| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07748051B2 |
Contents server, contents receiving apparatus and network system for adding information to digital contents
Method and system for embedding a unique and different digital watermark in digital contents for each access without increasing the overhear or load at the contents server. The contents server has a digital watermark-embedded contents storage unit for storing a plurality of digital contents where a different digital watermark is embedded, and a fingerprint performing unit for, adding to the digital contents the information specified using a bit row that is formed by a digital watermark being embedded for each part of the digital contents. |
| US07748050B2 |
Optical disc, illegal copy finding system and method using optical disc, optical disc manufacturing apparatus and optical disc manufacturing method
An optical disc manufacturing apparatus (46) recording a BCA code constituted by plural marks and including a secret code which is modulated in a range capable of recognizing a position in a radial direction of an optical disc and/or a position in a track direction of the plural marks as the BCA code, a BCA history database (44) storing a history including a correspondence between the BCA code of an optical disc (1a) recording the BCA code and the secret code, and a management center (30) reading the BCA code and the secret code recorded on the optical disc so as to compare both on the basis of input of the correspondence between the BCA code and the secret code stored in the BCA history database (44) are employed, whereby an illegally manufactured optical disc (1z) can be easily found by inspecting the recorded BCA code and secret code. |
| US07748047B2 |
Preventing fraudulent internet account access
A method and system for authenticating requests for accessing network resources are described. Network address information may be associated with a network resource user. An authenticator may maintain the associated network address information. The authenticator may receive, from a requesting party, a request to authenticate the network resource user, where the request may include a network address identifier. The network resource user may be authenticated based on the network address information and the network address identifier. The authentication determination may be forwarded to the requesting party for purposes of controlling access to a network resource of a network resource provider in response to an access request made by the network resource user. |
| US07748046B2 |
Security claim transformation with intermediate claims
Systems and methods directed at transforming security claims in a federated authentication system using an intermediate format. The systems and methods described herein are directed at transforming security claims in a federated authentication system using an intermediate format. The federated authentication system includes an identity provider and a resource provider. The identity provider receives a request for information from the resource provider to authenticate an account by an application associated with the resource provider. A security claim associated with the account is retrieved where the security claim is provided by an account store in a format specific to the account store. The security claim is transformed from the account store specific format to an intermediate format. The security claim is then transformed from the intermediate format to a federated format recognized by the resource provider. The transformed security claim is provided in a security token to the resource provider. A similar two step transformation process using intermediate claims can also be implemented by the resource provider to transform security claims provided by an identity provider from a federated format to formats recognized by the applications. |
| US07748042B2 |
Security vulnerability determination in a computer system
Security level of a computing system may be computed based on determining various security factor values for different operational aspects of the processing components. These security factor values are scaled to representative values or other types of identifiers. These security factor values may then be mapped on a security expectation scale, including taking into account the corresponding operational aspects. From this security factor value mapping, a computing system security determination can be calculated, which provides a vulnerability determination for the computing system providing information not only to the individual components, but also to the system as a whole. |
| US07748039B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting malicious code in an information handling system
A method for detecting malicious code on an information handling system includes executing malicious code detection code (MCDC) on the information handling system. The malicious code detection code includes detection routines. The detection routines are applied to executable code under investigation running on the information handling system during the execution of the MCDC. The detection routines associate weights to respective executable code under investigation in response to detections of a valid program or malicious code as a function of respective detection routines. Lastly, executable code under investigation is determined a valid program or malicious code as a function of the weights associated by the detection routines. Computer-readable media and an information handling system are also disclosed. |
| US07748036B2 |
Methods for categorizing input data
Methods are provided for categorizing input data into a selected data type category. Exemplary embodiments are directed to the categorization of binary input data, for example random input data, as either compressed or encrypted based on statistical analysis. To this end, at least a portion of the input data is analyzed to derive a statistical test result for the portion that is indicative of a degree of randomness of the data. The data is then categorized as either compressed or encrypted based on the statistical test result. |
| US07748035B2 |
Approach for securely deploying network devices
According to an approach for securely deploying and configuring network devices, a secure introduction connection is established between a network device being deployed and a registrar. The secure introduction connection may conform to a secure communications protocol, such as HTTPS. The registrar provides bootstrap configuration data to the network device over the secure introduction connection. The bootstrap configuration data is used to establish a secure management connection between the network device and a secure management gateway. The secure management connection may conform to a secure communications protocol, such as IPsec or HTTPS. The secure management gateway provides user-specific configuration data and security policy data to the network device over the secure management connection. The user-specific configuration data and policy data are used to establish a secure data connection, such as a Dynamic Multipoint Virtual Private Network (DMVPN) connection, between the network device and the secure data gateway. |
| US07748034B2 |
Strong anti-replay protection for IP traffic sent point to point or multi-cast to large groups
A mechanism for providing strong anti-replay protection at a security gateway in a network for protection against an attacker duplicating encrypted packets. The mechanism assigns a unique sequence number to each encrypted packet and a time stamp. A receiving security gateway rejects packets that have a duplicative sequence number or that is too old to protect itself against replay attacks. Each security gateway checks off the sequence numbers as they are received knowing that the sending security gateway assigns sequence numbers in an increasing order. The receiving security gateway remembers the value of the highest sequence number that it has already seen as well as up to N additional sequence numbers. Any packet with a duplicative sequence number is discarded. In addition to the sequence number, each packet also has an associated time stamp that corresponds to an epoch during which it should be received. If the packet is received after the epoch has expired, the packet is rejected. |
| US07748028B2 |
Authentication method, terminal device, relay device and authentication server
A terminal device in the present invention includes a first authentication information transmitter configured to transmit first authentication information including a user ID to a relay device, a temporary ID storage configured to store a temporary ID issued by an authentication server receiving the first authentication information via the relay device, and a second authentication information transmitter configured to transmit second authentication information including the temporary ID and an authentication server ID for identifying the authentication server to the relay device. |
| US07748025B2 |
Electronic card connector, level-shifting device and digital television receiver
An electronic card connector is used to connect an electronic card to an electronic device, such as a level-shifting device. The electronic card connector includes an insert slot unit and a switch unit. The insert slot unit is adapted for insertion of the electronic card and is provided with a power signal terminal for providing electric power to the electronic card that is inserted into the insert slot unit. The 10 switch unit is disposed in the insert slot unit, is operable to establish electrical connection between the power signal terminal and a first power source when the electronic card inserted into the insert slot unit does not actuate the switch unit, and is further operable to establish electrical connection between the power signal terminal and a second power source when the electronic card inserted into the insert slot unit actuates the switch unit. |
| US07748023B2 |
Device, system and method for connecting a subscriber device to a wideband distribution network
A method, device and/or system for connecting at least one subscriber device, e.g., a legacy subscriber device, to a wideband distribution network. The device may include, for example, an up-converter to up-convert a subscriber upstream signal within a subscriber upstream frequency band supported by the subscriber device, into an up-converted upstream signal within an upstream sub-band of an extended upstream frequency band; and/or a down-converter to down-convert an extended downstream signal in an extended downstream frequency band, into a down-converted subscriber downstream signal within a subscriber downstream frequency band supported by the subscriber device. |
| US07748022B1 |
Real-time data characterization with token generation for fast data retrieval
A method and apparatus provides for real-time video data characterization and fast image retrieval. According to one aspect, a token is generated based on blocks or portions of data in a data stream. A mathematical algorithm that operates in real-time during a capture process is used to generate the token. The generated tokens are stored together with the captured data. According to another aspect, a retrieval system compares a token value to obtain matching tokens within a given set of thresholds and corresponding data from the stored captured data. |
| US07748018B2 |
Arranging channel indicators in a television schedule system
Screen for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array of irregular cells, which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells, if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen as the cursor moved from a cell of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. |
| US07748014B2 |
Methods and apparatus to detect an internally generated signal mode of a local media playback device
Methods and apparatus to detect an internally generated signal mode of a local media playback device are disclosed. A disclosed method comprises tuning a harmonic frequency of a chrominance signal output by a local media playback device, and determining that the local media playback device is in an internally generated signal mode if the measured harmonic frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US07748012B2 |
Method of manufacturing a limited use data storing device
Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, methods of retrieving information from a data storage device previously deactivated by modification or degradation of at least a portion of the data storage device are disclosed. |
| US07748011B2 |
Optical disk drive having noise reduction functionality
An optical disk drive with a noise reduction function, is used to read an optical storage media. The optical disk drive includes a turntable, a housing and a clamper. The turntable supports the optical storage media. An opening is formed on the housing. The camper is positioned on the opening, where the turntable rises upwards to connect with the clamper and lower towards a down position to separate form the camper. The clamper further comprises a base portion and a resilient arm. At least one concave section, which faces the turntable, is formed on the base portion. At least one resilient arm extends from the base and has a convex portion at the end thereof. The convex portion, which also faces the turntable, is positioned between the concave section and the turntable. |
| US07748009B2 |
Use of a precursor to select cached buffer
Methods for increasing the efficiency of data transfers by passing a reference to the data rather than to transfer the data itself. When a new communication begins, a memory object, e.g. a buffer, is selected to receive the data. Information if provided that may be used to ascertain the communication path without actual knowledge of the path. If a communication pattern is likely to be repeated, a memory object created on the initial access is saved. The saved memory object (“precursor”) is provided to the memory system on subsequent access as a hint about the process path to be used. The memory system can select a cached buffer that has a similar set of mappings to the precursor. |
| US07748007B2 |
Computer system for detecting object updates
A computer system is used to run one or more programs. It includes a memory having at least a first heap and a second heap in which objects are stored, with a first object being stored on the first heap. A write barrier is provided for detecting that said the first object has been updated by a program to include a first reference to a memory location in the second heap. |
| US07748006B2 |
Loading software on a plurality of processors
Loading software on a plurality of processors is presented. A processing unit (PU) retrieves a file from system memory and loads it into its internal memory. The PU extracts a processor type from the file's header which identifies whether the file should execute on the PU or a synergistic processing unit (SPU). If an SPU should execute the file, the PU DMA's the file to the SPU for execution. In one embodiment, the file is a combined file which includes both PU and SPU code. In this embodiment, the PU identifies one or more section headers included in the file which indicates embedded SPU code within the combined file. In this embodiment, the PU extracts the SPU code from the combined file and DMA's the extracted code to an SPU for execution. |
| US07748003B2 |
Hard real-time response
A general purposed operating system is modified to support hard real-time processing of hard real-time tasks. At least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a hard real-time processing unit to process hard real-time tasks, and at least one processing unit in the operating system is designated as a non-hard real-time processing unit to process non-hard real-time tasks and designated non-deterministic processing steps. Hard real-time tasks assigned to the non-hard real-time processing unit may be transferred to the hard real-time processing unit, and tasks assigned to the hard real-time processing unit that are about to execute a non-deterministic processing step may be transferred to the non-hard real-time processing unit. |
| US07747994B1 |
Generator based on multiple instruction streams and minimum size instruction set for generating updates to mobile handset
A mobile handset network employs a generator to generate update packages and a corresponding update agent in mobile handset to update its firmware and/or software. The generator may employ multiple instruction streams and efficient encoding techniques to make the generated update packages efficient and compact. One of the multiple instruction streams may be used for variable length integers (VLI), which employs groups of a certain number of bits that can be extended as needed. |
| US07747992B2 |
Methods and apparatus for creating software basic block layouts
Methods and apparatus to create software basic block layouts are disclosed. In one example, a method identifies branch data associated with a plurality of machine accessible instructions and identifies a plurality of basic blocks associated with the branch data. The method generates a partial layout from the plurality of basic blocks and generates a substantial layout from the partial layout based on a cost metric. |
| US07747990B2 |
Processors and compiling methods for processors
A compiling method compiles an object program to be executed by a processor having a plurality of execution units operable in parallel. A first availability chain is created from a producer instruction (p1) to a first consumer instruction (c1), when the execution of the instruction requires a value produced by the producer instruction. The first availability chain includes at least one move instruction (mv1-mv3) for moving the required value from a first point (20: ARF) accessible by the producer execution unit to a second point (22: DRF) accessible by a first consumer execution unit. When a second consumer instruction (c2), also requiring the same value, is scheduled for execution by an execution unit (23: EXU) other than the first consumer execution unit, at least part of the first availability chain is reused to move the required value to a point (23: DRF) accessible by that other execution unit. |
| US07747988B2 |
Software feature usage analysis and reporting
Described is a technology for analyzing usage of a software program's features. Software instrumentation data is collected during actual user program usage sessions. The collected data is then processed to determine various feature usage counts and other information, cross-feature usage (e.g., among users who use a feature, how many use another feature or program), and characteristics of feature users, e.g., how long, how much, how often and how extensive feature users use a program. Session analysis may be performed to provide information about the number of sessions in which a set of features occur. Feature usage trends over time may also be determined via analysis. A user interface is described for facilitating selection of one or more features to analyze, for facilitating selection of a group of users, and/or for outputting results corresponding to the analysis. |
| US07747987B1 |
System and method of analyzing risk in risk-based software testing
A system and a method are provided to quantitatively analyze the risk for a risk-based testing of software having at least one module. The risk-based testing comprises obtaining behavior of each module to a set of test cases. The method to quantitatively analyze the risk comprises assigning a confidence weight to each test case for each module based on its test history, assigning a confidence weight to each of a plurality of software specific parameters for each module, calculating a raw confidence level for each module based on the assigned confidence weights to the test cases, and calculating a confidence quotient for each module as a weighted sum of the raw confidence level for each module and the confidence weight for each software specific parameter. The confidence quotient indicates the risk of defects in each module. The module with the smallest confidence quotient is assigned the highest priority during the testing of the software. |
| US07747984B2 |
Automatic test case for graphics design application
A target graphics document containing graphics data may be used as a starting point to automatically generate one or more test cases as a sequence of test events to re-create the appearance of the target graphics document. The target document may be examined to determine the layers, graphics data within each layer, and the attributes of the graphics data. Based on the determined data, a sequence of input device actions may be generated to create a test document having graphics data based at least in part on the target document. In some cases, the generated input device actions may create a test document containing graphics data identical to that of the target document. In some cases, some user randomness may be applied to the generated input device actions to simulate ‘real-world’ user inaccuracy. In some cases, typical user manipulation of an input device may be applied to simulate ‘real-world’ usage. |
| US07747983B2 |
System and method for generating a web service definition and database schema from wireless application definition
A system and method for generating a service interface definition for a data source from an application definition is provided. The system and method includes: a component processor for examining components forming a component based application, which include a screen component having screen definitions, to identify a screen control mapping identifying a transition between a source screen and a target screen. The system and method includes a service interface generation engine for generating a Web service definition for a Web service interface of a backend server of a data source, based on an operation definition describing an action supported by the data source. The operation definition is constructed based on the identified transition. |
| US07747980B2 |
Method and system for specifying device interoperability source specifying renditions data and code for interoperable device team
System, device, method, and computer program and computer program products for providing communicating between devices having similar or dissimilar characteristics and facilitating seamless interoperability between them. Computer program software and methods of and systems and devices for sharing of content, applications, resources and control across similar and dissimilar permanently or intermittently connected devices. An interoperability source or DartSource method is provided for specifying program renditions and code content and data needed for packaged interoperability application. The interoperability source extends languages constructs commonly used to specify single executable program targeted to specific device, into language and format which can also specify procedures necessary for intelligent recruitment of teams of devices and alternative renditions of the program and/or content to be used on different device platforms so that there is suitable rendition to send to run on each recruited device to carry out that device's portion of the application. |
| US07747979B2 |
Cooperation instruction information creation device and cooperation instruction information creation method for document services on a network
Even if there exists use restriction in each of devices on a network, cooperation instruction information is created to enable execution of a cooperative processing. A script creation server performs user authentication of a client terminal and acquires user information. Next, the script creation server makes a retrieval request to a service retrieval server for services which the user can use at present, and transmits user information, and then, acquires a service list. When judging that a service is selected as one of structural elements of a job flow, the script creation server causes the user information to reflect the cost and the like required to perform the selected service. Then, the script creation server judges whether the job flow is completed, and creates a script on the basis of information relating to the job flow and inputted function information when it is judged that the job flow is completed. |
| US07747977B1 |
Method and system for stencil design for particle beam writing
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to particle beam writing to fabricate an integrated circuit on a wafer. In various embodiments, cell projection (CP) cell library information is stored in the form of a data structure. Subsequently, the CP cell library information is referenced by a writing system. The patterns are written on the wafer depending on the referenced CP cell library. |
| US07747972B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for timing analysis of electronic circuits
Methods and apparatuses for timing analysis are provided using stages having an input and at least one output. A circuit portion connected to the output is taken into account when analyzing the stage. |
| US07747970B2 |
Previews of information for selected download on auxiliary display
Preview content is automatically downloaded to a user's device. When desired, the user may obtain more detailed information relating to the preview information. The more detailed information may be personalized to the user. The user may customize the preview content they receive on their device. For example, using a web interface, the user may select which preview information they wish to receive on their device. Preview content may also be automatically configured for the user. The preview information may be displayed on a low power auxiliary display which is readily visible by the user. The more detailed information may be automatically downloaded based on a user's preferences, or the user may explicitly request to receive the more detailed information. |
| US07747965B2 |
System and method for controlling the opacity of multiple windows while browsing
A method referred to as x-ray browsing for allowing a user to browse through windows on their desktop is provided. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, making a first window the window in focus on the display screen and changing the relative opacities between a content portion of the first window and a content portion of the second window. By controlling the opacities a single window can be made opaque while the remaining windows can be made transparent to allow a user to successively navigate among open windows. |
| US07747960B2 |
Control for, and method of, operating at least two medical systems
A control for, and method of, operating at least two medical systems, each of which generates its own visual display output and accepts commands from an input device. The control includes a display, having an active display area, and at least one inactive display area, at least one input device which provides inputs to the medical system whose visual display output is being displayed on the active display area, and a controller that automatically selects the medical system whose visual display output is displayed on the active display area. |
| US07747959B2 |
Flexible and extensible combination user interfaces
Flexible and extensible combination user interfaces are described. Combination user interfaces combine task-based and deductive user interfaces in such a manner that complex user interactions can be facilitated using a more meaningful and intuitive user interface than would have been possible using task-based or deductive user interfaces exclusively. The described combination user interfaces are flexible and extensible. They are flexible in that users can work on multiple tasks or switch between tasks without first needing to complete another task. They are extensible in that they can be extended to add, modify, or remove tasks or portions of tasks. User interfaces can be extended by manipulating metadata associated with the user interfaces. The combination user interface can be combined with an Inbox concept to facilitate saving and assigning tasks. The Inbox represents a work queue for a user. |
| US07747958B2 |
System and method for enabling assisted visual development of workflow for application tasks
A method of enabling assisted visual development of workflow for an application task. A workflow wizard provides a tasking page from which a user selects a desired one of a plurality of candidate tasks. The workflow wizard then provides a data selection page from which the user selects a desired set of data components from a plurality of candidate data components. A target selection page is then provided, from which the user can select a desired one of a plurality of candidate objects. Finally, an assignment page is provided, to enable the user to specify a detailed assignment relationship between the selected set of data components and fields of the selected target. The workflow wizard then auto-generates code that, when executed, will implement the selected task using the selected set of data components, the selected target and the specified assignment. |
| US07747957B2 |
Work space control apparatus
When an activity event conducted by user object in the work space is detected by the detection server according to the detection of the activity event ID tag, the activity event is saved for each object by the work space server and the individual activity history server while the activity event can be referred. When the thus saved activity event is traced referring to the other objects, the computer for displaying an overview can display the saved activity event by the display of the object. |
| US07747956B2 |
Integrated experience of vogue system and method for shared integrated online social interaction
A novel application and user interface for facilitating group interactions over a network integrates messaging, file sharing, media playing, journaling, profiles, and gaming into a cohesive environment. The groups facilitated by the invention are persistent and mobile in that a user does not have to recollect and reconfigure the group each time he or she wants to interact with the group online and, while online, the group may be taken from one activity to another without having to disband and reconnect at the second activity. The application is modular so as to be extensible to include other activities and functionalities. In an embodiment, the group interaction application utilizes a peer-to-peer network environment to facilitate network communications between group members. |
| US07747955B2 |
Controlling of loading of information
A method for browsing a document comprising analyzing at least a part of a structure of the document; providing an icon for an element in the structure; and accessing at least part of the document corresponding to the icon. Also disclosed is a device, a document browser, and a storage media carrying a software program for browsing a document. |
| US07747954B2 |
Method and system for virtual private network connectivity verification
A method for testing connectivity of virtual private networks, the virtual private networks including customer edge routers and provider edge routers, the provider edge routers belonging to a network managed by a service provider, the method comprising: displaying a list of the virtual private networks on a display screen of a network management system for the network; receiving a signal from a user to select a virtual private network from the list of the virtual private networks, the virtual private network having a topology, an import route target, and an export route target associated therewith; generating a list of operations to test connectivity of the virtual private network from the topology, the import route target, and the export route target; displaying the list of operations to the user on the display screen; receiving a signal from the user to select an operation from the list of operations, the operation having a source provider edge router and a destination provider edge network associated therewith; and, transmitting a message from the network management system to the source provider edge router to perform the operation. |
| US07747952B2 |
Floating action buttons
A user interface (UI) includes floating action buttons. Respective hot zones are established for associated respective UI elements. When a focus is targeting (e.g., located at) a given hot zone, one or more floating action buttons that are associated therewith are presented as part of the UI. Activation of a particular action button of the one or more floating action buttons causes an action corresponding to the particular action button to be implemented. In an example implementation, the actions available through the one or more floating action buttons may be context-sensitive such that the actions thereof are tailored to the type of item corresponding to the UI element (e.g., an icon, a graphical element, a text portion, a screen area, etc.). |
| US07747948B2 |
Method of storing data in a personal information terminal
A method of storing all or part of data entered to an application program embedded in a personal data assistant to another application program is disclosed. A data storing method includes composing data in one of a plurality of application programs embedded in the personal data assistant, wherein the application programs have mutually different data formats, converting a format of the composed data to a suitable format for another application program manually or automatically, and storing the format-converted data in the other application program. |
| US07747943B2 |
Robust anchoring of annotations to content
Annotations are robustly anchored to content. The robust anchoring allows annotations to be associated with the content independently of the format used to store the content. The annotations can be re-anchored to the content after the content has been modified, including modifications to the format used to store the content. |
| US07747937B2 |
Web bookmark manager
A web bookmark manager processes a collection of web bookmarks to produce a richly structured presentation of the bookmark collection. The bookmark collection includes representations of resources, topics, and notice events. A notice event includes a reference to a web resource and a natural language description provided by a user. The notice description is processed by a classifier to determine topics to which the referenced web resource shall be associated. The processing of the notice description includes parsing to obtain sequences of content words, to which topics are associated. Generalizations of a topic are determined by subsequences of the associated word sequence. The presentation of a collection of bookmarks includes a chronology of notices, a ranking of topics, a taxonomy of topics, and an index of content words from topics. The presentation further includes per-topic and per-resource presentations. |
| US07747931B2 |
Apparatus and method for decoding burst in an OFDMA mobile communication system
A decoding apparatus in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) mobile communication system is provided. In the apparatus comprises, a first combiner performs first combining on an input burst a first number of times. A deinterleaver deinterleaves an output of the first combiner and outputs a burst having a repeated structure. A second combiner performs second combining on the burst having the repeated structure a second number of times. A decoder decodes the combined burst. A signal detector stores a second internal memory state value of the decoder for an instance where a first decoded bit is extracted from the decoded data, stores a second internal memory state value of the decoder for an instance where a last decoded bit is extracted from the decoded data, compares the first and second stored internal memory state values of the decoder, and sets a burst quality indicator (BQI) according to the comparison result. |
| US07747930B2 |
Method and system for forward error correction
Systems and methods wherein a two-dimensional array or the like is employable in data transmission and/or reception, and wherein characteristic values are computable with respect to data to be transmitted. The characteristic values are transmitted along with the data and perhaps used by a data recipient, and could include, for instance, forward error correction data. Various such systems and methods are employable for a number of network types including, for example, Digital Video Broadcast networks. |
| US07747929B2 |
Apparatus and method for coding/decoding block low density parity check code with variable block length
Disclosed is a device and procedure for coding a block low density parity check (LDPC) code having a variable length. The a device and procedure includes receiving an information word; and coding the information word into a block LDPC code based on one of a first parity check matrix and a second parity check matrix depending on a length to be applied when generating the information word into the block LDPC code. |
| US07747926B2 |
Methods and apparatus for a memory device with self-healing reference bits
A memory device, such an MRAM device, includes self-healing reference bits (104) associated with a set of array bits (102). The memory performs an error detection step (e.g., using an error-correction coding (ECC) algorithm, to detect the presence of a set of errors within the data bits. One of the reference bits (104) is toggled to a different state if an error count is greater than a predetermined threshold. If the set of errors remains unchanged when subsequently read, the reference bit (104) is toggled back to its original state. |
| US07747924B2 |
Method and apparatus for copying copy protected optical discs
To copy a copy protected DVD (32), and thereby subvert the copy prot-ection technique, a DVD drive (50) is controlled by a disc copying program (54) to access data at a level other than that at the user data level. For example, if it is the data frame (44) which is read, the DVD drive (50) is controlled to write a data frame (12) to a copy disc (52). During the copying process, the program (54) may be arranged to remove sector IDs and error detection codes from the read data frames (44) and to generate new sector IDs and appropriate ID error detection codes for the data frames (12) to be written to the copy disc (52). This circumvents any copy protection which has been incorporated in the identification data in a data frame of the original disc (52). |
| US07747923B2 |
Low-power receiver decoding
Embodiments of a method and apparatus for a transceiver decoding an Ethernet signal. The method includes receiving an Ethernet bit stream. The bit stream is at least one of low-complexity decoded by a low-complexity decoder of the transceiver or high-complexity decoded by a high-complexity decoder of the transceiver. If the bit stream fails a low-complexity decoding test, then the bit stream is high-complexity decoded. The low-complexity decoding and high complexity decoding are iteratively repeated until the bit stream passes the low-complexity decoding test. |
| US07747921B2 |
Systems and methods for transmitting data over lossy networks
An encoder/decoder system usable to decrease the probability of a failed transmission over a lossy wireless network. In one embodiment, data packets unsuccessfully sent over the wireless network may be retransmitted a particular number of times, depending on how important the data in the lost packet is. In another embodiment, the probability of successful decoding at the client side may be done by signaling to the server side that multiple reference frames should be used for subsequent prediction operations. |
| US07747920B2 |
Method and apparatus for unifying self-test with scan-test during prototype debug and production test
A method and apparatus for testing or diagnosing faults in a scan-based integrated circuit using a unified self-test and scan-test technique. The method and apparatus comprises using a unified test controller to ease prototype debug and production test. The unified test controller further comprises using a capture clock generator and a plurality of domain clock generators each embedded in a clock domain to perform self-test or scan-test. The capture clocks generated by the capture clock generator are used to guide at-speed or reduced-speed self-test (or scan-test) within each clock domain. The frequency of these capture clocks can be totally unrelated to those of system clocks controlling the clock domains. This unified approach allows designers to test or diagnose stuck-type and non-stuck-type faults with a low-cost DFT (design-for-test) tester or a low-cost DFT debugger. A computer-aided design (CAD) method is further developed to realize the method and synthesize the apparatus. |
| US07747915B2 |
System and method for improving the yield of integrated circuits containing memory
A system and method for increasing the yield of integrated circuits containing memory partitions the memory into regions and then independently tests each region to determine which, if any, of the memory regions contain one or more memory failures. The test results are stored for later retrieval. Prior to using the memory, software retrieves the test results and uses only the memory sections that contain no memory failures. A consequence of this approach is that integrated circuits containing memory that would have been discarded for containing memory failures now may be used. This approach also does not significantly impact die area. |
| US07747912B2 |
Semiconductor memory device capable of arbitrarily setting the number of memory cells to be tested and related test method
A semiconductor memory device and related test method are disclosed. Test data is defined from a group of M test bits selected from either input data or corresponding output data. A parallel bit test is then conducted on the test data. The M test bits include N test bits, where N is less than M, selected on a bit by bit basis from the output data, and L test bits, where N+L=M, selected from the input data. The selection of input data may be made in accordance with a don't care case for selected test data. |
| US07747911B1 |
Self verification of non-volatile memory
A method and apparatus for verifying non-volatile memory. A first transmission of data is received by a first memory of a device. The data is received by a non-volatile memory of the device. The data received by the non-volatile memory is verified by comparing it to the data in the first memory with comparison logic of the device. The verification is performed without receiving a second transmission of the data and without sending a second transmission of the data. A result is generated from the comparison. |
| US07747909B2 |
Debug card
A debug card includes a controlling chipset and a VGA connector. The controlling chipset includes a data storage module, a data transforming module, and a VGA controller. The data storage module stores data received from a computer system, which represents the status of the computer system. The data transforming module transforms the data and transmits the transformed data to the VGA controller. The VGA connector interconnects the VGA controller and a VGA display to display the data. |
| US07747908B2 |
System and method for creating different start cache and bus states using multiple test patterns for processor design verification and validation
A system and method for creating different start cache and bus states using multiple test patterns for processor design verification and validation is presented. A test pattern generator/tester re-uses test patterns in different configurations that alter cache states and translation lookaside buffer (TLB) states, which produces different timing scenarios on a broadband bus. The test pattern generator/tester creates multiple test patterns for a multi-processor system and executes the test patterns repeatedly in different configurations without rebuilding the test patterns. This enables a system to dedicate more time executing the test patterns instead of building the test patterns. By repeatedly executing the same test patterns in a different configuration, the invention described herein produces different start cache states, different TLB states, along with other processor units, each time the test patterns execute that, in turn, changes the bus timing. |
| US07747907B2 |
Preventive recovery from adjacent track interference
A predictive failure control circuit and associated method are provided in a data storing and retrieving apparatus. The circuit is configured to schedule a data integrity operation on data associated with a subportion of a data storage space, in relation to a comparison of an accumulated plurality of executed host access commands associated with the subportion. The subportion can comprise a sector or a single track or a band of tracks. A table preferably stores accumulated number of host access commands for each of a plurality of subportions of the data storage space. The data integrity operation can comprise reading the data on to detect degradation and restoring the recovered data to the same or to new, different tracks. The data subportions can also be reallocated to a new location. |
| US07747898B1 |
High-availability data center
Method/system is disclosed for recovering computing capacity and critical applications after a catastrophic failure. The method/system involves distributing the computing capacity over multiple computing clusters, each computing cluster having concurrent access to shared data and software applications of other computing clusters. Sufficient backup computing capacity is reserved on each computing cluster to recover some or all active computing capacity on the other computing clusters. Message traffic throughout the computing clusters is monitored for indications of a catastrophic failure. Upon confirmation of a catastrophic failure at one computing cluster, the workloads of that computing cluster are transferred to the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Software applications that have been designated for recovery are then brought up on the backup computing capacity of the other computing clusters. Such an arrangement allows computing capacity and critical software applications to be quickly recovered after a catastrophic failure. |
| US07747894B2 |
Transport-neutral in-order delivery in a distributed system
A transport-neutral in-order delivery in a distributed environment is provided. Typically, in-order delivery guarantees that sequential orders received by a transport engine are sent out in the same order they are received. Such delivery may be forwarded either to another transport engine or to some application. In case there is a failure of delivery of messages in a stream, the messages are either resubmitted, suspended, or moved to backup. A user or administrator can configure the desired action. Additionally, any stream can be manually aborted or a specified port can be unenlisted. Deliverable streams of messages are locked on to a back-end transport engines or applications and dequeued sequentially unless one of the above mentioned failure scenarios occurs. |
| US07747893B2 |
Method and system for managing resources during system initialization and startup
A method for managing a system's computer resources, includes: detecting an error condition in a computer resource; labeling the computer resource as not usable based on the error condition detected; reconfiguring the remaining computer resources to compensate for the detected error condition based on a failure mode policy; and wherein the failure mode policy manages the computer resources by one of: maximizing the amount of the remaining computer resources (mode 1), and maximizing the speed of the remaining computer resources (mode 2). |
| US07747891B2 |
Inverter control circuit
An inverter control circuit is used to control a switch and a transformer in front of a light-emitting unit and then adjust the driving power for the light-emitting unit and modify the luminant state of the light-emitting unit and comprises: a first control unit and a second control unit both having equivalent electronic elements. The first control unit and the second control unit have a signal generator and a signal synthesizer circuit. According to a signal fed back by the light-emitting unit and a dimming signal, the first signal generator outputs first working signals via the signal synthesizer circuit of the first control unit to determine the turn-on time of the switch. According to the first working signals and via the signal synthesizer circuit of the second control unit, the second signal generator outputs second working signals to the switch to determine the resonance frequency of the transformer. |
| US07747889B2 |
Bus having a dynamic timing bridge
A data processing system may comprise an initiator device having an output whose timing is referenced by a clock input alone corresponding to a first delay along a signaling path. The exemplary data processing system further may further comprise a target device having an input whose timing is referenced by a clock input alone corresponding to a second delay along the signaling path and a system bus interconnected between the initiator device and the target device within the signaling path. The exemplary data processing system may further comprise a dynamic timing bridge coupled to the system bus within the signaling path, wherein responsive to a control signal representative of at least one system characteristic, the dynamic timing bridge performs one selected from the group consisting of (i) inserting a cyclic latency within the signaling path and (ii) not inserting the cyclic latency within the signaling path. |
| US07747884B2 |
Power supply circuit for motherboard
A power supply circuit for a motherboard includes a first resistor, a second resistor, a Schottky diode, and a direct current (DC) voltage source. The Schottky diode includes a first anode, a second anode, and a cathode. The first anode of the Schottky diode is respectively coupled to terminals of the first and second resistors, another terminal of each of the first and second resistors is respectively coupled to a power supply and ground. The second anode of the Schottky diode is coupled to the DC voltage source, the cathode of the Schottky diode is coupled to a south bridge. |
| US07747881B2 |
System and method for limiting processor performance
A system and method for managing performance states of a processor. An enclosure comprises a first processing board with a processor and a second processing board with a processor. A service processor may also be coupled to the enclosure via an interconnect. The second processing board is configured to store a value indicative of a maximum processor performance state for a processor on the second board. In response to a detected request for a transition to a first processor performance state, the processor on the second board is configured to transition to the first processor performance state, if the first processor state is less than or equal to the maximum processor performance state; and transition to the maximum processor performance state, if the first processor state is greater than the maximum processor state. The second processor board may store the value in response to a an operating environment condition detected elsewhere within the enclosure. |
| US07747877B2 |
Tamper-resistant trusted Java virtual machine and method of using the same
A trusted Java virtual machine provides a method for supporting tamper-resistant applications, ensuring the integrity of an application and its secrets such as keys. The trusted Java virtual machine verifies the integrity of the Java application, prevents debugging of the Java application, and allows the Java application to securely store and retrieve secrets. The trusted Java virtual machine environment comprises a TrustedDictionary, a TrustedBundle, an optional encryption method for encrypting and decrypting byte codes, and an underlying trusted Java virtual machine. The encrypted TrustedDictionary protects data while the TrustedBundle protects programming code, allowing applications to store secret data and secure counters. The application designer can restrict TrustedBundle access to only those interfaces that the application designer explicitly exports. The open source code may optionally be encrypted. Secrets required by the open source programming code of the application are encrypted in TrustedDictionary. |
| US07747875B2 |
System to ensure that all audio-visual optical disc types are properly screened for watermarks
An apparatus for processing data and content includes at least one drive and a player (that may be implemented by software). At least some of the content is protected using a content scrambling scheme such as audio or video watermarking. The drive and player cooperate to operate in a lockable mode wherein if protected content is provided to the drive, the drive and player are interlocked so that the content is presented by the player only in accordance with consistent with protection scheme being used, and cannot be presented by any other player. Moreover, in the locked mode, protected content may not be accepted from any other drive. The drive and player are switched to an unlockded mode by presenting to the drive unprotected content. |
| US07747872B2 |
Secure portable electronic reference device
An electronic reference device is disclosed that can be connected to an external computer. The electronic reference device functions as a dictionary for the reader to look up words as they read. It can also have various other functions that would be suitable for a portable electronic device. When connected to the computer, the system has sufficient security features to allow the user to copy databases between the devices and to still protect the digital rights of the databases in memory. The security features uses encryption techniques to tie the database to the location in memory to regulate the access and readability of the databases. |
| US07747869B2 |
Process for detecting defective component exchanges
Method of detecting an unauthorized exchange of components in the case of a technical system, where the control unit (1) sends an encoded message (3) to a component (2) to be checked, in a data field of the message (3) a randomly generated or not easily reproducible value (5, 6) being entered, which is used for checking the installed component (2). The component (2) accesses an assignment field (8) and, as a result, assigns an identification (9) to each not easily reproducible or random value (5, 6) transmitted together with the message (3), and the component (2) transmits the identification corresponding to the value (5, 6) back to the control unit (1). The control unit (1) decides on the basis of the identification (9) whether the component (2) is that the component (2) which is authorized for use in the particular technical system. |
| US07747868B2 |
Method for inputting a password in a mobile communication terminal
A method for inputting a password in a mobile communication terminal. A password character table is provided to pre-store a plurality of special characters corresponding respectively to a number of key inputs. Displayed on a display screen is a special character in the password character table corresponding to the number of inputs of a given character key in a password input mode. |
| US07747864B2 |
DVD identification and managed copy authorization
A “managed copy” capability is provided that is both sanctioned and supervised by a service provider so that multimedia content distributed on optical media such as DVD can be copied and used by a client in a controlled manner. In an illustrative example, a content provider generates a fingerprint using heuristics and/or other data that uniquely identifies a multimedia release, like a feature film, as being authorized for copying according to defined usage rules. A managed copy service authorizes the client to make a copy of a source DVD if that source is found to match a stored fingerprint. An identification response, which may include encoding parameters and usage rules, provides confirmation to the client that content on the source DVD is authorized to be copied. The client copies content from the source to another medium in compliance with the identification response. |
| US07747860B2 |
System and method for preventing delivery of unsolicited and undesired electronic messages by key generation and comparison
A sending device prepares a key for each electronic message sent by the device by applying an algorithm to specified data in the message and then incorporates the key in the message. A receiving device, upon receipt of an electronic message, locates the incorporated key and the data from which a sending device practicing the invention would have prepared it. The receiving device communicates a confirmation request to the purported sending device which contains the key and the data for its preparation. The sending device receives the confirmation messages and prepares a comparison key by applying the algorithm to the data in the confirmation request. The sending device replies to the confirmation request confirming that the sending device sent the message if the comparison key matches the key in the confirmation request and otherwise responds with a denial. |
| US07747858B2 |
Methods and systems for encoding and protecting data using digital signature and watermarking techniques
Systems and methods are provided for protecting and managing electronic data signals that are registered in accordance with a predefined encoding scheme, while allowing access to unregistered data signals. In one embodiment a relatively hard-to-remove, easy-to-detect, strong watermark is inserted in a data signal. The data signal is divided into a sequence of blocks, and a digital signature for each block is embedded in the signal via a watermark. The data signal is then stored and distributed on, e.g., a compact disc, a DVD, or the like. When a user attempts to access or use a portion of the data signal, the signal is checked for the presence of a watermark containing the digital signature for the desired portion of the signal. If the watermark is found, the digital signature is extracted and used to verify the authenticity of the desired portion of the signal. If the signature-containing watermark is not found, the signal is checked for the presence of the strong watermark. If the strong watermark is found, further use of the signal is inhibited, as the presence of the strong watermark, in combination with the absence or corruption of the signature-containing watermark, provides evidence that the signal has been improperly modified. If, on the other hand, the strong mark is not found, further use of the data signal can be allowed, as the absence of the strong mark indicates that the data signal was never registered with the signature-containing watermark. |
| US07747853B2 |
IP delivery of secure digital content
According to one embodiment, a digital stream, inclusive of an Internet Protocol (IP) datagram, is transmitted to a digital device. IP datagram comprises an IP header and a body segmented including a plurality of packets in an MPEG format such as MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 for example. The plurality of packets comprises (i) a first packet including a payload having content and a header that comprises a first packet identifier to indicate a type of the content contained in the payload of the first packet, and (ii) a second packet including a payload and a secondary packet identifier to indicate that its payload includes content duplicative of the content contained in the first packet. The second packet precedes the first packet in the digital stream. Upon detecting the presence of duplicative content, the duplicative content is recovered, but the content contained in the payload of the first packet is disregarded. |
| US07747841B2 |
Method and apparatus for early load retirement in a processor system
A technique known as checkpointed early load retirement, combines register checkpointing load-value prediction to manage long-latency loads. When a long-latency load reaches the retirement stage unresolved, the processor enters Clear mode by (1) taking a Checkpoint of the architectural registers, (2) supplying a load-value prediction to consumers, and (3) early-retiring the long-latency load. This unclogs retirement, thereby “clearing the way” for subsequent instructions to retire, and also allowing instructions dependent on the long-latency load to execute sooner. When the actual value returns from memory, it is compared against the prediction. A misprediction causes the processor to roll back to the checkpoint, discarding all subsequent computation. |
| US07747838B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamically adjusting page size in a virtual memory range
The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for adjusting a page size for a virtual memory range. The process identifies a set of pages in the virtual memory range that reside on a primary memory to form a page occupancy. Each of the set of pages has a first page size. The process changes the first page size to a second page size in response to a comparison of the page occupancy to a threshold value indicating that the first page size should be adjusted. |
| US07747834B2 |
Memory manager for an embedded system
A memory manager acts on a memory that has been arranged with a predetermined number of fixed memory blocks, with each memory block set to a predefined size. These fixed blocks have been initialized to accelerate the allocation process. When a memory manger receives an allocation request, the size of the request is compared to the predefined size. If the memory manager determines that the fixed memory block handles the memory request, then the memory manager allocates one of the fixed blocks to the pending memory request. If no fixed block is available to handle the request, then the memory manager may allocate the memory from a free memory pool. The memory manager may search the available free memory blocks to identify and allocate the optimum free block that satisfies the pending allocation request. |
| US07747833B2 |
Independent link and bank selection
Provided is a memory system that has a plurality of memory banks and a plurality of link controllers. For each memory bank, there is first switching logic for receiving output for each link controller, and for passing on the output of only one of the link controllers to the memory bank. For each link controller, there is second switching logic for receiving an output of each memory bank, and for passing on the output of only one of the memory banks to the link controller. According to an embodiment of the invention, there is switch controller logic for controlling operation of both the first switching logic and the second switching logic to prevent simultaneous or overlapping access by multiple link controllers to the same memory bank, and for preventing simultaneous or overlapping access to multiple banks by the same link controller. |
| US07747824B2 |
Method for tracking of non-resident pages
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for efficiently tracking evicted or non-resident pages. For each non-resident page, a first hash value is generated from the page's metadata, such as the page's mapping and offset parameters. This first hash value is then used as an index to point one of a plurality of circular buffers. Each circular buffer comprises an entry for a clock pointer and entries that uniquely represent non-resident pages. The clock pointer points to the next page that is suitable for replacement and moves through the circular buffer as pages are evicted. In some embodiments, the entries that uniquely represent non-resident pages are a hash value that is generated from the page's inode data. |
| US07747821B1 |
Network acceleration and long-distance pattern detection using improved caching and disk mapping
A compression device recognizes patterns of data and compressing the data, and sends the compressed data to a decompression device that identifies a cached version of the data to decompress the data. In this way, the compression device need not resend high bandwidth traffic over the network. Both the compression device and the decompression device cache the data in packets they receive. Each device has a disk, on which each device writes the data in the same order. The compression device looks for repetitions of any block of data between multiple packets or datagrams that are transmitted across the network. The compression device encodes the repeated blocks of data by replacing them with a pointer to a location on disk. The decompression device receives the pointer and replaces the pointer with the contents of the data block that it reads from its disk. |
| US07747820B2 |
Managing working set use of a cache via page coloring
A processor cache is indexed by a group of distinct page colors. The use of this cache by different working sets is controlled using page coloring. Translations of virtual addresses of the instructions and/or data of a working set are constrained to physical addresses the page colors of which are in a subgroup of the group of distinct page colors. |
| US07747818B1 |
Media protection notification for serial interface mass storage devices
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for reducing the latency associated with media protection notification for serial interface mass storage devices, such as serial AT attachment (SATA) hard disk drives. A new link layer primitive, referred to as hold-emergency (HOLDE), incorporates the flow-control behavior of the existing HOLD command, with the additional new action of notifying the hard disk drive to take emergency steps to prepare for impact. The HOLDE link layer primitive operates in conjunction with the existing hold-acknowledge (HOLDA) primitive and is semantically similar to the existing HOLD primitive. The HOLDE mechanism is preferably implemented directly in hardware in the SATA link layer state machines within the host and the hard disk drive. |
| US07747814B2 |
Virtual machine state snapshots
Saving state of Random Access Memory (RAM) in use by guest operating system software is accomplished using state saving software that starts a plurality of compression threads for compressing RAM data blocks used by the guest. Each compression thread determines a compression level for a RAM data block based on a size of a queue of data to be written to disk, then compresses the RAM data block, and places the compressed block in the queue. |
| US07747811B2 |
Disk formatter and methods for use therewith
A disk formatter includes an address module for creating disk block address data corresponding to a disk sector of a disk drive. A sector write module initiates a physical mode write operation to the disk sector that incorporates the corresponding disk block address data. |
| US07747810B2 |
Address assigning method, disk drive, and data writing method
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention enable a disk drive of an address system to write data normally, wherein track groups of different track widths are discretely disposed on the storage medium in a same disk drive and the dimensional relationship among physical block addresses of a sector is valid for the dimensional relationship among logical block addresses. Track groups are managed corresponding to their respective track width in a disk drive and for disposing successively in a logical block address space the respective track groups located discretely on the physical block address space. |
| US07747807B2 |
Host controller including a disconnection detection circuit
A host controller includes a disconnection detection circuit 52 which compares a voltage level of a first differential signal DP of first and second differential signals DP and DM making up a differential signal pair corresponding to a given range in a frame packet with a comparison voltage CV, compares a voltage level of the second differential signal DM corresponding to a given range in the frame packet with the comparison voltage CV, and detects that a host and a device have been disconnected when the voltage level of at least one of the first and second differential signals DP and DM corresponding to the given range is higher than the comparison voltage CV. |
| US07747806B2 |
Resource use management device, resource use management system, and control method for a resource use management device
In a bus arbitration device that utilizes a resource use management device, upon detecting that a processor is permitted to access a memory, a detection unit decreases a counter by 1 and starts a timer, in a delay circuit, that is not in operation to count time. When the timer counts to a predetermined cycle time period, the delay circuit increases the counter by 1. A control unit permits the processor to access the memory, if the counter is larger than 0. |
| US07747805B2 |
Adaptive reader-writer lock
A method and computer system for dynamically selecting an optimal synchronization mechanism for a data structure in a multiprocessor environment. The method determines a quantity of read-side and write-side acquisitions, and evaluates the data to determine an optimal mode for efficiently operating the computer system while maintaining reduced overhead. The method incorporates data received from the individual units within a central processing system, the quantity of write-side acquisitions in the system, and data which has been subject to secondary measures, such as formatives of digital filters. The data subject to secondary measures includes, but is not limited to, a quantity of read-side acquisitions, a quantity of write-side acquisitions, and a quantity of read-hold durations. Based upon the individual unit data and the system-wide data, including the secondary measures, the operating system may select the most efficient synchronization mechanism from among the mechanisms available. Accordingly, efficiency of a computer system may be enhanced with the ability to selectively choose an optimal synchronization mechanism based upon selected and calculated parameters. |
| US07747804B2 |
Method and system for setting addresses for slave devices in data communication
A system for setting data communication addresses includes a master device, a plurality of slave devices, and a bus. The master device is connected to the slave devices via the bus. Each of the slave devices includes a control signal pin and an ID_Set Flag. The master device controls the enable status of the control signal pins and the logical values of the slave devices to set addresses for the slave devices. |
| US07747801B2 |
Reducing information reception delays
A technique for reducing information reception delays is provided. The technique reduces delays that may be caused by protocols that guarantee order and delivery, such as TCP/IP. The technique creates multiple connections between a sender and recipient computing devices and sends messages from the sender to the recipient on the multiple corrections redundantly. The recipient can then use the first arriving message and ignore the subsequently arriving redundant messages. The recipient can also wait for a period of time before determining which of the arrived messages to use. The technique may dynamically add connections if messages are not consistently received in a timely manner on multiple connections. Conversely, the technique may remove connections if messages are consistently received in a timely manner on multiple connections. The technique can accordingly be used with applications that are intolerant of data reception delays such as Voice over IP, real-time streaming audio, or real-time streaming video. |
| US07747799B2 |
Storage system
Data transfer is performed to and from a host computer using a first block as the minimum unit. Data transfer is performed to and from a storage area using a second block as the minimum unit. A second block set of the storage area stores data obtained from performing data conversion processes that change the size of the data itself, with a first block set as the unit. Here a correspondence relationship is generated between the first block set and the second block set. In response to a read request from the host computer, a second block set, which corresponds to the first block set that includes the first block that is requested, is read, a reverse-conversion process is performed, and the data is sent to the host computer. |
| US07747796B1 |
Control data transfer rates for a serial ATA device by throttling values to control insertion of align primitives in data stream over serial ATA connection
Systems and methods for performing data transfer rate throttling o improve the effective data transfer rate for SATA storage devices. The data transfer rate is diluted by inserting ALIGN primitives when data is sent. The receiving device simply discards the ALIGN primitives. Therefore, the receive data FIFO does not fill as quickly and fewer flow control sequences are needed for flow control to prevent the receive data FIFO from overflowing. An advantage of using the ALIGN primitives instead of conventional flow control is that the round-trip handshake latency is not incurred to disable and later enable data transfers. |
| US07747793B1 |
Method and apparatus for controlling a distributed buffering system having configurable circuitry
A distributed buffering system includes at least one input buffer, at least one serializing module, a at least one deserializing module, at least one output buffer, and a programmable logic device. The input buffer is operably coupled to store at least one data block of incoming data. The serializing module serializes the data block as it is retrieved from the input buffer to produce a serial stream of data. The programmable logic device receives the serial stream of data and distributes it to one or more of the at least one deserializing modules. The at least one deserializing module converts the serial stream back into the data block. The recaptured data block is then provided to the corresponding output buffer, which stores the recaptured data. |
| US07747790B2 |
Integrated driver circuit for LIN bus wherein circuit is operable between an older LIN bus specification or a newer LIN bus specification
An integrated driver circuit is provided for a LIN bus comprises a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal, which is to be connected to a bus line of the LIN bus and at which an output data signal, dependent on an input data signal, is output, whereby the output data signal is output according to a first or according to at least one second LIN bus specification depending on whether the input data signal is applied at the first input terminal or the at least second input terminal. |
| US07747787B2 |
Hybrid industrial networked computer system
A Kitchen Display System (KDS) includes a workstation including a first Personal Computer (PC)-based controller, a fanless workstation including a second PC-based or a non-PC-based controller having lower cost than the first PC-based controller, an Ethernet network operatively coupling the controllers, and a bump bar, keyboard, touchscreen, or keypad operatively coupled to at least one of the controllers. The first PC-based controller stores and displays video, multimedia, or a build card. At least one of the controllers includes a rugged computing module, which includes a circuit board including an outer perimeter and traces associated therewith, an integrated circuit mounted on the circuit board, at least one interface connector, a housing, and a thermal transfer device. |
| US07747768B1 |
Digital asset monitoring system and method
A system, method and computer program product are provided for monitoring digital assets communicated over a network. Initially, packets communicated between a first party and a plurality of other parties are passively inspected. Such packets collectively include at least a portion of data associated with a digital asset. Thereafter, based on the inspected packets, at least one aspect associated with the first party and at least one aspect associated with the digital asset are identified. |
| US07747766B2 |
System and method for recognizing offloaded packets
A method and system for recognizing offloaded packets, wherein a common attribute of connection identifications among a plurality of offloaded connections is first calculated. Then, a connection identification of a packet is recognized to determine whether the connection identification of the packet has the common attribute so as to determine whether the packet is a non-offloaded packet. Therefore, the non-offloaded packet can be promptly recognized to greatly lower the recognition workload of an embedded processor, to improve the efficiency of executing a partial offloaded process by the embedded processor and to decrease the operation delay of the non-offloaded packet in a protocol offload processing system. |
| US07747763B2 |
System and method for ensuring a device uses the correct instance of a network service
A system and method are provided for ensuring access to the correct instance of a network service. The system includes a plurality of management domains. Each management domain may include at least one server and at least on managed device. When the managed device sends a request for a network service, the request may be received by all servers in the network, including those belonging to different management domains. As such, each server may include a referral list. When the server receives a request, the server may determine whether its management domain includes the appropriate instance of the network service. If it does not, it may forward the request to other servers in the referral list until the appropriate network service is identified. |
| US07747762B2 |
System for transmitting data utilizing multiple communication applications simultaneously in response to user request without specifying recipient's communication information
The present invention is related to a method for transmitting data utilizing a plurality of communication applications simultaneously in a communication device supporting the plurality of communication applications, and a communication device for implementing the method. The method according to the present invention includes establishing a first communication session between a user of the communication device and a recipient via a first communication application supported by the communication device, invoking a second communication application to transmit data to the recipient via the second communication application during a communication session concurrent with the first communication session, and, in response to invoking the second communication application, automatically retrieving communication information related to the recipient and necessary to establish the concurrent communication session via the second communication application. |
| US07747758B2 |
Dynamic port assignment
A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture provide the ability to determine a port number for a network connection. An Internet Protocol (IP) address of a server is determined. Based on the IP address, a first number is determined. An interval value is added to the first number resulting in a second number to be used as a port number. The interval value is repeatedly added to the second number if the second number is not available for use as the port number. |
| US07747757B2 |
Distributed network query
A method of identifying a plurality of nodes on a network, includes receiving at at least one of the plurality of nodes on the network a query posed by a caller node determining at the at least one of the plurality of nodes on the network an answer to the query, forwarding the answer to the query from the at least one of the plurality of nodes on the network to the caller node and receiving, at the caller node, the answer to the query from the at least one of the plurality of nodes on the network and maintaining a list of nodes which responded to the query. |
| US07747756B2 |
Computer program product using two different programs to determine state of a network node to eliminate message response delays in system processing
The determination of node and/or adapter liveness in a distributed network data processing system is carried out via one messaging protocol that can be assisted by a second messaging protocol which is significantly less susceptible to delay, especially memory blocking delays encountered by daemons running on other nodes. The switching of protocols is accompanied by controlled grace periods for needed responses. This messaging protocol flexibility is also adapted for use as a mechanism for controlling the deliberate activities of node addition (birth) and node deletion (death). |
| US07747755B2 |
Method and apparatus for session management in an enterprise java bean session bean
A method and apparatus to provide a general-purpose timeout management system for client-specific session objects. In one embodiment a timeout service is created that may be used by more than one Java Enterprise EJB container simultaneously, avoiding unnecessary duplication of timeout management services. Each EJB container may instantiate an “invalidation agent” which registers a callback interface with the timeout service. The timeout service invokes a timeout callback method on registered invalidation agents at specified time intervals. The time intervals correspond to the timeout values associated with the client-specific objects, obviating the need for the EJB container to make time-consuming queries to the system clock. The invention discloses a “timeout marker” data element associated with each client-specific session object created by the EJB container. Whenever a client accesses a client-specific session object, the timeout marker associated with that object is cleared. Then, when the invalidation agent's timeout callback is invoked, the invalidation agent checks the timeout marker on each registered object to determine whether it was accessed since the last timeout period. If the object was not accessed it may be terminated; otherwise it may be retained and re-marked. |
| US07747746B2 |
Providing authenticated access to multiple social websites
Methods of the present invention allow for managing multiple social websites. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of providing a Personal Portal Website (that may resolve from a domain name registered to a Registrant and may be communicatively coupled to a plurality of social websites), displaying the Registrant's public webpage from at least one social website, and authenticating the Registrant. If the Registrant is successfully authenticated, the Registrant may be logged into at least one social websites and the Registrant's private webpage from the social website(s) may be displayed. |
| US07747745B2 |
Media properties selection method and system based on expected profit from profile-based ad delivery
An automatic system facilitates selection of media properties on which to display an advertisement, responsive to a profile collected on a first media property, where a behavioral-targeting company calculates expected profit for an ad correlated with the profile and arranges for the visitor to be tagged with a tag readable by the selected media property. The profit can be calculated by deducting, from the revenues that are expected to be generated from an ad delivered based on the collected profile, at least the price of ad space at a media property where the BT company might like to deliver ads to the profiled visitor. When the calculated profit is positive (i.e., not a loss), the BT company arranges for the visitor to be tagged with a tag readable by the selected media property through which the BT company expects to profit. |
| US07747744B2 |
Mobile communication system and data transferring method for use with mobile communication system
A mobile communication system is disclosed which comprises: an information terminal unit; a plurality of mobile stations, each of which communicates with the information terminal unit; a packet mobile switching center which communicates with the plurality of mobile stations through a radio access network; a packet mobile gateway switching center which communicates with the packet mobile switching center through a mobile data network; and a content server which communicates with the packet mobile gateway switching center through the Internet; wherein the information terminal unit downloads or uploads data from or to the content server through the plurality of mobile stations. |
| US07747742B2 |
Online predicate checking for distributed systems
Exemplary methods, computer-readable media, and systems describe detecting a performance bug or a nontrivial correctness in a distributed system. The techniques describe using an online predicate checker by specifying a predicate on distributed properties of the distributed system. The process describes monitoring and checking the predicate when the system is deployed and providing a service. In response to detection of the performance bug, the process describes performing modifications of the predicate or installing new predicate. |
| US07747741B2 |
Method and apparatus for dynamic resource discovery and information distribution in a data network
A method for distributing information to a plurality of servers is described. The information is transmitted from a control manager server to a first group leader server. The first group leader server transmits the information to a second group leader server. The second group leader server requests instructions from the control manager server. The second group leader server then transmits, in response to the instructions, the information to a further group leader server. The first group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the first group leader server. The second group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the second group leader server. The further group leader server transmits the information to back end servers belonging to a group of the further group leader server. |
| US07747740B2 |
Troubleshooting of Wireless Client Connectivity Problems in Wireless Networks
A troubleshooting system. In particular implementations, a method includes receiving a request for troubleshooting, where the request comprises identifying information for a wireless client having a connection problem. The method further includes identifying network nodes that are sources of log data associated with connection activity of the wireless client, and invoking troubleshoot logging on one or more central controllers for the wireless client. The method further includes polling the identified network nodes for the log data, and identifying one or more potential causes of the connection problem based on correlating the data logs. |
| US07747726B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating a local performance index to measure the performance contribution of a single server in a multi-tiered environment
A method and apparatus for obtaining a local performance measure for a particular server in a particular tier in a transaction environment in which transactions pass through multiple tiers with multiple servers at each tier. The contribution from the particular server to the total end-to-end response time for a set of transactions is scaled by the ratio of transactions passing through the particular tier to transactions passing through the particular server to obtain a scaled contribution from the particular tier. This is added to the contribution from outside the particular tier to obtain a modified total end-to-end response time from the perspective of the particular server. The modified total end-to-end response time is divided by the number of transactions in the set to obtain a modified average end-to-end response time from the perspective of the particular server, which is used to control allocation of resources to the server. |
| US07747719B1 |
Methods, tools, and interfaces for the dynamic assignment of people to groups to enable enhanced communication and collaboration
A system for optimizing the value of communications between communicating parties is provided. The system includes a communication group manager that facilitates specifying policies, preferences and/or automated analysis of ideal communication channels, routing and/or scheduling in terms of communicating party groups that can be pre-populated clusters of communicating parties, assembled based on relationships (e.g., organizational), and/or assembled based on satisfying inclusion criteria (e.g., age, location, competence, communication history, meeting history). The communication group manager maps communicating parties into predefined and/or dynamically created groups that facilitate specifying and/or automatically computing ideal communication actions like selecting a channel, displaying lists of potential channels sorted by communicating party preferences, and (re)scheduling communications to different channels and/or times. Ideal communication actions can be identified by maximizing a measure of expected communication utility, where groups provide simplifying abstractions to facilitate assessment of outcome utilities. The method can employ representations of preferences of the contactor and contactee that allow for group-specific preference considerations that weight differentially contactor and/or contactee preference considerations in communication action optimization. The system includes a group wise communication coordinator that identifies optimal group communication sets. The method facilitates a recipient communicating with a group member where the communication utility is optimized based on a preference, and a context associated with the group to which the member belongs. |
| US07747715B2 |
Object distribution
A method of locating objects in a distributed electronic environment comprising defining a plurality of object-types, which object-types are assigned a plurality of attributes, one attribute being an object-precedence attribute. A plurality of home locations for objects are defined. When a new object is instantiated, which object has associations with other objects, the new object is located at the home location of the existing object which has the highest precedence value of all the associated objects. |
| US07747708B2 |
Method and system for providing media content over a computer network
A method and system to provide a media file appropriate for playback. The system identifies an ability of a computer system to playback media content locally by querying a computer system over a network to assess a local playback capability of the computer system. Next, the system creates the media file in response to the identification of the ability and based on the ability. Finally, the system provides the computer system with the media file based on the ability of the computer system to playback the media content locally. |
| US07747706B2 |
System and methods for completion of attempts to access content
A content consumption session completion system and method useful in conjunction therewith, the system comprising an apparatus for detecting uncompleted content consumption sessions by monitoring consumption of data services by a user and logging information regarding at least one uncompleted content consumption session between at least one user and at least one data service. The system further includes an apparatus for diagnosing a reason why at least one individual content consumption session was uncompleted, and also includes an apparatus for responding to at least one uncompleted content consumption session as a function of the reason. |
| US07747704B2 |
Context aware computing devices and methods
Context-aware computing systems and methods are described. In particular embodiments, location aware systems and methods are described. In the described embodiments, hierarchical tree structures are utilized to ascertain a device context or location. The tree structures can be stored on or accessible to mobile computing devices so that the devices can determine their own particular context or location. A computing device can automatically determine its context or location by ascertaining a node on one or more of the tree structures and then traversing the tree structure to ascertain the complete context. |
| US07747703B2 |
Method and system for targeted marketing to a portable media player device owner
A method and system includes a central location and a first set top box 28A in communication with the central location having a first interface 32. A second set top box 28B in communication with the central location 100 has a second interface 32. A portable device 36 in communication with the second set top box 28B through the second interface and storing a token therein. Thereafter, the token is communicated through the interface to the first set top box. The first set top box 28A communicates the token to the central location 100 so that targeted marketing may be generated. |
| US07747702B2 |
System and method for accessing and operating personal computers remotely
A remote access device is disclosed for capturing, digitizing and communicating video signals from a host computer to a remote computer. The remote computer returns keyboard and mouse signals through the remote access device to the host computer to control the host computer as though the remote keyboard and mouse were directly connected to the host computer. The remote access device includes a circuit module interface for the host computer that allows the remote access device to operate independently of any operating system characteristics associated with the host computer. |
| US07747687B2 |
Information processing device and method, and program
An information processing device connected via a network to another information processing device that recognizes action of a user on a basis of an output of a sensor incorporated in the other information processing device and transmits action information indicating the recognized action of the user includes: a table DB configured to manage correspondence relation between each action recognizable in the other information processing device and communication tools; and a communication means selection processing unit configured to select a communication tool corresponding to the action of the user of the other information processing device, the action of the user being indicated by the action information, as a tool used for communication with the user of the other information processing device on a basis of the correspondence relation managed by the table DB, and execute an application that manages the selected communication tool. |
| US07747686B2 |
System and method for interacting with data using visual surrogates
The present invention relates to systems and methods for facilitating the interaction with data using interactive data structures. The method of the present invention comprises generating one or more objects associated with one or more items of content. The one or more objects are combined to form an interactive data structure. The content associated with the one or more objects and the interactive data structure are delivered to a client device. One or more modifications may be made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure. The one or more modifications made to the one or more objects comprising the interactive data structure may be propagated to the content associated with the one or more objects. |
| US07747679B2 |
Managing a communication availability status
In response to a first user becoming active on a communication device, a first availability status can be automatically established as a current availability of the first user. A first time period can be automatically identified. During the first time period, the first availability status can be maintained as the current availability of the first user to at least a second user. In response to the first time period elapsing, a second availability status can be automatically established as the current availability of the first user to the second user. |
| US07747676B1 |
Selecting an advertising message for presentation on a page of a publisher web site based upon both user history and page context
A facility for selecting an advertising message to present to a user via a selected device in connection with a selected instance of electronic content presented via the device is described. For the selected instance of electronic content, as well as any other instances of electronic content that were previously presented via the selected device during an immediately preceding period of time of preselected length, the facility distinguishes any subjects identified as corresponding to the instance of electronic content. Among a number of advertising messages, the facility distinguishes advertising messages identified as corresponding to any of the distinguished subjects. The facility weights each of the distinguished advertising messages based upon its expected level of performance, and randomly selects one of the distinguished advertising messages in accordance with their weights for presentation in connection with the selected instance of electronic content via the selected device. |
| US07747666B2 |
Parallel filter realization for wideband programmable digital radios
A block polyphase filter is constructed of a set of filter blocks having different filter functions, and being arranged for parallel processing of portions of an input sequence of signals. Signals of the input sequence are divided among the blocks by a demultiplexer for processing at a clock frequency lower than a clock frequency of the input signal sequence. The filter blocks are arranged in groups, wherein output signals of the blocks in any one group are summed to produce an output signal of the filtered group. Output signals of all of the filter groups are multiplexed to provide an output signal sequence wherein the repetition frequency of the signals may be higher, lower, or equal to the repetition frequency of the input signal sequence depending upon the ratio of the number of filter groups to the number of filter blocks in the set of filter blocks. |
| US07747665B2 |
Standardization of a noise source for random number generation
A method and a circuit for standardizing a noise source providing an initial bit flow, including dividing the initial bit flow into bit words of identical lengths, and assigning an output state according to the states of the bits of the current word and to a pre-established assignment rule, the assignment rule being inverted according to the occurrence, in the initial bit flow, of words, all the bits of which have identical states. |
| US07747663B2 |
System and method for content addressable storage
Information, such as files received from a client, etc., is stored in a storage system, such as a content addressable storage system. A file server receives data from a client and chunks the data into blocks of data. The file server also generates metadata for use in forming a data structure. The blocks of data are stored in a block store and a copy of the data blocks and the metadata are locally cached at the file server. A commit server retrieves the metadata. In at least one embodiment, the metadata is retrieved from an update log shared between the file server and the commit server. Based on the retrieved metadata, the commit server generates a version of a data structure. The data structure is then stored at the block store. |
| US07747662B2 |
Service aware network caching
Embodiments of this invention provide service aware network caching. A service aware network caching device determines a service priority for traffic received from a client targeted towards a storage server connected to the caching device. The caching device transmits a response to the client based on the service priority determined by the caching device. For a particular service priority, the caching device may be configured to retrieve and store other data related to the data requested in the traffic in anticipation of subsequent requests from a client for the related data. For a particular service priority, in order to service traffic associated with a higher service priority, the caching device may also be configured to disconnect the caching device's connections to other clients or servers when the connections are associated with lower service priorities and a particular congestion state is detected. |
| US07747659B2 |
Garbage collector with eager read barrier
A garbage collection system that needs to meet real-time requirements uses an eager read barrier that performs a forwarding operation as soon as a quantity is loaded. The barrier maintains a to-space invariant by including a forwarding pointer in the header of objects to be moved or accessed that normally points to the object itself. However, if the object has been moved, the forwarding pointer points to the new object location. The eager read barrier maintains the registers and stack cells such that the registers and stack cells always point into to-space. Barrier-sinking and common sub-expression elimination are used to minimize the overhead associated with the read barrier. |
| US07747657B2 |
Mapping hierarchical data from a query result into a tabular format with jagged rows
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for mapping hierarchical data from a query result into a tabular display, such as a spreadsheet. The tabular display allows some (or all) of the elements included in the hierarchical display to be mapped to positions on the report. In one embodiment, a field of the result that stores hierarchical data with repeating elements (e.g., an XML document) is mapped into the tabular report using jagged rows. This approach allows a user to map both the hierarchical and relational data in the result set to cells in the spreadsheet, and in the process, handle any embedded collection (repeated element) in the hierarchical data. |
| US07747647B2 |
Distributing permission information via a metadirectory
A permission information system and method are provided. The system facilitates management of permissions across a wide variety of systems and applications in a network environment. The system includes a data store which is a central repository that maintains permissions (e.g., in a user readable format). The permissions can, optionally, be translated into a format that is useable by endpoint system(s).The system further includes a metadirectory component which notices change(s) that are created in the data store and sends the security information to the endpoint system(s). The new security policy can then installed and enforced on the endpoint systems. The system can thus employ the capabilities of a metadirectory to distribute security policy(ies) to these end-point systems. The system can, optionally, include one or more translator(s) which transform the user readable format into a format that is consumable by the endpoint system(s). |
| US07747645B2 |
System and method for calendar-based anomalous access detection
An access control system is augmented with the ability to categorize access requests as anomalous, by correlating the time and location of the requesting user with information provided by the requesting user's calendar entries. These entries provide the dates and times that a user is anticipated to be located in a particular geographic region. |
| US07747644B1 |
Internet delivery system delivering electronic information products to a purality of users according to user authentication and type of user
An Internet delivery method delivers electronic information products to a plurality of users via the Internet. A plurality of display formats are stored in a database. The display formats including at least a default display format and a custom display format. Information is also stored for each user indicating whether the user is a specific type of user. When a user logs in, the user is identified as being that specific type of user. If the user is identified as the specific type of user, then an electronic information product is delivered to the user in the custom display format. The electronic information products are accessed via computers connected to the Internet, including wireless devices. |
| US07747643B2 |
Installed base data hub
An installed base data hub for centrally managing information about the installed customer base of an enterprise is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an installed base data hub comprises a data repository configured to store installed base data, the installed base data including first information representative of at least one customer of the enterprise and second information representative of one or more products purchased by the customer. The hub further includes a data librarian configured to cleanse the installed base data, a security module configured to manage access to the data repository, a subscription interface configured to enable one or more of a plurality of spoke systems to read data from the repository, and a publication interface configured to enable one or more of the plurality of spoke systems to write data into the repository. In various embodiments, at least one of the spoke systems is external to the enterprise. |
| US07747637B2 |
For each item enumerator for custom collections of items
The subject disclosure pertains to a loop enumerator. The enumerator includes its own collection of items that can be generated manually or loaded from a file. Further, the items themselves can be collections of variable size. These collections of items can be customized to enable enumeration over non-uniform data and/or data that cannot otherwise be logically filtered easily. |
| US07747635B1 |
Automatically generating efficient string matching code
A tool is provided, which generates source code for matching a predetermined set of strings against a client-supplied string at runtime. The tool employs an efficient matching technique in which maximal use is made of the length of the client-supplied string, and the number of comparison operations is minimized. Using the tool, a string equality operation may be deferred until a high likelihood of success is indicated, or omitted entirely. |
| US07747633B2 |
Incremental parsing of hierarchical files
An incremental parser for hierarchical files is provided where the file can be parsed into a tree representation. Changes to the file can effectuate incremental changes to the tree such that the whole hierarchical file need not be reparsed; the incremental change modifies the necessary portions of the tree, not necessarily the entire tree. Moreover, the incremental parser can intelligently handle errors related to modification of the hierarchical file, such as unmatched tags corresponding to unmatched nodes in the tree. Such error handling provides operability with the malformed hierarchical file rather than providing an error and/or rejecting the file as modified. |
| US07747629B2 |
System and method for positional representation of content for efficient indexing, search, retrieval, and compression
A method of generating a positional representation of a document, including identifying each unique term in a document and positions in the document at which the unique term appears, and for the each unique term, storing positional information derived from the positions into a positional representation. |
| US07747628B2 |
System and method for automated construction, retrieval and display of multiple level visual indexes
A method for displaying a multiple level visual index representing data records, comprises storing a plurality of data records and receiving a request to access the stored data records. The method continues by using index parameters to generate a multiple level visual index for the stored data records to be accessed. The method concludes by transmitting a graphical representation of the generated multiple level visual index. |
| US07747625B2 |
Organizing a collection of objects
Systems and methods of organizing a collection of objects are described. In one aspect, a sequence of objects is segmented into object clusters based on: comparisons of successive object intervals to weighted measures of cluster extent; and comparisons of successive object intervals to weighted measures of cluster object density. In another aspect, objects from the collection are segmented into clusters. Context-related meta data associated with the objects and parsable into multiple levels of a name hierarchy is extracted. Names are assigned to clusters based on the extracted context-related meta data corresponding to a level of the name hierarchy selected to distinguish segmented clusters from one another. In another aspect, a sequence of objects that are segmented into clusters is accessed. Each cluster includes multiple objects arranged in a respective sequence in accordance with context-related meta data associated with the objects. At least two constituent objects representative of beginning and ending instances in the corresponding object sequence are selected for each object cluster. The selected representative objects of each cluster are graphically presented on a screen. |
| US07747623B2 |
Product design support method and system
A product design support method and system are disclosed in which assuming that a globally distributed commodity is disposed of as a waste product by different recycle methods in different regions or countries, the recycle cost and environmental load accrued by different processing methods are quantified using the product design information thereby to assist in the design improvement. The product information and the regional recycle characteristics are input to determine the recycle method by region. Further, the recycle cost/environmental load by region are quantified based on the product design information using the basic unit information of the recycle cost and environmental load by region. |
| US07747621B2 |
Generating a relation diagram of data files
The invention provides a system that associates data files with one another effectively to visually represent a relation among the data files and allows a user to easily understand relationship of contents of the data files. The system determines whether there is a parent data file for a selected retrieval object data file with reference to a contract association table and, if the parent data file is present, changes the retrieval object to the parent data file and repeats the processing. If the parent data file is not present, the system stores a present retrieval object data file as display data, that is, store a top data file as display data. Then, the system retrieves all data files associated with the top data file, stores the data files as display data, generates a relation diagram of the data files, and transmits the relation diagram to a user terminal. |
| US07747620B2 |
Method and system for generating affinity based playlists
A system and method of generating a playlist of affinity related media files using affinity relationship data. In one aspect the relationship affinity data is based upon a user rating score obtained from a population of user's ratings associated with media file attributes. In one aspect, a media file attribute which can include an artist, album, title, and genre information associated with a media file is received from a user, indicating the user's desire to create an affinity playlist of media files having an affinity relationship based upon the selected media file attribute. |
| US07747619B2 |
Computerized system and method for advanced advertising
The invention provides an improved algorithm for selecting paid advertisements for inclusion with search engine results or with any resource retrieved from the Internet. The algorithm collects personalized data of each user and feeds the collected personalized data into search queries of search engines, to retrieve paid advertisements. The advertisements are retrieved based not only on search keywords input by the user, but also based on personal preferences, interests and demographics of the user, as well as the location of the user and the time when the search is performed. In other words, the inventive technology enables each user to receive very targeted, localized and personalized advertising materials. |
| US07747618B2 |
Augmenting user, query, and document triplets using singular value decomposition
A system for augmenting click-through data with latent information present in the click-through data for use in generating search results that are better tailored to the information needs of a user submitting a query is provided. The augmentation system creates a three-dimensional matrix with the dimensions of users, queries, and documents. The augmentation system then performs a three-order singular value decomposition of the three-dimensional matrix to generate a three-dimensional core singular value matrix and a left singular matrix for each dimension. The augmentation system finally multiplies the three-dimensional core singular value matrix by the left singular matrices to generate an augmented three-dimensional matrix that explicitly contains the information that was latent in the un-augmented three-dimensional matrix. |
| US07747615B2 |
System for color match and digital color display
The present invention is directed to a system for digital displaying images of various colors and appearances of an article and the use thereof. The invention is particularly directed to a system for displaying images for selecting one or more matching formulas to match color and appearance of an article. The invention is even further directed to a system for displaying images for selecting one or more matching formulas to match color and appearance of a target coating of a vehicle. |
| US07747613B2 |
Presentation of differences between multiple searches
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for generating and displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set. According to the present invention, a method for displaying the difference between a primary result set and a secondary result set for a query comprises generating a primary result set and a secondary result set, the primary result set and secondary result set generated according to one or more respective disparate search algorithms. A difference result set is determined according to a difference between items in the primary result set and second result set, which is displayed to a user. |
| US07747608B1 |
Systems and methods for structuring database queries
Systems and methods are provided for structuring database queries. In some embodiment, a method for querying a database to obtain desired information is provided, including forming at least one query of a first query language selected from a set of query languages and based at least in part on a set of constraints of the first query language to obtain at least part of the desired information; and forming at least one query of at least one additional query language from the set of query languages and based at least in part on a set of constraints of the at least one additional query language to obtain at least part of the desired information; wherein the at least one query of the first query language and the at least one query of the at least one additional language obtain at least all of the desired information. |
| US07747607B2 |
Determining logically-related sub-strings of a string
Techniques are provided for determining which sub-strings of a string are logically related to the string. In one embodiment, sub-strings of a string are considered logically related to the string if the sub-strings frequently appear as queries in the same sessions in which the string itself appears as a query. Information about strings and their logically-related sub-strings is stored in a “splits-dictionary”. Once generated, the splits-dictionary may be used by the search engine for a variety of purposes, including the suggestion of alternative queries. The splits-dictionary may also be used by the search engine for other purposes, such as to affect the ranking of search results. |
| US07747606B2 |
Automatic SQL tuning advisor
A method for receiving a database query language statement and performance information about the statement at an optimizer and generating one or more tuning actions for the statement with the performance information is disclosed. |
| US07747605B2 |
Organizational data analysis and management
Organizational data analysis and management are described, including evaluating an item comprising the organizational data, the item being created in a first application and having a first format, associating the item with the matter based on a type or a classification, and configuring the copy of the item for presentation in an interface associated with a second application using a second format, the copy of the item being configured for selection from within the second application in the first format. |
| US07747604B2 |
Dynamic sitemap creation
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamic sitemap creation. Embodiments of the present invention facilitate the placement of executable code behind a Sitemap feed. The executable code is configured to access objects from a data source (e.g., database, other data collection, Web service, etc.) and translates the objects into XML for inclusion in a Sitemap. Sitemap properties can be included in a configuration file and/or in a derived class and preserved within Sitemap entries. Thus, a Sitemap can be created directly and automatically from data at a data source. Accordingly, a Sitemap can be created without having to manually re-enter data from the data source into the Sitemap. |
| US07747603B2 |
System for incorporating information about a source and usage of a media asset into the asset itself
An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system. |
| US07747600B2 |
Multi-level search
A computer-implementable method and system for performing a multi-level search. The method includes performing a primary search that involves executing a query submitted by a user, and returning primary search results (a list of documents, for example). The method further includes automatically performing a secondary search. The secondary search involves identifying at least one third-party source of information based on the query, and automatically assessing a semantic interpretation of the query. The secondary search utilizes the identified at least one third-party source of information and the semantic interpretation of the query to derive secondary search results, which are displayed along with the primary search results. |
| US07747598B2 |
Geographic coding for location search queries
A method for performing a location search includes receiving a location search query, determining key words corresponding to the location search query, identifying one or more documents that correspond to the key words in the location search query, and providing to a client system information identifying at least one location corresponding to the one or more documents. |
| US07747592B2 |
Method and system for monitoring domain name registrations
Improved approaches to domain name monitoring are disclosed. The monitoring of domain names, e.g., registrations therefor, is beneficial to holders of similar domain names, trademark owners, and competitors. Such monitoring can be automatically performed. |
| US07747590B2 |
Avoiding redundant computation in service-oriented architectures
A request for a software service utilizes a service intermediary. The service intermediary 1) checks the request to confirm that it conforms to XML well-formedness, and 2) validates the schema of the request. If the request passes both tests, then flags are appended to the request, which is sent to a service provider. The flag indicates to the service provider that the request has already been checked and validated, such that the service provider only needs to provide the requested service, without redundantly checking and validating the request. |
| US07747589B2 |
Transaction time indexing with version compression
A system and method that facilitates and effectuates transaction time indexing with version compression. The system includes an indexing component that partitions a database page containing multiple temporally related versions of a record into a historical page and a current page based at least in part on a time or a key. The system includes a compression component that constructs backward deltas for compressing earlier (historical) versions of records that are stored on the page. Because there is always an uncompressed version for each record on each page, decompression can be done based solely on information stored on the record's page. |
| US07747588B2 |
Extensible XML format and object model for localization data
Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media including computer-readable components for the localization of data included in software programs are described. The computer-readable components comprise data elements defined by a software data schema; a property repository data element for storing a plurality of data properties about the data elements; and an owned comment data element comprising information about the localization of the data included in software programs and an owner with permission to create, access, and manipulate the owned comment data element. |
| US07747581B1 |
Network file system-based data storage system
A network file system-based data storage system that converts random I/O requests into a piecewise sequential data structure to facilitate variable length data segment redundancy identification and elimination. For one embodiment of the invention a stateless network file system is employed. For one such embodiment, that provides multiple-client access to stored data, multiple Writes are buffered and then broken into variable length data segments. Redundant segment elimination is then effected. One embodiment of the invention allows sharing of the variable length data segments among files. |
| US07747574B1 |
System and method for archiving digital media
A network based system for archiving digital assets based on keywords associated with the digital assets is provided. In general, digital assets residing at a client node are each tagged with one or more keywords. One or more of the keywords are then identified as archiving keywords, thereby creating a list of archiving keywords. The list of archiving keywords is provided from the client node to a central node. The central node then provides a request to the client node for the digital assets tagged with the keywords in the list of archiving keywords. In response, the client node uploads the digital assets tagged with the keywords in the list of archiving keywords to the central node. |
| US07747567B2 |
Separation of conflict resolution from synchronization
The subject disclosure pertains to separation of conflict resolution from a synchronization system or methodology. Upon detection of a synchronization conflict, a request can be generated by a synchronization component and transmitted to a conflict resolution component that is independent and detached from one or more synchronization components. The conflict resolution component resolves the conflict, generates a resolution response, and transmits the responses back to the requesting synchronization component for implementation, among other things. |
| US07747565B2 |
Garbage collector support for transactional memory
A software transactional memory system is described which utilizes decomposed software transactional memory instructions as well as runtime optimizations to achieve efficient performance. The decomposed instructions allow a compiler with knowledge of the instruction semantics to perform optimizations which would be unavailable on traditional software transactional memory systems. Additionally, high-level software transactional memory optimizations are performed such as code movement around procedure calls, addition of operations to provide strong atomicity, removal of unnecessary read-to-update upgrades, and removal of operations for newly-allocated objects. During execution, multi-use header words for objects are extended to provide for per-object housekeeping, as well as fast snapshots which illustrate changes to objects. Additionally, entries to software transactional memory logs are filtered using an associative table during execution, preventing needless writes to the logs. Finally a garbage collector with knowledge of the software transactional memory system compacts software transactional memory logs during garbage collection. |
| US07747557B2 |
Application of metadata to documents and document objects via an operating system user interface
Methods, systems and computer products provide for applying metadata to documents and/or document objects in local and/or remote file storage systems. Application of metadata (flags) to documents and/or document objects allows a user to easily locate and utilize flagged items. A single metadata type, such as a colored flag, may be applied to documents or document objects of different file types across a file storage system to which data is stored via different software applications. Documents and/or document objects bearing like flags may be surfaced to a user in a flag summary with which documents and/or document objects may be sorted by flag type. Flagged documents or document objects related to a launched document may be listed in an information pane adjacent to the launched document. |
| US07747552B2 |
Predicting sand-grain composition and sand texture
A method and apparatus for predicting sand-grain composition and sand texture are disclosed. A first set of system variables associated with sand-grain composition and sand texture is selected (605). A second set of system variables directly or indirectly causally related to the first set of variables is also selected (610). Data for each variable in the second set is estimated or obtained (615). A network with nodes including both sets of variables is formed (625). The network has a directional links connecting interdependent nodes. The directional links honor known causality relationships. A Bayesian network algorithm is used (630) with the data to solve the network for the first set of variables and their associated uncertainties. |
| US07747550B2 |
System and method for designing a free form reflector using genetic algorithm
A system for designing a free form reflector includes a user input interface (1), a free form reflector design unit (2), and a free form reflector output unit (3). The user input interface is configured for receiving various data associated with a desired free form reflector, via an input device. The free form reflector design unit is installed in a computer and configured for generating an optimum free form surface according to the input data by performing a non-uniform rational basis splines (NURBS) algorithm, a merit evaluation function, and a differential evolution (DE) algorithm. The free form reflector output module is configured for generating a free form reflector according to the optimum free form surface and outputting the free form reflector, in the form of a computer-aided design (CAD) drawing, to a display and/or a printer. A related method is also disclosed. |
| US07747549B2 |
Long-term memory neural network modeling memory-chaining functions of the brain wherein a pointer holds information about mutually related neurons and neurons are classified hierarchically by degree of activation
A STM network 11 for temporarily storing input pattern vectors is formed in Phases 1 and 2, and then layered LTM networks 2 to L are formed successively by assigning output vectors provided by the STM network 11 as input vectors. In phase 4, a LTM network 1 for intuitive outputs to which input pattern vectors are applied directly is formed by taking the parameters of comparatively highly activated centroids among centroids in the LTM networks 2 to L. In phase 5, the parameters of the comparatively highly activated centroids among the centroids in the LTM networks 2 to L are fed back as the parameters of the centroids in the STM network. In phase 3, the LTM networks 2 to L are reconstructed at a particular time or in a fixed period by giving the centroid vectors of the LTM networks 2 to L again as input pattern vectors to the STM network 11. |
| US07747547B1 |
Systems and methods for diagnosing a biological specimen using probabilities
Apparatus, systems and methods for determining, for each respective phenotypic characterization in a set of {T1, . . . , Tk} characterizations, that a test specimen has the respective characterization are provided. A pairwise probability function gpq(X, Wpq), for a phenotypic pair (Tp, Tq) in {T1, . . . , Tk} is learned using a training population. Wpq is a set of parameters derived from Y for (Tp, Tq) by substituting each Y1 in Y into gpq(X, Wpq), as X, where Yi is the set of cellular constituent abundance values from sample i in the training population exhibiting Tp or Tq. The learning step is repeated for each (Tp, Tq) in {T1 . . . , Tk}, thereby deriving pairwise probability functions G={g1,2(X, W1,2), . . . , gk-1, k(X, Wk-1, k)}. Pairwise probability values P={p1,2, . . . , pk-1, k} are computed, where each ppq is equal to gpq(Z, Wpq) in G, the probability that the test specimen has Tp and not Tq, where Z is cellular constituent abundance values of the test specimen. |
| US07747546B2 |
Information register using endohedral fullerenes in nanotube
An information register stores information represented by the states of endohedral fullerenes in a nanotube. Possible states are spin-states or morphological states, such as endohedral species having intrinsic or induced electric dipole moment or characteristic electric polarizility. The states of successive endohedral fullerenes along the nanotube are coupled by interaction mediated by electrons in the nanotube. The register can be used as part of a quantum computer or a classical computer. |
| US07747540B2 |
Account linking with privacy keys
A computer system includes a security module programmed to generate a first privacy key for use with secure communications with a first web site, and a second privacy key for use with secure communications with a second web site, the first and second keys being different. The computer system also includes an identity module programmed to receive a request from the first web site for linking a first user account associated with the first web site with a second user account associated with the second web site, and the identity module being programmed to present a user with an option to link the first and second user accounts. |
| US07747538B2 |
Memory card
A memory card 110 extracts a session key Ks from the data applied onto a data bus BS3 by carrying out a decryption process. An encryption processing unit 1406 encrypts a public encryption key KPcard(1) of memory card 110 based on session key Ks, and applies the encrypted key to a server via data bus BS3. A memory 1412 receives from a server data such as license key Kc, license ID data License-ID and user ID data User-ID encrypted with a public encryption key KPcard(1) differing for each memory card for storage, and receives encrypted content data [Dc]Kc encrypted with license key Kc from data bus BS3 for storage. |
| US07747537B2 |
System and method for providing a secure intellectual property marketplace
A system and method for providing an intellectual property marketplace (IM) using a secured information vault so that individual owners of intellectual property (IP) may control and manage the access and dissemination of the IP. Producers of the IP may also receive compensation for transactions in the marketplace. Multiple services for adding IP such as books, movies, video, papers, research, music, inventions, or the like, to the IM include controlling authorized access to the IP and generation of advertising based on types of IP in order to solicit potential consumers. Transactions may be securely transacted using public keying infrastructure (PKI). Consumers subscribing to the IM may also be automatically notified when IP is added to the IM based on predetermined preferences established by the consumer. |
| US07747534B2 |
Utility power meter, metering system and method
An electrical utility meter system measures residential energy consumption and automatically communicates this information to a host computer via the Internet. The host computer can then be accessed by the end utility customer or other authorized entities. This Internet or web based system offers two-way communication capability to support meter reconfiguration. This system is comprised of two major elements, a hardware unit and database software. The hardware unit includes a printed circuit card that is retrofitted into a form 2S single-phase residential meters. The unit measures residential energy consumption in predefined intervals, stores the measurements, and communicates at predefined times to a host database server. The unit can accommodate various wired or wireless communication technologies through a simple communications port. |
| US07747527B1 |
Apparatus and method for providing transaction services
Apparatus and method for providing transaction services, in particular a computer-based transaction machine, such as an ATM, and a method for providing transaction services using said transaction machine. One or more software applications interact with middleware software through functional interfaces that are hardware independent but provide functionality which is implemented in a manner adapted to the capabilities of the particular hardware implementation. Objects provided for standard transaction functions are independent of the interface between the user and the transaction machine, said interface being customizable. The resulting transaction machines are typically combined into networks and these networks may readily be combined to form an Extranet. |
| US07747522B1 |
Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. The present invention includes a first aspect directed to a merchant card authorization terminal and a second aspect directed to a credit card issuer central controller. According to the first aspect, a method for redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a financial account is disclosed including the steps of receiving a gift certificate for payment of an identified value, transmitting a request for authorization to a central server, receiving an authorization signal, representing an indication that redemption of the gift certificate is authorized, from said central server and receiving a payment from the account issuer based on said identified value. A system is also disclosed for implementing the methods in all aspects of the present invention. |
| US07747520B2 |
Method and system for monitoring for and reporting of lien distress events
A computer-based method of monitoring for and reporting of a lien distress event relatable to a property within a client loan portfolio includes inputting property data from the portfolio, standardizing the data for querying a lien distress event database, monitoring the database for lien distress events relatable to the standardized property data, and notifying the client if a lien distress event is detected. The monitoring period and the type of lien distress events to be monitored may be specified by the client. Notifying the client may include generating and delivering a lien distress report including a property valuation. The method may be executed automatically as a service periodically updating and monitoring a loan portfolio of a subscribing client. |
| US07747509B2 |
System and method for setting and using a sweep liquidity replenishment price in an hybrid auction market
The price of a best bid is determined, and a proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is determined by subtracting five cents from the price of the best bid. The proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is incrementally decreased by 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 cents until the proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is divisible by 5 without any remainder. The bid sweep liquidity replenishment price is set equal to the proposed bid sweep liquidity replenishment price. In a similar fashion an offer sweep liquidity replenishment price is determined by adding five cents to the price of the best offer and incrementally increasing by 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 cents until the offer sweep liquidity price is divisible by 5 without any remainder. |
| US07747508B1 |
System and method for algorithmic trading strategies
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for algorithmic trading strategies and/or systems and methods for use in executing an order directed to a security traded in a market. More particularly, one embodiment of the present invention relates to a method implemented by a programmed computer system for use in executing an order directed to a security traded in a market, comprising: calculating a plurality of expected market impacts associated with execution of the order over a plurality of different time periods; calculating a plurality of expected price risks associated with execution of the order over the plurality of different time periods; calculating a plurality of expected total costs associated with execution of the order over the plurality of different time periods, wherein the plurality of expected total costs are calculated using the plurality of expected market impacts and the plurality of expected price risks; and trading the security via execution of the order over a time period at which the expected total cost is optimal (e.g., minimized). |
| US07747506B2 |
Recipient status indicator system and method
An indicator signal monitoring process receives the sequential transmission of an indicator signal that is repeatedly broadcast by a primary intended recipient of attributable security interest messages. A recipient offline determination process determines that the primary intended recipient is offline whenever the indicator signal is not received for a defined failure period. |
| US07747497B1 |
System and method for referral fee processing in accounts managed by financial advisors
A method and apparatus which provides for a referral program where a financial institution, such as a broker dealer, can refer customers to an independent financial advisor, under an on-going referral fee sharing agreement. The on-going referral fee sharing agreement provides that the financial advisor will pay the referring financial institution an on-going referral fee based on the asset management fee that the advisor charges. These referral fees are processed automatically and the transfers are done electronically, allowing the referral program to be implemented efficiently and effectively. |
| US07747496B2 |
Life insurance cooperative
A business method and computing system for providing a death benefit to a participant having an uninsurable trait. The method collects registration information from the participant, and associates the participant with at least one other participant having the uninsurable trait to form a group of participants. The method receives a funding payment from each participant in the group to create a funding pool for a time period. The method disburses the funding pool to deceased participants in the group who died during the time period, each deceased participant receiving a portion of the funding pool. An amount of the portion of the funding pool for each deceased participant is the death benefit for the deceased participant. |
| US07747495B2 |
Business method using the automated processing of paper and unstructured electronic documents
The invention features a business method that takes advantage of the ability to convert unorganized information in the form of paper documents, document images, and electronic documents and converts the information to an organized electronic form referred to as Knowledge Objects. The invention further encompasses forming electronic Business Objects, such as documents and data sets, useful for business decision making and information exchange. The methods of the invention may utilize computerized storage and computerized decision-making systems to enable making more rapid critical business decisions. |
| US07747491B2 |
Anonymous information system, information registering device and information storing device
An anonymous information system is capable of maintaining anonymity of data while improving safety with regard to loss of anonymity caused by hacking of secret information, or the like. Conversion processing for converting from individual specifying information to anonymous individual information is split between an information providing device and an anonymity server device. Further, the manner in which the conversion processing is split is varied for each information providing device. A parameter generating device calculates Xinv to satisfy Xi×Xinv=1 mod q, a first characteristic parameter KAi=G^Xinv mod q, and a second characteristic parameter KBi=Xi. The information providing device generates a semi-anonymous individual identifier C=(KAi)^D mod P. The anonymity server device calculates an anonymous individual identifier E=(C)^KBi mod P. |
| US07747484B2 |
Automated tax return with universal data import
Automated tax return preparation is provided using a relationship-based interview process coupled with universal data import. Information is collected through a process called the interview, during which a taxpayer is asked various questions about her background and relationships with financial institutions. The taxpayer provides to the tax planning software a list of financial institutions with which the taxpayer has a relationship, and the tax software retrieves tax data directly from the financial institutions. The combination of the interview, universal data import, and existing stored data enables an automated tax return system to prepare tax returns in advance with minimal user assistance. |
| US07747483B1 |
System and method for creating a build set and bill of materials from a master source model
A system and method for creating a build set and a BOM from user-selected options from a single master source model. |
| US07747480B1 |
Asset repository hub
Systems and methods for managing data assets in an enterprise computing environment are provided. Data assets associated with a plurality of source systems operating within the enterprise computing environment may be registered with an asset repository hub. The asset repository hub receives a registration request from a source system for a particular data asset and determines whether the data asset is unique within the enterprise computing environment. If the data asset is unique, then the data asset is stored at the asset repository hub and a unique enterprise identifier is associated with the data asset. In determining whether the asset is unique, the asset repository hub may cleanse the data asset against a set of business rules; generate a plurality of match codes that describe the content of the data asset; and cluster the generated match codes against clusters of previously generated match codes. Also provided herein is a mechanism for searching and locating data assets stored within the enterprise computing environment by submitting queries to the asset repository hub. |
| US07747477B1 |
Pharmacy supply tracking and storage system
A pharmacy supply container tracking system that automatically detects and tracks a pharmacy supply container within a pharmacy is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment the system also detects and tracks prescription orders of customers, and automatically verifies that the correct pharmacy supply is used to fill a particular prescription order. One disclosed system includes using tags, such as Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tags, and their related readers to locate objects through electromagnetic interrogation of a spatial region to determine the presence of an object within that special region. |
| US07747473B1 |
Demand aggregation system
The demand aggregation system includes buyer sponsored DealRooms, seller sponsored DealRooms, and multiple buyer and multiple seller sponsored DealRooms. Moreover, the demand aggregation system includes a customer relations management (CRM) package. In the CRM package, information on buyer and prospective buyers are loaded into a database that can include information such as: individual name; company name and address; email address; phone number; cell number; products purchased; volumes; time of purchase. Further the CRM package can be integrated with the demand aggregation system as well as a customer resource planning system (e.g., MRP, ERP). |
| US07747466B2 |
Methods for distributions of digital files
The invention relates to a process for distributing files, having the steps of receiving at least one digital file, transmitting the digital file to a location, and selecting at least one content provider. The process also has the steps of updating a content of the content provider to provide a reference to the digital file at the location, generating an updated digital file by adding information which identifies the content provider to the digital file when the reference to the digital file is selected at the content provider, and transmitting at least a portion of the at least one updated digital file to a client network. |
| US07747462B2 |
Method and system for gathering and reporting data associated with a cardholder's use of a prepaid debit card
A method and system for gathering and reporting data associated with a cardholder's use of a prepaid debit card is described. One embodiment receives primary personal data associated with the cardholder in connection with the issuance to the cardholder of the prepaid debit card; causes a financial institution to issue the prepaid debit card; causes a card fulfillment process to be performed; causes the prepaid debit card loaded with a predetermined monetary value to be distributed to the cardholder; receives secondary personal data associated with the cardholder; processes one or more transactions initiated by the cardholder with the prepaid debit card; correlates, in a computerized data processing system, the primary and secondary personal data with transactional data associated with the one or more transactions to generate correlated data; and grants an authorized entity access to at least a portion of the correlated data on an aggregated and non-personally-identifiable basis. |
| US07747458B2 |
Electronic calendar auto event resolution system and method
A system and method for event resolution. The method includes determining whether a post-scheduled event or a pre-scheduled event conflicts with a scheduled event. The method further includes extracting details of the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event and automatically populating a response with at least some of the extracted details. The method further includes sending the response with an accept indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event does not conflict with the scheduled event, or sending the response with a cancel indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event conflicts with the scheduled event, or sending the response with a tentatively accept indication when the post-scheduled event or the pre-scheduled event conflicts with the scheduled event. |
| US07747455B2 |
Partner protection insurance
Partner protection insurance provides coverage for an innocent spouse in the event that a defendant has to pay damages uninsured by a liability insurance policy to a plaintiff due to a judgment in a lawsuit brought by the plaintiff against the defendant. The innocent partner is in a partnership with the defendant. Partner protection insurance covers the joint assets of the partnership that are assignable to the innocent partner in the event of the dissolution of said partnership. The partnership may be a marriage. |
| US07747450B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring and responding to land use activities
The invention provides a method and apparatus for monitoring the use of land. More specifically, the invention monitors the use of land at a specified site, as well as at adjacent sites. The system continuously receives new land use data, The system identifies land use events at the specified site and filters these monitoring hits against alert criteria. The system then generates alerts to specified parties. Based on these alerts, proactive steps of intervention can be undertaken. The invention answers the question of how to manage risks relating to the use of land resulting from external activities and how to intervene proactively. |
| US07747446B2 |
Voice recognition interactive system with a confirmation capability
A system and method for voice recognition interaction is provided. The system can have a processor for receiving a voice signal and determining a command based on the voice signal. The system can also have a confirmation interface operably connected to the processor, where the confirmation interface is capable of receiving a confirmation signal from a user and providing the confirmation signal to the processor. The system can have a user identifying device for determining an identity of the user. The processor can determine a confirmation criteria based at least in part on the identity of the user or a type of the command. The satisfaction of the confirmation criteria can be applied to allow or prevent performance of the command. |
| US07747444B2 |
Multiple sound fragments processing and load balancing
A method, system and article of manufacture of recognizing a voice command. One embodiment of the invention comprises: receiving a voice input; using the number of sound fragments, determining a number of sound fragments to be processed in a first set of sound fragments; determining whether the first set of sound fragments of the voice input matches with the first set of sound fragments of a voice command; and if the first set of sound fragments matches with the first set of sound fragments of the voice command, then determining whether one or more remaining sound fragments matches with one or more remaining sound fragments of the voice command. |
| US07747443B2 |
Apparatus, method, and program for supporting speech interface design
For design of a speech interface accepting speech control options, speech samples are stored on a computer-readable medium. A similarity calculating unit calculates a certain indication of similarity of first and second sets of ones of the speech samples, the first set of speech samples being associated with a first speech control option and the second set of speech samples being associated with a second speech control option. A display unit displays the similarity indication.In another aspect, word vectors are generated for the respective speech sample sets, indicating frequencies of occurrence of respective words in the respective speech sample sets. The similarity calculating unit calculates the similarity indication responsive to the word vectors of the respective speech sample sets.In another aspect, a perplexity indication is calculated for respective speech sample sets responsive to language models for the respective speech sample sets. |
| US07747442B2 |
Speech recognition application grammar modeling
The subject mater herein relates to voice applications and, more particularly, speech recognition application grammar modeling. Various embodiments provide systems, methods, and software to present one or more user interfaces through which to receive input to define and manipulate properties of a graphical listen element, wherein the properties identify one or more data sources. Some such embodiments further include building a speech recognition program grammar as a function of one or more graphical listen elements, wherein the grammar includes a representation of data retrieved from the one or more data sources. |
| US07747441B2 |
Method and apparatus for speech decoding based on a parameter of the adaptive code vector
A high quality speech is reproduced with a small data amount in speech coding and decoding for performing compression coding and decoding of a speech signal to a digital signal. In speech coding method according to a code-excited linear prediction (CELP) speech coding, a noise level of a speech in a concerning coding period is evaluated by using a code or coding result of at least one of spectrum information, power information, and pitch information, and various excitation codebooks are used based on an evaluation result. |
| US07747439B2 |
Method and system for recognizing phoneme in speech signal
A method of correctly segmenting phonemes by determining a boundary indicating a start point and an end point of each of the segmented phonemes, and correctly finding the phoneme in the speech signal by determining which phoneme in a phoneme recognition standard table corresponds to each of the segmented phonemes. Using this phoneme recognition method, an amount of computation can be significantly reduced, and the phoneme in the speech signal can be easily found by calculating probability distances between phonemes. |
| US07747437B2 |
N-best list rescoring in speech recognition
A method of speech recognition processing is described based on an N-best list of recognition hypotheses corresponding to a spoken input. Each hypothesis on the N-best list is rescored based on its rank in the rescored N-best list. The rescoring may be based on a Statistical Language Model (SLM) or Dynamic Semantic Model (DSM). One or more rescoring categories may be associated with each recognition hypotheses to affect or bias the rescoring. |
| US07747435B2 |
Information retrieving method and apparatus
A speaker of encoded speech data recorded in a semiconductor storage device in an IC recorder is to be retrieved easily. An information receiving unit 10 in a speaker retrieval apparatus 1 reads out the encoded speech data recorded in a semiconductor storage device 107 in an IC recorder 100. A speech decoding unit 12 decodes the encoded speech data. A speaker frequency detection unit 13 discriminates the speaker based on a feature of the speech waveform decoded to find the frequency of conversation (frequency of occurrence) of the speaker in a preset time interval. A speaker frequency graph displaying unit 14 displays the speaker frequency on a picture as a two-dimensional graph having time and the frequency as two axes. A speech reproducing unit 16 reads out the portion of the encoded speech data corresponding to a time position or a time range specified by a reproducing position input unit 15 based on this two-dimensional graph from the storage device 11 and decodes the read-out data to output the decoded data to a speech outputting unit 17. |
| US07747431B2 |
Code conversion method and device, program, and recording medium
An audio decoding device (1) generates a first decoded audio from a first code string by a first decoding method, AN audio encoding device (2) judges whether the first decoded audio is an audio signal or a non-audio signal by using the information contained in the first code string and generates a second code string by encoding the first decoded audio by the second encoding method according to the judgment. Thus, there are provided a device and a method for converting a code obtained y encoding audio by a certain method into a code decodable by the other method with a low calculation amount. |
| US07747425B1 |
System and method for peak current modeling for an IC design
A peak current modeling method and system for modeling peak current demand of an integrated circuit (IC) block such as, e.g., a compilable memory instance. A current demand curve associated with the IC for a particular IC block event is obtained via simulation, for example. A defined time region associated with the particular IC block event is divided into multiple time segments, whereupon at least a first current value and a second current value for each time segment is obtained based on the current demand curve. Thereafter, the current demand curve is approximated, on a segment-by-segment basis, using a select approximate waveform depending on a relationship between the first and second current values. |
| US07747419B2 |
Prediction method of near field photolithography line fabrication using by the combination of taguchi method and neural network
A method of building a set of experimental prediction model that requires fewer experimental frequency, shorter prediction time and higher prediction accuracy by using the advantages of combining the experimental data of Taguchi method and neural network learning is disclosed. The error between the experimentally measured result of photolithography and the simulated result of the theoretical model of near field photolithography is set as an objective function of an inverse method for back calculating fiber probe aperture size, which is adopted in the following Taguchi experiment. The analytical result of Taguchi neural network model of the present invention proves that the Taguchi neural network model can provide more accurate prediction result than the conventional Taguchi network model, and at the same time, improve the demerit of requiring massive training examples of the conventional neural network. |
| US07747418B2 |
Computer aided dental bar design
The invention relates to a computer-aided process of dental bar design for the purpose of fabricating removable implant-based dental restorations. The aim of the invention is to improve and automate the present dental restoration design process, which is very labor intensive and requires a lot of artistic work on the part of a dentist. The invention includes the developments of several algorithms and their integration into a computer-aided system to process the gingival and related data scanned from a patient's mouth and output a CAD model for fabricating the actual dental bar. Software has been developed to implement the inventive process. |
| US07747414B2 |
Run-Time performance verification system
A method and apparatus that allow packet based communication transactions between devices over an interconnect bus to be captured to measure performance. Performance metrics may be determined by capturing events at various locations as they pass through the system. Performance may be verified at run time by computing performance metrics for captured events and comparing such metrics to predefined performance ranges and/or self learned performance ranges. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention provide for dynamic tailoring of bus traffic to generate potential failing conditions. For some embodiments, performance verification as described herein may be performed in a simulation environment. |
| US07747412B1 |
Monitoring complex data feeds through ensemble testing
Managing and monitoring multiple complex data feeds is a major challenge for data mining tasks in large corporations and scientific endeavors alike. The invention describes an effective method for flagging abnormalities in data feeds using an ensemble of statistical tests that may be used on complex data feeds. The tests in the ensemble are chosen such that the speed and ability to deliver real time decisions are not compromised. |
| US07747410B2 |
Door measurement system and method
A measurement system and method to determine the operating characteristics of a door closure sensor technology and others. The objective of the device is to obtain in a simple manipulation, accurate, high speed data. Among the identified metrics are elements such as speed, three dimensional position, hinge orientation, cabin pressure, sound quality, inertia, work, input energy and others. Another part elaborates the methodology for data acquisition and analysis to obtain reliable results reducing user dependency. |
| US07747408B2 |
Method of scanning
A method of scanning is disclosed comprising, providing a scanning system (10) having a sample holder (14) and a relatively movable scanning device (18), performing a scan of at least a part of an object (22) located on the sample holder (14), establishing orientation of the sample holder and interpreting data from a scan using the orientation whereby, the orientation is established using data from the scan of the surface of the sample holder. The orientation may be established by defining a plane (56b) of the sample holder, which may be limited by boundaries (76a, 76b). |
| US07747407B2 |
Thermal interrupt generation
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and processor are provided for thermal interrupt generation. An interrupt temperature is set to a first temperature and an interrupt direction is to a greater than or equal to determination. A determination is made as to whether a sensed temperature from a digital thermal sensor meets or exceeds the interrupt temperature in response to the interrupt direction. A first interrupt is generated in response to the sensed temperature meeting or exceeding the interrupt temperature. |
| US07747398B2 |
Systems, methods and devices for generating pulses
At least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a method comprising obtaining a first frequency and a second frequency. The method also comprises creating a table of values comprising a plurality of target frequencies intermediate to the first and second pulse width corresponding to each of the target frequencies from the plurality of target frequencies. The method further comprises outputting at least a portion of the values to a motion device. |
| US07747397B2 |
Automatic parasitic echo storage
Described is a method for automatically initiating an update of a parasitic echo storage device in a fill level meter operating according to a runtime method. In this method individual echoes of echo curves of different ages are allocated, according to their typical echo characteristics, to global echo groups so that subsequently, after examining the behaviour over time of the echoes of the respective global echo curves, it can be judged whether the echoes of the respective global echo curves are useful echoes or parasitic echoes. Starting from this classification, the parasitic echo storage device is then updated with the oldest echoes of the corresponding global echo groups. Apart from the method for updating a parasitic echo storage device described is also an evaluation device for implementing the method as well as to a computer program and a computer program product for carrying out the method. |
| US07747394B2 |
Information processing system using base sequence relevant information
A highly safe system for processing information, which can provide useful semantic information for an individual and/or information associated with the semantic information via effective utilization of differences in nucleotide sequence information among individuals is constructed. This method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving requested information for an object and/or service; (b) obtaining positional information in accordance with the requested information from a memory having positional information representing a position in a nucleotide sequence memorized therein and transmitting the obtained positional information; (c) receiving, from among nucleotide sequence-related information associated with positional information, nucleotide sequence-related information corresponding to the positional information transmitted in step (b) and then obtaining semantic information implied by the received nucleotide sequence-related information and/or information associated with the semantic information; and (d) transmitting the semantic information and/or information associated with the semantic information obtained in step (c) in association with the positional information corresponding thereto to the party to which the positional information had been transmitted in step (b). |
| US07747392B2 |
Physiogenomic method for predicting clinical outcomes of treatments in patients
A physiogenomics method for predicting an individual's response to an environmental stimulus comprises producing and recording a physiogenomic model. The model is produced b a method including selecting a plurality of genetic markers, identifying significant covariates among demographic data to produce correlated markers for use as a covariate in an unadjusted association test; performing for the plurality each selected genetic markers an unadjusted association test; using permutation testing to select a plurality of model building markers; identifying one or more genes not associated with a particular outcome in the individual to serve as a physiogenomic control; and presenting a display of the individual's predicted physiological response. One can then compare the genetic markers of the individual to the physiogenomic database and convey to the individual an appropriate treatment intervention. |
| US07747380B2 |
Method for real-time estimation of engine combustion parameters from vibratory signals
The invention relates to a method having application to combustion control of an internal-combustion engine for real-time estimation of engine combustion parameters from vibratory signals. A vibratory signal representative of the engine vibrations is continuously acquired as a function of the crank angle, from a vibration detector. Real-time filtering of this vibratory signal and real-time estimation of the Fourier decomposition coefficients for the acquired vibratory signal is carried out by inverting the dynamics of the filter which is used. Finally, real-time estimation of combustion parameters allowing the combustion to be qualified is carried out from these coefficients. |
| US07747379B2 |
Control device of direct injection internal combustion engine
When engine rotation speed is increasing in a compression stroke injection mode, a control device determines that a crank angle at injection end timing of an injector deviates toward a delayed crank angle side and performs additional ignition at timing when (or immediately before or after) a crank angle at actual injection end timing of the injector of a present injection cylinder is reached. Thus, even when the crank angle at the injection end timing deviates toward the delayed crank angle side with respect to preset original ignition timing, a combustion state can be stabilized by performing the additional ignition at timing, at which a suitable stratified mixture gas is formed in a cylinder, through the execution of the additional ignition at the timing substantially the same as the actual injection end timing. |
| US07747377B2 |
Fuel injection control device
A fuel injection control device (ECU) for controlling injection supply of fuel to a target engine has a program for sequentially sensing fuel pressure fluctuating with injection of a predetermined injector a program for detecting an injection centroid of a diagram as a profile of a transition of an injection rate of the injector at a present time based on a transition of the sequentially sensed fuel pressure, and a program for varying an injection command (injection timing) of the injector based on the detected injection centroid and an injection centroid of a predetermined basic diagram such that a relative positional relationship between the injection centroids of the diagram as the actual profile of the injection rate transition and the basic diagram becomes a relationship, in which timings of the injection centroids are close to each other. |
| US07747371B2 |
Motor-driven vehicle with transmission
A motor-driven vehicle includes at least an engine, control devices arranged to control a transmission driven by the engine, a first sensor that is arranged to communicate with the control devices, and a second sensor that is arranged to communicate with the control devices, with the control devices being arranged to receive a first signal sent from the first sensor that includes information about the gradient of the surface on which the vehicle is being driven, and with the control devices being arranged to receive a second signal sent from the second sensor that includes information about torque. The control devices are arranged to correct the first signal in response to the second signal, and to control the transmission in response to the corrected first signal, and thereby compensate for the effect of the torque on the first sensor. |
| US07747367B2 |
Vehicle physical quantity estimation apparatus and storage medium having stored thereon computer program relating to the apparatus
A vehicle physical quantity estimating device including: a longitudinal vehicle body velocity estimating unit, estimating a longitudinal vehicle body velocity based on vehicle wheel velocities of each wheel; a longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit, computing deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values based on output sensor signals corresponding to detected values of the vehicle motions of triaxial accelerations and triaxial angular velocities output from a sensor, and the estimated longitudinal vehicle body velocity; a low pass filter, letting only signals corresponding to motions that need attention pass through from the longitudinal/lateral acceleration state value deviation computing unit 14; and an attitude angle estimating unit, estimating the attitude angle based on the sensor signal(s), and signal(s) representing the deviations in longitudinal and lateral acceleration state values after low pass filter processing. Also, a memory medium, storing a computer program for the device. |
| US07747363B1 |
Traction control system for an electric vehicle
A method and apparatus for optimizing the torque of the electric motor of an electric vehicle is provided, the torque adjustments taking into account wheel slip as well as other vehicular operating conditions. |
| US07747354B2 |
Circuit protection system
A circuit protection system is provided that provides dynamic zones of protection for the circuit. The zones of protection can be based in part upon the topology of the circuit. The protection system can perform various dynamic zone protective functions for the zones of protection. |
| US07747353B2 |
Method of setting control data in an active vibration isolation control system and a control method thereof
A method of setting control data by an active vibration isolation control system includes the steps of selecting, when a frequency of a pulse signal actually detected is superior to a predetermined frequency, appropriate control data selected from among predetermined data maps incorporating control data capable of securing, in accordance with various vehicle driving conditions respectively, a control condition in which operation of the vibrator is preferably controlled, calculating a deviation between the appropriate control data commensurate with the actual vehicle driving condition at the time of controlling and actually detected data representing vibration subjected to a vehicle specific position, the actually detected data obtained in terms of a same physics amount as a physics amount of the control data, and modifying the appropriate control data on the basis of the calculated deviation. |
| US07747352B2 |
Physical modeling system for constructing and controlling articulated forms with motorized joints
A “construction set” consisting of active and passive parts connected by joints that can be manipulated to form an movable articulated assembly representing things like animals and skeletons. Each active part includes a position sensor for acquiring and storing position data specifying a sequence of positions assumed by the active part as the assembly is reshaped, and a controllable drive motor for moving the active part relative to a connected part in accordance with the position data. |
| US07747346B2 |
System and method for regulating vendible media products
A system and method for regulating vendible media products is provided. A database stored information corresponding to a plurality of digital video discs within a vending apparatus at a vending location. A central server, having a memory, stores the database. An interface application interfaces with the central server and the database, and selects from the database a subset of the digital video discs. A vending processor within the vending apparatus receives a first signal from the central server, wherein the first signal comprises a list of digital video discs identifying the subset of digital video discs. The vending processor also generates a second signal to place the subset of digital video discs into a portable vending management module. |
| US07747345B2 |
Automatic drug dispenser and drug feeder
An automatic drug dispenser includes: a drug cassette which ejectably accommodates drugs; a base unit which detachably supports the drug cassette and drives a motor to eject drugs; a drug feeder storage which is designed to store a large number of base units; a reading device which is provided in each of the base units and reads identification information assigned to the drug cassette; and a checking means which compares a result of reading with pre-stored check data, wherein a microprocessor is mounted in each of the base units, and the checking means, the check data and history information related to the cassette are built in each microprocessor in a distributed manner. |
| US07747342B2 |
Product location method utilizing product bar code and aisle-situated, aisle-identifying bar code
An item location directory method and system involves the use of item-identifying bar codes on the items to be included in the directory, and location-identifying bar codes physically applied to the corresponding locations. These are read in a preset manner with a bar code reader and inputted into a processor for creation of item/corresponding location data for the directories. |
| US07747341B2 |
Method and device for the production of a three-dimensional multi-material component by means of ink-jet-type printing
Producing a three-dimensional multi-material component whereby successive layers of at least one material are printed by a drop ink-jet-type printer including cutting a representation of the multi-material component into remarkable objects; cutting the representation of the component into print layers, as a function of the remarkable objects; for each print layer, establishing a plurality of discrete spatial print path trajectories; for each print layer and for each discrete spatial trajectory, establishing an assembly of printing parameters which are dependent on the nature of the deposited materials and the deposition conditions thereof; and establishing a rule for the spatial and temporal sequencing of the print path of the print layers and of the discrete spatial trajectories as a function of the objects, the relative three-dimensional arrangement thereof and the characteristics of the printing device. |
| US07747340B2 |
Dynamic order swapping in mass customization production environment
A method for addressing process variability in a build-to-order, mass customization production environment. The method includes receiving an order for a product having a particular configuration defined by the order, initiating a production order specifically assigned to the order, fabricating the product based upon the production order, determining if an unrelated product order contains an identical product item configuration and automatically swapping identical product items contained on unrelated production orders to optimize overall production process objectives. |
| US07747338B2 |
Audio system employing multiple mobile devices in concert
An audio reproduction system includes a plurality of mobile devices, such as mobiles phones. Each of the mobile devices includes a loudspeaker, memory for storing audio data, and instructions, stored in memory, for prompting the plurality of mobile devices to each output at least a portion of an audio data file to the loudspeaker of the respective mobile device. A processor is configured for executing the instructions, thereby enabling contemporaneous play of the audio data file by the plurality of mobile devices. |
| US07747333B2 |
Lead assembly and methods including a push tube
A lead assembly includes an elongate body having a conductor electrically coupled with an electrode coupled to the elongate body. The lead assembly includes a push tube extending along at least a portion of the elongate body. A distal tip is coupled to the elongate body substantially adjacent to the distal end of the elongate body. The distal tip is sized and shaped to couple with a push tube distal end. In one option, the distal tip includes a seat to receive the push tube distal end. In another option, the seat is a side rail seat and a guide wire extends along the elongate body and is slidably coupled with the side rail seat. The lead assembly includes, optionally, an active fixation device slidably coupled with a portion of the elongate body, and the active fixation device is sized and shaped to couple with the push tube. |
| US07747327B2 |
Electrotherapy device and method
A device for attaching at least three electrodes to a subject for stimulating abdominal muscles of the subject, comprising an attachment mechanism for extending around the torso of the subject and a main locating element provided on the attachment mechanism for locating a central electrode of the at least three electrodes adjacent the umbilicus of the subject. Two secondary locating elements are also provided on the attachment mechanism disposed on respective opposite sides of the main locating element for locating two corresponding side electrodes of the at least three electrodes spaced apart from the central electrode. Application of at least one pulsed signal to the subject through the respective central and side electrodes stimulates the abdominal muscles of the subject. |
| US07747326B2 |
Method of treating mood disorders and/or anxiety disorders by brain stimulation
The method described herein relates to using electrical and/or chemical stimulation to treat depression or anxiety related disorders, such as obsessive compulsive disorder. More specifically, the inferior thalamic peduncle or reticular thalamic nucleus is stimulated to treat depression or anxiety related disorders. |
| US07747324B2 |
Electrical stimulation treatment of bronchial constriction
Methods and devices for treating bronchial constriction related to asthma and anaphylaxis wherein the treatment includes providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve and/or the lungs of a patient suffering from bronchial constriction. |
| US07747322B2 |
Digestive organ retention device
An retaining device for attaching to a contractile organ such as a digestive tract organ or stomach is provided. One aspect may include a lead for stimulating a digestive organ. The device may be an electrical stimulation device configured to deliver electrical signals to the organ. |
| US07747319B2 |
Automated resuscitation device with ventilation sensing and prompting
A device for assisting a caregiver in delivering cardiac resuscitation to a patient, the device comprising a user interface configured to deliver prompts to a caregiver to assist the caregiver in delivering cardiac resuscitation to a patient; at least one sensor configured to detect the caregiver's progress in delivering the cardiac resuscitation, wherein the sensor is configured to provide a signal containing information indicative of ventilation; a memory in which a plurality of different prompts are stored, including at least one ventilation progress prompt to guide the rescuer's performance of ventilation; a processor configured to process the output of the sensor to determine a parameter descriptive of ventilation progress and to determine whether the ventilation progress prompt should be selected for delivery. Possible parameters descriptive of ventilation progress include ventilation rate, delivered tidal volume, and flow rate. |
| US07747318B2 |
Functional ferrule
Described here are intracranial ferrules, systems, and methods for sensing and stimulating neural tissues. The ferrules are generally designed to include a holding area for retaining an implantable device. In some variations, the ferrule itself may perform the sensing and stimulating functions. In other variations, the ferrule may function to sense data from neural tissues and the implantable device may function to stimulate neural tissues. In yet other variations, the ferrule may function to stimulate, and the implantable device may function to sense data from, the neural tissues. The sensing and stimulating functions may be used to detect and/or treat various neurological conditions. |
| US07747315B2 |
Methods and compositions to reduce scattering of light during therapeutic and diagnostic imaging procedures
Disclosed are improved methods and compositions for use in light-based in vivo imaging and treatment. The techniques described involve the use of low-scattering, oxygen-carrying blood substitutes in imaging and treatment methods, including OCT imaging. The invention has particular advantages in imaging within the cardiovascular system and highly vascularized or oxygen-dependent tissues. |
| US07747312B2 |
System and method for automatic shape registration and instrument tracking
There is provided a device for generating a frame of reference and tracking the position and orientation of a tool in computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system. A first curvature sensor including fiducial markers is provided for positioning on a patient prior to volumetric imaging, and sensing the patient's body position during surgery. A second curvature sensor is coupled to the first curvature sensor at one end and to a tool at the other end to inform the computer-assisted image guided surgery or therapy system of the position and orientation of the tool with respect to the patient's body. A system is provided that incorporates curvature sensors, a garment for sensing the body position of a person, and a method for registering a patient's body to a volumetric image data set in preparation for computer-assisted surgery or other therapeutic interventions. This system can be adapted for remote applications as well. |
| US07747311B2 |
System and method for interactive haptic positioning of a medical device
A combination of a haptic device and a computer-assisted medical system is used for interactive haptic positioning of a medical device coupled to the haptic device. A reconfigurable haptic object facilitates the positioning of the medical device and/or the haptic device. The haptic object may be modified in response to application of a force against the haptic object by a user of the haptic device pushing the haptic device against the haptic object. Preferably, the haptic object moves in the direction of the force applied by the haptic device. The medical device may be guided to a desired pose relative to a target area from its current position. The user may approach the target area from its current position and still be provided with haptic cues to enable the user to guide the medical device to the target area. |
| US07747307B2 |
Method and system for marker localization
A method and system for locating a source of a signal. The source may be a wireless marker that is implanted in an object, such as a human body. The signal generated by the marker is a magnetic field. The location system uses an array of sensors to measure the magnetic field of the marker at various sensor locations. The location system compares the set of actual measurements to sets of reference measurements for various known locations within a bounding volume. Based on the comparisons, the location system identifies the set of reference measurements that most closely matches the set of actual measurements. The location system then uses sets of reference measurements for known locations near the closest known location to more accurately determine the marker location when it is not actually at one of the known locations. |
| US07747306B2 |
Osteochondral implant procedure
A surgical procedure for implanting tissue from a cadaver/autograft bone into a recipient site at an anatomical area of a patient, and a computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for use in the surgical procedure. |
| US07747303B2 |
Electrode system
This invention relates to an electrode arrangement (1), in particular for electroimpedance tomography, having multiple electrodes (4) for electric contacting of measurement object and a belt-shaped electrode carrier (3.1-3.4) for encompassing the measurement object, with the electrodes (4) being attached to the belt-shaped electrode carrier (3.1-3.4). It is proposed that the electrodes (4) be positionable on the belt-shaped electrode carrier (3.1-3.4) in the longitudinal direction of the belt-shaped electrode carrier (3.1-3.4). In addition, this invention relates to a method for applying such an electrode arrangement to a measurement object. |
| US07747300B1 |
Variable pricing based on system load
An apparatus for applying a variable pricing model for a service includes a user device configured to send a request for the service, a processing server within a resource infrastructure, wherein the processing server is configured to receive the request from the user device, and a resource management module associated with the resource infrastructure and the processing server. The resource management module is configured to detect current system utilization of the resource infrastructure connected to the user device, calculate a current price of the service based on current system utilization, and forward the current price to the user device requesting the service. |
| US07747299B2 |
Sliding mechanism for slide-type portable electronic device
A sliding mechanism (100) for a portable electronic device (500) includes a first sliding member (10), a second sliding member (20), at least one cushion (30), and at least one elastic member (40). The first sliding member has a first body (11). At least one guiding rail (12) is formed on the first body. The second sliding member has a second body (21). At least one guiding arm (22) is formed on the second body. The cushion has a main body (31). The main body defines a receiving slot (314) therein. The guiding rail is configured for reception in the receiving slot. The cushion and the elastic member are sandwiched between the guiding rail and the guiding arm. |
| US07747296B2 |
Cellular phone
A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion. |
| US07747294B2 |
Mobile station with satellite antenna
A mobile station comprises a substrate having circuitry adapted to perform communication functions. The mobile station also comprises a keypad adapted to receive input from a user to control the mobile station, wherein at least one key of the keypad is operably coupled to the substrate. The mobile station also comprises an antenna at least partially housed in the at least one key to receive wireless communications. The wireless communications may comprise satellite communications, such as digital multimedia communications. The keypad may comprise input keys adapted to receive input of numbers and characters, and the a multi-key having a plurality of radially arranged buttons. The keypad may also comprise function keys arranged around the multi-key, and a padbase adapted to fix the input keys, the multi-key, and the function keys on the surface of the keypad. The antenna may be positioned in a lower portion of the multi-key. |
| US07747291B2 |
Wireless communication method
Methods of communicating with a mobile unit using a wireless communication system are described. In one embodiment, a signal is received from a transmitting mobile unit. The status of the mobile unit is determined and a communication is constructed. The communication comprises at least one communication packet comprising a plurality of information fields. The communication is transmitted to the mobile unit. |
| US07747290B1 |
Method and system for demarcating a portion of a media file as a ringtone
A method and apparatus for storing a media file in a device (e.g., a cellular phone, PDA, or alarm clock) and demarcating a portion of the stored media file as a ringtone, without storing the demarcated portion as a separate media file in the device. Thereafter, in response to detection of an alert at the device, the demarcated portion of the media file may be played out as an alert. The stored media file may be an audio file such that the ringtone is an audio ringtone, a video file such that the ringtone is a video ringtone, or an audio-video file such that the ringtone is an audio-video ringtone. Demarcating the portion of media file may include defining a ringtone start point and a ringtone end point. The ringtone start point and end point may be associated with distinct time stamps or data pointers. |
| US07747285B2 |
Method of transmit beamforming for multicasting in a wireless communication system
The present invention provides a method of determining a plurality of beamforming weights for application to multicast transmission to a plurality of users by a corresponding plurality of antennas associated with a base station. One embodiment of the method includes determining a covariance matrix associated with the plurality of users. The covariance matrix is determined based on a channel matrix and a noise-plus-interference vector associated with each user. The method also includes determining the plurality of beamforming weights based on a gradient of the covariance matrix associated with a selected one of the plurality of users and storing the plurality of beamforming weights. |
| US07747284B2 |
Terminal device for a bi-directional radio relay link
The bandwidth for transmission and reception in a bi-directional radio relay link with two simultaneous broadcasts and receptions is reduced by half. Each terminal device comprises a first broadcaster for broadcasting a first data signal, via a first antenna, in a first used frequency band identical to that in which a first receiver receives a second data signal via a second antenna. A second receiver receives, via the first antenna, a third data signal with a second frequency band and a second broadcaster broadcasts, via a second antenna, a fourth data signal with the second frequency band. |
| US07747281B2 |
Method for in-band signaling of data over digital wireless telecommunications networks
An inband signaling modem communicates digital data over a voice channel of a wireless telecommunications network. An input receives digital data. An encoder converts the digital data into audio tones that synthesize frequency characteristics of human speech. The digital data is also encoded to prevent voice encoding circuitry in the telecommunications network from corrupting the synthesized audio tones representing the digital data. An output then outputs the synthesized audio tones to a voice channel of a digital wireless telecommunications network. |
| US07747280B2 |
Retrieving a product via a coded surface
A method of retrieving a product using a print medium, comprising the steps of: determining a print media identifier from the print medium using a sensor module of a mobile telecommunications device, the print media identifier having been linked to the product; and, retrieving, using the mobile telecommunications device and the print media identifier, the product. |
| US07747279B2 |
Interface negotiation
Methods and apparatus for interface negotiation using a device supporting multiple communication interfaces. In one implementation, a wireless device includes: a wireless communication interface supporting communication across a wireless connection; and a controller connected to said wireless interface supporting a negotiation service and a communication service; wherein said negotiation service provides interface negotiation for using said wireless interface to negotiate with another device to select a communication interface for communication with said another device, and said communication service provides control and management of communication with said another device across a connection established using said negotiation service. |
| US07747275B2 |
Cell selection in mobile communications
Mobile user equipment for use in a cellular communications environment performs an improved cell selection on transitions out of a connected mode state. The transitions might be from one connected mode state to another or from a connected mode state to idle mode. The improvement in cell selection lies in assembling the list of candidate cells prior to cell selection. In the prior art, the list of candidate cells would usually be restricted to the serving cell or active cells supporting communication between the equipment and the network prior to transition. In embodiments of the invention, the list might comprise cells which are not the serving cell or which are outside the active set, for example a network-preferred cell or cells neighbouring the serving cell or cells of the active set. |
| US07747273B2 |
Asynchronous power management methods and systems for wireless networks
Asynchronous power management methods and systems for a first station and a second station in a wireless network. The second station dynamically tunes a SRI (Schedule Repetition Interval) value according to residual power status, quality-of-service requirements, or other considerations. The SRI value is an odd prime number. Once the SRI is determined, the second station sets the number and positions of ABIs (Awake Beacon Intervals)” within an SRI. An ABI-set defined as the positions of ABIs in an SRI forms a cyclic difference set comprising at least two consecutive BIs. The second station transmits a beacon frame within a beacon window. When the first station has recently received the beacon frame from the second station, the first station predicts the awake/sleep schedule of the second station, and transmits data frames to the second station at the ABI of the second station. |
| US07747269B2 |
System and method for providing communication resources to wireless dispatch priority users
A wireless push-to-talk (PTT) communication system 100 assigns a special dispatch priority to for emergency communications to and from police, fire dept. or communications to other emergency personnel. A communication which has been assigned dispatch priority takes precedence over all other non-dispatch priority communications for initially completing the call and maintaining the communications links. An indication of dispatch priority in a 1xEV-DO system may be achieved by setting a bit in the RequestReason field 604 of the ConnectionRequest message 602. |
| US07747261B2 |
Asynchronous response system with acknowledge
A wireless response system and method of receiving user responses from a plurality of users at a base unit includes providing a base unit having a base transceiver that is adapted to wireless signal transmitting and wireless signal receiving and providing a plurality of response units. Each of the response units includes a response unit transceiver and a user input device. The response unit transceiver is adapted to wireless signal transmitting and wireless signal receiving. User input selections are received with the user input device. A response user transmission is transmitted with the response unit transceiver in response to the user input device receiving a user input selection. A base transmission is transmitted with the base unit transceiver. The user response transmissions are asynchronously transmitted after receipt of a base transmission. |
| US07747257B2 |
GPS assistance messages in cellular communications networks and methods therefor
GPS assistance message and data issue identifiers for transmission to GPS enabled mobile stations in cellular communications networks and methods therefore. The GPS data issue identifiers indicate whether GPS data, for example corresponding ephemeris and almanac data, stored at the mobile station requires updating. In the exemplary 3rd generation (W-CDMA/UMTS) architecture, the GPS assistance message is a System Information Block (SIB), and the GPS ephemeris data identifier and corresponding satellite identifier is encoded in a value tag included in a Master Information Block (MIB). |
| US07747252B2 |
Method and system for handover negotiation optimization for wireless system
A method and system for processing a handover request in a wireless network. The method includes sending a first message by a first base station to a mobile station. The first message includes a first handover request. Additionally, the method includes receiving a second message by the first base station from the mobile station. The second message includes a second handover request, and the second handover request includes an indicator indicating whether the second message has been sent from the mobile station in response to a third handover request. Moreover, the method includes processing information associated with the second message by the first base station, and determining whether the second message has been sent from the mobile station in response to the third handover request based on at least information associated with the second message. |
| US07747248B2 |
Radio device testing system
A testing system for testing the radio software stack (40) of a radio device (16) is described. The system comprises test control means (10) and perturbation means (38) connected to said radio device. The perturbation means enables perturbation and subsequent monitoring of a radio stack operation. The perturbation means may also directly alter data in a radio message en-route through the software stack. In a further aspect of the present invention a distributed testing system is described enabling a wider range of environmental and real world situations to be simulated to enable thorough testing of the software stack in design for an application. |
| US07747247B2 |
Method and system for self-terminating a media service due to an out-of-coverage condition
A method and mobile device that self-terminates a media service if an out-of-coverage condition is detected. The media service operates on top of a connectionless peer-to-peer packet-based transport protocol. The out-of-coverage condition may relate to the mobile device itself or to a remote mobile device engaged in the media service. The loss of coverage by the remote mobile device may be detected by observing whether the remote mobile device has failed to send any data packets for more than a predetermined period of time. If an out-of-coverage situation is detected, then the method or device initiates service cancellation or release. |
| US07747244B2 |
Methods and apparatus for re-establishing communication for a wireless communication device after a communication loss in a wireless communication network
Several related methods and apparatus for re-establishing communication for a wireless communication device after a communication loss between the wireless device and a wireless communication network are disclosed. In one illustrative example, the wireless network broadcasts identifiers of wireless devices associated with communication losses in the wireless network over a control channel. After regaining signal coverage, a wireless device monitors the control channel to decode and compare each broadcasted identifier with an identifier of the wireless device. Based on a match between a broadcasted identifier and the identifier of the wireless device, the wireless device transmits a control message which informs the wireless network of the presence of the wireless device. Otherwise, the wireless device normally refrains from transmitting the control message to the wireless network. Advantageously, communication with the wireless network is re-established (if at all necessary) without overburdening the wireless link with unnecessary traffic. |
| US07747242B2 |
Wireless communication system, base station, packet control function apparatus, node apparatus and accounting server
A communications system which performs accounting according to the actual provided communication quality in a QoS authentication service. A radio system has mobile stations, a radio base station, a packet function control apparatus, a node apparatus and an accounting server, performs user accounting according to an actual communication quality. At least one of the wireless base station, packet control function apparatus and node apparatus has a memory unit which stores a granted communication quality, the communication quality which can be provided and accounting data. Further, at least one of the wireless base station, packet control function apparatus and node apparatus has a control unit which measures the communication quality, and transmits a message when the present accounting differs from the accounting for the measured communication quality, and the accounting server has a control unit which performs accounting using the measured communication quality. |
| US07747240B1 |
Method of charging in a communications network
In a communications network, use of network resources is measured locally at customer terminals, for example by counting the number of packets sent and received. The resulting data may be aggregated and sent to a network accounting object. Accounting data may subsequently be passed between network subdomains. |
| US07747235B2 |
Method and apparatus providing a plurality of services via one channel in mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for providing and receiving a plurality of services via a single channel in a mobile communications system is provided, by which a plurality of the services can be effectively provided via the single channel. |
| US07747231B2 |
System and method for transmitting signal in a communication system
A system and method for transmitting a signal in a communication system are provided. In the signal transmitting method, a multi-FA signal is generated by combining single FA signals to be transmitted by N FAs. An operation mode is determined for N MMPAs according to a used FA strategy and adjustment of amplification characteristics of the N MMPAs is controlled according to the operation mode. The power of the multi-FA signal is divided by N, the N divided signals are amplified according to the adjusted amplification characteristics, and the power of the amplified N signals is combined. |
| US07747228B2 |
Tuning circuitry in a communications device
A communications device is provided. The communications device includes a first antenna port coupled to a signal line, transmitter circuitry coupled to the signal line and configured to broadcast a radio frequency (RF) output signal across the first antenna port, tuning circuitry coupled to the signal line, and a controller configured to adjust a tuning of the tuning circuitry. The first antenna port, the transmitter circuitry, the tuning circuitry, and the controller are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit. |
| US07747223B2 |
Method, system and mobile device for prioritizing a discovered device list
The described embodiments relate generally to methods, systems and computing devices, including at least a mobile device, for ordering a discovered device list according to a Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) of each device in the discovered device list. Thus, the discovered device list has at the top of the list the device that has the highest RSSI, with the remaining devices in the discovered device list presented in descending order of RSSI. |
| US07747219B2 |
Method of setting wireless communication device
A relay station 200 constructs an infrastructure wireless network 200L. A printing device 100 requests new participation in the wireless network 200L. When preset conditions are satisfied, for example, when the user has pressed a push button 201 provided on the relay station 200, the relay station 200 establishes temporary wireless communication with the printing device 100 and changes an SSID of the printing device 100 to an SSID of the relay station 200. In this manner, this arrangement readily changes the configuration information of the printing device 100. |
| US07747217B1 |
Signal processing apparatus and methods
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming. |
| US07747213B2 |
Method of reducing configuration information in the signaling of radio bearer information for a plurality of multicast/broadcast services
In a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of cells, and further comprising one or more multicast/broadcast service providers arranged to provide a plurality of multicast/broadcast services over a radio interface to a mobile communication device located in a current cell, a method is provided for providing radio bearer configuration information to enable the mobile communication device to receive a multicast/broadcast service. The method comprises the steps of providing to a mobile communication device messages containing information associated with the radio bearer configuration, wherein each message is associated with a plurality of multicast/broadcast services that are available to be transmitted to the mobile communication device when in the current cell, and, periodically transmitting the messages to the mobile communication device within the current cell. |
| US07747209B2 |
Printing apparatus
A printing apparatus including a first component having a photosensitive member and a transcribing portion transcribing a toner image formed on the photosensitive member onto a web, and a second component having a web guide portion guiding the web transported to the transcribing portion and a fixing portion fixing the toner image transcribed onto the web, the first component and the second component being able to be connected/divided, the first component is provided with a transcribing portion base supporting the transcribing portion, the second component is provided with a web guide portion base arranged at a position opposed to the transcribing portion base supporting the web guide portion, and an adjusting member for restricting a position of the second component relative to the first component is provided between the transcribing portion base and the web guide portion base. |
| US07747207B2 |
Image forming apparatus controlling a droplet size of a fixing solution
An image forming apparatus includes a toner image forming section, an intermediate transferring section, a transferring section, a fixing solution applying section, a transporting section, a fixing section, and a recording medium feeding section. In the image forming apparatus, the fixing solution applying section includes a droplet supplying section, a recording medium detecting section, and a control unit, wherein the recording medium is heated before or at the same time when the fixing solution is applied to the recording medium by the fixing solution applying section, and a size of droplets of the fixing solution supplied to the recording medium is controlled based on the type of the recording medium. |
| US07747206B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus
A fixing apparatus includes: a fixing roller and a pressure roller which transport a recording paper while sandwiching the recording paper P therebetween so that an unfixed toner image formed on the recording paper is fixed thereon under heat and pressure; two support rollers; an endless belt which is set over the support rollers and comes into contact with a surface of the fixing roller; and heater lamps which are provided respectively inside the support rollers. A fixing apparatus satisfies a relationship indicated by (C2+C3)/C1≧2 where C1 is a heat capacity of each of the heater lamps, C2 is a heat capacity of each of the support rollers, and C3 is a heat capacity of the endless belt in each of areas where the endless belt is in contact with the support rollers. This realizes an external belt heat fixing apparatus which suppresses (a) heat damage to the endless belt and the surface of the fixing member and (b) unevenness of an image. |
| US07747197B2 |
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus and process cartridge
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, including a photoreceptor, a charger charging the surface of the photoreceptor, an irradiator irradiating the surface of the photoreceptor with imagewise light to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, an image developer developing the electrostatic latent image with a developer including a toner to form a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor, and a transferer transferring the toner image onto a transfer material, wherein the photoreceptor includes an electroconductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer overlying the electroconductive substrate and including a charge generation material and a specific charge transport material. |
| US07747195B2 |
Fixing device with temperature compensating uniforming section and image forming apparatus
A fixing device for fixing a toner image onto a recording medium, includes: a belt member rotatably provided; a heating section that heats the belt member; a pressurization member, placed so as to be pressed against the belt member, that forms a nip portion to allow the recording medium to pass through between the pressurization member and the belt member; and an uniforming section that uniforms a temperature distribution in a longitudinal direction of the pressurization member. |
| US07747192B2 |
Process cartridge, main body cartridge, image carrier body cartridge, developing cartridge, toner cartridge, and image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus is provided which can be switched between states in which a developing roller is attached to an image carrier body by applying a pressing force to a developing cartridge and a state in which the developing roller can be released from attachment from the image carrier body. When an operation part of a toner cartridge is arranged at an installation position a pressing force can be applied to a developing cartridge by protruding parts fitting with spring parts, and a developing roller can be attached to a photoconductor drum by the applied pressure. When the operation part is arranged at a removal position, the fitting can be undone, causing the applied pressure to be released. |
| US07747191B2 |
Process cartridge and image forming apparatus
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of the image forming apparatus. The cartridge includes an image bearing member, a developing device developing an electrostatic image formed on the member with a developer, a first receiver receiving a driving force rotating the member from a first transmitter of the main assembly, a second receiver receiving a driving force driving the developing device from a second transmitter of the main assembly. The first receiver and the transmitter are engaged with each other with play in a mounting and demounting direction of the process cartridge, when the driving force is inputted from the first transmitter to the first receiver. When the driving force is inputted from the second transmitter to the second receiver, a part of the process cartridge is urged toward a positioning portion for positioning of the process cartridge relative to the main assembly. |
| US07747189B2 |
Process and apparatus for installing original drive gear on a laser printer toner cartridge drum
In the field of laser printer toner cartridges, systems and methods for removing a drive gear from an original, spent photosensitive drum or member, preparing and re-installing the drive gear on a new drum surface roughening, cleaning, contact straightening and priming of the original gear; cleaning and laser etching the new drum; gear positioning and adhering the gear to the drum with an epoxy/amine adhesive, electrical continuity testing and curing of the gear-drum assembly. |
| US07747184B2 |
Method of using biased charging/transfer roller as in-situ voltmeter and photoreceptor thickness detector and method of adjusting xerographic process with results
The dielectric thickness of a photoreceptor is determined in a variety of ways, including using a relationship between threshold voltage and dielectric thickness, using a relationship between dielectric thickness and the difference between biased transfer roller (BTR) voltage and photoreceptor surface potential, using a relationship between dielectric thickness and biased charging roller (BCR) impedance, using a relationship between dielectric thickness and the slope of the DC current vs. voltage curve for the BTR or the BCR, and using a relationship between dielectric thickness and the BTR voltage at zero current. The threshold voltage can be found by using the slope of the BCR DC current vs. voltage curve, measuring photoreceptor surface potential for a plurality of target values below the charging knee to obtain the intercept value, or finding the actual value of the charging knee. A method of using the BCR as an electrodynamic voltmeter is also disclosed. |
| US07747181B2 |
Image forming apparatus and detachable developer container with wireless communication therebetween
An image forming apparatus to which a developer container is detachably mountable includes a receiving unit configured to receive, via wireless communication, temperature information detected by a temperature detecting unit, which is disposed in a developer container, from the developer container in a state not mounted to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus further includes a determining unit configured to determine, based on the temperature information received by the receiving unit, whether an oscillating unit disposed in the developer container is to be oscillated, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a signal for oscillating the oscillating unit to the developer container via wireless communication based on a determination result of the determining unit indicating that the oscillating unit is to be oscillated. |
| US07747179B2 |
Image forming apparatus and storage thereof
An image forming apparatus manages information regarding the lifetimes of a plurality of photosensitive media or developing units using a single storage. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive unit comprising a photosensitive medium, a developing unit comprising a developing roller that applies developer to the photosensitive medium and a developing device that is removable and contains the developer supplied to the developing roller. A storage is included in one of the photosensitive unit or the developing unit, whichever has a longer lifetime, and stores information regarding at least one of the photosensitive unit and the developing unit. A controller controls the information stored in the storage. The image forming apparatus has a plurality of photosensitive units and/or developing units. |
| US07747177B2 |
Coherent phase-shift-keying
A receiver for coherent detection of a PSK modulated optical carrier includes an optical detector, digital-to-analog converters, and a digital module. The optical detector is configured to mix the modulated optical carrier with two phase components of a reference optical carrier and to produce analog output signals representative of optical signals produced by said mixing. The digital-to-analog converters are connected to receive the analog output signals and to produce digital signals from the received analog output signals. The digital module is connected to receive the digital signals and to perform one of compensating the received digital signals for a conjugate phase misalignment between the mixed components, extracting phase of the received digital signals, and estimating a frequency offset between the two carriers from the received digital signals. |
| US07747174B2 |
Multi-channel fabry-perot laser transmitters and methods of generating multiple modulated optical signals
Multi-channel Fabry-Perot laser transmitters and methods of generating multiple modulated optical signals are described. In one aspect, an optical transmitter includes a Fabry-Perot (FP) laser, an optical isolator, an optical splitter, and multiple electroabsorption modulators (EAMs). The FP laser is operable to generate multimode laser light. The optical isolator is arranged to transmit the multimode laser light. The optical splitter has more than one optical output and an optical input that is arranged to receive the multimode laser light transmitted by the optical isolator. Each of the EAMs is operable to modulate a respective laser light output from a respective optical output of the optical splitter. In another aspect, multimode laser light is generated. The multimode laser light is directionally isolated. The directionally-isolated multimode laser light is divided into more than one divided laser light output. Each of the divided laser light outputs is modulated to produce multiple modulated optical signals. |
| US07747173B1 |
Multi-phase clocking of integrated circuits using photonics
Embodiments of an integrated circuit are described. This integrated circuit includes a clock-generator circuit configured to provide a clock signal and an optical clock path coupled to the clock-generator circuit. Note that the optical clock path is configured to distribute optical signals corresponding to the clock signal. Furthermore, note that a given optical signal has a phase which is different than phases of the other optical signals. |
| US07747170B2 |
Optical code division multiplexing transmission/reception method and optical code division multiplexing transmission/reception device
A transmission unit comprises an optical pulse train generation unit, first channel encoded optical pulse signal generation unit, second channel encoded optical pulse signal generation unit, third channel encoded optical pulse signal generation unit, and fourth channel encoded optical pulse signal generation unit; the second and fourth channels further comprise polarization controllers respectively. By means of these polarization controllers, a polarization control step is executed in which the planes of polarization of first encoded optical pulse signals of the second and fourth channels are rotated by 90°. By executing the polarization control step, the directions of the planes of polarization of the first decoded optical pulse signals of adjacent channels in the reception unit can be caused to be mutually orthogonal. |
| US07747168B2 |
Multi switching architecture and method in optical burst switching network
An optical burst switching network is provided that includes an edge node transmitting burst data including a plurality of packets; and a core node optically switching received burst data or converting the received burst data into an electric signal and electrically switching the converted burst data. |
| US07747165B2 |
Network operating system with topology autodiscovery
The network operating system includes an embedded platform for controlling operation of an agile optical network at the physical layer level. At the module embedded level, each module (card-pack) is provided with an embedded controller EC that monitors and control operation of the optical modules. At the next level, each shelf is provided with a shelf processor SP that monitors and control operation of the ECs over a backplane network. All optical modules are connected over an optical trace channel to send/receive trace messages that can then be used to determine network connectivity. At the next, link management level, a network services controller NSC controls the SPs in a negotiated span of control, over a link network. The control is address-based; each NSC receives ranges of addresses for the entities in its control, and distributes these addresses to the SPs, which in turn distribute addresses to the ECs in their control. One of the SPs operates as a router on the link network to relay signaling and control to all entities based on their address. Each NSC constructs, from queried information, a network topology fragment for the embedded elements under its control. A distributed topology system (DTS) shares this topology information with neighboring NSC's to build a complete network view, which can be used by all interested network applications. |
| US07747164B2 |
Wavelength division multiplexing transmission system, wavelength division multiplexing transmission apparatus and method for controlling wavelength division multiplexing transmission apparatus
A wavelength division multiplexing transmission system that comprises an input/output terminal station for an optical signal, and an intermediate station located between the terminal stations and connected by an optical transmission line for performing wavelength division multiplexing and transmission of the optical signal, wherein the signal transmission system comprising the terminal station and the intermediate station has a redundant configuration comprising the active system and standby system, and an input/output means for the optical signal to be transmitted through the active system and the standby system is provided on both the active system and the standby system on the side of the active system of the terminal station. |
| US07747157B2 |
Target-image position detecting apparatus, method and program for controlling said apparatus
A face-image area is decided with comparatively good accuracy. An (N−1)th frame of a subject image α1 and an Nth frame of a subject image α2 are obtained by sensing the image of a subject successively. Face-image detection processing is applied to the frames of the subject images α1 and α2 to detect face-image areas C1, C2 and C3. The face-image area C2 is construed to be linked to the face-image area C1, which is the corresponding face-image area. Since a face-image area that corresponds to the face-image area C3 does not exist, the face-image area C3 is construed as not being linked. The linked face-image area C2 in the Nth frame of the subject image α2 is decided upon as a face-image area. Thus, face areas can be decided with comparatively good accuracy. |
| US07747155B1 |
Zoom lens assembly
A zoom lens assembly for a miniature camera, such as those used in cellular telephones and other personal electronic devices, is disclosed. One or more lenses of the zoom lens assembly are moved in and/or out of the optical path of the zoom lens assembly to change the magnification of the lens. Since the magnification does not necessarily require movement of lenses along the optical path of the camera, the length of the zoom lens assembly, and consequently of the camera as well, is substantially reduced. |
| US07747153B2 |
Camera having an image blur reducing function and rotation means
A camera is provided with an image blur reducing function and rotation means. The image blur reducing function is turned off during rotation in a constant-speed drive pattern in which the rotation means rotates the camera at a constant speed from a start to an end of the rotation operation. The image blur reducing function is turned on during rotation in an intermittent drive pattern in which the rotation means intermittently executes drive operation from the start to the end of the rotation operation. |
| US07747152B2 |
Lens barrel and digital camera
A lens barrel includes: a vibration reduction mechanism comprising a vibration reduction lens and a drive device that drives the vibration reduction lens, so as to compensate for image vibration; and a shutter unit for exposure control. The drive device and the shutter unit are arranged so as at least partially to overlap in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens barrel. |
| US07747149B2 |
Optical apparatus having image-blur correction/reduction system
At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an image-blur correction/reduction system miniaturized by arranging support guiding devices of a movable member and a rotation restricting device configured for restricting the rotation of the movable member about the optical axis so as to overlap each other viewed from the optical axial direction, a lens barrel, which can have the image-blur correction/reduction system, and an optical apparatus, which can have the same. |
| US07747148B2 |
Shake detecting apparatus, shake correcting apparatus and image pickup apparatus
A shake detecting apparatus includes a shake detecting sensor for outputting signals resulting from shake given to the shake detecting apparatus. In the case of application, for example, to an image pickup apparatus, the shake detecting sensor detects camera shake given to the image pickup apparatus. The shake detecting apparatus further includes an first integrating section for integrating the signals outputted from the shake detecting sensor, a second integrating section for integrating outputs of the first integrating section, and a correcting section for correcting the outputs of the first integrating section using outputs of the second integrating section after the lapse of a specified period following a specified timing. |
| US07747146B2 |
Motor controller having a multifunction port
In one aspect, a control circuit to control a speed of a motor includes a control logic circuit connected to a multifunction port. The control logic circuit is configured to receive a control signal provided at the multifunction port and to provide response signals based on the control signal to place the motor in at least two of a sleep mode, a brake mode and a pulse-width modulation (PWM) mode. The motor control circuit also includes an H-bridge circuit configured to control the motor based on the response signals. |
| US07747145B2 |
High-resolution optical disk for recording stereoscopic video, optical disk reproducing device, and optical disk recording device
An optical disk for recording stereoscopic videos and high-quality video signals and a system for reproducing the videos and signals from the optical disk are made compatible with the conventional video reproducing system. A reproducing device which is used for reproducing stereoscopic videos and high-quality videos obtains stereoscopic video or high-quality videos by reproducing both first and second interleaved blocks on the optical disk in which first and second video signals are alternately recorded on the left and right sides by dividing the first and second video signals into frame groups of one GOP or more and a reproducing device which is not used for reproducing the stereoscopic videos and high-quality videos obtains ordinary videos by only reproducing either the first or second interleaved block by jumping tracks. |
| US07747139B2 |
Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened. |
| US07747137B2 |
Method of and system for recording image information and method of and system for encoding image information
A digital video data recording system has a signal source, a motion detector, an external memory for storing motion vector data, an encoder, a recorder, and a controller. The controller obtains motion vector data and quantization step size data in a preprocessing procedure, and encodes image data using the motion vector data read from the external memory and the quantization step size data and records the encoded image information on a recording medium in a recording process. The digital video data recording system can encode image information appropriately depending on the type of the image information, minimizes the consumption of electric energy by not effecting a motion detecting process in the recording process, and can record all the image information to be recorded on the recording medium. |
| US07747131B2 |
Recording medium, method of creating file of the recording medium, and method and apparatus for reproducing the same
A recording medium, a method of creating a file of the recording medium, and a method and apparatus for reproducing the same are disclosed, wherein position change and transition of random playback points among title recorded within the recording medium can be easily performed, thereby providing an apparatus having more convenient title playback functions to the users. The method of creating a file of the recording medium includes forming a PlayList file including playback control information of a set of recorded data, forming an object file including an execute command of the PlayList file, and forming an index file including a set of Normal Title information designating a specific object within the object file, and a set of auxiliary Title information designating a random point of data being reproduced by the Normal Title information. |
| US07747129B2 |
Resin composition for optical materials, resin film for optical material, and optical waveguide
A resin composition for an optical material, which is excellent in heat resistance and transparency and is soluble in an aqueous alkali solution, a resin film for an optical material made of the resin composition, and an optical waveguide using the same are provided. The resin composition for an optical material includes: (A) an alkali-soluble (meth)acrylate polymer containing a maleimide skeleton in a main chain; (B) a polymerizable compound; and (C) a polymerization initiator. The resin film for an optical material is made of the resin composition for an optical material. The optical waveguide has a core part and/or a clad layer formed using the resin composition for an optical material or the resin film for an optical material. |
| US07747127B2 |
Optical member and method of producing the same
A plurality of optical members (lenses) for use in ultraviolet region are mutually stuck. A fluorine-based organic compound (for example, fluorine-based oil) is provided between them. The periphery of the optical members is sealed with a sealant. As the sealant, an adhesive fluorine resin, for example, a soluble fluorine resin is used. |
| US07747125B1 |
Structured fiber optic cassette with multi-furcated cable access
To minimize the space requirement inside a cassette and make cable retention force consistent and easy for fiber routing/rework, a cassette includes a cassette base molded to include a plurality of holders, a cassette cover to close the cassette base, and a plurality of blocks, respectively disposed into the holders, each of the blocks including one or more holes to accommodate one or more fiber cables. The fiber cables are fixed in the holes using a type of adhesive. In addition, bare fibers are placed inside the cassette to communicate respectively with the fiber cables. |
| US07747123B2 |
Manufacturing method of opto-electric hybrid board and opto-electric hybrid board obtained thereby
A method of manufacturing an opto-electric hybrid board which is capable of reducing the number of steps for the manufacture of the opto-electric hybrid board and which achieves the reduction in thickness of the opto-electric hybrid board to be manufactured, and an opto-electric hybrid board obtained thereby. A resist layer is formed on a core-forming resin layer, and is then formed into a predetermined pattern. Resultant portions of the core-forming resin layer serve as cores (optical interconnect lines) 3. Next, a thin metal film 5 is formed on the under cladding layer 2 so as to cover the resist layer and the cores 3. Thereafter, the resist layer is removed together with portions of the thin metal film 5 lying on the surface of the resist layer. Electroplating is performed on the remaining portions of the thin metal film 5 to fill grooves 6 defined between adjacent ones of the cores 3 with electroplated layers 7a obtained by the electroplating. The electroplated layers 7a serve as electrical interconnect lines 7. |
| US07747120B2 |
Optical fiber, light amplifier and light source
A coated optical fiber capable of transmitting high-power light, which is an optical fiber having an outer surface coated with a coating material, is characterized in that the coating material is made of a transparent UV curable resin so as to prevent the coating material from absorbing light leaked outside from the optical fiber to generate heat. Further, a light transmitting method is characterized in that a fiber fuse propagation threshold which is a minimal light output required for fiber fuse propagation is obtained and a transmitted light output is controlled so that the transmitted light output becomes smaller than the fiber fuse propagation threshold. |
| US07747119B2 |
Multimode optical fiber for high rate LAN, method for manufacturing the same, and test bed thereof
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a multimode optical fiber for high data rate LAN using MCVD, which includes a deposition process for forming a clad layer and a core layer, doped with an additive for controlling a refractive index, on an inner wall of a quartz tube by injecting a deposition gas into the quartz tube and applying heat to outside of the quartz tube; and a collapse process, which is repeatedly conducted N times, for filling up a gap in the quartz tube by applying heat of a temperature over a deposition temperature to the quartz tube after the core layer is completely deposited. In the method, together with an N−1th collapse process, an etching process of injecting a reaction gas for etching into the quartz tube is conducted in order to eliminate a portion of which refractive index is transformed due to evaporation of the additive. |
| US07747118B2 |
Connectored optical fiber sheet and manufacturing method thereof
In a connectored optical fiber sheet according to the present invention, a connector is fitted around both optical fibers and sheet base. |
| US07747113B2 |
Optical device and virtual image display device
A virtual image display device is provided which displays a two-dimensional image for viewing a virtual image in a magnified form by a virtual optical system. The virtual image display device includes an optical waveguide (13) to guide, by internal total reflection, parallel pencil groups meeting a condition of internal total reflection, a first reflection volume hologram grating (14) to diffract and reflect the parallel pencil groups incident upon the optical waveguide from outside and traveling in different directions as they are so as to meet the condition of internal total reflection inside the optical waveguide and a second reflection volume hologram grating (15) to project the parallel pencil groups guided by internal total reflection inside the optical waveguide as they are from the optical waveguide by diffraction and reflection thereof so as to depart from the condition of internal total reflection inside the optical waveguide. Some of the parallel pencil groups guided through the optical waveguide being totally reflected different numbers of times for a period from external incidence upon the optical waveguide until outgoing from the optical waveguide. |
| US07747108B2 |
Image processing apparatus and its method
Upon searching for a digital document of a document image, if information indicating a security level “vector conversion of objects is NG” is embedded in the document of interest, information of objects to be used in the search is deficient, thus disturbing satisfactory search processing. To solve this problem, a document image is read, and the read image is divided in accordance with the attributes of image regions. Designation of an image region whose image is to be vector-converted of the divided image regions is accepted, and additional information included in the designated image region is extracted. Search processing of a data file corresponding to the document image is controlled in accordance with the presence/absence of the additional information or the interpretation result of the additional information. |
| US07747107B2 |
Method for retargeting images
A method for content-aware image retargeting generates an energy image from a source image according to an energy function. From the energy image, one or more seams are determined according to a minimizing function such that each seam has a minimal energy. Each seam is applied to the source image to obtain a target image that preserves content and a rectangular shape of the source image. |
| US07747100B2 |
Adaptive directional edge-preserving false contour filtering
A method for adaptive false contour reduction includes: detecting contour location information by removing a flat region having certain brightness values from a first input image based on a bright value difference between the first input image and a second input image with a bit depth of the first input image reduced; detecting false-contour direction and location information by measuring directional contrast of the flat region-removed first image, and distinguishing the false contour area and an edge area out of the false contour location information based on the measured contrast; and smoothing the false contour area by using the false contour direction and location information, and removing the false contour from the first input image. Thus, a flat region can be automatically removed by using a brightness value difference between a bit depth-reduced image and an original input image and detect a false contour, thereby enhancing a precision degree of false contour detection. Further, signal components can be prevented from being degraded by performing smoothing over only a false contour. |
| US07747089B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program
If a rectangular area extracted from image data is smaller than a predetermined size, the rectangular area is judged as a text area. If a rectangular area has ground pixel rate of no less than 66%, labeling pixel rate of less than 67%, and marginal pixel rate of no less than 50%, the rectangular area is judged as a large text area, and otherwise as a ground area. If a rectangular area having no less than 10 straight lines, or both no less than four straight lines and labeling pixel rate of no more than 12%, has an edge pixel rate of no less than 5%, the rectangular area is judged as a table area, and otherwise as a graph area. If a rectangular area has less than four straight lines or labeling pixel rate of greater than 12%, the rectangular area is judged as a photograph area. |
| US07747086B1 |
Methods and apparatus for encoding a shared drawing memory
A display encoding system is disclosed. The display encoding system includes at least one processor, an encoding circuit, the encoding circuit having a structure separate from the structure of the processor(s), a communication connection to a computer network, a drawing memory, a traffic manager, and a memory access circuit. The processor(s) are configured to execute drawing commands, access the drawing memory via the memory access circuit to store image representation(s) in the drawing memory. The encoding circuit is configured to access the drawing memory to encode at least a portion of the image representation(s) stored in the drawing memory based on the executed drawing commands. The traffic manager is configured to transmit the encoded image over the communication connection to at least one display device. |
| US07747083B2 |
System and method for good nearest neighbor clustering of text
An improved system and method for clustering text or content described by text is provided. Each text in a set of texts may be represented as a dimensional vector of words. Singleton texts that may not be similar to another text may be excluded from the set of texts for clustering. Texts identified as good nearest neighbors may then be grouped in the same cluster. In addition, metadata describing content may be used for clustering items of aggregated content from content feeds. Metadata describing items of content from content feeds may be converted into a set of texts and texts identified as good nearest neighbors may then be clustered. Items of content feeds described by the clustered texts may then be similarly clustered. Any types of items of content that may be described by text may be clustered, including audio, images, video, multimedia content, and so forth. |
| US07747081B2 |
Identification of a photoelectric sensor array
A photoelectric sensor array is labelled by accumulating charge, preferably charge from a dark current, in at least a portion of the sensor array and reading out the accumulated charge to form an image to determine locations of atypical pixels in the portion of the sensor array. A signature of the sensor array is generated from the locations of atypical pixels and stored. The array is subsequently identified by re-accumulating charge in the portion of the array to form a signature based on the atypical pixels for comparison with the stored signature. |
| US07747074B2 |
Selection of decorative picture suitable for input picture
A system and method for adding decorative images to a plurality of input images allows the decorative images to be easily selected. An image processing device includes a decorative image storage unit configured to store a plurality of decorative images, and a representative color acquisition unit configured to acquire a representative color for each of the input images by analyzing the input images. A decorative image selecting unit selects a decorative image to be added to each of the input images based on the representative color of the input image. An output image generating unit generates an output image by individually synthesizing the decorative images with a same pattern and the input images. |
| US07747065B2 |
Pixel positioning systems and methods
A manufacturing process for sheet or shaped work products includes advancing the work product in a direction along a processing path; establishing a reference line with respect to the processing path; capturing visual data related to the work product; converting the visual data into a pixel array; and setting a predetermined line of pixels to correspond with the reference line. |
| US07747062B2 |
Methods, defect review tools, and systems for locating a defect in a defect review process
Methods, defect review tools, and systems for locating a defect in a defect review process are provided. One method includes acquiring one or more images and data from an inspection tool. The one or more images illustrate an area on a specimen in which a defect to be reviewed is located. The data indicates a position and features of the defect within the area. The method also includes acquiring one or more additional images of the specimen proximate the position of the defect indicated in the data using an imaging subsystem of a defect review tool. In addition, the method includes identifying a portion of the one or more additional images that corresponds to the one or more images. The method further includes determining a position of the defect within the portion of the one or more additional images using the data. |
| US07747053B2 |
Image diagnosis supporting system and method
An image diagnosis supporting system comprising a means for reading in image data representative of the image of a subject acquired by a medical imaging apparatus, a means for detecting an abnormal shadow candidate satisfying at least one of a plurality of criteria for abnormal shadow criteria from the image thus read in, and a means for displaying the image thus read in and a marker indicative of the abnormal shadow candidate thus detected in a superimposed state.The image diagnosis supporting system is further provided with a means for setting criteria supporting judgment of the abnormal shadow candidate detected by the abnormal shadow candidate detecting means as judgment supporting criteria, and a control means for displaying the judgment supporting criteria thus set, the abnormal shadow candidate and the marker simultaneously on the display means.Accordingly, it is possible to support the user in accurately judging the type of an abnormal shadow candidate. |
| US07747044B2 |
Fusing multimodal biometrics with quality estimates via a bayesian belief network
A Bayesian belief network-based architecture for multimodal biometric fusion is disclosed. Bayesian networks are a theoretically sound, probabilistic framework for information fusion. The architecture incorporates prior knowledge of each modality's capabilities, quality estimates for each sample, and relationships or dependencies between these variables. A global quality estimate is introduced to support decision making. |
| US07747037B2 |
Routing networks for use with content linking systems
A method of linking a content object with a network resource presents a content object to a reader, discerns an identifier associated with the content object, transfers the identifier to an indexing system, and in response receives an internet address corresponding to the content object. To enhance the response of the indexing system, it includes multiple routers, which it selects based on location relative to the reader. For example, the method sends user location data to a master system, and in response, receives an address of an indexing system close to the user location. |
| US07747035B1 |
Unipole radiator loudspeaker
A loudspeaker having a diaphragm with a fixed edge and a free edge, and a multiplicity of conductors running parallel to its length and adjacent to the free edge. |
| US07747031B2 |
Hearing device and method for wind noise suppression
To reduce the disturbing effect of artifacts created by signal processing when reducing wind noises the microphone signal of a hearing device for the presence or the strength of a predefined wind noise signal and, if appropriate, the wind noise signal is released. A noise signal is generated that is emitted at the hearing aid output component in addition to the reduced wind noise signal. The noise signal is generated dependent on the wind noise signal, so that the wind noise signal is at least partly masked. The resultant signal is perceived by the wearer of the hearing aid to be less disturbing. |
| US07747030B2 |
Method for identifying a hearing aid
A hearing aid is identified by storing a first binary code in the hearing aid as a first identification code, storing a second binary code in the hearing aid as a default code, and replacing the default code with a second identification code if a second hearing aid is used by the person using the first hearing aid. The identification code includes a bit indicating for which ear the hearing aid is intended. If two hearing aids are used, the identification code of the first hearing aid is substituted for the default code in the second hearing aid and vice-versa, thereby pairing the first hearing aid with the second hearing aid and indicating that there are two hearing aids needed, even if one hearing aid should become lost or inoperative. |
| US07747028B2 |
Apparatus and method for improving voice clarity
In an apparatus for improving voice clarity by controlling a gain of a voice based on a sound pressure level of the voice and a sound pressure level of noise, it is determined whether a sound pressure level of a gain-controlled voice exceeds a maximum allowable level. If the sound pressure level exceeding the maximum allowable level is caused by audio sound, a sound pressure level of the audio sound is reduced. The sound pressure level of the audio sound is minimally reduced so that the sound pressure level of the voice becomes equal to or lower than the maximum allowable level. |
| US07747026B2 |
Soundbridge test system
The present invention relates to the field of devices and methods for improving testing of hearing devices, including soundbridges and direct drive middle ear implants. In particular, the present invention provides a microphone system utilizing reverse transfer function to assess the operability of implanted hearing improvement devices, including but not limited to soundbridges and direct drive middle ear implants. |
| US07747024B2 |
System and method for generalized authentication
A system, method, and program product is provided that uses environments to control access to encryption keys. A request for an encryption key and an environment identifier is received. If the encryption key is not associated with the environment identifier, the request is denied. If they are associated, the system receives user-supplied environment authentication data items from a user. Examples of environment authentication data include passwords, user identifiers, user biometric data (e.g., fingerprint scan, etc.), smart cards, and the like. The system retrieves stored environment authentication data items from a secure (e.g., encrypted) storage location. The retrieved stored environment authentication data items correspond to the environment identifier that was received. The received environment authentication data items are authenticated using the retrieved stored environment authentication data items. If the authentication is successful, the user is allowed use of the requested encryption key, otherwise, the request is denied. |
| US07747023B2 |
Multi-user quantum cryptography method and system using wavelength division multiplexing
A multi-user quantum cryptography system and method are described herein. The system comprises a relay including a quantum information server so configured as to generate quantum information communications having different wavelengths and a multiplexer so configured as to separate the different quantum information communications generated by the quantum information server by their wavelength and to supply each communication to a respective user. |
| US07747022B2 |
Wireless perimeter security device and network using same
A Radio Frequency based security system for providing security for wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) that allows the creation and maintenance of arbitrarily shaped secure wireless access areas with boundaries around said wireless Local Area Network and prevents access to the said wireless LAN from outside the perimeter of the secure area. The system includes a plurality of perimeter Radio Frequency Sentry Devices (RFSDs) that are employed to establish the boundaries of said secure area around said wireless LAN. The wireless LAN being secured may be an industry standard IEEE 802.11a, 801.11b or 802.11g based wireless LAN or any other wireless LAN that uses packet based communication protocols. The said RFSDs may be stand-alone devices or they may be connected to a wired or wireless Local Area Network. |
| US07747011B2 |
Encryption device, encryption method, and computer program
The invention realizes a high-security cryptographic processing apparatus that increases difficulty in analyzing its key and a method therefor. In Feistel-type common-key-block cryptographic processing that repeatedly executes an SPN-type F-function having the nonlinear conversion section and the linear conversion section over a plurality of rounds, Linear conversion processing of an F-function corresponding to each of the plurality of rounds is carried out by linear conversion processing that applies square MDS (Maximum Distance Separable) matrices. The invention uses a setting that arbitrary m column vectors included in inverse matrices of square MDS matrices being set up at least in consecutive even-numbered rounds and in consecutive odd-numbered rounds, respectively, constitute a square MDS matrix. This structure realizes cryptographic processing whereby resistance to linear cryptanalysis attacks in the common-key-block cipher is improved. |
| US07747006B2 |
Handset and base unit with semi-translucent finish
An electronic device, such as a handset for providing telephonic communication, having a semi-translucent finish is provided. The handset generally includes a front cover with a display region, an input region and a back cover. The front cover may be formed of a transparent material, such as plastic and be covered by a semi-translucent vacuum metallized thin film. The handset includes an active mode wherein a display panel is illuminated and is visible through the thin film, and a standby mode wherein the display panel is not illuminated and not visible and, instead, the front cover appears as a continuous surface with a metallic finish. The handset also includes a base unit with an outer area that may change color to indicate the handset is properly positioned within the base unit. The base unit also includes electrical contacts to act as a charging unit. |
| US07747002B1 |
Method and system for stereo echo cancellation for VoIP communication systems
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is directed toward a method and system for cancelling line echo in the presence of a known secondary audio signal. Filter adaption is enabled in the presence of a known secondary audio source such as the sound of a computer game, a music signal or other secondary audio sources that would otherwise prevent echo cancellation due to an apparent double talk condition. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. |
| US07746999B2 |
Resource based queue management system and method
A queue management system interfaces with a resource management system and a queuing system in an environment that further includes an interim system. The queue management system comprises an interface to the resource management system for obtaining resource availability data and a management system. The resource availability data represents a resource termination time—and may include the resource termination time or data useful for calculating the resource termination time. The control system: i) obtains a value representing the expected interim system handling time, and ii) makes the interim system available for handling a subject client only if the expected interim system handling time period terminates prior to the resource termination time. The control system transfers the subject client to the queuing system to hold while waiting for connection to a resource for handling upon determining that the resource termination time is scheduled to occur prior to termination of the expected interim system handling time period. |
| US07746997B2 |
Interactive telephony trainer and exerciser
A telephony trainer and exerciser allows a user of the telephony system to practice and train using the telephony system and its various features. The telephony trainer and exerciser system provides at least one automated responder, and more preferably, a plurality of automated responders that can be called by the user, thereby allowing the user to practice different operating features of the telephony system. Using a recognizer agent, the automated responders are able to distinguish between commands given by the user and similar statements given by another automated responder. The trainer and exerciser system optionally includes a correlator agent to provide an audio and/or written transcript of the practice session. A coaching feature is also optionally provided to assist a user in operating the trainer and exerciser and/or the telephony system. |
| US07746991B2 |
Apparatus and method of providing a call service using a prepaid card in a portable terminal
An apparatus and method of providing a call service using a prepaid card in a portable terminal is provided. The prepaid card is photographed according to a predetermined prepaid card capturing mode operation, and a unique prepaid card number is recognized from the photographed image and stored. A phone number is received and the prepaid card number and the phone number are dialed. |
| US07746990B1 |
Providing called number characteristics to click-to-dial customers
A system and method to provide content and call attributes for a destination phone number using a click-to-dial connection includes accepting a query, retrieving links to a document, and searching through cached data using the query to identify relevant or destination number information. If no match is found, the method continues with accessing the document identified by the link for identifying relevant number information and creating a click-to-dial icon to link to the relevant numbers included in the relevant phone number information identified by the query. Next, a popup box for content relevant to the click-to-dial icon and a click feature on the popup box are created to retrieve call destination attributes for viewing by a user. Further, computer instructions create at least one communication connection between two communication devices after viewing call destination attributes. |
| US07746986B2 |
Methods and systems for a sign language graphical interpreter
Systems and methods for displaying visual content to a user corresponding to sound captured at a user terminal are disclosed. After receiving over a network from a user terminal a request to convert sound into a visual content representing the sound, wherein the sound comprises one or more words, a translation server may retrieve text corresponding to the one or more words from a database. The translation server may then convert the text into one or more content phrases, wherein the content phrases represent the meaning of the one or more words, and convert each of the one or more content phrases into a new language. Finally, the translation server may send visual content to the user terminal representing the new language. |
| US07746983B2 |
Distributor with a test access
The invention relates to a distribution frame (1) for telecommunications and data technology, the distribution frame (1) having a system side and a subscriber side, which are each formed by at least one distribution frame connection module (2, 3), the distribution frame connection modules (2, 3) each having a jumper side by means of which the electrical connections between the system side and the subscriber side can be changed, comprising an access matrix (15) by means of which the electrical connections are routed between the system side and the subscriber side, the electrical connection being passed on by means of the access matrix (15) or else being connected to a test unit (16) via a test bus (17), the access matrix (15) being arranged in the distribution frame connection module (3, 2) on the subscriber side or the system side, and to a distribution frame connection module (2, 3) suitable for this purpose. |
| US07746975B2 |
Breast's radiation image taking apparatus and a method of taking a breast's radiation image
The breast's radiation image taking apparatus and method set an imaging condition in association with a first region on a distal end side which is an imaging region spaced from a chest wall of a subject, take a first radiation image of the breast in the first region and take a second radiation image of the breast in a second region on a proximal end side closer to the chest wall than the first region under the same imaging condition as in the first region. The apparatus includes a radiation source, a breast support plane on which the breast is to be placed, a radiation-receiving plane for acquiring a radiation image of the breast, an imaging position switching device by which relative positions of the both planes are changed, an imaging condition setting device for setting an imaging condition and an imaging control device controls so that the first and second radiation images are taken in two positions on both sides. |
| US07746973B2 |
Signal detection circuit
A signal detection circuit comprising: a differential amplifier to which an output voltage of a detection coil of a magnetic sensor is to be applied; a comparator to output a digital signal being at one logic level in a period between two spike-shaped voltages adjacent to each other in the output voltage of the differential amplifier; and a count circuit to perform a count operation in a period during which the comparator outputs the digital signal of the one logic level, the count circuit including a first counter to count a first clock having a predetermined frequency, a second counter to count a second clock being equal in frequency to and different in phase from the first clock, the second counter having the same number of bits as the number of bits of the first counter, and an adder to add count values of the first and the second counter. |
| US07746970B2 |
Method and apparatus for filtering noisy estimates to reduce estimation errors
Techniques for filtering noisy estimates to reduce estimation errors are described. A sequence of input values (e.g., for an initial channel impulse response estimate (CIRE)) is filtered with an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter having at least one coefficient to obtain a sequence of output values (e.g., for a filtered CIRE). The coefficient(s) are updated based on the sequence of input values with an adaptive filter, a bank of prediction filters, or a normalized variation technique. To update the coefficient(s) with the adaptive filter, a sequence of predicted values is derived based on the sequence of input values. Prediction errors between the sequence of predicted values and the sequence of input values are determined and filtered to obtain filtered prediction errors. The coefficient(s) of the IIR filter are then updated based on the prediction errors and the filtered prediction errors. |
| US07746969B2 |
High definition multi-media interface
A receiver for a multi-channel system such as a HDMI system is presented. In accordance with the present invention, the receiver receives one of the plurality of channels and includes an analog portion, a digital-to-analog converter, and a digital control block that provides digital control signals to the analog portion. Equalization can be accomplished partially or wholly in the analog domain and digitally controlled by a digital control loop. A digital equalizer can also be included. A decision feedback equalizer can be implemented that sums an analog output signal into the analog data stream. Timing recovery can be accomplished by digital control of a phase interpolator or delay locked loop that receives a plurality of phases from a timing circuit coupled to receive a clock signal. |
| US07746968B2 |
Beam combining and hybrid beam selection method for improving digital broadcasting reception performance, and digital broadcasting receiving apparatus using the same
Provided are a beam combining and hybrid beam selection method that can improve digital broadcasting reception performance by combining more than two beam output signals (beam combination type) instead of simply selecting one of beam output signals (beam selection type), or even selecting an optimal method between the beam selection type and the beam combination type, and a digital broadcasting receiving apparatus using the same. |
| US07746966B2 |
Method for automatic gain control before initial synchronization in OFDM system and apparatus thereof
The present invention relates to a method for automatic gain control (AGC) before an initial synchronization of a mobile station modem in OFDM system, and an apparatus thereof. The AGC apparatus includes: an initial synchronization inspector that verifies whether an initial synchronization for an input block sample (k) signal has been performed; a frame divider that divides a frame into predetermined intervals B(k) for the input block sample(k) signal in the case that the initial synchronization has not been performed; a reference value inspector that compares a difference value Pref−Pcalc, between a predetermined reference value Pref and sample data average energy Pcalc, with a predetermined value; a count controller that increases or decreases the count when the difference value Pref−Pcalc compared by the reference value inspector is greater or less than the predetermined value; a count inspector that inspects whether the count is greater or less than 0 when the input block sample (k) reaches a maximum value MAX; and a gain controller which increases or decreases the gain, level by level, according to the count inspection result of the count inspector. |
| US07746963B2 |
Methods and apparatus for frequency tracking of a received signal
Methods and apparatus for frequency tracking of a received signal. In an aspect, a method is provided wherein the received signal comprises one or more symbols having a periodic structure. The method comprises receiving a plurality of samples of a selected symbol that comprises pilot signals scrambled with data and determining a window size and a periodicity factor. The method also comprises accumulating a correlation between samples in a first window and samples in a second window to produce an accumulated correlation value, wherein the first and second windows have a size and a separation based on the window size and the periodicity factor, respectively, and deriving a frequency error estimate based on the accumulated correlation value. |
| US07746962B2 |
Apparatus and method of detection for a packet-based wireless receiver employing multiple, concurrent transmitted streams
The present invention provides a packet detector for use with a packet-based wireless receiver employing a receive antenna for P concurrently transmitted streams, where P is at least two. In one embodiment, the packet detector includes a correlation unit coupled to the single receive antenna and configured to provide a correlation function based on P acquisition fields corresponding to the P concurrently transmitted streams. Additionally, the packet detector also includes a pseudo-magnitude calculator coupled to the correlation unit and configured to calculate a packet detection metric based on the correlation function. |
| US07746960B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating for I/Q mismatch in TDD system
Provided are an apparatus and a method for compensating for an I/Q mismatch using a transmission signal in a wireless communication system. The apparatus includes a coupler, an FFT operator, and an I/Q mismatch estimator. The coupler couples the transmission signal and provides the coupled signal to a reception path, and the FFT operator performs FFT on the coupled transmission signal. The I/Q mismatch estimator estimates I/Q mismatch using a preamble of the FFT-performed transmission signal. The apparatus can compensate for I/Q mismatch in real-time. Since the FFT provided to a reception signal detection unit of a TDD OFDM receiver is used without the need for a separate algorithm for Fourier transform required during an I/Q mismatch estimation process of the conventional art, resources can be saved. |
| US07746955B2 |
Power amplifier pre-distortion
A power amplifier pre-distorter is formed by a FIR filter structure that includes an individual look-up table for each filter tap, where each look-up table represents a sampled polynomial in a variable representing signal amplitude. An absolute value block selects, from each filter tap look-up table, a filter coefficient that depends on the amplitude of a corresponding complex signal value to be multiplied by the filter tap. This structure can pre-distort both for amplitude distortion and memory effects in the power amplifier. |
| US07746950B2 |
Signal detection method for MIMO communication system employing spatial multiplexing
Disclosed is a signal detection method for a receiver of a Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication system having nT and nR (where nR is greater than or equal to nT) transmission and reception antennas, respectively, and an nT×nR channel matrix. The signal detection method includes selecting a plurality of sub-channel matrices having smaller dimensions than the nT×nR channel matrix, estimating transmission symbols received from corresponding transmission antennas using a maximum likelihood decoding method with respect to a received signal corresponding to each of the sub-channel matrices, estimating transmission symbols received from the remaining transmission antenna(s) using the estimated transmission symbols, temporarily storing a candidate symbol set composed of the estimated transmission symbols, and comparing candidate symbol sets corresponding to all the sub-channel matrices and determining the smallest candidate symbol set as a transmission symbol set. |
| US07746949B2 |
Communications apparatus, system and method of creating a sub-channel
A communications apparatus is capable of being disposed in-line in a communications link that supports a main communications channel. The communications link connects a first host to a second host. The communications apparatus comprises an application logic that supports a sub-channel within the main channel. When the main channel is potentially faulty, the application logic is arranged to monitor the main channel to determine an error condition and send a message by replacing data reserved for control purposes in order to communicate the error condition as sub-channel data. |
| US07746947B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving data in a multiple-input multiple-output communication system
A multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system is provided for communication between a transmission apparatus having a plurality of transmission antennas and a reception apparatus having a plurality of reception antennas. The reception apparatus performs singular value decomposition (SVD) on channel information for a channel established to the transmission apparatus, and feeds back the SVD-decomposed channel information to the transmission apparatus. The transmission apparatus receives the SVD-decomposed channel information from the reception apparatus, performs QR decomposition on the received SVD-decomposed channel information, and sets multiple transmission antennas to be allocated to the channel, thereby performing beamforming. |
| US07746946B2 |
Performing a scan of diversity parameter differences
Modifying a signal according to a diversity parameter adjustment includes accessing scan parameter values, where a scan parameter describes a scan process. The scan parameter values include diversity parameter vectors, where a diversity parameter vector has a diversity parameter value for each of one or more diversity parameters. The scan process is performed by repeating the following for each diversity parameter vector: modifying a signal according to the diversity parameter values of the diversity parameter vector, where the signal is transmitted from a modifying communication device to a feedback communication device; and receiving a feedback signal reflecting feedback information describing the signal as received by the feedback communication device. |
| US07746945B2 |
Training-based channel estimation for multiple-antennas
The burden of designing multiple training sequences for systems having multiple transmit antennas, is drastically reduced by employing a single sequence from which the necessary multiple sequences are developed. The single sequence is selected to create sequences that have an impulse-like autocorrelation function and zero cross correlations. A sequence of any desired length Nt can be realized for an arbitrary number of channel taps, L. The created sequences can be restricted to a standard constellation (that is used in transmitting information symbols) so that a common constellation mapper is used for both the information signals and the training sequence. In some applications a a training sequence may be selected so that it is encoded with the same encoder that is used for encoding information symbols. Both block and trellis coding is possible in embodiments that employ this approach. |
| US07746944B2 |
Electronic transmitter/receiver
An electronic transmitter device has a puncturing device with two data outputs and/or an interleaver with two data inputs. An electronic receiver device has a de-interleaver with two data outputs and/or a depuncturing device with two data inputs. |
| US07746942B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling dynamic range of weight vectors according to combining methods in a mobile station equipped with multiple antennas in high rate packet data system using code division multiple access scheme
Provided is an apparatus and method for controlling a dynamic range of weight vectors according to a combining method to fit an input range of a channel decoder in a mobile station of a high rate packet data system. The apparatus includes a channel estimator for receiving pilot symbol from a base station and calculating channel estimation values of receive paths of each antenna, an autocorrelation matrix calculator for calculating autocorrelation matrix values in every chip duration from the received pilot symbols, a weight vector calculator for calculating weight vectors using the channel estimation values and/or autocorrelation matrix values according to a combining method of the multi-path received signals, a controller for outputting modified weight vectors by fitting an input range of a channel decoder according to the combining method, and a combiner for outputting the combined signal by multiplying descrambled received signals by the modified weight vectors. Accordingly, even if various combining methods are used when data is received in a mobile station of a high rate packet data system using the CDMA scheme, performance degradation of a channel decoder can be minimized. |
| US07746935B2 |
Digital amplifier system for driving a capacitive load
A digital amplifier system for driving a capacitive load includes a digital amplifier controller responsive to a digital input command for producing a pulse density modulation signal representative of the digital input command; a switching amplifier for amplifying the pulse density modulation signal and an inductive filter for demodulating the amplified pulse density modulation signal to provide a drive current to drive a capacitive load in response to the digital input command. |
| US07746933B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding video signal using reference pictures
In the method for decoding a video signal, at least a portion of a current image in a current layer is predicted based on at least a portion of a reference image and offset information. The offset information may indicate a position offset between at least one boundary pixel of the reference image and at least one boundary pixel of the current image. |
| US07746930B2 |
Motion prediction compensating device and its method
An object of the invention is to provide a prediction compensation device and its method in which the processing efficiency of the overall coding process is enhanced. The address of an object pixel block serving as a pixel block of prediction object among a plurality of pixel blocks is detected, a first search range or a second search range narrower than the first search range is decided as the search range of a motion vector for the object pixel block on the reference frame according to the detected address, and the motion vector is searched for from the decided search range around the predictor of the motion vector based on the surrounding pixel blocks adjacent to the object pixel block. |
| US07746929B2 |
Video encoding and decoding methods and corresponding devices
The invention relates to the field of video compression and, more specifically, to a video encoding method applied to an input sequence of frames in which each frame is subdivided into blocks of arbitrary size. This method comprises, for at least a part of the blocks of the current frame, the steps of: generating on a block basis motion-compensated frames obtained from each current original frame and a previous reconstructed frame; generating the said motion-compensated frames residual signals; using a matching pursuit algorithm for decomposing each of the generated residual signals into coded dictionary functions called atoms, the other blocks of the current frame being processed by means of other coding techniques; coding said atoms and the motion vectors determined during the motion compensation step, for generating an output coded bitstream; said method being such that any atom acts only on one block B at a time, said block-restriction leading to the fact that the reconstruction of a residual signal f is obtained from a dictionary that is composed of basis functions gγnæBrestricted to the block B corresponding to the indexing parameter γn, according to the following 2D spatial domain operation: gγnæB(i,j)=gγn(i,j) if pixel (i,j)εB; gγnæB(i,j)=0 otherwise (i.e. (i,j)∉B). |
| US07746925B1 |
Decoding method and apparatus
A feedback equalizer includes a summing unit having an output and first input for receiving a modulated signal, which includes a symbol defined by a first number of chips. A subsymbol processor is coupled to the output of the summing unit. The symbol processor is capable of generating a subsymbol waveform upon receipt of a second number of chips of the symbol. The second number is less than the first number. A feedback filter is coupled to a second input of the summing unit and the symbol processing unit to selectively filter the subsymbol waveform from the modulated signal. |
| US07746922B2 |
Apparatus and method for frequency calibration between two radios
Wireless devices transmit and receive radio signals based upon reference frequencies generated by crystal oscillators. If the reference frequencies of the transmitter and the receiver are different, the radio signals may not be received properly or may not be received at all. A measurement circuit measures the amount of error or signal corruption in the radio signals due to the reference frequency offset between the transmitter and the receiver. A frequency offset circuit generates an offset operating frequency in the transmitter or the receiver to align or calibrate the operating frequencies of the devices. |
| US07746920B2 |
Method of generating an index value
A method of generating an index value associated with a primary synchronization code within a communication signal includes splitting a sampled communication signal into even and odd samples. The even and odd samples are correlated with a primary synchronization code of the communication signal and complex values of the even and odd samples are generated. Signal strength values for the even and odd samples are approximated and the approximate signal strength values within a frame of the communication signal are accumulated. A highest accumulated signal strength value is assigned as an index value. |
| US07746915B1 |
Wireless network for requesting a contention channel
A wireless network employs at least a base station (1 to 3) and a plurality of assigned terminals (4 to 14) for exchanging user data and control data. That base station (1 to 3) includes a device (21, 22) for correlating a signaling sequence transmitted by at least one terminal (4 to 14) to indicate the wish to use a contention channel and for detecting the pulse evolved from a received and correlated signaling sequence. After a signaling sequence has been detected, the base station (1 to 3) transmits a provision message over a contention channel to be utilized by the assigned terminals (4 to 14). |
| US07746907B2 |
Multi-stage SONET overhead processing
An overhead processor processes overhead bytes in a stream of Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) frames in multiple levels. In one embodiment, the overhead processor includes three stages. A first stage provides access for external processing of a first set of overhead bytes in the stream of SONET frames. A second stage is programmable to process a second set of overhead bytes in the stream of SONET frames. A third stage processes a third set of overhead bytes in each frame in the stream of SONET frames. |
| US07746906B2 |
Data communications system
A transmitting side relay device comprises additional information generation means for generating additional information about the characteristics of a data stream, packet generation means for generating a packet by attaching additional information to each transfer unit and transmitting means for transmitting the packet to the third network according to prescribed procedures. A receiving side relay device comprises separation means for breaking down the received packet into additional information and a transfer unit, analysis means for analyzing the additional information, reproduction means for locating information included in a corresponding transfer unit in an appropriate position and reproducing the data stream and output means for outputting the data stream reproduced by the reproduction means to the second network. |
| US07746900B2 |
Low-level communication layers and device employing same
An electronic device employing an efficient network protocol stack. The protocol stack comprises a network-level protocol layer configured to provide a transmission service for transferring data to and from a computer network, and a device-level protocol layer configured to send and receive information specific to an interface of the electronic device over the network via the transmission service of the network-level protocol layer. Alternately, each of the network-level protocol layer and the device-level protocol layer may be employed individually with other network protocol layers to construct a functioning network protocol stack. |
| US07746898B2 |
Band allocation method, communication control unit and communication apparatus
A band allocation method in a communication system in which nodes and a managing apparatus are coupled via a network and each node requests a transfer band with respect to the managing apparatus is provided. The method includes sending tolerable values of a transfer rate and a compression rate sent from each node to the managing apparatus at a time of a resetting, and a transfer rate and a compression rate that are to be actually used are sent from each node to the managing apparatus when making a request for a transfer band after the resetting. The includes detecting a node that cannot secure the transfer band and calculates a lacking bandwidth with respect to the request for the transfer band, and detects a node that can reduce a transfer band thereof and specifies a transfer rate and a compression rate with respect to the node that can reduce the transfer band thereof. The transfer band, the transfer rate and the compression rate are specified as requested by the request for the transfer band with respect to the node that cannot secure the transfer band. |
| US07746896B2 |
Base station and method for allocating bandwidth in a broadband wireless network with reduced latency
Systems and methods for allocating bandwidth in a wireless network are generally described herein. Bandwidth is allocated to a mobile station during an established communication session through the use of a poll-me indicator in a MAC header received in an uplink data transmission from a mobile station. The poll-me indicator may indicate a request for additional bandwidth for a subsequent uplink transmission of an established communication session. The mobile station refrains from using a contention channel to request an allocation information element when the mobile station is able to set the poll-me indicator in the MAC header. |
| US07746892B2 |
Method and apparatus for transporting ethernet services
Frames of customer traffic may be encapsulated by adding Mac-in-Mac (MiM) encapsulation fields for transportation of the frames over a portion of provider network. The MiM encapsulated traffic may be further encapsulated using VPLS by adding VPLS encapsulation fields for transportation of the frames over another portion of the provider network. The MiM encapsulations use provider network_MAC addresses which enables VPLS MAC learning to occur using provider network MAC address space. MiM tunnels are mapped to VPLS service instances which are assigned pseudowire tags for transportation over the VPLS portion of provider network. The MiM header is retained when the MiM encapsulated frames are transported over the VPLS portion of the provider network. As VPLS frames exit the core network, the VPLS encapsulation fields are removed to extract the original MiM encapsulated frames for further transportation over the MiM portion of the provider network. |
| US07746891B2 |
Enabling mobile IPv6 communication over a network containing IPv4 components using ISATAP
A mobile IPv6 dual-stack node engages in IPv6 communication while roaming within an IPv4-only network, for example using ISATAP. First, the node determines that it has moved Bnd obtains a new IPv4 address. After determining that the visited network contains no IPv6-enabled components, the node uses an IPv6 connect agent to engage in IPv6 communication. The node configures its care-of address using the IPv6 connect agent's routing information and the node's newly-obtained IPv4 address. In one embodiment, the node and the connect agent optimize the handoff when the nodes has moved but still uses the same connect agent. The node sends a binding updates to the connect agents comprising the node's old care-of address and the node's new care-of address. When the connect agent receives a packet destined for the node's previous care-of address, it forwards the packet to the node's currents care-of address, thereby reducing packet loss. |
| US07746888B2 |
System and computer-readable medium for avoiding data loss during network port recovery processes
A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed in a data processing system for avoiding data loss during network port recovery. A first network port is linked to a second network port via a network. The second network port transmits data to the first network port via the network. A determination is made that the first network port needs to be reinitialized. Prior to the first network port executing a re-initialization process, the first network port notifies the second network port to pause its data transmissions to the first network port. |
| US07746878B2 |
Host device interface with a point of deployment (POD) and a method of processing broadcast data
A host device interfacing with a point of deployment (POD) and a method of processing broadcast data are disclosed. Herein, an Internet Protocol (IP) physical interface unit receives an Ethernet frame including broadcast data; and a routing engine transforms the Ethernet frame to an IP packet when a destination address included in the Ethernet frame matches with an address of a pod and routs the transformed IP packet to an extended channel connected to the POD. Accordingly, it is possible to protect contents using a conditional access provided by the existing cable card and process broadcast data received on all types of transmission protocols including an IP protocol over a wired/wireless network using a channel provided for connection between the existing cable card and the host device. |
| US07746877B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating loss of alternating current power supply
In general, various methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for communicating a loss of an AC power source. In at least certain embodiments, a broadband communication gateway receives a direct current (DC) output signal from an alternating current (AC) to DC converter that detects a loss of an AC input signal. The apparatus further includes a processing unit that generates a communication message in response to receiving an interrupt signal based on the detection of the loss of the AC input signal. The processing unit controls an analog front end that sends the communication message to a device external to the broadband communication gateway in response to the interrupt signal prior to a voltage of the DC output signal decreasing below a threshold voltage needed for operation of the broadband communication gateway. |
| US07746875B1 |
System and method for protecting and sharing data across a network
This invention is an architecture, system, method, program product, licensing method, or apparatus for sharing and protecting data in a data storage environment, wherein there is more than one site for data storage and a connection broker is used. |
| US07746871B2 |
Method and apparatus for communicating data using TX/RX FIFO structure in a wideband stereo codec interface
A method and interface are provided for using a memory that distinguishes transmission data from reception data and performs a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) operation on the transmission and reception data in a communication system. In the method, a controller receives from a register a last transmission address provided for dividing one memory module having L addresses into a transmission area having M addresses according to application, where M is less than or equal to L, and a reception area having (L-M) addresses. A codec interface allocates a first address up to the last transmission address of the memory module for the transmission area. The codec interface allocates an address increased by 1 from the last transmission address up to the last address of the memory module for the reception area. |
| US07746869B2 |
Method and apparatus for network address translation based on pure hardware architecture
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for network address translation (NAT) based on pure hardware architecture. The method includes that when receiving a packet, the first MAC circuit will translate the address of the packet directly and store the address-translated packet into the storage, and that the first MAC circuit informs the second MAC circuit to access the address-translated packets from the storage so as to output. Because address translation requires lots of operating resource, the present invention using the first and the second MAC circuits instead of the CPU to obtain the aforesaid functions only needs a simple, low-speed and low-power CPU to setup the parameters of the first and the second MAC circuits or process few special packets, thus getting the biggest bandwidth under the restriction, the zero wastage of the smallest packet, followed the stipulation of IEEE802.3 in the environment of 100 MHz Ethernet. |
| US07746866B2 |
Ordered and duplicate-free delivery of wireless data frames
Methods and apparatus for delivering ordered and duplicate-free wireless data frames are generally described and claimed herein. Other embodiments may also be described herein. In an embodiment, a source address, a destination address, and a message sequence number are acquired from a wireless data frame. The message sequence number is compared against a last-received message sequence number and a last-delivered message sequence number. The destination address is also compared to a current address. In response to the compares, a decision is made to forward the wireless data frame to the destination address, discard the wireless frame as a duplicate wireless data frame, queue the wireless data frame, or release the wireless data frame to a next protocol layer. |
| US07746865B2 |
Maskable content addressable memory
A maskable content addressable memory may store one or more address prefixes. A port on which the packet may be sent is determined by comparing the destination address of a received packet by masking the address prefixes and the destination address. |
| US07746863B2 |
Communicating method between IPv4 terminal and IPv6 terminal and IPv4-IPv6 converting apparatus
In an apparatus, there are provided an IP transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting and receiving an IPv4 packet and an IPv6 packet; an IP header converting unit for performing a mutual conversion of the IPv4 packet and the IPv6 packet by an IP header conversion; a DNS substituting unit for receiving a domain information capturing request sent from an IPv4 terminal or an IPv6 terminal and substituting its process; an IPv4 address capturing unit for capturing an IPv4 address from a DHCP server; and an IP address conversion information holding unit for holding an IPv6 address of the IPv6 terminal and the IPv4 address captured by the IPv4 address capturing unit in correspondence to each other. Thus, a communication with the IPv4 terminal can be executed without preliminarily fixedly allocating the IPv4 address to the IPv6 terminal. |
| US07746856B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for optimizing packet throughput for content processing systems on chips
An apparatus and system provide an optimizing content processing throughput for systems on chips (“SoCs”). A Packet Processing Memory Controller Cache (“PPMCC”) on an SoC according to an embodiment of the present invention may enable the SoC to store content packets within the SoC, thus eliminating the need to write to and read from external memory. Additionally, by utilizing Quality of Service (“QoS”) tags for the content packets received by the SoC, PPMCC may enforce a unique caching policy which optimizing content processing. Finally, an Address Translation Lookup Table (“ATLT”) on the SoC enables packet processing controllers on the SoC to route packets directly amongst themselves by identifying the source and destination of each content packet. |
| US07746852B2 |
Packet data serving node and communication method using the same
A communication system using PPP in which a plurality of layer 3 protocols are defined has a problem. PDSN cannot judge which of layer 3 protocols is equipped in a terminal, and NCP phase processes corresponding to all layer 3 protocols of the system are executed. This increases the number of PPP packets transmitted/received between the terminal and PDSN, which prolongs a connection time. In the invention, a new procedure of the NCP phase process is established in a communication system, by which the terminal firstly notifies a layer 3 protocol to PDSN and thereafter the NCP phase process is executed. PDSN waits for a notice of the layer 3 protocol from the terminal, selects the corresponding layer 3 protocol from the layer 3 protocols according to the notice, and executes the NCP phase. |
| US07746848B2 |
Virtual PBX based on feature server modules
A virtual private branch exchange is formed by a plurality of interconnected feature server modules, each having an integral feature server that is configured and operates independently of the other feature server modules. Within a virtual private branch exchange, the feature server modules may be logically arranged in a hierarchy having at least a main feature server module and one or more subordinate feature server modules. A particular feature server module may operate in multiple virtual private branch exchanges, and may have a distinct set of rules for handling calls originating in different virtual private branch exchanges. |
| US07746844B1 |
Method and apparatus for analysis of VoIP network performance
A method, apparatus and computer product for modeling and analyzing performance of a Voice-over-IP (VoIP) configuration, composed of a plurality of components, is disclosed. The method comprises the step of representing selected ones of the plurality of components and relationships among the selected components, wherein said component representations are selected from the group of configuration non-specific representations consisting of: VoIP-DHCP Service, VoIP-CallOperation Service, VoIP_Signaling Service, VoIP_MediaGateway Service and VoIP_SIP Service, and wherein the representations of relationships are selected from the group of configuration non-specification representations consisting of: Hostedby/HostsServices and Integrates/IntegratedIn, providing a mapping between a plurality of first events and a plurality of second events occurring in the selected components, the mapping representing the relationships along which the first events propagate among the selected components, and determining at least one first event based on at least one of the plurality of second events by determining a measure between each of a plurality of relationship values associated with the plurality of first events and the plurality of second events. |
| US07746843B2 |
Method of providing reliable transmission quality of service in a communication network
A method is disclosed for providing reliable transmission Quality of Service (QoS) in communication network, in which a QoS connection is established between bearer network resource managers in bearer network control layer, and maintenance management mechanism is well established in terms of the QoS connection. Various QoS resource control messages can be carried through this established QoS connection, so that request of service bandwidth application of the user and the result thereof, as well as the path information allocated by bearer network resource managers can be transferred. The disclosed method is reliable and easy to implement and maintain, with good controlled quality, and can implement resource synchronization between bearer network resource managers. Therefore, implementation of the disclosed method makes it more convenient to manage resources of bearer network uniformly, and provides technical support on guaranteeing transmission reliability of important services. |
| US07746842B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, a method of wireless communication, and a program for wireless communication
In wireless communication with another communication apparatus in a predetermined wireless network, overhead information defined in a media access control layer is divided into a header of information necessary for the common access control and a header of information necessary for each payload. Address information is added to the header of information necessary for the common access control in order to transmit the generated header attached to the transmission data. In the case of forming a physical burst in which a plurality of data payloads are combined into one, a frame structure is provided without needless repetition of address information. |
| US07746841B2 |
Transmission of data packets in a radiocommunication system using a common hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process
Data packets of a data flow are identified for transmission in a radio communication system with a data flow and/or individual service indicator enabling them to be allocated to the corresponding data flow for reception. A sequence number for the data packets in each data flow is added upon transmission to the data packet in order to reestablish the original order of the data packets of a data flow; the advantage thereof being that the data flows of several services can use a common HARQ process, whereupon the memory used for reception according to said HARQ process can be reduced. |
| US07746840B2 |
Signaling method, system, base station and mobile station
In a system for transmitting a plurality of data flows from a mobile station to a base station, combinations of capacities which are given from a radio network controller are optionally or quickly modified in the mobile station to be sent to the base station. The combinations of capacities are divided into a plurality of groups each of which is individually pointed by a sub pointer. |
| US07746839B2 |
Method and system for managing communication in an OFDMA system
The present invention provides method and system for managing communication in an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) system using segments in an OFDMA frame. The method includes setting at least a first segment in the OFDMA frame as a high power segment for a plurality of base station in the OFDMA system. Further, communication is established between at least one base station and at least one communication device in the OFDMA system, in response to setting the at least first segment as a high power segment. The method further includes assigning a region of the first segment to a set of base stations in the OFDMA system. The assigned region can be used by the set of base stations at high power level to communicate with communication devices located in overlapping areas. A method for coordinating uplink transmission in the OFDMA system for reducing uplink interference is also provided. |
| US07746837B2 |
Overhear-based transmitting control system in WLANS
We propose overhear-based transmitting control system in WLANs to improve performance of 802.11 wireless LANs. The main idea of this scheme is that when the transmission of a node fails, one of neighboring nodes with better channel quality retransmits the lost frame in substitution. To do so, every node should maintain overhear table to buffer the transmitted packets that is not yet acknowledged. We also present algorithms to retransmit lost packets, to maintain the overhear table and to compensate for the retransmission of packets of other nodes. The performance of this scheme is evaluated via simulations in terms of MPDU size and average path loss. It shows that in environments where the packet is likely to be lost more, the throughput gain of our proposed scheme performs better. |
| US07746835B2 |
System and method for an ultra wideband radio wireless local area network
A virtual wireless local area network system and method utilizing impulse radio wherein transmission rates (bit rates) can vary according to the impulse radio transmission quality (signal to noise ratio) and wherein the position of the user can be determined and said user can be directed to an area of greater transmission rates and wherein a plurality of impulse radio portals can be utilized and switched between to maintain high levels of transmission rates while a user is moving within a predetermined area. |
| US07746831B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling gain level of a supplemental channel in a CDMA communication system
In a code division multiple access communication system (100), a method and accompanying apparatus provide for controlling gain of a forward supplemental channel (482) by determining gain level of a forward fundamental channel (481) associated with supplemental channel (482) for being targeted for a common mobile station, determining an adaptive margin (Ma) for fundamental channel (481) and determining a forward supplemental channel gain (Gsch) based on the gain of supplemental channel (482) and the Ma. The Gsch may be successively decreased for subsequent data frames targeted for the common mobile station on supplemental channel (482) by successively decreasing the Ma until receiving a supplemental channel frame erasure indicator from the common mobile station. The Gsch may be increased for a subsequent data frame targeted for the common mobile station on supplemental channel (482) by increasing the Ma after receiving the supplemental channel frame erasure indicator from the common mobile station. |
| US07746830B2 |
System and method for maintaining wireless channels over a reverse link of a CDMA wireless communication system
A subscriber access unit includes a transceiver for providing wireless communication of digital signals. The digital signals are communicated to a base station using at least one radio frequency (RF) channel via Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) modulated radio signals defined by orthogonal codes. Orthogonal subchannels are made available by the base station within each CDMA RF channel. A bandwidth manager is connected to the transceiver, and when the transceiver is actively sending data, at least one orthogonal subchannel is allocated by the base station on an as-needed basis. The number of orthogonal subchannels being allocated changes during a given session. The transceiver, when powered on but not actively sending data, provides an idling mode connection on a reverse link. The idling mode connection is based on an orthogonal subchannel shared with at least one other subscriber access unit, but utilizes different time slots of the shared orthogonal subchannel. |
| US07746829B2 |
Flexible transport system including support for bilateral user access
One aspect of the present invention is a method for the wireless transmission of information from one or more antennas to one or more separate users. The method comprises processing information to produce transmission vectors that minimize simultaneous interference between separate user channels and adjusting the radiation patterns to minimize total system radiation power for users specified capacities. In another aspect, the present invention includes apparatus and methods for providing multiple users of a network with information in such a manner that only the user that the signals are intended for receives the information. |
| US07746824B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing multiple bandwidth-limited connections for a communication device
A system and method is described for communicating with a communication device. An uplink connection uniquely associated with the communication device and uniquely associated with an uplink-session identifier is established. The uplink connection is a wireless connection. A downlink connection uniquely associated with the communication device and uniquely associated with a downlink-session identifier is established. The downlink connection is a wireless connection. A message from the communication device is received over the uplink connection within a time period. A message is sent to the communication device over the downlink connection within the time period. |
| US07746822B2 |
Dynamic multi-access relaying for wireless networks
Methods, apparatuses and systems for communicating in a wireless network are disclosed. One embodiment includes a method for communication in a wireless network that comprises determining a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for channels between a base station, one or more relay stations, and a user and selecting a relay station based on the determined SNRs. Embodiments may also include determining a time sharing parameter and a total transmitting time, transmitting by the base station to the selected relay station for a first duration, and transmitting simultaneously by the base station and relay station using multi-access code for a second duration. The simultaneous transmission may be adapted to be decoded utilizing joint decoding with interference cancellation. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US07746820B2 |
Response system and method with dynamic personality assignment
A response system and method of retrieving user responses from a plurality of users includes providing a plurality of base units and a plurality of response units, each of the response units adapted to receive a user input selection and to communicate that user input selection with at least one base unit utilizing wireless communication. Personality data is provided for the response units. The personality data facilitates communication with a particular base unit. The personality data of a particular one of the response units is changed in order to change which of the base units that response unit communicates. This allows a response unit to become grouped with a particular base unit at a particular time and become grouped with another base unit at another particular time. The personality data may be obtained from a database. |
| US07746819B2 |
Binding mechanism for quality of service management in a communication network
A policy controlled bearer service for delivery of a service from an application function (to a mobile terminal is set up. A terminal identity of the mobile terminal may be used to bind to applicable policy information when setting up the bearer service. This obviates the need to transmit specific binding information to the mobile terminal during application layer signaling for the purpose of policy controlled bearer service set-up. The terminal identity is registered in a register of a policy decision function along with policy identifying information. When a bearer service activation request is received from the mobile terminal the request is mapped to applicable policy information by means of the terminal identity and the matching registration in the register of the policy decision function. |
| US07746818B2 |
Method and device for receiving a packet
The present invention provides a single circuit and a method which can identify the WLAN standard of a packet or the modulation type of a packet. The single circuit includes a shift register, N determinators and decision logic. The shift register is configured to receive several periods of the preamble of the packet. Each of the N determinators is configured to determine whether the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet matches one of the N WLAN standards, or the N modulation types. Decision logic is configured to decide the WLAN standard, or the modulation type, of the packet. |
| US07746817B2 |
Communication timing control for allotting a time slot by a distributed coordination through interaction with neighboring nodes
A transmission timing control apparatus included in a network node constituting a telecommunications system is configured to use the reception timing of a timing signal from another node to determine the transmission timing of a timing signal of the own node and determine a time slot for transmission of a data signal in accordance with the transmission timing and the reception timing of a timing signal from the other node. A response timing signal transmitter transmits a response timing signal when received the timing signal from the other node. A transmission timing control circuit uses the reception timing of the timing signal and that of the response timing signal to determine the timing at which the own node transmits the timing signal. |
| US07746813B2 |
Filtering using communication line identification
In a method for terminating a plurality of ATM lines for a base station modulator/demodulator in a mobile communication system for data communication between upper stations and a base station by a transmission method wherein ATM cells are mapped utilizing an existing leased line as a physical medium sublayer, when an increase in capacity of the base station necessitates leased line interfaces corresponding to a plurality of upper stations, processing is carried out in such a manner that leased line numbers are added to respective HEC regions of ATM cells sent from each upper station into a leased line interface section, whereby the addition of the function of the leased line interface section involved in an increase in the leased line can be minimized and the additional function can be simply designed utilizing a conventional technique. By virtue of this constitution, a method for receiving a plurality of ATM lines can be realized which can efficiently utilize VCI filters and can distinguish each upper station in a leased line interface section. |
| US07746812B2 |
Reliable packet detection in a wireless receiver when packets contain a known repetitive sequence
A wireless receiver operating in a wireless communication environment in which a beginning of a packet contains a repetitive sequence. The wireless receiver may compute a variance (example of a measure of variations in the cross correlation values) of cross-correlation values obtained by cross correlating a received signal and a copy of the preamble sequence starting at different time instances. When a valid packet is received, the variance of the values resulting from the cross correlation is high, otherwise the variance is low. As a result packet detection is made robust, and false packet detection due to interference signals is reduced. In an embodiment, the wireless receiver is implemented in the context of WLAN 802.11 a/g network. |
| US07746810B2 |
Wake on wireless network techniques
Wake on wireless network techniques are described. An apparatus may include a wireless transceiver, a processor coupled to said transceiver, and a connection management module for execution by the processor. The connection management module may establish a connection with a client device, receive a sleep preparation message with at least one sleep parameter value from the client device, and set a timeout value for the connection based on the sleep parameter value. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07746808B2 |
Algorithms and estimators for summarization of unaggregated data streams
The invention relates to streaming algorithms useful for obtaining summaries over unaggregated packet streams and for providing unbiased estimators for characteristics, such as, the amount of traffic that belongs to a specified subpopulation of flows. Packets are sampled from a packet stream and aggregated into flows and counted by implementation of Adaptive Sample-and-Hold (ASH) or Adaptive NetFlow (ANF), adjusting the sampling rate based on a quantity of flows to obtain a sketch having a predetermined size, the sampling rate being adjusted in steps; and transferring the count of aggregated packets from SRAM to DRAM and initializing the count in SRAM following adjustment of the sampling rate. |
| US07746806B2 |
Dimensioning methods for HSDPA traffic
A method for determining the capacity that is needed on an lub link to fulfill Grade of Service (GoS) requirements in a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) for both Dedicated Channel (DCH) traffic and High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) traffic. The method includes determining the bandwidth demand of the HSDPA traffic (ElasticDim); calculating an average bandwidth of the DCH traffic on the lub interface (BW use,avg); setting an initial capacity (Capacity) to the capacity need of the DCH traffic (Capacity DCH), wherein at least the initial capacity will be provided for the DCH traffic in the dimensioned system; and, increasing the value of Capacity until a quality requirement of the HSDPA traffic is fulfilled, the maximum value of Capacity reached being the capacity that is needed for DCH and HSDPA traffic for the lub interface. |
| US07746804B1 |
Message control protocol in a communications network having repeaters
A wireless communications network which provides directed transmissions between components of the network is provided. The components within the wireless communications include a master apparatus, a plurality of remote devices, and a plurality of repeaters. The components within the wireless communications network communicate using messages which have a control field and at least one information field. Information within the control field is used by components to make determinations for retransmitting the message, or transmitting a predefined response to the message, such as a signal strength response. The components within the network use the messages to make a determination of a communications target, which may be used as a primary contact for transmitting information, automatically, and may repeat the determination at predetermined intervals. Thus, the wireless communications network is able to adapt over time to additional components added into the network, or changing environmental conditions in and around the network. |
| US07746803B2 |
Audio application programming interface
An audio application programming interface (API) enables an audio processing graph to be modified during processing. If they are received while the audio graph is playing or paused, graph modifying commands may be inserted into either an asynchronous command queue or a deferred command queue. The audio API may also include a clock manager for synchronizing clocks from a number of different connected audio rendering devices, applications, processors, functions, operations, modules, or other resources. The clock manager may provide an interface that enables a number of control groups to be defined. Each such control group may include a master clock, a slave clock, and a control. |
| US07746796B2 |
Directed echo requests and reverse traceroute
In one embodiment, a first node may send an out-of-band message to a second node to request that the second node initiate an in-band echo request for a specified tunnel, e.g., toward one or more third nodes. Upon receiving the in-band echo request, one or more responding nodes (e.g., generally the third nodes) may send a response to the first node. This “directed echo request” technique may also be used in conjunction with a “reverse traceroute” technique. |
| US07746795B2 |
Method, system, and apparatus for loopback parameter exchange
A loopback test to test a communication link for a layered interface where in a master agent programs the electrical parameters for the slave agent, such as, the offset, timing, and current compensation with a loopback control register. The slave agent's transmitter and receiver are independently controlled and the master agent may use a slave-echoed data test pattern to detect errors and subsequently sets the appropriate status bits in a loop back status register |
| US07746791B2 |
Monitoring an industrial communication network
The present invention is concerned with the identification of a failed communication network component of an industrial communication network and of a substation automation system in particular. This is achieved by supervising communication paths of a communication network having components. A failure status or operating status of each communication path is determined and reported. Any network component that is part of an operating path is regarded as operating, i.e. failure-free, whereas all other network components are considered as non-operating or potentially failed. If there is more than one non-operating component, additional suitable communication paths are evaluated, until one single failed network component is identified and subsequently reported as requiring repair or replacement. The invention is particularly applicable in cases where some of the network components, i.e. the lines or some nodes of the communication paths, are passive components or non-intelligent devices that are unable to report an operating status themselves. |
| US07746788B2 |
Traffic information aggregating apparatus
A traffic information aggregating apparatus (hereinafter an aggregating apparatus) receives traffic information from a network apparatus. The aggregating apparatus generates aggregated data in which the traffic information for each previously determined aggregation time is aggregated, and stores the aggregated data into an aggregated data management table correspondingly to an aggregation identifier. The aggregating apparatus determines, at the interval of the aggregation time, whether a difference between the aggregated data and a base value is within a previously determined range, and accumulates, in the case where it is within the range, the aggregated data to corresponding accumulated data of the aggregated data management table, and resets the aggregated data. In the case where it exceeds the range, the aggregating apparatus exports the aggregated data and/or the accumulated data of the aggregated data management table to the monitor server. |
| US07746787B2 |
Wireless datagram transaction protocol system
Systems are provided for sequencing, delivery acknowledgement, and throttling of data packets over a network layer, such as UDP and SMS. To support devices with limited battery resources, the invention incorporates asymmetric retry logic and/or acknowledgements with overlapping ranges, to minimize the transmissions required for the device. The sender of a data-bearing frame does not need to wait for a frame to be acknowledged before sending the next, such that many frames can be “in flight” at once. |
| US07746786B2 |
Retransmission control method and device
In a retransmission control method and device which can suppress or expedite a retransmission of user data depending on a processing congestion status or the like on a receiving side, a user equipment on a data receiving side transmits to a radio network control device on a data transmitting side, when redundantly receiving an ACK request included in same user data, control data for extending a timeout period of a polling timer which is a retransmission time interval of user data for a subsequent ACK request by e.g. 10 ms. The radio network control device having received the control data extends the timeout period based on the control data. Alternatively, the radio network control device reduces, when receiving an ACK response from the user equipment within the timeout period, a timeout period of user data for a subsequent ACK request to less than the timeout period presently set. |
| US07746785B2 |
Time multiplexing logic in physical design domain for multiple instantiation
An apparatus and method are provided to perform a time multiplexing logic in a module, are provided including identifying a driving flop and a receiving flop in the module, receiving a modified input signal, and identifying a worst case timing path for the modified input signal to transmit from the driving flop to the receiving flop. The time multiplexing logic of the apparatus and method further identifies a predetermined point of the worst case timing path, and inserts a logic unit at the predetermined point allowing the time multiplexing logic circuit to process and output the modified input signal at a maximum frequency. |
| US07746784B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving traffic distribution in load-balancing networks
The invention includes a method and apparatus for balancing traffic in a load-balancing network having a plurality of nodes. The method includes splitting a traffic flow into a plurality of traffic flow parts associated with designated ones of the plurality of nodes and distributing the traffic flow parts to the designated ones of the plurality of nodes in a first traffic distribution round, wherein each of the designated nodes routes at least a portion of the received traffic flow part to one or more of the plurality of nodes in a second traffic distribution round. The traffic flow is split according to a congestion status associated with each of the plurality of nodes. The congestion status associated with each of the plurality of nodes is determined using congestion status messages distributed by each of the plurality of nodes in response to congestion conditions. |
| US07746783B1 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring packets at high data rates
A method for monitoring communication on a network that includes configuring a classifier using a monitoring profile, receiving a plurality of packets from a network, analyzing each of the plurality of packets by the classifier to determine to which of the plurality of packets satisfies the monitoring profile, forwarding any of the plurality of packets that satisfy the monitoring profile to a first temporary data structure, forwarding any of the plurality of packets that do not satisfy the monitoring profile to a second temporary data structure, requesting a first number of packets from the first temporary data structure by a first virtual serialization queue, wherein the first virtual serialization queue is associated with the first temporary data structure, forwarding the first number of packets to the first virtual serialization queue, and analyzing packets in the first virtual serialization queue by a monitoring program. |
| US07746779B2 |
Method and apparatus for scheduling users to allocate data transmissions in communications systems
In the method, scheduling of a plurality of users for receiving transmitted data is prioritized within a communications system. A next data transmission among the plurality of users is allocated based on the prioritized scheduling. |
| US07746777B2 |
Centralized bandwidth management method and apparatus
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for granting guaranteed bandwidth between one or more data transmission priority requesting sources and one or more resources upon request. Data sources that do not request an assigned bandwidth are served on a “best efforts” basis. The system allows additional bandwidth to priority requesting sources when it is determined that the resource and/or the communication path to the resource is under-utilized. The system further allows the granted bandwidth to be shared by more than one source in a multiprocessor system. |
| US07746774B2 |
Methods and apparatus for controlling wireless network resources for data sessions based on IP address usage
One illustrative method of controlling wireless network resources for data sessions involves the steps of identifying IP address usage for mobile stations operating in a wireless communication network and causing a data inactivity timer of a data session for a mobile station to be set to an initial value that depends on the IP address usage. The data inactivity timer is set to a relatively large value when the IP address usage is low, but to a relatively small value when the IP address usage is high in order to expeditiously release underutilized network resources. The data session may be Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) session for which an IP address is dynamically-assigned to the mobile station. |
| US07746773B2 |
System and method for dynamically optimized message processing
The invention comprises a method and system for dynamically processing messages. After a message is received from a network or from an internal application, and the message type is identified, the invention determines whether an optimized handler should be used to process messages of the identified message type. If an optimized handler has not previously been generated for the identified message type or is otherwise not available, an optimized handler may be generated, during run-time, for subsequent processing of messages of the identified message type. In some embodiments, the invention maintains statistics relating the processing characteristics of different types of messages and these statistics are used to determine whether to generate an optimized handler or to use a generic handler to process subsequently received messages having a certain identified message type. |
| US07746772B2 |
Information processing apparatus and method
A task cooperation processing method acquires a processing flow in which cooperation processing by a plurality of tasks is defined. Input information associated with the amount of data to be processed by the acquired processing flow is set. The task cooperation processing method calculates an estimation time required for the processing of the acquired processing flow on the basis of the input information. If the calculated estimation time is longer than a designated time limit, the function settings of each task in the processing flow are changed to make the calculated estimation time become equal to or shorter than the time limit. |
| US07746768B2 |
System and method for supporting SDH/SONET APS on ethernet
An Ethernet PHY hardware device supports Ethernet MAC SDH/SONET Automatic Protection Switching (APS) functionality for managing protection from failures and recovery from failures on an Ethernet network. An Ethernet PHY sublayer stored on the Ethernet PHY hardware device is configured to monitor working and protect channels and generate an interrupt upon detection of a hard failure or a soft failure. Upon detection of port failures or link failures, the Ethernet PHY sublayer generates the interrupt to invoke an Ethernet MAC Client APS Controller configured to generate and terminate APS requests on working and protect channels to manage protection of working and protect channels from failures and recovery from failures on the Ethernet network. The Ethernet PHY hardware device is configurable for use with a plurality of different network topologies to manage protection from hard or soft failures and recovery from hard or soft failures on the Ethernet network using the Ethernet PHY sublayer. |
| US07746763B2 |
Method for transmitting data by means of a carrier current
The invention relates to a method for transmitting data over a carrier current using a frequency band. According to said method: the frequency band is divided into N sub-bands, N being a whole number higher than, or equal to, two; an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) technique is carried out on each of said sub-bands; and calculations are carried out based on each sub-band. The inventive method is characterised in that the calculations based on each sub-band are independent from the calculations based on the other sub-bands, and said sub-bands are dynamically activated and allocated. The invention also relates to modulation and demodulation devices for carrying out said method. |
| US07746761B2 |
Techniques to generate constant envelope multicarrier transmission for wireless networks
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus for use in a wireless transmitter may include a continuous phase modulation (CPM) sample generator configured to generate a group of constant envelope CPM modulated signal samples, a Fourier transform block configured to perform a Fourier transform on the group of constant envelope signal samples to generate an initial group of Fourier coefficients, a zero insertion block configured to generate an expanded group of Fourier coefficients by inserting one or more zeros in the initial group of Fourier coefficients, and an inverse Fourier transform block configured to perform an inverse Fourier transform on the expanded group of Fourier coefficients to generate a group of constant envelope time-domain samples and to map the constant envelope time-domain samples onto a group of orthogonal subcarriers for transmission. |
| US07746753B2 |
Method of reproducing information using semiconductor probe and device adopting the semiconductor probe
An information reproducing apparatus and a method using a semiconductor probe are provided. The information reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor probe including a semiconductor tip including a channel varying with an electric field generated by an information recording medium; a modulator applying a high frequency modulation signal to the semiconductor probe to form a modulation electric field so as to modulate an information signal induced by the electric field; a signal detector detecting a signal generated by the semiconductor probe; and a demodulator extracting the information signal modulated by the modulation electric field from the signal detected by the signal detector. |
| US07746750B2 |
Method of recording information on and/or reproducing information from information storage medium including user data area having first sync patterns and additional data area having second and third sync patterns different from each other and from the first sync patterns
A method of recording information on and/or reproducing information from an information storage medium that includes a user data area in which user data is recorded and which has first sync patterns and an additional data area located in at least one of areas before and after the user data area includes forming second sync patterns used in the additional data area which are different from the first sync patterns used in the user data area. |
| US07746749B2 |
Look-ahead maximum-likelihood data detector for optical disk drives
An apparatus and method for look-ahead data detection are provided, the apparatus including a boundary function generator, a boundary decision unit in signal communication with the boundary function generator, a next state generator in signal communication with the boundary decision unit, and a sample value generator in signal communication with the boundary decision unit; and the method including receiving a pickup signal sensed from an optical disc, providing a boundary function value responsive to the pickup signal, comparing the boundary function value with a programmable register value, generating decision outputs responsive to the boundary function value with combinational logic, generating a next state and detected data responsive to the decision outputs, and generating a detected sample value responsive to the decision outputs. |
| US07746748B2 |
Optical disc device and reproduction method
Due to the axial runout of an optical disc, a frequency of a high-frequency current to be superimposed onto a DC current could not be maintained. In order to solve the problem described above, a drive signal is generated by superimposing a high-frequency signal onto a DC current, the drive signal is applied to a laser beam light source, thereby the light source is driven; and a servo signal at a signal level corresponding to a defocus amount of the laser beam relative to the surface of the optical disc is generated based on a reflected light of the laser beam from the recording surface of the optical disc, and a low-frequency component of the servo signal is extracted, and thereby the frequency of the high-frequency signal to be superimposed onto the DC current in the light source driver is controlled based on the low-frequency component of the servo signal. |
| US07746747B2 |
Optical recording medium drive apparatus and method of determining the number of layers
In an optical recording medium drive apparatus, an optical recording medium is illuminated with a laser beam emitted from a head via an objected leans, and the head detects light reflected from the optical recording medium being illuminated with the laser beam. A signal generator generates a reflected light signal in accordance with the reflected light detected by the head. A controller drives the objective lens via a focusing unit, and detects peaks in the reflected light signal obtained when the objective lens is driven in a focusing direction. The controller determines whether the optical recording medium is of a single layer type or a multiple layer type by determining whether a pattern of the detected peaks is similar to one of patterns which can occur if the optical recording medium is of the single layer type. |
| US07746743B2 |
Disc with temporary disc definition structure (TDDS) and temporary defect list (TDFL), and method of and apparatus for managing defect in the same
A disc with a temporary defect management information area and a defect management area includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and an outer area, a temporary defect information area which is formed in the data area and in which temporary defect information is recorded, and a temporary defect management information area which is present in at least one of the lead-in area, and the lead-out area. Accordingly, it is possible to record user data in a recordable disc, especially, a write-once disc, while performing defect management thereon, thereby enabling efficient use of a defect management area having a limited recording capacity. |
| US07746741B2 |
Information recording device and method, and computer program
An information recording device (1) is provided with a recording element (501) for recording information in an information recording medium (100) wherein pre-information (LPP) is previously recorded for controlling recording of recording information, by irradiating laser beams (LB) of a prescribed power, and a control element (504) for controlling the recording element to record the recording information with a power which permits a first reproduction quality (AR characteristic), which is a pre-information reproduction quality, to satisfy a prescribed first standard. |
| US07746738B2 |
Data processing method, information recording medium manufacturing management system, recording data generation apparatus and method, and computer program
In a process for manufacturing an information recording medium, a configuration is provided in which strict information management and an information recording medium manufacturing process are realized. In a configuration in which master data as original data of recording data for an information recording medium is generated and recording data for the information recording medium is generated on the basis of the master data, master data containing a dummy data area in a partial area of the master data is generated, and the dummy data area is identified and a process for setting significant information is performed on the basis of the stored information of an auxiliary file. Therefore, it is not necessary to obtain data of significant information when the master data is to be generated, and it becomes possible to generate the master data without obtaining specific information, such as an encrypted key block. |
| US07746734B2 |
Optical disk apparatus and tracking method
A tracking offset is reduced. The effect of an SPP signal fluctuation is reduced by using a variable mixing ratio DPP method, and a residual tracking offset is minimized. |
| US07746729B2 |
Electronic device with working mode switching function and method of switching working mode
A method of switching working modes, the method includes: supplying a storage unit, therein the storage unit stores at least two working modes, alarm information, and alarm time, the alarm information includes indicating information and determining information; detecting whether a system time matches the alarm time; outputting the indicating information when the system time matches the alarm time; receiving input; determining whether the input matches the determining information; controlling the electronic device to switch from one working mode to another working mode when the input matches the determining information. An electronic device with working modes switching function is also provided. |
| US07746725B2 |
Fracture clusters identification
Method for identifying one or more fracture clusters in a formation surrounding a reservoir. In one implementation, the method may include generating a P to S image, comparing the P to S image to one or more images from a borehole, and identifying one or more fracture clusters using the P to S image and the borehole images. |
| US07746718B2 |
Semiconductor memory, operating method of semiconductor memory, memory controller, and system
A refresh register stores disable block information indicating a memory block whose refresh operation is to be disabled. A refresh control circuit periodically executes the refresh operation of a memory block except the memory block corresponding to the disable block information. During an access cycle to one of the memory blocks, the register control circuit writes the disable block information to the refresh register according to an external input. Consequently, in order to rewrite the refresh register, it is not necessary to use an additional operation cycle to the access cycle. Since there is no need to insert an extra operation cycle, it is possible to change a memory area to be refreshed without lowering effective efficiency of access cycles. As a result, power consumption can be reduced. |
| US07746716B2 |
Memory having a dummy bitline for timing control
A memory having at least one memory array block, the at least one memory array block comprising N wordlines, wherein N is greater than one, is provided. The memory comprises a plurality of sense amplifiers coupled to the at least one memory array block. The memory further comprises at least one dummy bitline, wherein the at least one dummy bitline comprises M dummy bitcells, wherein M is equal to N. The memory further comprises a timing circuit coupled to the at least one dummy bitline, wherein the timing circuit comprises at least one stack of pull-down transistors coupled to a sense circuit for generating a latch control output signal used for timing control of memory accesses. Timing control may include generating a sense trigger signal to enable the plurality of sense amplifiers for read operations and/or generating a local reset signal for terminating memory accesses, such as disabling the plurality of write drivers for write operations. |
| US07746709B2 |
Memory circuit with decoupled read and write bit lines and improved write stability
In a memory circuit, data from all cells along a selected word line is read. Then, the read data is written back to half-selected cells and new data is written to the selected cells in the next cycle. In cases where a READ bit line (RBL) and WRITE bit line (WBL) are decoupled, RBL and WBL can be accessed simultaneously. Hence, the WRITE in the n-th cycle can be delayed to the n+1-th cycle as far as there is no data hazard such as reading data from memory before correct data are actually written to memory. As a result, there is no bandwidth loss, although the latency of the WRITE operation increases. WRITE stability issues in previous configurations with decoupled RBL and WBL are thus addressed. |
| US07746707B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A NAND cell unit includes memory cells which are connected in series. An erase operation is effected on all memory cells. Then, a soft-program voltage, which is opposite in polarity to the erase voltage applied in an erase operation, is applied to all memory cells, thereby setting all memory cells out of an over-erased state. Thereafter, a program voltage of 20V is applied to the control gate of a selected memory cell, 0V is applied to the control gates of the two memory cells provided adjacent to the selected memory cell, and 11V is applied to the control gates of the remaining memory cells. Data is thereby programmed into the selected memory cell. The time for which the program voltage is applied to the selected memory cell is adjusted in accordance with the data to be programmed into the selected memory cell. Hence, data “0” can be correctly programmed into the selected memory cell, multi-value data can be read from any selected memory cell at high speed. |
| US07746705B2 |
Selective application of word line bias to minimize fringe effects in electromagnetic fields during erase of nonvolatile memory
A memory device comprising an optimization component that facilitates erasing memory cells in a substantially homogeneous electromagnetic field and methods that facilitate erasing memory cells in a substantially homogeneous electromagnetic field are presented. The optimization component facilitates selecting a subset of memory cells to be erased at the same time, such that a memory cell in the subset of memory cells has two neighbor memory cells adjacent thereto that are in the subset of memory, or one neighbor memory cell adjacent thereto when the memory cell is an end-row memory cell. The optimization component facilitates performing a Fowler-Nordheim channel erase to erase the subset of memory cells, and a predetermined voltage potential associated with an erase command is applied to each cell of the subset of memory cells to facilitate reducing fringing effect associated with the electromagnetic fields applied to the cells during the erase. |
| US07746704B1 |
Program-and-erase method for multilevel nonvolatile memory
A system includes an input that receives a control signal and a program module that initializes a nonvolatile multilevel memory cell based on the control signal. The program module initializes the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell by programming the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell to one of S states of the nonvolatile multilevel memory cell, where S is an integer greater than 1. The one of the S states is different than a lowest one of the S states. |
| US07746701B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having bit line pre-charge unit separated from data register
A semiconductor memory device is described that can, in certain embodiments, reduce a delay in access time and/or an area of a memory cell array. In one or more embodiments, a flash memory device that includes a memory cell array, a data register, a state machine, input/output pads, a row decoder, and a column decoder. The memory cell array includes a pre-charge unit that is placed between a plurality of memory cell arrays. The pre-charge unit pre-charges a bit line in a read operation. A data register is separated from the pre-charge unit and is located away from the arrays. Write data are coupled from a data register to the arrays, and read data are coupled from the arrays to the data register. |
| US07746698B2 |
Programming in memory devices using source bitline voltage bias
Systems and methods that facilitate improved programming memory cells in a nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory) are presented. An optimized voltage component can facilitate supplying respective voltages to a source, drain, and gate associated with a memory cell during operations, such as programming operations. The optimized voltage component can facilitate supplying a predetermined source bitline voltage to a memory cell during programming of the cell to facilitate reducing leakage currents associated with the bitlines, which can improve programming of the memory cell, and to facilitate reducing the programming current, which can result in power efficient programming and improved programming speed. |
| US07746697B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory
Disclosed is a nonvolatile memory system including at least one nonvolatile memory each having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells and a buffer memory; and a control device coupled to the nonvolatile memory. The control device is enabled to receive external data and to apply the data to the nonvolatile memory, and the nonvolatile memory is enabled to operate a program operation including storing the received data to the buffer memory and storing the data held in the buffer memory to ones of nonvolatile memory cells. Moreover, the control device is enabled to receive external data while the nonvolatile memory is operating in the program operation. Also, the buffer memory is capable of receiving a unit of data, equal to the data length of data to be stored at one time of the program operation, the data length being more than 1 byte. |
| US07746692B2 |
Multiple-level memory with analog read
A memory circuit includes a plurality of memory cells, each of the memory cells being operative to store multiple bits of data therein, and a plurality of column lines and row lines coupled to the memory cells for selectively accessing the memory cells. The circuit further includes multiple sense amplifiers, each of the sense amplifiers being connected to a corresponding one of the column lines and being operative to detect an electric charge stored in a selected one of the memory cells coupled to the corresponding column line and to generate an analog signal indicative of the stored electric charge. An analog multiplexer is connected to the sense amplifiers. The analog multiplexer is operative to receive the respective analog signals from the sense amplifiers and to generate an analog output signal having a magnitude which varies in time as a function of the respective analog signals from the sense amplifiers. |
| US07746689B2 |
Molecular quantum memory
Apparatus, systems and methods for implementing molecular quantum memory are disclosed. In one implementation, a source of polarized electrons and a source of oppositely polarized electrons may be selectively coupled to at least one probe tip of a probe assembly. The at least one probe tip may, in turn, be electrically coupled to a molecule so that information may be written to the molecule using a time-varying polarized electron current selectively derived from the polarized electron current sources. |
| US07746688B2 |
PRAM and method of firing memory cells
A PRAM includes a memory cell array of phase change memory cells, and a write circuit receiving an externally provided first voltage and supplying a write pulse for writing data to the memory cells in a normal operation mode. The write circuit also receives an externally provided second voltage higher than the first voltage and supplies a firing pulse to at least one firing-failed phase change memory cell. |
| US07746684B2 |
Operating process of organic device
An operating process of an organic device includes performing a programming process and an erasing process. The programming process includes steps of applying a first positive bias from the first electrode to the second electrode on the organic device so that a conductive state of the organic device is switched to be a first turn-on state when the organic device is in a turn-off state and applying a negative bias from the first electrode to the second electrode on the organic device so that the conductive state of the organic device is switched to be a second turn-on state when the organic device is in the first turn-on state. The erasing process includes a step of applying a second positive bias from the first electrode to the second electrode on the organic device so that the conductive state of the organic device is switched to be the turn-off state. |
| US07746683B2 |
NOR and NAND memory arrangement of resistive memory elements
A memory arrangement includes: a first line for applying a reference voltage, a second line for applying an operating voltage, and a plurality of resistive memory elements, each element includes a resistive memory cell and a MOS memory cell selection transistor. A NOR memory arrangement is configured with each memory element including the resistive memory cell and selection transistor connected in series with the transistor connected to the first line, and the memory cell connected to the second line. A NAND memory arrangement is configured with a series of resistive memory elements forming a chain with each memory element including the resistive memory cell and selection transistor connected in parallel. The chain is connected to the first line disposed on a side of the memory cells facing the selection transistors and the second line disposed on a side of the memory cells which is remote from the selection transistors. |
| US07746677B2 |
AC-DC converter circuit and power supply
A power supply comprises an AC-DC converter circuit, which comprises a first capacitor and a second capacitor. The converter also comprises a rectifier circuit connected to the first and second capacitor and operative to charge both the first and the second capacitor and to discharge the first capacitor independently of the second capacitor. The power supply also comprises an acoustic transformer. |
| US07746675B2 |
Asymmetrical interleaving strategy for multi-channel power converters
In a power converter having m=two or more channels of power factor correction (PFC) circuits connected in parallel and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter connected in series therewith, phase shifts in switching between the respective PFC channels can allow increase of EMI filter corner frequency allowing reduction of size and cost of the EMI filter at some switching frequencies. Asymmetrical phase shifts (other than 360°/m) such as 360°/2m and other phase shifts and variations in m allow increase of EMI filter corner frequency at switching frequencies where symmetrical, 360°/m phase shifts provide no benefit to EMI filter design by providing cancellation or partial cancellation of different harmonics of the switching noise; which cancellation may be arranged to be complementary to the EMI filter function at more than one peak of the noise spectrum. (Such asymmetrical phase shifts do not significantly increase ripple and consequent switching noise). Alteration of m and corresponding alteration of phase shift may be performed adaptively for purposes of improving efficiency at light loads and the like. |
| US07746672B2 |
Switching power supply apparatus
A switching power supply apparatus which includes a DC power supply, an isolation transformer having primary, secondary and tertiary windings, and a switching element, and in which, by turning the switching element on and off, the high-frequency voltage appearing in the secondary windings of the isolation transformer is rectified to obtain a DC output, power consumption can be decreased during standby (in burst mode) in particular by means of a control circuit which controls the turn-on and turn-off of the element and similar. |
| US07746664B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion card
A mounting apparatus for mounted an expansion card to a computer case, includes an expansion card mount, and a locking device mounted in the computer. The expansion card mount includes a fixing board, the fixing board including a locking post extending. The computer includes a PCB having a female connector, and a rear plate defining an opening. The expansion card includes a male connector and is fixed to the fixing board. The expansion card together with the expansion card mount can be inserted through the opening of the rear plate in order to make the male connector of the expansion card to be plugged in the female connector of the PCB. At the same time, the locking post of the expansion card mount is locked by the locking device and the expansion card mount is mounted in the opening of the rear plate. |
| US07746662B2 |
Touch panel
A touch panel includes a light-transmissible upper board, a lower board, an upper resistor layer on a lower surface of the upper board, a lower resistor layer provided on an upper surface of the lower board and facing the upper resistor layer with a predetermined space between the resistor layers, a wiring board having an end located between the upper board and the lower board, plural wiring patterns provided on the wiring board and connected to the upper resistor layer and the lower resistor layer, respectively, and an insulating cover sheet provided on the wiring board and covering the wiring patterns. The cover sheet extends to an inside beyond at least one of respective ends of the upper board and the lower board. This touch panel can be electrically connected to an electronic circuit stably. |
| US07746660B1 |
Reduced mounting inductance and increased self-resonant frequency range
Reduced mounting inductance and/or an increased self-resonant frequency range of operation for capacitor circuits of a circuit board is described. The circuit board has a mounting pad for coupling a capacitor to at least three vias arranged in a pattern and coupled to the mounting pad at least three discrete locations to reduce mounting pad inductance. Alternatively or additionally, top and bottom mounted capacitors to the circuit board have a physically and electrically common through via to provide a self-resonant frequency range of operation. |
| US07746658B2 |
Circuit device
The present invention provides a circuit device in which warpage of a case member is prevented. The circuit device of the present invention includes: a circuit board having on an upper surface thereof a built-in hybrid integrated circuit constituted by a conductive pattern and a circuit element; a case member including four side wall parts forming a frame-like shape and being in contact with the circuit board so as to form on the upper surface of the circuit board a space in which the circuit element is sealed; and a lead being fixed to a pad composed of the conductive pattern and extending to the outside. The circuit device of the present invention is further provided with a supporting part arranged at a corner of the case member so as to make continuous inner walls of the respective side wall parts with each other. |
| US07746656B2 |
Offset integrated circuit package-on-package stacking system
An offset integrated circuit package-on-package stacking system is provided including providing a base substrate, providing an array of contact pads on the base substrate, mounting an active component and an optional passive component on the base substrate, injecting a mold cap on the base substrate, mounting an offset package on the base substrate and the mold cap, and singulating a package-on-package from the base substrate. |
| US07746653B2 |
Clamp for electrical devices
An assembly for clamping electrical components against a heat-dissipating surface of a heat sink may include the heat sink, one or more electrical components, two or more springs, and a fastener. Each of the springs may include a first surface, and a second surface opposite the first surface. The second surface of each of the springs may include an attachment region and two contact regions. The attachment region may be between the two contact regions. The second surface of one of the springs may overlap the first surface of another one of the springs. Each of the springs may be positioned to hold the electrical components against the heat dissipating surface of the heat sink. Each of the two contact regions of each of the springs may be positioned to hold the electronic components against the heat-dissipating surface. The fastener may couple the springs together in the attachment region of each of the springs and may further couple the springs to the heat sink. |
| US07746652B2 |
Cooling module retentioner
The present invention relates to a cooling module retentioner, which includes a fixing base and a flexible frame. The fixing base surrounds a heat-generating electronic component at a center and allows the placement of a cooling module therein, and a rising corner column is disposed at each of four corners thereof and each corner column has a snap hole; the flexible frame is composed of two M-like retention brackets whose bottom sides are mounted with a retention hook respectively for the corresponding snap hole, a lever is pivotally disposed at a lower center location thereof and pertains to a metal rod whose one end is integrally bent to form a protruded portion. The production process requires no mold so as to simplify the production process and reduce the production cost. |
| US07746651B2 |
Heat sink assembly having a clip
A heat sink assembly includes a heat sink and a clip for mounting the heat sink to an electronic component of a printed circuit board. The heat sink includes a base and a plurality of fins extending from the base. The clip includes a pressing member and a pair of elongated arms formed on opposite ends of the pressing member. The pressing member has a lower portion protruding toward the base of the heat sink. A middle one of the fins extends upwardly through the pressing member in a manner such that the lower portion of the pressing member resiliently abuts against the heat sink. The two arms are located on opposite lateral sides of the heat sink and bent downwardly to engage with the printed circuit board so that the pressing member exerts a force on the heat sink toward the electronic component. |
| US07746649B2 |
Modular soft starter
Modular soft starters are disclosed having a plurality of soft starter modules with stacked SCRs and heat sinks for accommodating a single phase of a three phase motor, where the modules may be connected serially for starting each phase of a higher voltage motor, and where the modules can be mounted in a cabinet in a variety of different orientations to facilitate optimized cabinet space utilization. |
| US07746647B2 |
Clip and heat dissipation assembly using the same
A clip (50) for securing a heat dissipating device to a heat source comprises a spring arm (510) and an ear (530). The spring arm comprises two wires (512) substantially parallel to each other, a hook (514) formed at one end of the spring arm to connect ends of the wires and two barbs (516) each formed at another end of each of the wires. A central portion of each of the wires projects downwardly. The ear comprises a main body (530a), two notches (532) in an upside of the main body and a clamping unit (537) at a downside of the main body. Each of the notches comprises from above to below an insertion slot (5321), an elongated sliding slot (5323) and a retaining slot (5325). The spring arm engages with the ear with the barbs extending into the insertion slots, and the wires are slideable downwardly along the sliding slots to be fixed in the retaining slots. |
| US07746644B2 |
Package assembly with heat dissipating structure
A package assembly with a heat dissipating structure includes a thermal conductive lower metal layer, an electric insulating ceramic layer, a patterned upper metal layer and an electronic component. The electric insulating ceramic layer is disposed on and bonded to the thermal conductive lower metal layer. The patterned upper metal layer is disposed on and bonded to the electric insulating ceramic layer. The patterned upper metal layer is a single-layered metal layer and has an opening from which the electric insulating ceramic layer is exposed. The electronic component is disposed in the opening of the patterned upper metal layer, mounted on the electric insulating ceramic layer through a thermally conductive adhesive or solder, and electrically connected to the patterned upper metal layer. |
| US07746642B2 |
Heat sink and a method for manufacturing the same
A heat sink for cooling an electronic component includes a lower plate, an upper plate, an upper fin set and a lower fin set respectively fixed on the upper plate and the lower plate, and a plurality of heat pipes sandwiched between the upper plate and the lower plate. The lower plate forms a protrusion projecting downwardly therefrom. A bottom surface of the protrusion is milled to be flat and smooth, whereby the bottom surface can intimately contact the electronic component. A method for manufacturing the heat sink comprising milling a bottom surface of a protrusion punched downwardly from a lower plate, whereby the bottom surface can be flat and smooth sufficiently to have an intimate contact with an electronic component, and sequentially welding an upper plate on the lower plate and a plurality of fins on the lower plate and the upper plate, respectively. |
| US07746639B2 |
Canister housing
According to one embodiment, a housing for a pedestal canister includes a first side plate and a fan. The first side plate includes a plurality of fins disposed on an exterior portion of the first side plate. The fan is coupled to the exterior portion of the first side plate. The pedestal canister is configured to be disposed within a pedestal aperture of a pedestal mounting block. |
| US07746638B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device is provided that includes a first component generating heat, a second component to be heated, a heating part configured to heat the second component, and a case containing the first component, the second component, and the heating part. The second component is heated with the heating part and the heat generated by the first component. |
| US07746635B2 |
Chip card catching mechanism and portable electronic device using the same
A chip card catching mechanism installed in a body of a portable electronic device for receiving and securing a chip card is provided. The chip card catching mechanism includes a base, a housing, and a hatch. The base includes a connector arranged thereon for electrically connecting to the chip card. The housing includes a top cover and a circumferential wall extending from edges of the top cover. The top cover is arranged over the connector of the base with the wall therebetween and a hatchway is defined on the circumferential wall. The hatch is rotatably fixed to on two sides of the hatchway for exposing or hiding the hatchway. Further, a portable electronic device using the chip card catching mechanism is also provided. |
| US07746631B2 |
Methods and apparatus for cooling electronic devices using thermally conductive hinge assemblies
An electronic device can be provided with a first housing at least partially containing a first electronic component, a second housing, and a hinge assembly coupled to the first housing and the second housing. The hinge assembly may be configured to dissipate heat generated by the first electronic component away from the first housing. In some embodiments, the hinge assembly may be configured to dissipate heat generated by the first electronic component away from the first housing and on to the second housing. The second housing may include a heat spreader for dissipating the heat from the hinge assembly throughout the second housing. |
| US07746629B2 |
Method and system for coupling a laptop or other portable or hand-held device to a docking system using an Ethernet interface
Methods and systems for coupling a laptop or other portable or hand-held device to a docking system using an Ethernet Interface are disclosed and may comprise interfacing a portable computing device to a docking station using an Ethernet interface. Power may be applied from the docking station to the portable computing device via the Ethernet interface using power over Ethernet (POE) protocol. Audio, video, multimedia, control and/or data signals may be communicated between the docking station and the portable computing device via the Ethernet interface. Data exchanged between the portable computing device and the docking station may be encapsulated in Ethernet frames and tagged appropriately. The interface may be accomplished by directly coupling an Ethernet port of the docking station to an Ethernet port of the portable computing device, or by utilizing an Ethernet cable. The docking station may be an active or passive docking station. |
| US07746621B2 |
Bar type ionizer
A bar type ionizer has a discharging electrode, a ground electrode, a high voltage unit, and a controller unit and uses the technique of eliminating static electricity by corona discharging. The ionizer also has a FND unit mounted on the bar which lets the user see the bar information including address of the bar, frequency, duty rate, alarm, run/stop state easily, plus buttons that let the user control the bar information easily, an air supply device installed around the needles in the air injecting socket which sends air, and a second air supply device installed around the needles having round sections and sending air to the end of the needles to eliminate the dust attached on the end of the needles. The ionizer has a streamlined section so that inside air flows smoothly. The second air supply device is elliptic with the minor axis smaller than the radius of the needle. The needle is positioned at the center of this elliptic groove and fixed by it. |
| US07746620B2 |
Medical fluid machine having solenoid control system with temperature compensation
A medical fluid machine having a solenoid control system with temperature compensation includes an electromechanical solenoid including an armature and a coil, a voltage source, a switching device configured to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil, and a control element connected electrically to the switching device and operable to receive at least one signal indicative of a resistance of the coil and using the signal to control the switching device to selectively apply power from the voltage source to the solenoid coil. |
| US07746619B2 |
Soft start clutch controller
A clutch actuator for an electromechanical clutch having a solenoid actuating coil initially provides power to the solenoid at a high rate by using a high duty cycle pulse with a modulated controller. When the initial engagement of the clutch elements is sensed by a decrease in current, the duty cycle of the pulse with modulator is reduced and thereafter increased in a control fashion to accomplish a soft start. |
| US07746615B2 |
Adaptive multi-level threshold system and method for power converter protection
System and method for protecting a power converter. The system includes a compensation system configured to receive an input signal and generate a control signal, a cycle threshold generator configured to receive the control signal and generate a cycle threshold, and a comparator configured to receive the cycle threshold and a feedback signal and generate a comparison signal. Additionally, the system includes a pulse-width-modulation generator configured to receive the comparison signal and generate a modulation signal in response to the comparison signal, and a switch configured to receive the modulation signal and control an input current for a power converter. The input current is associated with an output power for the power converter. The cycle threshold corresponds to a threshold power level for the output power. The threshold power level is constant, decreases, or increases with respect to the input signal. |
| US07746611B2 |
ESD protective circuit having low leakage current
An ESD protective circuit having a contact terminal, a first supply voltage terminal for a first supply potential, a second supply voltage terminal for a second supply potential, a transistor chain having several transistors, wherein drain terminals of the transistors are connected to one of the supply voltage terminals, wherein the control terminal of a first transistor of the transistor chain is connected to the other supply voltage terminal, wherein the source terminal of the last transistor of the transistor chain is connected to the contact terminal, and a current source which is connected to a source terminal of at least one of the transistors of the transistor chain and is able to provide a current which compensates, up to a maximum tolerable voltage deviation from the first or second supply potential at the contact terminal, a current flowing into or from the source terminal. |
| US07746607B2 |
Substrate triggering for ESD protection in SOI
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device and process for protecting a conventional FET. The device includes at least one FET body forming a resistance, and a triggering circuit coupled to a protection FET and the resistance. The resistance raises a voltage of the at least one body, such that the protection FET is triggered at a voltage lower than the conventional FET. |
| US07746601B2 |
Magneto-resistance effect element with a surface contacting with a side face of electrode having a magnetization direction
An area of an element can be made small and fluctuation in area can be reduced. A magneto-resistance effect element is provided with a first electrode with an end face; a magneto-resistance effect film which is formed such that a surface thereof comes in contact with the end face of the first electrode; and a second electrode which is formed on another surface of the magneto-resistance effect element opposed from the surface coming in contact with the surface of the first electrode. The magneto-resistance effect film includes a magnetization pinned layer whose magnetization direction is pinned, a magnetization free layer whose magnetization direction is changeable, and a first non-magnetic layer which is provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer. |
| US07746599B2 |
Hard disk drive apparatus and method with ramp parking
A hard disk drive including an end tab extending from an end portion of a suspension that supports a read/write head, and a ramp including a plurality of end tab limiters and preventing the end tab from being separated, due to an external impact, from a parking zone where the end tab is supported, and at least one assembly guide rail inclined at a predetermined angle to form an assembly guide slope that guides movement of the end tab to the parking zone. At least one end tab limiter may be connected to at least one assembly guide rail and upper and/or lower sides of the end tab limiter forms with the assembly guide slope a movement guide path to guide the movement of the end tab to the parking zone. |
| US07746596B2 |
Linear tape drive module for a linear tape drive system
A linear tape drive system includes a tape having a path direction, a data track having data transitions at an azimuthal orientation relative to the path direction, and a servo track having servo positioning transitions. A linear tape drive module is configured to read and/or write to the data track at the azimuthal orientation and read the servo positioning transitions. |
| US07746595B1 |
Disk drive comprising slanted line servo bursts having reverse polarity segments
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk having servo data defining a plurality of servo tracks. The servo data comprises a preamble, and a plurality of slanted line servo bursts recorded at a tilt angle with respect to the preamble. At least one of the slanted line servo bursts comprises a first polarity along a first segment of the slanted line and a second polarity along a second segment of the slanted line. A position error signal (PES) is generated in response to a phase difference when reading the preamble and the slanted line servo bursts. |
| US07746593B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining offset between read head and write head in a disk drive
According to one embodiment, a disk drive is disclosed which has an offset measuring function for measuring a dynamic offset value necessary to a dynamic offset control using a DTM (discrete track media) type disk. A CPU (microprocessor) included in the disk drive writes offset measuring position information to an optimum position of lands on the disk and calculates a dynamic offset value based on the offset measuring position information. |
| US07746591B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide dynamically-biased write drivers for hard disk drive (HDD) application
Methods and apparatus to provide dynamically biased write drivers for hard disk drive applications are described. According to one example, a hard disk drive write system includes a drive signal generator to receive data to be written to a hard disk drive platter and to generate drive signals including a boost signal. A drive circuit is configured to receive the drive signals and to generate currents for output to the transmission line based thereon, wherein the currents include a boost current. A variable bias circuit is configured to detect the boost signal generated by the drive signal generator and to vary a bias signal provided to the impedance matching circuit based on the detection of the boost signal. In such an example arrangement, the impedance matching circuit matches impedances between the drive circuit and the transmission line in response to the bias signal provided by the variable bias circuit. |
| US07746590B2 |
Current mirrors having fast turn-on time
A current mirror circuit providing a fast turn on time. A node within the circuit is held at a first voltage when the current mirror is off to permit the node voltage to quickly reach a necessary value when the current mirror circuit is turned on. |
| US07746587B2 |
Magnetic recording apparatus and magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus
In a magnetic recording apparatus, a magnetic recording medium has a RAM area on which rewritable information can be recorded. The magnetic recording medium also has a ROM area having a pattern area in which first-type segment sequence of magnetically rewritable magnetic segments and magnetically non-rewritable nonmagnetic segments is fixedly recorded as first-type modulation information. Predetermined segments in the first-type segment sequence are magnetized and changed to magnetized segments. A segment sequence of first and second segments magnetized in one and opposite directions is used to magnetically record second-type modulation information in the pattern area. |
| US07746583B2 |
Lens apparatus
A lens apparatus includes a barrel and a focus member mounted on the barrel. The barrel includes a fixing body and an engaging unit disposed at an outside wall of the fixing body. The focus member includes a retaining body contacted with the outside wall of the fixing body and a retaining unit disposed at an inside wall of the retaining body. The retaining unit and the engaging unit fasten each other for mounting the focus member on the barrel. When a force is applied on the focus member, the focus member drives the barrel to rotate by a friction generated between the retaining unit and the engaging unit. |
| US07746582B2 |
Lens module
A lens module includes a base, a rotating component, a positioning component and a lens barrel. The base includes at least one first positioning member and a hollow body which defines a receiving hole therein. An annular ledge is formed in the receiving hole. The rotating component includes an annular rotating barrel which is rotatably received in the receiving hole and contacts the ledge. An inner screw thread is formed on the inner wall of the rotating barrel. The positioning component defines a center hole therein and is positioned on the base and restricts the rotating barrel to contact the ledge. The lens barrel includes a main body passing through the center hole and at least one second positioning member engaging with the at least one first positioning member. An outer screw thread is formed on the main body and engages with the inner screw thread. |
| US07746580B2 |
Zoom lens module
An exemplary zoom lens includes a first lens and a lens assembly. The lens assembly includes a mounting plate and a plurality of second lenses formed on the mounting plate. The second lenses are integrally formed with the mounting plate. Each of the second lenses has a distinct focal length. The lens assembly is rotatable in such a manner that each of the second lenses is selectively in optical alignment with the first lens. |
| US07746578B2 |
Lens assembly and imaging device
A lens assembly is provided and includes: a lens frame; and a lens frame having a hollow part into which the lens is inserted. The lens frame has a bonding hole into which an adhesive agent is injected for bonding and fixing to the lens frame the lens inserted into the lens frame and which passes through an outer wall of the lens frame and an inner wall of the hollow part. |
| US07746577B2 |
Imaging system
The present invention provides an imaging system, includes a substrate, an image sensor fixed on the substrate includes a sensing area, a fixing board located on the substrate, at least two micro-lens modules, and at least two optical fibers with input ends respectively positioned in the micro-lens modules and output ends positioned to the fixing board, the output ends of the fibers directing to different portions of the sensing area. |
| US07746574B2 |
Bonded optical element
In a bonded optical element, a second optical element is bonded to a first optical element by forming the second optical element by heating and pressing against the first optical element a second optical element material. The second optical element includes an element body part and a contact part extending from the element body part to be in contact with the outer peripheral face of the first optical element. |
| US07746572B2 |
Imaging lens and image pickup apparatus
An imaging lens comprises, in order from an object side: a first lens that has a negative refractive power and is convex toward the object side; a second lens that has a positive refractive power and is a meniscus lens convex toward the object side; a stop; a third lens that has a positive refractive power and is convex toward an image side; and a cemented lens that has a positive refractive power as a whole and is formed by cementing a fourth lens and a fifth lens, wherein assuming that an Abbe number of the second lens with respect to d-line is ν2, a distance on an optical axis from a vertex of a surface of the first lens facing toward the object side to an image plane of the imaging lens is L, a focal length of the imaging lens is f, and a back focus of the imaging lens is Bf, the following conditional expressions (1) to (3) are satisfied: ν2>30 (1), 2.5 |
| US07746571B2 |
Large-field unit-magnification projection optical system
The present invention discloses a large-field unit-magnification projection optical system. The optical system includes an optical axis, a spherical concave reflection mirror; a lens group with positive refracting power arranged adjacent the mirror with an air space therebetween. The lens group includes a first plano-convex lens, a negative meniscus lens adjacent the plano-convex lens, a positive lens adjacent the negative meniscus lens, a negative double-convex lens spaced apart far from the positive lens, and a second plano-convex lens. The optical system further includes a pair of prisms each having respective first and second surface. The second surfaces are arranged adjacent the flat surface of the plano-convex lens element on opposite sides of the optical axis and the first surfaces are arranged adjacent object planes and image planes, respectively. Each lens in the lens group and the pair of prisms provide chromatic aberration correction in a spectral region that contains at least g, h and i-line wavelengths. In this projection optical system, the object plane is parallel to the image plane. |
| US07746569B2 |
Imaging device
It is an object of the present invention to provide an imaging device that, even if the optical axis of the multifocal lens has a deviation resulting from its decentered surfaces, can prevent an image from being deteriorated by the low precision lens. The imaging device comprises a solid state image sensor for taking an image of an object to produce an image signal indicative of the image, an aspherical single focus lens, a bifocal lens disposed in front of the solid state image sensor, the bifocal lens having two focal distances, and an aperture diaphragm located just before the bifocal lens. |
| US07746568B2 |
Three-channel camera systems with non-collinear apertures
A three-dimensional imaging system uses a single primary optical lens along with three non-collinear apertures to obtain three offset optical channels each of which can be separately captured with an optical sensor. |
| US07746562B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus using the same
A zoom lens, which changes a magnification by properly changing distances between a plurality of lens components, has, in order from the object side, a first lens component with positive power, a second lens component with negative power, a third lens component with positive power, a fourth lens component with positive power, and a fifth lens component with positive power, and the first lens component has a reflecting member changing an optical path. The zoom lens satisfies the following conditions: 1.6<β2(t)/β2(w)<10.0 3.3<β4(t)/β4(w)<10.0 where β2(t) is a lateral magnification of the second lens component in a telephoto position in infinite focusing, β2(w) is a lateral magnification of the second lens component in a wide-angle position in infinite focusing, β4(t) is a lateral magnification of the fourth lens component in the telephoto position in infinite focusing, and β4(w) is a lateral magnification of the fourth lens component in the wide-angle position in infinite focusing. |
| US07746559B2 |
Image projecting device and method
An image projecting device and method are presented. The device comprises a light source system, a spatial light modulator (SLM) unit, and an image projection optics accommodated at the output side of the SLM unit. The SLM unit may be reflective or transmissive. The SLM unit comprises an SLM pixel arrangement enclosed between two glass substrates. The pixel array arrangement is formed by a pixel array assembly and at least one microlens assembly. The microlens assembly includes at least one microlens array accommodated proximate of the pixel array assembly. The light source system may comprise n light sources and a light converting means in optical path of light generated by the n light sources, to thereby produce m light beams of different wavelength ranges, wherein m>n. The light source system may comprise a multi-mode laser, thereby reducing a speckle effect in an integrated speckle pattern produced by the multiple modes, as compared to that of a single mode. |
| US07746554B2 |
Lenticular lens, light-diffusing sheet, and projection screen
A lenticular lens comprises multiple convex unit lenses, two sides of each unit lens being curved surfaces gradually spreading outwardly from the upside (plane of emergence) to the base (plane of incidence) of the unit lens, and these unit lenses are disposed on a base film in parallel with each other. The acute angle θ between a tangent to two curves corresponding to the two sides of the unit lens on its section vertical to the longer direction and a line parallel to the upside (or the base) of the unit lens is in a range represented by the following inequality: 139(d/p)3−176(d/p)2+78(d/p)+74.4 >θ>346(d/p)3−469(d/p)2+219(d/p)+45.0 where d is the length of half of the distance between the two curves, and p is the pitch at which the unit lenses are disposed. |
| US07746552B2 |
Illumination module for evanescent illumination and microscope
A microscope with a light source that produces an illumination light beam for evanescently illuminating a sample includes an adjustment mechanism with which the polarization of the illumination light beam may be changed. |
| US07746550B2 |
Terahertz or infrared filter using shape resonance
A filter having a high transmittance. The filter includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a periodic or random array of through-holes formed so as to pass through the first surface and the second surface. The through-hole has a size of subwavelength at a range of infrared and terahertz wave. Here, transmission resonance characteristic of incident light on the first surface is controlled by a shape of the through-hole. |
| US07746543B2 |
Display device
An electrophoretic display includes a lower substrate, an upper substrate, a color display layer on the lower substrate, a pixel electrode on the lower substrate, and a common electrode on the lower substrate or the upper substrate. The common electrode does not overlap the pixel electrode, and an electrophoretic active layer having a dispersion medium and electrophoretic particles is arranged between the lower substrate and the upper substrate. The electrophoretic active layer is a single-polarity electrophoretic particle system, and grayscales are generated depending on the number of electrophoretic particles arranged in a portion of the electrophoretic active layer corresponding to the pixel electrode. The position of the electrophoretic particles is controlled by the magnitude of the electric field applied between the pixel electrode and the common electrode. |
| US07746541B2 |
System and apparatus for an electrophoretic display
An embodiment generally relates to a system for electronic paper. The system includes an electret substrate embedded with a plurality of charged capsules each capsule includes a plurality of charged pigment particles, where the electret substrate is charged opposite of the plurality of charged pigment particles. The system also includes a first electrode interfacing with one side of the electret substrate and a second electrode interfacing with the other side of the electret substrate. When a voltage is applied to the first and second electrodes, the plurality of charged pigment particles move in the direction of one of the first and second electrode with a polarity opposite to a charge of the plurality of the charged pigment particles. |
| US07746540B2 |
Electrowetting display devices and fabrication methods thereof
Electrowetting display devices and fabrication methods thereof are presented. The electrowetting display device includes a first substrate and a second substrate with a polar fluid layer and a non-polar fluid layer insolvable to each other and interposed between the first and second substrates. A first transparent electrode is disposed on the first substrate. A second electrode is disposed on the second substrate. A dielectric layer is disposed on the second electrode. A hydrophilic partition wall structure is directly disposed on the dielectric layer defining a plurality of pixel regions. A layer of low surface energy material is disposed on the dielectric layer within each of the pixel region. |
| US07746538B2 |
Methods and configurations for manufacturing hinges for micro-mirror devices
An image display system includes an improved hinge for a micro-mirror device composed of a conductive-doped semiconductor and immune to plastic deformation at typical to extreme temperatures. The hinge is directly connected to the micro-mirror device and facilitates the manufacturing of an optically flat micro-mirror. This eliminates Fraunhofer diffraction due to recesses on the reflective surface of the micro-mirror. In addition, the hinge is hidden from incoming light thus improving contrast and fill-factor. The image display system further includes signal transmission metal traces formed on areas between the doped semiconductor hinges. The signal transmission metal traces are formed either before or after a high temperature crystallization process is applied to the hinges. |
| US07746536B2 |
Micro thin-film structure, MEMS switch employing such a micro thin-film, and method of fabricating them
A micro thin-film structure, a micro electro-mechanical system (MEMS) switch, and methods of fabricating them. The micro thin-film structure includes at least two thin-films having different properties and laminated in sequence to form an upper layer and a lower layer, wherein an interface between the upper and lower layers is formed to be oriented to at least two directions. The micro thin film structure, and method of forming, may be applied to a movable electrode of an MEMS switch. The thin-film structure may be formed by forming through-holes in the lower layer, and depositing the upper layer in the form of being engaged in the through-holes. Alternatively, the thin-film structure may be made by forming prominence and depression parts on the top side of the lower layer and then depositing the upper layer on the top side of the lower layer having the prominence and depression parts. |