Document Document Title
US08539610B2 Software security
An apparatus with at least one secure memory area comprising a plurality of pre-installed public keys for verifying software authenticity. The apparatus is caused to receive an indication that a software package signed with a private key according to public key infrastructure has been received; check from the secure memory area, whether a public key associated with the private key with which the software package has been signed, is disabled; and if the public key associated with the private key is disabled, prevent execution of the received software package, and otherwise, proceed to verify authenticity of the received software package using the public key associated with the private key.
US08539604B2 Method, system and program product for versioning access control settings
The present invention allows changes to access control settings for a computer-based resource to be detected and stored in a set (e.g., one or more) of electronic documents. In a typical embodiment each stored change includes a previous access control setting and a new access control setting so that the precise differences resulting from changes can be known. In addition, in the event of an access control condition such as an undesired security risk or undesired security restriction, the history of changes maintained in the set of documents can be consulted, and a previous version of access control settings can be reverted to.
US08539602B2 Microcontroller with secure feature for multiple party code development
Multiple secure environments are established within a system on a chip (SoC) by defining a first secure region within a non-volatile memory in the SoC with a first set of parameters written into a predefined parameter region of the non-volatile memory. A second secure region within the non-volatile memory may be defined at a later time by a second set of parameters written into another predefined parameter region of the non-volatile memory. A security module is initialized each time the SoC is powered on by transferring the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters from the parameter region to the security module in a manner that does not expose the first set of parameters or the second set of parameters to a program being executed by the processor. The multiple secure regions of the SoC are enforced by the security module according to the parameter data.
US08539601B2 Secure data storage and retrieval
A system for secure data processing can include an electronic data storage device and a field programmable gate array coupled to the electronic data storage device. The field programmable gate array can be configured to include a data storage section for performing a data storage operation and a data retrieval section for performing a data retrieval operation. The data storage operation can include obtaining a seed value and retrieving one or more algebraic operations based on the seed value. The storage operation can also include processing input data according to the one or more algebraic operations to generate pseudorandom output data, prepending the seed value to the output data and storing the output data in the electronic data storage device.
US08539596B2 Security within integrated circuits
A method for hindering detection of information unintentionally leaked from a secret held in a memory unit is described, the method including receiving a triggering event waiting for at least a first amount of time to pass after the receipt of the triggering event, the memory unit being in a non-operational state during the at least a first amount of time after the at least a first amount of time has passed, changing at least one first condition under which the memory unit operates, thereby causing the memory unit to enter an operational state, waiting for a second amount of time to pass after the changing at least one first condition, and changing, after the second amount of time, at least one second condition under which the memory unit operates, thereby causing the memory unit to enter the non-operational state, wherein access to the secret information is enabled only during the second amount of time, and detection of secret information unintentionally leaked is limited during the first amount of time. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08539592B2 Method and apparatus of encrypting content delivery
A method for delivering a data stream to a plurality of clients in a network. The method involves receiving the data stream from a media server, where the data stream includes a plurality of data packets and a data stream identifier associated with at least one of the plurality of data packets, securing the data stream received from the media server by applying a filter to the data stream to obtain a filtered data packet from the plurality of data packets based on the data stream identifier, encrypting the filtered data packet using an encryption scheme to obtain a encrypted media content, and distributing the encrypted media content to at least one of the plurality of clients in the network.
US08539587B2 Methods, devices and data structures for trusted data
A data structure has within it the following elements: an identification of a data structure type; and a proof that two or more instances of the data structure type are as trustworthy as each other. Methods and devices using such data structures are described.
US08539581B2 Efficient distribution of a malware countermeasure
Embodiments include a system, an apparatus, a device, computer-program product, and a method. An embodiment provides a network device. The network device includes an information store operable to save a countermeasure useable in at least substantially reducing a harm caused by a malware (hereafter the “malware countermeasure”). The network device also includes a transmission circuit for sending a packet to at least one node of a plurality of networked nodes. The network device further includes a protection circuit for implementing the malware countermeasure in the network device.
US08539571B2 Method and apparatus for providing network security using security labeling
A method and apparatus for providing network security using security labeling is disclosed. The method includes comparing first security level information and second security level information, and indicating processing to be performed on the packet based on the comparing. The first security level information is stored in a security label of a packet received at a network node, while the second security level information is stored at the network node.
US08539567B1 Multi-tiered authentication methods for facilitating communications amongst smart home devices and cloud-based servers
Apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for synchronizing distributed states amongst a plurality of entities and authenticating devices to access information and/or services provided by a remote server. Synchronization techniques include client devices and remote servers storing buckets of information. The client device sends a subscription request to the remote serve identifying a bucket of information and, when that bucket changes, the remote server sends the change to the client device. Authentication techniques include client devices including unique default credentials that, when presented to a remote server, provide limited access to the server. The client device may obtain assigned credentials that, when presented to the remote server, provide less limited access to the server.
US08539565B2 Load balancing in server computer systems
Systems and methods to implement load balancing of connections to a server computer in a server collection are described. The server collection receives connection requests from remote clients over a network. A session broker evaluates one or more load parameters of the server computers in the server collection and, based on those load parameters, determines load associated with each server computer. The session broker redirects the connection requests to the server computer which has a lesser load.
US08539563B2 Non-obtrusive security system for devices
A security system is provided including providing a device including: storing a security rule for operation of the device when an event occurs; and implementing the security rule upon the occurrence of the event to allow non-obtrusive user access to the device.
US08539559B2 System for using an authorization token to separate authentication and authorization services
A novel system for utilizing an authorization token to separate authentication and authorization services. The system authenticates a client to an authenticating server; generates an authorization token with the authenticating server and the client; and authorizes services for the client using the generated authorization token.
US08539541B2 Remote control device and remote control method using the same
A remote control device and method is provided. The remote control device and method provide a more intuitive and convenient user interface to a user. The remote control device and method allow a user to browse a plurality of contents provided by a target device and execute desired contents in the target device more intuitively and conveniently. The remote control device and method also allow a user to select an external device connected to a target device and execute contents, provided by the external device, in the target device more intuitively and conveniently.
US08539537B2 Method for processing connection request of a disk player
A method for connecting a media player to a remote server is provided. The method comprises processing a request for connecting to an remote server while reproducing data recorded on an enhanced navigation medium, processing connection information recorded on the enhanced navigation medium to determine whether connection to the remote server is permitted, and requesting connection to the remote server, if connection to the remote server is permitted in accordance with the connection information.
US08539536B2 Fragmentation of a file for instant access
Techniques for fragmenting a file or a collection of media data are disclosed. According one aspect of the techniques, a file pertaining to a title is fragmented into a header and several tails or segments. The header is a continuous portion of the file while the segments are respective parts of the remaining portion of the file. The header is seeded substantially in all boxes, and none, one or more of the segments are distributed in each of the boxes in service. When a title is ordered, the header is instantly played back while the segments, if not locally available, are continuously fetched respectively from other boxes that have the segments.
US08539533B2 System and method for digital personal video stream manager
A digital personal video stream manager (102) includes a control processor (202), a media interface (204), and one or more control interfaces. The media interface (204) can receive broadband audio and video and convert it into digital file format for transmission on a LAN, such as an IEEE 802.11 based wireless LAN, to a personal computer (110). The media interface (204) can likewise receive digital media files from the personal computer (110) via the wireless interface, and convert them to a format for playback by the audio system (118) or television (116). Further, the digital personal video stream manager (102) can receive controls from remote users to supervise media recording. The control interfaces allow control of the digital personal video stream manager, such as via infrared remote controls.
US08539525B2 Method and apparatus in a media player
A method and arrangement for switching between a common media stream and a selective media stream of a media session received in a media player including a media buffer entity. Media frames of either a common media stream or a selective media stream are received and buffered in the media buffer entity. A switch at the media buffer entity is then controlled so that the output of the media buffer entity is changed from delivering common media frames to delivering selective media frames, or vice versa, upon detecting a stream switching trigger frame in the received media frames.
US08539523B2 System and method for delivering content to mobile devices
A system for generating an optimized video including in-stream events for video content and advertising content selected at the time of playback is disclosed. The system includes a manifest generating module configured to retrieve video content from a content repository for listing in a content manifest in response to a received request from a mobile device, the content manifest including at least one advertisement insertion point. The system further includes an advertising event correlation module configured to retrieve one or more advertisements based on a correlation between advertisement properties and playback properties and an advertisement serving module configured to provide the retrieved one or more advertisement for insertion into the at least one advertisement event insertion point.
US08539521B2 Virtual channel table for a broadcast protocol and method of broadcasting and receiving broadcast signals using the same
A virtual channel table for broadcasting protocol and a method for broadcasting by using the virtual channel table includes identification information identifying and permitting discrimination of active and inactive channels contained in the virtual channel table. At a receiver, the virtual channel table transmitted from the transmitting side is parsed, thereby determining whether the current received channel is an active or inactive channel.
US08539516B1 System and method for enabling interoperability between application programming interfaces
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for sharing graphics objects between a compute unified device architecture (CUDA) application programming interface (API) and a graphics API. The CUDA API includes calls used to alias graphics objects allocated by the graphics API and, subsequently, synchronize accesses to the graphics objects. When an application program emits a “register” call that targets a particular graphics object, the CUDA API ensures that the graphics object is in the device memory, and maps the graphics object into the CUDA address space. Subsequently, when the application program emits “map” and “unmap” calls, the CUDA API respectively enables and disables accesses to the graphics object through the CUDA API. Further, the CUDA API uses semaphores to synchronize accesses to the shared graphics object. Finally, when the application program emits an “unregister” call, the CUDA API configures the computing system to disregard interoperability constraints.
US08539511B2 Retrospective event processing pattern language and execution model extension
A novel and useful method, system and framework for extending event processing pattern language to include constructs and patterns in the language to support historical patterns and associated retrospective event processing that enable a user to define patterns that consist of both on-line streaming and historical (retrospective) patterns. This enables entire functions to be expressed in a single pattern language and also enables event processing optimization whereby function processing is mapped to a plurality of event processing agents (EPAs). The EPAs in turn are assigned to a physical processor and to threads within the processor.
US08539510B2 Method for providing a real time view of heterogeneous enterprise data
A method for providing a real time view of heterogeneous enterprise data of operational systems includes capturing streams of operational events in real time, combining the events with contextual data, and materializing a resulting view. The resulting view includes a dynamically defined view of the stream of events and provides visibility into a current state of the operational system. A view snapshot is continuously incrementally updated by a view maintenance engine as a stream of rows. The views are used to evaluate a business rule. An alert is fired when a business rule holds true. To enable the view in a view engine, a SQL string characterizing the view is parsed into a parse tree, which is normalized to form a query graph. The query graph is then optimized to obtain a query plan, which is compiled into an operator graph. Queries are executed based upon the operator graph.
US08539505B2 Automatically arranging objects in a selected portion of a graphical program block diagram
Various embodiments of a system and method for automatically arranging or positioning objects included in a selected portion of a graphical program are described. A user may select a first portion of the graphical program. The graphical programming development environment may automatically re-arrange the selected first portion of the graphical program without re-arranging the rest of the graphical program. For example, nodes in the first portion of the graphical program may be automatically re-positioned so as to better organize the first portion of the graphical program.
US08539504B2 Heterogeneous architecture in pooling management
A method, system, and computer program product for managing a heterogeneous connection pooling structure. The heterogeneous architecture of pooling management comprises connections having different connection attributes (i.e. different data source properties) that can share a same connection pool (i.e. same connection pool data source). An application requests a connection from data source having a specified data source property. An application server searches a pool module for an available cached connection. If a cached connection is available, the cached connection is automatically selected as a returned connection. A connection reuse protocol and a statement reuse protocol is determined and invoked to reconfigure the cached connection for reuse as a connection between the application and a database server.
US08539487B2 Automatically generating compound commands in a computer system
A computer system provides a way to automatically generate compound commands that perform tasks made up of multiple simple commands. A compound command generation mechanism monitors consecutive user commands and compares the consecutive commands a user has taken to a command sequence identification policy. If the user's consecutive commands satisfy the command sequence identification policy the user's consecutive commands become a command sequence. If the command sequence satisfies the compound command policy, the compound generation mechanism can generate a compound command for the command sequence automatically or prompt an administrator to allow the compound command to be generated. Generating a compound command can be done on a user by user basis or on a system wide basis. The compound command can then be displayed to the user to execute so that the command sequence is performed by the user selecting the compound command for execution.
US08539478B2 Dynamic web installer
A dynamic web installer, in which a user selects components via an external input selector (e.g. a web page) and, based on those selections, generates a custom installer to include only the components requested by the user. The user can then retrieve this installer and perform the installation.
US08539476B2 System and method for management of mutating applications
A method for adapting a provisioned content of an application program on a mobile device, the content of the application being partitioned into a set of addressable logical modules, the method comprising the steps of provisioning a first group of logical modules selected from the set of logical modules to provide provisioned content on the device, monitoring execution path information of the provisioned content during execution on the device, evaluating the execution path information to adapt the provisioned content by one or more of adding logical modules to the first group from the set of logical modules, removing logical modules from the first group of logical modules or suspending logical modules from the first group of logical modules, to form a second group of logical modules, revising the first group of logical modules to correspond to the second group of logical modules to provide a revised content; and adapting the provisioned content of the application on the terminal to correspond to the revised content, during execution on the device.
US08539467B2 Method and data processing system for solving resource conflicts in assembler programs
Embodiments relate to solving conflicts in assembler programs. An aspect includes generating an internal representation of the control flow of the source code of the assembler program, the internal representation including nodes for every instruction and a directed edge for every possible flow of control between nodes. Data attributes are attributed to the nodes and/or the edges to store the information about whether the resource used by an instruction is available or for which amount of time is unavailable. A data-flow analysis is the applied to the internal representation of the control flow of the source code to determine whether the resource used by an instruction of the assembler program is available or for which amount of time is unavailable. Each node is checked for whether the instruction accesses a resource which is unavailable. An appropriate action is then taken to overcome the resource conflict.
US08539458B2 Transforming addressing alignment during code generation
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for changing addressing mode during code generation. Generally, embodiments of the invention use a compiler transformation to transform lower level code from one address alignment to another address alignment. The transformation can be based upon assumptions of a source programming language. Based on the assumptions, the transformation can eliminate arithmetic operations that compensate for different addressing alignment, resulting in more efficient code. Some particular embodiments use a compiler transformation to transform an Intermediate Representation (“IR”) from one-byte addressing alignment into multi-byte (e.g., four-byte) addressing alignment.
US08539454B2 Method and system for detecting memory leaks
A method, system, and/or computer program product for detecting memory leaks in a computer application includes instrumenting one or more software methods to increment and decrement a reference count of a software object. The reference count of the software object may be set to a predetermined count when the software object is created. The one or more software methods instrumented to increment and decrement the reference count of the software object may be executed. When the one or more software methods return from execution, the method, system, and/or computer program product may determine whether the reference count is set to the predetermined count.
US08539453B2 Autonomic I/O tracing and performance tuning
In an embodiment, a kernel performs autonomic input/output tracing and performance tuning. A first table is provided in a device driver framework and a second table in a kernel of a computer. An input/output device monitoring tool is provided in the device driver framework. A plurality of instructions in the kernel compares each value in the first table with each value in the second table. Responsive to a match of a value in the first table and a value in the second table, the kernel automatically runs a command line to perform a system trace, a component trace, or a tuning task. The first table is populated with a plurality of values calculated from a plurality of data in a plurality of device memories and in the controller memory and the second table is populated in accordance with a second plurality of inputs to the command line interface.
US08539450B2 Fast and accurate data race detection for concurrent programs with asynchronous calls
A system and method for analyzing a concurrent program employ asynchronous function calls for communication and recursion. A control flow graph is constructed based on a context-sensitive pointer analysis, whereupon encountering a function pointer, a points-to set of the function pointer is computed in a context-sensitive fashion to determine a set of potential function calls. The context-sensitive pointer analysis is terminated when no new potential function calls are encountered and where the potential function calls may contribute new data races other than those that exist in the contexts traversed thus far. To decide this, a characterization of pointer aliasing based upon complete update sequences is employed. A set of contexts that may contribute to different data races are enumerated by tracking update sequences for function and lock pointers and pointers that are shared or point to shared memory locations. Data race detection is carried out on the control flow graph.
US08539438B2 System and method for efficient creation and reconciliation of macro and micro level test plans
A method includes creating a macro plan for a test project, creating a micro plan for the test project, wherein the micro plan and the macro plan are based on at least one common parameter, and reconciling the macro plan and the micro plan by identifying deviations between the macro plan and the micro plan based on the at least one common parameter.
US08539437B2 Security process model for tasks within a software factory
Security for a software factory is provided by detecting a request by a user to utilize the software factory. Upon being authenticated, the user is granted permission to access specific areas of the software factory. A log is created of locations in software factory that have been accessed by the user. This log is then utilized in an audit that describes how effective the software factory is in creating deliverable software.
US08539428B2 Method for extracting information for a circuit design
The present disclosure is directed to a method for extracting information for a circuit design. The method may utilize an incremental extraction process for extracting information for a portion of the circuit design. Extracted results of this portion may be merged with a previously extracted result to obtain an integrated result that is equivalent to that of extracting the entire circuit design. The incremental extraction process may identify a set of changed shapes, a set of affected shapes, and a set of involved shapes for extraction. The method may also divide the circuit design into a plurality of regions, wherein two or more regions may be processed in parallel.
US08539418B1 Method and apparatus for performing efficient incremental compilation
A method for designing a system on a target device includes identifying candidate portions in the system to preserve based on similarities between the system and another system. Preservation criteria are applied on the candidate portions in the system to preserve to identify portions of the system to preserve. Design results from the another system are reused for portions in the system that are preserved.
US08539414B1 Automatic asynchronous signal pipelining
An electronic design automation (EDA) tool alters a user's netlist to provide timing success for distribution of asynchronous signals. Distribution networks are used with the addition of pipeline registers before and/or after the distribution buffer. Or, a tree of pipeline registers is inserted between the asynchronous source and the destination registers. Or, any number of distribution networks are stitched together and pipeline stages may be inserted before and/or after each distribution buffer. Or, beneficial skew is utilized by introducing a delay component that skews a clock signal. The skewed clock signal drives a pipeline register that is inserted before a distribution buffer in order to improve timing margin. Any of various compilation techniques may be used within the EDA tool to solve the problem of distributing high-speed, high-fanout asynchronous signals. The technique has utility for high-performance FPGAs and structured ASIC families, as well as for low-cost FPGAs and other types of logic devices.
US08539407B2 Intelligent timing analysis and constraint generation GUI
A system generally including a clock structure analysis tool, a static timing analysis tool and a waveform tool is disclosed. The clock structure analysis tool may be configured to generate a simplified clock structure for a clock signal in a complex clock structure in a design of a circuit. The static timing analysis tool may be configured to generate a plurality of results for a plurality of intermediate signals in the simplified clock structure in response to a static timing analysis of the design. The waveform tool may be configured to generate a first representation in a graphical user interface format of the intermediate signals and the results.
US08539406B2 Equivalence checking for retimed electronic circuit designs
Techniques and technology for formally verifying a first electronic design with a second electronic design that has been synthesized from the first electronic design, wherein the synthesis process included structural transformation operations, is provide herein. In various implementations, a first design and a second design are received. The second design having been synthesized from the first design, where no structural transformation operations were performed during synthesis of the second design. Additionally, a third design and a structural transformation guidance file are received. The third design having also been synthesized from the first design, but, where structural transformation operations were performed during synthesis of the third design. The structural transformation guidance file specifies what transformations where made during synthesis. Subsequently, a first formal verification process is implemented to verify the equivalence of the first design to the second design using conventional formal verification proofs. A modified second design is then generated, by applying changes to the second design to correspond to the structural transformations detailed in the structural transformation guidance file. After which, a second formal verification process is implemented to verify the equivalence of the third design and the modified second design.
US08539405B2 Method and system for implementing top down design and verification of an electronic design
Disclosed is a method and system for performing design and verification using stepwise refinement techniques, which can also include or be referred to as “top-down” design verification. With the present stepwise refinement approach, the electronic design can be acted upon at different levels of abstraction, but with approximately the same level of resolution at each abstraction level. A strong relationship of consistency exists between the successive abstraction levels of the design. On account of this consistency, properties that are established or true at one level of the design remain true for all subsequent levels of abstraction of the design. The present approach also allows designers to more efficiently and accurately perform hardware/software co-design. For the co-design process, consistency between different levels of abstraction allows a designer to safely implement a systematic and concurrent divide-and-conquer approach to the hardware and/or software elements in a design.
US08539404B2 Functional simulation redundancy reduction by state comparison and pruning
Methods and systems initiate a simulation of an integrated circuit design. The simulation produces data that will exist in latches of the integrated circuit design when a device manufactured according to the integrated circuit design is operating. The methods and systems evaluate same-state latches associated with different portions of the simulation. If two of the same-state latches have the same state, given the same inputs and environmental conditions, the method and systems terminate a first portion of the simulation associated with a first of the same-state latches, but allow a second portion of the simulation associated with a second of the same-state latches to proceed.
US08539401B2 Generating a convergent circuit design from a functional description using entities having access to the functional description and to physical design information
A method of designing a circuit is described. In an embodiment, a physical design implementation for the circuit is created using a plurality of entities. These entities are named “genomes”. Each entity includes a portion of a functional description of the circuit that has been synthesized into a gate-level implementation. An entity is selected to facilitate the physical design implementation meeting a plurality of design constraints. Several steps (e.g., beginning with selection of an entity) of this method are repeated several times to meet the design constraints. As a consequence, the physical design implementation provides more accurate information for use in a final physical design implementation. Moreover, the physical design implementation can be created faster than prior techniques while still allowing a global view of the physical design implementation in meeting design constraints.
US08539395B2 Method and apparatus for merging multiple geometrical pixel images and generating a single modulator pixel image
The present invention relates to customizing individual workpieces, such as chip, flat panels or other electronic devices produced on substrates, by direct writing a custom pattern. Customization can be per device, per substrate, per batch or at some other small volume that makes it impractical to use a custom mask or mask set. In particular, it relates to customizing a latent image formed in a radiation sensitive layer over a substrate, merging standard and custom pattern data to form a custom pattern used to produce the customized latent image. A wide variety of substrates can benefit from the technology disclosed.
US08539388B2 Method and apparatus for low power semiconductor chip layout and low power semiconductor chip
A layout system is described comprising a layout unit configured to layout cells in a mask design for a semiconductor chip based on library cells for a specified process node; a non-critical path determination unit configured to determine a non-critical path in the semiconductor chip; a cell determination unit configured to determine a group of cells in the mask design that form a part of the non-critical path and determine the corresponding library cell for at least one of the group of cells; a library cell modifying unit configured to modify one or more corresponding library cells to form a corresponding modified library cell; and a cell replacement unit configured to replace a library cell in the group of cells in the mask design that form a part of the non-critical path with the corresponding modified library cell.
US08539385B2 Device, method, and graphical user interface for precise positioning of objects
A method includes, at a computing device with a touch-sensitive display: displaying a user interface object on the touch-sensitive display; detecting a contact on the user interface object; while continuing to detect the contact on the user interface object: detecting an M-finger gesture, distinct from the contact, in a first direction on the touch-sensitive display, where M is an integer; and, in response to detecting the M-finger gesture, translating the user interface object a predefined number of pixels in a direction in accordance with the first direction.
US08539383B2 Processing for distinguishing pen gestures and dynamic self-calibration of pen-based computing systems
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media process and distinguish user input device gestures, such as gestures input via a pen in a pen-based computing system, e.g., to quickly and reliably distinguish between electronic ink entry, single taps, double taps, press-and-hold actions, dragging operations, and the like. Systems, methods, and computer-readable media also are provided for dynamically calibrating a computer system, e.g., calibrating a displayed input panel view based on input data recognized and received by a digitizer. Such systems and methods may operate without entering a dedicated or special calibration application, program, or routine.
US08539376B2 Information processing apparatus, display method, and display program
This application discloses systems and methods for receiving information associated with a first set of processing instructions and presenting a second icon indicating a change in status of data associated with the first set of processing instructions. A user selection of one of a first icon or the second icon may then be received. The selection of the first icon may cause execution of the first set of processing instructions, whereas selection of the second icon may cause execution of a second set of processing instructions.
US08539371B2 Formatting ticker content in a handheld wireless telecommunication device
Tickers are populated with location-based information that is selected according to the geographic location of communication devices. The location of a communication device is identified based on a GPS system, proximity to transmitters in a wireless network, user input, or using other techniques. Location-appropriate content is obtained either in real-time from the network or from a local data store at the communication device. In general location-based, context-aware content can be displayed on tickers associated with a variety of communication devices, including mobile communication devices and “immobile” or stationary personal computers.
US08539365B2 IM conversation management
A method and apparatus for managing IM conversations is provided. In response to idle time and, preferably, read message status, particular current conversations are removed from a list of current conversations. The removed conversations may be moved to an archive which may be automatically maintained in response to size constraints. An archive interface is facilitated to review conversations, save all or portions thereof, delete, etc. The archived conversations are preferably associated with the contact for the conversation to show a history of conversations.
US08539363B2 User-configured management of IM availability status
A method includes associating a user-defined shortcut command with at least two different user-drafted status responses. In response to a user receiving a first instant message from a first sender at an inopportune time and the user then inputting the user-defined shortcut command, the method includes automatically transmitting a first user-draft status response to the first sender of the first instant message that was received at the inopportune time. In response to the user receiving a second message from a second sender at the inopportune time and the user then inputting the user-defined shortcut command, the method includes automatically transmitting a second user-draft status response to the second sender of the instant message that was received at the inopportune time. A relationship between the first sender and the user is different than a relationship between the second sender and the user.
US08539359B2 Social network driven indexing system for instantly clustering people with concurrent focus on same topic into on-topic chat rooms and/or for generating on-topic search results tailored to user preferences regarding topic
A machine-implemented social networking system includes a hierarchy tree containing topic nodes. New nodes are added as new topics emerge in online public forums. Each topic node can link to an on-topic real time chat room whose occupants are currently discussing the topic of the node. A node-seeking automated process operates in the background and seeks out nodes that currently have topics appearing to be the same as or similar to what topics the user appears to have in mind. Content browsing experience of the user is enhanced by addition of an invitations displaying subsystem that automatically invites him or her to co-compatible chat rooms currently discussing the topic(s) the user appears to have in mind.
US08539352B2 Electronic apparatus having operation guide providing function
There is provided an electronic device which presents manipulation guidance to a user as appropriate, depending on whether it is a function that the user can infer the manipulation method or substance of manipulation of.An electronic device operating by switching between a plurality of types of manipulation targets includes: a storage section storing a database containing data of a guidance sentence concerning a switching manipulation for manipulation targets and guidance sentences concerning manipulations of executing functions of the respective manipulation targets; a detection section for detecting a switching of manipulation targets; a table generation section for generating a table based on the database in response to the detected switching of manipulation targets, such that the functions of the manipulation targets are classified in the table each into a common function for manipulation targets before and after a switching manipulation or a unique function; and a determination section for, if a function designated to be executed pertains to the common function, determining that a confirmation message concerning a switching of manipulation targets is to be presented, and if the function designated to be executed pertains to the unique function, determining that confirmation messages concerning the switching and the designated function are to be presented.
US08539349B1 Methods and systems for splitting a chinese character sequence into word segments
Systems, methods and machine readable medium including machine readable code for splitting a Chinese character sequence into word segments are disclosed. A synchronization list including a plurality of Chinese words is provided. An input data string including a Chinese character sequence is received and one of the plurality of Chinese words from the synchronization list is identified in the Chinese character sequence. The identified Chinese word is defined as a word segment in the Chinese character sequence. An undefined character sequence is identified in the Chinese character sequence. The undefined character sequence is segmented into at least one word segment.
US08539344B2 Paper-based interface for multimedia information stored by multiple multimedia documents
The present invention provides techniques for generating a printable representation of multimedia information that can be printed on a paper medium to provide a paper-based interface for the multimedia information. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides techniques for generating a single printable representation that includes multimedia information extracted from a plurality of different multimedia documents or multimedia sources. The single printable representation includes multimedia information selected from the plurality of multimedia documents based upon selection criteria.
US08539339B2 Synthetic navigation elements for electronic documents
A computer-implemented method for managing the display of items in a web-based document application includes providing an electronic document that includes a plurality of content items, anchoring a plurality of base layers to different discrete positions of the electronic document, and anchoring ones of the plurality of content items to particular ones of the base layers so that when the spreadsheet is scrolled on a computer display, the content items move with the spreadsheet by virtue of the anchoring of the content items to the base layers and the anchoring of the base layers to the spreadsheet.
US08539338B2 Cooperative rendering cache for mobile browser
A cooperative rendering cache browser (CRC-Browser) for a mobile device may cooperatively manage cached content with a proxy server to reduce redundant transmissions of processed Web data. Additionally, the CRC-Browser may provide stateful, thin-client Web browsing to maintain synchronized information about rendering objects of a Web page. Further, the CRC-Browser may cache only stable and/or visible document object model (DOM) elements and communicate a list of IDs of the cached elements to the proxy. Such stateful thin-client browsers may be useful for reducing battery drain, poor responsiveness, and high wireless network costs of mobile Web browsing.
US08539337B2 Internet services and methods thereof
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium operating in a web server having computer instructions for receiving from an Internet browser a request to create a viewing profile for a web page, creating the viewing profile by generating an asynchronous script for processing at least a portion of data supplied by a web service, embedding the asynchronous script in the web page, and presenting at the Internet browser the updated web page with the embedded asynchronous script. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08539336B2 System for linking to documents with associated annotations
An annotation system includes first annotation data for annotating a manifestation of a first instance of a first XML document. The first instance of the first XML document is served by a document system. The first annotation data includes a first XML document identifier for the first XML document. The first annotation data is uniquely identified by a first annotation data identifier. The document system is configured to respond to a request containing the first XML document identifier with a manifestation of a second instance of the first XML document. The annotation system: (A) receives a request containing the first annotation data identifier; (B) issues a request containing the first XML document identifier to the document system; and (C) in response to the request containing the first annotation data identifier, manifests the first annotation data in connection with a manifestation of a second instance of the XML document.
US08539321B2 Apparatus and method for correcting at least one bit error within a coded bit sequence
An apparatus for correcting at least one bit error within a coded bit sequence includes an error syndrome generator and a bit error corrector. The error syndrome generator determines the error syndrome of a coded bit sequence derived by a multiplication of a check matrix with a coded bit sequence.
US08539318B2 Power and pin efficient chip-to-chip communications with common-mode rejection and SSO resilience
In bus communications methods and apparatus, a first set of physical signals representing the information to be conveyed over the bus is provided, and mapped to a codeword of a spherical code, wherein a codeword is representable as a vector of a plurality of components and the bus uses at least as many signal lines as components of the vector that are used, mapping the codeword to a second set of physical signals, wherein components of the second set of physical signals can have values from a set of component values having at least three distinct values for at least one component, and providing the second set of physical signals for transmission over the data bus in a physical form.
US08539315B2 Semiconductor storage device, nonvolatile semiconductor memory test method, and medium
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a controller. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a firmware area capable of storing firmware used to execute either a normal mode or an autorun test mode and a user area capable of storing user data. The controller reads the firmware from the nonvolatile semiconductor memory and determines whether the firmware has been set in either the normal mode or the autorun test mode. The controller repeats erasing, writing, and reading in each block in the user area using a cell applied voltage higher than a voltage used in a normal mode, and enters a block where an error has occurred as a bad block.
US08539311B2 System and method for data recovery in multi-level cell memories
A system and method are provided for data recovery in a multi-level cell memory device. One or more bits may be programmed sequentially in one or more respective levels of multi-level cells in the memory device. An interruption of programming a subsequent bit in a subsequent second or greater level of the multi-level cells may be detected. Data may be recovered from the multi-level cells defining the one or more bits programmed preceding the programming interruption of the second or greater level.
US08539309B2 System and method for responding to error detection
Systems and methods to respond to error detection are provided. A particular method may include issuing a first command to a first redrive device and a second command to a second redrive device. The method may also include reissuing the second command to the second redrive device in response to detecting a transmission error between a memory controller and the second redrive device. The method may further include storing at a first buffer first data that is received from the first redrive device in response to the first command. The method may include storing at a second buffer second data that is received from the second redrive device in response to the reissued second command. The method also may include merging the second data with the first data.
US08539293B2 Integrated circuit for compression mode scan test
An integrated circuit for performing a design for testability (DFT) scan test is provided. The integrated circuit includes at least one scan chain including a plurality of flip-flops, at least one interface scan chain including a plurality of flip-flops, a decompressor configured to be connected with an input terminal of the at least one interface scan chain and to decompress a first input signal and then transmit it to the at least one scan chain, a compressor configured to be connected with an output terminal of the at least one scan chain and to compress an output signal of the at least one scan chain, and at least one multiplexer configured to be connected with the decompressor and to selectively output an output signal of the decompressor or a second input signal in response to a control signal.
US08539292B2 Testing of an integrated circuit that contains secret information
An integrated circuit comprises a scan chain with parallel inputs and outputs coupled to a functional circuit. A scan chain modifying circuit is provided coupled to the scan chain. When testing is authorized the scan chain modifying circuit operates in a mode wherein a normal shift path is provided through the scan chain. When testing is not authorized the scan chain modifying circuit operates to effect spontaneous dynamic changes in the shift path, which dynamically vary the length of the shift path between external terminals of the integrated circuit while shifting takes place. In an embodiment the dynamical variations are controlled by a running key comparison. In other embodiments running key comparison is used to disable transfer through the scan chain or operation of functional circuits.
US08539287B2 Method for transmitting control information in wireless communication system
A method for transmitting control information in a wireless communication system is provided. A codeword is generated by performing forward error correction (FEC) encoding on control information to generate. An interleaved code is generated by interleaving the codeword. A combined code is generated by combining the codeword and the interleaved code. A transport block is generated by repeating the combined code and is transmitted.
US08539283B2 System and method for executing a high-reliability application
A system for executing a high-reliability application and a third party application is provided. The system includes an application module and a second module. The application module has control logic for executing the high reliability application and the third party application. The high reliability application generates a message sequence. The application module includes a normal operating mode, a high reliability mode, and a high reliability boot. The second module is in communication with the application module, and includes a first control logic for monitoring the message sequence when the application module is operating in the normal operating mode. The second module also includes control logic for initiating the high reliability boot in the application module.
US08539278B2 Methods and systems for measuring I/O signals
Some embodiments of the invention relate to an embedded processing system. The system includes a memory unit to store a plurality of operating instructions and a processing unit coupled to the memory unit. The processing unit can execute logical operations corresponding to respective operating instructions. An input/output (I/O) interface receives a first time-varying waveform and provides an I/O signal that is based on the first time-varying waveform. A comparison unit coupled to the processing unit and adapted to selectively assert an error signal based on whether the I/O signal has a predetermined relationship with a reference signal, wherein the predetermined relationship holds true during normal operation but fails to hold true when an unexpected event occurs and causes an unexpected change at least one of the I/O signal and reference signal.
US08539276B2 Recovering from lost resources in a distributed server environment
An apparatus, method, and computer readable storage medium are disclosed to recover from lost resources in a distributed server environment. A status monitor module receives, at a first computer, periodic status messages from a peer computer. Each periodic status message indicates that the peer computer is providing a service for which the first computer serves as a backup service provider. A failure detection module determines, based on the periodic status messages, that the peer computer has stopped providing the service. An advancement module provides the service, at the first computer, in response to determining that the peer computer has stopped providing the service.
US08539275B2 Single wire serial interface
A single wire serial interface for power ICs and other devices is provided. To use the interface, a device is configured to include an EN/SET input pin. A counter within the device counts clock pulses sent to the EN/SET input pin. The output of the counter is passed to a ROM or other decoder circuit. The ROM selects an operational state for the device that corresponds to the value of the counter. In this way, control states may be selected for the device by sending corresponding clock pulses to the EN/SET pin. Holding the EN/SET pin high causes the device to maintain its operational state. Holding the EN/SET pin low for a predetermined timeout period resets the counter and causes the device to adopt a predetermined configuration (such as off) until new clock pulses are received at the EN/SET pin.
US08539274B2 Load shedding during emergency power off event
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for load shedding during an emergency power off event. In one embodiment, power is supplied from a main power source to a plurality of electrical loads within a device enclosure. Power loss is detected from the main power source. Upon detecting the power loss, at least one of the electrical loads is disconnected from a supplemental power source such that power to at least one remaining load connected to the supplemental power source is sustained by the supplementary power source.
US08539273B2 Electronic device for detecting a type of a charger device during a sleep mode
An electronic device includes a microcontroller (MCU) and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU enters a sleep mode. The MCU determines whether a charger device is inserted in the electronic device according to whether power is supplied from the charger device, and wakes up the CPU when the charger device is inserted in the electronic device. After being awakened, the CPU detects a type of the charger device, and adjusts charging current from the charger device to the electronic device according to the type of the charger device.
US08539269B2 Apparatus and method for high current protection
An apparatus may comprise one or more processor cores of a processor and a set of current limiters. Each current limiter may be coupled to a respective processor core and arranged to monitor processor activity in the processor, to compare the processor activity to one or more current limits of multiple current limits; and to initiate a current-limiting action when the one or more current limits is exceeded.
US08539268B2 Apparatus and method for controlling current consumption in a multi modem system
An apparatus and a method for controlling power consumption in a system having a plurality of modems are provided. In the method, whether an interrupt is generated in each modem is detected. An amount of current consumption of the system at a processing point of the generated interrupt is determined. The amount of current consumption of the system is compared with a threshold, so that the processing point of the generated interrupt is controlled.
US08539263B2 Method of choosing a functioning mode of an integrated circuit device and relative device
A method is for choosing a mode out of a set of functioning modes of an integrated circuit (IC) device powered from different supply voltages from respective supply nodes. The IC device may include a mode pin for determining a functioning mode of the device, an internal control circuit coupled to the supply nodes and to the mode pin for sensing an electrical value on the mode pin and to start the IC device in a respective functioning mode depending on the supply node that is powered first. The method may include identifying the different supply voltage that first exceeds a threshold voltage, when the internal control circuit is powered, sensing the electrical value on the mode pin, and powering circuits of the IC device from the different supply voltage that first exceeded the threshold voltage and starting the device in a functioning mode determined by a value of the electrical value sensed on the mode pin and by the different supply voltage that first exceeded the voltage threshold.
US08539260B2 Method, apparatus, and system for enabling platform power states
To address the need for power management, the following facilitates maintaining power states in an efficient manner based at least in part on managing packets at different layers of an input/output interface that supports multiple layers. One specific example prevents a destructive event for link layer control logic because packets and information might have been lost or dropped due to a hang condition and/or a dropped packet. In yet another example of power management, this facilitates a low power platform state by preventing the loss of packets or data upon exiting a platform power state upon initiation of a link reset condition by preventing certain types of packets from reaching link layer controller logic.
US08539253B2 System and method for securing information by obscuring contents of a persistent image
Files or directories in a persistent image such as a file system backup structure are hidden from general access by establishing a data set used by the file system when accessing the persistent image. The data set indicates a visibility status of the files or directories in the persistent image. Requests to the file system for access to the image are filtered through the data set to prevent unintentionally revealed information in the image from being generally available. Commands to add and remove entries in the data set are provided. The data set may be composed of combinations of lists, in which list entries indicate a hidden file or directory, or indicate a visible file or directory. The data set is maintained in system memory and updated on disk to permit restoration of the data set when a volume is mounted or during recovery from a system crash. Information that was unintentionally revealed in the active file system while a backup was being made can be obscured retroactively to provide protection from general access to improve information security in the file system.
US08539251B2 Memory for protecting data, memory system including the memory, and method of driving the memory
A memory for protecting data includes a first storage area storing a number of encryption keys, a second storage area receiving the encryption keys from the first storage area and storing again the received encryption keys, and a selection unit selecting one of the encryption keys stored in the second storage area according to a control signal, and encoding data input from outside the memory using a selected encryption key or decoding the data stored in the first storage area using the selected encryption key.
US08539247B2 Password checking
A method is disclosed for password checking. After input is received, a proposed password included in the input is parsed into symbols. At least one of the symbols includes two or more characters. A probably metric is determined based on a sequence of symbols. The probability metric is used to determine whether or not the password is secure.
US08539245B2 Apparatus and method for accessing a secure partition in non-volatile storage by a host system enabled after the system exits a first instance of a secure mode
In one embodiment, a peripheral controller coupled to a processor can include a storage controller. This storage controller can control access to a non-volatile storage coupled to the peripheral controller. The storage may include both secure and open partitions, and the storage controller can enable access to the secure partition only when the processor is in a secure mode. In turn, during unsecure operation such as third party code execution, visibility of the secure partition can be prevented. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08539227B2 Digital broadcasting receiving apparatus and scramble channel deciding method capable of shortening time required for scramble decision
In a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, a receiver receives video packets or audio packets configuring a program of digital broadcast. A selector selects a part of the video packets or the audio packets of each channel received by the receiver. A determination unit determines whether or not decoding of the part of the packets selected by the selector has been completed normally. A decision unit decides requirement for descramble processing of each channel based on the determination result of the determination unit.
US08539223B2 Network configuration setting generation system, device, and method
In a communication system of the present invention, second setting information is automatically generated according to first setting information used for performing predetermined processing between at least two devices when the first setting information is set to a first device of the at least two devices, where the second setting information is generated for a second device of the at least two devices. Then, the communication system transmits the automatically-generated second setting information to the second device. Otherwise, the communication system writes the automatically-generated second setting information onto a portable recording medium so that the second device can read the second setting information from the portable recording medium.
US08539219B2 Information access apparatus, program storage medium and method
An information access apparatus has an activation state permitting an information access to a recording medium, and a non-activation state permitting a change to the activation state. The apparatus comprises: a medium access section that permits, in the activation state, information access and ejection of the recording medium out of the information access apparatus; an instruction operating section that receives instruction operation for instructing the ejection of the recording medium; and an activation control section that controls change from the non-activation state to the activation state of the information access apparatus in such a manner that when the recording medium is loaded, change from the non-activation state to the activation state is permitted in response to reception of the instruction operation by the instruction operating section, and when the recording medium is not loaded, change from the non-activation state to the activation state is inhibited.
US08539214B1 Execution of a program module within both a PEI phase and a DXE phase of an EFI firmware
Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for executing the same program module in a PEI phase and a DXE phase are disclosed. According to one method, a program module is first executed in the PEI phase. While the program module is executing in the PEI, it stores the memory address of a DXE entry point in a hand-off block. When the DXE phase is entered, the stored DXE entry point for the program module is retrieved from the hand-off block and the program module is executed at the DXE entry point.
US08539211B2 Allocating registers for loop variables in a multi-threaded processor
A multi-threaded processor comprises a processing unit (PU) for concurrently processing multiple threads. A register file means (RF) is provided having a plurality of registers, wherein a first register (LI) is used for storing loop invariant values and N second registers (LVI-LVN) are each used for storing loop variant values. Furthermore N program counters (PCI-PCN) are provided each being associated to one of the multiple threads, wherein N being the number of threads being processed.
US08539195B2 Non-volatile memory device with non-evenly distributable data access
A system includes chips and a control module. Each of the chips includes an array of memory cells. Each of the arrays of memory cells includes rows of memory cells. Each of the rows of memory cells is configured to store a predetermined amount of data. The control module is configured to receive data, encode the data to generate blocks of encoded data, store a first portion of one of the blocks of encoded data in a first selected number row of a first chip, and store a remaining portion of the one of the blocks of encoded data in a second selected number row of a second chip. An amount of data in each of the blocks of encoded data is more than the predetermined amount of data. The second selected number row is a same number row or a higher number row than the first selected number row.
US08539194B2 Storage system and method for storage capacity change of host-device-specified device
A controller in a storage system receives a capacity change command specifying a device, and changes, to a volume capacity value indicating a storage capacity following the capacity change command, a volume capacity value of a virtual volume associated with the device specified in management information, which includes the volume capacity value indicating a storage capacity of the virtual volume. As such, without increasing or decreasing the number of logical volumes associated with a device provided by a host device, the device can be changed in storage capacity.
US08539178B2 Computer system and method for performing remote copy using journal
A computer system for performing a remote copy using a journal so as to maintain conformability of data stored in a secondary storage system even though a time stamp is not granted to write data received by a primary storage system. A storage managing unit issues an ID, such as a time stamp number (TS#) next to an immediately previously issued ID to one or more primary storage systems (PDKCs) at regular or irregular intervals. Upon receiving a write command, each PDKC prepares a journal (JNL) including a replica of write data and the newest ID from the storage managing unit, and transmits the journal to a secondary storage system (SDKC). The SDKC stores a received JNL and reflects up to a particular JNL of non-reflected JNLs in a secondary volume. The particular JNL has an ID older by one than the oldest ID of the newest arrival completion IDs in one or more SDKCs.
US08539177B1 Partitioning of a storage array into N-storage arrays using virtual array non-disruptive data migration
Described are a system and method of migrating data stored logical units of storage (LUNs) at a source storage array to a plurality of destination storage arrays transparently with respect to a host in communication with the source storage array through a switch. The source storage array is divided into a plurality of source virtual arrays including a first source virtual array and a second source virtual array. Each destination storage array is divided into one or more destination virtual arrays. During a data migration event, data stored in a LUN of the first source virtual array are copied to a corresponding LUN of a destination virtual array of a first one of the destination storage arrays, and data stored in a LUN of the second source virtual array are copied to a corresponding LUN of a destination virtual array of a second one of the destination storage arrays.
US08539170B2 Decoding circuit
This invention makes it possible to use an inexpensive memory as the line memory of a decoding circuit. To do this, a command comparator separates compressed data into a first command that requires memory access and a second command requires no memory access. A decoder requests memory read of decompressed data necessary for decompression of the first command, decodes the first command based on the decompressed data, and requests memory write of decompressed data obtained by decoding. A RAM access controller controls read and write of a RAM cache and a line memory and executes memory read and memory write corresponding to a request from the decoder.
US08539165B2 Methods for managing ownership of redundant data and systems thereof
A storage system according to one embodiment includes a first storage tier; a second storage tier; logic for storing instances of a file in the first storage tier and the second storage tier; logic for determining an ownership status for each instance of the file in the storage system, wherein the ownership status includes owned and unowned; logic for determining a location of each instance of the file in the storage system; logic for determining whether each instance of the file in the first storage tier is being accessed or not being accessed; logic for assigning each instance of the file to one of a plurality of indices using the determined ownership status, location, and whether the instance is being accessed; logic for receiving a request to access the file or instance thereof from a user; logic for selecting an instance of the file based on an assignment of the instance of the file to one of the indices; and logic for providing the user with access to the selected instance of the file or copy thereof. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also presented.
US08539162B2 Caching based on spatial distribution of accesses to data storage devices
Methods and systems for quantifying a spatial distribution of accesses to storage systems and for determining spatial locality of references to storage addresses in the storage systems are described. In one aspect, a specified quantity of address references associated with a storage system is received. A spatial distribution of references to addresses of the storage system is determined based at least in part on the received specified quantity of the address references, and the determined spatial distribution is combined with a previously determined spatial distribution into a spatial locality metric of the storage system. The spatial locality metric includes a weighted sum of the determined spatial distribution and the previously determined spatial distribution. The spatial locality metric is used in caching data from the storage system to a cache device.
US08539161B2 Pre-fetching content items based on social distance
Retrieving content items based on a social distance between a user and content providers. The social distance is determined based on, for example, user interaction with the content providers. The content providers are ranked, for the user, based on the determined social distance. Prior to a request from the user, the content items are pre-fetched based on the ranked content providers and constraints such as storage space, bandwidth, and battery power level of a computing device of the user. In some embodiments, additional content items are retrieved, or retrieved content items are deleted, as a variable-size cache on the computing device fills or changes size.
US08539158B2 Merging data in an L2 cache memory
A method for merging data including receiving a request from an input/output device to merge a data, wherein a merge of the data includes a manipulation of the data, determining that the data exists in a local cache memory that is in local communication with the input/output device, fetching the data to the local cache memory from a remote cache memory or a main memory if the data does not exist in the local cache memory, merging the data according to the request to obtain a merged data, and storing the merged data in the local cache, wherein the merging of the data is performed without using a memory controller within a control flow or a data flow of the merging of the data.
US08539152B2 Memory system topologies including a buffer device and an integrated circuit memory device
Systems, among other embodiments, include topologies (data and/or control/address information) between an integrated circuit buffer device (that may be coupled to a master, such as a memory controller) and a plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. For example, data may be provided between the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices and the integrated circuit buffer device using separate segmented (or point-to-point link) signal paths in response to control/address information provided from the integrated circuit buffer device to the plurality of integrated circuit buffer devices using a single fly-by (or bus) signal path. An integrated circuit buffer device enables configurable effective memory organization of the plurality of integrated circuit memory devices. The memory organization represented by the integrated circuit buffer device to a memory controller may be different than the actual memory organization behind or coupled to the integrated circuit buffer device. The buffer device segments and merges the data transferred between the memory controller that expects a particular memory organization and actual memory organization.
US08539148B1 Deduplication efficiency
A method is used in improving deduplication efficiency. Metadata of a data object is evaluated for determining write activity of the data object. Based on the write activity, deduplicating technique is applied to the data object.
US08539147B2 Apparatus and method for controlling storage system
In a storage control apparatus, a first duplication control unit causes a logical volume in a disk array device to be copied to a secondary storage medium. A second duplication control unit causes the logical volume to be copied also to an export storage medium in a library device, in connection with the copying to the primary storage medium by the first duplication control unit, when export attributes indicate that the logical volume copied by the first duplication control unit is supposed to be exported. A medium ejection control unit causes the library device to eject the export storage medium, in response to an ejection request therefor.
US08539145B1 Increasing the number of ranks per channel
A computer-implemented method for increasing a number of ranks per channel. The channel comprises at least one buffered dual in-line memory module (DIMM). The at least one buffered DIMM comprises a conventional number of ranks and a conventional number of pins. The method includes receiving a memory access request at a memory controller, wherein the memory controller comprises a conventional number of pins. The method also includes encoding a plurality of chip-select (CS) signals at the memory controller, wherein the plurality of CS signals are based on the memory access request, such that the number of ranks per channel increases compared to a conventional number of ranks per channel while not requiring an increase in the number of pins in the memory controller compared to the conventional number of pins of the memory controller.
US08539137B1 System and method for management of virtual execution environment disk storage
A method, system and computer program product for storing data of a Virtual Execution Environment (VEE), such as a Virtual Private Server (VPS) or a Virtual Machine, including starting an operating system running a computing system; starting a Virtual Machine Monitor under control of the operating system, wherein the VMM virtualizes the computing system and has privileges as high as the operating system; creating isolated Virtual Machines (VMs), running on the computing system simultaneously, wherein each VM executes its own OS kernel and each VM runs under the control of the VMM; starting a storage device driver and a file system driver in the operating system; mounting a virtual disk drive; starting VM-specific file system drivers in the VM, the VM specific file system driver together with the common storage device drivers support virtual disk drives, the virtual disk drive is represented on the storage device as a disk image, the disk image data are stored on the storage device as at least one file that includes user data storage blocks and redirection blocks, the redirection blocks point to user data storage blocks, the redirection blocks have a multilevel hierarchy, and the internal structure is used by the VM-specific file system driver.
US08539134B2 PCI express multiplier device
An improved PCI Express multiplier device is disclosed. The PCI Express multiplier device comprises two or more device attachers to attach at least two identical PCI Express devices; a root complex attacher to attach a PCI Express root complex; a copier to copy and forward PCI Express data packets from the root complex to all of the attached identical devices; a collector to collect PCI Express data packets sent from the attached identical devices to the root complex; a selector responsive to the collector to select and forward PCI Express data packets from the collected PCI Express data packets to the root complex.
US08539121B2 Device for connecting an electronic unit to screens of different types without distinction, and a corresponding screen
The invention relates to a device for connecting an electronic unit (1) to different types of screen, the device comprising an external connection connector (6) possessing connector elements (10) distributed in a first series for connection to the display members (17, 21) of screens, and a second series for connection to a loudspeaker (18) of a screen of a first type (2) or to the display member (21) of a screen of a second type (3), the device comprising a display line (7) connected to the connector elements of the first series, a sound line (8) connected to a switch member (11) connected to the connector elements of the second series, and a detector element (12) connected to the connector elements of the connector and to the switch member to cause the switch member to take up a connection state when the connected screen is of the first type and a disconnection state when the connected screen is of the second type. The invention also relates to a screen for connection to the device.
US08539117B2 State change in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for state change in systems having devices coupled in a chained configuration. A number of embodiments include a host and a number of devices coupled to the host in a chained configuration. The chained configuration includes at least one device that is not directly coupled to the host. The at least one device that is not directly coupled to the host is configured to change from a first communication state to a second communication state responsive to receipt of a command from the host.
US08539116B2 System and method for dynamically configuring a target device
In accordance with the present disclosure, a method for dynamically configuring a target device comprises receiving by one or more ports of a target device one or more initiator identifiers from one or more initiators. The method further comprises determining whether a plurality of ports received initiator identifiers from a common initiator. The method further comprises configuring the plurality of the ports to operate as a single, logical port if the plurality of ports received initiator identifiers from a common initiator.
US08539113B2 Indicators for streams associated with messages
Techniques described herein provide for sending and receiving messages. The messages are associated with streams. Indicators associated with the streams determine if the messages are sent.
US08539102B2 Downloading a code image to remote devices
A server downloads a code image to remote devices so that the remote devices are performing properly in accordance with an updated version of the code image. The server may include an application server that targets devices and informs the targeted devices about a multicasting session. The targeted devices subsequently join the multicast session supported by a multicasting server and extract the code image from the multicast session. After the multicast session has been completed, the downloading center polls the targeted devices to determine which devices have successfully downloaded the code image. The server may repeat the download to devices that did not successfully download the code image by subsequently scheduling a subsequent multicasting session or by individually sending the code image to the devices. Portions of the code image may be sent in multicasting messages based on a depth level and interval.
US08539096B2 Systems and methods for configuring ports of an SAS domain
Systems and methods are provided for automatically configuring ports of devices within an SAS network domain. A domain control element, such as an SAS initiator, is coupled to a plurality of expander devices. The domain control element configures ports of the expander devices by traversing port connections between the expander devices to determine routing attributes of the ports. The domain control element automatically configures the ports to operate according to the routing attributes. In one aspect hereof, an initiator device of the SAS network domain serves as a control element to perform the automated configuration of routing attributes. In another aspect hereof, an expander device serves as a control element to configure routing attributes of the ports.
US08539093B2 Port discovery and message delivery in a portable electronic device
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method for fetching email from an email server to a portable electronic device is disclosed. The method includes, at a portable electronic device configured with an email client: (1) when creating an email account on the portable electronic device: (a) attempting to connect to an outbound email server using a first port/security combination according to a first preferred sequence of port/security combinations; (b) if connection is made using the first port/security combination, storing the first port/security combination as a stored configuration for the email account; (c) if connection is not made using the first port/security combination, repeating (1)(a) for different port/security combinations according to the preferred sequence until connection is made with a second port/security combination; and (d) storing the second port/security combination as the stored configuration; and (2) subsequently employing the stored configuration to connect to and send email via the outbound email server.
US08539077B2 Load distribution apparatus, load distribution method, and storage medium
A load distribution apparatus includes: a control unit that refers to a load information storage unit that stores load values of a plurality of information processing apparatuses, selects an information processing apparatus with the load value smaller than a predetermined threshold from the plurality of information processing apparatuses, and determines the information processing apparatus with the load value smaller than a predetermined threshold as an allocation destination of processing requests until the load value of the information processing apparatus reaches the predetermined threshold; and a transmitting unit that transmits the processing requests to the allocation destination determined by the control unit.
US08539074B2 Prioritizing data packets associated with applications running in a networked computing environment
Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach for prioritizing a set of data packets associated with an application running in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment). In a typical embodiment, an SLA associated with a particular application and at least one other SLA associated with at least one other application are accessed (e.g., in a database or the like). A proposed modification to a priority of a set of data packets associated with the particular application (e.g., corresponding to a workload being processed via the particular application) is then determined based on a comparison of a current performance (e.g., transmission rate) of the set of data packets versus a specified performance of the set of data packets as set forth in the SLA. Then, an effect of the proposed modification on a capability of the particular application to meet a set of terms of the SLA, and of the at least one other application to meet a set of terms of the at least one other SLA will be evaluated. Based on this evaluation, it will be determined whether to implement the proposed modification. For example, the proposed modification can be implemented if it will not cause any of the SLAs to be unmet.
US08539071B2 System and method for a storage area network virtualization optimization
A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to determine one or more optimal mappings between a server layer and a storage layer through a network layer based on performance metrics of one or more ports of at least one of the server layer, the storage layer and the network layer.
US08539069B2 Distributed storage system, method thereof and computer readable medium storing distributed storage program
A distributed storage system includes, a plurality of storages configured to store a plurality of items of block data obtained by dividing an original data in a distributed manner, a route planning unit configured to obtain unused bandwidth information of a plurality of networks that are connected to the plurality of storages, and a balancing control unit configured to obtain block data that is a target of data transfer among the plurality of the storages based on the unused bandwidth information of the plurality of networks, and position information indicating a position of the block data in the original data.
US08539065B2 Method and apparatus for providing access to real time control protocol information for improved media quality control
Various embodiments provide methods and systems operable to provide access to real time control protocol (RTCP) information for improved media quality control. An example embodiment includes a message processor to receive a message, the message including information indicative of an RTP port identifier, and to add to the received message information indicative of an auxiliary RTCP port identifier; and a message communication component to communicate the information indicative of an auxiliary RTCP port identifier to a node.
US08539061B2 Systems and methods for web service architectures
Web service registry systems and methods, and web service architectures are disclosed. A web service registry system can include a web service registry, a plurality of web services, a plurality of knowledgebase models, and a control system. The plurality of web services can be published to the web service registry for effective dynamic discovery and invocation of the web services. The plurality of knowledgebase models, which can be defined by domain knowledge experts, can be associated with the web service registry. Each of the knowledgebase models can include a semantic specification and a syntactic specification. The control system can periodically filter non-compliant web services from the web service registry, where a non-compliant web service fails to comply with a predetermined knowledgebase model associated with the web service registry. Other embodiments of the web service management systems, architectures, and methods are also disclosed.
US08539056B2 Systems and methods for configuring multiple network interfaces
In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for configuring multiple network interfaces based on a network profile. In one embodiment, a user interface module manages the creation, modification, and deletion of active and inactive profiles, which may be stored to a configuration file accessible to computers with network interfaces belonging to the respective profiles, such as homogeneous or heterogeneous nodes in a clustered network of computers. In one embodiment, a configuration module reads a configuration file with embedded network profiles and builds the appropriate network interfaces according to the interface parameters specified in the network profiles.
US08539054B2 Remote interface apparatus, control system, and the method thereof
A remote interface apparatus comprises a network interface, a peripheral device interface, an interface-providing mechanism and a network address setting mechanism. The network interface is configured to communicate with a remote host. The peripheral device interface is configured to connect to a peripheral device. The interface-providing mechanism cooperates with the network interface to transfer the peripheral device interface into a remote peripheral device connection port of the host. The network address setting mechanism is configured to automatically obtain a network address upon a connection to the network, and to broadcast information of the peripheral device interface.
US08539049B2 Internet strawman and user interface therefor
A user account including a personal profile is stored by a server for subsequent use. The user is provided a list of displayable entries sortable using specified criteria in a manner that allows the user to review a selection of entries and to make a change to the selection prior to submitting a transaction for processing. Responsive to a request to log into the user account, the identity of the user is verified. Once verified, the transaction is facilitated between a vendor and the user pursuant to instructions from the user. The instructions are generated based on a shopping cart screen rendered by a client device of the user. The user is sent a confirmation message regarding the transaction while the user is logged in the server. The user can be provided an account screen allowing access to information relating to user transactions and information relating to an account balance.
US08539045B2 Host system and remote device server for maintaining virtual connectivity during live migration of virtual machine, and connectivity maintaining method using the same
A host system includes: a virtual machine migration controller for performing live-migration of a virtual machine and driving the virtual machine; and a virtual connection unit for establishing a virtual connection with a remote device server to which a device allocated to the virtual machine is connected. The host system further includes and a virtual controller for providing information for establishing the virtual connection to a destination host of the live-migration, or receiving the information for establishing the virtual connection from a source host from which the live-migration starts and providing the information to the virtual connection unit, driving the virtual machine which has live-migrated.
US08539039B2 Remote server environment
A system in which computer content is encoded at low latency and distributed to one or more client devices and in which user gestures on the client device are translated into a digital representation of the computer's native input format, thereby allowing the client device to control the computer. A method of capturing screen data on a desktop system, packaging the captured content, streaming the content to one or more client device, decoding the content on the client-side, displaying the decoded content on the client device, accepting user input, transmitting the user input to the desktop system, translating the input into a native format, and controlling the desktop system using the translated user input.
US08539038B2 Method and system for preloading resources
A method and system for preloading data is provided. Resources are preloaded on a client before they are needed by an application. Application hints and static resources lists may be used to indicate resources are needed. The application may begin execution before receiving all of the resources associated with the application. Preloading may be done during execution of an application, or when the application is not executing. Preloading allows an application to run smoothly without consuming more resources than are needed by an application. A prediction graph may be generated that is used in predicting the resources that are likely to be needed by the application. An analyzer may also be used to simulate the system and adjust parameters used in creating the prediction graph.
US08539024B2 System and method for asynchronous client server session communication
The invention provides a session-based bi-directional multi-tier client-server asynchronous information database search and retrieval system for sending a character-by-character string of data to an intelligent server that can be configured to immediately analyze the lengthening string character-by-character and return to the client increasingly appropriate database information as the client sends the string.
US08539010B2 Virtual machine, virtual machine monitor and computer control method
A virtual machine monitor for a virtual machine. The virtual machine monitor makes the processor in the virtual machine: receive a timer setting from the guest OS in place of the timer, the timer setting being for making the timer generate a timer interrupt after a lapse of a setting period; change, when the guest OS inputs or outputs data from or to the I/O device via the virtual machine monitor, the setting period set in the timer so that a relation between I/O wait time recognized by the guest OS and I/O process time other than the I/O wait time becomes approximate to a relation between the I/O wait time recognized by the virtual machine monitor and the I/O process time; set the timer setting with the changed setting period in the timer; and notify, when receiving the timer interrupt, the guest OS of occurrence of the timer interrupt.
US08539003B2 Systems and methods for identifying problems of a business application in a customer support system
In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, methods and systems analyze potential logic errors or problems of a business application by receiving a model representing the business application and processing the model using an object-oriented tool. The errors or problems may be corrected in the model and the correction applied to the business application. In one exemplary embodiment, the logic errors or problems may be marked in the model for identification to a user.
US08538989B1 Assigning weights to parts of a document
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for assigning weights to parts of a document. In one aspect, document object is generated for a collection of documents. Weights for the respective portions of the document object model are generated, and a document is ranked in a search engine index, the ranking being based at least in part on the generated weights.
US08538979B1 Generating phrase candidates from text string entries
Aspects directed to phrase generation are provided. A method is provided that includes identifying a plurality of phrase candidates from a plurality of text string entries in a corpus. For each phrase candidate: identifying a plurality of left contexts and a plurality of right contexts for the phrase candidate, each left context of the plurality of left contexts being a nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate in a text string entry and each right context of the plurality of right contexts being the nearest unique feature to the right of the phrase candidate, and calculating a left context vector including a score for each left context feature and a right context vector including a score for each right context feature of the phrase candidate. A similarity is determined between pairs of phrase candidates using the respective left and right context vectors for each phrase candidate.
US08538967B1 Optimizing recategorization of financial transactions using collaborative filtering
A method to optimize recategorization of financial transactions using collaborative filtering involves obtaining a set of financial transactions of a set of users with a merchant. The method also involves determining, using a processor, a first portion of the set of financial transactions assigned to each recategorization value of a set of recategorization values; determining, using the processor, a second portion of the set of financial transactions where the each recategorization value is different from an initial category; generating, using the processor, a recategorization index for each recategorization value using the first portion of each recategorization value and the second portion; and determining, using the processor, an alternative categorization candidate based on the recategorization index of the each recategorization value.
US08538964B2 Using an ID domain to improve searching
Methods which use an ID domain to improve searching are described. An embodiment describes an index phase in which an image of a document is converted into the ID domain. This is achieved by dividing the text in the image into elements and mapping each element to an identifier. Similar elements are mapped to the same identifier. Each element in the text is then replaced by the appropriate identifier to create a version of the document in the ID domain. This version may be indexed and searched. Another embodiment describes a query phase in which a query is converted into the ID domain and then used to search an index of identifiers which has been created from collections of documents which have been converted into the ID domain. The conversion of the query may use mappings which were created during the index phase or alternatively may use pre-existing mappings.
US08538959B2 Personalized data search utilizing social activities
Embodiments relate personalized data searches utilizing social activities. In one embodiment, a search query is received from a user. A set of search results that satisfy the search query is received from a search engine. A user interest profile associated with the user is identified. The user interest profile includes information associated with a set of activities performed by the user on one or more social systems. A ranking score is assigned to each result in at least a subset of search results in the set of search results based at least on the user interest profile. The subset of search results are sorted based on the score that has assigned to each result in the subset of results. The subset of search results that has been sorted is sent to the user.
US08538954B2 Aggregate function partitions for distributed processing
Systems and apparatuses are provided for a distributed aggregate user defined function processing system. A non-transitory computer readable medium stores instructions for a query compiler to identify a call to a distributed aggregate user defined function within a query of the distributed analytical data processing system, retrieve metadata associated with the distributed aggregate user defined function, and validate and resolve respective inputs and outputs of a plurality of function partitions associated with the distributed aggregate user defined function according to the retrieved metadata. A distributed processing engine includes a plurality of processing nodes to execute the plurality of function partitions and organize data flow from the plurality of function partitions to produce an output for the distributed aggregate user defined function.
US08538946B1 Creating model or list to identify queries
A server is configured to determine translations of queries from a first language into a second language, associated with a first specialized search engine, to obtain translated queries. The server is also configured to use a first model, associated with the first specialized search engine, to determine values for the translated queries. A value of the values, corresponding to a translated query of the translated queries, reflects a probability that the translated query is a type of query for which first specialized search results are responsive. The server is configured to create training data based on the queries and the values, and to create a second model based on the training data. The second model may be used to predict whether a particular query, received by the web search engine, is the type of query for which second specialized search results, from a second specialized search engine, are responsive.
US08538937B2 Method for searching a database or data sharing system for the presence of data
A database search system ensures the privacy of a search request and the security of a database with high processing efficiency. The system comprises a database server residing on a network that stores predetermined data, and a client terminal issuing to the database server a search request for inquiring for desired data while keeping the desired data secret. The database server further comprises: a database storing predetermined data; and a search response message generation unit for receiving through a network the data search request in which data to be searched for is kept secret, searching the database by a predetermined computation based on the search request and a list of the data stored in the database while a data item involved with the search request is kept secret, and generating a response to the search request.
US08538926B2 Massively scalable object storage system for storing object replicas
Several different embodiments of a massively scalable object storage system are described. The object storage system is particularly useful for storage in a cloud computing installation whereby shared servers provide resources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand. In several embodiments, the object storage system includes a ring implementation used to associate object storage commands with particular physical servers such that certain guarantees of consistency, availability, and performance can be met. In other embodiments, the object storage system includes a synchronization protocol used to order operations across a distributed system. In a third set of embodiments, the object storage system includes a metadata management system. In a fourth set of embodiments, the object storage system uses a structured information synchronization system. Features from each set of embodiments can be used to improve the performance and scalability of a cloud computing object storage system.
US08538925B2 System and method for backing up test data
In a method for backing up test data using a first backup device and a second backup device, backup times and storage paths for each test computing device in the first backup device and the second backup device, and a backup path of each test computing device are set. Test data of each of the test computing devices are backed up as backup data to the first backup device if a first current time of the first backup device matches the backup time in the first backup device, or to the second backup device if a second current time of the second backup device matches the backup time in the second backup device. Changes of each backup file of the backup data stored under the storage path are recorded. A log file of the backup time is generated.
US08538924B2 Computer system and data access control method for recalling the stubbed file on snapshot
Proposed is a convenient computer system and data access control method which, while protecting data in a snapshot, enable restoration in operational volume file units.If a read request to read a stubbed file in the snapshot is supplied, the data of the file is acquired from a second logical volume of an archive destination by means of recall processing and the acquired data is transmitted to the source of the read request after writing the acquired data to the snapshot, but, if a write request to write to a file in the snapshot is supplied, the write request is rejected.
US08538923B2 Method, node and system for controlling version in distributed system
A method, node and system for controlling version in a distributed system. Wherein, the method includes: a management node is selected from each domain of the distributed system; one is selected as the synchronization source of the distributed system from all the management nodes, and all the management nodes synchronize the time with that of the synchronization source; all the management nodes control the time synchronization of the nodes in their own domain according to the synchronized time; the nodes of the distributed system control the version of the duplicate copy of the storage data according to the synchronized time. According to the technical scheme, it can be realized that the rough time synchronization of the distributed system, the expansibility and the practicability are improved, and the defects of the distributed system in the prior art, such as the poor expansibility and practicability, are solved.
US08538917B2 System and method for file coordination
An apparatus and method are described for performing file coordination operations on a computer system. For example, one embodiment of a system for performing file coordination comprises: a file coordination service having arbitration logic for arbitrating among different read and write processes attempting to perform file read and write operations, respectively; and a file presenter representing a file opened by a file editing application and registering the opened file with the file coordination service; wherein prior to permitting a read/write process to perform its designated read/write operation, the file coordination service notifies the file presenter and waits for a response from the file presenter indicating that the read/write operation may proceed.
US08538911B2 Model-driven event detection, implication, and reporting system
An event analysis system monitors information available from both publicly and privately distributed networks of information for events that are relevant to the user's particular business concerns. Those concerns are defined in a customized model of the user's organization and external business environment. The system receives the information, detects events in the information, interprets the events, and determines implications of these events. The detection and implication proceeds with regard to specific entities, relationships between entities, and definitions of the types of events which may occur in the environment in which the entities exist. Accordingly, the analysis system intelligently adapts its processing to recognize and report events which may be of interest for any particular entity.
US08538908B2 Efficient service rules creation through subjective logic and temporal pattern recognition
A method for generating service rules corresponding to business data is disclosed. A plurality of business related data is gathered from various sources. The data is combined using a subjective logic technique. The data is then evaluated for temporal patterns. Finally a set of service rules corresponding to the combined business data are developed.
US08538904B2 Scalable ontology extraction
A system and computer program product for facilitating learning of one or more ontological rules of a resource description framework database include obtaining ontology vocabulary from a resource description framework database, generating a rule hypothesis by incrementally building upon a previously learnt rule from the database by adding one or more predicates to the previously learnt rule, performing a constraint check on the generated rule hypothesis by determining compatibility with each previously learnt rule to ensure that a complete rule set including each previously learnt rule and the generated rule hypothesis is consistent, validating the rule hypothesis as a rule using one or more association rule mining techniques to determine validity of the rule hypothesis against the database, and applying the rule to the database to infer one or more facts from the database to facilitate learning of one or more additional ontological rules.
US08538900B2 Integrating interval constraint propagation with nonlinear real arithmetic
A system and method for deciding the satisfiability of a non-linear real decision problem is disclosed. Linear and non-linear constraints associated with the problem are separated. The feasibility of the linear constraints is determined using a linear solver. The feasibility of the non-linear constraints is determined using a non-linear solver which employs interval constraint propagation. The interval solutions obtained from the non-linear solver are validated using the linear solver. If the solutions cannot be validated, linear constraints are learned to refine a search space associated with the problem. The learned constraints and the non-linear constraints are iteratively solved using the non-linear solver until either a feasible solution is obtained or no solution is possible.
US08538889B2 Application hierarchy and state manipulation
An instance of an application hierarchy can be stored on a client computer to facilitate enforcement of software licensing by a software license component of a software protection system. The application hierarchy is a tree structure (e.g., unordered) that includes a top node, one or more product offering group(s), and, one or more selling unit(s).A computer-implemented software protection system can facilitate enforcement of software licensing on a client computer. The software protection system includes a software license component that can store and enforce software licensing rule(s). The software license component can further manipulate state data of an instance of the application hierarchy stored in a licensing data store via application program interface(s) (APIs). State data and/or property(ies) of a particular node of the instance of the application hierarchy can be accessed through the API via an assigned identifier.
US08538886B1 Watermarking system and methodology for digital multimedia content
An open digital watermark system and methodology having various features for unifying watermark production and processing among diverse user multimedia terminals (112), such as set top box, that may be OPIMA compliant. In accordance with specific aspects, intentional image warping is employed to combat pirating, the analog video channel used to download programming, packet signature implemented for watermark insertion by pixel replacement and use of the data stream made to reduce local data processing and storage.
US08538884B2 System and method for the automated auditing and viewing of transaction documents
One aspect of the invention is a method and system for auditing transaction documents that includes searching a database to identify transaction documents satisfying at least one query criteria. The transaction documents are pre-loaded in a temporary storage space, and a first transaction document is displayed to a user. A user input is received from the user. In response to receiving the user input, at least one operation is performed on the first transaction document. A second transaction document is automatically displayed to the user without further user input.
US08538881B2 Method and apparatus for secure access payment and identification
According to one aspect, the invention provides a system for authenticating identities of a plurality of users. In one embodiment, the system includes a first handheld device including a wireless transceiver which is configured to transmit authentication information, a second device including a wireless receiver, where the second device is configured to receive the authentication information.
US08538880B1 Method and system for debt recovery
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of debt recovery is provided. The method includes providing a device to a consumer owing a debt to a creditor. The device has a utility that becomes available to the consumer after being activated by the creditor. The method also includes indicating to the consumer that the utility of the device will be activated if the consumer contacts the creditor.
US08538879B2 System, program product, and computer-implemented method for loading a loan on an existing pre-paid card
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, program products, and methods of loading a loan on a pre-paid card. A bank receives authorization from a lender to credit loan proceeds from the lender to an approved borrower on an existing pre-paid card associated with the pre-paid card processor. Next, the bank credits the loan proceeds to the pre-paid card processor for the existing pre-paid card so that the loan proceeds are released to the approved borrower and are immediately available.
US08538878B2 Methods and systems for automated generation of bills
The present invention provides methods and systems for processing bills electronically. Generally, a bill is created for a customer using billing information and master data from a biller and master data from a customer. Billing information is received from the biller by a first processing module having access to the master data of the biller. The first processing module generates a bill using the billing information and the master data of the biller. A second processing module having access to the master data of the customer provides customer data to the first processing module. The bill is transformed into a format specified in the master data of the customer by the first processing module if the format of the generated bill is not the format specified in the master data of the customer. The generated or transformed bill is transferred to the second processing module by the first processing module.
US08538875B2 Process for linked healthcare and financial transaction initiation
Methods and systems for acquiring a pre-approval from a responsible party and receiving funds from a financial account related to the pre-approval in the healthcare field are described herein. A method for collecting payment from an individual for services rendered by a provider is disclosed. The method includes verifying an individual's eligibility for benefits, estimating an individual responsibility amount, acquiring authority from the individual for up to the individual responsibility amount on at least one financial account held by the individual, submitting one or more claims to one or more payer entities requesting compensation for the services rendered by the provider, deducting an amount from the at least one financial account held by the individual, and transferring the deducted amount to the provider.
US08538872B1 Credit card account shadowing
Account shadowing is provided such that when a charge is made on a first credit card (e.g., a high interest rate credit card) of a user, a transfer of funds is made from a second credit card (e.g., a low interest rate credit card) of the user to pay the charge made to the first credit card. This may transfer the balance from a user's high interest rate credit card to a user's low interest rate credit card. In this manner, the user may receive the reward incentives of a high interest rate credit card while using a low interest rate credit card to satisfy balances due.
US08538868B2 Method and system for preparing a transfer document
A system and method of preparing a transfer document for a client to transfer services provided by counterparties that require recurring transactions using a first account to use a second account is provided. A cashflow analysis for the first account and a cashflow analysis for the second account are performed to determine for each counterparty and each service the desired date to effect the transfer to avoid undesirable cashflow spikes or interruptions in both accounts. A transfer document for transferring services requiring recurring transactions for each counterparty is electronically generated via at least one computer. Each transfer document identifies at least the service to be transferred, the client, the second account, the desired date for the transfer and proof of authorization from the client. A replica of an account document selected according to the service being transferred and the second account is included on the transfer document.
US08538865B2 Method of determining prior net benefit of obtaining additional risk data for insurance purposes via survey or other procedure
A method is disclosed for determining the prior net benefit of obtaining data relating to an individual risk in an insurance portfolio, via a survey or similar procedure. A risk model is developed at the individual risk level for mathematically estimating the probability of expected loss given a set of information about the risk. The risk model is incorporated into a profitability model. A probability distribution relating to the type of survey information to be obtained is developed, which is used for determining the gross value of obtaining the information. The method produces as an output a quantitative estimation (e.g., dollar value) of the net benefit of obtaining survey data for the risk, calculated as the gross value of the survey less the survey's cost, where the benefit of the survey relates to a quantitative increase in predictive accuracy resulting from incorporating the survey data into the predictive model.
US08538855B2 Fractional pay-up tick for use in relation to trading strategies
A system and associated methods are provided for use of fractional pay-up ticks in relation to offset orders being sent for a trading strategy that involves trading a first tradeable object and at least a second tradeable object. According to one example method, when an indication is received that a quantity at a first price for the first tradeable object is filled, a plurality of offset orders for the second tradeable object is sent to an electronic order book of the second tradeable object. The plurality of offset orders is placed at a plurality of price levels determined based on at least one fractional pay-up tick value, the first price, and the desired spread price. A quantity for each order is determined based on a quantity divider rule that is applied to an offset quantity to offset the fill.
US08538852B2 System and method of margining fixed payoff products
A system and method is disclosed for determining performance bonds for fixed payoff products, i.e. contracts which payoff a fixed amount based on the outcome of an underlying event regardless of the value thereof. The worst outcome of the overall portfolio, which may contain more multiple instruments, is calculated, allowing the portfolio to have both long and short positions on the same underlying event and offsets among instruments within the portfolio. A universe of outcomes is constructed including single events with single outcomes, and the probability thereof, and single events with multiple outcomes, each with a probability thereof. Each outcome has an associated price and probability. Low probability events will have low values, resulting in a lower margin requirement. The margin requirement is then the amount of the maximum loss that the portfolio can sustain for any possible outcome of the underlying event, adjusted for the probability thereof.
US08538834B2 Cancelling a purchasing request
In general, the subject matter described in this disclosure can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A server system receives, as sent by a computing device, a request to purchase a product. The request is initiated by user selection of an element provided for display by a third-party application program. The server system sends, for receipt by a transaction processing system, a charge request to charge an account of a user of the computing device for purchase of the product. The server system determines, after the charge request has been sent for receipt by the transaction processing system, to cancel the charge request. The server system sends, for receipt by the transaction processing system, a request to cancel the charge request. The server system sends, for receipt by the computing device, an indication that purchase of the product has been cancelled.
US08538831B2 Bidding to receive data after a consumer is in a zone
An announcement distributor distributes, or auctions an opportunity to distribute, an announcement to an announcement recipient such as a consumer, issuer, merchant, or acquirer within a payment processing system. The announcement when there has been a satisfaction of an announcement condition, such as the consumer being determined to be located within a predetermined spatial zone. The content of the announcement may, in turn, facilitate a subsequent cashless transaction for resources of merchants. Implementations describe various permutations of the content of the announcement, the announcement condition, and the announcement recipient.
US08538827B1 Real-time alert during on-line transaction
Systems, computerized methods and computer program products for alerting consumers during on-line transactions. A consumer utilizes a browser executing on a computer to begin an on-line transaction. An add-on such as a plug-in to the browser detects that the consumer has begun an on-line transaction. The add-on accesses an account of the consumer hosted by a financial management system and compares alert criteria and data of the on-line transaction and before the on-line transaction is completed, generates an alert that is displayed to the consumer if execution of the on-line transaction would generate a pre-determined result relative to the alert criteria, e.g., if the transaction causes the consumer to go over budget or a bank account balance would drop below a certain level. The alert can be a passive notification or an active alert that invokes a waiting or cooling off period or prevents the consumer from completing the transaction.
US08538822B1 Method and system to establish a communicative connection between a supplier and a consumer over the internet
A method and system for the establishment of a communicative connection between a supplier of goods or services and a potential consumer of such goods or services over the Internet via a Web site or Web sites specially engineered so that conventional Internet search engines consider the Web site(s) to be (a) highly relevant Web site(s).
US08538821B2 System and method for community aided research and shopping
A system and method for providing product research help to a consumer doing internet shopping. A consumer helper application for internet commerce has been designed to integrate the techniques that are currently used by many internet consumers into a single application program. For example, the consumer helper application allows a user to take notes, store web site links, store web site annotations, obtain collaborative input, and perform other tasks commonly used by web site consumers. The consumer helper application stores all of the information gathered in a single place. Information provided by other consumers may be shared using the consumer helper application. The consumer helper application will suggest specific items for a consumer to purchase based up on the information gathered by the consumer into the consumer helper application.
US08538813B2 Method and system for providing an SMS-based interactive electronic marketing offer search and distribution system
A method and system for providing an SMS-based interactive electronic marketing offer search and distribution system whereby a series of linked, refined, and evolving electronic marketing offer searches are performed in association with a thread of SMS text messages and automated SMS text message responses including search parameters and highlighted keywords to provide the user/consumer with a fully interactive electronic marketing offer search and distribution system using an SMS communication channel, and within the constraints of the SMS protocols.
US08538810B2 Methods and systems for member-created advertisement in a member network
Methods and systems for members of a member network to create and target advertisement to other members of the member network. A member can target advertisement to other members in the member network by establishing a member profile that includes associations and/or nexuses with the targeted members. Fees can be charged to members who create and disseminate advertisement to other members in the member network.
US08538796B2 Method for measuring and improving organization effectiveness
A method of evaluating the effectiveness of an organization. The method includes participants generating responses to a set of organizational statements as part of a one-day event. The participants are able to interact with each other during various phases of the one-day event in order to generate responses. The responses are entered into a software program running on a computer-based platform, and the software program operates on the responses to generate output results (evaluation results . . . e.g., scores associated with various organizational categories) as part of the one-day event. The results may be used to measure and benchmark effectiveness of the organization and to formulate suggestions and actions to be taken by the organization to improve the effectiveness of the organization.
US08538788B1 System for work order refinement prior to acceptance and methods thereof
A system and method for managing requests for services, in particular via the use of the Internet, where requests for service may be refined before they are accepted. In response to the receipt of a service request from a service requester, a work order is created and routed to one or more of the service providers for the purpose of having one or more of the selected service providers indicate an acceptance of the work order. This work order can be later refined, for example if changes need to be made, especially in response to queries from the service providers.
US08538783B2 Workers compensation system for determining a cost of insurance based on real-time payroll data
A system/method implemented at an insurance company estimates a final premium charge and more accurate real time estimate during the lifetime of the policy for workers compensation insurance associated with a risk based on: receiving real-time payroll data associated with the risk; monitoring the received real-time payroll data to identify and record raw data elements that have an identified relationship with any of, or a combination of, the following: the risk's business operation, insurability of the risk, character of the risk, or rating parameters associated with the risk's policy; and determining the final premium charge of workers compensation insurance for the risk based on a premium modification that increases or decreases a premium charge based on an evaluation of the recorded raw data elements.
US08538770B2 System and method to aid diagnoses using cross-referenced knowledge and image databases
The present invention is a method and apparatus for increasing the usefulness of visual knowledge in a number of applications. It distills the relationships between characteristics and hypotheses into database form, thereby organizing visual information in a manner suitable to aid the user in the investigation of the various hypotheses (medical diagnosis, pill identification, plant/animal identification, cause of death, cause of accident, etc.). The invention sidesteps unresolved issues around knowledge engineering by not automating a decision making process. Rather, the present invention utilizes a relational database to dynamically respond to textual and visual findings as an aid to assist a user reaching a reasoned conclusion based upon information available by direct observation and comparison with stored image and textual data.
US08538765B1 Parameter decoding apparatus and parameter decoding method
A parameter decoding apparatus includes a prediction residue decoder that finds a quantized prediction residue based on encoded information included in a current frame subject to decoding and an auto-regressive predictor produces a predicted parameter by multiplying a predictive coefficient with a past decoded parameter. An adder decodes a parameter by adding the quantized prediction residue and the predicted parameter, wherein the prediction residue decoder, when the current frame is erased, finds a current-frame quantized prediction residue from a weighted linear sum of a parameter decoded in the past and a future-frame quantized prediction residue.
US08538757B2 System and method of a list commands utility for a speech recognition command system
In embodiments of the present invention, a system and computer-implemented method for enabling a user to interact with a computer platform using a voice command may include the steps of defining a structured grammar for generating a global voice command, defining a global voice command of the structured grammar, wherein the global voice command building a custom list of objects, and mapping at least one function of a listed object from the custom list of objects to the global voice command, wherein upon receiving voice input from the user the platform object recognizes at least one global voice command in the voice input and executes the function on the listed object in accordance with the recognized global voice command.
US08538753B2 Generating representations of group interactions
A transcript of a group interaction is generated from audio source data representing the group interaction. The transcript includes a sequence of lines of text, each line corresponding to an audible utterance in the audio source data. A conversation path is generated from the transcript by labeling each transcript line with an identifier identifying the speaker of the corresponding utterance in the audio source data. A representation of the group interaction is generated by associating the conversation path with a set of voice profiles, each voice profile corresponding to an identified speaker in the conversation path.
US08538752B2 Method and apparatus for predicting word accuracy in automatic speech recognition systems
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for predicting word accuracy. Specifically, the method comprises obtaining an utterance in speech data where the utterance comprises an actual word string, processing the utterance for generating an interpretation of the actual word string, processing the utterance to identify at least one utterance frame, and predicting a word accuracy associated with the interpretation according to at least one stationary signal-to-noise ratio and at least one non-stationary signal to noise ratio, wherein the at least one stationary signal-to-noise ratio and the at least one non-stationary signal to noise ratio are determined according to a frame energy associated with each of the at least one utterance frame.
US08538749B2 Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products for enhanced intelligibility
Techniques described herein include the use of equalization techniques to improve intelligibility of a reproduced audio signal (e.g., a far-end speech signal).
US08538748B2 Method and apparatus for enhancing voice signal in noisy environment
A method and apparatus which enhance a voice signal received by a reception terminal from a transmission terminal, the method including: detecting a magnitude of a noise signal peripheral to the reception terminal; checking a volume level which is set in the reception terminal while the voice signal is received from the transmission terminal; and adaptively enhancing at least one of a volume and an articulation of the voice signal on the basis of a magnitude of the noise signal and the checked volume level.
US08538744B2 Computer system for automatically answering natural language questions
A computer system is provided for automatically answering natural language questions. The system has an input to receive natural language questions and a data store to record linked pairs of questions and corresponding answers. A matcher is configured to compare a received natural language question with the linked question and answer pairs, and an output transfers the received natural language question to a researcher if no matches are found. The system links pairs of questions and corresponding answers into groups, to enable the generation of a prototypical answer for each group of pairs of questions and answers.
US08538743B2 Disambiguating text that is to be converted to speech using configurable lexeme based rules
A software language including language constructs for disambiguating text that is to be converted to speech using configurable lexeme based rules. The language can include at least one conditional statement and a significance indicator. The conditional statement can define a sense of usage for a lexeme. The significance indicator can define a criteria for selecting an associated sense of usage. The language can also include an action expression that is associated with a conditional statement that defines a set of programmatic actions to be executed upon a selection of the associated usage sense. The conditional statement can include a context range specification that defines a scope of an input string for examination when evaluating the conditional statement. Further, the conditional statement can include a directive that represents a defined condition of the lexeme or the text surrounding the lexeme.
US08538737B2 Curve editing with physical simulation of mass points and spring forces
A curve editor may model a continuous curve as a finite collection of discrete mass points (among which the curve's mass is distributed) and associated springs. The springs may include damped axial springs between pairs of consecutive mass points, and damped bending springs representing interactions between sets of three consecutive mass points. In response to manipulation of the curve at various mass points, the curve editor may determine new positions and/or velocities of one or more mass points using a real time physical simulation of the spring forces acting at mass points involved in the editing operation. The simulation may be dependent on viscous drag forces and/or on constraints applied to individual mass points, angles defined by consecutive mass points, or an absolute direction of a segment between two mass points. Mass points may be added to or removed from the model by adaptive resampling, and the mass redistributed accordingly.
US08538734B2 Extreme event performance evaluation using real-time hysteresis monitoring
Extreme event performance evaluation using real-time hysteresis monitoring. A structure is monitored using one or more sensors. One or more inter-story Hysteresis Loops for the structure are generated in real-time using data from the sensors, thus enabling rapid decision making regarding the structure's condition.
US08538732B2 Appendable system and devices for data acquisition, analysis and control
An appendable system includes a plurality of appendable devices that are adapted to interoperate with each other and/or a workstation via a communication network to monitor and/or control a process. Each of the appendable devices can communicate with one or more sensors and/or control outputs and includes a housing that facilitates mounting of the appendable device to a surface.
US08538731B2 Analog sensors bus
An architecture for the connection and communication of a plurality of passive sensors to a measurement and control system employs an analog communication bus made of two physical wires only. A method for reading the same sensors is also provided.
US08538728B2 Radio-nuclide mixture identification using medium energy resolution detectors
According to one embodiment, a method for identifying radio-nuclides includes receiving spectral data, extracting a feature set from the spectral data comparable to a plurality of templates in a template library, and using a branch and bound method to determine a probable template match based on the feature set and templates in the template library. In another embodiment, a device for identifying unknown radio-nuclides includes a processor, a multi-channel analyzer, and a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having computer readable code stored thereon. The computer readable code is configured, when executed by the processor, to receive spectral data, to extract a feature set from the spectral data comparable to a plurality of templates in a template library, and to use a branch and bound method to determine a probable template match based on the feature set and templates in the template library.
US08538720B2 Cold boot test system and method for electronic devices
A cold boot test system and method can control an electronic device to perform a cold boot process to test whether the electronic device is operable. The method sets time parameters for a test period of the cold boot process, drives a data communication interface of a computer to generate a period control signal according to the time parameters, and sends the period control signal to a controller via the data communication interface. The method further transfers the period control signal to the electronic device by controlling a power switch to switch on and switch off, controls the electronic device to execute the cold boot process to generate test information correspondingly. In addition, the method obtains the test information from the electronic device, and displays the test information on a display screen of the computer upon the condition that the cold boot process is abnormal.
US08538712B2 Aggregating mobile device battery life data
Battery life data may be collected from a number of mobile devices. The battery life data for each of the mobile devices may be correlated with one or more characteristics of each of the mobile devices. The battery life data for the mobile devices may be aggregated based on at least one of the one or more characteristics. In some examples, a report of the aggregated battery life data for the mobile devices including at least one common characteristic is generated.
US08538702B2 Geologic features from curvelet based seismic attributes
Method for identifying geologic features, such as hydrocarbon indicators, from geophysical data, such as seismic data, by taking a curvelet transform of the data. After the curvelet representation of the data is computed (350), selected geophysical data attributes and their interdependencies are extracted (355), from which geological features may be identified (360), either from attribute data volumes that are created or directly from the curvelet representation.
US08538701B2 Fluid conductivity measurement tool and methods
An apparatus and method for measuring the conductivity of borehole fluid. Based on the fluid conductivity, the fluid type may also be identified. The apparatus and method can be useful in differentiating between native water and injected water in oil recovery operations. The apparatus and method presented can also be used to calibrate testing and production equipment allowing for more reliable and accurate measurements. The apparatus and method presented can further be used to better characterize water to oil ratio in reservoirs.
US08538694B2 Real-time route and recharge planning
A system may include a processing device and a routing application included on the processing device. The routing application may be configured to receive a destination location for a vehicle; determine a fuel efficiency of the vehicle; and determine a route for the vehicle from a current location to the destination location, the route being based on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, a fuel capacity of the vehicle, an amount of fuel remaining for the vehicle, and navigation information including the location of at least one charging station.
US08538678B2 Method and apparatus for thematically modifying location and related information
An approach is provided for thematically modifying location and related information. A location modification platform determines location information of a device associated with a first user. The location modification platform then modifies the location information to indicate a location other than an actual location of the device according to a predetermined theme and causes, at least in part, actions that result in presentation of the modified location information to a second user.
US08538670B2 Construction machine having a computer unit for determining an adjustment range
The invention relates to a construction machine having a carrier unit, an actuation unit, which is adjustable with respect to the carrier unit, at least one detecting means for detecting status data of the construction machine, and a computer unit, by means of which, based on the detected status data, at least one adjustment range of the actuation unit can be determined, in which the actuation unit is adjustable at a given safety against tilting of the construction machine. The invention also relates to a method for operating a construction machine of such type.
US08538646B2 Control device for vehicular automatic transmission
A control device for a vehicular automatic transmission is provided which can preferably execute backpressure control of accumulators and torque-up control so as to minimize the occurrence of interference between learning on these controls during a gearshift operation. With the control device for the vehicular automatic transmission including the accumulators (104, 106 and 108) operative to control a hydraulic pressure supplied to second and third clutches (C2 and C3) and a third brake (B3), the backpressure control is executed for controlling a backpressure of the accumulators (104, 106 and 108) during the gearshift operation while the torque-up control is executed for raising torque output from an engine (12). Completion of learning on the backpressure control is determined when no completion of learning on the backpressure control is determined, learning on the backpressure control is executed with no execution of the torque-up control. Thus, no interference occur between learning on the backpressure control and the torque-up control.
US08538638B2 Method and device for controlling a vehicle movement capability and/or a closure device
A method and a device (1) for controlling a vehicle movement capability and/or a closure device (2), which closes at least one vehicle interface for receiving external feed equipment. It is possible for external feed equipment to be received only when a closure device is open. The vehicle movement capability knows at least the states ‘admissible’ and ‘inadmissible’, and the closure device (2) knows at least the states ‘locked without unlocking enabled (VOF)’ and ‘locked with unlocking enabled (VMF)’. The state of the closure device can be changed depending on at least one state of the vehicle movement capability and/or the state of the vehicle movement capability depending on at least one state of the closure device (2).
US08538624B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting data between a tachograph and a data processing device
A system and method for transmitting data via a transmission path between a tachograph arranged in a vehicle, and a data processing device which is remote from the vehicle. To improve data protection, the transmission takes place via a first path section of the transmission path, which path section is arranged between the tachograph and a communication controller arranged in the vehicle, and a second wireless path section of the transmission path, which path section is arranged between the communication controller and the data processing device. The tachograph in response to an encryption request signal sent from the data processing device to the tachograph encrypts data sent from the tachograph to the data processing device. The data is transmitted in encrypted form from the tachograph to the data processing device both via the first path section and via the second path section.
US08538619B2 Adaptive real-time driver advisory control for a hybrid electric vehicle to achieve fuel economy improvement
A vehicle powertrain controller includes a fuzzy logic-based adaptive algorithm with a learning capability that estimates a driver's long term driving preferences. An adaptive algorithm arbitrates competing requirements for good fuel economy, avoidance of intrusiveness and vehicle drivability. A driver's acceptance or rejection of advisory information may be used to adapt subsequent advisory information to the driving style. Vehicle performance is maintained in accordance with a driver's driving style.
US08538605B1 Steerable pallet range extension
A steerable container delivery system (“CDS”) includes a pallet configured with a pallet steering mechanism and a range extension device for steering a CDS cargo bundle during free fall when airdropped. The pallet steering mechanism and range extension device may be inflated shortly after deployment using compressed air carried by an air tank in the pallet. A flight management computer (“FMS”) continuously monitors the location of the CDS bundle using GPS technology and determines a vector to a drop location based on stored GPS measurements. The FMC continuously monitors and positions the CDS bundle over the drop location, and is able to independently control the position of the CDS bundle, either by rotating the CDS bundle or moving it laterally. At the appropriate altitude, the FMC causes the main parachute to open to slow the descent of the CDS bundle for impact.
US08538604B2 Method for distributing braking torque between braked wheels fitted to at least one undercarriage of an aircraft
A method for distributing braking energy between a group of the braked wheels numbered 1 . . . p and fitted to N undercarriages of an aircraft, each of the braked wheels having a brake furnished with a stack of discs to which a load is selectively applied so as to generate a torque for braking the wheel. Each brake is equipped with a unit for measuring a thickness of the stack of discs, and in which—the setting C j = E j E 1 + … ⁢ + E p · N · C is an individual setting of braking to be generated by brake j, where p is the number of wheels concerned, C is the general setting of braking to be developed by the braked wheels of one and the same undercarriage, Ej is the thickness of the stack of discs of the brake of wheel j, and Cj the individual braking setting for wheel j. Each brake is controlled according to the individual braking setting thus determined.
US08538601B2 Security system
A vehicle security system including a remote control device, such as a keypad and a vehicle battery having a controller arranged to reduce battery power when the vehicle engine is turned off, and arranged to receive a unique code transmitted from the remote control device and to subsequently selectively permit the battery to supply sufficient power to start or drive the vehicle. The battery can be a replacement battery for the vehicle or supplied as an OEM part. The battery controller can be provided with a unique serial number to be directly linked to the vehicle. Authorities can be provided with a control codes that can be transmitted remotely from a police pursuit vehicle to selectively absorb the external power from the vehicle electrical systems and remotely stop the engine in the event of a stolen or misused vehicle.
US08538600B2 Method for providing control commands for a vehicle steerable by means of an operating unit and control system for a steerable vehicle of this type
Method and control system for providing control commands for a vehicle steerable by an operating unit or for an image acquisition device of the vehicle by sequential display of acquired image data on an image display device of the operating unit connected to the vehicle via a data transfer connection. The method includes acquiring data of an image recorded by the image acquisition device, acquiring vehicle state data at a time the image was recorded, and compressing the image data. The method also includes transferring the compressed image data and the vehicle state data via the data transfer connection to the operating unit, decompressing the transferred image data to form a displayable image, and displaying the displayable image on the image display device. The method further includes entering an operator command into the operating unit to at least one of change a direction of movement of the vehicle and change a direction of view of the image acquisition device, calculating a new image from the displayable image that takes into account the transferred vehicle state data and the entered operator command, displaying the new image on the image display device instead of the displayable image, and transferring a control command from the operator command to the vehicle via the data transfer connection.
US08538592B2 Landscape irrigation management with automated water budget and seasonal adjust, and automated implementation of watering restrictions
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for water conservation with landscape irrigation controllers, plug-in and add-on devices, and centralized systems. In embodiments of the invention, a water budget percentage is determined by comparing current local geo-environmental data with stored local geo-environmental data, and the preliminary irrigation schedule or station run times are automatically modified based upon that water budget percentage. Embodiments of the present invention also provide for automation of mandated landscape watering restrictions alone, or in various combinations with water budgeting methods and apparatus.
US08538581B2 Article vending machine and method for authenticating received articles
An article dispensing machine, system and method for authenticating an article returned to the article dispensing machine and an article for use in such a machine and system. The article dispensing machine comprises an infrared light for illuminating the surface of the returned article, an image capture device for capturing the image of an authentication code on the returned article, and a processor for comparing the captured image to a master authentication code. The returned article comprises the authentication code printed in a carbon-containing ink and a substantially carbon free ink portion printed overtop of and at least partially concealing the authentication code, such that the authentication code is not visible in white light, but becomes visible when exposed to infrared light.
US08538575B2 Automatic bore size control by completely integrating an air gage system into the machine control
A machine controller includes a memory and a processor configured for operating a machine control for automatically controlling apparatus for performing a machining process on a workpiece at least partially as a function of data relating to a parameter of the workpiece, and a gage control for automatically controlling gaging apparatus for collecting and processing the data relating to the parameter of the workpiece and storing the data in the memory. At least a portion of the memory in which the data relating to the parameter of the workpiece is stored, is configured as a shared memory so as to allow the machine control to immediately retrieve and use the stored data relating to the parameter of the workpiece. The controller has particular utility for use in controlling a honing process and a gaging process, which can be in-process or post-process, and which can be used for bore sizing and other parameters.
US08538574B2 Method and apparatus for generating control data for controlling a tool on a machine tool
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating control data for controlling a predetermined tool on a machine tool for machining a workpiece clamped in the machine tool from a blank to a finished part. Machining geometry model data of a machining geometry of the workpiece at a machining time are compared with finished part geometry model data in order to determine a difference geometry between the machining geometry and the finished part geometry. On the basis of the determined difference geometry, a machining path is determined for the predetermined tool for removing material from the workpiece, and path data is generated such that a maximally large part of the volume of the difference geometry is removed per time unit in dependence of a maximum machining volume of the predetermined tool.
US08538572B2 Methods for constructing an optimal endpoint algorithm
A method for automatically identifying an optimal endpoint algorithm for qualifying a process endpoint during substrate processing within a plasma processing system is provided. The method includes receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors during substrate processing of at least one substrate within the plasma processing system, wherein the sensor data includes a plurality of signal streams from a plurality of sensor channels. The method also includes identifying an endpoint domain, wherein the endpoint domain is an approximate period within which the process endpoint is expected to occur. The method further includes analyzing the sensor data to generate a set of potential endpoint signatures. The method yet also includes converting the set of potential endpoint signatures into a set of optimal endpoint algorithms. The method yet further includes importing one optimal endpoint algorithm of the set of optimal endpoint algorithms into production environment.
US08538567B2 Audio signal processor and audio signal processing system
Even when a system is made to have a configuration in which a plurality of transmission paths are connected to each other, a transmission-impossible time in each transmission path caused by changing a clock source to a device of a different transmission path can be shortened. In an audio signal processing system including first and second networks connected to each other through a bridge device, the bridge device operates as a slave in the first network and as a master in the second network. When the second network is reset, the bridge device starts to operate as a slave in the second network. Then, when continuous reception of an audio transmission frame that another device operating as a master in the second network has transmitted is started, the bridge device resets the first network and starts to operate as a master in the first network.
US08538549B2 Programming interface for stimulation therapy
The disclosure is directed to programming implantable stimulators to deliver stimulation energy via one or more implantable leads having complex electrode array geometries. The disclosure also contemplates guided programming to select electrode combinations and parameter values to support efficacy. The techniques may be applied to a programming interface associated with a clinician programmer, a patient programmer, or both. A user interface permits a user to view electrodes from different perspectives relative to the lead. For example, the user interface provides a side view of a lead and a cross-sectional view of the lead. The user interface may include an axial control medium to select and/or view electrodes at different axial positions along the length of a lead, and a rotational control medium to select and/or view electrodes at different angular positions around a circumference of the lead.
US08538548B2 Techniques for sensing and adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable stimulator device
Disclosed herein are methods and circuitry for monitoring and adjusting a compliance voltage in an implantable stimulator devices to an optimal value that is sufficiently high to allow for proper circuit performance (i.e., sufficient current output), but low enough that power is not needlessly wasted via excessive voltage drops across the current output circuitry. The algorithm measures output voltages across the current source and sink circuitry during at least periods of actual stimulation when both the current sources and sinks are operable, and adjusts the compliance voltage so as to reduce these output voltages to within guard band values preferably indicative for operation in transistor saturation. The output voltages can additionally be monitored during periods between stimulation pulses to improve the accuracy of the measurement, and is further beneficial in that such additional measurements are not perceptible to the patient.
US08538539B2 System and methods for assessing the neuromuscular pathway prior to nerve testing
The present invention involves a system and methods for assessing the state of the neuromuscular pathway to ensure further nerve tests aimed at detecting at least one of a breach in a pedicle wall, nerve proximity, nerve direction, and nerve pathology, are not conducted when neuromuscular blockade levels may decrease the reliability of the results.
US08538532B2 Electrical stimulation therapy to promote gastric distention for obesity management
In some examples, electrical stimulation therapy is delivered to support obesity management. The electrical stimulation therapy is configured to cause at least partial gastric distention. Gastric distention tends to induce a sensation of fullness and thereby discourages excessive food intake by the patient. The electrical stimulation therapy may be delivered to the gastrointestinal tract of the patient by electrodes deployed by one or more implantable leads coupled to an electrical stimulator. The electrical stimulator delivers stimulation pulses having a pulse width in a range found to be effective in causing gastric distention.
US08538530B1 Hermetically sealed feedthrough case
An implantable medical device includes a housing component comprising a flexure; and a ceramic feedthrough attached to the flexure such that the flexure reduces transmission of forces from housing component to the ceramic feedthrough. According to one illustrative embodiment, the implantable medical device is a cochlear implant which includes a titanium feedthrough case made up of a body portion and a flexure; and a ceramic feedthrough being hermetically joined to the flexure by an active braze, the flexure reducing transmission of forces from the titanium feedthrough case to the ceramic feedthrough.
US08538524B2 Systems and methods for detecting far-field oversensing based on signals sensed by the proximal electrode of a multipolar LV lead
A device senses cardioelectrical signals using a right atrial (RA) lead, which might include far-field R-waves as well as near-field P-waves. The device concurrently senses events using a proximal electrode of an LV lead, which can sense both P-waves and R-waves as substantially near-field events. Suitable templates are then applied to the signals sensed via the proximal LV electrode to identify the origin of the signals (e.g. atrial vs. ventricular) so as to properly classify the corresponding events sensed in the RA as near-field or far-field events. In this manner, far-field oversensing is conveniently detected.
US08538521B2 Systems, devices and methods for monitoring efficiency of pacing
Various systems, methods, devices and arrangements are implemented for use in pacing of the heart. One implementation is directed to methods and systems for determining a pacing location in the right ventricle of a heart and near the His bundle. A pacing signal is delivered to the location in the right ventricle. The pacing signal produces a capture of a left ventricle. Properties of the capture are monitored. Results of the monitored capture are used to assess the effectiveness of the delivered pacing signal as a function of heart function. The heart function can be, for example, at least one of a QRS width, fractionation and a timing of electrical stimulation of a late activation site of a left ventricle relative to the QRS.
US08538520B2 Method and apparatus for device controlled gene expression for cardiac protection
A gene regulatory system detects ischemia events and is capable of delivering a biologic therapy in response to the detection of an ischemic event or the reception of a command. The biologic therapy protects the heart from ischemic damage by regulating the expression of an exogenously introduced gene product. In one embodiment, the gene regulatory system includes an implantable system that emits at least one gene regulatory signal in response to the detection of the ischemic event or the reception of the command. The gene regulatory signal directly or indirectly regulates gene expression of the gene product.
US08538517B2 Implant, system and method using implanted passive conductors for routing electrical current
The present invention provides improvements to an implant, system and method using passive electrical conductors which route electrical current to either external or implanted electrical devices, to multiple target body tissues and to selective target body tissues. The passive electrical conductor extends from subcutaneous tissue located below either a surface cathodic electrode or a surface anodic electrode a) to a target tissue to route electrical signals from the target body tissue to devices external to the body; b) to implanted electrical devices to deliver electrical current to such devices, or c) to multiple target body tissues or to selective target body tissues to stimulate the target body tissues. The conductor has specialized ends for achieving such purposes.
US08538514B2 Devices and methods for monitoring physiological information relating to sleep with an implantable device
Described here are implantable devices and methods for monitoring physiological information relating to sleep. The implantable devices are generally designed to include at least one sensor for sensing physiological information, a processor for processing the physiological information using low computational power to detect a sleep stage, and a battery. The detected sleep stage information may then be used to indicate sleep quality, identify or monitor a medical condition, or guide treatment thereof.
US08538513B2 Stimulation electrode selection
Bioelectrical signals may be sensed within a brain of a patient with a plurality of sense electrode combinations. A stimulation electrode combination for delivering stimulation to the patient to manage a patient condition can be selected based on a frequency domain characteristic of the sensed bioelectrical signals. In some examples, a stimulation electrode combination is selected based on a determination of which of the sense electrodes are located closest to a target tissue site, as indicated by the one or more sense electrodes that sensed a bioelectrical brain signal with a relatively highest value of the frequency domain characteristic. In some examples, determining which of the sense electrodes are located closest to the target tissue site may include executing an algorithm using relative values of the frequency domain characteristic.
US08538510B2 Apparatus and method for identifying myocardial ischemia using analysis of high frequency QRS potentials
Detecting cardiac ischemia by detecting local changes in high frequency ECG parameters. Local changes may be, for example, local reduction in RMS of high frequency components, for example, during a stress test.
US08538507B2 Infrared endoscopic balloon probes
Balloon probes, adapted for use in endoscopy and other medical procedures, are useful to obtain spectroscopic information reflected or emitted from a tissue of interest in the infrared spectral region. The information collected by the probe is useful in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The invention also relates to methods utilizing these probes to analyze a surface of interest, in a minimally invasive manner, in connection with the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
US08538500B2 System and method for probability based determination of estimated oxygen saturation
Present embodiments include providing an initial estimate of a value representative of a blood flow characteristic at a current timestep, and determining a probability distribution of transition, wherein the probability distribution of transition includes potential values of the blood flow characteristic at the current timestep with associated probabilities of occurrence based solely on the initial estimate. Present embodiments further include obtaining an initial measurement of the blood flow characteristic, and determining a probability distribution of measured values, wherein the probability distribution of measured values includes potential values of the blood flow characteristic at the current timestep with associated probabilities of occurrence based on the initial measurement. Further, present embodiments include combining the probability of distribution of transition with the probability of distribution of measured values to determine a meaningful blood flow characteristic value, and posting the meaningful blood flow characteristic value.
US08538499B2 Process and apparatus for non-invasive, continuous in vivo measurement of hematocrit
The invention provides a method and apparatus obtaining a hematocrit from a sample of in vivo tissue. The method comprises irradiating the sample with a single incident wavelength on a sample of tissue, simultaneously measuring wavelength shifted (IE) and unshifted (EE) light emitted from the tissue, and determining a relative volume of light emitted from two phases, wherein the two phases comprise a first Rayleigh and Mie scattering and fluorescent phase associated with red blood cells, and a second, non-scattering phase associated with plasma. The hematocrit is calculated from the volume of light emitted by the first phase relative to the total volume of light emitted from the first and second phases.
US08538495B2 Method of low duty mode operation in a femto base station in consideration of a femto cell type
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless access system including a femto cell, and more particularly, to a method of low duty operation in a femto base station. According to one embodiment of the present invention, in a broadband wireless access system, a method of a low duty mode operation of a femto base station saving power includes the steps of determining a low duty mode pattern to be performed by the femto base station according to a preset reference and performing the low duty mode operation according to the determined pattern. In this case, the preset reference can include at least one selected from the group consisting of a battery level, an available resource status and a subscriber type of the femto base station.
US08538489B2 Mobile communication terminal
In order to facilitate an operation for talking, a mobile communication terminal includes first and second LCDs which display images, the first LCD being changed in state between an open state where a display surface of the second LCD is exposed and a closed state where the display surface of the second LCD is covered by the first LCD, a state detecting portion which detects the open/closed state of the first LCD, a destination number accepting portion which accepts a telephone number of a call destination while the open state is being detected by the state detecting portion, and a communication control portion which originates a call to a telephone number accepted by the destination number accepting portion (S08) when the closed state is detected by the state detecting portion (YES in S07) after the telephone number has been accepted by the destination number accepting portion (S05).
US08538487B2 System and method for managing local time of contact person of mobile phone
In a method for managing a local time of a contact person of a mobile phone, the mobile phone includes a plurality of contact items. Each of the contact items includes time zone information that indicates a time zone corresponding to a location of a contact person of the mobile phone. Time zone information of a contact item is acquired and is sent to a world clock application of the mobile phone. The world clock calculates a local time of a contact person correspond to the contact item. The local time of the contact person is displayed on a display screen of the mobile phone.
US08538484B2 Providing a user with feedback regarding power consumption in battery-operated electronic devices
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing a user with feedback regarding power consumption in a battery-operated electronic device. In one aspect, a method is performed by one or more data processing apparatus. The method includes receiving, at the data processing apparatus, historical records of power consumption by a collection of battery-operated electronic devices that are operated by different users, aggregating and analyzing, by the data processing apparatus, the historical records to generate representative characterizations of the power consumption on different classes of the battery-operated electronic devices, and outputting, from the data processing apparatus, the representative characterizations of the power consumption by different applications that have executed on the different classes. Each of the battery-operated electronic devices belongs to a class.
US08538475B1 Apparatus and method for a web programmable telephone
A web programmable telephone and a method for operating a web programmable telephone are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a voice module of a wireless household telephone is controlled by an internal web module that can retrieve and execute data operations from a remote portal or server thus adding data functionality to the conventional functions of a telephone. The programmable web module controls all functionality of the web programmable telephone so that every function of the telephone can be programmed and customized by a user.
US08538472B2 User equipment and method for performing downlink and/or uplink power control
A user equipment includes a plurality of antennas to receive downlink signals from a base station, a plurality of receiver circuits each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of antennas to process the received downlink signals, an SIR estimation unit to estimate a quality of the received downlink signals, a power loop controller to generate transmit power control commands based on the estimated quality of the received downlink signals, the transmit power control commands being directed to the base station to adjust a power of the downlink signals and a diversity controller to selectively activate and deactivate one or more of the receiver circuits depending on the estimated quality of the received downlink signals.
US08538471B2 Time-shifting for push to talk voice communication systems
A network communication device located on a Push To Talk (PTT) communication network and configured to provide time-shifting capabilities to a user of a PTT communication device is disclosed. The network communication device includes a receiver configured to progressively receive time-based media. The network communication device also includes a time-shifting buffer for progressively storing the received time based media as the time-based media is received and a time-shifting buffer controller configured to control the rendering of the time-based media at the PTT device.
US08538467B2 Methods and apparatus for delivering a message to two or more associated wireless communication devices
Techniques in a message-originating wireless communication device for use in communicating short messages via a wireless communication network are described. The message-originating device has a memory which stores an address of a wireless communication device in association with an additional address of an additional wireless communication device. In the technique, a request to deliver a short message to the address of the wireless communication device is received via a user interface of the message-originating device. The request may be made, for example, in response to a depression of a button, only once, to send the short message. In response to the request, the short message is transmitted, via the wireless network, to the address for delivery to the wireless communication device. The short message is additionally transmitted, via the wireless network, to the additional address for delivery to the additional wireless communication device. The additional address of the additional wireless communication device is selected for the additional transmission of the short message based on the stored association.
US08538466B2 Message filtering system using profiles
In one embodiment of the present invention, a system and method of filtering messages may be provided that includes receiving an SMS message intended for a recipient and receiving a user-restriction profile. The system and method includes determining whether the SMS message contains content that is indicated to be restricted by the user-restriction profile and, in response to the determination that the SMS message contains restricted content, delivering the SMS message to an authorized secondary receiver. Alternatively, in response to the determination that the SMS message does not contain restricted content, the SMS message may be delivered to the recipient.
US08538463B2 Apparatus and method for providing communication quality information
A communication quality visualization information providing system acquires a communication quality, generates communication quality visualization information by mapping the acquired communication quality information to geographic information, and provides corresponding communication quality visualization information according to a user request.
US08538457B2 Continuous data optimization of moved access points in positioning systems
Methods and systems of continuously optimizing data in WiFi positioning systems. A location-based services system uses WiFi-enabled devices to monitor WiFi access points in a target area to indicate whether a WiFi access point has moved relative to its previously recorded location. A WiFi-enabled device communicates with WiFi access points within range of the WiFi-enabled device so that observed WiFi access points identify themselves; A reference database is accessed to obtain information specifying a recorded location for each observed WiFi access point in the target area. The recorded location information is used for each of the observed WiFi access points in conjunction with predefined rules to infer whether an observed WiFi access point has moved relative to its recorded location. The reference database is informed of the identity of any observed WiFi access point that is inferred to have moved.
US08538453B2 Location tracking method in coordinator-based wireless network
A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network is provided. The location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network includes transmitting a first frame including its own identifier and time information to the wireless network by a device associated with the wireless network in order to disclose its location information; and receiving a second frame including the location information of the device transmitted from the wireless network by the device, as a response to the first frame.
US08538449B2 Method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth for a network
A method and apparatus for performing traffic engineering, e.g., allocating bandwidth, on a wireless access network are disclosed. For example, the method determines a number of subscriber stations (SSs) that a Base Station (BS) is capable of supporting in accordance with at least one performance objective for voice traffic, wherein the at least one performance objective for voice traffic comprises a type of codec. The method then allocates bandwidth by the base station in accordance with the number of subscriber stations that the base station is capable of supporting.
US08538445B2 Method and system for transmitting an uplink channel sounding pilot and base station and user equipment
A method for transmitting an uplink channel sounding pilot is used in the Long Term Evolution Project. The method includes: receiving, by a User Equipment, an uplink channel sounding pilot scheduling signaling; and transmitting, by the User Equipment, an uplink channel sounding pilot according to an indication in the uplink channel sounding pilot scheduling signaling. The uplink channel sounding pilot scheduling signaling includes one of or a combination of indication information including transmission starting time, a transmission period, duration, a subcarrier index, a subframe index, a long block index and a frequency band of the uplink channel sounding pilot. A system for transmitting an uplink channel sounding pilot, a base station and a User Equipment are also disclosed. With the use of the invention, a User Equipment may be dynamically scheduled to transmit an uplink channel sounding pilot, a solution for carrying the uplink channel sounding pilot scheduling signaling is provided, and a solution for determining the position of the uplink channel sounding pilot in the subframe is also be provided, thereby the position of the uplink channel sounding pilot in the subframe can more accurately reflect the conditions of the channel on which uplink and/or downlink processing is performed according to the uplink channel sounding pilot.
US08538439B2 Communications system configured to correct an association mismatch and related methods
A communications system includes a service provider device, a mobile wireless communications device, and a plurality of communication infrastructure nodes. The plurality of communication infrastructure nodes are configured to generate an association mismatch communications path between the service provider device and the mobile wireless communications device, the association mismatch communications path including at least two communication infrastructure nodes in series. The plurality of communications infrastructure nodes are also configured to generate a corrected association communications path between the service provider device and the mobile wireless communications device from the mismatch communications path, the corrected association communications path including just a single communication infrastructure node from the at least two communication infrastructure nodes.
US08538432B2 Method of executing handover in a mobile communication system
Disclosed are methods of executing a handover related operation in a power saving mode in accordance with handover triggering information. One of the methods of executing handover of a mobile station in a mobile communication system comprises determining an enabled status of at least one handover related operation in a specific operation mode between the mobile station (MS) and a network, receiving control information related to the at least one handover related operation from the network, entering the specific operation mode, changing the enabled status of the at least one handover related operation in the specific operation mode, and performing the enabled handover related operation in accordance with the changed enabled status and the control information.
US08538429B2 Handover to an unlicensed mobile network
A cellular radio telecommunication handover system and method for enabling the handover of a mobile telecommunications device between a licensed (cellular) network and an unlicensed mobile network comprising a plurality of low power access points having all of them the same common cell identity (GGI) is disclosed. The mobile telecommunications device establishes a handover between one access point of the licensed network and another access point of the unlicensed network by communication of handover resources therebetween.
US08538426B2 Controlling and enhancing handoff between wireless access points
A wireless device includes at least one processor operable to transmit authentication information to one of a plurality of access devices associated with a first wireless hotspot; and establish an access session with the one of the plurality of access devices. Information related to the access session is saved in memory accessible by a plurality of wireless access providers. When the wireless device moves from a coverage area of the first wireless hotspot to a coverage area of the one of the plurality of wireless access providers, the saved information facilitates access to the one of the plurality of wireless access providers by the wireless device.
US08538415B2 Trigger of inter-frequency measurments within mobile radio communications device
The invention provides for a method of initiating inter-frequency measurements within a mobile radio communications device and including the step of inspecting by way of a network the load state of the cell in which the mobile radio communications device is located, and further including the step of paging the mobile radio communications device with a Paging Type 1 message indicating that the mobile radio communications device can perform inter-frequency measurement on the cells identified within SIB before responding to the paging signal.
US08538409B2 Home appliance remote control method and wireless network card
The present invention provides a method for remotely controlling household appliances comprising: storing corresponding relation between household appliance identification information, operation action instructing information and control signal encoding format in a wireless network card integrated with a remote control circuit; a terminal sending a remote control command to a specified wireless network card, the remote control command carrying at least identification information of a controlled household appliance and operation action instructing information; and after receiving the remote control command, the wireless network card analyzing the remote control command and sending a control signal in a corresponding encoding format to the controlled household appliance using the remote control circuit according to the carried identification information of the controlled household appliance, the operation action instructing information and the locally stored corresponding relation. The present invention further provides a wireless network card.
US08538403B2 Method and apparatus for disambiguating an emergency call attempt during password entry for unlocking a mobile device
A method and apparatus for unlocking a mobile communication device are provided, the mobile communication device comprising an input device, and a display device, the mobile communication device enabled to initiate emergency calls in a locked state. Password input data is received via the input device, when the mobile communication device is in the locked state, the password input data for unlocking the mobile communication device, the password input data comprising at least a sequence of characters for initiating an emergency call. In response to receiving the sequence of characters for initiating the emergency call, the display device is controlled to provide a representation of instructions to initiate the emergency call upon receipt of emergency call initiate data from the input device.
US08538402B2 Phone that prevents texting while driving
The present invention includes a phone able to detect or determine that a user of the phone is sitting in a driver seat of a moving vehicle. The determination may be based on, for example, captured front-side images, captured back-side images, captured audio, contextual analysis of textual messages, contextual analysis of phone conversations or intra-vehicular conversations, GPS data or other location data, or other parameters. Upon such determination, the phone may block one or more features or applications, such as texting or messaging. The present invention may reduce, eliminate or block occurrences of concurrent texting-and-driving, or other unsafe or illegal operations.
US08538397B2 System and method for in-band modem to modem communication
Systems, methods and programmed instructions are disclosed useful for transmitting signals representing data messages to and from a wireless handheld telephony device along a first call leg of a communication session previously established between the wireless handheld telephony device and at least one second telephony device, the communication session being controlled by a call control server.
US08538384B2 Method for setting or maintaining a preferential condition for a mobile terminal
A method and device for setting or maintaining a preferential condition for a mobile terminal. The method includes determining if the base station associated with the mobile terminal is involved in an inter cell interference coordination procedure, setting the preferential condition for the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is in a communication through a base station not associated with the mobile terminal, if the base station associated with the mobile terminal is involved in an ICIC procedure, and not setting the preferential condition for the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is in a communication with the remote telecommunication device through a base station not associated with the mobile terminal if the base station associated with the mobile terminal is not involved in an ICIC procedure.
US08538383B2 Public address system using wireless mobile communication devices
A public address system is set forth, comprising at least one wireless mobile communication device; a sound system; and a back-end system for selectively receiving a wireless signal from the wireless mobile communication device and transmitting the signal to the sound system for broadcast.
US08538381B2 System, method and terminal for forwarding incoming call
The present invention discloses a system, method and terminal for implementing the forwarding of incoming call, wherein the method comprises: a terminal A with Wireless LAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI) function establishing a connection with another terminal B with the WAPI function through a WAPI module; when either the terminal A or terminal B has an incoming call, the terminal having the incoming call forwarding the incoming call to another terminal which has established the connection with the terminal having the incoming call. In the present invention, the incoming calls on the terminal A can be forwarded to the terminal B, and the phone calls on the terminal B also can be forwarded to the terminal A, which is convenient for users to answer the phone calls and can solve the phenomenon of the users missing calls due to various reasons very well.
US08538379B1 System and method for profitable operation of an unlimited communications plan
A system and method for profitably operating communications services may include providing a service plan inclusive of at least a portion of the communications services being unlimited for a user. A computing system may collect usage data of the user during a time period associated with the unlimited portion of the service plan. The computing system may determine whether the usage data is indicative of the user using the communications services in violation of service terms and conditions associated with the unlimited portion of the service plan. The computing system may perform an action in response to determining that the user is in violation of the terms and conditions.
US08538378B2 Mobile billboard and usage advisor
System for providing dynamic recommendations associated with usage of a wireless communication service from a service provider (SP) of a user. A memory area stores at least one or more of the following service usage information: a service plan of the wireless communication service of the user, a service charge structure of a wireless communication service, a service coverage area of the wireless communication service provider (SP), a usage information of the wireless communication service of the user, and tariff information associated with the usage. A processor is configured to execute computer-executable instructions for monitoring the usage of the wireless communication service. The processor is also configured to correlate the monitored usage with the service usage information stored on the memory area. The processor is configured to generate a recommendation based on the correlation of the monitored usage and the service usage information. The generated recommendation provides a cost analysis of using the wireless communication service by the user. An interface provides the generated recommendation associated with the usage to the user.
US08538362B2 Squelch detection circuit and method
A squelch detection circuit and method involves a first comparator coupled to a complimentary input signal pair and having a first polarity output. A second comparator coupled to the complimentary input signal pair has a second polarity output. An offset associated with complimentary input signal pair establishes a positive squelch threshold and a negative squelch threshold. A calibration unit coupled to the first comparator and the second comparator generates a digital output including threshold settings and calibration settings to the first comparator and to the second comparator. The digital output can be associated with establishing the offset and with calibrating the positive squelch threshold and the negative squelch threshold.
US08538357B2 Switchable VRAMP limiter
Systems and devices for radio frequency (RF) power amplification are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power amplification device includes a power amplification circuit operable to amplify an RF transmission signal and a voltage regulation circuit operable to generate a regulated voltage. The regulated voltage level of the regulated voltage sets an amplification gain of the power amplification circuit. The voltage regulation circuit allows the regulated voltage level closer to the saturation voltage level when a band-select signal indicates that the RF transmission signal is being transmitted within a low transmission frequency band and is further away from the saturation voltage level when the band-select signal indicates that the RF transmission signal is being transmitted within a high transmission frequency band. This provides greater power efficiency when the RF transmission signal is being transmitted with the low transmission frequency band.
US08538350B2 Antenna arrangement and test method
A method including providing a matching circuit, a first contact connected, without an intervening test connector to a transmitter and/or a receiver, and a second contact, separate from the first contact, connected to the matching circuit; sensing a parameter of the transmitter and/or the receiver by connecting test apparatus to the first contact; and providing an antenna element for coupling with the first contact and the second contact.
US08538348B2 Data processing terminal system and transmitting and receiving method using the same
An information processing terminal system includes an information processing terminal; and a transmitting and receiving unit which is attached to the information processing terminal. The transmitting and receiving unit converts a reception wave signal from a network into a reception analog baseband signal. The transmitting and receiving unit converts the reception analog baseband signal into a reception digital baseband signal in synchronization with a clock. The information processing terminal converts the reception digital baseband signal into a reception data in synchronization with a clock, and a transmission data into a transmission digital baseband signal in synchronization with the clock. The transmitting and receiving unit converts the transmission digital baseband signal into a transmission analog baseband signal in synchronization with the clock. The transmitting and receiving unit converts the transmission analog baseband signal into a transmission modulation wave signal to output to the network.
US08538343B2 Methods and apparatus to collect wireless information
Example methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to collect wireless information are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves installing an operating system and a data collector to execute outside a context of the operating system on a wireless handheld device. A testing process is performed to ensure functionality of the wireless handheld device. An application is installed on the wireless handheld device to execute in the context of the operating system. The data collector is to collect usage information regarding the application and to provide the usage information to a network provider.
US08538339B2 Method for distributed interference coordination in a femtocell environment
Distributed inter-cell interference coordination in a communications system can include: at one other femtocell system, sending channel quality information of a subordinate device communicating with the other femtocell system to the first femtocell system; receiving the channel quality information of the at least one other femtocell system at the first femtocell system; estimating an influence of a use of a resource on the communications system at the first femtocell system according to the channel quality information received by one or more of the at least one other femtocell system; and determining at the first femtocell system whether to use the resource.
US08538337B2 Methods and apparatus for uplink and downlink inter-cell interference coordination
A method for inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) by a home evolved NodeB (HeNB) is described. A portion of bandwidth is reserved for a user equipment (UE). Notification of the reserved portion of bandwidth is sent to at least one potentially interfering evolved NodeB (eNB). A data exchange is performed with the UE using the reserved portion of bandwidth. Notification is sent to the potentially interfering eNBs releasing the reserved portion of bandwidth.
US08538336B2 Radio LSI device and interfering wave detecting circuit
A radio LSI device includes an interfering wave detecting circuit that receives an RSSI signal for a current transmit/receive channel. The interfering wave detecting circuit includes a field intensity determiner that determines whether or not the value of the RSSI signal is greater than a predetermined threshold value. The interfering wave detecting circuit also includes a duration counter that counts the duration of an interfering wave whose RSSI value is greater than the predetermined threshold value. The interfering wave detecting circuit also includes a duration comparator that, if the duration exceeds a duration comparative value, generates an interrupt signal. The radio LSI device changes the setting of the current transmit/receive channel in response to the interrupt signal.
US08538333B2 Media exposure linking utilizing bluetooth signal characteristics
A computer-implemented method for establishing media data exposure for a computer processing device, where media data received in the computer processing device. The computer processing device pairs itself with a plurality of portable computing devices using a Bluetooth connection when media data is received. A signal strength characteristic of the Bluetooth connection is established in the computer processing device for each of the paired plurality of portable computing devices. Each signal strength characteristic with the received media data is then established to determine which signal strength characteristic is the strongest when the media data was received in the computer processing device.
US08538331B2 Vehicle control and communication via device in proximity
An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are to make a determination that a first device associated with a vehicle is in proximity to a wireless device, determine a user interface on the wireless device with respect to the vehicle based on the determination, and perform an operation with respect to the vehicle based on the determination.If the wireless device 100 is in proximity 106 to a TV in other systems 140, automatic invocation system 198 may be used to turn on to the show that user 104 has scheduled in his calendar for this time. If no default action is available (i.e., the user 104 has no calendar entry), the viewing history or preferences of the user 104 may be used to select a channel, if viewing history and/or preferences cannot be used, the system may turn on the TV as usual. Alternatively, if user 104 has a web browser application executing on the wireless device 100 and the web browser is pointed to the URL for CNN, for example, the TV may be tuned to CNN as well.
US08538328B2 Antenna and satellite alignment using beam projections
Disclosed is a satellite beam pointing system that uses color encoded signals from subscribers to align antennas on a satellite and to align the satellite. Subscribers detect the signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio of signals that are transmitted from the satellite. The values of the signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio data are encoded in signals that are transmitted back to a ground station that color encodes the data and graphically displays the signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio of the subscriber received signals. The actual beam projection can then be determined and the satellite antennas moved, so that the actual beam projection coincides with the intended beam projection. Also, the satellite can be properly oriented using this technique.
US08538319B2 System and method for real time tracking of student performance based on state educational standards
A system for providing feedback on educational standards within schools includes an interface providing access to a plurality of established educational standards which may be downloaded into a database of the system. A plurality of control modules enables a user to establish educational programs specifically associated with at least one of the downloaded established educational standards and receive feedback on student performance. Real time reports on student performance are provided responsive to the received feedback on student performance.
US08538318B2 Apparatus and methods for an interactive electronic book system
Apparatus and methods are provided relating to delivering audio content for an interactive electronic book system, including a book with a plurality of pages with overlaying magnets affixed thereto, a magnetic sensor, a temperature sensor, a speaker, a computer with calibration and temperature compensation data stored in non-volatile memory, and audio content related to the pages of the book, such that the computer determines which page the book is open to and causes the speaker to deliver audio content related to the open page. Apparatus and methods are provided for calibrating an electronic book system including temperature compensation steps.
US08538313B2 Image forming apparatus
The present invention includes an image forming unit, a reversing unit configured to reverse the sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit, a reconveyance path which conveys the sheet reversed by the reversing unit to a feeding path for forming an image on the sheet by the image forming unit again, a position detection unit which is provided on the reconveyance path and configured to detect a position of the sheet in a width direction, a skew-feeding correction unit which is provided on the reconveyance path and configured to correct skew-feeding of the sheet, wherein the position detection unit is disposed on the downstream of the skew-feeding correction unit in reconveyance path, wherein the image forming unit corrects the position of the image to be formed on the sheet, which is conveyed through the reconveyance path, based on a signal from the positioning detection unit.
US08538308B2 Image forming device
An image forming device includes a rotation member being held rotatably while making contact with an image carrier, a solid lubricant pressed so as to make contact with the rotation member, and a potential application unit for applying a potential to the rotation member, wherein the material of the solid lubricant and the material of the rotation member are selected so that the charged polarity of the solid lubricant charged due to the friction between the rotation member and the solid lubricant becomes identical with the charged polarity of toner, and the potential to be applied to the rotation member is set so as to be higher or lower than the surface potential of the neutralized image carrier so that the charges having the same polarity as the charged polarity of the solid lubricant are attracted from the rotation member to the neutralized image carrier.
US08538307B2 Fixing device
A fixing device includes a film, a roller forming a nip with the film, for conveying a sheet while nipping the sheet, a member for urging one of the film and the roller toward the other, a heater for heating one of the film and the roller, a cam, rotationally driven by a motor, for moving the urging member in a releasing direction or a restoring direction of an urging force by the urging member, a gear that swings, depending on normal or reverse rotation of the motor, and a stopper to stop the swinging of the gear. By this arrangement, the rapid rotation of gears that are free from engagement, which can cause impact noise during a transitional process between a gear engagement state in a nip-released state by the roller and a gear engagement state during a nipping function by the roller, can be suppressed.
US08538304B2 Belt drive apparatus and image forming apparatus
A belt drive apparatus includes: a rotatable first roller; a rotatable second roller; a belt member stretched by the first and the second rollers so as to be capable of being conveyed by the first roller and the second roller; and a restraint member provided on at least one of the two ends of the second roller and including a belt receiving surface to be brought into contact with an edge portion of the belt member. The belt receiving surface and an axis of the second roller make an angle that is not smaller than 93° but not larger than 115°.
US08538295B2 Systems and methods for remanufacturing imaging components
A drive gear for a generally cylindrical imaging component. The drive gear includes a body for engaging the generally cylindrical imaging component; a cylindrical shaft attached to the body, the cylindrical shaft having an end surface; and three prongs extending longitudinally outward from the end surface.
US08538286B2 Air duct and toner cartridge using same
A cartridge for containing toner material used in an image-forming device according to one example embodiment includes a developer roll, two J-seals that provide interfaces with the developer roll at the ends thereof, and an air duct that conducts airflow across the interfaces to cool the developer roll and seals. The air duct is an unitary structure including an elongated hollow body and a pair of nozzles in fluid communication with the hollow body. One of the nozzles is disposed at a distal end of the developer roll near one J-seal, and the other of the nozzles is disposed at a proximal end of the developer roll near the second J-seal.
US08538283B2 Image forming apparatus having control unit
An image forming apparatus for printing an image on a continuous print medium includes an image processing unit for converting print data received to image data printable; a developer image forming unit for forming a developer image using specific developer according to the image data; a transfer unit for transporting the continuous print medium and transferring the developer image to the continuous print medium; and a control unit for instructing timings of the developer image forming unit to form the developer image and the transfer unit to transport the continuous print medium when the control unit receives a conversion process completion notice from the image processing unit. Further, it is arranged so that an initialization operation of the developer image forming unit is performed before the developer image forming unit forms the developer image.
US08538281B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming method
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier transferring the developer image to a material at a transfer position; plural developing units supplying developer of corresponding colors; a cleaner disposed downstream of the transfer position in the rotating direction of the image carrier with respect to the image carrier; a recycle developer storage unit storing the developer; a recycle developer developing unit supplying the developer to the image carrier; and a control unit controlling a recycle developer adjustment by supplying the developer from at least one of the plural developing units to the image carrier, forming a developer image on the image carrier, allowing the developer image to pass through the transfer position without being transferred onto the material, and allowing the developer of the developer image to be recovered in the cleaner to supply the developer to the recycle developer storage unit.
US08538280B2 Image erasing apparatus and image erasing method
An image erasing apparatus includes a scanning unit, a memory unit, an erasing unit, and a carrying unit. The scanning unit converts an image formed on a sheet into image data which is electronic data. The memory unit stores the image data converted by the scanning unit. The erasing unit erases the image formed on the sheet. The carrying unit carries the sheet to the scanning unit and the erasing unit in this order.
US08538279B2 Method and apparatus for carrier phase estimation and correction in a coherent optical system
An apparatus comprising a nonlinear lookup unit (NL-LUU) configured to add a phase shift to a signal sample to compensate for pattern dependent phase distortion, and one or more first phase adjustment units coupled to NL-LUU and configured to remove from the signal sample a nonlinear phase error from the NL-LUU, wherein the signal sample corresponds to a received signal polarization component of a polarization multiplexed (PM) coherent signal in a PM coherent optical system.
US08538275B2 Multimode optical communication
An optical transmitter includes a set of optical waveguides and first, second, and third optical modulators. Output ends of the optical waveguides of the set form a two-dimensional array capable of end-coupling the optical waveguides of the set to a multimode optical fiber in response to the array being located to optically face one end of the multimode optical waveguide. The first optical modulator is optically connected to a first of the optical waveguides of the set, and each of the second and third optical modulators is optically connected to the second and third of the optical waveguides of the set. The set of optical waveguides is configured to provide a coupling matrix of rank three or more between the optical modulators and optical propagation modes in the multimode optical fiber.
US08538260B2 Wavelength selection
A wavelength is selected for use in transmitting optical data along a path in an optical network. Wavelengths that are available for use end-to-end along the path are found, the wavelengths that are available on each link attached to each node on the path are found and a wavelength that is available end-to-end and that is more available on the links attached to the nodes is selected.
US08538246B2 Image data recording apparatus, image data recording method, program and memory medium
The image data recording apparatus includes an image data input device, a first write-in device, a second write-in device, and a controller for controlling write-in action to the first and second write-in devices, wherein the controller controls the second write-in device so that when the image data inputted by the image data input device is to be written into the first memory medium inserted into the first write-in device, the inputted image data may be precedingly written into the second memory medium, and controls the first write-in device so that during the ejection of the inserted first memory medium, the image data written into the second memory medium may be written into the first memory medium and also, the control information of the image data may be written into the first memory medium.
US08538244B2 Recording/reproduction apparatus and recording/reproduction method
An apparatus for recording and reproducing image data to which audio data is attached includes an extracting unit adapted to extract a specific audio or voice signal from audio data, a recording unit adapted to record the specific audio or voice signal in relation to image data, and a reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the specific audio or voice signal when a reduced image of the image data is selected.
US08538239B2 System and method for fingerprinting video
Disclosed are various embodiments of generating video fingerprints. Scene changes can be detected in a video and a video fingerprint generated based upon a time at which the scene change occurs as well as time intervals between the scene changes relative to adjacent scene changes. A video can be captured and analyzed by comparing scene changes detected in the video to those described by the video fingerprint.
US08538238B2 Playback apparatus using a memory for storing a representative image
Provided is a playback apparatus that has a function of generating a representative image of a moving image recorded in a recording medium. When moving image data of a plurality of clips is played back from the recording medium, a signal processor generates representative image data indicating representative images of clips based on the played-back moving image data, and stores the data in a memory. A display controller generates an index screen using the representative image data stored in the memory, and displays this on a display unit. Here, a controller determines a clip for which representative image data is to be stored in the memory based on the time necessary to generate representative image data, causes the signal processor to generate representative image data of the determined clip, and causes the memory to store that data.
US08538235B2 Reproducing device, reproducing method, program and recording medium
A reproducing method includes: a keyword specifying step of specifying a plurality of keywords corresponding to one unit being reproduced; a keyword switching step of switching the plural keywords that have been specified, by every constant or different time interval, to choose one keyword; and a list display step of allowing the symbols of the respective contents of video or sound relating to each of the keywords that have been chosen by the keyword switching step to be switched and to be listed.
US08538230B2 Resin composition for production of clad layer, resin film for production of clad layer utilizing the resin composition, and optical waveguide and optical module each utilizing the resin composition or the resin film
The present invention provides a resin composition and film for forming a cladding layer of an optical waveguide, which composition contains (A) a (meth)acrylic polymer having a weight average molecular weight more than 100,000, (B) a urethane (meth)acrylate, and (D) a radical polymerization initiator; and an optical waveguide and an optical module produced by use of the composition or film. There can be provided a resin composition for forming a cladding layer and a resin film for forming a cladding layer, which exhibit excellent bending durability and twisting durability, and an optical waveguide and an optical module each produced therefrom.
US08538224B2 OLED light extraction films having internal nanostructures and external microstructures
A light extraction film having internal nanostructures and external microstructures for organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices. The light extraction film includes a flexible substantially transparent film, a low index nanostructured layer applied to the film, and a high index planarizing backfill layer applied over the nanostructured layer. External optical microstructures are applied to the flexible substantially transparent film on a side opposite the nanostructured layer to enhance light extraction from the OLED devices while providing for a more uniform luminance distribution.
US08538223B2 Method for making optical waveguides
A method for making a waveguide comprises (a) providing a waveguide structure comprising a substrate (22), a lower cladding (20) layer on the substrate, and a core layer (24) comprising silicon nitride, amorphous silicon, or amorphous silicon-germanium alloy on the lower cladding layer; (b) patterning the core layer; and (c) annealing (28) the waveguide structure.
US08538217B2 Light emitting diode lighting system
A lighting system for generating an illumination product comprises an excitation source, blue/UV LED, operable to generate excitation radiation and a remotely located phosphor, photo luminescent material. Excitation radiation is guided from the excitation source to the phosphor by a waveguiding medium, the waveguiding medium being configured such that the distance the radiation travels from the excitation source to the phosphor layer is at least one centimeter in length. The UV/blue excitation source provides excitation radiation to the phosphor(s), causing the phosphor(s) to photo luminesce, and it may also provide a component of the final illumination product. The configuration of the waveguide allows a greater flexibility in lighting system configurations, such as hanging lighting fixtures, desk lighting fixtures, floor standing lighting fixtures, desk lamps, track lighting, spot lighting, accent lighting, lighting panels, inspection lamps and endoscopes.
US08538198B2 Method and apparatus for determining misalignment
An apparatus for determining misalignment between a first image and a second image, the first and second images being viewable stereoscopically, the apparatus comprising: a determiner operable to determine a feature position within the first image and a corresponding feature position within the second image; a definer operable to define, within the first image and the second image, the optical axis of the cameras capturing said respective images; a calculator operable to calculate the misalignment between the feature position within the first image and the corresponding feature position within the second image using a model, the misalignment being determined in dependence upon the location of the feature position of the first image and the corresponding feature position of the second image relative to the defined optical axis of the respective images; and a tester operable to test the validity of the calculated misalignment using a random sample consensus technique, whereby the tested misalignment is valid when the random sample consensus technique achieves a predetermined condition.
US08538193B2 Methods and systems for image enhancement and estimation of compression noise
Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for determining the compression noise present in an image or frame in a video sequence and for enhancing an image or frame in a video sequence.
US08538190B2 Apparatus, method, and recording medium for reduced noise image processing
Provided are an image processing method and apparatus for effectively reducing noise in an image, and a recording medium storing a program for executing the method. The image processing apparatus includes a noise reduction unit configured to apply a noise reduction filter to first image data to obtain second image data; a first edge data obtaining unit configured to calculate edge data lost in the second image data compared with the first image data to obtain the first edge data; and a first synthesis unit configured to tune the first edge data and calculate third image data from the second image data and the tuned first edge data.
US08538187B2 Defocus calibration module for light-sensing system and method thereof
A defocus calibration module is applied in a light-sensing system for sensing a measured object to generate a sensed image. The light-sensing system contains a light-emitting component, a focusing component, and an image sensor. The light-emitting component emits a detecting light to the measured object so that the measured object generates a reflecting light. The focusing component focuses the reflecting light to the image sensor, and the image sensor generates the sensed image according to the reflecting light. The defocus calibration module has a calibrating object for blocking a part of the detecting light and the reflecting light for forming images at a first and a second calibration imaging locations in the sensed image. In this way, the defocus calibration module calculates a defocus parameter representing the defocus level of the light-sensing system according to the first and the second calibration imaging locations, and accordingly calibrates the sensed image.
US08538165B2 Image measuring apparatus, program, and teaching method of image measuring apparatus
A data memory storing Gerber data containing closed area information of a work; a display displaying a pattern image based on the closed area information of the Gerber data; a detection specification information display program displaying on the display a detection tool specifying a location of edge to be detected, a detection direction and detection length, by superimposing on the pattern image; an image capturing program and an image capturer capturing an image of an area corresponding to the detection tool of the work; an edge detection program performing an edge detection of the location of the edge to be detected with respect to data of a captured image; and a condition determination program determining a light-dark change condition indicating whether an image is changing from a light section to a dark section or from a dark section to a light section along a detection direction.
US08538160B2 Electronic device and method for sorting pictures
A system and method for sorting pictures stored in an electronic device receives sorting features of the pictures and a sorting priority sequence of the sorting features set by a user. The pictures are sorted in each of the sorting features according to the sorting priority sequence. If pictures have no sorting features, the pictures are stored in a file of a storage system of the electronic device. The pictures having the same sorting sub-feature of the sorting feature are stored in a picture file.
US08538157B2 Device, method and computer program for detecting characters in an image
A device for detecting characters in an image includes a Hough transformer implemented to identify, as identified elements of writing, circular arcs or elliptical arcs in the image or in a preprocessed version of the image. The device further includes a character description generator implemented to obtain, on the basis of the identified circular arcs or elliptical arcs, a character description which describes locations of the identified circular arcs or elliptical arcs. In addition, the device includes a database comparator implemented to compare the character description with a plurality of comparative character descriptions which have character codes associated with them, so as to provide, as a result of the comparison, a character code of a detected character.
US08538156B2 Character recognition device and recording medium
A character recognition device which recognizes an operation for writing a character performed by a housing including an acceleration sensor while being moved in a spatial plane based on a measurement result from the acceleration sensor, a control section acquires acceleration data of each component acquired during the period from the start of writing to the end of the writing of one character determined based on acceleration data of a component associated with each axis of the acceleration sensor, as a series of acceleration data that are temporally continuous from the first stroke to the last stroke of the character including acceleration between strokes. The control section identifies feature points for each component that exist in a series of acceleration data, generates feature point data for each component which includes the plurality of feature points as inputted character data, and collates it with basic character data.
US08538153B2 System and method for enabling meaningful interaction with video based characters and objects
The present disclosure provides a system and method for enabling meaningful body-to-body interaction with virtual video-based characters or objects in an interactive imaging environment including: capturing a corpus of video-based interaction data, processing the captured video using a segmentation process that corresponds to the capture setup in order to generate binary video data, labeling the corpus by assigning a description to clips of silhouette video, processing the labeled corpus of silhouette motion data to extract horizontal and vertical projection histograms for each frame of silhouette data, and estimating the motion state automatically from each frame of segmentation data using the processed model. Virtual characters or objects are represented using video captured from video-based motion, thereby creating the illusion of real characters or objects in an interactive imaging experience.
US08538151B2 Building roof outline recognizing device, building roof outline recognizing method, and building roof outline recognizing program
Provided is a building roof outline recognition device which facilitates automation. A small-building candidate region is extracted based on normalized DSM data using a region segmentation method. By using the building candidate region as a marker and further using height information included in the normalized DSM data and the like, a building region is extracted using a region growing method. While referencing the height information, from among edges appearing in the orthoimage, edges fitting with an outer shape of the building region are extracted as an outer shape of the roof when viewed from above. Further, for a building judged to have a slanted roof, a roof structure line which is the boundary between the roof surfaces is extracted from the building region, and a three-dimensional structure of the building roof outline is determined from the roof outer shape and the roof structure line.
US08538148B2 Brightness enhancement method, system and apparatus for low power architectures
Embodiments are described for a brightness enhancement method, system and apparatus for low power architecture. A histogram of a contrast image may be generated. One or more parameters may be set based on the histogram. A tone mapping for the contrast image may be determined based on the one or more parameters. An output pixel may be determined based on the tone mapping.
US08538147B2 Methods and appartuses for restoring color and enhancing electronic images
Methods and apparatuses for color image restoration and enhancement. In at least one embodiment, color signals for individual channels of an image (e.g., red, green, or blue) are adjusted based on a weighted set of averages (e.g., of the entire image, the center portion, the surrounding portion, or other portions). In one example, pixels with extreme values of color signals (e.g., pure black or white pixels) are ignored for the purposes of restoring color; and, the different averages are weighted according to the pixel location (e.g., the distance from the pixel to a center point). In one example, after color restoration for individual channels, the luminance of each pixel is adjusted back to their original levels; and the range of luminance of the image is further adjusted to provide improved brightness and contrast, where in determining the luminance the red, green and blue color channels are given an equal weight.
US08538145B2 Gamma adjustment for maximizing information in images
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, are described for transforming an image at least in part by using a gamma transformation that maximizes information in the transformed image. In one aspect, a digital image is received and brightness of the digital image is determined. The brightness of the digital image can include luminance or color. Maximum available detail in the digital image is brought out at least in part by applying to the brightness of the digital image a first gamma exponent that is equal to one divided by a negative of an average logarithm of the brightness of the digital image.
US08538139B2 Image processing apparatus and method, data processing apparatus and method, and program and recording medium
The present invention determines the adopting ratio (weight coefficient) between the high image quality processing using the tensor projection method and the high image quality processing using another method according to the degree of deviation of the input condition of the input image, and combines these processes as appropriate. This allows a satisfactory reconstruction image to be acquired even in a case of deviation from the input condition, and avoids deterioration of the high quality image due to deterioration of the reconstruction image by the projective operation.
US08538137B2 Image processing apparatus, information processing system, and image processing method
A technique is provided which can improve the precision of a matching point search with a plurality of images taking the same object where distant and near views coexist. A plurality of first images obtained by time-sequentially imaging an object from a first viewpoint, and a plurality of second images obtained by time-sequentially imaging the object from a second viewpoint, are obtained. Reference regions including a reference point are set respectively in the first images with the same arrangement, and comparison regions corresponding to the form of the reference regions are set respectively in the second images with the same arrangement. One reference distribution of pixel values about two-or-more-dimensional space is generated from the distributions of pixel values about the plurality of reference regions, and one comparison distribution of pixel values about two-or-more-dimensional space is generated from the distributions of pixel values about the plurality of comparison regions. Then, a matching point in the plurality of second images that corresponds to the reference point is detected by using the reference distribution of pixel values and the comparison distribution of pixel values.
US08538127B2 Image processing method and image processing system
An image processing method and an image processing system can perform image processing with higher accuracy while a gloss is removed without immobilizing a continuously moving inspection object. The image processing apparatus images the inspection object moving in a predetermined direction plural times with an imaging unit disposed in a predetermined position while a visual field of the imaging unit is lighted by a lighting source disposed in a constant relative position with respect to the imaging unit, aligns plural images with the inspection object as a reference by searching sequentially a region indicating at least part of the inspection object between the two images in the plural images acquired by a series of imagings with the imaging unit, and produces a composite image from the aligned plural images.
US08538124B1 Systems and methods for real-time validation of check image quality
Systems and methods for real-time validation of check image quality and readability of MICR line data are provided. A check image received by a financial institution can be assessed during a customer on-line session, so that the customer is informed in real-time whether the image is acceptable. Received check images are used to produce images in another format, which are then analyzed for specified requirements.
US08538116B2 Method and apparatus for reconstructing image and medical image system employing the method
A method and apparatus for reconstructing an image and a medical image system are provided. An image reconstruction processing method may include acquiring an initial value with respect to a tomographic image of an object to be inspected, initializing an auxiliary variable, acquiring one or both of a weighted value and an error value, based on a measured value, transforming a measured image signal, updating the auxiliary variable using a transform coefficient used to transform the measured image signal, and updating the measured value using the updated auxiliary variable, and one or both of the acquired weighted value and the error value.
US08538114B2 Method and system utilizing parameter-less filter for substantially reducing streak and or noise in computer tomography (CT) images
Photon starvation causes streaks and noise and seriously impairs the diagnostic value of the CT imaging. To reduce streaks and noise, a new scheme of adaptive Gaussian filtering relies on the diffusion-derived scale-space concept in one embodiment of the current invention. In scale-space view, filtering by Gaussians of different sizes is similar to decompose the data into a sequence of scales. As the scale measure, the variance of the filter linearly relates to the noise standard deviation of a predetermined noise model in the new filtering method. The new filter has only one optional parameter that remains stable once tuned. Although single-pass processing using the new filter generally achieves desired results, iterations are optionally performed.
US08538111B2 Method and apparatus for pulmonary ventilation imaging using local volume changes
The invention provides a novel method of high-resolution quantifiable pulmonary regional ventilation imaging using a package of computer programs, including deformable image registration and local volume change calculation on 4-D or breath-hold CT images. High resolution 3D ventilation images have been generated using this technique with superior quality. The deformation matrices between different respiration phases are calculated using deformable image registration and applied to calculate local volume change ΔV between respiration phases. The invention provides less image-noise and mismatch sensitivity than other techniques based on CT images, and is less expensive than nuclear medicine imaging. Implemented clinically, the method can derive a patient's pulmonary ventilation information from the same set of 4-D CT images, providing a cheaper but more accurate method to generate clinical lung ventilation image. Such information can be utilized in treatment planning sparing functional lung volumes without additional procedure and cost for lung functional imaging.
US08538109B2 Method and system for dynamic pulmonary trunk modeling and intervention planning
A method and system for modeling the pulmonary trunk in 4D image data, such as 4D CT data, and model-based percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) intervention is disclosed. A patient-specific dynamic pulmonary trunk data is generated from 4D image data of a patient. The patient is automatically classified as suitable for PPVI intervention or not suitable for PPVI intervention based on the generated patient-specific dynamic pulmonary trunk model.
US08538107B2 Method for visualizing a sequence of tomographic volume data records for medical imaging
A method for visualizing a sequence of tomographic volume data records for medical imaging, which were recorded in temporal sequence with administration of contrast agents in vessels in an object volume, is provided. At least one extremal value and one time value are determined from the temporal sequence of the measured signal values for each voxel of the object volume, the time value describing a time lag of the extremal value compared to a fixed time during the recording of the volume data records. Each combination of time value and extremal value is assigned a color value and opacity value by a multi-dimensional transfer function. The transfer function is applied to the previously determined time and extremal values so that each voxel of the object volume is assigned a color value and opacity value. The voxel with the respective opacity and color values are displayed using volume rendering.
US08538100B2 Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and ultrasonic image display method
In the image acquisition mode, desired past images are registered in an image table. A past image selected from the past images registered in the table is displayed as a reference image together with a live image in a predetermined form. Selecting another image registered in the image table at an arbitrary timing will display another past image upon replacing the reference image.
US08538089B2 Method of performing eyebrow shaping on an image and related computing device
A method of performing eyebrow shaping on an image containing a face with eyebrows visible on the face includes loading the image into a computing device having a processor. The processor selects a mask from a predefined list of masks, the mask having a desired eyebrow shape to be used for shaping the eyebrows shown in the image. The processor then adjusts the mask according to a shape of the face to produce an adjusted mask. Next the processor simultaneously superimposes the adjusted mask over the eyebrows and thins the eyebrows by changing an overall vertical height of the eyebrows in order to produce shaped eyebrows. The processor then outputs an enhanced image having the shaped eyebrows.
US08538087B2 Aiding device for reading a printed text
The invention deals with an aid device for reading a printed text, comprising a data acquisition peripheral with a camera and a communication interface, said peripheral being movable by a user on a printed text to frame a portion of text, a processing unit, communication means between the peripheral and the processing unit, and a vocal reproduction device. The processing unit is programmed to acquire a sequence of images framed by the camera, to detect when the user has stopped on the text, to recognize at least one word which the user intends reading, and to reproduce the sound of said at least one word by means of vocal synthesis by means of the vocal reproduction device.
US08538072B2 Systems and methods for operator detection
Various embodiments of the invention provide for methods and systems for detecting an operator's use of a secure system. Images are acquired from image sensors that monitor a detection zone about the secure system. Faces within the images are identified and tracked among subsequently acquired images. Upon receipt of a valid login at the secure system, one of the tracked faces is selected as a primary operator and tracked as they operate the secure system.
US08538064B2 Methods and devices employing content identifiers
Content identifiers are associated with respective metadata. Through use of the metadata, a user's experience with the content can be enhanced. A variety of other arrangements are also detailed.
US08538055B2 Semi-permanent canal hearing device and insertion method
A semi-permanent hearing device is disclosed which is adapted to be completely positioned within the ear canal of an individual for long-term use. The device comprises a sealing retainer substantially positioned in the bony region of the ear canal and a core assembly including a receiver assembly coaxially positioned within the sealing retainer. When the device is inserted into its completely-in-the-canal position, the core assembly extends from the sealing retainer to the cartilaginous region of the ear canal in a non-occluding fashion, thereby minimizing interference in the ear canal. The hearing device is inserted in the ear canal past the aperture thereof and in close proximity to the eardrum by a physician or a hearing aid dispenser.
US08538054B2 Phantom power controlled switch
A switching operation is performed in response to an externally applied DC control signal from an external load. An input connector receives an input audio signal from an external audio source, and an output connector that provides an audio output signal. A DC isolator couples the input audio signal from the input connector as the audio output signal on the output connector while isolating the externally applied DC control signal from the input connector. A switch is responsive to the externally applied DC control signal applied to the output connector so as to perform the switch operation.
US08538053B2 Hearing device with frequency shifting and associated method
A hearing device has a feedback suppression unit. The hearing device further has a low-pass filter characterized by a first cut-off frequency, which couples out a low-frequency signal component from an output signal of the hearing device, and a high-pass filter characterized by a second cut-off frequency, which couples out a high-frequency signal component from the output signal of the hearing device. A frequency shift unit shifts the frequency of the high-frequency signal component to higher frequencies. A gap exists between the first and the second cut-off frequency. As a result of the different limit frequencies, signal distortions caused by frequency shifts are effectively suppressed. Feedback is suppressed continuously and rapidly at higher frequencies.
US08538051B2 Mobile wireless communications device with slidable configuration providing hearing aid compatibility features and related methods
A mobile wireless communications device is for a user wearing an electronic hearing aid adjacent an ear of the user and may include an upper housing and a lower housing being slidably connected together for sliding between a retracted position and an extended use position. An audio output transducer may be carried by the upper housing and accessible to the hearing aid of the user adjacent a top end of the upper housing, and an audio input transducer may be carried by the lower housing and accessible to a mouth of the user adjacent a bottom end of the lower housing. An antenna may be carried by the lower housing adjacent the bottom end thereof so that the hearing aid is further separated from the antenna when the upper and lower housings are in the extended use position to reduce undesired coupling from the antenna to the hearing aid.
US08538048B2 Method and apparatus for compensating for near-field effect in speaker array system
A method and apparatus for compensating for a near-field effect in a speaker array system is provided. The method includes generating a virtual sound signal at a position, which is separated from a speaker array by a predetermined distance, based on an input sound signal, and outputting the generated virtual sound signal using the speaker array. Therefore, the near-field effect, in which a sound radiated from a speaker array is distorted to have non-uniform radiation characteristics near the speaker array, can be compensated for. Consequently, the method and apparatus can provide a stable sound field, into which non-uniform radiation characteristics uniformly converge, to a listener.
US08538045B2 Device and method for compensating supply voltage from power supply and electronic apparatus
A device is used for compensating a supply voltage from a power supply, the supply voltage powers an audio device. The device includes a detecting circuit and a storing circuit. The detecting circuit is used for detecting an audio signal from the audio device, generating a first level signal when detecting that the audio signal has a first characteristic, and generating a second level signal when detecting that the audio signal has a second characteristic. The storing circuit is used for storing energy according to the first level signal, and releasing energy to increase the supply voltage according to the second level signal. A related method and electronic apparatus are also provided.
US08538044B2 Line-of-sight direction determination device and line-of-sight direction determination method
Provided are a line-of-sight direction determination device and a line-of-sight direction determination method capable of highly precisely and accurately determining a line-of-sight direction from immediately after start of measurement without indication of an object to be carefully observed and adjustment work done in advance. The line-of-sight direction determination device (100) comprises: a line-symmetric position determination unit (150) for determining that the corneal reflection image of a left eye or a right eye is located at a line-symmetric position with respect to the center line of the pupils of the right and left eyes; and a line-of-sight direction determination unit (170) for determining, from the line-symmetric position determination result, a line-of-sight direction at a specific position including the installation position of an imaging unit (111) or an irradiation unit (112) at the substantially same position as the imaging unit (111). The line-of-sight direction determination device (100) determines that the corneal reflection image is line symmetric and, from this line symmetry property, determines a specific line-of-sight direction.
US08538035B2 Multi-microphone robust noise suppression
A robust noise reduction system may concurrently reduce noise and echo components in an acoustic signal while limiting the level of speech distortion. The system may receive acoustic signals from two or more microphones in a close-talk, hand-held or other configuration. The received acoustic signals are transformed to frequency domain sub-band signals and echo and noise components may be subtracted from the sub-band signals. Features in the acoustic sub-band signals are identified and used to generate a multiplicative mask. The multiplicative mask is applied to the noise subtracted sub-band signals and the sub-band signals are reconstructed in the time domain.
US08538021B2 Sending apparatus, receiving apparatus, sending method, and receiving method
A sending apparatus includes an encryption unit and a sending unit. The encryption unit encrypts each of data packets on the basis of a frame number of a frame and a determined cryptographic key. The sending unit transmits a frame including the data packets encrypted. A receiving apparatus includes a receiving unit and a decoding unit. The receiving unit receives the frame. The decoding unit decodes each of the data packets on the basis of the frame number of the frame and a determined decoding key.
US08538017B2 Encryption device
According to one embodiment, in an encryption device, a segmentation unit segments masked plain data into pieces of first segmented data. A first processing unit generates pieces of second segmented data from the pieces of first segmented data. A nonlinear transform unit generates pieces of third segmented data transformed from the pieces of second segmented data. A data integration unit integrates fourth segmented data to generate masked encrypted data. An unmask processing unit generates encrypted data from the masked encrypted data. The exclusive OR of the pieces of second segmented data matches the exclusive OR of input data, subjected to nonlinear transform processing and calculated from the plain data, and the first mask. The exclusive OR of the pieces of third segmented data matches the exclusive OR of transform data, obtained when the nonlinear transform processing is performed on the input data, and the second mask.
US08538013B2 Rules-driven hash building
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for generating a hash. A data store including multiple hashing tables is provided. A set of data is received on which the hash is to be based. The set of data includes one or more components. An identifier is received. The identifier identifies one or more hashing tables to use when generating the hash. The received one or more components are processed in accordance with rules defined in the identified one or more hashing tables. The processed components are combined into a final hash.
US08538003B2 Method and apparatus for integrating call center and existing telephony infrastructure
A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code is provided for routing a call which includes receiving a call request at a first server, the call request including header data identifying a requesting extension and an invited extension, the invited extension associated with a second server. The header data identifying an invited extension is then replaced with proxy data for the invited extension, and the call request (including header data identifying the requesting extension and the proxy data for the invited extension) is forwarded to a second server.
US08537992B2 System and method for recording communication activities
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a system having a controller to monitor incoming and outgoing calls associated with one or more communication devices, identify communication identifiers initiating the incoming calls and communication identifiers targeted by the outgoing calls, determine one or more related communication identifiers for each of the initiating and targeted communication identifiers, record in a communications log the incoming calls with the initiating communication identifiers and one or more related communication identifiers, and record in the communications log the outgoing calls with the targeted communication identifiers and one or more related communication identifiers. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08537982B2 System for synchronizing telephones and electronic displays
A content server delivers video segments to various on-site modules for display at the respective on-site modules according to respective schedules. The on-site modules may, for example, be located in coffee shops, convenience stores, sandwich grottos, and other establishments where customers are known to wait in line. The on-site modules also display call-in instructions, including a telephone number and a code. When a user places a call to a designated number and enters the code, an audio server determines the state of progression of the video, and begins synchronized audio playback over the caller's telephone.
US08537981B1 Interrupting a conference call for an emergency situation
The present invention provides a system and method for providing an announcement to a plurality of communication devices when a subset of those communication devices are currently engaged in a call. More specifically, an announcement may be provided to different communication devices depending upon the location of the communication device.
US08537969B2 Apparatus for specifying the quantity of a contrast medium in the context of medical imaging
The apparatus of at least one embodiment includes an input unit, a storage unit, an output unit, and an interface to the imaging device, via which configuration parameters of the imaging device can be read out or transferred. A calculating unit either reads out the configuration parameters from the imaging device or sends the configuration parameters to the imaging device if they have been entered at the input unit by an operator, the configuration parameters being required for the purpose of specifying the quantity of a contrast medium. The calculating unit is so designed as to calculate, on the basis of the parameters that have been entered and/or read out and calculation formulas which are stored in the storage unit, the quantity of a contrast medium that is required for these parameters, and to display the quantity via the output unit.
US08537963B2 Shift register with voltage boosting circuit
An exemplary shift register is adapted for receiving a preceding-stage output signal to generate a preceding-stage supply signal and outputting an input signal as an extreme value of a current-stage output signal according to the preceding-stage supply signal. The shift register includes an active controller, a voltage boosting circuit and an output circuit. The active controller receives the preceding-stage output signal and thereby produces an active control signal. The voltage boosting circuit receives a first operating voltage, the preceding-stage supply signal and the active control signal, and uses a capacitive coupling effect to change the voltage value of the preceding-stage supply signal and thereby generates an output control signal. The output circuit is electrically coupled to the voltage boosting circuit, the active controller and the input signal and determines the time of outputting the input signal as the extreme value according to the output control signal.
US08537950B2 Architecture to remove a bimodal dynamic DC offset in direct conversion receiver
Apparatus for controlling the generation of a DC signal at the output of a mixer, so that the DC signal is predictable, enabling a static offset compensation voltage to offset the DC signal. The apparatus comprises a mixer configured to receive a first and a second input signal, the mixer being such as to generate a first DC signal at the output of the mixer when the first and second input signals have the same frequency and a first relative phase, a phase detector for determining the relative phase of the first and second signals, and a phase modifier configured to modify the phase of the second signal relative to the first signal in dependence on the determination of the relative phase between the first and second signals such that the resulting DC signal at the output of the mixer is the first DC signal.
US08537944B2 Apparatus with a plurality of filters
An apparatus comprises a filter unit comprising a plurality of different filters each configured to filter a first signal when selected. The apparatus may further comprise a control unit configured to select one of the plurality of filters depending on a strength of the first signal. Related methods may also be performed.
US08537942B2 System and method of maintaining correction of DC offsets in frequency down-converted data signals
Circuitry and method for reduce test time for wireless signal systems by using dynamic adaptive correction of DC offsets generated by the test instrument. The data signal is sampled for downstream processing including during pre-, inter-, or post-packet time intervals where no packet-data signal is occurring and where the device's power amplifier is turned off. The sampled data signal is measured for a DC offset occurring during these inter-packet time gaps. Compensating DC offset values are stored in a table indexed by frequency, gain and temperature range. When a subsequent test is carried out at that frequency, gain, and temperature range, the stored compensation value is used to correct the signal. DC offsets continue to be measured, stored and applied to captured signals, continuously refining the compensation values and decreasing the need for time-intensive calibrations. When a measured DC offset exceeds pre-determined limits, the instrument undergo a calibration step.
US08537935B2 Clock data recovery circuit and method
A change-point detection circuit 16 extracts a clock signal from serial data, input data. A variable delay circuit provides a delay in accordance with a delay control signal to a reference signal having a predetermined frequency, so that the phase of the reference signal is shifted on the basis of an initial delay. An input latch circuit latches internal serial data by using an output signal of the variable delay circuit as a strobe signal. A phase comparator matches the frequencies of the clock signal and the strobe signal with each other, and generates phase difference data in accordance with a phase difference between the two signals. A loop filter integrates the phase difference data generated by the phase comparator and outputs it as the delay control signal. The phase shift amount acquisition unit acquires a phase shift amount based on the delay control signal, the phase shift amount being based on the initial delay provided to the reference signal by the variable delay circuit.
US08537934B2 System and method for multi-carrier modulation
A method of compensating for carrier frequency and phase errors of a received multi-carrier modulated signal. The received multi-carrier signal including modulated carriers for transmitting known data and unmodulated carriers for error correction, comprising, time domain down converting the received multi-carrier signal to base-band to provide a down-converted signal, the down-converted signal including a plurality of modulated carriers for transmitting known data and unmodulated carriers for error correction. Sampling an unmodulated carrier of the down-converted signal to provide received data samples. Providing a reference signal derived from the unmodulated carrier of the down-converted signal. And, estimating phase errors from a phase difference between the ummodulated carrier and the reference signal derived from the unmodulated carrier of the down-converted signal to provide a plurality of received sample phase error estimates for each modulated carrier.
US08537925B2 Apparatus and methods for compensating for signal imbalance in a receiver
Apparatus, methods and systems for compensating for an I/Q imbalance may include compensating for an imbalance between a first component of a data signal and a second component of the data signal. The data signal may be modulated by a carrier signal having a frequency error. The first component may be characterized by at least one parameter. The method may include receiving the data and carrier signals; selecting a value for the parameter such that the frequency domain energy at negative frequencies is reduced; and modifying at least one of the components based on the value.
US08537921B2 Apparatuses and methods for transmission and reception in a codebook based closed-loop (CL)-multiple input multiple output (MIMO) system
Apparatuses and methods for transmission and reception in a Closed-Loop (CL)-Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system are provided. A codebook generation method includes determining weight vectors vi (i=1, . . . , 2L) for a codebook V(4, 1, L), where Nt of a codebook V(Nt, s, L) denotes a number of antennas, s denotes a number of streams, and L denotes a number of codebook index bits, determining a unitary matrix Ti using an i-th vector vi of the codebook V(4, 1, L), and determining an i-th matrix of the codebook V(4, 2, L) by selecting a first column of the unitary matrix Ti as a first column of a weight matrix and selecting a column selected from other columns excluding the first column of the unitary matrix Ti in a particular pattern, as a second column of the weight matrix.
US08537917B2 Apparatus and method for mapping symbol
In a symbol mapping method, transmission data is encoded to generate information bits and redundancy bits. An average LLR value of bits on which the information bits are mapped is different from an average LLR value of bits on which the redundancy bits are mapped.
US08537916B2 Increased capacity communications for OFDM-based wireless communications systems/methods/devices
Numerous embodiments are provided that may be used to provide enhanced capacity and/or Quality-of-Service for OFDM-based systems such as LTE and/or WiMAX. Various service/device modes and/or applications are also provided. According to embodiments of the invention, a transformation may be performed on a data vector by a transmitter, prior to the transmitter transmitting the data vector, to distribute elements of the data vector over an available frequency space, thus providing robustness to channel anomalies such as fading and/or interference. Embodiments relating to architectures, systems, methods, devices, software, firmware and/or computer program products are provided.
US08537908B2 Pilot transmission and channel estimation for an OFDM system with excess delay spread
Pilot transmission and channel estimation techniques for an OFDM system with excess delay spread are described. To mitigate the deleterious effects of excess delay spread, the number of pilot subbands is greater than the cyclic prefix length. This “oversampling” may be achieved by using more pilot subbands in each symbol period or different sets of pilot subbands in different symbol periods. In one example, a first set of pilot subbands may be received in a first symbol period, and a second set of pilot subbands may be received in a second symbol period. The first set of pilot subbands and the second set of pilot subbands may be staggered in frequency.
US08537907B2 Receiving system for use in near field communication and mode detection method therefore
A method of detecting a communication mode is provided to rapidly detect which one of near field communication (NFC) protocols includes a communication frame pattern of data provided to a receiving device. The method includes receiving a communication frame pattern of data transmitted from an NFC initiator after synchronizing the communication frame pattern with a predetermined sampling clock. The detection of the communication mode may be done by analyzing a start pattern out of the communication frame pattern. Since a communication mode is rapidly detected and data is automatically received without performing an additional operation to set the communication mode, operation performance of a receiving device is improved.
US08537898B2 Compression with doppler enhancement
Methods, medium, and machines which compress, enhance, encode, transmit, decode, decompress and display digital video images. Real time compression is achieved by sub-sampling each frame of a video signal, filtering the pixel values, and encoding. Real time transmission is achieved due to high levels of effective compression. Real time decompression is achieved by decoding and decompressing the encoded data to display high quality images. A receiver can alter various setting including, but not limited to, the format for the compression, image size, frame rate, brightness and contrast. In a Doppler improvement aspect of the invention, Doppler velocity scales are incorporated into grayscale compression methods using two bits. Variable formats may be selected and Doppler encoding can be turned on and off based on the image content. Frames or sets of pixels may be distinguished by automated analysis of the characteristics of an image, such as the presence of Doppler enhanced pixels.
US08537895B2 Method and apparatus for parallel processing of in-loop deblocking filter for H.264 video compression standard
A parallel deblocking filtering method, and deblocking filter processor performing such deblocking, for removing edge artifacts created during video compression. The method includes loading luma samples for a macroblock. Filtering is performed on a set of vertical edges of the macroblock using information in the luma samples, with vertical edge filtering occurring concurrently with the loading of the luma samples. The method also includes filtering a set of horizontal edges of the macroblock using information in the luma samples. The horizontal edge filtering occurs in parallel with vertical edge sampling and with loading operations. The use of parallel and concurrent operations significantly enhances the efficiency of the deblocking method. Storing of filtered samples is also performed in the method, and this storing is performed concurrently with some loading operations as well as filtering operations. Edge filtering includes performing filtering to the H.264 standard and its deblocking filtering algorithm.
US08537893B2 High dynamic range codecs
A method for encoding high dynamic ränge (HDR) images involves providing a lower dynamic ränge (LDR) image, generating a prediction function for estimating the values for pixels in the HDR image based on the values of corresponding pixels in the LDR image, and obtaining a residual frame based on differences between the pixel values of the HDR image and estimated pixel values. The LDR image, prediction function and residual frame can all be encoded in data from which either the LDR image of HDR image can be recreated.
US08537885B2 Low-power down-sampled floating tap decision feedback equalization
In described embodiments, a variety of down-sampling techniques are employed to generate a more constrained set of floating-tap positions when compared to floating-tap Decision Feedback Equalization (DFE) architectures that allow unconstrained 1T resolution or separated floating-tap positions. Down-sampling is employed to constrain the floating-tap positions rather than positions occurring with 1T resolution or spacing. Two broad down-sampling techniques, phase pruning and phase amalgamation, are applied to a variety of exemplary DFE implementations. Although the tap positions are more constrained, the architectures select floating-tap positions containing dominant reflection inter-symbol interference (ISI) terms.
US08537875B2 Methods and apparatus for adjusting forward link signal to interference and noise ratio estimates
Methods and systems for adjusting a forward link (FL) signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) are provided. In an example, a FL SINR is estimated for each user in a plurality of users, on at least one of each user's respective data rate control (DRC) message or each user's respective prior FL SINR value. The respective estimated FL SINR for a user in the plurality of users is increased, if, based on a reverse link acknowledge message, the user has decoded a packet before all symbols in the packet have been transmitted. Remaining control channel power is determined. The estimated FL SINR for all users in the plurality of users is increased if remaining control channel power is less than a low threshold. The estimated FL SINR for all users in the plurality of users is increased if the remaining control channel power is greater than a high threshold.
US08537874B2 High fill-factor efficient vertical-cavity surface emitting laser arrays
An array of vertical-cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) may be fabricated with very high fill-factors, thereby enabling very high output power densities during pulse, quasi-continuous wave (QCW), and continuous wave (CW) operation. This high fill-factor is achieved using asymmetrical pillars in a rectangular packing scheme as opposed prior art pillar shapes and packing schemes. The use of asymmetrical pillars maintains high efficiency operation of VCSELs by maintaining minimal current injection distance from the metal contacts to the laser active region and by maintaining efficient waste heat extraction from the VCSEL. This packing scheme for very high fill-factor VCSEL arrays is directly applicable for next generation high-power, substrate removed, VCSEL arrays.
US08537868B2 Laser diode write driver feedback, current mirror, and differential-pair circuitry
An optical disk drive system associated with a laser diode is described. The optical disk drive system comprises a current generator for receiving input signals; a current switch coupled to receive timing signals; a current driver coupled to receive output signals from the current switch and the current generator, the current driver further comprising a driver with wave shape control selected from the group consisting of a laser diode read driver and a laser diode write driver, wherein the driver with shape control is operative for transmitting at least one output signal that is a scaled version of at least one of the output signals received from the current generator, wherein the current driver is operative for transmitting at least one output signal driving the laser diode.
US08537867B2 Method for fabricating optical device
A method for fabricating an optical device including: a first step of preparing a carrier having a first area and a second area, both edges of the second area having a wall of a step, one edge of the second area being adjacent to the first area, the first area having a first thickness, the second area having a second thickness larger than the first thickness, a second step of mounting the carrier on a temperature control device after the first step, and a third step of mounting a first optical component on the first area of the carrier after the second step.
US08537862B2 Transmit downlink control information with higher order modulation
A method is provided for applying HOM to a PDCCH to transmit control information from an access node to a UE. The method comprises: selecting a DCI format for a HOM PDCCH; determining a DCI block of the HOM PDCCH according to the selected DCI format; generating a sequence of coded bits to be transmitted from the DCI block; multiplexing the sequence of coded bits of the HOM PDCCH with coded bits of other PDCCHs to form a sequence of multiplexed bits; scrambling the sequence of multiplexed bits to form a sequence of scrambled bits; modulating the scrambled bits to form a sequence of modulation symbols; and transmitting the sequence of modulation symbols, where a PDCCH is transmitted on an aggregation of one or more CCEs.
US08537858B2 System and method for dynamically swapping master and slave PHYs to allow asymmetry in energy efficient ethernet
A system and method for dynamically swapping master and slave physical layer devices (PHYs) in energy efficient Ethernet (EEE). A physical layer communication mechanism can be used to dynamically reassign the master/slave assignments to facilitate the asymmetric application of EEE to a link.
US08537857B2 Method and apparatus for efficient operation of an enhanced dedicated channel
A method for processing enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) data in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) includes sending two messages. A first message is sent from a physical layer to a medium access control (MAC) layer, and triggers MAC layer processing of E-DCH data. A second message is sent from the MAC layer to the physical layer, and enables the physical layer to compute control parameters for physical layer processing of the E-DCH data before the MAC layer processing of the E-DCH data is completed.
US08537852B2 Configuration and operation of inverse multiplexing communication system
An inverse multiplexing communication path is established in at least one direction between nodes connected by a plurality of lower bandwidth bearing channels between the nodes, on which the content of a higher bandwidth signal is distributed and from which the original high bandwidth signal is recovered at the receiving node. During preliminary configuration, for example when selecting a subset of bearer channels from among a number of potential bearer channels, the bearer channels are chosen or are altered by signal processing to make the members of the subset perform similarly, thereby improving operations as compared to having the bearer channels bound to perform according to the performance of the least-performing member of the subset.
US08537849B2 Low power telemetry system and method
A channel in a telemetry system is described. The channel includes a sample-and-hold circuit, a variable resistor circuit, and a control element. The sample-and-hold circuit is configured to hold a sample of a signal. The variable resistor circuit is communicatively coupled to the sample-and-hold circuit, and is configured to present a variable impedance to one or more signal lines during a time period designated for the channel. The variable impedance is representative of the sample held by the sample-and-hold circuit. The control element is configured to control the variable resistor circuit to present to the one or more signal lines an open circuit equivalent impedance during times other than the time period designated for the channel.
US08537848B2 Flexibly integrating endpoint logic into varied platforms
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to an integrated endpoint having a virtual port coupled between an upstream fabric and an integrated device fabric that includes a multi-function logic to handle various functions for one or more intellectual property (IP) blocks coupled to the integrated device fabric. The integrated device fabric has a primary channel to communicate data and command information between the IP block and the upstream fabric and a sideband channel to communicate sideband information between the IP block and the multi-function logic. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08537841B2 Connection support apparatus and gateway apparatus
A problem is to provide a connection support apparatus and a gateway apparatus in which management of information is easy and remote access from a user terminal to the gateway apparatus can be performed easily and securely, and the problem is solved by including a control unit configured to perform control on a gateway apparatus to which a user apparatus connects so as to permit connection from the user apparatus for which authentication succeeds; and a communication unit configured to provide the user terminal with connection information used for connecting to the gateway apparatus.
US08537839B2 Traffic generator with dynamic MPLS label assignment
There is disclosed a port unit and methods for testing a network. The port unit may include a traffic generator, traffic receiver, and a port processor. The traffic generator may include a memory that stores data defining a plurality of packet streams. The port processor may store label tracking data associating a plurality of label condition sets with one or more respective locations within the traffic generator memory. When a control packet associating a MPLS label with a specific label condition set is received via the traffic receiver, the port processor may store the MPLS label in one or more traffic generator memory locations associated with the specific label condition set in accordance with the stored label tracking data.
US08537835B2 Methods and apparatus for self-organized caching in a content delivery network
Methods and apparatus are provided for self-organized caching in a content delivery network. One or more requested content items are cached at a node in a content delivery network. The disclosed method determines if the content item is stored in a local cache; and, if the content item is not stored in a local cache, the following steps are performed: requesting the content item from another node; and storing the content item in the local cache it one or more predefined capacity criteria are satisfied. The content delivery network can be a hierarchical network or a non-hierarchical network. The predefined capacity criteria can evaluate a popularity index of the content item relative to other items stored in the local cache.
US08537826B2 Communication apparatus, communication apparatus controlling method, and network system
A terminal connected to a network stores association information between a physical address and a logical address of the terminal as first association information in an address association information storing unit. The terminal obtains association information between a physical address and a logical address, which is transmitted to the terminal via the network, as second association information. The terminal determines, based on the first association information stored in the storing unit and the second association information, whether or not the logical address included in the first association information is duplicate. If the logical address is determined to be duplicate, the first association information is notified to a device belonging to the network to which the terminal belongs, and the device is instructed to resolve duplication of the logical address.
US08537815B2 Accelerating data routing
Systems, devices and methods for improving network performance are disclosed. In particular, in one embodiment, a method of processing data packets in an electronic network is provided. The method includes receiving data packets at a receive stack of an electronic network device and creating a first packet from at least a portion of each of the set of data packets. The first packet includes an indicator that the first packet is a first packet type. The creation of the first packet includes saving a first header of the plurality of data packets, modifying the first header with information from each of the set of data packets, and concatenating the set of data packets.
US08537805B2 Emergency assistance calling for voice over IP communications systems
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a process for handling emergency calls from a caller in a voice over IP system. The process involves receiving a routing request message including a caller identifier and a callee identifier. The process also involves setting an emergency call flag active in response to the callee identifier matching an emergency call identifier pre-associated with the caller. The process further involves producing an emergency response center identifier in response to the emergency call identifier. The process also involves determining whether the caller identifier is associated with a pre-associated direct inward dialing (DID) identifier. The process further involves producing a direct inward dialing (DID) identifier for the caller by associating a temporary DID identifier with the caller identifier when the emergency call flag is active and it is determined that the caller has no pre-associated DID. The process also involves producing a routing message including the emergency response center identifier and the temporary DID identifier for receipt by a routing controller operable to cause a route to be established between the caller and the emergency response center.
US08537802B2 Channel measurements in aggregated-spectrum wireless systems
A communication terminal includes a receiver, a transmitter and control circuitry. The receiver is configured to receive an aggregated-spectrum downlink signal including two or more component carriers in respective spectral bands. The transmitter is configured to transmit an uplink signal to a serving base station that serves the communication terminal. The control circuitry is configured to evaluate respective channel measures of the two or more component carriers of the aggregated-spectrum downlink signal and to transmit to the serving base station a report, which is based on the channel measures and includes a respective channel quality metric for each of at least two of the component carriers.
US08537798B2 Coexistence mechanism for collocated WLAN and WWAN communication devices
Wireless radio devices that communicate in close proximity to each other typically suffer from interference. Such interference between collocated wireless radio devices can lead to degradation in performance of one or both of the wireless radio devices. Functionality can be implemented to coordinate communications of collocated WLAN and WWAN devices to minimize interference between the WLAN device and the WWAN device. The WLAN device can determine a WLAN communication time interval associated with the WLAN device for performing WLAN communication operations and a WWAN communication time interval associated with the WWAN device for performing WWAN communication operations. In response to determining that the WLAN communication time interval is in progress, WLAN communication operations can be performed at the WLAN device. In response to determining that the WLAN communication time interval is not in progress, the WLAN device can delay performing the WLAN communication operations.
US08537796B2 Identification of packet traffic transmitted by various devices operated in multiple overlapped frequency bands in packet-based OFDM systems
Techniques for header encoding include encoding a plurality of bits using a forward error correction code, generating an FEC codeword comprising a plurality of encoded bits, and concatenating a first copy of the FEC codeword with a second copy of the FEC codeword, wherein the concatenating comprises cyclically shifting by two bits the second concatenated copy of the FEC codeword relative to the first concatenated copy of the FEC codeword, wherein the encoded bits of the first and second copies of the FEC codewords are modulated on at least one OFDM symbol. techniques for header decoding include receiving a plurality of encoded bits comprising at least two concatenated copies of an FEC codeword, decoding a first copy of the FEC codeword to generate a first plurality of decoded bits, and decoding a second copy of the FEC codeword to generate a second plurality of decoded bits.
US08537794B2 Pseudo-response frame communication system, pseudo-response frame communication method, and pseudo-response frame transmitting device
A great delay in communication and deterioration in quality are avoided from occurring.A pseudo acknowledgement frame communication system includes: at least one communication device that transmits a frame; a second communication device that receives the frame; and a pseudo acknowledgement frame transmission device that monitors link-by-link communication between the first and second communication devices, in which the first communication device has a frame transmission means for transmitting a transmission frame to the second communication device, and an acknowledgement frame reception means for receiving an acknowledgement frame transmitted by the second communication device, the second communication device has an acknowledgement frame transmission means for transmitting the acknowledgement frame upon receiving the transmission frame from the first communication device, and the pseudo acknowledgement frame transmission device has a monitor means for monitoring the transmission frame transmitted by the first communication device, and a pseudo acknowledgement frame transmission means for generating a pseudo acknowledgement frame from a monitor result of the monitor means, based on a pseudo acknowledgement frame transmission condition, and transmitting the pseudo acknowledgement frame to the first communication device.
US08537791B2 Method and apparatus for channel access in contention-based communication system and station
A method for accessing a channel by a station in a contention-based communication system, includes: starting a backoff timer to perform contention-based channel accessing; when the backoff timer expires, a delay timer starts; and when the delay timer expires, channel accessing is attempted. Coexistence of a station using a directional antenna and a station using a non-directional antenna is guaranteed in a contention-based communication system.
US08537779B2 Method, system, and apparatus for registration processing
A registration processing method, a handover processing method, a system, and an apparatus are disclosed herein to enable the network to distinguish between different registration processing types. The method includes: receiving information about a processing type of registering a UE into a network, where the information is reported by the UE in the process of the registration; and identifying the processing type of the registration according to the information about the processing type. The system includes: a UE, adapted to report information about the processing type of registering the UE into a network in the process of the registration; and a network, adapted to identify the processing type of the registration according to the received registration processing type information reported by the UE.
US08537776B2 Wireless device
A wireless device and technology operable to optimize communications during an emergency is disclosed. The wireless device can detect communication congestion in a base station, and search for alternate base stations that can provide annunciation information during the emergency. If a suitable base station can be found, handoff is made and the annunciation information is acquired.
US08537773B2 Systems and methods for network MIMO
Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) systems and methods are provided for enabling network MIMO among base stations (BSs) and a mobile station (MS). A BS configure a network MIMO zone based on an indication of at least one other BS eligible for network MIMO. The network MIMO zone is defined by resources having at least time and frequency dimensions allocated for master transmission under control of the BS, or slave transmission under control of the other BS eligible for network MIMO. The BS can transmit data on the network MIMO zone to the MS. Where there is no data to transmit to the MS, the BS may transmit data on the network MIMO zone to another MS. To configure the network MIMO zone, the BS may look up in a table combinations of the eligible BSs associated with the indication.
US08537771B2 Method of multiple-input-multiple-output wireless communication
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for selectively modulating a data frame of a signal using either a frequency-multiplexing modulation method or a spatial-multiplexing modulation method based on a predetermined criterion.
US08537767B2 Method for performing power headroom reporting procedure and PHR MAC control element
This invention relates to a method for performing Power Headroom reporting procedure, adapted for a user equipment, wherein the user equipment is operated in a plurality of activated serving cells, the method includes the steps of: providing a prohibitPHR-Timer; obtaining a plurality of downlink path loss values respectively corresponding to the activated serving cells; triggering a power headroom report when the prohibitPHR-Timer expires or has expired and at least one of the downlink path loss values has changed more than a PathlossChange threshold since the last transmission of a PHR; and reporting the power headroom report.
US08537765B2 Methods and nodes in a wireless communication system
Embodiments herein include a network node and a mobile station in a wireless communication system. Embodiments also include a method in the mobile station and a method in the network node. With particular regard to the method in the network node, the method schedules wireless transmissions between the network node and the mobile station. The method comprises obtaining a multi-slot class of the mobile station and determining a downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration. Further, the method comprises assigning uplink timeslots to the mobile station and associating each assigned uplink timeslot with a priority value, based on the downlink Temporary Block Flow configuration and the multi-slot class of the mobile station.
US08537763B2 Frame allocation to support legacy wireless communication protocols on uplink transmission
A frame (200) and a method for allocating resources that is used in a wireless communication network is provided. The frame includes a first subframe (202) concatenated to a second subframe (204). A first portion (206) of the first subframe allocated for a control channel of a first protocol. A second portion (208) of the first subframe and the second subframe are allocated for a data channel for the first protocol. In an embodiment second portion of the first subframe and the second subframe are allocated for a data channel of the second protocol that are multiplexed with the data channel of the first protocol using frequency division multiplexing (FDM).
US08537757B2 Adaptive call admission control for use in a wireless communication system
The invention relates to communication systems and to systems and methods for implementing adaptive call admission control (CAC) in such systems. Adaptive call admission control can determine what CPE to base station calls (connections) are allowed at any given time. CAC, coupled with precedence, can further determine what connections are suspended if less bandwidth is available than is currently committed. Multiple techniques are disclosed to select connections for suspension. These techniques include suspending enough connections through the affected CPE until there is enough bandwidth to meet the remaining commitment, randomly (or in a round robin fashion) choosing connection to suspend from the entire set of connection, and using precedence priority levels.
US08537748B2 Technique for performing GSM/WCDMA circuit switched services over a long term evolution radio access
A method of performing CS (Circuit Switched) services over a LTE (Long Term Evolution) access comprises: performing CM (Connection Management) procedures via an AGW (Access Gateway); and performing MM (Mobility Management) procedures via a MME (Mobility Management Entity).
US08537746B2 Method for mapping signaling information to announcement information and broadcast receiver
A method of providing a Non-Real-Time (NRT) service includes receiving a file configuring the NRT service, first signaling information, and second signaling information in a state of being IP-packetized and contained in a single ensemble, configuring and displaying a service guide using the first signaling information acquired from the ensemble, acquiring a first content identifier of content selected from the displayed service guide, accessing a FLUTE session using the second signaling information acquired from the ensemble and acquiring a second content identifier matched with the first content identifier from the accessed FLUTE session, and receiving and storing at least one file configuring the content based on the acquired second content identifier.
US08537738B2 Method and a system of video multicast scheduling
Methods and systems for scheduling multicast transmissions that includes scheduling layered data for one or more multicast transmissions across a plurality of sub-channels using multi-resolution modulation. The sub-channels for each transmission may have diverse or uniform capacities. Scheduling includes allocating sub-channels to the layers of the layered data.
US08537737B2 Scalable video multicast with non-overlapping beamforming antennas
A method includes initializing transmission of multicast data with non-overlapping beamforming antennas by a wireless access point responsive to multiple clients; determining a beam pattern for transmission of the data by the access point responsive to feedback on a signal-to-noise-ratio SNR of each client under every beam pattern; and scheduling a multicast of the data to the clients responsive to the determining and to one of an optimal beam streaming configuration and a sub-optimal beam streaming configuration for partitioning the beam patterns into groups for creating composite beam patterns associated with assigned modulation coding and video streams.
US08537735B2 Multiple density configurations and algorithms for intelligent power savings infrastructure in wireless LANS
Described in example embodiments herein are techniques for implementing power savings in a wireless local area network (WLAN). In accordance with an example embodiment, a centralized controller can be employed to gather data about network activity and select access points to switch to power save mode. Optionally, the controller may designate certain access points to remain active so as to monitor for clients attempting to access the WLAN. An aspect of an example embodiment is that it allows the controller to configure and manage power consumption based on demands on the overall system. In an example embodiment, techniques for implementing power savings within individual hardware components, such as access points, are disclosed. An aspect of a technique described in an example embodiment is that it provides flexibility to balance power savings and performance.
US08537732B2 Asymmetric TDD in flexible use spectrum
A method according to an embodiment of the invention includes receiving and transmitting signals over a time division duplex (TDD) communication path. Signals are received over the TDD communication path via a first portion of a first frequency band. The first frequency band is adjacent to a second frequency band and to a third frequency band. The first frequency band is different from the second frequency band and from the third frequency band. A first frequency division duplex (FDD) communication path can be operable in the second frequency band. A second FDD communication path can be operable in the third frequency band. Signals are transmitted over the TDD communication path via a second portion of the first frequency band that is different from the first portion of the first frequency band.
US08537720B2 Aggregating data traffic from access domains
According to one embodiment, a first message identifying a best root node of a spanning tree may be generated. The spanning tree may be implemented by an access domain. The message may be generated independently of a spanning tree protocol instance. The first aggregation node may transmit the first message to a plurality of access nodes of the access domain. Data traffic from the plurality of access nodes may be received. Each access node of the plurality of access nodes may implement a spanning tree protocol instance that selects the best root node as a root node of the spanning tree. The data traffic may be aggregated with other data traffic of a plurality of access domains, and the aggregated data traffic transmitted to an aggregation network.
US08537715B1 Method and system for network failover and network selection with multi-mode modem in remote access points
The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for network failover and/or network selection with a multi-mode modem in remote access points. A RAP initially is set to allow the modem's firmware to select an ISP-preferred available network. Then, the RAP collects network selection attributes, including RSSI, for the selected network, derives a NSC value based on the attributes, and determines whether the derived NSC value is within an expected range. If so, the device establishes a secure tunnel connection through the modem on the modem-selected network. Otherwise, the RAP commands the modem connect to an alternative network, and derives the NSC value for the alternative network selected by the RAP. If the NSC value for the alternative network is within an expected range, the RAP establishes a secure connection on the alternative network. On rebootstrap, the RAP repeats the above operations until a stable network is selected.
US08537712B2 Power level settings for transmission lines
A method, wherein the following steps are iteratively repeated: providing each of a plurality of signals at a respective one of a plurality of transmission links; transmitting each of the plurality of signals over the respective one of the plurality of transmission links; and measuring signal-to-noise ratios of the plurality of signals transmitted over the plurality of transmission links, wherein an input power level of each of the plurality of signals is set such that the signal-to-noise ratios of the plurality of signals converge when measured after their transmission over the plurality of transmission links.
US08537705B2 Transmit power control
A method for communicating among nodes in a network includes determining, by a transmitter, a first frequency band and at least a second frequency band to be used for communicating data packets, wherein a maximum allowable power spectral density in the first frequency band is greater than a maximum allowable power spectral density in the second frequency band. The method also includes adjusting power spectral density for a first group of frequencies in the first frequency band such that the adjusted power spectral density of the first group does not exceed the maximum allowable power spectral density of the first frequency band and a quantization noise introduced by the transmitter is less than a threshold value for a signal transmitted in the second frequency band. The method further includes modulating at least a portion of a data packet transmitted by the transmitter to at least a first receiver in accordance with the adjusted power spectral density.
US08537704B2 Data processing system, central management unit thereof, and data processing method
A plurality of data communication terminals having a data display function is individually provided in each of a plurality of locations of use where general users individually check in. A user storage unit stores the user ID data and the location ID data with respect to each general user who has checked in, and a situation storage unit stores user situation data of the general user who has checked in, together with the user ID data. A group identification unit identifies the plurality of general users who have checked in as a group, and a listing display unit causes each of the data communication terminals in the plurality of locations of use where the general users of the group have checked in, to display a listing of at least the user ID data, the location ID data, and the user situation data of another member of the group. Thus, a data processing system is provided that allows the general users of the group, who have individually checked in for the plurality of locations of use, to confirm the situation of another member at a glance.
US08537703B2 Multicarrier packet communication system
Messages transmitted between a receiver and a transmitter are used to maximize a communication data rate. In particular, a multicarrier modulation system uses messages that are sent from the receiver to the transmitter to exchange one or more sets of optimized communication parameters. The transmitter then stores these communication parameters and when transmitting to that particular receiver, the transmitter utilizes the stored parameters in an effort to maximize the data rate to that receiver. Likewise, when the receiver receives packets from that particular transmitter, the receiver can utilize the stored communication parameters for reception.
US08537686B2 Switch with OAM functions
An ATM switch allowing simplified OAM processing only on the line incoming side is disclosed. An incoming line circuit has a header conversion table storing information indicating whether the system is an end point of an OAM processing flow for each connection and an OAM table storing an AIS flag and an RDI flag for each connection. As for an OAM cell found by referring to these tables to be forced to go back to its own port, an switch output port number is rewritten in the OAM function section. In addition, in the case of an AIS cell, the function type is rewritten so as to become an RDI cell. In the case of an LB cell, the LB indication is rewritten so as to become a return LB cell, and switching to its own port is conducted in the ATM switch core.
US08537677B2 Incremental adaptive packet routing in a multi-dimensional network
Illustrated is a computer system and method that includes a Processing Element (PE) to generate a data packet that is routed along a shortest path that includes a plurality of routers in a multiple dimension network. The system and method further include a router, of the plurality of routers, to de-route the data packet from the shortest path to an additional path, the de-route to occur where the shortest path is congested and the additional path links the router and an additional router in a dimension of the multiple dimension network.
US08537675B2 Loss tolerant transmission control protocol
A particular device includes a transmitter. The transmitter is adapted to estimate a packet erasure rate for packets of a data window to be transmitted to a receiver. The transmitter is adapted to determine a number of proactive forward error correction (FEC) packets for the data window based on the estimated packet erasure rate. The transmitter is adapted to determine a packet size for the packets in the data window based on a window size of the data window and the determined number of proactive FEC packets. The transmitter is also adapted to transmit the data window to the receiver. The packets in the transmitted data window have a size corresponding to the determined packet size and include the determined number of proactive FEC packets.
US08537664B2 Method and system for accelerating transmission of data between network devices
A method and system for transferring data between a sender and a receiver in a packet-based network is disclosed. The method comprises establishing a data channel, establishing a feedback channel, sending data to the receiver over the data channel, sending an acknowledgment to a sender on the feedback channel at a predetermined interval, using the acknowledgment to track data sent successfully and unsuccessfully to the receiver, resending data unsuccessfully sent to the receiver, and self-tuning to optimize throughput based upon the acknowledgement and react to changing network conditions.
US08537649B2 Optical retrieval system, data storage system, data storage medium and method of optical retrieval and data storage
An optical data retrieval system configured to retrieve data from a data storage medium, including: a source of n path-entangled photons, where n is an integer of at least 2; a detector system configured to determine if n photons have been received; and a mechanism to direct photons from the source to the data storage medium and to the detector system.
US08537648B1 Position control method of optical pickup head of optical disc drive and system thereof
A position control method of an optical pickup head of an optical disc drive is provided. The optical disc drive has an optical pickup head for reading data from an optical disc and a step index for controlling the movement of the optical pickup head. The position control method includes: calculating a first position information of the optical pickup head according to the step index; reading an address information from the optical disc, calculating a second position information of the optical pickup head according to the address information; determining whether a difference between the first position information and the second position information is greater than a predetermined value; updating the step index when the difference is not greater than the predetermined value; moving the optical pickup head to an initial position when the difference is greater than the predetermined value, and setting the step index as zero.
US08537647B2 Recording apparatus
A recording apparatus, which records information in an optical recording medium, includes: a mode-lock laser unit including a saturable absorber section that applies a bias voltage, a gain section that feeds a gain current, a semiconductor laser that emits laser light used to record the information on the optical recording medium, and an external resonator; an optical modulation unit performing amplification modulation on the laser light emitted from the mode-lock laser unit; a reference signal generation unit generating a master clock signal and supplying a signal synchronized with the master clock signal to the gain section of the semiconductor laser; a recording signal generation unit generating a recoding signal based on the master clock signal; and a driving circuit generating a driving pulse used to drive the optical modulation unit based on the recording signal.
US08537646B2 Thermally-assisted magnetic recording head having photoelectric wiring lines integrally formed on waveguide
An information recording and reproduction apparatus has a magnetic recording medium, a light source that outputs a light beam to heat the medium, and a near-field light head confronting a surface of the medium. An optical waveguide introduces a light beam from the light source into the head to generate near-field light. A control section supplies a current to a recording element of the head for generating a recording magnetic field in a direction of the medium. A photoelectric composite wiring line has the optical waveguide and electric wiring lines integral with the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide is arranged between the electric wiring lines. The optical waveguide and the electric wiring line branch off from a distal side of the photoelectric composite wiring line so that the optical waveguide is routed to a base end surface of the near-field light head in a state extending approximately linearly.
US08537644B2 Heat source management in data storage device
An apparatus and associated method is presently disclosed for a control circuitry capable of managing a heat source used in data storage applications. Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to a heat source directed at a data storage medium with a synchronization signal and a serial interface that are each selectively activated via a demultiplexed write gate signal. The selective activation allows for pulsed operation of the heat source resulting in reduced duty cycle and temperature during a write operation.
US08537642B2 Watch striking mechanism
The watch striking mechanism (1) includes at least one gong (11) fixed to a gong-carrier (12) and at least one hammer (2) for activating the vibration of the gong. The striking mechanism includes a first magnetic element (20) in the form of a moving micro-magnet, which is arranged on a striking portion of the hammer, and a second magnetic element (21) in the form of a fixed micro-magnet, which is arranged in one part of the gong. The second magnetic element is at least partly opposite the first magnetic element and is capable of generating a magnetic field of opposite polarity to the magnetic field of the first magnetic element. In a striking mode, said hammer may be driven in the direction of the gong to activate the vibration of said gong via a magnetic impulse due to the repulsion force of the two magnetic elements.
US08537637B2 Method of seismic surveying and a seismic surveying arrangement
A method of seismic surveying A method of seismic surveying comprises the step of acquiring imaging seismic data relating to an underlying geological structure at a survey location and simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously, acquiring statics seismic data relating to the near-surface (5) at the survey location. The method may use an imaging source (12) to acquire the imaging seismic data and a separate statics source (13,13′) to acquire the statics seismic data. Alternatively only an imaging source (12) may be used, and the statics seismic data may be obtained from surface waves, airwaves or ground-roll waves that are generated by the imaging source and that have hitherto been regarded only as unwanted noise.
US08537633B2 Methods of operating DRAM devices having adjustable internal refresh cycles that vary in response to on-chip temperature changes
An integrated circuit memory device includes a refresh control circuit that generates an internal memory refresh command signal having a period that is changed relative to a period of an external memory refresh command signal received by the memory device. This change in the period of the internal memory refresh command may be in response to detecting a change in temperature of the memory device. In particular, the refresh control circuit is configured so that the period of the internal memory refresh command signal is increased in response to detecting a reduction in temperature of the memory device.
US08537630B2 Memory program discharge circuit of bit lines with multiple discharge paths
A memory integrated circuit has an array of nonvolatile memory cells, bit lines accessing the array of nonvolatile memory cells, and bit line discharge circuitry. The bit lines have multiple discharge paths for a bit line at a same time, during a program operation.
US08537621B2 Non-volatile memory device and read method thereof
In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a request to read data stored in a first memory cell associated with a first word line, and performing a first read operation on at least one memory cell associated with a second word line in response to the request. The second word line follows the first word line in a word line programming order, and the first read operation is performed over a first time period. The method further includes performing a second read operation on the first memory cell based on output from the first read operation. The second read operation is performed for a second time period, and the first time period is shorter than the second time period if output from performing the first read operation indicates the first memory cell is not coupled.
US08537620B2 Random telegraph signal noise reduction scheme for semiconductor memories
Embodiments are provided that include a method including providing a first pulsed gate signal to a selected memory cell, wherein the pulsed gate signal alternates between a first voltage level and a second voltage level during a time period and sensing a data line response to determine data stored on the selected memory of cells. Further embodiments provide a system including a memory device, having a regulator circuit coupled to a plurality of access lines of a NAND memory cell, and a switching circuit configured to sequentially bias at least one of the plurality of the access lines between a first voltage level and a second voltage level based on an input signal.
US08537614B2 Erase block data splitting
A Flash memory device, system, and data handling routine is detailed with a distributed erase block sector user/overhead data scheme that splits the user data and overhead data and stores them in differing associated erase blocks. The erase blocks of the Flash memory are arranged into associated erase block pairs in “super blocks” such that when user data is written to/read from the user data area of a sector of an erase block of the super block pair, the overhead data is written to/read from the overhead data area of a sector of the other associated erase block. This data splitting enhances fault tolerance and reliability of the Flash memory device.
US08537610B2 Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device
Techniques for providing a semiconductor memory device are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus including a first region and a second region. The apparatus may also include a body region disposed between the first region and the second region and capacitively coupled to a plurality of word lines, wherein each of the plurality of word lines is capacitively coupled to different portions of the body region.
US08537607B2 Staggered magnetic tunnel junction
A staggered magnetic tunnel junction includes a free magnetic layer extending in a lateral direction between a first end portion and an opposing second end portion and a tunneling barrier disposed between a reference magnetic layer and the first end portion and forming a magnetic tunnel junction. Current flows through the free magnetic layer in the lateral direction to switch the magnetic tunnel junction between a high resistance state and a low resistance state.
US08537603B2 SRAM cell
The present invention provides an SRAM cell which does not have the constraints on the size of transistors in order to realize stabilized write and read operations, which has a fewer number of control signal lines per port, and which can be easily multi-ported in the read operation as well as the write operation so that the write and read operations can be performed through a single bit line. The SRAM cell includes a feedback control transistor for controlling connection or disconnection of a positive feedback circuit between particularly two inverters, a write control transistor and a read control transistor connected to a single bit line, and a read buffer transistor connected to the read control transistor.
US08537599B2 Memory cells, non-volatile memory arrays, methods of operating memory cells, methods of reading to and writing from a memory cell, and methods of programming a memory cell
In one aspect, a method of operating a memory cell includes using different electrodes to change a programmed state of the memory cell than are used to read the programmed state of the memory cell. In one aspect, a memory cell includes first and second opposing electrodes having material received there-between. The material has first and second lateral regions of different composition relative one another. One of the first and second lateral regions is received along one of two laterally opposing edges of the material. Another of the first and second lateral regions is received along the other of said two laterally opposing edges of the material. At least one of the first and second lateral regions is capable of being repeatedly programmed to at least two different resistance states. Other aspects and implementations are disclosed.
US08537598B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method for resetting the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a plurality of memory cell arrays stacked on a semiconductor substrate and including a plurality of first wires, a plurality of second wires and memory cells disposed at intersections of the first wires and the second wires and having a rectifier element and a variable resistive element are connected in series; and a control circuit configured to selectively drive the first wires and the second wires. The control circuit executes a resetting operation to change a state of the variable resistive element from a low resistance state to a high resistance state. At a time of executing the resetting operation, the control circuit increases a pulse voltage to be applied to the variable resistive element to a first voltage, and then decreases the pulse voltage to a second voltage lower than the first voltage and higher than the ground voltage.
US08537585B2 DC-AC converter
Disclosed is a DC-AC converter including a switch circuit for converting the DC power to output an AC voltage between a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The switch circuit includes a first switch branch having a first switch element and a second switch element; a second switch branch having a third switch element, a fourth switch element, and a fifth switch element; and a sixth switch element having one end connected between the third switch element and the fourth switch element and the other end connected between the first switch element and the second switch element. The first switch element, the second switch element, the third switch element, the fourth switch element, the fifth switch element, and the sixth switch element are configured to turn on/off to enhance the conversion efficiency of the DC-AC converter and subdue the occurrence of leak current in the DC-AC converter.
US08537577B2 Method and apparatus to select a parameter/mode based on a measurement during an initialization period
A power supply includes an energy transfer element coupled between an input and an output. A switch is coupled to an input of the energy transfer element. A threshold detection circuit includes in an integrated circuit coupled to measure a signal from a resistive external circuit coupled between fourth and first external terminals of the integrated circuit during an initialization period after the fourth external terminal has been charged to a supply threshold value. A regulator circuit is coupled between second and fourth external terminals of the integrated circuit. The regulator circuit is coupled to charge the fourth external terminal to the supply threshold value during the initialization period. A selection circuit is coupled to the threshold detection circuit to select a parameter/mode of the integrated circuit in response to the measured signal.
US08537571B2 Electric power supply apparatus attached to overhead line to supply electric power to load
A power supply device comprises a capacitance (Ca) consisting of an overhead power line (100) and an electrode (20) extending in the longitudinal direction of the overhead power line (100) via an insulator (30), an inductance (La) connected in parallel with the capacitance (Ca), and an output portion (50) led out from both ends of a parallel circuit including the capacitance (Ca) and the inductance (La). The parallel circuit is operated as a parallel resonant circuit and power is supplied from the output portion (50), thereby obtaining a compact and simple structure and improving power supply efficiency to a load as compared with a conventional power supply device.
US08537569B2 Stored energy dissipating circuits and methods for switched mode power supplies
A circuit includes a detector configured to detect a state of a power supply including an energy storage component and to generate a control signal responsive to the state of the power supply, a dissipating component, and a switch configured to controllably couple the dissipating component to the energy storage component in response to the control signal output by the detector. Methods of operating a power supply including an energy storage component and a dissipating component are disclosed. The methods include monitoring the power supply to determine if the power supply may be active, and, in response to determining that the power supply may be inactive, coupling the dissipating component to the energy storage component to dissipate energy from the energy storage component.
US08537561B1 Display device mountable on an automotive vehicle, and method
A display device mountable on an automotive wiper arm positioned on the rear of an automotive vehicle, comprising a display panel having a front side for presentation of text or graphics and a back side for mounting a connector; arm-connector for affixing said display device to said automotive wiper arm; shaft for linking said arm-connector to said display panel; a shaft-connector for affixing said shaft to said display panel, said shaft-connector comprising part of said shaft; display-connector affixing said shaft to said display panel, said display-connector comprising said connector positioned on said display panel backside; wherein said shaft-connector and said display-connector are configured to lock together, substantially preventing separation of said display panel from said shaft during motion of said wiper arm during operation, wherein said arm-connector is configured to clasp said wiper arm and maintain sufficient pressure to avoid substantial rotation of said shaft around said wiper arm.
US08537546B2 Housing with foot pads and couplers
A housing includes a cover, a plurality of foot pads and a plurality of couplers. Each of the plurality of foot pads is fixed on a corresponding one of the couplers and each of the couplers is pivotable about the cover. The cover defines a plurality of first receiving portions and a plurality of second receiving portions for receiving the plurality of couplers and the plurality of foot pads. Each of the plurality of foot pads and each of the plurality of couplers rotates relative to the cover to selectively receive the foot pad and the coupler in the first receiving portion and in the second receiving portion, so as to suspend the housing from a wall and to place the housing on a supporting surface.
US08537542B2 Electronic device
An electronic device including a first housing, a second housing and a pivot structure is provided. The pivot structure includes a pivot shaft, a sliding component and a supporting component. The pivot shaft is pivoted on the first housing. The sliding component is disposed on the second housing. One end of the sliding component sleeves the pivot shaft, such that the second housing rotates relative to the first housing. The supporting component has a first end and a second end. The first end is pivoted to the first housing. When the second housing rotates relative to the first housing, the supporting component provides a supporting force to the second housing.
US08537541B2 Laptop having detachable touchpad
A laptop includes a main body and a touchpad. The main body includes a housing which defines a receiving groove. The touchpad is detachably received in the receiving groove. The laptop further includes an ejection mechanism to eject the touchpad up from the receiving groove to allow the touchpad to be used independently as an external mouse.
US08537536B1 Rapid deployment mobile data center
A portable air cooled data center can include interior fans, a heat sink integrally serving as part of a wall or ceiling, and an outer heat pipe assembly in thermal communication with the heat sink allowing for heat dissipation. External fans can pull external air over the outer heat pipe assembly. A first transducer can monitor inner air temperature within the data center, a second transducer can monitor the outer heat pipe assembly, and a third transducer can be secured proximate to a fin side of the heat sink. A controller can be connected to the transducers, fans, and a power supply. Computer instructions can be used to monitor temperatures from the transducers, compare the temperatures to preset limits, and individually or simultaneously actuate, regulate, or turn off the fans when monitored temperatures meet or exceed preset limits.
US08537533B2 Electronic device with support assembly
An electronic device includes a main body and a support assembly. The support assembly includes four support components arranged at four sides of the main body. Each support component includes a first arm and a second arm. A first arm includes a first end portion rotatably connected to one end of one of the four sides of the main body, and a second end portion extending from an end of the first arm. The second arm includes a third end portion rotatably connected to the other end of the side of the main body and defines a sliding groove. A pin is connected to the second end portion and slidably received in the sliding groove. The pin is capable of being held in various positions by friction between the pin and the sliding groove, allowing the support components to maintain at a desired orientation for supporting the main body.
US08537528B2 Mobile terminal
Disclosed is a mobile terminal including a case having an inner space and a first opening formed at one end thereof to open the inner space, and a slider mounted to the case and slid through the first opening between a first state where a battery is disposed in the inner space and a second state where the battery is externally exposed, wherein the slider includes a slide unit configured to house the battery therein and slidably mounted to the case to be drawn out of the inner space, and a cover unit connected to the slide unit and configured to obscure the first opening in the first state.
US08537525B2 Coating liquid for manufacturing electrode plate, undercoating agent, and use therof
This invention relates to a coating formulation for manufacturing an electrode plate, which contains a solution of a hydroxyalkylchitosan and an organic acid and/or its derivative in an aprotic polar solvent, and an active material added to the solution and kneaded with the solution, the electrode plate, a manufacturing process of the electrode plate, a battery, a capacitor, and an undercoating formulation. According to this invention, a coating formulation for manufacturing an electrode plate for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery or an electrode plate for an electric double layer capacitor having excellent adhesion and improved contact resistance between an active material layer and a collector, the electrode plate, its manufacturing process, the battery and the capacitor can be provided.
US08537524B1 Capacitor structure in a semiconductor device
An on-chip capacitor includes a first layer first polarity conducting strip and a first layer second polarity conducting strip, wherein the first layer second polarity conducting strip is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the first layer first polarity conducting strip, a second layer first polarity conducting strip and a second layer second polarity conducting strip, wherein the second layer second polarity conducting strip is arranged adjacent to and spaced apart from the second layer first polarity conducting strip, wherein the second layer second polarity conducting strip is arranged overlying the first layer second polarity conducting strip, wherein the second layer first polarity conducting strip is arranged overlying the first layer first polarity conducting strip; wherein the first layer first-polarity conducting strip electrically couples with the second layer first polarity conducting strip; and wherein the first-layer second polarity conducting strip electrically couples with the second layer second-polarity conducting strip.
US08537512B2 ESD protection using isolated diodes
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit (40) is coupled across input-output (I/O) pads (21) and common terminals (24) of a core circuit (22) to protect it from ESD events. The circuit (40) comprises, a unidirectional ESD clamp (23) and two or more floating diodes (42, 44) arranged in parallel opposed configuration in series with the ESD clamp (23), the combination coupled between the I/O pads (21) and the reference terminals (24). In a preferred arrangement, the two strings of opposed parallel coupled diodes (42, 44) are used with different numbers of diodes in each string. These diodes (42, 44) operate in forward conduction (43, 45), so the energy dissipated therein during an ESD event is much reduced compared to a reverse biased diode and they can have smaller area. Signal clipping at the I/O pad (21) is reduced, less power is dissipated and less chip area is utilized.
US08537511B2 Systems and methods for grounding power line sections to clear faults
Systems and methods for dynamically clearing faults in a power transmission line involve automatically terminating ends of a section of the power line while preserving electrical and/or physical continuity of the power line. The terminating of the ends is reversed at about voltage zero-crossings in the power line to clear a fault.
US08537492B2 Securing apparatus
The invention relates to apparatus such as a broadcast data receiver which can selectively receive a data storage item therewith to allow the passage of data therebetween and/or storage of data thereon. The invention provides the apparatus with a recess into which the storage item can be placed and connected and a securing member which can be moved into position to secure and retain the data storage item in location with the apparatus.
US08537489B1 Detecting radial head position using spiral wedge information in self-servo-write
Writing servo wedge code to a disk is disclosed. A first selected burst demodulation window is determined. A final radial head position is computed based at least in part on the first selected burst demodulation window. Servo wedge code is written to a disk based at least in part on the final radial head position.
US08537481B1 Shingled magnetic recording disk drive with minimization of the effect of far track erasure on adjacent data bands
A shingled magnetic recording (SMR) hard disk drive (HDD) essentially eliminates the effect of far track erasure (FTE) in the boundary regions of annular data bands caused by writing in the boundary regions of adjacent annular data bands. The extent of the FTE effect is determined for each track within a range of tracks of the track being written. Based on the relative FTE effect for all the tracks in the range, a count increment (CI) table or a cumulative count increment (CCI) table is maintained for all the tracks in the range. For every writing to a track in a boundary region, a count for each track in an adjacent boundary region, or a cumulative count for the adjacent boundary region, is increased. When the count reaches a predetermined threshold the data is read from that band and rewritten to the same band.
US08537480B1 Hard drive testing
A method for testing a hard drive includes determining a first partial bit error rate (PBERT) value of a hard drive at a first temperature and a second PBERT value of the hard drive at a second temperature. The method includes determining a PBERT minimum based on the first and second PBERT values, and comparing the PBERT minimum to a first PBERT minimum limit. The method includes determining a PBERT ratio based on the first and second PBERT values if the PBERT minimum is greater than or equal to the first PBERT minimum limit. The method includes comparing the PBERT ratio to a PBERT ratio limit, and comparing the PBERT minimum to a second PBERT minimum limit if the PBERT ratio is greater than the PBERT ratio limit. The method includes generating a failure indicator if the PBERT minimum is less than the first and/or second PBERT minimum limit.
US08537478B2 Lens barrel, camera and mobile information terminal
A lens barrel including a telescopic cylinder configured to be accommodated within a fixed frame; a plurality of lens groups configured to be retained in the telescopic cylinder; a lens driving device configured to drive the plurality of lens groups along a longitudinal axis of the telescopic cylinder between a collapsed position in which at least one portion of the plurality of lens groups is stored in the fixed frame and an extended position in which the at least one portion of the plurality of lens groups is extended out of the fixed frame; and a retractable lens group configured to be retracted into the fixed frame through an opening in a wall of the fixed frame when the telescopic cylinder is in the extended position.
US08537469B2 Methods for producing lens arrays
A lens array for imaging image elements in an object plane, and a method of making a lens array. The lens array includes lenslets formed in or on one side of a transparent or translucent material with the image elements disposed on the opposite side, and has a gauge thickness corresponding to the distance from the apex of each lenslet to the object plane. Each lenslet has a set of lens parameters. The gauge thickness and/or at least one lens parameter is or are optimised such that each lenslet has a focal point size in the object plane which is either substantially equal to the size of the image elements in the object plane, or varies from the size of the image elements by a predetermined amount.
US08537464B2 Optical isolation module and method for utilizing the same
According to one embodiment, an optical isolation module includes first and second linear polarizers, a Faraday rotator situated between the first and second linear polarizers and a transmissive element including a half-wave plate also situated between the first and second linear polarizers. In one embodiment, a method for performing optical isolation includes rotating an axis of polarization of a linearly polarized light beam by a first rotation in a first direction, and selectively rotating a portion of the linearly polarized light beam by a second rotation in the first direction to produce first and second linearly polarized light beam portions. As a result, the first linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first rotation, and the second linearly polarized light beam portion undergoes the first and second rotations. The method further includes filtering one of the first and second linearly polarized light beam portions to produce a light annulus.
US08537451B2 Processes for producing electrochromic substrates and electrochromic articles made therefrom
The present invention provides a process for producing an electroactive substrate. The process includes providing a substrate having an oxidant layer on a surface thereof, exposing the surface containing the oxidant layer to a vapor containing an aryl or heteroaryl monomer that is polymerizable to form an electroactive polymer, and polymerizing the aryl or heteroaryl monomer in the presence of a volatile Lewis base to form a polyaryl or polyheteroaryl electroactive polymer film on the surface of the substrate. The invention also provides electroactive substrates formed by the process.
US08537446B2 Multi-axis, large tilt angle, wafer level micromirror array for large scale beam steering applications
A system (120) for reflecting or redirecting incident light, microwave or sound energy includes a first substrate (144) configured to support an array of reflective elements (130) that can be angularly displaced through a range of substantially (90) degrees in response to a reflector angle control signal and a controller programmed to generate the reflector angle control signal to achieve desired incident energy, beam or wavefront redirection. The reflective elements (130) preferably comprise MEMS micro-reflector elements hingedly or movably attached to the first substrate (130) and define a reflective surface that is aimed at the source of incident light, microwave or sound energy.
US08537443B2 Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium
An image processing apparatus includes a document correction section and a display control section. The document correction section carries out rotation processing with respect to a document image so that a first reference direction from a reference side of a document to a side facing the reference side coincides with an upper-to-lower direction of the document image which has been subjected to the rotation processing. Further, before the rotation processing is carried out, the display control section causes the display apparatus to display an image in which the document and a mark indicating the reference side of the document to a user are shown in accordance with the document image. This allows a user to easily predict how the document shown in the document image will be oriented after the document image is subjected to the rotation processing, before the user inputs a command to carry out the rotation processing.
US08537441B2 Profile processing apparatus, method, and program product to adjusting color printer profile based on condition of colorimetric measurement of test patch
In profile adjustment processing, if colorimetric conditions are different from those of when the profile is created, notification is performed to enable the profile adjustment with a high accuracy. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for processing a profile including acquiring a colorimetric value by measuring a color of a patch printed by an image forming apparatus based on patch data, performing a calculation for creating a profile based on the colorimetric value, storing the profile created by the calculation in association with information about a condition of the colorimetric measurement, comparing, when the profile is adjusted, the colorimetric condition corresponding to the stored profile with a colorimetric condition used when the color of the patch is measured to adjust the profile, and notifying a user if the comparison determines that the colorimetric conditions do not coincide with each other.
US08537436B2 Obliquely mounted motor on scan bar assembly
A scan bar assembly includes a scan element including a length direction; and a motor including an axle, wherein the axle of the motor is not parallel to the length direction of the scan element.
US08537417B2 Method for improved printer characterization
A method is disclosed for improving printer characterization tables to best reproduce desired colors on a destination device given the ambient illumination at that device's location. The user determines viewing illumination using a target preferably provided with the printer or alternatively printed directly from the characterized printer. The target comprises metameric color pairs allows which users to quickly determine their approximate viewing illumination by selecting the matching pair. A metameric match of color pairs (metamers) is defined to have equal colorimetric values, XYZ or LAB, for one illumination and differing reflectance spectra. Each color pair corresponds to a different illumination condition. All pairs of metamers which comprise the target are examined to determine which pair is the best match. Targets could be bipartite patches, half-and-half images, readability tasks, or images. The appropriate color-correction transform for the selected illumination is applied. Alternatively the color-correction transform for the selected illumination is modified directly.
US08537415B2 Inkjet printer
In an inkjet printer, a feeding side tension applying means is provided with a feeding side tension adjustment mechanism, which is structured of a feeding side ballast arm that is extended toward a winding side tension applying means and vertically swingable around a rotation shaft perpendicular to a feeding direction of a printing medium and a feeding side ballast member that is attached to a tip end of the feeding side ballast arm, and a winding side tension applying means is provided with a winding side tension adjustment mechanism which is structured of a winding side ballast arm that is extended toward the feeding side tension applying means and vertically swingable around a rotation shaft perpendicular to the feeding direction of the printing medium “M” and a winding side ballast member that is attached to a tip end of the winding side ballast arm.
US08537412B2 Printing control device
A printing control device includes an input image data acquiring unit, a threshold acquiring unit, a determining unit, and a generating unit. The input image data acquiring unit acquires input image data. The input image data includes a plurality of input pixel data. Each input pixel data has an input value. The determining unit determines, for each input pixel data, a difference related value based on a difference between the input value and a threshold value corresponding to the input value. The generating unit generates print data by generating, for each input pixel data, output pixel data based on the difference related value. The output pixel data expresses density corresponding to the difference related value.
US08537405B2 Controller, control apparatus, and image-forming apparatus
A controller includes: a sub-control substrate that includes a first memory storing first control information to be used for controlling at least one of a plurality of modules of a processing apparatus, and controls the at least one of the plurality of modules by using the stored first control information while the controller is connected to the processing apparatus; and a main control substrate that includes a second memory and controls an operation of the sub-control substrate; and wherein: if a first operation is performed, the main control substrate acquires second control information that is to be used for controlling at least one of the plurality of modules and is determined from the first control information, and stores the acquired second control information in the second memory, when the controller is connected to the processing apparatus, and a second operation is performed, the main control substrate supplies the second control information stored in the second memory to another controller included in the processing apparatus, and stores the second control information in the another controller.
US08537404B2 Method and arrangement for use of shared resources in a network
A method for controlling and monitoring, from a server, transfers of jobs from clients connected in the network to shared resources connected in the network.
US08537397B2 Image processing apparatus and check control method for controlling an output image check function
According to an embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes an information adding unit, an execution determination unit, and an execution control unit. The information adding unit determines whether or not to store first information to which a predetermined value is added, in a storage unit, based on a result of analysis of image data, and adds the predetermined value to the first information and stores the first information in the storage unit in association with the image data when the determination is positive. The execution determination unit determines whether the first information with the predetermined value added thereto is in the storage unit or not. The execution control unit controls whether or not check of print quality is to be executed before the execution of print of the image data, based on the result of the determination by the execution determination unit.
US08537389B2 DLNA device and image forming method thereof
A DLNA device includes a communication interface to receive at least one of content and content information through the Internet or receive at least one of content and content information which are stored in a device within the DLNA network, a storage unit to store the received content and content information, a user interface to display the content based on the content information and receive a printing command for the content from a user, a printing job generation unit to generate printing data for the content, based on the content information and the printing command from the user, and a controller to control the communication interface such that the generated printing data is printed by the image forming apparatus.
US08537387B2 Image forming method and apparatus
An image forming method and apparatus, the image forming method including: requesting networked image forming apparatuses to perform a user authorization; receiving account information corresponding to the user authorization request, from one of the image forming apparatuses; determining whether to perform an image forming operation, based on the received account information; and performing the predetermined image forming operation, according to the determination.
US08537385B2 Access control apparatus, method, and printing system in a multi-domain environment
In a multi-domain environment, an access control apparatus belonging to a first domain obtains access control information for controlling usage of a function of an image forming apparatus corresponding to a user belonging to the first domain. When the user belonging to the first domain instructs usage of a function of an image forming apparatus belonging to a second domain, the access control apparatus belonging to the first domain requests an access control apparatus belonging to the second domain to add authentication information managed by the second domain to the access control information. The access control apparatus belonging to the first domain transmits access control information including the added authentication information to a client computer.
US08537374B2 Coordinate measuring machine having an illuminated probe end and method of operation
A portable articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) is provided. The AACMM includes a manually positionable articulated arm having opposed first and second ends. The arm includes a plurality of connected arm segments, each of the arm segments including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal. A measurement device is attached to a first end of the AACMM. An electronic circuit is provided for receiving the position signals from the transducers and for providing data corresponding to a position of the measurement device. A light source is coupled to the arm and disposed to emit light adjacent the measurement device.
US08537373B2 Position detection
Apparatus for location-detection of an object within a region comprising a reflective element mountable on the object, a scanning light source adapted to issue a beam of light in a scanning pattern illuminating a point that moves over the region, a detector for light reflected from the reflective element and a control unit adapted to report the position of an object based on the point in the scanning pattern at which the detector detects light returned from the reflective element relative to at least one point in the scanning pattern at which the detector detects light returned from a reflective object.
US08537368B2 Method of detecting an acceleration
A method detects an acceleration. The method includes providing a spatial mode filter positioned such that light emitted from the spatial mode filter is reflected by at least a portion of a reflective surface. The spatial mode filter and the portion of the reflective surface form an optical resonator having an optical resonance with a resonance lineshape. The method further includes emitting light from the spatial mode filter and irradiating the portion of the reflective surface. The portion of the reflective surface is responsive to acceleration of the optical resonator by changing curvature. The method further includes measuring a change of the resonance lineshape due to the acceleration of the optical resonator.
US08537366B2 Systems and methods for endoscopic angle-resolved low coherence interferometry
Fourier domain a/LCI (faLCI) system and method which enables in vivo data acquisition at rapid rates using a single scan. Angle-resolved and depth-resolved spectra information is obtained with one scan. The reference arm can remain fixed with respect to the sample due to only one scan required. A reference signal and a reflected sample signal are cross-correlated and dispersed at a multitude of reflected angles off of the sample, thereby representing reflections from a multitude of points on the sample at the same time in parallel. Information about all depths of the sample at each of the multitude of different points on the sample can be obtained with one scan on the order of approximately 40 milliseconds. From the spatial, cross-correlated reference signal, structural (size) information can also be obtained using techniques that allow size information of scatterers to be obtained from angle-resolved data.
US08537362B2 Cavity ring down spectroscopy using measured backward mode data
In cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS), scattering into the backward mode of a traveling wave ring-down cavity can degrade conventional CRDS performance. We have found that this performance degradation can be alleviated by measuring the backward mode signal emitted from the ring-down cavity, and using this signal to improve the processing for extracting ring-down times from the measured data. For example, fitting an exponential to the sum of the intensities of the forward and backward signals often provides substantially better results for the ring-down time than fitting an exponential to the forward signal alone. Other possibilities include extracting cavity eigenmode signals from the forward and backward signals and performing separate exponential fits to the eigenmode signals.
US08537358B2 Multilayer colorimetric sensor arrays
Herein are disclosed methods and devices for detecting the presence of an analyte. Such methods and devices may comprise an array comprising at least two sensing elements that differ in their response to an analyte of interest. The sensing elements each comprise at least an optically responsive layer that comprises at least a highly analyte-responsive sublayer. At least one sensing element of the array further contains a minimally analyte-responsive sublayer that comprises part of the thickness of the optically responsive layer. Methods of making and using such arrays of sensing elements are also disclosed.
US08537356B2 Opto-fluidic nanoparticle detection apparatus
Provided herein are new methods and apparatus for quantitative measurement and analysis of particles, including new apparatus systems to process and detect nanoparticles in suspension. By focusing a laser beam at the center of a reservoir, nanoparticles are concentrated by optical energy, and fluorescent intensity at the focal point of the laser is measured to quantify particle concentration in the reservoir. The techniques may be applied to the analysis of suspensions of nanoparticles, including natural particles (e.g., microorganisms including whole viruses, bacteria, animal cells, and proteins) and synthetic particles (e.g., colloidal latexes, paints, pigments, and metallic or semiconductor nanoparticles) for medical and industrial applications, among others.
US08537355B2 Method and device for measuring a chemical composition of a liquid metal suitable for coating a steel strip
A method and a device measure a chemical composition of a liquid metal suitable for coating a steel strip. The method measures a chemical composition of a liquid metal suitable for coating a steel strip for which the liquid metal is formed continuously in a first cavity, and the composition of the liquid metal is measured on a direct measurement surface thereof, for which a specimen of the liquid metal reaching the measurement surface is heated to a chosen temperature so as to isolate principally iron-based impurities from the measurement surface. Several embodiments of devices suitable for implementing the method are also presented.
US08537347B1 Vehicle tire changing system with tool positioning sensor
A vehicle tire changing system is configured with sensors to acquire measurements associated with the relative spatial positions of tire service tools and a vehicle wheel assembly, and dimensions of the vehicle wheel assembly to automate and monitor the movement of an associated tire service tool and optionally, to store or convey the acquired dimensional information for use by other vehicle service systems.
US08537344B2 Water color sensing hardware and methodology for appliances
Apparatus and methodologies are provided to selectively activate a liquid usage option in a washing apparatus based on the color of the liquid. Light from different light sources is passed through a liquid to be tested and the intensity of the light passing through the liquid is measured. The measurement is adjust based on a measurement of the turbidity of the liquid and the measurement compared to a reference value derived from measurements of a clear liquid. A decision is made based on the adjust measured color of the liquid regarding retention of the liquid for further use in the washing apparatus. The liquid tested may correspond to grey water from a previous wash cycle.
US08537333B2 Optical imaging device with image defect determination
An optical imaging device, in particular for microlithography, including an imaging unit adapted to image an object point on an image point and a measurement device. The imaging unit has a first optical element group having at least one first optical element. The imaging device is adapted to participate in the imaging of the object point on the image point, and the measurement unit is adapted to determine at least one image defect occurring on the image point when the object point is imaged. The measuring device includes at least one measurement light source, one second optical element group and at least one detection unit. The measurement light source transmits at least one measurement light bundle. The second optical element group includes at least one optical reference element and one second optical element, the elements adapted to direct the at least one measurement light bundle to the at least one detection unit, to produce at least one detection signal. The second optical element has a defined spatial relationship with the first optical element. The optical reference element has an at least partially reflecting first optical surface and the second optical element has an at least partially reflecting second optical surface. The measurement device is adapted to determine the at least one image defect using the at least one detection signal. The first optical surface and the second optical surface are positioned relative to one another such that a multiple reflection of the at least one measurement light bundle occurs between them.
US08537332B2 Projection exposure tool for microlithography with a measuring apparatus and method for measuring an irradiation strength distribution
A projection exposure tool (10) for microlithography with a measuring apparatus (36) disposed in an optical path (28) of the projection exposure tool (10) for the locally and angularly resolved measurement of an irradiation strength distribution. The measuring apparatus (36) includes a measuring field with an arrangement (56) of focusing optical elements (42) disposed at respective individual points of the measuring field (41), a common image plane (44) for the focusing optical elements (42), a locally resolving radiation detector (46) with a recording surface (48) for the locally resolved recording of a radiation intensity, the recording surface (48) being disposed in the common image plane (44), and the radiation detector outputting radiation intensity signals for a plurality of angle values indicative of a respective angularly resolved irradiation strength distribution for at least one of the individual measuring field points.
US08537328B2 Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display device includes: a plurality of cell regions including a first substrate upon which a pixel electrode is formed, a second substrate upon which a common electrode is formed, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a cutting region formed between the plurality of cell regions, and including the first substrate and the second substrate extended from the plurality of cell regions, and at least one peripheral spacer interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, where the peripheral spacer contacts at least one of the first and second substrates.
US08537324B2 Color filter substrate, method of making the color filter substrate and display device including the color filter substrate
A color filter substrate includes: a base substrate; a light-shield layer and a color filter layer provided on the base substrate; a plurality of columnar spacers, made of a resin and provided to stick out of the base substrate; and an undercoat layer, provided between the columnar spacers and the base substrate. The color filter layer includes first, second, and third types of color filters, which transmit light rays in mutually different colors. The undercoat layer is made of the same film as one of the first, second and third types of color filters and the light-shield layer. A portion of the undercoat layer, associated with a first one of the columnar spacers, has a different area and/or shape from another portion of the undercoat layer, associated with a second one of the columnar spacers. The first and second columnar spacers have mutually different heights.
US08537318B2 Liquid crystal display device and electronic appliance
A pixel electrode or a common electrode is a light-transmissive conductive film; therefore, it is formed of ITO conventionally. Accordingly, the number of manufacturing steps and masks, and manufacturing cost have been increased. An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device, a liquid crystal display device, and an electronic appliance each having a wide viewing angle, less numbers of manufacturing steps and masks, and low manufacturing cost compared with a conventional device. A semiconductor layer of a transistor, a pixel electrode, and a common electrode of a liquid crystal element are formed in the same step.
US08537314B2 Display device and manufacturing method thereof
A display device includes a first panel having a pixel electrode, a second panel having a common electrode facing the first panel, a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first panel and the second panel and having vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules, a first alignment layer disposed on the pixel electrode, and a second alignment layer disposed on the common electrode. At least one of the first alignment layer and the second alignment layer divides the pixel electrode into a plurality of domains and is formed to have a plurality of pretilt directions which pretilt the vertically-aligned liquid crystal molecules in a domain of the plurality of domains. A sum of horizontal component directions of a pretilt direction of the plurality of pretilt directions is substantially equivalent to a sum of horizontal component directions of a fringe field at a peripheral boundary of the pixel electrode in the domain.
US08537312B2 Triple-gate liquid crystal display panel
A triple-gate liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes a plurality of first monochromatic pixels, a plurality of second monochromatic pixels, and a plurality of third monochromatic pixels. The first monochromatic pixels, the second monochromatic pixels, and the third monochromatic pixels are arranged in columns and rows. The first monochromatic pixels, the second monochromatic pixels, and the third monochromatic pixels in each row are repeatedly arranged in a horizontal sequence. The horizontal sequence from left to right is the first monochromatic pixel, the second monochromatic pixel, and the third monochromatic pixel. The first monochromatic pixels in each column are not adjacent to each other, the second monochromatic pixels in each column are not adjacent to each other, and the third monochromatic pixels in each column are not adjacent to each other.
US08537306B2 Backlight assembly for liquid crystal display
A backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display includes: one U-shaped lamp; a lamp housing including the lamp; a side supporter fastened to the lamp housing and including an inserting part where the lamp is inserted; and a lamp support member that supports and fixes the lamp within the inserting part of the side supporter.
US08537299B2 Liquid crystal display comprising first and second control thin film transistors and wherein first and second thin film transistors of adjacent rows within a same column are connected to a same column of data lines
An array substrate comprises a plurality of pixel units defined by interacting of a plurality of gate lines along a row direction and a plurality of data lines along a column direction, and a pixel electrode formed within each of the pixel units. Each row of the pixel units are provide with a first gate line and a second gate line in the gate lines, and each of the pixel units is provides with a first thin film transistor and a second thin film transistor; the first thin film transistor is connected with the first gate line, and the second thin film transistor is connected with the second gate line; the first thin film transistor is connected with the data line at one side of the pixel unit, and the second thin film transistor is connected with the data line at the other side of the pixel unit, and the second thin film transistors of the pixel units in one row and the first thin film transistors of the pixel units in an adjacent row within the same columns are connected to the same column of the data lines.
US08537292B2 Multi-functional liquid crystal parallax barrier device comprising a double-view vertical strip parallax barrier and a multi-view slant-and-step parallax barrier
A multi-functional liquid crystal parallax barrier device is a liquid crystal device mainly formed by two parallax barrier structures, namely, a double-view vertical strip parallax barrier and a multi-view slant-and-step parallax barrier, in which the two parallax barriers are disposed in the same horizontal display direction, so as to display a double-view 3D image and a multi-view 3D image, in addition to displaying a 2D image, through the control of an appropriate driving voltage and the use of a flat panel display screen.
US08537288B2 Projector comprising an expanding and contracting member having a temperature coefficient that counters the increase and decrease of a focal distance of a projection lens caused by temperature changes
A projector includes: a display device which modulates illumination light; a projection lens which projects modulation light produced by the display device; and a holding device which has a holder member supporting the display device, a frame member supporting the projection lens and functions as a base capable of supporting the holder member, and an expanding and contracting member disposed between the frame member and the display device, wherein a temperature coefficient for the expansion and contraction of the expanding and contracting member in the direction of the optical axis of the projection lens corresponds to a temperature coefficient for the increase and decrease of the focal distance of the projection lens.
US08537283B2 High definition frame rate conversion
An image interpolator for high-definition images is presented that utilizes a two or more level hierarchical decomposition for complexity reduction. At the lowest level, after a block-based motion estimator, a pixel-based motion vector selector and a motion vector-based halo reducer, an occlusion-based adaptive motion field interpolator provides preliminary motion vectors for higher resolution level. At the high resolution level, a new motion estimation refining based on the double consideration of eventual occlusion region and motion vector precision refines the preliminary motion vectors, and again a motion vector-based halo reduction re-corrects the refined motion vectors. A new motion compensated image interpolator with controllable features for multiple interpolated images is presented. A versatile post-processing configuration for remaining artifacts may also be included.
US08537275B2 Image pickup apparatus capable of releasing heat efficiently
An image pickup apparatus capable of efficiently releasing heat generated by an image pickup element disposed close to an exterior of a grip portion, and thereby prevent a local temperature rise in the grip portion. A lens barrel bends a light flux incident from an object by a prism to guide the light flux toward the grip portion. The lens barrel is fixed to a chassis member. A front cover covers a portion of the lens barrel and is disposed such that the lens barrel is positioned between the chassis member and the front cover. An image pickup element is disposed toward the grip side. A heat conductive member is coupled to the chassis member and the front cover. Side covers cover the heat conductive member. The thermal conductivity of the side covers is smaller than that of the front cover.
US08537267B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program
An image processing apparatus includes an estimation unit configured to estimate an image generation pixel value corresponding to a position of a phase difference detection pixel of an image element, based on a determination pixel value of image data including the determination pixel value and the image generation pixel value as image data generated by the imaging device including the phase difference detection pixel for generating the determination pixel value for making a focus determination and an image generation pixel for generating the image generation pixel value for generating an image, and an interpolation unit configured to interpolate image generation pixel values of pixels configuring the image data based on the estimated image generation pixel value and the image generation pixel value generated by the image generation pixel.
US08537246B2 View angle feedback device and method
The present invention provides a portable device that includes at least one view angle sensor for collecting sensor information about the view angle of the portable device. It also includes a view angle determination component for determining (1) the view angle of the portable device engaged in a videoconference session and (2) whether the view angle is within a predefined range for the videoconference session. The portable device also includes a feedback component, wherein responsive to the determination that the view angle is out of range, providing user feedback.
US08537245B2 Imaging and decoding device with quantum dot imager
Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for imaging with a decoding imager based on semiconducting nanocrystals that function as quantum dots, and decoding decodable features in the images. In an illustrative embodiment, a device includes an imaging subsystem, a data storage element, and a processor. The imaging subsystem includes an image sensor array and an imaging optics assembly operative for focusing an image onto the image sensor array. The image sensor array includes a plurality of pixels wherein a pixel includes a photosensitive portion comprising one or more nanocrystals, and a read-out portion capable of relaying incident light data representing light incident on the one or more nanocrystals. The data storage element is capable of storing frames of image data comprising data communicated through the read-out portion of at least some of the pixels during the imaging operation. The processor is operative for receiving one or more of the frames of image data from the data storage element and performing a decode operation for performing an attempted decode of a decodable feature represented in at least one of the frames of image data.
US08537237B2 Real-time digital image processing architecture
A digital image processing device processes digital images provided by a camera of biosensor reader. The device includes a pixel processing unit for evaluating a stream of image values with respect to a given set of processing spots in the image area, thus determining characteristic parameters like the integral of pixel values in the processing spots. The pixel processing unit communicates with a higher-level digital control unit that sets the processing spots to be evaluated and that reads out and post-processes the results of the pixel processing unit.
US08537229B2 Image reconstruction
Techniques for reconstructing an image of an object are provided. In some embodiments, an image reconstructing system includes one or more cameras, one or more light sources and an image processor. The cameras are configured to capture images of an object and the light sources are configured to irradiate the object. The image processor is configured to process the images to generate a first representation of the object and a second representation of the object, and to generate a reconstructed image of the object based on the first representation and the second representation.
US08537221B2 Lane change control system
This invention relates generally to vision systems for vehicles and, more particularly, to rear-view vision systems which provide the vehicle operator with scenic information in the direction rearward of the vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a rear-view vision system utilizing image capture devices, such as CMOS imaging arrays in external rear view mirrors to support lane change in a driver assistant system.
US08537220B2 Surveillance camera having lens controller waterproofing member
A surveillance camera has waterproofing members detachably fitted into guide holes for focus control and zoom control. The camera has a lens controller waterproofing member, a focus controller and a zoom controller and includes a housing having a first guide hole and a second guide hole; a first rod fixing part combined with the focus controller outer surface and including a first extended part with a first rod fitting hole; a second rod fixing part combined with the outer surface of the zoom controller and including a second extended part with a second rod fitting hole; first and second waterproofing members sealing the first and second guide holes; a focus control rod fastened through the first waterproofing member; and a zoom control rod fastened through the second waterproofing member.
US08537218B2 Distance image sensor and method for generating image signal by time-of-flight method
A distance image sensor capable of enlarging the distance measurement range without reducing the distance resolution is provided. A radiation source 13 provides first to fifth pulse trains PT1 to PT5 which are irradiated to the object as radiation pulses in the first to fifth frames arranged in order on a time axis. In each of the frames, imaging times TPU1 to TPU5 are prescribed at points of predetermined time ΔTPD from the start point of each frame, also the pulses PT1 to PT5 are shifted respectively by shift amounts different from each other from the start point of the first to fifth frames. A pixel array 23 generates element image signals SE1 to SE5 each of which has distance information of an object in distance ranges different from each other using imaging windows A and B in each of five frames. A processing unit 17 generates an image signal SIMAGE by combining the element image signals. Since five times-of-flight measurement are used, the width of the radiation pulse does not have to be increased to obtain distance information of the object in a wide distance range, and the distance resolution is not reduced.
US08537210B2 Controlling light source with endoscope type
A light source device for an endoscope, characterized by having a light source for supplying illuminating light to an object, endoscope connection unit optically connected to an endoscope that has discrimination information for discriminating the kind of endoscope, discrimination unit for discriminating the endoscope based on the discrimination information of the endoscope connected to the endoscope connection unit, change unit for the changing illumination condition of the illuminating light, and control unit for controlling the change unit based on the result of discrimination by the discrimination unit.
US08537208B2 Apparatus and method for displaying three-dimensional image according to position of user
An apparatus and method for displaying a three-dimensional image according to the position of a user, in which the distance between a display panel displaying a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional optical panel converting a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional image is controlled in accordance with the position of the user to provide an optimized three-dimensional image. The apparatus includes a three-dimensional optical device converting a displayed two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional image, a position measurement module measuring the position of the user who converges on the three-dimensional image, a crosstalk calculator calculating the level of crosstalk that can occur in the position of the user, and a driver adjusting a position of the three-dimensional optical device if the level of crosstalk exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
US08537205B2 Stereoscopic video display apparatus and display method
In one embodiment, a stereoscopic video display apparatus includes: a plane display unit including a display screen in which first to third subpixels having respectively different color components are arranged in a matrix form; and an optical plate. The plane display unit includes a configuration obtained by arranging a first subpixels and the second subpixels alternately on a first subpixel row, arranging the third subpixels on a second subpixel row adjacent to the first subpixel row, arranging the first subpixels and the second subpixels alternately on a third subpixel row adjacent to the second subpixel row to have a sequence opposite to that on the first subpixel row, arranging the third subpixels on a fourth subpixel row adjacent to the third subpixel row, and arranging a set of the first to fourth subpixel rows in the column direction of subpixels on the display screen repeatedly.
US08537201B2 Combining video data streams of differing dimensionality for concurrent display
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to combining video data streams of differing dimensionality for concurrent display. An embodiment of an apparatus includes an interface to receive multiple video data streams, a dimensionality of each video stream being either two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D). The apparatus further includes a processing module to process a first video data stream as a main video image and one or more video data streams as video sub-images, the processing module including a video combiner to combine the main video data stream and the sub-video data streams to generate a combined video output. The processing module is configured to modify a dimensionality of each of the video sub-images to match a dimensionality of the main video image.
US08537199B2 Camera calibration device and method by computing coordinates of jigs in a vehicle system
A camera angle computing device includes an image acquiring unit that acquires an image containing a first jig disposed in an overlap region of an image capturing range of a camera and an image capturing range of an adjacent camera and a second jig disposed vertically below the camera; and an angle computing unit that computes an angle of the camera from coordinates of the first jig and the second jig contained in the image acquired by the image capturing unit.
US08537184B2 Linerless labels
Linerless labels are presented. A label includes a specific pattern or set of patterns of adhesive applied to one side of the label. The adhesive pattern(s) reduces contact between a cutter blade of a printer and the adhesive on the one side of the label. Moreover, the adhesive patterns reduce buildup of adhesive on the cutter blade and reduce buildup at specific locations on the cutter blade. That is, the adhesive patterns more evenly distribute adhesive buildup across the cutter blade. Consequently, the cutter blade can be used for a longer period of time before the cutter blade needs to be cleaned of the adhesive.
US08537178B2 Waveform observing apparatus and waveform observing system
There are provided a waveform observing apparatus and waveform observing system that solve a problem of displacement of a handwritten comment which occurs with enlargement/reduction in display in such a manner that, when a determination is NO in a process step, namely when a current compression ratio differs from a compression ratio at the time of writing a handwritten comment in displaying the handwritten comment to such a degree as to cause occurrence of non-allowable displacement, a process proceeds to a next process step, and a simple indication indicating the presence of the handwritten comment is displayed in a position associated with a portion of a waveform corresponding to a measured data number.
US08537177B2 System and methods for gamut bounded saturation adaptive color enhancement
System and methods for gamut bounded saturation adaptive color enhancement are provided. Color enhancement incorporating gamut bounded saturation enhances colors of an pixel from a source color gamut such that the resulting color is within a target color gamut. This resulting color may, for example, take advantage of an expanded target color gamut of a display. Gamut bounded saturation may be implemented independently or in combination with RGB bounded saturation.
US08537175B1 Video enhancement for large scale applications
A video enhancement server enhances a video. A scene segmentation module detects scene boundaries and segments the video into a number of scenes. For each frame in a given scene, a local white level and a local black level are determined from the distribution of pixel luminance values in the frame. A global white level and global black level are also determined from the distribution of pixel luminance values throughout the scene. Weighted white levels and black levels are determined for each frame as a weighted combination of the local and global levels. The video segmentation server then applies histogram stretching and saturation adjustment to each frame using the weighted white levels and black levels to determine enhanced pixel luminance values. An enhanced video comprising the enhanced pixel luminance values is stored to a video server for serving to clients.
US08537171B2 Piecewise non-causal compression and subsequent decompression of quantized data for processing of decompressed data in higher precision processing space
Nonlinear compression of high precision image data (e.g., 12-bits per subpixel) conventionally calls for a large sized lookup table (LUT). A smaller sized and tunable circuit that performs compression with piecewise linear compressing segments is disclosed. The piecewise linear data compressing process is organized so that lumping together of plural ‘used’ high precision value points into one corresponding low precision data value point is avoided or at least minimized. In one embodiment, the compressed data is image defining data being processed for display on a nonconventional display screen where the piecewise linearly compressed data can be stored adjacent to other image data in a frame buffer where a composite image is assembled.
US08537163B2 Method for displaying continuous lines
A method for displaying continuous lines on a raster-based display appliance, with a continuous line being defined by a sequence of two-dimensional support points v1 and v2 and a line width w, and with a rectangle 1, which connects the support points v1, v2, having a rectangle length predetermined by the distance between the support points v1, v2 and having a rectangle width predetermined by the line width w being displayed between two support points v1, v2. The method provides that a triangle sequence 6, which covers a gap 5 between the rectangles 1, 2, is displayed between two successive rectangles 1 and 2 whose alignment with respect to one another is at an angle α≧α0. The triangle sequence 6 includes a plurality of triangles which each have the support point v2, which connects the successive rectangles 1, 2, as a common corner point. A connecting triangle 7 is in each case displayed between the rectangle 1 and the triangle sequence 6 and between the triangle sequence 6 and the subsequent rectangle 2, the corner points of which connecting triangle 7 are the two corner points, which face the triangle sequence 6, of the rectangle 1, and of the subsequent rectangle 2 and the connecting support point v2. The corner points of the triangle sequence 6 are predetermined as a function of the angle α between the alignment of the successive rectangles 1, 2.
US08537157B2 Three-dimensional shape user interface for media content delivery systems and methods
Exemplary three-dimensional (“3-D”) shape user interfaces for media content delivery systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a media content delivery computing system maintaining data representative of a 3-D shape model including a plurality of shape faces, dynamically selecting, in accordance with a shape content selection heuristic, display content for association with at least one of the plurality of shape faces, and utilizing the data representative of the 3-D shape model to render a graphical representation of a 3-D shape in a graphical user interface. In some examples, the method further includes the computing system feeding the dynamically selected display content, which may include one or more video feeds, into at least one of the plurality of shape faces in real time. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08537154B2 Attraction system and attraction providing method
A theater (54) can be divided into a plurality of booths (64) by booth partition walls (68). By moving the booth partition walls (68), the plurality of booths (64) are combined to form a combined theater (66). When the theater (54) is divided in the plurality of booths (64), each booth (64) provides a booth picture in which images of visitors seated in the booth (64) are incorporated as characters. The combined theater (66) provides a combined-theater picture with the use of screens (70) of all the booths (64). Each booth (64) provides a default picture when a fault occurs in the function of generating a booth picture.
US08537149B2 Pixel array and display panel having the same
A pixel array having a plurality of pixel structures is provided. At least one of the pixel structures includes a scan line, a data line, an active device, a pixel electrode, a capacitor electrode line, a readout line and a sensing device. The scan line and the data line are disposed on a substrate. The active device is electrically connected to the scan line and the data line. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the active device. The capacitor electrode line electrically couples with the pixel electrode. The readout line is disposed parallel to the data line. The sensing device is electrically connected to the scan line and the readout line, and the sensing device is connected to an adjacent capacitor electrode line.
US08537144B2 Method and device for avoiding image misinterpretation due to defective pixels in a matrix display
The present invention relates to a system and a method for avoiding misinterpretation of images due to defective pixels present in matrix addressed electronic displays during display time. This may be very important e.g. in the medical world. The method comprises obtaining information on the presence of the defective pixels in the display, and modulating the operation of the display so as to indicate, emphasize or warn for the presence of said defective pixels on the actual display having defect pixels, or adapting the image content of the defective pixels or of pixels in the neighborhood of the defective pixels so as to indicate, emphasize or warn for the presence of said defective pixels in a copy of the displayed image. Such copy may be a hard copy or an electronic copy.A corresponding device is also provided.
US08537141B2 Digital signature collection and authentication
A digital signature collection and authentication system includes an ink pen having an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receivers. A computer triangulates the location of the pen versus time to generate the signature shape, and to generate velocity and acceleration data. The pen also includes a pressure sensitive tip to record pressure applied to the pen tip. The pen also includes a higher frequency burst transmitter useful to generate a time reference, and to transmit the pressure information. The computer packetizes the shape, velocity, acceleration, and pressure data with a time stamp and an IP address or phone number, encrypts the packet and sends it to a host computer for authentication.
US08537133B2 Steering wheel input/interactive surface
The steering wheel input is a flexible, interactive input, based on a touch-sensitive surface. Groups of functions are available from many positions of hands and fingers, gripping and controlling the steering wheel. For example travel directions indicators, headlight flashing/dipping and windscreen wipers can be controlled without having to raise the hand from the steering wheel. The keypad of a mobile telephone can also be simulated. PDA inputs can be carried out. A computer keyboard can be simulated Continuous encompassment of the hands is corrected by computer. The touch areas are continuously and dynamically adapted in the relationship thereof with respect to the balls of the hands or the thumb and fingers. This concept produces ergonomically appropriate and dynamically updated touch areas.
US08537126B2 Integrated touch sensitive display gate driver
A gate driver circuit for switching gate line voltage supplies between display and touch modes is disclosed. The circuit can include one or more switches configured to switch one or more gate lines of an integrated touch sensitive display between a display mode and a touch mode. During touch mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a more stable voltage supply. The circuit can also be configured to reduce or eliminate interference from the display circuitry to the touch circuitry that could affect touch sensing. During display mode, the circuit can be configured to switch the gate lines to connect to a fluctuating voltage supply.
US08537124B2 Touch sensor, liquid crystal display panel having the same and driving method for the same
A touch sensor is installed inside a liquid crystal display panel to sense a touch operation and includes a light sensing part including a photodiode, a capacitance sensing part including a liquid crystal capacitor, and a sensing signal output part. The light sensing part generates a control signal corresponding to a variation in the amount of external light when the liquid crystal display panel is touched. The capacitance sensing part varies the control signal based on a variation in the capacitance of the liquid crystal capacitor when the liquid crystal display panel is touched. The sensing signal output part generates a sensing signal in response to the control signal and determines an output timing of the sensing signal.
US08537116B2 Computer mouse having remote control
An exemplary computer mouse includes a main body and a remote control. The main body includes a receiving cavity for receiving the remote control. The receiving cavity has two opposite sidewalls. Each of the two opposite sidewalls defines a first recess, a second recess, and a third recess. The first recess is located between the second recess and the third recess and is separated from the second recess and the third recess. The remote control includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. Each of the first and second sidewalls of the remote control includes a first protruding post and a second protruding post. Each of the first protruding posts is latched in the corresponding second recess or the corresponding third recess to fix the remote control in the receiving cavity. Each of the second protruding posts slides in the corresponding first recess to make the remote control rotatable.
US08537113B2 Calibration of portable devices in a shared virtual space
Methods, systems, and computer programs for generating an interactive space viewable through at least a first and a second device are presented. The method includes an operation for detecting from the first device a location of the second device or vice versa. Further, synchronization information data is exchanged between the first and the second device to identify a reference point in a three-dimensional (3D) space relative to the physical location of the devices in the 3D space. The devices establish the physical location in the 3D space of the other device when setting the reference point. The method further includes an operation for generating views of an interactive scene in the displays of the first and second devices. The interactive scene is tied to the reference point and includes virtual objects. The view in the display shows the interactive scene as observed from the current location of the corresponding device. Moving the device in the 3D space causes the view to change according to the perspective from the current location.
US08537110B2 Virtual device buttons
Various implementations of virtual device button simulation are disclosed.
US08537108B2 Navigation tool with audible feedback on a handheld communication device having a full alphabetic keyboard
System and method that provides tactical feedback through a speaker of a handheld electronic device having a full alphabetic keyboard upon activation of a navigation tool. The audible feedback produced by the speaker is capable of being modified based on upon the location, speed, and other characteristics of the movement of a cursor on the display of a handheld electronic device. The sound produced by the speaker can originate from an audio file stored or otherwise available on the handheld electronic device.
US08537107B1 Discriminating among activation of multiple buttons
An apparatus and method for discrimination of activation of multiple buttons are described. To discriminate among the activations, a processing device detects multiple activated touch-sensor buttons on a touch-sensor array. The processing device determines a difference value corresponding to a difference between activation signal values for each of the activated touch-sensor buttons and compares the difference value to a difference threshold. If the difference value is above the difference threshold, the processing device determines which of the activated touch-sensor buttons has a greater activation signal value and triggers an operation associated with that touch-sensor button.
US08537104B2 Variable common electrode
A display device (100) includes a row driver (520) configured to provide a row voltage, and a row electrode (320) connected to the row driver (520). A column driver (530) is configured to provide N column voltage levels to a column electrode (330). Further, a common electrode driver (570) is configured to provide M common voltage levels to a common electrode (170). A pixel (CDE) is connected between the column electrode (330) and the common electrode (170); and a controller (515) is configured to control timing of application of the N column voltage levels relative the M common voltage levels to provide NM effective pixel voltage levels across the pixel (CDE).
US08537091B2 Flat panel display
A flat panel display includes a display screen, a first flexible printed circuit, and a second flexible printed circuit. The second flexible printed circuit has a plurality of pads and is electrically connected to the display screen. The first flexible printed circuit is electrically connected between the display screen and the second flexible printed circuit and has a plurality of pins corresponding to the pads. The pins are divided into a plurality of groups, and each the group is respectively located at the different sides of the first flexible.
US08537087B2 Method and apparatus for driving liquid crystal display
The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for driving a liquid crystal display device for enhancing a picture quality. More specifically, in the method and apparatus, source data are modulated based on registered data previously provided. The modulated data derived from the source data are applied to a liquid crystal panel at the initial period of one frame interval. A black voltage as black data is supplied to the liquid crystal panel at least for a portion of the rest of the frame. The black voltage as the black data enables a black picture to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel.
US08537085B2 Method and apparatus for adjusting quality of a displayed image
Specific image quality adjustment of an image is performed according to a setting made by a user, and contrast compensation is performed such that a brightness is kept unchanged at the center of a specific color region larger than a predetermined size, regardless of the setting of the image quality adjustment. The image quality adjustment is performed by selecting one of a plurality of filters with different frequency characteristics according to the setting of the image quality adjustment, and then performing filter processing on the image by using the selected filter. The contrast compensation is performed upon the image that has undergone the filter processing, by using a contrast compensation value related to the selected filter.
US08537082B2 Display and electronic apparatus
A display is provided. The display includes at least one display cell having a display circuit; at least one light receiving cell including a light receiving element; a light emitting section operative to radiate light to the side of a display surface; and a polarizing plate disposed on the front side in the display relative to a region in which the light emitting section is disposed and regions in which the display cell and the light receiving cell are formed, wherein a phase difference plate is disposed at a position which is on the front side relative to the light receiving cell and in either of an emitting optical path of the light emitting section and a reflecting optical path toward the light receiving cell.
US08537080B2 Display apparatus and drive method therefor, and electronic equipment
A drive section sequentially supplies respective scanning lines with a control signal and supplies respective signal lines with a video signal to carry out a correction operation for holding a voltage equivalent to a threshold voltage of a drive transistor in a holding capacitance, and subsequently performs a write operation for writing the video signal in the holding capacitance, and before the correction operation, the drive section switches potentials at the bias line and adds a coupling voltage to one current terminal of the drive transistor via an auxiliary capacitance to carry out a preparation operation for an initialization to set a potential difference between a control terminal and the one current terminal of the drive transistor larger than the threshold voltage.
US08537078B2 Pixel circuit, driving circuit, light emitting apparatus, electronic apparatus and driving method of pixel circuit
Disclosed is a pixel circuit including a light emitting element having one terminal and the other terminal, a driving transistor that supplies a driving current to the one terminal of the light emitting element, a first power line electrically connected to the other terminal of the light emitting element and receiving a first potential, a control transistor provided between a second power line, which receives a second potential, and a source of the driving transistor, and having a gate that receives a control signal through a control line, a first capacitor provided between the second power line and a gate of the driving transistor, a second capacitor provided between the gate and the source of the driving transistor, and a select transistor provided between a data line, which receives a data potential, and the gate of the driving transistor, and having a gate that receives a scanning signal through a scanning line.
US08537077B2 Display device and method of driving the same
A display device and a method of driving the same in which moving image blurring is prevented and a contrast ratio is enhanced by providing a light-emitting element, switching transistors, and a driving transistor with driving signals that include specific voltages at predetermined times, so that the light-emitting element does not emit light for an entire frame and the light output is not influenced by a threshold voltage of the driving transistor.
US08537071B2 Antenna devices
An antenna device is provided with a first connecting electrode, a first tunnel diode, a first antenna member and a fixed electrode. The first connecting electrode is configured to be connected to a fixed potential via a load. The first tunnel diode has a pair of electrodes. One of the electrodes of the first tunnel diode is connected to the first connecting electrode, and the other electrode of the first tunnel diode is connected to the first antenna member. The first antenna member has a conductive property and includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the first antenna member is connected to the other electrode of the first tunnel diode. The fixed electrode is connected to the second portion of the first antenna member. The fixed electrode is configured to be connected to the fixed potential.
US08537061B2 System and apparatus for locomotive radio communications
In one embodiment, a radio communication system comprises a removable antenna platform and an antenna interface bulkhead connected to a roof of a locomotive. The antenna platform includes a blind mate connector connected to an antenna mount. The antenna mount is connected to a ground plane. The antenna interface bulkhead includes a blind mate connector configured to mate with the blind mate connector of the antenna platform when the antenna platform is attached to the antenna interface bulkhead. The antenna interface bulkhead is configured to attach to the antenna platform in one orientation. Thus, one or more antennas may be quickly attached to or removed from the roof of the locomotive reducing maintenance time for the locomotive when an antenna upgrade may be desired.
US08537058B2 Antenna assembly and electronic device using the same
An antenna assembly includes a slide mechanism, a chassis, and an antenna. The slide mechanism includes a fixed plate and a slide plate slidably mounted on the fixed plate. The chassis is mounted on the slide plate. The antenna is mounted on the chassis. The antenna is contained between the fixed plate and the slide plate when the slide mechanism is retracted, and exposed when the slide mechanism is extended.
US08537057B2 Mobile terminal with two antennas for reducing the RF radiation exposure of the user
For a mobile terminal for receiving wireless transmissions from a transmitter and transmitting wireless transmissions to a receiver it proposed to provide an antenna arrangement having a plurality of antenna elements each provided on or within a common body or a respective body of the terminal in a defined spatial relation to a conducting chassis part, wherein at least one first antenna element is located on a first side and at least one second antenna element is located on a second side of the same conductive chassis part or of the respective conducting chassis part, wherein high frequency circuitry, for transmitting a respective wireless transmission, is adapted to simultaneously drive said first antenna element and said second antenna element by feeding the same or corresponding high frequency signals to said first antenna element and to said second antenna element.
US08537054B2 Antenna with multiple resonating conditions
An antenna with multiple resonating conditions includes a grounding element electrically connected to a ground, a radiating element, a connection element electrically connected between the grounding element and the radiating element, a feed-in element electrically connected between the connection element and the grounding element for receiving feed-in signals, and a radiating-condition generating element electrically connected to the grounding element and extending from the grounding element to the radiating element.