Document Document Title
US08464036B2 Activating applications based on accelerometer data
In some implementations, a computer-implemented method includes storing a plurality of acceleration profiles in a mobile device; receiving accelerometer data from an accelerometer in the mobile device; correlating the accelerometer data with one accelerometer profile in the plurality of accelerometer profiles; and activating a user application of the mobile device that is associated with the correlated accelerometer profile. Each acceleration profile can correspond to a sequence of acceleration forces a mobile device would be subjected to when carried with a user during an activity that corresponds to the correlated acceleration profile.
US08464027B2 Programmable filter processor select algorithm and parameters and pass time/angle stamp in parallel with A/D data in pipelined logic
A programmable filter processor which is adaptable to different filtering algorithms, a plurality of different software algorithms being executable, the programmable filter processor including a logic unit which includes a plurality of pipeline stages; a first memory in which the software algorithms are stored; a second memory in which raw data and parameters for the different filter algorithms are stored; and an address generating unit which is controllable via a program counter, the address generating unit being developed to generate control commands for the second memory and the logic unit.
US08464016B2 Method and device for switching over in a memory for a control device
A method and device for switching over in a memory for a control device, a first storage area in the control unit being overlaid by a second storage area; the second storage area including at least one memory page, and each of the memory pages being able to overlay the first storage area; switching over being able to be performed between the memory pages and the overlaying being able to be switched on/switched off, and the switching over of the memory pages and the switching on/switching off of the overlaying of the second storage area being automatically carried out and/or triggered by the software of the control unit.
US08464011B2 Method and apparatus for providing secure register access
The method and accompanying apparatus provides secure register access. In one example, as part of a secure boot process, data is written into a managed secure register (MSR) register and access policy data is written into programmable MSR policy registers. During run-time, the MSR register securely stores data in compliance with the programmable register access policy data. Access policy is enforced during run-time based on the programmable register access policy data.
US08464009B2 Method for memory interleave support with a ceiling mask
A distributed shared memory multiprocessor system that supports both fine- and coarse- grained interleaving of the shared memory address space. A ceiling mask sets a boundary between the fine-grain interleaved and coarse-grain interleaved memory regions of the distributed shared memory. A method for satisfying a memory access request in a distributed shared memory subsystem of a multiprocessor system having both fine- and coarse-grain interleaved memory segments. Certain low or high order address bits, depending on whether the memory segment is fine- or coarse-grain interleaved, respectively, are used to determine if the memory address is local to a processor node. A method for setting the ceiling mask of a distributed shared memory multiprocessor system to optimize performance of a first application run on a single node and performance of a second application run on a plurality of nodes.
US08464004B2 Information processing apparatus, memory control method, and memory control device utilizing local and global snoop control units to maintain cache coherency
An information processing apparatus, a memory control method, and a memory control device are disclosed, the information processing apparatus including nodes each having a main memory, a processor including a cache memory, and a system controller. The system controller of at least one of the nodes includes a holding unit that holds address information corresponding to primary data stored in the main memory of its local node, and not cached in any of the cache memories of other nodes. The system controller of the at least one node may include local and global snoop control units, as well as a virtual tag expansion (VTAGx) unit, to maintain cache coherency, and under certain conditions, a snoop operation may be skipped or omitted.
US08463995B2 Storage control apparatus and storage system comprising multiple storage control apparatuses
A storage system has multiple disk controller (DKC) units that are coupled to one another in accordance with a coupling mode that satisfies the following (a1) through (a3): (a1) One DKC inside one DKC unit and one DKC inside another DKC unit are coupled via a second type of coupling medium that differs from the internal bus of the DKC and has a longer maximum communication distance than a first type of coupling medium, which is the same type of coupling medium as the internal bus of the DKC; (a2) the one DKC unit virtualizes a logical volume of the other DKC unit and provides this virtualized logical volume to host(s) coupled to the one DKC unit; and (a3) the other DKC unit virtualizes a logical volume of the DKC unit and provides this virtualized logical volume to host(s) coupled to the other DKC unit.
US08463992B2 System and method for handling IO to drives in a raid system based on strip size
A system and method for handling IO to drives in a RAID system is described. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a multiple disk system with a predefined strip size. IO request with a logical block address is received for execution on the multiple disk system. A plurality of sub-IO requests with a sub-strip size is generated, where the sub-strip size is smaller than the strip size. The generated sub-IO commands are executed on the multiple disk system. In one embodiment, a cache line size substantially equal to the sub-strip size is assigned to process the IO request.
US08463987B2 Scalable schedulers for memory controllers
Methods and apparatus to improve throughput and efficiency in memory devices are described. In one embodiment, a memory controller may include scheduler logic to issue read or write requests to a memory device in an optimal fashion, e.g., to maximize bandwidth and/or reduce latency. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08463984B2 Dynamic data flow management in a multiple cache architecture
The disclosure is related to systems and methods of dynamic dataflow in a multiple cache architecture. In an embodiment, a system having a data storage device with a multiple cache architecture may detect at least one attribute affecting a data storage workload or data storage performance. The system may select at least one of a plurality of data flow schemes based on the at least one attribute, which may be done to optimize the data storage workload for various conditions. In another embodiment, a data storage controller may automatically and dynamically select one of multiple data flow schemes within a data storage device having a multiple cache architecture. The data storage controller may monitor attributes to determine which data flow scheme to select for various workloads of the data storage device.
US08463983B2 Container marker scheme for reducing write amplification in solid state devices
A solid state storage device and method are provided. Multiple blocks are configured as storage memory for a solid state storage device, and each block includes multiple pages. A controller is configured to operate the solid state storage device. A free block of the multiple blocks is assigned a marker level by the controller. For a particular page of the multiple pages, each particular page of data is written to a block of the multiple blocks with a marker level corresponding to a level of dynamicity calculated by the controller for that particular page.
US08463962B2 MAC and PHY interface arrangement
According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is implemented for transmitting data between a Media Access Control Layer (MAC) (100) and a Physical Layer (PHY) (150) using an internal data bus for transmitting a set of internal symbols between the MAC (100) and PHY (150). A subset of internal symbols does not have a corresponding PHY symbol. An external data bus carries data symbols. An external interface (102, 118) provides command information on one or more dedicated command lines and provides the data symbols. An encoder (108, 110) encodes the provided command information into one or more of the subset of internal symbols. An internal interface (106, 107, 109, 111) transmits the one or more of the subset of internal symbols and the data symbols between the MAC (100) and PHY (150) using the internal data bus.
US08463960B2 Synchronisation of data processing systems
A centralised synchronizing device for determining progress of at least a subset of transaction requests that are transmitted through a data processing system. A system synchronizing request is a request generated by one of the plurality of transaction generating devices and queries progress of a subset of the transaction requests. The synchronizing device includes: at least one port to and from the data processing system; a multicast circuitry configured to output a plurality of synchronizing requests for multicast to at least some of the devices within the data processing system where the requests query the progress of the subset of the transaction requests. Gather circuitry collects responses to the requests confirming that the queried progress has occurred at the respective devices. The gather circuitry determines when responses to all of the requests have been received and outputs a response to the system synchronizing request.
US08463957B2 Enabling access to peripheral resources at a processor
A method of enabling access to resources includes detecting an input to access a resource of a multi-mode processing module coupled to a host processor and a control module. The method can further include detecting an operating mode of the host processor and the control module and an availability of independent peripheral resources of the multi-mode processing module. Additionally, the method can enable the multi-mode processing module in response to the detecting the operating mode and the availability of the independent peripheral resources.
US08463951B1 Unified driver architecture device identifier strategy
Embodiments of the present invention provide for initializing a device for use in a computer system. In one embodiment a BIOS routine reads a configuration register of each device in a computer system. The configuration register contains a device identifier indicating an oldest version of a device driver for controlling the device. The device identifier for each device is saved in a configuration data space. An operating system retrieves each device identifier contained in the configuration data space, and maps each device identifier to a corresponding device driver utilizing a registry. The operating system loads and causes execution of an initialization routine of each corresponding device driver mapped to each of the device identifiers.
US08463933B2 Systems and methods for optimizing media content delivery based on user equipment determined resource metrics
A user equipment for optimizing a media content delivery based on a state of resident resources. The user equipment may include a memory component having a resource manager application stored therein, one or more processor components, a resident power source, and a transceiver. The resource manager is configured to determine one or more device resource metrics, compare the device resources metric(s) to one or more corresponding device resource thresholds(s), and then generate an instruction to throttle a media content delivery when it is determined that at least one resource metric has exceeded a resource threshold value or that a local policy metric has achieved a local policy threshold.
US08463923B2 Enhanced zoning user interface for computing environments
Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for managing a computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, a plurality of information, including each of an available plurality of devices, an interconnected plurality of communication paths, and quality of service (QoS) information, is gathered for at least one of the available plurality of devices and the interconnected plurality of communication paths. The plurality of information is organized into a plurality of zones according to a zoning methodology. One of an available plurality of checking operations is performed to verify consistency of the plurality of information, including performing a real-time zone checking operation to determine that at least one of the plurality of zones is functional. The plurality of information, including the at least one of the plurality of zones, is displayed to the user via a graphical user interface (GUI).
US08463921B2 Method and system for controlling a computer application program
Aspects of the invention relate to a computer-implemented method of controlling a computer application program in a computer system configured for electronically communication with a client. The computer system is configured to have access to a first request set of one or more allowable requests corresponding to a first application state of the computer application program. The computer application program may run on the computer system or on one or more other computer systems. A client request is received at the computer system for the computer application program. The computer application program is in the first application state in relation to said client (using e.g. the client connection). The client request is analysed to determine if the client request matches one of the allowable requests corresponding to the first application state of the computer application program. The computer application program is controlled by instructing this program to execute the client request only if the client request matches an allowable request of the first request set.
US08463920B2 Sharing IP network resources
A system and method for sharing access to an internet protocol (IP) network among multiple internet service providers (ISPs) uses multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). End-users are coupled to a broadband customer access network. Each end-user is also associated with at least one of the ISPs. An aggregation router interfaces the customer access network with a network backbone. The network backbone includes a border router for interfacing between the network backbone and the network of an ISP. When the border router is activated, it creates a forwarding equivalency class (FEC) corresponding to the ISP. The border router stores a label for the FEC and the interface for reaching the ISP in an FEC table. The border router advertises the label binding for the FEC to all upstream nodes. An intermediate node receiving the label binding creates its own FEC table, associates a new label with the FEC, and advertises the new label binding to its upstream nodes. The aggregation router receives and builds a FEC table containing the label bindings for all ISPs reachable over the network backbone. When the aggregation router receives a data packet from an end-user, the aggregation router determines the ISP associated with the end-user, labels the data packet with the label corresponding to the FEC for that ISP, and routes the packet on the network backbone. The packet eventually reaches the border router, which pops off the label and passes the packet to the ISP.
US08463919B2 Process for associating data requests with site visits
A process is disclosed for associating particular data requests from a user's computing device with particular site visits. The process includes determining whether the data requests are “forced content” requests, such as requests for advertisements. Such forced content requests, even if directed to a different domain from that of a site being visited, preferably are not treated as the end of the site visit or the start of a new site visit. The process may also consider other information regarding the data requests, such as whether they are requests for images, and whether they are directed to hosts associated with an open site visit.
US08463916B2 Traffic engineering and bandwidth management of bundled links
Traffic engineering and bandwidth management of bundled links may, at times, require the selection of one of a plurality of component links in a bundled link to use in admitting a connection requiring admission. While performing the selection it may be determined that more than one of the component links has the resources required to admit the connection. An admission policy may then be selected from among a plurality of admission policies. Based on the selected admission policy, a particular component link may then be selected. Such bandwidth management, based on admission policies, may be seen to be well suited to balancing and component link recovery in traffic engineered, connection-oriented MPLS networks.
US08463904B2 System and method of middlebox detection and characterization
A computer-implemented system and method to detect and characterize middleboxes is disclosed. Embodiments of the system and method include a middlebox detection engine to provide a plurality of middlebox detection modules, and to use at least one middlebox detection module of the plurality of middlebox detection modules to determine if a middlebox exists on a path between a first communicating entity of a network and a second communicating entity of the network.
US08463899B2 System, method and computer program product for optimized root cause analysis
Embodiments disclosed herein can significantly optimize a root cause analysis and substantially reduce the overall time needed to isolate the root cause or causes of service degradation in an IT environment. By building on the ability of an abnormality detection algorithm to correlate an alarm with one or more events, embodiments disclosed herein can apply data correlation to data points collected within a specified time window by data metrics involved in the generation of the alarm and the event(s). The level of correlation between the primary metric and the probable cause metrics may be adjusted using the ratio between theoretical data points and actual points. The final Root Cause Analysis score may be modified depending upon the adjusted correlation value and presented for user review through a user interface.
US08463898B2 Information collecting apparatus, method of controlling the information collecting apparatus, network apparatus, method of controlling the network apparatus, and storage medium
An information collecting apparatus which is capable of reliably collecting information without troubling a user or a service person even when there is no device capable of playing the role of a server to collect information on its behalf. The apparatus collects information on network devices connected to a network. The collected information is transmitted to a server. When the apparatus cannot continue information collection, it is determined whether or not any network device is provided with the information collecting function. If any of them is provided, the apparatus instructs the device to execute the function, whereas if none of them is provided with the function, the apparatus instructs the device to transmit information on the device itself to the server.
US08463892B2 Method and system for information leak prevention
A method for mitigating false positive type errors while applying an information leak prevention policy, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: defining at least one positive criterion for a positive set, wherein the positive criterion comprises at least one indicator of a possible breach of the information leak prevention policy; defining at least one negative criterion for a negative set, wherein the negative criterion comprises at least one indicator of benign traffic; establishing an ambiguity set in association with an intersection between the positive set and the negative set, such that information items in the intersection enter the ambiguity set; defining at least one ambiguity resolution criterion for resolving the ambiguity; monitoring and analyzing electronic traffic, where each information item in the traffic is searched for matches with the positive set; checking for membership of each item in the positive set in the ambiguity set; resolving ambiguities using one of the ambiguity resolution criterion for each member of the ambiguity set and removing items from the positive set accordingly, and applying information leak prevention policy for all items remaining in the positive set following the removal of items using ones of the ambiguity resolution criteria.
US08463890B2 Network management
A tool for managing a computer network includes a gateway service module that identifies a gateway for a network and a network information service module. The network information service module identifies devices in the network, determines at least one property for each of the identified devices, and creates a network information data structure for storing device properties. A communication agent service module transmits at least one determined device property to other agent service modules associated with the network, receives at least one device property from another agent service module associated with the network, and provides the received at least one property device to the network information service module. A method of monitoring a computer network is also provided. The method includes identifying devices in a network, determining at least one property for each of the identified devices, receiving at least one determined device property from another device the network, and creating a network information data structure for storing the determined device properties.
US08463889B2 Method for provisioning and installing event triggers
The present invention provides a method for provisioning and installing event triggers, which is applied to an evolved packet system. The method comprises: a policy and charging rules function entity provisions event triggers to a bearer binding and event reporting function entity based on gateway control session level; after receiving the provisioned event triggers, the BBERF installs or updates the event triggers. An evolved packet system is further provided.
US08463883B2 Method for updating and managing an audiovisual data processing application included in a multimedia unit by means of a conditional access module
A method to force a multimedia unit to update an application for viewing broadcast conditional access content by linking said update to an update of the conditional access module firmware. The firmware update is initialized by means of version information transmitted in the content stream. In particular, this version information may be included in ECM or EMM messages or in services information tables in order to be processed by the conditional access module independently from the multimedia unit. The version information comprises of a minimum version and of an available maximum version. If the conditional access module detects that the current version of the firmware is inferior to the available maximum version, it transmits a message requesting an update of the application that initiates downloading a firmware updating from a management center. The update installation is carried out simultaneously in the conditional access module and in the multimedia unit.
US08463882B2 Server cloning in a computing-on-demand system
A system may convert a server into a reference server, create a clone of the reference server in a selected network, place the clone in a user network, and notify a user that the clone server is ready for use.
US08463878B2 Network server for providing scanning functionality to a computer
A server enables a user at a station to scan a document. The station has a computer connected to the network, a browser installed on the computer to enable the user to browse the network, and a scanner in communication with the computer. The server has a database of scanner drivers, a driver selection system that enables the user to select a driver for the scanner from the database of scanner drivers, and a delivery system that transfers a selected driver to the computer and causes the computer to execute the driver. The user uses the browser and the driver selection system to select a driver for the scanner. The delivery system then sends the driver to the computer, and the computer executes the driver. The driver uses the scanner to scan a document, and scanning data corresponding to the document is saved in a predetermined location.
US08463867B2 Distributed storage network
A determination as to whether to store a data item at a computer connected to a distributed storage network of computers is made in dependence on a policy document associated with that data item. The policy document is constructed in accordance with a Document Type Definition expressed in extensible Markup Language (XML). This provides a more flexible method of system managed storage.
US08463853B2 Duplicating digital streams for digital conferencing using switching technologies
Using switching technologies to duplicate packets of a digital stream (e.g., digital video stream) sent from one workstation to multiple recipient workstations, where the switching technologies enable the multiple streams sent from the switch to the recipient workstations to be generated from a single digital stream sent from the sending workstation to the switch. Data units, such as video data units, may be transmitted by using a switch to enable receipt of a stream of data units including a payload portion and an attribute portion from at least two conferencing participants. The switch is used to duplicate at least a subportion of the payload portion of a data unit within the stream of data units, and to enable access to the duplicated subportion of the data unit by two or more conferencing participants.
US08463840B2 Method for selecting node in network system and system thereof
The present invention relates to a method for selecting a node in a network system and a system thereof. The method performs a writing operation on a majority of the nodes included in at least one cell selected by dividing a network area including a plurality of nodes existing on a large-capacity cluster into a plurality of cells and performs a reading work on the majority of the nodes included in the cells selected by selecting predetermined cells of the divided cells. The present invention minimizes the accessibility of the network by binding the adjacent nodes to form the cells and access to each cell and optimizes hierarchy for the network access by selecting the node for each cell, thereby making it possible to minimize the network access cost.
US08463835B1 Circuit for and method of providing a floating-point adder
A floating-point adder circuit is described. The circuit comprises an input multiplexer coupled to receive a first input value and a second input value; an adder-subtractor circuit selectively coupled to receive one of the first input value and the second input value at each of a first input and a second input, wherein the value coupled to the second input is added to or subtracted from the value coupled to the first input; a right shift circuit for aligning the smaller of the first input value and the second input value which is coupled to the second input of the adder-subtractor circuit; and an additional shift circuit (e.g., a left shift/right shift circuit of a combined near path and far path) coupled to the output of the adder-subtractor circuit. A method of implementing a floating-point adder is also disclosed.
US08463832B1 Digital signal processing block architecture for programmable logic device
Various implementations of a digital signal processing (DSP) block architecture of a programmable logic device (PLD) and related methods are provided. In one example, a PLD includes a dedicated DSP block. The DSP block includes a first multiplier adapted to multiply a first plurality of input signals to provide a first plurality of product signals. The DSP block also includes a second multiplier adapted to multiply a second plurality of input signals to provide a second plurality of product signals. The DSP block further includes an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) adapted to operate on the first product signals and the second product signals received at first and second operand inputs, respectively, of the ALU to provide a plurality of output signals.
US08463829B2 Implementing transactional mechanisms on data segments using distributed shared memory
Systems, Methods, and Computer Program Products are provided for implementing transactional mechanisms by a plurality of procedures on data segments by using distributed shared memory (DSM) agents in a clustered file system (CFS). A new data segment is allocated and an associated cache data segment and metadata data segments, which are allocated for the new data segment and loaded into a cache and modified during the allocating of the new data segment, are added to a list of data segments modified within an associated transaction. The DSM agents assign an exclusive permission to the new data segment.
US08463828B2 System, method and computer program product for storing file system content in a multi-tenant on-demand database system
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for storing file system content in a multi-tenant on-demand database system. These mechanisms and methods for storing file system content in a multi-tenant on-demand database system can enable embodiments to reduce a number of files stored on a file system, avoid copying of all file system content to file system copies, etc.
US08463818B2 Single command data warehouse table update
Information warehouse table data is updated through a full outer join between warehouse tables and source tables in response to a single query language command statement of a relational database computer language. The single command statement comprises table mapping instructions for updating the warehouse tables that define matching conditions, delete instructions, archive instructions, and update instructions. The full outer join inserts rows in the warehouse tables for source table data rows that do not have corresponding matching rows in the warehouse table. Data rows in the warehouse tables without corresponding matching source table rows are deleted if a value of a parameter in the warehouse table system is set to delete; updated if the parameter is update; and updated with archive values and a new table row inserted with existing values if the parameter is archive.
US08463810B1 Scoring concepts for contextual personalized information retrieval
Information retrieval systems face challenging problems with delivering highly relevant and highly inclusive search results in response to a user's query. Contextual personalized information retrieval uses a set of integrated methodologies that can combine automatic concept extraction/matching from text, a powerful fuzzy search engine, and a collaborative user preference learning engine to provide accurate and personalized search results. The system can include constructing a search query to execute a search of a database. The system can parse an input query from a user conducting the search of the database into sub-strings, and can match the sub-strings to concepts in a semantic concept network of a knowledge base. The system can further map the matched concepts to criteria and criteria values that specify a set of constraints on and scoring parameters for the matched concepts.
US08463805B2 Mapping product identification information to a product
Mapping product identification data to product information. Generating classifiers operative to classify products referred to in product identification data. Receiving client product identification data. Applying at least one generated classifier on the received product identification data. Using at least one classification determined by the applied classifier(s) and a subset of the client product identification data to query the product database. Qualifying the results of the query using at least one classification.
US08463804B2 File processing apparatus operating a file based on previous execution history of the file
When a user select a file to be processed from a box present in an image formation apparatus a feature of the selected file is extracted. A feature point recording region is searched and data of a previous execution history of a file having a feature point matching that of the selected file is called and displayed. Therefrom the user selects an operation that the user desires to execute for the selected file.
US08463802B2 Card-based management of discardable files
A method and storage device are disclosed for card-based management of discardable files, where discardable files are tracked in a discardable file system on a storage device and are invisible to a host file system, which only tracks user files and free space. The method includes the storage device detecting currently free logical clusters corresponding to at least a portion of free space in the storage area and determining whether addresses associated with a subsequent user file write request are in a range of free clusters managed in the discardable file system by the storage device. When addresses in a host write request overlap the addresses of space managed by the discardable file system, the storage device discards discardable files as necessary and removes the newly freed clusters from the discardable file system, such that the discardable file system data structure is resized when room for user files is needed.
US08463798B1 Prioritized restore
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for restoring or transmitting files from a first location to a second location, comprising prioritizing the files, and restoring or transmitting the files in prioritized order. In one embodiment, the files may be prioritized according to file type, and may be subsorted by timestamp. In one embodiment, the files may be prioritized according to timestamp or timestamp range, and subsorted by file type. File types may be grouped such that all file types in a group have the same priority, and the group may be associated with an application or application suite. In one embodiment, the files may be prioritized according to predicted file usage.
US08463790B1 Event naming
Some embodiments provide a machine-implemented method. The method identifies an event for a particular category based on a number of documents classified as relevant to the particular category in a particular period of time. Based on content of the documents classified as relevant to the particular category, the method identifies a set of keywords for the event. The method uses the keywords to automatically select a representative document for the event. Some embodiments store a link to the representative document and automatically determine whether the particular document is still accessible at the link. When the document is no longer accessible at the link, the method replaces the document with a backup document as the representative document for the event.
US08463788B2 Balancing caching load in a peer-to-peer based network file system
Systems and techniques relating to network file systems for balancing caching load in peer-to-peer based network file systems are described. In one aspect, a method includes maintaining, by a cluster containing two or more computer systems, information about files cached at a network that includes three or more computer systems configured to cache data associated with a file server system. The method also includes receiving, from one of the computer systems of the network, a request to identify at least one computer system of the network that caches a specified file. Further, the method includes identifying, by the cluster in response to the received request, one or more computer systems of the network that cache the specified file based on the maintained information. Furthermore, the method includes providing, by the cluster to the requesting computer system, information referencing at least the identified one or more computer systems of the network.
US08463779B2 Representative keyword selection
Systems and methods include those for serving advertisements contextually-relevant to an initial web page. Terms are selected from an initial web page that may later be used as representative keywords to select advertisements that are contextually relevant to the initial web page. In order to reduce the number of keyword candidates to a manageable number and to improve accuracy, keyword candidates are filtered via a series of operations that include: querying a network for web pages where the one or more keyword candidates are found, filtering the web pages based on time/date characteristics and a pre-defined number of web pages, analyzing the web pages using the one or more keyword candidates, and selecting certain keyword candidates to be representative keywords based on the analysis. The one or more representative keywords may be used to select one or more advertisements that may then be served with the initial web page.
US08463775B2 Temporal search query personalization
A user is made able to configure a search query to be responsive to temporal factors in order to adjust the search query to more accurately reflect the user's true information need. By adjusting the search query in this way, the user is more likely to receive satisfactory search results.
US08463767B2 Decentralised web annotation
Annotations relating to web sites may be based on blog posts relating to the web sites. A user viewing a web site may concurrently view related blog posts about the web site. More particularly, in one implementation, a method includes detecting when a user visits a web page and receiving, in response to the detection, a group of blog posts that link to the web page. The method further includes displaying an indication of the group of blog posts to the user while the user is visiting the web site.
US08463762B2 Volumes and file system in cluster shared volumes
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing volumes between clustered nodes. Embodiments of the invention include a Clustered Shared Volume File System (CsvFs) that appears to clients as a local file system. The CsvFs communicates to a node where a disk is mounted to coordinate access to files on the disks. CsvFs uses Opportunistic Locks (oplocks) to decide when direct access to a volume is safe. CsvFs can be extended with oplock upgrade mechanisms that allow a coordinating node to tell CsvFs when it is safe to attempt to upgrade oplock. CsvFs also uses a transitivity property of oplocks to be able to grant (delegate) oplocks to clients that are on top of CsvFs.
US08463755B2 System and method for providing collaborative master data processes
A system and method for providing collaborative master data process management. A master data store comprises data for at least one data domain. A master data management module is configured to provide access to the data to one or more applications. A master data management service module provides at least one service providing access to the data based on a service-oriented architecture. A business process management module is configured to generate, execute and manage at least one business process related to the data domain. The at least one business process uses at least one of the at least one service provided by the master data management service module. A master data process module is configured to generate at least one data process comprising a business process involving an operation on the data.
US08463748B1 File system quiescing
Techniques are disclosed for quiescing a file system. One technique comprises freezing a file system, flushing a memory associated with the file system, and thawing the file system. One technique comprises receiving a request targeted to a file system and intercepting the request.
US08463747B2 Configuring a data protection system
A computer-implemented system configured to describe the relationship between a first Namespace and a second Namespace is provided. The system includes a containment relationship identifying a direct relationship between a first object of the first Namespace and a second object of the first Namespace. Moreover, the system includes a junction relationship linking the second object of the first Namespace to a first object of the second Namespace. In one embodiment, the system is configured to facilitate the recovery of information based on the descriptions of the Namespaces that is maintained.
US08463744B2 Method and system for synchronizing data
A method and system for synchronizing data records in a client with data records in a server system is disclosed. The method and system of the present invention includes creating setup information in the client and providing the same to the server, wherein the setup information enables the server system to identify the client, to identify where to find information the server system needs for synchronization, and to provide appropriate commands for the client.
US08463733B2 Using dotplots for comparing and finding patterns in sequences of data points
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for analyzing sequential data. The sequential data can comprise a sequence of data points arranged in a particular order and thus representing a sequence. A number of such sequences can be analyzed, for example, to identify patterns or commonalities within the sequences or portions of sequences represented by the data. According to one embodiment, a method of identifying patterns in sequences of data points can comprise reading a set of sequential data. The sequential data can comprises a plurality of sequences and each of the plurality of sequences can represent an ordered sequence of tokens. A dotplot representing matches between each sequence of the plurality sequences can be generated. One or more patterns within the sequential data can then be identified based on the dotplot.
US08463724B2 Computer archive traversal
A method and apparatus for computer file system traversal. An embodiment of a method includes obtaining a computer archive, the computer archive including one or more data elements. The computer archive is traversed, with traversing the computer archive including processing a data element of the computer archive. Processing a data element includes reading a name of the data element, and determining whether to process the first data element based on the name of the first element. If the first data element is to be processed, the data element is extracted and traversal of the first data element continues. If the data element is not to be processed, the data element is skipped. A serial data stream representing selected data elements of the computer archive is output.
US08463720B1 Method and apparatus for defining an artificial brain via a plurality of concept nodes defined by frame semantics
A method for defining a network of nodes is provided, each representing a unique concept, and making connections between individual concepts through unique relationships to other concepts. Each of the nodes is operable to store a unique identifier in the network and information regarding the concept in addition to the unique relationships.
US08463716B2 Auditable and secure systems and methods for issuing refunds for misprints of mail pieces
A method and system for using a tracking ID to facilitate the refunding of unused postage is provided. Information for a postage transaction, along with the tracking ID and an associated delivery status, is stored. This delivery status is updated when the mail piece carrying the tracking ID is delivered. Unused postage can be confirmed by retrieving the stored postage transaction information and determining from that whether there are duplicative postage transactions. The delivery statuses for the duplicative postage transactions can then be reviewed to determine whether the mail pieces associated with these postage transactions have been delivered. If not, one of the postage transactions may be refunded.
US08463712B2 Traceability verification system, method and program for the same
A system for enabling verification in traceability of a supply chain while maintaining confidentiality of private suppliers. A group signature is applied to an undisclosed supplier. The undisclosed supplier previously receives registration to the certificate authority device, and performs a group signature based on the certificate issued by the certificate authority device. A disclosed supplier and the undisclosed supplier sign and generate a signature chain when they ship parts. A verifier device receives a signature chain with products shipped from the supplier manager device, divides a signature of the disclosed supplier from a signature chain, and verifies the undisclosed supplier from the group signature. Identification of the undisclosed supplier is performed by a third-party auditor system requested to do so by the verifier device by using a group private key.
US08463706B2 Coupon bearing sponsor account transaction authorization
A transaction handler receives, for forwarding to a sponsor account's issuer, a coupon authorization request message from a merchant's acquirer that identifies the sponsor account and a coupon for an item being purchased by a consumer in a transaction with the merchant. The issuer determines eligibility of the coupon for use by the consumer, and sends an authorization response message to the merchant via its acquirer and the transaction handler for the application of a corresponding discount for the item when the coupon is eligible. One or more coupon eligibilities for the purchase of the item by the consumer from the merchant can be derived from comparisons of the transaction to predetermined times, geographies, jurisdictions, sets of merchants, and/or the number of times that coupons have been used in other transactions. The transaction handler can further process the transaction for authorization the consumer's account to pay of the transaction.
US08463700B1 Payment and revenue systems
Methods and systems for funds transfers, including revenue generating methods and systems associated therewith.
US08463697B1 Method and system for providing a loan using equity in a new home
Systems and methods are disclosed for financing a transition of a borrower between ownership of a prior home to ownership of a new home in conjunction with services. The transition is associated with an increase in living situation cost of the borrower between a prior living situation cost and a new living situation cost, the new living situation cost including the new home and the services. The method alleviates cash flow burden to the borrower by allowing minimal or no monthly payments for as long as the borrower occupies the home.
US08463691B2 Student venture management
A technique involves providing an actual cost commitment and investing a retail value of the actual cost commitment to a student venture, and receiving a return on the retail value and a return on actual cost that is equal to the return on the retail value minus the actual cost commitment. A system constructed according to the technique may include an investment decision engine, a portfolio management engine, and a venture scholar fund operations engine. The system may further include, for example, an authentication engine and a public information engine.
US08463690B2 Systems and methods for vending and acquiring order priority
Systems and methods for vending and acquiring of trading priority in electronic trading systems are provided. The systems and method preferably provide for vending and acquiring priority in any suitable electronic trading system. Such suitable electronic trading systems include, but are not limited to, hit/lift exclusive priority systems, price time priority systems, order allocation systems, and request for quote systems.
US08463689B1 Computer control of non-debt funding system for home finance
Machine for controlling a system changing electrical signals to separately value components temporally decomposed from residential property, the computer apparatus including: a computer system, arranged for receiving information into a memory, the data representing the residential property, the computer system further comprising: logic means controlling the computer system to change the data to produce modified signals representing a separate valuation of each of a plurality of components temporally decomposed from the residential property, the components including a residential estate for years interest and a residential remainder interest; and an output device connected to convert the modified signals into documentation including the respective valuation of each of the components.
US08463684B2 System and method for automatic defeasance of a base portfolio of credit default swaps
A computer-implemented method for automatic defeasance of a base portfolio of credit default swaps, the base portfolio being held between a first counterpart and a second counterpart, including the steps of: receiving at a portfolio database trade data related to the base portfolio; identifying from the trade data at a matching engine trades that have at least one of matching core attributes and matching trade characteristics so as to compile the base portfolio; grouping at a sub-portfolio generator the identified trades into sub-portfolios; determining at a spread value engine a set of allowable spread values for each sub-portfolio; and for each sub-portfolio, generating at a defeasance portfolio engine a defeasance portfolio of credit default swaps comprising at the most two trades, each of the two trades having a spread value selected from the determined set of allowable spread values so that the defeasance portfolio replicates the base portfolio and minimizes gross notional of the defeasance portfolio.
US08463668B2 System and method of managing both instant and online lottery ticket sales
A lottery accounting system includes a system management bureau that is electronically linked with a plurality of independent lottery vendors, each vendor being preferably supplied with a handheld compute device. In use, the compute device is programmed by the system management bureau to receive selected ticket information from every active instant lottery ticket book offered for sale by the vendor and, in turn, calculate gross instant lottery ticket sales made by the vendor during a specified period. The compute device is also programmed to calculate the compiled net revenue of instant and online lottery ticket sales accrued during a particular time period and, in turn, reconcile the compiled net revenue with the actual amount of cash collected by the vendor. The resultant data can then be reviewed by authorized personnel to track cash discrepancies.
US08463664B2 Serialization and database methods for tubulars and oilfield equipment
Methods and apparatus identify downhole equipment and correlate input data with the equipment to improve planning and/or inventory operations. For some embodiments, oilfield equipment or tubular goods such as drill pipe include a shaped recess along an outer circumference for receiving a tag cartridge by shrink fitting. Once tagged, detector system configurations at pipe yards may facilitate logging the presence and location of each drill pipe and correlating specific data, such as inspection data, to each drill pipe. Further, this correlation populates a database utilized to achieve other business functions such as forecasting number of additional drill pipe needed to purchase, invoicing customers according to actual tracked wear/use of the drill pipe being returned, and providing well or job specific drill string population using known history pipe joints.
US08463661B2 Credit card authorization process for direct sales system employing networked mobile computing devices
A method on a server for managing discount offers for a plurality of users over a communications network. The method includes receiving a discount offer, wherein a discount offer comprises at least a product or service description, an initial price, a discount price less than the initial price, a minimum number of acceptances and a time deadline, and transmitting the discount offer to the plurality of users. The method further includes receiving acceptances of the discount offer, and executing a preliminary credit card authorization transaction for each acceptance received, at the initial price. The method further includes calculating a number of acceptances, detecting the time deadline, and effectuating a sale of the product or service at the discount price to each user that accepted, if the number of acceptances is greater than or equal to the minimum number of acceptances, including executing a final credit card authorization transaction.
US08463660B1 System and method for managing lotting and catalog data and interface for the same
A system, method and interface for managing lotting or catalog data pertaining to assets for sale, cataloging or acquisition at an auction event. Auctioneers provide auction and lot data, and a lotter is assigned to gather data pertaining to the assets. A system server has a template application running thereon for providing a template and form fields corresponding to the asset type as specified by a lotter. The system provides standardized forms for gathering asset data, and similar data fields are provided for similar asset types. An interactive portal provides users with auction data and the generated forms for gathering data during the lotting process. The interactive portal includes an options screen, overview screen, lotting screen and auction screen for performing the various lotting management.
US08463658B2 System and method for listing items online
A system and method are provided for listing an item online. The system provides a user interface comprising a first pane for entering information pertaining to the item and a second pane for viewing said information while it is being entered. The user is provided, in the second pane, an upload tool for uploading one or more photos of the item to assist in describing the item during the listing process. Upon entering one or more characters in a field in the first pane for identifying the item, the system searches a database of items being either parts or components and displays possible choices for said item such that the user can simply type in what their item is and the system provides possible category choices to facilitate and speed up the listing process.
US08463656B2 Acquisition of items offered for purchase online through a mobile computing appratus
In an example embodiment, a method is provided. The method may comprise receiving an item identifier from a mobile computing apparatus, such as a mobile telephone or global positioning system (GPS) device. Data associated with the item identifier is accessed and transmitted to a initiate a purchase of the item. In some embodiments, a voice portal may be used to facilitate the purchase.
US08463655B2 Acquisition of items offered for purchase online through a global positioning system
In an example embodiment, a method is provided. The method may comprise receiving an item identifier from a global positioning system (GPS) apparatus. Data associated with the item identifier is accessed and transmitted to a initiate a purchase of the item. In some embodiments, a voice portal may be used to facilitate the purchase.
US08463653B2 Systems and methods to facilitate transactions
Systems and methods to facilitate programmatic access to a network-based commerce facility via a network are described. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a request from a third party application via the network at the network based commerce facility. The request performs an action pertaining to electronic commerce and being one of a plurality of requests recognized by the network-based commerce facility. In responsive to the request, the method performs the action pertaining to the electronic commerce and communicates from a result of the action from the network-based commerce facility to the third party application in a programmatically accessible format.
US08463641B2 Method and system using linear programming for estimating test costs for bayesian diagnostic models
In one embodiment, a method for troubleshooting a fault to determine a root cause of the fault. A Bayesian network model is created based on information obtained from a Fault Isolation Manual (FIM), where the FIM provides tests to be performed in troubleshooting the fault to determine a root cause of the fault. Heuristics are used to determine a structure and conditional probabilities for the Bayesian network. A plurality of test costs inherent in the FIM are imputed by first generating a plurality of constraints between the cost of each test and fault probabilities that hold for all fault scenarios. A linear programming algorithm is used to solve the plurality of constraints, and to construct a tuned Bayesian network model. The tuned Bayesian network model is used to iteratively rank likely faults according to their probabilities given accumulating test evidence, and to rank pending tests according to their value.
US08463636B2 Field servicing
Systems, computer-readable media, and methods are presented for selecting a service entity that utilize a processor, a memory connected to the processor, and program instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor. Program instructions can execute to receive information from a first entity regarding a particular set of attributes of a second entity, a set of services to be performed by the second entity, and a predetermined compensation for the services. Program instructions can execute to transmit a communication to a second entity that contains the particular set of attributes, the set of services to be performed, and the predetermined compensation. Program instructions can execute to identify a number of second entities to perform the set of services by matching a number of the particular set of attributes received from the first entity. Additionally, program instructions can execute to receive a selection from the first entity of at least one of the number of second entities.
US08463630B2 Systems and methods for queuing access to network resources
One embodiment of the present invention provides apparatus and methods for queuing access by large numbers of Internet or other network-based users to networked systems and resources with limited capacity. In one example embodiment, a queuing system provides user access to network resources, such as that of a ticketing system. A ticket queue queues a request received from a client system. A request processing module causes the client system to repeatedly transmit messages to the system during a first period, and in response to determining that the client system has ceased transmitting messages during the first period, the request is remove from the queue and/or cause the request goes unfulfilled.
US08463625B1 System, method and computer program product for facilitating informed decisions relating to the fair sharing of the costs of insurance between a group and a third party
A system, method, and computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium are provided. In use, census information pertinent to a group insured by one or more insurance policies is received from a user. Further, second information describing attributes of one or more insurance policies available to the group for a particular type of insurance is received from the user. In addition, for each individual or family in the group and each of the available one or more insurance policies, an application is executed that is capable of calculating uncovered costs associated with the second information and calculating a total of the uncovered costs for the group. Also, third information regarding a premium of each of the available one or more insurance policies for the group is received from the user. Moreover, fourth information regarding a rule for and type of fair sharing of a total of the premium and the uncovered costs between the group and a third party is received from the user. Still yet, the total of the uncovered costs, the third information, and the fourth information are processed to produce the fair sharing of the total of the premium and the uncovered costs of insurance between the group and the third party. In addition, payments by the group and by the third party that are consistent with the rule for fair sharing provided by the user are delivered to the user.
US08463624B2 Techniques for ensuring data security among participants in a web-centric insurance management system
A scalable, adaptable, modular, and web-centric Insurance Back-Office System (IBOS) for serving the needs of carriers, agencies, agents, and service providers in the insurance industry is disclosed. The IBOS provides a framework for allowing web-centric collaboration among agents, agencies, carriers, and service providers, using applications that manage applicants, cases, and policies in an efficient and secure manner. The IBOS infrastructure is designed to facilitate the creation of a new application, module, tool, or view in a simplified manner.
US08463623B2 Method and system for health assessment and monitoring
The present invention relates to an assessment technique which is conveniently practiced on a computer or over a network. The assessment technique is particularly useful in assessment of health related factors. The invention also relates to a general purpose programmable computer which is provided with instructions for operating according to the assessment technique.
US08463618B2 Method for tailoring strategy messages from an expert system to enhance success with modifications to health behaviors
A system and method for assisting with the maintenance of healthy lifestyle habits by generating tailored strategy messages within an expert system and then pushing those messages to the corresponding individual users of the cellular phones or other portable devices. The system and method allows diet and exercise plans to be tailored to individual users based on their preferences and provides consistent and appropriate strategy messages designed to encourage and motivate users toward successfully maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. Users complete initial assessments which detail individual food and physical activity preferences. The system uses the assessments to generate individualized messages that are pushed to user devices through a system incorporating cellular technologies. Tailored messages are pushed from the computer based expert system to user devices at predetermined times each day.
US08463615B2 Low-delay audio coder
The present invention relates to methods and devices for encoding and decoding digital audio signals, e.g. a speech signal. An audio coder and a decoder are provided wherein a modeller adds a first distribution model obtained from model parameters of past segments of the digital audio signal and a fixed distribution model, each of the models being multiplied by a weighting coefficient, for obtaining a combined distribution model. The weighting coefficients are selected to minimize a code length of a current segment of the digital audio signal. As the combined distribution model is a sum of several distribution models, wherein at least some of the models is based on the model parameters, flexibility is introduced in the signal model used to encode the digital audio signal. Thus, an audio coder and decoder providing a low bit rate in average, low bit rate variations and low error propagation are provided.
US08463609B2 Voice input system and voice input method
In the present invention, a voice input system and a voice input method are provided. The voice input method includes the steps of: (A) initiating a speech recognition process by a first input associated with a first parameter of a first speech recognition subject; (B) providing a voice and a searching space constructed by a speech recognition model associated with the first speech recognition subject; (C) obtaining a sub-searching space from the searching space based on the first parameter; (D) searching at least one candidate item associated with the voice from the sub-searching space; and (E) showing the at least one candidate item.
US08463608B2 Interactive speech recognition model
A method and apparatus for updating a speech model on a multi-user speech recognition system with a personal speech model for a single user. A speech recognition system, for instance in a car, can include a generic speech model for comparison with the user speech input. A way of identifying a personal speech model, for instance in a mobile phone, is connected to the system. A mechanism is included for receiving personal speech model components, for instance a BLUETOOTH connection. The generic speech model is updated using the received personal speech model components. Speech recognition can then be performed on user speech using the updated generic speech model.
US08463605B2 Method and an apparatus for decoding an audio signal
A method of processing an audio signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving downmix information, object information and mix information, generating and transferring multi-channel information using at least one of the downmix information, the object information and the mix information, and selectively generating and transferring either first gain information or extra multi-channel information including second gain information in accordance with a decoding mode using at least one of the object information and the mix information.
US08463596B2 Selecting an optimal property of a keyword associated with program guide content for keyword retrieval
An information processing apparatus includes an extracting unit that extracts a plurality of words serving as keywords of content from content information that describes the content, a property dictionary storage unit that stores a property dictionary containing the properties of the words, a property searching unit that searches the property dictionary for the properties of the plurality of words, a property determining unit that determines whether each of the properties of a target word to be processed and selected from among the words serving as keywords matches any of the different words other than the target word among the words serving as keywords or whether each of the properties of a target word matches any of the properties of the different words, and a determination unit that determines the representative property of the target word on the basis of a match count determined by the property determining unit.
US08463586B2 Machine, program product, and computer-implemented method to simulate reservoirs as 2.5D unstructured grids
Example embodiments utilize machines to model reservoir geometry having geological layers as 2.5D unstructured grids. Example embodiments include program products to simulate a reservoir by generating a reservoir data system, performing a numerical fluid flow simulation, and visualizing the simulation. Data system embodiments include data structures to model a reservoir geometry as laterally unstructured two-dimensional (2D) grids and associated layer depths defining z-lines to thereby define a 2.5D unstructured grid, including datasets for: vertices of the grid cells for the future grid top and bottom surfaces, a number and listing of vertices for each grid cell, cell center coordinates, and vertex adjacency information using a compressed sparse row format. Computer-implemented methods include projecting external and internal boundaries onto a future grid surface; generating 2D unstructured, e.g., Voronoi, grids, for the top and bottom surfaces; and generating z-lines of depths corresponding to reservoir layers to thereby generate 2.5D unstructured grids.
US08463583B2 Simulated design of formed sheet-metal parts with thinning and thickening effects
In a method for designing a formed sheet-metal part, a method for displaying a visual representation of the quality of the formed sheet-metal part, the method comprising the steps of: simulating the deformation of the part by a forming process of the part, thereby computing thinning and thickening effects of the forming process on the part, for different values of a restraining force; displaying a visual representation of the part and of the thickening and thinning effects of different regions of the part; classifying the surface of the part as having several regions, each region being associated with a particular range of the thickening and thinning effects; computing and displaying on the display device a diagram displaying, as a function of the restraining force, the relative size of areas of these regions.
US08463572B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprises a burn-in test circuit configured to receive a flag signal for a burn-in test, generate a toggled output enable signal, and drive a first input/output line to toggle a signal on the first input/output line, and a switching device connected between a bit line and a second input/output line for transferring a signal on the bit line to the second input/output line in response to the output enable signal.
US08463568B1 Measuring seawater capacitance in three dimensions as well as time
A system for mapping and characterizing a hydrocarbon plume in seawater by measuring seawater capacitance. Multiple streamer cables are towed in the sea behind a ship, each at a different depth, simultaneously. Each streamer cable includes transmitters and receivers at the free end thereof. The free ends of the streamer cables pass through the plume and the transmitters transmit an electrical current into the plume. The receivers detect any secondary signals produced by capacitive effects of the hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon and dispersant surrounded by conductive seawater in response to the inducing electrical current. Pre-amplifiers connected to the receivers and a two-step calibration procedure and various grounding and shielding steps provide noise rejection. An electronics system on board the ship processes the secondary signals to provide immediate development of detailed maps of plume location, and to provide tracking and characterization of how the plume changes shape and character over time.
US08463564B2 Abnormality prediction system for secondary batteries
An abnormality prediction system for secondary batteries according to the present invention includes: a parameter value detection portion that detects parameter values each corresponding to each of a plurality of secondary batteries to determine whether all the parameter values are normal or not; and a singular state determination portion that determines, if a difference between a reference value calculated by use of all the parameter values determined to be normal by the parameter value detection portion and at least one of the parameter values is not less than a threshold value, the secondary battery corresponding to the parameter value with the difference not less than the threshold value to be in a state different from those of the other secondary batteries out of the plurality of secondary batteries.
US08463550B1 System for geosteering directional drilling apparatus
A system for geosteering during directional drilling of a wellbore including a processor, a data storage, and client devices in communication with the processor through a network. The processor can receive data from directional drilling equipment and can present that data to users in an executive dashboard. Users can send data and/or commands to the directional drilling equipment. The executive dashboard can present: a portion of interest in a stratigraphic cross section for user identification of: the drill bit in the stratigraphic cross section, formations in the stratigraphic cross section, and other formation data. The system can be used to: identify a projected path for the drill bit, import data, compute wellbore profiles and stratigraphic cross sections, plot actual drilling paths, overlay the actual drilling path onto the projected path, and present control buttons to the user.
US08463538B2 Assistance process and device for managing an in-flight refueling
An assisting process and device for managing an in-flight refueling is disclosed. The device (1) comprising means (3) for automatically calculating a distance between aircrafts, at which a meeting phase for an in-flight refueling should be initiated.
US08463536B2 Devices, methods, and programs that provide vehicle guidance for power reception
Power reception guidance devices, methods, and programs guide a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area. The devices, methods, and programs specifying a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current position of the vehicle when a parking operation is started and output information pertaining to the specified power receiving efficiency on an output unit.
US08463535B2 Method and apparatus for encoding and using user preferences in air traffic management operations
A method and apparatus for encoding and using user preferences in air traffic management operations are disclosed. The method may include determining a current trajectory based on the user preferences, computing a cost of deviations from the current trajectory, codifying the cost of deviations from the current trajectory using normalized cost coefficients for one or more segments of the current trajectory, and communicating the codified cost of deviations to an air traffic control (ATC) automation system, wherein the ATC automation system computes costs of maneuvers based on the codified cost of deviations and ranks the maneuvers according to cost.
US08463532B2 Control device for engine
Provided is a control device for an engine which is capable of purifying NOx with high efficiency at a restart after an idle stop without deteriorating purification efficiency of HC and CO. At the restart after the idle stop, an air-fuel ratio is controlled to be rich, and an atmosphere inside of a catalyst is estimated on the basis of a required time ΔT from a time point at which an output value (VO2—2) of first oxygen concentration detection means upstream of the catalyst exceeds a predetermined value A1 to a time point at which an output value (VO2—2) of second oxygen concentration detection means downstream of the catalyst exceeds a predetermined value A2, whereby an air-fuel ratio at next and subsequent restarts is corrected so that the atmosphere inside of the catalyst is optimized at the next and subsequent restarts.
US08463531B2 System and method for controlling exhaust gas recirculation systems
A control system for an engine includes a feedback determination module, a feed-forward determination module, and a valve control module. The feedback determination module generates an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) feedback value based on engine speed and a difference between desired and measured combustion phasing. The feed-forward determination module generates an EGR feed-forward value based on a difference between desired and measured mass air flow (MAF) rates. The valve control module controls an EGR valve based on the EGR feedback and feed-forward values, an intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP), an engine speed, and an exhaust back pressure (EBP).
US08463529B2 System and method of operating internal combustion engines at fuel rich low-temperature- combustion mode as an on-board reformer for solid oxide fuel cell-powered vehicles
A distinctive method of operating an internal combustion engine in a low-temperature combustion mode. An engine combustion chamber is provided with fuel and air charges before combustion conditions are reached. The fuel charge is sufficient to provide a fuel-air equivalence ratio of at least 1.05. The fuel and air are allowed to mix prior to combustion. The fuel is provided to the combustion chamber at least 20 crank angle degrees before top dead center. The fuel and air charges are regulated such that the mixture auto-ignites as a result of the heat and pressure generated by the compression stroke. The amounts are further regulated such that combustion occurs below a temperature at which significant soot production occurs. In one embodiment, early intake valve closing is used to limit the air charge. The method provides a rich low temperature combustion mode operation, which has several applications.
US08463527B2 Electronic diesel engine control device and method for automatic idle-down
An electronic engine controller utilizes a controller network interface for direct communication between an electronic engine control unit associated with an engine and the controller to monitor and control the engine. The controller uses a microprocessor and custom programmable software to monitor and determine operational parameters as well as institute and send electronic commands to the electronic control unit in a pre-determined response operational framework. The controller monitors certain engine operational parameters when enabled. If the engine remains in an unloaded condition for an extended period of time, the controller automatically throttles the engine down to idle condition to save fuel. It does this by issuing commands to the electronic control unit which controls operational functions or parameters of the engine. The engine parameters and idle time are configurable, allowing the setup to be optimized for a particular method of operation, regardless of the specific application.
US08463517B2 Method for hill start assistance for motor vehicle
A method for hill start assistance for a motor vehicle and to an associated device that includes a clutch and a transmission between the clutch and driving wheels of the vehicle. The method determines the torque of the clutch for maintaining the vehicle in an immobile position based on a known engine torque, wherein the torque of the clutch is determined by taking into account a portion of the engine torque dedicated to operation of constituent mechanisms of the vehicle other than the clutch.
US08463495B2 Method for controlling exhaust gas heat recovery systems in vehicles
A method of operating a vehicle including an engine, a transmission, an exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) heat exchanger, and an oil-to-water heat exchanger providing selective heat-exchange communication between the engine and transmission. The method includes controlling a two-way valve, which is configured to be set to one of an engine position and a transmission position. The engine position allows heat-exchange communication between the EGHR heat exchanger and the engine, but does not allow heat-exchange communication between the EGHR heat exchanger and the oil-to-water heat exchanger. The transmission position allows heat-exchange communication between the EGHR heat exchanger, the oil-to-water heat exchanger, and the engine. The method also includes monitoring an ambient air temperature and comparing the monitored ambient air temperature to a predetermined cold ambient temperature. If the monitored ambient air temperature is greater than the predetermined cold ambient temperature, the two-way valve is set to the transmission position.
US08463494B2 Aftermarket telematics unit and method for installation verification
An aftermarket telematics unit (“ATU”) for use with a telematics service system having a call center is disclosed herein. The ATU is adapted for mounting to a vehicle and is configured for operation in an on-mode, a standby-mode, and an off-mode. The aftermarket telematics unit includes, but is not limited to, a memory unit and a processor that is operatively connected to the memory unit. The processor is configured to send a first notification to the call center when a number of transitions from the off-mode to the on-mode experienced by the ATU exceeds a predetermined number during a first predetermined length of time. The processor is further configured to send a second notification to the call center when the ATU has been continuously operating in the on-mode for greater than a second predetermined length of time.
US08463490B2 Method and device for diagnosing an intake tract of an internal combustion engine
An internal combustion engine has an intake tract having a compressor. A verification is performed as to whether at least one predefined activation condition is met. A boost pressure (PUT) downstream of the compressor is sensed or determined. An adaptation characteristic curve or adaptation characteristic map (KF_AD) is adapted as a function of a rotational speed (N) of the internal combustion engine and the boost pressure (PUT) if the at least one actuation condition is met. A gradient is determined that is representative of a gradient of the adaptation characteristic curve or adaptation map (KF_AD). From the determined gradient, conclusions are drawn with respect to a fault in the intake tract of the internal combustion engine.
US08463488B1 Vehicle profile control and monitoring
Methods, systems and apparatus for vehicle control, tracking, and reporting. In an aspect, vehicle parameters that describe the current operation of the vehicle are compared to profile parameters of a driver. If the vehicle parameters are not within the operational limits defined by the profile parameters, an out of profile parameter process is performed. The out of profile parameter process includes wirelessly sending a violation report to an administrator device.
US08463473B2 Charge utilization control system and method
A charge utilization control system for an electric vehicle includes a controller, an electric motor connected to the controller, a battery connected to the electric motor and an internal combustion engine connected to the controller. The controller is adapted to minimize electric charge stored in the battery as the electric vehicle approaches a charging destination for the battery.
US08463466B2 Method, apparatus or software for controlling the heading of an aircraft on the ground
A method, apparatus and software is disclosed for controlling the heading of an aircraft travelling on the ground in which veering is detected and compensatory steering commands generated so as to automatically maintain a reference heading.
US08463460B2 Worksite management system implementing anticipatory machine control
A worksite management system for use with a mobile machine is disclosed. The worksite management system may have a control module located onboard the mobile machine and configured to control operations of the mobile machine, and a controller in communication with the control module. The controller may be configured to anticipate a non-failure machine performance irregularity, and determine an adjustment to an operation of the mobile machine that positively affects the machine performance irregularity. The controller may also be configured to cause implementation of the adjustment before the machine performance irregularity occurs.
US08463459B2 Methods and apparatus for indicating a location
According to one embodiment, a method for providing location information to a mobile receiver from a plurality of aerial vehicles is provided. The method includes receiving a source location from at least three location sources at each aerial vehicle of the plurality of aerial vehicles. The at least three location sources includes a remote aerial vehicle. A predicted location of the aerial vehicle at a future time is calculated at each aerial vehicle based at least in part on a current time at the aerial vehicle, the received source locations, and ephemeris data that represents motion of each remote aerial vehicle. The predicted location is transmitted at the future time at each aerial vehicle. The transmitted locations from the aerial vehicles are used by a mobile receiver to determine a current location of the mobile receiver.
US08463457B2 Feedback control using a simulator of a subterranean structure
To provide feedback control in a simulation framework, any one of plural output metrics from a simulator of a subterranean structure is selected. A value for the selected output metric is received from the simulator. In response to the received value of the selected output metric and a target value of the selected output metric, at least one setting of the simulator is adjusted by a feedback controller.
US08463454B2 Wireless ballast control unit
A ballast control unit for controlling at least one light output of at least one dimmable ballast is disclosed, in which the dimmable ballast powers one or more light sources via the light output(s). The ballast control unit includes a wireless interface provisioned to receive messages from a mesh network, and to retransmit the received messages not destined for the ballast control unit. The ballast control unit further includes a control module provisioned to control the dimmable ballast(s) and the light output(s) according to commands in the received messages destined for the ballast control unit, where the commands correspond to the dimmable ballast(s) and/or the light output(s).
US08463453B2 Intelligent metering demand response
A system and method for real-time power management are provided. The system can include one or more lights, one or more light controllers, one or more meters to detect power demand of a building, and a central controller to modify the light output of the lights responsive to the detected power demand. The system can interface with other utility controls to manage the total power demand of the building on a real-time basis. The light controllers can provide individual metering of the lights for use by the central controller.
US08463445B2 Method and system for safe drum water level determination in a combined cycle operation
A method for controlling a water level of a drum of a heat recovery steam generation system for a combined cycle power plant is provided. The method includes determining an optimum drum water level during start up operation of the heat recovery steam generation system based on a characteristic chart model. The characteristic chart model is generated based on a plurality of vapor pressures of the drum and a plurality of temperatures of drum metal at the time of the start up operation of the heat recovery steam generation system.
US08463442B2 Alarm and diagnostics system and method for a distributed architecture heating, ventilation and air conditioning network
The disclosure includes an HVAC data processing and communication network and a method of manufacturing the same. One embodiment of the network includes a subnet controller, a system device and a system status display. The subnet controller is configured to communicate via a data bus. The first system device is configured to communicate via a data bus. The system status display is associated with the first system device and configured to produce a visual signal when the first device detects an error or alarm condition.
US08463436B2 Apparatus, method and medium for simultaneously performing cleaning and creation of map for mobile robot
Provided is an apparatus, method, and medium for allowing a mobile robot to simultaneously perform a cleaning process and a map-creating process. The apparatus includes a feature-map-creating unit creating a feature map for recognizing the position of a mobile robot; a path-map-creating unit creating a path map including a plurality of cells, each having information about whether an obstacle exists and path information, on the basis of information on the pose of the mobile robot that is obtained from the feature map; and a motion-control unit moving the mobile robot on the basis of the information about whether the obstacle exists and the path information.
US08463434B2 Robot hand and control system, control method and control program for the same
A system is capable of controlling the movements of a hand so as to ensure a further stable grasp of an object. In a state wherein an object is in contact with a plurality of finger mechanisms and a palm portion by being grasped by the hand, the load to be applied to the object from each of the plurality of finger mechanisms can be adjusted. Thus, the position of the load center on the palm portion can be displaced so as to be included in a target palm area. Further, the load to be applied to the palm portion can be adjusted so as to fall within a target load range.
US08463429B2 Method and device for producing and loading of bundles of printed material
The invention relates to a method and device for producing and loading of bundles of printed material (18, 19) corresponding to respective specified consolidated orders (20; 30; 23, 33; 26; and 36) consisting of a specified number of preferably similar types of printed material that belong to a shipment (16) allocated to a means of transportation (11, 11′), with which bundles of printed material of shipment (16) can be produced on at least two production lines (2, 3) that can be operated independently of each other according to the consolidated orders (20; 30; 23, 33; 26; 36) are conveyed to a loading station (11) and are loaded there, wherein the production lines (2, 3) are automatically controlled by the shipment data corresponding to the production of the bundles of printed material (18, 19) depending upon the individual consolidated orders (20; 30; 23, 33; 26; 36) of the shipment (16).
US08463428B2 Automated box opening apparatus
An apparatus includes a conveyor, a programmable motion device, and a controller. The conveyor preferably includes actuatable rollers, and the programmable motion device is preferably a robotic arm. The controller operates the conveyor, a stopping rail, and a positioning rail to move and position a box in a cutting position relative to the robotic arm. The controller determines three dimension of the box and translates a programmed cut pattern to those determined dimensions. Based on the determined dimensions, the controller then operates the robotic arm to perform the programmed cut pattern in the box with the cutting element. The cutting element preferably has square blade so that each of the four blades can be used to cut a side of the box without having to rotate the cutting element during operation.
US08463426B1 Computerized bulk parts control system and method
A computerized bulk parts control system and method. Parts are repacked (consolidated or divided) and palletized to prevent production problems such as unnecessary shortages of parts. Parts are traced from departure at a supplier's facility to arrival at a manufacturer's facility and then to production line side delivery. Traceability data is collected at various stages in the parts transportation, repacking, and delivery processes. The traceability data allows the manufacturer to evaluate information regarding the impact of late shipments and short shipments as well as changes in the production schedule. The computerized system and method creates a “part history” for each part that facilitates its delivery to the right place at the right time. The history allows the manufacturer to trace parts to their origins which is important for many quality control activities. The history also allows the manufacturer to track and replace parts used outside of a normal production sequence.
US08463414B2 Method and apparatus for estimating a parameter for low bit rate stereo transmission
A method for estimating a parameter for low bit rate stereo transmission that includes deriving estimate of any time delay between left and right audio channels in a multi-channel signal from a time delay subsystem. A cross-correlation between the left and right audio channels in the time delay subsystem is employed. Thereafter a normalized cross-correlation within an inter-channel intensity difference (IID) processor is employed before deriving estimate of panning gains for the left and right audio channels from the IID processor.
US08463412B2 Method and apparatus to facilitate determining signal bounding frequencies
A signal processing platform (300) presents (101) a signal to be processed and identifies (102) signal portions with specific characteristics that are used (103) to automatically determine at least one bounding frequency that can be used to facilitate bandwidth extension for the signal. Identifying these signal portions can comprise identifying signal portions that exhibit at least a predetermined level of energy. The step of determining the bounding frequency can comprise computing a magnitude spectrum for each of the identified signal portions that can be used to determine a corresponding measure of flatness within a pass band as pertains to a corresponding normalized signal portion to thereby provide corresponding vetted signal portions. Determining the bounding frequency can then comprise accumulating the magnitude spectrum for these vetted signal portions and using the resultant accumulation to estimate a corresponding signal envelope. This signal envelope can then be used to determine the at least one bounding frequency.
US08463404B2 Electrode assemblies, tools, and methods for gastric wall implantation
Apparatus (450) is provided including an electrode (460) and an implantation tool (458) configured to be passed into an abdominal cavity of a patient, and to insert the electrode into a gastric wall of the patient, generally in parallel to the gastric wall. Other embodiments are also described.
US08463401B2 Apparatus for implanting an electrical stimulation lead
In one embodiment, an introducer is provided for implanting an electrical stimulation lead to enable electrical stimulation of nerve tissue. The introducer includes an outer sheath and an inner penetrator. The outer sheath may accommodate insertion of the electrical stimulation lead and may be inserted into a human body near the nerve tissue. The inner penetrator is removably housed within the outer sheath and includes an inner channel configured to accommodate a guide wire, a tip end having a shape and size substantially conforming to that of the guide wire, a body region having a shape and size substantially conforming to that of the outer sheath, and one or more transition regions substantially connecting the tip end with the body region. At least a portion of the transition regions of the inner penetrator may flex to substantially follow flexures in the guide wire during advancement of the inner penetrator.
US08463397B2 Hyperthermia devices and their uses with nanoparticles
A hyperthermia device comprising a generator of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields, an amplifier of this signal, a transmitter of the electromagnetic field generated, and a direct temperature measurement system is disclosed for use with one or more nanoparticles capable of dissipating the energy of the applied electromagnetic field in the form of heat and it being possible to directly control the temperature of said nanoparticles.
US08463388B2 Electronic low-frequency pulse patch of a one-piece structure and method for manufacturing the same
An electronic low-frequency pulse patch of a one-piece structure comprises a flexible top cover body, a hollow supporting enclosure, a circuit control unit, a power supply unit, a base and a coupling output conductive flexible film. Flexible top cover body is coupled to the coupling output conductive flexible film with hollow supporting enclosure located therebetween. Circuit control unit and the power supply unit are coupled to the base for providing respective low-frequency electric pulses. Electrical conduction is accomplished by electrically connecting the first and the second conductive ends of the base to respective conductive contact lugs of the coupling output conductive flexible film. At either side of which, first and second low-frequency pulse output regions are disposed, such that the electronic low-frequency pulse patch is bendable for conforming to curvature at different locations of the human body without using screw or other means.
US08463387B2 Stimulation of the amygdalohippocampal complex to treat neurological conditions
A system and/or method treating for a neurological disorder by brain region stimulation. The system and/or method comprises a probe and a device to provide stimulation. The probe has a stimulation portion implanted in communication with a predetermined brain region site. The stimulation portion of the probe may be implanted in contact with a predetermined brain region.
US08463375B2 Tank filters placed in series with the lead wires or circuits of active medical devices to enhance MRI compatability
A TANK filter is provided for a lead wire of an active medical device (AMD). The TANK filter includes a capacitor in parallel with an inductor. The parallel capacitor and inductor are placed in series with the lead wire of the AMD, wherein values of capacitance and inductance are selected such that the TANK filter is resonant at a selected frequency. The Q of the inductor may be relatively maximized and the Q of the capacitor may be relatively minimized to reduce the overall Q of the TANK filter to attenuate current flow through the lead wire along a range of selected frequencies. In a preferred form, the TANK filter is integrated into a TIP and/or RING electrode for an active implantable medical device.
US08463374B2 Method, system and computer program product for controlling complex rhythmic systems
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for controlling the behavior of complex rhythmic systems, such as the nervous system, is disclosed. Robust, engineering based measurements of the rhythmic system are taken and used to generate feedback that guides the system towards a desired state. This methodically designed feedback allows the system to maintain the normal behavior of individual elements, thereby achieving high effectiveness, while at the same time minimizing side effects. It therefore becomes possible to move the system towards the desired state in a non-destructive manner. This approach also allows for increased flexibility and applicability because the feedback is generated in a manner that is tailored to the unique variables of the particular system.
US08463353B2 Microelectrode with laterally extending platform for reduction of tissue encapsulation
In some embodiments, an implantable microelectrode is provided with a shank comprised of a laterally extending platform whose thickness and/or configuration contributes to reduced tissue encapsulation, with at least one electrode site disposed at least partially on or in the laterally extending platform. Novel methods of designing, making, and using an implantable microelectrode or biosensor resulting in reduced tissue encapsulation are also disclosed.
US08463340B2 Communication terminal having multiple antennas and method for performing access to communication system thereof
Provided is a method of accessing to a communication system in a terminal comprising a plurality of antennas, which includes determining a home system which is previously set to preferentially access from a preferred roaming list of a plurality of communications systems, when power is turned on; connecting a system switch to a home antenna for communicating with the home system in a specific frequency band; and accessing the home system to use the home service through the home antenna.
US08463338B2 Slide module and mobile terminal having the same
A slide module and mobile terminal including the same are disclosed. The slide module may include a first plate, a plurality of sliders mounted on the first plate and spaced apart from each other with a predetermined spacing therebetween, a guide plate configured to guide slidable movement of each of the plurality of sliders, and a second plate having the guide plate fixed thereto. With this structure, fluctuation and looseness may be prevented from being generated between two bodies in the course of switching between open or closed configurations by a slide mechanism. Further, a luxurious exterior may be provided by loading the slide module within each body so as not to be externally exposed in an open configuration.
US08463334B2 Apparatus and system for providing wideband voice quality in a wireless telephone
A wideband voice electro-acoustic apparatus for a wireless telephone, including a mouthpiece for a wireless telephone. The mouthpiece has a wideband voice frequency response/passband in the frequency range of 200 Hz to 7000 Hz. The apparatus also includes an earpiece for a wireless telephone. The earpiece has a wideband voice passband in the frequency range of 200 Hz to 7000 Hz. The wideband voice electro-acoustic apparatus improves the voice quality of wireless voice band communication over that available using a conventional wireless telephone having an electro-acoustic passband smaller than 200 Hz to 7000 Hz.
US08463312B2 Method and device in a communication network
There is provided a method of operating a base station, the method comprising determining whether there are any mobile devices that are not associated with the base station that require protection from interference caused by downlink transmissions of the base station; and setting a maximum permitted transmission power for the base station based on the result of the step of determining.
US08463292B2 TDOA—based reconstruction of base station location data
Methods and apparatus for determining a position estimate for a base station transceiver node in a wireless communication system are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises obtaining a first set of time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) measurement data from a first plurality of mobile stations, the first set of TDOA measurement data corresponding to transmissions received at the first plurality of mobile stations from the first base station transceiver node and a second base station transceiver node, obtaining first mobile station location data identifying a mobile station position corresponding to each TDOA measurement represented in the first set of TDOA measurement data, and computing an estimated position for the base station transceiver node as a function of the first mobile station location data and the first set of TDOA measurement data.
US08463291B2 KL-divergence kernel regression for non-gaussian fingerprint based localization
Embodiments are directed to mobile localization, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to tracking mobile devices. Embodiments include methods that consider probability kernels with distance-like metrics between distributions. Also described are probabilistic kernels that can be used for a regression of location, which can achieve up to about inn accuracy in an office environment.
US08463287B2 Location registration method, apparatus, and system
A location registration method, apparatus, and system protects against unnecessary power waste by a mobile terminal. The location registration method includes receiving a location registration accept message from a connected network in response to a location registration request message; comparing a connected network information contained in the location registration accept message with a home network information stored in the mobile terminal; and determining, if the connected network information is different from the home network information, whether or not to perform a home network search based on a home network presence indicator contained in location registration accept message. Battery usage of the mobile terminal can be decreased, as well as the energy spent for recharging the battery of the mobile terminal.
US08463284B2 Short messaging system (SMS) proxy communications to enable location based services in wireless devices
Wireless devices communicate (using SMS messaging) with a proxy server (e.g., a wireless messaging gateway) to generate network initiated requests. In this way, a wireless device which might not otherwise be able to, can now participate in advanced applications such as location based services (LBS) communities, thus extending LBS presence type information to non-programmable wireless devices. Short messaging system (SMS) functionality is implemented as a least-common-denominator means enabling standardized communication between a wireless device and a wireless device application. Wireless devices use SMS messaging as a proxy communications means to communicate with a proxy server (e.g., a wireless messaging gateway) to generate network initiated requests. The network initiated requests are packaged within SMS messages, allowing wireless devices a simple mechanism for participating in, e.g., location based services (LBS) communities, and for generally extending LBS presence type information to non-programmable handset devices.
US08463280B1 Heterogeneous mobile networking
A method and process for establishing a mapped network of access points for a user of a wireless device is provided. A unique and customized network is selected from cellular connections, private wireless connections, public wireless connections, and wireless card connections such that a unique and personalized control of wireless connectivity may be established. Greater wireless resources are thus made available and provide for greater connectivity and improved battery life for a user's device.
US08463277B2 Method for allocating paging resource to a mobile station having multiple subscriber identities and resource allocating apparatus thereof
A method for allocating paging resource to a mobile station, communicating with a communication network and having multiple subscriber identities, includes: allocating paging resource to the mobile station according to a first equipment identity and a first subscriber identity of the mobile station when the first equipment identity and the first subscriber identity are received for registration, and allocating the same paging resource to the mobile station when the first equipment identity and a second subscriber identity of the mobile station are received for registration, transmitting a paging message targeting at the first subscriber identity at a paging block with a first block index, and transmitting a paging message targeting at the second subscriber identity at a paging block with the first block index.
US08463276B2 Femtocell self organization and configuration process
A base station includes an interface for providing communication with at least one other base station and communication with a network server in a communication system, a processor coupled to the interface, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores program instructions executable by the processor to connect to the network server using the interface, send information to the network server regarding femtocell capability, configure operating parameters of the base station based on the information, including to configure transmission power of the base station, and operate the base station based on the operating parameters.
US08463273B2 Cell re-selection in a cellular telecommunications network
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there may be provided a method in a wireless cellular telecommunications device camped on a serving cell, the device storing a parameter obtained by decoding system information of a first cell. The method comprises: measuring an attribute of a signal received from a candidate cell; and, evaluating the candidate cell for re-selection based on the measured attribute according to a priority-based re-selection algorithm irrespective of the stored parameter. The parameter indicates a minimum required received signal code power. A device and computer readable medium are also provided.
US08463272B2 Wireless communication system and load balancing aware handover method therefor
An object of the invention is to provide a wireless communication system in which the load of each cell and interference between cells are taken into account. In a handover-candidate base station and a handover-source base station, parameters for interference-reducing scheduling and handover facilitating processing are adjusted based on the mutual load information. When the handover-candidate base station, to be used for load balancing, is a large-diameter cell, transmit power control and frequency scheduling are adjusted by taking account of the load state at a cell edge. When the handover-source base station has a small-diameter cell, the number of terminals to be handed over is adjusted by taking account of the load state of the handover-candidate base station. Thus, both of interference control and load balancing are achieved.
US08463266B2 Cell selection method, mobile station device and mobile communication system in hierarchical cell structure
In a radio mobile communication system adopting a hierarchical cell structure comprising a plurality of layers having respective cells of different sizes, the threshold value of the number of times of cell reselections and/or the threshold value of the time required to measure the number of times of cell reselections are set for each layer. A mobile station device compares the number of times of cell reselections in a specific time and/or the time required for the number of times of cell reselections to reach a specific value with the threshold values and selects a transfer target cell.
US08463259B2 Servicing cell discovery during out of service
A user equipment is provided. The user equipment comprises a processor that, when the UE goes out of service area of a first cell, is configured to search for a suitable cell before the UE loses a connection to a network by checking for a suitable cell among cells proximate to the first cell, based on a timer before the UE loses the connection to the network.
US08463258B2 Extended wireless device activation
Various arrangements for activating a wireless device on a wireless network are presented. A request to attach to the wireless network may be received from the wireless device. The request may specify an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). An authentication message may be transmitted to a detection device of the wireless network. The IMSI may be compared to a set of stored blocked IMSIs. Each IMSI of the set of stored blocked IMSIs may be prohibited from being used to access the wireless network. It may be determined that the wireless device may that corresponds to the IMSI is permitted to be attached to the wireless network. In response to determining the wireless device is permitted to attach to the wireless network, authentication of the wireless device may occur.
US08463245B2 Systems and methods for communicating music indicia
Systems and methods for providing a menu permanently stored on a mobile device. The menu provides a ranked music indicia option to review a ranked list of music indicia over a cellular network. The menu further provides a news and reviews option to review news and reviews relating to a music artist or a band over a cellular network. The menu further provides an artist option to obtain information about a music artist or a band over a cellular network. An application provisioning server comprising instructions for (i) receiving a selection over a cellular network and (ii) providing over a cellular network, as a function of said selection, any of (a) a ranked list of music indicia, (b) news and reviews relating to a music artist or band or (c) information about a music artist or a band.
US08463240B2 Optimizing mobile terminated/mobile initiated call legs
A PBX can receive a call for a mobile device, and can send a message over a data channel to the mobile device indicating such. The mobile device can open a voice channel for the call. The mobile device inspects information about the call, such as calling party information, and using historical information, such as statistics relating to acceptance of calls from that calling party to predict whether a user of the mobile device is likely to answer the call or not. If the mobile device predicts that the user is probably going to answer the call, then the mobile device begins establishing the voice channel before the user answers the call (e.g., by accepting through the user interface). However, if the mobile device predicts that the user is not going to answer the call, then the mobile device waits until the user actually answers the call to begin establishing the voice channel.
US08463238B2 Mobile device base station
A mobile device can be configured as a base station to be used by other mobile devices and non-mobile devices to gain access to network services. The mobile device can be configured to provide and manage secure access to variety of networks (e.g., Wi-Fi, WiMax, Internet, cellular) and network services (e.g., map services, web services, syncing services).
US08463235B1 Protection from telephone phishing
Attempts to communicate telephonically by a mobile phone are detected. When an attempt is detected, an associated phone number is identified and transmitted to a server in order to glean corresponding security information. On the server, a database is maintained containing 1) phone numbers known to present potential security concerns and 2) descriptive security information concerning each of these phone numbers. The server receives phone numbers from mobile phones to check for security information, searches the database for received phone numbers, and transmits corresponding security information to the originating mobile phones. Security information concerning identified telephone numbers is received from the server by mobile phones. Responsive to the contents of the received security information, detected attempts to communicate telephonically are allowed to processed, blocked or otherwise processed.
US08463233B2 Methods and apparatus for collecting information about portable device usage
An example method of collecting information about usage of a mobile device involves monitoring first usage of the mobile device associated with accessing, via the mobile device, a first internet website of a communication service carrier providing a service subscription for the mobile device. The example method also involves monitoring second usage of the mobile device associated with accessing, via the mobile device, a second internet website not of the communication service carrier. The monitoring of the first and second usage is performed on the mobile device. First and second usage information about the first and second usage is collected. The first usage information indicates that the first internet website is an internet portal of the communication service carrier.
US08463229B2 Coexistence for cognitive radio
A system for managing wireless communication in view of other potentially interfering wireless signal sources. Signal-related information may be collected from one or more apparatuses that are participating in a network. The information may then be evaluated in order to determine expected signal activity in the environment in which the apparatuses are operating. In some instances the signal activity may then be compared to a scan schedule utilized, for example, to identify legacy apparatuses operating in the environment. This scan schedule may be altered to avoid potential conflicts that may exist with the expected signal activity. The scan schedule may then be communicated to the networked apparatuses.
US08463228B2 System and method for combined home network communications and broadcast reception in a settop box
A method and apparatus for demodulating different type of signals having at least a portion of overlapping frequency ranges is provided. The method and apparatus receives at least one a broadcast signal and a home networking signal, wherein the frequency range of the broadcast signal overlaps the frequency range of the home networking signal. The system further determines if the received signal is a broadcast signal or a home networking signal and provides the respective signal to a demodulator for demodulation.
US08463227B2 Receiver for amplitude-modulated signals
In a receiver, a synchronization circuit (MIX2, C1, R1, VCO) provides a set of oscillator signals (OSI, OSQ, OSX, OSY) that are synchronized with a carrier of an amplitude-modulated signal. The set of oscillator signals (OSI, OSQ, OSX, OSY) comprises a first amplitude-demodulation oscillator signal (OSX) and a second amplitude-demodulation oscillator signal (OSY) that differ in phase. A first amplitude-demodulation mixer (MIX3) mixes the first amplitude-demodulation oscillator signal (OSX) with the amplitude-modulated signal so as to obtain a first amplitude-demodulated signal (MO3). A second amplitude-demodulation mixer (MIX4) mixes the second amplitude-demodulation oscillator signal (OSY) with the amplitude-modulated signal so as to obtain a second amplitude-demodulated signal (MO4). A magnitude comparator (MDT1, MDT2, DDT) compares respective magnitudes (M+, M−) of the first amplitude-demodulated signal (MO3) and the second amplitude-demodulated signal. Accordingly, a phase-error detection signal (IPED) is obtained that varies as a function of a difference between the respective magnitudes (M+, M−) of the first amplitude-demodulated signal (MO3) and the second amplitude-demodulated signal (MO4).
US08463225B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit and operation method of the same
The present invention is provided to shorten the period of DC offset cancellation operation. One of terminals of two calibration resistors is connected to the differential output terminals of an active low pass filter having a filter process and an amplification function, and two input terminals of a voltage comparator and two terminals of a switch are connected to the other terminal of the two calibration resistors. In a calculation period of calculating digital control signals for reducing DC offset voltage, the voltage comparator detects calibration voltage depending on a voltage drop of one of the calibration resistors caused by analog current of a digital-to-analog converter. In a calibration period of reducing the DC offset voltage, the calibration analog current of the digital-to-analog converter responding to the digital control signal is passed to the input side of the filter via the switch.
US08463222B2 Multiple-input-multiple-output antenna device
A Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) antenna device is adapted for connecting electrically to a radio frequency (RF) circuit for transmitting and receiving RF signals. The MIMO antenna device includes a circuit board, a plurality of antenna units, and a plurality of multiplexer units. The antenna units are disposed on the circuit board proximate to a peripheral edge thereof, are arranged in a loop formation, and are divided into a plurality of groups of the antenna units. Each of the multiplexer units is connected electrically to a respective one of the groups of the antenna units for selecting one of the corresponding antenna units and for connecting electrically the selected one of the corresponding antenna units to the RF circuit, thereby achieving the MIMO technique with the independently and simultaneously operating antenna units.
US08463211B2 RF signal receiving apparatus
An RF signal receiving apparatus includes a first poly-phase filter, a second poly-phase filter, a first frequency-mixer module, a switch and a low-pass filter module. The first poly-phase filter receives an RF input signal and produces a filtered RF signal according to the received RF input signal. The first frequency-mixer module conducts frequency-mixing operation on a reduced-frequency signal and the filtered RF signal to produce a plurality of reduced-frequency RF signals. The switch receives and transmits the reduced-frequency RF input signal to a first channel or a second channel according to a selection signal. The second poly-phase filter receives the reduced-frequency RF signal transmitted by the second channel and filters the received signal. The low-pass filter module receives the filtered reduced-frequency RF signal or the reduced-frequency RF signal transmitted by the first channel to conduct low-pass filtering operation and produces a low-intermediate-frequency signal or a zero-intermediate-frequency signal.
US08463209B1 Pre-charge of a power amplifier pedestal voltage
The described devices, systems and methods include an integrator circuit having two separate operational modes to control a power output level delivered by the power amplifier to an antenna during start of a transmission burst. The first operational mode utilizes a wide bandwidth control loop to pre-charge a capacitor of the integrator circuit, which generates a pedestal voltage delivered to the power amplifier control input. The second operational mode utilizes a lower bandwidth control loop to ensure stable operation of the control loop during normal operation of the power amplifier.
US08463207B2 Wireless communication unit, integrated circuit and method of power control of a power amplifier therefor
A wireless communication unit comprising a transmitter having a power amplifier, a controller logic module arranged to control a power control value of the power amplifier and a closed loop control system operably coupled to the power amplifier and arranged to monitor a level of peak PA compression, wherein in response to the identified level of peak PA compression the controller logic module is arranged to automatically adjust a power amplifier power control value of the PA to obtain a predetermined level of peak PA compression.
US08463206B2 System and method for preserving input impedance of a current-mode circuit
In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a circuit comprises an input node configured to receive a current-mode input signal and an input stage that includes an input device communicatively coupled to the input node. The input device is configured to receive the input signal at the input node. The circuit additionally comprises bias circuitry communicatively coupled to the input stage and configured to provide a bias current for the input device. The bias circuitry is also configured to remove at least a portion of the bias current from the input signal through a feedback loop associated with the input node such that the input signal is received by the input device with at least a portion of the bias current removed. The circuit further comprises an output stage communicatively coupled to the input stage and configured to output a current-mode output signal based on the input signal.
US08463203B2 Base station apparatus, user apparatus and communication control method
A base station apparatus in a radio communication system where transmit diversity is applied in uplinks includes a reference signal measurement unit configured to measure a receive level of the reference signal, a switch pitch determination unit configured to determine the antenna switch pitch of transmitting the reference signal based on the receive level measured by the reference signal measurement unit, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit the antenna switch pitch determined by the switch pitch determination unit.
US08463197B2 Mobile communication method and operation apparatus
A mobile communication method according to the present invention causes: an operation apparatus 100 to transmit an operation halt instruction to a first radio station 200, when the first radio station 200 satisfies a first halt condition; causes the operation apparatus to transmit confirmation information for confirming whether or not to accept halting operation to a communication device 300 linked with a second radio base station 201, when the second radio station 201 satisfies a second halt condition; causes the operation apparatus 100 to transmit the operation stop instruction to the second radio base station 201, when it receives acknowledgement information for the confirmation information; causes the first radio base station 200 to gradually reduce transmission power of broadcast information when it receives the operation halt instruction and to halt stop after the transmission power of the broadcast information reaches a predetermined value; and causes the second radio base station 201 to stop when it receives the operation halt instruction.
US08463194B2 Method and apparatus for determining propagation delays for use in wide area networks
A system and method for determining a signal propagation delay between a transmitter and a receiver, and for adjusting a transmission time based on the propagation delay. A central station inserts a marker into a transmitted signal at a time corresponding to a received timing signal. The MCT receives the signal from the central station and determines a time difference between receipt of the marker and the detection of the time interval event. A transmission by the MCT is adjusted by an amount of time proportional to the time difference.
US08463178B2 Handover between ATC and satellite component of an integrated MSS/ATC system
A communications system comprising a first transceiver and a second transceiver, which system employs a device that measures power over a frequency band from sources other than those monitoring downlink radiation received at a radio terminal from the satellite, and a controller that receives these power measurements to determine on which frequency channel within a band a transmitter is to transmit.
US08463173B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a first sheet discharging path having a first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a second sheet discharging path having a second dischargeable minimum sheet length that is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length; a measuring unit that measures a length of the sheet; and a control unit. When the length of the sheet is shorter than the first dischargeable minimum sheet length in a state in which the first sheet discharging path is selected, the control unit is configured to: control the image forming unit to form the image on the measured sheet; convey the measured sheet downstream in a sheet conveying direction from the image forming unit; and stop conveyance of a sheet subsequent to the measured sheet at a position upstream in the sheet conveying direction from the measured sheet.
US08463168B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus including same
A fixing device to fix a toner image on a sheet includes a first rotary member that rotates in a predetermined direction and a second rotary member that contacts an outer circumferential surface of the first rotary member. A stationary member is fixed inside the first rotary member to press the first and second rotary members together to form a nip portion between the rotary members. A reinforcement member is fixedly provided inside the first rotary member and pressed against the stationary member. The fixing device includes heat source to heat the first rotary member and a reflector to reflect heater light emitted from the heat source toward the first rotary member.
US08463165B2 Intermediate transfer belt, image forming method, for use in electrophotography
An intermediate transfer belt for use in electrophotography including plural linear convexities is provided. The plural linear convexities have a height of from 0.01 to 1 μm and a width of from 0.5 to 5 μm.
US08463153B2 Process cartridge, image forming apparatus and developing cartridge
A process cartridge, which includes a developing cartridge and a photosensitive cartridge for use with an image forming apparatus including a driving force output part and a feeding part, is provided. The developing cartridge includes a developer carrier, a first electrode provided at one side thereof, and a driving force receiving part provided at another side thereof and aligned with the first electrode such that the driving force receiving part overlaps the first electrode in a side view. The photosensitive cartridge, to which the developing cartridge is removably mounted, includes a photosensitive member, and a second electrode that contacts the first electrode when the developing cartridge is mounted in the photosensitive cartridge and that contacts the feeding part when the photosensitive cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The first electrode is pressed toward the driving force receiving part by contact with the second electrode.
US08463152B2 Image forming apparatus, method of controlling the same, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
When executing an image forming process for same sheets divisionally a plurality of number of times, a subsequent image forming process needs to be prevented from becoming impossible depending on the process result of a preceding image forming process. To accomplish this, when executing a second image forming process for a sheet having an image formed by a first image forming process is designated, an image forming apparatus of this invention restricts execution of post-processing for the sheet that has undergone the first image forming process even when executing the post-processing for the sheet is designated.
US08463143B2 Amplifier with offset compensator and optical receiver implemented with the same
An amplifier for an optical receiver is disclosed. The amplifier includes a common base buffer, a differential amplifier, and some buffer amplifiers, where circuit block from the common base buffer to the buffer amplifiers have the differential arrangement and are connected in series in this order. The amplifier further includes an offset compensator that receives the outputs of the buffer amplifier put in the rear end of the amplifier and outputs control signals, which are complementary to each other and filtered by a low-pass-filter, to the base of the transistors in the common base buffer to compensate the offset appeared in the output of the buffer amplifier.
US08463133B1 Signal framing in a coherent optical receiver
A method and system for a estimating a most likely location of a periodic SYNC burst within an optical signal received through an optical communications system. A cross-correlation is calculated between a multi-bit digital signal derived from the optical signal and a known symbol sequence of the SYNC burst. The cross-correlation is logically partitioned into sub-blocks. A candidate sub-block in which the SYCN burs is mot likely located is identified, and analysed to estimate a location of the SYNC burst.
US08463130B2 Method and system for implementing a wireless network
Aspects of the present invention provide a multi-band hybrid Gigabit wireless communication system which is enabled by a number of different complementary access technologies to realize ubiquitous hyper-connectivity, true broadband, seamless operation and low power consumption. The system is capable of serving fixed, nomadic and mobile scenarios. The multi-band wireless system is a low power wireless system which operates in different frequency bands covering the spectrum from radio wave to optical wave by making use of both regulated bandwidths and unregulated bandwidths. Using low power distributed antenna and low power indoor and outdoor antennas enables the use of unregulated bandwidths as well as regulated bandwidths as the low power nature of the signals reduces the possibility of interference with the regulated use of the signals.
US08463127B2 Optical switching architectures for nodes in WDM mesh and ring networks
Switching architectures for WDM mesh and ring network nodes are presented. In mesh networks, the switching architectures have multiple levels—a network level having wavelength routers for add, drop and pass-through functions, an intermediate level having device units which handle add and drop signals, and a local level having port units for receiving signals dropped from the network and transmitting signals to be added to the network. The intermediate level device units are selected and arranged for performance and cost considerations. The multilevel architecture also permits the design of reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers for ring network nodes, the easy expansion of ring networks into mesh networks, and the accommodation of protection mechanisms in ring networks.
US08463124B2 Passive optical network with sub-octave transmission
A passive optical network for transmitting digital signals incorporates sub-octave filters for the removal of distortions introduced into the signals as they are transmitted over the fiber optic cable of the network. Stated differently, second order distortions that result when the light beam carrying the digital signals is passed through a fiber optic cable are removed by the sub-octave filter. Further, the employment of another passive optical network on the same fiber optic cable with the present network is provided for. And, considerations for ensuring the compatibility of upstream and downstream transmission frequencies with the sub-octave filters are disclosed.
US08463121B2 Ultra wide-range frequency offset estimation for digital coherent optical receivers
Methods and systems for receiving an optical signal using cascaded frequency offset estimation. Coherently detecting an optical signal includes compensating for a coarse laser frequency offset between a transmitting laser and a local oscillator laser by determining a maximum phase error (MPE) in the optical signal, compensating for a residual laser frequency offset between the transmitting laser and the local oscillator laser, and decoding data stored in the optical signal.
US08463117B2 Water heating apparatus
A water heating apparatus includes a water tank having a plurality of sidewalls, a main heating member mounted inside and across the water tank, and at least one secondary heating or partition member extending between the main heating member and the sidewalls to form at least one water compartment with a water path. At least one tertiary heating member is provided on the inner surface of the water tank. The partition member can be spiral in shape. Each heating member has at least a multi-layer conductive coating of nano-thickness deposited thereon, and electrodes coupled to the multi-layer conductive coating. The multi-layer conductive coating comprises a structure and composition which stabilize performance of the heating member at high temperature.
US08463115B1 Handheld heater
A heating tool, including a housing having a handle, a heat source, a control circuit for controlling power of the heat source, one or more reflectors mounted in the housing to focus radiant energy from the heat source toward a focal region, an opening in the housing for receiving an object to be heated in the focal region, and a blower directing cooling air toward the reflectors and exiting the housing.
US08463113B2 Fan heater applying a carbon fiber ribbon secured in each heating cartridge
A fan heater includes a main body having a suction port provided at a lower side thereof and a hot-air outlet port provided at an upper side thereof, blower provided below the hot-air outlet port within the main body, a plurality of heating cartridge holders provided on in the main body, a plurality of heating cartridges, each of the heating cartridges configured to be secured to each of the heating cartridge holders and to heat air flowing into the main body through the suction port, a carbon fiber ribbon provided in each of the heating cartridges, and an interior housing that guides the air introduced through the suction port to the hot-air outlet port.
US08463105B2 Recording apparatus and record medium
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and a record medium for recording a data read time, a seek time, a successive reproduction time, a successive record length, and a correlation among data pieces. A recording apparatus of the present invention is a recoding apparatus for recording data to a rewritable record medium, comprising an encoding means for encoding the data corresponding to a predetermined compressing and encoding system, a converting means for converting a data structure of encoded data that is output from the encoding means into a file structure that a computer software program that synchronously reproduces a moving picture and so forth can handle without need to use a special hardware device, and a recording means for recording data having the file structure to the record medium, wherein the file structure has a first data unit, a second data unit, and a data portion, the second data unit being a set of a plurality of first data units, the data portion describing management information, wherein the plurality of second data units is correlated with a successive record length of the record medium, and wherein the data portion contains a time length and a data length of the second data unit recorded in the successive record length.
US08463101B2 Method and apparatus for recording and reproducing motion picture with location information
A method and apparatus for recording and reproducing a motion picture with location information are provided. The method for reproducing the motion picture includes acquiring, when a request for playing a motion picture is detected, current location information of the mobile terminal using location data, retrieving location information included in the motion picture, comparing the current location information and the retrieved location information, and reproducing, when the current location information and the retrieved location information are substantially identical with each other, the motion picture.
US08463093B2 Extension of steps in reflective optical gratings
An optical device includes a light-transmitting medium positioned on a base. The light-transmitting medium at least partially defines a free propagation region through which light signals travel. A reflective grating includes stepped reflecting surfaces positioned such that light signals that travel through the free propagation region are received by the reflecting surfaces. The reflecting surfaces are configured to reflect the light signal back into the free propagation region such that the light signals associated with different wavelengths separate as the light signals travel through the free propagation region. At least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each includes an overlapping region. Additionally, at least a portion of the reflecting surfaces each includes an overlapped region and un un-overlapped region. The reflecting grating is configured such that the light signals travel toward the overlapped regions and the un-overlapped regions before being reflected. The un-overlapped regions are positioned such that the un-overlapped regions receive the light signals but the overlapping regions are positioned between the overlapped region and the light signals so that the overlapping regions receive the light signals before the light signals can be received by the overlapped regions.
US08463090B2 Nanotube based optical fuse device and method
An optical fuse or energy-switching-off device includes an optical waveguide having an input section and an output section, the two sections forming a pair of opposed surfaces extending transversely through the axes of the waveguide sections. A substantially transparent material is disposed between the opposed surfaces and comprises an electrically conductive nanotube web immersed in dielectric material, where the nanotubes are not in electrical contact with each other. The substantially transparent material forms a plasma when exposed to optical signals propagating within the optical waveguide with an optical power level above a predetermined threshold, and the plasma damages the opposed surfaces sufficiently to render the surfaces substantially opaque to light propagating within the input section of the optical waveguide so as to prevent the transmission of such light.
US08463089B2 Semiconductor optical modulation device
A temperature control module and a support block are mounted on a metal stem. A dielectric substrate is mounted on a side surface of the support block. A support block is mounted on a cooling surface of the temperature control module. A dielectric substrate is mounted on a side surface of the support block. A semiconductor optical modulation element is mounted on the dielectric substrate. A lead pin and a signal line are connected through a bonding wire. The signal line and a signal conductor are connected through a bonding wire. The signal conductor and the semiconductor optical modulation element are connected through a bonding wire.
US08463080B1 Liquid crystal waveguide having two or more control voltages for controlling polarized light
A waveguide and method for controllably altering an optical phase delay (OPD) of light traveling along a propagation direction through the waveguide. Many embodiments are disclosed, and in one example, a waveguide may include a core for guiding the light through the waveguide; at least one cladding adjacent the core, wherein the at least one cladding has liquid crystal molecules disposed therein; at least one electrode for receiving a first voltage for controllably altering the optical phase delay of the TE polarized light traveling through the waveguide; and at least one electrode for receiving a second voltage for controllably altering the optical phase delay of the TM polarized light traveling through the waveguide.
US08463073B2 Robust recovery of transform invariant low-rank textures
A “Transform Invariant Low-Rank Texture” (TILT) Extractor, referred to as a “TILT Extractor” accurately extracts both textural and geometric information defining regions of low-rank planar patterns from 2D images of a scene, thereby enabling a large range of image processing applications. Unlike conventional feature extraction techniques that rely on point-based features, the TILT Extractor extracts texture regions from an image and derives global correlations or transformations of those regions in 3D (e.g., transformations including translation, rotation, reflection, skew, scale, etc.). These image domain transformations inherently provide information relative to an automatically determinable camera viewing direction. In other words, the TILT Extractor extracts low-rank regions and geometric correlations describing domain transforms of those regions relative to arbitrary camera viewpoints. The TILT Extractor also identifies sparse error in image intensity or other color channels resulting from noise, occlusions or other artifacts, thereby allowing elimination or reduction of such errors in images.
US08463069B2 Apparatus and method for processing image
An image processing apparatus and method are provided. In an exemplary method, noise of a main image signal is removed or reduced, using information about a subsidiary image signal with sensitivity higher than the main image signal or information about the main image signal, and details of the main image signal are restored using high-frequency components of the subsidiary image signal.
US08463065B2 Linear feature detection method and apparatus
A method of extracting linear features from an image, the method including the steps of: (a) applying a non maximum suppression filter to the image for different angles of response to produce a series of filtered image responses; (b) combining the filtered image responses into a combined image having extracted linear features.
US08463056B2 Information processing apparatus and information processing method that decode a portion of a code stream
Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: a partial decoder configured to decode a portion of a first code stream representative of coded image data into baseband image data; and an encoder configured to encode the baseband image data from the partial decoder into a second code stream having a format converted from the format of the first code stream, wherein the encoder encodes the baseband image data using a target value for parameters with respect to the second code stream, into the second code stream having the format thereof, and the partial decoder determines the portion to be decoded of the first code stream, using the target value, and decodes the determined portion of the first code stream.
US08463047B2 Edge neighborhood descriptor
System for generating an edge neighborhood descriptor for describing the surrounding of an interest point according to the closest edges includes a sector determiner, a closest edge determiner, and an edge neighborhood descriptor constructor, the closest edge determiner is coupled between the sector determiner and the edge neighborhood descriptor constructor. The sector determiner determines N sectors, surrounding the interest point. The closest edge determiner determines for each of the N sectors, the edge pixel closest to the interest point, according to at least one binary edge map. The edge neighborhood descriptor constructor constructs the edge neighborhood descriptor such that the length of the radius of each of the N sectors is determined according to at least the distance from the interest point to the edge pixel closest to the interest point within the sector, the edge neighborhood descriptor includes the N sectors.
US08463044B2 Method and device of detecting object in image and system including the device
The present invention provides a method for detecting a specific object in an image to be detected, including: a feature extraction step for extracting an image feature of the image to be detected; and a detection step for detecting detection windows with various sizes of the image to be detected according to the extracted image feature by using classifiers with various sizes corresponding to at least a part of the detection windows with various sizes, so as to determine the presence and location of a specific object in the image to be detected. The invention further provides an object detection device and a system including the device. The method, device and system for detecting a specific object in an image to be detected can improve the precision and increase the speed of the object detection.
US08463039B2 Method and device for partitioning barrier
A barrier partitioning method and device are used for partitioning a barrier area from an image. The method includes: performing edge detecting and partitioning blocks to the image to obtain multiple edge image blocks; performing beeline detection to each edge image block to obtain beelines respectively; for each beeline, determining the line direction of the beeline corresponding to a standard road plane, and determining the edge image block to be a barrier block according to the line direction; forming all the determined barrier blocks to be a barrier area according to a connection principle.
US08463038B2 Image processing apparatus and method for correcting an image based upon features of the image
An image processing apparatus includes a division unit configured to divide an image into a plurality of areas, a calculation unit configured to calculate a feature amount for each division area, an area category determination unit configured to determine for each division area at least a night scene category or an under-exposure category based on the calculated feature amount, an entire category determination unit configured to determine a category of the entire image based on the result of category determination, and a processing unit configured to perform correction processing on the image based on the result of category determination by the entire category determination unit.
US08463037B2 Detection of low contrast for image processing
There are many applications that conduct both generation of contrast or complexity level and motion estimation for video processing. The applications often use a block matching technique. An embedded system such as a personal digital camera is an example of such an application. Additionally, comparison of error differences around the location of minimum error in a motion estimation error table is able to be used to determine low contrast in a scene.
US08463033B2 Efficient content compression and decompression system and method
A content compression/compression system and method are disclosed in which a pre-processing step is performed before any compression and a post-processing step is performed once a compressed piece of content is decompressed.
US08463032B2 Image compressing apparatus, compressed image outputting apparatus, image compression method, and recording medium
In a color image processing apparatus, in a compression process section (an image compressing apparatus), when an original document is compressed, the edges of black texts and/or line drawings in the original document is detected, then a foreground layer (a first image) is generated in which the detected edges are expressed in the form of a binary image, and then lossless compression is performed on the foreground layer. Further, a background layer (a second image) is generated in which a density difference of the edges from the other parts in the original document is reduced, and then lossy compression is performed on the background layer. Then, these layers are combined into a compressed file.
US08463030B2 Image capture and identification system and process
A digital image of the object is captured and the object is recognized from plurality of objects in a database. An information address corresponding to the object is then used to access information and initiate communication pertinent to the object.
US08463029B2 Face and head detection
An image processing apparatus includes a face detection unit configured to detect a face area of a person from an image, and a head detection area setting unit configured to set a head detection area based on the detected face area of the person. An edge detection unit is configured to detect an edge from the set head detection area, and to generate an edge image which is comprised of the detected edge. An edge deletion unit is configured to delete an edge existing between the face and hair from the edge image, and an ellipse detection unit is configured to detect a candidate ellipse corresponding to a head area from an edge image from which an edge is deleted by the edge deletion unit.
US08463021B2 Four dimensional reconstruction and characterization system
A method and apparatus for performing a four-dimensional image reconstruction. The apparatus can be configured to receive a first input to slice a stack of two-dimensional images that depicts an object of interest into one or more planes to form one or more virtual images and receive a second input to segment the virtual images. One or more seed points can be generated on the virtual images based on the second input and to automatically order the seed points using a magnetic linking method. Contours corresponding to the object of interest can be generated using a live-wire algorithm and perform a first three-dimensional construction of the object of interest based on the contours. The contours can be converted into seed points for a subsequent set of images and perform a second three-dimensional construction of the object of interest corresponding to the subsequent set of images.
US08463016B2 Extending the field of view of a mask-inspection image
A technique for determining photo-mask defect disposition is described. In this technique, a target mask pattern is used to expand an initial region in a photo-mask that is included in an initial mask-inspection image. In particular, a revised mask-inspection image that includes the initial region and a region surrounding the initial region is generated based on the initial mask-inspection image and the target mask pattern. Then a corresponding simulated mask pattern is calculated in an inverse optical calculation using the revised mask-inspection image and an optical model of the mask-inspection system. This simulated mask pattern is used to simulate a wafer pattern in a photo-lithographic process, and disposition of a possible defect in the initial region is subsequently determined based on the simulated wafer pattern and a target wafer pattern.
US08463012B2 System for comparison of medical images
A system automatically processes different medical image sequences facilitating comparison of the sequences in adjacent respective display areas. An image data processor, identifies first and second mask images of first and second image sequences respectively as images preceding introduction of contrast agent and determines a translational shift between the first and second mask images. The image data processor transforms data representing individual images of at least one of the first image sequence and the second image sequence in response to the determined translational shift to reduce mis-alignment of the individual images of the first image sequence relative to the individual images of the second image sequence. A display presents first and second image sequences corrected for mis-alignment, in substantially adjacent display areas to facilitate user comparison.
US08463009B2 Evaluation method for a series of image data sets with two-fold elastic distortion of the image data sets
A series of image data sets of a region of an organism is acquired while the acquired region of the organism moves dependent on breathing and heartbeat, and supplied to a processor. The processor determines a first contour that moves depending on the breathing in the acquired image data sets. The acquired image data sets are distorted elastically in the processor into singly distorted image data sets such that the first contours of the singly distorted image data sets spatially correspond with one another. A second contour is determined in the processor in the acquired image data sets or in the singly distorted image data sets, this second contour moves depending on the heartbeat. The singly distorted image data sets are distorted elastically into doubly distorted image data sets such that the second contours of the doubly distorted image data sets spatially correspond with one another. Regions of the doubly distorted image data sets that spatially correspond to one another are evaluated in the processor across image data sets.
US08463007B2 Automatic generation of a vascular skeleton
Apparatus and methods are described for receiving into at least one processor at least one image of blood vessels of a subject. Using image processing, discontinuous lines that correspond to paths of at least a portion of the blood vessels in the image are automatically derived, the lines having end points at discontinuities in the lines. Continuous lines that correspond to the paths of the portion of the blood vessels in the image are automatically generated by bridging the discontinuities in the discontinuous lines. An output is generated by the processor, based on the continuous lines. Other embodiments are also described.
US08463005B2 Stent and method for determining the position of a stent
A method for determining the position of a stent within a body, comprising the steps of: providing a 3D dataset of voxels representing a 3D image containing the stent; determining a starting position for the determination of the stent position; determining the axis of symmetry of the stent in the 3D dataset; determining a second dataset representing at least one image containing the stent in its present position; and determining the positional offset of the stent by image fusion using the 3D dataset and the second dataset and by penalizing a rotation around the axis of symmetry as compared to the starting position.
US08462998B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
An image processing apparatus includes a face detector detecting face images from still-image frames successively extracted from a moving-image stream in accordance with image information items regarding the still-image frames, a face-feature-value calculation unit calculating face feature values of the face images in accordance with image information items regarding the face images, an identity determination unit determining whether a first face image in a current frame and a second face image in a previous frame represent an identical person in accordance with at least face feature values of the first and second face images, and a merging processor which stores one of the first and second face images when the first face image and the second face image represent an identical person, and which stores the first and second face images when the first face image and the second face image do not represent an identical person.
US08462994B2 Methods and systems for providing enhanced security over, while also facilitating access through, secured points of entry
Systems and methods provide the verification of a registered user with authorized access through a point of entry in coordination with registered user profile information obtained from a remote server after preliminary identification of the registered user based on an identification number obtained wirelessly from an RFID tag carried by the registered user when the user is located near a point of entry. Registered user profile information including at least one of a photograph, biometric template, and a user name can be obtained by a computer at a point of entry from a remote server after preliminary identification of the user based on an identification number wirelessly provided to a RFID reader from a RFID carried by a registered user when the user is located near a point of entry such as, for example, a sports venue, border crossing or access point to a secured facility.
US08462988B2 Method and system for universal lane boundary detection
A method and system for detecting road markings, is provided. One implementation involves receiving an image (3) of a road (4) in front of a vehicle (2) from an imager (1), determining a region of interest in an identified road in the image, and detecting road markings (8L, 8R) by detecting lane markings (7L, 7R) in the region of interest, and if lane markings cannot be detected, then detecting road boundaries in the region of interest.
US08462984B2 Data pattern recognition and separation engine
Embodiments disclosed herein extend to methods, systems, and computer program products for analyzing digital data. A source of digital data is analyzed and separated into segments, each segment having an identifiable characteristic. The separated segments are copied into planes of a higher dimension. The separated segments are compared to determine a resemblance factor. A fingerprint is generated for segments having a resemblance factor above a particular threshold. Based upon the generated fingerprint, a data source may be filtered to block or to pass data corresponding to the generated fingerprint. The digital data may be audio data, video data, or other data.
US08462983B2 Method and apparatus for gas detection based on spectral spatial misregistration
In accordance with one embodiment, a method for remote identification of at least one gas includes sampling a plurality of spectral images of a scene wherein each spectral image is sampled at a different wavelength, providing a reference spectral image, and generating a spatial displacement expression by detecting the spatial misregistration in at least one region of the spectral images between the reference spectral image and at least one of the plurality of spectral images. At least one reference spatial displacement expression is provided corresponding to at least one gas, and at least one identification process is implemented to identify at least one gas. The identification process employs the generated spatial displacement expression and the at least one reference spatial displacement expression. Optionally the reference image is one of the sampled spectral images, the reference spatial displacement expression is provided from a general or adapted library, and the concentration of the gas can be determined.
US08462982B2 Method for inserting watermark assistance data in a bitstream and bitstream comprising the watermark assistance data
The invention relates to a method for inserting watermark assistance data in a bitstream of coded data comprising the step of inserting, in the bitstream, identification data identifying coded data to be substituted and, for each coded data to be substituted, at least one substitution data. The method further comprises a step of inserting in the bitstream a format data defining a manner of substituting the coded data to be substituted by the substitution data.
US08462979B2 Optoelectronic angle sensor and method for determining a rotational angle about an axis
The invention relates to an optoelectronic angle sensor (1a) for determining a rotational angle about an axis (6), comprising a circular disk (2a) that can be rotated about the axis. Said circular disk comprises a coding, essentially over the entire surface, a flat photosensitive detector (3a), a device for producing an evaluable image of the coding on the detector and a memory and evaluation component (4a) for determining the rotational angle. A largely complete, or in particular an entire image of the coding is produced on the detector. The rotational angle is determined using a parameter-varying stochastic comparison method, from the image and a parameterised electronic reference pattern that is provided by means of the memory and evaluation component.
US08462973B2 Ear fitting
An improved open ear hearing aid fitting for insertion into an ear canal is provided. The fitting offers enhanced acoustic performance while maintaining user comfort. The fitting comprises a polymeric body having at least one acoustic source and at least one aperture extending there through and a peripheral portion shaped to conform to surface of the ear canal. A porous material covers at least one aperture of the body.
US08462971B2 Ear mold with adapter seal
When external receivers are used in hearing devices there is a need to suppress feedback further. An ear mold with a receiver is therefore proposed, having a receiver connector including a first snap-fit element at the sound outlet. An adapter is inserted directly into the ear mold and has a second snap-fit element, which is snapped into the first snap-fit element in a manner such that it can be released. A seal, which surrounds the receiver connector completely, is made of a more elastic material than the receiver connector and the adapter and is fitted between the receiver connector and the adapter. It is thus possible to secure the receiver in the ear mold in an acoustically sealed manner, so that there is less feedback. The seal however also ensures that less dirt reaches the receiver.
US08462969B2 Systems and methods for own voice recognition with adaptations for noise robustness
Own voice recognition (OVR) for hearing aids, detects time instances where the person wearing the device is speaking. Classification of the own voice is performed dependent on a fixed or adaptive detection threshold. Automatic tuning in a real-time system depends on general noise statistics in the input signals. The noise is removed from the received signal and is characterized by signal-to-noise ratio and noise color. An optimal detection threshold for own voice recognition is determined based on the noise characteristics. A noise detection model is created by smoothed Voronoi tessellation. Own voice detection is performed by a processor.
US08462965B2 Thermoacoustic module, thermoacoustic device, and method for making the same
A thermoacoustic module includes a substrate, at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode located on the substrate, a cover board spaced from the substrate, and a sound wave generator. The cover board defines a plurality of openings. The sound wave generator is located between the cover board and the substrate. The sound wave generator is electrically connected to the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode. The sound wave generator is capable of causing a thermoacoustic effect.
US08462964B2 Recording apparatus, recording method, audio signal correction circuit, and program
Disclosed herein is a recording apparatus including: an audio signal correction block configured to execute correction for flattening the frequency characteristic of an audio signal supplied from a microphone and/or correction of the level of the audio signal; a correction control block configured to make the audio signal correction block adjust the level of the audio signal attenuate the reference value with time, and, if an audio signal with a level thereof exceeding the reference value is entered, use the absolute value of the level of the audio signal exceeding the reference value as a new reference value; and a recording block configured to record the audio signal to a recording media.
US08462958B2 Apparatus and method for computing filter coefficients for echo suppression
A preferred embodiment of an apparatus for computing filter coefficients for an adaptive filter for filtering a microphone signal so as to suppress an echo due to a loudspeaker signal includes an extractor for extracting a stationary component signal or a non-stationary component signal from the loudspeaker signal or from a signal derived from the loudspeaker signal, and a computer for computing the filter coefficients for the adaptive filter on the basis of the extracted stationary component signal or the extracted non-stationary component signal.
US08462956B2 Earhealth monitoring system and method IV
A system for monitoring sound pressure levels at the ear includes an ambient sound microphone (ASM) for receiving ambient sounds and an ear canal microphone (ECM) for producing audio signals as a function of ambient sound received at the ambient sound microphone and a sound signal received from an associated personal audio device. A logic circuit is operatively associated with the ASM and ECM calculates a total SPL_Dose experienced by the ear at a time t. The total SPL_Dose is calculated by determining SPL_Dose for periods Δt as measured at the ECM. The logic circuit may select an action parameter in response to the Total SPL_Dose.
US08462938B2 Power source circuit for use in digital subscriber line modem
A power source circuit is connected to a power source and a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem. The power source circuit includes a boosting converter, a storage capacitor, a voltage converter, a first switch, a second switch, and a trigger. The boosting converter boosts an input voltage of the power source. The storage capacitor charges by the boosted voltage. The voltage converter converts the input voltage of the power source into a rated working voltage of the DSL modem. The trigger triggers the first switch to electrically connect the storage capacitor to the voltage converter and the second switch to electrically connect the power source to the voltage converter.
US08462936B2 Adaptive delay compensation for acoustic echo cancellation
An acoustic echo cancellation system buffers remote side signals to one or more storage areas. A delay controller filters and delays the remote side signals to correlate the remote side signals to local side signals. An acoustic echo cancellation core pulls the remote side signals from the buffer through a delay controller. A delay estimator generates an estimate of a delay between the buffered remote side signals and the local side signals. The delay estimator renders a confidence level that indicates a degree of likelihood for each potential match between delayed remote side signals and the local side signals. The acoustic echo cancellation core substantially cancels a portion of the echo or reverberation within the local side signals based on the estimate of the delay and the confidence level.
US08462920B2 Registration, verification and notification system
A registrant provides at least one registrant electronic contact, such as a telephone number, during a registration process. The registrant's information may be compared to a database of such information. The registrant is verified by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact. The verification code is communicated to the registrant, which is input into an on-line form. Notification events are established, and the registrant is notified of the occurrence of a previously established notification event by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact.
US08462915B2 Methods and systems for managing a call session
Methods and systems are provided for managing call sessions on public and private networks. The methods and systems operate to receive and send voice over internet protocol (VoIP) communications using a network, such as an IP network. The methods and systems also operate to receive and send emergency information over IP and other data networks. Based on certain criteria, the methods and systems determine whether to transfer a VoIP communication and/or emergency information to another entity associated with the IP network.
US08462912B2 Computed tomography examination and particle therapy treatment
An operation room may comprise both an object scanning apparatus for examining an object using x-ray radiation and an irradiation component for treating an object using particle radiation. A support article upon which the object may reside during (both) the examination and treatment may be configured to rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to a plane through which x-ray radiation travels, may be configured to tilt with respect to the axis, and/or may be configured to yaw with respect to the axis. In this way, the relative orientation of the support article and the object remain substantially constant during the examination and treatment to facilitate treating a desired area of the object.
US08462910B2 Neutron shield
A neutron reactor includes a neutron shield which is disposed outside a nuclear reactor core and adapted to absorb neutrons leaking from the core. The neutron shield includes a plurality of containers each of which contains a powdered neutron absorbing material and which are stacked with one another in a vertical direction, and a cladding tube which houses the containers. The neutron absorbing material is composed of B4C powder.
US08462908B2 Digital phase locked loop circuitry and methods
Phase locked loop circuitry operates digitally, to at least a large extent, to select from a plurality of phase-distributed candidate clock signals the signal that is closest in phase to transitions in another signal such as a clock data recovery (“CDR”) signal. The circuitry is constructed and operated to avoid glitches in the output clock signal that might otherwise result from changes in selection of the candidate clock signal. Frequency division of the candidate clock signals may be used to help the circuitry support serial communication at bit rates below frequencies that an analog portion of the phase locked loop circuitry can economically provide. Over-transmission or over-sampling may be used on the transmit side for similar reasons.
US08462891B2 Error detection and offset cancellation during multi-wire communication
Embodiments of a circuit are described. In this circuit, a receive circuit includes M input nodes that receive a set of M symbols on M links during a time interval, where the set of M symbols are associated with a codeword. Moreover, the receive circuit includes a decoder, coupled to the M input nodes, that determines the codeword in a code space based on the set of M symbols and that decodes the codeword to a corresponding set of N decoded symbols. Additionally, the receive circuit may include a detector that detects an imbalance in a number of instances of a first value in the set of M symbols and a number of instances of a second value in the set of M symbols, and, if an imbalance is detected, that asserts an error condition.
US08462888B2 Pair-swap independent trellis decoder for a multi-pair gigabit transceiver
A method and a system for compensating for a permutation of L pairs of cable such that the compensation is localized in a trellis decoder of a receiver. The L pairs of cable correspond to L dimensions of a trellis code associated with the trellis decoder. The trellis code includes a plurality of code-subsets. The permutation of the L pairs of cable is determined. A plurality of sets of swap indicators based on the permutation of the L pairs of cable is generated. Each of the sets of swap indicators corresponds to one of the code-subsets. The code-subsets are remapped based on the corresponding sets of swap indicators.
US08462884B2 Receiving apparatus and receiving method
A receiving apparatus includes: RF filters for selecting and outputting a signal to be down-converted from among a plurality of received signals having different bands; a phase conversion unit for generating a phase difference between output signals of the filters and down-converting the output signals of the filters to output a plurality of sample signals; a quantization unit for converting the plurality of sample signals from discrete signals into digital signals; and a signal separation unit for separating and outputting each of a plurality of output signals corresponding to the plurality of received signals from the output signals of the quantization unit by using a phase shift value caused by the phase difference.
US08462883B2 Transmission apparatus and method of controlling the same
A transmission apparatus according to the present invention includes: a baseband signal generator; a local oscillator; a modulator that generates a modulation signal by multiplying a baseband signal by a carrier wave signal including a local oscillation frequency; a power amplifier that amplifies the modulation signal; a filter having a pass bandwidth that is narrower than a frequency bandwidth that can be set or emerge in the local oscillator and removes at least a part of unwanted component generated in association with the modulation signal that is amplified; and a frequency bandwidth inside/outside decision unit that decides that the local oscillation frequency is out of a predetermined bandwidth. The transmission apparatus controls one of the baseband signal generator and the local oscillator to reduce the modulation signal when it is decided by the frequency bandwidth inside/outside decision unit that the local oscillation frequency is out of the predetermined bandwidth.
US08462880B2 System and method for transmitter electromagnetic interference (EMI) reduction
A device for Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) reduction in an Ethernet system has an Ethernet compatible device. The Ethernet compatible device has a filter for adjusting a signal outputted by the Ethernet compatible device for EMI reduction.
US08462878B2 Method for transmitting signals for achieving diversity gain
A method for transmitting signals for achieving diversity gain is provided. In a communication system having multiple independent transmission paths, a signal is transmitted by mapping it to different independent transmission paths at initial transmission and at retransmission, thereby obtaining diversity gain. Especially, real and ideal components of a transmission signal are mapped to different transmission paths, thereby obtaining additional gain.
US08462875B2 Timing regenerating device
A timing regenerating device regenerates a process timing for demodulating a reception signal in a spread spectrum communication system. The timing regenerating device includes a signal extracting unit that extracts a baseband signal from the reception signal on which an inverse spread processing is performed and a reference clock generating unit that converts the baseband signal into an electric power and generates a reference clock for a latch timing of the baseband signal output from the signal extracting unit based on the electric power.
US08462869B2 Channel information prediction system and channel information prediction method
Provided is a channel information prediction system which uses a low ray element in a transformation MIMO CSI to calculate a first prediction filter coefficient. By using the obtained first prediction filter coefficient, the system executes a first prediction for predicting channel information upon a radio signal transmission in the future and suppresses a component of the ray contained in the low ray element. By using the low ray component in which the ray component is suppressed, the system executes a second prediction for predicting channel information upon a radio signal transmission in the future.
US08462867B2 Near soft-output maximum-likelihood detection for multiple-input multiple-output systems
Systems and methodologies are described that provide low-complexity soft-output detection for MIMO communication systems. Looping can be performed over a set of constellation points per spatial stream to obtain distance metrics for each of a series of transmitted streams, for which values for the other transmitted streams can be estimated using a MIMO channel matrix and a sub-optimal MIMO algorithm. Examples of MIMO algorithms that can be utilized include Per-Stream List Detection (PSLD), Lattice-Reduced Detection (LRD), and a Guided-M Algorithm. Performance can be further improved by pre-processing the MIMO channel matrix and/or by utilizing techniques for Enhanced Metric Usage (EMU).
US08462866B2 Transmitting apparatus and method, and receiving apparatus and method
A method of transmitting data symbols via an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols that includes forming data symbols into pairs and generating a first pair of modulation symbols for each of the pairs of data symbols, where the first pair of modulation symbols form first and second modulation symbols of an Alamouti cell. The method further includes forming a first version of the OFDM symbols by modulating the sub-carriers allocated for carrying the data with the first and second modulation symbols of the Alamouti cells, and modulating the one or more pilot carriers of the first version of the OFDM symbol according to a predetermined pattern.
US08462864B2 OFDM transmitter and methods for reducing the effects of severe interference with symbol loading
Embodiments of an OFDM transmitter and method of reducing the effects of interference on subcarriers in an OFDM system by symbol loading are disclosed herein. A linear transformation is performed on a group of two or more input data symbols to generate a corresponding two or more output data symbols. Each of the output data symbols has an increased number of constellation points and are configured for transmission within one of the different signal dimensions using two or more antennas. Each of the two or more output data symbols carry the information of each of the input data symbols of the group. This coding together of input data symbols that are mapped to different signal dimensions may provide improved reliability against fading and severe interference. The different signal dimensions may comprise a frequency, a time and/or a space dimension.
US08462863B1 Midamble for WLAN PHY frames
In a method for generating a single data unit for transmission via a communication channel, a preamble and a first portion of a data payload of the single data unit are generated. A midamble is generated, the midamble including at least one OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbol that includes calibration information. A second portion of the data payload of the single data unit is generated, and the midamble is included between the first portion of the data payload and the second portion of the data payload.
US08462862B2 Symbol timing methods and apparatuses using the same in multi-carrier receiving systems
A symbol timing method for a multi-carrier system is provided, including: receiving an input symbol; executing a correlation operation by using a first summation window with a size smaller than a duplicated data to generate a first characteristic signal; determining a first search region according to a first predetermined threshold and the first characteristic signal and searching a local peak value in the first search region; locating a right edge point of the first characteristic signal according to a difference value and the local peak value; obtaining a coarse symbol timing position for a following input symbol according to a predetermined movement and the right edge point; and outputting the coarse symbol timing position to a signal transformation module, wherein signal transformation is executed by the signal transformation module according to the coarse symbol timing position.
US08462860B2 Increased capacity communications systems, methods and/or devices
Communications architectures, systems, devices and/or methods are disclosed that can increase capacity of conventional OFDM/OFDMA systems, devices, methods and/or protocols by as much as 100%. Conventional OFDM/OFDMA transmitter/receiver architectures, methods, systems and/or devices are improved upon via additional signal processing to provide the increased capacity and reduce non-linear distortion effects on higher-order modulation alphabets such as, for example, 256-QAM.
US08462857B2 Method and receiver for decoding digital information
In a method for decoding digital information, a bit-stream signal comprising binary information is received at a digital receiver utilizing wired communication. The received bit-stream signal is sampled for each binary value at least two different sampling points within an eye pattern associated with the related binary value in order to obtain a hard-bit value for each sampling point. A single soft-bit value for each binary value based on the hard-bit values of the relevant binary value is generated and the bit value of the binary value is determined by subjecting the soft-bit values to a soft-decision algorithm.
US08462848B2 Method and system for intra-mode selection without using reconstructed data
A method and system are provided in which a current block of pixels of a video frame may be encoded and a direction associated with a next block of pixels of the video frame may be estimated. The direction estimation of the next block may be concurrent with the encoding of the current block. The current block and the next block may each be a sub-block in the same macroblock of the video frame. The current block and the next block may both be 4×4 or 8×8 pixel blocks. The encoding may comprise predicting values for the current block based on an estimated direction associated with the current block and values of previously reconstructed pixels adjacent to the current block. The encoding may comprise the generation of reconstructed values of the current block of pixels that may be fed back for the direction estimation associated with the next block of pixels.
US08462844B2 Apparatus and method for coding picture data
A coding apparatus for hierarchically (layered data) coding two field data associated with each of a plurality of picture data composing a moving picture image. The coding apparatus comprising: a first coding unit configured to encode one of the two field data; a conversion unit configured to interpolate first predicted image data generated by the first coding unit encoding the one of the two field data and generate second predicted image data of a scanning position of the other field data of the two field data; and a second coding unit configured to encode the other field data of the two field data based on the second predicted image data generated by the conversion unit.
US08462842B2 Symmetry for interpolation filtering of sub-pixel positions in video coding
This disclosure describes filtering techniques applied by an encoder and a decoder during the prediction stage of a video encoding and/or decoding process. The filtering techniques may enhance the accuracy of predictive data used during fractional interpolation, and may improve predictive data of integer blocks of pixels. There are several aspects to this disclosure, including a useful twelve-pixel filter support that may be used for interpolation, techniques that use coefficient symmetry and pixel symmetry to reduce the amount of data needed to be sent between an encoder and a decoder to configure the filter support for interpolation, and techniques for filtering data at integer pixel locations in a manner that is similar to sub-pixel interpolation. Other aspects of this disclosure concern techniques for encoding information in the bitstream to convey the type of filter used, and possibly the filter coefficients used. Predictive coding of filter coefficients is also described.
US08462831B2 System and method for use of sieving in GPS signal acquisition
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to use sieving to reduce the number of hypotheses and the length of time for acquisition of GPS satellite signals. In sieving, hypothesis testing is performed after a short non-coherent integration duration on a first set of hypotheses. At the end of the non-coherent integration time, multiple candidate hypotheses having high likelihood of signal detection are identified. Further non-coherent integration of each candidate hypothesis is performed by using a tracking loop to remove Doppler frequency and code phase variations on the signal. In parallel, additional hypotheses testing is performed on a second set of hypotheses. At the end of the next non-coherent integration time, the best candidate hypotheses among the candidate hypotheses sieved from the first set of hypotheses running in the tracking loops and the candidate hypotheses from the second set of hypotheses are identified. This new set of candidate hypotheses replaces the previous candidate hypotheses and is tracked by the tracking loops. This process of short non-coherent integrations followed by track is repeated until a candidate hypothesis has a non-coherent integration that exceeds a detection threshold.
US08462830B2 Radio frequency distribution with spreading
A system for distributing a radio frequency (RF) signal using a data cable system includes a method and apparatus with components that receive the RF signal, determine the passband of the data cable system, spread the RF signal within the passband as a spread signal, insert the spread signal into the cable system, extract the spread signal from the data cable system as an extracted signal, convert the extracted signal to a transmission frequency as a converted signal, and transmit the converted signal.
US08462826B2 Laser device
A laser device includes a seed laser, an amplifier, a detector, and an optical element arranged to direct radiation emitted by the seed laser towards a plasma generation site. The optical element is arranged to direct towards the detector amplified spontaneous emission radiation which has been emitted by the seed laser and has been reflected from a droplet of fuel material. The detector is arranged to trigger generation of a laser radiation pulse by the seed laser when the reflected amplified spontaneous emission radiation is detected.
US08462814B2 Internet protocol using ethernet first mile physical layer
A method to transmit and receive Internet protocol data packets comprising running an Internet protocol application, outputting an Internet protocol data packet based on the running of the Internet protocol application and transmitting the Internet protocol data packet via a physical layer compliant with Ethernet first mile standards.
US08462813B2 Method and system for asymmetric operation in a network node in an energy efficient network
An Ethernet network comprising multi-rate link partners that may be operable to communicate symmetrically and/or asymmetrically via any of a plurality of channels. The multi-rate link partners may monitor one or more factors that may affect their power consumption and/or energy efficiency. During operation, an uplink and/or downlink communication rate may be configured, based on the monitoring, to enable asymmetrical data rate operation. The monitored factors may comprise prior or current data rates, bit error rate, packet error rate, latency, queued data and/or tasks, for example. The multi-rate link partners may comprise a twisted pair PHY, an optical PHY or a backplane PHY. In order to reduce power consumption and/or improve energy efficiency, one or more of the uplink communication rate and/or the downlink communication rate may be lowered. The power consumption may be reduced for a multi-rate PHY, a host computer and/or a MAC controller.
US08462810B2 Method and system for adaptively obtaining bandwidth allocation requests
A method and apparatus for adaptively obtaining bandwidth requests in a broadband wireless communication system. The method and apparatus includes dynamically varying technique combinations enabling a plurality of users to efficiently request bandwidth from a shared base station. A user may “piggyback” a new bandwidth request upon, or set a “poll-me bit” within, presently allocated bandwidth. A base station may poll users, individually or in groups, by allocating unrequested bandwidth for new requests. Polling may respond to a “poll-me bit,” and/or it may be adaptively periodic at a rate based on communication status parameters, such as recent communication activity and connection QoS levels. Group polling permits a possibility of collisions. Polling policies may be established for dynamically varying user groups, or may be determined for each user. Dynamic selection of appropriate polling techniques makes use of efficiency benefits associated with each technique.
US08462809B2 Method and system for adaptively obtaining bandwidth allocation requests
A method and apparatus for adaptively obtaining bandwidth requests in a broadband wireless communication system. The method and apparatus includes dynamically varying technique combinations enabling a plurality of users to efficiently request bandwidth from a shared base station. A user may “piggyback” a new bandwidth request upon, or set a “poll-me bit” within, presently allocated bandwidth. A base station may poll users, individually or in groups, by allocating unrequested bandwidth for new requests. Polling may respond to a “poll-me bit,” and/or it may be adaptively periodic at a rate based on communication status parameters, such as recent communication activity and connection QoS levels. Group polling permits a possibility of collisions. Polling policies may be established for dynamically varying user groups, or may be determined for each user. Dynamic selection of appropriate polling techniques makes use of efficiency benefits associated with each technique.
US08462808B2 Information server and communication apparatus
A communication apparatus as one of first communication apparatuses belonging to a first communication network, for communicating with another of the first communication apparatuses via the first communication network, and with one or more second communication apparatuses via a second communication network, the communication apparatus as the one first communication apparatus including a communication portion which communicates with the different first communication apparatus via the first communication network, and with the one or more second communication apparatuses via the second communication network, and a control portion which controls the communication portion to communicate with the different first communication apparatus via the first communication network, in a first control manner, and controls the communication portion to communicate with the one or more second communication apparatuses via the second communication network, in a second control manner different from the first control manner.
US08462800B2 Gateway device and port number assignment method
When streaming transfer of voice or image is performed using a real time streaming protocol (RTSP), streaming transfer of a high bit rate is enabled even in an environment of using network address port translation (NAPT) and network address translation-protocol translation (NAT-PT). When a SETUP message of RTSP is received, a port number having the same number of digits as a client port number notified by a client is assigned from a port number pool, and is registered in an NAPT table. The SETUP message is rewritten with the port number.
US08462794B2 Distributed connection-oriented services for switched communication networks
Connection-oriented services for packet switched data communications networks are provided, including distributed MAC and protocol alias addresses discovery. Link state topology exchanges provide each switch with network topology graphs to determine paths from source to destination end systems. Broadcast frames are resolved to unicast frames to reduce broadcast traffic. Policy restrictions may be applied prior to connection setup. Connection management includes source-routed mapping of connections on the desired path. Distributed call rerouting is provided so switches receive topology change notifications and unmap failed link connections. Broadcast/unknown services provide non-resolvable packet restricted flooding. Connection-oriented switching is provided based on source and destination MAC addresses. Resolution of networks outside the switch domain is enabled by listening for network and server route advertisements and maintaining best routes to the networks and servers. Route and path metrics may be combined to determine paths from access switches to egress switches connected to the external network.
US08462792B2 Networks having plurality of nodes
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of communicating in a network with a plurality of nodes. In the method, information is gathered from the plurality of nodes, where information from each node specifies other nodes from which the node detected messages. Based on the gathered information, a transmit sequence according to which the plurality of nodes are to transmit is determined. Other methods and devices are also disclosed.
US08462791B2 Adaptive scheduler for communication systems apparatus, system and method
An apparatus, system, and method may include adaptively scheduling packet processing modules by ordering the packet processing modules based on at least one of traffic composition and computational complexity of the packet processing modules. The apparatus, system and method may analyze at least one of traffic composition information derived from at least one packet data stream and computational complexity information pertaining to packet processing modules, determine an ordering of the packet processing modules based on the analyzing, wherein packets are passed through the packet processing modules until the packet meets criteria associated with a packet processing module or the packet has been passed through all of the packet processing modules, and dynamically rearrange the packet processing modules into the determined ordering.
US08462784B2 Security approach for transport equipment
An apparatus comprising encryption logic that provides security for fiber-based communications may be implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A data super frame is created by the encryption logic to comprise two or more data frames. Each of the data frames contains a payload portion. The encryption logic may receive one or more data payloads that are associated with a client signal. Using a single set of security control parameters, the encryption logic encrypts and stores a different encrypted payload in a payload portion of a different frame of the data frames in the data super frame. Instead of storing the set of security control parameters in a single data frame, the encryption logic stores the set of security control parameters in different sets of unused bytes associated with at least two different frames of the data frames.
US08462781B2 Systems and methods for in-line removal of duplicate network packets
Systems and methods are disclosed for in-line removal of duplicate network packets in network packet streams operating at high speeds (e.g., 1-10 Gbps and above). A hash generator applies at least one hash algorithm to incoming packets to form one or more different hash values. The packet deduplication systems and methods then use the one or more hash values for each incoming packet to identify data stored for previously received backs and use the identified data to determine if incoming packets are duplicate packets. Duplicate packets are then removed from the output packet stream thereby reducing duplicate packets for downstream processing. A deduplication window can further be utilized to limit the amount of data stored for previous packets based upon one or more parameters, such as an amount of time that has passed and/or a number of packets for which data has been stored. These parameters can also be selected, configured and/or adjusted to achieve desired operational objectives.
US08462778B2 Method and device for transmitting data
The method of transmitting data packets associated with an importance level comprises a step (305) of estimating available rate on the network. In case a variation is detected in estimated available rate greater than a first predetermined value, determination is made (309-317) of whether there is an increase in the round trip time on said network that is greater than a second predetermined value. If yes, the data packets are transmitted (319-325) at a rate lower than the estimated available rate.In embodiments, in case a variation is detected in estimated available rate greater than a first predetermined value and before the step of detecting an increase in the round trip time, a step (307) is carried out of transmitting packets of lower importance level than the average of said importance levels by using the current estimated available rate and the round trip time is determined on the basis of the sending of those packets.
US08462762B2 Radio communication system, coordinator unit and communications terminal
A radio communication system including a coordinator unit and at least one communications terminal configured for the radio communication system in which access to the radio resource is performed in accordance with time-division multiplexing, where the radio resource is divided into determinate time frames, the coordinator unit assigns to the at least one communications terminal, at least one useful data transmission time slot whose temporal position is determined in sequential time frames with respect to the beginning of the particular time frame, and the individual time frames are structured such that they contain a synchronization time slot, at least one useful data transmission time slot of equal length and one additional dynamic time slot.
US08462754B2 Antenna sharing for radio frequency signals in same frequency bands
A wireless device for receiving composite signals is disclosed. The wireless device includes an antenna. The wireless device also includes a first amplifier coupled to the antenna. The wireless device further includes a second amplifier coupled to the antenna. The wireless device also includes a first receiver. The wireless device further includes a second receiver. The wireless device also includes a first switch that couples the first receiver to the output of either the first amplifier or the second amplifier. The wireless device further includes a second switch that couples the second receiver to the output of either the first amplifier or the second amplifier.
US08462744B2 Wireless parameter setting method, base station, management apparatus, control method, and computer program
A method of making a management apparatus that manages a wireless parameter of a wireless network formed by a base station set the wireless parameter in a wireless communication apparatus, comprising the steps of causing the base station to request the management apparatus to start a wireless parameter setting process when a start of wireless parameter setting is designated in the base station, causing the management apparatus to notify the base station of wireless parameter setting information containing wireless parameter setting start enable/disable information when the management apparatus receives the request from the base station, causing the base station to notify the wireless communication apparatus of the wireless parameter setting information received from the management apparatus, and causing the wireless communication apparatus to execute or stop the wireless parameter setting process for a wireless setting apparatus based on the wireless parameter setting information received from the base station.
US08462736B2 Telecommunications method and apparatus for facilitating positioning measurements
A wireless terminal (30) capable of operating in a discontinuous mode comprising and method for operating such wireless terminal (30) facilitate measurements pertaining to position of the wireless terminal (30). The method includes receiving a message from the radio access network (28). The measurement request message is configured to indicate that measurements are to be performed by the wireless terminal on downlink signals transmitted by the base station or by the base station on downlink signals transmitted by the base station. The method further comprises, as a result of or after receiving the message, changing operation of the wireless terminal (30) from a discontinuous mode to a modified mode to facilitate performance of the measurements. Relative to the discontinuous mode at least one of following are shortened or eliminated in the modified mode: (i) the non-reception periods, and (ii) the non-transmission periods. “Changing from a discontinuous mode . . . to a modified mode” includes one or more of: (1) changing mode of the wireless terminal (e.g., changing from a discontinuous mode [such as discontinuous reception (DRX) or discontinuous transmission (DTX)] to a continuous transmission mode); (2) changing from the discontinuous mode (a first discontinuous mode) to a modified discontinuous mode (a second discontinuous mode).
US08462735B2 Multiple simultaneous wireless connections in a wireless local area network
Multiple simultaneous associations with Wireless Access Points (WAPs) may be formed by a given wireless client to enable handoffs between the WAPs to be accelerated and, optionally, to enable both WAPs to provide simultaneous wireless services to the wireless client. Upon forming a primary association with one WAP the wireless client scans for beacon signals from other WAPs. Upon detecting another WAP, the wireless client transmits a Request To Send (RTS) message to the new WAP indicating the identity of the primary WAP. The wireless client may also identify the new WAP to the primary WAP using a RTS message. The primary and secondary WAPs exchange information so that, in the event of a handoff, the required information has already been shared with the new WAP. Optionally, the several WAPs may provide simultaneous service to the wireless client.
US08462727B2 Method and system for streamlined call setup
A method (300) and communication device (106) capable of streamlining call setups to a wireless mobile unit (102) may include a transceiver (520) and a controller (502). In various embodiments of the invention, the controller detects (302) a modified request for a communication resource, optionally monitors (304) a communication system loading parameter, and sends (406 or 408) an assignment for a larger than anticipated allocation of the communication resource upon detecting the modified request or when the system loading parameter falls below a predetermined threshold. The controller may also receive (410) via the larger than anticipated allocation of the communication resource both an anticipated initial data transmission and an initial user data transmission in a first data transmission from the mobile wireless unit.
US08462715B2 Communication system and individual control information transmission and reception method
A communication system that transmits individual control information to a plurality of respective user terminals using a shared control channel, wherein when transmitting individual control information and prescribed control information to the user terminals, a base station device divides user terminals into groups according to the contents of the prescribed control information for the respective user terminals, arranges the individual control information for each user terminal in a specified group order, creates number-in-group information wherein the number of user terminals belonging to each group is arranged in the group order, and transmits the number-in-group information together with the individual control information for each user terminal in the group order.
US08462713B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting fast feedback data in wireless systems
Embodiments of the present invention may help facilitate improved performance for high throughput, mobile wireless networks, e.g., IEEE 802.16m, mobile implementations for 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) including LTE advanced mobile phone networks, and other types of high bandwidth networks. In some embodiments, provided are orthogonal sequences with desirable correlation properties for, e.g., 4-6 bits of information, among other things, typically achieving improved performance at varied vehicle speeds. In some embodiments, correlation distances for 6 bits may be less than 3.86, for 5 bits may be less than 3.12, and for 4 bits may be less than 1.95. Additionally, in some embodiments, dedicated coding for PFBCH information may be provided to achieve improved performance for most (if not all) information bits at a relatively wide range of vehicle speeds. Different code sequences for different tiles in one PFBCH channel may be applied for same messages to overcome error floors in high speed scenarios.
US08462701B2 System and method for received channel power indicator (RCPI) measurement
A received channel power indicator (RCPI) value is used as a measure of the received RF power in the selected channel, measured at the antenna connector. This parameter is a measure by the PHY sublayer of the received RF power in the channel measured over the PLCP preamble and over the entire received frame. RCPI is a monotonically increasing, logarithmic function of the received power level defined in dBm.
US08462697B2 Sensor node having self localization function and self localization method thereof
Disclosed are a sensor node having a self localization function and a self localization method of the sensor node. The sensor node calculates a location thereof by receiving location information measured at each of two mobile nodes at different times and using four location information of the received location information. Additional cost and power consumption required for installing additional equipment such as an anchor node, a ultrasonic transceiver and a signal amplifier are reduced.
US08462695B2 Apparatus and methods for multi-radio coordination of heterogeneous wireless networks
Embodiments of systems and methods for multi-radio coordination of heterogeneous wireless networks are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08462694B2 Process and apparatus for making a telecommunications connection to a called portable radio terminal
The invention relates to a method and a telecommunication arrangement for providing a telecommunication connection (TC connection) to a called mobile radio terminal. Routing information are provided to a switch (3) via which a connection establishment to a called mobile radio terminal (2, 2′, 2″) takes place, that regard the forwarding of the connection establishment to a certain mobile radio gateway (51, 52, 53). For providing the routing information data of a insertion card device (4) regarding at least one parameter of those insertion cards is evaluated, that are allocated to a mobile radio gateway upon undergoing the connection establishment and are arranged and administered together in the insertion card device (4). By means of this evaluation one of the administered insertion cards is selected for the mobile communication to the called mobile radio terminal (2, 2′, 2″). The connection establishment is forwarded from the switch (3) to the mobile radio gateway (51, 52, 53) allocated to the selected insertion cards by means of the provided routing information.
US08462660B2 Carrier bearing method and device, and radio remote unit
A carrier bearing method includes obtaining transmit power of each carrier borne on all power amplifiers in a radio remote unit after detecting that transmit power of a carrier borne on a power amplifier in the radio remote unit changes; adjusting a correspondence between the carriers and the power amplifier in the radio remote unit according to the obtained transmit power; and bearing each carrier on its corresponding power amplifier according to the adjusted correspondence. The device and base station are used to implement the above method.
US08462656B2 Method and apparatus for multi-service adaptation and carriage
A method and an apparatus for multi-service adaptation and carriage, comprising: mapping at the service adaptation layer different types of services into uniform enhanced Gigabit Passive Optical Network Encapsulation Method (E-GEM) frames; combining at the channel layer E-GEM frames encapsulating the same type of services into the same type of T-CONT frames; setting a priority for each type of T-CONT; guaranteeing bandwidth for T-CONT frames with high priority and preferentially sending it.
US08462654B1 Communications system with bonding engine configured for maximum packet fragment size as adapted to communications line pairs and related method
A communications system includes at least one telecommunications access module coupled to a plurality of communications subscriber line pairs and comprising at least one bonding engine. A module is configured to receive a provisioning request and determine the total number of communications subscriber line pairs available to form a bonding group and select at least one bonding engine for the bonding group. A data processor is configured to determine a maximum packet fragment size for the data packets based on the total number of available subscriber line pairs forming the bonding group. A maximum packet fragment size is adapted to the number of communications line pairs within the bonding group and the bonding engine fragments the data packets into the packet fragments. A transmitter receives the packet fragments and transmits the packet fragments over the communications subscriber line pairs forming the bonding group.
US08462653B2 Methods and system for transmission mode selection in a multi channel communication system
Techniques to select a suitable transmission mode for a data transmission in a multi channel communication system with multiple spatial channels having varying SNRs are presented in this disclosure. For certain embodiments, a closed-loop technique may be applied, in which back-off factors used to calculate an effective SNR value fed back to a transmitter are adjusted. An open-loop rate control scheme is also presented in which a transmitter may select a data rate and number of streams based on whether transmitted packets are received in error at a receiver.
US08462651B1 Methods and devices for using silence intervals to enhance wireless communications
Methods and devices for transmission of communications during a silence interval are described. A base station (BS) provides timing data to an access terminal (AT) and AT uses timing data to synchronize with BS to carry our silence and non-silence intervals for an RF air interface. AT attempts to initiate communications by transmitting an access probe (AP) to BS during a non-silence interval. Other ATs may transmit communications to BS during non-silence interval. If BS acknowledges AP during non-silence interval, AT does not transmit during a subsequent silence interval. If AP was for an emergency communication and BS does not acknowledge AP sent during non-silence interval, AT transmits another AP during the subsequent silence interval to initiate emergency communication. If AP was not for emergency communication, AT does not transmit AP during the subsequent silence interval. The other ATs do not transmit communications to BS during the subsequent silence interval.
US08462644B2 Ad hoc network initiation
Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments are disclosed to improve network performance for ad hoc network initiation. Example embodiments include a new operational sequence for wireless devices initiating the use of an ad hoc network. The example embodiments require appropriately enabled wireless devices to only respond to probe request frames from other similarly appropriately enabled wireless devices. In this manner, two devices may avoid the time consuming effort of combining two different ad hoc networks into a single ad hoc network so that the two devices can communicate.
US08462633B2 Apparatus and method for moving a receive window in a radio access network
A method of moving a receiving window in a wireless mobile communication system, wherein the AM RLC of the transmitting side sends information of the last discarded SDU regardless of continuity of the discarded SDUs. The AM RLC of the receiving side checks whether all SDUs from the start point of the receiving window up to the last discarded SDU are successfully received, delivers the SDUs that are successfully received to an upper layer, and discard only those SDUs that are not successfully received.
US08462625B2 System for estimating download speed from passive measurements
A system for passive estimation of throughput in an electronic network is disclosed. The system may include an plurality of mobile devices configured to operate in the network and may further include an electronic data processor. The processor may be configured to access flow records for data flows associated with the mobile devices during a predetermined time interval. Additionally, the processor may be configured to annotate the flow records with an application field and a content provider field. The processor may also be configured to determine a flow type of each data flow based on the application field and the content provider field of the flow records. Furthermore, the processor may be configured to generate a throughput index that only includes non-rate-limited flow types. Moreover, the processor may be configured to estimate maximum throughput for each data flow having non-rate-limited flow types in the throughput index.
US08462623B2 Bandwidth control method and transmission equipment
The present invention is comprised for pre-setting bandwidth control information of each user for each of the number of normal physical links which are integrated as a Link Aggregation, recognizing the number of currently normal physical links if a failure, or recovery therefrom, of a physical link which is integrated as the aforementioned Link Aggregation, and carrying out a bandwidth control, for each user traffic, corresponding to the number of the recognized normal physical links by referring to bandwidth control information of each user for each of the number of preset normal physical links, in order to prevent an occurrence of unfairness in usable bandwidth among the users even in the case of a failure occurrence in respective physical links which are logically integrated as a Link Aggregation.
US08462622B2 Detection of co-located interference in a multi-radio coexistence environment
Unscheduled transmissions of one wireless network device while a collocated wireless network device has control of a communication medium can corrupt packets received by the collocated wireless network device. Interference between the collocated wireless network devices can lead to degradation in performance of either/both the wireless network devices. In a communication system comprising a first wireless network device collocated with a second wireless network device, the first wireless network device can be configured to transmit a coexistence message to the second wireless network device when the first wireless network device transmits a packet without control of the communication medium. On receiving the coexistence message indicating that the first wireless network device transmitted a packet without control of the communication medium, the second wireless network device can discard any packets received at the second wireless network device and can request retransmission of the discarded packets.
US08462617B2 Method for relieving failure, and packet communication device
When a failure occurs on a path set between two packet communication devices, a protection path is set and the communication is recovered without having the effect of the path failure on devices other than the two packet communication devices. When a packet communication device detects a failure in a transmission line or a path between the device itself and a correspondent packet communication device to restore the communication, at least one of a topology modification notice pending step, in which the fact that the connection with the correspondent packet communication device being disconnected is not reported to the packet communication devices other than the correspondent packet communication device for a prescribed time, and a path restoration step, in which path setting signaling is performed to trigger cooperation of the path communication device and the correspondent packet communication device to set the protection path within the prescribed time, is executed together with a virtual interface setting modification step in which a virtual interface used for the path disconnected by the failure is set to the protection path.
US08462616B2 Apparatus and method for estimating a frequency shift and a time shift
An apparatus for estimating a frequency shift and a time shift in a CDMA signal based on a CDMA code associated with a CDMA signal, having a modulation removal stage for removing a data modulation from the CDMA signal to obtain a modified CDMA signal. The apparatus further has a frequency domain transformer for transforming the modified CDMA signal to the frequency domain to obtain a modified CDMA spectrum and a frequency shift detector for detecting a group of candidate frequency shifts based on the modified CDMA spectrum. The apparatus further has a processing stage for processing the CDMA signal and a candidate frequency shift to obtain the time shift, when a combination of the CDMA signal, the CDMA code and the candidate frequency shift fulfills an optimization criterion and for selecting the candidate frequency shift as the frequency shift.
US08462611B2 Pilot design for OFDM systems with four transmit antennas
Pilot, preamble and midamble patterns are provided that are particularly suited for four transmit antenna OFDM systems. Pilots are inserted in a scattered manner for each of the four antennas, either uncoded, space-time coded in pairs, space-time frequency coded in pairs, or space-time-frequency coded.
US08462609B2 Carrier aggregation
Carrier aggregation in a radio communication system is disclosed, in which at least two Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) carriers are aggregated, each of the at least two OFDM carriers comprising subcarriers being spaced in accordance with a subcarrier spacing of the radio communication system, transmission on the at least two OFDM carriers being synchronized in time.
US08462608B2 Read-only optical recording medium
[Object] To provide a durable read-only optical recording medium having less variances in characteristics of a metal reflective film due to a temporal change.[Solving Means] Provided is a read-only optical recording medium (100) including: a substrate (101); an information recording surface onto which information is recorded by combining pits (P) and lands (L); and a metal reflective film (102) that is provided in contact with the information recording surface and represented by Al100-x-zXxZz, where x and z each represent an atomic %, X is constituted of an element including at least Ti, Z is constituted of an element including at least Fe, x is 1.0 to 3.0, and z is 0.05 to 1.0.
US08462606B2 Optical information recording medium, reproducing device for optical information recording medium, control method and control program for the reproducing device, and medium with the control program recorded therein
A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).
US08462603B2 Device for recording and reading data on a multi-layer optical disc
A three-dimensional optical memory device comprises an optical disc positioning system, two sources of radiation with wavelengths λ1 and λ2, a focusing system, an illumination system, focusing system positioning means, a spectrum splitter, an optical sensor, and a control unit. The radiation source with wavelength λ2 is an array of laser diodes, which optical axes are parallel and lie in the same plane. The illumination system comprises: a cylindrical lens positioned so that the generatrix of its cylindrical surface is parallel to the plane of the p-n junctions of the laser diodes; a focusing lens; and a stabilizing circuit comprising a beam splitter situated between the focusing lens and the cylindrical lens, a second optical sensor optically coupled to the focusing lens via the beam splitter, and a stabilizer coupled to the focusing lens, wherein the stabilizer and the second optical sensor are electrically connected to the control unit.
US08462595B2 Optical pickup assembly
An optical pickup assembly that has flexible beams that support an objective lens for adjustment in a focusing direction and a tracking direction. The flexible beams are used to support and move the objective lens. A controller operates electromagnetic actuators that move the flexible beams.
US08462586B2 Direction controllable lighting unit with ultrasound
A direction controllable lighting unit 10 for use in a lighting system is described. The light emission of the lighting unit 10 may be directed into different directions, e. g. by use of a mechanically movable element 14, 60. At least two ultrasound transmitters 20a, 20b, or ultrasound receivers 21a, 21b are disposed at the lighting unit 10 such that they differ in position, or in direction or shape of the spatial intensity distribution or spatial distribution of reception sensitivity. A mobile control element 46 has at least one corresponding ultrasound transmitter or receiver 50. A difference between a signal from a transmitter received at multiple receivers, or a signal of multiple transmitters received at a single receiver is used to determine a relative direction of the direction controllable lighting unit 10 and the control element 46, and to control the direction of the lighting unit 10 in dependence thereof.
US08462585B2 Acquiring seismic vibrator signals having distinguishing signatures
A method and apparatus for generating a seismic source signal are provided for generating energy in the form of a plurality of time sequence vibratory signals, the vibratory signals being partitioned as a function of time and/or frequency, wherein each of the plurality of signals comprises a distinguishing signature. The partitioned vibratory signals are emitted into a terrain of interest as seismic source signals for conducting a seismic survey.
US08462581B2 Marine seismic survey system and method for active steering of source arrays in such a system
A seismic survey array that includes one or more streamers adjustably fixed to a towing vessel by at least a first deflected lead-in and a second deflected lead-in and at least one group of source arrays having one or more devices for generating pulses in water vessel. The array is further provided with means for laterally and/or longitudinally changing the position of the source array(s) with respect to the vessel and/or its direction of motion, the means including a wire and winching system. The means for adjusting the position of the source arrays further includes a wire or rope with one end fixed to one front end of the units and extending from the unit to the adjacent lead-in and back to a capstan arranged on the front end of the unit.
US08462568B2 Command latency systems and methods
Examples of command latency systems and methods are described. In some examples, phase information associated with a received command signal is stored, a received command signal is propagated through a reduced clock flip-flop pipeline and the delayed command signal is combined with the stored phase information. The reduced clock flip-flop pipeline may use a clock having a lower frequency than that used to issue the command signal. Accordingly, fewer flip-flops may be required.
US08462565B2 Differential threshold voltage non-volatile memory and related methods
Embodiments and examples of differential threshold voltage non-volatile memories and related methods are described herein. In one example, a method for providing an integrated circuit can comprise providing a memory cell coupled to a first bitline and to a second bitline, and at least one of (a) providing a read assist mechanism configured to couple to the memory cell via the first and second bitlines, or (b) providing a memory reset mechanism configured to couple to the memory cell via the first and second bitlines. Providing the memory cell can comprise providing a first transistor comprising a first threshold voltage, providing a second transistor comprising a second threshold voltage, and cross-coupling the first and second transistors of the memory cell together. A difference between the first and second threshold voltages can correspond to a logic state of the memory cell. Other embodiments, examples, and related methods are also disclosed herein.
US08462543B2 Thermally assisted multi-bit MRAM
Methods of writing to a multi-bit MRAM memory unit are described. The method includes to self-detected writing to a multi-bit (i.e., multilevel) thermally assisted MRAM. The self-detected writing increases a reading margin between data state levels and decreases reading margin variability due to cell resistance variation.
US08462540B2 Static random access memory cell
A static random access memory cell comprising a first inverter, a second inverter, a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor. The first inverter is cross-coupled with the second inverter. The first transistor is connected with a write word line, a write bit line, and a first output node of the first inverter. The second transistor is connected with a complementary write bit line, the write word line, and a second output node of the second inverter. The third transistor is connected with a read bit line, a read word line, and the first input node of the first inverter to form a read port transistor, and a read port is formed. The read port transistor has a feature of asymmetric threshold voltage, and the read bit line swing can be expanded by the decrease of clamping current or the boosted read bit line.
US08462527B1 Universal AC adaptor
Power from an AC source at a source voltage is converted for delivery to a load at a DC load voltage, where the source voltage may vary between a high line voltage and a low line voltage in a normal operating range. DC-DC voltage transformation and isolation are provided in a first power conversion stage, the first stage having a CA input for receiving power from the source and a CA output for delivering a galvanically isolated unregulated AC adapter module (UAAM) voltage. First stage circuitry for performing the first power conversion stage is provided in a self-contained adapter module having input terminals for connection to the AC source and an output connected to the CA output for providing power to a second power conversion stage wherein the second power conversion stage is external to the adapter module.
US08462526B2 DC/AC chopper type power converter for non-insulated type power conditioner with gain calibration of measuring circuit
A power converter enhances conversion efficiency from DC power to AC power. A first chopper circuit chops DC voltage from a photovoltaic panel at a system frequency producing a first square-wave whose voltage level changes positively. A second chopper circuit chops the first square-wave at a frequency double the system frequency producing a second square-wave whose voltage level changes negatively and adds the first square-wave and the second square-wave to produce a third square-wave that changes positively and negatively in a sine-wave manner. A third chopper circuit charges and discharges by chopping the third square-wave at a third frequency fixed by timing according to a difference between the third square-wave and a sine-wave voltage. PWM control is performed on the charge and discharge outputs such that the difference is corrected, producing a sine-wave voltage that continuously changes positively and negatively. A spike noise of an output voltage is suppressed.
US08462521B2 Shielding assembly
A shielding assembly comprises a pair of opposite first sidewalls, a pair of opposite second sidewalls, a pair of opposite first covers, a pair of latching portion and a pair of opposite second covers. The first sidewalls and the second sidewalls are connected with each other to collectively form a hollow frame. The first covers are resiliently connected to the first sidewalls, respectively, and suitable to be bent to collectively cover the hollow frame. The pair of latching portions extend the first covers and are bent perpendicular to the first covers, respectively. A pair of gaps are defined respectively on two tail ends of each of the latching portions. The second covers are resiliently connected to the second sidewalls, respectively, and are bent to cover on the first covers and latched in corresponding gaps.
US08462514B2 Compact ejectable component assemblies in electronic devices
Electronic devices are provided with ejectable component assemblies. The ejectable component assembly may include a tray that can be loaded with one or more removable modules, wafers coupled to circuit boards, cages and retaining plates to assist in retaining the tray within the assembly. The ejectable component assembly may include springs operative to engage detents in the tray to retain the tray in the assembly. The ejectable component assembly may include a tray ejector mechanism for ejecting the tray from the assembly.
US08462513B2 Portable apparatus
First and second housings of a metal sheet are superposed over each other and fixed to each other by bolts to form an element receiving space. An antenna is fixed to the second housing by a bolt so as to be adjacent to the first housing. A hook section is fixed to the first housing. The hook section is inserted in a hole of the antenna, a step-shaped forward lower step section of the hook section is engaged with the peripheral edge of the hole in the antenna, and thus the first housing and the antenna are fixed to each other. The antenna is embedded in resin and covered by the resin.
US08462508B2 Heat sink with surface-formed vapor chamber base
A heat sink comprises a vapor chamber base formed in a three-dimensional arrangement that mirrors topology of underlying structures on a substrate upon which the heat sink can be mounted, and at least one fin coupled to the vapor chamber base.
US08462501B2 Power electronic apparatus with cooling arrangement
A power electronic apparatus with cooling arrangement comprises a housing (1) that accommodates the power electronic components (5). At least two adjacent axial fans (4) are connected to the housing (1) for inducing an airflow from outside into the housing (1) in order to cool the power electronic components (5). Furthermore, at least one pair of said adjacent fans (4) is disposed at an angle α with respect to each other in order to reduce noise caused by the fans. Such a cooling arrangement provides a power electronic apparatus with effective cooling in compact size and also having an acceptable level of noise.
US08462496B2 System and method for a modular fluid handling system with modes in a modular data center
In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for a modular fluid handling system with modes in a modular data center is presented. According to the present application, a modular data center may include a modular primary structure. The modular primary structure may include a plurality of information handling systems arranged in racks within it. The modular data center may also include a modular fluid handling system that circulates fluid through the modular primary structure according, at least in part, to a plurality of modes. The modular fluid handling system may be designed to accommodate environmental conditions in which the modular data center will operate as well as the usage requirements of the modular primary structure.
US08462495B1 Disk drive carrier and disk drive enclosure cooling system
A cooling system having a enclosure, a plurality of disk drives stored in the enclosure, a first portion of the disk drives having housings with a first form factor and a second portion of the disk drives having housings with a second form factor smaller than the first form factor, and an air baffle system for directing a flow of air internal the enclosure over portions of the housing of the second portion of the disk drives while at the same time creating a wall to maintain the flow of air over neighboring ones of the first portion of the disk drives (the external flow).
US08462494B2 Panel fixing mechanism and displaying device thereof
A panel fixing mechanism includes a supporting component for supporting a side of a panel, a positioning structure passing through the supporting component for engaging inside a hole on the panel so as to guide a connector to insert into a socket of the panel, and a hook structure for supporting another side of the panel and wedging into a slot on the panel in a movable manner.
US08462490B2 Mobile terminal case, mobile terminal having the same and method for manufacturing mobile terminal
Disclosed is a mobile terminal case, a mobile terminal having the same, and a method of manufacturing a mobile terminal case, and the mobile terminal may include a case forming an external shape with a curved surface, and a film member mounted on the case, wherein the film member may include a base film combined with the case and made of a synthetic resin material, and a metal film mounted on a surface of the base film and at least part of which is formed to correspond to the curved surface.
US08462484B2 Method for manufacturing electrolytic capacitor with electrically conductive solid layer and electrolytic capacitor with electrically conductive solid layer
A method for manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor including: forming a capacitor element having an anode foil and a cathode foil; impregnating the capacitor element with a dispersion solution containing particles of an electrically conductive solid or aggregates thereof and a dispersion solvent to form an electrically conductive solid layer having the particles of the electrically conductive solid or the aggregates thereof in the capacitor element ; and impregnating the capacitor element having the electrically conductive solid layer with a solvent containing no supporting salt.
US08462477B2 Junction field effect transistor for voltage protection
Apparatus and methods are disclosed, such as those involving a junction field effect transistor for voltage protection. One such apparatus includes a protection circuit including an input, an output, and a JFET. The JFET has a source electrically coupled to the input, and a drain electrically coupled to the output, wherein the JFET has a pinch-off voltage (Vp) of greater than 2 V in magnitude. The apparatus further includes an internal circuit having an input configured to receive a signal from the output of the protection circuit. The protection circuit provides protection over the internal circuit from overvoltage and/or undervoltage conditions while having a reduced size compared to a JFET having a Vp of smaller than 2 V in magnitude.
US08462475B2 Multi-terminal power line protection relay system
A multi-terminal power line protective relay system is provided, which divides a power transmission line having four or more terminals into two or more power line sections composed of three adjacent terminals and portions of the power transmission line lying among the three adjacent terminals and one of the three adjacent terminals being shared by two adjacent power line sections, and includes protective relays at the respective terminals including a current-driven differential protective relay element for detecting a fault occurring in a power line section through current-differential calculation by using measured currents, inter-terminal communication channels linking two protective relays at two different terminals; and intra-terminal communication channels linking two protective relays at each shared terminal. Each protective relay that detected the fault transfers a trip instruction to the other protective relays via the inter-terminal and intra-terminal communication channels and causes the other protective relays to trip circuit breakers.
US08462465B1 Head gimbal assembly for microwave-assisted magnetic recording in impedance matching between microwave radiation element and microwave transmission line
A head gimbal assembly includes a magnetic head slider provided with a recording head element that applies a recording magnetic field to a magnetic recording medium and a suspension that supports the magnetic head slider. The magnetic head slider further includes a microwave radiation element that radiates a microwave magnetic field from a microwave excitation current that is supplied from a microwave generating circuit, and that applies the microwave magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium when the recording head element applies the recording magnetic field to the magnetic recording medium. The suspension includes a microwave transmission line that transmits the microwave excitation current, and the microwave transmission line is provided with a matching circuit to achieve impedance matching with the microwave radiation element.
US08462464B1 High strength flying leads for multi-layer flexure designs
A multi-layer circuit such as for a disk drive suspension has two regions: a supported region in which first and second stacked signal conductors are supported on a stainless steel support layer and an insulating layer, and an unsupported region having flying leads in which the flying leads are not supported below by the support layer. The two stacked signal conductors are formed by two separate plating operations, the two plating operations simultaneously creating the flying leads and the unsupported portions of the signal conductors, such that the flying leads have thicknesses that are the sum of the thicknesses of the individual conductors. Crossbars and vias allow the different plating layers to be connected together. This construction allows the individual conductors to be relatively thin and flexible for good electrical and mechanical performance, while creating relatively thick flying leads that are resistant to handling damage.
US08462460B1 Shock mount and retainer for a disk drive enclosure
One embodiment relates to an improved enclosure and shock mount for a disk drive. The enclosure and shock mount provide shock and vibration isolation to protect the components of the disk drive. In one embodiment, shock mounts are provided on the disk drive assembly. An enclosure comprises an upper component and a lower component. Retaining features are provided to join the enclosure together and captivate the shock mounts with a desired pre-load.
US08462459B1 Method and system for determining relationship between hard disk drive throughput and vibration source
A method for determining a relationship between a hard disk drive throughput and a vibration source adapted in a computer device having a hard disk drive and the vibration source is disclosed. The method includes receiving a vibration sensing signal associated with the vibration source and a hard disk drive throughput rate associated with operations of the hard disk drive substantially at the same time, deriving a vibration sensing frequency function and a hard disk drive frequency function, determining whether a linear relationship exists between the vibration sensing frequency function and the hard disk drive frequency function, comparing the vibration sensing frequency function and the hard disk drive frequency function to derive a vibration information, and generating a counter vibration control signal according to the vibration information.
US08462455B2 Systems and methods for improved servo data operation
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and media formats for efficiently determining a position error of a head in relation to a storage medium. In one case, a system is disclosed that includes a storage medium with a series of data. The series of data includes a first defined marker and a second defined marker located a distance from the first defined marker, and position location data. The systems further include a first detector circuit that is operable to detect the first defined marker and to establish a location of the first defined marker, and a second detector circuit that is operable to detect the second defined marker and to establish a location of the second defined marker. The systems further include an error calculation circuit and an interpolation circuit. The error calculation circuit is operable to calculate an interpolation offset based at least in part on the location of the first defined marker and the location of the second defined marker. The interpolation circuit is operable to interpolate the position location data and to provide an interpolated position location data.
US08462444B2 Compact zoom lens
A zoom lens including, in a sequence from an object side to an image plane side: a first lens group having a negative refractive power; a second lens group having a positive refractive power; a third lens group having a negative refractive power; and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power. During zooming from a wide angle position to a telephoto position, an interval between the first lens group and the second lens group decreases, an interval between the second lens group and the third lens group increases, and an interval between the third lens group and the fourth lens group decreases. When the location of an object changes from ∞ to a close location, the first lens group is moved toward the object to perform focusing.
US08462441B2 Zoom lens
Provided is a compact zoom lens with a high resolving power, a large aperture, and a high variable power. The zoom lens includes a positive first lens group, a moving negative second lens group, a stationary positive third lens group, and a moving positive fourth lens group. The first lens group includes a negative eleventh lens, a positive twelfth lens, and a positive thirteenth lens. The second lens group is composed of a negative twenty-first lens, a negative twenty-second lens, a positive twenty-third lens, and a negative twenty-fourth lens. The third lens group includes a positive thirty-first lens, a positive thirty-second lens, and a negative thirty-third lens. The fourth lens group is composed of a positive forty-first lens having one or more aspheric surfaces. The zoom lens satisfies the prescribed conditional expressions.
US08462437B2 Passive louver-based daylighting system
A daylighting system for use in a building including a louver array having a first longitudinal element, and a second longitudinal element spaced therefrom. At least one of the first and second elements has an asymmetrical profile, each of the first and second longitudinal elements has a bottom profile including a parabolic surface, portions of opposing surfaces of the first and second longitudinal elements define a compound parabolic concentrator profile having a non-horizontal centerline that is tilted upwards, and the array prevents line of sight therethrough. A louver for a daylighting system includes (i) a leading edge defined by a leading connecting surface disposed between a parabolic concentrator surface and a flat surface; and (ii) a trailing edge defined by a trailing connecting surface disposed between a lower compound parabolic concentrator profile, and an upper compound parabolic concentrator profile. A method for designing a louver profile is provided.
US08462430B2 Optical fiber amplifier and a control method therefor
An optical amplifier having two erbium doped fiber coils and a pump laser diode is described. A tunable optical power splitter is used for variably splitting the optical pump power for the laser diode between the two erbium doped fiber coils, and variable tilters can be used for correcting the gain tilt of the amplifier. The variable splitter and the tilters can include thermally tunable Mach-Zehnder interferometers.
US08462428B2 Method and device for providing and/or controlling an optical signal
A method provides and/or controls an optical signal, wherein a control signal and at least one data signal are optically processed into a combined signal of substantially constant optical power. The level of the at least one data signal is substantially maintained within the combined signal. In addition, an according device is provided. Suitable for compensation of Raman tilt in WDM communication systems.
US08462427B2 Carrier envelope phase stabilization of an optical amplifier
A laser and amplifier combination delivers a sequence of optical pulses. Pulses from the laser are temporally stretched by a pulse stretcher before amplification and temporally compressed by a pulse compressed after amplification. The pulse stretcher includes a diffraction grating on which pulses being compressed are incident. An arrangement is provided for measuring the carrier-envelope phase of the pulses and adjusting the incidence angle of pulses on the grating cooperative with the measurement such that the carrier envelope phase of the pulses in the sequence is about constant.
US08462424B2 Optical apparatus
An optical parametric oscillator (OPO) comprises a resonant cavity for signal light, and an optically non-linear medium disposed in the resonant cavity for converting pump light into the signal light, wherein the resonant cavity is arranged so that in operation signal light is repeatedly output from and returned to the optically non-linear medium along a signal light path in a continuously repeating cycle, and the OPO comprises delay means for extending the time taken for signal light output from the optically non-linear medium in operation to return to the optically non-linear medium along the signal light path.
US08462417B2 Light adjusting apparatus for positioning an incident light adjusting unit
A light adjusting apparatus includes a substrate (10, 40) having an aperture, a plurality of incident light adjusting units (20a, 20b, 20c) each moving in a same plane, and a plurality of driving units (50a, 50b, 50c) respectively driving the incident light adjusting units (20a, 20b, 20c), and adjusts an incident light passing through the aperture by mutually moving the incident light adjusting units (20a, 20b, 20c) with the driving units to an aperture position that is center-aligned with the aperture and a retracted position that is retracted from the aperture. An incident light adjusting unit that is moved to the aperture position is positioned by contacting with at least one of other incident light adjusting units that are retracted from the aperture.
US08462406B2 Spectral colorimetric apparatus and image forming apparatus using the same
A spectral colorimetric apparatus for detecting a color of an image of a subject, including: an illumination optical system illuminating the subject on a detection surface; a spectral optical system including a spectral element spectrally separating the beam diffused by the subject and a light receiving element array detecting a spectral intensity distribution; and a guiding optical system for guiding a beam diffused by the subject, wherein: the detection surface is parallel to a spectral plane including a principal ray of a beam entering the spectral optical system and a principal ray of a beam spectrally separated; the principal ray of the beam enters the spectral optical system within the spectral plane obliquely to a line joining a center of the light receiving element array with a surface vertex of the spectral element; and a light receiving surface of the light receiving element array is orthogonal to the spectral plane.
US08462402B2 Method and apparatus for controlling light source in image scanning apparatus
The method to control a light source in an image scanning apparatus includes emitting light onto a reference surface having a predetermined reflectivity from a light source, detecting a shading level representing an intensity of the light reflected from the reference surface, and controlling the light intensity from the light source by using the shading level and the reference level.
US08462397B2 Scanner carrier apparatus
Apparatus for supporting a scanner head, the apparatus comprising: a carrier assembly; a bogey assembly; and a scanner head assembly, comprising a mounting for holding a scanner head; wherein the scanner head assembly and the bogey assembly are both mounted on spring bearings on the carrier assembly such that they can both move in a vertical direction, and the scanner head assembly comprises at least two collinear vertical bearings which restrict movement of the scanner head assembly to vertical movement substantially perpendicular to a document path, and the bogey assembly comprises two laterally spaced bearings which allow rotational movement of the bogey assembly about the scanner head mounting.
US08462396B2 Image processing device and method for rotating a scanned image
A image processing device includes an image scanning unit for scanning a plurality of pages of a book and generating image data, a storage unit in which data related to direction of the image data is stored, a direction determination unit for determining a direction of a page unit of the image data, and an image rotation unit for changing a direction of a page unit of the image data based on the direction determined by the direction determination unit.
US08462389B2 Halftone-independent scanner profiling
A method and system is disclosed for characterizing a color scanner comprising generating a halftone-independent target of color patches, printing the target on a color hardcopy device, measuring the target to obtain device-independent color values, scanning the target to obtain scanner color values, and building a scanner profile that relates scanned color values to device-independent color values.
US08462388B2 Identifying a color separation wherein a banding defect originates
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for banding defect detection in user document images to improve image quality trend analysis in multifunction digital imaging system architectures. The present banding detection process uses region-based, time sequence analysis, and graylevels of image regions in a collection of a sequence of regions, to improve banding detection. The present method independently analyzes the colorant separations to detect banding due to sources that are colorant-dependent, e.g., due to a single developer housing. This identification can be performed in the presence of multiple banding defects.
US08462386B2 Minimizing spectrophotometer impact on spot color accuracy
Differences between an offline spectrophotometer and an inline spectrophotometer can result in differences between a hardcopy target color and a printed reproduction of that color. The inline spectrophotometer is inside of a printer and configured to measure printer output. As such, the inline spectrophotometer cannot conveniently measure the hardcopy target color. A printing error or an instrument offset can be determined and passed to a color correction module that updates the device dependent color specification associated with the given spot color. This color specification may be stored, for example, in the printer controller, and used when a document subsequently calls for that spot color, thereby providing accurate color reproduction from that particular printer incorporating that particular inline spectrophotometer.
US08462377B2 Method, apparatus, and system for reduction of line processing memory size used in image processing
A method, apparatus, and system are provided by which image line data of an image frame is compressed before being stored to image line memory used in multiple image line processing.
US08462375B2 Image forming apparatus, recording medium, and image forming method
When electric power supply is started in response to a power switch being turned on, a control unit determines whether a stored operation mode is a normal mode or a power saving mode with reference to the stored operation mode. More specifically, the control unit determines whether a digital multifunction peripheral is set to operate in the normal mode or the power saving mode before electric power supply to the digital multifunction peripheral is stopped. If the set operation mode is the normal mode, the control unit controls the digital multifunction peripheral to operate in the normal mode. If the set operation mode is the power saving mode, the control unit controls the digital multifunction peripheral to operate in the power saving mode.
US08462346B2 Representation of spatial-frequency data as a map
A method for representing the structural information in a biological or physical sample is disclosed. In this method, a time-frequency representation of the spatial distribution within a sample is transformed into a color representation of the data. Furthermore, due to the directional sensitivity of the method for gathering the data, information about the structural anisotropy of the sample can also be encoded from the data. The application of this method to one or more regions within the sample enables a map to be generated which clearly illustrates quantitative measures of the structures present.
US08462344B2 SPR apparatus and method
An apparatus with a radiation source 100 which has means for irradiation 610 of electromagnetic radiation with a plurality of wavelengths onto a sensor surface 210 which can support a surface plasmon, and said radiation is reflected onto at least one photosensitive detector 300, and create reflectance values, characterized by that said wavelengths at said detector are separated by wavelength, forming a wavelength ensemble, in such way that a continuous response signal can be calculated using at least three of said wavelength reflectance values, finding the wavelength closest to the resonance condition and use of adjacent wavelengths to calculate said continuous response signal 510 being a function of an effective refractive index at said sensor surface 210, where, if the resonance wavelength is the first or last of said wavelengths, at least two adjacent wavelengths closest to said closest wavelength to said resonance condition are used to calculate said continuous response signal. The present invention also relates to a method.
US08462343B2 Wireless sensor system for environmental monitoring
A wireless sensor system is provided that utilizes reliable, small, inexpensive and low power-consuming sensor nodes for monitoring environmental parameters that can communicate through wireless transmitters to a base station. The sensor nodes preferably incorporate anti-biofouling protection, so as to withstand continuous field deployment in streams and/or riparian areas.
US08462342B2 Spectral colorimetric apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same
A spectral colorimetric apparatus includes a housing which includes a side wall. An outer surface of the side wall is an adjustment surface capable of adjusting a position of a linear sensor by moving while attaching the linear sensor to the adjustment surface. The linear sensor is supported by the side wall of the housing while abutting on the adjustment surface and receives a light beam that is dispersed by a concave surface reflection type diffraction element and passes through an opening portion. The adjustment surface is parallel to a tangential line at a part of a Rowland circle of the concave surface reflection type diffraction element, through which a light beam received by the linear sensor passes.
US08462335B2 System for analyzing a low-pressure gas by optical emission spectroscopy
The object of the invention is a system for analyzing gases which are at a pressure on the order of a secondary vacuum. The system includes a gas ionization device that includes a cathode having conducting walls defining a cylindrical volume and a disc including at least one central through hole, an anode placed substantially at the center of the hole, a plasma source, the plasma being generated in the cylindrical volume by the combined action of an electric field and a magnetic field, orthogonal to the electric field, a system for collecting the light radiation emitted by the plasma, a cylindrical cavity coaxial to the anode having a conductance lower than that of the cylindrical volume and arranged between the ionization device and the collector system, and an analysis device for the ionized gases including an optical spectrometer for analyzing the evolution of the radiating spectrum. Preferably, the end of the cavity opposite the cylindrical volume is closed by a window that is transparent to the light radiation emitted by the plasma.
US08462323B2 Integrated multi-sensor surveilance and tracking system
A sensor system for remote object detection, tracking, characterization, and discrimination can have a plurality of sensors. A shared optical train that can facilitate blending of information from the sensors, so as to provide a single view for the plurality of sensors. Small and/or dim objects can be more readily detected. High-resolution 3 dimensional space object imagery and on-demand target information gathering can be provided with reduced data latency. The undesirable effects of atmospheric turbulence along the aiming direction can be mitigated even when there is a high relative velocity between the surveillance platform and remote target.
US08462322B2 Prismatic lock and key security
Methods and apparatus for lock and key security, the lock including a light receptacle, a scatter pattern detecting module, and a locking mechanism, the key including a light source and a prism, the lock and key security including receiving, in the light receptacle of the lock, light transmitted by the light source in the key through the prism; identifying, by the scatter pattern detecting module, a scatter pattern of the received light; comparing, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the scatter pattern to a unique preauthorized pattern for operating the lock; if the scatter pattern matches the unique preauthorized pattern, switching, by the scatter pattern detecting module, the current locking state of the locking mechanism; and if the scatter pattern does not match the unique preauthorized pattern, maintaining the current locking state of the locking mechanism.
US08462314B2 Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The apparatus also includes a barrier member, surrounding a space between the projection system and, in use, the substrate, to define in part with the projection system a reservoir for liquid. A radially outer surface of the barrier member facing a portion of projection system and a radially outer surface of the portion of the projection system facing the barrier member each have a liquidphobic outer surface. The liquidphobic outer surface of the barrier member and/or the liquidphobic outer surface of the portion of the projection system has an inner edge that defines in part the reservoir.
US08462308B2 Array substrate having connection wirings
An array substrate comprises on an insulative substrate, a plurality of display areas to be portions of a plurality of display panels, in which, each display area is constituted with a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, and the pixels is constituted with pixel electrodes formed at intersection portions of plural scan wirings and plural signal wirings; a common wiring is formed outside each display area, for applying a reference voltage to the pixels; a plurality of external-connection terminals is formed outside each display area, to be connected with a driver circuit that drives; and comprises connection wirings located so as to intersect a cutting line along which the insulative substrate is to be cut, for connecting the external-connection terminals in one of the display panels on the insulative substrate with a common wiring in another one of the display panels adjacent to the external-connection terminals, wherein the connection wirings are formed in a conductive layer superior in corrosion resistance to the most inferior corrosion-resistance conductive layer among conductive layers constituting the array substrate.
US08462302B2 Multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display device and pixel structure thereof
An MVA LCD device includes a first alignment region, a second alignment region, a third alignment region, and a fourth alignment region. The liquid crystal molecules disposed in the first alignment region have a first aligning direction, and the azimuth angle of the first aligning direction is substantially between 70 and 110 degrees. The liquid crystal molecules disposed in the second alignment region have a second aligning direction, and the azimuth angle of the second aligning direction is substantially between 160 and 200 degrees. The liquid crystal molecules disposed in the third alignment region have a third aligning direction, and the azimuth angle of the third aligning direction is substantially between 250 and 290 degrees. The liquid crystal molecules disposed in the fourth alignment region have a fourth aligning direction, and the azimuth angle of the fourth aligning direction is substantially between −20 and 20 degrees.
US08462300B2 Liquid crystal display device with triacetyl cellulose film at an observer side of front polarization plate
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel (2) disposed between two linear polarization plates (1, 3) and a triacetyl cellulose film having biaxial optical anisotropy (4), the triacetyl cellulose film having biaxial optical anisotropy (4) (i) being disposed further from the screen front side than a front polarization plate, which is one of the two linear polarization plates (1, 3), and (ii) having a planar retardation comprised in a range from 40 nm to 100 nm. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device allowing an observer to perceive, through polarized sunglasses and with a high display quality, an image on a screen not only from a frontal viewpoint but also if an azimuth angle and a polar angle at which viewpoints are set are shifted from the frontal viewpoint.
US08462299B2 Reflection type liquid crystal display device, display apparatus, and projection system
A reflection type liquid crystal display device comprises a glass substrate provided with a transparent electrode, and an Si driving circuit substrate provided with a light reflecting electrode, the glass substrate and the Si driving circuit substrate being disposed opposite to each other so that the transparent electrode and the light reflecting electrode are opposed to each other, with a liquid crystal layer composed of vertically aligned liquid crystals being interposed therebetween, wherein at least the condition of d·Δn·|Δ∈|2≧5 is satisfied, where d (μm) is the thickness of the liquid crystal layer, Δn is the refractive index anisotropy of the vertically aligned liquid crystals, and |Δ∈| is the magnitude of the dielectric constant anisotropy of the vertically aligned liquid crystals.
US08462291B2 Backlight module with film positioning function and display device using the same
A backlight module includes a back plate, an optical sheet, and a lateral frame. The back plate has a first surface, wherein the first surface includes a raised portion formed near the edge of the first surface. An insertion opening is formed between the raised portion and the first surface. The optical sheet is disposed on the first surface, wherein a protrusion is formed at one end of the optical sheet to be inserted into the insertion opening. The lateral frame is disposed on the back plate and corresponds to the edge of the first surface. The lateral frame includes at least a side wall having a sinking portion formed at the bottom of the side wall, wherein the bottom of the side wall is disposed on the optical sheet while the raised portion is received in the sinking portion.
US08462289B2 Display device
A liquid crystal display panel formed by using a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate is polished to decrease the thickness thereof so that it can be curved. The liquid crystal display panel and various optical sheets are sandwiched between a frame forming a curved surface and a light guide plate forming a curved surface, to thereby form a curved surface. An upper polarizer plate and a lower polarizer plate are, respectively, sandwiched between the surface cover and the liquid crystal display panel, and between the liquid crystal display panel and the optical sheet, and are not adhered or are partly adhered to the liquid crystal display panel.
US08462287B2 Active matrix substrate and display device using the same
An active matrix substrate capable of suppressing a change in an off characteristic of the TFT even when current passage time becomes longer is provided. A diode is connected between a video signal line and a conductive plate formed so as to cover a TFT of a pixel formation portion. Current is passed to the diode when a potential of a video signal applied to the video signal line is lower than that of the conductive plate, and the potential of the conductive plate becomes equal to that of the video signal line. No current flows when the potential of the video signal is higher than that of the conductive plate and the potential of the diode remains the same. Consequently, a leak current which flows from the pixel electrode of the pixel formation portion to the video signal line when the TFT is in the off state is suppressed.
US08462284B2 Liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display array substrate
A liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display array substrate are disclosed herein. The liquid crystal display array substrate includes scan lines, data lines, first rows of pixel units, and second rows of pixel units. The first rows of pixel units and the second rows of pixel units are arranged alternately. Each of the first rows of pixel units has first pixel structures disposed in a row direction and electrically connected to the scan lines and the data lines, respectively. Each of the second rows of pixel units has second pixel structures disposed along the row direction and electrically connected to the scan lines and the data lines, respectively. The first capacitance value of the first storage capacitor of each first pixel structure is greater than the second capacitance value of the second storage capacitor of each second pixel structure.
US08462283B2 Liquid crystal display panel, pixel array substrate and pixel structure thereof
A pixel structure includes at least one first sub-pixel electrode, at least one second sub-pixel electrode, at least one common line, at least one first transistor electrically connected to the first sub-pixel electrode, and at least one second transistor electrically connected to the second sub-pixel electrode. The common line overlaps and is coupled respectively with the first sub-pixel electrode and the second sub-pixel electrode so as to respectively form a first storage capacitor and a second storage capacitor. The second storage capacitor is larger than the first storage capacitor. A first adjusting capacitor of the first transistor is larger than a second adjusting capacitor of the second transistor.
US08462274B2 Systems and methods for mitigating visible envelope effects
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are provided to compensate for the “envelope effect” that appears to an end user as a result of the sampling and digital processing of near-Nyquist frequency components of a video information signal. Embodiments of the present invention improve image quality by effectively nullifying gamma correction in areas where the envelope effect exists, enabling the human eye to perceive the displayed signal without the envelope effect.
US08462272B2 Method of acquiring program guide information, program guide method appropriate for the same, and program guide apparatus
A method acquires program guide information in an image signal receiver, and program guide method and apparatus use the same. In the program guide apparatus, information immediately required by a user is obtained first, and information of less preferential channels is obtained next, thus presenting a smooth interface to the user. The method of acquiring program guide information for channels includes acquiring the program guide information for each channel by scanning accessible channels while a received program is not displayed. The program guide apparatus includes a tuner tuning a channel, a program guide information detector, a memory, a key input, a microprocessor, and a character signal generator.
US08462269B2 Devices and methods for extracting a synchronization signal from a video signal
A device for extracting a synchronization signal from a video signal has a first comparator and an adjustment circuit. The first comparator receives the video signal, compares the video signal with a first threshold, and generates the synchronization signal according to the compared result. The adjustment circuit receives the video signal, compares the video signal with a plurality of second thresholds of different values, and changes the first threshold according to the compared results.
US08462267B2 Frame rate conversion apparatus and frame rate conversion method
At the time of dividing an input frame into multiple subframes and performing frame rate conversion, a frame rate conversion apparatus detects the degree of motion of each region composed of one or more pixels in the input frame, and determines a spatial frequency for each region in the multiple subframes according to the detected degree of motion of the region. The conversion apparatus then converts each region in the multiple subframes to the determined spatial frequency, divides the input frame into those subframes whose regions have been converted, and outputs the subframes.
US08462266B2 Image processing device and method, and image display device and method
An image processing device and method, and an image display device and method which realizes a high-definition displayed video by reducing motion blur caused by a holding-type display system and reducing motion blurs of the displayed video caused by the time integration effect of an image sensor while suppressing deterioration of an image. The image display device includes a motion vector detection section (101) which detects a motion vector in each predetermined region between the frames of an inputted image signal, and an edge emphasis part (2) which emphasizes the high-frequency component of the inputted image signal and an interpolated image signal generated by an FRC part (100) according to the motion amount of the inputted image signal detected by the motion vector detection section (101). This compensates the high-frequency component attenuated by the time integration effect of the image sensor to reduce the apparent motion blurs to improve the sharpness of the displayed image. By making the degree of edge emphasis of the interpolated image signal smaller than that of the inputted image signal, the sharpness of the displayed image is improved without making the image deterioration of the interpolated image signal distinct.
US08462265B2 Gradient adaptive video de-interlacing
In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of video signal fields, characterizing at least one portion of at least one of the plurality of video signal fields, determining a value for a pixel using inter-field de-interlacing if the characterization satisfies a first criteria, determining a value for a pixel using motion compensated de-interlacing if the characterization satisfies a second criteria, and determining a value for a pixel using intra-field de-interlacing if the characterization satisfies a third criteria. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a storage medium having stored instructions that when executed by a machine result in the method.
US08462259B2 Focusing image display device and method for displaying same
A focusing image display device is equipped with an autofocus processor, a spatial frequency detector, a magnification determiner and a focusing image display processor. The autofocus processor performs an autofocus operation using an image within a partial area of an effective pixel area. The spatial frequency detector calculates a spatial frequency of a focusing image within the partial area after the autofocus operation is completed. The magnification determiner determines the magnification of the focusing image in accordance to the spatial frequency. The focusing image display processor modifies the resolution of the focusing image with respect to the magnification.
US08462258B2 Focus signal generation for an auto-focus image system
An auto focus image system that includes a pixel array coupled to a focus signal generator. The pixel array captures an image that has at least one edge with a width. The focus signal generator may generate a focus signal that is a function of the edge width and/or statistics of edge widths. A processor receives the focus signal and/or the statistics of edge widths and adjust a focus position of a focus lens. The edge width can be determined by various techniques including the use of gradients. A histogram of edge widths may be used to determine whether a particular image is focused or unfocused. A histogram with a large population of thin edge widths is indicative of a focused image.
US08462256B2 Lens barrel, image pickup device, and lens barrel manufacturing method
A lens barrel includes a fourth lens, a prism, and a sixth lens. The fourth lens receives a light flux incident along a first optical axis. The prism includes a reflecting surface reflecting the light flux passing through the fourth lens to a direction along a second optical axis intersecting with the first optical axis. The sixth lens receives the light flux reflected by the prism. A second group frame includes an opening portion, a prism retaining frame that is arranged in a more inner position than the opening portion and in which the prism is contained, and a plurality of adhesive pockets arranged on an area around the prism retaining frame and being open to the side of the opening portion. Adhesive agent is filled in the adhesive pockets.
US08462247B2 Single gate pixel and operation method of single gate pixel
A single gate pixel of an image sensor, architecture of the single gate pixel, and an operation method of the single gate pixel may be provided. The single gate pixel includes a first transfer unit to transfer a charge, generated by a light detector element, to an accumulation (ACC) node, a second transfer unit to transfer the charge, accumulated in the ACC node, to a Floating Diffusion (FD) node, a connection unit to connect the light detector element to a driving voltage, and a reset unit to reset a voltage of the FD node based on a reset control signal.
US08462246B2 Apparatus and method for CDS and ADC with multiple samplings in image sensor
For analog to digital conversion with correlated double sampling in an image sensor, a pixel signal from a given pixel is sampled to generate a respective sampled signal N-times, with N>1 within a horizontal scan time period. A ramp signal is generated with a respective ramping portion for each respective sampled signal. Each respective sampled signal is compared with a respective ramping portion to generate a respective comparison signal that determines a respective digital code. The N respective digital codes are summed to generate a final digital code with reduced random noise.
US08462243B2 Solid-state image sensing device, method for reading signal of solid-state image sensing device, and image pickup apparatus
An image sensor including a pixel array having vertical signal lines, each interconnected to one of columns of the pixel array, and a column processor including a unit readout circuit provided for each of sets of a predetermined number of columns. The unit readout circuit includes input switches, each connected to a corresponding one of the vertical signal lines and being sequentially turned on and off, an input capacitor having one end commonly connected to the input switches, a reference switch for selectively providing a reference voltage to the input capacitor, an operational amplifier connected to the other end of the input capacitor, a reset switch for selectively providing a short-circuit between input and output ends of the operational amplifier, and a feedback circuit provided for each of the columns and including a feedback switch and a feedback capacitor connected in series between the two ends of the operational amplifier.
US08462238B2 Camera design for the simultaneous capture of near-infrared and visible images
The present invention aims to capture two images simultaneously in the visible part of the spectrum and a NIR image. This is achieved through a camera for simultaneously capturing a visible and near-infrared image by at least a sensor producing sensor response data and having at least one color filter array (CFA) comprising at least four different filters, said color filter array having visible and near-infrared light filters, and said camera comprising means to obtain a visible image while using the sensor response data from the visible part of the spectrum and a NIR image using the sensor response data from the near-infrared part of the spectrum.
US08462235B2 Method and system for X-droop correction in solid state image sensor
A method and system is for limiting the x-droop effect in the digital image captured with solid state image sensors with a correction mechanism which instead of using only correction values from the same column to which the correction is applied, also takes the neighboring pixels into account to provide an averaged value to aid in the reduction of temporal and fixed noise contributions associated with the readout of a single pixel.
US08462232B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, program, system, and imaging object generation device
An information processing apparatus is provided which includes an imaging data acquisition unit for obtaining imaging data obtained by imaging an imaging object which is asymmetric in at least one of vertical direction and horizontal direction, an orientation detection unit for detecting the orientation of the imaging object with respect to the top, bottom, left, and right of the imaging data obtained by the imaging data acquisition unit, and a related information selection unit for selecting one or more related information, from among a plurality of related information prepared in advance, according to the orientation of the imaging object detected by the orientation detection unit.
US08462222B2 Image processing method and device, and imaging apparatus using the image processing device
The image processing method converts an input image to a transformed image. The method includes segmenting the transformed image into multiple blocks each having multiple pixels including multiple vertex pixels; providing a memory storing at least one coordinate in the transformed image for each vertex pixel, wherein plural coordinates are stored for at least one of the vertex pixels of at least one of the blocks; determining a coordinate in the input image corresponding to a vertex pixel of a focused block by reference to the memory, wherein when plural coordinates are stored for the vertex pixel, one of the coordinates is selected; repeating the determining step for all the blocks to determine coordinates in the input image corresponding to the vertex pixels; and determining coordinates in the input image for all the pixels of the multiple blocks by performing an interpolation processing using the coordinate values determined.
US08462220B2 Method and apparatus for improving low-light performance for small pixel image sensors
Method and apparatuses processing pixel values from a captured image include receiving an array of digital pixel values corresponding to a captured image, and computing a rolling sum of the array of pixel values. Computing a rolling sum includes selecting successive groupings of the pixel values, each grouping comprising N×M pixel values, summing pixel values in each of the successive groupings, and forming an output image using the summed pixel values.
US08462216B2 Optical apparatus and camera system having a function of moving a focus lens in an optical axis direction to reduce focus shake generated in the optical axis direction
The optical apparatus includes an image pickup optical system including a focus lens, a controller controlling movement of the focus lens in an optical axis direction of the image pickup optical system, a shake detector detecting a shake amount of the optical apparatus in the optical axis direction, and a memory storing plural shake amounts sequentially detected by the shake detector. The controller calculates, in response to a start instruction of exposure for the image pickup and before start of the exposure, a predictive value of the shake amount for a time point of the exposure based on the plural shake amounts stored in the memory and including at least one shake amount detected after the start instruction of exposure. The controller moves the focus lens to a position corresponding to the predictive value before the start of the exposure.
US08462214B2 Apparatus and method for obtaining motion adaptive high dynamic range image
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for obtaining a motion adaptive high dynamic range image, in which a motion degree of a first image and a second taken using different exposure times is calculated. The motion calculation intensity is adjusted based on the calculated motion degree. The motion compensation intensity involves a global motion compensation and/or a location motion compensation. Images subjected to compensation are synthesized and output, so that an image having high dynamic range is obtained.
US08462206B1 Image acquisition system
A system for acquiring images includes a photographing machine. The photographing machine includes a base, a carrier coupled to the base, a camera coupled to the carrier, a camera positioning system, and a background panel coupled to the carrier. The camera can take photographs of an object when the object is in a target zone. The camera positioning system moves the carrier to position the camera and to point the camera at the target zone. When the carrier is moved to position the camera, at least a portion of the background panel moves such that at least a portion of the background panel maintains a position opposite the camera relative to the target zone.
US08462200B2 Image processing apparatus, image display apparatus and image display system
Disclosed herein is a video-image processing apparatus including: a video-image processing section configured to execute output control on video-image streams each including unitary video images appearing along the time axis so as to output every unitary video image pertaining to each of the video-image streams repeatedly a plurality of times by sequentially switching the video-image streams to be output on a time-division basis; a frame memory for temporarily storing an immediately preceding unitary video image as it is or after replacing the luminance gradation of the immediately preceding unitary video image with a post-replacement luminance gradation where the immediately preceding unitary video image is defined as a unitary video image which immediately leads ahead of a current unitary video image being output by the video-image processing section and is selected; and an overdrive processing section configured to carry out overdrive processing on the current unitary video image.
US08462195B2 Panoramic imaging lens and panoramic imaging system using the same
A panoramic imaging system includes a panoramic imaging lens, a relay lens, an imaging device, and a display device. The panoramic imaging lens includes an annular incident surface and a bottom surface adjacent to the annular incident surface. The bottom surface includes an annular reflective portion substantially opposite to the annular incident surface. An image light incident through the annular incident surface can be total reflected by the annular reflective portion.
US08462190B2 Voice communication device, voice communication method, and voice communication program
Provided is a voice communication device for carrying out voice communication among a plurality of locations, including: a sound source direction identification block for identifying a direction of a sound source; a voice sender block for sending the collected voice to a different location; a voice receiver block for receiving a voice from a different location; a player block for playing the received voice; a playing information setting block for setting playing information for the voice being played; a speaker volume storage block for acquiring the direction of the sound source for which the playing information is set from the sound source direction identification block and storing the direction of the sound source in association with the playing information; and a voice manipulating block for acquiring the playing information corresponding to the direction of the sound source of the voice and manipulating the voice based on the playing information.
US08462178B2 Image display method, program, and image display apparatus
A table is allocated indexes corresponding to display positions on a monitor screen, respectively, and data indicating an unexposed part at each of the display positions is stored in each index of the table. Focal position information is acquired from Exif header information on image data of an image, and a location of one of the indexes in the table at which no image data is registered is searched in an ascending order of the indexes. According to the table, the images are arranged so that the focal position of each image differs from the unexposed part at the display position of the image.
US08462177B2 Systems and methods for providing content for use in multiple environments
Systems and methods for using design and/or constraint information in selecting, editing, creating, and managing content for multiple operating environments. For example, an image editor feature of a content management system can receive constraints and/or design requirements identifying specific image sizes that are needed for offering a piece of content on one or more operating environments. This information may be used to guide or restrict a user to select appropriate image portions. A selection marquee, sized based on the constraint information, may be positioned on a displayed image to select an image portion to use for that particular image requirement. The marquee size enforces the image constraint. Design and constraint information may also be used to inform selection, editing, and creation of other constraints and other types of assets, including, but not limited to, text and video assets.
US08462173B2 System and method for simulation of paint deposition using a pickup and reservoir model
Systems, methods, and apparatus for simulating natural media painting in a digital painting application (or painting simulation module) using a two-layer model of a virtual paint brush may more accurately simulate real world painting techniques than conventional painting simulations. A two-layer brush model may include a reservoir buffer and a pickup buffer to separately represent the paint stored in the belly of a paint brush tip and paint that has been picked up on the surface of the brush tip during a brush stoke, respectively. The two-layer brush model may also include methods that automatically control how virtual paint moves between these layers and a digital canvas. In simulations that employ this two-layer brush model, virtual paint may be deposited on the digital canvas directly from both of the buffers. The amount of paint deposited from each buffer (and/or the ratio of the amounts) may be configurable by a user.
US08462171B2 Saturation contrast image enhancement
A digital imaging tool and a method for enhancing, or adjusting, a saturation contrast of a digital image is provided. The digital imaging tool may convert an original color space of a digital image to a second color space having a saturation channel. The digital imaging tool may define a function based, at least partially, on one or more user-provided parameters. Saturation values of pixels of the digital image, in the second color space, may be adjusted, or enhanced, by applying each of the saturation values to the defined function to produce corresponding enhanced saturation values. The second color space then may be converted back to the original color space and a saturation-enhanced version of the digital image may be presented and/or saved.
US08462170B2 Picture attribute allocation
The invention concerns image processing and, in particular, the processing of picture attribute fields for an image. A method of obtaining a new picture attribute field of an image is disclosed in which a picture attribute value at one position is allocated to a new position in the image in dependence upon the value of a parameter, such as luminance data, at the original position and at the new position and/or in dependence on the distance between the original position and the new position. The invention may be used to process picture attribute fields comprising: motion vectors; motion vector confidence; segment labels; depth labels; texture labels.
US08462158B2 Translating RenderMan shading language code
The present disclosure includes, among other things, systems, methods and program products for translating RenderMan shading language code.
US08462155B1 Merging three-dimensional models based on confidence scores
In an embodiment, a method merges a plurality of three-dimensional models, each having been generated from images of a camera having a different viewpoint. For respective voxels in a plurality of voxels, a plurality of distance values are determined. Each determined distance value is a distance from the voxel to a three dimensional model from the plurality of three-dimensional models along a perspective of a camera model used to generate the three-dimensional model. When at least one of the determined distance values indicates that the distance between the voxel and the three dimensional model exceeds a threshold and the voxel is located above the corresponding three-dimensional model, a confidence score is determined indicating a degree to which the perspective of the camera model of the corresponding three-dimensional model is oriented to face the voxel. Based on the determined confidence score, the voxel into a merged three-dimensional model is determined.
US08462152B2 Apparatus and method for providing a sequence of video frames, apparatus and method for providing a scene model, scene model, apparatus and method for creating a menu structure and computer program
An apparatus for providing a sequence of video frames includes a video frame generator adapted to provide the video frames on the basis of the scene model. The video frame generator is adapted to identify within the scene model a scene model object having a predetermined object name or a predetermined object property, and to generate the sequence of video frames such that user-provided content is displayed on a surface of the identified scene model object or as a replacement for the identified scene model object.An apparatus for creating a menu structure of a video medium includes an apparatus for providing a sequence of video frames. The apparatus is adapted to generate the sequence of video frames being part of the menu structure on the basis of a scene model, on the basis of additional information, and on the basis of a menu structure-related characteristic.
US08462148B1 Addressing rotational exhaustion in 3D manipulation
A three-dimensional object is initially transformed using an initial three-dimensional transformation in response to the detected movement of at least one touch point of a set of touch points placed on a multi-touch display device, each touch point in the set being matched with a contact point on the surface of the object. If the initially transformed object does not correspond to a rotational exhaustion situation, displaying the initially transformed object on the multi-touch display device. If the initially transformed object corresponds to a rotational exhaustion situation, calculating a corrected three-dimensional transformation of the object by using an algorithm that fixes at least one degree of freedom of object orientation to a value corresponding to an orientation of the object prior to the detected movement of the at least one touch point. Transforming the object using the corrected three-dimensional transformation and displaying the transformed object.
US08462147B2 Mega-mesh sculpting for environments
A method for sculpting a three-dimensional, graphical environment. The method comprises receiving structure data that structurally defines the graphical environment at a first resolution, and storing composite data based on the structure data received. The composite data includes a first subset defining the graphical environment at the first resolution. The method further comprises exporting section-localized data based on the composite data, the section-localized data defining a section of the graphical environment at least structurally, and receiving refined section-localized data defining a section of the graphical environment at a second resolution finer than the first resolution. The method further comprises augmenting the composite data to include a second subset, which, in combination with the first subset, defines at least the section at the second resolution, according to the refined section-localized data received.
US08462142B2 Data driving apparatus and display device using the same
A display device includes; a signal controller which outputs a master image signal having first data information and second data information, a master data driver which samples the first data information and the second data information from the master image signal using a first sampling clock signal, generates a slave clock signal using the master image signal, and generates a slave image signal, which corresponds to the second data information, using the slave clock signal, and a slave data driver connected to the master data driver in a cascade manner, wherein the slave data driver samples the second data information from the slave image signal.
US08462141B2 Unified memory architecture and display controller to prevent data feed under-run
A display controller for controlling data in an isochronous display where fluctuation of data feed latency occurs, the display controller including an input memory which receives pixel data and transmits the pixel data through a main route and a secondary route; wherein pixel data is transmitted through the main route and is processed for delivery to the display in a predetermined manner; characterized in that the secondary route comprises a memory for storing a two-dimensional section of the pixel data that corresponds at least in part to the pixel data being transmitted through the main route at that time; further characterized in that the display controller includes a detector for identifying a data feed latency event and in response there to switching the transmission of the pixel data to the secondary route and processing the pixel data through secondary route for delivery to the display such that when a data feed latency event occurs the stored two-dimensional section of the pixel data from the secondary route is displayed on the display.
US08462140B2 Electronic apparatus having a stylus with a cord retractor connected thereto and an assembly of a cord retractor and a stylus
An electronic apparatus includes a machine body, a stylus, and a cord retractor. The machine body includes a housing and an electronic component module mounted in the housing. The cord retractor includes an inner axle mounted in one of the stylus and the housing, a spool rotatably sleeved around the inner axle, a biasing component mounted between the inner axle and the spool, and having a pair of ends connected respectively to the inner axle and the spool such that the spool is operated to rotate resiliently relative to the inner axle, and a connecting cord wound around the spool and that may be unwound therefrom, and having a first end connected to the housing and a second end connected to the stylus. An assembly of a cord retractor and a stylus is also disclosed.
US08462139B2 Solid state image sensor suitable for touch screens
Disclosed is a sensor apparatus comprising a plurality of pixels, a digital to analog converter for providing a ramp signal, A comparator for comparing the output level of each pixel to said ramp signal, and memory for storing the digital value that corresponds to said output level for each pixel, the sensor apparatus thereby converting the analog output level of each pixel to a digital value. The apparatus operates by providing an analog output that is sourced from the digital to analog converter used to provide said ramp signal.
US08462138B2 Optical touch module capable of increasing light emitting angle of light emitting unit
An optical touch module includes a screen and at least one optical positioning device disposed on the screen. The optical positioning device includes a case, at least one light emitting unit, a circuit board, a transparent diffusing part and an image capturing unit. The light emitting unit is disposed on case for emitting invisible light. The circuit board is electrically connected to the light emitting unit for controlling the light emitting unit. The transparent diffusing part is disposed at a light emitting side of the light emitting unit. A bar structure is formed on a light entrance surface of the transparent diffusing part for scattering the invisible light to be distributed over a touch surface of the screen. The image capturing unit is disposed on the case to capture an optical image for a touch object on the touch surface when the touch object is illuminated by the invisible light.
US08462135B1 Multi-touch disambiguation
Identification of at least one of a plurality of possible touch locations as an actual touch location may include detecting a plurality of possible touch locations at a touch sensing surface, wherein detecting the plurality of possible touch locations comprises performing a resolve scan of at least a first sensor element at the touch sensing surface, where the first sensor element corresponds to at least a first coordinate of the plurality of coordinates.
US08462130B2 Organic light emitting display having touch screen function
An organic light emitting display having a touch screen function that includes a transparent substrate and a plurality of thin film transistors formed on the transparent substrate is disclosed. An anode electrode layer is formed above each of the plurality of thin film transistors to be connected to the thin film transistor. Red, green, blue and infrared light emitting layers are formed on adjacent anode electrode layers, respectively. A spacer is formed on the infrared light emitting layer, and the width of the spacer is widened as it approaches from the bottom to top of the spacer. A cathode electrode layer is stacked on the light emitting layers and the spacer. A sealing substrate is positioned above the cathode electrode layer. Accordingly, the organic light emitting display provides an image display function and a touch screen function at the same time.
US08462127B2 Touch screen and method for positioning coordinate
The present invention relates to a touch screen and a method for positioning a coordinate. The touch screen includes a sensor array layer and a microprocessor. The sensor array layer includes M×N capacitive sensors, wherein M rows of the capacitive sensors are disposed along a first axis, and N columns of the capacitive sensors are disposed along a second axis. The microprocessor includes a plurality of pins correspondingly coupled to the capacitive sensors. When the touch screen is touched to change at least one of sensing values of the capacitive sensors in the sensor array layer, the microprocessor performs an interpolation calculation to determine a touched coordinate according to the sensing values sensed by the capacitive sensors.
US08462123B1 Constrained keyboard organization
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method for generating a keypad layout. The method may include determining a frequency distribution of characters for a text sample and generating character groupings using the frequency distribution. The method may further comprise assigning the character groupings to keys on the keypad so that characters that appear most frequently in the text sample can be selected with a single keystroke.
US08462120B2 Handheld electronic device and associated method enabling the output of non-alphabetic characters in a disambiguation environment
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with text disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device includes a number of non-alphabetic characters that are assigned to keys and that can be accessed directly by the text disambiguation software without the need to activate a non-alphabetic input routine or to additionally actuate a key or an key, for instance.
US08462112B2 Responsiveness control system for pointing device movement with respect to a graphical user interface
Improved techniques that enable control of responsiveness to user movement of a pointing device with respect to a graphical user interface are disclosed. According to one embodiment, by controlling responsiveness, a friction effect can be imposed at predetermined regions of the graphical user interface. According to another embodiment, by controlling responsiveness, a gravitational effect can be imposed at predetermined regions of the graphical user interface. According to still another embodiment, by controlling responsiveness, frictional and gravitational effects can be imposed at predetermined regions of the graphical user interface. The responsiveness control, e.g., frictional effect and/or gravitational effect, can be used to enhance user interaction with the graphical user interface. For example, user controls, such as buttons, boxes, borders, boundaries, etc., can be more easily navigated and selected by users when the regions associated with such user controls are provided with modified responsiveness control (e.g., frictional effect and/or gravitational effect).
US08462108B2 Scene launcher system and method using geographically defined launch areas
A computer-implemented method of defining and presenting a presentation including a plurality of scenes and a presenter appearing in the scenes. The method includes defining a first scene including a geographic background, receiving geographic location information and remote video and/or data information from a remote site, and defining within the first scene a launch area within the geographic background corresponding to the geographic location information. The method further includes associating a destination scene with the defined launch area. The method yet further includes displaying the destination scene in place of the first scene when the presenter provides a scene change signal with the pointing element located at the defined launch area in the first scene, wherein the destination scene displayed is a background scene generated based on remote video and/or data information received from the remote site.
US08462102B2 Driving methods for bistable displays
The disclosure relates to driving methods for bistable displays, in particular, driving methods comprising interleaving driving waveforms.
US08462092B2 Display panel having sub-pixels with polarity arrangment
A display panel includes at least twelve sub-pixels, arranged continuously in a row. In a scanning time of the display panel, sub-pixels respectively disposed at a 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 12th column have a first polarity, and sub-pixels respectively disposed at a 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th and 11th column have a second polarity. The first polarity is opposite to the second polarity.
US08462089B2 Organic light emitting display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting display device includes: a display unit including pixels coupled to scan lines and data lines; one or more control lines coupled to the pixels; a control line driver for supplying control signals to the pixels through the control lines; a first power driver for applying a first power having a low voltage level or a high voltage level to the pixels; and a second power driver for applying a second power having a low voltage level or a high voltage level to the pixels, in which each of the pixels includes: an organic light emitting diode (OLED); a driving transistor for controlling an amount of current supplied to the OLED; and an initializing transistor coupled to a gate electrode of the driving transistor and for supplying a reset voltage to the gate electrode of the driving transistor.
US08462084B2 Display device and display unit
A display device capable of improving the view angle characteristics without deteriorating the outside light contrast and a display unit using it are provided. The display device includes a first electrode, an organic layer including a light emitting layer and a second electrode sequentially over a substrate, and having a resonator structure in which light generated in the light emitting layer is resonated between a first end and a second end. An end face of the first electrode on the light emitting layer side is the first end having a step shape. A distance adjustment layer that fills in the step shape and has a flat surface on the second electrode side is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and thereby the second end is planarized, and an optical distance between the first end and the second end is varied according to the step shape.
US08462083B2 Inverter and display device including the same
An inverter includes a first PMOS transistor having a gate electrode coupled to a first input port, a first electrode coupled to a first node and a second electrode coupled to the gate electrode or a second power source; a second PMOS transistor having a gate electrode coupled to the first input port, and first and second electrodes coupled respectively to a first power source and an output port; a third PMOS transistor having a gate electrode coupled to the first node, first and second electrodes coupled respectively to the output port and a second input port; and a capacitor coupled between the first node and the output port.
US08462081B2 See-through display
A screen includes a first set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a first side of the screen, and a second set of louver members at least partially disposed in the screen and located proximate to a second side of the screen. An observer on either side of the screen sees an image produced by light directed to that observer by that set of louvers on the same side of the screen as the observer. Objects on the other side of the screen from the observer are visible to the observer between the louvers.
US08462077B2 In-plane RFID antenna
Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for providing an RFID device for integration into a tire. A printed circuit board (PCB) is provided with notches in opposed ends of the PCB that are provided with guide portions as a part of the notches that function as threads to guide an end portion of a matching single pitch helical antenna into appropriately placed vias on the PCB. Threading of the helical antenna is assisted by use of an assembly jig having antenna guiding channels and PCB retaining positioning elements.
US08462075B2 Apparatus for mounting an object to a railing
Apparatus are described for mounting an object to a structure having a railing. The apparatus includes a base attachable to the object and configured for placement on the structure proximate the railing. The apparatus further includes an adjustable compression mechanism positioned between the base and the railing configured to secure the base to the structure with a selected force. The mechanism includes a first plate on the base, a second plate movable relative to the first plate for producing a selected height of the mechanism and a threaded member attached to the first plate and the second plate. The threaded member is configured to move the second plate relative to the first plate to achieve the selected height and apply the selected force.
US08462068B2 Log periodic antenna and manufacturing method thereof
Disclosed is a log periodic antenna and a manufacturing method thereof. In the log periodic antenna, antenna elements are attached to an antenna body to thereby simplify a structure of the antenna, the antenna can be manufactured in various designs without restriction to the configuration of the antenna, and the number of contacting points between the antenna element and a feeder is minimized to thereby simplify the manufacturing process. By the antenna, it is possible to produce the log periodic antenna of the simple structure and of various designs without the restriction to the antenna configuration by attaching the signal pattern and ground pattern to the pattern receiving surface.
US08462067B2 Apparatus for an antenna system
An apparatus for an antenna system comprising one or more blades for splitting the electromagnetic field received by an antenna into a plurality of sections corresponding to separate beams and redirecting said plurality of sections for detection by a plurality of detectors. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of blades for splitting the field into successively smaller and smaller portions. The plurality of detectors can be positioned outside the focal region of the antenna system. The apparatus may further comprise focusing means for focusing the sections of the field onto another blade or a detector. There is also provided an antenna system comprising a plurality of feed horns for producing a plurality of beams; and a plurality of elements for redirecting said beams towards a focal region of the antenna system so as to form a group of closely packed beams for transmission by the antenna system.
US08462066B2 Long-distance wireless-LAN directional antenna alignment
A unitized device and method to optimize directional antenna alignment for long-distance communications using the low-cost IEEE 802.11 (and related) compatible RF-chipsets (originally designed for short range Wireless-LAN and Wireless-PAN networks). The device combines these chipsets, along with a microprocessor, software, electronics to drive a directional antenna, and the motors and gearing necessary to physically move a directional antenna, into a unitized low weight, and low cost assembly designed to enable reliable digital radio links of many miles or more to be established with minimal costs, time, and installer skill. In one embodiment, the software methods incorporated into the software of this unitized device can include methods necessary to automatically or semi-automatically configure and align the directional antenna to one or more distant target sources. Various mechanical designs, as well as various software and electronics methods, are also disclosed.
US08462065B2 Antenna apparatus and communication apparatus
The present invention relates to an antenna apparatus and a communication apparatus able to provide an antenna apparatus having wide band characteristics or diversity characteristics. A first antenna element 11, a second antenna element 12, and a divider circuit 13 to which both the antenna elements 11 and 12 are coupled via respectively separate transmission lines 15 and 16 are included. Additionally, a delay process is conducted on one of the transmission lines by modifying the lengths of the transmission line 15 coupling the first antenna element 11 to the divider circuit 13 and the transmission line 16 coupling the second antenna element 12 to the divider circuit 13. By conducting this delay adjustment, the input impedance and/or phase of the first and second antenna elements are adjusted, and wider band characteristics than the antenna characteristics of the first and second antenna elements individually are configured.
US08462062B2 RF passive repeater for a metal container
A storage container assembly includes a container having a metal side wall, and a passive wireless repeater mounted on the side wall. The repeater includes a first antenna on one side of the side wall, a second antenna on an opposite side of the side wall, and an electrical connection between the first antenna and the second antenna. The electrical connection may be in the form of a first connector mounted to the first antenna and a second connector mounted to the second antenna.
US08462055B2 Portable terminal
A portable terminal comprises: a terminal body having a receiver for sound output; a first antenna disposed in the terminal body, and operating at a first band; a second antenna disposed at a position different from the first antenna, and operating at a second band, wherein the second antenna comprises: a first conductor having a physical condition to be operable at the second band; and a second conductor having a physical condition to resonate an electromagnetic wave of the first band so as to reduce a field strength of the first band near the to receiver.
US08462050B2 System and method for an integrated antenna in a cargo container monitoring and security
A system and method for an antenna which is constructed into or conforming onto the roof or wall of a cargo container is provided. The antenna system may have multiple antennas for short range wireless, cellular, global positioning, or satellite built into a single functional element. The antenna system may utilize a patch or phased array design. The method of construction of the antenna system may as part of the container fabricated or installed at the factory, applied as an adhesive film kit, or applied as a successive spray coating and etching process.
US08462046B2 Managing the measurement of signals
For managing measurements on signals, a quality of received signals, for which a measurement circuit provides measurement results, is monitored. In the case that the quality does not exceed a set quality before an end of a reporting period, a reporting of measurement results that are available at the end of the reporting period is caused. In the case that the quality exceeds the set quality at a measurement instant before the end of the reporting period, the measurement circuit is put to a sleep mode and a reporting of extrapolated measurement results is caused, the extrapolated measurement results being measurement results from a measurement instant before the measurement circuit was put to a sleep mode extrapolated to the end of the reporting period.
US08462041B2 Device for receiving secondary radio signals with quasi-dynamic or dynamic sectoring of the space to be monitored and corresponding method
A device and method for secondary radar signal reception with quasi-dynamic or dynamic sectoring of a space to be monitored. The device includes at least one antenna assembly including antenna elements for the reception of transmitted secondary radar signals, a signal processing unit connected via a connection point to the antenna elements for the joint processing of received antenna signals, outputs associated with a couple matrix in the signal processing unit and individual receivers. The couple matrix includes adjustable coefficients for sectoring of the space to be monitored and for performing a superposition of the antenna signals using a multiplicative-additive combination of the received antenna signals. In the case of dynamic sectoring of the space, each receiver receives for each receipt telegram another weighted superposition of the antenna signals with certain couple coefficients, and in the case of quasi-dynamic sectoring the adjustable coefficients are fixed over a longer time period.
US08462037B2 Method and system having adjustable analog-to-digital conversion levels
An adaptive Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) that adjusts the representation levels used in the conversion process so as to optimize system performance. By establishing system performance criteria by which to select or adjust the signal value range associated with each digital representation and/or the digital representation, substantially fewer bits may be used in the ADC. The systems and methods described herein enable lower-power, smaller form-factor designs as well as very high-speed operation. In particular, this technology may be beneficial for use in communications systems because it enables ADC's to operate at speeds where traditional ADC designs simply cannot.
US08462034B2 Synchronous switching in high-speed digital-to-analog converter using quad synchronizing latch
A synchronizing circuit compatible with a quad switching scheme in a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to synchronize turning on or off of switches for steering current to a differential output. The synchronizing circuit receives signals from a decoder and synchronizes control signals to the switches by a clock signal. In one embodiment, the synchronizing circuit includes a predictor circuit and a latch circuit. The latch circuit may include four sets of cross-coupled inverters where a set of cross-coupled inverters are activated at a time. By using the synchronizing circuit in conjunction with the quad switching scheme, linearity of analog output from the DAC can be improved and data dependent noise in the analog output can be removed or reduced.
US08462024B2 Digital signal converter and method of converting digital signal
There are provided a digital signal converter and a method of converting a digital signal. The digital signal converter includes: a signal reception unit analyzing a digital input signal received according to a first form; a signal output unit transmitting a digital output signal according to a second form, different from the first form; and a controller converting the digital input signal received according to the first form into a digital output signal to be transmitted according to the second form, wherein the controller controls a power level of the digital output signal according to power supply methods of the first and second forms. Signal transmission and reception methods according to various interfaces may be provided in a limited form factor by adjusting the standard and coding of a digital signal transmitted and received through different interfaces and as to whether to supply power.
US08462018B1 Systems and method for controlling the simultaneous display of multi-level classified information on the same surface of an aircraft display unit
A present novel and non-trivial system and method for controlling the display of classified information with unclassified information are disclosed. Layer property(ies) of the super layer are turned on. Layer property(ies) of at least one unclassified layer is turned on, making it a changed unclassified layer. Unclassified layer data of each changed unclassified layer is sent to a user application, and responsive first first-tier widget data is received. Pixel data set is generated based upon the unclassified layer data, the first first-tier widget data, and a known display configuration format. Additionally, layer property(ies) of at least one classified layer is turned on, making it a changed classified layer. Classified layer data of each changed classified layer is sent to a user application, and responsive second first-tier widget data is received. The second widget data is included in the basis for generating the pixel data set.
US08462017B2 Devices and methods for controlling a change of status of traffic light at a crosswalk
The change of the status of a traffic light at a crosswalk is controlled based on an impaired individual's location with respect to the crosswalk. An appropriate alert indicating the status of the traffic light is determined based at least on the location of the impaired individual. The type of impairment may also be used in determining the appropriate alert. The appropriate alert is generated to inform the impaired individual of the status of the traffic light.
US08462012B2 Anti-collision method for drilling wells
Methods for drilling a new well in a field having a plurality of existing cased wells using magnetic ranging while drilling are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a new well in a field having an existing cased well includes drilling the new well using a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having a drill collar having by an insulated gap, generating a current on the BHA while drilling the new well, such that some of the current passes through a surrounding formation and travels along a casing of the existing cased well, measuring from the BHA a magnetic field caused by the current traveling along the casing of the existing cased well, and adjusting a trajectory of the BHA to avoid a collision between the new well and the existing cased well based on measurements of the magnetic field.
US08462009B2 System and method for introducing a substrate into a process chamber
A system and method for introducing a substrate into a process chamber is provided. A presence or absence of a substrate on a stage in an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor or a flat panel display may be determined by lift pins used for loading and unloading a substrate, the introduction of another substrate may be prevented and a broken state or the erroneously loaded state of the substrate may be detected. An opening or closing of a gate valve may also be determined, and the introduction of a substrate into the process chamber may be prevented while the gate valve is closed.
US08462005B2 Communication circuit to measure and communicate the state of a battery unit in a vehicle
According to one embodiment, a communication circuit includes a direct-current converter circuit configured to generate a second power supply potential different from a second reference potential by a predetermined potential, from a first power supply potential, a first receiving circuit configured to receive a binary communication signal, whose one level is at a first reference potential, through a first signal input terminal, by a differential transmission method, a first level shift circuit configured to convert the communication signal received by the first receiving circuit into a binary communication signal, whose one level is at the second reference potential, and the other level is at the second power supply potential, and a first transmission circuit configured to output the binary communication signal converted by the first level shift circuit, through a first signal output terminal, by a differential transmission method.
US08461999B2 Capturing body movement related to a fixed coordinate system
Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a kinematic sensor may be carried by or on one or more body segments of a user to obtain one or more kinematic variables based at least in part on movement of the user with respect to a fixed, global reference system. The kinematic sensor comprises a tri-axial accelerometer sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and a magnetometer sensor to define the global reference system and to obtain kinematic data. The kinematic data may be transmitted via a wireless link to a remote information handling system or device, for example to monitor a health status of the user based at least in part on movement of the user with respect to the fixed, global reference system.
US08461997B2 Transceiver unit in a measurement system
A measurement system, comprises a sensor wire and a transceiver unit. The sensor wire comprises an insertable portion configured to be inserted in a blood vessel of a patient's body and a sensor disposed within the insertable portion at a distal end of the sensor wire. The sensor is configured to measure a variable inside the patient. The transceiver unit comprises: a housing adapted to be connected to a proximal end of the sensor wire; and a first communication module within the housing adapted to wirelessly communicate by a communication signal with an external second communication module in order to transfer information to the external second communication module. The communication signal, including sensor values, is generated by the transceiver unit and transferred as a data stream. The housing is configured to remain external to the patient's body.
US08461983B2 Personal security device
A security device with a locator module and an identifier module sends an alert signal to warn others of an emergency situation. The security device uses a wireless transceiver to transmit the alert signal and a monitoring center. Location information updates and an audio signal are sent to the monitoring station. The security device may be located within an outer casing that conceals its functionality.
US08461979B2 Footwear products including data transmission capabilities
Footwear systems include an article of footwear and a data transmission system engaged with the article of footwear. The transmission system transmits data to a remote system, such as a display system, another data transmission system, a processing system, etc. Such footwear systems further may include activation systems for activating the transmission and/or display systems. The transmitted data may be used for various purposes, such as: (a) identifying a user of the article of footwear; (b) activating targeted advertising or product information; (c) confirming the user's presence at a specific location and/or at a specific time; (d) determining start, finish, and/or intermediate split times for specific user; (e) confirming athletic equipment usage; (f) providing data for a game or reward program; (g) registering the user for an event or competition; or the like.
US08461976B2 On-vehicle device and recognition support system
An on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle includes an imaging unit that captures an image of a wide angle range through a curved light receiver, a moving-object detector that detects a moving object approaching an own vehicle from a mounting direction of the imaging unit and from any direction other than the mounting direction, based on the image captured by the imaging unit, a collision-risk determination unit that determines a degree of collision risk indicating a possibility of collision between the moving object detected by the moving-object detector and the own vehicle, and a moving-object warning unit that warns presence of the moving object included in an image portion in which a distortion of the image is a predetermined value or more, and warns the presence of the moving object according to the degree of collision risk determined by the collision-risk determination unit.
US08461975B2 Obstacle position indicating apparatus and system
An obstacle position indicating apparatus is disclosed. In the apparatus, multiple actuators are arranged in a periphery of a conduction plate so as to give an external force to an end of the conduction plate in a planer direction of the conduction plate. A drive control component determines a ratio of magnitude of amplitude of designated two actuators in accordance with information on a direction to an obstacle and causes the designated two actuators to perform reciprocating motion in accordance with the determined ratio. The conduction plate conducts the vibration, which results from the reciprocating motion of the designated two actuators, to a hand of an occupant touching the conduction plate, thereby providing the occupant with the information on the direction to the obstacle.
US08461973B2 Integrated vehicle cellular telephone detection system
There is provided a structure and a method to detect a signal prompted by the use of a wireless communications device in a motor vehicle or, optionally, in the area of a vehicle operator station. A signal detection will set off audible and/or visual alarms. The alarms may continue until the signal is no longer detected.
US08461960B2 Remote controlling apparatus, reception apparatus, and remote control method
A remote control apparatus is disclosed, which radio transmits a control command from a remote controller to a reception apparatus connected to an electronic device which is an apparatus under control. The reception apparatus stores a first identification information which represents a destination remote controller. When the remote controller issues a pairing start command, the remote control apparatus transmits a pairing request containing second identification information of the remote controller itself. The reception apparatus extracts the second identification information from the received pairing request and decides that the remote controller is a pairing party if the first identification information matches the second identification information. The reception apparatus transmits a pairing response containing third identification information of the reception apparatus itself to the remote controller.
US08461954B2 Reactor-securing structure
A reactor-securing structure includes, one end of a first-side stay and one end of a second-side stay that are connected to portions of a reactor which are separated from each other at the two sides of a coil axial direction. The other end of the first-side stay and the other end of the second-side stay are fastened in states overlapping the inverter case. A first-side overlapping portion is formed by having the other end of the first-side stay overlap the inverter case, and a second-side overlapping portion is formed by having the other end of the second-side stay overlap the inverter case. A portion of the first-side overlapping portion and a portion of the second-side overlapping portion, when seen from a plan view, are provided in the same range relating to the length direction of the I-shaped section forming the reactor.
US08461950B2 Electromagnetic switching device
An electromagnetic switching device including: a housing; fixed contacts disposed in the housing; a movable contact which is brought into contact with the fixed contacts and separated from the fixed contacts; and a driving unit disposed at one side of the housing and driving the movable contact, wherein the fixed contacts are disposed to be perpendicular to a direction in which the movable contact moves. Thus, noise generation can be suppressed and external size can be reduced.
US08461946B1 Impedance tuners with mechanical stop
Wideband and multi-section probes (slugs) for slide-screw impedance tuners use means for mechanical limitation of vertical movement towards the center conductor of the slablines, in form of cross bar structures and/or adjustable screws or dowel pins, in order to prevent the probes from having mechanical/galvanic contact with the center conductor of the slabline. The limiting screws or dowel pins can be mounted on the probes themselves or on the vertical tuner axis. Fine adjustment allows optimizing the maximum reflection factor at various frequency ranges and probe sizes.
US08461945B2 First and second U-shape waveguides joined to a metallized dielectric carrier by a U-shape sealing frame
The present invention relates to a transition arrangement comprising a first surface-mountable waveguide part, a second surface-mountable waveguide part and a dielectric carrier material with a metalization provided on a first main side. Each of the first and second surface-mountable waveguide parts comprises a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, which second and third walls are arranged to contact a part of the metalization, where the first and second surface-mountable waveguide parts are arranged to be mounted on the dielectric carrier material in such a way that the first and second surface-mountable waveguide parts comprise ends which are positioned to face each other. The transition arrangement further comprises an electrically conducting sealing frame that is arranged to be mounted over and covering the ends, where the electrically conducting sealing frame has a first wall, a second wall and a third wall, where the second and third walls are arranged to contact a part of the metallization.
US08461943B2 High-frequency signal transmission line
A flexible high-frequency signal transmission line includes a dielectric body including laminated flexible dielectric layers. A signal line is provided in the dielectric body. A grounding conductor is arranged in the dielectric body to be opposed to the signal line via one of the dielectric layers. The grounding conductor is of a ladder structure including a plurality of openings and a plurality of bridges arranged alternately along the signal line. A characteristic impedance of the signal line changes between two adjacent ones of the plurality of bridges such that the characteristic impedance of the signal line rises from a minimum value to an intermediate value and to a maximum value and falls from the maximum value to the intermediate value and to the minimum value in this order.
US08461940B2 Elastic wave device and method for manufacturing the same
An elastic wave device has a structure that prevents flux from flowing into a hollow space of the device during mounting of the device using solder bumps. The elastic wave device includes a substrate, a vibrating portion located on a first main surface of the substrate, pads located on the first main surface of the substrate and electrically connected to electrodes of the vibrating portion, a supporting layer arranged on the first main surface of the substrate so as to enclose the vibrating portion, a sheet-shaped cover layer composed of resin including synthetic rubber and disposed on the supporting layer so as to form a hollow space around the periphery of the vibrating portion, a protective layer composed of resin having resistance to flux and disposed on a side of the cover layer remote from the supporting layer, via conductors extending through the protective layer, the cover layer, and the supporting layer and connected to the pads, and external electrodes including solder bumps, disposed at ends of the via conductors adjacent to the protective layer.
US08461934B1 External oscillator detector
An IC includes first and second pads. The first pad is configured to receive an external clock. Alternatively, the first and second pads are configured to be coupled to a crystal oscillator and receive a reference clock. Alternatively, the second pad is configured to be grounded. The IC includes an internal oscillator for generating an internal clock, and an oscillator detector coupled to the second pad. The oscillator detector includes a transistor having a gate coupled to the second pad configured to pull a source-drain region to a first state if the second pad receives the reference clock or allow the source-drain region to be pulled to a second state if the second pad is grounded. The IC includes a buffer for transferring the first state to the internal oscillator for keeping the internal oscillator enabled and transferring the second state to the internal oscillator for disabling the internal oscillator.
US08461932B2 Signal amplifier, bridge connection signal amplifier signal output device, latch-up prevention method, and program storage medium
A signal amplifier includes an inverting amplification circuit, a first switching element, a second switching element, and a control section. The inverting amplification circuit includes a first voltage terminal, a second voltage terminal, an inverting input terminal, an output terminal, a first protected switching element, and a second protected switching element. The control section controls such that when an overcurrent has flowed in the first voltage line, the first and second protected switching elements are switched to a non-conducting state after switching the first switching element in a conducting state and switching the second switching element in a non-conducting state, and when an overcurrent has flowed in the second voltage line, the first the second protected switching elements are switched to a non-conducting state after switching the first switching element in a non-conducting state and switching the second switching element in a conducting state.
US08461930B2 Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) including air bridge coupler
A monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a transistor, coupled line and multiple air bridges. The coupled line is configured to output a coupled signal from the transistor, the coupled line running parallel to a drain of the transistor. The air bridges connect the drain of the transistor with a bond pad for outputting a transistor output signal, the bridges being arranged parallel to one another and extending over the coupled line. The air bridges and the coupled line effectively provide coupling of the transistor output signal to a load.
US08461918B2 Switched capacitor circuit
A switched capacitor circuit includes: an operational amplifier; a first capacitor; a first switch that charges the first capacitor by connecting the first capacitor between an inverting input terminal and an output terminal of the operational amplifier, and discharges the first capacitor by disconnecting the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier in a predetermined period; and a first output terminal that outputs an output voltage of the switched capacitor circuit, wherein after a predetermined period from a time when the first switch connects the first capacitor between the inverting input terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier, the first output terminal and the output terminal of the operational amplifier are connected to each other.
US08461914B2 Reference signal generating circuit
According to an aspect of the invention, a reference signal generating circuit includes a band gap reference main unit that includes a first cascode current mirror unit having a plurality of first conductive-type transistors; a second cascode current mirror unit having a plurality of second conductive-type transistors; a reference unit that uses a band gap to generate a reference signal; a first bias voltage generating unit that generates a bias voltage of the second cascode current mirror unit; a second bias voltage generating unit that generates a bias voltage of the first cascode current mirror unit; and an output unit that generates a reference signal based upon an output of the band gap reference main unit to generate and outputs the reference signal, wherein the second cascode current mirror unit is connected between the first cascode current mirror unit and the reference unit.
US08461911B2 Semiconductor switch for switching terminals
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor switch includes a voltage generator, a driver, a switch section, and a power supply controller. The voltage generator is configured to generate a first potential and a negative second potential. The first potential is higher than a power supply voltage supplied to a power supply terminal. The driver is connected to an output of the voltage generator and is configured to output the first potential in response to input of high level and to output the second potential in response to input of low level. The switch section is configured to switch connection between terminals in response to an output of the driver. The power supply controller is configured to control the output of the voltage generator.
US08461908B1 Current compensating device
A compensating device is used for providing current compensation of an IC when operating in the high-voltage. The current compensating device includes a detecting unit, a rectifier, a filtering unit and a switching unit. The detecting unit electrically connected to an AC voltage. The rectifier is electrically connected to the detecting unit. The filtering unit is electrically connected to the rectifier. The switching unit is electrically connected to the filtering unit. The switching unit is conducted and provides a current to the IC when the AC voltage is above a predetermined voltage.
US08461906B2 Cell-based integrated circuit and a method of operating a thyristor circuit in a standard cell of a cell-based integrated circuit
A cell-based integrated circuit comprises a first supply voltage terminal and a second supply voltage terminal. A standard cell comprising a thyristor circuit comprising a first input inputs the first supply voltage. A second input inputs the second supply voltage. A first output outputs a first output voltage corresponding to the first supply voltage and a second output to output a second output voltage corresponding to the second supply voltage.
US08461897B2 Apparatus and method for well buffering
Apparatuses and methods for well buffering are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) switch having a gate, a drain, a source, and a well. The source and drain are formed in the well, and the gate is formed adjacent the well between the source and drain. The source is configured to receive a bias voltage from a power amplifier. The apparatus further includes a gate bias control block for biasing the gate voltage of the switch, a well bias control block for biasing the well voltage of the switch, and a buffer circuit for increasing the impedance between the well bias control block and the well of the switch.
US08461893B2 Uniform-footprint programmable multi-stage delay cell
Described embodiments provide a delay cell for a complementary metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit. The delay cell includes a delay stage to provide an output signal having a programmable delay through the delay cell. The delay cell has a selectable delay value from a plurality of delay values, where the cell size and terminal layout of the delay cell are relatively uniform for the plurality of delay values. The delay stage includes M parallel-coupled inverter stages. Each parallel-coupled inverter stage includes N pairs of stacked PMOS transistors and stacked NMOS transistors. The N transistor pairs have configurable source-drain node connections between a drain node and a source node of each transistor in the pair, wherein the selectable delay value corresponds to a configuration of the configurable source-drain node connections to adjust a delay value of each of the M inverter stages.
US08461888B2 Dual phase detector phase-locked loop
A phase-locked loop for generating an output signal that has a predetermined frequency relationship with a reference signal, the phase-locked loop comprising a signal generator arranged to generate the output signal, a charge pump arranged to generate current pulses for controlling the signal generator, two control units for controlling a duration of the current pulses generated by the charge pump and a selection unit arranged to select either the first control unit or the second control unit to control the charge pump, wherein a first one of the control units is arranged to continuously monitor a phase-difference between the reference signal and a feedback signal formed from the output signal and to, when selected by the selection unit, control the charge pump to output a current pulse having a duration that is dependent on that phase-difference and a second one of the control units is arranged to, when selected by the selection unit, control the charge pump to output a current pulse of predetermined duration that compensates for a phase error in the feedback signal.
US08461886B1 Circuit and circuit method for reduction of PFD noise contribution for ADPLL
A PLL includes a PFD configured to: receive a reference clock and a feedback clock, output a first signal, which includes first phase information for a rising edge of the reference clock, and output a second signal, which includes second phase information for a rising edge of the feedback clock. The PLL includes a logic gate coupled to the PFD configured to logically combine the first and second signals to produce a pulse signal having a rising edge, which includes the first phase information, and having a falling edge, which includes the second phase information. The PLL includes a TDC coupled the logic gate configured to generate a digital timing signal, which includes timing information for a phase difference of the first and second phase information. The PLL includes a controlled oscillator coupled to the TDC configured to vary a frequency of the feedback clock from the digital timing signal.
US08461882B2 Driver supporting multiple signaling modes
A driver supports differential and single-ended signaling modes. Complementary transistors with a common tail node are provided with complementary input signals in the differential mode. A current source coupled to the tail node maintains a relatively high tail impedance and a constant tail current in the differential mode. The tail node is set to a low impedance in single-ended modes to decouple the two transistors, allowing them to amplify uncorrelated input signals. The current source thaws multiple current levels in the single-ended mode to compensate for changes in tail current that result from changes in the relative values of the uncorrelated data in the single-ended modes. A termination block provides termination resistance in the differential mode, pull-up transistors in a single-ended mode that employs push-pull drivers, and is omitted in a single-ended mode that lacks driver-side termination.
US08461874B2 Preventing A-B-A race in a latch-based device
A device may include a latch activated during a second phase of a clock cycle; a clock gating component to control when a clock signal is to reach the latch; a destination storage element activated during a first phase of the clock cycle, where a logical path exists from the latch to the destination storage element; and a blocking element located in the logical path from the latch to the destination storage element, where the blocking element includes, as a first input, an output of the latch and, as a second input, an output of the clock gating component, and where the blocking element prevents an output value of the latch from changing when the clock gating component is not enabled and does not prevent the output value of the latch from changing when the clock gating element is enabled.
US08461873B2 Resonant clock and interconnect architecture for digital devices with multiple clock networks
A clock and data distribution network is proposed that distributes clock and data signals without buffers, thus achieving very low jitter, skew, loose timing requirements, and energy consumption. Such network uses resonant drivers and is generally applicable to architectures for programmable logic devices (PLDs) such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), as well as other semiconductor devices with multiple clock networks operating at various clock frequencies, and high-performance and low-power clocking requirements such as microprocessors, applications specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and Systems-on-a-Chip (SOCs).
US08461867B2 Semiconductor device having plural unit buffers constituting output buffer
To include an output terminal, unit buffers, and plural output-wiring paths that respectively connect the unit buffers and the output terminal. The output wiring paths have individual output wiring sections individually allocated to corresponding unit buffers. Unit buffers corresponding to these output wiring paths are common output wiring sections shared by the output wiring paths, and are connected to the output terminal without via a common output wiring section having a higher resistance value than those of the individual output wiring sections. Accordingly, an deviation of impedance due to a parasitic resistance between the output terminal and the unit buffers is suppressed.
US08461866B2 Device for storing pulse latch with logic circuit
A device for storing pulse latch with logic circuit and thus having signal maintaining function is provided, wherein the device is composed of a data signal, a scan data input signal, a stored signal, a choosing data input signal, a time clock signal, a restoring signal, a first signal channel, a scan latch, a second signal channel, a pulse latch, a normal output signal, an output signal, a first OR gate, a second OR gate, a third OR gate, a AND gate and an inverter connecting to one another. The device may store the data when being switch off and restore the data when being switch on again.
US08461861B2 Energy usage monitor for a household appliance
An energy usage monitor for a household appliance, and a method of monitoring energy usage of a household appliance, are provided. The system and method include a system and an energy usage monitor that monitors energy usage information of the system of the household appliance. The system and method may include outputting energy usage information of the system of the household appliance based on the energy usage determined by the energy usage monitor.
US08461859B2 Semiconductor device and interface board for testing the same
A semiconductor device includes a common probing pad; an internal voltage generation unit having a plurality of internal voltage generation blocks configured to generate a plurality of internal voltages; and a probing voltage selection unit configured to transfer an internal voltage selected from the internal voltages to the common probing pad in response to a plurality of voltage selection signals.
US08461853B2 High voltage liquid dielectric test vessel
A test vessel assembly comprises a central test vessel defining a chamber in which a sample to be tested may be stored. A pair of side adjustable electrodes is received in the chamber and immersed in the sample under test to determine the breakdown voltage of the sample. A gap between the electrodes can be adjusted by respective electrode adjusting moved in and out of the test vessel by rotation of an associated adjusting wheel. To prevent the breakdown in air rather than in the sample, care is taken to ensure sufficiently large creepage and clearance distances between the connections to the electrodes and from the connections to the electrodes to a wall of the test chamber. To this end, the adjusting wheels include convolutions that mesh with corresponding convolutions in the test vessel.
US08461830B2 Apparatus and method for measuring displacements of displaceable members
Apparatus and method for measuring displacements of a rotary or linearly-displaceable member by counting periods of displacement thereof along a predetermined displacement path, including a pulse generator located at a pulse-generation station proximate to the displacement path; and an electrical circuit controlled by the pulse generator to actuate a first sensor to sense the status of the displaceable member at the particular instant one of said second machine-sensible elements passes through the pulse-generation station, and to increment a counter in accordance with said status determination. In the described preferred embodiments, the second machine-sensible elements are magnetic elements; and the pulse generator includes a coil, a magnetic core magnetically coupled to the coil, and a spring-mounting for the magnetic core causing the core to move from an initial position in one direction with respect to the coil when aligned with one of the second machine-sensible elements, and to be returned in the opposite direction by the spring to its initial position, whereby the coil generates pulses during such movements of the magnetic core.
US08461818B1 Transient response device, having parallel connected diode and transistor, for improving transient response of power supply
A device for improving transient response of a power supply includes a diode connected in series with an output of the power supply and configured to provide a predetermined voltage drop to an output voltage of the power supply. The device further includes a source follower transistor connected in parallel with the diode and configured to be selectively activated to remove at least a portion of the predetermined voltage drop of the diode from the output voltage of the power supply during a transient period, in which an output current of the device is increasing.
US08461815B1 Fast transient buck regulator with dynamic charge/discharge capability
Systems and methods are disclosed to control a buck converter with a first switching circuit including a first upper power transistor coupled to a first lower power transistor at a first junction; a second switching circuit including a second upper power transistor coupled to a second lower power transistor at a second junction; an inductor coupled to the first and second junctions; and a load coupled to the second junction.
US08461814B2 Boost/buck converter and method for controlling it
A power supply circuit capable of providing two regulated voltages based on a D.C. input voltage, including a boost converter and a buck-boost converter, the circuit including a single inductive element common to the boost and buck-boost converters.
US08461810B2 Circuit for generating boosted voltage and method for operating the same
A boosted voltage generation circuit may include: a boosting circuit configured to boost an input voltage based on a boosting rate and output a boosted voltage, a boosting rate setting unit configured to receive a feedback on a level of the input voltage and set a boosting rate, and an input voltage level setting unit configured to set the level of the input voltage in response to a target level of the boosted voltage and the boosting rate.
US08461791B2 Inverter for electric vehicle
An inverter for an electric vehicle includes a speed instruction generating unit, a frequency voltage converting unit, an integrator and a 2-to-3 phase converter. The speed instruction generating unit outputs a speed instruction for changing the rotational frequency of an electric motor based on the on/off of a signal outputted from the accelerator pedal. The frequency voltage converting unit outputs a voltage instruction based on the frequency of the speed instruction. The integrator outputs a rotational angle by performing integration on the frequency of the speed instruction. The 2-to-3 phase converter receives the voltage instruction and the rotational angle and converts the received voltage instruction and rotational angle into three-phase voltage instructions.
US08461778B2 Controlling intensity of a light through qualified motion sensing
Methods and apparatuses for controlling light intensity of a light through motion sensing are disclosed. One method includes sensing a first instance of motion. The light is activated only if consecutive instances of motion are sensed, wherein each instance is sensed within a gap of time of a previously sensed instance of motion, and the consecutive instances of motion being sensed span an entire window of time after sensing the first instance of motion. One apparatus includes a motion sensor for sensing a first instance of motion. The apparatus further includes a controller interfaced to the motion sensor and the light, the controller operative to activate the light only if consecutive instances of motion are sensed, wherein each instance is sensed within a gap of time of a previously sensed instance of motion, and the consecutive instances of motion being sensed span an entire window of time after sensing the first instance of motion.
US08461774B2 Lighting power circuit with peak current limiter for EMI filter
Light source power circuits and EMI filters therefor are presented in which a depletion mode field effect transistor is connected in series with an EMI filter capacitor following an input rectifier to allow filtering of EMI and to limit capacitive currents during triac switching when powered through a phase-cutting dimmer circuit.
US08461770B2 Light-emitting diode driver
A light-emitting diode (LED) driver used to power at least one LED with an alternating current (AC) voltage source is provided. The LED driver includes a rectifying unit applying N-fold higher voltage than the voltage from the AC voltage source to the LED. The rectifying unit includes a first charging unit to charge a first voltage, and a second charging unit to charge a second voltage. The first voltage includes the voltage at the AC voltage source during a first half-cycle of one AC voltage cycle, and the second voltage includes the first voltage and the voltage at the AC voltage source during the second half-cycle of the AC voltage cycle. Accordingly, the LED driver may improve light-emitting efficiency and reduce flicker of LEDs.
US08461767B2 Power factor control for an LED bulb driver circuit
A light-emitting diode (LED) bulb has a shell and a base attached to the shell. An LED is within the shell. A driver circuit provides current to the LED. The driver circuit has a power factor control circuit that includes a tracking circuit configured to produce a tracking signal indicative of the voltage of the supply line. The power factor control circuit also includes a switch-mode power supply (SMPS) controller having an input pin and an output pin. The tracking circuit is connected to the input pin. Based on the signal at the input pin, the SMPS controller is configured to change a duty cycle of an output signal on the output pin.
US08461758B2 Buffer bilayers for electronic devices
The present invention relates to buffer bilayers, and their use in electronic devices. The bilayer has a first layer including (a) at least one electrically conductive polymer doped with at least one non-highly-fluorinated acid polymer and (b) at least one highly-fluorinated acid polymer, and a second layer including inorganic nanoparticles which are oxides or sulfides.
US08461756B2 Linear white light source, and backlight and liquid crystal display device using the same
A linear white light source 1 includes a base, a plurality of light emitting diode chips linearly disposed on the base and each generating ultraviolet light having a wavelength of not less than 330 nm nor more than 410 nm, and a phosphor layer continuously formed on the base to cover the plurality of light emitting diode chips and containing a red light emitting phosphor, a green light emitting phosphor, and a blue light emitting phosphor.
US08461755B2 Light source for lighting
A light source used for illumination provides favorable heat dissipation properties while suppressing the lowering of the efficiency of light emission. The light source includes a mount substrate, an LED 23 mounted on the mount substrate and a silicon resin mold containing phosphor particles that convert the wavelength of light emitted from the LED 25. The mount substrate includes a metal substrate 23 coated with a ceramic layer 24 containing light-transmissive or highly reflective ceramic particles.
US08461753B2 Fluorescent lamp with multi-layer phosphor coating
A low-pressure discharge lamp includes, in an exemplary embodiment, a light-transmissive envelope, a fill-gas composition capable of sustaining a discharge sealed inside the light-transmissive envelope, and a phosphor composition at least partially disposed on an interior surface of the light-transmissive envelope. The phosphor composition is disposed on an interior surface of the light-transmissive envelope in a plurality of layers that include at least a basecoat phosphor layer and a topcoat phosphor layer. The basecoat phosphor layer includes at least one halophosphor and the topcoat phosphor layer includes a blend of at least two rare earth phosphors. The basecoat phosphor layer has a greater Color Rendering Index (CRI) value than the topcoat phosphor layer.
US08461746B2 Liquid control apparatus
A liquid control apparatus controls movement of liquid in a microfluidic device having a sample introducing port, a sample delivering port, and a flow channel for holding liquid. The apparatus includes a vibration wave generating section for generating a vibration wave to be applied to the microfluidic device, and a signal supplying section for supplying drive signals so as to make the vibration wave generating section oscillate in different oscillation modes. The signal supplying section is capable of generating drive signals in a plurality of drive signal supply modes for realizing at least three of a transfer mode for moving liquid in a predetermined direction, a stop mode for stopping the movement of liquid, a mixing and/or agitation mode for mixing and/or agitating liquid, and a localization mode for localizing a predetermined substance in liquid, and for supplying the drive signals to the vibration wave generating section in a selected supply mode. In addition, the microfluidic device is held on the vibration wave generating section, and the transfer mode is carried out by using a resonance frequency to cause the microfluidic device to resonate.
US08461744B2 Rotating transducer mount for ultrasonic surgical instruments
In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a handpiece housing that operably supports an electrical contact assembly therein that is in electrical communication with a signal source. An acoustic assembly is supported within the handpiece housing in rotatable contact with the electrical contact assembly. In various embodiments, the signal source produces at least one of an ultrasonic signal and a radio frequency signal.
US08461743B2 Electrostatic actuator apparatus and method of driving the same
According to one embodiment, a method of driving an electrostatic actuator includes a first electrode provided on a substrate, a second electrode arranged above the first electrode to be movable in a vertical direction, and an insulating film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, includes boosting a power supply voltage to generate a driving voltage of the electrostatic actuator, and applying the driving voltage to each of the first electrode and the second electrode when setting the electrostatic actuator in an up state.
US08461740B2 Rotary electric machine
A rotary electric machine comprises a rotor rotatable within a stator assembly, the stator assembly comprising a stator body defining a plurality of stator slots accommodating electrical conductors, a slot liner being provided within each slot to provide electrical insulation between the stator body and the electrical conductors, wherein each slot liner protrudes from an end of the stator slot and carries an armor element to protect the slot liner and associated conductors from erosion while permitting efficient cooling.
US08461736B2 Electric motor for operating a shutter element or solar protection element in a building
An electric motor (100) for operating a shutter or solar protection element in a building, comprising at least two phases (10; 20, 30; 50, 60) and a magnetized rotor (16; 40; 70) common to both phases, each phase being relative to a rotor portion (41, 42; 71; 72) in the direction of the axis of the rotor and comprising two windings (14, 15), wherein each phase comprises an insulating yoke frame (13) on which the two windings are produced and which has a central portion (131) separating the windings, the central portion being provided with a first through-recess (134) able to surround a rotor portion passing through the phase.
US08461733B2 Power supply unit-integrated dynamoelectric machine
A dynamoelectric machine main body that includes: a housing that is constituted by a rear bracket and a front bracket; a rotor; a stator; and a fan, and a power supply unit that is mounted integrally onto the dynamoelectric machine main body are included, the power supply unit is disposed between the fan and a bottom portion of the rear bracket, and the power supply unit is disposed between the fan and a bottom portion of the rear bracket, and the rear bracket has: air discharge ports that are formed on portions that are positioned radially outside the fan; and air suction ports that have openings nearer to a bottom portion than the power supply unit, and includes a partitioning member for configuring a ventilation channel that extends from the air suction ports to the air discharge ports that is disposed between the power supply unit and the fan.
US08461732B2 Transverse regulated flux alternator
An alternator has a rotor to be associated with a prime mover shaft and driven for rotation. The rotor is provided with permanent magnets. A stator has pole pieces, including a main winding and flux diverters separating the main winding from a control coil. Control is provided for controlling the power passing through the control coil. The alternator is a transverse flux machine. A vehicle power system including the alternator is also disclosed.
US08461728B2 Linear vibrator having broadband
A linear vibrator is disclosed having a structure capable of generating a large vibratory force with a small size, outputting various types of vibrations in a wide bandwidth, and accurately coupling the magnet, the linear vibrator including: a case providing an inner space; a trembler including a yoke formed with a circular plate-shaped wing unit, a one inner lateral end-closed, cylindrical insertion unit bent from the wing unit to have a stair, an inner magnet coupled by being inserted into the insertion unit, and an external magnet coupled to one surface of the wing unit; an elastic member fixed at one end to the case and fixed at the other end to the trembler; and a stator fixed to the case to vibrate the trembler.
US08461727B2 Method and apparatus for operating an electrical appliance
In a method for operating an electrical appliance such as a hob, the electrical appliance has a plurality of functional units, an operator control surface and a freely movable operator control element for mounting on the operator control surface, with a mounting point for the operator control element provided on the operator control surface for each functional unit. A sensor for a touch switch and a sensor for identifying the rotation of the operator control element are provided on the mounting point. The mounting of an operator control element on the mounting point is identified and evaluated as an activation indication of the associated functional unit. Subsequent rotation of the operator control element is identified and effects a change in the functional unit, with a functional state of the corresponding functional unit being maintained after the operator control element is removed from the mounting point.
US08461717B2 Active filtering electrical accumulator unit
A power generation system has a generator, a power bus and an electrical accumulator unit. The electrical accumulator unit includes an independent controller that actively filters transients from the power bus.
US08461714B2 Direct converter and system including a direct converter
A direct converter includes n input phase connections and p output phase connections, where n≧2 and p≧2. The direct converter also includes (n·p) two-pole switching cells for switching at least one positive voltage and at least one negative voltage between the poles. Each output phase connection is connected in series with each input phase connection, respectively, via a switching cell. To enable any desired and continuous current flow setting from an input phase connection to an output phase connection of the direct converter and, moreover, to exchange electrical energy between the two-pole switching cells of the direct converter, at least one inductance is connected into each series connection. A system including a direct converter is also provided.
US08461712B1 Power generating system
The present disclosure pertains to an electric power generation system having a channeling system, a tower having a base, a top frame, an opening, a vane, a gap, an interior area, and a periphery, and a turbine. The tower allows for the creation of a vortex flow of medium in the interior area of the tower thereby creating a pressure drop in the interior area of the tower and increasing the flow of medium across the turbine.
US08461708B2 Wind driven power generator
A wind driven generator includes a rotor disposed in a cylindrical duct and supported by a frame for rotation in response to wind flowing through the duct. The rotor includes plural circumferentially spaced paralleled rotor blades supported for rotation about a generally horizontal axis. Each blade is supported for pivotal movement to change blade pitch, angle of attack or camber as the rotor rotates. A pitch or camber control motor, self-governing wind vane mechanism, or governing mechanism is operable to move a circular cam to vary blade pitch or camber to control rotor speed. The duct is mounted on a mast having a base supported on a foundation for pivotal movement to face the wind for maximizing air flow through the duct. Electric power generators are connected to opposite ends of the rotor at respective power output or drive shafts.
US08461706B2 Flow development and cogeneration chamber
A fluid handling and cogeneration system has an inlet conduit receiving a fluid, a housing having a inlet end, a outlet end and an interior surface. The housing encloses an inner body which together with the housing is arranged to form an annular space between the interior surface of the housing and an exterior surface of the inner body. The system also includes at least one diverter configured such that the fluid is directed to circulate around the inner body and traverse the annular space from the diverter toward the outlet end of the housing in an organized fashion. A generator is provided within the housing to harness the fluid traversing the annular space to generate electrical power.
US08461701B2 Weather responsive treadle locking means for power generation system
A vehicle energy harvester including a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and a treadle locking device that selectively locks the vehicle activated treadle in the second position.
US08461700B2 Transient absorber for power generation system
A vehicle energy harvester including a subunit having an upper surface forming a roadway surface; a vehicle activated treadle on the subunit, the vehicle activated treadle moveable between a first position in which an upper surface of the treadle is at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the roadway surface and a second position in which the upper surface of the treadle is flush with the upper surface of the roadway surface; a generator that generates power in response to movement of the vehicle activated treadle; and a transient absorption device coupled between the vehicle activated treadle and the generator.
US08461698B1 PCB external ground plane via conductive coating
An integrated circuit assembly (ex.—a flip chip package, a wire bond chip package) is provided which includes a substrate (ex.—a printed circuit board) and a die assembly. The die assembly includes an integrated circuit chip which is connected to the printed circuit board. Further, an external dielectric layer (ex.—a solder mask layer) of the printed circuit board is at least substantially coated with a conductive coating (ex.—a low sintering temperature, nano-particle silver coating). The conductive coating is not in contact with the die assembly and/or passive electronics which are connected to the printed circuit board, however the conductive coating is electrically connected to the printed circuit board. The conductive coating provides (ex—acts as) an external ground plane for the printed circuit board.
US08461697B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit device
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, arrangement relationship of power source area I/O pads differs between a peripheral portion and a center portion of a gate region of a chip. That is, in two columns and two rows of the peripheral portion of the gate region, VDD area I/O pads connected to a high-voltage power source VDD and GND area I/O pads connected to a ground power source GND are alternately aligned and arranged both in a row direction and in a column direction. Moreover, in the center portion of the gate region, the same VDD area I/O pads or the same GND area I/O pads are successively aligned in the row direction, and the VDD area I/O pads and the GND area I/O pads are alternately aligned and arranged in the column direction.
US08461696B2 Substrate for semiconductor package, semiconductor package including the same, and stack package using the semiconductor package
A substrate for a semiconductor package is provided having first and second core layers defining a cavity having an adhesive member and sized and shaped to receive a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor package further having a connection member formed on a bond finger and connected to a via pattern formed through the first and second core layers. A stack package is also provided having multiple substrates.
US08461694B1 Lead frame ball grid array with traces under die having interlocking features
A package includes a first plated area, a second plated area, a die attached to the first plated area, and a bond coupling the die to the second plated area. The package further includes a molding encapsulating the die, the bond, and the top surfaces of the first and second plated areas, such that the bottom surfaces of the first and second plated areas are exposed exterior to the package. Additional embodiments include a method of making the package.
US08461691B2 Chip-packaging module for a chip and a method for forming a chip-packaging module
A chip-packaging module for a chip is provided, the chip-packaging module including an isolation material configured to cover a chip on at least one side, the isolation material having a first surface proximate to a first side of a chip, and said isolation material having a second surface facing an opposite direction to the first surface; and at least one layer in connection with the chip first side, the at least one layer further configured to extend from the chip first side to the second surface of the isolation material.
US08461685B2 Substrate comprising a plurality of integrated circuitry die, and a substrate
A substrate including a plurality of integrated circuitry die is fabricated or otherwise provided. The individual die have bond pads. A passivation layer comprising a silicone material is formed over the bond pads. Openings are formed through the silicone material to the bond pads. After the openings are formed, the die are singulated from the substrate. In one implementation, a method of fabricating integrated circuitry includes providing a substrate comprising a plurality of integrated circuitry die. Individual of the die have bond pads. A first blanket passivation layer is formed over the substrate in contact with the bond pads. A different second blanket passivation layer comprising silicone material is formed over the first passivation layer. Openings are formed through the first and second passivation layers to the bond pads. After the openings are formed, the die are singulated from the substrate. Other aspects and implementations are contemplated.
US08461677B2 Magnetic field sensors and methods for fabricating the magnetic field sensors
Magnetic field sensors and associated methods of manufacturing the magnetic field sensors include molded structures to encapsulate a magnetic field sensing element and an associated die attach pad of a lead frame and to also encapsulate or form a magnet or a flux concentrator.
US08461675B2 Substrate panel with plating bar structured to allow minimum kerf width
A semiconductor die substrate panel is disclosed including a minimum kerf width between adjoining semiconductor package outlines on the panel, while ensuring electrical isolation of plated electrical terminals. By reducing the width of a boundary between adjoining package outlines, additional space is gained on a substrate panel for semiconductor packages.
US08461673B2 Edge connect wafer level stacking
A stacked microelectronic assembly includes a first stacked subassembly and a second stacked subassembly overlying a portion of the first stacked subassembly. Each stacked subassembly includes at least a respective first microelectronic element having a face and a respective second microelectronic element having a face overlying and parallel to a face of the first microelectronic element. Each of the first and second microelectronic elements has edges extending away from the respective face. A plurality of traces at the respective face extend about at least one respective edge. Each of the first and second stacked subassemblies includes contacts connected to at least some of the plurality of traces. Bond wires conductively connect the contacts of the first stacked subassembly with the contacts of the second stacked subassembly.
US08461672B2 Reconstituted wafer stack packaging with after-applied pad extensions
A stacked microelectronic unit is provided which can include a plurality of vertically stacked microelectronic elements (12, 12A) each having a front surface (117), contacts (22) exposed at the front surface, a rear surface (118) and edges (18, 20) extending between the front and rear surfaces. Traces (24) connected with the contacts may extend along the front surfaces towards edges of the microelectronic elements with the rear surface of at least one of the stacked microelectronic elements being adjacent to a top face (90) of the microelectronic unit. A plurality of conductors (66) may extend along edges of the microelectronic elements from the traces (24) to the top face (90). The conductors may be conductively connected with unit contacts (76) such that the unit contacts overlie the rear surface (118) of the at least one microelectronic element (12A) adjacent to the top face.
US08461664B2 N- and p-channel field-effect transistors with single quantum well for complementary circuits
A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device in which a single InxGa1-xSb quantum well serves as both an n-channel and a p-channel in the same device and a method for making the same. The InxGa1-xSb layer is part of a heterostructure that includes a Te-delta doped AlyGa1-ySb layer above the InxGa1-xSb layer on a portion of the structure. The portion of the structure without the Te-delta doped AlyGa1-ySb barrier layer can be fabricated into a p-FET by the use of appropriate source, gate, and drain terminals, and the portion of the structure retaining the Te-delta doped AlyGa1-ySb layer can be fabricated into an n-FET so that the structure forms a CMOS device, wherein the single InxGa1-xSb quantum well serves as the transport channel for both the n-FET portion and the p-FET portion of the heterostructure.
US08461658B2 Spin transport device
The spin transport device includes a semiconductor layer; a first ferromagnetic layer provided on the semiconductor layer via a first tunnel barrier layer; a second ferromagnetic layer provided on the semiconductor layer via a second tunnel barrier layer so as to be divided from the first ferromagnetic layer; and a first wire which generates, upon application of an electric current, a magnetic field in a region between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer in the semiconductor layer.
US08461654B2 Spacer shape engineering for void-free gap-filling process
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate stack on the semiconductor substrate; forming a gate spacer adjacent to a sidewall of the gate stack; thinning the gate spacer; and forming a secondary gate spacer on a sidewall of the gate spacer after the step of thinning the gate spacer.
US08461651B2 ESD protection devices for SOI integrated circuit and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention discloses an ESD protection structure in a SOI CMOS circuitry. The ESD protection structure includes a variety of longitudinal (vertical) PN junction structures having significantly enlarged junction areas for current flow. The resulting devices achieve increased heavy current release capability. Processes of fabricating varieties of the ESD protection longitudinal PN junction are also disclosed. Compatibility of the disclosed fabrication processes with current SOI technology reduces implementation cost and improves the integration robustness.
US08461650B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
Semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate; an insulating layer located on the semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor body located on the insulating layer; a cavity formed in the semiconductor body and into the insulating layer; source/drain regions abutting opposite first side faces of the semiconductor body; gates located on opposite second side faces of the semiconductor body; a channel layer interposed between the respective second side faces and the cavity; and a super-steep-retrograded-well and a halo super-steep-retrograded-well formed in the channel layer. The super-steep-retrograded-well and the halo super-steep-retrograded-well have opposite dopant polarities.
US08461646B2 Trench MOS barrier schottky (TMBS) having multiple floating gates
A semiconductor rectifier is provided which includes a semiconductor substrate having a first type of conductivity. An epitaxial layer is formed on the substrate. The epitaxial layer has the first type of conductivity and is more lightly doped than the substrate. A plurality of floating gates is formed in the epitaxial layer and a metal layer is disposed over the epitaxial layer to form a Schottky contact therebetween. A first electrode is formed over the metal layer and a second electrode is formed on a backside of the substrate.
US08461644B2 Latch-up free vertical TVS diode array structure using trench isolation
This invention discloses a transient voltage suppressing (TVS) array disposed on a semiconductor substrate supporting an epitaxial layer of a first conductivity type. The device includes a plurality of isolation trenches opened in said epitaxial layer filled with an insulation material wherein a first and second isolation trenches insulating a first semiconductor region from other semiconductor regions in the substrate. A body region of a second conductivity type is disposed in an upper part of said epitaxial layer wherein the body region extends laterally over an entire length of the first semiconductor region between said first and second isolation trenches. A bipolar transistor comprising two vertically stacked PN junctions disposed between the isolation trenches wherein, the bipolar transistor is triggered by a Zener diode comprising a bottom vertically stacked PN junction between the body region and the epitaxial layer for carrying a transient current for suppressing a transient voltage.
US08461626B2 Hetero-structure field effect transistor, integrated circuit including a hetero-structure field effect transistor and method for manufacturing a hetero-structure field effect transistor
A hetero-structure field effect transistor (HFET). The HFET may include a first contact and a second contact and a hetero-junction structure. The hetero-junction structure may include a first layer made from a first semiconductor material and a second layer made from a second semiconductor material. An interface at which the first layer and the second layer are in contact with each other may be provided, along which a two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is formed in a part of the first layer directly adjacent to the interface, for propagating of electrical signals from the first contact to the second contact or vice versa. The transistor may further include a gate structure for controlling a conductance of the channel; a substrate layer made from a substrate semiconductor material, and a dielectric layer separating the first layer from the substrate layer. The second contact may include an electrical connection between the substrate layer and the first layer. The electrical connection may include a passage through the dielectric layer filled with an electrically conducting material which is electrically connected to the first layer.
US08461625B2 Carrier mobility enhanced channel devices and method of manufacture
An integrated circuit with stress enhanced channels, a design structure and a method of manufacturing the integrated circuit is provided. The method includes forming a dummy gate structure on a substrate and forming a trench in the dummy gate structure. The method further includes filling a portion of the trench with a strain inducing material and filling a remaining portion of the trench with gate material.
US08461622B2 Reverse-conducting semiconductor device
A reverse-conducting semiconductor device includes a freewheeling diode and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) on a common wafer. Part of the wafer forms a base layer with a base layer thickness. The IGBT includes a collector side and an emitter side arranged on opposite sides of the wafer. A first layer of a first conductivity type and a second layer of a second conductivity type are alternately arranged on the collector side. The first layer includes at least one first region with a first region width and at least one first pilot region with a first pilot region width. The second layer includes at least one second region with a second region width and at least one second pilot region with a second pilot region width. Each second region width is equal to or larger than the base layer thickness, whereas each first region width is smaller than the base layer thickness. Each second pilot region width is larger than each first pilot region width. Each first pilot region width is equal to or larger than two times the base layer thickness, and the sum of the areas of the second pilot regions is larger than the sum of the areas of the first pilot regions.
US08461621B2 Method and apparatus of forming bipolar transistor device
The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device having a transistor. The transistor includes a substrate. The transistor includes a collector region that is formed in a portion of the substrate. The transistor includes a base region that is surrounded by the collector region. The transistor includes an emitter region that is surrounded by the based region. The transistor includes an isolation structure that is disposed adjacent the emitter region. The transistor includes a gate structure that is disposed over a portion of the emitter region and a portion of the isolation structure.
US08461613B2 Light emitting device
A light emitting device comprises: a plurality of light emitting diodes and an insulating (low temperature co-fired ceramic) substrate with an array of recesses each for housing a respective one of the light emitting diodes. The substrate incorporates a pattern of electrical conductors that is configured for connecting the light emitting diodes in a selected electrical configuration and to provide at least two electrical connections on the floor of each recess. Light emitting diodes can be electrically connected to the electrical connections by at least one bond wire or by flip chip bonding. Each recess is filled with a transparent material to encapsulate each light emitting diode. The transparent material can incorporate at least one phosphor material such that the device emits light of a selected color and/or color temperature.