| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07676847B2 |
Application execution device, application execution method, integrated circuit, and computer-readable program
An application is activated with access permission to resources which are granted to unsigned applications. In parallel with the execution of the application, tamper check is performed on the application using a tamper check thread. When access to a resource which is not granted to unsigned applications is requested during the execution of the application before the completion of the tamper check, the application is put in a wait state until the completion of the tamper check. After the application is judged as having been untampered with as a result of the tamper check, the application is further granted access permission to resources that are specified by a permission information file included in the application. If this further-granted access permission includes the access right to the resource, the execution of the application is continued. |
| US07676840B2 |
Use of hashing in a secure boot loader
Machine instructions comprising a bootstrap code are buried within a critical component of an electronic game console where they cannot readily be accessed or modified. A preloader portion in a read only memory (ROM) is hashed by the bootstrap code and the result is compared to an expected hash value maintained in the bootstrap code. Further verification of the boot-up process is carried out by the preloader, which hashes the code in ROM to obtain a hash value for the code. The result is verified against a digital signature value that defines an expected value for this hash. Failure to obtain any expected result terminates the boot-up process. Since the bootstrap code confirms the preloader, and the preloader confirms the remainder of the code in ROM, this technique is useful for ensuring that the code used for booting up the device has not been modified or replaced. |
| US07676838B2 |
Secure communication methods and systems
Methods and systems for secure communications are provided. Secure end-to-end connections are established as separate multiple secure connections, illustratively between a first system and an intermediate system and between a second system and an intermediate system. The multiple secure connections may be bound, by binding Internet Protocol Security Protocol (IPSec) Security Associations (SAs) for the multiple connections, for example, to establish the end-to-end connection. In the event of a change in operating conditions which would normally require the entire secure connection to be re-established, only one of the multiple secure connections which form the end-to-end connection is re-established. Separation of end-to-end connections in this manner may reduce processing resource requirements and latency normally associated with re-establishing secure connections. |
| US07676832B2 |
Personalized service providing system and profile information classifying and processing method thereof
The present invention relates to a personalized service providing system and a profile information classifying and processing method thereof. The system, linked to a plurality of subscriber stations to provide a personalized service to a subscriber station, classifies and processes profile information for the service. In the profile information classifying and processing method, a) subscriber profile information is generated, b) the subscriber profile information is classified into static profile information and dynamic profile information, and c) the dynamic profile information is selected from the subscriber station to manage the selected dynamic profile information and the static profile information is selected from the system to manage the selected static profile information. The the static and dynamic profile information is classified into public and private profile information to manage the classified static and dynamic profile information. |
| US07676828B1 |
Method and system for authenticating and authorizing requestors interacting with content servers
A method and system for authenticating and authorizing requesters interacting with content servers. A message including a request is forwarded from an upstream device and received by an intermediate device. The intermediate device authenticates the upstream device. Then, if the intermediate device is authorized to make decisions as to which sender may access the content server, the intermediate device determines whether the sender of the message has authority to access the content server as requested in the request. Otherwise, the message is forwarded towards the content server with an indication that the intermediate device authenticated the upstream device. |
| US07676824B2 |
Method for the processing of remote control signals within a home audiovisual network, corresponding signal, devices and computer program
Processing signals from a remote control device within a home audiovisual network comprising a plurality of nodes for interconnecting a plurality of terminals, wherein, within the network, at least two types of remote-control signals are used, including first type remote-control signals specific to the nodes and sent by at least one first remote control device associated with the nodes, and second type remote-control signals specific to the terminals and sent by at least one second remote control device associated with at least one of said terminals. Each node of the network, called a local node, when receiving a first remote-control signal, performs analysis of the type of the received first remote-control signal, if the type of the received first remote-control signal is determined to be one of the first type remote-control signals, processing the signal and performing at least one function in response to the received first remote-control signal, if the type of the received first remote-control signal is determined to be one of the second type remote-control signals, transparently sending said received second type remote-control signal to a target node if the target node, to which a target terminal is connected, has been determined beforehand, said target terminal being connected with said target node, through at least one predetermined link between the target node and the target terminal, and if no target node has been determined beforehand, ignoring said received second type remote-control signal. |
| US07676819B2 |
Disk conveying apparatus
A recording medium driving device which records information in or reproduces information from the recording medium, includes a device body in which a recording medium is inserted and from which the recording medium is removed, a conveying mechanism that conveys the recording medium in a loading direction and an eject direction, a mounting section on which the recording medium is mounted, a conveyance arm that moves according to movement of the recording medium in the loading direction and the eject direction and conveys the recording medium, and a driving mechanism that has a driving source for imparting a driving force for moving the conveyance arm. The conveyance arm includes a contact section that brought into contact with the recording medium and an urging member that urges the contact section in the eject direction of the recording medium. |
| US07676817B1 |
Media drive system having a plurality of queuing positions
A media drive system includes a housing and a drive unit at least partially disposed within the housing. A media handler arrangement defines a plurality of queuing positions for media objects, and a receiving area within the housing receives storage units defining at least one other queuing position. The drive system reduces latency through the use of the queuing positions to speed transfer and access to media objects. |
| US07676815B2 |
System and related methods for accessing management functionality through a command line utility
A command line utility is described that overlays the management infrastructure of an enterprise to provide easier command options for administrators to effectively manage the enterprise. The primary intent of the command line utility is to facilitate management of the environment without requiring administrators to write scripts or navigate a vast schematized enterprise exposed through the management infrastructure. The command line utility provides command options through class aliases that enable the mapping of management queries and operations to a common term or friendly name that can be extended both in an alias file or at run time in the command line. |
| US07676813B2 |
Method and system for accessing resources
In a method for accessing resources provided by an operating system, a request for a resource is received by an application program executing inside a first environment. A first identifier associated with the resource is acquired. A second identifier referring to the requested resource and to a launch environment on which to launch the resource is determined. The request for the resource is redirected to the identified instance of the resource, responsive to the second identifier. The request for the resource is responded to using the instance of the resource located inside an environment on which the resource resides. |
| US07676812B2 |
Large scale event notification system
A scalable event notification system is provided. The event notification system manages the set of topics available for notification via a topic manager network. The event notification system transmits event notifications to event consumers via a subscription manager network. The configuration and operation of the subscription manager network may to reconfigured in response to changing load and fault conditions to facilitate the timely delivery of event notifications. The notification to subscribers also includes mechanisms to provide individual privacy and non-tampering of notifications. Notification may dynamically be delivered to alternative locations and localized to accommodate different natural languages. |
| US07676810B2 |
Identification of execution context
A system and method for identification of the execution context of a thread is disclosed. Under an embodiment of the invention, a method comprises associating a program object with a program thread; storing information concerning the program thread in the program object; and retrieving the information concerning the program thread upon request. |
| US07676806B2 |
Deployment, maintenance and configuration of complex hardware and software systems
Techniques for deploying, maintaining and configuring complex hardware and software systems are provided. An abstract configuration of the system describes the system's desired state. Each component of the system declares the general form of the resources it requires and an abstract representation of the versions of the services it both requires and provides. A configuration process uses the abstract configuration of the system and the descriptions of each of the components in the system to validate that the system can operate effectively, ensures that each component is in the correct state and at the right version, and generates the necessary interconnections for the application components to interoperate with each other. |
| US07676803B2 |
Method of defining packaging applicability
An update applicability data model is used to define relationships between an instance of a hardware device and an instance of an associated software component in an inventory context and a packaging context. A hardware device instance is correlated with an instance of the associated software component in the inventory context. Instances of hardware devices are compared in the inventory context. Instances of software components are compared in the inventory context and in the packaging context. Instances of hardware devices are grouped in the inventory context. Instances of software components are grouped in the inventory context and in the packaging context. Whether to update an instance of a software component associated with an instance of a hardware device using the update applicability data model is determined. |
| US07676800B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing the storage overhead of portable executable (PE) images
A method and related apparatuses facilitate the compression of firmware modules that follow a portable executable (PE) format. An example method includes an operation of storing a firmware module in memory, wherein the firmware module follows a PE format, thus having subdivisions that include an MS-DOS header. The method also includes an operation of flattening the firmware module by replacing existing content within at least one field within the MS-DOS header with fill data that is more compressible than the existing content. For example, fill data may be loaded into an MS-DOS stub field within the MS-DOS header. Alternatively, the method may flatten the firmware module by ensuring that fill data occupies all fields within the MS-DOS header except for an lfanew field and an e-magic field. In some embodiments, additional or alternative operations to flatten the firmware module may be performed, such as loading fill data into one or more fields within an optional file header of the firmware module. |
| US07676798B2 |
Mechanism for obtaining and applying constraints to constructs within an interactive environment
The present mechanism obtains constraints within an interactive environment, associates these constraints with constructs, and then applies these constraints to the constructs when encountering the constructs. The constraints may be saved in metadata associated with the respective construct. The constraints may specify a data type for the construct, a predicate directive, a documentation directive, a parsing directive, a data generation directive, a data validation directive, or an object processing and encoding directive. The constraints are extendable to support other directives. The mechanism allows interactive users to easily specify constraints interactively. |
| US07676796B2 |
Device, system and method for maintaining a pre-defined number of free registers within an instrumented program
A method, device and system for maintaining a pre-defined number of free registers at any location of an instrumented program such that at each point during execution of a segment of the instrumented program, the segment has access to the pre-defined number of free registers. |
| US07676793B2 |
Determination of dependent objects by a source control system and a method to automatically include those objects with the parent object when changes are enabled
This software invention requires that information be saved with each object that is placed in a source control system. This information includes the name, type, status, version number, and references to parent objects. When the object is checked-out, this information is used to determine the legality of checking-out any dependent objects. A method is used to generate the information that is saved and another method is used to determine which objects need to be checked-out. The dependent objects that need to be checked-out are then automatically checked-out. |
| US07676789B2 |
Architecture for customizable applications
An architecture for customizable applications includes an application object and a customization object. The application object has internal logic that performs a set of fixed or predetermined actions, and a public object model. The public object model includes a set of public methods that are invocable on the application object, and a set of event source which are methods that can be implemented by a programmer and are called by the internal logic of the application object. By implementing methods invocable by the event sources, it is possible to extend and customize the functionality of the application object. The customizations are stored in a customization database for retrieval during the dynamic operation of the application object. Each customization may be identified by a “moniker,” which is a string having a hierarchical format. The moniker is derived partly from fixed data known to the application object, and partly from environmental data that is ascertained by the application object at run time. |
| US07676787B2 |
Component based design time architecture
The invention includes an architecture in which components associate their design time functionality independent of a design tool. The design time functionality includes code generators, compilers, parsers and editors. The architecture includes interfaces for components and designers to communicate. The architecture includes attributes in metadata that describe the functionality associated with the instance of a component. |
| US07676785B2 |
Hosted application as a designer in an integrated development environment
Architecture that integrates an unmanaged application as a hosted application into a design environment in a coherent yet usable manner such that the developer can use the hosted application's native functionality yet leverage rich productivity features provided by the IDE. The IDE includes a hosting component that comprises an application adaptor for providing an interface from the unmanaged application to the IDE. The IDE further includes a designer framework that provides user access to designer capabilities of the IDE. The host adaptor interfaces to the designer framework either directly and/or through an integration interface. Thus, the developer/user can then access the native functionality of the unmanaged application as well as the IDE functionality. This provides rich integration between the development environment and the hosted application, the end result of which is the designer interacting with the IDE. |
| US07676783B2 |
Apparatus for performing computational transformations as applied to in-memory processing of stateful, transaction oriented systems
An apparatus for performing in-memory computation for stateful, transaction-oriented applications is provided. The apparatus includes a multi-level array of storage cells. The storage cells are configurable for a read access from one of a plurality of access data paths. The plurality of access data paths are also configurable for a write access from one of the plurality of access data paths. The multi-level array is capable of being configurable into logical partitions with arbitrary starting addresses. The apparatus further includes a compute element in communication with the multi-level array over the plurality of access data paths, the compute element configured to issue a plurality of memory accesses to the multi-level array through the plurality of access data paths. Methods for programming a multi-level array of storage cells and for processor design are also provided. |
| US07676782B2 |
Efficient method for mapping a logic design on field programmable gate arrays
An efficient method for mapping a logic design on Field Programmable Gate Arrays involves a determination of the minimum required square grid of FPGA logic blocks for mapping the design, providing a compensation factor on the minimum square grids, selecting the maximum value among the compensated square grids for reducing the mapping time; and implementing a legalization adjustment to ensure mapping of said compensated design. |
| US07676773B2 |
Trace optimization in flattened netlist by storing and retrieving intermediate results
A method of trace optimization in a flattened netlist of a circuit is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a first total result by tracing a first path through the flattened netlist, (B) writing an intermediate result in a memory, the intermediate result characterizing a module having a plurality of instances in the circuit, (C) adding the intermediate result as read from the memory to the first total result upon crossing each of the instances of the module along the first path and (D) writing the first total result into the memory. |
| US07676772B1 |
Layout description having enhanced fill annotation
Computer readable media hosting a layout description of electric circuitry that includes a description of prospective fill units and includes characteristic data noting at least one characteristic of each fill unit. In one preferred embodiment, each prospective fill unit includes just a single prospective fill element. Also, in a preferred embodiment, said characteristic data includes effect on electrical characteristics of nearby electrical circuitry. These electrical characteristics may further include timing characteristics and capacitance characteristics. The effect on the thickness of nearby connective elements also may be noted. |
| US07676769B2 |
Adaptive threshold wafer testing device and method thereof
Techniques for testing a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. One technique includes measuring a parameter for each of the semiconductor dies in a region of the wafer and determining an adaptive threshold for the region based on the measured parameters. The parameter measured for each die in the region is then compared to the adaptive threshold to determine a qualification status for each die. Accordingly, the semiconductor dies of the wafer are qualified based on an adaptive threshold that varies according to the wafer region under test. This allows for detection of dies whose parameters vary significantly from other dies in a region, providing for detection of potentially faulty dies whose parameter measurements otherwise meet a fixed threshold set for the entire wafer, such as a Single Threshold Test Limit (STL) expectation for the wafer. |
| US07676763B2 |
Method and system for providing an outwardly expandable radial menu
An outwardly expandable radial menu, such as a plus-shaped menu, may be launched in a user interface screen and may include a center option and up to four other options arranged to the left, right, upward, and downward relative to the center option. The position of each of the options may be associated with certain option categories. A traditional selectable menu, such as drop down menu, may be appended to the plus-shaped menu. A determination may be made regarding whether a portion of the plus-shaped menu will exceed a display boundary of the user interface screen. A placeholder may be displayed in place of the portion that is determined to exceed the display boundary. In response to user navigation to the placeholder, the plus-shaped menu may be shifted so that the portion replaced by the placeholder may be displayed. |
| US07676762B2 |
Method of controlling an Internet browser interface and a controllable browser interface
The present invention is directed to a method of dynamically controlling and displaying an Internet browser interface, and to a dynamically controllable Internet browser interface. In accordance with the present invention, a browser interface may be customized using a controlling software program that may be provided by an Internet content provider, an ISP, or that may reside on an Internet user's computer. The controlling software program enables the Internet user, the content provider, or the ISP to customize and control the information and/or functionality of a user's browser and browser interface. |
| US07676761B2 |
Window grouping
A framework is provided for obtaining window information. The window information can be applied to different assignment models to assign windows to different groups. A group may correspond to a task being performed by a user. The window information can be semantic or temporal information captured as window events and properties of windows whose events are captured. Temporal information can be information about switches between windows. Semantic information can be window titles. Temporal information, semantic information, or both, can be used to assign windows to groups. |
| US07676754B2 |
Method and program product for resolving ambiguities through fading marks in a user interface
Resolving an ambiguous input. When an ambiguous user input is received, the user input is displayed, for example, in a way that either the ambiguity is resolved or the ambiguity is indicated to the user by unique and distinctive graphical indications. Then, after waiting either for a time to receive a corrective input from the user or for a predetermined time, the display of the user input is faded. |
| US07676751B2 |
System and method for processing applicant input information
An automated method for generating Graphical User Interfaces (GUI's) is illustrated in the context of a system for processing financial applications. In one embodiment, the GUI generator converts domain data representing over one thousand application types into an equal number of corresponding user screens. The interface may also be bidirectional, operating on user inputs to validate data or check for double keying. |
| US07676746B1 |
System and method for in-context authoring of alternate content for non-textual objects
A system and method for enabling in-context authoring of alternate content for one or more non-textual objects is presented. An electronic document containing content that includes at least one non-textual object is accessed. In-context editing of alternate content corresponding to the non-textual object is facilitated. The alternate content is presented contextually co-located with the content located proximate to a physical placement of the non-textual object. Editing operations are performed on the alternate content in response to editing commands. A system and method for enabling in-context authoring of alternate content for one or more non-textual objects is also presented. An electronic document containing content is accessed. In-context editing of alternate content corresponding to a non-textual object is facilitated. A segment of the content is selected. The non-textual object is obtained from a data source and substituted for the content segment, which is stored as the alternate content for the non-textual object. |
| US07676739B2 |
Methods and apparatus for knowledge base assisted annotation
Improved document annotation techniques are provided. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for determining an annotation for a document includes the following steps/operations. A user-proposed annotation to be associated with the document is obtained. Then, the technique automatically determines, in accordance with a knowledge base, whether the user-proposed annotation matches at least one allowed annotation. |
| US07676737B2 |
Synchronization mechanism and the implementation for multimedia captioning and audio descriptions
A system for outputting a media stream and supplemental media streams is provided. A media stream manager outputs the media stream and associated supplemental media streams on a media stream output device. A timing module generates triggering events in conjunction with the output of the media streams according to event data. The media stream manager monitors for and detects the triggering events during the output of the media streams. Upon detecting a triggering event, the media stream manager determines which supplemental media streams are associated with the triggering event and iteratively outputs each associated supplemental media stream to the media stream output device. Supplemental media streams are output either synchronously or asynchronously according to previously determined information. A supplemental media stream that is output asynchronously to the media stream suspends the media stream and the timing of the media stream while the supplemental media stream is output. |
| US07676734B2 |
Decoding apparatus and method and information processing apparatus and method
A decoding apparatus, decoding the LDPC code using a message passing algorithm, sets a message as a log likelihood ratio having, as a base, a real number “a” which is a power of 2, and includes a check node processing calculating unit for receiving a message from a bit node to calculate a message from a check node. The check node processing calculating unit includes a converter for converting an absolute value x of the message to output f (x) and a converting unit supplied as an input y with a sum of the absolute values x of the message from the totality of the bit nodes less one, converted by the converter, subdividing the input y in preset domains and for converting the number in the domain into g (y), and expresses the boundary values of the domains of the input y and f (x) by a power of 2. |
| US07676733B2 |
Techniques to perform forward error correction for an electrical backplane
Techniques to perform forward error correction for an electrical backplane are described. An apparatus comprises a physical layer unit having a forward error correction sublayer to perform forward error correction using a single bit to represent a two bit synchronization header. |
| US07676731B2 |
Transceiver apparatus and method for efficient retransmission of high-speed packet data
A method for retransmitting coded bits by a transmitter in response to a retransmission request from a receiver in a mobile communication system. The method comprises determining a modulation technique to be used at retransmission as a modulation technique having a lower modulation order than a modulation technique used at initial transmission; determining a puncturing pattern according to an HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) type, and selecting as many coded bits as the number of coded bits that can be symbol-mapped by the determined modulation technique, among the coded bits punctured by the determined puncturing pattern; and symbol-mapping the selected coded bits by the determined modulation technique, and transmitting the symbol-mapped coded bits to the receiver. |
| US07676728B2 |
Apparatus and method for memory asynchronous atomic read-correct-write operation
A memory controller and method that provide a read-refresh (also called “distributed-refresh”) mode of operation, in which every row of memory is read within the refresh-rate requirements of the memory parts, with data from different columns within the rows being read on subsequent read-refresh cycles until all rows for each and every column address have been read, scrubbing errors if found, thus providing a scrubbing function that is integrated into the read-refresh operation, rather than being an independent operation. For scrubbing, an atomic read-correct-write operation is scheduled. A variable-priority, variable-timing refresh interval is described. An integrated card self-tester and/or card reciprocal-tester is described. A memory bit-swapping-within-address-range circuit, and a method and apparatus for bit swapping on the fly and testing are described. |
| US07676726B2 |
Stabilization for random chip identifier circuit
A method of stabilizing an identification series of bits by iteratively reading the identification series and logical OR'ing the identification series with a mask string after each read of the identification series. This produces a mask string having a first value in all positions of the mask string where bits in the identification series have never changed value during all of the readings of the identification series, representing stable bits, and a second value in all positions of the mask string where bits in the identification series have changed value during at least one of the readings of the identification series, representing unstable bits. The number of the unstable bits in the mask string having the second value is counted, and a method failure code is selectively reported when the number of unstable bits exceeds a maximum allowable number of unstable bits. An identification string is produced from the stable bits, and an identification code is calculated from the identification string. The identification code does not disclose the identification string, but is able to confirm the accuracy of the identification string and selectively correct a given number of bits within a corrupted identification string. At least one of the identification string, the identification code, and the mask string are stored. |
| US07676721B2 |
Auto re-transmission request method in a wireless communication system
An ARQ system and method for a BWA communication system are provided. A transmitter activates an ARQ timer if exist transmission data or retransmission data and transmits the transmission data or the retransmission data to a receiver. The transmitter then receives a response signal for the transmitted data or the retransmitted data and stops the ARQ timer in the not exist of transmission data. |
| US07676718B2 |
Test circuit, method and apparatus for supporting circuit design, and computer product
A first FF outputs a first signal. A second FF captures the first signal and outputs a second signal. Each of the first and the second FF has a clock terminal to capture a clock signal. A third FF captures the first signal in parallel with the second FF. The third FF has a clock terminal to capture the clock signal in parallel with the clock terminal of the second FF. A buffer delays arrival of the clock signal to the clock terminal of the third FF. A comparing circuit compares the second signal and the third signal. An error collecting circuit captures a result of comparison to judge whether a timing error occurs in the second FF. |
| US07676717B2 |
Electronic circuit comprising a test mode secured by the breaking of a test chain, and associated electronic circuit
An electronic circuit includes configurable cells with a test input and an output. The configurable cells are capable of being connected to one another in a chain in a predefined order via the test inputs and the outputs to form a test shift register if they receive a chaining command signal. A connection control module disconnects the test input from at least one configurable cell if the connection control module receives an invalid identification key. The connection control module leaves disconnected the test input from the at least one configurable cell, or applies a constant potential on the test input of the at least one configurable cell, or connects the test input of the at least one configurable cell at an output of a random-data generator. |
| US07676715B2 |
Integrated circuit with continuous testing of repetitive functional blocks
A method of continuous testing of repetitive functional blocks provided on an integrated circuit (IC) which includes selecting one of the repetitive functional blocks at a time for testing, substituting a test repetitive functional block for a selected repetitive functional block, and testing the selected repetitive functional block during normal functional mode of the IC. An IC which includes repetitive functional blocks for performing corresponding functional block operations during normal functional mode of the IC, and a test system which performs continuous testing of each repetitive functional block while the functional block operations are performed during normal functional mode of the IC. One block may be tested during normal operation for each IC reset event without transferring or copying state information. Multiple blocks may be tested one at a time during normal operation by transferring state information between a selected block and a test block. |
| US07676712B2 |
System and method of clocking an IP core during a debugging operation
According to the invention, an IP core is clocked during a debugging operation by switching from the clock used for testing the device under test to a clock oscillator or any other free-running clock source. |
| US07676710B2 |
Error detection, documentation, and correction in a flash memory device
A memory device has an error documentation memory array that is separate from the primary memory array. The error documentation memory array stores data relating to over-programmed bits in the primary array. When the over-programmed bits in the primary array are erased, the error documentation memory array is erased as well, deleting the documentation data relating to the over-programmed bits. |
| US07676709B2 |
Self-test output for high-density BIST
A method, apparatus and system of a self-test output for high density BIST are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes one or more memories, a BIST controller coupled to the one or more memories to perform write operation and to receive a PASS/FAIL signal from each embedded memory and one or more comparators coupled to the one or more memories latch mutually identical outputted data coming from the memories upon a rising edge of an ORDY signal. In addition, the comparators may compare the latched mutually identical outputted data and output associated PASS/FAIL signal to the BIST controller. The BIST controller registers the received PASS/FAIL result upon receiving the PASS/FAIL signal from the comparators. The integrated circuit may include output registers coupled to the BIST controller and the comparators output a data log substantially serially upon receiving a SHIFT/CLK signal from the BIST controller. |
| US07676708B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit with full-speed data transition scheme for DDR SDRAM at internally doubled clock testing application
The present invention provides a circuit and a method for the full speed testing of semiconductor memory chips. The invention provides a full-speed data transition scheme for double data rate (DDR) synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). For high speed or double speed stress testing of DDR SDRAM, the internal clock is double the speed of the external clock. During high speed test, this causes the data to be written or presented to the data path two times. This invention provides a circuit and method for creating a full-speed data transition scheme to overcome this double speed testing problem. |
| US07676706B2 |
Baselining backend component response time to determine application performance
Deviation of expected response times is used to characterize the health of one or more backend machines invoked by an application to process a request. Performance data generated in response to monitoring application execution is processed to select backend response time data. The selected data is processed to predict future values of a time series associated with backend response time. The predicted response time values are compared to actual response time values in the time series to determine a deviation from the predicted value. Deviation information for the time series data of response times is then reported to a user through an interface in a simple manner. |
| US07676703B2 |
Failure diagnosis system, image forming apparatus, computer readable medium and data signal
A failure diagnosis system includes a first database, a second database, an observation-information acquiring unit, a determination-probability calculating unit and an occurrence-probability calculating unit. A first cause-and-effect network stored in the first database stochastically represents a relationship between failure-type candidates and first observation information, which have cause-and-effect relationships with the failure-type candidates. Each second cause-and-effect network stored in the second database stochastically represents relationships between second observation information and failure-cause candidates. The observation-information acquiring unit acquires the first and second observation information from a diagnosed system. The determination-probability calculating unit calculates a determination probability of each failure-type candidate based on the first observation information and the first cause-and-effect network. The occurrence-probability calculating unit calculates occurrence probabilities of the failure-cause candidates for each failure-type candidate based on the second observation information and the second cause-and-effect networks. |
| US07676699B2 |
Event trace conditional logging
Use of configuration information to specify particular conditions under which trace events are to be logged. When accessing trace events generated by various modules, configuration data is referred to specifying condition(s) under which the trace events should be logged. If the log condition(s) are satisfied, the trace events are logged. Otherwise, they may be discarded. Thus, the number of trace events in the log may be significantly reduced to those trace events that satisfy conditions of interest to an evaluator. |
| US07676697B2 |
Using a delay line to cancel clock insertion delays
A programmable delay is added to the data and clock data paths in order to cancel the effect of the clock insertion delays. This programmable delay is adjusted dynamically at runtime to optimize the performance of the interface. |
| US07676695B2 |
Resolution of computer operations problems using fault trend analysis
A set of fault records representing faults previously detected in an enterprise computer system is received and analyzed. The analysis comprises a variety of analytical operations and results in a report provided to a user, the report particularly including a set of fault sources identified as highly important to address, with respect both to the system as a whole and to particular categories of faults. |
| US07676694B2 |
Managing system components
System components are managed. Based on a first communication path to a component, first identification information for the component is determined. Based on a second communication path to the component, second identification information for the component is determined. Based on the first identification information and the second identification information, an identity for the component is determined. Based on the identity, a set of tests is performed on the component. Based on the failure rate of the set of tests, it is concluded that another component on the first communication path is faulty. |
| US07676692B2 |
Database automated disaster recovery
A method of automated disaster site recovery of a DB2 subsystem is presented. The method reads parameters contained in a user modifiable control dataset of recovery parameters for objects, systems, and applications to be recovered. The method also reads a DB2 system catalog containing recovery requirements. The method then creates recovery jobs based on the control dataset parameters and DB2 system catalog requirements. Control cards are created that will automatically submit the recovery jobs to a CA7 scheduling system via a batch terminal interface such that dependent recovery jobs will not be submitted until their pre-requisite recovery jobs have completed. An installation verification job is created that selects a row from each table being recovered and ensures that the recovery was successful. The control dataset can be updated with new application, object, and system recovery parameters on an as needed basis without affecting the recovery job creation process. |
| US07676691B2 |
Systems and methods for providing nonlinear journaling
In one embodiment, systems and methods are provided for nonlinear journaling. In one embodiment, groups of data designated for storage in a data storage unit are journaled into persistent storage. In one embodiment, the journal data is recorded nonlinearly. In one embodiment, a linked data structure records data and data descriptors in persistent storage. |
| US07676687B2 |
Method, computer program product, and system for limiting access by a failed node
In a multi-node computer system, file access by a failed node is limited. Upon receipt on an indication of a node failure, a fencing command is sent to disks in a disk subsystem to which the failed node has access. If the fencing command sent to a disk fails, the fencing command is sent to a server having access to at least one disk in a disk subsystem to which the failed node has access to limit access by the failed node to the disk in the disk subsystem. If the fencing command sent to the server does not result in limiting access by the failed node to all the disks in the disk subsystem, sending the command to another server having access to at least one disk in the disk subsystem to limit access by the failed node to the disks in the disk subsystem. The fencing command may be sent to various servers until access by the failed node to all the disks in the disk subsystem is limited or until the fencing command has been sent to all the servers. The fencing command may be sent one at a time to servers having access to the disks in the disk subsystem, may be sent concurrently to all the servers having access to the disks in the disk subsystem, or may be forwarded from one server to another. |
| US07676686B2 |
Delay locked loop circuit and synchronous memory device including the same
A delay locked loop (DLL) circuit for a synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) enables a more stable operation when the semiconductor operates in a power-down mode for low power. The present invention can prevent a phase update operation from being interrupted when the DLL circuit enters a power-down mode. For the above purpose, an off operation of a clock buffer is delayed until a clock signal notifying a final period of the phase update is activated. |
| US07676685B2 |
Method for improving the data transfer in semi synchronous clock domains integrated circuits at any possible m/n clock ratio
A method for data transfer between two semi-synchronous clock domains in a System on Chip (SoC) includes first and second integrated processors or circuits respectively operating at first and second clock frequencies. The SoC includes a phase for detecting, for each frequency ratio between the first and second clock frequencies, a maximum rate of the data transfer, with the rate being a function of all the possible input and output delays supported by the SoC. This is dependent on the parameters of the SoC. There is also a phase for programming a generic frequency converter between the first and second integrated processors for the data transfer, and a phase for scheduling the data transfer between the semi-synchronous clock domains. |
| US07676680B2 |
Systems and methods for distributing private placement documents
Methods of providing a private placement document to a potential investor in a private placement. The methods may comprise the step of generating the private placement document in an encrypted electronic format. The private placement document may include a unique identifier. The methods may also comprise the steps of providing the private placement document to the potential investor, and recording the unique identifier. |
| US07676678B2 |
Method for signing a data package and signing apparatus
A method for signing a data package uses a signing apparatus, the signing apparatus having a binary identification code comprises the step of providing a set of node keys and a check value for the data package and the step of determining a signature block having a plurality of signature fields. In addition, the method comprises the step of providing the binary identification code of the signing apparatus and the signature block in order to sign the data package. |
| US07676677B2 |
Digital signature method and apparatus
A digital signature method and apparatus is provided in which a first party with a first public/private key pair forms an ambiguous signature on subject data using at least the private key of the first key pair, a keystone initially only known to the first party, and the public key of at least one other public/private key-pair. This signature is ambiguous in that a signature-checking party can only verify that the signature is in the set comprising a signature created by the first party and a respective signature created by the possessor of the private key of the or each of the key pairs the public key of which was used in creating the signature. Revelation of the keystone renders the signature unambiguous. Such an ambiguous signature can be used to implement a fair exchange of signatures between any number of parties, with the exchanged signatures being ambiguous signatures until revelation of the initial signer's keystone. |
| US07676674B2 |
Method for authenticating electronic documents
A secure method for sending register, authenticated electronic documents is disclosed. The sender sends a first set of data, not including the plaintext message, encrypted with the public key of the recipient, and a second set of data, including the plaintext message, encrypted with a session key which was included in the encrypted first set of data. The recipient is first asked if he wants to receive the message, and then, upon seeing an abstract, asked if he wants to receive the full message. Confirmatory data regarding the decryption of the message and the presentation of the data to the recipient is recorded and sent to an authentication agent. |
| US07676670B2 |
Power supply control device and method, program, and recording/playback apparatus
A power supply control device includes a first signal output unit that outputs a re-power signal and an off-ready signal, the re-power signal being a signal for turning off the power supply of an apparatus for a predetermined period of time and then turning on the power supply of the apparatus, the off-ready signal indicating that the power supply of the apparatus is ready to be turned off; a second signal output unit that outputs a power-off enable signal for turning off the power supply of the apparatus to a power supply unit when the re-power signal and the off-ready signal are supplied to the second signal output unit; and a holding unit that holds the power-off enable signal for the predetermined period of time. |
| US07676669B2 |
Multi-core processor control method
The load/sense control of the setting value that corresponds to the processor core for CMP, etc. processors that have multi-cores realize, for such processors with multi-core structures, the shortening of system boot time during multi-core operation, flexible debugging methods, and improvement of yield with the aid of partial core quality product chips at time of semiconductor production, by equipping a core selection flag register that maintains the status of each core, and controlling the output to the core block from the processor common block through that core selection flag register status. |
| US07676667B2 |
Boot control apparatus and method
In one preferred embodiment, a boot control apparatus of an MCU includes a register, a reset signal generating circuit, and a controlling circuit. The register includes a first pin to receive a reset signal output from the reset signal generating circuit, and a second pin to receive a signal output from the controlling circuit. The controlling circuit includes a signal detecting circuit, and a delay circuit for delaying a signal output from the signal detecting circuit. The register is capable of sending a command to the MCU to allow the MCU to execute a warm boot if the first pin receives a reset signal and the second pin is at a low level, and sending another command to the MCU to allow the MCU to execute a cold boot if the first pin receives a reset signal and the second pin is at a high level. |
| US07676665B2 |
Arrangements for initialization-time and run-time integration of firmware and software extensions for supporting add-in hardware
Arrangements for initialization-time and run-time integration of firmware and driver software extensions for supporting add-in hardware. |
| US07676662B2 |
Virtualization of a non-privileged instruction that behaves differently when executed by privileged code than by non-privileged code
In various embodiments of the present invention, a virtual monitor can arrange to properly emulate execution of a cover instruction by operating-system code, or other code assuming to run at highest privilege level, by monitoring a window of instruction execution in which a cover instruction may be executed. Upon occurrence of an interruption, the virtual monitor may configure performance monitoring by the IA-64 processor to count the number of times a cover instruction is executed. When a subsequent attempt is made by a routine executing at a privilege level lower than the highest privilege level to read the contents of a special control register into which the contents of the CFM register would have been stored had a cover instruction been executed under conditions obtainable only to code running at the highest privilege level, the virtual monitor can determine whether or not a cover instruction was, in fact, executed by the non-privilege routine and can properly emulate access to the special control register by the routine running at less than highest privilege level. In alternative embodiments, other non-privileged instructions that behave different depending on the privilege level of the processor at the time they execute can be virtualized by the virtualization technique used for the cover instruction. |
| US07676659B2 |
System, method and software to preload instructions from a variable-length instruction set with proper pre-decoding
In a processor executing instructions from a variable-length instruction set, a preload instruction is operative to retrieve from memory a data block corresponding to an instruction cache line, pre-decode instructions from a variable-length instruction set in the data block, and load the instructions and pre-decode information into the instruction cache. An instruction execution unit indicates to a pre-decoder the position within the data block of a first valid instruction. The pre-decoder successively determines the length of each instruction and hence the instruction boundaries. An instruction cache line offset indicator that identifies the position of the first valid instruction may be generated and provided to the pre-decoder in a variety of ways. |
| US07676657B2 |
Across-thread out-of-order instruction dispatch in a multithreaded microprocessor
Instruction dispatch in a multithreaded microprocessor such as a graphics processor is not constrained by an order among the threads. Instructions for each thread are fetched, and a dispatch circuit determines which instructions in the buffer are ready to execute. The dispatch circuit may issue any ready instruction for execution, and an instruction from one thread may be issued prior to an instruction from another thread regardless of which instruction was fetched first. If multiple functional units are available, multiple instructions can be dispatched in parallel. |
| US07676651B2 |
Micro controller for decompressing and compressing variable length codes via a compressed code dictionary
The invention provides a code compression technology that is favorable for a micro controller or other embedded system, and for compressed codes, resulting from conversion of program codes into variable length codes, and grouped program codes, address conversion information for specifying the start address of each group and compressed code type information for specifying the code length of each compressed code contained in a group are stored in a memory, and by enabling a corresponding compressed code address to be calculated from a code address output by a CPU, code compression that is favorable for a micro controller or other embedded system is realized. |
| US07676650B2 |
Apparatus for controlling instruction fetch reusing fetched instruction
When an instruction stored in a specific instruction buffer is the same as another instruction stored in another instruction buffer and logically subsequent to the instruction in the specific instruction buffer, a connection is made from the instruction buffer storing a logically and immediately preceding instruction, not the instruction in the other instruction buffer, to the specific instruction buffer without the instruction in the other instruction buffer, and a loop is generated by instruction buffers, thereby performing a short loop in an instruction buffer system capable of arbitrarily connecting a plurality of instruction buffers. |
| US07676646B2 |
Packet processor with wide register set architecture
A Wide Register Set (WRS) is used in a packet processor to increase performance for certain packet processing operations. The registers in the WRS have wider bit lengths than the main registers used for primary packet processing operations. A wide logic unit is configured to conduct logic operations on the wide register set and in one implementation includes hardware primitives specifically configured for packet scheduling operations. A special interlocking mechanism is additionally used to coordinate accesses among multiple processors or threads to the same wide register address locations.The WRS produces a scheduling engine that is much cheaper than previous hardware solutions with higher performance than previous software solutions. The WRS provides a small, compact, flexible, and scalable scheduling sub-system and can tolerate long memory latencies by using cheaper memory while sharing memory with other uses. The result is a new packet processing architecture that has a wide range of cost/performance points, based on desired scheduling requirements. |
| US07676644B2 |
Data processing system, storage apparatus and management console
In a data processing system having a storage system and a management computer for managing the storage system, the management computer has an access right setting request unit for transmitting, to the storage system, a request to set a right to access a designated logical volume in response to a predetermined external input. The storage system also has: a control unit for dynamically expanding, as necessary based on an access request from the host computer, the capacity of a first type logical volume by dynamically assigning storage areas in units of segments of predetermined size thereto; and an access right setting unit for setting, in response to a request to set a right to access the first type logical volume from the management computer, a designated access right for each segment assigned to the first type logical volume. |
| US07676641B2 |
Storage system with multiple copy targeting and disk failure protection
An apparatus is disclosed in which a storage controller cooperable with a host and a plurality of controlled storage is provided to localize an impact of a failure to a target disk in an affected segment. The storage controller includes a host write component to write a data object to a source image storage; a first copy component responsive to a first metadata state to control copying of the data object to a first target storage; a second copy component responsive to a second metadata state to perform either: copying the data object to a second target or causing the first copy component to copy the second target to the first target; and a third copy component to control cascaded copying of the data object to a third target storage. Either the second or the third copy component controls cascaded copying of a delimited data image subsequence responsive to a metadata state indicating currency of a data grain in either the second or the third target. |
| US07676640B2 |
Flash memory controller controlling various flash memory cells
An electronic data flash card is accessible by a host system, and includes a flash memory controller and at least one flash memory device coupled to the flash controller. The boot code and control code for the flash memory system (flash card) are stored in the flash memory device during a programming procedure. The flash controller transfers the boot code and control code to a volatile main memory (e.g., random access memory or RAM) at start up or reset making a RAM-based memory system. Boot code and control code are selectively overwritten during a code updating operation. A single flash controller thus supports multiple brands and types of flash memory to eliminate stocking issues. |
| US07676637B2 |
Location-aware cache-to-cache transfers
In shared-memory multiprocessor systems, cache interventions from different sourcing caches can result in different cache intervention costs. With location-aware cache coherence, when a cache receives a data request, the cache can determine whether sourcing the data from the cache will result in less cache intervention cost than sourcing the data from another cache. The decision can be made based on appropriate information maintained in the cache or collected from snoop responses from other caches. If the requested data is found in more than one cache, the cache that has or likely has the lowest cache intervention cost is generally responsible for supplying the data. The intervention cost can be measured by performance metrics that include, but are not limited to, communication latency, bandwidth consumption, load balance, and power consumption. |
| US07676636B2 |
Method and apparatus for implementing virtual transactional memory using cache line marking
Embodiments of the present invention implement virtual transactional memory using cache line marking. The system starts by executing a starvation-avoiding transaction for a thread. While executing the starvation-avoiding transaction, the system places starvation-avoiding load-marks on cache lines which are loaded from and places starvation-avoiding store-marks on cache lines which are stored to. Next, while swapping a page out of a memory and to a disk during the starvation-avoiding transaction, the system determines if one or more cache lines in the page have a starvation-avoiding load-mark or a starvation-avoiding store-mark. If so, upon swapping the page into the memory from the disk, the system places a starvation-avoiding load-mark on each cache line that had a starvation-avoiding load-mark and places a starvation-avoiding store-mark on each cache line that had a starvation-avoiding store-mark. |
| US07676635B2 |
Recoverable cache preload in clustered computer system based upon monitored preload state of cache
An apparatus, program product and method monitor the state of a cache during a cache preload operation in a clustered computer system such that the monitored state can be used after a failover to potentially avoid the need to restart the cache preload operation from the beginning. In particular, by monitoring the state of the cache during a cache preload operation, any data that has been preloaded into a cache prior to a failure may be retained after a failover occurs, thus enabling the cache preload operation to continue from the point at which it was interrupted as a result of the failure. |
| US07676634B1 |
Selective trace cache invalidation for self-modifying code via memory aging
Selective trace cache invalidation for self-modifying code via memory aging advantageously retains some of the entries in a trace cache even during self-modifying code events. Instructions underlying trace cache entries are monitored for modification in groups, enabling advantageously reduced hardware. Associated with each trace cache entry are translation ages that are determined when the entry is built by sampling current ages of memory blocks underlying the entry. When the entry is accessed and micro-operations therein processed, the translation ages of the accessed entry are compared with the current ages of the memory blocks underlying the accessed entry. If any of the age comparisons fail, then the micro-operations are aborted and the entry is invalidated. When any portion of a memory block is modified, the current age of the modified memory block is incremented. If one of the current ages overflows, then the entire trace cache is flushed. |
| US07676632B2 |
Partial cache way locking
Systems and methods are disclosed for locking code in cache. A processor comprises a cache and a cache controller. The cache is configured to store a temporary copy of code residing in main memory. Also, the cache is divided into a number of cache ways, where each cache way is further divided into a number of cache way portions. The cache controller is configured to utilize a first signal and a second signal. The first signal designates one of the cache ways as a partial cache way and the second signal defines which ones of the cache way portions of the partial cache way are to be locked. |
| US07676629B1 |
Data structure for enforcing consistent per-physical page cacheability attributes
A data structure for enforcing consistent per-physical page cacheability attributes is disclosed. The data structure is used with a method for enforcing consistent per-physical page cacheability attributes, which maintains memory coherency within a processor addressing memory, such as by comparing a desired cacheability attribute of a physical page address in a PTE against an authoritative table that indicates the current cacheability status. This comparison can be made at the time the PTE is inserted into a TLB. When the comparison detects a mismatch between the desired cacheability attribute of the page and the page's current cacheability status, corrective action can be taken to transition the page into the desired cacheability state. |
| US07676622B2 |
System and method for improved bus communication
A system for bus communication includes a first port coupled to a bus, comprising a first engine configured to respond to bus signals on the bus, according to a predetermined protocol. A second port couples to the bus, comprising a second engine configured to respond to bus signals according to the predetermined protocol. A control module couples to the second port and is configured to receive a port state signal, and to disable the second port based on the received port state signal. |
| US07676618B2 |
Controlling resource transfers in a logically partitioned computer system
A resource and partition manager of the preferred embodiments includes a lock mechanism that operates on a plurality of locks that control access to individual I/O slots. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to obtain a lock on an I/O slot when transferring control of the I/O slot to a logical partition that is powering on and when removing the I/O slot from a logical partition that is powering off. The resource and partition manager uses the lock mechanism to remove control of an I/O slot from, or return control to, an operating logical partition in order to facilitate hardware service operations on that I/O slot or on the physical enclosure in which it is contained. |
| US07676613B2 |
Methods and structure for assuring correct data order in SATA transmissions over a SAS wide port
Methods and associated structure to assure correct order in delivery of SATA frames over a SAS wide port. In one aspect hereof, new connection requests from a SATA device are rejected until prior frames residing in receive buffers of the SAS/SATA controller are properly processed. In another aspect, when a device is already connected to the controller, the SAS/SATA controller may prevent return of a receiver ready primitive in response to a transmitter ready primitive until previously received frames are removed from the receive buffers. |
| US07676603B2 |
Write combining protocol between processors and chipsets
Systems and methods of processing write transactions provide for combining write transactions on an input/output (I/O) hub according to a protocol between the I/O hub and a processor. Data associated with the write transactions can be flushed to an I/O device without the need for proprietary software and specialized registers within the I/O device. |
| US07676599B2 |
System and method of binding a client to a server
A system and method of binding a client with a server. Embodiments of the present invention allow a client to receive and maintain a set of “best-fit” server IP addresses. The best fit server IP addresses establish a hierarchy of server addresses that are used by a client to maintain a binding with a server without using the DNS. Communicating the set of best-fit server IP addresses to a specific client is accomplished using extensions to one or more network protocols already used to support client/server communications, thus minimizing the amount of code needed to support the additional information transfer. |
| US07676597B2 |
Handling multiple network transport service levels with hardware and software arbitration
An interface adapter for a packet network includes a first plurality of execution engines, coupled to a host interface so as to read from a memory work items corresponding to messages to be sent over the network, and to generate gather entries defining packets to be transmitted over the network responsive to the work items. A scheduling processor assigns the work items to the execution engines for generation of the gather entries. Switching circuitry couples the execution engines to a plurality of gather engines, which generate the packets responsive to the gather entries. |
| US07676594B2 |
Middleware platform
The present invention relates to the provision of a middleware platform apparatus and related method operating on top of the heterogeneous wireless network. In other words, there is provided at least one bearer service in a heterogeneous wireless network for at least one application running at a mobile endpoint roaming in the heterogeneous wireless network. It is proposed to dynamically adjust (S10, S12) the at least one bearer service provided through the heterogeneous wireless network (10) according to an operational context of a mobile endpoint (12). |
| US07676590B2 |
Background transcoding
A system and methods are described for transcoding media content in the background on a source computer device prior to such time as a target media playback device is connected to the source computer for synchronization of the media content. The system and methods anticipate which media content to background-transcode based on user input rules and media status data that are maintained in a transcode database. Pre-transcoding media content provides advantages that include a significant reduction in the time needed to synchronize media content between a source computer and a target media playback device, and an efficient use of CPU power for transcoding media content at times when the CPU might otherwise stand idle. |
| US07676589B2 |
Automatic generation of portlets for visualizing data by exploiting object relationships
A method of automatically creating portlets for a portal system can include identifying a location of structured data described by a data model specification and automatically determining, from the data model specification, relationships between a plurality of objects within the structured data. The method further can include automatically generating a plurality of portlets, wherein each portlet is configured to query the structured data according to the relationships specified within the data model specification. One or more communication links between at least two of the portlets can be automatically created according to the relationships specified within the data model specification. |
| US07676587B2 |
Distributed IP trunking and server clustering for sharing of an IP server address among IP servers
Network servers in a cluster share the same network protocol address for incoming client requests, and in a data link layer protocol a reply of a client to a request from a server is returned to this same server. For example: (1) ports of the servers are clustered into one single network channel used for incoming and outgoing requests to and from the servers; or (2) ports of the servers are clustered into one single network channel used for incoming requests to the servers and a separate port of each of the servers is used for outgoing requests from each of the servers; or (3) logical ports of the servers are clustered into one network channel used for requests to the servers and a separate logical port of each of the servers is used for outgoing requests from each of the servers. |
| US07676585B1 |
System and method for dynamically adjusting a refresh interval
A method for providing information to a client device includes receiving a first status request from the client device and communicating status information to the client device in response. The status information specifies a first refresh interval. The method also includes detecting an input of the client device and determining a second refresh interval in response to detecting the input. The method further includes receiving a second status request from the client device after the expiration of the first refresh interval and communicating updated status information to the client device in response to the second status request. The updated status information specifies the second refresh interval. |
| US07676584B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing games and content
In an embodiment of the invention, a dongle is configured for communication with an electronic device. The dongle includes a connector, a controller, a first memory and a second memory. The connector is for interfacing with the electronic device. The controller is for controlling the interface between the connector and the electronic device. The first memory includes a file system. The controller is configured to provide automatic recognition of the dongle and mounting of the file system to the electronic device by using the connector when the dongle interfaces with the electronic device. The second memory has data for automatic navigation to a predetermined location. The dongle is configured for automatic execution of an element of the file system. |
| US07676582B2 |
Optimized desktop sharing viewer join
Embodiments herein are designed to counteract the negative effects of an attendee join in a remote session by employing several techniques. One technique maintains and determines maximum decoding capabilities of viewers, which are then used to determine, e.g., a least common denominator of encoding available. As such, a sharer can dynamically modify (either up or down) the encoding of the graphics stream without having to renegotiate decoding capabilities for each viewer upon a join/disjoin. In order to assist in resetting viewer state based on the above encoding technique, other embodiments provide for: context reset for delta and/or other types of order encoding; reset for all sharer and viewer caches; and reset of history for compression context. Another technique provides for delaying the joiner of attendees (and thus the reset of the graphics stream) based on a myriad of static and dynamic policy factors. |
| US07676579B2 |
Peer to peer network communication
Methods and apparatus for peer to peer network communication. In one implementation, a method of communicating between a first client system and a second client system includes: discovering first address information for a first client system connected to a first network address translation device; sharing the first address information with a second client system; receiving second address information for the second client system; and establishing communication between the first client system and the second client system using the second address information. |
| US07676578B1 |
Resource entitlement control system controlling resource entitlement based on automatic determination of a target utilization and controller gain
A control system for controlling resource entitlement for a resource compartment in a resource-on-demand system includes nested loops. An inner loop includes an adaptive feedback control system including an adaptive controller operable to automatically determining a gain for the control system. The gain varies depending on a demand of the resource compartment in a previous interval, and the adaptive controller is operable to determine a resource entitlement for the resource compartment for a current interval based on the gain and a target utilization for the current interval. An outer loop includes a feedback control system operable to automatically determine the target utilization for the current interval, wherein the target utilization varies based on at least one QoS metric measured for the previous interval and a QoS metric target. |
| US07676573B2 |
Node monitor client cache synchronization for mobile device management
A stateful cache layer is created at a mobile device client that tracks the state on both the mobile device and management service. The states are synchronized between the mobile device and the management service on every management session. Through the statefulness of the cache layer, unauthorized changes on the mobile device are detected and accordingly handled such as internal correction or reporting to the management service for actionable instructions. A cache layer on the management server is configured to identify organizational policy changes that affect specific devices and initiate unsolicited immediate management sessions to update the configuration to the specific devices. |
| US07676570B2 |
Determining client latencies over a network
A network latency estimation apparatus for estimating latency in network communications between a server and a client. The apparatus comprises an event observer for observing occurrences of pre-selected events. The events associated with the communication occurring at the server. A logging device associated with the event observer for logging into a data store the occurrence of the events together with respective time information. A latency estimator associated with the logging device for using the logged occurrences with the respective time information to arrive at an estimation of a client's latency for the communication. |
| US07676569B2 |
Method for building enterprise scalability models from production data
The invention provides a method for preparing a discrete event simulation model of a production network including a client and a plurality of servers on a plurality of network tiers connected by a network comprising the steps of executing a business function from the client on the production network, gathering resource data from the plurality of servers, normalizing the resource data, calculating a consumption of resources used by the plurality of servers, estimating a transaction cost associated with the consumption of resources and building a discrete event simulation model from the transaction cost. |
| US07676568B2 |
Centrally-controlled distributed marking of content
Presently disclosed is a method and apparatus for monitoring and diagnosing a content delivery network (CDN) by examining received content elements that have been marked with one or more identifiers. Diagnosing is accomplished by using all or part of one or more of the identifiers associated with errored or corrupted content elements to determine which network elements or connection paths are faulty. The identifiers may contain content-, server-, or receiver-specific data that denotes, respectively, the source of the content, the links associated with one or more of the servers utilized in the network, and/or data associated with the receiving computer system. Both marking and diagnosing may be performed at any location within the CDN or at any host computer connected to the CDN or receiver. The marking may also be dynamically reconfigured in order to facilitate diagnosis. |
| US07676564B2 |
Managing stored data on a computer network
A method and system for managing stored data on a computer network organizes data into logical volumes, and each logical volume has a friendly name associated with it. A domain controller keeps track of the friendly names of the logical volumes and associates those friendly names with the actual physical paths of the logical volumes. When a client computer on the network wishes to access a logical volume, it sends a look-up request having the friendly name to the domain controller. The domain controller may fulfill the request by sending the path of the logical volume to the client computer. |
| US07676563B2 |
Task-oriented management of server configuration settings
Task-oriented management is provided for managing server configuration settings. The server configuration settings are logically grouped into a set of tasks. User interface elements are mapped to each task in the set of tasks. The task represented by a user interface element is also mapped to one or more of the server configuration settings. The task list is displayed that includes each of the mapped tasks. When a task is selected, a user interface page module is displayed. Using the user interface page module, the server configuration settings that correspond to the task are modified as the task is completed when the user selects corresponding actions as the user is guided through the task. |
| US07676562B2 |
Computer system for accessing instrumentation information
To maintain and manage a computer network, a system administrator may monitor a large number and variety of components, each component comprising a variety of resources. The instrumentation of a resource may be monitored and/or manipulated by receiving a Simple Object Accessing Protocol (SOAP) message comprising an operation identifier for accessing instrumentation information and a resource identifier associated with a computer system resource. The management system may resolve the resource identifier into an address for a local handler associated with the resource, and may send a local request to the local handler at the resolved address. |
| US07676556B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring information for multiple network access providers
A computer program product that provides a graphical user interface for configuring communication information for multiple network service providers on a computer system. The program product is operable to display a network communication scene that includes edit windows and selectable options for a user to view, enter, remove, and modify configuration information for at least one network service provider, and allows the user to enter information for establishing communication with the same network service provider using at least two different communication mediums, and from several different geographical locations. |
| US07676555B2 |
System and method for efficient control and capture of dynamic database content
A system and method for efficient control and capture of dynamic database content for rapidly providing a user with a highly relevant collection of documents related to a query. The system and method for efficient control and capture of dynamic database content includes a computer system with a storage means for facilitating the retention and recall of dynamic database content and a communications means for facilitating bi-directional communication of the computer system with local or distributed networks; an executory module operationally coupled to the computer system for controlling the storage means and the communications means as well as directing the system for the efficient control and capture of dynamic database content to a plurality of pre-selected Internet sites; and a capture module which is in communication with the executory module and facilitates selection of the plurality of Internet sites associated with a query submitted by a user of the system. |
| US07676554B1 |
Network acceleration device having persistent in-memory cache
A network acceleration device includes a persistent, in-memory cache of network content. For example, the cache may store content in a manner that allows a software process to map virtual memory to specific, known regions of an underlying physical memory. Upon detecting a failure of a process executing within the network device, the network acceleration device may restart the software process and remap data structures of the cache to the known regions of the physical memory without necessarily requiring that the cache content be reloaded from a non-volatile memory, such as a hard drive. In this manner, the network acceleration device may accelerate download speeds by avoiding timely cache content restoration in the event of a software process failure. |
| US07676548B2 |
System and method for providing a presence service
A system and method including registering state information capable of being published by an Event Publication Agent (EPA) using a Media Feature Tag according to Session Initiation Protocol (SIP); sending a Publication Rule for target state information from a Ruler to an associated EPA; routing the Publication Rule to the EPA; receiving, by the EPA, the Publication Rule; performing publication to an Event State Compositer (ESC) according to the Publication Rule; requesting to update or cancel the Publication Rule; receiving the request from the Ruler and modifying the Publication Rule accordingly; performing publication from the EPA to the ESC according to the modified Publication Rule; sending a Publication Rule synchronization request from the Ruler to the EPA using an event package; sending a response message to the Publication Rule synchronization request from the EPA; and sending notification of further updates of the Publication Rule from the EPA. |
| US07676544B2 |
File sharing system, file sharing method, and recording medium storing file sharing program
A file sharing system connected to both a telephone network and a data communication network includes a telephone conversation state monitoring part for recording information for identifying speakers having a telephone conversation for each telephone conversation in a recording part as telephone conversation state data, a sharing space generating part for generating a file sharing space to a file sharing server for each telephone conversation, and recording information for identifying a file sharing space and information for identifying a speaker in a recording part in such a manner that they are associated with each other, and an access control part enabling access from a communication terminal by the speaker associated in the association data, among accesses from the communication terminals with respect to the file sharing Space. Because of this, the file sharing system allows a file to be shared with a party on the other side during a telephone conversation even without using a terminal with a particular function added thereto. |
| US07676543B2 |
Associating presence information with a digital image
The present invention provides a computer-implemented method and system for associating presence information with a digital image. Aspects of the preferred embodiment include allowing an identifier associated with at least one object depicted in the image to be stored as image metadata; using the identifier to associate presence information with the at least one object; and performing an action related to the object using the associated presence information. |
| US07676540B2 |
Scoped referral statements
Methods, systems, and data structures for communicating object metadata are provided. A generic metadata container is presented that allows object metadata to be described in an extensible manner using protocol-neutral and platform-independent methodologies. A metadata scope refers to a dynamic universe of targets to which the included metadata statements correspond. Metadata properties provide a mechanism to describe the metadata itself, and metadata security can be used to ensure authentic metadata is sent and received. Mechanisms are also provided to allow refinement and replacement of metadata statements. The metadata container may be used to convey referral data to update routing tables in network nodes, and may also be used register referral statements and query a node for referral information. |
| US07676534B2 |
Coordinate mutual converting module
A coordinate mutual conversion module is provided which is capable of readily utilizing a global mesh code. A zone number (I-VI) and an east-west number within a block are derived from the longitude of a requested position (S1). A block number and a south-north number are derived from the latitude of the requested position (S2). A unit number is derived from the east-west number and south-north number (S3). The value of the western end longitude of the derived unit is subtracted from the value the longitude of the position to derive the difference which is divided by 2160 seconds (S4), the resulting value is multiplied by 10 raised to n, and an integer part of the resulting value is defined to be an east-west number of a mesh (S5). The latitude of the position is subtracted from the northern end latitude of the derived unit to derive the difference which is divided by a value in seconds converted from difference A of the unit (S6), the resulting value is multiplied by 10 raised to n, and an integer part of the resulting value is defined to be a south-north number of the mesh (S7). The block number, unit number, east-west number, and south-north number are arranged in this order to create an N-code (S8). |
| US07676533B2 |
System for executing SIMD instruction for real/complex FFT conversion
An FFT conversion instruction based on a single instruction multiple data (“SIMD”) technique is executed to reduce the number of cycles for software to perform conversion processing used in an FFT computation. In an embodiment, the FFT conversion instruction implements two instances of a conversion operation, i.e., 2-way SIMD, over two sets of complex points at once. A control register or variant opcode controls an inverse flag to control the behavior of the conversion process. In an embodiment, the control register contains a control bit to select between forward and inverse FFT context. |
| US07676526B1 |
System, method and computer program product for multi-level file-sharing by concurrent users
A method of accessing a shareable computer file includes receiving a request to access the shareable computer file, retrieving a file ID from a stub file corresponding to the shareable computer file, retrieving a file name from a database corresponding to the file ID, accessing the shareable computer file if a user has not modified the shareable computer file, and accessing a modified copy of the shareable file stored in the stub file if the user has modified the shareable computer file. A database is generated in operating system space or accessed using the operating system, and includes file IDs and their corresponding file names for shareable computer files. The stub file is generated locally to correspond to the shareable computer file, and includes a modified copy of the shareable computer file if the shareable computer file has been modified, and a link to the shareable computer file if the shareable computer file has not been modified. If the shareable computer file has not been modified, a read-only operation retrieves any of file contents, file position and file size from the shareable computer file. File attributes relating to the shareable computer file can be retrieved from the stub file. The database is provided by the operating system for use by a Virtual Private Server. |
| US07676525B2 |
Efficient query processing of merge statement
Disclosed are systems and methods for optimization and efficient processing of MERGE statements. MERGE allows performing a mix of inserts, updates, and deletes in a single statement, and introduces new challenges compared to legacy DML statements, where the kind of action to be performed is hard-coded and known at compile time. Such optimizations may include Halloween Protection detection for MERGE statements, optimized prevention of non-deterministic MERGE statements, in-place inserts for MERGE statements scanning the “Read Instance” of the target table, and optimized execution of MERGE statements seeking the “Read Instance” of the target table. Such optimizations may be fundamental in order to ensure proper performance and reliable processing times. |
| US07676521B2 |
Keyword search volume seasonality forecasting engine
A method and system are provided for forecasting keyword search volume. Keywords are categorized by concept and by the amount of data available for use in predicting future behavior. The keywords and/or the categories can also be categorized as seasonal or non-seasonal. A category level seasonal variation pattern can then be calculated based on keywords in the category that have sufficient historical data. A search volume can then be predicted for one or more keywords, with an appropriate calculation algorithm being selected based on the concept category, seasonal classification, and historical data available for the keywords. |
| US07676519B2 |
Method and system for responding to requests relating to complex data maintained in a structured form
A method and apparatus for processing user entered input and providing a response in a system for autonomously processing requests includes rules. For each rule, whether the input is recognized is determined. If it is, a response is sent to the user. To determine recognized input, the method attempts to match the rule to a pattern. If a match is not found, the input is not recognized. If a match is found, the input is recognized and the response is sent. Alternatively, the input is conditionally recognized and a statement validator is executed which queries structured data to determine if a logic statement evaluates to true. Depending on how the statement evaluates: i) the input is recognized and the response is sent, ii) the structured data is queried again for the next statement validator, or iii) the input is not recognized and the method continues to the next rule. |
| US07676518B2 |
Clustering for structured data
A system and method for processing data using a bubble clustering algorithm are presented. In the system and method, a set of data is formatted for processing. A set of business objects containing the formatted data is grouped into a smaller set of bubbles, each bubble comprising a container that provides only statistical information about the business objects therein. The bubbles are then clustered based on a nearest neighbor similarity, and a visualization of the clustered bubbles is generated. |
| US07676516B2 |
System and method for the optimization of database access in data base networks
A database network router (DNR) in a database network includes a client access module and a database resource manager that communicate with each other using a common software interface. The client access module communicates with clients including application servers and external database servers; and the database resource manager communicates with the database servers. The DNR also includes a protocol manager for handling multiple database protocols. The database network router also includes local data cache storage to store commonly used data objects, results of parsed query statement, non-optimized query statements, and optimized alternatives and assigns a priority to each client on log-in. The DNR provides a method for connections pooling, a method for balancing the load in a database networks and a method for synchronizing the data stored in cache memory with the database network and method for synchronizing the data stored in cache memory with the database to insure data reliability. The DNR also provides a method for monitoring and optimizing data queries to improve the performance of the database network. The DNR also provides a method to migrate from an old to a new version of the database. |
| US07676513B2 |
Scheduling of index merges
While consulting indexes to conduct a search, a determination is made from time to time as to whether it is more efficient to consult individual indexes in a set or to merge the indexes and consult the merged index. The cost of merging indexes is compared with the cost of individually querying indexes. In accordance with the result of this comparison, the indexes are merged and the merged index is consulted, or the indexes are individually consulted. A cost-balance invariant in the form of an inequality is used to equate the cost of merging indexes to a weighted cost of individually querying indexes. As query events are received, the costs are updated. As long as the cost-balance invariant is not violated, indexes are merged and the merged index is queried. If the cost-balance invariant is violated, indexes are not merged, and the indexes are individually queried. |
| US07676512B2 |
Document management server, information terminal apparatus, image forming apparatus, document managing method, and program
When a certain file is updated, a document management server determines whether a “registration state information mail” is set for that file, and after that, performs “self information mail” setting processing. Computer requests the document management server to transmit an electronic file, and prints and displays the electronic file according to an operation definition corresponding to the file format of the received electronic file. MFP inquires whether the document to be displayed is an electronic file stored in the document management server or an electronic file recorded on an external storage medium. Further, in response to an operation of a touch panel, MFP changes a magnifying power of display data, and rotates an image to change the direction by setting the central position of the rotation to a display center of an image being currently displayed. |
| US07676511B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing object pre-tenuring overhead in a generational garbage collector
In some circumstances a generational garbage collector may be made more efficient by “pre-tenuring” objects or directly allocating new objects in an old generation instead of allocating them in the normal fashion in a young generation. A pre-tenuring decision is made by a two step process. In the first step, during a young-generation collection, an execution frequency is determined for each allocation site and sites with the highest execution frequency are selected as candidate sites. In the second step, during a subsequent young-generation collection, the survival rates are determined for the candidate sites. After this, objects allocated from sites with sufficiently high survival rates are allocated directly in the old generation. |
| US07676508B2 |
Method and system for recording and replaying input-output requests issued by a user-mode program
I/O request data for user-mode programs is recorded into a log, which later allows the I/O requests to be replayed. By substantially exact replay, tests are performed with different versions/combinations of kernel components using the same I/Os as when recorded. A user-mode record/replay program and kernel-mode filter driver record a program's I/O requests, such as data I/O request packet (IRP) data received by the filter driver. While recording, tests exclude IRPs not directly resulting from program requests. Recorded I/O request data is maintained in log file records. At replay time, the records are read and corresponding I/O requests sent towards the storage volume as if requested by the original program. Tables are maintained for information relevant to the replay context, such as file handles, file IDs, and short names that vary from the record context. Substitution from the tables allows I/O requests to be replayed as originally issued. |
| US07676506B2 |
Differential file compression of software image versions
Embodiments include systems and methods for pre-processing and post-processing original and new versions of files as part of difference file generation between the original and new file versions. The systems and methods of an embodiment include a set of algorithms that reduce the difference file size by preprocessing a variety of regions in software images for embedded computing devices, an example of which is the compressed read-only memory (ROM) file system (CRAMFS) image. The algorithms treat a variety of types of data regions that are created by the compiler. Embodiments operate on the server side and the client side. On the server side, the preprocessing generates Compact Functional Differences (CFD) hint data directly from a pair of CRAMFS images, without the use of symbol files or log files generated by compiler/linker utilities. |
| US07676498B2 |
Method and data processing system for managing user roles
The illustrative embodiment provides a computer implemented method, a data processing system, and a computer program product for managing user roles. A customization application receives a request to modify a user role for an application. In response to the request, the customization application allows a user to modify a set of features associated with the user role to form a set of customized features. A role database stores the set of customized features for the user role. The user roles in the role database are available for use by a plurality of users of the application. |
| US07676497B2 |
Apparatus and method for report publication in a federated cluster
A report publication system includes a first set of report management servers defining a first cluster supporting a common report management architecture. A first set of client machines operate in accordance with the common report management architecture. The first client machines are configured to access the first cluster. A second set of report management servers defines a second cluster supporting the common report management architecture. A second set of client machines operate in accordance with the common report management architecture. The second client machines are configured to access the second cluster. A first client machine of the first set of client machines invokes a report on the first cluster to form a published report with a designated destination address. The published report is exchanged between the first cluster and the second cluster via the Internet in accordance with the destination address. A second client machine of the second set of client machines accesses the published report through the second cluster. |
| US07676487B2 |
Method and system for formatting and indexing data
According to one embodiment, a method for formatting and indexing data includes selecting an input data string associated with a data entry. The input data string is of a first format associated with a first numeral system. The input data string is converted to a second format to create an output data string, which is associated with a second numeral system that is a higher-based numeral system than the first numeral system. The output data string is used to create an index associated with the data entry. |
| US07676483B2 |
Executable task modeling systems and methods
Systems and methods are provided for task modeling with models that are adaptive and executable at runtime. In one implementation, a method is provided for executing a task model at runtime. The method may comprise providing a task model comprising a plurality of tasks, executing an application to schedule one or more of the tasks, and monitoring a state of one or more of the tasks. Further, the method may include detecting a change in the state of one or more of the tasks, and updating, during runtime execution, the task model based on the detected change in the state of one or more of the tasks. |
| US07676476B2 |
Data types with incorporated collation information
The subject invention pertains to a system and method of incorporating collation information into data types. In particular, the subject invention provides for parameterizing data types with collation information such that a comparison between two different collations generates a static-type error rather than a run-time error. Additionally, the invention affords for conveniently working with localized data types to allow generic parameterization over collations as well as ordinary types. In the context of strings, the present invention enables concurrent use of strings in multiple languages and facilitates the correct handling thereof. |
| US07676472B2 |
Method and apparatus for accessing web services
Methods, apparatuses and computer programs for making information relating to web services available to applications hosted by a client platform and/or using such information to invoke web services for use by an application hosted by a client platform are disclosed. The information is preferably obtained from a local repository or otherwise from a remote repository via the internet. The information may relate to web services previously used by the applications such as particular invocation instances of those web services. The information may comprise statistical Quality of Service (QoS) information relating to particular invocation instances of web services. |
| US07676467B1 |
User segment population techniques
A facility for identifying users that have an interest in a selected subject is described. For each of a number of actual users, the facility establishes a user behavior record describing the behavior of the actual user. The facility also establishes a user behavior record describing behavior of a virtual user. The behavior described by the user behavior record for the virtual user is made up of actions each tending to indicate an interest in the selected subject. The facility identifies a proper subset of the actual users whose user behavior records are most similar to the user behavior record of the virtual user as interested in the selected subject. |
| US07676463B2 |
Information exploration systems and method
Disclosed information exploration system and method embodiments operate on a document set to determine a document cluster hierarchy. An exclusionary phrase index is determined for each cluster, and representative phrases are selected from the indexes. The selection process may enforce pathwise uniqueness and balanced sub-cluster representation. The representative phrases may be used as cluster labels in an interactive information exploration interface. |
| US07676453B2 |
Partial query caching
When a query is performed an execution plan is formed, which is made up of a plurality of plan operators. Before executing any given plan operator, a storage area is checked. If a results set has been stored corresponding to the plan operator, then the cached results set is used instead of the executing the plan operator. If no results set exists that corresponds to the particular plan operator, the plan operator is executed, and the results set that is output may be stored for use by another plan operator of another execution plan. |
| US07676448B2 |
Controlling installation update behaviors on a client computer
A method for controlling the update installation behavior of a computing device according to installation attributes is presented. When present, a mandatory installation attribute associated with a software update causes the installation process executed on the computing device to disallow a user to selectively not install the software update. A priority installation attribute causes the computing device to request a higher amount of network bandwidth for obtaining the software update's content for installation on the client computing device. A deadline installation attribute associated with the software update causes the computing device to permit a user to selectively not install the software update until an associated deadline passes, at which time the software update is installed without further user interaction. A zero system interruption (ZSI) installation attribute causes the computing device to automatically install the software update without user interaction if the computing device is properly configured. |
| US07676446B2 |
System and method for making decisions
Systems and methods are disclosed to assist in making decisions. The systems and methods consider situations where the user is determining which of several alternatives is the best choice. The criteria to evaluate the decisions are input into a grid, and the user rates the different alternatives against the different criteria. Given several alternative choices or options, it provides the probability each alternative is the right selection. In one embodiment, the system implements a Bayesian approach. The systems and methods may estimate the chance some important consideration was missed thereby reducing the chance of being surprised or blindsided. The system and method may also examine the inputs to a decision analysis in order to detect entries that might reflect bias, assumptions or unusual reasoning, thereby increasing the chance of obtaining the correct answer. The systems and methods may also identify the factors that were predictive. The systems and methods do not accept information as valid and correct; rather, they allow cross-checking and verification, and further employ sub-systems and sub-methods to reduce mistakes. Systems and methods so disclosed may be employed in financial analyses, intelligence analysis, etc. |
| US07676445B2 |
Apparatus, system and method for developing failure prediction software
An apparatus, system, and method are provided for developing failure prediction software for a storage system. The present invention allows a user to edit and revise a failure prediction algorithm that includes fuzzy logic rules. The failure prediction algorithm is generated in a human readable format and uses terms and operators familiar to experts in the field of storage systems. In addition, the present invention generates the machine-readable code necessary to implement or test a draft failure prediction algorithm. If the results of the failure prediction algorithm are unsatisfactory, the user may revise the failure prediction algorithm and re-run the tests until the results correspond to expected results. In addition, the present invention includes a performance monitor, processor, and determination module. The performance monitor gathers performance data for a storage system. The processor executes the failure prediction algorithm on the performance data to produce a result. The determination module selectively forecasts failure of one or more components of the storage system in response to the result. |
| US07676439B2 |
Electronic data vault providing biometrically protected electronic signatures
An eVault system securely stores personal data and documents for citizens and allows controlled access by citizens and optionally by service providers. The eVault may be adapted to allow processes involving the documents to be carried out in a secure and paperless fashion. Documents are certified, and biometric matching is used for security. On effecting a match with a biometric identifier presented by a user, the user is allowed access to his personal eVault and to access a personal cryptographic key stored therein. One or more of these personal keys may be securely applied within the eVault to generate an electronic signature, amongst other functions. |
| US07676438B2 |
Personal digital assistant as smart card
A system for authenticating a document, D. A trusted party applies an algorithm to D, for example, by treating each byte of data within D as a number, and treating the numbers as inputs to the algorithm. The trusted party obtains a result from the algorithm, termed a Message Authentication Code, MAC. The trusted party gives a courier both (1) D and (2) the MAC, as by loading both into a portable computer carried by the courier. The courier delivers both D and MAC to a recipient, who is equipped with the identical algorithm. The recipient applies the algorithm to D. If the recipient obtains the MAC, the recipient concludes that no tampering of D occurred. The reason is that successful tampering requires the courier to replace MAC with a fabricated MAC(fab). MAC(fab) must possess the characteristic that the algorithm would produce MAC(fab) when applied to the tampered document D. However, since the courier does not know the algorithm, and since the number of possible algorithms is nearly infinite, the courier cannot produce MAC(fab). |
| US07676437B2 |
Real-time license enforcement system and method
A license enforcement system is disclosed herein. The system receives digitized licenses associated with computer applications in a secure license store. The licenses are then monitored and compared with the actual use by users to determine compliance with licenses. If users employ an application in violation of licensing terms then corrective action can be taken such as providing warnings and/or shutting down or denying access to a licensed application. Additional security features are employed to ensure that license store data is valid and that the system is constantly monitored except where a bypass component is properly utilized. Furthermore, a user can utilize a plurality of different wizards such as an add license wizard, a backup license wizard and a restore license wizard, to facilitate easy step-by-step interaction with the license system. |
| US07676434B2 |
Payer direct hub
A system and methods for processing payment requests submitted by a payer through a single user interface. The system obtains a merchant identification and a processing platform associated with each payee. The system receives at least one payment request from the payer. Payment instructions are generated based on each payment request received from the payer. The system routes each of the payment instructions to an acquirer processor for authorization to be processed as a credit card transaction. |
| US07676430B2 |
System and method for installing a remote credit card authorization on a system with a TCPA complaint chipset
The Trusted Computing Platform Alliance (TCPA) Specification is implemented to allow a credit card company to remotely install a credit card private key into a TCPA module to create a Trusted Platform Module (TPM). More specifically, when a credit worthy user applies for a credit card, the user will send the credit card company a public portion of a “non-migratable storage key,” which is accredited a TPM endorsed by a Certification Authority. The credit card company will create its own public/private key pair according to the TCPA Specification, to create a TCPA header, and wrap the full structure by encrypting it with the public portion of the TCPA non-migratable storage key. The credit card company then sends by email the encrypted bundle with a certificate for it, and sends a corresponding pass phrase by regular mail. |
| US07676427B1 |
System and method of continuous assurance
A computer system for conducting continuous assurance of financial documents is disclosed. The computer system comprises a processor, a bus coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the bus, a mass storage system coupled to the bus, a communication device coupled to the bus, and continuous assurance software resident in the memory. The continuous assurance software, when executed, performing the steps of accessing client database at a predetermined interval, downloading total population from client database, performing analysis, evaluating analysis results, comparing total population to financial statements, determining a risk rating for each predetermined group, determining a materiality of anomalies, and displaying results. |
| US07676426B2 |
Biometric risk management
The present invention provides methods and systems for managing Risk by associating a biometric profile with other data relevant to a Risk subject. Computerized systems can receive informational data that relates generally to Risk variables and relate the information to known biometric profiles. Compiled information can be situated and conveyed to a compliance department and be able to demonstrate to regulators that a financial institution has met standards relating to Risk containment. |
| US07676421B2 |
Method and system for providing an automated auction for internalization and complex orders in a hybrid trading system
A method of providing an automated auction for internalization for the purchase or sale of securities or derivatives in an exchange is disclosed. The method may include receiving an order at an electronic trade engine, disseminating a request for price message to at least one user in response to receiving the order, receiving a one-sided response message representative of a participant-type in response to the request for price message, selecting an allocation algorithm from a plurality of allocation algorithms, initiating the selected allocation algorithm and allocating the order according to the participant-type upon termination of the selected auction. The system may include an electronic trading engine configured to disseminate an auction message in response to an order, a database of allocation algorithms, and a trade processor for initiating an auction according the one of the allocation algorithms and terminating the auction upon defined early termination events. |
| US07676419B2 |
Caching mechanism to optimize a bidding process used to select resources and services
A caching mechanism is provided for use by a Bid Manager in a multi-agent resource allocation bidding system. The caching mechanism stores the most recent bids issued by one or more Bidders for a given bidding context. The cache is updated using a notification mechanism. |
| US07676415B2 |
On-us cash withdrawal at a point-of-sale
Various embodiments of systems, methods, computer programs, merchant terminals, etc. for providing an on-us cash withdrawal service at a point-of-sale are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for providing a cash withdrawal service at a point-of-sale. One such method comprises: issuing an association-branded financial card to a cardholder, the association-branded financial card comprising an association account number corresponding to a credit card association and a proprietary account number corresponding to an issuer of the association-branded financial card; at a merchant terminal, reading the proprietary account number from the association-branded financial card and receiving a cash withdrawal amount; providing the proprietary account number and the cash withdrawal amount to a switch associated with the issuer; at the switch, determining the association account number based on the proprietary account number; and authorizing the cash withdrawal amount by submitting an authorization request to a issuing host, the authorization request including the association account number and the cash withdrawal amount. |
| US07676412B2 |
System, method and computer program product for determining a minimum asset value for exercising a contingent claim of an option
A system, method and computer program product are provided for determining a minimum asset value for exercising a contingent claim of an option. The method may include determining a present value conditional distribution of contingent future benefits attributable to the exercise of a contingent claim, including conditioning a distribution of contingent future benefits on an estimated minimum asset value, and discounting the distribution according to a first discount rate. Similarly, the method may include determining present values of respective exercise prices required to exercise one or more contingent claims, including discounting respective exercise prices according to a second discount rate. A conditional value may then be determined based upon the present value conditional distribution and the present values of respective exercise prices, and may be repeated along with determining a present value conditional distribution for different estimated minimum asset values until the conditional value equals approximately zero. |
| US07676410B2 |
Combined debt consolidation and settlement program
A customer is assisted in recovering from indebtedness by combining a debt consolidation/settlement program with an installment loan. The customer is qualified for an installment loan with a value based on the amount of outstanding indebtedness or possibly based on the anticipated discounted balance. The customer is required to make payments into an escrow account for a period of time to ensure that the customer is credit worthy. One or more of the creditors are then approached in an effort to negotiate a discounted settlement amount in exchange for the reception of immediate reconciliation of the debt owed. A portion of the negotiated discount is retained for compensation, which can be provided to the debt settlement provider and/or the bank finding the installment loan. The balance is passed through to the customer. |
| US07676408B2 |
Risk identification system and methods
The present invention relates to a system and methods by which the risk associated with a new opportunity or new or ongoing relationship may be assessed. An example of such new opportunity or new relationship for which the present invention may be used to assess the risk is that concerning a potential new customer of a financial institution. The risk assessment of the present invention may be used to assess whether a new customer should be taken on as a customer and, if so, to what extent should the possible full range of account benefits be provided to the new customer. Other applications include assessing risk regarding a candidate for employment, assessing casualty loss and/or repayment risk in the insurance industry, and assessing risk in a landlord tenant relationship to determine whether or not to rent to the prospective tenant and if so, the amount of the security deposit. |
| US07676400B1 |
Scoring recommendations and explanations with a probabilistic user model
A data processing system generates recommendations for on-line shopping by scoring recommendations matching the customer's cart contents using by assessing and ranking each candidate recommendation by the expected incremental margin associated with the recommendation being issued (as compared to the expected margin associated with the recommendation not being issued) by taking into consideration historical associations, knowledge of the layout of the site, the complexity of the product being sold, the user's session behavior, the quality of the selling point messages, product life cycle, substitutability, demographics and/or other considerations relating to the customer purchase environment. In an illustrative implementation, scoring inputs for each candidate recommendation (such as relevance, exposure, clarity and/or pitch strength) are included in a probabilistic framework (such as a Bayesian network) to score the effectiveness of the candidate recommendation and/or associated selling point messages by comparing a recommendation outcome (e.g., purchase likelihood or expected margin resulting from a given recommendation) against a non-recommendation outcome (e.g., the purchase likelihood or expected margin if no recommendation is issued). In addition, a probabilistic framework may also be used to select a selling point message for inclusion with a selected candidate recommendation by assessing the relative strength of the selling point messages by factoring in a user profile match factor (e.g., the relative likelihood that the customer matches the various user case profiles). |
| US07676395B2 |
On-us cash withdrawal at a point-of-sale
Various embodiments of systems, methods, computer programs, merchant terminals, etc. for providing an on-us cash withdrawal service at a point-of-sale are provided. One embodiment comprises a method for providing a cash withdrawal service at a point-of-sale. One such method comprises: issuing an association-branded financial card to a cardholder, the association-branded financial card comprising an association account number corresponding to a credit card association and a proprietary account number corresponding to an issuer of the association-branded financial card; at a merchant terminal, reading the proprietary account number from the association-branded financial card and receiving a cash withdrawal amount; providing the proprietary account number and the cash withdrawal amount to a switch associated with the issuer; at the switch, determining the association account number based on the proprietary account number; and authorizing the cash withdrawal amount by submitting an authorization request to a issuing host, the authorization request including the association account number and the cash withdrawal amount. |
| US07676393B2 |
Method and system for rewards accumulation and redemption
A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns rewards from a plurality of independent reward issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned rewards. A trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned rewards from the reward servers and credits the accumulated rewards into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated rewards. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the rewards. |
| US07676391B1 |
Resource-based capacity scheduling system
The present invention describes the scheduling requirements if a business to an automatic scheduling system in a way which allows efficient automatic scheduling of appointments for resources of the business. In one embodiment, the scheduling system schedules the resources based not only on total capacity, but based on how many appointments can be initiated at a given time. |
| US07676387B2 |
Graphical display of business rules
Methods, systems and carrier media for viewing business rules are disclosed. Components of the business rules may be stored as entries in one or more database tables. A rule editor may access business rule components and assemble the components to form a graphical display of a business rule. In various embodiments, the graphical display may allow the user to view, edit and/or create business rules. |
| US07676384B2 |
System and method for the automated presentation of system data to, and interaction with, a computer maintained database
A system and method are provided for extracting a set of data from a system user descriptive of the complete health snapshot of the user's to interact with a database of numerous other users so as to generate a cluster of similar user's exhibiting a similar (within some system defined distance metric) health snapshot. The system guides the user to present his or her data via a complex questionnaire based upon a novel descriptive taxonomy, based upon the principles of “cyberhealth” as opposed to the standard medical “disease oriented” singular cause and effect model. The system generates the cluster of similar users, analyzes the cluster to obtain a ranked list of possible remedies or therapies to assist the user in dealing with health problems. The system further creates a computer networked virtual community of users with common health problems/interests, facilitates online chat, discussion groups, and the trading of health information. Additionally, the system provides listings of and links to health care providers and medical testing laboratories who are able to assist users of the system. |
| US07676380B2 |
Use of location awareness to establish and suspend communications sessions in a healthcare environment
A method of managing access to a healthcare information system of a healthcare establishment communications network. The method comprises receiving data regarding a wirelessly detectable tag associated with a clinician; determining whether the clinician is positioned relative to a terminal of the healthcare establishment communications network such that a proximity condition is satisfied based at least in part on the data regarding the wirelessly detectable tag; responsive to the proximity condition being satisfied, providing an opportunity for authentication of the clinician; and responsive to successful authentication of the clinician, establishing a session for the clinician between the terminal and the healthcare information system. The ability to detect proximity of clinician facilitates the process by which the clinician may access the healthcare information system, while the requirement for authentication of the clinician minimizes the risk of data being made available to an unauthorized party. |
| US07676378B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing economic analysis of a radiological image archiving system
An electronic system is featured to enable a radiological image archiving system supplier to provide a customer with economic data regarding a supplier's radiological image archiving system. The system is operable to direct a query page to the customer via an electronic communication system. The query page provides the customer with at least one question. The at least one question is designed so that the answer(s) to the at least one question enables the system to establish expected cost reductions resulting from the use of the supplier's radiological image archiving system over the use of the customer's existing archival system. The answer(s) also may be used to enable the system to establish a recommended radiological image archiving system for the customer. The answer(s) also may be used to establish a payback period for the recommended radiological image archiving system based on the expected cost reductions resulting from the use of the supplier's radiological image archiving system and the cost of the recommended system. |
| US07676375B1 |
System and method for valuing patents
A computer system implementing a macro economic model based upon macroeconomic data and relative value characteristics data of patents that determines nominal values for (1) goods and services and (2) profits generated by sales that are covered by the rights of a patent, implements an income value theory to value the patent based upon the predicted values of profits or goods and services covered by the patent, determines patent terms from patent filing, publication, and issue dates, determines patent assignees from patent data, and uses the value of a company's patents, the patent issuance data and term date data, to determine trends versus time in: the number of a company's enforceable patents; the number of a company's patents obtained; the nominal value of net earnings and of goods and services sold that are covered by the company's patents; the nominal value of the sum of the company's patents, and provides comparisons of those trends between companies, regions, and economic sectors, providing the results of the analysis to users of the computer system. The computer system employs a user database enabling a novel electronic accounting model enabling payment by affiliates, programmed securities trading, and accrediting of investors. |
| US07676374B2 |
Low complexity subband-domain filtering in the case of cascaded filter banks
A filtering method and system for a subband-domain is provided. A first analysis filter bank is configured to divide an input signal into a plurality of subbands. A second analysis filter bank divides one or more of the subbands into a second set of subbands. A modification unit accepts the plurality of subbands, the second set of subbands and modification data and outputs a plurality of modified frequency subbands. A first synthesis filter bank synthesizes the plurality of modified subbands. A filter then filters the plurality of modified subbands and the one or more synthesized modified subbands to obtain a plurality of filtered subbands. A second synthesis filter bank synthesizes the plurality of filtered subbands to obtain an output signal. |
| US07676372B1 |
Prosthetic hearing device that transforms a detected speech into a speech of a speech form assistive in understanding the semantic meaning in the detected speech
A speech transformation apparatus comprises a microphone 21 for detecting speech and generating a speech signal; a signal processor 22 for performing a speech recognition process using the speech signal; a speech information generator for transforming the recognition result responsive to the physical state of the user, the operating conditions, and/or the purpose for using the apparatus; and a display unit 26 and loudspeaker 25 for generating a control signal for outputting a raw recognition result and/or a transformed recognition result. In a speech transformation apparatus thus constituted, speech enunciated by a spoken-language-impaired individual can be transformed and presented to the user, and sounds from outside sources can also be transformed and presented to the user. |
| US07676371B2 |
Oral modification of an ASR lexicon of an ASR engine
Methods, apparatus, and computer program products are described for providing oral modification of an ASR lexicon of an ASR engine that include receiving, in the ASR engine from a user through a multimodal application, speech for recognition, where the ASR engine includes an ASR lexicon of words capable of recognition by the ASR engine, and the ASR lexicon does not contain at least one word of the speech for recognition; indicating by the ASR engine through the multimodal application to the user that the ASR lexicon does not contain the word; receiving by the ASR engine from the user through the multimodal application an oral instruction to add the word to the ASR lexicon, where the oral instruction is accompanied by an oral spelling of the word from the user; and executing the instruction by the ASR engine. |
| US07676369B2 |
Conversation control apparatus, conversation control method, and programs therefor
The present invention is a conversation control apparatus for carrying out conversation control based on both speech content and conversation state and information acquired from outside, and carrying out natural responses. This apparatus comprises a conversation database storing a plurality of items of conversation topic specifying information, a conversation control unit for selecting a reply sentence using conversation topic specifying information determined using the conversation history and conversation information, and an environment recognition unit for acquiring environment recognition information, wherein the environment recognition unit generates event information based on acquired environment recognition information, and the conversation control unit selects a reply sentence based on the event information. |
| US07676365B2 |
Method and apparatus for constructing and using syllable-like unit language models
A method and computer-readable medium use syllable-like units (SLUs) to decode a pronunciation into a phonetic description. The syllable-like units are generally larger than a single phoneme but smaller than a word. The present invention provides a means for defining these syllable-like units and for generating a language model based on these syllable-like units that can be used in the decoding process. As SLUs are longer than phonemes, they contain more acoustic contextual clues and better lexical constraints for speech recognition. Thus, the phoneme accuracy produced from SLU recognition is much better than all-phone sequence recognition. |
| US07676361B2 |
Apparatus, method and program for voice signal interpolation
A voice signal interpolation apparatus is provided which can restore original human voices from human voices in a compressed state while maintaining a high sound quality. When a voice signal representative of a voice to be interpolated is acquired by a voice data input unit 1, a pitch deriving unit 2 filters this voice signal to identify a pitch length from the filtering result. A pitch length fixing unit 3 makes the voice signal have a constant time length of a section corresponding to a unit pitch, and generates pitch waveform data. A sub-band dividing unit 4 converts the pitch waveform data into sub-band data representative of a spectrum. A plurality of sub-band data pieces are averaged by an averaging unit 5 and thereafter a sub-band synthesizing unit 6 converts the sub-band data pieces into a signal representative of a waveform of the voice by a sub-band synthesizing unit 6. The time length of this signal in each section is restored by a pitch restoring unit 7 and a sound output unit 8 reproduces the sound represented by the signal. |
| US07676358B2 |
System and method for the recognition of organic chemical names in text documents
This invention provides a method, a system and a computer program for recognizing technical terms. In the preferred embodiment the technical terms are chemical names, and in a most preferred embodiment the technical terms are organic chemical names. A computer program product stores in a computer readable form a set of computer program instructions for directing at least one computer to process a text document. The set of computer program instructions include instructions for assigning corresponding associated parts of speech to words found in the document. The instructions for assigning include instructions to apply a plurality of regular expressions, rules and a plurality of dictionaries to recognize organic chemical name fragments, to combine recognized organic chemical name fragments into a complete organic chemical name, and to assign the complete organic chemical name with one part of speech. The regular expressions include a plurality of patterns, individual ones of which are comprised of at least one of characters, numbers and punctuation. For example, the punctuation can comprise at least one of parenthesis, square bracket, hyphen, colon and semi-colon, and the characters can comprise at least one of upper case C, O, R, N and H, and further comprise strings of at least one of lower case xy, ene, ine, yl, ane and oic. |
| US07676352B1 |
System and method for efficient computation of simulated thermodynamic property and phase equilibrium characteristics using comprehensive local property models
A method of estimating a thermophysical property of a fluid using a local model is disclosed herein. The method includes generating, for use within the local model, a series expansion of thermodynamic equations relating to the thermophysical property and one or more derivatives involving the thermophysical property. The method further includes evaluating, based upon a set of specified values of parameters of the fluid, a first order term of the series expansion and a second order term of the series expansion. The values of the first order term and the second order term are then compared. A value of the thermophysical property is then automatically updated when the values of the first order term and the second order term are found to differ by more than a predefined amount. |
| US07676351B2 |
Statistical analysis of coupled circuit-electromagnetic systems
A method and system for combining the process variations in circuits and distributed interconnect-based electromagnetic (EM) objects in order to capture a statistical behavior of overall circuit performance parameters. In an exemplary approach, a coupled circuit-EM system is decoupled at the points where the EM objects connect to the circuit portion, and circuit ports are defined at those points. The sources of variation are identified and used to determine Y-parameters for the ports with EM elements and for all EM elements based on the SPICE-like and EM full-wave simulations. A response surface is generated for each variable and is used to extract circuit and EM parameters by generating many random vectors representing combinations of the random variables. These Y-parameters are merged to produce a probability density function (PDF) of one or more performance metrics for the electronic device or system. |
| US07676350B2 |
Optimum design method and apparatus, and program for the same
In an optimum design method comprising a first solution determining step of solving an optimization problem of a first evaluation function for a state variable vector with a design variable vector being as a parameter, and a second solution determining step of solving an optimization problem of a second evaluation function for the design variable vector and the state variable vector thus obtained, the second solution determining step includes the steps of computing a gradient vector of the second evaluation function for the design variable vector, computing a first coefficient based on a value of a norm of the gradient vector, computing a search vector based on the first coefficient, computing a second coefficient, and updating the design variable vector based on the second coefficient. The second coefficient computing step includes the first solution determining step, the first solution determining step is executed as an iterative method based on the gradient vector, and the state variable vector is not initialized during iteration. The optimum design method is precisely adaptable for structural changes. |
| US07676348B2 |
Layout design support system, method, and program
The present invention enables support of a process for creating a detailed layout design which takes construction into account, and contributes to a reduction in the workload of the layout design process. A layout editing unit causes an interface unit to display a layout design data editing screen, receives an edit instruction input onto the screen, and edits the layout design data in accordance with the edit instruction. The layout editing unit classifies the layout design data into five data types, namely building data, equipment arrangement data, equipment connection element data, equipment connection path data, and user-specified range data, and edits the data of each data type individually. A storage unit stores the editing results of the layout design data. A CAD conversion unit converts the layout design data into a two-dimensional CAD drawing or a three-dimensional CAD model, and causes the interface unit to display the two-dimensional CAD drawing or three-dimensional CAD model on a screen. |
| US07676347B2 |
Systems and methods for accumulation of summaries of test data
In one embodiment, there is disclosed a system for accumulation of summaries of test data. The system includes a data populator having code to: (1) generate data objects from the test data and store the data objects in a data model, (2) arrange the data objects in a tree structure, (3) generate summaries of the test data, (4) store the summaries of the test data in the tree structure, and (5) delete the data objects. The system also includes a number of clients in communication with the data model, the clients having code to: (1) selectively read the test data from the data objects stored in the data model, and (2) read the summaries of the test data stored in the tree structure. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07676345B2 |
Method and system of determining the absolute velocity of a vehicle
A method of determining the velocity (ν) of a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has at least one pair of a front and a rear wheel which are spaced by a wheel spacing (B). Front and rear wheel speed signals (ω) are determined which are indicative of the time dependent behavior of the front and rear wheel speeds, respectively. The front and rear wheel speed signals (ω) are correlated in order to determine a specific correlation feature indicative of the time delay (τ) between the front wheel and rear wheel speed signals. The velocity (ν) of the vehicle is determined based on the correlation feature and the wheel spacing (B). |
| US07676343B2 |
Transfer measurement circuit
A transfer circuit that transmits a signal includes an electrical signal sending section that sends a sending signal, a current to light converting section that converts the sending signal to an optical signal, an optical signal transmitting section that transmits the optical signal, a photo-electric converting circuit that converts the optical signal to an electrical signal, and an electrical signal receiving section that detects a data value of the electrical signal. The photo-electric converting circuit includes a level measuring section that compares the intensity of the electrical signal and a predetermined reference level to detect a data value of the electrical signal, and a measurement controlling section that controls the reference level. The electrical signal receiving section includes a receiving circuit that detects a data value of the electrical signal, and a timing controlling section that controls latch timing at which the receiving circuit detects the data value. |
| US07676334B2 |
Battery condition monitor
An object of the present invention is to provide a battery condition monitor that is capable of reducing labor and equipment costs for parameter setting for evaluation of the battery's condition and capable of readily responding to variations due to individual differences among the same model of vehicles. The battery condition monitor according to the present invention measures a lower limit voltage value for the time when a load during engine startup is substantially connected to a brand-new battery, as an initial reference lower limit voltage value VLIF; and derives a reference discharge characteristic of the brand-new battery with respect to the vehicle-unique load during engine startup, using the initial reference lower limit voltage value VLIF, an initial reference no-load voltage value VOIF which is a no-load voltage of that battery, and information about the rate of change in the internal resistance with respect to change in the no-load voltage of the battery, the information being previously stored in a storage unit, thereby to evaluate the condition of the battery based on the reference discharge characteristic. |
| US07676329B2 |
Method and system for processing multi-dimensional measurement data
The invention provides a method for grouping measurement data obtained by effecting two or more techniques to provide characterization data characterizing at least one sample with respect to characterizing substances. According to one aspect of the invention, the grouping is effected on the basis of at least one statistical distribution of deviations (Δm/zi) of a respective characterizing measurement value. According to another aspect of the invention, the grouping is effected on the basis of at least one collective characteristic of a plurality of respective quantitative measurement values (Ii). |
| US07676325B2 |
Road landscape map producing apparatus, method and program
A road landscape map producing apparatus loaded on a movable body for producing a road landscape map including road landscape information showing a surrounding landscape with road landscape classification items obtained by classifying the photographic images of the surrounding landscape into items such as “streetscape”, “forest” and “open road” by way of image processing and based on a geographic position at which the surrounding image is photographed. |
| US07676323B2 |
Signal processing method for an engine knock signal
The duration of a knock detection window over which a filtered knock signal is single-point DFT-processed for engine knock detection is user adjustable. The knock detection window is defined by at least two overlapping identical duration sub-windows, and the extent of the sub-window overlap is changed to adjust the duration of the knock detection window. The DFT processing is performed over each sub-window and the processing results are combined for knock detection. |
| US07676322B1 |
Engine control using cylinder pressure differential
A combustion control system for a vehicle comprises a pressure ratio (PR) module, a pressure ratio difference (PRD) module, and a pressure ratio difference rate (PRDR) module. The PR module determines fired PR values and measured motored PR values based on cylinder pressures measured by a cylinder pressure sensor when a cylinder of an engine is fired and motored, respectively. The PRD module determines PRD values for predetermined crankshaft angles, wherein each of the PRD values is determined based on one of the fired PR values and one of the measured motored PR values at one of the predetermined crankshaft angles. The PRDR module determines and outputs a PRDR value based on a rate of change of the PRD values over a range of the predetermined crankshaft angles. |
| US07676321B2 |
Hybrid vehicle propulsion system utilizing knock suppression
A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle. |
| US07676320B2 |
Method and device for operating an internal combustion engine
In a lower partial load range of, a setpoint value of the mass flow of air into the combustion chambers is determined as a function of a predefined torque request such that it is greater than necessary for implementing the predefined torque request and large enough that individual exhaust packets can be differentiated from one another with the exhaust gas probe. Depending on the air/fuel ratio setpoint value, an actuator is actuated whose position affects the actual air mass flow. To implement the torque request, engine efficiency is simultaneously reduced by actuating another actuator. A measurement signal of the exhaust gas probe is detected. The air/fuel ratios of the exhaust packets are determined as a function of the measurement signal detected. At least one operating parameter affecting the air/fuel ratio in at least one of the cylinders is adapted as a function of the air/fuel ratios determined. |
| US07676318B2 |
Real-time, table-based estimation of diesel engine emissions
A real-time, on board, diesel engine emissions estimation with an empirical, table-based approach that accounts for up to eight (8) input parameters, for optimum emissions estimation under steady state or transient engine operation. The method considers a steady state NOx model, steady state Particulate Matter model, transient NOx model and transient Particulate Matter models to populate a table in memory. The switch between steady state and transient models, real time emissions estimations is based on the rate of change of engine speed (RPM). If the rate of change of RPM exceeds a predetermined threshold, transient models for NOx and Particulate Matter are used to operate the engine and reduce emissions of NOx and Particulate Matter. |
| US07676308B2 |
Method for operating a steering system of a motor vehicle
A method for operating a steering system of a motor vehicle, with a steering handling device for specifying a steering wheel angle (δS) as a measure of a desired steering angle (δFm) for at least one steerable wheel of the motor vehicle, a steering gear with a pinion, which converts a pinion angle (δG), which depends on the steering wheel angle (δS), into the steering angle (δFm) of the at least one steerable wheel of the motor vehicle, a superimposing arrangement for generating an additional angle (δM) by means of a control drive, especially an electric motor and for producing the pinion angle (δG) by superimposing the additional angle (δM) on the steering wheel angle (δS) by a superimposing gear mechanism and a control device for carrying out the method for operating the steering system and for triggering the control drive and being carried out by a control device of the steering system. At least one function, on the basis of a model, monitors the dynamics of the control drive. |
| US07676306B2 |
Vehicle behavior analysis system
A vehicle behavior analysis system performs an analysis of vehicle operation by displaying behavior data in an organized and analyzed form. A vehicle behavior data collecting unit records information on the vehicle's driving as behavior data and an analysis unit analyzes a recorded content of the vehicle behavior data collecting unit. A recorded data unit obtaining part obtains the recorded data units recorded in a memory of the vehicle behavior data collecting unit and a displaying part displays the content concerning at least a predetermined item among the contents shown by obtained each recorded data unit in a form of a table sectioned for each recorded data units and arranged at a side of the analysis unit, and a risk degree calculated based on the content shown by each recorded data units is contained in the predetermined item displayed by the displaying part. |
| US07676304B2 |
Procedure to minimize the risk of mid-air collision for personal air vehicles
A method of and a system for controlling personal air vehicle (PAV) traffic provides a take-off-and-landing zone, and a forward flight zone. The take-off-and-landing zone may be from the ground up to a first altitude. The forward flight zone may be from the first altitude up to a second altitude. A maximum airspeed is provided in the take-off-and-landing zone. Minimum and maximum airspeeds are provided in the forward flight zone. In the forward flight zone there is a single heading for each altitude. Any change in heading must be accompanied by a change in altitude. |
| US07676301B2 |
Identification and characterization of recirculation in electronic systems
Systems and methods for detecting and analyzing elevated temperatures at a component rack to identify and characterize air recirculation anomalies. In one embodiment, temperatures are sensed in proximity to an air intake of the component rack. Temperature sensors communicate with a workstation having system management software including a thermal management component for analyzing air intake temperatures. Predefined temperature differentials (PTD) are established, corresponding to expected temperature differentials between the selected locations in the absence of any appreciable recirculation. The PTD provides a threshold for comparing with “actual” temperature differentials (ATD) to identify the presence and/or mode of recirculation. If an ATD exceeds a corresponding PTD for a predefined time interval, a signal is output. The mode of recirculation, such as left-side, right-side, or dual-surface recirculation, may be determined using as few as four temperature sensors positioned at a zone of interest (ZOI). |
| US07676294B2 |
Visualization of workflow in an industrial automation environment
A visualization system that generates a visualization of manufacturing operations and corresponding workflow is provided. An interface component receives input concerning displayed objects and information. A context component can detect, infer or determine context information regarding an entity or application. A workflow component binds workflow information to industrial automation manufacturing-related information. A visualization component dynamically generates a visualization from a set of display objects to present to a user that is a function of the received context information, workflow information, and industrial automation manufacturing-related information. |
| US07676292B2 |
Patterns employed for module design
Systems and methods are provided that facilitate construction of automation applications for utilization in an industrial automation environment. A design template component can provide a design template to yield a modular, hierarchical framework for an application. Further, a design pattern table can include a library of design patterns, where the design patterns can be organized according to respective classifications. Moreover, a design pattern component can integrate a selected design pattern from the design pattern table with the design template to construct the application. |
| US07676290B2 |
Method for remotely evaluating the audio quality of an IP terminal and corresponding terminal
The present invention concerns a method for remotely evaluating and/or checking the audio quality of an Internet Protocol based voice communication terminal and a corresponding terminal. Method mainly comprising the steps of providing an IP based terminal with an audio device able to perform measurement and computation on at least some of the digital and/or analog voice signals delivered and/or transmitted within said IP communication terminal, connecting a control terminal to the network to which said IP communication terminal is connected to, retrieving at the control terminal the results of measurement and computation operations of at least one audio quality parameter performed by said device. |
| US07676288B2 |
Presenting continuous timestamped time-series data values for observed supervisory control and manufacturing/production parameters
A process control and manufacturing information database client application is disclosed displaying received time-series data in an unambiguous manner when a displayed range of time-series data includes a DST transition for a designated time zone for displaying the data. A data acquisition interface obtains timestamped time-series data values for an observed parameter from the process control and manufacturing information database. The data values are requested/received/stored by the client application, for example, according to the UTC time standard. The client application renders the timestamped time-series data values as a series of points on a time-line graph. The time-line graph includes alphanumeric time labels specified in accordance with a designated time zone. The display function renders the time-line graph without disruptions over a time span containing a Daylight Savings Time (DST) transition for the designated time zone. |
| US07676285B2 |
Method for monitoring driven machinery
A method and system for operating a facility having a plurality of equipment combinations wherein each equipment combination is operating interactively with at least one of another of the plurality of equipment combination is provided. The method includes receiving, in real-time, for each of the plurality of equipment combinations, a plurality of measured process parameters, determining at least one derived quantity from the plurality of measured process parameters, and recommending a change to an equipment operation based on the measured process parameters and the derived quantities. |
| US07676284B2 |
Electrical motor drive and method for operating such electrical motor drive
A compensation of cyclical interferences occurring during operation of motor controlled by an electrical motor drive comprising the controllable motor and a speed governor, wherein a position determiner is provided for continuously determining a position of said motor, responsive to a position signal indicative of said position of said motor and wherein a load observer responsive to a first output signal received from said position determiner and to a second output signal received from the speed governor is provided for generating a load signal indicative of an estimated load and continuously applying said load signal to an output of the speed governor. |
| US07676283B2 |
Method for optimizing the functioning of a plurality of compressor units and corresponding device
In a method for controlling a compression installation (1), the installation has at least two compressor units (i=1, , N) that can be separately turned on or off, a plurality of devices for modifying the output of the compressor units and a control device (10). Known methods and devices do not function optimally in terms of the power consumption of the entire compression installation. The power consumption (EG) for the operation of a plurality of compressor units (i=1, , N) of a compression installation (1) can be optimized by calculating a novel circuit configuration (Si, t) and automatically adjusting the novel circuit configuration (Si, t) by a control device (10). |
| US07676279B2 |
Services for industrial control systems
A message component for an industrial automation system is provided. This includes a service component that is employed to locate functionality of applications associated with a control system message bus. An operations component exchanges messages with the message bus, where the service component and the operations component form an external view to facilitate communications between the applications. |
| US07676277B2 |
Data receiving apparatus and control method thereof
A data receiving apparatus and control method are provided. The apparatus includes a determining part determining whether a clock signal and a data signal are respectively in a high state and/or in a low state based on a predetermined value of a standard level, when the clock signal and the data signal are received from an external apparatus; and a controller determining a data communicating state corresponding to the high state and/or the low state of the clock signal and the data signal determined in the determining part. |
| US07676275B1 |
Endovascular lead for chronic nerve stimulation
A lead of the present invention comprises an electrode array adapted to be stably anchored at a selected location within the vena cava of a human patient. The electrode array may take various shapes, including helical, annular and linear. The electrode array is connectable to an electrical stimulation means such as an implantable pulse or signal generator. Electrical stimulation applied to a selected region of the vena cava and across the wall of the vein, that is, transvascularly, to the vagus nerve or branches thereof, depolarizes the nerve to thereby effect control of the heart rate. |
| US07676272B2 |
Implantable device system to collect parameter data for service center
An implantable device system comprising an implantable medical device, an external transceiver device and a service center. The implantable medical device comprises a battery and an electronic module including a stimulation pulse generator, a sensing stage, a control unit adapted to collect data representing values of operational parameters (e.g. peak or average current consumption, high/low/average voltage level) of the battery and the electronics. The external transceiver device comprises an external transceiver unit and a data communication interface and the service center comprises another data communication interface adapted to allow data communication with the external transceiver device. Service center includes a central database adapted to store data received from the external transceiver per implantable medical device over time, a data evaluation module adapted to evaluate including trending of data stored in the database and a user interface adapted to display trended data and to receive user inputs. |
| US07676271B2 |
Neurostimulation site screening
A process is described for non-invasively screening a patient to select a stimulation site for treatment of head, neck or facial pain and tension symptoms caused by disorders such as occipital neuralgia. The screening process involves application of a transcutaneous stimulation screening device, a percutaneous micro-electrode screening device, and a temporary implantable screening device to the patient to select a site for chronic implantation. |
| US07676270B2 |
Radially expandable gastrointestinal stimulation device
A fixation device for holding stimulating electrodes in electrical contact with the wall of a portion of the gastrointestinal tract is provided. The fixation device includes an expandable member that fixes the electrodes in electrical contact with the gastrointestinal tract wall. |
| US07676269B2 |
Treatment of female fertility conditions through modulation of the autonomic nervous system
Methods are provided for treating a subject for a fertility condition. In accordance with the subject methods, at least a portion of a subject's autonomic nervous system is modulated to increase the sympathetic activity/parasympathetic activity ratio in a manner that is effective to treat the subject for the condition. Embodiments of the subject invention include modulating a subject's autonomic nervous system using electrical energy and/or one or more pharmacological agents. The subject methods find use in the treatment of a variety of different fertility conditions. Also provided are kits for use in practicing the subject methods. |
| US07676268B2 |
Medical methods and systems incorporating wireless monitoring
Medical systems and methods incorporate monitoring of at least two implanted markers, each of which is adapted to wirelessly transmit a signal in response to a wirelessly transmitted excitation signal; the response signals are converted into positional information for the two markers. The systems and methods further incorporate both, or one of, an implanted sensing member and/or an implanted therapy delivery device. Signals received from the sensing member may be collated with the positional information. A therapy delivered from the therapy delivery device may be adjusted according to the positional information. |
| US07676267B2 |
Capture verification using an evoked response reference
A method and system for verifying capture in the heart involves the use of pacing artifact templates. One or more pacing artifact templates characterizing a post pace artifact signal associated with a particular pace voltage or range of voltages are provided. A pacing artifact template is canceled from a cardiac signal sensed following a pacing pulse. Capture is detected by comparing the pacing artifact canceled cardiac signal to an evoked response reference. Fusion/pseudofusion detection involves determining a correlation between a captured response template and a sensed cardiac signal. |
| US07676264B1 |
Systems and methods for use by an implantable medical device for evaluating ventricular dyssynchrony based on T-wave morphology
Techniques are provided for detecting and evaluating ventricular dyssynchrony based on morphological features of the T-wave and for controlling therapy in response thereto. For example, the number of peaks in the T-wave, the area under the peaks, the number of points of inflection, and the slope of the T-wave can be used to detect ventricular dyssynchrony and evaluate its severity. As ventricular dyssynchrony often arises due to heart failure, the degree of dyssynchrony may also be used as a proxy for tracking the progression of heart failure. Pacing therapy is automatically and adaptively adjusted based on the degree of ventricular dyssynchrony so as to reduce the dyssynchrony and thereby improve cardiac function. |
| US07676262B1 |
Methods and devices for determining exercise compliance diagnostics
One or more sensors sense patient heart rate and patient activity and provide related signals to a processor. The processor is responsive to sensor signals and obtains an activity threshold based on historical patient heart-rate signals and historical patient activity signals. The processor periodically derives a correlation value from current patient heart-rate signals and current patient activity signals and compares the correlation values to the activity threshold. A start of activity is noted when a correlation value exceeds the activity threshold; while an end of activity is noted when a correlation value fails to exceed the activity threshold. Activity is identified as exercise when correlation values continue to exceed the activity threshold for a predetermine amount of time, while an end of exercise is noted when correlation values fall below the activity threshold for a predetermined amount of time. |
| US07676260B1 |
Implantable cardiac stimulation device that monitors progression and regression of heart disease responsive to differences in averaged electrograms and method
An implantable cardiac stimulation device monitors the progression and/or regression of heart disease. The device comprises a sensing circuit that senses activity of a heart and provides an electrogram for each one of a plurality of cardiac cycles, an averaging circuit that averages a number of the plurality of electrograms at spaced apart intervals to provide averaged trend electrograms, and a data generator that provides a metric reflective of progression or regression of heart failure responsive to a difference between a current averaged trend electrogram and a previous averaged trend electrogram. |
| US07676256B2 |
Imaging apparatus
A combined imaging apparatus having a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with at least one transmitting coil for exciting the matter of a body under examination or of a part thereof and at least one coil for receiving the signals transmitted by the body under examination or a part thereof, as well as an electronic unit for processing the received signals to create a diagnostic image and including a device for supporting and/or guiding at least one diagnostic and/or therapeutic tool. The combined apparatus further including an echographic imaging apparatus. |
| US07676252B2 |
Filter circuit having plural resonator blocks with a phase adjustment unit
A filter circuit includes an input terminal configured to input an input signal; first to ith blocks which have first to ith resonators as transmission lines having first to ith resonance frequencies; a power divider configured to distribute the input signal to the first to ith blocks; a power combiner configured to combine signals which have passed through the first to ith blocks to obtain a combined signal; and an output terminal configured to output the combined signal, wherein a jth block includes a phase adjustment unit which provides a signal of the jth block with a phase difference within a range of {(180±30)+(360×n)} degrees from a signal of a (j+1)th block, and a resonator having a large amount of group delay has a greater line width than a resonator having a small amount of group delay. |
| US07676248B2 |
Voice recognition script for headset setup and configuration
A wireless local area network system and a headset for the system. The headset uses voice input information to set up parameters needed to connect the headset to the corresponding access point and then start the connection process. When the connection fails or succeeds an appropriate voice prompt or visible signal tells the user the headset's connection status. |
| US07676244B2 |
Multi-mode-multi-band wireless transceiver
Disclosed is a multi-mode/multi-band wireless transceiver. The multi-mode/multi-band wireless transceiver includes a tunable duplexer including transmission and reception channel filters of which transmission and reception channel filtering frequencies respectively are controlled by an external element; and a control portion for controlling the transmission and reception channel filtering frequencies to correspond to transmission and reception channels of a current service band. Thus, a use of a RF SAW filter is unnecessary, while it is possible to support the multi-mode/multi-band using a tunable duplexer. Therefore, the number of parts and volume of the transceiver can be reduced, and it is possible to weaken a specification of an RF system. |
| US07676240B2 |
Power control based on estimates of cumulative received energy
The present invention provides a method for power control based on estimates of cumulative received energy. The method includes accessing a plurality of slot detection metrics associated with a plurality of slots, combining the plurality of slot detection metrics, and determining a power control instruction based upon the combined slot detection metrics. |
| US07676231B2 |
Methods and apparatus for selecting communication channels based on channel load information
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for selecting communication channels based on channel load information are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07676224B1 |
Enhanced communication service for predicting and handling communication interruption
A method and apparatus for anticipating communication interruption. If, during an established call between two communication devices, a telecommunication device determines that a communication link to one of the devices will be interrupted, either temporarily or permanently, the device predicts the interruption in the communication link. The device may send a message, as pre-determined by at least one of the communication device, to the communication device of the predicted or pending call drop or interruption. After the interruption the previously established call is resumed. If a reconnection attempt is appropriate, then the device will attempt to reconnect to the dropped device. If a reconnection attempt is not appropriate, or if the reconnection attempt is unsuccessful, the non-dropped communication device is connected, as predetermined by either of the communication devices, to an appropriate connection, such as, to a voice mail. If the reconnection attempt is successful, the call between the two communication devices is re-established. |
| US07676219B2 |
Digital rights management using a triangulating geographic locating device
A method and system for controlling distribution of content within a personal domain that makes use of a determination of the relative proximity to a source device or the geographic locations of the receiving devices. The location information may be determined using a Global Positioning System (GPS) or wireless triangulation systems. Usage rights for devices in the network are determined using the location or proximity determination. |
| US07676216B2 |
Dynamically measuring and re-classifying access points in a wireless network
A method, an apparatus, and a carrier medium carrying computer readable code segments to instruct a processor to execute the method. The method is in a wireless network that includes at least one access point. The method includes, from time-to-time, measuring a first set of at least one property of each access point of a set of at least one classified access point of the wireless network. The method further includes re-classifying each access point based on at least one function of a second set of at least one property of the access point, the second set of properties including the first set of properties. The set of at least one access point is classified according to a set of AP classifications, and the re-classifying is into one of the AP classifications. |
| US07676215B2 |
Emergency call back method
An emergency routing number is assigned to each switch in a wireless network. When a switch of the wireless network routes an emergency call to a Public Service Answering Point (PSAP), the switch sends the emergency routing number as the calling party number and provides the PSAP with the identifier of the mobile station. If the emergency call drops, the PSAP performs a call back using the emergency routing number as the called party number. The switch that routed the emergency call from the mobile station to the PSAP receives the call back. The PSAP also sends the identifier of the mobile station to the switch. When a switch receives its emergency routing number as the called party number, the switch recognizes an emergency call back situation and pages the mobile station identified by the mobile station identifier received in association with the emergency routing number. The mobile station is then reconnected with the PSAP. |
| US07676213B2 |
Vgs replication apparatus, method, and system
A gate-to-source voltage (Vgs) replication circuit includes a diode-connected NMOS transistor coupled to a current source to draw a drain-to-source current therethrough. The generated Vgs is imposed across a source-to-gate junction of a PMOS transistor. A second PMOS transistor is coupled in series with the first PMOS transistor such that the source-to-gate voltage (Vsg) of the second PMOS transistor replicates the Vgs of the NMOS circuit. The second PMOS transistor is coupled as a source follower to bias other NMOS transistors. |
| US07676209B2 |
Method and system for allocating channels in a cellular communication network
A method of channel allocation in a cellular communication network wherein a radio channel is to be selected for establishment of a connection in an environment with potentially interfering signals, the method comprising: establishing a radio channel candidate; processing the radio channel candidate with potentially interfering signals and calculating a carrier to interference ratio (CIR) for the selected carrier frequency of the radio channel candidate and the potentially interfering signals; calculating a dominant interference ratio (DIR) being the ratio of the strongest potentially interfering signal with respect to the other potentially interfering signals; and using criteria based on at least one of the dominant interference ratio and the carrier to interference ratio in a selection process for selecting a channel for the connection to be established. |
| US07676202B2 |
Radio system
A radio system for the reception of broadcast signals is provided that includes two antennas picking up radio signals and two signal receivers receiving the radio signals, the two antennas and the two receivers operating in diversity operating modes. The radio system further includes an antenna switching unit for creating a connection between the receivers and the antennas and a control unit for controlling the antenna switching unit and selecting the operating mode according to predetermined diversity control criterion. |
| US07676195B2 |
System and method for communicating messages in a mesh network
A gateway node that communicates with a plurality of satellite nodes positioned on one or more logical layers is disclosed. Satellite nodes on the first logical layer operate as repeaters for nodes not on the first logical layer. The gateway node and each satellite node communicate outbound messages during a synchronized outbound communication time. Satellite nodes execute a receiving communication time that overlaps with a transmitting communication time for a satellite node on a logical layer that is one layer closer to the gateway node during the outbound communication time. The satellite nodes also communicate messages to the gateway node during a synchronized inbound communication time. Each satellite node executes a transmitting communication time that overlaps with a receiving communication time for a satellite node on a logical layer that is one layer closer to the gateway node during the inbound communication time so that messages are communicated to the gateway node. |
| US07676193B2 |
Selection and tuning of a broadcast channel based on interactive service information
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for tuning a broadcast processing system by using channel data from an interactive information source. The broadcast processing system interfaces with a broadcast medium and may include an interfacing apparatus that interfaces to the broadcast medium for extracting an appropriate broadcast signal and for tuning the broadcast processing system. The viewer uses a mobile terminal that communicates with the interactive information source over a first wireless communications path. The viewer may interact with the web site by navigating through the associated web pages in order to obtain broadcast information about the selected program, in which the broadcast information may be sent to the mobile terminal over the first wireless communications path. The broadcast information is processed by the wireless terminal in order to obtain the channel data. Consequently, the channel data may be sent to the broadcast processing system in order to tune the broadcast processing system to the selected program. |
| US07676190B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper feeding cassette which selectively stores at least two kinds of paper sheets having different size with respect to a paper feeding direction, and includes a posterior end cursor which restricts a posterior end position of the stored paper sheets with respect to the paper feeding direction, wherein the height of the posterior end cursor is changeable. According to this construction, a smaller space is provided to stack large-sized paper sheets which are not frequently used while a larger space is provided to stack small-sized paper sheets which are frequently used can be reserved. |
| US07676189B2 |
Image reading apparatus having improved cover device
An image reading apparatus having an improved cover device. The image reading apparatus includes a main body having an upper surface on which a manuscript can be placed, a cover installed at an upper portion of the main body to cover the manuscript when scanning, and a pressing plate movably installed in the direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the cover at an inner portion of the cover so as to press the manuscript. In addition, an elastic member is additionally inserted between the pressing plate and the cover. |
| US07676183B2 |
Toner supply device and developing unit using the same for use in an image forming apparatus for performing image formation with toner
A toner supply device includes: a toner supply assembly having a toner bottle for holding toner; and a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism having the toner bottle mounted, for feeding toner supplied from the toner bottle to a developing unit. In this toner supply device, toner supplied from the toner supply assembly is fed to the developing unit after it being agitated. The toner supply assembly mounting mechanism includes: guide rails for guiding the toner supply assembly when it is mounted; and a stopper for positioning and holding the toner supply assembly. The toner supply assembly has an abutment surface which is guided by the guide rails and positioned and held by the stopper. |
| US07676177B2 |
Brick-based system for scheduling functions in a printing apparatus
In a printing apparatus having a rotatable imaging member and means for performing a selected one of a plurality of operations on a portion of the rotatable imaging member, a set of metaphorical bricks are used to schedule operations. For an operation of a first type, a first brick is scheduled, the first brick defining a time duration associated with the operation, and defining a first portion having a first height and a second portion having a second height. For an operation of a second type, a second brick is scheduled, the second brick defining at least one height and a time duration associated with the operation. A combined height of bricks scheduled over time is monitored. |
| US07676174B2 |
Tandem photosensitive-member unit having grip part
An image-forming device includes a main body and a tandem photosensitive-member unit. The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a unit frame, a plurality of photosensitive members, a front-side grip part, and a rear-side grip. The unit frame is configured to be slidably installed to and removed from the main body in a predetermined direction. The unit frame has a leading side and a trailing side with respect to the predetermined direction. The plurality of photosensitive members is provided corresponding to a plurality of colors and is supported by the unit frame. The front-side grip part is provided at the leading side of the unit frame. The rear-side grip part is provided at the trailing side of the unit frame. |
| US07676173B2 |
Methods and apparatus for remanufacturing toner cartridges
A cutting device for use in detaching a drum from a printer cartridge, the drum defining a hollow interior, the hollow interior being surrounded by an interior wall of the drum, the cutting device including a shaft and a pointed edge protruding from the shaft, the pointed edge being configured to rotate with the shaft when the drum is being detached from the printer cartridge. |
| US07676168B2 |
Fixing device for color image forming apparatus and control method
A fixing device of the invention switches ON a heater lamp of the press roller in a fixing device in a color print mode. In a monochromatic mode, power comparable to the power consumption of the heater lamp can be supplied additionally to an exciting coil on the heat roller side when a heater lamp 3 stays OFF. An amount needed for the heat roller can be therefore added flexibly to the exciting coil. During a warm-up, power comparable to power consumption of the option can be supplied additionally to the exciting coil on the heat roller side. |
| US07676164B2 |
Lifetime management device and image forming system
In an image forming system, a lifetime management device calculates remaining lifetime of process units, a transfer unit, a secondary transfer unit, a belt cleaning unit and a fixing unit mounted on an image forming apparatus based on an operation amount thereof and a predetermined lifetime index. Based on the remaining lifetime and a predetermined replacement index, the lifetime management device determines whether any unit needs to be replaced, and, if any, transmits a replacement request signal to an external information processor together with a signal indicating remaining lifetime of other units via a communication line. |
| US07676161B2 |
Modulation E-field based control of a non-linear transmitter
In a method of synthesizing an optical signal, a multi-bit digital representation of a desired optical E-field is generated. The multi-bit digital representation has a resolution of N1-bits, where N1 is an integer greater than 2. At least two analog drive signals are synthesized based on the multi-bit digital representation. Each analog drive signal exhibits excursions between 2M discrete states (i.e. has a resolution of M-bits), where M is an integer greater than 2. An electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter is driven using the analog drive signals to generate an output optical E-field at an output of the E/O converter. An error is detected between the output optical E-field and the desired complex E-field waveform, and at least one parameter adjusted so as to minimize the detected error. |
| US07676160B2 |
Supervisory controlling method and supervisory controlling system of optical repeater
The present invention aims at providing a technique capable of supervising and controlling optical repeaters, without affecting transmission characteristics and wavelength bands of signal lights, by utilizing the Raman effect. To this end, the present invention provides a supervisory controlling system of an optical repeater, in an optical amplifying-and-repeating transmission system for amplifying and repeatingly transmitting signal light propagated through an optical transmission path by the optical repeater, wherein the supervisory control signal light is amplified due to the Raman effect by the signal light acting as excitation light in an optical transmission path (Raman amplifying medium), to thereby supervise and control the optical repeater in accordance with the thus Raman amplified supervisory control signal light. |
| US07676154B2 |
Method and system for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a wavelength division multiplexed optical network
A network planning tool and method for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a WDM optical network without an optical control layer, such as a SONET/SDH layer. The optical network includes a plurality of optical fibers interconnected through nodes and the connection-oriented packet network, such an Ethernet network, MPLS network, or pseudowire network, includes two or more terminal devices. The method and tool function by building an association between the components of the physical layer, such as the optical fiber, and their geographic location or path. The connection-oriented packet network is configured by building multi-link trunks (MLTs) between terminal devices, where the MLTs are built by aggregating lightpaths that traverse distinctive geographic paths. The MLTs are planned and configured through aggregating lightpaths that traverse incongruent sets of photonic elements. A predetermined target for resiliency to physical failure events may determine the degree of congruence allowed between the sets of photonic elements associated with lightpaths in the same MLT. |
| US07676150B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, image pickup method and image pickup program
An image pickup apparatus having a photographing condition setting section which sets photographing conditions of a subject, a photographing condition determination section which determines whether the image data in the storage section meet the photographing conditions set by the photographing condition setting section, and a photographing control section which deletes from the storage section image data determined by the photographing condition determination section not to meet the photographing conditions, and records into the recording section image data determined by the photographing condition determination section to meet the photographing conditions. In addition, the image data conversion section re-executes conversion of the picked-up image signals into image data and output of the image data. |
| US07676149B2 |
System for backlight detection using brightness values of subareas in focus area and method therefor
A system for backlight detection using the brightness values of the subareas in a focus area and method therefor are provided, which are applicable to an image capture device. The focus area is divided into a plurality of subareas and the brightness values of each of the subareas are calculated. Then, the brightness values of each of the subareas are converted into 0 and 1 codes, and then the codes are combined to generate the codes representing the entire focus area. The status values corresponding to each of the codes are determined with reference to a backlight detection table established in advance, so as to determine whether an object to be shot is in a backlight condition. |
| US07676148B2 |
Camera, computer program product, and amount of light to be emitted calculation method
A camera includes: a photometric unit that acquires two dimensional photometric information of an image of a photographic subject; a separation unit that separates the image of the photographic subject into two groups, based upon photometric information acquired by the photometric unit during non-emission of light by a flash light emission device; and a calculation unit that multiplies the photometric information acquired by the photometric unit during a first light emission by the flash light emission device before photography, by different coefficients for the two groups, and calculates an amount of light required for photography that is to be emitted during a second light emission by the flash light emission device, based upon the photographic information after multiplication by the coefficients. |
| US07676147B2 |
Focus detection apparatus and optical apparatus
A focus detection apparatus capable of accurate focus detection is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first image-forming lens unit including a first pair of lens portions forming a first pair of images on a first pair of light-receiving element arrays with luminous fluxes from an image-pickup optical system after the luminous fluxes pass through a first pair of apertures making a pair in a first direction, and a second image-forming lens unit including a second pair of lens portions forming a second pair of images on a second pair of light-receiving element arrays with luminous fluxes from the image-pickup optical system after the luminous fluxes pass through a second pair of apertures making a pair in a second direction. A midpoint between the second pair of lens portions is located between the first pair of lens portions and displaced from a midpoint between the first pair of lens portions. |
| US07676144B2 |
Heat-generating element of a heating device
A heat-generating element of a heating device for heating air includes at least one PTC element and, lying on opposing side surfaces of the PTC element, electric strip conductors. A heat-generating element that is improved with respect to the safety against electric flashovers is created with the invention under consideration by means of surrounding the two electric strip conductors on the outside by a non-conductive insulating layer. A heating device for heating air with multiple heat-generating elements is also disclosed with each heating element including at least one PTC element and, lying on opposing side surfaces of the PTC element, electric strip conductors and multiple heat-emitting elements that are arranged in parallel layers and that are held in position lying on opposing sides of the heat-generating element. The heat-emitting elements are essentially potential-free and protected against electric flashovers with a higher degree of certainty due to the fact that the heat-emitting elements lie on opposing sides of the heat-generating element, with an insulating layer placed in between. |
| US07676142B1 |
Systems and methods for multimedia time stretching
The invention is related to methods and apparatus that can advantageously alter a playback rate of a multimedia presentation, such as a video clip. One embodiment of the invention permits a multimedia presentation to be sped up or slowed down with a controlled change in pitch of the sped up or slowed down audio. In one embodiment, this controlled change in the pitch permits the sped up or slowed down audio to retain a same sounding pitch as at normal playback speeds. In one embodiment, a duration is specified and playback of the video clip is advantageously sped to complete playback within the specified duration. In another embodiment, a finish by a time is specified, and the playback of the video clip is advantageously sped to complete playback by the specified time. |
| US07676140B2 |
Recording apparatus
There is provided a recording apparatus which includes a recording medium having a data area with an address assigned to each cluster of a predetermined size; an interface for connection to a host apparatus; writing means for writing data in the data area; access order deciding means for dividing the data area of the recording medium into a plurality of areas each having an optional data capacity, and deciding an order of accessing the divided areas from the writing means; timing deciding means for deciding a timing when file information on written data is to be updated; control means for controlling the writing means to access a plurality of divided areas in accordance with the decided access order, search an empty cluster in the accessed area, and write data in the searched empty cluster and file information updating means for updating the file information on already written data. |
| US07676134B2 |
Field termination kit
A field termination kit includes an optical fiber preparation device for preparing an end of an optical fiber, an optical inspection device for inspecting the end of the optical fiber, and a termination assembly for terminating the end of the optical fiber. A method of using a field termination kit includes rotating an end of a first optical fiber about a center of an abrasive portion of an optical fiber preparation tool. The end is pressed against an adhesive portion of the optical fiber preparation tool to clean contaminants from the end. The end is inserted into an inner passage of an optical fiber inspection device for viewing. The end is inserted into a termination assembly. The end is terminated to an end of a second optical fiber in a termination region of the termination assembly. |
| US07676133B2 |
Dust shutter for an optical adapter
A dust shutter for an optical adapter, includes a collar, wherein the collar is capable of being provided around an end of the optical adapter; a cover; a hinge that connects the cover to the collar; the hinge configured such that the cover can be provided in an open position and a closed position with respect to the collar; and a latch provided on the cover that attaches the cover to the collar in the closed position; wherein the collar, the cover, the hinge, and the latch form a unitary structure. |
| US07676132B1 |
Bend radius control
A bend radius control device for routing and maintaining at least a minimum bend radius of a cable. The bend radius control device includes an arcuate member having a channel and at least one holding portion. The holding portion is configured to hold the bend radius device to one or more cables inserted therein, while the channel is configured to support the one or more cables. A grommet may be used to with the holding portions to aid the holding portion in holding one or more cables inserted in the bend radius control device. The arcuate member has a bend radius that is greater than or equal to the minimum bend radius of one or more cables inserted therein. The bend radius control device is similar in size to a number of cables inserted therein and may be used in a space saving environment. |
| US07676130B2 |
Optical fiber coating compositions
The invention includes a composition for an optical fiber coating. An inventive composition includes a non-thiol functional adhesion promoter and less than about 0.5 pph of a strength additive containing a thiol functional group. The invention further includes an optical fiber coated with the inventive composition. A second inventive composition includes a photo-polymerizable composition which contains an adhesion promoter and a non-silicon containing strength additive containing at least about one thiol functional group. A third inventive composition includes a photo-polymerizable composition which has a silane containing adhesion promoter and a strength additive containing at least about one halide functional group. The invention also includes an optical fiber coated with the inventive coating and methods of making an optical fiber including the inventive coating. |
| US07676129B1 |
Bend-insensitive fiber with two-segment core
Optical waveguide fiber that is bend resistant and single mode at 1260 nm and at higher wavelengths. The optical fiber includes a core with a central core region and an annular core region or, alternatively, a high index core region and a low index core region. The optical fiber also includes a cladding with an annular ring region and an annular outer region. |
| US07676125B2 |
Method and apparatus to provide multi-channel bulk fiber optical power detection
An apparatus is described to provide multi-channel bulk optical power detection. The apparatus has a plurality of optical splitters coupled to respective fiber-optic lines of a plurality of fiber-optic lines. An optimal time-division multiplexer has an input coupled to the plurality of optical splitters. A photodetector is coupled to an output of the optical time-division multiplexer to provide bulk optical power detection. The optical time-division multiplexer includes a scanning mirror. |
| US07676123B2 |
Optical and electrical circuit board and method of manufacturing the same
An optical and electrical circuit board includes a patterned electrical wiring and a micro convex lens. The micro convex lens is provided in at least one hole formed in the optical and electrical circuit board. |
| US07676121B2 |
Thermo-optic tuning of a multi-directional optical waveguide
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and a method for operating the apparatus. The apparatus, in one embodiment, may include an optical waveguide located over a substrate, the optical waveguide having a first segment and a second segment. The apparatus may further include a single heating element configured to heat both the first segment and the second segment, wherein a light propagation direction at a point in the second segment differs by at least 90 degrees with respect to a light propagation direction at the point in the first segment. |
| US07676120B2 |
Optical phase shift device and antenna system utilizing same
A phase shift device of an optical fiber signal includes an actuator for changing the signal phase in at least one fiber portion by inducing the phase change by thermo-optical effect. An antenna system incorporating phase shift devices using the thermo-optical effect find particular utility in automotive and telecommunications fields. |
| US07676115B2 |
Image processing method, image processor and image processing program product
An image processing method includes a step of obtaining an input image, and a transformation step of performing multiple image transformations including multiple geometric transformations. The transformation step includes calculating correspondences between image coordinates of the input image and image coordinates of the output image based on multiple coordinate transformation equations corresponding to geometric transformations, then defining pixel values of the corresponding output image based on pixel values of the input image, and interpolating space pixels of the output image that do not have corresponding pixels in the input image once for each space pixel. |
| US07676113B2 |
Generating and displaying spatially offset sub-frames using a sharpening factor
A method of displaying an image with a display device is provided. The method includes generating a first sub-frame and a second sub-frame corresponding to image data for the image including calculating a first sub-frame pixel value in the first sub-frame using a first sharpening factor associated with a first plurality of gradients from the image data, and alternating between displaying the first sub-frame in a first position and displaying the second sub-frame in a second position spatially offset from the first position. |
| US07676112B2 |
Optical device for correcting geostationary satellite imagery for earth curvature effects
An optical adapter for an imaging system correcting images of spherical or near spherical bodies such as the earth during satellite image collection. An imaging system includes an image collector that collects a two-dimensional image of the body from a distance above the body such as from a satellite in geostationary orbit. The collected image is disk shaped and includes distortion due to earth curvature, primarily in the form of a loss of resolution due to the foreshortening of earth features in a radial direction extending outward from the center of the image disk. The optical adapter receives the collected image, transforms the collected image to correct the distortion, and outputs a corrected image with essentially uniform spatial resolution across the areas for which the correction is applied. An image sensor such as charge-coupled device array senses the corrected image and creates a digital representation of the corrected image. |
| US07676111B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method to detect and remove image noises
An inter-frame difference generation circuit generates, in every pixel unit, a difference level of an image between a present frame and a frame before one frame period. A histogram generation circuit generates a difference histogram indicating a frequency distribution of difference levels between the frames in a state in which a difference corresponding to a pixel including predetermined or more image changes is removed from generated difference levels. An erroneously detected histogram exclusion judging section excludes a histogram which is inappropriate as a histogram for use in deciding a noise amount among histograms generated by the histogram generation circuit from the histograms generated by the histogram generation circuit. A noise amount judging section decides the noise amount based on the histograms remaining without being excluded by the erroneously detected histogram exclusion judging section. Therefore, noises included in a dynamic image are detected with a good precision. |
| US07676110B2 |
Determination of need to service a camera based on detection of blemishes in digital images
A method of automatically determining a need to service a digital image acquisition system including a digital camera with a lens assembly includes analyzing pixels within one or more acquired digital images according to probability determinations that such pixels correspond to blemish artifacts. It is automatically determined whether a threshold distribution of blemish artifacts is present within one or more of the digital images. A need for service is indicated when at least the threshold distribution is determined to be present. |
| US07676108B2 |
Method and apparatus for initiating subsequent exposures based on determination of motion blurring artifacts
A digital image acquisition system includes a portable apparatus for capturing digital images and a digital processing component for detecting, analyzing, invoking subsequent image captures and informing the photographer regarding motion blur, and for reducing camera motion blur in an image captured by the apparatus. The digital processing component operates by comparing the image with at least one other image, for example a preview image, of nominally the same scene taken outside the exposure period of the main image. In one embodiment the digital processing component identifies at least one feature in a single preview image which is relatively less blurred than the corresponding feature in the main image, calculates a point spread function (PSF) in respect of such feature, and initiates a subsequent capture if determined that the motion blur exceeds a certain threshold. In another embodiment the digital processing determines the degree of blur by analyzing the motion blur in the captured image itself, and initiates a subsequent capture if determined that the motion blur exceeds a certain threshold. Such real time analysis may use the auto focusing mechanism to qualitatively determine the PSF. |
| US07676104B2 |
Outline font compression method
A Bezier curve constituting outline font data represents a curve by four coordinate values of a start point, an end point, and two control points. The curve is represented by two coordinates of the start point and the end point in collinear approximation, and by three coordinates of the start point, an intersecting point of two lines, and the end point in bi-linear approximation. In curve pattern approximation, when 32 curve patterns are prepared, the curve is represented by 5-bit data of two coordinates of the start point and the end point, and a pattern number. By effectively employing these three kinds of processes, it is possible to represent a Bezier curve constituting the outline font data with a reduced data volume. |
| US07676100B2 |
Recording medium having recorded thereon coded information using plus and/or minus rounding of images
A recording medium having recorded thereon information related to coded data of an image sequence; wherein the information related to coded data of an image sequence is a set of coded frame information of a plurality of frames of an image sequence; wherein the coded frame information includes: information related to a difference image between an image of a current frame and a prediction image of the current frame, the prediction image being synthesized by performing motion compensation, information related to motion vectors estimated in performing the motion compensation, and rounding method information specifying either a positive rounding method or a negative rounding method for interpolating intensity values of pixels in performing the motion compensation when the input image is coded as a P frame, wherein no rounding method information is included in the coded frame information when the input image is coded as an I frame. |
| US07676098B2 |
Information processing apparatus, system and method for compression of image data
To reduce the amount of data transferred from an electronic apparatus to other electronic apparatus, a first compression unit compresses image data in units of m bits with a predetermined pattern to produce first compression data. A second compression unit compresses the first compression data in units of k bits to produce second compression data. And, an output unit outputs the second compression data according to a production order of the second compression data produced from the second compression unit. |
| US07676097B2 |
Bit shift processing in wavelet-based image codecs
A digital image encoding device, which encodes digital image data using a discrete wavelet transform, includes a coefficient bit shift processing unit that performs bit shift processing on a wavelet coefficient after the discrete wavelet transform. The coefficient bit shift processing shifts the wavelet coefficient to a lower bit side by a predetermined number of bits to truncate a lower bit, and reduces the number of effective bits to create a new wavelet coefficient. |
| US07676096B2 |
Modular, low cost, memory efficient, input resolution independent, frame-synchronous, video compression system using multi stage wavelet analysis and temporal signature analysis with a highly optimized hardware implementation
The present invention provides a method of and apparatus for operating upon a sequence of video frames by splitting each frame into components, and each component into a plurality of columns. The columns are operated upon in a manner that reduced edge artifacts and compresses the columns by reducing precision in certain higher frequency bands more than other lower frequency bands. The thus operated upon frames can be transmitted, received, and processed at a receiver with low latency and very low memory storage The invention further discusses a novel way of temporal compression using signatures of the sub bands generated for spatial compression. Spatial analysis using wavelets further enables the decoder to format and scale the decoded output to suit an arbitrary display screen. The method provides a practical solution to the problem of compressing, storing, or transmitting of video with ever-increasing spatial and temporal resolutions. |
| US07676093B2 |
Image reading and processing method and storage medium storing a computer program therefor that detects a contour of an image read at a higher resolution
An image reading and processing method which is capable of automatically obtaining image data with high resolution along the proper contour of an original. First image reading is carried out on the original at a first resolution to obtain image data. The contour area of an image of the original 7 is detected based on the image data obtained by the image reading. Second image reading is carried out on the original at a second resolution higher than the first resolution, over an area 51 having outer edges thereof shared by the contour area 41, to obtain image data. The contour of the image of the original is detected in the contour area 41, based on the image data obtained by the second image reading. Image data of an image portion inside the detected contour of the image of the original is extracted from the image data obtained by the second reading. |
| US07676091B2 |
Method and apparatus for analysing ultrasound images
A method of improving an image or a set of images, by transforming an intensity histogram thereof is disclosed. The method comprises: (a) fitting the intensity histogram to a sum of a plurality of localized functions; (b) using the plurality of localized functions to define a plurality of localized intensity histograms; (c) for each localized intensity histogram, performing at least one image enhancement procedure, thereby providing a plurality of improved localized intensity histograms; and (d) combining the plurality of improved localized intensity histograms, thereby transforming the intensity histogram of the image. In various exemplary embodiments, the method further comprises detecting clutter and/or an outline of at least one region in the image or set of images. |
| US07676086B2 |
Automatic coloring of pixels exposed during manipulation of image regions
The present invention relates to a method and system for modifying images characterized in that it includes the ability to assign colour intensity values to pixels exposed during image manipulation operations comprising: means for using the color intensity values of remaining pixels in the original image, and means for assigning color values to the exposed pixels that are similar to those of the surrounding pixels so that the exposed regions blends smoothly with the surrounding region. The instant invention also provides a configured computer program product for carrying out the above method. |
| US07676081B2 |
Image segmentation of foreground from background layers
Segmentation of foreground from background layers in an image may be provided by a segmentation process which may be based on one or more factors including motion, color, contrast, and the like. Color, motion, and optionally contrast information may be probabilistically fused to infer foreground and/or background layers accurately and efficiently. A likelihood of motion vs. non-motion may be automatically learned from training data and then fused with a contrast-sensitive color model. Segmentation may then be solved efficiently by an optimization algorithm such as a graph cut. |
| US07676079B2 |
Index identification method and apparatus
An index arranged on a real space is detected from an image sensed by a camera, and the position of the index in the image is calculated (S405). The index is projected onto the image sensing plane of the camera on the basis of the position and orientation information of the camera, the position information of the index, and the like (S403). A corresponding index is identified based on the distance between the detected and projected indices on the image plane, and geometric information of the index (e.g., directionality) (S408). With this method, an index can be accurately identified by a simple method. |
| US07676076B2 |
Neural network based method for displaying an examination image with normalized grayscale values
Image processing method for a digital medical examination image, the pixels of which are assigned a gray-scale value in each instance, with a minimum and a maximum gray-scale value being defined as limit values for the purpose of displaying the examination image, with the pixels being subjected to an evaluation by means of a neural network, in order to determine such pixels and to disregard them when defining the gray-scale values which are located in a direct radiation region or in a projected collimator region. |
| US07676071B2 |
Method for illuminating a sample
A method for illuminating a specimen or a region of the specimen (region of interest, ROI), the information indicating whether and in what manner a specific point on the specimen is to be illuminated, being stored in a data memory under a specific address. A change in the position, orientation, and/or shape of the specimen is captured, and a transformation of the coordinates of the image points to be illuminated is derived therefrom; memory addresses are uniquely assigned to the transformed coordinates; and, on the basis of the memory addresses, the data memory is accessed, and its contents is read out in order to control the light source. |
| US07676070B2 |
Device for on-line data acquisition in three-dimensional positron emission tomography
A device for improved on-line histogramming of data acquired in a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. The device is a Smart DRAM (SD) PCI card, of which more than one can be used in combination within a PC-based architecture for on-line histogramming. The SD PCI card is applied as either of a Gating Buffer, a histogramming card, and a normalization buffer. The Gating Buffer card alternately stores an arriving PET data packet stream into two dedicated DRAM banks. The two DRAM banks store and retransmit the packet stream in the order of arrival for an entire physiological cycle. The histogramming SD RMW PCI cards provide a very high rate of histogramming. The extendible daisy-chain of SD RMW PCI cards supports large memory banks across potentially hundreds of SD RMW PCI cards. Under a single PC, a multiple PCI Expansion chassis is employed such that a large number of PCI cards are supported. |
| US07676064B2 |
Sensor scan planner
Sensor scan planner methods and systems are described. In an embodiment, a sensor scan schedule can be generated by a sensor scan schedule generator to optimize the scan schedules of multiple sensors based on optimal capabilities of each sensor and autonomous target recognition algorithm processing. A search manager can then assign an evaluation criteria value to the generated sensor scan schedule based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria, and compare the evaluation criteria value to other evaluation criteria values corresponding to respective previously generated sensor scan schedules to determine an optimal sensor scan schedule. The search manager can then determine whether to generate additional sensor scan schedules and assign additional evaluation criteria values for comparison to determine the optimal sensor scan schedule. |
| US07676060B2 |
Distributed content identification
A method of identifying content in a distributed computing system. The method receives an image or audio signal in a first device in the distributed computing system, such as a cell phone or other wireless device. In this device, the method performs an analysis of characteristics of the signal to identify portions of the signal from which to derive a content identifier. The method then sends the portions to a second, remote device in the distributed computing system, such as a server. The server further processes the portions to derive a content identifier, which in turn, is used to look up data corresponding to the content, such as a Uniform Resource Locator. In the case of a wireless telephone network, for example, the method distributes the task of identifying content signals captured through the microphone or camera on the phones in the network. |
| US07676059B2 |
Video steganography or encoding
The presently claimed invention relates generally to encoding and decoding video with auxiliary information. One claim recites a method of encoding video, the video has a plurality of samples. The method includes: obtaining an N-bit auxiliary data string to be encoded into the video, where N is at least two, the string including bits having a value of “1” or “0”; and utilizing a configured multi-purpose electronic processor to perform encoding as follows, for a first bit in the N-bit auxiliary data string: if the bit comprises a “1” value, making a corresponding change to the video to represent the “1” value in the video, the change being essentially unnoticeable to a human viewer of the video, but if the first bit comprises a “0” value, making no corresponding change to the video; performing the aforesaid act for the second through Nth bits of the N-bit auxiliary data string. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well. |
| US07676058B2 |
System and method for detection of miniature security marks
A method is disclosed for detection of miniature security mark configurations within documents and images, wherein the miniature security marks may include data marks or a combination of data marks and anchor marks. The method includes sub-sampling a received image, which is a digital representation possible recipient(s) of the miniature security marks, to generate a reduced-resolution image of the received image. Maximum/minimum points detection is performed and the maximum/minimum points are grouped into one or more clusters according to location distances between the maximum/minimum points. Group configuration is checked to match the clusters with a pre-defined template configuration. Shape verification is then performed to verify mark location and configuration between the reduced-resolution image and the received image. |
| US07676057B2 |
Information processing device
There is provided an information processing device which comprises a transparency adjustment unit to adjust transparency of a watermark image which is to be added to a main image to prepare data of a first image having first transparency and data of a second image having second transparency, wherein each of the first and second images corresponds to the watermark image and the first transparency of the first image is higher than the second transparency of the second image. The information processing device further comprises an overlap processing unit to generate data of an overlap image of the main image, the first image and the second image such that the second image, the main image and the first image overlap with each other in bottom-to-top order. |
| US07676055B2 |
Information-detecting apparatus and method
An information-detecting apparatus (1) including a receiving unit (3) operable to receive digital data (2) that includes several pieces of element data, in which a change amount is imparted to a value of each of first and second element data among the several pieces of element data, a first selecting unit (4) operable to select, as target data (6), a data set that includes the first and second element data, a second selecting unit (5) operable to select, as neighboring data (7), element data in proximity to each of the first and second element data, a calculating unit (8) operable to calculate, based on both of the target data (6) and the neighboring data (7), the change amount imparted to each of the first and second element data, and a detecting unit (10) operable to detect the additional information in accordance with the change amount. |
| US07676048B2 |
Graphic equalizers
Graphic equalizer as a cascade of equalization filters with the gain of each individual filter compensated for the gain leakage from other filters. A linear approximation allows individual filter gains to be set to give desired frequency responses. |
| US07676046B1 |
Method of removing noise and interference from signal
A method of removing noise and interference from a signal by receiving the signal, calculating a joint time-frequency domain of the signal, estimating instantaneous frequencies of the joint time-frequency domain, modifying each estimated instantaneous frequency, if necessary, to correspond to a frequency of the joint time-frequency domain to which it most closely compares, redistributing the elements within the joint time-frequency domain according to the estimated instantaneous frequencies as modified, computing a magnitude for each element in the joint time-frequency domain as redistributed, plotting the results as the time-frequency representation of the signal, identifying in the plot any noise and interference components in the received signal, eliminating from the redistributed joint time-frequency domain elements that correspond to noise and interference, and recovering a signal devoid of noise and interference from the modified redistributed joint time-frequency domain. |
| US07676045B2 |
Mountable speaker assembly
Embodiments of a speaker assembly and cooperating suspension ring designed to allow installation of the assembly in a horizontal ceiling tile from below are disclosed. The speaker assembly includes a body or housing with a flange at one end. The body has a diameter that allows it to fit through a hole the ceiling tile and the suspension ring. The assembly is further provided with clamps attached to the flange next to the body. In order to bring the flange into contact with the ceiling tile, the assembly must be aligned so that the clamps penetrate cooperating voids in the suspension ring. The assembly is then rotated in a direction depending on the tile thickness and lowered into a position where the clamps engage with projections on the suspension ring so that the suspension ring supports the weight of the assembly. |
| US07676042B2 |
Terminal apparatus, server apparatus, and digital content distribution system
To reduce a frequency of recording communication management information for communication disconnection countermeasure. A digital content distribution system includes a license server (101) that issues a license, and a user terminal (103) that controls use of content based on the issued license. The license server (101) judges, according to the license to be issued, whether or not the communication management information for the communication disconnection countermeasure needs to be recorded, and notifies the user terminal of a result of the judgment. This enables the user terminal (103) to reduce the frequency of recording the communication management information. |
| US07676041B2 |
Method for creating and distributing cryptographic keys in a mobile radio system and corresponding mobile radio system
A first cryptographic key (318) and a second cryptographic key (322) are created by a mobile radio terminal (103) and by a computer of the home communications network (108, 109) by using authentication key materials (312). The first cryptographic key (318) is transmitted to the computer of the visited communications network (113), and the second cryptographic key (322) is transmitted to an application server computer (106, 107). |
| US07676038B2 |
Secure printing method to thwart counterfeiting
A method for authenticating a target item with a security code is provided. The method includes the steps of determining a first content of security information to be coded, determining a second content of security information to be coded, printing a plurality of color tiles on a target item where the plurality of color tiles define the first content of security information, and printing one or more micro-markings on one or more of the color tiles located on the target item. The one or more micro-markings define the second content of security information. |
| US07676037B2 |
Cryptographic method capable of protecting elliptic curve code from side channel attacks
An elliptic curve cryptography method which generates a public key for use in a communication encryption using an elliptic curve, including: changing a number of a secret key (d) of (k) bits to an odd number; encoding the secret key to yield an encoded secret key (d) in which a most significant bit (MSB) is (1) and a rest positional number is (1) or (−1); and computing the public key (Q=Dp) by multiplying the encoded secret key (d) by a predetermined point (P) on the elliptic curve by a scalar multiplication. |
| US07676036B2 |
Input device and personal mobile terminal having the same
An input device provided for an apparatus (1) which is held with a hand of a person. The input device includes a plurality of input keys (5) which are operated with a finger holding the apparatus (1), wherein in a case where the apparatus (1) having the input device is held with the hand, each input key (5) situated apart from a base of the finger has a finger contact area smaller than that of each input key (5) situated close to the base of the finger. |
| US07676034B1 |
Method and system for matching entities in an auction
A communications management system comprising an input for receiving a communications classification; a database of skill weights with respect to the communications classification; a database of agent skill scores; and a processor, for computing, with respect to the received communication classification, an optimum agent selection, the processor directly controlling a routing of the information representing the received call. |
| US07676030B2 |
System and method for personal identification number distribution and delivery
A system and method for obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal is disclosed herein. The method includes storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services. The method also includes receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services. A PIN request is then sent, from the client terminal, to a server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal. In response, one or more PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are received at the client terminal. The method further includes dispensing at least one PIN corresponding to the desired prepaid service from the client terminal. |
| US07676029B2 |
Guidance apparatus related to operation of information equipment and guidance method related to operation of information equipment
To provide a technology indicating guidance for a usage method of information equipment and for solving an abnormality of the information equipment to not only users having knowledge about terminology of the information equipment but also users having none of the knowledge about the terminology of the information equipment.A guidance apparatus receives identifying information of information equipment from a device, reads an image from a database containing images about the information equipment with respect to the received identifying information, creates guidance information containing the read image, transmits the created guidance information to the device, receives information determined by a manipulation about the guidance information on the device, and controls so as to read the image used next for the guidance information from the received information. |
| US07676024B2 |
X-ray imaging device
An apparatus includes: an imaging unit 7, an X-ray detecting unit 90, outputting, upon irradiation of X-rays, an X-ray detection signal over the irradiation period; an operation controlling unit 13, generating a trigger indicating an imaging start timing based on the X-ray detection signal and using the trigger to perform operation controlling of the imaging unit 7; and a signal cable L1, containing, within a tube 11, one or a plurality of each of a detection signal line L11, transmitting the X-ray detection signal, a controlling signal line L12, transmitting a controlling signal for drive control of the imaging unit 7, and an image signal line L13, transmitting image signals, resulting from imaging by the imaging unit 7, and in the signal cable L1, the detection signal line L11 is disposed at an inner central portion of the tube 11 and the other signal lines are disposed so as to surround the detection signal line L11. The occurrence of malfunctions in the X-ray imaging apparatus is thereby reduced. |
| US07676021B2 |
Radiation imaging apparatus
A radiation imaging apparatus that performs radiation imaging of a breast of a subject, which includes a table for laying down the subject; a receiving section that receives a breast of the subject laid on the table in a supine position; a radiation imaging section including a radiation emission unit and a radiation detection unit each located at a position opposing to each other being interposed by the breast of the subject received in the receiving section; and a drive unit that shifts the receiving section to a position suitable for imaging the breast of the subject. |
| US07676018B2 |
Efficient iterative four-dimensional cardiac cone-beam CT reconstruction
The increasing cone angle of current high-end and future CT systems leads to a decrease in image quality if approximate cone-beam reconstruction methods are used. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an iterative four-dimensional cardiac CT reconstruction is provided, in which phase volumes are selected from the four-dimensional data set, each having the same spatial volume at different phase points. Corresponding voxels inside these phase volumes are then forward projected onto the same projection. After calculation of a different projection, these voxels are updated. This may provide for an efficient implementation of an iterative four-dimensional cardiac cone-beam CT reconstruction. |
| US07676017B2 |
Vacuum actuated anhydrous ammonia feed system for pH adjustment of boiler condensate/feed water
A vacuum actuated and sustained ammonia feed system for the pH adjustment of power plant condensate and boiler feed water is described. This system can provide a safe means of providing anhydrous ammonia for pH adjustment to the condensate/feed water system of a power plant. |
| US07676015B2 |
Boundary condition adjustment methods and systems
Methods and systems for reactor lattice depletion are disclosed. One exemplary method, among others, comprises the steps of defining a reactor eigenvalue, the reactor eigenvalue being a specified ratio of actual neutron production to loss in the reactor; producing a lattice eigenvalue, the lattice eigenvalue being an estimated ratio of neutron production to loss in the lattice; and adjusting a boundary condition of the lattice to cause convergence of the lattice eigenvalue and the reactor eigenvalue in order to produce at least one physics parameter. |
| US07676014B2 |
Digital lock detector for phase-locked loop
A digital lock detector for a phase-locked loop. The PLL generates a feedback clock according to a reference clock. The digital lock detector includes a match detector and an arbiter. When a first clock transitions, the match detector checks that whether a second clock transitions in a predetermined time window or not. The match detector generates a match signal if the second clock transitions in the predetermined time window. The arbiter counts a number of the successive match signals and generates a lock signal to indicate a lock state when the number exceeds a first predetermined number. |
| US07676007B1 |
System and method for interpolation based transmit beamforming for MIMO-OFDM with partial feedback
Transmit beamforming with receive combining uses the significant diversity provided by multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and the use of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) enables low complexity implementation of this scheme over frequency selective MIMO channels. Optimal beamforming uses channel state information in the form of the beamforming vectors corresponding to all the OFDM subcarriers. In non-reciprocal channels, this information should be conveyed back to the transmitter. To reduce the amount of feedback information, transmit beamforming combines limited feedback and beamformer interpolation. In this architecture, the receiver sends back a fraction of information about the beamforming vectors to the transmitter, and the transmitter computes the beamforming vectors for all subcarriers through interpolation of the conveyed beamforming vectors. Since a beamforming vector is phase invariant and has unit norm, a linear spherical interpolator uses additional parameters for phase rotation. These parameters are determined at the receiver in the sense of maximizing the minimum channel gain or capacity. The interpolator maybe combined with beamformer quantization. |
| US07676006B2 |
Method and system for estimating the doppler spread in radio mobile telecommunication systems and computer program product therefor
The Doppler spread associated to a transmission channel with a gain represented by a random process, is estimated by transmitting on the channel a digital signal (DPCCHI,Q), which comprises at least one pilot signal, which in turn comprises fields of known symbols, and estimating, on the basis of the pilot signal(DPCCHI,Q), the channel so as to generate a signal indicating the aforesaid gain. There is then detected the zero-crossing rate (η) of the aforesaid signal during a given time interval, and there is also estimated the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) associated to the channel. The bandwidth ({circumflex over (f)}D) of the aforesaid random process is estimated according to a reference quantity (ID(2)), which comprises: a first term ({circumflex over (η)}2π2), representing an estimate ({circumflex over (η)}) of said zero-crossing rate (η); and a second term ( I N ( 2 ) - η ^ 2 π 2 I N ( 0 ) 2 SNR ) , which includes said signal-to-noise ratio of the channel. |
| US07676005B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus
In a wireless communication apparatus adopting a time division duplex system for executing transmission and reception using a plurality of antennas, deviation of amplitude and phase occurring between transmission and reception circuits is detected and corrected using a communication signal. Channel estimation means 105 detects channel information based on reception output of reception circuits 104-1 to 104-N provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of antennas 101-1 to 101-N. Correction value detection means 110 finds a correction value for correcting deviation occurring between each of transmission circuits 103-1 to 103-N and each of the reception circuits 104-1 to 104-N based on the channel information. A wireless communication apparatus 100 transmits an already known signal (training signal) to a base station with which the wireless communication apparatus conducts communications. The base station executes channel estimation based on the already known signal and generates and transmits a correction signal (probe signal). The correction value detection means 110 of the wireless communication apparatus 100 detects the correction value using the correction signal (probe signal). |
| US07676000B2 |
Systems and methods for an adaptive rake receiver
A technique for signal distortion compensation using a filter that can support a higher delay spread distortion without substantially increasing hardware complexity. In one example embodiment, an adaptive receiver design compensates for signal distortions with the use of non-uniform tap delay filters. The non-uniform tap delay filters are used to output an adaptively channel matched signal for decoding. |
| US07675996B2 |
Television receiver suitable for multi-standard operation and method therefor
A receiver (1100) includes a direct digital frequency synthesizer (130), a mixer (105), and a clock source (1110, 1130). The direct digital frequency synthesizer has an input terminal for receiving a first clock signal at a first frequency, and an output terminal for providing a digital local oscillator signal synchronously with the first clock signal. The mixer (105) has a first input terminal for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, a second input terminal coupled to the output terminal of the direct digital frequency synthesizer (130), and an output terminal for providing an IF signal having a spectrum centered about a selectable one of a plurality of center frequencies. The clock source (1110, 1130) has an output terminal for providing the first clock signal without using a harmonic frequency that overlaps the spectrum for the plurality of center frequencies. |
| US07675994B2 |
Packet identification mechanism at the transmitter and receiver for an enhanced ATSC 8-VSB system
A flexible digital transmission system that improves upon the ATSC A/53 HDTV signal transmission standard. The system includes a digital signal transmitter for generating a first Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standard encoded 8-VSB bit stream and, for generating an encoded new robust bit stream for transmitting high priority information bits, wherein symbols of the new bit stream are capable of being transmitted according to a transmission mode including: a 2-VSB mode and a 4-VSB transmission mode. The standard 8-VSB bit stream and new bit stream may be simultaneously transmitted over a terrestrial channel according to a broadcaster defined bit-rate ratio. The transmission system includes a control mechanism for generating information needed for encoding robust packets at a transmitter device. It also includes a mechanism for encoding control parameters and multiplexes the generated information with the standard and robust bit-streams for transmission. A receiver architecture is additionally provided to decode standard and robust bit-streams transmitted by the transmitter device. |
| US07675986B1 |
Method for reducing peak-to-average power ratios in a multi-carrier transmission system
The present invention provides a technique to reduce peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of multi-carrier transmission systems. A non-empty subset of the subcarriers includes “PAR subcarriers.” The PAR subcarriers have constellations obtained by reducing a constellation that is higher than binary and invariant under multiplication by −1, so that an element is in the reduced constellation if and only if its negative is not. In this way, only one bit per PAR subcarrier is used for PAR reduction. The technique addressed in this invention multiplies a subset of the PAR subcarriers by −1 to reduce PAR at each multi-carrier symbol transmission. A method or apparatus is operated to select the subset of PAR subcarriers to be rotated. The receiver identifies the PAR subcarriers and estimates the subcarriers multiplied by −1 according to the reduced constellations and the received samples. |
| US07675982B2 |
Method and system for reducing peak-to-average power for OFDM signals
The invention provides a system and method for effectively reducing peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in an OFDM signal. The method includes the steps of oversampling a signal in the time domain, gradually clipping an amplitude of the signal to a predefined level using a formula involving a hyperbolic tangent, bandpass filtering out-of-band spectral components of the signal due to non-linear clipping to be within a predetermined mask, and transmitting the signal. |
| US07675981B2 |
OFDM signal demodulator circuit and OFDM signal demodulating method
When an OFDM demodulator circuit performs the waveform equivalence of carrier signals outputted from an FFT processing circuit, the OFDM demodulator circuit extracts correction coefficients corresponding to the gain of a reception signal outputted from a tuner unit from a correction coefficient table, and phase corrections are performed in a phase correction circuit based on the extracted correction coefficients. After that, the OFDM demodulator circuit performs the waveform equivalence processing with a transmission path equivalent circuit. Thereby, even if a C/N value is deteriorated owing to the amplification of an OFDM signal, the influence on the receiving performance of a receiving apparatus can be curbed, and a receiving performance can be improved. |
| US07675980B2 |
Wireless transmitting and receiving device and method
A wireless device, method, and signal for use in communication of a wireless packet between transmitting device and a wireless receiving device via a plurality of antennas, wherein a signal generator generates wireless packet including a short-preamble sequence used for a first automatic gain control (AGC), a first long-preamble sequence, a signal field used for conveying a length of the wireless packet, an AGC preamble sequence used for a second AGC to be performed after the first AGC, a second long-preamble sequence, and a data field conveying data. The AGC preamble sequence is transmitted in parallel by the plurality of antennas. |
| US07675977B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing audio signal
Apparatus and methods for processing a signal are disclosed. Data coding and entropy coding are performed with interconnection, and grouping is used to enhance coding efficiency. A data structure for processing a signal includes a payload part having at least one of data coding information including pilot coding information per a frame and entropy coding information. The data structure includes data coding information having information for a data coding scheme and entropy coding information having information for an entropy coding scheme and a second data part having a reference value corresponding to a plurality of data, and a difference value generated using the reference value and the data. |
| US07675971B2 |
Moving picture encoding apparatus and method, computer program and computer-readable storage medium
This invention generates encoded data within a required buffer size with minimum deterioration of image quality by finely adjusting a code data size to be generated so that an encoding condition can be changed to one of multiple levels on the basis of a cumulative encoded data size which is being generated during an encoding process of one frame which forms a moving picture. To this end, a VBV buffer zone controller compares a cumulative encoded data size during encoding of one frame with a plurality of thresholds, and outputs the comparison result to a vector processing controller, coefficient processing controller, and quantization controller. The vector processing controller controls a motion detection/compensation unit to fix/not to fix vectors for motion compensation. The coefficient processing controller determines an area size of a plurality of DCT coefficients to be masked, which are obtained by a DCT unit. The quantization controller determines the quantization step size of a quantizer. These vector processing controller, coefficient processing controller, and quantization controller adjust an encoded data size to be generated in multiple levels. |
| US07675970B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing a bitstream in a digital video transcoder
A method and apparatus for processing a bitstream in a digital video transcoder is described. In one example, an adjustment factor is determined that relates a number of bits representing a selected frame defined by the bitstream to a target number of bits for the selected frame. An average spatial activity value among sets of video data is associated with the selected frame. A spatial activity value for a selected set of the sets of video data is determined. A normalized spatial, activity value for the selected set of frequency video data is then computed in response to the average spatial activity value, the spatial activity value, and a function of the adjustment factor. Target bit reduction for each of the sets of video data may be computed using a function of the normalized spatial activity value and the adjustment factor. |
| US07675969B2 |
Adaptive rate control for digital video compression
A system and method for adaptively controlling the encoded data rate in a data compression system. The system and method sets up alternative encoded bit streams for each segment of data and selects the alternative that would produce the bit rate closest to a predetermined target bit rate for transmission. Each segment of video input is quantized based on a set quantization settings to produce a plurality of quantized segments. Each quantized segment is then variable rate encoded to produce an alternative encoded bit stream. The data rate that would be required to transmit each alternative encoded bit stream is determined and compared with a predetermined target bit rate, which is set according to the transmission rate buffer status. The selected encoded bit stream is provided to the transmission rate buffer in preparation for transmission. Having processed one segment of data, the system and method then updates its parameters for processing the next segment of data. An updated target bit rate is determined based on the rate buffer status at this point. A rate versus quantization index model is derived according to the data rates of the encoded streams and the corresponding quantization indices. A new set of weighting mask functions is then produced in accordance with the model and the quantization indices. The new set of quantization indices is to be used for processing the next segment of data. |
| US07675967B2 |
Training-while-working data communications
A data communication transceiver, such as a PCM or xDSL modem, is operable in a training-while-working mode in which it both trains and communicates user data. In some embodiments, upon initiation of a data communication session, the transceiver operates in a startup training mode in which partial training occurs that is sufficient to enable low rate data communication; the transceiver then enters the training-while-working mode in which it communicates user data and completes training. When training is completed, the transceiver enters a data mode in which it communicates user data but does not train. In some embodiments, if in the data mode conditions arise requiring retraining or making retraining desirable, the transceiver enters the training-while-working mode and retrains while continuing to communicate user data. |
| US07675965B2 |
System and method of communication via embedded modulation
A single subscriber line multi-point communication system is disclosed. In general, the multi-point communication system can include a first transceiver coupled to a subscriber line capable of transmitting and receiving at least two modulation methods, either of said modulation methods being operable to transmit a test signal, and a second transceiver coupled to said subscriber line capable of transmitting and receiving said at least two modulation methods, the second transceiver being operable to receive the test signal and determine at least one channel parameter from the test signal. A master transceiver that can be used in various embodiments of a single subscriber line multi-point communication system, and a tributary transceiver are further disclosed. |
| US07675964B2 |
Method for transmitting a plurality of information symbols
A plurality of information symbols are transmitted by a carrier wave by assigning different modulation indices to the individual information symbols. Thereby the modulated carrier wave carries information not only by the digitally encoded (modulated) data words but also by the different modulation indices used for successive intervals that thus also represent information symbols. This increases the data rate of a wireless communication. When used in passive identification systems, for example transponders, the transmission of the superimposed clock information eliminates the need for the clock generation logic in the receiver. The reduced energy consumption enables the communication distance to be increased. |
| US07675962B2 |
Method and apparatus for deriving a channel impulse response estimate for a wireless channel
Techniques for deriving a channel impulse response estimate (CIRE) having improved quality are described. A first CIRE with multiple channel taps is obtained based on (1) an initial CIRE derived from a received pilot or (2) a filtered CIRE derived from the initial CIRE. In one aspect, the channel taps in the first CIRE are scaled with multiple scaling factors to obtain a second CIRE. For point-wise LMMSE scaling, the energy of each channel tap is estimated. The noise energy for the channel taps is also estimated, e.g., based on energies of channel taps on one or both edges of the first CIRE. Each channel tap is scaled based on a scaling factor determined by the energy of that channel tap and the noise energy. Each channel tap with energy below a threshold may be set to zero. In another aspect, the second CIRE is obtained by zeroing out selected ones of the channel taps in the first CIRE. |
| US07675960B2 |
Method for generating communication signal sequences having desirable correlation properties and system for using same
A method for generating code sequences having good correlation properties comprising steps of selecting a code length comprising a number of chips, selecting a ruler which defines the position of non-zero values within the chips, and overlaying the non-zero values with an amplitude pattern. |
| US07675959B2 |
Systems and methods of electromagnetic influence on electroconducting continuum
Thus, as shown by an exact electrodynamic computation of EMBF and the estimations described above of the velocity of turbulent flows arising due to their effect, application of amplitude- and frequency-modulated helically traveling (rotating and axially traveling) electromagnetic fields in metallurgical and chemical technologies and foundry can considerably increase the hydraulic efficiency of MHD facilities, intensify the processes of heat and mass transfer in technological plants, significantly increase their productivity, considerably decrease energy consumption for the production of metals, alloys, cast articles, and chemical products, and improve their quality. |
| US07675958B2 |
Intra-cavity non-degenerate laguerre mode generator
A lasing method including the steps of providing a laser resonator; utilizing birefringence compensation in said resonator whereby said resonator is induced to operate in a Laguerre-Gaussian higher order mode; and utilizing polarized outcoupling of lasing energy at said higher order mode from said resonator. In the illustrative application, the laser resonator is a high-power, solid-state laser resonator. In the specific embodiment, the inventive method further includes the step of changing an outcoupling preference for a non-degenerate high-order Laguerre-Gaussian mode. In one embodiment, the step of changing outcoupling preference includes the step of changing an outcoupling polarization. In another embodiment, the step of changing outcoupling preference includes the step of changing an orientation of a roof edge of a prism in the laser resonator. Lower order Laguerre modes are discouraged from appearing in an output of the resonator by adding loss at the center of the rod aperture of the resonator or detuning the orientation of a first or a second quarter-wave plate. In the illustrative embodiment, the gain lifetime of the resonator is longer than an interpulse period thereof. |
| US07675955B2 |
Laser assembly for multi-laser applications
A laser assembly comprises a substrate and two or more lasers. The substrate has a substantially planar surface region and a raised feature. The raised feature comprises two or more reflective surfaces. Each of the two or more lasers is mounted to the substantially planar surface region and is configured to emit a laser beam directed towards the raised feature at a nonzero tilt angle in relation to the substantially planar surface region. |
| US07675952B2 |
Articulated glaze cladding for laser components and method of encapsulation
A glaze encapsulated solid-state laser component. The novel laser component includes a core and a cladding of ceramic glaze disposed on a surface of the core. In an illustrative embodiment, the core is fabricated from a laser gain medium and the cladding material is a multi-oxide eutectic ceramic glaze having a refractivity slighter lower than the refractivity of the gain medium, such that the glaze layer forms a step-index refractivity interface cladding that can effectively suppress parasitic oscillations in the core gain medium. The glaze cladding can be applied by coating the core with the glaze and then firing the glaze coated core, or by fabricating pre-formed cladding strips from the ceramic glaze in a first firing cycle, mounting the pre-formed strips to the core, and then fusing the pre-formed strips to the core in a secondary firing cycle. |
| US07675951B2 |
Threshold voltage difference allowable semiconductor laser driving apparatus
A semiconductor laser driving apparatus controls a semiconductor laser to output a prescribed intensity of laser light. The semiconductor laser driving apparatus includes at least two semiconductor laser driving circuits each outputting a prescribed amount of current to the semiconductor laser when operated, and a control circuit selectively transmitting a control signal and controlling one or more semiconductor laser driving circuits to operate in accordance with a prescribed intensity of laser light to be irradiated from the semiconductor laser. |
| US07675948B2 |
Performance analysis of a circuit switched mobile telecommunications network
In a circuit switched mobile telecommunications network a performance analysis is provided. In accordance with the invention a method is implemented, which can be carried out both OFF-LINE and ON-LINE, wherein transport channels carrying the circuit switched traffic of a service are found, then bit-streams of the circuit switched traffic are demultiplexed. A traffic database is built and a set of Key Performance Indicators and usage measures characterizing the service are defined and calculated. A passive traffic monitor is also disclosed, which is attached to a standardized interface of the circuit switched mobile telecommunications network consisting of mobile terminals, radio access network and core network. The passive traffic monitor comprises a trace analyzer connected to a signaling analyzer, to a user plane protocol analyzer and to a traffic database writer. The traffic database writer generating a traffic database is linked to the signaling analyzer, to the trace analyzer and to the user plane analyzer. |
| US07675947B2 |
Data transmission with bundling of multiple transmission channel facilities
A device includes multiple separate transmission channel facilities including first and second transmission channel facilities each having a standard network interface unit configured to transmit bundling data. The device includes a facility configured to bundle transmission channel facilities and to transmit a sub-stream of a data stream to be transmitted via transmission channels to be bundled as a stream of bundling data via the standard network interface units between the first transmission channel facility and the second transmission channel facility. |
| US07675941B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving packet data using pre-defined length indicator in a mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for enabling efficient use of radio resources by reducing an RLC PDU size in a mobile communication system supporting voice service over a packet network are provided. An RLC layer constructs an RLC PDU without inserting information indicating the start and end of an SDU or indicating the use or non-use of padding. The RLC layer sets an LI in a header to indicate inclusion of an intermediate SDU segment in the data field of the RLC PDU. Therefore, the resulting decrease of overhead arising from packet transmission facilitates the efficient use of limited radio resources. |
| US07675935B2 |
Apparatus and method for integrating wireless or other field devices in a process control system
An apparatus is provided for facilitating communication between, for example, a configuration tool in a process control system and a wireless field device (such as a wireless sensor or actuator). The configuration tool and the wireless field device use different protocols, and the apparatus converts between the different protocols. The protocol used by the configuration tool could include HART. From the perspective of the wireless field device, the apparatus could appear to support the application protocol of the wireless field device. From the perspective of the configuration tool, the apparatus could simulate a HART multiplexer. This may allow a user to use the configuration tool to configure, commission, and monitor the wireless field device, even when the user does not know or understand the protocol used by the wireless field device. |
| US07675934B2 |
Interworking of dissimilar packet networks for telephony communications
An Interworking Gateway enabled to provide continuous conversion of Protocol Data Units (PDUs) of any one of a provisioned set of transport protocols to any other member of the set is disclosed. Each transport protocol is associated with at least one transport protocol unit comprising at least one signaling port, at least one receive path, and at least one transmit path. Receive paths are adapted to convert PDUs of respective transport protocols into a base format, and transmit paths are adapted to convert a stream of base format data into PDUs of respective transport protocols. Transport protocol units are autonomous modules. The Interworking Gateway permits telephone services to extend across different broadband telephony networks in today's telecommunications system of networks. |
| US07675932B2 |
Adapter for providing digital communication between a field device and a computer
An adapter provides the components necessary to operate a computer or similar device as a communicator for smart field devices. The adapter includes terminals adapted for connection to the field device and a communication cable adapted for connection to the computer. Memory located within the adapter stores application software associated with the communication protocol employed by the field device. The application software stored by the memory is loaded onto the computer via the communication cable, allowing a user to receive and send data to the field device based on the communication protocol employed by the field device. The adapter includes a port circuit that interfaces bi-directionally communication between the computer and the field device using the communication protocol. |
| US07675929B1 |
Method and system for managing data flow in a data transmission system
A data flow management system and method in which an application and its clients are made aware of the available credits for each type of transfer before the transfer is attempted. This enables the clients to transmit packets only when the RX side has issued a sufficient number of credits to insure that the transmission will not be stalled. The invention eliminates the need for FIFO buffers in the PCI-Express core, since the application will not transmit packets to the core until the required number of credits for the particular transfer type is available. Therefore, packet transmissions do not require buffering in the core, as they are only sent when they can be sent all the way through the core to the link. The efficient back-to-back transfer support enabled by this protocol increases the overall throughput and efficiency of the system as transfers through the application interface have fewer gaps therebetween, because the credit management protocol with its back-to-back feature reduces the idle times between packets traversing the application interface. An enhanced Quality of Service feature is also introduced by creating an environment where the low-latency packets can receive a highest attention and the lowest transmission wait time. |
| US07675922B2 |
System and method for providing a universal communications port with computer-telephony interface
A computing system is equipped with one or more ports, each of which includes a plurality of coupler lines configured to engage connectors that may be associated with different types of external services and/or devices, including public switched telephone networks, Ethernet networks, ISDN networks, and/or telephone devices. Upon detecting a connection to a port, a controller evaluates at least one electrical property of the lines of the port. Based on the evaluation, the controller determines if the port is engaged with a known type of service or device. When the type of service or device is known, the controller selectively switches a plurality of port lines to appropriate communications subsystems to enable the computing system to communicate with the device or service. For example, a conventional telephone device can then be used as an audio input/output device for communication over the Internet rather than over a public switched telephone network. |
| US07675921B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and system
This invention provides a technique for safely and readily managing a network device. To achieve this object, an authentication server (105) performs an authentication process by using a set of a login ID and password transmitted from a manager server apparatus (103), and transmits the authentication result to a multi-functional peripheral (102). The authentication server (105) also specifies a VLAN name corresponding to this set, and transmits the VLAN name to a DHCP server (106). The DHCP server (106) determines connection setting information corresponding to the VLAN name, and transmits the determined connection setting information to the multi-functional peripheral (102). The multi-functional peripheral (102) connects to VLAN 2 by using the obtained connection setting information. |
| US07675919B2 |
End system scheduling for switched networks
A method for scheduling one or more data packet transfers over a computer-based distributed network is disclosed. The method involves constructing a cyclic schedule from a plurality of data packets, wherein the cyclic schedule is constructed to ensure that each data packet transfer is substantially free of jitter. The method further involves synchronizing the cyclic schedule with at least one periodic processing schedule and transmitting the synchronized data packets as arranged by the cyclic schedule. |
| US07675917B2 |
Method for providing packet data service in a wireless communication system
Discloses is a method for providing a packet data service in a wireless communication system. A packet data service node (PDSN) or a home agent (HA) allocates an IP (Internet Protocol) address to a mobile station and then registers the allocated IP address information in a DNS (Domain Naming System) server along with a domain name of the mobile station. Alternatively, upon receiving an accounting request message from the packet data service node, an AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) server registers the IP address information of the mobile station in the DNS server in association with the domain name of the mobile station. Thus, a correspondent node (CN), though it does not recognize the IP address of the mobile station, can access the mobile station using the domain name. |
| US07675912B1 |
Method and apparatus for border gateway protocol (BGP) auto discovery
A method is disclosed for Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) service auto discovery. A first message is received from a first BGP host. The first message comprises first information that indicates that the first BGP host provides reachability information associated with one or more route types. The first information is stored. The first information is sent in a second message to a second BGP host, where the first BGP host and the second BGP host are not conducting a BGP peering session. |
| US07675908B2 |
Parallel channel architecture
A high data rate switch is disclosed. The switch may include fiber optic channels where a plurality of switching elements necessarily operate at a significantly lower data rate providing routing of variable or fixed size data packets from a plurality of source ports to a plurality of destination ports via a single serial link. This is may be provided by storing the high rate data temporarily in memory in each of the source ports and then downloading it at a lower rate in a complete data packet to a designated switching element, almost immediately distributing the next data packet that has been received by the source port to a next switching element. The switching element configuration provides automatic redundancy and a minimum amount of frame overhead while sustaining throughput at the high data rate. |
| US07675907B2 |
IP telephone system, IP telephone apparatus and method for identifying destination user
An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a destination telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses function as base stations for multi-handset telephone systems and are connected to an IP network. The Web server stores ring tone information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the source or destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link data related to the ring tone information stored in the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the IP telephone apparatus that has received a call transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR record corresponding to an intended recipient's telephone number. The IP telephone apparatus then transmits, to the Web server, a request for the ring tone information corresponding to the intended recipient's telephone number according to the obtained NAPTR resource record, and sounds a ring tone through the apparatus itself and the handsets that are connected to the apparatus according to the obtained ring tone information. |
| US07675904B2 |
VoIP terminal capable of having conversation through both internet and PSTN
A VoIP terminal, which supports to make a phone call through both PSTN and Internet is disclosed. A local subscriber may choose to have a conversation through PSTN or Internet on his own. Besides, by reference to a switch such as a relay, the VoIP terminal is able to establish a PSTN connection under some special cases, such as the terminal power off or Internet shutdown. |
| US07675903B2 |
Dynamic contact list management system and method
A dynamic contact list management (DCLM) method and system operable in a communications network environment. In one embodiment, upon receiving a communication request from an originating party over a first network towards a networked party, a query is generated for determining and locating an IM address associated with the originating party. Upon establishing presence awareness between the originating party and the networked party, the IM address of the originating party is added to a contact list database associated with the networked party. The IM address, which is persistent at least for the duration of a first communication session established responsive to the communication request, may be used for engaging in a second communication session between the parties. |
| US07675889B2 |
Network terminal with means for wirelessly establishing secure private link with external terminal
In a communications network where first and second communication terminals are interconnected via a common communication medium such as a local area network, the terminals jointly establish an infrared light private communication link if they are brought close to each other. The first and second terminals communicate their network addresses to each other either via the local area network or via the private communication link, and establish a session between the communicated network addresses via the local area network if the strength of the infrared-light private communication link at the receiving end is higher than a decision threshold. |
| US07675888B2 |
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access (OFDMA) ranging
A method for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDMA) ranging is provided. The method includes receiving a signal having OFDMA symbols. An FFT is performed on this signal. Matching ranging codes are found. The power for a given hypothesized ranging code is determined and compared to a power threshold to determine if the code was transmitted. The timing offset and power are reported as the result of ranging. |
| US07675885B2 |
Methods and apparatus for CDMA2000/GPRS roaming
IIF architectures and corresponding call flows are provided for CDMA2000/GPRS roaming scenarios such as GPRS foreign mode with Mobile IPv4, GPRS foreign mode with Simple IPv4 or IPv6, CDMA2000 packet data foreign mode with Mobile IPv4, and CDMA2000 packet data foreign mode with Simple IPv4 or IPv6. |
| US07675884B2 |
Apparatus and method for communication scheduling in a wireless sensor network
An apparatus and method are provided for communication scheduling. The apparatus includes a control unit for determining whether a reference node and a plurality of child nodes of the reference node have completed communication scheduling, which is required for performing communication between the reference node and the child nodes during a time period, based on the reference node; and a scheduling unit for performing the communication scheduling between the reference node and a parent node of the reference node by selecting a communication time, when the communication scheduling between the reference node and the child nodes have been completed. |
| US07675883B2 |
Wireless local area network channel resource management
A wired Local Area Network (wired LAN) and a plurality of Wireless Access Points (WAPs) coupled to a wired network infrastructure of the wired LAN service wireless packetized communications for a plurality of Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) clients. A multi-layer switch of the wired LAN identifies a WLAN client serviced by a WAP from the packetized communications, and upon receiving an overloading indication from the WAP, determines that the WLAN client serviced by the WAP exceeds a usage threshold. Based upon the determination, the multi-layer switch reduces the wireless bandwidth provided to the wireless terminal by the WAP. |
| US07675882B2 |
Hierarchical mesh network for wireless access
A wireless mesh network is configured as a multiple-level hierarchical network, with each level of the hierarchy having a plurality of nodes. Several clusters of nodes each acting as access points may be organized in numerous first-level meshes (102, 106, 110, 112), with each of the first-level meshes being coupled to a second-level mesh having several nodes that act as gateways (G1-G5) to the first-level meshes. The number of nodes in each of the first-level and second-level meshes may be limited to a predetermined number of nodes throughout the full topology of the mesh network in order to improve performance of the mesh network. |
| US07675880B2 |
Power estimating method in wireless system
A system and method for estimating power of a wireless system simultaneously estimates and displays a code domain power and a time domain power in the system which may be a wireless communication system that mixes TDMA and CDMA methods such as WCDMA TDD and TD-SCDMA. The method includes designating a section where an output power is to be estimated, estimating a time domain power in the designated section; estimating a code domain power in the designated section, and displaying the estimated time domain power and the code domain power on a display unit. |
| US07675877B2 |
Digital device capable of communication and broadcast reception and method for processing digital broadcast
An apparatus and a method for performing a time shift function according to a current call connection state are disclosed. If a user enters a call connection mode with another party while viewing digital broadcast signal, received digital broadcast signal is recorded. If the call connection mode is terminated, the digital broadcast signal stored from a start time of the call connection mode is reproduced and displayed. Therefore, although the user loses specific broadcast signal received during a call connection time, the user can continuously view the lost broadcast signal without any loss after the lapse of the call connection time. |
| US07675863B2 |
Method and apparatus for wireless communication in a mesh network using connectivity assessment at multiple frequencies
A method and apparatus for communication in a wireless sensor network. In one embodiment, one or more routers in a network may be available for communication with one or more star nodes at a randomized time and/or frequency. A connectivity assessment, which may be performed at several different frequencies and/or times, may be performed to evaluate the quality of communications between devices in the network. Primary and secondary communication relationships may be formed between devices to provide for system redundancy. One or more proxies may be maintained where each proxy includes a status of one or more devices in the network, e.g., one or more star nodes or routers. Proxies may be used to handle information requests and/or status change requests, e.g., a proxy may be requested to change a communication relationship between devices in the network and may generate command signals to cause the corresponding devices to make the change. |
| US07675859B2 |
Transmission apparatus and transmission system
A link aggregation function and maintenance function by MPLS OAM. Identical entry information is stored in plural circuits IF which perform a LA setting. In this way, multiplexing to the same LSP is possible even with different IF. The first network IF is assumed to be OAM ACT, and the second network IF is set to OAM SBY (SBY). OAM frame insertion is performed only by an OAM ACT port. In this way, in an opposite MPLS transmission apparatus, it is possible to prevent CV frame reception above a specified number of frames. Further, a switch forwarding table is set to forward frames from the network side to the first network IF of OAM ACT. The second network IF which was set to OAM SBY does not perform fault detection by CV reception. In this way, incorrect detection of faults due to non-reception of OAM can be prevented. |
| US07675853B2 |
Communication system architecture and operating methods thereof
To ensure an effective mechanism for disaster recovery, system migration and network enlargement, a communication system (FIG. 6) comprises a narrowband-to-broadband interface (300) having a plurality of network adaptors (302-306) interconnected to a switch (314-316) that provides access to a plurality of virtual channels (318-321) supported by a broadband network. The plurality of network adaptors (302-306) are also coupled to a plurality of trunks (308-312) that each support at least one of a plurality of different communication functions. At least two call servers (324-326) are independently coupled to the narrowband-to-broadband interface (300) and are arranged to control interconnection of trunks to virtual channels, while each of the at least two call servers is responsible for controlling interconnections of group of trunks that share a common communication function within each group. Communication system functionality is therefore separated between the at least two call servers. |
| US07675852B1 |
System and method of providing bounded dynamic waveform allocation for software defined radios
Described is a method of providing resource allocation for a software defined radio (SDR). The method comprises defining a current time window that is subdivided into sub time intervals, defining a committed time window that is subdivided into sub time intervals, and defining a future time widow that is subdivided into sub time intervals. The method also comprises determining the size of each of the time windows and the size and number of each of the sub time intervals based on the output of a priority arbitration function. Further, the method comprises determining changes in resource allocations in the sub time intervals of the future time window based on system requirements. |
| US07675846B2 |
Method and system for using the synchronization channel to obtain measurements in a cellular communications system
A method and apparatus that utilizes the synchronization channel (SCH) by the user equipment (UE) to obtain time synchronization information and to perform cell search. In order to perform the SCH detection, only a correlation between the known SCH signal and the received sequence is needed, hence the FFT is not involved in the synchronization step. Typically the SCH and pilot symbols are transmitted with a constant power which is the same for all base stations. Hence, based on the serving cell (SC) SCH and pilot symbols, the power relation between these signals is estimated and the ratio applied when performing time synchronization to other cells (i.e. correlation the received sequence with the SCH from that particular NC) to estimate the pilot signal strength for the NB cell. |
| US07675845B2 |
Method and apparatus for space-time coding and decoding
The present invention relates to methods for space-time coding and decoding in a wireless communication system with multiple antennas including: generating an orthogonal matrix according to signals to be transmitted; generating a coefficient matrix corresponding to the orthogonal matrix according to channel status information received; and generating a transmission matrix according to the orthogonal matrix and the coefficient matrix; performing a weight-combination for received signals according to channel status information in a receiver; and obtaining estimations of transmitted signals corresponding to the received signals by performing detection for the received signals. The present invention also provides apparatuses for space-time coding and decoding. By applying the present invention, the bit error rate of a system is reduced and bit error performance of the system is improved. And the transmission rate of the system is increased remarkably when there are more than one complex signals to be transmitted. |
| US07675843B2 |
Multipoint-to-point communication using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing
A multipoint-to-point, orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) communication system is provided. In one embodiment, a system includes: a host unit including a demodulator that simultaneously demodulates upstream information modulated on a plurality of tones within an OFDM waveform, and a plurality of remote units for transmission of upstream information, each remote unit including a modem, the remote units modulating a plurality of tones with upstream information so that when received at the host unit the tones are orthogonal within the OFDM waveform. |
| US07675838B2 |
Optical recording medium
A multilayer optical recording medium comprises four recording layers including an L0 layer, an L1 layer, an L2 layer, and L3 layer laminated between a substrate and an optically transparent cover layer and optically transparent spacer layers each provided between the recording layers. The L2 layer has the negative dependence of the reflectance on the incident angle of a laser light beam for reproduction. Crosstalk can be effectively reduced by the relation between the configuration of the respective recording layers and the crosstalk. |
| US07675837B2 |
Device and method for mechanical data storage device operation and control
The present invention provides data storage devices, systems and methods. An example device includes: a storage medium for storing data in the form of marks; and at least one probe. The probe(s) and storage medium are operable to move relative to each other, with each probe comprising a tip facing the storage medium and having a force creating unit associated thereto. The force creating units are operable to create a force acting between the tip and said storage medium. The data storage device is operable to erase an indentation mark in the storage medium by way of controlling the force creating unit for creating at least one erase force pulse with a force rise time being less than or equal to the order of 1 microsecond. |
| US07675836B2 |
Recording/reproducing apparatus with double-sided beam type probe
For providing a recording/reproducing apparatus, for recording/reproducing information through conduction of electricity upon contact of a probe, having large recording density and a large transfer speed, but less in deterioration of a probe chips thereof, and being long in the lifetime thereof, within the recording/reproducing apparatus, a multi-chip is formed, disposing probe chips in large numbers thereof at a tip of a cantilever, while the cantilever is of a double-sided beam type, and the multi-chip is disposed at a center of the beam, wherein recording/reproducing portions of the multi-chip are disposed to correspond to recording dots one by one, and the multi-chip forming surface is moved up and down in parallel with the surface of a recording medium, due to suction force, so as to bring it to be in contact with the recording dots, and electricity is conducted after the contact thereof, thereby conducting the recording, in the structure; wherein, since a large amount of data can be read/written at one time, therefore it is possible to improve data transfer speed. Also, with conducting the R/W by means of the multi-chip, comparing to the single chip, it is possible to reduce the traveling distance of the multi-chip, thereby to reduce the abrasion. Also, since the tip portion of the said chip has the curvature radius, being large, such as, equal to 50 nm or greater than that, and since it moves in parallel with the surface of the recording medium, it can be in contact with the surface under the condition of, not the point contact, but near to the plane contact, therefore, the abrasion can be further reduced, effectively. |
| US07675832B2 |
Optical element feeding device driving method and optical disk apparatus
An optical element feeding device driving method and an optical disk apparatus capable of detecting biting in a stepping motor and conducting restoration. The optical disk apparatus includes an optical element feeding device including a movable frame for supporting a spherical aberration correcting lens to move the lens in optical axis direction, a spring for applying force to the frame in the direction, a sensor for detecting a lens reference position, a stepping motor, and a lead screw and a nut for converting motor rotation into the direction, a motor driving circuit, a decision circuit for judging abnormality when an output of the sensor does not change even if the driving circuit outputs a driving signal to the motor after reference position detection, and a changeover circuit for lowering a driving frequency than in ordinary operation, based on an abnormality signal. |
| US07675831B2 |
Recording method and optical disk apparatus using the method
In order to meet the requirement for enhancing the speed of an optical disk apparatus, it is necessary to have a write strategy for compensating thermal interference during recording at high speed on a high-density optical disk such as BD. However, there has been no known technology for such a write strategy. By shifting the start position and the end position of a recording pulse in accordance with the preceding mark length, the preceding space length, the recording mark length, and the following space length, excellent jitter values have been obtained. Further, by simplifying parameters when the preceding pattern contains the shortest mark and the shortest space which cause large thermal interference, 12× BD recording can be achieved with the number of parameters smaller than double the number of parameters of the conventional 4×4 type write strategy. |
| US07675829B2 |
Method and apparatus for overwriting data on recording-medium and the recording medium
In an embodiment of the method of over-writing a recording medium, if data for writing on the recording medium is to be written on a recorded portion of a user data area of the recording medium, an unrecorded portion of the recording medium is selected as a replacement portion for recording the data and the data is recorded in the replacement portion. |
| US07675827B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus that transmits transmission data to another first information processing apparatus through an access point includes: a detection unit configured to detect the access point; a reproduction unit configured to reproduce the transmission data from a recording medium in which the transmission data is recorded; a transmission unit configured to transmit to the another first information processing apparatus the transmission data reproduced by the reproduction unit when the access point is detected by the detection unit; and a power control unit configured to control supply of power to the reproduction unit. The power control unit controls the supply of power such that power is supplied to the reproduction unit when the access point is detected by the detection unit and power is not supplied to the reproduction unit in other cases. |
| US07675825B2 |
Method for correcting influence of thickness unevenness of recording medium, information recording/reproducing apparatus using the same method and optical head unit
An optical disk unit of this invention includes a defocus detecting system for detecting a defocus of an objective lens, a thickness unevenness detecting system for detecting a thickness unevenness of a transparent resin layer provided nearest the objective lens of a recording medium, and a thickness unevenness correcting mechanism for changing the focusing characteristic of light impinging upon the objective lens based on a change in the thickness of the transparent resin layer detected by the thickness detecting system. |
| US07675824B2 |
Optical disc apparatus
One of the objects of the invention is to provide an optical disc apparatus capable of focusing on a signal surface regardless of appearance of a fake signal. The optical disc apparatus includes: an optical pickup for outputting a signal on the basis of reflection light of the optical disc, the optical pickup including an objective lens; a driving section for moving the objective lens of the optical pickup relative to an optical disc surface; and a focus controlling section for carrying out a focus detecting operation by detecting a reflection signal on a signal surface of the optical disc from the output signal of the optical pickup within a predetermined range of distance between the objective lens and the optical disc surface while the objective lens is being moved relative to the optical disc surface by means of the driving section. |
| US07675821B2 |
Deployment of seismic sensor
An arrangement for the deployment of seismic sensor units, such as sensor nodes (24), on the seabed includes a frame structure that is adapted to carry a container (11) for containment of a data registration unit and additional auxiliary equipment for the sensor node. The arrangement has supports (12, 13) that can rest against the seabed, and an attachment means (17) for a lifting hook, for raising and lowering by means of a crane. There is a holder (20) for the sensor node (24) that can be positioned on the seabed and which is connected to the container through a signal cable (32). A releasable attachment means (22) holds the sensor node (24) in a downwardly extending position with respect to the supports (12, 13). The attachment means (22) is located with a horizontal distance from the container (11). A latch mechanism (25) for the attachment means (22) is adapted to release the sensor node (24). |
| US07675817B2 |
Hydrocarbon saturation determination using acoustic velocities obtained through casing
Compressional and shear velocities of earth formations are measured through casing. The determined compressional and shear velocities are used in a two component mixing model to provides improved quantitative values for the solid, the dry frame, and the pore compressibility. These are used in determination of hydrocarbon saturation. |
| US07675813B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting arrivals of interest
Methods and systems for taking measurements related to subterranean formations. The methods and systems provide robust, reliable first arrival data for component signals of interest, which may be used to estimate formation slowness, characterize formation slowness zones, or act as an input to other processes. The methods and systems are capable of automatically providing good first arrival data based on signals received without any human interaction, and without setting or changing any parameters. |
| US07675809B2 |
Memory compiler redundancy
An improved redundancy architecture for embedded memories in an ASIC chip includes one or more compiler-generated embedded memory instances. Each embedded memory instance has a universal register for storing an address of a defective subunit of the memory instance from a variety of sources. A control block is located on the ASIC chip outside of the memory instances. The control block has a defective memory register for storing an address of a defective memory subunit. The address of a defective memory subunit from the defective memory register in the control block is transferred to the universal interface register in the memory instance. In one embodiment, the control block includes fuses for storing a defective subunit address in binary form. A fuse array is located outside of the memory instances and contains laser fuses that represent address of defective subunits for each memory instance. Alternatively, the control block includes a BISTDR (built-in, self-test, diagnostic, and repair) system that provides an address of a defective memory subunit. Means are provided in the memory instances for comparing incoming memory addresses to address bits for defective memory subunits stored in each memory-instance register. |
| US07675803B2 |
Memory circuit system having semiconductor devices and a memory
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor chips and a memory device. The semiconductor chips are provided in a package. Each of the semiconductor chips includes a memory cell array having memory cells which stores data, an output buffer which outputs data read from the memory cell array to an exterior of the semiconductor chip and a control circuit which controls driving power of the output buffer. The memory device stores the number of semiconductor chips provided in the package. The control circuit controls the driving power according to the number of semiconductor chips stored in the memory device. |
| US07675801B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and refresh method for the same
A refresh method for a semiconductor memory device features high noise resistance, lower power consumption, and lower cost. All word lines of one or more memory cell blocks that have not been selected in a self refresh mode are controlled to have a floating potential substantially at ground level. Even when a word line and a bit line are short-circuited, this control prevents destruction of memory cell information, which may be caused by noise, and also prevents generation of leakage current. A fuse, etc., for preventing generation of leakage current is unnecessary, so that lower cost is realized. |
| US07675799B2 |
Method of operating a memory cell, memory cell and memory unit
A memory system and method are described. For example, a memory cell includes a capacitance and an access circuit in association with the capacitance and having an access circuit terminal. The memory cell further includes a voltage control unit to adjust a potential at the access circuit terminal in a retention state such that a retention time of the memory cell is increased. A method of operating a memory cell includes, for example, adjusting a potential at an access circuit terminal of the memory cell to increase a retention time. |
| US07675798B2 |
Sense amplifier control circuit and semiconductor device using the same
A sense amplifier control circuit which can be used in a semiconductor device includes an enable signal generator for decoding a plurality of internal commands, to output a first enable signal and a second enable signal which are enabled in an active mode of a semiconductor device, a first driving control signal generator for generating a first driving control signal adapted to control a driving period of a pull-down source line of a sense amplifier included in the semiconductor device, a second driving control signal generator for comparing a voltage level of a pull-up source line of the sense amplifier with a predetermined internal voltage, and generating a second driving control signal which is enabled when the voltage level of the pull-up source line is higher than the internal voltage, to control the driving period of the pull-up source line, and a third driving control signal generator for generating a third driving control signal which is disabled in response to enabling of the second driving control signal, to control an over-driving period of the pull-up source line. |
| US07675797B2 |
CAS latency circuit and semiconductor memory device including the same
Embodiments of the invention provide a column address strobe (CAS) latency circuit that generates a stable latency signal in a high-speed semiconductor memory device, and a semiconductor memory device including the CAS latency circuit. The CAS latency circuit may include an internal read command signal generator and a latency clock generator coupled to a latency signal generator. In an embodiment of the invention, the latency signal generator outputs a stable latency signal by shifting an internal read signal output from the internal read command signal generator based on latency control clocks output from the latency clock generator. |
| US07675796B2 |
Semiconductor device
Information stored in a nonvolatile storage device mounted to a semiconductor device is read by inputting an address signal or the like and by using a sense amplifier or the like. At this time, since a prescribed period of time is required, it is necessary to design a semiconductor device taking that delay into consideration. Also, a sense amplifier consumes an enormous amount of current. Further, since the number of reading bits is set, it is also necessary to read other unnecessary information when only 1 bit is to be read. A nonvolatile storage circuit is formed by a memory element that is formed by an electrical element having an electrically conducting or insulating means, a reset element, and a latch element. In the storage element, different information is stored in the latch element depending on whether the electrical element is electrically insulated or conductive, when the wireless chip is reset. With such a structure, a low power consumption wireless chip mounted with a nonvolatile storage device can be provided a low cost. |
| US07675794B2 |
Design structure for improving performance of SRAM cells, SRAM cell, SRAM array, and write circuit
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium to improve performance of an SRAM cell or an SRAM array comprising a plurality of SRAM cells is described. The design structure includes a write circuit for an SRAM cell or an SRAM array. The write circuit includes a gate to switch the write circuit on and off. The cell is supplied by a first, higher voltage. The cell is accessible for read and write operations via at least one bit line connected to a write circuit. The cell is further addressable by at least one word line in order to access it by the bit line. To access the cell for read or write operations, the word line is supplied by the first, higher voltage and the bit line is supplied by a second, lower voltage. During write operations, the write circuit is driven by the first, higher voltage while the bit lines are still at the lower voltage. |
| US07675790B1 |
Over driving pin function selection method and circuit
A novel method and circuit are disclosed for providing an alternate function to a semiconductor device having a normal operating voltage range and an input pin for receiving an input signal of a voltage level within a normal signal voltage range, for selecting an alternate function, whose steps consist of determining, when a voltage is received at the input pin, whether the voltage is within a normal signal voltage range, enabling the performing of a primary function if the signal voltage is within a normal signal voltage range, and initiating an alternate function when the voltage is outside of the normal signal voltage range. |
| US07675789B2 |
Programmable heavy-ion sensing device for accelerated DRAM soft error detection
Aspects of the invention relate to a programmable heavy-ion sensing device for accelerated DRAM soft error detection. Design of a DRAM-based alpha particle sensing apparatus is preferred to be used as an accelerated on-chip SER test vehicle. The sensing apparatus is provided with programmable sensing margin, refresh rate, and supply voltage to achieve various degree of SER sensitivity. In addition, a dual-mode DRAM array is proposed so that at least a portion of the array can be used to monitor high-energy particle activities during soft-error detection (SED) mode. |
| US07675785B2 |
Semiconductor storage device
There is provided a semiconductor storage device including a substrate area, a first and a second isolation area, a first well area where the first transistor is placed, a second well area where the second transistor to output a first voltage to bring the first transistor into non-conduction is placed, and a third well area where the third transistor to output a second voltage to bring the first transistor into conduction is placed. The second and third well areas and the second isolation area are formed between two of the first well area, the second isolation area is formed between the second well area and one of the first well area, and the third well area is formed between the second well area and another one of the first well area. |
| US07675783B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and driving method thereof
Provided are a nonvolatile memory device and a driving method thereof. In the method of driving a nonvolatile memory device, a structural shape and position of a memory cell to be driven is determined, and then the memory cell is driven with an optimized operating condition according to a distribution of the memory cell using a determination result. |
| US07675782B2 |
Method, system and circuit for programming a non-volatile memory array
The present invention is a multi-phase method, circuit and system for programming non-volatile memory (“NVM”) cells in an NVM array. The present invention may include a controller to determine when, during a first programming phase, one or more NVM cells of a first set of cells reaches or exceeds a first intermediate voltage, and to cause a charge pump circuit to apply to a terminal of the one or more cells in the first set second phase programming pulses to induce relatively greater threshold voltage changes in cells having less stored charge than in cells having relatively more stored charge. |
| US07675776B2 |
Bit map control of erase block defect list in a memory
Systems and methods that facilitate bad block management in a memory device that comprises nonvolatile memory are presented. One or more memory blocks of a memory device are each associated with one or more additional, dedicated bits that facilitate indicating whether the associated memory block is defective. These additional bits, called bad block bits, can be stored in a hardware-based storage mechanism within the memory device. Once a defect is detected in a memory block, at least one of the associated bad block bits can be set to indicate that the memory block is defective. If at least one of the bad block bits associated with a memory block indicates a memory block is defective, access to the memory block can be prevented. |
| US07675774B2 |
Page buffer and multi-state nonvolatile memory device including the same
According to one aspect, a memory cell array includes a bit line connected to a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, where the nonvolatile memory cells are selectively programmable in any one of at least first, second, third and fourth threshold voltage states, and where the first, second, third and fourth threshold voltage states correspond to four different data values defined by first and second bits. A page buffer circuit stores a logic value as main latch data and is responsive to a main latch signal to selectively flip the logic value of the main latch data according to a voltage level of the bit line. A sub-latch circuit stores a logic value as sub-latch data and is responsive to a sub-latch signal to selectively flip the logic value of the sub-latch data according to the voltage level of the bit line. The memory device is operable in a read mode which reads the threshold voltage state of the non-volatile memory cells and a programming mode which programs the threshold voltage state of the non-volatile memory cells, wherein the page buffer circuit is selectively responsive to the sub-latch data to inhibit flipping of the logic value of the main latch data in the programming mode. |
| US07675771B2 |
Capacitor-less DRAM circuit and method of operating the same
One embodiment includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of source lines, a plurality of bit lines intersecting with the plurality of word lines, and a plurality of memory cells formed at intersections of the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines. Each of the plurality of memory cells is a floating body cell. A gate of each floating body cell is connected to one of the word lines, a drain of each floating body cell is connected to one of the bit lines, and a source of each floating body cell is connected to one of the source lines. At least one bit line and source line selecting circuit is configured to selectively connect each of the plurality of bit lines to a first output bit line and to selectively connect the source lines to a source voltage. At least one sense amplifier is configured to sense data based on a voltage on the first output bit line. |
| US07675766B2 |
Microelectric programmable device and methods of forming and programming the same
A microelectronic programmable structure and methods of forming and programming the structure are disclosed. The programmable structure generally include an ion conductor and a plurality of electrodes. Electrical properties of the structure may be altered by applying a bias across the electrodes, and thus information may be stored using the structure. |
| US07675765B2 |
Phase-change memory (PCM) based universal content-addressable memory (CAM) configured as binary/ternary CAM
Content-addressable memory (CAM) cells comprised of phase change material devices (PCMDs), including PCMD-based binary CAM cells (PCMD-based BCAM cells), PCMD-based ternary CAM cells (PCMD-based TCAM cells), and PCMD-based universal CAM cells (PCMD-based UCAM cells). The PCMDs of the various PCMD-based CAM cells are configured and programmed in a manner that allows a logic “0” or a logic “1” to be stored by the CAM cell. The logic value stored by a given PCMD-based CAM cell depends on the program states of the PCMDs. A program state of a PCMD is determined by whether the phase change material of the PCMD has been allowed to solidify to a crystalline, low-resistance state during a programming operation, or whether the phase change material of the PCMD is forced to solidify to an amorphous, high-resistance state during the programming operation. |
| US07675761B2 |
Method and apparatus to control two regulated outputs of a flyback power supply
A flyback power supply method and apparatus is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes an energy transfer element having a primary winding and first and second output windings. The first and second output windings are coupled to produce first and second output values, respectively. A primary switch is coupled to the primary winding. A control circuit is coupled to the primary switch to regulate a sum of the first and second output values. A steering circuit having first and second output switches is also included. The first and second output switches are coupled to the first and second output windings, respectively, to regulate a ratio of the first output value to the second output value. The first output switch is coupled to block current through the first output winding and the second output switch is coupled to block current through second output winding. At least one of the first and second output switches is coupled to be closed when the primary switch is opened. |
| US07675755B2 |
LED module
An LED module comprises: an LED element having an electrode for flip chip mounting; a wiring board having at least two metal layers and an electrically insulating layer including a polymer resin and being interposed between each two of the metal layers; and a metal film layer of the LED element for conducting heat from the LED element. A first metal layer of the at least two metal layers has a power supply metal pattern and a heat transfer metal pattern that are formed electrically insulated from each other. The power supply metal pattern and the electrode are connected to each other; the heat transfer metal pattern and the metal film layer are connected through an electrically insulating portion interposed therebetween; and the heat transfer metal pattern and the metal layers other than the first metal layer are coupled to each other through a heat transfer portion. |
| US07675752B2 |
Electronic apparatus
According to one embodiment, a heat sink includes first and second fin units. Fins of the first fin unit are provided with a through-hole part in which a heat pipe is inserted. Fins of the second fin unit are provided with a cutout part cut out to avoid the heat pipe. The fins of the second fin unit are inserted in spaces between the fins of the first fin unit. The fins of the second fin unit reach to a region in which the fins of the second fin unit overlap the heat pipe in the first fin unit. |
| US07675751B2 |
Frame-type computer cooling device
A frame-type computer cooling device for installation in a host computer is provided. The host computer has a heat-generating source and a slot compartment. The slot compartment communicates with the inside of the host computer and the outside of the host computer. The frame-type computer cooling device includes a frame and a cooling circulation device. The frame is insertedly disposed in the slot compartment and includes a receiving recess. The cooling circulation device includes an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion valve connected to one another by a pipeline filled with a coolant. The compressor, the condenser, and the expansion valve are received in the receiving recess. The evaporator adjoins the heat-generating source. Accordingly, the cooling circulation device is easy to install, and heat dissipation of the heat-generating source is swift and efficient. |
| US07675749B2 |
Heat dissipating structure of 1U power supply
A heat dissipating structure of a 1U power supply is installed in an industrial computer host system of a universal standard specification 1U for supplying electric power, and at least one wall of the power supply differentiates a retaining plane and a heat dissipating plane having a heat dissipating hole with a height difference, and a horizontal plane of the heat dissipating plane is lower than the retaining plane and forms an airflow passage with the computer host system for guiding a heat dissipated airflow through the airflow passage to improve the poor heat dissipation at both distal ends of the traditional 1U power supply due to the same height of the power supply and the computer host system or the proximity of both sides of the power supply with an installed electronic device such as a hard disk. |
| US07675748B2 |
Disk array system
A disk array system includes a plurality of disk drives and at least one unit box including the plurality of disk drives aligned in the thickness direction of the disk drive, each disk drive including a thin case accommodating a recording disk, a read/write head, and a driving mechanism for driving the recording disk and the read/write head, and a control board for controlling the driving mechanism, the control board being mounted on the thin case. In the disk array system, the thin case and the unit box are composed of a thermally-conductive material, the unit box includes surfaces parallel to the thickness direction of the plurality of disk drives, and at least one of the surfaces has a cold plate filled with a refrigerant. Heat generated at the disk drives is transferred to the cold plate, thereby improving cooling performance. |
| US07675746B2 |
Docking station for hand held electronic devices
A docking system is disclosed. The docking system includes a single docking station and a plurality of inserts that are placed in the docking station so that the docking station can accommodate hand held devices with differing sizes and shapes. The docking system is configured with a docking station and insert that matingly engage with one another via a rotating action. The docking system is also configured with a latching retention mechanism that secures the insert to the docking station when the insert is rotated into engagement with the docking station. |
| US07675743B2 |
Information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus having a display panel to display an image thereon, the apparatus including a main body casing which supports the display panel and has a shaft accommodator disposed on a rear part thereof, a stand which is coupled with a rear part of the main body casing to support the main body casing, and a pivoting hinge which pivotably couples the main body casing to the stand, the pivoting hinge comprising a hinge shaft which is formed on a plate surface of the stand and accommodated to the shaft accommodator, a pivoting bracket which is disposed in the main body casing and coupled with the hinge shaft, and an elastic pressing part which elastically presses the pivoting bracket toward an internal surface of the main body casing. |
| US07675740B2 |
Adjustable scalable rack power system and method
Systems and method for installing computer equipment and power distribution equipment in facilities is provided. In one aspect, the present invention provides a power distribution rack, and uninterruptible power supply rack and a plurality of equipment racks. A plurality of power cables are run from the power distribution rack to each of the plurality of equipment racks using power cable tracks located on the roofs of the equipment racks. |
| US07675734B2 |
Electrolytic solution and electrolytic capacitor using the same
An electrolytic solution for an electrolytic capacitor includes an organic solvent, an additive dissolved in the organic solvent, and an electrolyte. The additive is made of at least one of borates represented by one of formula (1), formula (2), and formula (3). The electrolyte is phthalic acid 1,2,3,4-tetramethylimidazolynium. Here the terminal is CH3 or H, each of R1, R2, and R3 is one of —CH2O—, —C2H4O—, —C3H6O—, and —C4H8O—, and each of k, l, m, and n is any natural number. |
| US07675733B2 |
Multilayer capacitor
There is provided a multilayer capacitor including an inner connecting conductor of at least one polarity; a plurality of first and second outer electrodes formed on a surface of the body, wherein the inner connecting conductor is connected to a corresponding one of the outer electrodes having identical polarity, a corresponding one of the inner electrodes having identical polarity to the inner connecting conductor includes a plurality of groups each including at least one of the inner electrodes, wherein the inner electrodes of the respective groups are connected to the outer electrodes having identical polarity that are different from one another for each of the groups and electrically connected to the inner connecting conductor through the connected outer electrode. |
| US07675731B2 |
Tunable and aimable artificial lightening producing device
A tunable and aimable artificial lightning producing device for tetanizing human voluntary muscle, disabling vehicular electronic ignition systems, and for pre-detonating wired explosives. A spark gap shaping apparatus controls a spark generated by a Tesla coil. A first stage directionalizer warps a normally spherical plasma field from the Tesla coil into an oval plasma field for confining the spark to within that shape. A second stage directionalizer converges multiple beams to successive points just ahead of a plasma field created by the first stage directionalizer without ionizing the beams, thereby maintaining ionization of a path of the spark. The spark is progressively arced to these points, thereby maintaining the path of the spark. |
| US07675730B2 |
Techniques for detecting wafer charging in a plasma processing system
Techniques for detecting wafer charging in a plasma processing system are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for detecting wafer charging in a plasma processing system. The apparatus may comprise a plasma chamber to produce a plasma discharge above a wafer in the plasma chamber. The apparatus may also comprise a biasing circuit to bias the wafer to draw ions from the plasma discharge towards the wafer. The apparatus may further comprise a detection mechanism to detect charge buildup on the wafer by measuring an electric field in one or more designated locations near a top surface of the wafer. |
| US07675727B2 |
Protection circuit for power management semiconductor devices and power converter having the protection circuit
A collector voltage of a power management semiconductor device is detected by a first comparator, and when the detected collector voltage exceeds a first reference voltage, the first comparator outputs a first detection signal. Furthermore, a gate voltage of the power management semiconductor device is detected by a second comparator, and when the detected gate voltage exceeds a second reference voltage, the second comparator outputs a second detection signal. The second reference voltage is a minimum gate voltage for feeding a rated power to the power management semiconductor device or over, and less than a line power voltage of a drive circuit of the power management semiconductor device. When both the first detection signal and second detection signal are being outputted, the gate voltage is reduced by a gate voltage reduction means so as to protect the power management semiconductor device from overcurrent and overvoltage. |
| US07675722B2 |
Device to protect semiconductor device from electrostatic discharge
A device to protect a semiconductor device from electrostatic discharge includes a transferring unit transferring the static electricity inputted to said input/output terminal to the power line, a detecting unit sensing the potential difference between both ends of the transferring unit, located between an input/output terminal and one of the power lines, to output the detection voltage, and a discharging unit driven by said detection voltage and discharging the static electricity led to a specific power line to the other power line, and performs the discharging operation smoothly even with minute electrostatic current and a latter part of the static electricity by using the driving voltage, which is used to drive a conventional detecting unit, as the driving voltage of the ESD protection device, thereby safely protecting an internal circuit of a semiconductor device. |
| US07675721B2 |
Circuit interrupter including a shunt wire current sensor and a processor having a thermal overload predictive function
A miniature circuit breaker includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, a microprocessor including a thermal overload predictive function, and a shunt wire in series with the separable contacts. The shunt wire is structured to measure current flowing through the separable contacts for the thermal overload predictive function and an arc fault protective function. |
| US07675718B2 |
Narrow track CPP head with bias cancellation
The problem of increased edge sensitivity associated with the reduction of the spacing between bias magnets in a CPP head has been solved by limiting the width of the bias cancellation layer and by adding an extra layer of insulation to ensure that current through the device flows only through its central area, thereby minimizing its edge reading sensitivity. |
| US07675717B2 |
Magnetic read head having increased electron exchange
A magnetic head of either CIP or CPP configuration is disclosed, having a read sensor with a strongly pinned ferromagnetic layer due to increased electronic exchange with the AFM layer. The read sensor includes a lower seed layer whose material is chosen from a group consisting of Ta, NiFeCr, NiFeCoCr, NiFe, Cu, Ta/NiFeCr, Ta/NiFeCr/NiFe, Ta/Ru and Ta/NiFeCoCr, and an upper seed layer where the upper seed layer material is chosen from a group consisting of Ru, Cu, NiFe, Cu(x)Au(1−x)(x=0.22-0.5) alloys, Ru(x)Cr(1−x)(x=0.1-0.5) alloys, NiFeCr and NiFeCoCr. An AFM layer is formed on the upper seed layer and a ferromagnetic pinned layer is formed on the AFM layer. The exchange coupling energy Jk between the AFM layer and pinned layers exceeds 1.3 erg/cm2. Also disclosed is a method of fabrication of a magnetic head including a read head sensor with a strongly pinned ferromagnetic layer due to increased electronic exchange. |
| US07675712B2 |
Ramp structure with inclined contact surface
An apparatus for unloading a moveable member comprises a ramp structure with an inclined surface. A lift tab of the moveable member advances along the ramp structure to the inclined surface while pivoting about a pivot point to undergo an increase in elevation above a base surface. The inclined surface has a slope determined in relation to angular deflection of the lift tab induced by said increase in elevation. Preferably, the slope of the inclined surface substantially matches an angle of the lift tab when the lift tab is disposed on the inclined surface. The inclined surface preferably constitutes a parking surface, and the ramp structure further preferably comprises an entry/exit ramp surface and a latch surface along which the lift tab travels to reach the parking surface. The moveable member preferably comprises a flexible suspension which supports a transducer adjacent a data storage medium in a data storage device. |
| US07675695B2 |
Optical element holding apparatus
A holding apparatus configured to hold an optical element includes a supporting member configured to support the optical element, a cylindrical member configured to support the supporting member, a plurality of sensors configured to detect a position of the optical element and the supporting member, and a drive unit configured to drive the supporting member based on outputs from the plurality of sensors. The supporting member includes a plurality of projection portions that contact the optical element. A direction of each vertex of a polygon formed by connecting the plurality of projection portions with a straight line substantially coincides with a direction of each vertex of a polygon formed by connecting the plurality of sensors with a straight line. |
| US07675693B2 |
Optical accessory arranged to change optical characteristic of shooting lens
An optical accessory having a high optical performance arranged to change an optical characteristic of a shooting lens and to be attached on the object side of a shooting lens is provided. The optical accessory FE is to be detachably attached to the object side of a master lens M and has at least one lens FE having a negative refractive power. The image-side surface r2 of the lens FE is designed to have an aspherical shape having a negative refractive power that decreases toward its periphery. |
| US07675690B2 |
Zoom lens system and electronic image pickup apparatus using the same
There is disclosed a zoom lens system comprising: in order from an object side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power; a second lens unit having a negative refractive power; a third lens unit having a positive refractive power; and a fourth lens unit having a refractive power, during zooming from a wide-angle end to a telephoto end, a space between the first lens unit and the second lens unit, a space between the second lens unit and the third lens unit and a space between the third lens unit and the fourth lens unit are changed, and the second lens unit includes two lenses of a negative lens and a positive lens in order from the object side. |
| US07675689B2 |
Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera
A zoom lens system comprising a first lens unit having negative power, a second lens unit having positive power and a third lens unit having positive power, wherein in zooming from a wide-angle limit to a telephoto limit, the lens units move respectively along an optical axis in such a manner that an interval between the first lens unit and the second lens unit decreases while an interval between the second lens unit and the third lens unit changes so that variable magnification is achieved, the first lens unit comprises one object side negative lens element and one image side positive lens element with a convex surface facing the object side, which have an aspheric surface, and the conditions: n12>1.88 and ν12<26 (n12 and ν12 are refractive index and Abbe number, respectively, of the image side positive lens element of the first lens unit) are satisfied. |
| US07675685B2 |
Image display apparatus
An image display apparatus including an image display unit, a light source unit, an illumination optical system configured to guide light from the light source unit to the image display unit, and a display optical system configured to guide light from the image display unit to a viewer is disclosed. With such an image display apparatus, luminance non-uniformity viewed at an exit pupil can be suppressed by intentional provision of uneven luminance distribution to an optical surface that receives light from the light emitting device of the light source unit. |
| US07675680B2 |
Computer-generated hologram and its fabrication process, reflector using a computer-generated hologram, and reflective liquid crystal display
The invention provides a computer-generated hologram which can be viewed in white at the desired viewing region and a reflective liquid crystal display using the same as a reflector. The computer-generated hologram H is designed to diffuse light having a given reference wavelength λSTD and incident thereon at a given angle of incidence θ in a specific angle range. In a range of wavelengths λmin to λmax including the reference wavelength λSTD wherein zero-order transmission light or zero-order reflection light of incident light on the computer-generated hologram at a given angle of incidence is seen in white by additive color mixing, the maximum diffraction angle β2MIN of incident light of the minimum wavelength λMIN in the wavelength range and incident at the angle of incidence θ is larger than the minimum diffraction angle β1MAX of incident light of the maximum wavelength λMAX in the wavelength range and incident at said angle of incidence θ. |
| US07675679B2 |
Image display device and Fresnel lens sheet used therefor
A Fresnel lens sheet used for an image display device is disclosed. The Fresnel lens sheet is provided with a first prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is equal to or more than a predetermined incident angle and a second prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is less than the predetermined value. |
| US07675674B2 |
High-power-optical-amplifier using a number of spaced, thin slabs
The high-power-optical-amplifier of the present invention uses a number of spaced, thin slabs (e.g., disc-shaped doped-slabs that are stacked, with a space between discs), aligned to give an amplifier both with a high active cross-section and a very high surface area to volume ratio. More specifically, the present invention provides several methods that include the steps of aligning at least two or four slabs having a thickness dimension of less than one centimeter, substantially parallel to, and spaced from adjacent slabs, wherein the slab surfaces are rendered essentially non-reflective, optically pumping the slabs and passing an input beam through the surfaces wherein the beam is optically amplified in the slabs, and wherein the input beam is of an eye-safe wavelength. |
| US07675670B2 |
Fabrication of a high fill ratio silicon spatial light modulator
A method for forming an optical deflection device includes providing a semiconductor substrate comprising an upper surface region and a plurality of drive devices within one or more portions of the semiconductor substrate. The upper surface region includes one or more patterned structure regions and at least one open region to expose a portion of the upper surface region to form a resulting surface region. The method also includes forming a planarizing material overlying the resulting surface region to fill the at least one open region and cause formation of an upper planarized layer using the fill material. The method further includes forming a thickness of silicon material at a temperature of less than 300 ° C. to maintain a state of the planarizing material. |
| US07675669B2 |
Method and system for driving interferometric modulators
Systems and methods for driving a display of MEMS devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a display includes an array comprising a plurality of interferometric modulators, and a driving circuit coupled to said array, said driving circuit configured to provide actuation signals to drive said array based on a temperature of the display. In another embodiment, a method of driving an array having a plurality of interferometric modulators configured into a display is disclosed, where the method includes sensing the temperature at a predetermined location in display, communicating a signal based on the sensed temperature to a display driver, generating an actuation signal to drive said display based on the received signal, and providing the actuation signal to the array. |
| US07675661B2 |
Printing based on motion picture
A technology is provided by which images can be specified in a moving picture and printed easily. First, a plurality of first still images are displayed on a display unit based on a plurality of images which are to be displayed at mutually differing times in a single moving picture. After receiving from a user a selection of a first still image from among the plurality of first still images, the moving picture is played on the display unit for a first time segment which is shorter than a playback time of the moving picture and includes a time at which the selected first still image is to be displayed. Then, according to an instruction by the user which is given during the playback of the moving picture, a second still image is displayed on the display unit based on an image which is to be displayed in the moving picture. The second still image is printed. |
| US07675659B2 |
Image processing apparatus, table generation apparatus, and image forming system
An image processing apparatus includes: a composite unit that generates a composite parameter used for implementing a time varying variation correction processing for suppressing color variations associated with lapse of time and a spatial variation correction processing for suppressing color variations in accordance with a position in an image, on the basis of a time varying correction parameter used for the time varying variation correction processing and a spatial correction parameter used for the spatial variation correction processing; and an image correction unit that subjects input image data to the time varying variation correction processing and the spatial variation correction processing through use of the composite parameter generated by the composite unit. |
| US07675658B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming image
When a monochromatic original is read, a control is effected to transfer a charge accumulated in a monochromatic photodiode array to a rear stage, and not to accumulate charges in respective color photodiode arrays. When a color original is read, a control is effected to transfer charges accumulated in the respective photodiode arrays and not to accumulate a charge in the monochromatic photodiode array. |
| US07675657B2 |
Image reading apparatus for detecting noise in image data
An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing a plurality of data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the plurality of data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data and also has at least a predetermined value in saturation. |
| US07675656B2 |
Image reading apparatus for detecting noise in image data
An image reading apparatus includes: three line sensors mutually spaced in a sub scanning direction; a platen arranged between the original and the three line sensors; a mover moving the platen relative to the three line sensors at a rate relative to the three line sensors, the rate being different from that of the original relative to the three line sensors; a lightness difference detector extracting a feature pixel having a predetermined feature from each of three data output from the three line sensors; and NOR and AND devices comparing the three data corresponding to a single location on the original to detect the feature pixel extracted from one of the three data, as a noise pixel if the feature pixel is not a feature pixel for the other data. |
| US07675655B2 |
Moving object scanning apparatus and method
Apparatus for scanning a moving object includes a visible waveband sensor 12 oriented to collect a series of images of the object as it passes through a field of view 16. An image processor 14 uses the series of images to form a composite image. The image processor 14 stores image pixel data for a current image and a predecessor image in the series. It uses information in the current image and its predecessor to analyse images and derive likelihood measures indicating probabilities that current image pixels correspond to parts of the object. The image processor 14 estimates motion between the current image and its predecessor from likelihood weighted pixels. It generates the composite image from frames positioned according to respective estimates of object image motion. Image motion may alternatively be detected by a speed sensor such as a Doppler radar 200 sensing object motion directly and providing image timing signals. |
| US07675653B2 |
Apparatus and method of controlling scanner
An apparatus and a method of controlling a scanner include a transmission speed detector and a controller. The transmission speed detector detects data transmission speed information between a host and the scanner. The controller controls a scanning speed of the scanner based on a scan resolution and the detected transmission speed information. |
| US07675651B2 |
Moire-free color halftone configuration employing common frequency vectors
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for moiré-free color halftone printing with up to four color image separations. The method and apparatus utilize a plurality of non-orthogonal halftone screens to produce outputs that are moiré free and form uniform periodic rosettes. The method and apparatus provide for defining a first and a second color halftone screen fundamental frequency vector for each of three halftone screens such that the halftone screen set output forms uniform hexagonal rosettes; then defining a fourth color halftone screen where a first fundamental vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with one of said three halftone screens and a second fundamental frequency vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with a different one of said three color halftone screens. |
| US07675648B2 |
Method and apparatus for converting a color representation of an image to a grayscale representation
A method and apparatus for converting a color representation of an image to a grayscale representation are disclosed. For a color image, a location of each color within a device-independent color space is initially determined. Then, a color difference of each color is determined by applying an appropriate perceptual-based color difference model according to its determined location within the device-independent color space. Next, the determined color difference of each color is normalized under a predetermined range. The normalized color differences are mapped to an output range of an output device. |
| US07675646B2 |
Flexible print data compression
Methods for evaluating whether to compress data sent to a print device receive bands of printing data. Each band of printing data comprises a plurality of lines of printing data. A subset of lines of printing data comprising less than all of the lines of printing data is selected and a compression methodology is applied to the subset of lines of printing data to produce a partial compression ratio. The partial compression ratio is extrapolated to a full compression ratio based on a previously performed hardware compression. Then, an evaluation of whether to use the compression methodology on all of the lines of printing data can be performed based on the full compression ratio. |
| US07675639B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of controlling the same
There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the time required to resume image formation by appropriately controlling whether a stopped state transferring process is executed in a case where a printer section is in the operating state and an error that makes image formation by the image forming apparatus impossible has occurred. A CPU carries out an operating state transferring process that causes a printer section to transfer from a stopped state to an operating state and a stopped state transferring process that causes the printer section to transfer from the operating state to the stopped state. The CPU controls whether to carry out the stopped state transferring process in a case where the printer section is in the operating state and an error that makes image formation by the MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) impossible has occurred. |
| US07675635B2 |
Apparatus, method, and program for editing images for a photo album
For generating photo albums on events such as weddings, the photo albums can always be generated in the same quality. A professional photographer photographs the bride and groom on a wedding. Images are read from a developed film and stored in a file server. A template used for generating a photo album is added with composition information representing composition of images to be inserted in image insertion areas therein. When an operator selects one of the images to be inserted in any one of the image insertion areas with reference to an editing screen having a catalog display field and a template display field, processing information representing a magnification ratio and/or a trimming position is generated based on the composition information so that the selected image has the composition appropriate for the image insertion area. The selected image is processed according to the processing information. |
| US07675626B2 |
Method of detecting drug resistant microorganisms by surface plasmon resonance system
The present invention provides a method for detecting a drug resistant microorganism by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Values of SPR angle shift (V) and the drop of SPR angle shift (D) of control group (V1 and D1) and sample (V2 and D2) can determine the microorganism is drug resistant by identifying (I) ration of V1/V2 larger than 1.001, (II) ration of D1/D2 larger than 1.001 and (III) the SPR angle shift of the sample more smooth or monotonic that that of the control. The present invention further provides SPR as a device used for the method of the present invention. |
| US07675624B2 |
Portable and cartridge-based surface plasmon resonance sensing systems
This specification discloses various improvements in the field of SPR sensing systems. One improvement relates to a portable SPR sensing system, e.g., a system contained within a suitcase that can be hand-carried to a monitoring site. Another improvement relates to a portable, cartridge-based SPR sensing system. In this system, selected portions of the system's electrical and fluidics systems are allocated between a base unit and a removable/disposable cartridge. Other improvements relate to methods or protocols for operating an SPR sensing system. Such methods provide for the elimination of false positives and increased sensitivity, e.g., by using secondary antibodies with specificity for different target epitopes and by sensor element redundancy. In addition, protocols are provided for the detection of small molecules. Such protocols may employ a competition type assay where the presence of the analyte inhibits the binding of antibodies to surface immobilized analyte, or a displacement assay, where antibodies bound to the analyte on the sensor surface are displaced by free analyte. |
| US07675623B2 |
Standard device for origin of light absorbance and method of using the same
A device for origin of light absorbance used in an optical measuring instrument for measuring light absorption characteristics of a light diffusion sample. The device includes a light transmission terminal configured to irradiate a measurement light onto the light diffusion sample at a point of incidence of the light diffusion sample and a light diffusion plate through the interior of which the measurement light can be diffused and transmitted. A light receiving terminal is configured to receive the measurement light from the light diffusion sample for measurement at a point of detection of the light diffusion sample that is separate from the point of incidence. Optionally, the device can include a cleaning unit that cleans the light transmission terminal and light receiving terminal. |
| US07675622B2 |
Determining a media feature using a photovoltaic cell and an electroluminescent light panel
This invention relates to an apparatus for determining a media feature, comprising: a plurality of light filters such that the filters include a media measurement aperture and a calibration aperture and wherein the filters are spaced a predetermined distance apart to allow media to be introduced between the filters; a light source located substantially adjacent to one of the filters; and a light detector located substantially adjacent to another of the filters. |
| US07675614B2 |
Wafer inspecting method and device
A wafer inspecting method including the steps of scanning the surface of a wafer along a street by using a line sensor having a plurality of elements arranged in a line, and determining a deposited condition of foreign matter on the surface of the wafer near electrodes formed on both sides of the street according to image information obtained by the above scanning step. By the use of the linear sensor, it is possible to efficiently determine whether or not the electrodes are good. |
| US07675609B2 |
User-worn rangefinder system and methods
Embodiments of an arm-worn rangefinder device includes a rangefinder body and a switch. The rangefinder body is shaped for coupling to a user's arm and has an electronic rangefinder circuit operable to emit an energy beam directed at a selected target, to receive a reflected beam from the target, and to calculate the target's approximate range based on properties of the reflected beam and indicate the calculated approximate range to the user. The switch is coupled to the rangefinder body, and the user can use the switch to selectively actuate the rangefinder circuit. |
| US07675608B2 |
Device and process for optical distance measurement
Device and process for determining a distance to an object. The device includes a low coherence light source, at least one lens arranged to focus light from the low coherence light source onto the object and to collect light reflected and scattered from the object, and a window arranged between the lens and the object. An apertured element includes a circular aperture structured and arranged to form a circular light beam from the reflected and scattered light, and a detector system is structured and arranged to receive the circular light beam. The detector system is sensitive to light beam diameter. Further, a determining device is structured and arranged to determine a distance to the object based upon signals from the detector system. |
| US07675606B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and method
According to one of the aspects of the present invention there is provided a substrate carrier arranged to hold a substrate in position using a vacuum, the vacuum being established in a sealed space created between the substrate carrier and the substrate. |
| US07675605B2 |
Device and method for transmission image sensing
A device for transmission image sensing for sensing an aerial image in a lithographic exposure apparatus comprises a projection system arranged to form, at an image side of the projection system, an aerial image of an object mark. The device further comprises a detector comprising a slit pattern having features corresponding to at least a part of the aerial image. The slit pattern is arranged to be exposed to the aerial image. The detector is further being arranged to detect detection radiation transmitted by the slit pattern; wherein d < 0.85 · λ NA , where d represents the dimension of the smallest feature of the slit pattern, λ represents the intended wavelength of the detection radiation, and NA, which is larger than 1, represents the numerical aperture of the image side. |
| US07675601B2 |
Anisotropic conductive flame and flat panel display using the same, and method for manufacturing the same
The present invention relates to an anisotropic conductive film with two or more adhesive resins simultaneously formed thereon, such that the two or more adhesive resins are simultaneously formed on a substrate of a flat panel display so as to connect various kinds of devices and flexible circuit boards thereto, thereby reducing the size of a non-display region of the substrate and reducing the number of steps of a manufacturing process. Moreover, with the use of an anisotropic conductive film with two layers of adhesive resins with different conductive particles, an excellent bonding force thereof enables a device or flexible circuit board to be stably mounted on a narrow area. |
| US07675597B2 |
Liquid crystal display and thin film transistor panel therefor
A thin film transistor panel for a liquid crystal display includes a substrate, a plurality of data lines formed over the substrate and extending in a first direction, and a plurality of gate lines formed over the substrate and extending in a second direction. The plurality of gate lines cross the plurality of data lines to form a plurality of pixel areas, each of the plurality of pixel areas having a multi-bent band shape. Each of a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed in a corresponding pixel area. |
| US07675593B2 |
Display pixel using electroactive polymer and display apparatus employing the same
Provided are a display pixel using an electroactive polymer and a display apparatus employing the display pixel. The display pixel includes: an electroactive polymer layer, of which shape and/or size is displaced when a voltage is applied thereto; a diffraction grating, of which a pitch and a diffraction angle change according to a displacement of the electroactive polymer layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the diffraction grating and controlling gradation according to a voltage applied thereto. |
| US07675592B2 |
Transflective liquid crystal display device
The manufacturing yield of transflective liquid crystal display devices is to be enhanced. In a transflective liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel having a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal display panel has a plurality of subpixels each having a transmissive part and a reflective part, wherein one of the pair of substrates has: an active element; a first insulating film disposed in a higher layer than the electrode of the active element and having a first contact hole; a counter electrode disposed in a higher layer than the first insulating film; a reflective electrode disposed in the reflective part in a higher layer than the counter electrode; a second insulating film disposed in a higher layer than the counter electrode and the reflective electrode and having a second contact hole; a pixel electrode disposed in a higher layer than the second insulating film; and an electroconductor formed in the first contact hole and electrically connected to the electrode of the active element, and the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the electroconductor via the second contact hole. |
| US07675591B2 |
Transflective display panel and display apparatus using the same
A transflective display panel and a display apparatus using the same are provided. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels includes a plurality of subpixels, and each subpixel within a pixel outputs a different color of light. In addition, each of the subpixels includes a transflective mode region which has a reflection mode region with a diffraction grating and a transmission mode region; a liquid crystal layer which adjusts a transmittance of incident light through electric control; and a sub color filter which transmits light within a wavelength band of the incident light. Because the display panel includes the reflection mode region where the diffraction grating is formed, it can display a high-quality image with good white balance, even while outdoors or under bright illumination. |
| US07675587B2 |
Polarizing plate and process for producing the same
The polarizing plate of the invention comprises a norbornene resin film, a polyurethane layer, an adhesive layer and a polarizing film which are laminated in this order. The polarizing plate exhibits excellent adhesion between the optical film and the polarizing film, is excellent also in properties such as heat resistance and chemical resistance, rarely suffers delamination and distortion even if it is used for a long period of time, and has high reliability. The polarizing plate can be obtained by, for example, a process comprising steps of forming a polyurethane layer on a surface of a norbornene resin film and bonding a polarizing film to the polyurethane layer through an adhesive. |
| US07675585B2 |
Liquid crystal display with organic EL backlight comprising cap member with protrusions
A liquid crystal display and fabricating method thereof are disclosed, by which a backlight having a simple configuration, a reduced thickness and a low cost can be provided. The present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel having an upper substrate, a lower substrate and liquid crystals between the upper and lower substrates, an organic EL device provided under the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display panel to provide light to the liquid crystal display panel, and a cap boned to at least one of the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display panel and a substrate of the organic EL device to protect the organic EL device. |
| US07675582B2 |
Stacked storage capacitor structure for a thin film transistor liquid crystal display
A stacked storage capacitor structure for use in each pixel of a TFT-LCD, wherein a first storage capacitor is formed by a first metal layer, a gate insulator layer and a second metal layer. The second capacitor is formed by the second metal layer, a passivation insulator layer and an ITO layer. The first metal layer and the ITO layer are joined together through a via hole which is etched in one insulator etching step during the overall fabrication process through both the gate insulator and the passivation insulator layers. As such, the two capacitors are connected in parallel in a stacked configuration. With the stacked storage capacitor structure, the charge storage capacity is increased without significantly affecting the aperture ratio of a pixel. The ITO and the pixel electrode can be different parts of an indium tine oxide layer deposited on the passivation insulator layer. |
| US07675579B2 |
Liquid crystal driving electrode with protruded bent tip, liquid crystal display device, and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display device of a multiple-domain in-plane switching mode applies to mutually engaged comb-shaped electrodes for each pixel region. The comb-shaped electrode has bent portions each in a double V shape which is formed as a comb-tooth pattern by causing a bent tip being bent into a V shape to protrude further outward. This structure stabilizes turning directions of liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of a boundary between each two neighboring regions of multiple domains and suppresses display coloring attributable to a change in a view angle. |
| US07675578B2 |
Television and back lighting source module capable of preventing harmonic interference
A television includes a light source, a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) controller, and a control component. The PWM is coupled electrically to the light source, and is operable so as to generate a source control signal for controlling turning on and turning off of the light source. The control component is coupled to the PWM controller for controlling frequency of the source control signal outputted by the PWM controller. The control component has a plurality of control states that correspond to distinct display scanning frequencies of television standards, respectively. Setting of the control component in a selected one of the control states results in control of the frequency of the source control signal outputted by the PWM controller such that the frequency of the source control signal is not an integer multiple of the distinct display scanning frequency that corresponds to the selected one of the control states. |
| US07675577B2 |
Device and method for automatically changing broadcast channel of vehicle television with diversity antenna
A device and method for automatically changing a broadcast channel of a vehicle television with a diversity antenna is provided. The device includes an antenna switching unit connected with the diversity antennas and switching one of the diversity antennas; an image signal level detector for detecting an image signal level; an audio signal level detector for detecting an audio signal level; a storage unit for storing regional broadcast channel information, a channel change history, a value of number of switching times; and a controller for controlling the antenna switching unit, counting and storing the number of switching times, checking a quality of the broadcast signal, deciding a desired broadcast channel, and controlling the tuner to change into the decided broadcast channel. |
| US07675574B2 |
Display mode switching apparatus, method and program product
A display mode switching device and method automatically switches a display mode of a television set to an overscan mode or to an underscan mode depending on a content of a screen. In a case of connecting a television set to a computer, a call from an application for an API in an OS is detected by a device driver when a user starts playing a DVD or a game. Accordingly, an output mode for the television set is switched to the overscan mode. In this way, a motion video or a game is displayed on the television set in the overscan mode. Meanwhile, when the user finishes playing the DVD or the game, a call for the API to release resources is detected by the device driver, and the output mode is restored to the underscan mode. In this way, a computer screen is displayed on the television set in the underscan mode. |
| US07675571B2 |
Cradle for connecting to portable electronic apparatus
A cradle for connecting to a portable electronic apparatus is described. The cradle includes an AC adapter connector, a USB connector, a mini USB plug, and a USB signal detecting circuit. The USB connector is used to connect to a USB interface of a computer. The mini USB plug is used to connect to the portable electronic apparatus. The USB signal detecting circuit detects the USB_D+ and the USB_D− of the USB connector. When the computer is suspended from an operating state, the portable electronic apparatus is charged by the AC adapter through the mini USB plug. When the computer resumes normal operation, the USB connection between the portable electronic apparatus and the computer is automatically reestablished. |
| US07675565B2 |
Digital camera module with lens moveable via radially magnetized magnets
A digital camera module includes a lens assembly, a magnetic field generator, a shell and radially magnetized magnets. The magnetic field generator has a moving direction and surrounds the lens assembly. The shell covers the lens assembly. The radially magnetized magnets are disposed separately in the moving direction and at two sides of the magnetic field generator. |
| US07675560B2 |
Solid-state image sensing device
A solid-state image sensing device is provided with n one-dimensional pixel arrays for sensing a document image by relative movement of the one-dimensional pixel arrays and the document image in a scanning direction. The solid-state image sensing device includes: an image readout circuit, commonly provided for the one-dimensional pixel arrays, for performing a horizontal readout operation from the one-dimensional pixel arrays with respect to image data acquired by sensing the document image, wherein a pixel array pitch of the one-dimensional pixel arrays in the scanning direction is set to at least (n+1)/n times as large as a pixel width of each of pixels constituting the one-dimensional pixel arrays in the scanning direction, where the symbol “n” represents a positive integer of 2 or more, and the symbol “/” represents division. |
| US07675559B2 |
Image sensing apparatus having a two step transfer operation and method of controlling same
Disclosed is an image sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of two-dimensionally arrayed pixels each having a photodiode and a floating diffusion area for temporarily storing a charge signal that has accumulated in the photodiode; an output unit that outputs the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating diffusion area, successively pixel by pixel; a scanning unit having a reset mode for resetting the photodiodes and floating diffusion areas successively by prescribed unit, a first transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has accumulated in the photodiodes, to the floating diffusion areas successively by the prescribed unit at prescribed time intervals upon lapse of a prescribed period of time from start of reset, and a second transfer mode for transferring the charge signal, which has been transferred to the floating diffusion areas, to the output unit. Before operation of the second transfer mode is performed with respect to a plurality of the prescribed units, the scanning unit transfers the charge signal, which has accumulated in the photodiodes, to the floating diffusion areas successively by the prescribed unit at the prescribed time intervals with respect to the plurality of prescribed units. |
| US07675557B2 |
External storage device for image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, image pickup apparatus and control method therefor
An external storage device is connected to an image pickup apparatus provided with a first image storage medium capable of storing plural taken images and image display means, and adapted for backup of image information stored in the first image storage medium. The device includes a second image storage medium, a connection detecting unit, a reception unit, a transfer means, a conversion unit, and a second transfer unit. The transfer unit writes predetermined taken image information read from the first image storage medium into the second image storage medium and erases the predetermined taken image information from the first image storage medium according to a detection output of the connection detecting unit and an output of the reception unit. The conversion unit converts the predetermined taken image information into an image matching a display ability of the image display means. The second transfer unit writes the converted image information in the first image storage medium. |
| US07675555B2 |
Recording method, recording apparatus, recording medium, reproduction method, reproduction apparatus and image pickup apparatus
The present invention provides a recording method capable of reliably associating additional information for data of a decoding/reproduction unit with the decoding/reproduction unit for a case in which data of a read/write unit for a recording medium includes a plurality of aforementioned decoding/reproduction units. Time-series information is compressed before being recorded on the recording medium. Management information added to data of each decoding/reproduction unit of the compressed time-series information as management information for a decoding/reproduction process is also recorded on the recording medium. Additional information for data of a decoding/reproduction unit is also recorded on the recording medium by being associated with management information for a decoding/reproduction process of data of the decoding/reproduction unit. |
| US07675554B2 |
Methods and systems for managing bragbook images
A device, system, method and software product for storing, maintaining, sharing and displaying of digital images in a common designated collection on at least one portable storage and display device. The device has a first memory section designated for storing images and a second memory section for storing digital images of the designated collection. The second memory section has a protected mode that prevents the digital images in the second memory section from being deleted or overwritten. When the protected mode of the second section is disabled, the device will overwrite the digital images of the second memory section with newly captured digital images. These digital images are restored to the second memory section when the digital display and storage device is in communication link with a database that has information for restoring overwritten digital images after newly obtained images in the second memory have been removed from the device. |
| US07675553B2 |
Image transfer apparatus, control method, program, and storage medium
An image transfer apparatus for transferring image data files to an external device appends a common file attribute to a plurality of image data files having predetermined attributes when the image data files stored on a recording medium are transferred. |
| US07675552B2 |
Flicker correction method and device, and imaging device
Even in case the shutter speed is high, a flicker can be corrected accurately. A flicker correction method in which a flicker is corrected by predicting, from a present input frame image, a flicker component in an image of a next frame and adding a correction value to the next frame image on the basis of the predicted flicker component includes holding a plurality of flicker data, calculating the correction value by combining a plurality of flicker data together at a ratio set correspondingly to a shutter speed and frame rate, and adding the calculated correction value to the input image signal. |
| US07675550B1 |
Camera with high-quality still capture during continuous video capture
A method for processing a source frame is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating an intermediate frame by digitally processing the source frame, wherein the intermediate frame has an intermediate resolution and has an intermediate color space, (B) generating a video frame by down-sampling the intermediate frame, wherein the video frame has a video resolution lower than the intermediate resolution and has a video color space different than the intermediate color space, (C) generating a video stream by compressing the video frame with a video encoding technique and (D) generating a still picture by formatting the intermediate frame with a picture formatting technique, wherein (i) the still picture has the intermediate resolution and (ii) generating the still picture occurs substantially simultaneously with generating the video stream. |
| US07675548B2 |
Shake correcting device, shake correcting method and control program for implementing the method
A shake correcting device is capable of preventing a correcting optical device from hitting against a component part in the vicinity thereof to generate noise upon outputs from an H bridge driver for driving the correcting optical device being enabled. The device includes an angular velocity sensor that detects shaking of an image pickup apparatus, a position sensor that detects the current position of a shift lens movably disposed for optically correcting the shaking of the apparatus, an H bridge driver that drives the lens according to a drive target value, and an integrator that generates a target correction value based on the output from the angular velocity sensor. The drive target value is calculated based on the target correction value and output data from the position sensor. |
| US07675544B2 |
System and method for video transmission line fault detection
A video circuit including a video amplifier adapted to generate an amplified output video signal from an input video signal; a short detection circuit adapted to generate a first signal indicative of whether there is a short present at an output of the video amplifier; and a load detection circuit adapted to generate a second signal indicative of whether there is a load coupled to the output of the video amplifier. The video circuit may further include an input signal detection circuit adapted to generate a third signal indicative of whether an input video signal is present. The third signal generated by the input signal detection circuit may be used to enable the outputting of the first and second signals in order to prevent the false indication of faults at the output of the video amplifier in the absence of an input video signal. |
| US07675526B2 |
System and method for multi-sampling primitives to reduce aliasing
A method and system for performing multi-sample, antialiased rendering of images by performing multi-sample antialiasing at the primitive level. Geometric primitives used to represent a graphics environment are set-up, and then shifted by a sub-pixel offset and rendered to generate values for pixels of an intermediate image. The shifting and rendering is repeated for the geometric primitive, each time generating values for pixels of another intermediate image. The values for the pixels of the intermediate images are combined to produce values for the respective pixels of the resulting image. |
| US07675519B2 |
Persistent, immersible and extractable avatars
Avatar data is stored in a management application. The management application sends an immersion request to the application. The management application identifies the avatar data fields used by the application, and any appropriate scaling and avatar transformation. The management application scales the data appropriately, transforms the avatar if necessary, and transmits the (scaled and transformed) avatar data to the application. When the avatar is to be removed from the application, the application transmits the avatar data back to the management application, which integrates any changes to the avatar data into the original avatar data. |
| US07675517B2 |
Systems and methods of gradient assisted volume rendering
A system and method for rendering an image that includes accessing image data and dividing the image data into one or more blocks. One or more corner points of the blocks are identified and rays are cast through voxel space of the image data in the direction of the corner points to determine one or more integrated values for the corner points. The integrated values are then sampled and compared to the sampled values for each combination of the corner points. A difference value (diffvalue) is calculated as a function of the comparison and an initial gradient (grad) is calculated as a function of a Reduced Path Octree (RPO) structure during the casting of rays. Next, a maximum gradient (maxGrad) is calculated based on the initial gradient (grad). Finally, an image processing operation is determined as a function of the maximum gradient (maxGrad) and the difference value (diffvalue). The image processing operation may perform interpolation to fill pixel values inside the image data, or it may perform recursive sub-division of the blocks, and cast and sample additional rays. |
| US07675513B2 |
System and method for displaying stereo images
A method for displaying a stereo eye image on a curved surface is disclosed. A mathematical model of a computer generated scene having a vertex may be generated. A mono vertex vector may be calculated normal to the curved surface at the vertex location on the curved surface to a center of a viewer position. A left vertex may be calculated by applying a cross product to the vertex vector and a viewer's eye position vector. A right vertex may be calculated into the frame buffer by applying the cross product to the vertex vector and a negative viewer's eye position vector. The calculated points may be projected onto a curved surface for viewing. |
| US07675508B2 |
Liquid crystal display apparatus
In order to prevent reduction in performance due to variations in illuminance of external light, a liquid crystal display unit includes: a pixel section including pixels arranged at each of intersections where a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of signal lines intersect, and optical sensor circuits provided to at least part of the pixels; an imaging section which generates a multi-gradation image based on detection results of the optical sensor circuits; and a gradient value calculation section which calculates a gradient value which is a ratio of a variation in a gradation tendency value of the multi-gradation image to a variation in sensitivity of the optical sensor circuits. |
| US07675506B2 |
Key assignable portable terminal device
To provide a portable terminal device that can secure the same operability even when a user changes his or her portable terminal device to a new one, the portable terminal device is made to comprise a function providing unit for providing a function according to key inputs, a standard profile obtaining unit for obtaining a second standard profile from a communications destination device, etc., and a standard profile registering unit for registering the contents of the second standard profile to a first standard profile. |
| US07675500B2 |
Liquid crystal display backlight with variable amplitude LED
A display is backlit by a source having spatially modulated luminance to attenuate illumination of dark areas of images and increase the dynamic range of the display. |
| US07675499B2 |
Display device
In a display device with a buffer amplifier which receives an input signal on a positive input terminal, has an output terminal connected to a negative input terminal, and outputs a stabilized output signal, a switch for connecting the positive input terminal and the output terminal is provided. By switching the switch ON, the output of the buffer amplifier is set close to the input. |
| US07675498B2 |
Dot-inversion display devices and driving method thereof with low power consumption
Display devices with low power consumption. In the display device, and first and second data lines, first and second gate lines, first and second supplemental lines, first and second pixels are provided. In the first pixel, a first transistor comprises a first terminal coupled to the first data line and a control terminal coupled to the first gate line, and a first storage capacitor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal coupled to the first supplemental line. In the second pixel, a second transistor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second data line, and a control terminal coupled to the second gate line, and a second storage capacitor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the second transistor and a second terminal coupled to the second supplemental line. |
| US07675496B2 |
Liquid crystal display and driving method thereof
An exemplary liquid crystal display (600) includes a liquid crystal panel, a scanning driving circuit (61), a compensation circuit (68), a control circuit (67), and a signal line driving circuit (62). The liquid crystal panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a plurality of scanning lines (63) that are parallel to each other and that each extend along a first direction, and a plurality of signal lines (64) that are parallel to each other and that each extend along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The scanning driving circuit is connected to the scanning lines, and continuously scans the same scanning lines twice in a frame time. The compensation circuit generates first signals. The control circuit generates gradation signals corresponding to the second frame image data. |
| US07675495B2 |
TFT-LCD capable of repairing discontinuous lines
A TFT-LCD capable of repairing discontinuous lines includes a repairing circuit, which includes a plurality of repairing OP amplifiers and a high-impedance detecting unit. The high-impedance detecting unit detects states of input terminals of the OP amplifiers. The high-impedance detecting unit enables a control signal to enable the OP amplifier when the input terminal is not at floating state. The high-impedance detecting unit disables the control signal to disable the OP amplifier when the input terminal is at floating state, so that no output competition between the OP amplifiers is generated. |
| US07675490B2 |
Method and apparatus for uniformity compensation in an OLED display
A method of compensating the uniformity of an OLED device that includes measuring the performance of light-emitting elements at three or more different input intensity values. Calculation of parameters a and b, for each light-emitting element, is performed to minimize the sum, for each of the three or more input intensity values i, of a minimization function: ƒ(yi,i,(yi−g(yi,i,a,b))2) where yi is the performance value of the light-emitting element or groups of elements in response to an input intensity value i, and g is a function that is a simplified representation of the performance of the one or more light-emitting elements or groups of elements. A linear transformation function is formed as: ƒ(i)=mi+k, where m and k depend upon the function g, and the parameters a and b. |
| US07675488B2 |
Shift register circuit
The present invention discloses a shift register circuit comprising a plurality of shift register units and a bus, wherein the bus couples to each shift register unit. Each shift register unit comprises a shift register, a first selector circuit, and a second selector circuit. The shift register has an input and an output. The first selector circuit is coupled to the input, while the second selector circuit is coupled to the output. The first selector circuit and the second selector circuit selectively couple to the bus or the next shift register unit. |
| US07675480B2 |
Image display device and image display method
An image display device comprises a first clock generator for generating and outputting a first clock based on input horizontal synchronizing signals corresponding to horizontal lines making up input image signals, a second clock generator for generating and outputting a second clock, storage configured so as to accumulate image data sampled from the input image signals based on the first clock using the first clock output from the first clock generator and read out the accumulated image data using the second clock output from the second clock generator, a controller for outputting control signals for controlling the cycle of output horizontal synchronizing signals at the time of reading out and displaying the accumulated image data from the storage, according to image size information of the input image signals, cycle information of the input horizontal synchronizing signals, display panel size information, and cycle information of the second clock, and a synchronizing signal generator for outputting the output horizontal synchronizing signals based on the control signals output from the controller. Accordingly, image scaling processing can be performed properly at arbitrary conversion ratios. |
| US07675477B2 |
Dielectrically-loaded antenna
A dielectrically-loaded helical antenna has a cylindrical ceramic core bearing metallised helical antenna elements which are coupled to a coaxial feeder structure passing axially through the core. Secured to an end face of the core is a circular laminate board having feed-through holes for receiving the end portions of feeder structure conductors. Coupling conductors on the face of the board that faces the core extend radially outwardly from connections with the feeder structure conductors to plated edge portions of the board. The board is of a diameter substantially equal to that of the core and bridging conductors overlying the plated edge portions connect the coupling conductors to the helical elements. The board incorporates a matching network. |
| US07675475B2 |
Antenna mount
The present invention relates to a mounted antenna for use in a wireless communication system, and in particular, to a mounting device and associated method for mounting an antenna within a cavity of a finished wall. The mounting device comprises a platform and a plurality of support legs, each of the plurality of support legs having a free end and a fixed end. The fixed end is pivotally coupled to the platform. The platform has a coupling mechanism for attaching an antenna to the platform. The mounting device also includes a biasing element for supplying a constant force to the plurality of support legs sufficient to propel the free end of each support leg in an outwardly direction from the platform and engage a surface within a wall cavity to support the mounting device. |
| US07675473B2 |
Parabolic antenna with rinsing connection
Contamination at the exciter of a parabolic antenna can lead to impaired signal quality, or even system downtime. A parabolic antenna is described which in addition to a parabolic reflector and an exciter has a rinsing device, which is configured so as to rinse and clean the exciter with rinsing agent or protect it from contaminants. Herein, the rinsing agent is injected, dropped, or else blown from a rinsing outlet in an outlet member at the parabolic reflector onto the exciter. Mounting the rinsing outlet directly to the parabolic reflector allows for the exciter to be cleaned from the parabolic reflector. |
| US07675472B2 |
Vehicle-mounted antenna system
A vehicle-mounted antenna system includes a combined antenna apparatus that has a GPS antenna and a short-range wireless communication antenna. The GPS antenna is directional in a vertical direction and the short-range wireless communication antenna is directional in a horizontal direction. The combined antenna apparatus is mounted below an instrument panel of the vehicle by a mounting bracket in such a manner that the short-range wireless communication antenna is directional in the horizontal direction toward an interior of a vehicle. This approach ensures adequate performance of the short-range wireless communication antenna and standardizes a manner in which the short-range wireless communication antenna is mounted to the vehicle. |
| US07675471B2 |
Vehicular glass-mount antenna and system
An antenna system for a vehicle including a front windshield glass and a rear windshield is disclosed. The antenna system comprises an antenna unit including a radiating element electromagnetically coupled to an excitation element. The radiating element is coupled to the front windshield glass, and the excitation element is positioned on a passenger compartment interior surface of the front windshield glass. The antenna system also comprises a high-gain antenna unit including first radiating elements, a second radiating element, a 90-degree phase shift circuit, and a low noise amplifier that is coupled to the phase shift circuit. The first radiating elements receive signals through the rear windshield glass. The antenna unit and the high-gain antenna unit may function in a diversity antenna configuration. |
| US07675468B2 |
Portable communication device with ultra wideband antenna
A communication device is provided, which includes a circuit board having first and second sides that are substantially straight in the area in which the first and second sides meet to form a corner at an angle of less than 180°; a ground plane extending between the first and the second sides, except in a particular area of the corner of the circuit board; a radiating antenna element disposed in the particular area; and an electrical connection to feed the radiating antenna element across an interface between the ground plane and the particular area. |
| US07675467B2 |
Bent monopole antenna
Provided is a bent monopole antenna. The bent monopole antenna includes a printed circuit board, an RF module, a feed line, and a main radiation pattern part and a sub-radiation pattern part. The RF module is installed the printed circuit board to generate an electrical signal. The feed line is connected to the RF module to deliver the electrical signal. The main radiation pattern part and the sub-radiation pattern part serve as a radiation pattern part connected to the feed line to generate an electromagnetic field (electromagnetic waves) using electrical signals applied thereto. The main radiation pattern part has a spiral (helical) pattern passing through the printed circuit board through a via. |
| US07675466B2 |
Antenna array feed line structures for millimeter wave applications
Improved feed line networks for antenna arrays operating at millimeter wave frequencies are provided for constructing planar antenna arrays printed on the surface of a dielectric substrate. A planar antenna array includes an array of planar radiator elements interconnected through a feed line network of planar coplanar transmission lines that enable high-efficiency operation, at millimeter wave operating frequencies. For example, a feed network may be formed with a network of coplanar strip line transmission lines including one or more coplanar strip line (CPS) and one or more coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line, which are interconnected using balun structures, to enable high efficiency operation at millimeter wave frequencies. |
| US07675464B2 |
Plated antenna for high frequency devices
A method of making a double-sided antenna for high frequency devices is discussed. The method includes forming metal patterns on both sides of a substrate having pre-formed connection holes. Preferably, the metal patterns are formed using a printing ink having a precursor and a solvent. In one embodiment, the metal patterns include coils which are formed on both sides of the substrate. In one embodiment, shunt bars are used to speed up the process of making the metal patterns. The shunt bars are punched out at the end of the process to electrically isolate the metal patterns. |
| US07675458B2 |
Dual beam radar system
Various embodiments are described herein relating to a radar system and associated methods for detecting targets in the presence of certain types of clutter. The radar system generally comprises hardware operatively configured to obtain first and second sets of radar return signals concurrently, first circuitry operatively configured to detect targets in the first and second sets of radar return signals, and second circuitry operatively configured to identify detected targets due to clutter. |
| US07675457B2 |
Radar system
A radar system transmits a beam of detection radio waves with a predetermined azimuth width, receives a reflected wave from a target, changes a central azimuth of the beam, and detects the distribution of reception signal strengths at predetermined angular intervals and for each predetermined distance. Then, when the reception signal strength distribution associated with changes in azimuth is expressed in rectangular coordinates, an azimuth corresponding to a vertex of an isosceles triangle that approximates the reception signal strength distribution and has an azimuth width, which is determined by the beam azimuth width, as its base is detected as the central azimuth of the target. Thus, the radar system becomes capable of detecting the azimuth of a target at a resolution capability higher than in the case where the movement of a target cannot be detected at a resolution equal to or less than the beam width of detection radio waves, and higher than in the case where a resolution in the azimuth direction is determined by the sampling interval in the azimuth direction. Moreover, the problem of deviation of the peak position of a reception signal strength from the center of a target can be solved. |
| US07675456B2 |
Technique for mitigating multipath impacts on azimuth accuracy in a monopulse interrogator
A method for mitigating multipath impacts on azimuth accuracy in a monopulse interrogator is accomplished by calculating samples of monopulse ratio for samples of antenna boresight angles based on data received from an interrogation of a target. Samples of traditional target azimuth from the samples of monopulse ratio are calculated. A mean of the samples of traditional target azimuth is calculated. An alternative target azimuth from the samples of monopulse ratio is calculated. Whether a multipath signal exists is determined from observing a standard deviation of the samples of traditional target azimuth, and using the mean of the traditional target azimuth if a multipath signal does not exist and using the alternative target azimuth if a multipath signal does exist. |
| US07675455B2 |
Pulse radar, car radar and landing assistance radar
A pulse radar is provided with a filter for eliminating a transmission waveform interfered with an answering signal from a received waveform, and a harmonic detector or a phase delay detector for detecting arrival and end of the answering signal reflected on a target. |
| US07675453B2 |
Power saving apparatus
A power saving apparatus that uses a plurality of switches, including a switch provided in a remote controller receptacle mounted on a device, to turn on or off power to a device according to whether a remote controller is received in the remote controller receptacle, thereby saving standby power of the device. The power saving apparatus includes first, second, and third switches, and a controller. The first switch is used to power on/off the device. The second switch is provided in the remote controller receptacle to turn on/off power to the device according to whether or not a remote controller is received in the remote controller receptacle. The controller outputs a control signal to turn on/off power to the device when power is supplied through the first or second switch. The third switch turns on or off the power to the device according to the control signal output from the controller. |
| US07675451B2 |
Serial-parallel type analog-to-digital converter and analog-to-digital conversion method
A serial-parallel type analog-to-digital converter includes a reference voltage generator, a higher bit comparing portion and a lower bit comparing portion, and a reference voltage selecting portion, wherein the lower bit comparing portion includes the plurality of comparison stages. |
| US07675449B2 |
Current steering digital-analog converter particularly insensitive to packaging stresses
A current steering digital-analog converter for converting a digital code into an analog signal, the converter including a substrate of semiconductor material, an array of current generators integrated in the substrate, a common summation node and switches controllable on the basis of the digital code for connecting and disconnecting the current generators to and from the common summation node. The current generators are adapted to provide the common summation node with currents having a multiple value according to a power of two compared to a unit current value provided to the summation node by a current generator of the array of generators. The current generator is divided into a base number of modular current generation elements in parallel to one another at least equal to two. |
| US07675447B1 |
Low-cost and noise-insensitive motion detector
A microcontroller has a compact 8-bit processor and a differential input sigma-delta ADC (SDADC). In a low-cost pyroelectric sensor motion detector application, a sensor output signal is supplied onto a second differential input of the SDADC. A first programmable internal reference voltage source supplies VREF1 via an internal signal path onto a first differential input of the SDADC. A second programmable internal reference voltage source supplies VREF2 onto a reference voltage input of the SDADC. VREF1 sets the center of the SDADC input sample window, thereby avoiding the need to provide an external AC blocking capacitor. VREF2 sets the size of the window. Proper window sizing and sample averaging and the high-resolution SDADC obviate the need for input signal amplification. Throughput requirements on the 8-bit processor are reduced by providing a hardware averager and associated DMA controller, thereby making the overall solution a low-cost, noise-insensitive, solution. |
| US07675443B1 |
Saturation detector for an ADC
A method for detecting saturation in a cascaded ΔΣ ADC can include receiving an output of the cascaded ΔΣ ADC, determining a magnitude of the output, and squaring the magnitude. The squared magnitude can be added to a feedback signal, wherein the sum represents a saturation signal. The saturation signal can be filtered and then amplified, wherein the amplified, filtered saturation signal is the feedback signal. The saturation signal can then be compared to a threshold to determine whether the cascaded ΔΣ ADC is in saturation. |
| US07675442B2 |
Compensation of nonlinearity of single ended digital to analog converters
This disclosure relates to a compensating for nonlinearity resulting from a capacitance feedback in current cells of a single ended digital to analog circuit. |
| US07675439B2 |
Serial/parallel data conversion apparatus and method thereof
A serial/parallel data conversion apparatus and a method thereof are used to convert serial data into parallel data by a delay pulse and three stage registers, wherein the device includes a first data register, a second data register, a third data register, a frequency divider and a delay controller. Moreover, the first data register converts the serial data into the parallel data according to a first working clock signal. The frequency divider performs a frequency division for the first working clock signal for producing a second working clock signal. The second data register acquires the parallel data from the first register according to the second working clock signal. The delay controller delays the second working clock signal to produce a third working clock signal. Finally, the third data register obtains the parallel data from the second register according to the third working clock signal. |
| US07675432B2 |
Lane assist system for a motor vehicle and operating method
In order to provide a lane assist system for a motor vehicle including a surround sensor device, which is mounted on the vehicle, for detecting the lane of the vehicle and a warning device to alert the driver in the event of the vehicle threatening to depart the lane which, with the smallest possible disturbance of the passengers, still enables the driver to initiate an intuitive steering response in a danger situation, it is provided to design and set up the warning device in such a way that a vibration, noticeable to the driver, is generated in the driver seat, to the effect that the vibration is noticeable on the side on which a lane departure threatens or actually takes place. |
| US07675431B1 |
Emergency vehicle alert system
The present invention may be used for detecting sound frequency signals emitted by warning devices of emergency vehicles. A sensor may sense a selected frequency signal spectrum and may be in communication with an initial detection stage to detect a frequency of approximately 600 Hz and approximately 1400 Hz within a specific time interval. A signal identification stage may be in communication with said initial detection stage and may have a digital signal processor programmed to identify a wail and yelp warning signal to compare said warning signal to a histogram stored in a memory to estimate the distance from the sound frequency signal. The signal identification stage may be maintained in a power save mode until activated by said initial detection stage upon detection of a warning signal. |
| US07675425B2 |
Liquid discharge device capable of self-diagnosis of discharge functions
A liquid discharging device includes: a discharge head mounting unit having first and second electrical terminals; a power source; a switch controlling connection between the power source and the electrical terminals; and a control unit controlling the switch; wherein a driving circuit driving a liquid discharge head is closed by attachment thereof to the mounting unit; the power source can selectively output multiple voltages; and the control unit selectively effects a state for supply of a discharge electrical power, in which electric power sufficient for a discharging actuator of the discharge head to discharge liquid is supplied thereto by controlling the switch, and a state for diagnosis, in which, wherein electric power insufficient for the discharging actuator to discharge liquid is supplied thereto by controlling the switch, and in which the voltage of at least one of the terminals is measured, and information of the state of the power source, discharging actuator, and driving circuit, is obtained. |
| US07675424B2 |
Perishable product electronic label including time and temperature measurement
An electronic assembly may be contained in a label that performs time-temperature integration (TTI) and indicates that time and/or temperature levels have been reached that may compromise the quality, shelf life, or safety of the item to which the label is affixed. The label may be used on a wide variety of objects that require careful handling in terms of temperature and/or time elapsed before use. The labeling system includes circuitry that measures and calculates, and indictor(s) that signal that the time has come for discounted sale, and, later, that the time has come for disposal rather than sale. Optionally, the circuitry may act as an “over-temperature alarm” system, to measure, calculate, and indicate when a one-time temperature violation has occurred that is of such a magnitude that the item is immediately considered compromised, or spoiled. |
| US07675423B2 |
Mass occupant emergency notification system using satellite radio downlink
A mass occupant notification (MON) system includes an alert source, a first communication network, a MON supervisory system, a second communication network, a satellite radio broadcast network (SRBN) system and a plurality of MON communication units. The alert source, such as a telephone, personal computer or emergency sensor system, generates an alert signal containing information regarding an emergency situation. The first communication network communicates the alert signal from the alert source to the MON supervisory system. The MON supervisory system receives the alert signal and generates an alert message which includes audio message data and destination data. The destination data indicates a destination of the audio message data. The audio message data may contain a voice announcement providing information or instructions regarding the emergency situation. The second communication network communicates the alert message from the MON supervisory system to the SRBN system. The SRBN system extracts the destination data and the audio message data from the alert message, formats the audio message data for transmission via a satellite uplink, and transmits the audio message data via the satellite uplink to SRBN satellites. One or more of the MON communication units receive the audio message data transmitted from the SRBN satellites and generate an analog audio signal based on the audio message data. |
| US07675422B2 |
Networked RF Tag for tracking people by means of loyalty cards
The invention disclosed provides a method, system, and associated tag for detection and tracking of inanimate and animate objects. The novel method broadly comprises the steps of: a) attaching a low radio frequency detection tag to each of the objects, each tag comprising a tag antenna operable at a low radio frequency not exceeding 1 megahertz (preferably not exceeding 300 kilohertz), a transceiver operatively connected to the tag's antenna, the transceiver being operable to transmit and receive data signals at the low radio frequency, a data storage device operable to store data comprising identification data for identifying said detection tag, a programmed data processor operable to process data received from the transceiver and the data storage device and to send data to cause the transceiver to emit an identification signal based upon the identification data stored in said data storage device, and an energy source for activating the tag's transceiver and data processor; b) storing, in the data storage device of each tag, shipping data selected from object description data, address-of-origin data, destination address data, object vulnerability data, and object status data; c) commingling the objects in a repository selected from a warehouse and a truck, the repository being provided with at least one large loop field antenna operable at said low radio frequency; the field antenna being disposed at a distance from each object that permits effective communication therewith at the low radio frequency, d) reading the identification data and shipping data from the transceiver of each tag by interrogating all tags commingled in said repository with data signals, such as specific IP addresses or other identification codes, via said field antenna; and e) transmitting the identification data and shipping data from each tag to a central data processor to provide a tally of the objects in said repository. |
| US07675420B2 |
Read apparatus of RF tag and method of controlling read of RF tag
An RF tag system includes a first reader/writer unit and a second reader/writer unit. A first reader/writer control unit is configured to control the first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the first reader/writer unit. A second reader/writer control unit is configured to control the second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the second reader/writer unit. A monitoring section is configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor the first reader/writer unit through the first reader/writer control unit, and the second reader/writer unit through the second reader/writer control unit. A switching section is configured to select one of the first reader/writer control unit and the second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from the monitoring section. |
| US07675419B2 |
System and method of managing shared printer with RFID
A system and method of managing a shared printer with radio frequency identification (RFID) includes at least one RFID chip containing information about task permission for users, an RFID transceiver unit to periodically retrieve information about the RFID chip, a controller to determine whether to output a document based on task permission held by a user associated with the RFID chip retrieved by the RFID transceiver unit, and a printing unit to form images on a printing medium in response to a control signal from the controller. It is possible to allow, for example, printing and facsimile transmission by giving specific permission to each user and allows a manager to inspect a use specification by the RFID transceiver unit. The RFID transceiver unit is included in a printer and periodically retrieves information about an RFID chip and determines whether a document is to be output based on task permission held by a user associated with the retrieved RFID chip. |
| US07675417B2 |
Fence alarm
A fence alarm for detecting and identifying a location in a fence which is broken. The fence alarm comprises a power source for providing power to the alarm components, the components including a plurality of detectors, each detector providing termination of a segment of the fence, each detector having a unique identifier, whereby the detector outputs its unique identifier when the segment is broken. The alarm includes a transmitter for transmitting the unique identifier, by means of an integrated antenna, which is received by a receiver. The fence alarm may also have computing or logic elements to provide additional storage or processing of signals, or data associated with the fence or the alarm. |
| US07675411B1 |
Enhancing presence information through the addition of one or more of biotelemetry data and environmental data
One or more of telephony functions and communication routing management are controlled by one or more of presence information, environmental information and physiological information. An analysis of the one or more of presence information, environmental information and physiological information is compared with a profile and the one or more of telephony functions and communication routing modified in accordance with a rule set associated with the profile. The environmental and physiological information can be acquired by a communications device associated with a person or through the communications device communicating with one or more dedicated environmental or physiological sensors. |
| US07675404B2 |
Indicator for vehicle
An indicator for a vehicle having an engine and a transmission, includes a main engine speed indicator for indicating a present engine speed of the engine, and an auxiliary engine speed indicator for indicating an engine speed given after a gear shift operation of the transmission and calculated based upon the present engine speed. According to the indicator, the engine speed given after the shift operation of the transmission can be prospectively recognized. The drivability thus can be enhanced. |
| US07675403B2 |
Method for estimating number of tags in slotted aloha-based RFID system
Provided is a method for estimating the number of tags in a slotted Aloha-based RFID system, which can estimate the number of tags through a new statistical average scheme using the number of slots, the measured number of empty slots, and the measured number of ID slots. The estimating method includes the steps of: a) setting the number (N) of slots, the measured number (c0) of empty slots, and the measured number (c1) of ID slots as parameters; and estimating the number (n) of the tags by substituting the set values into n=(N−1)/(c0/c1). |
| US07675397B2 |
Transformer
A transformer includes: a multilayer board; one or more input conductive lines formed on the multilayer board, whose both ends connected to input terminals of a positive signal and a negative signal, respectively; one output conductive line formed adjacent to the one or more input conductive lines to form an electromagnetic coupling with the one or more input conductive lines, whose one end is connected to an output terminal and another end is connected to a ground; a power supply pad formed in an area of the one or more input conductive lines; and a harmonics remover formed between the one end and the another end of the output conductive line to remove harmonics components of a signal outputted from the output conductive line. |
| US07675396B2 |
Inductor and manufacture method thereof
An inductor comprises a coil, a non-ferrite layer, two electrodes, a first ferrite layer, and a second ferrite layer, where the coil is encapsulated by the non-ferrite layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, two electrodes coupled to the coil are respectively extended out from the non-ferrite layer for connecting a module, and the first ferrite layer and the second ferrite layer are respectively arranged adjacent to the first surface and the second surface of the non-ferrite layer. |
| US07675394B2 |
Capsule medical apparatus and current-carrying control method
An object of the present invention is to readily initiate an operation of a capsule medical apparatus which is inserted into a subject and executes a predetermined function. In a capsule endoscope 3 according to the present invention, a reed switch 14 connected to a power supply unit and a function executing unit is arranged parallel to a direction of a longitudinal axis t of a capsule-like casing 16 in the substantially cylindrical capsule-like casing 16 of the capsule endoscope 3. A pair of movable electrodes of the reed switch 14 operates according to magnetic induction of a magnetic field of a magnet 6 applied substantially parallel to the direction t of the longitudinal axis of the capsule-like casing 16, and come into contact with each other. As a result, power supply from the power supply unit to the function executing unit is allowed. |
| US07675391B2 |
Vertical coupling structure for non-adjacent resonators
A vertical coupling structure for non-adjacent resonators is provided to have a first and a second resonators, a dielectric material layer, a first and a second high-frequency transmission lines and at least one via pole. The first and the second resonators respectively have a first and a second opposite metal surfaces. The dielectric material layer is disposed between the opposite second metal surfaces of the first and the second resonators. The first and the second transmission lines are respectively arranged at sides of the first metal surfaces of the first resonator and the second resonator. The first high-frequency transmission line is vertically connected to the second high-frequency transmission line by the via pole. |
| US07675389B2 |
Piezoelectric resonator, piezoelectric filter, and duplexer and communication device using the same
Three or more piezoelectric resonators having resonance frequencies different from one another are realized on the same substrate. First through third frequency adjustment layers of first through third piezoelectric resonators, respectively, provided on the same substrate 101 are formed by varying, among the frequency adjustment layers, the ratio of area (depressions 109 and 110) to be etched to area not to be etched. |
| US07675386B2 |
Inductive coupling circuit and telecommunication method by sheathed cables of an electrical current distribution network
The various designs of capacitive or inductive coupling/decoupling fitted on cables in a medium voltage network are known, the inductive coupling circuits constantly inducing current in the sheath of the electric cable. The invention aims at obtaining ranges of capacitive coupling/decoupling for an inductive coupling circuit. Therefore, an inductive coupling unit comprising a ring enclosing the sheathed electric cable and a coil, coupled to said ring by induction and connected to a transmission and reception device, is designed such that, upon transmission the current of the message signal is directly induced in the conductor and, upon receptions only the conductor current is evaluated. In a first embodiment, a by-pass, located downstream of the inductive coupling unit and upstream of the defined surface, is connected to the sheath and to ground or to the compensation potential. In a second embodiment, a by-pass connected to the sheath and to the ground or to the compensating potential has a conduction path passing back through the ring core. The invention concerns telecommunication systems in current distribution electrical networks. |
| US07675385B1 |
N-way reconfigurable power divider
The present disclosure is directed to a method, apparatus, and system for dividing power. An N-way power divider comprises a power input, a switched transformer, a switched power divider, and plurality of power outputs. The switched power divider is configurable to take input power and provide the power to any of the power outputs (matching the impedance utilizing the switched transformer). An antenna system comprises an input, a reconfigurable switched network operably coupled to the input, and a plurality of antenna elements. The reconfigurable switched network is configurable to provide power from input to any of the plurality of antenna elements. Each element can be provided power, or not provided power with the reconfigurable switch. The reconfigurable switched network is configurable to take in power and transform the impedance of the power to match the impedance of the active antenna elements. |
| US07675382B2 |
Transistor single-pole-single-throw circuit device
A transistor single-pole-single-throw circuit device includes at least a transistor single-pole-single-throw circuit having a first transistor and a second transistor, and an inductor capacitor (LC) resonator having an inductor and a capacitor connected in series, allowing two ends of the LC resonator connected to the first source and the first drain of the first transistor, respectively. The transistor single-pole-single-throw circuit device adopts an LC resonator having an inductor and a capacitor connected in series to connect with the first source and the first drain of the first transistor. The inductor couples and resonates with a parasitic capacitance of the transistor, to reduce signal loss due to emerged parasitic capacitance when the conventional single-pole-single-throw circuit selects a switch transistor with a larger width. |
| US07675378B2 |
Multiple status e-fuse based non-volatile voltage control oscillator configured for process variation compensation, an associated method and an associated design structure
Disclosed are embodiments of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) capable of non-volatile self-correction to compensate for process variations and to ensure that the center frequency of the oscillator is maintained within a predetermined frequency range. This VCO incorporates a pair of varactors connected in parallel to an inductor-capacitor (LC) tank circuit for outputting a periodic signal having a frequency that is proportional to an input voltage. A control loop uses a programmable variable resistance e-fuse to set a compensation voltage to be applied to the pair of varactors. By adjusting the compensation voltage, the capacitance of the pair of varactors can be adjusted in order to selectively increase or decrease the frequency of the periodic signal in response to a set input voltage and, thereby to bring the frequency of that periodic signal into the predetermined frequency range. Also disclosed are embodiments of an associated design structure for such a VCO and an associated method for operating such a VCO. |