Document Document Title
US08429760B2 System and method for storing a password recovery secret
Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for storing a password recovery secret on a peripheral such as a power adapter by receiving a password recovery secret at the power adapter via an interface with the computing device, and storing the password recovery secret on a memory in the power adapter. The password recovery secret can be recovered by requesting the password recovery secret from the power adapter, wherein the password recovery secret is associated with a computing device, receiving the password recovery secret from the memory of the power adapter, and recovering a password based on the password recovery secret. The power adapter can include an electrical source interface, an electronic device interface, an intermediate module to adapt electricity between the interfaces, a memory, and a memory interface through which a password recovery secret is received for storage in the memory.
US08429759B2 Theft management system and method
Methods and apparatus for theft management are described. In an embodiment an out-of-band notification is received, indicative of theft of a computing device. In response, a theft message is delivered to the computing device using a wireless wide area network. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08429757B1 Controlling use of computing-related resources by multiple independent parties
Techniques are described for managing access to computing-related resources that, for example, may enable multiple distinct parties to independently control access to the resources (e.g., such that a request to access a resource succeeds only if all of multiple associated parties approve that access). For example, an executing software application may, on behalf of an end user, make use of computing-related resources of one or more types that are provided by one or more remote third-party network services (e.g., data storage services provided by an online storage service) —in such a situation, both the developer user who created the software application and the end user may be allowed to independently specify access rights for one or more particular such computing-related resources (e.g., stored data files), such that neither the end user nor the software application developer user may later access those resources without the approval of the other party.
US08429744B1 Systems and methods for detecting malformed arguments in a function by hooking a generic object
A computer-implemented method to detect malformed arguments in a function by hooking a generic object, is described. A predetermined argument to monitor is identified. An activity associated with a calling of a function to produce a called out function is detected. The called out function is mapped to a class identification of an object. An argument in the called out function is compared with the predetermined argument. When a match exists, a virtual method table identification is recorded for the called out function. The match between the argument in the called out function and the predetermined argument is reported.
US08429740B2 Search result presentation
A data presentation system for a search engine may use classified or tagged elements in a resulting document to create a search result document that has portions redacted, modified, or changed based on the tags or classifications of elements within the document. The document may be rebuilt from the search engine database at presentation time with one or more elements changed or modified. The permission settings for a user or other factors may be used to determine which elements within the document are permitted to be accessed.
US08429734B2 Method for detecting DNS redirects or fraudulent local certificates for SSL sites in pharming/phishing schemes by remote validation and using a credential manager and recorded certificate attributes
Certificate information associated with a received certificate, such as a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is stored in a trusted local cache and/or in one or more remote trusted sources, such as a single remote trusted source and/or a trusted peer network. When a site certificate is received on a host computer system, certificate information associated with the received site certificate is obtained and compared with the stored certificate information to determine whether or not the site certificate indicates malicious activity, such as a malicious DNS redirection or a fraudulent local certificate. When a site certificate is not found indicative of malicious activity, the site certificate is released. Alternatively, when a site certificates is found indicative of malicious activity protective action is taken. In some embodiments, a user's log-in credentials are automatically obtained from a trusted local cache and automatically submitted to a web site.
US08429731B2 Authentication bypass method
A method for reactivating a telematics device configured to make a data call via a roaming partner of a service provider is disclosed. The service provider has an authentication bypass feature which uses an authentication bypass key common to the telematics device and the service provider to allow the telematics device to make a data call without authentication. The method comprises setting the authentication bypass key on a server of the service provider equal to a previous authentication bypass key, wherein the previous authentication bypass key was used by the authentication bypass feature prior to deactivation of the telematics device. The method includes setting the authentication bypass key on the telematics device equal to the previous authentication bypass key. The method further comprises commencing the data call through the roaming partner by sending the authentication bypass key to the service provider from the telematics device via the roaming partner.
US08429726B2 Service provider invocation
A service provider may provide one or more services to and/or for a client. Providing a service may involve receiving a service request including a security token at the service provider and determining whether the security token is valid. Providing the service may also involve determining a session security token if the security token is valid and generating a service response including the session security token. Providing the service may further involve receiving a service request including the session security token, determining whether the session security token is valid, and, if the session security token is valid, generating a second service response.
US08429721B1 Method and system for performing a security check
An access request is transmitted from a first device to a second device causing one or more security functions to be executed on the first device. Whether to grant the access request is based on a result of the executed one or more security functions.
US08429720B2 Method and apparatus for camouflaging of data, information and functional transformations
A computer-representable object (including, without limitation, a cryptographic key, or a graph or a Boolean description of a system) is secured using a generalized camouflaging technique. The secured object need not be stored in the system, not even in encrypted form. Instead, the technique employs a composition function that regenerates the secured object when one inputs a valid password (which may be any computer-representable information held by a user). By regenerating the secured object each time a valid password is entered, there is no need to store the secured object. If one inputs an invalid password, the technique may generate an incorrect object, such that the user is unable to distinguish this incorrect object from the secured object. If the user tries to use the incorrect object, the user can be exposed as unauthorized, without the user's knowledge that he has been exposed.
US08429718B2 Control production support access
A device creates a group for accessing a front door program that enables access to a secure resource, assigns, to the group, one or more permissions to perform one or more tasks associated with the secure resource, and adds a user to the group using identification information associated with the user, wherein the user is permitted to perform the one or more tasks based on the addition of the user to the group.
US08429714B2 Methods and apparatuses for introducing devices with simple user interfaces into a secure network community
A method for introducing devices with simple user interfaces into a network community. A user pushes a button on a first device that listens for messages from central points for two seconds and, if no such message is received, becomes a central point and starts sending broadcast ID messages. The user the pushes a button on a second device to be insert, which after interaction with the central point enters a selected state. Noticing this on the user interface of the second device, the user pushes the button on the first device again, and after further communication between the devices, they enter an associated state, which can be verified on the user interface of the first device. Also provided is a first device.
US08429703B2 Video distribution apparatus, viewer apparatus, video distribution system including these apparatuses, control method for the video distribution apparatus, control method for the viewer apparatus, and computer program for the apparatuses
A video distribution system which is enhanced in flexibility in distribution mode switching. In a camera server connected to a viewer via a network, a video capture board captures a video image. A CPU processes the captured video image according to an electronic PTZ mode for cutting out a part of the captured video image and a mechanical PTZ emulation mode for cutting out parts of the captured video image and interpolating the cut-out images. The CPU distributes the processed video image to the viewer via the network. The CPU performs mode switching between the electronic PTZ mode and the mechanical PTZ emulation mode based on control information transmitted from the viewer.
US08429700B2 Delivering an audio video asset
A method of delivering an audio video asset is described. The method includes: receiving an order specifying an audio video asset to be delivered and a delivery destination for the audio video asset, wherein a delivery destination represents one or more physical delivery recipients; determining delivery paths representing different delivery technologies that could be used to deliver the audio video asset to the delivery destination; retrieving a set of path capacity timelines for the delivery paths, wherein path capacity timelines in the set of path capacity timelines each model a quantity of available capacity varying over time; processing the path capacity timelines to yield delivery path capacities; applying an allocation algorithm to the delivery path capacities to yield candidate delivery allocations, wherein candidate delivery allocations each includes one or more time periods during which one or more time periods a defined quantity of capacity can be allocated for delivery of the audio video asset; applying a cost function to the candidate delivery allocations to yield cost values, wherein the cost values each represent a cost of delivering the audio video asset according to the candidate delivery allocations; calculating scores for the candidate delivery allocations in dependence on a cost value for that candidate delivery allocation and one or more other objectives; selecting a candidate delivery allocation having a lowest score to yield a selected candidate delivery allocation; and delivering the audio video asset according to the selected candidate delivery allocation. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08429692B2 Method and system to search viewable content
A system to search to search viewable content in the context of television entertainment is provided. In one example embodiment, the system comprises a communications module to receive a request associated with one or more directional keys on a control device, a search term detector to determine a search term associated with the request, a search module to locate a content item associated with the search term; and a presentation module to present the content item associated with the search term.
US08429690B2 TV program search apparatus
Record history record processing accumulates all user operations relating to program recording in a storage as a recording history. Preference change analysis processing extracts recorded programs in the most recent period from the recording history, obtains the weight of a word in the recorded program from an index from an EPG, adds the weight of the word to a preference in a period. The preference in programs for a period immediately preceding the most recent period is normalized, and a degree of similarity to the preference in the most recent period is calculated. Preference query generation processing emphasizes (five-fold) the weight of the words contained in the recorded programs in the period (June) and generates a preference query.
US08429689B2 Program data processing method and apparatus
A process for performing video recording and the like after obtaining electronic program data is optimized. According to the process, only program data relating to one or more predetermined preset channels of the channels which are broadcast by a broadcast service are separated from program data which guide programs broadcast by a predetermined broadcast service. Only program data relating to a predetermined channel are stored, and processes of video recording and the like can be performed according to the stored program data.
US08429680B2 Disk device including disk conveyance mechanism and disk installment mechanism
There is provided a disk device having a buffer portion capable of relatively moving at least a rack at the beginning of meshing with a drive gear in an opposite direction to a moving direction of a slide cam member moved by conveyance of a disk, when the disk is conveyed to a replayable position by a disk conveyance mechanism and the slide cam member moves so that the drive gear and the rack are meshed with each other.
US08429679B2 Method and system for handling framework shutdown in a network
Method and central server for handling of a framework shutdown in a network is disclosed. The method includes generating an event related to a framework shutdown. The method also includes converting the event as a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) event. The method further includes delivering the converted event to one or more controllers present in the network. The central server includes a processor configured a processor configured to generate an event related to a framework shutdown and to convert the event as a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) event. The central serve also includes a transmitter configured to deliver the converted event to one or more controllers present in the network.
US08429678B1 Redirecting video to a remote client using a service processor
Technologies are provided herein for redirecting video data from a host computer to a remote client using a service processor. The service processor exposes a virtual display adapter to the host computer so that the host computer can send video data to the service processor. The service processor includes a processor, a random access memory, and a device endpoint configured to communicate with the host computer. The service processor also includes a non-volatile memory that stores a firmware that executes on the processor to expose a virtual display adapter to the host computer by way of the device endpoint. Upon exposing the virtual display adapter to the host computer, the service processor receives video data directed to the virtual display adapter from the host computer and sends the video data to a remote client.
US08429668B2 Workflow task re-evaluation
An occurrence of a workflow re-evaluation event during execution of tasks in a workflow is identified. In response to the workflow re-evaluation event, it is determined for each task previously executed in the workflow whether such task needs to be executed again. Those tasks in the workflow for which it was determined that the corresponding task needs to be executed again are executed again, while the tasks in the workflow that were previously executed and for which it was not determined that the corresponding task needs to be executed again are skipped. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.
US08429667B2 Storage system and method for controlling the same
Optimum load distribution processing is selected and executed based on settings made by a user in consideration of load changes caused by load distribution in a plurality of asymmetric cores, by using: a controller having a plurality of cores, and configured to extract, for each LU, a pattern showing the relationship between a core having an LU ownership and a candidate core as an LU ownership change destination based on LU ownership management information; to measure, for each LU, the usage of a plurality of resources; to predicate, for each LU based on the measurement results, a change in the usage of the plurality of resources and overhead to be generated by transfer processing itself; to select, based on the respective prediction results, a pattern that matches the user's setting information; and to transfer the LU ownership to the core belonging to the selected pattern.
US08429657B2 Global avoidance of hang states via priority inheritance in multi-node computing system
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with avoiding resource blockages and hang states are described. One example computer-implemented method for a clustered computing system includes determining that a first process is waiting for a resource and is in a blocked state. The resource that the first process is waiting for is identified. A blocking process that is holding the resource is then identified. A priority of the blocking process is compared with a priority the first process. If the priority of the blocking process is lower than the priority of the first process, the priority of the blocking process is increase. In this manner the blocking process can be scheduled for execution sooner and thus release the resource.
US08429656B1 Thread count throttling for efficient resource utilization
Methods and apparatuses are presented for graphics operations with thread count throttling, involving operating a processor to carry out multiple threads of execution of, wherein the processor comprises at least one execution unit capable of supporting up to a maximum number of threads, obtaining a defined memory allocation size for allocating, in at least one memory device, a thread-specific memory space for the multiple threads, obtaining a per thread memory requirement corresponding to the thread-specific memory space, determining a thread count limit based on the defined memory allocation size and the per thread memory requirement, and sending a command to the processor to cause the processor to limit the number of threads carried out by the at least one execution unit to a reduced number of threads, the reduced number of threads being less than the maximum number of threads.
US08429643B2 Secure upgrade of firmware update in constrained memory
A hardware-based security module may contain executable code used to manage the electronic device in which the security module resides. Because the security module may have limited memory, a memory update process is used that allows individual blocks to be separately downloaded and verified. Verification data is sent in a header block prior to sending the individual data blocks.
US08429628B2 System and method for comparing partially decompiled software
A method and computer program product for generating a suspect abstract syntax tree by partially decompiling a compiled software module. The suspect abstract syntax tree is compared to one or more reference abstract syntax trees.
US08429626B2 Packaging content updates
Aspects of the present invention are directed at obtaining user feedback and causing a package of content updates to be created and distributed based on the received feedback. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided for creating a package that contains one or more content updates configured to change the content that is displayed by default when a program executes. More specifically, the method includes obtaining input that describes one or more content updates. In this regard, the input received may include the user-defined content that will be displayed when the program executes and the identity of the content displayed by default. Then, the method assembles selected content updates into a package that is suitable for transmission over a network connection. When the package is assembled, processing is provided that allows the content updates in the package to be implemented on a remote computing device.
US08429625B2 Digital data processing method and system
A method and system for processing generic formatted data, including first data describing a sequence of generic operations without any loops, in view of providing specific formatted data, for a determined platform including Q processor(s) and at least one memory, the platform configured to process, according, directly or indirectly, to specific formatted data, an object made up of elementary information of same type, each elementary information being represented by at least one numerical value.
US08429621B2 Component lock tracing by associating component type parameters with particular lock instances
Methods for lock tracing at a component level. The method includes associating one or more locks with a component of the operating system; initiating lock tracing for the component; and instrumenting the component-associated locks with lock tracing program instructions in response to initiating lock tracing. The locks are selected from a group of locks configured for use by an operating system and individually comprise locking code. The component lock tracing may be static or dynamic.
US08429614B2 Method and apparatus of effective functional test data generation for web service testing
A method, system and apparatus for generating test data for web services testing load a selected file describing one or more web services operations into memory, select an operation specified in said loaded file, and identify one or more fields used in said operation. The one or more fields are customized and the customization is validated. Generation rules are configured and one or more variations of the fields are generated.
US08429603B2 Virtual typing executables
Computer program product, apparatus, and data processing system for modifying a computer program. According to one embodiment, a new value to replace a value associated with a virtual type in a computer program is received. The new value is received during execution of the computer program by a processor unit. The replacement of the value by the new value modifies the computer program while the computer program is executed by the processor.
US08429602B2 Identification of user interface controls
A mechanism is disclosed for identifying non-standard user interface controls in a target application. The mechanism includes an accelerator, an agent, and a dialog. The agent is configured to be installed into the target application and to interface with the accelerator. The dialog is configured to select non-standard controls in the target application where each non-standard control includes a set of properties. The agent is configured to provide the properties of the selected non-standard controls to the accelerator. The accelerator is configured to determine a set of common properties for the selected non-standard controls and to automatically generate an identification rule for the determined set of common properties.
US08429596B2 Method, and aggregation component for aggregating application components
A method and system for aggregating two or more templated components using an aggregation component is provided. Each templated component has at least one configurable element. The aggregation component comprises at least one configurable element, and an extraction mechanism operable to identify configurable elements of the components selected for aggregation. The aggregation component further comprises a mapping mechanism for mapping configurable elements of the selected components to configurable elements of the aggregation component; a storage mechanism for storing data identifying aggregated components and the corresponding mappings of the configurable elements; and a management mechanism for managing data identifying configuration settings of the aggregated selected components.
US08429595B1 Software development tool that supports use of a design-time data feed
A software application development tool supports a specified design-time data feed. A software application developer can interact with the development tool to specify a design-time data feed that is to be used during development of an application in place of a given run-time data feed that is not available for access by the application. For instance, a software application developer may code the application with reference(s) to the unavailable run-time data feed, and the developer may specify to the development tool a design-time data feed for such referenced run-time data feed. The development tool then manages correlation of the specified design-time feed to the run-time feed such that references to the run-time feed in the application under development instead trigger access to the specified design-time feed by the development tool. When deployed in a run-time environment, the software application's references to the run-time feed trigger access to such run-time feed.
US08429594B2 Via design apparatus and via design method based on impedance calculations
A via design apparatus includes a determination section that determines a value of a shape parameter indicating a shape of a via in a multilayer board. The via has a hole passing through the plurality of layers and a conductive section on a side wall of the hole. The apparatus also includes a calculation section that calculates a value of impedance of the via according to the value of the shape parameter.
US08429588B2 Method and mechanism for extraction and recognition of polygons in an IC design
Disclosed is an improved approach for organizing, analyzing, and operating upon polygon data which significantly reduces the amount of data required for processing while keeping elements non-interfacing with each other. According to one approach, clusters of elements are extracted which are then handled separately. In some approaches, a set of polygons forms a cluster if for any two polygons from the set of polygons there exists a sequence of polygons from the set such that the distance between any sequential polygons are less than or equal to a given threshold number. Rather than analyzing each and every polygon in the design, repetitive unique patterns are analyzed once, which are then replicated for all clusters which have the same repetitive pattern.
US08429578B2 Method of verifying logic circuit including decoders and apparatus for the same
A logic verification apparatus for verifying a logic circuit includes a line recognition unit that recognizes signal lines in the circuit based on design information regarding the circuit as a starting point; a decoder recognition unit that recognizes an area including an AND gate that outputs a certain logical value and an inverter as a decoder circuit area based on the design information, and determines a logical value of an input signal inputted to the recognized decoder circuit area when a logical value of the starting point has a specific logical value; and a determination unit that determines whether a logical configuration of the recognized decoder circuit area is correct based on the number of input signals and a combination of logical values of input signals between the recognized decoder circuit areas.
US08429569B2 Method and system for feed-forward advanced process control
A method including providing a present wafer to be processed by a photolithography tool, selecting a processed wafer having a past chip design from a plurality of processed wafers, the processed wafer being previously processed by the photolithography tool, selecting a plurality of critical dimension (CD) data points extracted from a plurality of fields on the processed wafer, modeling the plurality of CD data points with a function relating CD to position on the processed wafer, creating a field layout on the present wafer for a new chip design, creating an initial exposure dose map for the new chip design using the function and the field layout, and controlling the exposure of the photolithography tool according to the initial exposure dose map to form the new chip design on the present wafer.
US08429568B2 Graphical user interface for large-scale, multi-user, multi-touch systems
A method implemented on the graphical user interface device to invoke an independent, user-localized menu in an application environment, by making a predetermined gesture with a pointing device on an arbitrary part of a display screen or surface, especially when applied in a multi-touch, multi-user environment, and in environments where multiple concurrent pointing devices are present. As an example, the user may trace out a closed loop of a specific size that invokes a default system menu at any location on the surface, even when a second user may be operating a different portion of the system elsewhere on the same surface. As an additional aspect of the invention, the method allows the user to smoothly transition between the menu-invocation and menu control.
US08429553B2 Debugging in a multi-processing environment by providing debugging information on computer process nodes and messages in a GUI
Technology is described for debugging in a multi-processor environment. An example system can include a plurality of process icons representing processes executing on compute nodes. A plurality of relationship arc icons between the process icons can represent messages being sent between source processes and destination processes on the compute nodes. A tabular display control can have rows to display attributes for relationship arc icons representing the messages being sent. In addition, a grouping module can be used to identify groups of messages that are related and to highlight relationship arc icons which are part of a group.
US08429550B2 Image processing apparatus that can be remotely controlled and control method therefor
An image processing apparatus that enables to distinguish whether an execution of a process in the image processing apparatus needs a user's operation on the image processing apparatus. A storage unit stores setting information for executing a function of the image processing apparatus. An execution unit executes the function according to the setting information. A determination unit determines whether a user's operation to the image processing apparatus is required when the execution unit executes the function according to the setting information. An addition unit adds attribute information, which shows whether to permit to automatically execute the function according to the setting information based on an instruction from the information processing apparatus, to the setting information according to a determination result. A sending unit sends the setting information to which the additional unit has added the attribute information to the information processing apparatus.
US08429548B2 Automatically suggesting graphical program elements for inclusion in a graphical program
System and method for editing a graphical program. One or more nodes are included in a graphical program in response to user input selecting the one or more nodes, where each node has a respective one or more terminals for receiving input to or providing output from the node. User input is received indicating a terminal on a first node of the one or more nodes to which a node is to be connected. One or more suggested graphical program elements to include in the graphical program are automatically presented based on the indicated terminal, where the one or more suggested graphical program elements are selectable by the user for inclusion in the graphical program.
US08429547B2 Generation and data management of a medical study using instruments in an integrated media and medical system
In general, a computer-implemented method is described for receiving one or more requests to generate a medical study, retrieving from one or more data repositories one or more medical study instruments, receiving a selection of a particular medical study instrument to use in the medical study, generating by one or more computers a list of one or more research collaborators invited to review the medical study, and generating by one or more computers a list of one of more participants invited to join the medical study.
US08429542B2 Switching of emails in a conversation thread
A method is disclosed for rendering messages in an email application on a client computer. A plurality of email messages is received from a server computer, including a first email message, a second email message and a third email message. The first email message is rendered on the client computer with a first conversation icon that identifies the first email message as being part of an email conversation thread. When the first conversation icon is selected on the first email message, a view is rendered showing one or more email messages in the conversation thread. When the second email message is selected, the second email message is rendered on the client computer with a second conversation icon. When the second conversation icon is selected on the second email message, the view showing the one or more email messages in the conversation thread is rendered.
US08429541B1 Method and system for video sharing between users of an application
A method for video sharing between users of an application. The method involves generating a textual based document. Generating the textual based document includes, for each action performed by the assisting user using the application, detecting the action, identifying an action identifier uniquely identifying the action, and storing a step that includes the action identifier in the textual based document. The method further includes receiving a help request from a perplexed user, obtaining the textual based document matching the help request, generating the support video from the textual based document. Generating the support video includes, for each step in the textual based document, obtaining the action identifier from the step in the textual based document, identifying an action for the perplexed user mapped to the action identifier, and rendering the action for the perplexed user into the support video. The method further includes presenting the support video to the perplexed user.
US08429537B2 Remote controller supporting system and method for displaying function of key being mapped with remote controller
Provided is a remote controller supporting system and method that may display, on objects included in a webpage, keys of a remote controller corresponding to the objects and manipulation schemes, respectively. The remote controller supporting system may include: a profile storage unit to store a plurality of profiles containing functions of the remote controller and information associated with the functions of the remote controller; a receiver to receive an input signal from the remote controller, and to interpret a meaning of the input signal based on a profile corresponding to the remote controller; an event unit to transform the meaning of the input signal to an event form; and a presentation unit to access a web server to display a webpage, to transform, to a predetermined behavior, at least one event transformed by the event unit, and to request the web server for an operation corresponding to the behavior.
US08429535B2 Client utility interaction analysis
A client-side user action analysis engine (“analysis engine”) identifies user interactions with a client-side utility and provides data representing the interactions to a server side online resource analytics system (“analytics system”). The analysis engine represents user interactions with the client-side utility as network addresses for presentations of online resources to a user in a browser. The analysis engine provides the network addresses to the analytics system and statistics for the user interactions with the client-side utility are computed based on the network addresses. Reporting data specifying the statistics are received from the analytics system for presentation on a display device. The statistics provide information about user interactions with features of the client-side utility.
US08429528B2 Label data procurement and management system
A label data procurement and management system comprising a server with accessibility over a network having a label input function for inputting new labels, a function for searching for a label, a function for an editor to inspect a label and propose changes, a function for at least one member of a team to review and apply the label changes, a function for at least one member of a proofing team to proof the label, and an administration function for performing administrative features of the system.
US08429519B2 Presentation generator
A presentation generator may access one or more data sources structured into data fields. The user may create or modify a template by inserting one or more tags corresponding to data fields in the template. The template may also have one or more processing instructions for indicating the data sources and how the data sources should be queried. The processing instructions may also indicate how the data is to be grouped across various slides, pages, sections, etc. The generator may build the presentation based on the template, its tags, and its processing instructions. The resulting presentation may be accessed by a user-friendly application, such as a word processor, slide program, spreadsheet, report viewer, or other application. The user may update part or all of the presentation using information on the queries and data sources embedded in the presentation itself.
US08429516B1 Media player feedback
Example configurations herein include a media player that initiates playback of content (e.g., play back of a movie in a web browser). Based on input from a respective user, the media player receives selections of playback commands (e.g., play, pause, stop, rewind, fast forward, etc.) applied to the content being played back by the media player. Based on the selections, the media player creates a log report. The log report records the selections of the playback commands applied to the content and indicates, for example, a corresponding time when the playback commands were applied. According to one configuration, the media player initiates distribution of the log report to notify a publisher associated with the content which playback commands were selected during playback of the content on the media player.
US08429512B2 Reduced complexity LDPC decoder
To decode a manifestation of a codeword in which K information bits are encoded as N>K codeword bits, messages are exchanged between N bit nodes and N−K check nodes. During computation, messages are expressed with a full message length greater than two bits. In each iteration, representations of at least some of the exchanged messages are stored. For at least one node, if representations of messages sent from that node are stored, then the representation of one or more of the messages is stored using at least two bits but using fewer bits than the full message length, and the representation of one other message is stored with full message length. Preferably, the messages that are stored using fewer bits than the full message length are messages sent from check nodes.
US08429509B2 Apparatus and method for determining reliability of decoded data in communication system
A method and apparatus for determining the reliability of decoded data in a communication system. The method includes calculating a total sum of absolute values corresponding to Log Likelihood Ratio (LLR) values of received data, generating a first value obtained by multiplying the total sum of the absolute values by a predetermined threshold value, performing iterative decoding with respect to the LLR values of the received data, generating a survived path metric value having a maximum value among all path metric values as a decoded result and generating decoded data, comparing the first value with the survived path metric value, and determining whether the decoded data has suitable reliability according to the compared result.
US08429506B2 Channel quality index feedback reduction for broadband systems
Systems and methodology for exploiting channel correlation in time and/or frequency to reduce CQI feedback in wireless communications systems. By compressing CQI feedback at the receiver to reduce redundancy in CQI feedback information that results from the channel correlation, the average feedback rate is reduced. In various embodiments, redundancy in time may be removed from the CQI feedback by monitoring variations of the CQI information in time at the receiver so that CQI information for a given CQI reporting instance is communicated to the transmitter only if it differs from the CQI information for the previous CQI reporting instance. Otherwise, no feedback is performed. In other embodiments, CQI feedback is compressed by performing a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the CQI data.
US08429500B2 Methods and apparatus for computing a probability value of a received value in communication or storage systems
Methods and apparatus are provided for computing a probability value of a received value in communication or storage systems. A probability value for a received value in a communication system or a memory device is computed by obtaining at least one received value; identifying a segment of a function corresponding to the received value, wherein the function is defined over a plurality of segments, wherein each of the segments has an associated set of parameters; and calculating the probability value using the set of parameters associated with the identified segment. A probability value for a received value in a communication system or a memory device can also be computed by calculating the probability value for the received value using a first distribution, wherein the first distribution is predefined and wherein a mapped version of the first distribution approximates a distribution of the received values and wherein the calculating step is implemented by a processor, a controller, a read channel, a signal processing unit or a decoder.
US08429499B2 Disk drive and method for data conversion process in a disk drive
A disk drive for encrypting user data. A motor configured to rotate a disk which stores encoded user data and an encryption flag which has not been encoded. An encoder/decoder processor configured to encode the user data that is written into the disk without encoding the encryption flag, and decodes the user data that is read out from the disk without decoding the encryption flag that is read out from the disk. An encryption processor configured to encrypt the user data at the encryption flag, wherein the encryption flag indicates encryption before the encoder/decoder processor starts encoding, and wherein the encryption processor obtains an encryption flag read out from the disk before the encoder/decoder processor completes decoding of the user data read out from the disk, commencing decryption of decoded data where the encryption flag indicates encryption before decoding of the user data is complete.
US08429493B2 Memory device with internal signap processing unit
A method for operating a memory (36) includes storing data in a plurality of analog memory cells (40) that are fabricated on a first semiconductor die by writing input storage values to a group of the analog memory cells. After storing the data, multiple output storage values are read from each of the analog memory cells in the group using respective, different threshold sets of read thresholds, thus providing multiple output sets of the output storage values corresponding respectively to the threshold sets. The multiple output sets of the output storage values are preprocessed by circuitry (48) that is fabricated on the first semiconductor die, to produce preprocessed data. The preprocessed data is provided to a memory controller (28), which is fabricated on a second semiconductor die that is different from the first semiconductor die, so as to enable the memory controller to reconstruct the data responsively to the preprocessed data.
US08429492B2 Error correcting code predication system and method
In memory devices that degrade with use, a memory controller may monitor and record a usage history of portions of the memory. The memory controller can then vary a strength of error correction coding to protect information written to various portions of the memory having different usage histories. More specifically, and memory can receive information to be stored in the memory, select a portion of memory to store the information, and store the information in the selected portion of the memory with an error correction coding having a strength that is based on a usage history of the selected portion of the memory.
US08429490B2 Method for a general near optimal turbo code trellis termination
A method of terminating two or more constituent encoders of a turbo encoder employing a turbo code, comprising the steps of: generating tail input bits at each of two or more constituent encoders, including deriving the tail input bits from each of the two or more constituent encoders separately from a contents of shift registers within each of the two or more constituent encoders, after an encoding of information bits by the two or more constituent encoders; puncturing one or more tail output bits such that 1/R output tail bits are transmitted for each of a plurality of trellis branches, wherein R is a turbo code rate employed by the turbo encoder during an information bit transmission. In yet another variation, the step of puncturing the tail output bits further comprises the step of: transmitting, during trellis termination, the tail output bits, only if they are sent from an output branch of one of the two or more constituent encoders that are used during information bit transmission.
US08429486B2 Decoding device, data storage device, data communication system, and decoding method
A data converting means generates first interim data held in one-to-one correspondence to columns vectors from data stored in a first storage means and data stored in a second storage means. A check node processing means generates second interim data for updating the data stored in the first storage means based on the sum of the first interim data and received data. The data converting means updates the data stored in the second storage means using the first interim data, and updates the data stored in the first storage means using the second interim data generated by the check node processing means. Decoded data are generated by a process carried out by the data converting means and the check node processing means.
US08429483B1 Edge-based decoders for low-density parity-check codes
Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for increasing decoding throughput in an LDPC decoder, such as in a wireless communications receiver or in a data retrieval unit. A checker-board parity check matrix and edge-based LDPC decoder structure are provided in which both vertical and horizontal processors are used simultaneously. Horizontal processors may be grouped into type-A and type-B horizontal processors, and similarly, vertical processors may be grouped into type-A and type-B vertical processors. Type-A processors may be used in different clock cycles than type-B processors to update memory locations in a decoding matrix without causing memory access conflicts.
US08429482B1 Multi-stage forward error correction decoding
In one embodiment, a multi-stage decoder circuit is provided. Each stage of the decoder circuit is configured to perform one or more decoding iterations and produce an error mask indicating errors detected in the decoding stage. A compression circuit is coupled to one or more of the decoder stages and is configured to generate, for each of one or more of the plurality of decoder stages, a respective compressed error mask from the error mask produced by the decoder stage. A buffer circuit is coupled to the compression circuit and is configured to buffer the compressed error masks. A decompression circuit is coupled to the buffer circuit and is configured to decompress each of the compressed error masks. A combination circuit is coupled to the decompression circuit and is configured to combine the decompressed error masks into a single error mask.
US08429477B2 Hybrid automatic repeat request associations for downlink semi-persistent scheduling
Disclosed is a user equipment in a wireless communication system, configured to receive a first initial transmission associated with a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process; receive a second initial transmission associated with a second HARQ process; and receive at least one retransmission associated with the first HARQ process, wherein when the second initial transmission occurs before the at least one retransmission, the second HARQ process assigned an HARQ process ID that is different from an HARQ process ID assigned to the first HARQ, and wherein when the second initial transmission occurs after the at least one retransmission, the second HARQ process assigned an HARQ process ID that is the same as an HARQ process ID assigned to the first HARQ process.
US08429474B2 Multiple protocol data transport
Methods, media and systems are disclosed in which data is transferred from a data source apparatus to an application of a data receiving apparatus using both a first protocol and a second protocol. The data receiving apparatus identifies data received via the second protocol that has not been received via the first protocol, and delivers the identified data received via the second protocol to the application.
US08429463B2 Log management method and apparatus, information processing apparatus with log management apparatus and storage medium
One system monitors components constituting an information apparatus and a program in execution. The system classifies logs outputted from the information processing apparatus for each monitor target, divides the monitor targets into categories of hardware and software, refers to relationship definition information indicating the combination of monitor targets in which an operational relationship exists between monitor targets belonging to different categories and specifies a combination indicated in the relationship definition information among monitor targets whose logs are classified. The system relates logs arranged for each monitor target on the basis of the specified combination and outputs the logs on a display device.
US08429462B2 Storage system and method for automatic restoration upon loop anomaly
A storage system has a controller and a plurality of storage devices connected to a pair of loops, the controller diagnoses storage devices and performs automatic high-speed restoration of the loops. A storage system has a controller, a plurality of storage devices, and switch circuits having a plurality of switches to connect each of the plurality of storage devices to loops. When a loop anomaly is detected, a restoration instruction is issued to a switch circuit, the plurality of switches are operated in parallel, storage devices are diagnosed, and according to the diagnosis results, a storage device judged to be anomalous are bypassed from the loop by operating the switches. When a loop anomaly is detected, diagnosis of the disk drives connected to the loop can be performed in parallel, so that the time until automatic restoration of the loop can be greatly reduced.
US08429461B2 Apparatus and method for diagnosing cablecard-related status and performing proper processing according to diagnosis result in opencable system, opencable host, and opencable reception apparatus
Provided are a method and apparatus for diagnosing a CableCARD-related status and performing proper processing according to the diagnosis result in an OpenCable system; an OpenCable host; and an OpenCable reception apparatus. The CableCARD-related status diagnosis and processing apparatus includes: a diagnosis unit diagnosing the CableCARD-related status or a network-related status; and a processor performing processing according to the status determined from the diagnosis result. Therefore, by installing a software-processing logic against critical errors or definite faults in a television or a set-top box in an OpenCable system, it is possible to diagnose a CableCARD-related status and quickly handle the CableCARD when an error is generated in the CableCARD, thereby reducing costs to service providers and providing an improvement in service quality to users.
US08429459B2 Use of attribute sets for test entity identification during software testing
An attribute collector may collect an attribute set for each test entity of a plurality of test entities associated with a software test executed in a software environment. An attribute analysis signal handler may receive an attribute analysis signal associated with a change in the software environment, and a view generator may provide an attribute-based view associated with an affected attribute set associated with the change, the attribute-based view identifying an affected test entity that is affected by the change.
US08429457B2 Use of statistical representations of traffic flow in a data processing system
An apparatus and method are provided for performing verification tests for a design of a data processing system. The apparatus comprises a system under verification representing at least part of the design of the data processing system, and a transactor for connecting to an interface of the system under verification, and for generating signals for input to the system under verification via the interface during performance of the verification tests. Profile storage stores a profile providing a statistical representation of desired traffic flow at the interface, the statistical representation providing statistical information for a plurality of traffic attributes and also identifying at least one dependency between such traffic attributes. The transactor then references the profile in order to determine the signals to be generated, such that the signals generated take account of the specified dependencies identified in the profile. Such a mechanism enables the transactor to more realistically replicate the traffic flow that will be observed in the real system. Another aspect to the present invention provides a mechanism for generating such profiles.
US08429452B2 Failover and load balancing
Also provided are techniques for failover when a network adapter fails, wherein the network adapter is connected to a miniport driver that is connected to a filter driver. With the miniport driver, it is determined that at least one of the network adapter and a data path through the network adapter has failed. With the miniport driver, the filter driver is notified that at least one of the network adapter and the data path through the network adapter has failed.
US08429447B2 System and method for providing indexing with high availability in a network based suite of services
A suite of network-based services, such as the services corresponding to Microsoft® SharePoint™, are provided to users with high availability. The suite of network-based services may include browser-based collaboration functions, process management functions, index and search functions, document-management functions, and/or other functions. In particular, the indexing service associated with the suite of network-based services may be provided with high availability.
US08429444B2 Multipurpose storage system based upon a distributed hashing mechanism with transactional support and failover capability
A multipurpose storage system based upon a distributed hashing mechanism with transactional support and failover capability is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a system comprises a client system in communication with a network, a secondary storage system in communication with the network, and a supervisor system in communication with the network. The supervisor system assigns a unique identifier to a first node system and places the first node system in communication with the network in a location computed by using hashing. The client system stores a data object on the first node system.
US08429443B2 Computer system and boot control method
When a primary computer is taken over to a secondary computer in a redundancy configuration computer system where booting is performed via a storage area network (SAN), a management server delivers an information collecting/setting program to the secondary computer before the user's operating system of the secondary computer is started. This program assigns a unique ID (World Wide Name), assigned to the fiber channel port of the primary computer, to the fiber channel port of the secondary computer to allow a software image to be taken over from the primary computer to the secondary computer.
US08429442B2 Deriving accurate media position information
Various embodiments utilize different counters or clocks, working in concert, to smooth out position information that is derived for a rendering/capturing device. Specifically, in at least some embodiments, each counter or clock has a different speed. A faster counter or clock is used to determine intra-transition position offsets relative to a slower counter or clock.
US08429427B2 Storage device
The storage device used in connection with an information processing apparatus is provided. The storage device includes: an authentication storage area storing an authentication program in advance, wherein the authentication program is executed to authenticate whether each user operating the information processing apparatus is an approved user; an operating system storage area storing an operating system in advance, wherein the operating system is encrypted and is used by the information processing apparatus; an access controller configured to control accesses the authentication storage area and the operating system storage area from the information processing apparatus; and a decoder configured to decrypt the encrypted operating system, wherein upon notification of successful authentication representing that the user is authenticated as the approved user by the authentication program, the access controller allows an access the operating system storage area from the information processing apparatus.
US08429425B2 Electronic backup and restoration of encrypted data
Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes identifying an encrypted source disk image to be included in a backup operation, the encrypted disk image being encrypted with a first key and generating an encrypted backup disk image, the encrypted backup disk image being encrypted with a second key protected with a randomly generated password. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, computer program products, and computer readable media.
US08429424B2 Method and system for encrypting files based on security rules
The present disclosure is directed to a method and system for encrypting files based on security rules. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present disclosure, a request to store a file on a storage device is received. At least one security parameter associated with a security profile of the file is identified. It is determined whether to encrypt the file by applying at least one security rule to the security parameter. The security rule includes selection criteria. The file is encrypted if the security rule indicates the file should be encrypted. The file is stored on the storage device.
US08429418B2 Technique for providing secure firmware
A technique to verify firmware. One embodiment of the invention uses a processor's micro-code to verify a system's firmware, such that the firmware can be included in a trusted chain of code along with the operating system.
US08429417B2 Protection against side channel attacks with an integrity check
The invention relates to a method for protecting a sensitive operation by checking the integrity of at least a subset of the data manipulated by the sensitive operation. Data to be checked are divided into blocks, an intermediate integrity check value being computed for each block, the intermediate integrity check values being computed in random order. The invention also relates to a cryptographic device wherein at least one sensitive operation of the cryptographic device is protected by a method according to the invention.
US08429416B2 Method and apparatus of storage anti-piracy key encryption (SAKE) device to control data access for networks
A method comprises performing an authentication of a user of a portable device, performing an authentication handshake between the portable device and a content server, wherein the portable device includes a USB plug that plugs directly into a USB port of a host computer and the host computer is communicatively coupled to the content server, and sending a first key sent from the portable device to the content server, wherein access to restricted content on the content server by the user is enabled if the user authentication, the authentication handshake, and an authentication using the first key are all successful. The process may also include encrypting restricted content received from the content server using a private key before storing the restricted content in a non-volatile memory of the portable device.
US08429413B2 Systems and methods for server aided processing of a signed receipt
A method for processing security communication protocol compliant signed receipts at a mobile communication device linked to a host system is provided. The host system receives an email message linked to a digital signature, and a signed receipt. The host system redirects the signed receipt to the mobile communication device. The host system determines if the email message is available at the mobile communication device, and if not, the host system retrieves the email message and redirects the email message to the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device can then verify the signed receipt based on the email message. Optionally, rather than the email message, the host system retrieves and/or recalculates data elements associated with the email message and required to verify the signed receipt, and redirects these data elements to the mobile communication device. A related system is provided, as well as server computer program for the host system, and device computer program for the mobile communication device.
US08429410B2 System and method of installing software applications on electronic devices
In at least one embodiment, there is provided a mobile wireless device comprising: a microprocessor and memory, the memory comprising a set of control settings used to control a plurality of device operations; wherein the microprocessor is configured to: receive a first digital signature key for verifying digital signatures on software applications to be installed on the device; determine if any digital signature keys for verifying digital signatures on software applications to be installed on the device exist on the device, and if not, store the received first digital signature key in the memory; receive a software application for installation on the device; verify a digital signature on the received software application using the first digital signature key; and install the software application on the device if the digital signature on the received software application is successfully verified.
US08429409B1 Secure reset of personal and service provider information on mobile devices
Systems and methods are described herein for supporting end users of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, to reset a secure element associated with the communication device. The reset process may include clearing the secure element, associated memories, and storage devices of any user specific or personalized information associated with the user. The reset process may also include removing or resetting keys or other identifiers within the secure element that associate the mobile device with a particular secure service provider. According to various embodiments, a computer-implemented method for resetting a secure element within a network device may include receiving an encrypted reset request message at the secure element, decrypting the encrypted reset request message using a communication key, verifying authorization for the reset request message, and atomically clearing parameters associated with the secure element.
US08429405B2 System and method for human assisted secure information exchange
A system that assures a user that two specific devices have exchanged information correctly over an insecure communication channel. In a typical application, the channel would be a wireless network connection and the information would consist of the public keys of the two devices. The exchanged public keys would subsequently be used to secure any further communication between the two devices. The system requires that both devices have an output modality interpretable by a human. One of the devices must have an input modality that can be operated by the user. The input and output modalities can be very simple e.g., they can consist of a button and LEDs. The users would press the button multiple times. On each press, the LEDs on both devices display a color and the user compares the colors and that they are synchronous. A noticeable delay or color difference signifies a security threat.
US08429392B2 Function expansion apparatus for connecting an information processing apparatus to an external storage apparatus
A disclosed function expansion apparatus for expanding a function of an information processing apparatus by connecting the information processing apparatus to an external storage apparatus via a first interface includes a first storage unit that stores first setup information used for connecting the information processing apparatus to the external storage apparatus, a connection module unit that is operated based on the first setup information and connects the information processing apparatus to the external storage apparatus via the first interface, a control unit that is connected to the first storage unit, and the connection module unit or a second storage unit, and stores second setup information stored in the second storage unit into the first storage unit, wherein the second storage unit is exchangeable with the connection module unit and stores the second setup information in connecting to the connection module unit.
US08429391B2 Boot partitions in memory devices and systems
The present disclosure includes boot partitions in memory devices and systems, and methods associated therewith. One or more embodiments include an array of memory cells, wherein the array includes a boot partition and a number of additional partitions. Sequential logical unit identifiers are associated with the additional partitions, and a logical unit identifier that is not in sequence with the sequential logical unit identifiers is associated with the boot partition.
US08429386B2 Dynamic tag allocation in a multithreaded out-of-order processor
Various techniques for dynamically allocating instruction tags and using those tags are disclosed. These techniques may apply to processors supporting out-of-order execution and to architectures that supports multiple threads. A group of instructions may be assigned a tag value from a pool of available tag values. A tag value may be usable to determine the program order of a group of instructions relative to other instructions in a thread. After the group of instructions has been (or is about to be) committed, the tag value may be freed so that it can be re-used on a second group of instructions. Tag values are dynamically allocated between threads; accordingly, a particular tag value or range of tag values is not dedicated to a particular thread.
US08429383B2 Multi-processor computing system having a JAVA stack machine and a RISC-based processor
A system comprises a first processor, a second processor coupled to the first processor, memory coupled to, and shared by, the first and second processors, and a synchronization unit coupled to the first and second processors. The second processor preferably comprises stack storage that resides in the core of the second processor. Further, the second processor executes stack-based instructions while the first processor executes one or more tasks including, for example, managing the memory via an operating system that executes only on the first processor. Associated methods are also disclosed.
US08429381B1 Micro grid computing system in tiered structure of bridge coupled processing hub with sensor and actuator docking bay
A micro grid apparatus and associated method of formation. Multiple tiers are formed. The tiers are distributed and sequenced in a vertical direction such that each tier is at a different vertical level in the vertical direction. Each tier includes a multiplicity of complex shapes interconnected by bridge modules. Each complex shape is a physical structure having an exterior boundary. Each complex shape includes multiple docking bays such that each docking bay is configured to have a module latched therein. Each complex shape is either a power hub including rechargeable batteries or a processor hub including processors. A sensor module is latched in a sensor docking bay and an actuator module is latched in an actuator docking bay of each complex shape in one or more tiers of the multiple tiers.
US08429379B2 Reconfigurable microprocessor configured with multiple caches and configured with persistent finite state machines from pre-compiled machine code instruction sequences
A processor, integrated with re-configurable logic and memory elements, is disclosed which is to be used as part of a shared memory, multiprocessor computer system. The invention utilizes the re-configurable elements to construct persistent finite state machines based on information decoded by the invention from sequences of CISC or RISC type processor machine instructions residing in memory. The invention implements the same algorithm represented by the sequence of encoded instructions, but executes the algorithm consuming significantly fewer clock cycles than would be consumed by the processor originally targeted to execute the sequence of encoded instructions.
US08429375B1 Memory management unit (MMU) to make only one time programmable (OTP) memory appear multiple times programmable (MTP)
Memory management units (MMUs) are disclosed. In one aspect, an MMU may have a first interface to a component. The first interface may receive one of a read of updated data from, and a write of updated data to, a virtual memory address. The virtual memory address may initially correspond to a first physical memory location in an only one time programmable (OTP) non-volatile memory (NVM). The MMU may have a remapping unit to remap a correspondence of the virtual memory address from the first physical memory location to a spare physical memory location. The MMU may also have a second interface to the OTP NVM. The second interface may allow the updated data to be read from or written to the spare physical memory location of the OTP NVM. Methods performed by the MMUs, and methods and articles useful for manufacturing MMUs, are also disclosed.
US08429368B2 Providing an administrative path for accessing a writeable master storage volume in a mirrored storage environment
A technique provides an administrative path for accessing a writeable master storage volume in a mirrored storage environment. Illustratively, a writeable master storage volume stores a master set of data addressable by a corresponding pathname, and zero or more read-only (e.g., load-balancing) mirrored storage volumes are configured to store a mirrored set of the master set of data, the mirrored set also addressable by the corresponding pathname. Clients may read data from either the master storage volume or one of the mirrored storage volumes (e.g., according to a configured access location, such as a local mirrored volume if one exists) by issuing read requests having the corresponding pathnames. Also, each client may specifically access the master set of data from the master storage volume by issuing an access (e.g., read/write) request having a specified master storage volume pathname prefix prepended to the corresponding pathname.
US08429367B2 Systems, methods and apparatuses for clock enable (CKE) coordination
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for clock enable (CKE) coordination. In some embodiments, a memory controller includes logic to predict whether a scheduled request will be issued to a rank. The memory controller may also include logic to predict whether a scheduled request will not be issued to the rank. In some embodiments, the clock enable (CKE) is asserted or de-asserted to a rank based, at least in part, on the predictions. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08429362B1 Journal based replication with a virtual service layer
A system, program product, and computer implemented method for data replication, comprising enabling a virtual service layer to consume a storage medium of a site and map the storage medium of the site as one or more virtual storage volumes, enabling the virtual service layer to present the one or more virtual storage volumes for consumption by a host, enabling a splitter of the site to intercept I/O written to the one or more virtual storage volumes, splitting intercepted I/O to a journal based replication appliance, and enabling the journal based replication appliance to create a continuous data protection image of the data written to one or more virtual storage volumes.
US08429360B1 Method and system for efficient migration of a storage object between storage servers based on an ancestry of the storage object in a network storage system
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system, in a network storage system, for efficiently migrating a storage object (vdisk) from a first storage server (source) to a second storage server (destination) using data of a related vdisk at the destination. A related vdisk includes an earlier created vdisk (parent) from which the vdisk to be migrated (child) is generated (cloned). By virtue of the cloned relationship, the parent and child have a portion of data blocks in common. When a parent is available at the destination, only the changed data blocks between the parent and child need to be migrated for efficiently constructing the child at the destination.
US08429358B2 Method and data storage device for processing commands
A data storage device for processing a command includes a host interface and a controller. The host interface stores program information sent within the command from a host. The controller decodes the program information that indicates a memory type to be accessed for the command. In addition, the controller determines whether the specified memory type can be accessed according to the command. The controller performs the command by accessing the memory type when the memory type specified by the program information is available for access.
US08429356B2 Write data mask method and system
A method and system for performing byte-writes are described, where byte-writes involve writing only particular bytes of a multiple byte write operation. Embodiments include mask data that indicates which bytes are to be written in a byte-write operation. No dedicated mask pin(s) or dedicated mask line(s) are used. In one embodiment, the mask data is transmitted on data lines and store in response to a write_mask command. In one embodiment, the mask data is transmitted as part of the write command.
US08429349B2 Techniques for cache injection in a processor system with replacement policy position modification
A technique for performing cache injection includes monitoring, at a cache, addresses on a bus. Ownership of input/output data on the bus is then acquired by the cache when an address on the bus (that is associated with the input/output data) corresponds to an address of a data block stored in the cache. A replacement policy position of the data block is then modified (to increase a probability that the data block is consumed prior to ejection from the cache).
US08429343B1 Hybrid drive employing non-volatile semiconductor memory to facilitate refreshing disk
A hybrid drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of data sectors, and a non-volatile semiconductor memory (NVSM). A plurality of refresh zones are defined, wherein each refresh zone comprises a plurality of the data sectors on the disk, and a refresh monitor is maintained for each refresh zone. When a write command is received from a host comprising data and the data is targeted to the NVSM, the data is written to the NVSM. When the data is targeted to a first refresh zone on the disk, and a first refresh monitor has not reached a refresh limit, the data is written to the first refresh zone. When the data is targeted to the first refresh zone on the disk, and the first refresh monitor has reached the refresh limit, the data is written to the NVSM.
US08429340B2 Storage system comprising flash memory modules subject to plural types of wear-leveling processes
A storage system uses a plurality of flash memory modules and a storage controller. Each of the plurality of flash memory modules comprises a memory controller and at least one flash memory chip. The memory controller manages a plurality of blocks provided with the at least one flash memory chip and controls a first wear-leveling process for leveling erase counts between the plurality of blocks. The storage controller, coupled to the plurality of flash memory modules, controls data sent from a host computer to be sent to a flash memory module of the plurality of flash memory modules. The storage controller controls a second wear-leveling process exchanging data between at least one block of a first flash memory module of the plurality of flash memory modules and at least one block of a second flash memory module of the plurality of flash memory modules.
US08429335B2 Memory device and operation method to selectively invert data
Provided is a MLC (Multi-level cell) memory device, comprising: a memory array, including a plurality of groups each storing a plurality of bits; and an inverse bit storage section, storing a first inverse bit data including a plurality of inverse bits, the plurality of bits in the same group in the memory array being related to a respective inverse bit.
US08429328B2 System for communicating with a non-volatile memory storage device
A storage device is provided. The storage device includes a command parser module for interpreting a command from a host system in a platform independent format; and for extracting information regarding an operation from the command, wherein the command parser module interfaces with the host system.
US08429320B2 Method and system for dynamically programmable serial/parallel bus interface
Aspects of a method and system for dynamically programmable serial/parallel bus interface may include performing in a first communication device coupled to a communication bus, attaching communication protocol information to a data signal for each data transaction with one or more other communication devices communicatively coupled to the communication bus. The one or more other communication devices may be controlled utilizing the attached communication protocol information. The communication protocol information may be dynamically adjusted and/or adaptively adjusted. The communication bus may be a serial or parallel communication bus. The serial communication bus may be a two-wire, three-wire, or four-wire bus. The attached communication protocol information comprises a multi-wire protocol, a 3-wire protocol, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) protocol, a System Power Management Interface (SPMI), or an RF Bus protocol.
US08429314B2 FIFO system and operating method thereof
FIFO systems and operating method thereof are provided to transfer data between a first device and a second device. In the FIFO system, a memory controller serves as an interface to access a memory device for storage of the data, and a CPU processes instructions to control the data transfer. Two data FIFOs serve as data buffers for data transactions to and from the first and second devices, and two status FIFOs serve as an instruction buffers for status transactions between the first, second devices and the CPU. A data controller connects the memory controller and the two data FIFOs for direct data delivery therebetween.
US08429309B2 Method and system for providing input in home network using UPnP
A method is provided for providing input in a home network using Universal Plug and Play (UPnP). A control point sends a request for information about input capabilities to an electronic device existing in the home network, and receives the information about the input capabilities in response to the request. The control point sets an input client and an input server based on the received information about the input capabilities. The control point transmits input data received through the set input client to the set input server.
US08429306B2 Systems and methods for automatic assignment of identification codes to devices
A system and method for automatically and uniquely assigning identification codes to a plurality of slave processors. A master processor having communication port is linked to a first slave processor, which, itself, has first and second communication ports. The first communication port is used in support of the aforementioned link to the computer. A second slave processor, also having first and second serial ports, is linked by its first communication port to the second communication port of the first slave processor. The slave processors are programmed to read designated pins on their first communication ports. The read values determine the identification code of each processor. Thereafter, each slave processor outputs to its second port a value one greater than the value read from its first port. Therefore, each slave processor assigns itself a particular identification code and directs the next slave processor to assign itself an identification code one greater.
US08429301B2 Method and apparatus for resource locator identifier rewrite
A method and apparatus for resource locator identifier rewrite have been presented. A security device receives from a resource host over a non-secure hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) session a response to a request received from a client over a secure HTTP session. The response includes a uniform resource locator (URL) that is supposed to be for a resource host, but the URL does not designate a secure resource access protocol and the resource host requires the secure resource access protocol. The URL is located in the response and modified to designate the secure resource access protocol. After modification, the response is transmitted via the secure resource access protocol session to the client.
US08429297B1 Web service invocation framework with integrated directory-based distributor
In one embodiment, an apparatus for directory-based web service distribution is disclosed. The apparatus includes a directory and a request client to initiate a request for a web service, the request client including an application middleware having invocation framework with embedded distribution logic to distribute the request to a destination pod, the destination pod to compute a subset of a state associated with the web service, wherein the distribution logic to distribute the request based on a lookup value extracted from the request and submitted to the directory to determine the destination pod. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08429296B2 Method and apparatus for distributing routing instructions over multiple interfaces of a data router
A software application in a multi-processor data router in which a forwarding information base for the router is maintained is provided with a server module and one or more client modules, each client module associated with one or more communication interfaces of the data router. The application is characterized in that the server module sends to each client module only that portion of the forwarding information base specific to the communication interfaces associated with the client module.
US08429292B2 Scheduling events from electronic messages
Scheduling an event on an electronic communications device configured for sending and receiving electronic messages over a communications network, including extracting information from an electronic message at the communications device; displaying on a display of the communications device an event scheduling interface for scheduling an event, the event scheduling interface having a plurality of input fields for receiving information about the event; and automatically populating at least one of the input fields in dependence on the extracted information.
US08429290B2 Broadband transmission system and method
Disclosed is a system that optimizes transmission bandwidth of a broadband transmission system such as a cable television, satellite system, or wireless information service. Requests for content items from users are employed to add or delete content items from a list. Content items in the list are ranked relative to the number of requests received or by rate of request. Package groups are created with most requested content items being broadcast more frequently than less requested content items. Transmit groups are produced from package groups and placed in a broadcast queue. A transmit process transmits groups retrieved from the queue.
US08429289B2 Information processing apparatus and method, program, and information processing system and method
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: a setting section configured to set as a first parameter at least a tolerable maximum latency time representative of a network profile for use within an end point in a network environment; a control section configured to control the transmission of target data by performing real-time control based on the first parameter set by the setting section; a conversion section configured to convert the first parameter into a second parameter for controlling the quality of service on paths of the network; and a transmission section configured to transmit onto the network the target data furnished with the second parameter derived from the conversion by the conversion section.
US08429283B2 Communication control unit and communication control method applied for multi-cast supporting LAN
A multicast processing section constructs, when it is determined that a received packet is a packet on a multicast packet and multicast group management protocol, a table showing a correlation between a host device and a multicast group in a port number-multicast physical address correlation storing section as well as in a multicast router-connected port storing section according to the received packet, and controls to transfer a packet for each multicast group between a multicast router and host devices according to the table.
US08429281B2 Method for operating an industrial automation system comprising a plurality of networked computer units, and industrial automation system
An automation system comprising a plurality of networked computer units, functions of the automation system are provided by services of the computer units in which the services are configured and activated using system configuration data and service configuration data. The system configuration data comprise information for assigning services to providing computer units and for assigning dependencies between services. The system configuration data are accepted and checked by a first service of a control and monitoring unit of the automation system and are forwarded to target computer units. The system configuration data are checked by second services provided by the target computer units and are used to provide resources needed to activate local services. The service configuration data are transmitted to the target computer units following system configuration. A local service is activated by a target computer unit assigned to the service using the service configuration data.
US08429280B2 Systems and methods for maintaining a measure of session time on a networked device
Systems and methods for maintaining a measure of session time of a networked device. A session between the networked device and a first network is monitored to determine a first session time. The first session time is indicative of a first time increment the networked device is continuously connected to the first network. A next session between the networked device and a second network is monitored to determine a second session time. The second session time is indicative of a second time increment the networked device is continuously connected to the second network. A time interval between termination of the session and commencement of the next session is determined. A rule is applied to determine whether the time interval is less than or equal to a pre-determined value. A session time equal to the sum of the first session time and the second session time is displayed when the time interval is less than or equal to the pre-determined value. A session time equal to the second session time is displayed when the time interval is greater than the pre-determined value.
US08429277B2 Cross social network data aggregation
Disclosed in some examples is a method of aggregating social networking data by receiving first authentication information for a first social networking service, the first authentication information being associated with a user and being received from a first social networking application, receiving second authentication information for a second social networking service, the second authentication information being associated with the user and being received from a second social networking application, requesting first information regarding the user from the first social networking service using the first authentication information, receiving the first information regarding the user from the first social networking service and storing the received first information, requesting second information regarding the user from the second social networking service using the second authentication information; and receiving the second information regarding the user from the second social networking service and storing the received second information.
US08429274B2 Storage resource scan
Various information about storage resources in a UNIX or UNIX derivative operating system computing environment is gathered from various sources in response to scan requests. Where a given type of information for a given storage resource is gathered from multiple sources, the information is verified for consistency, and placed in a single file in an industry standard hierarchical format. Scan threads are timed to provide reliable performance.
US08429270B2 Network usage collection system
A system includes a first database to associate a sub-interface identifier with customer information, a second database to store a history of customer usage records, and a first device. The first device may receive information from a routing device, where the information includes the sub-interface identifier for a sub-interface of the routing device and information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period, use the sub-interface identifier to obtain the associated customer information from the first database, associate the customer information with the information identifying an amount of network traffic received at or transmitted from the sub-interface over a time period to create a new customer usage record, and store the new customer usage record in the second database.
US08429267B2 Web services enabled device and browser gadgets coupled with data storage service and web portal
A method of presenting structured information, via software gadgets, based on monitored data in a utility monitoring system. First monitored data is exposed to a network to produce, via a first web service, first structured data. The first monitored data is indicative of utility characteristics measured by a first IED in the utility monitoring system. The first structured data is received over the network and second structured data is received from a network-accessible data storage service. The data storage service has a second web service that exposes second monitored data to produce the second structured data. The first structured data is manipulated, in at least one of the software gadgets, to produce structured information based on the first monitored data, and the structured information is communicated from the at least one software gadget to a web browser for display in a web page by the web browser.
US08429266B2 System for measuring audience of media on at least one internet communication network
The present invention relates to a system for measuring audience of media on at least one communication network like an Internet communication network.The audience measurement system operates on a collection of networks comprising at least one communication network. A plurality of predetermined users is associated with a first suite of machines (D, LT) connected to a network of the said collection of networks, in a first zone of use and with at least one second suite of machines (AL) connected to a network of the said collection of networks, in a second zone of use.The system of the invention consists in that a calculation means (M1-M5) is designed to produce, on the basis of the first suite of machines, user counterparts for at least one other zone of use (AL) so as to reconstitute the plurality of the users.
US08429249B2 System and method for configuring servlet-based components as dynamic content components
In certain embodiments, a system for configuring a servlet-based component as a dynamic content component includes a first server system comprising a dynamic component operable to gather configuration information in response to a request to access a servlet-based component associated with a second server system. The system further includes a connection servlet invoked by the dynamic component and operable to establish a connection with the servlet-based component associated with the second server system based at least in part on the gathered configuration information, and to handle communication with the servlet-based component on the second server system based at least in part on the gathered configuration information.
US08429248B1 Distributed file system including multicast retrieval
A distributed file system intelligently allocates portions of a file system from a server to one or more clients on a network. File system data used during power-on of a client may be stored on the client. A retrieval of the file system may subsequently be made to the extent the client has capacity to store the file system. A multicast operation, performed as a background operation on the client, may be used to retrieve the file system. For portions of the file system not allocated to the client, the client may still access the file system from the server. Network bandwidth may thus be reduced and client access to the file system may generally be more efficient.
US08429245B2 Networked computer system for communicating and operating in a virtual reality environment
The present invention relates to interactive virtual reality networked computer systems and methods that facilitate communication and operation in a virtual reality environment. The virtual reality networked computer system has an infrastructure that includes a number of users, hosts and servers. The interconnected hosts and servers allow users to effectively locate, activate, access and interact within virtual reality environments in a variety of different ways. For example, users can establish user groups such that interaction within the virtual reality environment occurs between hosts (accessed by users) without the need of a central or dedicated server.
US08429241B2 Image data transmitting apparatus and image data transmitting method
Provided is an image data transmitting apparatus capable of transmitting an image data in a given form according to a command from the receiving side. The image data transmitting apparatus is an image data transmitting apparatus transmitting image data to a receiving apparatus through a network, and includes: image data converting unit not only converting the image data to a converted image data file but also preparing file information of the converted image data file; posting unit posting the file information to the receiving apparatus; receiving unit receiving command information concerning a transmitting method for the converted image data file; and transmission controlling unit transmitting the converted image data file to the receiving apparatus based on the command information.
US08429240B2 Data transfer device and data transfer system
According to one embodiment, a data transfer device is provided. The data transfer device is configured to transfer data between a plurality of data transceivers and at least one memory having a first memory area. When one of the data transceivers has acquired an exclusive access right to the first memory area of the memory, the data transfer device stores address information corresponding to the first memory area.
US08429236B2 Transmission of status updates responsive to status of recipient application
Selecting and modifying the transmission rates and sizes of status update messages transmitted by a mobile communications device to a recipient application based on use of the updates by the recipient application improves resource utilization or accuracy. During one mode of operation, a mobile communications device transmits status messages using a conservative message transmission mode. This allows the mobile communications device to transmit a greater number of status updates for future processing by the recipient application while conserving resources. When the recipient application is actively processing status updates from the mobile communications device, the mobile communications device transmits the status messages using an accelerated message transmission mode with a different number of status updates in each status message and different delay between status messages, which may reduce delay or improve accuracy. Similarly, the mobile communications device may reduce the number of status updates transmitted by applying algorithm-based filters described herein based on the expected usage by the recipient application.
US08429234B2 Methods and systems for providing an electronic account to a customer
An electronic account is provided to a customer to enable the customer to access electronic services, such as e-mail and electronic transactions. The electronic account links an electronic address of the customer to a physical address of the customer. Using the electronic account, electronic services can be provided to the customer at either the electronic or physical address, or both. The services can be both secure and non-secure and can be provided by any service provider, such as an online merchant, a government agency, or a bank.
US08429231B2 Voice instant messaging
Systems and techniques for transferring electronic data include enabling instant messaging communication between a sender an at least one recipient through an instant messaging host. In addition, voice communication is enabled between the sender and the recipient through the instant messaging host.
US08429229B2 Multipurpose EGM/player tracking device and system
A system and method provides gaming related and player/gaming attendant related services to a plurality EGM. Each EGM has an associated multipurpose EGM/player tracking device. Each multipurpose EMG/player tracking device has first and second ports. The first port couples the respective multipurpose EGM/player tracking device to the respective EGM using a communications link. The first port of one of the multipurpose EGM/player tracking devices may utilize a different communications protocol than another one of the advance player tracking device. A server computer is coupled the multipurpose EGM/player tracking devices using a system communications protocol through system communications links. The server computer provides gaming and player/gaming attendant services to users of the EGMs.
US08429223B2 Systems and methods for facilitating group activities
Methods and systems for providing a lifestyle companion system are provided. The lifestyle companion system can provide a platform to conduct a user interview. Based on the user interview responses, the system can suggest activities, references, and/or plug-in modules. During performance of activities, the system can provide audio and/or visual cues related to the activities and collect data indicative of the user's performance. Based on the collected data, the system can dynamically adapt the user's goals and/or activities the user is performing or will perform. In some embodiments of the present invention, the lifestyle companion system of the present invention can be applied to fitness, nutrition, and/or medical modules. The system also can be used to facilitate synchronous group activities.
US08429218B2 Process restart on a compute node
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for reducing load time of a program in a highly-parallelized or distributed computer. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by selectively reusing entries in a page table generated during a previous invocation of the program at a particular compute node of the highly-parallelized or distributed computer system.
US08429216B2 Generating a hash value from a vector representing a data object
To generate at least one hash value for a feature vector that represents a data object, a discrete orthogonal transform is applied on a second vector produced from the feature vector. Applying the discrete orthogonal transform on the second vector produces a third vector. At least one value is selected from the third vector to produce the hash value. The at least one hash value is used to perform an action.
US08429212B1 Training scoring models optimized for highly-ranked results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for training scoring models. One method includes storing data identifying a plurality of positive and a plurality of negative training images for a query. The method further includes selecting a first image from either the positive group of images or the negative group of images, and applying a scoring model to the first image. The method further includes selecting a plurality of candidate images from the other group of images, applying the scoring model to each of the candidate images, and then selecting a second image from the candidate images according to scores for the images. The method further includes determining that the scores for the first image and the second image fail to satisfy a criterion, updating the scoring model, and storing the updated scoring model.
US08429211B1 System and method for controlling computer originated audio file transmission
A system and method for controlling computer originated audio file transmission includes a server having a communications module operable to communicate with a terminal unit over a path of communication. The server may also include a storage module operable to store at least one file. A processor may be provided to separate the file into a plurality of packets. In accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention, the communications module is operable to establish a control channel between the server and the terminal unit. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the control channel may include an out of band channel with regard to the path of communication. Commands may be transmitted over the control channel using the VoIP.
US08429209B2 Method and system for efficiently reading a partitioned directory incident to a serialized process
A method of reading data from a partitioned directory incident to a serialized process. A first read and an offset value are received. A first data block in a modeled fully partitioned directory is identified based on the offset value and a predetermined number of entries associated with a buffer. It is determined whether the first data block in the fully partitioned directory is present in the actual partitioned directory. Zeros are written in the buffer if the first data block in the fully partitioned directory is not present in the actual partitioned directory otherwise the first data block associated with the actual partitioned directory is written to the buffer. A second data block is similarly read by a second read operation and written. The second data block is associated with a second subdirectory, selected based on a horizontal node traversal at a node level of said first subdirectory.
US08429208B2 Methods and systems for managing data
Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US08429191B2 Domain based isolation of objects
Functionality can be implemented in an operating system to increase the granularity of isolation for objects. A domain can be defined to represent each of different entities (e.g., different departments or work groups). User identifiers and/or user credentials can be associated with the appropriate domain or domains. An administrator can then define a set of rules that govern operation(s) that can be performed on the objects based on the domains. Processes running on a system will inherit the domains of a user account logged into the system. When a process running on the system attempts to perform an operation on an object, an operating system process evaluates the domain isolation rules with an identifier of the object and a domain identifier to determine whether the operation is permitted to proceed.
US08429186B2 System and method for rapid assessment of lab value distributions
System and methods for rapid assessment of lab value distributions are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a data storage device and a server. The data storage device may be configured to store a database comprising one or more records, wherein the records are identified by one or more test codes. The server may receive a medical code, search the database to obtain a first group of records associated with individuals having the medical code, wherein each record of the first group of records is identified by a test code, search the database to obtain a second group of records associated with a control population, wherein each record of the second group of records is identified by the test code, and generate an output comprising a distribution graph on a shared scale from the first and second group of records.
US08429179B1 Method and system for ontology driven data collection and processing
Systems and method to aid in the collection, representation and mining of data are disclosed. More particularly, embodiments as disclosed may utilize a unifying format to represent data obtained or utilized by a system to facilitate linking between data from different sources and the commensurate ability to mine such data. Specifically, embodiments may represent data as graphs that comprise the concepts and relationships between those concepts. In this manner, concepts in graphs that represent distinct groupings of data may be mapped and knowledge mining with respect to these graphs facilitated.
US08429177B2 Using exceptional changes in webgraph snapshots over time for internet entity marking
Techniques are provided through which “suspicious” web pages may be identified automatically. A “suspicious” web page possesses characteristics that indicate some manipulation to artificially inflate the position of the web page within ranked search results. Web pages may be represented as nodes within a graph. Links between web pages may be represented as directed edges between the nodes. “Snapshots” of the current state of a network of interlinked web pages may be automatically generated at different times. In the time interval between snapshots, the state of the network may change. By comparing an earlier snapshot to a later snapshot, such changes can be identified. Extreme changes, which are deemed to vary significantly from the normal range of expected changes, can be detected automatically. Web pages relative to which these extreme changes have occurred may be marked as suspicious web pages which may merit further investigation or action.
US08429158B2 Method and system for unified searching and incremental searching across and within multiple documents
A user-interface system and method for searching among multiple documents and searching for subsections within individual documents using a single search interface on an input-constrained user device having a screen and a keypad.
US08429150B2 Distributed query compilation and evaluation system and method
A system and method for distributed query compilation and evaluation involving a first table having a first number of partitions and a second table having a second number of partitions. A query operation, such as a join, is performed for each combination of partitions from the first and second tables. The result of each query operation on each combination of partitions is organized into a third number of partitions. A number of tables equal to the third number are generated with each table including one of the partition results from each of the query operation combinations.
US08429144B2 Interprocess communication using a single semaphore
A method to enable communication between software processes includes initiating a plurality of processes, the processes including both attachment processes and target processes. A single semaphore is created and initialized for use by the plurality of processes such that each of the target processes wait on the semaphore. An attachment process writes a message file, identifying a specific target process, to a location accessible by the target processes. The attachment process then increments the semaphore by the number of target processes, thereby unblocking the target processes and allowing them to check the message file. When the specific target process determines that the message file is intended for that target, a connection is established between the attachment process and the specific target process. The attachment process then decrements the semaphore to zero to block the target processes. A corresponding computer program product and apparatus are also disclosed herein.
US08429143B2 Methods and systems for improving hash table performance
Methods and systems for generating a hashcode for a hash table are provided to improve the hash table performance. A particular method includes receiving an input of a key; applying a hash function to the key to generate an incoming hashcode of the key; encoding a key type into the incoming hashcode to generate a first hashcode; and storing the first hashcode. A particular method includes encoding the key type into at least one bit of a bucket index portion of the incoming hashcode.
US08429141B2 Linguistically enhanced email detector
A computer-implemented system and method are provided for warning a user of a missing attachment to an email. The method may include automatically recognizing a natural language of text of an email and selecting a keyword list from a plurality of keyword lists, based on the recognized natural language. Each keyword list is associated with a respective natural language and includes at least one keyword. At least one of the keyword lists includes a multi-sense keyword having a plurality of senses. A first of the plurality of senses is recognized as referring to an attachment and a second of the plurality of senses is recognized as not referring to an attachment. The text of the email is processed to identify an instance, where present, of a keyword that is in the selected keyword list and, for a keyword which is a multi-sense keyword, at least one sense-related rule is applied to a portion of the text which includes the instance of the multi-sense keyword. Based on the application of the at least one sense-related rule, where the email lacks an attachment, a notification is provided to the user.
US08429140B1 System and method for representing application objects in standardized form for policy management
Described herein are systems and methods for providing data policy management over application objects in a storage system environment. An application object may comprise non-virtual or virtual objects (e.g., non-virtual-based applications, virtual-based applications, or virtual storage components). An application object manager may represent application objects by producing mapping graphs and/or application object data that represent application objects in a standardized manner. A mapping graph for an application object may describe a mapping between the application object and its underlying storage objects on a storage system. Application object data may describe a mapping graph in a standardized format. Application object data representing application objects may be received by an application policy manager that manages data policies on the application objects (including virtual applications and virtual storage components) based on the received application object data. Data policies may include policies for backup, service level objectives, recovery, monitoring and/or reporting.
US08429134B2 Distributed database recovery
A method and apparatus for recovery a cluster database is provided. Database recovery is divided among a plurality of surviving database server instances in the cluster. A surviving instance is responsible for recovering data blocks to which the surviving instance is assigned. One form of block-to-instance assignment may be based on mastership of the blocks. If a data block is locked by a surviving instance at the time of failure, then no recovery of that data block may be necessary. Else, if a copy of a data block that is to be recovered is stored on a surviving node in the cluster, then one or more redo records are applied to that copy (if necessary). A redo record that corresponds to that data block might not need to be applied to the copy if the redo record reflects changes (to the data block) that are already reflected in the copy.
US08429132B2 Methods, systems, and computer program products for database table aggregation
Database table aggregation is implemented by a method that includes encoding first and second components via a waveform definition, the first and second components specifying criteria for aggregating data. The method also includes generating a complex waveform representing the components in a pattern corresponding to the waveform definition and criteria, which spans a first axis indicative of a time period for aggregating the data. The method further includes providing a byte count for aggregated data stored in a first table defined by the criteria, aggregating the data for the time period, and creating a second table for overflow data when the count is exceeded. The method also includes updating the complex waveform to reflect results of the aggregation that includes generating a waveform representing the second table along a second axis depicted at a location corresponding to a time in which the data aggregation for the first table was initiated.
US08429127B2 Circumventing queue downtime in a queue damage scenario
An approach is provided where a put request is received to put a data entry into a queue. A detection is made that a primary queue data structure corresponding to the queue is damaged. If an alternate queue data structure corresponding to the queue has not yet been created, then the alternate queue data structure is dynamically created. The data entry is then stored in the alternate queue data structure.
US08429126B2 Object graph editing context and methods of use
The present invention comprises a novel system for managing changes to a graph of data bearing objects. In one embodiment, an object graph manager object referred to as an editing context is used to identify changes made to data bearing enterprise objects and to notify other interested objects when changes occur. As a result, data bearing objects need not themselves contain code necessary for monitoring changes. In another embodiment of the invention, the editing context is used to provide event-based “undo” capabilities. In another embodiment of the invention, each enterprise object has a primary key that is used to maintain the identification between an enterprise object instance and a corresponding database row. In another embodiment of the invention, multiple levels of editing contexts are used to provide multiple isolated object graphs, each of which allows independent manipulation of the underlying data bearing objects.
US08429125B2 Conversion of physical computers to virtualized environments method and system
A method for converting a physical file system to a virtual file system of a virtual machine. The method includes initiating a new incremental physical to virtual conversion process, and analyzing a history of a plurality of prior incremental conversions to determine whether there exists at least one prior incremental conversion that failed. Upon determination that a prior failed incremental conversion occurred, the method further includes determining a correct chronological order of the plurality of prior incremental conversions, and determining an original failure point and any subsequent failure points. The prior incremental conversions are re-applied from each of said original failure point and said subsequent failure points in the correct chronological order with the most recent incremental conversion re-applied last.
US08429124B2 On demand multi-location large database synchronization system
Systems and method for distributing updates on demand to synchronize a remote client database with a source database are provided. A client can request an online update from the database content provider and the database provider can stream database updates to the client over a network connection in real time, or the database content provider can stream database updates to the client at scheduled times based on a licensing agreement with the client. This allows the client database to be kept in synch with the source database without requiring that the database provider generate a set of database updates on physical media and ship the physical media to the client for processing.
US08429095B1 Fluid delivery control nozzle
A fluid delivery nozzle for wireless communication to either an active or a passive device located on a vehicle and for wireless communication from the fluid delivery nozzle to a central location for storage of vehicle data. Upon initiation of a fluid delivery transaction, a communication link is established between a vehicle communication device and the central location and between a fluid container of the vehicle and the fluid delivery nozzle. The information received from the vehicle and container is relayed to the central location to authorize delivery of a fluid to the vehicle. Information is also transferred from the central location back and forth to the fluid delivery nozzle to update and store information regarding the fluid delivery transaction. A keyboard and display are provided on the fluid delivery nozzle to provide an operator interface during the fluid delivery transaction. Using the keyboard, the operator may directly control the delivery of fluid to the container or may respond to information displayed on the nozzle during the fluid delivery transaction.
US08429092B2 Method and system for career management assessment matching
A method for system for career matching assessment matching. One or more electronic questionnaires that are designed to reflect models of working environments, problem solving, communication and inter-personal skills are presented via a communications network. Each candidate and/or employer fills in a separate questionnaire. The job seeker answers questions as if the job seeker was the employer and the employer answers questions as if the employer were the job seeker. The particular pattern of their answers provides a profile for both the job seeker and the employer. A matching process then assesses the amount of overlap between the profiles of different candidates and employers. Greater candidate-employer overlap yields superior job performance, higher levels of job satisfaction and longer retention.
US08429082B1 License tracking and management
Example embodiments herein include a license manager process that receives a license query from a server device. The license query requests usage data associated with a permanent license on a client device. In response to receiving the license query, the license manager procures the usage data associated with the permanent license on the client device. The license manager then transmits the usage data associated with the permanent license to the server device. Furthermore, the license manager receives a revocation request from the server device. In this manner, the revocation request is received in response to transmitting the usage data associated with the permanent license to the server device. In turn, the license manager revokes the permanent license that was indicated in the revocation request to disable use of the respective application on the client device.
US08429077B2 Web enabled bank teller machine
A system and method is provided for an ATM having a display, a logic server coupled to the display, and a memory coupled to the logic server. The logic server dynamically controls the content of screens to be displayed on the display. The memory, which is accessible to the logic server, contains a profile of at least one user.In operation, the ATM detects the swipe of a user's card and requests the profile of the user whose card was swiped from a host. The ATM then receives the user's profile and stores the user's profile in the ATM.
US08429073B2 Method and apparatus for configuring and establishing a secure credential-based network link between a client and a service over a data-packet-network
A bill-paying service has an internet-connected server executing software from a non-transitory, machine-readable medium, the software providing functionality accessing, on behalf of a user, a plurality of billing servers, logging in with credentials supplied by the user, and downloading information concerning one or more bills which the user is responsible to pay, functionality receiving a selection by the end user, indicating a bill the user wishes to pay, and functionality transmitting to the user a deep-link plug-in (DLP) for the billing server where the bill selected by the client is associated, the DLP redirecting the user to a page at the billing server where the user is enabled to pay the bill selected.
US08429070B2 Real time adaptive control of transaction review rate score curve
Modern technologies of signal processing and real-time feedback adaptive control are applied to a fraud screen model to enable the fraud screen model to adapt to changes in shopping behavior to effectively maintain the model's performance on a review rate score curve continuously. Multiple techniques disclosed herein integrate control technologies with modeling technology to control the review rate score curve in real time.
US08429060B2 Hedging risk in an investment vehicle
A method for managing an investment vehicle. An option is purchased for protection of cash flows to be paid by the investment vehicle to designated investors. An option is sold offsetting the purchased option at least in part. The cash flows and security priorities of the investment vehicle are structured so that the purchased option protects the protected investors, and the proceeds of the sale of the sold option offsets the cost of the purchased option for benefit of non-protected investors.
US08429054B2 Managing security holdings risk during portfolio trading
The present invention provides methods and systems for managing short-term risk to a portfolio of securities holdings while executing an outstanding trade list. The methods and systems may include steps of determining covariances between securities in the outstanding trade list and securities in the portfolio of holdings; receiving a risk variable, at least one constraint on the execution of a trade, and a proposed quantity representing a portion of said outstanding trade list desired to be executed at a particular time; and determining an immediately executable trade list based at least in part on the covariances and risk variable. The executable trade list must satisfy all of the trade constraints and also must be substantially equal to or less then the proposed quantity.
US08429044B2 Lifting partner groups for allocation of lifted product consistent with production sharing contracts
An embodiment of the invention regards allocating lifted product volumes to specific entities of a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) through the use of Lifting Partner Groups (LPG) and an Entitlement Percentage (EP), which is itself calculated, consistent with the terms of the PSC. Through this system, specific PSC members no longer need to be identified for each specific terminal lift to allocate the lift back to the PSC entity. Rather, the EP is used in conjunction with the Lifting Product Groups to split up the portion of each lift attributable to each entity for actual accounting purposes, and further to determine the average sales price(s) to be used in calculating total production revenue.
US08429035B1 System and method of solving large scale supply chain planning problems with integer constraints
A system and method is disclosed for solving supply chain planning problems. The system includes a database that stores data representing a planning problem of a supply chain network and a computer configured to access the planning problem of the supply chain network stored in the database and model the planning problem as a network of nodes and edges. The computer is further configured to generate a hierarchical linear programming solution of the planning problem and apply advanced heuristics to the generated hierarchical linear programming solution. The computer is still further configured to formulate a mixed integer program to generate an optimized global hierarchical solution and store the generated optimized global hierarchical solution in the database.
US08429033B2 Automatically adjusting inventory based on loaner parts and order demands
A system for performing a part inventory analysis is provided. In response to determining a current part inventory, current order demands on the current part inventory are determined. The current part inventory is segmented. An order demand coverage is determined for each segment of the segmented inventory based on the current order demands. A conditioned part inventory is determined based on a loaner part inventory analysis of the segmented inventory. A part purchase recommendation is calculated based on the conditioned part inventory. Then, data for the segmented inventory, the order demand coverage, the conditioned part inventory, and the part purchase recommendation are stored in a storage device.
US08429012B2 Using estimated ad qualities for ad filtering, ranking and promotion
A system obtains a first parameter (QP1) associated with a quality of an advertisement among multiple advertisements, where the first quality parameter (QP1) does not include a click through rate (CTR). The system functionally combines the first quality parameter (QP1) with at least one other parameter and uses the functional combination to filter, rank or promote the advertisement among the multiple advertisements.
US08429008B2 Calculation method of sales commission using transformation coefficient in on-line, calculation system and recording medium thereof
Disclosed are a method and a system of calculating a sales commission using a transformation coefficient in on-line by reflecting sales of members receiving sales commissions and new sales of sub-members, and a record medium thereof. Members receive sales commissions based on members' own sales, so that old sub-members as well as new members actively sell commodities. The property of the tree to which the members belong is more increased, so that the members have reliability and affection for a company. The revenue of the members is more increased, and a company attempts to increase sales and members. A company determines sales commissions paid to members at a constant commission payment rate for the sales of the members without being affected by the enlargement of an organization due to the increase of the members and the amount of sales.
US08429007B1 Telecommunications service provisioning and banking of customer credits
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for providing telecommunication services based on customer groups. A customer group is offered a service plan that provides an incentive to early subscribers in the form of a more attractive pricing plan (i.e., discounts). For example, a particular subscriber may be provided a discount for each customer in the group who becomes a subscriber after the particular subscriber. The discounts and pricing plan may also be based, at least in part, on the total number of customers in the group that become subscribers. Further, in order to reduce customer churn, customer discounts or other incentives may be applied toward the end of a subscription plan period. Further, subscriber discounts and/or credits may be banked in a subscriber account.
US08429000B2 Special-ordered-set-based cost minimization
An embodiment of the invention is directed toward determining a solution to an objective function that is to be maximized or minimized. An initial feasible basis is determined. An entering variable is determined to enter the initial feasible basis. It is determined if there is an exiting variable. While there is an exiting variable, the exiting variable is removed from the feasible basis, the entering variable is added to the feasible basis, and a new entering variable is determined.
US08428994B2 System and method for managing facilities
A system allowing a user to answer a series of questions to generate survey data, associating system data with the survey data to generate a highly accurate report. The report allows, for example, for targeted assessment of select facilities systems including a time frame within which work to be performed on select facilities systems and/or a cost associated with work to be performed.
US08428988B1 Generating current order fulfillment plans to influence expected future conditions
A method, system, and computer-readable medium for dynamically generating actual fulfillment plans for a current order or a potential order so as to enhance the future fulfillment process for expected future orders is described. In some situations, actual delivery information based on one or more such actual fulfillment plans will then be provided to a customer, such as by displaying actual delivery date and/or time before or during the ordering process based on one or more actual fulfillment plans that can be or will be used to fulfill the order. A variety of types of criteria can be used to evaluate the effects of using a fulfillment plan to fulfill a current order, including criteria that consider the modeled future cost of fulfilling expected future orders, such as an overall cost of fulfilling all orders during a specified time period that is at least partially in the future.
US08428982B2 Monitoring business performance
A performance monitoring system receives data from one or more data sources. It transforms the received data into the performance information relating to predefined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs); and stores it into a KPI store. The system also calculates scores based on the received data and the performance information stored in the KPI store. Thus, the system can indicate changes in the KPIs through an information presentation unit.
US08428974B2 Retirement consumption strategy with drawdown account and option annuity
In a drawdown strategy for an investor's retirement fund, assets from the fund are allocated between a drawdown account and an option annuity. The drawdown account contains assets that are invested in the markets, and the option annuity contains annuities that begin to pay at the end of a deferral period. In a first phase of investor's retirement, funds are drawn down from the drawdown account and paid to the investor, and the value of the option annuity grows as proceeds from the option annuity are accumulated by the option annuity. At some point the drawdown account is depleted, which corresponds to the end of the deferral period for the option annuity. At this time, a second phase of the retirement begins wherein the investor receives payments from the option annuity, and this continues for the remainder of the investor's life.
US08428965B2 System for clinical research and clinical management of cardiovascular risk using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and actigraphy
Disclosed embodiments include a web-enabled system especially adapted for clinical research and clinical management of cardiovascular risk using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) data, actigraphy data, and clinical data. According to a disclosed embodiment the web-enabled system comprises (a) a web-enabled graphical user interface to enable a user to securely authenticate, securely upload clinical data, and navigate through a plurality of software modules; (b) a database to store user profiles, protocols, clinical data, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) recordings, actigraphy recordings, research data, and study results; and (c) a plurality of statistical methods and analysis techniques especially designed to automatically analyze the clinical cardiovascular risk data, and create customized reports of the results designed to assess cardiovascular risk based on ABPM and actigraphy.
US08428960B2 Methods, apparatus and computer program products for processing claims
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for processing of an original batch of documents in which any document of the original batch that fails to comply with the predefined specification is identified to be a non-compliant document. At least one non-compliant batch is then formed that contains the non-compliant documents. The non-compliant batch is distinct from at least one compliant batch that contains any documents that do comply with the predefined specification. At least one of the non-compliant and compliant batches advantageously includes a plurality of documents. The complaint batch(es) may then be forwarded for further processing without awaiting rework of the non-complaint documents included in the non-compliant batch(es).
US08428959B2 Audio packet loss concealment by transform interpolation
In audio processing for an audio or video conference, a terminal receives audio packets having transform coefficients for reconstructing an audio signal that has undergone transform coding. When receiving the packets, the terminal determines whether there are any missing packets and interpolates transform coefficients from the preceding and following good frames. To interpolate the missing coefficients, the terminal weights first coefficients from the preceding good frame with a first weighting, weights second coefficients from the following good frame with a second weighting, and sums these weighted coefficients together for insertion into the missing packets. The weightings can be based on the audio frequency and/or the number of missing packets involved. From this interpolation, the terminal produces an output audio signal by inverse transforming the coefficients.
US08428950B2 Recognizer weight learning apparatus, speech recognition apparatus, and system
A speech recognition apparatus (110) selects an optimum recognition result from recognition results output from a set of speech recognizers (s1-sM) based on a majority decision. This decision is implemented with taking into account weight values, as to the set of the speech recognizers, learned by a learning apparatus (100). The learning apparatus includes a unit (103) selecting speech recognizers corresponding to characteristics of speech for learning (101), a unit (104) finding recognition results of the speech for learning by using the selected speech recognizers, a unit (105) unifying the recognition results and generating a word string network, and a unit (106) finding weight values concerning a set of the speech recognizers by implementing learning processing. When finding weight values, the learning apparatus selects a word from each arc set in the word string network based on a majority decision which is taken into account candidates of weight value, and outputs weight value candidates which minimize a recognition error rate of a word string formed of the selected words, as a learning result.
US08428942B2 Method and apparatus for re-encoding signals
At the time of encoding audio content, the finally required data rate for delivery to the customer may be unknown. A data format is disclosed that is optimized for serving as Intermediate Format for efficient and fast recoding, to obtain one or more standard complying lossy encoded data streams with flexible data rates. Encoding can be performed in two steps that are inter-coordinated for cooperating, but may be locally and/or temporally separate. Between the partial encoders encoding parameters and/or auxiliary data are transmitted in a separate parameter enhancement layer, which complements a lossy data stream and can be used by the second encoder or transcoder for fast and computationally efficient implementation of the second encoding step. An additional lossless enhancement layer allows lossless reconstruction.
US08428938B2 Systems and methods for reconstructing an erased speech frame
A method for reconstructing an erased speech frame is described. A second speech frame is received from a buffer. The index position of the second speech frame is greater than the index position of the erased speech frame. The type of packet loss concealment (PLC) method to use is determined based on one or both of the second speech frame and a third speech frame. The index position of the third speech frame is less than the index position of the erased speech frame. The erased speech frame is reconstructed from one or both of the second speech frame and the third speech frame.
US08428937B2 Beamforming codebook generation system and associated methods
A codebook generation system and associated methods are generally described herein. For instance, a codebook generation agent (CGA) may implement techniques for generating one or more matrix codebooks from vector codebooks. The CGA may be implemented in mobile devices (e.g., stations, subscriber units, handsets, laptops, etc.). In this regard, the dynamic generation of matrix codebooks rather than having them stored on the mobile device enables the mobile device to utilize the memory normally consumed by the matrix codebooks in support of other features and/or services.
US08428930B2 Page mapped spatially aware emulation of a computer instruction set
Dynamic creation of a spatially aware emulation environment comprising Host cells of Host pages corresponding to Guest cells of Guest pages of Guest instructions. Each Host cell comprises a semantic routine for emulating a corresponding Guest instruction located at the corresponding Guest cell of the guest page.
US08428926B2 Virtual simulator method and system for neuromuscular training and certification via a communication network
A virtual simulator method and system via a communication network with possible physics law respect is used to create a virtual skill training environment for dexterity fulfillment of physical activities such as professional work, labor or craft activities, sport or even physical rehabilitation requirements where the skills or neuromuscular ability is required to be performed in a precise environment. All information required insuring a code of conduct, state-of-the-art, physic laws, technical code and technique for physical activities training certification for a member are managed and maintained in a database by an online processor. This database is maintained for continuous neuromuscular training improvement updates. Access to a third party witness in this training program is allowed to ensure code, law and state-of-the-art integrity when certification is required.
US08428920B2 Methods and systems for dynamic wrinkle prediction
Systems and methods for predicting a dynamic wrinkle property are provided. In one embodiment, a method of predicting a dynamic wrinkle property of a material for incorporation with an upholstered article includes selecting a plurality of material property categories and determining a material property for each selected material property category of a material. A dynamic wrinkle factor is assigned for each material property category based at least in part on the material property associated with the material property category. A dynamic wrinkle weight value is applied to each dynamic wrinkle factor to generate a weighted dynamic wrinkle factor for each material property category. The method further includes determining a predicted dynamic wrinkle score based at least in part on the weighted dynamic wrinkle factors and altering one or more material properties of the material if the predicted dynamic wrinkle score is below a benchmark value.
US08428915B1 Multiple sources of data in a bayesian system
Data for a transaction is modeled by receiving a source set of data. The source set of data comprises data representing a plurality of transactions stored in a source transaction database. An estimation model for modeling data for a transaction is received. A mapping between the source set of data and a model parameter database is received. The model parameter database comprises a plurality of model parameters for the estimation model. The parameters extracted from the model parameter database and the source set of data in a Bayesian framework are combined using a parameter estimation engine to obtain an updated set of model parameters. The updated set of model parameters is stored in the model parameter database.
US08428904B2 Product integrity tracking system, shipping label, and associated method
A product integrity tracking shipping label includes a label body for attaching to a product to be shipped or to packaging containing the product. One or more movement monitoring configured with the label body detects a movement metric of the product. A microprocessor configured with the label body and in communication with the one or more movement monitoring devices time-tags the movement metric when the movement metric exceeds a pre-selected threshold. A product integrity tracking system includes a movement monitoring device with one or more sensors for attachment to a product or packaging containing the product. The movement monitoring device senses at least one movement event during handling of the product. A processor compares the movement event with a pre-selected event threshold, and time-tags and stores above-threshold movement events in a memory. Information in the memory is readable via an interrogation device during shipment or at product delivery.
US08428903B2 Method and device for determining a speed of an object
A device for determining a speed of an object, having a receiver for receiving a pulse, having a characteristic signal sequence, which is emitted or reflected from an object; a signal processing device for providing transformed signal sequences for various speeds, the signal sequences being determined from the characteristic signal sequence by transforming the time axis of the signal sequence according to a Doppler shift for the speed; and a data processing device for determining the speed of the object based on a correlation of the received pulse with the transformed signal sequences.
US08428894B2 Measuring and monitoring a power source
Battery testing sensors, and systems and methods for testing batteries, are disclosed. Each battery sensor has a microcontroller programmed to analyze the frequencies of noise or other undesirable signals (“background noise”) present at a battery to be tested, and to determine the duty cycle of a desired pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to be applied to the battery in view of the background noise. Duty cycles of desired PWM signals are selected such that, when applied to the battery, they will at least approximate an AC signal having a frequency that has been determined to provide optimal test results in view of the background noise. The microcontroller analyzes the battery's response from application of the PWM signal thereto. Consequently, measurement errors from background noise present at the battery are minimized. Based on the response, attributes of the battery, such as internal admittance, voltage, current, and temperature, are determined.
US08428891B2 Systems and methods for apportioning usage of a utility in a multi-unit building
Usage of a utility in a multi-unit building is apportioned to a single unit by measuring the total usage of the utility using a meter unit to produce a total usage measurement, then positioning at least one sensor unit in a single unit of the multi-unit building and monitoring usage of the utility by the single unit using the at least one sensor unit to produce monitoring data. Then a processor unit receives the total usage measurement and the monitoring data and correlates them to generate correlated data. Finally, the processor unit apportions the total usage measurement to the single unit based on the correlated data.
US08428889B2 Methods of automated spectral peak detection and quantification having learning mode
There is provided a method of automatically identifying and characterizing spectral peaks of a spectrum generated by an analytical apparatus comprising the steps of: receiving the spectrum generated by the analytical apparatus; automatically subtracting a baseline from the spectrum so as to generate a baseline-corrected spectrum; automatically detecting and characterizing the spectral peaks in the baseline-corrected spectrum; reporting the detected and characterized spectral peaks to a user; receiving a list of adjustments to be made to the detecting and characterizing step from the user; and adjusting exit values used in the detecting and characterizing step, based on the list of adjustments.
US08428883B2 Multi-component medicine evaluation method
A method for evaluation of a multi-component medicine by judging the degree of difference of the multi-component medicine to be evaluated from a group of multi-component medicines selected as a reference group by using a Mahalanobis distance obtained by combining the 3D-HPLC fingerprint data of a multi-component medicine with fingerprint data of 3D-HPLC of other multi-component medicines of the same kind forming a reference group, allocating variable axes in the MT method to the number of multi-component medicine and the elution time or detection wavelength of the fingerprint data, obtaining a unit space from the signal strength, and obtaining the Mahalanobis distance of the multi-component medicine from the unit space.
US08428872B2 System and method for entry of taxi route on control display unit
A system and method is provided for receiving and displaying a taxiway navigation route on a control display unit having at least one entry field and a plurality of display lines. A plurality of taxi route segments are received from an entry field. The plurality of taxi route segments include at least a first taxi route segment and a second taxi route segment. The taxi route segments are assigned to separate display lines in the order in which the taxi route segments were received to form a taxiway navigation route. The taxi route segments are displayed on the control display unit in the order in which the taxi route segments were received. The display line in which the first taxi route segment is to be assigned can be selected. In addition, navigation data corresponding to the taxi route segments can be identified, retrieved, and assigned to the respective taxi route segment.
US08428870B2 Module supply chain
A system and method of fabricating and assembling of large-sized modules remote from a heavy industrial hydrocarbon processing plant site, and overland transportation thereof to the plant site. The method may rely on a computer-based heavy-haul transportation logistics system.
US08428862B2 Collision detecting device
An object is to be able to accurately discriminate an object of a collision. A device has a collision detection to which are connected a pressure sensor that detects pressure within a pressure chamber, and a vehicle speed sensor that detects vehicle speed, and the collision detection determines effective mass of a collided object on the basis of an integrated value obtained by integrating, at a predetermined sectional integration width, detection results of the pressure sensor, and a converted vehicle speed signal obtained by subtracting a predetermined value α from a vehicle speed signal of the vehicle speed sensor by using a predetermined vehicle speed converting map or the like. Then, when the determined effective mass exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the collided object is discriminated as a pedestrian.
US08428855B2 System for controlling starter for starting internal combustion engine
In a system for controlling a starter, the starter includes a pinion shiftable between an engagement position and a disengagement position. The starter includes an actuator configured to shift the pinion from the disengagement position to the engagement position when energized, and a motor configured to rotate the pinion when energized. The system includes a control circuit, a first switch unit configured to switch between energization and deenergization of the actuator under control of the control circuit, and a second switch unit configured to switch between energization and deenergization of the motor under control of the control circuit. The first switch unit and the second switch unit are individually arranged. The second switch unit includes a first relay configured to switch between energization and deenergization of the motor under control of the control circuit, and a second relay configured to control activation of the first relay.
US08428847B2 Ignition module having a bus line
The invention relates to a portable hand-guided work apparatus having an internal combustion engine (10) for driving a work tool (5). A combustion chamber (12) is formed in a cylinder (11) of the engine (10) and is delimited by a piston (13) which drives a crankshaft (14) in rotation. A spark plug (16) is held in the cylinder (11) and is driven by an ignition module (20) to ignite a compressed air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber (12) to drive the piston (13). A short circuit line (21) is provided on the ignition module (20) for switching off the ignition. The short circuit line (21) is configured as a bus line (30) in order to make available, in a simple manner, a plurality of further operating parameters to the ignition module. An external control apparatus (23, 24) and/or sensors (25, 26) are connected to the bus line (30). The ignition module (20), as master, controls data traffic on the bus line (30) and permits a data communication on the bus line (30) only when a minimum crankshaft angular distance (A, B) is present at an ignition time point (Z1, Z2) of the ignition module (20).
US08428846B2 Electronic oil pump
An electronic oil pump has at least one lubricant inlet, at least one lubricant outlet, at least one piston being movable between a full stroke position and a fully retracted position, an electrical actuator operatively connected to the at least one piston, a first electrical lead connected to a first element of the pump for electrically connecting the first element to an electronic control unit (ECU), and a second electrical lead connected to a second element of the pump for electrically connecting the second element to the ECU. When the at least one piston is in the full stroke position, an electrical path between the first and second electrical leads is closed. When the at least one piston is in a position other than the full stroke position, the electrical path is opened. A method of controlling an engine having the oil pump is also disclosed.
US08428844B2 Vehicle pneumatic booster system operating method and apparatus
An apparatus and method for improving vehicle performance by application of pneumatic boost to vehicle engines, including diesel engines having at least one turbocharger supplying air to the engine, in a manner which increases engine torque output while minimizing the potential for exceed various operating limits to the maximum practicable extent. The vehicle's pneumatic booster system controller implements strategies for shaping the rate of the air injection during a boost event, tailoring the air injection to obtain maximum engine torque output while respecting the operating limits, by controlling the timing, duration, quantity and/or injection pattern during a boost event to achieve a refined distribution of compressed air injection over the course of the boost event to provide desired engine torque output and fuel efficiency while minimizing the potential for exceeding a wide variety of operation limits, regulatory, engineering and passenger comfort limits.
US08428841B2 Vehicle motion control device
A vehicle motion control device is provided. The vehicle motion control device includes a steering angle deviation calculating unit which calculates a steering angle deviation of the vehicle, a frictional coefficient calculating unit which calculates each of road surface frictional coefficients for a traveling road surface of four wheels; and a pressure increasing and reducing controlling unit which performs a split control including applying a pressure increasing limitation of a pressure increasing control in an anti-skid control to a front wheel at a side of the traveling road surface having higher road surface frictional coefficient between the right and left wheels based on an absolute value of the steering angle deviation such that a pressure increasing gradient in the pressure increasing control is smaller as the absolute value is larger.
US08428840B2 Method for controlling torque at one or more wheels of a vehicle
An exemplary method for controlling torque at one or more wheels of a vehicle, including controlling both positive torque (acceleration) and negative torque (braking) with a single torque command. According to one embodiment, the method interprets the acceleration and braking intent of the driver, takes into consideration certain special conditions (e.g., vehicle dynamic conditions like wheel slip, over- and under-steer, etc.), and generates one or more individual torque commands that are sent to individual wheels or corners of the vehicle. The individual torque commands may address certain chassis and powertrain functions like acceleration and braking, and may provide full-feature torque control (i.e., acceleration, braking, vehicle dynamics, etc.) on an individual wheel basis. It is also possible for the method to be used in a system where a number of the common chassis, powertrain and/or vehicle dynamic modules have been integrated into a single torque control module or the like.
US08428839B2 Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles
A communication system for a vehicle includes a vehicle speed sensor configured to emit a periodic function with a parameter correlated to the speed of the vehicle, an acceleration monitoring system, a braking system engagement detector to detect a braking status of the vehicle, an alerting device capable of signaling other drivers of a deceleration condition of the vehicle, and a control device. The acceleration monitoring system is configured to compute the acceleration of the vehicle from variations in the parameter of the periodic function of the vehicle speed sensor and to output a deceleration status of the vehicle. The control device is coupled to the acceleration monitoring system, the braking system engagement detector, and the alerting device, wherein the acceleration monitoring system sends signals to the control device and the control device operates the alerting device in a manner dependent on the deceleration status of the vehicle.
US08428836B2 Driveline protection systems and methods using measured steering angle
An engine control system comprises a limit determination module and a torque control module. The limit determination module selectively varies a torque limit based on a steering angle. The torque control module selectively limits torque output by an engine to the torque limit.
US08428829B2 Self-propelled agricultural harvesting machine with controllable transfer device
Vehicles, in particular self-propelled agricultural harvesting machines such as forage harvesters or combine harvesters designed to pick up and process crops, include transfer devices that transfer all of the harvested crop material to a hauling vehicle or an attached hauling container. The discharge device is equipped with a control device for performing automatic or manual adjustments, and the self-propelled agricultural harvesting machine is equipped with a navigation system for determining the positions of the vehicles involved. To transfer the crop material to the hauling vehicle without loss, the crop discharge flow is directed only to a defined permissible tolerance region on the hauling container. The tolerance region is located within the hauling container contour and is bounded by edge zones, which are “keep-out” zones for the transfer.
US08428821B2 Operating method and system for supporting lane keeping of a vehicle
A system and an operating method are provided for supporting lane keeping of a vehicle equipped with a steering device. The system and operating method include providing vehicle related information; providing environment related information; combining vehicle and environment related information; predicting a future trajectory of the vehicle based on vehicle and environment related information; estimating a desired lateral lane position of the vehicle and/or a guiding force; comparing the future trajectory and the desired lateral lane position; deciding if a guiding force is to be provided to the steering device; and, if guiding force is to be provided, defining an amount of said guiding force depending on a hierarchically ordered set describing a predetermined driving behavior of the vehicle, adapting the amount of guiding force depending on the direction in which the vehicle is intended to move and activating one or more actuators for supplying the adapted amount of guiding force to the steering device.
US08428812B2 Travel trace generation method and travel trace generation device
A running locus generating apparatus 1 for generating a future running locus of a vehicle driven by a hybrid scheme comprises constraint condition computing means 30 for convergently computing a constraint condition including at least a road boundary condition and evaluation function computing means 30 for deriving a running locus by a convergent computation with an evaluation function including at least an evaluation of an electric power balance in a hybrid system when the electric power balance is positive in a state where the constraint condition by the constraint condition computing means 30 is satisfied.
US08428804B2 In-vehicle charge and discharge control apparatus and partial control apparatus
A temperature increase of a battery of a vehicle in a schedule effect road range is estimated based on an estimate of energy acquirable by regeneration in the schedule effect road range of the vehicle. A special value of the battery upper limit temperature is designated which is obtained by subtracting the temperature increase from a default value of the battery upper limit temperature. A battery upper limit temperature reduction road range is designated which is located just prior to the schedule effect road range. While the vehicle runs the battery upper limit temperature reduction road range, the battery upper limit temperature is set at the special value by being switched from the default value. When the vehicle completes running the battery upper limit temperature reduction road range and starts running the schedule effect road range, the battery upper limit temperature is returned to the default value from the special value.
US08428803B2 Hybrid vehicle and method for controlling hybrid vehicle
An EV priority switch is configured to allow a user to request a change between an EV priority mode and an HV mode. If an SOC of a power storage device is less than a first threshold value when the change to the HV mode is requested from the EV priority switch during the EV priority mode, an ECU changes the running mode to attain the HV mode and controls the SOC to be close to the SOC at the moment of a request for the change to the HV mode. If the SOC is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the ECU maintains the EV priority mode. If the SOC reaches a second threshold value less than the first threshold value, the ECU forcefully changes the running mode to attain the HV mode.
US08428796B2 Rail conveyance system for mining
A rail-based system is disclosed for moving materials and is applicable to a number of industries. The invention describes a system of automated self-powered rail cars operating independently to transport material such as ore from a work face in a mine or cargo from a marine port to a major transportation hub.
US08428792B2 In-vehicle device control system
In an in-vehicle device control system, a vehicle-side unit mounted in a vehicle controls an in-vehicle device in accordance with a result of checkup about a portable device performed by mutual communications, in which the portable device returns a response signal in response to a request signal transmitted from the vehicle-side unit. An ECU of the vehicle-side unit checks whether it is a regular checkup timing, and performs an exterior checkup if it is determined to be the regular checkup timing. The ECU sets in this case a communication frequency, which is higher in priority order, as a communication frequency to be designated to the portable device.
US08428789B2 Enhanced reflash using modular discrimination
An improved system, method, and mechanism for executing and reconfiguring a reflash procedure maintains a vehicle state of charge while avoiding defective reflash operations. In an aspect of the invention, the technique includes receiving a reflash request, i.e., at a controller associated with the vehicle, the reflash request identifying one or more target modules and specifying replacement information. A reflash procedure in accordance with the received request is then begun. However, when and if the charge state of the vehicle drops below a predetermined threshold, the controller modifies the reflash procedure by first categorizing individual ongoing reflash operations and stopping any reflash operations belonging to the second class, while continuing any reflash operations belonging to the first class.
US08428779B2 Robot controlling device
A robot controlling device includes: a position error calculator calculating a position error between an endpoint position of a robot and a position commanded value for the endpoint position; an external force calculator calculating an external force applied to the endpoint position; a force commanded value generator generating a force commanded value for the endpoint position; a force error calculator calculating a force error between the external force and the force commanded value; a storage storing the compliance model for the endpoint position; a first correction amount calculator calculating a first correction amount for the position commanded value, according to the force error, using the compliance model; and a second correction amount calculator calculating a second correction amount for the position commanded value, on the basis of the first order lag compensation for the first correction amount. The position error calculator calculates the position error, using the second correction amount.
US08428774B2 Apparatus and method for single unit access display
A product display apparatus including a product supply module that includes a support frame and defines a storage area. A door assembly coupled to the support frame is structured to provide bulk access to the storage area in an open position and prevent bulk access to the storage area in the closed position. A return area is defined between the support frame and the top of the door assembly while a retrieval area is defined between the support frame and the bottom of the door assembly. A modular display portion is coupled to the door assembly that extends into the retrieval area to define a single unit retrieval opening. A load block member may be disposed in the retrieval area to permit retrieval of a product, but inhibit return of a product. A retrieval detector may be configured to detect when a product has been withdrawn through the retrieval area and generate an alert upon detection of rapid product removal.
US08428771B2 Picking station and method for picking with a light grid
The invention relates to a commissioning area comprising a buffers for order containers in which items can be commissioned, the buffer comprising a plurality of adjacent buffer regions for receiving order containers. A beam field is provided above the buffer in order to monitor the commissioning of items.
US08428762B2 Spin coating modeling
A method for setting processing parameters for fabricating an integrated circuit, by creating a mathematical model of a spin coated surface of a material over a non-flat substrate surface, where the mathematical model includes, a smoothing algorithm, where the smoothing algorithm uses as inputs only, a nominal thickness of the spin coated surface, a minimum thickness of the spin coated surface, and an interaction length, and a constraint that the spin coated surface cannot intersect the substrate surface, solving the mathematical model to determine the spin coated surface, and using the modeled spin coated surface to set the processing parameters for fabricating the integrated circuit.
US08428760B2 Method for scheduling a production process by supporting the visualization of material shortages
A method for scheduling a production process is disclosed, wherein a production order requiring components is placed on a production schedule, the availabilities of the components, which are required for the production order, are detected by a computing unit, production orders requesting one or more of the components are classified depending on the availabilities of the corresponding components, and the production order is displayed with a first optically observable marker if the order requests a missing component and/or produces a missing component.
US08428756B2 Data embedding device, data embedding method, data extraction device, and data extraction method
A data embedding device has: a phase adjusting unit for adjusting a phase of an acoustic signal in accordance with a frame unit in which arbitrary transmission data is to be embedded; and a combining unit for embedding the transmission data in the phase-adjusted acoustic signal. A data extraction device has: a removing unit for removing a low frequency component from an acoustic signal in which arbitrary transmission data is embedded, to generate a low-frequency-removed acoustic signal; a synchronizing unit for synchronizing the low-frequency-removed acoustic signal generated by the removing unit, in accordance with a frame unit used when the transmission data was embedded in the acoustic data; and an extraction unit for extracting the transmission data from the low-frequency-removed acoustic signal synchronized by the synchronizing unit.
US08428753B2 System and method for planning the operation of, monitoring processes in, simulating, and optimizing a combined power generation and water desalination plant
The disclosure relates to a system and a method for planning the operation of, monitoring processes in, simulating, and/or optimizing a technical installation comprising several units that can be combined with each other. Said system comprises at least one process planning module, at least one process simulation module, and at least one process optimization module. Components for modeling, simulating, and optimizing the technical installation are stored in said modules. The interrelated modules cooperate with a data management layer via at least one interface, said data management layer making available actual measured and/or historical process data for determining parameters and/or operational data for the modules in order to plan operations as well as simulate and optimize processes. The parameters and/or operational data determined in the modules can be fed to the data management layer for further processing by taking into account the stored components.
US08428749B2 Nerve cuff, method and apparatus for manufacturing same
A nerve cuff comprising a wall band member having an inner surface defining a lumen when the wall band member is in a closed configuration for receiving a nerve therethrough. At least one longitudinal and contiguous conductor extends within the lumen. The conductor is insulated and has at least one exposed portion thereby providing an electrode. When mounting the nerve cuff to a nerve, each electrode is in electrical communication with the nerve. A multi-channel nerve cuff further comprises a plurality of longitudinal ridges formed on the inner surface with each adjacent pair of ridges defining a longitudinal chamber. Each chamber comprises a respective conductor extending therein. When mounting the multi-channel nerve cuff to the nerve, the ridges abut the nerve providing for each chamber to isolate respective longitudinal portions of the nerve. A method and an apparatus for manufacturing such nerve cuffs are also disclosed.
US08428748B2 Selective high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects, and associated systems and methods
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.
US08428746B2 Moldable charger with shape-sensing means for an implantable pulse generator
Electrical energy is transcutaneously transmitted from an external charger to an implanted medical device. The external charger includes a charging head that is selectively shapeable to conform to the surface of a patient to enhance charge efficiency and patient comfort. An alternating current charging coil is housed in the charging head and configured for transcutaneously transmitting electrical energy to the implanted medical device. The shape of the coil is changeable as the charging head is shaped, and at least one sensor determines changes in the shape of the charging coil and causes the charge of the coil to be adjusted based on the coil shape.
US08428738B2 Coupled neuraxial mesoscopic desynchronization electrostimulation therapy (cNMDET) method
This novel therapeutic (reparative, etiotropic not merely symptomatolytic) electrostimulatory method hereinafter referred to as Coupled Neuraxial Mesoscopic Desynchronization Electrostimulation Therapy (cNMDET) is comprised of a varied combination of progressively sequenced electrode placements and its clinically targeted areas which are comprised of the CNS [regions of the brain and spinal cord including, but not limited to, the underlying clinicopathologic mechanisms of the ANS] and clinically involved components of the PNS variably coupled in such a manner as to apply this therapeutic electrostimulation (reparative modulation) along the coursing path (longitudinally) of the targeted neural pathway over a segment and/or in its entirety, as well as, the utilization of patterned applications for involved joints, muscles, fascia, ligaments, tendons and areas involved in inflammatory processes of clinical significance accomplished through the application of, preferably, but not limited to, Coupled Neuraxial Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (cNTENS) and Coupled Neuraxial Transcranial Direct Stimulation (ctDCSn).
US08428730B2 Transvascular electrode system and method
A transvascular electrode system includes an expandable electrode-carrying anchor. The anchor is intravascularly advanced in a compressed position to a first site in a blood vessel. A first portion of the anchor expands to position an electrode against the vessel wall, while a second portion remains is compressed. Mapping is performed by delivering stimulation energy from the electrode and measuring the response (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, and/or related parameters). The first portion is at least partially collapsed and the electrode system is moved to a second site. The first portion is expanded to position the electrode into against the vessel wall, while the second portion remains compressed. Additional mapping is performed. The process is repeated until the anchor electrode position is optimized, at which point the second portion of the anchor is expanded to chronically retain the electrode in the vessel.
US08428713B2 Implantable defibrillation output circuit
An implantable defibrillation circuit can include an output circuit. The output circuit can include a first switch configured to controllably connect a first supply node to a first output node, a second switch configured to controllably connect a second supply node to the first output node through a first rectifier, and the second switch can be configured to inhibit the first switch from connecting the first supply node to the first output node when the second supply node is connected to the first output node through the second switch. In an example, the first and second switches can include insulated gate bipolar transistors.
US08428702B2 Methods and devices for relieving stress
Easy to use, cost-effective methods and devices for evaluating and treating stress and thereby disorders caused or exacerbated by stress are provided. More particularly methods and devices for identifying RSA waves during respiration which provide a subject with real-time RSA wave information are provided. These methods and devices also can be used to identify drop points in RSA waves. Such methods and devices provide subjects with the ability to maintain parasympathetic outflow and thereby prevent and/or reduce levels of stress.
US08428698B2 Systems and methods for monitoring DP, IVRT, DiFT, diastolic function and/or HF
Implantable systems, and methods for use therewith, are provided for monitoring a patient's diastolic function and/or heart failure (HF) condition. A signal indicative of changes in arterial blood volume and a signal indicative of electrical activity of the patient's heart are obtained. Beginnings of diastolic periods can be detected based on a feature of the signal indicative of changes in arterial blood volume. Ends of the diastolic periods can be detected based on a feature of the signal indicative of electrical activity of the patient's heart, or on the signal indicative of changes in arterial blood volume. Diastolic periods (DPs), isovolumic relaxation times (IVRTs) and/or diastolic filling times (DiFTs) can be estimated based on the detected beginnings of the diastolic periods and detected ends of the diastolic periods. The patient's diastolic function and/or HF condition (and/or changes therein) can be monitored based on the estimates of DP, IVRT and/or DiFT.
US08428695B2 Diagnostic systems and methods utilizing probe-ions exhibiting photon avalanche effect
The present disclosure provides advantageous systems and methods for significantly increasing the sensitivity and selectivity for diagnostic procedures, e.g., optical biopsy. The disclosed systems and methods use a highly non-linear effect, the so-called photon avalanche. In the regime close to the avalanche threshold, small differences in density of the probe-ion under investigation or the excitation power can result in very large changes in up-conversion emission intensity. Through this effect, it becomes possible to accurately measure the signal of an optical biopsy probe-ion only in the location(s) where its concentration is highest, while at the same time significantly reducing or eliminating measurement of background signal from probe-ions distributed with a somewhat lower concentration throughout the measurement volume. Also background auto-fluorescence of the surrounding healthy tissue is essentially absent with this technique.
US08428689B2 Image guided therapy
A therapeutic system includes a therapy module to direct a therapeutic action, e.g. focused ultrasound or RF energy to a target. An imaging module, such as a magnetic resonance examination system, generates image information of a therapy region that includes the target. By way of a motion analysis module, a motion vector field is derived from the image information of the therapy region. A control module controls the therapy module based on the motion vector field. For example, based on t the motion vector field, an accurate temperature distribution is derived from magnetic resonance signals and the motion vector field. Also magnetic resonance elastography data may be employed to improve the accuracy of the temperature distribution.
US08428685B2 System and method for magnetically maneuvering an in vivo device
A method for controlling movement of an imaging device in vivo, the method comprising the steps of providing an imaging device having a longitudinal axis and a magnetic component, said device to be inserted into a patient's body; providing a rotating magnetic field outside the patient's body; and advancing the rotating magnetic filed along the patient's body in a desired direction.
US08428683B2 Wearable monitoring apparatus and driving method thereof
Disclosed are a wearable monitoring apparatus and a driving method thereof. The wearable monitoring apparatus comprises: a sensor unit for measuring a biological signal from a human body, wherein the sensor unit is adhered to a skin; and a control unit for searching a location of the sensor unit, supplying power to the sensor unit, and receiving and processing the biological signal from the sensor unit, wherein the control unit is formed to be wearable.
US08428682B1 Wet or dry electrode, other sensors, actuators, or markers with a novel adhesive collar
The present invention is directed to a device, which can be attached to a subject's skin with an adhesive collar. The device can be a sensor, an actuator or a marker. Preferably, the device is a sensor, and more preferably in the form of a wet or dry electrode sensor, and most preferably, a dry electrode sensor. The invention is used to attach the device to a subject's prepared or unprepared skin so that the device can remain attached to the subject for an extended period of time with minimal skin irritation, breakdown, or re-application, and preferably with no skin irritation, breakdown, or re-application.
US08428679B2 System and methods for processing analyte sensor data
Systems and methods for processing sensor analyte data, including initiating calibration, updating calibration, evaluating clinical acceptability of reference and sensor analyte data, and evaluating the quality of sensor calibration. During initial calibration, the analyte sensor data is evaluated over a period of time to determine stability of the sensor. The sensor may be calibrated using a calibration set of one or more matched sensor and reference analyte data pairs. The calibration may be updated after evaluating the calibration set for best calibration based on inclusion criteria with newly received reference analyte data. Fail-safe mechanisms are provided based on clinical acceptability of reference and analyte data and quality of sensor calibration. Algorithms provide for optimized prospective and retrospective analysis of estimated blood analyte data from an analyte sensor.
US08428675B2 Nanofiber adhesives used in medical devices
Nanofiber adhesives and their uses with device, such as medical devices, are described. In one embodiment, a nanofiber adhesive layer may be disposed on a surface of a medical device, such as a backing layer of a sensor, for adhesion to a substrate. The nanofiber adhesive layer may allow durable adhesion to the substrate. Other described features may include materials and methods to determine the attachment of the medical device to a patient by determining the adhesive state of the adhesive layer.
US08428664B1 Case assembly for handheld electronic devices and method of use therefor
A protective case assembly including a shell defining an open front and having sides as well as a base which adjoins the shell's sides is disclosed. The shell attaches to the handheld device by being sized and configured to fit over the backside and sides of the device. In addition, the case assembly includes an elongated elastic strap of predetermined length and width which is attached at its ends to the back of the shell. The strap is positioned against the base and is sufficiently taut to enable the handheld device to be held in one hand and operated with the thumb of the same hand when up to two of the three middle fingers also of the same hand are placed under the taut strap.
US08428656B2 Multi-mode terminal device
A mobile terminal device of the invention is a mobile terminal device capable of placing and receiving calls by first identification information, and of placing and receiving calls by second identification information, and is characterized by having a mode changing section that changes a mode among a first mode, a second mode and a common mode, and an outgoing call control section which places a call by the first identification information in the first mode, places a call by the second identification information in the second mode, and places a call by either the first identification information or the second identification information in the common mode.
US08428653B2 Hot-spot wireless access exploiting shadowing diversity of distributed antennas
The embodiments of the invention describe method and system for maximizing capacity of a distributed antenna system. A relaying antenna is selected to maximize a signal-to-leakage ratio (SLR) ratio of the distributed antenna system. Further, the capacity of the system is improved by allocating a signal power based on a pseudo-capacity criterion such that an average pseudo capacity of the distributed antenna system is maximized.
US08428649B2 Memory device upgrade
Technology for replacing a first storage unit operatively coupled to a device is provided. Content of the first storage unit is sent to a new storage unit that serves as the replacement of the first storage unit. In one embodiment, the content is first sent to a trusted third-party server and then transferred from the server to the new storage unit. A portion of the content on the new storage unit is adjusted in one embodiment to maintain content security features that were implemented in the first storage unit. The upgrading can be performed under the control of a software entity that is installed on the device. In various embodiments, the first storage unit may be bound to a third storage unit prior to the upgrade process. In such cases, the process can include measures to bind the new storage unit to the third storage unit.
US08428645B2 Mobile device capable of sharing SMS messages, email screen display locally with other devices
Using a local sharing client, a first mobile device shares incoming calls, email, SMS messages, pictures, screen display, etc. locally (without employing a cellular wireless network) with a second device. The second device may also have a similar client and be able to share locally with the first mobile device.
US08428642B2 Method and apparatus for remote vehicle communications and control
Long-range remote communication and control of a vehicle is achieved with primary and secondary cellular devices provided by the vehicle user. The primary cellular device is retained by the user, while the secondary cellular device is dedicated to the vehicle and placed in a docking station provided in a vehicle instrument panel or console. The vehicle docking station is equipped with typical cell phone electrical interfaces to supply battery charging current and to establish a bi-directional data communication link between the secondary cellular device and an on-board vehicle computer. The secondary cellular device remains activated, and provides a low-cost remotely accessible communication link between the on-board vehicle computer and the primary cellular device or any other phone, provided that specified security conditions are satisfied.
US08428632B2 Dynamic allocation of spectrum sensing resources in cognitive radio networks
A method, wireless controller, and information processing system are provided to dynamically allocate spectrum sensing resources. A first input (804) including available sensing session time for performing spectrum sensing with respect to one or more primary systems (102) is received. A second input (806) including a set of communication channels to be monitored in the spectrum sensing session is received. A third input (808) including detection constraints associated with a plurality of available sensing nodes (114) in a secondary network (104) for performing the spectrum sensing is received. Spectrum sensing resources are dynamically allocated (814) among a set of the plurality of available sensing nodes (114) based on the first (804), second (806), and third inputs (808).
US08428624B2 Method and system for network support for optimized paging of communication devices
A method in one application of maintaining a paging status associated with a communication device. The method also comprises paging the communication device based on the paging status.A system in one application comprising a communications controller configured to store a paging status that is associated with a communication device. The system further comprising a communications manager communicatively coupled to the communications controller. Also, at least one data store is communicatively coupled to the communications controller. The communications controller pages a communication device based on a paging status. The paging status is stored in one of the at least one data store.
US08428615B2 Method and device for determining a position of a communication apparatus
A method and a device for determining a position of a communication apparatus is provided. To determine a position of a first apparatus a first signal is transmitted from a second apparatus to the first apparatus. A second signal is then transmitted from the first apparatus to the second apparatus as a response to the first signal, the first signal and the second signal being transmitted by way of at least two different mediums. Signal strength of the second signal received by the second apparatus and a transfer time from a first time of transmission of the first signal to a second time of receipt of the second signal are measured. The position of the first apparatus is finally calculated as a function of the measured signal strength of the received second signal and the measured transfer time.
US08428613B2 Wireless communication system, base station device and mobile station device
A wireless communication system comprises a mobile station and a base station, which use a plurality of communication channels and a pilot channel corresponding to at least one of the communication channels. The base station has a transmitting unit that employs at least one of the communication channels as a priority channel and transmits channel information of this priority channel and the other channels by use of a communication channel other than the pilot channel. The mobile station has a determining unit that determines a reception level of the pilot channel; an acquiring unit that acquires the channel information transmitted via the communication channel other than the pilot channel; and a deciding unit that decides, as an available communication channel, at least one of the communication channels based on both the channel information acquired by the acquiring unit and the reception level determined by the determining unit.
US08428611B2 Method and device for controlling multi-path connections in radio access networks
Method and controller device for controlling a plurality of N transport paths in RANs, wherein a primary path is assigned for each type of traffic to allocate voice or data calls, comprising: measuring load of the primary path periodically, when a call is incoming, comparing the measured load with a threshold, if the load of the primary path is less than or equal to the threshold, allocating the call to the primary path otherwise: calculating the available bandwidth of each transport path; comparing the available bandwidth of the primary path to the available bandwidths of the other transport paths and: if the available bandwidth of the primary path is greater than or equal to the available bandwidths of the others, allocating this call to the primary path; otherwise, allocating the call to a secondary path chosen from the remaining N−1 transport paths.
US08428592B2 Method and apparatus for determining a server which should respond to a service request
A method for determining a server which should respond to a service request from a mobile device, said method comprising: Generating a DNS request which comprises a URI to identify a service requested by said mobile device and in addition to the URI of the requested service an indication of the location of the mobile device; inserting into said DNS request a keyword, which identifies said service DNS request as being a service which is enabled for service migration; forwarding said DNS request to a DNS server; determining by said DNS server a most suitable server responding to said service request, said determination being based on the location of the mobile device as indicated by said indication of the location added to said URI; returning the address of said server which has been determined based on said location to said mobile device.
US08428574B2 Controlled mobile communication as a service
A method of providing controlled mobile communication as a service includes storing, in a memory associated with a data processing device and/or a base station controller, a level of control of wireless communication associated with a mobile device of a customer of the controlled mobile communication as a service. The wireless communication is provided through a mobile network operator. The method also includes identifying, through the base station controller, the mobile device based on an identification data associated therewith when the mobile device is within a controlled area associated with the controlled mobile communication service, and controlling the wireless communication associated with the mobile device of the customer through the base station controller in accordance with the level of control stored in the memory following the identification of the mobile device.
US08428572B2 Information processing apparatus
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus in which a plurality of multimedia functions are installed and which is capable of wireless communication a counterpart apparatus, including: a setting unit configured to start up a multimedia function from the plurality of multimedia functions in accordance with a remote-control command sent from the counterpart apparatus; and a control unit configured to control a startup of the multimedia function in accordance with a startup made by the setting unit if the control unit receives the remote-control command.
US08428561B1 Event notification and organization utilizing a communication network
A user of a telecommunications or other computing device may notify his or her contacts of an event of interest, which event may be modified by the user's contacts without requiring the permission of the originating user to do so. In this regard, an event organizing service receives an event notification request from a user of a telecommunications device (e.g., a mobile telephone), automatically identifies the user's contacts to whom the event notification is to be published, and publishes the event notification to the automatically identified contacts. A contact who receives the event notification may update the event, e.g., by modifying data describing the event, without the permission of the originating user. Accordingly, a contact who has received the event notification may modify the event (e.g., change the date/time, change the location, etc.) and the event organizing service may publish a notification for the updated event to the originating user and his or her contacts informing them of the modification. It will be appreciated that as updates to the event are made by the user's contacts (and in some cases the user herself), the event is ultimately organized by the user's social network or community without requiring the user to organize the details of or manage the event herself.
US08428554B2 Method for authenticating a mobile unit attached to a femtocell that operates according to code division multiple access
The present invention provides a method involving a femtocell in communication with an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network. In one embodiment, the femtocell operates according to code division multiple access (CDMA) standards. The method includes receiving, from the femtocell and at a first secure entity in the IMS network, first authentication information generated by the mobile unit using a first random number broadcast by the femtocell in a global challenge. The method also includes receiving, from a second secure entity in the secure network, at least one security key formed based on the global challenge and second authentication information for uniquely challenging the mobile unit. In one embodiment, the second secure entity is a CDMA-based authentication server. The method further includes providing the security key(s) to the femtocell in response to authenticating the mobile unit based upon the second authentication information.
US08428551B1 Contextual video voice message enhancement
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for providing enhanced video voice messages from a first mobile device to a second mobile device. The method comprises providing user preferences from a first mobile device to a video enhancement component. A video voice message is generated at the first mobile device. Additionally, the video voice message is communicated to the video enhancement component. Further, the video voice message is enhanced based on the user preferences from the first mobile device. The enhanced video voice message is then provided to the second mobile device.
US08428548B2 Emergency message menu
A wireless communications device and method for generating and communicating an emergency text message, includes in response to receiving a request to communicate an emergency text message, accessing stored personal data for use in generating content of the emergency text message. A determination may be made as to whether current location coordinates are available. The emergency text message may be populated with the accessed stored personal data and current location coordinates, if available. The populated emergency text message may be communicated over a communications network to a public safety answering point.
US08428547B2 Signaling in wireless communication systems
A communication device includes an RF receiver that receives a combined signal including a first signal transmitted from a first node and a second signal transmitted from a second node, a channel estimator that estimates first channel information of the first signal and second channel information of the second signal, respectively, a multiuser detector that detects original signal values of the combined signal using the estimated first and second channel information and an RF transmitter that transmits a signal generated based on the values detected by the multiuser detector to the first node and the second node during a predetermined period.
US08428535B1 Receiver dynamic power management
A controller in a receiver monitors RSSI and AGC gain levels to determine signal conditions and adjust filter performance accordingly to optimize power consumption while providing acceptable signal quality. When RSSI level is high and AGC gain is low, a strong signal-of-interest is present. In this case, adaptive filter bias currents may be reduced raise the noise floor and degrade intermodulation to reduce power consumption because the strong signal-of-interest can tolerate the higher noise and distortion. When the RSSI level is low and AGC gain is high, a weak signal is present a low noise mode may be effected by increasing bias current to filters used to lower the noise floor, but intermodulation effects may still be tolerated so those filters may be cut back. Other cases are supported. RSSI and AGC gain level thresholds may be dynamically altered based on relative RSSI and AGC levels.
US08428530B1 Increasing the robustness of channel estimates derived through sounding for WLAN
A plurality of training signal sets are transmitted. Each training signal set includes information sufficient to determine a channel estimate corresponding to a communication channel from a first station to a second station. A refined channel estimate is determined based on reception of the plurality of training signal sets.
US08428527B2 RF power transmission, modulation, and amplification, including direct cartesian 2-branch embodiments
Methods and systems for vector combining power amplification are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a plurality of signals are individually amplified, then summed to form a desired time-varying complex envelope signal. Phase and/or frequency characteristics of one or more of the signals are controlled to provide the desired phase, frequency, and/or amplitude characteristics of the desired time-varying complex envelope signal. In another embodiment, a time-varying complex envelope signal is decomposed into a plurality of constant envelope constituent signals. The constituent signals are amplified equally or substantially equally, and then summed to construct an amplified version of the original time-varying envelope signal. Embodiments also perform frequency up-conversion.
US08428521B2 Control for uplink in MIMO communication system
In a wireless communication network that performs Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication, uplink power control signals are provided to a user equipment (UE) via a base station signaled power allocation scheme responsive to a determination of whether or not the uplink transmission is in a interference limited condition relative to a neighboring cell.
US08428518B2 Traffic constraints in a mmWAVE wireless network
A network controller may schedule directional communications between two devices in its own network in such a way as to avoid potential interference from anticipated transmissions from another device. In some instances, the network controller may be one of the two devices using the directional communications. The timing of the anticipated transmissions may be determined by the network controller based on its own observations, or it may be informed of that timing in a transmission from a device in its own network. A possible format is given for transmitting that information to the network controller.
US08428511B1 System and method for a high available and survivable communication system
A network architecture for underground communication using redundant interconnected communication systems utilizes an aboveground master control station to send a status request message to a belowground gateway. The gateway may then, in turn, broadcast a status request message to a plurality of communication hubs located throughout an underground region using each of a plurality of potentially available communication systems. In the event that one of the communication hubs fails to respond over the then-current communication system, the master control station may switch the current communication system being used to a truly available system.
US08428508B2 Sweeping mode of jamming system
A system includes a generator and at least one device. The generator includes a waveform oscillator and a blanking pulse generator. Each device includes a transmit antenna, a receive antenna, an antenna unit, a mixer and a detector. The antenna unit includes a receiver coupled to the receive antenna, an amplifier coupled to the receiver and a transmitter coupled to the transmit antenna and the blanking pulse generator. The mixer has inputs coupled to the amplifier and the waveform oscillator. The detector is coupled to the mixer.
US08428507B2 Sheet feeding device and image forming apparatus having the same
A sheet feeding device includes a first conveying roller conveying the sheet, a second conveying roller conveying the sheet conveyed from the first conveying roller, a first driving gear having a first number of teeth, and a second driving gear having a second number of teeth. When a first meshing frequency defined by multiplication of the first number of teeth and the number of rotations of the first driving gear is defined as A, and a second meshing frequency defined by multiplication of the second number of teeth and the number of rotations of the second driving gear is defined as B, the first meshing frequency A and the second meshing frequency B are set so as to satisfy the following expression (1):A>B.
US08428506B2 Assist mechanism and image forming apparatus
An assist mechanism aids movement of a retractable unit reciprocally moving between an open and a closed position and includes a pressing device, a stopper mechanism, an engagement member, a catch portion, and a release member. The pressing device presses the retractable unit toward the open position in which the unit is extended. The stopper mechanism controls and releases retraction of the retractable unit to the closed position in which the unit is retracted, and includes a stopper and a blocking member. The engagement member is provided in the retractable unit. The catch portion engages the engagement member. The release member releases a force pulling the retractable unit when the retractable unit is moved to the closed position.
US08428503B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A disclosed fixing device for fixing resin particles softened by applying a foam fixer thereon to a recording medium includes a foam fixer generator unit to introduce air bubbles into a liquid fixer containing a softener for softening the resin particles by dissolving or swelling a part of the resin particles to generate the foam fixer, a fixer application member to be brought into contact with a facing member facing the fixer application member to form an application nip and transfer the generated foam fixer to the application nip by moving its surface while carrying the foam fixer to apply the foam fixer to a surface of the recording medium carrying the resin particles at the application nip, and a foam accumulation detector unit to detect a foam accumulation formed of the foam fixer accumulated at an entrance side of the application nip.
US08428497B2 Developing device and image forming apparatus provided with same
A developing device includes a developer storing portion, a developer carrying body, a first regulating member having a first regulating surface regulating a layer thickness of the developer on the developer carrying body, a second regulating member having a second regulating surface that is set so as to gradually become apart from the developer carrying body toward the upstream side with respect to the rotation direction of the developer carrying body to regulate an amount of the developer conveyed to the first regulating surface, the second regulating surface being arranged with a step formed between the second regulating surface and the first regulating surface, and a sheet member so attached to the second regulating surface as to cover at least a portion of the step between the first regulating surface and the second regulating surface.
US08428484B2 Methods and systems for peripheral accounting
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for providing external accounting functions for a peripheral device.
US08428482B2 Image forming apparatus and computer readable medium
An image forming apparatus includes a first acquiring unit, a determination unit, a second acquiring unit, and a notifying unit. The first acquiring unit acquires first settable region information on a plane-shaped recording medium in other image forming apparatus. The first settable region information indicates a first settable region on which a registration mark is settable. The determination unit determines a first region based on the first settable region information. The first region is a region on which the registration mark is formable in a cascade printing system including the image forming apparatus and the other image forming apparatus. The second acquiring unit acquires second settable region information on the plane-shaped recording medium. The second settable region information indicates a second settable region on which the registration mark is formable in the plane-shaped recording medium. The notifying unit provides invalidity information indicating the registration mark is possible invalid.
US08428481B2 Long life cleaning system with reduced stress for start of cleaning blade operation
According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided an apparatus and method to manage the contact of a cleaning blade and a moving surface to increase the useful life of the blade. For example, a cleaning apparatus for a photoreceptor surface comprises a cleaning unit with a blade holder that rotates about a pivot point, a cleaning blade that is coupled to the blade holder and is positioned to chisel excess toner from the photoreceptor surface, and which cleans excess toner from the photoreceptor surface. The apparatus further comprises a sensor that senses the start and the end of an operational procedure, and an actuator that rotates the blade holder about the pivot point to selectively advance or retract the blade during the start-up procedure and the shut-down procedure. After the cleaning surface has begun to move or reached operating speed, blade contact is increased to bring the blade load up to operational level. By making this change to the conventional static cleaning blade, the peak stress at start-up and shut-down is much reduced and cleaning blade life and reliability are much improved.
US08428473B2 Stable millimeter wave source for broadband wireless signal transmission using optical fibre
An apparatus and method for generating a millimeter-wave carrier signal for optical data transmission is disclosed. The apparatus includes stimulated Brillouin scattering source (101) that generates a variable stoke line multi-wavelength optical signal, optical amplifiers (102, 108), an optical splitter (103) that splits the amplified output of the SBS source (101) into two identical optical signals of the same magnitude, frequency, phase and electromagnetic mode, identical optical tuneable band-pass filters (104, 105) with the same band-pass, an optical coupler (107) that combines the optical signals emitted from the output of the optical filters (104, 105) such that the output of the coupler (107) is a dual wavelength optical signal with a wavelength separation equivalent to the desired millimeter wave frequency, a photo-detector (109) that converts the optical signal to an electrical signal by heterodyning process, and a controller circuit (106) that controls the gain of the optical amplifiers (102, 108), the tuning of the optical band-pass filters (104, 105) independently and the number of stoke lines produced by the stimulated Brillouin scattering source (101) depending on the electrical millimeter wave output.
US08428471B2 Optical access system for dual service network
The present invention relates to an optical access system for dual service network, which mainly comprises an optical modulation device which is used to receive on-off keying (OOK) signal from cable network and radio frequency (RF) signal from wireless network, the optical modulation device then modulates the OOK signal and the RF signal to an optical signal and send out an output optical signal. Lastly, the output optical signal is being delivered to an optical receiving device through an optical fiber transmission channel, and the optical receiving device can access the OOK signal and RF signal from the output optical signal. In addition, the present invention does not require remote nodes (receiver side) to use any optical filter to discern on-off keying signal from cable network and RF signal from wireless network. The present invention can also apply to the field of wavelength-division multiplexing system.
US08428469B2 Visible light communication method and apparatus
A method and an apparatus are provided for guaranteeing terminal mobility in a time division visible light communication system. In resource assignment in a position where the visible light communication terminal changes a cell, the terminal is assigned a resource to be used in a next cell in a cell boundary area from a communication coordinator, thereby guaranteeing the continuous mobility. The visible light communication system informs the terminal of cell boundary notice information for easily informing the terminal of the cell definition so that the terminal can recognize that the terminal is currently located in the cell boundary and is necessary to change the resource.
US08428466B2 Carrier current communication system with infrared receiver
Embodiments of a method and apparatus are described to transmit a data signal from a power supply unit, over existing direct current (DC) power transmission lines, to a residential gateway which includes an infrared (IR) receiver designed to receive optical signals. In one embodiment, the IR receiver is configured to receive a carrier current communication signal from the power supply unit over a pair of copper wires coupled to the IR receiver. The carrier current communication signals may be encoded by a transmission encoding logic circuit using pulse position modulation techniques. The received carrier current communication signals may be demodulated and decoded to reproduce an input data stream.
US08428461B2 Apparatus for managing an optical signal
An apparatus for managing an optical signal includes a system optics card including an add filter, a drop filter, electrical backplane connector, and a mechanical front panel including express input and output ports providing channels to other system optics cards. The card transports information over a first optical transport link and receives information over a second optical transport link. The card identifies at least one network channel on the second optical transport link destined for a client device. The drop filter delivers the identified network channel to the optical converter card for delivery to the client device. The add filter receives client channels from the optical converter card generated by the client device. The card also transports the client channels of the client device over the first optical transport link. The electrical backplane connector is connectable to a chassis for housing the system optics cards and other system optics cards and/or other optics cards.
US08428457B2 Optical passive network system and its operation method
In the configuration of an optical communication system interconnecting a parent station and a plurality of child stations via an optical fiber network equipped with an optical splitter, RE is provided having a measuring unit for measuring a transmission distance or time to a child station, a determining unit for determining a timing when a child station transmits a signal, in accordance with a transmission bandwidth request from the child station, and a signal processing unit for processing a signal received from a child station and transmitting the processed signal to the parent station. When a burst signal is received from each child station at the determined timing, a portion of the header of the burst signal is deleted, and a dummy signal is inserted into the deleted area and a gap area between received burst signals to convert the burst signals into a series of signals to be sent to the parent station.
US08428453B1 Single mode visual media capture
An electronic device includes digital image sensors to capture visual media, a display to present the visual media from the digital image sensors and a touch controller to identify haptic contact engagement, haptic contact persistence and haptic contact release on the display. A visual media capture controller alternately records the visual media as a photograph or a video based upon an evaluation of the time period between the haptic contact engagement and the haptic contact release.
US08428451B2 Interchangeable zoom lens actuator
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an optical module that includes interchangeable lenses to adjust a zoom level of the optical module.
US08428446B1 Snow and ice melting device
The snow and ice melting device consists of a power generator contained within a housing, which includes wheels and a handle to make mobile. A heater deck is suspended above the ground in front of the housing, and includes a heating element and a blower, which directs heated air towards the ground in order to melt snow or ice. The heater deck is connected to the housing by a pivoting arm and a winch cable that enables the heater deck to hover above the ground or to fold vertically next to the housing when not in use.
US08428445B2 Gas heating apparatus and methods
A thermally sprayed gas heater comprises a gas flow apparatus that propels a gas through a housing; and a thermally sprayed heater bonded to a surface of the apparatus, the heater positioned to heat the gas flow in the housing. In other aspects, a heater system for a turbulent flow gas duct comprises a duct having a gas flow channel, the channel having a shaped surface providing turbulent gas flow in the channel, and a thermally sprayed heater positioned to heat the gas flow in the channel.
US08428440B2 Information recording apparatus and method for the same
Entry points are managed so they are easy for users to understand. The data recording apparatus has a receiver unit that receives a stream of encoded digital data; an analyzer that detects change in an attribute of the received stream and that outputs the detection information; a controller that generates management information containing the detection information output by the analyzer and time information indicating detection time of the change as a first entry point; a drive that records the management information and the received stream to a data storage medium; and an input unit that defines a second entry point. This second entry point is set relative to the playback path of the stream and is used to access and read from a particular point in the stream. The controller further generates the management information containing the first entry point and the second entry point separately identified.
US08428426B2 Digital video recording/playback apparatus
A digital video recording/playback apparatus is provided in which maximum delay can be easily changed in accordance with the bit rate of inputted video data. The digital video recording/playback apparatus includes a memory unit, a playback unit, a synchronization unit, a synchronization signal counter, and a controller. The synchronization signal counter counts a synchronization signal to generate a frame counter value. The controller outputs a reading start instruction for the video data to the memory unit, and a decoding start instruction for the video data to the playback unit. The controller is configured to determine a first process completion time limit represented by the frame counter value as a process completion time limit for the memory unit and to determine a second process completion time limit represented by the frame counter value as a process completion time limit for the playback unit.
US08428424B2 Apparatus and method for testing signal channels of digital video recorder
A channel test unit of a digital video recorder (DVR) includes a command generation module generating a selection signal to a controller. The controller outputs control signals to a multiplexer to select an output terminal of the multiplexer to switch to a signal channel. A signal generation module obtains a format voice data and converts to an analog voice signal and sends to the multiplexer. The multiplexer sends the analog voice signal to the selected signal channel after the signal channel is selected. A voice detection module defines an identification (ID) number for each of the signal channels in sequence and detects whether the DVR receives an analog voice signal, and determines whether all of the signal channels have been tested. A display module displays an ID number of the selected signal channel on a display device when the DVR does not receive the analog voice signal.
US08428423B2 Reproducing apparatus for video data
A reproducing apparatus arranged to reproduce a moving image signal of a scene from a recording medium, set one of a first reproduction mode for reproducing one scene selected from the moving image signal of a selected one scene and a second reproduction mode for reproducing the moving image signals according to a playlist, convert the moving image signal recorded on the recording medium into a format designated by a transmission destination of the moving image signal, and effect control in response to a conversion instruction such that, in the first reproduction mode, the moving image signal of the one scene is divided on a unit basis of predetermined time related to an upper limit time designated by the transmission destination of the moving image signal and in the second reproduction mode, the moving image signals of the plurality of scenes are combined and the combined moving image signal is divided on the predetermined time basis.
US08428422B2 Moving picture multiplexing apparatus, audio and video recording apparatus and moving picture multiplexing method
The present invention provides a moving picture multiplexing apparatus generating a seamlessly-reproducible multiplexed stream even in the case where streams are reproduced in a different order. The moving picture multiplexing apparatus includes: a stream end information generating unit generating stream end information including a stream end system clock, using a video end PTS; a start clock calculating unit calculating a multiplex starting system clock, using the stream end information as stream end information on a preceding stream, and a video start PTS; an end clock calculating unit calculating a multiplex ending system clock, using the video start PTS as a video start PTS of a following stream, and the stream end information; and a multiplexed pack generating unit generating the multiplexed stream by starting the multiplexing at the multiplex starting system clock, and ending the multiplexing at the multiplex ending system clock.
US08428421B2 Playback of damaged video media using downloaded content
A method, system and computer program provide a mechanism for playing damaged digital video media and optionally notifying a service agency of the damage. When a defect is located on media, the DVD player reads the media to determine damaged portions of the video program. Once the damaged portion is identified, the DVD player downloads content from a remote content provider, such as the content producer, a rental agency, or a third party provider. The content may be downloaded during or prior to video playback. Rental agencies or other providers may be notified of damaged media by network message. When a defect is located during playback and content is downloaded, the DVD player transmits user and disc identification data encoded in the DVD player and on the media across the network to the agency. The agency may use the information to flag the media for removal from circulation upon return.
US08428420B2 Assembly for installing an optical access network
An assembly for installing an optical access network includes at least one in-line optical cable and a drop cable. The assembly includes a duct suitable for housing the at least one in-line optical cable and an optical transition box for snaking an optical connection between the at least one in-line optical cable and the drop cable. The duct has a window. The optical transition box has a base with two sidewalls. Each of the two sidewalls has a first opening allowing the in-line optical cable to enter and exit the base. The base is suitable for being partially inserted in the duct through the window in such a way that, when the base is partially inserted in the duct, the first opening is contained within the duct.
US08428418B2 Fiber optic adapter plate and cassette
An adapter cassette including a housing and an adapter plate that mounts to a front opening of the housing by a snap-fit connection. The adapter cassette also including a cover that mounts to the housing by a snap-fit connection to enclose cable terminations within an interior of the housing. The adapter plate of the adapter cassette can further be mounted directly to a telecommunications panel without the housing for use in applications having non-enclosed cable terminations.
US08428414B2 Single-mode optical fiber having reduced bending losses
A single-mode optical fiber includes a central core, an intermediate cladding, a depressed trench, and an external optical cladding. The central core has a radius r1 and a positive refractive index difference Δn1 with the optical cladding. The intermediate cladding has a radius r2 and a refractive index difference Δn2 with the optical cladding, wherein Δn2 is less than Δn1. The depressed trench has a radius r3 and a negative index difference Δn3 with the optical cladding. At a wavelength of 1310 nanometers, the optical fiber has a mode field diameter (MFD) between 8.6 microns and 9.5 microns and, at a wavelength of 1550 nanometers, the optical fiber has bending losses less than about 0.25×10−3 dB/turn for a radius of curvature of 15 millimeters. At a wavelength of 1260 nanometers, attenuation of the LP11 mode to 19.3 dB is achieved over less than 90 meters of fiber.
US08428413B2 Stretcher fiber and module
A stretcher fiber has a core region, inner trench region, ring region, outer trench region, and outer cladding region. The fiber regions are structured to provide the stretcher fiber with a relationship between dispersion and wavelength, such that the second and third derivatives of the stretcher fiber's propagation constant with respect to angular frequency have a shape and wavelength range matching those of a selected compressor module.
US08428402B2 Optical transmission module, electronic device, and method for manufacturing optical transmission module
This invention provides an optical transmission module that is of low cost and that can be mounted even in a narrow space. An optical transmission module of the present invention includes a light reception processing section for converting an optical signal transmitted by an optical wiring to an electric signal, a reception side substrate part including an electric wiring for transmitting the electric signal, and a reception side connector section for providing the electric signal to the light reception processing section and the reception side substrate part. The light reception processing section and the reception side connector section are mounted on a same substrate surface of the reception side substrate part, and the reception side substrate part includes a bending portion bent so that the substrate surfaces oppose each other at the back in the normal direction.
US08428390B2 Generating sharp images, panoramas, and videos from motion-blurred videos
A “Blur Remover” provides various techniques for constructing deblurred images from a sequence of motion-blurred images such as a video sequence of a scene. Significantly, this deblurring is accomplished without requiring specialized side information or camera setups. In fact, the Blur Remover receives sequential images, such as a typical video stream captured using conventional digital video capture devices, and directly processes those images to generate or construct deblurred images for use in a variety of applications. No other input beyond the video stream is required for a variety of the embodiments enabled by the Blur Remover. More specifically, the Blur Remover uses joint global motion estimation and multi-frame deblurring with optional automatic video “duty cycle” estimation to construct deblurred images from video sequences for use in a variety of applications. Further, the automatically estimated video duty cycle is also separately usable in a variety of applications.
US08428389B2 Multi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method for image texture analysis
A multi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition method is provided. The method can be applied in image texture analysis, such as medical image analysis. The method can adaptively decompose a three-dimensional image into a number of characteristic image layers and extract characteristic images showing more noticeable textures from the layers. The method uses the physical concept of field to perform the data mode decomposition to obtain envelope and tendency estimation of multi-dimensional data. The method can also be applied in time and frequency analysis of two-dimensional data or multi-channel data.
US08428388B2 Image generating apparatus and method for emphasizing edge based on image characteristics
An image generating apparatus and method for emphasizing an edge, based on image characteristics by extracting an edge region from an input original image, and an edge gain indicating a degree for emphasizing the edge region and an edge threshold indicating a degree of complexity between pixels are calculated for each of a plurality of image regions of the original image. The extracted edge region is combined with the calculated edge gain. Thresholding is performed by adjusting the calculated edge threshold for the edge region combined with the edge gain, and the thresholding-applied edge region is combined with the original image to output a final image. By adaptively adjusting an edge gain and an edge threshold for a portion where an edge needs to be emphasized and the other portions in an image having multiple image characteristics, both edge emphasis and noise cancellation can be achieved together.
US08428381B2 Image compression method with variable quantization parameter
An image compression method s used for processing a plurality of pixels of an image. The image compression method includes the steps of receiving N successive pixels; obtaining N pixel differences and N map differences corresponding to the N pixels according to values of the N pixels through differential pulse code modulation; calculating to obtain a quantization reference value corresponding to the N pixels according to the N pixel differences; obtaining a quantization parameter corresponding to the N pixels according to the quantization reference value; and encoding the N map differences according to the quantization parameter.
US08428380B2 Apparatus and method of embedded quantization for the improved SNR scalbility
Provided are a method and apparatus for enhancing coding efficiency by performing encoding and decoding by optimally calculating quantization intervals and reconstruction values through a distribution of DCT coefficients of each frame, when DCT coefficients of each SNR enhancement layer are quantized in scalable video coding. The encoding apparatus includes: an R-D optimization unit performing Rate-Distortion (R-D) optimization based on a distribution of Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) coefficients each slice and calculating a first reference value and a second reference value respectively indicating a start point and an end point of DCT coefficients quantized to “0”; a quantization interval setting unit setting adaptive quantization intervals on the basis of a minimum value and a maximum value of the DCT coefficients, the first reference value, and the second reference value; and a mapping unit mapping the DCT coefficients to the adaptive quantization intervals.
US08428379B2 Method for distributed source coding of wavelet coefficients in zerotrees
A method for encoding a source image, wherein the source image includes a set of bitplanes of pixels, is disclosed. For each bitplane in a most to least significant order, the method include obtaining a list of significant pixels (LSP), a list of insignificant pixels (LIP), and a list of insignificant sets (LIS) according to a hierarchical ordering of the source image pixels; synchronizing the LSP, LIP and LIS of the source image with the LSP, LIP and LIS of a key image; constructing a temporary list of insignificant sets (TLIS) for the source image; and applying syndrome encoding to the LSP, LIP, and TLIS of the source image to obtain syndromes corresponding to magnitudes and signs of pixels in the source image, wherein the steps are performed in a processor.
US08428362B2 Scene matching reference data generation system and position measurement system
A scene matching reference data generation system inputs a set of probe data. The set of the probe data includes captured images sequentially obtained by a plurality of probe cars and the vehicle positions of the probe cars. The system temporarily stores the captured images, evaluates image similarity degrees of the captured images, and assigns the similarity degrees to the captured images. The system selects, as a plurality of processing target captured images, a plurality of the captured images having similarity degrees equal to or higher than a first predetermined degree, determines a representative image-capturing position that is a representative of the image-capturing positions of the plurality of the processing target captured images, generates image feature point data based on the plurality of the processing target captured images, and generates the reference data for scene matching by associating the image feature point data with the representative image-capturing position.
US08428360B2 System and method for real-time new event detection on video streams
Techniques are disclosed for detecting new events in a video stream that yield improved detection efficiency in real time. For example, a method determines whether a given event is a new event in a video stream. The video stream includes a plurality of events. A first step extracts a first set of features (e.g., text features) from the given event. The first set of features is computationally less expensive to process as compared to a second set of features (e.g., image features) associated with the given event. A second step computes one or more first dissimilarity values between the given event and one or more previous events in the video stream using only the first set of features when one or more first dissimilarity criteria exist. A third step determines whether the given event is a new event based on the one or more computed first dissimilarity values.
US08428344B2 System and method for providing mobile range sensing
The present invention provides an improved method for estimating range of objects in images from various distances comprising receiving a set of images of the scene having multiple objects from at least one camera in motion. Due to the motion of the camera, each of the images are obtained at different camera locations. Then an object visible in multiple images is selected. Data related to approximate camera positions and orientations and the images of the visible object are used to estimate the location of the object relative to a reference coordinate system. Based on the computed data, a projected location of the visible object is computed and the orientation angle of the camera for each image is refined. Additionally, pairs of cameras with various locations can obtain dense stereo for regions of the image at various ranges.
US08428339B2 System and method for alignment and inspection of ball grid array devices
A system and method for high-speed alignment and inspection of components, such as BGA devices, having non-uniform features is provided. During training time of a machine vision system, a small subset of alignment significant blobs along with a quantum of geometric analysis for picking granularity is determined. Also, during training time, balls may be associated with groups, each of which may have its own set of parameters for inspection.
US08428325B2 Method for performing an imaging examination technique
A method is disclosed for performing an imaging examination technique. In at least one embodiment, the method includes measuring a first dataset via a first imaging examination technique, measuring a second dataset via a second imaging examination technique, segmenting the first dataset, transferring the segmentation to the second dataset, selecting at least one localization in the second dataset on the basis of the transferred segmentation, and measuring a third dataset via a third imaging examination technique such that the third dataset includes the at least one localization.
US08428307B2 Process for the automatic determination of speed limitations on a road and an associated system
An automatic process is provided for automatically determining a current speed limitation on a road being used by a motor vehicle, in which by means of a first system, making use in particular of a GPS aerial and cartographical details, a first set of information is established, in which at least one likely speed limitation is associated with a confidence index; by means of a second system, involving the use of a camera and image processing applications capable of identifying roadside speed limitation panels, a second set of information is established comprising at least one probable speed limitation, wherein the basis of the first and second sets of information, the current speed limitation is determined along the road in question.
US08428306B2 Information processor and information processing method for performing process adapted to user motion
A positional data acquisition unit of an action detector acquires positional data indicating the position of an image of a light-emitting part of a light-emitting device held by a user in an image frame at each time step, and also acquires curve data for the head contour at each time step estimated as a result of visual tracking by a tracking processor. A history storage unit stores a history of the positional data for an image of a light-emitting part and the curved data for the head contour. A determination criteria storage unit stores the criteria for determining that a predefined action is performed by referring to the time-dependent change in the relative position of the image of the light-emitting part in relation to the curve representing the head contour. An action determination unit determines whether the action is performed based on the actual data.
US08428297B2 Acoustic transducer
An acoustic transducer includes a sound-producing member at least partially disposed within the first magnetic flux gap region between the magnetic poles, the sound-producing assemblage is magnetically excited through a magnetic circuit that passes from a location outside the magnetic flux gap region to inside the magnetic flux region through an air gap.
US08428290B2 Input-panel-equipped portable speaker device
An input-panel-equipped portable speaker device includes a cabinet shell body configured to enclose an accommodation chamber in a longitudinal direction, and having left and right mounting walls opposite to each other in a transverse direction. The left mounting wall has an inner peripheral region defining a fitting opening. The right mounting wall has a positioning groove. An input panel is connected with an amplifier circuit board, and is disposed to cover the fitting opening. When a right board edge of the circuit board is brought to be fitted in the positioning groove, an outer peripheral region of the panel is brought to abut against the inner peripheral region so as to enable an air-tight engagement therebetween.
US08428287B2 Earbuds with electrostatic discharge protection
To avoid undesirable electrostatic discharge events while maintaining low leakage currents, earbuds may be provided with controlled electrostatic discharge paths. The discharge paths may include discrete components such as resistors or more distributed resistive components such as resistive elastomers. A resistive elastomer may be incorporated into an interior portion of an earbud between an earbud housing structure and a ground path. A resistive elastomer may also be used in forming an ear bud tip.
US08428284B2 Loudspeaker with passive low frequency directional control
A loudspeaker is provided that passively achieves a directional polar response at low frequencies with a high degree of attenuation between the front and the back of the loudspeaker. The loudspeaker 11 has a transducer 13, an enclosure 21 behind the transducer, and port openings 29 in the sidewalls 23 of the enclosure to allow a back-wave produced by the transducer to exit the enclosure and combine with the front wave produced by the transducer. Cancellation behind the loudspeaker at low frequencies is achieved by delaying the back wave with low loss. Low loss delay at low frequencies is achieved by inserting a low-density fibrous fill material 33 in the acoustic chamber 27 formed behind the transducer 13 by the enclosure 21. A fibrous material is selected having a low-pass transfer function and low acoustic loss in its low-frequency pass band.
US08428270B2 Audio gain control using specific-loudness-based auditory event detection
In one disclosed aspect, dynamic gain modifications are applied to an audio signal at least partly in response to auditory events. In another aspect, an input channel is divided into auditory events by detecting changes in a measurable characteristic of the input signal with respect to time.
US08428264B2 Method and system for wireless connecting a mobile device to a service provider through a hosting wireless access node
A method and system for commissioning a wireless connection with a related authentication and the eventual encryption to a remote relay node, whereto an electronic mobile device is connected to a hosting wireless access node for transmitting/receiving data to/from a service provider available on the Internet by means of a commissioned relay access node selected by an authentication and commissioning manager. The data transfer between the mobile device and the service provider is encapsulated into the tunnel between the hosting wireless access node and the commissioned relay access node and is finally forwarded by the commissioned relay access node to the service provider. The service provider thereby is exchanging data with the commissioned relay access node and not directly with the hosting wireless access node.
US08428260B2 System and method of increasing encryption synchronization availability
Methods for increasing encryption synchronization availability include collecting encryption synchronization data from a first superframe received at a gateway. The encryption synchronization data is for decrypting media in a second superframe also received at the gateway. The encryption synchronization data from the first superframe is used to form a composite encryption synchronization codeword for decrypting media in a third superframe formed by the gateway, wherein the third superframe includes the composite encryption synchronization codeword and at least a portion of the media from the second superframe. The third superframe is sent to a receiving device so that media in the third superframe can be decrypted by the receiving device using the composite encryption synchronization codeword that is included in the same superframe as the media that is being decrypted.
US08428256B2 Method and apparatus for efficiently fixing transformed part of content
Provided are a method and apparatus for effectively fixing scrambled content. The method includes checking fixing information for a program map table (PMT) packet of packets constituting the content, the fixing information being used to fix a transformed part of the content; extracting location information of a next PMT packet containing fixing data for fixing the transformed part of the content from the fixing information of the PMT packet; and fixing the transformed part of the content by using the fixing data in the next PMT packet indicated by the extracted location information. Accordingly, it is possible to easily detect a location of the content, which stores the fixing information, thereby expediting fixing of the transformed content.
US08428253B2 Method for processing contents intended for broadcasting
A processing method of content intended for broadcasting is disclosed. The method includes, preceding broadcasting: encryption of the content by a plurality of control words, reservation of locations intended to receive a control message in the encrypted content, marking of each location with location information in the content, and storage of a key file comprising the control words. During broadcasting, the method includes: transmission of the encrypted content to a video server, transmission of the key file to a control message generator, broadcasting of the content encrypted by the video server, interception of the video server output by a replacement module, detection, by the replacement module, of location information of control messages in the stream of the broadcasted content, and application of the control messages at locations provided for this purpose by the replacement module.
US08428248B2 System and method for mirroring power over ethernet registers in a physical layer device over a single isolation boundary
A system and method for mirroring power over Ethernet (PoE) registers in physical layer devices (PHYs) over a single isolation boundary. PHYs in a PoE system can be arranged in a master/slave configuration. In this configuration, a master PHY can be designed to communicate with the power source equipment controllers via a single isolation device.
US08428245B2 Customer service agent assisted social networks
The present invention comprises a method for: (i) receiving information from a caller C1 and indexing the caller C1 into a first group based, at least in part, on the received information, (ii) transmitting to a participant P1, a first message requesting that the participant P1 assist the caller C1 indexed in the first group, (iii) establishing a conference call between the participant P1 and the caller C1 in response to the participant P1 responding to the first message, (iv) transmitting the first message to a participant P2 when the participant P1 does not respond to the first message, (v) establishing a conference call between the participant P2 and the caller C1 in response to the participant P2 responding to the first message, and (vi) connecting the caller C1 with an agent A1 when a response to the first message is not received from the participant P1 and the participant P2.
US08428238B2 System and method for ensuring call privacy in a shared telephone environment
A system and method for an enterprise includes a telephone device operable to receive an incoming call directed from a caller to a called party, the telephone device being shared among a plurality of persons within the enterprise. A software or hardware (firmware) module with code that runs on a PBX system of the enterprise authenticates a person answering the incoming call as the called party before connecting the incoming call to the telephone device. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US08428235B2 Telephone call processing
Embodiments of the present invention, include provision of enhanced telephony services for telephone calls received at local telephone exchange switches which do not themselves support identification of enhanced telephony service users and the associated triggering to initiate the provision of enhanced telephony services. Using a supported number portability mechanism, local telephone exchange switches allow provision of enhanced telephony services.
US08428226B2 Method of call trace on media gateway of next generation network
The present invention discloses a method of call trace on a next generation network (NGN) media gateway (MG). According to the present invention, a softswitch device adds an extended trace indication to an H.248 message related to the call to be traced; the MG determines whether the received H.248 message needs to be traced according to the extended trace indication; and if the H.248 message needs to be traced, trace the call to which the transaction in the H.248 message belongs. By the method, the MG can trace the entire calling process of a call.
US08428214B2 Method for aligning and handling fuel rods within a nuclear fuel bundle
A method of aligning a nuclear fuel bundle and handling selected fuel rods within the fuel bundle located in a spent fuel pool of a nuclear power plant. The bundle includes water rods, full-length and part-length fuel rods extending through a plurality of fuel spacers provided between top and bottom ends of the bundle, each spacer having a plurality of cells accommodating corresponding fuel and water rods. The method includes insertion of a rod grapple tool into a top end of a fuel bundle and down to a desired location within the bundle. A guide pin retrieval tool inserts into a side of the fuel bundle to remove a guide pin from a distal end of a gripper of the rod grapple tool, allowing the guide pin retrieval tool to grip a part-length fuel rod within the fuel bundle.
US08428207B1 System and method for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain
A system and method are provided for determining a time for safely sampling a signal of a clock domain. In one embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Additionally, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the frequency estimate. In another embodiment, a frequency estimate of a first clock domain is calculated utilizing a frequency estimator. Further, a phase estimate of the first clock domain is calculated based on the frequency estimate, utilizing a phase estimator. Moreover, a time during which a signal from the first clock domain is unchanging is determined such that the signal is capable of being safely sampled by a second clock domain, using the phase estimate.
US08428202B2 Receiver with analog and digital gain control, and respective method
The receiver comprises a first amplifier, a mixer for downconverting a wanted communications channel, a second amplifier, a demodulator and a digital controller providing a digital gain setting for the second amplifier by means a digital gain control after a selection of the wanted communications channel, and providing an analog gain setting for the first amplifier by means of an analog gain control during demodulation of the wanted communications channel. The digital gain setting is in particular freezed during demodulation of the wanted communications channel and the digital controller provides a re-calibration of the digital gain setting only, when the analog gain control is out of its control range. Applications are for example for direct conversion digital satellite receivers for reception of DVB-S, DVB-S2 or ABS-S television channels.
US08428193B2 Broadband wireless system
A broadband wireless system includes an antenna receiving a broadband wireless signal, a reception unit receiving and processing the broadband wireless signal from the antenna and converting the broadband wireless signal into a first intermediate frequency signal, a signal distribution unit converting a first intermediate frequency signal into second intermediate frequency signals which are equal to one another, a parallel amplification unit generating third intermediate frequency signals which are obtained by amplifying the individual second intermediate frequency signals provided from the signal distribution unit with different amplification rates, a parallel analog-to-digital conversion unit performing analog-to-digital conversion of the individual third intermediate frequency signals from the parallel amplification unit and generating discrete intermediate frequency signals, and an execution system selecting any one of the individual discrete intermediate frequency signals by analyzing the individual discrete intermediate frequency signals from the analog-to-digital conversion unit and processing the selected individual discrete intermediate frequency signal.
US08428192B2 Adaptive interference canceling system and method
A communication system adaptively cancels noise and/or interference from signals communicated through a communication channel, such as signals communicated by a telecommunication network. The system, based on a common mode signal of a received signal, generates an estimate of noise or interference within a differential mode signal of the received signal. The system then subtracts the estimate from the differential mode signal in an effort to remove noise from the differential mode signal thereby providing a differential mode signal that is substantially free of the estimated noise or interference.
US08428187B2 Reception device and reception method
A reception device includes a replica signal generating unit which generates a replica signal which is a replica of a transmitted signal based on a received signal, a time period setting unit which sets a plurality of time periods which time period of the received signal is divided into based on a received power of the received signal, an arrival wave removing unit which removes an arrival waves from the received signal for each time period set by the time period setting unit using the replica signal generated by the replica signal generating unit, a combining unit which combines the signals that the arrival waves are removed by the arrival wave removing unit from the received signal for each time periods set by the time period setting unit; and a demodulation processing unit which performs a demodulation process for the signal combined by the combining unit.
US08428161B2 Symbol vector mapping for chase-combining HARQ
A method of transmitting data from a transmitter to a receiver includes transmitting a first data unit to the receiver via a plurality of antennas, the first data unit including a payload that has a plurality of symbols; determining whether the receiver has successfully received the first data unit; and, in response to determining that the receiver has not successfully received the first data unit, transmitting a second data unit to the receiver, the second data unit including the payload, such that transmitting the second data unit includes transmitting the plurality of symbols via at least one of different antennas and different subcarriers with respect to the first data unit.
US08428158B2 Method for channel estimation using recursive filtering and multicarrier receiver with interference-aware demodulation
Embodiments of a multicarrier receiver with interference-aware demodulation and methods for channel estimation using recursive filtering in wireless networks are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, orders of a recursive filter are allocated to track a main channel and one or more interfering channels to generate channel estimates.
US08428155B2 Printed circuit board
One end of a sub transmission line of which an impedance value is equal to or higher than a parallel impedance value of an output impedance value of a transmission circuit and an impedance value of a transmission line is connected to a connection point between the transmission circuit and the transmission line, and a correction resistor of which resistance is lower than an impedance value of the sub transmission line is connected to the other end of the sub transmission line. A length of the sub transmission line is set to satisfy a condition of 0.5×Tr (signal rise time)≦Td (signal propagation time of sub transmission line)≦0.5×Tmin (signal minimum pulse width), thereby achieving a de-emphasis function by a passive component, correcting a high-frequency component of a signal attenuated on the transmission line, and thus reducing timing jitters caused by intersymbol interference.
US08428145B2 System and method for providing fast trick modes
A system and method for providing trick modes uses one or more techniques to reduce computation and/or memory requirements to efficiently decode frames of a video bitstream to be displayed during a selected trick mode.
US08428135B2 Device and method for fast sub sample block-matching motion estimation in video encoders
Methods of using motion estimation techniques with video encoders to provide significant data compression with respect to video signals so that the video signals may subsequently be reconstructed with minimal observable information loss. Methods include a fast fractional motion estimation scheme.
US08428130B2 Method and apparatus for decoding/encoding a video signal
The method includes obtaining initialization information of a reference picture list for a random access slice, the initialization information representing a reference relation between a plurality of views, initializing the reference picture list for inter-view prediction by appending an inter-view reference index to an initialized reference picture list for temporal prediction based on the view number information and the view identification information, obtaining modification information for the initialized reference picture list, determining an assignment modification value for modifying the inter-view reference index in the initialized reference picture list according to the modification information, and modifying the initialized reference picture list for inter-view prediction using the determined assignment modification value.
US08428127B2 Method of performing rate control for a compression system
A rate controller for allocating a bit budget for video frames to be encoded is disclosed. The rate controller of the present invention considers many different factors when determining the frame bit budget including: desired video quality, target bit rate, frame type (intra-frame or inter-frame), frame duration, intra-frame frequency, frame complexity, intra-block frequency within an intra-frame, buffer overflow, buffer underflow, and the encoded video frame quality for a possible second pass.
US08428125B2 Techniques for content adaptive video frame slicing and non-uniform access unit coding
Techniques for content adaptive video frame slicing and non-uniform access unit coding for improved coding efficiency are provided. An encoder and decoder are disclosed to process (encode or decode) a single non-uniform video access unit (VAU) employing flexible macroblock ordering (FMO) in conjunction with different slice coding types in response to global motion detection of a camera pan or a scroll within the single VAU.
US08428121B2 Image pick-up apparatus for shooting and reproducing a moving image
A user friendly image pick-up apparatus is provided, which is capable of reproducing a moving image in various ways. The image pick-up apparatus 100 is provided with a display device 5 and an image processing circuit 2, wherein the display device reproduces a moving image at a reproducing speed based on plural image frames produced by an image pick-up unit 1, and the image processing circuit adds and combines a predetermined number of image frames among the plural image frames produced by the image pick-up unit to successively produce standard frames to be produced at a standard reproducing frame rate and successively produces difference image data between the standard frame and each of the predetermined image frames.
US08428118B2 Technique for transcoding MPEG-2/MPEG-4 bitstream to H.264 bitstream
A method/system of transcoding an MPEG 2/4 bit stream into an H.264 format, handles an input MPEG 2/4 bit stream in a decoder, and identifies certain data in the input bit stream for reuse in the H.264 format; and, reuses the identified data in a re-encoder with assistance from a mapping module in transcoding by converting the input bit stream into an output H.264 format. The identified data includes information at a macrolevel and information at a picture level. The information at the macrolevel might comprise additional stages incorporated in the re-encoder module including a Mapping Process stage, a Sub Pixel Refinement stage, a Mode Selection stage to choose from Intra, Inter or Skip modes, followed by the standard H.264 encoding loop and the Entropy Coding Block. The information at the picture level might include; a) average quantizer of frame, and, b) total bits per frame.
US08428116B2 Moving picture encoding device, method, program, and moving picture decoding device, method, and program
After an input image signal (2000) of a smaller resolution is encoded by an encoder (20), an input image signal (1000) of a greater resolution is subjected to motion compensation processing by a motion compensation unit (102) according to motion information (1998), thereby generating a prediction error signal (1001). Simultaneously with this, an enlarged decoded image (2003) obtained by enlarging the decoded image (2002) obtained by an encoder (20) is subjected to motion compensation processing by a motion compensation unit (103) according to the motion information (1998), thereby generating a prediction error signal (2005). By referencing the prediction error signal (2005), the prediction error signal (1001) is subjected to conversion encoding, quantization, and entropy encoding.
US08428103B2 Discrete time chaos dithering
The invention concerns a chaotic communications system, method and apparatus having a transmitter configured to spread an input data signal over a wide intermediate frequency band, by digitally generating a first chaotic sequence of values to form a spreading code. The spreading code is then used to form a digital IF chaotic spread spectrum signal having a uniform sampling interval. The duration of the sampling interval is then selectively varied in accordance with a first pseudo-random sequence, thereby introducing a known dither in the digital IF chaotic spread spectrum signal. After introducing the known dither, the digital IF chaotic spread spectrum signal is converted to an analog RF spread spectrum signal at a conversion rate that exceeds the sampling interval of the chaotic spread spectrum signal. A corresponding receiver recovers the input data from the spread transmitted signal. This spreading may utilize a chaotic sequence employing discrete time chaos dithering.
US08428100B2 System and methods for securing data transmissions over wireless networks
A method of communicating over a network for wireless communications is disclosed. The method transmits encoded data from a source device to a destination device via a single path up through a plurality of wireless paths using a random frequency hopping tuning pattern for wireless communications, and pseudo-randomly varies dwell times of the frequency hopping tuning pattern over which the data is transmitted. The network uses forward-error correction coding redundancy within a data burst to allow recovery of corrupted data in any partially jammed hop of the transmitted data.
US08428092B2 High-power laser unit wherein laser output can be accurately corrected
A high-power laser unit capable of accurately correcting laser output from low to rated outputs, even when the laser unit has a laser power monitor which may be affected by environmental factors inside or outside the laser unit, by effectively reducing environmental factors. The laser unit has a laser power monitor for measuring laser output, and a laser controller for correcting the laser output by correcting an amount of excitation energy to a laser power supply so that a measurement value coincides with a laser output command value. The laser unit has a laser output commanding part for generating a laser output command. When it is not necessary to correct the laser output command, the laser output command is converted into an excitation energy command value and sent to the power supply. Otherwise, an output correcting part of the laser controller corrects the laser output command.
US08428090B2 Transmitting timing information for content in a data stream
The invention provides a method and apparatus that addresses and resolves the issues currently affecting the ability to offer Enhanced TV, in particular, those issues concerning timing and synchronization, interaction with other modules in the STB, and distribution.
US08428089B2 Location-based sharing of multimedia control resources
In one embodiment, a multimedia resource is shared among a plurality of devices based upon a physical location of an active wireless endpoint unit within a structure. Devices are associated with corresponding zones within the structure. Each device provides functionality within the device's corresponding zone. Using one of a number of techniques, the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit is determined to be within a particular zone. In response, one or more devices associated with the particular zone are provided with access to the multimedia control resources. Access is withheld to one or more other devices associated with another zone that is remote from the physical location of the active wireless endpoint unit.
US08428088B2 Synchronization of multiple data sources to a common time base
Systems and methods are described herein that cause data from asynchronous data sources to be provided with a timestamp that corresponds to a common time base. A trigger board can be used to control synchronized data sources, and can generate timestamps when data is collected by the synchronized data sources. Unsynchronized data sources can generate data independent of the trigger board. System timestamps are generated each time data from the synchronized data source and the unsynchronized data source is received. Values of the system timestamp can be modified, and can be replaced by timestamps that correspond to the time base used by the trigger board.
US08428082B2 Cellular communication system and method for broadcast communication
A cellular communication system comprises a first communication network arranged to use a single cell identifier reuse pattern; a second communication network comprising a cluster of communication cells and arranged to use a common cell identifier reuse pattern for broadcast transmissions. The cellular communication system further comprises management logic (146) having broadcast mode logic (150) operably coupled to at least the second communication network; and a plurality of wireless serving communication units operably coupled to the management logic. The broadcast mode logic (150) applies the same common cell identifier to be used by the plurality of wireless serving communication units in transmitting broadcast communications across the cluster of communication cells in the second network.
US08428080B2 Method to control reconfiguration of multiple radio access bearers in a wireless device
Methods to control reconfiguration of multiple radio access bearers in a mobile wireless device connected to a wireless network are described. The mobile wireless device is connected to the wireless network through a voice connection and a data connection simultaneously. The data connection is concurrently active with the voice connection. Transmission of one or more signaling messages for the data connection is delayed until the voice connection terminates. Representative signaling messages include messages that reconfigure a radio access bearer supporting the data connection and messages estimated to exceed a pre-determined transmission time interval.
US08428067B2 Method and apparatus for dynamic assignment of quality of service parameters in a communication network
A method includes identifying a condition associated with a communication network and/or an industrial control and automation system. The method also includes selecting, based on the identified condition, one or more quality of service (QoS) parameters used to route data through the communication network. In addition, the method includes communicating information identifying the one or more QoS parameters to one or more components in the communication network. The one or more QoS parameters could be contained within one of multiple QoS policies, and the method could include selecting one of the QoS policies. The condition could represent an emergency condition, and the one or more QoS parameters could include a higher QoS priority for traffic (such as voice communications and sensor data) to and from specified personnel (such as first responders). The communication network could represent at least one wired network and/or at least one wireless network.
US08428062B2 Network provider bridge MMRP registration snooping
A provider edge bridge in a service provider network receives multiple media access control (MAC) Registration Protocol (MMRP) registration messages from customer networks via tunnels. The provider edge bridge snoops the MMRP registration messages to obtain multicast MAC addresses from the registration messages, and tunnels the MMRP registration messages toward one or more other bridges. The provider edge bridge constructs multicast forwarding tables based on the multicast addresses obtained from snooping the MMRP registrations, and uses the multicast forwarding tables for forwarding data units from the provider edge bridge towards destinations.
US08428061B1 Packet header altering device
A packet processor for a network device includes an incoming port that receives a first packet. The first packet includes a data portion, a control portion and a first outgoing port. A control data processing device receives the control portion from the incoming port while the data portion is stored in memory, and transmits the control portion to the first outgoing port. The first outgoing port transmits a first request for the data portion based on the control portion. A header altering device retrieves the data portion from the memory and strips, modifies, and encapsulates the data portion based on the first request.
US08428059B2 Network apparatus, edge router, and packet communication system
A network apparatus includes: a slot table storing a record including an identifier of a time slot which is assigned to packet transmission from a specific transmission source to a specific transmission destination, and identifiers of an input interface and output interface which are used for the packet transmission; and a unit, upon receiving a first control packet which includes an identifier of the specific time slot and represents a start of the specific time slot, to identify the input interface and output interface corresponding to the specific time slot from the slot table, and to send packets from the identified input interface to the identified output interface during a period until receiving a second control packet which includes the identifier of the specific time slot and represents an end of the specific time slot.
US08428056B2 Generation of redundant scheduled network paths using a branch and merge technique
A method and apparatus for creating and using multiple redundant paths between endpoints in a scheduled communication network, and for sending copies of data down each path. A path calculation is made for one or more redundant paths between designated branch and merge points in a network using scheduled switch/routers, and duplicate packets are transmitted along each path to the merge point. The first packet received among the configured paths at the merge point is forwarded to a resulting data stream and the later (duplicate) copies from other paths are discarded. Path itineraries are configured to maintain temporal packet sequence in the resulting stream. Path status is monitored and additional paths can be substituted if a path has an outage. Alternatively, multiple divergent paths can be configured, and duplicate packets transmitted along each path, where at least one path delivers data between end points, and a monitoring path also transmits copies of the data to an alternate location. A new routing header may be attached to packets transmitted in the monitoring path, to facilitate conformance with CALEA monitoring requirements.
US08428046B2 Wireless network access device with positioning function and method thereof
A wireless network access device for positioning a mobile device includes a distance acquiring module, an information receiving module and a position determining module. The distance acquiring module acquires an initial distance between the wireless network access device and the mobile device in an initial position and an intermediate distance between the wireless network access device and the mobile device in an intermediate position. The information receiving module receives a distance, angle and orientation of movement of the mobile device from the initial position to the intermediate position. The position determining module determines a current position of the mobile device according to the received distance, angle and orientation of the mobile device, the initial distance and the intermediate distance.
US08428041B2 Wireless communication system, wireless communication device and wireless communication method, and computer program
Access control based on CSMA is favorably carried out with the RTS/CTS method used together.If the RTS/CTS procedure is used together, CTS information is transmitted in response to the reception of RTS information, and data is transmitted in response to the reception of CTS. The CTS transmitting station measures the quality of RTS receive signal, and thereby determines a transmission rate at which it can receive and notifies a station as the destination of CTS. The station as the destination of CTS transmits data in response to CTS information. As the transmission rate for this data, the transmission rate indicated in the RATE field in CTS is applied.
US08428039B2 Methods and apparatus for overlapping MIMO physical sectors
A system for communicating with wireless devices. The systems includes radio groups whose MIMO physical sectors overlap. The MIMO physical sectors communicate using different channels. The MIMO physical sectors overlap to form an area of overlap. Each radio group includes directional antennas and radios. Radios are selectively coupled to the antennas. The antennas that are oriented so that the physical sectors of the antennas overlap to operate as MIMO antennas and form the MIMO physical sector for the radio group. The antennas operate as a MIMO antenna.
US08428037B2 Wireless communications system that supports multiple modes of operation
A wireless communications adapts its mode of operation between spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing in response to transmission-specific variables. An embodiment of a wireless communications system for transmitting information between a base transceiver station and a subscriber unit includes mode determination logic. The mode determination logic is in communication with the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit. The mode determination logic determines, in response to a received signal, if a subscriber datastream should be transmitted between the base transceiver station and the subscriber unit utilizing spatial multiplexing or non-spatial multiplexing. In an embodiment, the mode determination logic has an input for receiving a measure of a transmission characteristic related to the received signal. In an embodiment, the mode determination logic includes logic for comparing the measured transmission characteristic to a transmission characteristic threshold and for selecting one of spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing in response to the comparison of the measured transmission characteristic to the transmission characteristic threshold. In an embodiment, the transmission characteristic includes at least one of delay spread, post-processing signal-to-noise ratio, cyclical redundancy check (CRC) failure, residual inter-symbol interference, mean square error, coherence time, and path loss. By adapting the mode of operation in response to transmission-specific variables, the use of spatial multiplexing can be discontinued in unfavorable conditions. Additionally, because the wireless communications system can adapt its mode of operation between spatial multiplexing and non-spatial multiplexing, the communications system is compatible with both subscriber units that support spatial multiplexing and subscriber units that do not support spatial multiplexing.
US08428036B2 System and method for providing wireless local area networks as a service
A wireless local area network (WLAN) system is provided. The system comprises a WLAN network controller and a plurality of access points. The WLAN network controller is in communication with each of the plurality of access points via a transport data network. The WLAN network controller is configured to perform one or more network control functions for the benefit of the plurality of access points. The network control functions may be selected from management and operation, client authentication, mobility, and per-user administration. The WLAN network controller is remotely located and operated with respect to the plurality of access points.
US08428033B2 Radio frequency network
The present invention relates to radio frequency (RF) distribution systems for mobile communications. In particular, the present invention relates to a radio frequency network facilitating radio communication where the usual free space propagation of electromagnetic waves is hampered, undesired or impossible, for example in tunnels, mines, and buildings and in large complexes like exhibition grounds, shopping malls, and airports. The radio frequency network comprises a distributed antenna system having radiating elements, a wired distribution system feeding the distributed antenna system, at least one antenna amplifier between one end of the wired distribution system and the distributed antenna system, at least one line amplifier at the other end of the wired distribution system, and automatic self-leveling units included in the antenna and line amplifiers.
US08428028B2 Method and apparatus for fast and efficient handover at link layer of wireless LAN
A handover method and apparatus at a link layer of a wireless LAN according to the IEEE 802.11 standard are provided to minimize a handover latency. The handover method is performed in a mobile station moving from one subnet to another subnet, each subnet being managed by one of a plurality of access points. Channels available to the mobile station are selectively scanned based on information regarding one and more access points which are estimated to be present in a communication area of the mobile station, and a handover is performed to one of the access points based on the scanning result.
US08428023B2 Method and apparatus for distributing video packets over multiple bearers for providing unequal packet loss protection
A method and apparatus distributes video packets over multiple bearers for providing unequal packet loss protection. The method includes receiving a plurality of packets that collectively includes video data from a group of pictures comprising a sequence of video frames, wherein the sequence includes one Intra frame at the beginning of the group of pictures followed by a plurality of Predictive frames. For each packet, the packet processing function: determines the corresponding frame that includes the video data; applies a bearer selection process to select one of multiple bearers for transporting the packet over an access network, wherein each bearer has a different quality of service level which influences the probability of the transported packets being dropped, wherein the bearer selection process is based on the position of the frame within the sequence of frames; and provides, to an access network entity, an indication of the selected bearer.
US08428018B2 Method of transmitting reference signals in a wireless communication having multiple antennas
A method of transmitting signals by a transmitting end in a wireless communication system comprises sharing control information related to reference signal with a receiving end; generating one or more precoded reference signals considering a given rank; allocating the one or more precoded reference signals to have a specific pattern within a subframe, wherein the specific pattern is varied depending on the control information; and transmitting the subframe through multiple antennas to the receiving end.
US08428014B2 Method and apparatus for performing an enhanced random access channel procedure in a Cell—FACH state
A method and apparatus for performing an enhanced random access procedure in a Cell_FACH state are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) transmits a random access channel (RACH) preamble for random access. If a positive acknowledgement (ACK) is received in response to the RACH preamble, the WTRU enters a contention resolution phase and transmits a message via an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH). If contention resolution fails, the RACH preamble is retransmitted. A contention back-off timer may be used for retransmission. A physical random access channel (PRACH) code may be reselected. The RACH preamble may be retransmitted using a reserved PRACH resource so that E-DCH resource is allocated to the collided WTRUs. Data transmitted during the contention resolution phase may remain in a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) buffer. The MAC-i/is entity may be reset. All data sent during the contention resolution phase may be stored in a temporary buffer.
US08428012B2 Channel selection in ad hoc wireless network
The present invention relates to channel selection in ad hoc wireless networks. The present invention provides a method of selecting a channel for a node in an ad hoc network of nodes, the method comprising: increasing a preference score for a channel (E) in response to receiving a stimulatory control message (hoot x) associated with the channel from another node; decreasing the preference score for the channel (A) in response to receiving an inhibitory control message (hoot y) associated with the channel from another node; selecting a channel dependent on the preference score for the channel.
US08428009B2 Methods and apparatus for signal transmission and reception in a broadband communication system
In a broadband wireless communication system, a spread spectrum signal is intentionally overlapped with an OFDM signal, in a time domain, a frequency domain, or both. The OFDM signal, which inherently has a high spectral efficiency, is used for carrying broadband data or control information. The spread spectrum signal, which is designed to have a high spread gain for overcoming severe interference, is used for facilitating system functions such as initial random access, channel probing, or short messaging. Methods and techniques are devised to ensure that the mutual interference between the overlapped signals is minimized to have insignificant impact on either signal and that both signals are detectable with expected performance by a receiver.
US08428001B2 Timing corrections in a multi carrier system and propagation to a channel estimation time filter
Systems and methods are provided for determining and applying timing corrections in a digital communications system. In an aspect, a timing correction method is provided for a multi-carrier system. This includes aligning two or more symbols with respect to each other from a symbol subset in order to account for timing differences between the symbols. The symbol alignment is first carried out to generate channel estimates for data demodulation. The channel estimates, thus generated, along with the timing alignment information are in turn used for determining timing corrections-to be applied to future symbols.
US08428000B2 Multiple return link
A system and method for improving efficiency of satellite communications is described. In one embodiment, multiple return links are associated with a single forward link to reduce communications costs.
US08427998B2 Method of designing a multiplexing structure for resource allocation to support legacy system
New multiplexing UL structures for supporting legacy system are provided. A 16m system of diversity mode can be multiplexed with 16e system in PUSC mode in FDM manner with the same tiles/permutation rules. A 16m system can be multiplexed with 16e system in AMC mode in FDM and/or TDM manner. The time length of multiplexed 16e PUSC packets and/or 16m packets can be extended to more than two sub-frames for UL coverage. A PRU for 16m system may consists of 16 sub-carriers by 6 OFDMA symbols, 18 sub-carriers by 6 OFDMA symbols, or 20 sub-carriers by 6 OFDMA symbols when FDM is used.
US08427989B2 Method for improving discontinuous reception for a wireless communication system and related communication device
A method for improving discontinuous reception for a user equipment of a wireless communication system includes separately managing retransmission detecting timings of a plurality of downlink hybrid automatic repeat request (DL HARQ) processes when the discontinuous reception is used in the plurality of DL HARQ processes.
US08427980B2 Methods and apparatus to determine and implement multidimensional network topologies
Methods and apparatus to determine and implement multidimensional network topologies are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein comprises receiving an input parameter for determining a multidimensional network topology for a network interconnecting a plurality of devices, and determining a set of multidimensional network topologies, each multidimensional network topology of the set comprising a respective plurality of nodes to interconnect the plurality of devices, each node in each multidimensional network topology of the set being fully connected with all neighbor nodes in each dimension of the multidimensional network topology, and each multidimensional network topology of the set satisfying a first constraint based on the input parameter.
US08427977B2 Wireless network polling and data warehousing
Methods and systems are provided to collect and update data on client devices connected to WiFi access points is provided. An inventory of WiFi cable modems and WiFi access points coupled to the WiFi cabled modems within a specific network is periodically collected. Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of WiFi cable modems and WiFi access points coupled to the WiFi cabled modems are periodically updated. Traps are periodically received from the WiFi access points. The traps are parsed to collect an inventory of client devices wirelessly connected to the WiFi access points and a time at which a client device connected to the WiFi access point. The WiFi access points are periodically polled to collect data on client devices, the data including a period of time that a client device has been connected to a WiFi access point and a physical location of the client device.
US08427968B2 Communication data statistical apparatus, communication data statistical method, and computer program product
An apparatus has a receiver module configured to receive packets including multiple different identifiers, an aggregation module configured to classify each packet, which is received by the receiver module into a certain aggregate flow and generate aggregate statistical information including number of packets belonging to the certain aggregate flow, and a statistical processing module configured to perform an updating process arranged to classify the certain aggregate flow into a specific statistical flow and to update statistical information including number of packets belonging to the specific statistical flow based on corresponding aggregate statistical information, the statistical processing module repeating the updating process for multiple aggregate flows, into which packets are classified by the aggregation module, so as to update the statistical information in each of the multiple different statistical conditions.
US08427960B2 Method and device for analyzing data
The present invention discloses a method for analyzing data, which comprises: judging whether the read of each multiplexing block in a media unit has been completed according to the total length of the media unit and the length of the multiplexing block when reading the multiplexing blocks in the media unit; the media unit is a video unit, an audio unit or a data unit. The present invention imposes the structural features of multiplexing blocks, when the receiving quality of the mobile media broadcasting terminal is well, which dispenses with judging whether the multiplexing block is the beginning multiplexing block or the ending multiplexing block according to the beginning ID code and the ending ID code, analyzing with type and data unit type field, and CRC. Therefore, the multiplexing block analyzer steps and the procedure of data process of the receiver are predigested. It performs quick analyzing.
US08427958B2 Dynamic latency-based rerouting
A switch creates and dynamically updates a latency map of a network to adjust routing of flows. Further, the network is monitored to detect latency issues and trigger a dynamic adjustment of routing based on the latency map. In this manner, a flow can be routed along a route (i.e., a faster route) that provides less latency than other available routes. The latency map can be generated based on latency probe packets that are issued from and returned to the source switch. By evaluating many such latent probe packets that have traveled along many available routes (e.g., corresponding to various ports of the switch), the switch or associated administrative logic can dynamically adjust the latency map to updated latency information of available routes. Therefore, responsive to a trigger, the source switch can dynamically adjust the routing of a flow based on latency issues discerned from the network.
US08427957B2 Communication terminal and communication method
Provided is a communication terminal that is capable of securing a route having the finest state while suppressing a bandwidth that is consume by a transmission of a control packet at a low level, when applied in an ad-hoc network which uses an electrical power line. The communication terminal included in the ad-hoc network acquires a plurality of route candidates at the beginning of a data transmission by conducting a broadcast transmission of a route creation packet, and acquires a route having the finest state by conducting an unicast transmission of a route estimation packet to each of the route candidates in each predetermined period.
US08427939B2 MPLS tunnel identification method and device
According to an aspect of the invention, an MPLS tunnel identification method includes: establishing MPLS tunnels with an opposing node by distributing an MPLS tunnel label; and determining an MPLS tunnel to be associated with a pseudo wire corresponding to a pseudo wire label among the MPLS tunnels when the pseudo wire label is assigned from the opposing node thereby to notify identification information of the MPLS tunnel together with identification information of the pseudo wire to the opposing node.
US08427934B2 Single carrier frequency division multiple access technique
A technique for generating a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) signal is described, in which from a set of M input symbols a set of N output symbols (M
US08427933B2 Method and apparatus for DMT crosstalk cancellation
An apparatus for precoding multi-tone modulated transmissions of a plurality of communication channels over bundled subscriber lines. The apparatus includes a pseudo symbol controller and a precoder. The pseudo symbol controller detects a victim communication channel and an interferer communication channel having non-matching symbol rates, and transforms the interferor channel into a pseudo-symbol having both a substantially similar length as a corresponding symbol of the victim channel together with defined tonal characteristics expressed in terms of the interferor channel. The precoder assigns crosstalk coefficients to selected sub-channels or tones of the pseudo symbol and precodes the victim channel with the pseudo symbol using the crosstalk coefficients; thereby generating a precoded victim symbol which exhibits reduced crosstalk between the selected victim and interferor.
US08427927B1 Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, head gimbals assembly, head arm assembly, and magnetic disk unit
The thermally-assisted magnetic recording head includes: a magnetic pole; a waveguide allowing a transverse-electric (TE) wave oscillating in a cross-track direction to propagate toward an air bearing surface; and a plasmon generator having a tip portion near the air bearing surface, the tip portion being provided to overlap, in a down-track direction, with both the magnetic pole and the waveguide, and having a quadrangular cross-section substantially parallel to the air bearing surface.
US08427916B2 Information storage medium, reproducing method, and recording method
According to one embodiment, an information storage medium includes an organic dye material which records information with a light beam having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 620 nm.
US08427906B2 Acoustic sensor utilizing acoustoelectric effect
An ultrasound system that detects a characteristic of an ultrasound wave. The system includes a circuit member defining a sensing portion operable to be exposed to the ultrasound wave. The system also includes a current generating device that generates a current in the sensing portion of the circuit member. Furthermore, the system includes a voltage sensor that detects a voltage across the sensing portion due to the exposure to the ultrasound wave to thereby detect the characteristic of the ultrasound wave.
US08427904B2 Seismic data visualizations using a 3-D frequency-wavenumber space filter
Embodiments of various technologies for a method for processing seismic data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first portion of a record of pre-stack seismic data may be displayed in a three-dimensional XYZ (3-D XYZ) space. A selection may be received of a second portion of the record of the pre-stack seismic data within the first portion. One or more attributes may be determined that define the second portion. One or more regions may be identified within the record of the pre-stack seismic data having the attributes that define the second portion.
US08427892B2 Write strobe generation for a memory interface controller
A memory controller includes a circuit to generate a strobe signal for write operations to a DDR SDRAM. The circuit efficiently generates a glitch free strobe signal for a group of data lines. In one implementation, the memory controller includes a write data generation circuits to each transmit a data signal to the memory on a data line, the write data generation circuits being controlled by write enable signals. A write strobe generation circuit generates the strobe signal and the write enable signals, the strobe signal including a preamble window to signal the beginning of the data burst, a data transfer window, and a postamble window to signal the end of the data burst, the write strobe generation circuit generating the write enable signals a half memory cycle early and terminating the write enable signals a half memory cycle late with respect to the data signals generated by the write data generation circuits.
US08427891B2 Hybrid volatile and non-volatile memory device with a shared interface circuit
A composite, hybrid memory device including a first storage die having an array of volatile storage cells and a second storage die having an array of non-volatile storage cells disposed within an integrated circuit package. The hybrid memory device includes a shared interface circuit to receive memory access commands directed to the first storage die and the second storage die and to convey read and write data between an external data path and the first and second storage dice.
US08427881B2 Semiconductor memory device and programming method thereof
A programming method of a semiconductor memory device includes charging a channel of an inhibit string to a precharge voltage provided to the common source line and boosting the charged channel by providing a wordline voltage to the cell strings. The inhibit string is connected to a program bitline among the bitlines.
US08427876B2 Semiconductor storage device and control method thereof
In one embodiment, there is provided a semiconductor storage device including: a memory cell array; a high voltage generator; and a controller that controls the high voltage generator. When a word line to is selected from word lines, the controller controls the high voltage generator to: apply a first read pass voltage to one or two first adjacent word lines adjacent to the selected word line; apply a second read pass voltage to a second adjacent word line adjacent to the first adjacent word lines, wherein the second read pass voltage is higher than the first read pass voltage; and apply a third read pass voltage to remaining word lines other than the selected word line, the first adjacent word line and the second adjacent word line, wherein the third read pass voltage is higher than the first read pass voltage and lower than the second read pass voltage.
US08427863B2 Low current switching magnetic tunnel junction design for magnetic memory using domain wall motion
A multi-state low-current-switching magnetic memory element (magnetic memory element) comprising a free layer, two stacks, and a magnetic tunneling junction is disclosed. The stacks and magnetic tunneling junction are disposed upon surfaces of the free layer, with the magnetic tunneling junction located between the stacks. The stacks pin magnetic domains within the free layer, creating a free layer domain wall. A current passed from stack to stack pushes the domain wall, repositioning the domain wall within the free layer. The position of the domain wall relative to the magnetic tunnel junction corresponds to a unique resistance value, and passing current from a stack to the magnetic tunnel junction reads the magnetic memory element's resistance. Thus, unique memory states may be achieved by moving the domain wall.
US08427857B2 Electrical fuse programming time control scheme
A circuit includes a fuse and a sensing and control circuit. The fuse is coupled between a MOS transistor and a current source node. The sensing and control circuit is configured to receive a programming pulse and output a modified programming signal to the gate of the MOS transistor for programming the fuse. The modified programming signal has a pulse width based on a magnitude of a current through the first fuse.
US08427848B2 Variable time clamp for a power supply controller
An example integrated circuit for use in a power supply includes a feedback terminal and a controller having a variable time clamp (VTC). The feedback terminal is to be coupled to receive a feedback signal and the controller is to be coupled to enable or disable the conduction of a power switch during a switching cycle in response to the feedback signal. The controller includes a current limit comparator coupled to terminate the conduction of the power switch during an enabled switching cycle in response to a current through the power switch exceeding a variable current limit. The VTC is coupled to clamp the feedback terminal to a voltage for a clamp time that is responsive to the variable current limit.
US08427840B2 Multi-chip module
A multi-chip module is disclosed to include a pin frame, an electric power switch chip, and a battery protection chip. The pin frame has a chip placement region and six pins. The second pin and the fifth pin are electrically connected at the chip placement region, and the other pins are set electrically isolated from each other. A bottom surface of the electric power switch chip is electrically connected at the chip placement region, and a top surface thereof is electrically connected to the first pin and the third pin. A bottom surface of the battery protection chip is disposed at the top surface of the electric power switch chip in an electrically isolated fashion. A top surface of the battery protection chip is electrically connected to the top surface of the electric power switch chip, the first pin, the fourth pin, and the sixth pin.
US08427838B2 Electronic device with key mechanism thereof
An electronic device includes a main body defining an opening, and a key mechanism secured in the opening. The key mechanism includes a fixing mechanism, a circuit board and a key. The fixing mechanism includes a tab and a support. The tab protrudes from a sidewall of the opening. The support includes an elastic supporting rib connected to the tab. The circuit board is fixed on the support and includes a switch. The key is rotatably connected to the fixing mechanism actuates the switch to generate an input signal. The supporting rib applies a restoring force to the key.
US08427837B2 Thumbscrew for pluggable modules
In one example, a pluggable module comprises a shell, a module connector, and one or more thumbscrews. The shell defines a cavity within which a PCB and one or more components are disposed and includes a front, back, first side, and second side. The module connector is operatively connected to the PCB near the back of the shell and extends from within the cavity to outside the shell through an opening defined in the back of the shell. The module connector is configured to operatively couple the pluggable module to a host device. The thumbscrews are housed within one or more portions of the shell and are configured to threadably secure the pluggable module to the host device. Each of the thumbscrews comprises a torque limiter. The pluggable module can further comprise protecting means for protecting a portion of the module connector extending outside the cavity from damage.
US08427819B1 Substrate interconnect routing
One or more data signal interconnects arranged on a substrate of a dense array reduce overall size of a device incorporating the dense array, such as a touch sensor or display. The data signal interconnects on the substrate carry signals from printed circuits coupled to the array to a controller via interconnect tabs.
US08427815B2 Platform for a power distribution system
A power distribution system comprising a platform having one or more electrical connections each with cabinet connection contacts and one or more receptacles in an outer surface of the platform. Each receptacle is configured to hold one or more electrical over-current protection devices that route electrical power to the cabinet connection contacts.
US08427798B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit device
In one embodiment, a semiconductor integrated circuit includes a power source circuit connected to a terminal of a first high potential side power source and outputs a voltage of a second high potential side power source, and an output transistor outputting an output signal to an output terminal. A cathode of a first diode is connected to the terminal of the first high potential side power source and an anode thereof is connected to the output terminal. A current source and a capacitor are connected between a terminal of the second high potential side power source and the terminal of a low potential side power source. A signal from a connection node of the current source and the capacitor and a control signal are inputted to a logic circuit, and the logic circuit outputs a signal obtained by a logic operation to the control terminal of the output transistor.
US08427788B2 Magnetic head suspension with balance mass member
The present invention provides a magnetic head suspension, wherein a supporting portion such as an arm or base plate includes a pair of supporting pieces extending from its opposite sides in the widthwise direction to a tip-end side of the suspension, and a concave portion which is defined by the pair of supporting pieces and is opened toward the tip-end side of the suspension, there is provided an elastically-deformable elastic plate which is connected to the pair of supporting pieces at a first end and a second end in the widthwise direction of the magnetic head suspension, the member forming the load beam portion is connected to the elastic plate, and the elastic plate forms the load bending portion.
US08427784B2 Head slider having trailing end configuration of a groove formed at a boundary between a trailing step and a trailing pad for adaptation with a gimbal assembly and disk drive
According to one embodiment, a magnetic head includes a head slider including a bearing surface opposed to a surface of a recording medium, an inflow end face, and an outflow end face, and configured to fly by an airflow between the recording medium surface and the bearing surface, and a recording element and a reproduction element disposed in an outflow end portion of the head slider with respect to the airflow. The bearing surface of the head slider includes a trailing step on the outflow end portion, a trailing pad on the trailing step and includes an outflow end kept at an inflow-side gap away from the outflow end face, and a first groove formed along a step portion at a boundary between the trailing step and the trailing pad.
US08427774B2 Pass-through mechanism for linear tape library
A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string.
US08427769B1 Multi-stage Lyot filter and method
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a multi-stage Lyot filter comprises a plurality of prisms, a polarizing block, and a non-rotating, single-adjustment birefringent element. Each of the prisms is configured to receive light and to reflect the light. The polarizing block is configured to provide polarization discrimination of the light. The birefringent element is configured to tune the Lyot filter. The prisms are further configured to pass the light through the birefringent element multiple times.
US08427768B2 Optical filter for compensating for color shift provided in front of a display panel of a display device and display device having the same
An optical filter for compensating for color shift is provided in front of a display panel of a display device. The optical filter includes a background layer and a green wavelength absorption pattern provided with a predetermined thickness on the background layer. The green wavelength absorption pattern absorbs a green wavelength of light. The green wavelength absorption pattern contains a material that absorbs a green wavelength of light in the range of 510 nm to 560 nm, and can also contain a white light absorbing material. A green's complementary color absorbing part absorbs a wavelength of light complementary to green, and contains at least one of a material absorbing a blue wavelength of light in the range of 440 nm to 480 nm and a material absorbing a red wavelength of light in the range of 600 nm to 650 nm.
US08427767B2 Auto focusing lens module and calibrating method thereof
An auto focusing lens module is provided, which includes a casing, a photo interrupter and a lens holder. The casing has a containing space. The photo interrupter is fixedly disposed on the casing and has a light-emitting surface and a light-sensing surface opposite to the light-emitting surface. The lens holder is disposed in the containing space and has a first obstacle and a second obstacle. The space between the first obstacle and the second obstacle keeps a calibrating interval. The lens holder is capable of moving to-and-fro along an axial direction to bring the first obstacle, the calibrating interval or the second obstacle to the space between the light-emitting surface and the light-sensing surface. The invention also provides a calibrating method suitable for the above-mentioned auto focusing lens module.
US08427766B2 Optical assembly for medical imaging devices
Optical assemblies for use in medical or other devices so as to image an object under examination onto an image sensor include a plurality of lens elements that can be retained in lens barrel. The lens elements and the lens barrel can be sealed with a compressible gasket. In one example, at least one lens element is made of an injection-moldable plastic and at least one lens element is made of a relatively dispersive optical glass. A lens barrel diameter or lens diameter can be selected to permit access to the object under examination with surgical or other tools. Aperture plates can be situated so as to reduce flare in the object image.
US08427764B1 Lens system
A lens system with positive refraction power, in order from the object-side to the image-side, includes a first lens group with negative refraction power and a second lens group with positive refraction power. The first lens group includes a first lens with negative refraction power, a second lens with positive refraction power, and a third lens with positive refraction power. The second lens group includes a fourth lens with negative refraction power, a fifth lens, and a sixth lens. The lens system satisfies the following condition: 5
US08427761B2 Image pickup optical system, image pickup optical device, and digital equipment
An image pickup optical system OP includes first and second prisms P1, P2 for bending incident light at an almost right angle. Optical axis AX at the incident surface of first prism P1 and optical axis AX at the outgoing surface of second prism P2 are almost parallel with each other. There is a lens element forming at least one power group on the optical path between first and second prisms P1, P2, wherein a power group closest to the incident surface of second prism P2 is a positive power group. The incident surface of second prism P2 has a concaved surface shape facing the object side, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied: −4.2
US08427744B2 All-reflective relayed focal telescope derived from the first two mirrors of an afocal three-mirror anastigmat
An optical system includes a primary mirror of a positive-powered concave substantially paraboloidal configuration configured to reflect light incident thereupon; a secondary mirror of a negative-powered convex hyperboloidal configuration facing the primary mirror configured to receive the light reflected from the primary mirror and redirect the light reflected from the primary mirror; a positive-powered tertiary mirror configured to substantially reimage and reflect divergent light rays incident from the secondary mirror; and a powered quaternary mirror configured to receive the reimaged light rays from the tertiary mirror, and to relay the received reimaged light rays to a focal point.
US08427741B2 Self-collimator planar spectroscopy shaping device for chirped-pulse-amplification
A self-collimator planar spectroscopy shaping device for chirped pulse amplification (CPA): uses a spectrum decomposing system with CTSI construction, a spectrum synthesizing system with CTSI structure that is symmetrical to the decomposing structure, and a spectrum shaping system including an aperture and a planar reflector for spectrum shaping function design. The device accomplishes the following functions: firstly decomposing the spectrum of a chirped temporal pulse laser to a spectral domain; then shaping the spectrum in the spectral domain; finally synthesizing un-shiftily this shaped spectrum in the spectral domain into a temporal chirped pulse with a designed shape. The device has features of small size of concave reflector, easy fabrication, compact construction, little laboratory space needed, and cheap in cost, which it can be different types of configuration for different circumstance application, which it can be not only utilized in a general laser spectrum shaping and spectrum modulation, but also can be utilized for a high energy and ultra-high peak-power laser system in chirped pulse amplification with a large caliber and with a chirped pulse bandwidth of a few nanometers.
US08427738B2 Nonlinear frequency conversion in nanoslot optical waveguides
A waveguide device for frequency mixing or conversion through birefringent phase matching, having two suspended horizontal waveguides with an air-filled horizontal nanoslot between them. The waveguides are formed of a material with a high nonlinear susceptibility, and one waveguide can be n-doped with the other waveguide slab being p-doped. The system can be tuned to operate at different frequencies by varying the nanoslot gap distance by electrostatically actuating the suspended air-clad waveguides.
US08427736B2 Illumination device, display device, and method of manufacturing light modulator
An illumination device is provided and has a light guide plate, a light source and a light modulator, wherein the light modulator has a pair of transparent substrates a pair of electrodes and a light modulator layer. The light modulator layer includes a first region being changed between a transparent state and a scatterable state depending on intensity of an electric field, and a second region being more transparent than the first region in a scatterable state at an electric field having a certain intensity, the electric field being applied when the first region is changed between the transparent state and the scatterable state, and an occupancy rate of the first region in the light modulator layer is increased with increase in distance from the light source.
US08427730B1 3D projection lens
Disclosed are optical projection lenses for projecting three dimensional images. Exemplary lenses comprise a chassis, first and second sets of offset truncated optical elements and first and second polarizers respectively disposed in light paths of the first and second sets of optical elements. An optional hot mirror may be disposed between the polarizers and the sets of optical elements. Preferably, an aperture plate is disposed at an output end of the chassis. The aperture plate may comprise upper and lower adjustable masking strips that are adjustable up and down to allow masking of an image for a particular throw. The lenses comprise focus adjustment apparatus for adjusting the relative focus of the sets of optical elements, and convergence adjustment apparatus for adjusting the convergence of the sets of optical elements.
US08427729B2 Light adjusting apparatus
A light adjusting apparatus including: first and second substrates, at least one of which has an aperture; a spacer which defines a distance between the first and second substrates; at least one incident light adjuster which includes a shaft member as a center of rotation and rotates between the first and second substrates in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis direction, a magnet being formed on at least part of the shaft; at least one driving device which includes a coil formed separately from the magnet, and drives the incident light adjuster; wherein the driving device rotates the incident light adjuster between a position at the aperture and a position to retract from the position of the aperture, further comprising a guide portion which is formed on the first substrate to restrict movement of the shaft member in directions other than a rotation direction thereof.
US08427727B2 Oscillating mirror for image projection
An apparatus includes a substrate and a mirror. The mirror is attached to the substrate via a spring. An electro-mechanical driver is operable to cause the mirror to rotationally oscillate about first and second non-collinear axes at different first and second frequencies.
US08427714B2 Image-reading device
In an image-reading device, when the reading unit generates the set of image data, the top side is generated at first and the bottom side is generated subsequently to the top side. The scanned image includes a document image corresponding to the document. The specifying unit, when the reading unit scans and reads a part of the document and generates a part of the set of image data including a part of the document image, specifies a target vertex that is positioned at topmost among at least one vertex of the part of document image. The estimating unit defines a reference position in the scanned image corresponding to a center of the conveying path in the width direction, and estimates a size of the document based on a length in the second direction between the target vertex and the reference position.
US08427712B2 Exposure apparatuses and methods to compress exposure data
A method to compress exposure data may include converting image data into a plurality of exposure data, generating new exposure data by combining part of the plurality of exposure data or by excluding part of the plurality of exposure data, and compressing the new exposure data. An exposure apparatus may include a conversion unit that converts image data into a plurality of exposure data, a control unit that generates new exposure data by combining part of the plurality of exposure data or by excluding part of the plurality of exposure data, and a compression unit that compresses the new exposure data.
US08427701B2 Image arrangement supporting device, image processor, image arrangement supporting method and computer readable medium
An image arrangement supporting device includes: a detection unit that detects a state in which plural images associated with drawing attributions different from each other are arranged on one virtual medium; and an output unit that outputs information indicating that at least one of the plural images is not formed on one real medium with a drawing attribution associated with the at least one of the plural images, in accordance with detection of the state by the detection unit.
US08427699B2 Image forming apparatus with tint block detector
An image formation controller judges whether or not a tint block has been detected by a tint block processor upon judging that an automatic color determination mode is set in a multi functional peripheral. The image formation controller causes an image forming section to perform a monochromatic image forming operation if the tint block is a chromatic tint block when the tint block was detected by the tint block processor. On the other hand, the image formation controller causes the image forming section to perform an image forming operation corresponding to a determination result by an ACS processor when no tint block was detected and when the tint block was determined to be a monochromatic tint block.
US08427697B2 Color separation into plural ink components including primary color ink and spot color ink
An ink set that includes a plurality of chromatic primary color inks that can reproduce achromatic color in combination with each other and at least one spot color ink having a hue different from any of the chromatic primary color inks is prepared. A color to be reproduced on a printing medium in accordance with a given input color is termed a reproduction color, and a combination of ink amounts for inks in the ink set to be used to reproduce the reproduction color on the printing medium is termed a color separation ink amount set. When a saturation parameter value that is correlated with the saturation of the reproduction color falls within a first range that is close to achromaticity, the ink amount of the spot color ink included in the color separation ink amount set is adjusted such that it decreases in accordance with a change in the saturation parameter value in the direction of lower saturation.
US08427694B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method and image processing program product generating processing data having consistent pixel density
An image processing apparatus configured to generate a printing image for printing document data by a printer, includes a first processing part configured to generate first processing data having resolution different from the resolution with respect to printing order for character data contained in the document data; a second processing part configured to generate second processing data having a pixel density consistent with the pixel density of the first processing data for image data contained in the document data; and a printing image generating part configured to generate printing data by synthesizing the first processing data and the second processing data. The second processing part makes the pixel density of the second processing data consistent with the pixel density of the first processing data by tone conversion of the image data.
US08427678B2 Facsimile communication system
A facsimile communication system includes a first facsimile device that transmits image data and a second facsimile device. The second facsimile device includes a first receiving unit that receives the image data; an image-forming unit that forms an image based on the image data on a recording medium having a first storing part that is configured to store stored data; and a notifying unit that notifies the first facsimile device of the stored data.
US08427675B2 Automatically updating a printer driver with new printing device features
An approach is provided for automatically updating a printer driver for a printing device to reflect new features of the printing device or installing a printer driver for a newly available printing device. A client device sends a request to the printing device for a default print ticket. The client device also sends a request to the printing device for print capabilities data. Based on the print capabilities data and the default print ticket received from the printing device, a graphical user interface is generated, allowing a user to select, for a print job, print setting values for the one or more print settings supported by the printing device. Based on the print settings values selected by the user and the default print ticket, a print job ticket is generated for the print job and is sent to the printing device for processing.
US08427669B2 Scanner control system and scanner driver program
A scanner control system is described. The scanner control system includes a first communication interface which communicates with a first device group, a second communication interface which communicates with a second device group, the first device group and the second device group each containing a scanner, the second communication interface being different in specifications from the first communication interface, a storage device which stores scanner information on at least one scanner contained in the second device group, and a system main unit that transmits an instruction from an application unit to-the to a scanner driver unit and transmitting data from the scanner drive unit to the application unit.
US08427664B2 Key based electronic file approval management system
An electronic file approval management system includes information terminal devices for a creator creating an electronic file and for an approver approving the file. The device for approver includes an electronic information transmitter-receiver storing and retrieving information with the device for creator, an input unit being input an approval result, a first print data converter converting the file into first print data, a first approval information extractor extracting first approval information, and a key creation unit creating an approval key. The device for creator includes a creation unit creating the electronic file, an electronic information transmitter-receiver for the creator storing and retrieving information with the device for approver, a second print data converter converting the file into second print data, a second approval information extractor extracting second approval information, and an approval key authentication unit determining whether to approve based on collation of the second approval information and approval key.
US08427661B2 Apparatus and method for efficiently controlling printers associated with different networks based upon acquired printer or network information, and nontransitory computer readable recording medium for causing computer to function as the same
A printer control apparatus including a printer search section that searches for, acquires and stores information indicative of printers connected to the network, in a printer information storage section; a network information acquiring section that acquires network information of first and second networks connected to the printer control apparatus at different times and that stores the acquired network information in a network information storage section; and a printer information acquiring section that acquires printer information from the printer search section in a case where the network information of the second network is different from the network information of the first network by causing the printer search section to conduct a search, and acquires the printer information from the printer information storage section in a case where the network information of the second network is identical to the network information of the first network.
US08427654B2 Spectral domain optical coherence tomography system
An optical coherence tomography device is disclosed for improved imaging. Reduced levels of speckle in the images generated by the device are obtained by forming a B-scan from a plurality of A-scans, wherein each resolution cell of the B-scan is generated through compounding of a subset of the A-scans and wherein at least some of the subset of A-scans are separated by at least half the diameter of a speckle cell both tangent to and orthogonal to the B-scan at that cell.
US08427648B2 Apparatus for discriminating between objects
An apparatus for discrimination between a first (308) and a second surface (304) type based on reflectivity has a light source (416) that illuminates on a media surface. A photosensor (420) receives and measures the reflection value from the surface. A first gain element adjusts a voltage from the photosensor and a second gain element adjusts a current measurement supplied to the light source. A subtractor (530) for subtracting the first adjusted voltage (534) and the adjusted measurement (538) are subtracted to provide an output value close to zero with respect to the second surface and near a maximum with respect to the first surface. The adjusted reflection value and a threshold reference value (428) are compared (124) and indicates whether the first surface or the second surface is present.
US08427647B2 Cavity ring-down spectrometer systems
Cavity ring-down spectrometer systems are described herein. One or more embodiments include a cavity having at least two mirrors, wherein a first mirror of the at least two mirrors is configured to permit light to enter and exit the cavity, a first detector configured to detect light exiting the cavity through the first mirror, and a second detector configured to detect light from the first mirror, wherein the first detector is separate from the second detector.
US08427642B2 Two-dimensional optical imaging methods and systems for particle detection
The present invention provides methods and systems for particle detection and analysis using two-dimensional optical imaging to access enhanced detection sensitivity and expanded sensing functionality relative to conventional point and array detection-based optical particle counters. Methods and systems of the present invention provide a two-dimensional optical imaging-based particle sensing platform wherein system components and specifications are selected to generate reproducible and readily identifiable signals, including particle detection signatures, from optical scattering or emission from particles provided to the system. Systems and methods of the present invention are capable of accurately and sensitively detecting, identifying, and characterizing (e.g., determining the size of) particles in liquid phase or gas phase samples.
US08427640B2 Method and apparatus for measuring particle size distribution in drilling fluid
A method for measuring particle size distribution in a fluid material, involving inserting a laser beam instrument directly in the fluid flow line, wherein the laser beam instrument focuses a laser beam on a window directly coupled with the fluid flow line, wherein the fluid flow line comprises a fluid having a plurality of particles of different sizes, measuring a diameter of at least one particle in the fluid flow line by reflectance of the at least one particle as the at least one particle passes through the focused laser beam, and determining a duration of reflection of the at least one particle, and obtaining a count of particles in each of a pre-set range group of particle sizes, wherein the count of particles is used to determine particle size distribution in the fluid flow line.
US08427636B2 Cuvette for ophthalmic lens
Modified MZ (Mach-Zender) interferometers are utilized to analyze the transmitted, aspherical wavefront of an ophthalmic lens by mounting the lens in a cuvette having a rotatable carousel that can hold multiple lenses. Fresh, temperature controlled, saline solution is circulated about the lenses, and the cuvette is positioned in a vertical test arm of the interferometer configuration. Reverse raytracing is utilized to remove aberrations induced into the wavefront as it is imaged from immediately behind the lens to the detector of the interferometer.
US08427624B2 Liquid crystal display device
In an IPS type liquid crystal display device, a light shielding film, a red color filter, an overcoat film, and an alignment film are formed in this order on a counter substrate. However, the alignment film is not formed in a seal portion. When the alignment film is subjected to photo-alignment with ultraviolet radiation, a portion of the overcoat film not covered with the alignment film is degraded by ultraviolet radiation. In order to prevent moisture penetrating from the degraded overcoat film from reaching the light shielding film to thereby alter the light shielding film and from causing the peeling of the light shielding film, the red color filter is disposed below the overcoat film to block the moisture.
US08427611B2 Production method of liquid crystal display including scanning exposure
A production method for making a liquid crystal display device includes subjecting a first alignment film and/or a second alignment film to scanning exposure continuously over a plurality of pixel regions; the scanning exposure including, in an inside of each of a plurality of pixel regions, a first scanning exposure for aligning liquid crystal molecules in a first alignment direction and a second scanning exposure for aligning liquid crystal molecules in a second alignment direction. The second alignment direction may be parallel and opposed to the first alignment direction. In the exposures, a light beam may be made incident from a oblique direction to a normal line on the substrate surface.
US08427604B2 Display device
A display device includes a light source, an optical waveguide, a light-extracting portion, a liquid crystal dispersion layer and a drive circuit. The optical waveguide has two ends to guide light from one of the two ends to the other end. The light is emitted by the light source. The light-extracting portion is provided to a side face of the optical waveguide. The liquid crystal dispersion layer is included in the light-extracting portion and includes liquid crystal droplets whose mean diameter is 100 nm or less. The drive circuit applies a voltage to the light-extracting portion to generate an electric field in the liquid crystal dispersion layer so that the light transmitting through the optical waveguide is scattered to be extracted.
US08427603B2 Area light source device and liquid crystal display device
An area light source device that is capable of evenly emitting light by reducing leakage in the vicinity of the light source, and enhancing the light emission luminance by exiting light of narrower directional characteristics. A light guide substrate includes a light introducing section and a light guide plate main body. Diffusion patterns are provided at the light exit surface of the light guide plate main body. A low refraction index layer is formed at the lower surface of the light guide plate main body, and a reflection layer is formed at the lower surface of the low refraction index layer. The point light source is positioned facing an end face of the light introducing section. A directivity conversion unit is arranged on the upper surface of the light introducing section. The directivity conversion unit is configured by radially arraying a directivity conversion pattern having a V groove shape.
US08427601B2 Liquid crystal display with narrow angular range of incident light
A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel in the pixel electrode and common electrodes formed within a pixel comprise repeating structures. The angular range of light incident from the light source is narrower along a direction of the repeating structures than along an orthogonal direction.
US08427596B2 TFT-LCD array substrate and driving method thereof
The present invention relates to a TFT-LCD array substrate and a driving method thereof. The TFT-LCD array substrate comprises a substrate, on which pixel regions arranged in matrix are formed, a first pixel electrode and a first thin film transistor located in an odd column and a second pixel electrode and a second thin film transistor located in an even column are formed in each pixel region; a first gate line and a second gate line are formed in each pixel region, the first gate line is connected to gate of the first thin film transistor, and the second gate line is connected to gate of the second thin film transistor; one data line is formed in each pixel region, and the data line is connected to source of the first thin film transistor and source of the second thin film transistor, respectively. The present invention reduces the number of data lines and the number of data driving chips or the pins thereof, or, reduces the number of the gate lines and the number of scan driving chips or the pins thereof, and reduces the production cost of the TFT-LCD.
US08427594B2 Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite the first substrate; a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates and including liquid crystal molecules; a gate line which transmits a gate signal; first and second data lines which respectively transmit first and second data voltages, the first and second data voltages having opposite polarities; a first switching element connected to the gate line and the first data line; a second switching element connected to the gate line and the second data line; a first subpixel electrode connected to the first switching element; and a second subpixel electrode connected to the second switching element. The first and second subpixel electrodes overlap portions of the first and second data lines. The first and second subpixel electrodes include first and second branches, respectively, which are alternately arranged between the first and second data lines.
US08427588B2 Television receiver
A TV receiver transmits video data from its tuner unit to its monitor unit via wireless transmission by using a channel shared with radar. When the tuner unit receives a program to be viewed, a recorder/player starts recording of the received program. When wireless transmission of the received program cannot be started on time at the program start time because of detecting an unused channel for wireless transmission, or when a radar wave in the shared channel is detected after starting wireless transmission and then wireless data transmission is interrupted, the recorder/player plays back on a time-shift basis the program recorded on the recording medium, and the program data played back is transmitted to the monitor unit. The TV receiver is capable of preventing the user from missing a program that he wants to view even when wireless data transmission is interrupted.
US08427583B2 Automatic parameter control for spatial-temporal filter
A method for image processing includes receiving an input image and estimating a noise characteristic of the input image, wherein the noise characteristic includes a temporal characteristic and a spatial characteristic. Spatially filtering the input image based upon the spatial characteristic, wherein the spatial characteristic is dependent upon the temporal characteristic.
US08427557B2 System which alternates between displaying and capturing images
A combined video display and image capture system and method are disclosed. In one embodiment the system alternates between the capture period of the camera (306) and the image display (302) period to isolate the camera (306) from the display (302). Various methods are disclosed to achieve the alternation in the capture and the display periods of the system. Distortions in the captured image can be corrected using an image correction subsystem.
US08427555B2 Imaging apparatus for displaying an area wider than a recording area
An apparatus that can display an area wider than a recording area as a display area in a zoom mode, in which a portion of an imaging area is clipped and recorded, includes an image processing unit that keeps constant or increases a ratio of a display area to a clipped recording area when the size of clipped recording areas is made gradually smaller relative to the imaging area, and keeps constant or decreases the ratio of the display area to the clipped recording area when the size of clipped recording area is gradually made larger relative to the imaging area.
US08427539B2 Camera control apparatus and method, and camera control system
A camera control system having a terminal device connected to a plurality of cameras via a network is provided. In response to an operation that exceeds a maximum control value (maximum control angle) of the PTZ of a camera that is the target of control, the terminal device displays peripheral camera information, which corresponds to a shooting direction in which the operation has been requested, together with video shot by the camera being controlled. The peripheral camera information includes installation camera position information, viewable angle information, control status information and peripheral map information as well as at least one item of captured video from a camera other than the camera being controlled.
US08427533B2 Image pickup apparatus, electronic endoscope, and lens unit
An image pickup apparatus of the present invention varies optical properties by moving a part of lenses of an objective lens, and includes a solid-state image pickup device unit that is disposed at a rear-end section and that subjects a subject image to photoelectric conversion, a fixed lens frame that retains the objective lens that is disposed in front of the solid-state image pickup device unit, a movable lens frame that retains the part of lenses that moves along a photographing optical axis O inside the lens frame, and an actuator having one end connected to the movable lens frame and that moves the movable lens frame forward and backward. The actuator includes a rigid member provided so as to extend to the vicinity of the rear end at which the solid-state image pickup device unit is disposed and a shape memory alloy that is coupled to the rigid member.
US08427529B2 Three-dimensional display, fabricating method and controlling method thereof
A three-dimensional display for the viewer to watch through glasses is provided, wherein the glasses have two lenses and the polarized directions thereof are perpendicular to each other. The three-dimensional display includes a display panel and a liquid crystal phase modulator. The display panel, suitable for displaying an image, has a plurality of pixels arranged in array and a polarizer having a transmission axis, wherein the polarizer disposed between the pixels and the glasses. The liquid crystal phase modulator suitable for providing phase retardation includes a liquid crystal layer and an alignment layer adjacent to the display panel. An included angle between an alignment direction of the alignment layer and the transmission axis is substantially equal to n×45 degrees, wherein an absolute value of n is an integer. The liquid crystal phase modulator adjusts a phase of the image and then outputs an image with three-dimensional information.
US08427526B2 Billboard display system and method
A billboard display method includes: capturing images of a scene near the screen by a number of time-of-flight (TOF) cameras, building three dimension (3D) models of the scene according to the images and the data about distances between points in the scene and the TOF cameras; checking the 3D models to determine whether there is a person nearby the screen; checking the 3D models to determine a relative position of the person to the screen upon the condition that there is a person nearby the screen; and controlling a media to be shown at a corresponding position of the screen according to the relative position of the person to the screen.
US08427518B2 Image forming device
An image forming device includes a first device body, a second device body attached to the first device body, a photoconductive body provided in the first device body, an exposure unit provided to the second device body, the exposure unit having an exposure surface that exposes the photoconductive body and forms a latent image on the photoconductive body, the exposure unit being movable between an exposure position and an evacuation position, and a cleaning unit cleaning the exposure surface of the exposure unit. The cleaning unit includes a cleaning member cleaning the exposure surface, a supporting member supporting the cleaning member, and a guide member movably guiding the supporting member. The exposure unit is disposed such that the exposure surface is cleaned by the cleaning unit when the exposure unit is moved to the evacuation position.
US08427516B2 Image erasing apparatus and recording medium conveying method for image erasing apparatus
An image erasing apparatus includes: a paper feeding tray configured to feed a recording medium; a sensor group including a double-feed detection sensor configured to detect double feed of the recording medium and a media sensor configured to detect the thickness of the recording medium; a recording-medium collecting device, a collection box, or a discharge box configured to collect the recording medium; and a recording-medium conveying device connecting the paper feeding tray, the sensor group, and the recording-medium collecting device, the collection box, or the discharge box on a straight line.
US08427512B2 Display drive systems
This invention generally relates to methods, apparatus and computer program code for improved OLED (organic light emitting diode) display drive systems, in particular to compensate for burn-in.A method of compensating an OLED display device for burn-in of pixels of the OLED display, the method comprising: measuring a first voltage drop across at least one test pixel of the display; measuring a second voltage drop across at least one other pixel of the display; determining, from said first and second voltages and a from value (V1) representing a drive voltage increase for a loss in efficiency of said display due to burn-in, an estimated reduction in efficiency of said display due to burn-in; and compensating a drive to said display using said estimated efficiency reduction.
US08427500B1 Spatially aware sub-pixel rendering
Methods and systems for spatially aware sub-pixel rendering are described herein. Embodiments allow graphics rendering systems to convey additional spatial information in displayed graphics by utilizing sub-pixels of displays. An embodiment includes sampling pixels into a buffer, re-sampling the pixels, at sub-pixel level, at different offset positions from their positions in the buffer and displaying the re-sampled pixels. For example, individual red, green and blue sub-pixels can be re-sampled at offset positions from their original positions within pixels. Since embodiments of the invention can control respective positions of each red, green and blue sub-pixel, embodiments can produce sharp graphics with low aliasing. Furthermore, sub-pixels are effectively used for communicating additional spatial information in rendered graphics.
US08427498B2 Color selection system based on color emotion and color harmony
Color selection and display methods and devices in which colors can be displayed according to color harmony and color emotion and feedback obtained on color emotion and color harmony evoked by selected color and/or color combinations.
US08427489B2 Rack interface pod with intelligent platform control
Rack Interface Pods can be augmented with non-KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) functionality that can enable greater analysis of the state of the computer to which the RIP is attached. A RIP can be augmented to include a non-KVM input connection (e.g., an Intelligent Platform/Chassis control protocol input) that is used to communicate between the server and the RIP. The RIP can then multiplex the received information with the KVM signals for transmission to a PEM or to an ARI port. Video and computer environment-style data can be multiplexed across a communications medium exiting the RIP such that they can be received by a remote computer.
US08427485B2 Information processing device, image display device, and information processing method
An information processing device includes: a first processing unit which asserts a first chip select signal or a second chip select signal in accordance with an address space to access; and a second processing unit accessible by the first processing unit by a first access method or a second access method, wherein when asserting the first chip select signal, the first processing unit accesses the second processing unit by the first access method, and when asserting the second chip select signal, the first processing unit accesses the second processing unit by the second access method.
US08427482B2 Connected and overlapped shapes enhancements
A method of ordering visual objects presented on a display includes comparing visual objects to be placed in an overlapping condition and determining from the comparison the order in which the visual objects are to be placed. The visual objects are re-ordered and placed in the overlapping condition in accordance with the determination. Methods of creating connecting links joining source and destination visual objects as well as overlapping object and object-connecting tools are also provided.
US08427478B2 Displaying continually-incoming time series that uses overwriting of one portion of the time series data while another portion of the time series data remains unshifted
Continually-incoming time series data is displayed in a visualization screen. In response to detecting that the visualization screen has become full with time series data, a first portion of the time series data is overwritten with additional incoming data such that the additional incoming data replaces the first portion of the time series data in the visualization screen. A second portion of the time series data is maintained unshifted even though the additional incoming data has been added to the visualization screen.
US08427475B2 Silhouette blend rendering of anatomical structures
Systems and methods for rendering advantageous images/views of an anatomical structure, e.g., vessel structure(s), and surrounding anatomical features/structures are provided. The disclosed systems and methods combine conventional 3D x-ray rotational angiography (3DRA) with a diagnostic scan of the relevant anatomical region, e.g., a CT or MR scan, to yield a combined image/view thereof. The image includes silhouette rendering of structures and/or vessel anatomy below the CT/MRI slab, i.e., obscured vessel structures, thereby allowing clinicians and other medical/surgical staff to develop a better understanding of vessel morphology and relationships between vessel pathology and surrounding branches/anatomical structures.
US08427473B2 Pseudo-realistic rendering of BIM data responsive to positional indicator
An electronically implemented method of on-site visualization of building information model data, the method constituted of: loading a 3D scene comprising building information model data; receiving real time positional information comprising geographic coordinate information and orientation information; rendering a pseudo-realistic image of the loaded 3D scene responsive to the real time positional information; and displaying the rendered pseudo-realistic image. Preferably the method further provides for displaying engineering information of the building information model responsive to the real time positional information. Preferably, the pseudo-realistic image provides shadowing responsive to real time chronographic information and the received real time positional information.
US08427469B2 Receiving system and method of processing data
A receiving system that can receive and process 3D images and a data processing method of the same are disclosed. The receiving system includes an image receiving unit and a display unit. The image receiving unit receives a 3-dimensions (3D) image and system information including additional information of the 3D image (i.e., additional 3D image information), generates 3D signaling information based upon the additional 3D image information included in the system information, and transmits the generated 3D signaling information along with the 3D image through a digital interface. And, the display unit receives the 3D signaling information along with the 3D image through the digital interface, formats the 3D image based upon the receiving 3D signaling information, and displays the formatted 3D image.
US08427461B2 Display system and source driving apparatus
A display system, a source driving apparatus, and a method of black insertion are provided. The apparatus includes a data channel, a black-insertion-data line, a first and a second selector. In a first period, the first selector electrically connects the data channel to a first data line in a display panel, and the second selector electrically connects the black-insertion-data line to a second data line in the display panel. In a second period, the first selector electrically connects the data channel to the second data line, and the second selector electrically connects the black-insertion-data line to the first data line.
US08427452B2 Charge pump frequency selection in touch screen sensor interface system
Various embodiments of charge pump circuitry configured to generate output signals having first distortion signals superimposed thereon are disclosed. Demodulator input signals are also disclosed that have second distortion signals superimposed thereon. A synchronization signal is delivered to demodulator circuitry through at least first and second integer divider circuits and to charge pump circuitry through at least the first integer divider circuitry such that the first and second distortion signals have frequencies that are integer divisions of the synchronization frequency.
US08427437B2 Wireless communication terminal and method for displaying image data
A wireless communication terminal is provided. The wireless communication terminal includes a display that includes a touch screen configured to recognize touch inputs; a memory configured to store image data; and a controller configured to communicate with the memory, the display, and the touch screen. The controller is further configured to display at least a portion of the image having a first scale in the display, wherein the controller defines a reference line associated with the displayed portion of the image and recognizes a first touch input to define a manipulation region associated with the reference line where a portion of the image in the manipulation region is gradually removed or reinstated in response to a movement of the first touch input relative to the reference line, while maintaining the same first scale of the image that is displayed outside of the manipulation region.
US08427428B2 Adjustable ergonomic keyboard
An adjustable ergonomic keyboard includes keyboard segments coupled by a joint allowing the keyboard segments to pivot relative to one another. A retainer secures a corresponding keyboard segment with respect to a base support and allows the corresponding retained keyboard segment to rotate thereabout and to travel laterally with respect to the base support. The base support may be part of a portable laptop chassis or body or may be a stand alone base for use of the keyboard as a peripheral data input device.
US08427426B2 Remote input device
An input device providing users with a pointing capability includes a sender portion and a receiver portion. The sender portion is adapted to be manipulated by a user to specify a target point within a target area. The sender portion projects a light beam including a pattern onto the target area. A receiver portion includes one or more sensor units located in or near the target area. At least some of the sensor units receive a portion of the light beam regardless of the location of the target point within the target area. A processing unit in the receiver portion analyzes the portions of the light beam received by one or more sensor units to determine an attribute of the target point. The attribute can be the location or relative motion of the target point. The receiver portion may be integrated with a display device.
US08427415B2 Source driver, electro-optical device, projection-type display device, and electronic instrument
A source driver includes P grayscale signal lines, a corresponding grayscale voltage being supplied to each of the P grayscale signal lines, Q switch signal lines, a corresponding grayscale voltage being supplied to each of the Q switch signal lines, a first DAC that outputs a grayscale voltage among P grayscale voltages supplied to the P grayscale signal lines based on grayscale data, a second DAC that outputs a grayscale voltage among Q grayscale voltages supplied to the Q switch signal lines based on the grayscale data, and a source line driver section that drives a source line based on an output from the first DAC or the second DAC. The source line driver section generates a second drive signal of the source line based on the output from the second DAC, and then generates a first drive signal of the source line based on the output from the first DAC within one horizontal scan period.
US08427409B2 Projector
A projector includes an illumination device that emits an illumination light flux, a color-separating optical system that separates light from the illumination device into plural color lights and directs the color lights to an illuminated area, and a plurality of liquid crystal light valves that have liquid crystal panels. The crystal light valves are configured to maximize light utilization efficiency.
US08427405B2 Image display device and method of driving the same
Discussed is a method of driving an image display device including a plurality of pixel circuits having respective light emitting elements and arranged in a plane in a first direction and in a second direction different from the first direction; and a plurality of power source lines each connected in common to each column of pixel circuits which comprises the pixel circuits arranged in the first direction comprises (a) deriving a voltage drop expected to be generated in one power source line based on the wiring resistance of the one power source line and first image data supplied to a plurality of pixel circuits connected in common to the one power source line; (b) deriving second image data by correcting the first image data based on the voltage drop; and (c) causing the light emitting elements to emit light based on the second image data.
US08427397B2 Light emitting diode display device
The present disclosure relates to a light emitting diode display device which can prevent a drive switching device from degrading. The light emitting diode display device includes a plurality of pixel cells each having a light emitting diode, a plurality of data lines for transmission of data signal having information on a picture, a plurality of gate lines for transmission of a gate signal having a gate high voltage, a first gate low voltage, and a second gate low voltage having a polarity opposite to the data signal, wherein the gate high voltage, the first gate low voltage and the second gate low voltage having potentials different from one another wherein each of the pixel cells includes a signal transmission switching device for connecting the data line to a node according to the first gate high voltage from the gate line, a drive switching device for controlling an intensity of a drive current being supplied to the light emitting diode according to a signal state of the node, a storage capacitor connected between the node and a source electrode or a drain electrode of the drive switching device, and a control switching device for connecting the gate line to the node in response to the second gate low voltage from the gate line and a control signal from a control line.
US08427394B2 Shutter glass drive scheme for sequential-color displays
A method for driving at least one shutter glass lens having a property of light retardation that is variable at least according to the wavelength of the light passing through it, the shutter glass lens having an LC cell driven to a relatively “on” or a relatively “off” state according to a voltage applied across it. The lens is further operable to pass temporally modulated color display images of at least first, second, and third wavelengths being applied to a display surface, further including first, second, and third holding voltages to the LC cell in decreasing magnitude to stabilize the retardation of the lens for first, second, and third display image wavelengths.
US08427392B2 Circuit for detecting an external display device adapted to notebook computer and detecting method thereof
A notebook computer having a display port capable of outputting a vertical synchronous signal, a horizontal synchronous signal, a red signal, a green signal, and a blue signal to an external display device to display an image is disclosed. The notebook computer includes a monitor device built in the notebook computer, an embedded controller capable of outputting an enable signal and a detecting circuit receiving a first signal, a second signal and the enable signal. The first signal is the vertical synchronous signal or the horizontal synchronous signal. The second signal is the red signal, the green signal or the blue signal. When the external display device is disconnected with the display port, the detecting circuit may determine the second signal according to the actuation of the enable signal at a blanking interval of the first signal and switch the image to the monitor device automatically.
US08427391B2 Configurable imaging system
An imaging system is provided. The imaging system comprises an image source providing a video data stream. The imaging system further comprises a plurality of microtile units for: generating respective portions of an image from the video data stream, each microtile unit connectable to a plurality of other microtile units in multiple geometrical configurations. Each microtile unit comprises circuitry for: communication with the plurality of other microtile units to control generation of each respective portion of the image; and sub-image capture from the video data stream. The imaging system further comprises a system control unit for: automatically detecting a configuration of connected microtile units to determine information indicating a portion of the image each individual microtile unit is to be responsible for; and relaying respective information comprising a respective portion of the image a respective microtile unit is to be responsible for to each the respective microtile unit in the sub-image capture.
US08427389B2 Mobile communication device and method for assembling the mobile communication device
A mobile terminal device includes a circuit board accommodated in a casing and an antenna disposed on the outside of the casing electrically connected to each other via a opening formed in the casing, a first conductive member fixed to an inner surface of the casing while being connected to the circuit board, a second conductive member detachably attached to an outer surface of the casing while being connected to the antenna, and a conductive fastening member fitted into the opening from outside the casing and fastening the first conductive member and the second conductive member together.
US08427379B2 Modular material antenna assembly
A modular material antenna assembly is provided that includes an antenna block having a portion with a shape that interlocks with a corresponding portion of an electrically non-conductive frame and secures the antenna block to the electrically non-conductive frame. The electrically non-conductive frame is attached to an interior of an electrically conductive housing so that the electrically non-conductive frame and the electrically conductive housing form an integrated structure. An antenna flex is then mechanically secured to the antenna block. The antenna flex may also be electrically connected to a circuit board. The frame is designed to support a cover glass for the portable electronic device and may be affixed to a housing. The dielectric constant of the antenna block is substantially less than the dielectric constant of the frame.
US08427376B2 Electronic devices with parasitic antenna resonating elements that reduce near field radiation
Antennas are provided for electronic devices such as portable computers. An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna is mounted. The housing may be formed of conductive materials. A dielectric antenna window may be mounted in the housing to allow radio-frequency signals to be transmitted from the antenna and to allow the antenna to receive radio-frequency signals. Near-field radiation limits may be satisfied by reducing transmit power when an external object is detected in the vicinity of the dielectric antenna window and the antenna. A proximity sensor may be used in detecting external objects. A parasitic antenna resonating element may be interposed between the antenna resonating element and the dielectric antenna window to minimize near-field radiation hotspots. The parasitic antenna resonating element may be formed using a capacitor electrode for the proximity sensor. A ferrite layer may be interposed between the parasitic element and the antenna window.
US08427373B2 RFID patch antenna with coplanar reference ground and floating grounds
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, reader antennas are provided within storage fixtures for transporting RF signals between, for example, an RFID reader and an RFID tag. In a preferred embodiment, the RFID-enabled storage fixtures are implemented using an intelligent network, which may allow enhanced flexibility in controlling systems for interrogation of RFID antennas.
US08427369B1 Amplitude calibration estimation
In one implementation, a first measurement of gain of a first calibration signal retransmitted from a first satellite element and a second measurement of gain of a second calibration signal retransmitted from a second satellite element may be obtained. A first expected gain for the first element and a second expected gain for the second element may be accessed. A weight indicative of a confidence in the first measurement may be computed using a gradient of a geodetic radiation pattern of the first element. A weight indicative of a confidence in the second measurement also may be computed using a gradient of a radiation pattern of the second element. A cost function may be generated and values for one or more unknown variables may be computed by reducing the cost function with respect to the one or more unknown variables. The computed values for the unknown variables may be stored.
US08427361B2 Radar apparatus for use in vehicle
The radar apparatus includes a target candidate detecting means for detecting a peak frequency at which the intensity of the power spectrum of a beat signal peaks as a target candidate, a road shape recognizing means to sequentially connect, along a predetermined direction, the target candidates detected to be stationary and present within a reference distance from one of the target candidates set as a reference target candidate for one or more measurement cycles and recognize an area formed by the sequentially connected target candidates as an edge of the road, a cruise environment estimating means to determine whether the cruise environment is a closed space or an open space based on the power spectrum, and a reference distance correcting means to shorten the reference distance when the cruise environment is determined to be a closed space.
US08427350B2 Sigma-delta modulator
A sigma-delta modulator (400) 400, 500, 600) for converting an input signal (X(s)) (X(s)) to a quantized output signal (Y(z)) (Y(z)), in which a feedback loop is provided between a filter (402) and a quantizer (403) of the modulator, the feedback loop configured to reduce quantization errors from the modulator by filtering and subtracting quantization noise fed back to an input of the quantizer (403).
US08427347B1 Dynamic data compression and decompression
A method of compressing data is provided. In one implementation, the method includes compressing data with a plurality of compression schemes, where the compressing is computer implemented. Also, in one implementation, the plurality of compression schemes include a first compression scheme and a second compression scheme and the compressing includes compressing a first portion of the data with the first compression scheme and compressing a second portion of the data with the second compression scheme, where the second compression scheme is different from the first compression scheme. In one implementation, the method further includes determining a suitable compression scheme from the plurality of compression schemes with which to compress each portion of the data, where the determining is computer implemented. In one implementation, the data is configuration data for configuring an IC.
US08427345B2 Side keypad assembly and portable electronic device using the same
A side keypad assembly includes a pressing surface, an opposite mating surface. The pressing surface includes a plurality of keypads protruded thereon. The mating surface includes a plurality of stepped columns protruded thereon corresponding to the plurality of keypads respectively and a plurality of separating protrusions corresponding to the conjoint portions between every two keypads respectively. The invention also provides a portable electronic device using the side keypad assembly.
US08427343B2 Methods and systems for generating data link air traffic control center menus
Methods and systems for generating a data link air traffic control center menu are provided. In one implementation, a method includes calculating a distance between each of a plurality of air traffic control centers and an aircraft during flight. The method further includes displaying a sorted list of the plurality of air traffic control centers, wherein the list is sorted by the calculated distance, from closest to the aircraft to farthest from the aircraft. The method further includes receiving an input, the input selecting one of the air traffic control centers.
US08427342B2 Method and system for locating an available vehicle parking space
A method and system of the invention locates an available vehicle parking space. In the method, parked information indicative of a parked condition is stored in a first vehicle. The first vehicle may detect a change in condition from the parked condition to a vacating condition. The first vehicle then communicates the change in condition from the first vehicle to a neighboring searching vehicle and the searching vehicle detects the change.
US08427339B2 Information provision system and in-vehicle apparatus
An information provision system, which includes (i) a navigation apparatus in a vehicle and (ii) an information center, provides an occupant of the vehicle with information. The navigation apparatus and information center communicate via a wireless communication link. The navigation apparatus wirelessly acquires reception position information, which indicates several reception positions, from the information center. When determining that the vehicle reaches one of the reception positions, the navigation apparatus wirelessly acquires, in association with the reached reception position, display-related information containing (i) display position information indicating a display position and (ii) at-display-position window information indicating contents of a display window displayed at the display position. When determining that the vehicle reaches the display position, the navigation apparatus displays the contents of the corresponding display window indicated by the acquired at-display-position window information.
US08427329B2 Method of testing and monitoring joint health
A method for non-destructive health monitoring of a joined component includes: supplying a first current between a first end of a first member and a first end of a second member of the joined component; measuring a first voltage between a second end of the first member and a second end of the second member, wherein the first ends of the first member and the second member are situated opposite of at least one joint from the second ends of the first member and the second member; calculating a first joint resistance of the at least one joint from the supplied first current and the measured first voltage; comparing the calculated first joint resistance to a predetermined minimum joint resistance; and comparing the calculated first joint resistance to a predetermined maximum joint resistance, wherein the predetermined maximum joint resistance is greater than the predetermined minimum joint resistance.
US08427327B2 Liquid flow measuring during buoy-loading
The invention relates to a method for measuring and controlling a fluid flow in a pipe system for liquid transport, such as oil flow during buoy loading, wherein there in each end of a the pipe system is spliced in a sensor (1) consisting of a pipe section (2) with a reinforced rubber bellows (3) positioned as a restriction within the transport pipe. The rubber bellows (3) is forced radially outward when there is oil flowing through the transport pipe, and compresses a gas filled volume in a pressure vessel (4) via a pipe connection (4B) in communication with an annulus (5), and a pressure transmitter (6A/B) gives signals to a control system (7). The sensor (1) on the platform and the tanker vessel measures relative changes in the liquid flow between the two measuring points, as the measurements from the tanker vessel is received via a telemetry system, and the signals from the two measuring points are compared continuously by the control system on the platform, which triggers an alarm and shuts down the loading process automatically at deviation in the measurement on the tanker vessel compared to the reference measurement on the platform.
US08427326B2 Method and system for detecting the physiological onset of operator fatigue, drowsiness, or performance decrement
A method for detecting the onset of drowsiness in an operator of a vehicle or other apparatus. The operator grips a steering wheel or similar control handle, which continuously outputs gripping signals. The method provides for dynamic offset removal to obtain baseline signals, selection of physiologically-significant signals, combining and processing signals to form a proxy signal, analysis of the proxy signals to detect patterns indicative of the onset of drowsiness, and generating alerts as appropriate. The method provides for multiple sliding windows, for dynamic baseline adjustment; and statistical processing to detect physiologically-meaningful patterns indicative of the onset of drowsiness, as distinct from incidental changes in operator gripping through hand position readjustment during normal operation.
US08427325B2 Human movement measurement system
A system for use in playing a video game, the system acting to measure the movement, motion, acceleration, orientation, and/or position of transponders while being guided by interactive and sensory feedback. A bidirectional communication link to a processing system supporting the video game provides functional movement assessment.
US08427313B2 Expendable tamper evident security seal
An expendable tamper evident seal system for monitoring a mechanism to which physical access is required in order to open or close an access-way, comprising: an embedding material moldable into a shape conforming to the mechanism and adapted to be applied to the mechanism; circuit components randomly embedded in the embedding material so as to be arranged in positions and orientations corresponding to the shape, whereby physical access to the mechanism that alters the shape of the embedding material correspondingly alters the positions and orientations of the circuit components in the material; and an electronic interrogation device (EID) including components that induce in the circuit components an electromagnetic spectral response indicative of the position of the EID relative to the positions and orientations of the circuit components in the material, and measure the spectral response.
US08427302B2 Activity trend detection and notification to a caregiver
In one example, a process includes receiving a plurality of first communications and a plurality of second communications, each first communication capturing activity of a patient using a first device at a different time and each second communication capturing activity of the patient using a second device at a different time. The process includes identifying a macro trend for all monitored activity of the patient based on data taken from the first and second communications. The process includes comparing data taken from a new communication from at least one of the first and second devices to the identified macro trend. A caregiver may be notified according to the comparison.
US08427301B2 System and method for identifying electrical equipment using wireless receivers
By utilizing a transmitter that plugs into a power socket of a piece of electrical equipment, that equipment may be locatable using a specialized power source that interacts with the transmitter. The specialized power source sends a command signal across a power cable and causes the transmitter to send a response signal. The response signal is received by one or more receivers, and the position of the equipment within its corresponding cabinet/rack can be determined. The response signal can be sent using a number of different techniques, such as ultrasonic or infrared.
US08427292B2 Automotive vehicle and asset management system therefor
An automotive vehicle includes one or more computers. The one or more computers are configured to, in a first mode of operation, receive and store, at a plurality of instances, inventory information about assets in a vicinity of the vehicle, and identify patterns in asset inventories based on the inventory information and a history of vehicle locations associated with the inventory information. The one or more computers are also configured to, in a second mode of operation, generate output representing at least one suggested vehicle destination based on the identified patterns and assets detected in the vicinity of the vehicle.
US08427285B2 Configurable control of data storage device visual indicators in a server computer system
A server computer system includes a set of visual indicators for representing status of one or more data storage devices that are connected to one or more nodes of the server system. Control circuitry has at least first and second bus interfaces and is configured to set the state of the visual indicators responsive to signals received through the bus interfaces, and to operate in at least first and second configurable modes. In the first mode, both of the first and the second bus interfaces communicate with a single node. In the second mode, the first bus interface communicates with a first node and the second bus interface communicates with a second node.
US08427284B2 Multi media controller
A multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment; the unit might act as a stand-alone device or being integrated into the multimedia equipment. Different individual combinations of individual objects enable for different functional capabilities. The multifunction unit for control of multimedia equipment has access to external sources via standard network interfaces and protocols.
US08427281B2 Apparatus for reading RFID tag information and RFID tag information reading system
This disclosure discloses an apparatus for reading radio frequency identification (RFID) tag information configured to perform information transmission and reception with a plurality of RFID tag circuit elements having an IC circuit part storing information and a tag antenna connected to the IC circuit part, comprising: a first movement detecting portion configured to detect a moving state of the apparatus for reading RFID tag information; a transmitting portion configured to generate a reading command to acquire the information stored in the IC circuit part and to transmit the command to the RFID tag circuit element; and a first reading control portion configured to control the number of reading trial times per unit time using the reading command by the transmitting portion according to a detection result of the first movement detecting portion.
US08427273B2 Resistor structure of phase change material and trimming method thereof
An embodiment of a resistor formed by at least one first portion and one second portion, electrically coupled to one another and with different crystalline phases. The first portion has a positive temperature coefficient, and the second portion has a negative temperature coefficient. The first portion has a first resistivity, and the second portion has a second resistivity, and the portions are coupled so that the resistor has an overall temperature coefficient that is approximately zero.
US08427270B2 Chip-type coil component
A chip-type coil component capable of reducing the resistance of the coil while minimizing a decrease in the inductance of the coil includes magnetic layers composed of a multilayer body. The chip-type coil component further includes internal electrodes laminated on the magnetic layers. The internal electrodes are connected to each other to form a coil. The chip-type coil component further includes an auxiliary internal electrode laminated on each of the magnetic layers. Each auxiliary internal electrode is connected in parallel to the internal electrode laminated on the magnetic layer that is different from the magnetic layer on which the auxiliary internal electrode is laminated.
US08427269B1 Encapsulation method and apparatus for electronic modules
An encapsulated electronic device includes a magnetically permeable core structure which is exposed within and coplanar with a flat top surface of the device. A bottom surface of the core may be exposed within the bottom surface of the device. The bottom core surface may be recessed beneath, coplanar with, or protruding from the bottom surface of the device. Alternatively the bottom surface may be encapsulated within the device. A method for manufacturing the exposed core package includes positioning a first component relative to a second component before encapsulating the device. An improved planar magnetic core structure includes internal bevels having a radius greater than or equal to 15% and preferably 25%, 35%, or as much as 50% of the core thickness to reduce concentration of the magnetic field around the internal corners.
US08427267B1 Encapsulation method and apparatus for electronic modules
An encapsulated electronic device includes a magnetically permeable core structure which is exposed within and coplanar with a flat top surface of the device. A bottom surface of the core may be exposed within the bottom surface of the device. The bottom core surface may be recessed beneath, coplanar with, or protruding from the bottom surface of the device. Alternatively the bottom surface may be encapsulated within the device. A method for manufacturing the exposed core package includes positioning a first component relative to a second component before encapsulating the device. An improved planar magnetic core structure includes internal bevels having a radius greater than or equal to 15% and preferably 25%, 35%, or as much as 50% of the core thickness to reduce concentration of the magnetic field around the internal corners.
US08427266B2 Integrated circuit inductor having a patterned ground shield
An inductor structure can be implemented within a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC). The inductor structure can include a coil of conductive material having a first terminal and a second terminal each located at an opposing end of the coil. The inductor structure can include a patterned ground shield including a plurality of fingers implemented within an IC process layer located between the coil of conductive material and a substrate of the IC. The inductor structure also can include an isolation wall formed to encompass the coil and the patterned ground shield. The isolation wall can be coupled to one end of each finger.
US08427248B2 Stabilization network and a semiconductor device having the stabilization network
A stabilization network and a semiconductor device having the stabilization network wherein the stabilization network includes an active element having a negative resistance accompanying a high frequency negative resistance oscillation; and a tank circuit composed of a resistance connected to a main electrode of the active element, an inductance and capacitance which are connected in parallel with the resistance and synchronize with an oscillating frequency of the high frequency negative resistance oscillation, wherein the stabilization network is performed for suppressing a negative resistance accompanying a Gunn oscillation and obtaining stable and highly efficient power amplification.
US08427241B2 High efficiency, high frequency amplifiers
The invention is an improvement in microwave and millimeter wave amplifiers. Capacitors are connected in parallel with the source and drain terminals of all of the amplifying elements in a series of such elements except the first, compensating for current leakage due to gate capacitance. This results in improved synchronism of the amplifying elements, and improved overall efficiency and circuit performance.
US08427235B2 Power-MOSFETs with improved efficiency for multi-channel class-D audio amplifiers and packaging thereof
A stereo class-D audio system includes a first die including four monolithically integrated NMOS high-side devices and a second a second die including four monolithically integrated PMOS low-side devices. The audio system also includes a set of electrical contacts for connecting the high and low-side devices to components within the a stereo class-D audio system, the set of electrical contacts including at least one supply contact for connecting the drains of the high-side devices to a supply voltage (Vcc) and at least one ground contact for connecting the drains of the low-side devices to ground, the electrical contacts also including respective contacts for each source of the high and low-side devices allowing the source of each high-side device to be connected to the source of a respective low-side device to form two H-bridge circuits.
US08427233B2 Method and apparatus to linearize transconductors by predistortion
A transconductor for providing an output current that is linear in the input voltage (Vin) comprises a main output transconductor (Ms, Mc) and a model transconductor (Msr1, Msr2, Mcr1, Mcr2) is comprised in a predistortion circuit (A), which measures the output of the model transconductor and the overall voltage input (Vin) to provide a control signal (Vc, Vc′) for the transconductors that compensates for their non-linearity.
US08427232B2 Self-calibrating gain control system
A circuit for self-calibrating a gain control system samples the output of a digital amplifier coupled in series with one or more analog amplifiers to correct errors in a discrete stepped gain control. A digital gain control circuit controls both the digital amplifier and at least one analog amplifier to produce a smooth linear and continuous gain, wherein perturbations in the digital control of gain are smoothed by a signal applied to gain control circuit by a gain step correction circuit.
US08427230B2 Current-mode analog baseband apparatus
A current-mode analog baseband apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a current-mode low-order filter, a current-mode programmable gain amplifier (PGA) unit and a high-order filter. The input impedance is smaller than the output impedance in the current-mode low-order filter. An input terminal of the current-mode PGA unit is connected to an output terminal of the current-mode low-order filter. An input terminal of the high-order filter is connected to an output terminal of the current-mode PGA unit.
US08427229B2 Integrated circuits with bi-directional charge pumps
Integrated circuits such as memory arrays are coupled to a bi-directional charge pump that includes an input circuit and output circuit, and one or more pump stages coupled between the input circuit and the output circuit of the bi-directional charge pump. The output circuit includes a diode having an input and output and a transistor connected to the output of the diode and a ground potential. The input of the diode is electrically connected to the pump stages in a configuration that allows the charge pump to apply a positive or negative voltage to the memory array or other load.
US08427222B2 Current driving circuit
A current driving circuit includes a constant current source circuit delivering a driving current to a load, and an output voltage difference amplifier circuit detecting a voltage change produced at a load driving end during a preset time period and delivering a current or a voltage corresponding to the voltage change to the load during a time period different from the preset time period. During first time period, capacitance circuit compares potential during a preceding time period to that during the current time period, and causes a potential at the load driving end during the current time period to store in any of capacitance elements depending on result of comparison. The amplifier circuit buffering an average value of the potential values stored in the capacitance elements during the second time period following the first time period, to deliver the average value to the load.
US08427218B2 Delay circuit and method for driving the same
A delay circuit includes a pulse generation unit configured to generate a pulse signal, which is activated in response to an input signal and has a pulse width corresponding to delay information, and an output unit configured to activate a final output signal in response to a deactivation of the pulse signal.
US08427204B2 Mixed-mode input buffer
An input buffer with a reduced sensitivity to an externally generated reference voltage includes: a first input coupled between a first load and ground, the first input being an externally generated reference voltage; a second input coupled between a second load and ground, for generating an output; and a third input coupled in parallel to the first input, the third input being an internally generated reference voltage. The output switches between high and low or vice versa when the second input exceeds a switching point which is an average of the first input and the third input according to the relative size of the first input and the third input.
US08427203B2 Reconfigurable memristor-based computing logic
An apparatus for reconfigurable computing logic implemented by an innovative memristor based computing architecture. The invention employs a decoder to select memristor devices whose ON/OFF impedance state will determine the reconfigurable logic output. Thus, the resulting circuit design can be electronically configured and re-configured to implement any multi-input/output Boolean logic computing functionality. Moreover, the invention retains its configured logic state without the application of a current or voltage source.
US08427201B2 Local result processor
A system includes a register, a first logical function portion, the first logical function portion operative to receive a first numerical value from the register, perform a first logical function with the first numerical value, and output a second numerical value, a second logical function portion, the second logical function portion operative to receive the first numerical value from the register, perform a second logical function with the first numerical value, and output a third numerical value, and a control logic portion, the control logic portion operative to receive the first numerical value from the register, determine whether the first numerical value includes a code associated with either the first logical function or the second logical function, and responsive to determining that the code is associated with the first logical function, and direct the output of the second numerical value to an input of the register.
US08427199B2 Magnetic logic gate
This disclosure is directed to a magnetic logic device for implementing a combinational logic function. The magnetic logic device may include a network of at least two magnetoresistive devices electrically coupled in parallel. The magnetic logic device may further include a voltage source configured to apply a voltage between a first terminal and a second terminal of the network of at least two magnetoresistive devices electrically coupled in parallel. The magnetic logic device may further include a logic output generator configured to generate a logic output value for a logic function based on a magnitude of a current produced at the second terminal of the network in response to the applied voltage.
US08427194B2 Logic system with resistance to side-channel attack by exhibiting a closed clock-data eye diagram
An improvement in the security of a logic system by minimizing observable features such as the power supply or electromagnetic radiation, so called, “side-channel attacks”. Specifically, the present invention comprises a technique and methods for reducing the ability of an intruder to monitor the relationship between currents in the system and the data in the system through the use of a randomized clock wherein the clock eye diagram is closed and without significant reduction in maximum operating speed compared to the reduction in maximum operating frequency that occurs when using conventional means of additive jitter. A system where the clock eye diagram is completely closed is provably more secure than systems where the clock eye diagram is partially open.
US08427187B2 Probe wafer, probe device, and testing system
There is provided a testing system for testing a plurality of semiconductor chips formed on a single semiconductor wafer. The testing system includes a wafer substrate, a plurality of wafer connector terminals that are provided on the wafer substrate in such a manner that one or more wafer connector terminals correspond to each of the semiconductor chips, where each wafer connector terminal is to be electrically connected to an input/output terminal of a corresponding semiconductor chip, a plurality of circuit units that are provided on the wafer substrate in such a manner that one or more circuit units corresponds to each of the semiconductor chips, where each circuit unit generates a test signal to be used for testing a corresponding semiconductor chip and supplies the test signal to the corresponding semiconductor chip to test the corresponding semiconductor chip, and a controller that generates a control signal used to control the plurality of circuit units.
US08427178B2 Detection circuit for use in various types of capacitive transducers and a transducer including such a circuit
A detection circuit for detecting changes in capacitance. The detection circuit includes a tuned ratio circuit and an alternating current (AC) source AC-coupled to the tuned ratio circuit. The tuned ratio circuit includes first and second tuned circuits that are tuned to, or close, to the frequency of the AC source. Output circuitry is coupled between the two tuned circuits. During use as a transducer, an active capacitive transducer is inductively coupled to the first tuned circuit. Changes in the capacitance of the active capacitive transducer cause changes in the tuning of the first tuned circuit. The output circuitry generates an output signal that is a function of the difference between the tunings of the first and second tuned circuits.
US08427177B2 Capacitance sensor
A technique in which a false detection and a wrong diagnosis can be suppressed in a capacitance sensor represented by an acceleration sensor is provided. A first capacitative element and a second capacitative element, which configure a capacitance detection unit, and a third capacitative element and a fourth capacitative element, which configure a forced oscillation generation unit, are electrically separated from each other. That is, the diagnosis movable electrode that configures the third capacitative element and the fourth capacitative element is formed integrally with the movable part. On the other hand, the diagnosis fixed electrode and the diagnosis fixed electrode are electrically separated from the detection fixed electrode and the detection fixed electrode.
US08427174B2 Measurement process for determination of the optimum contact pressure among components of a solid oxide fuel cell stack in the packaging process and its measurement apparatus
The present invention provides a measurement process for determination of the optimum contact pressure among components of a solid oxide fuel cell stack in the packaging process in order that the reduction in performance caused by the packaging process can be reduced. The present invention also provides a measurement apparatus which can carry the measurement process out.
US08427169B2 Noninvasive characterization of electrical power distribution systems
Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for characterizing an electrical power distribution system are disclosed. One method includes applying at least one test signal to at least one test point of the system, measuring a plurality of response signals at a plurality of test points, wherein the plurality of response signals are generated in response to the at least one test signal, and characterizing the system based on the plurality of response signals. One system includes a plurality of test/response units attached to a plurality of test points, the units configured to generate test signals and/or measure response signals at the test points. At least one controller coordinates application of the test signals and characterizes the electrical network based on the response signals. A communications link allows the test/response units to communicate with the at least one controller.