Document	Document Title
US08185960B1	System and method for managing access to adapter features Methods and systems for managing access to a host bus adapter (“HBA”). One embodiment includes licensable features stored in a feature module of the HBA. A user can access the licensable features after gaining permission.
US08185950B2	Image forming apparatus, method for management of authenticating information and computer readable medium storing program thereof An information forming apparatus includes: a communication unit that carries out data communication with an authentication card inserted into a card slot; an authentication unit that authenticates that a user who attempts to operate the apparatus is an authorized user by sending entered authenticating information to the authentication card; a storing unit that stores the entered authenticating information; and a process execution unit that, when a process is invoked that requires input of authenticating information to the authentication card, executes the process using the authenticating information stored in the storing unit.
US08185949B2	UPnP CDS user profile In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a hierarchy of authentication folders configured in a control directory server (CDS) of a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) network, a personal identification number (PIN) code associated with a user and comprising of identifiers, and non-public media content organized in the CDS to provide selective service to users, where the non-public media content is made accessible to the user when the user is authenticated with a selection of the hierarchy of authentication folders.
US08185945B1	Systems and methods for selectively requesting certificates during initiation of secure communication sessions An exemplary method involves an SSL server receiving an SSL session request from an SSL client. It is determined whether the SSL client is going to use certificate-based authentication. This may involve identifying a port at which the SSL session request was received. Alternatively, this may involve identifying an IP address at which the SSL session request was received. Alternatively still, this may involve examining authentication information in the SSL session request. If the SSL client is going to use certificate-based authentication, a certificate is requested from the SSL client. If the SSL client is not going to use certificate-based authentication, the certificate is not requested from the SSL client.
US08185944B2	High-assurance file-driven content filtering for secure network server A server for transferring data between networks. The server is programmed to perform the following steps: (a) creating a receiving process, a filtering process and a forwarding process, the filtering process being dictated by a file that specifies filtering rules, wherein: (b) the receiving process receives data transmitted from a source host; (c) the filtering process filters the transmitted data based on the filtering rules; and (d) the forwarding process forwards only filtered data to a destination host.
US08185941B2	System and method of tamper-resistant control A method of tamper-resistant control comprising reading a flag of an electronic device with firmware, the flag indicating a provision enable/disable state of the electronic device and provisioning a management processor of the electronic device to facilitate communications between the management processor and a server in response to reading the flag indicating a provision enable/disable state.
US08185939B2	Login control for multiple applications A method of controlling login requirements of a plurality of peripheral device applications includes defining one of the peripheral device applications as a master application, with all other peripheral device applications being slave applications, enabling the master application to obtain login information from an operator, and enabling at least one of the slave applications to seek login information from the master application and, if the login information is not available for the slave application, enabling the slave application to obtain login information under the control of the master application by executing a slave login process.
US08185935B2	Method and apparatus for dynamic home address assignment by home agent in multiple network interworking A method and apparatus for dynamic home address assignment by a home agent in multiple network interworking. The invention provides a method and apparatus send a key authorization request from a mobile station to a network device, the request indicating that the mobile station wishes to use a foreign agent care-of address to continue to receive data. The network device assigns a temporary address to the mobile station and creates a security policy database for the mobile station. The mobile station receives agent advertisements from foreign agents that may be able to provide service. The mobile station registers with a foreign agent. The network device then modifies the security policy database to reflect the information of the foreign agent. The Home Agent then assigns a home address to the mobile station and the network device updates the security policy database to include only the mobile device's home address as a selector.
US08185930B2	Adjusting filter or classification control settings Methods and systems for adjusting control settings associated with filtering or classifying communications to a computer or a network. The adjustment of the control settings can include adjustment of policy and/or security settings associated with the computer or network. Ranges associated with the control settings can also be provided in some implementations.
US08185929B2	Program viewing apparatus and method The present invention relates to improvements in program viewing apparatus and methods, some of which are now commonly referred to as personal video recorder (PVR) and program guide features in television sets, set top boxes and other video devices. The invention provides for a user display such as a flat panel program display device, a user remote for the user to control operations and features, program data storage for storing programs and related information, removable data storage for storing programs and related information on removable storage media. Also included is a data manager which functions include response to the user's desires via the user remote to control receiving and storing programs and select received or stored programs to be displayed on the user display device. The data manager may also be responsive to receive, store and display other services such as programming guide services to provide enhanced program viewing and storage management as directed by the user.
US08185926B1	System and method for providing media stream related applications The invention provides a system and method for providing media streams, the method include the steps of: receiving live media streams at a first path; providing a live media stream from the first path to a client, in response to a request to provide the live media stream to the client; and retrieving media related information and providing a non-live media stream from a second path to a client, in response to a request to provide the live media stream to the client.
US08185918B2	Method and system for managing access to add-on data files A method and system for managing access to add-on data files having an add-on data file attribute, which is used by a software application. The method: monitors input/output commands of the software application to an application programming interface of a code layer to determine whether an access to a data file with the add-on data file attribute is requested by the software application; checks whether an access code for the add-on data file is present in an access code list related to the software application if at least one of the monitored input/output commands request access to the add-on data file, if the access code is not present in the access control list; retrieves the access code from an external source outside of the access control list; and provides access to the add-on data file if the access code is present.
US08185902B2	Method, system and computer program for distributing a plurality of jobs to a plurality of computers Method and system for providing a mechanism for determining an optimal workload distribution, from a plurality of candidate workload distributions, each of which has been determined to optimize a particular aspect of a workload-scheduling problem. More particularly, the preferred embodiment determines a workload distribution based on resource selection policies. From this workload distribution, the preferred embodiment optionally determines a workload distribution based on job priorities. From either or both of the above parameters, the preferred embodiment determines a workload distribution based on a total prioritized weight parameter. The preferred embodiment also determines a workload distribution which attempts to match the previously determined candidate workload distributions to a goal distribution. Similarly, the preferred embodiment calculates a further workload distribution which attempts to maximize job throughput.
US08185896B2	Method for data processing using a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture A method 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.
US08185890B2	Method and device for implementing a downloadable software delivery system A method and device implementing a downloadable operatively connected to a plurality of gaming machines either by a direct communications link or through the use of one or more site controllers or PCs. Each gaming machine and site controller or PC contains two executable spaces, one of which typically contains the software image currently being implemented by the device. The other executable space is designated to receive from the central system a new software image that will be utilized by the device. The central system transfers a new image to be executed, via packet encrypted communications, to a networked device which stores the image in an executable space, while continuing to run the currently designated image. Upon instruction from the central system, the device switches over to the new image, allowing one or more machines to implement a software upgrade on a continuous basis.
US08185885B2	Providing recovery data for program code A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing recovery data for program code. A first version of an object code module is received. A second version of the object code module is received, the second version being a subsequent version to the first version. A unique identifier is inserted in the second version, wherein the unique identifier indicates a location of recovery data. First difference data representing a difference between the second version and the first version is calculated. The first difference data is stored as the recovery data. The first difference data is stored within the second version of the object code module at the location. The unique identifier indicates a location of the recovery data.
US08185880B2	Optimizing heap memory usage This disclosure provides a computing system and method to profile a program for finding potential optimization in heap usage by reducing lag and drag in lifetimes of heap memory blocks. The process consists of three steps. First, an instrumentation engine analyzes a given program, and inserts additional code at interesting locations to collect needed information. Second, when the instrumented program is executed on a set of test cases, runtime data is collected. Third, since this data could be relatively large for a complex and long running program, data is processed to present it to a user in useful ways so that the programmer can improve the heap utilization in the program.
US08185873B2	System and method for using a preprocessor to determine dependencies between J2EE components A system and method for using a preprocessor to determine dependencies between J2EE components. The preprocessor can analyze a running J2EE application, and look at the deployment descriptor information associated with that application. The levels of indirection within the deployed application are followed to determine the actual configuration information used to deploy the application on a first application server. This configuration information can then be parsed, communicated, or otherwise output to a system administrator or software developer, or in some embodiments directly to a second application server, and used to deploy the application on that second application server.
US08185860B2	Method for matching timing on high fanout signal paths using routing guides A method, algorithm, software, architecture and/or system for routing signal paths or connections between circuit blocks in a circuit design is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of routing can include: (i) determining a signal path between at least three circuit blocks; (ii) placing a routing guide; and (iii) routing the signal path through the routing guide such that a timing of a signal along the signal path at two or more the circuit blocks is substantially matched. The circuit blocks can include standard cells configured to implement a logic or timing function, other components, and/or integrated circuits, for example. The routing guide can include a splitter configured to branch the signal path into at least two associated segments. Embodiments of the present invention can advantageously improve signal timing for high fanout signal paths between circuit blocks in an automated place-and-route flow.
US08185856B2	Manufacturing method, manufacturing program and manufacturing system for adjusting signal delay in a semiconductor device The present of the invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including the steps of: acquiring information on a graphic composing a physical layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit; carrying out calculation for a transferred image in the physical layout; carrying out calculation for a signal delay based on the physical layout, and obtaining a wiring not meeting a specification having the signal delay previously set therein; and setting a portion into which a repeater is to be inserted based on at least one result of results obtained from the information on the graphic and calculation for the transferred image, respectively, with respect to the wiring not meeting the specification.
US08185853B2	Transforming variable domains for linear circuit analysis Embodiments in the present disclosure pertain to domain translators. A domain translator converts a variable from one domain to a different domain. Domains include, but are not limited to, voltage, current, frequency, phase, delay, and duty-cycle. In particular, domain translators enable conversion between standard voltage and current domains commonly used by circuit simulators to other domains such as frequency, phase, delay, duty-cycle, etc., so that linear analysis can be performed on a wide range of circuits that exhibit linear behavior in domains other than voltage and current.
US08185852B2	Performing minimization of input count during structural netlist overapproximation A method for performing verification is disclosed. The method includes selecting a set of gates to add to a first localization netlist and forming a refinement netlist. A min-cut is computed with sinks having one or more gates in the refinement netlist and sources comprising one or more inputs of an original netlist and one or more registers registers of the original netlist which are not part of the refinement netlist. A final localized netlist is obtained by adding one or more gates to the refinement netlist to grow the refinement netlist until reaching one or more cut-gates of the min-cut.
US08185845B2	Arrangement, method and computer program for controlling a computer apparatus based on eye-tracking A computer based eye-tracking solution is disclosed. A computer apparatus is associated with one or more graphical displays (GUI components) that may be manipulated based on user-generated commands. An event engine is adapted to receive an eye-tracking data signal that describes a user's point of regard on the display. Based on the signal, the event engine is adapted to produce a set of non-cursor controlling event output signals, which influence the GUI-components. Each non-cursor controlling event output signal describes a particular aspect of the user's ocular activity in respect of the display. Initially, the proposed event engine receives a control signal request from each of the GUI-components. The control signal request defines a sub-set of the set of non-cursor controlling event output signals which is required by the particular GUI-component. The event engine delivers non-cursor controlling event output signals to the GUI-components in accordance with each respective control signal request.
US08185836B2	Display, visualization, and processing tool for channel distortion and cell friction mitigation An apparatus generating a graphical image of a core of a boiling water reactor (BWR) using at least one data set of channel deformation data including: a computer system including a display device for presenting the graphical image and a processor generating the graphical image using the at least one data set; the graphical image of the core includes symbolic representations of control blades arranged in the core, indicia identify each control blade, and indicia regarding deformation of channels adjacent each control blade, and a viewer software tool executed by the processor which accesses the at least one data set and determines a location in the core of the control blades and channels, and correlates the deformation data with the channels for display on the graphical image.
US08185830B2	Configuring a content document for users and user groups A computer-implemented system and method to distribute a content document with security, customization, and scalability is provided. One or more servers provides a customizable content document associated with a first entity, enables a second entity to specify content to be included for users associated with the entity in the customizable content document, and delivers the customized content document incorporating the specified content in a secure manner to users associated with the second entity.
US08185825B2	Hiding search box based on search provider settings The display of a search box within a toolbar is controlled based on the search provider settings of search box native to an application or operating system, such as a search box natively provider by a web browser. The search box is maintained within the toolbar when the search provider for the native search box differs from the toolbar search provider. The search box may be removed or “hidden” from the toolbar when the search provider for the native search box is the same as the toolbar search provider.
US08185822B2	Image application performance optimization Some embodiments provide a method that from a source external to a device, imports a first image and a lower resolution second image that corresponds to the first image into the device. The method assigns the second image as a temporary preview of the first image. The method generates a preview third image for the first image. In some embodiments, the method further selects the first image for display before generating the preview third image. The selecting causes the temporary preview image to be displayed as a preview of the first image. In some embodiments, the method further selects the first image for display after generating the preview third image. The selecting causes the preview third image to be displayed as a preview of the first image.
US08185811B2	Robust joint erasure marking viterbi algorithm decoder Joint erasure marking Viterbi algorithm (JEVA), decoder schemes, methods, and systems are provided which perform robust trellis decoder techniques. The provided JEVA decoding schemes are shown to be maximum likelihood decoding schemes that find the most likely transmitted code sequence with a set of symbol erasures, without knowledge of the impulsive noise probability distribution function, and can be implemented sequentially such that they are well suited for dynamically changing impulsive noise channels. In addition, the disclosed details enable various refinements and modifications according to decoder and system design considerations. For example, truncated JEVA is provided for continuous transmission and long frame applications.
US08185804B2	Apparatus and method for error correction in mobile wireless applications incorporating multi-level and adaptive erasure data A receiver (120) is configured to receive data over a communications link. A decapsulator (122) is coupled to the receiver and configured to create datagrams and erasure attributes associated with the datagrams. A decoder (124) is coupled to the decapsulator and configured to store the datagrams in a frame table and track the progression thereof to create codewords, the decoder storing the datagrams in table columns to create codewords in table rows, and configured to store the erasure attributes in an erasure table. A user interlace (126) is coupled to the decoder and configured to render images corresponding with the datagrams on the user interface. Advantages of the invention include improved signal reception and processing, and prolonged battery life in mobile wireless devices.
US08185793B2	Data reproducing apparatus A data reproducing apparatus has a nonvolatile memory in addition to a memory for data processing. When data error is uncorrected, data and error correction codes other than uncorrected data are accumulated in the memory for data processing. Corrected data is coupled and repaired, and the repaired data is stored in the nonvolatile memory. It is possible to reproduce data without retry, even if data error is uncorrected when the data of an optical disc is reproduced at the next time.
US08185791B2	Providing tuning limits for operational parameters in data processing apparatus Tuning limits are set for operational parameters in a processing stage within a data processing apparatus for processing a signal and outputting it at an output time. If a signal output between the output time and a predetermined time later does not have a stable value, the predetermined time later being before a next output time, an error is signaled. A tuning circuit adjusts an operational parameter of the processing stage in accordance with a tuning limit. A signal passing along a critical path of the processing stage tuned to the tuning limit is expected to reach the output of the processing stage at a preset time later than the output time, the preset time being less than the predetermined time.
US08185788B2	Semiconductor device test system with test interface means A semiconductor device test system has an interface for use with a semiconductor device test method, and a semiconductor device test method. In a first mode of an interface, in reaction to test signals corresponding to a test standard, for example, a JTAG test standard, and received by the interface from a test device, the interface outputs signals corresponding to the test standard to a semiconductor device to be tested. In a second mode of the interface, in reaction to test signals corresponding to the test standard and received by the interface from a test device, the interface outputs signals that do not correspond to the test standard to a semiconductor device to be tested.
US08185784B2	Drive health monitoring with provisions for drive probation state and drive copy rebuild The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for monitoring drive health.A method for monitoring drive health may comprise: a) conducting a predictive fault analysis for at least one drive of a RAID; and b) copying data from the at least one drive of the RAID to a replacement drive according to the predictive fault analysis.A system for monitoring drive health may comprise: a) means for conducting a predictive fault analysis for at least one drive of a RAID; and b) means for copying data from the at least one drive of the RAID to a replacement drive according to the predictive fault analysis.
US08185780B2	Visually marking failed components Methods, apparatus, and products for visually marking computing components within a computing system are disclosed that include: detecting that a particular computing component has failed, wherein the particular computing component has a physical surface that may be altered with the application of some physical stimulus; and applying a requisite physical stimulus to the physical surface such that the appearance of the physical service is altered, thereby visually identifying that the component has failed.
US08185777B2	Network storage appliance with integrated server and redundant storage controllers A network storage appliance is disclosed. The appliance includes a chassis enclosing a backplane, and a server enclosed in the chassis and coupled to the backplane. The appliance also includes storage controllers enclosed in the chassis, each coupled to the backplane, which control transfer of data between the server and storage devices coupled to the storage controllers. The storage controllers also control transfer of data between the storage devices and computers networked to the appliance and external to the appliance. The storage controllers and the server comprise a plurality of hot-replaceable blades. Any one of the plurality of blades may be replaced during operation of the appliance without loss of access to the storage devices by the computers. In one embodiment, the server executes storage application software, such as backup software for backing up data on the storage devices, such as to a tape device networked to the server.
US08185767B2	Automatic management of a power state of a device with network connections Embodiments provide a process and system for automatic management of networked devices based on the state of the network connection. The process automatically manages the power state of a networked computerized device according to a trigger event that corresponds to the state of an attached network connection. The network connection of an attached networked device is monitored for a pre-defined trigger event. Once a trigger event has been observed, the power state of the attached network device is managed to correspond to the trigger event.
US08185766B2	Hierarchical power management with hot mode Methods, systems, apparatuses and program products are disclosed for providing power/energy control.HPM (Hierarchical Power Management) systems provide for and improve on the power management support beyond what is available in current PC notebooks and desktops.
US08185763B2	Method of and apparatus for informing user about setting state of wake-on-LAN function An apparatus for informing a user about a setting state of a Wake-on-LAN (WOL) function includes a WOL-setting determining module to determine a setting state of a WOL function of an information-processing device, and a WOL-setting display module to inform a user of the information-processing device about the setting state of the WOL function during a shutdown of a system of the information-processing device.
US08185759B1	Methods and systems for interfacing bus powered devices with host devices providing limited power levels Various techniques are provided for interfacing external devices with host computer systems. In one example, hard drive parameters may be retrieved from a nonvolatile memory of an external hard drive enclosure device in order to register the external device with a host device while the host device provides a low power level to the external device. Following registration of the external device, the host device may provide a high power level to the external device to operate the registered external device. The hard drive parameters may be stored in the nonvolatile memory by a provider of the external device. In another example, the hard drive parameters may be loaded into the nonvolatile memory by appropriate software running on the host device. In yet another example, the external device may read the hard drive parameters from the hard drive while emulating another external device.
US08185745B2	Detection of frequent and dispersed invariants A scalable method and apparatus that detects frequent and dispersed invariants is disclosed. More particularly, the application discloses a system that can simultaneously track frequency rates and dispersion criteria of unknown invariants. In other words, the application discloses an invariant detection system implemented in hardware (and/or software) that allows detection of invariants (e.g., byte sequences) that are highly prevalent (e.g., repeating with a high frequency) and dispersed (e.g., originating from many sources and destined to many destinations).
US08185736B2	File transfer system for direct transfer between computers A file authentication requesting device that stores a computer program for requesting authentication of files in digital systems, the device comprises a confirmation request system that generates a request for a confirmation receipt from a third party authenticator authenticating the attributes of a file; a transferring system that transfers attributes of at least one file to be authenticated to the third party authenticator from the device that requested the confirmation; and a receiving system that receives the confirmation receipt comprising authenticated file attributes, after authentication by the third party authenticator; wherein, at least one file authentication is received from the third party authenticator. Corresponding processing devices, media, systems and methods are also provided.
US08185724B2	Monitoring values of signals within an integrated circuit An integrated circuit, and method of reviewing values of one or more signals occurring within that integrated circuit, are provided. The integrated circuit comprises processing logic for executing a program, and monitoring logic for reviewing values of one or more signals occurring within the integrated circuit as a result of execution of the program. The monitoring logic stores configuration data, which can be software programmed in relation to the signals to be monitored. Further, the monitoring logic makes use of a Bloom filter which, for a value to be reviewed, performs a hash operation on that value in order to reference the configuration data to determine whether that value is either definitely not a value within the range or is potentially a value within the range of values. If the value is determined to be within the set of values, then a trigger signal is generated which can be used to trigger a further monitoring process.
US08185720B1	Processor block ASIC core for embedding in an integrated circuit A hardwired core is embedded in an integrated circuit having programmable circuitry. The hardwired core has a microprocessor; a crossbar interconnect coupled to processor local buses of the microprocessor; and a memory controller interface coupled to the crossbar interconnect. The crossbar interconnect provides pipelines for coupling the hardwired core to the programmable circuitry. The microprocessor, the crossbar interconnect, and the memory controller interface are all capable of operating at a first frequency of operation, and the memory controller interface is further capable of being set to operate at a second frequency of operation having an integer ratio with respect to the first frequency of operation. The crossbar interconnect is configured to direct transactions initiated by the microprocessor to the memory controller interface for accessing one or more memory devices coupled to the memory controller interface via a memory controller. Additional or other interfaces may be coupled to the crossbar interconnect.
US08185717B2	Apparatus and method for profiling software performance on a processor with non-unique virtual addresses A system includes a processor with a memory map specifying a user mode region with virtual address translation by a memory management unit and a kernel mode region with direct virtual address translation. The processor executes an application in the user mode region where virtual addresses are not unique. A probe receives trace information from the processor. A host system receives the trace information from the probe. The host system includes a data structure associating a process name, a process identification and a set of instruction counters. Each instruction counter is incremented upon the processing of a designated virtual address within the trace information. A profiling module processes information associated with the process name and set of instruction counters to identify a performance problem in the application.
US08185712B2	System and method for intelligent storage migration The present invention relates to a methodology and computer program product for data storage migration that comprises monitoring a plurality of entities that comprise a storage area network for a predetermined set of information gathering cycles, constructing a resource graph that is representative of the entities that are comprised within the storage area network, and analyzing the resource graph. Further comprised are the determining of a data storage source and a data storage target for the migration of data stored at the data storage source, determining a time period and an execution point for the migration of the stored data, determining a data migration schedule, migrating the stored data according to the determined data migration schedule, and monitoring the data migration operation until the completion of the data migration operation.
US08185708B2	Host implementation of triangular asynchronous replication Storing recovery data includes a host processor writing data to a local storage device, the host processor causing the local storage device to accumulate chunks of data corresponding to writes by the host processor, where each chunk of data represents data written before a first time and after a second time and where the second time for one of the particular chunks of data corresponds to a first time for a subsequent one of the particular chunks of data, transmitting the chunks of data from the local storage device to a remote destination, providing synchronous data from the local storage device to a local destination; and, the host processor causing an indicator to be provided to the local destination in connection with creation of a new chunk of data for storage at the remote destination. The local destination may maintain a plurality of maps, where each of the maps associates synchronous data being provided thereto with a specific chunk of data. In response to receiving an indicator in connection with creation of a new chunk of data, the local destination may point to a new map. There may be two maps or more than two maps.
US08185688B2	Method for managing the address mapping table in a flash memory A method for data management in a flash memory medium is provided in the present invention, The method comprises the following steps: dividing a plurality of blocks of the flash memory medium into two or more sections; generating a section-address-mapping table by scanning logic addresses in the blocks in each section; storing the section-address-mapping table into a backup block in each section; and performing an operation of writing/reading by reading the section-address-mapping table, storing the section-address-mapping table to a RAM, and performing a conversion between a physical address and a logic address based on the section-address-mapping table stored in the RAM. Since the section-address-mapping tables are stored in the backup block in respective sections, when an operation of writing/reading is performed and it is necessary to switch to a section-address-mapping table for a next section, data stored in the next section can be read out based on the section-address-mapping table stored in the backup block in the next section, without needing to scan each block in the next section for generating a new section-address-mapping table dynamically. Therefore, the method of the present invention can save the time for operation and thus achieve effective management on data in the flash memory medium.
US08185682B2	USB 2.0 bi-directional bus channel with boost circuitry A system for allowing a designer to implement Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 in topologies not anticipated by a USB 2.0 specification and with reduced channel losses, the system comprising: a bus channel having a plurality of electrical elements; and a boost circuit connected at a predetermined location on the bus channel; a plurality of USB signals transmitted through the system; wherein edges of the plurality of USB signals are boosted without impacting the bi-directional nature of the bus channel.
US08185676B2	Transitions between ordered and ad hoc I/O request queueing Disclosed is a computer implemented method and apparatus for queuing I/O requests to a pending queue. The I/O device driver sets a maximum ordered queue length for an I/O device driver coupled to a storage device then receives an I/O request from an application. The I/O device driver determines whether the pending queue is sorted and responds to a determination that the pending queue is sorted, determining if queued I/O requests exceed the maximum ordered queue length. Responding to a determination that the pending queue exceeds the maximum ordered queue length, the I/O device driver adds the I/O request based on a high pointer, and points the high pointer to the I/O request.
US08185673B2	Information processing apparatus, and method for controlling the same An information processing apparatus includes an interface, a detector, a manager, a usage interruption unit, and a determination unit. The interface is for connecting to a peripheral device to form a connected peripheral device. The detector is for detecting a connection and a disconnection between the interface and a peripheral device. The manager is for managing device specifying information that specifies the connected peripheral device. The usage interruption unit is for setting a connected peripheral device to a usage interruption state. The determination unit is for determining whether the usage interruption unit set the connected peripheral device to the usage interruption state. The manager may manage a reconnected peripheral device using device information that existed before the connected peripheral device was disconnected from the interface.
US08185657B2	Data generating device A data generating device is installed more upstream than a switching device for switching based on data of a first layer. The data generating device reads forward management information relating to a forwarding process of forward data from data of a second layer higher than the first layer, determines one or more clients corresponding to destinations of the forward data on the basis of the forward management information, and generates the same number of pieces of transmission data as the number of identified clients, and forwards each of the pieces of transmission data to the switching device in order to transmit the transmission data to each of the clients.
US08185655B2	Maximizing diversity in a subset of elements utilizing GRASP with path relinking Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for maximizing diversity in a subset of elements selected from a set of elements are provided. An algorithm that combines the GRASP and path relinking heuristics is utilized to find an approximate solution to a max-min diversity problem modeled from the set of elements. The GRASP heuristic is applied to the set of elements for a number of iterations to generate a set of feasible solutions, and a best solution is determined from the set. The path relinking heuristic is then applied between a pair of solutions in the set of feasible solutions to generate a candidate solution. If the candidate solution is better than the best solution, then the best solution is replaced with the candidate solution, and the process is repeated until the path relinking heuristic has been applied between each pair of solutions in the set of feasible solutions.
US08185650B2	Systems, methods, and computer program products for transmitting and/or receiving media streams A method includes receiving encoded media content, transforming the encoded media content into web page content by dividing the encoded media content into a plurality of web page files formatted as a static web page, and transmitting the web page content over the network in response to a request.
US08185649B2	Subscription propagation in a high performance highly available content-based publish/subscribe system The present invention is directed to a publish/subscribe system containing a plurality of brokers, a plurality of subscribers and plurality of brokers including publisher connecting brokers, intermediate brokers and subscriber connecting brokers. Subscriptions are introduced into the system by the subscribers through associated subscription brokers. New subscriptions are aggregated, assigned a virtual start time and propagated through the system toward the publishers. Each broker maintains subscription information in the form of a directed acyclic graph and a broker vector. Messages are published through the system by the publishers through their associated publisher connecting brokers. Each message is assigned a message vector associating subscriptions to that message. The published messages are routed through the brokers toward the subscribers in accordance with comparisons of message brokers and vector brokers conducted at each broker.
US08185646B2	User authentication for social networks Systems and methods are provided for social networks that can verify that enrolled users are not misrepresenting facts about themselves such as age and gender. Verification can be performed, for example, by reference to biometric templates stored during the user enrollment process. The biometric templates can also be used to authenticate users logging into the social network to prevent user impersonation. The ability of some users to communicate to other users of the social network can be limited to only certified users, and even to those certified users that match a criterion, such as gender or age.
US08185629B2	Access control for M2M devices in a mobile communication network A method of controlling an access to a public mobile communication network by a device for transmission of data is provided. The method comprises the step of accessing the mobile communication network by the device at a predetermined time and date. For this purpose a network traffic load information is transmitted from an entity connected to the mobile communication network to the device. Subsequently the time and date of an access to the mobile communication network by the device is determined with consideration of the received network load information. A corresponding system for controlling an access of a device to a public mobile communication network for transmitting data is also provided.
US08185620B1	Scalable systems management abstraction framework A system and method for scalable systems management where a plurality of devices in a system is managed with a systems management infrastructure. An abstraction layer software application is implemented overlaying the systems management infrastructure for managing task distribution and status gathering for the plurality of devices in the system. A web interface is provided by the software application, the web interface being useable by a user to manage the task distribution and the status gathering. The task distribution may include gateway load balancing, distributing software updates, distributing new software for installation, or distributing software fixes. The status gathering may include performing a hardware inventory scan of a device, performing a software inventory scan of a device, identifying what software is installed on a device, or identifying types of hardware components in a device.
US08185606B2	Email change tracking Illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method, an apparatus and a computer program product for email change tracking. In an illustrative embodiment the computer implemented method comprises receiving an email having an annotation defining an annotated portion within the email to form a received email. The received email is parsed with a first parser, the first parser capable of ignoring the annotated portion to form a parsed first portion and a second parser capable of parsing the annotated portion to form a parsed annotated portion. The first parsed portion and parsed annotated portion are each processed to form a respective result which is combined and displayed, indicating changes to a user.
US08185603B2	Method for accessing a function of a real-world object A method to provide access to Aspects of Aspect Objects from a standard web browser. A web browser sends a request of access to a certain Aspect of an Aspect Object. The request includes a URL address. The URL address specifies the Aspect, the Aspect Object. The method enables the use of thin clients to access Aspects of Aspect Objects representing functions of real world objects connected to a control system.
US08185599B2	Programming techniques for distributed multi-party networks Architecture for programming in a distributed computing environment where different components of a system are owned or controlled by different entities and heterogeneous in terms of resource availability and a willingness to share. Multiple devices can be programmed when a task requires human intervention. Method are described for using a tolerance level provided by the application developer to control the execution of the application instructions at multiple devices with varying resources, and for using an involvement level provided by the sensor or computing device owner for the purpose of automatically adapting the execution of application code at multiple devices to suit the individual owner's willingness to share resources, and the capabilities of resources available with that owner. Code distribution allows an application developed by one entity to be distributed to multiple devices owned by multiple entities, where each of the entities has varying connectivity, resource availability, and sharing willingness.
US08185592B2	Method and program product for preventing distribution of an e-mail message A method and program product for preventing distribution of an e-mail message. The method includes generating an e-mail message to one or more recipients using an e-mail application installed on a sender e-mail client and selecting a non-distribution option provided by a non-distribution plug-in installed on the sender e-mail client. The method further includes encrypting the message using a recipient public key and a plug-in secret key provided by the plug-in before sending the message. Further, the method includes providing a hyperlink to a website for installing a correct version of the plug-in on a recipient e-mail client for decrypting and displaying the message. Moreover, the method includes decrypting the message using a recipient private key and using the plug-in secret key provided by the plug-in and modifying the recipient e-mail client, such that one or more distribution functions are disabled, preventing distribution of the message by the recipient.
US08185585B2	Method for sending an electronic message utilizing connection information and recipient information A method comprises displaying a mail server information screen, and receiving connection information via the mail server information screen. Further, the method comprises displaying an address page, and receiving recipient information via the address page. In addition, the method comprises displaying a content page, and receiving content in the content page. Additionally, an electronic mail message having the content is compiled, and the electronic mail message is sent to a recipient utilizing the connection information and recipient information.
US08185578B2	Client server system and method for executing an application utilizing distributed objects A client connected to a communication network performs an access request to an object. An application server performs an application by an actual object according to the client request. An object pool connected to the client and the application server pools a proxy object corresponding to the actual object and holds the actual object management information. The application server notifies the object pool of an event according to the status change of the application. The object pool automatically updates the actual object management information according to the notification of the event from the application server.
US08185575B2	Apparatus and method for posting a web logging message via a dispatch communication A system for posting web logging (blog) messages, retrieving blog messages, and being notified of the posting of blog messages by way of dispatch communications. The system includes a wireless communication system capable of setting up dispatch communications links between subscriber units and a dispatch server. The dispatch server interfaces with a blog server. Using dispatch communications, subscriber units may send messages to the blog server for posting by way of the dispatch server, may receive notification of the posting of messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server, and may retrieve messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server.
US08185573B2	System and method for posting a web logging message via a dispatch communication A system for posting web logging (blog) messages, retrieving blog messages, and being notified of the posting of blog messages by way of dispatch communications. The system includes a wireless communication system capable of setting up dispatch communications links between subscriber units and a dispatch server. The dispatch server interfaces with a blog server. Using dispatch communications, subscriber units may send messages to the blog server for posting by way of the dispatch server, may receive notification of the posting of messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server, and may retrieve messages from the blog server by way of the dispatch server.
US08185571B2	Processor for performing multiply-add operations on packed data A method and apparatus for including in a processor instructions for performing multiply-add operations on packed data. In one embodiment, a processor is coupled to a memory. The memory has stored therein a first packed data and a second packed data. The processor performs operations on data elements in said first packed data and said second packed data to generate a third packed data in response to receiving an instruction. At least two of the data elements in this third packed data storing the result of performing multiply-add operations on data elements in the first and second packed data.
US08185570B2	Three-term input floating-point adder-subtractor The adder-subtractor includes a pre-processing circuit which divides three inputted terms into a mantissa having an exponent of maximum value, mantissa having an exponent of intermediate value and mantissa having an exponent of minimum magnitude and outputting a mantissa obtained by right-shifting the mantissa having the exponent of intermediate value and the mantissa having the minimum exponent of 2n+3 bits and adjusting digits and the mantissa having the maximum exponent, which reduces the mantissas from three to two terms, which carries out addition on the mantissas of the two terms, a normalization circuit which makes left shift so that the most significant bit becomes 1, a rounding circuit which uses an (n+3)th bit from the most significant bit as a new sticky bit, takes logical OR with the lower bits and performs rounding and an exponent operation unit which outputs a final exponent.
US08185569B2	Generation of test cases with range constraints for floating point add and subtract instructions Methods, apparatus and systems are disclosed for the generation of range-constrained test cases for verification of designs of arithmetic floating point units. Given three ranges of floating point numbers Rx, Ry, Rz, a floating point operation (op), and a rounding-mode (round), three floating point numbers x, y, z are generated such that xεRx, yεRy, zεRz, and z=round ( x op y). Solutions are provided for add and subtract operations. Range constraints are imposed on the input operands and on the result operand of floating point add and subtract instructions to target corner cases when generating test cases for use in verification of floating point hardware.
US08185561B1	Scalable user clustering based on set similarity Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, to provide clustering of users in which users are each represented as a set of elements representing items, e.g., items selected by users using a system. In one aspect, a program operates to obtain a respective interest set for each of multiple users, each interest set representing items in which the respective user expressed interest; for each of the users, to determine k hash values of the respective interest set, wherein the i-th hash value is a minimum value under a corresponding i-th hash function; and to assign each of the multiple users to each of the respective k clusters established for the respective user, the i-th cluster being represented by the i-th hash value. The assignment of each of the users to k clusters is done without regard to the assignment of any of the other users to k clusters.
US08185559B2	Method and system for operating a telecommunication device using a hash table in particular for protecting such device from attacks A method for operating a telecommunications device using a hash table, includes: storing session data concerning received data packets in the hash table by means of a first hash function; monitoring the efficiency of the hash table in performing at least a predetermined operation, and in case the efficiency is below a predetermined threshold, storing further session data concerning received data packets by means of a second hash function different from the first hash function.
US08185555B2	Model extension framework Techniques for implicitly extending an object model, even those that do not provide an extension mechanism, in a manner that is transparent, independent, and non-disruptive to the model itself. An “extension” is preferably created for each object to be extended, and comprises a reference to the object and contains an “extension object” that specifies the particular extensions.
US08185554B1	Storage of data with composite hashes in backup systems Seek operations required to perform backup and/or restore processes at an HFS server are reduced by localizing storage of data referenced by hash values included in a recipe near the recipe. In a typical embodiment, an HFS server receives a recipe and new underlying data for entry into a hash file system. The HFS server identifies a first storage node for the recipe, contiguously stores the new data in the first storage node, and indexes hash values and storage addresses of the new data in storage nodes selected based on the hash values of the new data. Storage addresses for the new data (and other data referenced by the recipe) are appended to the recipe. Later during a restore process, retrieval of the recipe also retrieves the storage addresses. Data pieces stored contiguously can then be collectively retrieved in one seek rather than in separate individual seeks.
US08185552B1	User-defined classifieds A system and method for creating and classifying listings within user-defined marketplaces. An information database in communication with an information application comprises a plurality of marketplaces and a plurality of listings respectively classified within the plurality of marketplaces. The marketplaces stored in the information database may be either pre-defined or user-defined. User-defined marketplaces are created based at least in part on information supplied by an access device in communication with the information database.
US08185551B2	Disk-resident streaming dictionary A method, apparatus and computer program product for storing data in a disk storage system is presented. A dictionary data structure is defined and stored on the disk storage system. Key-value pairs can be inserted and deleted into the dictionary data structure, with full transactional semantics, at a rate that is faster than one insertion per disk-head movement. Keys can be looked up with only a logarithmic number of transfers, even for keys that have been recently inserted or deleted. Queries can be performed on ranges of key-value pairs, including recently inserted or deleted pairs, at a constant fraction of the bandwidth of the disk. The dictionary employs indirect logging for physical block logging.
US08185543B1	Video image-based querying for video content An information retrieval system is provided for processing queries for video content. A server receives a query for video content and returns video articles, as received from broadcast systems or other content providers. Queries are formulated using text, video images, and/or visual content associated with a video article. Content data is associated with video article images and search queries are generated based on user selection of an image. The resulting set of video articles is ranked and a representation of each video article is displayed to the user. The user can play the video article either within the representation or independent of it.
US08185534B1	Consolidated record generation with stable identifiers for data integration systems A plurality of source records are obtained from a plurality of source record databases, where the plurality of source records includes information regarding a common entity. A consolidated record is generated including selected information regarding the common entity, obtained from the plurality of source records. Identifier prefix values, different for each of the plurality of source record databases, are obtained and a plurality of source record identifiers are obtained that are stored in the source record databases and are associated with the plurality of source records. An ordered set of candidate consolidation identifiers is determined based on prepending identifier prefix values to the source record identifiers. A consolidated record identifier is determined based on selecting an extreme value of the set of candidate consolidation identifiers, and is stored in association with the consolidated record in a consolidated record database for identification and retrieval of the consolidated record.
US08185532B2	Method for filtering out identical or similar documents A method for filtering out identical or similar documents includes storing multiple documents to be filtered as a pat tree (PT) data structure profile based on a pat tree data structure, searching for all string nodes with a consecutive character length reaching a lower threshold in the PT profile and all documents to which the string nodes belong, and finding documents having identical consecutive characters with a length reaching a higher threshold from the documents. Another technical solution includes searching for all string nodes with a consecutive character length reaching a lower threshold in the PT profile and all documents to which the string nodes belong, and finding documents having identical consecutive characters with such a length that a ratio of the length of the identical consecutive characters to a total character length of the original document reaches a ratio threshold from the documents, these documents are similarity.
US08185526B2	Dynamic keyword suggestion and image-search re-ranking A content-based re-ranking (CBR) process may be performed on query results based on a selected keyword that is extracted from previous query results, and thereby increase a relevancy of search results. A search engine may perform the CBR process using a target image that is selected from a plurality of image search results, the CBR to identify re-ranked image search results. Keywords may be extracted from the re-ranked image search results. A portion of the keywords may be outputted as suggested keywords and made selectable by a user. Finally, a refined CBR process may be performed based on the target image and a received selection a suggested keyword, the refined CBR to output the refined image search results.
US08185524B2	Method and system for locating events in-context Method and computer program product for locating events in-context over the Internet are disclosed. The method includes receiving a document from a user, wherein the document comprises one or more attributes, analyzing the one or more attributes of the document in accordance with a set of contextual information to generate one or more search terms, searching for events related to the one or more attributes of the document using the one or more search terms, and presenting the events to the user.
US08185522B2	Document scoring based on query analysis A system may determine an extent to which a document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results, generate a score for the document based, at least in part, on the extent to which the document is selected when the document is included in a set of search results; and rank the document with regard to at least one other document based, at least in part, on the score.
US08185521B2	System and method for presentation of local and remote message search results There is disclosed a system and method for presenting message search results at a wireless handheld device. In an embodiment, the method comprises conducting a search of local messages stored in the wireless handheld device using at least one search term to obtain a local search result; retrieving a search of remote messages stored in a message server using the at least one search term to obtain a remote search result; comparing the local and remote search results to identify any duplicate messages; and if the size of the local message is greater than or equal to the size of the remote message, then selecting the local message for presentation; else selecting the remote message for presentation.
US08185516B2	Method for filtering file clusters A method for filtering file clusters is presented. In the method, a plurality of advanced filter actions with different filter conditions and independent from each other is performed on an obtained main result file. Thereby, a history record of each advanced filter is kept, and the history record of each advanced filter and respective search results are presented on a target interface in a presentation mode of opening a new page or updating an index list.
US08185515B2	Method and system for managing message boards Information regarding the structure of information in a content database is maintained in a structure database. The structure database is used to correlate the data structure of a query to the structure of the content database, in order to determine that information in the content database which needs to be provided to a searcher in response to the query. In one embodiment, this search method is used in an online forum, and the forum maintains a reputation score for users with respect to given subject matter. The reputation score is dependent upon the quality of a user's participation in the forum. A user's reputation score depends upon the evaluation by others of information he posts and. upon the user evaluating information posted by others.
US08185509B2	Association of semantic objects with linguistic entity categories A system includes determination of a name of a semantic object associated with a semantic layer, determination of a linguistic entity category associated with the name, and storage, in association with the semantic layer, of an association between the semantic object and the linguistic entity category. Also included may be determination of a plurality of values associated with the semantic object, and creation of a custom linguistic entity category associated with the semantic object and comprising a plurality of entities, wherein each of the plurality of entities corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of values.
US08185508B2	Adaptive filter index for determining queries affected by a DML operation Techniques are disclosed for creating and using a filter index in order to identify registered queries whose result sets are likely to have been changed by changes made to tables. The filter index entries are based on filter conditions. The filter conditions are created based on predicates contained in the registered queries. The filter conditions may include exclusive predicates and join predicates. Join predicates that join a table T1 with a table T2 may be instantiated by replacing references to table T2 with values extracted from table T2. Various techniques are described for recognizing situations in which a query can be included in, or excluded from, the set of likely-changed queries, without fully evaluating the filter conditions that correspond to the queries.
US08185507B1	System and method for identifying substantially similar files Surrogate hashing is described, including a database configured to store data associated with a first file and a second file, and a processor configured to run a first hashing algorithm against a first portion of a first file to generate a first hash value, and running a second hashing algorithm against the first portion of the first file to generate a second hash value, to determine whether the first hash value and the second hash value are substantially similar to one or more stored hash values associated with a second portion of a second file, wherein the second portion is identified by one or more attributes that are substantially similar to one or more corresponding attributes associated with the first portion, and to identify a location of the second file if the first hash value and the second hash value are substantially similar to the one or more stored hash values associated with the second portion of the second file.
US08185503B2	Document archival system An archival computer system for receiving digital documents from document source computers, archiving such digital documents, and providing the digital documents to client computer systems. The archival computer system is provided with a document database, a supplemental digital media database, a document input device, an archival computer, and a server. The document input device receives digital documents from the document source computers. The digital documents include non-pixalated, non-rastered digital documents, and supplemental media. The archival computer receives the digital documents, and archives data from the non-pixalated, non-rastered digital documents in the document database, and data from the supplemental media in the supplemental digital media database. The server, upon request, outputs a composite document including data stored in the document database and the supplemental digital media database.
US08185499B2	System and method for transactional session management A system and method of transactional session management. Information sufficient to permit creation of a deep copy of a session object is saved concurrently for all aspects of the transaction. For example, the saving may save state information provided by different hierarchical levels of the session as well as possible different hardware or software entities participating in the session. In the event of a rollback condition, the deep copy is supplied to one or more applications. Those applications may then continue the session from the point of the deep copy.
US08185497B2	Distributed storage system with web services client interface A distributed, web-services based storage system. A system may include a web services interface configured to receive, according to a web services protocol, a given client request for access to a given data object, the request including a key value corresponding to the object. The system may also include storage nodes configured to store replicas of the objects, where each replica is accessible via a respective unique locator value, and a keymap instance configured to store a respective keymap entry for each object. For the given object, the respective keymap entry includes the key value and each locator value corresponding to replicas of the object. A coordinator may receive the given client request from the web services interface, responsively access the keymap instance to identify locator values corresponding to the key value and, for a particular locator value, retrieve a corresponding replica from a corresponding storage node.
US08185487B2	System, process and software arrangement for providing multidimensional recommendations/suggestions A process, system and computer software are rovided to facilitate at least one recommendation to one or more users (420) and/or one or more applications (430) using multidimensional data (410). In particular, the multidimensional data (410) which define a multidimensional space (400) is accessed. The multidimensional space (400) can have more than two dimensions, each capable of providing variable information. Then, information from the multidimensional space is retrieved. Further, the recommendation is generated based on the retrieved information. In addition, it is possible to generate a recommendation-specific query (440). This can be performed by generating the recommendation-specific query (440) to access a multidimensional cube and retrieve data stored therein. Then, the recommendation can be issued based on the data retrieved from the multidimensional cube.
US08185470B2	Systems and methods for processing benefits Systems and methods for processing, for example, childcare benefits include: issuing a benefit card to a childcare customer; receiving a start time for childcare service at a childcare provider, the start time recorded by using the benefit card at a terminal located at the childcare provider at the start of childcare service; receiving an end time for childcare service at the childcare provider, the end time recorded by using the benefit card at a terminal located at the childcare provider at the end of childcare service; computing the childcare benefit eligibility based on the start time, the end time and benefits available for the childcare customer; and paying the childcare provider a payment based on the computed benefit eligibility.
US08185459B2	System, method and computing device for detecting duplicate financial documents A method and system are disclosed for identifying in real time duplicate financial documents processed by a financial institution or check clearinghouse. A collection of hash values representative of previously processed financial documents are maintained in a memory, such as a GPU memory. When a new financial document enters the financial institution or check clearinghouse for processing, one or more features of the financial document are captured. A hash value is generated from the one or more features of the financial document. A search is performed in the collection of hash values for a matching hash value. If a match is found, a potential fraudulent event or operational error may be indicated. If a match is not found, the hash value representative of the new financial document is added to the collection of hash values.
US08185454B2	Method and system for assigning amortizable revenue components associated with a revenue bill of material for an ordered product to appropriate revenue accounts A system for unbundling revenue. In response to receiving an order for a product from a customer, a revenue bill of materials is determined for the ordered product. Amortization schedules are differentiated for revenue components within the bill of materials for the ordered product that require an amortization schedule. Then, each of the revenue components within the bill of materials are assigned to an appropriate revenue account.
US08185449B2	System and method of providing fuel Disclosed is a computer implemented method comprising the steps of calculating a fuel entitlement price, which is valid for a first order time period; receiving within the first order time period an order signal representing a first order by a customer for a fuel entitlement volume at the entitlement price, and accepting the first order, wherein the entitlement volume entitles the customer to take delivery from one or more of a plurality of filling stations, within a first entitlement time period, of a volume of fuel, in the aggregate, up to the entitlement volume, the first entitlement time period extending beyond the first order time period; updating a fuel entitlement balance of the customer to reflect the first order and the first entitlement time period; and updating the fuel entitlement balance of the customer in response to receipt of data indicating that the customer has taken delivery of a volume of fuel from a filling station.
US08185448B1	Fact checking method and system A fact checking system verifies the correctness of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with one or more sources. The fact checking system automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information.
US08185441B2	Method of auctioning license plates to generate revenue The method of auctioning license plates provides for the public auctioning of state-issued, motor vehicle license plates. The method includes the step of first establishing a market value data set for a plurality of license plates. Next, the market value data set is stored in a market value database, which is recorded in computer readable memory associated with an auction server. An online auction is then established for at least one license plate to be sold. Once up for auction, bidders bid on the at least one license plate. Once bidding has closed, the at least one license plate is sold to the highest bidder, and funds are transferred from buyer to seller. Following the sale, transfer of ownership of the at least one license plate is recorded in a motor vehicle administration database, and both sales and property taxes associated with the sale of the license plate are assessed.
US08185436B2	Apparatus and method for advertising in digital photo frame A novel digital photo frame is configured to display user-loaded photographs, moving pictures, and other personal data and corporate-paid advertisements which are dynamically updatable by an advertising data distribution center or another communications service provider, such as a cellular service provider. The invention also discloses a related, novel method of advertising in a digital photo frame with dynamically-updatable-ads, in which initial advertising fees for one or more dynamically-updateable ads at least partially pay for manufacturing costs of the digital photo frame for inexpensive distribution of the digital photo frame to a targeted consumer.
US08185433B2	Peer-to-peer affinity-group commerce method and system A P2P (peer-to-peer) business and commerce-enhancing method including the steps of (a) identifying an active P2P network which is characterized with peers having a defined affinity interest in the exchange of at least category-A information, such as digital music song files, and (b) employing that at-least category-A information-exchange affinity interest as a carrier vehicle and growth engine for the promotion, within that network, of collateral income-generating transactions between a peer and a party who may be inside or outside the network. Of central importance to such commerce enhancement, or growth, as promoted by practice of the invention is that such growth is driven by network-internal, peer-group enthusiasm, linked with imaginative peer entrepreneurship in the engaging of peer-to-peer file-sharing behavior.
US08185432B2	Computer-implemented systems and methods for determining future profitability Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for determining future profitability for an entity. A present profitability model is generated for the entity based upon present values for a plurality of components of profitability. The present profitability model is used to create a future profitability forecast for the entity.
US08185426B1	Method and system for providing real time appointment rescheduling A system and method for providing real-time appointment rescheduling by providing access to one or more computer-based appointment scheduling systems and a virtual open appointment wait-list associated with one or more appointment slots in the scheduling systems. One or more service consumers request to be placed on the wait-list. When an appointment becomes available, wait-list data is searched to find the first consumer that is next on the wait-list and whose wait-list data is consistent with the newly available appointment. The first consumer is then contacted with a designated period of time to respond and accept the appointment. After the designated period of time has passed with no response from the first consumer, the wait-list data is searched again to find the second service consumer that is next on the wait-list. The process is repeated automatically until the newly available appointment is accepted.
US08185418B2	Multi-passenger multi-route travel planning Multiple passenger multiple route techniques are disclosed including sending independent queries to a travel planning system for each of a plurality of passenger groups and receiving lists of individual solutions appropriate for the passenger groups in response to the independent queries. The lists are combined to provide joint solutions according to joint travel requirements/preferences and if there are not a sufficient number of joint solutions, the individual queries are resent with constraints on features of the resent individual queries.
US08185415B2	Methods and systems for comparing employee insurance plans among peer groups The present invention is directed towards methods and systems for a benchmark based comparison of an employee insurance plan of an organization to employee insurance plans from other organizations in a peer group. The present invention enables a user to enter details about an employee insurance plan of a first organization and allows the user to compare the insurance plan to a benchmark computed from data collected from a plurality of organizations in a peer group of the first organization. The comparison report does not identify the organizations from which data is collected.
US08185413B2	System and method for benefit plan cost estimation A computer-based method and system to enable a benefit plan sponsor to design a plurality of benefit plans to be offered to a given participant population and for determining the cost of sponsoring the plans for the participant population by predicting utilization for each of the plans based upon historical utilization data for the population, projected plan selections based upon presumed participant objectives, and/or survey or historical data from a sample of the given population or from preexisting statistical samples exhibiting analogous demographic characteristics to the given participant population relating to expected benefit utilization and plan preference criteria.
US08185410B2	System and method for verifying medical impairments The present invention provides a method of verifying a medical impairment, comprising receiving a medical diagnosis of an injury, the numeric permanent impairment rating resulting from an evaluation of a permanent impairment, and comparing that permanent impairment rating to a statistically evaluated probable impairment rating of the injury. Depending on the results of the comparison, the assessed impairment rating may be reevaluated, in some cases by a trained impairment evaluator, and others by an expert medical staff.
US08185409B2	Method and apparatus for operative event documentation and related data management In one embodiment, method and apparatus are disclosed which provide that a plurality of physicians each enter operative event data into an operative event database, wherein the operative event data documents planned or completed operative events and the physicians enter the operative event data use a wide area network through a user interface assisting the physicians in coding operative events in a consistent manner. The physicians access the operative event database to obtain information concerning upcoming or previously performed operative events, with a service provider maintaining an on-line system including one or more servers to support the entering of operative event data into the database through the Internet and the user interface. Further, the physicians subscribe to the on-line system wherein the physicians are allowed access and use the on-line system, and wherein the physicians retain control over the use and disposition of the operative event data entered by the physician.
US08185404B1	System and method for tracking currency at a self-checkout station A system and method for tracking currency in a self-checkout station in one embodiment comprises a currency acceptor for collecting cash payment elements and determining the denominations of the collected cash payment elements, a cash dispenser for dispensing cash payment elements, a denomination counter for counting units of collected and dispensed cash payment elements, a processor, a memory, programmed instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the processor, close an open accounting log based upon a received accounting period signal, and data storage for storing the number of denomination units counted for collected cash payment elements.
US08185402B2	Robust voice browser system and voice activated device controller The present invention relates to a system for acquiring information from sources on a network, such as the Internet. A voice browsing system maintains a database containing a list of information sources, such as web sites, connected to a network. Each of the information sources is assigned a rank number which is listed in the database along with the record for the information source. In response to a speech command received from a user, a network interface system accesses the information source with the highest rank number in order to retrieve information requested by the user.
US08185396B2	Facilitating text-to-speech conversion of a domain name or a network address containing a domain name To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a username, a first or last name of a user associated with the username may be retrieved, and a pronunciation of the username may be determined based at least in part on whether the name forms at least part of the username. To facilitate text-to-speech conversion of a domain name having a top level domain and at least one other level domain, a pronunciation for the top level domain may be determined based at least in part upon whether the top level domain is one of a predetermined set of top level domains. Each other level domain may be searched for one or more recognized words therewithin, and a pronunciation of the other level domain may be determined based at least in part on an outcome of the search. The username and domain name may form part of a network address such as an email address, URL or URI.
US08185377B2	Diagnostic evaluation of machine translators A system for evaluating translation quality of a machine translator is discussed. The system includes a bilingual data generator configured to intermittently access a wide area network and generate a bilingual corpus from data received from the wide area network. The method also includes an example extraction component configured to receive an ontology input indicative of a plurality of ontological categories of evaluation and to extract evaluation examples from the bilingual corpus based on the ontology input. The system further includes an evaluation component configured to evaluate translation results from translation by a machine translator of the evaluation examples and to score the translation results according to the ontological categories.
US08185373B1	Method of assessing language translation and interpretation A method of assessing quality of language translation and interpretation by receiving source material and a translation, identifying the source material's content and format, assigning a first rating to the source material's level of difficulty in translating the source material, determining the translation's type, assigning a second rating to the translation's accuracy, assigning a third rating to the degree to which the translation interprets the source material's intended message, assigning a fourth rating to the formatting of the translation, and evaluating the four ratings to determine an assessment of the translation's language translation and interpretation.
US08185370B2	Discrete event simulation tool combining process-driven and event-driven models The embodiments described herein generally relate to a discrete event simulation (DES) tool which combines the process-driven model and the event-driven model. This integrated process (which uses entities) and event simulation framework according to the various embodiments provides a platform that is appropriate for all combinations of simulation model requirements and at the same time provides higher level of model abstraction. The DES tool instantiates a new paradigm that permits flow of entities at the event-driven model layer that is analogous to their treatment at the process-driven model layer.
US08185367B2	Systems and methods for reconstructing gene networks in segregating populations The reconstruction of genetic networks in mammalian systems is one of the primary goals in biological research, especially as such reconstructions relate to elucidating not only common, polygenic human disease, but living systems more generally. The present invention provides novel gene network reconstruction algorithms that utilize naturally occurring genetic variations as a source of perturbations to elucidate the networks. The algorithms incorporate relative transcript abundance and genotypic data from segregating populations by employing a generalized scoring function of maximum likelihood commonly used in Bayesian network reconstruction problems. The utility of these novel algorithms can be demonstrated via application to gene expression data from a segregating mouse population. The network derived from such data using the novel network reconstruction algorithm is able to capture causal associations between genes that result in increased predictive power, compared to more classically reconstructed networks derived from the same data.
US08185360B2	Method and apparatus for obtaining a polar projection for a flight deck window or the like A computer aided design (CAD) system ascertains the clear view area of a transparency in light of head orientation and refractive properties of the transparency. Obstructions that limit the clear view are also taken into account. The CAD system is particularly useful in assessing the field of view provided to a pilot by aircraft windshields and the like.
US08185359B2	System and method for transforming data between the time domain and the combustion pulse domain A method for transforming machine sensor data between a time domain and a combustion pulse domain is disclosed. The method may include determining a number of pulse events per rotation of a shaft and determining a sampling rate per pulse event. The method may also include sampling one or more sensors at the sampling rate per pulse event. The method also may include transforming the samples into the combustion pulse domain.
US08185354B2	Method of determining the dynamic location of a protection device The method uses a location device and a timing element to determine the location of a protection device at various periods of time. During these periods of time, the human may be participating in a variety of activities and positions.
US08185352B2	Benchmarking correlated stream processing systems A system, method, and computer program product for benchmarking a stream processing system are disclosed. The method comprises generating a plurality of correlated test streams. A semantically related data set is embedded within each of the test streams in the plurality of correlated test streams. The plurality of correlated test streams is provided to at least one stream processing system. A summary is generated for each of the semantically related embedded data sets. A common identifier, which is transparent to the system being tested, is embedded within each stream in the plurality of correlated test streams. The common identifier is extracted from the output data set generated by the stream processing system. At least one of the stored copies of the summaries and the common identifier are compared to an output data set including a set of zero or more correlation results generated by the stream processing system.
US08185350B2	Systems and methods for operational verification of a missile approach warning system A coupler that generates and emits a simulated missile signature for assessing the operational capability of a missile approach warning system. The coupler may be directly attached to the system by an adapter. Couplers may be used in multiplicity, simultaneously or sequentially. The simulated signature may be digitally stored, as may be the results of the assessment. Simulated signatures may also be generated from freeform. The coupler also performs sensitivity testing.
US08185346B2	Dynamic maintenance plan for an industrial robot A method for establishing a dynamic maintenance scheduling tool for a specific part of a machinery based on condensed prior knowledge of the part of the machinery in a population of machineries. The scheduling tool is in turn used in a method for establishing a dynamic maintenance schedule for a specific part of a specific machinery, wherein parameters related to the usage, including relevant parameters representing factors influencing the lifetime of the specific parts, are utilized as input data to the dynamic maintenance scheduling tool for the specific part of the machinery, whereupon a dynamic maintenance schedule for the specific part of the specific machinery is achieved as output data from the scheduling tool. The method is in particular dedicated to industrial robot systems.
US08185343B1	Base station and method for detecting emplacement of improvised explosive devices An explosive device detection system includes sensors and base station that detect and report on suspected improvised explosive device (IED) emplacement activity within the area. When disposed within a geographic area, each sensor forms part of a wireless communications network which allows communication among neighboring sensors. As a sensor detects activity in its proximity, such as activity that indicates emplacement of an IED, the sensor transmits a reporting signal through the network to the base station. The base station is operable to detect if the signals received from the sensors are indicative of IED emplacement activity or some other activity that is not typically associated with IED emplacement activity. In the event that the base station detects activity that is indicative of IED emplacement activity, the base station can direct mobile response units to take immediate responsive action to prevent detonation of the IEDs or apprehend the perpetrators in the act.
US08185338B2	Low pin interface testing module A low pin interface module is provided for testing an integrated circuit. The interface module includes an input-output module, a controlling module, a processing module and a storage module specific to the integrated circuit to be tested. The interface module reduces the required number of hardware pins in the integrated circuit for a standalone testing without limiting the integrated circuit testing features. A methodology and a control mechanism achieved with the interface module can be used for the standalone testing of any integrated circuit without using a Joint European Test Action Group test logic interface JTAG implemented following the IEEE Standard 1149.1-1990. The interface module is not limited by a particular debugging platform and allows access to all test features in the integrated circuit with a reduced number of hardware pins and thereby leading to enhanced testing speeds on a tester in parallel and a shorter time-to-a market cycle and a lower development cost.
US08185326B2	Corrosion detection and monitoring system A method and apparatus comprises a number of sensors and a computer. The number of sensors is capable of being associated with a location of an object having quantum dots. The number of sensors is capable of sending energy into the location, and the energy is capable of causing a response from the quantum dots. The number of sensors is capable of detecting the response. The computer is coupled to the number of sensors and capable of determining whether corrosion is present in the location using the response detected by the number of sensors.
US08185317B2	Method and system of determining the stain quality of slides using scatter plot distribution Methods, systems, and computer software for determining the stain quality of a plurality of biological specimens. A number of objects of interest are identified in a biological specimen. A first feature of each object of interest (e.g., nuclear area) and a second feature of each object of interest (e.g., nuclear integrated optical density) are measured, and a scatter plot of the first and second features is generated. The stain quality of the specimens are determined based on the distribution of points within the scatter plot.
US08185314B2	Method and system for determining dynamic permeability of gas hydrate saturated formations A method and system for determining dynamic permeability of gas hydrate formations including deploying a tool within a wellhole configured for magnetic resonance measurements, determining permeability of a formation at or near zero saturation of the gas hydrate and deriving the relationship between permeability and gas hydrate saturation for the formation.
US08185306B2	Method and apparatus for transmitting position information on a digital map The invention purposes to provide a position information transmission method for accurately transmitting a position and a shape on a digital map with a small amount of data.In a position information transmission method of the invention, the transmitting side transmits road shape information to specify the target road section on a digital map and event information to specify an event position by using a relative position in the target road section and the receiving side performs map matching based on the road shape information to identify the target road section and identifies the event position in the target road section based on the event information is characterized in that the transmitting side intermittently selects nodes included in the target road section to include the coordinate data of the nodes in the road shape information for transmission, and that the receiving side performs map matching to determine the positions of the nodes included in the road shape information and obtains the road connecting the nodes by way of a route search to identify the target road section. It is thus possible to efficiently and accurately transmit an event position on a digital map.
US08185302B2	Conservational vehicle routing A route-determination method includes gathering road-related data in a vehicle navigation system (VNS) for a plurality of routes between two locations. This may include weighting two or more of the possible routes in the VNS based at least on the road-related data. Also, this may include adjusting the weighting in the VNS for each weighted route based on projected fuel consumption and determining an optimal fuel usage route in the VNS based on the adjusted weighting. Further, this may include outputting at least one optimal fuel usage route.
US08185287B2	Method for the operation of an electromechanically operable parking brake An electromechanically actuable parking brake for motor vehicles is disclosed. The brake includes at least one electromechanical actuator whose rotational movement is converted into a translational movement by an actuating unit, and which moves at least one brake element in such a way that at least one brake lining which is connected to the brake element is pressed with a locking force against a rotor which is connected to a motor vehicle wheel, wherein the current consumption of electromechanical actuator when the parking brake is engaged and/or released can be acquired. Furthermore, a method for operating the electromechanically actuable parking brake is also disclosed.
US08185283B2	Output torque calculating apparatus and calculating method First target torque of an engine is set based on a driver's operation, a vehicle behavior, and a request for shifting gears of an automatic transmission. The engine is controlled such that the difference between the first target torque and the actual output torque of the engine is reduced. Detection torque is calculated from an operation state of the engine. In consideration of dead time in control of the engine, calculation torque is calculated from the first target torque. In addition, first lookahead torque with the dead time in the engine being removed is calculated by feedback-correcting the first target torque according to an error e between the detection torque and the calculation torque.
US08185281B2	Method and controller for controlling a power train of a vehicle A method and controller are provided for controlling a power train of a vehicle having a number of modes of operation. A first controller is provided for controlling of a first function of the vehicle. At least one second controller is provided for controlling of a second function of the vehicle. The first controller and the at least one second controller are combined in a joint controller having a state observer and a number of controlling entities. The joint controller is operated by a set of formal controlling parameters assigned to the controlling entities. Actual parameters of the set of formal controlling parameters are switched according to a current mode of the number of modes of operation.
US08185278B2	Methods and systems for controlling the engine speed of agricultural vehicles An engine speed control system for an agricultural vehicle includes a variable throttle controller, a mode selector, and a control device. The variable throttle control permits an operator to select a variably adjustable engine speed and the mode selector permits the operator to select between a plurality of pre-set engine speeds. The control device receives output signals from the throttle controller, generates engine speed commands, and delivers the commands to an engine controller for controlling the speed of the agricultural vehicle's engine. The control device is operable to generate a first engine speed command associated with one of the pre-set engine speeds when an operator activates the mode selector and to temporarily or permanently override the first engine speed command with a second engine speed command associated with the throttle controller when the operator activates the throttle controller.
US08185276B2	Programmable wireless remote control system and method for snow plows A control system and method for operating a snow plow is disclosed which utilizes a programmable, wireless remote control for providing fully functional operation of a snow plow blade mounted on a vehicle. The system includes a remote control that can be used to operate both a snow plow and a spreader, with the system being configurable to work with any of a variety of different snow plows. The remote control may be programmed to perform a series of functions that can be sequentially performed by pressing a single button on the remote control.
US08185269B2	Active suspension system for a vehicle and method of operating the same An active suspension system and method for controlling the height of a vehicle. In an exemplary embodiment, the active suspension system receives information from one or more input sources, including both internal and external vehicle inputs, and uses that information to actively control the vehicle height. By doing so, the active suspension system can reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle and improve the vehicle's fuel economy, ride comfort, handling, and other aspects of operation. Some examples of external vehicle inputs that may be used include: short-range road and vehicle information, as well as long-range traffic, road and route information.
US08185266B2	Fuel saving driving assistance apparatus It is determined whether a vehicle enters a halting state or a slow moving state. It is detected that an accelerator opening degree of the vehicle is zero during a deceleration duration up to the time to enter the halting state or the slow moving state. Further, an accelerator zero duration is calculated which is a duration for which the vehicle is in the halting state or the slow moving state while the accelerator opening degree is zero. Furthermore, an accelerator zero travel distance is calculated which the vehicle runs during the calculated accelerator zero duration. Based on the accelerator zero travel distance, it is determined whether the fuel saving driving operation is performed in traveling during the accelerator zero travel duration. Even in the state where the travel speed of the vehicle changes more than needs during inertia travel, the fuel saving driving operation is diagnosed appropriately.
US08185251B2	Start/stop operation for a container generator set A generator set including a prime mover, a generator coupled to the prime mover, and a controller that is associated with a temperature controlled space and operates the generator set in one of a start/stop mode and a continuous mode depending on a demand defined at least in part by contents within the temperature controlled space.
US08185248B2	Wireless extension to an irrigation control system and related methods Several embodiments provide wireless extensions to an irrigation controller system and related methods of use, as well as other improvements to irrigation control equipment. In one implementation, an irrigation control system includes a transmitter unit including a controller and having a connector to be coupled to an irrigation controller having station actuation output connectors. The controller is configured to receive an indication that the irrigation controller has activated an irrigation station, and is also configured to cause the transmitter unit to transmit a wireless activation signal responsive to the indication. A receiver unit is coupled to an actuator coupled to an actuatable device, such as an irrigation valve, the actuator configured to actuate the irrigation valve to control the flow of water therethrough. The receiver unit receives the wireless activation signal and in response, causes the actuator to actuate the actuatable device.
US08185240B2	Automated apparatus for constructing assemblies of building components A device for constructing an assembly of building components includes an articulating arm unit and a gripper/nailer mounted on an end of the articulating arm unit. The gripper/nailer includes a gripping unit for grasping building components and positioning them in a predetermined arrangement and a nailing unit for inserting a fastener to secure the building components together.
US08185222B2	Wireless audio adapter An adapter for receiving a wireless digital signal that includes an audio signal and audio metadata concerning the audio signal from a portable electronic device has a Bluetooth wireless receiver for receiving the wireless digital signal from the portable electronic device in a Bluetooth digital format. A microprocessor having format conversion software converts the Bluetooth formatted audio signal in the wireless digital signal into a satellite radio formatted audio signal. Satellite metadata generating software generates satellite radio formatted metadata based upon the received Bluetooth formatted audio metadata. A switch electrically couples an output of the adapter to a satellite radio input of an audio system when the Bluetooth transceiver detects a Bluetooth transmission. The adapter provides the satellite radio formatted audio signal and metadata to the audio system such that the audio signal is reproduced by an audio output of the audio system and the metadata is displayed on a display of the audio system. The adapter can also include an FM modulator that produces a frequency modulated output based upon the received Bluetooth formatted audio signal and metadata.
US08185216B2	Plant controlling device and method, thermal power plant, and its control method A controlling device that includes a model that predicts the value of a measured signal obtained when an operation signal is given to a thermal power generation plant, a function that learns a method of generating a model input such that a model output satisfies the plant value, a function that determines an operation signal to be given to the plant according to the learning result, a database that stores measured signal limit values set in advance, an external input interface that fetches measured signals from the plant, a measured signal database that stores the values of the fetched measured signals, and a function that determines an initial value of the plant model output value by using limit values of the measured signals and at least one of an average value, a maximum value, and a minimum value that are calculated from the measured signals stored in a measured signal database.
US08185213B2	Delivery of cardiac stimulation devices Some embodiments of an electrical stimulation system employ wireless electrode assemblies to provide pacing therapy, defibrillation therapy, or other stimulation therapy. In certain embodiments, the wireless electrode assemblies may include a guide wire channel so that each electrode assembly can be advanced over a guide wire instrument through the endocardium. For example, a distal tip portion of a guide wire instrument can penetrate through the endocardium and into the myocardial wall of a heart chamber, and the electrode assembly may then be advanced over the guide wire and into the heart chamber wall. In such circumstances, the guide wire instrument (and other portions of the delivery system) can be retracted from the heart chamber wall, thereby leaving the electrode assembly embedded in the heart tissue.
US08185206B2	Electrical stimulation therapy to promote gastric distention for obesity management The disclosure is directed to techniques for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to support obesity management. The electrical stimulation therapy is configured to cause at least partial gastric distention. Gastric distention tends to induce a sensation of fullness and thereby discourages excessive food intake by the patient. The electrical stimulation therapy may be delivered to the gastrointestinal tract of the patient by electrodes deployed by one or more implantable leads coupled to an electrical stimulator. The electrical stimulator delivers stimulation pulses having a pulse width in a range found to be effective in causing gastric distention.
US08185202B2	Implantable cardiac device for reduced phrenic nerve stimulation Methods and devices for reducing phrenic nerve stimulation of cardiac pacing systems involve delivering a pacing pulse to a ventricle of a heart. A transthoracic impedance signal is sensed, and a deviation in the signal resulting from the pacing pulse may be used to determine phrenic nerve stimulation. Methods may further involve detecting the phrenic nerve stimulation from the pacing pulse by delivering two or more pacing pulse to the ventricle of the heart, and determining a temporal relationship. A pacing vector may be selected from the two or more vectors that effects cardiac capture and reduces the phrenic nerve stimulation. A pacing voltage and/or pulse width may be selected that provides cardiac capture and reduces the phrenic nerve stimulation. In other embodiments, a pacing pulse width and a pacing voltage may be selected from a patient's strength-duration curve that effects cardiac capture and reduces the phrenic nerve stimulation.
US08185199B2	Monitoring physiological signals during external electrical stimulation Electrodes and circuitry for monitoring and stimulating the exterior of the human body, comprising delivering stimulation pulses to stimulation electrodes applied to the exterior of the body, detecting an electrical potential at monitoring electrodes applied to the exterior of the body, positioning at least a first and second monitoring electrode at locations at which an electrical artifact caused by the electrical stimulation pulses is substantially cancelled in a signal formed from the electrical potentials detected at the first and second monitoring electrodes.
US08185198B2	Method and devices for performing cardiac waveform appraisal Implementations of various technologies described herein are directed toward a sensing architecture for use in cardiac rhythm management devices. The sensing architecture may provide a method and means for certifying detected events by the cardiac rhythm management device. Moreover, by exploiting the enhanced capability to accurately identifying only those sensed events that are desirable, and preventing the use of events marked as suspect, the sensing architecture can better discriminate between rhythms appropriate for device therapy and those that are not.
US08185172B2	Swing type cover opening and closing device for mobile phone According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a swing-type cover opening and closing device for a mobile phone, in which in which the mobile phone that is composed of a main body and a cover and where a hollow shaft formed in the cover is pivotably supported on the main body to pivot the cover in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around the hollow shaft, includes: i) a fixation plate that is fixed to one side of the main body in correspondence with the hollow shaft, and includes a through-hole through which the hollow shaft passes and a ring-shaped protrusion integrally formed on the periphery of the through-hole; ii) a rotating body that has a disk shape with a hollow space, is pivotably joined to the ring-shaped protrusion, and is locked to the cover with the hollow shaft fitting in the hollow space; iii) a cover member that includes a support hole corresponding to the hollow space and is joined to the fixation plate while supporting the outer periphery of the rotating body through the support hole; and iv) an elastic unit of which both ends are pivotably joined to the fixation plate and the rotating body, respectively, to provide elastic force to the rotating body by rotation of the rotating body through the cover.
US08185171B2	Swing type cover opening and closing device for mobile phone A swing-type cover opening and closing device for a mobile phone according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes: i) a main body case that is disposed in a main body of the mobile phone and has a through-hole formed at one side thereof; ii) a cover case that is disposed in a cover of the mobile phone, has a hollow shaft penetrating the through-hole integrally projecting thereon, and is pivotably mounted on the main body case; and iii) an elastic unit of which both ends are pivotably joined to the main body case and the cover case, respectively, to provide elastic force to the cover case by rotation of the cover case, wherein the elastic unit includes a housing that is pivotably connected to the main body case through a first hinge pin, a slide member that is joined to the inside of the housing to be slidable and lockable, and is connected to the cover case through a second hinge pin, and a plurality of spring members that are installed in the housing and apply elastic force to the slide member.
US08185161B2	Method and system for controlling a direction of a receive beam produced by an antenna connected to at least two base stations A mobile-radio base station for a telecommunications system includes vector modulator means for independently controlling the phase and/or amplitude of a plurality of component signals representative of the signal to be transmitted or received, such that when these signals pass through a plurality of antenna elements, a beam is formed in a direction according to the phase relationship of the component signals. The invention also includes interface means allowing other base stations to be coupled to the same antenna, with each base station having independent control of its beam direction. Provision is includes for phase compensation of the signals to correct for errors introduced by unequal and variable component signal path lengths between the base station and the antenna. The vector modulator means is arranged to operate at low power levels, where it can operate more efficiently.
US08185157B2	Method of dealing with business conflict of dual-card-dual-standby mobile phone A method of dealing with business conflict of a dual-card-dual-standby mobile phone includes the steps as follows. Calculate the period of the periodic location update of the main card and subordinate card respectively, and reset a new period of the periodic location update. Comparing to the original period of the periodic location update, the new period of the periodic location update is reduced by twice of a time for the mobile phone to do the location update. Thus, when the first location update is delayed due to the terminating call, it still has time for the second location update. Set priority level for each conflicting services, so as to avoid the service conflict, such as the conflict between the originating and terminating call and the location update, and the conflict between the location update of main card and subordinate card.
US08185154B2	Mobile enterprise applications over telephony systems and methods A method of facilitating telecommunication functionality on a mobile device. The method includes receiving a request for a telecommunications transaction from the mobile device and retrieving a callback identifier for a user of the mobile device. The method also includes executing the telecommunications transaction, wherein executing the transaction includes establishing a communications session that includes a callback telephony endpoint represented by the callback identifier and at least one target telephony endpoint, wherein a portion of the communications session that includes the callback telephony endpoint is established at least in part by making an outbound call from a telephony switch.
US08185137B2	Intensity-based maps The claimed subject matter relates to a first architecture that can create an intensity map based upon intensity scores, and to a second architecture that can provide intensity scores and can request and receive the intensity map. Intensity scores can relate to an approval or a level of satisfaction of a current location of a user and can be conveniently provided, in some cases with a single keystroke (e.g., 0-9 from a conventional cell phone keypad) by, say, mobile device users. Numerous intensity scores can be received and aggregated to produce an intensity map of a given area or region. Portions of the intensity map can be provided to requesting devices, potentially filtered based upon a variety of criteria. As a result, the intensity map can provide in substantially real-time a visual indication of locations or entities that might be interesting to explore.
US08185119B2	Method and system for extended network access notification via a broadband access gateway A system and method supporting extended network access notification via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. A representative embodiment of the present invention may comprise a wireless interface and may be capable of exchanging multimedia communication between the wireless interface and a broadband network. The gateway may support multimedia communication via access devices that may seamlessly hand off from a wireless wide area network to a personal area network supported by the wireless interface. The hand off may be coordinated by the gateway and the wireless wide area network via the broadband network. A user of an access device may be notified when such a hand off has been automatically initiated, and a user may configure aspects of such hand offs.
US08185117B2	Fast handover in mobile communications networks A method is described for routing of data in hierarchical mobility management systems with tiered mobile anchor points. Routing of data is switched from old to new communications nodes and regulated, by a controlling mobile anchor point having both communications nodes in its domain, to occur synchronously with the expiry of a determined period following its receipt of a handover initiation signal. The main determinant of the period is the remaining time of attachment of the old communications node.
US08185107B2	IP address allocation in evolved wireless networks A networking system includes a first wireless network module that transmits a request to attach to a network and a second wireless network module. The second wireless network module receives the request, determines whether the first wireless network module requires an IP address based on the request, and selectively allocates an IP address to the first wireless network module based on the determination.
US08185098B2	Mobile terminal using variable menu icons A method for controlling a mobile terminal includes setting a variable menu icon to represent different functions for first and second operating modes, displaying a plurality of menu icons including the variable menu icon during the first operating mode, and switching the variable menu icon from a function different from a previous function of the variable menu icon during the first operating mode when the mobile terminal changes from the first operating mode to the second operating mode. The other menu icons may be controlled to maintain previous functions that they assumed during the first operating mode after the function of the variable menu icon is switched.
US08185095B2	Method and apparatus for tracking version of digital content A system and method for live data versioning is provided.
US08185087B2	Emergency 911 data messaging A data request is generated (e.g., text, email, SMS, multimedia messaging system (MMS), etc.) from a source device. The data request is delivered to a PSAP or other emergency monitoring service location in a useable format. Exemplary useable formats include a canned voice message, delivery to a call center that translates data to voice, text to speech, and text to instant messaging (IM). Additional information and location are staged for use by the PSAP or other monitoring service location.
US08185085B2	Power line communication methods and devices A power line communication method for realizing data communication between at least one first or sending power line communication partner device and at least one second or receiving power line communication partner device. The method checks transmission conditions of a plurality of possible communication channels, thereby generating transmission condition data descriptive for the communication conditions of the respective possible communication channels. Additionally, communication conditions of the plurality of possible communication channels are selected as actual communication conditions based on the transmission condition data.
US08185084B2	Wireless headset having adaptive powering A system that includes a bus, a battery, core processing circuitry, radio frequency (RF) processing circuitry, first power regulating circuitry, second power regulating circuitry, and control circuitry is provided. The bus can be coupled to receive power from a source external to the system. The core processing circuitry and RF processing circuitry can be selectively coupled to each other via a switch. The switch can be operative to turn ON and OFF based on a signal level received on the bus. The first power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the bus, the core processing circuitry, and the switch. The second power regulating circuitry can be electrically coupled to the battery, the RF processing circuitry, and the switch. The control circuitry can be operative to selectively turn ON and OFF the first power regulating circuitry and the second power regulating circuitry based on a number of monitored conditions.
US08185080B2	Harmonic rejection mixer A harmonic rejection mixer for carrying out a frequency translation of a mixer input signal having a mixer input frequency, the mixer including an up-conversion mixer for generating an intermediate signal by multiplying the mixer input signal with a first local oscillation signal having a first local oscillation frequency, and a down-conversion mixer for generating a mixer output signal by multiplying the intermediate signal with a second local oscillation signal having a second local oscillation frequency. The first local oscillation frequency and the second local oscillation frequency are greater than the mixer input frequency. The first local oscillation signal is an l-time oversampled sine wave and the second local oscillation signal is an m-time oversampled sine wave.
US08185076B2	Radio receiver Disclosed herein is a radio receiver including: an oscillator circuit including a phase-locked circuit and a voltage-controlled oscillator circuit; a first frequency divider circuit; a frequency converter circuit; a signal adding circuit; a test signal generating circuit including at least one second frequency divider circuit; and a controlling section configured to set frequency dividing factors.
US08185071B2	Tuner module A tuner module includes a filter that reduces the signal level outside the frequency band of a selected channel in an input RF signal of terrestrial television broadcasting, a local oscillation circuit that oscillates a local oscillation signal, a mixing circuit that mixes the RF signal in which the signal level outside the frequency band of the selected channel is reduced by the filter and the local oscillation signal oscillated by the local oscillation circuit to downconvert the RF signal to an intermediate frequency signal, and a control circuit that controls the local oscillation frequency of the local oscillation signal oscillated by the local oscillation circuit. The control circuit adjusts the local oscillation frequency to a value that suppresses an effect of a disturbance wave from other channels within a frequency band of the intermediate frequency signal of the selected channel.
US08185064B2	Adaptive modulation control system and wireless communication apparatus ObjectTo reduce deterioration of transmission quality under circumstances where the moving speed is high.Overcoming MeansAn adaptive modulation control apparatus for adaptively selecting a modulation parameter from among a plurality of modulation parameters determined based on a plurality of modulation schemes, coding rates of error correction or a combination thereof corresponding to a propagation path state is provided with a reception state measuring section (2) that measures a reception state of a signal received from a communicating apparatus, a correcting section (3) that makes a correction to change propagation path information indicative of a measurement result of the propagation path state based on the measured reception state, and a modulation parameter selecting section (4) that selects a modulation parameter corresponding to the corrected propagation path information.
US08185052B2	Communication system with microradios A microradio is provided with a hysteretic switch to permit an optimum range increasing charging cycle, with the charging cycle being long relative to the transmit cycle. Secondly, an ensemble of microradios permits an n2 power enhancement to increase range with coherent operation. Various multi-frequency techniques are used both for parasitic powering and to isolate powering and transmit cycles. Applications for microradios and specifically for ensembles of microradios include authentication, tracking, fluid flow sensing, identification, terrain surveillance including crop health sensing and detection of improvised explosive devices, biohazard and containment breach detection, and biomedical applications including the use of microradios attached to molecular tags to destroy tagged cells when the microradios are activated. Microradio deployment includes the use of paints or other coatings containing microradios, greases and aerosols. Moreover, specialized antennas, including microcoils, mini dipoles, and staircase coiled structures are disclosed, with the use of nano-devices further reducing the size of the microradios.
US08185045B2	Use of satellites by terminals with small antennas Methods to improve the efficiency of satellite transmission by coordinating the use of corresponding channels on adjacent satellites. Improvements over the current state of the art range from 130% to 1000%, yielding in the best case full utilization of potential bandwidth.
US08185041B2	Method and system for mobile vehicle content management A method and system for mobile vehicle content management. Content may be received wireless from a plurality of access technologies within a mobile vehicle. The content may be balanced from the plurality of access technologies to select the content from at least one access technology for decryption. The selected content may be provided to a receiver device for presentation.
US08185040B2	System for managing voice over internet protocol communications in a network The VoIP Management System is capable of identifying voice-based wireless devices and denying wireless communication services to these devices. The VoIP Management System also identifies VoIP packet data traffic, and this communication connection can be denied. The VoIP Management System can also identify encrypted VoIP packet data traffic (for a unique Source -Destination IP pair) based upon VoIP packet data traffic characteristics: packet timing, packet rate, and packet size, since VoIP services have a distinct packet data traffic pattern. When a VoIP call is detected, the VoIP Management System disrupts the identified VoIP packet data traffic, without modifying the packet data content, such as by adding sufficient latency to the Packet Data Unit of the packet data traffic to make the VoIP services unusable.
US08185035B2	Image forming system An image forming system which realizes reliable output of an original of a finished book, while maintaining security. A sheet-unique information-reading unit reads sheet-unique information unique to a sheet used for making a finished book based on image data. A memory section stores the sheet-unique information read by the sheet-unique information-reading unit in association with the image data based on which a finished book is made. In outputting an original of the finished book, a CPU causes an image forming device to perform image output based on the information stored in the memory section.
US08185024B2	Developing unit having a magnet member and image forming apparatus including the developing unit A developing unit including a retainer receiving portion for receiving a developer retainer, a first agitation portion adjacent to the retainer receiving portion, a second agitation portion adjacent to the first agitation portion, a first conveyance member received in the first agitation portion and conveying a developer in the first agitation portion in a first conveyance direction, a second conveyance member received in the second agitation portion and conveying a developer in the second agitation portion in a second conveyance direction reverse to the first conveyance direction, and a magnetic member disposed between the second conveyance member and the developer retainer and having magnetism.
US08185019B2	Image-forming device forming images using liquid carrier and liquid developer An image forming device with a liquid developer containing a developing agent and a liquid carrier is provided. The image-forming device includes a casing, an accumulation unit, a supply inlet, a cover, and a support part. The accumulation unit is provided in the casing for accumulating therein the liquid developer and the liquid carrier. The supply inlet is in communication with the accumulation unit and fluidly connectable with a replenishing container containing the liquid developer and the liquid carrier. The cover is configured to selectively provide an open phase and a closed phase with respect to the casing, and configured to expose the supply inlet at the open phase. The support part is provided on the cover and configured to detachably mount thereon the replenishing container at the open phase in an orientation capable of discharging the liquid developer and liquid carrier into the accumulation unit through the supply inlet.
US08185017B2	Image forming apparatus and process cartridge An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including an image bearing member which is a rotatable photoconductor containing an organic photoconductive layer on a conductive cylindrical support, a latent electrostatic image forming unit configured to charge the image bearing member to form a latent electrostatic image thereon, and a developing unit configured to develop the latent electrostatic image on the image bearing member with a developer to form a visible image, wherein the thickness of the organic photoconductive layer monotonically decreases or increases along the rotational axis from one end to the other end, wherein the developing unit includes a development sleeve for bearing and transferring the developer to a developing region, and wherein a development gap is formed between the image bearing member and the development sleeve, and becomes narrower from one end where the organic photoconductive layer is thicker to the other end where the organic photoconductive layer is thinner.
US08185014B2	Image forming apparatus and process cartridge An image forming apparatus is provided. An image forming apparatus includes: a drum cartridge having a photosensitive drum; a developing cartridge configured to be movably attached to the drum cartridge, the developing cartridge having: a developing roller; a bearing member; and a developing drive input member; and a spacing member for pressing against a predetermined portion of the developing cartridge and moving the developing cartridge such that the developing roller is spaced apart from the photosensitive drum, wherein the drum cartridge has an abutment portion with which the bearing member is brought into abutment, and wherein a straight line which connects the abutment portion with a center of a rotational axis of the developing drive input member extends substantially in the same direction as a connecting or disconnecting direction of the developing roller to or from the photosensitive drum.
US08185005B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus including an image carrier, a plurality of forming devices, a detecting device configured to perform a steady-deviation detection for detecting steady positional deviation and a varying-deviation detection for detecting varying positional deviation having a cycle, and a correcting device configured to perform a steady-deviation correction for correcting the steady positional deviation and a varying-deviation correction for correcting the varying positional deviation. The detecting device forms, during the steady-deviation detection, a steady-deviation detection pattern in a state where the varying deviation correction is selectively disabled. The steady-deviation detection pattern has a plurality of measuring points arranged in a longitudinal direction. The detecting device, during the steady-deviation detection, measures positional deviation amount at each measuring point, and detects the steady positional deviation based on the measurement result.
US08185002B2	Image forming apparatus including belt surface state detection An image forming apparatus includes; an image forming unit; an annular belt that moves circularly; a detection unit that detects a state of a surface of the belt; and a tension increase unit that increases a tension of the belt, at a detection position by the detection unit, when detection is performed by the detection unit, as compared with the tension of the belt before detection at the detection position is performed by the detection unit.
US08184990B2	Light source wavelength control apparatus Equipped between a transmitter 20 and an optical multiplexer module 25 of a division/multiplexer unit 24 are band-pass filters 23-1 through 23-m letting only a light of right wavelength pass while reflecting other wavelengths light. The transmitter 20 is equipped with a reflection light monitor 26 for monitoring a reflection light from the band-pass filters 23-1 through 23-m for examining an intensity of a reflection light. A wavelength of a light oscillated by a tunable laser diode (LD) unit 21 is controlled so as to make the intensity of the light smaller than a threshold value.
US08184989B2	Communication system and timing control method A communication system and a timing control method are proposed that optimize timing in a sender and thereby enable information to be stably transmitted at the right timing. Under instructions from a timing controller in a receiver, the timing of driving a phase modulator in a sender is shifted by one step after another, and the then amount of clock shift and result of interference are monitored at the receiver and stored in a memory. The optimum timing is determined based on the stored data. Thus, a clock for driving the phase modulator in the sender can be set at the right timing. This is equivalent to compensating for group velocity dispersion due to wavelength dispersion that occurs when an optical signal channel and a clock signal channel are transmitted by wavelength division multiplexing transmission.
US08184988B2	Optical modulating device with frequency multiplying technique for electrical signals The present invention relates to an optical modulating device with frequency multiplying technique for electrical signals, which primary comprises a mixer, which generates a mixed data signal from a first electrical signal and a second electrical signal. The mixed data signal is then received by a first phase shift device to have its phase shifted and becomes a first shifted signal. The first electrical signal is further received by a second phase shift device to have its phase shifted and becomes a second shifted signal. The present invention further comprises an integrated electro-optic modulator (Mach-Zehnder modulator), which is used to receive an input optical signal, the mixed data signal, the first shifted signal, the second shifted signal and the first electrical signal mentioned above, the integrated electro-optic modulator will then modulates the input optical signal into a frequency multiplying output optical signal that carries the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal. The present invention can carry and transmit amplitude shift keying signals and vector modulation signals, thereby provides a more advanced optical communication transmission service.
US08184986B2	Detection arrangement Exemplary embodiments of detection and transmission arrangements are disclosed herein. For example, some of the disclosed embodiments comprise a splitter, a detector, first and second paths defined between the splitter and the detector, and a manipulation arrangement. In certain embodiments, the splitter is arranged to direct an incoming particle along the first or second path depending upon the value of a parameter of the incoming particle. In particular embodiments, the manipulation arrangement is located on at least one of the first and second paths, so that, if a particle in a superposition of values of the parameter impinges on the splitter and a wavefunction of the particle is directed along both the first and second paths, the manipulation arrangement will act on the wavefunction to allow interference, at or near the detector, between the portions of the wavefunction that were directed along the first and second paths.
US08184975B2	Passive optical network system and optical line terminator In a passive optical network system in which signals from a master station to plural slave stations are time-division multiplexed and transmitted, the slave stations different in transmission speed are mixedly contained. The master station (OLU) performs ranging for each transmission speed, and grasps all the slave stations different in transmission speed for each transmission speed, and generates a frame including signals of a suitable transmission speed corresponding to each slave station. When the frame is generated, in a downstream signal in which signals of plural transmission speeds are mixed, a dummy signal is set at a place where the transmission speed is changed, and a time necessary to follow a change in level of a received signal due to a change in optical level caused when the transmission speed is changed is secured. Thereby, each ONU avoids a reception error occurring in the time necessary to follow.
US08184971B2	Optimization mechanism for use with an optical control plane in a DWDM network Methods and apparatus for efficiently utilizing an optical control plane distinct from an electronic control plane to facilitate the setup of paths in a dense wave division multiplexing network are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method includes receiving a probe arranged determine the optical feasibility of a first path, and determining a probability of success associated with the probe. The probability of success indicates a likelihood that the probe will be successfully routed on the first path to the destination, and is associated with a particular wavelength. A second path on which to route the probe is dynamically identified if the probability indicates a low likelihood of successful routing on the first path. Finally, the method includes determining if a notification associated with the probe has been received, and altering the probability of success based on the notification if the notification has been received.
US08184968B2	Imaging apparatus An imaging apparatus having a light receiving element having a micro lens array provided with a plurality of micro lenses, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements, and outputting a light receiving signal obtained by receiving a light beam from an optical system via the micro lens array; a detector that detects shift amounts of image plane by the optical system respectively for a plurality of focus detecting positions set at a plurality of positions in the image plane by the optical system; and a controller that determines a focus adjusting position for the optical system based on a plurality of the shift amounts detected respectively for the plurality of focus detecting positions and a range of the image plane where an image based on the light receiving signal is enabled to be produced, and obtains the light receiving signal at the focus adjusting position with the light receiving element.
US08184965B2	Imaging device An imaging device includes an optical system, an imaging unit, a movable member, a drive unit, a second detection unit, and a selection unit. The optical system is configured to form an optical image of a subject. The imaging unit is configured to receive an image signal of the optical image. The first detection unit is configured to detect vibration of the imaging device. The movable member includes at least one of a portion of the optical system and a portion of the imaging unit. The drive unit is configured to move the movable member based on the detected vibration. The second detection unit is configured to detect movement of the movable member. The selection unit is configured to select a first image area based on the detected vibration and the detected movement, and the first image area is used to determine a characteristic value based on the image signal.
US08184952B2	Segment boundary obfuscation A method and system for obfuscating segment boundary markers, such as but not limited to obfuscating boundary markers used to identify beginning and/or ending boundaries of a sequence of segments forming a programming event. The obfuscation may be achieved by embedding decoy and offset boundary markers within the sequence of segments.
US08184951B2	Recording and reproducing apparatus A recording and reproducing apparatus prevents, when a format instruction is given via an on-screen menu in an image format of one of HDTV and SDTV standards and the content item to be erased is in the other standard, erroneous erasure of a content item on a recording medium having mixed content items recorded using these standards. The recording and reproducing apparatus includes a controlling unit that instructs, upon a user instruction to format via an inputting unit, an image generating unit to generate an on-screen warning, the image generating unit that generates, following the instruction from the controlling unit, the on-screen warning, a display unit that displays the on-screen warning generated by the image generating unit, and a searching unit that searches a disc for a directory recorded using a standard other than used for recording a CONTENTS directory.
US08184941B2	Information recording and reproducing apparatus and method for changing setting language of the same An HDMI connector is adapted to be connected to a display device conforming to an HDMI standard. A signal processor is operable to decode a digital signal received through the HDMI connector and extract first language information which indicates a setting language of the display device when the digital signal contains the first language information. A storage is operable to store second language information which indicates a setting language of the information recording and reproducing apparatus. A controller is operable to detect whether the display device is connected to the HDMI connector, acquire the first language information when the display device is connected to the HDMI connector, determine whether the setting language in the first language information is in conformity with the setting language in the second language information, and change the setting language in the second language information so as to be in conformity with the setting language in the first language information when the setting languages are not in conformity with each other.
US08184936B2	Multi-mode bending-resistant fiber and production method thereof A multimode fiber including a core and a cladding. The core has a radius (R1) of 24-26 μm, the refractive index profile thereof is a parabola, and the maximum relative refractive index difference (Δ1) is 0.9-1.1%. The cladding surrounds the core and includes from inside to outside an inner cladding, a middle cladding, and an outer cladding; a radius (R2) of the inner cladding is 1.04-1.6 times that of the core, and a relative refractive index difference (Δ2) thereof is −0.01-0.01%; the middle cladding is a graded refractive index cladding whose radius (R3) is 1.06-1.8 times that of the core, and a relative refractive index difference thereof is decreased from Δ2 to Δ4; and a radius (R4) of the outer cladding is 2.38-2.63 times that of the core, and a relative refractive index difference (Δ4) thereof is between −0.20 and −0.40%. The invention reduces the additional bending loss of the fiber, improves the bending resistance and mechanical properties, basically eliminates the internal stress, and ensures the service life even working for a long term under the condition of low radius. The method for producing the fiber is simple, effective, and suitable for mass production.
US08184933B1	Systems and methods for identifying cable connections in a computing system A system includes a cable having a first end portion, a second end portion and a cable display module mechanically coupled to the first end portion of the cable. The cable has at least one optical fiber extending through the cable between the first end portion and the second end portion. The at least one optical fiber is configured to optically couple a first chassis with a second chassis when the first end portion of the cable is mechanically coupled to the first chassis and the second end portion of the cable is mechanically coupled to the second chassis. The cable display module is configured to be electrically coupled to the first chassis when the first end portion of the cable is mechanically coupled to the first chassis such that the cable display module receives from the first chassis an electrical signal representing an identifier associated with the second chassis.
US08184931B2	Suspension board with circuit A suspension board with circuit includes a circuit board, and an optical waveguide formed on the circuit board. The circuit board is provided with a pedestal for supporting a slider. The pedestal allows the optical waveguide to be disposed so as to overlap the slider in a thickness direction of the circuit board.
US08184922B2	Digital filter configuration A digital filter configuration for the filtration of a digital video signal, wherein the functions of a zoom filter, in the form of a low-pass filter, which is a polyphase filter, and of at least one peaking filter, in the form of a high-pass filter, are realized, wherein the functions of the two filters are realized in a combined filter (1-17) in an integrated circuit in a manner such that, for each phase of the zoom filter to be set, combined filter coefficients are calculated from filter coefficients stored for this phase of the zoom filter and from filter coefficients stored for the peaking filter, which combined filter coefficients are applied to the video data to be filtered in a filtration process, so that both filtration functions are executed with the combined filter coefficients in this filtration process.
US08184918B2	Header-based processing of images compressed using multi-scale transforms A method and apparatus is described for segmenting an image, for adaptively scaling an image, and for automatically scaling and cropping an image based on codestream headers data. In one embodiment, a file that can provide a header that contains multi-scale entropy distribution information on blocks of an image is received. For each block, the block is assigned to a scale from a set of scales that maximizes a cost function. The cost function is a product of a total likelihood and a prior. The total likelihood is a product of likelihoods of the blocks. The image is segmented by grouping together blocks that have been assigned equivalent scales. In one embodiment, the file represents an image in JPEG 2000 format.
US08184915B2	Device and method for fast computation of region based image features A device and method for efficient computation of statistical information, such as a mean, co-variance, or histogram of the image pixels, over discrete image regions. The computation employs integral computations to determine the statistical information over image regions of arbitrary shape, including irregular polygonal shaped regions. The integral computations are simplified by categorizing corner points of boundaries of image regions. The computation can be applied to calculate descriptors or signatures of persons or objects within an image. The computation also has a low computational cost enabling fast calculation of image statistics.
US08184914B2	Method and system of person identification by facial image A method to recognize a facial image is described. An input facial image is normalized by scaling and rotation angle using methods of eye pupil centers detection. The input facial image is further normalized by lighting intensity. Template images are obtained either by the processing of certain images taken from different face positions, or by a preliminary reconstruction of a 3D face model based on stereo-pair images. Using the 3D model template, facial images are generated at different rotation angles. Distances between the input facial image and the template image are calculated from the Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT) features, defined by overlapped blocks of these images. The facial image is recognized based on these distances.
US08184912B2	Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing system, and image processing method There are provided: a pattern detection process section for extracting a partial image made of pixels including a target pixel from input image data; a rotated image generating section for generating a self-rotated image by rotating the partial image; and a matching test determination section for determining whether an image pattern included in the partial image matches an image pattern included in the self-rotated image. When it is determined that matching exists, a target pixel in the partial image or a block made of pixels including the target pixel is regarded as a feature point. Consequently, even when image data has been read while skewed with respect to a predetermined positioning angle of a reading position of an image reading apparatus or image data has been subjected to enlarging, reducing etc., a feature point properly specifying the image data can be extracted regardless of skew, enlarging, reducing etc.
US08184901B2	System and method for applying a reflectance modifying agent to change a person's appearance based on a digital image A computer-controlled system determines attributes of a frexel, which is an area of human skin, and applies a reflectance modifying agent (RMA) at the pixel level to automatically change the appearance of human features based on one or more digital images. The change may be based on a digital image of the same frexel, for as seen in a prior digital photograph captured previously by the computer-controlled system. The system scans the frexel and uses feature recognition software to compare the person's current features in the frexel with that person's features in the digital image. It then calculates enhancements to the make the current features appear more like the features in the digital image, and it applies the RMA to the frexel to accomplish the enhancements. Or the change may be based on a digital image of another person, through the application of RMAs.
US08184900B2	Automatic detection and correction of non-red eye flash defects A technique for detecting large and small non-red eye flash defects in an image is disclosed. The method comprises selecting pixels of the image which have a luminance above a threshold value and labeling neighboring selected pixels as luminous regions. A number of geometrical filters are applied to the luminous regions to remove false candidate luminous regions.
US08184890B2	Computer-aided diagnosis and visualization of tomosynthesis mammography data The present invention provides a method and system using computer-aided detection (CAD) algorithms to aid diagnosis and visualization of tomosynthesis mammography data. The proposed CAD algorithms process two-dimensional and three-dimensional tomosynthesis mammography images and identify regions of interest in breasts. The CAD algorithms include the steps of preprocessing; candidate detection of potential regions of interest; and classification of each region of interest to aid reading by radiologists. The detection of potential regions of interest utilizes two dimensional projection images for generating candidates. The resultant candidates in two dimensional images are back-projected into the three dimensional volume images. The feature extraction for classification operates in the three dimensional image in the neighborhood of the back-projected candidate location. The forward-projection and back-projection algorithms are used for visualization of the tomosynthesis mammography data in a fashion of synchronized MPR and VR.
US08184887B2	System and method for image reconstruction A tomographic imaging apparatus is provided for generating images. The tomographic apparatus includes a computer programmed to access a data sinogram representative of the image, reconstruct the image, divide the image into a plurality of sub-regions, define a region of interest including at least one sub-region, reprojecting a region of interest or a complement of the region of interest to generate a region of interest sinogram or a sinogram representative of the complement of the region of interest and reconstructing a resultant sinogram using iterative methods to generate an image.
US08184885B2	System and method for visualizing a structure of interest A system. The system includes a computing device configured for communication with an imaging system and with a display device. The computing device includes a contour modeling module. The contour modeling module is configured for superimposing reference anchors on a cross-sectional image generated from 3D image data, for generating a line which connects the reference anchors, for sampling the 3D image data in a variable thickness plane defined by the connecting line, and for generating a contour-modeled C-mode image from the sampled 3D image data.
US08184878B2	Image diagnosis support system and image diagnosis support method Specific information for specifying a specific study or series for which an object, which is obtained by adding at least one information of a scan condition, a scan range, and a key image position as a basis of a diagnosis in an image, is to be generated is specified. It is determined whether or not an image for references is present in the specific study or series on the basis of additional information of at least one image related to the specific study or series. When it is determined that the image for references is present, an object about the specific study or series is generated afterwards, for example, in the unit of series by using the image for references and at least one information of a scan condition, a scan range, and a key image position of the additional information.
US08184877B2	Renormalization of dual-energy images A method is disclosed for generating a composite image from dual-energy projection radiographic image data and renormalizing the composite image such that the pixel values for the composite image have the same relationship to the detected x-ray energy as the original high- and low-energy images. The method disclosed further provides for renormalization of material specific decomposition images formed form dual energy projection radiographic image data such that the decomposition images are on a common scale with either the high-energy, low-energy or composite image.
US08184874B2	Enhanced display of medical images A method of processing a digital radiographic medical image. The digital radiographic medical image is accessed and a plurality of regions of interest is determined. For each of the plurality of regions of interest, steps are performed: determining at least one candidate region of interest (ROI) disease; identifying one ROI disease from the at least one candidate region of interest; determining a processing method appropriate to the identified one ROI disease; and applying the determined processing method to the region of interest to generate a disease enhanced region of interest. The digital radiographic medical image and one or more of the disease enhanced regions of interest can then be displayed.
US08184871B2	Biometrical feature inputting system, image synthesizing apparatus, and image synthesizing method A biometrical feature inputting system including: an imager placed in front of a finger, for imaging an image of a front face of the finger, and an image of either one of lateral faces of the finger; a reflector placed on at least one side of lateral faces of the figure, for reflecting an image of lateral faces of the finger to the imager; and a synthesizer for applying mirror inversion to an imaged image of lateral faces of the finger, and synthesizing a mirror-inverted image of lateral faces of the finger and an imaged image of a front face of the finger.
US08184865B2	Method and apparatus for producing land-surface image data An object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for producing land-surface image data, which can correct, with relatively high accuracy, cloud image data included in satellite image data into land-surface image data that would emerge in the absence of a cloud. Geostationary satellite image data 1 of a predetermined time at a production standard date is obtained, and a determination whether each pixel is a pixel reflecting a land surface 4 or a pixel reflecting a cloud 5 is made to set partial image data 6 and a missing region 7. Then, processing is repeated by sequentially adding another imaging date and time according to a predetermined priority until the missing region 7 is filled up with the pixel determined to be the pixel reflecting the land surface 4, thereby producing interpolated image data 9 to produce the land-surface image data. The pixel is determined to be the pixel reflecting the land surface 4 from a pixel value in the another imaging date and time that is determined to be data having a close temporal relevance in a relationship between a solar position and the predetermined time of the production standard date.
US08184863B2	Video speed detection system A system and method for measuring vehicle speeds using video sensing. The system comprises a tracking camera that generates accurately time-stamped video sequences of the monitored road at high frame rates and a processing unit that analyzes the video sequences in real time to detect moving vehicles and calculate their speeds using the time-over-distance method. The system automatically detects moving vehicles in each image frame and derives vehicle positions from a projective mapping established from reference markers on the road. Time information is obtained from the date and time stamp associated with each image frame. In one example, the system also allows a user of the system to set a trigger speed, and the system automatically saves a video clip of the vehicle whose speed exceeds the trigger speed, recording the speeding vehicle passing through the monitored traffic zone defined by the reference markers.
US08184862B2	Vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus Provided is an apparatus capable of, even when an object is moving, measuring the position of the object at a high accuracy. A vehicle periphery monitoring apparatus (10) calculates the change rate (Rate(t)) of the size of an object region between two times separated by a specified interval (ΔT). The specified interval (ΔT) is a time interval defined so that the shapes and postures of an object in images resemble or match each other to such an extent that it is possible to identify that the object is identical. Based on the change rage (Rate(t)) of the size of the object region during the specified interval (ΔT), it is possible to measure the distance from a vehicle (1) to the object or the position at a high accuracy even when the object is moving.
US08184854B2	Method and system for evaluation of the behavior of users of a digital image information system In a method of evaluation of the user behavior of users of a digital image information system during the viewing and/or assessment and/or processing of at least one image object presented on at least one display device, at least one selectable indicator of the user behavior is recorded (controlled by an electronic control and evaluation device) in the form of recording data by at least one detector during the viewing and/or assessment and/or processing of the image object. The recording data are transferred to the electronic control and evaluation device; and a quantitative and/or qualitative evaluation of the recording data ensues with regard to the image object. A digital image information system is provided that is suitable for implementation of the method.
US08184845B2	Electrical module comprising a MEMS microphone An electrical module includes a base plate having an acoustic channel that opens into a first cavity at a first end and that is closed off by a microphone chip at a second end. The microphone chip borders a second cavity that opens to an exterior of the electrical module. The second cavity is separated from the acoustic channel by the microphone chip.
US08184839B2	One-size-fits-most hearing aid A hearing-aid device comprising a housing and circuitry module, wherein the circuitry module comprises a battery, a microphone, and a receiver, and the circuit module is inserted in the hearing aid housing. The hearing aid device further comprises a retractable battery sleeve, wherein a battery slot is exposed when the battery sleeve is retracted, and a battery can be inserted into the battery slot from either side of the battery slot with either polarity. The hearing aid housing may comprise an ear-tip, wherein a microphone is mounted in the hearing aid housing near the ear-tip and the microphone receives sounds through at least one sound inlet located on a side surface of the hearing aid housing. The ear-tip additionally comprises three flanges decreasing in size toward the flange closest to the ear canal, and the hearing aid can be inserted into the ear canal in any orientation.
US08184832B2	Electrostatic loudspeaker capable of dispersing sound both horizontally and vertically An acoustic transducer, specifically an electrostatic loudspeaker (ESL) providing curvature in two directions for improved dispersion of sound waves. The compound curvature also provides a virtual focus of the propagated sound waves for accurate reproduction of musical program material recorded with standard single-point microphones. The highly directional nature of high frequency sound waves requires that a flat or cylindrical electrostatic transducer must be physically tall to allow a listener to either recline or stand. The two-axis curved structure enables a compact form of ESL to be realized, including bookshelf type loudspeakers whereas all known commercial units are comparable in height to that of a human listener. The individual curved ESL panels can also be readily combined to create larger transducer assemblies including omni-directional units. A preferred stator panel hole-geometry is included for improved high voltage operation of coated perforated metal stator panels, and methods of forming the metal panel are described. The artistic nature of the two-dimensionally curved electrostatic transducer also lends itself to other non-traditional forms such as integration into lighting fixtures and other such architectural uses.
US08184829B2	Signal processing device and method of processing signal A plurality of sets of prepared parameters are stored in a parameter memory. A first control knob can be moved over a predetermined operating range in which a plurality of predetermined positions are discretely defined. The plurality of sets of prepared parameters are respectively assigned to the plurality of predetermined positions. When a current operating position of the first control knob is positioned between any two adjacent positions of the plurality of predetermined positions, two sets of prepared parameters are read out from the parameter memory in accordance with the two adjacent positions corresponding to the current operating position of the first control knob, and the read-out two sets of prepared parameters are interpolated in accordance with the current operating position of the first control knob to obtain one set of interpolated parameters. The input signal is subjected to the signal processing using one set of interpolated parameters.
US08184826B2	Speaker system A speaker system includes a cabinet, at least one speaker unit fixed to the cabinet, and a gas adsorbent which is situated inside the cabinet and which is made from a porous material. The speaker unit is configured with moisture-proof component parts. In the speaker system, a tubular structure which has a tubular hollow allows ventilation between an inside and an outside of the cabinet. A resonant frequency which is determined by an acoustic impedance of the tubular structure and an acoustic impedance of the cabinet is lower than a minimum resonant frequency of an acoustic impedance of the speaker system.
US08184824B2	Differentiated audio The present invention provides novel methods and devices for providing audio to players of a gaming machine and to nearby players. According to preferred implementations, sounds intended for a person currently using a gaming machine are distinguished from second sounds intended for persons who are not currently using the gaming machine. The former sounds are directed to the player of the gaming machine by one or more methods and/or devices. For example, the gaming machine may include a device for producing ultrasonic waves (e.g., in a beam) that produce the first sounds via interaction with a medium, a sound dome, a speaker array, or other devices for producing directional sound. The sound may be directed to a predetermined area near the gaming machine. Alternatively, the sound may be directed to an area at or near where the player is detected to be, where the player's player tracking card is detected to be, etc.
US08184801B1	Acoustic echo cancellation for time-varying microphone array beamsteering systems In a mobile terminal device having a processing unit and a memory unit, an acoustic echo cancellation and a microphone beamforming are provided. Said device includes a plurality of a microphones, a pre-processing stage has an amplifier and a signal converter for an analog-to-digital conversion. In a main signal processing stage, a pre-filter suitable for polynomial beamforming, an acoustic echo cancellation stage and a post-filter for polynomial beamforming are provided. Furthermore, a post-processing stage has an amplifier and a signal converter for a digital-to-analog conversion, and plurality of speakers.
US08184800B2	High availability and operations architecture for IVR applications A method for managing voice response services in a call center for interactive voice response (IVR) applications that provides full IVR call capacity during the installation and testing of new IVR application software. The call center includes web application servers, a network dispatcher, IVR clusters, databases and a network switch, which are reconfigured during the installation and testing of new IVR application software so that full IVR call capacity is maintained at all times. The call center further includes the ability to uninstall newly installed IVR application software and restore the call center to the original IVR application software configuration without reducing the call center IVR call capacity.
US08184795B2	Method and system for floor control in a wireless network A method and system for establishing floor control in a communication session enables remote control of devices in a network and provides a status update concerning floor ownership. The method includes processing at a floor controller a floor request message received from a first endpoint, where the floor request message requests that floor ownership be provided to a second endpoint (step 305). A floor control announcement message is then transmitted from the floor controller to at least both the first endpoint and the second endpoint, where the floor control announcement message indicates that the second endpoint has floor ownership (step 315).
US08184786B2	Updating routing patterns in an enterprise network The present disclosure is directed to updating routing patterns in an enterprise network. In some implementations, a method for routing sessions includes identifying information associated with call sessions in an enterprise network. The information includes costs to an enterprise for using carrier services during the call sessions. Routing patterns for call sessions are dynamically updated through at least a portion of the enterprise network based, at least in part, on the costs associated with the call sessions.
US08184785B2	Elevator monitor system In an elevator monitoring system, an operation monitoring device receives operating condition data from a group management control device, and causes a monitor to display operating conditions of a plurality of elevators. An interphone base unit is connected to the operation monitoring device such that mutual communication can be established therebetween. The operation monitoring device can cause the monitor to display communication states of interphone handset units based on information on the communication states of the interphone handset units which has been received from the interphone base unit, and can input thereto channel select information for selecting one of the interphone handset units to communicate with. The interphone base unit can transmit the communication state information to the operation monitoring device, and can make a changeover in the states of connection with the interphone handset units based on the channel select information received from the operation monitoring device.
US08184781B2	Method and system for communicating information System and method for communicating information from an information provider to a recipient are provided. One illustrative application for the system and method is in a medical practice. The system and method may be used as an automated patient medical information message retrieval system to communicate certain medical information from the medical provider to patients. The system and method permits a provider of medical information, such as a physician's office, to generate messages containing medical information and to deliver the message to a destination mailbox. The patient is provided with a telephone number, personal voice mailbox number, and a personal voice mailbox PIN, to access and retrieve the medical message from the destination mailbox.
US08184772B2	Orthovoltage radiosurgery A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. Some embodiments provide that, among other targets, ocular structures are treated. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments.
US08184758B2	Method and apparatus for detecting electrical idle A system and method for detecting electrical idle in a receiver is disclosed herein. A receiver includes a differential receiver, an analog idle detector, and a first filter. The differential receiver receives a variable rate differential signal. The analog idle detector is coupled to the differential receiver. The analog idle detector provides a first idle signal that erroneously identifies a differential signal electrical idle state. The first filter is coupled to the analog idle detector. The first filter processes the first idle signal and generates a second idle signal lacking the idle state errors of the first idle signal. The first filter provides the second idle signal to receiver control logic that controls signal reception.
US08184751B2	Integrated interference cancellation system architecture with distortion correction A system and associated method is provided for improved rejection of an interfering signal coupled from a transmission antenna into a local receive antenna in the presence of local multipath. A system of the invention includes a common feedback junction, (i.e., a single sampling point used by all parameter matching control loops), for adjusting a number of distortion matching circuits while advantageously maintaining independence of tuning and other independent circuit actions.
US08184748B2	Narrow band receiver An RF receiver comprises a signal processor arranged to perform a method of decoding data contained within a signal that comprises a set of slots, at least one said slot comprising a preamble portion and a payload portion and being transmitted at a predetermined transmission frequency. The signal processor is arranged to perform a first process to derive timing data from the preamble portion and perform a second process to extract information from the payload portion, the second process being triggered from said timing data derived from the first process. The preamble portion comprises at least a first sequence of data and a second sequence of data, and the second sequence is the inverse of the first sequence. In preferred embodiments the first process comprises identifying a transition between said first and second sequences of data and deriving said timing data from the identified transition.
US08184732B2	Method and system for codebook design for pre-coding techniques Aspects of a method and system for codebook design for pre-coding techniques may include generating one or more matrices whose matrix elements are from a constant amplitude signal constellation, wherein each of the one or more generated matrices may comprise one or more orthonormal columns, and one of the generated one or more matrices may be an identity matrix. Any two of the generated one or more matrices may be separated by at least a minimum pairwise distance. One or more pre-coding codebooks may be generated, each of which may comprise one or more codebook elements that may be of a same matrix rank. Each of the codebook elements may be generated from a subset of columns from one of the generated one or more matrices. A signal may be pre-coded for transmission using the one or more pre-coding codebooks.
US08184730B2	Method and system for frequency band allocation based on frequency band usage measurements A method for selecting a frequency band, from among a plurality of frequency bands controllable by a radio network controller (RNC), to carry a data communication. The method may include obtaining frequency band usage measurements for a plurality of frequency bands, and using the frequency band usage measurements to select a particular frequency band of the plurality of frequency bands to carry the data communication. Frequency band usage measurements may be based on how many idle slots (and/or data channels) are carried through each of the plurality of frequency bands during a measurement time period. A comparison of the frequency band usage measurements can be used to determine which frequency band sent the greatest number of idle slots (or the fewest number of data channels). The method provides for selecting a frequency band best suited (e.g., has the most available capacity for carrying a data communication) for carrying the data communication.
US08184729B2	Communication processing system, OFDM signal transmitting method, OFDM transmitter, OFDM receiver, and control station In an OFDM transmitter included in a first service area, an orthogonal-code-pattern multiplication unit multiplies pilot channel signals belonging to any subcarrier group by an orthogonal code which is different from that for one or a plurality of OFDM transmitters adjacent to the OFDM transmitter included in the first service area, or a subcarrier assignment unit assigns pilot channel signals to pilot subcarriers which are common to a plurality of OFDM transmitters and based on a pilot arrangement notified in advance by a control station to all OFDM transmitters included in the first service area.
US08184723B2	Feedback system and apparatus for video compensation A system and apparatus for compensating cable losses in a video signal transmission system includes feedback circuits to determine the spectral attenuation of a received signal and to control an equalizer circuit to amplify selected frequencies of the received signal, and to determine the various times of arrival of two or more video signals and selectively adjust one or more delay lines to reduce the differences in their arrival times.
US08184719B2	Water ring decoding method A water ring decoding method of processing a data string into a restored data set, such as a video image frame, is disclosed. The restored data set is organized with at least one restored origin enveloped by a plurality of nested restored environs successively surrounding each other in the restored data set. The water ring decoding method includes the steps of decoding by writing the data string into the restored data set by starting at the RC group corresponding to the restored origin (restored water ring (0)) and by sequentially progressing outwardly from the family of RC groups corresponding to the nearest nested restored environ (restored water ring (1)) towards the family of RC groups corresponding to a furthest nested restored environ (restored water ring (n)).
US08184713B2	De-blocking filtering method of image data and de-blocking filter A deblocking filtering method for image data and a deblocking filter. According to the deblocking filtering method for image data and the deblocking filter, when computation of Boundary Strength (BS) values for each boundary based on one of horizontal and vertical directions from input image data is completed, it is possible to estimate BS values for each boundary based on a direction different from the currently selected direction by using the computed BS values. Further, deblocking filtering is performed based on corresponding directions according to the estimated values, so that the deblocking filtering can be completely performed with only a BS value of boundaries based on a selected one direction. Consequently, a BS value computation process necessarily required in a deblocking filtering process can be considerably reduced, and thus time required in the operation process of a deblocking filter can also be considerably reduced.
US08184710B2	Adaptive truncation of transform coefficient data in a transform-based digital media codec A block transform-based digital media codec has a signaling scheme and bitstream syntax to flexibly signal that truncation of less significant information bits of transform coefficients coded as an optional layer of the bitstream has been performed adaptively per region or tile of the image.
US08184707B2	Method and apparatus for encoding multiview video using hierarchical B frames in view direction, and a storage medium using the same The invention provides a method of encoding a multi-view video and an encoder capable of calculating global disparity between pictures at different viewpoints in the multi-view video and forming a hierarchical B picture in both view and time directions on the basis of the calculated global disparity, thereby improving encoding efficiency. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided an encoder for encoding data for pictures captured at different viewpoints in a multi-view video. When a picture at one of the first and last viewpoints is encoded into an I picture, the encoder encodes a picture that is captured at the other viewpoint but is disposed in the same time direction into an VP picture.
US08184704B2	Spatial filtering of differential motion vectors Embodiments include a video data encoding method comprising receiving video input frames, and performing motion estimation on the video received frames. The motion estimation comprises performing a hierarchical motion search to find motion vectors with optimum sum of absolute difference (SAD) values, and performing spatial filtering of the motion vectors, wherein spatial filtering comprises making some pairs of motion vectors the same to achieve a zero differential.
US08184702B2	Method for encoding/decoding a video sequence based on hierarchical B-picture using adaptively-adjusted GOP structure Provided is a method for performing hierarchical B picture-based coding on a video sequence using the structure of adaptively divided group of pictures (GOP). The method includes the steps of, for each predefined 2N frame-sized group of pictures (GOP) of the video sequence, (a) encoding the 2N frame-sized GOP of the video sequence based on each of the different GOP sizes from the maximum size, 2N, to the minimum size, 2M (M is an integer between 1 and N) and obtaining different values between frames reconstructed after the encoding is performed and frames after the hierarchical B-picture prediction is performed, based on each of the different GOP sizes; (b) selecting at least one sub-GOP based on the difference values obtained by encoding the 2N frame-sized GOP of the video sequence based on each of the different GOP sizes; and (c) generating a bitstream by encoding the 2N-frame-sized GOP based on the at least one selected sub-GOP. Thereby, the hierarchical B picture-based video coding is performed by adaptively dividing the GOP size based on performance and thereby obtains high coding efficiency.
US08184693B2	Adaptive filtering for bit-depth scalable video codec Adaptive filtering may be used to increase the quality of tone mapped, baseline layer encoded information. As a result, scalable video codecs may be implemented with improved picture quality in some embodiments.
US08184692B2	Distributed and automated video encoding and delivery system At a user or client site, a user initially visits a website hosted by a partner, and following an initial interaction with the website, the user is provided with various software from an administrator website. The software enables the user to download information, such as a video file, to the partner website. The information is encoded in a format that was pre-selected by the partner so that the delivery process is streamlined for the partner. In addition, for further efficiency, the delivery process from the user to the partner is implemented substantially simultaneously with the encoding.
US08184682B2	Precoding signaling in a MIMO wireless communication system A method for performing data transmission between a transmitter and a receiver. The method includes the steps of generating a feedback message at the receiver in response to data received from the transmitter, assigning an identifier for the feedback message, storing the feedback message in association with the identifier in the receiver, transmitting the feedback message and the identifier to the transmitter, determining, at the transmitter, transmission format for data to be transmitted to the receiver based on the feedback message received from the receiver; and transmitting data and a control message, by the transmitter, using the determined transmission format, with the control message comprising the identifier of the feedback message based on which the transmission format is determined.
US08184670B2	Smart linear pulsed laser diode driver, and method In a pulsed laser diode driver an energy storage capacitor is continuously being charged to a supply voltage Vr. When a pulse is initiated, energy stored in the capacitor is delivered to the laser diode load. The capacitor voltage Vd at the end of a pulse is used to control Vr to ensure that Vd is maintained above a minimum voltage Vm required to ensure operation of a current control device (such as FET) just above saturation. Test pulses (such as with attenuated currents or reduced pulsewidth) may be fired to determine an initial optimum value for Vr. After a test pulse, a slightly high estimate for Vr may be used and may be iterated (incremented) down to an optimum value Vm during a firing burst. A digital processor may be used to calculate and store data to optimize the performance. Various embodiments are disclosed.
US08184661B2	Apparatus, system and method for the transmission of data with different QoS attributes A novel apparatus, system and method for transmitting data flows having different quality of service (QoS) attributes over a network link structured in two or more channels is provided. The method classifies arriving packets to determine their required/assigned QoS attributes and places the classified packets into one of several logical channel queues, the selected logical channel queue having an appropriate corresponding set of QoS attributes defined. A radio link controller examines the available channels and, for each channel, selects a logical channel queue whose contents will be transmitted thereon. The radio link controller determines the data transmission capacity for each channel and segments the contents of the selected logical channel to fit within the determined capacity. The selection of the logical channel queue is performed in accordance with the set of QoS attributes and thus each flow can have different QoS characteristics including priorities, reliabilities (ARQ, no ARQ, etc.).
US08184660B2	Transparent methods for altering the video decoder frame-rate in a fixed-frame-rate audio-video multiplex structure An apparatus comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate a multiplexed signal at a fixed frame-rate in response to a video input signal. The multiplexed signal comprises one of (i) a pre-defined packet which corresponds to a new frame rate detected on the video input signal when in a first mode (ii) repeated video frames at the fixed frame-rate when in a second mode and (iii) augmented digitally repeated frames at the fixed-rate when in a third mode. The second circuit may be configured to generate a video output signal in response to decoding (i) the multiplexed signal at the new frame rate defined by the pre-defined packet when in the first mode or (ii) the repeated video frames on the multiplexed signal at the fixed frame-rate when in the second mode.
US08184656B2	Control channel negotiated intermittent wireless communication A dual mode communication device utilizes a control channel to exploit diversity, history, and context in advance of establishing a broadband data exchange session on a broadband but shorter range wireless data channel, maximizing productive use of such a session. Appropriate diversity for the negotiated session further enhance data transfer, including path diversity, radio technology diversity (e.g., WiMax, Wi-Fi, ultra wideband, Bluetooth), antenna diversity (e.g., MIMO), modulation diversity (e.g., rate selection for 802.11, or symbol length selection to combat multi-path fading), and frequency diversity (e.g., 2.4 GHz versus 5 GHz). Historical information about channel characteristics optimize the selection of channel parameters with respect to the diversity choices. In addition, context information such as location and speed can be used to categorize the historical information that is collected to further optimize channel parameters.
US08184640B2	Compact virtual local area network mapper for the gigabit-passive optical network optical network management and control interface An apparatus comprising a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) mapper associated with a plurality of interfaces and a plurality of ports corresponding to the interfaces, wherein the VLAN mapper is configured to direct a plurality of packets between the interfaces and the corresponding ports based on a VLAN mapping table. Also included is an apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a packet via an interface, determining whether the packet is tagged, mapping the packet to a port corresponding to the interface using a mapping table if the packet is tagged, and mapping the packet to a designated port using a default marking attribute if the packet is untagged.
US08184634B2	Packet transfer method and node apparatus In a L2VPN, where Ethernet frames are encapsulated and transferred, when an edge node disposed at an entrance of the L2VPN encapsulates an Ethernet frame, the data type of the payload of the Ethernet frame is checked. If the payload data type includes time-to-live (TTL) information, whether to encapsulate or discard the frame is judged according to the TTL value. One material for judging whether to discard the frame is a condition that the TTL value is larger than ‘1’ and smaller than a predetermined threshold.
US08184631B2	Method for specifying a MAC identifier for a network-interface-device One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that specifies a MAC identifier for a network-interface-device in a computing device. In this system, the network-interface-device is configured to connect to a network though a port. During operation, the network-interface-device receives data packets through this port, and accepts a data packet if the data packet contains a destination that matches the MAC identifier for the network-interface-device, which can be a universally-administered MAC identifier. The system is also configured to determine whether the network-interface-device supports one or more additional MAC identifiers. If so, the system adds and activates an additional MAC identifier. By activating the newly-added MAC identifier in the computing device, the system allows the network-interface-device to logically separate data packets based on MAC identifiers.
US08184627B2	Point-to-multipoint (P2MP) network resource management Techniques for managing resources in a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) network are disclosed. In some examples, a root station is adapted to transmit and receive network packets and leaf stations are adapted to transmit and receive the network packets from the root station. An electrical control system can be adapted to reduce an amount of time for the electrical control system to produce a steady state output and to define a maximum boundary for the output. The electrical control system may include feedback to control the root station based, at least in part, on the output of the electrical control system.
US08184625B2	GPON management system The present invention provides the capability to manage NEs with a large number of units of equipment and facilities, by providing functions such profiling, auto-creation, link aggregation and scoping. This makes it easier for to manage GPON data, voice and video services and to support traffic protection. A method for managing an optical network comprises automatically provisioning a unit of the optical network, automatically creating a unit of the optical network, and arranging link aggregation in a unit of the optical network.
US08184624B2	Systems and methods for multiple mode voice and data communications using intelligently bridged TDM and packet buses and methods for performing telephony and data functions using the same A system for managing voice and data communications coupled to a wide area telecommunications network. Video data is coupled between the system and a video unit under control of a processor. Audio data is coupled between the system and a microphone unit under control of the processor. The audio data are coupled to a TDM bus in the system operating under control of the processor. The video and audio data are coupled to a digital transmission link of the wide area telecommunications network. A user participates in a video call with the video data, while concurrently the user participates in a telephone call with the audio data. Voice communications of the telephone call that stay in a circuit-switched form are provided via the TDM bus. The video call and the telephone call provide a conference call.
US08184620B2	Method for transmitting communication data Transmitting communication data for a connection between at least one calling first terminal and at least one called second terminal in an at least partly packet-oriented network comprising a plurality of node units, a primary connection being established via the packet-oriented network is provided. User data is detected and evaluated in the first node unit that is designated as a terminal node when the primary connection is established. Parameters of the node unit that are adjustable for converting and/or transmitting the user data are adapted to the evaluated user data. The parameters are transmitted to a second node unit that is designated as a terminal node, whereupon a direct media coupling connection is established between node units which have been designated as terminal nodes along the primary connection, the direct media coupling connection being established with parameters that are adapted to the evaluated user data.
US08184619B2	Systems, methods and computer products for voicemail via internet protocol television Systems, methods and computer products for voicemail via Internet Protocol Television. Exemplary embodiments include a method for providing voicemail to an Internet-Protocol-enabled device, the method including receiving a communication that a voicemail to a called party has been deposited in a voicemail infrastructure, mapping the called party number to an Internet Protocol-enabled device address of the called party, and sending the voicemail to the Internet Protocol-enabled device address corresponding to the called party number.
US08184611B2	Mobile station assisted timing synchronization in a CDMA communication system In the present invention, the slave base station attains synchronization with the reference base station through messages transmitted from and received by a mobile station either in the soft handoff region between the reference base station and the slave base station or within a range which allows the mobile station to communicate with the slave base station. When the mobile station is not in communication with both the reference base station and the slave base station, then the round trip delay between the mobile station and the reference base station is measured by the reference base station. The reference base station communicates the PN code used by the mobile station over the reverse link to the slave base station. The slave base station acquires the signal from the mobile station and determines when the signal from the mobile station arrives. The slave base station then makes an estimate as to the length of the delay between transmission of a signal from the mobile station to the slave base station. Based upon these measurements and estimates, the slave base station determines the error which is present in the slave base station system time.
US08184603B2	Communication system having a community wireless local area network for voice and high speed data communication A system (100) and method for providing high capacity voice and high speed data communication between user equipment terminals (UEs 104) and a public network (108). Generally, the system (100) includes a community Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN 102) having a centralized base transceiver station (CBTS 114) coupled to a public network (108), and several remote transceiver stations (RTSs 118) each coupled to several UEs (104), and, via a radio link, to the CBTS. In one embodiment, the CBTS (114) and RTSs (118) include a Global Systems for Mobile communication/General Packet Radio Service (GSM/GPRS) transceiver (148, 154) to provide data communication, and a WLAN transceiver (150, 156) to provide voice communication. Preferably, the WLAN transceiver (150, 156) is compatible with an open standard, such as IEEE 802.11. More preferably, the CBTS (114) and RTSs (118) include frequency converters (152, 158), to up-convert a frequency of signals generated in at least one of the transceivers to couple the CBTS to the RTS via a signal at a frequency above standard GSM frequencies.
US08184602B2	System and associated terminal, method, and computer program product for configuring and updating service access points and providing service content in the mobile domain Various techniques for service access point configuration for mobile terminals of wireless systems are provided. Pre-configured service access point settings may be provided on a multimedia memory card with a client application capable of configuring the service access point settings in the mobile terminal from the pre-configured service access point settings on the multimedia memory card. Over-the-air updating of service access point settings may be performed by communication between a service access point and a mobile terminal or a client application on the mobile terminal for automatically configuring service access point settings on the mobile terminal based upon information provided by the service access point. Service content specific pricing in the mobile domain is also provided. Service content specific pricing content delivery may be provided through a particular service access point configured for the service content specific pricing.
US08184592B2	Method, medium, and system for searching crossover router and method, medium, and system for reserving resources in mobile network A method, medium, and system for reserving resources in a mobile network. A mobile node reports a start of a handover to a present access router if the handover of the mobile node occurs, and the previous access router transmits specified session information to a candidate access router that has a possibility handling the mobile node's handover. A candidate crossover router, which performs a resource reservation work on a new path and a resource release on the previous path, is searched, and a localized resource reservation is established by exchanging a specified resource reservation message before the handover is completed if the candidate crossover router is determined. Accordingly, duplication of resources can be prevented, and a prompt resource reservation can be achieved during the handover.
US08184587B2	System and method for measuring round trip delay of voice packets in a telephone system Systems and methods measure a round trip delay of voice packets through a telephone system that includes a plurality of cabinets connected through a network. Each cabinet includes a link for communicating with other cabinets through the network by passing information such as voice packets. Each link includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that inserts and reads information in the voice packets to measure a time delay of the network. A first cabinet link sets a transmit bit in a voice packet directed to a second cabinet and starts a timer. The second cabinet monitors the transmit bit in received voice packets to determine if the bit is set. If so, the second cabinet sets a receive bit in the next outgoing voice packet directed to the first cabinet. The first cabinet monitors the receive bit in incoming voice packets and if set, stops the timer. The resulting value in the timer reflects the network delay.
US08184578B2	Dynamic inter-cell channel sharing A mechanism to share channels between cells dynamically and without simultaneous allocation of the same channel by more than one access point achieved by a method for a dynamic inter-cell channel sharing for a first access point in a radio access network, the first access point being associated with a first cell of a number of cells within the radio access network, the first access point being adapted to connecting at least one first user equipment being situated in the first cell, to a network infrastructure, comprising the steps of: receiving from the at least one first user equipment a report indicating whether a specific channel is used in a second adjacent cell of said number of cells, the report being based on a first information sent from at least one second access point, the information indicating whether a specific channel is used in the second adjacent cell.
US08184570B2	Method of transmitting data in wireless communication system supporting multimedia broadcast/multicast service A method of transmitting data in a wireless communication system supporting a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) includes transmitting a data block for the MBMS through a main channel, and transmitting the data block through a sub-channel if an error report for the data block is received. Waste of radio resources is minimized by the use of a main channel while improving quality of the MBMS by restoring data by the use of a sub-channel.
US08184568B2	Wireless LAN system and wireless communication method Each of a plurality of wireless terminals connected to a wireless LAN base station notifies the base station of an address for receiving data by one-to-many communication from the base station when said wireless terminal executes a program using the one-to-many communication in the wireless LAN. The base station records by relating the address notified from the wireless terminal with an address of the wireless terminal for one-to-one communication. When the base station receives one-to-many communication data to be sent out the wireless LAN, the base station converts an address of destination of the one-to-many communication data into the one-to-one communication address corresponding to said destination and transmits the data whose destination address has been converted into the one-to-one communication address.
US08184564B2	Staggering bursts of broadcast management frames in a wireless network device having a plurality of MAC addresses A method, a software product, and an apparatus to operate in a wireless device of a wireless network. The wireless device acts as a plurality of APs. The method includes transmitting bursts of management frames containing a broadcast-buffered indication for a corresponding subset of network identifiers of the wireless device, and transmitting bursts of management frames not containing any broadcast-buffered indication. The broadcast-buffered indication indicates that broadcast data is buffered at the AP of the device. Thus, management frames are sent in bursts, and the burst are staggered to reduce the likelihood that two bursts of management frames containing a broadcast-buffered indication are transmitted in immediate succession.
US08184560B2	Systems and methods for managing PDP contexts in a wireless data communications network Systems and method are for managing packet data protocol (PDP) contexts in a wireless data communications network. A plurality of real-time applications are prioritized within a single, shared PDP context or allocated a second PDP context based upon priority levels logically assigned to the plurality of applications such that high priority applications are delivered before lower priority applications. Lower priority applications are suspended and interrupted by higher priority applications and are set to resume after the higher priority applications are completed. Priority levels are established by a priority management engine (PME) that may reside in one or more network elements, such as a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node or a network probe system. The priority management engine establishes the priority levels based upon one or more factors including, for example, PDP utilization characteristics at a given time and/or given network location, and/or user preferences.
US08184557B2	Apparatus and method for computer controlled call processing applications in packet switched telephone networks A method is presented comprising transmitting, from an application computer communicably connected to a call controller which is connected to a data network, packetized messages indicative of telephone calls in progress at an endpoint of the data network, or indicative of such endpoint, and transmitting, from the call controller to the application computer, packetized messages indicative of a variety of information contained in, or relevant to, the telephone calls so as to process such information for a variety of applications. Apparatus to implement the method is also presented.
US08184553B2	Method and apparatus for measuring packet transmission quality Packet transmission quality in a communication network is measured by transmitting a measurement packet from a packet transmission node to a packet reception node. The packet transmission node is provided with a transmission counter counting the number of packets transmitted from a packet transmission node to a packet reception node, and a measurement packet counter counting the number of measurement packets transmitted from the packet transmission node to the packet reception mode. The packet reception node is provided with a reception counter counting the number of packets received from the packet transmission node. The packet transmission node transmits a measurement packet including a transmission counter value and a measurement packet counter value, to the packet reception node which calculates the number of lost packets or a loss rate of packets on the basis of the transmission counter value, the measurement packet counter value, and a reception counter value.
US08184552B2	Communication terminal, control device, communication system, and program A communication terminal providing optimal communication services between content providers comprising a property management table with an appraised value registered for each of a predetermined set of communication media properties for various types of communication media, a first user specified priority ranking list and a second priority ranking list specified by an application program provider with rankings for the set of communication media properties, whereby the desired communication medium is selected by adding weightings for priority from the first and second priority ranking lists and adding the appraised value for each item from the property management table and using the highest total to specify the optimum communication medium for use when commencement of communication is specified by a predetermined application program, and establishing communication connections between opposing devices using the selected optimum communication medium. Also disclosed are a communication system, control device and program including the communication terminal's elements.
US08184551B2	Throughput-based rate adaptation for wireless transmissions A system and method of throughput-based transmission rate adaptation for wireless transmissions is provided. An adapted transmission rate is determined based on transmission feedback from previous wireless frame transmissions. The adapted transmission rate is determined by comparing nominal throughputs derived from packet success rate (PSR) estimates at the current rate and other rates, such that the adapted transmission rate chosen is one that maximizes the nominal throughput. The PSR estimates can include those associated with the current rate, a fallback rate, and other rates. The PSR estimates are updated after each frame transmission. The PSR estimates can be saved and used for calculating future estimates, and they can also be time-stamped so as not to use them if they are older than a predetermined age.
US08184550B2	Gateway with improved QoS awareness A device and method for exchanging data frames are disclosed. In one aspect, the device exchanges data between a WAN and one or more LAN segments in an optimized way leading to a better quality of experience for the user. The device comprises an interface exchanging data frames over an access network, at least a first and second subnet interface exchanging data frames and arranged for being coupled to a network, a memory storing classification rules, a classification agent extracting information from an incoming data frame and applying the rules to the extracted information to determine the interface via which the incoming data frame is to be forwarded, and a Quality of Service monitoring agent for retrieving Quality of Service information from the subnet interfaces and dynamically updating the classification rules according to the QoS information.
US08184546B2	Endpoint device configured to permit user reporting of quality problems in a communication network An IP telephone or other endpoint device in a network is configured to support a reporting mode of operation that may be entered, for example, responsive to user entry of a report command via a user interface of the endpoint device. In one aspect, the endpoint device stores call information in one or more buffers. Responsive to an instruction to enter a reporting mode, the endpoint device sends contents of the buffer(s) to a report server over the network. The endpoint device may reinitialize the buffer(s) responsive to an instruction to leave the reporting mode.
US08184536B2	Apparatus and method for error concealment for a digital wireless phone When there are unused data slots available, a system allocates redundant slots in a data frame to a single mobile unit. A receiving device calculates a quality of slot (QoS) score for each slot that it receives data for. After the QoS score is calculated, the system calculates a Quality of Audio Segment (QoAS) score for each individual segment. It does so by comparing the individual audio segments that were received. Segments that are identical are assigned a positive score, while segments that differ get no score. The QoAS for each segment is added to the QoS for the slot the segment was transmitted in to generate the total score. The system then chooses the segment with the highest total score. If the total score is above a specified threshold, the system outputs the segment to the next component. Otherwise, it outputs a mute segment.
US08184535B2	Flow control techniques for co-localized WLAN and bluetooth Flow control techniques for co-localized wireless local area network (WLAN) and Bluetooth (BT) allowing efficient sharing of radio medium are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes deriving an available medium time (TAV) for the WLAN device to communicate with a peer WLAN device based on schedule data forwarded by the BT device, transmitting a first data from the WLAN device to the peer WLAN device if the BT device becomes inactive and if the TAV is greater than a threshold time, and transmitting a second data from the WLAN device to the peer WLAN device if the TAV is less than the threshold time. The first data indicates that the WLAN device is to come out of a power save (PS) mode and the second data indicates that the WLAN device is to enter the PS mode.
US08184530B1	Providing quality of service (QOS) using multiple service set identifiers (SSID) simultaneously Quality of Service (QoS) is provided to a secure data tunnel such an IPsec tunnel using information about the tunnel and the underlying data session to formulate a set of bandwidth requirements. A policy server operates to receive the information to create the set of bandwidth requirements which are enforced by a termination device. The termination device sets the bandwidths. QoS can be provided on a static or continuous basis. QoS can be provided on a dynamic basis. QoS can be provided at different levels depending on the type of data session. Multiple QoS can be provided for multiple data sessions existing simultaneously using multiple SSIDs.
US08184528B2	Network backhaul systems and methods An exemplary system includes a mobile telephone switching office (“MTSO”) subsystem having a first aggregation router and a second aggregation router, and a mobile telephone cell site router communicatively connected to the MTSO subsystem via a network backhaul connection. The cell site router is configured to establish at least one communication tunnel from the cell site router to the first aggregation router, establish at least one backup communication tunnel from the cell site router to the second aggregation router, detect at least one traffic forwarding failure associated with the communication tunnel, and redirect network backhaul traffic directed to the first aggregation router via the communication tunnel to the second aggregation router via the backup communication tunnel in response to the detected traffic forwarding failure. In certain embodiments, establishment of the backup communication tunnel includes pre-signaling the backup communication tunnel as backup to the communication tunnel.
US08184527B2	Method for conducting redundancy checks in a chain network The present invention relates to a method for conducting redundancy checks in a chain network, wherein the two ends of the chain network are equipped with a first switch and a second switch respectively, and a port of the first or second switch used for communicating with an external network is set to be blocked, so that when an link failure happens to any switch of the chain network, the two switches close to the link failure port sends control packets to the first and second switches respectively to forward the port that is originally blocking, thus making the network to return to normal state quickly. Besides, as the first and second switches are used to connect other chain networks, external network devices or external redundant network architectures, it allows more network nodes to be included in single network architecture and provides flexibility and compatibility in use by including different redundancy mechanisms.
US08184525B2	Method and apparatus for detecting and fixing faults in an inline-power capable ethernet system Methods and apparatus are disclosed for detecting ground faults in an Ethernet system. An Ethernet switch is configured to provide inline power to a plurality of ports each having positive and negative rails. Current is injected into selected rails of a port and ground isolation is temporarily broken for the port. A detected mismatch in current levels between the positive and negative rails of the port indicates a ground fault in the port.
US08184524B2	Adaptive puncturing technique for multicarrier systems Various embodiments are described for adaptive puncturing techniques. An adaptive bit loading block may select different modulation schemes and puncturing patterns for different subcarriers of a communications channel based on channel state information for one or more subcarriers of the communications channel. Each puncturing pattern may have a different number of output coded bits.
US08184522B2	Optical head for optical recorder/reproducer An optical head for recording or reproducing a signal on or from an optical recording medium including a light source, an objective lens for condensing light emitted from the light source to the optical recording medium, and a light-separating device arranged between the light source and the objective lens in order to separate the light reflected from the optical recording medium from the light emitted from the light source. The light-separating device includes a first glass, a multilayer film formed on the first glass, and an adhesive layer arranged on the multilayer film in order to bond a second glass onto the multilayer film. The majority of the light emitted from the light source enters into the light-separating device through the first glass and is reflected by the multilayer film.
US08184516B2	Method for controlling the quality of storage media A method for controlling the quality of storage media, and more specifically a method for determining if the quality of a storage medium decreases. The method includes: determining one or more quality parameters of the storage medium; and comparing one or more of the determined quality parameters with previously determined quality parameters of the storage medium stored in a memory in case the quality of the storage medium has been determined before.
US08184512B2	Optical disk drive with embedded test medium Embodiments provide an optical disk drive that includes an embedded test medium for testing the optical performance of an optical head in the optical disk drive.
US08184484B2	Semiconductor memory device including stacked gate having charge accumulation layer and control gate and method of writing data to semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device includes memory cells, word lines, a driver circuit, and a control circuit. The driver circuit repeats a programming operation of selecting any one of the word lines, of applying a first voltage to selected one of the word lines, and of applying a second voltage to unselected one of the word lines, to write data to selected one of the memory cells connected to the selected one of the word lines. The control circuit, while the driver circuit is repeating the programming operation, steps up the first voltage and keeps the second voltage constant until the first voltage reaches a first threshold. The control circuit steps up the second voltage after the first voltage has reached the first threshold.
US08184482B2	Nonvolatile memory device for preventing a source line bouncing phenomenon A nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array configured to include cell strings coupled between respective bit lines and a source line, a unilateral element coupled to the source line, and a negative voltage generation unit coupled to the unilateral element and configured to generate a negative voltage.
US08184480B2	Multi-level nonvolatile memory device with reduced number of read voltages based on a cell address and method for operating the same Methods for operating a nonvolatile memory device including multi-level cells configured to store at least n logic states, where n is equal to or greater than four are provided. The methods may include selecting at least one read voltage for a read operation based on information set at a portion of an address of the respective one of the multi-level cells, and determining multi-level data stored in the respective multi-level cell using the at least one selected read voltage.
US08184473B2	Nanowire memory device and method of manufacturing the same A nanowire memory device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A memory device includes: a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate; a first nanowire extending from an end of the first electrode; a second electrode formed over the first electrode to overlap the first electrode; and a second nanowire extending from an end of the second electrode corresponding to the end of the first electrode in the same direction as the first nanowire, wherein an insulating layer exists between the first and second electrodes.
US08184470B2	Resistance change memory device and programming method thereof A method of programming a resistance change memory device includes: applying program voltage pulses to a memory cell for programming a target resistance value; setting thermal relaxation times between the respective program voltage pulses; and controlling the shape of each the program voltage pulse in accordance with the present cell's resistance value determined by the preceding program voltage pulse application.
US08184466B2	Semiconductor storage device and ROM generator According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a first memory cell, a second memory cell and a third memory cell. The first memory cell forms a connection path used for storage of data. The second memory cell varies a connection place from a connection place of the connection path formed in the first memory cell, and stores data different from the data stored in the first memory cell is stored. The third memory cell varies a connection place from the connection place of the connection path formed in the second memory cell, and stores data same as the data stored in the first memory cell is stored.
US08184464B2	Flash memory A flash memory includes a controller unit and dies. The dies are connected to a controller unit. Each of the dies includes an upper face and a lower face. Each of the dies includes at least one power supply pad, at least one grounding pad, at least one input/output pad, selection pads and standby/busy pads on each of the upper and lower faces. The power supply pad is connected to the controller unit. The grounding pad is connected to the power supply pad in parallel. The input/output pad is connected to the grounding pad in parallel. The selection pads are connected to the controller unit and connected to one another with a wire that can be cut if so desired. The standby/busy pads are connected to the controller unit and connected to one another with a wire that can be cut if so desired.
US08184462B2	Power conversion apparatus, power conditioner, and power generation system A first chopper circuit generates a first sequence of square wave voltages having a voltage level that changes to a positive side by chopping a direct current voltage at a system frequency. A second chopper circuit generates a second sequence of square wave voltages having a voltage level that changes to a negative side by chopping a direct current voltage at a frequency twice as high as the system frequency. The second chopper circuit further generates a third sequence of square wave voltages having a voltage level that changes to the positive and negative side in turns in the manner of sinusoidal wave by summing the first sequence of square wave voltages and the second sequence of square wave voltages. A third chopper circuit chops the third sequence of square wave voltages at a frequency determined by a timing that depends on if a voltage difference thereof to a sinusoidal wave voltage results in a positive value or a negative value and outputting the chopped third sequence of square wave voltages as a charge/discharge output. The third chopper circuit PWM-controls the charge/discharge output at a PWM frequency so that the difference is corrected to thereby generate a sinusoidal wave voltage that continuously changes to the positive and negative sides.
US08184459B2	Switching power supply apparatus A switching power supply apparatus employing a voltage obtained by rectifying an output from an AC power supply, as an input thereof includes a switching control circuit. The switching control circuit conducts a PFM control having a fixed ON-period of a switching device when a load is judged to be light based on a load signal indicating the load, and a PWM control when the load is judged not to be light. The switching control circuit changes the ON-period based on whether the AC power supply is a high voltage system or a low voltage system.
US08184456B1	Adaptive power converter and related circuitry A resonant power converter circuit stage can be configured to: i) receive a rectified voltage derived from an AC input voltage; ii) convert the rectified voltage to an internal voltage based on the application of a duty cycle that varies depending on the input voltage and the output dynamic load, and iii) convert the internal voltage to a DC output voltage for driving the dynamic load based on application of a switching frequency that varies depending on a dynamic load. The efficiency of the power converter system can be increased by setting the internal DC voltage magnitude to be load adaptive. Variation of the internal DC voltage depending on the dynamic load enables the resonant converter circuit to operate at a switching frequency near its optimum resonance frequency. This method results in constant power converter system efficiency over a wide range of loading. In order to further increase the light load efficiency interleaved resonant power converters with load, adaptive internal DC voltage are used.
US08184449B2	Electronic device having stack-type semiconductor package and method of forming the same An electronic device includes a lower electronic part including a lower substrate, a lower chip structure disposed on the lower substrate, and a lower molding layer covering the lower chip structure and having a recessed region in an upper surface of the lower molding layer, and an upper electronic part including an upper substrate disposed on the lower electronic part, and an upper chip structure projecting from the upper substrate, wherein the recessed region of the lower molding layer receives the upper chip structure.
US08184448B2	Bare chip embedded PCB A PCB having an embedded bare chip includes an insulated substrate having a penetration hole formed therein; a filler filling up an inside of the penetration hole; a bare chip embedded in the filler such that electrode pads formed on one side thereof are exposed at the surface of the filler; and an electrode bump attached to a surface of the electrode pads and protruded to be exposed to the outside.
US08184446B2	Inverter for liquid crystal display device and liquid crystal display module using the same An inverter for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display module using the inverter are provided. The inverter includes a circuit board defining a hole through itself, and a transformer inversely inserted into the hole of the circuit. The transformer generates a high voltage.
US08184443B2	SIM card retention assembly A retention assembly for a SIM card incorporated in a portable electronic device having a main body, includes a receiving portion, a limiting sheet and a resilient pressing member. The receiving portion is defined in the main body to receive the SIM card. The receiving portion defines an entrance end. The limiting sheet extends from a side of the receiving portion to an opposite side of the receiving portion to resist the SIM card. The resilient pressing member includes a fixing portion fixed to the main body, a limiting portion resisting an end of the SIM card adjacent to the entrance end of the receiving portion, and a resilient portion interconnecting with the fixing portion and the limiting portion to press against the SIM card.
US08184431B2	Methods of producing a housing of a portable electronic device and a housing portion of a portable electronic device A method of producing a housing of a portable electronic device comprising at least two portions is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a first housing portion layer made from sheet metal, providing a second housing portion layer made from a plastic material, forming a first housing portion from the first housing portion layer using a high speed forming process, and joining the first housing portion layer with the second housing portion layer. A housing of a portable electronic device manufactured in accordance with the method is also provided.
US08184427B2	Multilayer ceramic capacitor and method for production thereof Disclosed is a multilayer ceramic capacitor which has a dielectric ceramic having a dielectric layer, wherein the dielectric layer mainly comprises barium titanate, contains a crystalline particle having an average crystal diameter of 0.15 to 0.3 μm, and contains Mg in an amount of 0.5 to 2 parts by mol in terms of MgO, Mn in an amount of 0.2 to 0.5 part by mol in terms of MnO, and a first rare earth element (RE) selected from Ho, Y, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu and a second rare earth element (RE) selected from Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy in a total amount of 0.7 to 3 parts by mol in terms of RE2O3 relative to 100 parts by mol of barium titanate, the crystalline particle contains the first rare earth element and the second rare earth element in such a manner that the amount of the first rare earth element is larger than that of the second rare earth element, and the density gradients of the first rare earth element and the second rare earth element in the crystalline particle as determined from the particle boundary toward the center of the crystalline particle are −0.005 to −0.05 atm %/mm and −0.0005 to −0.005 atm %/mm, respectively. Also disclosed is a method for producing the multilayer ceramic capacitor.
US08184425B2	Multilayer capacitor There is provided a multilayer capacitor including: a capacitor body where a plurality of dielectric layers are laminated, the capacitor body including first and second surfaces opposing each other in a laminated direction, wherein the first surface provides a mounting surface; a plurality of first and second inner electrodes; an inner connecting conductor; and a plurality of first and second outer electrodes formed on an outer surface of the body, wherein a corresponding one of the outer electrodes having identical polarity to the inner connecting conductor includes at least one outer terminal formed on the first surface of the body to connect to the inner connecting conductor, and at least one outer connecting conductor formed on the second surface of the body to connect a corresponding one of the inner electrodes of identical polarity to the inner connecting conductor.
US08184424B2	Multilayer electronic component including a counter diffusion layer A multilayer electronic component includes a laminate including insulating layers that are laminated to each other and internal electrodes provided along interfaces between the insulating layers, edges of the internal electrodes being exposed at a predetermined surface of the laminate and an external electrode provided on the predetermined surface. The external electrode includes a plated film which is directly provided on the predetermined surface of the laminate so as to electrically connect edges of the internal electrodes exposed at the predetermined surface of the laminate, and at a boundary portion between each of the internal electrodes and the plated film, a counter diffusion layer is provided, in which a metal component in the plated film and a metal component in the internal electrodes are both detectable, and extend to both sides of the internal electrodes and the plated film, and, at a side of the internal electrodes.
US08184421B2	Power converter The objective of the present invention is to provide a power converter capable of not only boosting the voltage but also shutting-off the flowing current, by switching only the switch element. The power converter 1, comprises a first input-output portion 3, a second input-output portion 5, a first capacitor C1, a second capacitor C2 electrically connected with the first capacitor C1 in serial, a first current control block B1, a second current control block B2, a third current control block B3, a fourth current control block B4, and a switching controller 7 operable to switch certain current control blocks, wherein the current flowing direction is opposite to each other between a first current control element B1a (B2a, B3a, B4a) and a second current control element B1b (B2b, B3b, B4b) which compose the current control block B1 (B2, B3, B4).
US08184420B2	Control module and fault current limiter with function of opening and closing The present disclosure relates to a fault current limiter, comprising: a trigger device dividing a fault current to a path on which a normal current flows and to a path on which the fault current flows when the fault current is generated; a first switch connected in series to a rear end of the trigger device; a fixation unit for fixing an open/close state of the first switch; a driver for opening a contact point contacted by the first switch by repulsive force generated by the fault current in a case the fault current divided by the trigger device is inputted; and a control module for driving the fixation unit in order to fix the open/close state of the first switch in a case the fault current is generated.
US08184417B2	Apparatus for fault tolerant analog inputs An input termination board for use with an industrial controller in a safety system is disclosed herein. The industrial controller may be populated with standard analog input modules according to the requirements of the application. The termination board may selectively receive a single analog input signal from a remote device and transmit the signal to corresponding channels on two analog input modules or, alternately, receive two analog input signals and transmit each signal to one of the two corresponding channels. In addition, a program executing on the controller of the safety module monitors and tests each of the analog input channels on the input modules, verifying proper operation of the modules. If the program detects a fault in either input module, the safety system may alternately shut down according to a fail-safe procedure or continue operating under a fault-tolerant mode of operation.
US08184415B2	ESD-protection device, a semiconductor device and integrated system in a package comprising such a device The invention relates to an ESD protection device comprising: a first contact (10) and a second contact (20), and an electrical node (12); a bipolar transistor (6) having a base, an emitter, and a collector, the base and emitter forming a base-emitter junction, the base and collector forming a base-collector junction, the emitter being connected to the first contact (10), the collector being connected to the second contact (20), the base being connect to the electrical node (12); a first diode (1) connected between the electrical node (12) and the first contact (10), the first diode (1) comprising a first junction arranged in the same direction as the base-emitter junction, and—a second diode (2) connected between the electrical node (12) and the second contact (20), in anti-series with the first diode (1) on a path from the first contact (10) to the second contact (20), the second diode (2) comprising a second junction arranged in the same direction as the base-collector junction, wherein the bipolar transistor (6) is dimensioned to have such a current gain (β) that the voltage-current characteristic of the ESD protection device, measured between the first (10) and second contact (20), exhibits a voltage snap-back effect (SNP) at its trigger voltage (Vtrig). The voltage snap-back effect (SNP) results in a lower clamping voltage of the ESD protection device. The invention further relates a semiconductor device and an integrated system in a package comprising said ESD protection device.
US08184411B2	MTJ incorporating CoFe/Ni multilayer film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for MRAM application A MTJ for a spintronic device is disclosed and includes a thin composite seed layer made of at least Ta and a metal layer having fcc(111) or hcp(001) texture as in Ta/Ti/Cu to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in an overlying laminated layer with a (CoFe/Ni)x, (Co/NiFe)x, (Co/NiCo)x, (CoFe/NiFe)x, or (CoFe/NiCo)x composition where x is from 5 to 30. In one embodiment, a CPP-TMR spin valve has one or both of a laminated free layer and laminated reference layer with the aforementioned compositions. The MTJ includes an interfacial layer made of CoFeB, CoFeB/CoFe, or CoFe/CoFeB between each laminated structure and the tunnel barrier. The laminated layers are deposited by a low power and high Ar pressure process to avoid damaging interfaces between adjoining layers. Annealing occurs at 220° C. to 400° C. A laminated layer with high PMA may also be included in one or more layers of a spin transfer oscillator.
US08184403B2	Disk drive suspension A suspension is provided with a load beam and a flexure including a tongue on which a slider is mounted. A limiter is formed by cutting and raising a part of the tongue. The limiter includes a bent portion and arm. The tongue has an opening that is left after the limiter is cut and raised. The opening and limiter are formed along a center line of the tongue. A distal end of the dimple is in contact with a back surface of the slider through the opening.
US08184396B2	Disk drive device with hub having a rotational frequency of axial run-out smaller than 0.1 μm for improved shock resistance The disk drive device includes a base plate, a hub on which a recording disk is mounted, a shaft bearing unit that is arranged on the base plate and that rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit that drives the hub to rotate. The spindle driving unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole, and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of a magnetic material includes an outer cylindrical portion engaged with an inner circumference of the recording disk. A shaft is inserted into a sleeve, and the sleeve, which is of an approximate cylindrical shape, is inserted into a housing as part of the shaft bearing unit. The shaft is fixed to the rotational center of the hub, rotating along the axis together with the hub.
US08184388B2	Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same An image forming optical system of the present invention includes at least one cemented lens which includes a first lens element (e1), a second lens element (e2), and a third lens element (e3). The first lens element e1 is cemented to a surface on one side of the second lens element e2, and the third lens element e3 is cemented to the other surface of the second lens element e2. The first lens element e1 is a positive lens, and a combined refracting power of the second lens element e2 and the third lens element e3 is negative. The cemented lens satisfies a predetermined conditional expression.
US08184387B2	Miniature optical system Disclosed is a miniature optical system. The miniature optical system includes a first lens; a second lens; a third lens; and a fourth lens, wherein the first to fourth lenses are sequentially aligned from an object side to an image side of the system. The lenses satisfy the following equation: −1.5
US08184384B2	Imaging lens and imaging apparatus An imaging lens is provided and includes: in order from the object side, a first lens having a concave surface on an image side thereof; a second lens of a negative lens having a concave surface on the image side and having at least one aspheric surface; a third lens having at least one aspheric surface; and a fourth lens of a positive lens having a convex surface on the image side and having at least one aspheric surface. A stop is disposed between the third lens and the fourth lens. In addition, assuming that a focal length of the whole system is f and a focal length of the first lens L1 is f1, the following Conditional Expression (1) is satisfied. 15.0<\|f1/f\| (1)
US08184379B2	Zoom lens A zoom lens includes sequentially from an object side a first lens group having a negative refractive power; a diaphragm; and a second lens group having a positive refractive power. Zoom from a wide angle edge to a telephoto edge is performed by displacement of the second lens group along an optical axis, toward the object side. Correction of imaging plane variation accompanying zoom, is performed by displacement of the first lens group along the optical axis. The second lens group includes a positive first lens disposed farthest on the object side and having at least one aspheric surface, and a cemented lens that includes a negative lens, a positive lens, and a negative lens. Furthermore, a first condition υd2p>75 is satisfied, υd2p being the Abbe number for a d-line in the positive lens included in the cemented lens of the second lens group.
US08184376B2	Three unit zoom lens and image pickup apparatus equipped with same A zoom lens includes, in order from the object side, a negative lens unit, a positive lens unit and a positive lens unit. During zooming from the object side, the second lens unit moves, the distance between the first lens unit and the second lens unit decreases, the distance between the second lens unit and the third lens unit increases. The second lens unit has two lens components including, in order from the object side, a positive front lens component and a rear lens component. The third lens unit is composes of two lens components including, in order from the object side, a front lens component and a positive rear lens component. An aperture stop is disposed closer to the image side than the first lens unit and closer to the object side than the rear lens component in the second lens unit, and the aperture stop moves integrally with the second lens unit along the optical axis direction during zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end.
US08184375B2	Wavelength separating beamsplitter A prism system is disclosed for splitting a broadband incoming light beam. In one embodiment, the broadband beam enters the prism system and is shifted laterally through a parallelogram shaped prism. The beam then encounters a first dichroic coating treated surface. The light that is reflected off of the surface strikes the internal wall of the prism to undergo total internal reflection within the prism. The beam exits the prism parallel to the original incoming broadband beam. The beam that passes through the dichroic surface reaches a second dichroic coating treated surface where a specified waveband of light is reflected while the remaining wavelengths pass through. The beam reflected by the second dichroic surface undergoes a total internal reflection and exits parallel to the incoming broadband beam. The light beam which passes through the second dichroic surface exits the prism parallel to the original incoming broadband beam.
US08184370B2	Polarizing plate, manufacturing method therefor, optical film and image display A polarizing plate of the present invention comprises: a polarizer; a transparent protective film placed on at least one side of the polarizer; and an adhesive layer interposed between the polarizer and the transparent protective film, wherein the polarizer is a stretched polyvinyl alcohol film dyed with a dichroic material and containing a sulfate ion, and the adhesive layer is formed with an active energy ray-curable adhesive containing at least one curable component. The polarizing plate has durability at high temperature.
US08184368B2	Extreme broadband compact optical system with multiple fields of view An optical system is described herein which has a compact, all reflective design that has multiple fields of view for imaging an object. The optical system also has identical viewing directions and can have several different configurations for adding laser range finding and designating components.
US08184365B2	Optical instruments having dynamic focus An optical system suitable for use in an optical instrument such as a handheld optical probe, the optical system including a scanning element and an objective, the objective including a variable focus lens that can be electronically controlled to change the focal length of the optical system. In some embodiments, the optical system can axially and laterally scan a subject material by sequentially focusing at an axial depth using the variable focus lens and laterally scanning the material at that depth using the scanning element.
US08184364B2	Illuminator for a 3-D optical microscope A compact and low cost microscope illuminator capable of generating 3-D optical images includes a first light source and a second light source. The two light sources lead two optical paths: one to illuminate a sample and another to project a pattern onto the focal plane of a microscope objective lens. The two light sources are controlled by a processor and can be turned on and off rapidly. A 3-D optical microscope equipped with said microscope illuminator and a method of creating a 3-D image on said 3-D optical microscope are also described.
US08184358B2	Systems and methods using interferometric optical modulators and diffusers Various embodiments include interferometric optical modulators comprising a substrate layer having a thickness between about 0.1 mm to about 0.45 mm thick and a method for manufacturing the same. The interferometric modulator can be integrated together with a diffuser in a display device. The thin substrate permits use of a thicker diffuser. The thinner substrate may increase resolution and reduce overall thickness of the inteferometric modulator. The thicker diffuser may provide increased diffusion and durability.
US08184352B2	Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus An optical scanning device of opposed scanning type, includes: a plurality of light sources, being arranged substantially symmetrically about a rotating deflection unit; a group of pre-deflection optical elements including optical elements that make the light beams incident on the rotating deflection unit; and scanning optical systems which are distributed to right and left with the rotating deflection unit as an axis of symmetry, wherein optical elements of the respective scanning optical systems are arranged substantially symmetrically about the rotating deflection unit, wherein a plurality of rib structures are arranged on respective areas of an optical housing substrate, the areas extends from the respective light sources to a vicinity of the rotating deflection unit, and the plurality of rib structures are arranged asymmetrically in the right and left optical systems with the rotating deflection unit as the axis of symmetry.
US08184347B2	Opportunistic process control for printers A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving print data at an electrophotographic printer; examining the print data to determine if an image within the print data may be used to perform one or more process control measurements and performing the process control measurement if it is determined that the image may be used.
US08184335B2	Method for ad-hoc parallel processing in a distributed environment An overall processing time to rasterize, at the first device, the electronic document to be rendered is computed. Also, a rendering time to render, at the first device, the electronic document to be rendered is computed. When the overall processing time to rasterize at the first device is greater than the rendering time to render at the first device, the electronic document to be rendered is parsed into a first document and sub-documents. A productivity capacity of each node is determined, the productivity capacity being a measured of the processing power of the node and the communication cost of exchanging information between the first device and the node. A sub-document is rasterized at a node when a productivity capacity of the node reduces the processing time to rasterize the electronic document to be rendered to be less than the computed overall processing time. The rasterized first document and each rasterized sub-document are aggregated to create a rasterized electronic document to be rendered at the first device.
US08184331B2	Printing device and method therefor A printing device includes a receiving unit receiving image data, a printing unit transferring printing agent onto a sheet so as to form an image according to the image data received, a printing ratio determining unit determining, based upon the image data, a printing ratio that is a ratio of an area to be filled with the printing agent on the sheet to a whole area of the sheet, a first determining unit determining whether the printing ratio determined is equal to or more than a first predetermined value that is a printing ratio at less than which the sheet is classified into a recyclable sheet when the printing agent is transferred onto the sheet, and a control unit controlling the printing unit to transfer the printing agent onto the sheet depending on the determination by the first determining unit.
US08184324B2	Mobile information apparatus for wireless search and data transfer A mobile information apparatus for wireless digital media transfer and sharing in a wireless digital home or a wireless digital enterprise are disclosed. In a wireless ecosystem, the mobile Information apparatus may be smart phones, Internet Pads or information Pads. Other wireless devices maybe televisions, display screens, smart media players or controllers, printers, or other information apparatus. The disclosed mobile information apparatus may include a wireless communication unit or a graphical user interface, and may provide searching and discovering wirelessly other wireless devices, selecting by a user a discovered wireless device. Once a wireless connection is established with a discovered wireless device, wireless streaming, wireless display, or wireless printing to the selected wireless device may be enabled. Authentication using security keys may be added for digital security. The digital content may be compressed before transmitting to the selected wireless device over the wireless connection.
US08184323B2	Print job delivery system An image delivery system includes an image delivery server, a plurality of image processors, and an information processor, which are connected by a network. The image delivery server delivers a print job to the image processor. The image delivery server includes a data recording unit, a setting recording unit, an updating unit, and a delivery unit. The setting recording unit receives delivery job data and records the received data in the data recording unit. The delivery job data includes at least image data and delivery job setting information for the image processor. The updating unit can update the recorded delivery job setting information based on input from the image processor. The delivery unit delivers a print job to the image processor based on the updated delivery job setting information.
US08184321B2	Information processing apparatus with print function groupings, control method therefor, and computer program Print settings for input data for printing are acquired. A function group is created for each group of functions, between which contradiction due to change of an execution sequence does not arise, of functions executable in a printer. For each created function group, an execution sequence of functions belonging to the function group is set. Processes for functions designated by the acquired print settings are applied to the data for printing in accordance with the execution sequence set for each function group. Print data created by applying the processes are output to the printer.
US08184311B2	Image processing system An image processing system including an image processing device and a control device which controls data transfer to said image processing device is provided. When the control device is connected to the image processing device via the network, the control device encrypts the decrypted data and transfers the encrypted data to the image processing device via the network, and when the control device is connected to the image processing device via a leased cable, the control device transfers the decrypted data to the image processing device via the cable.
US08184307B2	User preferences in a multi-part workflow A book production method and system are disclosed. The method of book production allows an operator to input preferences for a multi-part workflow. The preferences can be communicated to a printer where the books are printed from a loaded plurality of book parts. There can be a deficient or excess number of loaded book parts in relation to that specified in a print job ticket. The user preferences can dictate how the book printer is to handle any deficiency or excess in the book parts. In such cases, the operator and the book printer can take appropriate action, and the book printer can indicate the status of the print job to the operator.
US08184306B2	Operate light source of reading unit of a multifunction peripheral device according to valid instructive keys A multifunction peripheral device capable of being operated in a plurality of switchable operational modes is provided. The multifunction peripheral device includes a reader unit with a light source and a light receiving element to receive the light reflected on the original document to generate image data, operation receiving members, through which a user's instructions are entered, a valid instruction storage unit to store valid instruction information, which defines correspondence between a valid instruction and a valid instruction receiving member, a judging unit to judge as to whether an operation entered through one of the operation receiving members is the valid instruction based on the valid instruction information and a current operational mode, and a switching unit to switch the light source on when the judging unit judges that the entered operation is the valid instruction.
US08184303B2	Film-thickness measurement method and apparatus therefor, and thin-film device fabrication system Objects are to reduce the burden on an operator and to improve fabrication efficiency. A transparent conductive film or a transparent optical film formed on a substrate W is irradiated with line illumination light by means of a line illumination device 3, line reflected light reflected at the transparent conductive film or the transparent optical film is detected with a camera, a color evaluation value of the detected reflected light is measured, and a film thickness corresponding to the measured color evaluation value is obtained using a film-thickness characteristic in which the color evaluation value is associated with the film thickness.
US08184294B2	Apparatus and method for measuring haze of sheet materials or other materials A method includes illuminating a material with first light and capturing an image of second light transmitted through the material. The method also includes analyzing multiple regions of the image and determining one or more haze measurements associated with the material based on the analyzing. The method further includes storing and/or outputting the one or more haze measurements. Analyzing the multiple regions of the image may include summing pixel values in each region to produce a total pixel value for that region. The multiple regions of the image may include (i) a first region forming a first disc, (ii) a second region forming either a first annular region around the first region or a second disc larger than and including the first disc, and (iii) a third region forming either a second annular region around the second region or a third disc larger than and including the first and second discs.
US08184293B2	Methods and systems for chemical composition measurement and monitoring using a rotating filter spectrometer The invention relates to methods and systems for measuring and/or monitoring the chemical composition of a sample (e.g., a process stream), and/or detecting specific substances or compounds in a sample, using light spectroscopy such as absorption, emission and fluorescence spectroscopy. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to spectrometers with rotating narrow-band interference optical filter(s) to measure light intensity as a function of wavelength. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the invention relates to a spectrometer system with a rotatable filter assembly with a position detector rigidly attached thereto, and, in certain embodiments, the further use of various oversampling methods and techniques described herein, made particularly useful in conjunction with the rotatable filter assembly. In preferred embodiments, the rotatable filter is tilted with respect to the rotation axis, thereby providing surprisingly improved measurement stability and significantly improved control of the wavelength coverage of the filter spectrometer.
US08184291B2	Method for detecting edge on transparent substrate, apparatus for detecting edge on transparent substrate, and processing apparatus An apparatus for detecting an edge of a transparent substrate includes a light source provided on a rear side of the edge of the transparent substrate, a first polarizer provided between the transparent substrate and the light source and arranged to convert light from the light source to linearly polarized light, a light receiving unit provided on a front side of the edge of the transparent substrate, and a second polarizer provided between the transparent substrate and the light receiving unit, and having a polarization axis that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a polarization axis of the first polarizer. The light receiving unit is configured to observe, through the second polarizer, the linearly polarized light that is converted by the first polarizer and is transmitted through the edge of the transparent substrate, the linearly polarized light that is converted by the first polarizer and passes outside the transparent substrate, and emitted light that is converted by the first polarizer, and is propagated through inside of the transparent substrate and emitted from a side surface of the edge of the transparent substrate.
US08184290B2	Device and method for monitoring the particle contamination in flowing hydraulic fluids A device for monitoring particle contamination in flowing hydraulic fluids includes a mechanism for particle counting and particle sizing. Further, a method for monitoring particle contamination in flowing hydraulic fluids: determines fluid flow velocity; counts particles in the hydraulic fluid passing the light barrier for a fixed period of time; and obtains particle size distribution by using a range of different trigger levels. The monitoring device is insertable into an A/C hydraulic system to enable an online-monitoring of degradation of fluid quality during normal flight operations or on the ground. The device and method help lower costs for A/C maintenance and increase A/C availability since necessary service actions can be scheduled strategically.
US08184288B2	Method of depositing a silicon-containing material by utilizing a multi-step fill-in process in a deposition machine An advance process control (APC) system for a plasma process machine is provided, which includes at least an optical emission spectroscopy (OES) system and an APC analysis apparatus. The OES system is used for monitoring a testing object in the plasma process machine. The APC analysis apparatus is used for analyzing the data received from the OES system.
US08184287B2	Multiple-light-path front end for OES instrument An optical emission spectroscopic system contains multiple distinct light paths that provide increased light to a spectrometer, thereby increasing sensitivity and signal-to-noise of the system.
US08184286B2	Atomic absorption spectrophotometer An atomic absorption spectrophotometer that memorizes the maximum amount of light of each light source when an transmissivity of each of a plurality of dimmers is largest; computes an appropriate transmissivity of each dimmer for equalizing the amounts of light of the plurality of light sources from the maximum amount of light of each of the light sources; and sets the dimmer's transmissivity to be the appropriate transmissivity.
US08184280B2	Controllable light angle selector Disclosed is a controllable light angle selecting device that includes a fixed light selecting means for transmitting light within a limited acceptance angle, optically connected to at least one light redirecting means capable of achieving a variable angular difference between light entering said light redirecting means and light exiting said light redirecting means. Also disclosed is a photometer employing such controllable light angle selecting device and arranged in the path of light between a light source and at least one light measuring sensor arranged to receive at least part of the light exiting from the controllable light angle selecting device.
US08184273B2	Method of determining glucose concentration of a whole blood sample A total transmission spectroscopy system for use in determining the analyte concentration in a fluid sample comprises a sample cell receiving area, a light source, a collimating lens, a first lens, a second lens, and a detector. The sample cell receiving area is adapted to receive a sample to be analyzed. The sample cell receiving area is constructed of a substantially optically clear material. The collimating lens is adapted to receive light from the light source and adapted to illuminate the sample cell receiving area with a substantially collimated beam of light. The first lens is adapted to receive regular and scattered light transmitted through the sample at a first angle of divergence. The first lens receives light having a first angle of acceptance. The first lens outputs light having a second angle of divergence. The second angle of divergence is less than the first angle of divergence. The second lens is adapted to receive light from the first lens and adapted to output a substantially collimated beam of light. The detector is adapted to measure the light output by the second lens.
US08184264B2	Calibration methods and devices useful in semiconductor photolithography Several embodiments of photolithography devices and associated methods of focal calibration are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method for determining a focus shift in a photolithography system include placing a microelectronic substrate on a substrate support of the photolithography system and producing first and second refraction patterns on the photoresist layer corresponding to first and second grating patterns, respectively, of a single reticle by illuminating the first and second grating patterns with an asymmetric monopole source perpendicular to the first and second grating patterns. The method further includes measuring an image shift between the first and second refraction patterns on the photoresist layer and determining a defocus shift of the illumination source based on the image shift.
US08184257B2	Liquid crystal display and method for manufacturing the same Disclosed herein are a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method for manufacturing the same, capable of preventing problems (i.e., movement of balls, damage to the surfaces that face spacers upon application of predetermined pressure, and variation in cell gap) associated with the use of the ball spacers. The liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other, a spacer formed on the first substrate, wherein the spacer includes a plurality of balls and a solid to aggregate the balls together and adhere the balls to the first substrate, a hard coating layer formed on the second substrate facing the spacer, and a liquid crystal layer filled between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08184253B2	Liquid crystal display device An object is to provide a liquid crystal display device using a liquid crystal material exhibiting a blue phase, in order to enable a higher contrast. In a liquid crystal display device which includes a liquid crystal layer exhibiting a blue phase, a first structure body and a second structure body are provided over a first electrode layer (a pixel electrode layer) and a second electrode layer (a common electrode layer), respectively. The first structure body and the second structure body are insulators each having a higher dielectric constant than a liquid crystal material used for the liquid crystal layer, and are provided to project into the liquid crystal layer.
US08184252B2	Image display device An image display device includes a display panel having plural pixels and a second board having a transmitting electrode, the display panel having a first substrate that is disposed so as to overlap the second board, each pixel having a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, and the counter electrode being formed in a planar shape and being commonly provided to the pixel electrodes of each pixel; the counter electrode being divided into a portion A corresponding to the transmitting electrode of the second board and a portion B other than it, and the portions A and B of the counter electrode being connected to a common voltage through resistors. The portion A of the counter electrode constitutes the receiving electrode, and the portion A of the counter electrode acting as the receiving electrode is connected to a receiving circuit in the display panel through a decoupling capacitor.
US08184248B2	Apparatus for fabricating liquid crystal display panels A method for forming an alignment layer for a liquid crystal display includes preparing a substrate, applying an alignment material for initial alignment of a liquid crystal, and applying a field flux (e.g., an electric or magnetic field) to the alignment material to determine the alignment direction of the alignment material. Further disclosed is an apparatus for forming an alignment layer for a liquid crystal display. The apparatus comprises a substrate stage on which a substrate is mounted, and an electric or magnetic field generator installed at the periphery of the substrate stage. According to the method and the apparatus, since the alignment direction of an alignment material is determined by using an electric or magnetic field, no physical contact with a substrate is required and thus the problem of light leakage caused by rubbing alignment is solved.
US08184245B2	Optical compensation film for VA-mode liquid crystal display device and VA-mode liquid crystal display device An optical compensation film to be used in a VA mode liquid crystal display device, having retardation in plane at a wavelength of 550 nm, Re(550), falling within the range from 20 to 100 nm, and retardation along thickness direction at a wavelength of 550 nm, Rth(550), falling within the range from 60 to 120 nm, is disclosed. And a VA-mode liquid crystal display device having the optical compensation film, disposed between the liquid crystal cell and each of the pair of polarizing elements, is disclosed.
US08184242B2	Liquid crystal display A liquid crystal display comprises: first and second panels facing each other; a compensation film and a first polarizer disposed on the first panel, the compensation film having phase retardation characteristics; and a second polarizer having a supporting film disposed on the second panel, the supporting film having phase retardation characteristics. In alternative embodiments, a supporting film is used in place of the compensation film. The supporting film has retardation characteristics.
US08184240B2	Backlight for liquid crystal display, including lamp clip which is reversible to accommodate different lamp spacings Light source lamps can be held at different intervals by a single kind of lamp clip. A straight tube light source lamp (3) arranged on the surface of a backlight chassis (1) is held by a lamp clip (20) fixed to the backlight chassis (1). The lamp clip (20) comprises a base (21) placed on the surface of the backlight chassis (1), lamp grippers (22) formed on the opposite sides of the base (21), and a fixing piece (23). A plurality of lamp grippers (22) are formed on both sides of the base (21) at respective intervals different from each other. A fixing hole (10) engaging with the fixing piece (23) on the surface of the lamp clip (20) not pertaining to lamp holding, and an escape hole (11) for passing the lamp gripper (22) on that surface are formed in the backlight chassis (1).
US08184238B2	Planar illumination device and liquid crystal display device using the same A planar illumination device 10 is provided with a laser light source 11 for emitting laser light, a light source side bundle fiber 12 having one end surface thereof optically connected with the laser light source 11, a flat light guide plate 13, a plurality of connection side fibers 16 planarly arranged in parallel with each other at a side surface of the light guide plate 13, and a light guiding fiber 14 for guiding the laser light from the light source side bundle fiber 12 to the plurality of connection side fibers 16. The laser light is incident on the side surface of the light guide plate 13 from the plurality of connection side fibers 16 via a plurality of fiber collimators 17 and output light is uniformly emitted from one principal surface of the light guide plate 13.
US08184237B2	Display device The display device of the present invention includes a housing, a display module, and a signal receiver. The housing has a front opening; the display module includes a backlight module. A display area is formed on the display module corresponding to the front opening. The signal receiver is disposed in the display module and is located outside the display area, to receive signals.
US08184224B2	Display apparatus and method of laying out pixel circuits Herein disclosed a display apparatus including: a pixel array having a matrix of pixel circuits each including respective electrooptical elements for determining a display brightness level and respective drive circuits for driving the electrooptical elements; wherein adjacent two of the pixel circuits are paired with each other, and each of the drive circuits of the adjacent two pixel circuits includes at least one transistor having a low-concentration source/drain region or an offset region of an offset gate structure, the electrooptical elements and the drive circuits of the adjacent two pixel circuits being laid out such that a line interconnecting a drain region and a source region of the at least one transistor extends parallel to a direction of pixel columns of the pixel circuits of the pixel array.
US08184219B2	Stacked storage capacitor-on-gate structure for a thin film transistor liquid crystal display A stacked storage capacitor structure for use in each pixel of a TFT-LCD, wherein a first storage capacitor is formed by a first metal layer, a gate insulator layer and a second metal layer. The second capacitor is formed by the second metal layer, a passivation insulator layer and an ITO layer. The first metal layer and the ITO layer are joined together through a via hole which is etched in one insulator etching step during the overall fabrication process through both the gate insulator and the passivation insulator layers. As such, the two capacitors are connected in parallel in a stacked configuration. With the stacked storage capacitor structure, the charge storage capacity is increased without significantly affecting the aperture ratio of a pixel. The ITO and the pixel electrode can be different parts of an indium tine oxide layer deposited on the passivation insulator layer.
US08184217B1	Thermal liquid crystal optical device A variable optical device for controlling the propagation of light has a body of liquid crystal optical material with a center and a periphery, a heating system including an electrically controllable heat source and a thermal radiator arranged at the periphery for cooling a portion of the body of material. The heating system is operative to generate a spatially modulated temperature gradient and to provide a desired light propagation behavior.
US08184216B2	Stereoscopic TFT-LCD with wire grid polarizer affixed to internal surfaces substrates A stereoscopic TFT-LCD with a wire grid polarizer affixed to internal surfaces substrates, applies to a LCD device having a thin polarizing film and a thin phase retardation film to display a 2D image and a 3D image, a thin film polarizing film formed by accurately processing a thin aluminum film, a polarizing film of a nano imprint lithography method that uses polymer, and a polarizing film and a liquid crystal material that form a polarizing nano material thin film by uniformly coating a polarizing nano material (TCF), wherein a 1/4 phase retardation plate is disposed at a front surface of the second transparent substrate so as to produce circularly-polarized light.
US08184214B2	Reflective liquid crystal display apparatus At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus which includes a polarization beam splitter having a polarization split film used as both a polarizer and an analyzer; a reflective liquid crystal display device; a quarter wave plate; and a projection optical system; where the absolute value of phase difference of diffracted light generated by the reflective liquid crystal display device in a black display state is reduced by the phase difference of the quarter wave plate, and thus the amount of stray light of the diffracted light guided from the polarizing beam splitter to the projection optical system decreases.
US08184210B2	Digital Radio Frequency (RF) Modulator A digital radio frequency (RF) modulator provides modulation for base-band TV signals. The RF modulator provides direct conversion of digital base-band audio and video signals to a desired RF channel frequency, without any analog up conversion. The RF modulator includes an audio module, a video module, and a RF converter. The audio module includes a pre-emphasis filter, a multi-stage audio interpolator and a complex frequency modulator to generate frequency modulated (FM) audio signals. The video module includes a complex VSB filter, a group-delay compensation filter and some processing logic to generate a filtered output video signal. The RF converter includes a complex adder, a complex multiplier and a RF interpolator to construct the base band TV signals and to shift the base band TV signals in a frequency domain to the desired RF channel frequency. The exponential video carrier is generated at baseband and has a frequency whose value is in the range of +/−13.5 MHz. The RF interpolator includes a zero pad logic followed by a quadrature band pass filter (BPF), and an optional second stage of another zero-pad logic followed by a real band pass filter (BPF). The second stage is optional in the sense that it is required only if the desired RF channel is in the higher VHF band.
US08184206B2	Pseudo digital gain control for broadband tuner A digital level control circuit, such as an Automatic Gain Control, includes a plurality of digitally selectable signal levels with transitions between levels gradually varied to avoid signal output level discontinuities. An up/down counter may be used to incrementally stepwise transition an output signal between the digitally selectable output levels. Stepwise application of a control signal to the appropriate switching elements (e.g., FETs) forming an attenuator circuit may be implemented to moderate a switching time of the switching elements to provide a more gradual transition between element operating states. A deglitch circuit may be employed to latch the switching elements to achieve the desired state at the end of a desired switching transition period.
US08184203B1	Video enhancement with separate and distinct methods of enhancement for single transitions and double transitions of opposite polarity A transition enhancement method and system for use with television or computer displays submits single transitions occurring in an input signal to a first transition enhancement process; and submits double transitions of opposite signs occurring in the input signal to a second transition enhancement process that is different from the first transition enhancement process.
US08184198B2	Image-taking apparatus having optical view finder and autofocus capability Disclosed herein is an image-taking apparatus including, a image pickup device, an optical viewfinder, focusing controlling means, display controlling means, setting means, and alarming means.
US08184196B2	System and method to generate depth data using edge detection Systems and methods of generating depth data using edge detection are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, first image data is received corresponding to a scene recorded by an image capture device at a first focus position at a first distance. Second image data is received corresponding to a second focus position at a second distance that is greater than the first distance. Edge detection generates first edge data corresponding to at least a first portion of the first image data and generates second edge data corresponding to at least a second portion of the second image data. The edge detection detects presence or absence of an edge at each location of the first portion and the second portion to identify each detected edge as a hard or soft edge. Depth data is generated based on the edge data generated for the first and second focus positions.
US08184193B2	Display control apparatus, image pickup apparatus, display control method, and storage medium A display control apparatus that enables to reliably and quickly search for a desired image. When a wheel is operated by a user by an amount less than a predetermined operation amount, image feeding is made in a first display mode where a plurality of images are displayed on an image display unit. When the wheel is operated by the user by an amount equal to or greater than the predetermined operation amount, image feeding is made in a second display mode where a larger number of images than in the first display mode are displayed on the image display unit in a smaller size than in the first display mode.
US08184176B2	Digital camera blending and clashing color warning system A system, method and program product for detecting and warning of problematic color combinations. A system is disclosed that includes a color warning system having: a scanning system for detecting proximately located objects appearing in an electronic view finder of the digital camera; a color identification system for quantifying a color of each of the proximately located objects; an analysis system for identifying a problematic color combination in the proximately located objects; and a warning system for outputting a warning prior to a picture capture operation upon a detection of the problematic color combination.
US08184174B2	Image processor and image processing program to correct a spatial frequency band of an image The digital camera (100) has an image processor that corrects an input image for a spatial frequency band. The edge enhancement block (106) computes an edge component for band correction. A signal interpolated at color interpolation block (107) to make compensation for a color component missing from each pixel of a single-chip image is then converted at YC transform block (108) into a luminance signal and a color difference signal after tone correction, the luminance and color signals sent out to YC synthesis block (110) and color saturation correction block (109), respectively. Then, the color saturation correction block (109) controls the color saturation of the color difference signal to send it out to YC synthesis block (110). At the same time, the edge component computed at edge enhancement block (106) is sent out to YC synthesis block (110), too.
US08184170B2	Imaging apparatus, information processing apparatus and method, and computer program therefor An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit that captures an image; a recording unit that records the image on a recording medium; a first position estimating unit that estimates a position of the imaging apparatus using a first position estimation technique to generate first position information, and calculates a first evaluation value serving as accuracy evaluation information of the first position information; a second position estimating unit that estimates the position of the imaging apparatus using a second position estimation technique different from the first position estimation technique to generate second position information, and calculates a second evaluation value serving as accuracy evaluation information of the second position information; a position-information obtaining unit that select, from the first and second position information, position information whose evaluation value is higher than the other; and an application executing unit that performs data processing using the selected position information.
US08184169B2	Providing multiple video perspectives of activities through a data network to a remote multimedia server for selective display by remote viewing audiences Multiple visual perspectives in video of private and public activities including those in public areas such as entertainment venues captured by cameras located near the activities can be transmitted over data networks to a server where video-related data is processed and recorded for selective display by authorized, remote video display devices (e.g., HDTV, set-top boxes, computers, handheld devices) in wired/wireless communication with the server. Users can be registered and authorized to access the server to provide/access video captured by cameras at activities. Wireless handheld devices can selectively retrieve video-related data captured at activities for server storage and subsequent display by video display devices. Captured video/pictures can be organized in a server based on at least one of: activity title, activity time, activity date, activity place, wireless handheld device location at time of video recording, distance from location of interest. Simultaneous display of multiple videos on a display can be synchronized.
US08184160B2	Image processor, driving assistance system, and out-of-position detecting method A driving assistance system that projects images imaged by multiple vehicle cameras onto a plane, and synthesizes projection images from images obtained at different times to accurately determine whether the vehicle cameras have moved out of their proper positions or imaging directions. The system includes: first and second in-vehicle cameras that capture first and second images, respectively. The cameras capture overlapping regions respectively in different directions. An image converter converts the first and second images into first and second projection images projected onto a plane. A solid object detection unit determines whether a solid object exists in the overlapping region. When no solid object exists, the images of the overlapping regions within the first and second projection images are compared to generate a comparison value. The comparison value is in turn compared with a threshold value for the determination of vehicle camera movement out of its proper position.
US08184159B2	Forward looking sensor system Systems and methods are provided for controlling a plurality of vehicle systems. A forward looking sensor (12) is configured to obtain a two-dimensional image of a space in front of the vehicle. A region identification element (14) divides the two-dimensional image into a plurality of regions. Each region represents a portion of the space forward of the vehicle. An image transform (16) transforms the two-dimensional image to a three-dimensional coordinate system representing the space in front of the vehicle to calculate depth information for at least a portion of the image. Each of a plurality of expert systems (18-20) have at least one associated region and control a vehicle system (22-24) according to data from their respective at least one associated region and the calculated depth information.
US08184157B2	Generalized multi-sensor planning and systems A method is disclosed for the analysis of scenarios where there are dynamically occurring objects capable of occluding each others. Application of the method in vision systems is also disclosed. Methods for incorporating visibility constraints for occluding scenarios are provided in a multi-camera setting. Other static constraints such as image resolution and field-of-view, and algorithmic requirements such as stereo reconstruction, face detection and background appearance are also addressed. A generic framework for sensor planning is also provided.
US08184146B2	Medical image processing apparatus and medical image processing method An image processing apparatus includes: a surface model generation section for performing processing for generating a three-dimensional surface model from a two-dimensional medical image; and an area reliability calculation section for dividing the surface model into multiple areas and calculating the reliability of data in each of the multiple areas.
US08184133B2	Methods for sequential color display by modulation of pulses Each color image is decomposed into at least one series of at least three successive primary images of different primary colors which are successively displayed by modulating the activation duration of the pixels of an imaging device. According to the invention, the distribution of the pixel activation phases in the three successive subframes is contracted: the pixel activation periods of the first primary image are shifted toward the end of the subframe of this first image, and, during the subframe of the third primary image, the pixel activation periods of this third primary image are shifted toward the beginning of the subframe of this third image. Color break-up faults are thus advantageously reduced.
US08184131B2	System for dynamic gamma correction of non-uniform frequency clocks and method therefor A system for dynamic gamma correction of multi-scaled clocks and method therefor are provided, wherein multi-scaled clocks are applied to control the grayscale upon only one set of ramp voltage, so that the linearity of the gamma curve can be adjusted freely or to adjust the gamma correction strategy based on the image content or the user preference.
US08184129B2	Techniques for 3-D elastic spatial registration of multiple modes of measuring a body Techniques for registration of multiple measurement modes of a body include receiving first and second data from different modes. Each includes measured values with coordinate values. For two mechanically aligned modes, any non-rigid registration is performed. For some modes, the non-rigid registration includes a coarse transformation and multiple fine scale transformations. The coarse transformation maximizes a coarse similarity measure. The second data is sub-divided into contiguous sub-regions. Fine transformations are determined between the sub-regions and corresponding portions of the first data to maximize a fine similarity measure. Sub-dividing and determining fine transformations repeats until stop conditions are satisfied. Transformations between the last-divided sub-regions are interpolated. Any of the fine similarity measure, a search region, interpolation method, sub-division location, and the use of rigid or non-rigid fine transformations are adaptive to properties of the first or second data so that the registration is automatic without human intervention.
US08184123B2	Image display apparatus, image processing apparatus, and image display method The object of the present invention is to provide an image display apparatus, an image processing apparatus, and an image display method that are able to display images without motion blur without increasing the transmitted amount of image signal. An image display apparatus of the invention comprises an image reception unit that receives an image signal; a gray-level correction unit that corrects image signals each corresponding to sub-frames consisting of a plurality of pixel groups split from the received mage signal, using respective grayscale characteristics different from sub-frame to sub-frame; and an image display unit that displays the frame image by successively displaying the sub-frame images each having been gray-level-corrected.
US08184122B2	System and method for video choreography An electronic entertainment system for creating a video sequence by executing video game camera behavior based upon a video game sound file includes a memory configured to store an action event/camera behavior (AE/CB) database, game software such as an action generator module, and one or more sound files. In addition, the system includes a sound processing unit coupled to the memory for processing a selected sound file, and a processor coupled to the memory and the sound processing unit. The processor randomly selects an AE pointer and a CB pointer from the AE/CB database. Upon selection of the CB pointer and the AE pointer, the action generator executes camera behavior corresponding to the selected CB pointer to view an action event corresponding to the selected AE pointer.
US08184120B2	Framework for processing and rendering large volume data Described herein is a system and method for facilitating large volume data processing and rendering. An exemplary system includes at least one processor coupled to a first memory, wherein the processor is configured to organize the large volume data in the first memory into one or more bricks. In addition, at least one graphics processing unit (GPU) is coupled to the processor and a second memory. The GPU is configured to process at least one or more bricks transferred from the first memory to the second memory to produce intermediate processing results, and to further render the intermediate processing results.
US08184115B2	Plasma display device and method for driving the same Disclosed here is a method for driving a plasma display panel and a plasma display device capable of providing image display with a high contrast ratio and excellent quality by stabilizing an address discharge. According to the method, which is the method for driving a plasma display panel in which discharge cells are formed at intersections of scan electrodes, sustain electrodes and data electrodes, the field—that contains at least one sub-field having the all-cell initializing operation—and the field—that is formed of sub-fields having the selective-cell initializing operation only—are set at a ratio of 1:N (where, N takes an integer of 1 or greater). At the same time, at least in one sub-field of the field having the selective-cell initializing operation only, the scan-pulse width employed for the selective-cell initializing field is determined longer than the scan-pulse width employed for the field containing the all-cell initializing operation.
US08184113B2	Method for adjusting common voltage of liquid crystal display device A method for adjusting a common voltage of an LCD device includes providing an LCD device and a photodetector, obtaining variable parameters Ya, Yb and Yc, the variable parameters Ya, Yb and Yc respectively denoting flicker intensity of the LCD device when the common voltages are parameters Va, Vb and Vc, Vb exceed Va, and is less than Vc, when Yb exceeds Yc and is less than Ya, increasing the parameters Va, Vb and Vc respectively and repeating the two steps, when Yb exceeds Ya and is less than Yc, decreasing the parameters Va, Vb and Vc respectively and repeating the two steps, and when Yb is less than or equals Ya and is less than or equals Yc, setting an arbitrary value between Va and Vc as an optimum common voltage of the LCD device.
US08184112B2	Increasing dynamic range of display output A method of controlling an RGBW electroluminescent display system that receives a three-component input image signal having triplets of intensity values in an image range and a highlight range includes transforming at least one of the triplets having an intensity value within the image range to a four-or-more-component drive signal to produce a luminance less than the sum of the corresponding luminance values of the red, green and blue light-emitting elements and transforming at least one of the intensity values within a triplet having an intensity value within the highlight range to a four-or-more-component drive signal to produce a luminance greater than the sum of the corresponding luminance values of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements.
US08184107B2	Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same A liquid crystal display includes a transparent conductive layer on an first substrate of a liquid crystal display panel transmitting display light, an insulating layer on the transparent conductive layer, a sensing circuit to generate a touch or non-touch sensing signal based on changes in the amount of surface charge of the transparent conductive layer depending on whether or not the insulating layer is touched, and a driving voltage supply circuit to generate a driving voltage of a high potential for a light sensing operation of a touch sensor circuit only when the touch or non-touch sensing signal indicates that the insulating layer is touched.
US08184105B2	Touch panel A touch panel including a substrate, a plurality of first sensing series, and a plurality of second sensing series is provided. The first sensing series and the second sensing series are disposed on the substrate. The first sensing series extend along a first direction and are electrically insulated from each other. Each of the first sensing series includes a plurality of first sensing pads and a plurality of first bridge portions connected between the first sensing pads. The second sensing series extend along a second direction and are electrically insulated from each other. Each of the second sensing series includes a plurality of second sensing pads and a plurality of second bridge portions connected between the second sensing pads. Each of the first bridge portions and one of the second bridge portions are intersected, and at least one of the second bridge portions has at least one electrostatic discharge tip.
US08184083B2	Source driver in liquid crystal display device, output buffer included in the source driver, and method of operating the output buffer Provided is an output buffer, which may be included in a source driver of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The output buffer may include a differential amplification unit and an output unit. The differential amplification unit may generate control currents by amplifying the difference between the voltages of an analog image signal and a signal output from the output buffer. The output unit outputs the amplified analog image signal in response to the control currents. The amount of bias current used to drive the differential amplification unit increases during a charge recycling period, and the amount of quiescent current flowing through the output unit decreases during the charge recycling period. The amount of the bias current used to drive the differential amplification unit decreases during a driving period, and the amount of the quiescent current flowing through the output unit increases during the driving period.
US08184080B2	Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof The present invention relates a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel assembly including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a gate driver applying gate signals to the pixels for application of data signals to the pixels, a data driver selecting gray voltages corresponding to gray signals and applying the selected gray voltages to the pixels as the data signals, and a signal controller providing the gray signals and control signals for controlling the gray signals for the gate driver and the data driver. The data signals include normal data signals and a black data signal. The data driver alternately applies the normal data signals and the black data signal to the pixels under control of the signal controller. A scanning direction of the normal data signals is opposite in adjacent frames. Accordingly, respective holding periods of all the pixels for the normal data signals and the black data signals are uniform, and then image quality of the LCD is uniformed to be improved.
US08184073B2	Plasma display apparatus and method of driving the same A plasma display apparatus and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The plasma display apparatus includes a plasma display panel in which a plurality of scan electrodes, sustain electrodes, and address electrodes are formed on substrates to form a discharge cell and electrode driving parts for driving the scan electrodes, the sustain electrodes, and the address electrodes. The plurality of scan electrodes are divided into a plurality of scan electrode groups and the driving parts are controlled such that a voltage different from a scan bias voltage is applied for a predetermined time in the address period of one or more scan electrode groups among the plurality of scan electrode groups.
US08184068B1	Processing objects for separate eye displays Disclosed are embodiments for methods and devices for displaying images. In some example embodiments, methods may include receiving data corresponding to an image with a processor. The image data may include at least one image object. In additional example embodiments, each image object may be assigned to either a foreground image set or a background image set using a processor, for example. An example embodiment may also include rendering a first display image based on at least the foreground image set. The first display image may include the objects assigned to the foreground image set. Additionally, the objects assigned to the foreground image set may be in focus in the first display image. Embodiments may also include rendering a second display image based on at least the background image set. The second display image may include the objects assigned to the background image set. Additionally, the objects assigned to the background image set may be in focus in the second display image.
US08184060B2	Low profile antenna A multi-band antenna is provided that operates in at least two non-harmonically related frequency bands. The antenna includes a ground plane, a cone-shaped relatively high frequency antenna element with a tip of the high frequency antenna disposed adjacent to but electrically isolated from the ground plane with a base of the cone-shaped antenna element extending away from the ground plane, and at least three relatively low frequency antenna elements electrically connected to and extending between the base of the cone-shaped antenna element and the ground plane.
US08184055B2	Electromagnetic input LCD monitor An electromagnetic input LCD monitor is disclosed in this invention. The electromagnetic input LCD monitor includes a back frame and a film antenna module. The back frame has at least one opening. The film antenna module includes a film antenna plate and a signal receiving module. The film antenna plate is disposed on a surface of the back frame; the signal receiving module is disposed on the other surface of the back frame. The film antenna plate has a wiring portion which is connected with the signal receiving module through the opening.
US08184053B2	Position estimating system, radio communication apparatus, program, position estimating method and information server A radio communication apparatus has a storage section for correlating and storing positional information and identification information of the base station, a receiving section for receiving radio signals transmitted from the base station and containing the identification information and a position estimating section for estimating position of the radio communication apparatus based on the positional information stored in the storage section. In the storage section, the positional information of a first base station within a first coverage is represented by using a first discrete value obtained by quantizing the position of the first base station by setting the first coverage as a quantization coverage and a first quantization number as a quantization number and the positional information of a second base station within a second coverage whose area is narrower than the first coverage and where the base stations are more densely installed than the first coverage is represented by using a second discrete value obtained by quantizing the position of the second base station by setting the second coverage as a quantization coverage and a second quantization number that is smaller than the first quantization number as a quantization number.
US08184052B1	Digital beamforming scheme for phased-array antennas A method for beamforming in a communication system includes receiving a plurality of signals via a plurality of antennas, where the plurality of signals corresponds to at least one known training signal, generating a respective one of a plurality of different antenna weight vectors to be applied to the plurality of antennas as each of the plurality of signals is received, where each of the plurality of antenna weight vectors is a respective base vector of a unitary matrix, and generating a receiver antenna weight vector based on at least the received plurality of signals, the plurality of different antenna weight vectors, and the at least one known training signal.
US08184048B2	Dual mode satellite signal receiver and method thereof A dual mode satellite signal receiver capable of supporting at least two global navigation satellite systems and a satellite signal receiving method are provided. The dual mode satellite signal receiver comprises a frequency synthesizer for generating a local oscillator signal based on a reference frequency; a mixer for mixing the local oscillator signal with a satellite signal and outputting the mixed signal as a signal of an intermediate frequency band; a first filter for filtering the signal output from the mixer to reject an image signal and output only an actual signal; a second filter for filtering the actual signal to output only a predetermined bandwidth according to a positioning mode; and an amplifier for amplifying the second filter output signal to a predetermined level and outputting the amplified signal.
US08184046B2	Time reference system A time reference system for generating a time reference from signals produced by a global navigation satellite constellation has a satellite signal receiver to receive and down-convert code-modulated signals from a plurality of satellites and a correlator to track and decode the down-converted signals to provide signals containing partial pseudo-range measurements for respective satellites. A data processing arrangement receives assistance data from an external source and performs data-bit synchronization in which bit edges of a low frequency data bit stream carried by the received satellite signals are identified, to perform a preliminary position-velocity-time solution to provide an approximate time reference, and to perform auto-correlation of pre-selected data sequences in the data stream to resolve time ambiguities thereby to compute a precise time reference signal in weak received signal conditions. The pre-selected data sequences may be the repeated data preamble in the GPS navigation message constituted by the data stream.
US08184032B2	High-speed analog-digital converter having a signal folding structure improved by reducing the number of elementary cells The invention relates to high-resolution analog-digital converters using so-called folding differential amplifier structures composed of differential circuits (crossed differential pairs) and of loads (cascode transistors). The folding structure according to the invention comprises, in the case where it is desired to produce four curves folded at two periods in the useful range of voltages to be converted, four folding blocks (one per curve). The first comprises 7 differential circuits and eight loads, the end loads not being linked to the output of the block. The other blocks comprise 6 differential circuits and eight loads, the last load of each block not being linked to the output of this block. Gains are achieved in terms of bulk, consumption and operating speed, with respect to existing structures.
US08184025B2	Method and apparatus of generating codewords in wireless communication system A method and apparatus for generating and transmitting codewords is provided. The method includes receiving information bits with a variable length, selecting vectors by the length of the information bits from a generator matrix, and generating a codeword based on the information bits and the generator matrix. Codewords with a certain length providing a coding performance with respect to received variable information bits can be obtained.
US08184012B2	Air conditioner and reverse phase detection method thereof An air conditioner and a reverse-phase detection method thereof are provided. According to the air conditioner and the reverse-phase detection method thereof, it is possible to perform reverse-phase detection in real time by subtracting the voltage of one of two phases arbitrarily selected from the phases of an input three-phase alternating voltage from the voltage of the other phase and determining whether the input three-phase alternating voltage is reversed based on sign information of a voltage obtained by the subtraction. Thus, it is possible to prevent an air conditioner from malfunctioning due to a reversed input three-phase alternating voltage and to facilitate the management of an air conditioner.
US08184010B2	System and method for recharging a mobile, submersible device There is herein described a charging unit adapted for insertion into a mobile device to enable a charging of a rechargeable battery in the mobile device, the unit comprising: at least two electrical charging contacts for receiving a potential difference from a power source; a blocking device for blocking energy leaking through the at least two electrical charging contacts and out of the rechargeable battery to ensure a neutrality of the at least two charging contacts when the charging is inactive; and a logic circuitry for controlling the charging of the rechargeable battery of the mobile device by activating the charging based on the potential difference received at the at least two electrical charging contacts.
US08184009B1	Humidity-sensitive cutoff fuse A humidity-sensitive cutoff fuse RFID tag is provided with a bimorph element and thin conductive bridges positioned on an RFID tag substrate that can react to all changes in storage humidity conditions. The bimorph element is configured and positioned so that when it bends in response to one or more predetermined humidity levels, the bimorph element will break one of the conductive bridges and cause an open circuit that can be detected when the RFID tag is interrogated by a sensor. The humidity-sensitive cutoff fuse RFID tag can provide humidity information about numerous stored objects such as food, medicine, chemicals, batteries, explosives and munitions. Multiple humidity conductive bridge cutoff fuse RFID tag arrangements and methods for notifying the user when a predetermined storage humidity limit has been reached with a passive humidity-sensitive cutoff fuse RFID tag are provided. Since it does not require power to operate, the cutoff fuse is suitable for monitoring a long-term storage condition.
US08184007B2	Wireless tag reader/writer In a wireless reader/writer according to one example of the present invention, a reader/writer main body 120 emits a radio wave with a different output power from an antenna 121 when a base unit 140 is detected to be mounted on an enclosure. In addition, when a base unit 140A is detected to be mounted on the enclosure, a reader/writer main body 120A controls a switching device 132 to emit radio waves simultaneously or alternately from a first antenna and a second antenna.
US08183990B2	Method, tire sensor device, central control unit and system for anti-theft protection through tire removal recognition A method for recognizing the removal of a tire provided with a tire sensor device, includes recognizing, with the tire sensor device, if a respective tire is mounted on the motor vehicle and storing an item of information relating to a mounting status in the tire sensor device. If a removal is determined, the tire sensor device sends an item of information characterizing the removal to a central control unit and the central control unit outputs a warning. A tire sensor device, a central control unit and a system for anti-theft protection through tire removal recognition, are also provided.
US08183985B2	Method and device for the power-saving operation of RFID data carriers A method and a device for power-saving operation of RFID data carriers, whereby the RFID data carrier has a transmission and reception antenna, by way of which data are sent to or received from a transmission/read unit, by means of a radio signal, within a transmission field, whereby the data carrier is configured for a power-saving sleep mode, and switches over to the reception mode by means of a wake-up signal. With the transmission of the wake-up signal, at the same time, a time datum is transmitted to the data carrier, whereby the time datum shows the time that indicates how much time must still elapse until transmission of a command. The data carrier configured with the sleep mode switches over to a reception mode by means of a wake-up signal, whereby the wake-up signal additionally has a time datum that forms a countdown time, and switches the data carrier into the reception mode briefly, after this time has elapsed, thereby causing the data carrier to receive a command.
US08183984B2	Method and device for the power-saving operation of a plurality of RFID data carriers A method and a device for power-saving operation of a plurality of RFID data carriers, whereby the RFID data carrier has a transmission and reception antenna, by way of which data are sent to and received from a read/write unit, by means of a radio signal, and the data carrier is configured for reception of an energy-saving signal that puts the data carrier into a so-called sleep mode. The read/write unit sends a so-called conditional sleep command to all the RFID data carriers, and the RFID data carriers receiving these data in the transmission field compare the transmitted condition with a status/data detected in the RFID data carrier, whereby the condition detected in the RFID data carrier depends on a sensor input that is connected with the RFID data carrier. The transmission of the signals between the read/write unit and the data carrier is formed by means of a transmission/reception antenna disposed on the read/write device, and a correspondingly disposed transmission and reception antenna disposed on the data carrier.
US08183979B2	Physical object with memory tags and apparatus for writing and using such objects A physical object is provided that comprises a base medium, such as a paper sheet, and multiple memory tags embedded in it or attached to it. At least one of the memory tags stores location data concerning a location relationship between the object and one or more of the tags. The location data can comprise, for example, tag-location data giving the location in or on the object of the or each tag concerned, or area-of-responsibility data indicating the area of the object's surface for which the or each tag concerned has responsibility in terms of storing related data items such as print data items. Apparatus is provided for writing the location data; apparatus is also provided for subsequently using and displaying the location data particularly for facilitating access to data items stored by the tags.
US08183976B2	Resistor device and method for manufacturing same A resistor device includes a resistor plate having a first aperture, a second aperture, a third aperture and a fourth aperture respectively arranged on a first side, a second side, a third side and a fourth side thereof. A first electrode plate is coupled to the first side of the resistor plate and includes a first measurement zone and a second measurement zone disposed at opposite sides of the first aperture; and a second electrode plate is coupled to the third side of the resistor plate and including a third measurement zone and a fourth measurement zone disposed at opposite sides of the third aperture, wherein the first measurement zone and the third measurement zone are disposed at opposite sides of the second aperture, and the second measurement zone and the fourth measurement zone are disposed at opposite sides of the fourth aperture.
US08183972B2	Oil filled transformer with spacers and spacers for separating and supporting stacked windings An oil filled high power transformer for high voltages with coils. The transformer including a number of stacked layers of, in the main concentric, insulated conductors forming transformer coils. The winding layers are separated by spacers. One or more spacers are provided with at least one integrated electrical discharge barrier extending off the central body of the spacer in the vicinity of the area where the spacer is in contact with a winding. Breakdown along spacer and alongside the spacer-oil interface is reduced getting improved breakdown strength of the oil filled transformer.
US08183970B2	Integrated high frequency BALUN and inductors Integrated high frequency balanced-to-unbalanced transformers and inductors suitable for operation in high frequencies, such as radio frequencies. Embodiments disclosed give consideration to issues related to the layout of the top and bottom inductors for the minimization of capacitive effects between layers and methods of manufacturing thereof. A displacement between the conductive paths of the top inductor and the bottom inductor is shown that provides for superior performance over prior art solutions.
US08183965B2	Switchable core element-based permanent magnet apparatus A method and device for a switchable core element-based permanent magnet apparatus, for holding and lifting a target, comprised of two or more carrier platters containing core elements. The core elements are magnetically matched soft steel pole conduits attached to the north and south magnetic poles of one or more permanent magnets, inset into carrier platters. The pole conduits contain and redirect the permanent magnets' magnetic field to the upper and lower faces of the carrier platters. By containing and redirecting the magnetic field within the pole conduits, like poles have a simultaneous level of attraction and repulsion. Aligning upper core elements “in-phase,” that is, north-north/south-south with the lower core elements, activates the apparatus by redirecting the combined magnetic fields of the pole conduits into the target. Anti-aligning upper core elements “out-of-phase,” that is, north-south/south-north with the lower core elements, deactivates the apparatus and results in pole conduits containing opposing fields.
US08183951B2	Modulator It is possible to restrain distortions generated in a mixer. A modulator includes a local signal source that generates an in-phase local signal, a multiplier that multiplies an in-phase baseband signal (I) and the in-phase local signal by each other, a phase inverter that receives the in-phase local signal from the local signal source, and inverts the phase thereof, an anti-phase multiplier that multiplies an anti-phase baseband signal (−I) (signal equivalent to a signal obtained by inverting the phase of the in-phase baseband signal (I)) and an output from the phase inverter (anti-phase local signal) by each other, and an adder that adds an output from the multiplier and an output from the anti-phase multiplier to each other. The addition by the adder of a leak component (carrier leak) which is the in-phase local signal leaked from the multiplier, and the signal which is the output from the phase inverter leaked from the anti-phase multiplier to each other results in zero. In other words, the leak component output from the multiplier is cancelled.
US08183947B2	Low power consuming quartz oscillator circuit with active polarisation The quartz oscillator circuit includes an inverter comprising two complementary PMOS and NMOS transistors (P1, N1) series-mounted with a current source (4) between two terminals of a supply voltage source to define an active branch. A source terminal of the PMOS transistor (P1) is connected to the current source, whereas a source terminal of the other NMOS transistor (N1) is connected to an earth terminal. Drain terminals of the transistors are connected at output to a first electrode (XOUT) of the quartz (3), whereas the gate terminals of the transistors are connected at input to a second electrode (XIN) of the quartz. A first phase shift capacitor (C1) is connected to the first electrode of the quartz, whereas a second capacitor (C2) is connected to the second electrode of the quartz. The oscillator circuit includes active polarisation means (2) arranged between the drain terminals and the gate terminals of the inverter transistors. These polarisation means can be a follower-mounted operational transconductance amplifier, whose impedance value is sufficiently high so as not to damage the transconductance of the active branch for generating an oscillation in the quartz.
US08183944B2	Method and system for using a MEMS structure as a timing source A system and method is disclosed that provides a technique for generating an accurate time base for MEMS sensors and actuators which has a vibrating MEMS structure. The accurate clock is generated from the MEMS oscillations and converted to the usable range by means of a frequency translation circuit.
US08183939B1	Ring oscillator A ring oscillator has at least one latch connected to the outputs of at least one oscillator stage, where the latch drives the outputs of the oscillator stage to opposite states during startup, and drive strength reduction circuitry to reduce drive strength of the latch after startup when the oscillator is oscillating.
US08183936B2	Phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer and loop locking method thereof A phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer and a loop locking method thereof are provided. The phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer includes a reference route sigma-delta modulator feedback circuit, a reference phase integration circuit coupled to the output end of the reference route sigma-delta modulator feedback circuit, a phase/frequency detector coupled to the output ends of the reference and feedback phase integration circuit, a loop filter coupled to the output end of the phase/frequency detector and the input end of the reference route sigma-delta modulator feedback circuit, an oscillator coupled to the output end of the loop filter, and a feedback phase integration circuit coupled to the output end of the oscillator and the input end of the phase/frequency detector. In the phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer, the oscillator generates corresponding frequency output signals which yield the advantages of resisting noise signals, enhancing resolution, and facilitating integration.
US08183934B2	PLL circuit and voltage-controlled oscillator In a PLL circuit, a threshold discriminator generates a control signal indicating a relative level of a control voltage. A controller outputs a controlling value based on the control signal. If the control signal indicates a high level when the controlling value specifies a control voltage-to-oscillation frequency correspondence relation whose upper and lower limits of oscillation frequency are highest, and if the control signal indicates a low level when the controlling value specifies a correspondence relation whose upper and lower limits of oscillation frequency are lowest, the controller outputs a predetermined controlling value. An oscillator has the correspondence relations set therein such that the correspondence relations have respective different upper and lower limits of oscillation frequency and are correlated with the respective controlling values. The oscillator outputs a signal with the oscillation frequency corresponding to the control voltage and associated with the correspondence relation specified by the controlling value.
US08183930B2	Power amplifier device This invention provides a power amplifier device that satisfies both of delivering a high output and reducing the chip area occupied by the power amplifier device. The power amplifier device formed over a substrate comprises primary inductors arranged in a generally circular geometry, a ground pattern, transistor pairs, and a secondary inductor. The ground pattern is provided to extend from a portion of a region inside the circular primary inductor into regions outside the primary inductor, when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the substrate, and grounded at a plurality of points in the regions outside the primary inductor. To both ends of each primary inductor, first main electrodes of first and second transistors forming a transistor pair in linkage with the primary inductor are coupled respectively. Second main electrodes of the first and second transistors are coupled to the ground pattern in the region inside the primary inductor and have electrical conduction to the respective plurality of points grounded.
US08183922B2	Differential pair with constant offset A bias current is generated for an unbalanced differential pair that is proportional to the transconductance gain of the differential pair. When the transconductance gain varies (e.g., due to temperature variations), the bias current varies in proportion thereby maintaining a constant offset voltage. In some implementations, a voltage to current converter circuit generates the bias current from a constant reference voltage that is independent of temperature and voltage supply variations (e.g., a bandgap reference voltage).
US08183913B2	Integrated circuits including a charge pump circuit and operating methods thereof An integrated circuit includes a first current source. A second current source is electrically coupled with the first current source via a conductive line. A switch circuit is coupled between the first current source and the second current source. A first circuit is coupled between a first node and a second node. The first node is disposed between the first current source and the switch circuit. The second node is coupled with the first current source. The first circuit is configured for substantially equalizing voltages on the first node and the second node. A second circuit is coupled between a third node and a fourth node. The third node is disposed between the second current source and the switch circuit. The fourth node is disposed coupled with the second current source. The second circuit is configured for substantially equalizing voltages on the third node and the fourth node.
US08183912B2	Internal voltage supplying device An internal voltage supplying device. A reference voltage generator generates a first feedback voltage having a predetermined voltage ratio with respect to a core voltage. An adjusting mechanism adjusts the voltage ratio, and a voltage generator supplies a high voltage having a level higher than a level of the core voltage by the level of a threshold voltage or higher and maintains the level of the high voltage in accordance with the first feedback voltage.
US08183902B2	Methods and systems for digital pulse width modulator In one embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator of these teachings includes comparators and a number of phases and capable of increasing resolution without increasing clock frequency. In another embodiment, the digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) of these teachings includes equality comparators and a number of phases and increases resolution without increasing clock frequency. A further embodiment of the system of these teachings includes a priority encoded comparator component (in one instance including a number of comparators) comparing duty cycle commands against preset minimums, that embodiment being referred to as a frequency Foldback component. Other embodiments and embodiments of the method of these teachings are also disclosed.
US08183895B2	Clock dividing circuit A clock dividing circuit includes a control logic unit and a flip-flop. The control logic unit outputs an enable signal and a data signal according to a clock signal and a division ratio. The flip-flop outputs a divided clock signal based on the clock signal, the enable signal and the data signal. The clock signal can be directly outputted as the divided clock signal through the flip-flop.
US08183890B1	Method and apparatus for sampling Aspects of the disclosure provide a sampling circuit with reduced sampling distortions. The sampling circuit can include a switch having a control terminal, a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal. Further, the sampling circuit can include a first driving module configured to receive an input signal and drive a first signal in response to the input signal onto the first channel terminal of the switch. In addition, the sampling circuit can include a bootstrap module coupled to the control terminal of the switch and a second driving module coupled to the bootstrap module. The second driving module can be configured to receive the input signal and drive a second signal in response to the input signal to the bootstrap module, such that the bootstrap module can vary a control voltage on the control terminal of the switch based on the input signal for turning on the switch in a track-mode and causing an output voltage on the second channel terminal of the switch to track the first signal on the first channel terminal of the switch.
US08183888B2	Parity unit using 3-input NANDs Disclosed herein is a logic circuit which responds to three signals to detect whether the number of signals taking one of logic-1 and logic-0 is odd or even, and includes five NAND gates. The first NAND gate is supplied with the first signal, the second signal and the third signal; the second NAND gate is supplied with the inverted first signal, the inverted second signal and the third signal; the third NAND gate is supplied with the first signal, the inverted second signal and the inverted third signal; and the fourth NAND gate is supplied with the inverted first signal, the second signal and the inverted third signal. The fifth NAND gate is supplied with outputs of first, second, third and fourth NAND gates and produces the output signal whose logic level is dependent on whether the number of the input signals taking one of logic-1 and logic-0 is odd or even.
US08183882B2	Reconfigurable IC that has sections running at different reconfiguration rates Some embodiments provide a reconfigurable IC that includes several sections. Each section includes several configurable circuits, each of which configurably performs a set of operations. Each section stores multiple configuration data sets for each configurable circuit. Each configuration data set for a particular configurable circuit specifies the operation that the particular configurable circuit has to perform from the circuit's set of operations, where the configurable circuits of at least two different sections change configuration data sets at two different reconfiguration rates.
US08183879B2	Measuring arrangement, semiconductor arrangement and method for operating a semiconductor component as a reference source The invention relates to a measuring arrangement, a semiconductor arrangement and a method for operating a reference source, wherein at least one semiconductor component and a voltage source are connected to a measuring unit and the measuring unit provides a measured value that is proportional to the number of defects.
US08183864B2	System for multi nucleus cardiac MR imaging and spectroscopy A system for respiratory motion compensated MR imaging or spectroscopy, comprises an MR imaging system. The MR imaging system performs a single imaging scan including, acquiring a first imaging data set representing a spatially localized first imaging region located on a patient diaphragm, using a first RF excitation pulse sequence and by transmitting a nuclei excitation first resonant frequency and receiving data substantially at the first resonant frequency. The MR imaging system derives data representing diaphragm position over a respiratory cycle using the first imaging data set, in the single imaging scan. The MR imaging system in response to determining the diaphragm position is within a predetermined window, acquires a second anatomical imaging data set representing a spatially localized second imaging region using a second RF excitation pulse sequence and by transmitting a nuclei excitation second resonant frequency different to the first resonant frequency and receiving data substantially at the second resonant frequency in the single imaging scan.
US08183862B2	Eddy current testing device An eddy current testing device which confirms that a change in characteristics of a target object is detected regardless of the magnitude of the change and specifying the position of a portion from which the change is detected. The device uses an eddy current probe to inspect a bent portion of a metal body, and has an inspection controller and a display unit. The inspection controller calculates a phase angle of a signal detected by the eddy current probe and generates flaw identification image data that indicates an area (or an area of the signal detected and determined to correspond to a flaw signal, based on the phase angle of the detected signal) of a flaw signal in coordinates in which the position of the portion of the target object is plotted along a coordinate axis. The display unit displays the flaw identification image data.
US08183860B2	Arrangement and method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a region of action An arrangement and a method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a region of action includes a generator for generating a magnetic selection field having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in the region of action. A driver is configured to change the position in space of the two sub-zones in the region of action by means of a magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of the magnetic particles changes locally. The generator includes at least one permanent magnet which is at least partially shielded by an electrically high conductive shielding.
US08183858B2	Method and arrangement for measuring a gap A method for measuring the gap between a levitation magnet of a vehicle of a magnetic levitation railway and a fixed reaction rail of the magnetic levitation railway and for generating a gap measured value which specifies the size of the gap. In order to form the gap measured value, the magnetic field, which is generated by the levitation magnet, or at least a measured variable associated with the field is evaluated.
US08183857B2	Rotation angle detection device for detecting rotation angle of a rotating body A rotation angle detection device for detecting rotation angle of a rotating body to be measured includes magnetic detection elements which are fixed to a stator and detect magnetic flux density of a magnet which is rotated with the rotating body. The device can calculate rotation angle of the rotating body from outputs of the magnetic detection elements. The device also includes magnetic bodies having two edge portions in positions where the magnet is inserted and arranged along an area where a magnetic line of force of the magnet is formed. Gaps can be provided between one edge portion of the magnetic bodies in the direction of the rotation center axis of the magnet and one side of the magnet in the direction of the rotation center axis, and between another edge portion of the magnetic bodies in the direction of the rotation center axis of the magnet and another side of the magnet in the direction of the rotation center axis, and the magnetic detection elements are intermediated in the magnetic line of force which passes through the magnetic bodies.
US08183852B2	Method and apparatus for determining AC voltage waveform anomalies A method and apparatus for determining AC voltage waveform anomalies. The apparatus comprises a threshold generator for generating at least one time-variant threshold based on information regarding an AC voltage waveform. The apparatus further comprises a threshold detector for comparing a sample of the AC voltage waveform to the at least one time-variant threshold to identify an AC voltage waveform anomaly.
US08183850B2	Power converting device and power supply apparatus Each voltage converting unit outputs a first signal at a first output and second signal at a second output. Each first transforming unit includes a magnetically coupled primary and secondary coil, the first output of each one of the converting units is connected to a primary coil of a different one of the first transforming units, the primary coil of each one of the first transforming units is electrically connected to one secondary coil of another one of the first transforming units. Each second transforming units includes a magnetically coupled primary and a secondary coil, the second output of each one of the voltage converting units is connected to a primary coil of a different one of the second transforming units, the primary coil of each one of the second transforming units is electrically connected to one secondary coil of another one of the second transforming units.
US08183846B2	Method and apparatus for controlling a DC/DC converter A control system including a DC/DC converter and a control module. The DC/DC converter includes a first inductor and a second inductor. The DC/DC converter is configured to i) receive a first DC voltage and ii) output a second DC voltage. The control module is configured to, during a first operation mode, charge the first inductor while discharging the second inductor, and, during a second operation mode, one of i) charge the first inductor while charging the second inductor and ii) discharge the first inductor while discharging the second inductor. The control module is further configured to initiate the second operation mode in response to detecting a current transient in the DC/DC converter.
US08183845B2	Low voltage power supply A buck regulator for converting an input DC voltage, V+, into an output DC voltage level includes a coupled inductor for outputting the DC voltage level, and an error amplifier for sensing an error in the outputted DC voltage level and a pulse width modulator (PWM) providing a pulse waveform having a duty cycle responsive to the error. Also, included are a V+ voltage driver for outputting the V+ voltage level responsive to the pulse waveform, and a super voltage driver for outputting a super voltage level, Vss, responsive to the pulsed waveform, wherein the super voltage level is higher than the V+ voltage level. The outputted super voltage level is complementary to the outputted V+ voltage level. Also included are dual MOSFETs, which have gates for, respectively, receiving the super voltage level and the V+ voltage level. The dual MOSFETs drive the coupled inductor for outputting the DC voltage level. Furthermore, a pulse shaper is coupled between the PWM and the voltage drivers for forming a sharp pulse having a rise time that is faster than a rise time of the pulse waveform. The sharp pulse is provided as a control signal for activating the voltage drivers.
US08183837B2	Control device and control method for electric system In an electric system including a first converter and a second converter connected in parallel, an ECU executes a program including a step of selecting a charging mode for a first battery pack connected to the first converter and a charging mode for a second battery pack connected to the second converter, and a step of controlling a charger connected to the first battery pack, the first converter and the second converter to charge the first battery pack and the second battery pack in the selected charging modes.
US08183836B2	Lithium battery pack In a battery pack which comprises: a battery set composed of two or more lithium battery cells connected in series; a first protection circuit including a first voltage detect part for detecting the voltage(s) of a part of the two or more battery cells, and a first signal output part for issuing an output signal when a detect voltage detected by the first voltage detect part goes below a given over-discharge judgment voltage value; a second protection circuit including a second voltage detect part for detecting the voltage(s) of another part of the two or more battery cells, and a second signal out part for issuing an output signal when the detect voltage of the battery cell detected by the second voltage detect part goes below a given over-discharge judgment voltage value; and, a switch which is connected to the current path of the battery set and can be turned on or off according to the output signals of the first and second signal output parts and, there is further provided dead time means connected between the second signal output part of the second protection circuit for issuing an output not responding to a variation in an input signal occurring within a given time.
US08183834B2	Current to frequency conversion, apparatus and methods Electronic apparatus, methods of forming the electronic apparatus, and methods of operating the electronic apparatus include features of current to frequency conversion that may be implemented in a variety of applications. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08183815B2	Method and control device for automatically determining a mass of a door system A method is disclosed for automatically determining an effective mass of a door system that is driven by a motor and has at least one door. In this case a speed change accomplished during an acceleration movement is established, and a force variable, for example the motor current or an armature voltage, influencing the drive force of the motor is summed or integrated during the acceleration movement. The effective door mass is established from the sum or the integral of the force variable and the speed change, the summation or the integration of the force variable being performed over a number of operating system cycles of a control device assigned to the door system. Also described is a control device for automatically determining the effective door mass, having a memory for force variable profiles that is designed in such a way that mass can be established for different force variable profiles in the memory in conjunction with an unchanged program code.
US08183814B2	Alternating current machine with increased torque above and below rated speed for hybrid electric propulsion systems The machine in accordance with the present disclosure is an AC machine whose pole numbers can be switched (from pole p1 to pole p2), and whose number of series turns per phase N can be switched say from N0=Nrated to N1=N0/2. Furthermore, it employs an inverter so that the frequency can be changed from a low value (e.g., 5 Hz) to a high value (e.g., 200 Hz). Due to the combination of pole number and number of series turns switching/reconfiguration, a high torque at low speed (e.g., 0 rpm) and a high torque at high speed (e.g., 5,000 rpm) can be achieved, making mechanical gears obsolete. In addition, the output power of the motor can be increased at high speed in direct proportion to the speed increase.
US08183809B2	Drive device for at least one electric motor and drive control unit interacting with the drive device A drive device for an electric motor is provided. The drive device decides based on signals it receives from outside whether it is monitoring an actual value of the electric motor with respect to the adherence to an actual value condition (monitoring operation). During monitoring operation, the drive device causes the motor to be disconnected from a power supply if the actual value does not adhere to the actual value condition. Via a communication connection, the drive device provides a drive control unit with first information, which reveals whether the drive device is in the monitoring operating mode. The drive device provides the drive control unit with second information, which reveals what the actual value condition is. Based on the first information, the drive control unit examines whether the drive device is in the monitoring operating mode. If this is the case, the drive control unit, based on the second information, determines what the actual value condition is.
US08183805B2	System for controlling the steady-state rotation of a synchronous electric motor The control system comprises a switch (TR) in series with a stator winding (W) between two terminals (A, B) connected to an alternating supply voltage source (V), a first detector circuit (2) capable of providing a signal (Voi) indicating when the current (I) in that winding (W) is zero, a second detector circuit (1) capable of providing a signal (Vw) indicating the magnitude of the supply voltage (V), and a control unit (MC) connected to the first and second detection circuits (2; 1) and designed to control the switch (TR) in such a way as to cause an alternating current (I) of the same frequency as the supply voltage (V) and having alternating positive and negative phases (11, 12) to pass through the winding (W), separated by intervals during which it remains at zero, of a duration (tp) which varies according to an increasing function of the magnitude of the supply voltage (V).
US08183799B2	Starter stopper for high intensity discharge lighting A starter stopper for use with a high intensity discharge (HID) lighting source includes a timer and switch. The timer controls the durations of on-time and off-time periods during an energizing period. The starter stopper connects the HID lighting source to power to start the HID lighting source during on-time periods, and disconnects the HID lighting source from the power to start the HID lighting source during off-time periods. A method of starting and stopping an HID lighting source includes initiating an energizing period in response to application of power to a starter stopper, enabling the HID lighting source to be connected to power to start the HID lighting source during on-time periods by the starter stopper, enabling the HID lighting source to be disconnected from the power to start the HID lighting source during off-time periods by the starter stopper, and stopping the energizing period in response to removal of the power to the starter stopper.
US08183796B2	Stepwise repairing for electrode of discharge lamp A drive device that drives a discharge lamp including first and second electrodes includes a lighting circuit, a current control unit, a deformation detection unit, a current modulation unit, and a modulation enhancement unit. The lighting circuit supplies alternating current to the electrodes. The current control unit regulates the lighting circuit to control the alternating current. The deformation detection unit detects deformation of the surface shape of the electrodes. The current modulation unit modulates the controlled alternating current when the deformation is detected. The modulation enhancement unit increases a modulation ratio when the deformation is detected while modulating the alternating current.
US08183793B2	Method for synthesizing anthracene derivative and anthracene derivative, light emitting element, light emitting device, electronic device It is an object to provide a novel method for synthesizing an anthracene derivative with the small number of steps. It is another object to provide a novel anthracene derivative. It is further another object to provide a light-emitting element, a light-emitting device, and an electronic device, each using the anthracene derivative. A method for synthesizing an anthracene derivative represented by a general formula (1) is provided by coupling a 9-arylanthracene derivative having an active site at a 10-position with a 9-arylcarbazole derivative having an active site in an aryl group using metal, a metal compound, or a metal catalyst.
US08183786B2	Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same A liquid crystal display (“LCD”) includes; a liquid crystal panel which displays an image, and a plurality of light-emitting blocks which provide light to the liquid crystal panel, wherein each of the light-emitting blocks includes a first string having a plurality of first light-emitting elements connected in series and a second string having a plurality of second light-emitting elements connected in series, and an amount of light emitted by each of the first light-emitting elements is different from an amount of light emitted by each of the second light-emitting elements.
US08183780B2	Discharge lamp and method for producing a bulb neck for a discharge lamp The invention relates to a discharge lamp with a discharge vessel (2) and at least one bulb neck (I, II) connected thereto with an inner quartz bar (6) and a first foil arrangement (9), which is arranged on the outer side (63) of the quartz bar (6) and is connected to power supply lines (7a, 7b) for an electrode (4, 5) which are arranged on both sides of the quartz bar (6), wherein the bulb neck (I, II) comprises at least one second foil arrangement (13), which is connected to the power supply lines (7a, 7b) and has a greater distance with respect to the longitudinal axis (A) of the quartz bar (6) than the first foil arrangement (9). The invention also relates to a method for producing a bulb neck of a discharge lamp.
US08183779B2	Escimer lamp having discharge gap controlled by fluorine concentration In an excimer lamp, rare gas and fluorine are enclosed inside a translucent ceramics arc tube. External electrodes are formed on an outer surface of the arc tube. A condition of 2.5+0.5 log(CF)≦G≦14−4 log(CF) is satisfied in the case of 0.1≦CF≦10, wherein G (mm) is a discharge gap in the arc tube and CF (%) is molar concentration of the fluorine.
US08183761B2	Light emitting apparatus A light emitting apparatus can include a base, a light emitting device and a resin portion on one side of the base for covering the light emitting device, a wiring thereof, and the like. The light emitting apparatus can be configured to prevent the exfoliation of the resin portion from the base even when a substantial amount of load is applied thereon by a mounter during the mounting operation onto a mounting board. The ratio of an occupied area of the patterned electrodes on the base within a predetermined area including an area where the resin portion is provided is made large enough to prevent the patterned electrodes from being flexed during mounting operation, and the ratio of an occupied area of the patterned electrodes on the upper and rear surfaces of the base just outside of the predetermined area is made smaller than the predetermined ratio.
US08183760B2	Coils for electron discharge devices A mount (30) for a fluorescent lamp (32) has a glass flare (34) with a first portion (36) penetrating the fluorescent lamp (32) and a second portion (38) the fluorescent lamp (32). Two spaced-apart lead-in wires (40, 42) are sealed in the glass flare (34): and an electron emitter (12) is fixed between the spaced-apart lead-in wires (40, 42) and mated thereto by an electrical connection (46). The electron emitter (12) comprises a substrate (10) of a first material having an electron emitting material (11) thereon and two ends (20,22) and an element (23) mechanically and electrically fixed to each of the ends (20, 22), the element (23) comprising a second material different from the first material and is used to make the electrical connection (46) between the ends (20, 22) and the lead-in wires (40, 42).
US08183759B2	Light emitting diode device and manufacturing method thereof A manufacturing method of an LED device includes the following steps. First, a substrate and at least one LED disposed on the substrate are provided. Next, a porous material layer having a plurality of pores is formed on a surface of the LED. Finally, a plurality of nanocrystals are formed in the pores to construct a phosphor layer on the surface of the LED.
US08183753B2	Photoluminescent light source with lenses An apparatus for providing a photoluminescent light source is disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a light source that emanates light of a particular spectrum, photoluminescent material which converts light from the light source to light of another spectrum, and a selective mirror which reflects light generated by the light source and transmits light generated by the photoluminescent material. The photoluminescent material may be arranged so as to provide a plurality of light sources that emanate light of various colors. In an embodiment, the photoluminescent material is situated in small regions within a transparent material and lenses are used to collimate light emitted from the small regions.
US08183748B2	Piezoelectric thin film, ink jet head, method for forming image with the ink jet head, angular velocity sensor, method for measuring angular velocity with the angular velocity sensor, piezoelectric generating element and method for generating electric power with the piezoelectric generating element Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric thin film containing a lead-free ferroelectric material and having low dielectric loss, high electromechanical coupling coefficient and high piezoelectric constant comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film composed of a perovskite composite oxide (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has (001) orientation and further contains Ag. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has a mole ratio of Ag to Ti of at least 0.001 but not more than 0.01.
US08183747B2	Piezoelectric porcelain composition, and piezoelectric ceramic electronic component A piezoelectric porcelain composition includes a main ingredient represented by a general formula ((1−x)(K1−a−bNaaLib) (Nb1−cTac)O3−xM2M4O3) (where M2 represents Ca, Ba or Sr, M4 represents Zr, Sn or Hf, and 0.005≦x≦0.1, 0≦a≦0.9, 0≦b≦0.1, 0≦a+b≦0.9, and 0≦c≦0.3), and Mn is contained in an amount ranging from 2 to 15 mol, relative to 100 mol of the main ingredient, and the M4 is contained in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 mol, relative to 100 mol of the main ingredient. Preferably, Ni is contained in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 mol, relative to 100 mol of the main ingredient, and also preferably Yb, In and the like specific rare earth elements is contained. A ceramic layer in a ceramic base is formed of this piezoelectric porcelain composition. As a result, the degree of sintering in a reductive atmosphere is improved, and a piezoelectric porcelain composition allowing co-sintering with Ni, and a piezoelectric ceramic electronic component using the same are realized.
US08183744B2	Piezoelectric motor A piezoelectric motor includes a piezoresonator body (3) having opposing front and back surfaces and opposing first and second end surfaces. The front (17) and the back (18) surfaces are substantially parallel to first (15) and second (16) longitudinal axes of the piezoresonator body. The end surfaces (2) are substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis and substantially parallel to the second longitudinal axis and are separated by a length (L) of the piezoresonator body. The motor also includes at least one common electrode (6) disposed on the back surface and at least 6n excitation electrodes (7-12) disposed across the front surface in two symmetric rows extending along L, where n is an integer ≧1. In the motor, the piezoelectric body has an nth order longitudinal vibration frequency (ν1) along L and a 3nth order bending vibration frequency (ν2) along L, and where ν1 and ν2 are substantially equal.
US08183743B2	Tubular linear piezoelectric motor Tubular linear piezoelectric motor (100, 300), and a method for exciting a tubular piezoelectric resonator (101, 301) used in such motor. The motor is comprised of a resonator (101, 301) formed of a cylindrical tube. The tube has length nL comprised of a piezoelectric material, where L is some length, and n is an even numbered integer, greater than zero. The piezoelectric material of the cylindrical tube is polarized in a radial direction, perpendicular at each point to the interior and exterior surface of the cylindrical tube. The resonator is excited with one signal having a single exciter frequency applied across an inner electrode (102, 302) and one or more first outer electrodes (103, 103a, 103b). The single exciter frequency is selected to move a contact site of one or more annular protrusions along an elliptical path when the resonator is excited. The resonator is disposed within an outer tube (106) and configured so that excitation of the resonator using the first outer electrode(s) produces linear displacement as between the outer tube and the resonator in a first direction. Excitation of a second outer electrode (104, 104a, 104b) produces the linear displacement in a second direction opposite to the first direction.
US08183741B2	Valves based on reversible piezoelectric rotary motor A piezoelectric valve is provided that includes a valve body includes a plug and a drive body coupled to the valve body and operable to cause the rotatable plug to rotate about a rotational axis. The drive body includes a shaft disposed along the axis, the shaft statically coupled to the plug and rotatably coupled to the drive body. The drive body also includes a rotor assembly disposed about the axis and rotatably coupled to the drive body. The drive body further includes a first piezoelectric actuator disposed about the axis and statically coupled to the drive body, the first piezoelectric actuator configured to frictionally engage an inner surface of the rotor assembly. The drive body additionally includes a second piezoelectric actuator disposed about the axis and statically coupled to the shaft, the second piezoelectric actuator configured to frictionally engage the inner surface of the rotor assembly.
US08183722B2	Accessory drive system connected to an internal combustion engine An accessory drive system which is capable of preventing the driving efficiency thereof from being lowered and achieving simplified construction, and reduction of the size and manufacturing costs. The system has a rotating machine including a first rotor, a second rotor, and a stator. The first rotor is formed by magnetic poles circumferentially arranged, with each two adjacent ones having different polarities. The stator has an armature row for generating a rotating magnetic pole that circumferentially rotates, between the armature and magnetic pole rows. The second rotor is formed by soft magnetic material elements circumferentially arranged with space, and disposed between the magnetic pole and armature rows. A ratio between the number of the armature magnetic poles, that of the magnetic poles, and that of the soft magnetic material elements is set to 1:m:(1+m)/2(m≠1.0).
US08183720B2	Magnetic circuit system A magnetic circuit system includes a T-shaped yoke, a magnet, and a top plate. The top plate has a center hole, an internal end around the center hole thereof, and two projecting elements provided separately on upper surface and lower surface of the internal end, which improves non-linear distortion of a transducer using the magnetic circuit system.
US08183715B2	Reverse current preventing circuit and power source switching apparatus A reverse current preventing circuit of an N channel type switching MOS transistor connected between a voltage input terminal and an output terminal to control a conduction state between the voltage input terminal and the output terminal, the circuit comprises: a first MOS transistor connected between a substrate of the switching MOS transistor and a ground point; and a second MOS transistor connected between the substrate of the switching MOS transistor and a point having a piece of predetermined constant potential higher than that of the ground point, wherein the piece of predetermined constant potential higher than that of the ground point is applied to the substrate of the switching MOS transistor while the switching MOS transistor is made to be in its on-state, and ground potential is applied to the substrate of the switching MOS transistor while the switching MOS transistor is made to be in its off-state.
US08183709B1	Electricity generation from forced air flow The present invention is used for generating electricity from forced air flow. An electricity generator may have a first panel attached at a peripheral edge to a second panel at a peripheral edge to form a frame. The first panel and the second panel each have an opening with a propeller rotatably attached to a generator that is positioned in each opening for rotation caused by a forced air flow.
US08183708B2	Open ocean wave energy converter with isolated stabilization floats The apparatus defined herein comprises a platform, isolated stabilization floats, bobbing floats, and linear drive converters, in order to transform the energy represented by the bobbing motion of ocean waves/swells into a rotating mechanical motion.
US08183704B2	Connection and disconnection sequence for variable speed wind turbine having an exciter machine and a power converter not connected to the grid A variable speed wind turbine having a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG), includes an exciter machine mechanically coupled to the DFIG and a power converter placed between a rotor of the DFIG and the exciter machine. Thus, the power converter is not directly connected to the grid avoiding the introduction of undesired harmonic distortion and achieving a better power quality fed into the utility grid. Moreover, the variable speed wind turbine includes a power control and a pitch regulation.
US08183703B2	Sea wave turbine speed control A valve that controls the speed of a turbine that is moved by an oscillating air column. This turbine's speed is constantly being compared with the constant output of a digital oscillator. The deference between this two is an error voltage that is amplified and applied to the servomotor. That will increase or decrease the air flow to meantime the speed of the turbine constant and in phase with the digital oscillator. This valve is placed between the input of the turbine and the output of the pressure chamber or the oscillating air column.
US08183700B2	Semiconductor device having alignment mark and its manufacturing method Many holes are formed in an interlayer insulating film and the surface of the interlayer insulating film is covered with a metal film, with its surface undulated by openings or recesses formed to scatter reflection light. The size of the recesses is about the size of contact holes of elements. Hence the recesses are not detectable by an image recognition apparatus. The size of the metal film, however, is set so that it can be detected by the image recognition apparatus.
US08183694B2	Reversing tone of patterns on integrated circuit and nanoscale fabrication A process to produce an airgap on a substrate having a dielectric layer comprises defining lines by lithography where airgaps are required. The lines' dimensions are shrunk by a trimming process (isotropic etching). The tone of the patterns is reversed by applying a planarizing layer which is etched down to the top of the patterns. The photoresist is removed, leading to sub-lithographic trenches which are transferred into a cap layer and eventually into the dielectric between two metal lines. The exposed dielectric is eventually damaged, and is etched out, leading to airgaps between metal lines. The gap is sealed by the pinch-off occurring during the deposition of the subsequent dielectric.
US08183692B2	Barrier layer for fine-pitch mask-based substrate bumping A structure that may be used in substrate solder bumping comprises a substrate (110), a solder resist layer (120) disposed over the substrate, a plurality of solder resist openings (121) in a surface (122) of the solder resist layer, a conformal barrier layer (130) having a first portion (131) over the surface of the solder resist layer and a second portion (132) in the solder resist openings, a mask layer (140) over the first portion of the conformal barrier layer, and a solder material (150) in the solder resist openings over the metal layer. The conformal barrier layer acts as a barrier against interaction between the solder resist layer and the mask layer during solder reflow.
US08183691B2	Semiconductor device with pads overlapping wiring layers including dummy wiring A semiconductor device includes plural electrode pads arranged in an active region of a semiconductor chip, and wiring layers provided below the plural electrode pads wherein occupation rates of wirings arranged within the regions of the electrode pads are, respectively, made uniform for every wiring layer. To this end, in a region where an occupation rate of wiring is smaller than those in other regions, a dummy wiring is provided. On the contrary, when the occupation rate of wiring is larger than in other regions, slits are formed in the wiring to control the wiring occupation rate. In the respective wirings layers, the shapes, sizes and intervals of wirings below the respective electrode pads are made similar or equal to one another.
US08183689B2	Printed circuit board and flip chip package using the same with improved bump joint reliability A printed circuit board and a flip chip package using the same are designed to minimize thermal stress due to different thermal coefficients present in areas having metal lines and solder resist versus other areas on the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board includes an insulation layer; a first metal line formed on one surface of the insulation layer and having at one end thereof a bump land and a projection which integrally extends from the bump land; a second metal line formed on the other surface of the insulation layer and having at one end thereof a ball land; a via metal line formed through the insulation layer to connect the first and second metal lines to each other; and solder resists formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the insulation layer to expose the bump land and the ball land.
US08183686B2	Semiconductor device Between a logic LSI (4) arranged on one side of a DRAM (1) and jointed to the DRAM and a radiating member (6) arranged on the other side of the DRAM (1) for irradiating the heats of the DRAM (1) and the logic LSI (4), there is disposed a heat bypass passage (5), which extends inbetween while bypassing the DRAM (1). Thus, it is possible to provide a semiconductor device, which can irradiate the heat generated from the logic LSI such as CPU or GPU thereby to reduce the temperature rise and the temperature distribution.
US08183685B2	Semiconductor device A falling off of a through electrode is inhibited without decreasing a reliability of a semiconductor device including a through electrode. A semiconductor device 100 includes: a silicon substrate 101; a through electrode 129 extending through the silicon substrate 101; and a first insulating ring 130 provided in a circumference of a side surface of the through electrode 129 and extending through the semiconductor substrate 101. In addition, the semiconductor device 100 also includes a protruding portion 146, being provided at least in the vicinity of a back surface of a device-forming surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 so as to contact with the through electrode 129, and protruding in a direction along the surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 toward an interior of the through electrode 129.
US08183680B2	No-lead IC packages having integrated heat spreader for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and thermal enhancement Methods and apparatus for improved thermal performance and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in integrated circuit (IC) packages are described. A die-up or die-down package includes an IC die, a die attach pad, a heat spreader cap coupled to the die attach pad defining a cavity, and one or more peripheral rows of leads surrounding the die attach pad. The leads do not protrude substantially from the footprint of the encasing structure. The die attach pad and the heat spreader cap defines an encasing structure that substantially encloses the IC die, and shields EMI emanating from and radiating towards the IC die. The encasing structure also dissipates heat generated by the IC die during operation.
US08183679B2	Electronic part package A peeling off layer 18 is formed on an entire surface of one surface side of a support plate 10 including the inner wall surfaces respectively of a recessed part 12 for an electronic part and recessed parts 16 for posts in which the posts 20 are formed. Then, the recessed parts 16 are filled with metal to form the posts 20. Then, conductor patterns 28 are formed that electrically connect the electrode terminals 22a of the electronic part 22 inserted into the recessed part 12 to the posts 20. Then, an insulating layer covering the conductor patterns 28 is formed to form an electronic part package 30 on the one surface side of the support plate 10 through the peeling off layer 18. After that, the electronic part package 30 is separated from the support plate 10 by the peeling off layer 18.
US08183675B2	Integrated circuit package-on-package system with anti-mold flash feature An integrated circuit package-on-package system includes: mounting an integrated circuit package system having a mountable substrate over a package substrate with the mountable substrate having a mold structure; forming a package encapsulation having a recess over the package substrate and the integrated circuit package system. The present invention also includes: forming an anti-mold flash feature with an extension portion of the package encapsulation and constrained by the mold structure at the bottom of the recess, and partially exposing the mountable substrate in the recess with the anti-mold flash feature formed with the mold structure; and mounting an integrated circuit device over the mountable substrate in the recess.
US08183666B2	Semiconductor device including semiconductor zones and manufacturing method A semiconductor device includes first semiconductor zones of a first conductivity type having a first dopant species of the first conductivity type and a second dopant species of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The semiconductor device also includes second semiconductor zones of the second conductivity type including the second dopant species. The first and second semiconductor zones are alternately arranged in contact with each other along a lateral direction extending in parallel to a surface of a semiconductor body. One of the first and second semiconductor zones constitute drift zones and a diffusion coefficient of the second dopant species is at least twice as large as the diffusion coefficient of the first dopant species. A concentration profile of the first dopant species along a vertical direction perpendicular to the surface of the semiconductor body includes at least two maxima.
US08183665B2	Nonvolatile nanotube diodes and nonvolatile nanotube blocks and systems using same and methods of making same A high-density memory array. A plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines are arranged to access a plurality of memory cells. Each memory cell includes a first conductive terminal and an article in physical and electrical contact with the first conductive terminal, the article comprising a plurality of nanoscopic particles. A second conductive terminal is in physical and electrical contact with the article. Select circuitry is arranged in electrical communication with a bit line of the plurality of bit lines and one of the first and second conductive terminals. The article has a physical dimension that defines a spacing between the first and second conductive terminals such that the nanotube article is interposed between the first and second conducive terminals. A logical state of each memory cell is selectable by activation only of the bit line and the word line connected to that memory cell.
US08183661B2	Semiconductor die with event detection for reduced power consumption According to one exemplary embodiment, a power managing semiconductor die with reduced power consumption includes a power island including an event detection block and an event qualification block. The event detection block is configured to activate the event qualification block in response to an input signal initiated by an external event. The input signal is coupled to the event detection block, for example, via a bond pad situated in an I/O region of the power managing semiconductor die. The event qualification block is configured to determine if the external event is a valid external event. The event qualification block resides in a thin oxide region and the event detection block resides in a thick oxide region of the semiconductor die. The power managing semiconductor die further includes a power management unit configured to activate the event qualification block in response to power enable signal outputted by the event detection block.
US08183660B2	Semiconductor component having rectifying junctions of different magnitudes and method for producing the same A semiconductor component is proposed which has a semiconductor body having a first semiconductor zone of the first conduction type, at least one first rectifying junction with respect to the first semiconductor zone, at least one second rectifying junction with respect to the first semiconductor zone, wherein the three rectifying junctions each have a barrier height of different magnitude.
US08183659B2	Integrated circuits having interconnects and heat dissipators based on nanostructures The present invention provides for nanostructures grown on a conducting or insulating substrate, and a method of making the same. The nanostructures grown according to the claimed method are suitable for interconnects and/or as heat dissipators in electronic devices.
US08183656B2	Photodiode A photodiode includes: an upper spacer layer including a semiconductor transparent to incident light; a metal periodic structure provided on the upper spacer layer and arranged to induce surface plasmon, the metal periodic structure including first and second electrodes including portions arranged alternately on the upper spacer layer; a light absorption layer formed under the upper spacer layer and including a semiconductor having a refractive index higher than that of the upper spacer layer; and a lower spacer layer formed under the light absorption layer and having a refractive index smaller than that of the light absorption layer. Each of the first and second electrodes forms a Schottky barrier junction with the upper spacer layer.
US08183655B2	Radiation detector of the ΔE-E type with insulation trenches A radiation detector of the ΔE-E type is proposed. The detector is integrated in a chip of semiconductor material with a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface, the detector having at least one detection cell arranged on the front surface for receiving a radiation to be evaluated, wherein the detector includes: a first region of a first type of conductivity extending into the chip from the front surface to a first depth; a second region of a second type of conductivity extending into the chip from the back surface to a second depth so as to reach the first region; and for each detection cell a third region of the second type of conductivity extending into the first region from the front surface to a third depth lower than the first depth and the second depth, a thin sensitive volume for absorbing energy from the radiation being defined by a junction between the first region and each third region, and a thick sensitive volume for absorbing further energy from the radiation being defined by a further junction between the first region and the second region. For each detection cell the detector further includes insulation means arranged around the third region and extending from the front surface into the first region to an insulation depth comprised between the first depth and the third depth.
US08183652B2	Non-volatile magnetic memory with low switching current and high thermal stability A non-volatile current-switching magnetic memory element includes a bottom electrode, a pinning layer formed on top of the bottom electrode, and a fixed layer formed on top of the pinning layer. The memory element further includes a tunnel layer formed on top of the pinning layer, a first free layer formed on top of the tunnel layer, a granular film layer formed on top of the first free layer, a second free layer formed on top of the granular film layer, a cap layer formed on top of the second free layer, and a top electrode formed on top of the cap layer.
US08183649B2	Buried aperture nitride light-emitting device A buried aperture in a nitride light emitting device is described. The aperture is formed in an aperture layer, typically an amorphous or polycrystalline material over an active layer that includes a nitride material. The aperture layer material typically also includes nitride. The aperture layer is etched to create an aperture which is filled with a conducting material by epitaxial regrowth. The amorphous layer is crystallized forming an electrically resistive material during or before regrowth. The conducting aperture in the electrically resistive material is well suited for directing current into a light emitting region of the active layer.
US08183644B1	Metal gate structure of a CMOS semiconductor device The invention relates to integrated circuit fabrication, and more particularly to a metal gate structure. An exemplary structure for a CMOS semiconductor device comprises a substrate comprising a P-active region, an N-active region, and an isolation region interposed between the P- and N-active regions; a P-metal gate electrode over the P-active region, that extends over the isolation region; and an N-metal gate electrode having a first width over the N-active region, that extends over the isolation region and has a contact section in the isolation region electrically contacting the P-metal gate electrode, wherein the contact section has a second width greater than the first width.
US08183638B2	Dual triggered silicon controlled rectifier A dual triggered silicon controlled rectifier (DTSCR) comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a well region, a first N+ diffusion region, a first P+ diffusion region, a second N+ diffusion region, a second P+ diffusion region, a third P+ diffusion region, positioned in one side of the DTSCR and across the well region and semiconductor substrate; a third N+ diffusion region, positioned in another side of the DTSCR and across the well region and the semiconductor substrate; a first gate, positioned above the semiconductor substrate between the first P+ diffusion region and the third P+ diffusion region, utilized as a P-type trigger node to receive a first trigger current or a first trigger voltage; and a second gate, positioned above the well region between the second N+ diffusion region and the third N+ diffusion region, utilized as an N-type trigger node to receive a second trigger current or a second trigger voltage.
US08183634B2	Stack-type semiconductor device A stack-type semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The stack-type semiconductor device includes an insulation layer on a single-crystalline substrate, a contact plug penetrating the insulation layer to contact the single-crystalline substrate, an upper semiconductor pattern including an impurity region and a gate structure positioned between the impurity regions on the upper semiconductor pattern. An upper surface of the contact plug contacts a lower surface of the semiconductor pattern. An operation failure of the stack-type semiconductor device is reduced since the upper semiconductor pattern is electrically connected to the single-crystalline semiconductor substrate.
US08183627B2	Hybrid fin field-effect transistor structures and related methods Semiconductor-on-insulator structures facilitate the fabrication of devices, including MOSFETs that are at least partially depleted during operation and FinFETs including bilayer fins and/or crystalline oxide.
US08183624B2	Semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device includes a substrate having a step including a first upper surface and a second upper surface higher than the first upper surface, a memory cell array formed on the first upper surface, and a peripheral circuit formed on the second upper surface and configured to supply an electrical signal to the memory cell array. The memory cell array includes a stacked structure having a plurality of first interconnection layers and a plurality of second interconnection layers respectively connected to the first interconnection layers. The first interconnection layers are stacked on the first upper surface, are separated from each other by insulating films, and extend in a first direction. The second interconnection layers extend upward and are separated from each other by insulating films.
US08183619B1	Method and system for providing contact to a first polysilicon layer in a flash memory device A method and system for providing at least one contact in a flash memory device is disclosed. The flash memory device includes a plurality of gate stacks and at lease one component including a polysilicon layer as a top surface. The method and system further include forming a silicide on the top surface of the polysilicon layer and providing an insulating layer covering the plurality of gate stacks, the at least one component and the silicide. The method and system also include etching the insulating layer to provide at least one contact hole. The insulating layer etching step uses the silicide as an etch stop layer to ensure that the insulating etching step does not etch through the polysilicon layer. The method and system also include filling the at least one contact hole with a conductor.
US08183618B2	Method for fabricating a charge trapping memory device A method for fabricating a charge trapping memory device includes providing a substrate; forming a first oxide layer on the substrate; forming a number of BD regions in the substrate; nitridizing the interface of the first oxide layer and the substrate via a process; forming a charge trapping layer on the first oxide layer; and forming a second oxide layer on the charge trapping layer.
US08183617B2	Injection method with Schottky source/drain An injection method for non-volatile memory cells with a Schottky source and drain is described. Carrier injection efficiency is controlled by an interface characteristic of silicide and silicon. A Schottky barrier is modified by controlling an overlap of a gate and a source/drain and by controlling implantation, activation and/or gate processes.
US08183613B2	Bipolar transistor for a memory array A memory device includes an insulation layer, an active pattern, a gate insulation layer and a gate electrode. The insulation layer is formed on a substrate. The active pattern is formed on the insulation layer, and includes two protrusions and a recess between the protrusions. The active pattern includes a first impurity region and a second impurity region at upper portions of the protrusions distal from the substrate, respectively, and a base region at the other portions serving as a floating body for storing data. The gate insulation layer is formed on a surface of the active pattern. The gate electrode is formed on the gate insulation layer, and surrounds a lower portion of the active pattern and partially fills the recess.
US08183610B2	Nonvolatile memory and manufacturing method thereof According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nonvolatile memory including: a cell transistor including: a gate electrode and first and second diffusion layers; a second insulating film covering the cell transistor; first and second plugs penetrating the second insulating film to reach the first and second diffusion layers, respectively; a ferroelectric capacitor having a ferroelectric film and first and second electrodes, the first electrode contacting with the first plug; a first conductive spacer contacting with the second plug and including the same material as the first electrode; a third insulating film covering side faces of the first electrode, the ferroelectric film and the first conductive spacer; and a first wiring that is continuously formed with the second electrode and connected to the first conductive spacer and that includes the same material as the second electrode.
US08183605B2	Reducing transistor junction capacitance by recessing drain and source regions By recessing portions of the drain and source areas on the basis of a spacer structure, the subsequent implantation process for forming the deep drain and source regions may result in a moderately high dopant concentration extending down to the buried insulating layer of an SOI transistor. Furthermore, the spacer structure maintains a significant amount of a strained semiconductor alloy with its original thickness, thereby providing an efficient strain-inducing mechanism. By using sophisticated anneal techniques, undue lateral diffusion may be avoided, thereby allowing a reduction of the lateral width of the respective spacers and thus a reduction of the length of the transistor devices. Hence, enhanced charge carrier mobility in combination with reduced junction capacitance may be accomplished on the basis of reduced lateral dimensions.
US08183604B2	Solid state image pickup device inducing an amplifying MOS transistor having particular conductivity type semiconductor layers, and camera using the same device To provide an amplification type solid state image pickup device enabling lower noise, higher gain, and higher sensitivity than any conventional amplification type solid state image pickup device. A solid state image pickup device according to the present invention includes an arrangement of a plurality of unit pixels each of which includes at least: a photodiode for accumulating a signal charge generated by an incident light; and an amplifying MOS transistor receiving the signal charge at a control electrode, amplifying the signal charge and outputting an amplified signal, wherein: the amplifying MOS transistor is formed in a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type which is the same conductivity type as source and drain of the amplifying MOS transistor, the first semiconductor layer has an impurity concentration lower than that of the source and drain, and the first semiconductor layer is depleted between the source and drain at least during an amplifying operation of the amplifying MOS transistor.
US08183603B2	Solid-state imaging device for inhibiting dark current A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, light being incident on the second surface side; a wiring layer disposed on the first surface side; a photodetector formed in the substrate and including a first region of a first conductivity type; a transfer gate disposed on the first surface of the substrate and adjacent to the photodetector, the transfer gate transferring a signal charge accumulated in the photodetector; and at least one control gate disposed on the first surface of the substrate and superposed on the photodetector, the control gate controlling the potential of the photodetector in the vicinity of the first surface.
US08183599B2	Semiconductor device with interface circuit and method of configuring semiconductor devices Methods and devices yielding an improved semiconductor device with interface circuit are disclosed. Configuring a semiconductor with parallel device features reduces process variation (e.g., lithographically-induced process variation or other defects). Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor devices with I/O cell device features (e.g., I/O gates or core gates) laid out in parallel. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention can allow patterning devices to be made to more exacting tolerances because some patterning devices may have a higher capability along one axis than another. Embodiments of the present invention also include a semiconductor device having like-functioned I/O cells arranged such that their layouts and rotational orientations with respect to their corresponding core remain constant. Furthermore, disclosed semiconductor devices may include at least one circuit cell having non-parallel features, where the circuit cell is arranged either within the core or within a corresponding interface circuit cell.
US08183597B2	GaN semiconductor device having a high withstand voltage A GaN semiconductor device which has a low on-resistance, has a very small leak current when a reverse bias voltage is applied and is very excellent in withstand voltage characteristic, said GaN semiconductor device having a structure being provided with a III-V nitride semiconductor layer containing at least one hetero junction structure of III-V nitride semiconductors having different band gap energies; a first anode electrode arranged on a surface of said III-V nitride semiconductor by Schottky junction; a second anode electrode which is arranged on the surface of said III-V nitride semiconductor layer by Schottky junction, is electrically connected with said first anode electrode and forms a higher Schottky barrier than a Schottky barrier formed by said first anode electrode; and an insulating protection film which is brought into contact with said second anode electrode and is arranged on the surface of said III-V nitride semiconductor layer.
US08183595B2	Normally off III-nitride semiconductor device having a programmable gate A III-nitride semiconductor device which includes a charged gate insulation body.
US08183588B2	High efficiency group III nitride LED with lenticular surface A light emitting diode is disclosed that includes a conductive substrate, a bonding metal on the conductive substrate and a barrier metal layer on the bonding metal. A mirror layer is encapsulated by the barrier metal layer and is isolated from the bonding metal by the barrier layer. A p-type gallium nitride epitaxial layer is on the encapsulated mirror, an indium gallium nitride active layer is on the p-type layer, and an n-type gallium nitride layer is on the indium gallium nitride layer, and a bond pad is made to the n-type gallium nitride layer.
US08183581B2	LED arrangement An LED arrangement (light emitting diode) has a plurality of adjacent radiating LEDs that are nearly identically aligned for forming an extended area light source. The LEDs are attached to a metallic multi-film support having sandwich-like insulating intermediate layers and having at least a step-like structure with at least one step. At least one LED chip is placed on each step on a metal film and the metal layer directly above is formed of a corresponding shortening or recess for mounting an LED.
US08183578B2	Double flip-chip LED package components A light-emitting device (LED) package component includes an LED chip and a carrier chip. The carrier chip includes a first and a second bond pad on a surface of the carrier chip; and a third and a fourth bond pad on the surface of the carrier chip and electrically connected to the first and the second bond pads, respectively. The first, the second, the third, and the fourth bond pads are on a same surface of the carrier chip. The LED package component further includes a first and a second metal bump bonding the first and the second bond pads, respectively, onto the LED chip through flip-chip bonding; and a window-type module substrate bonded onto the third and the fourth bond pads through flip-chip bonding. The window-type module substrate includes a window, with the LED chip configured to emit light toward the window.
US08183571B2	EL display device and method for manufacturing the same A plurality of pixels are arranged on the substrate. Each of the pixels is provided with an EL element which utilizes as a cathode a pixel electrode connected to a current control TFT. On a counter substrate, a light shielding film (112), a first color filter having a first color and a second color filter having a second color are provided. The second color is different from the first color.
US08183564B2	Multicolor display apparatus In a multicolor display apparatus in which each of light emitting devices of three colors R, G and B has the same thickness from a reflection position of a reflection electrode to an organic emission layer, an organic emission layer of the R device and an organic emission layer of the B device each have electron transport property whereas an organic emission layer of the G device has hole transport property; and an optical distance (L) from the reflection position of the reflection electrode to an emission position of the organic emission layer in the light emitting devices of three colors satisfies 0.25×λR
US08183559B2	Organic field effect transistor In an organic field effect transistor, including, on a substrate having an insulating surface, at least a gate electrode, a gate insulating film formed in contact with the gate electrode, an organic semiconductor film formed in contact with the gate insulating film, and at least a pair of source-drain electrodes formed in contact with the organic semiconductor film, a carrier generating electrode to which carriers can be injected in response to a gate signal is implanted within the organic semiconductor film.
US08183547B2	Dual beam system A dual beam system provides for operation of a focused ion beam in the presence of a magnetic field from an ultra-high resolution electron lens. The ion beam is deflected to compensate for the presence of the magnetic field.
US08183545B2	Charged particle beam writing apparatus, charged particle beam writing method and apparatus of processing data for charged particle beam writing There is provided a charged particle beam writing apparatus in which data processing is optimized by automatically dividing process regions on which parallel distributed processing is performed. A charged particle beam writing apparatus includes: a data storage unit to which layout data defining a plurality of figure patterns in a chip region is input and which stores the layout data; a dividing unit configured to divide the chip region into a plurality of process regions; a shot data generating unit configured to perform distributed processing on pattern data in the process regions using a plurality of computing processors so as to convert the pattern data to shot data for shooting a charged particle beam onto a target object; a determining and instructing unit configured to compare an amount of output data from each of the computing processors with a predetermined threshold, and when the amount of the output data is larger than the threshold, instruct corresponding one of the computing processors to divide corresponding one of the process regions and continue the data processing; and a writing unit configured to write on the target object using the shot data.
US08183544B2	Correcting substrate for charged particle beam lithography apparatus A correcting substrate for a charged particle beam lithography apparatus includes a substrate body using a low thermal expansion material having a thermal expansion lower than that of a silicon oxide (SiO2) material; a first conductive film arranged above the substrate; and a second conductive film selectively arranged on the first conductive film and having a reflectance higher than the first conductive film, wherein the low thermal expansion material is exposed on a rear surface of the correcting substrate.
US08183541B2	Inverse treatment planning method The invention relates to a radiation treatment apparatus and an inverse treatment planning method for intensity modulated particle therapy for the treatment of a target within a biological system using at least two fields, each field comprising a plurality of Bragg peaks, the at least two fields being planned to place a defined number of beam spots j from different directions with certain weights wj within the target. The inverse treatment planning method optimizes the weights wj of the beam spots for the at least two fields simultaneously in order to produce a prescribed biological effect within the target by minimizing an objective function based on biological effects ε, the biological effects ε being treated in a linear-quadratic model, which describes the biological effects in the target by two parameters α and β, where ε=αD+βD2, D denoting a dose, and wherein the two parameters α and β for each voxel i of the target (αi and βi) are calculated as dose-averaged mean values of αi,j- and √{square root over (βi,j)}-components, which relate to all beam spots j contributing to a total dose Di in the voxel i.
US08183537B1	Neutron detection system A neutron detector system including a neutron sensitive reaction layer may be configured to react with incident neutrons to form energetic particles. An energetic particle capturing layer may be configured to capture energetic particles emitted from the neutron sensitive reaction layer and convert the kinetic energy of the captured energetic particles to heat. A microbolometer sensing element responsive to the heat may be configured to detect the incident neutrons.
US08183536B2	System for monitoring optical modules of high-power lasers High-power excimer lasers are assembled with individually replaceable optical module subsystems containing consumable optical components. Windows formed in the enclosures of the optical modules incorporate a fluorescent material for converting ultraviolet light scattered from the components of the optical module into visible light emanating from the windows. Changes in the amount or location of the visible light emanating from the windows are interpreted as indications of the degradation in the performance of the optical modules.
US08183530B2	Positron emission tomography and optical tissue imaging A mobile compact imaging system that combines both PET imaging and optical imaging into a single system which can be located in the operating room (OR) and provides faster feedback to determine if a tumor has been fully resected and if there are adequate surgical margins. While final confirmation is obtained from the pathology lab, such a device can reduce the total time necessary for the procedure and the number of iterations required to achieve satisfactory resection of a tumor with good margins.
US08183526B1	Mirror monochromator for charged particle beam apparatus One embodiment relates to an apparatus for generating a charged particle beam with reduced energy width. A charged particle source is configured to generate a charged particle beam with a range of energies. An energy-dispersive device bends the high-energy component of the charged particle beam at less of an angle in comparison to the bending angle of the low-energy component of the charged particle beam, such that the higher and lower energy charged particle beam components exit the energy-dispersive device at different angles of trajectory. A charged particle mirror reflects the charged particle beam such that charged particles entering at an angle with respect to the normal to the mirror reflection plane exit the mirror symmetrically with respect to the normal and at the same angle. Charged particle lenses converge all energy components exiting the energy-dispersive device at different angles of trajectory at the charged particle mirror reflection plane. A knife-edge plate removes all charged particles with energies higher and lower than a selected energy width. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08183525B2	Method and system for analysing a dose formulation of a metered dose device One aspect of the invention features a method of analyzing dose metered devices by: spraying an aerosol from a metered dose device directly into a spray chamber of a mass spectrometer detector by firing a dose from a metered dose device, for example a pMDI, by depressing the pMDI in its actuator, which spraying step is optionally preceded by a step of priming the drug container of the metered dose device; ionizing the aerosol; and identifying and quantifying the content of the dose using the detector.
US08183515B2	Pumps for CMOS imagers A pixel for an imaging device is described. The pixel includes a photosensitive device provided within a substrate for providing photo-generated charges, a circuit associated with the photosensitive device for providing at least one pixel output signal representative of the photo-generated charges, the circuit includes at least one operative device that is responsive to a first control signal during operation of the associated circuit and a pump circuit. The pump circuit may include substrate pumps, charge pumps and/or voltage pumps. The pixel may also be embedded in an imaging system.
US08183513B2	In-cell current subtraction for infrared detectors Read-out cell systems are disclosed for image detectors, including infrared image detectors, that provide improved sensitivity by providing in-cell subtraction through the use of a voltage ramp signal generated using a reference pixel and a feedback amplifier. The ramp voltage is generated using a reference pixel and an amplifier having feedback. The ramp voltage is then provided to a plurality of read-out cells. The ramp voltage can be coupled to an input transistor to provide current subtraction prior to the integration node. The ramp voltage can also be provided to integration capacitors within the read-out cells to provide current subtraction directly to the integration node. Further, a temperature-independent fixed current source can also be utilized to further control current subtraction.
US08183510B2	Image sensor with buried self aligned focusing element An image sensor includes an optical sensor region, a stack of dielectric and metal layers, and an embedded layer. The optical sensor is disposed within a semiconductor substrate. The stack of dielectric and metal layers are disposed on the front side of the semiconductor substrate above the optical sensor region. The embedded focusing layer is disposed on the backside of the semiconductor substrate in a Backside Illuminated (BSI) image sensor, supported by a support grid, or a support grid composed of the semiconductor substrate.
US08183507B2	Heat treating of manufactured components An apparatus for heat treating manufactured components using microwave energy and microwave susceptor material is disclosed. The system typically includes an insulating vessel placed within a microwave applicator chamber. A moderating material is positioned inside the insulating vessel so that a substantial portion of the exterior surface of each component for heat treating is in contact with the moderating material.
US08183504B2	Surface mount multi-layer electrical circuit protection device with active element between PPTC layers A surface-mountable electrical circuit protection device includes layers defining a first PPTC resistive element, a second PPTC resistive element, and at least one heat-generating electrical component such as a planar zener diode chip positioned between, and in thermal contact with, the first and second PPTC elements, such that an electrical current above a threshold level passing through the component causes the component to heat, the heat being transferred to the PPTC resistive elements and tripping at least one, and preferably both of the first or second PPTC elements to a high resistance state. A series of edge-formed terminal electrodes enable surface-mount connection of the first and second PPTC elements and the electrical component to an electrical circuit substrate, such as a printed circuit board. A method for making the device is also disclosed.
US08183493B2	Ultrasonic system for monitoring a weld operation A system for monitoring a weld operation is provided. The system includes an ultrasonic wave generator adapted to deliver an ultrasonic wave to a target material during the weld operation and an ultrasonic receiver adapted to receive the ultrasonic wave propagated through the target material. The system also includes a signal processor adapted to determine a quality level of a weld created during the weld operation by extracting data corresponding to a torsional mode from the ultrasonic wave and comparing the data to a profile that corresponds to an acceptable quality level.

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