Document	Document Title
US08234718B2	Method and apparatus for forbidding use of digital content against copy control information Provided is a method of preventing digital content from being used despite the presence of copy control information. In the method, a security apparatus capable of restricting use of contents generates a nonce with respect to a storage device and stores the nonce in the storage device and a memory separated from the storage device when content is stored in the storage device; updates the nonces stored in the memory and storage device when movement of the content occurs; and permits use of the content only when the nonce of the storage device, which is stored in the memory, is equal to the nonce stored in the storage device if the content is requested for use, thereby preventing a disk cloning attack.
US08234716B2	Method for user data transmission A first communication device used for a coding enables a direct connection installation message and a coded message to be transmitted in the direction of a second communication device. The direct connection installation message is a first direct connection address identifying a coding device and a coding message is allocated to a second direct connection installation message identifying the first communication device. If it is determined that the second communication device assists the provided coding, a direct connection between the second and the first communication device is established using the second direct connection address. Otherwise, a direct connection between the second communication device and the coding device is established using the first direct connection address and is routed from there to the first communication device.
US08234715B2	Activating streaming video in a blu-ray disc player Techniques are described herein for using cryptographic elements of the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) in a client-server environment to cryptographically authenticate client applications that are executing on non-revoked AACS-compliant playback devices. The techniques described herein may be used to protect a server application from providing information to client applications executing in non-AACS-compliant or revoked environments. In one embodiment, the techniques are used to authenticate a Blu-ray Disc Java Application executing on a non-revoked AACS-compliant Blu-ray Disc Player.
US08234714B2	Method and system for registering domain A first domain ID information piece for a first domain is sent from a first domain managing entity to a second domain managing entity. The first domain managing entity manages the first domain. The second domain managing entity manages a second domain. A second domain ID information piece for the second domain is sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity. The first domain is registered with the second domain as a domain higher in rank than the second domain in response to the first domain ID information piece sent from the first domain managing entity to the second domain managing entity. The second domain is registered with the first domain as a domain lower in rank than the first domain in response to the second domain ID information piece sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity.
US08234712B2	Executable content filtering A method, apparatus, and machine-readable medium to implement executable content filtering is disclosed. According to a one example embodiment, a method is provided which comprises analyzing a stream of one or more parsed elements of a network message with a set of one or more executable content filters, wherein the stream of one or more elements are streamed from a network message parser. The described method embodiment further comprises modifying the stream of one or more parsed elements to disable executable content in the network message based, at least in part, on a set of one or more rule sets being applied with the set of one or more executable content filters to the stream of parsed elements.
US08234711B2	Apparatus and method for checking PC security Provided are an apparatus and method for checking Personal Computer (PC) security. The apparatus includes a check module for checking a security configuration of a PC on the basis of a check policy received from a security check server and outputting check results, and a control module for changing the security configuration of the PC on the basis of a control policy received from the security check server and the check results received from the check module. According to the apparatus, a security check agent installed in each PC performs security check and changes a security configuration according to a control policy, such that the security configurations of PCs in a network can be managed collectively.
US08234706B2	Enabling access to aggregated software security information A method for enabling access to software security data is provided. The method includes accessing data associated with software vulnerabilities from a plurality of on-line sources. The method further includes aggregating the data from the plurality of on-line sources and identifying attributes associated with the data. The method also includes enabling access to the aggregated data through a graphical user interface that can be used to analyze the data according to the attributes.
US08234700B2	System and method for authentication A system and method for authentication including verifying a password is disclosed. In one embodiment, the authentication system includes a first storage unit to store an authentication sequence, a read-only memory unit to store an authentication algorithm, and a second storage unit. A microcontroller is coupled to the first storage unit, the read-only memory unit, and is configured to be coupled to and uncoupled from a host. The microcontroller is configured to execute the authentication algorithm to verify a password with the authentication sequence, and to send an access request to a web server via the host if the authentication algorithm has verified the password with the authentication sequence.
US08234696B2	Method and system for providing a one time password to work in conjunction with a browser A method of submitting information as part of an authentication operation includes generating a one time password that is intended for use in an authentication operation. The method further includes providing the one time password in a display field, wherein the display field is adapted to work in conjunction with a browser to submit the one time password in response to a request for the one time password. A method of controlling submission of identity information within an authentication system includes receiving a trust list from the authentication system. The trust list identifies entities that are authorized to receive the identity information. The method further includes receiving a request to submit the identity information to a candidate entity for an authentication operation, and providing the identity information to the candidate entity if the trust list indicates that the candidate entity is authorized to receive the identity information.
US08234695B2	Network security management for ambiguous user names A method of managing network security can include receiving a user input comprising a user name and a password, determining whether the input user name potentially corresponds to a plurality of user accounts, determining whether the password is valid, and determining whether each of the user accounts is locked. The method can include selecting a security response to the user input based upon whether the input user name potentially corresponds to the plurality of user accounts, whether the password is valid, whether each of the user accounts is locked, and outputting the security response.
US08234691B2	Digital social network trust propagation A trust propagation system is disclosed that propagates trust data based on established trust relationships. The trust system may automatically propagate trust data between parties A and C based on trust relationships with a common party B. Trust data may include authentication data such as biometric data, encryption data, passwords, etc. that may be used to conduct exclusive communications.
US08234688B2	Managing privacy settings for a social network Methods for managing privacy settings for a social network using an electronic computing device are presented including: causing the electronic computing device to receive a triggering event on the social network; and causing the electronic computing device to determine a number of privacy indices in response to the triggering event, where the number of privacy indices correspond with at least one target user, where the number of privacy indices are normalized from a summation of a number of privacy scores, where the number of privacy scores are each derived from a sum of attribute scores, and where the sum of attribute scores are each derived from a weighted sensitivity value of an attribute and a user relationship distance value of a user and the target user.
US08234676B2	System and method of delivering event notifications A method of delivering event notifications includes receiving data from a network-based calendar system at a notification system. The data indicates that a notification related to a calendar-based event is to be sent to a subscriber. The method also includes receiving presence information related to the subscriber from a presence system. The presence information indicates whether the subscriber is present at one or more of a plurality of subscriber devices. The plurality of subscriber devices includes a set-top box device. Further, the method includes sending an event notification related to the calendar-based event to the set-top box device when the presence information indicates that the subscriber is present at the set-top box device.
US08234672B2	Method and system to control playback of digital media A method and system is provided to control playback of digital media on a playback device. The system may include a playback unit including at least one digital media storage communication interface to communicate with a media storage device, and a bi-directional remote control communication interface. Further, the system may include a separate remote control device to control the playback of the digital media on the playback device. The remote control device may include a complemental remote control communication interface for bi-directional communication with the remote control communication interface of the playback unit. The remote control device may also include a display screen, wherein the remote control device receives data from the playback unit for display on the display screen. The invention extends to a playback unit and to a remote control device.
US08234671B2	Broadcast terminal and favorite broadcast program notification method for the same A broadcast terminal including a broadcast receiver configured to receive an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) including broadcast program information about a plurality of broadcast programs, a display configured to display any one of the plurality of broadcast programs, an input unit configured to input a selection signal to select one of the plurality of broadcast programs, and a controller configured to extract broadcast program information included in the EPG that corresponds to the selected broadcast program and to store the extracted broadcast program information as a favorite broadcast program information in a memory of the broadcast terminal.
US08234667B2	Disk with embedded flash memory and disc drive A disc has an outer section on which digital media can be recorded and a core in its center in which a flash memory is embedded with the core having a central hole and electrical contacts to the flash memory. A disc drive has a drive spindle that is to extend into the disc core central hole with one of the spindle or spindle hub having electrical contacts to engage with the core electrical contacts so that data can be written into and/or read from the core flash memory by electronic components of the drive.
US08234666B2	Optical disc apparatus The present application relates to an optical disc apparatus for carrying out at least one of recording and reproduction of signals onto or from a data recording surface of an optical disc loaded in the optical disc apparatus. The optical disc apparatus is capable of being thinned and lightened while ensuring a mechanical strength and a stiffness, and also capable of restraining sticking of a flexible printed circuit (FPC) connected to the optical pickup and reducing the sliding resistance of the FPC during movement of the optical pickup.
US08234660B2	Method and apparatus for a support platform An apparatus and methods for enabling a support person to receive and review information relating to multiple remote nodes and multiple applications running on each node. The apparatus comprises a presentation component accessed by the support person or administrator, and engine installed on each remote node. The engine comprises a manager component, a multiplicity of plug-ins for retrieving information about the server or about the application, and a plug-in manager for each plug-in.
US08234656B1	Processing data objects based on object-oriented component infrastructure A method, system and computer program product for implementing a high level object-oriented component infrastructure is directed to providing efficient development of programmable applications and systems. Objects of a system form an object hierarchy including child-objects and parent-objects. The system components include metadata describing properties of objects that are encapsulated into each of the components. A programmable object-oriented system locates the components placed in one or several catalogs and reads the metadata. This metadata is then used by the system for determining which module needs to be loaded for creation of an instance of an object in order to support functionality requested by another system object or by an external application.
US08234655B2	Detection of duplicate memory pages across guest operating systems on a shared host A hypervisor receives a memory page checksum from a guest operating system, which corresponds to a page of memory utilized by the guest. Next, the hypervisor proceeds through a series of steps to detect that the memory page checksum matches a checksum value included in a checksum entry item, which includes an identifier of a different guest. In turn, the hypervisor shares the page of memory between the guest and the different guest in response to detecting that the memory page checksum matches the checksum value included the checksum entry item.
US08234654B2	Load balancing using distributed printing devices A system and method of distributing workflow in a document processing or other production environment determines a utilization percentage for each of a plurality of printing devices or other resources located in the production environment. For a first printing device, if the utilization percentage associated with the first printing device is below a threshold value, a request may be sent from the first printing device to a workflow distributor to obtain one or more unassigned jobs. If the request for the one or more unassigned jobs sent from the first printing device is received by the workflow distributor, the one or more unassigned jobs may be received at the first printing device.
US08234648B1	Managing threads in displaying data storage system information A method is used in managing threads in displaying data storage system information. A thread is selected having a first method for executing a background task for interacting with a data storage system and a second method for use in updating a graphical user interface display based on a result of executing the background task. From a thread pool, another thread is selected for executing the background task.
US08234626B2	Modular ASL component A system for source language module interaction using an event mechanism includes one or more subsystems to detect a producer event, detect a consumer event, generate a new source language method for the producer event and a new source language method for the consumer event, and link the producer event and the consumer event using the new source language method. In an embodiment, the source language may be ASL.
US08234617B2	Method and system for re-using digital assertions in a mixed signal design A system, method, and computer program product is disclosed that recycle digital assertions for mixed-signal electronic designs. The approach enables the re-use of pure digital assertions which reference signals that turn out to resolve to analog due to the particular circuit configuration chosen during the verification process.
US08234608B2	Circuit specification description visualizing device, circuit specification description visualizing method and storage medium A design analyzing device includes a circuit specification description analyzing section configured to create structure data about an assertion description, a pass pattern creating section configured to create data about a plurality of pass patterns for which the assertion description passes from the structure data, a matching waveform calculating section configured to create waveform data for each signal in a circuit defined by the assertion description and correlation data that indicates a correlation between the waveform of each signal and a partial expression in the assertion description based on data of each of the plurality of pass patterns, and a display data outputting section configured to output display data about a diagram showing the correlation between each partial expression and the waveform of each signal for each pass pattern.
US08234606B2	Metal wiring structure for integration with through substrate vias An array of through substrate vias (TSVs) is formed through a semiconductor substrate and a contact-via-level dielectric layer thereupon. A metal-wire-level dielectric layer and a line-level metal wiring structure embedded therein are formed directly on the contact-via-level dielectric layer. The line-level metal wiring structure includes cheesing holes that are filled with isolated portions of the metal-wire-level dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the entirety of the cheesing holes is located outside the area of the array of the TSVs to maximize the contact area between the TSVs and the line-level metal wiring structure. In another embodiment, a set of cheesing holes overlying an entirety of seams in the array of TSVs is formed to prevent trapping of any plating solution in the seams of the TSVs during plating to prevent corrosion of the TSVs at the seams.
US08234599B2	Use of graphs to decompose layout design data Techniques are disclosed for determining if the decomposition of layout design data is feasible, and for optimizing the segmentation of polygons in decomposable layout design data. Layout design data is analyzed to identify the edges of polygons that should be imaged by separate lithographic masks. In addition, proposed cut paths are generated to cut the polygons in the layout design data into a plurality of polygon segments. Once the separated edges and cut paths have been selected, a conflict graph is constructed that reflects these relationships. Next, a dual of the conflict graph is constructed. This dual graph will have a corresponding separation dual graph edge for each separated polygon edge pair in the layout design data. The dual graph also will have a corresponding cut path dual graph edge for each proposed cut path generated for the layout design data. After the dual graph has been constructed, it is analyzed to determine which of the proposed cut paths should be kept and which should be discarded. The layout design data is then modified to include the cut paths corresponding to the selected cut path dual graph edges. Alternately or additionally, separate sets of layout design data may be decomposed from original layout design data using the selected cut paths.
US08234594B2	Redundant micro-loop structure for use in an integrated circuit physical design process and method of forming the same An integrated circuit including a first wire of a first level of wiring tracks, a second wire of a second level of wiring tracks, a third wire of a third level of wiring tracks, and a fourth wire located at a first distance from the second wire in the second level of wiring tracks. A first via connects the first and second wires at a first location of the second wire. A second via connects the second and third wires at the first location, the second via is approximately axially aligned with the first via. A third via connecting the third and fourth wires at a second location of the fourth wire. A fourth via connecting the first and fourth wires at the second location, the fourth via is approximately axially aligned with the third via. The second, third, and fourth vias, and the third and fourth wires form a path between the first and second wires redundant to the first via.
US08234592B2	Displaying scaled-down versions of documents on favorites and recent menu A system for accessing the World Wide Web or other information sources using the Internet incorporates scaled-down versions of images associated with recently-viewed documents or documents designated as favorites into a recent menu or a favorites menu, respectively. As a user accesses a Web page, a scaled-down version of the Web page is inserted into a recent menu. The user can view the recent menu and visually determine the identity of the recently-viewed Web pages, which allows the user to conveniently select Web pages to access. This recent menu also enables the user to access recently-viewed documents in any order, which does not need to be in the chronological order in which the pages were originally viewed or in a reverse chronological order. Scaled-down versions of Web pages designated as favorites are stored in the favorites menu, thereby assisting the user in recalling the content of the favorite documents.
US08234582B1	Visualizing object behavior A visualization service generates a graphical representation or visualization of each user's behavior within a network resource, such as a website. In one example, the visualization service provides a dynamic visualization of each user accessing the network resource. Each user is graphically represented in the visualization with an indicium, such as a point or dot. The visualization (and thus, the position of each indicium representing a user) is dynamically updated as each user accesses data files from the network resource and thus, moves from state to state (or page to page) over time. The effect is similar to watching cars move along a complex highway system.
US08234578B2	Networked gesture collaboration system A system and method is provided for a collaboration input/output (I/O) system. The collaboration I/O system may comprise a display screen and a gesture image system. The gesture image system may be configured to generate image data associated with a location and an orientation of a first sensorless input object relative to a background surface. The collaboration I/O system may also comprise a transceiver. The transceiver could be configured to transmit the image data to at least one additional collaboration I/O system at at least one remote location. The transceiver can be further configured to receive image data from each of the at least one additional collaboration I/O system, such that the display screen can be configured to display the image data associated with a location and orientation of a sensorless input object associated with each of the at least one additional collaboration I/O system superimposed over a common image of visual data.
US08234569B2	Apparatus and method for defining and processing publication objects A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to create a publication object, associate a set of report templates with the publication object, and define a set of recipients for the publication object. A format and a destination for each report template associated with the publication object is defined. A delivery rule for the publication object is also defined, where the delivery rule specifies a condition for delivery of distinct reports to the set of recipients.
US08234565B2	Information presentation method, information processing apparatus, and recording medium The present invention provides an information presentation method for presenting specific information in a basic presentation frame image on a display, the method comprising the steps of: indicating a time axis in the basic presentation frame image in one direction of the basic presentation frame image; providing a presentation area extended along the time axis in the basic presentation frame image; and presenting the specific information in the presentation area at a location along the time axis indicated by and corresponding to chronological information pertained to the specific information.
US08234558B2	Adaptive artwork for bandwidth- and/or memory-limited devices Methods and apparatuses for adaptive presentation of graphical representations.
US08234556B2	Broadcast receiver and method for optimizing a scale factor for a log-likelihood mapper Embodiments of a broadcast receiver and method for optimizing a scale factor in a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) mapper are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the broadcast receiver includes an LLR mapper to generate LLRs from demodulated data samples, a low-density parity-check (LDPC) decoder to generate decoded data from the LLRs, and an LLR optimizer to dynamically select a scale factor for the LLR mapper based on a number of iterations for convergence of the LDPC decoder. In some embodiments, the LLR optimizer iteratively revises the scale factor during receipt of broadcast signals until the number of iterations of the iterative decoder is either minimized for convergence or minimized for convergence failures.
US08234551B2	Single CRC polynomial for both turbo code block CRC and transport block CRC Single CRC polynomial for both turbo code block CRC and transport block CRC. Rather than employing multiple and different generation polynomials for generating CRC fields for different levels within a coded signal, a single CRC polynomial is employed for the various levels. Effective error correction capability is achieved with minimal hardware requirement by using a single CRC polynomial for various layers of CRC encoding. Such CRC encoding can be implemented within any of a wide variety of communication devices that may be implemented within a wide variety of communication systems (e.g., a satellite communication system, a wireless communication system, a wired communication system, and a fiber-optic communication system, etc.). In addition, a single CRC check can be employed within a receiver (or transceiver) type communication device for each of the various layers of CRC of a received signal.
US08234547B2	Seamless handover of multicast sessions in internet protocol based wireless networks using staggercasting A method and apparatus are described for recovering from loss of an original data packet, including detecting data packet loss, joining a delayed multicast group, receiving a delayed data packet and using the delayed data packet to recover the original data packet that was lost. The delayed data packet is one of a copy of the original data packet, a copy of the original data packet encoded at a lower bit rate or a parity packet. Also described are a method and apparatus for staggercasting including encoding and compressing a first data sequence, packetizing the compressed encoded data sequence to form a data packet, multicasting the data packet to a first multicast group, encoding and compressing a second data sequence, packetizing the compressed encoded second data sequence to form a packet and multicasting the packet delayed by an offset time to a second multicast group.
US08234546B2	Mitigation of transmission errors of quantized channel state information feedback in multi antenna systems Methods are disclosed for improving communications on feedback transmission channels, in which there is a possibility of bit errors. The basic solutions to counter those errors are: proper design of the CSI vector quantizer indexing (i.e., the bit representation of centroid indices) in order to minimize impact of index errors, use of error detection techniques to expurgate the erroneous indices and use of other methods to recover correct indices.
US08234544B2	Data access apparatus and data access method A data access apparatus includes: a flash memory controller; a mirror means; and a flash memory including at least one data region and at least one mirror region. The mirror means copies data to form mirror data to the mirror region when the flash controller writes the data into the data region. The flash memory controller reads the mirror data to replace the data if the flash memory controller determines that the data include error(s) while the data are being read.
US08234543B2	Detection and correction of fuse re-growth in a microprocessor A microprocessor includes control hardware that receives and stores control values and provides the control values to circuits of the microprocessor for controlling operation of the microprocessor. The microprocessor also includes a first plurality of fuses selectively blown collectively with a predetermined value, and a second plurality of fuses selectively blown collectively with an error correction value computed from the predetermined value collectively blown into the first plurality of fuses. In response to being reset, the microprocessor reads the first and second plurality of fuses, detects an error in the value read from the first plurality of fuses using the value read from the second plurality of fuses, corrects the value read from the first plurality of fuses back to the predetermined value using the value read from the second plurality of fuses, and uses the corrected predetermined value to write the control values into the control hardware.
US08234539B2	Correction of errors in a memory array A computer system for correction of errors in a memory array includes an error correction algorithm and a memory. The error correction algorithm is capable of correcting errors up to a first bit error rate in a correctable group of memory cells having a standard size. The memory is operative to store a first set of ECC bits having information corresponding to a first group of memory cells having a first size larger than the standard size, and to store a second set of ECC bits having information corresponding to a second group of memory cells having a second size smaller than said first size and being a portion of said first group. The error correction algorithm is operative to correct errors in the second group based on the second set of ECC bits if a failure occurs in correction of the first group based on the first set of ECC bits.
US08234536B1	Iterative decoder using input data pipelining and time-interleaved processing In one implementation, a decoding architecture is provided that includes an input buffer configured to receive and store one or more codewords to be processed, and a decoder coupled to the input buffer. The decoder is configured to receive a first codeword and a second codeword from the input buffer, and simultaneously process the first codeword and the second codeword such that each of the first codeword and the second codeword is processed only for a minimum amount of time for the first codeword or the second codeword to become decoded. The input buffer is further configured to load a third codeword into the decoder responsive to the first codeword or the second codeword being decoded.
US08234530B2	Serial interface device built-in self test A built-in self test circuit includes a pattern generator, an elastic buffer, a symbol detector, and a comparison unit. A pattern generator generates a first test pattern to test a port under test and then a result pattern is gotten and stored in the elastic buffer. The symbol detector detects if a starting symbol exists in the test result pattern. If it exists, a second test pattern is generated to be compared with the test result pattern. As a result, a reliability of data transmission of the port under test is determined.
US08234526B2	Computer system and monitoring device A computer system and a monitoring device for a computer system are disclosed. The computer system includes a plurality of electronic modules, a memory module and an embedded controller. The embedded controller is coupled to the electronic modules and the memory module, respectively. The embedded controller collects information of the electronic modules and generates the system information about the electronic modules. The embedded controller selectively writes the system information into the memory module. The system information in the memory module can be provided to the user or the maintenance engineer for system analysis. Besides, the computer system may utilize an application program to monitor the system information, so as to achieve the error prevention and alert function.
US08234512B2	Motion sensor data processing using various power management modes Systems and methods for processing motion sensor data using various power management modes of an electronic device are provided. Power may be provided to a motion sensor during a first power mode of the device. In response to the motion sensor detecting a motion event with a magnitude exceeding a threshold, the sensor may transmit a wake up signal to a power management unit of the device. In response to receiving the wake up signal, the power management unit may switch the device to a second power mode. The device may provide power to a processor and load the processor with a motion sensing application when switching to the second power mode. During the second power mode, motion sensor data may be processed to determine that the motion event is not associated with an intentional user input and the device may return to the first power mode.
US08234476B2	Information processing apparatus and method of updating stack pointer A instruction execution part of an information processing device outputs an access request including a first address information to specify an access destination based on an execution of an access command of an address space in a memory. The instruction execution part also outputs a check request including a second address information to specify a stack pointer point after extension based on an execution of a stack extension command to extend a stack included in the address space in the memory by updating a stack pointer. A protection violation detection section of the information processing device detects whether the access destination includes the plurality of the partial spaces by collating the first information with the memory protection information stored in the memory protection information storage section.
US08234459B2	Switch module based non-volatile memory in a server A switch module having shared memory that is allocated to other blade servers. A memory controller partitions and enables access to partitions of the shared memory by requesting blade servers.
US08234451B1	Caching in multicore and multiprocessor architectures A multicore processor comprises a plurality of cache memories, and a plurality of processor cores, each associated with one of the cache memories. Each of at least some of the cache memories is configured to maintain at least a portion of the cache memory in which each cache line is dynamically managed as either local to the associated processor core or shared among multiple processor cores.
US08234450B2	Efficient data prefetching in the presence of load hits A BIU prioritizes L1 requests above L2 requests. The L2 generates a first request to the BIU and detects the generation of a snoop request and L1 request to the same cache line. The L2 determines whether a bus transaction to fulfill the first request may be retried and, if so, generates a miss, and otherwise generates a hit. Alternatively, the L2 detects the L1 generated a request to the L2 for the same line and responsively requests the BIU to refrain from performing a transaction on the bus to fulfill the first request if the BIU has not yet been granted the bus. Alternatively, a prefetch cache and the L2 allow the same line to be simultaneously present. If an L1 request hits in both the L2 and in the prefetch cache, the prefetch cache invalidates its copy of the line and the L2 provides the line to the L1.
US08234441B2	Processor system using synchronous dynamic memory A processor system including: a processor having a processor core and a controller core; and a plurality of synchronous memory chips, wherein the processor and the plurality of synchronous memory chips are connected via an external bus; wherein the processor core and the controller core are connected via an internal bus; wherein the plurality of synchronous memory chips are operated according to a clock signal; wherein the controller core comprises a mode register selected by an address signal from the processor core and written with an information by a data signal from the processor core to select the operation mode of the plurality of synchronous memory chips, and a control unit to prescribe the operate mode to the plurality of synchronous memory chips based on the information written in the mode register, wherein the controller core outputs a mode setting signal based on the information written in the mode register or an access address signal from the processor core to the plurality of synchronous memory chips via the external bus selectively; and wherein the clock signal is commonly supplied to the plurality of synchronous memory chips.
US08234439B2	Fault-tolerant non-volatile integrated circuit memory Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as those that store data in a plurality of non-volatile integrated circuit memory devices, such as NAND flash, with convolutional encoding. A relatively high code rate for the convolutional code consumes relatively little extra memory space. In one embodiment, the convolutional code is spread over portions of a plurality of memory devices, rather than being concentrated within a page of a particular memory device. In one embodiment, a code rate of m/n is used, and the convolutional code is stored across n memory devices.
US08234438B2	Operation method of non-volatile memory Example embodiments provide a method of operating a non-volatile memory in which the non-volatile memory may only be changed from a first state to a second state and may not be changed from the second state to the first state during a programming operation.
US08234435B2	Relay device A relay device includes: an input buffer for receiving data units, each of which includes a header, to which multiple pieces of destination information have been added, and data associated with the header; multiple virtual channels for storing data units, each of the multiple virtual channels storing a data unit in accordance with the destination information; a destination comparing section for determining the order of allocation of virtual channels at a relay device on the receiving end with respect to the data units that are stored on the multiple virtual channels by seeing if their destinations are the same; and an output section for outputting the stored data units preferentially through one of the virtual channels that has already allocated at the relay device on the receiving end.
US08234432B2	Memory structure to store interrupt state for inactive guests In an embodiment, a system comprises a memory system configured to store a data structure. The data structure stores at least an interrupt request state for each destination in each of a plurality of guests executable on the system. The interrupt request state identifies which interrupts have been requested at the corresponding interrupt controller in the corresponding guest of the plurality of guests. A guest interrupt manager is coupled to receive an interrupt message targeted at a first destination in a first guest of the plurality of guests, and the guest interrupt manager is configured to update the interrupt request state in the data structure that corresponds to the first destination and the first guest.
US08234416B2	Apparatus interoperable with backward compatible optical USB device An apparatus configured to couple to a universal serial bus (USB) 3.0 connector. The apparatus includes a management controller configured to couple to the USB 3.0 connector. The management controller is configured to detect from behavior on the D+ and D− pins of the USB 3.0 connector whether a device plugged into the USB 3.0 connector is a conventional USB 3.0 device or an optical USB device, where the optical USB device employs one of the D+ and D− pins of the USB 3.0 connector to transmit a data signal and the other to transmit a clock signal.
US08234412B2	Method and system for transmitting compacted text data An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a method for transmitting compacted text data. A standard form data message is translated into a compacted form data message. The translating includes first locating a long tag in the standard form data message. A short tag in a sender translation table that corresponds to the long tag is identified in a sender translation table. The compacted form data message is created by substituting the short tag for the long tag in the standard form data message. The compacted form data message is transmitted to a receiver system. Then, a flag is set in response to determining if the sender translation table needs to be transmitted to the receiver system and the flag is transmitted to the receiver system. The sender translation table is transmitted to the receiver system in response to the determination of whether the translation table needs to be transmitted. Additional embodiments include a system and storage medium for transmitting compacted text data.
US08234405B2	System for tracking digital information over a communications network A method for tracking digital files transmitted over the Internet by placing certain identifying indicia within a file, and monitoring selected sites through which Internet traffic is transmitted, to determine the source and destination of a transmission containing a file with particular identifying indicia. Identifying indicia (“ID”) is placed in the header of each digital file whose transmission over the Internet is to be monitored. A data communications monitoring device is installed at an Internet service provider's (ISP's) facility. The monitoring device intercepts packets received by the ISP. These intercepted packets are then examined to determine whether they contain an ID of interest. If a sought ID is found within the packet, the source and destination fields in the Internet Protocol (IP) header are logged, along with the ID and other information, in a database. The pertinent contents of the database are then periodically sent to the proprietors whose IDs were discovered in packets in transit across the Internet. A proprietor may then take appropriate steps to secure compensation for the unauthorized copies, or to prevent further dissemination thereof.
US08234404B2	Proximity enforcement in heterogeneous network environments The invention provides an enforcement mechanism for limiting the propagation of content to a predefined proximity in a heterogeneous network. The protection mechanism determines the distance associated with wireless links of the heterogeneous networks and verifies that the distance is within the predefined proximity limits. The distance may be measured by evaluating the signal strength of received signals. The protection mechanism further uses round trip time determinations to enforce the proximity limits on wired or unknown segments of the heterogeneous network. Specifically, the round trip time associated with a wired or unknown segment may be determined using the round trip time associated with the wireless segments and the total round trip time of the network as a whole. The round trip time of the wired or unknown segment is then compared to a round trip time limit associated with the proximity requirement for distributing content.
US08234389B2	Communication control method and communication control unit controlling network connection status among communication units A communication control method is provided for an encryption processing unit connected to a connection status acquiring unit which is connected to a circuit that transmits packets on a network and acquires the status of a connection to a network for an encrypting device for encrypting the packet, and connected to an expansion card for connecting to the network, based on the network connection status requested and acquired from the connection status acquiring unit by the expansion card each prescribed period of time, by relaying and acquiring the network connection status from the connection status acquiring unit and forcibly notifying the expansion card that the connection status is connected and/or not connected, according to a requirement/criteria.
US08234384B2	Computer systems and methods for process control environments This invention generally relates to computer systems and architectures, methods and computer program code for increasing the robustness of process control and manufacturing automation systems and the like, in particular to provide improved handling of error and/or failure conditions. We describe an architecture for an OPC Failover system, the architecture comprising: a plurality of OPC servers; at least one OPC client; a computer network linking said OPC servers and said OPC client; and an OPC Failover service coupled to said network and not coupled between said OPC client and said OPC servers, said OPC Failover service being configured to monitor at least one of said OPC servers for an error condition and to redirect network communications of said OPC client from one of said servers to another on detection of said error condition.
US08234371B2	Federated challenge credit system Systems and methods for reducing the number of challenge messages that are sent in response to an incoming message in situations where the incoming message is likely not unsolicited. The systems and methods include evaluating the behavior of a sender with regard to one or more federated messaging services and determining if the sender is approved or unapproved. If the sender is approved, the incoming message is deliver to a recipient's inbox without issuing a challenge message. Unapproved senders are required to respond to a challenge message.
US08234370B2	Determining web analytics information A system and associated method for determining web analytics information. A Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request for a target page referred from a referring page by a mouse click is processed to calculate web analytics data in the target page. The web analytics data regarding a mouse cursor position, a 2-dimensional information of the target page, and the URL of the referring page is transmitted to a web analytics server to generate the web analytics information for the referring page in format of a heat map of the referring page.
US08234368B1	System, method, and computer program for reporting a communication flow to a lawful intercept framework A system, method, and computer program product are provided for reporting a communication flow to a lawful intercept framework. In one embodiment, a plurality of actions associated with at least one communication is monitored for lawful intercept purposes. Additionally, the actions are correlated into a communication flow independent of an address associated with the actions. Furthermore, the communication flow is reported to a lawful intercept framework. In another embodiment, an action associated with a communication flow is identified for lawful intercept purposes. In addition, an action is reported to a lawful intercept framework utilizing a first semantic, and a description of the action is reported to the lawful intercept framework utilizing a second semantic, where the first semantic is different from the second semantic and where in response to a determination that the description is unknown at a time that the action occurs, the reporting of the action for the purposes of lawful intercept is distinct from the reporting of the description of the action for preventing delay in reporting the action as a result of waiting for acquisition of the description of the action. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of information about individual communications sessions or circuits that are portions of a communication flow being monitored for lawful intercept purposes is collected. Further, the portions are correlated into the communication flow. Still yet, the communication flow is reported to a lawful intercept framework.
US08234363B1	Dynamic object management protocol An extensible communications protocol configured to enable dynamic discovery and management of self-aware devices in a multiple element computing architecture is provided. The protocol enables a message consisting essentially of a destination ID, a source ID, a message type, optional payloads, and a delimiter arrangement. The protocol is based on a scheme which represents structured data. Within the scheme, stacked delimiting characters are used to separate higher level data. Escape sequencers are selected to represent at least the escape character, the delimiting character, and the NULL (nothing at all). The lowest data partition may embed encoded data of any level, and can form nested encapsulation. New optional data types and message types can be added. Basic message types are supported to achieve the dynamic discovery and management of self-aware devices, and such protocol is used as the base of a dynamic device discovery and management system for self-aware devices.
US08234358B2	Communicating with an entity inside a private network using an existing connection to initiate communication A system is disclosed that allows an entity outside of a private network to initiate communication with another entity inside the private network. A first entity inside the private network maintains a persistent connection with a second entity outside the private network, with a port identification associated with the first entity's persistent connection. A third entity outside the private network obtains the port identification and initiates communication with the first entity by sending a message to the first entity using the port identification. The first and third entities then exchange communications outside the persistent connection. In an alternate implementation, the third entity uses the port identification to send the first entity a request for establishing a connection. The request is forwarded to the first entity through the persistent connection. The first entity responds by establishing a connection with the third entity outside the persistent connection.
US08234357B2	Method for servicing field devices of process automation technology utilizing a device-independent operating program A method for servicing field devices of process automation technology utilizing a device-independent operating program SP running in a computer unit CU and requiring device-specific description files DD1-DD6 for accessing parameters and/or functions of field devices F1-F6, wherein the device-specific description files must be processed by a preprocessing program, during run time of the operating program SP, that preprocessing program IP1 or IP2 is called, which was successfully tested with the corresponding description file DD1-DD6.
US08234352B2	Method of searching for image forming apparatuses by using server, and host apparatus and system for performing the method A method of searching for peripheral image forming apparatuses by using a server that is connected to a host apparatus in which one or more printer application programs (PAP) are installed. The method includes: if a printer management program (PMP) search method is selected as a search method, invoking a PMP installed in the server; receiving from the PMP a search list including one or more image forming apparatuses connectable to the host apparatus; and selecting an image forming apparatus from the search list and connecting the selected image forming apparatus to the host apparatus.
US08234338B1	System and method for reliable message delivery A system for reliable message delivery includes a storage unit configured to store a message, and a message stored in the storage unit, wherein the message is persisted in the storage unit. The system also includes a status information associated with the message, the status information capable of indicating a first status. The system further includes a module coupled to the storage unit. The module is operable to execute on a computer and transmit the message to a second computer. The module is also operable to receive an acknowledgement from the second computer, and, in response to receiving the acknowledgement, the module is operable to indicate a second status in the status information. A method for providing reliable message delivery includes providing a storage unit configured to store a message and a message stored in the storage unit, wherein the message is persisted in the storage unit. The method also includes providing a record corresponding to the message, wherein the record is operable to store status information for the message. The method further includes storing a first status in the record, transmitting the message to a destination, and, in response to receiving an acknowledgement from the destination, storing a second status in the record.
US08234336B2	Virtual conference center architecture A method, system, and architecture for providing a virtual conference center that effectively increases the number of accounts supported by a conference center. The virtual conference center architecture provides a virtual conference center that interfaces with multiple conference centers that each support a certain number of accounts. The virtual conference center provides an interface through which users can access their accounts on the conference centers as if their accounts were created on a single conference center. The users access their accounts and join conferences through the virtual conference center.
US08234333B2	Thin client device and method of use The invention increases the functionalities of a television receiver/decoder STB device by transferring a local port of the thin client device STB via a network to which the thin client device is connected. Said port is then viewed as a local port by a server device, accessible via the network to which the thin client device is connected. It is then possible to install a pilot on said server, for controlling the peripheral equipment connected to the transferred local port. The user of the thin client device can then drive, via a transferred user interface, the peripheral equipment which is physically connected to the thin client but logically connected to the server.
US08234330B2	Programmatically managing connections between servers and clients The present invention generally provides for the programmatic management of connections between servers (e.g., open system servers) and clients (local and/or remote). Specifically, under the present invention, a management console is provided through which connections between the servers and clients are established, maintained and/or terminated. Software loaded on the management console will provide a client menu for connections between servers and clients and an administrative menu for managing configurations of the servers on a management console through which the connections are established. Based on selections made using the client menu and the administrative menu, the connections and the configurations will be programmatically managed.
US08234328B2	Apparatus and method for linguistic scoring In embodiments of the invention, a system receives selections from a user based on a list of pre-defined monitoring categories and/or optionally receives custom category definitions from the user. The option for custom category definitions may be advantageous due to the flexibility provided to a system administrator or other user. In embodiments of the invention, the pre-defined and/or custom monitoring categories may be or include complex hierarchical behavior. Such an approach provides monitoring algorithms that can achieve improved accuracy compared to known methods. In embodiments of the invention, the order of computations used in resolving a monitoring category may be re-ordered, statically and/or dynamically, to improve the efficiency of monitoring operations.
US08234307B1	Determining search configurations for network sites Various embodiments are described for determining a search configuration for a network site. A plurality of network sites are accessed in a server, and for each of the network sites, it is determined whether a search text box exists in a network page of the network site. A search is automatically performed using a search term in the search text box if the search text box exists in the network page and it is determined whether a search term can be identified in association with a search result network page generated from the search. A search configuration is stored that indicates where the search term can be identified in a future network page resulting from a search performed on the network site.
US08234302B1	Controlling access to electronic content A system and method for controlling access to electronic content stored on a content provider's server is provided. A content provider may control and restrict unauthorized access to electronic content through an identified user account by limiting a number of devices from which requests to access the content through the account have been received. A content provider may also collect usage information of interest by monitoring authorized access to electronic content.
US08234290B2	Method for monitoring and controlling the processing of database searches Systems, methods, and apparatus for preventing misuse of searches of a database system are provided. This prevention of misuse of database searches can enable reliable operation of the database system, as an improper query using a regular expression will not shut down or severely affect an application process that provides access to the database system. A thread of the application process determines whether an input character string matches the regular expression. To prevent misuse, a computational effort of the search is tracked, and compared to a threshold value. When the threshold is exceeded, an operation of the thread is exited or stopped.
US08234289B2	Restoration of conversation stub for recognized experts A first conversation between a user of a communications device and a first party is monitored. A conversation stub that includes information relating to a topic of the first conversation is generated and stored. It is determined whether a second party of a second conversation between the user of the communications device and the second party has expertise regarding the topic of the first conversation. Responsive to determining that the second party has expertise regarding the topic of the first conversation, the conversation stub is presented to the user during the second conversation.
US08234287B2	Sorting records based on free text field content Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for sorting records based on content in a free text field. A request is received by a sort function to sort a free text field. The sort function request is intercepted. The content in the free text field is analyzed. One or more new focus words are identified by the analysis. The new focus words are used to sort the free text field. The focus words in the free text field are highlighted and sorted alphabetically. Sorted free text field results based on the new focus words are displayed to a user on the user's display.
US08234282B2	Managing status of search index generation Electronic items may be searched using search indices. Search indices may be generated for electronic items at a user device. In that case, a list of one or more electronic items stored in memory of the user device may be displayed, and a status of index generation for the electronic items stored in memory of the device may be presented.
US08234275B2	Methods and systems for searching, selecting, and displaying content Methods and systems for identifying and presenting information are described. Search results are received from a search engine. An entity associated with a networked site is selected using a selection criterion. A determination is made as to whether the listing includes a link to the networked site or includes the link to the networked site at a list position that fails to satisfy a first criterion. After determining that the link to the site associated with the entity is not included in the search result listing, or that the link to the site associated with the entity is not at a position in the search result listing that satisfies the first criterion, the search listing is modified by causing the link to the site associated with the entity to appear in a first position in the search listing. The modified search listing is displayed on a user terminal.
US08234271B2	Integrated media content server system and method for the customization of metadata that is associated therewith A system and method for the customization of media content metadata that is transmitted to any one of a plurality of end user devices of differing types. The system is adapted to modify individual records or even individual fields from the entire gamut of available metadata into a metadata feed which is optimally suited for display upon the type of end user device. Additionally, the system is also able to modify the records or individual fields from a list of all metadata instances according to pre-recorded user preferences. The result is a system that optimally utilizes the current connection path in order to reduce congestion thereon, or to alleviate any user potential frustration caused by sporadic performance of the overloaded interconnection path.
US08234270B2	System for enhancing decoding performance of text indexes The present invention is a system for enhancing the decoding performance of text indexes of an indexed collection of text documents. The posting list includes a plurality of list entries being of variable size depending on the value stored in each posting list entry. The inventive system is based on a statistical analysis of the posting list entries of the plurality of list entries. Prior to decoding, the system can select a decoding routine being appropriate to decode the most frequent type of posting list entries or of a plurality of various posting list entries. After selecting a particular decoding routine and executing the decoding routine for decoding of the entire posting list, a failure check is performed. In the exceptional case that a failure has occurred, a second alternative decoding routine is selected and executed.
US08234266B2	Mobile SiteMaps A method of analyzing documents or relationships between documents includes receiving a notification of an available metadata document containing information about one or more network-accessible documents, obtaining a document format indicator associated with the metadata document, selecting a document crawler using the document format indicator, and crawling at least some of the network-accessible documents using the selected document crawler.
US08234263B2	Personalization engine for building a dynamic classification dictionary A dynamic classification dictionary is built for use in profiling and targeting users for additional relevant content. Behavioral data is gathered from user activity, and user documents and actions are categorized. Author-generated document classification information is analyzed and assigned a first taxonomic noun to characterize the document. User-generated tags characterizing a portion of the document are assigned a second taxonomic noun. Search terms that resulted in the user accessing the document are identified and assigned a third taxonomic noun. Attributes related to the manner in which the document was accessed are evaluated and assigned a fourth taxonomic noun. The document is processed using pattern rules to extract a fifth taxonomic noun. The taxonomic nouns are aggregated into a composite set of taxonomic nouns, and the dynamic classification dictionary is build by storing the composite set of taxonomic nouns.
US08234261B2	Digital content hub There are provided methods and systems to retrieve search result information and digital content. The system receives input information identifying a plurality of data sources from which to retrieve digital content. Next the system retrieves search result information, over the network, from the plurality of data sources based on the input information. Next the system retrieves the digital content, over the network, from at least one of the data sources based on the search result information. Finally, the system communicates digital content to a client machine.
US08234258B2	Identifying and processing confidential information on network endpoints An automated method for identifying confidential information may include inputting a search term based on a set of policy rules into a search engine, and causing the search engine to perform a search based on the search term. The method may also include analyzing search results obtained from the search engine against the policy rules to identify the search results containing confidential information.
US08234257B2	Method and apparatus for compressing and/or decompressing a data structure A method of compressing a data structure having data content and at least one content name associated with the data content, using a compression scheme capable of compressing content names only if including characters from a restricted character set, includes encoding a content name including a character not from the restricted character set into a representation using characters from the restricted character set, and compressing the data structure.
US08234254B2	Image recognition apparatus, method and system for realizing changes in logical structure models An image recognition method is conducted by recognizing logical elements based on a logical structure model set to correspond to the logical structure of an image of individual character strings, collecting information processed with the logical structure model of images of a logical structure, acquiring a recognition result when recognizing an image of a logical structure by processing information collected with a post-update logical structure model,and outputting warning information about the post-update logical structure model to an output unit when a result of the comparison is a non-match.
US08234251B2	System and method for archiving records A method of archiving recordations includes providing a storage device in communication with a network. A plurality of recordations are received from a first user, and relate to a specific person. The plurality of recordations include medical records, and are transmitted from the first user via the network from a first remote computer. The recordations are stored on the storage device. A second user is given access to at least a portion of the stored recordations through a second remote computer via the network. A method may also include receiving hard copies of medical records from a customer. The hard copies may be digitized, which may include scanning the hard copies or copying information from the medical records onto a computer in communication with the storage device. The hard copies may be returned to the customer, along with the digitized medical records in a computer readable form.
US08234249B2	Method and system for searching stored data A complete document management system is disclosed. Accordingly, systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are disclosed. Systems and methods for managing data associated with a data storage component coupled to multiple computers over a network are further disclosed. Additionally, systems and methods for accessing documents available through a network, wherein the documents are stored on one or more data storage devices coupled to the network, are disclosed.
US08234248B2	Tracking changes to a business object Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with database auditing are described. One example method includes generating a first extensible markup language (XML) document using data from a database object. A database object may include data from multiple relational data tables. The method includes generating a second XML document in response to an event causing a change to the database object. The method also includes comparing the first and second XML documents to identify changed values. The method also includes displaying the identified changes.
US08234244B2	Method of distributing contact and calendar records A method of distributing contact and calendar information in a multi-component environment includes maintaining a plurality of contact or calendar records and the records contain a plurality of fields and directives. The records are designated to one of the components and distributed to at least one component based on the directives.
US08234243B2	Third tier transactional commit for asynchronous replication In embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, an application program interface (API) for asynchronously replicating changes made to active data to one or more replicas of the active data may be provided. A calling application may call the API to asynchronously replicate changes made to the active data. Via an interface, the application may indicate whether the changes made to the active data may be asynchronously replicated to a geo-diverse replica of the data, a type of third tier commit for acknowledging replication of the changes to the active data, and/or a number or percentage of acknowledgments to receive with respect to the replication of the changes to the one or more replicas of the active data. Via the API, the calling application may further indicate an amount of time to wait for an acknowledgment of the asynchronous replicating of the changes before continuing.
US08234239B2	System and method for providing vector terms related to instant messaging conversations The method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes retrieving one or more terms or phrases including an instant messaging conversation in which one or more users are participating. One or more term vectors including one or more vector terms associated with the one or more retrieved terms or phrases including the instant messaging conversation are generated and one or more vector terms are selected from said term vectors. The one or more selected vector terms are displayed to the one or more users participating in the instant messaging conversation. An indication of a user selection of a given displayed vector term is received and one or more content items responsive to the selected vector term are identified.
US08234231B2	Automated decision-making based on collaborative user input A system and method solicit decision-making input from a large number of users in a structured manner that facilitates generation of useful recommendations. The individual seeking advice posts a request for advice in the form of a decision question, or identifies a previously posted decision question. Visitors to the website can post secondary questions that are intended to assist the advice-seeker in making the decision. For each secondary question, the user posting the question can specify which choice for the decision question is recommended by each answer to the secondary question. The user can also specify a strength for the recommendation. The advice-seeker then inputs answers to the secondary questions. The advice-seeker can indicate a relative significance value for some or all of the answers. For each secondary answer, a score is generated. Scores are totaled and the results are provided to the advice-seeker to assist in decision-making.
US08234228B2	Method for training a learning machine having a deep multi-layered network with labeled and unlabeled training data The invention includes a method for training a learning machine having a deep multi-layered network, with labeled and unlabeled training data. The deep multi-layered network is a network having multiple layers of non-linear mapping. The method generally includes applying unsupervised embedding to any one or more of the layers of the deep network. The unsupervised embedding is operative as a semi-supervised regularizer in the deep network.
US08234218B2	Method of inserting/overlaying markers, data packets and objects relative to viewable content and enabling live social networking, N-dimensional virtual environments and/or other value derivable from the content A method by which a User can associate selectable Markers, Data Packets and/or Objects with Content. The Content may generally be distributed electronically, and the Markers allow for insertion and/or overlay of Objects when the Content is selected for viewing by a Viewer. Objects and Data Packets are generally provided by a User, Promoter, Host, Service, or other entity to convey information to a Viewer. A Service provides tools and capabilities to both the User and the Promoter to facilitate their respective actions according to embodiments of the invention, including enabling the creation of live social networks (such as those linked to a specific Service provider, a specific User group, activities by a specific Promoter, and/or to specific Data Packets) and the creation of n-dimensional Virtual Environments.
US08234211B2	Digital lien service A process of digital electronic lien management is provided. Form data is stored in a first electronic database. A user adds lien input data in a second electronic database related to a specific construction lien project. A user then generates at least one lien form through insertion of the lien input data into the form data. The resultant form is transmitted to a recipient, who digitally modifies the form to create a modified version and electronically reconveys the modified version to the user.
US08234210B2	System and method for displaying a view of market depth on a graphical user interface A graphical interface and method are provided for displaying market information corresponding to a tradeable object. According to one example embodiment, a market depth indicator is displayed in relation to a value axis in a market overview interface. Then, detailed market depth is displayed in a market depth interface, and a plurality of market depth prices displayed in the market depth interface are adjustable based on a position of the market depth indicator in relation to the value axis.
US08234199B2	Synthetic fixed income principal protected vehicle and methodology Methods and systems are provided for structuring and investing in a single investment vehicle that combines a guarantee of a predetermined percentage of principal along with a potential for returns historically associated with high risk equity investments. Methods and systems of the invention are useful for allocating investments to provide potentially high yields while preserving a guaranteed amount of principal over a predetermined investment period. Methods of the invention are also useful for providing institutional investors with a return driven investment vehicle that also provides access to principal during an investment period in order to meet pre-existing or continuing financial obligations.
US08234194B2	Life calendar A method for providing a life calendar for a user includes gathering and tracking user data. The user data includes data associated with user-specific events and financial data. Recommendations are determined for the life calendar user based on the user data and may be refined based on bank data. Upon request, the life calendar is presented to the user populated with at least one of user data, user events, and recommendations.
US08234190B2	Systems and methods for securitizing a commodity A commodity trust is provided by a Trustee for a particular commodity. Commodity shares are backed by the Trustee's custody of the actual commodity. For example, commodity shares are created and issued when a trust participant deposits an amount of the commodity with the Trustee or a custodian acting on behalf of the Trustee. After confirmation of the receipt of the commodity, an amount of commodity shares is issued by the Trustee, which is equal in value to the value of the commodity.
US08234180B2	Method and system for determining market demand for buying and selling properties A Dynamic property buying and selling system is described. The system is comprised of networked hardware, software, processes and methods that enable an auction like system to inform buyers, sellers and interested third parties of current market information and dynamics. The described system may be used in real estate and other markets to complete early stages of a negotiation process as well as enable buyers and sellers to test for market information. Third party observers may use the system to investigate and report on market information and test economic theories regarding the market of interest. An integrated expert system is useful to buyers, sellers and third party observers in providing answers to queries regarding correlation of auction parameters and optimization of parameters for particular desired outcomes. Controls are integrated into the system to help ensure reliability and accuracy of the results and information by blocking observed detrimental activity.
US08234170B2	Online search advertising auction bid determination tools and techniques A machine-controlled method can include estimating expected conversion rates for ads by applying an estimated conversion rate statistical model to each ad, estimating an expected AOV for each ad by applying an estimated AOV statistical model to each ad, applying an inference algorithm, and determining auction bids based on the estimated expected conversion rate and the estimated expected AOV for the ads.
US08234166B2	Automated user segment selection for delivery of online advertisements A system, method and computer program product is provided that automatically selects certain user segments for and excludes certain user segments from receiving online advertisements (“ads”) via various publisher Web sites included within an online ad network. By automatically determining which user segments should be targeted for the delivery of online ads on each publisher Web site, an embodiment of the present invention can advantageously increase the performance of the online ad network while reducing the amount of cost, time and potential errors involved in managing the network.
US08234150B1	Systems and methods for matching venues and attractions Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide devices, systems, and methods of using location-based virtual audience feedback to estimate interest in an attraction at one or more venues. Certain embodiments provide devices, systems, and methods of using location-based virtual audience feedback and/or other audience data to estimate interest in a plurality of attractions or other items of interest at a particular venue.
US08234144B2	Method for simultaneously considering customer commit dates and customer request dates The invention disclosed here is a method for achieving simultaneous consideration of multiple customer demand dates within an advanced planning system. The invention provides a method of production planning that considers multiple due dates. The invention solves a production planning model based upon the second (commit) date to produce a first solution, sorts the demand records in order of importance, and then re-solves the production planning model based upon the first (request) date to produce a second solution. The re-solving process is performed on each demand item in the sorted order of importance. The invention optimizes between the first solution and the second solution. Before re-solving the production planning model, the invention changes the lower bound constraints on backorder variables. The re-solving process changes the required date for a single demand item, and this re-solving process is repeated for all demand items that have a first (request) date that is before a corresponding required date. The invention reports the optimal solution produced during the optimizing process. The system and method integrate the consideration of multiple demand dates with an advanced planning system for optimizing established planning objectives (e.g. customer service, short lead times, low inventory, and prioritized allocation of supply and capacity) to compute a feasible production plan for the division.
US08234141B1	Dynamic work assignment strategies based on multiple aspects of agent proficiency A contact center 100 having a plurality of performance goals is provided. The contact center includes a routing agent 232 operable, when a work item is to be routed to a servicing destination 134, 138 or 208, determine, for each performance goal, a status of goal realization 304 or 504 and a corresponding set of selection criteria 308 or 508 for the determined statuses of goal realization and a destination selector 216 or 220 operable to select the servicing destination based, at least in part, on the set of selection criteria.
US08234138B2	Method and system to associate device models and accounts by utilization bands Methods and systems for identifying devices having a specified utilization are disclosed. A selected minimum utilization and maximum utilization defining a utilization band may be received. Device information for each of a plurality of accounts, including a device model and utilization information for each device associated with an account, may also be received. A utilization may be determined for each device based on the utilization information. For each device model in an account, a number of devices in an account having the device model and a utilization in the utilization band may be determined. A plurality of clusters may be identified for device model-account pairs, and at least one device model-account pair may be assigned to a cluster.
US08234136B2	Document processes of an organization A method and system for documenting processes and controls of an organization involve storing information describing the processes of the organization in a database and then accessing the database with a suitable user interface application. Preferably the user interface application is a web browser and the data in the database is provided to users as a series of web pages. Using the user interface application, users can review the documented processes, report errors, request changes, generate reports, and so forth. Users with suitable access privileges can modify the data in the database using the user interface application. An external auditor can audit the processes and controls of the organization from his own office by accessing the database over a network such as the Internet.
US08234134B2	Method and apparatus for customer direct on-line reservation of rental vehicles including deep-linking A method of processing a reservation transaction between a customer and reservation-booking entity via a computer network inter-connecting a customer computer with an automated reservation transaction processor, the reservation transaction requiring submission of at least three different types of reservation data from the customer for successful completion thereof, each reservation data type having one of a plurality of different values, wherein each reservation data type value is dependent upon other reservation data type values, the method including presenting an initial page for data value entry for a plurality of reservation data types, accepting for partial data entry data values for less than all of said reservation data types, and determining, on the basis of the interdependence of the different data values for the different reservation data types, a list of acceptable data values for any un-entered reservation data types. Also, the processor provides the customer with a less than full page summary section on many of the reservation booking pages, the summary section including a list of submitted data values for the reservation transaction and an edit link associated with each listed data value that is selectable to initiate a revision of its associated data value. Further, the present invention supports promotional deep-linking, promotion reservation with notification upon customer violation of the promotion rules, corporate account deep-linking, URL-based deep-linking, travel agent commission tracking, and various other features.
US08234133B2	Receipt insurance systems and methods Receipt insurance systems and methods whereby a third party receipt insurer insures consumers or purchasers all of the benefits associated with having possession of a receipt for a retail purchase without the need for possession of a physical or paper receipt. A receipt insurance agreement between a receipt insurance provider and a consumer protects the consumer against a loss of consumer rights or personal property insurance rights resulting from a lost receipt by electronically storing for retrieval, if necessary, an electronic record of all of the receipt information. The electronic receipt record is accepted by agreement between the receipt insurer and the seller/retailer as a valid receipt proof of purchase with all attendant rights. A receipt insurer provides receipt insurance coverage to a consumer to either protect against the loss of a paper receipt by substituting an electronic receipt record for a paper receipt, or eliminating the paper receipt entirely in lieu of an electronic receipt record which will be accepted by a seller or retailer as valid proof of purchase. Consumers are offered receipt insurance and thereby accept an electronic record of a purchase receipt as a valid record of a sales transaction between the consumer and a participating retailer in lieu of a traditional paper receipt.
US08234127B2	Personalized healthcare management system Personalized healthcare management system. The personalized integrated healthcare anti-counterfeit management system provides pack authentication, user (5) feedback and compliance, documentation of the dosage uptake by the users (5), maintenance of user (5) related data and displaying compliance and feedback information, and liaising with healthcare agencies, users' nominated persons and/or medical practitioners (6). It further provides real-time and authentic data in raw and analysed form to diverse agencies in the healthcare chain. Moreover, a method for delivering pharmacovigilance related information in clinical trials is disclosed. Authentication of diverse healthcare agencies in the healthcare value chain such as medical practitioners (6), users (5), pharmacists (7), pharmaceutical companies (9), and clinical researchers is taken care of.
US08234124B2	Allergy prevention An allergy prevention method and system. The method includes retrieving, by a computing system from a fidelity card, a user profile comprising information specifying first elements known to cause a user to have an allergic reaction. The computing system retrieves data associated with an item for purchase. The data comprises information specifying second elements comprised by the item. The computing system compares the first elements to the second elements to determine that a first element of the first elements matches a second element of the second elements. The computing system generates and presents to the user, a warning indicating that the first item may cause the user to have an allergic reaction.
US08234121B1	Voice recognition system for an avionics system using unique words to encode specific frequencies An avionics system, including a means to tune communication radio frequencies utilizing a voice recognition system. A specific feature of this mode of initiation is the automatic radio tuning of communication VHF radios by the utterance of specific key words resulting in the automatic transference of letters to numbers.
US08234120B2	Performing a safety analysis for user-defined voice commands to ensure that the voice commands do not cause speech recognition ambiguities The present invention discloses a solution for assuring user-defined voice commands are unambiguous. The solution can include a step of identifying a user attempt to enter a user-defined voice command into a voice-enabled system. A safety analysis can be performed on the user-defined voice command to determine a likelihood that the user-defined voice command will be confused with preexisting voice commands recognized by the voice-enabled system. When a high likelihood of confusion is determined by the safety analysis, a notification can be presented that the user-defined voice command is subject to confusion. A user can then define a different voice command or can choose to continue to use the potentially confusing command, possibly subject to a system imposed confusion mitigating condition or action.
US08234119B2	Voice application network platform A distributed voice applications system includes a voice applications rendering agent and at least one voice applications agent that is configured to provide voice applications to an individual user. A management system may control and direct the voice applications rendering agent to create voice applications that are personalized for individual users based on user characteristics, information about the environment in which the voice applications will be performed, prior user interactions and other information. The voice applications agent and components of customized voice applications may be resident on a local user device which includes a voice browser and speech recognition capabilities. The local device, voice applications rendering agent and management system may be interconnected via a communications network.
US08234095B2	Remote maintenance system, monitoring center computer used for the same, monitoring system and method of communication for maintenance A remote maintenance system has a monitoring computer for monitoring a facility and a monitoring center computer for maintenance management. The monitoring computer has a database for storing image data of the monitored facility. The monitoring center computer a database for storing CAD data for the monitored facility. The monitoring center computer provides coordinates to the image data sent from the monitoring computer, and superposes the image coordinate data and CAD coordinate data for the CAD. The center computer locates a needed maintenance location on the basis of the result of the superposition processing.
US08234086B2	Detection of multiple powered devices connected to an inline power delivery channel Power sourcing equipment in a power over Ethernet (POE) system detects the connection of multiple powered devices to an inline power delivery channel to enable coherent power sharing among the devices. The PSE applies a standard detection signal (such as a detection voltage) to the power delivery channel, then detects and interprets a responsive signal (such as a detection current) which would normally be either zero or a non-zero value indicating the presence of one powered device. The PSE determines whether the second detection signal indicates that multiple powered devices may be connected, for example by detecting its value as a multiple or sub-multiple of a standard responsive signal. If so, the PSE provides additional distinct signals each eliciting a distinct individual response signal from a corresponding powered device, and detects each distinct individual response signal to identify the powered devices connected to the power delivery channel.
US08234085B2	Method for processing data pertaining to an activity of partial electrical discharges A method for measuring and processing data pertaining to an activity of partial electrical discharges taking place in a three-phase electric machine (1) powered with square wave voltage, said data comprising a plurality of discharge signals and a plurality of sets of three values (eu, ev, ew) of power supply voltage of the machine measured in concurrence with a corresponding discharge signal, comprises the following steps: —transforming each set (eu, ev, ew) of three voltage values measured into a corresponding pair (ed, eq) of voltage values; —deriving a phase angle value from each of said pairs (ed, eq) of voltage values; —attributing to each discharge signal the corresponding phase value, to assess the measured discharge signals as a function of corresponding phase values. Prior art techniques for processing data pertaining to activity of partial electrical discharges taking place in three phase electric machines powered with square wave voltage provide for assessing the measured discharged signals as a time sequence of events, with no possibility to place them effectively in relation to the power supply voltages, this entailing that any subsequent statistical processing of the measured data will have little significance.
US08234079B2	Method and/or apparatus of oligonucleotide design and/or nucleic acid detection It is provided a method of designing at least one oligonucleotide for nucleic acid detection comprising the following steps in any order: (I) identifying and/or selecting region(s) of at least one target nucleic acid to be amplified, the region(s) having an efficiency of amplification (AE) higher than the average AE; and (II) designing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to the selected region(s). It is also provided a method of detecting at least one target nucleic acid comprising the steps of: (i) providing at least one biological sample; (ii) amplifying nucleic acid(s) comprised in the biological sample; (iii) providing at least one oligonucleotide capable of hybridizing to at least one target nucleic acid, if present in the biological sample; and (iv) contacting the oligonucleotide(s) with the amplified nucleic acids and detecting the oligonucleotide(s) hybridized to the target nucleic acid(s). In particular, the method is for detecting the presence of at least one pathogen, for example a virus, in at least one human biological sample. The probes may be placed on a support, for example a microarray.
US08234077B2	Method of selecting genes from gene expression data based on synergistic interactions among the genes A method is provided for selecting two or more genes from gene expression data. In the method, gene expression data for a plurality of genes is provided, where the gene expression data include expression levels for each of the plurality of genes. The gene expression data is discretized. Based on the discretized gene expression data, the synergy among the plurality of genes with respect to a phenotype, for example, presence or absence of a disease in a tissue, is evaluated. Two or more genes whose synergy exceeds a predetermined threshold are selected. A system implementing the method is also provided.
US08234068B1	System, module, and method of constructing a flight path used by an avionics system A present novel and non-trivial system, module, and method for constructing a flight path used by an avionics system are disclosed. A processor receives flight plan data and object data associated with terrain and obstacles. Free cells are extracted above the objects using a recursive space decomposition technique, and a reference path is formed through traversable free space determined from the availability of free cells. In an additional embodiment, threat data associated with hostile military weaponry and significant meteorological conditions could affect the availability of free cells. A genetic algorithm applying genetic operators which include mutators is employed with aircraft kinematic constraints to refine the reference path used to form a population of best path candidates. When a best path is reached after cycling through a re-generation process of path candidates, flight path data representative of the best path is generated and provided to at least one avionics system.
US08234066B2	System and method for terminal charts, airport maps and aeronautical context display The present disclosure relates to an aircraft that may have a fuselage and a cockpit located within the fuselage. A display may be located within the cockpit, with the display being controlled by a display control system. The display control system may have a graphical user interface module that generates at least one of a primary display or a context display, and receives at least one user input, and an image control module. The image control module may generate primary display data for display on the primary display based on the at least one user input. The image control module may determine, based on the primary display data, whether the context display is displayed, and may automatically display the context display as an overlay in a corner portion of the primary display when the at least one user input causes a portion of information associated therewith to be unavailable for display on the primary display.
US08234060B2	Navigation device for carrying out an along-route scrolling A navigation device includes: an along-route scroll mode determining unit 44 for determining whether or not a cursor on a screen is placed on a guidance route; a thick line highlight processing unit 45 for, when the cursor is placed on the guidance route, making a transition to an along-route scroll mode to highlight a line segment of the cursor indicating a direction of a destination and another line segment of the cursor extending in a direction opposite to that of the line segment; and a scroll processing unit 46 for, when a direction key indicating the direction of the thick-highlighted line segment indicating the direction of the destination, scrolling the map toward the direction of the destination, and for, when a direction key indicating the direction of the other line segment, scrolling the map toward the direction of a place of departure.
US08234054B2	Method of operating a spark ignition type internal combustion engine An engine provided with a variable timing mechanism (B) able to control a closing timing of an intake valve (7) and a variable compression ratio mechanism (A) able to change a mechanical compression ratio. At the time of engine startup, the closing timing of the intake valve (7) is made the most delayed position so that the least intake air is fed to the inside of the combustion chamber (5) and the mechanical compression ratio is made the maximum compression ratio.
US08234053B2	Fully-closed position learning method and vehicle motion control apparatus According to the invention, erroneous learning of an accelerator pedal fully-closed position is reliably detected, problems originating from the erroneous learning are prevented from arising, and further improvements in reliability of vehicle motion are achieved. A fully-closed position learning process routine for an actual control in which a learning value of a fully-closed position of an accelerator pedal is supplied for actual motion control of a vehicle, and a fully-closed position learning process routine for monitoring used for determining erroneous learning of the learning value of the fully-closed position learning process routine for the actual motion control, are executed, independently, and it is determined that the actual control fully-closed position learning process routine is in an erroneous learning condition in which fuel is injected in an amount exceeding an actually required amount if the learning value in the actual control fully-closed position learning process routine is lower than the learning value in the monitoring fully-closed position learning process routine.
US08234051B2	Driving-force control apparatus for vehicle Several low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination devices determine whether a road surface has a low friction coefficient based on the highest and lowest wheel speeds; the wheel speeds of front and rear wheels; wheel speeds of a left-hand and right-hand driving wheels; and by comparing a reference vehicle-body acceleration calculated from a driving force of an engine with an actual vehicle-body acceleration calculated from a calculated number of revolutions of differential gears. A low-friction-coefficient road-surface total-determination device makes a total determination as to whether the road surface has a low friction coefficient based on the determination results of the low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination devices. Accordingly, each low-friction-coefficient road-surface determination device is capable of compensating for disadvantages of the other devices.
US08234047B2	Transferring device and an agricultural vehicle A transferring device includes controllable goods carrier conveying goods to a target area, a stereo camera for providing images of the target area and a control system for deriving information from the images and controlling the goods carrier taking into account the information derived from the images. The stereo camera has two objective lenses and defines a common base line with a tilt angle relative to a horizontal. The common base line is placed in a vertical plane. The transferring device also includes floodlight projectors that are placed at a distance of at least 0.5 m from the stereo camera. Preferably, the controllable goods carrier is an ejecting spout.
US08234023B2	System and method for regulating speed, power or position of a powered vehicle A system for regulating the speed, position and/or power of a powered vehicle, which is traveling on a track system according to a planned trip. The system comprises a database having data relative to the planned trip including a plurality of elapsed travel times associated with a planned speed, position and power. One or more controllers provide data including data relative to an operating speed, position and power of the vehicle during the trip and an operating time at which the vehicle is traveling at the operating speed, power or position. A regulator may adjust the operating parameter of the vehicle if the difference between the vehicle operating data and planned trip data exceeds a predetermined threshold speed.
US08234021B2	Synthetic instrument landing system Systems and methods for generating approach information for a first vehicle approaching a second dynamic vehicle. An example method determines motion information of the second vehicle and generates approach information based on the determined motion information and the approach centerline. The method generates at least one of an approach path or a plurality of approach path reference points based on at least one of a center of motion of the second vehicle or a touchdown point on the second vehicle and generates at least one of a synthetic path or a plurality of synthetic path reference points by filtering the generated at least one approach path or plurality of approach path reference points.
US08234018B2	Energy management of appliance cycle longer than low rate period An energy management system for an appliance comprising an interface to receive a schedule having an off-peak time segment and an on-peak time segment; a control to determine an operation to be performed by the appliance; a mode selecting device to select between an energy management mode and an immediate start mode; and a controller connected to the interface, the control, and the mode selecting device. The controller is arranged such that upon selection of the energy management mode, the controller initiates the operation when a majority of the energy consumption of the operation is within the off-peak time segment; and upon selection of the immediate start mode, the controller initiates the operation immediately.
US08234001B2	Tool commonality and stratification analysis to enhance a production process A method of analyzing production steps includes inputting application data associated with a production process having a plurality of process steps into a memory with each of the plurality of process steps including a plurality of tools. The method also includes loading process data associated with one of the plurality of process steps into the memory, performing a tool commonality analysis on each of the tools associated with the at least one of the plurality of process steps, identifying all tool-to-tool differences for the at least one of the plurality of process steps, performing a tool stratification analysis to identify one of the plurality of tools that provides the largest variance contribution to the at least one of the plurality of process steps, and stopping the one of the plurality of tools that provides the largest variance contribution to the at least one of the plurality of process steps.
US08233996B2	Devices and methods for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders An implantation device for releasably holding implantable microstimulators can be used to guide one or more microstimulators to any site within the gastrointestinal tract for implantation. The device can further releasably hold one or more ligation clips for securing the one or more microstimulators in place within the implantation site(s) and/or for closing an incision in which a microstimulator is implanted. The device can be employed using open, laparoscopic, and endoscopic techniques.
US08233992B2	Method and apparatus for determining relative positioning between neurostimulation leads A method and neurostimulation control system for operating two leads disposed adjacent tissue of a patient are provided. A plurality of cross-lead electrical parameters are measured to generate a measured electrical profile of the electrode leads. A plurality of cross-lead electrical parameters are estimated to generate a first reference electrical profile for the electrode leads in a first known staggered configuration. The first reference electrical profile is spatially shifted to generate a second reference electrical profile for the electrode leads in a second known staggered configuration. The measured electrical profile is compared to the first and second reference electrical profiles, and a longitudinal stagger between the electrode leads is quantified based on the comparison.
US08233990B2	Selection of neurostimulator parameter configurations using decision trees A selection of parameter configurations for a neurostimulator using decision trees may be employed by a programming device to allow a clinician or other user to select parameter configurations, and then program an implantable neurostimulator to deliver therapy using the selected parameter configurations. The programming device executes a parameter configuration search algorithm to guide the clinician in selection of parameter configurations. The search algorithm relies on a decision tree to identify optimum parameter configurations. A decision tree is useful in classifying observations in a data set based upon one or more attributes or fields within the data. The data set includes parameter configurations matched with observed ratings of efficacy on patients of a similar indication. The learned attribute, on which classification occurs, will be the optimum parameter configuration for a set of rated configurations used to produce the classification. The decision trees may be especially useful in identifying electrode configurations.
US08233988B2	Electrical stimulation treatment of hypotension The present invention includes methods and devices for treating hypotension, such as in cases of shock, including septic shock, anaphylactic shock and hypovolemia. The method includes the step of applying at least one electrical impulse to at least one selected region of a parasympathetic nervous system of the patient. The electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate one or more nerves of the parasympathetic nervous system to increase the ratio of blood pressure to heart rate and relieve the condition and/or extend the patient's life.
US08233980B2	System and method for detecting hidden atrial events for use with automatic mode switching within an implantable medical device Techniques are provided for detecting atrial events that might be hidden due to the operation of a post-ventricular atrial blanking (PVAB) interval or other atrial channel blanking interval. In one example, candidate atrial events are identified within signals occurring during the PVAB interval. Then, a determination is made as to whether the candidate atrial event is a true atrial event based on a comparison of characteristics of the candidate atrial event with characteristics of prior known atrial events within the patient. By comparing the characteristics of the “hidden” event with the characteristics of prior known atrial events within the patient, a quick and accurate determination can be made whether the event should be counted as a P-wave. In this manner, hidden atrial arrhythmias can be detected and mode switch oscillations can be reduced or eliminated.
US08233978B1	Method and device for switching between arrhythmia prevention modes A device, such as an implantable cardiac device, and method for switching between arrhythmia prevention modes is disclosed. The method includes monitoring an electrocardiogram (EGM) of the heart, determining whether the heart is in a normal sinus rhythm or in an abnormal rhythm, delivering pacing pulses at a first rate to either an atrium or a ventricle when the heart is in a normal sinus rhythm, and delivering pacing pulses to a ventricle at a second rate when the heart is in an abnormal rhythm, such as an atrial arrhythmia. The first rate is selected to minimize the occurrence of premature ventricular contractions, and the second rate is selected to both minimize the occurrence of premature ventricular contractions and minimize the occurrence of premature conducted beats.
US08233976B2	System for transdermal chemical modulation of neural activity Methods and related systems for modulating neural activity by repetitively blocking conduction in peripheral neural structures with chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Systems for transdermal delivery of chemical blocking agents are disclosed. Methods and systems for reversing effects of chemical blocking agents and/or for producing substantially permanent conduction block are also disclosed.
US08233968B1	Method and apparatus for high resolution dynamic digital infrared imaging An infrared imaging camera (4) acquires a plurality of frames (94) of infrared radiation from a patient (P) positioned in a field-of-view (92) of the camera (4). Each frame (94) is acquired during a corresponding frame sample interval and each frame (94) corresponds to the infrared radiation acquired from an array of optical elements (90) in the field-of-view (92) during its frame sample interval. Plural rates of change are determined from infrared radiation received from the array of optical elements (90), with each rate of change corresponding to a change of infrared radiation received from the same optical element (90) in at least two frames (94). Each rate of change is mapped to a color or a shade of gray and the color or shade of gray of each rate of change is mapped to a position in an image corresponding to the position of the corresponding optical element (90) in the field-of-view (92). The camera (4) can be used for early detection of neoplastic disease process, detection of angiogenesis and/or identification of treatment sites for pain management therapeutic modalities.
US08233967B2	Method for marking and visualizing an implant by way of an x-ray phase-contrast tomography examination and an implant A method is disclosed for marking and visualizing an implant by use of an x-ray phase-contrast tomography examination. Further, an implant is also disclosed. In at least one embodiment, implants are used with specific characteristics which are as unambiguous as possible with regard to the phase shift generated by the implants in a phase-contrast tomography examination. In at least one embodiment, these specific characteristics can include the typical self-generated specific phase shift, typical differences in the specific phase-shift values, or typical spatial structures of materials with well-defined phase-shift values.
US08233966B2	Method and X-ray diagnostic device for generation of an image of a moving body region of a living subject In a method and an x-ray diagnostic device for generation of an image of a body region of a living subject that executes a movement due to respiration, respiration signals of the subject are acquired and x-ray projections of the subject are acquired from different projection directions. The intensity of the x-ray radiation emanating from an x-ray source in the acquisition of the x-ray projections is modulated such that the intensity assumes a desired value, or a value decreased relative to the value, dependent on the value of the amplitude of the respiration signal and/or the respiration position of the subject.
US08233955B2	Optical sensor including disposable and reusable elements An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a noninvasive optical sensor or probe including disposable and reusable components. The assembly of the disposable and reusable components is straightforward, along with the disassembly thereof. During application to a measurement site, the assembled sensor is advantageously secured together while the componentry is advantageously properly positioned.
US08233954B2	Mucosal sensor for the assessment of tissue and blood constituents and technique for using the same A sensor for physiological constituent detection may be adapted to include a mucoadhesive. A sensor is provided that is appropriate for use on mucosal tissue. The mucoadhesive provides a mechanism for holding the sensor on the mucous membrane in order to measure physiological constituent levels in the tissue and blood.
US08233941B2	Multi-transceiver system with MIMO and beam-forming capability A system and method for communicating with a second communication system utilizing a plurality of antennas. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise determining whether communicating with the second communication system utilizing a plurality of antennas in a first configuration, which comprises a beam-forming configuration, is preferable to utilizing a plurality of antennas in a second configuration, which comprises a MIMO or MISO configuration. If it is determined that the first configuration is preferable to the second configuration, the communication system may be configured to communicate with the second communication system by utilizing at least a portion of the plurality of antennas in the first configuration. If it is determined that the second configuration is preferable to the first configuration, then the communication system may be configured to communicate with the second communication system by utilizing at least a portion of the plurality of antennas in the second configuration.
US08233938B1	Communication device The communication device which includes a voice communicating implementer, a video game implementer, an auto time adjusting implementer, a moving picture displaying implementer, a calculating implementer, a bold formatting implementer, an italic formatting implementer, a stereo audio output implementer, a photo quality setting implementer, a multiple language implementer, and a caller's information displaying implementer.
US08233934B2	Method and system for providing access via a first network to a service of a second network The present invention relates to a method and system for providing access from a first network (30) to a service of a second network, wherein an authentication signaling is used to transfer a service selection information to the second network (70). Based on the service selection information, a connection can be established to access the desired service. Thereby, cellular packet-switched services can be accessed over networks which do not provide a context activation procedure or corresponding control plane signaling function.
US08233927B2	Synchronization of media gateways in an IP telecommunication system Telecommunication system based on IP technology, comprising a primary media gateway (1), at least one secondary media gateway (2, 3) to be synchronized onto the primary media gateway (1), and several radio base stations (4-10), at each secondary media gateway (2, 3), at least one radio base station (5, 9) connected to it being provided with a device with which the radio base station (5, 9) can be synchronized onto the emission of another radio base station (4, 8) in order to regenerate the system clock and to transmit it to the connected secondary media gateway (2, 3), and each secondary media gateway (2, 3) being provided with at least one connection for a radio base station (5, 9), through which the regenerated clock can be received and used for controlling the internal clock of the secondary media gateway (2, 3).
US08233924B2	Voice directed system and method configured for assured messaging to multiple recipients A communications system transmits messages via a wireless network to multiple users nearly simultaneously in real-time. Each user has a terminal that receives a message and plays the message for the user. The terminal may also wait for the user to verbally acknowledge the arrival of the message before continuing with its normally executing application. The sender of the message may track, for each intended recipient, the delivery of the message, the accessing of the message by the user, and the acknowledgement by the user that the message was understood.
US08233923B2	Reducing signalling loads from a mobile network Method and device for reducing signalling loads from a mobile device to a mobile telecommunications network system due to intersystem changes. The network system comprises a first and second radio access technology having a first and second radio access network and a first and second network core operable to page a mobile device via at least one element each of the first and second radio access technology. When idle or inactive state signalling reduction (“ISR”) is activated at the mobile device, the mobile device stores at least one first EPS bearer context and/or at least one first PDP context. After ISR is activated, at least one second EPS bearer context and/or at least one second PDP context is activated between the mobile device and the respective network. The respective network uses the stored at least one first contexts, or the at least one second contexts.
US08233917B2	Method of providing location services in WiMAX network irrespective of state of mobile station A method of providing locations services of a mobile station in a worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) network including an access service network (ASN) is provided. For executing a paging and location update (PLU), a serving base station transmits a scanning interval allocation response message (MOB-SCN-RSP) defined in the WiMAX wireless standard to a target mobile station, which transmits a scanning result report message (MOB-SCN-REP) defined in the standard to the serving base station in response to the MOB-SCN-RSP. The serving base station generates a location measurement result based on the MOB-SCN-REP and transmits to the ASN gateway. The ASN gateway forms a location response based on the location measurement result and transmits the location response to an LCS server. The LCS server creates a location service response of the target mobile station based on the location response and transmits the location service response to the LCS client.
US08233911B2	Method and apparatus for estimating a position of a node in a communications network A method and apparatus are provided for timed estimation-based positioning of a user equipment in LTE systems. The method includes estimating, by a mobile node, a plurality of reference signal time differences (RSTD) between the mobile node and a network node. The plurality of RSTD estimates define a first correlator. The method further includes determining a second correlator of RSTD estimates, and defining the second correlator with the first correlator based on a mean of the plurality of RSTD estimates. Further, the method includes determining a distribution of the plurality of RSTD estimates, and grouping clusters of RSTD estimates in the distribution. Additionally, the method includes selecting a cluster from the clusters of RSTD estimates. The cluster includes RSTD estimates closest to a center of the second correlator. The cluster is transmitted, by the mobile node, to the network node for positioning the mobile node in a communications network.
US08233905B2	Load management in wireless mesh communications networks Methods and systems for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. A method includes discovering a utility network. Neighboring nodes are discovered and the node listens for advertised routes for networks from the neighbors. The node is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Each upstream node can independently make forwarding decisions on both upstream and downstream packets, i.e., choose the next hop according to the best information available to it. The node can sense transient link problems, outage problems and traffic characteristics. Information is used to find the best route out of and within each network. Each network node maintains multi-egress, multi-ingress network routing options both for itself and the node(s) associated with it. The node is capable of several route maintenance functions utilizing the basic routing protocol and algorithms.
US08233903B2	Method for registering communication terminals with base station devices by using virtual appliances A method for the registration of a communication terminal is provided. In some embodiments of the present invention, a communication terminal is registered with a base station by searching and executing a virtual appliance that contains base station software with which the communication terminal pre-subscribed. In some embodiments of the present invention, a communication terminal is registered as an endpoint device for a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) uniform resource identifier (URI) when the communication terminal registers with the base station.
US08233894B2	System and method for sending mobile media content to another mobile device user Techniques are provided that extend the capabilities of mobile phone devices to automatically assign media content items to “contacts” list entries. Thus, if a mobile device user indicates the desire to purchase a media content item to be assigned to or associated with another mobile device user (e.g., an entry in a contacts list), the experience of acquiring that media content item and making the assignment can be seamless reducing the number of tedious manual steps to accomplish that task.
US08233886B2	Accessing stored data objects using contact data corresponding to a remote communications party Methods and apparatus for accessing data objects stored in a communication device are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises detecting a trigger event related to a remote communications party, retrieving contact data from a contacts database using a party identifier corresponding to the remote communications party, searching for stored data objects associated with the remote communications party, using the contact data as search parameters, and displaying the results of the search. The method may further include ranking the data objects by relevancy and formatting the display according to the ranking.
US08233885B2	Apparatus and methods for providing enhanced mobile messaging services Various embodiments for providing enhanced mobile messaging services are described. In one or more embodiments, a mobile computing device may send and receive messages of different types. The wireless computing device may comprise a threading engine to determine a sender of a received message and/or a recipient of a sent message. The threading engine may be arranged to correlate received messages of different message types with a particular sender and sent messages of different types with a particular recipient. The wireless device may display a messaging thread comprising correlated messages of different message types in a messaging user interface supported by a messaging application. The different message types correlated within the message thread are not limited to a message type associated with the messaging application. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08233880B2	Integration of cellular phone detection and reporting into a prison telephone system The present subject matter is directed to an apparatus and methodology for monitoring for the occurrence of use of unauthorized telecommunications equipment within a designated area. The present subject matter has particular utility to the corrections environment in that it discloses a methodology for detecting and reporting the unauthorized operation of cellular telephones within a corrections facility. The present technology may be used advantageously in combination with inmate telephone systems to transmit information to appropriate personnel in the form of email messages and/or voice communications by way of telephone local or corrections facility external telephone lines. The present technology also provides for recordation and storage of time, date and location information for detected events.
US08233879B1	Mobile device personalization based on previous mobile device usage A system for personalizing new mobile devices based on previous mobile device usage is provided. The system includes a storage device, a processor, and a personalizing engine. The personalizing engine, when executed by the processor, stores user input for a first mobile device to the storage device, and builds a profile based on the user input. The personalizing engine also configures a user interface on a second mobile device to provide a user interface link based on the profile to enable a user to access the user interface link via the second mobile device.
US08233876B2	Scheduling data transmissions to improve power efficiency in a wireless network Various embodiments are disclosed relating to scheduling data transmissions to improve power efficiency in a wireless network. In an example embodiment, uplink transmissions may be scheduled after the downlink transmissions within the frame sequence. One or more nodes having only scheduled downlink transmissions during the frame sequence may be scheduled for downlink transmissions at or near the start of the downlink transmissions. In another embodiment, one or more nodes having only scheduled uplink transmissions during the frame sequence may be scheduled for uplink transmissions at or near the end of the uplink transmissions. In yet another embodiment, one or more nodes having scheduled both downlink and uplink transmissions during the frame sequence may be scheduled for transmissions near a transition from downlink to uplink transmissions.
US08233873B2	Device and methods for enhanced matched filtering based on correntropy A signal processing device is provided, the device having a signal input for receiving a signal conveyed over a channel and defining a received signal. The device further includes one or more filters for generating a signal response based upon the received signal. The signal response includes an estimated value of a correntropy statistic. Additionally, the device includes a decision module connected to at least one of the filters for probabilistically deciding whether the received signal contains an information signal component based upon the estimated value of the correntropy statistic. The device further includes a signal output to convey a signal output indicating the received signal corresponds to a known signal template if the decision module decides that the received signal contains the information signal component.
US08233864B2	Signal receiving apparatus, signal receiving method, signal receiving program and signal receiving system Disclosed herein is a signal receiving apparatus including: a resonance section configured to receive an input signal at a variable resonance frequency; a signal supplying section configured to supply an electrical signal having a desired reception frequency to the resonance section; a mixture section configured to mix a resonance signal, which is output by the resonance section when the resonance section receives the electrical signal from the signal supplying section, with a switching signal having the desired reception frequency; and a control section configured to change a resonance characteristic of the resonance section and measure the phases of mixed signals output by the mixture section before and after the resonance characteristic changing operation to control the resonance frequency of the resonance section in order to change the resonance frequency in a direction to reduce a difference between the phases of the mixed signals before and after the resonance characteristic changing operation.
US08233863B2	Mobile terminal having electronic paper and method for controlling the same A mobile terminal having electronic paper and a method for controlling the same are provided, wherein the mobile terminal comprises: a first display unit configured to implement a role of electronic paper; a second display unit configured to be mounted at one side of the first display unit for implementing a role of a light emitting display unit; a memory configured to store a program for implementing a predetermined menu; and a controller configured to display the menu on the first display unit or the second display unit.
US08233860B2	Power amplification apparatus for envelope modulation of high frequency signal and method for controlling the same A power amplification apparatus and method provide for controlling envelope modulation of a Radio Frequency (RF) signal. The power amplification apparatus includes a linear amplifier configured to receive an input signal to be amplified, and generate a linear output signal for compensating for a current ripple of an amplified signal and a switch control signal having a current obtained by dividing the linear output signal by a predetermined ratio. The power amplification apparatus also includes a switching amplifier configured to receive the switch control signal through a multi-mode resistor having a variable resistance, and generate the amplified signal. The variable resistance of the multi-mode resistor determines a switching frequency representing an operating speed of the switching amplifier, and is adjusted according to a communication mode of the input signal.
US08233859B2	Apparatus and method for accurate and efficient transmit power control A technique to provide accurate and efficient transmit power control by providing offset values to modify a base input gain value for a gain control circuit used to set a transmit power gain in a mobile phone. The modified gain value compensates for a ripple offset and power level offset caused by a difference in operating temperature and operating frequency from values obtained during calibration at a calibration frequency and temperature.
US08233849B2	RF transmitter having multiple constant transmit power levels A radio frequency transmitter includes a baseband transmit processing module, a mixing module, a power amplifier, a transmit power sense module, and a transmit power control module. The baseband transmit processing module is operably coupled to encode outbound data into outbound baseband signals in accordance with one of a plurality of encoding protocols. The mixing module is operably coupled to convert the outbound baseband signals into outbound radio frequency signals. The power amplifier is operably coupled to amplify the outbound RF signals prior to transmission to produce amplified outbound RF signals. The transmit power sense module is operably coupled to sense the amplified outbound RF signals to provide a transmit signal strength indication (TSSI). The transmit power control module is operably coupled to adjust gain of the baseband transmit processing module, the mixing module, and/or the power amplifier based on the TSSI and the particular encoding protocol used to produce the baseband signals.
US08233846B2	Configurable transceiver and methods for use therewith A configurable radio frequency (RF) transceiver includes a configuration controller that generates at least one mode control signal that indicates an isolation mode, a frequency mode and an antenna mode. An antenna section includes a plurality of antennas and that selects an antenna configuration based on the at least one mode control signal. An isolation section includes a plurality of isolation circuits and that selects an isolation circuit based on the at least one mode control signal. An RF section selects an RF configuration based on the at least one mode control signal. A baseband section selects a baseband configuration based on the at least one mode control signal.
US08233835B2	Spring-loaded, friction-driven take-up roller for managing long scanned documents This is a take-up roller assembly that is connected to paper exiting a scanner and collects this exiting paper. The take-up roller assembly is moved by movement of paper entering the scanner together with a paper pulling structure that is located in the scanner. This take-up roller assembly is uniquely suitable for use in a wide format imaging system that uses a scanner.
US08233830B2	Polypyrrole containing intermediate transfer components An intermediate transfer media, such as a belt, that includes a polypyrrole associated with, attached to, and more specifically, chemically attached to a carbon black.
US08233828B2	Developing apparatus, imaging unit, and image forming apparatus including developer mixing container with auxiliary member to circulate developer A developing apparatus includes a first rotation member having a rotation shaft to transfer developer in a first direction and a mixing and transfer member having a spiral wing shape to mix and transfer the developer to the center portion of the rotation shaft, a second rotation member having a rotation shaft including a mixing and transfer member to transfer the developer in a direction opposite to the first direction by the first rotation member and a circulation auxiliary member to transfer the developer to the center portion of the rotation shaft, two end portion partition walls formed along the circulation auxiliary member, and a center partition wall formed along the mixing and transfer member at a position separated from the end portion partitions wall.
US08233823B2	Belt device and image forming apparatus A belt is supported by a plurality of rollers and is driven to move in a predetermined direction. A flange member is configured to make contact with a portion of an edge surface of the belt in its width direction. A pressing member presses on a surface of the belt in its thickness direction at a position near a contact portion of the belt with the flange member.
US08233822B2	Belt having a meandering prevention guide and image forming apparatus having the same A belt configured to travel a continuous track may be incorporated for use in an image forming apparatus. The belt may include a guide member formed on a surface of the belt to prevent a belt from meandering off of the track, where the guide member may include a rubber sheet and a carbon black material having a primer particle diameter ranging from about 15 nm to about 35 nm. An image forming apparatus incorporating the belt with one or more guide members has an increased resistance to abrasion and mitigates belt meandering and image contamination.
US08233821B2	Cartridge, assembling method for cartridge, and disassembling method for cartridge A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, includes a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a developer; a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive drum with the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; a cartridge frame extended in a longitudinal direction of the developing roller; a bearing member, provided at one longitudinal end portion of the cartridge frame, for supporting a developing roller shaft portion at one longitudinal end portion of the developing roller; a rotational force receiving member for receiving, from the main assembly, a rotational force for rotating the developing roller, in a state in which the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; a side cover provided outside the bearing member with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cartridge frame; a first fastening member fastening the bearing member to the cartridge frame to mount the bearing member to the cartridge frame; and a second fastening member fastening the side cover to the cartridge frame to mount the side cover to the cartridge frame.
US08233817B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit having a plurality of photoconductor drums arranged in tandem; a conveyor belt arranged opposite to the plurality of photoconductor drums and configured to convey a recording sheet; a cleaning unit having a cleaning member positioned in contact with the conveyor belt to collect substance adhering to the conveyor belt, and a receptacle configured to store the substance collected by the cleaning member, wherein the cleaning unit is arranged on the same side as the image forming unit with respect to the conveyor belt; and a positioning member configured to cause the cleaning member to be positioned at a contacting position where the cleaning member contacts with the conveyor belt and at a spaced-apart position where the cleaning member is away from the conveyor belt.
US08233811B2	Image stabilizing apparatus and image forming apparatus There is provided an image stabilizing apparatus which is capable of keeping a toner concentration and a printing density constant when toner consumption is small, and further which is systematically simple. The image stabilizing apparatus comprises a control portion for controlling a toner replenishment amount in a toner replenishing apparatus depending on a toner concentration detected by a toner concentration sensor and a print coverage of a document detected by a print coverage detecting portion, and controlling, when the print coverage of the document detected by the print coverage detecting portion is less than a predetermined value and such documents continue, so as to discharge a predetermined amount of toner to the image bearing member by developing forcibly, and then replenish the same amount of toner as the predetermined amount by the toner replenishing apparatus.
US08233804B2	Fiber optic cable diagnostics using digital modulation Embodiments are directed to fiber optic cable diagnostics using digital modulation. A contact of a RFID (radio frequency identification) device located in a cable is connected with a contact of an optical transceiver. Data through the cable is using digital modulation and monitored to determine if the fiber optic cable and the optical transceiver are properly functioning.
US08233803B2	Versatile remote control device and system A radio-frequency (RF) remote control (10) has a user interface and transmits an RF signal (11) which designates a device (14) to be controlled and a command for that device. The RF signal is received by an intermediary device (12). The intermediary device, in turn, generates and broadcasts a plurality of high-power IR signals (13A-13F). These signals may be received directly by a controlled device (14A) or may be received indirectly by a controlled device (14B, 14C) after one or more reflections from objects (16A, 16B) and/or room surfaces (18). Thus, reliable control of the devices (14) is obtained even in situations where merely transmitting a typical IR signal may not provide reliable control of the device (14).
US08233802B2	Portable infrared control liaison A remote control liaison device for use in controlling a remote controlled device via a LAN device includes a processor, a wireless transceiver, a remote control signal emitter, a remote control signal emitter adapter, an infrared signal detector, an indicator signal light, a power interface, and memory media accessible to the processor. The memory media may include instructions executable by the processor to establish a communication channel between the remote control liaison device and the LAN device using the wireless transceiver; convert a remote control command signal received from the LAN device for control of the remote controlled device into a device command executable by the remote controlled device; and send an infrared command signal corresponding to the device command to the remote controlled device using at least one of the remote control signal emitter and a second remote control signal emitter connected to the remote control signal emitter adapter.
US08233801B2	Wireless high capacity sub-sea communications system A subsea monitoring system.
US08233798B2	Parallel transmission of data streams in a star-configured network A data communications network includes N nodes, where N is an integer greater than one, and a star coupler coupled to each of the N nodes. Each node includes a transmitter and a receiver. The star coupler is configured to receive, in parallel, data streams transmitted from a plurality of the N nodes, and to passively retransmit, in parallel, each of the received data streams to each node of the N nodes. Each receiver is configured to receive multiple data streams in parallel.
US08233793B2	Optical transceiver with clock for providing maintenance and lifetime information An optoelectronic device uses microcode to perform an end of life calculation for the optoelectronic device. In a disclosed example, the optoelectronic device senses environmental and operational parameters under changing conditions during device operation. The optoelectronic device then calculates the end of life for itself based on one or more of the sensed environmental and/or operational parameters. The calculation can be done in real time and using digital logic. The calculation can provide a result in a format which is useful to a host system with which the device is connected. The optoelectronic device may automatically shut itself down upon reaching its calculated end of life.
US08233791B2	Methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing virtual 1:N automatic protection switching (APS) and dynamic, in service configuration change for optical network interface equipment The subject matter described herein includes providing virtual 1:N automatic protection switching and dynamic, in service configuration change for optical network interface equipment. According to one aspect of the subject matter described herein, a method for providing virtual 1:N automatic protection switching (APS) for optical network interface equipment is disclosed. The method includes configuring N optical network interface cards (ONICs) as working cards, each working card having sending and receiving optical interfaces, wherein N is an integer greater than 1. A single ONIC is configured as a protection card for providing N optical interfaces for providing redundant interface protection for each of the optical interfaces on the N working cards. In response to detecting a failure of one of the N working cards or a failure of one of the optical interfaces on one of the N working cards, optical networking communications that would have been sent to or received by the failed card are automatically sent and received using a protecting interface on the protection card that is associated with the failed card.
US08233784B2	Radiant heater A radiant heater includes a heater body having a box-like configuration, the body defining an inner cavity and including a base wall and an open end opposite the base wall. The body is fabricated from a ceramic material. The body also includes a heating element extending a length of the body and positioned to direct energy through the open end of the body.
US08233782B2	Grouped exposed metal heaters A system for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation is described. The system includes two or more groups of elongated heaters. The group includes two or more heaters placed in two or more openings in the formation. The heaters in the group are electrically coupled below the surface of the formation. The openings include at least partially uncased wellbores in a hydrocarbon layer of the formation. The groups are electrically configured such that current flow through the formation between at least two groups is inhibited. The heaters are configured to provide heat to the formation.
US08233781B2	Image reproduction method and image reproduction apparatus There is provided an image reproduction apparatus for seamlessly reproducing a connected stream which is obtained by connecting plural streams that are respectively coded by different codec methods. An image reproduction apparatus (100) for reproducing a connected stream which is obtained by connecting plural streams of different codec methods such as an MPEG-2 method and an MPEG-4 AVC method is provided with a stream buffer (102) in which the connected stream Bst is stored, and plural decoders Dd1˜Ddn corresponding to the various kinds of codec methods, and a decoder for decoding each stream in the connected stream Bst that is outputted from the stream buffer (102) is selected from among the plural decoders according to the codec method of each stream.
US08233775B2	Information processing system, portable information terminal apparatus, information processing method, program information providing apparatus, program information providing method, recording/reproducing apparatus, recording/reproducing method, computer-program storage medium, and computer program An object of the present invention is to provide a system that allows a user to preset a desired TV program for unattended recording by use of a PDA. A PDA acquires from a TV program information service provider TV program information by which to preset a desired TV program to be recorded unattended. When the user selects relevant TV information about the desired program, the PDA sends to a personal computer the information for presetting the TV program of interest for subsequent unattended recording. Based on the preset information sent from the PDA, the personal computer presets the specified TV program to be recorded unattended.
US08233773B2	Apparatus and method using compressed codes for scheduling broadcast information recording Digital compressed codes, associated with advertisements enable a user to selectively record additional information, which would be broadcast on a television channel at a later time. The advertisement could be print advertisement or broadcast advertisement on television or radio. The user enters the digital code (I code) associated with an advertisement into a unit with a decoding means which automatically converts the code into CTL (channel, time and length). The unit within a twenty four hour period activates a VCR to record information on the television channel at the right time for the proper length of time. The decoded channel, time and length information can be communicated directly to a VCR and used by the VCR directly to automatically activate the VCR to record a given television information broadcast corresponding to the communicated channel, time and length. Alternately, the channel, time and length information can be decoded directly in a remote control unit and only start record, stop record and channel selection commands sent to the VCR at the appropriate times. Algorithms for decoding the I codes can be a function of time to ensure security of the decoding method. A method is included for use of the I codes with cable channels.
US08233772B1	Generating transitions for remapping video playback time The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to generating transitions for remapping video playback time. The subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a method that includes providing a digital video editing user interface that includes a variable rate speed control configured to define associated keyframe elements including a begin element, an end element and an intermediate time element; receiving input defining at least one of the keyframe elements in relation to a sequence of digital video; and generating a time transition function for remapping playback time of the video based on the input, wherein the time transition function maintains predefined speed for video frames leading into the begin element, maintains predefined speed for video frames leading away from the end element, and changes video speed from a begin speed value to an end speed value in accordance with one or more intermediate time element values.
US08233770B2	Content reproducing apparatus, recording medium, content recording medium, and method for controlling content reproducing apparatus A video disk player includes (i) a disk reading section for reading out video data, a program, synchronization timing information from an optical disk; (ii) a clock for generating a clock signal; (iii) a decoder for converting, in accordance with the clock signal, the video data into decompressed video data for reproduction output; (iv) a video reproducing section including a synchronization control section for transmitting, in accordance with the clock signal, a synchronization control signal to the program executing section at a timing specified by a field timing contained in the synchronization timing information, and (v) a program executing section for executing a program in accordance with the synchronization control signal received from the synchronization control section. This makes it possible to efficiently execute the program in synchronization with reproduction of AV data or the like.
US08233768B2	Hierarchical and reduced index structures for multimedia files Playback and distribution systems and methods for multimedia files are provided. The multimedia files are encoded with indexes associated with the content data of the multimedia files. Through the use of the indexes, playback of the content is enhanced without significantly increasing the file size of the multimedia file.
US08233759B2	Optical waveguide and optical touch panel An optical touch panel of the present invention is capable of protecting a core 12 from outside light 17 without increasing a thickness in a frame portion by providing a concave portion 14b on an over-cladding layer 14 in an optical waveguide 10 to fit the concave portion 14b into a frame body 15 of the optical touch panel. In the optical touch panel of the present invention, alignment precision of the optical waveguide 10 is improved to easily obtain a high transmission efficiency because the optical waveguide 10 and the frame body 15 are integrated.
US08233756B2	Surface state gain A gain medium may be arranged to provide energy to a surface state.
US08233755B2	Securing an optical communications network path by suppression of learned ambient disturbances A telecommunications optical fiber is secured against intrusion by detecting manipulation of the optical fiber prior to an intrusion event. This can be used in a non-locating system where the detection end is opposite the transmit end or in a locating system which uses Fresnel reflections and Rayleigh backscattering to the transmit end to detect and then locate the motion. The Rayleigh backscattering time sliced data can be stored in a register until an intrusion event is detected. The detection is carried out by a polarization detection system which includes an optical splitter which is manufactured in simplified form for economic construction. This uses a non-calibrated splitter and less than all four of the Stokes parameters. It can use a polarimeter type function limited to linear and circular polarization or two linear polarizers at 90 degrees.
US08233751B2	Method and system for simplified recordkeeping including transcription and voting based verification A simplified method of recordkeeping is provided. The method includes capturing a document image of a transaction document; identifying a document type of the transaction document; associating the document image with a data capture template based on the document type; transmitting the document image and the data capture template to a remote system; extracting record data from the document image based on the document type; and populating the data capture template with the record data.
US08233745B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method An image processing apparatus calculates estimated pixel values of respective pixels of a provisional high-resolution image by interpolation on basis of pixel values in a reference frame. Interior of the reference frame is segmentalized into an edge region, a texture region or a flat region and others on a basis of pixel values of respective pixels. The respective pixels in the reference frame are set as target pixels one by one in sequence. Corresponding positions on the provisional high-resolution image are calculated, of the respective target pixels in decimal accuracy on a basis of information on the segmented regions including the target values. The estimated pixel values are modified so that differences from the pixel values of the target pixels to provisionally estimated pixel values obtained from the estimated pixel values of the provisional high-resolution image for pixels around the corresponding positions of the target pixels, becomes smaller. Modified pixel values and then obtained.
US08233742B2	Method and program for registration of three-dimensional shape As a feature, a local range image described in a log-polar coordinate system with a tangential plane set as an image plane is used. In a created image, ambiguity concerning an angular axis around the normal is normalized as a power spectrum using Fourier series expansion and changed to an amount invariable with respect to rotation. The power spectrum is dimensionally compressed by expanding the power spectrum in a peculiar space using a peculiar vector. Corresponding points are searched by nearest neighbor in a dimensionally compressed space to calculate a correspondence relation among the points. Wrong correspondence is removed by verification to determine a positional relation among range images. A reliable correspondence relation is narrowed down by verification by cross-correlation and a RANSAC to create a tree structure representing a link relation among the range images. A shape mode is created by applying a simultaneous registration method to plural range images of the tree structure using a result of this registration as an initial value.
US08233735B2	Methods and apparatus for detection of fluorescently labeled materials Fluorescently marked targets bind to a substrate 230 synthesized with polymer sequences at known locations. The targets are detected by exposing selected regions of the substrate 230 to light from a light source 100 and detecting the photons from the light fluoresced therefrom, and repeating the steps of exposure and detection until the substrate 230 is completely examined. The resulting data can be used to determine binding affinity of the targets to specific polymer sequences.
US08233732B2	Method and device for selecting optimal transform matrices for down-sampling DCT image Down-sampling of an image may be performed in the DCT domain. Transform matrices are obtained for down-sampling a DCT image of size M×N to a down-sampled DCT image of size I×J. The transform matrices may be used to down-sample the DCT image directly in the DCT domain. A spatial domain down-sampling method is selected and applied to the DCT image to produce a down-sampled DCT reference image. The transform matrices are selected by solving an optimization problem, leading to transform matrices which achieve a desired trade-off between the visual quality of images obtained using the transform matrices and the computational complexity associated with using the transform matrices. The visual quality is a measure of the difference between the down-sampled DCT image obtained using the transform matrices and the visual quality of the DCT reference image obtained using a spatial domain down-sampling method.
US08233731B2	Method and apparatus to encode and decode halftone image A method to encode and decode a halftone image such that the halftone image is efficiently compressed and decoded by using pattern characteristics of the halftone image includes determining different template shapes according to characteristics of the halftone image, compressing the halftone image based on determined template shape information, compressing the template shape information, and generating the compressed halftone image and the compressed template shape information as a bitstream.
US08233727B2	Arbitrary ratio image resizing in the DCT domain A method and system for arbitrary resizing of a compressed image in the discrete cosine transform (DCT) domain. First and second scaling parameters P and Q are determined in accordance with the block numbers L and M and the scaling ratio L/M or M/L. A non-uniform, or uneven, sampling in the DCT domain is then applied to coefficients of successive blocks in the compressed image in accordance with the scaling parameters. In an embodiment, P blocks are sampled and transformed from a given block length to \|P\| according to a \|P\|-point IDCT, while Q blocks are sampled and transformed from a given block length to \|Q\| according to a \|Q\|-point IDCT. The non-uniformly sampled and transformed pixel domain samples are then regrouped into a predetermined block size and transformed back to generate the DCT coefficient of the compressed image. The proposed method significantly reduces the computational complexity compared with other DCT domain arbitrary ratio image resizing approach. It also facilitates the practical implementations since only the fast implementations of IDCT with length N (1
US08233726B1	Image-domain script and language identification Disclosed herein is a method, computer system and computer program product for identifying a writing system associated with a document image containing one or more words written in the writing system. Initially, a document image fragment is identified based on the document image, wherein the document image fragment contains one or more pixels from one or more of the words in the document image. A set of sequential features associated with the document image fragment is generated, wherein each sequential feature describes one dimensional graphic information derived from the one or more pixels in the document image fragment. A classification score for the document image fragment is generated responsive at least in part to the set of sequential features, the classification score indicating a likelihood that the document image fragment is written in the writing system. The writing system associated with the document image is identified based at least in part on the classification score for the document image fragment.
US08233724B2	Automatic component teaching device An automatic component teaching device, which generates component teaching data accurately indicating a configuration of a component is provided, regardless of size of the component. The automatic component teaching device includes a cover sheet 173, of which surface is evenly colored in blue and which is formed to be glossy, a lighting fixture 171d, which illuminates a peripheral area including the component with its back facing against a surface of the cover sheet 173, an image pickup device 171c, which generates a colored image of the component by taking an image in color of the component illuminated by the lighting fixture 171d with one surface of the cover sheet 173 in blue as its background, and in image processing unit 123, which identifies a configuration of the component and generates component teaching data from the colored image generated by the image pickup device 171c.
US08233715B2	Probabilistic intensity similarity measure based on noise distributions Technologies for comparing observed intensities using a probabilistic similarity measure. In the probabilistic similarity measure example, there is no attempt to estimate a true intensity. Rather, the similarity of two observed intensities is defined as the likelihood that they each resulted from the same but unknown true identity while taking into account the noise characteristics of the camera observing the intensities. Since the true intensity is unknown, all possible true intensities are taken into account, rather than using a specific true intensity estimate. The probabilistic similarity measure indicates the degree to which two intensities correspond to the same intensity without estimating a true scene intensity value.
US08233709B2	Color effects for compressed digital video Implementing color effects in compressed digital video is improved upon by re-using the original video's compression parameters during the re-encoding stage, such that the parameters do not need to be re-estimated by the encoder. This improved method reduces complexity and also improves quality. Quality is improved due to re-use of the compression parameters since accumulated error which is common when re-encoding compressed video is prevented. For digital negatives, the effect is able to be implemented even more efficiently.
US08233708B2	Video scene classification device and video scene classification method A picture classifying unit in a video scene classifying device classifies obtained plural pictures into plural clusters based on a classification index which indicates a feature of the pictures. A cluster selecting unit selects at least one cluster among the classified clusters. An index generating unit assigns the index to at least one picture among the pictures which constitute the selected cluster.
US08233707B2	Automatically selected adjusters Automatically selected adjusters are described, including selecting an area of an image, determining a characteristic of the area, and selecting an adjuster of a set of adjusters based on the characteristic of the area.
US08233704B2	Exemplar-based heterogeneous compositional method for object classification A method for automatically generating a strong classifier for determining whether at least one object is detected in at least one image is disclosed, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a data set of training images having positive images; (b) randomly selecting a subset of positive images from the training images to create a set of candidate exemplars, wherein said positive images include at least one object of the same type as the object to be detected; (c) training a weak classifier based on at least one of the candidate exemplars, said training being based on at least one comparison of a plurality of heterogeneous compositional features located in the at least one image and corresponding heterogeneous compositional features in the one of set of candidate exemplars; (d) repeating steps (c) for each of the remaining candidate exemplars; and (e) combining the individual classifiers into a strong classifier, wherein the strong classifier is configured to determine the presence or absence in an image of the object to be detected.
US08233693B1	Automatic print and negative verification methods and apparatus A method for inspecting a reel of motion picture film including a first plurality of frames of film, the method includes receiving the first plurality of frames of motion picture film to determine a first plurality of digital data, receiving a second plurality of digital data associated with source data, comparing digital data from the first plurality of digital data to respective digital data of the second plurality of digital data to determine plurality of anomalies associated with the first plurality of frames of motion picture film, and recording the plurality of anomalies associated with the first plurality of frames of motion picture film in a log.
US08233690B2	Dynamic tomographic image reconstruction and rendering on-demand A method of dynamically reconstructing three dimensional (3D) tomographic images from a set of projection images is disclosed. The method includes the steps of loading a set of projection images into a memory device, determining a reconstruction method for the set of projection images, reconstructing a 3D tomographic image from the set of projection images to be displayed to a user; and performing any post reconstruction processing on the 3D tomographic image.
US08233677B2	Image sensing apparatus and image file data structure An image-sensing apparatus has: an image-sensing portion that acquires an original image by shooting a subject; an alteration processor that applies reversible alteration to an image inside a specific region in the original image to produce from the original image an altered image; and a recording controller that records in a recording portion an image file in which the altered image is stored in association with restoration-oriented information that identifies the contents of the restoration that needs to be performed to restore the original image from the altered image.
US08233675B2	Image, video or audio filtering before biometric recognition The present invention relates generally to pre-processing images, audio and/or video to improve biometric analysis from such. In one implementation, a method is provided including: receiving a color digital image including a representation of a human subject; converting the color digital image into grayscale values; transforming at least one representation of the converted color image; analyzing the transformed, converted color image to identify artifacts; if artifacts are found, processing the color digital image to reduce the artifacts; and providing the processed digital image to a biometric system. Other implementations are provided as well.
US08233673B2	Method and apparatus for eye-scan authentication using a liquid lens A method and apparatus for providing eye-scan authentication using an adaptive liquid lens are disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, the method receives a request for eye-scan authentication from a mobile endpoint device of a user, wherein the request comprises a first retinal image of the user captured using an adaptive liquid lens of the mobile endpoint device. The method obtains a second retinal image of the user, wherein the second retinal image is a stored retinal image of the user. The method authenticates the first retinal image against the second retinal image. In another embodiment, the method captures a first retinal image of a user via a mobile endpoint device of the user, wherein the mobile endpoint device comprises an adaptive liquid lens. The method then sends a request for eye-scan authentication from the mobile endpoint device over a network, wherein the request comprises the first retinal image.
US08233671B2	Reading device with hierarchal navigation In some embodiments, disclosed is reading device that comprises a camera, at least one processor, and a user interface. The camera scans at least a portion of a document having text to generate a raster file. The processor processes the raster file to identify text blocks. The user interface allows a user to hierarchically navigate the text blocks when they are read to the user.
US08233667B2	Apparatus and method for analysis of size, form and angularity and for compositional analysis of mineral and rock particles Equipment and process for three-dimensional measurement of size and shape and for compositional analysis of mineral and rock particles and the like objects. A mixture of particles or objects of same or different sizes of minerals or rocks or the like are fed individually and automatically onto a conveyor belt for three-dimensional machine vision measurements using laser and two cameras and subsequently for spectroscopic measurements using visible and infrared light and are then collected at the end of the conveyor. Computer software is used to perform the measurement automatically and to calculate size, form, roundness, and preferably petrographic composition and other characteristics or properties of each individual object and the statistical distribution of relevant properties, either according to built-in measurement processes or user specific methods.
US08233665B2	Image measuring apparatus and computer program An image of a measurement object is displayed, and specification of a feature image and a measurement position is received on the displayed image. The feature image, the specification has been received, and information on relative positions for the feature image, which represents the measurement position and a display position of a dimension line, are stored. A newly acquired image of the measurement object is compared with the feature image to identify information on the attitude and the position of the image of the measurement object. A measurement position is set for the image of the measurement object with the identified attitude and position, and then predetermined physical quantities are measured. Based on the stored information on the relative position for the feature image displaying the dimension line, a dimension line indicating a measurement position and a measurement result are displayed at predetermined positions.
US08233663B2	Method for object formation The invention relates to a method for object formation for environmental modeling, wherein the processing of information of a sensor is carried out in consideration of a segmenting threshold (62) that is non-linear at least in sections. The invention further relates to a device for object formation for environmental modeling, and to a computer program, and a computer program product.
US08233658B2	Security system using encoded image with puzzled image Disclosed is a system for encoding an original image 10 using an image puzzle-type encoded image 20, and more particularly to a system for encoding an original image 10 using an image puzzle-type encoded image 20, in which an original image 10 including a photograph, a picture, a document, a character, a number, a fingerprint, or an iris image is divided into image pieces having a predetermined size and the divided image pieces are arranged according to a designated pattern so as to generate the image puzzle-type encoded image 20, so that it is possible to minimize the disclosure of information of the original image 10 using the image puzzle-type encoded image 20. The system includes an image encoding terminal 100 for converting the original image 10 into the encoded image 20 according to a image puzzling pattern so as to express the converted encoded image 20 on an encoded image expressing part 500, an image decoding terminal 200 for obtaining the encoded image 20 expressed on the encoded image expressing part 500 so as to restore the original image 10 according to the image puzzling pattern, and an image encoding server 300 for communicating with the image encoding terminal 100 and the image decoding terminal 200 so as to provide the image puzzling pattern.
US08233649B2	Hearing aid device with a transducer protection facility With a hearing aid device which can be worn in the ear, a barometric pressure equalization which is needed for the sound transducer, such as a microphone or receiver, is to be achieved in a simple and cost-effective fashion. To this end, a converter protection facility is proposed with a membrane, with a pressure equalization channel, which connects a sound channel to the interior of the hearing aid device, extends through the transducer protection facility at least in one section. Replacing the transducer protection facility thus also replaces this subsection of the pressure equalization channel. A possible blockage of the pressure equalization channel which exists in this region as a result of dirt or moisture is eliminated as a result.
US08233648B2	Ad-hoc adaptive wireless mobile sound system An ad-hoc Adaptive Wireless Mobile Sound System comprises mobile phone nodes and a Master device for sending a query to the nodes, to verify whether they hold in their memory a specific song/track and to learn their music playing capabilities, for conveying to the nodes that do not have a specific file in their memory, a compressed audio stream of the file, for selecting, based on an answer to the query, an appropriate surround scheme that considers the mobile nodes capabilities, for publishing the surround scheme by which a playing role is allocated for each of the nodes, and for synchronizing the mobile nodes and to order them to play a stream audio file according to the surround scheme. In one embodiment, the Master is operable to select a compensating surround scheme when one of the nodes is found incapable of executing its allocated role during play time.
US08233646B2	Acoustic device and method of manufacturing same An acoustic device (500), comprising an oscillatory membrane (501) which comprises a transducing element (503) and a frame (504) adapted for accommodating the membrane (501) in an accommodation plane, wherein the membrane (501) is accommodated in the frame (504) in such a manner that a translational motion of the membrane (501) in at least one direction of the accommodation plane is made possible.
US08233645B2	Audio signal output apparatus, audio signal output method, program, and recording medium An audio signal output apparatus includes a driving unit and an output unit. The driving unit is configured to receive incident waves and generate a driving signal with the same phase as the incident waves. The output unit is configured to be driven by the driving signal and output waves with the same phase as the incident waves.
US08233644B2	Multiple fan acoustic interaction control A fan control system includes a controller that is coupled to a plurality of fan couplers. A computer-readable medium is coupled to the controller and includes a first fan identification corresponding to a first fan, a second fan identification corresponding to a second fan, and at least one fan property associated with each of the first fan identification and the second fan identification. The controller is operable to monitor at least one operating parameter of each of the first fan and the second fan when the first fan and the second fan are coupled to a respective fan coupler. The controller is further operable to use the at least one fan property associated with each of the first fan identification and the second fan identification and the at least one operating parameter of each of the first fan and the second fan in order to adjust a speed of the second fan relative to a speed of the first fan.
US08233641B2	Method and topology to switch an output stage in a class ab audio amplifier for wireless applications A circuit and method of switching an output of a single preamplifier to or from multiple amplifier output stages. The preamplifier output is switched between multiple audio amplifier output stages without degrading the performance of the output signal. A switching circuit selectively couples the preamplifier output to an amplifier output stage and also couples a feedback loop between the selected amplifier output stage and the preamplifier stage.
US08233640B2	Sound output device A sound output device of the present invention for outputting sound according to audio data fed thereto includes: a volume adjuster that is operated by a user in a predetermined manner, and that determines a ratio of volume of the sound to predetermined reference volume according to how it is operated by the user; a time detector detecting that a predetermined time has come; and a reference volume adjuster adjusting the reference volume according to a detection result of the time detector. Thus, the maximum level of the volume (which is dependent on the reference volume) can be automatically adjusted according to the current time. The volume adjuster determines the ratio of volume to reference volume according to the operation by the user. Thus, for example, the same operation performed by the user even under different levels of reference volume produces almost the same ratio of volume to reference volume. As a result, ease with which the user adjusts the volume can be prevented as much as possible from being impaired.
US08233639B2	Audio codec producing a tone controlled output An audio codec includes an input for receiving audio information. Audio processing circuitry produces a first stereo audio signal, a second stereo audio signal, and a monotone audio signal based on the audio information. A low pass filter filters the monotone audio output, wherein the low pass filter passes a bass component of the monotone audio signal substantially unattenuated and attenuates higher frequency components of the monotone audio signal. A high pass filter filters the first stereo audio output, wherein the high passes filter passes a treble component of the first stereo audio signal substantially unattenuated and attenuates lower frequency components of the first stereo audio signal. A band pass filter filters the second stereo audio output, wherein the band pass filter passes a mid band component of the second audio signal substantially unattenuated and attenuates low frequency components and high frequency components of the second stereo audio signal. A summing module produces a tone controlled audio output.
US08233634B2	Video/sound output device and external speaker control device A television set includes: an internal speaker which outputs sound; a memory which holds information; a remote controller receiver which receives an instruction from the outside of the television set; a microcomputer which causes, based on a mode specifying instruction for specifying a sound output mode received by the remote controller receiver, the memory to hold any one of (a) information that indicates a first sound output mode in which sound is outputted from the internal speaker and (b) information that indicates a second sound output mode in which sound is outputted from an external speaker that is a speaker outside the television set; and an HDMI/CEC communication unit which outputs the information that indicates the sound output mode and that is held by the memory, to an amplifier which controls to operate or not operate the speaker outside the television set.
US08233632B1	Method and apparatus for multi-channel audio processing using single-channel components Processing multi-channel audio streams using one or more arrangements of single-channel components. Components that only process the near-end, or capture stream, such as noise suppression (NS) components, are limited in how they can be suitably arranged for processing multi-channel streams. However, components that process the near-end stream using one or more inputs from the far-end, or render stream, such as acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) and automatic gain control (AGC) components, are arranged in one or more of the ways suitable for use with multiple channels.
US08233627B2	Method and system for managing a key for encryption or decryption of data A user private key is stored in a database of the user terminal. A user public key and user information are stored in the user management DB. The encryption/decryption unit encrypts an authority private key specific to a first authority given to a user, by using a user public key associated with user information to indicate a user. The secret sharing unit shares in secret an authority private key into two or more shared authority private keys. The encryption/decryption unit encrypts the shared authority private keys, by using an authority public key specific to each of second authorities to manage the first authority in a shared manner. The authority management DB stores the encrypted authority private key and authority public key in association with the first authority, and stores the encrypted shared authority private keys in association with the second authorities.
US08233624B2	Method and apparatus for securing data in a memory device A Method and a terminal intended for securing information in a local memory device which is couplable to a terminal having a data link interface. At the terminal, the method comprises the following steps. The method divides 801 original data included in the information to be secured, a division of the original data resulting in a first portion and a second portion. The method stores 802 the first portion in the local memory device and sends 803 the second portion via the data link interface for storage in a remote memory device. The method includes obtaining 804 an authorized read request targeted to the original data and responsive to the authorized read request reconstructs the original data. In more detail, the method retrieves 805 via the data link interface the second portion and combines 806 the second portion and the first portion which was stored in the local memory device. The method provides very high data security if the data, from which the second portion is removed, is encrypted prior to the step of dividing 801. Another aspect of the invention comprises a terminal capable of at least combing the first and second data portions to reconstruct the original data, and preferably to perform the step required for dividing the data. The data may or may not be encrypted.
US08233620B2	Key recovery mechanism for cryptographic systems A cryptographic system can include a register containing a key and a processor coupled to the register. The processor can be operable for performing a first encrypting operation, where the encrypting operation includes computing a key schedule using the register as a workspace. At the end of the first encrypting operation, the key is recovered from the register for use in a second encrypting operation.
US08233613B1	Monitoring key-press delay and duration to determine need for assistance In a user-interactive system, such as an interactive voice response (IVR) system, the duration and/or force of key-presses by the user and/or the speed of response to prompts by the user are used to make inferences about the user, such as whether the user is impaired or is growing frustrated. The user interface is modified based on the inferences.
US08233607B1	Easy call abandon A technique for managing simultaneous incoming and outgoing calls between the same far-end called terminal and far-end calling terminal and/or same user associated with a far-end called terminal and user associated with the far-end calling terminal includes an easy call abandon facility on a near-end terminal configured to compare information associated with an outgoing call to information associated with an incoming call. The easy call abandon facility is configured to initiate an audible or visible indicator when the terminal and/or user of the far-end called party is the same as that of the far-end calling party. In response to an easy call abandon indication received from a near-end terminal user, the easy call abandon facility disconnects the call from the near-end and connects the call received from the far-end terminal.
US08233602B2	Authentication apparatus An authentication device for fitting at the entrance to a property includes an externally facing interface including a speaker and a microphone; an internally facing interface comprising a speaker, a microphone and a keypad; and a processing unit including electrical interfaces to both the internally and externally facing interfaces and to a telephone unit. The internally facing keypad includes a button which permits a user to cause the processing unit to initiate a call using the telephone unit to a remote voice verification center via the telephone unit and the PSTN to which it is interfaced when in use (via standard telephone socket). The processing unit is additionally operable to communicate audio signals between the remote voice verification center and at least the externally facing interface (i.e. the speaker and microphone thereof), whereby a visitor may be remotely verified by the remote voice verification center before the householder grants the visitor admission to the property.
US08233600B1	Automated creation of multiple provider services A method may include receiving, at a service server, a request for services from a requesting device. The service server may identify one or more service options responsive to the request and send a list of the identified service options to the requesting device. The service server may receive a selected service option from the requesting device. The service server may collect payment information for the selected service option from the requesting device and providing accounting information to a service provider of the selected service option based on the payment information.
US08233593B2	Dynamically reconfigurable distributed interactive voice response system The present invention is a computer system and method that manages connections between one or more data network interfaces and one or more phone interfaces. A manager process, running on a computer system having both data and phone network interfaces, receives one or more telephone calls from one or more users over one of the phone interfaces and than accesses one or more profiles associated with each of the users. These profiles have one or more service identifiers and one or more interactive response agent (IRA) identifiers associated with the respective user. A menu of the service identifiers is presented to the user. The system then looks up an agent address of one of the IRAs that is associated with the service identifier selected by the user from the menu and establishes a session with the associated IRA. Having done this a two-way communication with the associated IRA occurs during the session. In this communication, the IRA is capable of passing information to the system from one or more application servers to which the IRA is connected over one or more data networks.
US08233587B2	Source grating for Talbot-Lau-type interferometer A source grating for a Talbot-Lau-type interferometer includes a plurality of channels having incident apertures provided on a side irradiated with X-rays and exit apertures provided on an opposite side of the side irradiated with the X-rays; the exit apertures of the channels have an aperture area smaller than an aperture area of the incident apertures; and the exit apertures of the channels are arranged so that interference fringes of Talbot self-images formed by X-rays exiting from the exit apertures of the adjacent channels are aligned with each other.
US08233585B2	X-ray diagnostic device In a precessional operation where an X-ray irradiation means and a two-dimensional radiation detector are moving on a circular or elliptic orbit respectively by rotating either one of holding means, that is a C arm or a holding means at angular rate of a·sin(t) under a steady state condition and by rotating the other holding means at angular rate of b·cos(t), the operation is carried out at angular rate (f(t), g(t)) to ensure that the maximum acceleration is smaller than the steady state acceleration during a running-up period until steady is reached.
US08233571B2	Reception device and reception method A reception device includes reception antennas and an address generation unit that converts a write-in or read-out order of channel estimation values according to a rearrangement rule. A storage unit writes in or reads out channel estimation values in the converted order, and an address generation unit converts a data sequence write-in or read-out order according to the rearrangement rule. A signal storage unit writes in or reads out data sequences in the converted order, and a replica generation unit generates a replica signal by re-modulating the data sequence according to the channel estimation value. A cancel unit successively generates a stream signal in which a data sequence interference signal is cancelled, by using the channel estimation value, the data sequence, and the replica signal.
US08233570B2	Adaptive channel prediction system and method A method and system for predicting channel fading, particularly in a mobile wireless environment, that is accurate for long-range predictions. The method comprises estimating a model parameters based on a current channel estimate, and recursively adapting the model parameters to predict future channel fading coefficients until a predetermined re-acquisition condition is satisfied. Once the re-acquisition condition has been satisfied, the model parameters are again estimated based on a current channel estimate. The acquired model parameters are adaptively updated and used in a Kalman filter.
US08233569B2	Realtime spectrum trigger system on realtime oscilloscope A realtime spectrum trigger system on a realtime oscilloscope considers both the magnitude and phase of an input signal having a periodic component so that successive acquisitions of the input signal are time aligned. A user inputs a frequency, threshold and phase for triggering on the periodic component. Input signal samples are filtered by quadrature filters according to the frequency input to produce quadrature signal components. The square of the magnitude of the input signal is computed from the quadrature signal components, as well as the phase ratio and sign, for comparison with calculated values. When enabled by the magnitude of the input signal, a phase crossing determinator compares the phase ratio and sign with calculated values to determine the phase crossing to generate a trigger, resulting in successive acquisitions of the input signal being in time alignment.
US08233562B2	System and method for closed-loop signal distortion The system and method disclosed herein provide for closed-loop compensation of significant amplitude versus frequency group delay distortion that may be introduced into a satellite communication system signal by the uplink equipment and a satellite repeater equipment. One or more equalizers can be configured to automatically assess distortion at the downlink receiver, automatically calculate the necessary pre-distortion coefficients and provide them to a modulator that pre-distorts the uplink signal to thereby cancel the distortion.
US08233552B2	Method and system for utilizing givens rotation expressions for asymmetric beamforming matrices in explicit feedback information Aspects of a method and system for utilizing Givens rotation expressions for asymmetric beamforming matrices in explicit feedback information are presented. In one aspect of the invention, Givens matrices may be utilized to reduce a quantity of information communicated in explicit feedback information via an uplink RF channel. The explicit feedback information may include specifications for a feedback beamforming matrix that may be utilized when transmitting signals via a corresponding downlink RF channel. The feedback beamforming matrix may represent a rotated version of an un-rotated matrix. The Givens matrices may be utilized to apply one or more Givens rotations to un-rotated matrix. The feedback beamforming matrix may be computed based on a matrix product of a plurality of Givens matrices. The feedback beamforming matrix may be encoded utilizing fewer bits than may be required to encode the un-rotated matrix.
US08233551B2	Adjustable transmitter power for high speed links with constant bit error rate A method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting power of a transmitter is herein described. A transmitter transmits a pattern to a receiver at a differential voltage. The length of the pattern, in one embodiment, is selected to be a reasonable length training pattern, as not to incur an extremely long training phase. If errors are detected at the receiver in the pattern, the transmitter steps the differential voltage until errors are not detected in the pattern at the receiver. The differential voltage, where no errors are detected, is scaled by a proportion of a target confidence level to a measured confidence level associated with the reasonable length training pattern. As a result, a training phase is potentially reduced and power is saved while not sacrificing confidence levels in error rates in the data exchange between the transmitter and receiver.
US08233545B2	Run length encoding in VLIW architecture A computer implemented method of video data encoding generates a mask having one bit corresponding each spatial frequency coefficient of a block during quantization. The bit state of the mask depends upon whether the corresponding quantized spatial frequency coefficient is zero or non-zero. The runs of zero quantized spatial frequency coefficients determined by a left most bit detect instruction are determined from the mask and run length encoded. The mask is generated using a look up table to map the scan order of quantization to the zig-zag order of run length encoding. Variable length coding and inverse quantization optionally take place within the run length encoding loop.
US08233535B2	Region-based processing of predicted pixels A method for decoding a compressed video data sequence containing one or more coded pixel blocks The compressed video sequence is buffered. Prediction information for each of the coded pixel blocks is reviewed. One or more groups of coded pixel blocks are formed based on the reviewed prediction information such that the coded pixel blocks within a given group have similar prediction dependencies and/or at least do not depend on a reconstructed pixel within a group of received pixel blocks to enable parallel decoding. The formed groups are scheduled for processing and subsequently decoded to produce a decoded video data sequence.
US08233526B2	Scalable video coding method A method of scalable video coding in which the video signal is processed and coded at various layers of spatial resolution where between each pair of spatial layers a prediction mechanism is enabled which allows a comparison at homologous layers of spatial resolution with the aim to obtain a good efficiency.
US08233513B1	Broad-area edge-emitting semiconductor laser with limited thermal contact A diode-laser having an elongated diode-laser emitter is mounted on a relatively massive heat-sink. Two parallel grooves are machined into the heat-sink to leave a relatively narrow elongated ridge of the heat-sink between the grooves. The ridge has a width about equal to or narrower that the width of the emitter. The diode-laser is mounted on the heat-sink such that thermal communication between the emitter and heat-sink is essentially limited to thermal communication with the ridge.
US08233508B2	Mid-IR laser instrument for analyzing a gaseous sample and method for using the same An optical nose for detecting the presence of molecular contaminants in gaseous samples utilizes a tunable seed laser output in conjunction with a pulsed reference laser output to generate a mid-range IR laser output in the 2 to 20 micrometer range for use as a discriminating light source in a photo-acoustic gas analyzer.
US08233501B2	Transport block set segmentation Data of a transport block set is to be transmitted in a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system uses adaptive modulation and coding and has a physical layer hybrid automatic repeat request mechanism. Segmentation information for potential segmentation of the transport block set is provided. The transport block set is transmitted with a first specified modulation and coding scheme. The transport bock set is received and whether the received transport block set is determined to meet a specified quality. When the specified quality is not met, a repeat request is transmitted. The first specified modulation and coding set is changed to a second specified modulation and coding set. In response to the repeat request, the transmit block set is segmented into a plurality of segments supported by the second specified modulation and coding set in accordance with the provided segmentation information. The segments are transmitted and at least two of the segments are transmitted separately. The transmitted segments are received. The segmentation process may be applied more than once for a particular TBS transmission.
US08233494B2	Hierarchical and incremental multivariate analysis for process control A technique for analyzing two or more data streams respectively generated from two or more components of a controllable process includes the following steps. In a first step, a statistical analysis is performed on each of the two or more data streams to generate first analysis results in the form of respective statistical results for the two or more data streams. In a second step, at least a portion of the statistical results from at least one of the two or more data streams is combined with at least a portion of the statistical results from at least another one of the two or more data streams to yield second analysis results. The controllable process is adjustable based on at least one of the first analysis results and the second analysis results.
US08233490B2	Method for the distribution of a network traffic according to SLA and QoS parameters The invention relates to a method, a bandwidth broker and an edge node for providing a predefined quality of service between two communication partners, wherein the quality of service is provided by means of a plurality of connections and a decentralised admission control.
US08233487B2	Communication network system that establishes communication path by transferring control signal In an MPLS/GMPLS network, a link used by a communication path for each hop and adaptations used at the boundary between management domains or layers are appropriately and automatically selected according to a service type and a required maintenance condition, without making a control sequence complicated. First, a unit for requesting path establishment by including an identifier of a service to be provided and a service attribute in a communication path establishment control message is provided for a source node. Second, a unit for determining a required maintenance condition for a communication path and adaptations according to the service identifier and/or the service attribute is provided for each node. Third, links and nodes through which the communication path passes are determined by comparing each of achievable maintenance conditions for network resources with the required maintenance condition. The determined links, nodes, adaptations are specified as operation parameters in switches and/or interfaces.
US08233482B2	Methods, systems, and computer program products for disabling an operative coupling to a network Methods and systems are described for disabling an operative coupling to a network. In an aspect, first data received for forwarding is forwarded between a first node in a first network and a second node in a second network by a network relay via a first operative coupling to the first network of a first network interface hardware component in the network relay and via a second operative coupling to the second network of a second network interface hardware component in the network relay. A determination is made that a specified decoupling condition is met. The second operative coupling is disabled subsequent to the forwarding and in response to the determination while the first operative coupling remains enabled for receiving second data for forwarding.
US08233476B2	SCP-controlled overlay between GSM and IMS The invention relates to method of executing a service in a Media Gateway Control Function (12) for establishing a call between a calling party's terminal (8) served by a Mobile Switching Center (2), and an IP Multimedia Subsystem Service (20). The Media Gateway Control Function (12) is arranged to query a Service Control Point (10) on which an overlay process is loaded. The correct SCP (10) is identified by the MGCF (12) using a correlation identifier originally published by the SCP itself after having received an IN service trigger from an MSC or GMSC. The MGCF will receive call related data from the SCP, such as the original dialled number. This data is used by the MGCF to populate information elements in a SIP Invite message. The invention gives a solution for providing GSM specific information, e.g. dialled number, location information, to an IMS service. This information may not be available to the IMS service through present methods.
US08233460B2	Communication system with map of information provided from controller to enable communication with nodes A communication system is provided that includes a controller providing a map of information to enable communication with a plurality of nodes. The information includes identification of two separate time slots, one for random access requests when a node initially contacts a controller and another for exclusively assigned access to transmit messages. The map further provides information to enable identification of the nodes and assigns transmission frequencies.
US08233458B2	Method of controlling transmission power in a wireless communication system A method of controlling transmission power in a wireless communication system includes allocating persistent radio resources, and transmitting transmission power control information multiplexed with data via a data channel according to the persistent resources. Transmission power can be simply controlled without reducing the capacity of a control channel according to persistent scheduling.
US08233452B2	Signaling transmission on shared and dedicated channels in a wireless communication system Techniques for sending and receiving signaling messages on shared and dedicated channels in a wireless communication system are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive a first signaling message on a shared channel during a first time period, receive a second signaling message on a dedicated channel during a second time period, and receive a third signaling message on the shared channel during a third time period. The UE may receive traffic data on the shared channel during all time periods. The UE may be handed over from a source Node B to a target Node B during the second time period. The UE may receive the first signaling message via the source Node B, receive the second signaling message via the source and target Node Bs, and receive the third signaling message via the target Node B.
US08233450B2	Wireless communication methods and components for facilitating multiple network type compatibility This invention relates to wireless local area networks (WLANs), and the interoperability of networks of different types or conforming to different standards, and to methods and apparatus to allow a multimode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), which is able to operate in more than one type of network, to handover from one network type to another without adversely affecting service, utilizing a mechanism and information flows implemented in a new protocol stack.
US08233449B2	Method and apparatus for resource allocation in a shared wireless network Resource allocation is performed in a shared wireless network that includes multiple cells, a shared wireless network QoS manager, and multiple local QoS managers. The shared wireless QoS manager receives from multiple ones of the local QoS managers on a per cell and per QoS service class basis (for a plurality of QoS service classes): an aggregation of current cell usage estimations; an aggregation of cell load level indicators, and an aggregation of additional resources needed. Using this received information, the shared wireless network QoS manager: determines a total capacity of each cell that is needed to satisfy a total resource need on a cell by cell basis for the local QoS managers; and based on a maximum capacity for each cell, allocates to each local QoS manager a percentage of their total resource need.
US08233446B2	System and method for an improved MBMS to PSS handover A system and method for ensuring an improved transition at the application layer when distribution of media is changed from broadcast/multicast bearers to unicast bearers and vice versa. A mapping is defined between the timeline of a Packet-Switched Streaming Service (PSS) session and the Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) session timeline. This mapping is used to enable the correct positioning of the stream in a PSS session by a PSS server after a handover has occurred. Broadcast multicast service center (BM-SC) signals can support various options for media playback after a MBMS-PSS handover in a PSS session description protocol (SDP) file or in the MBMS user service description (USD). In response, the client can signal its choice in the RTSP request that is sent when switching to the PSS session.
US08233442B1	Discontinuous transmission CDMA system A method of transmitting from a first node to a second node, said method comprising the steps of transmitting in a first mode at least one data frame from said first node to said second node; and determining if there is no data to be transmitted and if there is no data to be transmitted transmitting at least one empty frame in the first mode; and switching to a second mode in which no transmission is made in the absence of data to be transmitted at least some of the time.
US08233441B2	Network initiated context establishment The invention relates to a method for configuring a context for a connection delivering a packet data service to a mobile terminal via a target wireless access network. The mobile terminal is initially connected to an originating wireless access network and the packet data service may be provided to the mobile terminal via the originating wireless network. Moreover, the invention provides an authentication server, a packet data gateway and a packet data service support node which participate in the context configuration method. To provide a method that allows establishing connection for packet service delivery to a mobile terminal from a wireless access network, as for example a UMTS, as fast as possible the invention suggests to preconfigure service provision of the packet data service via the target wireless access network by establishing a context prior to the mobile terminal connecting to the target wireless access network.
US08233439B2	Method and apparatus for determining transmit power A method and an apparatus for determining transmit power are disclosed. The method includes: determining an E-DPDCH gain factor in compressed mode according to the number of E-DPDCH required for initial transmission of data; and determining transmit power of E-DPDCH according to the E-DPDCH gain factor in compressed mode. The E-DPDCH gain factor in compressed mode is determined according to the number of E-DPDCH required for initial transmission of data, and therefore, the E-DPDCH gain factor in compressed mode is determined accurately, the transmit power of E-DPDCH is determined accurately according to the E-DPDCH gain factor, the waste of transmit power of E-DPDCH is reduced, and therefore the system capacity is improved.
US08233436B2	RNC capacity licensing A method of controlling the rate of traffic flow through an Iub interface of a Radio Network Controller is described. The method includes obtaining a licensed rate, which defines the maximum throughput permitted through the Iub interface, at the Radio Network Controller. The rate of traffic flow through the Iub interface and all Iu interfaces of the Radio Network Controller is measured, and the extent to which packet switched traffic flow through the Iub interface exceeds the licensed rate identified. If the packet switched traffic flow through the Iub interface exceeds the licensed rate, packets are dropped from traffic flow through the Iub interface to reduce the traffic flow to the licensed rate.
US08233431B2	WCDMA uplink HARQ operation during the reconfiguration of the TTI length A method for minimizing the loss of data and ensuring that large delays do not occur during reconfigurations of an uplink transmission time interval (TTI) length of a WCDMA High Speed Packet Uplink Access (HSUPA) air interface, wherein the reconfiguration of an uplink TTI length is delayed until all pending retransmissions are successfully transmitted or until the maximum number of transmissions is reached. The transmission of new packets during this time period is prevented. However, pending retransmissions are allowed to occur. After the UE has received an ACK/NACK for each HARQ process, or until the specific maximum number of re-transmissions is reached, the UE starts transmitting with a new uplink TTI length.
US08233429B1	Method of providing targeted information using wireless subscription management A wireless communication device receives targeted information and/or advertisements. The wireless communication device is preprogrammed with a generic network address only. To communicate over a network, the wireless communication sends an activation request message to the network, including its generic network address (GNA) and information indicative of the base station via which communication is taking place. Knowing the geographical location of the base station, it is possible to send to the wireless communication device via its GNA, or a subsequently provided unique network address (UNA), information or advertisements targeted to the geographical location or particular wireless device.
US08233428B2	Using a synchronization channel to send quick paging signals In an orthogonal frequency division multiple access communication system, a base station transmits a quick paging signal simultaneously with a synchronization signal during the same transmission symbol time period. Even though these different signals are transmitted during the same transmission symbol time period, a periodicity of the synchronization signal is maintained to facilitate rapid and cost-effective synchronization by subscriber stations with the base station. The quick paging signal alerts subscriber stations about whether to stay awake for a subsequent page or to go into a power saving sleep mode.
US08233425B2	Aircraft communications system selectively allocating data communications channel capacity and associated methods A communications system for an aircraft carrying personnel having personal electronic devices (PEDs) for wireless data communications outside the aircraft includes a ground-based communications network, and an access point in the aircraft for providing a WLAN for data communications with the PEDs. An air-to-ground transceiver in the aircraft cooperates with the access point for data communications with the ground-based communications network. At least one data traffic controller selectively allocates data communications channel capacity between the PEDs and the ground-based communications network.
US08233412B1	Multi-signal, software-defined and staring cognitive communications system The integrated, multiple independent, simultaneous signal software defined radio system architecture of this invention is suitable for many new very-low latency, software defined radio applications, both cognitive and conventional, including: communications networks, electronic warfare, surveillance and radar. The system supports multiple operations, locally controlled or remotely controlled, with simultaneous signals prosecutions and anti-jam system-to-system networking. New cognitive waveforms are defined that simultaneously seek to maximize data throughput in arbitrary spectral environments, while normally avoiding interference with current and new arbitrary signal occurrences. The cognitive radio system has the capability to continuously receive and process all the ongoing signals present in a wideband frequency block, including the recognition/characterization of all signals and the recovery of multiple desired signals, and then rapidly respond by transmitting as appropriate, multi-carrier, modulated signals. The present invention uses massively-parallel fixed tuned receive channelization, along with massively parallel digital signal processing and software generated, multi-modulated RF signals, to provide a system that is fast enough to cognitively manage the ongoing operation of multiple signals, multiple frequencies, and multiple operations, all simultaneously.
US08233395B2	System for advertising routing updates A system for advertising routing updates is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a route reflector having a controller element that generates from a routing update a plurality of dissimilar routing advertisements transmitted in whole or in part to one or more provider edge routers operating in a packet-switched communication system. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08233394B2	Method for preventing overload in mobile telephone networks by using ‘always-on’ in the case of incoming calls A method for preventing overload in telecommunications networks with IMS by always-on for a call received by a user. The user sends a request message in order to activate a new PDP Context to his SGSN, which sends it to a GGSN. The GGSN sends an Accounting Request message to an AAA server. If the GGSN is going to deactivate the user PDP Context for having been inactive, the association is not eliminated from an AAA server in which this association has been saved and, when an incoming call is received: the status of the user PDP Context is verified by an indicator, and if it is not active, the PDP Context is reactivated, and if the IP address has not been assigned to another user, an attempt is made to reactivate the PDP Context; and if said IP address has already been assigned, a restart is carried out after the failure of the call.
US08233381B1	VoIP telephone system with distributed account codes A voice over internet protocol telephone system is described in which services for handling calls invoking account codes are distributed to voicemail servers in the system. If the voicemail server associated with a particular user does not have services for handling account code calls, then the request is forwarded to another voicemail server in accordance with a predefined procedure.
US08233378B2	Method and apparatus for validating control and data plane association A method and apparatus for validating control and data plane association is described. In one embodiment of the invention, a first provider edge (PE) network element negotiates a pseudowire with a second PE network element. The pseudowire is uniquely identifiable between the first and second PE network element with a unique pseudowire identifier. The first PE network element receives OAM (operations, administration, and management) packets each including a pseudowire identifier from the second PE network element over the negotiated pseudowire. If an OAM packet is received with a pseudowire identifier that does not match the negotiated pseudowire, the first PE network element determines a data plane fault is associated with the pseudowire on the second PE network element. However, if the OAM packets include the pseudowire identifier that matches the negotiated pseudowire, the control and data plane association of the second PE network element is validated. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.
US08233360B2	Optical collimator assembly and optical pickup device including the same An optical collimator assembly used in an optical pickup device and an optical pickup device are provided. The optical collimator assembly may include a collimating lens, a lens holder for supporting the collimating lens, a piezoelectric element coupled to the lens holder and including a female screw portion disposed along a central axis in one direction and a plurality of pairs of piezoelectric bodies disposed symmetrically with one another around the central axis and for causing deformation in a direction that crosses the central axis, and a male screw type transfer screw coupled to the female screw portion of the piezoelectric element.
US08233350B2	Frequency shift reservoir localization A method and system of detecting and mapping a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir includes acquiring seismic data having a plurality of components, applying a data transform to the seismic data to obtain seismic data spectral component maxima and maxima profiles, and recording the maxima or maxima profile in a form for display.
US08233349B2	System for generating a beam of acoustic energy from a borehole, and applications thereof In some aspects of the invention, a device, positioned within a well bore, configured to generate and direct an acoustic beam into a rock formation around a borehole is disclosed. The device comprises a source configured to generate a first signal at a first frequency and a second signal at a second frequency; a transducer configured to receive the generated first and the second signals and produce acoustic waves at the first frequency and the second frequency; and a non-linear material, coupled to the transducer, configured to generate a collimated beam with a frequency equal to the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency by a non-linear mixing process, wherein the non-linear material includes one or more of a mixture of liquids, a solid, a granular material, embedded microspheres, or an emulsion.
US08233347B2	Semiconductor memory, semiconductor device, and system A semiconductor memory includes: a voltage supply circuit which supplies a first voltage to a word line when an internal circuit is in a standby state, and supplies a second voltage higher than the first voltage to the word line when the internal circuit is in an active state; and a control circuit changes a drive capacity of the voltage supply circuit when changing from the standby state to the active state and the second voltage is supplied to the word line.
US08233341B2	Method and structure for SRAM cell trip voltage measurement A parametric test circuit is disclosed (FIG. 6). The test circuit includes a latch circuit having true and complementary terminals. A first access transistor (206) has a current path connected between the true terminal and a first access terminal (214) and has a first control terminal. A second access transistor (208) has a current path connected between the complementary terminal and a second access terminal (216) and has a second control terminal connected to the first control terminal. A first pass gate (604) has a current path connected between the first access terminal (214) and a third access terminal (XBLT) and has a third control terminal. A second pass gate (606) has a current path connected between the second access terminal (216) and a fourth access terminal (XBLB) and has a fourth control terminal connected to the third control terminal.
US08233336B2	Memory controller comprising adjustable transmitter impedance Memory controllers, memory devices and methods are provided in which test data is transmitted and signal parameters are varied. The transmitted test data is read, and based on a comparison between transmitted test data and read test data a transmitter impedance is adjusted.
US08233334B2	Code address memory (CAM) cell read control circuit of semiconductor memory device and method of reading data of CAM cell A Code Address Memory (CAM) cell read control circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes a CAM cell read circuit configured to read data stored in a CAM cell and to output the read data, an internal delay circuit configured to delay an externally input reset signal and to generate a number of internal command signals, and a signal generation unit configured to generate an internal ready/busy signal in response to the internal command signals. The internal ready/busy signal is generated after the externally input reset signal has reset the CAM cell read circuit.
US08233332B2	Methods and apparatus for strobe signaling and edge detection thereof A data system component having a state machine circuit and receivers that utilize high and low threshold signals permits accurate detection of strobe signal pattern edges such as those for preamble, burst and post-amble conditions in the strobe signal. The state machine circuit may then be configured to set conditions associated with further circuit elements such as for power saving, data reception, on-die termination, etc. based on the conditions detected in the strobe signal to improve data or memory system performance. The components may be implemented as part of memory controllers and/or memory such as a dynamic random access memory and used in memory read and write operations.
US08233325B2	NAND flash memory A method of controlling a programming of a flash memory with memory blocks. The method includes checking whether a selected block among the memory blocks belongs to a first group or a second group. The method further includes executing the programming from a least bit address when the selected block belongs to the first group. The method also includes executing the programming from a most bit address when the selected block belongs to the second group.
US08233317B2	Phase change memory device suitable for high temperature operation A phase change memory cell that includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode separated from the bottom electrode, and growth-dominated phase change material deposited between the bottom electrode and the top electrode and contacting the bottom electrode and the top electrode and surrounded by insulation material at sidewalls thereof. The phase change memory cell in a reset state only includes an amorphous phase of the growth-dominated phase change material within an active volume of the phase change memory cell.
US08233313B2	Conductive organic non-volatile memory device with nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous barrier layer A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of unit cells. Each unit cell includes lower and upper electrodes over a substrate, a conductive organic material layer between the lower and the upper electrodes, and a nanocrystal layer located within the conductive organic material layer, wherein the nanocrystal layer includes a plurality of nanocrystals surrounded by an amorphous barrier. The unit cell receives a plurality of voltage ranges to perform a plurality of operations. A read operation is performed when an input voltage is in a first voltage range. A first write operation is performed when the input voltage is in a second voltage range higher than the first voltage range. A second write operation is performed when the input voltage is in a third voltage range higher than the second voltage range. An erase operation is performed when the input voltage is higher than the third voltage range.
US08233302B2	Content addressable memory with concurrent read and search/compare operations at the same memory cell A content addressable memory (CAM) device includes an array of memory cells arranged in rows and columns; compare circuitry configured to indicate match results of search data presented to each row of the array; and compare circuitry configured to indicate match results of search data presented to each column of the array, thereby resulting in a two-dimensional search capability of the array.
US08233301B1	Impedance dropping dc power supply having an impedance controlled converter An impedance dropping dc power supply having an impedance controlled converter whose impedance adaptively changes as a function of the power supply's load impedance, to maintain the ac voltage across the primary winding of its power transformer below a predetermined maximum level, and to minimize the waste heat generated by the power supply that would otherwise have to be dissipated.
US08233298B2	Power factor correction rectifier that operates efficiently over a range of input voltage conditions A PFC rectifier comprises a first converter having a first output capacitor and a second converter having a second output capacitor. The first and second capacitors are coupled to each other to increase the output voltage of the PFC rectifier. For example the first or second output capacitors can be serially coupled to each other. At least one or both of the first or second converters comprise buck or buck-boost converters, including inverting or non-inverter buck converters. The first and second converters can also form a bi-directional ac-ac inverter.
US08233265B2	Ceramic capacitor and electronic component including the same In a ceramic capacitor, first and second electrode terminals each include a bonded-to-substrate portion, a first bonded-to-electrode portion bonded to a first edge of one of first and second external electrodes, a second bonded-to-electrode portion bonded to a second edge of the one of first and second external electrodes and disposed at a distance from the first bonded-to-electrode portion in the first directions, and a connecting portion connecting the first and second bonded-to-electrode portions and the bonded-to-substrate portion. W1/W0 is about 0.3 or more, and h/L is about 0.1 or more.
US08233257B2	Power supply circuit, overcurrent protection circuit for the same, and electronic device A power supply circuit includes an output transistor including a source coupled to power supply voltage, and a drain from which output voltage is outputted; a first error amplifier powered by the power supply voltage and outputting a signal based on a potential difference between the output voltage and a reference voltage; a buffer transistor including a gate coupled to the output of the first error amplifier, and a source coupled via a constant current source to the power supply voltage and coupled to a gate of the output transistor; a current detection transistor coupled to the output transistor such that a gate and source are shared; and an overcurrent protection circuit configured to limit the drain current of the buffer transistor based on the increase of the drain current of the current detection transistor and thereby control the output current of the output transistor.
US08233255B1	Systems and methods of power conversion for electrostatic precipitators The present invention describes methods and apparatus to convert and control power provided to a precipitator. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a precipitator power frequency converter system, which includes an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (“IGBT”) system and a converter control system comprising a microprocessor in communication with the IGBT system. In addition, the power frequency converter system provides a rectifier set in communication with the IGBT system. Furthermore, the input power received by the precipitator power frequency converter system is in a first frequency range of approximately 50 Hz to 60 Hz and the precipitator power frequency converter system can be enabled to provide an output power in a second frequency range between 400 Hz and 1000 Hz.
US08233251B2	Circuit interrupting device with interconnecting reset and test buttons The present invention provides a novel circuit interrupting device, preferably a ground fault circuit interrupter, which contains a reset button that is capable of interacting with a test button to perform an end-of-life-component test on the circuit interrupting device. The circuit interrupting device also contains a reset switch coupled to the reset button which is capable of disallowing reset if the device is miswired and/or fails the end-of-life-component test. Only when the circuit interrupting device is properly wired, in a tripped state, and all of the key components in the circuit interrupting device are working properly, the depression of the reset button allows the device to be reset.
US08233246B2	Multi-channel tape head having asymmetric channel arrays A magnetic head comprises identical, opposing modules each comprising an array of paired data transducers, the transducers including data readers, data writers, or combinations thereof. For each array, the transducers in each subset may have about the same center to center spacing. A first subset of the transducers is operable for reading or writing data in a first tape format. A second subset of the transducers is operable for reading or writing data in a second tape format, with at least some of the transducers being present in both subsets. Also, each module includes a lone writer at one end of one of the subsets, a lone reader at an opposite end of the one of the subsets, and servo readers positioned outside the array.
US08233244B2	Magnetic head suspension with a supporting part that has connecting beams In a magnetic head suspension according to the present invention, each of paired right and left connecting beams that are positioned on both sides in a suspension width direction of an open section, with which piezoelectric elements are at least partially overlapped in a plan view, and connect a proximal end section directly or indirectly connected to a main actuator and a distal end section to which a load bending part is connected includes a convex portion projecting in a thickness direction that is perpendicular to the disk surface. The configuration makes it possible to improve the impact resistance and raise the resonance frequency of a magnetic head suspension capable of performing micro motion of a magnetic head slider by the piezoelectric elements.
US08233242B2	Tolerance ring with overlapping layers A tolerance ring (10) for providing an interference fit between inner and outer components (36, 50) is disclosed. The tolerance ring (10) comprises a deformable band wound to form a first layer (111) having a plurality of radially extending projections (12, 13, 15) around its circumference and an unformed second layer (110) which overlaps with the first layer. The second layer acts as a force diffuser to spread the forces transferred through the projections on to the inner or outer component.
US08233235B2	PMR writer having a tapered write pole and bump layer and method of fabrication Methods for fabrication of tapered magnetic poles with a non-magnetic front bump layer. A magnetic pole may have a tapered surface at or near an air bearing surface (ABS), wherein a thickness of the write pole increases in a direction away from the ABS. A non-magnetic front bump layer may be formed on the tapered surface of the magnetic pole and away from the ABS. The front bump layer may increase the separation distance between a shield layer and the magnetic pole near the tapered surface, thereby improving the performance of the write head.
US08233233B1	Devices including a write pole tip with a convex shape in certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a write pole tip having a top side that has a monotonically decreasing slope that forms a convex profile between a write pole paddle and an air bearing surface.In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a write pole tip having a first and second top bevel. The first top bevel is at an angle greater than the second top bevel with respect to a plane perpendicular to an air bearing surface of the write pole tip.
US08233229B2	Systems and methods for reduction of cross coupling in proximate signal lines Various systems and methods for reducing cross coupling in proximate signals are disclosed. As one example, a system for reducing cross-coupling in adjacent signals that includes an active slew rate limiter circuit is disclosed. The active slew rate limiter circuit is operable to receive an input signal, and to provide an output signal based on the input signal with a controlled slew rate. In some cases, such systems may be included within a storage device that includes a read head. In such cases, the systems may operate to assure a substantially constant power dissipation within the read head.
US08233225B2	Optical lens An optical lens is obtained by injection-molding a polyester resin containing a diol unit containing from 40 to 99% by mol of a unit derived from ethylene glycol and from 1 to 60% by mol of a unit derived from a diol having from 3 to 16 carbon atoms, and a dicarboxylic acid unit containing 50% by mol or more of a unit derived from a naphthalenedicarboxylic acid.
US08233222B2	Zoom lens system A zoom lens system including at least one lens group that is positioned to be movable along an optical axis of image light for photographing; and a movable frame including a plurality of selection lens groups, the movable frame being movable between a photographing position and a storage position, wherein the photographing position is a position in which one of the selection lens groups is selectively positioned on the optical axis, and the storage position is a position in which all of the selection lens groups are outside the optical axis, and the movable frame including a storage portion that houses at least a portion of the at least one lens group when the movable frame is moved to the storage position.
US08233206B2	User interaction with holographic images User input is facilitated through gestural inputs with displayed two and three-dimensional objects using a holographic device and film that displays a static, digitally generated, three-dimensional, autostereoscopic, full-parallax, real image and a digital projector that displays dynamic images. A system includes computer-detectable tags mounted on a user-wearable glove, and on a base plate that holds the holographic device. The system determines the locations of the tags, and calculates a location of a feature of the image based on the locations of the tags. The system also determines the location, pose, and gestural motion of the input device based on the location of the tags. The system further calculates a distance and direction between the input device and the feature of the image.
US08233201B2	Image processing apparatus, image reading apparatus, image forming apparatus, and recording medium A copying machine includes a document skew detection section. The document skew detection section includes an angle calculation section and a judgment section. The angle calculation section specifies an angle θ1 formed between a reference direction and an edge of a document placed on a platen glass, in accordance with first input image data obtained by scanning the document the document being started to be scanned when an angle formed between the platen glass and a platen cover is γ°. Further, the angle calculation section specifies an angle θ2 formed between the reference direction and the edge of the document, in accordance with second input image data obtained by scanning the document, the document being started to be scanned when the angle formed between the platen glass and the platen cover is 0° Also, the judgment section generates an angular difference α obtained by carrying out an operation of θ1−θ2. This makes it possible that the document which is unintentionally skewed be identified.
US08233198B2	Image processing apparatus, method of controlling image processing apparatus, and computer program An image processing apparatus, which can communicate with an external apparatus that provides WEB information, is provided. The apparatus comprises a storage unit configured to store a plurality of flow files that describe process contents of processes to be executed by the image processing apparatus, and an execution order; an acquisition unit configured to acquire WEB information from the external apparatus; a display unit configured to display a window based on the acquired WEB information; a selecting unit configured to select a flow file to be executed for the WEB information acquired by the acquisition unit; a processing unit configured to generate image data based on execution of the selected flow file; a storing unit configured to store the image generated data; and a transmission unit configured to transmit the image data stored in the storing unit to the external apparatus in accordance with a transmission instruction.
US08233194B2	Ising-model image rendition, and consolidated masking and/or filtering, in incremental printing One aspect of the method/apparatus finds, for each input-image pixel, an “offset weighted average” of neighboring-pixel interactions—and uses the averages to make a final image. Another aspect assumes a value for each pixel, to use in a final rendered image form—and, at each in a series of approximations, determines whether to change the value, and finds a probabilistic weight to help determine. Yet another finds, for each pixel, a numerical representation of neighboring-pixel interactions—and establishes a distance cutoff for use in defining “neighbor”, and uses the representation to decide whether to change color values. Still another finds a desired or ideal number of print passes, and adapts the number of passes actually used to the found number. Another combines halftoning and printmasking into one procedure and prints images prepared thereby. Another integrates halftoning and image filtering, to obtain esthetic visual effects, into one procedure—and prints images thus prepared.
US08233192B2	Control circuit of image reader, image reader, control method of image reader, and program A control circuit of an image reader having at least one light source includes: a light source control portion that controls ON and OFF of the light source by performing current switching for adjusting a value of a current supplied to the light source; a black reference data creating portion that creates black reference data used for shading correction under control of the light source control portion; an image reading portion that reads image data under control of the light source control portion; and a shading correction portion that performs shading correction of the image data using the black reference data. The black reference data creating portion adds a noise, which is equivalent to a noise added to the image data by the current switching, to the black reference data, and the shading correction portion removes the noise added to the image data by performing the shading correction.
US08233189B2	System and method for disseminating color ink and colorant formulas The present invention provides a plurality of representations of color that are stored in an electronic color library and that can be selected by a user. After a color selection is made, a plurality of color ink formulas and/or colorant formulas capable of producing the selected color are provided. Further, other selections can be made to define a substrate or other criteria that can impact the color ink formulas. The user can make a selection among the plurality of color ink formulas and/or colorant formulas. The selected color ink formula(s) (or colorant formula(s)) can be transmitted over a communication network, such as the Internet or a local Intranet to another party, such as an ink manufacturer.
US08233186B2	Print data processing apparatus, printer, photograph vending machine, and print data processing method and program A print data processing apparatus includes a reception processing unit receiving an instruction for execution of a multi-size printing function to output a piece of print data in a plurality of print sizes.
US08233184B2	System and method for determining print layout of images based on print medium being of fixed or undefined length This invention relates to a host apparatus and an image editing method, which can reflect a user's desired layout design. The host apparatus, which is connected to a printing apparatus capable of placing and printing a plurality of images on a printing medium and transfers image data, lays out the plurality of images in the following way. The direction of a printing medium to be used for printing is specified. Then, the length of the printing medium to be used for printing is specified. Selectable placement orders of the plurality of images are determined, based on the specification, and are displayed on the screen. Finally, a desired placement order is selected from the displayed selectable placement orders.
US08233176B2	Print device with layout replacement unit A printing device capable of laying out print image data according to layout definition data that defines print layout and print an image based on the print image data, is configured to include a layout acquisition unit which obtains second layout definition data if first layout definition data is included in a print job provided to the printing device, a layout replacement unit which replaces the first layout definition data included in the print job with the second layout definition data obtained by the layout acquisition unit, an image generation unit which lays out and generates print image data according to the second layout definition data replaced by the layout replacement unit, and a print execution unit which executes printing based on the print image data generated by the image generation unit.
US08233173B2	Computer readable medium for image processing, image processing method, image processing device, and image processing system There is provided a computer readable medium storing a program causing a computer to execute a function for an image processing. The function comprises: executing a job; creating a log image from an image handled in the job; setting a creation guarantee level of the log image; and controlling the execution of the job to be completed after the log image is created, if the creation guarantee level is set to a high level.
US08233169B2	Image forming apparatus A control unit to set a priority level to operate the audio replay function so that the priority level is higher in an abnormal operation of the apparatus than in a normal operation of the apparatus is provided in the image forming apparatus 10 which comprises a plurality of functions including an image forming function and an audio replay function. For example, the priority level of the audio replay function to a lowest level in the normal operation, and sets to a highest level next to a priority level of the image forming function in the abnormal operation.
US08233167B2	Image forming device An image forming device includes a scanner swingable between a closed position to close an upper side of a catch tray of a printer and an opened position to open the upper side of the catch tray, a positioning mechanism having a protruding section formed at one of the printer and the scanner and a recessed section formed at the other such that the protruding section is fitted thereinto in the closed position, and a lock mechanism configured with an engagement hole formed at one of the protruding section and the recessed section and an engagement portion formed at the other so as to hold the closed position by engagement therebetween. When the scanner is swung to the closed position, a contact portion of the protruding section contacts a contact portion of the recessed section before the engagement portion contacts the engagement hole or a region around the engagement hole.
US08233163B2	Image forming apparatus and data processing method An image forming apparatus including: an image processing section which creates print data to be outputted out of complex original document data including both character data and diagram data in a single page of data; and an image forming section which outputs the created print data onto a sheet, wherein the image processing section determines divided character data and divided diagram data in the complex original document data, to be outputted; creates character print data by enlarging the divided character data and attaching position information in the complex original document data; creates diagram print data by enlarging the divided diagram data and attaching position information in the complex original document data; and creates position information attached print data in which the position information of the divided character data and the divided diagram data are attached to the complex original document data.
US08233159B2	Image forming device, and method and computer readable medium therefor An image forming device includes a sheet carrying body carrying a sheet thereon in a predetermined direction, a pattern selecting unit selecting one of a plurality of patterns that includes a first pattern and a second pattern, the first pattern including a plurality of marks aligned at intervals of a predetermined distance within a first range, the second pattern including a plurality of marks aligned at intervals of a predetermined distance within a second range shorter than the first range, a forming unit configured to form the selected pattern on the sheet carrying body and form an image on the sheet being carried on the sheet carrying body, a deviation determining unit determining a positional deviation of the image based upon the pattern formed, and a correcting unit performing positional deviation correction for the image to be formed on the sheet based upon the positional deviation determined.
US08233150B2	Sample concentration detector with temperature compensation A sample sensor (200) for detecting a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture, the sample sensor (200) comprising a light source (101), a detector element, a processing section (106) and parameter measuring means. The light source (101) produces a light beam (113) for exciting molecules of the sample. The detector element detects an 5 amount of excited molecules of the sample and provides a detector current indicating the amount. The processing section (106) is coupled to the detector element (103) for processing the detector current to generate an output signal (109) representing the concentration. The processing section (106) comprises a temperature compensation module (112) being arranged for compensating for a temperature dependent wavelength shift of the light source (101) 10 based on at least one measured value of a temperature dependent parameter of the light source (101), other than an output wavelength. The parameter measuring means obtain the at least one measured value.
US08233141B2	Shutter pixel, shutter structure including the shutter pixel, and exposure apparatus including the shutter structure The present invention provides a shutter pixel, a shutter structure including the shutter pixel, and an exposure apparatus including the shutter structure. The shutter pixel may include a lower substrate, an electrode disposed on the lower substrate, a spacer disposed on the edge of the electrode, a first mirror disposed on the spacer to be separated from the electrode and including a hole, an upper substrate disposed on the lower substrate to face the lower substrate, and a second mirror disposed at the upper substrate and overlapping the hole. Accordingly, a relatively simple structure may be provided.
US08233135B2	Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate supported by a substrate table; a liquid supply system configured to supply a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid; a closing surface configured to provide a confining surface for liquid supplied by the liquid supply system in place of the substrate; and a closing surface positioning device configured to create and maintain a gap between the liquid supply system and the closing surface so that the liquid flows in the gap when the closing surface is used to confine the liquid supplied by the liquid supply system.
US08233134B2	Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system has a final element. The apparatus also includes a barrier member surrounding a space between the projection system and, in use, the substrate, to define in part with the final element a reservoir for liquid. The barrier member is spaced from the final element to define a gap therebetween. The apparatus further includes a deformable seal between a radially outer surface of the final element and a radially outer surface of the barrier member. The deformable seal is configured to substantially prevent a gas from flowing past the seal towards or away from the reservoir of liquid.
US08233130B2	Display panel and fabricating method thereof A display panel including a substrate, a first electrode layer, a plurality of partition structures, a liquid display medium, a cap layer, a buffer layer and a second electrode layer is provided. The first electrode layer is disposed on the substrate. The partition structures are disposed on the first electrode layer, exposing a part of the first electrode layer. The liquid display medium is disposed on the first electrode layer between the partition structures. The cap layer is formed on the liquid display medium, and a buffer layer is formed on the cap layer. The second electrode layer is disposed on the buffer layer.
US08233126B2	Liquid crystal display device with semiconductor layer of TFT and pixel electrode at different levels An active matrix type liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first and second substrates, a plurality of pixel regions formed by image signal lines and scan signal lines, and a semiconductor layer, a pixel electrode, a counter electrode formed on the first substrate in a pixel region. The pixel electrode is arranged at level which is lower than a level of the semiconductor layer.
US08233120B2	Liquid crystal display device with light-shielding color filter pattern and method for fabricating the same A liquid crystal display device includes gate and data lines defining a pixel region on a first substrate. A first insulating layer covers the gate line and a gate electrode. A thin film transistor, formed at a crossing region of the gate and data lines, has the gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. A red, green or blue color filter is formed over the first insulating layer in the pixel region. A drain contact hole exposes the drain electrode. A light-shielding color filter pattern including at least two of red, green and blue resins is formed over the semiconductor layer. A pixel electrode is formed over the color filter in the pixel region and contacts the drain electrode. A common electrode is formed on a second substrate facing the first substrate with a liquid crystal layer interposed between the common and pixel electrodes.
US08233116B2	Polarizing plate and liquid crystal display To provide a polarizing plate which is adjusted in curling so as to cause no defectives during sticking to a liquid crystal cell while maintaining a high optical compensation capacity and a liquid crystal display comprising the polarizing plate excellent in viewing angle properties, a polarizing plate is provided and has a polarizing film and a protective film, which curls in an amount of from −30 mm to +15 mm at 25° C. and 60% RH.
US08233105B2	Image display device In order to restrain increase in frame area caused along with a larger number of channels to a minimum, there is provided an image display device that adopts a communication method in which a signal is transmitted/received with the use of electrostatic capacitance coupling. A first board includes: a tabular first power supply line, a tabular second power supply line, a semiconductor element, and a tabular first electrode group. A second board includes: a tabular second electrode group and a tabular common electrode. In a state where the first board and the second board are laid on each other, the first electrode group overlaps the second electrode group while one of the first power supply line and the second power supply line overlaps the common electrode.
US08233102B2	Apparatus and method for adjustable variable transmissivity polarized eyeglasses Adjustable variable transmissivity (AVT) eyeglasses for patients. In one embodiment, the eyeglasses include: (1) a frame having earpieces coupled thereto, (2) liquid crystal lenses coupled to the frame and configured to assume a transmissivity in response to a lens control signal, (3) a light sensor coupled to the frame and configured to sense light in a field of view and produce a sensor signal in response thereto, (4) a light plug coupled to the frame and configured to define a field of view and (5) an electronic circuit coupled to the frame and configured to employ the sensor signal to generate the lens control signal.
US08233098B2	Gamut adaptation A system (600) for performing gamut compression or gamut extension by transforming an input color (608) of an input image defined within a first gamut (102) into a reproduction color (610) of an output image for rendering by a reproduction device capable of rendering colors within a second gamut (104) different from the first gamut. The input color has an input chromaticity (C1) and an input lightness (Z-*) together forming an input point (202) in a chromaticity-lightness plane. The reproduction color has a reproduction point (210) in the chromaticity-lightness plane, wherein an absolute difference between the input lightness and the output lightness is a decreasing function of at least the chromaticity. An absolute difference between the input chromaticity and the output chromaticity is an increasing function of at least the chromaticity.
US08233096B2	Information processing apparatus and television tuner An information processor includes an operation unit for receiving a selected analog television channel, an identification signal generator for generating, from the selected channel, an analog identification signal for identifying the frequency of an analog broadcast signal, an identification signal acquirer for acquiring the analog identification signal, a storage for prestoring correspondence information between a digital identification signal indicating a frequency of a digital broadcast signal and the analog identification signal for each of stations, an identification signal converter for converting the analog identification signal into the digital identification signal using the correspondence information, a receiver for receiving a digital broadcast signal identified by the digital identification signal and extract video and audio code, a video converter and an audio converter for converting the code into equivalent analog video and audio signals, and an analog video acquirer and an analog sound acquirer for acquiring the analog video and audio signals.
US08233095B2	Channel scan for terrestrial broadcast digital television receiver A technique that allows a DTV receiver to perform a channel scan in a manner that is faster and more efficient than conventional channel scanning techniques. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the technique allows a DTV receiver to perform a scan of only those channels that are known to be available within a local terrestrial broadcast region. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the technique allows a DTV receiver that operates in conjunction with an antenna, such as a smart antenna designed to comply with EIA/CEA 909, to use the same antenna configuration parameters for different terrestrial broadcast signals in an instance where such signals are known to originate from the same antenna location.
US08233089B2	Television system A method is provided for synchronising visual and audio data for a television system. The television system includes display means for displaying visual data thereon and audio means for allowing audio data to be sounded via said system. The method includes the steps of undertaking one of displaying a visual indicator on said display means or sounding an audio indicator via said audio means and, after a time delay or period of time, undertaking the other of displaying the visual indicator or sounding the audio indicator, the period of time between the display of said visual indicator and the sounding of said audio indicator being adjustable by a user of said television system using synchronisation means.
US08233084B1	Method and system for detecting video field parity pattern of an interlaced video signal Methods and systems are described for detecting a video field parity pattern in a video signal comprising a plurality of interlaced video fields, wherein each video field includes a plurality of pixels located in a plurality of positions in a plurality of scan lines. One method includes receiving pixel data of a plurality of current pixels in a current video field, and pixel data of a plurality of first pixels in a first previous video field, where the first previous video field immediately precedes the current video field and together form an image frame. The method continues by determining, for each of the plurality of current pixels in the current video field, a first and a second set of absolute differences between a current pixel in a current position in a current scan line and at least one first pixel in the current position in at least one vertically adjacent scan line relative to the current scan line, where the first and the second set of absolute differences is based on a first field parity pattern and a second field parity pattern, respectively. A first accumulated value based on a sum total of each of the first set of absolute differences and a second accumulated value based on a sum total of each of the second set of absolute differences are determined, and a correct field parity pattern of the current video field is determined based on the first accumulated value and the second accumulated value.
US08233083B2	Camera module A camera module includes a lens barrel, a lens holder, an image pickup device, and a plurality of springs supporting the lens holder in such a manner that the lens holder is movable along an optical axis of an imaging optical system. Each of the springs includes first and second arm portions extending perpendicularly to each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. Each of the first and second arm portions includes two parallel spring strips that are connected to each other by an arc portion. One of the spring strips of the first arm portion is connected to one of the spring strips of the second arm portion. The other one of the spring strips of the first arm portion is attached to the lens holder, and the other one of the spring strips of the second arm portion is attached to the lens barrel.
US08233081B2	Portable video conference camera An image capturing device includes a main body which has a tab that extends therefrom. The main body houses a video capturing unit, and a communication unit which transfers video images to an electronic apparatus. A hinge friction joint is connected to the main body, and a leg member is connected to the main body by the hinge friction joint. The hinge friction joint is configured to maintain a predetermined angle between the main body and the leg member that is greater than zero.
US08233070B2	Variable dynamic range pixel sensor cell, design structure and method A pixel sensor cell including a column circuit, a design structure for fabricating the pixel sensor cell including the column circuit and a method for operating the pixel sensor cell including the column circuit are predicated upon the measurement of multiple reference data point and signal data point pairs from a floating diffusion at a variable capacitance. The variable capacitance is provided by excluding or including a transfer gate transistor capacitance in addition to a floating diffusion capacitance. Such a variable capacitance provides variable dynamic ranges for the pixel sensor cell including the column circuit.
US08233065B2	Charge detection device and charge detection method, solid-state imaging device and driving method thereof, and imaging device A charge detection device includes: a substrate having a first conductive type of predetermined region; a second conductive type of drain region disposed in the predetermined region of the substrate; a second conductive type of source region disposed in the predetermined region of the substrate; a second conductive type of channel region disposed between the drain region and the source region; a gate formed via an insulating film on the channel region; a second conductive type of charge accumulation region disposed in the predetermined region of the substrate and changing a threshold voltage of a transistor having the drain region, the source region, and the gate by accumulating signal charges as a target to be measured; a first conductive type of channel barrier region disposed between the channel region and the charge accumulation region; and a charge sweep region sweeping away the signal charges accumulated in the charge accumulation region.
US08233064B2	Solid-state image pickup apparatus, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic device including the same In a solid-state image pickup apparatus 100 of the invention, a transparent member 4 that covers a light receiving section of a solid-state image sensing device 2 is located within an opening 10 of a wiring board 1. The solid-state image sensing device 2 is adhered to the backside of the wiring board 1 via a conductive member 5 and also sealed to the backside of the wiring board 1 with an encapsulation resin 6 formed around the solid-state image sensing device 2. Furthermore, a through-hole 11 passing through the wiring board 1 in a thickness direction is formed on outside of the opening 10 of the wiring board 1, and the through-hole 11 is filled with the encapsulation resin 6. This configuration provides the solid-state image pickup apparatus 100 in which the encapsulation resin 6 can be easily injected to the surrounding area of the solid-state image sensing device 2.
US08233059B2	Image sensing apparatus An image sensing apparatus includes: an image sensor which generates an electrical signal commensurate with an amount of incident light, and has a photoelectric conversion characteristic comprised of a linear characteristic area where the electrical signal is outputted after being linearly converted in relation to the amount of incident light, and a logarithmic characteristic area where the electrical signal is outputted after being logarithmically converted in relation to the amount of incident light; an exposure evaluation value detector which detects an exposure evaluation value based on luminance information acquired from a subject in sensing an image of the subject; and an exposure controller which acquires a setting value for exposure based on the exposure evaluation value detected by the exposure evaluation value detector to control exposure of the image sensing apparatus, wherein the exposure controller determines a subject luminance for exposure setting based on the exposure evaluation value, and controls the exposure in such a manner that an output of the image sensor corresponding to the subject luminance for exposure setting is obtained from the linear characteristic area of the image sensor.
US08233057B2	Apparatus and method for image capturing An image capturing method including following steps is provided. A preview image is captured and compressed into a compressed preview image according to a preview quantization table. An image complexity is judged by determining the amount of high frequency components the preview image has according to a set of factors consisting of the preview quantization table, a resolution of the preview image and a size of the compressed preview image. The more the amount of high frequency components the preview image has, the higher the image complexity. A to-be-captured image is captured. An initial quantization table is determined according to a set of factors consisting of the image complexity, a resolution of the to-be-captured image and an image compression target. The to-be-captured image is compressed into an output image according to the initial quantization table.
US08233048B2	Method for indexing a sports video program carried by a video stream A method for indexing a sports video program carried by a video stream is disclosed. The method includes temporarily indexing a plurality of shots of the video stream by performing shot detection. In addition, the method further includes extracting a plurality of shots of the sports video program from at least one portion of the shots indexed during the shot detection at least according to low level visual features of the at least one portion, whereby the extracted shots are temporarily kept indexed. Additionally, the method further includes validating a plurality of shots by comparing one of the extracted shots with at least the others of the extracted shots, whereby the validated shots are kept indexed for use of playback of at least one portion of the sports video program.
US08233046B2	Mounting construction for a facial image photographic camera A facial image photographic device for vehicle mounting includes a facial image photographic camera which photographs the face of a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is running, and a changeover device. The changeover device changes over a utilization environment of the facial image photographic camera between a position in which, when performing photography, the facial image photographic camera can be exposed to direct insolation by sunlight, and a position in which, when not performing photography, at least a part of the facial image photographic camera is not to be exposed to direct insolation by sunlight than when performing photography.
US08233042B2	Preservation and/or degradation of a video/audio data stream In one aspect, a method related to data management includes but is not limited to accepting input for a designation of a reference designator and a beginning demarcation designator and/or an ending demarcation designator in a video/audio data stream, wherein the beginning demarcation designator and/or the ending demarcation designator are defined relative to the reference designator; and accepting input for a retention at a first resolution of a first portion of the video/audio data stream, the first portion beginning substantially at the beginning demarcation designator and ending substantially at the ending demarcation designator. In addition, other method, system, and program product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and/or text forming a part of the present application.
US08233041B2	Image processing device and image processing method for performing three dimensional measurements An image processing device for the user to easily perform the setting for specifying the location to be performed with three dimensional measurement on the image where the photographed is shown, the device including an imaging section (1) with a first camera (C0), arranged with the optical axis directed in the vertical direction, for generating a front image of a work W, and a second camera (C1), arranged with the optical axis directed in a slanted direction, for generating a slant image of the work W. In the setting prior to the measurement, the setting object is photographed with each camera (C0, C1), and the setting is performed pm the specified region for specifying the position to be measured by the user using the front image from the first camera C0. In time of the measurement, the specified region is defined in the front image from the first camera (C0) based on the setting, and the process of specifying the position to be measured is performed in the relevant region. Furthermore, the position corresponding to the position specified in the front image is specified, and the process of calculating the three dimensional coordinate is performed with respect to the slant image from the second camera (C1).
US08233040B2	Modular camera and camera system A modular camera having a chassis module, a camera module, an illumination module and a communications module that together form a cooling passageway. The chassis module has a back wall having a first end and an opposite second end, a bottom wall having at least one opening formed therein, a first fan mounted at the chassis back wall first end, and a second fan mounted at the chassis back wall second end. The camera module has a body, wherein the camera body is removably received through a hole formed through the chassis module back wall. The illumination module has a back wall, wherein the illumination module is removably coupled to the chassis module so that the illumination module back wall is spaced apart from the chassis module back wall. The communication module is removably coupled to the chassis module. The chassis module back wall, the camera module body, the illumination module back wall and the communications module together form a cooling channel.
US08233027B2	Video conference apparatus and method thereof A video conference apparatus having a path-selecting unit is disclosed. A camera data captured by a camera can be transferred into the video processor via a content data path and be displayed as a content video, or the camera data can be transferred into a video processor via a camera data path and be displayed as a live video. A video conference method thereof is also disclosed.
US08233016B2	Image forming apparatus, and exposure control method therefor An image forming apparatus of the invention includes an image carrier, an exposure device performing exposure for forming a toner image on a surface of the image carrier and having at least a first exposure light source and a second exposure light source, a sensor for detecting specified patterns, which are formed on the image carrier at a specified time with use of the first and second exposure light sources, a storing unit for storing a correlation, which is attained from a detection result by the sensor, between the first and second exposure light sources, and a controller for controlling the first and second exposure light sources based on the correlation.
US08233013B2	Transmissive-type liquid crystal display device In a transmissive-type liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal panel and a backlight, the liquid crystal panel has pixels each divided into four subpixels red (R), green (G), blue (B), and white (W). The backlight is a white backlight by which luminance of emitted light is controllable. A color-saturation reducing section carries out a process of reducing color saturation on a first RGB input signal, which is an original input signal, so that the first RGB input signal becomes a second RGB input signal. Thereafter, an output signal generating section obtains a transmissivity and a backlight value on the basis of the second RGB input signal.
US08233010B2	Display interface and display method for on screen display A display interface for on screen display is disclosed. The display interface comprises a pattern and a layer with black and transparent background. When an on screen display (OSD) is activated, the pattern corresponding to the OSD is displayed, the black and transparent background is rendered, and radiative transition effect is implemented to the pattern.
US08233009B2	Rollback in a browser Methods, apparatus, computer program products and systems are provided for editing an image. One method includes editing, by a processor, an image including maintaining a list of transformations applied to the image including a last transformation; receiving a selection from a user to rollback a transformation, the selection not including the last transformation, where receiving a selection includes receiving a selection from the list of transformations that include plural selections that are not contiguous in an order in which the transformations were applied; generating, by the processor, a unique identifier associated with the edited image without the selection, the unique identifier including data identifying the image and all transformations to be applied to the image; and after receiving a request for an edited image, the request including the unique identifier, transmitting the edited image to a requesting device.
US08233007B2	Display device, method for generating four or more primary color signals, and program causing computer to execute processing for generating four or more primary color signals A display device using a number n of primary colors (where n is a natural number that is equal to or greater than four) includes a video signal converting section that receives an m-primary-color signal representing a number m of primary colors (where is m is also a natural number that is smaller than n) and that converts the m-primary-color signal into an n-primary -color signal representing the n primary colors. The n primary colors include a color that is complementary to a particular one of the m primary colors. The video signal converting section generates the n-primary-color signal such that if a color component representing the particular primary color of the m-primary-color signal has a negative level, the complementary primary color has an increased luminance and the other non-complementary primary colors have decreased luminances compared to a situation where the color component representing the particular primary color is zero.
US08233006B2	Texture level tracking, feedback, and clamping system for graphics processors Embodiments include a texture mapping processor incorporating a dynamic level of detail map for use in a graphics processing system. Level of detail values are defined, with 0 being the finest and corresponding to the largest mipmap level. Each bound texture in a graphics object is assigned an identifier. This identifier is used as an index into a minimum-LOD value tracking table that is updated whenever a texel is fetched. A texture processing module controls when the tracking table is initialized and read back, and which identifiers are tracked. The minimum-LOD values in the tracking table are accompanied by a coarse region access mask to associate a minimum LOD value with a specific region of the image or object. A clamping table contains LOD clamp values for each region and a region code that specifies the coarseness of the LOD associated with each region of the texture.
US08233000B1	System and method for switching between graphical processing units One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for dynamically switching between a power-saving integrated graphics processing unit (IGPU) and a higher-performance discrete graphics processing unit (DGPU). This technique uses a single graphics driver and a single digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and leverages the GPU switching capability of the operating system to ensure a seamless transition. When additional graphics performance is desired, the system enters a hybrid graphics mode. In this mode, the DGPU is powered-up, and the graphics driver maintains the current display, while the operating system switches applications running on the IGPU to the DGPU. While in the hybrid graphics mode, the DGPU performs the graphics processing, and the graphics driver transmits the rendered images from the DGPU to the IGPU local memory and, then, to the IGPU DAC. This image transmission allows applications to fully exploit the processing capabilities of the DGPU, while using the display device connected to the IGPU.
US08232992B2	Image processing system and method for silhouette rendering and display of images during interventional procedures A medical viewing system in which 3DRA images of a body volume are acquired and two dimensional live image data is acquired within the body volume during an intervention. Direct volume silhouette rendering is performed in respect of the 3D image so as to generate a silhouette rendering of the 3D image comprised of values proportional to the translucency of voxels of the 3D image data, and the live sequence of 2D images (18) is displayed within the resultant silhouette rendering of the body volume. A user can control the levels of shading and/or contrast in the displayed silhouette rendering.
US08232991B1	Z-test result reconciliation with multiple partitions The current invention involves new systems and methods for computing per-sample post-z test coverage when the memory is organized in multiple partitions that may not match the number of shaders. Shaded pixels output by the shaders can be processed by one of several z raster operations units. The shading processing capability can be configured independent of the number of memory partitions and number of z raster operations units. The current invention also involves new systems and method for using different z test modes with multiple render targets with a single or multiple memory partitions. Rendering performance may be improved by using an early z testing mode is used to eliminate non-visible samples prior to shading.
US08232986B2	Light emitting display and method for driving the same Disclosed herein are a light emitting display which can compensate for a threshold voltage of a driving switching element, and a method for driving the same. A light emitting display includes a pixel circuit that outputs a driving current corresponding to a data voltage from a data line using a scan signal, a first driving voltage and a second driving voltage; and a light emitting element that emits light by the driving current from the pixel circuit.
US08232981B2	Beverage container stand A beverage container stand has a housing with a portion configured for supporting a beverage container, a display for displaying images selected from the group consisting of moving images, stationary images, and both, and a unit for receiving the images and displaying the images on the display.
US08232979B2	Performing an action with respect to hand-formed expression Embodiments include an apparatus, device, system, computer-program product, and method. In an embodiment, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a signal originated by a handheld writing device and indicative of a handwriting on a surface. The method also includes receiving a signal indicative of a machine-distinguishable tag associated by a user with the handwriting. The machine-distinguishable tag selected from at least two machine-distinguishable defined tags. The method includes performing an action with respect to a representation of the handwriting in response to the machine-distinguishable tag.
US08232977B2	System and method for detection with a digitizer sensor A method for detection on a digitizer sensor, the method comprises simultaneously transmitting orthogonal signals having the same frequency on at least two conductors of a digitizer sensor; sampling a signal on at least one other conductor crossing the at least two conductors, wherein the signal is responsive to capacitive coupling at cross-junctions formed between the at least two conductors and at least one other conductor; decomposing the sampled signal into orthogonal components; and analyzing the orthogonal components to detect user interaction at each cross junction.
US08232971B2	Airplane window control An electrically dimmable window (“EDW”) system comprising an EDW, a control switch, and a controller. The switch and controller control the light transmittance level of the EDW. State indicators indicate when the EDW is in transition from one light transmittance level to another level. When there is no transition in light transmittance level, the indicators may denote the current light transmittance level of the EDW.
US08232964B2	Apparatus for operating objects and a method for identifying markers from digital image frame data An input apparatus other than a mouse supports an input to a computer by fingers or by mouth. The input apparatus operates an object on a screen based on an imaged operating element. The input apparatus includes a computing apparatus; a display apparatus connected to the computing apparatus; and an imaging apparatus connected to the computing apparatus. The imaging apparatus images a predetermined operating element. The computing apparatus displays, as a marker, an image of the imaged operating element on the display apparatus. The object on the screen of the display apparatus is operated by movement of the marker.
US08232957B2	Laser displays using phosphor screens emitting visible colored light Laser display systems using at least one scanning laser beam to excite one or more fluorescent materials on a screen which emit light to form images. The fluorescent materials may include phosphor materials.
US08232950B2	Liquid crystal display and method of driving the same capable of increasing display quality by preventing polarity lean of data A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel including data lines and gate lines crossing each other, and liquid crystal cells arranged in a matrix forma, a horizontal polarity controller that compares digital video data with a critical value and inverts a logic state of a horizontal polarity conversion signal when polarities of the digital video data lean based on the comparative result, a data drive circuit that converts the digital video data into positive and negative data voltages and controls horizontal polarity inversion periods of the data voltages in response to the horizontal polarity conversion signal, and a gate drive circuit that supplies scan signals to the gate lines.
US08232948B2	Multilevel voltage driving device Provided is a multilevel voltage driving device and system. The multilevel voltage driving device comprises a level converter, which is provided with an AC signal input terminal for inputting an AC signal, a high level output terminal for outputting a high level, and an intermediate level output terminal for outputting an intermediate level; and a switch selector, which is connected with the high level output terminal and the intermediate level output terminal, and which is provided with a control signal input terminal, for inputting a control signal to alternately select the high level and intermediate level, and an output terminal for outputting the selected level.
US08232941B2	Liquid crystal display device, system and methods of compensating for delays of gate driving signals thereof A liquid crystal display device includes a gate driving shift register having symmetrically split circuit portions by which each of plural gate lines is dually driven from both ends of the gate line during ripple-through scanning of rows of the LCD device. The LCD device includes a timing controller generating an output enable signal and a gate clock, where the timing controller adjusts a timing of a load signal for deciding a data output timing point when data will be loaded into a currently activated display row. The data output timing point is a function of a delay measuring feedback signal that is used to measure the cumulative delays of the sequentially connected stages of the shift register.
US08232938B2	Driving device and driving method for display device A driving method of a display device in which an image is displayed on a display panel having a display element arranged in a pixel matrix, includes comparing, among pixel data corresponding to a display content in each pixel, pixel data corresponding to an nth horizontal scan line of an Nth frame and pixel data corresponding to an nth horizontal scan line of an (N−1)th frame; and setting a brightness reduction ratio with respect to pixel data corresponding to the nth horizontal scan line of the Nth frame or a later horizontal scan line of the Nth frame based as a function of the comparison and all pixel data corresponding to the (N−1)th frame or all pixel data from the nth horizontal scan line of the (N−1)th frame to an (n−1)th horizontal scan line of the Nth frame and controlling power supplied.
US08232934B2	Display module A display module to prevent the leakage current generated between a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer that constitute a pixel via an organic light emitting layer and obtains uniform luminance. An interlayer insulation layer is provided between an edge of a first electrode layer and an organic light emitting layer that constitute the pixel and the distance between the edge and a second electrode layer is secured sufficiently. Further, the interlayer insulation layer ILI is coated with a resin material having fluidity, and flatness is improved as a whole. An aperture that accommodates the organic light emitting layer is formed in this interlayer insulation layer and the coated organic light emitting layer is formed in uniform thickness and through a necessary and sufficient spread.
US08232925B2	Impedance tuning of transmitting and receiving antennas The present disclosure relates to impedance tuning of transmitting and receiving antennas.
US08232919B2	Integrated circuit MEMs antenna structure An integrated circuit (IC) antenna structure includes a micro-electromechanical (MEM) area, a feed point, and a transmission line. The micro-electromechanical (MEM) area includes a three-dimensional shape, wherein the three dimensional-shape provides an antenna structure. The feed point is coupled to provide an outbound radio frequency (RF) signal to the antenna structure for transmission and to receive an inbound RF signal from the antenna structure. The transmission line electrically coupled to the feed point.
US08232916B2	Tilt compensation for GNSS antenna A method and system of improving Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) results by compensating for antenna tilt in determining the location of the GNSS receiver is disclosed. In general, the angle of tilt of the antenna is determined. The actual elevation of a satellite is determined. The effective elevation of the satellite relative to the antenna is then calculated.
US08232915B2	Three quarter spatially variant apodization A new spatially variant apodization (SVA) algorithm that uses a 3/4 filled aperture prior to two dimensional discrete Fourier transform (2-D DFT) to form the image. The algorithm can be used, for example, to improve contrast and resolution on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery, with a lower degree of oversampling (and thus, fewer pixels) than other algorithms require. This can translate into more efficient use of radar displays and processor memory. Additional efficiencies of memory and computing power may be realized when Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithms operate on this imagery. Embodiments of this invention use convolution kernels at two different spacings, which are better tuned to the local phase relationships of mainlobe and sidelobes with a 3/4 filled aperture. As such, these embodiments suppress sidelobes without sacrificing resolution, at an aperture-filling ratio of 3/4, rather than 1/2, as is usually used.
US08232905B2	Sequentially configured analog to digital converter An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) system and method. The ADC system includes a digital control circuit, an amplifier, a capacitor, and an evaluation circuit. The digital control circuit is configured to sequentially configure the ADC system in a first configuration and a second configuration to derive a digital representation of an analog signal value. The amplifier circuit includes an amplifier input terminal and an amplifier output terminal. The capacitor has a first capacitor terminal coupled to the amplifier input terminal in the first and second configurations of the ADC system. The capacitor further has a second capacitor terminal coupled to the amplifier output terminal in the first configuration of the ADC system. The evaluation circuit is configured to provide a first digital code to represent a first voltage level at the amplifier output terminal in the first configuration of the ADC system. The second capacitor terminal in the second configuration of the ADC system is coupled to a reference voltage potential selected according to the first digital code.
US08232903B2	Finger-split and finger-shifted technique for high-precision current mirror A current cell array includes a number of current cell groups arranged such that they extend in a first direction. Each of the current cell groups is identified by a first identifier that increases in a direction of a gradient across the current cell array. A number of current cells are included in each of the current cell groups. Each of the current cells is identified by a respective second identifier that increases in the direction of the gradient across the current cell array. The current cells are positioned in the current cell groups based on the first and second identifiers.
US08232901B2	Determining an alternative character string Method and apparatus for determining an alternative character string, in response to an invalid character string being received by a consumer application, wherein the invalid character string is derived from the selection of a series of keyboard keys in combination with a modifier key and wherein each key is associated with at least one glyph. An embodiment includes: a converter component for converting each glyph of the invalid character string into a first format; a converter component for parsing each of the converted first formats into a second format; an alternatives engine for determining from each of the second formats a third format which can be derived from a combination of a selection of the key and an alternative modifier key; and a converter component for converting each of the determined third formats into their associated glyphs for compiling into a list of alternative character strings.
US08232882B2	Photodetector used to control near field communication A communication apparatus includes: an antenna; a first communication means that performs near field communication with a non-contact card via the antenna; a photodetecting means that is provided near the antenna and detects an amount of incoming light; and a near field communication control means that activates the first communication means when the amount of incoming light becomes less than a predetermined threshold value, the communication apparatus being driven by a battery.
US08232881B2	System for detecting an accident A system integrated in a helmet or another headgear, for the registration of direct violence against the head/body that a wearer of the helmet is subjected to in connection with an accident, comprising at least one sensor (12) intended to detect movements, at least one sensor for measuring vital data, a unit (13) arranged to register and receive data from the sensor and calculate at least one parameter of the head movement, based on said calculations, the unit being arranged to identify when an accident has occurred and to store data a certain time before the accident and stop storing a certain time after the accident as well as to generate an alarm and transmit information related to the accident to a receiver. Furthermore, the system is arranged to recreate the course of events based on registered, stored and processed data in order to provide as correct a picture of the accident as possible, and to monitor how vital data are developing after the accident so that the ill-fated thereby should get as quick and correct care as possible.
US08232875B2	System and method for displaying degradation of power storage device A degradation evaluating unit collects data related to a power storage device from a vehicle through a power cable, and based on the collected data, evaluates the state of degradation of the power storage device. A data processing unit reads data related to the state of degradation of the power storage device evaluated by degradation evaluating unit from a storage unit, and processes the read data related to the state of degradation to a first display item for a user, a second display item for a dealer and a third display item for a manufacturer. A display control unit controls display of the data processed by data processing unit on a display terminal.
US08232874B1	Vehicle child seat safety system A vehicle child seat safety system comprises a child seat sensor connected to a transmitter, a receiver in the vehicle connected to a processor controlling exterior lights, ignition switch, air conditioner, alarm and door locks, to advise a driver and passersby of a child left in the vehicle unattended, and provide for the access to the vehicle. The application is further directed to a method of informing of a child left unattended in a locked vehicle comprises providing a sensor in a child seat, starting the sensor when the ignition is turned off, generating a warning signal and transmitting same from a transmitter in the child seat after a predetermined time elapsed since starting the sensor, receiving the signal in the vehicle to direct a CPU of the vehicle to start an alarm sound signal and turn alarm lights on, and, if the sensor is not disabled, to further unlock door locks and start air conditioner.
US08232870B2	Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle having the same A vehicle control apparatus that informs that a smart key has been dropped at a location as proximate to a location of the dropping the smart key as possible while minimizing consumption of a battery of the smart key. A transmitting/receiving circuit transmits to the smart key a code request signal for confirming whether the smart key is disposed within a predetermined range of a motorcycle by a predetermined transmission period, and receive a code signal transmitted from the smart key receiving the code request signal. A code checking portion checks a code of a code signal received by the transmitting/receiving circuit. A control portion changes a period of transmitting the code request signal in accordance with a situation of running the motorcycle to detect dropping of the smart key.
US08232868B2	Method and system for networking radio tags in a radio frequency identification system A radio frequency tag for a radio frequency identification system is provided that includes an antenna and a receiver coupled to the antenna. The receiver receives and demodulates a message received on at least one frequency. A retransmit controller receives the message, determines a retransmit status for the message, and if the retransmit status is positive, initiates retransmission of the message for reception by another radio tag.
US08232867B2	Banknote acceptor with visual checking A banknote acceptor for authenticating a banknote 2, has a sensing station S with detector 18 that produces image signals corresponding to a face the banknote. A processor 24 pre-processes the image signals and compares them with stored reference data corresponding to an acceptable banknote from memory 25 to determining the authenticity of the banknote and its denomination. A display device 29 displays an image 31 corresponding to the banknote under test based on the image signals from the detector 18, to allow the user to perform a visual check that the banknote detected at the sensing station corresponds to the banknote under test presented by the user. Also, the detected denomination of the banknote is displayed on device 32. The user can accept or reject the banknote using buttons 33 and 34, and retrieve images of previously accepted banknotes with button 35.
US08232865B2	Wireless communication devices A method and apparatus for wirelessly performing identification. A wireless communications apparatus comprising a cellular receiver communicatively coupled to the processing unit and a first antenna and configured to perform wireless communications via the antenna using a first protocol. The wireless apparatus further contains a short range wireless communications module coupled to a second antenna and configured to perform wireless communications via the second antenna by modulating a radio frequency field using a second protocol, the second protocol being different than the first protocol. In accordance with the second protocol the short-range wireless communications apparatus uses a random number as an identifier of the short-range wireless communications apparatus. The wireless device employs a location determining unit and a communication port configured to provide a control signal to a second device via a wired connection.
US08232863B2	Mobile device for vehicle A mobile device for a vehicle includes a receiving unit that receives transmission signals transmitted from individual transmitting antennas of a vehicle-side device; a control unit that determines distances to the individual transmitting antennas using the signal strengths of the received transmission signals; and a transmitting unit that transmits, to the vehicle-side device using wireless communication, data items indicating the distances. In a time period in which communication is not performed between the mobile device and the vehicle-side device, the signal strength of a received signal is measured, thereby obtaining a measurement value, and the measurement value is stored as a noise element in a memory. When communication between the mobile device and the vehicle-side device is performed, correction for noise is performed on the signal strengths of the transmission signals transmitted from the transmitting antennas, and the distances are determined.
US08232862B2	Biometrically authenticated portable access device A biometrically authenticated portable access device, includes a biometric sensor for measuring a live biometric parameter of an unverified user, an authenticator controlling a switch that enables and disables a conventional RFID tag and a stored biometric template corresponding to a previously measured biometric parameter of an authorized user. The authenticator compares the live biometric parameter of the unverified user to the stored biometric template and enables the RFID tag when the live biometric parameter matches the stored biometric template. The RFID tag is programmable in conventional RFID tag programmers that may be proprietary permitting the portable access device to be used with existing installed systems of proprietary and non-proprietary RFID tag programmers and readers.
US08232856B2	Connector and power transformer structure comprising the same A connector and a power transformer structure comprising the same are provided. The power transformer structure comprises a connector and an integrated transformer. The connector comprises a plurality of connection units, and the integrated transformer comprises a plurality of transformation units. The transformation units are sequentially stacked and electronically connected to the corresponding connection units in contact connection to reduce the current conduction consumption and contact resistance.
US08232850B2	Method and system for flip chip configurable RF front end with an off-chip balun Methods and systems for a flip chip configurable RF front end with an off-chip balun may include bonding a balun package to a single integrated circuit (IC) comprising an integrated transmitter and a receiver. The balun package may comprise one or more layers and may be electrically coupled to the IC. The balun package may comprise various devices such as, for example, inductors, capacitors, resistors, and/or switches, which may be on an exterior surface and/or inner layers of the balun package. Accordingly, the balun package and/or the IC may be configured for receiving RF signals and/or transmitting RF signals. The balun package and/or the IC may also be configured for single-ended RF input, single-ended RF output, differential RF input, and/or differential RF output. An off-chip amplifier may be used to amplify signals on the single transmit line in the single-ended RF output mode of operation.
US08232845B2	Packaged device with acoustic resonator and electronic circuitry and method of making the same A device includes: a base substrate having a bonding pad and a peripheral pad, the peripheral pad encompassing the bonding pad; an acoustic resonator on the base substrate; a cap substrate having a bonding pad seal and a peripheral pad seal, the bonding pad seal bonding around the perimeter of the bonding pad and the peripheral pad seal bonding with the peripheral pad to define a hermetically sealed volume between the cap substrate and the base substrate, the cap substrate having a through hole therein over the bonding pad providing access for a connection to the bonding pad; a low-resistivity material layer region disposed on a portion of a surface of the cap substrate disposed inside the hermetically sealed volume, the material layer region being isolated from the bonding pad seal; and electronic circuitry disposed in the material layer region and electrical connected with the acoustic resonator.
US08232844B2	Synchronous oscillator, clock recovery apparatus, clock distribution circuit, and multi-mode injection circuit Disclosed herein is a synchronous oscillator including at least one injection circuit having an injection signal input terminal, an internal clock signal input terminal, and a clock output terminal, and at least one delay circuit cascaded to the injection circuit.
US08232838B2	Audio dropout amplifier According to embodiments, in a case that a source voltage is lowered and a potential difference between the source voltage and a ripple terminal voltage is below a constant potential difference, the ripple terminal voltage is lowered until the ripple terminal voltage reaches a first threshold value when a lowered value of the source voltage is equal to or larger than a predetermined voltage that exceeds the first threshold value by the constant potential difference, and the ripple terminal voltage is lowered until the ripple terminal voltage reaches a second threshold value smaller than the first threshold value when the lowered value of the source voltage is below the predetermined voltage.
US08232837B2	Communication device and battery pack containing communication device A communication device includes a first JK flip-flop (FF) outputting a first output signal in response to a first input signal at a J-input and a reversed signal of the first input signal at a K-input, and a second JK FF outputting a second output signal in response to a second input signal at a J-input and a reversed signal of the second input signal at a K-input. A clock input to a NAND gate (12) is replaced by a reversed signal of a Q-output of the second JK FF. A clock input to a NAND gate (13) is replaced by the reversed signal of the second input signal. A clock input to a NAND gate (22) is replaced by a reversed signal of a Q-output of the first JK FF. A clock input to a NAND gate (23) is replaced by the reversed signal of the first input signal.
US08232834B2	Boosting xDSL amplifier supply power on-demand Systems and methods for increasing amplifier supply power on demand for a plurality of xDSL signals is provided. In an embodiment, circuitry may be used to detect the signal or signals having the highest voltage. In different embodiments, the signal(s) with the highest absolute voltage or highest combined voltage between complementary signal pairs may be compared to a threshold voltage, such as an existing amplifier supply voltage. In different embodiments, when these highest voltage(s) exceed the threshold voltage, the corresponding amplifier supply voltages may be increased to meet the increased amplification demand. In some embodiments when these highest voltage(s) do not exceed the threshold voltage, the amplifier supply voltage may not be increased and the existing amplifier supply voltage may be used to amplify the xDSL signals.
US08232827B2	Semiconductor switch A semiconductor switch includes: a first terminal; a second terminal; a switch section including a through FET connected between the first terminal and the second terminal and a shunt FET connected between the second terminal and a first ground terminal; a first control terminal configured to drive the through FET; a second control terminal configured to drive the shunt FET; and a driver provided on a substrate together with the switch section and configured to provide a differential output to the first control terminal and the second control terminal.
US08232814B2	Four-wire ohmmeter connector and ohmmeter using same A four-wire ohmmeter connector includes a pair of elongated members spaced apart from each other by an interconnecting web. A pair of elongated contacts are mounted on forwardly projecting portions of each of the elongated members. An insulative housing surrounds the elongated members, contacts and web. The contacts mounted on one of the elongated members are connected through separate wires to a positive probe, and the contacts mounted on the other of the elongated members are connected through separate wires to a negative probe. The elongated members are inserted into respective terminal apertures of a four-wire ohmmeter. A pair of semi-cylindrical conductive sleeves are aligned with each of the apertures, and they make contact with and compress the respective contacts that are inserted into the aperture.
US08232812B2	Corrosion testing method The present invention discloses a process for determining which material within a vicinity of an electrically conducting material is causing corrosion of the electrically conducting material. The process includes providing a piece of electrically conducting material, a piece of potentially corrosive material that is present in the vicinity of the electrically conducting material, an electrical resistance measuring device and a testing chamber. Thereafter, the piece of electrically conducting material and the piece of potentially corrosive material are placed within the testing chamber and the electrical resisting measuring device monitors the electrical resistance of the piece of electrically conducting material as a function of time.
US08232809B2	Determining critical current density for interconnect Solutions for determining a critical current density of a line are disclosed. In one embodiment a method of determining a critical current density in a line includes: applying a temperature condition to each of a plurality of samples including the line; calculating a cross-sectional area of the line for each of the plurality samples using data about an electrical resistance of the line over each of the temperature conditions; measuring an electrical current reading through the line for each of the plurality of samples; determining a current density through the line for each of the plurality of samples by dividing each electrical current reading by each corresponding cross-sectional area; determining an electromigration (EM) failure time for each of the plurality of samples; and determining the critical current density of the line using the current density and the plurality of EM failure times.
US08232808B2	Switch circuit, filter circuit and test apparatus There is provided a switch circuit for switching whether to output an input signal, including: a transmission path that transmits the input signal from an input end to an output end of the switch circuit; a first semiconductor switch that is provided on the transmission path and switches whether to transmit the input signal; a second semiconductor switch that is opened when the first semiconductor switch is short-circuited, and that is short-circuited when the first semiconductor switch is opened, thereby grounding, to a ground potential, a high-frequency signal leaked to the transmission path between the first semiconductor switch and the output end; and a voltage controller that causes a potential difference on both ends of the second semiconductor switch when the second semiconductor switch is opened.
US08232807B2	Apparatus for detecting imbalances in a paired line A device for measuring and isolating noise-creating imbalances in a paired telecommunications line has an internal circuit. The internal circuit includes a pulse generator. Pulses provided by the pulse generator are applied to an interface which includes balanced pathways to the conductors. The pulses are applied simplex (longitudinally) to the pair of conductors. Upon encountering a fault in the pair, a reflected metallic voltage signal is received by the interface. The reflected metallic voltage signal is sampled by an analog-to-digital converter. Data relating to the sampled signal is displayed for detection and location of faults on the pair.
US08232801B2	Nuclear quadrupole resonance system and method for structural health monitoring Structural health monitoring using nuclear quadrupole resonance is disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, a method of monitoring stress is provided. The method includes scanning a composite using an NQR spectrometer, the composite having a polymer matrix and a microcrystalline material disposed in the matrix. The microcrystalline material includes molecules having nuclei with respective nuclear quadrupole moments. The method also includes determining microscopic strain distribution indices of the composite from the NQR scans to quantify stress and identify precursors to failure in the composite.
US08232800B2	Higher-order generalized series parallel imaging method for acquiring high spatio-temporal resolution functional magnetic resonance images Disclosed are a high-order generalized series parallel imaging method for acquiring high spatio-temporal resolution functional magnetic resonance images and a sampling method. The higher-order generalized series parallel imaging method for acquiring high spatio-temporal resolution functional magnetic resonance images includes: performing sampling of an input image in k-space; applying a high-order generalized series (HGS) reconstruction procedure to data acquired as the sampling result to acquire a first reconstructed image; and applying a parallel magnetic resonance reconstruction procedure to the first reconstructed image to acquire a second reconstructed image.
US08232795B2	Magnetic sensor A magnetic sensor includes a first detection unit and a second detection unit. The first detection unit calculates a first detection angle which is a detected value of a first angle that a direction of an external magnetic field in a first position forms with respect to a first direction. The second detection unit calculates a second detection angle which is a detected value of a second angle that the direction of the external magnetic field in a second position forms with respect to a second direction. The first detection angle includes a first angular error. The second detection angle includes a second angular error. The first angular error and the second angular error differ in phase by an odd number of times ½ of the error period.
US08232790B2	Architecture for controlling a dual polarity, single inductor boost regulator used as a dual polarity supply in a hard disk drive dual stage actuator (DSA) device A dual supply circuit uses a dual feedback control, single inductor, dual polarity boost architecture with a low side power FET for end of current recirculation sensing. A dual feedback system tracks the output voltage variations and a low side power FET end of current recirculation sensing utilizes the internal current limit sensing system. Logic defining the state of operations allows the regulator to operate in both single and dual mode to cater to wide application ranges. The positive boost regulator can be operated in a buck mode making the output voltage constant with high input supply.
US08232782B2	System and method for equalizing the small signal response of variable phase voltage regulators A control circuit for a variable phase voltage regulator comprises an error amplifier to generate a difference signal based on a difference between a reference voltage and a signal representative of a voltage at an output node of the variable phase voltage regulator. The control circuit also comprises a variable phase compensator to amplify the difference signal to produce a modified difference signal to compensate for effects of varying the number of active phases in the variable phase voltage regulator, wherein the amplification is proportional to a ratio of total number of phases in the variable phase voltage regulator to number of active phases in the variable phase voltage regulator.
US08232779B2	Method for selecting the optimum number of phases for converter and system using the same A method for selecting the optimum number of phases for a converter is provided, which selects a duty range using an input voltage and an output voltage, obtains ripple values for multiple phases in the duty range, and selects the optimum number of phases using the corresponding ripple values. The method for selecting the optimum number of phases for a converter includes a duty range selection step of selecting a duty range using an input voltage and an output voltage, a ripple value calculation step of obtaining ripple values for multiple phases within the selected duty range, a range ripple selection step of selecting one or more phases in the duty range, and a rated ripple selection step of selecting the phases having the minimum ripple value in a rated duty among the phases selected in the range ripple selection step.
US08232776B2	Charging method for an assembled cell and an assembled cell system According to one embodiment, a charging method for an assembled cell including a plurality of secondary batteries connected in series is disclosed. The method can detect the cell voltages. The method can set a charging current setting value so as to lower the charging current setting value of the assembled cell, if at least one of the detected cell voltages reaches a predetermined charge termination upper limit voltage. The method can control the charging current of the assembled cell according to the charging current setting value. In addition, the method can stop the charge, when a lowest cell voltage is lower than a predetermined charge termination lower limit voltage at a time when at least one of the cell voltages detected reaches the charge termination upper limit voltage.
US08232765B2	Automatic and dynamic home electricity load balancing for the purpose of EV charging An electric vehicle charging system includes logic collocated with an electric service panel to monitor a total present electric current consumption value for all electric consumers below a point in the service panel; a first input to receive the present electric current consumption value from the logic collocated with the service panel, and to compare the present electric current consumption value with a maximum current capacity value for the service panel; a second input to receive electric current from the service panel; an output to supply electric charging power to at least one electric vehicle; and logic to set an electric charging current drawn from the service panel through the second input and provided to the electric vehicle charging output to a value less than a difference between the maximum current capacity for the service panel and a sum of the present electric current consumption value and the current consumption value of a largest expected electric consumer.
US08232763B1	Electric vehicle profiles for power grid operation Electrical vehicle profiles for power grid operation. Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for collecting and storing electrical vehicle usage and charging information, which may enable the generation of usage and charging profiles. Additionally, these usage and charging profiles may be usable to operate electricity grids in areas where electrical vehicles are prevalent. Grid maintenance, as well as power allocation, may be controlled based at least in part on the usage and charging profiles.
US08232758B2	Controller of electric motor having function of estimating inertia and friction simultaneously A controller estimates Coulomb friction itself together with inertia and viscous friction, and reduces the influence of the Coulomb friction on the accuracy of the estimated inertia. In addition, the controller estimates inertia, viscous friction and Coulomb friction simultaneously with sequential adaptation in which a Fourier transformer is not used but an inverse transfer function model is used in order to minimize the estimated error. Data sampled for a predetermined time need not be accumulated, as a result, a large amount of data memory is unnecessary.
US08232756B2	Motor control apparatus An object of the present invention is to provide a motor control apparatus that can perform an abnormality diagnosis of current sensors and achieve cost reduction. When the outputs from three current sensors, which detect individual phase currents of a 3-phase AC current supplied from an inverter to a 3-phase AC motor, indicate that the sum of the individual phase currents of the 3-phase AC current is greater than a predetermined value, a sensor abnormality judgment unit of a motor control unit judges that one of the three current sensors is abnormal. The sensor abnormality judgment unit identifies an abnormal current sensor, which is one of the three current sensors, and performs calculations in accordance with the remaining two normal current sensors to output the current in the phase detected by the abnormal current sensor.
US08232749B1	Dual slot resonance coupling for accelerators A pair of cavities defined within a hollow elongate accelerator body include a first resonant cavity having a first resonant slot through an outer wall thereof, and a second resonant cavity having a second resonant slot through an outer wall thereof. The first resonant slot and the second resonant slot are separated by a void region that extends between the outer wall of the first cavity and the outer wall of the second cavity and is bounded in part by an inner surface of the hollow elongate member. The first and second cavities are coupled to each other through a dual slot coupling structure that includes the first resonant slot, the void region, and the second resonant slot.
US08232745B2	Modular lighting systems In embodiments of the present invention, a method and system is provided for designing improved intelligent, LED-based lighting systems. The LED based lighting systems may include fixtures with one or more of rotatable LED light bars, integrated sensors, onboard intelligence to receive signals from the LED light bars and control the LED light bars, and a mesh network connectivity to other fixtures.
US08232743B2	Voltage converter and driving method for use in a backlight module A voltage converter for use in a backlight module stores energy of an input voltage using an inductor and outputs a plurality of output voltages accordingly. The charging path of the inductor is controlled according to the first output voltage so that the first output voltage can be stabilized. The discharging paths from the inductor to other output voltages are controlled according to the differences between other output voltages and the first output voltage so that other output voltages can also be stabilized.
US08232742B2	Method, apparatus and computer-readable media for controlling lighting devices The present invention is directed to method, system and computer-readable media for controlling lighting devices. In some embodiments, a method for controlling pulse width modulated lighting devices within a lighting apparatus comprising a plurality of sets of lighting devices is disclosed. The method includes setting a counter for a first set of the plurality of sets of lighting devices using a master counter and an activation duration for one or more other sets of the plurality of sets of lighting devices. The method further includes determining an activation time period within a duty cycle for the first set of lighting devices using the counter for the first set of lighting devices and an activation duration for the first set of lighting devices. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lighting devices are light emitting diodes grouped into sets (or banks) and controlled to limit the magnitude and/or quantity of instantaneous current fluctuations in a power supply within the lighting apparatus.
US08232738B2	Circuits and methods for driving light sources Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide circuits and methods for driving a light-emitting diode (LED) light source. In one embodiment, a printed circuit board (PCB) includes a bridge rectifier rectifying an AC voltage to a rectified AC voltage, an LED light source, and a first switch coupled to the LED light source in series controlling a current through the LED light source according to a predetermined current reference. The LED light source and the first switch coupled in series receive the rectified AC voltage while the first switch is controlled linearly. The circuit further includes a current path coupled in parallel with the LED light source and an illuminated switch coupled between the AC power source and the bridge rectifier.
US08232735B2	System and method for driving LED A system drives one or a plurality of LEDs, regulating their brightness by controlling the LEDs' average current or voltage. The system includes a switching power converter and an integrated digital regulator with at least one of electrical, thermal, and optical feedbacks. The regulator is constructed as a hysteretic peak current mode controller for continuous mode of operation of the power converter. For a discontinuous mode of operation of the power converter, a pulse averaging sliding mode control is used. Average LED current is measured by integrating LED pulse current at off time and hysteretically adjusting on time of the power switch. An input battery is protected from discharging at abnormally low impedance of the output.
US08232733B2	Hybrid light source A hybrid light source comprises a high-efficiency lamp, for example, a fluorescent lamp, and a low-efficiency lamp, for example, a halogen lamp. A control circuit individually controls the amount of power delivered to each of the high-efficiency lamp and the low-efficiency lamp, such that a total light output of the hybrid light source ranges throughout a dimming range from a minimum total intensity to a maximum total intensity. The high-efficiency lamp is turned off and the low-efficiency lamp produces all of the total light intensity of the hybrid light source when the total light intensity is below a transition intensity. The low-efficiency lamp is controlled such that the correlated color temperature of the hybrid light source decreases as the total light intensity is decreased below the transition intensity. The hybrid light source is characterized by a low impedance throughout the dimming range.
US08232732B2	Light module for signaling A light module for signaling comprising an assembly module (1), defined by a body with any geometry and ordinarily in the form of a box (2), including a rear closing (3) and a frontal lens (4) and, between said parts, an electronic circuit (5) and a corresponding set of light emitting diodes (6), being said electronic circuit (5) constituted by the following blocks: a source (7) to regulate the feeding voltage of other blocks within five volts with low quiescent current; synchronism (8) for electrical conditioning if an eventual reference signal for foreign synchronism occurs; blinking sequence generator (9) with means to define the period of time during which the set of lights (6) is on and off. Additionally, this block has means to receive information from the synchronism block to define the moment when a new blinking sequence starts; said set of lights (6) is constituted by LEDs (light emitting diodes) controlled by the blinking sequence generator (9) and its consumption is controlled by means of the current source block (7); and current control (10) to keep the current from the LEDs as constant, no matter which variations of powering voltage of the circuit may occur.
US08232728B2	Method and device for igniting and generating an expanding diffuse microwave plasma and method and device for plasma treating surfaces and substances by using this plasma The invention relates to a method for igniting and generating an expanding diffuse microwave plasma and to a device for carrying out such a method. The method is particularly suited for generating microwave plasmas for the purpose of carrying out plasma treatment of surfaces and substances, particularly three-dimensional objects as well as particles under atmospheric pressure. The aim of the invention is to provide a method for igniting and generating these plasmas that is, particularly under normal and high pressure, easy and operationally safe as well as, in principle, carried out without a flow of gas. The invention also relates to a method and device for carrying out plasma treatment of surfaces and substances by means of such a plasma, which makes an effective plasma treatment possible due to its high stability with regard to plasma generation and maintenance, low gas consumption and a high plasma volume. To this end, a plasma ignition ensues inside a wave-bound hollow structure by means of microwave launching over a resonant igniting structure, a simultaneous impelling of the plasma through the resonant igniting structure, however, is not possible. The ignited plasma is supplied with energy via a surrounding microwave field so that an expanding diffuse plasma forms. A particular embodiment in a coaxial arrangement makes it possible to generate a plasma exiting the device for the purpose of carrying out mobile plasma treatment.
US08232719B2	Organic electroluminescence display device An organic electroluminescence display device is provided. The organic electroluminescence display device includes plural organic electroluminescence elements. Each organic electroluminescence element includes: a lower electrode; an insulating layer having an opening, in which a lower electrode is exposed at the bottom of the opening; an auxiliary wiring; a stacked structure provided from a portion over the lower electrode exposed at the bottom of the opening to a portion of the insulating layer surrounding the opening, including a light emitting layer made of an organic light-emitting material; and an upper electrode. At least one layer of the stacked structure partially contacts the auxiliary wiring. The insulating layer and the auxiliary wiring are provided in common to the plurality of organic EL elements. The upper electrode covers the whole surface of the stacked structures and the auxiliary wiring.
US08232716B2	Field emission cathode capable of amplifying electron beam and methods of controlling electron beam density Field emission devices (FEDs) are provided. In one embodiment, an FED includes an electron emitter, a tube spaced apart from the electron emitter and having a first opening and a second opening, and a gate electrode disposed on an outer surface of the tube. The first opening is disposed at one end of the tube adjacent to the electron emitter, and the second opening is disposed at the other end of the tube. The FED further includes an anode that is spaced apart from the second opening and collects secondary electrons emitted from the second opening.
US08232699B2	Magnetically levitating vehicle The magnetically levitating vehicle includes a frame, a control device, tire chambers, and tires. The frame includes a magnetic shield, a cabin, and an undercarriage. The control device includes a control stick and a mounting system. The control stick includes an accelerator, levitation, and brake button. The mounting system includes a horizontal piece, a vertical and base piece, and push button locks. The plurality of tire chambers includes a plurality of sensor and levitation electromagnet pairs, propulsion electromagnets and permanent propulsion magnets. The vertical piece and horizontal piece both include an inner and outer shaft, the latter of which includes a plurality of holes. The inner shell includes an orientation device, a plurality of permanent levitation magnets and sensor and propulsion electromagnet pairs, a plurality of permanent safety magnets, and an axle. The outer shell includes a tire tread.
US08232683B2	Relocatable power tap A system includes one or more constant “on” outlets, one or more controlled outlets, a two-part power supply, and accompanying circuitry. Other embodiments are also disclosed herein.
US08232679B2	Uninterruptible power supplies with converter operation conditioned upon static switch commutation and methods of operation thereof A UPS is operated by deasserting a static switch drive signal, e.g., a gate signal to a thyristor, and then delaying provision of power from a converter circuit of the UPS, e.g., an inverter or other source of AC power, until after the switch has current commutated to an off state. For example, expiration of a predetermined time interval following deassertion of the switch drive signal may be detected, and the converter circuit may be enabled to drive the output of the UPS responsive to the detected expiration of the predetermined time interval. Alternatively, a current in the static switch may be detected, and the converter circuit may be enabled to drive the output of the UPS responsive to the detected current. The invention may be embodied as methods and apparatus.
US08232668B2	Synchronization point detection method and power line communication apparatus A method for detecting a synchronization point of an alternating power in comparing the alternating waveform with a threshold voltage is provided. The method includes the steps of detecting a rising point at which the voltage of the alternating waveform changes from a level lower than the threshold voltage to a level equal to or higher than the threshold voltage; detecting a falling point at which the voltage of the alternating waveform changes from a level equal to or higher than the threshold voltage to a level lower than the threshold voltage; measuring a first interval from the rising point to the falling point subsequent to the rising point; measuring a second interval from the falling point to the rising point subsequent to the falling point; and determining the synchronization point based on a difference between the length of the first interval and the length of the second interval.
US08232661B2	System and method for generating and storing clean energy The system for generating and storing clean energy includes a flexible body externally exposed to an intermittent localized pressure. A pair of one-way check valves couple to the flexible body. A first valve is configured to facilitate unidirectional fluid flow into the flexible body and a second valve configured to facilitate unidirectional fluid flow out from the flexible body. A substantially rigid and planar base is positioned between the flexible body and the intermittent localized pressure so that pressure point peristaltic expansion and compression cycles along a portion of the flexible body cause positive fluid displacement into and out from the flexible body. An energy generation system in fluid communication with the flexible body is configured to generate electrical energy from pressurized fluid resultant from the peristaltic expansion and compression cycles.
US08232659B2	Three dimensional IC device and alignment methods of IC device substrates Alignment methods of IC device substrates. A first IC device substrate has a first front side for defining a plurality of first IC features, a first backside opposite the first front side, and a first alignment pattern formed on the first front side or the first backside. A second IC device substrate has a second front side for defining a plurality of second IC features, a second backside opposite the second front side, and a second alignment pattern formed on the second front side or the second backside. A first optical detector and a second optical detector are applied to detect the first and second alignment patterns, so as to align the first and second IC device substrates. Specifically, the first and second alignment patterns face toward the first and second optical detectors in opposite directions.
US08232649B2	Structure for interconnect structure containing various capping materials for electrical fuse and other related applications A design structure is provided for interconnect structures containing various capping materials for electrical fuses and other related applications. The structure includes a first interconnect structure having a first interfacial structure and a second interconnect structure adjacent to the first structure. The second interconnect structure has second interfacial structure different from the first interfacial structure.
US08232647B2	Structure and process for metallization in high aspect ratio features A high aspect ratio metallization structure is provided in which a noble metal-containing material is present at least within a lower portion of a contact opening located in a dielectric material and is in direct contact with a metal semiconductor alloy located on an upper surface of a material stack of at least one semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the noble metal-containing material is plug located within the lower region of the contact opening and an upper region of the contact opening includes a conductive metal-containing material. The conductive metal-containing material is separated from plug of noble metal-containing material by a bottom walled portion of a U-shaped diffusion barrier. In another embodiment, the noble metal-containing material is present throughout the entire contact opening.
US08232627B2	Integrated circuit device with series-connected field effect transistors and integrated voltage equalization and method of forming the device Disclosed is an integrated circuit device having series-connected planar or non-planar field effect transistors (FETs) with integrated voltage equalization and a method of forming the device. The series-connected FETs comprise gates positioned along a semiconductor body to define the channel regions for the series-connected FETs. Source/drain regions are located within the semiconductor body on opposing sides of the channel regions such that each portion of the semiconductor body between adjacent gates comprises one source/drain region for one field effect transistor abutting another source/drain region for another field effect transistor. Integrated voltage equalization is achieved through a conformal conductive layer having a desired resistance and positioned over the series-connected FETs such that it is electrically isolated from the gates, but in contact with the source/drain regions within the semiconductor body.
US08232621B2	Semiconductor device When letters are written with a ballpoint pen, pen pressure is greater than or equal to 10 MPa. The IC tag embedded in the paper base material is required to withstand such pen pressure. An integrated circuit including a functional circuit which transmits and receive, performs arithmetic of, and stores information is thinned, and also, when the integrated circuit and a structural body provided with an antenna or a wiring are attached, a second structural body formed of ceramics or the like is also attached to at the same time. When the second structural body formed of ceramics or the like is used, resistance to pressing pressure or bending stress applied externally can be realized. Further, a part of passive elements included in the integrated circuit can be transferred to the second structural body, which leads to reduction in area of the semiconductor device.
US08232620B2	Electronic fuses in semiconductor integrated circuits A structure. The structure includes: a substrate; a first electrode in the substrate; a dielectric layer on top of the substrate and the electrode; a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer, said second dielectric layer comprising a second dielectric material; a fuse element buried in the first dielectric layer, wherein the fuse element (i) physically separates, (ii) is in direct physical contact with both, and (iii) is sandwiched between a first region and a second region of the dielectric layer; and a second electrode on top of the fuse element, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are electrically coupled to each other through the fuse element.
US08232617B2	Flexible lateral pin diodes and three-dimensional arrays and imaging devices made therefrom Flexible lateral p-i-n (“PIN”) diodes, arrays of flexible PIN diodes and imaging devices incorporating arrays of PIN diodes are provided. The flexible lateral PIN diodes are fabricated from thin, flexible layers of single-crystalline semiconductor. A plurality of the PIN diodes can be patterned into a single semiconductor layer to provide a flexible photodetector array that can be formed into a three-dimensional imaging device.
US08232616B2	Solid-state imaging device and process of making solid state imaging device A solid state imaging device includes an array of pixels, each of the pixels includes: a pixel electrode; an organic layer; a counter electrode; a sealing layer; a color filter; and a readout circuit as defined herein, the photoelectric layer contains an organic p type semiconductor and an organic n type semiconductor, an ionization potential of the charge blocking layer and an electron affinity of the organic n type semiconductor in the photoelectric layer have a difference of at least 1 eV, and the solid-state imaging device further includes a transparent partition wall between adjacent color filters of adjacent pixels of the array of pixels, the partition wall being made from a transparent material having a lower refractive index than a material forming the color filters.
US08232613B2	Germanium silicide layer including vanadium, platinum, and nickel Example embodiments relate to a method of forming a germanium (Ge) silicide layer, a semiconductor device including the Ge silicide layer, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. A method of forming a Ge silicide layer according to example embodiments may include forming a metal layer including vanadium (V) on a silicon germanium (SiGe) layer. The metal layer may have a multiple-layer structure and may further include at least one of platinum (Pt) and nickel (Ni). The metal layer may be annealed to form the germanium silicide layer. The annealing may be performed using a laser spike annealing (LSA) method.
US08232612B2	Semiconductor transistors having high-K gate dielectric layers, metal gate electrode regions, and low fringing capacitances A semiconductor structure. The structure includes (i) a semiconductor substrate which includes a channel region, (ii) first and second source/drain regions on the semiconductor substrate, (iii) a gate dielectric region, and (iv) a gate electrode region, (v) a plurality of interconnect layers on the gate electrode region, and (vi) first and second spaces. The gate dielectric region is disposed between and in direct physical contact with the channel region and the gate electrode region. The gate electrode region is disposed between and in direct physical contact with the gate dielectric region and the interconnect layers. The first and second spaces are in direct physical contact with the gate electrode region. The first space is disposed between the first source/drain region and the gate electrode region. The second space is disposed between the second source/drain region and the gate electrode region.
US08232610B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same In a power MISFET having a trench gate structure with a dummy gate electrode, a technique is provided for improving the performance of the power MISFET, while preventing electrostatic breakdown of a gate insulating film therein. A power MISFET having a trench gate structure with a dummy gate electrode, and a protective diode are formed on the same semiconductor substrate. The protective diode is provided between a source electrode and a gate interconnection. In a manufacturing method of such a semiconductor device, a polycrystalline silicon film for the dummy gate electrode and a polycrystalline silicon film for the protective diode are formed simultaneously. A source region of the power MISFET and an n+-type semiconductor region of the protective diode are formed in the same step.
US08232604B2	Transistor with high-k dielectric sidewall spacer A transistor is provided that includes a silicon layer including a source region and a drain region, a gate stack disposed on the silicon layer between the source region and the drain region, and a sidewall spacer disposed on sidewalls of the gate stack. The gate stack includes a first layer of high dielectric constant material, a second layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, and a third layer comprising silicon or polysilicon. The sidewall spacer includes a high dielectric constant material and covers the sidewalls of at least the second and third layers of the gate stack. Also provided is a method for fabricating such a transistor.
US08232600B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a well 35 of a first conductivity type formed on a substrate 37; a first external terminal 10, a second external terminal 11, and a third external terminal 12 provided above the substrate 37; a first protection circuit 20 provided on an electrical path between the first external terminal 10 and the second external terminal 11; a second protection circuit 21 provided on an electrical path between the second external terminal 11 and the third external terminal 12; and a third protection circuit 22 provided on an electrical path between the third external terminal 12 and the first external terminal 10. A guard ring 40 is formed continuously in the well to surround at least two circuits among the first, second, and third protection circuits 20, 21, and 22, formed on the well 35.
US08232594B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device includes an isolation layer formed on and/or over a semiconductor substrate to define an isolation layer, a drift area formed in an active area separated by the isolation layer, a pad nitride layer pattern formed in a form of a plate on the drift area, and a gate electrode having step difference between lateral sides thereof due to the pad nitride layer pattern.
US08232593B2	Power semiconductor device A power semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first semiconductor layer of a first or second conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type formed on the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type selectively formed on a surface of the second semiconductor layer, at least one trench formed in a periphery of the third semiconductor layer on the surface of the second semiconductor layer, a depth of a bottom surface of the at least one trench being deeper than a bottom surface of the third semiconductor layer, and shallower than a top surface of the first semiconductor layer, and some or all of the at least one trench being in contact with a side surface of the third semiconductor layer, at least one insulator buried in the at least one trench, a first main electrode electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer, and a second main electrode electrically connected to the third semiconductor layer.
US08232590B2	Nonvolatile memory devices Provided is a nonvolatile memory device. The nonvolatile memory device includes: a tunnel insulation layer on a semiconductor substrate; a floating gate electrode including a bottom gate electrode doped with carbon and contacting the tunnel insulation layer and a top gate electrode on the bottom gate electrode; a gate interlayer insulation layer on the floating gate electrode; and a control gate electrode on the gate interlayer insulation layer.
US08232589B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit device with reduced leakage current The gate tunnel leakage current is increased in the up-to-date process, so that it is necessary to reduce the gate tunnel leakage current in the LSI which is driven by a battery for use in a cellular phone and which needs to be in a standby mode at a low leakage current. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, the ground source electrode lines of logic and memory circuits are kept at a ground potential in an active mode, and are kept at a voltage higher than the ground potential in an unselected standby mode. The gate tunnel leakage current can be reduced without destroying data.
US08232576B1	Semiconductor chip assembly with post/base heat spreader and ceramic block in post A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor device, a heat spreader, a conductive trace and an adhesive. The heat spreader includes a post, a base and a ceramic block. The post extends upwardly from the base into an opening in the adhesive, the base extends laterally from the post and the ceramic block is embedded in the post. The semiconductor device overlaps the ceramic block, is electrically connected to the conductive trace and is thermally connected to the ceramic block. The adhesive extends between the post and the conductive trace and between the base and the conductive trace. The conductive trace provides signal routing between a pad and a terminal.
US08232570B2	Semiconductor light emitting device having conductive substrate Provided are a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises a p-type substrate, a p-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and an n-type semiconductor layer. The p-type semiconductor layer is formed on the p-type substrate. The active layer is formed on the p-type semiconductor layer. The n-type semiconductor layer is formed on the active layer.
US08232561B2	Nanotube enabled, gate-voltage controlled light emitting diodes Embodiments of the invention relate to vertical field effect transistor that is a light emitting transistor. The light emitting transistor incorporates a gate electrode for providing a gate field, a first electrode comprising a dilute nanotube network for injecting a charge, a second electrode for injecting a complementary charge, and an electroluminescent semiconductor layer disposed intermediate the nanotube network and the electron injecting layer. The charge injection is modulated by the gate field. The holes and electrons, combine to form photons, thereby causing the electroluminescent semiconductor layer to emit visible light. In other embodiments of the invention a vertical field effect transistor that employs an electrode comprising a conductive material with a low density of states such that the transistors contact barrier modulation comprises barrier height lowering of the Schottky contact between the electrode with a low density of states and the adjacent semiconductor by a Fermi level shift.
US08232560B2	Light-emitting diode in semiconductor material A light-emitting diode including: a structure in a semiconductor material of first conductivity type, wherein the structure has a first face of which a first region is in contact with a pad of semiconductor material having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, and the diode further includes a first electric contact on the pad, a second electric contact-on the first face or on a second face of the structure, and a gate in electrically conductive material arranged on a second region of the first face and separated from the first face by an electrically insulating layer.
US08232555B2	Semiconductor device, and method for manufacturing thereof It is an object of the present invention to provide a device suitable for new usage by making use of a semiconductor device such as an RFID tag in terms of the capability to transmit and receive data without being contacted therewith, to decrease a burden on a user, and to improve convenience. A semiconductor device is provided to have an arithmetic processing circuit including a transistor, a conductive layer serving as an antenna, a detecting unit having a means for detecting physical quantity or chemical quantity, and a storage unit for storing data detected by the detecting unit, and to cover the arithmetic processing circuit, the conductive layer, the detecting unit, and the storage unit with a protective layer. In addition, diverse information can be monitored and controlled by providing such a semiconductor device for human beings, animals and plants, or the like without being contacted therewith.
US08232552B2	Noncrystalline oxide semiconductor thin film, process for producing the noncrystalline oxide semiconductor thin film, process for producing thin-film transistor, field-effect-transistor, light emitting device, display device, and sputtering target This invention provides an amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film, which is insoluble in a phosphoric acid-based etching solution and is soluble in an oxalic acid-based etching solution by optimizing the amounts of indium, tin, and zinc, a method of producing the amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film, etc. An image display device (1) comprises a glass substrate (10), a liquid crystal (40) as a light control element, a bottom gate-type thin film transistor (1) for driving the liquid crystal (40), a pixel electrode (30), and an opposing electrode (50). The amorphous oxide semiconductor thin film (2) in the bottom gate-type thin film transistor (1) has a carrier density of less than 10+18 cm−3, is insoluble in a phosphoric acid-based etching liquid, and is soluble in an oxalic acid-based etching liquid.
US08232543B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same with easy formation of a phase change film is realized, realizing high integration at the time of using a phase change film as a memory element.Between MISFET of the region which forms one memory cell, and MISFET which adjoined it, each source of MISFET adjoins in the front surface of a semiconductor substrate, insulating. And the multi-layer structure of a phase change film, and the electric conduction film of specific resistance lower than the specific resistance is formed in the plan view of the front surface of a semiconductor substrate ranging over each source of both MISFET, and a plug and a plug stacked on it. The multi-layer structure functions as a wiring extending and existing in parallel on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, and an electric conduction film sends the current of a parallel direction on the surface of a semiconductor substrate.
US08232540B2	Lithographic apparatus and substrate edge seal A method of helping to prevent liquid reaching under a substrate is disclosed that includes introducing a gas at a bottom edge of the substrate so that a buffer is created at the edge of the substrate, helping to keep immersion liquid that is present at the top and edge of the substrate away from the bottom surface of the substrate.
US08232538B2	Method and apparatus of halogen removal using optimal ozone and UV exposure A method and apparatus for removing halogen residue from a processed wafer is provided. A wafer is transferred into a processing tool where it is processed in a manner that leaves halogen residue on the wafer. The processed wafer is then moved into a degas chamber where it is treated with UV light and a gas mixture containing at least one of ozone and oxygen to remove the halogen residue. Once treated, the wafer is transferred into an isolation station where it is isolated from the unprocessed wafers for a period of time to allow any remaining residue to dissipate before it is returned to the cassette where it started.
US08232536B2	Particle beam irradiation system and method for controlling the particle beam irradiation system There is provided a particle beam irradiation system so as to provide the dose distribution having more accuracy. An irradiation control part comprises an energy setting controller that sets the energy of a charged particle beam, a beam scanning controller that controls a beam scanner, and a beam diameter changer to control a beam diameter changer, wherein the irradiation control part sets a beam diameter of the charged particle beam to be a first beam diameter by the beam diameter changer, the charged particle beam is scanned step-wise by the beam scanning controller so as to irradiate the charged particle beam on a predetermined region of the irradiation target, after that, the beam diameter of the charged particle beam is set by the beam diameter controller to be a second beam diameter that is different from the first beam diameter, and the charged particle beam is scanned step-wise by the beam scan controller so as to control the charged particle beam to irradiate on a region that is overlapped with at least a part of the predetermined part of the irradiation target.
US08232531B2	Corrosion barrier layer for photoconductive X-ray imagers Improved corrosion resistance for direct X-ray imaging detectors is obtained by providing a pixelated, electrically conductive barrier layer between the X-ray sensitive material and the pixel electrodes. Each barrier layer can cover part or all of its corresponding pixel electrode. In cases where pixel electrodes makes contact to underlying circuitry through vertical vias, it is preferred for the barrier layers to cover the via sections of the pixel electrodes. The barrier layers for each pixel electrode can be spaced apart from each other, or they can all be included within a continuous film on top of the pixel electrodes. Such a continuous film can be pixelated by spatially modulating its properties (e.g., thickness, doping) to significantly reduce lateral conductivity from pixel to pixel.
US08232527B2	Image generation method and device for emission computed tomography A first γ-ray generating in a body, caused by a PET pharmaceutical, and a second γ-ray emitted from a γ-ray source and transmitting through the body are detected with a radiation detector. The emission image information (E image information), E0, E1 and E2, at each of patient motion phases, 0, 1 and 2, which divided a respiration period, are prepared by using information obtained from the detected first γ-ray. The transmission image information (T image information), T0, T1 and T2, at each of patient motion phases, 0, 1 and 2, respectively, are prepared, by using information obtained from the detected second γ-ray. Relative displacements, ([F10], [F20]), are determined by superimposing, on T image information T0, other T image information, T1 and T2. The E image information, E1, E2, are superimposed on the E image information E0, by using this relative displacement.
US08232521B2	Device and method for analyzing a sample Embodiments of the invention relate to a device for analyzing a sample surface Comprising an outlet and a frame. The outlet is for forming a jet of gas, the jet forming a sampling region for receiving one or more sample surfaces, and the frame holding the outlet and being adapted to receive a detector means. The detector means has an inlet. In use, the jet produces desorbed sample from sample surfaces received in the sample area. At least a portion of the desorbed sample is ionized to produce one or more sample ions. The frame holds the outlet with respect to the sample ions and produce a signal indicative of the composition of the sample ions.
US08232514B2	Method using a switch and memory to count events A pulse data recorder system and method are provided. Upon the arrival or occurrence of an event or signal, the state of a digital switch is set. Upon receiving a pulse from a readout clock, the state of the switch is stored in a buffer memory, and the state of the switch is reset. As the readout clock is run, a time history of the state of the switch is obtained. The pulse data recorder can feature a plurality of unit cells, for use in imaging or other multiple pixel applications.
US08232507B2	Operating device for an electric appliance such as a hob and arrangement thereof An operating device for an electric hob comprises a plurality of touch pads as touch points, in which operation takes place by applying a finger to specific defined touch points. The touch pads may be in themselves structurally movable separately of the electric hob or the operating device. The touch pads comprise individual coding circuits which can be accomplished by way of modulation of an electromagnetic field. The operating device has an electrode surface for attachment next to the electric appliance, on which the touch pads are arranged. Capacitive coupling is formed between the touch pads and the electrode surface. The operating device comprises a drive and evaluation device connected to the electrode surface both for detecting touching of a touch pad in general and for detecting and differentiating between touching of a specific touch pad and touching of another touch pad as indicated by the individual coding circuit.
US08232495B2	Power button assembly and electronic device using the same A power button assembly includes a printed circuit board having terminals and a dome for trigging the terminals, a support base fixed on the printed circuit board, and a push button positioned between the printed circuit board and the support base. The push button is capable of moving along a first axis relative to the support base. One of the push button and the support base includes a guiding groove, and the other includes a guiding element slidably received in the guiding groove.
US08232492B1	Electronically balanced illuminated panel A keypanel assembly includes a light-emitting diode (LED) attached to a substrate. A switch is attached to the substrate. A control button is configured to actuate the switch. The control button permits light from the LED to pass through the control button to an outer surface of the control button to illuminate control symbology disposed thereon. An isolating structure ensures light emitted by the LED only illuminates the control symbology on the control button.
US08232491B2	Movable contact element and switch using the same A movable contact point made of a thin conductive metal sheet in an approximate dome shape is attached to the lower surface of a transparent base sheet, and the base sheet is provided at the upper or the lower surface with a fluorescent layer in the location above the movable contact point. Since, in the make-up, light can be made available for illumination in many colors other than that generated from a light emitting device, a movable contact element, as well as a switch formed using the contact element, that offers various illuminating modes can be implemented in a simple structure.
US08232489B2	Switching device installable according to different operating configurations A switching device, in particular an automatic switch, a disconnecting switch or a contactor, installable according to different operating configurations and preferably for use in low voltage systems. The device comprises a case containing at least a pair of contacts, one or more accessory devices for controlling and/or setting the operation of the switching device and user interface means, capable of performing output and/or input functions relative to the accessory devices. These interface means comprise at least a display which shows information relative to the output and/or input functions according to a viewing direction. The switching device also comprises means to select the viewing direction which are operatively connected to the display. These selection means allow selection of the viewing direction on the display as a function of the installation configuration of the switching device.
US08232488B2	Operating mechanism for a switching device An operating mechanism, for a switch of a switching device disposed in a control cabinet having a door, includes a locking device having a locking element movable between a release position and a locking position. A spring device is configured to bias the locking element toward the release position. A force-transmitting member is operatively coupled to a resilient control member of the door, the force-transmitting member being configured to actuate the locking element.
US08232482B2	Method and apparatus for finished installation of electrical outlet box without use of external cover plate An electrical outlet box installation in which there is no exposed cover plate, only the operative portion of the electrical component is visible at the wall surface. The operative portion of the component may be an electrical outlet, jack, switch, knob, or light, for example. The body of the electrical component is housed within the outlet box, also referred to as a junction box, with the open side of the outlet box being covered by a plate assembly having an opening that closely surrounds the operative portion of the component. The surface of the plate assembly is covered with wallboard mud, or other wall finishing material, which is blended into the surrounding surface of the wall so that only the operative portion of the component is exposed. The wall covering may also be panelling, stone, tile or similar materials.
US08232478B2	Electromagnetic interference noise reduction board using electromagnetic bandgap structure An EMI noise reduction board using an electromagnetic bandgap structure is disclosed. In the EMI noise reduction board according to an embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnetic bandgap structure having band stop frequency properties can be inserted into an inner portion of the board so as to shield an EMI noise, in which the portion corresponds to an edge of the board and in which the EMI noise is conducted from the inside to the edge of the board and radiates to the outside of the board.
US08232477B2	Curable resin composition, halogen-free resin substrate, and halogen-free build-up printed wiring board In a curable resin composition containing an inorganic filler, the average particle diameter of the inorganic filler is 1 μm or less and the content of the inorganic filler is 50 wt % or less. The curable resin composition can be preferably used for a halogen-free resin substrate and the like having a small load on an environment as a hole-plugging curable resin composition as well as used to provide a hole-plugging build-up printed wiring board having a via-on-via structure (in particular, a stacked via structure) having an excellent crack-resistant property, an excellent insulation/connection reliability, and the like.
US08232475B2	Nano-hole array in conductor element for improving the contact conductance A nano-hole array for improving contact conductance of a conductor element that consists of a first layer and a second layer is provided. The nano-hole array formed between the first and second layers comprises a plurality of holes. The contact conductance of the conductor element is enhanced by reducing the hole size of the hole array, increasing the occupation rate of the hole array, and performing thermal annealing.
US08232474B2	Apparatuses, systems, and methods for inhibiting the removal of cable from conduit Apparatuses, systems, and methods for securing one or more wires or cables relative to a conduit, for example, an underground conduit, an above ground conduit, or a conduit disposed in a building. The inhibiting device can hinder or prevent the removal of such wires or cables from the conduit by compressing the wires or cables between a clamp and a portion of the inhibiting device and/or conduit at a location that is not co-axial with a central axis of the conduit. As a result, a resistive frictional load is applied to the wires or cables which has a vector generally parallel and opposite to a removal force and a vector generally perpendicular to the removal force. In some embodiments, the inhibiting device can include a bolt, fabric, nylon, polymer, or compression type clamp. In some embodiments, a system can include a plurality of clamps which are transversely and axially separated.
US08232470B2	Dilute Group III-V nitride intermediate band solar cells with contact blocking layers An intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) is provided including a p-n junction based on dilute III-V nitride materials and a pair of contact blocking layers positioned on opposite surfaces of the p-n junction for electrically isolating the intermediate band of the p-n junction by blocking the charge transport in the intermediate band without affecting the electron and hole collection efficiency of the p-n junction, thereby increasing open circuit voltage (VOC) of the IBSC and increasing the photocurrent by utilizing the intermediate band to absorb photons with energy below the band gap of the absorber layers of the IBSC. Hence, the overall power conversion efficiency of a IBSC will be much higher than an conventional single junction solar cell. The p-n junction absorber layers of the IBSC may further have compositionally graded nitrogen concentrations to provide an electric field for more efficient charge collection.
US08232464B1	Maize variety hybrid 10094720 A novel maize variety designated 10094720 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety 10094720 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into 10094720 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety 10094720, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety 10094720. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety 10094720.
US08232457B1	Soybean cultivar 05JR210865 The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 05JR210865 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 05JR210865 and its progeny, and methods of making 05JR210865.
US08232455B2	Polynucleotides encoding canola DHS and antisense polynucleotides thereof The present invention relates to unique isoforms of eukaryotic initiation Factor 5A (“eIF-5A”): senescence-induced eIF-5A; wounding-induced eIF-5A; and growth eIF-5A, as well as polynucleotides that encode these three factors. The present invention also relates to methods involving modulating the expression of these factors. The present invention also relates to deoxyhypusine synthase (“DHS”), polynucleotides that encode DHS, and methods involving modulating the expression of DHS.
US08232454B2	Gene-transfer vector comprising helper-component protease gene of papaya ringspot virus for broad-spectrum virus resistance in crops and use thereof Provided is a recombinant plasmid having a control sequence and a coding sequence fragment of Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) helper-component protease gene (HC-Pro gene) operably linked to the control sequence. A recombinant microorganism derived therefrom is also provided. A method for providing plants with resistance against virus is also provided. Use of PRSV HC-Pro gene or fragment thereof in generating plants with resistance against virus is also provided. It is proven that the PRSV HC-Pro transgenic plants can solve the problem resulting from breakdown by gene silencing suppression and provide broad-spectrum resistance to various PRSV strains of different geographical origins.
US08232450B1	Purple transgenic fluorescent ornamental fish The present invention relates to the method and use of fluorescent proteins in making purple transgenic fluorescent fish. Also disclosed are methods of establishing a population of such transgenic fish and methods of providing them to the ornamental fish industry for the purpose of marketing. Thus, new varieties of ornamental fish of different fluorescence colors from a novel source are developed.
US08232445B2	Absorbent article comprising condensed tannin An absorbent article comprising a condensed tannin. The condensed tannin is extracted from a plant family which is selected from the group consisting of Ebenacea, Mimosoideae, Apiaceae, Pinaceae, Rosaceae, Fagaceae, and mixtures thereof.
US08232431B2	Specific branched surfactants and consumer products A surfactant composition comprising one or more surfactant derivatives of isomers of acyclic detergent alcohol having 11, 16, or 21 carbon atoms and two, three, four or five methyl or ethyl branches or mixtures thereof wherein the surfactant derivatives are selected from the group consisting of cationic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, amine oxide surfactants, alkylpolyglycoside surfactants, soaps, fatty acids, di-long-chain alkyl cationic surfactants and mixtures.
US08232424B2	Method for the use of [11C]carbon monoxide in labeling synthesis of 11C-labelled acids by photo-induced free radical carbonylation under mild conditions using sulfoxides Methods and reagents for photo-initiated carbonylation with carbon-isotope labeled carbon monoxide using alkyl/aryl iodides with sulfoxides and triethylamine are provided. The resultant carbon-isotope labeled acids, and pharmaceutical acceptable salts and solvates are useful as radiopharmaceuticals, especially for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Associated kits and method for PET studies are also provided.
US08232421B2	Bifunctional phenyl ISO (THIO) cyanates, processes and intermediates for their preparation A process for preparing phenyl iso(thio)cyanates of the formula I in which a compound of the formula II or its HCl adduct is reacted with a phosgenating agent where W is oxygen or sulfur and Ar and A are as defined in claim 1 is described. Moreover, the invention relates to the use of the phenyl iso(thio)cyanates for preparing crop protection agents.
US08232417B1	Artemisinin derivatives with natural amino acids, peptides, and amino sugars for skin imperfections and infection in mammals The present invention discloses certain derivatives of artemisinin and the active principles contained in Artemisia annua extracts with amino acids, peptides, and amino sugars and salts thereof (formula I). The compounds of the present invention possess wide-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal biological activity suitable for topical or oral application for the treatment of infections and topical ailments in mammals, including acne, rosacea, topical wounds, infections, dandruff, skin disfigurements caused by infection, skin discoloration, age spots, wrinkles, excess facial oil, and veterinary problems including canine infections;
US08232415B2	Flow reactors for chemical conversions with heterogeneous catalysts Improved apparatus for use in process systems which include exothermic chemical conversions of organic compounds to value added products is disclosed, more particularly, flow reactors for exothermic chemical conversions using a fixed heterogeneous catalyst with means for control of the exotherm. Flow reactors of the invention comprise a plurality of walled conduits each having an outer surface disposed for contact with a heat-transfer medium, an inlet distribution manifold adapted for flow communication with a downstream manifold through channels formed by heterogeneous catalytic material disposed within each conduit during operation in a sequence of zones for catalyst having the same or different length along the longitudinal coordinate of the conduit and within each zone essentially uniform cross-section of the conduit measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal coordinate thereby defining volume of the zone, and the sequence of zones comprising of at least two zones such that each downstream zone has a larger or smaller cross-section than the contiguous upstream zone. Another aspect of the invention includes processes which use such flow reactors, for example the continuous manufacture of maleic anhydride.
US08232405B2	Benzylpiperizine compound Disclosed is a benzylpiperizine compound represented by formula (1) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, which is useful as a medicinal agent such as an antidepressant agent. (In the formula (1), R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R2 is a group bound in a p- or m-position relative to a methylene group and represents a chlorine atom bound in a p-position, a bromine atom bound in a p-position, a methyl group bound in a p-position, a chlorine atom bound in a m-position or a bromine atom bound to in a m-position; X represents a methylene or an oxygen atom; and n represents an integer of 1 to 3.)
US08232400B2	Preparation of 3,4-dihydroisoquinolines in the synthesis of morphinans The present invention is directed to processes for the synthesis of morphinans. In particular, a process for coupling a carboxylic acid compound with an amine compound to form an amide product that can then be isolated or the crude amide product can be cyclized to form a 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline. In one embodiment, the carboxylic acid contains a phenol moiety protected with a labile protecting group. The protected phenol reduces reaction times, simplifies work-up of the product, and reduces the amount of cyclizing agent, POCl3 that is necessary to form the 3,4-dihydroisoquinoline.
US08232391B2	Bicyclic pyrazole compounds as antibacterial agents Antibacterial compounds, compositions containing them, and methods of use for the inhibition of bacterial activity and the treatment, prevention or inhibition of bacterial infection.
US08232388B2	Granulated maltitol for direct compression and method of preparation thereof The invention relates to a granulated maltitol of concentration greater than or equal to 97%, preferably between 98 and 99%, characterized in that it has a water content less than 1%, preferably less than 0.5%, more preferably less than or equal to 0.4%, a compressibility greater than or equal to 300 N, preferably between 300 and 500 N, and a hygroscopicity less than or equal to 2.5%, preferably between 0.15 and 2.5%.
US08232367B2	Polymer compounds and a preparation method thereof Disclosed herein are polymer compounds and a method for preparing thereof. More specifically, provided are polymer compounds with well-connected, narrow size distribution free-volume element and a method for preparing the polymer compounds by thermal rearrangement for aromatic polyimides containing ortho-positioned functional groups in the solid state.
US08232363B2	Silicone containing polymeric materials A polymeric material with a variable modulus of elasticity is described herein. The polymeric material described herein is useful for forming implantable medical devices (e.g. ophthalmic lenses, breast implants, and body augmentation devices). In addition, medical devices formed from the polymer material can be used to controllably release a therapeutic agent. Also, the polymeric material may be used to prepare topical compositions or other applications or devices where control of a mechanical property such as material modulus is important.
US08232362B2	Preparation of amino-silane terminated polymer by using organic bismuth catalyst and cured polymer therefrom by using non-tin catalyst The present invention relates to a process for preparing silylated isocyanato-terminated polyurethane prepolymer which have increased stability toward atmospheric moisture, in the presence of at least one catalyst selected from the group consisting of bismuth and zinc compounds.
US08232361B2	Optical pressure-sensitive adhesive, pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film, image display, and method for separating pressure-sensitive adhesive optical film An optical pressure-sensitive adhesive of the invention comprises a base polymer having a functional group (F); and a coupling agent that has a benzyl ester group and is represented by Formula (1): wherein A1 and A2 are different functional groups, one of A1 and A2 shows reactivity or interaction with the functional group (F) of the base polymer, R1 is an optionally substituted alkylene group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms and/or an optionally substituted phenylene group, and R2 and R3 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms and may be the same or different. The pressure-sensitive adhesive is use in pressure-sensitive adhesive optical films and so on that is excellent in terms of both durability and release property.
US08232360B2	Stereoregular ROMP polymers The invention relates to stereoregular ROMP polymers, the monomers used to make them, and the processes used to convert the monomers to the polymers.
US08232338B2	Rubber composition having a very low zinc content A rubber composition based on at least one diene elastomer, containing less than 2 phr of zinc, phr meaning parts per hundred parts of rubber (elastomer), and based on at least one reinforcing filler and one sulphur-based crosslinking system, comprising a zinc carboxylate of formula: (RCOO)2Zn, in which R represents a hydrocarbon group chosen from cyclic or non-cyclic, linear or branched alkyl groups having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, aryl groups, aralkyl groups or alkaryl groups having 1 to 16 carbon atoms. Also disclosed is a process for preparing such a rubber composition which is suitable for manufacturing tires or semi-finished products made of rubber intended for these tires.
US08232330B2	Nonaqueous ink, image-recording method, image-recording apparatus and recorded article A nonaqueous ink, having: colorant particles, the colorant particles having an average particle diameter of 1 nm or more and less than 50 nm, and the value (D90-D10) of being 100 nm or less, a dispersant; and a radical-polymerization compound; wherein D90-D10 is a value obtained by subtracting D10 from D90; D90 and D10 represent respectively the particle diameters at cumulative colorant particle numbers of 0.9 (90 number %) and 0.1 (10 number %) in an integral value of the distribution function dG=F(D)dD; and G represents the number of the pigment particles; and D represents the diameter of the particles.
US08232328B2	Color filter ink, color filter, image display device, and electronic device A color filter ink according to the first aspect is adapted to be used to manufacture a color filter by an inkjet method, the color filter ink comprising. The color filter ink includes a pigment, a solvent, a dispersing agent and a curable resin material. The dispersing agent includes an acid-value dispersing agent with a predetermined acid value and an amine-value dispersing agent with a predetermined amine value. The curable resin material includes a first polymer and a second polymer. The first polymer includes at least a first epoxy-containing vinyl monomer as a monomer component. The second polymer includes at least an alkoxysilyl-containing vinyl monomer represented by a prescribed chemical formula as a monomer component.
US08232327B2	Tetra calcium phosphate based organophosphorus compositions and methods Compositions and methods of their use to adhere a variety of materials together are disclosed herein. The compositions include at least tetra calcium phosphate, an effective amount of a compound that is structurally similar to phosphoserine, and can be mixed with an aqueous solution. The compositions provide adhesive and cohesive strength in both wet and dry environments and exhibit significant bond strength upon curing.
US08232308B2	Methods for treating a disease in which Rho kinase is involved A method for treating a disease in which Rho kinase is involved. The method is carried out by administering to a patient in need thereof a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound of the following formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein the ring X is a benzene ring or a pyridine ring; R1 and R2 are hydrogen or alkyl or together form a cycloalkene ring; R3 is hydrogen, substituted alkyl, unsubstituted alkenyl, carboxyl or an ester or an amide thereof, amino or a cyano; R4 is hydrogen, hydroxyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, unsubstituted alkenyloxy, unsubstituted cycloalkyloxy substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, unsubstituted alkenyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, amino, substituted or unsubstituted alkylamino, nitro, cyano or a monocyclic heterocycle; and R5 is a halogen atom or a hydrogen atom.
US08232305B2	Anti-microbial compositions Anti-microbial compositions comprising certain imidazolium ionic liquids and non-ionic or anionic surfactants and methods of using said compositions in the preservation of personal care and cosmetic applications are provided.
US08232294B2	Amino ester derivatives, sailts thereof and methods of use The present invention provides amino ester compounds, salts, and pharmaceutical formulations thereof useful in modulating the protein tyrosine kinase activity, and in modulating inter- and/or intra-cellular signaling. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising such compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of hyperproliferative disorders in mammals, especially humans.
US08232279B2	Pyrazolopyrimidine derivatives having biological activity on serotonin receptor 5-HT2c The present invention relates to a novel medicinal use of pyrazolopyrimidine compounds having superior effect as serotonin 5-HT2C receptor ligand thus being useful for the prevention and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Accordingly, the pharmaceutical composition comprising pyrazolopyrimidine compounds and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts as active ingredients are useful for the prevention and treatment of serotonin 5-HT2C-related central nervous system diseases such as obesity, depression, anxiety and withdrawal symptoms due to drug abuse.
US08232276B2	Anhydrous topical skin preparations The present invention provides anhydrous compositions for topical delivery of a medicament comprising (A) a penetration enhancer/solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohol, propylene glycol, or a combination thereof; (B) a humectant/solvent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol, or any combination of any of the foregoing; and (C) an anhydrous vehicle. In an alternate embodiment, the present invention provides anhydrous compositions for topical delivery of a medicament which comprise (A) a penetration enhancer/solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohol, propylene glycol, or a combination thereof; (B) a humectant/solvent selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, xylitol or any combination of any of the foregoing; (C) an anhydrous vehicle; and (D) a medicament. Also provided are methods for topically delivering a medicament to an animal, such as a mammal or a human patient, in need of the medicament by topically administering to the animal the compositions of the present invention.
US08232273B2	Heterocyclic compounds and methods of use In one aspect, the present invention provides for a compound of Formula I in which the variable X1a, X1b, X1c, X1d, Q, A, R1, B, L, E, and the subscripts m and n have the meanings as described herein. In another aspect, the present invention provides for pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula I as well as methods for using compounds of Formula I for the treatment of diseases and conditions (e.g., cancer, thrombocythemia, etc) characterized by the expression or over-expression of Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic proteins, e.g., of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL proteins.
US08232272B2	Benzimidazoledihydrothiadiazinone derivatives as fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase inhibitors, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising same The present invention relates to novel benzimidazole-dihydrothiadiazinone derivatives as fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase inhibitors, to processes for the preparation thereof and to the use thereof in therapy, especially for the treatment of diabetes.
US08232266B2	Use of manzamine compounds in anti-cancer therapeutic regimens Manzamine compounds have been discovered to decrease cell dissociation and cell migration associated with the metastatic potential of cancer cells and a restoration of cancer cell susceptibility to agents, such as TRAIL, which can induce apoptosis. Specifically, Manzamine A has a formerly unrecognized utility in both blocking tumor cell invasion and tumor metastasis as well in restoring cancer cell susceptibility to standard chemotherapeutic agents which induce apoptosis and, therefore, has utility in treating cancer.
US08232264B2	Compositions and methods for enhancing corticosteroid delivery The present invention comprises a composition, method of enhancing potency and method of delivering corticosteroids in a vehicle comprising at least two penetration enhancers, and solvents and emulsifiers. The propylene glycol and penetration enhancers are present in ratio to the total of the propylene glycol, penetration enhancers, and solvents and emulsifiers of at least about 0.70.
US08232261B2	Method of minimizing herbicidal injury The present invention provides a method of reducing phytotoxicity or plant injury at a crop plant locus caused by a herbicide application at the locus which method includes applying to the crop plant locus a chloronicotinyl insecticide before the herbicide application.
US08232256B2	Means for inhibiting the expression of protein kinase 3 The present invention is related to a nucleic acid molecule and uses thereof. The nucleic acid molecule comprises a double-stranded structure, whereby the double-stranded structure comprises a first strand and a second strand, whereby the first strand comprises a first stretch of contiguous nucleotides and said first stretch is at least partially complementary to a target nucleic acid, and whereby the second strand comprises a second stretch of contiguous nucleotides and said second stretch is at least partially complementary to the first stretch, whereby the first stretch comprises a nucleic acid sequence which is at least partially complementary to a nucleotide core sequence of the nucleic acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO:1 (NM_013355).
US08232254B2	Colchicine neoglycosides and methods for their synthesis and use Colchicine neoglycosides, method for their synthesis and methods for their use are disclosed. The invention provides analogs of colchicine glycosylated to include a sugar moiety on a colchicine scaffold that is generally unglycosylated in nature. The colchicine neoglycosides disclosed herein are shown to have cytotoxic effects equivalent to at least the known cytotoxins paclitaxel and doxorubicin. Further, the neoglycosides disclosed according to the invention have physiologic effects not previously recognized in the alkaloid family that includes colchicine but recognized in other cytotoxic drug families such as the taxanes which act by stabilizing tubulin formation.
US08232253B2	Treatment of lung cancer Disclosed are methods of treating lung cancer by administering to a human in need thereof effective amounts of FTS, or various analogs thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, optionally, in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent. Chemotherapeutic agents, and combinations thereof, for use with FTS, its analogs, or its salts are also disclosed.
US08232247B2	Methods of treating cancer, arthritis and/or diabetes with angiopoietins The present invention relates to Angiopoietin-3 (Ang-3) and Angiopoietin-4 (Ang-4). The present invention also relates to methods of modulating an activity of Ang-3 or Ang-4. The present invention further relates to methods of treating cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.

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