Document Document Title
US08706414B2 Method and system for locating and monitoring first responders
The invention is directed to methods and systems for locating and monitoring the status of people and moveable assets, such as first responders, including firefighters and other public service personnel, and their equipment both indoors and out. The invention provides for locating and monitoring the status of people and assets in environments where GPS systems do not operate, or where operation is impaired or otherwise limited. The system and method uses inertial navigation to determine the location, motion and orientation of the personnel or assets and communicates with an external monitoring station to receive requests for location, motion orientation and status information and to transmit the location, motion orientation and status information to the monitoring station.
US08706411B2 Method and system for dispatching vehicle
A method and a system for dispatching vehicle are provided. The method for dispatching vehicle includes the following steps: A. obtaining the vehicle information, which includes vehicle numbers, vehicle states and relative positions; B. placing the vehicle icons corresponding to the vehicle numbers in the corresponding positions on the virtual line schedule map according to the vehicle states and the relative positions; C. displaying the virtual line schedule map refreshed via step B. The system for dispatching vehicle includes vehicle information obtaining unit, vehicle states judging and processing unit, displaying unit and dispatching unit. The system realize the visual vehicle dispatching method by utilizing the virtual line schedule map, so as to implement vehicle monitoring and dispatching.
US08706406B2 System and method for determination and display of personalized distance
A system and method for determination and display of personalized distance. A request is received for the determination of a personalized distance over a network, wherein the request comprises an identification of a requesting user, and a plurality of real world entities comprising at least a starting location and an ending location. At least one route is determined between the first location and the second location. Spatial, temporal, topical, and social data available to the network relating to the requesting user and each real world entity and the route is retrieved using a global index of data available to the network. A personalized distance is calculated via the network between the first location and the second location using spatial, temporal, topical, and social data relating to the requesting user and each real world entity and the route. A representation of the personalized distance calculated for the route is displayed on a display medium.
US08706403B2 Systems and methods for detecting bifurcations
At least one example embodiment discloses a method of detecting a bifurcation in a navigable feature. The method includes first determining a first possible segment and a second possible segment of the navigable feature based on location measurements along the navigable feature, the location measurements representing a heading vector and the location measurements having a higher probability of being on the first possible segment than on the second possible segment, second determining an angle based on the heading vector and a vector between the second possible segment and one of the location measurements, and detecting a bifurcation based on the angle.
US08706390B2 Gyroscopic stabilized vehicle
Embodiments of the invention describe receiving, via a plurality of sensors, data indicating vehicle information. Said information may indicate at least orientation of a frame of a vehicle, orientation of a front wheel of the vehicle with respect to the frame, orientation and rotational speed of a first and second flywheel, and speed of the vehicle. In one embodiment, each flywheel is included in a first and second gyroscope coupled to the vehicle frame. Based, at least in part, on the data received from the plurality of sensors, at least one of the orientation and rotational speed of at least one of the flywheels may be adjusted. Said adjustment may further be based on an input to change at least one of speed and direction of the vehicle.
US08706383B2 Distributed fuel delivery system for alternative gaseous fuel applications
A control system includes an engine control module that generates fuel injector command signals for fuel injectors of an engine and engine parameter signals that indicate operating characteristics of the engine. A fuel injector control module communicates with the engine control module via a network. The engine control module transmits the engine parameter signals to the fuel injector control module via the network. The fuel injector control module generates compensated fuel injector signals based on the fuel injector command signals and the engine parameter signals. The engine control module may generate fuel injector command signals for a gaseous fuel mode based on signals received from the fuel injector control module.
US08706365B2 Method for determination of numbers of gear steps
A method for determination of numbers of gear steps for a gearbox in a motor vehicle which comprises an engine connected to drive a gearbox is disclosed. The numbers of gear steps are the number of downshifts or the number of upshifts which the gearbox respectively effects at an upshift point or a downshift point, a downshift point representing a first engine speed at which the gearbox effects a downshift, an upshift point representing a second engine speed at which the gearbox effects an upshift, and the numbers of gear steps being determined based on a predicted time period which the engine takes to change from a first engine speed to a second engine speed. A system, a motor vehicle, a computer program and a computer program product thereof for the method are also disclosed.
US08706362B2 Mobile biological material energy conversion
The different illustrative embodiments provide a method for processing biological material. Biological material is monitored for in a field. The biological material is retrieved from the field to form retrieved biological material in response to detecting the biological material in the field. A conversion system converts the retrieved biological material into energy. A portion of the energy is directed to a remote location. The conversion system moves in the field during at least one of the monitoring, the retrieving, and the converting.
US08706361B2 Method and apparatus for selectively activated powered actuation of a hydraulic drive system
A method and apparatus for selectively activating a gravity down mode of a hydraulic system during operation of a lift gate. An electronic control circuit is added to hydraulic control circuitry and is configured to selectively interrupt the power down mode or gravity down mode of operation of the hydraulic system based on either a manual input (override) or a sensed condition and switch to the other mode of operation.
US08706354B2 Electric power steering apparatus
[Problem]The present invention provides a motor control apparatus that is capable of making the whole system robust not only with respect to motor parameter variations such as the temperature variation and the manufacturing unevenness but also with respect to disturbances and an electric power steering apparatus mounting the motor control apparatus thereon.[Means for solving the problem]The motor control apparatus comprises a current detector for detecting a current of a motor and a controller for deciding a voltage command value based on at least a current command value, the controller comprises an adaptive identifying means for identifying parameter variations of an output model of the motor, a current estimating means for estimating a current of the motor, and a voltage command value deciding means for deciding the voltage command value, and the adaptive identifying means performs the identification based on at least a current detection value detected by the current detector and a current-estimate value calculated by the current estimating means, the current estimating means calculates the current-estimate value based on at least a result of the identification and the voltage command value, the voltage command value deciding means decides the voltage command value based on the current command value and the current-estimate value.
US08706353B2 Lane departure control system
A lane departure control system is provided which works to control a lane departure of a vehicle using a steering mechanism. The lane departure control system determines a deviation angle between a direction in which the vehicle is pointing and a boundary line of a lane. When the vehicle is expected to unintentionally leave the lane, the lane departure control system calculates an assist angle between a target angular direction of the vehicle and the boundary line and outputs a control signal to the steering mechanism to steer the vehicle in a direction away from the boundary line toward the center of the lane by the sum of the deviation angle and the assist angle. The lane departure control system determines the assist angle as a function of the deviation angle. Such calculation results in a decreased load on the system in controlling the steering of the vehicle.
US08706335B2 Method for operating a hybrid drive unit and device for controlling a hybrid drive unit
A method for operating a hybrid unit comprising a first drive-power source, such as a supercharged internal combustion engine, and a second drive-power source, such as an electric machine. The second drive-power source operates as a generator for charging the energy accumulator and as a motor for discharging of the energy accumulator. Depending on torque desired by a driver, drive torque can be called for, on the one hand, from the first drive-power source and, on the other hand, from the second drive-power source operating as a motor. When the torque desired by the driver increases, to ensure operation of the hybrid unit with reduced fuel consumption and reduced emissions, depending on the charge condition of the energy accumulator, torque demanded from the first drive-power source is delayed and/or reduced, and the resulting reduced dynamic response is compensated for by demanding torque from the second drive-power source.
US08706326B2 Method and device for aiding the piloting of an aircraft during a landing phase
Method and device for aiding the piloting of an airplane during a landing phase for ensuring, during rollout on a landing runway, that in the nominal case the airplane will stop level with a selected exit, while guaranteeing that in the case of a fault the airplane will stop before the end of the runway.
US08706319B2 Space positioning system
A method and apparatus comprising a satellite, an antenna system associated with the satellite, and a transmitter in the satellite. The antenna system is configured to transmit a signal in a direction away from a surface of an earth. The transmitter is configured to transmit location information in the signal using the antenna system.
US08706316B1 Method and system for enhanced scanner user interface
A method and system for presenting vehicle information. A functional part of a vehicle is selected to be examined and information related to the selected function part is received. A vehicle model corresponding to the vehicle is retrieved. Based on the selected functional part and the vehicle model, a mode of operation is determined and used in presenting the vehicle model and the information so that a portion of the model corresponding to the functional part is visible and the information is presented with respect to the visible functional part of the presented model.
US08706310B2 Goal-based control of lighting
A goal-based control system may be provided that controls lighting based on high-level management goals for the operation of a lighting system. The system may include a lighting system model. The system may convert the high-level management goals into low-level device control parameters that include a power level for each respective one of the light fixtures, where the system determines that a modeled operation of each respective one the light fixtures at the power level meets the management goals based on the lighting system model. The system may cause each respective one of the light fixtures to operate at the power level. The system may determine a likelihood of satisfying the management goals.
US08706295B2 Apparatus and method for synchronizing robots
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for synchronization robots. According to an aspect of the present invention, a portable robot synchronization apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store data defining physical models and behaviors of a real robot, a manipulation unit, an output unit, a communication unit configured to perform wired and wireless communication with the real robot or a server, and a control unit configured to model a size and behavior of a virtual robot, having a shape and behavior of the real robot, in response to a manipulation command received through the manipulation unit, on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit, output the modeled virtual robot through the output unit, and control the behavior of the virtual robot in response to the behavior of the real robot when communicating with the real robot through the communication unit.
US08706293B2 Vending machine with automated detection of product position
Embodiments of a vending machine are disclosed that can comprise one or more horizontally oriented shelves for supporting products to be vended, a plurality of vertically oriented dividers coupled to the shelves, a plurality of location markers located on the dividers and/or on the shelves, and an optical recognition module configured to optically recognize the location markers and to determine positions of the location markers and products relative to the shelves. In some embodiments, the optical recognition module can recognize the products by comparing images of the products to stored product images.
US08706292B2 Apparatus for receiving and dispensing cards automatically
An apparatus for receiving and dispensing cards automatically includes a card receiving and dispensing main body (1000) and a card dispensing box (1001) removably installed on said main body (1000). Said card dispensing box (1001) includes a card dispensing box body, a card outlet (141) and a card gate (90) configured on said card dispensing box body. Said card dispensing box (1001) also includes a card gate locking device for controlling the opening and closing of said card gate (90). Said apparatus also includes an identification and unclocking device, which controls the activity of the card gate locking device on the card dispensing box (1001) associated with the card receiving and dispensing main body (1000) to open the card gate (90) of the card dispensing box (1001).
US08706285B2 Process to design and fabricate a custom-fit implant
A process for designing and fabricating a custom-fit implant, comprising: a) processing medical image data of a patient's pathologically defective or anatomically deformed area having a symmetrical part to construct a three-dimensional (3D) digital model; b) forming a mirror image of the left or right side of the three-dimensional (3D) digital model based on its axis of symmetry depending on which side the pathologically defective or anatomically deformed area is; c) overlying the mirror image on the original image to form a composite image with a non-overlapping area wherein the implant will be fitted; d) generating a digital implant by cutting off the non-overlapping area of the mirror image; e) designing mounting points between the digital implant and the pathologically defective or anatomically deformed area where the implant is mounted thereon; f) building a positive and a negative mold based on the digital implant to fabricate a custom-fit implant.
US08706284B2 Method and system for diagnosing operating states of a production facility
A diagnostic system to diagnose a pressure profile of a molding machine M in an operating state is disclosed. The pressure profile of the molding machine M in the operating state is measured with a pressure sensor of a measurement system 3. In a diagnostic system A, a database is formed such that a reference pressure profile and the actual pressure profile selected according to a mold to be made are preserved therein. The diagnostic system A compares the reference pressure profile to the actual pressure profile in the database to determine whether the actual pressure profile is within a predetermined tolerance.
US08706283B2 System for evaluating manufacturability of a casting design
A system for evaluating a manufacturability of a casting design. The system includes at least one of a geometry analyzer, a casting evaluation tool, a residual stress evaluation tool, and a machining evaluation tool. The geometry analyzer analyzes a geometric design of the casting design to determine its geometric design-ability, the casting evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine its cast-ability, the residual stress evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine its heat treat-ability, and the machining evaluation tool evaluates the casting design to determine a machine-ability of the casting design. If the casting design is determined as not geometrically design-able, not cast-able, not heat treat-able, or not machine-able by the geometry analyzer, the casting evaluation tool, the residual stress evaluation tool, or the machining evaluation tool, respectively, then modifications to the casting design are recommended to optimize the casting design for manufacturing.
US08706276B2 Systems, methods, and media for identifying matching audio
System, methods, and media that: receive a first piece of audio content; identify a first plurality of atoms that describe at least a portion of the first piece of audio content using a Matching Pursuit algorithm; form a first group of atoms from at least a portion of the first plurality of atoms, the first group of atoms having first group parameters; form at least one first hash value for the first group of atoms based on the first group parameters; compare the at least one first hash value with at least one second hash value, wherein the at least one second hash value is based on second group parameters of a second group of atoms associated with a second piece of audio content; and identify a match between the first piece of audio content and the second piece of audio content based on the comparing.
US08706255B2 Holster for charging pectorally implanted medical devices
A system for recharging an implantable medical device. The system comprises a holster that may be donned in multiple respective configurations for charging implanted medical devices implanted at various locations within the patient's body. The system may further comprise a charging unit having an antenna on the patient's right side, a second configuration for charging a pectorally implanted medical device on the patient's left side, or a third configuration for use as a waist belt for charging a pectorally implanted medical device on either side of the patient.
US08706248B2 Directional sound processing in a cochlear implant
A cochlear implant implementing a directional sound processing system is provided. Specifically, the cochlear implants implementing the present invention comprise a plurality of audio sensors arranged in at least one external component of the cochlear implant to spatially receive ambient sound. At least one audio sensor is located in one of the external components of the cochlear implant, while one other audio sensor is located elsewhere, such as in a component other than the first component. The cochlear implant includes an directional sound processor comprising an array processor and a sound processor to convert the received sounds into a cochlea stimulation instruction signal.
US08706246B2 Fully implantable cochlear implant systems including optional external components and methods for using the same
An exemplary cochlear implant system includes an external module configured to be positioned external to and worn by a patient, the external module having an external microphone configured to detect an input audio signal presented to the patient, and an external speaker configured to acoustically transmit an audio signal representative of the input audio signal. The exemplary cochlear implant system further includes an implantable module configured to be implanted within the patient, the implantable module having an internal microphone configured to detect the acoustically transmitted audio signal, an internal sound processor configured to generate one or more stimulation parameters based on the acoustically transmitted audio signal, and an internal cochlear stimulator configured to apply electrical stimulation representative of the input audio signal to one or more stimulation sites within the patient in accordance with the one or more stimulation parameters. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08706245B2 Hearing prosthesis with accessory detection
The present application discloses hearing prostheses with two modes of operation and methods for operating the prostheses. In the first mode of operation, a hearing prosthesis receives a microphone input and produces an output based on the microphone input. In the second mode of operation, the hearing prosthesis may detect an accessory input signal and switch to an accessory input mode. The second mode of operation may produce an output that is based at least in part on the accessory input signal. Some embodiments may include detecting an accessory input signal with a detector. In response to detecting an accessory input signal, the hearing prosthesis may switch to an accessory operation mode. When the accessory input signal is not detected, the hearing prosthesis may operate in microphone operation mode.
US08706241B2 System for patent interactive neural stimulation with robotic facilitation of limb movement
Systems and methods for patient interactive neural stimulation and/or chemical substance delivery are disclosed. A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes affecting a target neural population of the patient by providing to the patient at least one of an electromagnetic signal and a chemical substance. The method can further include detecting at least one characteristic of the patient, with the characteristic at least correlated with the patient's performance of an adjunctive therapy task that is performed in association with affecting the target neural population. The method can still further include controlling at least one parameter in accordance with which the target neural population is affected, based at least in part on the detected characteristic.
US08706239B2 Systems and methods for controlling neurostimulation based on regional cardiac performance for use by implantable medical devices
Techniques are provided for controlling neurostimulation such as spinal cord stimulation (SCS) using a cardiac rhythm management device (CRMD). In various examples described herein, neurostimulation is delivered to a patient while regional cardiac performance of the heart of the patient is assessed by the CRMD. The delivery of further neurostimulation is adjusted or controlled based, at least in part, on the regional cardiac performance, preferably to enhance positive effects on the heart due to the neurostimulation or to mitigate any negative effects. Regional cardiac performance is assessed based on parameters derived from cardiogenic impedance signals detected along various vectors through the heart.
US08706236B2 System and method for conditioning a diaphragm of a patient
A method of conditioning a diaphragm of a patient is provided. The method can include the steps of implanting an electrode adjacent a target site in the diaphragm of the patient and operating the electrode to deliver a sufficient amount of electrical stimulation to the target site in the diaphragm of the patient to cause the diaphragm to contract.
US08706235B2 Transvenous method to induce respiration
A system and method for delivering a nerve stimulation therapy determines whether a cardiac EGM signal can be sensed by a bipolar pair of electrodes selected from a number of electrodes positioned for stimulating a nerve. In response to not being able to sense a cardiac signal using the bipolar pair, stimulation of the nerve using a selected pair of the electrodes is enabled.
US08706225B2 Control of a defibrillator and/or pacemaker
An electronic medical person access to a medical professional (MP) who can monitor, diagnose and treat the person from a remote site. The apparatus includes a plurality of medical treatment devices coupled to an electronic adapter designed to communicate with (A) each treatment device and (B) a local, first transmitting/receiving device which, in turn, is adapted to electronically communicate with a remote, second transmitting/receiving device used by the MP. Signals representing physiologic information of the person via the adapter to the MP and, in response, the MP may transmit a control signal to one or more treatment devices. The treatment devices may communicate via the adapter.
US08706221B2 Method and device for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing therapy
A method and device for delivering anti-tachycardia pacing (ATP) therapy that includes an electrode to sense cardiac signals and to deliver the therapy, sensing circuitry, electrically coupled to the electrode, to detect the tachycardia event in response to the sensed cardiac signals, and a processor to control delivery of the therapy. The processor determines whether a return cycle length generated subsequent to the delivery of the first plurality of pacing pulses is greater than a cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and less than a sum of the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and a total prematurity associated with the first plurality of pacing pulses, and adjusts delivery of a second plurality of pacing pulses in response to the return cycle length being greater than the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and less than the sum of the cycle length associated with the tachycardia event and the total prematurity associated with the first plurality of pacing pulses.
US08706220B2 Method and apparatus for detecting and treating tachyarrhythmias incorporating diagnostic/therapeutic pacing techniques
An implantable medical device (IMD) and methods of operating the same to treat a tachyarrhythmia are disclosed herein. In accordance with this method, an arrhythmia of the heart is classified based on one or more supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) rejection rules, which differentiate between a first group of heart rhythms that do not require treatment and a second group of heart rhythms that possibly require treatment. Diagnostic/therapeutic pacing can then be performed to further discriminate the second group of heart rhythms as being within a first sub-group of heart rhythms and a second sub-group of heart rhythms which are to be treated by applying a ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF) therapy sequence. In another implementation, the order in which the IMD performs diagnostic/therapeutic pacing and analyzes passive detection and classification criteria can be reversed.
US08706218B2 Battery longevity estimator that accounts for episodes of high current drain
System and method for estimating a remaining capacity of a battery of an implantable medical device. The implantable medical device has a battery producing a current and having a remaining battery capacity, the implantable medical device being configured to utilize a relatively low amount of the current and, in specific instances, a relatively large pulse of the current. The processor is coupled to the battery and configured to calculate an estimate of the remaining battery capacity based, at least in part, on a measured battery parameter and occurrences of the specific instances of delivery of the relatively large pulse of the current.
US08706214B2 ECG rhythm advisory method
A method of automatically determining which type of treatment is most appropriate for a cardiac arrest victim, the method comprising transforming one or more time domain electrocardiogram (ECG) signals into a frequency domain representation comprising a plurality of discrete frequency bands, combining the discrete frequency bands into a plurality of analysis bands, wherein there are fewer analysis bands than discrete frequency bands, determining the content of the analysis bands, and determining the type of treatment based on the content of the analysis bands.
US08706212B2 Neural stimulation systems, devices and methods
Various system embodiments comprise circuitry to determine when an arrhythmia has terminated, and a neural stimulator adapted to temporarily deliver a neural stimulation therapy to assist with recovering from the arrhythmia in response to termination of the arrhythmia.
US08706210B2 Transdermal integrated actuator device, methods of making and using same
The invention provides for a device for delivering a drug comprising: a. forming one or more micropores in a tissue membrane; and b. applying a patch containing a drug to the one or more micropores formed in the tissue membrane The invention also provides for methods of making and methods of using the same.
US08706209B2 Devices, systems, and methods for measuring parallel tissue conductance, luminal cross-sectional areas, fluid velocity, and/or determining plaque vulnerability using temperature
Devices, systems, and methods for measuring parallel tissue conductance, luminal cross-sectional areas, fluid velocity, and/or determining plaque vulnerability using temperature. In at least one embodiment of a method to obtain parallel tissue conductance, the method comprises the steps of inserting at least part of a detection device into a luminal organ, applying current thereto, obtaining a native temperature measurement, injecting a solution of a known conductivity into the luminal organ, detecting a temperature change indicative of the fluid within the luminal organ, measuring an output conductance, and calculating a parallel tissue conductance based upon the output conductance and the conductivity of the injected solution.
US08706206B2 Human fatigue assessment device and human fatigue assessment method
A human fatigue assessment device capable of performing highly accurate fatigue assessment is provided. The human fatigue assessment device includes: a physiological signal measuring unit which measures a pulse wave signal of a user; a feature value extracting unit which extracts first feature values each of which is obtained from a systolic posterior component of the pulse wave signal measured by the physiological signal measuring unit; a storage unit in which the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit are stored; and a fatigue determining unit which determines whether or not the user is fatigued, using the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit, in which the fatigue determining unit compares a first feature value among the first feature values extracted by the feature value extracting unit and at least one of the first feature values stored in the storage unit, to determine whether or not the user is fatigued.
US08706200B2 Scanned laser vein contrast enhancer
The present invention is a Miniature Vein Enhancer that includes a Miniature Projection Head. The Miniature Projection Head may be operated in one of three modes, AFM, DBM, and RTM. The Miniature Projection Head of the present invention projects an image of the veins of a patient, which aids the practitioner in pinpointing a vein for an intravenous drip, blood test, and the like. The Miniature projection head may have a cavity for a power source or it may have a power source located in a body portion of the Miniature Vein Enhancer. The Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to one of several improved needle protectors, or the Miniature Vein Enhancer may be attached to a body similar to a flashlight for hand held use. The Miniature Vein Enhancer of the present invention may also be attached to a magnifying glass, a flat panel display, and the like.
US08706196B2 Method for simulating a blood flow
A method for simulating a blood flow in a vascular segment of a patient is proposed. A 3D image dataset of an examination region is recorded by a radiographic diagnostic device for generating a 3D vascular model. Contrast agent propagation in the examination region is captured by a dynamic 2D angiography method for generating a real 2D angiography recording. A CFD simulation of the blood flow is performed in the 3D vascular model based on a blood flow parameter for generating a virtual 2D angiography recording. A degree of correspondence between the real and the virtual 2D angiography recordings is determined from identical angulation and adjusted recording geometry of the patient and compared with predefinable tolerance values. The CFD simulation is iteratively optimized while changing the blood flow parameter as a function of the comparison. The degree of correspondence is outputted when the optimum CFD simulation is achieved.
US08706192B2 Magnetic resonance elastograph system with hydraulic driver
A hydraulic driver of a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) system is provided. The hydraulic driver is adapted to be connected to at least a passive actuator for contacting with a subject. The hydraulic driver includes a pump, a hydraulic piston-cylinder unit operatively coupled to the pump, and a tube assembly. The tube assembly includes a proximal end in fluid communication with the hydraulic piston-cylinder unit and a distal end in fluid communication with the passive actuator. The passive actuator oscillates in response to hydraulic energy generated in a fluid in the hydraulic driver as the pump drives the piston forward and backward in the cylinder of the hydraulic piston-cylinder unit.
US08706189B2 Combined PET/MRI device, component and local coil
A combined PET/MRI device is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the PET/MRI device includes an MRI unit for exciting nuclear spins in an examination volume and for receiving signals generated by the excitation in the examination volume, and a PET unit with a detector which surrounds the examination volume at least in part and is used for detecting radiation emanating from the examination volume, with, firstly, damping of the radiation emitted by the examination volume and, secondly, undesired interactions with electromagnetic fields of the MRI unit on the components of the PET/MRI device arranged between the examination volume and the detector being avoided due to the material properties and/or structural design of the components. Corresponding components such as, for example, patient couches, bearing or support apparatuses and local coils, are both MRI and PET compatible.
US08706188B2 Automatic segmentation of articular cartilage from MRI
A method for musculoskeletal tissue segmentation used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is provided. MRI image data is collected using at least two different contrast mechanisms. Voxel values from data from each contrast mechanism are used as elements of a feature vector. The feature vector is compared with classification boundaries to classify musculoskeletal tissue type of the voxel. The previous two steps are repeated for a plurality of voxels. An image is generated from the classified musculoskeletal tissue types for the plurality of voxels to provide a musculoskeletal segmentation image.
US08706187B2 Imaging methods for early detection of brain tumors following embryonic stem cell implants
Non-invasive imaging methods and minimally invasive sensing methods are used for assessing the viability of cells implanted in the central nervous system for therapeutic purposes and for detecting the transformation of such cells, including embryonic stem cells, into brain tumors. In particular, the present invention provides an imaging means for differentiating normal cell proliferation and angiogenesis following a cell implant from abnormal tumor growth and neovascularization associated with teratoma-inducing implanted embryonic stem cells.
US08706186B2 Apparatus for insertion of a medical device during a medical imaging process
The end-effector (150) includes a sheath (152) and a medical device or needle carrier (154) that is disposed within the interior compartment (160) of the sheath. Aperture (162) is located in a portion of the sheath proximal a distal end of the sheath that is inserted into a natural or artificial cavity. This device is guided by a real-time imager.
US08706183B2 Electrode systems, devices and methods
An electrode system include a flowable and cohesive surface contact element comprising a hydrophilic polymer swollen with an electrolyte fluid, the contact element having a Q′ ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation Q ′ = W W W G wherein WG is the dry weight of the hydrophilic polymer and WW is weight of water in the sample after absorption of the electrolyte fluid comprising water and an electrolyte salt. The surface contact element can consist essentially of the hydrophilic polymer swollen by the electrolyte fluid. Another electrode system includes a contact element including a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer matrix. The contact element has a Q′ ratio of at least 5 as defined by the equation Q ′ = W W W G . The contact elements can also have a Q′ ratio of at least 6, at least 7, at least 10 or even at least 11.
US08706170B2 Miniature communications gateway for head mounted display
A head mounted display (HMD) system includes a number of separately and uniquely packaged components. A first component is a headset that incorporates at least a microphone input and speaker output devices into headset housing apparatus designed to be supported about the user's head or face. A microdisplay element is located in an optical pod at the end of an adjustable boom as part of the headset. Additional components, including electronic circuits, such as a microcomputer, one or more wired and wireless interfaces, associated memory or storage devices, auxiliary device mounts and the like are packaged in the headset or as a pager sized gateway device having a belt clip.
US08706169B2 Interface overlay
A method and apparatus for providing a user interface overlay. In one embodiment, a toolbar remains visible and can be selected at any time to activate the interface overlay. The interface overlay provides an easily visible list computing options, such as contacts, that overlays the entire display area. The background of the overlay may be semi-transparent so that underlying windows are still visible, but the list is highlighted. The list includes selectable display elements with display characteristics, such as size or color, that indicate one or more attributes associated with the corresponding computing options, such as a frequency of interaction with certain contacts. In one embodiment, groups of contacts can be sorted or filtered by the attributes before display. Each selectable display element identifies a contact and may indicate a current availability. A user selects a display element to initiate communication, such as an instant messaging chat session.
US08706166B2 System and method for channel-adaptive antenna selection
Systems and methods that provide channel-adaptive antenna selection in multi-antenna element communication systems are provided. In one embodiment, a method that selects a subset of receive antennas of a receiver to receive a transmitted RF signal may include, for example, one or more of the following: establishing possible subsets of the receive antennas; determining sets of channel parameter statistics corresponding to the possible subsets of the receive antennas; computing output bit error rates of the receiver, each output bit error rate being computed based on at least one set of channel parameter statistics; selecting a particular possible subset of the receive antennas based upon a criterion predicated on the computed output bit error rates; and connecting one or more RF chains of the receiver to the receive antennas of the selected particular possible subset.
US08706165B2 Method and apparatus for reducing combiner loss in a multi-sector, omni-base station
An omni-radio base station with multiple sector antenna units uses frequency division of sector signals to achieve increased coverage or capacity at reduced cost. Each sector antenna unit has an antenna for receiving a carrier signal associated with an antenna frequency in an available frequency band. At least one of the antenna units has an associated frequency converter that converts the carrier signal received by that antenna unit from the antenna frequency to a different respective frequency. Even though each sector receives the same carrier signal, an output carrier signal associated with each sector is at a different frequency band. A combiner combines the antenna unit carrier signals at different frequencies to create a composite signal for communication to the omni-radio base station. Because the antenna unit signals combined are at different frequencies, they do not interfere as much as they would if they were at the same antenna frequency, which results in less signal loss and degradation in the combiner. The carrier signals are then restored in the base station transceiver from the different respective frequencies to intermediate frequency for further processing.
US08706163B2 Chip cards providing trusted time references
The subject innovation relates to a chip card to be inserted in terminals. An exemplary embodiment of the chip card includes a clock unit to provide a time reference and an internal power source to at least run the clock unit in case of absence of an external power source. The exemplary chip card also includes a signal receiver to receive a satellite navigation signal comprising a satellite time signal, the signal receiver being connected to the clock unit in order to synchronize the clock unit with the satellite time signal to enable the clock unit to provide the time reference as a trusted absolute time reference independently from a position of the chip card.
US08706152B2 Method and apparatus of controlling uplink power for multi-cell cooperative system
A method and apparatus of controlling uplink transmit power is provided. An estimated path-loss value for each of downlink signals from a control base station and one or more neighboring base stations is calculated. A signal path-loss value by using the calculated plurality of estimated path-loss values is obtained. An open-loop power control parameter by using the signal path-loss value is obtained. Uplink power can be controlled by considering cooperative communication of a plurality of base stations in a multi-cell cooperative radio communication system.
US08706146B2 Out-of-band paging with group identifier to reduce mobile detection latency
Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for using an out-of-band (OOB) radio integrated with the femtocell to implement various novel proximity detection techniques. Proximity detection of access terminals (ATs) in the femtocell's access control list (ACL) can be desirable to support femto connectivity and service provision, for example, in context of idle macro-to-femto handoffs, active macro-to-femto hand-ins, etc. Implementations implement OOB proximity detection through multicasting directed proximity request messages to each AT in a femtocell's ACL. Responses to the proximity request message can include identification information used to determine the specific AT that is in proximity.
US08706142B1 Probabilistic estimation of location based on wireless signal strength and platform profiles
According to an embodiment, a method of estimating a location of an access point is provided. The method includes storing a first and a second sample respectively received from a first and a second mobile device, both samples including a location of their respective mobile devices, an access point identifier from the access point, and a value corresponding to a signal strength of a signal from the access point measured at their respective mobile device. A first and second platform profile is selected based on characteristics of the respective first and second mobile devices. The cells of a matrix are populated with probabilities based on mobile device locations, the signal strength values and platform profiles based on platform profiles associated with mobile devices. Finally, the location of the access point is estimated based on the matrix.
US08706140B2 System and method of passive and active scanning of WLAN-enabled access points to estimate position of a WLAN positioning device
Systems and methods of passive and active scanning of WLAN-enabled access points to estimate position of a WLAN positioning device. A device estimates the position of itself. The device includes a WLAN radio module for receiving WLAN signals, extraction logic for extracting information from said received WLAN signals to identify the WLAN APs, and logic to cooperate with a WLAN-based positioning system. The WLAN radio module includes a phase for active scanning of WLAN APs in range of said device and a phase of passive scanning of WLAN APs in range of said device, and the passive scanning phase scans only a pre-determined and selected subset of WLAN channels. Under certain embodiments, the WLAN radio module includes a passive scanning phase that simultaneously scans multiple WLAN channels.
US08706138B2 Mobile communication devices and location registration methods
A mobile communication device with a wireless module and a controller module is provided. The wireless module performs wireless transceiving to and from a first service network. The controller module transmits a location update request message to a first cellular station of the first service network via the wireless module, and receives a location update rejection message, which comprises a rejection cause indicating a network related failure, from the first cellular station via the wireless module. Also, the controller module transmits another location update request message to a second cellular station of the first service network via the wireless module in response to the location update rejection message. Particularly, the first cellular station and the second cellular station belong to a first location area and a second location area, respectively.
US08706136B2 Initialization of regulatory configurations of unlicensed wireless devices
In an example embodiment, a mobile wireless device, such as a mobile telephone, is employed to configure a second wireless device such as an access point. The mobile wireless device determines its location and a regulatory domain corresponding to the location. The mobile wireless device configures the second wireless device to operate in the regulatory domain.
US08706131B2 Device location prediction for mobile service optimization
Described technologies are generally related to predicting future mobile device locations and using the predictive information to optimize mobile communications service parameters. Mobile device locations may be predicted using real-time device location information, destination information, and location history. Predicted location information for a given device, and possibly other devices as well, may be used to adjust mobile communications service parameters such as handoffs, channel assignment, multipath fading response parameters, data rates, transmission modes, opportunistic scheduling parameters, location-based services, and location update rates.
US08706130B2 Dynamic frequency band allocation between radio communication networks
Methods and apparatus relate to cellular communications and in particular to a frequency spectrum shared by two cellular networks. An object is flexible utilization of the spectrum. This is achieved by a method where a first of the networks occupies part of the shared spectrum in relation to the traffic load in the first network. The first network informs a second of the networks on the extent the shared spectrum is occupied, for the second network to be free to use the shared spectrum outside the occupied part. A radio resource management unit, a base station controller, and a radio base station are also disclosed. An advantage is that spectrum can be lent from an old system when a new system is introduced.
US08706128B2 Method and apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices
The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to a method and apparatus for managing frequencies used by devices. In one embodiment, the process detects a set of frequencies from a set of devices to form a set of assigned frequencies. The process may also detect a first frequency used by a first device. The process may determine whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies. The process may also identify an unassigned frequency for use by the first device in response to determining whether the first frequency interferes with the set of assigned frequencies.
US08706121B2 Data processing in intra-site handover
The technology involves data processing during intra-site handover procedures. At least two directional antennas of a base station receive data carrying signals originating from a mobile units positioned in an intra-site handover area defined by the overlapping radio coverage of the antennas. The directional antennas performs an initial data signal detection of the received data signals resulting in detected data, which typically results in a loss of radio performance of the antenna. The detected data from the directional antennas is then processed to generate processed data. The performance loss is compensated by providing differential antenna gain of the directional antennas within the handover area.
US08706114B2 Handover of a communication device
An apparatus is provided that includes a controller configured to detect at least one predefined event and, in response to the detection of the predefined event, to trigger a handover of the communication device from a first access system to a second access system on the basis of the power efficiency of the second access system. The predefined event may be in communications between a communication device and a communication system and/or may be in relation to power consumption. Corresponding communication systems, methods and controllers are also provided.
US08706111B2 Method of performing attach procedures
A user equipment is configured to perform an attach procedure by camping on a specific PLMN using a specific RAT. When receiving an attach reject due to a specific reject cause, the user equipment is configured to perform the attach procedure by camping on the specific PLMN using another RATs. When the attach procedure after RAT reselection fails, the user equipment is configured to perform the attach procedure by camping on another PLMN using one or multiple RATs.
US08706109B1 Smart antenna for interference rejection with enhanced tracking
A smart antenna system is provided for communicating wireless signals between a mobile device and a plurality of different fixed base stations using one or more channels and one or more beams. The smart antenna system includes a control subsystem, a radio transceiver and an antenna subsystem coupled to each other and adapted to perform scanning of one or more combinations of base stations, channels and beams using one or more test links established with one or more of the fixed base stations where the test links use at least some of the channels and the beams. A first combination of base station, channel and beam is selected based on the scanning; and a first operating link is established for transmitting a wireless signal to the selected base station using the selected channel and beam.
US08706106B2 Method for testing the allocation of a transmission frequency, tester and base station
A method for testing an assignment through a base station of transmission frequency(ies) from a total number of frequencies is provided. The method includes transmission of data-signal portion(s) on assigned frequency(ies) with a signal power and a phase position, and transmission of test-signal portion(s) on non-assigned frequency(ies), where respective test-signal portion for respectively one frequency or one frequency block with several frequencies is transmitted with an individually-adjusted transmission power and phase position for each frequency or each frequency block, which differ from one another. The method includes reception of test-signal portion(s) with non-assigned frequency(ies), evaluation of signal powers and/or phase positions for test-signal portions in an individual manner for non-assigned frequencies and/or frequency blocks and evaluation of signal power and/or phase position of the assigned frequency, determination of a frequency or a frequency block to be assigned and return of an assignment signal, and comparison with an anticipated value.
US08706104B1 Intelligent cellular communications gateway device, system, and method
A device, system, and method include receiving via a first network, by a remote computer server, a customized application from a user. The customized application is transmitted, by the remote computer server, to one or more intelligent cellular communications gateway devices. The customized application can be automatically installed and configured. Each intelligent cellular communications gateway device can receive local information from a device. The local information is analyzed and the local device can be controlled by the intelligent cellular communications gateway device based on the analyzed local information. In addition, the intelligent cellular communications gateway device can filter and/or compress the local information, and transmit via a cellular network, the filtered and compressed information, to the remote computer server. The filtered and compressed information includes a portion of the local information that is less than a total amount of the local information received, thereby conserving bandwidth of the cellular network.
US08706099B2 Method and apparatus for power saving of femto base station using ANR function in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and an apparatus for power saving of a femto base station operating as a CSG cell in a wireless communication system. A femto base station according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a reception unit receiving signals from adjacent second femto base stations; a transmission unit transmitting signals to second femto base stations, and a control unit controlling to be transitioned to an active mode when a mode transition command is received from at least one second femto base station while operating in a sleep mode, in a wireless communication system constituted by a plurality of femto base stations using automatic neighbor relation (ANR).
US08706097B2 Delaying delivery of teleconference access information
A system and method for delaying delivery of teleconference access information includes at least one processor, at least one computer readable medium in communication with the processor, and at least one program module stored on the medium. The module is operative to create a teleconference notification in response to a request from a requestor device. The module can also assign a date, time, and access information for the teleconference, receive an input from the requestor device to delay delivery of the access information, and deliver the teleconference notification to at least one participant device. The teleconference notification has at least the date and time of the teleconference but not the access information. The module delays delivery of the access information to the at least one participant. For example, delivery of the access information is delayed until a predetermined time period from the assigned date and time of the teleconference.
US08706094B2 Method, system, and computer program product for tracking and accounting for roaming of mobile devices
Roaming of mobile devices is tracked and accounted for automatically and accurately. Revenue records are received for at least one service provider due to roaming of mobile devices within a particular geographical area served by the at least one service provider for mobile devices that do not have a subscription for service with the service provider for the particular geographic area. Expense records are received for the service provider due to roaming of mobile devices within other geographical areas served by at least one other service provider and not served by the at least one service provider. Each of the revenue and expense records is associated with a particular mobile device and includes a code identifying a particular service provider with which the particular mobile device has a subscription and a code identifying a particular geographical area assigned to the particular mobile device. The codes identifying particular service providers and particular geographical areas assigned to the mobile devices are validated against a list of predefined service providers and predefined geographical areas. If the codes are valid, the revenue records and expense records received over a period of time are compiled and summarized.
US08706092B2 Outgoing voice mail recording and playback
Systems and methods for enabling users to listen to outgoing voice mail messages are provided. These systems and methods record an audio file corresponding to a voice message being left by a user during an outgoing telephone call to a recipient, link the audio file to contact information associated with the recipient, and provide the user access to the audio file through, for example, playback of the audio included in the file. These systems and methods may be implemented through individual communications devices, such as an iPhone, through a telephone communications provider, or a combination of the same.
US08706091B2 Attachment of rich content to a unified message left as a voicemail
A method in one embodiment includes storing a voicemail message in a mailbox of a recipient, the voicemail message being left by a sender, and then electronically receiving one or more attachments from the sender. The one or more attachments are stored as content associated with the voicemail message. Upon accessing the mailbox, the voicemail message and the one or more attachments are provided to the recipient. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US08706089B2 Change detection of target identification data in lawful interception systems
A node of telecommunications network comprises comparing means for comparing current mobile station ID information with previously stored mobile station ID information. The node also comprises preparing means for preparing a notification message including both the previous mobile station ID information and the current mobile station ID information.
US08706088B2 Systems and methods for audio reminder messages
Systems and methods use mobile telephones as input devices for recording audio messages on a server. A user inputs a first feature code into the mobile telephone and the feature code is sent to a mobile switching center (MSC). The MSC maps the feature code to a server and forwards the feature code and a user identification to the server. Once the mobile telephone is connected to the server, the user can record his audio message. The user can later retrieve the recorded audio message by inputting a second feature code into the mobile telephone. The second feature code is also assigned to the server. The recorded message is played after the mobile telephone is connected to the server.
US08706086B2 Identification of a manipulated or defect base station during handover
A method of and arrangement for detecting a manipulated or defect base station of a communication network is disclosed, wherein a target base station, having selected one or more algorithms on the basis of a prioritized algorithm list (PAL) and a UE security capabilities (SCAP), reports UE SCAP related information to a core network node. The core network node having knowledge of the UE SCAP compares this information or parts of this information with the retrieved UE SCAP related information in order to be able to identify a manipulated or defect base station when a comparison fails to match.
US08706083B2 Bluetooth authentication system and method
A method of controlling an authorization device arranged to authorize a mobile communication device, the method including the steps of: a central control device generating a control parameter associated with the one or more authorization devices, the central control device communicating the control parameter to the one or more authorization devices, the central control device generating a Bluetooth compatible PIN based on the control parameter, and the central control device communicating the PIN to a mobile communication device.
US08706080B2 Charging correlation for dedicated bearers
A Policy and Charging Rules Function, a PCRF (120), for use with a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, a PCEF (135), over a Gx interface, and arranged to communicate with an Application Function, an AF (110), over an Rx interface. The PCRF (120) is arranged to receive a request from the AF (110) regarding Access Network Charging Correlation Information for the AF, and if such a request is received from the AF, the PCRF (120) checks if the Access Network Charging Correlation Information is known to the PCRF, in which case the PCRF (120) provides the information to the AF (110), and if the Access Network Charging Correlation Information is not known to the PCRF (120), it subscribes to the Access Network Charging Correlation Information from the PCEF (135) and to supply the Access Network Charging Correlation Information to the AF (110) after reception from the PCEF (135).
US08706078B2 Location reporting satellite paging system with privacy feature
A location reporting paging communication system comprising space satellites, ground stations and a remote receiving unit adapted to resolve a global position from signals transmitted from a communication transmitter. The subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit updates the paging network with global positioning information. A caller paging a subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit may request the global location of the remote receiving unit. The paging network could divulge or block such information from a caller depending on the requirements of the subscriber.
US08706075B2 Architecture for service delivery in a network environment including IMS
In one embodiment, a network architecture is described for facilitating delivery of data items over a communications network to a mobile communications device. A remote services server disposed in an enterprise network is operable for detecting a data item at a computer system and for processing the data item into processed information that includes address information relating to the mobile communications device. A service gateway disposed in an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network is operably connected to the remote services server for receiving the processed information using a first protocol, wherein the service gateway includes functionality to transmit the processed information using a second protocol over the IMS network based on routing information obtained from an IMS-aware node.
US08706074B2 Inductive powering for a mobile communication device and a radio frequency integrated circuit
A power status signal is received in an integrated circuit that indicates an inductive power status of an inductive power module and a power status of an alternative source. A power mode is selected based on the at least one power status signal. A power mode signal is generated based on the selected power mode. A power supply signal is generated and adjusted in response to the power mode signal.
US08706072B2 Control message processing method in wireless mesh network and control message processing apparatus using the method
A control message processing method and a control message processing apparatus using the method on a wireless mesh network are provided where a neighbor solicitation (NS) information is generated by extracting a part or an entire NS message, the NS message having been generated to request a medium access control (MAC) address of a destination node. A modified route request (RREQ) message, including the NS information, is generated to request the MAC address of the destination node and a routing path to the destination node, and is broadcasted.
US08706069B2 Integrated receivers and integrated circuit having integrated inductors
A receiver includes an input section, a plurality of RF sections, an output circuit, and a controller. The input section receives and amplifies a radio frequency (RF) input signal to provide an amplified RF signal, and has a gain input. The plurality of RF sections each have an input for receiving the amplified RF signal, and an output for providing an intermediate frequency signal. The output circuit provides an intermediate frequency output signal in response to an output of at least one of the plurality of RF sections. The controller has an output coupled to the gain input of the input section.
US08706067B1 Wireless sensor with analog detector
A wireless sensor with analog detector for monitoring the environment surrounding the sensor. The wireless sensor with analog detector comprises a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver with a quadrature down converter, bank of in phase and quadrature phase constellation level slicers and in phase and quadrature phase symbol generators. A control processor utilizes the received information, received signal strength and timing information to estimate and calculate various environmental parameters which can be used to activate different devices.
US08706056B2 High-frequency circuit module
Provided is a high-frequency module that can prevent a transmission signal from reaching a reception circuit and that can achieve high mounting density. A first duplexer for a first frequency band is mounted on a circuit substrate, and a second transmission filter and a second reception filter that constitute a second duplexer for a second frequency band are embedded in the circuit substrate. The second transmission filter and the second reception filter are embedded in the circuit substrate in locations that overlap at least a part of a projection region that is formed by projecting the first duplexer in a thickness direction of the circuit substrate. The first frequency band and the second frequency band are separated from each other by at least a prescribed frequency range.
US08706053B2 Communications circuitry for an electronic device
The control of an antenna tuner for a portable electronic device includes closed loop tuning when sufficient transmit power is present. The closed loop tuning commences using a predetermined antenna tuner configuration for an operational band and device state. The closed loop tuning may be constrained by a tuning range associated with the predetermined antenna tuner configuration for the operational band and device state. Also, when transmit power is low or when a transceiver is in a receive only state, open loop tuning may be conducted by placing the antenna tuner in the predetermined (or default) configuration for the operational band and phone state.
US08706051B2 Device and method for adjusting loop filter gain in automatic frequency controller
Provided is a device and a method for adjusting a loop filter gain in an automatic frequency controller, which can allow the automatic frequency controller to operate while maintaining an optimal performance. The device includes a velocity estimator for estimating a change in velocity in accordance with a movement of a terminal; a loop filter gain controller for controlling a loop filter gain in accordance with a change in velocity received from the velocity estimator; and a loop filter gain unit for multiplying a loop filter gain received from the loop filter gain controller and a frequency error for output. Further, there is provided a method for adjusting a loop filter gain in an automatic frequency controller, having the steps of: estimating a change in velocity in accordance with a movement of a terminal; adjusting a loop filter gain in accordance with the estimated change in velocity; and multiplying the adjusted loop filter value and a frequency error for output.
US08706047B2 Mobile terminal tester and mobile terminal test method
The object of the present invention is to provide a mobile terminal tester which can reduce the production cost from that of the conventional mobile terminal tester. The mobile terminal tester according to the present invention comprises a plurality of base transceiver station simulators (10,11) for respectively simulating base transceiver stations by exchanging signals with a mobile terminal (2) to be tested; a base transceiver station information storage (13) for storing therein a plurality of types of base transceiver station information to have the base transceiver station simulators (10,11) function; a base transceiver station information setting section (14) for setting the base transceiver station information to the base transceiver station simulators (10,11); a transmission status setting section (15) for setting transmission status of each base transceiver station simulator (10,11); and a test process executing section (17) for executing each process of a test of the mobile terminal (2) by controlling the base transceiver station information setting section (14) and the transmission status setting section (15), in which the number of the types of the base transceiver station information stored in the base transceiver station information storage (13) is more than the number of the base transceiver station simulators (10,11).
US08706046B2 Method and device for transmitter calibration
A device for calibrating a digital communication station uses an initial ranging procedure for measuring channel parameters in a communication channel. The device comprises a communication emulator, a measuring device, and a calibrator. The communication emulator transmits a signal to the communication station which transfers the communication station into an initial ranging mode. The measuring device measures parameters of the signal transmitted by the communication station during an initial ranging cycle. From these measurements the calibrator calculates the necessary calibration adjustments to the communication station and adjusts it accordingly.
US08706039B2 Beamforming by sector sweeping
A method for beamforming in a communication system includes receiving a first plurality of training data units via a plurality of antennas, applying a different steering vector as each training data unit is received, generating a first plurality of quality indicators based on the first plurality of received training data units, such that each of the first plurality of quality indicators corresponds to a respective one of the first plurality of received training data units, and selecting a steering vector based on the different steering vectors and the first plurality of quality indicators.
US08706021B2 Method for mediating between a one-to-one question and answer in communication network and system for executing the method
A method and system of relaying a one-to-one question and answer which is performed in a network via a one-to-one question and answer relay system, the method including: assigning event occurrence information to request for transmission of question data to a service webpage; providing a question bridge page to a terminal of a first user where an event based on the event occurrence information occurred; receiving the question data from the terminal of the first user when a question registration request about a second user is received from the terminal of the first user via the question bridge page; storing the received question data in an answer request area of the second user; and storing answer data about the question data in an answer check area of the first user, the answer data being received from a terminal of the second user.
US08706014B2 Fixing unit and image forming apparatus reducing occurrence of wrinkles on recording medium
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms a developer image on a recording medium using a developer, and a fixing unit that fixes the developer image to the recording medium. The fixing unit includes a heating member that heats the recording medium on which the developer image is formed, a plurality of pressure members that press the recording medium against the heating member, and a fixing belt stretched around the plurality of pressure members and nipped between the heating member and the plurality of pressure members so as to form a plurality of nip portions. Each of the plurality of pressure members has a shape in which a center portion protrudes more outward than both end portions.
US08705999B2 Image forming device including supporting member for supporting photosensitive drums
An image forming device includes a main body, a grounding member, and a supporting member. The supporting member is slidably movable between a mounting position and a drawn-out position with respect to the main body. The supporting member includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a pair of side plates, a contact portion, and a connecting portion. The pair of side plates supports each photosensitive drum. At least one side plate is electrically connected to the grounding member when the supporting member is disposed at the mounting position. A user contacts the contact portion when drawing the supporting member to move from the mounting position. The contact portion and the at least one side plate are electrically connected with each other via the connecting portion. Each of the pair of side plates, contact portion, and connecting portion is made of an electrically conductive material.
US08705987B2 Signal processing circuit, signal processing method, optical receiver and optical communication system
In order to reduce influence of noise due to a phase deviation, and to estimate an amount of phase compensation with superior accuracy in a polarization multiplexing/demultiplexing optical communication system, a signal processing circuit includes: optical frequency deviation estimating unit for estimating a frequency deviation which is a difference between a frequency of local light and a frequency of the optical carrier wave which is included in a signal data which corresponds to the polarizations and are generated by mixing a plurality of the optical carrier waves with the local light, which optical carrier wave is phase-modulated and have polarizations able to be demultiplexed and for outputting the estimated frequency deviation as an estimated value; for outputting the estimated frequency deviation as an estimated value; optical frequency deviation compensation amount analyzing unit for calculating an amount of frequency compensation which is an amount of compensation to make a phase of the signal data rotated so as to reduce the frequency deviation, on the basis of a plurality of the estimated values estimated per the signal data; optical frequency deviation compensating unit for making the phase of the signal data rotated correspondingly to the amount of the frequency compensation; optical phase deviation estimating unit for estimating a phase deviation included in each of input signal data and is a difference between a phase of the optical carrier wave and a phase of the local light; and optical phase deviation compensating unit for making the phase of the signal data rotated correspondingly to the phase deviation.
US08705973B2 Optical transceiver with off-transceiver logging mechanism
A mechanism for an optical transceiver to log information about its operational parameters to an off transceiver host computing system (hereinafter referred to simply as a “host”). The optical transceiver may be communicatively coupled to the host. The optical transceiver is configured to identify operational information regarding itself. The operational information may include statistical data about operation, or may include measured parameters. The optical transceiver may log the information to the memory of the host in an off transceiver logging operation.
US08705961B2 Optical packet switching system and optical packet transmitter device
An optical packet switching system includes: an optical packet transmitter device configured to transmit an optical packet signal; and an optical packet switching device configured to route and output an input optical packet signal. The optical packet transmitter device is configured to adjust gap time between optical packets transmitted. The optical packet transmitter device adjusts the gap time to a fixed value defined by time required for switching in the optical packet switching device.
US08705951B2 Lens barrel, photographic device, and production method of same
A lens barrel comprising bayonet type mount projections to detachably attach to a lens-fitting unit of a camera body having a photographic region, wherein mount projections are formed to avoid cross-section of light path area where object light is introduced in the camera body.
US08705948B2 Video playback device capable of controlling playback speed
A video playback device including a playback section which replays a video, a setting section which sets a predetermined area within the video frames being replayed by the playback section, a detecting section which detects whether or not a predetermined subject is included within the predetermined area, a selecting section which selectively switches between a first playback speed and a second playback speed based on the timing of the detection by the detecting section, and a control section which controls the playback speed of the playback section in accordance with a result of the selection by the selecting section.
US08705938B2 Previewing effects applicable to digital media content
Systems and apparatus are described to perform methods including receiving input to apply attributes that represent modifications to appearance of content of the video segment, to a video segment. Multiple modified video segments are generated, each modified video segment being associated with a corresponding attribute applicable to the video segment. The appearances of the multiple modified video segments vary based on corresponding attributes. A selection of a modified video segment associated with a first attribute is received, and a first video segment is generated by associating the first attribute with the video segment.
US08705937B2 Captured image data management method and image capturing apparatus
A captured image data management method is disclosed. Coverage direction data are input to a recorder-built-in type image capturing apparatus, and the coverage direction data are recorded to a nonvolatile memory and a record medium. The captured image data are obtained as files. A name of the file recorded on the record medium is automatically assigned based on title information contained in the coverage direction data, and the assigned file name is recorded to the nonvolatile memory and the record medium.
US08705936B2 Video data recording device, video data playing device, video data recording method, and video data playing method
A video data recording device for sufficiently protecting privacy even before a mask target enters into a screen. The video data recording device includes a reference information storage unit in which reference information including predetermined features is recorded; a video data acquisition unit which acquires video data and sequentially outputs the video data to a video buffer; a similarity determining unit which compares newest video data and the reference information, and extracts partial information determined to be similar to the reference information from the newest video data; a relation determining unit which compares video data output to the video buffer before the newest video data, and the partial information determined to be similar, and extracts partial information determined to be related to the partial information determined to be similar; and an imaging recording I/F unit which records the video data and the related information related to the partial information in a recording medium.
US08705930B2 Transition housing and cap for fiber breakout assembly
A breakout assembly in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes a housing including a tubular body defining a passage extending from a first end to an opposite second end of the body. An interior surface of the body includes a plurality of longitudinal guides, the interior surface further including a stop. The tubular body defines a plurality of openings extending through the body on opposite sides of the stop. The breakout assembly further includes a cap which is slidably received within the body of the housing, wherein notches within the cap receive the guides of the housing, and wherein the cap is engageable with the stop. The cap defines a plurality of internal openings extending through the cap. A multi-fiber cable can be received within the body from one end, and a plurality of breakout tubings are received within the body of the opposite end. The multi-fiber cable includes a breakout end terminating within the tubular body wherein a plurality of the broken out fibers pass through the cap, and into the breakout tubings. In one preferred embodiment, epoxy is placed within the tubular body, on opposite sides of the cap.
US08705926B2 Fiber optic housings having a removable top, and related components and methods
Fiber optic housings having a removable top, and related components and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fiber optic housing is provided having a removable top or cover. In one embodiment, the fiber optic housing comprises a top, a bottom, a right side, and a left side defining at least one interior chamber configured to support fiber optic equipment. The top comprises a base and a cover in one embodiment. The cover of the top is configured to provide a gap between the base and the cover such that at least one of the right side and the left side of the fiber optic housing is configured to be slidably engaged into and out of the gap. In this manner, the top can be easily removed to provide access to the interior of the fiber optic housing.
US08705922B2 Few-moded optical fibers
Few moded optical fibers with small delay differences between the propagating modes are disclosed. In one embodiment, an optical fiber includes a glass core and a glass cladding surrounding and in direct contact with the glass core. The glass core may include a radius R1 from about 8 μm to about 13 μm; a graded refractive index profile with an alpha value between about 1.9 and 2.1 at a wavelength of 1550 nm; and a maximum relative refractive index Δ1MAX from about 0.6% to about 0.95% relative to the glass cladding. The effective area of the LP01 mode at 1550 nm may be between 80 μm2 and 105 μm2 such that the core supports the propagation and transmission of an optical signal with X LP modes at a wavelength of 1550 nm, wherein X is an integer greater than 1 and less than 10. The glass cladding may include a maximum relative refractive index Δ4MAX such that Δ1MAX>Δ4MAX. The optical fiber has DGD of less than or equal to about 150 ps/km at a wavelength of 1550 nm.
US08705920B2 Wavelength filter
A wavelength filter includes a first waveguide with a transmission band of a predetermined basic mode and a second waveguide, arranged in at least one location of the first waveguide, with a transmission band whose cutoff frequency corresponds to a finite value included in the transmission band of the basic mode. A pair of optical couplers constituting a Mach-Zehnder interferometer is connected to the opposite ends of a filter unit including the first waveguide and the second waveguide. When a plurality of wavelength filters is cascaded, the wavelength filters can be each varied in terms of the cutoff frequency of the second waveguide.
US08705910B2 Optical module manufacturing method and optical module
An optical module manufacturing method includes: forming a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer on a first substrate and a second substrate respectively, or forming a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer on a first surface of a first substrate and a second surface of the first substrate respectively; disposing the first substrate on the second substrate; disposing a filter at an end of the first waveguide layer and the second waveguide layer, so that the filter is aligned with the second waveguide layer; and disposing a prism on the filter, so that a first reflective surface of the prism is aligned with the first waveguide layer, and a second reflective surface is aligned with the second waveguide layer. Embodiments of the present application further disclose an optical module.
US08705907B2 Optical interconnect device and method for manufacturing the same
An optical interconnect device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, an optical waveguide, an electrical wiring and a switching device. The first substrate has an electrical wiring circuit, an electrical-optical converter for converting an electrical signal to an optical signal, and a light emitting device for emitting a light. The second substrate has an electrical wiring circuit, an optical-electrical converter for converting the optical signal to the electrical signal, and a light receiving device for receiving the light from the light emitted device. The optical waveguide optically connects the light emitting and light receiving devices. The electrical wiring electrically connects the electrical wiring circuits of the first and second substrates. The switching device determines a fast signal of data to be transmitted via the optical substrate and a slow signal of data to be transmitted via the electrical wiring.
US08705904B2 Photonic integrated circuits having chirped elements
Consistent with the present disclosure, optical devices are provided along different optical paths in a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The optical components have different optical losses associated therewith so that optical signals propagating in the optical paths have desired power levels, which may be uniform, for example.
US08705897B1 Method and apparatus for archiving and visualizing digital images
A computer based, digital image management system that visually presents an entire archive in a manner that facilitates easy, non-textual, searching for specific images. In one embodiment, the system includes two elements: a file management methodology and a graphical user interface. The file management method utilizes reference files that contain multiple properties (metadata) relating to each image file. Image files are grouped into a multiplicity of collections based on user-defined associations of the properties. The graphical user interface visually represents the groups of image files on 2-dimentional or 3-dimensional graphic metaphors. In addition, the graphical interface uses multiple display variables such as icons, mnemonics, size, movement, color, and luminance to signify relationships between groups, and/or communicate key properties of individual or groups of images.
US08705894B2 Image rotation from local motion estimates
A measure of frame-to-frame rotation is determined. Integral projection vector gradients are determined and normalized for a pair of images. Locations of primary maximum and minimum peaks of the integral projection vector gradients are determined. Based on normalized distances between the primary maximum and minimum peaks, a global image rotation is determined.
US08705893B1 Apparatus and method for creating floor plans
A system which generates a floor plan of a building includes: a camera which obtains a series of images as it is moved, each image represented by a first data set representing color and a second 3D data set representing depth. A processor generates the floor plan from the image data, defined by polylines that represent structures of the building and polygons that represent an area which has been observed by the camera. Suitably, the processor: performs a local matching sub-process which is operative to align two adjacent images with one another; performs a global matching sub-process in which key images and registered to one another; finds a 2D subset of points from the image data associated with each image, corresponding to a plane defined therethrough; determines the polylines based on said subset of points; and defines the polygons based on the polylines and a determined pose of the camera.
US08705885B2 Depth image encoding apparatus and depth image decoding apparatus using loop-filter, method and medium
A depth image encoding apparatus and a depth image decoding apparatus are provided. The depth image encoding apparatus may compute coefficients used to restore an edge region and a smooth region of a depth image, and may restore the depth image using the depth image and a color image.
US08705883B2 Noise reduction device and noise reduction method
A noise reduction device includes a line buffer that stores a blend value obtained by blending a pixel value stored in the line buffer with a processing target pixel value at a given ratio by an amount of one line of an image, and a selector that selects the blend value when a difference between the blend value in the line buffer and the target pixel value is less than a threshold, and that selects the target pixel value when the difference is greater than or equal to the threshold.
US08705882B2 Image processing apparatus selectively outputting first and second subframes at a predetermined timing and method of controlling the same
To reduce flickering in driving distributed processing, an image processing apparatus which generates and outputs a plurality of sub frame images having different luminance patterns for each of a plurality of frame images included in input moving image data, includes a filtering unit configured to perform filter processing for the frame image, a setting unit configured to set a first coefficient A and a second coefficient B, a first generation unit configured to generate a first sub frame image, a second generation unit configured to generate a second sub frame image, and an output control unit configured to selectively output the first sub frame image and the second sub frame image at a predetermined timing.
US08705880B2 Image compression device, image expansion device, and image processing apparatus
An image compression device which compresses image data, including: a first quantization unit which performs a quantization mode 1 to quantize pixel values using two values A1 and B1 (A1B2), in two ranges defined by A2 and B2; and a compressed data generation unit which generates compressed data including a value A, a value B, and quantized values of the pixel values quantized in a selected quantization mode, wherein the compressed data generation unit generates the compressed data using: A1 and B1 as A and B, respectively, when the quantization mode 1 is selected; and A2 and B2 as A and B, respectively, when the quantization mode 2 is selected.
US08705873B2 Secure item identification and authentication system and method based on unclonable features
The present invention is a method and apparatus for protection of various items against counterfeiting using physical unclonable features of item microstructure images. The protection is based on the proposed identification and authentication protocols coupled with portable devices. In both cases a special transform is applied to data that provides a unique representation in the secure key-dependent domain of reduced dimensionality that also simultaneously resolves performance-security-complexity and memory storage requirement trade-offs. The enrolled database needed for the identification can be stored in the public domain without any risk to be used by the counterfeiters. Additionally, it can be easily transportable to various portable devices due to its small size. Notably, the proposed transformations are chosen in such a way to guarantee the best possible performance in terms of identification accuracy with respect to the identification in the raw data domain. The authentication protocol is based on the proposed transform jointly with the distributed source coding. Finally, the extensions of the described techniques to the protection of artworks and secure key exchange and extraction are disclosed in the invention.
US08705870B2 Image searching by approximate κ-NN graph
This disclosure describes techniques for searching for similar images to an image query by using an approximate k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) graph. The approximate k-NN graph is constructed from data points partitioned into subsets to further identify nearest-neighboring data points for each data point. The data points may connect with the nearest-neighboring data points in a subset to form an approximate neighborhood subgraph. These subgraphs from all the subsets are combined together to form a base approximate k-NN graph. Then by performing more random hierarchical partition, more base approximate k-NN graphs are formed, and further combined together to create an approximate k-NN graph. The approximate k-NN graph expands into other neighborhoods and identifies the best k-NN data points. The approximate k-NN graph retrieves the best NN data points, based at least in part on the retrieved best k-NN data points representing images being similar in appearance to the image query.
US08705854B2 Method of processing image and image forming apparatus using the same
An image processing method and an image forming apparatus using the same. The method of processing includes dividing an image into a predetermined number of blocks, calculating an average of color signals of pixels existing in each of the blocks divided, classifying the blocks into color blocks and monochrome blocks using the calculated average, and determining whether the image is a color image or a monochrome image using a proportion of the color blocks. Accordingly, for a document wherein color and monochrome images are mixed, it is automatically determined whether an image is a color image or a monochrome image.
US08705853B2 Detecting skin tone
The disclosed implementations provide a system and method of detecting skin tone comprising receiving an image; determining a light intensity of the image; converting a color space of each pixel in the image into a converted value based on the light intensity; and selecting a classifier from a plurality of classifiers based on the light intensity; determining for each converted value, using the selected classifier, a probability that the converted value represents a skin tone; and detecting presence of skin tone in the image based on the determined pixel probabilities.
US08705852B2 Image processing apparatus and method for defining distortion function for synthesized image of intermediate view
An apparatus and method for processing an image are provided. The apparatus may determine a distortion region based on warped pixels in a synthesized image of an intermediate view; and define a surface area of the distortion region as a distortion function of the synthesized image.
US08705846B2 Position measuring apparatus, position measuring method, image processing apparatus and image processing method
A position measuring apparatus which measures a position of a position measurement target easily and accurately without using any parameter inside a camera in the measurement, based on images captured from mutually different viewpoints. The position measuring apparatus which measures the three-dimensional position of the position measurement target, based on the input images captured from the mutually different viewpoints, and the position measuring apparatus includes: a ray information storage unit configured to store ray information in which each of ray vectors is associated with a corresponding one of pixels in one of the input images, each of the ray vectors indicating a forward direction of a light incident onto an optical system for a corresponding one of the input images; and a position measuring unit configured to measure the three-dimensional position of the position measurement target, using the ray information stored in the ray information storage unit.
US08705844B2 Image processing method and apparatus therefor
An image processing method, including extracting compensation information comprising one from among a depth compensation value and a depth value compensated for by using the depth compensation value; when the compensation information comprises the depth compensation value, compensating for a depth value to be applied to a pixel of a two-dimensional (2D) image by using the depth compensation value, and generating a depth map about the 2D image by using the compensated depth value, and when the compensation information comprises the compensated depth value, generating the depth map about the 2D image by using the compensated depth value; obtaining positions in a left-eye image and a right-eye image by using the depth map, wherein the pixel of the 2D image is mapped to the positions; and generating the left-eye image and the right-eye image comprising the positions to which the pixel is mapped.
US08705832B2 Registration of emission tomography and computed tomography
Emission tomography is registered with computed tomography or other modality in reconstruction. The anatomical information is used in the emission tomography reconstruction. In addition to an initial registration to use the anatomical information in the reconstruction, the registration is refined one or more times during other iterations refining the reconstruction of the emission volume. The registration is performed as part of the reconstruction. This multi-modal reconstruction may result in an emission tomography volume better aligned with the anatomical information.
US08705830B2 Method and device for processing 3-D image data of a skull
The invention relates to a method and a device for processing 3-D image date of a skull (S), wherein image date are selected or calculated for the 3-D image data and are presented as 2-D image data in a plane. For fast, overview-like inspection of the skull (S), the skull surface (O) is determined from the 3-D image data, and the corresponding image data at a defined distance (d) from the skull surface (O) are determined and presented as 2-D image data in a plane.
US08705816B1 Face recognition with discriminative face alignment
The present invention relates to systems and methods for face recognition. In an embodiment, a system for face recognition includes a face alignment module, a signature extractor and a recognizer. In another embodiment, a method for face recognition is provided. The method includes extracting signature features of a face in an image based upon face alignment localization. The method also includes generating reconstruction errors based upon the face alignment localizations. Face alignment models may be used. The method further includes identifying a person from the face in the image. According to a further embodiment, direct mixture recognition may be performed. According to another embodiment, iterative mixture recognition may be performed.
US08705812B2 Enhanced face recognition in video
The computational resources needed to perform processes such as image recognition can be reduced by determining appropriate frames of image information to use for the processing. In some embodiments, infrared imaging can be used to determine when a person is looking substantially towards a device, such that an image frame captured at that time will likely be adequate for facial recognition. In other embodiments, sound triangulation or motion sensing can be used to assist in determining which captured image frames to discard and which to select for processing based on any of a number of factors indicative of a proper frame for processing.
US08705805B2 Secure portable token and systems and methods for identification and authentication of the same
A portable token and systems and methods for identification and authentication of the same are disclosed. The portable token may be utilized for a variety of purposes and uses a thin section of rock as a unique identifying element, which is extremely resistant to forgery or duplication. Identification and authorization of tokens is achieved by a system that uses optical examination of the microstructure and the refractive properties of crystalline minerals within the identifying element, by transmitted polarized light techniques. Comparison between stored reference data and acquired examination data is the basis for verifying authenticity. The naturally-occurring three-dimensional orientations of the optical axes of mineral crystals contribute to the identification information by their effects.
US08705804B2 Method for interpreting dipping natural fracture and fault planes identified from borehole images
A method of interpreting specific dipping surfaces in earth formations, namely, fracture and fault planes from borehole images. The method is applicable to borehole images obtained from any borehole imaging tool, regardless of tool physics or acquisition type. The interpretation method provides for detailed description of feature s in order to provide a robust framework for subsequent interpretation work.
US08705802B2 Providing a motion image in an ultrasound system
Embodiments for providing a motion image are disclosed. In one embodiment, by way of non-limiting example, an ultrasound system comprises: an ultrasound data acquisition unit configured to form transmit signals having different phases between a nth frame and a (n+1)th frame, transmit and receive ultrasound signals to and from a target object based on the transmit signals to output ultrasound data; and a processing unit in communication with the ultrasound data acquisition unit, the processing unit being configured to form motion data corresponding to motion of the target object based on a phase difference between the ultrasound data corresponding to the nth frame and the ultrasound data corresponding to the (n+1)th frame, and form a motion image corresponding to the motion of the target object based on the motion data.
US08705797B2 Enhanced data association of fusion using weighted Bayesian filtering
A method of associating targets from at least two object detection systems. An initial prior correspondence matrix is generated based on prior target data from a first object detection system and a second object detection system. Targets are identified in a first field-of-view of the first object detection system based on a current time step. Targets are identified in a second field-of-view of the second object detection system based on the current time step. The prior correspondence matrix is adjusted based on respective targets entering and leaving the respective fields-of-view. A posterior correspondence matrix is generated as a function of the adjusted prior correspondence matrix. A correspondence is identified in the posterior correspondence matrix between a respective target of the first object detection system and a respective target of the second object detection system.
US08705795B2 Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes a selection unit configured to select a plurality of specific areas of a target object, a learning unit configured to learn a detection model that relates to each of the plurality of specific areas, a generation unit configured to generate an area combination as a combination of specific areas selected from the plurality of specific areas, a recognition unit configured to recognize the target object based on the detection model and the area combination, and an addition unit configured to add a new specific area based on a recognition result obtained by the recognition unit. If the new specific area is added by the addition unit, the learning unit further learns a detection model that relates to the new specific area.
US08705791B2 Method and system for utilizing GPS information to secure digital media
A device such as a set-top-box, digital TV, DVD player, multi-media player, cellular telephone or digital cinema player that may handle data such as multimedia data and/or audio/video signals, may determine its location. The device may determine its location based on GPS information and may send its location it to an external entity, for example, a service provider. The device may generate a watermark comprising its determined location and may embed or insert the watermark within the data. AlsoIn addition, the generated watermark may comprise one or more of a unique identifier for the device, a source of the data, for example, a service provider, a date and a time. The watermark may be secured via processing, for example, the watermark may be encrypted prior to being embedded. The data may be compressed when embedding the watermark. The watermark embedding process may be handled via a secure embedded processor and/or secure code.
US08705789B2 Magnet-less loudspeaker
A loudspeaker, which includes a ferrite core, a voice coil, and a movable membrane. The voice coil is wound around the core and cooperatively defining an exciting device. The movable membrane is disposed in close proximity to the exciting device with a gap formed thereinbetween. The loudspeaker is constructed without permanent magnets.
US08705786B2 Dynamic microphone unit and dynamic microphone
A dynamic microphone unit has a diaphragm 5 vibrating in response to sound waves, a voice coil 6 fixed to the diaphragm 5 and vibrating in cooperation with the diaphragm 5, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap around the voice coil 6 and generating a magnetic field in a magnetic gap, a first air chamber 11 adjacent to the reverse of the diaphragm 5 holding an acoustic resistance therein, a second air chamber 9 behind the voice coil, and a communication passage 22 for sound waves between the first air chamber 11 and the second air chamber 9.
US08705782B2 Wireless beacon system to identify acoustic environment for hearing assistance devices
A beacon device adapted to wirelessly communicate with a hearing assistance device, the beacon device comprising a sensor to sense a signal related to determination of an acoustic environment, a memory to store information relating to the signal, a processor in communication with the memory and the sensor, the processor adapted to process the information, a wireless transmitter in communication with the memory and an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver to transmit information to the hearing assistance device.
US08705781B2 Optimal spatial filtering in the presence of wind in a hearing prosthesis
The present application discloses methods, systems, and hearing prostheses for reducing wind noise and/or thermal noise in an audio signal transmitted to the user of a hearing prosthesis. A method in accordance with the present disclosure includes utilizing delay-sum beamforming to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in an audio signal that contains wind noise and/or thermal noise. In the presence of at least one of wind noise and thermal noise, amplitudes and phases of at least two input signals are matched. The two signals are then added together, resulting in an average improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal transmitted to the user of about 3 dB.
US08705776B2 Microphone package and method for manufacturing same
A System and method to provide a cost-effective implementation of a microphone package, very good microphone performance being achieved even with a high degree of miniaturization. A microphone package includes a MEMS microphone component having a microphone diaphragm, and a housing having a housing base and a housing cover, the housing enclosing the back-side volume of the microphone component, and an acoustic access channel to the microphone diaphragm being provided in the housing which is closed off with respect to the back-side volume and which connects at least one sound opening in the housing to one side of the microphone diaphragm. An interposer is mounted inside the housing which defines the acoustic access channel to the microphone diaphragm in that the interposer is coupled to the sound opening in the housing, and has at least one exit opening above which the microphone component together with the microphone diaphragm is mounted.
US08705773B2 Audio amplifier
An audio amplifier includes a compensation unit, an output unit and a calibration unit. The compensation unit generates a compensation signal based on a digital input signal, a digital reference code, a mode signal and a digital approximation code. The output unit generates an output signal based on the compensated input signal. The calibration unit generates the digital approximation code based on the output signal and the mode signal. The digital approximation code includes a plurality of bits that are generated sequentially.
US08705772B2 Method for adjusting the maximum output power of a valve power amplifier stage for an audio amplifier, and corresponding valve power amplifier stage
A valve power amplifier stage for an audio amplifier, which amplifier stage has at least one thermionic valve and a polarization circuit for polarizing the anode, the cathode and the control grid of the thermionic valve so as to determine the maximum output power. The polarization circuit comprises an adjusting module for adjusting the feed voltage of the anode and the polarization voltage of the control grid so as to adjust the maximum output power of the thermionic valve, and a potentiometer coupled with the adjusting module for allowing a user to control the adjusting means so as to select the desired maximum output power from a plurality of predetermined output power values.
US08705768B2 Mixing apparatus and computer program therefor
Digital mixer includes a plurality of input ports each capable of performing gain adjustment, and a plurality of signal processing channels. Signal of each of the input ports is allocated to one or more desired ones of the channels. Each of the input channels includes an attenuator and can control the level of each signal supplied thereto. Gain value of any one of the input ports is updated in accordance with the gain adjustment performed in that input port, and, when an automatic gain adjustment function is ON in any one of the input channels set as patched-to destinations of the input port, an attenuator value of the input channel is automatically adjusted so as to cancel out an amount of variation of the gain value.
US08705760B2 Active noise control device
The active noise control device includes: a signal obtaining section that obtains an electric signal relating to the predetermined sound; a control section that adjusts an amplitude and a phase of the electric signal obtained by the signal obtaining section; a vibrating section having a diaphragm and a vibrator, the vibrator vibrating in accordance with an output from the control section. Because a sound radiated from the diaphragm toward the first region is substantially in opposite phase to that toward the second region, the control section controls the vibrator so that the diaphragm generates a sound that attenuates the predetermined sound in the first region, and causes the predetermined sound to have a desired frequency characteristic in the second region.
US08705759B2 Method for determining a signal component for reducing noise in an input signal
The invention provides a method for determining a signal component for reducing noise in an input signal, which comprises a noise component, comprising the steps of: estimating the noise component in the input signal, estimating a reverberation component in the noise component, and removing the estimated reverberation component from the estimated noise component to obtain a modified estimate of the noise component.
US08705755B2 Statistical analysis of potential audio system configurations
A system is provided for configuring an audio system for a given space. The system may statistically analyze potential configurations of the audio system to configure the audio system. The potential configurations may include positions of the loudspeakers, numbers of loudspeakers, types of loudspeakers, listening positions, correction factors, or any combination thereof. The statistical analysis may indicate at least one metric of the potential configuration including indicating consistency of predicted transfer functions, flatness of the predicted transfer functions, differences in overall sound pressure level from seat to seat for the predicted transfer functions, efficiency of the predicted transfer functions, or the output of predicted transfer functions. The system also provides a methodology for selecting loudspeaker locations, the number of loudspeakers, the types of loudspeakers, correction factors, listening positions, or a combination of these schemes in an audio system that has a single listening position or multiple listening positions.
US08705750B2 Device and method for converting spatial audio signal
An audio processor for converting a multi-channel audio input signal, such as a B-format sound field signal, into a set of audio output signals, such as a set of two or more audio output signals arranged for headphone reproduction or for playback over an array of loudspeakers. A filter bank splits each of the input channels into frequency bands. The input signal is decomposed into plane waves to determine one or two dominant sound source directions. The(se) are used to determine a set of virtual loudspeaker positions selected such that the dominant direction(s) coincide(s) with virtual loudspeaker positions. The input signal is decoded into virtual loudspeaker signals corresponding to each of the virtual loudspeaker positions, and the virtual loudspeaker signals are processed with transfer functions suitable to create the illusion of sound emanating from the directions of the virtual loudspeakers. A high spatial fidelity is obtained due to the coincidence of virtual loudspeaker positions and the determined dominant sound source direction(s). Improved performance can be obtained in the case where Head-Related Transfer Functions are used by differentiating the phase of a high frequency part of the HRTFs with respect to frequency, followed by a corresponding integration of this part with respect to frequency after combining the components of HRTFs from different directions.
US08705748B2 Method for spatially processing multichannel signals, processing module, and virtual surround-sound systems
Embodiments of a virtual surround-sound system and methods for simulating surround-sound are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments, a processing module may include spatial processor spatially processes surround-left and surround-right channel signals and front-left and front-right channel signals and combines the spatially-processed signals for providing to drivers of center speaker after crosstalk cancellation and combining with a center-channel signal. In some embodiments, the processing module may include circuitry to cause the spatial processor to refrain from spatially processing either the front-left and front-right channel signals when front-left and/or front-right speakers are connected.
US08705745B2 Method and system for transmitting deferred media information in an IP multimedia subsystem
A method for transmitting deferred media information in an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) includes: a sending party of the media information sends a key generation parameter encrypted with a Ka to a mailbox application server of a receiving party of the media information, the mailbox application server stores or saves the encrypted key generation parameters, and sends the encrypted key generation parameters to a key management server (KMS); the KMS generates a media key K and forwards it to the sending party through the mailbox application server of the receiving party; the receiving party obtains the encrypted key generation parameter from the mailbox application server and sends it to the KMS; the KMS generates the K and sends it to the receiving party; the receiving party decrypts the encrypted media information by using the K. A corresponding system is also disclosed. The method and system decrease signaling interaction between the sending party and the KMS, reduce the storage pressure of the KMS; realize the end-to-end secure transmission of the deferred media in the IMS.
US08705742B2 Data compression apparatus and data decompression apparatus
In a first data compression process, a compressed code of an input symbol is generated in accordance with a compression dictionary selected on the basis of P symbols immediately preceding the input symbol, and a (P+1)K+1-th compressed code is encrypted to generate a compressed and encrypted code. Then, compressed and encrypted data comprising compressed and encrypted codes and other compressed codes is output. In a second data compression process, a bit string is added to the head of compression target data, and a compressed code of an input symbol is generated in accordance with a compression dictionary selected on the basis of a bit string or a symbol immediately preceding the input symbol. Then, a plurality of compressed codes are alternately output to different output destinations.
US08705740B2 Elliptic curve-based message authentication code system and method
The elliptic curve-based message authentication code is a computational method for improving the security of existing message authentication code (MAC) generating methods through the use of elliptic curve cryptography. Particularly, the message authentication codes and elliptic curve cryptography are based on an elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem, which is well known in mathematics to be a computationally hard problem.
US08705739B2 On-the-fly encryption on a gaming machine
Systems, apparatus and methods for on-the-fly encryption of data storage on a computerized wagering gaming machine are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes accessing, using an on-the-fly encryption operation, data from a nonvolatile data storage in a computerized wagering gaming machine.
US08705727B2 Methods and apparatus for enhancing ringback tone quality during telephone communications
A system for enhancing tonal quality for ringback signals in a telecommunications network by adjusting audio processing during an alerting interval of a telecommunications session (e.g. during a telephone call). The system may be embodied in a telecommunications switching device and include a ringback manager process that provides the ability to adjust audio processing (e.g., by signaling to in-path equipment) which enhances the tonal quality of the ringback signal. As an example, a telephone system (e.g. equipment associated with establishment and operation of telephone communications sessions) can disable or attenuate operation of voice quality enhancement processing such as echo cancellation, noise reduction, adaptive level control, and the like, during the ringback or alerting interval or period of a telephone call so that the ringback tone provided to the calling party is not distorted by such processing.
US08705716B2 Interactive control of alarm systems by telephone interface using an intermediate gateway
An interface for interactive control of alarm systems using an intermediate gateway. A request for access to an account for interactive alarm system control is received from a remote device by an intermediate gateway. The request for access from the remote device is authenticated by the intermediate gateway based on an authentication parameter. After authenticating, the intermediate gateway identifies an alarm system and attributes of the alarm system associated with the request for access. Here, for example, the intermediate gateway identifies the operating characteristics for remote access to the alarm system. Further, the interactive gateway may receive a prompt from the remote device. Based on the prompt, the intermediate gateway may communicate with the alarm system according to its identified attributes and in response to the prompt, to query or update at least one setting of the alarm system.
US08705713B2 System and method for processing messages
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Unified Messaging System (UMS) having a controller to receive one or more voicemail, video, or text messages directed to a subscriber of the UMS, present the subscriber one of a first option to convert one of the one or more voicemail messages received in a first media playback format to a second media playback format, and a second option to transfer at least a portion of one or more of the received voicemail, video or text messages received by the UMS to one of a set top box or digital video recorder. The controller is adapted to detect a selection of one of said options, and execute the selected option. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08705710B2 Methods and systems for telephony call completion
The present invention is directed to processing calls to busy and Do-Not-Disturb capable telecommunications lines. In one embodiment, the presence of a subscriber accessing a computer network over a first telephone line via a first computer terminal is detected, wherein the subscriber also has a first telephone station connected to the first line. When a caller calls the first line and the first line is busy, the call is forwarded to a second telephone line associated with a call manager system. The call manager system determines when the subscriber is no longer accessing the computer network. At least partly in response to determining that the subscriber is no longer accessing the computer network, the call manager system transmits a text message to the caller, the message including the subscriber's phone number. The caller can then call back the first line using the transmitted phone number.
US08705695B2 Region of interest determination for X-ray imaging
A radiography system allow for user determination of a region of interest on a subject prior to X-ray exposure. The region of interest is defined by user interaction with an image, a pointer system, or the like. The region of interest is then translated to the imaging coordinate system, such as in the plane of a digital detector. The region is then used for exposure control during an imaging sequence, either in an open or closed-loop manner.
US08705693B2 X-ray inspection system and method
The invention provides an automatic system and method using x-ray inspection to image arrays of electrical interconnections on electronic devices. The electron beam of a rotating anode X-ray tube is deflected relative to the anode to cause emission of x-rays from different regions of the anode at different times. The x-ray tube is located at an inspection station for the electronic devices and disposed to irradiate a first part of the array of interconnections with x-rays emitted from a first region of the anode and to irradiate a further part of the array of interconnections with x-rays emitted from another region of the anode. X-rays emerging from the array of interconnections are detected and used to image part at least of the array in order to automatically register interconnection integrity failures and/or detect a performance trend in the formation of the connections. Typically, the arrays of electrical interconnections are established between a ball grid array on the underside of an electronics package and an array of blobs of solder paste on a printed circuit board.
US08705686B2 Adjustable hard stops for nuclear reactor restrainer brackets and methods of using the same
Hard stops are useable in an operating nuclear reactor to separate and bias restrainer brackets and inlet mixers. Hard stops include a lip clamp that clamps to a restrainer bracket and a wedge member that biases against the inlet mixer. The wedge member and lip clamp are engaged such that the two components can slide against one another to bias the restrainer bracket and inlet mixer. The lip clamp includes a clamp arm and an engagement member to clamp opposite sides of the restrainer bracket. Ratchet assemblies maintain selective positioning various components of the hard stops. Hard stops may be used in several different numbers, positions, and configurations in repair or modification systems. Hard stops may be installed by determining location on an outside of a restrainer bracket for the hard stop, securing the hard stop at the location, and biasing the hard stop between two components at the location.
US08705673B2 Timing phase detection using a matched filter set
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for phase identification in data processing systems. As one example, a circuit is disclosed that includes a bank of matched filters with two or more matched filters tuned to detect patterns corresponding to a timing pattern sampled using different phases of a sample clock. In particular, the bank of matched filters includes at least a first matched filter tuned to detect a first pattern corresponding to the timing pattern sampled using a first phase of a sample clock, and a second matched filter tuned to detect a second pattern corresponding to the timing pattern sampled using a second phase of the sample clock. The circuits further include a logic circuit operable to determine whether the sample clock is closer to the first phase or the second phase based on an output of the first matched filter and an output of the second matched filter.
US08705671B2 Method and apparatus for performing temperature compensation
Various methods for performing amplifier gain compensation to correct for variations in temperature are provided. One example method includes modifying a gain adjustment value based on a current temperature reading, receiving a signal,applying a gain adjustment to the signal based on the gain adjustment value, comparing the gain adjusted signal to a plurality of thresholds to generate respective comparison outputs, and selecting one of the comparison outputs for use in determining content and timing information of the received signal. Related systems and apparatuses are also provided.
US08705669B2 Low-latency viterbi survivor memory architecture and method using register exchange, trace-back, and trace-forward
In various aspects, the disclosure describes systems and methods for decoding of convolutionally encoded signals representing, for example, telecommunications signals such as command or content signals used in digital telecommunications. In various embodiments such aspects of the disclosure provide systems and methods for improving the efficiency, speed, and power consumption of such processes by providing architectures and methods for processing various parts of the encoded data records in parallel, using multiple and optionally specially-designed, dedicated memory registers and multiplexers.
US08705664B2 Soft-input generation for soft-decision FEC decoding
A soft-decision forward error correction scheme for received optical signals is described. Differential decoding may be performed, for example, in each polarization after coherent QPSK detection. Hard decisions may be made based on judging the most likely transition between each pair of received input symbols. Soft-input generation is also described, representing the reliability of the hard decisions. The soft-input information may be generated through simplified algorithms that utilize the most likely transitions to determine a reliability assignment.
US08705662B2 Soft decision method and associated signal receiving system
A soft decision method for determining a soft decision coordinate associated with a constellation is provided. The soft decision coordinate includes a first soft decision sub-coordinate and a second soft decision sub-coordinate. The method includes receiving an input signal including a coordinate value; defining a first coordinate range on a coordinate axis in the constellation, the first coordinate range having a first limit and a second limit; obtaining the first soft decision sub-coordinate according to the first coordinate range; defining a second coordinate range on the coordinate axis in the constellation, the second coordinate range having a third limit and a fourth limit; and obtaining the second soft decision sub-coordinate according to the second coordinate range; wherein the first and the third limit do not simultaneously equal to the second and the fourth limit.
US08705657B2 Digital signal processing circuit for generating output signal according to non-overlapping clock signals and input bit streams and related wireless communication transmitters
A digital signal processing circuit includes a combining stage and an output stage. The combining stage is arranged to receive a plurality of non-overlapping clock signals having a same frequency but different phases, receive a plurality of first input bit streams, and generate a first output bit stream by combining the first input bit streams according to the non-overlapping clock signals. The output stage is arranged to generate an output according to the first output bit stream. A digital signal processing method includes: receiving a plurality of non-overlapping clock signals having a same frequency but different phases; receiving a plurality of first input bit streams; generating a first output bit stream by combining the first input bit streams according to the non-overlapping clock signals; and generating an output according to the first output bit stream.
US08705644B2 Method for generating and transmitting a reference signal for uplink demodulation in a clustered DFT-spread OFDM transmission scheme
Disclosed is a method for generating and transmitting a reference signal in a clustered DFT-spread OFDM transmission scheme. A method for generating and transmitting a DM-RS in a clustered DFT-spread-OFDM scheme comprises: a step of generating DM-RS sequences corresponding to the number of clusters allocated for an uplink transmission; and a step of mapping the generated DM-RS sequences to the relevant DM-RS symbol positions for each cluster. Accordingly, the method for generating and transmitting a reference signal according to the present invention, in which DM-RS sequences are allocated and transmitted on a cluster basis, uses a complete DM-RS sequence for each cluster, and therefore inter-cell interference can be weakened, and problems which might occur when applied to a multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) scheme can be solved.
US08705643B2 Channel estimation for a control channel in an OFDM system
A method of channel estimation for a control channel in an OFDM system of the present invention includes the steps of: performing weighted averaging over time of input LS estimates of a plurality of channel condition matrices; performing frequency domain averaging on the input LS estimates; performing channel estimates on multiple subcarriers of pilot OFDM symbols from the frequency domain averaged input LS estimates; and performing channel estimates on multiple subcarriers of OFDM symbols in the control channel from the channel estimates on the subcarriers of pilot OFDM symbols.
US08705642B2 Method for mitigating interference in OFDM communications systems
The method for mitigating interference in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communications systems uses comb-type pilot signals in a doubly selective channel where the pilot signals are calculated to have zero correlation sequences in order to maintain orthogonality where there is a high Doppler effect to mitigate intercarrier interference. The pilot signals may be precomputed, stored in a look-up table, and selected based upon total power constraints of the pilot signals. The steps of the method may be performed by a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) equalizer.
US08705633B2 Method and apparatus for transporting an 8B/10B coded video stream across a 64B/66B coded link
A video transport system is provided for transporting as 8B/10B coded video stream across a 64B/66B coded link, wherein forward error correction is provided without the overhead of the prior art. The system also provides a system with the ability to recover 64B/66B Encoded blocks that have corrupt Sync bits.
US08705632B2 Decoder architecture systems, apparatus and methods
An apparatus includes a decoder to receive a compressed bit stream that is based on a coding standard. The decoder includes a hardware accelerator to decode a part of the compressed bit stream that is based on an operation that is common across multiple coding standards that includes the coding standard. The decoder also includes a programmable element to decode a part of the compressed bit stream that is based on an operation that is specific to the coding standard.
US08705631B2 Time-shifted transport of multi-latticed video for resiliency from burst-error effects
An apparatus for facilitating robust data transport. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first mechanism for selecting plural lattices of an input video signal, processing plural decimated video signals, and time shifting corresponding portions of plural video streams in accordance with a second relative temporal order. A second mechanism changes an initial relative temporal order to the second relative temporal order.
US08705621B2 Method and apparatus for scalable compression of video
A method and apparatus for producing a fully scalable compressed representation of video sequences, so that they may be transmitted over networks, such as the Internet, for example. Because the signal is scalable, users receiving the signal can obtain the signal at the appropriate resolution and quality that their system will handle or that they desire. A “motion compensated temporal wavelet transform” is implemented in order to enable compression of the video in a scalable fashion while still taking advantage of inter-frame redundancy in a manner which is sensitive to scene and camera motion. The motion compensated temporal wavelet transform is implemented by decomposing the video sequence into a set of temporal frequency bands and then applying a sequence of motion compensated lifting operations to alternately update an odd frame sub-sequence based upon an even sub-sequence and vice versa in a manner which is sensitive to motion.
US08705619B2 Directional discrete wavelet transform (DDWT) for video compression applications
An apparatus and method for encoding video using directional discrete waveform transforms (DDWT), such as within a codec device. DDWT can be utilized to replace the use of intra transforms and inter transforms within the encoding system. In many ways the output of the DDWT can be compared with that provided using MDDT, however, it does not require a training process while it also provides enhanced encoding of feature edges with desirable visual characteristics. The transforms are applied in at least two passes, along the prediction direction, and then across the prediction direction, instead of being applied in fixed vertical and horizontal directions. Directional scaling is not required prior to the second stage of transforms.
US08705617B2 Multiple layer video encoding
Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for processing multimedia data. The systems and methods comprise receiving a first set of quantized coefficients representing at least one video frame, receiving a second set of quantized coefficients representing the at least one video frame, and generating, using the first set of quantized coefficients and second set of quantized coefficients, a third set of quantized coefficients representing the at least one video frame. In certain embodiments, quantization parameters associated with the first and second sets are used in producing the third set of quantized coefficients.
US08705599B2 Apparatus and method for quantification of the desynchronization between the clocks of two HBC active implants
A method for quantification of the desynchronization between the clocks of two medical devices communicating wirelessly, for example, by HBC signals. The devices are separately clocked by slow clocks (CLK1/32k, CLK2/32k) and include selectively activated fast clocks (CLK1/10M, CLK2/10M). The method comprises: a) on a predetermined transition (T1) of a slow clock, transmission by one device of a synchronization query signal (SYNC) to the other device, b) counting of the pulses of the activated fast clock to detect a predetermined transition (T3) of the first slow clock, then c) transmitting from the other device to the first device a response signal (D1) and d) upon reception of the response signal, computing a temporal shift (OFFSET) according to the result (D1, D2) of the counting of the pulses of the fast clock. Two fast clocks, one on each device, also can be used.
US08705594B2 Method and apparatus for balancing power between antennas, and base station
A method and an apparatus for balancing power between antennas, and a base station are provided. The method includes multiplying n virtual antenna signals by an orthogonal matrix to obtain n intermediate regulative signals; and using a corresponding rotary phase to rotate phases of m of the n intermediate regulative signals, so that a phase difference exists between at least two of n physical antenna signals output by antennas.
US08705585B2 Surface-emitting laser array, optical scanning device, and image forming device
A surface-emitting laser array includes a plurality of surface-emitting laser elements. Each surface-emitting laser element includes a first reflection layer formed on a substrate, a resonator formed in contact with the first reflection layer and containing an active layer, and a second reflection layer formed over the first reflection layer and in contact with the resonator. The second reflection layer contains a selective oxidation layer. The first reflection layer contains on the active layer side at least a low refractive index layer having an oxidation rate equivalent to or larger than an oxidation rate of a selective oxidation layer contained in the second reflection layer. The resonator is made of an AlGaInPAs base material containing at least In. A bottom of a mesa structure is located under the selective oxidation layer and over the first reflection layer.
US08705576B2 Method and apparatus for deblocking-filtering video data
Provided are a method and an apparatus for filtering video data. The method includes determining whether a difference value of illumination change (DVIC) of a current image processing unit containing a current block is different from a DVIC of an image processing unit that is adjacent to the current image processing unit and based on the determining, adjusting a filtering strength of a deblocking filter and performing deblocking filtering on a boundary of the current block using the filter with the adjusted filtering strength.
US08705573B2 Apparatus and method for coding an information signal into a data stream, converting the data stream and decoding the data stream
More customization and adaptation of coded data streams may be achieved by processing the information signal such that the various syntax structures obtained by pre-coding the information signal are placed into logical data packets, each of which being associated with a specific data packet type of a predetermined set of data packet types, and by defining a predetermined order of data packet types within one access unit of data packets. The consecutive access units in the data stream may, for example, correspond to different time portions of the information signal. By defining the predetermined order among the data packet types it is possible, at decoder's side, to detect the borders between successive access units even when removable data packets are removed from the data stream on the way from the data stream source to the decoder without incorporation of any hints into the reminder of the data stream.
US08705570B2 Communication device and communication method
A communication device includes a control signal generating unit to generate a control signal for each of a plurality of second frames, and a mapping unit to map a payload signal of the plurality of second frames in a payload area of a first frame, and map at least some of the control signals generated by the control signal generating unit in a control signal area of the first frame.
US08705564B2 Multi-network shared PHY layer
A system and method is provided for processing a physical (“PHY”) layer signal. Various aspects of the present invention may comprise receiving a PHY layer signal, analyzing a non-content characteristic of the PHY layer signal, and determining a communication protocol associated with the PHY layer signal. The PHY layer signal may be processed according to the communication protocol to obtain a processed PHY layer signal. In one embodiment, when the communication protocol is a first communication protocol, the PHY layer signal may be processed according to the first communication protocol. When the communication protocol is a second communication protocol, the PHY layer signal may be processed according to the second communication protocol. The processed PHY layer signal may be outputted.
US08705563B2 Method, combiner and system for transmitting signals
Methods and apparatus are provided for receiving AISG protocol signals sent by one or more local devices and adding corresponding labels to the AISG protocol signals, where the labels are used to identify mapping relationships between the local devices that send the AISG protocol signals and peer devices. The AISG protocol signals to which the labels have been added are packed into data packet and sent to a peer combiner through a shared feeder. The peer combiner unpacks the data packet and sends the AISG protocol signals to corresponding peer devices according to the labels added to the AISG protocol signals.
US08705561B2 Broadcasting method and radio apparatus
A processing unit sets the time interval before packet signals are broadcast, using a carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) scheme. A modem unit and an RF unit broadcasts the packet signals at the time intervals set by the processing unit. The RF unit and the modem unit receive a control signal broadcast from an access control apparatus at a predetermined frequency. The processing unit sets the time interval, during which the control signal is receivable, to a time length shorter than the time interval for the remaining cases.
US08705552B1 Controlling latency variations in a packet node
An apparatus including a packet ingress interface, a packet egress interface, an eligible egress time module, and an egress module. The packet ingress interface ingresses packets of data into the apparatus. The packet egress interface egresses the packets from the apparatus. The eligible egress time module determines a respective eligible egress time for each of the packets based on a respective ingress time of the packet at the packet ingress interface and a hold interval. The egress module prevents each packet from egressing the packet egress interface until occurrence of the respective eligible egress time.
US08705533B1 Fast packet encapsulation using templates
A network device assigns unique encoded values, represented by mnemonics, to protocol headers supported by the network device, and defines a plurality of templates, where each template includes a set of the mnemonics. The network device also stores the plurality of templates in a template table, where the template table enables the network device to create one or more protocol headers for packets transmitted by the network device.
US08705528B2 Subnet scoped multicast/broadcast packet distribution mechanism over a routed network
In one embodiment, a subnet-scoped multicast packet is received on an interface of a forwarding device that is connected to a host device of a subnet of a forwarding domain. The received subnet-scoped multicast packet is transmitted from one or more other interfaces of the forwarding device that are connected to one or more other host devices of the subnet. The received subnet-scoped multicast packet is also encapsulated with an additional header. The encapsulated subnet-scoped multicast packet is forwarded from the forwarding device to an intermediate router which routes the encapsulated subnet-scoped multicast packet to one or more other forwarding devices configured to decapsulate the encapsulated subnet-scoped multicast packet and transmit the decapsulated subnet-scoped multicast packet to one or more connected host devices of an additional portion of the subnet.
US08705520B2 Methods and apparatus to protect and audit communication line status
Methods and apparatus to protect and audit communication line status are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a set of available communication lines from a media gateway, associating a plurality of destination numbers with respective ones of the available communication lines, and dialing the plurality of destination numbers from the media gateway to identify the communication line status information.
US08705519B2 Method and apparatus for localized voice over internet protocol usage
An approach to abstracting the circuit switched nature of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) by using VoIP to provide voice actuated services is disclosed. By carrying a telephone call using VoIP technology for a short distance (frequently within a server room) significant benefits to call handling and capacity management can be obtained. Specifically, a PSTN-to-IP gateway is used to receive (and place) calls over the PSTN and route those calls internally to servers over an IP network in a packet switched format. A number of computer systems can receive and handle the calls in the IP format, including: translating the packets into an audio format suitable for speech recognition and creating suitable packets from computer sound files for transmission back over the PSTN.
US08705517B2 Forced hold call handling in a VoP environment
The present invention provides a technique for providing a forced hold service such as is used for an emergency services call, which is supported at least in part over a packet network. The forced hold service acts to effectively hold a connection for the call with a called party, even when the caller takes an action that would normally end a call, such as going on hook, pressing end, or the like. When the caller takes an action that would normally end the call, the forced hold service allows the caller to automatically reconnect to the emergency services provider over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like. Alternatively, the emergency services provider can effectively re-engage the call wherein the caller is reconnected over the held connection upon going offhook, pressing send, or the like.
US08705515B2 System and method for resolving conflicts in multiple simultaneous communications in a wireless system
A system and method for resolving conflicts in voice data packets received by a wireless device. Each data packet includes a source identification number, a sequence number, and an end-marker bit. The wireless device reconstructs audio streams based upon the sequence of the data packets received. If a data packet has the same source identification number as the last-received data packet and the sequence number of the data packet differs from the sequence number of the last-received data packet for more than a predefined threshold number, the wireless device ends a current audio stream and starts a new audio stream using the data from the data packet.
US08705511B2 System and method for synchronous transmission of content
A synchronous transmission of a content is provided capable of providing a content seamless when a mobile terminal transfers from a currently connected network to another network. The synchronization of contents is ensured to achieve a seamless communication across a plurality of networks.
US08705504B2 Apparatus and method for traffic offload in a broadband wireless access system
A method and apparatus, such as a pico service gateway, for reducing backhaul traffic in a broadband wireless access system are provided. The pico service gateway operatively receives an uplink packet including a contents request from a Mobile Station (MS). Upon receipt of the contents request, the pico service gateway determines whether the requested contents have been cached. If the pico service gateway determines that the contents have not been cached therein, the pico service gateway communicates with a corresponding server to receive the requested contents. Thereafter, the pico service gateway transmits the contents to the MS. Further, if the pico service gateway determines that the contents have not been cached, the pico service gateway caches the contents. In contrast, if the pico service gateway determines that the contents are cached therein, the pico service gateway transmits the contents corresponding to the requested contents.
US08705502B2 Using encapsulation to enable 802.1 bridging across 802.11 links
In an example embodiment, packet encapsulation is employed to facilitate bridging between bridge ports that do not reflect frames (such as 802.1 compatible bridge ports) and bridge ports that do reflect frames (such as 802.11 compatible clients). Packets from a wireless access point may be sent twice, once with a predefined multicast address for processing by 802.11 clients contained in bridges, and once with the original destination address. In particular embodiments, additional means may be employed to minimize the circumstances where packets are duplicated.
US08705497B2 Wireless communication system for monitoring wireless links during transmission gaps
Provided is a communication system in which a wireless access network communicates with a mobile station via a wireless link. One of the mobile station and the wireless access network proposes a plurality of candidate transmission gap configurations to the other of the mobile station and the wireless access network, and the other selects one of the candidate transmission gap configurations.
US08705492B2 MIMO receiving apparatus and receiving method
A MIMO receiving apparatus that can demodulate a spatially multiplexed signal without using any division operation requiring a large quantity of operation resources. In the MIMO receiving apparatus, stream separation section (105) separates a spatially multiplexed signal into a plurality of streams based on numerator submatrix A. Numerator submatrix A is determined according to channel matrix H and a canceller scheme and corresponds to a numerator of stream separation matrix S that equalizes the phase and amplitude of the spatially multiplexed signal. Denominator part calculation section (108) calculates a denominator (denominator coefficient) of stream separation matrix S and correction section (117) corrects a threshold determined according to a modulation scheme of the spatially multiplexed signal using the denominator (denominator coefficient) of stream separation matrix S. Demapping sections (109-1 to 109-3) calculate likelihoods of the plurality of streams through a threshold decision using the corrected threshold.
US08705474B2 Method and apparatus for transmitting reference signal in multi-antenna system
Provided are a method and apparatus for transmitting a reference signal in a multi-antenna system. A terminal generates a plurality of reference signal sequences to which cyclic shift values different from each other are allocated, generates an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol to which the plurality of reference signal sequences are mapped, and transmits the OFDM symbol to a base station through a plurality of antennas. The respective cyclic shift values allocated to the respective reference signal sequences are determined on the basis of a parameter n indicated by a cyclic shift field transmitted from a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
US08705471B2 Method and system for implementing ID/locator mapping
A method and a system for implementing an ID-Locator (ID/LOC) mapping are disclosed. The method includes: after allocating a new IP address to User Equipment (UE), the network side sending an ID/LOC mapping request to an ID-LOC-split Mapping Functional Entity (ILM-FE); and the ILM-FE returning a response with mapping information to the network side according to the received ID/LOC mapping request. The method initiates the ID/LOC mapping based on a network in an ID/locator separation in NGN (IPSPLIT) network, which improves the efficiency of the ID/LOC mapping.
US08705469B2 Method of sending a data signal via a plurality of transmitter entities
A method of sending a data signal having a series of symbols to a receiver includes generating multiple OFDM signals, which are transmitted by multiple transmitter entities. A succession of pairs of symbols is also generated. The method may also include generating at least one pair of symbols orthogonal to a current pair of symbols of the succession of pairs of symbols, generating at least one duplicated pair of symbols by duplicating the current pair of symbols, and allocating at least one current pair of symbols, at least one orthogonal pair of symbols, and at least one duplicated pair of symbols to the transmitter entities of the plurality of transmitter entities. Generating at least one orthogonal pair, generating a duplicated pair, and the allocating step may be repeated for all the pairs of symbols of the series of symbols.
US08705464B2 Packet scheduling method and communication apparatus using the same
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure provide several packet scheduling methods and communication apparatuses using the same. The packet scheduling method is different from the conventional packet scheduling method, since it does not schedule the sleep interval of the mobile subscriber station based upon the connections as the conventional packet scheduling method. Instead, the packet scheduling method considers the quality of service, and aggregates the data bursts to the frame corresponding to the frame index to which the data bursts are shifted based upon the individual packet, such that a total time length of the sleep intervals of the mobile subscriber station is maximized, and the maximum power saving efficiency is obtained correspondingly.
US08705457B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting control channel for frequency resource allocation in a wireless communication system
A method is provided for transmitting a control channel for resource allocation to a terminal by a base station in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) wireless communication system. An additional resource allocation indicator is set indicating whether the number of consecutive resource block sets allocated to a terminal is greater than one. A reference control channel is generated including reference resource allocation information for a first consecutive resource block set and the set additional resource allocation indicator. An additional control channel using additional resource allocation information is generated, when there are one or more additional consecutive resource block sets. At least one of the generated reference control channel and the generated additional control channels is encoded before transmission.
US08705451B2 Apparatus and method for switching MIMO modes in a wireless communication system
Disclosed is an apparatus for switching MIMO modes, which can efficiently switch an MIMO mode of a mobile station. The apparatus for switching MIMO modes includes an MIMO mode determining unit, a staying time determining unit, and an MIMO mode switching unit. The MIMO mode determining unit determines a current MIMO mode of a mobile station. The staying time determining unit determines a first staying time in a first MIMO mode of the mobile station when the MIMO mode determining unit determines the current MIMO mode of the mobile station as the first MIMO mode for transmitting the same data through a plurality of antennas, and determines a second staying time in a second MIMO mode of the mobile station when the MIMO mode determining unit determines the current MIMO mode of the mobile station as the second MIMO mode for transmitting different data by antenna. The MIMO mode switching unit switches the MIMO mode of the mobile station to the second MIMO mode when the first staying time is greater than or equal to a first threshold staying time.
US08705442B2 System, method, and computer-readable medium for mobile station authentication and registration via an IP-femtocell
A system, method, and computer readable medium for facilitating mobile station registration and authentication via a femtocell system are provided. A femtocell system receives a registration request from a mobile station and transmits a registration request to a core network on behalf of the mobile station. The registration request transmitted by the femtocell system preferably includes a register identifier generated by the femtocell system. The convergence server may be located in an Internet Protocol core network and may be configured to emulate a mobile switching center. On receipt of a registration request from the femtocell system, the convergence server may engage in a registration and authentication procedure with a radio access network Home Location Register and/or Authentication Center on behalf of the mobile station. Alternatively, the convergence server may be located in an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) core network in which the convergence server is configured as an IMS application server. In this configuration, the femtocell system transmits the register request to a serving-call session control function that initiates a third-party registration process with the convergence server.
US08705441B2 Joint use of multi-carrier and single-carrier multiplexing schemes for wireless communication
A communication system that facilitates transmissions in accordance with a single-carrier (SC) multiplexing scheme, a multi carrier (MC) multiplexing scheme or a combination thereof is disclosed. Based on various factors such as attributes associated with a UE (user equipment) or availability of resources, a base station can signal to the UE an appropriate multiplexing scheme to be adopted for particular transmissions. The UE can be scheduled for transmission in a semi-static mode wherein the UE employs the transmission scheme for a particular time interval or it may change the mode dynamically for different transmissions. For transmissions from the UE comprising a plurality of data streams with dissimilar attributes, the base station implements a MIMO (multiple input multiple output) system for the UE. This facilitates a UE to dynamically switch between or simultaneously adopt the various multiplexing schemes for communications and thereby fully utilize advantages associated with the different schemes.
US08705439B2 Delegation based mobility management
A method of handling mobility-related signaling in a communications system comprising a mobile node, a mobile router, and a peer node. The method comprises providing the mobile router with a delegation certificate that is cryptographically signed by or on behalf of the mobile node. At the mobile router, a mobility-related signaling exchange is initiated with the peer node on behalf of the mobile node, the mobile router providing to the peer node within this exchange, said delegation certificate or an identification of the certificate, and a sequence number associated with the certificate. At the peer node, the received sequence number is compared with a sequence number maintained by the peer node in respect of the delegation certificate, and the exchange authorized in dependence upon the result of the comparison.
US08705438B2 Methods and apparatus for selecting and/or using a communications band for peer to peer signaling
Methods and apparatus for supporting peer to peer communications are described. A plurality of wide area network communications bands in a wireless communications system are also available for use to communicate peer to peer signals. At different times it may be advantageous for a mobile peer to peer communications device to use a different communications band in order to efficiently share air link resources. A peer to peer communications device receives a signal transmitted by a WAN device, e.g., a base station or WAN wireless terminal, and selects a WAN communications band to use as a function of the received signal, e.g., a corresponding band. In some embodiments, the received signal strength measurements from WAN devices are used in the selection process. In other embodiments, recovered decoded information conveyed in a received WAN device signal is used in the selection process.
US08705437B2 Providing neighbor cell transmission information in a long-term evolution single frequency network
A system for providing control channel information is provided. The system comprises a processor programmed to promote transmission of a multicast control channel (MCCH). The MCCH includes information related to a service notifying user equipment when transmission on a resource is blocked by one or more cells within a plurality of cells. The MCCH further includes information notifying user equipment when the service is transmitted at less than full power by one or more of the cells of the plurality of cells.
US08705436B2 Adaptive spotbeam broadcasting, systems, methods and devices for high bandwidth content distribution over satellite
Satellite broadcasting methods include providing a cellular satellite communications system configured to transmit information separately to a plurality of different geographic locations defined by a respective plurality of cellular satellite spotbeams, and concurrently transmitting a program signal on a plurality of different spotbeams. The plurality of different spotbeams may include less than a total number of spotbeams of the cellular satellite communications system. The plurality of different spotbeams may be selected adaptively from an available pool of spotbeams based on locations of users requesting the broadcast program signal. Corresponding satellite gateways, broadcast controllers and wireless user terminals are also provided.
US08705434B2 Methods and arrangements in a wireless communications system
The present invention relates to methods and arrangements that make it possible to control the delay for the UEs to access the EUL resources in the Enhanced Uplink in CELL_FACH state procedure, independently from the delay for the UEs to access 5 ordinary UL resources in the RACH procedure. This is achieved by a solution where the timing of entering (or re-entering) a transmission procedure for Enhanced Uplink in CELL-FACH state is controlled with the help of a transmission control parameter defined specifically for this transmission procedure, instead of using the same parameter as for the RACH procedure.
US08705433B2 Base station, communication terminal and communication system
A base station (10B) includes a wireless communication unit (11) for performing wireless communication with a communication terminal (30A), a radio resource allocation unit (131) for allocating an individual channel in a resource of the wireless communication, a transmission/reception timing determination unit (132) for determining a transmission/reception timing at which transmission and reception with the communication terminal (30A) through the individual channel is performed, a communication state identification unit (134) for identifying whether the communication with the communication terminal (30A) is indirect communication with interposition of a relay device (50) or direct communication without interposition of the relay device 50, and a reception timing adjustment unit (133) for adjusting a timing at which the individual channel for upstream communication is used in accordance with a result of the identification made by the communication state identification unit (134).
US08705424B2 User equipment component carrier allocation
A method for configuring at least one component carrier (CC) for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). The method includes receiving a CC configuration using a signaling protocol, wherein the CC is assigned using a semi-static configuration. Also included is a user equipment (UE) comprising a processor configured to receive a CC configuration for at least one CC for a PDSCH using a signaling protocol, wherein the CC is assigned using a semi-static configuration. Also included is an access node comprising a processor configured to transmit a CC configuration for at least one CC for a PDSCH using a signaling protocol, wherein the CC is assigned using a semi-static configuration.
US08705423B2 Pairing wireless devices of a network using relative gain arrays
A method for pairing a first wireless device with a second wireless device includes gathering a first wireless communications characteristic about communications between the first wireless device and the second wireless device. The method further includes gathering second wireless communications characteristics about communications between the first wireless device and at least one wireless device other than the second wireless device. The method further includes generating a relative gain array from the communications characteristics and computing the pairing between the first wireless device and the second wireless device using the generated relative gain array. The method further includes configuring the first wireless device and/or the second wireless device based on the computed pairing.
US08705415B2 Communication system, information processing apparatus, controlled device, information processing method and program
A communication system including a controlled device to be controlled and an information processing apparatus, in which the controlled device includes a transmission means for transmitting a message indicating that an event has occurred to the information processing apparatus and a control means for performing processing according to a request from the information processing means, and in which the information processing apparatus includes a receiving means for receiving the message indicating that the event has occurred at the controlled device, which has been transmitted from the controlled device and a request means for deciding processing performed by the controlled device according to the event indicated by the message received by the receiving means and requesting the controlled device to perform the decided processing.
US08705413B2 Apparatus and method for transmitting ACK/NACK in TDD system
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for transmitting an ACK/NACK in a TDD system. A component carrier (CC) configuration for a user equipment (UE) and a transmission mode of each CC are received. An ACK/NACK feedback mode is selected based on an overhead status for feedback in an uplink. An ACK/NACK is processed according to the selected feedback mode. And the ACK/NACK is transmitted in the uplink. The method provided by the present invention can avoid excessive overhead for feedback in uplink in various extreme circumstances while ensuring satisfying performances of downlinks under many configurations.
US08705411B2 MUROS modulation using linear baseband combinations with linear gaussian pulse shaping for two users on one timeslot used by non-DARP and DARP remote stations
The present patent application improves DARP by allowing multiple users on one time slot (MUROS). It comprises means, instructions and steps for combining two signals. In one example, it comprises at least one baseband modulator, a plurality of amplifiers where the signals are multiplied by a gain; at least one combiner operably connected to the amplifiers where the signals are combined; and a phase shifter where one of the signals is phase shifted with respect to the other signal. In another example; the apparatus further comprises a phase shifter operably connected to the at least one baseband modulator to provide a π/2 phase shift between the two signals. In another example, the at least one baseband modulator comprises a BPSK baseband modulator on an I axis and a BPSK baseband modulator on a Q axis.
US08705407B2 Efficient protocols against sophisticated reactive jamming attacks
Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for deactivating reactive jamming attacks and other sophisticated attacks in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In one system, trigger nodes (nodes whose transmissions invoke jammer nodes) are identified and communications between the sensor nodes of the WSN are routed to avoid sending (e.g., transmitting) information from identified trigger nodes. For example, identified trigger nodes are routed as receivers only. One method of identification uses an advanced randomized error-tolerant non-adaptive group testing technique and a clique-independent set problem solution. Another method of identification uses a hexagon tiling coloring and sequential group testing scheme.
US08705400B2 Automatic detection of channel bandwidth
A step-wise approach to automatically determining the bandwidth of a communication channel includes dividing the channel's potential bandwidth into a number of ranges. An initial range is then selected and a series of data packets specific to the selected range are transmitted from a first endpoint to a second endpoint, with the second endpoint determining one or more channel metrics based on the transmitted packets (e.g., measured transmission rates). If the metrics indicate the current range accurately reflects the channel's bandwidth, a measured transmission rate of the transmitted data packets is used as the channel's bandwidth. Otherwise, another range is selected and the process is repeated. The described approach rapidly determines channel bandwidth, even when the channel between the two endpoints is asymmetric. Techniques described herein are particularly beneficial when used in conjunction with multimedia conferencing applications.
US08705387B2 Time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks with data sensors
The invention relates to a method for time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks A, B, each wireless network (A, B) comprising at least one data sensor (A.1, A.2, A.3, A.4, B.1, B.2, B.3, B.4) for measuring data and a gateway (A.0, B.0) to which the measured data is sent, wherein a common time master (TM) is used which broadcasts time synchronization messages to all networks (A, B) involved. This way, a possibility of time synchronization of a plurality of different wireless networks (A, B) in an easy, efficient and reliable manner is achieved.
US08705386B2 Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method
A plurality of wireless communication methods are combined, networks to be used are dynamically selected by evaluating each network quality, and a packet format is changed adaptively to realize necessary reliability. The wireless communication apparatus has a network interface, a data interface, a quality interface, an allocation control part, a quality database, a quality update part, communication units and antennas. The wireless communication apparatus receives data and a requested quality from an application apparatus, selects the communication unit and communication method suitable for the requested quality, and transmits the data and requested quality. The communication unit receives a communication quality of the communication partner, and the quality update part updates the communication quality state in the quality database.
US08705385B1 Dynamic virtual termination target based on RF conditions
A method and system is disclosed for dynamic adjustment of extended frame decoding interval duration based on signal-to-noise. In accordance with an example embodiment, upon determining that a frame transmission from an access terminal has not been successfully decoded during a nominal frame period, a base station will commence an extended decoding interval. The base station will also determine a duration for the extended decoding interval based on a measured signal-to-noise transmission power level from the access terminal. The base station will use the determined duration for the extended decoding interval. The determination will be made so as to increase the likelihood the extended decoding interval will result in a successful decoding of a frame of data.
US08705381B2 Communication embodiments and low latency path selection in a multi-topology network
In one embodiment, a source device (e.g., a VOIP phone) establishes a call connection with a remote device depending on which of multiple network paths provides an acceptable latency (e.g., a lower latency). For example, in response to receiving a request to establish a connection with a remote destination device over a network, the source device (e.g., a caller's phone) obtains multiple service code values. The source device encodes each of multiple data packets to include a unique service code value for transmission of the messages over different network topologies to a remote destination. Thus, when transmitted, each of the multiple messages follows a different logical network topology of a network as specified by a respective service code value. Based on feedback from a remote device that receives the multiple messages, the source learns a preferred logical network topology of the network for establishing the call connection.
US08705379B2 Multipoint relay set selection methods and their application to multicast channel reservation in overlapping basic service sets in wireless networks
A method and apparatus are described including communicating with neighbor nodes in a wireless network, determining one-hop neighbor nodes and two-hop neighbor nodes responsive to the communication, determining a minimum multipoint relay set responsive to the first working channel determination and communicating over the wireless network using the minimum multipoint relay set.
US08705377B2 Combined short-range and long-range radio communication
A multivoice radio system allows users to speak and listen, at the same time, to others using multivoice radios without using a base station. Several embodiments of the present invention are directed toward combining a multivoice radio with push-to-talk (PTT), long-range radio. Other embodiments combine two or more multivoice systems and/or use an extender to increase a distance that multivoice radios can communicate with each other. Combining multivoice systems, in some embodiments, creates a voice and/or data mesh network. Switch-to-talk (STT) functionality can be added to systems to increase a number of users and promote radio discipline. Additionally, a combined in-ear microphone and speaker is disclosed. Further embodiments are directed to combining duplex radios, such as mobile phones, to multivoice systems, and/or PTT systems.
US08705376B2 Image processing device and image processing method
It aims to provide the technique capable of reducing the process to be executed on the reception side and shortening the time from the occurrence of an error to the sending of a retransmission request. To achieve this, the image data is encoded in units of block by the encoding unit, the reference information representing whether or not the block is referred when another block is encoded is generated by the reference map generation unit, and then the encoded block and the reference information are transmitted by the transmission unit.
US08705364B2 Method and apparatus for increasing spectrum use efficiency in a mesh network
Mesh Network Access Points (APs) points, including gateways and routers, are deployed over a geographic area. The APs monitor the communication channel for other carriers and transmit accordingly. The APs selectively co-transmit when other carriers are sensed, if the efficiency of the mesh network will improve. APs select a transmission rate based on observed carrier-to-interference ratios. APs use directional antennas to increase carrier-to-interference ratios and spectral efficiency. AP transmit schedules are adaptable and adjusted according to observed carrier-to-interference measurements.
US08705361B2 Method and apparatus for traffic management in a wireless network
Currently, network utilization and performance are diminished due to capacity issues, which may be resolved by adding hardware/software to spread traffic uniformly according to network element usage information. Disclosed is a method of and corresponding apparatus for resolving network element capacity issues in a wireless network by inspecting data traffic content for information about wireless network elements and data traffic content, collecting said information, and managing (e.g., shaping and steering) the incoming traffic based on the information. Examples of said information include radio bearer resource information for network elements and traffic associated with a wireless access portion of the wireless network and radio access bearer information for network elements and traffic associated with a backhaul portion of the wireless network. By employing embodiments of the invention, network utilization and performance may be increased using existing wireless network elements in a manner overlaid on existing network optimization techniques (e.g., load balancing).
US08705360B2 Stream control in a MIMO-enabled mesh network
In a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) enabled mesh network, streams for transmitting data from a node to a destination node are controlled based on next hop latency and available stream capacity at neighboring, next hop nodes. Routing information maintained and dynamically updated at each node includes latency information associated with each next hop for transmission from the node to a given destination node and current available stream capacity for such next hop nodes. A controller at the node utilizes that information to select one or more next hop nodes to which the data is forwarded as well as to determine a number of streams that may be initiated with each selected next hop node.
US08705343B2 Double ring network system and communication control method thereof, and transmission station, and program for transmission stations
A double ring network system configured with two or more transmission stations each including a pair of bi-directionally communicative communication ports, including any adjacent two transmission stations as terminal stations, and any transmission station as a base, as mutually connected in a ring form by communication ports through a transmission line, for intercommunications between transmission stations, in which the transmission stations are each adapted to determine whether or not frame signals are received from adjacent transmission stations, transmit route identifying frame signals for identification of routes to adjacent transmission stations, when having failed in reception, and set own station as a terminal station substituting for a current terminal station, when having received no responses to the route identifying frames from adjacent transmission stations, so they are kept from arriving at ring-like connected subsequent transmission stations.
US08705341B2 Power over ethernet management devices and connection between ethernet devices
In one embodiment, a connection is maintained between a pair of ethernet ports that have circuitry connected in series with the ports and receiving power-over-ethernet (PoE) from one of the ports, by providing a controllable bypass circuit coupled to the pair of ethernet ports in parallel with the circuitry receiving power-over-ethernet, sensing a preselected condition, and opening and closing the bypass circuit in response to the presence or absence of the preselected condition. Power sourcing equipment (PSE) may supply the one of the ports with power over ethernet, and the circuitry may transports data between the pair of ethernet ports. The circuitry may also supply the switch with a control signal in response to the detection of the preselected condition.
US08705340B2 Packet-loss handling for downlink multi-user multiple-input and multiple-output wireless network
Techniques for packet-loss handling for downlink Multi-User Multiple-input and Multiple-Output (DL MU-MIMO) wireless networking environment are described herein. The techniques described herein help define how a wireless access point should behave when faced with a packet-loss situation of a DL transmission burst in a MU-MIMO wireless network.
US08705339B2 Wireless communication apparatus and frequency hopping method
Disclosed are a wireless communication apparatus and frequency hopping method which minimize the change in the instantaneous power distribution characteristics of the time waveform of transmission signals when a plurality of channels are multiplexed by frequency division. At a terminal (200), a mapping unit (212) maps the PUCCH to frequency resources of a first slot, maps the PUSCH to frequency resources, among the frequency resources of the first slot, separated exactly by predetermined frequency spacing (B) from the frequency resources to which the PUCCH is mapped, and cyclically shifts the frequencies so as to map the PUCCH and PUSCH to frequency resources, within an IDFT or IFFT bandwidth, of a second slot while maintaining the predetermined frequency spacing (B), thereby allowing frequency hopping of the PUCCH and PUSCH between the first slot and the second slot.
US08705337B2 Efficient Zadoff-Chu sequence generation
The present application discloses methods and apparatus for generating a Zadoff-Chu sequence for use by a mobile station. One embodiment discloses generating exponents oof elements of a Zadoff-Chu sequence representing a preamble for uplink synchronization of a mobile station or a mobile station reference signal by first obtaining a preamble index defining the Zadoff-Chu sequence. Then an initial exponent of the first element in the Zadoff-Chu sequence and an initial first difference between exponents of consecutive elements of the Zadoff-Chu sequence are determined. Finally the embodiment discloses determining exponents of the remaining elements in the Zadoff-Chu sequence from the initial first difference and the initial exponent in an iterative procedure that avoids multiplication operations.
US08705331B2 Optical element and objective lens through which a plurality of light beams having different design wavelengths pass
A method of designing an optical element to be used for an optical system in which each of a plurality of light beams having different design wavelengths passes through the optical element is provided. The method includes determining at least two types of optical path difference functions including first and second optical path difference functions in such a manner that proportion, brought by the first optical path difference function, between diffraction orders at which diffraction efficiencies of the plurality of light beams are maximized is different from proportion, brought by the second optical path difference function, between diffraction orders at which diffraction efficiencies of the plurality of light beams are maximized, and obtaining a shape defined by combining the at least two types of optical path difference functions so as to apply the obtained shape to at least one surface of surfaces of the optical element.
US08705328B2 Read signal evaluation method, information recording and reading method, and information recording and reading apparatus
A read signal evaluating means for ensuring compatibility in an optical phase multilevel recording and reading system is provided. In addition, a decoding means not large in circuit scale is provided. An optical phase is modulated based on user data, and phase information thus obtained is recorded in a recording medium. Then, the phase information recorded in the recording medium is optically read, and is converted into an electric signal. The signal is subjected to adaptive equalization and to partial response most-likely decoding. A shift in a time axis direction from a target wave of a predetermined pattern is detected from the read phase information and a statistical average is calculated. Meanwhile, a value of the phase read from the predetermined pattern is extracted from the read phase information and a statistical average is calculated.
US08705326B2 Copy protection method for optical storage device
A copy protection method includes the steps of providing an optical storage device having a substrate layer and a data structure layer coated on the substrate layer and containing a set of raw data codes; forming on the data structure layer at least one polarizing layer capable of causing a change in a light beam; and forming on the polarizing layer a scratch protection layer. The polarizing layer is located between the data structure layer and an optical reading device to influence a light beam irradiated thereon by the optical reading device, so that the set of raw data codes being optically accessed is conditionally converted into a different set of physical data codes. By providing the polarizing layer on the optical storage device to change the data codes that can be obtained by the optical reading device, it is able to stop illegal copying of the optical storage device.
US08705324B2 Trace-gimbal assembly with extension that prevents contact between solder joints
An apparatus has a slider body that includes an upper surface opposed to a media-facing surface. The slider body has an edge joined between the media-facing surface and the upper surface and facing a coupling region. The slider body includes a first bond pad on the edge and a laser submount coupled to the upper surface of the slider body. The laser submount has a second bond pad facing the coupling region. The apparatus includes a trace-gimbal assembly having first and second electrical traces facing the coupling region and electrically coupled to the respective first and second bond pad via first and second solder joints. An extension of the trace-gimbal assembly extends between the first and second solder joints preventing contact therebetween.
US08705321B2 Electronic timepiece and time adjustment method for an electronic timepiece
An electronic timepiece includes a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites and acquires time information and positioning information, a time zone information storage unit that stores region data dividing geographical information containing time difference information into a plurality of regions, and time difference information contained in each region, a time difference information acquisition unit that extracts the region containing the positioning information acquired by the reception unit from the region data, and acquires the time difference information contained in that region, and a time calculation unit that calculates the current time based on the time difference information acquired by the time difference information acquisition unit and the time information acquired by the reception unit. The region data stored in the time zone information storage unit including region data dividing the geographical information into a plurality of regions, and region data further dividing each region that contains a plurality of time difference values into a plurality of regions.
US08705318B2 Data aggregation for drilling operations
A method for aggregating data for a drilling operation. The method includes acquiring the data from a number of data sources associated with the drilling operation, synchronizing a timing of the data for aggregating the data to generate synchronized aggregated data, determining a drilling context based on the synchronized aggregated data, and assigning the determined drilling context to the synchronized aggregated data. The method further includes analyzing the synchronized aggregated data in the drilling context to generate an analysis and presenting the analysis to at least one user.
US08705313B2 DDR PSRAM and data writing and reading methods thereof
A double data rate pseudo SRAM (DDR PSRAM) is provided. The DDR PSRAM includes a data receiver, a memory and an address decoder. The data receiver receives a first single data rate data from a controller via a common bus according to a clock. The address decoder decodes the first single data rate data to obtain an address of the memory. The data receiver stores the double data rate data into the address of the memory. The DDR PSRAM also includes a data transmitter and a data strobe generating unit. The data transmitter obtains data stored in the address of the memory and provides a double data rate data to the controller according to the obtained data, and the data strobe generating unit a data strobe signal to the controller and toggling the data strobe signal in response to the double data rate data.
US08705311B2 Forming multiprocessor systems using dual processors
In one embodiment, link logic of a multi-chip processor (MCP) formed using multiple processors may interface with a first point-to-point (PtP) link coupled between the MCP and an off-package agent and another PtP link coupled between first and second processors of the MCP, where the on-package PtP link operates at a greater bandwidth than the first PtP link. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08705308B2 Circuit and method for generating clock signal
A circuit includes a comparator, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The comparator includes a first input node, a second input node, and an output node. The first circuit is configured to generate a temperature-dependent reference current at the second input node of the comparator. The second circuit is coupled with the second input node of the comparator. The second circuit is configured to increase a voltage level at the second input node of the comparator in response to the temperature-dependent reference current when a signal at the output node of the comparator indicates a first comparison result, and decrease the voltage level at the second input node of the comparator when the signal at the output node of the comparator indicates a second comparison result.
US08705306B2 Method for using a bit specific reference level to read a phase change memory
A voltage derived from accessing a selected bit using one read current may be utilized to read a selected bit of an untriggered phase change memory after the read current is changed. As a result, different reference voltages may be used to sense the state of more resistive versus a less resistive selected cells. The resulting read window or margin may be improved in some embodiments.
US08705305B2 Sense amplifier scheme for low voltage SRAM and register files
In at least one embodiment, a sense amplifier circuit includes a pair of bit lines, a sense amplifier output, a keeper circuit, and a noise threshold control circuit. The keeper circuit is coupled to the pair of bit lines and includes an NMOS transistor coupled between a power node and a corresponding one of the pair of bit lines. The keeper circuit is sized to supply sufficient current to compensate a leakage current of the corresponding bit line and configured to maintain a voltage level of the corresponding bit line. The noise threshold control circuit is connected to the sense amplifier output and the pair of bit lines. The noise threshold control circuit comprises a half-Schmitt trigger circuit or a Schmitt trigger circuit.
US08705296B2 Memory controller and control method
A memory controller includes: a first write circuit configured to write a first dummy pattern including a plurality of consecutive first dummy values at a first address of a memory; a second write circuit configured to write a first pattern including a plurality of types of consecutive values at a second address of the memory after a write operation of the first dummy pattern by the first write circuit; a third write circuit configured to write a second dummy pattern including a plurality of consecutive second dummy values at a third address of the memory after a write operation of the first pattern by the second write circuit; a read circuit configured to read the written first pattern based on the second address of the memory; and a timing adjustment circuit configured to adjust a timing at which data is written into the memory based on a read first pattern.
US08705293B2 Compact sense amplifier for non-volatile memory suitable for quick pass write
A compact and versatile sense amp is presented. Among its other features this sense amp arrangement provides a way to pre-charge bit lines while doing data scanning. Another feature is that the sense amp circuit can provide a way to set three different bit line levels used in the quick pass write (QPW) technique using dynamic latch, where quick pass write is a technique where cells along a given word line selected for programming can be enabled, inhibited, or partially inhibited for programming. Also, it can provide a convenient way to measure the cell current.
US08705284B2 Flash memory device and method of programming same
A flash memory device includes a memory cell array made up of memory cells arranged in rows and columns. A first page of data is programmed in selected memory cells of the memory cell array, and a second page of data is subsequently programmed in the selected memory cells. The first page of data is programmed using a program voltage having a first start value, and the second page of data is programmed using a program voltage having a second start value determined by a programming characteristic of the selected memory cells.
US08705279B2 Nonvolatile memory device and reading method thereof
In a method of reading a nonvolatile memory device, the method comprising, a reading operation of reading data of a selected memory cell; and a read retry operation of performing one or more read operations by changing a non-selection read voltage applied to non-selected memory cells until the read operation succeeds, when it is detected that an error has occurred in the operation of reading data.
US08705268B2 Quantifying the read and write margins of memory bit cells
Yield loss from peripheral circuit failure while screening memory arrays for aging effects is prevented by operating the peripheral circuitry at nominal operating voltages during the screening for aging effects. An integrated circuit including one or more memory bit cells, includes circuitry to change the voltage applied to the supply rails of bit cells and the voltage applied to the word-line drivers relative to each other in order to facilitate improved screening for read and write margins. In normal operation the supply rails for word-line drivers and bit cells are nominally the same. In a write margin test mode the voltage on the supply rail of word-line drivers is lower than the voltage on the supply rail of the bit cells. In a read margin test mode the voltage on the supply rail of word-line drivers is higher than the voltage on the supply rail of the bit cells.
US08705264B2 Method and apparatus for increasing yield
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) that is configured to have an increased yield. The IC includes a memory element configured to store a specific value determined based on a characteristic of the IC, and a controller configured to control an input regulator based on the specific value of the IC. The input regulator is operative to provide a regulated input to the IC during operation, such that the IC performance satisfies performance requirement.
US08705257B2 Switching module including a snubber circuit connected in parallel to a series-connected unit of flowing restriction elements
A switching module includes a series-connected unit of a first flowing restriction element and a second flowing restriction element, the first flowing restriction element having an opening and closing function of opening and closing a flowing path of current, and the second flowing restriction element having at least one of a rectifying function of restricting the direction in which current flows and the opening and closing function, and a snubber circuit connected to the series-connected unit in parallel. A first wiring line connecting between the first flowing restriction element and the snubber circuit, a second wiring line connecting between the second flowing restriction element and the snubber circuit, a third wiring line connecting between the first flowing restriction element and the second flowing restriction element, the first flowing restriction element, the second flowing restriction element, and the snubber circuit are formed substantially integrally with each other by using an insulator.
US08705251B2 Bidirectional DC/DC converter and power conditioner
A bidirectional DC/DC converter includes a bidirectional DC/AC conversion circuit including a push-pull circuit connected between voltage terminals and a winding and having a switching element and a switching element coupled to opposing ends of the winding respectively, and an up-conversion circuit coupled to the push-pull circuit and the voltage terminals, and the up-conversion circuit includes an inductor for allowing passage of a current through the winding, the switching element in an ON state and the switching element in an ON state owing to stored magnetic energy, and a switching element forming a current path going through the voltage terminal, the inductor and the voltage terminal but not through the switching element and the switching element as it is turned on.
US08705248B2 Multilayer printed circuit board
A multilayer printed circuit board, wherein, on a resin-insulating layer that houses a semiconductor element, another resin-insulating layer and a conductor circuit are formed with conductor circuits electrically connected through a via hole, wherein an electromagnetic shielding layer is formed on a resin-insulating layer surrounding a concave portion for housing a semiconductor element or on the inner wall surface of the concave portion, and the semiconductor element is embedded in the concave portion.
US08705246B2 Electronic part and connection structure of the electronic part
An electronic part includes an electronic part body, an electrode terminal that protrudes from the electronic part body, and that electrically connects the electronic part to an external electrode when a flexible conductor is joined to an electrode surface, and a holder made of an insulating material, and joined to the electronic part body. The holder is interposed between a mounting plate and the electronic part body when the electronic part is mounted to the mounting plate, and the holder is in contact with a surface of the electrode terminal opposite from the electrode surface.
US08705243B2 External storage device
Described are external storage devices including a substrate, a controller electrically coupled to the substrate, at least one memory die stack electrically coupled to the substrate, a plurality of connection fingers electrically coupled to the substrate, and a mounting bar electrically coupled to the substrate. The mounting bar may include a plurality of springs. In other examples, the external storage device may include a substrate, a controller electrically coupled to the substrate, at least one memory die stack electrically coupled to the substrate, a plurality of connection fingers electrically coupled to the substrate, and a contact bar electrically coupled to the substrate. The contact bar may include a plurality of extensions. One or more memory die stacks may be coupled to one or more surfaces of the substrate and may include a plurality of dies in each memory die stack.
US08705238B2 External storage device and method of manufacturing external storage device
A storage element is provided in a semiconductor chip, and an inductor and a driver circuit are provided in another semiconductor chip. An external terminal is a contact type terminal, and at least some external terminals are a power supply terminal and a ground terminal. A sealing resin layer is formed over a first surface of an interconnect substrate and seals the semiconductor chips but does not cover the external terminal. The inductor is formed at a surface of the semiconductor chip not facing the interconnect substrate.
US08705234B2 Answer bracelet
An answer bracelet suitable for wearing an a person's wrist. A rigid hollow housing having a transparent top cover is attached to a wrist band and houses a digital display, a microprocessor, a printed circuit board, a start switch, a tilt switch, a battery power supply and an audio emitting device. A digital display can be seen through the transparent top cover. When a user presses the start button and shakes the bracelet, the tilt switch sends a signal to the microprocessor whereupon the microprocessor causes the audio device to produce a short beep sound and then randomly selects one of a plurality of messages stored in the microprocessor and displays the message on the digital display for a predetermined period of time. Then the message disappears making the bracelet display ready for the next use. An alternate embodiment allows for an audio message to be heard as well as a visual message to be seen.
US08705229B2 Foldable electronic devices including a first and a second magnet
Foldable electronic devices including a first and a second magnet. An example foldable electronic device includes a base, a cover, a hinge pivotally connecting the base and the cover to fold the device into a closed position, a first magnet in the base, and a second magnet in the cover to repel the first magnet to separate the base and the cover when the device is resting in the closed position.
US08705226B2 Capacitor having a characterized electrode and method for manufacturing same
A capacitor includes a film previously provided on both sides or one side of a collector by anodizing or the like, further a conductive layer provided on the film, and a polarizable electrode layer as an electrode portion on the conductive layer. Thus, the capacitor suppresses the reaction between a driving electrolyte and the collector after a long time of use because the reactivity between the film previously provided on both sides or one side of the collector and the driving electrolyte is low. Furthermore, since the conductive layer is provided, it is possible to reduce an initial contact resistance on the surface of the collector, and to enhance an effect of suppressing performance deterioration by the film.
US08705211B2 Interleaved circuit of flexure for disk drive
An interleaved circuit has first branch conductors branching from a first conductor, second branch conductors branching from a second conductor, a metal base, an insulating layer of a dielectric, and a cover resin layer. The metal base comprises an opening. The first branch conductors and the second branch conductors are arranged alternately in a transverse direction of the insulating layer. A slit is formed in the insulating layer and the cover resin layer. The slit comprises a pair of opposite walls and an air gap between the opposite walls. Air introduced into the air gap forms an air layer. The slit extends longitudinally relative to the interleaved circuit along at least a part of the branch conductors.
US08705202B2 Reduce leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive
Embodiments of the present invention help to prevent leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive device and to perform low-density gas injection efficiently. In a hard disk drive (HDD) according to one embodiment of the present invention, an injection hole filter with a valve function is attached to a helium injection hole in order to inject helium gas in an enclosure. The injection hole filter has a valve member configured to operate in an open state or closed state. The open state is a state while the helium gas is being injected and the closed state is a state after the helium gas has been finished to be injected. The valve member is in the open state if the outside pressure is higher than the inside pressure and is in the closed state if the inside pressure is higher than the outside pressure.
US08705201B2 Information storage device with a damping insert sheet between a housing bay and a disk drive
A novel information storage device is disclosed and claimed. The information storage device includes a device housing with a generally rectangular bay to accommodate a disk drive. The generally rectangular bay includes a base portion and a plurality of side portions. The information storage device further includes a damping insert sheet disposed between the disk drive and the base portion. The damping insert sheet has a plurality of elastomeric cushions, for example with a cushion thickness in the range 0.5 mm to 10 mm, and a spanning sheet, for example having a sheet thickness in the range 0.02 mm to 0.35 mm. Each of the plurality of elastomeric cushions is attached to the spanning sheet. Each of the plurality of elastomeric cushions contacts and is compressed between the generally rectangular bay and the disk drive.
US08705199B2 Methods, systems and apparatus for reducing the effects of tape dimensional stability
A method, system, apparatus, and computer readable medium storing instructions for recording data tracks and a method and system for reading data tracks. For recording data tracks, virtual boundary of a first data track recorded on the storage medium is determined. The recording element is positioned based on the determined virtual boundary of the first track and a second data track is recorded by the positioned recording element. For reading data tracks, a first virtual boundary of a first data track and a second virtual boundary of the first data track are determined and a reading element is positioned at a center of the first data track based on the determined virtual boundaries. In the system of reading recorded data tracks, a number of forward reading elements and backward reading elements are provided. The forward reading elements have different pitches.
US08705194B2 Method and system for reading from or writing to multiple surfaces of a disk
A system includes a management module transferring sectors between an interface or a memory and ports. The management module transfers a first portion of a first sector to or from a first port while transferring to or from a second port a second portion of the first sector or a first portion of a second sector. A first channel module reads from or writes to a first surface of a disk via a first head by transferring the first portion of the first sector to or from a first amplifier module. A second channel module, while the first channel module transfers the first portion of the first sector to or from the first amplifier module, reads from or writes to a second surface of the disk via a second head by transferring to or from a second amplifier module the second portion or the first portion of the second sector.
US08705192B1 Enhanced quality-sorting scheduler
Aspects of the disclosure pertain to a read channel system and method for providing sector prioritization for promoting improved sector processing performance. The system and method, during processing of sectors of data, prioritize each of the sectors for further processing based upon: a global iteration index of each sector, trapping set characteristics of each sector and processing latency of each sector.
US08705191B1 Null servo demodulation for short servo wedge in disk storage systems
In a disk storage system, the disk may include a full null servo position error signal (“PES”) wedge, followed by a data wedge, and then a short null servo PES wedge. To improve the accuracy with which information read from the short null servo PES wedge can be used to help keep the read head centered over the information track being read, the short null servo PES wedge may include a calibration field. Information read from the calibration field can be used to compensate the subsequently read PES information in the short wedge for possible sampling phase error that may have accumulated since the full null servo PES wedge was read. This type of short null servo PES wedge also has other possible uses.
US08705186B2 Barrel driving system and backlash correction method thereof
The patent discloses a lens barrel driving system and a backlash correction method thereof. In such system, a zoom photo-interrupter (PI) is used to detect the movement of a zooming barrel and generate a first count value. The movement of a focusing barrel corresponds to the movement of the zooming barrel, so that when the zooming barrel is driven to move from an initial position to a first zooming position or from the first zoom position to a second zoom position, the focusing barrel moves correspondingly and its movement triggers a home PI to generate a second count value. Upon the generation of the second count value, a predetermined value is used to replace the first count value so as to correct the error caused by backlash of lens barrels.
US08705185B2 Optical element
An optical element has at least one additional element fitted thereon which dissipates the vibrational energy of the optical element by friction.
US08705183B2 Focusing and sensing apparatus, methods, and systems
Apparatus, methods, and systems provide focusing, focus-adjusting, and sensing. In some approaches the focus-adjusting includes providing an extended depth of focus greater than a nominal depth of focus. In some approaches the focus-adjusting includes focus-adjusting with a transformation medium, where the transformation medium may include an artificially-structured material such as a metamaterial.
US08705182B1 Photographing lens assembly
A photographing lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being convex at a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element has refractive power. The fourth lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface being concave at a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being convex at a paraxial region thereof. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power has an image-side surface being concave at a paraxial region thereof and being convex at a peripheral region thereof, wherein the fifth lens element is made of plastic material and has at least one surface being aspheric.
US08705181B2 Image capturing system
An image capturing system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element has positive refractive power. The fourth lens element with negative refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, wherein at least one of the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fourth lens element is aspheric. The fifth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface, wherein at least one of an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens element is aspheric, and the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point on the image-side surface thereof.
US08705165B2 Optical wavelength conversion element, wavelength conversion laser device, and image display device
An optical wavelength conversion element includes: a wavelength conversion waveguide that has a periodic polarization reversal structure having alternately and cyclically formed domains of which polarization directions are inverted, that guides light as a fundamental wave corresponding to the periodic polarization reversal structure, and performs a wavelength conversion of the guided fundamental wave; a first clad that is made of a dielectric having a refractive index lower than that of the wavelength conversion waveguide and is provided in contact with the domains; a second clad that is made of a dielectric having a refractive index lower than that of the wavelength conversion waveguide and is provided in contact with the domains such that the second clad is opposed to the first clad film; a first conducting unit that electrically connects the domains in parallel via the first clad; and a second conducting unit that electrically connects the domains in parallel via the second clad.
US08705160B2 Photochromic compounds
A photochromic compound is provided, which may be a pyran, an oxazine, or a fulgide. The photochromic compound has at least one substituent Q attached thereto, each Q independently being —N3, —CN, —COOR′, —CCR′, —C(R′)C(R′)R′, —OCOR′, —OCOOR′, —SR′, —OSO2R′″, and/or —CON(R′)R′, wherein each R′ is hydrogen, an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; an unsubstituted or substituted aryl group, an unsubstituted or substituted alkene or alkyne group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are halo or hydroxyl and R″′ is —CF3 or a perfluorinated alkyl group having from 2 to 18 carbon atoms. The number, locations and nature of the constituents Q are dependent upon the structure of the photochromic compound.
US08705158B2 Scanning optical device and image forming apparatus using the same
A scanning optical device wherein, on the basis of positional information concerning a spacing in a main-scan direction between imaging positions of a plurality of light beams passed through resin-made imaging optical elements and detected by a photodetecting device and a spacing between the imaging positions in a sub-scan direction of the plurality of light beams, a focal shift direction and a focal shift amount in the main-scan direction as well as a focal shift direction and a focal shift amount in the sub-scan direction are determined, and wherein an optical element of an input optical system is moved in an optical axis direction based on the determination, to correct the focal shift in the main-scan direction and the focal shift in the sub-scan direction.
US08705157B2 Optical scanning device
An optical scanning device is provided, which includes a casing including a supporting wall supporting a deflector, a first reflecting mirror supporting portion and a second reflecting mirror supporting portion that are opposed to each other across the deflector and extend from the supporting wall and a reinforcing wall configured to extend from the supporting wall, between the deflector and first and second light source units, so as to connect the first reflecting mirror supporting portion with the second reflecting mirror supporting portion, the reinforcing wall including a first through-hole configured such that a first laser beam emitted by the first light source unit toward the deflector and the second laser beam emitted by the second light source unit toward the deflector pass therethrough.
US08705156B2 Holographic direct view display having an apodization device
The invention relates to apodization in a holographic direct view display. Known apodization functions are utilized/modified for an apodization mask such that the functions reduce the intensities of selected higher magnitudes of diffractions. The holographic direct view display comprises a controllable light modulator having modulator cells and modulating impinging coherent light into a phase and/or amplitude, and an array of apodization masks. The apodization masks have the same apodization function for a predetermined group of modulator cells, by means of which function a complex amplitude transparency can be set for the modulator cells. This transparency corresponds to an individually predefined course of intensity in a far field of the light modulator, wherein the predefined course of intensity includes a reducing of the light intensity of higher magnitudes of diffractions, and/or of the interfering light emitted by the light modulator.
US08705142B2 Tint block image generation program, tint block image generation device, and tint block image generation method
A computer readable storage medium stores a tint block image generation program for generating tint block image data for forming, on a print medium, a tint block image including a latent image portion which is reproduced by copying, and a background portion of which copy output density drops. The program has a latent image portion generation step of generating data of a plurality of first dots in the latent image portion based on a dot clustered screen; and a background portion generation step of generating data of a plurality of second dots and data of a plurality of third dots dispersed among the second dots and having a size smaller than the second dots. And the first dots in the latent image portion and the second dots in the background portion are arranged at positions on common displacement vectors in an area of the tint block image.
US08705141B2 Method and system for efficiently printing simple data using a complex page data stream
A method and system for printing simple data utilizing a raster image processor in a computer system is disclosed. The raster image processor is configured for use with a complex data stream corresponding to at least one complex page description language. The method and system include embedding at least one control structure in the complex data stream. The control structure(s) are for informing the raster image processor of the simple data. The method and system also include converting the simple data into a printable format based on the at least one control structure and without using the complex page description language to convert a portion of the complex data stream corresponding to the simple data into the printable format. The method and system also include converting a remaining portion of the complex data stream into the printable format using the complex page description language.
US08705134B2 Method of processing an image to clarify text in the image
An image file representing at least a portion of a printed document is processed to highlight the differences between foreground material (e.g., text or other characters) from background. The method includes selecting a neighborhood of pixels, determining a weighted average of an attribute values (e.g., luminance) for each pixel, and modifying each pixel's value based on the weighted average. Graylevel scaling, error diffusion, and a bit level conversion are also performed each pixel ends up with either a first attribute value level (e.g., luminance of 0) or a second attribute value level (e.g., luminance of 255).
US08705132B2 Printing apparatus, data processing method for printing apparatus and storage medium
A printing apparatus and method for processing data in the printing apparatus includes estimating a printing time by adding an intermediate data generation time and a rendering time, determining whether the estimated printing time of each page keeps up with a timing at which an image needs to be formed on a conveyed sheet for each page. If it is determined that the estimated printing time does not keep up with the timing at which the image needs to be formed, further determining whether an idle time is present by comparing the intermediate data generation time and the rendering time. If it is discriminated that the idle time is present, the changing an optimization level for determining whether to perform processing on a particular object in the document image data during rendering, or to perform the processing during intermediate data generation.
US08705131B2 Bit mask generation system
A system for generating a set of bit masks arrays is provided (350-0 to 350-255) where the bit mask arrays (350-0 to 350-255) are such that clusters of entries of different types are spread across each array and entries of different types within the arrays are either part of a larger cluster of entries of that type or are immediately adjacent to a cluster of entries of that type. When a multi-level image (200) is converted to a half-tone image (300) utilizing the bit mask arrays (350-0 to 350-255) a half-tone image (300) which limits the occurrence of small isolated printed or unprinted areas is generated. The bit mask arrays (350-0 to 350-255) are therefore particularly suitable for use with laser printers (28,32) which have difficulty rendering half tone images which comprise small isolated printed and unprinted areas.
US08705130B2 Image formation device
An image formation device includes a printing portion containing a detachable fixer, a fixer identification portion which identifies a type of fixer mounted on the image formation device, a sensor which reads an image printed on a paper by the printing portion, a gamma correction data generating portion which generates gamma correction data by reading a gamma correction chart printed on a paper by the printing portion and stores the generated gamma correction data in a memory medium such that the gamma correction data is associated with a type of the fixer and a type of the paper that are used for printing the gamma correction chart, and printer gamma correction portion which performs printer gamma correction on an image data to be printed based on the gamma correction data stored in the memory medium corresponding to the paper type and the fixer type used for printing.
US08705120B2 Methods and systems for achieving print uniformity using reduced memory or computational requirements
Engine response curves (RCs) can be used for streak compensation for printed documents. A feedback control paradigm can be included to effect RC compensation. Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) can be used to represent each RC in the collection of spatial RC data as a linear combination of basis vectors. RCs are approximated by selecting the first few basis vectors, the approximation aiding in noise rejection and reducing computation in the controller by reducing dimensionality of the RC data from gray levels to the number of SVD bases selected. An optimal subset of RCs is selectable from the set of approximated RCs by clustering the SVD weights, the clustered SVD weights producing TRCs that span all engine response RCs generated by a printer. Compensation RCs are constructible using reduced number of bases and clustered SVD weights.
US08705119B2 Applications, systems and methods for identifying and monitoring critical colors in customer print jobs
Applications, systems and methods for identifying and monitoring critical colors in a print job and using an embedded color sensing device to measure critical color printed actually printed. The application permits the user to interact with a print job and to select of one or more critical colors from within the print job. In one embodiment, an application is configured to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) to facilitate the user in selecting critical colors. A printing system and method are disclosed for automatically monitoring critical colors in a print job and using an embedded color sensing device to measure critical color printed.
US08705112B2 Method and apparatus for controlling color registration sensors
A method and apparatus for controlling registration sensors are provided, in which a transfer unit transfers an electrostatic latent image onto a printing medium, at least one registration sensor senses image alignment errors by irradiating light to the transfer unit to sense reflected light, a sensor data storage unit stores characteristics data of the respective registration sensors, and a sensor control unit controls the registration sensors based on the characteristics data of the respective registration sensors, wherein the registration sensors are placed into the transfer unit. Accordingly, time for performing an algorithm of color registration can be reduced, and registration can be achieved correctly in a short time, irrespective of a set frame of the image forming apparatus.
US08705109B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming method for controlling object rendering order
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus and an image forming method by which image data are prepared for performing image processing at high speed and while saving memory. Vector data are generated from data scanned by a scanning unit. In this process, a printing direction is determined from a content input from an operating unit or information on an outputting device. If the printing direction and the scanning direction differ, control of an order of the data is performed to prepare a document after rotation.
US08705090B2 System and method for burstiness-aware scheduling and capacity assessment on a network of electronic devices
A system and method for establishing a burstiness metric is presented including at least one processor and a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the at least one processor, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions for performing the steps of: receiving information related to a plurality of tasks performed by a plurality of electronic devices based on input received from one or more users; analyzing the received information; employing an availability model to the information analyzed; and generating a schedule based on the information analyzed and the availability model by redistributing at least one task of the plurality of tasks between the plurality of electronic devices in accordance with electronic device availability and computational loads. Also, an assessment is made based on the information analyzed to determine a proportion of the plurality of tasks to be supported to achieve a required quality of service.
US08705079B2 Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus for converting image data to print data. The apparatus includes a reception unit for receiving printing data concerning a prescribed print setting in a prescribed unit. An input unit inputs the print setting applied to the received printing data. A conversion unit converts the print setting corresponding to the print setting input by the input unit, within the print setting designated in the prescribed unit of printing data received by the reception unit, into the print setting input by the input unit.
US08705072B2 Server system and control method thereof, and computer-readable medium
A server system comprises acquisition unit that acquires print data from a document management server based on information for acquiring the print data using received first authorization information without executing the authentication processing based on authentication information; transmission unit that issues second authorization information which permits an access to a cooperation server by executing authentication processing based on the authentication information transmitted from the printer management server, and transmits the second authorization information to the printer management server; and providing unit that provides, to the printer, the print data acquired by the acquisition unit or another print data generated based on the acquired print data without executing the authentication processing based on the authentication information in response to reception of a print data acquisition request from the printer which receives the second authorization information.
US08705064B2 Broadcast secure printing system
A secure printing method includes providing a user terminal with a user interface. The user terminal and interface enable a user to select a secure printing mode for printing a document. In the secure printing mode, a secure print job stored in the user terminal is released through execution of a secure release procedure. In this way, the document can be printed at a selected one of a plurality of designated printers. When a user selects the secure printing mode, page description language data for the secure print job is generated in a format, or multiple formats, compatible with the designated printers. The page description language data is stored at the user terminal and a request is communicated to each of the designated printers. The request identifies the secure print job, but the job itself is not transmitted with the request. When the predefined secure release procedure is executed, the secure print job is released to a selected printer.
US08705060B2 Display input device for adding and displaying a setting screen, display method for a display input device for adding and displaying a setting screen, and image forming apparatus
Provided is a display input device including: a display portion for displaying setting screens for setting items; a storage portion for storing: a program that is a combination of setting items and is invoked to cause the display portion to sequentially display the setting screen for each of the setting items selected and registered in advance; and data for additional display, which is used for determining whether or not to perform the additional display in which the setting screen is added to the program, and which setting screen is to be additionally displayed; an input portion for receiving an input made to invoke the registered program; and a processing portion for determining, when the registered program is invoked, an additional setting item, which is the setting item to be added, based on the data for additional display, and causing the display portion to additionally display the additional setting item.
US08705058B2 Print/copy control system including a processing unit with a display unit for displaying a listing of advice information for comparison
A print/copy control system including a processing unit which includes a first unit that receives a set of print/copy conditions selected by a user, a second unit that receives a standard set of print/copy conditions of an image forming device designated by the user, a third unit that receives other selectable sets of print/copy conditions of the image forming device, and a display unit that displays a listing of each of the standard set of print/copy conditions of the image forming device, the set of print/copy conditions selected by the user, and the other selectable sets of print/copy conditions of the image forming device for comparison.
US08705057B2 Image processing apparatus, method for displaying interface screen, and computer-readable storage medium for computer program
An image processing apparatus having a plurality of functions includes a scroll display portion that displays a row of markers and a slider for specifying one or more markers sequentially by moving along the row, an image display portion that displays functional images for representing functions corresponding to the markers specified by the slider, a setting portion that receives setting item details for a function specified by one of the functional images selected, and an extraction portion that extracts a function having the setting item details received by the setting portion different from an initial value. The image display portion displays a functional image for a longer time when the functional image represents the function extracted by the extraction portion than when the functional image does not represent the function extracted by the extraction portion.
US08705052B2 Communicating state data to a network service
An apparatus includes an interface builder, template engine, and an assembler. The template engine is operable to identify a reference template associated with an object selected from a first user interface. The assembler is operable to assemble a request from the identified reference template and state data corresponding to the reference template. The builder is operable to process a user interface description retrieved using the request to cause the display of a second user interface.
US08705044B2 Method of using a unidirectional crow gyroscope
A method for detecting rotation includes providing a plurality of resonant waveguides generally adjacent to one another and optically coupled to one another. Each resonant waveguide of the plurality of resonant waveguides is configured to allow light to propagate along the resonant waveguide in a planar path. The method further includes propagating light along each path in a clockwise direction or along each path in a counterclockwise direction.
US08705039B2 Surface plasmon resonance sensor using vertical illuminating focused-beam ellipsometer
Provided is a multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor using beam profile ellipsometry; and, more particularly, to a high sensitive measuring technology, which is coupled with a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer using a multi-incident angle measurement method, and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part deposited with a metal thin film. The multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor includes a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer, in which light is polarized; a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part which is provided at the objective lens part of the focused-beam ellipsometer so as to generate SPR according to an angle change of the polarized light; and a flow unit which supplies a buffer solution containing a bio material binding to or dissociation from the metal thin film generating surface plasmon, wherein the SPR and the ellipsometric phase change by change in an angle and a wavelength are simultaneously detected.
US08705037B2 Liquid densitometer
A liquid component concentration meter measures the concentration of a liquid in a liquid supply tube from outside the liquid supply tube. The concentration meter includes a liquid supply tube; a light transmission unit; a light emission unit for irradiating light to the light transmission unit; a light reception unit for receiving light passed through the light transmission unit; a support member that movably supports the light emission unit and the light reception unit such that a measurement position is moved along the light transmission unit; a measurement-position moving mechanism for moving the support member such that the measurement position is moved within a predetermined area in the light transmission unit; and a data processing unit for calculating the concentration of the liquid in the liquid supply tube based on intensities of light received by the light reception unit at different measurement positions.
US08705033B2 Multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor using beam profile ellipsometry
Provided is a multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor using beam profile ellipsometry; and, more particularly, to a high sensitive measuring technology, which is coupled with a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer using a multi-incident angle measurement method, and a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part deposited with a metal thin film. The multi-channel surface plasmon resonance sensor includes a vertical illumination type focused-beam ellipsometer in which light is polarized; a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing part which is provided at the objective lens part of the focused-beam ellipsometer; and a multi-channel flow unit which supplies a buffer solution containing a bio material binding to or dissociation from a metal thin film generating surface plasmon.
US08705023B2 Testing apparatus and method for testing light emitting diode lamp
Disclosed is an apparatus for testing an LED lamp which includes: a secured seat on which the LED lamp is seated; an up and down shifter which, when the LED lamp is seated on the secured seat, shifts from an initial position spaced upward from the LED lamp to a measurement position in which the up and down shifter contacts with a socket of the LED lamp, and which supplies electric power to the LED lamp when the up and down shifter is placed in the measurement position, and a sensor sensing that the up and down shifter is placed in the measurement position; and a quality determining means determining a quality of the LED lamp based on light emitted from the LED lamp, and comprising an illuminometer or a luminance meter.
US08705016B2 Device for optically scanning and measuring an environment
In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a color camera which takes colored pictures of the environment of the laser scanner, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object and links it with the colored pictures, the color camera being arranged on the optical axis of the receiver lens.
US08705004B2 Lithographic method and apparatus
A method is disclosed. A change in position of a substrate in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of propagation of a radiation beam that is, or is to be, projected on to that substrate is determined, which change in position would result in a lithographic error in the application of a pattern to that substrate using that radiation beam. The change in position of the substrate is used to control a property of the radiation beam when, or as, the radiation beam is projected onto the substrate in order to reduce the lithographic error.
US08705002B2 Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table to hold a substrate, a projection system to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate and a liquid confinement structure to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, to form a part of a boundary of the space. In addition, a closing plate forms a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both.
US08705001B2 Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
An immersion liquid is supplied to a space between a projection system and a substrate, and a patterned beam of radiation is projected through the liquid onto a target portion of the substrate using the projection system. A liquid retaining member is replaced with a table member that holds the substrate at an opposite position to the projection system while the liquid is maintained in contact with the projection system so as to transit from a first state to a second state, the first state in which the liquid is maintained between the projection system and the liquid retaining member, the second state in which the liquid is maintained between the projection system and the table member.
US08704999B2 Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
A lithographic apparatus is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate through a liquid confined in a space adjacent the substrate. The apparatus includes a structure substantially parallel to a surface of a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, to divide the space into two parts. The structure has an aperture to allow transmission of the pattern and a recess at the bottom side of the structure to extract a fluid from the space.
US08704997B2 Immersion lithographic apparatus and method for rinsing immersion space before exposure
There is provided an immersion type lithographic apparatus. The immersion type lithographic apparatus is provided with at least one immersion space and an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a liquid. The apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, and the apparatus is configured to move a substrate holder with respect to a projection system during the rinsing, such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing.
US08704995B2 Liquid crystal display device, panel and panel manufacture method thereof
The present invention provides a panel and panel manufacture method, including: completing thin film transistor array and common electrode on glass substrate, forming adjacent substrate pair, adjacent substrate pair including first substrate and second substrate connected by adjacent line, common electrodes on first substrate and second substrate symmetrically distributed with respect to adjacent line; coating a first seal on peripheral area of adjacent substrate pair, coating a second seal along adjacent sides of first substrate and second substrate, second seal and first seal being partially overlapping, at least one of first seal and second seal including conductive particles; boxing adjacent substrate pair and filter substrate pair so that conductive particles conducting common electrodes of adjacent substrate pair and filter substrate pair; cutting adjacent substrate pair and filter substrate pair along adjacent lines to form panel. The present invention also provides a liquid crystal display panel.
US08704988B2 In-plane field type liquid crystal display device comprising liquid crystal molecules with more than two kinds of reorientation directions
A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a pixel electrode and a counter electrode, an insulation film, and a first orientation film formed over the pixel electrode and the counter electrode on the first substrate, the first orientation film being responsive to a radiated polarized light to obtain an initial orientation direction. A second substrate is opposed to the first substrate, a second orientation film is formed over the second substrate, and a liquid crystal is sealed between the first and second substrates. The first and second orientation films are made of polyimide, the liquid crystal has negative dielectric anisotropy, and the liquid crystal display device is normally in a black mode. An angle formed between the electric field and the initial orientation direction of the first orientation film is in a range of greater than 0° to 45°.
US08704983B2 LCD panel, LCD device, and manufacturing method thereof
The invention discloses an LCD panel, an LCD device, and a manufacturing method thereof. The LCD panel comprises substrate(s); the substrate is provided with an oriented film and a frame adhesive, and the frame adhesive is formed on the periphery of the oriented film; the oriented film comprises an ordinary oriented film covering the effective display area and a porous oriented film arranged around the edge of the ordinary oriented film for adsorbing the impurities in the frame adhesive area. The oriented film in the LCD panel of the invention comprises a porous oriented film; the porous oriented film can absorb the foreign particles produced by the frame adhesive to prevent the impurities in the frame adhesive area from permeating into the effective display area, can effectively prevent the impurities produced by the frame adhesive from permeating into the effective display area to become liquid crystal pollutants, and can avoid pixel to produce stains or non-uniform display.
US08704980B2 Blue phase liquid crystal display panel and liquid crystal display
A display panel comprises a first and a second substrates and a BP liquid crystal layer. A first electrode is provided on the first substrate, a second electrode is provided on the second substrate, and reflection portions each having a first and a second reflection surfaces are provided between the first and second substrates. When light is transmitted to the panel, the light is reflected on the first reflection surface of the reflection portion and the light after the first reflection is transmitted to an adjacent reflection portion through the liquid crystal layer and is reflected on the second reflection surface of the adjacent reflection portion. When different voltages are applied, the liquid crystal layer will shift the phase position of the light passing therethrough, while when there is no voltage, the liquid crystal layer will not shift the phase position of the light passing therethrough.
US08704979B2 Optical filter for reducing color shift in a display device and method of manufacturing the same
An optical filter for reducing color shift in a display device includes a background layer made of a light-transmitting material and a light-diffusing pattern formed over the background layer to diffuse light. The light-diffusing pattern is a thin film coating applied along the cross section of the background layer in the depth direction thereof. The light-diffusing pattern is a self-assembled thin film in which the light-diffusing particles are self-assembled. A method of manufacturing the optical filter includes forming a concave-convex pattern layer made of a first light-transmitting material and having a concave-convex pattern, and forming the light-diffusing pattern along the sidewall surface of the concave section of the concave-convex pattern. After the light-diffusing pattern is formed, the concave section is filled with a second light-transmitting material, and the light-diffusing particles are removed from the upper surface of the convex section.
US08704978B2 LCD panel and fabricating method thereof
A LCD panel includes a gate driver, an active-matrix array and a switching circuit. The gate driver is disposed on a thin film transistor substrate, and includes a shift register, wherein the shift register has plural output terminals for successively outputting plural gate driving signals. The active-matrix array is disposed on the thin film transistor substrate, and includes plural gate lines, wherein the gate lines are connected with the output terminals of the shift register. The switching circuit is disposed on the thin film transistor substrate, and includes plural switching units, wherein each of the switching units has a first terminal electrically connected with one of the output terminals of the shift register, a control terminal electrically connected with a first input pad, and a second terminal electrically connected with a second input pad.
US08704974B2 Backlight assembly comprising a light-sourcing unit fixing frame with a lateral extension portion and a fixing protrusion which interlocks the light-sourcing unit fixing frame to a housing
A backlight assembly of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is provided with improved heat dissipation capabilities. The improved dissipation capabilities come from one or more light-sourcing unit fixing frames that have extensions which protrude to outside a housing that houses light sourcing units of the LCD. The light-sourcing unit fixing frames mechanically interlock with the housing.
US08704969B2 Display device having liquid crystal display cover
A display device includes a main display unit and a liquid crystal display cover coupled with the main display unit. The liquid crystal display cover is movable between open and closed positions with respect to the main display unit. The liquid crystal display cover includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate, and a liquid crystal layer. The lower substrate includes a plurality of first pixels thereon. The upper substrate faces the lower substrate and has a first common electrode thereon. The liquid crystal layer is between the lower substrate and the upper substrate.
US08704968B2 Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display (LCD) includes an outer cover, a backlight module, a liquid crystal panel, and a bezel. The backlight module includes a reflection sheet, a light guide plate (LGP), an edge reflector, and a light source. The reflection sheet is disposed on the outer cover and faces the outer cover. There is an interval between the outer cover and the reflection sheet. The LGP is stacked on the reflection sheet and the edge reflector is disposed on the outer cover, wherein a containing space is defined by the outer cover and the edge reflector. The light source is disposed in the containing space. The liquid crystal panel is stacked on the LGP. The bezel is assembled to the outer cover. The outer cover and the bezel enclose the backlight module and the liquid crystal panel and the bezel exposes the liquid crystal panel.
US08704967B2 Display device
A display device includes a substrate, a display region having a pixel switch, and a transparent common electrode, a peripheral region having a gate signal line connected to the pixel switch, and a predetermined connection line, an insulating layer disposed on the gate signal line and the predetermined connection line, a conductive layer, a first semiconductor film disposed between the insulating layer and the conductive layer, and a second semiconductor film disposed between the insulating layer and the conductor layer and separated from the first semiconductor film. The conductor layer is connected to the gate signal line via a pair of diodes. The gate signal line is arranged in the display region and the peripheral region, the predetermined connection line is arranged in the peripheral region, and the transparent common electrode is arranged in the display region. The predetermined connection line is shorter in length than the gate signal line.
US08704963B2 Thin film transistor array wherein both an auxiliary electrode and a storage electrode are shaped as an octagonal ring
A thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate includes a TFT including a drain electrode having an end configured as an auxiliary electrode, a protection layer covering the thin film transistor, a storage electrode forming on the protection layer and opposite to the auxiliary electrode, a passivation layer covering the storage electrode, and a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer. The pixel electrode is electrically coupled to the auxiliary electrode via a hole passing through the passivation layer and the protection layer. A method of manufacturing the TFT array substrate and an associated liquid crystal display are also provided.
US08704959B2 Remote control device and method employing random addressing
A remote control device is presented which includes a user interface, control logic, a memory and a transmitter. The user interface is configured to accept an input from a user. The control logic is configured to generate a random number as an address for the remote control device, and to generate a command for an electronic device based on the input from the user. The command comprises the address. The memory is configured to store the address for the remote control device. The transmitter is configured to transmit the command to the electronic device.
US08704944B1 Handheld modular digital photography system
A handheld modular digital photography system is provided. A lens assembly includes a plurality of lens elements aligned on an optical axis to form an optical image on a plane of a digital image sensor. Both the lens elements and image sensor are fixedly mounted within a lens barrel. The image sensor is electrically-interfaced to a controller with a wireless transceiver. A modular chassis includes a structural frame, lens mount, and shutter control. The structural frame includes a cradle shaped to securely hold a handheld mobile device and an electrical coupler configured to electronically interface with the mobile device. The lens mount is on an outer surface of the modular chassis. The shutter control is provided to electrically signal the mobile device. The mobile device wirelessly sends the signal to the controller, which triggers image capture by the image sensor and wireless relay of the captured image to the mobile device.
US08704939B1 Mobile device and method for controlling the same
A portable device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, which senses an image including a pattern code. The mobile device includes a camera unit configured to sense an image; a display unit configured to display the image; a sensor unit configured to detect an input signal and transmit the detected input signal to a processor; and the processor configured to control the display unit, the camera unit and the sensor unit, wherein the processor further configured to: provide an image capturing interface, wherein the image capturing interface displays the image sensed by the camera unit and an image capturing trigger for storing the image, simultaneously display a pattern code trigger for storing information of a pattern code in the image capturing interface only when the pattern code is recognized from the image.
US08704936B2 Image forming optical system, image pickup apparatus using the same, and information processing apparatus
An image forming optical system of four lenses includes in order from an object side, a first lens having a positive refractive power, which is a biconvex lens, a second lens having a negative refractive power, of which, an image-side surface is a concave surface, a third lens having a positive refractive power, which is meniscus-shaped with a concave surface directed toward the object side, a fourth lens having a negative refractive power, of which, an image-side surface is a concave surface, and an aperture stop which is disposed nearest to the object side. The image forming optical system satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
US08704907B2 Camera body and camera system with interchangeable lens for performing image data correction
A camera body to which an interchangeable lens is mountable, includes an imaging unit operable to generate image data by capturing an object image, an acquisition unit operable to acquire optical data of the interchangeable lens from the interchangeable lens, a correction unit operable to correct the image data generated by the imaging unit based on the optical data acquired by the acquisition unit, and a display unit operable to display an image based on the image data. After the camera body is turned on, the display unit does not display the image based on the image data generated by the imaging unit, until the correction unit completes correction of the image data generated by the imaging unit.
US08704902B2 Using a display associated with an imaging device to provide instructions to the subjects being recorded
A method, computer program product, and system are provided for displaying an image device subject command on an imaging device. The imaging device receives an image device subject command from a user. The image device subject command instructs an action to be performed by a subject being recorded by the imaging device. The imaging device identifies a visual representation that correlates to the image device subject command. The imaging device displays the visual representation of the subject command on a display associated with the imaging device. The visual representation directs the subject being recorded to perform the action.
US08704898B2 A/D converter, solid-state imaging device and camera system
An A/D converter includes: plural comparators to which reference voltages as ramp waves different from each other are supplied, which are configured to compare the supplied reference voltages with an analog input signal; and plural latches arranged so as to correspond to the plural comparators, which are configured to count comparison time of the corresponding comparators, to stop counting when an outputs of the comparator is inverted and to store the count value, wherein the plural reference voltages are offset by an arbitrary voltage at the same time point.
US08704895B2 Fast calibration of displays using spectral-based colorimetrically calibrated multicolor camera
Described are a system and method to calibrate displays using a spectral-based colorimetrically calibrated multicolor camera. Particularly, discussed are systems and methods for displaying a multicolor calibration pattern image on a display unit, capturing the multicolor calibration pattern image with a multicolor camera having a plurality of image sensors, with each image sensor configured to capture a predetermined color of light, comparing a set of reference absolute XYZ coordinates of a set of colors from the multicolor calibration pattern with a set of measured XYZ color coordinates captured using the colorimetrically calibrated camera, and calibrating the display unit based on the comparison between the reference coordinates and the measured coordinates.
US08704894B2 Display device, television receiver, and method for starting up display device
Disclosed is a display device provided with a circuit board applicable to various models, wherein the operations of a system microcomputer on the circuit board can be switched without using a physical connector. The display device is provided with: a main board applicable to various models; and a TV microcomputer, which is provided on the main board and stores the set value data of each of the models. The main board is provided with: an external memory I/F which has external memory said external memory storing the model identifying information of the display device stored. The TV microcomputer specifies the set value data of the display device on the basis of the model identifying information of the display device, said model identifying information having been read out from the external memory, and the TV microcomputer switches the operation on the basis of the specified set value data.
US08704893B2 Ambient presentation of surveillance data
A system and method for presentation of surveillance data includes a first environment including one or more sensors configured to monitor the first environment wherein data is collected by the one or more sensors. A second environment includes one or more information presentation devices configured to convey an event or state occurring in the first environment by altering an ambient sensory condition in the second environment, such that the ambient sensory condition is modified in accordance with a type and/or level of the event or state.
US08704890B2 Inspection apparatus and measuring method
An inspection apparatus includes: an insertion portion which is inserted into a device under inspection; a projection unit which projects a striped pattern including a plurality of linear patterns onto an object; an imaging unit which is provided in the insertion portion and images the object onto which the striped pattern is projected and generates image data; a specification unit which specifies an area of interest of the object in an image based on a position of the striped pattern in the image based on the image data; and a measurement unit which measures the area of the object using the image data.
US08704888B2 Imaging device and image analysis method
An imaging device includes a separability calculating portion for calculating a separability of a frame image by filtering the frame image containing a ball image elliptically deformed using an ellipse separability filter having an inside region and an outside region located outside of the inside region, an estimating portion for estimating a set of a center position, major axis, minor axis and inclination angle of the inside region, the set resulting in a maximum separability by changing the center position, major axis, minor axis and inclination angle of the inside region, as a set of a center position, major axis, minor axis and inclination angle of the ball image, and a speed calculating portion for calculating a speed of the ball based on a difference between the center positions of the ball images estimated by the estimating portion, a number of frames between the frame images and a frame rate.
US08704885B2 Electronic endoscope signal-processing device and electronic endoscope system
An electronic endoscope signal-processing device is provided that includes a gradation compensation processor. The gradation compensation processor compensates for R, G and B gradations by controlling R, G and B tone curves defining relationship between input values and output values of each of the R, G and B signals. The R tone curve is shaped so as to squash the output values of the R signal when the R signal input values are in a relatively low range and to expand the output values when the input values are in a relatively high range. The G and B tone curves are shaped so squash the output value of the respective signals when the input signals are in high or low ranges, and the G tone curve and the B tone curve are identical.
US08704884B2 Autostereoscopic display device
A switchable autostereoscopic display device comprising: a display panel having an array of display pixels for producing a display, the display pixels being arranged in rows and columns; an array of lens elements arranged over the display panel for directing the light output of the display pixels so as to provide a stereoscopic image, the lens elements comprising an electro-optic material whose refractive index is switchable by selective application of an electric field between a first value that maintains the light output directing function and a second value that removes the light output directing function; and electrode arrangements provided above and below the lens elements for applying the electric field across the lens elements. At least one of the electrode arrangements comprises first and second electrode layers separated by a dielectric layer, and each electrode layer comprises a plurality of parallel elongate electrodes separated by gaps. The electrodes of each electrode layer are aligned with the gaps of the other electrode layer. In this way, the effect of the gaps on the electric field in the lens elements is reduced.
US08704880B2 Optical measuring apparatus and method of stereoscopic display device
An optical measuring apparatus and method for a stereoscopic display device are capable of measuring optical characteristics of the stereoscopic display device. The optical measuring apparatus includes a test image supplier for generating a 3D test signal, a 3D display for displaying left-eye image and/or right-eye image based on the 3D test signal supplied from the test image supplier, an image selection member for selectively transmitting the left-eye image and right-eye image to be displayed on the 3D display, and a light measuring device that measures luminance of the image transmitted via the image selection member and calculates 3D image crosstalk of the left eye image and the right eye image based on the measured luminance.
US08704877B2 Systems and methods for presenting three-dimensional content using apertures
Systems and methods are presented for presenting three-dimensional video content to one or more viewers. In an exemplary embodiment, a system comprises a display comprising a plurality of pixels, an opaque material interposed in a line-of-sight between the display and the viewer, and a processor coupled to the display. The opaque material comprises a plurality of apertures formed therein. The processor and the display are cooperatively configured to display right channel content on a first subset of the plurality of pixels that are viewable by a right eye of the viewer through the apertures and display left channel content on a second subset of the plurality of pixels that are viewable by a left eye of the viewer through the apertures.
US08704873B2 Receiving stream data which may be used to implement both two-dimensional display and three-dimensional display
There is provided a stream receiving device including an information receiving unit for receiving stream control information for a 3D stream to be distributed from an exterior over a network, the stream control information being described using metadata, a stream securing unit for executing a process related to securing of the 3D stream to be distributed using the stream control information received by the information receiving unit before the 3D stream is distributed, and reserving the stream, and a stream receiving unit for receiving the 3D stream distributed over the network based on the result of reservation in the stream securing unit.
US08704868B2 Video conferencing system, video conferencing apparatus, video conferencing control method, and video conferencing control program
To provide a video conferencing system that a user can continue to use even when the user leaves for a different location. The video conferencing system includes: a takeover information generation unit which generates takeover information including configuration information on a screen layout used in a video conference held between a first video conferencing apparatus and a second video conferencing apparatus; a sending unit which sends the takeover information; a receiving unit which receives the takeover information; and a takeover setting unit which sets a screen layout of the third video conferencing apparatus using the takeover information received by the receiving unit, so that the third video conferencing apparatus takes over the screen layout and has the video conference with the second video conferencing apparatus after participation of the third video conferencing apparatus in the video conference is approved.
US08704867B2 Method and system for optimal balance and spatial consistency
A method for assigning video signals includes receiving a plurality of video signals from a plurality of cameras located at one or more remote sites, the plurality of video signals for display on a plurality of monitors at a local site. The method includes determining an optimal monitor for displaying a first video signal associated with a first camera based on the location and alignment of the first camera in relation to one or more of the plurality of cameras. The method includes calculating a respective difference between a number of video signals assigned to the optimal monitor and a respective number of video signals assigned to each respective monitor of the plurality of monitors. The method further includes assigning the first video signal to the optimal monitor if the respective difference is not greater than a threshold value with respect to each of the plurality of monitors.
US08704866B2 VoIP interface using a wireless home entertainment hub
A method of presenting program content to a user moving in a multiple zone home entertainment system using a wireless home entertainment hub comprises causing program content to be presented to a user using a first set of sink devices in a first zone, where each sink device of the first set of sink devices is registered with the wireless home entertainment hub. An indication that the user is in a second zone of the home entertainment system is received. The program content is caused to be presented to the user using a second set of sink devices in the second zone, where each sink device of the second set of sink devices is registered with the wireless home entertainment hub.
US08704864B2 System for managing video voicemail
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller adapted to establish communications with a voicemail system over a Public Switched Telephone Network port of the communication device, receive from the voicemail system by way of a broadband port of the communication device an invitation to switch to a video call over the broadband port, transmit a Session Initiation Protocol message to establish video communications with the voicemail system, and transmit to the voicemail system a video message to be recorded by the voicemail system as a video voicemail message. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08704863B2 Transitioning between circuit switched calls and video calls
Transitioning between an audio only circuit switched call and a video call. A client device, which is currently connected to one or more other client devices through an established audio only circuit switched call, receives input from a user to transition from the audio only circuit switched call to the video call. A video call invitation message is transmitted to the other client devices. The client device receives a video call accept message from the other client devices and begins transmitting video captured by its front facing camera to the other client devices. Responsive to receiving at least a video frame from each of the one or more other client devices, the client device transitions from the audio only circuit switched call to the video call. After transitioning to the video call, the circuit switched call is dropped.
US08704853B2 Modifying graphical paths
A computing device includes a memory configured to store images and associated timing data. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute instructions to perform a method that includes producing a graphical path on a digital map that represents positions associated with the images. The positions are estimated from the timing data associated with the images. The method also includes modifying the graphical path based upon data that represents user provided adjustments to the estimated positions of the images. The method also includes presenting the modified path.
US08704850B2 Two-dimensional object packing
Various embodiments enable visual elements or objects, such as two-dimensional raster images, to be packed into a bounding region, such as a rectangular bounding region, in a manner that reduces wasted space. In at least some embodiments, a two-dimensional object packing component attempts to fit individual objects into the bounding region. The two-dimensional object packing component utilizes a span list to keep track of available space by tracking spans within the bounding region. Spans can occur laterally-adjacent placed objects and/or adjacent a placed object's bottom edge. In one or more embodiments, the span list is sorted left-to-right, top-to-bottom.
US08704847B2 Pre-subpixel rendered image processing in display systems
Display systems and image processing methods process pre-subpixel rendered images embedded in input color image data. The display systems include a pre-subpixel rendered (P-SPR) image detector that detects locations of a marking code that marks the portion of the input data that has been pre-subpixel rendered and which is ready for direct display. Several display system embodiments comprise first and second image data paths; the input data that requires subpixel rendering proceeds along the first path while the P-SPR image data proceeds along the second path. Another display system embodiment processes the combined input and P-SPR data along a single data path. Techniques for marking and detecting P-SPR image data using two distinct marking codes are presented in the context of the subpixel layout of the display. Techniques for using P-SPR data to display high-quality graphical symbols (e.g., font glyphs) are suitable for small, low-cost display devices.
US08704846B2 Information processing device and method, program, and information processing system
An information processing device, configured to perform color gamut conversion for compressing or enlarging the color gamut of image data, includes: a selecting unit configured to select a plurality of coordinate movement directions to be synthesized for determining the coordinate movement destination of a pixel to be processed during the color gamut conversion; a coordinate moving unit configured to move the coordinates of the pixel to be processed in each of the selected plurality of directions; and a synthesizing unit configured to synthesize coordinate movement in the selected plurality of directions.
US08704843B2 Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention, comprises: a motion detection unit that detects a motion vector from an input image; a determination unit that determines whether an image is moving in each pixel in use of the detected motion vector, and determines whether a motion pixel, about which determination has been made that the image is moving therein, exists in a predetermined range from a still pixel about which determination has been made that the image is not moving therein; and a correction unit that performs correction processing to decrease at least one of high frequency components, contrast, and luminance for the still pixel about which determination has been made that a motion pixel exists in the predetermined range.
US08704837B2 High-level program interface for graphics operations
Disclosed is a system for producing images including an application program interface. The system includes an API and techniques for creating images by defining relationships between filters and images, such relationships programmatically assembled in an object by a cooperative session between a requesting application and a graphics services resource. The system also includes aspects regarding optimization of the programmatically assembled object and techniques for rendering in multi-processor environment.
US08704815B2 Display device capable of switching gate high voltage
A display device including a first voltage generator, a second voltage generator, a timing controller, a level shifter and a display panel is provided. The first voltage generator is configured to generate a gate high voltage. During a first period, the gate high voltage is a first voltage. After the first period, the gate high voltage is a second voltage. The first voltage is higher than the second voltage. The second voltage generator is configured to generate a gate low voltage. According to the gate high voltage and the gate low voltage, the level shifter shifts the voltage levels of the start signal, the clock signal and the inverse signal produced by the timing controller for driving a plurality of shift registers disposed on a substrate of the display panel. The shift registers is configured to output scanning signals in sequence.
US08704814B2 Driving device of flat panel display and driving method thereof
A driving device and a driving method of a flat panel display are provided. The driving device includes a driving circuit, an output buffer and a buffer control module. The driving circuit outputs a pixel data during a valid data period, and an input terminal of the output buffer receives the output of the driving circuit. The buffer control module turns off the output buffer during a blanking data period, and turns on the output buffer during the valid data period in order to reduce power consumption of the output buffer, and maintain an image quality of the flat panel display.
US08704799B2 Touch screen sensor having varying sheet resistance
A touch screen sensor includes a visible light transparent substrate and an electrically conductive micropattern disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate. The micropattern includes a first region micropattern within a touch sensing area and a second region micropattern. The first region micropattern has a first sheet resistance value in a first direction, is visible light transparent, and has at least 90% open area. The second region micropattern has a second sheet resistance value in the first direction. The first sheet resistance value is different from the second sheet resistance value.
US08704797B2 Capacitive touch pad configured for proximity detection
The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a touch pad, comprising an object locate mode for locating an object on the touch pad comprising steps of: determining a measurement of capacitance of each of the pairs of electrodes of the touch pad, each pair comprising a row electrode and a column electrode transverse to the row electrode, comparing each measurement with a first detection threshold, and if the comparison of at least one measurement with the first threshold reveals the presence of an object on the touch pad, locating the object on the touch pad according to the capacitance measurements, the method comprising a proximity detection mode comprising steps of: determining a measurement representative of the capacitance between one or two electrodes and one or two other electrodes of the touch pad, and comparing a measurement obtained with a second detection threshold different from the first threshold.
US08704793B1 System controlled responsive to data bearing records for permitting access
An apparatus allows entry of an individual into an area. An access structure (14) controls entry to and exit from a facility. The condition of at least one lock (26, 30, 48, 52) associated with the structure is changed responsive to correspondence of user data and stored data. An operator terminal (12) provides through a display (72), visible outputs associated with the structure. The operator terminal is usable to control functional aspects of the structure. The operator terminal is also usable to receive indications of conditions associated with components that control entry to and exit from the structure.
US08704791B2 Augmented I/O for limited form factor user-interfaces
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can enhance and/or simplify tactile-based I/O transactions in connection with a user-interface (UI) of limited form factor. In particular, the architecture can monitor a position of a selector object such as an operator's finger relative to a UI display as the selector object hovers or moves above the UI display. Based upon this position, an analogous coordinate in the UI display can be determined, and a portion of the UI display substantially centered at the coordinate can be modified. As one example, the UI display can be modified to increase the magnification scale (e.g., a virtual magnifying glass) of the portion of the display indicated by the selector object.
US08704773B2 Input method and input apparatus
There are provided with a detection sensor 110 for detecting an approach and a contact of a living body or a material body in a predetermined detection region, a control means which outputs a drive signal in a case when an approach is detected by a detection sensor and which performs an input process for accepting an input of a predetermined function in a case when a contact is detected on a predetermined condition, and an actuator 120 being vibrated temporarily by the drive signal outputted by the control means. By doing like this, in a case when, for example, a finger, a pen or the like is approached to the detection region of the sensor while the equipment is held in a hand, the equipment vibrates temporarily by detecting the approach in the sensor 110 and the vibration transmits to the hand holding the equipment such that it becomes possible to comprehend that an input will be carried out by touching the position.
US08704772B2 Writing pad with synchronized background audio and video and handwriting recognition
A stand alone low cost writing pad includes a rechargeable battery, a low capacity memory, a low power processor, a first pair of connectors and supports audio, video and digital ink capturing functionalities. The writing may be detached from and re-attached to a stand alone base unit using the first pair of connectors. The base unit includes another rechargeable battery, high capacity memory, high power processor and a second pair of connectors. First data bus of the writing pad and second data bus of the base unit respectively run into the first pair of connectors and the second pair of connectors thereby ensuring that a communication pathway is set up between the writing pad and base unit when the writing pad is attached to the base unit. The base unit receives the captured audio and digital ink from the writing pad via the communication pathway and the high power processor runs voice recognition and optical character recognition software on received data to generate a second data. The second data is displayed on the writing pad and/or stored in the high capacity memory for future use.
US08704770B2 Ambidextrous mouse
An ambidextrous mouse is disclosed. The ambidextrous mouse is configured for both left and right handed use. The mouse may include right handed buttons on the front side of the mouse and left handed buttons on the back side of the mouse. The user may change the handedness of the mouse by rotating the mouse about a vertical axis of the mouse such that the left hand can use the left hand buttons and the right hand can use the right hand buttons. The mouse may include a handedness selection system for configuring the mouse for right handed or left handed use even though the mouse has the capability for both right and left hands.
US08704768B2 Image processing apparatus and method
An image processing apparatus provided with a display unit for displaying an operation picture, showing control indicia (e.g., icons) corresponding to multiple image processing functions, is operated to display the operation picture on an external display device. The operator selects one of the indicia shown on the external display device by operating an input device, such as touch screen of the apparatus or a remote control, to indicate the position of the desired one of the indicia. The operator can thereby quickly and reliably select an image processing function to be executed, without any need to view an operation picture on the display unit when making the selection.
US08704766B1 Apparatusses and methods to supress unintended motion of a pointing device
Methods for processing information transmitted from a pointing device with at least one button towards a graphical interface operating according to received display motion coordinates and notifications are provided. A method includes intercepting sensed motion coordinates and the button status transmitted from the pointing device. The method further includes determining the display motion coordinates and the notifications based on an evolution of the sensed coordinates and an evolution of the button status, to remove an unintentional motion included in the sensed motion coordinates. The method then includes outputting the display motion coordinates and the notifications towards the graphical interface.
US08704764B2 Correcting client device inputs to a virtual machine
A device receives, from a virtual machine, graphical information and information relating to a remote mouse cursor, and displays the graphical information and the remote mouse cursor. The device constrains boundaries associated with a local mouse cursor generated by the device, and prevents the local mouse cursor from being displayed by the device, and. The device further receives input information associated with the remote mouse cursor, corrects a magnitude associated with the input information, and provides the corrected input information to the virtual machine.
US08704763B2 Image contrast enhancement in depth sensor
Embodiments related to the enhancement of contrast in an image pattern in a structured light depth sensor are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides, in a structured light depth sensor system comprising a structured light depth sensor, a method comprising projecting a light pattern onto an object, detecting via an image sensor an image of the light pattern as reflected from the object, increasing a contrast of the light pattern relative to ambient light present in the image of the light pattern as reflected from the object to form a contrast-enhanced image of the light pattern as reflected from the object, and based upon a motion of the object as detected via the contrast-enhanced image of the light pattern, controlling an application that is providing output to a display.
US08704762B2 Display device
A display device includes a coordinate input device including a transparent substrate having a first signal interconnect disposed in a region outside a detection region corresponding to a contact position, a first electrode terminal, a flexible interconnect substrate connected to the first electrode terminal, and a display panel for image display based on a video signal from an external system. The coordinate inputting device has a second signal interconnect disposed outside the first signal interconnect but near the peripheral edge of the transparent substrate, the second signal interconnect surrounding the area where the detection region is included and the first signal interconnect is formed, the second signal interconnect being opened at opposite ends thereof and being connected to respective electrode terminals for inspection at the open ends, and the second signal interconnect is disposed along the peripheral edge portion of three sides of the transparent substrate.
US08704754B2 Electrophoretic driving method and display device
A driving device of a display medium that including first and second particle groups migrating independently due to a first voltage being imparted for a first time period, forming aggregates due to the first voltage being imparted for a second time period, and the aggregates migrating due to a second voltage being imparted. The driving device includes a voltage imparting section that: imparts a third voltage that moves, to a display substrate side, a greater-amount-needed particle group for gradation display, in an amount of a difference between particles of the first particle group and second particle group needed for the display; when the greater-amount-needed particle group has an opposite polarity to the aggregates, imparts a fourth voltage that moves the aggregates needed to the display substrate side; and when the polarities are same, imparts a fifth voltage that moves the aggregates not needed to a rear substrate side.
US08704752B2 Dynamic dimming LED backlight
A system and method for controlling subsections of an LED backlight for a liquid crystal display (LCD). Exemplary embodiments analyze the histograms for each subsection of the LCD which corresponds with the subsections of the LED backlight in order to produce a proper luminance for the backlight subsection. The proper luminance may be less than the maximum or typical luminance that is produced by common LED backlights. By reducing the luminance the resulting display can have less power consumption, longer lifetime, and higher contrast ratios. The original subpixel voltages for the LCD are re-scaled based on the proper luminance for the backlight subsection. Virtual backlight data may be created to simulate the luminance at each subpixel and the virtual backlight data may be used to re-scale the original subpixel voltages. The virtual backlight data may be used to blend between adjacent subsections of the LED backlight which may be producing different levels of luminance.
US08704748B2 Gate driving circuit having improved tolerance to gate voltage ripple and display device having the same
A gate driving circuit and a display device having the same, a pull-up unit pulls up a current gate signal by using a first clock signal during a first period of one frame. A pull-up driver coupled to the pull-up unit receives a carry signal from one of the previous stages to turn on the pull-up unit. A pull-up unit receives a gate signal from one of the next stages, discharges the current gate signal to an off voltage level, and turns off the pull-up unit. A holder holds the current gate signal at the voltage level. An inverter turns on/off the holder in response to a first clock signal. A ripple preventer has a source and a gate coupled in common to an output terminal of the pull-up unit and a drain coupled to an input terminal of the inverter, and includes a ripple preventing diode for preventing a ripple from being applied to the inverter.
US08704744B2 Systems and methods for temporal subpixel rendering of image data
Methods are disclosed to render image data over time. In one embodiment, a mapping from image data values to first and second sets of subpixels in a plurality of output frames uses brightness versus viewing angle performance measures to reduce color error when the image is viewed on the display panel at an off-normal viewing angle. In another embodiment, temporal subpixel rendering is used to improve the viewing angle in LCD displays or to improve subpixel rendering in other display technologies.
US08704743B2 Power savings technique for LCD using increased frame inversion rate
A method and system is disclosed for minimizing parasitic losses associated with a liquid crystal display (LCD) of a device. A frame buffer may be used in conjunction with a driver circuitry integrated circuit. The frame buffer may store a set of display values for the LCD so that the display values corresponding to a plurality of frames may be transmitted together from a processor in a burst. Once the values are transmitted, the processor may idle or hibernate. Alternatively, only the changes to an image may be transmitted from the processor to the driver circuitry. The remaining pixel values may be drawn based on values previously stored in the frame buffer. Furthermore, the driver circuitry may be used to step up the received display rate values to a level that allows for inversion of the polarity of pixels in the LCD using frame inversion.
US08704741B2 Liquid crystal display, control method thereof and electronic device for minimizing flicker
A liquid crystal display, applying to the first electrode, a voltage higher and a voltage lower at different timings, detecting a current flowing through the second electrode, designating, as a reference value, the current flowing through the second electrode when the voltage maintained in the liquid crystal element is reset, specifying a first current which is obtained by excluding a charging current due to application of a related higher voltage from currents flowing through the second electrode after the higher voltage is applied to the first electrode, and a second current which is obtained by excluding a charging current due to application of a related lower voltage from currents flowing through the second electrode after the lower voltage is applied to the first electrode, and comparing the first current with the second current, and controlling the first current and the second current based on the comparison result.
US08704740B2 Method of establishing a gamma table
An exemplary embodiment of method of establishing a gamma table using a system includes following steps. Providing a signal generator, a display device, and a color analyzer, consists of measuring luminance values of the images corresponding to a plurality of reference sampling points. Obtaining a luminance characteristic curve based on the reference sampling points and luminance values using Bezier curve interpolation. Locating the gray scales on the luminance characteristic curve with the same luminance values as the gray scales of a standard gamma table. And establishing a gamma table by comparing the gray scales of the standard gamma curve and the luminance characteristic curve.
US08704732B2 Image synchronization for multiple displays
This disclosure describes techniques for controlling a plurality of displays to present an image split across the displays. For example, a host controller is described herein. The host controller receives, from a first display, a first display status that indicates a status of presentation of a first portion of an image by the first display and, from a second display a second display status that indicates a status of presentation of a second portion of the image by the second display. The host controller may compare the first and second display status and, in response to the comparison, communicate to at least one of the first and second displays a display adjustment configured to cause the respective display to adjust presentation of at least one of the first or second portion of the image.
US08704731B2 Display control device, display control method, control program, and storage medium
A display control device of this invention controls a plurality of display devices included in a multi display system, including: a status obtaining section for obtaining, from the plurality of display devices, luminance setting values of the respective plurality of display devices, the luminance setting values defining luminance levels of the respective plurality of display devices; and a luminance control section for (i) determining a standard luminance setting value according to the luminance setting values obtained from the plurality of display devices and (ii) changing each of the luminance setting values of the respective display devices to the standard luminance setting value.
US08704728B2 Compact single-aperture antenna and direction-finding navigation system
A radio-based navigation system uses a small multi-mode direction-finding antenna and a direction-finding receiver to determine platform position, velocity, attitude and time while simultaneously providing protection against narrowband and broadband sources of interference. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals such as those from a Global Positioning System (GPS) provide attitude measurements with a compact multi-mode direction-finding antenna (e.g., a small two-arm spiral with improved angle-of-arrival performance over the entire hemisphere enhanced through use of a conductive vertical extension of the antenna ground plane about the antenna perimeter and/or conductive posts placed evenly around the antenna perimeter) that provides protection against jammers. The multi-mode spiral may be treated as an array of rotationally-symmetric antenna elements. The GPS receiver architecture may be modified for direction-finding and thereby attitude determination by increasing the number of input signals from one to at least two while minimizing the required number of correlators and mixers.
US08704721B2 Multi-axial resonant ferrite core antenna
An antenna system for use with very low frequency or low frequency RF tags include a plurality of ferrite core coils disposed at an angle with respect to each other. The antenna system further includes a secondary coil disposed around at least one of the primary coils. The antenna system can provide a multi-axis antenna including two, three, or more than three antenna elements. The antenna system can be disposed in a gang box for a less aesthetically intrusive installation.
US08704720B2 Coverage antenna apparatus with selectable horizontal and vertical polarization elements
An antenna apparatus comprises selectable antenna elements including a plurality of dipoles and/or a plurality of slot antennas (“slot”). Each dipole and/or each slot provides gain with respect to isotropic. The dipoles may generate vertically polarized radiation and the slots may generate horizontally polarized radiation. Each antenna element may have one or more loading structures configured to decrease the footprint (i.e., the physical dimension) of the antenna element and minimize the size of the antenna apparatus.
US08704719B2 Multi-function antenna
An antenna includes a CPW transmission line and a radiating portion. The radiating portion is coupled to the CPW transmission line and is substantially coplanar with the CPW transmission line. The radiating portion is configured to produce a first linear polarization at a first frequency, a circular polarization at a second frequency, and a second linear polarization at a third frequency. The radiating portion includes a conductive material extending from the CPW transmission line and forming a plurality of openings in the radiating portion. The openings are asymmetric with respect to a first region of the radiating portion that is disposed on a first side of the CPW transmission line and a second region of the radiating portion that is disposed on a second side of the CPW transmission line.
US08704715B2 Dual band antenna
A dual band antenna with improved radiation characteristic, comprising: a ground plane, formed at the bottom thereof; two impedance matching elements formed respectively at the two arms thereof while connecting to the ground plane so as to form a first joint and a second joint at the connections in respective; a first radiation unit, connected to the first joint, being formed like an arc connected to the first joint that is disposed concave to the bottom ground plane while extending from the first joint toward the second joint, and then turning vertically upward from the end of the arc for enabling the end of the vertical portion to connect to a second radiation unit; and the second radiation unit, being formed like an arc that is disposed concave to the bottom ground plane while extending from the joint with the first radiation unit toward the first joint.
US08704701B2 Automatic monitoring of flight related radio communications
The present disclosure is generally directed to processing air traffic controller (“ATC”) communication directed to aircraft other than the current aircraft. ATC communication is processed using speech recognition and the call sign and augmented flight information for other aircraft is identified. The corresponding aircraft icon on the display representing the aircraft on the display may be augmented by emphasizing the icon and displaying augmented flight information, along with an insignia. This information is displayed for a configurable time duration, after which the display reverts to displaying a conventional aircraft icon and associated flight information on the display. The pilot can subsequently select the aircraft icon and may be presented with a log of past ATC communications for the aircraft.
US08704697B2 Integration and analog to digital conversion circuit with common capacitors and operating method thereof
The present invention provides an integration and analog to digital conversion circuit sharing common capacitors. The circuit comprises a first capacitor array module, a second capacitor module, an integration circuit, an analog to digital conversion (ADC) logic. The first capacitor array module has a plurality of capacitors. The second capacitor array module has a plurality of capacitors. The integration circuit is configured to integrate an analog signal by said first or said second capacitor array module. The ADC logic is configured to convert the output of said first or said second capacitor array module to a digital signal. The ADC logic performs conversion by said first capacitor array module while said integration circuit performs integration by said second capacitor array module, and said ADC logic performs conversion by said second capacitor array module while said integration circuit performs integration by said first capacitor array module.
US08704696B2 AD conversion circuit and imaging apparatus
An AD conversion circuit includes a reference signal generation unit, which generates a reference signal, a comparison unit, which ends a comparison process at a timing at which the reference signal has satisfied a predetermined condition with respect to the analog signal, a first path in which a signal is transferred through each of n delay units, a clock signal generation unit, which outputs a lower-order phase signal, a latch unit, which latches the lower-order phase signal, a higher-order count unit including a first counter circuit, which acquires a higher-order count value by performing a count operation using a signal output from any one of the delay units, a calculation unit, which generates a lower-order count signal, and a lower-order count unit, which acquires a lower-order count value by performing the count operation using the lower-order count signal.
US08704694B2 A/D converter
An A/D converter 101 comprises a first cyclic A/D converter circuit 103 and an A/D converter circuit 105. The A/D converter 101 includes a record circuit 107 for storing conversion results from the A/D converter circuits 103, 105. The record circuit 107 includes an upper-bit record circuit 107a and a lower-bit circuit 107b. The cyclic A/D converter circuit 103 receives an analog value SA and generates a first digital value SD1 indicating the analog value SA and a residue value RD. The A/D converter circuit 105 receives the residue value RD and generates a second digital value SD2 having lower M bits indicating the residue value RD. The conversion accuracy in the A/D converter circuit 105 can be lowered to ½L that in the A/D converter circuit 103.
US08704684B2 Hybrid-coding for improving transient switch response in a multi-cell programmable apparatus
Hybrid-coding, multi-cell architecture and operating techniques for step devices provide advantages over binary-coded and thermometer-coded step devices by minimizing or avoiding glitches common in the transient response of binary-coded step devices and by minimizing or avoiding significant increases or degradation in one or more of area, package dimensions, pin counts, power consumption, insertion loss and parasitic capacitance common to thermometer-coded step devices having equivalent range and resolution.
US08704681B2 Arrangement and method for cross-monitoring of data
An arrangement for cross monitoring two independent signals. The arrangement a calculator configured to calculate a value depending upon a signal value, a drift value and a feedback value, and a determining unit configured to determine a larger of the calculated value and a first predetermined value. The arrangement also includes a comparing unit configured to compared the determine larger value with a second predetermined value and a delaying unit configured to delay the determined larger value and change status of the larger value to become an updated feedback value to be provided to the calculator. The arrangement is characterized in that the signal value includes information about an absolute value of a difference between the two independent generated signals.
US08704667B1 System and method for receiving data, analyzing data, and initiating outputs based upon the analyzed data
A system and method for receiving user data, analyzing the user data, and generating outputs based upon the analysis of user input data in conjunction with various other data. Specifically, the present invention relates to an electronic “nanny” system to analyze personal appointment data for meetings or appointments attended by individuals and generate outputs to various emergency contacts for the purpose of notifying the emergency contacts that a user of the system has not checked back with the electronic “nanny” system and may therefore be in trouble or in a dangerous situation.
US08704664B1 Anti-theft tag for a product having a ridged portion and method of use
An anti-theft tag for use with a product having one or more ridges includes a base for supporting an EAS sensor, a body including a product engagement portion having an opening, a locking member, and a detachment section. The locking member engages and secures the tag to a product having a ridged portion during use. The locking member can flex in a first direction as the product is received within the engagement member, and locks into engagement with the product to prevent removal of the tag. Detachment allows removal of the tag by cutting the detachment section and allowing the opening to be expanded and the product removed.
US08704653B2 Enhanced road vision on full windshield head-up display
A method to selectively project graphical images upon a transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle based upon a need for enhanced vision includes monitoring informational inputs describing an operational environment for the vehicle, processing the informational inputs to generate display requirements, generating the graphical images to be projected based upon the display requirements, and projecting the graphical images upon the transparent windscreen head up display. Processing of the informational inputs can include determining the need for enhanced vision based upon the informational inputs and generating the display requirements based upon the informational inputs and the need for enhanced vision.
US08704652B2 Information providing apparatus
An information providing apparatus includes a tactile information provider and a controller. The tactile information provider is arranged within a rim portion of a steering wheel of a vehicle and provides a tactile sense to a driver. The controller controls the tactile information provider to provide support information to the driver. The support information is defined as information that supports a driving of the vehicle. The tactile information provider includes a trench arranged in a circumferential direction of the rim portion, a ring-shaped ring portion, and a driving portion. The ring portion is rotatably arranged in the trench and has an exposed surface such that the exposed surface contacts with at least one hand of the driver. The driving portion is controlled by the controller to drive the ring potion rotate in the circumferential direction to provide the support information to the driver.
US08704646B2 Alarm panel phone number capture and substitution
A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes the steps of connecting a rerouting processor to a communication port of an alarm panel, the connected processor capturing an alarm notification sent from the alarm panel through the communication port, said alarm notification including a destination telephone number of a first central monitoring station, the connected processor altering the captured alarm notification by deleting the destination telephone number from the captured alarm notification and the connected processor routing the altered alarm notification to a second central monitoring station that is different than the first monitoring station.
US08704644B2 Remote control system, remote control apparatus and remote control method
Provided is a remote operation system capable of coordinating the operations of a plurality of devices without harming the familiar, intuitive behavior style of remote control operation. The remote operation system is provided with: a remote operation device which captures images of each of a plurality of devices connected to a network and specifies the devices to be operated, and which transmits operation scenario information on the coordinated operations performed among the plurality of devices to be operated, the coordinated operations being determined by the combination of the types of the specified devices to be operated; and a network control unit which outputs operation commands for executing operations specified by the operation scenario information received, to the devices specified by the operation scenario information received, when the network accommodating the plurality of devices is constructed and the operation scenario information is transmitted from the remote operation device.
US08704643B2 Convenient and easy to use button layout for a remote control
A remote control includes a screen configured to display a plurality of soft buttons in a first order. The remote control further includes a memory configured to store use information for the plurality of soft buttons. The use information includes a number of button presses for each of the plurality of soft buttons. The remote control further includes a processor configured to determine whether one of the plurality of soft buttons is pressed a great number of times than a second of the plurality of soft buttons, and to change the display of the plurality of soft buttons to a second order where the one of the plurality of soft buttons is displayed in the second order at a higher position than in the first order.
US08704640B2 Passive wireless memory device
A passive wireless memory device includes a memory unit and a passive tag. The passive tag converts data stored in the memory unit into a data packet in response to first to third data request signals from a reader and transmits the data packet to the reader. The passive tag determines the size of the data packet in response to the channel state predicting flag and the second and third data request signals.
US08704638B2 Electronic article surveillance system with metal detection capability and method therefor
A method for detecting metal using an electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) system. The EAS system includes a transmitter and a receiver. An EAS interrogation signal is transmitted to establish the interrogation zone. The EAS interrogation signal is used to detect EAS markers and metal objects within the interrogation zone. The EAS signal is received and a metal object present in the interrogation zone is detected during a metal detection cycle. The metal object is detected based upon perturbations in the received EAS interrogation signal. The metal detection cycle is periodically interspersed with at least one EAS detection cycle.
US08704635B2 Secure web accessed box
A web accessed security box includes a web server that can communicate with a web browser to control access and account for asset events that occur when the box is used. A personal identifier must be satisfied to open a drawer of the box. A latching system uses both an access solenoid for normal opening and closing in response to the personal identifier, and an emergency release solenoid having a separate power supply to open the box when the access solenoid is disabled. Several features make the box secure against weather and tampering.
US08704619B2 Bandpass filter and radio communication module and radio communication device using the same
Provided are a bandpass filter and a radio communication module and a radio communication device using the same. The bandpass filter includes: a first and a second grounding electrode arranged on the upper and the lower surface of a layered body; first resonance electrodes and second resonance electrodes arranged to orthogonally intersect the first resonance electrodes; a first input coupling electrode opposing to the first resonance electrode of the input stage and a second input coupling electrode connected thereto and opposing to the second resonance electrode of the input stage; a first output coupling electrode opposing to the first resonance electrode of the output stage and a second output coupling electrode connected thereto and opposing to the second resonance electrode of the output stage.
US08704613B2 Cavity filter having feedback arrangement
A cavity filter having two series of resonance chambers bilaterally connected between an antenna port and two opposing signal input/output ports, each series of resonance chambers having the last resonance chamber thereof connected to the antenna port and the first resonance chamber thereof connected between the respective signal input/output port and the associating last resonance chamber to perform cross-coupling feedback, improving the quality of the signal received by the signal receiver using the cavity filter and enhancing signal transmission performance.
US08704612B2 Antenna sharing device
The antenna sharing device has a first elastic-wave filter for passing signals of a first frequency passband and a second elastic-wave filter for passing signals of a second frequency passband higher than the first frequency passband. The first elastic-wave filter is a ladder-type filter including a first series resonator and a second series resonator having an antiresonant frequency point higher than that of the first series resonator. The first series resonator has a first IDT electrode and a first dielectric film covering the electrode. The second series resonator has a second IDT electrode and a second dielectric film covering the electrode. The first and the second dielectric films have a first projection and a second projection, respectively, so as to be formed above the electrode fingers of each IDT electrode. The cross-sectional area of the first projection of the first series resonator is larger than that of the second projection of the second series resonator in the excitation direction of the elastic wave. The structure satisfies both of steepness in a crossband and low loss in a passband.
US08704595B2 Predistortion apparatuses and methods
Provided is a predistortion apparatus which performs predistortion by reflecting a memory effect when linearizing an output of a nonlinear device using a wideband signal. The predistortion apparatus includes a predistortion unit and a coefficient extraction unit. The predistortion unit selects and outputs one of outputs of the sub-predistorters as an output signal according to intensity of an input signal. The coefficient extraction unit selects one of a plurality of coefficient extractors according to intensity of a nonlinear signal which is generated in response to the output signal, extracts a plurality of predistortion coefficients with the nonlinear signal and the output signal, and delivers the extracted predistortion coefficients to the predistortion unit. Accordingly, the memory effect is reflected even when the input signal is a wideband signal.
US08704588B2 Circuit for generating a reference voltage
A bandgap voltage reference circuit for generating a bandgap voltage reference. An embodiment comprises a current generator controlled by a first driving voltage for generating a first current depending on the driving voltage, and a first reference circuit element coupled to the controlled current generator for receiving the first current and generating a first reference voltage in response to the first current. The circuit further comprises a second reference circuit element for receiving a second current corresponding to the first current; said second reference circuit element is adapted to generate a second reference voltage in response to the second current. The circuit further comprises an operational amplifier having a first input coupled to the first circuit element and a second input coupled to the second reference circuit element. The circuit also comprises a control circuit comprising first capacitive element and second capacitive element.
US08704583B2 Capacitive level-shifting circuits and methods for adding DC offsets to output of current-integrating amplifier
Capacitive level-shifting circuits and methods are provided for adding DC offsets to the output of a current-integrating amplifier. For example, a current-integrating amplifier includes an input amplifier stage and an output offset circuit. The input amplifier stage includes an input node, a first output node, and a first switch connected between the first output node and a power supply node. The output offset circuit is connected to the first output node of the input amplifier stage and to a second output node of the current-integrating amplifier. The output offset circuit includes a first series capacitor coupled between the first output node of the input amplifier stage and the second output node of the current-integrating amplifier. The output offset circuit switchably connects a bias voltage to the second output node and charges the first series capacitor to add a DC offset to the second output node of the current-integrating amplifier.
US08704565B2 Lock detection circuit, DLL circuit, and receiving circuit
According to one embodiment, a lock detection circuit includes an initial state response circuit. The initial state response circuit is configured to output a third control signal to delay lines and cause a charge pump to stop an output of a second control signal when a pulse width modulation signal is not input, the third control signal is configured to control a delay amount to cause a delay amount of an entire delay circuit to be within one selected from a range in which an OVER signal generation circuit is operable, a range in which an UNDER signal generation circuit is operable, and a range that is greater than an UNDER threshold and less than an OVER threshold.
US08704561B2 Delay locked loop
A delay locked loop includes a delay adjusting unit configured to delay a first clock signal in outputting a second clock signal phase-locked with the first clock signal and generate a delay control signal in response to the first clock signal and the second clock signal and a variable delay line configured to output a third clock signal by delaying the first clock signal in response to the delay control signal.
US08704557B2 High-speed non-integer frequency divider circuit
The invention relates to a high-speed non-integer frequency divider circuit for use in generating frequencies in a communication device, comprising: at least four bi-stable memory devices each having an input terminal, a clock terminal and an output terminal for outputting an output signal. The high-speed non-integer frequency divider circuit is characterized in that the at least four bi-stable memory devices are arranged in a cascaded chain such that each bi-stable memory device following the first bi-stable memory device receives the output signal of a previous bi-stable memory device in the cascaded chain at its input terminal and such that at least one of the output signals of the last bi-stable memory device is used to control the input terminal of the first bi-stable memory device, and in that the frequency divider circuit further comprises a clocking arrangement adapted to provide an in-phase clock signal, a quadrature clock signal, an inverse of the in-phase clock signal and an inverse of the quadrature clock signal to the clock terminals of each of the at least four bi-stable memory devices such that a combination of output signals from the at least bi-stable memory devices produces a frequency divided output signal of the frequency divider circuit having a frequency division ratio of fourths of the frequency of the in-phase clock signal. The invention also relates to a frequency synthesizer and a communication device.
US08704554B1 Suppressing electrical bus transients in electronic circuitry
An apparatus and method for protecting a switch from overvoltage transients that might otherwise occur when the switch is turned off. A transient-suppression controller controls a rate-of-change of voltage across a switch by delivering control signals to the switch. Controlling the rate-of-change of voltage enables controlled absorption of stored parasitic energy that might otherwise cause overvoltage transients. In some embodiments the switch is a MOSFET and the control signals are currents delivered to the gate of the MOSFET. In some embodiments, control is open-loop; in other embodiments closed-loop control is used to maintain essentially constant voltage across the switch as it turns off.
US08704552B2 MIPI analog switch for automatic selection of multiple image sensors
An MIPI interface is connected to two sensor sources that each may be transferring both high and low speed information, typically video information in the high speed state. The clock signals are monitored and when one of the clock signals exceed a threshold, an analog switch between the MIPI interface and the sensors, may connect the other source to the MIPI interface.
US08704550B2 Architecture for VBUS pulsing in UDSM processes
Architecture for VBUS pulsing in an Ultra Deep Sub Micron (UDSM) process for ensuring USB-OTG (On The Go) session request protocol, the architecture being of the type wherein at least a charging circuit is deployed, uses a diode-means connected in a forward path of the charging circuit. The architecture might include a diode-divider including nodes and connected from VBUS in said charging circuit. One embodiment uses both charging and discharging circuits comprising transistors. The charging circuit transistor might comprise a PMOS transistor and the discharging circuit transistor might comprise a NMOS transistor. The architecture might include a three resistance string of a total resistance value approximating 100K Ohms connected between said VBUS and ground, wherein the discharging circuit transistor might comprise a drain extended NMOS transistor. The charging and discharging circuit transistors have VDS and VGD of about 3.6V, whereby high VGS transistors are not needed.
US08704547B2 Method and system for providing spin transfer based logic devices
A logic device is described. The logic device includes magnetic input/channel regions, magnetic sensor region(s), and sensor(s) coupled with the magnetic sensor region(s). Each magnetic input/channel region is magnetically biased in a first direction. The magnetic sensor region(s) are magnetically biased in a second direction different from the first direction such that domain wall(s) reside in the magnetic input/channel regions if the logic device is in a quiescent state. The sensor(s) output a signal based on a magnetic state of the magnetic sensor region(s). The input/channel regions and the magnetic sensor region(s) are configured such that the domain wall(s) may move into the magnetic sensor region(s) in response to a logic signal being provided to the magnetic input region(s). The magnetic input/channel region(s) include FexCoyNizM1q1M2q2, with x+y+z+q1+q2=1, x, y, z, q1, q2 at least zero and M1 and M2 being nonmagnetic.
US08704540B2 Test apparatus
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a power supply section that generates a power supply voltage to be supplied to the device under test; an inductive load section provided in a path between the power supply section and the device under test; a plurality of semiconductor switches connected in series in a path between the inductive load section and the device under test; and a control section that turns OFF the semiconductor switches when a supply of voltage to the device under test is stopped.
US08704539B2 Minute impedance variation detection device
A minute impedance variation detection device includes a differential amplifier, first and second impedances, a sensing electrode and a signal source. The differential amplifier has first and second input ends and an output end. The first impedance is connected to the first input end. The second impedance is connected to the second input end. The sensing electrode is connected to the second input end for sensing a touch and thus receiving a touch signal. The signal source is connected to the first impedance and the second impedance for providing an input signal inputted to the first impedance and the second impedance. The first impedance has an impedance value close to that of the second impedance. The differential amplifier is based on the input signal and the touch signal to differentially amplify the touch signal.
US08704538B2 Capacitance sensors
A sensor assembly includes a housing assembly, an electrode arrangement and a diaphragm having a fixed portion secured to the housing assembly and an active portion movable relative to the electrode arrangement in response to a differential pressure applied to opposite sides of the diaphragm. The fixed portion of the diaphragm is secured at one or more locations relative to at least a portion of the housing assembly; and at least one groove is formed in the fixed portion of the diaphragm between the locations at which the diaphragm is fixed relative to the housing assembly and the active portion so as to relieve any stress on the active portion of the diaphragm. A method of making the sensor assembly is also disclosed.
US08704535B2 Layout for antenna loops having both functions of capacitance induction and electromagnetic induction
The present invention relates to a layout for antenna loops having both functions of capacitance induction and electromagnetic induction, and particularly relates to the layout for antenna loops having both functions of capacitance induction and electromagnetic induction, wherein the capacitance detection elements are integrated with the antenna loops. In this layout for antenna loops, each of the antenna loops therein is separated into three sections, and there are several geometric structures fabricated in two of these sections. These geometric structures are capacitance detection elements. Therefore, the two sections are directly fabricated to be the capacitance detection elements because of these geometric structures. By this way, the antenna loops can be integrated with the capacitance detection elements and the capacitance detection elements do not prevent the antenna loops from receiving the electromagnetic signals.
US08704530B2 Lead adapter for testing pacing thresholds across multiple vectors at implant
An adapter is used in conjunction with a testing device to test pacing thresholds of an implanted lead. A main body of the adapter includes a plurality of adapter contacts that are configured to electrically couple to the plurality of connector contacts. A connector module includes a first port configured to couple to a first testing device connector and a second port configured to couple to a second testing device connector. A switch assembly includes a plurality of actuatable elements each associated with one of the adapter contacts. The actuatable elements are each selectably actuatable between a first state that electrically couples the associated adapter contact to the first port, a second state that electrically couples the associated adapter contact to the second port, and a third state that electrically decouples the associated adapter contact from the first and second ports.
US08704523B2 Measuring casing attenuation coefficient for electro-magnetics measurements
Methods and related systems are described for making an electromagnetic induction survey of a formation surrounding a cased section of a borehole. An electromagnetic transmitter and/or receiver are deployed into the cased section of the borehole. One or more additional devices are used to measure the properties of a conductive casing relating to conductivity, thickness and magnetic permeability. A casing coefficient is then calculated that can then be used for the processing of the deep-sensing induction measurements.
US08704504B2 Power supply circuit comprising detection circuit including reference voltage circuits as reference voltage generation circuits
It is an object to obtain a detection circuit for detecting feedback voltage without variation in output voltage/current or in output voltage by the operation temperature, and a power supply circuit including thereof. A power supply circuit includes a detection circuit, an amplifier circuit outputting an output voltage, a control circuit, and a divider circuit. The detection circuit includes first and second reference voltage generation circuits and an input signal adjustment circuit. The control circuit is electrically connected to the amplifier circuit and includes the detection circuit, an error amplifier circuit, a pulse width modulation driver, a triangle-wave generation circuit, and a capacitor. The divider circuit is electrically connected to the amplifier circuit and the control circuit and inputs a voltage obtained by dividing the output voltage to the second reference voltage generation circuit. Note that the first and second reference voltage generation circuits are each a reference voltage circuit.
US08704503B2 Single ended primary inductor converter with over-current and/or over-voltage protection and method for controlling the same
A SEPIC converter with over-voltage protection includes a high-side inductor that connects a node Vw to a node Vx. The node Vx is connected, in turn to ground by a power MOSFET. The node Vx is also connected to a node Vy by a first capacitor. The node Vy is connected to ground by a low-side inductor. A rectifier diode further connects the node Vy and a node Vout and an output capacitor is connected between the node Vout and ground. A PWM control circuit is connected to drive the power MOSFET. An over-voltage protection MOSFET connects an input supply to the PWM control circuit and the node Vw. A comparator monitors the voltage of the input supply. If that voltage exceeds a predetermined value Vref the comparator output causes the over-voltage protection MOSFET to disconnect the node Vw and the PWM control circuit from the input supply.
US08704500B2 Sensing a phase-path current in a multiphase power supply such as a coupled-inductor power supply
An embodiment of a power supply includes a supply output node, phase paths, and sensor circuits. The supply output node is operable to carry a regulated output voltage, and each phase path has a respective phase-path non-output node, has a respective phase-path output node coupled to the supply output node, and is operable to carry a respective phase current. And each sensor circuit has a respective sensor node coupled to the phase-path non-output nodes and is operable to generate a respective sense signal that represents the phase current flowing through a respective one of the phase paths. For example, where the phase paths are magnetically coupled to one another, the sensor circuits take into account the portions of the phase currents induced by the magnetic couplings to generate sense signals that more accurately represent the phase currents as compared to conventional sensor circuits.
US08704484B2 Temperature sensor interface for wireless and wired charging
Exemplary embodiments are directed to an electronic device for enabling a temperature of a battery unit to be sensed with a wired power charger or a wireless power. A device may include a wireless power receiver and a wired charging module operably coupled to the wireless power receiver. The device may also include an interface configured to couple to a battery unit and for selectively enabling one of the wireless power receiver and the wired charging module to determine a temperature of the battery unit.
US08704482B2 Power conversion device
A power conversion device includes a converter-inverter controller for controlling a converter and an inverter. The power conversion device further includes a DC capacitor connected between the converter and the inverter and a DC capacitor voltage detector for detecting a DC capacitor voltage Efc between the connection ends of the DC capacitor. The converter-inverter controller provides variable control on the DC capacitor voltage Efc to the converter on the basis of the motor frequency of an AC motor, the DC capacitor voltage Efc, and a pulse mode. Within a predetermined range of motor frequencies, the converter-inverter controller fixes the PWM modulation factor of the inverter to a value m0 and provides operation control to the inverter, where the value m0 being to reduce a harmonic of a predetermined order included in the output voltage from the inverter.
US08704479B2 System and method for determining the start position of a motor
A system and method for determining the start position of a motor. According to an embodiment, a voltage pulse signal may be generated across a pair of windings in a motor. A current response signal will be generated and based upon the position of the motor, the response signal will be greater in one pulse signal polarity as opposed to an opposite pulse signal polarity. The response signal may be compared for s specific duration of time or until a specific integration threshold has been reached. Further, the response signal may be converted into a digital signal such that a sigma-delta circuit may smooth out glitches more easily. In this manner, the position of the motor may be determined to within 60 electrical degrees during a startup.
US08704474B2 Motor control method and system and digital signal processor thereof
A digital signal processor (DSP) is operable to receive a single-phase back electromotive force signal (back-EMF) fed back from a motor and control an inverter for driving the motor based on the single-phase back-EMF signal. The DSP includes an electrical angle building module, a rotation speed control module, and a pulse width modulation control module. In addition, the DSP further includes a field-weakening compensation module. The field-weakening compensation module is operable to automatically regulate an electrical angle based on a rotation speed of the motor and a set of predetermined compensation parameters so that the DSP can be operable to achieve an adaptive control. Furthermore, a motor control system and method are disclosed herein.
US08704464B2 Charged particle trajectory control apparatus, charged particle accelerator, charged particle storage ring, and deflection electromagnet
A charged particle orbit control device (100) is used in a ring-shaped charged particle accelerator or a charged particle storage ring. The charged particle orbit control device (100) is configured to enable the orbit of a charged particle to return to the original orbit in multiple cycles. The charged particle orbit control device (100) includes multiple bending magnets (1) that bend the charged particle (3). In the charged particle orbit control device (100), the bending angle and relative position of each bending magnet (1) are prescribed such that every time the charged particle (3) passes through, the orbit of the charged particle (3) in each bending magnet (1) alternately switches between two orbits.
US08704461B2 Vehicle lighting device
A vehicle lighting device according to the present invention is configured in such a manner that a current that is supplied to a light emitting element that serves as a light source can be controlled with low power consumption in accordance with either of a voltage change in input power supply and a change in ambient temperature. This vehicle lighting device is configured in such a manner as to take out a reference voltage that is input to a switching controller 5 from a voltage dividing resistor R2 that is connected between a constant voltage source Vcc and a ground terminal GND. A current control circuit 10C for voltage change is provided to between an input power supply Vin and the ground terminal GND. Further, a current control circuit 10A for temperature change is provided to between the constant voltage source Vcc and the ground terminal GND.
US08704454B2 Integrated driver system architecture for light emitting diodes (LEDs)
A method includes forming one or more capacitors over a substrate. The method also includes forming a transformer at least partially over the substrate. The transformer is adjacent to at least one of the one or more capacitors. At least a portion of the transformer is formed at a same level over the substrate as the one or more capacitors. The method further includes coupling the one or more capacitors and the transformer to at least one embedded integrated circuit die. The one or more capacitors, the transformer, and the at least one embedded integrated circuit die form at least part of a light emitting diode (LED) driver.
US08704453B2 Driving circuit and lighting equipment using the same
A driving circuit and lighting equipment using the same are provided. The driving circuit includes a first power receiving terminal, a second power receiving terminal and a power conversion unit. The first power receiving terminal receives an alternating current (AC) input signal. The second power receiving terminal is electrically coupled to a predetermined potential. The power conversion unit is electrically coupled to the first and second power receiving terminals for transforming the AC input signal into corresponding two AC output signals of different phases, wherein the two AC output signals are with the same current.
US08704452B2 Illumination device with adjustable luminance and luminance adjustment method thereof
The present application relates to an illumination device having a light source module, a power supply module, a driving module, a control module and a start module. The driving module outputs a driving current to the light source module based on a power supply from the power supply module. The control module controls the magnitude of the driving current based on a first voltage signal generated by the power source module. After receiving the first voltage signal, the control module controls the driving module to steadily increase the driving current in a first stage output. After receiving the first voltage signal again, the control module controls the driving module to output a constant driving current equal to the driving current at the end of the first stage.
US08704451B2 Driving circuit of light emitting diode
A driving circuit of a light emitting diode (LED) including an AC power, a rectifier, a power converter, a waveform sampler, and a control circuit is provided. The AC power provides an AC signal. The rectifier is coupled to the AC power and outputs a driving signal. The power converter is coupled to the rectifier. The power converter includes an LED and outputs a first signal positive correlated with a current passing through the LED. The waveform sampler is coupled between the AC power and the rectifier, and outputs a second signal directly proportional to the AC signal. The control circuit is coupled between the waveform sampler and the power converter, and outputs a control signal to the power converter according to a comparison result between the first signal and the second signal.
US08704432B2 LED lamp
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an LED lamp including a substrate, a first LED, a second LED, a heat sink, and a transparent cover. The first LED is arranged on a first surface of the substrate. The second LED is arranged on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface being an opposite side of the substrate from the first surface. The heat sink has a mounting surface on which the substrate is arranged. The heat sink also has a reflection surface. The transparent cover covers the substrate, the first LED, and the second LED.
US08704431B2 Discharge lamp, light source apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure apparatus manufacturing method
A light source apparatus is equipped with a discharge lamp, which has a glass tube that forms a light emitting part and a base member that is coupled thereto, and a mounting apparatus that holds the discharge lamp via the base member. Therein, the base member has a flange part that contacts positioning plate of the mounting apparatus, and a fixed part that is urged with a pressing force that presses the flange part to the positioning plate. Furthermore, the mounting apparatus has a fixing arm that urges the fixed part by a compression coil spring.
US08704427B2 Movement sensor
A device may include a component including an electroactive polymer (EAP) material configured to generate a voltage in response to movement of the component. The device may also include voltage detector coupled to the component, the voltage detector configured to detect voltage generated by the component. The device may further include processing logic configured to perform a function based on the detected voltage.
US08704424B2 Elastic wave device and electronic device using the same
An elastic wave device has the following elements: a piezoelectric substrate; an inter-digital transducer (IDT) electrode disposed on the piezoelectric substrate; internal electrodes disposed above the piezoelectric substrate and electrically connected to the IDT electrode; side walls disposed above the internal electrodes surrounding the IDT electrode; a cover disposed above the side walls so as to cover a space above the IDT electrode; an electrode base layer disposed on the internal electrodes outside the side walls; and connection electrodes disposed on the electrode base layer. Each connection electrode has a first connection electrode disposed on the electrode base layer, and a second connection electrode disposed on the first connection electrode. The horizontal sectional shape of the second connection electrode is non-circular.
US08704423B2 Asymmetric dielectric elastomer composite material
Embodiments of the invention provide a dielectric elastomer composite material comprising a plurality of elastomer-coated electrodes arranged in an assembly. Embodiments of the invention provide improved force output over prior DEs by producing thinner spacing between electrode surfaces. This is accomplished by coating electrodes directly with uncured elastomer in liquid form and then assembling a finished component (which may be termed an actuator) from coated electrode components.
US08704414B2 Machines and methods and assembly for same
An operating device for a machine includes a shaft having a channel extending through the shaft and includes a fluid mover coupled to the shaft. The fluid mover is in flow communication with the channel to channel a fluid through the channel to facilitate treating the shaft with the fluid.
US08704409B2 High speed solid-state relay with controller
A relay and a controller for the same are disclosed. The relay includes an isolated power supply configured to receive a voltage input and generate a voltage output based upon the voltage input, an isolator configured to receive an input signal and generate an isolated output signal based upon the input signal, at least one switch, and a driver in electrical communication with the isolated power supply, the isolator, and the at least one switch for controlling the at least one switch in response to the isolated output signal, wherein the driver receives the voltage output from the isolated power supply as an operating voltage. The controller is in signal communication with the isolator to generate and transmit the input signal thereto.
US08704408B2 Switch matrix modeling system and method
A method that includes identifying a desired signal connectivity through a switch matrix, where the switch matrix includes a plurality of switching elements, and where the switching elements are selectively operable in a plurality of states to provide a plurality of signal paths for routing signals through the switch matrix. The method also includes identifying a sorting network model that corresponds to a topology of the switch matrix, applying a sorting algorithm to the sorting network model, and determining, based on the results of applying the sorting algorithm, operational states of the plurality of switching elements to provide signal paths corresponding to the desired signal connectivity.
US08704407B2 Wireless power supplying rack
Disclosed herein is a wireless power supplying rack, including: a power transmission device adapted to transmit power to be supplied; a repeater device adapted to repeat the transmission power of the power transmission device; a power reception device adapted to receive the power repeated by the repeater device; and a main body in which a load to which the power received at least by the power reception device from between the power reception device and the repeater device is supplied is disposed; at least the repeater device and the power reception device from among the power transmission device, repeater device and power reception device being incorporated in the main body; wherein the power transmission device, the repeater device and the reception device have a first resonance element, a second resonance element and a third resonance element, respectively.
US08704404B2 Electrical assembly and method for supplying without interruption an installation with alternating current
An electrical assembly including an installation having an alternating current power supply port and at least one electrical system, and a device for supplying without interruption with alternating current the power supply port. The uninterruptible power supply device includes a first circuit for electrically connecting the power supply port to an alternating current power supply network, and a back up device including a rectifier, means for charging, storing and discharging electrical energy, and an inverter, connectable to the power supply port. The back up device is arranged in a second alternating current power supply circuit connectable to the power supply port in a by-pass of the first circuit. The uninterruptible power supply device includes a switch to connect selectively the first or the second circuit to the power supply port as a function of a state of the power supply of the electrical system in the installation.
US08704403B2 Power generation system comprising a plurality of inverters
A power generation system for feeding power from generators into an AC grid, the system comprising a plurality of inverters connected to corresponding ones of the generators, and connected to the AC grid is disclosed. The plurality of inverters forms part of a data network, wherein one of the inverters forms a communication unit for receiving feed-in parameters from a grid control system and for controlling the plurality of inverters via the data network such that the power generation system feeds power to the AC grid in accordance with the feed-in parameters.
US08704402B2 Antitheft apparatus for equipment with prime mover
In an apparatus for preventing theft of equipment (electric motor) having a prime mover (motor), a prime mover controller, a starter switch that allows the operator to connect/disconnect power from a power source to the prime mover; and an authenticator that acquires ID information from an electronic key through a receiver when the key is brought close thereto by the operator, and permits the controller to start the prime mover when acquired ID information is determined to correspond with authentication ID information, the starter switch is made of electrode pair that is sensitive to electrostatic capacitance, and the starter switch and the receiver are installed together on an electronic circuit board, thereby achieving the smaller structure of the apparatus.
US08704399B2 Power supply apparatus and power supply method
Provided is a power supply apparatus including a power storage for storing power supplied through a bus line connected to the power supply apparatus, on which bus line an information signal representing information is superposed over the power. The power supply apparatus also includes a signal blocker for blocking the information signal from the bus line from draining into another apparatus, a power amount detector for detecting a power amount of the power storage, and a switching controller for switching a server mode for supplying the power from the power storage and a client mode for receiving the power from the bus line in dependence upon a detection result from the power amount detector.
US08704395B2 Wave activated power generator
The present invention relates to an improved wave activated power generator. The power generator includes a pile, a chain secured at opposite ends thereof to the pile and a floating body, respectively, a suction pipe communicating at one end thereof with an interior of the pile and secured at the other end thereof to the floating body to be exposed from a sea surface, and an air supply pipe connected at one end thereof to an upper end of the tube to communicate with a tube and secured at the other end thereof to the floating body to be exposed from the sea surface. The chain is sealed and surrounded with the tube filled with air. The suction pipe is disposed to pass through the tube.
US08704393B2 System and method for controlling speed and torque of a wind turbine during post-rated wind speed conditions
A method and system for controlling a wind turbine generator at wind speeds in excess of rated wind speed to detect wind speeds and, at rated wind speed, control generator torque and generator rotational speed to achieve a rated power for the wind turbine generator. As wind speed increases beyond the rated wind speed, one of generator torque or generator rotational speed is increased and the other of generator rotational speed or generator torque is proportionally decreased to maintain the generator power substantially constant at rated power.
US08704380B2 Methods for wafer-level packaging of microfeature devices and microfeature devices formed using such methods
Methods for wafer-level packaging of microfeature devices and microfeature devices formed using such methods are disclosed herein. A method for packaging microfeature devices in accordance with an embodiment of the invention can include releasably attaching a plurality of first known good microelectronic dies to a carrier substrate in a desired arrangement. In several embodiments, for example, the first dies can be releasably attached to an attachment feature on the carrier substrate. The method can also include attaching one or more second known good microelectronic dies to the individual first dies in a stacked configuration to form a plurality of stacked devices. The method further includes at least partially encapsulating the stacked devices and separating the stacked devices from each other.
US08704379B2 Semiconductor die mount by conformal die coating
A conformal coating on a semiconductor die provides adhesion between the die and a support. No additional adhesive is necessary to affix the die on the support. The conformal coating protects the die during assembly, and serves to electrically insulate the die from electrically conductive parts that the die may contact. The conformal coating may be an organic polymer, such as a parylene, for example. Also, a method for adhering a die onto a support, which may optionally be another die, includes providing a conformal coating between the die and the support, and heating the coating between the die and the support. The conformal coating may be provided on either or both a die attach area of a surface of the die, or a die mount region of a surface of the support; and the conformal coating may be provided following placement of the die on the support.
US08704374B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer provided in a first area and in a second area, a line-and-space-like second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer provided in the first area, and a third insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer provided in the second area and which is substantially identical to the second insulating layer in height.
US08704369B1 Flip chip bump structure and fabrication method
A method includes forming a patterned buildup layer on a first surface of a dielectric layer, the patterned buildup layer including a patterned buildup layer opening exposing a trace coupled to the dielectric layer. A conductor layer is flash plated on the patterned buildup layer and within the patterned buildup layer opening. The patterned buildup layer opening is filled with a blanket conductive filler layer. The blanket conductive filler layer and the conductor layer are planarized to form a flip chip bump.
US08704366B2 Ultra thin bumped wafer with under-film
A semiconductor device includes a wafer and a dicing saw tape that is laminated to a back surface of the wafer. An active surface of the wafer is opposite the back surface of the wafer. The semiconductor device further includes a lamination tape disposed in contact with the wafer. The lamination tape includes an under-film layer contacting the active surface of the wafer. The lamination tape further includes an adhesive layer contacting the under-film layer.
US08704365B2 Integrated circuit packaging system having a cavity
An integrated circuit packaging system includes: a carrier, having a carrier top side and a carrier bottom side, without an active device attached to the carrier bottom side; an interconnect over the carrier; and a first encapsulation, having a cavity, around the interconnect over the carrier top side with the interconnect partially exposed from the first encapsulation, and with the carrier top side partially exposed with the cavity.
US08704359B2 Method for manufacturing an electronic module and an electronic module
This publication discloses an electronic module and a method for manufacturing an electronic module, in which a component (6) is glued (5) to the surface of a conductive layer, from which conductive layer conductive patterns (14) are later formed. After gluing the component (6), an insulating-material layer (1), which surrounds the component (6) attached to the conductive layer, is formed on, or attached to the surface of the conductive layer. After the gluing of the component (6), feed-throughs are also made, through which electrical contacts can be made between the conductive layer and the contact zones (7) of the component. After this, conductive patterns (14) are made from the conductive layer, to the surface of which the component (6) is glued.
US08704353B2 Thermal management of stacked semiconductor chips with electrically non-functional interconnects
A method of manufacturing is provided that includes fabricating a first plurality of electrically functional interconnects on a front side of a first semiconductor chip and fabricating a first plurality of electrically non-functional interconnects on a back side of the first semiconductor chip. Additional chips may be stacked on the first semiconductor chip.
US08704350B2 Stacked wafer level package and method of manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to a stacked wafer level package and a method of manufacturing the same. The stacked wafer level package in accordance with the present invention can improve a misalignment problem generated in a stacking process by performing a semiconductor chip mounting process, a rearrangement wiring layer forming process, the stacking process and so on after previously bonding internal connection means for interconnection between stacked electronic components to a conductive layer for forming a rearrangement wiring layer, thereby improving reliability and yield and reducing manufacturing cost.
US08704346B2 Semiconductor package and radiation lead frame
In a package wherein a lead part coupled to a semiconductor element by wire bonding, an element retention member to retain the semiconductor element on the top face side and radiate heat on the bottom face side, and an insulative partition part to partition the lead part from the element retention member with an insulative resin appear, a creeping route ranging from the top face to retain the semiconductor element to a package bottom face on a boundary plane between the element retention member and an insulative partition part includes a bent route having a plurality of turns. Consequently, it is possible to inhibit an encapsulation resin to seal a region retaining the semiconductor element from exuding toward the bottom face side of the package.
US08704341B2 Semiconductor packages with thermal dissipation structures and EMI shielding
Semiconductor packages and related methods. The semiconductor package includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip, a package body, a recess and a conductive layer. The substrate includes a grounding element. The semiconductor chip is disposed on the substrate and has a lateral surface and an upper surface. The package body encapsulates the lateral surface of the semiconductor chip. The recess is formed in the package body and exposes the upper surface of the semiconductor chip. The conductive layer covers an outer surface of the package body, the grounding element and the upper surface of the semiconductor chip exposed by the recess to provide both thermal dissipation and EMI shielding for the semiconductor chip.
US08704340B2 Stacked single crystal compound semiconductor substrates
A compound semiconductor substrate includes a first substrate and a second substrate made of single crystal gallium nitride. In each of the first substrate and the second substrate, one surface is a (0001) Ga-face and an opposite surface is a (000-1) N-face. The first substrate and the second substrate are bonded to each other in a state where the (000-1) N-face of the first substrate and the (000-1) N-face of the second substrate face each other, and the (0001) Ga-face of the first substrate and the (0001) Ga-face of the second substrate are exposed.
US08704339B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device comprises a first external terminal having a first size, a plurality of second external terminals each having a second size smaller than the first size, an external terminal area in which the first external terminal and the second external terminals are arranged, and a plurality of wires connecting between the second external terminals and a plurality of circuits formed adjacent to the external terminal area and corresponding to the second external terminals. The second external terminals and the wires constitute a plurality of interfaces. Each of the interfaces includes at least one adjustment portion that adjusts a time constant of the wire so that the wires have the same time constant. At least part of the adjustment portions is located in a margin area produced in the external terminal area by a difference between the first size and the second size.
US08704333B2 Fuse chambers on a substrate
Embodiments of a system with first means for forming a chamber adjacent to a component formed on a substrate and a single orifice between the chamber and a first surface of the first means that is opposite a second surface of the first means adjacent to the substrate and second means for enclosing the chamber on at least a portion of the first surface that encompasses the single orifice are disclosed.
US08704298B1 MOS diode with termination structure and method for manufacturing the same
A MOS diode includes a substrate with a mesa, a P-type semiconductor region with etched shallow trench surrounding the mesa, that cause an increasing metal contact area to reduce Vf value, a gate oxide layer arranged on the mesa, a polysilicon layer arranged on the gate oxide layer, and a shielding oxide layer arranged on the polysilicon layer. The termination structure includes a trench, an oxide layer arranged at least within the trench, at least one sidewall polysilicon layer arranged on the oxide layer within the trench. In the MOS diode, the shielding oxide layer is thicker than the gate oxide layer to prevent leaking current. The oxide layer and the sidewall polysilicon layer can enhance the reverse voltage tolerance of the MOS diode. A metal layer covers the polysilicon region, shielding oxide layer, semiconductor regions with etched shallow trench, termination region and some parts outside the termination region.
US08704296B2 Trench junction field-effect transistor
In a general aspect, a semiconductor device can include a gate having a first trench portion disposed within a first trench of a junction field-effect transistor device, a second trench portion disposed within a second trench of the junction field-effect transistor device, and a top portion coupled to both the first trench portion and to the second trench portion. The semiconductor device can include a mesa region disposed between the first trench and the second trench, and including a single PN junction defined by an interface between a substrate dopant region having a first dopant type and a channel dopant region having a second dopant type.
US08704288B2 Methods for forming etch stop layers, semiconductor devices having the same, and methods for fabricating semiconductor devices
A plurality of vertical channels of semiconductor material are formed to extend in a vertical direction through the plurality of insulation layers and the plurality of conductive patterns, a gate insulating layer between the conductive pattern and the vertical channels that insulates the conductive pattern from the vertical channels. Conductive contact regions of the at least two of the conductive patterns are in a stepped configuration. An etch stop layer is positioned on the conductive contact regions, wherein the etch stop layer has a first portion on a first one of the plurality of conductive patterns and has a second portion on a second one of the plurality of conductive patterns, wherein the first portion is of a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the second portion.
US08704287B2 Semiconductor memory device and method of fabricating the same
A semiconductor memory includes a memory cell array area provided with first and second memory cells and having a first active area and a first element isolation area constituting a line & space structure, and having a floating gate electrode and a control gate electrode in the first active area, a word line contact area adjacent to the memory cell array area and having a second active area, first and second word lines with a metal silicide structure, functioning respectively as the control gate electrodes of the first and second memory cells and arranged to straddle the memory cell array area and the word line contact area. A dummy gate electrode is arranged just below the first and second word lines in the second active area.
US08704277B2 Spectrally efficient photodiode for backside illuminated sensor
A backside illuminated sensor includes a semiconductor substrate having a front surface and a back surface and a plurality of pixels formed on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed above the front surface of the semiconductor substrate. The sensor further includes a plurality of array regions arranged according to the plurality of pixels. At least two of the array regions have a different radiation response characteristic from each other, such as the first array region having a greater junction depth than the second array region, or the first array region having a greater dopant concentration than the second array region.
US08704276B2 Solid-state imaging device, method of manufacturing the same, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a first conductive region on an upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate; a second conductive region below the first conductive region on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate. The solid-state imaging device further includes a photoelectric conversion region including the first conductive region located on the upper surface side of the first conductive region of the semiconductor substrate and the second conductive region and a transfer transistor transferring charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion region to a readout region; and a pixel including the photoelectric conversion region and the transfer transistor. The first conductive region, which is included in the photoelectric conversion region, extends to the lower side of a sidewall of a gate electrode of the transfer transistor.
US08704271B2 Bidirectional electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection
A bidirectional electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device includes a substrate having a topside semiconductor surface that includes a first silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) and a second SCR formed therein including a patterned p-buried layer (PBL) including a plurality of PBL regions. The first SCR includes a first and second n-channel remote drain MOS device each having a gate, a source within a p-body, and sharing a first merged drain. The second SCR includes a third and a fourth n-channel remote drain MOS device each having a gate, a source within a p-body, and sharing a second merged drain. The plurality of PBL regions are directly under at least a portion of the sources while being excluded from being directly under either of the merged drains.
US08704269B2 Die package
According to one embodiment, a die package is provided comprising a first die structure with a first plurality of switching elements wherein controlled current input terminals of the first plurality of switching elements are electrically coupled by a common contact region and wherein controlled current output terminals of the first plurality of switching elements are insulated from each other; a second die structure with a second plurality of switching elements wherein controlled current output terminals of the second plurality of switching elements are coupled by a common contact region and wherein controlled current input terminals of the second plurality of switching elements are insulated from each other; and wherein, for each of the first plurality of switching elements, the output terminal of the switching element is coupled with the input terminal of at least one switching element of the second plurality of switching elements.
US08704267B2 Light-emitting display device
The light-emitting display device comprises first and second thin film transistors. The first thin film transistor includes a first gate electrode; a first oxide semiconductor film; and a first electrode and a second electrode which are electrically connected to the first oxide semiconductor film. The second thin film transistor includes a second gate electrode electrically connected to the second electrode; a second oxide semiconductor film; a third electrode; a light-emitting layer and a fourth electrode over the second oxide semiconductor film. A work function of the second oxide semiconductor film is higher than a work function of the fourth electrode.
US08704260B2 Light emitting device and light-emitting system including the same
A light-emitting device having improved light conversion efficiency, a light-emitting system including the same, and fabricating methods of the light-emitting device and the light-emitting system, are provided. The light-emitting device includes one or more light-emitting elements arranged on one surface of a substrate, and a phosphor layer disposed inside or on the substrate to a predetermined thickness and partially wavelength-converts the light emitted from the one or more light-emitting elements into light having different wavelength, wherein a light conversion efficiency of the phosphor layer is maximized when the phosphor layer has the predetermined thickness.
US08704258B2 White color reflecting material and process for production thereof
A general-use white color reflecting material, and a process for production thereof are provided. The white color reflecting material, without troublesome surface treatment such as formation of a reflective layer by plating, is capable of reflecting a near-ultraviolet ray of a wavelength region of 380 nm or longer or a near-infrared ray sufficiently without light leakage; does not become yellow even when exposed to near-ultraviolet rays; has excellent lightfastness, heat resistance, and weatherability; has high mechanical strength and chemical stability; is capable of maintaining a high degree of whiteness; and is easily moldable at a low cost. Further a white color reflecting material used as an ink composition for producing the white color reflecting material in a film shape is also provided. The white color reflecting material comprises; a silicone resin or silicone rubber formed from titanium oxide-containing silicone composition, in which anatase-type or rutile-type titanium oxide particles are dispersed.
US08704256B2 Lens-mounted light emitting unit
In a lens-mounted light emitting unit comprising LED elements of multiple light colors, narrow-angle light distribution is enabled, and color mixing properties are improved. The lens-mounted light emitting unit comprises LED elements of multiple light colors placed on a base plate, and a lens unit having a shape of a body of revolution to color-mix and emit the light from the LED elements. Assuming an arbitrary contact point between the side incident surface and the upper incident surface of the lens unit, and that light from an LED element farthest from the contact point is refracted at the contact point to form a light path intersecting the emitting surface at an intersection point, the emitting surface inside a circle formed by continuously connecting such intersection points has a diffusion angle larger than the diffusion angle of the emitting surface outside the circle. This enables narrow-angle light distribution, and makes it possible to improve color mixing properties.
US08704255B2 Phosphor and light emitting device
A phosphor and a light emitting device containing the phosphor are provided. According to an embodiment, the phosphor is expressed in a chemical formula of LxMyCz1Nz2:Aa where L is at least one of an alkaline earth metal, a transition metal, Zn, Cd, Al, Ga, In, Ti, Ge, and Sn; M is at least one of B, Si, P, S, F, Cl, I, and Se; and A is at least one of an alkaline rare earth metal and the transition metal, and where 0
US08704254B2 Light emitting device including a filter
A semiconductor structure includes a light emitting region disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A wavelength converting material configured to absorb a portion of the first light emitted by the light emitting region and emit second light is disposed in a path of the first light. A filter is disposed in a path of the first and second light. In some embodiments, the filter absorbs or reflects a fraction of first light at an intensity greater than a predetermined intensity. In some embodiments, the filter absorbs or reflects a portion of the second light. In some embodiments, a quantity of filter material is disposed in the path of the first and second light, then the CCT of the first and second light passing through the filter is detected. Filter material may be removed to correct the detected CCT to a predetermined CCT.
US08704253B2 Light-emitting device and organic electroluminescence light-emitting device
In conventional organic EL light-emitting devices, the ITO used for a transparent electrode has a refractive index of about 2.0 larger than the refractive index of 1.5 of a transparent glass substrate. As a result, the mode of most of light traveling from the transparent electrode toward the glass substrate is the transparent electrode guided mode, and no light is emitted from the transparent electrode toward the glass substrate. According to the invention, the light extraction efficiency of conventional light-emitting devices such as organic EL light-emitting devices is improved by using mode conversion means so as to solve the problem that conventional light-emitting devices such as organic EL light-emitting devices have low light extraction efficiencies. A light-emitting device of the invention comprises a light-emitting layer on a substrate and mode conversion means for converting the mode from the guided mode into an emission mode. The mode conversion means is provided in the substrate, in the light-emitting layer, or at the interface between the substrate and the light-emitting layer.
US08704248B2 Coupled asymmetric quantum confinement structures
Implementations and techniques for coupled asymmetric quantum confinement structures are generally disclosed.
US08704244B2 LED light emitting device
In order to provide an LED light emitting device that can easily control a color temperature of white light, the LED light emitting device is provided with a plurality of types of light emitting parts that: respectively have LED elements that emit ultraviolet radiation or violet color visible light, and phosphors that absorb the ultraviolet radiation or violet color visible light to emit colored light; and emit the colored light, wherein: the colored light emitted by the plurality of types of light emitting parts become white light when all mixed with each other; the LED elements of the plurality of types of light emitting parts are all the same ones, and mounted on a single base material; and two or more light emitting parts overlap with each other in their parts.
US08704240B2 Light emitting devices having current reducing structures
A light emitting device includes a p-type semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer and an active region between the p-type semiconductor layer and the n-type semiconductor layer. A bond pad is provided on one of the p-type semiconductor layer or the n-type semiconductor layer, opposite the active region, the bond pad being electrically connected to the one of the p-type semiconductor layer or the n-type semiconductor layer. A conductive finger extends from and is electrically connected to the bond pad. A reduced conductivity region is provided in the light emitting device that is aligned with the conductive finger. A reflector may also be provided between the bond pad and the reduced conductivity region. A reduced conductivity region may also be provided in the light emitting device that is not aligned with the bond pad.
US08704235B2 Semiconductor circuit having capacitor and thin film transistor, flat panel display including the semiconductor circuit, and method of manufacturing the semiconductor circuit
A flat panel display including a semiconductor circuit, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor circuit includes i) a substrate, ii) a semiconductor layer and a first capacitor electrode formed on the substrate, the first capacitor electrode being doped to be conductive, iii) an insulating layer covering the semiconductor layer and the first capacitor electrode, iv) a gate electrode disposed on the insulating layer and corresponding to a portion of the semiconductor layer, and v) a second capacitor electrode disposed on the insulating layer and corresponding to the first capacitor electrode, wherein the gate electrode is thicker than the second capacitor electrode.
US08704229B2 Partial poly amorphization for channeling prevention
Semiconductor devices are formed without zipper defects or channeling and through-implantation and with different silicide thicknesses in the gates and source/drain regions, Embodiments include forming a gate on a substrate, forming a nitride cap on the gate, forming a source/drain region in the substrate on each side of the gate, forming a wet cap fill layer on the source/drain region on each side of the gate, removing the nitride cap from the gate, and forming an amorphized layer in a top portion of the gate. Embodiments include forming the amorphized layer by implanting low energy ions.
US08704223B2 Semiconductor device
A transistor of a characteristic checking element has a gate electrode connected to a measurement pad disposed in a dicing line and to an internal measurement pad disposed inside a semiconductor device. In a P/W process, a gate insulating film of the transistor is broken by an electric voltage applied via the internal measurement pad. Since the gate insulating film of the transistor is broken, a new current path is formed. Thus, measurement of accurate characteristics of the characteristic checking element is inhibited.
US08704219B2 Method for manufacturing semiconductor device
In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a metal oxide film which has a function of preventing electrification and covers a source electrode and a drain electrode is formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and then, heat treatment is performed. Through the heat treatment, impurities such as hydrogen, moisture, a hydroxyl group, or hydride are intentionally removed from the oxide semiconductor film, whereby the oxide semiconductor film is highly purified. By providing the metal oxide film, generation of a parasitic channel on the back channel side of the oxide semiconductor film in the transistor can be prevented.
US08704218B2 Semiconductor device having an oxide semiconductor film
To provide a thin film transistor which has high operation speed and in which a large amount of current can flow when the thin film transistor is on and off-state current at the time when the thin film transistor is off is extremely reduced. The thin film transistor is a vertical thin film transistor in which a channel formation region is formed using an oxide semiconductor film in which hydrogen or an OH group contained in the oxide semiconductor is removed so that hydrogen is contained in the oxide semiconductor at a concentration of lower than or equal to 5×1019/cm3, preferably lower than or equal to 5×1018/cm3, more preferably lower than or equal to 5×1017/cm3, and the carrier concentration is lower than or equal to 5×1014/cm3, preferably lower than or equal to 5×1012/cm3.
US08704214B2 Organic light emitting diode display and manufacturing method thereof
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display a includes: a substrate; an organic light emitting element on the substrate and including a first electrode, a light emission layer, and a second electrode; and an encapsulation layer on the substrate while covering the organic light emitting element. The encapsulation layer includes an organic layer and an inorganic layer. A mixed area, where organic materials forming the organic layer and inorganic materials forming the inorganic layer co-exist along a plane direction of the encapsulation layer, is formed at the boundary between the organic layer and the inorganic layer.
US08704211B2 High integrity protective coatings
A composite article with at least one high integrity protective coating, the high integrity protective coating having at least one planarizing layer and at least one organic-inorganic composition barrier coating layer. A method for depositing a high integrity protective coating.
US08704192B2 Drawing apparatus and method of manufacturing article
A drawing apparatus includes an aperture array, a lens array configured to form a plurality of crossovers of a plurality of charged particle beams from the aperture array, and a projection system including an element having a single aperture and configured to converge the plurality of charged particle beams corresponding to the plurality of crossovers and to project the plurality of charged particle beams having passed through the single aperture onto the substrate. The lens array includes a correction lens array including a converging lens eccentric relative to corresponding one of a plurality of apertures of the aperture array such that the plurality of charged particle beams converged according to aberration of the projection system are converged to the single aperture. The lens array includes a magnifying lens array configured, so as to form the plurality of crossovers, to magnify a plurality of crossovers formed by the correction lens array.
US08704191B2 Film bulk acoustic wave resonator-based high energy radiation detectors and methods using the same
The present invention relates generally to the detection of high energy radiation. The present invention relates more particularly to the film bulk acoustic wave resonator-based devices, and their use in the detection of high energy radiation. One aspect of the invention is a method for detecting high energy radiation, the method comprising providing a film bulk acoustic wave resonator having a zinc oxide piezoelectric layer in substantial contact with a dielectric layer; exposing the film bulk acoustic wave resonator to the high energy radiation; determining the resonant frequency of the film bulk acoustic wave resonator; and determining the dose of high energy radiation using the resonant frequency of the film bulk acoustic wave resonator.
US08704189B2 System and method for ionizing radiation detection
An ionizing radiation detection system can include a self-quenching sensing element having a substantially sealed enclosure containing a plurality of gases. The plurality of gases can include an ionizing gas to ionize in response to receiving a particle of ionizing radiation. The plurality of gases can also include a halogen quenching gas. In a particular embodiment, the plurality of gases can include an oxygen-containing gas in an amount of at least approximately 5% by pressure of a total pressure of the plurality of gases. In another particular embodiment, the partial pressure of the oxygen-containing gas can be from approximately 2666 Pa to approximately 16000 Pa. In another embodiment, the radiation detection system can include an anode having a composition that is more resistant to erosion by gasses within the sensing element.
US08704182B2 Thermoluminescent layered product, thermoluminescent plate, method of producing thermoluminescent layered product, method of producing thermoluminescent plate and method of acquiring three-dimensional dose distribution of radiation
Provided are a dosimeter which uses thermoluminescent plates and with which a three-dimensional dose distribution of radiation can be acquired, a method of producing the dosimeter, and a method of using the dosimeter. A thermoluminescent layered product 11 is constituted of a plurality of thermoluminescent plates 13 which are layered. Each of the thermoluminescent plates 13 is constituted of a thermoluminescent phosphor containing no aluminum (III) and a heat-resistant resin. The thermoluminescent phosphor comprises lithium tetraborate as a base material and manganese as a luminescent center contained in the base material.
US08704180B2 Device and method for detecting infrared radiation through a resistive bolometer matrix
An infrared radiation detection device comprising: a substrate; a matrix of at least one line of elements for detecting the radiation, each comprising a resistive imaging bolometer, the matrix being formed above the substrate; a bolometer reading circuit, a temperature measuring device for measuring the temperature in at least one point of the substrate; and a compensation circuit and data processing device for correcting the signal formed from each bolometer as a function of the temperature measured in at least one point of the substrate. The compensation circuit and data processing device capable of correcting the signal formed from the imaging bolometer by using a predetermined physical model of the temperature behavior of the signal.
US08704174B2 Refined oil degradation level measuring instrument and refined oil degradation level measuring method
In situ monitoring of a degradation level of refined oil during use is provided. An excitation light irradiation unit varies intensity of excitation light to irradiate the excitation light onto the refined oil with a resulting fluorescence. A fluorescence intensity detection unit detects the intensity of fluorescence generated by the irradiation of the excitation light, and a time lag characteristic calculation unit calculates a time lag characteristic of a fluorescence intensity variation with respect to the intensity variation of the excitation light. A degradation index value acquisition unit provides to a predetermined correlation between a degradation index value indicating a degradation level of the refined oil and the time lag characteristic is used to acquire a degradation index value from a time lag characteristic calculated in the time lag characteristic calculation unit to determine the current degradation status of the oil.
US08704173B2 Ion cyclotron resonance measuring cells with harmonic trapping potential
Devices and methods for the acquisition of mass spectra with very high mass resolution in ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometers include cylindrical ICR measuring cells with special electrode geometries to generate harmonic trapping potentials for orbiting ions. The sheath of the cylindrical cell is divided by longitudinal gaps into a multitude of sheath electrodes, which either have to carry layers with resistance profiles able to generate parabolic voltage profiles along the sheath electrodes, or which form sheath electrodes of varying width by parabolic gaps. Orbiting ions of a given mass m/z oscillate harmonically in an axial direction with the same frequency, independent of the radius of their orbit and their oscillation amplitude. Ideally, the cylinders are closed by endcaps with rotationally hyperbolic form, divided into partial electrodes. The ions are excited by dipolar excitation fields. The orbiting ion clouds are kept together for much longer periods than was possible hitherto.
US08704169B2 Direct impact ionization (DII) mass spectrometry
Disclosed is a mass spectrometer for analyzing a sample that has or is suspected of having microorganisms. The disclosed mass spectrometer has been uniquely configured to include a sample platform which functions as a counter electrode or discharge electrode and a surface to provide the sample to be analyzed. The mass spectrometer also includes an ion source positioned adjacent to the sample platform for ionizing and volatizing molecules within the sample, wherein the sample platform and the ion source are positioned such that during operation of the mass spectrometer an electrical discharge takes place between the ion source and the sample platform. Also disclosed are methods for generating a mass spectrum profile/fingerprint of a sample. The methods include positioning a sample platform having a sample adjacent to an ion source.
US08704163B2 Quadrupole mass spectrometer with enhanced sensitivity and mass resolving power
A novel method and mass spectrometer apparatus is introduced to spatially and temporally resolve images of one or more ion exit patterns of a multipole instrument. In particular, the methods and structures of the present invention measures the ion current as a function of time and spatial displacement in the beam cross-section of a quadrupole mass filter via an arrayed detector. The linearity of the detected quadrupole ion current in combination with it reproducible spatial-temporal structure enables the deconvolution of the contributions of signals from individual ion species in complex mixtures where both sensitivity and mass resolving power are essential.
US08704160B1 Downhole analysis of solids using terahertz spectroscopy
Methods and apparatus are provided for determining the composition of solid materials located downhole in a formation. Examples of solid materials that may be investigated downhole include scale and formation cores.
US08704144B2 Dual speed readout integrated circuit for high spatial and temporal resolution applications
A dual speed Read-Out Integrated Circuit employs a native pixel array with associated high resolution integration circuits for each pixel and a superpixel array created within the native pixel array by combination of native pixels for charge sharing integration in reduced resolution integration circuits simultaneously with the integration of the high resolution integration circuits. Switching control for readout of the high resolution integration circuits is accomplished at a first frame rate and switching control for readout of the reduced resolution integration circuits is accomplished at a second higher frame rate.
US08704143B2 Image projection apparatus utilizing reflective image display element and plural parallel plates for a plurality of color light (as amended)
An image projection apparatus includes a beam splitter configured to split light from a light source into first color light and second color light, a first reflective image display element configured to optically modulate the first color light, a second reflective image display element configured to optically modulate the second color light, a first parallel plate arranged between the beam splitter and the first reflective image display element and made of a large refractive index wavelength dispersion, and a second parallel plate arranged between the beam splitter and the second reflective image display element and made of a large refractive index wavelength dispersion.
US08704142B2 Microwave reactivation system for standard and explosion-proof dehumidification
The Microwave System and method of reactivation is designed to provide an indirect, safe and energy efficient source of heat and temperature rise required in the reactivation section of the desiccant unit for the release into atmosphere of the water vapors which are accumulated in the desiccant rotor. This microwave reactivation system and method is based on heat transfer produced from a heated fluid which is pumped through a closed loop coil assembly. This closed loop coil assembly is located and runs through both the isolated heating chamber of the microwave section and the reactivation/regeneration section in the dehumidification system. The airstream passing through the reactivation intake section comes in contact with the coil assembly and is heated to the desired temperature prior to reaching the desiccant rotor.
US08704135B2 Synergistic welding system
A welding system is disclosed for performing a short arc welding process between an advancing wire electrode and a workpiece. The system comprises a power source with a controller for creating a current pulse introducing energy into the electrode to melt the end of the electrode and a low current quiescent metal transfer section following the end of the melting pulse during which the melted electrode short circuits against the workpiece; a timer to measure the actual time between the end of the pulse and the short circuit; a device for setting a desired time from the pulse to the short circuit; a circuit to create a corrective signal based upon the difference between the actual time and the desired time; and, a circuit responsive to the corrective signal to control a given parameter of the current pulse. Also disclosed is a strategy for arc welding utilizing a cored electrode that produces welds with low levels of contaminants and which are strong, tough, and durable. The arc welding process generally utilizes an AC waveform. The cored electrode can be a self-shielded flux cored electrode (FCAW-S). Various electrode compositions are described that are particularly beneficial when used in conjunction with an AC waveform.
US08704133B2 Silver-containing antiseptic welding flux for stainless steel
A silver-containing antiseptic welding flux for stainless steel includes 0.1-0.5 wt % of silver, 30-54 wt % of silicon dioxide, 20-40 wt % of titanium dioxide, 10-20 wt % of chromium oxide, 5-20 wt % of molybdenum oxide, 5-10 wt % of molybdenum sulfide, and 5-10 wt % of halide.
US08704124B2 Low temperature encapsulate welding
A load-bearing medical implant is disclosed that includes a load-bearing structure with a cavity extending into the outer surface of the structure. The cavity accommodates a sensor that is held in a fixed position within the cavity by an encapsulant. The cavity is covered by a plate that is welded over the cavity in close proximity to the sensor and encapsulant to provide a seal over the cavity and the electronic component without causing thermal damage to the encapsulant or sensor despite the close proximity of the encapsulant and sensor to the welded areas of the plate and structure. Methods for encapsulating the sensor in the cavity, methods for encapsulating a wire bus leading from the sensor through a channel in the implant and methods for pulsed laser welding of weld plate over the sensor and encapsulant with thermal damage to either are disclosed.
US08704112B2 Thermoelectric touch sensor
A thermoelectric touch sensor includes a first electrode, a thin film layer provided on the first electrode and including a thermoelectric material, a second electrode provided on the thin film layer, a sensing unit which senses at least one of a current flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode and a voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode.
US08704106B2 Ferroelectric component and manufacturing the same
A method of manufacturing an electronic component includes forming a resin layer over an underlying layer, pressing a conductor plate including a pattern formed on one major surface thereof against the resin layer, and embedding the pattern in the resin layer, and performing polishing, Chemical Mechanical Polishing, or cutting by the use of a diamond bit on another major surface of the conductor plate until the resin layer appears, and leaving the pattern in the resin layer as a conductor pattern.
US08704105B2 Mixed-metal system conductors for LTCC (low-temperature co-fired ceramic)
A composition for forming transition vias and transition line conductors is disclosed for minimizing interface effects at electrical connections between dissimilar metal compositions. The composition has (a) inorganic components selected from the group consisting of (i) 20-45 wt % gold and 80-55 wt % silver and (ii) 100 wt % silver-gold solid solution alloys, and (b) an organic medium. The composition may also contain (c) 1-5 wt %, based upon the weight of the composition, of oxides or mixed oxides of metals selected from the group consisting of Cu, Co, Mg and Al and/or high viscosity glasses mainly containing refractory oxides. The composition may be used as a multi-layer composition in a via fill. Multi-layer circuits such as LTCC circuits and devices may also be formed using the composition for forming transition vias and transition line conductors.
US08704101B2 Package carrier and manufacturing method thereof
In a manufacturing method of a package carrier, a substrate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an opening communicating the two surfaces is provided. An electronic device is disposed inside the opening. A first insulation layer and a superimposed first metal layer are laminated on the upper surface; a second insulation layer and a superimposed second metal layer are laminated on the lower surface. The opening is filled with the first and second insulation layers. First blind holes, second blind holes, and a heat-dissipation channel are formed. A third metal layer is formed on the first and second blind holes and an inner wall of the heat-dissipation channel. A heat-conducting device is disposed inside the heat-dissipation channel and fixed into the heat-dissipation channel via an insulation material. The first and second metal layers are patterned to form a first patterned metal layer and a second patterned metal layer.
US08704096B2 Composite electric wire
A composite electric wire that includes an electric wire body (W) composed of center conductors made of copper (CU) and outer-layer conductors made of aluminum (AL) and coated with copper. The outer-layer conductors are arranged to extend in a Z-direction along the outer circumferences of the center conductors (CU) and to enclose the center conductors (CU).
US08704091B1 Zero profile while in-use electrical outlet cover
An electrical outlet cover assembly comprises an electrical outlet mounting box having a front edge that does not extend beyond a front surface of a wall. An extendable base is coupled with the electrical outlet mounting box and is slideable between collapsed and extended positions. When collapsed, a leading edge of the extendable base does not extend beyond the front surface of the wall. One or more guides resist decoupling of the extendable base and the electrical outlet mounting box. A lid is pivotably coupled with the extendable base, and one of the lid and the extendable base has a cord port along their respective edges. The lid has a front surface and is positionable between open and closed positions. The lid's front surface is substantially flush with the front surface of the wall when the base is collapsed and the lid is closed with respect to the extendable cover.
US08704081B2 Light energy conversion systems and methods
A light energy conversion (LEC) system includes a fluid circuit having a working fluid flowing therethrough and a plurality of light concentrating (LC) modules for converting light energy into electrical energy and for transforming the light energy into thermal energy. The LC modules including a first LC module coupled in series with a second LC module along the fluid circuit. The working fluid absorbs thermal energy while flowing through the first and second LC modules. At least the first LC module includes a light concentrating optical element that is configured to direct light energy toward a focal region and a receiver held at the focal region. The receiver includes a housing having a chamber that holds an energy conversion member. The energy conversion member transforms light energy received from the optical element into electrical and thermal energy.
US08704073B2 Interactive digital music recorder and player
A digital multi-media device provides features for a user unskilled in musical arts or sound handling techniques that provides automatic musical score composition in accordance with contained composition instructions. Stored sound samples and interfaces for obtaining external signals provide signals for merger with visual and sound presentations to obtain altered presentations either time shifted or in real time. In this fashion the user can create simulated radio stations for playback of prearranged and composed audio material. Further, the automatically composed musical score may be mixed with synthesized, digitized signals from the stored sound samples and external signals obtained through the device interfaces.
US08704071B1 Method and system for generating sequences of musical tones
In a method for generating musical tones, a plurality of raw data sequences are generated using at least one recursive system implemented by a computing system. The plurality of raw data sequences are converted, using the computing system, into a plurality of sequences of musical tones that follow a set of aesthetic music principles.
US08704061B1 Maize hybrid X95C379
A novel maize variety designated X95C379 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X95C379 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X95C379 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X95C379, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X95C379. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X95C379.
US08704038B1 Maize hybrid X00C169
A novel maize variety designated X00C169 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X00C169 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X00C169 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X00C169, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X00C169. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X00C169.
US08704020B2 Catalytic hydrothermal treatment of biomass
Biomass based feeds are processed under hydrothermal treatment conditions, e.g., to produce a hydrocarbon liquid product and a solids portion. The hydrothermal treatment is performed in the presence of a dissolved catalyst or catalyst precursor. The presence of the dissolved catalyst or catalyst precursor can modify the nature of the hydrocarbon products produced from the hydrothermal treatment.
US08704012B2 Distillation of crude alcohol product using entrainer
Recovery of ethanol from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid using a low energy process and an entrainer. The crude ethanol product is separated in an distillation column to produce a distillate stream comprising the entrainer. The ethanol product is recovered from the residue stream.
US08704009B2 Process for hydrogenating alkyl ester(s) in the presence of carbon monoxide
Process for the preparation of alcohol(s) from alkyl ester(s) by bringing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and at least one alkyl ester into contact with a hydrogenation catalyst including copper and manganese in a reaction zone to produce at least one alcohol. The molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the reaction zone is in the range of from 100:1 to 1:10.
US08704001B2 Deuterated 2-amino-3-hydroxypropanoic acid derivatives
This invention relates to novel 2-amino-3-hydroxypropanoic acid derivatives and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. This invention also provides compositions comprising a compound of this invention and the use of such compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions that are beneficially treated by administering an NMDA glycine-site antagonist.