver station, a plurality of distributed antenna units and a signal routing apparatus. The base transceiver station has a plurality of output ports that generate a plurality of downlink signals having overlapping transmit frequencies and containing different communication content. The different communication content is directed toward each of a plurality of mobile units. The base transceiver station also has at least one uplink receive port that receives an uplink signal. The uplink signal includes communication content received from at least one of the mobile units. The plurality of distributed antenna units have coverage areas that are non-overlapping or only partially overlapping. The signal routing apparatus routes the downlink signals to the plurality of distributed antennas such that each of the plurality of downlink signals are transmitted by one or more of the distributed antennas and each distributed antenna only transmits one of the downlink signals.
US08010108B2 Radio link handover in a cellular communication system
A base station (109) of a cellular communication system (100) comprises an RNC interface (301) which receives a radio link handover initiation message for a radio link from a radio network controller (113). A switch delay processor (309) determines a handover switch delay and a characteristics processor (311) sets a characteristic of a radio link handover acknowledge message in response to the handover switch delay. A message generator (313) generates a radio link handover acknowledge message and transmits this to the radio network controller (113). The radio network controller (113) comprises an RNC handover controller (125) which determines a radio link handover switch time in response to the characteristic. A better timing of the radio link handover may be achieved. The invention may e.g. be applicable to an HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) service of a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) cellular communication system and may reduce the amount of data discarded from buffers during an HSDPA handover.
US08010105B2 System and method for facilitating accelerated network selection using a weighted network list
A scheme for facilitating accelerated network selection by a wireless user equipment (UE) device. In one exemplary embodiment, prior to performing a full band scan, the wireless UE device is operable to interrogate a list of networks with which the wireless UE device has registered at least once in a given period of time, wherein a network availability likelihood score may be associated with each of the list of networks. A particular network is selected from the list of networks based on its network availability likelihood score.
US08010099B2 Methods of reconfiguring sector coverage in in-building communications system
In an in-building wireless communications network, a weighted sum of a downlink signal from two relevant base station interfaces (BSIs) is transmitted by a radio transceiver transitioning between two sectors. During a transition period, the weight of the combined downlink signal is adjusted gradually to simulate a smooth shift in the coverage of the sectors and transition the radio transceiver from a first sector to a second sector. This allows a base station to hand over users from a first sector to a second sector while suppressing any disruption in service.
US08010093B2 Communication network unit and method for exchanging capability information
A communication network unit having a memory for storing, for each communication terminal of a plurality of first communication terminals which are each associated with a same user identification, information about communication capabilities of the respective communication terminals a determining unit for determining which communication capabilities can be used for communicating with the user identified by the user identification based on the information about the communication capabilities of the first communication terminals, and a signaling unit for signaling to a second communication terminal which communication capabilities can be used for communicating with the user identified by the user identification.
US08010091B2 System, method and apparatus employing tone and/or tone patterns to indicate the message type in wireless sensor networks
A system and method for operating a wireless network provides for sending a wakeup tone, periodically waking up from a sleep mode to listen for the wakeup tone, upon receiving the wakeup tone, listening for at least one second tone, the at least one second tone being one of (i) a tone in a frequency different from the wakeup tone and (ii) a pattern of tones including at least one frequency different from the wakeup tone, and upon receiving the at least one second tone, performing an action based on the at least one second tone.
US08010086B2 System and method for providing location information with voicemail messages
Embodiments of the present invention include a method for providing a user with a location of a caller associated with a voicemail message. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying the caller associated with the voicemail message. The method determines the location of the caller and associates the location with the voicemail message left by the caller. The method provides the location of the caller associated with the voicemail message to the recipient of the voicemail message.
US08010071B2 Integrated squelch circuit with programmable engagement threshold
A method, system, and apparatus for squelching a signal in telecommunications systems. The apparatus includes a filter, two power detectors, a divider, two comparators, a logic gate, and a gain control block. The apparatus receives an input signal, and the power of the signal is detected. The input signal is also filtered to pass only the noise portion of the signal, and the power of the filtered signal is detected. A ratio between the filtered signal power and the input signal power is determined. A first comparator receives the filtered signal power and a second comparator receives the ratio of the filtered signal power and the input signal power. The logic gate receives the outputs from the first and second comparators. The gain control block receives as inputs the logic gate's output and the input signal to the apparatus. The gain control block may attenuate the input signal based on the logic gate's output. The gain control block generates the output signal of the apparatus.
US08010069B2 Method and apparatus for processing radio signals to identify an active system in a coexisting radio network
The present invention discloses a method of multiple systems sensing for coexisting radio networks, including: performing energy detection and carrier locking; detecting the fundamental frequencies; and identifying the corresponding active systems from the detected fundamental frequencies and the evaluation of the estimated power spectrum density vector or the estimated trispectrum matrix. Based on the method, an apparatus capable of multiple systems sensing is presented. Furthermore, the present invention also provides an apparatus of multiple systems sensing for coexisting radio networks.
US08010065B2 Power amplifier system and control method and control device thereof
A power amplifier system, a control method thereof, and a control device thereof are provided. The power amplifier system operates in a non-linear switching mode according to an envelope amplitude of an input signal under control of the control device. When the power amplifier is operated in the non-linear switching mode, a supply voltage and an input signal of the power amplifier are provided to the power amplifier by the control device according to pre-measured properties of the power amplifier so as to equip the power amplifier with a high power-added efficiency (PAE) and a better linearity.
US08010060B2 Apparatus and method for reducing stray RF signal noise in an electrically powered vehicle
RF signal noise in a powertrain utilizing a power inverter module and electric motor is attenuated by providing a low impedance connection between a transmission output shaft and housing.
US08010050B2 Method and system for wireless access to a network by an isolated user
Wireless access to a network 2 by an isolated user 1 includes the isolated user 1 transmitting a wireless signal intended to produce interference at nodes included in a group 3, 4 and 9 of nodes, that have access to the network 2. Upon the interference being detected by a member of one of the groups, and a link established between the isolated user 1 and the member of the group, access to the network 2 is arranged for the isolated user 1. In one method, the isolated user is unlicensed and seeks access to the network via a licensed part of the wireless spectrum.
US08010047B2 Radio communication system, radio communication device, and radio communication method
A radio communication system for transmitting voice or music data includes a data supplying source device for supplying the voice or music data, the data supplying source device having a reflector for transmitting a reflected wave signal obtained by modulating a received radio wave based on the data to be transmitted; and a data supply destination device for receiving the voice or music data, the data supply destination device having a reflected wave reader for transmitting an unmodulated carrier and for reading a reflected wave signal resulting from modulation of the unmodulated carrier. The voice or music data is transmitted by reflected wave transmission between the data supplying source device and the data supply destination device.
US08010045B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device having an antenna, an asynchronous counter, and a circuit is provided. The antenna converts a carrier wave into an electrical signal. The asynchronous counter has a plurality of flip-flop circuits, each of which has a plurality of thin film transistors. Alternatively, each of the plurality of flip-flop circuits has a plurality of transistors each including a channel portion formed of single crystal silicon. The circuit generates a power supply voltage using the electrical signal and supplies the generated power supply voltage to the asynchronous counter.
US08010043B2 Capacity maximization for a unicast spot beam satellite system
Methods, systems, and apparatuses are presented for improved satellite communications. The satellite system may comprises at least one gateway, a satellite in orbit configured to communicate with the at least one gateway and provide a plurality of spot beams, and a plurality of subscriber terminals. The spot beams may include a first spot beam to illuminate a first region and a second spot beam to illuminate a second region adjacent to and overlapping with the first region. The first spot beam as sent to at least one subscriber terminal may be affected by (1) interference from other signal sources including the second spot beam at a signal-to-interference ratio C/I and (2) noise at a signal-to-noise ratio C/N. Reception of signals from the first spot beam by the at least one of the first plurality of subscriber terminals may be interference-dominated such that C/I is less than C/N.
US08010042B2 Repeaters for wireless communication systems
A repeater and associated method of use includes at least one antenna element for communicating in one direction and at least one antenna element for communicating in another direction. A radio frequency uplink path and a radio frequency downlink path are coupled between the antennas. At least one of the radio frequency uplink path or the radio frequency downlink path includes an adaptive cancellation circuit. The adaptive cancellation circuit is configured to generate a cancellation signal without requiring an injected signal. The cancellation signal, when added to a radio frequency signal in the respective uplink and downlink paths, substantially reduces feedback signals present in the radio frequency signal.
US08010032B2 Fuser member comprising deflocculated material
A fuser component useful in electrostatographic machines is provided, having a substrate, and thereover a coating composition comprising a haloelastomer, such as, for example, a fluoroelastomer, and a deflocculating agent. A fuser component comprising a deflocculating agent exhibits improved properties including, but not limited to, increased gloss and a smoother coating surface with a relatively high adhesive strength. The use of a deflocculating agent also reduces or eliminates the barium sulfate defect.
US08010026B2 Image forming system and method of detecting color misregistration
An image forming system, in which a method of detecting a misregistration of a color image is performed, includes multiple image carriers, an optical writing unit, a transfer member extended by a drive roller and at least one driven roller, a rotation detector, a roller driving unit, a belt controller, an image detector configured to detect the images formed on the surface of the transfer member and obtain detection data, and a controller configured to calculate an amount of misregistration and correct relative misregistration of a scanning line between the image carriers based on a result of the calculation. In the image forming system, a distance from a transfer position to a detection position is an integer multiple of a travel distance of the transfer member during one revolution of the at least one driven roller.
US08010021B2 Developing cartridge having a plurality of developers with different material properties and image forming apparatus having the same
A developing cartridge includes an image receptor which spreads developer on a printing medium, a developer storing part which stores a plurality of developers having a different material property and a different supplying order according to the concerned material property, and a developer feeding unit which sequentially transfers each of the developers to the image receptor according to the supplying order.
US08010013B2 Image forming device
An image forming device having a frame, a door, and a movable image forming unit to be assembled in the frame when the door is open. The image forming unit has a support shaft, and frame has a hole on which the support shaft abuts for positioning of the image forming unit relative to the frame when the door is closed. A lock unit formed with a recessed portion is movable in association with the movement of the door. When the door is open, the lock unit is at its abutment position so that the support shaft abuts the recessed portion. When the door is closed the lock unit is moved so that the support shaft is brought into abutment with the hole.
US08010005B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a transfer device, a voltage applicator, a current sensor, and a discharge detector. The transfer device transfers a toner image from one surface to another by developing an electrical field across a transfer gap when provided with a transfer bias. The voltage applicator applies a stepped test voltage to the transfer device. The current sensor senses a current flowing to the transfer device during application of the test voltage the discharge detector detects an electrical discharge occurring in the transfer gap based on a rate of increase of the sensed current.
US08009997B2 Toner replenishment determination device of an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, which comprises a toner density detection device for detecting the density of a toner inside a developing device, acquires the number of pixels from inputted image information, calculates the toner replenishment amount from the toner density detection value and the information on the pixels, and thereby performs replenishment control so that excessive replenishment or insufficient replenishment of the toner is not caused. The upper limit value of the amount of toner to be replenished at once to the developing device is changed in accordance with the amount of information on an input image such as the image area, pixels of the input image.
US08009991B2 Dynamic optical signal tracking on a detector array in a free space optical communication system
A free-space optical communication system includes a detector array having a plurality of detector elements and a transmitting source. Dynamic movement of the optical signal on the detector array is caused by changes in orientation of the transmitting source. A tracker tracks the movement of the optical signal in real-time on the detector array. An output signal is derived from at least one of the detector elements illuminated by the optical signal.
US08009984B2 Method and apparatus for measuring optical power of very weak light, and optical communication system using the same
A method and apparatus for measuring the optical power of very weak light arriving at a receiver, by using a photon detector, are provided. A photon detector detects the presence or absence of the arrival of a photon in accordance with bias application timing. For a train of optical pulses coming in at an arbitrary timing in respective time slots, the bias application timing is sequentially shifted within the range of a time slot. Each time a shift is made, the number of photons detected is counted by a photon counter. Based on this number of photons, the optical power of the train of the optical pulses is measured.
US08009965B2 Video analyzer and computer program product
According to one embodiment, a video analyzer includes a still image detector, a characteristic detector, and a boundary position detector. The still image detector detects a still image in video frames of content including video and audio data, and create a still image group of substantially the same still images. The characteristic detector includes at least one of a monochrome detector that detects a monochrome video frame in the video frames of the content and a silence detector that detects a silent portion in which the sound volume of the audio data is lower than a predetermined threshold. The boundary position detector detects a position where the type of the content changes based on information on at least one of the monochrome video frame and the silent portion contained in a segment where the still image group is present and a segment where no still image group is present.
US08009964B2 Label creating apparatus and label creating program recorded in computer-readable recording medium
For programs selected as those whose label is to be created, a list of available templates is displayed on a arrangement processing screen 200 together with contents of EPG information acquired from an EPG information DB. The EPG information is displayed on a left screen 210 and the templates list is displayed on a right screen 220, so that one template desired to be applied is selected on the right screen 220, according to which template, one or a plurality of the EPG information pieces whose label is desired to be created is selected on the left screen 210. Templates 230, 240, 250, and 260 constitute a label set comprised of a plurality of labels, thus enabling creating labels by incorporating information pieces of specified items.
US08009962B1 Apparatus and method for processing an audio/video program
Apparatus and method for processing an audio/video program is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a preferences module configured to coordinate the specification of a presentation setting with a portion of the audio/video program. The apparatus also includes a presentation module coupled to the preferences module. The presentation module is configured to selectively apply the presentation setting to the portion of the audio/video program during subsequent playback of the audio/video program.
US08009958B1 Optical sight
An optical sight is provided and may include a housing, at least one optic supported by the housing, and an illumination device associated with the at least one optic that selectively supplies the at least one optic with light. The illumination device may include a first fiber associated with a first light source and a second fiber associated with a second light source. A coupler may join the first fiber and the second fiber and may supply the at least one optic with light from at least one of the first light source and the second light source.
US08009953B2 Three-dimensional photonic crystal and its manufacturing method thereof
An object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional photonic crystal which allows an internal formation of a defect structure with an arbitrary shape and size. Multiple holes extending to two different directions are formed obliquely to a base body surface in order to form a first crystal and a second crystal. Base body left between the holes are made to be rods. Moreover, a connection crystal layer is formed by a part of rods having a size different from that of the rods in the first crystal and the second crystal. The connection crystal layer is held between the first crystal and the second crystal and they are fused. In a three-dimensional photonic crystal thus obtained, the rod becomes a point defect. The shape and size of the point defect can be arbitrarily set in any directions within the connection crystal layer. The shape and size of the point defect can also be controlled by adjusting the thickness of the connection crystal layer.
US08009952B2 Plastic photonic crystal fiber for terahertz wave transmission and method for manufacturing thereof
The present invention relates to a plastic photonic crystal fiber for terahertz wave transmission and a method for the manufacturing thereof. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a plastic photonic crystal fiber that can be easily manufactured and has low loss characteristics to be used as a waveguide of terahertz waves. The plastic photonic crystal fiber includes a crystal defect component having a longitudinal axis and a photonic crystal component surrounding the crystal defect component. The photonic crystal component has an array of a plurality of plastic elements having longitudinal axes and forming a 2-dimensional photonic crystal structure with a predetermined lattice constant. Further, the plastic photonic crystal fiber of the present invention can be used as a preform from which a plastic photonic crystal fiber for an optical communication (400-800 nm) can be drawn.
US08009945B2 Beam area adjustment through fiber bending
A method positions a first end of an optic fiber a distance from a target and applies a laser light to a second end of the optic fiber such that the laser light is guided by the optic fiber from the second end to the first end of the optic fiber and is emitted from the first end of the optic fiber toward the target as a beam of light. The beam of light has a first area of incidence at the target. The optic fiber is then bent such that the beam of light continues to reach the target and such that the area of incidence of the beam of light at the target changes without changing the distance between the first end of the optic fiber and the target. A device having two plates with raised portions inside a metal case is provided for bending the optic fiber.
US08009932B2 Automatic alignment of video frames for image processing
The provided is a method that can automatically align image frames in recorded video clips. Individual frames in video may shift and rotate due to shaking or vibration of a video camera. Unaligned frames make some imaging processing techniques difficult or infeasible. One example of image processing techniques is to isolate, recognize, and/or quantitatively analyze vapor plume images captured by an Infrared (IR) camera. Such techniques have a great potential to be used to automatically detect volatile organic compounds (VOC) leaked from process equipment at refineries and chemical plants. This invention is a technique for various subsequent image processing techniques. The invention uses spatially based Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT) to determine amount of shift, rotation, and scaling to align image frames, and uses a digital filtering technique to improve the alignment.
US08009926B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and medium storing program
An image processing apparatus includes: an area setting section that sets a searching area of a predetermined size in inputted image data; a searching section that searches for pixels having a predetermined pixel value in the searching area set by the area setting section; an attribute determining section that determines attribute of pixels contained in the searching area on the basis of at least one of a number and an arrangement of the pixels searched for by the searching section; and an attribute assigning section that assigns the attribute determined by the attribute determining section to the searched pixels.
US08009913B2 System, method, apparatus and computer program product for capturing human-readable text displayed on a unit dose package
A system, method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for capturing human-readable text displayed on a unit dose package. In particular, identification information associated with a unit dose package may be used to determine a location and/or a format in which human-readable text, such as an expiration date or lot number associated with the corresponding unit dose medication, is displayed on the unit dose package. Once the location and/or format of the human-readable text has been determined, this information can be used in order to scan the unit dose medication and translate the human-readable text into machine-readable text using, for example, optical character recognition.
US08009911B2 Interactive image segmentation on directed graphs
Methods for segmentation of an object from a background in an image are disclosed. Segmentation is achieved by an adapted Random Walker segmentation method using directed edges in a graph. The segmentation applies the minimization of an approximation of an energy function. A minimizer of the approximated energy function can be found by using iterative steps. Weights are assigned to an edge between two nodes. The weights are dependent on the direction of an edge. A system for segmentation of an object from a background is also disclosed.
US08009909B2 Image processing apparatus and its method
Even through security information is embedded in a printed document, if the security level is changed after original data is printed, it is impossible to change the security level of a printed document. Hence, when vector data is generated from the printed document, vector data with a low security level is obtained, and that vector data can be edited and printed. Hence, a document image is read, the read image is segmented into image regions of different attributes, and pointer information embedded in each image region is extracted. An image of the image region from which no pointer information is extracted and whose vector conversion is instructed by the user is converted into vector data. A security level is set in the vector data, and the vector data set with the security level is registered in a server.
US08009901B2 Image processing apparatus and method of the same
The invention provides an adjusting apparatus and a method thereof for adjusting a 3D image constituted by a plurality of interlaced first-eye-viewed image lines and second-eye-viewed image lines to be outputted to a display panel. However, in practice, there is a leakage problem in a pair of glasses for viewing the 3D image. Therefore, the invention solves the leakage problem by matching a plurality of pre-stored leakage values and then generating a proper output with a corrective calculation.
US08009897B2 Method and apparatus for image matching
The invention provides a method and apparatus for performing correspondence estimation between pixels of a stereo image pair to obtain matching information for corresponding pixels in each image. To perform a match for a particular pixel in a first image firstly an adaptive curve is constructed about the pixel, being a sequence of connected pixels with similar intensity values to the pixel being matched. The adaptive curve thus constructed is then used as a matching element within the second image to find a matching pixel representative of the same 3D scene point in the second image to the particular pixel. By performing matching in this manner for every pixel in an image, accurate disparity maps can be obtained which are then used in a known image synthesis algorithm to produce novel images of a scene of improved quality.
US08009894B2 Method and apparatus for analysis of particles in a liquid sample
The invention relates to methods for analysis of particles in a liquid sample, the sample being retained in a sample retaining device, the method comprising: acquiring, by means of an image acquiring device, a plurality of images of said sample at different focus planes within the sample retaining device; analysing said images, by means of an image analyser, for identifying which, if any, of the particles of the sample are imaged in focus in each of the images, and analysing those particles which have been identified as being imaged in focus; wherein said plurality of images are acquired at different, essentially parallel, focus planes, which planes are separated from each other by a distance, said distance being less than 10 micrometers. The invention also relates to apparatuses adapted to be used for the inventive methods.
US08009886B2 System and method for image registration
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system and method for performing medical image registration. Pixel and voxel correspondences are formulated as energy minimization problems and are optimized with graph cuts. The method includes processing a first set of data and a second set of data using a graph cuts algorithm to determine a minimum value of an energy function. The energy function has a data term and a smoothness term. The method also includes performing registration for the first set of data and the second set of data based on the data term and the smoothness term of the energy function. The system includes a computer system for performing medical image registration. The computer system comprises a processor and a memory in communication with the processor. The memory includes program code executable by the processor for executing a medical image registration algorithm.
US08009884B2 Method and apparatus for diagnosing conditions using tissue color
A method for diagnosing a condition of a patient includes providing a color reference member that includes one reference color thereon. An electronic visual image is obtained of a patient tissue and the at least one reference color on the image. The electronic visual image is processed with the computer by analyzing the colors in the image of the patient tissue and the reference color. This analysis is performed to obtain a standardized color value of the patient tissue. A condition of the patient is diagnosed by using the standardized color value of the patient tissue so obtained.
US08009883B2 Method of and system for automatic object display of volumetric computed tomography images for fast on-screen threat resolution
A method of and a system for automatic object display of volumetric CT data for fast on-screen threat resolution are disclosed, wherein the CT data includes a CT image in a single energy CT scanner, or a CT image and a Z image in a multi-energy CT scanner, and a label image defining each object as a plurality of voxels of the volumetric CT data. The method comprises generating volumetric CT image data corresponding to a scanned bag; performing automatic threat detection to generate a label image; processing the volumetric CT data and the label image to obtain visualization parameters for each object; automatically generating display images for each object using corresponding visualization parameters; and displaying the generated display images for on-screen threat resolution.
US08009876B2 Multi-scale variable domain decomposition method and system for iris identification
An iris identification method and system, which divide an iris image, which is acquired for personal identification, into a plurality of equal/unequal and multiscale regions, generate a corresponding code corresponding to the respective regions, organizing codes into a database, generate a code at the time of authentication in the same manner, and identify a person by comparing this code with the codes stored in the database, thus improving identification speed and rate.
US08009873B2 Method and apparatus for providing identification
A method of providing identification of an entity includes maintaining a database of identification data specific to the appearance and condition of entities, providing a unique description for each entity enabling access to the entity's identification data in the database, providing identification means adapted for portage with the entity and containing the unique description and maintaining secondary databases containing the entity's identification data as acquired from prior encounters so that multiple comparisons can be made to assure that the individual bearing the identification means is the same individual to whom the identification means were issued.
US08009871B2 Method and system to segment depth images and to detect shapes in three-dimensionally acquired data
A method and system analyzes data acquired by image systems to more rapidly identify objects of interest in the data. In one embodiment, z-depth data are segmented such that neighboring image pixels having similar z-depths are given a common label. Blobs, or groups of pixels with a same label, may be defined to correspond to different objects. Blobs preferably are modeled as primitives to more rapidly identify objects in the acquired image. In some embodiments, a modified connected component analysis is carried out where image pixels are pre-grouped into regions of different depth values preferably using a depth value histogram. The histogram is divided into regions and image cluster centers are determined. A depth group value image containing blobs is obtained, with each pixel being assigned to one of the depth groups.
US08009866B2 Exercise support device, exercise support method and recording medium
An imaging unit captures images of the retroreflective sheets worn on both legs. A multimedia processor detects step and jump of a player on the basis of the pictures obtained by the image capturing to reflect to a video image and thereby the interactive system is constituted. It is possible to support a user so as to continuously perform a stepping exercise while reducing an economical burden of the user and realizing the space saving.
US08009851B2 Noise reduction system and method
The present invention relates to a sound receiving device and a microphone unit for such a sound receiving device. In microphone unit there is provided a microphone, an air filled chamber and a wind noise barrier covering chamber for providing a wind shield and having at least one air passage channel connecting the exterior of the device with the air filled chamber and having an inlet facing the exterior of the device and an outlet facing the air filled chamber. The air passage channel comprises at least one turn for reducing the influence of the wind on microphone. The invention provides enhanced wind noise reduction.
US08009847B2 Hat with music player
This invention is a hat specially configured to carry earphones and a music player equipped with or without an attachment clip. The hat comprises slit-like button-hole openings and grooves in the bill into which the music player clip can be attached, as well as elastic retaining straps to affix the music player and the earphones. Button holes on the hat's surface form together with the headband a conduit that allow the passage, from outside to the inside, of the electrical cables connecting the music player to the earphones. The seam between the headband and the hat is open above the ears of the wearer to allow the retrieval or stowing away of the earphones. The invention also covers a method of listening to music at the option of the user without obstructing surrounding sound by keeping the earphones stowed away in the retaining area formed by the headband.
US08009846B2 Ultrasonic speaker and projector
An ultrasonic speaker including: a vibration film having a conductive layer; a pair of fixed electrodes provided oppositely to respective surfaces of the vibration film; and an ultrasonic transducer that causes the vibration film to generate sound waves by applying a DC bias voltage to the conductive layer of the vibration film while applying an alternating signal between the pair of fixed electrodes, and outputs the sound waves generated by the vibration film from two sound wave output surfaces via through-holes provided in each of the pair of fixed electrodes. The two sound wave output surfaces of the ultrasonic transducer are disposed in a direction intersecting with a sound wave emitting direction at right angles.
US08009842B2 Hearing aid with digital compression recapture
Systems, devices, and methods are provided to inhibit apparent amplitude modulation in non-linear processing that causes distortion in a processed signal. One aspect of the invention includes a hearing aid. The hearing aid includes a microphone to receive an input signal, a speaker to reproduce the input signal, and a processor. The processor processes the input signal using a gain. The processor includes an inhibitor, which inhibits distortions, and an adjuster, which adjusts the gain. The inhibitor acts to smooth an envelope of the input signal to inhibit undesired modulation. The adjuster adjusts the gain if the envelope is either above or below a threshold. The hearing aid further includes a compression recapture system to supply the compressed portion of the input signal to more closely reproduce the actual input signal.
US08009838B2 Electrostatic loudspeaker array
A speaker system that includes an audio signal-receiving interface, a modulating circuit, a phase-control circuit, and a number of speaker units. The audio signal-receiving interface is configured to receive an audio signal, and the modulating circuit is coupled with the audio signal-receiving interface. The modulating circuit is configured to modulate a low frequency component of the audio signal and to generate a modulated signal. The phase-control circuit is coupled with the modulating circuit and the audio signal-receiving interface. The phase-control circuit is configured to receive the modulated signal and a high-frequency component of the audio signal and to control a phase of the modulated signal, a phase of the high-frequency component of the audio signal, or both. The speaker units are coupled with the phase-control circuit and configured to generate sound waves based on signals supplied by the phase-control circuit.
US08009835B2 Frequency modulation-type transmitting apparatus
A front-end processing circuit applies predetermined processing to an input signal and outputs a processed signal. A frequency modulation circuit applies frequency modulation to the output signal of the front-end processing circuit and outputs a processed signal. The front-end processing circuit includes a variable amplifier and a level detector. The variable amplifier receives a feedback signal and amplifies a signal by an amplification factor corresponding to the feedback signal. The level detector outputs the feedback signal to the variable amplifier in accordance with a level of a signal obtainable in a circuit succeeding the variable amplifier. The front-end processing circuit maintains the signal supplied to the frequency modulation circuit at a constant level.
US08009832B2 Method of managing copy protection information of a recording medium, recording medium with copy protection information for contents recorded thereon, and reproducing method for the recording medium
The present invention relates to a method of managing CPI (Copy Protection Information) for preventing unauthorized copy of encrypted content recorded on a high-density recording medium such as a BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc ROM). In the present method, when main content data is recorded in encrypted manner, CPI that is necessary to decrypt the encrypted main content data is written in a predetermined PIC area and is also copied at least once in an area other than the PIC area.
US08009828B2 Integrated shuffle validity proving device, proof integrating device, integrated shuffle validity verifying device, and mix net system
An integrated shuffle validity proving device (300) is provided correspondingly to an ordinal number K which is an integer representing an order. The device (300) has a permutation proof commitment unit (310) which, on receiving a commitment public key and a permutation storage commitment containing a permutation proof text made by first to (κ−1)-th integrated shuffle validity proving devices from outside, encrypts a permutation proof commitment created by adding a permutation proof text made by the κ-th integrated shuffle validity proving device to the received permutation storage commitment with the commitment public key and sends the encrypted permutation proof commitment to the outside.
US08009826B2 Cryptoanalysis method and system
In a cellular interception system, an information processing method for converting information of several cellular-network wireless messages from a first encrypted format under a session key, where each message is encrypted by a cellular ciphering algorithm chosen out of a collection of one or more cellular ciphering algorithms under the session key, to a second unencrypted format comprising: (A) divide the messages in the first format into two sets; the first set containing messages encrypted under the same encryption algorithm, and a second set containing the remaining messages. (B) subject the messages in the first set to a ciphertext-only cryptanalysis of a cellular encryption algorithm to recover the session key. (C) for each message in the second set, subject the message together with the recovered session key to the corresponding cellular ciphering algorithm to receive the message's information in the second format.
US08009816B2 Arranging subscriber billing in telecommunication system
The invention relates to a method and a system implementing the method for arranging subscriber billing in a multi-provider environment wherein a subscriber desiring a service uses both a first network (A) and a second network (T). In order to bill the subscriber, either a tariff of the second network (T) is transmitted to the first network (A), a tariff of the first network is combined with the tariff of the second network and the subscriber is billed according to the combined tariff, or a billing identifier is generated in the first network (A) to be transmitted to the second network (T), the billing identifier is attached to billing information in both networks and the pieces of the billing information that comprise the same billing identifier are combined in order to bill the subscriber. The invention thus enables a subscriber in a multi-provider environment to be billed using a single bill.
US08009811B2 Testing and quality assurance of interactive voice response (IVR) applications
A system receives a condition for an interactive voice response (IVR) application, automatically tests the IVR application based on the received condition, and generates a test result based on the automatic testing of the IVR application.
US08009808B2 System and method for maintaining a translations database to effect call control at a remote terminal
A call control system comprising a control module, a translations database and a switching fabric are connected to a trunk group between a remote terminal and its controlling local switching office. The call control system monitors control signals from the switching office on the trunk. In the event of loss of control signals, the call control system intercepts requests for service, etc. from a calling telephone connected to the remote terminal and performs a look up in the translation database. If the call can be completed without the controlling switching office the call is looped back to the remote terminal. The translation database is maintained by a remote terminal OA&M interface that receives change orders from the local exchange carrier. The remote terminal OA&M interface forwards relevant changes to the call control system's translation database.
US08009804B2 Dose calculation method for multiple fields
Systems and methods for developing a treatment plan for irradiating a treatment volume within a patient are disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, control points used to calculate a dose of radiation delivered to the treatment volume may be combined to result in a smaller number of control points. The smaller number of control points may allow more efficient calculation of dose distributions resulting in a treatment plan that can be delivered to the patient earlier or may allow additional iterations of treatment plan optimization resulting in a more accurate dose distribution being delivered to the patient.
US08009802B2 Method and apparatus to facilitate supplementing a dose-volume histogram constraint using an adaptive dose-volume histogram constraint
One provides a first dose-volume histogram (DVH) constraint as pertains to controlling localized excessive-radiation dosage with respect to a particular treatment volume. One then automatically determines whether to supplement this constraint by using an adaptive DVH constraint. These teachings will accommodate determining whether to supplement the first DVH constraint, at least in part, by determining whether a user has specified such supplementation (using, for example, a corresponding user interface) by, for example, placing at least one DVH constraint such that the constraint corresponds to a volume fraction at a range boundary.
US08009794B2 Methods, apparatus, and computer-program products for increasing accuracy in cone-beam computed tomography
Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-product programs for increasing accuracy in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) by obscuring portions of the radiation source so that the radiation only passes through the specific areas of the patient related to the regions-of-interest to the doctor. The obscuring action causes less radiation scattering to occur in the patient's body, thereby reducing a major source of error in the image accuracy caused by scattered radiation. Scattered radiation received by detector pixels that are obscured by direct-line of sight radiation may be used to estimate the scattered radiation in the un-obscured portion, which can be used to further increase the accuracy of the image.
US08009790B2 Debris Trap
A debris trap catches debris falling through a fuel bundle orifice in a nuclear reactor. The debris trap includes a shaft and a debris capture tray attached to an end of the shaft. The debris capture tray includes a tray cavity sized larger than the fuel bundle orifice.
US08009789B2 Storage device for storing and transporting nuclear fuel assemblies
The invention relates to a storage device (1) for storing and transporting nuclear fuel assemblies, the device comprising a plurality of adjacent compartments, each having a lateral wall and being capable of receiving a nuclear fuel assembly, the lateral walls being made using notched structural units (6a, 6b) that are stacked and crisscrossed. According to the invention, each unit (6a, 6b) comprises two spaced-apart flats (16, 18) made of a neutrophage material, as well as an intermediate structure (119) situated between the flats (16, 18) and in contact with them.
US08009786B2 Method for agile region and band conscious frequency planning for wireless transceivers
A technique for agile region and band conscious frequency planning for wireless transceivers in which a comparison frequency is selected for generating a local oscillator signal. The comparison frequency (Fcomp) is selected for a frequency band of a particular communication standard or protocol, in order not to introduce harmonic components of the selected comparison frequency in a transmitted signal from the wireless device that generates spurious emissions restricted by the particular communication protocol or another protocol. The Fcomp selection may also take into consideration restrictive region-specific criteria for out-of band spurious emissions.
US08009778B2 Quantized channel state information prediction in multiple antenna systems
A CSI vector quantizer (VQ) system is provided for time-correlated channels. The VQ system operates a receiver forwarding quantized channel state information in the form of indices and a transmitter predicting channel state change. The VQ system is aimed at feedback channels, in which bit errors, erasures and delays can occur. The VQ system uses transmitter-side channel prediction algorithms that work with the quantized CSI information and allow the system to recover from feedback channel transmission errors, erasures and delays. Moreover, the techniques can be used to lower the required feedback rate, while keeping the system's throughput at the required level.
US08009776B2 Television reciever with automatic gain control (AGC)
A radio frequency (RF) signal is attenuated using first (220) and second (241) attenuation elements. In one embodiment an initial overall attenuation of the RF signal is set using both the first (220) and second (241) attenuation elements during a calibration period. The initial overall attenuation of the RF signal is adjusted using only the first attenuation element during a normal operation period. In another embodiment the initial overall attenuation is determined and is provided using either, only the first attenuation element (220) or both the first attenuation element (220) and the second attenuation element (241) based on a value of the initial overall attenuation.
US08009771B2 Interference reduction in a communication signal
The invention concerns the reduction of interference in a communication signal sent through a communication channel, where this interference is a performance limiting factor. The communication channel is any channel that can be described with memory elements. A Soft Input Soft Output receiver of a communication signal receives the communication signal and a priori information about the communication signal. Next creating candidate vectors having 1 to K samples by iteratively drawing samples using Gibbs sampling and using the a priori information. If a drawn kth sample of a candidate vector has not changed value for a predetermined number of created candidate vectors, then the value of the drawn kth sample is changed.
US08009769B2 Method and a device for decoding slice codes
A method and a device (20) for decoding a frame capable of being split into p sub-frames each consisting of k information symbols, a first n−k redundant symbols and a last n−k redundant symbols. The decoding process uses two individual decoders (21, 23) which concurrently produce extrinsic data (Extr1i, Extr2i) respectively concerning information symbols and interleaved information symbols. The values of the extrinsic data (Extr1i, Extr2i) are refined by cross-feedback of said data to the input of the decoders (21, 23).
US08009765B2 Digital polar transmitter
A digital polar transmitter includes a baseband processor configured to receive an input signal and to convert the input signal into a baseband amplitude component and a baseband phase component. The transmitter also includes a phase modulator in communication with the baseband processor. The phase modulator is configured to modulate an RF carrier signal based on the phase component and to generate a phase-modulated RF carrier signal. A power amplifier is provided in communication with the baseband processor and the phase modulator. The power amplifier is configured to amplify the phase-modulated RF carrier signal based on the baseband amplitude component and to generate an amplified RF signal. The transmitter also includes a digital feedback loop in communication with the power amplifier and the baseband processor. The digital feedback loop is configured to detect the amplified RF signal and to provide a digital amplitude feedback signal and a detected phase feedback signal to the baseband processor.
US08009761B2 Unified modulator for continuous phase modulation and phase-shift keying
A “unified” modulator for multiple modulation schemes (e.g., GMSK and 8PSK) is described. The waveform for each modulation scheme is generated based on a set of one or more pulse shaping functions. The waveforms for all supported modulation schemes may be generated based on a composite set of all the different pulse shaping functions. The unified modulator includes a filter for each pulse shaping function in the composite set. To generate the waveform for a selected modulation scheme, the set of one or more filters for this modulation scheme is enabled and all other filters are disabled. The outputs from all enabled filters are summed to generate a modulator output. When switching between modulation schemes, a smooth transition may be obtained by (1) providing a suitable data pattern for each filter to be enabled or disabled and (2) generating symbols for the new modulation scheme with an appropriate initial phase.
US08009760B2 Method for receiving control information in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing system of mobile communication system
The present invention relates to receiving control information in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system of a mobile communication system. The present invention includes receiving information related to a number of OFDM symbols in a subframe for receiving first control information, receiving information related to a number of OFDM symbols in the subframe for receiving second control information, decoding the first control information according to the received information related to the number of OFDM symbols in the subframe for receiving the first control information, and decoding the second control information according to the received information related to the number of OFDM symbols in the subframe for receiving the second control information, wherein the number of OFDM symbols for receiving the first control information is less than or equal to the number of OFDM symbols for receiving the second control information.
US08009756B2 Peak suppressing and restoring method, transmitter, receiver, and peak suppressing and restoring system
A peak suppressing and restoring method includes suppressing a peak of a signal, starting suppression when a suppression start value is lower than a suppression target value, using a function of a gain characteristic such that a peak amplitude value attains the suppression target value, and restoring the suppressed peak of the signal using an inverse function of the function of the gain characteristic.
US08009746B2 Uplink signal receiving method and apparatus using successive interference cancellation in wireless transmission system based on OFDMA
An uplink signal receiving method and apparatus using successive interference cancellation (SIC) in a wireless transmission system based on Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) are provided. The uplink signal receiving method includes storing in a provisional storage each uplink intermediate frequency (IF) signal received through an antenna of a base station and subjected to analog-to-digital conversion; analyzing the uplink IF signals stored in the provisional storage and determining a terminal to be restored; converting a data symbol of the determined terminal to be restored from a time domain into a frequency domain; performing channel/phase correction on the converted data symbol; demodulating the corrected data symbol; determining if there is a terminal to be restored; and when there is a terminal to be restored, removing the demodulated data symbol of the terminal to be restored from the temporarily stored uplink IF signals and then updating the uplink IF signals; thereby, to reducing interference between sub-carriers of the terminals caused by deviation of a center frequency of the sub-carriers of terminals constituting the uplink signal in the OFDMA-based wireless transmission system.
US08009743B2 Method and system for powering a device using a data communications signal line
A system and method for transferring power using a data communications signal line. The data communications signal line is in a high impedance powerless state when idle. A main device is electrically coupled to the data communications signal line. The main device generates and transmits a signal on the data communications signal line. The signal includes power generation and non-power generation characters. A peripheral device is electrically coupled to the data communications signal line. The peripheral device has a functional unit arranged to perform a desired function for the peripheral device. A power conversion module is electrically coupled to the data communications signal line and receives the signal. The power conversion module converts power from the received signal to a form suitable for storage. A controller is in electrical communication with the functional unit and the power conversion module. The controller receives the power generation and non-power generation characters, strips the power generation characters from the signal and transmits the non-power generation characters to the functional unit.
US08009737B2 Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding with reduced requirements for division operations
A method and apparatus for performing motion estimation in a digital video system is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that quickly calculates estimated motion vectors in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, a first multiplicand is determined by multiplying a first display time difference between a first video picture and a second video picture by a power of two scale value. This step scales up a numerator for a ratio. Next, the system determines a scaled ratio by dividing that scaled numerator by a second first display time difference between said second video picture and a third video picture. The scaled ratio is then stored calculating motion vector estimations. By storing the scaled ratio, all the estimated motion vectors can be calculated quickly with good precision since the scaled ratio saves significant bits and reducing the scale is preformed by simple shifts.
US08009736B2 Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding with reduced requirements for division operations
A method and apparatus for performing motion estimation in a digital video system is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that quickly calculates estimated motion vectors in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, a first multiplicand is determined by multiplying a first display time difference between a first video picture and a second video picture by a power of two scale value. This step scales up a numerator for a ratio. Next, the system determines a scaled ratio by dividing that scaled numerator by a second first display time difference between said second video picture and a third video picture. The scaled ratio is then stored calculating motion vector estimations. By storing the scaled ratio, all the estimated motion vectors can be calculated quickly with good precision since the scaled ratio saves significant bits and reducing the scale is performed by simple shifts.
US08009733B2 Moving picture coding method and a moving picture decoding method
A moving picture coding apparatus includes a motion estimation unit (101) for performing motion estimation by fixing the one of two reference pictures as a reference picture indicated by an inputted default reference picture number DefRefNo and a variable length coding unit (107) for performing variable length coding on coded residual data ERes, a prediction type PredType, a reference picture number RefNo2 and motion vectors MV1, MV2 on a block-by-block basis, and outputting them as coded moving picture data Str.
US08009732B2 In-loop noise reduction within an encoder framework
An apparatus and method are described for filtering noise internally within a video encoding framework. In various embodiments of the invention, an in-loop noise filter is integrated within an encoding device or framework that reduces noise along a motion trajectory within a digital video signal. This integration of in-loop noise reduction allows both noise filtering parameters and encoding parameters to be more easily related and adjusted. The in-loop noise filter leverages characteristics of digital video encoding processes to reduce noise on a video signal and improve encoding efficiencies of a codec.
US08009722B2 Multi-pass parameter estimation for G-Rake receiver
In a parametric G-Rake receiver, a method an apparatus computes initial estimates of one or more scaling parameters and initial combining weights for the parametric G-Rake receiver; estimates the SINR of a received signal based on a mean pilot symbol estimate and the initial combining weights; computes revised estimates for one or more scaling parameters based on the estimated SINR and the initial combining weights; and computes revised combining weights based on one or more revised scaling parameter estimates.
US08009714B2 Laser diode and semiconductor light-emitting device producing visible-wavelength radiation
A laser diode includes a substrate having a lattice constant of GaAs or between GaAs and GaP, a first cladding layer of AlGaInP formed on the substrate, an active layer of GaInAsP formed on the first cladding layer, an etching stopper layer of GaInP formed on the active layer, a pair of current-blocking regions of AlGaInP formed on the etching stopper layer so as to define a strip region therebetween, an optical waveguide layer of AlGaInP formed on the pair of current-blocking regions so as to cover the etching stopper layer in the stripe region, and a second cladding layer of AlGaInP formed on the optical waveguide layer, wherein the current-blocking regions having an Al content substantially identical with an Al content of the second cladding layer.
US08009702B2 Method and arrangement for local sychronization in master-slave distributed communication systems
A communication system which consists of several modules—operating in parallel on segments of a packet—to increase speed and handling capacity. One module acts as master, the others are slave modules controlled by control signals derived by the master module. It is important that in each module the data segment and the respective control signal of each packet are correctly synchronized, because in large systems the data paths carrying packet segments and the control signal paths may have substantially different delays. The invention provides for measurement of the propagation delay differences and for introducing a controlled delay in each slave module, so that data segments and control signals can be correctly correlated by delaying either the one or the other. Synchronization packets are transmitted besides normal data packets, for obtaining time stamps which are used to determine the delay difference.
US08009701B2 Secondary synchronization codebook for E-utran
Providing for secondary synchronization encoding utilizing a primary synchronization channel (P-SCH)-related scrambling code is described herein. Scrambled secondary synchronization codes (SSCs) can be assigned to multiple base stations of a radio access network (RAN). By way of example, PSC-based scrambling codes can be created from a plurality of M-sequences generated from a common polynomial expression. Further, an SSC codebook is provided that selects sequence pairs of a sequence matrix for generating SSCs. Selection can be based on transmission characteristics of resulting SSCs, providing reduced interference in planned, semi-planned and/or unplanned mobile deployments.
US08009695B2 System and method for dynamically swapping master and slave PHYs to allow asymmetry in energy efficient ethernet
A system and method for dynamically swapping master and slave physical layer devices (PHYs) in energy efficient Ethernet (EEE). A physical layer communication mechanism can be used to dynamically reassign the master/slave assignments to facilitate the asymmetric application of EEE to a link.
US08009691B2 Method for transmitting/responding paging information for dual-mode access terminal and device and method for network switching according to network indication
Provided is a method for transmitting 1x paging information through an HRPD network and responding to the 1x paging information by a dual-mode MS/AT. After the MS/AT turns to an HRPD network and informs an MSC of related information, if some 1x paging information arrives, the MSC sends a message indicating 1x service arrival to the PCF. An HRPD AN bears the 1x service arrival message that carries calling information sent from the PCF in the 1x service packet to send to the MS/AT. If the user, receiving the 1x service arrival message, chooses to accept a 1x call, the MS/AT terminates the service in the HRPD network and turns to the 1x network to send a “paging response” message to a 1x BS.
US08009684B2 High capacity ring communication network
A method for communication includes configuring a plurality of ring nodes to communicate over a communication network that includes two or more overlapping communication rings, each ring including two unidirectional ringlets in mutually-opposite directions. A data packet including one or more header fields is accepted at an ingress ring node. An egress ring node to which the data packet is to be forwarded by the ingress ring node is determined. A subset of the rings including one or more common rings that are connected to both the ingress and egress ring nodes is identified. A ringlet of a ring among the one or more common rings is selected responsively to a respective value of at least one of the header fields of the packet. The data packet is forwarded from the ingress ring node to the egress ring node over the selected ringlet.
US08009676B2 Dynamically providing a quality of service for a mobile node
Providing a quality of service for a mobile node includes facilitating a communication session for the mobile node. A quality of service decision factor of a context of the communication session is established. A quality of service associated with the quality of service decision factor is identified. Whether to provide the quality of service to the mobile node for the context is determined.
US08009675B2 Method and a system for providing a certain quality of service to a mobile station in a mobile communication system
A method and a system are disclosed for providing a certain quality of service to a user-device within a mobile telecommunication system. The telecommunication system comprises one or several user-registers linked to a user-device, and one or several priority-tables associated with an area covered by the telecommunication system. A user-register is compared with a priority-table when a user-device linked to said user register enters the area associated with said priority-table. The user-device can then be provided with a certain quality of service depending on a possible correspondence between the user-register and the priority-table.
US08009674B2 Transport networks supporting virtual private networks, and configuring such networks
A layer 2 transport network, and components thereof, supporting virtual network functionality among customer edge devices. Virtual private network configuration can be accomplished with merely local intervention by preprovisioning extra channel (or circuit) identifiers at each customer edge device and by advertising label base and range information corresponding to a list of channel (or circuit) identifiers.
US08009671B2 Multicast method and multicast routing method
A multicast method includes joining a multicast group and forwarding a multicast data packet; during joining the multicast group, establishing multicast forwarding instruction information identified by a MFEC, on a network node of a distribution tree or a distribution sub-tree to which the MFEC pertains; and during forwarding the multicast data packet, forwarding multicast data packets of the same MFEC, according to the multicast forwarding instruction information. The invention further discloses a multicast method, including: classifying a collection of multicast data packets forwarded in the same mode into a MFEC; statically configuring multicast forwarding instruction information identified by the MFEC on a network node of a distribution tree or a distribution sub-tree to which the MFEC pertains; and forwarding the multicast data packets of the same MFEC, according to the multicast forwarding instruction information. The invention further discloses a multicast routing method.
US08009665B2 DSL system
Methods, techniques, computer program products, apparatus, devices, etc., used in connection with DSL Management Interfaces, significantly improve the management capabilities of a DSL network and/or improve testing relating to DSL equipment and services by permitting better control and operation of a DSL system, including implementation of timestamping for more accurate measurement, monitoring and control of a system. Timestamping further allows customized data collection techniques, where a DSL line can be measured or monitored at intervals whose frequency depends on the line's stability. Moreover, data parameter read and control parameter write operations are presented in conjunction with the use of timestamping. Also, control and operation of a DSL system is enhanced by implementing bit-loading that minimizes, eliminates or otherwise mitigates the amount by which the SNR margin per tone exceeds a maximum SNR margin quantity, where such bit-loading can be selected through an appropriate interface.
US08009664B2 Method for exchanging media description information between user agents using session initiation protocol
A method for exchanging media description information between user agents using a session initiation protocol (SIP) comprises the steps of: providing information on an OS and sound module of a first user agent so that the first user agent generates, in a media description field of a session description protocol (SDP), an SIP message including the information on the OS and sound module of the first user agent, and sends it to a second user agent; and setting a processing format for voice data of the second user agent so that the second user agent determines the voice data format supportable by the first user agent from the information on the OS and sound module of the first user agent, compares it with the voice data format supportable by the second user agent, and sets a format commonly supportable by the first and second user agents as the voice data format of the second user agent.
US08009654B2 Spread spectrum communication device and spread spectrum communication method
In a compressed mode, a spread spectrum communication device interleaves bit units across multiple frames using an interleaver, reduces the spreading factor using a framing/spreading unit, outputs the compressed mode frames at a predetermined compressed mode frame timing, and increases the average transmission power in the compressed mode at a radio frequency transmitter. Furthermore, a handover between different frequencies is carried out by establishing synchronization to another frequency carrier, based on a first search code and a second search code which have been detected, and moreover, a handover between different communication systems is carried out by establishing synchronization to a GSM, based on an FCCH and a SCH which have been detected.
US08009641B2 Device configuration apparatus, system, and method
A method for configuring a device for communication is disclosed. In the method the device accesses a communication network where after it may be detected at a network element that the device needs to be provided with at least one configuration parameter. Information regarding the at least one configuration parameter is then determined and sent to the device. The device can then be configured in accordance with information received from the network element.
US08009639B2 Feedback control in an FDD TDD-CDMA system
Active control feedback between a base station and user equipment in a wireless communications network is achieved by allocating a first time slot within a frame for a UE to transmit a beacon signal to the base station, where the beacon signal is separate from data signals in the frame, allocating a second time slot within the frame for the base station to transmit a control signal in response to the beacon signal, and allocating other timeslots for the base station to operate in full duplex FDD mode. The control signal provides a basis upon which the UE adjusts a transmission parameter, such as power.
US08009634B2 Apparatus and method for reducing other-cell interference in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for avoiding interference in a broadband wireless communication system using FCS are provided. The apparatus and method include a receiver for monitoring channel statuses of neighbor cells using signals received from the neighbor cells, an active set generator for generating an active set according to at least one of the channel statuses of the neighbor cells, loads of the neighbor cells, and a performance gain from the neighbor cells, and a BS selector for selecting a serving cell from the active set according to the channel statuses of cells included in the active set. Accordingly, interference is reduced and reception performance is improved.
US08009632B1 Method and system for use in a connected state handoff of an access terminal
A method of sending reset message sequence number is provided. During a connected state handoff of an access terminal (AT) between a source access network (AN) and a target AN, the source AN sends a reset message sequence number of the AT to the target AN. The source AN adds the reset message sequence number of the AT to the message sent to the target AN. Thereby, the problem in the existing systems that the source AN cannot send the reset message sequence number of the AT to the target AN and, thus, the target AN cannot perform a reset process on the AT when the AT is switched from the source AN to the target AN, is solved. An access network (AN) and a communication system are also provided.
US08009623B2 Base station, user apparatus and method for use of multiple sizes of resource blocks
A base station includes a scheduler at least determining a resource block assigned to a data channel, a transmitted signal generation unit generating a signal to transmit the data channel in accordance with scheduling information supplied from the scheduler, a transmission unit transmitting the signal to a user apparatus, and a resource block size adjustment unit adjusting a size of the resource block.
US08009622B2 Method and apparatus for improved single cell adaption due to change in environment
A communication method for use in a wireless communications network is proposed, said method comprising the steps of—monitoring at least one property representative of the channel variability in time and/or frequency, for each of at least two channels in the cell, used to communicate with said at least two user terminals; —using the result of the monitoring to control, by a control node in the network or in one of the user terminals, the communication in the cell. The control of the communication may include artificially inducing time selectivity and/or frequency selectivity or selecting an operating mode for the cell.
US08009621B2 Radio communication system, method and base station with controlled transmission rate
The radio terminal 10 includes a communication unit 11 configured to transmit a happy bit to the base station. The base station 100 includes: a comparison unit 126 configured to compare a priority class assigned to a control target terminal with a priority class assigned to a comparison target terminal; a first determination unit 127 configured to determine whether a happy bit rate is lower than a predetermined threshold; and a scheduling unit 120a configured to transmit, to the control target terminal, transmission rate decrease data for decreasing the transmission rate, when the priority class assigned to the control target terminal is lower than the priority class assigned to the comparison target terminal and when the happy bit rate is lower than the predetermined threshold.
US08009616B2 Radio access method, radio base station and radio terminal
A radio terminal receives a directional multibeam from a radio base station and obtains each of correlation between orthogonal code series of the received directional multibeam and its own orthogonal code series to determine an orthogonal code series having the highest autocorrelation and further advertises orthogonal code series identification information identifying this orthogonal code series to the radio base station through an uplink physical channel. In comparison with a previous technique, this can shorten the time to be taken until the radio base station recognizes an orthogonal code series having the highest autocorrelation and a satisfactory reception condition in the radio terminal. Thus, it is possible to increase the speed of the loop control between the radio base station and the radio terminal, thereby improving the throughput of a channel to be used for the transmission of user data.
US08009615B2 Multi-hop ad-hoc wireless networks that support non-multi-hop wireless terminals
An apparatus and methods are disclosed that enable a non-multi-hop wireless terminal (i.e., a wireless terminal that has not been programmed to participate in multi-hop ad-hoc wireless networks) to in fact participate in a multi-hop ad-hoc wireless network, without any changes to the non-multi-hop terminal's software or hardware. In the illustrative embodiment, a wireless terminal T that already belongs to a multi-hop ad-hoc wireless network is assigned to a non-multi-hop wireless terminal W, and a signal is transmitted to terminal W that induces terminal W to use terminal T as a relay for transmitting messages. The assignment of multi-hop-capable terminals in the network to non-multi-hop terminals can be based on a variety of factors, such as signal strengths and the geo-locations of terminals.
US08009610B2 Communication platform and method for packet communication between a service provider and a radio communication device
The present invention relates to a communication platform for packet communication between at least one service provider in a first network and a radio communication device in a second network, the second network comprises a first network node provided to, at least partly, handle communication between the radio communication device and a gateway located in the second network. The gateway is provided to handle communication between the second network and the communication platform, and the communication platform is provided to collect first data information relating to the radio communication device and second data information relating to a service provider application connected to the radio communication device through the communication platform. The communication platform is further provided to relate the first and second data information to each other to generate a user record specifying usage characteristics for usage of the service provider application by the radio communication device.
US08009607B2 Method and apparatus for uplink transmission timing in a mobile communications system
A radio network provides centralized load control in order to control uplink interference in a cell while at the same time permitting adaptation to fast channel variations. The radio network sends to a mobile terminal a percentage of time that the mobile terminal may transmit over a radio channel in the uplink direction to the radio network. The mobile determines a current or future condition of the radio channel and restricts uplink transmissions based on the received percentage and the radio channel condition. Transmissions are restricted to times when the current or future condition is favorable up to the percentage amount. Channel condition favorability may be determined by the mobile station, in one example embodiment, by comparing the radio channel condition to an average condition of the channel, such as a local or moving average channel condition. Also in an example embodiment, the mobile may determine a current or future channel condition using transmit power control commands received from the radio network.
US08009605B1 Low power, programmable modem for software defined radio applications
A device reconfigurable to support communication using different communication technologies is provided. The device includes, but is not limited to, a plurality of communication processing modules and a switching interface. The switching interface couples to the plurality of communication processing modules. An instruction set is written into the device to select one or more communication processing module of the plurality of communication processing modules to connect using the switching interface. One or more of the communication processing modules may be programmable. The instruction set may include programmable parameters and/or programming instructions for the one or more programmable communication processing modules. As a result, the device is reprogrammable and reconfigurable to process different communication signals while utilizing less power than conventional designs.
US08009598B2 Method and system of radio resource allocation for mobile MIMO-OFDMA
This patent discloses a method and a system of radio resource allocation for a mobile MIMO-OFDMA system, the method comprising the steps of: generating a diagonal matrix according to a channel matrix; determining a sum capacity function associated with the diagonal matrix, a plurality of transmission powers, and a plurality of subcarrier fractions; performing a first subcarrier fraction allocation by maximizing the sum capacity function according to a predetermined user capacity condition; performing a first transmission power allocation according to the first subcarrier allocation; and performing a second subcarrier fraction allocation by maximizing the sum capacity function according to the first transmission power allocation and the predetermined user capacity condition.
US08009591B2 Automatic overlapping areas that flood routing information
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving on a first communication link at a local router all routing information at a certain level of detail for each router of multiple routers communicating in a first flooding domain. A measure of distance is determined from a particular router in the first flooding domain to the local router. It is determined whether the measure of distance exceeds a threshold. If the measure of distance exceeds the threshold, then summary routing information with less than the certain level of detail is determined for the particular router. Also, certain routing information is sent over a different second communication link at the local router. The certain routing information includes the summary information for the particular router, and all routing information at the certain level of detail for a subset of routers communicating in the first flooding domain, which subset excludes the particular router.
US08009586B2 System and method for data transfer in a peer-to peer hybrid communication network
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to transfer data directly to another endpoint.
US08009580B2 Signaling and training for antenna selection in OFDMA networks
A method selects antennas in an OFDMA wireless network including a base station and a mobile station. The mobile station measures a channel state of a downlink in a downlink subframe using different subsets of available antennas, and selects a subset of receive antennas for downlink reception based on the channel states between the base station and the different subsets of antennas at the mobile station. The base station measures the channel state in an uplink using an uplink subframe received in the base station from the mobile station, and selects a subset of transmit antennas for mobile station's uplink transmission based on the channel states between the base station and different subset of antennas at the mobile station.
US08009576B2 Transmission links
An apparatus and method is disclosed with a circuit selecting a first number of transmission channels from a plurality of transmission channels for a first number of transmission links, wherein the selection depends on channel capacities of the first number of transmission channels. A second number of transmission channels is selected from the plurality of transmission channels for a second number of transmission links, wherein the selection depends on channel capacities of the second number of transmission channels.
US08009570B2 Router device for efficient routing with congestion minimized
In a router, a receiver receives a communication packet meant for a communication destination other than this router device. A calculator calculates a cost value for forwarding a communication packet to a destination by each of neighboring routers adjacent to the router. A next-router determiner selects a neighboring router as a next router based on the cost value calculated to supply the determined information and the communication packet to a transmitter, which transmits the communication packet to the destination based on the determined information. The calculator calculates the cost value based on the node degree of the neighboring routers and the number of hops of the communication packet from the neighboring routers to the destination.
US08009567B2 System and method for improved data transmission reliability over a network
In one example embodiment, an apparatus is provided and includes a network device that identifies a data type of a payload of a data packet to be transmitted. The network device adapts one or more of data transmission rates according to the data type that was identified. A control portion of the data packet is used to identify the data type. In more specific embodiments, the data transmission rates are controlled by one or more link layer configuration parameters, which are controlled according to the identified data type of the data packet. In still other embodiments, the network device identifies data packets with payloads relating to Intra-coded picture frames (I-frames), Predicted pictures frames (P-frames), and Bi-directional predictive pictures frames (B-frames).
US08009560B2 Detecting and managing congestion on a shared network link
Technologies are described herein for detecting and managing congestion on a shared network link. A determination is made whether the shared network link is congested based on loss rate and round-trip time (RTT) between a computer and a receiver operatively coupled by the shared network link. Upon determining that the shared network link is congested, a back-off operation is performed on the computer. The back-off operation may reduce an allocated bandwidth of the computer on the shared network link by transforming a higher allocated bandwidth into a lower allocated bandwidth.
US08009557B2 Communications system, apparatus for creating a sub-channel and method therefor
A communications apparatus includes an input for receiving a data stream being transmitted from a first network node to a second network node using a main channel. A processing resource of the communications apparatus identifies data signifying an idle period within the data stream and determines whether the idle period is at least a suitable minimum duration to support initiating transmission of sub-channel data in place of at least part of the data signifying the idle period. Further, the processing resource is arranged to identify when the idle period is not of the suitable minimum duration and a need arises to transmit the sub-channel data within a predetermined period of time. In such circumstances, the processing resource sends a flow control message upstream to the first network node to halt transmissions therefrom, thereby generating the idle period of at least the suitable minimum duration.
US08009551B2 Initial pilot frequency selection
The subject invention selects a starting sub-carrier frequency group for a pilot staggering sequence to facilitate in mitigating the possibility of pilot signal collisions. In one embodiment, a randomized starting sub-carrier frequency group of the pilot is utilized in a first orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol of a frame. In another embodiment, a starting pilot sub-carrier frequency group number is determined by utilizing a random number generator such as, for example, a Pseudo-Noise (PN) sequence generator, seeded by a network identification (ID) number. In this manner, the starting sub-carrier frequency group is specific to that particular network. The subject invention also provides a more scalable system through the trading of system bandwidth for coverage.
US08009542B2 Apparatus for recording/reproducing holographic data
A holographic information recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes: a light source to emit light; a polarization conversion device to form a polarized signal beam and an orthogonal polarized reference beam; an optical path forming optical system to separate the optical paths of the signal beam and the reference beam; a focus adjustment optical system disposed on the optical path of at least one of the signal beam and the reference beam, and to vary a position of a focus of at least one of the signal beam and the reference beam in a depth direction of the holographic information storage medium; an objective lens to focus the signal beam and the reference beam in the holographic information storage medium, and form an interference pattern to record information; and a 4f relay system disposed on an optical path between the focus adjustment optical system and the objective lens.
US08009537B2 Disk inspection apparatus
A disk inspection apparatus for discriminating disks. The disk inspection apparatus has an ECC control section and a comparison section. The ECC control section measures the number of error corrections PIE and the number of error correction failures PIF in a predetermined section of the disk. The comparison section discriminates the disk as a disk with a deterioration in jitter characteristic when the minimum or the average of the PIE exceeds a first threshold value; discriminates the disk as a normal disk when the maximum of the PIF is equal to or smaller than a second threshold and the minimum or the average of the PIE is equal to or smaller than the first threshold value; and discriminates the disk as a scratched disk when the minimum or the average of the PIE is equal to or smaller than the first threshold value and the maximum of the PIF exceeds the second threshold value.
US08009508B2 Ultrasonic generator system
The system generates resonant ultrasonic vibrations, preferably in a torsional mode. A control circuit monitors, feedback signals therefrom, which are scanned to determine the frequency at which minima occur. The frequency of the ultrasonic signal is then adjusted to the frequency at which the minimum occurs.
US08009502B2 Systems, methods and devices for power control in mass storage devices
Power-backup capabilities are provided by implementing a variety of different methods, systems and devices. According to one such implementation, an energy storage circuit is powered using a variable voltage controlled to limit the current draw from a power supply, to charge the energy storage circuit for providing backup power to a solid state drive (SSD) type of data storage arrangement. Certain applications involve controlling the power draw from the power supply, in response to feedback and/or power drawn from other circuits, as may be applicable to an initial startup of the energy storage circuit and/or the initial startup of a larger system in which the energy storage circuit is employed.
US08009486B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit for generating clock signals
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a write-read clock control signal generating unit that activates a read clock control signal and a write clock control signal in response to one of a write operational mode and a read operational mode after maintaining the read clock control signal and the write clock control signal at a deactivation state in response to one of an idle mode and a refresh operational mode, and a clock buffer that generates a read clock signal and a write clock signal in response to a clock signal, the read clock control signal, and the write clock control signal.
US08009483B2 Nonvolatile memory cell and data latch incorporating nonvolatile memory cell
A nonvolatile memory cell includes: a first NMOS transistor having a floating gate; a second NMOS transistor and a third NMOS transistor connected to a drain side and a source side of the first NMOS transistor; and a first PMOS transistor and a second PMOS transistor each having the floating gate as a gate, and wherein a read signal is inputted to gates of the second and third NMOS transistors, a control gate signal is inputted to a source and an n-well of the first PMOS transistor, an erase signal is inputted to a source and an n-well of the second PMOS transistor, and a write data signal is inputted to a source of the first NMOS transistor.
US08009467B2 Magnetic random access memory
An MRAM according to the present invention has: a memory cell array; a first word line and a second word line each connected to a group of memory cells arranged in a first direction; a plurality of blocks arranged in a matrix form; a common word line connected to a group of blocks arranged in the first direction; and a bit line pair connected to a group of blocks arranged in a second direction. Each block has a plurality of memory cells, and each memory cell has a first transistor and a magnetoresistance element. Each block further has a second transistor to which the plurality of memory cells are connected in parallel. A gate of the second transistor is connected to the common word line. A gate of the first transistor is connected to the first word line. One of source/drain of the first transistor is connected to the first bit line, and the other thereof is connected to one end of the magnetoresistance element and connected to the second bit line through the second transistor. The other end of the magnetoresistance element is connected to the second word line.
US08009461B2 SRAM device, and SRAM device design structure, with adaptable access transistors
A semiconductor device includes a SRAM having a pair of MCSFETs connected as access transistors (pass gates). A design structure embodied or stored in a machine readable medium includes a SRAM having two MCSFETs connected as access transistors.
US08009457B2 Write current compensation using word line boosting circuitry
Apparatus and method for write current compensation in a non-volatile memory cell, such as but not limited to spin-torque transfer random access memory (STRAM) or resistive random access memory (RRAM). In accordance with some embodiments, a non-volatile memory cell has a resistive sense element (RSE) coupled to a switching device, the RSE having a hard programming direction and an easy programming direction opposite the hard programming direction. A voltage boosting circuit includes a capacitor which adds charge to a nominal non-zero voltage supplied by a voltage source to a node to generate a temporarily boosted voltage. The boosted voltage is applied to the switching device when the RSE is programmed in the hard programming direction.
US08009455B2 Programmable resistance memory
A memory includes a programmable resistance array with high ratio of dynamic range to drift coefficient phase change memory devices.
US08009454B2 Resistance random access memory device and a method of manufacturing the same
Provided is a resistance random access memory (RRAM) device and a method of manufacturing the same. A resistance random access memory (RRAM) device may include a lower electrode, a first oxide layer on the lower electrode and storing information using two resistance states, a current control layer made of a second oxide on the first oxide layer and an upper electrode on the current control layer.
US08009451B2 Universal power adapter/converter
A universal power adapter has an input for receiving an input voltage from a power source and an output for supplying an output voltage selected from amongst two or more preset voltages. A voltage converter circuit converts between the input voltage and the two or more preset voltages. A connector tip connectable with the output connects one of the two or more preset voltages to the output.
US08009438B2 Server infrastructure having independent backplanes to distribute power and to route signals
Embodiments of the present technique are directed to a backplane infrastructure. The backplane infrastructure may include a passive power backplane configured to distribute power and comprising a first set of alignment holes, a signal backplane configured to route interface signals and comprising a second set of alignment holes and a set of common alignment pins, each alignment pin having an axis, wherein the set of common alignment pins are inserted into the first set of alignment holes and the second set of alignment holes to align the passive power backplane and the signal backplane about the axis.
US08009424B2 Latching device and electronic device using the same
A latching device and an electronic device using the latching device are provided. The latching device is for fastening a cover assembly of the electronic device to a base assembly. The latching device includes a sliding member movably mounted in the cover assembly, a magnet fixed in the sliding member, and a hooking member pivotally fixing on the base assembly. The hooking member is made up of magnetic material. When the cover assembly is rotated to cover the base assembly, the hooking member is attracted by the magnet and hooks onto the cover assembly. When the sliding member slides, the sliding member pushes the hooking member to disengage from the cover assembly.
US08009419B2 Liquid submersion cooling system
A portable, self-contained liquid submersion cooling system that is suitable for cooling a number of electronic devices, including cooling heat-generating components in computer systems and other systems that use electronic, heat-generating components. The electronic device includes a housing having an interior space, a dielectric cooling liquid in the interior space, a heat-generating electronic component disposed within the space and submerged in the dielectric cooling liquid, and a pump for pumping the liquid into and out of the space, to and from a heat exchanger that is fixed to the housing outside the interior space. The heat exchanger includes a cooling liquid inlet, a cooling liquid outlet, and a flow path for cooling liquid therethrough from the cooling liquid inlet to the cooling liquid outlet. An air-moving device such as a fan can be used to blow air across the heat exchanger to increase heat transfer.
US08009404B2 Redundant power supply with a switchable, linear voltage regulator
A system is provided that effectively obviates shortcomings of conventional, diode-ORed, redundant power supply systems by forcing a primary power source to provide power to the system load most the time, even when the primary source provides a lower voltage than that of a secondary power source. This preferential selection of the lower-voltage primary is achieved by interposing a power switching unit between the secondary power source and the ORing diode in front of the load. The power switching unit of the illustrative embodiment comprises a voltage regulator that is regulated at a first voltage level, which is lower than the nominal output voltage level provided by the primary power source. Meanwhile, the primary power source is able to charge the secondary power source, which is a battery in the illustrative embodiment, so that the secondary power source can provide power to the load when the primary power source is either interrupted or falls below the first voltage level.
US08009402B2 Surge arrester with a cage design, and a production method for it
The invention relates to a surge arrester having a cage design, and to a method for its production. According to the invention, during extrusion-coating or encapsulation of a module comprising two end fittings (3) and a plurality of varistor blocks (1) and at least one reinforcing element (9) in order to form the outer housing (5), first through-holes (11) for the reinforcing element (9) thereof are sealed with silicone. For this purpose, second through-holes (15) are provided in the end fittings (3), through which the silicone runs during casting or spraying, and enters the through-holes (11) from the outside, in order in this way to seal them against water and moisture.
US08009396B2 Method and apparatus for ESD protection
A technique that minimizes false triggering of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit is disclosed. In an embodiment, the resistor-capacitor (RC) time constant of an ESD trigger element is reduced during normal operation minimizing the risk of false triggering. Circuit layout area is saved without the need of a timeout circuit associated with releasing a device maintaining a trigger state (i.e., a trigger latch). A RC time constant for triggering is set in an operational context according to conditions of usage and desired application of the ESD protection circuit.
US08009386B2 Magnetic tape head with magnetic head layer formed on base substrate
A magnetic tape head has a base substrate, a magnetic head layer formed on the base substrate, and a closure piece formed on the magnetic head layer. The distance from a first plane comprising a point on the tape bearing surface of the base substrate to a third plane comprising a point on the tape bearing surface of the closure piece is equal to or greater than the distance from the first plane to a second plane comprising a point on the tape bearing surface of the magnetic head layer.
US08009379B2 Method, apparatus and program storage device for dynamically adjusting the write current in each head to compensate for variation in disk drive and environmental parameters
A method, apparatus and program storage device for dynamically adjusting the write current in each head to compensate for variation in disk drive and environmental parameters is disclosed. A current in the write head is dynamically adjusted to compensate for variations in the components and environment by periodically measuring the writability of the drive and adjusting the write current such that the parameter stays within predetermined criteria.
US08009376B2 Disk drive device and method for determining data track format of the disk drive device
Embodiments of the present invention help to improve the capacity and the performance of a disk drive device. According to one embodiment, a data track pitch is set to each recording surface. The recording surfaces are divided into bands. A hard disk drive (HDD) sequentially moves a head to an adjacent data track in a band and performs a head switch at the band end in its data accessing. On a recording surface, the number of data tracks in each band is variable; and each band is constituted by different number of data tracks as necessary. The number of data tracks in each band is set so that the radial position of the band end comes close to the radial position of the corresponding band end on another recording surface. Accordingly, even if the recording surfaces have different variation rates of the data track pitch in the radial direction, increase in process time due to head switches can be suppressed.
US08009373B2 Lens actuator
A lens actuator includes a cylindrical carrier having a hollow for accommodating a lens, the hollow being formed in a first direction; a driving yoke for housing the carrier; a base for holding the yoke thereon; a driving magnet and a driving coil, which are fixed either to the outer periphery of the carrier or the driving yoke; a moving magnet fixed to the driving yoke; and a moving coil fixed to the base. The carrier is movable with respect to the driving yoke in the first direction, and the driving yoke is movable with respect to the base in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The driving magnet and the driving coil face each other in the second direction, and the moving magnet and the moving coil face each other in the first direction.
US08009372B2 Lens driving device
A lens driving device comprises an annular magnet carriage acting as the outer frame of the lens driving device. A magnet and a coil are disposed in the annular magnet carriage. A lens holder with a lens is disposed in the central circular hole of the annular magnet carriage. A front spring with front gasket is disposed in front of the lens holder, and a rear springs with rear gasket is disposed in back of the lens holder. The annular magnet carriage, the front spring, the rear spring, the front gasket, the rear gasket, the lens holder, and the base are all in the shape of flat plate and nested connect with each other to form a position mechanism.
US08009366B2 Super wide-angle lens
A small-sized super wide-angle lens for a solid-state image sensor that is suitable for a digital input apparatus such as a monitoring camera and an onboard camera, which is excellent in terms of optical performance and is low in terms of cost. The super wide-angle lens includes, in order from an object side thereof: a first lens with a negative refractive power; a second lens with a negative refractive power; a third lens with a positive refractive power; and a fourth lens with a positive refractive power. The first lens is a meniscus lens including a convex surface facing the object side. Each of the second lens and the fourth lens includes at lest one rotational-asymmetric surface.
US08009358B2 Optical system and method for use in projection systems
An optical system and method are presented to produce a desired illuminating light pattern. The system comprises a light source system configured and operable to produce structured light in the form of a plurality of spatially separated light beams; and a beam shaping arrangement. The beam shaping arrangement is configured as a diffractive optical unit configured and operable to carry out at least one of the following: (i) combining an array of the spatially separated light beams into a single light beam thereby significantly increasing intensity of the illuminating light; (ii) affecting intensity profile of the light beam to provide the illuminating light of a substantially rectangular uniform intensity profile.
US08009356B1 Tunable surface plasmon devices
A tunable extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) device wherein the tunability derives from controlled variation of the dielectric constant of a semiconducting material (semiconductor) in evanescent-field contact with a metallic array of sub-wavelength apertures. The surface plasmon resonance wavelength can be changed by changing the dielectric constant of the dielectric material. In embodiments of this invention, the dielectric material is a semiconducting material. The dielectric constant of the semiconducting material in the metal/semiconductor interfacial region is controllably adjusted by adjusting one or more of the semiconductor plasma frequency, the concentration and effective mass of free carriers, and the background high-frequency dielectric constant in the interfacial region. Thermal heating and/or voltage-gated carrier-concentration changes may be used to variably adjust the value of the semiconductor dielectric constant.
US08009340B2 Apparatus and method for recording fresnel holograms
An apparatus for producing a hologram of an object includes a light source that emits an incoherent electromagnetic wave toward the object, and a masking device configured to display a mask, receive the incoherent electromagnetic wave emitted toward the object, mask the received incoherent electromagnetic wave according to the displayed mask, and produce a masked electromagnetic wave. The apparatus also includes an image recording device configured to capture an image of the masked electromagnetic wave, and a processing device configured to convert the image of the masked electromagnetic wave into the hologram of the object. A method for producing a hologram of an object is also described.
US08009336B2 Image reading apparatus
An image reading apparatus which can reduce a change of color balance due to the exchange of the optical unit. The image reading apparatus comprises an original glass plate on which an original is placed, and an optical unit adapted to move in parallel to the original glass plate below the original glass plate, the optical unit comprising an illumination light source adapted to illuminate the original placed on the original glass plate, and a charge coupled device adapted to read the reflected light from the original placed on the original glass plate, and the optical unit being exchangeable with a spare optical unit. The image reading apparatus retains thickness information of the original glass tableplate. The spare optical unit retains change information of an image resolution of the image reading apparatus due to a change of an optical path length of the spare optical unit replacing the optical unit.
US08009335B2 Image-reading processing apparatus, image reading apparatus, and image-reading processing method
An image-reading processing apparatus is connected to an image reading apparatus being capable of reading both surface images of a document, including a storage unit and a control unit, wherein the control unit includes a double-face reading control unit that controls the image reading apparatus to scan both the surfaces of the document, a coordinate acquiring unit that acquires a coordinate group of a position serving as an edge candidate of the document based on a grayscale value in image data of each of the surfaces read by the double-face reading control unit, a straight line detecting unit that detects a straight line group corresponding to an edge portion of the document based on the coordinate group acquired by the coordinate acquiring unit, a straight line inverting unit that inverts the straight line group detected by the straight line detecting unit, and a straight line selecting unit that determines the straight line group suitable for the edge portion from the document in the straight line group detected by the straight line detecting unit on one surface and the straight line group inverted by the straight line inverting unit on the other surface to select the straight line group.
US08009331B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus comprises an inner discharge part which discharges a recording sheet on which an image has been formed, a size determining unit which determines whether or not a size of the recording sheet to be discharged in the inner discharge part is smaller than a predetermined size, and a notification unit which indicates that the size of the recording sheet is smaller than the predetermined size based on a determination by the size determining unit.
US08009323B2 Image forming apparatus with sheet-handling device preparatory operation control
An image forming apparatus which is capable of bringing processing devices, such as sheet feed devices and post-processing devices connected respectively to the image forming apparatus, into operable states in timing optimal for carrying out an image forming job, thereby improving productivity and operation rate of the image forming apparatus as well as saving energy. A print job is analyzed to determine at least one sheet feed device and at least one post-processing device to be used in executing the print job, and states of the determined devices are checked to determine at least one of the sheet feed device and the post-processing device to be caused to start a preparatory operation in advance before the print job is executed. Power supply to the at least one of the sheet feed device and the post-processing device is turned on in timing such that the preparatory operation is completed in time for the start of execution of the print job.
US08009319B2 Image formation device, image formation system and image processing program storage medium
There is provided an image formation device including: a receiving section, which receives content information of a printing object from a content recording server via a network; a judgement section, which judges a category of the received content information; a specification section, which specifies a printing method and printing parameter in accordance with the judged category; and a printing section, which prints the printing object with the printing method in accordance with the specified printing parameter.
US08009315B2 Information management apparatus and method, image forming system apparatus and method, and computer readable medium and computer data signal for document information
An information management apparatus comprises: an assignment unit that uniquely assigns a region on an imaginary plane for a page of a document that is output by an image forming apparatus; a receiving unit that receives a request for assignment by the assignment unit, and identification information that identifies the document; a notification unit that notifies the image forming apparatus of coordinate values in a region assigned by the assignment unit, as coordinate values expressed on the document image of the page using a predetermined code; a storage unit that stores, for each region assigned by the assignment unit, region information that indicates the region and the identification information, the region information and the identification information being stored associated with each other; and a search unit that, when a coordinate value is input, searches for the identification information associated with the region that includes the coordinate value in the storage unit.
US08009313B2 Online image customization and printing on merchandise
Disclosed herein is a computer implemented method and system for customizing an image to be printed on a printable surface of an item selected by a user. The user submits an image on a host website. The user selects at least one of multiple image filters provided on the host website. The user adjusts settings of the selected image filters to be applied on the image. The user may also set transparency of one or more colors of the image. The colors are selected from a palette comprising the colors of the image. The user customizes the image using the adjusted settings of the selected image filters. The host website regenerates the customized image for each of the adjusted settings. The user selects an item on the host website and customizes external attributes of the item. The customized image is then printed on the printable surface of the selected item.
US08009312B2 Appropriate printer selection simulation system, ink consumption amount simulation device, and cost server
An appropriate printer selection simulation system for selecting an appropriate printer providing more expressive output with lower running cost is disclosed. The system includes a user terminal, a printer, and a server connected to each other via a network. The printer includes an e-mail generating unit extracting printer information including the ink consumption amount with respect to the printer and generating e-mail including the extracted printer information, and an e-mail transmitting unit transmitting the e-mail generated by the e-mail generating unit to the server. The server includes a cost report generating unit generating the cost report indicating that the cost of the ink consumption amount when a color copy is printed in color is less than the cost of the ink consumption amount when the color copy is printer in monochrome, and a transmitting unit transmitting the generated cost report to the user terminal.
US08009307B2 Fax handling system and method
A system and method for detecting interruptions that occur during the process of sending images of a set of source pages via facsimile transmission and determining that two separate transmissions are associated with each other. An initial fax transmission is received, and its interruption is automatically determined. The initial transmission is automatically matched with a subsequent transmission. A method for receiving one or more documents transmitted from a user via facsimile transmission which identifies and corrects an error in the document(s) received includes receiving one or more document via facsimile transmission and identifying the existence of any of a predetermined set of errors in the transmission. The identified errors are corrected through subsequent transmissions and/or manual user intervention in response to a logical set of predetermined options.
US08009299B2 Method for beam calibration and usage of a calibration body
The invention relates to a method of calibration of the beam position of a corpuscular beam. A calibration body with structures is used, wherein the structures have a structure period PS in the plain section and within each structure there is a position L intended for the measurement. For the calibration, at least one detection signal each at structures in the plain section of the calibration body is generated, wherein the corpuscular beam is deflected with deflectors on beam target positions L1 with the beam target period P1, which is larger than half of the structure period PS, whereby a basic calibration is used for the control of the deflectors, and wherein the beam target deflections deviate either in the beam target period P1 from the structure period PS and/or in the beam target position L1 from the position L.
US08009296B2 Light-phase-noise error reducer
A resonator gyroscope comprises a reference laser generator to produce a reference light; a first slave light source to produce a first slave light locked to the reference light; a second slave light source to produce a second slave light locked to the reference light; a first optical filter cavity coupled to at least one of the first and second slave light sources to filter out high-frequency fluctuations in the respective first and second slave lights; a resonator coupled to said first and second light sources, the resonator having first and second counter-propagating directions and resonance tracking electronics coupled to the resonator to generate a first beat frequency, a second beat frequency, and a third beat frequency; wherein the rotational rate of the resonator gyroscope is a function of the first, second and third beat frequencies.
US08009294B2 Chemical sensing system and method
A photo-thermal, interferometric spectroscopy system is disclosed that provides information about a chemical, such as explosives and the like, at a remote location. It may be used for solid residue detection on a surface. The system includes a novel light detector system with a matrix of optical elements focusing portions of a received light beam on input waveguides of an optical combiner. The combiner adjusts the phases of the received beam portions and combines them together to maximize the intensity of an output beam. The output beam is detected by a detector, and information about at least one of, absorption spectrum and concentration of the chemical is recovered. In the preferred embodiment the detector is a coherent detector based on 90-degrees optical hybrid.
US08009288B2 Devices and methods for dual excitation Raman spectroscopy
Spectroscopic analysis systems and methods for analyzing samples are disclosed. An analysis system may contain an electromagnetic radiation source to provide radiation, a spectroscopic analysis chamber to perform a coherent Raman spectroscopy (e.g., stimulated Raman or coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy), and a radiation detector to detect radiation based on the spectroscopy. The chamber may have a resonant cavity to contain a sample for analysis, at least one window to the cavity to transmit the first radiation into the cavity and to transmit a second radiation out, a plurality of reflectors affixed to a housing of the cavity to reflect radiation of a predetermined frequency, the plurality of reflectors separated by a distance that is sufficient to resonate the radiation. The spectroscopic analysis system may be coupled with a nucleic acid sequencing system to receive a single nucleic acid derivative in solution and identify the derivative to sequence the nucleic acid.
US08009285B2 Photomask mounting/housing device and resist inspection method and resist inspection apparatus using same
A resist inspection apparatus is provided which has a configuration in which a reticle is separated from a pellicle. A reticle cassette is made up of two pieces of plate members. A hollowed portion with a shape allowing the reticle to be inserted into the plate member. Another hollowed portion having a shape being slightly larger than that of the resist of the reticle is formed on the plate member. In the circumference of the hollowed portion is placed a pellicle frame on which a protective film is formed in a stretched manner. In the concave portion is housed in the reticle with a resist on the reticle directed toward the hollowed portion. The reticle is put in sealed space.
US08009284B2 Method for detecting electromagnetic wave
A method for detecting an electromagnetic wave includes: providing a carbon nanotube structure including a plurality of carbon nanotubes arranged along a same direction. The carbon nanotube structure is irradiated by an electromagnetic wave to be measured. The resistance of the carbon nanotube structure irradiated by the electromagnetic wave is measured.
US08009281B2 Lens module distortion measuring system and method
A lens module distortion measuring system configured to measure the distortion of a lens module including: a light source configured to emit light rays; a diffusing panel configured to diffuse the light rays; a substantially opaque shielding plate beneath the diffusing panel, the shielding plate defining a regular matrix of light-passing holes capable of allowing some of the diffused light rays to pass therethrough; an image capturing device configured to capture a image of the shielding plate as viewed through the lens module, the image comprising an array of light spots corresponding to the light-passing holes; and a computing unit electrically connected to the image capturing device and configured to analyze the light spots of the image and thereby determine the distortion of the lens module.
US08009278B2 Customizable spectral profiles for filtering
Computer program products comprising tangible computer-readable media having instructions that are executable by a computer to generate a customized spectral profile, which can be used to generate a corresponding filter. The instructions can comprise: generating a trial source spectrum; determining an uncorrected lamp source spectrum; calculating one or more optical indices using the trial source spectrum or the uncorrected lamp source spectrum; and optimizing one or more of the optical indices by varying the trial source spectrum to generate the customized spectral profile.
US08009274B2 In-die focus monitoring with binary mask
Focus monitoring for a photolithographic applications is provided by illuminating a photoresist layer with a light beam transmitted through a first binary mask to define a circuit pattern on an underlying substrate and then illuminating the photoresist layer with an unbalanced off-axis light beam transmitted through a second binary mask. The second mask contains a shifting feature configuration in one portion, while another portion blocks light transmission to the chip design area of the photoresist. After development of the photoresist layer, the pattern formed by illumination of the second mask can be compared with a predefined reference feature on the photoresist layer to determine whether a shift, if any, is within acceptable focus limits.
US08009273B2 Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method
This invention provides an exposure apparatus configured to expose a pattern of an original on a substrate through a projection optical system. The apparatus comprises a holding unit configured to hold the projection optical system, at least three anti-vibration mounts configured to support the holding unit, and at least three supporting members configured to support the at least three anti-vibration mounts respectively. The at least three supporting members are independent of each other without connecting to each other.
US08009267B2 Method of producing optical laminate and image displaying apparatus
The present invention provides a method of producing an optical laminate that can produce an optical laminate including an applied film containing a lyotropic liquid crystalline compound so that the thickness of the applied film will be approximately uniform. A method of producing an optical laminate having a base material and an applied film, comprising the step of applying a solution containing at least one kind of lyotropic liquid crystalline compound on the base material so as to form the applied film, wherein the concentration of the lyotropic liquid crystalline compound in the solution is lower than the isotropic phase—liquid crystal phase transition concentration. For example, the concentration of the lyotropic liquid crystalline compound in the solution is from (CIN−18)% by mass to (CIN−1)% by mass, where CIN represents the isotropic phase-liquid crystal phase transition concentration.
US08009264B2 Composition for photo-alignment film, photo-alignment film, and optically anisotropic medium
According to a composition for a photo-alignment film of the present invention, which includes an azo compound and a polymer that exhibits mutual solubility with the azo compound, an adhesion to a substrate, particularly to a plastic substrate, is improved within both a photo-alignment film having a haze of not more than 1 obtained by forming a layer of the above composition for a photo-alignment film on a substrate and subsequently irradiating the layer with light to generate a liquid crystal alignment ability; and an optically anisotropic medium, wherein a layer (A) obtained by irradiating a layer of the above composition for a photo-alignment film with light to generate a liquid crystal alignment ability, and a polymer layer (B) obtained by polymerizing a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group in an aligned state generated by the layer (A) are bonded and laminated together by covalent bonds.
US08009261B2 Liquid crystal display device comprising a plurality of first and second supports
A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate and a CF substrate arranged to face each other and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, wherein a plurality of first supports are arranged to extend from one of the substrates to reach the other substrate and a plurality of second supports, which are shorter than the first supports, are arranged to extend from one of the substrates to the other substrate.
US08009258B2 Display panel, method of inspecting lead bonding of display panel, and lead bonding method of display panel
A display panel including a substrate and a plurality of films for carrying chips is provided. The substrate has a display region and a non-display region located at one side of the display region. The non-display region has a plurality of pad regions, and each pad region has a plurality of first leads and at least one first displacement measuring mark disposed therein. The first displacement measuring mark is located at at least one side of all the first leads. The films for carrying chips are correspondingly sticking on the substrate. Each film for carrying chips has a plurality of second leads and at least one second displacement measuring mark. The second displacement measuring mark is located at least one side of all the second leads and is corresponding to the first displacement measuring mark. The second leads are correspondingly connected with the first leads.
US08009242B2 Backlight module and liquid crystal display utilizing same
An exemplary backlight module includes a back plate, a side bar received in the back plate, and an optical film assembly received in the back plate. The side bar includes a main body and an elastic member extending from the main body. The elastic member and the main body cooperatively define a receiving groove therebetween. The optical film assembly is received in the back plate, and has an edge portion elastically received in the receiving groove. A liquid crystal display employing the backlight module is also provided.
US08009239B2 Stereoscopic display device, system and method
A stereoscopic display device includes an inner polarizer, an outer polarizer, and a display substrate panel interposed between the inner and outer polarizers. The inner polarizer has first and second polarization regions arranged alternately and having a 90-degree polarization angle difference. The outer polarizer has third and fourth polarization regions corresponding in position to the first and second polarization regions. The third and first polarization regions have a 90-degree polarization angle difference. The fourth and second polarization regions have a 90-degree polarization angle difference. Light passing through the first polarization regions, the display substrate panel, and the third polarization regions can pass through one lens of a pair of stereoscopic glasses, whereas light passing through the second polarization regions, the display substrate panel, and the fourth polarization regions can pass through the other lens of the stereoscopic glasses.
US08009236B2 Broadcast transmission relay circuit
A transmission relay circuit, a broadcast signal relay method, and a signal detection device are disclosed. Preferably, the transmission relay circuit includes a microcontroller, a broadcast signal sensing and discerning circuit configured for determining the broadcast signal selected from a group consisting of (NTSC, ASI, DS-3, SDI, and HD-SDI signals). The method preferably includes the steps of determining a signal type, directing the signal to an analog broadcast signal processing circuit when the signal is determined to be to be an analog video signal, directing the signal to a digital broadcast signal processing circuit when the signal is either a digital video signal, or a digital video transport signal, and relaying the processed signal to a local loop provider. The detection device preferably includes at least a multi-layer printed circuit board with an isolation/buffer amplifier and terminator, and a signal detection circuit for detecting and determining the broadcast signal type.
US08009231B2 System and method of transmission and reception of progressive content with isolated fields for conversion to interlaced display
Systems and methods of coding progressive content with isolated fields for conversion to interlaced display are provided. Some systems and methods may find use in, for example, digital video compression systems and methods. Film material may be encoded as video material with an intended field polarity and an explicit 3:2 pull-down operation for interlaced display (e.g., a 30-frames-per-second display).
US08009226B2 Digital camera with improved portability and ease of use
A digital camera having a camera body, a shutter release button, a photographic optical system, a display cover, a lens/strobe flash cover, a nonskid grip pits/projection, a mode dial, operation buttons, indication lamps, a display screen, and a strobe flashing unit. When the camera is not in use, the display screen is covered by the display cover and a lens of the photographic optical system and the strobe flashing unit are covered by the lens/strobe flash cover to provide protection to such features. The lens/strobe flash cover is mechanically coupled to the display cover via a coupling mechanism such as a gear mechanism or a link mechanism or a chain/wire mechanism, or a combination of those mechanisms. An electric power switch to turn on and off an electric power supply to operate the digital camera is activated coupled to the movement of the display cover and the lens/strobe flash cover.
US08009225B2 Imaging apparatus having automatic exposure control unit
An imaging apparatus includes an automatic exposure control unit that changes an exposure value based on luminance detected by a luminance detection unit for detecting luminance of an imaging screen, and a luminance changing amount detection unit that detects a luminance changing amount in the imaging screen. A method of setting an exposure value is changed between when the luminance changing amount detected by the luminance changing amount detection unit exceeds a preset luminance changing amount and when the luminance changing amount does not exceed the preset luminance changing amount.
US08009220B2 Image reproduction apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a recording and reproducing unit which records an image data obtained by an image pickup unit on a recording medium and reproduces the image data from the recording medium; a communication unit which transmits the image data to an external device through radio communication; a power supply which supplies electric power to the communication unit; a display unit which displays an image according to the image data, a position of the display unit being arbitrarily movable; a display control unit which displays the image when the display unit is located at a second position, and inhibits the image display when the display unit is located at a first position; and a power supply control unit which stops the electric power supply to the communication unit when the display unit is located at the first position, and supplies the electric power to the communication unit when the display unit is located at the second position.
US08009219B2 Image display system, display apparatus, and display method
Disclosed herein is an image display system including a display apparatus, an imaging apparatus placed on a movable body; and a server apparatus. The display apparatus and the imaging apparatus are capable of communicating with the server apparatus. The imaging apparatus includes: an imaging section; a speed detection section; and a control section that controls transmission of image data and speed information to the server apparatus. The server apparatus includes: a movable body speed management section that manages the moving speed of the movable body using the speed information; and a control section that identifies an imaging apparatus that matches speed specification information, and causes image data to be transferred from the identified imaging apparatus to the display apparatus. The display apparatus includes: a display section; and a control section that performs a speed specification process, an image request transmission process, and a display process.
US08009215B2 Pixel sensor cell with frame storage capability
A set of frame transfer transistors are provided between a hold gate transistor and a transfer gate transistor of a CMOS image sensor to enable storage of charge generate in the photosensitive diode after exposure. The readout of the charges from the set of frame transfer transistors may be performed after a plurality of exposures of the CMOS image sensor, between each of which charges are shifted toward the transfer gate transistor within the set of frame transfer transistors. Useful operation modes are enabled including a burst mode operation for rapid capture of successive images and high dynamic range operations in which multiple images are taken with different exposure times or a large capacitance is provided by ganging the diffusions of the set of frame transfer transistors.
US08009210B2 Image processing circuit, imaging apparatus, method and program
An image processing circuit includes a plurality of memories for storing line pixels of a frame constituting an image, a specific pixel detecting unit for obtaining a luminance difference value, detecting a first minimum pixel (1), detecting a second minimum pixel (1), and detecting a second minimum pixel (2) and a pixel interpolating unit for applying filter coefficients to the observation pixel and specific pixels, obtaining a total sum of results of applying each filter coefficient to each pixel, and dividing the total sum by a total sum of filter coefficients of N×N pixels to obtain an interpolated value for the observation pixel.
US08009205B2 Imaging device and control method of imaging device
An imaging device to which a portable storage medium is attachable, includes: a portable storage medium attachment section which attaches the portable storage medium; an inside storage medium which links image data imaged to information of imaging date and time and stores the data; and a transfer control section which controls a transfer of the image data from the inside storage medium to the portable storage medium, the portable storage medium having a data area which stores the image data transferred and a system area which stores management data generated corresponding to the image data stored in the data area, the transfer control section setting time stamp information of the management data generated in the portable storage medium corresponding to the image data transferred from the inside storage medium to the portable storage medium as the information of imaging date and time linked to the image data transferred.
US08009201B2 Sensitivity-settable image capture apparatus
An image capture device includes an image pickup unit including a plurality of pixels and photoelectrically converting an object image by the plurality of pixels; a white balance control unit for performing a white balance correction processing on pixel signals from the image pickup unit; and a sensitivity changing unit for changing the sensitivity of photographing, wherein the white balance control unit performs the white balance correction processing such that, as the sensitivity increases, a response to the light source is suppressed.
US08009174B2 Processing a data array with a meandering scanning order using a circular buffer memory
A data buffering device which contains an input unit adapted to sequentially receive a two-dimensional array of data structures organized by an index pair with a first index stepwise traversing first-index values in a meandering manner defined by a first and a second meandering direction. The invention further includes a data buffering method, and a data processing method and device; each of which incorporates the above described features of the data buffering device.
US08009165B2 Three-dimensional immersive system for representing an automation control environment
A computer-implemented system for representing a production environment comprises a modeling module that creates a three-dimensional model of at least a portion of a production environment. The system also includes a view module that renders a graphical depiction of at least a portion of the three-dimensional model from a reference point that is based at least in part upon a location. Methods of using the system are also provided.
US08009156B2 Haptic sense rendering apparatus and haptic sense rendering method
A haptic sense rendering apparatus is disclosed that includes a haptic sense rendering unit, a magnet, a coil that magnetically interacts with the magnet and drives the haptic sense rendering unit, and a drive circuit that generates a drive signal for driving the haptic sense rendering unit to emphasize at least one of a drive starting operation and a drive terminating operation and supplies the generated drive signal to the coil.
US08009155B2 Output buffer of a source driver applied in a display
An output buffer and a controlling method are disclosed. The output buffer comprises an upper buffer and a lower buffer. In the controlling method, at first, a first voltage (V1) and a second voltage (V2) are applied on the upper buffer, and a third voltage (V3) and a fourth voltage (V4) are applied on the lower buffer, wherein V1>V2, V1>V4, V3>V2, and V3>V4. Then, the upper buffer is operated to output data to a plurality of pixels thereby operating the liquid crystals of the pixels over an upper supply range, wherein the upper supply range is from V1 to V2. Thereafter, the lower buffer is operated to output data to the pixels thereby operating the liquid crystals of the pixels over a lower supply range, wherein the lower supply range is from V3 to V4.
US08009145B2 Display device and an electronic apparatus using the same
In a conventional display device comprising a sub-display, the display device is increased in thickness and in the number of components as the number of displays is increased. In the present invention, a dual emission display device is used so that either surface of a display is used as a main display or a sub-display. Accordingly, the display device can be reduced in thickness and in the number of components. Further, mechanical reliability can be enhanced when the invention is applied to a tablet PC, a video camera and the like.
US08009142B2 Virtual keyboard system and control method thereof
In a device that uses a virtual keyboard, an input field and a virtual keyboard used upon data input to that field are registered in association with each other. Upon data input, the associated virtual keyboard is used. When no associated virtual keyboard is available, a virtual keyboard of the system is used.
US08009138B2 Multidimensional input device
A multidimensional input device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the multidimensional mouse comprises three sensors and a chassis. Each sensor is suitable for finger operation and capable of generating two control signals which represent motion in two degrees of freedom. The three sensors are coupled to the chassis which is suitable for a user to grasp with one hand. Thus, a user can generate six control input signals representing motion in six degrees of freedom with one hand.
US08009135B2 Display and source driver thereof
A source driver for driving a display panel includes a sample/hold circuit, a first low voltage amplifier, a second low voltage amplifier, a first multiplexer, a high voltage amplifier, a second multiplexer, and a third multiplexer. The sample/hold circuit outputs a first sampled-held voltage and a second sampled-held voltage. The first and second low voltage amplifiers receives the first and second sampled-held voltages, respectively, and generates a first and second low pixel voltage, respectively. The first multiplexer outputs one of the first and second low pixel voltages according to a polarity signal. The high voltage amplifier ,generates a high pixel voltage. The second and third multiplexers output one of the first low pixel voltage and the high pixel voltage and one of the second low pixel voltage and the high pixel voltage, respectively, to a data line according to the polarity signal.
US08009134B2 Display device
A data driver circuit is divided into a low potential region, an intermediate potential region, and a high potential region, and relative withstand voltages in the respective regions are set equal to each other. Both of the transmission of a power source voltage to the high potential region from the low potential region and the transmission of video signals are performed via the intermediate potential region. Due to such a constitution, the withstand voltages in the respective regions can be suppressed to low values.
US08009114B2 Flexible transmit/receive antenna pair using a switchable 0°/180° phase shifter
A switchable 0°/180° phase shifter on a balanced transmission line is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to an apparatus for providing 0°/180° phase shifting for a transmit/receive antenna pair including a transmit element and a receive element coupled by a balanced transmission line having two sections, the apparatus including a first section of the balanced transmission line, the first section including a first conductor and a second conductor, a second section of the balanced transmission line, the second section including a third conductor and a fourth conductor, and a switch disposed between the first section and the second section, wherein in a first configuration, the switch couples the first conductor to the third conductor and the second conductor to the fourth conductor, and in a second configuration, the switch couples the first conductor to the fourth conductor and the second conductor to the third conductor.
US08009107B2 Wideband dielectric antenna
An antenna for radiating an electromagnetic field having both linear and circular polarization includes a ground plane and a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is disposed on the ground plane and has at least one exposed surface that radiates the electromagnetic field. A first feeding element is disposed on the exposed surface for electrically exciting the dielectric layer to provide the linear polarization at a first frequency having a first effective wavelength. A second feeding element is disposed on the exposed surface for electrically exciting the dielectric layer to provide the circular polarization at a second frequency having a second effective wavelength. The feeding elements are separated by a distance greater than ⅛ wavelength of the largest of the effective wavelengths.
US08009105B2 RFID antenna and electronic product having the RFID antenna
A RFID antenna etched on a printed circuit board defined a first edge and a second edge includes a first antenna radiator, a second antenna radiator and a tag chip. The first antenna radiator located at the second edge has a first radiating portion. A first connecting portion bends outwards from an end of the first radiating portion. A second radiating portion extends from an end of the first connecting portion. A third radiating portion bends inwards from an end of the second radiating portion. The second antenna radiator has a fourth radiating portion extended along the first edge. A second connecting portion bends outwards and towards the first radiating portion from an end of the fourth radiating portion. A fifth radiating portion extends along the second edge from an end of the second connecting portion. The tag chip locates between the third radiating portion and the fifth radiating portion.
US08009103B2 Triple-band antenna
The disclosure discloses a triple-band antenna including a feed line, a first radiating body, a second radiating body and a grounding sheet. The first radiating body is a rectangular sheet. One end of the first radiating body is electrically connected with the end of the feed line. The second radiating body includes three parallel bar shape sheets extending from the first radiating body and surrounded by the first radiating body, and both share the feed line. The grounding sheet is disposed beside the feed line. The first radiating body and the second radiating body of the triple-band antenna generate three resonance frequencies according to the radio frequency received by the feed line to allow the triple-band antenna work under three different operating frequencies.
US08009100B2 Radio frequency emitter detection and location method and system
A system and method for detecting and locating a radio frequency emitter. A number, N, of receiving units using the same bandwidth, center frequency, and measurement time duration receive signals from the emitter. Higher Order Statistics (HOS) are used to calculate a correlation function between the received signals using one of the received signals as a reference. Results of the correlation function are used to form volumes of probabilities in a subset of an N−1 dimensional space of information regarding the location of the emitter. Each correlation function result in the subset corresponds to a single point in physical space.
US08009097B1 Beamforming with partial channel knowledge
A method in a transmitter for selecting steering vectors for simultaneously transmitting a plurality of streams (NS) between the transmitter and a receiver, where the receiver has NR receive antennas, where the transmitter knows respective channels associated with M receive antennas of the receiver, and where M is less than NR, includes constructing a partial channel matrix that describes a multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) channel between the transmitter and the M receive antennas, generating L independent vectors using the partial channel matrix, wherein L is a rank of the partial channel matrix, selecting a respective steering vector for each of the plurality of streams to be transmitted to the receiver, including, if NS is less than or equal to L, selecting NS of the L independent vectors as the steering vectors, and, if NS is greater than L, (i) selecting the L independent vectors as steering vectors to steer L of the plurality of streams; and (ii) selecting NS−L orthogonal vectors in a null space of the L independent vectors.
US08009096B2 Method, system and apparatus for determining antenna weighting for transmit diversity
A method, system and apparatus for determining at least one relative characteristic of a transmit diversity transmitter based on at least one quality indicator based on signals received on the plurality of antennas. In some embodiments of the invention, the relative characteristic may be a relative power or amplitude ratio and/or a phase difference between the signals transmitted on the different antennas.
US08009095B2 Antenna array and a method for calibration thereof
An antenna array (10) for the transmission of signals (20) is disclosed. The antenna array (10) comprises: a plurality of transmission paths (30-1, 30-2, 30-K) for transmitting a plurality of wanted signals (25) and at least one calibration signal generator (40-1, 40-2, 40-K) for the generation of at least one calibration signal (45). A plurality of calibration signal mixers (50-1, 50-2, 50-K) mixes the at least one calibration signal (45) with the plurality of wanted signals (25) to produce a plurality of transmission signals (20). A path sum signal device (60) sum the plurality of transmission signals (20) to produce a summed transmission signal (65); and an interference estimator (90) accepts the at least one calibration signal (45) and generates an estimated interference signal (92). An estimation signal mixer (95) subtracts from the summed transmission signal (65) the estimated interference signal (92) to produce a difference signal (97); and a on signal detection unit (70) for comparing the signal (97) with the at least one calibration signal (45).
US08009089B2 Multiple clock signal generation from a common oscillator
A system and method of providing a clock signal to a navigation satellite receiver in a device is disclosed. A clock signal generated by a voltage controlled temperature compensated crystal oscillator (VCTCXO) in a cellular engine of the same device is appropriated to clock a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) programmed to generate an adjusted clock signal suitable for use in receiving signals from navigation satellites and to heterodyne them down to baseband or an intermediate frequency for processing. Preferably, if the cellular engine has an automatic frequency control (AFC) module for adjusting the voltage control input to the VCTCXO to compensate for a change in the operating environment of the cellular engine, the AFC module modifies the control word in the NCO to counteract such adjustment so that the adjusted clock signal provided to the navigation satellite receiver is not unduly impacted. The use of the NCO ensures that the adjusted clock signal remains phase continuous throughout any such adjustments, so that positional lock of the navigation satellite receiver should not be lost. The sharing of the VCTCXO by the cellular engine and the navigation satellite receiver results in component cost and board space savings, economy in power consumption and reduced engineering effort in routing clock signals throughout the circuit board.
US08009087B2 Positioning system and method thereof
The invention provides a positioning system. In one embodiment, the positioning system comprises a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) module, a dead reckoning module, a Geographic Information System (GIS) module, and an calculating module. The GNSS module generates a first positioning data according to satellite communication. The dead reckoning module estimates a second positioning data according to a sensor's measurement data, the first positioning data, and a feedback positioning data of a previous epoch. The GIS module fits the first positioning data to a map to generate a third positioning data taken as a final output of the positioning system. The calculating module integrates the third positioning data and the second positioning data according to predetermined weights to obtain the feedback positioning data of a current epoch, which is recursively fed back to the dead reckoning module for a next estimation.
US08009085B2 Level gauge with positive level verifier
A level verification system for a radar level gauge utilizes a remotely positionable target. The target is positioned inside of a tank that is subject to level measurement, and stowed at a first position and selectively positionable to a second position to reflect emitted electromagnetic radiation in an amount indicative of a predetermined material level. The verification system can verify a high level alarm will be triggered when the material reaches a high level corresponding to the level of the target, by remotely positioning the target in front of the emitter of the radar gauge. The target reflects electromagnetic energy to the detector at approximately the same intensity that the material reaching the high level would reflect so as to provide an accurate verification.
US08009084B1 Fully integrated microprocessor controlled radar display
A special purpose decoder and display unit is designed to present special format radar signals for training. Several display formats ease operator workload while acquiring desired radar formats. A reference tone is recorded along with radar signals on a tape and a phase locked oscillator receives the reference tone which has the same fluctuations that the recorded radar signals have. A controlled computer and the phase locked oscillator feed their signals to a frequency synthesizer that creates a fine tuned signal based on the output signals of the phase locked oscillator and the computer. A timing generator is coupled to receive the output of the frequency synthesizer and it generates special purpose timing signals which are fed to a display. A video input receives radar signals coming from the tape, for example, to generate a sense directed, gain controlled video signal. A planned position indicator converter receives the gain controlled video signal and processes the signal from polar to rectangular coordinates in accordance with directions from the control computer so that a display unit can appropriately show the information contents of the video input signal without the wow and flutter that might otherwise be attributable to speed inconsistencies of the tape.
US08009065B2 System and method for encoding and decoding serial signals formed by a plurality of color lights
The present invention is to provide a method for encoding and decoding serial signals formed by a plurality of color lights, which is applied to an encoding/decoding system comprising an encoding device and a decoding device, and comprises steps of generating a driving signal corresponding to at least one first serial code set by the encoding device, so as to drive a multi-color LED to generate a plurality of color lights having different wavelengths and interval time of flash intervals; and receiving the color lights by the decoding device, decoding the color lights according to a decoding procedure of the decoding device for obtaining the first serial code set, and sending an actuation signal when determining that the first serial code set is identical to a second serial code set, so as to provide a variety of more sophisticated, safer and uneasy interfered encoding/decoding functions to various wireless control procedures.
US08009060B2 Remote monitoring of munition assets
Remote monitoring of the munition assets is directed to providing a munitions monitoring system and method for monitoring the environment approximate to a munition and transferring data of the environment to a location remote from the munition for storage or processing. A local monitoring device communicates directly with a remote device at a location remote from the munition, the monitoring device being proximate to a munition with a plurality of sensors that monitor the environment of the munition. The local monitoring device can communicate directly with a centralized relay system that is located in the general proximity to a munitions stock pile and/or with a mobile remote device, such as mounted on a vehicle or a hand-held device. The data can be correlated with the operability of the munition.
US08009059B2 Downhole power generation and communications apparatus and method
Apparatuses and methods to power and communicate with downhole sensors are presented. Preferred embodiments of the present invention includes energizing a downhole sensor with a surface pressure wave generator and a downhole mechanical to electrical energy converter. Preferred embodiments of the present invention also include transmitting data measured from a downhole sensor to a surface unit through modulation of surface-generated pressure waves.
US08009058B2 Tracking location and usage of a mechanical sub assembly (MSA) within an automated storage library utilizing a unique identifier associated with location coordinates of the MSA
A method, system, and computer program product for sensing the presence and/or misplacement of mechanical sub assemblies (MSAs) within storage slots of automated storage libraries. Each MSA is tracked based on signed empty cell barcode labels. Signed empty cell barcode labels are utilized to uniquely identify the frame, column, and row coordinates of one or more MSAs. The storage library automatically scans all signed empty cell barcode labels utilizing a scanner mounted on a robotic device. The system provides a counter for each MSA, allowing the storage library to track the usage of the MSA. As usage of the MSA reaches a predefined lifecycle, the library automatically generates an alert to replace the MSA. When a MSA is rearranged within the storage library, the library automatically maps the new frame, column, and row coordinates of the MSA. The counter dynamically modifies the usage count of the MSA according to the unique cell barcode label, thereby tracking all current and previous cartridges, and/or other items that may be scanned during MSA activity.
US08009052B2 Method and system for monitoring the power state of an X-ray emitter and/or an X-ray detector
In a method and system for monitoring the power state of an x-ray emitter and/or an x-ray detector, the x-ray emitter is operated according to a set of test parameters, so as to emit x-rays that strike at least a portion of the detector region of the x-ray detector. At least one value characterizing the operation of the x-ray emitter and/or the x-ray detector is determined, and this detected parameter is compared with a comparable reference parameter value. The power state of the x-ray emitter and/or the x-ray detector is determined based on deviation of the detected parameter from the reference parameter.
US08009049B2 RFID tag and method of manufacturing RFID tag
An RFID tag includes: a tag main body having a communication antenna, a circuit chip electrically connected to the antenna to perform wireless communication via the antenna, and a tabular sealing member in which the antenna and the circuit chip are enclosed; a print layer formed on a first surface of the tag main body by printing; and a protective film that covers the print layer. The print layer is formed only in a central area of the first surface surrounded by a marginal area of the first surface extending along the outer edge of the first surface. The protective film includes a covering portion that covers the print layer and an adhering portion that lies off the print layer while surrounding the outer edge of the print layer and adheres to the first surface.
US08009042B2 Radio-frequency lighting control system with occupancy sensing
A load control system controls an electrical load provided in a space and comprises a load control device and one or more occupancy sensors. The load control device controls the load in response to the wireless control signals received from the occupancy sensors. Each occupancy sensor transmits an occupied control signal to the load control device in response to detecting an occupancy condition in the space and a vacant control signal to the load control device in response to detecting a vacancy condition. The load control device turns on the load in response to receiving the occupied control signal from at least one of the occupancy sensors, and turns off the load in response to receiving vacant control signals from both of the occupancy sensors. The load control device is operable to determine that no wireless control signals have been received from the occupancy sensors for the length of a predetermined timeout period and to subsequently turn off the load.
US08009036B2 Wireless tag and auxiliary device for use with home monitoring unit for tracking individuals or objects
The invention is directed to a location tracking device and auxiliary device for tracking individuals or objects. The location tracking device has position determining circuitry and wireless circuitry that communicates position data representative of the location of the tracking device to an auxiliary device. The auxiliary device has long range communications circuitry that communicates this position data to a remote location. In the disclosed embodiment, the tracking device has a first operational mode, when communication is not established with the auxiliary device, wherein the position determining circuitry is maintained in a normal power state. The tracking device also has a second operational mode, when communication is established between the tracking device and the auxiliary device, wherein the position determining circuitry is placed in a reduced power state if one or more predetermined conditions are met.
US08009035B1 Alert warning system
An emergency alert system and method are disclosed. The invention employs an emergency alert message, which directs end users to take some particular action like evacuating an identified geographic area. The invention further employs a geographic area message, which is based on a particular geographic area within which all persons should receive the emergency alert message. The invention utilizes an emergency alert enabled device that receives both the emergency alert message and the geographic area message. The emergency alert enabled device determines whether it is located within the geographic area of concern, and if so, presents the emergency alert message to the end user.
US08009030B2 Automobile communication system
A communication system for use with an automobile having an accelerator, a brake, a cruise control, and a brake lamp includes a display, a transmitter, a receiver, and a cruise lamp visible from outside the automobile. The communication system includes a processor in data communication with the accelerator, the brake, the cruise control, the brake lamp, the display, the transmitter, the receiver, and the cruise lamp. The processor includes programming to actuate the display to present data received by the receiver and to actuate the cruise lamp when the cruise control is actuated. The processor also includes programming to actuate the transmitter to transmit cruise data when the cruise control is actuated. Programming also causes the cruise lamp to blink when the cruise control is actuated while the accelerator is actuated. Programming may also actuate the transmitter to transmit acceleration data when the cruise control and the accelerator are actuated.
US08009023B2 Access arrangement for a vehicle
An access arrangement for a vehicle (FZ) has a transmit/receive device on the vehicle side (19) to transmit one or several interrogation signals. In addition, the access arrangement has a mobile identification generator (IDI, IDA) with a transmit/receive device on the identification generator side (SE) to receive interrogation signals from the transmit/receive device on the vehicle side and to evaluate signal characteristics of the interrogation signals at at least two different points in time. The mobile identification generator furthermore has a control device (ST) to output a different control command depending on a change (ΔFS, ΔFR) in the evaluated signal characteristics. In the event of no change or a small change in the signal characteristics, a signal may be output to deactivate the identification generator, while in the event of a marked change a locking signal to lock a door (TFZ) of the vehicle may be output.
US08009022B2 Systems and methods for immersive interaction with virtual objects
A system to present the user a 3-D virtual environment as well as non-visual sensory feedback for interactions that user makes with virtual objects in that environment is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a system comprising a depth camera that captures user position and movement, a three-dimensional (3-D) display device that presents the user a virtual environment in 3-D and a haptic feedback device provides haptic feedback to the user as he interacts with a virtual object in the virtual environment. As the user moves through his physical space, he is captured by the depth camera. Data from that depth camera is parsed to correlate a user position with a position in the virtual environment. Where the user position or movement causes the user to touch the virtual object, that is determined, and corresponding haptic feedback is provided to the user.
US08009008B2 Inductor mounting, temperature control, and filtering method and apparatus
Methods and apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention may be implemented in conjunction with a inductor mount mounting to a mounting surface. The inductor mount may comprise an inductor having a center opening, and a surface area encompassing all of a front face, a back face, an inner surface about the center opening, and an outer edge concentric about the center opening. The inductor mount may further include mounting hardware holding the outer edge of then inductor to the mounting surface. A cooling element moves air into contact with the front face, through the center opening, and around the outer edge of the inductor. In various embodiments, the mounting hardware contacts less that ten percent of the surface area of the inductor.
US08009005B2 Reactor apparatus for a railway vehicle
A reactor apparatus for a railway vehicle includes a coil assembly, a side cover, through bolts inserted into the coil assembly, cover supporting members, a pair of frames, and ribs that reinforce the pair of frames. A support/fixation section of each frame is fixed to an under surface of a vehicle pedestal. The pair of the frames are disposed on both sides of the coil assembly, and support the through bolts and the cover supporting member. For each rib, leg members that extend from corresponding reinforcing body are penetrated into and welded to the corresponding frame. For each cover supporting member, a leg member that extends from corresponding cover supporting body is penetrated into and welded to the corresponding frame.
US08008988B1 Radio frequency switch with improved intermodulation distortion through use of feed forward capacitor
A radio frequency (RF) switch using a field effect transistor has 2nd order intermodulation distortion improved through use of a feed forward capacitor electrically connected between the gate and a voltage coupler connected between the source and drain of the FET. With a control voltage provided at the gate through a gate feed resistor for operation of the FET, the feed forward capacitor feeds an RF voltage from the drain terminal and the source terminal to the gate terminal through the gate feed resistor.
US08008987B2 Balun circuit manufactured by integrate passive device process
A Balun circuit manufactured by integrate passive device (IPD) process. The Balun circuit includes a substrate, a first coplanar spiral structure, and a second coplanar spiral structure. One end of the innermost first left coil of the first coplanar spiral structure is electrically connected to the innermost first right coil through a first bridge. Two ends of the first coplanar spiral structure are electrically connected to the outermost first left coil and the outermost right coil respectively. One end of the innermost second left coil of the second coplanar spiral structure is electrically connected to the innermost second right coil through a second bridge. Two ends of the second coplanar spiral structure are electrically connected to the outermost second left coil and the outermost second right coil respectively. The first left coils and the second left coils are interlaced. The first right coils and the second right coils are interlaced.
US08008984B2 Circular polarizer using interlocked conductive and dielectric fins in an annular waveguide
There is disclosed a linear polarization to circular polarization converter. An outside surface of an inner conductor may be coaxial with the inside surface of an outer conductor. First and second diametrically opposed fins may extend outward from the outer surface of the inner conductor. Each of the first and second fins may include a conductive fin and a dielectric fin.
US08008983B2 Waveguide multiplexer and waveguide phase shifter connected by a polarization adjustment assembly
An adjustable assembly apparatus includes a waveguide phase shifter and a waveguide multiplexer. The waveguide phase shifter has a first flange structure and the waveguide multiplexer has a second flange structure. The second flange structure and the first flange structure are embedded, and the polarization directions of the waveguide phase shifter and the waveguide multiplexer are orthogonal. In an embodiment, the first flange structure includes a bulge, the second flange structure includes a recess, and the bulge is embedded in the recess. The polarization directions of the bulge of the waveguide phase shifter and the recess of the waveguide multiplexer differ by 90 degrees.
US08008973B2 Amplifier for amplifying a high-frequency signal
A transistor is provided to amplify a high frequency signal. A gate/base of the transistor receives the high frequency input signal. A variable capacitor is connected between the gate and a source/between the base and an emitter of the transistor. A variable inductor is connected with the source/the emitter of the transistor.
US08008963B2 Analog switch
An analog switch having a low capacitance is achieved. Potentials of input/output terminals of the analog switch and a well potential and a gate potential of an NMOS switching device are operated in synchronization via level shift buffers, thereby cancelling parasitic capacitances present between these elements.
US08008961B2 Adaptive clock generators, systems, and methods
Adaptive clock generators, systems, and related methods than can be used to generate a clock signal for a functional circuit to avoid or reduce performance margin are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a clock generator autonomously and adaptively generates a clock signal according to a delay path(s) provided in a delay circuit(s) relating to a selected delay path(s) in the functional circuit(s). The clock generator includes a delay circuit(s) adapted to receive an input signal and delay the input signal by an amount relating to a delay path(s) of a functional circuit(s) to produce an output signal. A feedback circuit is coupled to the delay circuit(s) and responsive to the output signal, wherein the feedback circuit is adapted to generate the input signal back to the delay circuit(s) in an oscillation loop configuration. The input signal can be used to provide a clock signal to the functional circuit(s).
US08008960B2 Synchronous rectifier post regulator
Methods and apparatus for regulating a synchronous rectifier DC-to-DC converter by adjusting one or more existing synchronous rectifiers in the converter are provided. By regulating an existing synchronous rectifier, the rectifier may function as a modulator for post regulation over a limited range of output voltages suitable for load regulation, without introducing an additional conversion stage for post regulation, which typically decreases efficiency and power density. Independent post regulation of an existing synchronous rectifier may improve the load regulation, reduce output voltage ripple, and improve the transient response of the converter. By operating independently from the main control loop, post regulation may most likely avoid the limitations of the main control loop, such as limited gain bandwidth and a relatively slow transient response. Such post regulation may be added to isolated or non-isolated switched-mode power supplies, such as forward or buck converters.
US08008955B2 Semiconductor device
There is provided a semiconductor device having a voltage-controlled oscillator outputting an output clock signal; N pieces of control units generating a frequency-divided clock signal by frequency-dividing the output clock signal, comparing a reference clock signal and the frequency-divided clock signal, and outputting an output signal based on a comparison result; an adder adding output signals from each of the control units; and a low-pass filter filtering an output of the adder and outputting to the voltage-controlled oscillator, wherein setting information related to a frequency division ratio made of N pieces of data cycled and supplied in a sequence in synchronization with the frequency-divided clock signal is supplied to each of the control units with initial values made different from one another and a frequency-division operation and a comparison operation are performed thereby to form a moving average filter by N pieces of control units and to reduce a quantization noise, so that occurrence of a spurious in the output clock signal can be suppressed.
US08008951B2 High voltage switch utilizing low voltage MOS transistors with high voltage breakdown isolation junctions
A high voltage switch having first and second states includes an input receiving an input voltage that is greater than a supply voltage. Each of first, second, and third MOS structures of a first conductivity type has a gate, a source, and a drain. The sources and drains of each of the MOS structures are electrically coupled in series between the input and ground. An output is electrically coupled to the input. When the switch is in the first state, the gate of the first MOS structure is pulled to ground, the gate of the second MOS structure is pulled to the supply voltage, and the gate of the third MOS structure is pulled to a voltage greater than the supply voltage and less than the input voltage. When the switch is in the second state, the gates of all of the MOS structures are pulled to the supply voltage.
US08008947B2 Balanced phase detector
Methods and apparatus are disclosed, such as those involving a digital phase detector that includes a phase detection circuit configured to detect which one of two clock signals leads the other. One such phase detector includes a balancer configured to prepare the phase detection circuit for a phase detection. The phase detection circuit of one or more embodiments includes a cross-coupled latch configured to receive the two clock signals and generate a first latch output and a second latch output in response to the two clock signals. The aforementioned balancer is configured to substantially equalize the voltage levels of the first and second latch outputs before the phase detection circuit detects a phase difference between the two clock signals. For example, the balancer might pre-charge the outputs of the phase detection circuit to substantially the same voltage level before phase detection.
US08008945B2 Level-shift circuit
A level-shift circuit converts a first voltage level into a second voltage level different from the first voltage level. The level-shift circuit includes a first high-side signal detection circuit, a second high-side signal detection circuit, a drive circuit and electric current detection circuits. The first high-side signal detection circuit sets a logical voltage state of the second voltage level via a first capacitor. The second high-side signal detection circuit resets the logical voltage state of the second voltage level via a second capacitor. The drive circuit on-off drives a high-side switch connected to a low-side switch in series by a set signal of the first high-side signal detection circuit and a reset signal of the second high-side signal detection circuit. The electric current detection circuits detect an electric current flowing into or from the first and/or second capacitors.
US08008940B2 Circuit board test system and test method
A circuit board system is adapted to check a DUT (Device Under Test) and a communication device on a DUT board, check the connection between DUT and communication device and check connections of parts mounted on DUT board. The system, which tests a circuit board used when a DUT is tested using a tester, has a socket into which DUT is removably inserted; a communication device mounted thereon; first wires electrically connecting first signal terminals of DUT and the tester; and second wires electrically connecting second signal terminals of DUT, which are not electrically connected to the first signal terminals, and signal terminals of the communication device. A shorting board is inserted into the socket in place of DUT when the circuit board is tested, the shorting board having short-circuit wires electrically connecting the first wires and the second wires.
US08008934B2 Burn-in system for electronic devices
A burn-in system (10) includes an enclosure (12) defining a burn-in chamber (14). The enclosure (12) is configured to be mounted on a burn-in board (34) over a burn-in socket (36). A heating element (16) is configured to generate heat within the burn-in chamber (14) and a temperature sensor (18) is configured to sense a temperature within the burn-in chamber (14). An opening (24) is formed in the enclosure (12) for receiving a fluid (26). A controller (20) is configured to control the heating element (16) and fluid flow into the enclosure (12) in response to the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor (18).
US08008931B2 Method and device for monitoring the operation of a flotation cell
The invention relates to a method of and a device for monitoring the operation of a flotation cell. In the method according to the invention, the electrical conductivity of the material (3, 7) in the flotation cell (1) is measured to observe any variations in the movement, the properties and/or the inner structure of the material. The device (10) according to the invention comprises a number of measuring sensors (11, 12, 13, 14) of electrical conductivity, which are to be fitted in the flotation cell (1) and embedded in the material (3, 7) contained in it for measuring its electrical conductivity and, on the basis of the conductivity values, defining the state and/or the properties of the material.
US08008930B2 Characterization technique for dielectric properties of polymers
A test structure for polymer characterization over a wide frequency range, temperature range and under an applied DC electric field is disclosed. A high resistivity silicon substrate is topped by an adhesion layer. A polymer thin-film is deposited on a patterned metal1 layer which is deposited on top of the adhesion layer. A top metal2 layer is deposited on the polymer thin-film and patterned to form a CPW transmission line. A single bias voltage is applied to the center conductor of the CPW transmission line on metal2 and influences dielectric properties of the polymer. The dielectric permittivity and the loss-tangent of the polymer can be derived as functions of electric field and temperature by measuring the swept frequency scattering parameters and matching the experimental frequency response to the modeled frequency response. The electrical conductance properties of the polymer can be accurately characterized using the test structure over a wide temperature range.
US08008927B1 Method and apparatus for ground bounce and power supply bounce detection
A method and apparatus for ground bounce and power supply bounce detection in devices have been disclosed. In one case one input to a differential amplifier is coupled to a reference voltage and another input to the differential amplifier is coupled to a measurement point and the output of the differential amplifier is coupled to a flip flop. The flip flop has an output indicating when a bounce threshold is exceeded.
US08008926B2 UHF partial discharge and location measuring device for high-voltage power devices
Disclosed is a UHF partial discharge and its location measuring device for high-voltage power devices. The measuring device includes a partial discharge sensor, an external noise sensor, an analogue-digital converter, a peak detector, a partial discharge signal processor, an arrival time detector, a discharge location processor, and a display unit.
US08008925B2 Electrical partial discharge pulse marker discrimination
A marker pulse discriminator monitor that enables filtering of partial discharge pulses for monitoring the condition of a generator in a power plant system. The monitor detects partial discharge pulses emanating from the generator and includes a plurality of first modules connected to respective isophase buses adjacent to the generator. Each of the first modules generate a marker pulse in response to a partial discharge pulse. The monitor also includes an analyzer unit connected to the isophase buses adjacent to a step-up transformer. The analyzer unit receives each partial discharge pulse and each marker pulse and determines a differential value corresponding to a difference between a time of arrival of a partial discharge pulse and a time of arrival of a corresponding marker pulse to identify partial discharge pulses originating at the generator and to identify the isophase bus associated with the corresponding partial discharge pulse.
US08008924B2 Detecting circuit
A detecting circuit for detecting a battery having a first and second electrode, includes a contacting portion electrically connecting to the first electrode of the battery, a seesaw electrically connected to the second electrode of the battery, and an actuator electrically connecting to the second electrode of the battery. One end of the seesaw electrically contacts with the contacting portion when the battery have a protection circuit. The actuator is configured for providing power onto another end of the seesaw to separate the contacting portion with the seesaw when the battery has no a protection circuit. The detecting circuit can truly and handily judges whether the detected battery has the protection circuit according to the action of the seesaw.
US08008920B2 Method and apparatus for utilizing time division multiple waveform transmitting
A method and apparatus of constructing a signal for a controlled source electromagnetic survey is described. In one embodiment, a method is described that includes determining a first waveform and a second waveform, the first waveform and second waveform related to a combined frequency spectrum and bandwidth associated with a geophysical survey line. Then, a signal is constructed by sequencing the first waveform with the second waveform. This signal may be utilized in a transmitter, which may be pulled by a vessel along the geophysical survey line.
US08008919B2 Method for compensating drill pipe and near-borehole effect on and electronic noise in transient resistivity measurements
Transient measurements made at two spaced apart receivers responsive to separate activation of two transmitters symmetrically disposed about the two receivers. The transmitters and receivers are on an instrument having a conductive body induces currents in the earth formation. The effect of the conductive body is removed by using deconvolving the signal at one receiver using the measured signal at the other receiver. The symmetric transmitter configuration also enables compensation for receiver differences.
US08008907B2 Delay line calibration circuit comprising asynchronous arbiter element
A delay line calibration circuit is disclosed herein. The calibration circuit has an arbiter circuit having a unit for determining which of two signals that arrive first; a first and a second synchronous element each having an input for receiving a clock signal, and one of them having a unit for outputting the clock signal a clock period later; and a calibration circuit having inputs connected to the outputs of the arbiter circuit for receiving a signal from it indicative of whether the signal input to the arbiter circuit from the delay line is ahead or after the signal input to the arbiter circuit from the second element, the calibration circuit further being connected to the delay line for calibrating the delay line in accordance with the signal received from the arbiter circuit. The invention in at least one embodiment provides improved calibration of delay lines.
US08008894B2 Adjusting a top charge capacitor voltage according to an operating temperature of the capacitor
An apparatus includes a capacitor and logic to adjust an operating temperature of the capacitor according to a charge on the capacitor, and/or to adjust a charge of the capacitor according to the operating temperature of the capacitor to improve the useful life of the capacitor and increase its reliability.
US08008881B2 Voltage protecting apparatus
A voltage protecting apparatus is used for detecting voltage of a motor driver, and adjusting the voltage of the motor driver when at an over-voltage state. The motor driver includes a direct current (DC) power source and a power board. The voltage protecting apparatus includes a switch unit, a voltage transform unit, a controller, a voltage detector, and an over-voltage judger. When the controller outputs a high level signal, the switch unit is turned on, the voltage transform unit transforms the output voltage of the DC power source to a low voltage. The over-voltage judger receives the low voltage and compares the low voltage to a predetermined voltage. When the low voltage is greater than the predetermined voltage, the over-voltage judger outputs a control signal to the controller for signaling the controller to control the power board so as to adjust the voltage of the motor driver.
US08008876B2 Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle includes, in one example, a motor-generator driven by an engine to generate alternating current, wherein the motor-generator is further configured to start the engine, a motor for driving the vehicle, a diode rectifier to rectify alternating current generated by the motor-generator, an inverter connected to a feed circuit between the diode rectifier and the motor to convert direct current in the feed circuit into alternating current, a power supply connected to a line connecting the diode rectifier with the inverter, a first feed circuit to supply current to the motor to drive the vehicle through the diode rectifier and the inverter in series a second feed circuit to connect the motor-generator with the power supply while bypassing at least the diode rectifier, and an alternating current converter provided in the second feed circuit.
US08008872B2 Method of shutting down a high pressure discharge lamp and driving unit for driving a high pressure discharge lamp
The invention describes a method of shutting down a high pressure discharge lamp (1) in which a pair of electrodes (2) is disposed in an arc tube (3), which method comprises reducing, upon receipt of a shut-down request (SR), the lamp power (P) towards a reduced power level (PR) required to sustain a long-term arc discharge between the electrodes (2), and driving the lamp (1) towards the reduced power level (PR) for a reduced power duration before completely shutting down the lamp power (P), whereby, prior to reducing the lamp power (P) towards the reduced power level (PR), the lamp power (P) is reduced to an undershoot power level (Pu), which undershoot power level (Pu) is lower than the reduced power level (PR) required to sustain a long-term arc discharge between the electrodes (2), and the lamp is driven at this undershoot power level (Pu) for an undershoot power duration (tu) before increasing the lamp power (P) again to approach the reduced power level (PR). Moreover the invention describes an appropriate driving unit (4) for driving a high pressure discharge lamp (1) and an image rendering system (40), particularly a projector system, comprising such a driving unit (4).
US08008869B2 Discharge lamp lighting device, control method for the same, and projector
A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a power control circuit that outputs a DC current; an AC converter circuit that takes the DC current as its input, inverts polarity of the DC current between first polarity and second polarity in predetermined timing, and thereby generates and outputs an AC current for discharge lamp driving; and a control unit that carries out AC conversion control processing to the AC converter circuit to control polarity inversion timing of the AC current for discharge lamp driving, and current control processing to the power control circuit to control a current value of the DC current. The control unit carries out repair control to change, in a first cyclical pattern, cumulative energy supplied to each electrode of a discharge lamp during one cycle of the AC current for discharge lamp driving, in predetermined timing. The first cyclical pattern includes plural sectional periods in which the cumulative energy is maintained at the same value over plural cycles of the AC current for discharge lamp driving. The cumulative energy differs between at least two of the sectional periods.
US08008864B2 Single LED string lighting
A solid state lighting unit constituted of: a control circuitry; a single string of light emitting diodes, the single string constituted of a plurality of sections each comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes; and a plurality of bypass paths each responsive to the control circuitry, each of the plurality of bypass paths arranged to provide bypass to a particular one of the plurality of sections, wherein the control circuitry is operative to identify an open circuit condition of a particular one of the plurality of sections, and activate the bypass path arranged to bypass the open circuit section, thereby providing light through sections not exhibiting an open circuit condition.
US08008862B2 Shine-through hydrogen lamp
A shine-through, low pressure discharge, hydrogen lamp has a metallic housing structure shielding the discharge space in a lamp bulb filled with hydrogen. In this lamp a diaphragm (4) made of electrically insulating material is fixed in the metallic housing part (2) which is to face a visible light source.
US08008857B2 Organic light emitting display with reflective electrode
An organic light emitting display is disclosed. One embodiment of the organic light emitting display includes a substrate member and a plurality of pixels that are formed on the substrate member. At least one of the pixels includes a thin film transistor, a light emitting element that is electrically connected to the thin film transistor, and a reflective layer that is disposed between the thin film transistor and the light emitting element and that is insulated from each of the thin film transistor and the light emitting element.
US08008844B2 Triple walled lamp
A lamp in which an inner bulb containing a light emitting tube or a light emitting filament and an outer bulb containing the inner bulb are attached coaxially to a base, and a spacer made of a thin metal sheet is attached to an exhaust tube protruding from a central region at the top end of the inner bulb coaxially supporting the inner bulb to the outer bulb. The spacer has a central plate formed with an aperture allowing the exhaust tube to be inserted through the central plate, and a plurality of fingers protruding inward along the inner periphery of the aperture, and three or more strips, each branched radially outward from the central plate and formed in a curved shape coaxially supporting the inner bulb and the outer bulb.
US08008841B2 Stator and piezo ultrasonic motor including the same
A stator and a piezo ultrasonic motor including the same. The piezo ultrasonic motor includes a stator including an elastic body having a flat portion at its outer surface and a central hole penetrating the center of the stator with a predetermined size, and a piezoelectric body including a first internal piezoelectric body and a second internal piezoelectric body integrally disposed parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction of the flat portion and providing an external force deforming the elastic body when an AC voltage is applied, a rotor inserted in the central hole and including a contact frictionally contacting an inner surface of the central hole, an elastic part providing an elastic force maintaining close attachment of the contact to the stator. Accordingly, the manufacturing cost decreases by reducing the number of elements and simplifying a structure, and a stable driving characteristic can be achieved.
US08008831B2 Stator for rotary electric machine
A stator for a rotary electric machine with wedge members insertable into slots without being bent or folded is provided. A coupling portion is integrally formed at a non-inserted end portion, which is not inserted into a slot, of a wedge member, the coupling portion extending across an end of a partition wall portion and an end of a block portion. The wedge member and the coupling portion are formed of a synthetic resin material. Two or more coupling portions of two or more adjacently disposed wedge members are integrally formed as a continuous coupling portion.
US08008825B2 Electromagnetic steel plate forming member, electromagnetic steel plate laminator, permanent magnet type synchronous rotating electric machine rotor provided with the same, permanent magnet type synchronous rotating electric machine, and vehicle, elevator, fluid machine, and processing machine using the rotating electric machine
An electromagnetic steel plate forming member provides the two magnet holes for inserting therein the two permanent magnets per pole along the V-shape, which are provided in the region of the radial pole pitch lines OP provided in the rotor core at the predetermined pole pitch angle θ, one magnet hole is displaced in a direction apart from the center line OC of the pole pitch lines OP, and the other magnet hole is displaced in a direction approaching to the center line OC of the pole pitch lines OP.
US08008821B2 Transverse and/or commutated flux system stator concepts
Disclosed are transverse and/or commutated flux machines and components thereof, and methods of making and using the same. Certain exemplary stators for use in transverse and commutated flux machines may be configured with gaps therebetween, for example in order to counteract tolerance stackup. Other exemplary stators may be configured as partial stators having a limited number of magnets and/or flux concentrators thereon. Partial stators may facilitate ease of assembly and/or use with various rotors. Additionally, exemplary floating stators can allow a transverse and/or commutated flux machine to utilize an air gap independent of the diameter of a rotor. Via use of such exemplary stators, transverse and/or commutated flux machines can achieve improved performance, efficiency, and/or be sized or otherwise configured for various applications.
US08008820B2 Inner-rotor-type motor
An inner-rotor-type motor includes a housing, a stator, a rotor, a permanent magnet and a cover plate. The housing has a compartment. The stator is received in the compartment. There is an assembling hole arranged at the axial center of the stator and passing through the stator from the top to the bottom thereof. The rotor has a shaft with one end thereof rotatably extending through the assembling hole, with a bearing being mounted around the shaft. The permanent magnet is fixed to an outer periphery of the shaft and beside the bearing, with the permanent magnet facing the stator. The cover plate is arranged between the permanent magnet and the bearing. Consequently, impurities are prevented from entering an undesired interstice between the bearing and the shaft or from entering the inside of the bearing, such that smooth rotation of the rotor is provided and such that life of the inner-rotor-type motor is extended.
US08008815B2 Planar stage moving apparatus for machine
A planar stage moving apparatus for a machine includes: first to fourth linear motors for applying, between a base, i.e. a fixed body and a table, i.e. a movable body, a movement force to the table, each linear motor including a stator core on which a coil is wound and which is fixed to the base and a mover core to which a permanent magnet is attached and which is fixed to the table; an air bearing unit provided between the base and the table to move the table under the influence of magnet fields when currents are applied to the coils of the linear motors; and a linear encoder installed on one side of the table to measure movement of the table.
US08008814B2 Sliding system with onboard moving-coil linear motor
A sliding system with onboard moving-coil linear motor is disclosed in which an armature assembly is a printed-circuit board, armature windings of flat configuration and coil stay having a stay and any number of cores made integral with the stay. The armature assembly is held by virtue of the stay at a preselected location inside an interval defined between field magnet arrays and, therefore, is small and compact in height in transverse section. A bed formed in an angled hook-like configuration in a transverse section contributes to shrinkage of the sliding system in either of height and width in transverse section or most compactness of the sliding system in transverse dimension. Moreover, the bed can be selected in length at discretion according to the purpose of usage to provide any desirable stroke length for a single table of a preselected length, getting the sliding system convenient for usage.
US08008813B2 Systems and methods for an improved linear motor
An improved linear motor is provided useful in conjunction with audio equipment for reduced distortion audio output at high voice coil displacements. The improved linear motor may include a yoke, a gap plate which forms an air gap with the yoke, magnets coupled to the yoke and the gap plate, a former, and a voice coil coupled to the former. The magnets generate a magnetic field across the air gap, which is relatively narrow. The former and coil fit in the air gap and may move in a vertical direction. The voice coil includes more than one segment, each having differing electrical resistance. The differing resistances cause the force on the voice coil to be uniform regardless of displacement of the voice coil vertically within the air gap. Resistance differences between the segments may be caused by differing the wire lengths making up each segment of the coil. Likewise, each segment may be made of differing material to vary resistance.
US08008812B2 Paper shredder control system responsive to touch-sensitive element
The invention is directed to a touch-sensitive paper shredder control system. The touching feature is implemented through a series of electronic circuits, taking input from a conductive touch panel on the shredder feed throat, processing the signal, and through a motor driving circuit, stopping the mechanical parts of the shredder. The system has a touch detection circuit unit, which contains a bioelectricity controlled switching circuit to sense the conductive touch panel. The bioelectricity controlled switching circuit is configured to trigger a ground switching circuit in the touch detection circuit unit which outputs to a multifunction control circuit unit. The control circuit unit then takes care of the remaining protection issues. The touching device for paper shredders protects humans and other living beings including pets from injuries through automatic and real time monitoring. The complete control process is both safe and sensitive.
US08008807B2 Uninterruptible power supply with low power loss
An uninterruptible power supply includes an energy storage unit, an AC-to-DC converting circuit, a charging circuit, a selection circuit, a primary detecting circuit, a primary control circuit and a secondary control circuit. The primary detecting circuit is connected to an output loop of the uninterruptible power supply for detecting an operating status of the uninterruptible power supply and issuing a corresponding operating message. The primary control circuit is connected to the primary detecting circuit and the selection circuit for controlling operations of the uninterruptible power supply. The secondary control circuit is connected to the primary detecting circuit, the selection circuit and the primary control circuit for controlling operations of the uninterruptible power supply. The primary control circuit and the secondary control circuit are enabled or disabled according to the operating message.
US08008800B2 Harvester multiple engine energy control system
An agricultural vehicle including a plurality of engines, a plurality of loads, a plurality of electrical generators, at least one load sensor, at least one electrical energy storage device, and a controller. The plurality of engines include a first engine and a second engine. The plurality of loads include a first mechanical load, a second mechanical load, a first electrical load, and a second electrical load. The first mechanical load is coupled to the first engine and the second mechanical load is coupled to the second engine. The plurality of electrical generator include a first generator and a second generator. The first generator is coupled to the first engine and the second generator is coupled to the second engine. The first generator is electrically coupled to the first electrical load and the second generator is electrically coupled to the second electrical load. The at least one load sensor is configured to produce a signal representative of power being used by the first engine and the second engine to drive the plurality of loads. The controller is configured to direct energy from the electrical energy storage device to the plurality of loads and/or the plurality of electrical generators dependent upon the signal.
US08008798B2 Wind turbine drivetrain system
A wind turbine is provided having a drivetrain with a gearbox and a gearbox housing, at least one gear stage and an output shaft coupled within the housing. The gear stage exerts an axial thrust force on the output shaft during operation of the wind turbine. A generator includes a generator housing and an input shaft connected to the output shaft of the gearbox. The generator includes a rotor and a stator coupled to the generator housing. The rotor is coupled to the input shaft such that the rotor is positioned radially inward from the stator. At least one bearing is shared between the gearbox output shaft and the generator input shaft, and this bearing carries a portion of the axial thrust force. The generator is skewed to exert an opposing axial thrust force on the input shaft, so that the axial thrust force carried by the bearing is reduced.
US08008792B2 Energy transformation device
This invention is a device for transforming the energy of water waves into useable energy. The device comprises two or more floats, structural members connecting the floats, a means for transferring torque, and one or more generators.
US08008790B2 System for recovering or converting energy for equipment having a movable implement and method
Potential energy of an implement and implement supporting member, such as a mechanical arm, attached to a machine, such as construction equipment, is recovered by an energy converter, such as a generator or a motor driven by a flywheel or a pull-cord generator, during relative movement between the implement supporting member and the machine. An activator causes relative movement between the implement and the machine. The flywheel or pull-cord generator drives an auxiliary pump or electric generator when the flywheel or pull-cord generator moves relative the auxiliary pump or electric generator. The recovered potential energy is stored in an accumulator or battery. Kinetic energy may be converted to electric energy or hydraulic pressure and stored for later use.
US08008788B2 Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
A technique for positioning a semiconductor chip and a mounting substrate with high precision using an alignment mark. In a semiconductor chip, a mark is formed in an alignment mark formation region over a semiconductor substrate in the same layer as an uppermost layer wiring (third layer wiring) in an integrated circuit formation region. Then, in the lower layer of the mark and a background region surrounding the mark, patterns are formed. Pattern P1a is formed in the same layer as a second layer wiring, pattern P1b is formed in the same layer as a first layer wiring, pattern P2 is formed in the same layer as a gate electrode, and pattern P3 is formed in the same layer as an element isolation region.
US08008779B2 Semiconductor device and semiconductor device manufacturing method
Disclosed is a semiconductor device that includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film formed above the semiconductor substrate and having a relative dielectric constant of 3.8 or less; a conductor which covers a side face of the first insulating film at least near four corners of the semiconductor substrate, and at least an outer side face of which has a conductive barrier layer; and a second insulating film covering the outer side face of the conductor and having a relative dielectric constant of over 3.8. Also disclosed is a semiconductor device that includes: a conductor covering a side face of the first insulating film at least near four corners of the semiconductor substrate; and a corrosion resistant conductor formed at least near the four corners of the semiconductor substrate to extend from directly under the second insulating film to directly under the conductor.
US08008777B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device and the semiconductor device
An etching stopper film is formed on top of a first insulating film. The etching stopper film is a film formed by depositing at least two films, made of constituent materials identical in quality to each other, one another. Subsequently, a first opening pattern is formed in the etching stopper film. Subsequently, a second insulating film is formed on top of the etching stopper film. Subsequently, a mask pattern is formed on top of the second insulating film. Subsequently, the second insulating film is etched with the use of the mask pattern as a mask to be followed by etching of the first insulating film with the use of the etching stopper film as a mask.
US08008774B2 Multi-layer metal wiring of semiconductor device preventing mutual metal diffusion between metal wirings and method for forming the same
A multi-layer metal wiring of a semiconductor device and a method for forming the same are disclosed. The multi-layer metal wiring of the semiconductor device includes a lower Cu wiring, and an upper Al wiring formed to be contacted with the lower Cu wiring, and a diffusion barrier layer interposed between the lower Cu wiring and the upper Al wiring. The diffusion barrier layer is formed of a W-based layer.
US08008772B2 Semiconductor device, manufacturing method thereof, composite metal body and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device having a structure in which a semiconductor element and a Cu or Ni electrode are connected by way of a bonding layer comprising Cu, and the Cu bonding layer and the Cu or Ni electrode are diffusion-bonded to each other. The bonding layer is formed by conducting bonding in a reducing atmosphere by using a bonding material containing particles of Cu oxide with an average particle size of 1 nm to 50 μm and a reducing agent comprising an organic material, thereby providing excellent bonding strength to Ni or Cu electrode.
US08008770B2 Integrated circuit package system with bump pad
An integrated circuit package system includes an integrated circuit, and forming a patterned redistribution pad over the integrated circuit.
US08008767B2 Semiconductor device
The invention offers technology for suppressing damage to semiconductor devices due to temperature changes. When flip-chip mounting a silicon chip on a buildup type multilayer substrate having a structure with a thinned core, a core having a small coefficient of thermal expansion is used in the multilayer substrate, and the coefficient of thermal expansion and glass transition point of the underfill are appropriately designed in accordance with the thickness and coefficient of thermal expansion of the core. By doing so, it is possible to relieve stresses inside the semiconductor package caused by deformation of the multilayer substrate due to temperature changes, and thereby to suppress damage to the semiconductor package due to temperature changes.
US08008765B2 Semiconductor package having adhesive layer and method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor package includes a first substrate comprising a plurality of pads arranged in a first side of the first substrate, a plurality of first semiconductor chips stacked on the first side of the first substrate and each first semiconductor chip comprising a plurality of chip pads arranged in a first side of respective first semiconductor chips, and a sealant arranged on the first substrate, the sealant sealing the first semiconductor chips, wherein at least one of the first semiconductor chips comprises a plurality of redistribution pads arranged in the first side of the at least one semiconductor chip, and a plurality of adhesive layers having portions exposed by the sealant, each adhesive layer is disposed on respective redistribution pads.
US08008762B2 Methods of fabrication of package assemblies for optically interactive electronic devices and package assemblies therefor
Packaging assemblies for optically interactive devices and methods of forming the packaging assemblies in an efficient manner that eliminates or reduces the occurrence of process contaminants. In a first embodiment, a transparent cover is attached to a wafer of semiconductor material containing a plurality of optically interactive devices. The wafer is singulated, and the optically interactive devices are mounted on an interposer and electrically connected with wire bonds. In a second embodiment, the optically interactive devices are electrically connected to the interposer with back side conductive elements. In a third embodiment, the optically interactive devices are mounted to the interposer prior to attaching a transparent cover. A layer of encapsulant material is formed over the interposer, and the interposer and encapsulant material are cut to provide individual packaging assemblies. In a fourth embodiment, the optically interactive devices are mounted in a preformed leadless chip carrier.
US08008760B2 Integrated semiconductor device
An integrated semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor elements having different integrated element circuits or different sizes; an insulating material arranged between the semiconductor elements; an organic insulating film arranged entirely on the semiconductor elements and the insulating material; a fine thin-layer wiring that arranged on the organic insulating film and connects the semiconductor elements; a first input/output electrode arranged on an area of the insulating material; and a first bump electrode formed on the first input/output electrode.
US08008757B2 Resinous hollow package and producing method thereof
The present invention provides a resinous hollow package that includes a moisture-proof island that is a planar structure disposed below a semiconductor element mounting surface of the resinous hollow package, the semiconductor element mounting surface having an area of 200 mm2 or more and the maximum wave height of a wave curve of 35 μm or less. The resinous hollow package of the invention has an excellent moisture resistance due to the moisture-proof island included therein. Further, since the flatness of the semiconductor element mounting surface is excellent, decrease in the amount of light in a peripheral portion of an image can be suppressed in a digital single-lens reflex camera or the like with a large solid-state image sensor, even when a wide angle lens is used. According to the method of producing the resinous hollow package of the invention, by carrying out insert-molding while fixing the moisture-proof island with projection(s) disposed to the mold to prevent displacement thereof, the resinous hollow package having the maximum wave height of the semiconductor element mounting surface of 35 μm or less can be provided.
US08008754B2 Semiconductor package having an antenna with reduced area and method for fabricating the same
A semiconductor package includes an electromagnetic shielding member for shielding electromagnetic waves. An antenna is disposed on an upper face of the electromagnetic shielding member and includes an antenna part with a plurality of conductive particles electrically connected with each other and an insulation part disposed on the upper face of the electromagnetic shielding member and insulating the antenna part. Ball lands are disposed on the electromagnetic shielding member and are electrically connected with the antenna part. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip is electrically connected to the ball lands.
US08008747B2 High power and high temperature semiconductor power devices protected by non-uniform ballasted sources
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed on a semiconductor substrate supporting an epitaxial layer as a drift region composed of an epitaxial layer. The semiconductor power device further includes a super-junction structure includes a plurality of doped sidewall columns disposed in a multiple of epitaxial layers. The epitaxial layer have a plurality of trenches opened and filled with the multiple epitaxial layer therein with the doped columns disposed along sidewalls of the trenches disposed in the multiple of epitaxial layers.
US08008745B2 Latch circuits and operation circuits having scalable nonvolatile nanotube switches as electronic fuse replacement elements
A non-volatile latch circuit is provided. The non-volatile latch circuit includes a nanotube switching element capable of switching between resistance states and non-volatilely retaining the resistance state. The non-volatile latch circuit includes a volatile latch circuit is capable of receiving and volatilely storing a logic state. When the nanotube switching element is a resistance state, the volatile latch circuit retains a corresponding logic state and outputs that corresponding logic state at an output terminal. A non-volatile register file configuration circuit for use with a plurality of non-volatile register files is also provided. The non-volatile register file configuration circuit includes a selection circuitry and a plurality of nanotube fuse elements, each in electrical communication with one of a plurality of non-volatile register files. The selection circuitry is capable of applying electrical stimulus to each of the selected nanotube fuse elements to selectively bypass the corresponding register file.
US08008742B2 Semiconductor memory device and method of fabricating the same
Provided are a semiconductor memory device whereby generation of dishing during planarization of a peripheral circuit region is suppressed, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor memory device. The semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate comprising a first active area in a memory cell region and a second active area in a peripheral circuit region; a plurality of first isolation films and a plurality of second isolation films protruding from a surface of the semiconductor substrate and defining the first active area and the second active area, respectively; and at least one polish stopper film formed within the second active area and protruding from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08008740B2 Low resistance tunneling magnetoresistive sensor with composite inner pinned layer
A high performance TMR sensor is fabricated by employing a composite inner pinned (AP1) layer in an AP2/Ru/AP1 pinned layer configuration. In one embodiment, there is a 10 to 80 Angstrom thick lower CoFeB or CoFeB alloy layer on the Ru coupling layer, a and 5 to 50 Angstrom thick Fe or Fe alloy layer on the CoFeB or CoFeB alloy, and a 5 to 30 Angstrom thick Co or Co rich alloy layer formed on the Fe or Fe alloy. A MR ratio of about 48% with a RA of <2 ohm-um2 is achieved when a CoFe AP2 layer, MgO (NOX) tunnel barrier, and CoFe/NiFe free layer are used in the TMR stack. Improved RA uniformity and less head noise are observed. Optionally, a CoFe layer may be inserted between the coupling layer and CoFeB or CoFeB alloy layer to improve pinning strength and enhance crystallization.
US08008737B2 Semiconductor device
A micromachine includes a microstructure and a semiconductor element formed over one insulating substrate. The micromachine includes including a movable layer containing polycrystalline silicon and a space below or above the layer. Such polycrystalline silicon is formed on an insulating surface, so that it is used as a microstructure and used for forming a semiconductor element. Accordingly, a semiconductor device may include a microstructure and a semiconductor element provided over one insulating substrate.
US08008724B2 Structure and method to enhance both nFET and pFET performance using different kinds of stressed layers
In producing complementary sets of metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) field effect transistors, including nMOS and pMOS transistors), carrier mobility is enhanced or otherwise regulated through the use of layering various stressed films over either the nMOS or pMOS transistor (or both), depending on the properties of the layer and isolating stressed layers from each other and other structures with an additional layer in a selected location. Thus both types of transistors on a single chip or substrate can achieve an enhanced carrier mobility, thereby improving the performance of CMOS devices and integrated circuits.
US08008723B2 Semiconductor device including a plurality of diffusion layers and diffusion resistance layer
Aimed at reducing the area of a protective circuit in a semiconductor device provided therewith, a semiconductor device of the present invention has a first-conductivity-type well, a plurality of first diffusion layers formed in the well, a plurality of second diffusion layers formed in the well, and a diffusion resistance layer formed in the well, wherein the first diffusion layers have a second conductivity type, and are connected in parallel with each other to an input/output terminal of the semiconductor device; the second diffusion layers are arranged alternately with a plurality of first diffusion layers, and are connected to a power source or to the ground; the diffusion resistance layer has a second conductivity type, and is located in adjacent to any of the plurality of second diffusion layers; the diffusion resistance layer is connected to the input/output terminal of the semiconductor device, while being arranged in parallel with the first diffusion layers, and connects the internal circuit and the input/output terminal of the semiconductor device.
US08008705B2 Semiconductor storage device and method of manufacturing same
Disclosed is a semiconductor storage device having a trench around a bit-line diffusion region in an area of a p-well, which constitutes a memory cell area, that is not covered by a word line and a select gate that intersects the word line. An insulating film is buried in the trench.
US08008701B2 Method of making a floating gate non-volatile MOS semiconductor memory device with improved capacitive coupling and device thus obtained
A method of making a non-volatile MOS semiconductor memory device includes a formation phase, in a semiconductor material substrate, of isolation regions filled by field oxide and of memory cells separated each other by said isolation regions The memory cells include an electrically active region surmounted by a gate electrode electrically isolated from the semiconductor material substrate by a first dielectric layer; the gate electrode includes a floating gate defined simultaneously to the active electrically region. A formation phase of said floating gate exhibiting a substantially saddle shape including a concavity is proposed.
US08008698B2 Semiconductor memory devices having vertical channel transistors and related methods
A semiconductor memory device may include a semiconductor substrate with an active region extending in a first direction parallel with respect to a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A pillar may extend from the active region in a direction perpendicular with respect to the surface of the semiconductor substrate with the pillar including a channel region on a sidewall thereof. A gate insulating layer may surround a sidewall of the pillar, and a word line may extend in a second direction parallel with respect to the surface of the semiconductor substrate. Moreover, the first and second directions may be different, and the word line may surround the sidewall of the pillar so that the gate insulating layer is between the word line and the pillar. A contact plug may be electrically connected to the active region and spaced apart from the word line, and a bit line may be electrically connected to the active region through the contact plug with the plurality of bit lines extending in the first direction. Related methods are also discussed.
US08008692B2 Semiconductor memory structure with stress regions
A semiconductor memory structure with stress regions includes a substrate defining a first and a second device zone; a first and a second stress region formed in each of the first and second device zone to yield stress different in level; a barrier plug separating the two device zones from each other; and a plurality of oxide spacers being located between the first stress regions and the barrier plug while in direct contact with the first stress regions. Due to the stress yielded at the stress regions, increased carrier mobility and accordingly, increased reading current can be obtained, and only a relatively lower reading voltage is needed to obtain an initially required reading current. As a result, the probability of stress-induced leakage current is reduced to enhance the data retention ability.
US08008689B2 MIS gate structure type HEMT device and method of fabricating MIS gate structure type HEMT device
A normally-off operation type HEMT device excellent in characteristics can be realized. A two-dimensional electron gas region is formed in a periphery of a hetero-junction interface of a base layer and a barrier layer, so that access resistance in an access portion, that is, between a drain and a gate and between a gate and a source is sufficiently lowered, and at the same time, a P-type region is formed immediately under the gate. This realizes a normally-off type HEMT device having a low on-resistance. Further, when a film thickness of an insulating layer is defined as t (nm) and a relative permittivity of a substance forming the insulating layer is defined as k, a threshold voltage as high as +3 V or more can be attained by satisfying k/t≦0.85 (nm−1).
US08008688B2 Photodiode and method of fabrication
The present invention provides a highly reliable photodiode, as well as a simple method of fabricating such a photodiode. During fabrication of the photodiode, a grading layer is epitaxially grown on a top surface of an absorption layer, and a blocking layer, for inhibiting current flow, is epitaxially grown on a top surface of the grading layer. The blocking layer is then etched to expose a window region of the top surface of the grading layer. Thus, the etched blocking layer defines an active region of the absorption layer. A window layer is epitaxially regrown on a top surface of the blocking layer and on the window region of the top surface of the grading layer, and is then etched to form a window mesa.
US08008683B2 Semiconductor light emitting device
The present invention provides a semiconductor light emitting device including a conductive substrate, a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, a second electrode layer, a second semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a first semiconductor layer which are sequentially stacked, wherein an area where the first electrode layer and the first semiconductor layer are in contact with each other is 3 to 13% of an area of the semiconductor light emitting device.
US08008678B2 Light-emitting diode with increased light extraction
Methods are disclosed for forming a vertical semiconductor light-emitting diode (VLED) device having an active layer between an n-doped layer and a p-doped layer; and securing a plurality of balls on a surface of the n-doped layer of the VLED device.
US08008676B2 Solid state light emitting device and method of making same
There is provided a solid state light emitting device comprising at least one light emitting active layer structure and at least one structure selected from among: (1) a first element having at least a first region which has an index of refraction gradient, (2) a first element, at least a portion of which has an index of refraction which is lower than an index of refraction of a side of the active layer, (3) first and second elements, in which one side of the second element is positioned on a side of the active layer and the first element is positioned on the other side of the second element, and in which at least a portion of the first element has an index of refraction which is lower than the index of refraction of at least a portion of the second element. Also provided are methods of making such devices.
US08008675B2 Package for mounting an optical element and a method of manufacturing the same
The optical mounting package of the present invention is featured by mounting a silicon frame on an insulating substrate for mounting the optical element. The package of the present invention is also featured by that the frame mounted on the insulating substrate for mounting the optical element is made of silicon. A method of manufacturing the package of the present invention is featured by mounting the silicon wafer on the insulating substrate.
US08008673B2 Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device 1 includes a base 2 and a light-emitting element 3 that is disposed on the base 2. The light-emitting element 3 is made up of a plurality of semiconductor layers including a light-emitting layer, and at the same time, is covered with a wavelength converting portion 4 that includes a wavelength converting material. The light-emitting layer emits primary light, and the wavelength converting material absorbs part of the primary light and emits secondary light. The luminance of the primary light emitted from the edge portion of the light extraction surface of the light-emitting device 3 is higher than the luminance of the primary light emitted from the inner region located inside the edge portion, and the ratio of the primary light and the secondary light that are emitted from a light extraction surface 6 of the wavelength converting portion 4 is substantially uniform across the light extraction surface 6 of the wavelength converting portion 4. Thereby, a light color difference across the light extraction surface of the wavelength converting portion that covers the light-emitting element can be reduced further, and it is possible to irradiate an irradiation surface with light of uniform color.
US08008668B2 Doped diamond LED devices and associated methods
LED devices and methods for making such devices are provided. One such method may include forming epitaxially a substantially single crystal SiC layer on a substantially single crystal Si wafer, forming epitaxially a substantially single crystal diamond layer on the SiC layer, doping the diamond layer to form a conductive diamond layer, removing the Si wafer to expose the SiC layer opposite to the conductive diamond layer, forming epitaxially a plurality of semiconductor layers on the SiC layer such that at least one of the semiconductive layers contacts the SiC layer, and coupling an n-type electrode to at least one of the semiconductor layers such that the plurality of semiconductor layers is functionally located between the conductive diamond layer and the n-type electrode.
US08008661B2 Insert module for a test handler
An insert module for a test handler includes an insert body and a support frame. The insert body has a receiving space for receiving a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device having connection pads protruding externally from a surface of the semiconductor device. The support frame is formed in an inner side portion of the insert body defining the receiving space to provide a seating surface for contacting and supporting the semiconductor device. The support frame includes a fixing frame and a guide pattern. The fixing frame is inserted into and fixed with the insert body and defines an opening that exposes the semiconductor device. The guide pattern extends from the fixing frame to the inside of the opening to contact the semiconductor device and guide the connection pads.
US08008647B2 Nitride semiconductor device with superlattice active layer including barrier layers with different energy band gaps
There is provided a nitride semiconductor device including an active layer of a superlattice structure. The nitride semiconductor device including: a p-type nitride semiconductor layer; an n-type nitride semiconductor layer; and an active layer disposed between the p-type and n-type nitride layers, the active layer comprising a plurality of quantum barrier layers and quantum well layers deposited alternately on each other, wherein the active layer has a superlattice structure where the quantum barrier layer has a thickness for enabling a carrier injected from the p-type and n-type nitride semiconductor layers to be tunneled therethrough, and at least one of the quantum barrier layers has an energy band gap greater than another quantum barrier layer adjacent to the n-type nitride semiconductor layer.
US08008643B2 Phase change memory cell with heater and method for fabricating the same
A memory device with a thin heater forms a programmable resistive change region in a sub-lithographic pillar of programmable resistive change material (“memory material”), where the heater is formed within the pillar between the top electrode and the programmable material. The device includes a dielectric material layer and vertically separated top and bottom electrodes having mutually opposed contact surfaces. A sub-lithographic pillar of memory material, which in a particular embodiment is a chalcogenide, is encased within the dielectric material layer. A heater between the pillar of programmable resistive material and the top electrode forms an active region, or programmable resistive change region, next to the heater when the memory device is programmed or reset.
US08008636B2 Ion implantation with diminished scanning field effects
Ion implantation systems and scanning systems are provided, in which a focus adjustment component is provided to adjust a focal property of an ion beam to diminish zero field effects of the scanner upon the ion beam. The focal property may be adjusted in order to improve the consistency of the beam profile scanned across the workpiece, or to improve the consistency of the ion implantation across the workpiece. Methods are disclosed for providing a scanned ion beam to a workpiece, comprising scanning the ion beam to produce a scanned ion beam, adjusting a focal property of an ion beam in relation to zero field effects of the scanner upon the ion beam, and directing the ion beam toward the workpiece.
US08008632B2 Two-zone ion beam carbon deposition
The invention relates an ion source for ion beam deposition comprising multiple anodes, wherein the ion source deposits multiple zones of a source material and thicknesses of at least two of the multiple zones are different.
US08008630B2 Ion implantation apparatus and method of correcting deviation angle of ion beam
To increase a transport efficiency of an ion beam by correcting Y-direction diffusion caused by the space charge effect of the ion beam between an ion beam deflector, which separates the ion beam and neutrons from each other, and a target. An ion implantation apparatus has a beam paralleling device that bends an ion beam scanned in an X direction by magnetic field to be parallel and draws a ribbon-shaped ion beam. The beam paralleling device serves also as an ion beam deflector that deflects the ion beam by magnetic field to separates neutrons from the ion beam. In the vicinity of an outlet of the beam paralleling device, there is provided an electric field lens having a plurality of electrodes opposed to each other in a Y direction with a space for passing the ion beam and narrowing the ion beam in the Y direction.
US08008626B2 Neutron detector with gamma ray isolation
A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) neutron detector comprising a silicon-on-insulator structure, wherein the silicon-on-insulator structure consists of an active semiconductor layer, a buried layer, and a handle substrate, a lateral carrier transport and collection detector structure within the active semiconductor layer of the silicon-on-insulator structure, and a neutron to high energy particle converter layer on the active semiconductor layer.
US08008622B2 Electron beam apparatus and method of generating an electron beam irradiation pattern
High-contrast exposure is performed by use of a small dose of electron beams, a pattern is formed on a wafer with high accuracy, and high-precision inspection is performed. In pattern formation, proximity effect correction processing is performed. Moreover, exposure of electron beams is performed based on a result of filtering using an inverse characteristic of exposure characteristics of the electron beams. Furthermore, in pattern inspection, electron beams are irradiated based on a result of filtering for obtaining a peripheral region of an edge of the pattern formed.
US08008617B1 Ion transfer device
Ions carried in a flowing gas stream are transferred to another gas stream of different composition or purity through an ion selective aperture communicating between the gas streams. The ion selective aperture is formed of a central layer which has an electrically conductive layer on each of its surfaces. One or more open channels extend through the central layer and surface layers allowing physical movement of ions therethrough under the urging and influence of an electric field created by imposing a voltage differential between the conductive surface layers of the ion selective aperture. The gas flow rates of the different gas streams may be independently varied to allow adjustment of ion concentration and flow rate to meet the needs of the ion destination. This device can control sample ion introduction into gas-phase ion detectors, such as ion mobility analyzers, differential mobility analyzers, mass spectrometers, and combinations thereof.
US08008613B2 Light sensing device having a color sensor and a clear sensor for infrared rejection
A light sensing device has a first filter to block visible light in a light path. The light sensing device also has a first color sensor and a clear sensor, to detect light in the light path after the first filter. A light intensity calculator computes a measure of the intensity of visible light in the light path, based on a difference between (a) an output signal of the first color sensor, and (b) an output signal of the clear sensor. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08008607B2 Methods of forming a variable watt density layered heater
Methods of forming a layered heater are provided that comprise at least one resistive layer comprising a resistive circuit pattern, the resistive circuit pattern defining a length, a thickness, and a spacing, wherein the thickness varies along the length of the trace of the resistive circuit pattern for a variable watt density. The methods include achieving the variable thickness by varying a dispensing rate of a conductive ink used to form the resistive circuit pattern, varying the feed rate of a target surface relative to the dispensing of the ink, and overwriting a volume of conductive ink on top of a previously formed trace of the resistive circuit pattern.
US08008603B2 Boiler protection apparatus and method
Apparatus and methods for protecting a boiler and heating system from damage comprising a control board having inputs and outputs, a processor having inputs and outputs, at least one ambient sensor in communication with the processor, at least one boiler sensor in communication with the processor, a power failure relay, the power failure relay being in communication with the processor wherein the power failure relay is capable of detecting power failure of the boiler, an alarm relay connected to the control board by the at least one output and which is capable of sending notification to an alarm system. When an ambient temperature detection event occurs the ambient sensor communicates with the processor and switches the control board from passive mode to monitoring mode. When a temperature detection event or a heating system malfunction occurs the boiler sensor or power failure relay or other types of sensors communicate with the processor and initiate an alarm pathway or provide a circulation mode for circulating water through a heating system of an enclosure to be heated by the boiler and heating system. The control board may provide for the boiler to return to normal function when the temperature detection event or the heating system malfunction ends. The apparatus may also be used to prevent boiler, heating system and enclosure damage by initiating other actions when a heating system malfunction occurs.
US08008602B2 Electrostatic chuck heater
An electrostatic chuck heater is provided including a base which is formed by applying conductive paste containing a binder to upper and lower surfaces of an alumina sintered body to print an electrostatic electrode and heater electrode, calcining the alumina sintered body, arranging alumina powder above the electrostatic electrode and alumina powder below the heater electrode, and pressing the alumina powder and alumina sintered body in the above state for pressure sintering. The diffusion area ratio of the conductive material near the electrostatic electrode in the dielectric layer is set to not more than 0.25%.
US08008599B2 Method for manufacturing layered elements with incisions
A manufacturing method may include forming incisions through an incision layer that is secured to a transfer layer. After defining the incisions, the incision layer is secured to a substrate layer, and the transfer layer is then separated from the incision layer. The manufacturing method may be applied to elements used in footwear, apparel, or a variety of other products.
US08008591B2 Key button structure for electronic device
A key button structure (10) for using in a portable electronic device (100) is provided. The key button structure (10) include a housing (14) having a joining portion (1428) formed on the outer wall (1422) of the housing (14) and a key body (124) have a mating portion (1245) formed thereon corresponding with the joining portion (1428).
US08008589B2 Electrical switching device in a motor vehicle having an anti-ESD device
An electrical switching device in a motor vehicle includes an anti-ESD device which is formed by a metallic or metal-coated element on a surface of the switching device, with which an earth connection is associated via a defined air gap.
US08008586B2 Mechanically energized mechanical power communication coupling system
A mechanical power coupling system including a mechanical power connector component for communicating a mechanical power service with another mechanical power connector component. A mechanical power service switch is provided for selectively permitting communication of the mechanical power service between the mechanical power connector components. The mechanical power service switch is activated to transfer a mechanical power service from a mechanical power service source to a mechanical power service consumer in response to a proximity sensor engaging a proximity target.
US08008583B2 Heat resistant substrate incorporated circuit wiring board
This invention provides a multilayer printed wiring board which achieves fine pitches. A heat resistant substrate is incorporated in a multilayer printed wiring board and interlayer resin insulation layer and conductive layer are placed alternately on the heat resistant substrate. A built-up wiring board in which respective conductive layers are connected by via hole is formed. A via hole is formed on the surface of a mirror-processed Si substrate by using a heat resistant substrate composed of Si substrate so that finer wiring than a resin substrate having unevenness in its surface can be formed, whereby achieving fine pitches. Further, by forming the wiring on a mirror processed surface, dispersion of wiring decreases thereby decreasing dispersion of impedance.
US08008577B2 Constructive arrangement in an umbilical cable and a process for the manufacture thereof
An umbilical cable, particularly adequate for subsea exploration, contains two or more three-phase power supply circuits, each consisting of three conductors grouped in a trefoil configuration, each conductor including a metal core surrounded by an insulating sheath, each conductor being provided with an individual shielding whose cross-section is less than, equal to or greater than that of the core. Advantageously, each insulating sheath may be surrounded by a layer of semiconductor material. Filler spacers made of an insulating material, preferably polyethylene, may be used to aid in the positioning of the trefoils. The cable provides an economy of material, an increased flexibility, a reduction of the diameter of the finished cable and a substantial decrease of manufacturing time as compared with cables produced in accordance with the known art. A manufacturing method for an umbilical cable is also disclosed.
US08008556B1 Inbred corn line NPFX8091
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated NPFX8091, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPFX8091, with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred NPFX8091, including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line NPFX8091, and plants produced by said methods.