Document Document Title
US08141166B2 Content access rights management system which embeds restricted metadata into a picture
An apparatus comprises a content item receiver which receives a content item such as a digital photo or an audio or video clip. A user preference model generates data indicative of user preferences for content item access. An access rule processor determines a set of self-governance rules for the first content item in response to the user preference model. The self-governance rules are indicative of allowable actions for the first content item in other devices. A file processor includes the set of self-governance rules with the content item and a network interface transmits the content item to a second apparatus . The second apparatus comprises functionality for restricting access to the content item in accordance with the set of self-governance rules. The invention may provide improved access rights management and in particular for personal content items.
US08141156B1 Method and apparatus for mitigating routing misbehavior in a network
Method and apparatus for mitigating routing misbehavior in a network is described. In one example, routing protocol traffic is received from a remote router destined for a local router. The routing protocol traffic is parsed to identify a subset of traffic. The subset of traffic is normalized to identify and correct misconfigured routing updates. The routing protocol traffic is provided to the local router. In one embodiment, the subset of traffic is normalized by at least one of detecting and correcting routing protocol semantics, detecting and correcting violations in routing policies, detecting and correcting routing anomalies, or mitigating routing instability.
US08141155B2 Predictive assessment of network risks
In certain implementations, systems and methods for predicting technology vulnerabilities in a network of computer devices are based on software characteristics of processes executing at the computer devices. In one preferred implementation, the system identifies processes at various computing devices within an organization, identifies software characteristics associated with the processes, applies technology controls to the software characteristics, determines risk indexes based on the modified technology control, applies administrative controls to the risk indexes, aggregates the indexes to create risk model, determines alternative risk models, and presents the risk models for consideration and analysis by a user.
US08141153B1 Method and apparatus for detecting executable software in an alternate data stream
A method and apparatus of detecting executable software in alternate data streams to secure operation of a computer comprises processing information regarding a file requested for execution and determining an alternate data stream associated with the file, wherein the alternate data stream comprises executable software.
US08141145B2 Method to control the execution of a program by a microcontroller
The aim of the present invention is to propose a method and a device with the aim of avoiding problems which could ensue following the de-synchronization of a program counter during the execution of a program.This aim is achieved by a method for controlling the execution of a program involving separating the program into a number of blocks of instructions and adding an input control section and an output control section to each block. The control sections have conditions for entry to the block and conditions for exit from the block. This can be used to check the validity of the execution of a program by verifying the execution history of the program. Action can be taken in the case that any anomaly is found in the program execution compared to the expected execution.
US08141144B2 Security policy management for network devices
The present invention provides a system and method for use within a computer network that allows for automated provisioning, configuration, and maintenance of the servers and other devices connected to a computer network in accordance with established policies. This system and method make use of templates which represent security polices which are applicable to all devices within the system, a subset of the devices, or a particular type of device. In addition, the template structure includes conditional statements which allows for flexibility in defining the policies.
US08141132B2 Determining an invalid request
A method of determining an indication of an invalid request, the method including the steps of, in a processing system: receiving data at step 100, comparing at least a portion of the received data to predetermined criteria at step 110, determining an indication of an invalid request included in the data at step 120, and generating a notification in accordance with the determined invalid request at step 140.
US08141127B1 High granularity reactive measures for selective pruning of information
Some embodiments of high granularity reactive measures for selective pruning of information have been presented. The system and apparatus embody algorithms to automatically evaluate the security based significance (also referred to as “information enthalpy”) of a given set of structured, semi-structured or unstructured Data. This is also termed as security parameter index (SPI), represented by a numerical value, and is regarded as the intrinsic property of a given set of structured, semi-structured or unstructured Data. In one embodiment, a security parameter index (SPI) of a set of data is determined based on content of the set of data. If the SPI is above a predetermined threshold, then a security quotient (Sq) of the set of data is further determined based on the SPI and an action to be performed on the set of data in the current situation. Based on the value of the Sq, a data leak prevention policy is automatically defined and enforced on the set of data in the current situation. The system and apparatus also embody a Security Map that enumerates the security based inter-relationship between Agents, Data Set(s) and permissible Action(s) that can be invoked on the data. The Security Map enables automatic and dynamic generation and enforcement of security policies to prevent data leak.
US08141118B2 Data broadcasting receiver power management
Systems and methods for data broadcasting and power management techniques for data broadcast receiving devices are disclosed. A data broadcast receiving device receives a broadcast schedule from a data broadcast server and correlates the broadcast schedule with profile information in the data broadcast receiving device to determine a schedule for activating a receiver module in the data broadcast receiving device. The receiver is activated in accordance with the schedule. The broadcast schedule may include a content identifier that identifies content associated with a specific broadcast schedule. A data broadcast may include metadata that identifies the content of the broadcast. The receiver may use the content identifier and the metadata to determine whether the broadcast data corresponds to the data scheduled for broadcast, and may implement an error routine in the event that there is not a correspondence.
US08141115B2 Systems and methods for multiple media coordination
The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that effectuate multiple media coordination. The system can include devices and components that coordinate in real time the synchronization of multiple media streams to a multiplicity of diverse devices, distribute the multiple media streams to the various diverse devices, and control the distribution of the multiple media streams to the various devices from at least one of the various devices.
US08141103B2 Solution for modifying a queue manager to support smart aliasing which permits extensible software to execute against queued data without application modifications
The present invention discloses a queue manager that includes a smart alias function. The smart alias function can associate a queue name with two or more queues. The queues associated with the queue name for a given operation can be dependent upon programmatically determinable conditions. For example, the queue name (Queue A) can cause a message to be put in a Queue A1 when smart aliased. The same queue name (Queue A) can cause a message to be retrieved from Queue A2 when smart aliased. Additional processing can be performed against messages placed in Queue A1, and post processed messages can be placed in Queue A2. The queue manager can be a component that receives digitally encoded messages, that stores the received digitally encoded messages, and that provides the digitally encoded messages to authorized requesting software applications. The queue manager and the smart alias function can be software/firmware.
US08141099B2 Autonomic method and apparatus for hardware assist for patching code
Hardware assist to autonomically patch code. The present invention provides hardware microcode to a new type of metadata to selectively identify instructions to be patched for specific performance optimization functions. The present invention also provides a new flag in the machine status register (MSR) to enable or disable a performance monitoring application or process to perform code-patching functions. If the code patching function is enabled, the application or process may patch code at run time by associating the metadata with the selected instructions. The metadata includes pointers pointing to the patch code block code. The program code may be patched autonomically without modifying original code.
US08141098B2 Context switch data prefetching in multithreaded computer
An apparatus initiates, in connection with a context switch operation, a prefetch of data likely to be used by a thread prior to resuming execution of that thread. As a result, once it is known that a context switch will be performed to a particular thread, data may be prefetched on behalf of that thread so that when execution of the thread is resumed, more of the working state for the thread is likely to be cached, or at least in the process of being retrieved into cache memory, thus reducing cache-related performance penalties associated with context switching.
US08141095B2 Recording medium storing data allocation control program, data allocation control device, data allocation control method, and multi-node storage-system
A data allocation control program manages data allocation when data is distributively stored in a plurality of disk nodes that are shifted to a power saving mode unless access is performed for a certain time. The program produces a plurality of allocation pattern candidates each indicating the disk nodes in which the respective data are to be stored. The program calculates a no-access period expectation that represents an expected value of occurrence of a no-access period during which access is not performed to some of the disk nodes. The program selects as an allocation pattern for data reallocation, one of the plurality of produced allocation pattern candidates with the largest calculated no-access period expectation. The program instructs the disk nodes to reallocate the respective data in accordance with the selected allocation pattern.
US08141091B2 Resource allocation in a NUMA architecture based on application specified resource and strength preferences for processor and memory resources
An apparatus, program product and method in which application program-specified resource allocation and allocation strength preferences are used to allocate hardware resources from a computer for that application program. The resource allocation preference is used to allocate hardware resources for the application program, while the allocation strength preference is used to determine whether to allocate alternate hardware resources when the resource allocation preference specified by the application program cannot be met.
US08141087B2 Resolving computing resource deadlocks based on priority and dependent processes
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for resolving computing resource deadlocks. In one embodiment, the present invention includes detecting a set of deadlocked processes within a set of executing processes, cancelling a lowest priority process of the set of deadlocked processes, generating a requested resources report for the set of executing processes, and enabling a user to assign a priority level to a process. In one embodiment, resolving computing resource deadlocks will efficiently detect deadlocks by using a report already generated by the operating system detailing information about allocated resources. By analyzing the resources report to gain information regarding executing processes, deadlocks may be easily determined and remedied. Resolving computing resource deadlocks may be conducted by a utility or it may run as a service of the operating system.
US08141083B2 Method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing a self-tunable parameter used for dynamically yielding an idle processor
A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed for dynamically determining when to yield a processor that is assigned to perform particular work but that is currently idle. A particular processor is assigned to perform work. A determination is made regarding whether the processor is currently idle. If the processor is currently idle, a determination is made of a length of time the processor has been idle. If this determined length of time exceeds a self-tunable threshold, the processor is yielded to make the processor available to perform other work. The threshold can be dynamically tuned during runtime.
US08141082B2 Node-based representation of multi-threaded computing environment tasks, and node-based data race evaluation
A method for detecting race conditions in a concurrent processing environment is provided. The method comprises implementing a data structure configured for storing data related to at least one task executed in a concurrent processing computing environment, each task represented by a node in the data structure; and assigning to a node in the data structure at least one of a task number, a wait number, and a wait list; wherein the task number uniquely identifies the respective task, wherein the wait number is calculated based on a segment number of the respective task's parent node, and wherein the wait list comprises at least an ancestor's wait number. The method may further comprise monitoring a plurality of memory locations to determine if a first task accesses a first memory location, wherein said first memory location was previously accessed by a second task.
US08141077B2 System, method and medium for providing asynchronous input and output with less system calls to and from an operating system
A system, method and medium for reducing the number of system calls from an application program to an operating system kernel. In an embodiment, a method includes the steps of creating a list of requests issued by an application program, associating an indicia with the list indicating whether the list contains a request, querying the indicia to determine if the list contains a request, and adding a new application program request to the list when the indicia indicates that the list includes a request.
US08141073B2 Generating sequence diagrams using call trees
A software tool is provided to analyze static source code. Source Code files are selected to define the project work space. A class and a method in the class are selected from said selected source code files. The tool generates a Call Tree as an ordered recursive sequence of all method calls in different classes or their instances that are invoked by said selected method in said selected class. A Sequence Diagram is generated from said Call Tree. The tool remembers all updates to the Call Tree used to generate the Sequence Diagram. This information is used when a generated Sequence Diagram is impacted due to changes made to any source code file included in the project.
US08141071B2 Intelligent patch checker
A method for remotely updating software in a plurality of computer systems is disclosed. In one embodiment, a client computer sends application information about a software application to a server system. The server system performs a comparison between the application information about the software application and the most-updated upgrade package for the software application. The most-updated upgrade package for the software application is stored in a part database. The most-updated upgrade package for the software application is received by the client system automatically when the comparison indicates that the most-updated upgrade package has not been installed on the client system. A client database stores a plurality of configuration files for a plurality of client systems. A first configuration file provides the sever system with the knowledge of the software applications installed on the client system. The application information about the software application comprises version information of the software applications and is stored in a database in the client system.
US08141059B2 Method and system for avoidance of software conflict
A method/system for avoiding software conflicts, with library being divided into layer 1 to layer M and M≧1. The method including the following steps: before a program runs, prescanning calling functions of the binary executable code of the program and called functions that belong to libraries of layer 1 and are individually called by the calling functions of the binary executable code of the program, and if M>1, further prescanning calling functions that belong to libraries of layer 1 to layer M−1 and called functions that belong to libraries of layer 2 to layer M and are individually called by the calling functions that belong to libraries of layer 1 to layer M−1, so as to determine whether there exists any individual conflict between the calling functions and the corresponding called functions; if there exists at least one conflict, storing at least one piece of conflict information individually indicating the at least one conflict; and when the program calls a library directly called by the program, abandoning loading of the library if conflict information correspond to the library has been stored, or loading the library otherwise.
US08141057B2 Data processing apparatus and associated method
In accordance with a plurality of processing requests, a SAM chip generates IC card entity data including job execution order data showing an order of execution of a plurality of jobs forming processing in accordance with a processing request and status data showing a state of progress of execution of said plurality of jobs for each of said processing requests. Further, the SAM chip selects one entity data from said plurality of entity data, selects and executes the job to be executed next based on the status data and processing order data of said selected entity data, and updates the status data in accordance with execution of said job.
US08141055B2 Method for dynamic discovery of code segments in instrumented binary modules
A method for dynamic discovery of code segments in instrumented binary modules is provided. A program comprising code segments is received. Potential code segments are determined, and the program is instrumented at potential code segments for dynamic code discovery. The instrumented program is run. In response to executing the potential code segments, the potential code segments are marked. The marked code segments are stored as confirmed code segments.
US08141041B2 Automated configuration updater and method for code builder
A method for automating updates to configuration data includes coding a builder method within a source file for an application component and running the source file through a transformer engine configured to implement an interface within the source file. The builder method is implemented to construct an in-memory data structure representing one or more configuration data elements of a configuration object provided by a configuration service for the application component. The interface provides a mapping between one or more configuration data elements represented in the in-memory data structure and one or more corresponding data elements of a listener object representing changes to the configuration object. The mapping is implemented to update the in-memory data structure at runtime whenever a change to the configuration object is signaled to the listener object.
US08141039B2 Method and system for consolidating machine readable code
A method of consolidating machine readable code determines for part of a programming project a projected size L. When available, the actual size of the part, L′ is determined. L and L′ are compared to determine whether the actual size L′ exceeds the projected size. In a case where the actual size of the part L′ is determined to exceed the projected size L, the completed project part is rejected. In a case where the size of the completed project part L′ does not exceed the projected size L, the part is integrated into the project, and the project is compiled, or built.
US08141038B2 Virtual RAS repository
The present invention provides a virtual Reusable Asset Specification (RAS) repository. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: providing RAS assets for each different lifecycle phase of a software asset; and linking the RAS assets together using RAS related-assets.
US08141034B2 System for automating the definition of application objects supporting compressing operations
A configurable class system for an application author working in an application development environment that automates the handling of undo, redo and logging operations is discussed. The configurable class system removes the burden from the application author of having to custom manage undo, redo and logging information during application writing by providing the necessary mechanisms to every application object created. The configurable class system also allows the application author to handle exceptional state changes in an application by configuring the underlying base classes provided by the configurable class system. Additionally, the embodiments of the present invention enable the application author to customize the compression of a series of identified operations by selecting the type of operations that are to be compressed and the manner in which the compression is to occur.
US08141026B1 Method and system for rapidly identifying silicon manufacturing defects
The present invention is directed to a method and system for rapidly identifying physical locations of manufacturing defects on the surface of a semiconductor die. The method and system first retrieve information about an electrical failure from an IC's electrical test result and then identify a set of electrical elements from the IC's layout design including a start resource and an end resource. Next, the method and system identify a physical signal path between the start resource and the end resource using the IC's layout design. Finally, the method and system examine a corresponding region on the semiconductor die that covers the physical signal path for manufacturing defects that may be responsible for the electrical failure.
US08141025B2 Method of performing timing analysis on integrated circuit chips with consideration of process variations
A method for verifying whether a circuit meets timing constraints by performing an incremental static timing analysis in which slack is represented by a distribution that includes sensitivities to various process variables. The slack at an endpoint is computed by propagating the arrival times and required arrival times of paths leading up to the endpoint. The computation of arrival and required arrival times needs the computation of delays of individual gate and wire segments in each path that leads to the endpoint. The mixed mode adds a deterministic timing to the statistical timing (DSTA+SSTA).
US08141008B2 Optical lithography correction process
A apparatus and method for correcting a process critical layout includes characterizing the influence of individual ones of a set of worst case process variations on a simulated nano-circuit layout design and then correcting layout geometries in the simulated nano-circuit layout based on such characterizations.
US08141002B2 System and method for visual representation of a social network connection quality
An apparatus, system, and method to generate a graphical representation of a social network. The computer program product includes a computer useable storage medium to store a computer readable program that, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform operations related to generating a graphical representation of a social network. The operations include an operation to display a first node and a second node in a social network. The operations also include an operation to display an actual quality indicator representative of an actual level of quality of a connection between the first and second nodes of the social network. The operations also include an operation to display a target quality indicator representative of a target level of quality of the connection between the first and second nodes of the social network.
US08140999B2 Display process device and display process method
A display process device that includes a screen definition information interpretation section that interprets screen definition information which defines a moment in which a first screen event is to be issued, and issues a first screen event. The first screen event is for executing an action, and corresponds to an instruction inputted from an input I/F section. A first event conversion section converts the first screen event to a first device event which may be interpreted by a device resource control section. The device resource control section controls a device resource in accordance with the first device event. Also, the device resource control section issues a second device event having described thereon a result of referencing and modifying a device resource. A second event conversion section converts the second device event to a second screen event which may be interpreted by a screen definition information interpretation section.
US08140998B2 Imaging device
An imaging device with an enhanced degree of freedom in device settings based on commands, thereby improving the usability of an imaging device. When the user of an imaging device operates a menu switch, a composite image of a top menu image superimposed on a currently set source image, for example, a camera image, as a background image is displayed on a monitor. In response to the user's selection of an advanced settings command icon on the top menu image through the operations of the menu switch and circumferential switches surrounding the menu switch, the display on the monitor is changed from the composite image including the top menu image to a lower-layer menu image. Some of command icons included in the lower-layer menu image are different from command icons included in the top menu image. A top menu return command icon and a menu image deletion command icon may be included. This arrangement desirably enhances the degree of freedom in device settings based on commands and thereby improves the usability of the imaging device.
US08140990B2 User interface visualizations
Aspects of the invention pertain to user interface visualizations, enabling efficient display of content on a display device. At least some content is presented having diagonal views to emphasize certain portions of the content while deemphasizing other portions of the content.
US08140986B2 Generating test scenarios using reusable triggers indicating graphical user interface (GUI) elements and actions
Provided are an article of manufacture, system, and method for generating test scenarios using reusable triggers indicating graphical user interface (GUI) elements and actions. User input is received defining a plurality of triggers for a graphical user interface (GUI) program. Each trigger associates a user GUI action and a GUI object on which the GUI action is performed. Execution of the GUI action on the GUI object defined in the trigger causes a shift in a state of the GUI program from one static state to another, and wherein the defined triggers are enabled for reuse in multiple test scenarios. User input is received indicating a first order of triggers to test a first scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated first order. User input is received indicating a second order of triggers to test a second scenario of operations of the GUI program. The GUI program executes the GUI actions with respect to the GUI objects defined in the triggers in the indicated second order. At least one of the triggers indicated for the second scenario reuses at least one trigger indicated for the first scenario. The triggers defined in the first and second scenarios are executed to test the GUI program.
US08140984B2 Method and apparatus for document browsing
A method, system and program storage device for browsing hyperlinked documents are provided. A method in one aspect may include enabling navigating from a document having a plurality of hyperlinks to a document associated with one of said plurality of hyperlinks; and enabling navigating directly from said document associated with one of said plurality of hyperlinks to another document associated with another one of said plurality of hyperlinks using one or more of a plurality of defined elements. System and program storage device for performing the above methods are also provided.
US08140978B2 System and method for providing information in a virtual world
Providing tracking information about events in a virtual world using a computer is presented including: causing the computer to provide a re-usable code portion, the re-usable code portion configured with a unique identifier and an address of an external data storage, causing the computer to configure at least a set of events to be tracked for sending information about tracked events to the external data storage; causing the computer to associate the re-usable code portion with a virtual object to be tracked in the virtual world. In some embodiments, methods are presented wherein the causing the computer to associate the re-usable code portion with the virtual object comprises causing the computer to integrate the re-usable code portion on a source code level into the virtual object.”
US08140975B2 Slide show navigation
A slide show, integrated into an email application, displays images such as those included as an attachment to an email message. The user can view the slide show without exiting the email application. Slide show navigation controls are provided. An index sheet mode can be activated wherein a number of thumbnails are displayed, allowing easy navigation to any image within the slide show. Transition animations can be provided for clarifying operations such as activating and dismissing the index sheet.
US08140967B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes: a registration section 64 for registering plural classes defining respective styles; a search section 52 for searching for, from the registered classes, candidate classes similar to a data set including property values specifying one or more given style characteristics; a presentation section 58 for selectably presenting the retrieved candidate classes; and an application section for giving the one or more input property values as the data set and applying style definition to the structured document using a class confirmed from the selectable candidate classes.
US08140954B2 System and method for providing on demand captioning of broadcast programs
The present invention relates to a system, method and computer program for enabling a user receiving a broadcast program on a program receiver to download on his/her computer device time stamped captions and synchronization data related to the received broadcast program, and to autonomously generate and display on his/her computer device, a captions stream synchronized with the display of the broadcast program on the program receiver.
US08140943B1 Parity insertion for inner architecture
A coding system for digital data. The coding system includes a constrained encoder module configured to generate encoded data based on a first constrained code; a bit insertion module configured to insert at least one bit location in the encoded data; and an inner encoding module configured to (i) generate inner-code parity bits based on the encoded data, and (ii) program the inner-code parity bits into the at least one bit location.
US08140939B2 Flash error correction
A data processing device for detecting and correcting data errors of a re-writable memory via an error correction algorithm. In one embodiment, the data processing device includes a coding unit implemented in hardware and an error correction unit implemented in software. In one embodiment, the coding unit is capable receiving a first set of data to be written to the memory and processing that data in accordance with an error correction algorithm to form a second set of data. The second set of data may be output to memory. In one embodiment, the coding unit receives data from the memory and processes that data in accordance with the error correction algorithm to determine whether the data contains an error. In one embodiment, the error correction unit receives data that contains an error and produces corrected data via an error correction algorithm. The corrected data may be output to the memory.
US08140928B2 Radio communications apparatus and method used in a mobile communications system
A radio communications apparatus having a retransmission function that has a determination portion configured to receive an error detection result obtained for a first packet transmitted to a destination apparatus and determine in a first sub-layer whether the error detection result is a positive acknowledgement; a transmission portion configured to transmit a second packet following the first packet to the destination apparatus; a timer portion configured to measure a predetermined period of time after the second packet is transmitted; and a report portion configured to report to a second sub-layer that is an upper sub-layer of the first sub-layer that the error detection result is the positive acknowledgement when no message is received from the destination apparatus during the predetermined period of time, the message indicating that the error detection result is falsely determined to be the positive acknowledgement.
US08140925B2 Method and apparatus to debug an integrated circuit chip via synchronous clock stop and scan
An apparatus and method for evaluating a state of an electronic or integrated circuit (IC), each IC including one or more processor elements for controlling operations of IC sub-units, and each the IC supporting multiple frequency clock domains. The method comprises: generating a synchronized set of enable signals in correspondence with one or more IC sub-units for starting operation of one or more IC sub-units according to a determined timing configuration; counting, in response to one signal of the synchronized set of enable signals, a number of main processor IC clock cycles; and, upon attaining a desired clock cycle number, generating a stop signal for each unique frequency clock domain to synchronously stop a functional clock for each respective frequency clock domain; and, upon synchronously stopping all on-chip functional clocks on all frequency clock domains in a deterministic fashion, scanning out data values at a desired IC chip state. The apparatus and methodology enables construction of a cycle-by-cycle view of any part of the state of a running IC chip, using a combination of on-chip circuitry and software.
US08140923B2 Test circuit and method for testing of infant mortality related defects
The disclosure provides embodiments of ICs and a method of testing an IC. In one embodiment, an IC includes: (1) a functional logic path having a node and at least one sequential logic element and (2) test circuitry coupled to the functional logic path and having a delay block, the test circuitry configured to form a testable path including the delay block and the node in response to a test mode signal, wherein a delay value of the delay block is selected to detect a small delay defect associated with the node.
US08140922B2 Method for correlating an error message from a PCI express endpoint
In a method of handling errors in a digital system that includes a root complex in data communication with at least one endpoint, the endpoint including at least one advanced error reporting register, an error is detected by the endpoint. Error data indicative of the error is stored in an advanced error reporting register. An indication of which transaction caused the error is stored in a secondary location. An error message packet that includes the error data and the indication of which transaction caused the error is generated. The error message packet is transmitted to the root complex. The root complex is caused to take a preselected action in response to the error message packet.
US08140919B2 Display of data used for system performance analysis
Method, system, and computer program product for displaying data used to analyze system performance are provided. The method, system, and computer program product provides for determining an alert was triggered in a system at a point in time, identifying an alert type associated with the alert that was triggered in the system at the point in time, and displaying data concerning the system based on the alert type identified, the data displayed comprising a subset of a plurality of types of data available concerning the system, the subset being selected based on the alert type identified.
US08140918B2 Clock supply method and information processing apparatus
A clock supply method for supplying a clock to a plurality of processing units includes supplying a clock from a first clock supply unit to processing units forming a first group as a primary clock and to processing units forming a second group as a standby clock; supplying a clock from a second clock supply unit including a clock source different from that of the first clock supply unit to the processing units forming the second group as a primary clock and to the processing units forming the first group as a standby clock; and when a processing unit in the first or second group detects an abnormality of the primary clock, switching the standby clock into use in place of the primary clock being supplied to the processing units that has detected the abnormality belongs; wherein the first and second clock supply units supply clocks with the same frequency.
US08140916B2 Unit for predicting malfunction of an apparatus
According to one embodiment, a malfunction predicting unit includes a level reduction unit, a first buffer gate unit, a second buffer gate unit, a comparator unit and a processing unit. The level reduction unit reduces an input digital signal to generate a level-reduced signal. The first buffer gate unit generates a first output signal. The first output signal has first or second level if the digital signal is or is not higher than a preset threshold level, respectively. The second buffer gate unit generates a second output signal. The second output signal has the first or second level if the level-reduced signal is or is not higher than the preset threshold level, respectively. The comparator unit compares the first and second output signals to generate a comparison result. The processing unit determines whether a malfunction will soon occur, based on the comparison result.
US08140913B2 Apparatus and method for monitoring computer system, taking dependencies into consideration
A system monitoring apparatus specifies an intentionally shutdown system component or monitoring target, and a different monitoring target that is dependent thereon (a dependent target), and does not display an alert even when an error state is detected for a monitoring target inside the intentionally shutdown system component or the intentionally shutdown monitoring target, and the dependent target of the system component or monitoring target.
US08140912B2 Semiconductor integrated circuits and method of detecting faults of processors
A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a processor having an output signal of instruction log information and being operable in a program in memory is disclosed. The semiconductor integrated circuit comprises trace determination circuit for comparing an instruction code that corresponds to the instruction log information from a processor with an instruction code that is read from the memory to detect faults.
US08140905B2 Incremental problem determination and resolution in cloud environments
Installation files are annotated, which annotations may trigger system snapshots to be taken at a plurality of points during the execution of the installation files and/or collected. During a test run, the generated snapshots are examined incrementally to determine whether the installation is success or failure at that point. Checkpoint snapshots are stored, and those indicating failure are recorded with description of the error and/or remediation that suggest how the errors may be resolved or fixed. During a production run, the annotated installation files may be executed and the checkpoint snapshots generated during the production run may be compared with those stored of the test run to incrementally identify and resolve potential problems in the production run.
US08140903B2 Hardware process trace facility
A method for tracing thread bus transactions in a multiprocessor system comprises decoding, by a processor, a first thread instruction of a thread, the thread comprising an ordered series of thread instructions. In the event the first thread instruction is a set bus trace enable bit (BTEB) instruction, the processor sets a bus trace enable bit corresponding to the thread. In the event the BTEB is set, the processor determines whether the first thread instruction is a trace-eligible instruction and, in the event the first thread instruction is a trace-eligible instruction, and the BTEB is set, the processor sets a snoop tag trace enable bit (STTEB). A hardware trace monitor (HTM) monitors bus transactions, each bus transaction comprising a STTE. In the event a monitored bus transaction comprises a set STTEB, the HTM stores the bus transaction as trace data. In the event a monitored bus transaction comprises a reset STTEB, the HTM does not store the bus transaction as trace data.
US08140900B2 Establishing a connection between a testing and/or debugging interface and a connector
This invention relates to automatically establishing a connection between a testing and/or debugging interface to an integrated circuit and a connector of an apparatus, the connector being connectable to a testing and/or debugging apparatus configured to communicate with the testing and/or debugging interface via the connector in a testing and/or debugging mode of the apparatus and connectable to an accessory apparatus to be used in a normal operation mode of the apparatus, if the testing and/or debugging apparatus is connected to the connector, thereby establishing the testing and/or debugging mode of the apparatus.
US08140899B2 Method and system for diagnosing a computer system
A method includes determining a rule lookup key for a computer system to be diagnosed, retrieving a diagnostic rule set associated with the rule lookup key, and executing the diagnostic rule set on the computer system. The computer system may include a computer and peripherals arranged in a configuration, and the diagnostic rule set executed on the computer system may be based on changes in configuration or behavior attributes of the computer system.
US08140898B2 Techniques for gathering evidence for performing diagnostics
Techniques for performing diagnostics for a monitored system. In one embodiment, an aggregate model built using a set of models is used to determine a set of probes or tests to be executed for obtaining information related to the monitored system. The obtained evidence information is then applied to the aggregate model to perform diagnostics for one or more conditions detected in the monitored system.
US08140885B2 Accounting for microprocessor resource consumption
Techniques for accounting microprocessor resource consumption. The present invention provides an automatic method to timely determine the current microprocessor clock frequency. Information provided by timer facilities of the microprocessor is reused by sampling this information at constant intervals. Such direct derivation of the microprocessor clock frequency is a real-time method that also takes into consideration secondary effects. Examples for such secondary effects include clock frequency variations across chips due to manufacturing variations, any degradation due to performance loss by thermal, or other detrimental effects as well as any voltage changes. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the real-time microprocessor clock frequency determination is implemented as part of the microprocessor itself. No additional service processors or other external hardware facilities are needed in order to control the microprocessor clock frequency determination function.
US08140877B2 Reducing power consumption in a system operating in a power saving mode
An apparatus is provided, for reducing power consumption in a system operating in a power saving mode, comprising a controller, an oscillator circuit and a voltage regulator. The controller provides a first control signal and a second control signal. The oscillator circuit, connected to the controller, wherein the controller controls the oscillator circuit according to the second control signal. The voltage regulator providing electric power to the oscillator circuit, connected to the controller, wherein the controller controls the voltage regulator according to the first control signal.
US08140865B2 Pre-configuring of encryption bands on a disk for use in a plurality of array configurations
A computational device receives input information on characteristics of customer data, critical metadata, and non-critical metadata, and characteristics of disk array configurations, wherein customer data is to be stored encrypted, wherein critical metadata is to be stored non-encrypted, and wherein non-critical metadata is to be stored encrypted or non-encrypted. The computational device determines band boundary information based on the received input information. Encrypting disks with pre-established bands are created based on the band boundary information and the encrypting disks are pre-initialized.
US08140862B2 Memory device
A memory device includes a storage unit having a decryption key storage section that stores key information for decryption and a data storage section that stores to-be-read data requested from the exterior, and a decryption control unit capable of decrypting an externally input encrypted read instruction and address based on the key information stored in the decryption key storage section, and causing data corresponding to the decrypted read instruction and address to be output from the data storage section. The decryption key storage section is composed of arrays of a flash memory.
US08140856B2 Method and apparatus for removing encrypted files unassociated with a user key from an archive
The present invention provides a computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product to selectively extracts compressed-encrypted files from an archive. The data processing system receives a command to preprocess the archive from an authenticated user, wherein the authenticated user is associated with at least one fingerprint. The data processing system determines that the at least one fingerprint fails to match all fingerprints in metadata of a first compressed-encrypted file in the archive. The data processing system, responsive to a determination that the fingerprint fails to match all fingerprints, deletes the compressed-encrypted file. The data processing system determines that the fingerprint matches a second fingerprint in metadata of a second compressed-encrypted file in the archive. The data processing system, responsive to a determination that the fingerprint matches the second fingerprint, avoids deleting the second compressed-encrypted file.
US08140855B2 Security-enhanced log in
A security-enhanced login technique that provides a convenient and easy-to-use two factor technique to enhance the security of passwords without requiring any changes on the server side of a client-server network. The technique employs a convenient and easy-to-use two-factor technique to generate strong passwords for Web and other applications. In this technique, a convenient or personal device such as a mouse is used as the other factor besides a user password. A secret stored in the mouse or other personal device is hashed together with the password entered by a user and the server ID, to generate a strong, server-specific password which is used to authenticate the user to the server. This password enhancement operation is carried out inside the personal device.
US08140853B2 Mutually excluded security managers
A shared key and a private key unique to one or more resource sets are generated. Each of the resource sets identifies the resource. The shared key and the private key are transmitted to a security access point. The security access point controls access to the resource. A resource key is generated. The resource key is a result of a cryptographic function of the private key and a resource identifier. The resource key and the shared key are transmitted to one or more local security managers. Each of the local security managers is assigned to manage one of the resource sets. In accordance with one or more policies, the local security managers generate a credential using the resource key and the shared key. The credential is distributed to one or more authenticated clients. Further, the credential is used to grant the one or more authenticated clients access to the resource sets through the security access point.
US08140852B2 Authenticating serialized commodities
A system for authenticating a serialized commodity is presented. A fixed identification, serial number, and authentication code are received for a serialized commodity to be checked for authenticity. A reference table is searched for an entry that matches the received fixed identification. In response to finding an entry in the reference table that matches the received fixed identification, a fixed identification key is retrieved from the reference table that is associated with the received fixed identification. A recreated authentication code is generated for the serialized commodity using the retrieved fixed identification key, the received fixed identification, and the received serial number. Then, it is determined whether the recreated authentication code matches the received authentication code. In response to determining that the recreated authentication code does match the received authentication code, an authentication code match message is outputted to authenticate the serialized commodity.
US08140851B1 Approaches for automatically switching message authentication keys
Approaches are disclosed for switching transport protocol connection keys. A method of automatically changing a message authentication key at each of two endpoints of a connection in a telecommunications network comprises testing a date-time value received in each of a plurality of data segments on the connection; and selecting a next message authentication key, from among a plurality of stored message authentication keys, for use in authenticating subsequently received data segments, when the date-time value matches a specified characteristic.
US08140839B2 Method and system of file manipulation during early boot time by accessing user-level data
A system and method for enabling access to user-level data is described. One embodiment includes accessing user-level data associated with a kernel-level function using a portable executable (PE) file. The user-level data is accessed during a boot-time of a computer. In this embodiment, the PE file is also accessed using the computer.
US08140830B2 Structural power reduction in multithreaded processor
A circuit arrangement and method utilize a plurality of execution units having different power and performance characteristics and capabilities within a multithreaded processor core, and selectively route instructions having different performance requirements to different execution units based upon those performance requirements. As such, instructions that have high performance requirements, such as instructions associated with primary tasks or time sensitive tasks, can be routed to a higher performance execution unit to maximize performance when executing those instructions, while instructions that have low performance requirements, such as instructions associated with background tasks or non-time sensitive tasks, can be routed to a reduced power execution unit to reduce the power consumption (and associated heat generation) associated with executing those instructions.
US08140823B2 Multithreaded processor with lock indicator
Systems and methods including a multithreaded processor with a lock indicator are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system includes means for indicating a lock status of a shared resource in a multithreaded processor. The system includes means for automatically locking the shared resource before processing exception handling instructions associated with the shared resource. The system further includes means for unlocking the shared resource.
US08140817B2 Dynamic logical partition management for NUMA machines and clusters
A partitioned NUMA machine is managed to dynamically transform its partition layout state based on NUMA considerations. The NUMA machine includes two or more NUMA nodes that are operatively interconnected by one or more internodal communication links. Each node includes one or more CPUs and associated memory circuitry. Two or more logical partitions each comprise at a CPU and memory circuit allocation on at least one NUMA node. Each partition respectively runs at least one associated data processing application. The partitions are dynamically managed at runtime to transform the distributed data processing machine from a first partition layout state to a second partition layout state that is optimized for the data processing applications according to whether a given partition will most efficiently execute within a single NUMA node or by spanning across a node boundary. The optimization is based on access latency and bandwidth in the NUMA machine.
US08140816B2 Utilizing partition resource requirements from workload estimation to automate partition software configuration and validation
A method and apparatus for utilizing partition resource requirements to automate computer partition configuration. Partition resource requirements that are collected by a workload estimator include the type and version of software that is to be run on each partition of the system and the minimum hardware resources needed for each of the plurality of partitions on a partition by partition basis. The partition resource requirements are included in a system plan that is passed to other tools to configure a system based on the system plan. The tools that use the system plan include a deployment wizard that uses the system plan file to configure a system upgrade, and an ordering tool that passes the partition resource requirements to the manufacturer to allow the manufacturer to configure a new system based on the workload information in the system plan file.
US08140810B2 Storage management command control in virtualized environment
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method for creating a command device in a storage system in a server virtualization environment. The storage system is coupled to a host computer having a virtual machine. The host computer includes a memory and a processor. The method comprises receiving a command device registration request to register a command device as a storage device for command transmission, the command device to be used in a virtual machine of the host computer; creating a virtual device by allocating a storage area of the storage system to the virtual device; and mounting the virtual device as the command device to the virtual machine in which the command device is used.
US08140797B2 Integrated circuit and method of securing access to an on-chip memory
An integrated circuit having an on-chip access right manager to grant or deny access to a memory segment to a peripheral device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or DMA (Direct Memory Access) unit according to predetermined access rights upon reception of a read instruction from the peripheral device, and an on-chip lock connected to a memory data bus, the lock being controllable by the access right manager to block access to a logical one or zero set on each memory data bus wires as long as the access to the memory segment is not granted. Upon reception of the read instruction from the peripheral device, the integrated circuit is configured to start both the process of setting, by the on chip memory, of either a logical one or a logical zero on each of the wires of the memo data bus, as well as the process of granting or refusing the access to the memory segment by the on-chip access right manager to the peripheral device.
US08140796B2 Serial advanced technology attachment write protection: mass storage data protection device
A mass storage device protection system may have a mass storage device, a processor configured to generate at least one serial write command signal to the mass storage device via a serial communication link, and a storage protector configured for communication with the processor and mass storage device, the storage protector configured to do the following: intercept the at least one serial write command signal, and determine whether the at least one serial write command signal comprises an authorized command signal or an unauthorized command signal.
US08140795B2 Hard disk drive with write-only region
The invention partitions the HDD into three areas, namely, no access, write-only, and the conventional read/write. Sensitive data (antivirus programs, back up data, etc.) is written into write-only areas, which thereafter become designated “no access” by appropriately changing their designation a data structure known as “logical block address” or “LBA”. Only users having approved passwords can change the status of a “no access” block back to “write-only” or “read/write”.
US08140792B2 Indirectly-accessed, hardware-affine channel storage in transaction-oriented DMA-intensive environments
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, and computer program product for managing a computer memory system including a channel controller and a memory area. In one embodiment, the method comprises the channel controller receiving a request including a header and a payload, and separating said memory area into a working memory area and an auxiliary memory area. A copy of the header is deposited in the working memory area; and a full copy of the request, including a copy of the header and a copy of the payload, is deposited in the auxiliary memory area. The copy of the request in the auxiliary memory area is used to perform hardware operations; and the copy of the header in the working memory area is used to perform software operations.
US08140789B2 Method for remote backup and storage system
In a storage system, a technique for promptly reading the backup data stored in the child storage device in the remote site side in case of disaster for the master site is provided. In this system, a parent storage device having a primary volume (V1) and a secondary volume (V2) is arranged at a master site, and a child storage device having a backup volume to store data of V2 is arranged at a remote site, and remote backup of data of V1 is carried out. In the remote site side, management information of objective volume is stored in one of devices. When the data of the backup volume is read, for example in one child storage device, a process is carried out where the management information is read, and on the basis thereof, data of a plurality of backup volumes is collected and integrated as one volume.
US08140787B2 Methods for implementation of an active archive in an archiving system and managing the data in the active archive
According to the disclosure, a unique and novel archiving system that provides one or more application layer partitions to archive data is disclosed. Embodiments include an active archive including a fixed storage. The active archive can create application layer partitions that associate the application layer partitions with portions of the fixed storage. Each application layer partition, in embodiments, has a separate set of controls that allow for customized storage of different data within a single archiving system. Further, embodiments of methods for ensuring storage capacity in the active archive and the application layer partitions within the active archive is also disclosed.
US08140776B2 Computer system comprising storage operation permission management
The system of the present invention enhances the security of settings and operations in a storage device, and copes with numerous changes of the operational status of work executed within a computer system. When it becomes necessary to issue an operating command to the storage, storage operation propriety is determined on the basis of the operational status of the work and definition of operation permission for each work operation state.
US08140760B2 I-cache line use history based done bit based on successful prefetchable counter
A method of providing history based done logic for a I-cache includes receiving an I-cache line in an L2 cache; determining if the I-cache line is unprefetchable; aging the I-cache line without a delay if the I-cache line is prefetchable; and aging the I-cache line with a delay is the I-cache line is unprefetchable.
US08140756B2 Information handling system with immediate scheduling of load operations and fine-grained access to cache memory
An information handling system (IHS) includes a processor with a cache memory system. The processor includes a processor core with an L1 cache memory that couples to an L2 cache memory. The processor includes an arbitration mechanism that controls load and store requests to the L2 cache memory. The arbitration mechanism includes control logic that enables a load request to interrupt a store request that the L2 cache memory is currently servicing. When the L2 cache memory finishes servicing the interrupting load request, the L2 cache memory may return to servicing the interrupted store request at the point of interruption. The control logic determines the size requirement of each load operation or store operation. When the cache memory system performs a store operation or load operation, the memory system accesses the portion of a cache line it needs to perform the operation instead of accessing an entire cache line.
US08140755B2 Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in a scalable and reliable manner
Multiple applications request data from multiple storage units over a computer network. The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. At least one additional copy of each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. This random distribution of multiple copies of segments of data improves both scalability and reliability. When an application requests a selected segment of data, the request is processed by the storage unit with the shortest queue of requests. Random fluctuations in the load applied by multiple applications on multiple storage units are balanced nearly equally over all of the storage units. This combination of techniques results in a system which can transfer multiple, independent high-bandwidth streams of data in a scalable manner in both directions between multiple applications and multiple storage units.
US08140754B2 Methods and apparatus for managing HDD's spin-down and spin-up in tiered storage systems
A storage system is configured as tiered storage (composed of top tier storage apparatuses and second tier storage apparatus at least). The top tire storage apparatus gathers the volume-to-volume map information and power boundary information from second tier storage apparatuses, which are connected to the top tier storage apparatus. The top tier storage apparatus manages the second tier storage system by appropriate method directed by the second tier storage apparatus. In another method for managing HDDs' spin-down and spin-up, “spin-down/up” status are kept in the top tier storage apparatus and the second tier storage apparatus. The top tier storage apparatus forwards the “spin-down/up” request to the second tier storage apparatus when the top tier storage apparatus receives a “spin-down/up” request. The second tier storage apparatus checks if all volumes in a parity group have “spin-down” status. In the case of all volumes in a parity group have “spin-down” status, HDD in the parity group are spin-downed.
US08140742B2 System for accessing non volatile memory
Accessing a non-volatile memory array is described, including receiving a first data and a memory address associated with the first data, writing the first data to the non-volatile memory array at the memory address of the first data without erasing a second data stored in the non-volatile memory array at the memory address of the first data before writing the first data.
US08140732B2 Cabin telecommunication unit
A cabin telecommunications unit that provides combined telephone and entertainment/information services onboard an aircraft. The includes a central data bus for exchanging data between components of the cabin telecommunication unit; a first processor connected to said central data bus for processing a communication received by the cabin telecommunication unit and directing the communication to a destination point within the cabin; and a second processor connected to said central data bus for processing and responding to requests for data stored within said cabin telecommunications unit.
US08140731B2 System for data processing using a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture
A system is provided for implementing a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. In order to implement a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture, a plurality of processors are coupled to one another to create a plurality of processor books. The plurality of processor books are coupled together to create a plurality of supernodes. Then, the plurality of supernodes are coupled together to create the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. Data is then transmitted from one processor to another within the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture based on an addressing scheme that specifies at least a supernode and a processor book associated with a target processor to which the data is to be transmitted.
US08140727B2 Bus arbitration apparatus and method
A bus arbitration apparatus according to this invention appropriately arbitrates bus rights of use between a plurality of masters and a plurality of slaves so as to efficiently perform requested data transfer. An arbiter A 5 receives data transfer requests with respect to a slave A 3 generated by masters A 1 and B 2. The arbiter A 5 cooperates with an arbiter B 4, and arbitrates a contention of the data transfer requests with respect to the slave A 3 generated by the masters A 1 and B 2.
US08140726B2 Single wire transmission interface and method for the same
The present invention discloses a single wire transmission interface comprising: a signal detection circuit detecting level switchings of a transmission signal from a single wire, and generating an enable signal and a decoded signal corresponding to the transmission signal, the level switchings including first switchings from a first level to a second level and second switchings from the second level to the first level, wherein the enable signal starts according to one first switching of the transmission signal, and stops when no first switching occur in a predetermined period after one second switching of the transmission signal, and wherein rising edges (or falling edges) of the decoded signal correspond to the first switchings of the transmission signal; a counter, under enablement by the enable signal, counting a number of the rising edges (or the rising edges) of the decoded signal or the first switchings of the transmission signal, and generating a count; a single short pulse generator generating a short pulse according to the start of the enable signal to reset the decoded signal.
US08140700B2 Reliable delivery of multi-cast conferencing data
Conferencing data is reliably delivered to computer systems participating in a hierarchically arranged multi-cast conferencing session. When a child computer system does not receive a multi-cast packet (e.g., an IP multi-cast packet), the child computer system sends a negative acknowledgment to a parent computer system. In response, the parent computer system re-transmits conferencing data that was contained in the multi-cast packet to the child computer system. Conferencing data can be re-transmitted to the child computer system via uni-cast (e.g., TCP). Accordingly, conferencing data that is not received or that is damaged via multi-cast can be repaired via uni-cast. Computer systems can join an existing multi-cast conference session without having to communicate with the root computer system. The root computer system adjusts a multi-cast send rate to compensate for changed network conditions.
US08140688B2 Method and system for establishing connections between nodes in a communication network
A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for establishing a connection between a plurality of nodes in a communication network, the plurality of nodes including at least first and second nodes. The method comprises the steps of verifying availability of the second node by the first node; and sending an exchange identification request by the first node to the second node, this request including information related to protocols supported by the first node. An exchange identification response is received by the first node from the second node, this response including information related to protocols supported by the second node. Also, the verifying step includes the steps of sending a request to the second node to initiate a link level connection between the first node and the second node, and confirming this connection upon receiving a response from the second node.
US08140683B2 Method and system for selecting an operating system at user login on a target device
A method of selecting an operating system at a target device in communication with a server is provided. A network bootstrap program is initiated at the target device prior to executing an operating system at the target device. The target device sends a bootstrap list command from the target device to the server and receives an operating systems list of at least one operating system. A target operating system is then selected from the operating systems list.
US08140679B2 Method and system for automated session resource clean-up in a distributed client-server environment
Systems and methods for automatically managing session resources in a distributed network of processors are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a system for managing the use of resources in a system where a remote client uses resources at a server for a limited duration includes: a stored listing of at least one resource being used at the server and the client using that resource; a system which identifies that a remote client is no longer using resources at the server; and in response to the system identifying that the client is no longer using resources at the server, a mechanism which removes the resources which had been used by the client when the client was connected to the server, whereby the resources being used by a client may be used by other clients after the client has disconnected from the server.
US08140678B2 Failover protection from a failed worker node in a shared memory system
A method is described that involves entering a notification of a request into a queue that supplies request notifications to a first worker node amongst a plurality of worker nodes. The first worker node is targeted to process the request. In response to the first worker node failing before the notification could be serviced from the first queue, the notification is moved from the first queue to a second queue that supplies request notifications to a second worker node amongst the plurality of worker nodes. After servicing the notification from the second queue, the request is transferred to the second worker node. A response to the request is then generated with the second worker node.
US08140669B2 Resolving hostnames on a private network with a public internet server
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for resolving hostnames on a private network with a public Internet server. One embodiment of the invention provides for a public Internet server configured to generate a private network ID when a new private network is identified, wherein the private network ID is a unique reference to all nodes within a private network and wherein the private network is comprised of one or more private DNS servers. The public internet server stores the private network ID and an IP address for at least one or more private DNS servers on the private network and sends, upon request, the private network ID to at least one of the private DNS servers.
US08140666B2 Method and apparatus for network distribution and provisioning of applications across multiple domains
Techniques are disclosed for network distribution and provisioning of applications, such as transactional applications and parallel applications, across multiple administrative domains that ensure compliance with service level agreements. For example, a method of provisioning one or more resources in a distributed computing network to ensure compliance with a service level agreement associated with a computer application includes the following steps. Network performance is monitored between a local domain and one or more cooperating domains connected to the local domain by network paths. A present or predicted violation of the service level agreement is identified based on at least a portion of results of the monitoring step. One or more cooperating domains are selected that can effect compliance with the service level agreement by instantiating one or more network resources within at least one of the selected cooperating domains in response to a request from the local domain. Reconfiguration of the local domain is effectuated to allow the computer application to make use of the one or more newly instantiated network resources within the selected cooperating domain.
US08140665B2 Managing captured network traffic data
A system and method for managing captured network traffic data is provided. The invention comprises a plurality of capture agents, each being configured to capture the network traffic associated with one or more applications. Each application is associated with one or more capture agents according to an application profile that is stored and maintained in a capture server. When analysis of an application's network traffic is required, the capture server contacts the corresponding capture agents according to the application profile. The capture server then effects the identification and archiving of the network traffic that corresponds to a user-defined capture condition. A database at the capture server maintains a record that associates the corresponding network traffic with the user-defined capture condition such that the corresponding network traffic can later be retrieved and analyzed using an analysis engine.
US08140663B2 Networked system for interactive communication and remote monitoring of individuals
A system for remotely monitoring an individual. The system includes a server system for generating a script program from a set of queries. The script program is executable by a remote apparatus that displays information and/or a set of queries to the individual through a user interface. Responses to the queries that are entered through the user interface together with individual identification information are sent from the remote apparatus to the server system across a communication network. The server system also includes an automated answering service for providing a series of questions from a stored set of questions for an individual at the remote apparatus to respond to, storing responses to each provided question in the series of questions and providing a service based on the individual's response to the questions.
US08140660B1 Content pattern recognition language processor and methods of using the same
A device for detecting network traffic content is provided. The device includes a processor configured to receive a signature associated with content desired to be detected, and execute one or more functions based on the signature to determine whether network traffic content matches the content desired to be detected. The signature is defined by one or more predicates. A computer readable medium for use to detect network traffic content is also provided. The computer readable medium includes a memory storing one or more signatures, each of the one or more signatures associated with content desired to be detected. Each of the one or more signatures is defined by one or more predicates, and each of the one or more predicates can be compiled into a byte code stream that controls a logic of a network traffic screening device.
US08140653B1 Management of a multi-process system
A system comprising a network of network elements and a data store associated with a data store manager. The data store contains data representing the actual state of the system and data representing a planned state of the system. The data store manager causes the network elements, or processes supported thereby, to conform with the planned system state. In addition, at least some of the processes communicate to the data store manager data representing their respective state. The data store manager, upon receipt of said data, updates the actual state data in accordance with the received data. The data store provides an actual model and a planned model of the system by which the state of the system can readily be managed.
US08140648B2 Information processing apparatus, content management method and recording medium
There is provided an information processing apparatus including a storage unit for saving content data, a communication unit for communicating with one or more external storage devices, and a content management unit for, when receiving from the external storage device through the communication unit a notification indicating that new content data is saved in the external storage device, acquiring the new content data from the storage device through the communication unit with the notification as a trigger, and saving the new content data in the storage unit.
US08140639B2 Information-processing system, method for transmitting and receiving data, image-processing apparatus suited especially for transmitting and receiving data among a plurality of image-processing apparatuses connected to network
In order to efficiently store data that is to be transmitted or received, an image-processing system is provided with a plurality of MFPs and has: a designation unit to designate an arbitrary destination user as a receiver of data; a specifying unit to specify an MFP among the plurality of MFPs, the destination user designated by the designation unit belonging to the specified MFP; and a control unit to control switching between a first mode and a second mode in accordance with a predetermined condition, the first mode being for storing the data in a predetermined storing device on the network so as to enable reading of the data by an operation by the destination user designated by the designation unit, the second mode being for, instead of storing the data in the predetermined storing device, transmitting the data to the MFP specified by the specifying unit, the destination user belonging to the specified image-processing apparatus.
US08140632B1 Facilitating presentation by mobile device of additional content for a word or phrase upon utterance thereof
A method for presenting additional content for a word that is part of a message, and that is presented by a mobile communication device, includes the steps of: presenting the message, including emphasizing one or more words for which respective additional content is available for presenting by the mobile communication device; receiving an utterance that includes an emphasized word for which additional content is available for presenting by the mobile communication device; and presenting the additional content for the emphasized word included in the utterance received by the mobile communication device. These steps are performed by the mobile communication device.
US08140630B2 Publish/subscribe message broker for message sequences
A method of operating a publish/subscribe message broker. A method in accordance with an embodiment includes receiving a message on a topic from a publisher, identifying the message as a start of a sequence of messages, transmitting the message to one or more existing subscribers to the topic, registering a new subscriber to the topic, receiving a further message on the topic from a publisher, and transmitting the further message to the one or more existing subscribers to the topic, but not to the registered new subscriber to the topic. Following the identifying of the message as a start of a sequence of messages, the message broker creates a new sub-topic corresponding to the sequence of messages and subscribes the one or more existing subscribers to the new topic. Any new messages received that relate to the sequence are published to the sub-topic and not the original topic. Any new subscribers to the topic are not subscribed to the sub-topic.
US08140626B2 Apparatus of playing casino game
An apparatus of playing casino game has presentation means for presenting an affiliate advertisement, control means for transmitting personal information of users to a sever of the affiliate advertisement and obtaining a point which is compensation, execution means for getting a user to execute a casino game with the point as stakes, means for searching and extracting an advertisement to which a user can respond out of the affiliate advertisements when the point becomes a predetermined value or lower during execution of the game, and means for instructing to collectively transmit personal information of a user regarding all extracted affiliate advertisements.
US08140620B2 Service for providing periodic contact to a predetermined list of contacts using multi-party rules
A method, a system, and an apparatus for permitting a user to remain in contact with at least one other person. The present invention provides a method, a system, and an apparatus that is capable of enabling a user to remain in contact with others through a service that checks contacts set up in a predetermined contact list. The contact list is then contacted and the user is contacted with the results. As such, the present invention permits the user to remain in contact with a significant number of entities while saving time and effort by ensuring the user is only contacted with certain information. The system and method also permits the user to remain in contact even when the user is unavailable.
US08140619B2 Management of community buddy lists
One or more buddy lists from a first user's computer is populated on one or more other users' computers to cause a buddy list update of community buddy lists. The buddy lists may be auto-populated in response to a change in job status of the first user.
US08140611B1 Method and representations for exporting tactical data link information as a web service
A scalable method and apparatus for performing a mashup of military Situation Awareness (SA) data in a tactical data link (TDL) with data residing in several databases, using a web server-web browser architecture over an IP-based network. In a preferred embodiment the invention employs a TDL gateway to collect and correlate SA data from a TDL and stores the data in a track database, which is interfaced by a web server to the IP-based network. A SA web browser interfaces with the TDL gateway web server, a maps server and a symbology server to mash data from a plurality of sources into an integrated whole, allowing a more complete graphical representation of the SA data. The invention is capable of operating in reverse, to inject user defined data from the SA web browser into the TDL.
US08140607B2 Method for providing a decimal multiply algorithm using a double adder
A method for performing decimal multiplication including storing a multiplier and a multiplicand in operand registers, the multiplier including one or more digits. A running sum is stored in a shifter and initialized to zero. The method includes performing for each of the digits in the multiplier in order from least significant digit to most significant digit: creating a partial product of the digit and the multiplicand and adding the partial product to the running sum. The running sum is output as the result of multiplying the multiplier and the multiplicand. The performing and outputting are implemented by a mechanism that includes one or more two cycle adders connected to the operand registers, multiplicand multiples circuitry connected to the operand registers, and a result digits register connected to the two cycle adders.
US08140601B2 Like processing of owned and for-purchase media
A method for managing a group of owned and for-purchase media items in response to a single user action. The method treats the owned media items and the for-purchase media items similarly with respect to the user's interaction with them, facilitating a user paradigm-shift from thinking about two stores of media items to a single store of media items available for use. A media item grouping generic to both types of media items is provided, permitting sharing of media item collections between users having different access rights with respect to the media items.
US08140594B2 Advanced message mapping with sub-object key mapping
A method of sharing data includes storing a central data object in the central computer system, the data object including an attribute and a plurality of values for the attribute and creating a first mapping between the values of the attribute stored in the central data object and values of an attribute for a first client data object stored in a client computer system. The first mapping is stored, and the first mapping is used to selectively extract first data from the central data object for distribution to the first client data object. The extracted data is distributed from the central computer system to one or more client systems.
US08140593B2 Data viewer management
Embodiments described herein are directed to generating a customized data viewer, where the viewer is configured to display data at any level in a data model. In one embodiment, a computer system receives a user request indicating that portions of data are to be displayed in a user-customized manner using a data viewer. The computer system accesses the requested data portions that are to be displayed with the data viewer. The computer system generates a dynamic data viewer configured to display the accessed data portions in the user-customized manner indicated in the received user request. The computer system also applies the generated dynamic data viewer to the accessed data portions, such that the generated viewer displays the requested data portions in the user-customized manner.
US08140592B2 Delivery operations information system with route adjustment feature and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.
US08140586B2 Computer systems and methods for the query and visualization of multidimensional databases
In response to a user request, a computer generates a graphical user interface on a computer display. A schema information region of the graphical user interface includes multiple operand names, each operand name associated with one or more fields of a multi-dimensional database. A data visualization region of the graphical user interface includes multiple shelves. Upon detecting a user selection of the operand names and a user request to associate each user-selected operand name with a respective shelf in the data visualization region, the computer generates a visual table in the data visualization region in accordance with the associations between the operand names and the corresponding shelves. The visual table includes a plurality of panes, each pane having at least one axis defined based on data for the fields associated with a respective operand name.
US08140575B2 Apparatus, method, and program product for information processing
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing an interface for using a web service on an external server device. A first tree structure used for using the web service is stored. A request message calling up a web service is generated in response to having received access to a request node in the first tree structure. The request node is used for accessing the web service corresponding to the request node. The request message is sent to the server device providing the web service. A response message, including a result of having executed the web service from the server device, is received. The result of the web service execution is reflected in a response node in the first tree structure for storing the result of the web service.
US08140563B2 Searching in a computer network
The invention allows a user to enter a search criteria in a search form once and search multiple web services, search engines and web pages without the need for repeatedly re-creating the search criteria for each web service or search engine because of different and varying supported formats. Once the user has defined their search query, the search query is passed to a query manager in the browser application for formatting the search criteria into a generic query format. The generic query format provides a unified and generic interface to all other query mechanisms supported by different web services, search engines and web pages.
US08140561B2 Service recommendation system and service recommendation method
A service recommendation system and a service recommendation method capable of improving the probability of the estimation of a user task and recommending a service depending on a user task can be provided. The user role obtaining unit 210 of the service recommendation server 100 obtains the role of a user, and the task estimating unit 207 estimates a user task from a task model associated with the obtained user role and stored in the task knowledge DB 103. The service knowledge retrieving unit 208 retrieves a service capable of assisting a user task obtained from the task estimating unit 207.
US08140555B2 Apparatus, system, and method for dynamically defining inductive relationships between objects in a content management system
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for defining inductive relationships between content objects in a content management system. The system includes a content engine server that stores at least two content objects having a set of attributes. An attribute selection module selects an attribute of the content objects for identification of an inductive relationship. A comparison module compares the attribute value of the attribute selected of a first content object with the attribute value of a second content object. An inductive relationship module dynamically defines an explicit relationship between the first content object and the second content object in response to the first attribute value and the second attribute value satisfying a match criteria. The explicit relationship is preserved in an inductive relationship database. User-defined content management rules may then be applied to the inductively related content objects such as records management, retention, or launching business processes.
US08140553B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method with search folder processing for external device
This invention allows obtaining desired data even at a copy destination by only a simple copy operation irrespective of differences of search functions upon copying a search folder to an external device. This invention is directed to an information processing method in an information processing apparatus connected to an external device. In this method, when an instruction to copy a search folder to the external device is input, whether or not the search conditions of the designated search folder are executable at the external device is determined, a folder to be transmitted to the external device is generated, data are searched based on a search condition which is determined not to be executable. After data IDs are set in the generated folder so that the obtained by the search data can be acquired via the generated folder, the folder is transmitted to the external device.
US08140550B2 System and method for bounded analysis of multimedia using multiple correlations
Multimedia content usage is on the rise and hence, it is becoming increasingly necessary to automatically analyze the multimedia content in order enhance the effective applicability and usage of the content. The richness of a multimedia content demands multi-fold analysis of the content and further, this richness also leads to openness and vastness. Hence, the outcome of the multiple analyses techniques needs to be carefully analyzed in order to avoid limited or inconsistent content description. A system and method for bounded analysis of multimedia using multiple correlations addresses the issues related to richness and vastness of a multimedia content to enable describing of the multimedia content in a maximally consistent manner. Such a content description is very useful in the semantic characterization of multimedia.
US08140549B2 Methods and arrangements of processing and presenting information
Embodiments include systems, apparatuses, transformations, code, state machines or other logic to perform spreadsheet operations. Some embodiments may provide a text-based interface to a spreadsheet. In further embodiments, a spreadsheet may create, modify, and access spreadsheet objects in response to text entered into the text-based interface. The text-based interface may comprise a command interface. Many embodiments may provide networks to a spreadsheet. The networks may include nodes, flow objects, and the assignment of flow objects to nodes. Several embodiments may enable the assignment of units to elements of a spreadsheet. Numerous embodiments may operate with arrays of three or more dimensions. Some embodiments may comprise non-spreadsheet applications.
US08140545B2 Data organization and evaluation using a two-topology configuration
A computer-implemented method for organizing data in a two-topology configuration is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of nodes, each node including data relating to a corresponding object state, and linking each of at least one of the plurality of nodes to one or more associated sub-nodes that each include data relating to one of a plurality of modifiable parameters representative of changes to the corresponding object state data such that all sub-nodes relating to a particular modifiable parameter of the corresponding object state data are arranged along a corresponding single branch of linked sub-nodes extending from the associated node.
US08140543B2 Method of topic summarization and content anatomy
A topic is summarized through content anatomy. The topic is summarized temporally. In an evolution graph generated through the present invention for the topic, all important events are picked up and cause-result relationships between the events are clearly shown. Hence, difficulty in understanding evolution of the topic is effectively reduced.
US08140540B2 Classification of electronic messages based on content
Classifying electronic mail (e-mail) based on content and predefined categories. Content of a received e-mail may be analyzed to determine one of a plurality of predefined categories into which the e-mail is classified. A relevancy score may also be calculated to indicate the strength of correlation between the e-mail and the category. A user may be allowed to sort e-mails in an e-mail box based on the category names and/or relevancy scores.
US08140538B2 System and method of data caching for compliance storage systems with keyword query based access
A method of data caching for compliance and storage systems that provide keyword search query based access to documents computes a value for each data document based on a document information-retrieval relevancy metric for user keyword queries and a recency, frequency of each query. The values are adapted to changing query frequencies and popularities. Then selecting and evicting documents from a cache can be based on the values according to a knapsack solution. A weight is computed for each query such that recent, more frequent queries get a higher weight. A information-retrieval metric is used for measuring a relevancy of a document for a query. A weighted sum is taken of the information-retrieval metric times a query weight over all queries.
US08140535B2 Ontology-based network search engine
A method and apparatus for searching for a documents residing on a network comprises receiving a search request from a user. The search request comprises one or more search terms of an ontology. The ontology includes a plurality of terms. One or more of the plurality of terms includes a plurality of sub-category terms. One or more documents residing on the network is identified based on the one or more search terms and an ontology index. The ontology index comprises a plurality of relationships between the plurality of terms and sub-category terms of the ontology and a plurality of documents residing on the network. One or more search results that describe the one or more documents is presented to the user. The one or more documents contain the one or more search terms, or one of the plurality of sub-category terms of the one or more search terms.
US08140532B2 System for sorting and classifying users of an image information management system
A system for sorting and classifying users of an image information management system is disclosed. The system for sorting and classifying users of an image information management system according to the present invention comprises some identical sub-systems, and every two sub-systems are interconnected. The sub-system comprises a user information encoding module, a user information decoding and authority identifying module, a user sorting module, a user classifying module, a command performing module, an authorized user collection database and a resource information database. The resource information database comprises real-time images, history images and control right commands of cradle heads and lens of cameras. The present invention resolves the problem of ordered accessing and utilizing of image information in a super-large-scale advanced real-time monitoring information management system, and realizes the object that local failures do not affect the normal work of the other parts by connecting every two sub-systems to each other and arranging the user identification entrance in each one of sub-systems.
US08140530B2 Similarity calculation device and information search device
[PROBLEMS] To accurately calculate similarity between media data and a query even if the media data or its meta data has an error. [MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS] A similarity calculation device includes: a single score calculation device used when calculating similarity between first media data and a query, which calculates a single score that shows similarity between second media data different from the first media data and the query; an inter-media similarity calculation device which calculates inter-media similarity that shows the similarity between the second media data and the first media data; and a query similarity calculation device which obtains similarity between the first media data and the query by using the inter-media similarity of the second media data and the single score.
US08140524B1 Estimating confidence for query revision models
An information retrieval system includes a query revision architecture that integrates multiple different query revisers, each implementing one or more query revision strategies. A revision server receives a user's query, and interfaces with the various query revisers, each of which generates one or more potential revised queries. The revision server evaluates the potential revised queries, and selects one or more of them to provide to the user. A session-based reviser suggests one or more revised queries, given a first query, by calculating an expected utility for the revised query. The expected utility is calculated as the product of a frequency of occurrence of the query pair and an increase in quality of the revised query over the first query.
US08140519B2 Human relationships registering system and device for registering human relationships, program for registering human relationships, and medium storing human relationships registering program and readable by computer
To provide a human relationships registering system, a method and a server for registering human relationships, a program for registering human relationships, and a medium storing human relationships registering program and readable by a computer, all of which are used to establish wide and close relationships with members having a variety of occupations or engaged in various technical fields and to obtain expert knowledge or information. The human relationships registering system comprises first data processing units 2 and 3 including sections for receiving personal data of a new member, and a second data processing unit including a section for storing the received personal data. The second data processing unit stores the personal data of the new member in correlation to an existing member when the existing member confirms the new member.
US08140506B2 File sharing based on social network
Embodiments of the present invention provide for sharing files within a social network. Members of the social network are provided a set of virtual folders that indicates groups and other members that are authorized for file sharing. The folders are automatically maintained for the social network. In addition, various folders may be designated for different levels of access. For example, public folders may be accessible to anyone, while private folders could be restricted to one or members of the social network. The file sharing folders would be provided as part of the social network online service, and thus, are maintained without user configuration.
US08140492B2 Method and apparatus for transposing data trees
According to one embodiment, a method for transposing data trees includes translating a first data tree and a second data tree into a first format. A label within the second data tree is replaced with a label within the first data tree if the data in the first data tree matches the data in the second data tree and such a label is provided in the first data tree. The replaced label is stored in a third data tree, and the third data tree is translated into a second format.
US08140491B2 Storage management through adaptive deduplication
One embodiment retrieves a first portion of a plurality of stored objects from at least one storage device. The embodiment further performs a base type deduplication estimation process on the first portion of stored objects. The embodiment still further categorizes the first portion of the plurality of stored objects into deduplication sets based on a deduplication relationship of each object of the plurality of stored objects with each of the estimated first plurality of deduplication chunk portions. The embodiment further combines deduplication sets into broad classes based on deduplication characteristics of the objects in the deduplication sets. The embodiment still further classifies a second portion of the plurality of stored objects into broad classes using classifiers. The embodiment further selects an appropriate deduplication approach for each categorized class.
US08140490B2 Method, system and program for prioritizing maintenance of database tables
There is disclosed a data processing system implemented method, a data processing system, and an article of manufacture for directing a data processing system to maintain a database table associated with an initial maintenance scheduling interval. The data processing system implemented method includes selecting a randomizing factor, and selecting a new maintenance scheduling interval for the database table based on the initial maintenance scheduling interval and the selected randomizing factor.
US08140487B2 Methods, systems and software applications for storing, updating and retrieving key figures
Methods, systems and software applications are provided for storing, updating and retrieving key figures. In accordance with one embodiment, a computerized method is provided for storing values of a variable key figure over time. The method comprises storing a value of the key figure in a first data field and assigning an end date to the first data field. Further, the method includes storing a delta value of the key figure in a second data field and assigning a start date to the second data field, wherein the start date is earlier than the end date.
US08140485B2 Data recovery using a minimum number of recovery streams
A data recovery method that uses a minimum number of recovery streams is provided. The method comprises defining a minimum number of recovery streams to be read from during restoration of data from one or more storage volumes in a communication network, wherein the minimum number is determined according to one or more parameters defining availability of one or more resources in the communication network; restoring the data using at least the minimum number of recovery streams to optimize the rate at which the data is restored; and dynamically changing the minimum number of recovery streams, in response to determining that the availability of the one or more resources has changed.
US08140483B2 Transaction log management
A method and apparatus for managing a log-full condition of a transaction log in a transaction processing system are provided. The transaction log has a plurality of log records each associated with a particular transaction. When a log-full condition is detected, the active transaction having the oldest log entry of all active transactions is identified and logging for all transactions except for the identified transaction is temporarily suspended. A dynamic transaction backout of the identified transaction is initiated, with the writing of a backout record for the identified transaction to the log being delayed. The method waits for confirmation that the backout has completed before trimming the log. Then the delayed backout record for the identified transaction is written to the log and normal logging is resumed.
US08140481B2 Medical image filing system and medical image filing method
A medical image filing system comprises a primary storage device and a secondary storage device. In addition, the medical image filing system comprising: an image secondary storage condition setting unit for presetting a secondary storage condition to secondarily store a medical image data to the secondary storage device; an image secondary storage determining unit for determining whether or not the medical image data recorded to the primary storage device satisfies the secondary storage condition set by the image secondary storage condition setting unit; and an image recording unit for recording the medical image data of the secondary storage object to the secondary storage device. Therefore, only medical image data of the secondary storage object is stored in the secondary storage device.
US08140477B2 Continuous integration of business intelligence software
A method for automatically testing a business intelligence artifact includes receiving business metric data from a business intelligence system, creating a business intelligence artifact derived from the received business metric data, executing the business intelligence artifact to generate a business intelligence output populated with information related to the business metric data, creating at least one test case for the business intelligence artifact, the test case having at least one assertion associated with the business intelligence output to verify the proper functioning of the business intelligence artifact, testing, with an automated agent interfaced with the business intelligence system, the business intelligence artifact for errors by determining whether the output generated by the current version of the business intelligence artifact satisfies the conditions of the assertion after execution of the business intelligence artifact; and if errors are detected, correcting the errors to create a subsequent version of the business intelligence artifact.
US08140468B2 Systems and methods to extract data automatically from a composite electronic document
A system and method for automatically extracting contract data from electronic contracts includes an administrator module configured to provide templates for inputting document patterns and a list of contract data tags for each of a plurality of contract document types. A parser is configured to convert an electronic contract document into a contract text document and reformat the contract text document to provide a pattern for the text contract document. A pattern recognition engine is configured to determine a list of contract document types in the electronic contract by comparing and matching patterns of all known contract document types with the pattern of the contract text document. A contract data extraction engine is configured to extract contract data for each contract document type on the list.
US08140466B2 System and method for maintaining and utilizing Bernoulli samples over evolving multisets
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method for incrementally maintaining a Bernoulli sample S with sampling rate q over a multiset R in the presence of update, delete, and insert transactions. The method includes processing items inserted into R using Bernoulli sampling and augmenting S with tracking counters during this processing. Items deleted from R are processed by using the tracking counters and by removing newly deleted items from S using a calculated probability while maintaining a degree of uniformity in S.
US08140458B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program
Information processing apparatus in which information such as images and sounds of an external environment are processed for analyzing a position, identity, and the like of a person who is uttering words; information processing methods for executing the analysis processing in an information processing apparatus; and computer-readable media for causing an information processing apparatus to execute analysis processing are disclosed.
US08140456B2 Method and system of extracting factors using generalized Fisher ratios
To provide an effective factor extraction system in which samples are generated artificially from a sample group and a virtual sample set is created so that even when the number of sample is relatively small, specific factors can be selected/extracted with high reliability by using the virtual sample set. The effective factor extraction system comprises a section for extracting samples arbitrarily from sample sets and creating a plurality of paired virtual sample sets, a statistical quantity operating section for reading out the feature value held by sample contained in respective virtual sample sets and operating the average value and the variance, a section for operating Fisher ratio from the average value and the variance, and a section for testing significant factors using the operated Fisher ratio.
US08140449B1 Detecting novel document content
A system determines an ordered sequence of documents and determines an amount of novel content contained in each document of the ordered sequence of documents. The system assigns a novelty score to each document based on the determined amount of novel content.
US08140443B2 System and method for providing real estate referrals
The present invention discloses a system and method for providing agent referrals for real estate transactions. The system and method provides buyers and/or sellers with a real estate agent referral based on the type of real estate involved in the transaction and/or preferences of the buyer/seller. The real estate agent provided through the referral will be the highest performing real estate available with the performance of the real estate agent based on criteria received from the seller/buyer and transaction history of the real estate agent.
US08140439B2 Method and apparatus for enabling digital rights management in file transfers
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for enabling digital rights management in file transfers. One embodiment of a method for transferring digital content from a first user to a second user, includes transferring ownership of an instance of the digital content to the second user, where the instance of the digital content resides on a first device belonging to the first user. Copies of the digital content are then deleted from one or more additional devices belonging to the first user (including at least one offline device).
US08140434B2 System for making funds available for gaming
A system for making funds available for gaming which includes a terminal which is configured to read customer information from a card. The terminal includes an input/output unit configured to allow the customer to select a quasi-cash transaction and to generate an order authorizing the quasi-cash transaction. The system also includes a station which is configured to retrieve the order and information verifying the identity of the customer and, when the identity of the customer is verified, is configured to, at the customer's option (1) obtain an electronic endorsement from the customer and place the electronic endorsement in an electronic image or (2) print out a hard copy of a check for endorsement by the customer.
US08140431B1 Dynamic financial liability management
Financial liabilities are dynamically managed by receiving liability information relating to a client associated with multiple financial liabilities. Each financial liability is associated with a respective interest rate. A payment is allocated among the financial liabilities, for example, as a function of the interest rates associated with the financial liabilities. When a change in a financial liability occurs, the allocation of the payment is adjusted.
US08140429B2 Universal merchant platform for payment authentication
A method is provided for supporting processing of a transaction conducted between a first party and a second party. The first party accepts payment via a plurality of different payment options selectable by the second party, and the plurality of different payment options are associated with a plurality of different authentication protocols prescribed therefor. The method includes: receiving payment information over a communications network at a server operatively connected to the communications network, the payment information identifying a particular payment option used by the second party for the transaction, and the server being equipped to format and route messages over the communications network in different manners to accommodate the plurality of different authentication protocols; determining from the payment information received at the server which of the different authentication protocols is prescribed for the type of payment option identified in the payment information; selecting, in accordance with the determination, a particular authentication protocol from the plurality of different authentication protocols supported by the server; and, obtaining an authentication determination for the transaction in accordance with the selected authentication protocol, including formatting messages and routing the formatted messages over the communications network in accordance with one or more mandates of the selected authentication protocol.
US08140427B2 Systems, methods and computer program products for adaptive transaction cost estimation
A system, method and computer program product are provided for forecasting the transaction costs of a trade using empirical data and user-defined modeling constraints based on real-time data regarding changes in market conditions. In preferred embodiments, the invention acts as a forecaster whereby it accepts inputs from customers and identifies real-time market analytics, and provides dynamically adjusted ex ante cost estimates and metrics for the prevailing market conditions. Specific cost estimation and optimization algorithms can be provided to model transaction costs of a specific trade based on empirical data and real-time variables.
US08140420B2 Method and apparatus for processing and routing transactions
Option orders are processed by receiving an option order, the option order including information identifying a customer, and information identifying a desired option. One of a plurality of option exchanges is selected to complete the option order, the selecting based on information identifying the customer and the desired option. In some embodiments, a routing rule is selected based on the information identifying a customer.
US08140416B2 Algorithmic trading system and method
A system and method for allowing market participants to evaluate the likelihood of finding hidden volume. The model can predict hidden volume and assess the probability that a market order will be executed within the spread and better than the mid-quote. The cost per immediate execution can be assessed.
US08140413B2 Tax return evaluation system
Tax returns are received from one or more tax agencies. Each tax return is compared to a stored profile, and a determination is made as to whether each tax return falls within a trend. An evaluation of the tax return is generated based on the comparison and the determination of whether the tax return falls within the trend. The evaluation includes an indication of the tax returns potential to be a fraudulent tax return.
US08140412B2 Network-based supply chain management method
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a storage medium having instructions for a method for facilitating supply chain collaboration in a network environment, said supply chain including an enterprise and at least one supplier. The method includes generating and transmitting an unconstrained forecast to a supplier; receiving a supplier capability statement in response and generating a constrained forecast utilizing the supplier capability statement. The constrained forecast is transmitted to the supplier which responds with a formal commitment to product a needed supply indicated in the constrained forecast. The method also includes monitoring inventory levels at a replenishment service center by a supplier based upon a formal commitment, refilling inventory items at the replenishment service center; and facilitating delivery of the inventory items to the enterprise site by transmitting a pull signal to the replenishment service center whereby inventory items are delivered in response to the pull signal.
US08140409B2 Terminal device and security device which automatically receive electronic gift, information providing method for providing electronic gift together with requested electronic information, and information server
It is possible to provide a privilege for data communication without requiring a troublesome user operation and to realize an information provision system for ensuring anonymousness of the user for a site.A terminal device 10 includes secure communication means 11 which establishes a safety communication session and performs data communication with an information server, electronic gift rule management means 12 which holds an electronic gift rule for defining an electronic gift condition, and data processing means 13 which processes data transmitted/received to/from the information server based on the electronic gift rule under the safety communication session and generates an electronic gift. The electronic gift generated by the data processing means is reflected on the electronic value. By setting the electronic gift rule in which the electronic value increases by the electronic gift, the data communication with the information server is performed while a user does not perform a troublesome operation and the electronic value can be automatically acquired. At this time, the user need not inform the information server of personal information.
US08140405B2 Grouping orders across multiple forums
The subject invention relates to electronic buying and selling systems and methods. In particular, the invention concerns relations among distinct price curves, price curve attributes (i.e., factors of the offer that can affect the price curves) and buyers or potential buyers. For instance, a price offered to a system user can vary based on total volume of all people aggregating in private environments, cumulative total order by user, ship date, optimal time, as well as terms and conditions associated with the offer (e.g., no cancellation of order, cancellation possible, payment method . . . ).
US08140403B2 User profile and geolocation for efficient transactions
Techniques for providing friction-free transactions using geolocation and user identifiers are described herein. These techniques may ascertain a user's location based on a location of a mobile device. A transaction between the user and a merchant may be completed with zero or minimal input from the user based on the geolocation of the mobile device and the user identifiers. In some implementations, a transaction initiated earlier is completed when the mobile device arrives at the merchant. Additionally, a parent-child or similar relationship may be established between multiple devices. Security on the mobile device based may be provided by biometric identification and calculation of variance from regular movement patterns. Advertisements may be sent to the mobile device based on bids from merchants near to the mobile device. Promotions may be sent to the mobile device when more than a threshold number of mobile devices are located at the same merchant.
US08140396B2 Safety stock amount calculation method, safety stock amount calculation device, reorder point calculation method, reorder point calculation device, and order quantity calculation method
A safety stock amount calculation method includes calculating a probability Pb that a delivery time for a certain commodity required by a customer is shorter than its lead time L, calculating an average value LL of a difference between the lead time L and the customer's required delivery time when the lead time L exceeds the customer's required delivery time, correcting an inventory adjustment period N by using the average value LL, and calculating a safety stock amount SS by the equations SS=PB×k×(√N×F)×σ, wherein σ is a standard deviation of demand for the commodity, N is a corrected inventory adjustment period, Pb is a probability, F is a shipment frequency, and k is a safety coefficient.
US08140393B2 Personal Casting Service
A profit redistribution device, profit redistribution method, program storage medium, profit redistribution system, content providing device, content providing method, program storage media, and content providing system are disclosed. Profits redistribution processing is performed according to the accumulated points proportionate to the number of times the content with a commercial video is provided to a client PC 4. Thus, a fair profit redistribution can be easily performed. A preset content with a commercial video is provided to a user when requested from the client PC 4, and it is possible to surely provide advertisement information without the user being aware of the commercial.
US08140385B2 Promotional campaign award validation methods through a distributed computer network
Code processing for promotional games and the like. In a preferred application, a lottery ticket holder who has purchased a lottery ticket is encouraged to access a designated Internet site by rewarding access thereat on the condition that information visibly supported on the lottery ticket from a given drawing is input at an Internet site and a test indicates that the information so-input matches lottery numbers that were picked for that drawing. Access to predetermined Internet-based services or sites can also be had as an award to an individual for inputting an iconic code at a machine connected to the Internet if the input code tests as valid, with the code being marked so as to be usable only once. Preferably, the iconic code is input by click-selecting displayed icons one after another in an order that corresponds to that of a code provided to the individual. POS methods for code processing are also described.
US08140383B2 Derived and automated key performance indicator reports
In a computing system, a selection of a predefined key performance indicator that is associated with a plurality of predefined dimensions and with definitional data is received. A dimension value for at least one of the predefined dimensions, at least first and second attributes associated with the dimension value, and a condition that defines a relationship between the first and second attributes are also received. A first reporting format is determined using the dimension value, first and second attributes, and the condition, and second and third reporting formats are determined using the definitional data. A report view formatted according to the first, second, and third reporting formats is displayed on a display device.
US08140381B1 System and method for forecasting price optimization benefits in retail stores utilizing back-casting and decomposition analysis
A system and method for merchandising decomposition analysis (MDA), useful with stores, is provided. Econometric models are generated for product sales and are used to set pricing. Price setting may include optimizing prices. Point of sales data is collected from the stores, and benefits forecasts are generated and displayed. Benefit forecasts includes generating compliance, generating optimization benefit and generating level benefits. Generating optimization benefit includes at least one of differential benefit analysis, authorized benefit analysis and testable benefit analysis. The differential benefit analysis includes old/new cost method, cost neutral method and ignore cost method. Benefit forecasts generally include determining pre- and post-optimization price of the products, determining pre- and post-optimization costs, generating pre- and post-optimization forecasted units, calculating forecasted pre- and post-optimization profit, generate raw profit benefit, and calibrate raw profit benefit.
US08140373B2 Data driven dynamic workflow
A method, system and article of manufacture for workflow processing and, more particularly, for managing creation and execution of data driven dynamic workflows. One embodiment provides a computer-implemented method for managing execution of workflow instances. The method comprises providing a parent process template and providing a child process template. The child process template is configured to implement an arbitrary number of workflow operations for a given workflow instance, and the parent process template is configured to instantiate child processes on the basis of the child process template to implement a desired workflow. The method further comprises receiving a workflow configuration and instantiating an instance of the workflow on the basis of the workflow configuration. The instantiating comprises instantiating a parent process on the basis of the parent process template and instantiating, by the parent process template, one or more child processes on the basis of the child process template.
US08140365B2 Method, system, and a computer readable medium for adjustment of alterable sequences within a diagnostic workflow management
In a workflow management method and apparatus, one or more computers are programmed to receive an original sequence, such as a scan sequence which controls a diagnostic scanner to perform an imaging procedure. An available time span within which to perform the original sequence is also received. The available time span is compared with a duration of the original scan sequence. If the original scan sequence duration is longer than the available time span, one or more alterable subsequences of the original sequence are shortened to create an adjusted scan sequence that fits into the available time span.
US08140364B2 Method and system for the bundling and pricing of wireless hotspots
A method (and structure) for providing services for wireless hotspots. The services are offered to selectively include bundled hotspots as well as single hotspots.
US08140359B2 System and method for determining an objective driver score
The present invention is directed to a business method in the field of automobile insurance, more specifically, a system and method of determining an objective driver score that may be used universally by independent insurers to evaluate the risk of insuring a driver by employing certain risk assessment factors concerning the driver's personal history which are each analyzed to derive weighted scores. Each driver is provided with a portable pin with an electronic key unique to the driver that is encoded for selective activation of a monitoring unit in a vehicle such that solely the activities of the driver being assessed is recorded and communicated to an evaluation center. Once activated, the monitoring unit records and generates the driver's risk assessment record based on the driver's operation of a vehicle equipped with the monitoring unit, as well as other variable parameters concerning operation of the vehicle. Said driver's risk assessment record is analyzed to derive a weighted driver risk assessment score that is aggregated with the individual weighted scores derived from the risk assessment factors to generate an objective driver score.
US08140356B2 System for sampling and relaying patient medical data
A system according the present invention comprises a processor, a device interface configured to receive data from one or more different medical devices through a wired or wireless connection (or both), a data relay transceiver, and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions. The processor executes the instructions in the memory to receive data from the one or more medical devices through a wired or wireless connection (or both) using the device interface and transmits the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver. Accordingly data from a medical device can be received by the system through the one or more of a wired connection and a wireless connection, and a message including the received data for transmission may be formatted to be sent to one or more of a medical data server and a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server. Aspects of the system can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information.
US08140352B2 Order sets having different views for CPOE systems
Order sets are presented in different views thereby allowing the doctor to treat a patient in a more intuitive manner. Order set content is created so that order sets can be viewed from varying perspectives. An order set library is modified such that each order statement or orderable is tagged with metadata. Each orderable is tagged with an Intervention tag, a Problem tag, and a System tag. An application may then take the modified order sets and present them to doctors based on an Intervention view, a Problem view, or a System view. These views give the doctor the option of switching between views depending on the severity of a patient's medical condition and allows the doctor to follow a more intuitive and internal mental process when treating a patient. The doctor does not have to translate between different perspectives of the order sets mentally, thereby greatly reducing the doctor's cognitive load.
US08140344B2 Vehicular user hospitality system
A series of motions where a user approaches, gets in, drives or stays in, and gets off a vehicle is divided into a plurality of scenes. In each scene, a hospitality operation is executed for assisting use of the vehicle by the user or for entertaining the user. Information about disturbances on the user is obtained in each specified scene. In accordance with the scene, user biological characteristic information, and the information about disturbances, a hospitality operation device to be used and a hospitality operation by the hospitality operation device are determined.
US08140338B2 Method and system for speech based document history tracking
A method and a system of history tracking corrections in a speech based document are disclosed. The speech based document comprises one or more sections of text recognized or transcribed from sections of speech, wherein the sections of speech are dictated by a user and processed by a speech recognizer in a speech recognition system into corresponding sections of text of the speech based document. The method comprises associating of at least one speech attribute (14) to each section of text in the speech based document, said speech attribute (14) comprising information related to said section of text, respectively; presenting said speech based document on a presenting unit (8); detecting an action being performed within any of said sections of text; and updating information of said speech attributes (14) related to the kind of action detected on one of said sections of text for updating said speech based document, whereby said updated information of said speech attributes (14) is used for history tracking corrections of said speech based document.
US08140335B2 System and method for providing a natural language voice user interface in an integrated voice navigation services environment
A conversational, natural language voice user interface may provide an integrated voice navigation services environment. The voice user interface may enable a user to make natural language requests relating to various navigation services, and further, may interact with the user in a cooperative, conversational dialogue to resolve the requests. Through dynamic awareness of context, available sources of information, domain knowledge, user behavior and preferences, and external systems and devices, among other things, the voice user interface may provide an integrated environment in which the user can speak conversationally, using natural language, to issue queries, commands, or other requests relating to the navigation services provided in the environment.
US08140314B2 Optimal bus operation performance in a logic simulation environment
Sample-count feedback from bus functional models and a binary convergence algorithm are to generate optimal sampling values for an accelerator, or hardware assisted simulator. The simulator includes a bus functional model and a driver program. A software readable register maintains a count of a number of samples provided the simulator in execution of a transaction on the bus functional model. For each supported bus functional model, a sample count retrieved from the bus functional model and a last sampling value given the hardware assisted simulator is maintained, and a binary convergence algorithm applied to generate sampling values based on the last sampling value given to the hardware assisted simulator and the last actual sampling value used by a given bus functional model for a transaction.
US08140313B2 Techniques for modeling variables in subprograms of hardware description language programs
A method, system and computer program product for modeling variables in subprograms of a HDL program. A subprogram is provided with an initial value of a variable of an element being modeled and the subprogram is stored in memory of a data processing system. In response to a subprogram call, a copy of the stored subprogram is provided to the requesting HDL program. During execution, the initial value of the variable in the provided copy of the subprogram may be modified by the HDL program, but the value retains unchanged in the stored subprogram.
US08140311B2 Computer aided ligand-based and receptor-based drug design utilizing molecular shape and electrostatic complementarity
Methods related to the generation of shape signatures representing molecular shape, and using shape signatures in both ligand-based and receptor-based molecular design. Ray-tracing is used to explore the volume interior to a ligand, or the space exterior to a receptor site. Shape signatures are then probability distributions derived from the ray-traces. Shape signatures provide condensed descriptors of shape properties readily compared to each other to test for shape similarity or complementarity.
US08140309B2 Method of predicting the dynamic behavior of water table in an anisotropic unconfined aquifer having a general time-varying recharge rate from multiple rectangular recharge basins
The present invention relates to development of a method of predicting the dynamic behavior of water table in an anisotropic unconfined aquifer having a general time-varying recharge rate from multiple rectangular recharge basins. Each basin can have a different dimension and nature of rate of recharge. Aquifer can have prescribed head, zero flux, or a combination of both types of boundary conditions.
US08140308B2 Method of selecting an arrangement of sectors for a turbomachine nozzle
A method of selecting an arrangement of sectors for a turbomachine nozzle is disclosed. The method includes: A) creating a database of three-dimensional numerical models of the sectors by digitizing; B) setting a criterion for selecting an arrangement of sectors and setting a desired value for said criterion, the criterion being a function of the shapes and the relative positions of the sectors; C) for the various arrangements that are evaluated, determining the relative positions of the sectors when assembled together by performing a virtual assembly, and as a function of said positions, determining the value of the selection criterion for the arrangement under evaluation; and D) retaining the arrangement for which the selection criterion has the value closest to the desired value.
US08140307B2 Devolatilization simulation apparatus for screw extruders and devolatilization simulation program for screw extruders
A devolatilization simulation apparatus for screw extruders and a devolatilization simulation program for screw extruders can actually simulate the devolatilization process in a screw extruder. An extruder simulation system for simulating the conditions of devolatilization of an extruder by computationally determining the resin temperature, the pressure, the residence time, the filling ratio, the torque, the power, the solid-phase occupancy and the concentration of the volatile components in terms of distribution in the axial direction of the extruder from the configuration and the operating conditions of the extruder and the physical properties of the resin in the extruder comprising a means for arithmetically simulating the process where the concentration of the volatile components contained in the resin gradually falls as they are devolatilized by vent cylinders.
US08140301B2 Method and system for causal modeling and outlier detection
A method (and system) for causal modeling includes modeling a data set. The modeling includes estimating a reverse Bayesian forest for the data set and detecting outliers in a separate data set. Detecting the outliers includes applying the reverse Bayesian forest to the separate data set to obtain a probability value assigned to data points in the separate data set and identifying outliers in the separate data set by evaluating the probability value given by the reverse Bayesian forest.
US08140300B2 High throughput flow cytometer operation with data quality assessment and control
The invention provides a flow system and method for reliable multiparameter data acquisition and particle sorting. In accordance with the invention, a flow system assesses changes in the pattern of data collected in successive time intervals and actuates one or more corrective actions whenever the changes exceed predetermined limits. The present invention overcomes problems associated with collecting data and sorting and enumerating particles in flow cytometry systems that operate for prolonged periods or that must accommodate samples that vary widely in quality.
US08140291B2 Stator turn fault detection apparatus and method for induction machine
A system and method are provided for correction of parameters used in determination of stator turn faults of an induction motor. An embodiment may include determining a residual impedance and/or a residual voltage of the motor, and correcting a normalized cross-coupled impedance based on the residual impedance and residual voltage. Additional embodiments may include measuring an operating temperature of the motor and determining a negative sequence impedance of the motor based on the temperature. Another embodiment may include measuring voltages and currents of the motor and determining phasors for the voltages and currents using compensation for variations from a nominal frequency of the motor.
US08140290B2 Transmission characteristics measurement apparatus, transmission characteristics measurement method, and electronic device
Provided is a transfer characteristic measurement apparatus that measures a transfer characteristic of a circuit under test between input and output, comprising a test signal input section that generates a test signal by adding together a carrier signal having a prescribed frequency and an additional signal having a frequency that differs from the prescribed frequency, and inputs the test signal to the circuit under test; and a transfer characteristic measuring section that measures the transfer characteristic of the circuit under test at the frequency of the additional signal based on a result from a measurement of an output signal output by the circuit under test. The circuit under test may be formed on a semiconductor chip. The circuit under test may correct a signal input to the semiconductor chip, and outputs the corrected signal. The semiconductor chip may further include a sampling circuit that samples the output signal of the circuit under test at the frequency of the carrier signal.
US08140285B2 Compass system and method for determining a reference field strength
A compass system includes a magnetic field sensor for measuring an ambient magnetic field and a magnetic field generator, corresponding to the magnetic field sensor, configured to generate a reference magnetic field. The magnetic field sensor is configured to measure the reference magnetic field. The compass system further includes a control circuit operably connected to the magnetic field sensor and magnetic field generator, wherein the control circuit is configured to process the ambient magnetic field and the reference magnetic field measurements to determine an absolute reference field strength for use in calibrating the compass system.
US08140281B2 Voltage detecting device
The present invention is to provide inexpensively a voltage detecting device for setting an address of each voltage detection IC even if a power source level of each voltage detection IC differs. A first transmitting line LT1 and a first receiving line LR1 connect a plurality of voltage detection ICs in series each other, and connect between the bottom voltage detection IC and the main microcomputer. The main microcomputer transmits an address number 0 to the bottom voltage detection IC. When the respective voltage detection ICs receive an address number through the first receiving line of a lower side from the main microcomputer, an address number adding 1 to the received address number is set as a self-address number. Furthermore, the respective voltage detection ICs transmit the address number which adds 1 to the received address number to the first transmitting line LT1 of an upper side.
US08140280B2 Battery condition diagnosis apparatus
A battery condition diagnosis apparatus for a vehicle gradually supplies electricity to an electric motor of an electric power steering apparatus when a predetermined time elapses after an ignition switch is turned off. The apparatus diagnoses the deteriorated condition of the battery on the basis of the amount of supplied electricity and the detected battery voltage which changes in accordance therewith. The electric motor may be a brushless DC motor. In this case, current is supplied to the electric motor such that only d-axis armature current Id in the d-q coordinate system flows, to thereby prevent the electric motor from rotating, whereby safety is secured. Accordingly, the condition of the battery can be accurately diagnosed by supplying electricity to the electric motor without changing the condition of the vehicle.
US08140276B2 System and method for streetlight monitoring diagnostics
One or more example diagnostics may be implemented as part of an intelligent luminaire manager or other radio frequency (RF) device that is in communication with an equipment or fixture such as a luminaire. Example diagnostics can determine a status such as a fixture malfunction, a cycling condition, a miswiring configuration, or another condition. The determined status can be wirelessly transmitted from the intelligent luminaire manager or other radio frequency device to a network server via a network. The network may be a network of intelligent luminaire managers and/or RF devices.
US08140268B2 Computational method for drug discovery and receptor design
The present invention provides a method of predicting the mutual affinity of two molecules for each other in solution, by computing the configuration integrals of the free molecules and their bound complex as sums over local energy wells. The invention makes accurate calculations computationally tractable for a range of molecular systems by several means, including restraining the conformations of selected molecular components, and using a single conformation representative of an energy well to correct an efficient but less accurate energy model toward a slower but more accurate model.
US08140254B2 Road map data generation apparatus, road map data generation system, and method for generating road map data
In a road map data generation apparatus, existing primary road map data is subjected to a deletion process according to a deletion rule to delete a portion of the data. Thus, reduced road map data is generated for a storage medium such as a memory card having a data volume smaller than the primary road map data. A navigation apparatus using the reduced road map data stored in the memory card records a restoration rule pairing with the deletion rule. Based on the restoration rule, the reduced road map data can be restored to the primary road map data. Thus, the deletion rule can decrease the data volume of the primary data to thereby generate the reduced data, whereas the restoration rule can restore the reduced data to the primary data in the navigation apparatus. This helps prevent worsening of the quality of the road map data and lowering of the user's satisfaction.
US08140245B2 Engine with electronically controlled starting method
A method of starting an engine is provided. A starter is initiated to impart a first engine speed to a crankshaft of the engine. Fuel injects at a first rate into at least one cylinder of the engine. Fuel in the at least one cylinder of the engine combusts to operate the engine at generally the first speed imparted to the crankshaft of the engine by the starter until a predetermined oil pressure develops within the engine.
US08140244B2 Driving evaluating apparatus and driving evaluation method
In an apparatus for evaluating fuel-saving driving of a vehicle, a detecting unit detects a starting point and an end point of a deceleration area; a storage unit stores therein deceleration value information representing a deceleration value per unit time tolerated for safely decelerating from a predetermined traveling speed to a predetermined deceleration completion speed; a calculating unit calculates an actual traveling distance during a time period from detection of the starting point until detection of the end point; an acquiring/calculating unit acquires the deceleration value corresponding to the traveling speed at the detected starting point from the storage unit, and calculates a tolerance deceleration traveling distance based on the traveling speed and the deceleration value; and a judging unit judges the timing of the starting point based on a result of comparison between the actual traveling distance and the tolerance deceleration traveling distance.
US08140242B2 Systems and methods involving multiplexed engine control signals
Systems and methods involving multiplexed engine control signals are provided. In this regard, a representative engine control system for a gas turbine engine includes: a signal relay device operative to receive multiplexed signals from an engine electronic control (EEC), demultiplex the signals, and provide demultiplexed signals to corresponding ones of multiple control devices of the engine.
US08140239B2 Slippage condition response system
A slippage condition response system for a first machine of a plurality of machines is disclosed. The response system may have a sensing system configured to sense a parameter indicative of a slippage condition of the first machine. Additionally, the response system may have a locator configured to sense a parameter indicative of a location of the first machine. The response system may also have a transmitter. In addition, the response system may have a controller, which may be in communication with the sensing system, the locator, and the transmitter. The controller may be configured to monitor the location of the first machine. The controller may also be configured to monitor the parameter indicative of a slippage condition of the first machine. Additionally, the controller may be configured to transmit to an offboard system at least one location where the first machine experienced a slippage condition.
US08140232B2 Method for controlling and/or regulating an automatic gearbox
A process of controlling and/or regulating an automatic transmission in which a predetermined shifting speed of the gear shift is carried out and adjusted during a shift program, and in which the detection of a constant-speed driving of the vehicle is carried out at least during the shift program.
US08140211B2 Control module with flexible sensor inputs
A control module includes a sensor input, a discrete signal control module and a processor. The sensor input receives a sensor signal. The discrete signal control module includes a discrete signal input and selectively generates a digital signal based on the sensor signal. A processor includes a time-based input, a digital signal input, and an analog input. The time-based input and the analog input are in communication with the sensor input. The digital signal input is in communication with the discrete signal control module. The processor selectively receives one of the sensor signal and the digital signal via one of the time-based input, the digital signal input and the analog input.
US08140207B2 Vehicle and control method thereof
When the detected value of a rotation speed sensor is normal, it is determined whether or not a vehicle is stopping by using a predetermined rotation speed N1 as a stop determination upper limit rotation speed Nojmax, and when the detected value of the rotation speed sensor is not a normal value due to a magnetic field or the like from a road heater, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopping by using a predetermined rotation speed N2 which is larger than the predetermined rotation speed N1as the stop determination upper limit rotation speed Nojmax. Thereby, it can be more properly determined whether or not the vehicle is stopping in accordance with whether or not the detected value of the rotation speed sensor is normal.
US08140205B2 Driving system for hybrid vehicle
A hybrid-vehicle driving system includes an engine, a transmission, a first motor/generator provided between the engine and the transmission, and a battery that can charge and discharge the first motor/generator. When an estimated output voltage of the first motor/generator becomes higher than or equal to a predetermined voltage during a gear shift operation of the transmission, the battery is electrically disconnected from the driving system, and the voltage of a power line on the side of the first motor/generator is then decreased so as to charge the battery.
US08140191B2 Environment control device, environment control method, environment control program, and computer-readable recording medium containing the environment control program
An environment control device, an environment control method, an environment control program, and a computer-readable recording medium containing the environment control program for enabling the user to actually have a comfortable feeling in a reliable manner and further to maintain such a comfortable state, are provided. A biological information measuring portion acquires time-series data of the biological information of the user. A chaos analysis portion calculates a parameter about the biological information through chaos analysis of the time-series data acquired by the biological information measuring portion. A state inferring portion infers a comfortable feeling of the user on the basis of the parameter calculated by the chaos analysis portion. A device control portion controls generation of a stimulus to be given to the user on the basis of the result of inference made by the state inferring portion.
US08140189B2 Apparatus and method for computing operational-space physical quantity
An operational space physical quantity calculation apparatus computes a physical quantity in an operational space describing a relationship between a force and acceleration acting on a link structure including a plurality of linked rigid bodies. The operational space physical quantity calculation apparatus includes a forward dynamics calculating unit configured to perform a forward dynamics calculation on the basis of force information about a force acting on the link structure in order to obtain accelerations occurring at certain points of the link structure and an operational space physical quantity computing unit configured to compute an inverse operational space inertia matrix and an operational space bias acceleration by causing the forward dynamics calculating unit to perform the forward dynamics calculation using a kinetic model of the link structure.
US08140183B2 Method and system for order fulfillment in a distribution center
Order allocation techniques that reduce the number of stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. Ultimately, all items in the customer order are assigned a pod. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center.
US08140175B2 Data processing system and method
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for analysing, designing and manufacturing a body to determine potential discontinuities within the body when subjected to an action.
US08140161B2 Method and medical system for determining a link quality of a communication link in such a medical system
In a method and medical system for determining a link quality and a link quality margin of a communication link between a programmer device and an implantable medical device of such a medical system, a link quality monitoring circuit of the programmer or the medical device a present link quality and/or link quality margin at reduced signal power using at least one link quality parameter.
US08140139B2 Method and apparatus for the non-invasive sensing of glucose in a human subject
An apparatus for a non-invasive sensing of biological analytes in a sample includes an optics system having at least one radiation source and at least one radiation detector; a measurement system operatively coupled to the optics system; a control/processing system operatively coupled to the measurement system and having an embedded software system; a user interface/peripheral system operatively coupled to the control/processing system for providing user interaction with the control/processing system; and a power supply system operatively coupled to the measurement system, the control/processing system and the user interface system for providing power to each of the systems. The embedded software system of the control/processing system processes signals obtained from the measurement system to determine a concentration of the biological analytes in the sample.
US08140131B1 Systems and methods for holding mobile electronic devices
Systems and methods for holding mobile electronic devices are provided. In one embodiment, a system includes a wristband that can be worn by a mobile electronic device user and a clip that can be removably connected to a mobile electronic device and used to removably connect the mobile electronic device to the wristband. An exemplary embodiment of a method includes the steps of connecting a clip to a mobile electronic device and removably connecting the clip to a wristband that can be worn by a user of the mobile electronic device.
US08140129B2 Mobile phone terminal and communication system
Disclosed is a mobile phone terminal with a battery pack containing a retraceable battery as power supply, and transmitting and receiving radio-signals to and from a mobile phone system base transceiver station. The mobile phone terminal includes a data communication terminal communicating data with the battery pack, an intermittent receiving processor periodically carrying out intermittent receiving processing via the base transceiver station when the mobile phone terminal is in a standby operation, and a battery status determining unit transmitting, while the intermittent receiving processor is carrying out intermittent receiving processing, an activating signal to the battery pack via the data communication terminal and reading battery status data from the activated battery pack.
US08140121B2 Base station apparatus, communication system and computer program
There is provided a base station apparatus which allocates communication bands for terminal units from an available communication band, and performs wireless communications with the terminal units using the allocated communication bands, including: a priority table storing priority information used for deriving a priority of the communication; a detecting part detecting a situation change concerning the communications; a band derivation part deriving communication bands required for the communications with terminal units to communicate, when the detecting part detects the situation change; a priority derivation part deriving priorities of the communications with the terminal units on the basis of the priority information stored in the priority table; and an allocating part allocating the communication bands derived by the band derivation part for the wireless communications with the terminal units in the order of descending priorities derived by the priority derivation part.
US08140111B2 Methods and apparatus for analyzing, processing and formatting network information such as web-pages
A method for processing information received by a wireless device over a computer network, including receiving information from at least one source of information over a computer network, parsing at least some of the information, and employing at least some results of the parsing to provide the information in a form suitable for display to a user on the wireless device.
US08140105B2 Method for controlling output power in a radio communications network
The present invention presents a method for controlling output power and reducing interference in a radio communications network wherein data transmitted over a radio interface is coded and transmitted in radio blocks. The data passes a buffer of a node before transmission. The method is characterized by a step of determining a recommended Modulation and Coding Scheme level, MCS level, based on at least one radio quality measurement. A further characterizing step is analyzing of buffer characteristics and/or radio block usage of transmission radio blocks to determine if there is a preferred MCS level compared to the recommended MCS level. The preferred MCS level is typically a more robust MCS level. The recommended MCS, level if so determined, is decreased to the preferred MCS level, and in relation to decreasing the MCS level decreasing the output power according to a predefined down regulation scheme. The interference level is reduced in the network depending on an application type.
US08140103B2 Method and apparatus for power scaling in peer-to-peer communications
An ad hoc peer-to-peer network is provided in which a transmitter wireless terminal is configured to establish a peer-to-peer communication link with a receiver wireless terminal over a shared communication channel. The transmitter wireless terminal may scale its transmit power as a function of a channel gain for the communication channel between the transmitter and receiver wireless terminals. The scaled transmit power may be utilized by the transmitter and receiver wireless terminals to perform link scheduling over the communication channel. For instance, the scaled transmit power may be used by the transmitter wireless terminal to perform a transmitter yielding with other neighboring transmitter wireless terminals utilizing the shared communication channel. Similarly, the scaled transmit power may be used by the receiver wireless terminal to perform receiver yielding with other neighboring receiver wireless terminal utilizing the shared communication channel.
US08140102B2 Method and apparatus for transmit power calibration in a frequency division multiplexed wireless system
The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for transmit power calibration in a frequency division multiplexed wireless system (100). The method may include receiving (320), at a user equipment (120), a signal from a base station (130) in a frequency division multiplexed wireless system and mapping (330), in response to receiving the signal from the base station, a power control calibration region to an uplink symbol in a subframe to establish a mapped uplink symbol using predetermined criteria. The method can also include calibrating (350) a transmit power based on transmission in the calibration region and transmitting (360) data at the calibrated transmit power on at least one other symbol following the mapped uplink symbol.
US08140097B2 Mobile domain registry and content platform
A method and system for broadcasting information in real time to a plurality of recipients. The method can include authenticating an administrator. The method can include selecting a message type of an SMS message, wherein the message type is at least one of: a broadcast message wherein recipients cannot reply to the broadcast message, and a two-way messaging alert wherein recipients can reply to the two-way messaging alert. The method can include selecting recipients for the SMS message from a set of subscribers. The method can include receiving a body of the SMS message from the administrator. The method can include, responsive to a first administrator request, transmitting an administrator-entered test message to an administrator-specified test recipient. The method can include transmitting the SMS message to the selected recipients.
US08140096B2 Customer service messaging, such as on mobile devices
A mobile device and corresponding service provider are configured to provide a user of the mobile device with access to one or more instant messaging help entities, from the mobile device. The one or more instant messaging help entities may be associated with the corresponding service provider or with a service that is external to the corresponding service provider. In some cases, some of the one or more instant messaging help entities may be embedded as part of the mobile device or service, so that access to the one or more help entities may not be permanently terminated by the user. In some cases, the user may control access to some of the one or more instant messaging help entities, such as by adding or removing the access to the instant messaging help entities from a list of instant messaging entities.
US08140091B2 Boosting a signal-to-interference ratio of a mobile station
In a cell of a cellular wireless communication system, the SIR of at least one user in a sector of the cell is altered by temporarily reducing transmissions on a forward link in at least one other sector of the cell or a sector in another cell in accordance with a pattern.
US08140090B2 Method and system for estimating traffic distribution in a cellular mobile radio communications network
A method for estimating a territorial distribution of traffic in a selected area of a cellular radio mobile communications network, includes: dividing the selected area into a plurality of traffic-generating area elements; determining overall traffic in respect of said selected network area; and distributing the overall traffic across the plurality of traffic-generating area elements. For distributing the traffic, a respective network traffic generation propension is calculated for each traffic-generating area element, wherein said network traffic generation propension is adapted to provide an indication of a forecasted population of users of the network in respect of the traffic generating area element; and a distribution of a radio electromagnetic field associated with a current network configuration across said selected area is also estimated, obtaining an indication of the radio electromagnetic field strength in each of said traffic-generating area elements, each of said traffic-generating area elements being assigned a respective overall traffic portion based on the respective network traffic generation propension and on the respective indication of the radio electromagnetic field strength.
US08140086B2 Initial connection establishment in a wireless communication system
A method, user equipment, network equipment and a system for initiating a wireless connection and subsequent communication over a shared physical resource in a wireless communication system between user equipment and network equipment comprising: processing a UE-derived temporary identifier; determining a set of channels that the user equipment will monitor; implicitly or explicitly communicating this channel set; communicating the temporary identifier as an identifier to the network equipment; communicating a downlink message on a channel belonging to the determined channel set conveying the temporary identifier and a description of a scheduled resource on a shared channel, the scheduled resource comprising a resource allocated to the user equipment by the network equipment; and communicating data on the scheduled resource in response to the downlink message.
US08140084B2 Apparatus and method for allocating Channel Quality Information (CQI) channel in wireless communication system
Apparatus and method for allocating a Channel Quality Information CHannel (CQICH) in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes determining CQICH patterns required for users using information of one or more users to which CQICH resources are to be allocated, and selecting a CQICH pattern block, including all of the determined CQICH patterns, from among a plurality of pre-generated CQICH pattern blocks; and allocating CQICH sub-blocks corresponding to the users' required CQICH patterns using resource layout information of the CQICH sub-blocks corresponding to the CQICH patterns of the selected CQICH pattern block, and transmitting CQICH allocation information to a Mobile Station (MS).
US08140080B2 Transmission rate control method, and radio network controller
A transmission rate control method for controlling a transmission rate of uplink user data to be transmitted by a mobile station, includes: determining, at the radio network controller, that the mobile station is shifted between a soft-handover state in which the mobile station establishes radio links with a plurality of cells and a non soft-handover state in which the mobile station establishes a radio link with only one cell; allocating, at the radio network controller, a first temporary identifier or a second temporary identifier as a common identifier for a common transmission rate control to the mobile station based on the determination of shifts; and controlling, at a cell which establishes a radio link with the mobile station, the transmission rate of the uplink user data of the mobile station using the first temporary identifier or the second temporary identifier.
US08140073B2 Method and system for optimized handover for mobile devices
Method and system for optimized handover for mobile devices. The present invention provides a method for providing wireless communication. The method includes providing a first access device and a second access device in a communication network. The first access device and the second access device are configured to provide wireless connectivity. The method also includes providing a mobile device that is wirelessly connected to the first access network using a first connection. The mobile device is connected to a communication network using a first address that is associated with the first access network. The first connection is associated with a first priority level. Moreover, the method includes detecting the second access device by the mobile device. The method further includes obtaining a second connection between the second access device and the mobile device. In addition, the method includes providing a second address that is associated with the mobile device and the second access network.
US08140064B2 Methods and apparatus to use an identity module in telecommunication services
An identity module includes a memory and a processor. In the memory are stored installation code for installing in the memory a provider profile that associates the identity module with a communication services provider and communication code that, in combination with the provider profile, supports communication by a host of the identity module using services of the communication services provider. The processor executes the installation code to install the provider profile and then executes the communication code in support of the communication. Preferably, no portion of any such communication suite is stored initially in the identity module. The host requests the provider profile from a server that includes a communication interface for communicating with the host, a memory wherein is stored code for providing to the host a customization suite that includes substantially all of the provider profile, and a processor for executing the code.
US08140059B2 Portable information terminal device
It is an object to provide a digital TV broadcast system and a cellular phone in which content of a data broadcast can be checked with a small display area, and work for checking desired content in detail is easy. Extracted character strings extracted from content data are provided in a picto display area 21 in a horizontally long display state as a marquee display. In the case where a display screen is switched to a vertically long display state during the display of the extracted character strings, a cursor 26 is placed on a character string corresponding to an extracted character string displayed in the horizontally long display state upon the switching, among character strings displayed in a data broadcast display area 25. Based on this, a user can well check the content of the data broadcast by checking the extracted character strings provided as the marquee display, and also because the character string corresponding to the extracted character string displayed in the horizontally long display state is automatically selected by the switching to the vertically long display state, the work for checking desired content in detail is easy.
US08140058B2 Method of transmitting and receiving internet address in mobile communication terminal
A mobile terminal communication method including accessing a Web page of a specific Internet address using a web browser on a first mobile terminal, entering a message input screen on which information related to the specific Internet address is automatically displayed, and transmitting a message including the information related to the specific Internet address to at least a second mobile terminal.
US08140057B2 Automated call context notification
A request is received to initiate a context-based voice call, where the request includes a calling number, a called number, and a text string forming a context portion of the context-based voice call. A request is received to initiate a voice call portion of the context-based voice call from the calling number to the called number. The voice call portion and the context portion of the context-based voice call are synchronized between a calling device referenced by the calling number and a called device referenced by the called number. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08140044B2 Mixer circuit and method of operation
A mixer circuit to mix a RF (Radio Frequency) signal with a LO (Local Oscillator) signal to generate an IF (Intermediate Frequency) signal including a dummy branch connected in parallel of a mixing branch, the dummy branch including a transconductance stage having an input connected to a reference potential independent from the RF signal, to transform the reference potential into a current signal, and a current switching core to switch the current signal according to LO and signals, and chopping switches to connect in series the transconductance stage of the mixing branch to the current switching core of the mixing branch and, in the alternative, to the current switching core of the dummy branch under the control of a chopping signal.
US08140041B2 Tunable capacitive device with linearization technique employed therein
One exemplary tunable capacitive device includes a first tunable capacitive element, a first coupling capacitive element, a first coupling resistive element, and a first specific capacitive element. The first tunable capacitive element has a first node coupled to a first input voltage, and a second node. The first coupling capacitive element has a first node coupled to the second node of the first tunable capacitive element, and a second node coupled to a first connection terminal of the tunable capacitive device. The first coupling resistive element has a first node coupled to the second node of the first tunable capacitive element, and a second node coupled to a second input voltage, where the first input voltage and the second input voltage include a control voltage and a reference voltage. The first specific capacitive element is coupled between the first node and the second node of the first tunable capacitive element.
US08140037B2 Wireless transmission apparatus and modulation scheme selection method
A wireless transmission apparatus that can accurately select an optimal modulation scheme on a per block basis in a multi-carrier communication system in which block division of subcarriers and adaptive modulation are performed. In this wireless transmission apparatus, a propagation path characteristics acquisition section acquires the average SNR and SNR variance for each block, which are estimated by a wireless reception apparatus, using received signals inputted from a reception RF section and outputs these to an assignment section. The assignment section selects a modulation scheme for each block based on the average SNR and SNR variance of each block inputted from the propagation path characteristics acquisition section and modulation sections modulate multi-carrier signals included in each block, with the modulation scheme for each block selected by the assignment section.
US08140031B2 Transmitter built-in production line testing utilizing digital gain calibration
A novel and useful self-calibration based production line testing mechanism utilizing built-in closed loop measurements in the radio to calibrate the output power of an external power amplifier coupled to a SoC radio. The mechanism is applicable during production line testing and calibration which is performed on each SoC and associated external power amplifier after assembly at the target PCB of the final product. The mechanism calibrates the TX output power in three phases based on loopback EVM measurements. In a first phase, the PPA in the radio (SoC) is calibrated and gain versus output power is stored in a gain table in on-chip NVS. In a second phase, the maximum PPA TX power is determined using closed loop EVM measurements. The external PA is calibrated in a third phase and the maximum PA power is determined. During this third phase, the maximum power of the device is calculated, compared to the requirements of the particular standard and a pass/fail determination is thereby made.
US08140024B2 Fast convergence to optimal beam patterns
Systems and methods for joint training of beam patterns in a system having a transmitter and a receiver. Initial transmit and receive beam pattern vectors are first selected. The beam pattern vectors are perturbed to produce a plurality of perturbed transmit and receive beam pattern vectors. A received signal power between the transmitter and the receiver is estimated for each combination of the perturbed transmit and the perturbed receive beam pattern vectors. The transmit and receive beam pattern vectors having a highest received signal power are applied to the transmitter and the receiver respectively. The perturbation, estimation, and application steps are iterated until the received signal power meets a convergence criterion.
US08140023B2 System and method for communication with adaptive link control
One inventive aspect relates to a system and method for performing communication between a transmitting device and a receiving device along a communication path. The transmit device and the receive device each have at least one antenna. At least one of the devices has a plurality of antennas. The method comprises determining first information about the communication path. The method further comprises determining second information about the desired performance parameters of the communication. The method further comprises selecting based on the first and second information a mode of communication from a predetermined set of communication modes. The set includes a Single Input Single Output (SISO) and at least one Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication scheme. The method further comprises performing communication in accordance with the selected mode.
US08140012B1 Bluetooth security profile
A user configurable security profile defining relationships between a plurality of communications devices is utilized to secure a communications device in response to an occurrence of an event. In an example embodiment, the devices (e.g., cellular phone, PDA, computer, car key fob, BLUETOOTH® enabled object) are linked together via a BLUETOOTH® conformant interface. If one of the devices becomes disconnected from the link, the remaining devices are locked. Additionally, a warning can be provided on the remaining devices. A device can be unlocked by providing a code, PIN, password, or the like. A legitimate disconnection from the link, such as turning a device off, or the battery dying, will not result in the remaining devices being locked. If a device is stolen and not recovered, the user can reconfigure the security profile to exclude the stolen device.
US08140009B2 Circuit and data carrier with radio frequency interface
A circuit (12) comprises a first circuit point (13) and a second circuit point (14), which first circuit point (13) and second circuit point (14) are designed to be connected with RF transmission means (11) being designed for receiving in a contact-less manner a carrier signal (CS) from a read/write station and for feeding the circuit (12) with the received carrier signal (CS). The circuit (12) further comprises circuit testing means (4) being designed to carry out functional tests of the circuit (12) and to output a modulated response signal (TS-MOD) via the first and second circuit points (13, 14) only if the functional tests have been successful. The circuit (12) further comprises test trigger signal detecting means (5) being designed for detecting a test trigger signal (TS) that is applied across the first circuit point (13) and the second circuit point (14), wherein the test trigger signal detecting means (5) are designed to trigger the circuit testing means (4) to carry out the functional tests if they detect the test trigger signal (TS).
US08140006B2 Signal combining apparatus satisfying maximum transmission capacity in cellular system employing distributed antennas and resource allocation method using the same
Disclosed is a signal combining apparatus and a resource allocation method using the same in a cellular system using distributed antennas. The resource allocation method includes detecting a channel transmission capacity when a signal is transmitted from a single Relay Station (RS) to a Mobile Station (MS), by a Base Station (BS), detecting a channel transmission capacity when transmitting a signal produced by using signal combining by two or more RSs to the MS, by the BS, selecting a channel transmission capacity with a larger gain between the detected channel transmission capacity of the single RS and the detected channel transmission capacity of the two or more RSs, by the BS; and selecting the signal transmitted by the single RS or the signal produced by using the signal combining by the two or more RSs having the selected channel transmission capacity with the larger gain, and then transmitting the selected signal to the MS.
US08140001B2 Methods of suppressing GSM wireless device threats in dynamic or wide area static environments using minimal power and collateral interference
Techniques for detecting wireless devices that are signaling in high proximity to a convoy or other operation and preventing messages from reaching the wireless devices. One class of the techniques uses surgical jamming methodologies that minimize power consumption and collateral interference, while being maximally inconspicuous; another class uses baiting beacons to prevent the messages from reaching the wireless devices. Still another class of techniques denies wireless devices access to a wireless network. An exemplary embodiment applies the techniques to wireless devices and beacons in a GSM network.
US08140000B2 Categorizing and sharing learning objects
The present invention provides a method, system and computer program product for administering learning objects within a learning management system. In the invention, a learner can select various learning materials in the system, known as “learning objects”, and can aggregate these learning objects in a special category or “learning folder” directly on the system. The learning folders can be separate from an existing course catalog of learning objects. Each learner can establish and delete learning folders, and can modify each learning folder by adding or removing learning objects to and from the folder. Finally, while each learning folder created by a user can at first only be accessed by the user, a user can allow other learners in the system to access the folder by establishing a “learning link” for the folder, which dictates which other learners can access the learning folder.
US08139998B2 Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus
The present invention provides a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus which can achieve reduction of running cost. A notch part forming portion 400A including a punch 403 and a die 404 forms plural notch parts in an end part of a sheet bundle folded by a sheet folding portion. A discharge roller pair 402a and 402b turns back the notch parts to bind the sheet bundle. As a result, the sheet bundle can easily be opened and the reduction of the running cost can be achieved because stapling is not performed.
US08139993B2 Web cleaning systems including an electrostatic cleaning brush and methods of cleaning printed webs
Web cleaning systems, apparatuses useful in printing onto webs, and methods of cleaning webs are provided. An exemplary embodiment of the web cleaning systems includes a first web cleaning device having a rotatable first electrostatic cleaning brush for contacting a first surface of a moving web on which toner is disposed to remove un-fixed toner from the first surface; and a first brush cleaning device having a first cleaning member contacting the first electrostatic cleaning brush for removing toner from the first electrostatic cleaning brush.
US08139988B2 Developing device of image forming apparatus
A developing device includes a feed tool to feed a developer to a developing tool, a developer receiving chamber in which the developer to be fed to the feed tool is received, and a first delivery unit and a second delivery unit arranged one higher than another in a state in which the developing device is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The developer received in the developer receiving chamber is delivered to the second delivery unit by the first delivery unit and thereafter, is delivered to the feed tool by the second delivery unit.
US08139980B2 Image forming apparatus, control method, and program
The invention provides a mechanism which allows a common device driver to obtain identification information of a USB device desired by an application that controls a USB device via a common device driver. Furthermore, the invention includes two types of common device drivers to be registered in an OS to have different priorities, and provides a common interface that does not allow the application to recognize their difference.
US08139977B2 Image forming apparatus with supporting member
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of image forming units; a pair of supporting members for supporting both end portions of each of the image forming units; and a leg portion abutting against a mounting surface at a lower surface of each of the supporting members.
US08139975B2 Sealing member and process cartridge
Provided is a sealing member for preventing leakage of a developer from a developer containing portion of a process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to an outside of the developer containing portion. The sealing member is made of a thermoplastic elastomer that contains at least a copolymer and a plasticizer. In a molecular weight distribution of a tetrahydrofuran soluble matter of the thermoplastic elastomer measured by gel permeation chromatography, at least one peak is present in each of a region of a molecular weight of 4,000 or less and a region of a molecular weight of 30,000 to 200,000, and a percentage of a component of a molecular weight of 800 or less in a region of a molecular weight of 5,000 or less is 30% or less.
US08139970B2 Image fixing control system and method to increase quality of fixed image
An image fixing control system and method are provided comprising a power supply, a power switching unit, a heating roller, in which a temperature detector detects a temperature of the heating roller, and a controller detects a temperature variation slope of the heating roller using the temperature detected by the temperature detector and controls an on and off switching operation of the power switching unit according to the detected temperature variation slope. Accordingly, by varying a duty ratio of power through a phase control using a temperature variation slope of a heating roller, a fine control of a fixing system can be performed. In addition, since a temperature variation, that is, overshoot or undershoot, of the heating roller is reduced, a fixing efficiency can be increased.
US08139965B2 Method and assembly for generating a given revolving speed of an endless band-shaped image support
In a method to determine a curve of revolution speed of a continuous belt-shaped image substrate, at least two color separations are generated on the image substrate and transferred from the image substrate onto a substrate material to generate a print image. A first offset in a transport direction of the substrate material between the at least two color separations of the print image is determined at a first point. At least one second offset in the transport direction is determined between the at least two color separations of the print image at least one second point. The first point and the second point have at least one interval relative to one another in the transport direction. The curve of the revolution speed of the image substrate is determined with aid of the first offset and the second offset.
US08139964B2 Fixing device, control method for a fixing device and image forming apparatus
Provided is a fixing device including: a heater; a heating body that is heated by the heater and is caused to rotate; a pressure body that is in contact with the heating body, and is caused to rotate; a plurality of temperature sensor units each including a temperature sensing element that is covered with a protective member and is in contact with the heating body in order to sense a temperature of the heating body; and a control unit that recognizes temperatures of the heating body at respective portions thereof based on signals received from the temperature sensor units, brings the heater into an ON state if the recognized temperatures exhibit a temperature difference of a predetermined value or larger, judges that the protective member has peeled off if all the temperatures sensed by using the temperature sensor units are recognized to have risen, and corrects the temperature.
US08139952B2 System and method for measuring the extinction ratio of an optical transmitter using an interferogram wing-to-peak ratio
Systems and methods are described that derive a relationship between an optical transmitter's extinction ratio (Er) and its interferogram wing-to-peak ratio (Iwp). The change in an optical transmitter's Iwp correlates with a change in measured Er. As the Er of a telecom signal changes, the power of the modulated signal's interferogram wings change. After a relationship between Iwp and measured Er has been derived for an optical transmitter, the relationship may be used after deployment to determine an Er by measuring an Iwp.
US08139951B2 Fiber-optic long-haul transmission system
An ultra-long fiber-optic transmission system is configured in accordance with the current telecom standards and particularly advantageous for transmission data at a long distance which may exceed 400 km between adjacent nodes. The disclosed system has at least one intermediate amplifying node provided with a supervisory optical channel (SOC) which carries information between spaced nodes about the multi-wavelength optical signal as well as remote conditions at the optical terminal or regeneration site. The SOC comprises a transponder operative to select the direction in which an optical supervisory signal OSS, carrying information about the fiber break and malfunction of WDM channels, is transmitted along the SOC. The transponder further includes a receiver operative to measure the power of incoming OSS signal, which is indicative of the power of the transmitted and amplified WDM signal, and a Raman controller. The latter is coupled to the receiver and operative to either turn or turn off a pump of Raman amplifier based on determination of whether the measured power is lower than or at least equal to a reference value. The transponder is further configured with a transmitter configured as a fiber laser which operates in at least two modes. In the first mode when the measured power as at least equal to the reference value, the fiber laser emits the OSS having a nominal power. In the second mode, when the measured power is less than the reference value, the transmitter is operative to lase the OSS having a greater than nominal power even if Raman and EDFA amplifiers of the amplification node are disabled. The utilization of the fiber laser enhances the reliability and control of the long fiber-haul system's operation.
US08139944B2 Method and apparatus for clearing an optical channel
A method and apparatus for clearing an optical channel for transmitting data through free space between a first and second location includes a light beam, wherein the light beam has a spatially and/or time-dependent modulated intensity profile, and is substantially collimated so that the intensity profile is conserved over a specified distance of operation. The light beam includes a cross-sectional profile having regions of low and high intensity, portions of which are provided for the transmission of an optical data signal. A light source wavelength and intensity are selected for types of obscurant particles having optical properties whereby the radiation pressure acts on the particles, and the particles may then be either attracted into or repelled from portions of the spatially modulated optical beam, leaving certain portions of the optical channel beam absent of obscurant particles, thereby enabling transmission of optical data through the cleared optical channel with low attenuation.
US08139940B2 Wavelength division multiplexing transmission system and remote apparatus and station apparatus used therein
There is provided a wavelength division multiplexing transmission system and apparatuses used therein, in which a remote apparatus to be newly added to a station apparatus autonomously sets a wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus, thereby avoiding the need for presetting a wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus. The remote apparatus includes wavelength determining means that determines an available wavelength on the basis of an optical signal received from the station apparatus. The wavelength determining means may determine the wavelength of an unreceived optical signal as the available wavelength or may determine the wavelength of a received optical signal as the available wavelength, and may set that wavelength as a transmission and reception wavelength to be used in the remote apparatus.
US08139939B2 Upgradeable passive optical network
A passive optical network is upgraded by a subsystem PON2 for additional high speed communication. The additional subsystem PON2 enables independent high speed communication between a new type of optical network terminations with second downstream time division multiplex signals and second upstream multiplex burst signals via additional upstream and downstream channels.
US08139926B2 Reproduction apparatus, reproduction method, reproduction program, record medium, and data structure
A reproduction apparatus has a player section, a content reproduction section, an interface section. The player section has a read section reading data from the record medium on which the content data containing at least one of a video data stream and an audio data stream and a reproduction control program controlling the reproduction of the content data are recorded, an input section accepting an input from a user, and an output section outputting the reproduced content data. The content reproduction section reproduces the content data according to the reproduction control program. The interface section interfaces among the content reproduction section, the reproduction control program, and the player section. When a command representing an end of the reproduced content data is described in the reproduction control program, the reproduction control program supplies the command to the interface section and the interface section executes a process corresponding to the command.
US08139923B2 Playback of recorded streaming delta-encoded data
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise a circuit adapted to receive a seek time for a first stream of delta-encoded data stored in a stream file; a circuit adapted to select an index time based on the seek time, and adapted to retrieve an index pointer associated with the index time from an index file, wherein the index file includes a plurality of the index times and index pointers each associated with one of the index times; a circuit adapted to select an intraframe based on the index pointer, and adapted to retrieve the intraframe, and a frame pointer associated with the intraframe, from a frame file, wherein the frame file includes a plurality of the intraframes and frame pointers; and an output circuit adapted to transmit a second stream of delta-encoded data based on the intraframe and the delta-encoded data stored in the stream file.
US08139915B2 Recording medium, recording method, reproduction apparatus and method, and computer-readable program
An AV Clip generated by multiplexing a video stream and a graphics stream is recorded on a BD-ROM. The graphics stream includes a plurality of DSs (Display Sets) each of which is used for graphics display and includes a control segment and graphics data. When an active period of the control segment in the DS overlaps with an active period of a control segment in an immediately preceding DS on a reproduction time axis of the video stream the graphics data in the DS is assigned a different object_id from graphics data which is referenced by the control segment in the immediately preceding DS, so as to prevent graphics generated by decoding the graphics data in the DS from overwriting graphics generated by decoding the graphics data referenced by the control segment in the immediately preceding DS.
US08139909B2 Illuminator method and device
A first toroidal ray guide defines an axis of revolution and has a toroidal entrance pupil adapted to image light incident on the entrance pupil at an angle to the axis of revolution between 40 and 140 degrees, and it also has a first imaging surface opposite the entrance pupil. A second toroidal ray guide also defines the same axis of revolution and has a second imaging surface adjacent to the first imaging surface. Various additions and further qualities of the ray guides, which form optical channels, are disclosed. In a method light emanating from a source at between 40-140 degrees from an optical axis is received at an entrance pupil of a ray guide arrangement that is circularly symmetric about the optical axis. Then the received light is redirected through the ray guide arrangement to an exit pupil in an average direction substantially parallel to the optical axis.
US08139902B2 Method of conferring interactivity on previously printed graphic containing text
A method of conferring interactivity on a pre-printed image containing text. The method comprises the steps of: (i) receiving association data indicating an association between an impression identity, absolute positions and a scanned image; (ii) performing Optical Character Recognition on the scanned image to convert text images into computer text; (iii) generating an input description for the scanned image; and (iv) storing a page description comprising the input description and the scanned image. The page description is indexed with the impression identity and, further, the page description is retrievable so as to confer interactivity on the image.
US08139900B2 System and method for providing objectified image renderings using recognition information from images
An embodiment provides for enabling retrieval of a collection of captured images that form at least a portion of a library of images. For each image in the collection, a captured image may be analyzed to recognize information from image data contained in the captured image, and an index may be generated, where the index data is based on the recognized information. Using the index, functionality such as search and retrieval is enabled. Various recognition techniques, including those that use the face, clothing, apparel, and combinations of characteristics may be utilized. Recognition may be performed on, among other things, persons and text carried on objects.
US08139899B2 Increasing resolution of video images
A method and apparatus for increasing resolution of video images are disclosed. Vectors may be produced based on a sequence of video frames. Low dimensional vectors may be produced from the vectors. Groups of at least two of the low dimensional vectors may be interpolated to produce respective low dimensional interpolated vectors. Each of the low dimensional vectors and the interpolated low dimensional vectors may be mapped, according to a model, to obtain dimensionally increased image information. Aspects of the image information may be included in corresponding video frames and corresponding interpolated video frames.
US08139898B2 Image process method and apparatus for image enlargement and enhancement
An image processing device includes an image acquisition module, a memory module, and an image signal processing module, for performing an image enlargement and enhancement. The image acquisition module sequentially reads in an image block, including a unit pixel matrix and an exterior pixel matrix, wherein each pixel matrix includes a plurality of pixels and each pixel is associated with a parameter. The memory module stores a plurality of predefined edge patterns. The image signal processing module compares a loaded image block with predefined edge patterns, and determines if it is an edge block. Then, the image signal processing module further classifies its pixels into two groups, and calculates a continuous separating boundary between the two groups. Finally, the image signal processing module enlarges an edge block by placing new pixels inside its unit pixel matrix, wherein the new pixel parameters are extrapolated from the two classified pixel groups to maintain a sharp edge boundary. For those that are not edge blocks, interpolations are performed by the image signal processing module to derive smooth enlargements.
US08139895B2 Image recognition device and image rotating method
An image recognition device for generating an output rotation image from input original image data, including a memory section being capable of storing data of a line including pixels of the original image data to be processed, an angle-to-sine/cosine converting section obtaining an X component and a Y component where a pixel interval of the original image data is an oblique side based on a rotating angle, and a coordinate searching section calculating a reference coordinate of the output rotation image for the original image using the X component and the Y component in order of input of the original image data and outputting data of the output rotation image based upon the reference coordinate.
US08139889B2 Method, an apparatus and a computer-readable medium for processing a night vision image dataset
Method for processing a sequence of at least two image datasets each having at least two pixels, each pixel having an intensity value by calculating a structure tensor for each pixel in an image dataset included in the sequence of image datasets; calculating values in a summation kernel based on the structure tensor for each pixel in the image dataset; calculating a weighted intensity value for each pixel in the first image dataset, using as weights the values in the summation kernel; storing the weighted intensity value for each pixel in the image dataset as a processed intensity value for each corresponding pixel in a processed output image dataset; rotating a local coordinate system in which the summation kernel is described so that the coordinate axes of said local coordinate system coincide with the directions of the eigenvectors of the structure tensor.
US08139888B2 Method for filtering of images with bilateral filters and power images
The current invention describes a method for filtering an input image with a bilateral filter. The bilateral filter includes a spatial filter and a range filter. The method constructs a set of power images from an input image including pixels, each pixel having intensity. Then, the method applies, to each power image, the spatial filter to determine a response for the spatial filter and the corresponding power image and combines the responses and the set of power images to produce a response for the bilateral filter.
US08139883B2 System and method for image and video encoding artifacts reduction and quality improvement
Reducing artifacts and improving quality for image and video encoding is performed in one pass to preserve natural edge smoothness and sharpness. To reduce artifacts and improve quality, several steps are implemented including spatial variation extraction, determining if a block is flat or texture/edge, classifying the pixels as texture or noise, detecting a dominant edge, checking the spatial variation of neighboring blocks, generating base weights, generating filter coefficients, filtering pixels and adaptive enhancement. A device which utilizes the method of reducing artifacts and improving quality achieves higher quality images and/or video with reduced artifacts.
US08139872B2 Splitting file types within partitioned images
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates optimally and efficiently utilizing an image file format. A server can host an image that is partitioned into two or more tiles, wherein the two or more tiles collectively represent the image in entirety and are defined in at least one image file format. A tile generator can evaluate at least one tile to identify a suitable image file format based upon at least one of a characteristic of such file format or a context of a use for the tile. A browser can utilize the tile in the identified file format in order to render a portion of the image.
US08139871B2 Circuit and method for adaptive, lossless compression of successive digital data
An image compression and decompression method compresses data based upon the data states, and decompresses the compressed data based upon the codes generated during the compression.
US08139867B2 Image segregation system architecture
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of generating spatio-spectral information for the image, defining a constraint as a function of the spatio-spectral information, and performing an optimization operation as a function of the constraint to generate an intrinsic image corresponding to the image.
US08139857B2 Local regression methods and systems for image processing systems
This disclosure provides methods, apparatus and systems for performing image processing regression for approximating multidimensional color transformation. According to an exemplary method, a shaping matrix is selected to minimize a cost function associated with a local linear regression representation of the color transformation.
US08139852B2 Color classification method, color recognition method, color classification apparatus, color recognition apparatus, color recognition system, computer program, and recording medium
A color classification method including: determining a plurality of predetermined process target regions from a plurality of pickup images taken by an imaging device; calculating a plurality of color distributions of pixels contained in the respective determined process target regions; and forming a plurality of clusters by executing a clustering process based on the calculated color distributions for the pickup images, the method being for classifying a plurality of colors with respect to the respective formed clusters, the forming step including: extracting predetermined number of the classified colors, whose calculated rates are highest in the calculated plurality of the rates, from among the predetermined classified colors; defining a plurality of color spaces, dimensions of each of which are selected from the predetermined number of the extracted classified colors.
US08139851B2 System and method for local value adjustment
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for local value adjustment are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes identifying a hue, saturation, and brightness value for each pixel of an image, determining whether the hue and saturation for each pixel fall within a first predetermined set of hue and saturation combinations, determining whether the brightness value for each pixel of the image falls within a predetermined set of brightness values, and selectively applying a gain to the saturation of each pixel based upon the determination of whether the hue and saturation value of the pixel falls within the first predetermined set of hue and saturation combinations and the determination of whether the brightness value of the pixel falls within the predetermined set of brightness values. The method further comprises decimating the image into multiple localized regions, determining a mean brightness value for each localized region, determining whether the hue and saturation for each pixel fall within a second predetermined set of hue and saturation combinations, and selectively increasing the perceived contrast of the image around the mean brightness value for each localized region by applying a transfer function to each pixel of the image based upon the determination of whether the hue and saturation of the pixel fall within the second predetermined set of hue and saturation combinations.
US08139847B2 Defect inspection tool and method of parameter tuning for defect inspection tool
An inspection method and an inspection tool are capable of detecting a defect on a specimen. More particularly, the examples relate to an inspection method and an inspection tool for easily setting an inspection condition to be used in a defect inspection of an inspected pattern such as a semiconductor wafer, a liquid crystal display, or a photomask.
US08139842B2 Device and method for inspecting rechargeable battery connection structure
An inspection apparatus for inspecting a rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure to check whether electrode plates are properly connected to a current collector plate by filters. The apparatus includes an imaging device arranged on one side of the rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure, a first lighting device which illuminates the rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure at the same side of the rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure as the first lighting device, a second lighting device which illuminates the rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure from the opposite side of the rechargeable battery electrode plate-connected structure, and an inspection circuit connected to the imaging device which inspects the connection state of the fillets by analyzing a front lighting image captured by the imaging device when only the first lighting device emits light and a back lighting image captured when only the second lighting device emits light.
US08139837B2 Bone number determination apparatus and recording medium having stored therein program
A body-of-sternum area representing the body of sternum of a subject is extracted from a three-dimensional image obtained by imaging the subject. Further, at least one rib area is extracted from the three-dimensional image. The rib number of each of the at least one rib area is determined based on a position of the body-of-sternum area, the position corresponding to a lower border of the body of sternum, and the position of each of the at least one rib area. Further, at least one vertebra area is extracted from the three-dimensional image. The vertebra number of the at least one vertebra area is determined based on the position of each of the at least one rib area, the rib number of each of the at least one rib area, and the position of the at least one vertebra area.
US08139826B2 Device and method for creating photo album
A device for automatically creating a photo album is disclosed. A face detection unit detects faces from an inputted image, an inclination determining unit determines an inclination of the inputted image based on inclinations of the faces, a temporary trimming reference area determining unit determines a trimming reference area containing one or more of the faces, a temporary trimming reference point determining unit determines a trimming reference point in the trimming reference area, an image rotating unit rotates the inputted image depending on the inclination of the inputted image, a trimming unit sets in the inputted image a layout frame of an image insertion area of a photo album template such that the layout reference point is positioned on the trimming reference point and the trimming reference area is contained within the layout frame and carries out trimming, and a template composition unit combines the trimmed area with the template.
US08139823B2 Method for capturing images comprising a measurement of local motions
A method for capturing a sequence of video images, using an imager including an estimation of the parameters of a model of global motion between successive images. The method may include measurement of local motions on edges of the images, with the estimation of the parameters of the global motion model performed using the result of the measurement of local motions on the edges of the images.
US08139812B2 Loudspeaker suspension
Disclosed is a loudspeaker suspension structure having asymmetrical grooves. In an aspect, an apparatus includes a loudspeaker suspension structure having grooves, each extending from an inner circumferential border, to an outer circumferential border, at least one groove having a groove depth that varies asymmetrically from the inner circumferential border to the outer circumferential border.
US08139807B2 Headset with noise plates
A headset comprises two earphones joined together by a band which can be worn over the head of a wearer. Each earphone includes a noise plate, which functions to attenuate or eliminate noise from the environment such as a tournament gaming environment. The noise plate includes an aperture through which a boom assembly that houses a microphone may engage to transmit utterances of the wearer to audio processing circuitry. A grille can be exposed when the noise plate is removed, which allows sounds produced in the ambient environment to enter the earphone.
US08139806B2 Earphone for placement in an ear
An earphone which fits into an ear is disclosed. The earphone includes an electroacoustic transducer for converting an audio signal into sound and a housing for holding the electroacoustic transducer. The housing includes a sound output unit for introducing the sound produced by the electroacoustic transducer into the ear canal of an ear when the housing is placed in the ear. The electroacoustic transducer is oriented so that it the sound in a direction which is transverse to the ear canal of the ear.
US08139795B2 Loudspeaker system for aircraft cabin
A loudspeaker system for an aircraft cabin for passengers has a support structure, which includes multiple flexible flat elements, forming the internal walls of the cabin, and fastening devices for fastening flat elements to the support structure, so that the flat elements may oscillate. At least one acoustic driver is connected to one or more flat elements, to induce a bending movement in the one or more flat elements. The particular flat element may oscillate as an acoustic diaphragm. The acoustic driver has a film-shaped piezoelectric exciter, which is bonded flatly to the flat element. The flat element bonded to an exciter has a first cover layer, a second cover layer, and a core layer between them. The core layer is subdivided in a plane parallel to the first and second cover layers by a horizontal incision in at least one predefined area.
US08139793B2 Methods and apparatus for capturing audio signals based on a visual image
In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an initial listening zone wherein the initial listening zone represents an initial area monitored for sounds; detect a view of a visual device; compare the view of the visual with the initial area of the initial listening zone; and adjust the initial listening zone and forming the adjusted listening zone having an adjusted area based on comparing the view and the initial area.
US08139792B2 Amplifier circuits, methods of starting and stopping amplifier circuits
An amplifier circuit (100) has an input stage (OP1) and an output stage (Q1, Q2) operating with different supply voltages and different quiescent voltages. The output stage has a feedback input connected to receive a feedback signal from the output of the output stage. A biasing circuit (602) applies a bias signal (Ioff) to said input stage at an operating level appropriate to establish a quiescent output voltage different from a ground reference level of the input stage. To start up the amplifier with minimal transients at the output, the following steps are performed in sequence: (a) with the output stage disabled, pre-charging the amplifier output over a period of time to a level (Vmid) corresponding to the ground reference level of the input stage; (b) with the biasing circuit effectively disabled and a zero input signal at said signal input, enabling the input and output stages; (c) activating said biasing circuit progressively so as to ramp said bias signal (Ioff) to said operating level over a further period of time, thereby driving the output progressively to said quiescent output voltage. A separate improvement is in the biasing circuit, which uses the actual output stage supply voltage (PVdd) as a reference to define the operating level of said bias signal (Ioff).
US08139788B2 Apparatus and method for separating audio signals
An audio signal separation apparatus for separating observation signals in the time domain of a mixture of a plurality of signals including audio signals into individual signals by means of independent component analysis to produce isolated signals adapted to produce isolated signals in the time-frequency domain from the observation signals in the time-frequency domain and a separation matrix substituted by initial values, compute the modified value of the separation matrix by using a score function using the isolated signals in the time-frequency domain and a multidimensional probability density function and the separation matrix, modify the separation matrix until the separation matrix substantially converges by using the modified value and produce isolated signals in the time-frequency domain by using the substantially converging separation matrix.
US08139787B2 Method and device for binaural signal enhancement
Various embodiments for components and associated methods that can be used in a binaural speech enhancement system are described. The components can be used, for example, as a pre-processor for a hearing instrument and provide binaural output signals based on binaural sets of spatially distinct input signals that include one or more input signals. The binaural signal processing can be performed by at least one of a binaural spatial noise reduction unit and a perceptual binaural speech enhancement unit. The binaural spatial noise reduction unit performs noise reduction while preferably preserving the binaural cues of the sound sources. The perceptual binaural speech enhancement unit is based on auditory scene analysis and uses acoustic cues to segregate speech components from noise components in the input signals and to enhance the speech components in the binaural output signals.
US08139780B2 Using ray tracing for real time audio synthesis
According to embodiments of the invention, a sound engine may determine a final sound at a listener location by emulating sound waves within a three-dimensional scene. The sound engine may emulate sound waves by issuing rays from a location of a sound event and tracing the rays through the three-dimensional scene. The rays may intersect objects within the three-dimensional scene which have sound modification factors. The sound modification factors and other factors (e.g., distance traveled by the ray, angle of intersection with the object, etc.) may be applied to the sound event to determine a final sound which is heard by the listener.
US08139767B2 Fine-grained forward-secure signature scheme
The presented methods form the basis of a forward-secure signature scheme that is provably secure. Moreover, the presented methods form also the basis of a fine-grained forward-secure signature scheme that is secure and efficient. The scheme allows to react immediately on hacker break-ins such that signatures from the past still remain valid without re-issuing them and future signature values based on an exposed key can be identified accordingly. In general, each prepared signature carries an ascending index such that once an index is used, no lower index can be used to sign. Then, whenever an adversary breaks in, an honest signer can just announce the current index, e.g., by signing some special message with respect to the current index, as part of the revocation message for the current time period. It is then understood that all signatures made in prior time periods as well as all signatures make in the revoked period up to the announced index are valid, i.e., non-reputable.
US08139765B2 Elliptical polynomial-based message authentication code
The elliptic-polynomial based Message Authentication Code (MAC) provides MAC generation methods based on the elliptic polynomial discrete logarithm problem. It is well known that an elliptic polynomial discrete logarithm problem is a computationally “difficult” or “hard” problem. The methods use both an elliptic polynomial and its twist, even if the polynomial and its twist are not isomorphic. Since both the polynomial and its twist are used, multiple x- and y-coordinates can be used to embed bit strings into a point that satisfies the elliptic polynomial, and the embedding process is non-iterative, so that the time required to embed the bit string is independent of the bit string content.
US08139760B2 Estimating delay of an echo path in a communication system
Methods and corresponding systems for reducing an echo signal include assigning a subsegment delay to each of a plurality of subsegment adaptive filters. A send signal and a delayed receive signal are coupled to each of the subsegment adaptive filters, wherein the delayed receive signal is delayed according to a respective subsegment delay. A set of filter coefficients in each of the subsegment adaptive filters are adapted, in parallel, to correspond to a respective subsegment impulse response of a connected system. Each set of filter coefficients is analyzed to produce a pure delay, and the pure delay is used to delay the receive signal for a main adaptive filter. An echo signal replica is produced using the main adaptive filter and an error signal. The echo signal replica is subtracted from the send signal to produce the error signal.
US08139759B2 Line state detecting apparatus and transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus of balanced transmission system
A line state detecting apparatus provided in a balanced transmission system includes, in transmission lines comprising a pair of conductors W1, W2 connected to a transmitting portion 13, current transformers T11, T12 primary sides of which are inserted to respectives thereof in series therewith and secondary sides of which are connected in series to cancel currents or voltages of the two transformer by each other, and a detecting portion 11 for detecting currents or voltages on secondary sides of the current transformers T11, T12. By an output of the detecting portion 11, a difference of currents or voltages of the conductors W1, W2 of the transmission lines is provided and an unbalance component between the conductors W1, W2 is detected.
US08139757B2 Electronic device capable of recording conference information, computer system, conference information processing method, and program product therefor
An electronic device that is connected to an external interface of a computer and has a memory unit that stores a program to be executed by the computer and data. The program includes a first operating unit that causes the computer to perform an operation of acquiring conference information containing at least one of image data and audio data as to a conference and storing the conference information in a predetermined memory area.
US08139754B2 Correlating call log files using voice prints
A system is presented for logging and recording a call to a call network. The system comprises a voice print logic for generating a voice print of a caller who is making a call to a call network. A telecom routing switch generates a correlated telecom router switch log file by appending the voice print of the caller to a telecom router switch log file for the call. A telecom software system generates a correlated telecom software system log file by appending the voice print of the caller to a telecom software system log file for the call. A contact center agent generates a correlated contact center agent log file by appending the voice print of the caller to a contact center agent log file for the call. The voice print is utilized to retrieve and to consolidate the correlated telecom router switch log file, the correlated telecom software system log file, and the correlated contact center agent log file into a single correlated file for the call.
US08139753B2 Method and apparatus for handling a telephone call
One embodiment of the invention provides a method of handling a telephone call. The method includes providing a multi-tenanted computer-telephony integration (CTI) server. The different tenants correspond to various outlets for one or more product or service offerings. The CTI server is located outside the customer premises for the various outlets. The method further includes receiving a call directed to one of the outlets and using CLI for the call by the CTI server to identify the calling party and a customer profile for the calling party. The customer profile is based on previous orders. The method further includes queuing the call within the network if it is determined that the outlet is unable to currently service the call, and forwarding the call to the outlet to process the call. The CTI server uses the customer profile for providing priority call handling treatment for loyal customers.
US08139749B2 Hierarchical data collection network supporting packetized voice communications among wireless terminals and telephones
A packet-based, hierarchical communication system, arranged in a spanning tree configuration, is described in which wired and wireless communication networks exhibiting substantially different characteristics are employed in an overall scheme to link portable or mobile computing devices. The network accommodates real time voice transmission both through dedicated, scheduled bandwidth and through a packet-based routing within the confines and constraints of a data network. Conversion and call processing circuitry is also disclosed which enables access devices and personal computers to adapt voice information between analog voice stream and digital voice packet formats as proves necessary. Routing pathways include wireless spanning tree networks, wide area networks, telephone switching networks, internet, etc., in a manner virtually transparent to the user. A voice session and associate call setup simulates that of conventional telephone switching network, providing well-understood functionality common to any mobile, remote or stationary terminal, phone, computer, etc.
US08139747B2 Method and apparatus for selective silencing of telephone ringing
A system and method for a selective ring silencer that prevents people from having to listen to the telephone ring on and on with nuisance calls. The ringer silencer can be: (1) discretely constructed from a telephone, (2) part of a telecommunication device, or (3) part of a central telephone network construction. A receiver demodulates an incoming call. Control logic reads at least a portion of the called identification (CID) data and determines an action based on the reading. A switch in communication with the control logic is actuated to a first state that allows the communication data to be output from the ring silencer, and a second state that blocks the communication data from being output from the ring silencer to a user's communication device. The control logic blocks toll-free area codes originated calls from ringing a user's telephone, optionally forwarding the call to a voice mail module.
US08139744B2 Server based conference call volume management
A method for automatically adjusting the volume of individual conference call participants during a conference call. The present invention comprises a Configuration Program (CP) and a Volume Adjustment Program (VAP). The CP allows a user to configure the automatic volume adjustment options. The VAP continuously monitors the conference call and adds new participants to a display screen as the new participants are added to the conference call. Based upon the settings that the user selected in the CP, the VAP adjusts the volume of the conference call participant when the new participant is added, adjusts the volume of each conference call participant upon the occurrence of the time interval, or continuously adjusts the volume of each conference call participant. The VAP also allows the user to manually adjust the volume of all of the participants or an individual participant using a plurality of navigation buttons.
US08139741B1 Call control presence
Included are embodiments for detecting presence in a call control protocol environment. At least one embodiment of a method includes subscribing to events associated with a communication system and receiving a notification for an event, the event being associated with a communication between a first communications device and a second communications device.
US08139737B2 Call-initiated social information acquisition and exchange
To simplify the acquisition and exchange of social information, a social information acquisition application could be triggered when the calling party initiates a call to a called party. The application adds a request to the called dialing sequence for a list of all available social information repositories associated to the called party. If multiple repositories exist, one of those repositories this selected either by the calling party or by applying selection rules. Information retrieved from the selected repository could be presented to the calling party and/or used to update social information repositories maintained on behalf of the calling party.
US08139733B2 Simultaneous voice and data systems for secure catalog orders
Systems and methods for providing a simultaneous voice and data user interface for secure catalog orders and in particular for providing a system and method for providing a distributed voice user interface for a remote device having a limited visual user interface simultaneously with a data stream for facilitating secure automated catalog orders for simultaneous electronic fulfillment applied to that device are described.
US08139732B2 Method and system for providing enhanced caller identification
Systems and methods for providing enhanced caller identification screening using audible caller name announcement are disclosed. Generally, a request for audible caller identification associated with a calling communication station is transmitted to the calling communication station based on an analysis of a query comprising data indicating whether presentation of standard call identification information to a called communication station. Audible caller identification information is then received and transmitted to the called communication station.
US08139731B2 Methods, systems and computer program products for providing targeted messages for pharmacy interactive voice response (IVR) systems
A pharmacy Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system can identify a targeted message for playing to a caller using criteria that are based on a prescription number that is provided by the caller. The functionality of an IVR system can thereby be enhanced to provide targeted educational messages concerning the pharmaceutical prescription, targeted messages that indicate alternative medications that may substituted for the pharmaceutical prescription, targeted messages that identify other items that may be desired, targeted messages that solicit participation in a study related to the pharmaceutical prescription and/or other targeted messages. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.
US08139727B2 Personalized interactive voice response system
An interactive voice response process that permits an intelligent interactive voice system to communicate with a caller includes receiving a call and connecting the caller with the system. The process also includes identifying the caller, determining if the caller is a first time caller or a repeat caller, and interactively communicating with the caller in accordance with an interactive script. For each first time caller, the process establishes a personal profile of the caller from information gathered from the caller. The process then develops a predictive personalized interactive communication dialog for future calls from the caller based on information gathered from the caller during the interactive communication and stored in the caller's personal profile.
US08139724B2 Method and system for incorporating audio clips during a voice call
A method and a system for incorporating audio clips during a voice call between a calling subscriber A and at least one called subscriber B is provided. At least one of the subscribers A or B incorporates a desired audio clip into the voice call by a press of a button on the respective subscriber's telecommunications terminal.
US08139719B2 Add-on-X-ray-collimator for non-symmetrical beam collimation
It is described a device (10) for non-symmetrical X-ray beam collimation of a X-ray tube (30), wherein the device comprises a housing (1), a X-ray absorbing plate (2) for collimating a x-ray asymmetrically, and a sleigh (3) for moving the X-ray absorbing plate. With the inventive device an asymmetrical X-ray beam can be obtained from a symmetrical X-ray beam, such that the device can be used in conventional symmetrical X-ray systems, like C-arm systems and that a better protection of a patient is reached.
US08139715B2 Method and composition for crystallizing G protein-coupled receptors
Certain embodiments provide a method for crystallizing a GPCR. The method may employ a fusion protein comprising: a) a first portion of a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), where the first portion comprises the TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4 and TM5 regions of the GPCR; b) a stable, folded protein insertion; and c) a second portion of the GPCR, where the second portion comprises the TM6 and TM7 regions of the GPCR.
US08139714B1 Few seconds beam on time, breathing synchronized image guided all fields simultaneous radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia
This invention relates to single session image guided all field simultaneous radiation therapy combined with hyperthermia. Hyperthermia renders the radiation resistant cells as more radiation sensitive cells. The high and super-high dose rate radiation greatly improves the RBE of the photon radiation. It also minimizes photon radiation therapy's OER and cell cycle dependent tumor cell kill by minimizing the repair capacity of cell after photon radiation. Single session hyperthermia and radiation therapy overcomes the thermotolerance-associated inefficiency of hyperthermia treatment as it is when hyperthermia is combined with fractionated, lower dose rate radiation. The synergetic effects of sublethal damage repair inhibiting single session hyperthermia-combined with high dose and dose rate single session radiation therapy, and combined chemotherapy brings the photon radiation therapy's tumor cure and control capabilities closer to high LET radiation therapy.
US08139708B2 Shift register
An exemplary shift register includes a control circuit and an output circuit. The control circuit is electrically coupled to receive a start pulse signal, a first clock pulse signal and a power supply voltage and for generating an enable signal according to the start pulse signal and the first clock pulse signal. A logic low level of the first clock pulse signal is lower than a level of the power supply voltage. The output circuit is subjected to the control of the enable signal and for generating a gate driving signal according to a second clock pulse signal. The second clock pulse signal and the first clock pulse signal are phase-inverted with respect to each other, and a logic low level of the second clock pulse signal is higher than the level of the power supply voltage.
US08139707B2 Device for counting printed products of an imbricated stream of products
A device for counting printed products of an imbricated stream includes a first measuring unit for detecting a printed product edge directed transversely of the conveying direction of the imbricated stream and with an evaluating unit which receives signals of the first measuring unit for counting the printed products. Therefore, it is the primary object to provide a device of the above-described type which facilitates a higher counting accuracy even in the case of irregular imbricated streams of products.
US08139701B2 Phase interpolation-based clock and data recovery for differential quadrature phase shift keying
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving N input streams; generating a recovered clock signal based on the input data bits in the N input streams, the recovered clock signal having a clock frequency and a recovered clock phase; generating a clock signal for each one of the N input streams based on the recovered clock signal having the clock frequency and a respective phase at a respective phase offset relative to the recovered clock phase; detecting a phase difference between each of the N input bit streams and the respective N clock signals; and adjusting the phases of the N clock signals to eliminate the respective phase differences, the adjusting comprising shifting the N respective clock phase offsets such that each of the N clock signals is locked to the input data bits in the respective one of the N input streams.
US08139700B2 Dynamic quadrature clock correction for a phase rotator system
A system and method for closed loop clock correction includes adjusting two or more input signals comprising at least one in-phase clock and one quadrature clock, and applying adjusted quadrature clock signals to a device capable of generating a 4-quadrant interpolated output clock phase. An interpolated output clock phase is delayed to form a clock for a measurement device. Two or more adjusted input signals are measured on a measurement device over a range of interpolated output clock phases. Errors are determined on the in-phase clock and the quadrature clock using sampled information from the measurement device. The in-phase clock and the quadrature clock are adapted using determined error information.
US08139696B2 Baud rate detection
A method is provided of characterising a data stream of binary symbols, the method comprising sampling the stream at a predetermined rate sufficient to capture at least two samples per binary symbol, identifying the shortest continuous run of samples having the same logic level and assigning a symbol rate to the stream on the basis that the identified run is one symbol in length.
US08139695B2 Combined channel coding and space-block coding in a multi-antenna arrangement
Enhanced performance is achieved by combining channel coding with the space-time coding principles. With K synchronized terminal units transmitting on N antennas to a base station having M≧K receive antennas, increased system capacity and improved performance are attained by using a concatenated coding scheme where the inner code is a space-time block code and the outer code is a conventional channel error correcting code. Information symbols are first encoded using a conventional channel code, and the resulting signals are encoded using a space-time block code. At the receiver, the inner space-time block code is used to suppress interference from the other co-channel terminals and soft decisions are made about the transmitted symbols. The channel decoding that follows makes the hard decisions about the transmitted symbols. Increased data rate is achieved by, effectively, splitting the incoming data rate into multiple channels, and each channel is transmitted over its own terminal.
US08139692B2 Code evaluator, code evaluation method, radio communication system, base station and mobile station
The present invention relates to a code evaluation method comprising the steps of computing an auto-correlation function from a generated code; computing an evaluation reference value for determining quality of the generated code based on the auto-correlation function and a weighting factor determined depending on the evaluation reference value; and determining the quality of the generated code based on the evaluation reference value.
US08139684B2 Apparatus and method for processing multi-channel signals and multi-channel receiver using the same
Disclosed is a multi-channel signal receiver technology. An RF front-end in an RF receiver receiving at least two RF signals with different transmission bandwidths includes: at least two RF tuners receiving, amplifying, and frequency-converting the at least two RF signals, respectively; a switch selecting one of signals output from the at least two RF tuners; a channel filter eliminating interference signals included in a signal output from the switch, and passing a signal of a transmission band; an ADC converting the signal output from the channel filter into a digital signal; a fixed sampling frequency generator generating and transferring a fixed sampling frequency to the ADC.In the RF front-end, by processing filtering and sampling of signals with a narrow transmission bandwidth through a residual calculation capacity of a digital processor a construction of an RF front-end may be simplified and manufacturing costs may be reduced.
US08139682B2 Channel estimation of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed systems
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for channel estimation. In one aspect, there is provided a receiver including a demodulator for decoding a signal including at least one of a transmission parameter signaling (TPS) carrier and a data carrier. The receiver further includes a channel estimator, coupled to the demodulator, for determining a channel estimate for the TPS carrier. Moreover, the receiver includes an interpolator, coupled to the channel estimator, for determining, based on the determined channel estimate for the TPS carrier, another channel estimate for the data carrier. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
US08139673B2 Transmission method of wireless signal and transmitter using the same
A transmission method of a wireless signal including the following steps is provided. Multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols carried by multiple subcarriers are generated according to a data signal. A scrambling pattern including multiple scrambling symbols is generated, wherein the scrambling symbols respectively correspond to the subcarriers in the frequency domain. The scrambling symbols corresponding to two contiguous subcarriers are correlated. The scrambling symbols are utilized to encode the OFDM symbols carried by the corresponding subcarriers.
US08139671B2 Contactless transmission of electrical signals between two units
The invention discloses an arrangement and an associated method for contactless transmission of electrical signals between two units 1, 2, wherein a first unit 1 has a transmitting element 11 emitting electrical signals and at least one conductor 13 connected thereto, and wherein a second unit 2 has a receiving element 29 and a coupling element 31 connected thereto. The coupling element 31 is formed by means of a resistance material and decouples an electrical signal carried in the conductor 13.
US08139669B2 Space domain filter detecting method in a multi-antenna wireless communication system
A space domain filter detecting method in a multi-antennas wireless communication system, which processes time and space domain interference differently. The space domain filter detecting method comprises the following steps: firstly, the received signals are matched-combined in time domain and space domain; secondly, using the combined signals as an observation value, the space domain filtering is performed; thirdly, an estimated value is subtracted from the filtered signals, and the result is taken as a detection output, which is sent to a determiner in a non-error control coding system to get a hard determination output or is sent to a determiner in an error control coding system to get a soft determination output that is finally sent to a coder. The method promotes the transmission rate and the anti-interference ability and advances the spectrum efficiency.
US08139659B2 Multiple transmit antenna interleaver design
An arrangement of interleavers allocates bits from an input symbol across sub-symbols transmitted via sub-carriers of multiple orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) carriers. The input bits are allocated in a fashion to provide separation across subcarriers, and rotation of sub-symbols across the OFDM carriers provides additional robustness in the present of signal path impairments.
US08139656B2 Method and system for linear processing of an input using Gaussian belief propagation
Methods and systems for processing an input. An input vector y is received that represents a noisy observation of Ax, where A is a data matrix and x is a data vector of unknown variables. Data vector x is recovered from the received input vector y via an iterative method. The recovering comprises determining an inference of a vector of marginal means over a graph G, where the graph G is of a joint Gaussian probability density function p(x) associated with noise in the received input vector y.
US08139654B2 Device and methods for biphasic pulse signal coding
A method for coding time signals based on generating an asynchronous biphasic pulse train is provided. The method includes generating response signals based upon one or more input signals. A pulse comprises a positive pulse if a voltage of the response signal is greater than a predetermined positive voltage threshold. A pulse comprises a negative pulse if the voltage of the response signal is less than a predetermined negative voltage threshold. The method further includes a method for the reconstruction of a uniformly sampled version of the original signal.
US08139653B2 Multi-channel galvanic isolator utilizing a single transmission channel
A galvanic isolator having a transmitting section and a receiving section is disclosed. The transmitting section includes a frame input circuit, a data encoder, and a data transmitter. The frame input circuit receives an input data frame that includes a plurality of input binary bits. The data encoder encodes the input binary bits to generate an encoded data frame that includes a sequence of encoded binary bits in which two successive encoded binary bits represent each input binary bit. The successive encoded binary bits representing a 1 are 01 or 10, and the successive encoded binary bits representing a 0 are 00 or 11. The sequences are chosen to maximize the number of transitions in the encoded data frame. A data receiver recovers the encoded data frame by examining successive pairs of encoded data bits using a clock that is reset on the edges in the encoded data frame.
US08139638B2 Interpolation of video compression frames
Coding techniques for a video image compression system involve improving an image quality of a sequence of two or more bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames, where each of the frames includes multiple pixels. One method involves determining a brightness value of at least one pixel of each bi-directionally predicted intermediate frame in the sequence as an equal average of brightness values of pixels in non-bidirectionally predicted frames bracketing the sequence of bi-directionally predicted intermediate frames. The brightness values of the pixels in at least one of the non-bidirectionally predicted frames is converted from a non-linear representation.
US08139634B2 Methods and apparatuses of fast cross motion estimation for video encoding
This disclosure is related to a fast motion estimation method for implementing in a video encoder. A particular method includes determining early termination based on the value of a sum of absolute difference (SAD0). The method also includes performing motion prediction using a motion vector from a previous frame as a prediction point. The method further includes using the prediction point as the center to obtain the integral motion vector by conducting a 3×3 cross searching until a minimum sum of absolute difference (minSAD) is located at the center of the cross and predicting a location of a half-pixel point based upon a point corresponding to the integral motion vector, values of the minimum sum of absolute difference of other four cross points.
US08139625B2 High frequency system on chip transceiver
A system-on-chip (SOC) transceiver is provided. The transceiver is configured to operate in excess of 100 GHz and comprising the following components. A quadrature oscillator is configured to generate a fundamental frequency and a second harmonic frequency and comprises at least a pair of high frequency outputs at said second harmonic frequency. At least the second harmonic frequency exceeds 100 GHz. A transmission output is coupled to one of the high frequency outputs for transmitting an output signal at the second harmonic frequency. A transmission signal transformer is coupled to the other one of the high frequency outputs and configured to generate a differential oscillator signal at the second harmonic frequency. A radio frequency input receives radio frequency signals at the transceiver from an antenna. A radio frequency signal transformer coupled to the radio frequency input is configured to generate a differential radio frequency signal at the radio frequency. A mixer is configure to compare the differential radio frequency signal with the differential oscillator signal and output the comparison as an intermediate frequency signal.
US08139612B2 Methods and apparatus for dynamic packet mapping
Methods and apparatus for dynamic packet mapping. A method is provided for mapping metric data to produce a decodable packet associated with a channel. The method includes obtaining a channel identifier associated with metric data, determining an available buffer from a plurality of buffers based on the channel identifier, writing the metric data to the available buffer, detecting when a decodable packet is formed in a selected buffer of the plurality of buffers, and outputting the decodable packet from the selected buffer. An apparatus includes a plurality of buffers and mapping logic that is configured to obtain a channel identifier associated with metric data, determine an available buffer based on the channel identifier, write the metric data to the available buffer, detect when a decodable packet is formed in a selected buffer, and output the decodable packet from the selected buffer.
US08139611B2 Apparatus and method for coding an information signal into a data stream, converting the data stream and decoding the data stream
More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream. Due to this, decoders surely detect the beginnings and endings of access units and therefore are not liable to a buffer overflow despite a removal of data packets from the data stream before arrival at the decoder.
US08139607B2 Subscriber controllable bandwidth allocation
A computer program product includes computer executable instructions, stored on a computer readable medium, for allocating bandwidth among various network provided communication services. The executable instructions include instructions to process a subscriber request to specify a bandwidth allocation, determine a multimedia bandwidth allocation indicative of bandwidth allocated to multimedia content, and generate a multimedia content request. The multimedia content request is influenced by the multimedia bandwidth allocation. In some embodiments, for example, the multimedia content request includes multimedia bandwidth information determined at least in part by the multimedia bandwidth allocation. The multimedia bandwidth information may indicate the bandwidth available for multimedia content, which may be determined from the multimedia bandwidth allocation less any bandwidth allocated to or otherwise consumed by other multimedia layers. In these embodiments, a multimedia delivery server may determine how much bandwidth to allocate to the requested multimedia content from information contained in the request itself.
US08139601B2 Token protocol
The invention provides a method of transmitting one or more tokens over a link between processors, whereby configurations of logical transitions on the lines are used to signal respective codes. The method comprises: transmitting a token by signalling a sequence of codes selected from said codes on the lines; and transmitting one or more additional codes on the lines to ensure that the total number of logical transitions on each line returns the link to a quiescent state following the signalling of said one or more tokens and additional codes.
US08139600B1 Quality of service half-duplex media access controller
A method comprises terminating transmission of a first frame having a first class of service when a transmission failure is detected, incrementing an attempt count for the first class of service, transmitting a second frame having a second class of service before retransmitting the first frame if the second class of service is higher than the first class of service, and discarding pending frames for the first class of service when at least one of the attempt count exceeds a predetermined attempt threshold and the first class of service falls below a predetermined discard threshold.
US08139598B2 Automatic QoS configuration
A UE is described herein that has a defined QoS database which is used to organize and store various QoS parameter sets which are used to help establish media flows. In one embodiment, the QoS database includes a plurality of tables, where each table is associated with a particular application, and where each table has a plurality of rows, and where each row includes a media type, a requested QoS parameter set, and an optional minimum QoS parameter set. An operator can use a communication network to populate/provision the QoS database. An operator can also use the communication network to fine-tune (update) the QoS database which enables them to enhance the bearer QoS for existing applications and to enable the appropriate bearer QoS for future applications.
US08139597B2 Method for trunking radio frequency resources
A subscriber unit monitors a first channel currently serving as a rest channel for the system, wherein the channel currently serving as the rest channel for the system is monitored by subscribers that are idle in the system. The subscriber unit determines that a first call is being initiated on the first channel. If the first call is not of interest, the subscriber unit ceases to monitor the first channel, and monitors a second channel that will serve as the rest channel for the system when the first call starts on the first channel. If the first call is of interest, the subscriber unit participates in the first call on the first channel, and before or after the first call ends, participates in a second call on a third channel or monitors a channel currently serving as the rest channel for the system when the subscriber unit becomes idle.
US08139592B2 Ticket-based operation tracking
A data processing system includes a plurality of processing units coupled by a plurality of communication links for point-to-point communication such that at least some of the communication between multiple different ones of the processing units is transmitted via intermediate processing units among the plurality of processing units. The communication includes operations having a request and a combined response representing a system response to the request. At least each intermediate processing unit includes one or more masters that initiate first operations, a snooper that receives at least second operations initiated by at least one other of the plurality of processing units, a physical queue that stores master tags of first operations initiated by the one or more masters within that processing unit, and a ticketing mechanism that assigns to second operations observed at the intermediate processing unit a ticket number indicating an order of observation with respect to other second operations observed by the intermediate processing unit. The ticketing mechanism provides the ticket number assigned to an operation to the snooper for processing with a combined response of the operation.
US08139589B2 Gateway apparatus for providing multi-channel functionality in sensor network, and method and apparatus for interfacing using serial peripheral interface in the gateway apparatus
Provided are a gateway apparatus for providing multi-channel functionality in a sensor network, and a method and an apparatus for interfacing using serial peripheral interface (SPI) in the gateway apparatus. The SPI interfacing apparatus is connected to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units, and receives a data frame via an SPI to output the data frame to a wireless transmit/receive unit, based on information regarding selection of the wireless transmit/receive unit, wherein the information is contained in the data frame. Then, the SPI interfacing unit receives data frames from the wireless transmit/receive units to output the data frames in a predetermined order via an SPI. Thus, the wireless transmit/receive units for providing multi-channel functionality can interface a signal processing unit by using an SPI method.
US08139581B1 Concurrent data transfer involving two or more transport layer protocols over a single one-way data link
A data transfer application for concurrent transfer of data streams based on two or more transport layer protocols via a single one-way data link. The present invention provides a great degree of routing flexibility by providing seamless network connectivity under a plurality of transport layer protocols, such as TCP and UDP, between multiple source and destination platforms over a single one-way data link.
US08139580B2 System and method for providing multicast and broadcast services
A method for providing a multicast and broadcast service (MBS) by transmitting a plurality of data frames in a wireless network. The method includes: generating a first MBS data information element (MBS-DATA-IE) in a first one of the data frames, the first MBS-DATA-IE including information relating to a logical channel of the MBS, and indicating a location of an MBS map (MBS-MAP) in a second one of the data frames; determining ones of the data frames between the first and second ones of the data frames in which to add a plurality of extra MBS-DATA-IEs; and generating the extra MBS-DATA-IEs, the extra MBS-DATA-IEs being generated in the determined ones of the data frames and including information relating to the logical channel.
US08139579B2 Unicast/multicast system
A unicast/multicast system has an internal cell generating section that generates an internal cell to include its output index information based on user data, and an output port conversion table that stores the relation of output index information and output port number for the internal cell in the form of one-to-one for the unicast and one-to-multiple for the multicast.
US08139568B2 Communication method, communication system, relaying device and communication device
A communication device transmits to a relaying device a transmission right grant request for requesting a grant of a transmission right to a transmitting device, and the relaying device determines whether the received transmission right grant request is a command associated with the transmission right of the communication device or a command associated with the transmitting device, and if it determines that it is the command associated with the transmitting device, it grants the transmission right to the transmitting device, and starts broadcasting of data being transmitted from the transmitting device. In addition, when receiving from the communication device an operation command for operating the transmitting device, the relaying device determines a type of the command and transmits it to the transmitting device.
US08139550B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting ACK/NACK messages in a wireless communication system
A base station for use in wireless network that communicates with subscriber stations according to a multicarrier protocol. The base station receives an uplink subframe comprising a plurality of blocks. Each of the blocks comprises up to N subcarriers transmitted by the subscriber stations. The base station receives a first acknowledgment signal transmitted by a first subscriber station in the uplink subframe. The first acknowledgment signal is carried on at least one selected subcarrier in a first block of the uplink subframe and on at least one selected subcarrier in a second block of the uplink subframe.
US08139546B2 System and method for maintaining wireless channels over a reverse link of a CDMA wireless communication system
A subscriber access unit includes a transceiver for providing wireless communication of digital signals. The digital signals are communicated to a base station using at least one radio frequency (RF) channel via Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) modulated radio signals defined by orthogonal codes. Orthogonal subchannels are made available by the base station within each CDMA RF channel. A bandwidth manager is connected to the transceiver, and when the transceiver is actively sending data, at least one orthogonal subchannel is allocated by the base station on an as-needed basis. The number of orthogonal subchannels being allocated changes during a given session. The transceiver, when powered on but not actively sending data, provides an idling mode connection on a reverse link. The idling mode connection is based on an orthogonal subchannel shared with at least one other subscriber access unit, but utilizes different time slots of the shared orthogonal subchannel.
US08139543B2 Coverage-hole detection and self healing
A system, apparatus and techniques for detecting and self-healing coverage hole conditions in a wireless network are disclosed. The apparatus includes a monitor module that is configured in a data forwarding plane of a network switch and a regulatory module configured in a control plane of the switch. The monitor module is configured to detect a coverage hole condition affecting a mobile device associated with an access port and the regulatory module is configured to adjust transmission power to the access port based on the condition.
US08139540B2 Arrangement and method for dual mode operation in a communication system terminal
An arrangement and method for discontinuous software FDD monitoring during TDD call allows removal of a conventional external notch filter in a dual mode WCDMA and PCS/DCS handset. The WCDMA RX frame is allowed to have a few slots corrupted by the PCS/DCS transmitter noise during DCS transmission, and a scheme is used to recover the required information by not considering the corrupted slots. Due to the fact that during WCDMA FDD RX monitoring, the processing required is performed in stages, and since the information that is measured during a WCDMA frame is repeated in every frame, the scheme of the invention is based on the idea that if a given slot is corrupted in a WCDMA frame, in the next WCDMA frame the slot will be no more corrupted due to the difference in timing between the PCS/DCS transmitter protocol and the WCDMA timing protocol.
US08139536B2 Techniques for explicit feedback delay measurement
Techniques for explicit feedback delay measurement are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor to generate a steering matrix for transmit spatial processing over a channel, determine a delay time associated with explicit feedback information for the channel, and determine whether to modify the steering matrix with the explicit feedback information based on the delay time. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08139534B2 Mobile communication method, mobile communication system and radio base station
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes: controlling, at the radio base station NodeB, the transmission power in the DPCCH by use of an inner loop transmission power control based on a target SIR; transmitting, at the mobile station UE, the uplink packet, at the transmission power in the E-DPDCH, the transmission power being determined based on the SG and the transmission power in the DPCCH; and determining, at the radio base station NodeB, the target SIR, by use of an outer loop transmission power control based on a HARQ transmission number and a reception result of an uplink packet transmission of the HARQ transmission number, the HARQ transmission number indicating what number transmission in the HARQ retransmission control is the uplink packet transmission.
US08139530B2 Mobility management (MM) and session management (SM) for SAE/LTE
A system and method for using Mobility Management (MM) and Session Management (SM) procedures in an SAE/LTE system. The present invention modifies several MM and SM procedures that have been defined for other 3GPP access systems (such as GERAN, UTRAN) so that they meet the requirements of LTE/SAE. While the present invention re-uses some existing procedures, it further defines new protocols for MM and SM procedures when accessing 3GPP systems by Evolved UTRAN (EUTRAN). With respect to the new protocols, the encoding rules are re-used from the existing MM and SM procedures and a very similar general message format is created. With respect to the signaling messages, the present invention re-uses the existing information element definitions for each parameter included in a message.
US08139524B2 Control channel reception method for receiving broadcast or multicast service
Disclosed is the radio (wireless) terminal which receives a broadcast or multicast service, and more particularly, to a control information reception method for a terminal, which, if control information received through a certain control channel is segmented with the one or more data units for transmission, receives the one or more data units from a network, and stores the one or more data units in every modification period if the control information cannot be completely decoded by the received one or more data units, wherein if the control information is determined to be modified in a current modification period, the terminal discards the stored one or more data units, and if the control information is determined not to be modified in the current modification period, the terminal does not discard the stored one or more data units.
US08139522B2 Method for establishing HRPD network packet data service in 1x network
A method for an Access Terminal (AT) in a 1x network to establish an High Rate Packet Data (HRPD) network packet data service includes: initiating, by the AT, a session establishment request to a target Access Network/Packet Control Function (AN/PCF) of an HRPD network; establishing, by the target AN/PCF, an HRPD session with the AT after obtaining session information of an existing HRPD session; performing, by the target AN/PCF and the AT, session configuration based on the obtained session information, and establishing a data connection for the packet data service. In the present invention, an AT in the 1x network can establish a packet data service with an HRPD network when there is an existing packet data session in the HRPD network. The present invention is advantageous for seamless service handoff between the 1x network and the HRPD network, thereby realizing complement of the two networks and improving user experience.
US08139517B2 Method of generating and demultiplexing an optimized contribution signal, and regionalized data broadcasting system
The invention relates to a method of generating an optimized contribution signal comprising multiplexes. Each multiplex comprises global broadcasting services and its own combination of regional services. Each multiplex comprises stuffing packets and packets transporting signaling tables. The optimized contribution signal is generated by retaining only the global broadcasting services that are different from one another. The stuffing packets are marked and the packets transporting the signaling tables according to the multiplex to which they belong. Data bursts are constructed from the data streams corresponding to the global broadcasting services, to the regional services and to the marked stuffing packets and to the marked packets transporting the signaling tables. Another subject of the invention is a demultiplexing method, an optimized contribution signal and a regionalized data broadcasting system, and a receiver. More particularly, the invention makes it possible to optimize the bandwidth needed to broadcast, in data bursts, notably via a satellite link, global broadcasting services and regional broadcasting services.
US08139513B2 Wireless base station apparatus capable of effectively using wireless resources according to sorts of data
A wireless base station apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of wireless resources allocated in correspondence with communication processings on real-time data, non-real-time data and shared data, and a control section. The control section stores a table for recording states of use of the wireless resources, and upon receiving a signal for requesting setting some of the wireless resources for new real-time data, and if no released resource is found by referring to the table, allocates part of wireless resources for communication processing on the shared data to wireless resources for communication processing on the new real-time data, and upon receiving a signal for requesting setting some of the wireless resources for new shared data, and if no released resource is found by referring to the table, allocates part of wireless resources for communication processing on the non-real-time data to wireless resources for communication processing on the new shared data.
US08139509B2 Installation and management of mobile device [{S]} configuration
Embodiments of a method and system for managing configurations on mobile devices are described. A method under an embodiment utilizes one or more advanced commands defined by the OMA DM protocol. One such command is the “Get” command, which can be used recursively to traverse a management tree to access the necessary nodes. A variation of this command is the “Get[Struct Data]” command, which traverses a tree or subtree in a single execution instance. The “Get” command is used to get a snapshot from a management tree starting from a specified URI. For this embodiment, it is presumed that a “golden” copy of device exists. The golden copy can be initially configured either manually or by using a mobile device management platform. The method uses a golden device to make a configuration snapshot to be used later for a distribution to multiple targets.
US08139506B2 Wireless communication apparatus for data communication through two or more channels
A wireless communication system includes a first wireless communication apparatus and a second wireless communication apparatus which communicate with each other. The first wireless communication apparatus simultaneously transmitting frames to the second wireless communication apparatus through first to nth (n is an integer of 2 or greater) frequency channels, the second wireless communication apparatus receives the frames from the first wireless communication apparatus through the first to nth frequency channels, judges success or failure of reception of each of the frames by performing error detection, creates delivery confirmation frame including information indicating success or failure of reception of each of the frames, and transmits the delivery confirmation frame through x specific channel (x is an integer in a range from 1 or more to n−1 or fewer) of the first to nth frequency channels to the first wireless communication apparatus a predetermined time after reception of the frames.
US08139505B2 Mobile communication method, mobile communication system and access entity
The present invention relates to communication field, and discloses a mobile communication method. As can be seen from various embodiments, in the process of the access entity performing a location update for the UE or performing a UE access procedure, when the UE needs to be paged, the UE is paged in the paging area administered by the access entity and it is prohibited to page the UE in the paging area administered by the access entity in the other network.
US08139504B2 System, device, and method for unifying differently-routed networks using virtual topology representations
Systems, devices, and methods for routing data through a first and a second ad-hoc network are described. Routing information structured according to a first routing protocol associated with a plurality of nodes in the first network is received at a border node that is part of at least the first and second ad-hoc networks. Routing information structured according to a second routing protocol associated with a plurality of nodes in the second ad-hoc network is also received. The received routing information is translated from the first routing protocol to the second routing protocol, or vice versa, and disseminated to nodes in the first or second ad-hoc networks. Data packets from nodes in the first ad-hoc network are forwarded to nodes in the second ad-hoc network, or vice versa, based in part on the translated routing information.
US08139503B2 System and method for automatic detection of UTRAN topology
System and method for automatically detecting nodes, components and interfaces in a network. A preferred embodiment comprises detecting nodes in a network, wherein the nodes are coupled to a network controller, comprises identifying ports for the network controller, capturing messages received by the network controller at the ports, parsing the messages to identify a node address parameter, wherein the node address parameter uniquely identifies the node to the network controller, and if the node address parameter has not been previously identified, adding a new entry to a node database.
US08139480B2 Communication method based on transmission control protocol and mobile communication terminal to perform the method
A telecommunication method based on transmission control protocol (TCP) includes setting an initial value of a congestion window according to a communication situation of a communication network to more efficiently use uncongested bandwidth of the communication network. An IP network access unit in a telecommunication network determines a congestion window value based on a predetermined reference, and transmits the determined congestion window value to the mobile telecommunication terminal. The mobile communication terminal receives the congestion window value, and performs a TCP access for data telecommunication using the initial congestion window value in a slow start algorithm of TCP in a mobile telecommunication environment. The bandwidth of telecommunication network may be more efficiently used by setting an initial value of the congestion window according to the telecommunication situation or available bandwidth.
US08139479B1 Health probing detection and enhancement for traffic engineering label switched paths
A method performed by a network device may include establishing performance-based Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) sessions for each link of a primary traffic engineering Label Switched Path (TE-LSP) and establishing performance-based BFD sessions for each link of a secondary TE-LSP. The method may also include, monitoring performance of the primary TE-LSP based on the performance-based BFD sessions for each link of the primary TE-LSP and monitoring performance of the secondary TE-LSP based on the performance-based BFD sessions for each link of the secondary TE-LSP. The method may further include determining that the performance of the primary TE-LSP is degraded based on the monitoring of the performance of the primary TE-LSP and automatically switching a flow of data unit traffic from the primary TE-LSP to the secondary TE-LSP when the performance of the primary TE-LSP is degraded.
US08139477B2 Network element bypass in computing computer architecture
A method and apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides monitoring a self-adjusting multi-tier processing system. At least one computing resource of one of the tiers of the self-adjusting multi-tier processing system is dynamically bypassed based on at least one predetermined criterion, wherein dynamically bypassing energizes or de-energizes a bypass control switch that operates to route data between tiers of the system in a manner that excludes the at least one computing resource.
US08139474B2 Resource block scheduling in communication networks
A method for resource-block allocation, which includes processing OFDM symbol samples to produce complex taps of DFT, selecting the taps forming part of a current resource block allocation and processing the selected taps to provide MAC data. Further, the method includes storing taps that were not previously selected and extracting from the MAC data resource block allocations designating a current sub-frame and subsequently processing the stored taps identified as having the same sub-frame as the allocations extracted from the MAC data, such that scheduling blocks can be included within the same sub-frame as one or more scheduled blocks.
US08139456B2 Optical recording method and optical recording device
In a recording method for recording information on an optical recording medium (500) according to the parameters of a write strategy by repeatedly recording (S23) a certain amount of information onto the optical disc (500) and entering a standby state (S22) in which recording is suspended and data are stored in a buffer memory (190), during an interval while recording is suspended, the information recorded just before is reproduced, the quality of the reproduced signal is measured (S25A), and the write strategy is altered as necessary (S25C) to obtain consistent recording quality. Only one correction is made per suspension period. Consistent recording quality is thus obtained despite changes in the recording position on the optical disc or changes in recording conditions.
US08139453B2 Buffering control method, and buffering control device
When receiving the reproduced data from the optical disc and buffering same, the buffering from the correct position can be started on the basis of the synchronous signal and the address information included in the sub data which was received simultaneously.There is provided a method for controlling the buffering of the main data which is reproduced from the optical disc, in which the main data and the sub data are received with taking word clocks which are partitioning timings having plural bits of the main data as a unit as references, a synchronous signal which is in synchronization with the main data is generated, and the buffering of the main data is started on the basis of the synchronous signal.
US08139447B2 Heat-assisted magnetic recording head with near-field light generating element
A heat-assisted magnetic recording head includes a magnetic pole, a waveguide, a near-field light generating element, and a substrate on which they are stacked. The near-field light generating element and the waveguide are disposed farther from the top surface of the substrate than is the magnetic pole. The near-field light generating element has an outer surface including: a first end face located in the medium facing surface; a second end face farther from the medium facing surface; and a coupling portion coupling the first and second end faces to each other. The first end face includes a near-field light generating part. The waveguide has an outer surface including an opposed portion opposed to a part of the coupling portion. The head further includes a mirror that reflects light emitted from a light source disposed above the waveguide, so as to let the light travel through the waveguide toward the medium facing surface.
US08139445B2 Stepping motor control circuit and analog electronic watch
A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detecting means which detects an induced signal generated by rotation of a rotor of a stepping motor, and detects a rotation state of the stepping motor according to whether the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a predetermined detection section, and a control means which controls driving of the stepping motor by using any one of a plurality of main driving pulses having energies different from each other or a correction driving pulse with energy higher than energy of each main driving pulse according to a detection result of the rotation detecting means. The detection section is divided into a first section immediately after driving by the main driving pulse, a second section after the first section and a third section after the second section. During the driving of the stepping motor by the main driving pulse, when the rotation detecting means has detected an induced signal exceeding a first reference threshold voltage in the first section and the second section, if an induced signal exceeding a second reference threshold voltage lower than the first reference threshold voltage is not detected in the third section, the control means drives the stepping motor by using the correction driving pulse.
US08139430B2 Power-on initialization and test for a cascade interconnect memory system
A memory buffer, memory system and method for power-on initialization and test for a cascade interconnect memory system. The memory buffer includes a bus interface to links in a high-speed channel for communicating with a memory controller via a direct connection or via a cascade interconnection through an other memory buffer. The interface is operable in a SBC mode and a high-speed mode. The memory buffer also includes a field service interface (FSI) slave for receiving FSI signals from a FSI master. In addition, the memory buffer includes logic for executing a power-on and initialization training sequence initiated by the memory controller.
US08139421B2 Erase degradation reduction in non-volatile memory
Methods for erasing a memory device and memory systems are provided, such as those including a non-volatile memory device is erased by using an intermediate erase step prior to a normal erase step. The intermediate erase step is comprised of an erase pulse voltage, applied to the semiconductor well of the selected memory block of memory cells, while edge rows of memory cells are biased at a low positive voltage (e.g., 0.2-2V). An erase verify operation is then performed. If the selected memory block is not erased, a normal memory erase step is then performed in which the same erase pulse voltage is used but all of the rows are biased at ground potential as in a normal erase step. If the memory block is still fails the erase verify operation, the erase pulse voltage is increased and the process repeated.
US08139409B2 Access signal adjustment circuits and methods for memory cells in a cross-point array
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to semiconductors and memory technology, and more particularly, to systems, integrated circuits, and methods to generate access signals to facilitate memory operations in scaled arrays of memory elements, such as memory implemented in third dimensional memory technology formed BEOL directly on top of a FEOL substrate that includes data access circuitry. In at least some embodiments, a non-volatile memory device can include a cross-point array having resistive memory elements disposed among word lines and subsets of bit lines, and an access signal generator. The access signal generator can be configured to modify a magnitude of a signal to generate a modified magnitude for the signal to access a resistive memory element associated with a word line and a subset of bit lines. The modified magnitude can be a function of the position of the resistive memory element in the cross-point array.
US08139404B2 Semiconductor memory device
The semiconductor memory device includes a control circuit that performs control of reading data from and writing data into each memory cell. The control circuit includes a flip-flop circuit that stores the data read from the memory cell and stores the data to be written into the memory cell and a dynamic type holding circuit connected to the flip-flop circuit through a switch. The dynamic-type holding circuit temporarily stores the data read from the memory cell. When the data read from the memory cell and then held in the holding circuit is different from the data in the flip-flop circuit to be written, supplied from an outside at a time of writing into the memory cell, control is performed so that the data in the flip-flop circuit is written into the memory cell.
US08139401B2 Integrated circuit with a memory matrix with a delay monitoring column
An integrated circuit has a matrix of rows and columns of cells (10, 18, 19), each cell (10, 18, 19) comprising a first inverter (100) and a second inverter (102). First columns have a bit-line (12a,b), the first inverter (100) and the second inverter (102) in each cell of the first columns being cross-coupled to each other and coupled to bit-line (12a,b) of the associated first column. A further column is provided in the matrix with bit line fragments (16) that are mutually disconnected. Delays are monitored by coupling at least the first inverters (100) of cells in respective pairs of rows in series via the bit-line fragments and measuring a delay during signal propagation through the series connection, for example by incorporating the series of inverters in a ring oscillator.
US08139397B2 Spatial correlation of reference cells in resistive memory array
The present disclosure relates to methods of selectively placing a reference column or reference row in a memory array. The method includes measuring a resistance state resistance value for a plurality of variable resistive memory cells within a memory array and mapping a location of each measured variable resistive memory cell to form a map of the resistance state resistance values for a plurality of variable resistive memory cells within a memory array. Then a column or row is selected to be a reference column or reference row based on the map of the resistance state resistance value for a plurality of variable resistive memory cells within a memory array, to minimize read operation errors, and forming a variable resistive memory cell memory array.
US08139394B2 Semiconductor storage device
A semiconductor storage device includes: a cell array including a plurality of first wirings, a plurality of second wirings intersecting the first wirings, and memory cells positioned at intersecting portions between the first wirings and the second wirings, each of the memory cells having a series circuit of a non-ohmic element and a variable resistance element; a control circuit configured to apply a control voltage, which is necessary for the variable resistance element to transit from a low resistance state to a high resistance state, to the memory cells through the first wirings and the second wirings; and a bias voltage application circuit configured to apply a bias voltage, which suppresses a potential variation caused by the transition of the variable resistance element from the low resistance state to the high resistance state, to one end of the variable resistance element.
US08139391B2 Multi-bit resistance-switching memory cell
A non-volatile storage apparatus comprises a set of Y lines, a set of X lines and a plurality of memory cells in communication with the set of X lines and the set of Y lines. Each memory cell of the plurality of memory cells includes a resistance element in a static resistance condition and two or more reversible resistance-switching elements. The resistance element in the static resistance condition and the two or more reversible resistance-switching elements are connected to different Y lines of the set of Y lines. The resistance element in the low resistance state and the two or more reversible resistance-switching elements are connected to a common X line of the set of X lines. One or multiple bits of data are programmed into a particular memory cell of the plurality of memory cells by causing current flow between Y lines connected to the particular memory cell.
US08139389B2 Programmable device
A programmable device including a source-drain-gate structure. The device includes two programming electrodes and an antiferromagnetic multiferroic material between the two programming electrodes for switching the spontaneous polarization between a first spontaneous polarization direction and a second spontaneous polarization direction. The programmable device further includes a ferromagnetic material, which is in immediate contact with the multiferroic material. Magnetization of the ferromagnetic material is switchable by a transition between the first switching state and the second switching state of the multiferroic material by an exchange coupling between electronic states of the multiferroic material and the ferromagnetic material. The programmable device also includes means for determining a direction of the magnetization of the ferromagnetic material. A spin valve effect is used for causing an electrical resistance between the source and the drain electrode.
US08139385B2 Inverter control circuit and control method thereof
In an inverter control circuit for controlling an inverter circuit, when an analog signal from the inverter circuit is amplified and converted from analog to digital, a timing at which a gain of an amplifier is switched is securely detected, and the gain is switched. An inverter control circuit includes: a timer circuit for generating a PWM signal with which an electric conductive state of a switch device of an inverter circuit is controlled; an amplifier for amplifying and outputting an analog signal generated with a load electric current of the inverter circuit; and a gain control circuit for controlling the switching of the gain of the amplifier in synchronization with an output change timing of the PWM signal.
US08139381B2 Power converter, and switching controller and driving method thereof
In a power converter, a primary coil of a transformer receives an input voltage, and a first terminal of a switch is coupled to the primary coil. An output unit includes a secondary coil of the transformer, and outputs an output voltage to which the input voltage is converted by the transformer. A switching controller receives a feedback voltage corresponding to the output voltage and a sensing voltage corresponding to a current flowing between the first terminal and a second terminal of the switch. The switching controller determines whether to perform an operation of a burst mode based on the feedback voltage. The switching controller generates a control signal by comparing the sensing voltage with a comparison voltage during a first period of the burst mode, generates the control signal by comparing the sensing voltage with a voltage corresponding to the feedback voltage during a second period of the burst mode, and transmits the control signal to a control terminal of the switch.
US08139373B2 Terminal box
A terminal box for a solar cell module is composed of, a box body, an inner cover and an outer cover, wherein the box body includes a bottom plate, an outer plate arranged in an upright manner around the bottom plate, and an inner plate arranged also in an upright manner inside the outer plate to enclose a circuit housing area; the inner cover includes a top plate and a side plate extended downward from an outer circumference of the top plate, and is formed into a lid shape and fitted around an outer surface of the inner plate to cover the circuit housing area; and the outer cover is fitted around the outer plate of the box body to thereby cover the inner cover and the box body, wherein the terminal box further includes a fitting member that causes the inner cover to be fitted to the box body to thereby prevent the inner cover from being removed from the circuit housing area.
US08139369B2 Printed wiring board solder pad arrangement
A printed wiring board includes solder pads to which component leads may be soldered. L-shaped solder pads of the printed wiring board allow component leads to approach the board from any of the four major sides of the printed wiring board. Each solder pad includes two legs and two respective axes. A component lead may be selectively soldered to one of the two legs of the solder pad. Thus, a component lead may approach a solder pad from one of four orthogonal directions.
US08139363B2 Memory card and method of manufacturing the same
A memory card includes a substrate, at least one semiconductor chip attached to the substrate, a writing permitting/prohibiting setting element attached to the substrate, and a molding member formed on the substrate to cover the semiconductor chip.
US08139361B2 Apparatus and method for attaching selected components to a printed circuit board
Various embodiments of the present invention provide an anchor, circuit board assembly, and method for operably engaging an electronic component with a circuit board having a first side and a second side. Anchor embodiments include an anchor portion configured for receiving at least a portion of the electronic component and a pair of anchor legs flexibly extending from the ends of the anchor portion and configured for insertion into apertures defined in the circuit board. The anchor further includes a compression element slidably disposed about the anchor legs and movable between an unlocked position and a locked position. The compression element is configured for urging the anchor legs towards one another when moved from the unlocked position to the locked position such that the anchor is secured in the apertures when the compression element is in the locked position.
US08139352B2 Medium drive unit and electronic equipment
A medium drive unit includes a frame having an operating section, on a rear surface of which facing the main body side of the frame is provided a projection projecting toward the button, and which, upon receiving a depression operation from an outer surface side facing the outside, is biased toward the main body side and pushes the button with the leading end of the projection, a frame main body which surrounds the operating section so as to be separated from the operating section by an opening which extends surrounding the operating section, and passes through the front and rear surfaces of the frame, and an elastic support piece which extends through the opening along an edge of the operating section adjacent to the opening, of which one end is connected to the frame main body and the other end to the operating section.
US08139351B2 Rotary-disc memory device
A rotary-disc memory device comprises a memory device body which is connected to a rotary disc through a connecting shaft. The rotary disc is rotated to drive the connecting shaft to push the memory device body, so that the memory device body can be extended out of or retracted into the memory device.
US08139346B2 Electronic apparatus and input device thereof
The invention discloses an electronic apparatus comprising a casing with an input device. The input device comprises a circuit board, a first input module, a fixing module and a second input module. The first input module is disposed on the circuit board and comprises a first fixing portion. The fixing module comprises a first opening, a first accommodating space and a plurality of second fixing portions. The fixing module is disposed on the circuit board. The first input module is disposed in the first accommodating space and protrudes from the first opening. Those second fixing portions are against the first fixing portion to fix the first input module. The second input module is disposed on the fixing module and comprises a second opening. The first input module is exposed from the second opening. Furthermore, the fixing module comprises a second accommodating space for accommodating electronic components on the circuit board.
US08139345B2 Motor operator for switchgear for mains power distribution systems
A power operator for switchgear (1) for mains power distribution systems, where the switchgear comprises a closed cabinet (5) with an operating shaft protruding there from. The operating shaft is rotable at least between two positions and has a coupling part (2, 3). The operator comprises a housing (10), which is mountable on the external surface (4) of the switchgear housing, and a rotatable connection shaft (14) connected to an electric drive mechanism (11). It has a first coupling part to fit with the coupling part of the operating shaft in a longitudinal axial sliding and non-rotational interlocking manner. The coupling part of the connection shaft (14) is a separate interchangeable part (24, 24a) of the connection shaft attached thereto by non-rotational interlocking means. Further, it has an activation knob (16) extending from the housing (10) to operate the switch manually. With an interchangeable coupling part (24, 24a) the motor operator could easily be adapted to various switchgear simply by choosing a coupling part (24, 24a) fitting the coupling (2, 2a, 3) on the switchgear.
US08139341B2 Film capacitor
A film capacitor comprises a wound body, a first terminal part electrically connected to one end of the wound body, and a second terminal part electrically connected to the other end of the wound body. The wound body is structured by winding into a laminate a first film laminate formed of a laminate of dielectric films and having therein a floating electrode and a second film laminate formed of a laminate of first and second metal films sandwiching the first film laminate and dielectric films and having therein a floating electrode (22). Each of the floating electrodes (22) is composed of integrated small electrodes independent of each other.
US08139339B2 Modulation of neuromuscular functions with ultrashort electrical pulses
A system for producing maximal, but reversible bioeffects, for neuromuscular disruption. Methods for facilitation of neuromuscular functions in diseases and conditions of decreased excitability are provided.
US08139337B2 Systems and methods for reducing electrically-caused fires in wiring devices
Systems and methods that provide improved detection of series fault conditions are described. The systems provide an increased range of response possibilities upon detection of such conditions. Solid-state temperature sensors are utilized and may be connected to a printed circuit board integrated with supply wire terminals, thus providing electronic circuitry controlling the response to over-temperature events while simultaneously keeping the temperature sensors in close proximity with the location of potential over-heating events. Electronic sensors in accordance with implementations of the present invention detect overheating conditions at temperatures more quickly because of the close proximity of the sensors to locations of potential overheating, thereby improving the safety of electrical wiring devices and fixtures. Additionally, the threshold temperature for response can more easily be selected or controlled to be at a variety of temperatures to improve safety.
US08139331B2 Electrostatic discharge protection circuit
A ESD protection circuit includes: a first clamp connected between a first power line and a ground line; a second clamp connected between the ground line and a second power line; a first output buffer connected between the first power line and the ground line, and providing a first operating voltage; a second output buffer connected between the ground line and the second power line, and providing a second operating voltage; a first switch unit configured to transfer the first operating voltage to an I/O pad; a second switch unit configured to transfer the second operating voltage to the I/O pad; a first transfer unit comprising one or more diodes connected in series between the first power line and the I/O pad; and a second transfer unit comprising one or more diodes connected in series between the I/O pad and the second power line.
US08139319B2 Perpendicular magnetic recording system with magnetic precession for fast switching of perpendicular write pole magnetization
A perpendicular magnetic recording system has a write head with a main perpendicular write pole connected to a yoke with first and second electrical coils. The first coil is wrapped around the yoke on one side of the main pole, and the second coil is wrapped around the yoke on the other side of the main pole. The first end of each coil is connected to a respective terminal. The second ends of the two coils are connected together and connected to a common terminal. A lead-time circuit is connected between the common terminal and the first end of one of the coils. Immediately after the direction of write current is switched by the write driver, the lead-time circuit causes the current in one of the coils to lead the current in the other coil. The current displacement between the two coils creates a precession of the magnetic flux reversal, thereby reducing the switching time of the write head.
US08139311B2 Apparatus, method and program for controlling writing of data by tape recording apparatus
A technique for improving the performance of head alignment during reading of data from and writing data to a tape medium. An apparatus controls writing of data by a tape drive that drives a tape medium in both forward and reverse directions to record data. The apparatus includes a position obtaining unit that obtains the current position of the head of the tape drive with respect to the tape medium, a determining unit that determines whether the current position of the head is within a predetermined range on the tape medium, a generating unit that generates dummy data in response to determination that the current position of the head is not within the predetermined range, and a write control unit that writes dummy data on the tape medium until the current position of the head is within the predetermined range on the tape medium.
US08139294B2 Techniques for steering an optical beam
Reflectors having concave reflecting surfaces (e.g., parabolic reflectors) and electronically controlled beam steering elements are used for rapid, low-diversion, wide-angle and precision steering of optical beams, including laser beams.
US08139287B2 Amplification of energy beams by passage through an imploding liner
Apparatus and methods are disclosed for amplifying an energy beam such as a beam of laser light or a charged particle beam. An exemplary method includes providing a liner having a first end, a second end, a liner axis, and a lumen extending along the liner axis and being bound by interior reflective walls of the liner. An energy beam is introduced into the first end of the liner. The beam propagates through the lumen from the first end to the second end as the beam reflects multiple times from the interior walls of the liner. Meanwhile, an implosive force is applied to the liner. The implosive force compresses the interior walls implosively toward the liner axis in a manner that amplifies the beam as the beam propagates through the lumen of the imploding liner. The amplified energy beam can be used for any of various purposes including ignition of a fusion target.
US08139284B2 Digital micromirror device having wavelength-dependent modulation structure and method of manufacturing the same
A digital micromirror device (DMD), a method of manufacturing the DMD and an optical processor incorporating a DMD. In one embodiment, the DMD includes: (1) a first group of micromirrors having a first modulation structure based on a first wavelength of light and a second group of micromirrors having a second modulation structure based on a second wavelength of light, the second wavelength differing from the first wavelength.
US08139273B2 Paper-sheet stain detecting apparatus and method
In an apparatus for detecting a stain on a paper-sheet, a type and a transportation direction of the paper sheet are identified, and the information on whether each extraction target area of a read image corresponds to a white portion or a patterned portion of the paper sheet are stored. When the extraction target area corresponds to the white portion, a pixel having a lowest pixel value is extracted from a plurality of pixels constituting the extraction target area, and the read image is compressed into the pixel values of the extracted pixels as representative values, to generate a compressed image including a characteristic of a fine graffiti line drawn with a pencil or the like.
US08139270B2 Variable data periodic line patterns for composing a font system
A method and system is provided for generating a variable data differential line pattern font comprising forming a periodic line pattern suitable for tessellation disposition within a printed document and selectively distorting a portion of the periodic line pattern in a predetermined manner wherein the distorting comprises generating a distinguishable font corresponding to the distorting. A plurality of different distinguishable fonts are formed by a corresponding plurality of distorted line patterns, respectively.
US08139267B2 Method, apparatus and program for creating a threshold value matrix
In a first process, initial dot pattern of a predetermined dot rate “a” is created in a first process, and a gradation value corresponding to the dot rate “a” is arranged as a threshold value in the position of the pixel of the threshold value matrix corresponding to the initial dot pattern. Then in a second process, the initial dot pattern or the dot pattern having occurred prior to the second computation is used as the dot pattern of dot rate “b”, and new dots including the dots of the dot pattern of dot rate “b” is generated or any of the dots is removed from the dot pattern of the dot rate “b” by the error diffusion method. Thus, the dot pattern of the next dot rate “b′” with its dot rate having been increased or decreased in the aforementioned procedure is generated.
US08139261B2 Interactive flatbed scanner
A flatbed scanner comprises: a platen for supporting a substrate and a carriage for traversing across a surface. The carriage comprises a pagewidth scanhead for scanning a pre-printed graphic image and a pagewidth printhead for printing a position-coding pattern onto the surface. The flatbed scanner further comprises an ink supply and a processor configured for generating association data. The association data indicates an association between a scanned graphic image, an impression identity and a plurality of positions.
US08139256B2 Method and system for merging scan files into a color workflow
A method and system for scanning documents in a network environment and merging the resulting scan files with other documents into a printing workflow provides a user interface in which the user merges a scan file and a document file on a page basis by selecting thumbnail images of the desired pages and dragging and dropping the thumbnails so that a new merged document results. An alternative embodiment allows the user to apply predefined merge templates to the selected pages. The predefined merge templates may include printing and formatting instructions such as color settings and a page layout.
US08139254B2 System for generating form for delivery of greeting cards
A system is provided for generating a form for delivery of a printed communication. The system associates coordinate information of a form with an interactive element of the form, assigns an identity to the interactive element, associates delivery information on delivery of a printed communication with the interactive element, and generates print data to include the coordinate information and the identity as coded data and the interactive element and delivery information as visual data. A printer is responsive to the print data to print the form by printing the coded and visual data such that a sensing device senses the printed coded data through interaction with the printed interactive element to generate indicating data indicative of the delivery information.
US08139242B2 Image processing apparatus and method
The present invention is related to an image processing apparatus and method for efficiently managing a document. First data created by predetermined application software and second data converted into image data of a predetermined format (ex. PDF format) based on the first data are received. The first and second data are registered in a database in correspondence with a specific index. Then, either the first data or the second data is selected based on an output method designation and received information representing the index, and the selected data in accordance with the output method is output.
US08139236B2 On-demand publishing system
According to the present invention an information processing apparatus comprises: a loading unit which loads function information representing a function of the post-printing processing device; an identification unit which identifies a printing function processible by the printing device and a post-processing function processible after printing by the post-printing processing device; a display control unit which displays a setting window for setting the printing function and post-processing function; a data generation unit which generates printing data to be printed by the printing device; a setting information generation unit which generates post-processing setting information subjected to post-printing processing by the post-printing processing device; and wherein the printing data is transmitted to the printing device, and the post-processing setting information is transmitted to the post-printing processing device.
US08139235B2 Data processing method, image processing apparatus and recording medium
A data processing method including reading first image processing apparatus structural information by the control unit from a portable storage medium, obtaining second image processing apparatus structural information by the control unit, determining whether to allow data in the storage device to be used or not in the first image processing apparatus by the control unit based on the read first image processing apparatus structural information and the obtained second image processing apparatus structural information and reading the identification information specific to the first image processing apparatus by the control unit from the portable storage medium and storing the read identification information specific to the first image processing apparatus in the storage device by the control unit when the control unit determines to allow the data in the storage device to be used in the first image processing apparatus.
US08139234B2 Method and apparatus for measuring optical extinction in a thin film during its deposition
A method of measuring the extinction of light in a coating including the steps of: directing a light beam to a substrate to be coated at an angle of incidence for which the beam undergoes nominal total internal reflection; depositing a coating on the substrate such that the light beam will be waveguided in the coating thus reducing internal reflection for a period of deposition time; measuring a reduction of the internal reflection during deposition; and calculating an extinction value of the light beam in the deposited layer corresponding to the measured drop in internal reflection.
US08139227B2 Method using asymmetric optical resonances
A method utilizes an optical resonator that includes a reflective element and a spatial mode filter positioned relative to the reflective element such that light emitted from the spatial mode filter is reflected by the reflective element. The optical resonator has an optical resonance with a resonance lineshape that is asymmetric as a function of wavelength.
US08139222B2 Pressure controlled spectroscopic heating value sensor
A method and system for measuring a physical property of a fluid in which light having wavelengths in the near-infrared is directed into a test cell containing the fluid and portions of the light not absorbed by the fluid and passing out of the cell are spatially dispersed by wavelength, forming a light spectrum that is projected onto a detector. The light spectrum is digitized and inputted into a data processing unit in which it is compared to the actual spectrum of the light source stored in the system to determine the absorbance spectrum of the fluid. The system is spectrally calibrated by identifying known spectral features of the fluid absorbance spectrum. To correct for deviations in the original light source spectrum, a calibration method in which the pressure of the fluid in the test cell is alternated between a first positive pressure and a second positive pressure is employed. Upon determination of the absorbance spectrum of the fluid, the physical property of interest of the fluid is determined by comparing the absorbance spectrum to a plurality of spectra located within an on-board database.
US08139188B2 Retardation film, polarizing film, liquid crystal display, and method of designing retardation film
To provide a retardation film in which the retardation condition is adjusted to achieve a liquid crystal display without coloration over a wide viewing angle range and having a high contrast ratio, and a method of designing the same, as well as a polarizing film and a liquid crystal display using the same. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell and polarizing films in a Cross-Nicol relationship with each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; wherein at least one polarizing film includes a retardation film having reverse wavelength dispersion property; and the liquid crystal display further includes a retardation film having a wavelength dispersion property substantially the same as a liquid crystal layer configuring the liquid crystal cell.
US08139184B2 LCD device including a reflection film having a convex-concave surface
An LCD device includes a reflective area in each pixel. A reflection film having a convex-concave surface is provided in the reflective area, film in cross section configuration is formed. Each pixel includes a pixel electrode and a common electrode for applying a lateral electric field on a LC layer. The inclination angle of the reflection film has an inclination angle distribution, wherein the angle component in an area corresponding to the electrodes has a lower angle distribution than the angle components in an area corresponding to a gap between adjacent two of the electrodes.
US08139183B2 Array substrate for liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method of the same
According to an embodiment, an array substrate for an LCD device includes a substrate; gate lines on the substrate along a first direction; data lines formed along a second direction and crossing the gate lines to define pixel regions; a common line between adjacent gate lines; a thin film transistor at each crossing point of the gate lines and the data lines; red, green and blue color filter patterns sequentially disposed in the pixel regions, respectively; a common electrode over each of the red, green and blue color filter patterns and connected to the common line; and a pixel electrode over the common electrode and connected to the thin film transistor, the pixel electrode overlapping the common electrode.
US08139165B2 Television receiver
It is an object of the present invention to provide a television receiver for discriminating a CM broadcast from a received television broadcast and controlling a volume of the CM broadcast without complicating a configuration of a discriminating process of the CM broadcast. The present invention includes a silence detection means, a scene change detection means, a video audio changing point detection means, a first characteristic amount extraction means, a second characteristic amount extraction means, a comparison determining means and a volume control means. The comparison determining means compares the first characteristic amount which is an audio characteristic amount of a television signal before the time when the video audio changing point is detected, and the second characteristic amount which is an audio characteristic amount of a television signal after the time when the video audio changing point is detected, to determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied or not. The volume control means controls an output level when outputting audio of the television signal on the basis of a result of the comparison determining means.
US08139164B2 Using A/V device to send controlled device communication-related parameters to program remote control
An A/V device such as a TV presents a series of GUIs that a user can navigate through using a programmable bidirectional remote control to select a type of component to be controlled, the manufacturer, and model number. Once the desired component is selected by navigating through the GUIs, the TV sends back the necessary code information to enable the remote control to communicate with the component.
US08139150B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding multi-view video signal, and related computer programs
A multi-view video signal is encoded. The multi-view video signal includes picture signals corresponding to different viewpoints respectively. One among the viewpoints is designated as a base viewpoint. The base viewpoint corresponds to a picture signal which is encoded without referring to at least one picture signal corresponding to one of the viewpoints except the base viewpoint. There is determined a desired delay time of the start of decoding a coded signal originating from each of the picture signals corresponding to the viewpoints except the base viewpoint relative to the start of decoding a coded signal originating from the picture signal corresponding to the base viewpoint. Information representing the determined delay time is generated. Then, the generated information is encoded.
US08139147B2 Image sensor
An image sensor includes an imaging element for imaging an object, a movable member mounted with the imaging element and movably provided, a flexible printed circuit board having a portion on a side of a first end connected to the imaging element, and including a visually recognizable positioning member provided at least on a side of an upper surface and an extension/contraction region formed by folding the flexible printed circuit board with reference to the positioning member, and a circuit board connected with a portion on a side of a second end of the flexible printed circuit board and fixedly set.
US08139140B2 Imaging device
A digital camera has an optical system, an image capturing unit, an aperture adjuster, a focal point adjuster, and a body microcomputer. The aperture adjuster has an aperture included in the optical system and is capable of adjusting the state of the aperture. The focal point adjuster has a focus lens included in the optical system and is capable adjusting the focal state of the optical system by using the focus lens by contrast detection method. The body microcomputer controls the operation of the aperture adjuster so that the aperture value of the optical system will be at or below a set aperture value before the focal state is adjusted by the focal point adjuster.
US08139134B2 Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor
A CMOS image sensor includes a unit pixel including controlled by a high voltage; a reference high voltage generator for generating a reference high voltage; and a high voltage output unit for generating the high voltage by using the reference high voltage as an operating voltage to thereby output the high voltage to the unit pixel, wherein a level of the high voltage is stably maintained regardless of a variations of the reference high voltage level.
US08139132B2 Solid-state imaging apparatus and driving method for solid-state imaging apparatus
When a solid-state imaging apparatus which has A/D conversion circuits in every column and subjects a digitized signal to arithmetic processing carries out a horizontal skipping operation and calculates respective signals held in a plurality of register circuits, an A/D converter and a register circuit in a column which is skipped, specifically, is not read out, do not participate in the operation, so that the circuit has been susceptible to investigation in terms of use efficiency. The solid-state imaging apparatus has a unit for connecting a register circuit in a certain column with a register circuit in a different column.
US08139129B2 High sensitivity color filter array
A color filter array (CFA) and image processing system wherein a color filter overlaying an image sensor has a luminance element (i.e. green filter in RGB space, or yellow in CMY space) that is made larger than the other two chrominance elements (i.e. red, blue or cyan, magenta). Additionally, overlaying micro-lenses may be sized to correspond to the relative sizes of the underlying color filters. The optimized filter array is compatible with existing de-mosaic image processing.
US08139124B2 Erroneous erasure determination apparatus, method and computer program product, and image file generation apparatus
An erroneous erasure determination apparatus is provided, which determines whether or not image data in an image file are likely to have been erroneously erased based on auxiliary information attached thereto which indicates whether or not the image file is recorded in a multi-page format, and information which indicates the number of image data recorded in the image file.
US08139117B2 Image quality analysis with test pattern
A system for the automated analysis of image quality obtained by a camera in a camera tunnel system includes a test pattern on an item for placement in the camera tunnel system and an imaging subsystem configured to capture an image of the item using the camera tunnel system, wherein the image includes an image of the test pattern. The system further includes an image analysis tool configured to automatically identify and analyze the image of the test pattern for generating one or more image quality metrics.
US08139107B2 Defect inspection method, defect inspection system, and computer readable storage medium
In the present invention, an image of a substrate is picked up by an image pickup unit with the substrate being held by a transfer member. A drive unit for the transfer member is controlled by a driving signal from a first controller. A driving signal outputted to the first controller is outputted also to a second controller so that the second controller controls the image pickup unit based on the driving signal, thereby synchronizing drive of the transfer member with the image pickup by the image pickup unit. According to the present invention, the throughput in performing a defect inspection for the substrate is improved and a precise image is captured and subjected to accurate inspection.
US08139104B2 Autostereoscopic display device
The present invention relates to an autostereoscopic display device, comprising an imaging layer (9) and a lens layer (10). The lens layer (10) serves to project different content from the imaging layer (9) to the left and right eyes, respectively, of a user. The lens layer (10) comprises lens cells (12), enclosing two fluids (13, 14) with different refractive indices. The shape of the interface between the fluids may be changed using electrowetting, by means of two individually controllable electrodes (21, 22) at the sides of each lens cell (12). The display device further comprises a user head tracking device and means for controlling the lens cell electrodes depending on a detected user head position. This allows the display device to display a correct 3D-image, even if the user moves his head.
US08139098B2 Video communication method for receiving person at entrance
A method for receiving a person at an entrance comprises the steps of detecting the presence of a person at the entrance with a proximity sensor located proximate the entrance, transmitting video of the person at the entrance recorded using a camera located proximate the entrance to a computerized controller running a software application, and providing a graphic user interface to a remote peripheral device by which a user of the remote peripheral device may view the video of the person at the entrance.
US08139097B2 Information-processing device with calling function and application execution method
A TV 1 with a calling function that simplifies operation of an information-processing device having a channel interface and allows smooth communication includes a communication unit 104, an operation input unit 101 for a channel selecting operation, and a calling program processing unit 109 executing a calling program when a call channel is selected. The calling program can be executed by a very simple operation of channel selection, and any one can easily activate video-phone. TV 1 with a calling function includes an on-hold information management unit 106 storing call status information indicating whether a call is in progress or not, and in response to a channel switching request from the call channel to another channel during a call, the call status information stored in the on-hold information management unit 106 is referred to and a process is selected and executed depending on its value.
US08139088B2 Method for generating a digital map
A method for generating a digital map that can be stored on an electronic storage medium and in which a geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets includes the following steps: a) loading a database, in which the geographic area is described by a multitude of data sets, into an electronic analyzer, wherein the data sets contain several text data sets that describe the text messages (03), particularly street names, to be displayed in the map, b) specifying a resolution for the graphic illustration of at least a section of the digital map with assigned text messages (03) to be displayed on a display unit, c) calculating graphic overlaps (07) of the text messages (03) during the display of the section of the digital map on the display unit in dependence on the specified resolution, d) identifying all text messages (03) that cause graphic overlaps (07), and e) storing text display attributes that are assigned to the text data sets, wherein the text display attributes contain information on which text messages (03) are not displayed in the graphic illustration of the digital map at a specified resolution in order to prevent overlaps (07).
US08139084B2 Image display device and method of displaying image
Under an LCD panel (241) a prism sheet (242) is provided, and a light beam is emitted in a first direction (243) at a timing that a first LED group (247) is turned on, so that an eye (202L) located at this position can view a first image (211). When a second LED group (248) is turned on the light beam is emitted in a second direction (244), so that the eye (202R) located at this position can view a second image (212). These images (211, 212) are combined to thereby constitute a larger image.
US08139083B2 Custom image frames
A method includes retrieving an image stored on a device, creating a mask in a portion of the image, and creating a custom image frame from the image and the mask.
US08139068B2 Three-dimensional animation of soft tissue of characters using controls associated with a surface mesh
A face, as well as any other soft tissue of a character, can be animated much in the same way that a skeleton is animated by creating a soft tissue solver attached to the surface mesh. In particular, deformation objects are associated with regions of the surface mesh. The deformation objects deform the mesh according to deformation operators in response to a change in a control object. This soft tissue solver can be generated automatically given a set of salient points specified on an input mesh and a format file for the class of objects of which the input mesh is an example. The format file specifies what the salient points are, and the relative placement of the deformation objects and control objects as functions of the salient points. Specific deformation operators can be defined and associated, through the format file, with the deformation objects and control objects. The format file for a class of objects, such as for human and humanoid heads, and related operators can be determined based on experimentation and observation of the object being modeled. Through such a soft tissue solver, the behavior of the deformation of the surface mesh is quantified and controlled by direct manipulation of the points on the mesh. Thus, the surface of the object can be animated in a manner similar to how animation of a skeleton is defined using inverse kinematics. Because the surface of the object is directly related to its appearance or aesthetics, this animation capability is referred to herein as “quantitative aesthetics.”
US08139067B2 Shape completion, animation and marker-less motion capture of people, animals or characters
Motion capture animation, shape completion and markerless motion capture methods are provided. A pose deformation space model encoding variability in pose is learnt from a three-dimensional (3D) dataset. Body shape deformation space model encoding variability in pose and shape is learnt from another 3D dataset. The learnt pose model is combined with the learnt body shape model. For motion capture animation, given parameter set, the combined model generates a 3D shape surface of a body in a pose and shape. For shape completion, given partial surface of a body defined as 3D points, the combined model generates a 3D surface model in the combined spaces that fits the 3D points. For markerless motion capture, given 3D information of a body, the combined model traces the movement of the body using the combined spaces that fits the 3D information or reconstructing the body's shape or deformations that fits the 3D information.
US08139065B2 Machine-implemented method and electronic device for presenting a dual-axis graph
A machine-implemented method for presenting a dual-axis graph for a pair of data sets includes: reading the data sets; setting first and second boundaries of a first reference axis using first coordinates of data points of one data set having maximum and minimum values, respectively; setting first and second boundaries of a second reference axis by adjusting either the first coordinate of one data point of the other data set having a maximum value or the first coordinate of one data point of the other data set having a minimum value, wherein an E-value calculated based on thus-obtained final first and second boundaries of the second reference axis is substantially equal to an E-value of the first data set; and plotting the data points of the data sets. An electronic device capable of presenting a dual-axis graph is also disclosed.
US08139064B2 Method and apparatus for aligning an infrastructure to a template
An exemplary method of determining a target configuration of an infrastructure aligned with a template includes a step of representing the current configuration of the infrastructure as a graph having a plurality of vertices representing elements of the infrastructure and at least one edge representing at least one dependency between the elements, wherein a given element within a set of possible elements for the infrastructure has a set of possible equivalent elements for the given element. The exemplary method also includes a step of finding at least one cut vertex in the graph representing the current configuration of the infrastructure, wherein removal of the cut vertex will split the graph into two sub-graphs as close in size as possible.
US08139055B2 Combined image sensor and display device
A combined image sensor and display device comprises an array of device elements (18), each of which comprises a display pixel (M4, C2, CLC). The display pixels have data inputs connected to column data lines (SL, 6,6′). The array includes sensor elements (10), each comprising a transistor (M1), an integrating capacitor (C1) and a photodiode (D1) connected together to an integrating node (11). The transistor (M1) is connected between column data lines (6,6′). The capacitor (C1) is connected to a control input (RS) which receives a first voltage during a sensing phase for switching off the transistor (M1) and a second voltage during a reading phase for enabling the transistor (M1).
US08139051B2 Driver and driving method, and display device
The present invention provides a driver, including: data lines disposed in parallel with each other; gate lines disposed in parallel with each other and at right angles to the data lines so as to be electrically insulated from the data lines; odd-numbered pixel cell connected to the odd-numbered data line from the head one, and the odd-numbered gate line from the head one; even-numbered pixel cell connected to the even-numbered data line from the head one, and the even-numbered gate line from the head one; driving means for driving the odd-numbered gate lines and the even-numbered gate lines independently of each other; inputting means for inputting a signal having a predetermined potential to each of the odd-numbered gate lines and the even-numbered gate lines; and comparing means for comparing potentials of the each adjacent odd-numbered data line and even-numbered data line with each other, and outputting a comparison result.
US08139049B1 Cordless scanner and stylus
Convenience, ease of use, efficiency, and economy are some of the benefits of a cordless hand-held device implementing both a scanner and a stylus (active or passive) within a common housing. In an illustrative embodiment, the combined scanner/stylus device is ergonomically shaped and sized for extended comfortable use. During scanning, the device is generally held and aimed at a scan target using one hand as one would hold and aim a small flashlight. The long-axis of the device is thus kept generally parallel with an extended thumb, a scan button being positioned such that the thumb naturally rests atop it for selectively initiating a scan. To write on or tap on the input area of a PDA or Tablet PC, a user of typical coordination can, with the one hand holding the device, spin (rotate) the device to a position common for holding a writing implement.
US08139044B2 Storage medium storing pointing device input adjustment program, input adjustment apparatus and input adjustment method
A computer as an input adjustment apparatus includes a memory. This memory stores an input adjustment program. The computer is connected with a touch pad. When a user touches the touch pad with his/her finger, the computer is provided with touch coordinate data on a touched portion and a value according to an area of the touched portion. Based on the coordinate data and the value according to the touch area, the computer calculates a scale factor of a range in which the user can actually perform an operation in such a manner as to conform to a whole operating range of the touch pad. Then, the computer multiplies by the scale factor a difference of coordinates indicated by the coordinate data (current touch coordinates) from a reference position, and input the resulting value as input data into an electronic device.
US08139043B2 Bounding box gesture recognition on a touch detecting interactive display
The invention provides a method and apparatus for identifying gestures performed by a user to control an interactive display. The gestures are identified based on a bounding box enclosing the points at which a user contacts a touch sensor corresponding with the display surface. The invention thus permits the use of inexpensive and highly reliable grid-based touch sensors that provide a bounding box to describe contact information. In identifying the gestures, the position, motion, shape, and deformation of the bounding box may all be considered. In particular, the center, width, height, aspect ratio, length of the diagonal, and orientation of the diagonal of the bounding box may be determined. A stretch factor, defined as the maximum of the ratio of the height of the bounding box to the width of the bounding box and the ratio of the width of the bounding box to the height of the bounding box, may also be computed. Finally, gestures may be identified based on the changes in time of these characteristics and quantities.
US08139030B2 Magnetic sensor for use with hand-held devices
The use of magnetic field sensing to perform sophisticated command control and data input into a portable device is disclosed. A magnetic field sensor is embedded or fixedly attached to a portable device to measure changes in the magnetic field strength and/or direction accompanying movement, motion or tilt of the device in one-, two- or three-dimensions when the portable device is used to air-write or make gestures.
US08139012B2 Liquid-crystal-device driving method, liquid crystal device, and electronic apparatus
A method of driving a liquid crystal device having an optically compensated bend mode and including an image display area including a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged in a row direction in which a plurality of scanning lines extend and in a column direction in which a plurality of data lines extend. The method includes performing an initial transition of a liquid crystal alignment from a splay alignment to a bend alignment. The initial transition includes inversion driving for driving the plurality of pixels by using, among a plurality of inversion driving modes, one inversion driving mode for inverting relative polarities of voltages applied to the plurality of pixels, and different inversion driving for switching the inversion driving mode in the inversion driving to a different inversion driving mode before driving the plurality of pixels.
US08139007B2 Light-emitting device, display device, and method for controlling driving of the light-emitting device
A light-emitting device comprises a power supply line, at least one data line, at least one pixel having a light-emitting element with one end electrically connected to the power supply line and another end set to a prescribed potential, and a first transistor connecting the data line(s) and one end of the light-emitting element, a current supplying circuit that outputs a verification current of a preset value, and a data driver unit having voltage measuring circuits that acquire a voltage of the one end of the light-emitting element as the verification voltage when the verification current flows via a current path of the data line and the first transistor of the pixel, from the one end of the light-emitting element to the other end from the current supplying circuit via the power supply line.
US08139005B2 Display device
The invention provides a display device (26) including a plurality of discrete display segments (2). Each display segment (2) is provided with a drive circuit for driving the display elements arranged within the display area. The display device may be provided either as a passive, active or direct pixel addressed array. By interconnecting a number of display segments, a large area display can be achieved without the requirement for long electrodes. This reduces the electrical resistance and parasitic capacitance of the addressing electrodes, enabling the display to provide improved luminance in a displayed image and to operate at higher speeds, providing improved resolution. An active matrix addressing scheme can also be implemented using relatively low mobility organic thin film transistors.
US08139004B2 Display device and electronic apparatus
A display device includes a drive section and a pixel array section including power lines, scanning lines, signal lines, and pixels in a matrix. Each pixel includes a sampling transistor, a drive transistor, a light-emitting element, and a storage capacitor. The drive section includes a write scanner supplying a control signal to one scanning line at a time, and a signal selector supplying a drive signal to each signal line. The sampling transistor applies the drive signal to the drive transistor. The drive transistor supplies a drive current based on the drive signal to the light-emitting element. The write scanner includes output buffers, each outputting a control signal including two pulses to a corresponding scanning line. Each output buffer includes first and second output sections, the first section outputting one pulse and the second section extracting a pulse from a pulse power supply and outputting the extracted pulse.
US08138988B2 Object locating apparatus, system and high-gain, high-selectivity antennae therefor
The invented system includes a beacon affixed to the object subject to loss and a tracker held by the owner of the lost object, the tracker repeatedly, electronically ‘interrogating’ the beacon with a radio frequency (RF) signal, the beacon repeatedly responding to the interrogation, and the tracker effectively triangulating to determine the lost object's nominal location by a measure of distance and direction. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the tracker includes one or more antenna each coupled with a power amplifier to determine in real time the distance and direction of the beacon from the tracker. In this embodiment, the tracker indicates both distance and direction of the object-affixed beacon to the tracker-holding owner via a simple color-coded light array. In one embodiment of the invention, the invented antenna of which there is one (or more) includes a helically wound conductor of elliptical cross section disposed around the hollow interior surface of a hollow mandrel.
US08138987B2 Compact multiband antenna
An antenna, including a dielectric carrier having a bounding surface, and a conductive monopole resonant at a first frequency, the monopole having at least one conducting section mounted on the bounding surface. The antenna further includes a labyrinthine conductive coupling element mounted on the bounding surface so as to encompass the dielectric carrier. The coupling element is located with respect to the conductive monopole so as to transfer from the conductive monopole a second frequency lower than the first frequency.
US08138984B2 Planar antenna
The present invention discloses a planar antenna including a substrate, a ground plane and a feed line. The ground plane is disposed on one side of the substrate. The ground plane includes a hollow portion. The feed line disposed on another side of the substrate and corresponding to the hollow portion for feeding a signal. The present invention also discloses a planar antenna including a substrate, a ground plane and a feed line. The ground plane is disposed on one side of the substrate. The ground plane includes a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion. The feed line is disposed on another side of the substrate and having a first branch feed portion and a second branch feed portion for feeding a signal, and the first branch feed portion and the second branch feed portion are aligned with the first hollow portion and the second hollow portion respectively.
US08138973B2 Phased array antenna
This invention relates to utilizing a larger number of lower power transmit/receive modules in a phased antenna array in order to utilize cheaper and simpler transmit/receive modules whilst retaining comparable power per unit area as can be achieved through using conventional high powered transmit/receive modules. The advantage of this arrangement is that cheaper antenna arrays can be constructed without limiting the capability and/or performance of a system incorporating such an array when compared to a conventional solution.
US08138967B2 Multilateration system and method
A multilateration system and method includes a plurality of receiver stations for receiving signals from an aircraft, and a controller that derives the position of the aircraft by applying a multilateration process to outputs from the receiver stations. For this purpose, the controller determines the altitude of the aircraft and selects a multilateration process that is to be used for position determination, based on the determined altitude.
US08138961B2 Step frequency ISAR
A step frequency inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) includes a transmitter configured to transmit a transmission pulse at a transmission frequency to a near earth object (NEO), the transmission frequency having a frequency range comprising a starting frequency, an ending frequency, and a step size; a receiver configured to receive a pulse response from the NEO, the pulse response corresponding to the transmission pulse; and a computer configured to determine a 3-dimensional image of the interior of the NEO from the pulse response.
US08138959B2 Radio wave absorption material and radio wave absorber
A radio wave absorption material is characterized to be obtained by firing a ferrite material that is formed by adding an accessory component, 0.1 to 2 wt % of CoO, to an oxide magnetic material containing main components, 30 to 49.5 mol % of Fe2O3, 0.5 to 20 mol % of Mn2O3, 5 to 35 mol % of ZnO, 0.2 to 15 mol % of (Li0.5Fe0.5)O and MnO as the rest. In the above-mentioned composition, part of ZnO may be replaced with 20 mol % or less of CuO. This radio wave absorption material has high strength and humidity stability and has excellent radio wave absorption performance although low in cost.
US08138956B2 CABAC encoder and CABAC encoding method
A CABAC encoding method includes: receiving first and second coefficient flags (Sig, Last); detecting coefficient flags according to positions of the detected coefficient flags and control signal (Sig_first); generating first bin and second bin (bin_val_1, bin_val_2) corresponding to the detected coefficient flags according to the detecting result; updating a value of the second control signal (Sig_first) for the next clock cycle according to the detecting result; generating first and second position parameters (Sig/Last_pos_1, Sig/Last_pos_2) corresponding to the positions of the first and second bins (bin_val_1, bin_val_2); generating a first context index (Ctx_idx_1) according to the control signal (Sig_first) and the first position parameter (Sig/Last_pos_1) and a second context index (Ctx_idx_2) according to the control signal (Sig_first), the second position parameter (Sig/Last_pos_2) and the first bin (bin_val_1); and encoding the first and second bins (bin_val_1, bin_val_2) according to the first and second context indexes (Ctx_idx_1, Ctx_idx_2) respectively to generate the bit stream.
US08138951B2 System and method for selectively enabling a control system
A system and method are disclosed for selectively enabling a control system using a biometric and a physiological sensor to determine the status of an operator. An input component is operatively coupled to the sensor to permit an operator to initialize the sensor. A central processor unit is operatively coupled to the operator sensor and the central processor unit has a transceiver operatively coupled therewith for processing and evaluating the biometric and physiological information. A ground control located remotely from the operator is operatively coupled to the central processor unit and includes a transceiver coupled therewith. An override is operatively coupled to the ground control and central processor unit.
US08138944B2 Home area networking (HAN) with handheld for diagnostics
Disclosed are handheld or portable apparatus subject matters and associated methodologies for providing local communications to metrology devices within an Advanced Metering System (AMS). The metrology devices may be associated with AC supplied device that are configured with mailboxes for associated battery powered devices or with other home or customer premises area network devices. Battery powered metrology devices may include such as water, gas, and oil meters collocated with electricity meters. Communications between the handheld or portable device may be by way of direct wired or radio frequency connections for providing communications and diagnostic services for home area network coupled components in an Advanced Metering System.
US08138943B2 Measurement while drilling pulser with turbine power generation unit
Disclosed are a system, device, and method for generating pulse signals that correlate to geological information in a wellbore. The system and method comprises a pulse generating device longitudinally and axially positioned within an annular drill collar flow channel such that the drilling fluid flows through the annular drill collar flow channel and the drilling fluid is guided into two sets of selectively reversible flow, upper and lower flow connecting channels, wherein the connecting channels are connected to an inner flow channel and the annular drill collar flow channel, and wherein the annular drill collar flow channel is acted upon by one or more flow throttling devices thereby transmitting signals. The device utilizes a turbine residing near and within proximity of a flow diverter that diverts drilling mud into and away from turbine blades such that the force of the drilling mud causes the turbine blades and the turbine to rotationally spin around a coil assembly.
US08138941B2 LED warning light
A compact warning light employs LED lamps as a light source and has a lighthead configured for insertion into the reflector shells of a motor vehicle such as a sedan or SUV. The lighthead has a base and cover which define a sealed interior space surrounding the LED lamps. The base is constructed of heat conducting material and the LED lamps are secured to the base so that heat generated by the lamps is conducted away and dissipated by the base. The base may include a post for supporting a plurality of individually energized arrays of LED lamps. The cover may be optically clear, tinted or provided with facets or a surface texture.
US08138939B2 Drug dispenser/container display
A display for use on medical dispensing equipment, and the resulting medical device and its method of display. In particular, provided are a number of specific embodiments of such a display on a medical device, including a film display for use on pill bottles and pill dispensers that utilize colored images as a dosage reminder for the user, a conformable bistable reflective display for use on drug delivery devices, and a conformable bistable reflective display for use on blood glucose meters.
US08138937B2 Grounding monitoring device and system for work
The present invention provides a device to monitor whether a work station operator has properly worn a grounding mechanism, and a novel cascading means to chain multiple devices into a chain for sharing electricity and ground. The present invention could achieve the following functions: (1) capable of monitoring both single-wire and two-wire grounding mechanisms; (2) providing backup grounding through the chain so that the static electricity discharging capability is maintained as long as a single device in the chain remains connected to the ground; (3) extending the ground through the chain so that grounding is not required to be previously prepared at every work station; (4) sustaining all devices on the chain by a single external power supply; and (5) providing networking connectivity through the chain's cascading cables so that the network cabling cost and effort is significantly reduced.
US08138931B2 Diagnostic and response systems and methods for fluid power systems
Diagnostic and response systems and methods for a fluid power system acquire data from pressure and temperature sensors disposed in the fluid power system, analyze the data in a failure algorithm to build a history of cumulative damage to hoses in the fluid power system, communicates an indication of potential imminent hose failure to a central location when a level of the cumulative damage indicates imminent failure of a hose, analyze the information at the central location to determine an appropriate response, and transmit information about the fluid power system, including location, and identification of the hose about to fail to a response unit. The response unit responds to the location and replaces the component prior to failure, or the communication might include information that the hose has failed, such that the response unit replaces the failed hose to return the fluid power system to normal operation.
US08138930B1 Advertising based on environmental conditions
Information about an environmental condition of a remote device is received, the environmental condition being determined based on a signal output from a sensor of the remote device or a sensor coupled to the remote device. An advertisement is identified based on the environmental condition, and the advertisement is provided to the remote device.
US08138929B2 Method for protecting data in non-volatile storage device and computer thereof
The invention discloses a method for protecting data in a non-volatile storage device and a computer thereof. The computer includes a non-volatile storage device, a temperature sensing unit, and a controller. The temperature sensing unit is disposed at the non-volatile storage device to sense a sensed temperature of the non-volatile storage device and to compare the sensed temperature with a predetermined temperature. The controller is coupled with the temperature sensing unit. When the sensed temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature, the controller makes the computer enter into a hibernation state.
US08138927B2 Flare characterization and control system
A video analytics system for characterization of a flare. A video of a flare may be taken for obtaining information so as to appropriately control the flare in an interest of reducing emissions not necessarily favorable to the environment. The system may incorporate a control scenario involving one or more parameters of a flare which are to be controlled in view of a flare characterization from an algorithmic analysis of the video.
US08138917B2 Latch monitoring apparatus for a shipping container door
A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.
US08138916B1 Counterfeit detection system and method of utilizing same
A counterfeit detection system and method of utilizing same, comprising a Point of Service system having at least one Point of Service station and a respective Currency-Scanning Device, and at least one communication module; a hub/switch; a surveillance system; a local server; and a database. The counterfeit detection system and method of utilizing same also comprises counterfeit detection means, and software updating means.
US08138911B2 Personal locator beacon
A tracking and locating system includes a user unit, a central unit, and a range finder. The user unit includes a beacon that transmits an information signal. The central unit receives the information signal from the beacon, interprets content of the information signal, and reports the content. The range finder receives the information signal from the beacon, interprets a header of the information signal to determine a range, and reports the range.
US08138895B2 Force/tactile feedback device
A force/tactile feedback device feeding back a force sense to a fingertip of an operator includes a fingerstall to which the fingertip of the operator is inserted, a position feedback means for feeding back a position to the fingertip held by the fingerstall, a fingertip contact point feedback means for feeding back a fingertip contact point to the fingertip held by the fingerstall and an unnecessary moment removal means for supporting the fingertip contact point feedback means so that unnecessary moment is not generated at a tip portion of the position feedback means.
US08138892B2 Variable frequency tag
An antenna assembly is operative for receiving interrogating radiation at a variable frequency tag and generating a corresponding received signal, and for receiving a signature signal and radiating corresponding response radiation. A logic unit is operative for receiving the received signal and outputting the signature signal in response, the signature signal including a signature code for use in identifying the tag. A voltage controlled oscillator is operative for controlling a rate at which the signature code is output; and a power supply is operative for providing an electrical potential difference for energizing the tag. The voltage controlled oscillator is operable to output the signature code at a rate which is governed by the magnitude of the received signal.
US08138885B2 Vehicle antenna device, vehicle including the vehicle antenna device, and vehicle security system including the vehicle antenna device
A vehicle antenna device includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna surrounds an ignition key cylinder having a key insertion hole and is configured to receive a first signal transmitted from a first transmitter in a key insertion state where a key is inserted into the key insertion hole. The second antenna is configured to receive a second signal transmitted from a second transmitter. The first antenna is positioned between the first transmitter and the second antenna in the key insertion state.
US08138881B2 Coated wire and film resistor
A coated wire is solderable with soft solder while maintaining separate phases of the core and the coating. A 100 μm to 400 μm thick nickel wire may be coated galvanically with silver. For a film resistor with coated wires as connection wires, including a platinum measurement resistor on an electrically insulating substrate and connection wires connected to the measurement resistor, the connection wires have a coated nickel core. The coating may be made of silver or glass or ceramic or a mixture of these materials, or on its outside may be made of glass or ceramic or a mixture of these materials. For producing film resistors a thin metal or glass component is deposited on a connection wire connected to a track conductor arranged on an electrically insulating substrate, and a thick glass paste is deposited and fired on this metal or glass component. For mass production of film, several film resistors encased together in glass may be partitioned by fracturing.
US08138877B2 Magnetic circuit with wound magnetic core
Magnetic circuit comprising a gap bridging element made of a non-magnetic metal and a wound magnetic core comprising a plurality of stacked concentric ring layers of magnetic material having a high magnetic permeability. The magnetic core has a gap extending through a section of the stacked concentric ring layers of magnetic material, wherein the bridging element is welded to a lateral face of the wound magnetic core on either side of the gap. Welding connections between the bridging element and the magnetic core extend across the stacked concentric ring layers.
US08138864B2 Circuit interrupter including a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer
A circuit interrupter includes a housing having a molded case made of liquid crystal polymer. Separable contacts are disposed within the housing. An operating mechanism is disposed within the housing and is structured to open and close the separable contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed within the housing and is structured to cooperate with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes an electronic trip circuit and a rigid, conductive base providing a ground to the electronic trip circuit. The rigid, conductive base is insert molded to a portion of the molded case.
US08138862B2 Double break installation switchgear
An installation switching device having at least one pole current path comprises two stationary contact pieces; a moving contact bridge including two moving contact pieces forming a double-break pole with the two stationary contact pieces; a contact pressure spring exerting a pressure on the moving contact bridge in a closing direction of the moving contact bridge; a pusher configured to act on the moving contact bridge counter to the pressure of the contact pressure spring in an opening direction, the pusher including a slide and a striking pin disposed moveably relative to the moving contact bridge and to one another in a movement direction of the moving contact bridge; a switch latch having a latching point; an operating lever configured to act on the pusher; and an electromagnetic release having an impact armature.
US08138860B2 Magnetically-activated membrane potentiometer
Magnetically-activated contactless potentiometers with a resistive trace and a conductive trace contained within a channel formed of non-conductive material are described. A gap between the resistive trace and the conductive trace is provided, and the conductive trace is either magnetic/ferromagnetic or is provided with a magnetic/ferromagnetic material. In use, a magnetic force is applied to the potentiometer opposite the resistive trace from the conductive trace, thus attracting the conductive trace to physically and electrically connect with the resistive trace at the location of the magnetic force. This magnetically-induced contact between the conductive trace and the resistive trace produces a resistive feedback from the point of contact and allows for changing the resistance of the potentiometer by laterally moving the magnetic force along the length of the potentiometer. The force on the conductive trace may be modified by changing the characteristics of the external magnetic force and/or the conductive trace.
US08138858B1 Architectures using multiple dual-mode surface acoustic wave devices
The present invention relates to dual-mode SAW devices (DMSDs), which may allow for clean layouts of SAW device elements and provide low impedance with reduced insertion loss, and may increase broadband rejection by improving parasitic characteristics. In one embodiment of the present invention, a parallel set of DMSDs is cascaded with another parallel set of DMSDs. Internal connections between the four DMSDs may be electrically floating, which may further improve parasitic characteristics. With electrically floating internal connections, the parallel set of DMSDs may share a common grating structure, thereby reducing the size and complexity of a DMSD, which may further improve parasitic characteristics. The DMSDs may be used in radio frequency (RF) applications, such as SAW filters.
US08138857B2 Structure, structure and method for providing an on-chip variable delay transmission line with fixed characteristic impedance
A design structure, structure, and method for providing an on-chip variable delay transmission line with a fixed characteristic impedance. A method of manufacturing a transmission line structure includes forming a signal line of the transmission line structure, forming a first ground return structure that causes a first delay and a first characteristic impedance in the transmission line structure, and forming a second ground return structure that causes a second delay and a second characteristic impedance in the transmission line structure. The first delay is different from the second delay, and the first characteristic impedance is substantially the same as the second characteristic impedance.
US08138854B2 Filter, branching filter and communication apparatus
A filter includes: a converter circuit, provided with a single-type common terminal and two balanced terminals, for performing conversion between a balanced line and an unbalanced line; two filter units coupled to each of the balanced terminals of the converter circuit and allowing passage of a signal in a pass band; and a bridging capacitor arranged to extend across the converter circuit and one of the filter units in a bridging manner, wherein the inductance of an opposite-side line of one of the filter units relative to the converter circuit is electromagnetically coupled to the inductance of a line coupling the other filter unit and the converter circuit.
US08138849B2 Transmission lines applied to contact free slip rings
A non-contacting rotary interface has a first core with a first pair of balanced transmission lines coupled to the first core and a second core moveable in relation to the first core with a second pair of balanced transmission lines coupled to the second core and configured to receive signals from the first pair of balanced transmission lines. The first pair of balanced transmission lines has a first transmit wire coupled to a first transceiver at a first end of the first transmit wire, a second transceiver coupled to the first transmit wire at a second end of the first transmit wire, a second transmit wire coupled to a third transceiver at a first end of the second transmit wire, and a fourth transceiver coupled to the second transmit wire at a second end of the second transmit wire. The balanced transmission lines may be electrical traces on a circuit board.
US08138846B2 Precision, temperature stable clock using a frequency-control circuit and a single oscillator
A frequency-control circuit, which is configured to receive a first signal having a first untuned frequency from a first oscillator, and to alter one or more pulses of the first signal to tune an output frequency of an output clock signal to have an average frequency at the desired target frequency. In some embodiments, the frequency-control circuit receives a signal from a single oscillator to generate a calibrated, precise, and temperature-stable clock.
US08138844B1 System and method for crystal oscillator frequency tuning
An oscillator may include a crystal resonator, an inverter coupled in parallel with the crystal resonator, a first switched capacitor coupled to a first terminal of the crystal resonator, a second switched capacitor coupled to a second terminal of the crystal resonator, a control module configured to output a periodic dithering signal, the periodic dithering signal having a first pulse width based on a desired frequency of oscillation for the oscillator, and a delay module configured to communicate a first periodic enable signal to enable the first switched capacitor and a second periodic enable signal to enable the second switched capacitor. At least one of the first periodic enable signal and the second periodic enable signal may have a second pulse width greater than the first pulse width. The second periodic enable signal may be phase delayed relative to the first periodic enable signal by a non-zero delay.
US08138833B1 Common-mode feedback amplifier
A circuit is provided for use with a reference voltage. The circuit includes a voltage source, a common-mode feedback amplifier and a feedback impedance portion. The common-mode feedback amplifier may be connected to the voltage source and may be arranged to receive the reference voltage. The common-mode feedback amplifier may include an input stage, an output stage, a positive input, a negative input and an output. The output may be connected to the feedback impedance portion. The feedback impedance portion may additionally be connected to one of the positive input and the negative input. A feedback factor, based on the feedback impedance portion, is less than one.
US08138828B2 Active mute scheme for an amplifier
Conventional muting circuitry for amplifiers (which usually uses clamps) generally has about 20-30 dB of attenuation. Here, an integrated circuit or IC is provided that includes an amplifier, switch networks, and a controller. The controller provides control signals to the switch network to provide mute functionality by actively muting the amplifier. In particular, feedback is provided through at least one of the switch networks to drive the output of the amplifier to null or ground so as to provide 70-80 dB (or more) of attenuation.
US08138823B2 Voltage generating circuit and ultrasonic diagnosing device
A voltage generating circuit generates a voltage for driving an ultrasonic oscillator, and includes a multi-stage connected power supply circuit without a transformer.
US08138816B2 Digitally controlled high Q factor capacitor
A control circuit and a conversion circuit. The control circuit may be configured to generate an analog control signal in response to a digital control signal. The conversion circuit may be configured to generate a capacitance signal in response to the analog control signal.
US08138814B2 High signal level compliant input/output circuits
A signal driver for an interface circuit has a first stage level shifter to accept input signals and output signals at a first signal level. The signal driver also has a second stage level shifter coupled to the first stage level shifter to output signals at a second signal level. Electronic components of the first and second stage level shifter have reliability limits less than the second signal level. The first and second stage configurations of the first stage level shifter and the second stage level shifter prevents exposing the electronic components to terminal to terminal signal levels higher than the reliability limits when processing signals for output at the second signal level.
US08138812B2 Device for generating clock in semiconductor integrated circuit
Various embodiments of a semiconductor integrated circuit. According to one exemplary embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a multi-phase clock generator that is configured to generate a multi-phase internal clock; a first edge combining unit that is configured to generate a first output clock having a first frequency by combining rising edges of clocks included in the internal clock, and transmit the first output clock to a first port; and a second edge combining unit that is configured to generate a second output clock having a second frequency by combining rising edges of clocks included in the internal clock, and transmit the output clock to a second port.
US08138807B2 Power-on detecting circuit and level converting circuit
When a low supply potential has risen while a high supply potential has not risen, a logical value “0” is output as an output signal by applying a ground potential to an input terminal of a latch circuit through a capacitor. On the other hand, when the high supply potential has risen while the low supply potential has not risen, a logical value “0” is output as an output signal by converting the high supply potential into the ground potential by the level shifter. If both the low supply potential and the high supply potential have risen, the logical value “1” is output as an output signal by converting the ground potential into the high supply potential by the level shifter.
US08138787B2 Apparatus and method for input/output module that optimizes frequency performance in a circuit
A circuit can include a module having signal pads that are configurable to route signals between the circuit and at least one external device. The module can also have unused pads that are interleaved between the signal pads. A circuit can include a module having signal pads that are configurable to route varying signals between the circuit and at least one external device. The module can also have voltage pads that are configurable to route substantially constant voltages between at least one external device and the circuit. The signal pads can be interleaved between the voltage pads. A module with one or more of these features can achieve ideal performance in both wire bond and flip chip packages with the flexibility of setting a different input/output utilization percentage within the module.
US08138773B2 Hybrid resilient and frangible layered structural health sensor
A sensor for monitoring and testing for both possible fractures and corrosion in structural elements is disclosed. A frangible material layer including a thin breakable conductor sense loop and a resilient material layer including a conductive corrosion sense loop bonded on top of the frangible layer form an assembly which is bonded to a structural element to be tested. Portions of the conductive corrosion sense loop are exposed through weep holes in the resilient material layer. A fracture in the bonded structural element induces a disruption in both the frangible membrane and the thin breakable conductor sense loop and corrosion of the conductive corrosion sense loop changes its electrical properties. Measured electrical property changes of the disrupted conductor sense loop and/or the conductive corrosion sense loop reveal possible damage. Both sensor layers may utilize a single shared wireless communications tag to couple to an electrical measuring device.
US08138772B2 Capacitive sensing and method
A capacitive vehicle sensor includes a sensing electrode configured to generate an electric field, a shield electrode configured to reduce the electromagnetic influence of electric fields generated by objects outside of the electric field, a circuit coupled to the sensing electrode and shield electrode that allows a plurality of impedances to be coupled between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, and a control system. The control system configures the impedances between the sensing electrode and the shield electrode, is configured to measure current to the sensing electrode in each configuration, and is configured to calculate a measure related to the impedance from the sensing electrode to ground.
US08138768B2 Sensing circuit for devices with protective coating
An integrated circuit has an inhomogeneous protective layer or coating over a circuit to be protected, and a sensing circuit (80) arranged to sense a first impedance of a part of the protective coating compared to a reference impedance (CO) located on the integrated circuit. The sensing circuit is able to measure a change in the first impedance, e.g. caused by tampering. The sensing circuit has an amplifier (OTA) having a feedback loop, such that the impedance being sensed is in the feedback loop. The sensing circuit can be incorporated in an oscillator circuit (OTA, Comp) so that the frequency depends on the impedance. Where the impedance is a capacitance, sensing electrodes adjacent to the protective layer or coating, form the capacitance. The electrodes can be arranged as selectable interdigitated comb structures, so that the protective layer or coating extends in between the teeth of the comb structures.
US08138759B2 System for adjusting a magnetic field for MR and other use
An MR magnetic field inhomogeneity compensation system acquires multiple MR data sets representing luminance intensity values of individual image elements comprising corresponding multiple different image versions of at least a portion of a first imaging slice of patient anatomy including fat and water components. The compensation system employs the multiple MR data sets in solving corresponding multiple simultaneous nonlinear equations to calculate local frequency offset associated with magnetic field inhomogeneity at the individual image element location, for an individual image element of the image elements. The local frequency offset comprises a difference between proton spin frequency at the location and a nominal proton spin frequency. The compensation system derives data representing an electrical signal to be applied to magnetic field generation coils to substantially compensate for determined offset frequencies at the plurality of individual locations. A magnetic field generation coil generates a magnetic field in response to applying the electrical signal to substantially compensate for the magnetic field inhomogeneity at the individual image element location.
US08138757B2 Manufacturing method for magnetic sensor and lead frame therefor
A magnetic sensor is constituted using magnetic sensor chips mounted on stages supported by interconnecting members and a frame having leads in a lead frame. Herein, the stages are inclined upon plastic deformation of the interconnecting members. When the frame is held in a metal mold and the stages are pressed, the interconnecting members are elastically deformed, so that the magnetic sensor chips are bonded onto the stages placed substantially in the same plane and are then wired with the leads. Thereafter, the stages are released from pressure, so that the interconnecting members are restored from the elastically deformed states thereof. When the magnetic sensor chips are combined together to realize three sensing directions, it is possible to accurately measure three-dimensional bearings of magnetism, and the magnetic sensor can be reduced in dimensions and manufactured with a reduced cost thereof.
US08138750B2 Integrated electronic circuit
Disclosed is an integrated electronic circuit comprising a core circuit that generates a useful signal as well as a buffer for storing the useful signal. The buffer stores the last read value of the useful signal for a predetermined period of time when the power supply is interrupted, and the buffer is disconnected from the power supply of the other circuits.
US08138743B2 Band-gap reference voltage source circuit with switchable bias voltage
A band-gap reference voltage source circuit is constituted of a diode-pair circuit connected to a reference voltage output terminal, a first differential amplifier including a first transistor and a first operational amplifier, and a second differential amplifier including a second transistor and a second operational amplifier. The second differential amplifier operates based on a bias voltage, which is lower than a predetermined voltage, so as to forcedly pull up the level of the reference voltage output terminal via the second transistor before the first differential amplifier starts to pull up the level of the reference voltage output terminal up to the predetermined voltage via the first transistor.
US08138739B1 Circuits and methods for improving transient response of hysteretic DC-DC converters
A hysteretic DC-DC converter includes an observer circuit configured to generate an observer control signal for injection into the control loop of the converter. The observer circuit may be configured to differentiate the output voltage of the converter to generate a differentiated output voltage. A transconductance amplifier may be configured to output the observer control signal from the differentiated output voltage. The observer control signal may be injected into the control loop in a summing node.
US08138738B2 Method for regulating supply voltage
According to the method for regulating the supply voltage of an electronic circuit a regulating element with variable resistivity and the outer supply voltage being applied to an input terminal of said regulating element is controlled by an amplified difference between a reference voltage and a part of a regulated supply voltage whereat at first an instant, on which the regulating circuit and the electronic circuit start operating, is detected, and then such value of the reference voltage is set on said instant that the regulated supply voltage will equal a maximum allowable supply voltage of the electronic circuit and the supplied electronic circuit puts itself in a state of a maximum current consumption. Then an operating voltage drop across said regulating element is measured at regular time intervals and the reference voltage is then each time reduced by one degree until said operating voltage drop is below or equals a chosen most appropriate value of said operating voltage drop. The supplied electronic circuit puts itself in a state of a normal current consumption when said operating voltage drop has exceeded the chosen most appropriate value of said voltage drop. According to a variant embodiment the operating voltage drop is then uninterruptedly measured and, if its value decreases below a chosen minimum value of said operating voltage drop due to a disturbance in the outer supply voltage, a flag is set in a memory in the case of a disturbance potentially dangerous to the electronic circuit.
US08138734B2 Accurate current limit for peak current mode DC-DC converter
A DC-DC converter includes a switching stage and a control circuit coupled to provide an accurate current limit for peak current mode for the DC-DC converter. The control circuit is operative to provide a peak value of the peak current mode.
US08138732B2 DCR sense for a COT power converter
A DCR sense scheme is provided to sense the inductor current of a COT power converter. The DCR sense is implemented by using the direct current resistance of the output inductor of the COT power converter, and thus eliminates the ESR limitations on the type of output capacitors for stability concern. A quick response mechanism is further incorporated in the COT power converter to speed up the transient response of the COT power converter.
US08138728B2 Method and apparatus for controlling electric power generation for vehicles
The present invention provides, as one aspect, an apparatus for controlling electric power generation for vehicles, which controls energization of an excitation winding of a generator driven by an internal-combustion engine controlled by a controller to control output voltage of the generator. The apparatus includes a restraining unit that restrains electric power generation of the generator in response to a given signal, and a releasing unit the releases the restraint by the restraining unit when generated voltage of the generator is equal to or less than a first predetermined value. The apparatus further includes a detecting unit that detects starting of the internal-combustion engine, a measuring unit that measures elapsed time from the detection of the starting by the detecting unit, and a prohibiting unit that prohibits the release of the restraint by the releasing unit until a predetermined time is measured by the measuring unit.
US08138722B2 Activating an information handling system battery from a ship mode
In some embodiments, a method for activating an information handling system battery without using AC power is provided. One or more switches associated with a battery are maintained in a ship mode state during shipping of the information handling system such that the battery remains disconnected from particular information handling system components during shipping. In response to a user input, a power-on device generates and communicates a power-on signal to a battery management unit (BMU) of the battery. In response to receiving the power-on signal, the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, which connects the battery to the particular information handling system components. The power-on device generates and communicates the power-on signal to the BMU, and the BMU activates the one or more switches from the ship mode state, while the information handling system is not connected to any AC power source.
US08138721B2 Battery pack and charging method for the same
A battery pack and a charging method for the same. The battery pack automatically regulates the full-charge voltage of a battery according to deterioration of lifespan of the battery. The battery pack includes: a rechargeable battery having a positive electrode and negative electrode; a switching module having a charge switching device and discharge switching device electrically connected to a high-current path of the battery; and a battery management unit electrically connected to the switching module to control the charge switching device and discharge switching device, electrically connected to the battery to measure an open-circuit voltage and a use time of the battery, determining whether the battery is deteriorated with reference to at least one of the open-circuit voltage and the use time of the battery, and setting a full-charge voltage of the battery when the deterioration of the battery is determined.
US08138714B1 Portable hybrid multi-input remote AA battery chargers
A portable hybrid multi-input remote AA battery charger is provided that can recharge as many as four (4) AA batteries at once within 100 minutes. This invention's battery charger for rechargeable batteries can also be powered by a number of the currently available military batteries such as the BA-8180, BA-8140, BA-5590, BA-5390, BB-390, BB-2590, and SP4 batteries. The portable hybrid multi-input remote AA battery charger includes a battery chamber, slots for the AA batteries, a charging circuit, a housing, and a pair of power source connectors. A portable hybrid multi-input remote AA battery charger apparatus and a method for charging AA rechargeable batteries with a portable hybrid multi-input remote AA battery charger are also provided.
US08138709B2 Control method and system
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an induction-motor controller that has a motor controller configured to receive alternating current (AC) power with a voltage that varies generally sinusoidally and transmit the AC power during a conduction angle of a cycle of the AC power. In some embodiments, the conduction angle varies generally sinusoidally at a lower frequency than the AC power, and the motor controller may be configured to not transmit the AC power outside of the conduction angle.
US08138708B2 Closed-loop motor driver compensation
A control loop circuit for use in a closed-loop control system that controls a system such as a linear motor is presented. The control loop circuit includes a lead-lag compensator that features a lead compensation network configured to reduce output noise without substantially changing the effect of the lead compensation in the control system's frequency response.
US08138705B2 Circuit arrangement and method for controlling an electric load
A circuit arrangement for controlling an electrical load is provided with a bridge circuit which comprises four electronic switches with the load arranged in a transverse leg of the bridge circuit. A control circuit has respective control terminals for the four electronic switches. The control terminal for the first electronic switch is connected to the control terminal for the fourth electronic switch by means of a series connection consisting of a first capacitor and a first resistance, and the control terminal for the third electronic switch is connected to the control terminal for the second electronic switch by means of a series connection consisting of a second capacitor and a second resistance.
US08138704B2 Methods and systems for detecting current sensor error
Methods and systems are provided for controlling an electric motor in a vehicle. A method comprises measuring current associated with a first phase of the electric motor using a first current sensor resulting in a measured first phase current and measuring current associated with a second phase of the electric motor using a second current sensor resulting in a measured second phase current. The method further comprises determining a target value for the measured second phase current based on a value corresponding to a peak current for the first phase and identifying a current sensor error based on a difference between the measured second phase current and the target value.
US08138702B2 Control method and motorstarter device
A method for controlling an electric motor with a softstarter. A softstarter device for control of electric motors. Motor torque is controlled in dependence of a torque error signal, based on a calculated difference between the motor torque and a reference torque value, so that the motor torque displays a rate of change with respect to time, during a stopping or starting time interval, that is adapted to follow a rate of change of the reference torque value, with respect to time, that varies between at least a first part of the time interval and a second part of the time interval, and thereby changing the speed of the motor. A system includes an electric motor, a device driven by the electric motor and a softstarter device for controlling the electric motor. A computer program product includes a computer readable medium and a computer program recorded thereon.
US08138700B2 Synchronous rectification device and synchronous electric machine implementing the device
The invention pertains to a synchronous rectification device (10) of the H-bridge type supplying a coil (5) of a phase of a synchronous machine, comprising four switches (21, 31, 22, 32) disposed on the electrical links (11, 12) of this H-bridge and intended to be instructed by an electronic circuit (40), characterized in that each switch comprises at least one transistor (T1) instructed by the electronic circuit (40).
US08138696B2 Dipolar axial compression permanent magnet motor
The present invention relates to a system and a method for improving the use of energy in an electric motor by inducing currents generated from magnets that result in an increase of primary power and creating, directing and introducing a counter current obtained from primary coils of the motor into a resonant LC circuit which is introduced as a transient secondary process to increase the overall efficiency of the motor. Furthermore, this motor produces rotational torque without using alternating magnet polarity, but rather magnetic compression that utilizes permanent magnets arranged in a dipolar manner around an axial plane.
US08138694B2 Bidirectional buck-boost power converters
A bidirectional buck-boost power converter 13 including a pair of inverter modules 14, 15 disposed at an output of a machine, and an inductor Lo connected between the pair of inverter modules 14, 15. A method for controlling a voltage output of a machine starter generator having an inverter rectifier and bidirectional buck-boost converter, includes outputting a dc voltage controlled by bidirectional buck-boost pulse width modulation (PWM) switching control, when the starter generator is in a generator mode.
US08138689B2 Lighting control console for controlling a lighting system
Embodiments of the invention relate to a lighting control console for controlling a lighting system, wherein digital control commands are generated in the lighting control console and can be transmitted via data links to the lighting devices of the lighting system, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one housing, in which the hardware components are arranged with protection against external influences, and wherein the lighting control console includes a plurality of operating elements, particularly keys, slide controls and/or rotary controls, which are arranged on the upper side of the housing and may be used for entering operating commands, and wherein the lighting control console includes at least one display device on which a user interface can be displayed.
US08138686B2 Current regulator and method for efficiency improvement of a LED display system
For efficiency improvement of a LED display system including a charge pump and a LED connected to either the voltage input terminal or the voltage output terminal of the charge pump, either one or both of two current regulators are enabled according to a voltage detected from the LED, for establishing a driving current for the LED. When the detected voltage is higher than a threshold, the first one of the current sources is enabled sole. When the detected voltage is lower than the threshold, the second one of the current sources is enabled sole, or both the current sources are enabled, or the current sources are alternatively enabled.
US08138685B2 Power converting circuit and controller thereof
A controller which receives electric power required for operating through a driving voltage terminal and controls a converting circuit to convert an input voltage into an output voltage is provided. The controller is latched to stop providing a part or all of functions until the input voltage is removed. Therefore, the issues of the converting circuit in related arts in shortened life-span and safety of users due to can be avoided in the present invention.
US08138684B2 Discharge lamp lighting device, control method thereof, and projector
A discharge lamp lighting device includes: a power control circuit outputting DC current; an AC conversion circuit being supplied with the DC current and generating and outputting discharge-lamp driving AC current by inverting the polarity of the DC current at a predetermined time; and a control unit performing a duty ratio control process of controlling a duty ratio on the basis of a polarity inversion time of the discharge-lamp driving AC current on the AC conversion circuit and performing an interval current control process of controlling a current value of the DC current every polarity inversion time interval on the power control circuit. Here, the control unit performs the interval current control process so as to control a difference between an average value and a maximum value of the DC current of each polarity inversion time interval on the basis of a difference between the duty ratio and a predetermined reference duty ratio.
US08138674B2 Phosphor layer and plasma display panel using the same
A plasma display panel has heights of barrier ribs prevented from abnormally increasing at positions where a phosphor dispensing process starts and ends, improving discharge performance and uniformity of a panel. A front substrate and a rear substrate face each other. Address electrodes and display electrodes extend separately from each other in a first direction and a second direction, respectively, in a space between the front substrate and the rear substrate, the first direction crossing the second direction. Barrier ribs partition a display area including a plurality of discharge cells in the space between the front substrate and the rear substrate. A non-display area is formed along a periphery of the display area. A phosphor layer is formed in each discharge cell. The non-display area includes a buffer area formed of at least a single region outside the display area.
US08138670B2 Light-emitting device and method of manufacturing the same, and method of operating manufacturing apparatus
The inventors have anticipated that there is no problem in employing electron gun deposition as a method of forming a metallic layer on an EL layer of an active matrix light-emitting device because the TFT of the active matrix light-emitting device is disposed below the EL layer. However, since the TFT is extremely sensitive to ionized evaporated particles, the secondary electron, the reflecting electron, and so on generated by the electron gun, while little damage is observed on the EL layer, significant damage is found on the TFT when electron gun deposition is employed. The invention provides an active matrix light-emitting device having superior TFT characteristics (ON current, OFF to current, Vth, S-value, and so on), in which an organic compound layer and a metallic layer (cathode or anode) are formed by means of resistive heating having least influence to the TFT.
US08138655B2 Electrostatic actuator with electrodes having varying distances at different portions
An electrostatic actuator includes first and second lower electrodes formed apart from each other above a substrate, an electrode portion formed above the first and second lower electrodes and first and second upper electrodes, a distance between the first upper electrode and the first lower electrode at a first portion being greater than that at a second portion, a distance between the second upper electrode and the second lower electrode at a third portion being greater than that at a fourth portion, a first boundary portion between the first and third upper electrodes having a convex shape, a second boundary portion between the second and third upper electrodes having a convex shape, and the electrode portion driving the third upper electrode, and first and second layers formed in the first and second boundary portions.
US08138642B2 Oil cooled generator
A rotor for a dynamoelectric machine may include a rotor shaft having a first shaft and a second shaft within the first shaft. The two shafts include discharge orifices for communicating a cooling fluid through the machine. A rotor core of the machine includes a lamination having an annular portion that circumscribes an open center, a plurality of pole portions extending outwardly from the annular portion, and coil winding regions adjacent to the pole portions. One or more channels extend between the open center and the coil winding regions to communicate a cooling fluid. Coil windings of the machine may be at least partially encased in insulators. Each insulator may include a fluid entry orifice located between the insulator ends to communicate a cooling fluid. An end plate of the machine may include fluid discharge outlets for communicating cooling fluid received from the coil windings.