Document Document Title
US08352952B2 Systems and methods for facilitating virtualization of a heterogeneous processor pool
A system for facilitating virtualization of a heterogeneous processor pool includes a processor allocation component and a hypervisor, each executing on a host computer. The processor allocation component identifies a plurality of physical processors available for computing and determines a set of flags, each of the set of flags identifying a type of functionality provided by each of a subset of the plurality of physical processors. The hypervisor, in communication with the processor allocation component, allocates, to at least one virtual machine, access to one of the subset of the plurality of physical processors.
US08352951B2 Method and apparatus for utility-based dynamic resource allocation in a distributed computing system
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method for allocation of finite computational resources amongst multiple entities, wherein the method is structured to optimize the business value of an enterprise providing computational services. One embodiment of the inventive method involves establishing, for each entity, a service level utility indicative of how much business value is obtained for a given level of computational system performance. The service-level utility for each entity is transformed into a corresponding resource-level utility indicative of how much business value may be obtained for a given set or amount of resources allocated to the entity. The resource-level utilities for each entity are aggregated, and new resource allocations are determined and executed based upon the resource-level utility information. The invention is thereby capable of making rapid allocation decisions, according to time-varying need or value of the resources by each of the entities.
US08352949B1 Communication between integrated device and mobile application client on mobile personal communication device
Communication between an integrated device and a mobile application client on a mobile personal communication device involves a command generated using a mobile application client implemented by non-managed code. The command is received by an operating system, is socket based and conforms with a standard network communications protocol. The command is forwarded to an intermediate module implemented by code executed on the mobile personal communication device and configured for socket based communication according to the standard network communications protocol. After receiving the command, the intermediate module generates a command communication, for receipt by the peripheral device, according to a protocol specific to the peripheral device. The command communication instructing the peripheral device to perform an operation corresponding to the command. The operation is performed using the peripheral device upon receiving the command communication.
US08352948B2 Method to automatically ReDirect SRB routines to a zIIP eligible enclave
A Method to redirect SRB routines from otherwise non-zIIP eligible processes on an IBM z/OS series mainframe to a zIIP eligible enclave is disclosed. This redirection is achieved by intercepting otherwise blocked operations and allowing them to complete processing without errors imposed by the zIIP processor configuration. After appropriately intercepting and redirecting these blocked operations more processing may be performed on the more financially cost effective zIIP processor by users of mainframe computing environments.
US08352945B2 System, method, and apparatus for scan-sharing for business intelligence queries in an in-memory database
A computer-implemented method for scan sharing across multiple cores in a business intelligence (BI) query. The method includes receiving a plurality of BI queries, storing a block of data in a first cache, scanning the block of data in the first cache against a first batch of queries on a first processor core, and scanning the block of data against a second batch of queries on a second processor core. The first cache is associated with a first processor core. The block of data includes a subset of data stored in an in-memory database (IMDB). The first batch of queries includes two or more of the BI queries. The second batch of queries includes one or more of the BI queries that are not included in the first batch of queries.
US08352944B2 Selective descheduling of idling guests running on a host computer system
Guests, such as virtual machines, that are running on a host hardware platform are selectively descheduled when an idling condition is detected. An example of the idling condition is that the guest has been executing instructions in an idle loop for more than a threshold period. Guest instructions may be evaluated for the idling condition in conjunction with binary translation.
US08352938B2 System, method and program to migrate a virtual machine
A system, method and program product for migrating a first virtual machine from a first real computer to a second real computer or from a first LPAR to a second LPAR in a same real computer. Before migration, the first virtual machine comprises an operating system and an application in a first private memory private to the first virtual machine. A communication queue of the first virtual machine resides in a shared memory shared by the first and second computers or the first and second LPARs. The operating system and application are copied from the first private memory to the shared memory. The operating system and application are copied from the shared memory to a second private memory private to the first virtual machine in the second computer or second LPAR. Then, the first virtual machine is resumed in the second computer or second LPAR.
US08352937B2 Streaming an application install package into a virtual environment
A system and method for streaming an install package into a virtual environment. The system includes a server and a client. The server streams an install package to the client as a series of streamlets. The client starts an installer component in a suspended state outside the virtual environment. The client registers the installer component in the virtual environment and initiates execution of the installer component in the virtual environment to receive portions of the install package and install the received portions of the install package in the virtual environment. During package installation, a virtualization manager detects an attempt to execute a call to a file system and confines file system changes resulting from the call to the virtual environment in response to determining that the attempt was made by the installer component and the installer component is registered in the virtual environment.
US08352931B2 Data push service method and system using data pull model
A data push service method and system are provided. The service data push method includes: providing a device with data push information regarding service data to be pushed to at least one device; and pushing the service data to the device when receiving a data push service request from the at least one device. Accordingly, the server does not need to maintain and manage information of the at least one device.
US08352927B2 Computer method and apparatus for automating translation to a modeling language
Method and apparatus for automating translation of language specific constructs to UML (Unified Modeling Language) during wizard workflow. The invention provides an integration of UML mapping within the wizards that are available within integrated development environments (IDE's). As the user specifies the language specific details within a wizard, the appropriate corresponding UML element (depiction) is drawn and displayed within the wizard. This provides a user with an automated visual depiction of his work utilizing UML and yet allows him to work in the programming language of the wizard. Further, this allows the user to learn UML. Other modeling languages may be applied.
US08352926B2 Method and apparatus for a cross-platform translator from VB.net to java
A method and system for translating source code in one logically distinct object oriented language on one platform into another object oriented language on another platform. This includes the translation of the classes and statements in the original source. It also includes the creation of object oriented interfaces for all types and services used in the source code whose definitions are not provided. Once the source code classes are translated, a complete object oriented interface to the target platform is generated. Type inference analysis is performed on the input source code in order to infer types for undeclared services and to infer type hierarchies for undeclared types. Type inference analysis is utilized to generate object oriented interfaces for all types and services used in the source code whose definitions are not available. The method and system also have the capability of generating, on an as needed basis, specific bridge classes which support bridging the platform differences between the target and the source platform.
US08352925B2 Mechanism for enabling a set of code intended for a first platform to be executed on a second platform
A mechanism is disclosed for enabling a set of code intended to be executed on a first platform (intended platform) to be executed on another platform (target platform). In one implementation, this mechanism takes a significantly different approach than that taken by current techniques. Rather than duplicating, augmenting, or changing a platform to accommodate the set of code, this mechanism alters the set of code to accommodate the platform. By altering the set of code, the mechanism causes the set of code to compensate for the difference(s) between the intended platform and the target platform. By compensating for the difference(s) in the two platforms, the set of code, when executed on the target platform, is able to produce the same result or results as it would have produced had it been executed on the intended platform. Thus, the set of code is able to execute properly on the target platform.
US08352916B2 Facilitating the automated testing of daily builds of software
Automated testing of software builds having updated signature required modules, such as plug and play devices, is facilitated. A build (e.g., a daily build) of the software is performed, which includes one or more updated signature required modules. These modules are included within the build, even though the modules are unsigned. Automated testing is then performed against the daily builds.
US08352914B2 Impact analysis of software change requests
In one example, a system is provided to determine the impact of implementing a change request on a software program. The system may include an architecture model of the software program that includes components. Each of the components may have attributes that may be used by the system to determine a degree of effort to modify each respective one of the components. Components may be associated with keywords. The system may search the change request for the keywords to identify components that may be impacted by the change request. The system may determine the degree of effort to modify any impacted component based on the architecture model. The system may determine the overall impact on the software program based on the degree of effort determined for the impacted components.
US08352908B2 Multi-modal conversion tool for form-type applications
GUI form code comprising a set of GUI elements can be imported. A user interface description can be generated from the GUI form code that has an element corresponding to each GUI element. For each user interface element converted from a corresponding to one of the GUI elements, a user interface element type can be determined as can temporal associations between the user interface elements. A Conversation User Interface (CUI) code corresponding to the GUI form code can be created from the user interface description. When creating the CUI code for each of the user interface elements, different and rules to convert the user interface element into CUI code can be used depending on a user interface element type of the user interface element being converted. When creating the CUI code, the user interface elements can be temporally ordered based on the pre-determined spatio-temporal associations between the graphical user interface (GUI) elements.
US08352905B2 Application builder for industrial automation
A control system development platform is provided. The platform includes a shell component adapted to support development of a control systems application. An abstract model is associated with the shell component to facilitate development of the control systems applications.
US08352894B2 Verification techniques for liveness checking of logic designs
A technique for verification of a logic design using a liveness-to-safety conversion includes assigning liveness gates for liveness properties of a netlist and assigning a single loop gate to provide a loop signal for the liveness gates. Assertion of the single loop gate is prevented when none of the liveness gates are asserted. A first state of the netlist is sampled and the sampled first state provides an initial state for a first behavioral loop for at least one of the liveness gates following the assertion of the single loop gate. The sampled first state of the first behavioral loop is compared with a later state of the first behavioral loop to determine if the sampled first state is repeated. A liveness violation is returned when the sampled first state is repeated and an associated one of the liveness gates remains asserted for a duration of the first behavioral loop.
US08352892B2 Method, computer-readable storage medium, and apparatus for generating a mask data and fabricating process
The present invention provides a generation method that obtains a position at which an auxiliary pattern is to be placed and generates a mask pattern (its data), which achieves excellent imaging performance, even when a halftone mask is used as an original.
US08352876B2 Interactive electronic book operating systems and methods
Interactive electronic book operating systems and methods for displaying and allowing customization of content of scientific, engineering and other technical and professional digital books. The display screen can include icons for forward and backward page turning, generating of dynamic indexing and tables of contents, bookmarking, color themes, floating pages, highlighting, adding sticky notes, hiding selected content on the pages, quizzing the reader, lecturing the reader, tutoring the reader, showing the reader additional designs and practical relevance, and allowing the instructor to generate uniform seed numbers for problems and designs and/or allowing the instructor to generate random seed values for problems and designs.
US08352873B2 Media content and chat integration
In various embodiments, a method includes receiving a request to initiate recording of media content of an event. The method also includes controlling capturing of the media content by a capture machine in response to the received request. The method includes opening a chat session among one or more persons that are listeners or viewers of the event being captured, wherein the opening is in response to the request to initiate recording of the media content. The chat session comprises one or more entries that include a chat input from the one or more persons and a timecode of the chat input. The method includes receiving a request to stop recording of the media content of the event. The method also includes combining at least a subset of the one or more entries of the chat session with the media content using the time code of the one or more entries.
US08352870B2 Conflict resolution
Embodiments of a collaborative authoring environment enable a user to resolve editing conflicts arising when synchronizing a user copy of a data file with a master copy of the data file. Content updates may be synchronized separately from metadata updates. Metadata updates may be synchronized automatically, whereas content updates may be synchronized only when any identified editing conflicts are resolved. When an editing conflict is identified, the user interface of the authoring application may be configured to toggle between displaying and hiding the identified editing conflicts.
US08352868B2 Computing with local and remote resources including user mode control
A method for selectively controlling allocation of one or more computing resources for a process. The method includes providing a user option to execute a process using local or remote computing resources and then executing the process using a selected option. A more specific method includes predetermining two or more allocation options; displaying a plurality of the predetermined allocation options, wherein each option indicates a different allocation of resources between at least one resource on a local computing system and at least one resource on a remote computing system, wherein the resources; determining, by using the local computing system, a function to be performed; accepting a signal from a user-input device to select one of the plurality of options in association with performing the function; allocating the resources in accordance with the selected option; and then using the selected resource allocation to accomplish a task.
US08352866B2 Adapting a network topology
A mechanism is provided for adapting a network topology, in which the network topology comprises a plurality of points, a plurality of connections, each connection connecting a pair of points, and a zoneset comprising a plurality of zones, each zone defining a series of points that are connected. The mechanism performs operations of receiving one or more user inputs, each user input comprising a change to a zone, performing an analysis of the or each user input, to determine one or more consistent universal changes to the zoneset, presenting an output to the user comprising one or more of the determined consistent universal changes to the zoneset, receiving a selection user input selecting a presented consistent universal change to the zoneset, and changing the zoneset according to the selected consistent universal change to the zoneset.
US08352865B2 Action representation during slide generation
Techniques for displaying object animations on a slide are disclosed. In accordance with these techniques, objects on a slide may be assigned actions when generating or editing the slide. The effects of the actions on the slide are depicted using one or more respective representations which represent the slide as it will appear after implementation of one or more corresponding actions.
US08352851B1 Declarative, non-transformational layout of data
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a form author may declaratively state a condition under which a break event may occur to insert a break between data items in a list of data items. Optionally, formatting, a leader subform, and/or a trailer subform may be inserted between the data items in the event the condition is satisfied. Such a declarative condition may be introduced into an XFA template specification. A condition that may be evaluated may include mathematical operation, a Boolean expression, an integer expression, a floating point expression, a string expression, and/or a data item evaluation. A new layout of the list of data items may be implemented without transformation of the original layout of the list of data items wherein the list of data items may revert to the original layout of the list of data items, for example after performing an operation on the new layout of the list of data items.
US08352849B2 Method, system and computer program product for providing digital content
A method performed by a computer system. The method includes storing a version of a mass-produced printed paper, identifying at least a subset of characters within the version, and in response to the identified subset, forming at least one hyperlink within the version, the version being displayable on a display device as a likeness of the paper including an indicator of a hyperlink.
US08352844B2 Method for encoding control information in a wireless communication system using low density parity check code, and method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving the control information
A method and apparatus for transmitting control information in a wireless communication system using a Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) code is provided. The number of LDPC blocks, through which L1 post-signaling information is to be transmitted, is determined according to the total number of bits of the L1 post-signaling information. The number of input information bits of each LDPC block is calculated when the determined number of LDPC blocks is plural. The number of puncturing bits among parity bits of each LDPC block is determined considering a modulation order. A frame including one or multiple LDPC blocks generated through the preceding steps is transmitted.
US08352835B2 Data verification using checksum sidefile
Exemplary method, system, and computer program product embodiments for data verification in a storage system are provided. A read of data is asynchronously submitted to nonvolatile storage media. A read of a first checksum signature is submitted to a solid state, sidefile memory location of a storage controller in the storage subsystem. The first checksum signature is representative of the data previously written to the nonvolatile storage media. A second checksum signature is calculated from the read of the data. The first and second checksum signatures are compared. If a match is not determined, a critical event is reported.
US08352823B2 Methods and systems for handling ARQ resets
Systems and methods for handling automatic repeat request (ARQ) resets are described. A first device may receive a message initiating an ARQ reset procedure transmitted by a second device. The first device may determine if both the first and second devices have initiated an ARQ reset procedure. The first device may take action to limit a loss of blocks of data exchanged between the first and second devices, if both the first and second devices have initiated an ARQ reset procedure.
US08352814B2 Electronic control apparatus
An electronic control apparatus comprises a nonvolatile memory, operating means, determining means and retrying means. The nonvolatile memory stores predetermined data and has a memory region which is divided into a plurality of sub-regions. The operating means executes a check operation for each of the sub-regions in order to check whether the data stored in the nonvolatile memory are normal or not. The determining means determines whether the check operation has detected any data errors. The retrying means allows the operating means to retry the check operation for a predetermined number of times for the sub-regions that have been determined to be in data error by the determining means.
US08352809B2 Checking method and electronic circuit for the secure serial transmission of data
A checking method in which serial data protected by check data are transmitted via a serial data bus from a transmitter to a receiver, the receiver then conditions the data and compares them with the transmitted check data in order to recognize transmission errors, wherein the transmitter bases the production of the check data and the receiver bases the conditioning of the data on the same check data formation method, wherein the check data formation/conditioning is performed using error recognition hardware, wherein the region of the receiver contains not only the error recognition hardware but also error recognition software which are used to additionally check the received data, and wherein also an error in the transmitted data and/or check data is caused by a transmitter-end error stimulation. A transmission and reception circuit for carrying out the above method and also the use thereof is also disclosed.
US08352807B2 Semiconductor memory device, host device and semiconductor memory system
A host device 200A includes a data buffer 250. When data has been already written to a part of a physical block and data is additionally written to the physical block, it is determined whether or not the data written to the physical block is held in the data buffer. When the data is held, data is written to the block, and when an error exists, data in unit of physical blocks is rewritten. When the data is not held in the data buffer, a new physical block is required to be secured and then, data is written to the new block. Thereby, even when power is shut off or an error occurs during writing in the semiconductor memory device, destruction of data already written is prevented.
US08352803B2 Framework for managing failures in outbound messages
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving, at a policy and charging rules node (PCRN), a request from a requesting node for an establishment of a first service data flow (SDF); generating a first rule set for implementing the first SDF in response to the request; transmitting a first rule of the rule set to a first node for installation of the first rule; waiting for a period of time for a response from the first node; determining from the response whether installation of the first rule at the first node failed or succeeded; and if installation of the first rule succeeded, transmitting a second rule of the first rule set to a second node for installation of the second rule.
US08352800B2 Universal serial bus system and method
When a controller identifies a universal serial bus (USB) device connected to a USB interface, it outputs a control signal to close a relay and a first start test signal to an electronic device to test a USB interface of the electronic device. When the test of the USB interface is completed, to the controller adds one to an inside counter, and determines whether the count value reaches a preset count value. If the count value reaches the preset count value, the controller outputs a finish test signal to the electronic device. If the count value does not reach the preset count value, the controller controls the closed relay to open and outputs a second start test signal to close a next relay to test a next USB interface of the electronic device corresponding to the now closed relay.
US08352797B2 Software fault isolation using byte-granularity memory protection
Software fault isolation methods using byte-granularity memory protection are described. In an embodiment, untrusted drivers or other extensions to a software system are run in a separate domain from the host portion of the software system, but share the same address space as the host portion. Calls between domains are mediated using an interposition library and access control data is maintained for substantially each byte of relevant virtual address space. Instrumentation added to the untrusted extension at compile-time, before load-time, or at runtime and added by the interposition library enforces the isolation between domains, for example by adding access right checks before any writes or indirect calls and by redirecting function calls to call wrappers in the interposition library. The instrumentation also updates the access control data to grant and revoke access rights on a fine granularity according to the semantics of the operation being invoked.
US08352796B2 Selective logging based on set parameter
Providing asset-based logging by setting a flag for an identified asset and a transaction includes generating a first detailed log for logging activity related to the identified asset and the transaction by a first application implemented on a first node. A transaction identifier, the flag, and any of the identified asset, information generated by the first application implemented on the first node, information provided to the first application implemented on the first node and a representation of the identified asset is passed to at least one downstream application implemented on at least one second node. Detailed logs generated by the at least one downstream application are correlated with the first detailed log.
US08352767B2 Intelligent and adaptive method to manage mobile device power
The invention relates to systems and or methodologies for intelligent and adaptive power management in mobile devices. A peripheral power management component can set peripheral devices to active or inactive based on one or more schemas. The schemas can be predetermined or generated by the peripheral power management component. In addition, an adaptive component can modify the schemas to reflect actual usage or changing trends for each peripheral device.
US08352766B2 Power control of target secondary copy storage based on journal storage usage and accumulation speed rate
Arrangements having multiple second storage systems which each include a restore control unit for controlling restoration processing, in which a data element in a journal stored in a journal storage area is written into a secondary logical volume, and a storage device control unit for controlling a storage device in the second storage system. The restore control unit is provided with a function for suspending the restoration processing. A first value indicating the usage condition of the journal storage area in the second storage system is obtained, and the restore control unit suspends the restoration processing in accordance with the obtained first value. The storage device control unit then executes power saving on a storage device relating to the secondary logical volume.
US08352764B2 Dynamic squelch detection power control
In one embodiment, the present invention includes power control logic for squelch detection circuitry to enable selective enabling of one or more squelch detection circuits of an interconnect interface in a low power mode. The logic may include a squelch mode control register to select a first mode or a second mode of power control, a second register coupled to the squelch mode control register to receive software settings to indicate which squelch detect circuit(s) to disable in a low power state of the interconnect, and a detector to dynamically detect a logical lane zero of the interconnect in the second mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08352762B2 Recycling of cache content
A method of operating a storage system comprises detecting a cut in an external power supply, switching to a local power supply, preventing receipt of input/output commands, copying content of cache memory to a local storage device and marking the content of the cache memory that has been copied to the local storage device. When a resumption of the external power supply is detected, the method continues by charging the local power supply, copying the content of the local storage device to the cache memory, processing the content of the cache memory with respect to at least one storage volume and receiving input/output commands. When detecting a second cut in the external power supply, the system switches to the local power supply, prevents receipt of input/output commands, and copies to the local storage device only the content of the cache memory that is not marked as present.
US08352760B2 Power supply circuit and motherboard including the same
A power supply circuit includes a power controller and a switch. The power controller is connected to a Southbridge chip of a motherboard. The Southbridge chip outputs status signals of the motherboard. The power controller provides a +5V_SYS voltage or a +5V_SB voltage to a universal serial bus (USB) connector according to the status signals. The switch is connected to the USB connector, a USB controller, and the Southbridge chip. The switch connects or disconnects from the USB connector and the USB controller according to the status signals.
US08352759B2 System and method of monitoring a central processing unit in real time
A method of monitoring one or more central processing units in real time is disclosed. The method may include monitoring state data associated with the one or more CPUs in real-time, filtering the state data, and at least partially based on filtered state data, selectively altering one or more system settings.
US08352757B2 Oversubscribing branch circuits while lowering power distribution costs
A mechanism is provided for oversubscribing branch circuits. An active energy management mechanism determines a cumulative wattage rating using power consumption information for a powered element, the power consumption information is for a primary and a redundant portion of the powered element. The active energy management mechanism determines a power reduction power cap to be used by the powered element in the event of a loss of either a primary or a redundant power source supplied to the powered element using the cumulative wattage rating, a branch circuit rating, and a circuit breaker rating for the powered element. The active energy management mechanism sends the power reduction power cap to the powered element in order that the powered element reduces power to the power reduction power cap in the event of the loss of either the primary power source or the redundant power source supplied to the powered element.
US08352754B2 Power management of PoE devices based on powered queue and unpowered queue of time order connection priority while maintaining reserve power
In a communications system, such as a Power-Over-Ethernet system, where power supply equipment (PSE) supplies power to powered requiring devices (PRDs), a system and method of dynamic power management is implemented. The system and method monitors the power consumed at each port by the PRDs. Based on this monitoring, the PSE dynamically determines the minimum power which can be allocated to each PRD, and so dynamically maximizes the available reserve power. The PSE maintains a queue or queues wherein PRDs are listed in order of a power allocation priority. When additional power is available, the PSE preferentially allocates power to a PRD or PRDs which have higher priority. The system and method of the present invention minimizes the power allocated to each individual network device, as a result of which the total number of network devices that can be supported with the available power may be maximized.
US08352752B2 Detecting radiation-based attacks
In a device having a plurality of circuits that can store at least a first value and a second value, a method can include configuring at least one circuit to persistently store the first value; determining whether the at least one circuit is storing the second value; and initiating a countermeasure if the at least one circuit is storing the second value. Determining whether the at least one circuit is storing the second value can include detecting whether the device has been attacked. Non-limiting examples of initiating a countermeasure can include resetting a portion of the device, powering down a portion of the device, activating an alarm circuit, causing protected data stored in the device to be erased, causing portions of the device to self-destruct, or causing the device to not respond to input applied to the interface.
US08352748B2 Security protocols for processor-based systems
A processor-based system such as a wireless communication module may implement security functions in a cost effective fashion by providing a virtual memory space whose addresses may be recognized. The memory is integrated with an application processor. When those addresses are recognized, access to special security protocols may be allowed. In another embodiment, a variety of dedicated hardware cryptographic accelerators may be provided to implement security protocols in accordance with a variety of different standards. By optimizing the hardware for specific standards, greater performance may be achieved.
US08352740B2 Secure execution environment on external device
A device, such as a smartcard, may be externally-connected to a host platform and may be used to enhance or extend security services provided by the host platform's Trusted Platform Module (TPM). The device and the platform exchange keys in order to facilitate reliable identification of the platform by the device and vice versa, and to support cryptographic tunneling. A proxy component on the host device tunnels information between the platform and the device, and also provides the device with access to the TPM's services such as sealing and attestation. The device can provide secure services to the platform, and may condition provision of these services on conditions such as confirming the platform's identity through the exchanged keys, or platform state measurements reported by the TPM.
US08352732B2 Transmission method for conditional access content
This invention relates to a transmission method for conditional access content, in which said content is broadcast in the form of data packets (DP). These data packets contain at least one marker having a known value and a useful part (PL). This method includes the following steps: extraction of said marker (Mc) from the data packet (DP) and replacement of this marker with an encryption key identification information (PAR); encryption of said useful part (PL) by an encryption key (K1) that can be identified by said encryption key identification information (PAR); formation of an encrypted data packet containing at least said encryption key identification information (PAR) and the encrypted useful part (PLK1); transmission of said encrypted data packet to at least one receiver.
US08352729B2 Secure application routing
Disclosed is a computer implemented method and apparatus to secure a routing path. A local node receives a request for secure route identification from an upstream node. Responsive to receiving a request for secure route identification, the local node transmits a local node security level and an authentication key to the upstream node. The local node determines whether at least one downstream node is authentic and has sufficient security level from a second-level downstream node. The local node may then establish a socket to the upstream node.
US08352725B1 Method and apparatus for managing secure communications
A device for managing secure communications by examining message packets to detect and control the use of encryption keys noninvasively examines an incoming message packet according to typical cryptographic protocols and sequences. If an incoming packet exhibits the use of an encryption key, such as via IKEP, IPsec, or PPTP, the device processes the packet to attempt to find the corresponding encryption key. The device compares the key to a list of known suspect keys to determine a blocked status. If the key is not on the list, a sequence of authorization rules concerning prohibited key usage attempts to determine a result. The authorization rules examine available keying attributes from the message packet, possibly via a remote server, and compute an indication concerning key usage. If the authorization rules are still undeterministic of usage of the key, the device uses a default action. The default action indicates whether to allow or block usage of the key until a deterministic response indicates the key status.
US08352716B1 Boot caching for boot acceleration within data storage systems
Technologies are described herein for boot caching to accelerate boot access in a data storage system providing boot consolidation. Boot caching may be provided to improve boot access for multiple clients concurrently booting from a common storage server. Boot statistics may be collected per user or client. The boot statistics can determine common patterns within the boot procedures of the clients and may be used to compute boot caching tables. These tables may then be used during boot caching to accelerate booting of clients. A boot caching mechanism can be implemented to support improved booting performance by caching data blocks common to multiple booting volumes. This approach can leverage the condition that much of the data loaded by clients at boot time may be substantially identical, because booting can involve loading the same operating system components into each client.
US08352712B2 Method and system for specualtively sending processor-issued store operations to a store queue with full signal asserted
A method and processor chip design for enabling a processor core to continue sending store operations speculatively to the store queue after the core receives indication that the store queue is full. The processor core is configured with speculative store logic that enables the processor core to continue issuing store operations while the store queue full signal is asserted. A copy of the speculatively issued store operation is placed within a speculative store buffer. The core waits for a signal from the store queue indicating the store operation was accepted into the store queue. When the speculatively-issued store operation is accepted within the store queue, the copy is discarded from the buffer. However, when the store operation is rejected, the speculative store logic re-issues the store operation ahead of normal store operations.
US08352710B2 Off-loading of processing from a processor blade to storage blades
A processor blade determines whether a selected processing task is to be off-loaded to a storage blade for processing. The selected processing task is off-loaded to the storage blade via a planar bus communication path, in response to determining that the selected processing task is to be off-loaded to the storage blade. The off-loaded selected processing task is processed in the storage blade. The storage blade communicates the results of the processing of the off-loaded selected processing task to the processor blade.
US08352705B2 Large-page optimization in virtual memory paging systems
A computer system that is programmed with virtual memory accesses to physical memory employs multi-bit counters associated with its page table entries. When a page walker visits a page table entry, the multi-bit counter associated with that page table entry is incremented by one. The computer operating system uses the counts in the multi-bit counters of different page table entries to determine where large pages can be deployed effectively. In a virtualized computer system having a nested paging system, multi-bit counters associated with both its primary page table entries and its nested page table entries are used. These multi-bit counters are incremented during nested page walks. Subsequently, the guest operating systems and the virtual machine monitors use the counts in the appropriate multi-bit counters to determine where large pages can be deployed effectively.
US08352703B2 Address mapping of program code and data in memory
A system for mapping information addresses in a memory. The system includes a memory wherein each byte is mapped to a plurality of unique addresses and a microprocessor for assigning at least one of the unique addresses to the information. The information can be program code fragments and/or data. Also disclosed is a method for mapping information addresses in a memory utilizing such a system. The method includes mapping each byte of memory into a plurality of unique addresses and assigning at least one of the unique addresses to the information.
US08352702B2 Data processing system memory allocation
The present invention provides a data processing system with multiple logical partitions that isolate memory resources for applications contained in the logical partitions. A method is provided for moving a specific memory quantity between two logical partitions by first computing a threshold amount. Then, if the specific memory quantity to be transferred is less than the threshold amount, removing the threshold amount from memory assigned in the first partition and adding the threshold amount to memory assigned in the second partition. However, if the specific memory quantity is greater than the threshold amount, the method provides for removing an amount equal to the threshold from memory assigned in the first partition and adding that threshold amount to memory assigned in the second partition and repeating the removing and adding steps until the specific memory quantity has been transferred.
US08352701B2 Method for utilizing a memory interface to control partitioning of a memory module
Apparatuses and methods for implementing partitioning in memory cards and modules where conventional memory cards or modules have only a single partition. A representative memory card/module in accordance with the invention includes a memory devices), and a memory interface which includes a data bus, a command line and a clock line. The memory card/module further includes a memory controller coupled to the memory device(s) and to the memory interface. The memory card/module includes means for controlling the partitioning of the memory device(s), and the memory controller is configured to operate the memory device(s) in accordance with the partition information.
US08352698B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method and computer readable medium
An information processing apparatus includes: a memory that stores a process identifier for identifying a process uniquely, a virtual address which is an address of a memory space available in the process, a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, and a continuous memory capacity assigned to the process so as to be associated with each other; and a memory capacity setting section that, when changing a process to an executable state, sets the continuous memory capacity to be stored in the memory. The memory capacity setting section determines the continuous memory capacity based on: a memory capacity that the process requires; a memory capacity of an unused continuous region in a physical memory; and a memory capacity based on restriction of memory size dependent on a central processing unit in a computer.
US08352695B2 Selectable access rates in a memory and memory communication system
A memory system includes a selection element for selecting a selectable access rate from a plurality of access rates and a memory element for providing or for accepting data at the selectable access rate.
US08352693B2 Storage control apparatus
A method for a storage control apparatus for controlling a plurality of storage units, each of the plurality of storage units having data area for storing data includes receiving a first command for copying data stored in a first data area of the storage units into a second data area of the storage units from an exterior, executing copying in accordance with the first command, receiving a second command for copying data stored in the second data area into the first data area from the exterior, executing copying in accordance with the second command, receiving a third command for cancelling copying corresponding to the first command and a fourth command for cancelling copying corresponding to the second command from the exterior until completion of copying process corresponding to at least one of the first and second command, and invalidating one of the third command and the fourth command.
US08352692B1 Utilizing peer-to-peer services with single instance storage techniques
A system and method for storing data in a peer-to-peer network. A computer system includes interconnected hosts configured to store data segments. A first host stores a first subset of the data segments received from other hosts. The first host maintains a portion of a distributed hash table corresponding to the first subset of data segments and de-duplicates the first subset of the data segments against the remaining data segments. The distributed hash table comprises entries corresponding to the data segments, each entry including a data segment fingerprint that unambiguously identifies the corresponding data segment. The first host selects and joins a group of hosts that maintains the distributed hash table. The first host conveys data to the selected group indicating its availability to own additional entries in the distributed hash table.
US08352686B2 Method and system for data prefetching for loops based on linear induction expressions
An efficient and effective compiler data prefetching technique is disclosed in which memory accesses may be prefetched are represented in linear induction expressions. Furthermore, indirect memory accesses indexed by other memory accesses of linear induction expressions in scalar loops may be prefetched.
US08352684B2 Optimal cache replacement scheme using a training operation
Computer implemented method, system and computer usable program code for cache management. A cache is provided, wherein the cache is viewed as a sorted array of data elements, wherein a top position of the array is a most recently used position of the array and a bottom position of the array is a least recently used position of the array. A memory access sequence is provided, and a training operation is performed with respect to a memory access of the memory access sequence to determine a type of memory access operation to be performed with respect to the memory access. Responsive to a result of the training operation, a cache replacement operation is performed using the determined memory access operation with respect to the memory access.
US08352680B2 Method and system for file-system based caching
A method and system for file-system based caching can be used to improve efficiency and security at network sites. In one set of embodiments, the delivery of content and storing content component(s) formed during generation of the content may be performed by different software components. Content that changes at a relatively high frequency or is likely to be regenerated between requests may not have some or all of its corresponding files cached. Additionally, extra white space may be removed before storing to reduce the file size. File mapping may be performed to ensure that a directory within the cache will have an optimal number of files. Security at the network site may be increased by using an internally generated filename that is not used or seen by the client computer. Many variations may be used is achieving any one or more of the advantages described herein.
US08352678B2 Storage controller
Provided is a storage controller that will not impair the operation of a storage control system even when a new storage area is added to a pool corresponding to an AOU volume. This storage controller includes a logical volume accessible by a host system; a pool associated with the logical volume and including one or more physical storage areas configuring a storage area of the logical volume; and a memory for storing attribute information showing an attribute of a physical storage area included in the pool; wherein the controller is configured to add a new physical storage area to the pool based on the attribute information.
US08352677B2 Associative memory
The associative memory comprises a simplified functional processing unit (SFPU), implemented by an LUT logic network, that implements simplified CAM function g, where g is the function derived from CAM function ƒ by replacing the value showing “invalid” with the don't care, an auxiliary memory that stores the inverse function ƒ−1 of said CAM function ƒ; and an output modifier that checks whether the output value of said SFPU is equal to the output value of the CAM function ƒ; wherein the SFPU produces the operational value (“tentative index value”) for the simplified CAM function g; the auxiliary memory produces the value of the inverse function ƒ−1 when the tentative index value is applied; the output modifier compares the input data with the value of the inverse function ƒ−1, and produces the output of said SFPU if they are the same, otherwise produces the signal showing the “invalid”.
US08352670B2 Execute-only memory and mechanism enabling execution from execute-only memory for minivisor
In one embodiment, a processor comprises an execution core configured to execute instructions; and a register configured to store an execute-only valid indication indicative of whether or not execution of instructions is permitted in pages that are indicated as execute-only in a set of page tables used by the processor for address translation. The execution core is configured, responsive to a fetch within an execute-only page, to signal a fault responsive to the execute-only valid indication indicating that execution is not permitted in the execute-only page, and wherein the execution core is configured to permit the fetch within the execute-only page responsive to the execute-only valid indication indicating that execution is permitted in the execute-only page.
US08352665B2 Computer system and bus assignment method
To make it possible to take over an IO configuration that is assigned to logical partitions in reallocation of the logical partitions, and to make an IO access work normally. A computer system has a server having an IO bridge, a switch that has a first IO bridge for connecting with the IO bridge of the server through a bus and plural second IO bridges for connecting to plural IO devices through a bus, and bus number assignment management means for fixedly assigning mutually different PCI bus numbers to the plural second IO bridges.
US08352653B2 Storage virtualization subsystem and system with host-side redundancy via SAS connectivity
This invention discloses a storage visualization subsystem and system with host-side redundancy via SAS connectivity. The I/O interconnect interface between the storage visualization controller and the host is a serial-attached SCSI (SAS) interface. At least one SAS expander is inserted on the I/O interconnect path of the host side to provide the function of device expansion. Or, a built-in virtual SAS expander is disposed inside the storage virtualization controller to provide multiple virtual IDs for each SAS port. When one controller in the storage virtualization controller pair malfunctions or fails, the invention provides solutions in accord with different embodiments so that the surviving controller can inherit the ID of the failed one. Thus, the host can keep functioning normally as it is not aware of any change in the device status.
US08352650B2 Electronic apparatus and cooling method thereof
An electronic apparatus includes a first unit having a first power switch for turning on/off a data processing part, a hard disk drive device, a power supply part and the electronic apparatus, a second unit that is separated from the first unit, is supplied with the power from the power supply part in the first unit, and has a drive device of a detachable recording media and a second power switch having the same function as that of the first power switch, and a cable for communicating data between the first unit and the second unit and supplying power from the power supply part of the first unit to the second unit.
US08352648B1 Credit-based flow control
An embodiment of a method for credit-based flow control is disclosed. For this embodiment of the method, a first transaction layer packet from a sending device is loaded into a receiver buffer of a receiving device. A second transaction layer packet is loaded into the receiver buffer, where the second transaction layer packet is of a different packet type than the first transaction layer packet. The first transaction layer packet is unloaded from the receiver buffer without return of a credit for the unloading of the first transaction layer packet from the receiver buffer. The first transaction layer packet is loaded into a side buffer, and the credit for the first transaction layer packet is sent to the sending device responsive to unloading or anticipated unloading of the first transaction layer packet from the side buffer.
US08352647B2 Method and system for controlling information accessibility based on user location
An information processing apparatus includes a user position information obtaining unit and an input availability control unit. The user position information obtaining unit obtains user position information corresponding to a position of a user. The input/output availability control unit control an availability of information between an input/output unit and a storage unit disposed at a position away from the user based on the obtained user position information, input/output unit being configured to receive information from the storage unit or being configured to output information to the storage unit.
US08352645B2 Single point, device driven data transmission for a real time application
Device driven transfer of data from the device to a memory of a host. The device may receive data from one or more data sources. The device may transfer at least a portion of the data to the memory of the host coupled to the device. Transferring may be performed without an initiation of the transfer by the host. Additionally, transferring may include, for each of the one or more data sources, determining a portion of the memory medium corresponding to the data source, determining a latest value for the data source from the data, and storing the latest value for the data source in the portion of the memory. Storing the latest value may include overwriting a previous value of the data source when the previous value exists in the portion of the memory medium.
US08352636B2 Transmitting packets from device in network communications with other device utilizing multiple virtual network connections
A method includes detecting, at a device, a request for a network connection from an application running on the device; spawning first and second virtual machines for network connections that virtualize network capabilities of the device such that first and second virtual network connections are provided; using the first virtual network connection, establishing a first connection with another device over a first path; using the second virtual connection, establishing a second connection with the other device over a second path; determining that the second path represents a trusted path; determining that a first packet does not need to be routed via a trusted connection; transmitting the first packet using the first virtual network connection for communication via the first path; determining that a second packet needs to be routed via a trusted connection; and transmitting the second packet using the second virtual network connection for communication via the second path.
US08352635B2 Geolocation assisted data forwarding storage
A method includes, in a network of interconnected computer system nodes, receiving a request from a source system to store data, directing the data to a computer memory in conjunction with its geolocation, geolocation enabling selecting nodes that are proximate to each other or a user to increase speed and efficiency, and continuously forwarding the data from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes in conjunction with their geolocations without storing on any physical storage device in the network.
US08352634B2 On-demand propagation of routing information in distributed computing system
An apparatus, program product and method utilize on-demand propagation of routing information to reduce the overhead associated with distributing routing information throughout a distributed computing system. The staleness of the routing information utilized in routing client requests for a particular client is gauged based upon the number and/or frequency of client requests issued for that client that require rerouting, e.g., as indicated in responses returned in response to the client requests. Once the reroutes of client requests meet a desired propagation criterion, updated routing information is then requested for the client.
US08352626B1 Program selection from within a plurality of active videos
A video streamer aggregates multiple videos into a single video stream for delivery to a client to be displayed. The multiple videos are active to allow motion of the multiple videos to be shown. The multiple videos are part of an electronic program guide. Additional information related to one or more of the videos may be obtained and displayed by the client. One of the videos may be selected to be enlarged and/or have audio from that video played.
US08352625B2 Coded application data unit order recovery in layered multicast
Systems and methods are provided which allow receivers to recover the decoding order of network abstraction layer (NAL) units conveyed in different Real Time Protocol (RTP) sessions. An indication of decoding order for application data units (ADUs) in each packet is included in the packet structure of a PACSI NAL unit, when the PACSI NAL unit is a single-time aggregation packet type A (STAP-A) packet and the PACSI NAL unit is the first NAL unit in an aggregation packet (e.g., when a receiver is subscribed to different RTP session that convey NAL units). If the receiver is subscribed to only a base layer RTP session, the CL-DON indication can be ignored.
US08352616B2 Configuring a network connection
A communication system for accessing media items via a display device. A receiver is coupled to the display device and a transmitter is coupled to a computer system. Media items stored locally on the computer system and/or remotely on a remote server may be wirelessly transferred from the transmitter to the receiver for display on the display device. In addition, the transmitter and the receiver may be pre-paired prior to delivery to the user, allowing for the network to be configured without any user input. Advantageously, embodiments provide a user with the ability to conveniently view content stored on a computer or a web server without the user having to perform any wireless network setup procedures.
US08352615B2 Content management
A system and method for management and processing of resource requests is provided. A content delivery network service provider determines a class associated with a set of client computing devices and monitors resources requests for the determined class. The content delivery network service provider then identifies at least one cache component for providing additional content, such as advertisement content or other additional content provided in anticipation of future resource requests, to client computing devices as a function of the determined class. In other embodiments, instead of cache components, the content delivery network service provider identifies a second set of client computing devices as a function of the determined class for providing the additional content information.
US08352609B2 Dynamically modifying program execution capacity
Techniques are described for managing program execution capacity, such as for a group of computing nodes that are provided for executing one or more programs for a user. In some situations, dynamic program execution capacity modifications for a computing node group that is in use may be performed periodically or otherwise in a recurrent manner, such as to aggregate multiple modifications that are requested or otherwise determined to be made during a period of time, and with the aggregation of multiple determined modifications being able to be performed in various manners. Modifications may be requested or otherwise determined in various manners, including based on dynamic instructions specified by the user, and on satisfaction of triggers that are previously defined by the user. In some situations, the techniques are used in conjunction with a fee-based program execution service that executes multiple programs on behalf of multiple users of the service.
US08352607B2 Co-location and offloading of web site traffic based on traffic pattern recognition
Identifying traffic patterns to web sites based on templates that characterize the arrival of traffic to the web sites is provided. Based on these templates, determinations are made as to which web sites should be co-located so as to optimize resource allocation. Web sites whose templates are complimentary, i.e. a first web site having a peak in arrival traffic at time t1 and a second web site that has a trough in arrival traffic at time t1, are designated as being candidates for co-location. In addition, the templates identified for the traffic patterns of web sites are used to determine thresholds for offloading traffic to other servers. These thresholds include a first threshold at which offloading should be performed, a second threshold that takes into consideration the lead time needed to begin offloading, and a third threshold that takes into consideration a lag time needed to stop offloading of traffic.
US08352606B2 Method and system for assigning access control levels in providing access to networked content files
A method and system for assigning access control levels when granting access to resources includes a client node, a collection agent, and a policy engine. The client node requests access to a resource. The collection agent gathers information about the client node. The policy engine receives the gathered information and assigns one of a plurality of levels of access responsive to application of a policy to the received information and transmits the information.
US08352604B2 Distributed propagation of data in a wireless communication network
A technique for distributed propagation of data in a wireless communication network includes providing 600 a unique host identifier for each peer network entity in the wireless communication network, each host identifier having a length of B bits. A next step includes requesting 602 data from peer network entities using a request having a host identifier of the requesting network entity. A next step includes, if a peer network entity is hosting the requested data, comparing 608 the host identifiers of the requesting network entity and the peer network entity receiving the request to determine a match. A next step includes responding 610 to the request if a match is determined.
US08352598B2 Method of providing completely automated public turing test to tell computer and human apart based on image
Disclosed is a method of providing a completely automated public turing test to tell a computer and a human apart (CAPTCHA) based on image. The method comprises the steps of: storing a plurality of randomly-selected images by session when a request for a web page is received from a user client; providing the web page and a session ID to the user client; generating a test image by mixing the plurality of images when a request for a test image corresponding to the session ID is received from the user client; transmitting the generated test image to the user client; receiving at least one of first identification information inputted by the user about the test image from the user client; and comparing the first identification information with second identification information included in Meta information of the test image.
US08352597B1 Method and system for distributing requests for content
A method and system for caching content, such as content requested from a server on the World Wide Web. Requests for dynamic content are forwarded directly to a content server to avoid caching data that might only be used once. Requests for static content are forwarded to a hot or a regular cache depending on the frequency at which the content is requested. When a hot cache does not contain the content, it forwards the request to the forwarder which then forwards the request to a regular cache. When the regular cache does not contain the content, it requests the content from the forwarder which then forwards the request to a content server. There may be more than two layers of cache.
US08352591B2 Presence network agent in IMS networks
A system determines presence updates associated with presence user agents (PUAs), where the presence updates indicate changes in a presence status associated with each of the PUAs. The system further determines an application type associated with each of the PUAs and routes the presence updates to respective presence network agents (PNAs) based on the determined application type.
US08352588B2 Systems and methods for collecting data regarding network service operation
Disclosed are systems and methods for collecting data regarding network service operation. In one embodiment, a system and a method pertain to intercepting a message directed to a network service, storing information about the message, and transmitting the message to a destination network service.
US08352582B2 Temporal proximity to verify physical proximity
A security system assesses the response time to requests for information to determine whether the responding system is in physical proximity to the requesting system. Generally, physical proximity corresponds to temporal proximity. If the response time indicates a substantial or abnormal lag between request and response, the system assumes that the lag is caused by the request and response having to travel a substantial or abnormal physical distance, or caused by the request being processed to generate a response, rather than being answered by an existing response in the physical possession of a user. If a substantial or abnormal lag is detected, the system is configured to limit subsequent access to protected material by the current user, and/or to notify security personnel of the abnormal response lag.
US08352563B2 System and method for peer-to-peer media routing using a third party instant messaging system for signaling
An improved system and method are disclosed for peer-to-peer communications. In one example, the method enables an endpoint to engage in a call with another endpoint using a third party instant message system to carry instant messages containing signaling information and a route that is external to the third party instant message system for both signaling and media information.
US08352562B2 Event notifications of program landscape alterations
A first computer system is monitored for alterations of a program landscape which includes multiple applications configured to operate on the first computer system. An alteration of the program landscape is detected and aspects of the alteration of the program landscape are determined. A catalog of additional computer systems which are associated with the first computer system is accessed. That a second computer system of the accessed catalog of additional computer systems should receive an event notification is determined. An event notification including information corresponding to the determined aspects of the alteration of the program landscape is generated. The event notification including the event information is sent from the first computer system to the second computer system.
US08352557B2 Message filtering system
A message filtering system is provided including a message management unit and a message monitoring unit in communication with the message management unit. The message management unit is configured to send and receive message over a network and to route messages to the message monitoring unit based on a message source, and the message monitoring unit is configured to parse the message and locate identifiers in the message and to re-route the message based on the identifier located in the message.
US08352553B2 Electronic mail connector
Technologies are described herein for providing a bi-direction e-mail transport between a management (“CRM”) server computer and an e-mail server computer. An e-mail connector communicates with a CRM server computer to determine whether any e-mail messages are pending send at the CRM server computer. If any e-mail messages are pending send, the e-mail connector retrieves the e-mail messages from the CRM server computer. The e-mail connector then communicates with an e-mail server computer to send the retrieved e-mail messages to their intended recipients. The e-mail connector may also retrieve e-mail messages from the e-mail server computer and determine whether the e-mail messages are CRM related. If the e-mail messages are CRM related, the e-mail connector is operative to transmit the CRM-related e-mails to the CRM server.
US08352552B2 Selective sending of portions of electronic content
A user of a handheld communication device selects in a foreground process portions of an electronic document. In a background process a new document is prepared that comprises the selected portions. The user selects the address for forwarding the new document, and the new document gets sent in a background process.
US08352536B2 Interface between a production management system and an automation system
An interface makes it possible not only to link an automation system component in uniform fashion to a production management system but also to relieve the production management system. For this purpose a generic data server has a long-term data store integrated with the server, an integrated data analysis unit, and an integrated configuration means which is also usable for configuring the data analysis unit with respect to the analysis to be performed. The server relieves the production management system by performing preprocessing of data, and it simultaneously serves as a uniform interface between the production management system and the automation system component.
US08352532B1 Circuit structure for multiplying numbers using look-up tables and adders
A circuit structure efficiently multiplies a first and second number. The circuit structure includes multipliers for the pairs of three-bit digits of the first number and three-bit digits of the second number. The multipliers produce six-bit partial products from the pair of three-bit digits of the first and second numbers. Each multiplier includes look-up tables receiving the pair of three-bit digits of the first and second numbers. A summing-tree circuit includes adders arranged in a series of levels, the adders in an initial one of the levels producing partial sums from the six-bit partial products from the multipliers, and for each first and successive second ones of the levels in the series, the adders in the second level producing another plurality of partial sums from the partial sums from the first level. A last one of the levels includes the adder that produces a product of the first and second numbers.
US08352527B1 Statistical method for filter convergence without accumulating residual error
Disclosed is a filter circuit, comprising a signal to be filtered, a difference circuit coupled to the signal to be filtered, a filter having an input coupled to the difference circuit, an integrator (or accumulator) having a first input coupled to an output of the filter circuit, and having a second input, and an accumulator coupled to an output of the integrator. A method of filtering is described also.
US08352525B2 Generating a number based on a bitset constraint
Generating a number based on a bitset constraints. For example, a method of generating a pseudo random number satisfying a bitset constraint may include determining a number of possible solutions satisfying the bitset constraint; selecting an index representing a solution of the possible solutions; and generating the pseudo-random number based on the index. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08352522B1 Detection of file modifications performed by malicious codes
File modifications performed by malicious codes are detected by detecting a file modification for an original file before the file modification is performed on the original file. In response to detecting the file modification, a corresponding shadow file is created. The shadow file represents the original file as modified by the file modification. Before allowing the file modification to be performed on the original file, the original file is compared to the shadow file to determine if the file modification is being performed by malicious codes. The file modification may be deemed to be performed by malicious codes when the file modification involves, for example, entry point append, entry point prepend, entry point obfuscation, cavity, overwriting, or mal-tattoo.
US08352516B2 Multi-application object mapping tool
Methods and apparatuses enable a generic mapping tool accessible to multiple applications. One or more of the applications may invoke the mapping tool to map objects to each other with a defined relationship. The mapping occurs dynamically during the run-time of the application. The flexibility of the mapping tool enables the use of standard mapping mechanisms.
US08352514B2 Association and extraction of content artifacts from a graphical representation of electronic content
A computer implemented method and system is provided for associating and extracting content artifacts from a graphical representation of electronic content. A multi-dimensional virtual lattice comprising one or more grid layers is created. The nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice represent metadata acquired from predefined content criteria. Electronic content comprising content artifacts acquired from multiple content sources is graphically represented within the multi-dimensional virtual lattice using the grid layers. Each of the content artifacts from the electronic content attaches to one or more nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice. A user provides search criteria comprising keywords. The content artifacts attached to nodes of the multi-dimensional virtual lattice whose metadata matches with the keywords are extracted and displayed to the user. The graphical representation of electronic content in the multi-dimensional virtual lattice is used to associate, extract, composite, project, and organize the content artifacts acquired from the content sources.
US08352511B2 Systems and methods for providing a confidence-based ranking algorithm
A method for using a confidence based ranking algorithm is described. At least one search parameter is received. The at least one search parameter is used to identify at least one data record with confidence values. A results list with one or more data records is created. The results list is ordered according to the confidence values within the data records. The results list is sent.
US08352506B2 Automatic submission of audiovisual content to desired destinations
An audiovisual content posting system enables a user to post audiovisual comments in response to instances of audiovisual content such as podcasts. The user identifies a specific instance of audiovisual content on which s/he wishes to comment. The audiovisual content posting system prompts the user to record an audiovisual comment, and automatically transmits the recorded audiovisual comment to a destination associated with the content that is the subject of the comment. The audiovisual content posting system can automatically maintain a database storing identifiers of multiple instances of audiovisual content as well as electronic addresses to which to transmit comments thereon. The audiovisual content posting system can then detect changes to these electronic addresses, and automatically update the database accordingly. When the audiovisual content posting system transmits a comment, it can retrieve the appropriate, current electronic address to use from the database.
US08352494B1 Distributed image search
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for distributed nearest-neighbor search for image retrieval are disclosed. An example distributed image retrieval system includes a root server and a plurality of leaf servers. The root server controls the clustering of images in the image corpus, and determines the assignment of image clusters to a collection of leaf servers. Each leaf server is independently configured to perform a two-stage nearest-neighbor search in a locality-sensitive hash space for a received query image within the leaf server's assigned images clusters. Thus, the distributed image retrieval system is modular and amendable to tuning, modifications, duplication, and replacement on a per-server basis. In addition, the design of the image retrieval system allows flexible load balancing among the leaf servers.
US08352491B2 Service oriented architecture (SOA) service registry system with enhanced search capability
A system and associated method for searching a web service registry system by use of a search module. A first embodiment of the search module has a search controller, a name parser, a dictionary, and a name composer. The first embodiment of the search module automatically searches a service registry program product with a service name through a first application programming interface (API). If a service description matching the service name does not exist within the service registry program product, then the first embodiment of the search module generates a candidate service name within the search module. A second embodiment of the search module consists of the search controller, the name parser, and the name composer. The second embodiment utilizes a separate dictionary program product through a second API in generating the candidate service name for a second search of the service registry program product.
US08352490B2 Method and system for locating update operations in a virtual machine disk image
A two dimensional bit array is maintained to keep track of the location of data records in a log file that is organized as a plurality of log segments, each comprising a plurality of data records. The data records are indexed in the log file according to randomized unique ids. Each column of the two dimensional bit array represents a Bloom filter corresponding to a log segment of the log file such that, given a particular randomized unique id, log segments that may contain the data record corresponding to the particular randomized unique id can be efficiently identified by utilizing Bloom filter techniques to analyze the columns of the two dimensional bit array.
US08352489B1 Conditioning multi-class input data for a computer-implemented data classification system
Conditioned data is generated from multi-dimensional data populations. The multi-dimensional data populations include time-based media data, such as video data, or data associated with time-based media. The conditioned data is scaled such that dimensions of greater distinguishability are emphasized. To generate the conditioned data, a data conditioner receives populations of multi-dimensional data that have the same dimensions in the data. Data of a dimension is scaled based on a distinguishability factor calculated for the dimension. The distinguishability factor is calculated based on distributions in the dimension for the data populations. The data conditioning approach is scalable to any number of data populations and any number of data dimensions.
US08352475B2 Suggested content with attribute parameterization
A flexible and extensible architecture allows for secure searching across an enterprise. Such an architecture can provide a simple Internet-like search experience to users searching secure content inside (and outside) the enterprise. The architecture allows for the crawling and searching of a variety of sources across an enterprise, regardless of whether any of these sources conform to a conventional user role model. The architecture further allows for security attributes to be submitted at query time, for example, in order to provide real-time secure access to enterprise resources. The user query also can be transformed to provide for dynamic querying that provides for a more current result list than can be obtained for static queries.
US08352474B2 System and method for retrieving information using a query based index
A search system generates a plurality of pseudo-documents for a set of documents. Each pseudo-document includes a representation one or more documents from the set of documents that would be retrieved in response to executing a respective basis query over the set of documents. The search system generates an index of the plurality of pseudo-documents. The index provides an indication, for a plurality of respective documents from the set of documents, of the pseudo-documents that include a representation of the respective document. After generating the index, the search system receives a document-query that includes a representation of a first document; and in response to receiving the document-query, the search system identifies one or more pseudo-documents that include representations of at least one document having a predefined relationship to the first document; and generates a result that is based on the first set of one or more pseudo-documents.
US08352467B1 Search result ranking based on trust
A search engine system provides search results that are ranked according to a measure of the trust associated with entities that have provided labels for the documents in the search results. A search engine receives a query and selects documents relevant to the query. The search engine also determines labels associated with selected documents, and the trust ranks of the entities that provided the labels. The trust ranks are used to determine trust factors for the respective documents. The trust factors are used to adjust information retrieval scores of the documents. The search results are then ranked based on the adjusted information retrieval scores.
US08352466B2 System and method of geo-based prediction in search result selection
A system and method is disclosed for determining a prediction measurement, or measure, using geo-spatial information which can be used to determine whether or not to include type of information in search results. The prediction measurement comprises a measure of the likelihood that an item of the type of information for which the prediction measure is determined will be selected, or clicked on, by a user, if the item of the type of information is included in the search result. Without limitation, one such information type is news.
US08352465B1 Grouping of image search results
This specification relates to presenting image search results. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving an image query, the image query being a query for image search results; receiving ranked image search results responsive to the image query, the image search results each including an identification of a corresponding image resource; generating a similarity matrix for images identified by the image search results; generating a hierarchical grouping of the images using the similarity matrix; identifying a canonical image for each group in the hierarchical grouping using a ranking measure; and presenting a visual representation of the image search results based on the hierarchical grouping and the identified canonical images.
US08352463B2 Integrated full text search system and method
The present invention relates to an integrated full-text search architecture that integrates full text search with database server applications in a tight manner so that it becomes part of the server in all aspects including storage, metadata, query processing, back/up restore and resource management. This provides improved performance with respect to queries as well as improved manageability. Furthermore, the subject architecture is open and schema directed unlike other conventional full-text search architectures. Accordingly, the full-text search architecture enables expert users (e.g., search providers) to define their own index structures as well as ranking algorithms.
US08352459B2 SQL queries for simple network management protocol management information base tables
A method and system for optimizing SQL queries for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Management Information Base (MIB) tables. An SNMP client receives a source query defined in structured query language to access data stored in one or more MIB tables. The SNMP client parses the source query into one or more queries and sub-queries and applies sets of optimization rules and heuristics to the source query to generate a query execution plan for each set of optimization rules and heuristics applied to the source query. The SNMP client selects an optimal query execution plan from the generated query execution plans and rewrites the source query as a SNMP-based query using the optimization rules and heuristics specified in the optimal query execution plan. The SNMP-based query may then be used to retrieve the data requested by the source query without performing a full query scan of the MIB tables.
US08352458B2 Techniques for transforming and loading data into a fact table in a data warehouse
Techniques for transforming records prior to loading the records into a data warehouse in an efficient manner. In one embodiment, instead of using lookup transformations, a database operation such as an outer join operation is used to transform records stored in a fact staging table to add foreign keys to the records corresponding to the dimension tables that are associated with a fact table in a data warehouse to which the records are to be loaded. Since the outer join operation is memory intensive, a determination is made as to which dimension tables from the multiple dimension tables associated with the fact table are suitable, from a performance perspective, for the outer join operation. Only those suitable dimension tables are outer joined to the fact staging table to add the foreign keys for the outer joined dimension tables to the fact staging table records. Lookup transformations may be used to add foreign keys to the fact staging table records for the non-suitable dimension tables. The transformed fact records with the foreign keys may then be loaded into the fact table in the data warehouse.
US08352449B1 Reader device content indexing
A reader device and method for operating a reader device include content indexing features designed to make the use of a reader device more satisfying. A plurality of indexes is stored on a reader device. One of the indexes stored in the reader device is also stored at a remote site. Several indexes stored at the remote site may be substantially similar to one or more of the indexes stored on a reader device. The indexes stored at the remote site may be used to update one or more indexes stored on a reader device. In one implementation, the reader device is an electronic book (“eBook”) reader device.
US08352443B1 Representing scene description in databases
Digital production assets and their attributes are stored directly in a scene description database, without any association with a specific enclosing asset data file. Software applications perform database queries to retrieve assets and attributes from the database. Changes to assets or new assets are stored in the database. Query results may be cached to improve performance. Heterogeneous opinion sets including sparse opinions of attribute values may be used to specify scene description data. The database stores heterogeneous opinion set data in association with attribute values. Database-aware applications may change the scene description data in the database without loading, parsing, and instantiating scene description data. An application generates database queries and instantiates scene description data from query results for access and manipulation by other applications.
US08352440B2 Using repeated incremental background consistency checking to detect problems with content closer in time to when a failure occurs
Provided are techniques for identifying an incremental consistency checking job. During a run of the incremental consistency checking job, one or more queries are issued for a set of content holding objects in an object repository. For each of the issued one or more queries, whether content in the set of content holding objects in the object repository and associated content elements in the content repository is consistent is verified; in response to determining that content is not consistent, one or more inconsistencies are recorded; in response to determining that a desired number of content elements to process in each time interval has been reached and not all of the content holding objects in the object repository have been processed, the incremental consistency checking job is scheduled for a subsequent run; and, in response to determining that all of the content holding objects in the object repository have been processed, the incremental consistency checking job is marked as complete and a new incremental consistency checking job is scheduled.
US08352433B2 Modular backup and retrieval system used in conjunction with a storage area network
A modular computer storage system and method is provided for managing and directing data archiving functions, which is scalable and comprehends various storage media as well as diverse operating systems on a plurality of client devices. A client component is associated with one or more client devices for generating archival request. A file processor directs one or more storage devices, through one or more media components, which control the actual physical level backup on various storage devices. Each media component creates a library indexing system for locating stored data. A management component coordinates the archival functions between the various client components and the file processor, including setting scheduling policies, aging policies, index pruning policies, drive cleaning policies, configuration information, and keeping track of running and waiting jobs.
US08352432B2 Systems and methods for normalizing data of heterogeneous data sources
Systems and methods integrate disparate backup devices with a unified interface. In certain examples, a management console manages data from various backup devices, while retaining such data in its native format. The management console can display a hierarchical view the client devices and/or their data and can further provide utilities for processing the various data formats. A data structure including fields for storing both metadata common to the client device data and value-added metadata can be used to mine or process the data of the disparate client devices. The unified single platform and interface reduces the need for multiple data management products and/or customized data utilities for each individual client device and provides a single pane of glass view into data management operations. Integrating the various types of storage formats and media allows a user to retain existing storage infrastructures and further facilitates scaling to meet long-term management needs.
US08352416B2 Diagnostic report search supporting apparatus and diagnostic report searching apparatus
According to embodiments, a diagnostic report search supporting apparatus and a diagnostic report searching apparatus each have a report registering part, a structuring processing part, a related-term analyzing part, a counting part, and a keyword extracting part. The structuring processing part extracts terms from a sentence written in a diagnostic report, and classifies the terms into predetermined kinds. The related-term analyzing part generates combinations each composed of two or more terms based on the plurality of terms having been extracted. The counting part counts the existence number of same combinations in the plurality of combinations, and extracts combinations whose existence numbers are a predetermined number or more. The keyword extracting part extracts a combination including a desired keyword, and extracts a term other than the desired keyword as a related keyword.
US08352415B2 Converting images in virtual environments
The different illustrative embodiments provide a method, computer program product, and apparatus for converting a first image for a virtual machine formatted for a first virtual environment. A second image is created, wherein the second image is non-specific to any virtual environment. A determination is made whether a portion of files to be copied from the first virtual image to the second virtual image should be replaced using a compatibility matrix, wherein the compatibility matrix identifies changes between the first virtual environment and a second virtual environment. A replacement for the portion of the files is copied to the second image using the compatibility matrix responsive to a determination that the portion of the files in the set of files should be replaced. The file is copied to the second image responsive to an absence of a determination that the each file in the set of files should be replaced.
US08352409B1 Systems and methods for improving the effectiveness of decision trees
Systems and methods for improving the effectiveness of decision trees are disclosed. In one example, an exemplary method for performing such a task may include: 1) receiving, from at least one computing device, a) a sample, b) a classification assigned to the sample by a decision tree employed by the computing device, and c) identification information for a branch configuration that resulted in the classification, 2) determining that the decision tree incorrectly classified the sample, and then 3) excluding the offending branch configuration from future decision trees. An exemplary method for dynamically adjusting the confidence of decision-tree classifications based on community-supplied data, along with corresponding systems and computer-readable media, are also described.
US08352406B2 Methods and systems for predicting job seeking behavior
Embodiments of the present invention analyze information available from social-media websites to predict the likelihood that a prospective candidate will become an active recruitement candidate.
US08352403B2 System and method for efficient reasoning using view in DBMS-based RDF triple store
An efficient reasoning system and method using a view in a DBMS-based RDF triple store are provided. The DBMS-based reasoning system includes a triple input unit for receiving a Resource Description Framework (RDF) triple. A triple examination unit examines whether the received triple conforms to RDFS subsumption relation entailment rules or Web Ontology Language (OWL) inverse relation rules. A view creation unit creates a table view when the received triple conforms to the RDFS subsumption relation entailment rules or the OWL inverse relation rules as a result of the examination. A triple storage unit stores the received triple. The DBMS-based triple store can efficiently perform reasoning based on rule rdfs7 or rdfs9, which is included in the RDFS subsumption relation entailment rules, and the OWL inverse relation rules.
US08352396B2 Systems and methods for improving web site user experience
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for personalizing web sites. A model based on mining web usage data is accessed. The model defines associations between web sites. Interest associations extracted from web interactions are stored. The interest associations comprise interest indications and web sites associated with the interest indications. An interest indication from the interest associations is selected. The interest indication is associated with an associated web site. The associated web site has an association with a target web site as defined by the model. The interest indication is sent to the target web site.
US08352381B2 System and method for reimbursement of tuition expenses
A system for tuition reimbursement includes an administrative command module. An administrator can use the command module to implement a plurality of features on the system. After system set up by the administrator, a user interface displays an electronic application form for requesting reimbursement for tuition expenses. A completed electronic application form is transmitted to a manager for approval to take the course and a human resources administrator. Data relating to a completion of an education course is received, and then this data is transmitted to the manager of an employee and the human resources administrator. Input is then received relating to an approval or a denial of payment for the reimbursement for tuition expenses.
US08352378B2 Virtual account based new digital cash protocols with combined blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication
Virtual account based digital cash protocols use a combination of blind digital signatures and pseudonym authentication with at least two pairs of public and private keys. A user is provided with one master pair of private and public keys and as many pseudonym pairs of private and public keys as desired. The resulting virtual account based hybrid protocols combine the advantages of blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication. Blind digital signatures based on the master pair of keys are used to withdraw digital cash from the user's bank account under the user's real identity. A pseudonym pair of keys is used for converting digital cash into virtual account based digital cash by a digital cash issuer. All pseudonyms can be used for spending the virtual account based digital cash. These protocols ensure anonymity when withdrawing digital cash from the user's account under the user's real identity in addition to providing pseudonym authentication when spending virtual cash based digital cash under a pseudonym.
US08352364B2 Financial transaction system with integrated electronic messaging, control of marketing data, and user defined charges for receiving messages
A method of performing financial transactions between users of Summa accounts, each Summa account including an electronic messaging system that provides for crediting and debiting at least one financial account associated with each Summa account. The invention also allows each user to define a schedule of receipt charges associated with the identities of other users to be charged as compensation for accepting delivery of their messages. With the user's permission, a record of purchases made from the Summa account may be maintained in a marketing database, increasing the value of use's market identity and the corresponding value of receipt charges they user may collect. Major benefits of the invention include, but are not limited to: (1) electronic financial transactions are completed in a more secure manner with appropriate tracking and verification, (2) message recipients receive income from the value of their market identities, and (3) commercial enterprises can more readily identify individuals interested in receiving their commercial offers.
US08352361B2 Methods of delivering payments to multiple parties
The disclosed subject matter includes a method of distributing a payment of funds made payable to two or more payees. In some embodiments, the method includes the following: receiving a payment of funds made payable to two or more payees; inviting each of the two or more payees to electronically select a preferred method of funds delivery; authenticating each of the two or more payees' identity; electronically receiving the preferred method of funds delivery selected by each of the two or more payees; and delivering funds from the payment of funds to one or more of the two or more payees according to the preferred methods of funds delivery received.
US08352359B2 System and method for performing financial transactions on a network
Embodiments of the present invention include a computer-implemented method of performing a financial transaction on a network comprising storing a plurality of risk factors and associated severities in a web-enabled remote policy database, the severities defining actions taken when a specific risk factor is detected, storing a plurality of hold override policies that associate a financial transaction type with a hold type in the policy database. Various embodiments can receive transaction data including an image of a check, applying the plurality of risk factors to the transaction data, and applying the plurality of hold override policies to the deposit data. Finally, other embodiments include a web-enabled user interface through with users can review and approve/disapprove the handling of exceptions to the risk factors, severities, and hold override policies on a real-time or near-real time basis.
US08352356B2 System and method for quick quote configuration
A method and system are described for providing a trader with the ability to quickly configure the quoting side of a trading tool, without experiencing the normal delays associated with conventional methods of quoting. In spread trading, an automated spread trading tool may automatically work an order to buy or sell a tradeable object. A user may configure the trading tool to work an order in a certain tradeable object first. The system allows the user to essentially on-the-fly configure the trading tool to work a second order in another tradeable object, and in response to the change, the system can take specific actions such as deleting the order in the first tradeable object and automatically entering the second order in the other tradeable object. This allows the trader to trade quickly and efficiently.
US08352353B1 Method and system for maintaining trading accounts
Orders relating to a sale or purchase of securities are staged into an execution management system that includes a processor programmed to perform securities trading activities. Data describing the orders is stored in a database, which includes a neutral account. After the orders are staged into the execution management system, one or more of the orders, or portions thereof, are associated with one or more brokers for execution.
US08352342B1 Method and system for determining fees for deposits allocated over a plurality of deposit institutions
A method, system and program product, the method accessing, one or more electronic databases, comprising: aggregated account information for one or more FDIC-insured and interest-bearing aggregated deposit accounts held in one or more deposit institutions, in a program; and client account information; determining or having determined or accessing a fee tier from among a plurality of fee tiers for the respective client account; allocating, funds of the client accounts to one or more of the aggregated deposit accounts based on one or more criteria, wherein some of the client accounts in a plurality of different fee tiers are allocated to the same aggregated deposit account; determining or having determined a total interest amount for the respective client account for a period, based, at least in part, on interest earned by the one or more amounts, Ani, of the respective client account held in each of the one or more aggregated deposit accounts holding funds of the respective client account; calculating or having calculated or obtaining a fee amount for the respective client account, based at least in part, on the fee tier for the respective client account; determining or having determined a client account interest so that the fee amount for the respective client account and the client account interest substantially equal the total interest amount for the respective client account; and updating the one or more databases.
US08352341B1 Method and system for managing workforce mobility within a business entity
The present disclosure is directed toward incorporating corporate culture, change management, and employee morale concerns into a business facilities management process to ensure continuity of operations and revenues when managing a change event. A preferred methodology focuses on flexible and careful consideration of human factors throughout the change process, with frequent status re-assessment and plan re-alignment. A preferred system may allow the user to incorporate existing preferred software tools to manage logistics associated with an office move, and together with an information-based kit, address human factors and provide a form factor solution to facilitate teamwork and buoy employee morale. In a preferred configuration, the relocation kit may simplify the change process and enable managers of change and mobile employees to experience a sense of control, order, calm, and fun.
US08352336B2 System and method for allocating manufactured products to sellers using profitable order promising
A system and method is disclosed for allocating products to one or more sellers. The system includes a database operable to store data associated with one or more enterprises. The system further includes an order promising system coupled with the database and operable to model the flow of the products through the one or more enterprises and allocate resources to the one or more sellers based on the modeled flow of the products.
US08352327B2 System and method for tracking purchases
A novel method for obtaining transaction information includes receiving a first transaction record including data indicative of one or more products purchased by a first purchaser from a first merchant, storing the data included in the first record, receiving a second transaction record including electronic data indicative of one or more products purchased by the purchaser from a second merchant, storing the data included in the second record, and providing the first purchaser access to the first transaction record and the said second transaction record. The method is performed on a handheld device which is carried by the first purchaser. A point-of-sale system is also disclosed and includes: a processing unit, a product interface operative to receive product, memory operative to store a first transaction record, and a transaction record interface operative to output electronic data indicative of the first transaction record.
US08352324B2 Method and system for managing invitations to bid
A system and method for managing the drafting, submission, and evaluation of invitations to bid for the delivery of one or more products and/or services. An archival database of performance descriptions and prices is utilized to generate a list of desired performances; the list being automatically distributed to a plurality of selected potential bidders. Upon receipt of the submitted bids, the system evaluates the bids based on price, past pricings, and bidder performance history. A bid is selected as the winning bid, and a contract listing the desired performances is generated and forwarded to the successful bidder. During contract performance, bidder performance is monitored, with the results being added to a historical database for subsequent use in the bid evaluation and selection process. The contents of the successful bid, including any new performance descriptions drafted during the generation of the bid, are added to the archival database for use in future bid invitation generation applications.
US08352320B2 Advertising management system and method with dynamic pricing
Method and system for enabling advertisers to deliver advertisements to consumers in which a plurality of tiers of available advertisements are defined, each tier containing a number of advertisements, a price for allocation of an advertisement in each tier is set wherein a lowest tier has the lowest price and the price increases to a maximum at a highest tier, and advertisements are allocated to advertisers based on availability starting from a lowest tier with unallocated advertisements and progressing to higher tiers.
US08352319B2 Generating user profiles
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating user identifier profiles. A user identifier profile characterizes a user based on events that occurred during past user sessions for a user (e.g., past online activities). An event is an action that occurs during a user session, such as a web page view, an advertisement click-through, and a conversion. A user identifier profile can be used, for example, to select advertisements targeted to the user. A user identifier profile includes information about inferred user interests and inferred user demographics.
US08352309B2 Defining a serviceability assessment measure
A plurality of questions are displayed. Responses to the plurality of questions are received, wherein a response to a question included in the plurality of questions includes an indication of a likelihood of occurrence of an answer to the question. A value for a quality measure is determined, based on the responses to the plurality of questions.
US08352308B1 Assessing value added by associating an entity with a project
When deciding whether to fund a project, such as a movie, investors consider information such as what is often referred to as the “bankability” of people or entities attached to the project, such as the top-billed actors, the director, the producer, and/or the screenwriter. A system can collect information about people or entities and prior projects associated with those people or entities and use that information to calculate the bankability of those people or entities. Project developers can use the calculated bankability of the people or entities when deciding which people or entities to attach to in-development projects to increase the chance that the project will attract funding.
US08352302B2 Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf. According to embodiments, a method for determining a plurality of turfs from where to reallocate a workforce to a given turf is provided. According to the method, an indication of the given turf is received. Optimal turfs from where to reallocate technicians to the given turf are determined from a plurality of turfs. Visual cues for identifying at least a portion of the optimal turfs are generated.
US08352298B2 Systems and methods to detect models and accounts with anomalous revenue from color impressions
Methods and systems for identifying device models or accounts exhibiting outlying behavior are disclosed. For a method of identifying a device model exhibiting outlying behavior, a processor may receive a color impression count, a monochrome impression count and either a device model for each of a plurality of devices. A proportion of color revenue may be determined for each device based on the color impression count and the monochrome impression count. The processor may determine, for each device model, a distribution of the proportion of color revenue for the one or more devices having the device model and may automatically identify one or more distributions of the proportion of color revenue exhibiting outlying behavior. Each distribution is associated with a device model.
US08352297B1 Supply chain management
A system and a method for managing a supply chain are provided. A request for a transaction involving an enterprise and at least one partner in a supply chain is received from an end-user or the partner. Real-time data relevant to the transaction is accessed from an existing partner system. A context for the transaction is generated using the real-time data. The request is processed in the context for the transaction.
US08352284B2 Generating and managing medication tapers
Methods, computer storage media, systems and user interfaces for generating and/or managing medication tapers are provided. Medication tapers are generated by receiving medication taper data and calculating a planned regimen that includes a set of orders based upon the received medication taper data. Each order of the set of orders may be modified, captured and/or completed, for instance, by a clinician. After a medication taper has been completed, it may be retrieved and managed as desired.
US08352262B2 Speech recognition circuit and method
A speech recognition circuit comprising a circuit for providing state identifiers which identify states corresponding to nodes or groups of adjacent nodes in a lexical tree, and for providing scores corresponding to said state identifiers, the lexical tree comprising a model of words; a memory structure for receiving and storing state identifiers identified by a node identifier identifying a node or group of adjacent nodes, the memory structure being adapted to allow lookup to identify particular state identifiers, reading of the scores corresponding to the state identifiers, and writing back of the scores to the memory structure after modification of the scores; an accumulator for receiving score updates corresponding to particular state identifiers from a score update generating circuit which generates the score updates using audio input, for receiving scores from the memory structure, and for modifying the scores by adding the score updates to the scores; and a selector circuit for selecting at least one node or group of adjacent nodes of the lexical tree according to the scores.
US08352259B2 Methods and apparatus for audio recognition
Frequencies from a set of audio source files are extracted and measured across the set to determine a range of each of the frequencies. Stable frequencies of the frequencies are detected based on each range and used to create a stable frequency family. An unknown recording is mapped to the stable frequency family to form an audio fingerprint.
US08352253B2 Speech coder and speech decoder
A vector quantization apparatus performs coding of a linear predictive coding coefficient by multi-stage vector quantization. A first codebook and a second codebook store code vectors, and a storing section stores scalars. A first quantizing section extracts a first code vector stored in the first codebook and performs first stage quantization for quantizing a target vector using the first code vector. A second quantizing section extracts a second code vector stored in the second codebook, calculates a third code vector by multiplying the second code vector and one of the scalars stored in the storing section, performs distance calculation using the target vector, the first code vector and the third code vector, and performs second stage quantization for quantizing the target vector using a result of the distance calculation. Each scalar stored in the storing section is associated with at least one of the vectors stored in the first codebook.
US08352248B2 Speech compression method and apparatus
A system for encoding speech includes a speech encoder (106, FIG. 1), a speech recognizer (110), and a difference encoder (108). When the speech recognizer (110) recognizes a word, phoneme or feature within an input speech signal (122), the difference encoder (108) calculates the differences between speech parameters (140, 142) derived by the speech encoder (106) and speech parameters (146, 148) derived by the speech recognizer (110). The difference encoder (108) quantizes the differences (128), which replace corresponding encoder-derived parameters to be transmitted over a channel (130). In one embodiment, the difference encoder representation (128) of the speech parameters consumes fewer bits than the encoder-derived representation (124). Accordingly, the resulting bandwidth consumed by a single channel can be decreased.
US08352245B1 Adjusting language models
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for adjusting language models. In one aspect, a method includes accessing audio data. Information that indicates a first context is accessed, the first context being associated with the audio data. At least one term is accessed. Information that indicates a second context is accessed, the second context being associated with the term. A similarity score is determined that indicates a degree of similarity between the second context and the first context. A language model is adjusted based on the accessed term and the determined similarity score to generate an adjusted language model. Speech recognition is performed on the audio data using the adjusted language model to select one or more candidate transcriptions for a portion of the audio data.
US08352240B2 Decoupling dynamic program analysis from execution across heterogeneous systems
Dynamic program analysis is decoupled from execution in virtual computer environments so that program analysis can be performed on a running computer program without affecting or perturbing the workload of the system on which the program is executing. Decoupled dynamic program analysis is enabled by separating execution and analysis into two tasks: (1) recording, where system execution is recorded with minimal interference, and (2) analysis, where the execution is replayed and analyzed. Recording and analysis are carried out on heterogeneous systems so that they can be separately optimized.
US08352237B2 System and method for system integration test (SIT) planning
A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive a system architecture model of a system and receive trigger coverage rules. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to determine system integration test (SIT) coverage for each connection and interface of the system architecture model and select a set of use cases execution scenarios to satisfy the SIT coverage.
US08352231B2 System for performing a co-simulation and/or emulation of hardware and software
The present invention relates to a system for performing a co-simulation and/or emulation of hardware and software. The system includes a hardware simulator with an integrated hardware model, a hardware and/or software environment for controlling the hardware simulator and performing a software simulation and/or a direct software application, at least one synchronization facility within the hardware model for indicating a request from the hardware and/or software environment, a receiver for setting the synchronization facility into a predetermined state, and a controller for switching the hardware simulator between a free-running state and a request-handling state.
US08352230B2 Integrated framework for finite-element methods for package, device and circuit co-design
Electrical finite element analysis is carried out on a circuit design, which includes devices, to determine an acceptable power-performance envelope and to obtain data for circuit temperature mapping. A circuit temperature map is developed for the circuit design, based on the data for circuit temperature mapping. Thermo-mechanical finite element analysis is carried out on a package design for the circuit design, based on the circuit temperature map, to determine a package reliability limit based on thermal stress considerations. It is determined whether the package design and the circuit design jointly satisfy: (i) power-performance conditions specified in the acceptable power-performance envelope; and (ii) the package reliability limit based on the thermal stress considerations.
US08352227B2 System and method for performing oilfield simulation operations
A method for performing operations of an oilfield is described. The method involves selectively coupling oilfield simulators according to a predefined configuration, each oilfield simulator modeling at least a portion of the oilfield, a first oilfield simulator receives an oilfield control parameter as an input, identifying an uncertainty parameter associated with probable values each corresponding to a weighted probability, a second oilfield simulator receives the uncertainty parameter as an input, modeling the operations of the oilfield to generate an estimated performance by selectively communicating between the oilfield simulators, the operations of the oilfield are modeled with a predetermined value of the oilfield control parameter and at least one of the probable values of the uncertainty parameter; and identifying an optimal value of the oilfield control parameter based on the estimated performance.
US08352226B2 Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for real-time oil and gas field production optimization using a proxy simulator
Methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for real-time oil and gas field production optimization using a proxy simulator. A base model of a reservoir, well, pipeline network, or processing system is established in one or more physical simulators. A decision management system is used to define control parameters, such as valve settings, for matching with observed data. A proxy model is used to fit the control parameters to outputs of the physical simulators, determine sensitivities of the control parameters, and compute correlations between the control parameters and output data from the simulators. Control parameters for which the sensitivities are below a threshold are eliminated. The decision management system validates control parameters which are output from the proxy model in the simulators. The proxy model may be used for predicting future control settings for the control parameters.
US08352221B2 Methods and systems for design and/or selection of drilling equipment based on wellbore drilling simulations
Methods and systems may be provided for simulating forming a wide variety of directional wellbores including wellbores with variable tilt rates and/or relatively constant tilt rates. The methods and systems may also be used to simulate forming a wellbore in subterranean formations having a combination of soft, medium and hard formation materials, multiple layers of formation materials and relatively hard stringers disposed throughout one or more layers of formation material.
US08352209B2 Network based configuration of a system using software programs generated based on a user specification
A system and method for online configuration of a measurement system. The user may access a server over a network and specify a desired task, e.g., a measurement task, and receive programs and/or configuration information which are usable to configure the user's measurement system hardware (and/or software) to perform the desired task. Additionally, if the user does not have the hardware required to perform the task, the required hardware may be sent to the user, along with programs and/or configuration information. The hardware may be reconfigurable hardware, such as an FPGA or a processor/memory based device. In one embodiment, the required hardware may be pre-configured to perform the task before being sent to the user. In another embodiment, the system and method may provide a graphical program in response to receiving the user's task specification, where the graphical program may be usable by the measurement system to perform the task.
US08352208B2 Method for evaluating tree production capacity, image capture device for evaluating tree production capacity, and program for evaluating tree production capacity
Evaluation of tree production capacity by a non-destructive method using a tree crown structure measurement device or using an image capture device with a fisheye lens mounted, for isolated trees or for trees existing at intervals, is enabled without requiring a large amount of time.A semi-spheroid of revolution model is established as a representation of the outer shape of a tree, an optical tree structure measurement device is placed at a position apart from the main trunk by a prescribed distance, the intensity of light passing through tree leaves and the intensity of light not passing through tree leaves are measured, the optical path length of light incident on the tree is calculated using the semi-spheroid model and the total tree leaf area is determined from the measured light intensities and optical path length. The total tree leaf area is also determined by placing an image capture device with a fisheye lens mounted in place of an optical tree structure measurement device and performing data processing of image data acquired by image capturing.
US08352202B2 System and method for detecting interfernce in a sensor device using phase shifting
A capacitive sensor device and method is configured to respond a stimulus provided in a sensing region with an output signal. A signal generator is configured to apply a carrier signal to the capacitive sensor device. The carrier signal is switched between a plurality of phases at a switching rate, where the switching rate is less than a demodulation filter bandwidth. The result of the carrier phase shifting is that effects of interference in the output signal are frequency shifted away from the effects of user applied stimulus. An interference detection filter is configured to filter from the sensor outputs at least one effect produced by the stimulus. An interference measuring device is configured to determine a level of interference in the at least one interference output. Thus, the system can detect interference in the output of the capacitive sensor device.
US08352192B2 Method for performing constrained polarization filtering
An exemplary method for filtering multi-component seismic data is provided. One or more characteristics of the seismic data corresponding to a relative manifestation of surface wave noise on the different components, such as polarization attributes, are identified. A time-frequency boundary in the seismic data is also identified in the time-frequency transform domain, the time-frequency boundary delineating portions of the seismic data estimated to contain surface wave noise (302). Finally, filtered seismic data are created (306) by removing portions of the seismic data that correspond to the identified characteristics of surface waves and that are within the time-frequency boundary (303).
US08352184B2 Message formatting system to improve GPS and IMU positional reporting for a vehicle
The invention generally relates to a system for generating and transmitting a telemetry formatted message containing raw Global Positioning System (GPS) information, processed Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) information corresponding to the position and attitude of a high speed vehicle in motion. This telemetry formatted message is received on the ground and used to improve Kalman filter operation. In particular, the telemetry formatted message is used as an input to a ground based Kalman filter that is set to track and predict the trajectory of the high speed vehicle. The telemetry formatted message content improves the overall operation of the Kalman filter by preventing Kalman filter resets that occur when a bit error is encountered in the IMU data and improves the time correlation of high data rate IMU information and low data rate GPS information, both necessary for accurate tracking of the high speed vehicle.
US08352182B2 Map data processor and method for processing information based on map data
A map data processor includes: a road map database storing a road map data having a link data with setting information of the link and road network information with connection information between links; a communication element obtaining a new link data with connection object setting information of a connection object link and coordinate information of one end of the new link from an external device; and a controller. The controller extracts a link data of a link in a predetermined geographical area with a center of the one end of the new link. The controller determines that the new link is connected to an extracted link when the connection object setting information matches the setting information of the extracted link data. The controller registers the new link data and connection information between the new link and the connection object link in the road map data.
US08352179B2 Human emotion metrics for navigation plans and maps
An enhanced navigation system allowing navigation route and destination planning according to user-specified criteria for the emotion state of persons along the route, at the destination, or both. The enhancement is accomplished by receiving a set of human emotion metrics corresponding to one or more parts of a navigation plan; determining if the human emotion metrics meet one or more user-specified criteria; responsive to not meeting the criteria, determining an alternate navigation plan until the user-specified criteria are met; and responsive to the criteria being met, presenting the navigation plan to the user for laying into a navigation system, and optionally during execution of the navigation plan updating the received human emotion metrics; repeating the determination against the user-specified criteria; and repeating the steps of determining an alternate navigation plan and presentation to a user responsive to the updated human emotion metrics not meeting the user-specified criteria.
US08352165B2 Method and system for operating a combustion engine brake
A method and system for operating a combustion engine brake especially for a heavy vehicle like a truck or a bus is disclosed. By detecting a brake torque value which is delivered by the combustion engine brake for braking the vehicle, and, if the amount of the difference between a demanded brake torque value and the delivered brake torque value exceeds a predetermined first limit value, by operating the combustion engine brake by means of at least one additional or alternative second operating parameter which is selected in order to create a corrected brake torque value, a considerably improved accuracy, efficiency and/or reliability of the combustion engine brake can be obtained.
US08352140B2 Method and device for determining and dampening juddering vibrations of a drivetrain
A method of determining and reducing vibrations caused by a clutch (3) in a drivetrain (1) of a motor vehicle, in which the disturbing vibrations are detected by a control and regulating unit aided by suitable sensors and, if predetermined limit values are exceeded, at least one device is actuated by the control and regulating unit in such manner that the disturbing vibrations are completely eliminated or at least reduced in amplitude. At least one torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to detect the occurrence of vibrations in the drivetrain (1) and the torque sensor (8, 9, 10) is used to determine vibration amplitude.
US08352134B2 Controller for vehicle continuously variable transmission
A controller for a vehicle continuously variable transmission is disclosed. When a target gear ratio is set as the maximum gear ratio and a vehicle speed is decreased to less than a first reference vehicle speed, the controller suspends varying of the gear ratio by the transmission control and starts a gear ratio hold control that releases operational oil from a first oil pressure chamber and holds the gear ratio at the maximum gear ratio. Further, the controller ends the gear ratio hold control and delivers operational oil to the first oil pressure chamber when the vehicle speed increases to a second reference vehicle speed or greater, which is lower than the first reference vehicle speed, and restarts the varying of the gear ratio by the transmission control when the vehicle speed subsequently increases to the first reference speed or greater.
US08352131B2 Drainage plow control and method of controlling an elevation of a cutting edge of a drainage plow
A pitch plow and a method of controlling an elevation of a cutting edge of a pitch plow having a frame and a shank that is pivotally mounted to the frame, with the shank defining a cutting edge includes a control system that controls an elevation of the cutting edge. The control system includes a hydraulic control between the shank and the frame to pivotally adjust the shank and an electronic control to control the hydraulic actuator. The electronic control includes a processor and first and second sensors. The processor produces an output that adjusts the hydraulic control in a manner that controls the elevation of the cutting edge. The first sensor may measure GNS location and provides a GNS location input to the processor. The second sensor may measure orientation of said shank and provides a shank orientation input to the processor.
US08352130B2 System and method for controlling a material application system
An engine speed sensor determines engine speed data of an internal combustion engine for moving a material distribution vehicle. A ground speed sensor measures a ground speed of the material distribution vehicle. A data processor for controlling a dispensation system to distribute an agricultural input or material at a rate based on the measured ground speed and the engine speed data (e.g., sensed engine speed or change in engine speed) to anticipate a change in the ground speed of the material dispensation vehicle such that a lag in the rate of agricultural input delivered is reduced.
US08352123B2 Control device of electric power steering device for vehicles in which steered wheels are driven
When the steered wheels are driven, there is a problem of the torque steering that the steering is disturbed by the difference in the driving forces between a pair of left and right steered wheels. Before such a problem, there is a problem that, since the vehicle is apt to run straight ahead more strongly as the driving force increases even when a uniform driving torque is given to a pair of steered wheels, a larger force is required to steer the vehicle leftward or rightward by overcoming such a tendency of running straight ahead. In view of the above, the steering assist force is increased according to an increase of the driving torque of the steered wheels in a manner of harmonizing the steering assist force to the magnitude of the steering resistance due to the driving torque of the steered wheels, so as to improve the steering feeling.
US08352117B2 Turbine component tracking system
A turbine component tracking system is provided. The turbine component tracking system is advantageously adapted to determine the remaining life of individual turbine components based on how and where they are used as well as if and how they are repaired. The turbine system is also advantageously adapted to track and analyze design, manufacturing and repair changes or modifications performed on turbine components.
US08352115B2 Methods and apparatus for initiating service sessions between vehicles and service providers
A method for initiating a service session with a vehicle includes the steps of receiving a first wireless signal transmitted by the vehicle, establishing an identity of the vehicle from the first wireless signal, associating a privilege with the vehicle based at least in part on the identity, transmitting a second wireless signal to the vehicle with a request for service data of the vehicle if the privilege includes an ability to request the service data from the vehicle, and receiving the service data of the vehicle.
US08352112B2 Autonomous vehicle management
A method for controlling a vehicle upon a roadway includes monitoring a trajectory of a host vehicle based upon a global positioning device within the host vehicle, monitoring a first wireless communication between the host vehicle and a plurality of target vehicles, the first wireless communication including a respective trajectory of each of the target vehicles based upon a respective global positioning device within each of the target vehicles, determining navigational commands for the host vehicle based upon the trajectory of the host vehicle and the trajectory of each of the target vehicles, and operating the host vehicle based upon the navigational commands.
US08352111B2 Platoon vehicle management
A method for controlling a plurality of vehicles to operate the plurality of vehicles in a platoon includes, within a leader vehicle selected from the plurality of vehicles: monitoring through a vehicle-to-vehicle communication a respective actual position of each of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle based upon data from a respective global positioning device within each of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle, determining distances to operate the plurality of vehicles in the platoon based upon the respective actual positions of each of the plurality of vehicles, and selecting a respective commanded vehicle position including a respective global positioning coordinate for each of the plurality of vehicles based upon the determined distances. Each respective commanded vehicle position is transmitted to the respective one of the plurality vehicles that is not the leader vehicle, and each respective one of the plurality of vehicles that is not the leader vehicle is operated based upon the respective commanded vehicle position.
US08352110B1 User interface for displaying internal state of autonomous driving system
A passenger in an automated vehicle may relinquish control of the vehicle to a control computer when the control computer has determined that it may maneuver the vehicle safely to a destination. The passenger may relinquish or regain control of the vehicle by applying different degrees of pressure, for example, on a steering wheel of the vehicle. The control computer may convey status information to a passenger in a variety of ways including by illuminating elements of the vehicle. The color and location of the illumination may indicate the status of the control computer, for example, whether the control computer has been armed, is ready to take control of the vehicle, or is currently controlling the vehicle.
US08352108B2 Method and apparatus for controlling mechanical power input from an internal combustion engine coupled to a hybrid transmission
A method for controlling operation of a hybrid powertrain includes monitoring input speed from the engine to the hybrid transmission, calculating an input speed error between the monitored input speed and a preferred input speed, monitoring operating parameters associated with a plurality of torque actuators wherein the torque actuators include the internal combustion engine, the electric torque machine and the output member, selecting one of the torque actuators, and modifying a state of a control parameter associated with the selected one of the torque actuators in response to the input speed error.
US08352101B2 Algorithm for simultaneous attitude maneuver and momentum dumping
A system and method are disclosed for simultaneous attitude maneuver and momentum dumping. The attitude maneuver is performed using nominal wheel control to minimize propellant usage, while applying a momentum management command to the thruster control loop in order for the wheels to accomplish the desired spacecraft maneuver while simultaneously being reset to a de-saturated target state. The system and method involve a wheel system comprised of reaction wheels and/or a control moment gyroscope (CMG), at least one thruster, and control logic that is in communication with the wheel system and thruster(s). If a spacecraft maneuver is in progress, the control logic biases an error input signal to a thruster control loop to track the wheel maneuver to prevent unnecessary propellant consumption. The control logic is further operable to output thruster torque commands and wheel torque commands that accomplish the maneuver while achieving the desired final momentum target.
US08352100B2 Relative navigation system and a method thereof
A method of providing a relative navigation system by projecting into space from a first object a grid that is repeatedly detected from a second object having a second relative reference frame associated with a second origin point on the second object and using range and attitude between the objects to adjust the attitude or range of at least one of the first and second objects.
US08352098B2 Flight control system and method of separating control lever linkage
A flight control system according to the present invention includes a first sensor, a flight control computer, a link mechanism, a separation unit, and a second sensor detecting a force transmitted from the first control lever to the link mechanism. The first sensor detects a force applied from an outside to a first control lever. The flight control computer determines whether or not sticking arises in the first control lever on the basis of the force detected by the first sensor and the force detected by the second sensor, and outputs a separation command to the separation unit when determining that the sticking arises. The separation unit disconnects the link mechanism on the basis of the separation command to separate a connection between the first control lever and the second control lever.
US08352097B2 Method for managing power boost in a fuel cell powered aerial vehicle
An aerial vehicle is configured to operate in a base fuel cell operating mode and a fuel cell boost operating mode. A method for controlling the aerial includes providing a base fuel cell upper power limit. The method further includes controlling the fuel cell power level below the base fuel cell upper power limit when the aerial vehicle is operating in the base fuel cell operating mode. The method further includes operating the fuel cell above the base upper fuel cell power limit when the aerial vehicle is operating in the fuel cell boost operating mode.
US08352090B2 Method for optimizing the design of an irrigation plant and apparatus for implementing such method
The present invention relates to a method for optimized design of an irrigation system with tubing spans equipped with components including distributors, each composed of elements. The method comprises the steps of: inputting first data about spans into storage means of a computer apparatus where an IT product for designing the plant is stored, which comprises a database of the elements; inputting second data concerning the terminals of the last spans into the storage means; selecting elements from a group of sets of elements contained in the database; and generating, by the IT product, a list of components comprising the selected elements. Each of the sets is processed by the IT product by selecting, of all the available elements, those having mechanical properties suitable for the first and second input data and the previously selected elements for mechanical continuity of the irrigation plant.
US08352089B2 Remotely controlled fluid dispenser
A network of fluid dispensers is configured such that a Host controller may exchange information with local dispensers, and where local dispensers may exchange information with each other. The information may be dispensing processes, information regarding quality and reliability, problems and/or helpful information, and applications. The information may be exchanged in real time during fluid dispensing where any issues may be shared and resolved quickly even in remote locales. The applications may be developed at a local dispenser or at the Host and then shared throughout the network. The operating systems may include application software development tools, and the applications may include: monitoring deliver schedules and materials inventories; automatic issuing of purchase orders; training broadcasts; implementing industry standards for validation and approval.
US08352087B2 Control method and control system for a flow control valve
A method and system for controlling a flow control valve, comprising measuring a flow at a suitable point of a flow process and calculating a pressure drop across the valve from a Cv curve of the valve, a measured valve opening αm, and the measured flow (Qm). From this calculated pressure drop, a flow set point (Qsp), and an inverse Cv curve of the valve, a new valve opening (αc) providing the desired flow is calculated. The control is thus adapted to each operating point and its prevailing flow gain and linearizes the dependence between flow control and flow.
US08352086B2 Combined motion sensor for use in feedback control systems for vibration isolation
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a vibration isolation system, and an active vibration isolation system for vibration-isolated support of lithographic devices, wafer handling systems, and/or scanning microscopes. For this purpose the following are provided: a number of vibration transducers for supplying sensor signals which are representative of vibrations; a number of actuators for vibration compensation which may be controlled by supplying actuator control signals; a control device which is designed for processing the supplied sensor signals to form the actuator control signals, wherein the vibration transducers have at least one geophone sensor as a first acceleration sensor for detecting vibrations in a first frequency range, and at least one second acceleration sensor, which is different from the first acceleration sensor, for detecting vibrations in a second frequency range which extends the first frequency range.
US08352082B2 Methods and apparatuses for displaying energy savings from an HVAC system
A method and system of determining and displaying energy savings from an HVAC system operating in an energy saving mode. The HVAC system is operated to maintain a comfort mode temperature during a learning period. The energy consumed by the HVAC system at multiple outside ambient conditions during the learning period is determined. The correlation between a specific ambient condition and energy consumed by the HVAC system is determined. The HVAC system is run to maintain an energy saving setpoint temperature. The energy consumed by the HVAC system is determined at an ambient condition while maintaining the energy saving setpoint temperature. The energy savings are calculated as a function of the difference between the energy that would have been consumed by the HVAC system at the ambient condition based on the determined correlation and the energy consumed by the HVAC system while maintaining the energy saving setpoint temperature at the ambient condition.
US08352080B2 Communication protocol system and method for a distributed-architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
An HVAC data processing and communication network includes a subnet controller and at least one demand unit. A bus interface device associated with the demand unit is configured to receive a demand message from the subnet controller over the network. The bus interface device controls an operation of said demand unit in response to said demand message.
US08352079B2 Light management system with automatic identification of light effects available for a home entertainment system
The invention relates to the automatic identification of light effects available for a home entertainment system with a light management system. According to an embodiment of the invention, a light management system (10) with automatic identification of light effects available for a home entertainment system (12), wherein the light management system (10) is adapted for—automatically composing a lighting scene from an abstract light experience description (14), which describes types of light effects at certain locations relative to the entertainment system, —automatically registering light effects controlled by the light management system (10) and being available for the home entertainment system (12), and—automatically integrating the registered light effects in the composition of the lighting scene. This allows to automatically identify light effects generated by light sources in a room and controllable by a light management system and make them available for a home entertainment system such as an amBX® system.
US08352073B2 Mobile device for irradiation and detection of radiation
A mobile equipment endowed with a neutrons source possibly in combination with other radiation sources including a robot system that, moving on a controlled trajectory, realize the conditions to observe from different positions the radiation emerging from a specimen either mobile or fixed, properly irradiated, is described.
US08352071B2 Method of blending fuels and related system
A method and related system blend fuels and dispense a blended fuel to a vehicle at a fueling station. In one aspect, the method comprises selecting the desired proportion of at least one of the fuels available at the service station, blending that fuel with another one available, and delivering the blended fuel to the vehicle. Preferably, the first fuel is a non-renewable, petroleum based one, while the second fuel is a non-petroleum based, renewable one (such as ethanol or biodiesel).
US08352070B2 Nail polish color selection system
A user interactive custom nail polish color and effects dispensing system and method of doing business, including for both point of sale and remote (e.g., via internet) transactions.
US08352063B2 Apparatus for detecting break in warp yarn in loom
An apparatus for detecting a break in a warp yarn in a loom includes a heald, a heald frame, a carrier rod, a sensor, a controller and a signal line. The heald is made of a resin material for guiding a warp yarn. The heald frame performs a shedding operation of warp yarns and has the carrier rod for supporting a plurality of the healds. The sensor is provided in the heald for sensing a deformation of the heald caused by a tension of the warp yarn and outputting a signal. The controller is provided for determining a condition of the break in the warp yarn based on the signal of the sensor. The signal line electrically connects to the sensor and the controller.
US08352061B2 Semi-quantitative thickness determination
While a substrate is polished, it is also irradiated with light from a light source. A current spectrum of the light reflected from the surface of the substrate is measured. A selected peak, having a first parameter value, is identified in the current spectrum. A value of a second parameter associated with the first parameter is determined from a lookup table using a processor. Depending on the value of the second parameter, the polishing of the substrate is changed. An initial spectrum of light reflected from the substrate before the polishing of the substrate can be measured and a wavelength corresponding to a selected peak of the initial spectrum can be determined.
US08352059B2 Method for the manufacturing of a reproduction of an encapsulated head of a foetus and objects obtained by the method
A method for manufacturing a reproduction of a three-dimensional physical object by obtaining a digital two-dimensional representation of the object, manipulating the two-dimensional representation to input-data for a manufacturing machine, and manufacturing a reproduction of a three-dimensional physical object based on the input-data. The method can include selecting a three-dimensional object which is encapsulated, designating a predefined digital three-dimensional representation that resembles the encapsulated three-dimensional physical object, placing the predefined digital three-dimensional model in the background of the manipulated two-dimensional representation, scaling and modifying the predefined digital three-dimensional representation in accordance with the two-dimensional representation, combining the predefined digital three-dimensional representation with the manipulated two-dimensional representation to a full three-dimensional digital representation, converting the full three-dimensional representation to input-data for a manufacturing machine, and on basis of the input data reproducing the encapsulated three-dimensional object as a physical three-dimensional model.
US08352055B2 Method for implementing production processes and system for executing the method
A method for implementing production processes includes a step of programming a state machine for each production process. The programming step includes a definition of a plurality of states and a definition of a plurality of transitions between states, corresponding to possible actions which the corresponding production process may execute. The programming step further includes the steps of detecting whether or not one or more states to be defined for a state machine have already been defined for state machines already programmed for other production processes, and executing the definition of states only for states not detected in the detecting step.
US08352052B1 Adjusting audio volume
Systems, methods, and computer program products for editing audio data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving digital audio data and receiving a first input to a volume control to increase a volume of the audio data. The method further includes amplifying the audio data in response to the first user input without clipping the audio data and receiving one or more subsequent user inputs to the volume control, where in response to each subsequent user input performing compression and amplification of the audio data.
US08352049B2 Temporary expanding integrated monitoring network
A system for monitoring an industrial process and taking action based on the results of process monitoring. Actions taken may include process control, paging, voicemail, and input for e-enterprise systems. The system includes an input module for receiving a plurality of parameters from a process for manufacture of a substance or object. The system also includes a library module. The library module includes a plurality of computer aided processes. Any one of the computer aided processes is capable of using each of the plurality of parameters to compare at least two of the plurality of parameters against a training set of parameters. The training set of parameters is generally predetermined. The computer aided process is also capable of determining if the at least two of the plurality of parameters are within a predetermined range of the training set of parameters. Additionally, the system includes an output module for outputting a result based upon the training set and the plurality of parameters.
US08352039B2 Programming therapy delivered by implantable medical device
This disclosure describes techniques for programming stimulation therapy programs according to therapy targets (e.g., symptoms or areas of pain) in a patient to which they are applied. Several programs can be programmed for each therapy target, stored on an implantable medical device, and retrieved later by a programmer to modify, edit, delete, create, and/or select a therapy program for each of the therapy targets. Each therapy target is independent from the other therapy targets, and a user can select or change a program under one therapy target without affecting programs under the other therapy targets. During programming, a user can specify parameters for each program applicable to only that program, and can specify parameters for each therapy target applicable to every program associated with that therapy target. The organization of programs into slots and the selection of a program in each slot may be manual or automated.
US08352037B2 Transformable speech processor module for a hearing prosthesis
A method for operating an external component of a cochlear implant hearing system. The external component includes a speech processor module operable in a stand-alone mode of operation and a body-worn mode of operation, and a protective case. The method includes operating the speech processor module in the stand-alone mode, determining when the speech processor module is mounted in the case, and operating the speech processor module in the body-worn mode in response to determining that the speech processor module is mounted in the case.
US08352034B2 Medical device programmer with adjustable kickstand
A programmer for an implantable medical device includes an adjustable kickstand. In one example, the kickstand is configured to combine with the base to support the programmer in an upright position when the kickstand is fully-collapsed to support the programmer in a reclined position when the kickstand is fully-extended. Further, the programmer housing may include a fan grate that allows airflow from a cooling fan to pass through the programmer housing. The fan grate is positioned behind the kickstand when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position. The kickstand includes an aperture adjacent the fan grate when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position, the aperture allowing airflow from the cooling fan to pass through the fan grate when the kickstand is in the fully-collapsed position.
US08352033B2 Apparatus and methods for measuring defibrillation lead impedance via a high magnitude, short duration current pulse
Methods and apparatus for accurately and painlessly measuring the impedance between defibrillation electrodes implanted in a patient utilize a high current test pulse delivered with a sufficiently high current to produce an accurate measurement of the defibrillation electrode impedance while limiting the duration of the test pulse such that the pain sensing cells in the patient do not perceive the test pulse. In one embodiment, the test pulse is generated from the high voltage transformer without storing energy in the high voltage capacitors and is delivered to the defibrillation electrodes in the patient utilizing the high voltage switching circuitry.
US08352032B2 Monitoring right ventricular hemodynamic function during pacing optimization
Method and systems related to monitoring right ventricular function during pacing by a cardiac rhythm management device are described. One or more pacing parameters are selected to provide cardiac resynchronization therapy. For example, the one or more pacing parameters may be selected to provide an optimal or improved therapy. The heart is paced using the selected pacing parameters. While pacing with the selected parameters, pressure is sensed via a pressure sensor disposed the pulmonary artery. The sensed pressure is analyzed to determine right ventricular function achieved during the pacing using the selected pacing parameters. A signal, such as an alert signal or control signal, is generated based on the right ventricular function achieved during the pacing.
US08352027B2 Implantable cardiac rhythm management system having multiple therapy modalities
A cardiac rhythm management system for providing a plurality of therapy modalities. For example, the system may include a cardiac resynchronization therapy module for providing cardiac resynchronization therapy and a pacemaker module for providing bradycardia therapy, as well as a selector module coupled to the cardiac resynchronization therapy module and the bradycardia module. The selector module may select an operating mode from among a plurality of operating modes including the cardiac resynchronization therapy module and the pacemaker module. Various manual and automatic methods may be used to select the operating mode. In addition, a reversion management system may be included to assist the cardiac rhythm management system to recover in case of a disruption to the system.
US08352025B2 Leadless cardiac pacemaker triggered by conductive communication
A leadless cardiac pacemaker configured for implantation in electrical contact with a left ventricular cardiac chamber and configured for leadless triggered left-ventricular pacing for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in response to conducted signals from a pulse generator.
US08352024B2 Electrokinetic delivery system for self-administration of medicaments and methods therefor
An electrokinetic delivery system for personal use in self-administration of a medicament to a treatment site on an individual includes a device shaped to conform with the shape of a portion of an individual's finger from a tip thereof to a location past the first finger joint. A self-contained power source is carried by the device and a first electrode is carried by the device adjacent a distal end portion thereof and the tip of the individual's finger. The first electrode is in electrical contact with the power source. A second electrode is carried by the device for contact with the individual's finger. The second electrode is in electrical contact with the power source. Upon application of the first electrode over a treatment site with the medicament disposed between the first electrode and the treatment site and completion of an electrical circuit through the individual's body and said electrode, the device applies current for electrokinetically driving the medicament into the treatment site.
US08352019B2 Systems and methods for modeling both unobstructed and obstructed portions of a catheter
Electrical mapping system and methods are disclosed for modeling both unobstructed and obstructed portions of a catheter. An exemplary system includes a catheter body comprising a distal portion and a proximal portion, the catheter body supporting a plurality of electrodes electrically connected to an output device. The system also includes a rendering component operatively associated with the output device. The rendering component receives raw data from the plurality of electrodes and generates a plurality of images based on the raw data. Then the rendering component overlays the plurality of data images on one another to generate a three-dimensional image representing both the internal tissue and a visible portion of the catheter body. The system also includes an enhancement component which retrieves positional data for the catheter body and overlays a silhouette of at least one obstructed portion of the catheter body.
US08352013B2 Method and system for motion compensation in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging
A method and system are provided for imaging by predicting, from multiple real time MR imaging data, motion of an object and subsequently obtaining high-resolution imaging data of the object using the predicted motion of the object. Thus, the process uses real time images to derive a history of the motion of the object and thereby generate a predicted trajectory of the object and then uses this trajectory to determine the projected position of the object during a subsequent, separate, high-resolution data acquisition phase.
US08352012B2 Biomedical electrode for detecting localized electrical signals and providing electrical stimulation
A biomedical electrode is disclosed that includes at least first and second electrical nodes for connection to medical equipment. The biomedical electrode includes a first electrical node including a disc of conductive material having a diameter d1, and a second electrical node including a ring of conductive material. The ring is concentric with the disc and has a diameter d2 that is larger than d1 and having a ring thickness t2 such that (4≦d1/t2≦6).
US08352005B2 Noninvasive blood analysis by optical probing of the veins under the tongue
A method for analysis of blood components or parameters is disclosed where a probe having an excitation outlet and a response inlet is placed in proximity to or in contact with a tissue of an underside of a patient's tongue over a big vein in the tongue so that an excitation signal exits the outlet, produces a response which enters the inlet for detection and analysis.
US08351998B2 Method of performing actions related to handover by a mobile station that is in power saving mode in a wireless mobile communication system
A method of performing actions related to handover by a mobile station (MS) in a wireless mobile communication system is disclosed. More specifically, the MS receives information from a base station (BS), wherein the information includes at least one action for performing handover and at least one condition corresponding to the at least one action. Furthermore, the MS transmits a request message to perform the at least one action based on the received information from the BS and receives a response message in response to the request message. Lastly, the MS performs the at least one action according to the received response message.
US08351997B2 Scheduling for power savings in a wireless network
In a wireless network, a wireless device may dynamically estimate how long it can remain in a sleep mode without missing out on necessary opportunities to communicate within the network. In some embodiments, this estimate may be based at least partly on an estimate of how long it will take to transmit data in a transmit queue.
US08351995B2 Flexible home page layout for mobile devices
The flexible user interface layout includes a split-screen display that provides flexibility in determining which information will be displayed on the screen, such as a home page. The screen may be divided into display panes in which a user may drag a center point or node of intersection to increase the size of a selected display pane, while reducing the size of at least some of the other display panes. Each display pane may contain a different page selected by the user, or displayed by default. The pages may also be customizable such that the user can create pages and select which content to display on a particular page.
US08351986B2 Method of precoding with a codebook for a wireless system
A quantized multi-rank beamforming scheme for multiple-antenna systems such as a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) wireless downlink. User equipment (UE) estimates downlink channel and transmit power and determines rank and power allocations. A quantized beamforming matrix is then determined by the UE using successive beamforming. The UE also determines channel quality indices (CQI) which it feeds-back to the wireless downlink base station along with the index of the quantized beamforming matrix. The base station uses the CQI information to select a UE for scheduling of downlink transmission and the quantized beamforming matrix index received from the selected UE to beamform the downlink transmission to the UE. Base station overhead and is minimized while providing near-optimal performance given the constraints of a limited feed-back channel and computational complexity of the UE.
US08351985B2 Low power dual processor architecture for multi mode devices
A mobile computing device with multiple modes, for example, wireless communication and personal computing, has an application processor and a communication processor. In the computing mode, the application processor is the master processor. In the communication mode, the application processor is deenergized to conserve battery power, with the communication processor functioning as the master processor by accessing the device's peripheral bus using the memory interface of the communication processor.
US08351984B1 Communication device
The communication device comprising a voice communicating implementer, a downloaded video game implementer, a moving picture displaying implementer, a calculating implementer, a bold font displaying implementer, a stereo audio output implementer, a photo quality setting implementer, a multiple language implementer, a caller's information displaying implementer, and an icon software implementer.
US08351980B2 Mobile device for detecting and indicating loss of proximity for associated support functions
Methods of detecting proximity between a mobile terminal and a wireless accessory device having an associated support function for use with the mobile terminal include establishing a wireless communication connection between the wireless accessory device and the mobile terminal. The established wireless communication connection is utilized to provide the associated support function. In addition, a wireless signal having a limited range is communicated between the mobile terminal and the wireless accessory device. The wireless signal indicates a proximity between the mobile terminal and the wireless accessory device. An alert signal indicating that the proximity between the mobile terminal and the wireless accessory device has exceeded a predetermined range is provided responsive to the communicated wireless signal when the established wireless communication connection is not being utilized to provide the associated support function. Related devices are also provided.
US08351979B2 Camera as input interface
A portable handheld electronic device contains a camera lens and accelerometer to allow a user to control voicemail and call features by swiping his finger across the camera lens and/or tapping the device. Therefore, the user can comfortably input commands into the device with a single hand and without needing to move the phone away from his ear to apply these inputs. In another embodiment, the camera lens can also be used to control navigation of the display screen or a displayed document of the device. For example, if a user wishes to shift a scrollbar for a page displayed on the screen downwards to view the bottom of the page, the user should move his finger over the camera lens in an analogous downward direction.
US08351977B2 Method for performing downlink/uplink handover
A method for performing a handover in a mobile communication system, which is capable of independently performing an uplink handover and a downlink handover, is disclosed. An uplink channel status of a base station is checked and the uplink handover to a base station having a good uplink channel status is performed. A downlink channel status of a base station is checked and the downlink handover to a base station having a good downlink channel status is performed. Accordingly, an uplink base station and a downlink base station may be different from each other. Transmission/reception efficiency can be improved by independently performing the handover.
US08351965B2 Wireless email communications system providing resource updating features and related methods
A wireless communications system may include a plurality of wireless communications networks and a plurality of mobile wireless communications devices for sending and receiving wireless electronic mail (email) messages over the wireless communications networks. The system may further include a resource deployment server for storing a plurality of resource deployment packages (RDPs), where each RDP includes deployment content and deployment instructions therefor relating to sending and receiving email messages. The resource deployment server may also be for dynamically deploying RDPs to the wireless communications networks to update deployment content thereof based upon the respective deployment instructions.
US08351959B2 Spatially selective UHF near field microstrip coupler device and RFID systems using device
A system having a UHF RFID transceiver is adapted to communicate exclusively with a single electro-magnetically coupled transponder located in a predetermined confined transponder operating region. The system includes a near field coupling device comprising a plurality of lines connected in parallel with an unmatched load. The near field coupling device may be formed, for example on a printed circuit board with a plurality of electrically interconnected traces and a ground plane. The system establishes, at predetermined transceiver power levels, a mutual electro-magnetic coupling which is selective exclusively for a single transponder located in a defined transponder operating region. Also included are methods for selective communication with the transponder in an apparatus such as a printer-encoder.
US08351955B2 Method and device for determining antenna cooperation set, method and device for determining base station cooperation set
A method and device for determining an antenna cooperation set, and a method and device for determining a base station cooperation set in the mobile communication field are provided. The method includes that a signal joint processing system obtains the channel quality between a mobile terminal and at least two base stations, determines the base stations, which are corresponding to the channel quality higher than the channel quality threshold, as the cooperation base station set of the mobile terminal. Because the channel quality between the mobile terminal and the antenna of each base station is used to determine the cooperation antenna set dynamically, therefore, the determined cooperation antenna set includes the antennae that have very strong interference to the mobile terminal, or the antennae that have been strongly interfered by the mobile station. By performing signal joint processing to the antennae, signal interference among adjacent cells can be reduced, better accuracy for detecting mobile terminal signals can be obtained, the accuracy for receiving signals by the mobile station is improved, and namely the communication quality between the mobile terminal and the base stations is improved.
US08351950B2 Scheduling and link adaptation in wireless telecommunications systems
The invention relates to control of link resources in a wireless telecommunications system, in which instant channel feedback information is transmitted from a mobile terminal in response to receipt of a selection message from a basestation, and the instant channel feedback information is used for real-time resource allocation and adaptation at the basestation.
US08351945B2 Performing association during handover in wireless access system
A method of associating a mobile station to a base station in a wireless communication system comprises transmitting to a serving base station a scanning request message comprising an association indicator. The method also comprises receiving from the serving base station a scanning response message comprising a rendezvous time associated with a neighboring base station for initiating ranging with the neighboring base station, wherein the serving base station communicates an association notification to the neighboring base station, the association notification comprising the rendezvous time. The method also comprises associating with the neighboring base neighboring base station by transmitting a ranging request after passing of the rendezvous time determined from a transmission time of the scanning response message from the neighboring base station, wherein the rendezvous time is associated with a time the neighboring base station is expected to provide a non-contention based ranging opportunity for the mobile station.
US08351942B2 Signaling method to support geo-location emergency services
In a method to support geo-location emergency services in a wireless network, a request message is transmitted from a source base station of one vendor to a target base station of another vendor. For example, the request message might be sent subsequent to a wireless unit initiating an emergency services communication, where it is desired to determine the location of the wireless unit by radiolocation, or otherwise at the network level. Upon receiving the request message, the target base station transmits a report message to the source base station, which includes a one-way transmission delay (or other propagation delay information) of the wireless unit as measured at the target base station. Communication protocols in the network are configured so that there are no automatic transmissions of propagation delay information. Instead, base stations transmit propagation delay information only upon the receipt of request messages requesting the information.
US08351937B2 Mobile terminal and method for displaying wireless devices thereof
A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with wireless devices to be connected with the mobile terminal, a display unit configured to display information about the wireless devices, an input unit configured to input search information including at least one of a distance range to search for the wireless devices and a type of the wireless devices, and a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit to search for the wireless devices based on the input search information and to control the display unit to display responding wireless devices that responded to the search by the wireless communication unit according to the input search information.
US08351932B2 Method and system for international roaming and call bridging
Disclosed is an enhanced system and method for bridging calls across telecommunications networks, including an illustrative application of the invention as it relates to international roaming among prepaid wireless subscribers. For instance, whenever wireless subscribers roam internationally they may invoke the system by keying in an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) short code followed by the number to be dialed. Said subscriber's prepaid account is then decremented in real-time (until such account is fully depleted). A key feature of the disclosure generally is the bridging of the call legs between the wireless subscriber initiating the telephone communication and that of the receiving party through a series of general purpose databases and computers without requiring modifications to existing core network or handset infrastructure.
US08351916B2 Stealth mode for wireless communications device
A device is configured to enter a stealth mode in response to a trigger and/or triggering event. The trigger/triggering event can be a voice command, a depression(s) of a button(s) or pattern of buttons on the device, a keyboard and/or softkey entry, entry of a pattern on the display of the device, a designated movement of the device, detection of an event, and/or lack of detection of an event. The device activates the stealth mode without any indication to the user of the device that the device is activating the stealth mode. The stealth mode operates concurrently with all other functions of the device. A virtual secure channel can be established that allows communication with the device without providing an indication that the device is communicating via the virtual secure channel. A token can be utilized for authentication and to discriminate be stealth and normal modes.
US08351913B2 Merging call notifications in cross ringing systems
Multiple instances of an incoming call in an integrated system capable of communicating through multiple networks are associated such that the called party is provided a single (merged) notification along with options to select among available call types. The call is established using a selected network and end device registered to the called user. Association of the instances is accomplished by comparing caller identity derived from a variety of information associated with the calling party. Conversation or correlation IDs are used to associate the instances as being for the same call and with other related communications such as a related instant messaging session.
US08351906B2 Calling methods and systems for video phone
A calling method for the video phone, includes: playing a Multimedia Ring Back Tone for a calling terminal via a first bearer of video phone established between a Multimedia Ring Back Tone server and the calling terminal; establishing a second bearer of video phone between a called terminal and the Multimedia Ring Back Tone server upon detecting that the called terminal answers the call; and performing a video phone communication between the calling terminal and the called terminal via the first bearer and the second bearer established. Another calling method for the video phone, comprises: playing a Multimedia Ring Back Tone for the calling terminal by the Multimedia Ring Back Tone server via a third bearer of video phone established with the calling terminal; establishing a fourth bearer of video phone between the calling terminal and the called terminal, and performing the video phone communication between the calling terminal and the called terminal via the fourth bearer. The present invention also provides the corresponding systems, thereby realizing the Multimedia Ring Back Tone service of video phone.
US08351905B1 Visual voicemail privacy protection
Visual voicemail privacy protection is implemented by requiring a credential from a user or a user device before providing voicemail data to the user. The credential may be a user name and password combination, a digital certificate, or the like. The user may enable or disable this privacy protection feature at will. A first device being used for visual voicemail services may detect a second device within a defined area around the first device and either enable or disable privacy protection features based on whether the second device is determined to be an authorized or unauthorized device. Privacy protection features may be implemented locally or remotely.
US08351904B2 Mobile terminal and communication history providing method using the same
A mobile terminal including a communication unit configured to provide a communication function including at least one of an outgoing communication function and an incoming communication function, a controller configured to acquire surrounding data including at least one of image data or sound data corresponding to a surrounding of where the communication function is performed, and to match the acquired surrounding data with communication information indicating a first party of the outgoing function or a second party of the incoming communication function, and a display unit configured to display a communication history including the communication information matched with the surrounding data. In addition, the controller is further configured to acquire the surrounding data selectively based on a) a manual operation of the terminal or b) automatically without user intervention.
US08351903B2 Updating voicemail with selective establishment of PDP contexts and data sessions
A method for updating voicemail data at least partially stored at a device (30) can include obtaining a command to update the voicemail data at a device (30). The device (30) can activate a data session through which voicemail data can be downloaded to the device (30). In some embodiments, the device (30) can automatically activate a data session upon the occurrence of a trigger event, for example, upon the receipt of a message waiting indicator, or upon powering on the device (30). In other embodiments, the device (30) can wait for a user action or command to download voicemail data. The action or command can be received at the device after a trigger event, or at any other time. Exemplary devices (30) and communications networks (10) for implementing these and other embodiments are disclosed.
US08351900B2 Man-in-the-middle detector and a method using it
A method receives signaling messages by a mobile apparatus at least from one base station of a cellular network, interprets a received signaling message, searches for an anomaly with at least one signaling parameter of the received signaling message from a first base station to a known comparison signaling parameter, gives an alert if the comparison gives an unequal result concerning at least one signaling parameter.
US08351896B2 Method to support emergency call through mesh network
A method is provided for managing an emergency call in a mesh network. The method comprises a mesh station receiving an emergency indicator indicating that a call is an emergency call.
US08351895B2 Wireless security device and method to place emergency calls
A wireless security device and method includes implementing, by a wireless security device, one or more Bluetooth™ wireless protocol profiles for connecting to one or more Bluetooth™ enabled devices. A Bluetooth™ enabled telephony device may be paired with the wireless security device using one or more Bluetooth™ wireless protocol profiles. The wireless security device may send a command to the telephony device over the wirelessly paired Bluetooth™ connection The command may cause the telephony device to place a telephone call to an emergency telephone number. Once the telephone call is placed, a prerecorded emergency message may be sent from the wireless security device to the telephony device, causing the telephony device to play the prerecorded emergency message.
US08351894B2 Mobile wireless communications device with orientation sensing and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device may include a housing, a wireless transceiver carried by the housing, and a display carried by the housing. The mobile wireless communications device may further include a non-visual indicator carried by the housing, and an orientation sensor carried by the housing. A controller may be carried by the housing, and coupled to the wireless transceiver and the display to perform at least one mobile wireless communications function. The controller may also be switchable to a stabilization mode to activate the non-visual indicator based upon the orientation sensor sensing relative angular movement beyond a threshold.
US08351891B2 Wideband distributed mixers
A wideband distributed mixer capable of operation over a wide range of frequencies is provided. The mixer can include a plurality of N mixer stages and monolithic transmission lines integrated together on a common semiconductor substrate. The length of each transmission line between adjacent stages can be predetermined such that an IF signal output from each stage is in-phase with the IF signal output from any preceding stage, allowing the mixer to output a mixed IF signal that is a constructive sum of the IF output signals from each constituent stage. The number of mixer stages as well as the design architectures and topologies for each stage can be varied according to the needs of the application.
US08351885B2 Auto-tuning system for an On-Chip RF filter
A Radio Frequency Receiver on a Single Integrated Circuit (“RFSIC”) is described. The RFSIC may include a mixer, a phase-locked loop (“PLL”) in signal communication with the mixer, and an on-chip auto-tuned RF filter in signal communication with both the mixer and PPL, such that the same PLL simultaneously tunes the frequency of the VCO and the frequency response of the auto-tuned RF filter.
US08351879B2 Safe area voltage and current interface
A safe area voltage and current interface is provided that includes an antenna and mode selection unit, an antenna tuner unit and an interface unit. The antenna and mode selection unit determines a frequency mode and an antenna mode for an output signal. The antenna tuner unit is directly connected to the antenna and mode selection unit and is configured to tune the output signal based on the frequency mode and the antenna mode determined by the antenna and mode selection unit. The interface unit is directly connected to the antenna tuner unit and is configured to ensure that a current and voltage level of the output signal does not exceed an intrinsically safe current and voltage level, while maintaining the peak current level of the output signal to a level sufficient to drive an electronic component disposed in an unsafe environment.
US08351876B2 Transmitter linearized using cartesian-processed look-up table and method therefor
A transmitter (50) includes a nonlinear predistorter (58) having two instances of an inverting transform (106, 106′) that may be implemented in a look-up table (122) and that implements a transform which is the inverse of an average terms component (96) of a nonlinear transform model (94) for an amplifier (70). The look-up table (122) may be updated using a continuous process control loop that avoids Cartesian to polar coordinate conversions. One of the two instances of the inverting transform (106) is cascaded with a non-inversing transform (108) within a residual cancellation section (110) of the predistorter (58). The non-inversing transform (108) implements a transform which is an estimate of a deviation terms component (98) of the nonlinear transform model (94). The residual cancellation section (110) produces a weak signal that replaces an unwanted residual term in an amplified communication signal (76) with a much weaker residual term.
US08351867B2 Oscillator, frequency generating circuit and wireless communication system using the oscillator
The present invention provides an oscillator and a communication system using the oscillator, in particular, an LC oscillator adapted to lessen phase noise deterioration due to harmonic distortions and increase the amplitude of oscillation, thereby having a favorable low phase noise characteristic. The oscillator comprises at least one voltage to current converter consisting of a transistor and a resonator comprising two LC tanks consisting of a pair of conductive elements and inductive elements. A feedback loop is formed such that an output terminal of the voltage to current converter is connected to the resonator and a current input to the resonator is converted to a voltage which is in turn fed back to an input terminal of the voltage to current converter. Inductive elements constituting the two LC tanks constituting the resonator are mutually inductively couple and a coefficient of the mutual induction is about −0.6.
US08351866B2 Method, apparatus and system for providing feedback to a transmit diversity device
A method and system for improving closed loop feedback in transmit diversity communication. In one embodiment of the invention, a predetermined variation of one or more transmit diversity parameters is performed at the transmit diversity transmitter. The receiver compares the transmit diversity parameter values of the received signals to the predetermined variation and transmits to the transmitter a value of a transmit diversity correction parameter. The transmitter may use this correction value to modify the transmit diversity parameter in a subsequent transmission.
US08351864B2 Wireless terminal and retransmission method
A wireless terminal capable of securing the number of station units capable of simultaneous communication with one unit of access point, reducing power consumption, and ensuring stable communication quality. In the wireless terminal (100), an interference determining section (109) determines whether or not an interference wave is at a predetermined level or more on the basis of the RSSI and SNR of the received signals which are calculated by an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) calculating section (104) and SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) calculating section (105) and the presence/absence of a demodulation error notified from a demodulation section (108). A number-of-retransmission upper limit setting section (113) sets the upper limit of the number of retransmission smaller than when the interference wave is at the predetermined level or lower if the interference wave is at the predetermined level or more. A WLAN transmitting circuit (115) repeats the transmission of a transmitting signal by the upper limit number of retransmission till the transmission of the transmitting signal is successful.
US08351860B2 Method and apparatus for communicating using expansion of communication range
Provided are a communication method and apparatus for communicating between remote devices, in which a first device determines whether a second device is located within a second distance in which the second device can communicate with the first device via a third device and a fourth device which are remote devices relaying communication between the first and second devices, and then communicates with the second device according to the determination result.
US08351856B2 Adaptive inductive power supply with communication
An adaptive inductive ballast is provided with the capability to communicate with a remote device powered by the ballast. To improve the operation of the ballast, the ballast changes its operating characteristics based upon information received from the remote device. Further, the ballast may provide a path for the remote device to communicate with device other than the adaptive inductive ballast.
US08351850B2 Apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals, comprising a circuit to cancel interferences
An apparatus for emitting and receiving radio-frequency signals includes a circuit to cancel interference. The apparatus transmits and receives signals using an antenna, and isolates the transmission and receiving circuitry. The circuit taps a first part of a signal to be transmitted, and controls the amplitude and phase of this signal. The circuit then introduces the first part of the signal into the receiver after the first part of the signal has been amplified and phase-shifted, so as to cancel in the receiver interference due to portions of the signal that have undesirably entered the receiver.
US08351845B2 Control method, control apparatus, data receiving and recording method, data receiver and receiving method
A data receiving and recording method and data receiver are provided for receiving data coded by a predetermined method and copyright information attached to the data. While recording the received data on a predetermined recording medium, the copyright information is recorded into a predetermined area of the recording medium. Preferably, the data consists of audio data of the song, lyrics data of the song and image data relating to the song and the copyright information is allotted respectively to the audio data, lyrics data and image data.
US08351836B2 Heat generating roller, fixing device and image forming apparatus
A heat generating roller which generates a heat when magnetic flux is applied from outside, which has high ability to control an amount of heat generation of itself and which has sufficient strength, including a main heating layer made of a material having a low electric resistivity, a heat controlling layer made of magnetic metal including at least nickel, a heat insulation layer having a low heat conductivity, and a stiff metal core, in order as above from outside, wherein the heat controlling layer is annealed, and the heat controlling layer and the heat insulation layer are bonded to each other.
US08351834B2 Conveying device including a pressing member, fixing device including the conveying device, and image forming apparatus including the conveying device
A conveying device includes: a rotating roll; a conveying belt that rotates, nipping a conveyed member between the conveying belt and the rotating roll; and a pressing member that is disposed at the inner periphery of the conveying belt and pressing the conveying belt towards the rotating roll. The pressing member includes an opposing face formed with a pressure point where the pressing force of the conveying belt towards the rotating roll is greatest, and an inclined face that is formed at the belt rotation direction upstream side relative to the pressure point. The inclined face inclines at an angle relative to a parallel line such that the inclined face separates away from the rotating roll, and the parallel line being parallel to a tangent to the rotating roll outer peripheral surface and passing through the pressure point.
US08351820B2 Imaging unit and image forming apparatus that adjust and modify a gap between a photoconductor drum and a developer roller
An electrophotographic imaging unit includes a photoconductor housing, a developer housing, and a support. The photoconductor housing is configured to rotatably support a photoconductor drum. The developer housing is configured to accommodate developer and a developer roller. The support is configured to rotatably support the developer roller at opposite ends thereof. The photoconductor housing and the developer housing are hinged together at one side, and movable relative to each other at another side to open and close the imaging unit to sandwiched the support between the photoconductor housing and the developer housing when the imaging unit is closed.
US08351803B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a printing section configured to perform duplex printing including printing N sheet on a first side thereof and subsequently printing M sheet on a second side thereof, wherein M is equal to or smaller than N, a suspension section which is configured to suspend the duplex printing in response to receiving a request for image adjustment during the duplex printing, while the sheet having the first face thereof printed is caused to stay in the image forming apparatus during the suspension, a correction section which is configured to update a correction data for image adjustment while the duplex printing is suspended by the suspension section, and a restarting section which is configured to restart the duplex printing suspended by the suspension section after the correction data has been updated by the correction section.
US08351800B2 Optical receiver and clock generation method
An optical receiver includes a dispersion mitigator configured to mitigate a wavelength dispersion value in an optical signal by using a set dispersion value, a phase difference signal generator configured to generate a phase difference signal by calculating the phase difference between a first clock signal included in an optical signal mitigated by the dispersion mitigator, and a second clock signal, a dispersion value adjuster configured to adjust the set dispersion value set in the mitigator, a controller configured to control fluctuations appearing in a phase difference signal generated by the phase difference signal generator when the dispersion value is adjusted by the dispersion value adjuster, and a clock generator configured to generate the second clock follow up the phase of the first clock, being based on the phase difference signal controlled by the controller.
US08351797B2 Repeater and repeating method
A repeater is disclosed that transmits an optical signal using wave division multiplexing. The repeater includes a demultiplexing unit that separates plural channels contained in the optical signal, an adjusting unit that adjusts at least optical power of each of the channels according to a control signal, a multiplexing unit that outputs a multiple wavelength signal in which the channels are multiplexed, and a monitoring unit that determines a modulation scheme and a bit rate of the optical signal for each of the channels so as to generate the control signal.
US08351796B2 Optical low-noise block downconverter, multiple dwelling unit, and related satellite television system
A low-noise block downconverter includes a first down-converting circuit for down-converting and filtering a first polarization signal for outputting a first intermediate-frequency signal, a second down-converting circuit for down-converting and filtering a second polarization signal for outputting a second intermediate-frequency signal, wherein a frequency band of the first intermediate-frequency signal is the same as that of the second intermediate-frequency signal, an oscillator for generating an oscillating signal, outputted to the first down-converting circuit and the second down-converting circuit, a first optical transmitter coupled to the first down-converting circuit for converting the first intermediate-frequency signal into a first optical signal, and a second optical transmitter coupled to the second down-converting circuit for converting the second intermediate-frequency signal into a second optical signal.
US08351794B2 Parallel optical transceiver module having a heat dissipation system that dissipates heat and protects components of the module from particulates and handling
A parallel optical transceiver module is provided that has a heat dissipation system that dissipates large amounts of heat, while also protecting the laser diodes, ICs and other components of the module from particulates, such as dust, for example, and from mechanical handling forces. The heat dissipation system is configured to be secured to the optical subassembly (OSA) of the module such that when the OSA is secured to the upper surface of the leadframe of the module, the OSA and the heat dissipation system cooperate to encapsulate at least the laser diodes and laser diode driver IC in a way that protects these components from dust and other particulates and from external mechanical forces. The heat dissipation system of the module is disposed for coupling with an external heat dissipation system, e.g., with a heat dissipation system that is provided by the customer.
US08351790B2 Optical OADM transmission system with loopback
An optical transmission system including: first, second, and third stations; a main transmission path that bi-directionally couples the first station with the second station; and an optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) disposed on the main transmission path, the OADM branching light from the first and second station, combining light from the third station to the main transmission path; wherein the OADM includes an input determination unit and an optical path switching unit, the input determination unit detects the power of the lights, and determines whether each of the input lights is lost or not, and the optical path switching unit forms a loop-back route based on the determination.
US08351786B2 Maximizing capacity of wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks
Technologies are generally described for substantially maximizing capacity in a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) passive optical network (PON). An “achievable rate region” may be defined as a set containing admissible traffic rates of a given WDM PON system such that a volume of an achievable rate region is proportional to a capacity of the network. Deriving the achievable rate region for a particular network, decisions may be made whether incoming traffic rate can or cannot be achieved for that network. Moreover, the achievable rate region may be used to construct a WDM PON utilizing a minimum number of wavelengths, a minimum number of lasers with narrowest tuning ranges, and a minimum number of receivers, thereby reducing a capital expenditure in building the PON system.
US08351783B2 Apparatus and method for measuring chromatic dispersion
The chromatic dispersion of an optical component is measured with high accuracy using a simple set-up, which includes a pump light source, a probe light source, and a measuring means. Pump light having a wavelength λpump and probe light having a wavelength λprobe is propagated through an optical component, with the wavelength λprobe being apart from the wavelength λpump by a given frequency. The generation efficiency of the idler light with respect to the wavelength λpump is calculated by measuring the power of idler light having a wavelength λidler output from the optical component, and by seeking the pump light wavelength for making the generation efficiency a local extreme value, the chromatic dispersion of the optical component is calculated from the result of calculation of phase mismatch among the pump light wavelength having such wavelength as sought, the corresponding probe light wavelength, and the corresponding the idler light wavelength.
US08351782B1 Polarity inversion detection for an optical circuit switch
A system and method of detecting polarity inversion in an optical switching circuit is disclosed. The method includes performing a first round of a port verification process on at least two optical ports, transmitting a payload from at least one optical port in the at least two optical ports, determining if the payload was received at a second optical port in the at least two optical ports, assigning a pair of ports to a first group in the case that the predetermined payload was communicated between the pair of ports, and assigning a pair of ports to a second group in the case that the predetermined payload was not communicated between the pair of ports. The method also includes determining that either the first group of ports or the second group of ports has inverted polarity.
US08351781B2 Vibrating device and image equipment having the same
A dust-screening member is shaped like a plate as a whole. A vibrating member is adjacent to one side of the dust-screening member, arranged on the surface along the one side, and configured to produce, at the surface, vibration having a vibrational amplitude perpendicular to the surface. A drive unit is configured to drive the vibrating member to produce the vibration on the surface, such that peak ridges of the vibration form a closed loop and an area including a center of the closed loop is surrounded by a node area having almost no vibrational amplitude. When a length of a side in a dust-screening member virtual rectangle corresponding to a long side of a vibrating member virtual rectangle is assumed to be LF, and a length of a long side in the vibrating member virtual rectangle is assumed to be LPFF, LPFF/LF has a dimension of 0.7.
US08351776B2 Auto-focus technique in an image capture device
Multiple sets of pixel values representing a captured image of a scene are received, with each set representing an image captured with a corresponding degree of focus. An image processor may identify a region of interest in the captured image, automatically determine the configuration parameters for a lens assembly to provide a desired degree of focus for the region of interest, and generate signals to configure a lens assembly. In an embodiment, the region of interest is a face, the desired degree of focus of the face is determined by computing a rate of variation of luminance of pixels representing the face, and the desired degree is the degree of the image having the maximum degree of focus.
US08351773B2 Motion sensing and processing on mobile devices
Handheld electronic devices including motion sensing and processing. In one aspect, a handheld electronic device includes a set of motion sensors provided on a single sensor wafer, including at least one gyroscope sensing rotational rate of the device around at least three axes and at least one accelerometer sensing gravity and linear acceleration of the device along the at least three axes. Memory stores sensor data derived from the at least one gyroscope and accelerometer, where the sensor data describes movement of the device including a rotation of the device around at least one of the three axes of the device, the rotation causing interaction with the device. The memory is provided on an electronics wafer positioned vertically with respect to the sensor wafer and substantially parallel to the sensor wafer. The electronics wafer is vertically bonded to and electrically connected to the sensor wafer.
US08351766B2 Multi DVR video packaging for incident forensics
A system and method of exporting and playing video from different video recorders at the same time and in a single viewing window while maintaining the integrity of the video is provided. The method includes selecting a plurality of data collection devices, selecting a plurality of video data streams capture or recorded by the selected data collection devices, exporting the selected video data streams, packaging the exported video data streams, and playing the packaged video data streams substantially simultaneously. Each of the selected video data streams has a respective original format with some formats different from others, and each of the packaged video data streams is played in its original format.
US08351762B2 Adaptive media playout method and apparatus for intra-media synchronization
Disclosed is a buffer-based adaptive media playout method in a receiver side of a network media streaming system. The method includes: calculating a playout interval for playing out a current j-th frame (where j is a natural number) of a received media stream; and playing out the current j-th frame after the calculated playout interval has elapsed from the reception of the current j-th frame. The calculation of the playout interval for playing out the current j-th frame of the received media stream includes: calculating a buffer level of a (j+w)-th frame (where w is a natural number); estimating a playout pause or a playout skip on the basis of the calculated buffer level; and calculating the playout interval for playing out the current j-th frame for the predicted one of the playout pause and the playout skip. According to the above-mentioned structure, it is possible to reduce the amount of temporal distortion, such as the RMSE value of playout discontinuity due to delay or jitter, as compared to the buffer-threshold-based media playout techniques according to the related art.
US08351761B2 Commercial skipping standalone device
Specified video segments within a video stream are identified. The identified video can represent commercials or can represent portions within the program information. The user can identify these undesired portions of the video. A signature generation unit produces a signature that indicates information about the undesirable video. The signatures are stored. Current video is compared with the signatures to identify portions of the video that correspond to the specified video segments. The identified portions are handled in a different way, for example, they can be played less prominently, or skipped. The signal indicative of the video stream can be produced at a different time than the signature generation. In addition, the signature generation can use biometric techniques.
US08351754B2 Method and apparatus for automatic storage of optical fiber cable slack during and after cable deployment
A technique for storing cable slack in an automatic and safe manner, to allow a plug and play connectivity for fiber optic cable installation between floors in multi-floor high-rise apartment buildings. A tamper-proof storage box is located in a prescribed location for which its footprint is intended, such as a utility closet in a lobby or basement. The box contains a number of reels of cable (bundles of individual optical strands), each reel's contents designated for a different floor in the building. As pre-connectorized strands are pulled from a rotatable spindle mounted in the storage box to its intended floor, any cable excess (slack) remains automatically on the spindle in the storage box in an out-of-the-way location avoiding tampering and tripping. This allows off the shelf lengths of cable saving time and expense.
US08351753B2 Panel mount
A cable management frame assembly including a collapsible frame chassis and a plurality of positionally configurable cable management fixtures that can be affixed to the frame chassis without the use of tools or additional hardware such as screws, nuts, or bolts. A panel mount allows patch panels and equipment to be mounted to the frame chassis without the use of tools or additional hardware.
US08351751B2 Optical waveguide and method of manufacturing the same, and optical waveguide mounted board
A first clad layer is formed on a first substrate, and further first cores extending in parallel to each other in one direction are formed on the first clad layer. Separately from this, a second clad layer is formed on a second substrate, and further second cores extending in parallel to each other in a direction parallel to the first cores are formed on the second clad layer. Next, the first substrate and the second substrate are integrated with a third clad layer interposed therebetween in such a manner that a surface of the first substrate having the first cores formed thereon faces a surface of the second substrate having the second cores formed thereon, to thereby form an optical waveguide.
US08351750B2 Flexible optical device
A flexible and optionally highly elastic waveguide capable of propagating and emitting light is disclosed. The flexible waveguide comprises a flexible material having a surface and an end, wherein a first portion of the light is emitted through at least a portion of the surface of the flexible waveguide, and a second portion of the light is emitted through the end. The flexible waveguide can be used, for example as an area illuminator for many applications. Additionally disclosed is a clothing device for providing illumination. The clothing device comprises clothing (or even optionally a sheet) and a light source for providing light. In one embodiment the clothing device comprises the flexible waveguide.
US08351743B2 Suspension board with circuit and producing method thereof
A suspension board with circuit includes a metal supporting board; an insulating base layer formed on the metal supporting board; a conductive pattern formed on the insulating base layer; an insulating cover layer formed on the insulating base layer so as to cover the conductive pattern; and an optical waveguide. The optical waveguide is provided on the metal supporting board separately from the insulating base layer, the conductive pattern, and the insulating cover layer.
US08351732B2 Method and apparatus for bit resolution enhancement and edge enhancement in an electronic device
A method and apparatus for bit resolution enhancement and edge enhancement in an electronic device are provided. The method includes determining a Contour Counter (CC) and determining a type of each region of the input image, determining a Bit Resolution Enhancement (BRE) parameter and an edge enhancement parameter of each region according to the determined region type, determining a first weight for each region of the image and enhancing a bit resolution of the input image, and determining a second weight for each region of the image and performing edge enhancement for the image.
US08351724B2 Blue sky color detection technique
An image enhancement technique includes a filter that receives an input image and provides a low-pass filtered image that maintains a substantial number of edges therein. The low pass filtered image is provided a likelihood of being a sky color for each pixel of the low pass filtered image. The low-pass filtered image is filtered based upon a user selection to selectively enhance the sky color. The low-pass filtered image and the filtered low-pass filtered image are blended based upon the user selection based upon the likelihood. The blended image is combined with a high pass filtered input image to provide an enhanced image.
US08351722B2 Encoder, decoder, encoding method and decoding method, and recording medium
An encoder includes a separation unit separating image data into a plurality of data blocks, a variable length encoding unit variable-length-encoding the data blocks separated by the separation unit so as to generate variable length code sequences, a code block generating unit generating code blocks variable-length-decoded in parallel from a start end and a termination end by combining two variable length code sequences generated by the variable length encoding unit, and a bit stream generating unit generating a bit stream such that a boundary between the code blocks is recognized.
US08351720B2 Method and system providing edge enhanced image binarization
A method and imaging systems that process images employ image binarization. An image processing system includes a processor, a memory and a computer program stored in the memory and executed by the processor. A scanning system includes a scanner that scans an image source to produce a grayscale image and an image processor that includes a computer program. The respective computer programs include instructions that implement image binarization. The method of image binarization includes generating a solid fills binary image from a grayscale image and generating an edge enhanced binary image from the grayscale image. The method further includes combining the generated binary images to produce a composite binary image and providing the composite binary image as an output binary image.
US08351718B2 Image data processing apparatus, image forming apparatus provided with the same, image data processing program, and image data processing method
An image data processing apparatus including: a compression processing section that divides image data into a plurality of partial data in a prescribed size, generates link information showing a mutual arrangement of each of the divided partial data, and generates compressed partial data by compressing each of the divided partial data; a plurality of expansion sections that expand the compressed partial data respectively; a data controller that assigns each of the compressed partial data to any one of the expansion sections, and operates the expansion sections to expand the compressed partial data substantially simultaneously; and an image data storage section that stores each of the expanded partial data, wherein the data controller determines an area of the image data storage section, in which each of the expanded partial data ought to be stored, and an output order of the stored partial data, based on the link information and the prescribed size of the partial data, so as to restore the original image data.
US08351716B2 Efficient encoding of alternative graphic sets
Embodiments provide for efficient encoding and rendering of remote graphic displays by applying one or more of the following: (1) field encoding for identifying fields of a graphics set such that commonalities of various fields across different graphics languages are identified; (2) resource caching, which treats heterogeneous resources in a homogeneous way when it comes to storing them; (3) determining the type of encoding for remoting items within a graphics set based upon the types of compression mechanisms supported by a remote device; (4) improving responsiveness by rendering with partially sent resources; (5) a mechanism for determining what portions (if any) of a graphics set should be sent to a remote device and in what order; and (6) use of dedicated resources already on a remote device in order to eliminate the transfer of a resource between a local device and the remote device when rendering such resource.
US08351706B2 Document extracting method and document extracting apparatus
Document data corresponding to each page included in a document is stored, and furthermore, feature data indicative of a feature of the document data and a document index indicating the document are associated with the document data. A document extracting apparatus obtains input document data, calculates feature data from the input document data, judges similarity between the input document data and the document data based on the feature data, obtains a document index associated with document data similar to the input document data, and extracts a plurality of pieces of document data associated with the document index. Thus, document data concerning the document including a page corresponding to the document data similar to the input document data is extracted for a plurality of pages.
US08351703B2 System and method for extracting and organizing data from electronic images
A method of extracting and organizing data from electronic images includes processing a set of data fields representative of data to be extracted, mapping at least a subset of the set of data fields to at least one subclient, and attaching a rule from a set of rules to at least one of the mapped data fields. Each rule in the set of rules represents a transformation from a first data format to a preferred data format. The method also includes extracting data from at least one electronic image for the at least one subclient into the plurality of mapped data fields using the attached rule and storing the extracted data.
US08351698B2 Image processing apparatus and control method thereof
An image processing apparatus generates, for an image, partial histograms by dividing a luminance histogram at downward convex parts of a frequency distribution of the luminance histogram. The image processing apparatus calculates, for a partial histogram selected from the partial histograms, a difference between a maximum frequency in each of all the partial histograms located on the first side of the selected partial histogram, and a minimum frequency within a luminance range from a luminance level of the maximum frequency to that of a maximum frequency in the selected partial histogram as a drop, and sets a maximum one of the drops calculated for the respective partial histograms as a drop. The image processing apparatus sets a weight, which becomes smaller as this drop is larger, for the selected partial histogram, and calculates a weighted average of the luminance histogram, thereby acquiring a luminance value for the tone correction.
US08351692B2 Method, medium, and system effectively compressing and/or restoring binary images
A method, medium, and system effectively compressing and/or restoring binary images. By compressing pixel values making up a 2×2 block in an input image, using representative values representing the pixel values and a pattern of the pixel values represented by the representative values, it is possible to effectively compress and/or restore binary images having little similarities between pixel values. In addition, by extracting compressed values and a pattern of pixel values making up a 2×2 block in an image, from compressed data of the 2×2 block, and restoring pixel values using the compressed values and the pattern, it is possible to effectively restore binary images.
US08351683B2 Inspection apparatus and inspection method
The invention is directed to find a false defect from defect candidates and obtain a threshold with which the false defect can be eliminated by the smallest number of review times. Defect candidates are reviewed and selected as a defect or a false defect. By deleting a defect candidate having a characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the false defect from a map or displaying it in another sign, the false defect can be determined visually. Since the defect candidate having the characteristic quantity equal to or less than that of the selected false defect is deleted from the map or displayed in another sign, the defect candidates unnecessary to set a threshold are not reviewed. The number of defect candidates to be reviewed can be largely reduced as compared with that in the conventional technique. Further, by repeating the above work, the threshold is automatically calculated, and an inspection result map with the threshold is displayed, so that a re-inspection is unnecessary.
US08351674B2 Image portion identification methods, image parsing methods, image parsing systems, and articles of manufacture
Image portion identification methods, image parsing methods, image parsing systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one embodiment, an image portion identification method includes accessing data regarding an image depicting a plurality of biological substrates corresponding to at least one biological sample and indicating presence of at least one biological indicator within the biological sample and, using processing circuitry, automatically identifying a portion of the image depicting one of the biological substrates but not others of the biological substrates.
US08351667B2 Methods of contrast enhancement for images having blood vessel structures
A method of contrast enhancement for improved visualization of diagnostically important tissue structures, such as blood vessels. A texture analysis algorithm is applied to identify regions with a high likelihood of disease. Mathematical morphology operations are applied to identify areas of high and low brightness (intensity). The low intensity areas are then subtracted, and controllably variable amounts of the high intensity areas are added, controlled by a selectable tuning parameter, to produce an image with controllably variable visualization enhancement.
US08351666B2 Portable imaging system having a seamless form factor
A portable imaging system is presented. The system includes at least a display panel. Further, the system includes a control panel, where the display panel and the control panel include a seamless form factor of a single unit box, and where the seamless form factor is configured to aid in cleaning the system.
US08351665B2 Systems, processes and software arrangements for evaluating information associated with an anatomical structure by an optical coherence ranging technique
Software systems, arrangements and processes for evaluating an image associated with at least one portion of an anatomical structure are provided. For example, first information associated with the at least one portion of the anatomical structure second information associated with the at least one portion of the anatomical structure can be received. Third information can be generated by determining a relationship between the first information and the second information. Further, the image can be evaluated using a predetermined pathological scoring criteria and the third information.
US08351657B2 Method for the viewing of visual information with an electronic device
The invention relates to a method, which comprises the capturing of image data representing a physical object using an electronic device. First visual objects are determined in the image data. Second objects are determined among the first visual objects. Position information is determined for the second visual objects within the physical object. Third visual object are obtained based on the position information from object data storage. The third visual objects are matched to the first visual objects and differences between third visual objects and the first visual object are indicated to a user.
US08351655B2 Method and system for automatically grading beef quality
A method of automatically grading beef quality by analyzing a digital image is provided. The method includes: an image acquiring step of acquiring a color image of beef using a CCD camera; a region separating step of separating a lean region from the acquired image; a boundary extracting step of extracting a boundary line of the lean region; a boundary smoothing step of smoothing the boundary line extracted in the boundary extracting step; a boundary correcting step of correcting an indented portion and a protruded portion included in the boundary line having been subjected to the boundary smoothing step; a grading region determining step of determining a grading region on the basis of the boundary line corrected in the boundary correcting step; and a grading step of grading the beef quality on the basis of the image of the grading region.
US08351653B2 Distance estimation from image motion for moving obstacle detection
Distance from a moving image capture device to one or more points is determined. An optical flow is calculated from a first image and a second image captured by the moving image capture device. The horizontal component of the optical flow is used to generate a horizontal distance map including horizontal distances and the vertical component of the optical flow is used to generate a vertical distance map including vertical distances. Horizontal weights are applied to the horizontal distance map to generate a modified horizontal distance map where horizontal distances proximate to a vertical line intersecting a focus of expansion are attenuated. Vertical weights are applied to the vertical distance map to generate a modified vertical distance map where vertical distances proximate to a horizontal line intersecting the focus of expansion are attenuated. The modified vertical distance map and the modified horizontal distance map are then summed.
US08351650B2 Foreground action estimating apparatus and foreground action estimating method
The present invention provides a foreground action estimating apparatus and a foreground action estimating method, wherein the foreground action estimating apparatus includes: a training image inputting means for inputting a foreground image, a background image and an image having the foreground and background images as training images; a basis matrix calculating means for calculating a foreground basis matrix and a background basis matrix by respectively extracting a foreground feature and a background feature from the foreground image and the background image, respectively, and combining the foreground basis matrix and the background basis matrix to obtain a combined basis matrix; a feature suppressing means for calculating the feature coefficients of the training images in accordance with the combined basis matrix obtained by the basis matrix calculating means so as to obtain image features of the background-feature-suppressed training images; and a foreground action information acquiring means for estimating foreground action information in accordance with a feature mapping matrix from the image feature to an action information set, by using the background-feature-suppressed image features.
US08351636B2 Glasses frame comprising an integrated acoustic communication system for communication with a mobile radio appliance, and corresponding method
A system and method for acoustical communication, in which an eyeglass frame includes at least one directionally dependent microphone for capturing voice signals of a user and a communication device for signal transmission to external electronic devices, so that the directional dependence of the at least one microphone is user-specifically adjustable in an adaptive way. The directionally dependent microphones can be implemented as microphone arrays and/or in MEMS technology, and contact microphones can be used.
US08351634B2 Side-ported MEMS microphone assembly
A side-ported MEMS microphone package defines an acoustic path from a side of the package substrate to a microphone die disposed within a chamber defined by the substrate and a lid attached to the substrate. Optionally or alternatively, a circuit board, to which the microphone package is mounted, may define an acoustic path from an edge of the circuit board to a location under the microphone package, adjacent a bottom port on the microphone package. In either case, the acoustic path may be a hollow passage through at least a portion of the substrate or the circuit board. The passage may be defined by holes, channels, notches, etc. defined in each of several layers of a laminated substrate or circuit board, or the passage may be defined by holes drilled, molded or otherwise formed in a solid or laminated substrate or circuit board.
US08351632B2 Noise mitigating microphone system and method
A microphone system has a base coupled with first and second microphone apparatuses. The first microphone apparatus is capable of producing a first output signal having a noise component, while the second microphone apparatus is capable of producing a second output signal. The first microphone apparatus may have a first back-side cavity and the second microphone may have a second back-side cavity. The first and second back-side cavities may be fluidly unconnected. The system also has combining logic operatively coupled with the first microphone apparatus and the second microphone apparatus. The combining logic uses the second output signal to remove at least a portion of the noise component from the first output signal.
US08351627B2 Hearing aid with an identifier
A hearing aid includes an identifier for identifying usage of the hearing aid at a correct side on the left ear or the right ear of a wearer. The identifier is constructed as a rotational element having a first feature and a second feature to be respectively set by a rotational movement.
US08351622B2 Audio mixing device
An audio mixing device that can get simpler processing done safely without depending on the property of an input signal is provided. An audio mixing device includes: an analyzer circuit to receive and separate audio data into primary and secondary audio data and control data; decoder circuits for decoding the primary and supplementary audio data separated into primary and supplementary audio signals in multiple channels; a mixer circuit for generating an M-channel composite audio signal by adding the supplementary audio signals to the primary ones channel-by-channel and converting the M-channel composite audio signal into N-channel audio signals (where N
US08351618B2 Dereverberation and noise reduction method for microphone array and apparatus using the same
A dereverberation and noise reduction method adapted for a microphone array and an apparatus using the same are proposed. The microphone array receives a plurality of audio signals from an audio source. The dereverberation and noise reduction method includes the following steps. The received audio signals are processed by a beamforming processing, and a first audio signal is generated. Besides, the received audio signals are processed by a suppression processing, and a suppression audio vector is generated. Further, suppression audio vector is processed by an adaptive filtering processing, and a second audio signal is generated. In addition, the second audio signal is subtracted from the first audio signal to acquire an audio output signal, where parameters of the adaptive filtering processing are adjusted according to a feedback of the audio output signal.
US08351617B2 Method for phase mismatch calibration for an array microphone and phase calibration module for the same
The invention provides a phase calibration module, calibrating phase mismatch between microphone signals output by a plurality of microphones of an array microphone. In one embodiment, the phase calibration module comprises a subband filter, a delay calculation module, and a delay compensation filter. The subband filter extracts a high frequency component and a low frequency component from each of the microphone signals to obtain a plurality of high-frequency component signals and a plurality of low-frequency component signals. The delay calculation module calculates delays between the low-frequency component signals. The delay compensation filter then compensates the low-frequency component signals for phase mismatches therebetween according to the calculated delays to obtain a plurality of calibrated low-frequency component signals.
US08351615B2 Impulse response processing device, reverberation applying device and program
In an impulse response processing device, a waveform dividing part divides a waveform of an original impulse response into a plurality of blocks on a time axis. A time adjusting part performs a time adjustment to reduce a time difference between successive ones of the blocks. A waveform synthesizing part generates a waveform of a new impulse response by adding the blocks on the time axis after the time adjustment by the time adjusting part. Further, a windowing part performs a windowing process to multiply each block by a window function having a window width corresponding to a width of the block, a function value of the window function decreasing from a center to both ends of the block. The waveform synthesizing part generates the new impulse response using the blocks after the windowing process by the windowing part.
US08351614B2 Digital reverberations for audio signals
The present disclosure provides a digital audio signal processing system that comprises a set of delay lines, allpass and lowpass filters to achieve the reverberation effect. The present disclosure further provides a method for generating and controlling digital reverberations for audio signals. The reverberation generated will have an increasing echo density in the time domain and a faster decay of high frequency signals than low frequency signals. The controlling mechanism of reverberation generation is realized through the extraction of the real environment characteristics.
US08351611B2 Method and apparatus for processing a media signal
An apparatus for processing a media signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which the media signal can be converted to a surround signal by using spatial information of the media signal. The present invention provides a method of processing a signal, the method comprising of extracting a downmix signal from a bitstream; generating a decorrelated downmix signal by applying a decorrelator to the downmix signal; and generating a surround signal by applying rendering information for generating a surround signal to the downmix signal and the decorrelated downmix signal.
US08351603B2 Random number generating device, random number generating method, and security chip
A random number generating device includes: a random number generator configured to have a plurality of random number generating elements that generate a random number in response to supply of a spin-injection current; and a temperature controller.
US08351602B2 Dual-mode wireless sensor network system and key establishing method and event processing method thereof
A dual-mode wireless sensor network system including a local wireless sensor, a local event processing device, and a remote event processing device is provided. The local wireless sensor detects and announces an abnormal event. The local event processing device and the remote event processing device receive the abnormal event announcement. When the local wireless sensor detects the abnormal event, the local wireless sensor encrypts an abnormal event message related to the abnormal event with a regular mode key and transmits the encrypted abnormal event message to the local event processing device. When the local wireless sensor does not receive a response message from the local event processing device, the local wireless sensor encrypts the abnormal event message with a special mode key and transmits the encrypted abnormal event message to the remote event processing device. Thereby, the abnormal event can be successfully announced even with highly protected privacy.
US08351598B2 Crosstalk recognition in presence of radio frequency interference
Crosstalk interference induced by the adjacent pairs is one of the major performance limiting factors of DSL systems. As there is a rapid increase in the deployment of DSL services worldwide, the need to provide information about noise related parameters to the operators and the service providers is of utmost importance. Satisfying such a need enables operators to anticipate the line capacity and understand the noise level characteristics of the loop environment. Specifically, crosstalk and more particularly upstream near end crosstalk (NEXT) in the presence of narrowband interference can be classified to isolate the particular service type causing the upstream NEXT. The identification of the service type of the upstream NEXT would enable operators to address the disturber.
US08351589B2 Spatial audio for audio conferencing
Spatialized audio is generated for voice data received at a telecommunications device based on spatial audio information received with the voice data and based on a determined virtual position of the source of the voice data for producing spatialized audio signals.
US08351588B2 Multi-way call connection management system
The present invention is directed to a multi-way connection management (MWCM) system for monitoring and maintaining call connections among a group of participating parties. The multi-way call connection may be established by connecting the originating party and the desired participating parties. Once a multi-way call connection is established, the multi-way call connection may be maintained until the originating party desires to terminate the call. Any disconnected party may rejoin the multi-way call by an automatic redial performed by the MWCM system. Additionally, the originating party may provide a call continuation period of the multi-way call when the originating party can rejoin the multi-way call. In this manner, other participating parties may stay in the multi-way call during the provided period without the originating party being connected. Advantageously, the originating party may save the time and effort of repeating a tedious process (by calling all other participating parties) to establish a multi-way call.
US08351585B2 Method, system and apparatus for implementing multimedia ring back tone service
A method, system and apparatus for implementing a Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) service are provided. The method includes: receiving a call request originated by a calling terminal; parsing a tone playing policy specifying whether to play a caller tone or a callee tone or whether to filter a tone; performing caller tone media negotiation or callee tone media negotiation, or performing no tone negotiation according to the parsing result; and playing the caller tone or the callee tone to the caller, or playing no tone. With the technical solution of the present invention, the caller tone service can be implemented in the IMS domain. Whether a caller tone or a callee tone is played to the caller is determined according to a preset policy. Furthermore, the tone filtering service is also implemented. This gives a user freedom in experiencing the MRBT service.
US08351572B1 Method and system to reconstruct treatment dose to a patient from integrated exit-transit images of radiation fields taken during treatment
A method and system to compute the dose to a patient (2) given a captured integrated exit-transit image (5) of the radiation rays (4) traveling from the source of x-rays (1) through the patient (2) to the imaging device (3) to product the exit-transit image (5). Each radiation field image (5) is transformed (6,8,10,12) to multiple images (7,9,11,13) for each phantom thickness (26) that was measured with the imaging device (3) for a range of field sizes (21). Given the water equivalent path (22) through the patient for a ray (4) reaching a pixel (15, 16), the final pixel value (19) is interpolated from the images (9, 11) that bracket the water equivalent path through the patient (22).
US08351571B2 Motion estimation in treatment planning
An apparatus includes a scanner (102, 104) and a scanning motion monitor (100). A motion modeler (116) uses data from the scanning motion monitor (100) and the scanner (102, 104) to generate a motion model which describes motion of a region of interest of an object. A treatment planner (112) uses image data from the scanner (102, 104) to establish a treatment plan for the object. A treatment device 114, which operates in conjunction with a treatment motion monitor (108), uses the motion model to compensate for motion of the object during application of the treatment.
US08351569B2 Phase-sensitive X-ray imager
X-ray phase sensitive wave-front sensor techniques are detailed that are capable of measuring the entire two-dimensional x-ray electric field, both the amplitude and phase, with a single measurement. These Hartmann sensing and 2-D Shear interferometry wave-front sensors do not require a temporally coherent source and are therefore compatible with x-ray tubes and also with laser-produced or x-pinch x-ray sources.
US08351565B2 X-ray CT apparatus
A CT value of an image within a region of interest is calculated with time. While the calculated CT value does not exceed a predetermined threshold value, a reconstruction mode used when an image is reconstructed from projection data is set to half reconstruction. On the other hand, while the calculated CT value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the reconstruction mode is set to segment reconstruction.
US08351560B2 Phase interpolator based transmission clock control
A system and method is provided for phase interpolator based transmission clock control. The system includes a transmitter having a phase interpolator coupled to a master timing generator and a transmission module. The phase interpolator is also coupled to a receiver interpolator control module and/or an external interpolator control module. When the system is operating in repeat mode, the transmitter phase interpolator receives a control signal from a receiver interpolator control module. The transmitter phase interpolator uses the signal to synchronize the transmission clock to the sampling clock. When the system is operating in test mode, a user defines a transmission data profile in an external interpolator control module. The external interpolator control module generates a control signal based on the profile. The transmitter phase interpolator uses the signal to generate a transmission clock that is used by the transmission module to generate a data stream having the desired profile.
US08351559B1 Sample time correction for multiphase clocks
Systems and methods are provided to permit indirect measurements of sample time errors using multiphase interpolator clocks generated from a local reference clock in clock recovery blocks of high speed data receivers. The multiphase interpolator clocks are adjusted to have substantially evenly spaced phase offsets within a data period of the local reference clock. A small frequency offset between the transmitter clock and the local reference clock causes transition edges of received data to drift slowly across the interpolated clocks. Differences in phase offsets between the interpolated clocks may be determined with high resolution by counting the number of data transitions occurring between pairs of interpolated clocks over a long period of time. Phase offsets are adjusted to make the data transition counts substantially the same for the interpolated clocks. Data recovery may then be facilitated by selecting an interpolated clock with a sampling edge that is closest to the center of a data period to sample the received data.
US08351558B2 Multiphase direct RF frequency to digital converter and related method
The disclosure provides an effective means for fine-resolution determination of the frequency content of an RF signal using low speed digital circuits. The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for decomposing a high frequency RF signal into several low frequency signals or data streams without loss of any information and without the use of extraneous circuit components such as local oscillators, mixers or offset phase-locked loops. Single or multiple phase oscillator outputs are fed directly to a single or multiple direct RF frequency-to-digital (DrfDC) circuits. The front end of the DrfDC circuit decomposes a high frequency signal into several low frequency signals without loss of any information. The low frequency signals are processed by the back-end of the DrfDC and converted into digital data streams. The digital data streams are then combined and averaged to represent the frequency of the input RF signal.
US08351551B2 Opportunistic intermediate frequency selection for communication receivers
A method of selecting an intermediate frequency (fIF) is disclosed (FIG. 7). The method includes measuring a first signal quality (704) on a first channel at a first intermediate frequency. The method further includes measuring a second signal quality (706) on the first channel at a second intermediate frequency. The intermediate frequency with the best signal quality is selected (710).
US08351549B1 Multi-stream demodulation scheme using multiple detectors
The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for demodulating a signal transmitted via a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication channel. In one embodiment, a method of demodulating a signal transmitted via a MIMO communication channel includes receiving a data symbol vector including multiple data symbols that are received at substantially the same time. The received data symbol vector corresponds to a transmitted data symbol vector. The method further includes generating multiple candidate vectors for the transmitted data symbol vector. The multiple candidate vectors are less than all possible vectors for the transmitted data symbol vector. The method further includes selecting one candidate vector from the multiple candidate vectors using a maximum-likelihood (ML) technique.
US08351543B2 Active antenna array with modulator-based pre-distortion
An active antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission paths, a predistortion modulation signal generator, and a predistortion modulation signal distribution structure. At least two of the plurality of transmission paths comprise a predistortion modulator for modulating a transmission path signal with a predistortion modulation signal generated by the predistortion modulation signal generator and distributed by predistortion modulation signal distribution structure to the at least two of the plurality of transmission paths. A method for predistorting at least two of a plurality of transmission path signals in an active antenna array and computer program products for manufacture and method execution are also claimed.
US08351542B2 Method and system for crest factor reduction
An apparatus and system are provided for crest factor reduction (CFR). Preferably, a peak from the wideband signal is detected. A gain from the magnitude of the peak and a threshold can then be calculated. Based on this information, each carrier's contribution to the peak can be approximated, and a cancellation pulse coefficient for each carrier from its contribution to the peak can be calculated. A base cancellation pulse can be calculated from the cancellation pulse coefficients for each carrier, and a cancellation pulse can be calculated from the base cancellation pulse and the gain, which can then be applied to the wideband signal.
US08351534B2 Distributed maximal ratio combining receiver architecture
A wireless communication system in which each receiver is configured synchronize to a received waveform using only its local received signal without requiring any information about other receivers in the system. The local receiver is configured to remove frequency and/or phase error based on information encoded in the received waveform. In some examples, the local receiver uses channel probe information embedded in the received waveform to provide channel estimates for each communication channel over which the signals are received and, based on the estimates, adjusts the received signals for phase shift and amplitude scaling caused by the channel. Signal acquisition (in time and frequency), as well as partial demodulation (for channel estimation), is done independently for each channel. Signals from each channel are combined using a maximal ratio combiner.
US08351528B2 8K mode interleaver with odd interleaving only and per OFDM symbol permutation code change in a digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard
A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of sub-carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM sub-carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM sub-carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, the order being determined from a set of addresses, with the effect that the data symbols are interleaved on to the sub-carrier signals. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator which comprises a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit.
US08351520B2 Dynamically selecting methods to reduce distortion in multi-carrier modulated signals resulting from high peak-to-average power ratios
In one embodiment, an algorithm dynamically selects a method for reducing distortion in a multi-carrier modulated signal, such as an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal. The algorithm directs a transmitter to transmit peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR)-reduction signals over reserved tones (i.e., frequencies) if reserved tones are available. If reserved tones are not available, then the algorithm directs the transmitter to transmit PAPR-reduction symbols over free tones if free tones are available. If the free tones for this transmitter are used by adjacent transmitters, then interference-reduction techniques may be used to reduce interference with the adjacent transmitters. If reserved tones and free tones are not available, then the transmitter may use an alternative method to reduce distortion, such as successive clipping and filtering. In another embodiment, the transmitter may transmit PAPR-reduction symbols over both free and reserved tones, if available.
US08351517B2 Electronic device
According to one embodiment, a communication unit is configured to wirelessly transmit and receive signals via at least one of a first physical link and a second physical link. A power consumption for wireless transmission and reception of the signals via the first physical link is lower than that a power consumption for wireless transmission and reception of the signals via the second physical link. A first link control module establishes the first physical link between the communication unit and an external device. A remote control module transmits to the external device a playback request signal via the first physical link. A second link control module establishes the second physical link between the communication unit and the external device, after the playback request signal is transmitted. A data transfer module transfers the digital content data between the communication unit and the external device via the second physical link.
US08351510B1 Motion compensated noise reduction using shared motion estimation engine
An apparatus and method for generating predictors performs motion estimation of a target macroblock in a target field against data segments in reference fields. The same motion estimation engine is used to perform various image processing operations to efficiently use resources of the apparatus. Different reference fields are used depending on modes of operation. In a deinterlacing mode, deinterlacing is performed using directional interpolation, recursive motion compensated deinterlacing, and motion adaptive deinterlacing.
US08351502B2 Method and apparatus for adaptively selecting context model for entropy coding
A method and apparatus for adaptively selecting a context model for entropy coding and a video decoder are provided. A method of coding a residual prediction flag indicating whether residual data for an enhancement layer block of a multi-layered video signal is predicted from residual data for a lower layer block corresponding to the residual data for the enhancement layer block includes the steps of calculating the energy of the residual data for the lower layer block, determining a coding method for the residual prediction flag according to the energy, and coding the residual prediction flag using the determined coding method.
US08351495B2 Method and apparatus for detecting in-band interference in a data communications modem
A method and apparatus for detection and analysis of interference and noise in a received signal within a bandwidth of a predetermined communication channel. A receiver receives a modulated signal and generates a demodulated digital baseband signal. A digital quadrature demodulator receives the digital baseband data signal and demodulates the digital baseband data signal to generate complex digital signal soft-symbol decisions at its output at the received symbol rate. A processor interface in communication with the digital quadrature demodulator and the controller transfers data between the digital quadrature demodulator and the controller. The controller reconstructs a transmitted signal from the transferred data and subtracts the transmitted signal from the modulated signal to generate a third signal representative of noise and interference underlying the transmitted signal within a predetermined communications channel containing the transmitted signal. The modulated and third signals are displayed on a computer screen or a printout.
US08351483B1 Architecture for ultra-wideband radio
Provided are transmitter topology, receiver topology and methods for generating and transmitting a radio signal at a transmitter and detecting and processing a radio signal at a receiver. The radio signals are transmitted across a wireless interface using Ultra Wideband (UWB) pulses. A transmitted reference approach is utilized. The radio signal include pairs of UWB pulses with each pair of pulses separated by a fixed time delay. The two pulses are then combined to provide for improved noise immunity.
US08351482B2 Multi-wavelength semiconductor laser device
A multi-wavelength semiconductor laser device includes a block having a rectangular groove with a bottom face and two side faces extending in a predetermined direction; and laser diodes with different light emission wavelengths mounted on the bottom face and the side faces of the groove in the block so that their laser beams are emitted in the predetermined direction.
US08351476B1 Quasi-remote laser pulse compression and generation of radiation and particle beams
A system and methods for the quasi-remote compression and focusing of a moderate-intensity laser pulse to form a much higher intensity beam that can be directed at a target and used as a probe beam or used in a probe beam converter to generate other forms of electromagnetic radiation or energetic particles. A system for the quasi-remote propagation of high-intensity laser beams in accordance with the present invention comprises a main platform on which a first, “seed” laser pulse is generated, stretched, and amplified, and a remote platform, located at a distance from the main platform, which is configured to receive the amplified and stretched pulse and convert it into the high-intensity laser beam. The high-intensity laser beam in turn can then be converted into one or more probe beams directed at a target object.
US08351469B2 Radio communication method and a base station and user terminal thereof
In a radio communication system, each of user terminals together with transmitting a data signal to a base station using different data transmission band frequencies that are assigned by a base station, performs time-division multiplexing of a pilot signal with the data signal and transmit the resulting signal to the base station. A resource management unit of the base station decides pilot transmission bands for each user terminal so that the pilot transmission band covers the data transmission band for each user terminal by frequency offset, and instructs the user terminal to transmit pilot signals using the decided pilot transmission band frequencies. Thereby the base station can estimate channel for each frequency of the data transmission band using the pilot signal.
US08351465B2 System and method of decoupling media access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) operating layers
A layered operating system architecture enables decoupling of a media access control (MAC) layer from a physical (PHY) layer. The decoupled MAC and PHY layer removes responsibility from the MAC layer with respect to understanding network resources, network space and network scheduling and allocation demands when processing data for transport over a network. The MAC layer may instead operate according to an allocation scheduled provided by a convergence layer responsible for understanding the varying conditions and demand attendant to supporting communications over the network.
US08351451B2 System, apparatus and method for managing AP selection and signal quality
An embodiment of the invention involves a method for selecting and maintaining wireless communications for wireless mesh networks between tier-2 and tier-3 nodes. The method comprises a first operation of receiving channel information from a first wireless node operating as an access point. The channel information includes each channel number used by one or more wireless nodes that are detected by the first wireless node to be operating within a signal coverage area of the first wireless node. Then, an active scan is conducted on a frequency spectrum for wireless signals based on the channel information. Such scanning is accomplished by initially scanning frequencies of each channel number used by the one or more wireless nodes. After the scanning, a determination is made whether to (i) maintain wireless communications with the first wireless node or (ii) establish new wireless communications with a new wireless node (AP). Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08351447B2 Data communication system, cradle apparatus, server apparatus, data communication method and data communication program
A data communication system includes a portable electronic apparatus, a server apparatus, a cradle apparatus, and a home apparatus. The portable electronic apparatus includes a communication section, a reception control section, a storage section, and a utilization control section. The cradle apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a connection detection section, a notification control section, and a relaying control section. The server apparatus includes a first communication section, a second communication section, a first transmission control section, and a relaying control section. The home apparatus includes a communication section, a preparation section, and a transmission control section.
US08351443B2 Information transmission and service integration system and method thereof
An information transmission and service integration system for transmitting a message between at least one information transmission device and at least one service providing terminal is provided. The information transmission and service integration system includes an interface registry repository, a device gateway, and a service gateway. The interface registry repository stores device interface meta-data (DIMD) of the information transmission device and service interface meta-data (SIMD) of the service providing terminal. The device gateway detects and adapts the information transmission device according to the DIMD information. The service gateway transforms and transmits the message between the information transmission device and the service providing terminal according to the DIMD information and the SIMD information. Thereby, the information transmission and service integration system can automatically establish an information transmission channel between the information transmission device and the server-providing terminal.
US08351441B2 Personalized multimedia services using a mobile service platform
A method for providing multimedia data from at least one controllable multimedia source to a mobile device includes providing a request path from the mobile device to a mobile service platform, receiving a request from the mobile device, obtaining a device profile from the mobile device, authenticating the identity of a user of the mobile device, and determining a user profile in response to the user identity. The method further includes authorizing control and access to the at least one multimedia source, providing a control channel from the mobile service platform to at least one multimedia server, providing multimedia data delivery information to the at least one multimedia server, and providing multimedia data to the mobile device in response to the request via the at least one multimedia server.
US08351438B2 Flooding-based routing protocol having database pruning and rate-controlled state refresh
An enhanced, flooding-based link state routing protocol is described that provides pruning of link state data and, when needed, rate-controlled refresh of the pruned link state data from other routers of the flooding domain. A routing device comprises a network interface to send and receive packets over a layer-two (L2) communication medium. The routing device includes a control unit coupled to the network interface, and a flooding-based link state routing protocol executing on a processor of the control unit. The link-state routing protocol establishes an adjacency with a peer router. A database of the routing device includes entries that store a plurality of link state messages for a flooding domain of the link state routing protocol, wherein at least one of the entries in the database stores a partial link state message having a header portion and a payload having pruned link state data.
US08351431B2 Method and apparatus for providing fast reroute of a multicast packet within a network element to an available port associated with a multi-link trunk
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing a fast re-route of a multicast packet within a network element to an available port associated with a multi-link trunk is presented. A packet is received by a Forwarding Data Unit (FDU) in a data plane of a network element and a determination made that the packet is a multicast packet. The packet is forwarded to all egress FDUs having at least one port associated with at least one receiver of the multicast packet. A lookup is performed by each egress FDU in a synchronized local port state database to find a port for each receiver that is in an UP state. The packet is forwarded out the port to a receiver when the port is in the UP state and dropped when the port is in the DOWN state.
US08351428B2 Method of processing traffic information and digital broadcast system
A digital broadcast transmitting/receiving system and a method for processing data are disclosed. The method for processing data may enhance the receiving performance of the receiving system by performing additional coding and multiplexing processes on the traffic information data and transmitting the processed data. Thus, robustness is provided to the traffic information data, thereby enabling the data to respond strongly against the channel environment which is always under constant and vast change.
US08351420B2 Maintenance of subscriber history for service support applications in an IP-based telecommunications system
A facility for maintaining a subscriber history pertaining to the use of a mobile device with an IP-based telecommunications service offered by a service provider. When a connection request is made by a mobile device to access an IP-based telecommunications service, one or more identifiers associated with the requesting mobile device and access point are provided in the request and stored by the facility. In some cases, the identifiers are stored even if the mobile device is unable to, or not authorized to, access the telecommunications service. Additional parameters associated with the request from the mobile device, such as a time stamp and details of a subsequent telecommunications session, are also associated with the stored request. The history of requests to access the IP-based telecommunications service from the mobile device are maintained by the facility and provided to a service support provider.
US08351410B2 Method and apparatus for receiving broadcasting service information in a digital broadcasting system
Provided are an apparatus and a method for receiving PSI/SI in a DVB-H receiver, in which packets carrying PSI/SI are detected from TS packets received over a wireless network and counted, and the PSI/SI packets are read if the packet count number reaches a predetermined packet number.
US08351398B2 Mobile communication terminal, incoming data detecting method and incoming data detecting program
Included are a system information receiving unit for receiving, from a first base station or a second base station, system information including a PI within a PICH and a PCH, and a cell reselecting unit for executing a cell reselection process for switching from a wireless communication with the first base station to that with the second base station if a mobile communication terminal fails to obtain local incoming information due to unsuccessful reception of the PCH, which is made by the system information receiving unit, after receiving a notification that incoming data exists by receiving the PI within the system information received by the system information receiving unit within the first service area. Consequently, the mobile communication terminal and incoming data detecting method and program, which can securely receive incoming data even if the mobile communication terminal fails to receive the PCH although receiving incoming information with the PI.
US08351397B2 Method and system for detecting enhanced relative grants in a wireless communications system
Aspects of a method and system for detecting enhanced relative grants in a wireless communications system may include determining one or more signed signal power levels, wherein the one or more signed signal power levels may be positive E-RGCH signal levels or negative E-HICH signal levels. A probability density function may be estimated from the determined one or more signed signal power levels, and a decision threshold based on the estimated probability density function may be set. The probability density function may be estimated based on symmetry of the probability density function. The decision threshold may be set to achieve a desired probability of false positive detections. The decision threshold may be used to distinguish a received HOLD signal from a received DOWN signal for an E-RGCH channel, or to distinguish a received DTX signal from a received ACK signal for an E-HICH channel.
US08351386B2 Base station apparatus in mobile communication system, method for use in base station apparatus, and method and apparatus for generating CQI correction table
A base station apparatus includes a correction unit for correcting a CQI reported from a user apparatus and a scheduler for scheduling based on the corrected CQI. The correction unit uses a correction table to correct the CQI such that if the reported CQI is poor, the CQI is slightly reduced, and otherwise, the CQI is significantly reduced. One method of generating the correction table includes deriving a first SINR in consideration of the number of interference users less than (n−1) and a second SINR in consideration of the number of interference users equal to (n−1) to explore a distribution of the second SINR to the first SINR. In this method, correspondence between the first SINR and the second SINR is determined based on the distribution to generate the correction table.
US08351382B2 Channel quality signaling for persistent/semi-persistent radio resource allocations
A persistent or a semi-persistent uplink resource allocation also includes an indication for a user equipment UE to send channel quality reports. The format for the channel quality report is determined (based on a transmission mode for which the UE receives a downlink shared channel). In at least first transmissions of user data for instances of the persistently allocated uplink resource the UE sends user data and a channel quality report according to the determined format. For the case that a NACK is received in reply to one of those sent user data with channel quality reports, four options are detailed: re-send the NACK'd user data on a next instance of the persistently allocated UL resource with or without a channel quality report, and re-send the NACK'd user data on a dynamically allocated uplink resource with or without a channel quality report.
US08351380B2 Method and apparatus for layer 2 ARQ for packets
An Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) method in a communication system having a protocol layer structure, in which a Layer 2 (L2) transmitter for generating an upper layer packet in a size suitable for transmission over a radio channel and transmitting the upper layer packet to a lower layer, transmits, to a receiver, polling information representative of an indicator for ordering the generation of a status report, and performs packet ARQ according to whether the status report is received within a predetermined time. The method includes determining whether there is a possibility that upper layer data contained in a packet data unit to be transmitted along with the polling information will cause an upper layer message in the opposite direction; and when there is a possibility that the upper layer data will cause an upper layer message, generating polling information ordering a receiver to wait for a predetermined time after receipt of a packet and to transmit an upper layer packet generated for the waiting time along with a status report, including the polling information in the packet data unit, and delivering the packet data unit to the lower layer.
US08351374B2 Method for minimizing expenditures associated with optimized backhaul networks
The invention includes a method for determining an expenditure associated with a network. A method includes obtaining network information associated with a portion of a network, categorizing each of a respective plurality of cells as one of an aggregated cell and a non-aggregated cell, determining an aggregating node configuration for at least one aggregating node associated with at least one base station associated with an aggregated cell, determining a deaggregating node configuration for at least one deaggregating node associated with at least one of the at least one aggregating node, and determining the expenditure according to at least one of the aggregating node configuration and the deaggregating node configuration. The categorization of cells is performed using the network information.
US08351371B2 Method and apparatus for minimizing redundant enhanced uplink allocation requests and fault-isolating enhanced uplink transmission failures
A method and apparatus for minimizing redundant enhanced uplink (EU) allocation requests and fault-isolating EU transmission failures that occur between a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a Node-B. The WTRU transmits an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) allocation request to the Node-B over an uplink (UL) EU channel. In one embodiment, if E-DCH allocation cannot be provided within a predetermined time period, the Node-B sends an acknowledgement message to the WTRU via a downlink (DL) EU signaling channel without sending E-DCH allocation information. The request is queued in the Node-B and the WTRU refrains from transmitting the same request until after the time period expires or resources become available. In another embodiment, appropriate actions are taken to correct EU transmission failures by determining whether an E-DCH allocation request was unsuccessfully delivered via the UL EU channel or whether channel allocation information was unsuccessfully delivered via the DL EU signaling channel.
US08351356B2 Data communication system, communication device, and communication method
A data communication system for starting transmission and reception of target data for processing upon recognition that switching between communication modes is completed. The data communication system includes a master communication device and a slave communication device that continuously perform, at a time of switching from half-duplex communication to full-duplex communication, (i) a handshake using a directional control code indicating the switching and a preamble code indicating completion of the switching and (ii) a handshake using the preamble code and an acknowledge code indicating receipt of the preamble code, whereby each of the devices recognizes that the switching between communication modes by the opposite device is completed and starts transmission and reception of the target data.
US08351354B2 Privacy control for wireless devices
According to various embodiments, a computer-implemented method is disclosed that includes receiving, at a wireless adaptor of a device, a wireless data packet from an access point (AP), wherein the wireless data packet includes a Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) of the AP; changing the BSSID of the received data packet by a processor or hardware to produce a modified wireless data packet; and transmitting the modified wireless data packet to an application on the device.
US08351353B2 Forward channel sharing method in time division communication system
A method for realizing forward channel sharing in time division communication system, which completes group configuration at the cluster control service center server and modifies the attributes of all the users to enable the users to support multi-user packet MUP service, including: (a) the cluster user initiates a group call; the access network allocates a unique group identifier MACIndex for the group call after receiving the call request from the calling cluster user and informs all of the users within the group about this MACIndex (201); (b) after the communication starts (202), the access network packets the user data of one or more groups with multi-user packet MUP, packets the user data of each group into one sub-packet and does scheduling, then transmits the packets through forward channel (203); (c) after receiving the MUP packets from the forward channel, the cluster user looks into the MUP packets for the sub-packet that matches the MACIndex of its group, thereby realizing group communication (204). The present method solves the problem of system delay and supports even more groups.
US08351340B2 Method for detecting a proxy ARP agent in secure networks having embedded controllers
A method for detecting a proxy Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) agent in a network including at least a first machine with an IP address in a range of a first subnet, and at least one embedded controller with an IP address in a range of a second subnet. A router is also provided, wherein the second subnet is not contactable through the router provided its proxy ARP is disabled. The first machine and second machine each have static routes for inter-subnet communications. A test IP address is identified by the first machine. A test Media Access Control (MAC) address corresponding to the test IP address is then obtained. The test MAC address is compared to a range of MAC addresses for the embedded controller. An alarm is generated at the first machine if the test MAC address is outside the range of MAC addresses that can prompt actions to remove the proxy ARP condition.
US08351331B2 Resource allocation framework for wireless/wired networks
A resource allocation framework for wireless/wired networks is described. In an embodiment, methods of end host based traffic management are described which operate separately from the underlying access control protocol within the network (e.g. wireless MAC protocol or TCP). The rate limits for each flow are set based on per-flow weights, which may be user specified, and based on an estimate of the utilization of the shared resource and the rate limits are adjusted periodically so that the resource is not underutilized or saturated. Some embodiments compute a virtual capacity of the resource which is adjusted to optimize the value of the utilization and then the virtual capacity is shared between flows according to the per-flow weights. Methods for estimating the utilization of a wireless network and the capacity of a broadband access link are also described.
US08351329B2 Universal load-balancing tunnel encapsulation
In one embodiment, packets received at head-end nodes in a computer network may have a payload and protocol ID of an original protocol of the packet. To allow load balancing across the network, the head-end node may convert the protocol ID to indicate a UDP packet, and may insert a UDP shim header into the packet having a load balance ID, at least one port ID of a destination tail-end node of the packet, and an indication of the original protocol ID. The head-end node may transmit the converted UDP packet toward the tail-end node as part of a load-balanced UDP flow based on the load balance ID. Tail-end nodes may receive UDP packets, and determine whether they are converted UDP packets. If so, the original protocol of the packet may be determined, the UDP header may be removed, and the packet may be processed according to the original protocol.
US08351328B2 Method and device for transmitting TCP data over asymmetric links
In a method and device the TCP load offered in the uplink is manipulated such that an offered load asymmetry is achieved. Using such an arrangement it is possible to compensate for a link asymmetry when uplink and downlink connections are sharing the same uplink buffer in order to increase performance of the downlink. The method and device are capable of increasing the download performance both in the case when TCP connections are terminated in a different device than the terminal where the link layer is terminated, as well as when the TCP connections are terminated in the same device as the link-layer.
US08351322B2 Transmission of preamble code for mobile WiMAX systems
Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for transmission of timing and synchronization information for mobile WiMAX systems are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08351319B2 Information on reference signal structure for neighboring cell measurements
The present invention relates to cellular radio communication and in particular to providing information on neighbor cells to enable terminals to perform neighbor cell measurements. In the prior art the terminal attempts to make neighbor cell measurements in a reference signal structure that is the same in the neighbor cell as in the cell the terminal camps in. The present invention is based on the insight that the reference signal structure may differ between neighboring cell for example in the situation of an MBSFN area that is restricted to a region of all cells of a radio network, or in the situation of TDD mode being applied there may be different regions with different allocation of sub-frames for transmission in the uplink and downlink directions. The present invention solves the problem by broadcast information in a cell indicative of the reference signal structure in neighbor cells.
US08351314B2 Optical disc having plurality of recording layers, and method and apparatus for recording data thereon
Provided are an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers, and a method and apparatus for recording data thereon. The optical disc has a plurality of recording layers, each recording layer including: a data area; a connecting area; and a remaining area. The data, connecting, and remaining areas are respectively disposed in a direction from an inner circumference of the optical disc to an outer circumference. An outer boundary of each of the data areas is determined according to an amount of data to be recorded. Locations of the connecting areas and the remaining areas are determined by a recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to the determination of the outer boundary of each of the data areas.
US08351308B2 Thermally assisted magnetic recording head having V-shaped plasmon generator
A thermally assisted magnetic head includes a magnetic pole that generates a writing magnetic field from an air bearing surface (ABS); a waveguide through which light propagates; and a plasmon generator generating near-field light from a near-field light generating end surface by coupling the light thereto in a surface plasmon mode. The magnetic pole includes a convex part protruding in a substantially V-shape along a light propagation direction of the waveguide. The plasmon generator includes a substantially V-shaped part contacting the convex part, and as seen from a side of the ABS, a thickness of the plasmon generator in a direction perpendicular to convex part contacting sides gradually increases from an end in a direction away from the waveguide, the convex part contacting sides being linear sides that form the substantially V-shaped part of the plasmon generator and contacting the convex part.
US08351306B2 Near field optical head and information recording and reproducing device
A near field optical head includes a slider 20, a main magnetic pole 32 and an auxiliary magnetic pole 30 and is provided with a recording element 21 fixed on a top end surface of the slider. The near field optical head is provided with a light flux transmission element 22. The light flux transmission element 22 is fixed adjacently to the main magnetic pole and formed from a flat surface 40a and a curved surface 40b into the shape of a half column. The light flux transmission element 22 includes a core 40 for transmitting a light flux L introduced from one end to the other end and a cladding 41 for confining therein the core. The near field optical head includes a metal film 23, which is formed on a curved surface in the vicinity of the other end of the core for generating near filed light R from a light flux to localize the near field light on a field surface between the metal film and the curved surface, and a light flux introducing means 4 for introducing the light flux having a polarization direction adjusted into a straight direction substantially perpendicular to the flat surface from one end into the core. A top end of the main magnetic pole 32 is bent toward the core and embedded in the core while being exposed to the other end.
US08351302B2 Power supply for clock
A line current power supply delivers operating current to a clock designed to be powered by a conventional electrochemical cell disposed in a power source compartment within the clock housing, and at the same time supplies recharging current to a rechargeable electrochemical cell for powering the clock in the absence of an external power supply. The rechargeable cell is contained within a cylindrical enclosure having a shape such that it can fit into the power source compartment of the clock, and having contacts allowing it to be substituted for the conventional electrochemical power source.
US08351301B2 Electronic timepiece and control method for an electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece includes a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites; a time information generating unit that generates an internal time; an automatic reception processing unit that activates the reception unit when predefined conditions are met to perform automatic reception processing, and performs simple time correction processing including acquiring time information from satellite signals received from one of the satellites, and, based thereon, correcting the internal time; and a manual reception processing unit that activates the reception unit via operation of an external member to perform manual reception processing, and performs simple time or high precision correction processing to correct the internal time, the high precision time correction processing including acquiring time and satellite orbit information from satellite signals received from two or more of the satellites, calculating a position of the timepiece, and correcting the internal time using the time information and the position.
US08351300B2 Radio controlled timepiece
A radio controlled timepiece includes a housing and an antenna structure encased within the housing. The antenna structure includes a bar shaped core and a coil wound around the core, for receiving radio waves to set a current time. The housing includes a short hollow cylindrical metal case and a metal back cover engaged with one end of the case for closing. The housing further includes a housing fixing structure provided only on one of two parts of the housing divided by an axis of the bar shaped core.
US08351296B2 Ultrasonic lamp and control method thereof
An ultrasonic lamp control method is provided. The control method includes the following steps. The ultrasonic lamp emits a first burst, and detects whether a first echo is received within a fixed period of time after the emission of the first burst. If the first echo is received within the fixed period of time, then the ultrasonic lamp neglects the first echo and emits a second burst. The ultrasonic lamp detects whether a second echo is received within the fixed period of time after the emission of the second burst. If the second echo is received within the fixed period of time, then the ultrasonic lamp enters a control mode.
US08351288B2 Flash storage device and data protection method thereof
A flash storage device comprises: a memory module, for storing data; a control unit, electrically connected to the memory module, for accessing the data in the memory module; and a detecting unit, electrically connected to the control unit, for passing a temperature detecting result to the control unit, and the control unit determining whether a data protection operation is activated according to the temperature detecting result.
US08351285B2 Systems, memories, and methods for repair in open digit memory architectures
Memories, systems, and methods for repairing are provided. A memory with extra digit lines in end arrays with an open digit architecture, which can use the extra digit lines to form repair cells. In one example, folded digit sense amplifiers are connected to an end array with an open digit architecture such that each sense amplifier corresponds to a group of four adjacent digit lines. Two digit lines of the group connect to two open digit sense amplifiers and the other two digit lines connect to the corresponding folded digit sense amplifier. To repair memories including folded digit end arrays, a row in a core array that includes a replaceable IO is activated and a row in an end array is activated. The repair cells in the end array can be sensed by the folded digit sense amplifiers to generate a replacement IO, which is selected rather than the replaceable IO.
US08351284B2 Delay locked loop
A delay locked loop includes a closed loop circuit configured to generate preliminary delay information, a control unit configured to update the preliminary delay information into delay information in response to a control signal, and a first delay unit configured to delay an input clock signal by a first delay value determined by the delay information and generate an output clock signal.
US08351282B2 Semiconductor memory apparatus
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a data input enable signal generation block configured to sequentially delay a data strobe signal to generate a first delayed data strobe signal, a second delayed data strobe signal, a third delayed data strobe signal and a fourth delayed data strobe signal, and generate a data strobe enable signal in response to a CAS write signal, a CAS write latency signal and the first to fourth delayed data strobe signals, a latch control signal generation block configured to output the data strobe signal as a latch control signal during an enable period of the data strobe enable signal, and a data latch block configured to latch data in response to the latch control signal and output latched data.
US08351275B2 Programming method for flash memory device
Provided is a programming method that increases writing performance of a flash memory device. The programming method for a flash memory device that includes a plurality of banks including a plurality of memory cells for storing multi-bit data includes the following: programming a most significant bit (MSB) page with respect to banks of a first bank group; programming a least significant bit (LSB) page with respect to banks of a second bank group; programming the MSB page with respect to the banks of the second bank group; and programming the LSB page with respect to the banks of the first bank group.
US08351274B2 Semiconductor memory device and method of precharging the same with a first and second precharge voltage simultaneously applied to a bit line
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory string coupled between a common source line and a bit line, a page buffer configured to supply a first precharge voltage to the bit line and to latch data corresponding to a threshold voltage level of a memory cell of the memory string, wherein the data is detected according to a shift in a voltage of the bit line, in a precharge operation, a precharge circuit configured to supply a second precharge voltage to the common source line in the precharge operation, and a voltage supply circuit configured to generate operating voltages for turning on the memory string in the precharge operation. While the first precharge voltage is supplied from the page buffer to the bit line, the second precharge voltage is supplied to the bit line through the memory string.
US08351265B2 Power supplies in flash memory devices and systems
Power supplies in flash memory devices are disclosed. A first section of a flash memory device includes non-volatile memory for storing data. A second section of the flash memory device includes at least first and second pumping circuits. The first pumping circuit receives a first voltage and produces, at an output of the first pumping circuit, a second voltage at a second voltage level that is higher than the first voltage level. The second pumping circuit has an input coupled to the first pumping circuit output for cooperatively employing the first pumping circuit to pump up from a voltage greater than the first voltage to produce a third voltage at a third voltage level that is higher than the second voltage level.
US08351259B2 Methods and apparatus for using a configuration array similar to an associated data array
Methods, apparatus, and systems in accordance with this invention include memories that include a data array and a configuration array adapted to store configuration information for configuring the data array. The data array and the configuration array include a plurality of wordlines and a plurality of bitlines. The plurality of wordlines in the data array extend in the same direction as the plurality of wordlines in the configuration array. Likewise, the plurality of bitlines in the data array extend in the same direction as the plurality of bitlines in the configuration array. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
US08351258B1 Adapting read reference voltage in flash memory device
One example apparatus includes an adaptation logic configured to determine a reference voltage adaptation for a flash memory device as a function of a current reference voltage in use by the flash memory device and a difference of bit error types experienced by the flash memory device. In one embodiment, the difference of bit error types compares a number of zero to one bit errors to a number of one to zero bit errors. In one embodiment, the adaptation logic is further configured to determine a reference voltage adaptation that will shift the reference voltage towards a threshold voltage (Vth) distribution associated with a zero value by an amount that is proportional to the difference of bit errors.
US08351251B2 Multilevel programming of phase change memory
A method and device for performing a program operation of a phase change memory (PCM) cell. The method includes the steps of applying one or more programming pulses according to a predefined programming scheme to achieve a target resistance level of the PCM cell, wherein the programming scheme is operable to perform in a first programming mode one or more annealing steps to approach the target resistance, wherein the programming scheme is operable to perform in a second programming mode one or more melting steps, wherein the programming scheme is operable to start in the first programming mode and to switch to the second programming mode if the target resistance level of the PCM cell has been undershot in the first programming mode.
US08351242B2 Electronic devices, memory devices and memory arrays
Some embodiments include electronic devices having two capacitors connected in series. The two capacitors share a common electrode. One of the capacitors includes a region of a semiconductor substrate and a dielectric between such region and the common electrode. The other of the capacitors includes a second electrode and ion conductive material between the second electrode and the common electrode. At least one of the first and second electrodes has an electrochemically active surface directly against the ion conductive material. Some embodiments include memory cells having two capacitors connected in series, and some embodiments include memory arrays containing such memory cells.
US08351238B2 Low-complexity electronic circuits and methods of forming the same
An electronic circuit such as a latch or a sequencer includes a plurality of transistors, all of the transistors being either NMOS transistors or PMOS transistors, and dissipates less than or approximately the same amount of power as an equivalent CMOS circuit.
US08351229B2 Current sharing power system
A power system controller includes multiple channels and each channel has a current sharing controller that is coupled to a shared current signal bus and a shared voltage signal bus.
US08351219B2 Electronic assembly for an image sensing device
An electronic assembly for an image sensing device is disclosed, comprising an image sensing element, a lens set comprising a feet enclosing a cavity to receive the image sensing element and an opaque conductive layer disposed on at least a portion of a top side, a sidewall and a bottom side of the lens set, wherein the opaque conductive layer is electrically connected to a grounding layer to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) to the image sensing element.
US08351213B2 Electrical assembly
An electrical assembly including a substantially planar substrate having at least one recess therein and a plurality of electrical components. The electrical components are positioned in the at least one recess and include a first electrical component and a second electrical component. Each of the electrical components has a body and an electrical connection. The electrical connection of the first electrical component and the electrical connection of the second electrical component are aligned with each other when the body of the first electrical component is in a recess and the body of the second electrical component is in a recess.
US08351212B2 Mainframe structure
A mainframe structure includes a housing having a front opening, flanges on one same plane around the front opening and stop members suspending on the inside corresponding to the flanges, a circuit module accommodated in the housing, and a cover detachably mounted in the front opening of the housing and stopped against the flanges and the stop member. The cover has two slots symmetrically disposed at two opposite lateral sides, two lugs respectively disposed adjacent to the slots and two handles respectively mounted in the slots and pivoted to the lugs in reversed directions. By means of biasing the two handles to stop against respective stop members, the user can detach the cover from the housing conveniently with the hands without any hand tools.
US08351210B2 Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a circuit board in the housing, a heat sink, and a fixing portion. The circuit board includes a heating component. The heat sink has a plate shape and faces the heating component. The fixing portion is attached to the heat sink and fixed to the circuit board at least at two points.
US08351204B2 Modular data processing components and systems
Data processing modules including a housing and optical interfaces associated with the exterior of the housing, and systems including the same.
US08351203B2 Removable module for a console
A housing, which may contain a hard disk drive, is configured to removably mount to a recessed surface of a console. The housing includes a lip and a biased latch arm so that the lip can be inserted into a corresponding feature in the recessed surface and the housing can be rotatably mounted to the recessed surface. The biased latch arm is retained by a latch arm retainer so that the housing is held in place. A cable connector extends from the bottom of the housing and is configured to connect to a receptor on the console when the housing is installed. When desired, a latch on the housing can be translated where the translation cause the biased latch arm to translate so as to clear the latch arm retainer. Thus the housing can be readily removed from the console. Preferably a portion of the housing extends beyond a wall of the recessed surface so that when installed, the housing alters the profile of the console.
US08351202B2 Container data center
A container data center includes a mobile container and a number of server systems. The mobile container includes a bottom wall, an inner container portion and an outer container portion. The inner container portion includes a first top wall opposite to the bottom wall, and a number of first sidewalls connected between the first top wall and the bottom wall. The outer container portion includes a second top wall facing the bottom wall, and a number of second sidewalls connected between the second top wall and the bottom wall. The second sidewalls surround the inner container portion. A passage is formed between the first and second top walls and between the first and second sidewalls. The second top wall and the second sidewalls define a number of through holes. The server systems are installed in the inner container portion.
US08351198B2 Telecommunications chassis having mezzanine card slots
Embodiments are generally directed to a method and apparatus to couple a module to a management controller on an interconnect. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting that a module has coupled to an interconnect, the interconnect coupled to a modular platform backplane. The method further includes logically coupling the module to one of a plurality of management controllers resident on the interconnect, each management controller logically appears as a management controller for different interconnects coupled to the modular platform backplane.
US08351196B2 Hard disk drive bracket
A hard disk drive (HDD) bracket for fixing a HDD includes an arm, a frame pivotably connected to the arm, a handle mounted to the frame, and a fixing member slidably attached to the arm and capable of engaging with both of the handle and the arm.
US08351189B2 Portable electronic device
A portable electronic device includes a body, a casing, and a resilient element. The casing accommodates the body such that the body can slide within the casing. The casing has an opening through which an electrical connection unit connected to the body protracts out of, or retracts into, the casing. The resilient element has an end connected to the casing and another end abutting against the body. The resilient element exerts a resilient restoring force upon the body in response to the sliding of the body. The casing has a stop structure configured to operate in conjunction with an engagement structure of the body and thereby limit the range of the sliding of the body. The engagement structure can be disengaged from the stop structure to separate the body from the casing. Accordingly, the portable electronic device has multiple uses, namely quick maintenance, easy assembly, body protection, and automatic accommodation.
US08351187B2 Solid capacitor
A solid capacitor according to an aspect of the invention may include: a capacitor device having an anode lead wire extending from one side thereof; a case molding the capacitor device and exposing the anode lead wire to the outside thereof; cathode and anode lead frames exposed on the outside the case and electrically connected to the capacitor device; a reinforcement interposed in the case between the anode lead wire and the anode lead frame so as to support the capacitor device and electrically connecting the anode lead wire and the anode lead frame; and a resin shielding part applied to the exposed portion of the anode lead wire to prevent the infiltration of foreign substances through the anode lead wire.
US08351182B2 Electric double layer capacitor
An electric double layer capacitor includes a first collector, a first polarizable electrode layer provided on the first collector, a second collector, a second polarizable electrode layer provided on the second collector and facing the first polarizable electrode layer, a separator having an insulating property and provided between the first polarizable electrode layer and the second polarizable electrode layer, and a driving electrolyte impregnated in the first polarizable electrode layer and the second polarizable electrode layer. The polarizable electrode layers mainly contain activated carbon made from phenol resin, have a surface roughness not larger than 0.6 μm, and have an electrode density ranging from 0.5 g/cm3 to 0.7 g/cm3. This electric double layer capacitor has characteristics deteriorating little even at low temperatures, thus having a reliability for a long time.
US08351173B2 Power supply circuit
A power supply circuit includes an energy-consuming component including an input terminal, an input over-voltage protection circuit connected to the input terminal, and a feed back circuit. The feedback circuit is connected to the input over-voltage protection circuit and the input terminal of the energy-consuming component. The feedback circuit monitors the voltage on the input terminal, compares the voltage on the input terminal with a reference voltage, and turns off the input over-voltage protection circuit to cut off voltage provided to the input terminal of the energy-consuming component when the voltage on the input terminal is larger than the reference voltage.
US08351170B2 Impedance compensated electrostatic discharge circuit for protection of high-speed interfaces and method of using the same
The embodiments of the apparatus and method described herein provide an integrated ESD/EOS protection solution which simplifies system PCB design for signal integrity compliance. As part of providing this solution, it is also desired to implement improved ESD/EOS protection and improved PCB routing.
US08351166B2 Leakage sensor and switch device for deep-trench capacitor array
A high-density deep trench capacitor array with a plurality of leakage sensors and switch devices. Each capacitor array further comprises a plurality of sub-arrays, wherein the leakage in each sub-array is independently controlled by a sensor and switch unit. The leakage sensor comprises a current mirror, a transimpedance amplifier, a voltage comparator, and a timer. If excessive leakage current is detected, the switch unit will automatically disconnect the leaky capacitor module to reduce stand-by power and improve yield. An optional solid-state resistor can be formed on top of the deep trench capacitor array to increase the temperature and speed up the leakage screening process.
US08351158B2 Top bond pad for transducing head interconnect
A slider includes a slider body having a first side and edges defined adjacent to the first side, at least two separate insulators each adjacent to the first side of the slider body and supported by the slider body, and a conductive trace adjacent to each of the at least two separate insulators and opposite the first side of the slider body. The at least two separate insulators each are in physical contact with the slider body along the first side of the slider body such that the at least two separate insulators are physically attached to the slider body to electrically insulate each conductive trace from the slider body.
US08351147B2 Data storage
A data storage apparatus and method. The apparatus comprises a mounting structure, a motor mechanically attached to mounting structure, and a data storage platter mechanically attached to the motor. The apparatus additionally comprises a single actuator arm comprising a first and second read/write data head or multiple radial movement mechanisms each comprising a read/write data head. The single actuator arm is configured to move axially along an arc and across a top surface of the data storage platter such that the first read/write data head has access to a first section and a second section of the data storage platter and the second read/write data head only has access to the second section of data storage platter. Each radial movement mechanism moves a different read/write data head radially all along a radius of the data storage platter and over and across different sections of the data storage platter.
US08351132B2 Image pickup optical system and image pickup apparatus using the same
An image pickup optical system having five lenses includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a biconvex shape, and a positive refractive power, a second lens having a negative refractive power, a third lens having a meniscus shape with a concave surface thereof directed toward the object side, and a negative refractive power, a fourth lens having a meniscus shape with a concave surface thereof directed toward the object side, and a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens having a negative refractive power. The third lens and the fourth lens are cemented, and the negative refractive power at a central portion of the third lens increases gradually toward a peripheral portion thereof, and the positive refractive power at a central portion of the fourth lens decreases gradually toward a peripheral portion thereof. A cemented surface of the third lens and the fourth lens is an aspheric surface, and the cemented surface becomes a concave surface all the time with respect to the object side, at the central portion and the peripheral portion.
US08351131B2 Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus is switchable between first and second modes. A control master determination unit a lens apparatus as one of a master and a slave when the lens apparatus is operated in the second mode. A command value transmit-receive unit transmits/receives a command value of a target of the lens apparatus to/from another lens apparatus in the second mode, wherein the lens apparatus drives the target according to a command value from a controller for the lens apparatus for the target for which the lens apparatus is the master, and drives the target according to a command value received through the command value transmit-receive unit for the target for which the lens apparatus is set as the slave.
US08351128B2 Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus using the same
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. The first lens unit, the second lens unit, and the third lens unit are arranged in order from an object side to an image side. Distances between the lens units change during zooming. The first lens unit consists of two lenses. Radii of curvature of a lens surface closest to the object side and a lens surface closest to the image side in the first lens unit, a focal length of the first lens unit, and a focal length of the entire zoom lens at a telephoto end are set appropriately.
US08351120B2 Optical device having extented depth of field and fabrication method thereof
A method for designing an optical device which includes a lens and a microlens array is disclosed. A point spread function (PSF) of the lens including rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients is formulated, wherein the PSF presents various spherical spot sizes. A virtual phase mask having phase coefficients is provided and the phase coefficients are added to the PSF of the lens, such that the various spherical spot sizes are homogenized. The virtual phase mask is transformed into a polynomial function comprising high and low order aberration coefficients. A surface contour of the lens is determined according to the rotationally symmetrical aberration coefficients and the low order aberration coefficients, and a sag height of each microlens in the microlens array is determined according to the high order aberration coefficients. An optical device using the design method is also disclosed.
US08351119B2 Multi-coated hybrid optical film structure
An optical film has multi-coated layers. Diffusion layers are used to scatter light. Each diffusion layer has an interface microstructure. A condensing optical layer is used to concentrating light. A design of a multi-coating technology is thus used for scattering and concentrating light. By integrating scattering and concentrating materials in a single optical film, cost is effectively reduced. By using diffusion layers having interface microstructures, interface-dominating mechanism, not only hybrid optical performance with luminance and haze is effectively enhanced; but also quality variations owing to particles added or film warp and scoring on the beneath optical film owing to particles coated are reduced.
US08351114B2 System and method for combining multiple fiber amplifiers or multiple fiber lasers
A system for combining multiple fiber amplifiers, or multiple fiber amplifiers. The system includes a fiber combiner with multiple cores for connecting with the multiple fiber amplifiers and for combining the beams of the fiber amplifiers into a single beam. The fiber amplifiers are aligned, tapered, and stretched.A method for combining fiber amplifiers includes emitting a beam from a tapered fiber combiner and transmitting and coupling a portion of the emitted beam back into the fiber combiner via a feedback fiber. The transmission and coupling of the feedback fiber includes mixing the feedback fiber with the output of an auxiliary laser and boosting the feedback fiber by a pre-amplifier. The feedback fiber is split into a plurality of beams by a fiber splitter. The beams are fed into an array of fiber amplifiers and combined with output of the individual fiber amplifiers to form the tapered fiber combiner.
US08351113B2 High power fiber laser system
A tapered fiber bundle device couples optical power from an optical power source into an output fiber. The tapered fiber bundle device includes a tapered fiber bundle including a set of bundled fibers having a near end and a distal end. The near end of the tapered fiber bundle is configured to collect the optical power from the optical power source. Each fiber k in the set of bundled fibers has a first cross-sectional area Ak(1) at the near end and a second cross-sectional area Ak(2) at the distal end such that Ak(2) is substantially smaller than Ak(1). Each fiber also has a substantially uniform core and a substantially uniform numerical aperture value NAin. A cross-sectional area of the set of bundled fibers at the distal end has a cross-sectional area value Adist substantially equal to Aout.
US08351105B2 Color tone variable film, method of manufacturing the same, and electrochromic element obtained by the manufacturing method
The present invention provides a color tone variable film which is formed by a reaction of a cationic polymer containing a structural unit containing a positive ionic group in a side chain and a compound containing an acid group and a partial structure which can change color tone as a result of energy application, which can be formed by a wet method, which has flexibility and strength in practical use, and which changes color tone with high sensitivity as a result of energy application, a simple manufacturing method thereof, and an electrochromic element obtained by the manufacturing method.
US08351097B2 Image determining apparatus and image determining method
Erroneous determination of an image caused by color shift is prevented. Image data is divided in a sub-scanning direction into a first region where color shift hardly occurs and a second region where color shift easily occurs. There are detected a first color line drawing extending in a main-scanning direction in the first region, a second color line drawing extending in the main-scanning direction and having a width larger than that of the first color line drawing in the second region, and a third color line drawing extending in the sub-scanning direction in the image data. On the basis of the detected first, second, and third color line drawings, it is determined whether a document is a color document or not.
US08351096B2 Image scanning unit
An image scanning unit includes a translucent member, a transport unit, and a scan device. The translucent member has a flat face on which a document is contactingly transported by the transport unit while contacting the document against the translucent member. The scan device scans image information of the document transported by the transport unit at a scan position, and is fixedly disposed on a side of the translucent member opposite a side on which the document contacts the flat face of the translucent member. The translucent member includes a convex portion to lift the document transported by the transport unit from the flat face of the translucent member. The scan device scans the document at the scan position when the document transported by the transport unit passes over the convex portion and is still lifted from the flat face of the translucent member by the convex portion.
US08351095B2 Image scan device
Image scan device, comprising a platen, and a carriage, the carriage comprising a scan head, and a support structure arranged to move the scan head with respect to the platen, wherein a resilient element is provided that is arranged to bias the scan head in the direction of the platen, and resilient element fully extends between the platen and the bottom of the carriage, as seen from a direction parallel to the platen.
US08351089B2 Optical code reader
A system for capturing an image of an optical code located at a region of interest in a document, the system comprising: a support for supporting the document; a source of light arranged to illuminate the document; a mount for supporting an imaging device at a position spaced from the document; a trigger for activating the imaging device to capture an image of the region of interest; and a moving device for automatically moving the mount and operating the trigger in dependence upon at least one coordinate identifying the region of interest, the coordinate being contained in a label stored in document parameters.
US08351086B2 Two-dimensional code generating device
The present invention provides a printing device optimizing information to be embedded by merging pieces of information of respective pages into a single piece of information in N-up printing. The printing device generates the information to be embedded according to a result of analyzing print parameters in print data when performing embedding printing processing of the information to be embedded for the print data in a machine-recognizable manner. That is, in the printing device, a unit of generating information to be embedded acquires respective pieces of information of M pages (1≦M≦N), analyzes the acquired respective pieces of information to be embedded, and generates a single piece of information to be embedded merging the respective pieces of information to be embedded based on the analysis result of the respective pieces of information to be embedded, when N-up printing is designated.
US08351084B2 Vector error diffusion with edge control
A mechanism for providing edge enhancement or attenuation in a vector error diffusion process includes warping a marking decision color space as a function of at least one pixel value of a target pixel. The warping changes the membership of sets of error modified pixel values associated particular sets of marking. The warping is controlled by a function of pixel values of a target pixel from an input image. Therefore, the warping is constant for uniform portions of the image. Since pixel values change at edges or where colors change, a mechanism is provided for the presence of edges to influence the vector error diffusion process. Selection of the function by which the marking decision color space is warped provides a means for controlling the aggressiveness of the edge enhancement or attenuation. Equivalent processing includes warping or adjusting error modified pixel values according to corresponding functions.
US08351082B2 Image processing apparatus, image forming system, and computer usable medium therefor
An image processing apparatus for improved image forming quality is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a storage unit to store image data representing a colored image, an extracting unit to selectively extract objective data representing an object to be formed on a recording medium in a specific color, a modifying unit to modify the extracted objective data to enlarge an area represented by the extracted objective data, and a composition unit to combine the modified objective data with the image data stored in the storage unit.
US08351077B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, computer-readable medium and computer data signal
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit, a search unit, a determination unit, a conversion unit and an output unit. The receiving unit receives a command for forming an image. The search unit searches for color designation information that designates specific color information and is included in the received command. The determination unit determines a type of the color information designated by the color designation information found by the search. The conversion unit converts the color designation information into information conforming to a common expression rule, based on a conversion rule that is set for each type of the color information. The output unit outputs the information obtained by the converting.
US08351071B2 Print control apparatus, print apparatus, print system, print method, and storage medium
A print control apparatus enables a user to select an arbitrary print mechanism among a plurality of print mechanisms of a print apparatus. To this end, the print control apparatus can display a screen showing two or more print mechanisms usable in the print apparatus. The print control apparatus can determine an optimum print mechanism based on image contents and print conditions.
US08351059B2 Apparatus, system, and method of image processing, and recording medium storing image processing program
An image input apparatus determines whether an image input apparatus that has sent image data is an authorized sender when storing of the image data to a specific storage area is detected. According to a determination result indicating that the image input apparatus is the authorized sender, the image input apparatus applying one or more processes to the image data.
US08351056B2 Image processing in accordance with position of member
The invention provides a multi-function printer not requiring exclusive components (principally electrical components) for reading the print settings and thus being free from a cost increase, and a control method therefor. For print settings such as a paper size and a print quality in a copying or a direct printing, a lever is provided for each print setting item. Before executing the reading and printing operations of copying or direct printing, position of each lever is read and the setting of each print setting item is analyzed based on the position of each lever, and the reading and printing operations are executed according to thus analyzed settings.
US08351051B2 System and method of measuring irregularity of a glass substrate
A system and a method of measuring irregularity of a glass substrate using only a reflection light reflected by an upper surface of reflection lights reflected by the upper surface and a lower surface of the glass substrate are disclosed. The system includes a light source section configured to output a first light to the glass substrate and a screen. Here, the first light outputted from the light source section is reflected by an upper surface and a lower surface of the glass substrate, a first reflection light reflected by the upper surface of the glass substrate is inputted into the screen, a first line is formed on the screen in accordance with the input of the first reflection light, a second reflection light reflected by the lower surface of the glass substrate is inputted into the screen through the upper surface, a second line is formed on the screen in accordance with the input of the second reflection light, and the light source section and the screen are disposed on the basis of the glass substrate so that the lines are separated.
US08351048B2 Linear-carrier phase-mask interferometer
A phase-difference sensor measures the spatially resolved difference in phase between orthogonally polarized reference and test wavefronts. The sensor is constructed as a linear-carrier phase-mask aligned to and imaged on a linear-carrier detector array. Mireau and Fizeau polarization interferometric objectives are implemented with a thin conductive wire grid optically coupled to the objective beam splitter.
US08351045B1 Compact snapshot multispectral imaging system
Systems and methods for multispectral imaging are disclosed. The optical system includes 1) an array of optical elements, each optical element optically disposed to receive incident electromagnetic radiation; 2) a filter capable of substantially operating as a filter array, each filter element spectrally filtering electromagnetic radiation substantially into a spectral band having a predetermined central wavelength; and 3) a detector system capable of substantiality operating as a detector array of detector elements.
US08351038B2 Skin color matching method and system
A first method for matching skin colors comprises measuring a spectral reflectance curve of an area of skin and determining a blend of pigments to match the skin's color by combining spectral reflectance curves measured for pigments to produce a calculated spectral reflectance curve corresponding to that of the skin. The pigment blend is then used, for example, to pigment a medical prosthesis, so that it matches precisely its wearer's skin. This method avoids the problem of metamerism in which colors that match under a first illumination no longer match under a second illumination. A second method uses a database of pigment blends generated by the first method. The color of an area of skin is measured and a pigment blend is selected from the database that provides a closest match. Apparatus for carrying out such color matching is also provided, together with palettes of suitable pigments for skin color matching.
US08351031B2 Single-shot spectral imager
A single-shot spectral imager or imaging system which acquires multiplexed spatial and spectral data in a single snapshot with high optical collection efficiency and with the speed limited only by the readout time of the detector circuitry. The imager uses dispersive optics together with spatial light modulators to encode a mathematical transform onto the acquired spatial-spectral data. A multitude of encoded images is recorded simultaneously on a focal plane array and subsequently decoded to produce a spectral/spatial hypercube.
US08351029B2 Optical fiber sensor
An objective of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber sensor which has a simple configuration to enable sensitively measuring a refractive index of a measurement medium in a wide range of refractive indexes. An optical fiber sensor according to the present invention includes; an optical fiber having a core in which a short-period gratings are formed and a cladding, the optical fiber being made so that transmission loss occurs due to cladding-propagation-mode leakage at its cladding portion where the short-period gratings are formed; a light source from which light having a wavelength range of the cladding propagation mode is emitted; and a light receiving unit for receiving transmission or reflection light having passed through the cladding at the position where the short-period gratings are formed. The optical fiber sensor detects, based on the total receiving light intensity that the light receiving unit receives, the refractive index of the measurement medium contacting the cladding, in which the optical fiber is multi-mode one, and the short-period gratings have plural kinds of periods.
US08351015B2 Liquid crystal display panel and method for testing the same
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for testing the same. The liquid crystal display panel includes at least one testing signal supply line having first and second horizontal portions spaced from each other for applying a testing signal to the liquid crystal display panel, first and second electrolytic corrosion blocking patterns connected to ends of the first and second horizontal lines respectively on a substrate and isolated from each other for prevention of transmission of the electrolytic corrosion from the first horizontal portion to the second horizontal portion, and a connection pattern formed of a material resistant to the electrolytic corrosion for connecting the first horizontal portion to the second horizontal portion, electrically.
US08351008B2 Liquid crystal display with several drive segments
A liquid crystal display is provided with several drive segments, between which at least one intermediate surface without drive segments is situated. Such liquid crystal displays are used, in particular, for displaying information contents of low information density, for example, as numerical display elements. This realizes, among other things, a simple and cost-efficient improvement of the electrostatic properties and the legibility, namely also under unfavorable light conditions. For this purpose, the intermediate surface is largely provided with at least one conductive auxiliary layer and a high-frequency connection between the auxiliary layer and a shielding potential is produced.
US08351005B2 TFT substrate having multiple pixels, liquid crystal display device using the TFT substrate, and method for manufacturing the TFT substrate
The TFT substrate having a transparent conductive film pattern configuring a terminal that can be connected from outside and a first line extending from the terminal; a metal film that is removed from over the terminal and formed on the transparent conductive film pattern on the inside thereof; and an insulating film covering the metal film.
US08351002B2 Printed circuit board and method for manufacturing the same
A printed circuit board for mounting electronic parts thereon includes a ground portion formed on the printed circuit board and connected to an outer ground. A plurality of conductive ground layers are stacked so as to interpose an insulation layer therebetween. An upper conductive ground layer includes first and second conductive ground portions. The first and second ground portions are connected by a connecting element. Another conductive ground layer under the upper conductive ground layer is grounded via the first and second ground portions of the upper conductive ground layer via a through hole provided in the ground portion.
US08350998B2 Retardation substrate, method of manufacturing the same, and liquid crystal display
A retardation layer that includes regions causing different retardations can be manufactured easily. A retardation substrate includes a substrate and a solidified liquid crystal layer facing its main surface. The solidified liquid crystal layer includes first to third regions, and a degree of depolarization for each of the regions is less than 5.0×10−4. A difference between the maximum and minimum values of the degrees of depolarization obtained for the regions is less than 2.0×10−4.
US08350989B2 Liquid crystal display device
Each of plural light source units is formed by combining a light source formed of plural light emitting elements mounted on a wiring substrate with a light guide plate having a side surface serving as a light incident surface. The wiring substrate is attached to the chassis such that the light output surface of the light emitting element is perpendicular to the light emitting element mount surface of the wiring substrate. The wiring patterns each with the larger width than that of the electrode are formed on both upper and back surfaces of the substrate at the portion to which the power feeding electrode of the light emitting element is soldered. They are connected via the through holes which are arranged in plural rows around the electrode.
US08350987B2 Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device having the same
A backlight unit adapted to enhance brightness and reduce manufacturing time and costs is disclosed. The backlight unit includes a bottom cover with an opened upper surface, a plurality of light emission diodes arranged on an inner edge of the bottom cover, a light guide plate disposed parallel to the plurality of light emission diodes, and a diffusion sheet disposed on the light guide plate. The diffusion sheet is provided to have an overlapped area with a support main which is combined with the bottom cover. Also, a reflection material layer is formed on an upper surface of the diffusion sheet corresponding to the overlapped area.
US08350985B2 Electro-optic apparatus and electronic instrument
An electro-optic apparatus includes: an electro-optic panel; and a holding member configured to hold at least the electro-optic panel, in which the holding member includes a shoulder configured to support at least part of a peripheral edge of the electro-optic panel, and the shoulder does not support the electro-optic panel in at least an area of a part of a corner and a proximity thereof.
US08350976B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate, a counter substrate and a liquid crystal layer having liquid crystal molecules interposed therebetween. The liquid crystal molecules are aligned in a direction normal to a surface of the substrates under a condition where no electrical voltage is supplied between a picture electrode and a counter electrode. An alignment control device is provided at the counter substrate and configured to control the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules under a condition where an electric field is applied between the picture electrode and the counter electrode. A scanning line crossing a pixel is divided into first and second segments. The array substrate includes a connecting element to connect the first and second segments opposite the alignment control device.
US08350971B2 Systems and methods for controlling media devices
Systems and methods process an input received from a remote control. A media stream is presented on a display, and the input from the remote control is received at a local device associated with the display. The local device may determine if the input is intended for the local device or a remote device. If the input is intended for the local device, the input may be processed at the local device. Various interface features, for example, may be managed at the local device. If the input is intended for the remote device, a signal may be transmitted from the local device to the remote device to thereby allow the remote device to respond to the input.
US08350963B2 Video processing device and method of processing video data
A video-processing device is provided for processing a main video data flow and a secondary video data flow. The secondary video data flow constitutes a scaled version of the main video data flow. The video-processing device comprises a tap-off unit (T, T2) having an input for receiving the main video data flow. The tap-off unit (T, T2) comprises at least a first and second output, wherein each of the outputs corresponds to the input of the tap-off unit. A first H- and V-scaling unit (HVS1) is coupled to the first output of the tap-off unit (T, T2) for performing a first H- and V-scaling on the main video flow. A second H- and V-scaling unit (HVS2) is coupled to the second output of the tap-off unit for performing a second H- and V-scaling on the secondary video flow to provide a scaled secondary video flow. By tapping-off the main video flow there is no need for the device to access a memory to extract the video data from the main video flow to provide a secondary video flow.
US08350959B2 Camera lens actuation apparatus
A camera lens actuation apparatus for driving motion of a camera lens supported on a support structure by a suspension system. The apparatus incorporates a subassembly comprising SMA wire connected to at least one mounting member which is mounted to the support structure. At least one pair of lengths of SMA wire are held in tension between the camera lens element and the support structure at respective acute angles to the optical axis applying a tensional force having a component along the optical axis. The lengths of SMA wire in the pair are held at angle as viewed along the optical axis. There may be plural pairs with a balanced arrangement in which the forces generated have no net component perpendicular to the optical axis and generate no net torque around any axis perpendicular to the optical axis. A control circuit controls heating of the SMA wire in response to a measure of its resistance.
US08350952B2 Image sensors with improved angle response
An image sensor includes a substrate having a plurality of photosensitive areas, a light shield positioned spanning the photosensitive areas in which light shield a plurality of apertures are formed, and a plurality of microlens each disposed centered on one of the apertures such that a focal point of the incident light through each microlens is substantially extended into the substrate to a point where a portion of the incident light directed onto the periphery of each microlens is blocked by a light shield.
US08350951B2 Image sensing apparatus and image data correction method
In an image sensing apparatus, an image sensing unit generates image data formed via an optical member, a storage unit stores correction information for correcting deterioration of image quality of the image data, a reading unit reads correction information corresponding to a plurality of setting values close to a parameter used to control the optical member from the correction information stored in the storage unit, a conversion unit converts a pixel position of the image data to polar coordinates, a generation unit generates correction information by interpolating the read correction information, and a correction unit corrects the image data at the pixel position at the polar coordinates using the correction information. The storage unit stores correction information corresponding to more polar angles in a range having a greater degree of change in the deterioration of image quality in an angular direction centered on the optical axis of the optical member.
US08350950B2 Pop up prism lens assembly
A pop up prism camera (10) having a pop up prism lens assembly (11). A first lens assembly (14), a second lens assembly (18), and a prism assembly (21) are moved in relationship to a camera housing (12) controlled by a cam tube (20). The prism assembly (21) projects outside the camera housing (12) when the pop up prism camera (10) is in an operational configuration. A prism (100) of the prism assembly (21) redirects an optical path (48). A non-angled portion (44) of a first cam groove (30) causes the prism assembly (21) to remain fixed relative to the camera housing (12) while continued rotation of the cam tube (20) allows the first lens assembly (14) and the second lens assembly (18) to continue to move to accomplish a lens zoom function.
US08350945B2 Camera body used in an imaging device with which the state of an optical system is verified by an operation member
A camera body (3) includes a display unit (20) and a body microcomputer (10). The display unit (20) is able to display a zoom display bar (105) that expresses the focal length of the optical system (L). The body microcomputer (10) controls the display unit (20) so that the direction in which a zoom ring (64) moves when the user operates the zoom ring (64) substantially coincides with a change direction in which the zoom display bar (105) shown on the display unit (20) changes according to the operation of the zoom ring (64).
US08350930B2 Image capturing device and image synthesis method thereof
The present invention discloses an image capturing device and an image synthesis method thereof. The image capturing device comprises an image capturing module, an exposure module, and a processing module. The image capturing module captures a high bit-depth scene image corresponding to a scene. The exposure module meters the light of the scene to generate a plurality of histograms. The processing module calculates a plurality of discrete values of different exposure conditions of the high bit-depth scene image based on the plurality of histograms, processes the high bit-depth scene image to generate at least two low bit-depth temporary images in different brightness conditions based on at least two highest discrete values, and synthesizes the at least two low bit-depth temporary images in different brightness conditions to generate a high dynamic range image.
US08350929B2 Image pickup apparatus, controlling method and program for the same
When picked up images picked up by an image pickup apparatus are accessed, the contents of the picked up images are grasped readily. A dynamic picture storage section 200 stores image data produced by an image pickup section 110. A metadata storage section 210 stores transformation information regarding a first picked up image and a second picked up image. An image memory 180 retains images as history images. An image transformation section 150 transforms the second picked up image based on the transformation information. An image synthesis section 170 synthesizes the transformed second picked up image with the history images to form a synthesized image. An operation acceptance section 160 accepts a designation operation which designates a display magnification of the second picked up image. A display region extraction section 190 determines a display region on the synthesized images retained in the image memory 180 based on the designated display magnification and extracts those images which are included in the display region. A display control section 240 successively displays the extracted images on a display section 250.
US08350927B2 Image-data processing apparatus and image-data processing method
An image-data processing apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: an image memory for storing image data; a plurality of processing sections each configured to output image data to be stored in the image memory, receive image data read out from the image memory and carry out image processing determined in advance on the received image data; and a memory control section configured to receive a write or read request from each of the processing sections and control a write access to store image data in the image memory in accordance with the write request and a read access to read out image data from the image memory in accordance with the read request.
US08350917B2 Digital camera, method for sending image data and system for transmitting and receiving image data
A digital camera (1) which includes an external memory device (12) to store image data, a communication device (15) connected to LAN to conduct a data communication, and a control section (10) to control these. Request data is broadcast to the LAN by the camera, and when data responding to the request data is received from a device connected to the LAN, the control section detects an IP address of the equipment from which the response data is sent, and the control section (10) sends the image data to the IP address.
US08350906B2 Control method based on a voluntary ocular signal particularly for filming
The invention relates to a control method based on a controlling eye signal, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: detecting at least one slow movement corresponding to an eye movement of at least one eye of an operator; generating a said eye control signal from at least one detected slow movement; and producing a command from the eye control signal. The invention applies in particular to controlling cameras by eye.
US08350899B2 Stereoscopic display device
A stereoscopic display device includes: a display panel having a display screen on which two-dimensional image is displayed, and configured to polarize image light of the image-displaying into a particular polarization direction; and a lens array element disposed to oppose the display screen of the display panel, and having a liquid crystal layer which includes liquid crystal molecules having a refractive index anisotropy and aligned in a predetermined orientation direction under no application of voltage. The lens array element is configured to electrically change the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules to generate a lens effect, and configured to selectively change a state of passing therethrough of the image light exiting from the display panel. The predetermined orientation direction of the liquid crystal molecules of the lens array element and the polarization direction of the image light are parallel to each other.
US08350894B2 System and method for stereoscopic imaging
A method is disclosed for performing stereoscopic imaging. The method may involve obtaining a first image of a scene, at a first time, using a camera disposed on a platform, where the distance between the camera and the scene is changing. The camera may be used to obtain a second image of the scene, at a second time, with one of the first and second images being larger than the other. One of the images that is larger than the other may be resized so that the sizes of the two images are substantially similar. Both of the images may be rotated a predetermined degree so that the images form a stereo pair that may be viewed with a stereoscope viewing component or made into an anaglyph for viewing with an anaglyph viewing component.
US08350890B2 Method and apparatus of wireless video transceiving based on multi-carrier technique
The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus of wireless video transceiving based on a multi-carrier technique. The method comprises the following steps: image information in a video GOP are separated and a sequential relationship between individual image information is recorded; general image information and important image information are treated discriminatingly in a video transmission process according to the degree of importance of different image information, in order to improve a transmission quality of the important image information; after the image information is received by a receiving end, the image information is recombined into the video GOP according to the sequential relationship. In the present invention, the important image information and non-important image information are treated discriminatingly via a sub-carrier allocation and a selection of different transmitting conditions in order to enhance the transmission quality of important image information in terms of improving the transmitting condition, so that the transmission quality of the wireless video is guaranteed.
US08350889B1 Integrated computer, television, and telephone
The integrated computer, television and telephone integrates several entertainment devices, such as a personal computer, TV, Internet Router, USB Router, Satellite receiver, home telephone, and a digital camera with their components, into one device. The integrated apparatus includes three cables extending from the housing. The three cables are used to provide power, satellite reception, and a home phone line. The apparatus includes document printing using the built-in wireless capability. An Internet router allows Internet communication of local area devices. A digital camera is included to allow video and still photography, as well as video conferencing. In case a home phone line is not available, it is possible to use wireless connections, such as HSDPA or GPRS, provided by mobile telecommunication companies.
US08350885B2 Mobile terminal for receiving digital broadcasting and method for the same
A mobile terminal for receiving digital broadcasting is disclosed. The mobile terminal includes a battery capacity detector, a digital broadcasting receiving unit, a power consumption amount database, and a controller. The battery capacity detector detects a current usable capacity of a battery, and the digital broadcasting receiving unit receives the digital broadcasting. The power consumption amount database stores information regarding the power consumption of components necessary for receiving and outputting the digital broadcasting. The controller receives the usable capacity of the battery from the battery capacity detector upon receiving the digital broadcasting, calculates the power necessary for receiving the digital broadcasting with reference to the power consumption amount database, compares the usable capacity of the battery with the necessary power, and controls the power applied to the components necessary for receiving and outputting the digital broadcasting according to a plurality of power saving requirements if the usable capacity of the battery is lower than the necessary power.
US08350883B2 Scanning optical apparatus and image forming apparatus using same
An scanning optical apparatus of present invention converts plural light beams emitted from corresponding light source units by a light beam conversion unit, deflectively scans by a deflection unit, focuses by an imaging optical unit onto corresponding scanned surfaces. At least two of light source units are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light beams are emitted. The light beam conversion unit includes plural light beam conversion elements that reflect the light beams emitted in the same direction from the light source units to deflect the light beams in the same direction. Each of the light beam conversion elements has at least one reflecting surface having a power and at least one diffracting surface having a power, and has different powers with respect to the main scanning direction and with respect to the sub scanning direction.
US08350882B2 Optical unit, image forming apparatus including the same and optical element thereof
An optical unit includes an optical element having a first combining surface and a second combining surface that applied an adhesive that is cured when exposed to a curing light respectively and that have different transmittance of the curing light; and a mount member combined with the optical element by the adhesive. The adhesive is cured when exposed to the curing light.
US08350878B2 Image erasing apparatus, and method of determining foreign matter attached to recording medium supplied to image erasing apparatus
An image erasing apparatus includes: a supply unit that supplies a recording medium; a recovery unit that recovers the recording medium supplied by the supply unit; a plurality of pairs of carrying rollers that carry the recording medium supplied by the supply unit toward the recovery unit; a detecting unit that acquires information regarding foreign matter made of metal attached to the recording medium; a heating unit that heats the recording medium to a temperature equal to or higher than a color-erasing temperature of a developer; and a carriage control unit that reduces a rotation speed of the plurality of pairs of rollers from a first speed to a second speed when the detecting unit acquires the information regarding the foreign matter made of metal.
US08350869B1 Preview for colorblind
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to previewing documents for colorblind end users.
US08350864B2 Serializing command streams for graphics processors
A method and an apparatus for determining a dependency relationship between graphics commands based on availability of graphics hardware resources to perform graphics processing operations according to the dependency relationship are described. The graphics commands may be received from graphics APIs (application programming interfaces) for rendering a graphics object. A graphics driver may transmit a portion or all of the received graphics commands to a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a media processor based on the determined dependency relationship between the graphics commands.
US08350860B2 Real-time goal-directed performed motion alignment for computer animated characters
A method for real-time, goal-directed performed motion alignment for computer animated characters. A sequence of periodic locomotion may be seamlessly aligned with an arbitrarily placed and rotated non-periodic performed motion. A rendering application generates a sampling of transition locations for transition from a locomotion motion space to a performed motion space. The sampling is parameterized by control parameters of the locomotion motion space. Based on the location and rotation of a goal location at which the performed motion is executed, a particular transition location may be selected to define a motion plan to which a performed motion sequence may then appended. Advantageously, by utilizing a look-up of pre-computed values for the control parameters of the motion plan, the rendering application may minimize the computational cost of finding the motion plan to move the character to a location to transition to a performed motion.
US08350857B2 Method for representing an object
In a method for representing an object in a display, lines together with length information, starting point information and direction information are stored with regard to the object. The representation of the object is generated by a display of the directly adjacent, parallel lines.
US08350856B1 Visualization of time-variant data
A method to display time-variant information that includes displaying, for example, on a computer-generated user interface, a common baseline value indication (or representation) for multiple data items. The common baseline value indication represents respective baseline values for each of the multiple data items (e.g., stocks) at a first instance in time. The method includes displaying deviation indicators (or representations), relative to the common baseline value indication, for each of the multiple data items. The multiple deviation indicators represent respective deviation values, relative to respective base values, for each of the multiple data items at a second time instance. Each of the deviation indicators may further visually identify a respective deviation value as being positive or negative, relative to a related base value.
US08350847B2 Depth mapping using multi-beam illumination
A method for mapping an object (28) includes illuminating the object with at least two beams (37, 38) of radiation having different beam characteristics. At least one image of the object is captured under illumination with each of the at least two beams. The at least one image is processed to detect local differences in an intensity of the illumination cast on the object by the at least two beams, and the local differences are analyzed in order to generate a three-dimensional (3D) map of the object.
US08350841B2 ESD protection circuit and display apparatus using the same
An ESD protection circuit comprises three transistors and two voltage dividers. The two source/drain terminals of a first transistor are electrically coupled to a first power line and a second power line respectively. The two source/drain terminals of a second transistor are electrically coupled to the first power line and a gate terminal of the first transistor respectively. The two source/drain terminals of a third transistor are electrically coupled to the gate terminal of the first transistor and the second power line respectively. A first voltage divider supplies a first voltage to a gate terminal of the second transistor according to a potential difference between the first power line and the second power line. A second voltage divider supplies a second voltage to a gate terminal of the third transistor according to the potential difference between the first power line and the second power line.
US08350835B2 Display device
Dynamic range is widened in a display device with a photosensor that can read an image due to having a photodetection element inside a pixel thereof. A sensor driving circuit switches ON a reset signal (RST) that is supplied via reset signal bus line, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, switches ON a readout signal (RWS) that is supplied via readout signal bus line. Thus, in the photosensor, from which a photosensor signal is output in accordance with an amount of light received by the photosensor in the predetermined time, the capacitance of a capacitor provided in the photosensor is made variable from when the reset signal (RST) is supplied to the photosensor until when the predetermined time has elapsed.
US08350833B2 Plasma display device
When a connection failure occurs in an FFC for electrically interconnecting the ground potentials of the printed boards, the failure is immediately detected. A plasma display device has a scan electrode driving circuit for dividing scan electrodes into a first scan electrode group and a second scan electrode group and driving them, scan electrode driving ICs for applying a scan pulse generated by the scan electrode driving circuit to the scan electrodes, a timing generating circuit for generating switch signal SI used for switching the scan electrode driving ICs in a predetermined order, and a first printed board and second printed board that have the scan electrode driving ICs. The ground potential of the first printed board is electrically connected to that of the second printed board via an FFC. Switch signal SI is input from the first printed board to the second printed board via the FFC.
US08350832B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit device for display controller
The semiconductor IC device for display control disclosed herein aims to achieve a higher rate of memory access cycles without enhancing the current carrying capability of the memory device. The IC device is provided with a memory cell array capable to store display data, peripheral circuits to enable writing and reading of display data, and a control circuit which is able to control read and write operations from/to the memory cell array. The memory cell array comprises a plurality of memory blocks. The control circuit comprises a control logic which enables parallel processing of write operations in such a manner that, before completion of writing of data to one of the memory blocks, writing of data to another memory block is started. Write cycles are shortened by the parallel processing of write operations.
US08350829B2 Input pen for touch-panel and touch-panel input system
An input pen (60) of the present invention is an input pen used for performing an input to a touch-panel-integrated liquid crystal display device (100) (display device). The liquid crystal display device (100) includes a plurality of photosensitive elements (30) that senses light transmitted through a panel surface. The photosensitive elements (30) detect a position of input by sensing an image on a surface of a display panel. The input pen (60) includes a retroreflective element (61) at its tip that is to be in contact with the display panel. The retroreflective element (61) is made up of a spherical glass (62) (spherical transparent member) and an elastic reflective element (63). In this way, it is possible to provide an input pen which is to be used with a touch-panel-integrated display device and which makes it possible to perform a more accurate position detection.
US08350825B2 Touch panel and touching point detection method thereof
A touch panel is disclosed. The touch panel mentioned above includes at least a touching detection column and a touching detection module. The detection column includes N first touching detection units, N is a positive integer. Each of the first touching detection units transfers a first capacitance varying value according to an area cover by a touching point. The touching detection module operates a differential operating on the first capacitance varying values from two of the first touching detection units which is disposed adjoining in sequential for obtaining a capacitance varying order distribution. The touching detection module obtains a number of at least one first touching point and coordinates thereof by calculating the capacitance varying order distribution.
US08350824B2 Sensing method for a capacitive touch system
A capacitive touch system uses at least two touch integrated circuits to simultaneously scan a touch panel, each of the touch integrated circuits only for scanning a portion of the traces of the touch panel. Therefore, the capacitive touch system can maintain a good frame rate, even the touch panel is a large scale touch panel. Sensing methods are provided to determine a sensed value for a boundary trace which is the last one of the traces connected to a first touch integrated circuit and prior to the first one of the traces connected to a second touch integrated circuit.
US08350816B2 Display device and electronic apparatus
A display device of the invention includes a display panel 10 and a touch panel 22. A detector circuit 50 has switches 411 and 412. Switches 411 and 412 are alternately turned on and off repeatedly in the setting period. Touch detection is performed during a counting period that follows the setting period on the basis of required time until a voltage at the node reaches a reference voltage while the switch 411 is turned off and switch 412 is turned on. Common voltage changes in the setting period while switch 411 is turned off and switch 412 is turned on.
US08350809B2 Input device to control elements of graphical user interfaces
An input device to control elements of graphical user interfaces has at least one input element with multiple buttons (keys), and at least one rotatable input element that is actuated at least along one essentially horizontal axis, and at least one elevation (18) that extends essentially perpendicular to a primary extension plane of the input device. The elevation is provided with at least one additional input element and the additional input element is rotatable around an essentially vertical axis.
US08350802B2 Electrophoretic device with capacitive storage and applied fluctuating signal, method of driving the same, and electronic apparatus
Disclosed is a method of driving an electrophoretic device that includes an electrophoretic element having a first electrode, a second electrode, and an electrophoretic layer disposed between the first and second electrodes, and further includes a capacitor connected to the first electrode at one terminal. The method includes (a) applying a reference potential or a first potential higher than the reference potential to the first electrode of the electrophoretic element and the terminal of the capacitor and applying the reference potential to the second electrode of the electrophoretic element, and (b) applying a signal fluctuating between a second potential and a third potential to the second electrode subsequently to the step (a), the second potential being equal to or higher than the reference potential, the third potential being higher than the second potential and being equal to or lower than the first potential.
US08350792B2 Display device
A display device in which a non-display region is formed in a portion of a display region which is formed of a mass of the pixels, out of the plurality of gate signal lines and the plurality of drain signal lines, the gate signal lines and the drain signal lines which are arranged so as to traverse the non-display region when the gate signal lines and the drain signal lines straightly extend imaginarily are formed in a pattern where the gate signal lines and the drain signal lines are routed around the non-display region.
US08350788B1 Louver panel for an electronic sign
A louver panel for an electronic sign incorporating multiple spaced primary and secondary louvers extending outwardly from a configured substantially planar panel to provide direct shading of the structure adjacent to an LED, to the structure of the louver panel including the louvers and the panel, and to provide shading for all or part of an LED. Spacings of the louvers provide for regions of shade which improve contrast and which in transition between panels camouflage horizontal seams.
US08350783B2 Electrowetting element, display device and control system
The present invention relates to an electrowetting element for a display device, a display device and a control system for controlling at least one electrowetting element. The electrowetting element comprises: a radiation valve comprising a first fluid and a second fluid immiscible with the first fluid, wherein the first and second fluids are configurable to change a characteristic of radiation passing through at least one of the first and second fluids; and an electrically switchable part switchable between a reflective mode for reflecting radiation incident on the switchable part and towards the radiation valve, and a transmissive mode for transmitting radiation incident on the switchable part through the switchable part and towards the radiation valve.
US08350782B2 Modulating thickness of colored fluid in color display
An embodiment is a display unit. The display unit includes a substrate layer, a layer of colored fluid on the substrate layer, and a transparent actuator element on the layer of the colored fluid. The layer of colored fluid has a thickness and a color. The transparent actuator element modulates the thickness of the colored fluid upon activated by a force such that the colored fluid is changed from a first state to a second state or vice versa. The modulated thickness provides a variable optical density of the colored fluid.
US08350781B2 Multilayer control of gobo shape
A control of gobos defend by records in the gobo. The gobos are formed by menued shapes.
US08350774B2 Double balun dipole
A double balun dipole antenna element includes a dielectric substrate having a first surface and an opposing second surface, a pair of coplanar Marchand baluns positioned in a mutually antiphase configuration on the first and second surfaces, and at least one feed line connected to the pair of Marchand baluns. A doubly polarized antenna element includes a pair of orthogonally interleaved double balun dipole antenna elements, which can be further configured into an array of such antenna elements.
US08350772B2 Antenna apparatus for printed circuit board having auxiliary antenna
An antenna apparatus for a printed circuit board including an auxiliary antenna which includes a printed circuit board and mounting components. An antenna pattern is formed on the printed circuit board, and the antenna apparatus includes a first auxiliary antenna unit formed on an upper surface of the printed circuit board; and a second auxiliary antenna unit provided at a location on a lower surface of the printed circuit board that corresponds to location of the first auxiliary antenna unit on the upper surface of the printed circuit board. Efficiency by the antenna apparatus according to the present invention can be increased by approximately 17%.
US08350764B2 Low frequency dual-antenna diversity system
A dual-antenna diversity antenna system that operates within a low frequency band range is disclosed. Two antennas are folded separately onto a single three dimensional dielectric substrate in a meander pattern configuration. Each antenna has an independent feed port and ground pin. The two antennas are configured within a compact mobile terminal to produce high isolation and low correlation at resonating frequencies within the 700 Megahertz frequency band.
US08350763B2 Active antennas for multiple bands in wireless portable devices
Wireless devices, and particularly mobile devices such as cellphones, PDAs, computers, navigation devices, etc., as well as other devices which transmit or receive data or other signals at multiple frequency bands utilize at least one antenna to transmit and receive and a plurality of different bands (e.g., GSM cellular communication band; Bluetooth short range communication band; ultrawideband (UWB) communications, etc.). These wireless devices can simultaneously transmit or receive at a plurality of different bands, or simultaneously transmit and receive at different bands. The wireless devices have the ability to use a single physical structure (e.g., an antenna) for transmission and reception of many different bands. The antenna can be either actively tuned or passively tuned using one or more elements.
US08350762B2 Multi band built-in antenna
A multi-band built-in antenna for a mobile communication terminal having a main board and a casing for protecting the main board, is disclosed. A transmission line is formed to be spaced apart from one outside surface of the main board by a predetermined interval and configured to include an external conductor, a dielectric, and a central conductor so as to transmit signals. A ground clip is configured to ground the transmission line by fastening the transmission line. A radiator is formed by bending the dielectric and central conductor of the transmission line, other than the external conductor of the transmission line, and is configured to operate in multiple bands. An open stub is connected to the ground clip, is bent a plurality of times, and is configured to be operated in a low frequency band, which is lower than the high frequency band.
US08350758B1 Systems and methods for indoor geolocation based on yield of RF signals
Systems and methods are disclosed herein for determining a user's location within an indoor environment. In particular, the system receives a location request including a set of radio frequency signal data collected by a mobile device inside of an indoor environment. Using this data set, the system first selects a map from a plurality of maps stored in a map database. The system then processes the data to identify the user's location on the selected map. The system uses yield information associated with the received signals in determining the map that the user is on, the user's location on the map, or both the map and the user's location to filter out transient signals and identify those signals that are reliably indicative of the user's location.
US08350755B2 Method and system for propagating GNSS assistance data among communication devices in a GNSS group
A communication device within a GNSS group propagates GNSS assistance data to one or more other communication devices in the GNSS group utilizing direct device-to-device connections. The GNSS assistance data comprises ephemeris received from one or more GNSS satellites and/or predicted ephemeris. As a source device, the communication device generates, and/or acquires from other resources such as a remote location server, the predicted ephemeris. As a destination device, the communication device receives existing GNSS assistance data from a source device and/or other communication devices in the GNSS group. A GNSS position for the communication device and corresponding time information are used to refresh the received GNSS assistance data. In instances where the communication device further acts as a relay device, the refreshed GNSS assistance data is relayed to other communication devices over wired and/or wireless direct device-to-device connections utilizing appropriate communication technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth low energy.
US08350745B2 Anti jamming system
Anti jamming system comprising a tunable negative jamming signal feedback loop for feedback suppression of a received jamming signal, including an receiver receiving an jamming signal followed by a replica jamming signal generator for generating an replica jamming signal. The receiver comprising a zero IF PLL receiver having a synchronous demodulator and a phase detector, signal inputs thereof being coupled to said input means and carrier inputs coupled to in-phase and phase quadrature oscillator outputs, respectively, of a local voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), said VCO receiving a tuning control signal for tuning the zero IF PLL receiver at the carrier frequency of the jamming signal. The VCO is included in a phase locked loop (PLL) comprising subsequent to the VCO, said phase detector and a loop filter. The replica jamming signal generator includes a modulator with a baseband signal input coupled to an output of said synchronous demodulator and a carrier input coupled to the in-phase oscillator output of the VCO, an output of said modulator being negatively fedback to the input of the receiver.
US08350744B2 Virtual universal remote control
A method for providing a virtual, universal remote control feature includes displaying a virtual remote interface for an electronic device. A user interaction with an element of the virtual remote interface is detected. The virtual remote interface element is mapped to a device-function code. The device-function code is provided to a code transmitter. The device-function code corresponds to a control command associated with the electronic device.
US08350743B2 AD converter
Analog to digital conversion is performed by sampling an input voltage followed by AD conversion of the sampled voltage. In the sample and hold circuit a differential amplifier output voltage is generated between the first and second output of a differential amplifier in response to the sampled input voltage. A conversion polarity is selected by connecting the one output or the other of the differential amplifier to a circuit node in an AD conversion circuit using a first or second switch. These switches from both outputs of the differential amplifier to the same circuit node of the AD conversion circuit are both made conductive simultaneously prior to making the selected one of the first and second switch conductive. In this way, the amplifier output voltage is reset without requiring a dedicated switch just for this purpose.
US08350742B2 Method for digitizing an analogue signal with an analogue-digital converter of determined Shannon frequency
A method for forming a global spectrum (Sg) of an analogue signal (A) to be digitized, in which: the analogue signal (A) is sampled with a first analogue-digital converter (21, 22) of determined Shannon frequency (Fs) so as to obtain an aliasing spectrum (Sr), the analogue signal (A) not having been previously filtered by an anti-aliasing filter; a base spectrum (Sb) is subtracted from the aliasing spectrum (Sr) so as to obtain an aliased spectrum (Sre), the base spectrum (Sb) corresponding to an aliasing-free spectrum of the said analogue signal; a dealiased spectrum (Sd) is computed on the basis of the aliased spectrum (Sre) as a function of the Shannon frequency (Fs) of the converter (21, 22); the base spectrum (Sb) is concatenated with the dealiased spectrum (Sde) so as to form the global spectrum (Sg) of the analogue signal (A).
US08350737B2 Flash analog to digital converter with method and system for dynamic calibration
A flash analog to digital converter and a method and system for dynamically calibrating the flash analog to digital converter. The analog to digital converter may include a track and hold circuit and a plurality of comparators. The analog to digital converter may also include an under-sampling circuit configured to convert a digitized reference signal into an under-sampled digitized reference signal with a frequency of the calibration frequency divided by a positive number M. The under-sampling circuit may be further configured to calibrate a subsequent signal based on the under-sampled digitized reference signal.
US08350732B2 Compression with adjustable quality/bandwidth capability
The disclosure provides a system and method to vary bandwidth/speed of a compression engine to tradeoff with compression quality. The system comprises an input port receiving a data stream having a current byte and a stream of preceding and subsequent bytes thereof; a history memory storing the stream of preceding bytes in blocks of history data an index engine having a table of keys associated to memory addresses of the blocks, the index engine accessing the table to output a plurality of potential string matches upon entry of the current byte; a search engine processing the potential string matches by fetching the blocks of history data associated with each of the plurality of potential string matches and comparing a portion of each of the blocks to the current byte to output a string upon matching consecutive bytes in the block to the current byte and subsequent bytes thereof; and a control input limiting the number of potential string matches processed by the search engine.
US08350720B2 Method and apparatus for object recognition and warning system of a primary vehicle for nearby vehicles
A vehicle to vehicle warning system comprises a transmitter associated with a primary vehicle alerting one or more secondary vehicles of its proximity through a receiver. The transmitter may emit a radio frequency signal which activates radio frequency receivers in surrounding vehicles. When in appropriate proximity, the signal is configured to initiate a warning at the secondary vehicle, such as light from a light-emitting device or sound from a sound-generating device. In another form, the primary vehicle includes a passive transmitter and the secondary vehicle includes a multi-frequency resonance tag/circuit having distinct frequencies for detection and discrimination. The passive transmitter creates electromagnetic waves which are generated as it passes by the secondary vehicle housing the multi-frequency resonance tag, setting off the secondary vehicle alarm system.
US08350719B2 Lid plug and bracket
A meter pit lid plug and bracket assembly configured to suspend a transmitter plug inside a meter pit is provide. The meter pit lid plug and bracket assembly includes a plug and a bracket. The plug includes a head and a stem that extends from the head. The stem is also configured to extend through a hole in a meter pit having a top surface. The head is sized to rest on the top surface of the meter pit lid and is configured to hold the stem in the hole. The bracket is configured to hold the transmitter plug inside the meter pit. The stem is selectively engageable with the base so that when the stem is connected with the base, both the plug and bracket are configured to hold and suspend the transmitter plug inside the meter box.
US08350712B2 Emergency alarm with a light to pinpoint the location of an occupant
The present invention relates to a safety apparatus for providing a visible signal to firefighters or other rescuers of occupants of a building that an occupant is in a particular location or room of the building. According to one embodiment of the invention, the safety apparatus may include an emergency detector, such as a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide alarm or the like responsive to an emergency condition, including a visible signaling device, and a detector responsive to the presence of an occupant for providing a signal to the visible signaling device when the safety device is activated by the emergency condition.
US08350708B2 Systems for activating and/or authenticating electronic devices for operation with athletic equipment
Articles of clothing or pieces of athletic equipment include modules, e.g., for sensing physical and/or physiological characteristics associated with use of the clothing or athletic equipment or for performing other functions. Such systems and methods may use physical or other interaction(s) between the module and the article of clothing or piece of athletic equipment for activating and/or deactivating the module and/or sensing devices included with the module, for confirming whether the module and clothing or piece of athletic equipment are authorized for use with one another, and/or for automatic data algorithm selection methods. Additionally, such systems and methods also may use the activation and/or authentication systems for data input to the module. Some examples of such systems and methods may utilize magnets and magnetic sensing systems and/or light (or other radiation) sources and sensing systems for activation, authentication, data input, and/or algorithm selection.
US08350705B1 Book product with concealed security device
A book product having an outer liner sheet defining spaced-apart opposing front and back covers, and a spine portion having a laydown area therebetween. A plurality of pages attached together on a spine side cooperatively attaches to the spine portion. A security device is disposed between the spine portion and the spine side of the pages in alignment with the laydown area for concealing the security device from casual indication of its presence and held after attachment of the bound pages to the outer liner during normal use thereof for book product purposes.
US08350690B2 Methods and systems for controlling forward lighting for vehicles
A method for controlling forward lighting for a vehicle includes the steps of determining whether full forward lighting is required for the vehicle, and varying the forward lighting depending on whether full forward lighting is required.
US08350683B2 Voice acquisition system for a vehicle
A voice acquisition system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly attached at an inner portion of the windshield of a vehicle equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes at least two microphones for receiving audio signals within a cabin of the vehicle and generating an output indicative of the audio signals. A control is in the vehicle and is responsive to the output from the at least one microphone. The control at least partially distinguishes vocal signals from non-vocal signals present in the output. The at least two microphones provide sound capture for at least one of a hands free cell phone system, an audio recording system and a wireless communication system.
US08350681B2 System and method for escalating event alerts
An event entry is stored in a computing device, the event entry having a start time associated therewith. A plurality of alerts are provided at respective times prior to the start time, and one of a plurality of levels of notification to be associated with each of the plurality of alerts, wherein the plurality of levels are distinguishable from each other to enable the alerts to be escalated by changing the level associated with each subsequent alert. An initial alert is provided prior to the start time, the initial alert comprising a first level of notification and, upon detecting an increased urgency associated with the event entry subsequent to the initial alert, a next alert is provided prior to the start time, the next alert providing a second level of notification to thereby escalate the next alert with respect to the initial alert.
US08350677B2 System and method for integrating asset tagging with a manufacturing process
A system includes an ordering module, an asset tagging module, a database, and a manufacturer server. The ordering module is configured to receive an order for a component from a web browser. The asset tagging module is configured to receive information for an asset tag from the web browser, and to receive a selection of a location on the component to place the asset tag. The database is configured to store the order for the component, the information for the asset tag, and the location of the asset tag on the component. The manufacturer server is configured to retrieve the order for the component, the information for the asset tag, and the location of the asset tag on the component, and to direct printing of the information on the asset tag and placement of the asset tag at the location on the component prior to placing the component in packaging for the component.
US08350670B2 Methods and systems for secure keyless entry for vehicle fleet management
The technology described herein provides a keyless entry system and associated method for fleet vehicle management. Secure keyless entry is provided to a user for a vehicle in the fleet vehicle management environment without the user having possession of a vehicle key or a vehicle key fob to gain entry to the vehicle. Additionally, in various embodiments, this technology provides a personalized, programmable access device carried by a user desiring access to a particular locked vehicle in a fleet vehicle management environment, an access control device configured to access electronically an on-board vehicle keyless entry system, and an access chip module electronically attached to the access control device and configured to activate the on-board vehicle keyless entry system and thereby unlock the particular locked vehicle. Furthermore, this technology provides a system with local management, reporting, audit trails, wireless connectivity to each access control device, and self-testing.
US08350664B2 Semiconductor resistance element, semiconductor module including the same, and processor-based system including the semiconductor module
Provided may be a semiconductor resistance element including resistance patterns disposed on an insulating substrate. The substrate may have first and second planer surfaces disposed in a first direction, third and fourth planar surfaces at least between the first and second planar surfaces in a second direction and fifth and sixth planar surfaces at least between the first and second planar surfaces in a third direction. The semiconductor resistance element may include a first resistance pattern configured to cover a selected one of the first and second planar surfaces and a second resistance pattern on at least one of the third through sixth planar surfaces.
US08350661B2 Breakdown layer via lateral diffusion
An electronic device including a breakdown layer having variable thickness. The device includes a variable resistance material positioned between two electrodes. A breakdown layer is interposed between the variable resistance material and one of the electrodes. The breakdown layer has a non-uniform thickness, which serves to bias the breakdown event toward the thinner portions of the breakdown layer. As a result, the placement, size, and number of ruptures in the breakdown layer are more consistent over a series or array of devices. The variable resistance material may be a phase-change material. The variable-thickness breakdown layer may be formed through a diffusion process by introducing a gas containing a resistivity-enhancing species to the environment of segmented variable resistance devices during fabrication. The resistivity-enhancing element penetrates the outer perimeter of the variable resistance material and diffuses toward the interior of the device. The resistivity-enhancing species increases the resistance of the interface between the variable resistance material and the electrode by interacting with the variable resistance material and/or electrode to form a resistive interfacial material. Based on the diffusional nature of the process, the concentration of the resistivity-enhancing species decreases toward the center of the device and as a result, the breakdown layer is thinner toward the center of the device.
US08350660B2 Resin composition for filling discharge gap and electrostatic discharge protector
The present invention provides an electrostatic discharge protector capable of taking measures for electrostatic discharge against electronic wiring boards having various designs freely, simply and easily, having excellent accuracy of regulating an operating voltage and capable of being downsized and decreased on its cost, and also provides a resin composition for a discharge gap capable of preparing the electrostatic discharge protector. The resin composition for filling a discharge gap of an electrostatic discharge protector comprises a resin having a urethane structure represented by the formula (1): wherein plural R's are each independently an alkylene group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms, X is a bivalent organic group and m and n are each independently an integer of 1 to 20. The electrostatic discharge protector is obtainable by filling the discharge gap with the resin composition. The discharge gap has a width of 2 to 10 μm.
US08350647B2 Electromagnetic contact device
A plurality of terminal chambers (20a) to (20e) is formed in a housing (16) by using a plurality of partition walls (24a) to (24e) to partition. In the terminal chambers, fixed contactors (31) each having a fixed contact point (31d) and a terminal screw (31a) are mounted. Engaged portions (31b) are formed integrally with the fixed contactors. Further, a press-fit engaging portion (26) is provided in each of the terminal chambers. The terminal chamber is formed as a space different from a space accommodating a movable contact point support, and the press-fit engaging portion is engaged by the engaged portion by press-fitting.
US08350639B2 Transformer signal coupling for flip-chip integration
Methods and apparatuses for transformer signal coupling for flip-chip circuit assemblies are presented. A device for coupling dies in flip-chip circuit assembly may include a first die associated with a first fabrication process and a first inductor physically coupled to the first die, where the first inductor receives an RF input signal. The device may further include a second die associated with a second fabrication process, and a second inductor physically coupled to the second die, where the second inductor is positioned so the first inductor can inductively couple the RF signal in the second inductor. A method for providing an inductive coupling between dies may include fabricating a first inductor on a first die using a passive process, fabricating a second inductor on a second die using a semiconductor process, and assembling each die so the first and second inductor are configured as a transformer.
US08350632B1 Energy-conserving driver for reactive loads
A dipole oscillation tank circuit includes a first capacitive structure, an inductive structure, and a second capacitive structure connected in series. The tank circuit transfers electric energy back and forth between the capacitive structures in dipole oscillation cycles. A renewal circuit injects energy into the tank circuit to replenish energy lost during the oscillation cycles. A switch is connected in parallel across the first capacitive structure and in parallel across the inductive structure and the second capacitive structure. During one phase of the oscillation cycles, the switch is opened for current to flow through the first capacitive structure and the inductive structure, and then closed to bypass the first capacitive structure. During another phase of the oscillation cycles, the switch is closed to bypass the first capacitive structure and then opened for current to flow through the first capacitive structure and the inductive structure.
US08350631B1 Relaxation oscillator with low power consumption
A relaxation oscillator for generating oscillator signal includes a ramp voltage generating circuit, a reference voltage generating circuit, a reference voltage switching circuit, and a digital logic circuit. The reference voltage generating circuit generates one or more reference voltages and the ramp voltage generating circuit generates one or more ramp voltages. The ramp voltages are compared with each of the reference voltages by sequentially switching the reference voltages using a reference voltage switching signal generated by the reference voltage switching circuit. The oscillator signal is generated by the digital logic circuit based on the results of the comparisons.
US08350621B2 Analog circuit and semiconductor device
An object is to obtain a semiconductor device having a high sensitivity in detecting signals and a wide dynamic range, using a thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used. An analog circuit is formed with the use of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor which has a function as a channel formation layer, has a hydrogen concentration of 5×1019 atoms/cm3 or lower, and substantially functions as an insulator in the state where no electric field is generated. Thus, a semiconductor device having a high sensitivity in detecting signals and a wide dynamic range can be obtained.
US08350618B2 Voltage generation circuit
A voltage generation circuit includes: a first and second rectification circuits; and one or more amplification units connected between the first and second rectification circuits and configured to amplify an output of the first rectification circuit and provide the amplified output to the second rectification circuit. The second rectification circuit generates a reference voltage.
US08350606B2 Delay circuit
In a delay circuit for inputting square waves, fluctuations in the amount of delay brought about by noise pulses present in input signals are reduced. A switch (SW3) is controlled by an output signal (Vdo) from a Schmitt comparator, and selects either an electric current source for supplying a charging current to a capacitor (Cst) or an electric current source for supplying a discharging current. A current supply from the selected electric current source is turned on/off by controlling switches (SW1, SW2) using an input signal (Vdi). The Schmitt comparator switches the level of Vdo in accordance with a voltage of Cst. The charging current is supplied to Cst when Vdi is H level at rising edge of Vdi, and the discharging current is supplied to Cst when Vdi is L level at trailing edge of Vdi.
US08350605B2 Phase-locked loop with novel phase detection mechanism
A phase-locked loop (PLL) with novel phase detection mechanism is provided, including a phase frequency detector (PFD), a controller, a digital-to-analog (D2A) module, and a voltage-controlled oscillator/current-controlled oscillator (VCO/ICO), wherein PFD has a reference signal input and an input from the output signal of the VCO/ICO and is connected to the controller, the controller is then further connected to the D2A module, the D2A module converts the control signal from the controller into an analog voltage to control the frequency and phase of VCO/ICO. It is worth noting that the PFD of the present invention has a novel phase detection mechanism so that the phase detection can be accomplished by observing signal level transitions of the reference signal input and a delayed reference signal with respect to the output signal of the VCO/ICO without edge alignment. In addition, the novel phase detection mechanism also allows flexible reference signal input.
US08350598B2 Multi-stage receiver
A multi-stage receiver comprises an input stage, an intermediate stage, and an output stage. The input stage is configured to provide a first signal and a second signal. The intermediate stage is coupled to the input stage and comprises a first amplifying circuit and a second amplifying circuit. Positive and negative input terminals of the first amplifying circuit receive the first signal and the second signal, respectively. Positive and negative input terminals of the second amplifying circuit receive the second signal and the first signal, respectively. The output stage is coupled to the intermediate stage and configured to generate low-skewed differential signals according to output signals of the intermediate stage.