| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07958400B2 |
Detecting unexpected impact of software changes using coverage analysis
A computer-implemented method for evaluating software code includes measuring a first coverage of a test applied to the software code and then making a modification in a first section of the software code. A second coverage of the test applied to the software code is measured after making the modification. A difference is identified between the first coverage and the second coverage in a second section of the software code, which is separate from the first section and was not modified since the first coverage was measured, and an indication of the difference is output. |
| US07958393B2 |
Conditional actions based on runtime conditions of a computer system environment
Conditionally performing delegated actions based on runtime conditions of the environment. A component of an Information Technology environment conditionally performs an action, such as its own recovery, based on whether the component can have such action delegated to it and/or whether that component is currently being shared by multiple business applications of the environment. |
| US07958390B2 |
Memory device for repairing a neighborhood of rows in a memory array using a patch table
A memory device for repairing a neighborhood of rows in a memory array using a patch table is disclosed. In one embodiment, circuitry in the memory device is operative to store, in a temporary storage area of the memory device, (i) first data to be stored in row N in the memory array, (ii) second data, if any, stored in row N−1 in the memory array, and (iii) third data, if any, stored in row N+1 in the memory array. The circuitry is operative to write the first data in row N in the memory array, and, in response to an error in writing the first data, to write the first data, the second data, if any, and the third data, if any, in respective rows in a repair area in the memory device. The circuitry is further operative to add the addresses of rows N−1, N, and N+1 to a table stored in the memory device. |
| US07958388B2 |
Methods and systems for a storage system
A storage system that may include one or more memory sections, one or more switches, and a management system. The memory sections include memory devices and a section controller capable of detecting faults with the memory section and transmitting messages to the management system regarding detected faults. The storage system may include a management system capable of receiving fault messages from the section controllers and removing from service the faulty memory sections. Additionally, the management system may determine routing algorithms for the one or more switches. |
| US07958386B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing a reliable fault management for a network
A method and apparatus for providing reliable fault management for a network are disclosed. For example, a method receives one or more alarms from one or more network elements (NEs) by an element management system, and determines whether the one or more alarms need to be forwarded to a fault management platform (FMP) over a wireless data network. The method then forwards the one or more alarms over the wireless data network if it is determined that the one or more alarms need to be forwarded over the wireless data network. |
| US07958379B2 |
Substrate bias switching unit for a low power processor
The feature of the present invention consists in: a processor main circuit for executing program instruction strings on a processor chip; a substrate bias switching unit for switching voltages of substrate biases applied to a substrate of the processor main circuit; and an operation mode control unit for controlling, in response to the execution of an instruction to proceed to a stand-by mode in the processor main circuit, the substrate bias switching unit in such a way that the biases are switched over to voltages for the stand-by mode, and for controlling, in response to an interruption of the stand-by release from the outside, the substrate bias switching unit in such a way that the biases are switched over to voltages for a normal mode, and also for releasing, after the bias voltages switched thereto have been stabilized, the stand-by of the processor main circuit to restart the operation. |
| US07958374B2 |
Digital information protecting method and apparatus, and computer accessible recording medium
A method for protecting digital information includes: converting a protected address range into a plurality of address blocks based on a preset conversion unit, and generating an address block rearranging rule using the address blocks as a parameter; when it is desired to load data into an address batch of the protected address range, converting the address batch into a plurality address blocks based on the conversion unit; and locating rearranged addresses of the address blocks in the protected address range according to the address block rearranging rule, and loading the data into the rearranged addresses. Thus, the data can be stored in the address batch scatteredly, and the protected data cannot be recomposed into the original correct data when stolen. |
| US07958372B1 |
Method and apparatus to convert a logical unit from a first encryption state to a second encryption state using a journal in a continuous data protection environment
In one aspect, a method to convert a logical unit from a first encryption state to a second encryption state includes receiving a request to convert a logical unit from a first encryption state to a second encryption state, partitioning the logical unit into areas comprising a converted area, an unconverted area and a transition area, writing unconverted data in the transition area to a journal, converting the unconverted data from the first encryption state to the second encryption state and writing the converted data to the logical unit. |
| US07958363B2 |
Toolbar signature
A method and system are provided for a web browser toolbar signature. In one example, the method includes receiving a submission of user content from a source webpage, receiving a producer identity of a producer who submitted the user content, receiving identifying information about the destination webpage, coding signed content using the user content and the producer identity, wherein the signed content includes a signature, and submitting the signed content to a server hosting the destination webpage. |
| US07958358B2 |
Scanned image disclosure apparatus, method and storage medium; electronic mail transmission apparatus, method and storage medium; and internet facsimile transmission apparatus
A scanned image disclosure apparatus has a disclosure unit that encrypts and discloses to a disclosure destination a scanned image by using a public key or a private key relating to a public key certificate that has been verified to be valid, a re-verification unit that judges whether or not re-verification of the validity of the public key certificate is necessary during execution for the disclosure unit and performs re-verification if it is judged to be necessary, a termination unit that terminates the execution for the disclosure unit if the public key certificate was judged to be invalid by the re-verification unit. |
| US07958355B2 |
Keytote component
Systems and methods that facilitate introducing devices having digital characteristics to one another, to mitigate a man-in-the-middle attack. A keytote component supplies initial session keys for communication between devices, and includes a plurality of interfaces that can facilitate such communication. The keytote component can receive a key from a first device via one of a plulrality of communication interfaces associated with the keytote component. The user can then physically carry the keytote component to the vicinity of a second device for transferring the key thereto. As such, a man-in-the-middle attack can be mitigated, as an encrypted channel can be established in an insecure environment. |
| US07958353B2 |
Information security device
The present invention provides an apparatus for securely acquire a circuit configuration information set corresponding to a new cryptosystem without increasing the number of reconfigurable circuits. A content playback apparatus 100 includes an FPGA 122 that is reconfigurable. The content playback apparatus 100 stores a decryption circuit program that shows the structure of a decryption circuit that executes decryption in accordance with a prescribed cryptosystem. The FPGA is reconfigured in accordance with the program to configure the decryption circuit. The playback apparatus 100 acquires, from outside, an encrypted file that has been generated by encrypting a file including a decryption circuit program corresponding to the new cryptosystem in accordance with the prescribed cryptosystem, and decrypts the encrypted file by the decryption circuit. |
| US07958352B2 |
Method and system for verifying and updating the configuration of an access device during authentication
A system and method is provided to verify configuration of a client access device requesting access to a network by establishing a communications link between a network access system and the client access device to authenticate and authorize the client access device and a user associated with the client access device. The network access system further receives client device configuration data from the client access device over the communications link during an authentication and authorization exchange and processes the client device configuration data to determine if the client access device will be granted access to the network. |
| US07958348B2 |
Method for securing an electronic certificate
A method is for securing and verifying an electronic certificate issued by an authority to an owner. The certificate is stored in the memory of a user unit operated by the owner. The user unit transmits all or part of the data of the certificate to the authority. Further, during an initialization phase, the method includes determining, by the authority, a network identifier pertaining to the user unit, and storing, by the authority, the identifier in connection with the data of the certificate. As such, the use of an electronic certificate by individuals other than the owner may be prevented. Further, damages to the owner, in the case of the theft or copying of a certificate, may be avoided. |
| US07958345B2 |
Method for adjusting setup default value of BIOS and main board thereof
A method for adjusting setup default value of a basic input output system (BIOS) and a main board are provided. The main board offers a BIOS memory which includes a boot block and a main block. The boot block includes an adjusting table, and the main block includes an original setup default value and a dynamic table. The adjusting table is used to read the dynamic table, and the original setup default value is adjusted to be a customized setup default value according to the adjusting table and the dynamic table. Afterwards, the customized setup default value is stored in a setup value memory. |
| US07958342B1 |
Methods for optimizing computer system performance counter utilization
A Nyquist sampling frequency is determined for performance counter events to be measured. Based on the Nyquist sampling frequencies, a schedule for measuring the performance counter events is determined. The performance counter event measurements are then conducted in accordance with the schedule, whereby the measurements yield a set of sample data for each performance counter event. A signal reconstruction algorithm is applied to the set of sample data for each performance counter event to reconstruct an essentially complete signal for each performance counter event. The essentially complete signal for each performance counter event is then used to improve either a design or a utilization of either a microprocessor or an application to be executed on the microprocessor. |
| US07958337B2 |
System and method for retiring approximately simultaneously a group of instructions in a superscalar microprocessor
An apparatus and method for executing instructions having a program order. The apparatus comprising a temporary buffer, tag assignment logic, a plurality of functional units, a plurality of data paths, a register array, a retirement control block, and a superscalar instruction retirement unit. The temporary buffer includes a plurality of temporary buffer locations to store result data for executed instructions, wherein the temporary buffer locations are arranged in a plurality of groups of temporary buffer locations. The tag assignment logic is configured to concurrently assign a tag to each instruction in a first set of instructions, wherein the tags are assigned such that the respective tag assigned to each of the instructions in the first set of instructions identifies a different one of the temporary buffer locations in a first one of the groups of temporary buffer locations. |
| US07958329B2 |
Hybrid replicated shared memory
A multiple computer system with hybrid replicated shared memory is disclosed. The local memory (10, 20, . . . 80) of each of the multiple computers M1, M2, . . . Mn is partitioned into a first part (11, 21, . . . 81) and a second part (12, 22, . . . 82). Each of the first parts are identical and each of the second parts are independent. The total memory available to the system is the first memory part plus n times the second memory part, n being the total number of application running multiple computers. |
| US07958328B2 |
Computer system, storage system and method for saving storage area by integrating same data
Provided is a storage system capable of saving actually used physical storage areas and of achieving a high speed in write processing. There is disclosed a computer system including a server and a storage system, in which physical storage areas of a disk drive are managed for each one or more physical blocks of predetermined sizes, and allocation of one or more physical blocks to a plurality of logical blocks of predetermined sizes is managed, and the storage system stores data written in a first logical block in a first physical block allocated to the first logical block and allocates the first physical block to a second logical block where the same data as the data stored in the first physical block is to be written. |
| US07958327B2 |
Performing an asynchronous memory move (AMM) via execution of AMM store instruction within the instruction set architecture
A data processing system with a processor and memory includes an instruction set architecture (ISA) that provides an asynchronous memory move (AMM) store (ST) instruction. When the processor executes the AMM ST instruction, the processor performs a series of functions, which initiates an asynchronous memory move (AMM) operation. The AMM ST instruction moves data from a first memory location having a first real address to a second memory location having a second real address by: (a) performing a move of the data in virtual address space utilizing a source effective address that is memory mapped to the first memory location and a destination effective address that is memory mapped to the second memory location. When the move is completed in the virtual address space, the AMM operation performs the physical move of the data to the second memory location outside the processor core, without processor involvement. |
| US07958326B2 |
Storage system and storage control method
The correspondence between a plurality of virtual storage positions in a virtual volume for logically holding a snapshot image of a main volume in which data elements transmitted from a higher-level device are written and a plurality of address information elements indicating a plurality of actual storage positions of a plurality of data elements constituting the snapshot image is managed. In the initial backup, all the data elements stored in all the actual storage positions indicated by a plurality of address information elements are backed up, then storage positions where a difference has occurred between the virtual volume and the backup destination storage device is managed, and in the next and subsequent backups, data elements on the storage positions specified from the address information elements corresponding to the differentially managed storage positions are backed up. |
| US07958318B2 |
Coherency maintaining device and coherency maintaining method
A second-level cache device stores part of registration information of data for a first-level cache device in a second-level cache-tag unit in association with registration information in a second-level-cache data unit, and stores the registration information of data for the first-level cache device in a first-level cache-tag copying unit. A coherency maintaining processor maintains coherency between the first-level cache device and the second-level cache device based on the information stored in the second-level cache-tag unit and the first-level cache-tag copying unit. |
| US07958314B2 |
Target computer processor unit (CPU) determination during cache injection using input/output I/O) hub/chipset resources
A method, system, and computer program product for target computer processor unit (CPU) determination during cache injection using I/O hub/chipset resources are provided. The method includes creating a cache injection indirection table on the input/output (I/O) hub or chipset. The cache injection indirection table includes fields for address or address range, CPU identifier, and cache type. In response to receiving an input/output (I/O) transaction, the hub/chipset reads the address in an address field of the I/O transaction, looks up the address in the cache injection indirection table, and injects the address and data of the I/O transaction to a target cache associated with a CPU as identified in the CPU identifier field when, in response to the look up, the address is present in the address field of the cache injection indirection table. |
| US07958313B2 |
Target computer processor unit (CPU) determination during cache injection using input/output (I/O) adapter resources
A method, system, and computer program product for target computer processor unit (CPU) determination during cache injection using input/output (I/O) adapter resources are provided. The method includes storing locations of cache lines for pinned or affinity scheduled processes in a table on an input/output (I/O) adapter. The method also includes setting a cache injection hint in an input/output (I/O) transaction when an address in the I/O transaction is found in the table. The cache injection hint is set for performing direct cache injection. The method further includes entering a central processing unit (CPU) identifier and cache type in the I/O transaction, and updating a cache by injecting data values of the I/O transaction into the cache as determined by the CPU identifier and the cache type associated with the address in the table. |
| US07958311B2 |
Cache line replacement techniques allowing choice of LFU or MFU cache line replacement
Methods and apparatus allowing a choice of Least Frequently Used (LFU) or Most Frequently Used (MFU) cache line replacement are disclosed. The methods and apparatus determine new state information for at least two given cache lines of a number of cache lines in a cache, the new state information based at least in part on prior state information for the at least two given cache lines. Additionally, when an access miss occurs in one of the at least two given lines, the methods and apparatus (1) select either LFU or MFU replacement criteria, and (2) replace one of the at least two given cache lines based on the new state information and the selected replacement criteria. Additionally, a cache for replacing MFU cache lines is disclosed. The cache additionally comprises MFU circuitry (1) adapted to produce new state information for the at least two given cache lines in response to an access to one of the at least two given cache lines, and (2) when a cache miss occurs in one of the at least two given cache lines, adapted to determine, based on the new state information, which of the at least two given cache lines is the most frequently used cache line. |
| US07958310B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for selecting a space efficient repository
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for selecting a space efficient repository. A cache receives write data. A destage module destages the data sequentially to a coarse grained repository such as a stride level repository and destages a directory entry for the data to a coarse grained directory such as a stride level directory if the data satisfies a repository policy. In addition, the destage module destages the data to a fine grained repository such as a track level repository overwriting an existing data instance and destages the directory entry to a fine grained directory such as a track level directory if the data does not satisfy the repository policy. |
| US07958305B1 |
System and method for managing storage networks and providing virtualization of resources in such a network
This invention is a system and method for managing one or more data storage networks using a new architecture. A method for handling logical to physical mapping is included in one embodiment with the new architecture. A method for handling errors is included in another embodiment with the new architecture. |
| US07958303B2 |
Flexible data storage system
Methods and systems for managing and locating available storage space in a system comprising data files stored in a plurality of storage devices and configured in accordance with various data storage schemes (mirroring, striping and parity-striping). A mapping table associated with each of the plurality of storage devices is used to determine the available locations and amount of available space in the storage devices. The data storage schemes for one or more of the stored data files are changed to a basic storage mode when the size of a new data file configured in accordance with an assigned data storage scheme exceeds the amount of available space. The configured new data file is stored in accordance with the assigned data storage scheme in one or more of the available locations and the locations of the new data file are recorded. |
| US07958301B2 |
Memory controller and method for memory pages with dynamically configurable bits per cell
A memory controller includes a page configure module that communicates with a memory array comprising B memory blocks each including P pages. The page configure module selectively configures memory cells in the P pages of each of the B memory blocks to store from 1 to T bits per cell. The page configure module also generates a memory map based on the configuration. B, P, and T are integers greater than 1. At least one of a write module selectively writes data to the memory array based on the memory map or a read module selectively reads data from the memory array based on the memory map. |
| US07958295B1 |
Method and apparatus for finding subset maxima and minima in SAS expanders and related devices
A method and apparatus are provided for finding the maxima and minima from a set of inputs data. Given a master set K[0 . . . N−1] of N keys, the current invention can pre-compute a comparison matrix, find the maximum key KMAX or minimum key KMIN from the master set K[0 . . . N−1] and indicate the key position index PMAX of the maximum key or PMIN of the minimum key. Given a subset S[0 . . . M−1] of M keys where the subset S[0 . . . M−1] belongs to the master set K[0 . . . N−1], the current invention can also find the maximum key SMAX or minimum key SMIN from the subset S[0 . . . M−1] and indicate the reference key position index PMAX of the maxima SMAX or PMIN of the minima SMIN in the master set K[0 . . . N−1]. The current invention can also find a specific rank of key (example 5th largest key or 6th smallest key) and return the reference key index position in the master set K[0 . . . N−1]. |
| US07958289B2 |
Method and system for storing memory compressed data onto memory compressed disks
A method (and system) of storing information, includes storing main memory compressed information onto a memory compressed disk, where pages are stored and retrieved individually, without decompressing the main memory compressed information. |
| US07958285B1 |
System and method to facilitate deterministic testing of data transfers between independent clock domains on a chip
A system and method of deterministically transferring data from a first clock domain to a second clock domain includes writing data to a buffer, communicating a read status from the first clock domain to the second clock domain and reading data from the buffer into the second clock domain at a clock rate of the second domain. The buffer is accessible by both one or more devices in each of the first clock domain and the second clock domain and the read status is communicated from the first clock domain to the second clock domain when the second clock domain enables the read status to be communicated from the first clock domain to the second clock domain. |
| US07958283B2 |
Observing an internal link via a second link
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for selecting first data received in a first die of a multi-chip package (MCP) from a second die of the MCP via an intra-package link for output from a selector during a first clock period of a first clock signal, selecting second data transmitted from the second die to the first die for output from the selector during a second clock period, and transmitting the first and second data from the MCP via an external link. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07958279B2 |
Asynchronous serial data apparatus for transferring data between one transmitter and a plurality of shift registers, avoiding skew during transmission
A semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus, comprising a data transmitter circuit, and a plurality of data receiver circuits each having a data converter circuit which restores each of bits of identification number data and transfer data from a shift register of the data transmitter circuit to 2-bit complementary data transmitted via first and second transmission lines, a reception control circuit which, when a transfer completion signal has been received via a third transmission line, compares an allocated identification number with the restored identification number data, and a shift register provided in association with the reception control circuit, wherein each reception control circuit feeds transfer data transmitted from the data transmitter circuit corresponding to the identification number data to the associated shift register in accordance with a result of comparison between the identification number data and the allocated identification number. |
| US07958276B2 |
Automatic configuration of peripheral devices
A method for automatically configuring peripheral devices performs a device assessment resulting in a list of available peripheral devices currently connected to the computer, calculates a configuration setting value from the list, and compares the configuration setting value to other values in a settings repository. If there is a match, then a prior selection of the peripheral devices is automatically restored. If there is no match, then devices are automatically selected from among the available peripheral devices in accordance with a predetermined devices database. The devices database includes possible devices and corresponding priority ranks for the possible devices. In addition, the computed configuration setting value is saved together with a current device selection in the settings repository. |
| US07958275B2 |
Information processing apparatus, network device, control method therefor, computer program, and computer readable storage medium
This invention makes it possible to automatically install the device driver of only an intended network device on a network. Pieces of identification information for temporarily recognizing partners are input in both a client terminal and a network compliant device corresponding to a driver to be installed. When the identification information is input, the network compliant device multicasts a Hello message which describes the identification information and is necessary to enter the network. The client terminal receives the Hello message, and when information which matches the input identification information is described in the Hello message, shifts to a process based on UPnP. When the client terminal receives a Hello message not containing any description which matches the identification information, it does not notify the OS of the message. |
| US07958270B2 |
Distribution of files from mobile devices
Techniques for seamless distribution of files stored in folders, in an Internet-enabled mobile device to one or more recipients including replicating and mapping a folder structure of the mobile device and the folder structure of the remote server, transferring files between the mobile device and the remote server using an Internet connection, and seamlessly distributing the files on the remote server to file recipients. Pre-selected email addresses can be associated with each folder, so that the files are automatically distributed to the pre-selected email addresses. Preferably, the user can configure folders using a Web user interface on a computer and transfer files in multiple folders on the mobile device to the pre-selected email addresses automatically after a trigger event. |
| US07958269B2 |
Network camera having network failure recovery
A network camera 1 comprises a camera block 10 for taking an image, a signal processing unit 20 supplied with an imaging output of the camera block 10, a communication interface unit 30 which connects to an external network to establish communication, a backup memory unit 40 which temporarily stores data to be transmitted to an external device via the communication interface unit 30, a system control unit 50 which controls the above components, and the like. The system control unit 50 monitors the state of the network and stores temporarily the compressed image data to be transmitted to the server in the backup memory unit 40 when a failure occurs in the network, and controls transmission processing such that the compressed image data that has been stored in the backup memory unit 40 is transmitted to the server after the network has recovered. |
| US07958268B2 |
Data security system and method adjunct to a browser, telecom or encryption program
Data security for processing data or securing browser-input data operates on security sensitive content which is extracted, then either encrypted or stored in remote extract stores, and processed separate from remainder data. Extracted data, in one system, is remotely stored. Other methods attach, append, add or insert an encrypted version of the extract content to the document. The browser system operates with an extract store. Remainder data is sent to the addressee or designated client by the web server. The addressee is permitted to retrieve the extracted data from said extract store only with a security clearance and hence, reconstruct the source input data with the extract data. In other systems, the addressee reconstructs the input by decryption and integration. The browser method extracts data, facilitates the storage, forwards the remainder data to a target. Financial data or credit card scrubber may use pop-up windows for enablement. |
| US07958267B1 |
Message traffic interception system
The present invention is a message traffic interception system including a computer-readable medium, a protocol independent execution manager module stored on the medium, the execution manager module having one or more scenario modules which can process an array of predetermined rules for intercepted message traffic, and an interface communication emulator module communicatively coupling protocol-specific message traffic to the execution manager. |
| US07958262B2 |
Allocating and reclaiming resources within a rendezvous federation
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for allocating and reclaiming resources within a rendezvous federation. Embodiments of the invention include formulating and routing messages in accordance with cached two-way agreements between adjacent nodes on a ring of nodes. Cached two-way agreements divide responsibility for at least unoccupied identifiers between the adjacent nodes on a ring. When a message is received at a node, the node can refer to a cached two-way agreement to determine if it or an adjacent node is responsible for the message. The node then sends the message to the next appropriate component in accordance with the cached two-way agreement. |
| US07958261B2 |
Domain name cache control system generating series of varying nonce-bearing domain names based on a function of time
Domain name caching is controlled by adding a nonce to a domain name to force propagation of lookup to an authoritative server or service. Desired caching behavior is dictated by controlling when a new and unique nonce-bearing name is created. For example, caching can be completely eliminated by generating a new nonce-bearing name for every request. While a nonce can simply correspond to a random or pseudo random value, it can also be time based. Furthermore, nonces can be phase or time shifted to limit authoritative server load as well as improve response time. |
| US07958259B2 |
Storage controller and method for determining client appropriateness
A packet priority level is set for a packet configuring a file access request, and a file importance level is set for a file. A storage controller manages, for each client, the amount of information (total amount) in the packets sent and received for each packet priority level, and the amount of information (total amount) in the access-targeted files for each file importance level. The storage controller computes an assessment value for assessing whether a target client is appropriate or inappropriate based on one or more amounts of information corresponding to the target client and one or more packet priority levels, and one or more amounts of information corresponding to one or more file importance levels respectively corresponding to one or more packet priority levels and the target client, and determines whether the target client is appropriate or inappropriate in accordance with whether or not the computed assessment value conforms to a prescribed condition. |
| US07958255B1 |
Partial coalescing of transmit buffers
The present invention facilitates overall system performance by balancing system resource utilization and network throughput. The invention analyzes packets received from host software selects one or more of buffers to coalesce into a single, coalesced buffer. The selection is based upon an initial fragment size selected to facilitate overall system performance. The coalesced buffer and non-coalesced buffers, are passed to a network device for transmission. |
| US07958252B2 |
System for scalable transmission of content in a data network
System for scalable transmission of content in a data network. A method is provided for transmitting a plurality of content clips. The method includes determining QoS factors for the content clips, and grouping the content clips into groups based on the determined QoS factors. The method also includes coding the content clips in the groups to form coded content clips, interleaving the coded content clips to create a clip stream, and transmitting the clip stream. |
| US07958250B2 |
System and method for multi-level guided node and topology discovery
Systems and methods for user-guided iterative node discovery and topology discovery in a network of nodes involved in secure and reliable data transfer. |
| US07958248B2 |
Information providing system, information processing apparatus and method, and information providing apparatus and method
The present invention relates to an information providing system, information processing apparatus and method, and information providing apparatus and method, adapted to suppress broadcast contents from being utilized unduly. A digital broadcast receiver receives network contents from a contents server. The network contents may make reference to broadcast contents sent on the air by one or more broadcast stations. The broadcast contents broadcast by the broadcast stations includes a broadcast wave BIT (Broadcaster Information Table) containing the address information of an authentication information server. The digital broadcast receiver accesses the authentication information server based on the address information, and requests for an authentication of whether a reference to broadcast contents based on the network contents is allowed. According to the authentication result, the digital broadcast receiver controls a reference to broadcast contents based on the network contents. The present invention is applicable to a television receiver connectable to the Internet. |
| US07958247B2 |
HTTP push to simulate server-initiated sessions
A mobile device apparatus uses an HyperText Transfer protocol (HTTP) push operation to simulate server-initiated sessions. The illustrative mobile device apparatus comprises a push server logic operable in a push server that sends a message to a mobile device over a network. The push server logic is configured to receive a GET command from a mobile device. The GET command includes a mobile device identifier parameter and a timeout parameter designating a maximum time interval for the push server to reply with a message. The push server logic holds a GET command session until expiration of a timeout designated by the timeout parameter in a condition that no message is targeted to the mobile device. The push server logic terminates the GET command session by sending a message immediately in a condition that the message is targeted to the mobile device. |
| US07958241B2 |
Method and system for optimally allocating a network service
A network service allocation device is disclosed. The device comprises a probe, a module, and an engine. The device collects performance data relating to the physical characteristics of a distributed data processing system. The module utilizes the performance data to identify two or more node clusters on the distributed data processing system. The engine correlates the node clusters and one or more performance rules as related to the network service to provide a map of node cluster(s) for supporting the network service, or a list of one or more servers within a node cluster for supporting the network service. |
| US07958240B2 |
Group judgment device
In a server, an echo-request transmitting unit transmits echo-request data to a target device, and an echo-reply receiving unit receives echo-reply data from the target device. A time measuring unit measures, as the target time, the time required between transmission of the echo-request data and reception of the echo-reply data, and compares the target time with the reference time. In this way, the server judges whether the target device connected to its network belongs to a predetermined group. |
| US07958239B1 |
Multilink point-to-point protocol network access server channel allocation method and apparatus
In a multilink point-to-point protocol (PPP) network access server, a method is provided in one aspect of the invention allocating ports among various users that includes allocating primary ports among various users, and thereafter, allocating secondary ports among various users only until the number of allocated secondary ports reaches a prescribed maximum.Another aspect of the invention may be thought of as a back-channel allocation method that includes determining whether a back channel is actually being used by a first network client, and if not then allocating the unused back channel to a second network client. In a final aspect of the invention an auxiliary channel resource allocation apparatus for use with a multilink PPP access server, is provided that includes decision or detection logic determining the availability of an auxiliary channel resource previously allocated to a first user of the access server, the decision logic signaling such availability, and allocation or reallocation logic responsive to the signaling to allocate the available auxiliary channel resource to a second user of the access server. The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment which proceeds with reference to the drawings. |
| US07958229B2 |
Method and system for energy efficient routing and network services
A method and system of an embodiment may include identifying a power source used by a network element, determining a carbon footprint of a unit of power usage from the power source, identifying one or more components associated with the network element used for a network operation performed by the network element, determining the power usage of the one or more identified components during the process, and calculating the carbon footprint of the process performed by the network element. |
| US07958228B2 |
Behavioral predictions based on network activity locations
A computer-implemented method for constructing network activity profiles is provided, which comprises the following: obtaining a plurality of records of network activities from an activity source, each record corresponding to an interaction with a network resource via the network from the activity source, wherein each record comprises at least a network endpoint address from where the interaction originates and an indication of a time of the interaction; for each record, determining a geographical location corresponding to the network endpoint address of that record and associating the determined geographical location with that record; and constructing at least one profile for the activity source based on the plurality of records and at least one geographical location associated with the records, wherein each profile comprises a time-based behavior pattern associated with the at least one geographical location. |
| US07958226B2 |
Identifying a computer device
A computer architecture for enterprise device applications that provides a real-time, bi-directional communication layer for device communication. An identity-based communications layer provides for secure, end-to-end telemetry and control communications by enabling mutual authentication and encryption between the devices and the enterprise. A unique identity is assigned to each device, user and application to provide security services. The unique identity is independent of a network-address. Security information and a network address may be associated with the unique identity. |
| US07958225B2 |
Method and apparatus for monitoring the transportation of medical images on a communication network
A method and apparatus for monitoring the transportation of medical images on a communication network includes a medical image transport service (MITS) that may be used to notify clients of the status of scheduled requests. The MITS may be configured to provide numerous notifications, such as the scheduled time for delivery, changes in scheduled time for delivery, delays associated with delivery at the scheduled time, and likely resolutions to network or other delays attendant to the requested transaction. The notifications may be sent in-band on the network or out-of-band on a parallel network. Where the notification relates to a delayed transaction, the notification message may contain the reason for the delay, the source of the delay, its location, and if other images can still be retrieved. The notification may also include a likely resolution of the problem and an estimate of when the problem will be resolved. |
| US07958222B1 |
Method and system for accessing network services
A system for accessing network services includes a plurality of resolvers including a root resolver and a secondary resolver, each resolver arranged to perform actions comprising determining a set of service locations based at least in part on the service and an address associated with a client. the system includes an intermediate device that manipulates scores returned by a set of resolvers of the plurality of resolvers, wherein the root resolver is further arranged to combine sets of the determined service locations and return a combined set of service locations to the client, and wherein at least one resolver of the plurality of resolvers employs an algorithm that is different from an algorithm employed by another resolver of the plurality of resolvers, wherein each algorithm is employed to determine scores of service locations, wherein the combined set of services locations comprises the scores of service locations. |
| US07958221B2 |
Service processing apparatus, system, and recording medium
A service processing apparatus that is realized by a computer is provided. The apparatus forms a service processing system, and transmits and receives information, with at least one other service processing apparatus. The apparatus performs processing to execute at least a service other than services for which processing is complete and that are not idempotent among at least one service corresponding to the services for which re-execution is requested, when re-execution is requested for a service for which execution has been previously requested by receipt of a service request to which the same service ID is added as to a previously received service request, and transmits a response to a transmission origin of the service request, when the processing to execute is completed. |
| US07958220B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for acquiring IPV6 address
An apparatus, method and system for acquiring IPV6 address is described. The apparatus includes a request module (101) and an allocation module (102), the request module (101) is adapted to send an IPV6 address allocation request to the allocation module (102), and acquire an allocated IPV6 address from an IPV6 address allocation acknowledgement returned from the allocation module (102); the allocation module (102) is adapted to allocate an IPV6 address according to the IPV6 address allocation request, make the allocated IPV6 address to be carried in the IPV6 address allocation acknowledgement, and return the IPV6 address allocation acknowledgement to the request module (101). The system includes a user terminal and an IPV6 address management device. The apparatus, method and system improve the security of IPV6 address in use while ensure the uniqueness of IPV6 address. |
| US07958219B2 |
System and method for the process management of a data center
An architecture for a data center is disclosed that manages the computational, power, and cooling elements of the data center according to a feedback process control function in which the operation of the data center is continuously monitored and adjusted according to monitoring data collected from the data center and a set of business rules concerning the operation of the data center. |
| US07958214B1 |
Method for secure transactions utilizing physically separated computers
A secure transaction method involves establishing an electronically accessible verification site authorized by the holder of a credit or debit card, and accessing the verification site by a merchant to determine whether a request for goods or services is authorized. The request for goods or services is based upon the use of the credit or debit card, but the card is not physically presented. The verification site is an electronic mail account which may be established by the merchant, card holder or other authorized person or entity. An authorization message is preferably sent from the site to the merchant in response to the step of accessing the verification site by the merchant. The verification site may also be wirelessly accessible, enabling an authorization message to be delivered through a cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or other mobile device. |
| US07958213B1 |
Processing electronic messages
An electronic messaging scheme is described that is configurable to prevent intentional and unintentional transmission of electronic messages subject to one or more access restriction conditions. In accordance with one aspect of this electronic messaging scheme, an electronic message is interrogated for an access restriction notice in response to a user command to transmit the electronic message, and a detected access restriction notice is responded to in accordance with a prescribed transmission policy. |
| US07958205B2 |
Method and system for communicating between a remote printer and a server
In order to enable downloading to a mobile printer data items from a server, a method comprising the steps of establishing communication connection end points (“sockets”), communicating with the server, where the communication includes sending a request for authentication to the server, receiving an authentication response, requesting print data portions from the server, receiving the requested print data portions, and notifying the server after each print data portion has been printed. The method also includes the step of terminating their communication connection when a printing session ends or if an error occurs. The method constitutes a printer-server protocol. |
| US07958202B2 |
System and method for processing transaction data
Computer system provided with a software architecture for processing transaction data which comprises a platform (5) with at least one logical processing unit (21) comprising the following components: a plurality of gates (G(k)); one or more message queues (MQ(k)), these being memories for temporary storage of data; one or more databases (DB); a hierarchical structure of managers in the form of software modules for the control of the gates (G(j)), the messages queues (MQ(k)), the one or more databases, the at least one logical processing unit (21) and the platform (5), wherein the gates are defined as software modules with the task of communicating with corresponding business components (BC(j)) located outside the platform (5), which are defined as software modules for carrying out a predetermined transformation on a received set of data. |
| US07958195B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving data transfers in peer-to-peer networks
One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for improving data transfers in peer-to-peer networks includes receiving a search request message from a requesting node, where the search request message requests specific data. A responding node then sends a response message to the requesting node including a referral message comprising at least one referred node that is expected to have the requested data, based on knowledge of the referred node's previous incoming and outgoing data transfers. The responding node may also indicate that the responding node has the requested data. In addition to increasing the requesting node's view of the peer-to-peer network, this also enables the identification of nodes (e.g., referred nodes) with which the requesting node may wish to establish direct peer-to-peer connections, e.g., to build peer-to-peer communities of nodes having similar interests. |
| US07958192B2 |
Method for information gathering and dissemination in a social network
A method automatically and efficiently propagates information using previously established social methods of communication (e.g., email, instant messaging (IM), social network message posting, and short message services). In conjunction with the method, a system collects and disseminates information on a social network. The system includes: (a) a server for providing a user interface (e.g., a user facing web site) which allows a user to exchange information with one or more external services, wherein the information exchange includes receiving a message from the user that the user intends to disseminate through the external services; (b) a message module which prepares the message received from the user for dissemination; and (c) a communication module coupled to the user interface, the message module and the external services to mediate the information exchange between the user and the external services. |
| US07958186B2 |
Restructuring integration system
A system includes a portal connected to user interface (UI) components, application logic linking the UI components to a repository layer and connectivity layer through an object access layer, and source systems linked to the repository layer and the connectivity layer. |
| US07958185B2 |
Spatial data enabled engineering, construction, and operations computer-aided design (CAD) project system, method and computer program product
A system and method of geo-spatially viewing project oriented data relating to engineering, construction, and operations (ECO) computer-aided design (CAD) services online using a browser-based viewer can include a three-tiered client/server architecture for accessing a database storing a plurality of files, each of which is stored as a series of components including spatial information. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a system, method and computer program product includes a browser-based project-oriented, collaboration system including a viewer operative to enable viewing of at least one of a business, a project, and a person, geospatially according to geospatial attributes associated with the business, project or person. |
| US07958184B2 |
Network virtualization in a multi-node system with multiple networks
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide for network virtualization in a multi-network system. The virtual network may abstract multiple, underlying physical networks connecting compute nodes on a multi-node system. A network driver and control system may route traffic on the underlying physical networks according to system and/or application requirements, and a virtual-to-physical network mapping may be controlled by the driver and control system. |
| US07958183B2 |
Performing collective operations using software setup and partial software execution at leaf nodes in a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture
A mechanism for performing collective operations. In software executing on a parent processor in a first processor book, a number of other processors are determined in a same or different processor book of the data processing system that is needed to execute the collective operation, thereby establishing a plurality of processors comprising the parent processor and the other processors. In software executing on the parent processor, the plurality of processors are logically arranged as a plurality of nodes in a hierarchical structure. The collective operation is transmitted to the plurality of processors based on the hierarchical structure. In hardware of the parent processor, results are received from the execution of the collective operation from the other processors, a final result is generated of the collective operation based on the received results, and the final result is output. |
| US07958180B2 |
Multiplier engine
A multiplier engine that reduces the size of the circuitry used to provide the multiplier engine, as well as increases the speed at which the multiplication algorithm is performed, are provided. The illustrative embodiments may comprise a M*8 multiplication engine having one or more 4:2 compressors that comprise only two full adders, as opposed to the three full adders in the known 5:2 compressor based architecture. The 4:2 compressors are able to achieve the same operation as the known 5:2 compressor based architecture by virtue of using the unused bits in a least significant portion of the partial product inputs to store the negate bit values. Moreover, a negate bit value that is not fused with the partial product inputs may be input to the 4:2 compressors for a bit 0 position. |
| US07958173B2 |
Population count approximation circuit and method thereof
A circuit and method provides an estimate of a population count (popcount) of a plurality of input bit values. In one form the input bit values represent respective nodes of an integrated circuit. An approximation circuit uses an approximation input stage which receives a plurality of data inputs and has a plurality of logic circuits. Each logic circuit provides a single bit output. The approximation circuit provides monotonic accuracy. A reduction tree receives the single bit outputs of the plurality of logic circuits and provides an approximate count of how many of the plurality of data inputs are asserted. Size and speed are improved by providing the estimate as opposed to an exact value. |
| US07958172B2 |
Apparatus for implementing container managed uses, ownerships, and references in an enterprise javabean environment
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for implementing container managed uses, ownerships, and references in an enterprise JavaBean™ environment. A user may specify a uses, ownership, reference relationships between entity beans and sessions in a deployment descriptor file. When the file is processed, the present embodiment generates methods on the entity beans and allows the container to recognize the relationships, such that the user may access the session beans based on the specified relationships. |
| US07958171B1 |
System and method for organizing search criteria match results
In a system and method for organizing database search criteria match results which are generated through a search engine adapted to generate system databases upon the processing of search criteria established and submitted by a system user, the system is adapted to define and group the search criteria match results for presentation to the user based upon the relative emphasis or de-emphasis of such results. The system includes a context software module, for enabling the generating of a context database consisting of content, links, and layouts organized for presentation to the user, which module is adapted to determine and specify the context database based on a current context and settings. The system also includes a criteria software module for enabling the generating of a comparison database, adapted to enable criteria to be submitted, modified, and input by the user to generate comparison database information. |
| US07958168B2 |
System and method for restoring a virtual disk from a snapshot
A method and apparatus are disclosed for restoring a virtual disk (vdisk) in a data storage system as the vdisk was at an earlier time. Pointers are maintained to point to data represented by the vdisk. The pointers are saved to persistent storage at the earlier time. The data at the earlier time is maintained on the data storage device. A pointer pointing to data represented by the vdisk at a later time is compared with the pointers saved at the earlier time. If the pointer from the later time matches the pointer saved at the earlier time, keeping the pointer from the later time in the active file system. If the pointer from the later time does not match the pointers saved at the earlier time, copying a set of pointers associated with the pointer saved at the earlier time to the active file system. |
| US07958158B2 |
Aggregating database queries
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for aggregating database queries for energy efficiency. In one embodiment, queries received by a DBMS are aggregated and staged according to hard-disk drives required for query execution. Each group of queries accessing a given drive may be dispatched for execution together. Further, the queries received by a DBMS may be matched to patterns of previously received queries. The matching patterns may be used to predict other queries which are likely to be received by the DBMS. The received queries may be staged to be dispatched with the predicted queries. By aggregating queries to be executed, access to each hard-disk drive may be optimized, thus reducing the overall energy consumption required for executing the queries. |
| US07958156B2 |
Graphical/rich media ads in search results
A method and system for mixing rich media content with textual listing on a webpage includes receiving a plurality of advertisement parameters associated with an advertisement from an advertiser. The advertisement parameters define the advertisement and are used for booking the advertisement. Additional media content associated with the advertisement is obtained from the advertiser. The additional media content includes rich media content. A dynamic content window is defined for rendering the additional media content. A graphical icon is provided for the advertisement to indicate that additional media content is available for the advertisement. The graphical icon is activated through a control or is activated by default. The graphical icon is associated with the dynamic content to provide access to the additional media content on the webpage in response to detecting a user action at the graphical icon. |
| US07958154B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for command manager support for pluggable data formats
An apparatus, system, and method for providing command manager support for pluggable data formats. The present invention accepts arbitrary hierarchical input data structures even when the hierarchical input data structure represents hierarchical data in a structure independent of a specific type of data repository. A data mediator receives a hierarchical input data structure and determines whether if it is a snapshot structure or a delta structure. If it is a snapshot update, the command manager creates an in-memory map object structure populated with values from a data repository and compares it with the snapshot. Based on the comparison, it generates a DESPI hierarchical command structure in a format-specific mediation module, and the commands are executed in the data repository. If the hierarchical input data structure is a delta structure, the command manager generates a hierarchical command structure and then translates it to a DESPI-compliant command structure. The commands are then executed in the data repository. |
| US07958146B2 |
Using a calculation expression to define and control access rights for records in a database
Techniques for providing limited access to data stored in records of databases are disclosed. The techniques can be implemented in a database program operating on a computer system. The database program can provide a Graphical User Interface that can be used to conveniently define calculation expressions that limit operations on the records of the database. The calculation expression can be defined for a user or group of users with respect to a particular operation that can be requested to be performed on the records of the database. The calculation expression can be defined based on fields of the records, as well as other information, for example, various state variables of the database (e.g., date, time, number of records, etc.) The calculation expression can, in turn, be evaluated with respect to each record to determine whether a request to perform an operation on that particular record should be granted or denied. |
| US07958139B2 |
Related content storage and retrieval systems and methods
In an exemplary method, content instances and metadata associated with the content instances are maintained, a request for content is received, one of the content instances is identified based on the request, at least one other of the content instances is identified as being related to the one content instance based on a predefined relationship heuristic and the metadata associated with the content instances, and data representative of the one content instance and the other content instance is provided in response to the request. In certain embodiments, the related content instance is identified by identifying a metadata value associated with the one content instance and a common metadata value associated with the other content instance. In certain embodiments, the common metadata value includes at least one of a common location data value, a common time data value, a common user identifier, and a common content type. |
| US07958137B2 |
Method to assist user in creation of highly inter-related models in complex databases
A computer-implemented method is provided to facilitate creation of linked inter-related models in a database. The method comprises obtaining a search text and match criteria from a user, and determining whether a prequery exists. If not, a list of all destination items is obtained. If yes, a determination is made whether the prequery is enabled. If not, a list of all destination items is obtained. If enabled, a list of all destination items limited by the prequery is obtained. A determination is then made whether all match criteria is selected. If yes, all items in the destination list are returned to the user. If not, a word list is generated by parsing all words from the search text. All valid synonyms are added for each word in the word list. The items in the destination list are reduced to items that match at least one word in the word list. A determination is made whether one or more additional filters exist. If not, a reduced list filtered by the match criteria is returned to the user. If the additional filters exist, the filters are presented to the user. The matched item list is then reduced based on criteria of the filters. The reduced matched item list is then returned to the user. |
| US07958136B1 |
Systems and methods for identifying similar documents
The present invention provides systems and methods for identifying similar documents. In an embodiment, the present invention identifies similar documents by (1) receiving document text for a current document that includes at least one word; (2) calculating a prominence score and a descriptiveness score for each word and each pair of consecutive words; (3) calculating a comparison metric for the current document; (4) finding at least one potential document, where document text for each potential document includes at least one of the words; and (5) analyzing each potential document to identify at least one similar document. |
| US07958129B2 |
Processing data records for finding counterparts in a reference data set
The present invention relates to a method of processing a data record for finding a counterpart in a reference data set. In the data record a value of a data field is determined, where the data field represents an identifier. At least one synonym candidate for the value of the data field is determined from a set of predetermined identifier values. It is determined if a synonym candidate and the value of the data field fulfill a predetermined synonym acceptance criterion, and if the predetermined synonym acceptance criterion is fulfilled, the value of the data field and the synonym candidate are associated as synonyms. Thereafter a search for a counterpart for the data record is conducted by comparing to entries of the reference data set the value of the data field and/or a synonym associated with the value of the data field. |
| US07958127B2 |
Tag-mediated review system for electronic content
A tag-mediated review system for electronic content that ranks content based upon several ascertainable factors, including the implicit engagement with the content by users (typically online viewers); the expertise and success in the topical domain by reviewers; and the review activity of users or viewers. The system extends implicit metrics to tracking of user interaction including the receipt of video and audio content over the web. Document ranking is mediated by tags that identify the subject matter addressed by an associated document as the ranking mediators for computing content quality scores values for user and reviewer activity. The tag-mediated content quality scores, which are content quality scores for the subject matter area identified by the associated tags, can be exposed to end-users and used directly or indirectly to complement search engine retrieval algorithms. |
| US07958124B2 |
System and method for managing bundle data database storing data association structure
A bundle database management system comprises a search server including a bundle definition unit for defining a core word and a relevant word connected to the core word, and connection relation between the core and relevant words to generate and store bundle data; a description definition unit for defining description data corresponding to the core and relevant words; a search request receiving unit for receiving a search request including a specific search word input by a user; a search result page generating unit for generating a search result page including the bundle data retrieved by the search word as a core word and the description data retrieved by the core word; and a search result page transmitting unit for transmitting the search result page to the user; and a user terminal connected to the search server for transmitting the search request and receiving the search result page. |
| US07958122B2 |
Data domains in multidimensional databases
Systems and method for creating multidimensional data cubes containing data domains for analyzing large amounts of data are provided. Data domains may be included in the major object of a multidimensional data cube. Further embodiments of the present invention provide methods for querying multidimensional data cubes having data domains. Embodiments of the present invention provide for defining data domains by any object in the major object model and for defining parent and child data domains. |
| US07958121B2 |
Information retrieval apparatus and information retrieval method
A retrieval information that is a retrieval target, acquired from an information source, is arranged on a vector space. Data of a usage information and a content specifying manners of usage, used by the user in the past is acquired by a usage-information acquisition unit. A user's preference extraction unit extracts a preference of a user from the data, and notifies a number-of-effective-elements reduction unit of the extracted data. The number-of-effective-elements reduction unit evaluates each element of a vector of retrieval information by using the preference of the user, and reduces the number of effective elements by removing the elements smaller than a certain criteria. Thereafter, a statistic is acquired in the vector space of the vector of the retrieval information, and the cosine normalization is performed on the result that includes a large number of elements, and the normalization in which the variation of the statistic was compensated by the average weight is performed on the result that includes a small number of elements. |
| US07958119B2 |
Method for content recommendation
A method for content recommendation for a user, wherein a song or a video is recommended to the user and a confidence measure is determined for the recommended song. The confidence measure is displayed to the user, so the user may get more confidence into the recommendation of the system. |
| US07958117B2 |
Initial impression analysis tool for an online dating service
A system and method are directed towards managing a display of initial impression attributes to bring the most relevant information into quick view. The view can be customized by the user. Within a search context, a search may be performed based on a set of search criteria. The user may establish a set of initial impression attributes to be displayed, or employ a default set of initial impression attributes. The default set may be determined based on statistical analysis. When a result of the search is displayed, the initial impression attributes may also be displayed such that the user may review the initial impression attributes and make a decision based, in part, on the initial impression attributes. Initial impression attributes may also be employed within threaded online conversations or browsing through inventory. The search or browse contexts may include online dating searches, merchandises searches, groups, real estate, even employment searches. |
| US07958106B2 |
System and method for determining client metadata using a dynamic rules engine
A system and method for determining client metadata using a dynamic rules engine is disclosed. The system may include a universal data agent, a site management tool, a targeting engine, an ad server, and a data warehouse. When a visitor visits a site on a content delivery system, the universal data agent and targeting engine may collect data about the visitor and site. The site management tool may configure the universal data agent and provided current rules for the dynamic rules engine. The collected data may be stored in the data warehouse and evaluated in the dynamic rules engine to produce a content category. The ad server may use the content category to serve targeted ads and/or other content to the visitor. |
| US07958100B2 |
Medical image management system
A method of managing medical information is disclosed. The method comprises receiving, at a first computer, requests for medical information from a second computer. The first computer responds by sending a set of instructions to the second computer. The instructions are sufficient to allow the second computer to automatically retrieve the requested medical information from a third computer. |
| US07958098B2 |
Apparatus and method for resolving security association database update coherency in high-speed systems having multiple security channels
An apparatus and method for updating security association database entries in a system having multiple security channels by selectively granting access to the entries by a plurality of the multiple security channels that may need to update the same entry using a first-come, first-served scheme. The apparatus includes a controller circuit that functions to carry out the method which, for each of the multiple security channels, includes determining whether another of the security channels has a higher priority to access a particular security association database entry. If no other channel has a higher priority, then the channel requesting access to the entry retrieves it from its address location, modifies it, and writes the modified entry back to its address location. The controller prevents other channels from simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously, retrieving and modifying the same entry. |
| US07958097B1 |
Method and system for implementation of data storage quota
The present invention provides a methodology of organization of control over the process of space or other quantitative parameter of resource allocation in computer data storages. More specifically, the present invention organizes areas of quoted space or time. A method and system of the present invention includes an establishment of quotas for an area of a file system that takes into account the belonging of a file to a certain subtree or subtrees of the file system. The quota management of the present invention is established within a usual computer system which includes a hierarchic file system, as well as a set of unique users, that could be united into groups. |
| US07958092B2 |
Maintaining data consistency between integrated applications
The present disclosure facilitates the interoperability between different local applications. Related local data objects are referenced via global objects or reference containers within a global data model or a global address space of an integration solution. The present disclosure assumes that the integration solution is per default in a consistent state, e.g., an engineered or initially configured global address space is regarded as consistent, and all software components that operate within this space assume that the information they access is valid and likewise consistent. The local applications are the only components that can interact with the global address space and introduce invalidations, they are continuously monitored for changes. Invalidation and subsequent synchronization or restoration of consistency is performed upon a particular triggering event related to a change in a local application object (such as an insertion or removal of an object or a modification of an attribute thereof) or related to a changing application or adapter status (component shutdown/startup). |
| US07958091B2 |
Method for fast bulk loading data into a database while bypassing exit routines
System, method, computer program for fast bulk loading data into database while bypassing exit routines. Method for bulk loading of data into database tables with exit routines defined for operations on such tables, method characterized by existence of exit routines is by-passed by performing data preprocessing in batch mode before loading; and loading preprocessed data into database by performing operations on lower level of tablespace and index spaces where database tables reside and not on database tables themselves. Method for bulk loading data into database tables with exit routines defined for operations on such tables comprising: batch processing data that requires processing to generate processed data; switching tablespace and related index spaces to stop mode; marking required space map entries used; loading previously processed data into claimed data pages; updating database index pages; resetting consistency tokens in updated page; and switching the tablespace and related index spaces to start mode. |
| US07958090B2 |
Method, system, and computer program product for implementing back up history cleanup operations for a database management system
A method, system, and computer program product for implementing backup history cleanup operations for a database management system are provided. The method includes identifying a version control base (VCB) value for a most recently stored record in a history table, the record representing a back up copy of a data set. The method includes scanning the table starting from most recently stored records to identify records that represent previous backup copies of the data set, the records assigned VCB values. Using a retention limit value assigned to each of the VCBs, the method includes selecting at least one record to determine the deletion date for use in implementing the cleanup operations. The selection includes counting the number of records, representing back up copies of the data set, for each VCB value; identifying last records for respective VCBs that do not exceed the retention limit value; selecting the oldest storage date among the last records; and deleting records that have storage dates older than the oldest storage date. |
| US07958086B2 |
Systems and methods for managing location of media in a storage system
A system and method for operating a storage library. The system comprises a management server, a media agent connected to the management server, a library connected to the media agent and a database connected to the management server. The management server controls the media agent to monitor for the addition or removal of a piece of media in the library. When the media agent determines that the piece of media has been added to the library or removed from the library, the media agent causes the library to read a media label stored as data on the piece of media, the media label including an identifier identifying the piece of media. When a backup or restore is performed, the system checks the media label to ensure that the correct media is being used. Inventory procedures are disclosed. Media labels are stored in a database along with an indication of the corresponding slot where the media is stored, a time when the label was put on the medium, and a confidence parameter indicating how confident the system is that the particular medium is stored in the respective slot. |
| US07958082B2 |
Application data replication between computers
A method for replicating application data, the method including monitoring at least one application running on a first computer, detecting an inactivity trigger on the first computer, and, responsive to detecting the inactivity trigger, copying data associated with the software application, and placing the copied data in a network-accessible location. |
| US07958078B2 |
Clustering triz analysis method
The TRIZ decision process of the clustering method proposed by this invention uses the characteristics and invention rules from the contradiction matrix table resulting from massive quantities of patent inferences to find a similar or approximate character group and invention rule group of the physical meanings, and also applies statistics to calculate the number of display times of the groups to be the basic foundation. Apart from the number of display times, Bayes probability, fuzzy object oriented method and Bayes probability combined with fuzzy object oriented method can be used as the system. The reading value is utilized as a foundation for prioritizing the sequence of consideration for the groups, in which the system reading value constructed by different models gives designers lots of options to perform the reading, so as to acquire the undesired result features of the prioritized consideration. |
| US07958077B2 |
Rules engine for enterprise system
An example embodiment provides a process relating to an inference engine for enterprise systems and enterprise contracts. In the example, the inference engine receives a fact and stores it in an input queue. Then the inference engine retrieves the fact from the input queue and routes the fact to a schedule queue on the basis of the fact's processing schedule and a condition that is part of a rule. The inference engine retrieves the fact from the schedule queue in accordance with the processing schedule and routes the fact to a rule executer on the basis of the fact's contents. The rule executer applies an action to the fact, where the action is also part of the rule and the action transforms the fact or creates new facts. Then the inference engine routes the transformed fact or new facts to the input queue and possibly to a persistent storage device. |
| US07958076B2 |
System and methods for managing rules and detecting reciprocal dependencies
A method of automatically determining firing priority in a plurality of rules. The method includes the steps of determining a level of dependency of each rule; and generating a hierarchy of rules in response to the level of dependency of each rule, wherein the firing priority corresponds to the hierarchy of rules. In another embodiment, the method further includes the step of determining if the hierarchy results in an inconsistency. In another embodiment, the method further comprises the step of determining if the hierarchy results in a loop. In yet another embodiment, the step of determining a level of dependency of each rule is performed in response to an initial event. In one embodiment the method includes the step of determining if there are reciprocal dependencies between any two rules in the set of rules. |
| US07958071B2 |
Computational nodes and computational-node networks that include dynamical-nanodevice connections
Embodiments of the present invention are employ dynamical, nanoscale devices, including memristive connections between nanowires, for constructing parallel, distributed, dynamical computational networks and systems, including perceptron networks and neural networks. In many embodiments of the present invention, neuron-like computational devices are constructed from silicon-based microscale and/or submicroscale components, and interconnected with one another by dynamical interconnections comprising nanowires and memristive connections between nanowires. In many massively parallel, distributed, dynamical computing systems, including the human brain, there may be a far greater number of interconnections than neuron-like computational nodes. Use of dynamical nanoscale devices for these connections results in enormous design, space, energy, and computational efficiencies. |
| US07958067B2 |
Data classification methods using machine learning techniques
Methods for classifying documents are presented. Methods for analyzing documents associated with legal discovery are also presented. Methods for cleaning up data are also presented. Methods for verifying an association of an invoice with an entity are also presented. Method for managing medical records are presented. Method for face recognition are presented. |
| US07958066B2 |
Interactive machine learning advice facility
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for helping a user make a decision through the use of a machine learning facility. The process may begin with an initial question being received by the machine learning facility from the user. The user may then be provided with a dialog consisting of questions from the machine learning facility and answers provided by the user. The machine learning facility may then provide a decision to the user based on the dialog and pertaining to the initial question, such as a recommendation, a diagnosis, a conclusion, advice, and the like. In embodiments, future questions and decisions provided by the machine learning facility may be improved through feedback provided by the user. |
| US07958061B1 |
Dynamic determination of item returns during transit
Techniques are described for automatically and dynamically determining how to handle items being returned from customers while the items are in transit. Various factors may be considered to determine appropriate item return handling, including by assessing current conditions at the time of the determination. In addition, the dynamic item return handling may include selecting one of various potential return destinations for each item being returned and one of various types of return routing for the return. In some situations, the item return handling is performed for an item being returned from a customer while the item is at an intermediate shipping location, such as a selected location to which the customer was directed to send the item. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US07958057B2 |
Virtual account based new digital cash protocols with combined blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication
Virtual account based digital cash protocols use a combination of blind digital signatures and pseudonym authentication with at least two pairs of public and private keys. A user is provided with one master pair of private and public keys and as many pseudonym pairs of private and public keys as desired. The resulting virtual account based hybrid protocols combine the advantages of blind digital signature and pseudonym authentication. Blind digital signatures based on the master pair of keys are used to withdraw digital cash from the user's bank account under the user's real identity. A pseudonym pair of keys is used for converting digital cash into virtual account based digital cash by a digital cash issuer. All pseudonyms can be used for spending the virtual account based digital cash. These protocols ensure anonymity when withdrawing digital cash from the user's account under the user's real identity in addition to providing pseudonym authentication when spending virtual cash based digital cash under a pseudonym. |
| US07958055B2 |
Method and apparatus for temporary ownership of digital items in a network data processing system
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for leasing a unique digital item in a network data processing system. A listing request is received for a payment and a deposit in the account of a first party. A listing request is received for a unique digital item in the account of a second party. Responsive to receiving the listing requests, the respective digital properties are transferred to a temporary storage account in association with retrieval tags. Listings for the digital properties appear on a trusted third-party leasing service. A lease contract is drawn up between the parties. After all parties have signed the lease agreement, the payment is transferred to the second party and the unique digital item is transferred to the first party. The deposit is held by the trusted third-party leasing service until the unique digital item is returned. |
| US07958053B2 |
Method and system for extending credit with automated repayment
A system and method for extending a firm offer of credit contingent upon receiving a one-time authorization to execute recurring automatic withdrawals from a deposit account is provided. In providing the one-time authorization to execute recurring automatic withdrawals, a prospective borrower may elect from a plurality of automatic withdrawal repayment options. One such option is electronic fund transfer, such as the initiation of a withdrawal entry into the Automated Clearing House network. A second option is by the remote creation of a paper negotiable instrument, which is then converted into an electronic substitute check capable of electronic routing. Upon receiving the one-time authorization, the lender may make recurring automatic withdrawals from the borrower's deposit account. |
| US07958051B2 |
Using payment mode rankings responsive to item attributes
Methods and systems for obtaining at least some mode rankings responsive to one or more categorical attributes of a first item and to one or more payment mode use constraints, and transmitting at least an indication of a payment mode. |
| US07958046B2 |
Computer systems and methods for providing credit information data
Computer systems and methods for providing credit information data are disclosed. In one embodiment, an exemplary method includes generating a first mark up language document in a requestor domain. The credit information query data may include provider identification data to enable identification of a provider of credit information data. The method further includes retrieving a first provider specific transformation document for transforming the first markup language document into a provider domain of the provider and sending the second mark up language document to the provider. The method further includes receiving a third mark up language document carrying the credit information data, where the third mark up language document is in the provider domain. The method further includes retrieving a second provider specific transformation document for transforming the third document into the requestor domain. The method further includes transforming the third mark up document by the second provider specific transformation document. |
| US07958044B2 |
Method and system for modeling volatility
A method for determining the implied volatility of a swap option employs intuitive factors to arrive at a close approximate of volatility. The volatility curve is a convex shaped curve which more closely follows real market volatility than previous methods. The slope of the curve is provided by employing a premium model which allows for a correlation between rates and volatility. The convex shaped curve is arrived by assuming a lognormal distribution for the underlying volatility. |
| US07958041B2 |
Spectrum management system
Transferring spectrum use rights may include ascertaining information regarding available spectrum for use in wireless communications. A request for spectrum use from a spectrum user system may be matched with available spectrum. A spectrum certificate may be issued to the spectrum user system, where the spectrum certificate contains at least one spectrum-related variable under which the spectrum user system is to engage in wireless communications. |
| US07958039B2 |
Computer implemented and/or assisted methods and systems for providing rapid execution of, for example, listed options contracts using toxicity and/or profit analyzers
Methods and systems are provided which enable options broker-dealers to execute a listed options contract trade order while simultaneously eliminating (or at least reducing) exposure to the negative consequences associated with toxic (or likely toxic) trades in the options market. By using toxicity and/or profit analyzers, for example, to detect, track and respond to the level of toxic (or likely toxic) orders present in an option contract order flow, a broker dealer can reduce the level of risk inherent in serving as a counter-party in listed options transactions, and inherent in offering a rapid execution guarantee. Various alternative embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07958038B2 |
Methods and systems for providing an anti-benchmark portfolio
In one aspect, the invention comprises a method comprising: (a) acquiring data regarding a first group of securities in a first portfolio; (b) based on said data and on risk characteristics of said first group of securities, identifying a second group of securities to be included in a second portfolio; and (c) calculating holdings in said second portfolio based on one or more portfolio optimization procedures. In another aspect, the invention comprises software for performing the steps described above (as well as steps of other embodiments), and in another aspect, the invention comprises one or more computer systems operable to perform those steps. |
| US07958033B2 |
Systems and methods for providing a liquidity-based commodities index
Systems and methods are provided for a liquidity-based commodity index in which historical liquidity-related data for a commodity is used to determine whether to include a commodity in an index and also used to weight commodities in the index. Liquidity of a commodity is calculated based on an average daily dollar value of contracts traded for the commodity. The commodity liquidity is compared to a liquidity threshold to determine that the commodity should be included in the index. A liquidity factor is calculated for each commodity included in the index and is also used to weight the commodity in the index. |
| US07958030B2 |
System and method for issuer originated payments for on-line banking bill payments
Techniques for processing on-line banking bill payment requests are provided. A bill payment request is received from an operator of an on-line banking bill payment web site. The operator may be a bank. The request is for payment of a bill using a portable consumer device. A transaction request is then generated for an issuer and sent to the issuer for authorization. The issuer then sends a response indicating whether the transaction request is approved or declined. Remittance information for a biller is generated if the transaction is approved. The remittance information is then forwarded to the operator of the on-line banking bill payment web site for forwarding to a user of the portable consumer device. Additionally, the remittance information is sent to an acquirer or cash management bank, which can forward the information to the biller associated with the bill payment request. |
| US07958029B1 |
Method for minimizing financial risk for wireless services
A method and system for managing financial risk through the use of postpaid processing during use of wireless services is presented within the scope of the following invention. The present invention uses credit card authorization to pre-reserve credit card funds for wireless services in excess of planned usage. Authorizations eliminate the credit risk associated with overages and payment timing, and also maintain a customer experience identical to postpaid processing. The authorizations are invisible to the customer and no charge is brought to a customer's credit card until the monthly bill is settled. Separating the authorization and settlement stages of retail wireless payment processing allows the branded wireless provider to avoid inherent areas of credit risk during the tenure of a customer's wireless service, while maintaining a familiar customer experience. |
| US07958026B2 |
Hierarchical transaction filtering
Systems and methods of allocating transactions among business objects are described. Allocation is accomplished using generated allocation rules that are generated using a hierarchical data structure representative of relationships between the business objects and using predefined rules that characterize the business objects. Each generated allocation rule is associated with at least one of the business objects and is used to query a set of transactions to be allocated. Query results, generated using a generated allocation rule, include the transactions to be allocated to the associated business object. Embodiments are disclosed to illustrate how the invention can be used to allocate sales commissions to members of a sales team. The invention is applicable to a variety of business objects including people, organizations, accounts, tasks, or the like. |
| US07958025B2 |
Method and system for processing raw financial data streams to produce and distribute structured and validated product offering objects
A real time information manager which processes raw data from data providers, such as feeds of current information about financial product offerings, is provided. Raw data objects received from various data providers are analyzed, formatted, and a current version of each unique data object is stored in an object storage pool. Information about the state of each objects is transmitted on a particular output data channel in accordance with the type of object. A subscriber process can access one or more of the data channels and utilize the broadcast data. In one configuration, one or more client managers are provided which subscribe to particular data channels and serve as an intermediary between the real time information manager and sets of clients. |
| US07958024B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing sales transaction data
A system provides a way to manage agreements that institutions such as financial services companies have with distributors who sell their products. Each distributor has a plurality of sales representatives that earn commissions for selling such products. The commissions earned and any other constraints imposed on the sales representatives may be defined within a selling agreement. The system can generate each selling agreement utilizing a set of components representative of the type of agreement formed between the institutions and the distributor. The components of each selling agreement contain an associated rule set that enables a configuration engine to generate an appropriate document. The system also contains a set of regulatory conditions for each sale made by the sales representatives. The system may be utilized to process sales transaction data to ensure that selling agreement terms are followed and that regulations for each sale are satisfied. |
| US07958023B1 |
System and method for legal billing in a networked environment
A computer-implemented method and system is disclosed in which a network-based e-commerce environment includes billing a client at a periodic flat rate for a pre-defined scope of legal advice in pre-defined areas of legal services and offering the client, as part of the periodic flat rate, an alternative billing option of participating in a litigation defense program having a graduated fee structure based on an outcome of a litigation. In other embodiments, a network-based e-commerce environment includes offering the client participation in an accrual of credits at a predetermined multiplier of the periodic flat rate paid whereby such credits are accrued over time and may be redeemed to offset legal fees otherwise payable. |
| US07958022B2 |
Pre-pay communication services
A method and system for crediting a user account of a pre-pay communication service is presented. The method comprises the steps of: providing a shared credit resource to which a plurality of users of the pre-pay communication service are authorized access and to which at least one user contributes credit; and transferring credit from the shared credit resource to the user account, thereby enabling the user associated with the user account to use the pre-pay service. |
| US07958020B2 |
Efficient inventory management for providing distinct service qualities for multiple demand groups
An inventory management method for managing an inventory of goods for a plurality of demand groups with each demand group having at least one service quality, the method includes determining a total safety stock level for the plurality of demand groups that satisfies the distinct service quality of each demand group, determining a shipment limit Zi for each demand group Gi, wherein goods are shipped for a demand group Gi only if the inventory of goods for the demand group Gi exceeds the shipment limit Zi. Also disclosed is a computer program product and a method for an inventory management service. |
| US07958019B2 |
Peer-to-peer trading platform with roles-based transactions
A computer-implemented method and system is disclosed in which a network-based interaction environment includes a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, and a first peer-to-peer client application running on a first peer-to-peer client of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the first peer-to-peer client application to maintain persistent user account information on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent information being related to a plurality of user accounts for conducting e-commerce interactions on the network-based interaction environment, the plurality of user accounts including at least one user account based on a plurality of roles of a corresponding user. |
| US07958016B2 |
Method and apparatus for specifying product characteristics by combining characteristics of products
A computer-implemented method for specifying the characteristics of a desired item includes specifying a plurality of items, each of which possess at least one but not all characteristics of the desired item, selecting a subset of characteristics from each of said plurality of items, combining selected subsets of characteristics into a characterization of the desired item, and validating an availability of the desired item. |
| US07958012B2 |
System and method for enabling online research, publication, promotion and management of user goods
A system and method for enabling online research, publication, promotion, and management of user goods is presented. An embodiment guiding the process of online selling across multiple platforms is presented. Information is gathered from various sources across the Internet to determine pricing and publication options. Data and user input are aggregated to create a listing. Listings are published and promoted across platforms and channels and feedback is presented to the user through an online interface. |
| US07958010B2 |
Internet search engine with critic ratings
The present invention provides an internet search engine and associated website which provides users with ranked website search results. In an aspect of the present invention, the search engine and associated website provides a critical rating function. Critics can be human experts who review websites on the internet and rate and comment on them. Users apply to become critics, and their applications are reviewed for acceptability by other critics. Critics are selected in particular professions for their expertise in those areas. The critics provide a rating and comments in relation to a site, or to other online content, including text, audio and video, among other things. Ratings and comments are also available to users. In other words, the present invention provides for at least two levels of critical review: critics' review and users' review. In an aspect of the present invention, an advanced critic sorting mechanism is provided. |
| US07958003B2 |
Method and system for work scheduling on calendars to establish day state information
A method of and system for handling allocation of task work to resources with flexibly configured availability contours (work calendars) is disclosed. The method includes defining one or more base calendars, a resource calendar associated with each resource, wherein the resource calendar inherits from a base calendar. A calendar reader, a set of recurring exception records, and a set of effective weeks for each calendar are also defined. For a specific date, the method determines whether an exception exists in one of the base calendar and resource calendar, and if an exception exists, computes a cached effective week honoring the exception data from an associated recurring exception record. If an exception does not exist, a cached effective week for the resource is computed from a combination of the calendar's standard week and associated effective week records. |
| US07958001B2 |
Computer-based method for assessing competence of an organization
Stored in a computer are scores related to answers given by human representatives of organizational units in response to defined questions. For the organizational units, total scores and weighted total scores are calculated. The weighted total scores are calculated by adding up weighted maximum scores assigned to the questions, the weighted maximum scores depending on the respective organizational unit and the respective question. Competence levels of the organizational units are calculated by scaling the total scores of the respective organizational unit to a scale of competence reaching from zero to a maximum competence. The maximum competence corresponds to the weighted total score calculated for the respective organizational unit. The computer generates a graphical representation of the competence levels for multiple organizational units of a particular organization. In one common graph, the competence levels are visualized so that deficiencies of the competence levels from the maximum competence as well as differences between the competence levels of the organizational units are visualized. |
| US07958000B2 |
Method and system for analyzing the effectiveness of marketing strategies
A method and system for analyzing a “detail” (the use of promotional materials in combination with a sales pitch), measures the effectiveness of a sales presentation and its ability to drive market share through a standardized, quantitative evaluation of the entire sale presentation and its related components. The method includes administering a two, different surveys. The first survey, the Detail Performance Monitor survey, comprises an “in the field” test of how respondents are responding to various marketing strategies by tracking subsequent behavioral data of the respondents and comparing the behavioral data to the survey results. The second survey, the Detail Assessment survey, comprises an “in the lab” test of how various marketing strategies affect respondent attitude towards a product by comparing respondent attitude before and after presentation of a simulated “detail” that represents the marketing strategy. |
| US07957998B2 |
Systems and method for generating planogram images
A retail system for implementing planograms includes a communications network, a central computing system, and a plurality of retail computing systems. The central computing system is configured to receive and to transmit a plurality of planograms, each planogram being associated with one retail store of a plurality of retail stores and a plurality of products to be displayed for sale at the associated retail store. Each planogram includes data indicating threshold quantities of each product of the associated plurality of products. Each retail computing system is at a corresponding one of the plurality of retail stores and is configured to receive, via the communications network, planograms associated with the corresponding retail store and to receive inventory information indicating in-stock quantities of the plurality of products associated with each planogram. Each retail computing system is also configured to provide a readiness rating value for each planogram, the readiness rating value being based on a comparison of the threshold quantities and in-stock quantities of each product associated with the planogram and being indicative of whether the planogram is ready to be implemented. |
| US07957997B2 |
Systems and methods for third party order processing
Systems and methods are provided for processing a product order which is directed from a customer to a first supplier. In one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided that includes receiving a product order from a customer. Based on the received product order, the method determines products to be procured by a supplier that is external with respect to the first supplier. The method further determines at least one external supplier which is able to provide the products and transmits a purchase order for the available products to the external supplier. |
| US07957989B2 |
System and method for automatically generating an airplane boarding pass for a traveler returning a rental car
The invention provides a system and method for integrating rental vehicle return with airline boarding pass generation. The system includes a rental identification tag located on a rental vehicle and a tag reader located at a rental vehicle return facility for reading and identifying the rental vehicle identification tag when the rental vehicle enters a range of the tag reader. The system additionally includes a database containing information linking a traveler to the rental identification tag and to airline reservation information of the traveler and a computing system communicating with the database and the tag reader to locate the airline reservation information of the traveler based on the identification provided by the tag reader. The system also includes a boarding pass generator for generating a boarding pass based on the airline reservation information upon receiving an instruction from the computing system. |
| US07957983B2 |
Healthcare provider, administrator and method for effectuating a medication therapy management, adherence and pharmacosurveillance program
A method is provided that includes initiating adjudication of a primary claim in response to a purchase transaction at a primary payer for a client at a point of sale of a healthcare provider, and adjudicating one or more services of a program of the administrator to which the client is enrolled and/or one or more secondary benefits following the adjudication of the primary claim. The purchase transaction is applicable to the respective program and the respective secondary benefit, and the program includes one or more services. The method also includes providing the one or more services and/or secondary benefits to the client in response to adjudicating the one or more services and/or secondary benefits. |
| US07957982B2 |
Data management system
Mask information for instructing the prohibition of information which cannot be serviced to the outside, is set and inputted by a manager so that the information, the permission of service of which is indicated by the mask information is exclusively sucked up from an in-hospital server by an external server outside the hospital. A service application created for each service reads out and exploits the information needed by itself, from the in-hospital information sucked up by the external server. |
| US07957981B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating standardized carbon emission reduction credits
A method and apparatus for determining standardized carbon emission reduction credits is disclosed. General regional data and site-specific data, if available, are input into a carbon sequestration model to determine the approximate change in the level of carbon compounds stored in a media, such as soil, over a specified period of time. An uncertainty analysis is conducted on the results to quantify and normalize carbon emission reduction credits. Standardized carbon emission reduction credits may be compiled for trade and other carbon emission reduction credits are placed in reserve. |
| US07957970B1 |
Method and system for predicting problematic situations in automated dialog
The invention concerns a system and method of predicting problematic dialogs in an automated dialog system based on the user's input communications. The method may include determining whether a probability of conducting a successful dialog with the user exceeds a first threshold. The successful dialog may be defined as a dialog exchange between an automated dialog system and the user that results in at least one of processing of the user's input communication and routing the user's input communication. The method may further operate such that if the first threshold is exceeded, further dialog is conducted with the user. Otherwise, the user may be directed to a human for assistance. In another possible embodiment, the method operates as above except that if the probability exceeds a second threshold, the second threshold being higher than the first, then further dialog is conducted with the user using the current dialog strategy. However, if the probability falls between a first threshold and a second threshold, the dialog strategy may be adapted in order to improve the chances of conducting a successful dialog with the user. This process may be cumulative. In particular, the first dialog exchange may be stored in a database. Then, a second dialog exchange is conducted with the user. As a result, a second determination is made as whether successful dialog can be conducted based on the stored first exchange and the current second exchanges. This cumulative process may continue using a third and fourth exchange, if necessary. |
| US07957964B2 |
Apparatus and methods for noise suppression in sound signals
A noise suppression apparatus calculates a sound spectrum and a noise spectrum from an input sound, further calculates gain based on the sound spectrum and noise spectrum, and suppresses noise in the input sound. The noise suppression apparatus includes a first frame-dividing unit that divides the input sound into frames having a predetermined frame length, a second frame-dividing unit that divides the input sound into frames having a longer frame length than the frame length of the first frame-dividing unit, a second converting unit that converts, into a spectrum, the input sound divided into frames by the second frame-dividing unit, a smoothing unit that smoothes the converted spectrum in a frequency direction, and a gain calculating unit that calculates gain based on the smoothed spectrum and the noise spectrum. |
| US07957963B2 |
Voice transcoder
First encoded voice bits are transcoded into second encoded voice bits by dividing the first encoded voice bits into one or more received frames, with each received frame containing multiple ones of the first encoded voice bits. First parameter bits for at least one of the received frames are generated by applying error control decoding to one or more of the encoded voice bits contained in the received frame, speech parameters are computed from the first parameter bits, and the speech parameters are quantized to produce second parameter bits. Finally, a transmission frame is formed by applying error control encoding to one or more of the second parameter bits, and the transmission frame is included in the second encoded voice bits. |
| US07957962B2 |
Fixed codebook searching apparatus and fixed codebook searching method
A fixed codebook searching apparatus which slightly suppresses an increase in the operation amount, even if the filter applied to the excitation pulse has the characteristic that it cannot be represented by a lower triangular matrix and realizes a quasi-optimal fixed codebook search. This fixed codebook searching apparatus is provided with an algebraic codebook that generates a pulse excitation vector; a convolution operation section that convolutes an impulse response of auditory weighted synthesis filter into an impulse response vector that has a value at negative times, to generate a second impulse response vector that has a value at second negative times; a matrix generating section that generates a Toeplitz-type convolution matrix by means of the second impulse response vector; and a convolution operation section that convolutes the matrix generated by matrix generating section into the pulse excitation vector generated by algebraic codebook. |
| US07957960B2 |
Audio time scale modification using decimation-based synchronized overlap-add algorithm
A high-quality, low-complexity audio time scale modification (TSM) algorithm useful in speeding up or slowing down the playback of an encoded audio signal without changing the pitch or timbre of the audio signal. The TSM algorithm uses a modified synchronized overlap-add (SOLA) algorithm that maintains a roughly constant computational complexity regardless of the TSM speed factor and that performs most of the required SOLA computation using decimated signals, thereby reducing computational complexity by approximately two orders of magnitude. |
| US07957959B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing speech data with classification models
A method for processing speech data includes obtaining a pitch and at least one formant frequency for each of a plurality of first speech data; constructing a first feature space with the obtained fundamental frequencies and formant frequencies as features; and classifying the plurality pieces of first speech data using the first feature space, and thus a plurality of speech data classes and the corresponding description are obtained. |
| US07957957B2 |
Method and apparatus for discovering and classifying polysemous word instances in web documents
A method and apparatus for discovering polysemous words and classifying polysemous words found in web documents. All document corpi in any natural language have words that have multiple usage contexts or words that have multiple meanings. Semantic analysis is not feasible for classifying all word occurrences in all documents on the web, which contain trillions of words in total. In addition, semantic analysis typically cannot distinguish multiple usages of a given meaning of a given word. In one embodiment of this invention, polysemous words in natural languages can be discovered by analyzing the co-occurrence of other words with the polysemous word in web documents. In one embodiment, the multiple meanings and usages of a polysemous word can be determined by analyzing the co-occurrences of other words with the polysemous word. No semantic analysis is used in discovering or classifying polysemous words. |
| US07957945B2 |
Inundation simulator and program
An inundation simulation program and device using the same for displaying a map, receiving input from a user indicating a starting point and an ending point in a bank breakage section on the map, and displaying on the map a line connecting the starting point and the ending point. Further, the computer program and device calculates a direction of a flow quantity in the bank breakage section by calculating a normal line to the side of the inside area of the bank at the input band breakage section and making the bank breakage section discrete in the calculation grids of the inundation simulation. |
| US07957944B2 |
Using historical data to estimate wear profiles of consumable wear products
An example method for estimating a wear profile of a consumable wear product used in conjunction with the processing of ore includes obtaining historical data related to wear of the consumable wear product, building a historical wear model based on the historical data, and obtaining a current single measurement point for the consumable wear product. The method includes extrapolating an estimated wear profile using the current measurement point and the historical wear model, and estimating a performance characteristic based on the estimated wear profile. |
| US07957938B2 |
Method and apparatus for a high bandwidth oscilloscope utilizing multiple channel digital bandwidth interleaving
A method of digitizing an analog signal is provided, comprising the steps of separating the analog signal spanning a frequency range into a plurality of frequency bands, and then translating at least one of the signals to a lower frequency band in accordance with a local oscillator and digitizing the at least one translated signal with digitizing elements having a frequency range less than the analog signal frequency range. A fixed relationship of the phase of the local oscillator and a repetitive signal generated in accordance with a writing to a circular buffer of the digitized representation of the at least one of the plurality of frequency bands is then defined. Signals corresponding to the other of the plurality of frequency bands are digitized and written to corresponding circular buffers. Finally, a digital representation of the analog signal is formed from the digitized signals. |
| US07957937B2 |
Systems and methods for material management
A system and method are provided for scheduling the emptying or replacement of a waste container based on the fullness of the container or the usage of the container. These factors may be considered to determine when the waste container will become completely full. Additionally, the system and method may consider the customer preferences or the limitations of the waste hauler. All of these factors may be considered to determine an optimal time for the waste container to be emptied or replaced. These factors are also considered to determine when to accomplish the scheduling (i.e. when to notify the waste hauler that the waste container should be emptied or replaced at a given time). |
| US07957935B2 |
Analyzer and method of restarting sample measurement
An analyzer includes a specimen preparing section for preparing a measuring specimen including a specimen and a reagent, the specimen preparing section including a plurality of units; a detecting section for detecting a predetermined component from the specimen; a start command receiver for receiving a starting measurement instruction; a measurement controller for controlling the units and the detecting section when the starting measurement instruction is received; an error detecting section for detecting an error in the operations of the units; a measurement abort controller for stopping the operations of the units when the error is detected; a restart command receiver for receiving a restart measurement instruction after the abortion of the measurement; and a remeasurement controller for moving the units to initial positions thereof and controlling the units and the detecting section when the restarting measurement instruction is received is disclosed. A method of restarting sample measurement is also disclosed. |
| US07957933B2 |
Performance monitor device and information processing apparatus
An information processing apparatus includes a receptor for receiving an event signal occurring in hardware during program execution in time series, a feature event counter for counting the number of occurrences of a feature event to determine the feature of the program, a stored event counter for counting the number of occurrences of stored event determined from the feature event with the maximum number of occurrences, and a storage for storing the count result of the number of occurrences of the stored event. |
| US07957932B1 |
Data analysis systems and related methods
Data analysis systems and related methods. An implementation of a first method of generating one or more bar plots for evaluating the performance of a process may include generating a plurality of breakpoints using historical data values from a process and generating one or more bar plots for an independent or a dependent variable and distributing the plurality of breakpoints along the one or more bar plots. The method may also include retrieving one or more current data values from the process, plotting at least one indicator at a position along the one or more bar plots using the one or more current data values, and indicating the desirability of the position of the at least one indicator relative to the plurality of breakpoints. |
| US07957929B2 |
Drug dispensing apparatus
A drug dispensing apparatus including a cassette for containing drugs in an aligned state, a rotor disposed at one open end of the cassette, a pushing unit for pushing the drugs toward the rotor, a drive mechanism for pivoting the rotor alternately between a dispensing position and a receiving position by operating a drive switch to dispense the drugs one-by-one, and a measuring unit for measuring the present quantity of the drugs in the cassette. The apparatus also includes a memory unit for storing a stock quantity N0 of the drugs in the cassette. When the rotor is returned to the receiving position from the dispensing position, the present quantity N measured by the measuring unit is compared with the stock quantity N0 stored in the memory unit. If the present quantity N is less than the stock quantity N0, the present quantity N is stored in the memory unit as a stock quantity N0, while if the present quantity N is same as the stock quantity N0, it is informed that the drug has not been taken out. |
| US07957928B2 |
Method for function monitoring of a sensor
A method for monitoring a sensor function by repeatedly acquiring data records including sensor-specific calibration data; by storing the acquired data records; by analyzing changes of the calibration data over time using the stored data records; and by determining time or time weighted with a load factor until the next calibration is due, using at least the changes of the calibration data over time. The resulting time or the determined time weighted with a load factor can, for example, be output in suitable form directly after determination, thereby allowing for a long-term planning of calibration, and/or it can be stored as a date or a remaining time. A comparison with a time signal or a count-down of the remaining time allows at the due date to output a request, or prompt, signal, optionally with a desired lead time. |
| US07957925B2 |
Eddy current detection and compensation
A distortion compensation method includes determining an undisturbed phase for at least one of a first position indication signal and a second position indication signal. The method includes determining an undisturbed ratio that relates the amplitude of the first position indication signal at a first frequency to the amplitude of the second position indication signal at a second frequency. The method also includes determining a disturbed amplitude of the position indication signal and adjusting a position indication based on the disturbed amplitude and phase, the undisturbed amplitude ratio, and the undisturbed phase. The method further comprises determining a relationship between the eddy current phase of the first position indication signal and the second position indication signal. |
| US07957917B2 |
Copper contamination detection method and system for monitoring copper contamination
A computer system. The computer system including a processor and memory unit coupled to the processor, the memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for monitoring a solution in a tank used to fabricate integrated circuits, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: (a) collecting data indicating of an amount of copper in a region of a substrate of a monitor, the monitor comprising an N-type region in a silicon substrate, the region abutting a top surface of the substrate, the monitor having been submerged in the solution for a preset time; (b) comparing the data to a specification for copper content of the solution; (c) if the data indicates a copper content exceeds a limit of the specification for copper, indicating a corrective action is required to prevent copper contamination of the integrated circuits; and (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) periodically. |
| US07957913B2 |
Evaluating genetic disorders
The present invention relates to genetic analysis and evaluation utilizing copy-number variants or polymorphisms. The methods utilize array comparative genomic hybridization and PCR assays to identify the significance of copy number variations in a subject or subject group. |
| US07957910B2 |
Method for predicting effectiveness of chemotherapy
A method for predicting an effectiveness of chemotherapy is described. The method comprises a comparing step and a predicting step. The comparing step is a step of comparing a threshold value with a parameter of a cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) included in a sample containing a tumor cell obtained from a human patient. The predicting step is a step of predicting the effectiveness based on a comparison result of the comparing step. Above stated parameter is selected from the group consisting of an activity, an expression level, and a ratio of activity to expression level. |
| US07957904B2 |
True amplitude transient electromagnetic system response measurement
A method for mapping sub-surface resistivity contrasts comprising making multi-channel transient electromagnetic (MTEM) measurements using at least one electric source with grounded input current electrodes or one magnetic source with current in a wire loop or multi loop and at least one electric field or magnetic field receiver, measuring the resultant earth response simultaneously at each receiver using a known recording system, measuring the system response by measuring directly the current in the wire at the source using effectively the same recording system, using the measured system response to recover the impulse response of the earth from each measured earth response, and creating from such impulse responses a sub-surface representation of resistivity contrasts. |
| US07957903B1 |
Gas trap for sampling fluid from a well
A low maintenance adjustable gas trap with a plurality of couplings, each coupling securing to a flow line of a drilling rig; a plurality of hammer unions each engaging a coupling; a plurality of base manifold pipes, each engaging a hammer union; a base manifold flow line engaging the base manifold pipes, a chimney pipe connected to the base manifold flow line with a controllable valve, a reducer connected to the chimney opposite the base manifold flow line; an expansion chamber component connected to the reducer; a restrictor mounted to the expansion chamber component opposite the reducer, wherein the restrictor has a diameter no more than ⅓rd a diameter of the expansion chamber component; and a conduit connection connected to the restrictor for engaging a conduit to flow a gas sample from the gas trap to a gas analyzer. |
| US07957902B2 |
Method and system for determining cloud-to-ground lightning information
A real-time, multi-sensor local-area lightning detection network system. The system uses waveform indicative of electrostatic field changes with respect to time is generated at each of N locations due to a cloud-to-ground lightning strike occurring in the vicinity of the N locations. Each waveform is integrated to generate a corresponding electric field associated with a corresponding one of the locations. A mathematical relationship is used to determine a ground surface location of the lightning strike, height of the lightning strike, and charge per unit length of the lightning strike using each electric field generated during integration of the waveforms. |
| US07957898B2 |
Computational scheme for MEMS inertial navigation system
A computational scheme for an INS which utilizes micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors resolves issues of unnecessarily large computational burden and numerical instability which happen in using conventional methods using high-end inertial sensors. The first aspect is to omit computing Earth radii of curvatures that were used in a high-frequency application. The second aspect is to ignore the Earth rotation and the rotation of the local tangent plane with respect to Earth which are much smaller than noise and bias in the MEMS sensor output. The last aspect is to assume that the absolute amount of the platform pitch and roll angles is less than 90 degrees. According to the aspects noted above, the computational load will be one-fourth of the conventional method without degradation of accuracy. |
| US07957893B2 |
Methods and systems for deducing road geometry and connectivity
Methods and systems for generating, deriving, and enhancing drivable road databases are provided. A baseline road in a road network is defined and position and/or trajectory data collected by vehicles traveling the baseline road are compiled and compared to a representation of the baseline road in an existing database. Identity and/or other property information about the road are assigned form the existing database to the new database. |
| US07957890B2 |
Valve control device and method for internal combustion engine
A valve control device performs control for eliminating or preventing fixation of an EGR valve (30) by opening/closing the valve near its fully closed position. After an engine stops, the valve control device performs “a fixation avoiding operation” for opening/closing EGR valve (30) near the fully closed position, and further, performs “a fixation determining operation”. When it is determined that the fixation of EGR valve (30) is eliminated, EGR valve (30) is positioned at the fully closed position, and a reference position is corrected such that the fully closed position is regarded as a reference position at which a valve opening/closing control is performed during the operation of the engine. |
| US07957888B2 |
Approach for enhancing emissions control device warmup in a direct injection engine system
A method of controlling fuel supplied to an engine of a vehicle is provided. The method may improve engine starting during cold operating conditions. In one example, the type of fuel injected to the engine is changed in response to operating conditions. |
| US07957884B2 |
Running control apparatus for vehicle
A running control apparatus for a vehicle controls a state of running using a driving source for generating a driving force of the vehicle. The apparatus includes an accelerator pedal measuring device for measuring a degree of depression of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle; and a vehicle speed measuring device for measuring a vehicle speed of the vehicle. A driving-force maintenance mode for maintaining the driving force or a vehicle-speed maintenance mode for maintaining the vehicle speed is executed based on the measured degree of depression of the accelerator pedal and the measured vehicle speed. The apparatus may include an inter-vehicle distance measuring device for measuring an inter-vehicle distance between the present vehicle and a vehicle ahead thereof. An inter-vehicle-distance maintenance mode is also provided so as to maintain the inter-vehicle distance based on the measured degree of depression of the accelerator pedal and the measured inter-vehicle distance. |
| US07957882B2 |
Onboard controller system
A system and method for safely slowing or stopping a vehicle by selectively replacing a genuine engine control signal with a spoofed engine control signal to slow or stop a vehicle in a gradual or stepped manor. The operator is allowed control of the vehicle (e.g. genuine engine control signal) if the speed is below a threshold speed and the operator is denied control of the vehicle (e.g. spoofed engine control signal) if the speed is above the threshold speed, thus forcing the vehicle to slow to the threshold speed. The threshold is gradually reduced over time, causing the operator to stop the vehicle. |
| US07957880B2 |
Slip detection and traction control for a vehicle
A slip detection system for a vehicle comprises an engine speed detector configured to detect an engine speed of an engine mounted in the vehicle, an engine speed increase rate detector configured to detect an increase rate in a predetermined time of the engine speed detected by the engine speed detector, and a slip determiner configured to integrate values of increase rates in respective predetermined times, from when the increase rate detected by the engine speed increase rate detector becomes larger than a first threshold until the increase rate becomes smaller than the first threshold, and to determine that a drive wheel of the vehicle is in a slip-state when an integrated value resulting from integration of the values of the increase rates becomes larger than a second threshold. |
| US07957878B2 |
Method and device of calculating aircraft braking friction and other relating landing performance parameters based on the data received from aircraft's on board flight data management system
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the calculation of aircraft braking friction and other relating landing parameters, including but not limited to aircraft braking action, aircraft takeoff distance, aircraft landing distance, runway surface conditions and runway surface friction based on the data collected by and available in the aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or other flight data management system, for example, the Quick Access Recorder (QAR), to provide all involved personnel in the ground operations of an airport and airline operations, including but not limited to aircraft pilots, airline operation officers and airline managers as well as airport operators, managers and maintenance crews, with the most accurate and most recent information on the true aircraft landing performance parameters to help better and more accurate safety and economical decision making. |
| US07957871B1 |
Methods and apparatuses for navigation in urban environments
Embodiments disclose methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing maps and directions, including walking and mass transit directions in urban environments where users do not drive cars. Additionally, driving directions can be included. Various criteria, including preferences for amount of walking, for or against particular streets, certain mass transit vehicle types, number of transfers between mass transit vehicles, and other preferences, are considered in the routing calculations, as well as non-individual information such as current conditions and other information. User feedback on various qualitative aspects of the directions is received and stored, and used in subsequent routing decisions. Embodiments disclosed include web services whereby third parties, such as members of the travel industry, can access such services which provide textual and graphical information. Further, clients can access and edit mass transit information through the web services. |
| US07957865B2 |
Vehicle suspension system and method of operating same
A suspension system for use on a vehicle having two or more rear axles. The suspension system includes a plurality of gas springs and plurality of height sensors capable of outputting signals having a relation to distances between the respective ends of the respective first and second rear axles and the sprung mass of the vehicle. A control system adapted to selectively inflate or deflate respective ones of the plurality of gas springs to thereby adjust a leveled orientation of the sprung mass. The control system includes a controller that is adapted to determine a rear axle vertical offset and a rear axle articulation offset. The controller is adapted to determine whether conditions are appropriate for adjusting the suspension system by comparing the rear axle vertical offset and/or the rear axle articulation offset to a corresponding vertical offset threshold and/or an articulation offset threshold. A method is also included. |
| US07957862B2 |
Electronic control apparatus for vehicle
A plurality of electronic control units (ECU) are classified under a plurality of ECU groups. A relay is provided for each ECU group, and connected between each ECU in a corresponding group and a power supply. Connection is established between respective ECUs by a communication network. When power is turned ON, each ECU outputs a flag indicating its own communication enabled state as long as there is no error in the communication function. A relay error detection portion detects, based on communication state information indicating whether each ECU is in a communication enabled state or communication disabled state, an error of the relay when the communication state information between ECU groups is inconsistent. Thus, an error in a relay that is provided for each group can be detected with a simple configuration. |
| US07957860B2 |
Method and system for optimizing vehicle diagnostic trees using similar templates
A method and system for optimizing vehicle diagnostic trees using similar templates is provided. Diagnostic trees may be modified to include diagnostic code tips or further suggestions or instructions indicating what tool to use or how to use the tool. The diagnostic tree cab be modified or customized by comparing the diagnostic tree to previously modified diagnostic trees corresponding to similar vehicles, and suggestions within the previously modified tree that are referenced within a library can be linked to the diagnostic trees. |
| US07957858B1 |
Method for determining projected obstacle areas for moving obstacles
A method involves calculating a closest point of approach (CPA) between a vehicle and a moving obstacle, determining the CPA is within a pre-determined distance from the vehicle at a point in time along the vehicle path, calculating a projected obstacle area (POA) for the moving obstacle, and modifying the vehicle path so the vehicle avoids the POA. The POA is a polygonal region between the boundaries calculated by determining a first point in time along the obstacle path that the moving obstacle is within the pre-determined distance, determining a second point in time along the obstacle path that the moving obstacle is within the pre-determined distance, creating a first line on one side of a midpoint line based upon a pre-determined angle of uncertainty, and creating a second line on the other side of the midpoint line based upon the pre-determined angle of uncertainty. |
| US07957856B2 |
Control device and control method of hybrid vehicle
An ECU calculates a drive torque request value Td0 (S102) when a creep torque generation condition is satisfied (YES in S100), calculates a creep torque reflection rate Kcrp using a gear rattle prevention map instead of an ordinary map (S110) when a vehicle speed V is substantially zero and an engine is in a load drive state (YES in S106 and NO in S108) while a forward drive range is being selected (YES in S104), and calculates a product of Td0 and Kcrp as a creep torque request value Tp (S114). The ordinary map is a map decreasing Kcrp to 0 with increase in brake torque, and the gear rattle prevention map is a map decreasing Kcrp to a predetermined value larger than 0 with increase in brake torque. |
| US07957855B2 |
Control system for hybrid vehicle
A control system for a hybrid vehicle, which comprises member for determining a required output of a vehicle-driving motor in conformity to a required vehicle power, a member for determining a required output of a generator in conformity to the required output of the vehicle-driving motor, a member for determining a required output of an engine in conformity to the required output of the generator, a battery for storing an electric energy generated by the generator and charged thereinto through an inverter, and discharging the stored electric energy to the vehicle-driving motor through the inverter, and a member for, in response to occurrence of a waveform difference between a required current waveform of the vehicle-driving motor and an output current waveform of the generator due to a change in the required output of the vehicle-driving motor, to perform a waveform-difference correction operation in a direction for eliminating the waveform difference. The hybrid vehicle control system of the present invention can quickly eliminate a transitional waveform difference while achieving enhanced fuel economy. |
| US07957850B2 |
Mobile station for unmanned vehicle
A mobile station for an unmanned vehicle comprises a vehicular storage area for storing a vehicle during transit or at rest. A first wireless transceiver communicates a status or command between the vehicle and the mobile station during at least one of vehicular deployment and rest. A station controller manages a management plan of the vehicle comprising at least one of retooling the vehicle, loading a payload on the vehicle, and recharging or refueling of the vehicle. |
| US07957849B2 |
Method of updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle and an operating instructions updating system
A method and system for updating electronic operating instructions of a vehicle is provided. Local operating instruction data objects are stored in a local storage device arranged in the vehicle so that they can be used by the driver. Corresponding current operating instruction data objects are stored in an external storage device. One data object category, respectively, is assigned to the operating instruction data objects. For updating, a current operating instruction data object is transmitted from the external storage device to the local storage device in order to modify the corresponding local operating instruction data object in the local storage device The frequency of the updating of a local operating instruction data object depends on the data object category assigned to the data object. |
| US07957837B2 |
Companion robot for personal interaction
A mobile robot guest for interacting with a human resident performs a room-traversing search procedure prior to interacting with the resident, and may verbally query whether the resident being sought is present. Upon finding the resident, the mobile robot may facilitate a teleconferencing session with a remote third party, or interact with the resident in a number of ways. For example, the robot may carry on a dialogue with the resident, reinforce compliance with medication or other schedules, etc. In addition, the robot incorporates safety features for preventing collisions with the resident; and the robot may audibly announce and/or visibly indicate its presence in order to avoid becoming a dangerous obstacle. Furthermore, the mobile robot behaves in accordance with an integral privacy policy, such that any sensor recording or transmission must be approved by the resident. |
| US07957836B2 |
Method used by robot for simultaneous localization and map-building
A method used by a robot for simultaneous localization and map-building, including: initializing a pose of the robot and locations of landmarks; sampling a new pose of the robot during motion of the robot, and constructing chromosomes using the locations of the landmarks; observing the landmarks from a present location of the robot; generating offspring from the chromosomes; and selecting next-generation chromosomes from the chromosomes and the offspring using observation values of the landmarks. |
| US07957834B2 |
Method for calculating rotation center point and axis of rotation, method for generating program, method for moving manipulator and positioning device, and robotic system
Calculating a rotation center point on a plane of rotation of a positioning device by using a manipulator. The positioning device positions a workpiece by rotating the plane of rotation. The calculating includes a first step of obtaining location information of a predetermined position on the plane of rotation, a second step of rotating the plane of rotation of the positioning device 180 degrees, a third step of obtaining location information of the predetermined position on the 180-degree rotated plane of rotation, and a fourth step of calculating a point bisecting a straight line as the rotation center point of the plane of rotation of the positioning device from the location information obtained in the first step and the location information obtained in the third step, the straight line connecting the predetermined position of the first step and the predetermined position of the third step. |
| US07957824B2 |
Method and system for providing automated high scale fabrication of custom items
Method and system for providing volume manufacturing of customizable items including receiving a data package including a plurality of manufacturing parameters, each of the plurality of manufacturing parameters associated with a unique item, verifying the received data package, and implementing a manufacturing process associated with the received data package is provided. |
| US07957821B2 |
Systems and methods for statistical process control
A system for performing statistical process control. A storage device stores a plurality of SPC charts, specifying data collected from a system during testing. A controller categorizes the SPC charts into a plurality of groups based on characteristics thereof. A detector determines whether the charts in any of the groups violate a preset rule. An alarm generator generates alarm information identifying the chart violating the rule. |
| US07957820B2 |
Conduction block verification probe and method of use
Devices and methods provide for ablation of cardiac tissue for treating cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Although the devices and methods are often be used to ablate epicardial tissue in the vicinity of at least one pulmonary vein, various embodiments may be used to ablate other cardiac tissues in other locations on a heart. Devices generally include at least one tissue contacting member for contacting epicardial tissue and securing the ablation device to the epicardial tissue, and at least one ablation member for ablating the tissue. Various embodiments include features, such as suction apertures, which enable the device to attach to the epicardial surface with sufficient strength to allow the tissue to be stabilized via the device. For example, some embodiments may be used to stabilize a beating heart to enable a beating heart ablation procedure. Many of the devices may be introduced into a patient via minimally invasive introducer devices and the like. Although devices and methods of the invention may be used to ablate epicardial tissue to treat atrial fibrillation, they may also be used in veterinary or research contexts, to treat various heart conditions other than atrial fibrillation and/or to ablate cardiac tissue other than the epicardium. |
| US07957819B1 |
Disposable low profile transvenous electrode system for sequentially pacing the heart's right atrium and right ventricle (AV)
A low profile transvenous electrode system for use in an emergency to sequentially pace both the atrium and ventricle of the heart in a dual chamber mode that includes a plurality of pre-formed, pre-shaped resilient insulated electrical wires bundled together in a tubular, flexible retaining sheath that is used as a guide and delivery system during insertion and removal of the electrode system. When the sheath is retracted, it allows the wires to escape from the sheath and because of their pre-formed shape, each wire having memory, the wires spread out and contact the endocardial surfaces inside the ventricle and atrium chambers. Each of the wires have ball tips to provide high current density and sensitivity. |
| US07957818B2 |
Stimulation lead design and method of manufacture
The invention is an implantable electrical stimulation lead for chronic or long term use that has an improved electrical connection between the electrode and conductor. This is accomplished through the use of metal coils embedded in the sidewall of the lead body. A wire conductor providing electrical continuity from a proximal electrode to a distal electrode has a protruding portion extending through the sidewall. This protruding portion can reside adjacent to either a proximal or a distal electrode. In any event, the protruding portion of the lire is captured underneath a ring electrode that is physically deformed into direct contact with the metal of the wire, preferably by swaging. This serve to make electrical conductivity between the wire and the electrode with the embedded coil serving as support during the swaging process. |
| US07957817B1 |
Medical electrode and tool for delivering the electrode
Disclosed herein is a tool for delivering an implantable electrode about a body structure of a patient. In one embodiment, the tool includes a shaft and an electrode tray. The shaft includes a proximal end and a distal end. The electrode tray is articulatably coupled to the distal end and configured to maintain the electrode in an open configuration until the electrode is delivered about the body structure. |
| US07957816B2 |
Apparatus for applying electrical current to the neuromuscular system
The invention relates to apparatus for applying electrical current to the quadriceps muscle. The apparatus is in the form of a garment (to be worn on a user's thigh) having a integrated programmable stimulation device including integral electronics, LCD display, user controls and a battery. To ensure accurate and repeatable positioning of the garment, it is shaped such that it locates above the patella. Furthermore, reference lines are provided on the skin facing surface of the garment to assist the user in the accurate placement of skin engaging electrodes. In combination, the features of the invention provides a safe and convenient means of electrically stimulating the quadriceps muscle irrespective of patient size whilst minimizing the opportunity for error. Moreover, the invention dispenses with the need to employ a skilled clinician to individually place each electrode. |
| US07957815B2 |
Electrode assembly and handpiece with adjustable system impedance, and methods of operating an energy-based medical system to treat tissue
Electrode assemblies and handpieces for energy-based treatment systems that utilize an impedance assembly to facilitate impedance matching between the system and a patient. The electrode assembly and/or handpiece may include one or more circuit elements configured to introduce at least one supplemental impedance into an electrical circuit coupling the electrode assembly and handpiece. The supplemental impedance, which is related to the impedance of the treatment system and patient, is introduced when the electrode assembly is coupled with the handpiece. |
| US07957814B2 |
Shifting between electrode combinations in electrical stimulation device
The disclosure is directed to techniques for shifting between two electrode combinations. An amplitude of a first electrode combination is incrementally decreased while an amplitude of a second, or subsequent, electrode combination is concurrently incrementally increased. Alternatively, an amplitude of the first electrode combination is maintained at a target amplitude level while the amplitude of the second electrode combination is incrementally increased. The stimulation pulses of the electrode combinations are delivered to the patient interleaved in time. In this manner, the invention provides for a smooth, gradual shift from a first electrode combination to a second electrode combination, allowing the patient to maintain a continual perception of stimulation. The shifting techniques described herein may be used during programming to shift between different electrode combinations to find an efficacious electrode combination. Additionally, the techniques may be used for shifting between different electrode combinations associated with different stimulation programs or program sets. |
| US07957813B1 |
Adaptive staged wake-up for implantable medical device communication
A communication wake-up scheme for an implantable medical device may involve repeatedly activating a receiver to determine whether an external device is attempting to establish communication with the implantable device. To reduce the amount of power consumed by the implantable device in conjunction with the wake-up scheme, the scheme may involve conducting preliminary radio frequency signal detections as a precursor to conducting a full scan. In this way, power may be conserved since the more power intensive full scans may be performed less frequently. This preliminary detection of radio frequency signals also may be adapted to reduce the number of full scans performed by the implantable device that do not result in communication with the external device. In some embodiments the adaptation involves adjusting one or more thresholds that are used in conjunction with the preliminary detection of radio frequency signals. |
| US07957809B2 |
Closed-loop therapy adjustment
Techniques for detecting a value of a sensed patient parameter, and automatically delivering therapy to a patient according to therapy information previously associated with the detected value, are described. In exemplary embodiments, a medical device receives a therapy adjustment from the patient. In response to the adjustment, the medical device associates a sensed value of a patient parameter with therapy information determined based on the adjustment. Whenever the parameter value is subsequently detected, the medical device delivers therapy according to the associated therapy information. In this manner, the medical device may “learn” to automatically adjust therapy in the manner desired by the patient as the sensed parameter of the patient changes. Exemplary patient parameters that may be sensed for performance of the described techniques include posture, activity, heart rate, electromyography (EMG), an electroencephalogram (EEG), an electrocardiogram (ECG), temperature, respiration rate, and pH. |
| US07957803B2 |
Atrial capture verification
Methods and systems for classifying cardiac responses to pacing stimulation and/or preventing retrograde cardiac conduction are described. Following delivery of a pacing pulse to an atrium of the patient's heart during a cardiac cycle, the system senses in the atrium for a retrograde P-wave. The system classifies the atrial response to the pacing pulse based on detection of the retrograde P-wave. The system may also sense for an atrial evoked response and utilize the atrial evoked response in classifying the cardiac pacing response. |
| US07957795B2 |
Abdominal impedance measurement apparatus
An abdominal impedance measurement apparatus includes a plurality of electrodes for measuring an abdominal impedance of a human subject, and includes an electrode supporting member for supporting the electrodes in such a manner that the electrodes protrude from the electrode supporting member. The electrode supporting member includes a plurality of segments aligned in a direction, the electrodes being respectively mounted on different segments, neighboring segments being connected rotatably with each other. The electrode supporting member further includes rotation-angle restricting parts for restricting relative rotation-angles between neighboring segments. |
| US07957784B2 |
Body surface mapping system
A body-surface mapping system is disclosed that uses a plurality of electrodes to map at least a portion of a human torso without having to adjust the positions of the electrodes. The body-surface mapping system energizes groupings or regions of electrodes, then compares and adjusts the current driven through each grouping or region of electrodes to produce near-uniform fields. The electrodes of the body-surface mapping system may be interconnected by wires capable of sensing interelectrode distances, such that the system can reconstruct a detailed model of a patient's torso surface. The body-surface mapping system may also use a catheter in addition to the body surface electrodes to compute both endocardial and epicardial voltage distributions. |
| US07957781B2 |
Method and circuit for storing and providing historical physiological data
Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods that relate to pulse oximetry. Specifically, one embodiment includes an oximeter sensor comprising a light emitting element configured to emit light, a light detector configured to receive the light, and an accelerometer configured to detect motion of the oximeter sensor. |
| US07957780B2 |
Physiological parameter confidence measure
Confidence in a physiological parameter is measured from physiological data responsive to the intensity of multiple wavelengths of optical radiation after tissue attenuation. The physiological parameter is estimated based upon the physiological data. Reference data clusters are stored according to known values of the physiological parameter. At least one of the data clusters is selected according to the estimated physiological parameter. The confidence measure is determined from a comparison of the selected data clusters and the physiological data. |
| US07957779B2 |
Slidable mobile phone
A slidable mobile phone includes a main body, a sliding cover and a positioning device. The main body includes a first combining component and an upper casing. The sliding cover includes a second combining component and a lower casing. A first sliding part is provided on the first combining component, and a second sliding part and a pointing device by detecting the pressed direction are provided on the second combining component. The second sliding part is connected to and relatively slides along the first sliding part, and the pointing device by detecting the pressed direction is used for controlling the slidable mobile phone. The positioning device includes two magnetic elements which are provided on the first combining component and the second combining component, respectively. |
| US07957772B2 |
Apparatus and method for delayed answering of an incoming call
A wireless hands-free device is operable to communicate with a mobile communication device over a short-range wireless link. The hands-free device includes a transceiver, a memory, a delayed answering mode actuator (DAMA), and a processing device. The transceiver is operable to receive incoming call information from the mobile device over the short-range link. The incoming call information corresponds to an incoming call received by the mobile device over a wireless wide area network. The memory is operable to store one or more pre-recorded audio messages. The DAMA is activatable by a user of the hands-free device. The processing device is operable to: detect activation of the DAMA after receipt of the incoming call information, retrieve at least one pre-recorded audio message responsive to detecting activation of the DAMA, and provide the retrieved, pre-recorded audio message(s) to the transceiver for subsequent transmission to the mobile device over the short-range link. |
| US07957770B2 |
Mobile communication terminal for providing tactile interface
A mobile terminal for use in a wireless communication and method therein is provided. The mobile terminal includes a terminal body configured to house a mobile communication module to engage in the wireless communication, a touch input device disposed in the terminal body, the touch input device including a touch detection area configured to recognize an external contact, a vibrator coupled to the terminal body and is configured to allow tactile detection by a user, and a controller to control the touch input device and the vibrator, wherein the controller causes the vibrator to vibrate in response to detecting the external contact on the touch detection area and other mobile terminal functions that require a tactile alert. |
| US07957769B2 |
Electronic device having a supporting frame for a display
An electronic device with a display device and a mobile phone wherein if a shock of falling or the like, is added to a housing, the shock is hard to transmit to an end face of the display device are provided.For a shock acting on a housing 11 by falling or the like, since a projection portion 36 having a recess 36a is provided between an inner wall 31 of an accommodation portion 30 and a frame 33, the shock from the inner wall 31 is relieved or absorbed by the projection portion 36, particularly, the recess 36a. Accordingly, if a shock of falling or the like, is added to the housing 11, a display device 40 can be protected from the shock. |
| US07957756B2 |
Method and apparatus for floor control in multi-media push-to-talk network
An apparatus and method for floor control in a multi-media push-to-talk network is disclosed. A device for communication in the multi-media network includes a floor request sensor. The floor request sensor includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The method includes sending a floor grant request message for a first media type in a multi-media dispatch communication session and a floor request message for a second media type in the multi-media dispatch communication session by a floor request sensor of a communications device to a dispatch network controller. |
| US07957753B2 |
Terminal-based server for location tracking
A mobile terminal device that facilitates location services (LCS) in a cellular network. The system, as embodied in a mobile terminal device, comprises a mobile communications component that communicates wireless signals, and a location services component embodied in the mobile communication component to provide positioning information. A location request is received by the mobile terminal device and processed using the LCS server to activate trigger events. A location-tracking report is autonomously generated for each event and transmitted to the requesting client via MLP or the wireless network signaling protocol. |
| US07957751B2 |
Personal location code
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for receiving a request from a requester to locate a user. The request identifies a personal location code (PLC) for the user. It is determined if the request is allowed based on the PLC. If the request is allowed, the current location of the user is obtained based on the location of one or more devices associated with the user. The current location of the device is then provided to the requester. |
| US07957745B2 |
Adaptive bearer configuration for broadcast/multicast service
A method and apparatus for providing adaptive bearer configuration for MBMS delivery is disclosed. A first aspect of the present disclosure is a method of operating a wireless infrastructure entity (103) wherein a common radio resource (303) is allocated for receiving a response from at least one mobile station (109). A request message, similar to a request for counting, is broadcast to all mobile stations (109) within a coverage area (105. If at least one mobile station (109) responds to the request, PTM transmission mode will be used for MBMS delivery within the given coverage area (105). If more than one mobile station (109) within the coverage area (105) responds to the request, then all the responses will be over the common radio resource (303). The total number of responses to the request message may be limited by providing a probability factor within the request message. |
| US07957742B2 |
WLAN having load balancing by access point admission/termination
A network includes access points that admit/terminate mobile station associations based upon the loading level of the access point and/or whether a mobile station can associate with a further access point. Mobile stations transmit information indicative of the access points to which they can associate. The access points determine whether to admit/terminate a mobile station association based upon access point loading. |
| US07957737B2 |
Mesh node association method in a mesh network, and mesh network supporting the same
A mesh network has a plurality of mesh nodes, including a moving mesh node. A serving mesh node initially associates with the moving mesh node at the request of the moving mesh node, transmits context information due to the initial association to at least one neighbor mesh node, and transmits information on the at least one neighbor mesh node to the moving mesh node. The at least one neighbor mesh node stores the context information received from the serving mesh node, and re-associates with the moving mesh node using the context information at the request of the moving mesh node. |
| US07957736B1 |
Identifying a mobile station in a packet radio network
In conventional cellular systems, the identifier of network elements (SGSN) allocating a temporary identity (TLLI) to a mobile station (MS) can be derived from the identities of the cells they serve. In the future, this assumption may no longer be valid. One paging area could be handled by several network elements, such as SGSN nodes, or one network element could serve many paging areas. When the mobile station changes its paging area, the new supporting network element may have trouble in determining the old supporting network element on the basis of the paging area identifier. It is also possible for two supporting network elements to allocate the same TLLI to two different mobile stations. Therefore the network element (SGSN, BSC, RNC) allocating a temporary identity (TLLI) to a mobile station (MS) should incorporate at least part of its own identifier (NEI) into the temporary identity (TLLI). |
| US07957730B2 |
System and method for estimating weighting parameters for antenna elements
A weighting parameter estimation system for estimating a weight parameter for the antenna elements of a mobile terminal is provided. The system includes a prohibited space forming part to which electromagnetic waves should not be directed when the mobile terminal transmits a signal in wireless communications, and a weighting parameter determination unit configured to determine the weighting parameter for each of the antenna elements of the mobile terminal such that the power level of a test wave transmitted from or received in the prohibited space becomes the minimum. |
| US07957728B2 |
General purpose automated activation and provisioning technologies
Automated activation and provisioning technologies can be applied in a variety of scenarios. For example, an automated activation and provisioning server can translate user desired features into associated provisioning directives. The directives can then be sent to elements of a wireless communications network support system. Activation and provisioning for a rich set of features can thus be achieved without manual intervention or reaction to the user's choices. Receipt of the user's choices can be accomplished in real time via a user interface of a mobile wireless device or a web-based user interface. |
| US07957727B2 |
Telematics unit having interactive radio features
The present invention provides a method for implementing interactive radio features within a telematics equipped mobile vehicle. The method includes receiving radio station information, detecting an initiation command received from a user interlace, and providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command. The radio station information may include a radio station message having a telephone number associated with a radio station advertiser. The method may further include receiving a communication command, and initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command. |
| US07957726B2 |
System and method for porting a personalized indicium assigned to a mobile communications device
In one embodiment, a scheme is provided for porting a personalized indicium, i.e., a Personal Information Number or PIN, from a first mobile communications device to a second mobile communications device. Upon receiving identity information from the first mobile communications device via a secure peer-to-peer communication session, the second mobile communications device is operable to negotiate with a network node using at least a portion of the received identity information for reassigning the PIN to an identifier associated therewith. Upon successfully porting the PIN to the second mobile communications device, a service provisioning database is accordingly updated. |
| US07957725B2 |
Methods for providing enhanced telecommunication services
A first method for facilitating personal contacts among a plurality of subscribers to a location-based person contact service provided by a service provider; a second method for communicating information to a user of a wireless device by a server; and a third method for real-time monitoring of vital signs of a living being. In the first method, personal profiles are transmitted to subscribers. In the second method, a message specific to both an establishment and the user is transmitted to a wireless device or smart display proximal to the user in the establishment. In the third method, information relating to a violated vital sign parameter determined from the monitoring is communicated to a local communication node. |
| US07957723B2 |
Sharing information feed data
Sharing information feed data via a network involves forming a token describing the information feed data. The token is received at a first data processing arrangement via the network. The token is processed at the first data processing arrangement to determine the information feed data. Access to the information feed data is provided at the first data processing arrangement based on processing of the token. |
| US07957722B2 |
Method and user device for reproducing a data file
A method and a user device (1) for projecting a data file through a user device (1) are disclosed. The user device (1) has a reproducing device (1.7), means for identifying the user device (1) in a mobile radio network (5), and biometric recording means. The user is authenticated with the transmitted biometric data in a remote server (7) and downloads a data file to be projected or a key for decrypting a data file from the remote server (7) over the mobile radio network (5) in the user device (1). With the reproducing device (1.7) integrated in the user device (1), the data file or presentation is reproduced. The invention also concerns the disclosed user device (1). |
| US07957719B2 |
Method for reducing load of traffic plane function
Disclosed is a method for reducing the load of Traffic Plane Function (TPF). According to the obtained indication on whether to perform charging, the TPF determines whether to perform charging operation for the service data flow using appropriate charging rules, if yes, the TPF performs the charging operation for the counting result of the service data flow and submits the charging information to the charging associated entities; otherwise, the TPF does not perform the charging operation for the counting result of the service data flow. Operation in the TPF is optimized such that the TPF only needs to perform necessary charging instead of performing charging operation for the service data flow not needing to be charged. As a result, the load of the TPF and network devices are reduced, system efficiency is improved, and waste of network resources from various operator charging policies, e.g., free of charge policy, is avoided. |
| US07957715B2 |
Spectrally constrained local oscillator switching
A method and frequency converter for a radio rapid frequency signal scanning and including a local oscillator signal synthesis source (112) producing a local oscillator signal (502) with local oscillator bursts (210). The local oscillator bursts (210) contain pulse width modulated RF frequency pulses (602). Each local oscillator burst having, for a pre-determined duration, RF frequency pulses within an effective amplitude above a pre-determined threshold (260). Each local oscillator burst (210) having also has effective amplitude pulse shaping envelope (504) that reduces at least one frequency domain component magnitude (310) of the local oscillator signal (300). A radio frequency mixer (110) receives an RF signal input (104) and the local oscillator signal to produce an output signal (160) at a frequency related to a combination of a frequency of the RF signal input and a frequency of the local oscillator signal. |
| US07957712B2 |
Double-LINC switched-mode transmitter
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for processing an input information signal having varying amplitude and phase to obtain an amplified output signal having the same amplitude and phase variation. In an exemplary method, an input information signal is decomposed into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair is orthogonal to the vector sum of the second pair, for desired signal amplitudes below a level corresponding to a pre-determined threshold. For desired signal amplitudes above this level, the input information signal is instead decomposed into two pairs of constant-envelope component signals such that the vector sum of the first pair is separated by less than ninety degrees from the vector sum of the second pair. The constant-envelope component signals may be amplified by highly-efficient non-linear amplifier elements and combined to obtain the amplified output signal. |
| US07957708B2 |
Process device with improved power generation
A wireless field device is disclosed. The field device includes a wireless communications module and an energy conversion module. The wireless communications module is configured to wirelessly communicate process-related information with another device. The energy conversion module is coupled to the wireless communications module. The energy conversion module is configured to couple to a thermal source, and to generate electricity from thermal potential energy in the thermal source. |
| US07957703B2 |
Wireless circuit device
A current control circuit (5) recognizes whether or not a transmission signal is transmitted based on a control signal outputted from a transmission signal control circuit (4). When the transmission signal is transmitted, the current control circuit (5) controls a current flowing into a reception circuit (3) in accordance with control information representing any of at least two modes where the transmission signal is transmitted. When no transmission signal is transmitted, the current control circuit (5) controls the current flowing into the reception circuit (3) in accordance with control information representing a mode where no transmission signal is transmitted. |
| US07957695B2 |
Method for integrating audio and visual messaging
The present invention provides a communication system for integrating audio and visual messaging. The communication system includes a mobile communication device for receiving visual messages and for transmitting voice messages to a recipient, a base station system in communication with the mobile communication device, an electronic mail gateway for delivering visual messages to the base station system for transmission to the mobile communication device, and an integrated mail gateway for receiving from the base station a voice message and addressing information that were both transmitted from the mobile communication device. The integrated mail gateway is programmed to create an e-mail message comprising the voice message. The integrated mail gateway is also programmed to use the addressing information to address the e-mail message, and to send the addressed e-mail message to the recipient. |
| US07957692B2 |
Signal receiver circuit and method of implementation
Embodiments of the present invention recite an improved signal receiver circuit and a method of implementation. In one embodiment, a first signal pathway of a low-noise block feedhorn comprises a ceramic low-pass filter coupled with a first polarity signal input. In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a second signal pathway of the low-noise block feedhorn comprises ceramic high-pass filter coupled with a second polarity signal input. |
| US07957690B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a printer body having a developing portion and a fixing portion therein; a plurality of sheet feeding rollers successively disposed along a sheet discharge path of the printer body and driven to discharge a sheet from fixing portion to an upper portion of the printer body; and a rear cover portion having a rear cover provided on a side of the printer body to open and close, a guide rib member to guide the sheet from the fixing portion, an idle roller to rotate in contact with one of the sheet feeding rollers to feed the sheet, and a supplementary guide member to change a position thereof when the rear cover is open to prevent the sheet being discharged to the guide rib member from running into the idle roller. |
| US07957686B2 |
Image forming apparatus and fuser unit cleaning method
An image forming apparatus includes a fuser unit that includes a first roller and a second roller opposite to each other, a first conveyance unit, a second conveyance unit, a drive unit, and a control unit to control the drive unit to rotate one or both of the first roller and the second roller in a state where a sheet contacts with the first roller and the second roller and the sheet is held by the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit, or in a state where after the sheet is held by the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit, one or both of the first conveyance unit and the second conveyance unit move in a direction of approaching at least one of the first roller and the second roller and the sheet contacts with the first roller or the second roller. |
| US07957685B2 |
Guide member, endless belt, method of producing endless belt, and image forming apparatus using endless belt
An endless belt 300 includes an endless belt substrate 10, and a guide member 100 having a rib member 20 and an abutment that is abutted against an edge of the endless belt substrate 10, wherein the abutment of the guide member 100 is abutted against at least one edge surface of the endless belt substrate 10. Further, the guide member 100 may be provided on at least one edge surface of the endless belt substrate 10 with an adhesive layer 30 disposed therebetween. The abutment of the guide member 100 may include a contact surface 41 that contacts the edge surface of the endless belt substrate 10, an extended section 43 that extends beyond the edge of the endless belt substrate 100, and a support surface that contacts one side of the endless belt substrate 10. Moreover, a reinforcing tape 50 may be bonded across the other side of the endless belt substrate 10 and the short width surface of the extended section 43 of the guide member 100. |
| US07957684B2 |
Intermediate transfer belt and methods for making the same
An image forming apparatus having an improved intermediate transfer belt, and processes for making the same. More specifically, there is provided an intermediate transfer belt having one or more steering ribs formed into the belt such that a separate steering rib need not be employed. |
| US07957678B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of effectively developing images
An image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing unit includes a developer carrying member to carry developer, first and second rotary members arranged in parallel to each other and configured to rotate to agitate and convey the developer, and an enclosure having an inside space to contain the developer, the inside space being divided by a partition with communication openings formed therein at opposite ends thereof into a first chamber configured to maintain the developer above a first level and to hold the first rotary member therein which supplies the developer to the developer carrying member while agitating and conveying the developer, and a second chamber configured to communicate with the first chamber through the communication openings, to maintain the developer at a second level lower than the first level, and to hold the second rotary member therein which circulates the developer with the first chamber through the communication openings. |
| US07957676B2 |
Development device and image forming device
A development device includes a developer container reserving a liquid developer containing toner particles and a carrier liquid. A developer supply member supplies a developer supporting member with liquid developer. An agitating member is disposed in the developer container and supplies the developer supply member with the liquid developer. A developer supporting member cleaning member removes liquid developer on the developer supporting member. The developer container includes a first developer holding section having at least one communication section for making liquid developer flow in, a second developer holding section for reserving liquid developer recovered by the developer supporting member cleaning member, and a partition member partitioning between the first and second developer holding sections, and at least one flowing section shifted from the communication section in an axial direction of the agitating member and allowing liquid developer to move between the first and second developer holding sections. |
| US07957674B2 |
Image forming device whose upper cover is provided with discharge roller and pinch roller
In order to facilitate removal of jammed sheets in an image forming device placed at a low place, there is provided an image forming device including a main body formed with an upper opening; an image forming unit that forms images on recording medium, and an upper cover pivotably movably supported to the main body for covering the upper opening. The main body accommodates the image forming unit. The upper cover includes a discharge roller and a pinch roller pressed against the discharge roller. The discharge roller discharges the recording medium conveyed from the image forming unit outside the main body of the image forming device in cooperation with the pinch roller. |
| US07957663B2 |
Heater, fixing unit and image forming apparatus
A heater is operable with a main power supply unit and a chargeable auxiliary power supplying unit. The heater includes a heater part having one or a plurality of heater elements to receive power from the main and auxiliary power supplying units, a detecting part to detect information related to the heater part, and a controller to vary an amount of power supplied from the auxiliary power supply unit to the heater part per unit time based on the information detected by the detecting part. |
| US07957662B2 |
Fixing apparatus and image processing apparatus
According to an embodiment, a heating device having a plurality of heating members which heat the heating roller, a first thermoelectric converting section having a plurality of thermoelectric converting elements, each of which has a heat-absorbing surface and a cooling surface and generates electromotive force by difference in temperature between the heat-absorbing surface and the cooling surface, and formed along a curved surface of the heating roller, in which the heat-absorbing surface is disposed with a predetermined space from an outer circumferential surface of the heating roller, an auxiliary power supply charged with electric power generated by the first thermoelectric converting section, and a switching section which switches the apparatus between a first state in which electric power is supplied from utility power to the heating members and a second state in which electric power is supplied from the auxiliary power supply to the heating members, based on a predetermined signal. |
| US07957659B2 |
Image forming apparatus for marginless printing
Provided is an image forming apparatus in which the image forming apparatus has a marginless mode in which the toner image is formed on said image bearing member in an area that covers the recording material and an area outside the recording material, and the toner image is transferred to extend beyond an edge of the recording material carried by said recording material carrying member, the image forming apparatus further including: a detecting device which detects the toner image that extends beyond the edge of the recording material and is transferred to said recording material carrying member in the marginless mode; and a control device which uses a detection result provided by said detecting device to control where said exposure device forms a latent image on said image bearing member. |
| US07957656B2 |
Apparatus, method and system for feedforward of sheet electrostatic tacking parameters to image transfer subsystem in image transfer apparatus
A toner image transfer assembly has a tacking assembly, an image transfer assembly, and a media transport assembly. The tacking assembly senses critical properties of media while electrostatically tacking media to a transport device. The tacking assembly forwards data corresponding to the sensed electrical properties to the image transfer assembly so that the image transfer assembly anticipates the electrical properties of an approaching media type. |
| US07957653B2 |
Phase control optical FSK modulator
There is provided an optical modulator capable of controlling the phase of a USB signal and the phase of an LSB signal of an optical FSK modulated signal. A modulation signal is applied to a main Mach-Zehnder electrode (or an electrode C) (11) of a main Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZC) (8) to switch the USB signal and the LSB signal, and so FSK modulation can be made. In order to control the phase of the optical signal to be outputted from the main Mach-Zehnder waveguide (MZC) (8), bias voltage is applied to the main Mach-Zehnder electrode (11), and the phases of the USB signal and the LSB signal are controlled. By doing so, FSK modulation with adjusted phases can be performed. |
| US07957649B2 |
Module command interface for an optical transceiver
An operational optical transceiver (or transmitter or receiver) configured to contain a module command interface. The optical transceiver includes at least one processor, a memory location dedicated for high level commands, and a library of microcode that control specific optical transceiver operations. A high level command is written to the memory location dedicated for high level commands. The processor determines that the high level command has been written to the memory location, identifies what the command is, and executes microcode from the microcode library that corresponds to the high level command. The executed microcode causes the optical transceiver to perform the operation directed by the high level command. |
| US07957645B1 |
Fiber optic interconnection
A number of fiber optic interconnection systems and apparatuses, optical network nodes, and methods are disclosed. One fiber optic interconnection system embodiment includes a first interconnectivity component for receiving and sending one or more signals between at least a first optical network node and a second optical network node, a second interconnectivity component for receiving and sending one or more signals between at least the first optical network node and the second optical network node, a distribution component that encodes an information signal onto a number of optical signals having different wavelength ranges, and a directional component for directing the number of optical signals having different wavelength ranges through one of the first or second interconnectivity components. |
| US07957642B2 |
Efficient and simple bit error rate calculation on optical transport layer
Transport network interfaces operate to transport for Optical Transport Unit frames over an Optical Transport Network. Besides FEC bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames, the transmitting transport network interface provides sequences of error-determining bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames sent on working and protection communications channels. There is at least one sequence for each Optical Transport Unit frame, the number of bits in the at least one sequence much smaller than the number of bits in the Optical Transport Unit frame. The receiving transport network interface determines the bit error rates for the working and protection channels from the sequences of error-determining bits without decoding said Forward Error Correction bits and can select the working and protection channels accordingly. |
| US07957641B2 |
Method of WDM channel tagging and monitoring, and apparatus
Provided is an optical apparatus and method wherein power transfer coefficients arising from SRS are measured at a designated co-location point and the power of dithers, which are impressed on the channels of a multiplexed optical signal propagating through the optical apparatus, is measured at each co-location point. Within the optical apparatus distances between co-location points are short and the power transfer coefficients are effectively constant. Consequently, the power of each channel of the multiplexed optical signal at the co-location points is obtained from the power of the dithers at a respective one of the co-location points and the power transfer coefficients measured at the designated co-location point. In some embodiments, information on the channel power at the co-location points is used to provide instructions for compensating for fluctuations in channel power and/or channel count at an input and/or channel count within the optical apparatus. |
| US07957640B2 |
Positioning device for a reference surface
A positioning device for a reference surface within a lens port having a longitudinal axis, where a reference surface element able to be extended substantially transversely across the port and withdrawn from the extended position are provided. A transverse movement element to effect such extension and withdrawal of the reference surface are provided and the transverse movement element is operable from a position external of the lens port. The device further includes a camera or camera housing with a reference element of this type associated therewith. The invention finds particular use in the field of underwater photography. |
| US07957637B2 |
Imaging device, imaging method and program
An imaging device equipped with an imaging system includes an imaging lens optical system which images an object, a flash emitting unit which synchronizes imaging in the imaging system to emit a flash having not less than a prescribed luminance in a charged state not less than a prescribed charged state by power to be charged, and a control unit which determines a charging amount of the charged state of the flash emitting unit and which controls imaging to be performed by using the flash emitting unit with an imaging sensitivity of the imaging lens optical system set in accordance with the charging amount of the charged state in imaging by the imaging lens optical system. |
| US07957636B2 |
Illumination apparatus and appearance inspection apparatus including the same
An illumination apparatus which illuminates a surface of an object having a three-dimensional shape includes a light source, a guide configured to guide light from the light source to a surface of the object, and a diffuser which has a diffusion-reflection surface that faces a light exit surface of the guide via the object, wherein the diffuser is arranged at such a position that the light which is emitted from the guide and is not directly incident on the object is incident on the diffusion-reflection surface while a part of the light reflected and diffused by the diffusion-reflection surface is incident on a surface of the object. |
| US07957633B2 |
Focus adjusting apparatus and focus adjusting method
There are provided a focus adjusting apparatus and method in which judgment of an object area to be focused can be favorably performed when the judgment of the object area to be focused is executed at the time of image-taking preparation operation. In the focus adjusting apparatus and method, a first operation of determining the object area to be focused is performed prior to the image-taking preparation operation, and a second operation different from the first operation is performed to execute a focusing operation at the time of the image-taking preparation operation. Prior to the first operation, whether or not an object to be focused can be predicted is judged to change a manner of the first operation based on a result of a judgment. |
| US07957632B2 |
Mobile device
A mobile device includes a camera module and a magnetism generating part that is different from the camera module. The camera module includes: a movable portion that corrects camera shake; a magnetism detecting element that detects a position of the movable portion. when the camera module is in a photographing state, the magnetism generating part is arranged at a position distant from the magnetism detecting element by at least the distance of D mm or more, where D = magnetic force of the magnetism generating part [ gauss ] . |
| US07957629B2 |
Image recording/reproducing apparatus
A multidirectional operation switch is disposed on the same surface as a display area of an image display unit rotatable about a rotating shaft of a hinge when an image recording/reproducing apparatus is in use, and is positioned near the display area and at the other end of the hinge. A concave portion is provided on a recording/reproducing unit so as to prevent a protruding portion of the multidirectional operation switch from coming into contact with the recording/reproducing unit when the image display unit is housed in the main body of the image recording/reproducing apparatus. Thus, regardless of the state of the image display unit with respect to the main body of the image recording/reproducing apparatus, the multidirectional operation switch is located at a position that allows easy operation thereof. The image recording/reproducing apparatus that is compact, lightweight, thin, and has a good design can thus be provided. |
| US07957628B2 |
Playback apparatus and method of controlling a playback apparatus
According to one embodiment, a playback apparatus includes a multimedia processor configured to allocate a first stream buffer area in a first memory for storing a encoded video data, and includes a decoder configured to decode the encoded video data, a main processor configured to execute a decoding program application for decoding the encoded video data, and to execute a switching program application configured to switch a destination where the decoding is executed between the multimedia processor and the decoding program application such that a picture group which is a unit for managing the encoded video data is not separately supplied to two destinations, in response to a switching request, wherein the decoding program application is configured to allocate a second stream buffer area in a second memory for storing the encoded video data and a decoding buffer area in the second memory for storing data related to decoding. |
| US07957626B2 |
Information storage medium and information recording/playback system
There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data. |
| US07957624B2 |
Rear latch arrangement for sliding drawer
A cable management panel including a chassis, a drawer, and a rear latch arrangement. The rear latch arrangement including a latch having a free tab end. The free tab end engaging the front edge of a top wall of the chassis to prevent inadvertent closing movement of the drawer relative to the chassis. |
| US07957623B2 |
Deformable thermal pads for optical fibers
A system for fiber optic packaging includes a first substrate and a first deformable pad coupled to the first substrate. The first deformable pad is characterized by a thermal conductivity greater than 1 W/mK. The system also includes a fiber coil having at least a portion embedded in the first deformable pad to provide physical contact between the at least a portion of the fiber coil and the first deformable pad. The system further includes a second substrate coupled to the fiber coil and at least a portion of the first deformable pad. |
| US07957616B2 |
Method of producing an optical connecting component, and optical connecting component
A method of producing an optical connecting component in which three-dimensional electric wiring can be easily and accurately performed, and the optical connecting component are provided.A positioning projection 58 disposed on a second slide core 56 for positioning a core pin 54 disposed on a first slide core 55 is fitted in a positioning hole 34 disposed in a lead frame 30. The lead frame 30 is disposed in the vicinity of a lead pattern 31, so that the lead pattern 31 can be insert-molded while being positioned in an accurate position with respect to the second slide core 56. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform three-dimensional electric wiring in an accurate position. |
| US07957611B2 |
Image scaler with controllable sharpness
A method and system for scaling an original image into a scaled image is disclosed. Rather than using the corresponding position in the original image to generate the pixels values of a current pixel in the scaled image, image scalers in accordance with the present invention, calculate a high frequency adjusted position based on the high frequency components of pixels near the corresponding position. Pixel values based on the high frequency adjusted position provide better picture quality for the scaled image than pixel values based on the corresponding position. Furthermore, some embodiments of the present invention also use sharpness compensation to further improve the picture quality of the scaled image. |
| US07957603B2 |
Digital image decoder with integrated concurrent image prescaler
According to some embodiments, encoded information associated with an image is received at a decoder. The encoded information may be decoded at the decoder to generate full-sized first image pixels representing a full-sized version of the image. Moreover, the full-sized pixels may be scaled at the decoder to generate scaled image pixels representing a scaled version of the image. |
| US07957602B2 |
Encoding device, decoding device, encoding method, decoding method, and storage medium storing programs thereof
An encoding device includes a binary image generation unit that generates at least two binary images from a multivalued image by applying different methods, a check image generation unit that generates a check image based on the plural binary images generated by the binary image generation unit, and a code generation unit that generates coded data by encoding at least one of the binary images generated by the binary image generation unit and the check image generated by the check image generation unit by using different methods. |
| US07957594B2 |
Outline definition apparatus and outline definition method, and image processing apparatus
An outline definition apparatus includes an edge detection unit detecting pixels at edge positions, each of the pixels at the edge positions having a data value between a value representing a first level and a value representing a second level, a pixel extraction unit extracting the pixels at the edge positions and extracting pixels in the vicinity thereof, a boundary-line generation unit generating a boundary line indicating a boundary between a region of the first level and a region of the second level in each of the pixels at the edge positions, and a link-processing unit obtaining an outline indicating a boundary between a region of the first level and a region of the second level in the still image by linking the boundary lines which are generated in the boundary-line generation unit and which are generated for the pixels which are located at the edge positions. |
| US07957593B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing image, recording medium, and computer program
An image processing apparatus for processing an image composed of an effective area as a meaningful area and an ineffective area as a remaining area, includes a left coordinate position detecting unit for detecting a coordinate position of a left-end pixel of pixels that are determined to be out of the ineffective area from among pixels arranged in a vertical line in the image by comparing a pixel value of each pixel with a first threshold value, a right coordinate position detecting unit for detecting a coordinate position of a right-end pixel of the pixels, an upper coordinate position detecting unit for detecting a coordinate position of an upper-end pixel of the pixels, and a lower coordinate position detecting unit for detecting a coordinate position of a lower-end pixel of the pixels. |
| US07957591B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing segmentation based on partial differential equations
Disclosed is a method and system for propagating information about an image to segment a target structure. An input to denote a region of interest of the image containing the target structure is received. A first seed is set outside of the target structure and a second seed is set inside the target structure. A first partial differential equation (PDE) associated with the first seed is solved and a second PDE associated with the second seed is solved to segment the image. |
| US07957585B2 |
Apparatus and method for spatially predicting, encoding, compensating and decoding image data
An apparatus and method for spatially predicting image data, an apparatus and method for encoding image data, an apparatus and method for compensating for spatial prediction of image data, and an apparatus and method for decoding image data. The spatial prediction apparatus of image data includes: a spatial prediction unit performing a spatial prediction of pixel values of a current block using pixel values of blocks adjacent to an upper row of the current block. A pipeline process is possible when the spatial prediction is performed, thereby performing real time encoding and decoding. |
| US07957583B2 |
System and method of three-dimensional pose estimation
A system and method for identifying objects using a machine-vision based system are disclosed. Briefly described, one embodiment is a method that captures a first image of at least one object with an image capture device, processes the first captured image to find an object region based on a reference two-dimensional model and determines a three-dimensional pose estimation based on a reference three-dimensional model that corresponds to the reference two-dimensional model and a runtime three-dimensional representation of the object region where a point-to-point relationship between the reference three-dimensional models of the object and the runtime three-dimensional representation of the object region is not necessarily previously known. Thus, two-dimensional information or data is used to segment an image and three-dimensional information or data used to perform three-dimensional pose estimation on a segment of the image. |
| US07957577B2 |
Bank document image viewing apparatus and methods of a financial institution presenting an image of a bank document in a check truncation environment
A method is provided of a financial institution presenting an image of a bank document in a check truncation environment. The method comprises determining security permission level associated with a person to be presented with the image of the bank document, determining type of the bank document, locating a first sensitive area associated with the bank document, and presenting on a screen of a monitor the image of the bank document with the first sensitive area in the image being selectively blanked out based upon the security permission level associated with the person to be presented with the image of the bank document. |
| US07957571B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
In step S1, image data obtained by imaging is input to an image input unit (1). In step S2, the diagnosis result obtained by a doctor using the image data obtained by imaging is input as diagnosis information to a diagnosis information input unit (2). In step S3, a keyword table (7) is searched for a keyword input to the diagnosis information input unit (2) or a diagnosis information analyzing unit (3). In step S4, a parameter determining unit (5) selects an initial value parameter used in an image search unit (4) from an initial value table (8) on the basis of the input keyword. In steps S5 and S6, the image search unit (4) determines the optimization degree of the selected parameter by applying the parameter to the input image on the basis of the area or connectivity of a morbid region, and also extracts a morbid region by using a general computer aided diagnosis technique. |
| US07957567B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program for judging faces facing specific directions
A partial image is cut out from an input image. A first classifier judges whether the partial image includes a face facing a direction within a first angular range. Another classifier judges whether the partial image includes a face facing a direction within another angular range that partially overlaps with the first angular range. The partial image is judged to include a face facing a direction within a specific angular range, which is the first angular range from which the portion that overlaps with the other angular range has been removed, if the first classifier judges that the image includes a face facing a direction within the first angular range, and the other classifier judges that the image does not include a face facing the second angular range. Each classifier is generated by machine learning, and judges whether images include faces facing directions corresponding to predetermined angular ranges. |
| US07957565B1 |
Method and system for recognizing employees in a physical space based on automatic behavior analysis
The present invention is a method and system for recognizing employees among the people in a physical space based on automatic behavior analysis of the people in a preferred embodiment. The present invention captures a plurality of input images of the people in the physical space by a plurality of means for capturing images. The present invention processes the plurality of input images in order to understand the behavioral characteristics of the people for the employee recognition purpose. The behavior analysis can comprise a path analysis as one of the characterization methods. The path analysis collects a plurality of trip information for each tracked person during a predefined window of time. The trip information can comprise spatial and temporal attributes, such as coordinates of the person's position, trip time, trip length, and average velocity for each of the plurality of trips. Based on the employee recognition criteria applied to the trip information, the present invention distinguishes employees from non-employees during a predefined window of time. The processes are based on a novel usage of a plurality of computer vision technologies to analyze the behavior of the people from the plurality of input images. |
| US07957564B2 |
Authentication apparatus, authentication method and program
An authentication apparatus is provided to improve efficiency in the use of memory while maintaining the accuracy of authentication.The authentication apparatus includes: extraction means that extracts a plurality of points on an authentication target from an image obtained by shooting the authentication target unique to a living body; connection means that connects the points extracted by the extraction means; storage means that stores information indicating a connection state of the points being connected by the connection means and information indicating the points as authentication information; and reproduction means that reproduces, based on the authentication information in the storage means, the authentication target to be compared with the other. |
| US07957562B2 |
Method and apparatus for ground detection and removal in vision systems
A vision system that forms a map of a scene proximate a platform, e.g., a vehicle, that determines the actual ground plane form the map, and that corrects the map for differences between the actual ground plane and an assumed ground plane. The vision system may remove the actual ground plane from the map to prevent false positives. The vision system can further identify and classify objects and, if appropriate, take evasive action. |
| US07957560B2 |
Unusual action detector and abnormal action detecting method
An abnormal action detector is provided for accurately detecting the position of an object together with an abnormal action using a cubic higher-order local auto-correlation feature. The abnormal action detector comprises a computer which generates inter-frame differential data from moving image data, extracts cubic higher-order local auto-correlation feature data on a pixel-by-pixel basis, adds the feature data for pixels within a predetermined range including each of pixels, calculates an index indicative of abnormality of the added feature data with respect to a subspace indicative of a normal action, determines an abnormality when the index is larger than a predetermined value, and outputs the position of a pixel at which the abnormality is determined. The computer further finds a subspace which exhibits a normal action from past feature data in accordance with a principal component analysis approach. The abnormal action detector is capable of determining abnormality on a pixel-by-pixel basis and correctly detecting the position of an object which has shown an abnormal action. |
| US07957555B2 |
Method and apparatus for localizing an object part in digital image data by updating an initial position estimate based on a displacement of the object part
A method and an apparatus localize an object part location in a digital image. The method according to one embodiment accesses digital image data containing an object part; obtains an initial position estimate for object part location of the object part; extracts a sub-image window around the initial position estimate of the object part location; calculates feature values based on pixel values within the sub-image window; and determines an updated position estimate for the object part location based on the calculated feature values. |
| US07957554B1 |
Method and apparatus for human interface to a machine vision system
An apparatus and method are disclosed for setting up a vision system having a camera and a vision processor cooperative with the camera. The apparatus includes a gesture recognizer, a key recognizer, a breakout box having at least two signaling elements, and a setup control unit that is cooperative with the gesture recognizer, the key recognizer, and the breakout box. The combination of using a key and a gesture set as herein described is substantially superior, as compared with known user interfaces for setting up a vision system that has been previously been engineered, in terms of low-cost, convenience, ease-of-use, simplicity, and speed. |
| US07957553B2 |
Digital watermarking apparatus and methods
The present invention relates to various digital watermarking methods, apparatus and systems. One claim recites a method of determining a size or denomination of a momentary object. The method includes: utilizing a configured, multi-purpose electronic processor, decoding a digital watermark embedded in a monetary object, the watermark including data corresponding to a denomination of the monetary object; based on the data, determining feedback to indicate the denomination of the monetary object; and providing the feedback. Handheld computing devices can be advantageously employed with this combination. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed. |
| US07957550B2 |
Flexible electronic device with flexible speaker
A flexible electronic device with flexible speaker is disclosed, comprising: a flexible printed circuit board (FPC), having a circuit layout arranged thereon; an input unit, electrically connected to the FPC for setting an information; a flexible speaker, electrically connected to the FPC for outputting the information; a display unit, electrically connected to the FPC for displaying the information; a power supply, electrically connected to the FPC for outputting the information for providing electricity to the FPC, the input device, the display device and the flexible speaker; a thin-film substrate; a film made of poly ethylene terephthalate (PET), referring as PET film hereinafter; wherein, the thin-film substrate completely cover the FPC, the power supply, and all the FPC, the input unit, the display unit, the power supply, the thin-film substrate and the flexible speaker are flexible. |
| US07957548B2 |
Hearing device with transfer function adjusted according to predetermined acoustic environments
A hearing device has an adjustable transfer function comprising M≧1 sub-functions (M is an integer). A method for operating the hearing device includes deriving input audio signals from a current acoustic environment. For each of the M sub-functions, derive, based on the input audio signals and for each class of N≧2 classes that describe a predetermined acoustic environment, a class similarity factor indicative of the similarity of the current acoustic environment with the predetermined acoustic environment described by the respective class (N is an integer). Derive from N predetermined base parameter sets assigned to the respective sub-function and in dependence of the class similarity factors, an activity parameter set for the respective sub-function. Each of the N base parameter sets assigned to the respective sub-function is assigned to a different class of the N classes. Adjust the respective sub-function by means of the activity parameter set. |
| US07957547B2 |
Sound panner superimposed on a timeline
Techniques described herein allow a user to create and modify a sound design in a user interface. For example, a user imports a sound file into the user interface, where the sound file is displayed graphically along a timeline. The user can then insert multiple control points along the timeline. The control points display the sound properties of the sound file at the selected points in time along the timeline. Accordingly, the user uses controls provided in the user interface to adjust and modify the sound properties displayed on a control point. The modifications the user makes to the sound properties are saved to the sound file. |
| US07957540B2 |
Automobile audio system
The invention features a dual-mode audio system for an automobile which in one mode is configured for play while the doors to the automobile are closed, and in a second mode, is configured for play while a door, such as a tailgate, is opened. Additionally, the invention also features a battery monitor which monitors the operating condition of the battery and may estimate the energy capacity of the battery. The system may also take power conservation measures if the system determines that the engine is not running or the operating condition of the batter reaches a predetermined state. The invention also features a remote control integrated within a key fob for controlling the audio system. The invention features various orientations for mounting a pair of loudspeakers within an automobile which directly radiate sound out of a rear opening of the automobile. |
| US07957536B2 |
Method for key administration for cryptography modules
The invention relates to a method for a central key station (SS), for setting a new key (nK) in a cryptography module (KM) without a public key being stored in the cryptography module (KM), the authenticity of the new key (nK) being secured by a protocol. According to said method, the public key (KMpub) of the cryptography module is only transported in an encoded manner and only transmitted to key points (SS) that have access to the cryptography module (KM). |
| US07957534B2 |
System and method for security association between communication devices within a wireless home network
Embodiments of the application describe a method and system for discovering and authenticating communication devices and establishing a secure communication link within a wireless home network without requiring a secure channel. According to an embodiment, communication devices exchange public keys using multiple messages each including at least a portion of the public key of the sending device. The devices authenticate the receipt of the public key and establish a shared master key. The shared master key is used to further derive a session key for securing the application data between the communicating devices for a current session. |
| US07957533B2 |
Method of establishing authentication keys and secure wireless communication
A method of establishing authentication keys at both a network and mobile equipment are provided. The authentication key generated by the mobile equipment is based on both mobile keys and network keys, which are each calculated by the mobile equipment. The authentication key generated by the network is based on both mobile keys and network keys, which are each calculated by the network. The mobile keys are calculated from a challenge generated by the mobile equipment and the network keys generated by the mobile based on a challenge generated by network. |
| US07957532B2 |
Data protection for a mobile device
A network-based data protection scheme for a mobile device utilizes encryption techniques and a remote key server that stores encryption keys on behalf of the mobile device. The mobile device stores encrypted data, preferably having no unencrypted counterpart stored therewith. On an as-needed basis, the mobile device requests a decryption key (or an encrypted version of a decryption key) from the key server, where the decryption key can be used by the mobile device to decrypt the encrypted information. The key server transmits the decryption key to the mobile device after authenticating the user of the mobile device. |
| US07957524B2 |
Protective covering for an electronic device
A protective cover for electronic devices. A device is examined and a film is prepared. The film may include multiple pieces and may have cutouts for discontinuities in the surfaces of the device or to accommodate a user interface. The corners or other portions of the films are then cut such that the films substantially cover the surface of the device without bunching or creating air pockets. |
| US07957521B2 |
Method and system for user prioritization within telecommunication services and in particular within call completion services
A method and system for hierarchical prioritization and execution of call completion services are provided. When a caller applies for a call completion service, the caller is identified and assigned a priority from among different priorities such as high priority or regular priority. Thereafter, attempts to execute call completion services are performed hierarchically by launching call completion services for callers having a higher priority before similar attempts are performed for callers of a lower priority. Hence, call completion services are handled according to the priority assigned to the callers rather than the order in which each caller applied for a call completion service. |
| US07957520B2 |
System and method for responding to an emergency at a call center
A system and method for servicing a caller at a contact center includes a plurality of call centers, each including an automatic call distributor (ACD), and an emergency response system that issues an emergency notification signal to the ACD of a call center in response to an emergency condition affecting the call center. In response, the ACD of the call center informs callers of the emergency condition, and then performs a bulk transfer of each of the active calls from the call center to one or more other call centers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that 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 meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b). |
| US07957515B1 |
Selective telephone blocker with timer
Disclosed is a selective telephone call blocker, preferably with timer. The user preferably sets the current time and one or more beginning and ending time periods during which the call block feature is active. The user then selects, one or more codes, such as two letter or number code(s). During the period of time in which the call block feature is active the device will automatically ask the caller to enter the code in order for the call to be completed. If the correct code is entered within a preset time period the call will be transmitted to the telephone or answering machine. If an incorrect code or no code is entered, the invention preferably repeats the request for correct code entry. If within a next preset time period the correct code is not entered the call will be disconnected. Preferably, the call block feature is not operational if the receiving phone is in use. In this case, the calling party will get a busy signal if the receiving party does not have a call waiting feature. If the receiving party does have a call waiting feature, then it is the option of the receiving party to acknowledge the receipt of the telephone call. The device is compatible with existing telephone devices and can be connected between the standard telephone wall outlet and a telephone set with or without an answering machine. Alternatively, the blocker can be connected at the portion of the phone line before the phone line diverges into multiple lines. |
| US07957514B2 |
System, method and computer program product for conveying presence information via voice mail
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for conveying availability information of a calling party to a called party. A PBX serving the telephones of the calling and called parties is connected to a presence server. In an embodiment of the invention, the presence server is also connected to a computer and/or other information device (such as a personal data assistant or telephone) of the calling party. After the calling party has left a voice mail message for the called party, the called party will subsequently retrieve the message. In an embodiment of the invention, the PBX then queries the presence server as to the availability of the calling party. The presence server senses whether the calling party has indicated his or her presence; if so, it is inferred that the calling party is probably present and available for a return call. If the presence server detects no such indication by the calling party, it is inferred that the calling party is likely to be absent. The presence server responds to the query of the PBX by indicating the calling party's likely availability (or absence) to the PBX. Based on this information, the PBX modifies the voice mail message to include a statement that the calling party is either available or unavailable. |
| US07957511B2 |
Providing network services to a network agent
In a communications network, data that establishes a network agent's entitlement to network services is stored within the network agent and not within the network. Network services are provided to the network agent by storing network service authorization information and network service usage allowance information within a network agent, which the network agent transmits to the network when network service is requested. The network does not store an account balance for the network agent but instead stores authorization information and actual network service usage information for the network agent. |
| US07957508B2 |
Dedicated breast radiation imaging/therapy system
System, apparatus and methods specialized for breast and related tissue radiation therapy and imaging of a prone patient but also usable for supine patient if desired or needed. A special treatment radiation source such as a LINAC unit generates radiation of types and energy ranges specifically matched to breast tissue. Any one or more of several imaging technologies may be used to localize the tissue to be irradiated and to generate information for therapy planning, adjustment, and verification. |
| US07957504B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring enrichment of UF6
A system and method are disclosed for determining the enrichment of 235U in Uranium Hexafluoride (UF6) utilizing synthesized X-rays which are directed at a container test zone containing a sample of UF6. A detector placed behind the container test zone then detects and counts the X-rays which pass through the container and the UF6. In order to determine the portion of the attenuation due to the UF6 gas alone, this count rate may then be compared to a calibration count rate of X-rays passing through a calibration test zone which contains a vacuum, the test zone having experienced substantially similar environmental conditions as the actual test zone. Alternatively, X-rays of two differing energy levels may be alternately directed at the container, where either the container or the UF6 has a high sensitivity to the difference in the energy levels, and the other having a low sensitivity. |
| US07957502B2 |
Method for scaling scattered ray intensity distribution in multi bulbs X-ray CT and multi bulbs X-ray CT apparatus
A method for scaling a scattered ray intensity distribution in a multi bulbs X-ray CT apparatus configured to irradiate a subject with X-rays from a plurality of X-ray generation sections, respectively and configure a cross-sectional image of the subject by detecting the X-rays passing through the subject. A first difference is achieved, the first difference being the difference between a real data of X-ray intensity achieved by passing of X-rays through the subject, the X-rays being radiated from the plurality of the X-ray generation sections, respectively and an opposed data of X-ray intensity achieved by passing of these X-rays through the subject at the same position in an opposite direction, a second difference between scattered ray intensity included in the real data and scattered ray intensity included in the opposed data being achieved. Primary scattered ray included in the real data of the X-ray intensity achieved by passing of the X-rays through the subject, the X-rays being radiated from the plurality of the X-ray generation sections, respectively are estimated. Primary scattered ray included in the opposed data of the X-ray intensity achieved by passing of the X-rays through the subject at the same position in an opposite direction, respectively, and performing scaling the primary estimated scattered ray intensity distribution on the basis of a ratio between the first difference and the second difference are estimated. |
| US07957499B2 |
Apparatus and method for compensating timing offset in broadband wireless communication system
Provided is an apparatus and method for compensating a timing offset in a broadband wireless communication system. A receiving apparatus for the timing offset compensation includes a selector, a first calculator, and a second calculator. The selector groups two or more adjacent tiles into one or more tile groups and selects one or more pilot pairs, each including adjacent pilot signals, from each tile group. The first calculator calculates an average phase difference between the pilot pairs. The second calculator calculates a timing offset using the average phase difference. |
| US07957498B2 |
Data receiver device and data transmission/reception system
The data receiver device includes: a bit phase synchronizing circuit (10) for performing phase adjustment of a received data signal to set a predetermined phase relationship between the data signal and a corresponding clock signal; and a state detection circuit (20) for outputting a detection signal once detecting that the data signal inputted into the bit phase synchronizing circuit (10) is in a stable state based on a data signal phase-adjusted by the bit phase synchronizing circuit (10) and a corresponding clock signal. The bit phase synchronizing circuit (10) initializes the phase adjustment of the data signal when receiving the detection signal. |
| US07957497B2 |
Clock and data recovery circuits using random edge sampling and recovery method therefor
A clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit comprises a data sampling unit which latches serial data input in response to data clock signals, and outputs a plurality of sampling data, the data clock signals maintaining a constant phase difference and having mutually different phases, an edge sampling unit which outputs an edge sampling signal generated by sampling edge information of the serial data in response to a selection edge clock signal, the selection edge clock signal being randomly selected from among a plurality of edge clock signals, a data selection unit which selects at least two consecutive sampling data from among the plurality of sampling data, and a decoding unit which performs a logical operation of the sampling data selected by the data selection unit and the edge sampling signal. |
| US07957496B2 |
Suppressing interference for wireless reception and improvements relating to processing a frequency shift keyed signal
A communications receiver may include an adaptive filter unit for removing coherent interference components from a received signal. In the absence of a signal of interest, the filter may adapt dynamically to remove current interference components. When a signal of interest is detected, the filter may be controlled to stop (or at least reduce) its adaptation, to prevent removal of the signal of interest. The received signal may be down-converted to a complex baseband by conditioning circuitry. A detector may detect the signal of interest, and control the filter. Autocorrelation may be used to estimate a characteristic of the signal of interest in the complex baseband. The detector may include hysteresis to react quickly to the start of signal of interest, and more slowly to an end of the signal of interest. The signal of interest may be a frequency shift keyed (FSK) signal. A demodulator may demodulate FSK components based on the autocorrelation result. The characteristic of the signal of interest used for detection and/or demodulation may be a directional characteristic of a vector representing the complex baseband signal in complex space. |
| US07957494B2 |
Coarse timing synchronization
A system for determining the burst start timing of a signal includes logic configured to receive the signal, generate correlation moduli and generate a first timing output based on the correlation moduli. The logic may also be configured to receive operating mode information and timing information and generate search controls. The logic may further be configured to identify a maximum of the correlation moduli using the search controls and determine a second timing output associated with the maximum correlation modulus. The second timing output represents a more accurate approximation of a burst start time than the first timing output. |
| US07957493B2 |
Candidate generation
A method and system for generating a set of candidate symbols. A system includes a Multiple Input Multiple Output (“MIMO”) receiver. The receiver includes a candidate generation look-up table (“LUT”) that provides a list of candidate values for a transmitted symbol selected from a constellation of symbols. The candidate generation LUT stores candidate lists for a portion of the constellation of symbols. The portion of the constellation for which candidate lists are stored is selected according to a symmetry of the constellation. The LUT preferably provides a secondary constellation superimposed on a decision region of a primary constellation. The LUT also preferably includes an inner point of the primary constellation and outer points of the primary constellation. The primary and secondary constellations are preferably compressed by application of quadrant, mirror, and inner-point symmetries. |
| US07957487B1 |
Spurious component reduction
Apparatus, systems, and methods implementing techniques for reducing spurious components are described. According to one aspect, a wideband polyphase filter filters an input signal that has an associated first frequency. The wideband polyphase filter has poles corresponding to a first filter frequency and a second filter frequency, where the two filter frequencies are different. According to another aspect, a mixer mixes the filtered signal with a local-oscillator signal at a second frequency to produce an upconverted signal, where the second frequency is substantially an integer multiple of the first frequency. |
| US07957485B2 |
Reduced complexity parametric covariance estimation for precoded MIMO transmissions
A model-based technique for estimating impairment covariance associated with a MIMO signal is disclosed. In an exemplary method, an impairment model is constructed for a received composite information signal comprising at least a first data stream transmitted from first and second antennas according to a first antenna weighting vector. The impairment model includes first and second model terms corresponding to the first and second antennas, respectively, but in several embodiments does not include a cross-antenna interference term. In another embodiment, an impairment model for a received MIMO signal is constructed by computing an impairment model term for each antenna and an additional term to account for preceding interference in a single-stream MIMO transmission scenario. The impairment terms are grouped so that only two associated scaling terms are unknown; values for the scaling terms are estimated by fitting the model to measured impairment covariance values. |
| US07957484B2 |
Candidate list generation and interference cancellation framework for MIMO detection
A method and system for performing Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (“MIMO”) detection that reduces complexity by decomposing MIMO detection problem into two less complex problems, Candidate List generation and Interference Cancellation (“CLIC”). Embodiments of the CLIC framework parse an N element channel output into a first set containing S elements and a second set containing N−S elements. A first list of candidate vectors is generated from the first set of elements. A set of interference cancelled elements is generated by using the first list of candidate vectors to cancel interference from the second set of elements. A second list of candidate vectors is generated from the set of interference cancelled elements. A minimum cost is computed for each bit of the candidate vectors and from the costs a log-likelihood ratio is computed. |
| US07957483B2 |
Transmission/reception apparatus and method for supporting MIMO technology in a forward link of a high rate packet data system
An apparatus and method for allocating dedicated pilots for supporting MIMO and setting MIMO-only interlace slots in a CDMA 2000 Nx-EV-DO compatible system. The method includes determining whether a current interlace is a particular interlace in which a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) signal for channel estimation in a receiver is inserted; and inserting the MIMO signal into the particular interlace when the current interlace is the particular interlace and then transmitting the MIMO signal according to a predetermined transmission scheme. By the apparatus and method, it is possible to effectively use the MIMO in a system in which EV-DO users, MIMO EV-DO users, OFDM users, MIMO-OFDM users co-exist. |
| US07957477B2 |
Systems and methods for MIMO precoding in an xDSL system
Systems and methods for off-diagonal MIMO precoders are described. At least one embodiment includes a method for precoding data for transmission in a discrete multi-tone (DMT) xDSL system to cancel self-induced far end crosstalk (self-FEXT) comprising: learning characteristics associated with a plurality of N users within the xDSL system to determine an initial off-diagonal multiple input multiple output (MIMO) precoder (ODMP) for a given tone frequency; and converging towards an optimum ODMP from the initial ODMP in order to cancel downstream self-FEXT for the plurality of N users, wherein the ODMP is represented as a zero diagonal matrix with only off-diagonal terms, and wherein the converging towards the optimum ODMP comprises: maximizing the channel capacity for the plurality of N users for the given tone frequency; and minimizing an increase in transmit power of the xDSL system relative to an original transmit power where a precoder is not active. |
| US07957474B2 |
Robust detection of packet types
Disclosed herein is a system and method for determining the presence of rotated-BPSK modulation. In addition, disclosed herein is a system and method for determining if a received packet is a Legacy, Mixed-Mode, or Green-Field packet in accordance with the determination of the presence of rotated-BPSK modulation. The presence of a Green-Field packet may be determined by detecting if additional tones are being excited in an LTF symbol of the received packet and/or if a SIG field symbol following the LTF symbol is modulated by rotated-BPSK. The presence of a Mixed-Mode packet may be determined by detecting if the first four bits of the SIG field symbol following the LTF symbol are [1 1 0 1] and/or detecting if a symbol following an L-SIG symbol is modulated by rotated-BPSK. The presence of a Legacy packet may be determined by detecting if the symbol following the L-SIG symbol is modulated by BPSK. |
| US07957473B2 |
Data transmission apparatus enabling communication without being interfered by environmental noise
A data transmission apparatus is provided, which is capable of performing good communication with a noncontact data carrier under the circumstances where pulse noise is generated. A noise detection circuit in a reader/writer detects a generation period of noise contained in received signals. A communication time calculating circuit calculates estimated time for communication to be performed for an IC card. A timing signal generation unit determines transmission start timing based on the noise generation period and the estimated communication time. |
| US07957472B2 |
Enhanced signaling sensitivity using multiple references
A receiver circuit uses two or more comparators to detect the received data signal. Each comparator is set to compare the data signal to a different reference signal. The output signals of the comparators are received into a detector circuit, which provides a third output signal that establishes the logic state of the received signal based on whether or not the output signals of the comparators are equal. Depending on the logic state of the data signal, one of the comparators provides its output signal sooner than the other. Each comparator may be implemented by a differential amplifier. In one embodiment, the reference signals are threshold voltages which may be provided by the tripping voltages at the trip points for the logic HIGH and LOW states. |
| US07957463B2 |
Adaptive frequency equalizer
An adaptive frequency equalization system providing an equalizer that has programmable taps that adjusts magnitude and phase of symbol information of a received signal and that provides equalized symbol information. The system includes a hard decision circuit that selects ideal symbol values using the equalized symbol information. A frequency response circuit determines frequency response update values using the ideal symbol values and the received signal. An adjust circuit updates stored frequency response information using the frequency response update values, and also updates the programmable taps of the equalizer using the stored frequency response information. |
| US07957461B2 |
Calibrating automatic test equipment
Calibrating automatic test equipment (ATE) includes determining an offset between a reference timing event and a channel event, where the channel event is associated with a communication channel of the ATE, and adjusting signal transmission over the communication channel based on the offset. Determining the offset may include obtaining a first time at which a reference timing signal is received at a device associated with a reference timing source, obtaining a second time at which the reference timing signal is received at a device associated with the communication channel, obtaining a third time at which a channel signal is received at the device associated with the communication channel, obtaining a fourth time at which the channel signal is received at the device associated with the reference timing source, and calculating the offset using the first time, the second time, the third time, and the fourth time. |
| US07957453B2 |
Method for operating a rake receiver
A rake receiver and method for operating a rake receiver is provided including receiving a signal in a rake receiver having at least one finger, each of the at least one finger characterized by a channel phase and a channel frequency, removing a phase and a portion of the frequency component of the signal in a first block of the at least one finger, and removing a remaining frequency component of the signal in a second block of the at least one finger. |
| US07957452B2 |
Direct sequence spread spectrum transceiver
A direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) transceiver including a DSSS transmitter and a DSSS receiver, wherein the DSSS transmitter includes: an integral code mapping unit mapping source bit data in one of 2N (N is a natural number) of predetermined symbols by N bits and mapping the symbol in one of integral code words that are obtained by previously integrating each of 2N of bi-orthogonal code words; and a radio frequency (RF) transmitting unit transmitting the integral code words mapped by the integral code mapping unit over an RF carrier wave, and the DSSS receiver includes: an RF receiving unit removing an RF carrier wave from an RF signal from the RF transmitting unit and converting an analog signal obtained by removing the RF carrier wave from the RF signal into a digital signal; a differential circuit unit differentiating and converting the digital signal from the RF receiving unit into bi-orthogonal code words; and a symbol detection unit detecting a symbol corresponding to a maximum value of correlation values between bi-orthogonal code word from the differential circuit unit and a plurality of predetermined reference code words. |
| US07957449B2 |
Two-stage laser system for aligners
The invention relates to a two-stage laser system well fit for semiconductor aligners, which is reduced in terms of spatial coherence while taking advantage of the high stability, high output efficiency and fine line width of the MOPO mode. The two-stage laser system for aligners comprises an oscillation-stage laser (50) and an amplification-stage laser (60). Oscillation laser light having divergence is used as the oscillation-stage laser (50), and the amplification-stage laser (60) comprises a Fabry-Perot etalon resonator made up of an input side mirror (1) and an output side mirror (2). The resonator is configured as a stable resonator. |
| US07957444B2 |
Surface-emission laser diode, surface-emission laser diode array, optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus
A surface-emission laser diode of a vertical-cavity surface-emission laser structure includes a substrate and a mesa structure formed on the substrate, the mesa structure including therein a current confinement structure, wherein the current confinement structure includes a conductive current confinement region and an insulation region surrounding the conductive current confinement region, the insulation region being an oxide of a semiconductor material forming the conductive current confinement region, and wherein a center of the current confinement region is offset from a center of the mesa structure in a plane perpendicular to a laser oscillation direction. |
| US07957440B2 |
Dual pulse-width medical laser
A laser device that includes a dual pulse-width laser-pumping circuit generates long and short laser pulses. The laser-pumping circuit employs a single power supply with dual high voltage outputs that are selectable under control of a user. The laser device conveniently generates long and short laser pulses or a mix of the two for performing specialized surgical procedures. |
| US07957439B2 |
Microchannel cooler for high efficiency laser diode heat extraction
A laser diode package includes a laser diode, a cooler, and a metallization layer. The laser diode is used for converting electrical energy to optical energy. The cooler receives and routes a coolant from a cooling source via internal channels. The cooler includes a plurality of ceramic sheets and a highly thermally-conductive sheet. The ceramic sheets are fused together and the thermally-conductive sheet is attached to a top ceramic sheet of the plurality of ceramic sheets. The metallization layer has at least a portion on the thermally-conductive sheet. The portion is electrically coupled to the laser diode for conducting the electrical energy to the laser diode. |
| US07957438B2 |
Method and device for monitoring light
A method for monitoring laser light launched into a core of a single mode fiber includes launching a portion of light directly into the cladding about the core. The cladding launched light is a known fraction of the core launched light and can be monitored by placing a detector about the cladding. Detected light including light that was launched into the cladding and has leaked through the cladding is used as a known fraction of light in the core and can be used to control the laser light source. This can be done with a straight section of single mode optical fiber and does not require bending the fiber. Advantageously, most of the core launched light remains in the core as guided light. |
| US07957437B2 |
Multisectional laser
Disclosed is a semiconductor laser in which the substrate comprises at least three independent functional sections in the direction of light wave propagation, said functional sections serving different functions and being individually triggered by means of electrodes via electrode leads. An intensification zone, a grid zone, and a phase adjustment zone are provided as functional sections. The light wave is optically intensified in the intensification zone while the phase of the advancing and returning wave is adjusted in the phase adjustment zone. The grid zone is used for selecting the wavelength and adjusting the intensity of coupling between the intensification zone and the phase adjustment zone. |
| US07957436B2 |
Laser for providing pulsed light and reflectometric apparatus incorporating such a laser
A laser for generating laser light pulses comprises a cavity containing an active optical gain medium (102) and a spectral filtering device (104), a delay device (110) for delaying light by a predetermined delay time (Δt), means (106) for extracting a portion of laser light from the cavity, launching said portion into said delay means (110) and returning the delayed portion to the optical gain medium (102), control means (116) operable to activate the gain medium for a first time period (C1) to produce a first laser light pulse (LP1) having a duration that is less than the delay time (Δt), and activate the gain medium for a second time period (C2) while a said delayed portion of the first light pulse that has been delayed by the delay means (UO) is traversing the gain medium (102), thereby to produce a second laser pulse (LP2) having a shorter duration and faster risetime than the first laser light pulse (LP1), and output means (108) for outputting the second laser light pulse (LP2). |
| US07957434B2 |
Light emitting device and fabrication method thereof
Disclosed herein is a light emitting device with improved life characteristics. The light emitting device comprises a circuit board having a recess, a reflection plane and an excitation source disposed in the recess, an overmolding overlying the reflection plane and the excitation source, a surface-inducing film formed on the overmolding, and a light conversion layer overlying the surface-inducing film. Also disclosed herein is a method for fabricating the light emitting device. |
| US07957431B2 |
Not temperature stabilized pulsed laser diode and all fibre power amplifier
A laser system has an output/input coupler unit (49) with a circulator (37). An output of the circulator (37) is operationally connected to a detector unit (43). The input/output (EA37) of the circulator is operationally connected to a transmitter and a receiver optics 41. Laser light is input to the circulator (E37). The input (E37), output (A37) and output/input (EA37) of the circulator are optical fibers. The pulsed diode (3) is not temperature stabilized. To reduce amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) generated in the optical fiber amplifier (9), a narrow band-pass filter unit (29) is used. Filter unit (29) has a central wavelength with a temperature dependence which is matched to the temperature dependent wavelength shift of the pulsed diode (3). |
| US07957430B2 |
Flexible segmentation scheme for communication systems
Methods, computer program products, electronic devices and information blocks are provided that improve both efficiency of transmission and efficiency of segmentation by enabling an intelligent transport block size determination and a flexible segmentation scheme suitable for utilization with retransmission. One exemplary method involves steps of: determining a size of a transport block based on criteria including a size of at least one data block to be transmitted, wherein the transport block size is determined such that the transport block will include at least one segment of a data block of the at least one data block; segmenting the data block of the at least one data block into a plurality of segments including the at least one segment; and populating the transport block with at least the at least one segment. |
| US07957429B2 |
Transmission system
In order to increase the efficiency of large-capacity transmission, the continuity of divided signals generated by dividing a multiplexed signal is maintained and the original large-capacity multiplexed signal is restored. A signal dividing section divides a multiplexed signal to generate a plurality of divided signals in the STS or STM transmission interface format. A guarantee information adding section adds guarantee information for guaranteeing the continuity of the divided signals to each of the divided signals to generate transmission signals. A signal sending section sends the transmission signals via a transmission line in the transmission interface format. A signal receiving section receives the transmission signals. A signal restoring section restores the multiplexed signal by constructing the divided signals on the basis of the guarantee information. |
| US07957428B2 |
Methods and apparatuses to effect a variable-width link
Embodiments of the invention provide an algorithm for dividing a link into one or more reduced-width links. For one embodiment of the invention, a multiplexing scheme is employed to effect a bit transmission order required by a particular cyclic redundancy check. The multiplexed output bits are then swizzled on-chip to reduce on-board routing congestion. |
| US07957424B2 |
Systems and methods for compressing packet headers
A system processes data units in a network. The system receives a data unit that includes a group of headers and suppresses one or more of the headers to form a reduced data unit. The system suppresses one or more other headers of the reduced data unit to form a further reduced data unit and transmits the further reduced data unit to one or more destination devices using the program identifier (PID) field in the MPEG header as an index to suppressed headers. |
| US07957422B2 |
Demultiplexer
In a demultiplexer, if as for a certain packet a packet header detection section has detected a packet header without error, a memory control section controls a payload of the packet which is separated by a payload separation section to be stored in a buffer memory. If, as for a predetermined number of packets, the packet header detection section has detected packet headers without error, the memory control section permits a payload of a packet previous to the predetermined number of packets to be output from the buffer memory. |
| US07957419B2 |
Method for the management of bandwidth in a communications network, corresponding computer-readable storage medium and devices
A method for managing bandwidth in a synchronous communications network including a plurality of nodes, the network implementing a first clocking which defines a data-processing cycle including a determined number of virtual channels, the data-processing cycle being defined by a current data-processing frequency, the plurality of nodes including at least one transmitter node associated with at least one generator application, each generator application being associated with at least one virtual channel for transmitting its data, the virtual channel or channels associated with a given generator application being filled one by one from the first to a last virtual channel. Such a method includes the following steps performed for a given generator application: determining a rate of use of the last virtual channel of the set of virtual channels; adjusting the current data-processing frequency; and allocating an integer number of virtual channels. |
| US07957415B2 |
Apparatus and method for unilateral topology discovery in network management
A system for reducing the cost of network management by using a proxy agent and subchannel communications so fewer SNMP licenses and fewer protocol stacks are needed. Subchannel communication is achieved in a plurality of different embodiments. Embodiments having single subchannel transceivers, multiple transceivers, single multiplexer and multiple multiplexers are disclosed. An NMS process using routing table CRC to automatically detect when the NMS topology information is incorrect and automated topology discovery is disclosed. A process for automated discovery of redundant cables during automated topology discovery is disclosed. |
| US07957412B2 |
Lonely pulse compensation
An apparatus comprising a transmission line, a receiver circuit, and a high pass filter circuit coupled between the transmission line and a receiver circuit input. The receiver circuit is configured to receive a data signal over the transmission line at a first data rate. The high pass filter circuit is connected between the transmission line and a receiver circuit input and has a corner frequency that is less than approximately the first data rate and is greater or equal to than approximately one-half the second data rate. The second data rate is an effective data rate caused by an expected data pattern on the transmission line. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US07957408B2 |
Routing protocol support for half duplex virtual routing and forwarding instance
A method, apparatus and computer program product for providing dynamic routing support for Half-Duplex Virtual Routing and Forwarding (HDVRF) environments. The method, apparatus and computer program function to configure a forwarding Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) table for a router with information to forward incoming packets to a central location within a hub and spoke environment. The method, apparatus and computer program also function to populate a routing Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) table for the router with routing information received from ingress interfaces of the router. The method, apparatus and computer program function further forwards packets received on egress interfaces of the router according to the forwarding VRF table. |
| US07957406B2 |
Method and apparatus for packet traversal of a network address translation device
A characterization method for a network address translation (NAT) device by an internal computer behind the NAT device includes creating a plurality of sockets; binding the plurality of sockets, respectively, to a plurality of ports; transmitting a plurality of STUN requests in user datagram protocol (UDP) packets to a plurality of STUN servers, wherein each STUN request is associated with one of the sockets; determining that the NAT device does not support UDP packets if responses are not received from the STUN servers; and determining a set of NAT characteristics of the NAT device if a response is received from each of the STUN servers. |
| US07957405B2 |
Packet communication method and apparatus and a recording medium storing a packet communication program
A packet communication method and a packet communication system capable of making an IPv4-compatible application operating on an information processing apparatus communicate with another information processing apparatus connected to an IPv6 network without using an address translation router. In the information processing apparatus connected to the IPv6 network, an IPv4-to-IPv6 protocol conversion control function is incorporated in a LAN driver. A protocol conversion control module receives an IPv4 packet from a protocol control module. When a send destination IPv4 address contained in a header of the packet is registered in an address translation table incorporated in the protocol conversion control module, an IPv6 address is generated to be sent onto a LAN. Unless the send destination IPv4 address contained in the packet header is registered in the address translation table incorporated in the protocol conversion control module, the IPv4 packet as received is intactly sent onto the LAN. |
| US07957404B1 |
Method for bandwidth management by resizing pipes
Signaling messages are exchanged for a call between a calling party to a called party. A setup message for the call is exchanged through at least one gate controller. Network resources are reserved for the call based on the exchanged setup messages. An end-to-end message for the call is exchanged without the end-to-end message being routed through the at least one gate controller. |
| US07957403B2 |
System and method for controlling access to legacy multimedia message protocols based upon a policy
In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for controlling access to telecommunications resources implementing a legacy protocol based upon a policy. These mechanisms and methods for controlling access to legacy protocols based upon a policy can enable embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources implementing legacy telecommunications protocols. The ability of embodiments to control access by third party created and other applications to network resources can enable network providers to provide greater access to network resources without compromising security of other users. Embodiments may further provide the ability to interface with legacy push protocols, multimedia message protocols and short message peer-to-peer protocols. |
| US07957401B2 |
System and method for using multiple communication protocols in memory limited processors
A system and method for implementing large and/or multiple telecommunication protocols utilizing memory-limited processors. Telecommunication protocols are expressed as virtual machine instructions defining a finite state machine. A telecommunication protocol engine implements the telecommunication protocols using a virtual machine operating under the control of a CPU. A telephony gateway comprising a telecommunication protocol engine interfaces with a communication device and a packet switched network. A network of telephony gateways communicating with a provider gateway facilitates communication over a packet switched network. A call placed by a calling telephony gateway to a receiving device on the same network or another network is routed according to a prefix in a telephone code sent by the calling telephony gateway. |
| US07957400B2 |
Hierarchical network topology
A network including a hierarchical structure of nodes is described. The structure of nodes includes n layers including n−1 layers of switch nodes and 1 layer of computational nodes. Each layer in the structure can include mn-L nodes grouped into units, where m represents a number of nodes in a unit and L represents a layer in the structure, where L=0 represents a lowest layer and L=n−1 represents a highest layer. Each node in a layer other than the computational layer can include a switch node for a unit in a next lower layer. For each unit, each node can be connected to each other node by a point to point link and to a local switch node for the unit by a point to point link. Each node can be connected to each other node and to the local switch node by a local broadcast network for the unit. |
| US07957398B1 |
Methods and systems for dynamic division of path capacity
Methods and systems are disclosed that relate to selecting a path for sending an I/O request from a host to a data storage subsystem from among a plurality of paths from the host to the subsystem. An exemplary method includes identifying a limitation on the traffic level for the plurality of paths, tracking a first metric corresponding to the limitation on the traffic level for each path, and transmitting a first I/O request having an urgency level other than the highest urgency level by one of the plurality of paths whose first metric does not exceed its limitation on the traffic level. |
| US07957395B2 |
Systems and methods for a hybrid telephony service
The systems and methods for a hybrid telephony service may provide a plurality of user accounts that each user may have a circuit-based telephony service identifier, a packet-based telephony service identifier and a mapping instruction for the user account. The systems and methods for a hybrid telephony service may further provide a service control component to query the user account database to retrieve the mapping instruction for a telephony service identifier. |
| US07957387B2 |
Packet classification
An apparatus for classifying a data packet includes an interface for receiving the data packet; a classification controller for parsing the data packet to identify a plurality of data items required for classifying the data packet; memory for storing a set of range identifiers for each data item in the data packet corresponding to a rule range defined in the rule sets; and a controller for performing a preliminary test of at least one of the data items to determine whether any of the data item's values match known frequently-occurring values for that data item. |
| US07957384B2 |
Multiple virtual local area network databases in a switch with a relational lookup engine
An apparatus and method for transferring data through a network switch. The network switch comprises a plurality of ports each having at least one port identifier and associating with at least one virtual local area network (VLAN) database, and a relational lookup engine storing a plurality of relations between at least one media access control (MAC) address and the at least one port identifier. At least one port receives a frame of data comprising a destination MAC (DMAC) address and the relational lookup engine uses the DMAC address to retrieve an associated port identifier that identifies a port to which the frame is forwarded. A source MAC (SMAC) address of the frame is used to produce an input relation for the relational lookup engine to identify the associated port identifier that identifies the port that received the frame of data for learning associations between the ports and MAC addresses. |
| US07957380B2 |
Support of unidirectional link in IS-IS without IP encapsulation and in presence of unidirectional return path
The present invention supports the operation of IS-IS over UDLs without the need for encapsulation of IS-IS PDUs in IP and without the need for a large-scale upgrade of the protocol in the network. The present invention also supports adjacency establishment when the return path from a router at the receive end of a to the router at the transmit end of the unidirectional link is via another unidirectional link. |
| US07957379B2 |
System and method for processing RX packets in high speed network applications using an RX FIFO buffer
A system and method are provided for processing packets received via a network. In use, data packets and control packets are received via a network. Further, the data packets are processed in parallel with the control packets. |
| US07957378B2 |
Stateful flow of network packets within a packet parsing processor
The present invention provides a packet processing device and method. A parsing processor provides instruction-driven content inspection of network packets at 10-Gbps and above with a parsing engine that executes parsing instructions. A flow state unit maintains statefulness of packet flows to allow content inspection across several related network packets. A state-graph unit traces state-graph nodes to keyword indications and/or parsing instructions. The parsing instructions can be derived from a high-level application to emulate user-friendly parsing logic. The parsing processor sends parsed packets to a network processor unit for further processing. |
| US07957376B2 |
Efficient MBMS backbone distribution using one tunnel approach
The present invention relates to a method, signal and devices for facilitating distribution of multimedia broadcast multicast services, i.e. MBMS, in a telecommunications network by receiving an MBSM session start message from a broadcast/multicast service center; sending control traffic on a control network; sending as control traffic to a serving node an MBMS session start request message and including a common tunnel end-point identifier, i.e. common TEID, in the MBMS session start request message; receiving information from the serving node indicating the acceptance of using IP multicast; and sending media content on an IP multicast backbone to hosts that have joined the multicast group using the common TEID. If any part of the communication network does not accept the IP multicast backbone as distribution method tunnels will be used between the gateway and serving node and between the serving node and control node. |
| US07957373B2 |
Method and system to provide contact services in a communication network
A communication system includes an application server including logic to receive preference data for each of a plurality of data record entries of a subscriber record from a telephone number mapping (ENUM) server, and to determine a contact sequence including a plurality of Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). The contact sequence is based at least in part on the received preference data. |
| US07957371B2 |
Linearly expandable broadcast router apparatus
A linearly expandable router is comprised of first, second, third and fourth router components. First, second and third discrete links couple an input side of a routing engine of the first router component (102) to an input side of a routing engine of the second, third and fourth router components. Similarly, fourth and fifth discrete links couple the input side of the routing engine for the second router component to the input side of the routing engine of the third and fourth router components, respectively. Finally, a sixth discrete link couples the input side of the routing engine for the third router component to the input side of the router engine for the fourth router component. |
| US07957369B2 |
Methods and apparatus for data communications through packet networks
An improved data communication technique may be employed with modems through a packet network. The disclosed technique facilitates a virtual end-to-end connection between two modems such that the two modems can effectively behave as if directly connected to each other, unaware of any modifications to the data being transferred or to the protocols configured within the communication connection. Preferably, a data communication system for carrying out the communication technique demodulates data coming from a first modem, transports the demodulated data in packets between two gateways, and then remodulates the data before delivering to a second modem at the other end. In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, various alternatives for calling and quality of service set-up mechanisms, the establishment of a communication session, the transport of data during a communication session, the flow control between all system components involved, and the mechanisms for the termination of communications are also provided. |
| US07957366B2 |
IP telephone system, IP telephone apparatus and calling method
An IP telephone system comprises an IP telephone that performs voice communication via an IP network, a carrier that manages voice communication for the IP telephone via the IP network and a server that returns NAPTR resource record(s) in response to a request from the IP telephone. In the IP telephone system, when the IP telephone performs voice communication via the IP network, the IP telephone transmits, to the server, a request for NAPTR resource record(s) that correspond(s) to the telephone number of the destination terminal. When NAPTR resource record(s) is(are) stored, voice communication is directly performed between the IP telephone and the destination terminal via the IP network according to the NAPTR resource record. On the other hand, when NAPTR resource record(s) is(are) not stored, the carrier manages calls, and voice communication is performed between the IP telephone and the destination terminal via the IP network. |
| US07957361B2 |
Transmitter, transmitting method, receiver, and receiving method for MC-CDMA communication system
A reception step receives a multicarrier signal containing subcarriers, at least one of which a synchronization signal is transmitted therein, multiplied only by a synchronization signal spreading code, a correlation detection step detects correlation values between the received multicarrier signal and replicas of the synchronization signal, and a timing detection step detects a FFT timing and a long code received timing according to the correlation values. |
| US07957357B2 |
Method and system for presenting lists of wireless local area network Profile information
A method for selecting a wireless local area network (“WLAN”) for a wireless device, comprising: generating a first list of WLAN identifiers for a first group of one or more wireless local area networks (“WLANs”) accessible at a first geographic location and storing the first list in the wireless device; generating a second list of WLAN identifiers for a second group of one or more WLANs accessible at a second geographic location and storing the second list in the wireless device; selecting one of the first and second lists as an active list; and, scanning for WLANs identified by the active list to identify an available WLAN for the wireless device. |
| US07957355B1 |
Swarm autonomous routing algorithm for mobile ad hoc network communications
A Swarm Autonomous Routing Algorithm (SARA) is performed by simple communication node devices for node to node communications in a network, especially a Mobile Ad hoc NETwork (MANET). Each node maintains a table of pheromone values for known neighbor nodes. Pheromone values are dynamic for adapting to a dynamic arrangement of nodes, and are updated either passively or actively. Routing tables are not used. When a node receives a packet, it uses the pheromone table to simply determine whether or not to forward (rebroadcast) the packet to a neighbor node, and if possible, determines and indicates the best neighbor node for next forwarding the packet. Destination Zone Routing (DZR) and Swarm Location Service (SLS) are alternative enhancements of SARA that can be used for more efficient routing when nodes are location aware/knowledgeable. SLS may also be used to improve routing algorithms other than SARA. |
| US07957342B2 |
Master station of communication system and access control method
A communication bandwidth is divided into a beacon period in which all master stations compete for transmission of a beacon packet, a first carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) period in which only authorized specific stations are allowed to compete for access, and a second CSMA period in which all stations are allowed to compete for access. The master stations exchange information with each other about a communication bandwidth being used in the first CSMA period, thereby calculating a communication bandwidth which can be used by each communication system in the first CSMA period, based on the information. |
| US07957338B2 |
Apparatus and method for providing data service in portable terminal
Provided are a method and an apparatus for providing a high-speed data service in a portable terminal which supports a 1X-Evolution Data Only (EVDO) system. The method includes if an access to an EVDO data service is performed, setting whether a voice service is to be used; and determining whether a 1X paging channel is to be searched during the access to the EVDO data service, according to the set result. Thus, the portable terminal can set a communication mode during the access to the EVDO data service to enter a mode, which supports only the EVDO data service, without searching for a 1X paging channel. |
| US07957337B2 |
Air-time control of wireless networks
A method and apparatus for controlling transmission air-time available to a wireless node within a wireless network is disclosed. The method includes occupied by transmission packets. The method includes the wireless node monitoring air-time available to the wireless node for wireless transmission. The wireless node controls wireless transmission of neighboring wireless devices if the air-time available is detected to be lower than a threshold. |
| US07957335B2 |
Dynamic power usage management based on historical traffic pattern data for network devices
Particular embodiments provide power usage management for network devices according to historical traffic pattern data. Network traffic statistics for traffic flowing through a network device may be determined. A traffic pattern for a time period based on the traffic flowing through the network device is then determined. The network device may then manage power based on the pattern. For example, when a pattern indicates that traffic flowing through the network device is light during a time period, then the network device may operate in a lower power mode, such as a standby mode and when it indicates that there is higher usage, the network device may operate in a normal power mode. In one embodiment, a power usage policy may be determined based on the historical traffic patterns and is automatically enforced by the network device. The power usage policy may also be dynamically adjusted over time based on network traffic statistics. |
| US07957333B2 |
Receiver system and method for switching among a plurality of antenna elements to receive a signal
A receiver system and method for switching among a plurality of antenna elements to receive a signal. At least a portion of plurality of antenna elements receive a transmitted signal, such that the transmitted signal includes a plurality of sub-channels that are transmitted in predetermined time intervals. A switching device is in communication with the plurality of antenna elements, and switches among single antenna elements to receive the transmitted signal. A controller is in communication with the switching device, and commands the switching device to select each of the antenna elements separately in predetermined periods of time based upon the predetermined time intervals of each of the sub-channels. A power level of the transmitted signal is determined during the predetermined period of time that corresponds to the predetermined time intervals, and the controller commands the switching device to switch to an antenna element based upon the determined power level. |
| US07957330B1 |
Failsafe management of periodic communications during system upgrade for a network device
The invention is directed to techniques for failsafe management of periodic communications between network devices. A first network device, for example, establishes with a second network device a first response interval by which the first device responds to a message received from the second device. Prior to commencing a software upgrade, the first device determines whether the event requires an interval of time during which the first device cannot respond to the message within the established first response interval. Based on the determination and prior to commencing the upgrade, the first device establishes with the second device a second response interval that equals or exceeds the first response interval. Upon completion of the event, the first device establishes with the second device a third response interval. The first network device therefore may automatically adjust response intervals to accommodate upgrades that may cause unnecessary thrashing. |
| US07957329B2 |
Method of performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) in wireless communication system
A method of performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving downlink assignments in a first subframe, a downlink assignment being transmitted based on a control channel element (CCE), the CCE being a logically indexed resource unit, receiving downlink data on a downlink shared channel in the first subframe, the downlink shared channel being assigned according to the downlink assignments, generating ACK/NACK signals which indicate successful or unsuccessful reception of the downlink data, and transmitting in a second subframe, the ACK/NACK signals by using uplink resources of a subset, the subset being mapped to the first subframe, at least one of the uplink resources being mapped to a plurality of CCEs in the first subframe. Limited resources for uplink feedback are effectively used to support HARQ operation. |
| US07957328B2 |
Method and system for communicating to radio frequency integrated circuit
A method and system for managing change-over in radio functionality at a radio front-end in a Time Division Duplexing (TDD) system is provided. The method comprises storing one or more control commands. The one or more control commands may correspond to the change-over. The change-over may be a transmitter-to-receiver change-over or a receiver-to-transceiver change-over. The method further comprises receiving a trigger time corresponding to the one or more control commands. The trigger time comprises a timing requirement for the change-over. Thereafter, one or more control commands are released based on a predetermined condition. |
| US07957318B1 |
Systems and methods for transitioning between fragmentation modes
A cable modem termination system that connects to cable modems includes a scheduler and a system manager. The scheduler schedules transmission opportunities for the cable modems and operates in multiple fragmentation modes. The scheduling of transmission opportunities by the scheduler differs among the fragmentation modes. The system manager compares one or more processing parameters associated with the cable modem termination system to one or more thresholds and causes the scheduler to transition among the fragmentation modes based on a result of the comparison. |
| US07957317B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing control signaling
An approach is provided for an efficient control signaling associated with an error control scheme. A determination is made whether data has been properly received according to an error control scheme. A first pilot sequence representing an acknowledgement is generated if the data is properly received. A second pilot sequence representing a negative acknowledgement is generated if the data is not properly received. A frame including either the first pilot sequence or the second pilot sequence is output. |
| US07957308B2 |
Selectable training signals based on stored previous connection information for DMT-based system
In a DMT based system, training signals can be chosen based on stored prior connection information to reduce using extra tones in transmitted training signals to improve receiver performance. By choosing training signals based on the stored prior connection information, training signals may be made to indirectly represent a function of the loop impairments. Certain training signal tones in the training signals may be omitted, based on previous connection information, on a loop-by-loop basis. Local echoes are effectively reduced and local receiver training is improved without affecting eventual data transmission performance. Higher AGC gain and higher signal-to-quantization-noise ratios can be achieved, especially in the case of long loops. These benefits can allow (1) improvements in the loop performance in the receiving direction and/or (2) reductions in the requirements on the receiving ADC. Crosstalks into other wire pairs of a bundle, are reduced, improving the transmission environment on those pairs. |
| US07957304B2 |
System for and method of using a loopback mechanism to perform network testing
A system for and method of actively running performance tests is presented. The system and method allow a device connected, via a VPN or IPSec tunnel, to a VoIP or other service provider network, to run network performance tests using the IP address assigned by a VPN concentrator. The device utilizes the IP address assigned by the VPN concentrator as a means for performing loopback testing. These performance tests characterize the connectivity of the network. Systems and methods then use this characterization to do call admission control, traffic shaping or prioritization. |
| US07957302B2 |
Identifying analog access line impairments using digital measurements
The preferred embodiments include a method, system or computer-readable storage medium for identifying analog access line impairments in a communications network. The embodiments include determining a ping packet loss count and a ping failure count from digital packet loss data associated with at least one analog access line. The embodiments also include generating a line designation for the at least one analog access line in response to the ping packet loss count exceeding a first threshold and the ping failure count exceeding a second threshold. Also, a plurality of pings can be transmitted during a testing period, the digital packet loss data being generated in response to the plurality of pings. The first threshold can represent at least a three percent ping packet loss. The second threshold can represent the ping failure count being at least ten percent of a total number of the plurality of pings. |
| US07957297B2 |
Termination message for wireless wide area network routers
A wireless router device is configured to detect a fault that would prohibit wireless communications between the router and a wireless wide area network. A message, referred to herein as a termination message, is then generated. The termination message contains information describing the fault and is configured to cause termination of wireless communication with the wireless wide area network. The wireless router than transmits the termination message to at least one base transceiver station that is part of the wireless wide area network. The base transceiver station is then able to assess and reallocate resources, including power management, based on the fault information contained in the received termination message. |
| US07957293B2 |
System and method to identify and communicate congested flows in a network fabric
The invention provides a system and method for identifying and communicating congested paths throughout a network fabric. Briefly, the present invention augments the congestion management mechanism defined in ASI to allow for the communication of congested paths through the fabric, rather than the simple congested output port notification supported today through the use of DLLPs. Further, it also uses the communication mechanisms already defined in the ASI specification to implement this additional capability. Specifically, the present invention uses Transaction Layer Packets (TLPs) to communicate the information concerning congested flows throughout the network. This packet type allows the inclusion of much more information than DLLPs, allowing a more comprehensive and elegant solution to the issue of congestion management in an Advanced Switching network fabric. |
| US07957290B2 |
Radio communication system, radio communication apparatus, and radio communication method
A radio communication system, a radio communication apparatus, and a radio communication method allow networks to operate without interference between contending networks. When plural piconets collide on the same frequency channel, a control station of one of the piconets temporarily sets a buffer super frame period to coexist between the piconets. When an apparatus other than a control station receives a beacon signal of the buffer super frame period, a shorter super frame period based on that super frame period is temporarily set to make fine adjustment of the next beacon signal transmission timing. An apparatus that has not received a beacon signal looks for a beacon signal of its own piconet for a redundant time to find a start time of a new super frame period. |
| US07957284B2 |
System and method for optimizing network bandwidth usage
A method of optimizing bandwidth usage in a link aggregated network includes identifying available bandwidth on a plurality of data links in a link aggregation group, selecting the data link with the least available bandwidth, and determining whether the available bandwidth of the selected data link is less than a guaranteed bandwidth of an incoming data flow. If the available bandwidth of the selected data link is less than the guaranteed bandwidth of the incoming data flow, the method includes selecting the data link with the next least available bandwidth and repeating the previous steps until the available bandwidth of the selected data link is greater than the guaranteed bandwidth of the incoming data flow. The method further includes assigning the data flow to the data link determined to have an available bandwidth greater than the guaranteed bandwidth of the incoming data flow. |
| US07957282B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving MIMO operation in a wireless communications system
In order to improve Multi-input Multi-Output (MIMO) operation, the present invention provides a method of improving MIMO operation for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communications system. The method includes receiving a first value according to a number of hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes in a HARQ procedure for the UE, receiving a first HARQ process identifier corresponding to a primary transport block, and assigning a second HARQ process identifier corresponding to a secondary transport block to be equal to (H+(N/2)) mod (N), wherein H represents the first HARQ process identifier, mod represents modulus arithmetic, and N represents the first value. |
| US07957279B2 |
Session border control using multiple processors
In one embodiment, a router receives a call request for establishing a multimedia exchange between two remote endpoints. The router selects a processing entity to manage a subset of connections with the remote endpoints according to an endpoint identification such as a remote address included in the call request. A different processing entity manages the remaining connections with the remote endpoints. Accordingly, the load of managing signaling for establishing the multimedia exchange is balanced between a plurality of processing elements that appear externally as a single entity such that modification of remote endpoint behavior is not required. |
| US07957276B2 |
Call admission control and preemption control over a secure tactical network
In a secure network where the network characteristics are not known, a call admission control algorithm and a preemption control algorithm based on a destination node informing the source node of the observed carried traffic are used to regulate the amount of traffic that needs to be preempted by the source. The amount of traffic that needs to be preempted is based on the carried traffic measured at the destination node. The traffic to be preempted is based on the priority of the traffic, where the lowest priority traffic is the first to be preempted until the amount of traffic preempted is sufficient to allow the remaining traffic to pass through the network without congestion. |
| US07957273B2 |
Packet re-transmission controller for block acknowledgement in a communications system
A re-transmit processor for a wireless communication system includes a pointer memory which contains pointers associated with particular packet data in a host memory. The re-transmit processor directs data associated with said pointers to be applied to a media access controller, which optionally contains an encryption function, the output of which is coupled to a block buffer and to an output interface. Upon receipt of a transmission request, the host memory locations associated with the pointers are read and the data directed to the media access controller, which adds a header, a CRC, and optionally encrypts the data, thereafter placing it in the block buffer and the output interface. Upon provision of the packet data to the MAC, the associated pointer is initialized to a FREE or UNUSED value, and upon receipt of an acknowledgement of the packet accompanied by a packet identifier from a receiving station, the packet associated with the packet identifier is removed from the block buffer. |
| US07957272B2 |
Method and apparatus for coincidence counting for estimating flow statistics
The invention includes a method and apparatus for determining a coincidence count associated with a traffic flow in a network. The method includes receiving a first packet having a first flow identifier associated with one of the traffic flows, comparing the first flow identifier of the first packet to each of a plurality of other flow identifiers associated with a respective plurality of other packets, and determining a coincidence count associated with the first flow identifier based on the comparison of the first flow identifier to each of the plurality of other flow identifiers. The method for determining a coincidence count associated with one of a plurality of traffic flows may be extended for determining respective coincidence counts associated with a plurality of traffic flows. The determined coincidence counts may be used for determining at least one traffic flow statistic. |
| US07957265B2 |
Systems and method for orthogonal frequency divisional multiplexing
Systems and methods for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing are provided. In one embodiment, a multi-carrier modem comprising: a receiver configured to de-modulate symbols from at least one of a plurality of spectrally overlapping carrier signals; a transmitter configured to modulate symbols onto at least one of a plurality of the spectrally overlapping carrier signals; a processor coupled to the transmitter, wherein the processor outputs data for transmission by the transmitter, wherein the processor applies an inverse Fourier transform to the data transmitted by the transmitter; and a controller programmed to instruct the transmitter to transmit a coarse timing adjustment followed by at least one secondary timing adjustment, wherein the secondary timing adjustment is a fine tuning adjustment with respect to the coarse timing adjustment. |
| US07957264B2 |
Method and device for allocating radio configuration types
A method and a device for allocating a radio configuration (RC) type are disclosed in the present invention. The method includes: predefining a first threshold value and a second threshold value; when a user initiate a call, calculating current utilization rate of power resource of a cell and comparing the current utilization rate of power resource with the first threshold value, and calculating current utilization rate of Walsh resource of the cell and comparing the current utilization rate of Walsh resource with the second threshold value; allocating an RC type to TCH (Traffic Channel) and SCH (Supplemental Channel) of forward channels of the call based on above comparison results. In the present invention, an RC type can be dynamically allocated based on the current resource limits of the system, thus improving the capacity of the system. |
| US07957258B2 |
Communication device for receiving and transmitting OFDM signals in a wireless communication system
A communication device for receiving transmitted orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) signals in a wireless communication system. The device includes a plurality of antenna elements to receive a plurality of OFDM signals transmitted from a transmitter via a plurality of transmission channels. The device performs channel estimation processing and decoding processing on the plurality of received OFDM signals, and weights the plurality of received OFDM signals by weight vectors chosen to improve a performance of the plurality of received OFDM signals. |
| US07957254B2 |
Concept for reducing crosstalk
A device for reducing mutual crosstalk of a signal routed across a first line and a second signal routed across a second line, wherein by the mutual crosstalk at an output of the first line a first interfered signal may be obtained and at an output of the second line a second interfered signal may be obtained, comprising a modifier for modifying the first interfered signal that is interfered by crosstalk due to the second signal, and for modifying the second interfered signal that is interfered by crosstalk due to the first signal, wherein the modifier is adapted to model an interference due to the mutual crosstalk, and a combiner for combining the first interfered signal with the modified second interfered signal to obtain a first corrected signal and for combining the second interfered signal with the modified first interfered signal to obtain a second corrected signal. |
| US07957253B2 |
Multiple recording layers optical disc having physical position information of pre-recording marks
An optical disc (101) to and from which information can be reproduced and recorded by laser irradiation is provided with a first recording layer (102) and a second recording layer (104). The first recording layer (102) has a first recording mark (103) that is formed in a spiral track. The second recording layer (104) is behind or in front of the read-side surface of the first recording layer (102), and neither a wobble track nor a track for reproducing or recording information by laser irradiation is formed on the second recording layer (104). On the second recording layer (104) are formed, by laser irradiation, a second recording mark (105) that is positioned in the radial direction of the optical disc according to a predetermined position on the spiral track of the first recording layer. The optical disc (101) ensures the secrecy of the copyright protected information that is recorded thereto and the copyright protection function of the optical disc (101), and is resistant against illegal copying. |
| US07957247B2 |
Apparatus and method for processing information and program therefor
An information processing apparatus may include the following elements. A content data generating unit generates first unit data segments constituting first content data and sequentially outputs the data segments. A holding unit is divided into a first holding area and a second holding area and holds the output first unit data segments in the first area. A recording control unit controls a recording operation such that the data segments in the first area are recorded onto at least one of first and second recording media. When second content data is recorded on the first medium, the recording control unit may control a transfer operation in addition to the recording operation such that each second unit data segment constituting the second content data is read from the first medium, the read data segment may be held in the second area, and the held data segment may be transferred to the second medium. |
| US07957239B2 |
Optical disk drive for adjusting power of a recording laser
In an optical disk drive, running OPC (ROPC) is performed without fail, to thus enhance recording quality. ROPC is performed by use of a remaining portion of an area for APC operation within an APC area of a recording unit (RUB) in a next-generation optical disk such as a blu-ray disk. ROPC is performed by means of tentatively writing test data having a length of 50 T longer than a specified length of data to be recorded; and detecting level B of the amount of light reflected at that time. The APC area is formed from five wobble periods. APC is performed in periods of first two wobbles, and ROPC is performed in remaining three wobble periods. |
| US07957238B2 |
Optical recording method and optical recorder
A write strategy for use in recording is determined from recommended write strategy parameters recorded on an optical disk (160) and the characteristics of the optical recording device used in recording; a recommended asymmetry value is determined from the difference between the numerical aperture NA1 of the objective lens, which is a recording condition of the recommended asymmetry value recorded on the optical disk (160) and the numerical aperture NA2 of the objective lens (150) of the optical recording device used in recording, and recording is carried out on the optical disk (160) according to the write strategy and asymmetry value thus determined. Optimal recording can be carried out even on an optical disk for which the optimal write strategy information has not been determined in advance, without the need to store write strategy information suitable for each and every optical disk. |
| US07957237B2 |
Recording medium and method and apparatus for recording data
A recording medium and a method and apparatus for recording data are disclosed. The recording medium includes a data area in which data is recorded, a lead-in area arranged radially inwardly of the data area, and a lead-out area arranged radially outwardly of the data area, wherein the lead-in area includes information indicating whether pre-recording has been performed with respect to a portion of the lead-in area. |
| US07957235B2 |
Disk drive and information processing system having the same
A disk drive controls the rotational speed of a disk to an appropriate value. A system controller of the drive stores data read from a disk and read-ahead data into buffer memory. A time interval ti at which the buffer memory becomes full is measured, and the time interval ti is compared with a predetermined lower limit value t1 and a predetermined upper limit value t2. When a relationship of ti>t2 stands, rotational speed is increased. When a relationship of ti |
| US07957230B2 |
Information recording medium having a wobbling groove structure
An information recording medium having at least a read only area and a recording and reproducing area is composed of at least: a substrate; a recording layer formed on the substrate so as to record and reproduce information; and a light transmission layer having transparency formed on the recording layer. The information recording medium is further characterized in that a wobbling groove corresponding to the read only area and another wobbling groove corresponding to the recording and reproducing area is formed on the substrate without overlapping with each other, the recording and light transmitting layers are continuously adhered over at least two areas of the read only area and the recording and reproducing area, reflectivity of the recording layer is more than 5%, and a push-pull signal output T3 reproduced from the read only area and another push-pull signal output T4 reproduced from the recording and reproducing area before recording satisfies relations of T3≧0.1, T4≧0.1 and 1.5≧T3/T4≧0.5. |
| US07957228B2 |
Information recording device and method, and computer program
An information recording apparatus (1) is provided with: a first judging device (191) for judging whether or not a tracking error signal is greater than or equal to a first threshold value; a detecting device (192) for detecting, as a detection angle, a rotation angle of an information recording medium (100) when it is judged that the tracking error signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold value; and a second judging device (193) for judging whether or not the judgment that the tracking error signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold value is performed in synchronization with rotation of the information recording medium and at the same detection angle in a row. |
| US07957224B2 |
Human echolocation system
A human echolocation system emits toward a target a series of sound pulses beginning at a low frequency and progressing stepwise to a high frequency. Echoes of the pulses enable the user to estimate location, distance and dimensions of the target. Target location and distance are estimated based on a stretched echo delay, while target dimensions are estimated based on a musical pitch corresponding to the echo frequency. |
| US07957223B2 |
Ultrasonic ranging in the near zone
An ultrasonic ranging device for ultrasonic ranging in the near zone. The device may include a transducer for generating an ultrasonic signal and for detecting an echo signal. The device may also include a processor for calculating the distance to a target object based on a first time period defined by a first set of ultrasonic signals when the target object is located outside the near zone and a second time period defined by a second set of ultrasonic signals when the target object is located within the near zone. The processor may also adjust the amplitude of the generated ultrasonic signal until the first set of ultrasonic signals is detected at the transducer. |
| US07957217B2 |
Method of controlling internal voltage and multi-chip package memory prepared using the same
The invention relates generally to a multi-chip package (MCP) memory device, and more particularly, but without limitation, to a MCP memory device having a reduced size. In one embodiment, the MCP memory device includes: a transfer memory chip; and a plurality of memory chips coupled to the transfer memory chip, each of the plurality of memory chips including an internal voltage generating circuit, the transfer memory chip configured to receive a plurality of command signals from outside the MCP memory device, the transfer memory chip further configured to output a plurality of control signals to the plurality of memory chips based on the plurality of command signals. Embodiments of the invention also relate to a method of controlling an internal voltage of the MCP memory device. |
| US07957214B2 |
Adjustable voltage regulator for providing a regulated output voltage
Voltage regulators, memories, and methods for providing a regulated output voltage are disclosed. For example, one such voltage regulator includes a comparator circuit, a driver circuit, an impedance circuit, and a modulation circuit. The comparator circuit generates an output voltage according to a difference between a reference voltage and a feedback voltage. The driver circuit is coupled to an output of the comparator circuit and drives the regulated output voltage at an output node according to the output voltage from the comparator circuit. The impedance circuit is coupled to the comparator circuit and provides the feedback voltage to the comparator circuit in response to a detection current from the output node. The modulation circuit is coupled to the impedance circuit and adjusts a modulation current component of the detection current to adjust the regulated output voltage. |
| US07957210B2 |
Variable delay circuit, memory control circuit, delay amount setting apparatus, delay amount setting method and computer-readable recording medium in which delay amount setting program is recorded
A variable delay circuit being able to change a delay amount from when a signal is inputted to when the signal is outputted has a first delay section delaying the signal by a first delay amount, a second delay section delaying the signal by a second delay amount greater than the first delay amount, and a delay amount selector selecting a signal route where the delay amount is a sum of the first delay amount and the second delay amount when the delay amount exceeds a maximum delay amount delayable by the first delay amount section. The delay amount from when a signal is inputted to when the signal is outputted can be set in a wide range, while suppressing the circuit scale. |
| US07957205B2 |
Semiconductor device and control method of the same
The present invention is a semiconductor device including: a resistor R11 (first resistor part) and an FET 15 (second resistor part) connected in series between a power supply Vcc (first power supply) and ground (second power supply); an output node N11 provided between the resistor R11 and FET 15 and used for outputting a reference voltage; a feedback node N12 provided between the power supply Vcc and the ground; and a voltage control circuit (19) that maintains a voltage of the feedback node N12 at a constant level by using the reference voltage of the output node N11 and the voltage of the feedback node N12. The present invention can provide a semiconductor device having a reference voltage generating circuit capable of generating the reference voltage that does not greatly depend on a power supply voltage and its control method. |
| US07957203B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a cell array including plural MATs (unit cell arrays) arranged in matrix, each MAT containing a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines intersecting the plurality of first lines, and a plurality of memory cells connected at intersections of the first and second lines between both lines, each memory cell containing an electrically erasable programmable variable resistive element of which resistance is nonvolatilely stored as data; and a plurality of write/erase circuits connected to the MATs and operative to execute data write or erase to the memory cells inside the MATs in accordance with input data. A part of the plurality of write/erase circuits writes data to memory cells inside a corresponding MAT while another part of the plurality of write/erase circuits erases data from memory cells inside a corresponding MAT at the same time. |
| US07957201B2 |
Flash memory device operating at multiple speeds
A method of operating a flash memory device includes a first operating mode and a second operating mode having different operating speeds. Each one of the first and second operating modes includes a bit line set-up interval and at least one additional interval. The flash memory is divided into first and second mats connected to respective first and second R/W circuits. During the bit line set-up interval of the second operating mode, the flash memory controls operation of both the first and second R/W circuits in a time division approach to stagger respective peak current intervals for the first and second mats. |
| US07957197B2 |
Nonvolatile memory with a current sense amplifier having a precharge circuit and a transfer gate coupled to a sense node
Sensing circuits for sensing a conduction current of a memory cell among a group of non-volatile memory cells being sensed in parallel and providing the result of the sensing to a data bus are presented. A precharge circuit is coupled to a node for charging the node to an initial voltage. An intermediate circuit is also coupled to the node and connectable to the memory cell, by which current from the precharge circuit can be supplied to the memory cell. The circuit also includes a comparator circuit to perform a determination of the conduction current by a rate of discharge at the node; a data latch coupled to the comparator circuit to hold the result of this determination; and a transfer gate coupled to the data latch to supply a latched result to the data bus independently of the node. This arrangement improves sensing performance and can help to eliminate noise on the analog sensing path during sensing and reduce switching current. |
| US07957195B2 |
Semiconductor device
The semiconductor device includes a nonvolatile memory, having a memory array containing 1-bit twin cells, each composed of electrically rewritable first and second storage devices, the first and second storage devices holding binary data according to difference of their threshold voltages, and having different retention characteristics depending on difference of the binary data thereof; a read circuit for differentially amplifying complementary data output from the first and second storage devices of the twin cell selected for read, and judging information stored in the twin cell; and a control circuit. Two memory cells constituting a twin cell are arranged to hold different data. Therefore, even when the retention performance of one memory cell deteriorates, the difference between data held by the two memory cells can be maintained. Hence, differential amplification of such difference enables acquisition of proper stored information. Thus, retention performance of an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory cell is improved. |
| US07957188B2 |
Structures and methods of trimming threshold voltage of a flash EEPROM memory
A method of trimming FET NVM cells in Multi-Level-Cell (MLC) operation is provided. The method comprises (a) applying a first voltage and a second voltage to a control gate and a bulk of the over-programmed FET NVM cell, respectively; and (b) applying a signal to a drain of the over-programmed FET NVM cell for a time period to produce a limited threshold voltage reduction; wherein polarities of the first voltage and the second voltage are opposite to that of the signal. Thus, the charge placement in the storing material could be precisely controlled within a small range of charge state and produce a multi-bits/cell of higher digital storage density. |
| US07957187B2 |
Dynamic and adaptive optimization of read compare levels based on memory cell threshold voltage distribution
A process is performed periodically or in response to an error in order to dynamically and adaptively optimize read compare levels based on memory cell threshold voltage distribution. One embodiment of the process includes determining threshold voltage distribution data for a population of non-volatile storage elements, smoothing the threshold voltage distribution data using a weighting function to create an interim set of data, determining a derivative of the interim set of data, and identifying and storing negative to positive zero crossings of the derivative as read compare points. |
| US07957186B2 |
Non-volatile memory system and data read method of non-volatile memory system
In one aspect, a non-volatile memory system includes a plurality of memory cell arrays having different read stand-by times. For example, the non-volatile memory system may include a single-level cell (SLC) array composed of a plurality of SLCs, and a multi-level cell (MLC) array composed of a plurality of MLCs. In this case, the SLC array and the MLC array receive a read instruction at the same time and prepare to read data at the same time. However, the SLC array begins to read the data prior to the MLC array, and the MLC array begins to read the data once the SLC array has completely read the data. |
| US07957176B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with improved resistance to disturbance and improved writing characteristic
A semiconductor memory device includes a first inverter ad a second inverter, a first power supply control circuit, and a second power supply control circuit. The first and second inverters constitute a memory cell and each have an input terminal and an output terminal connected crosswise to an output terminal and an input terminal, respectively, of the other. The first power supply control circuit supplies a first voltage to the first inverter. The second power supply control circuit supplies a second voltage to the second inverter. The first and second power supply control circuits control the first and second voltages, respectively, supplied to the first and second inverters in a selected memory cell for a writing operation in accordance with write data. |
| US07957174B2 |
Semiconductor memory
A semiconductor memory includes a memory cell array area having a memory cell, a word line contact area adjacent to the memory cell array area, a word line arranged straddling the memory cell array area and the word line contact area, a contact hole provided on the word line in the word line contact area, and a word line driver connected to the word line via the contact hole. A size of the contact hole is larger than a width of the word line, and the lowest parts of the contact hole exist on a position lower than a top surface of the word line and higher than a bottom surface of the word line. |
| US07957171B2 |
Associative memory and searching system using the same
Associative memories capable of outputting multiple reference data close to search data are provided. A memory array compares each of the multiple reference data with the search data in parallel and generates multiple comparison current signals representing the result of the comparison. A WLA converts the multiple comparison current signals into voltages. During the first cycle, the WLA detects the lowest voltage among the voltages as Winner and detects the remaining voltages as Loser. After the second cycle, based on feedback signals, the WLA detects all the voltages other than a voltage detected as Winner during the last preceding cycle, and detects the lowest voltage among the detected voltages as Winner and detects the remaining detected voltages as Loser. The WLA repeats these operations k times. |
| US07957164B2 |
Power device for supplying AC voltage to a load having a discharge part
The present invention provides a power device including a converter part (2) for converting an AC voltage to a DC voltage; an inverter part (3) for converting the DC voltage outputted from the converter part (2) to the AC voltage; and a transformer (4) having an inductance forming a series resonance circuit together with an electrostatic capacity of a load (20) to boost the AC voltage outputted from the inverter part (3). In the power device, an inductance (7) is connected to the output part of the inverter part (3) in parallel with the transformer (4). Thus, in a discharge part 6 provided in the load (20), since when a discharge is not generated, a recovery current is not supplied to a circulating current diode in the inverter part (3), or the quantity of the recovery current is reduced, the heat generation of the circulating current diode can be suppressed without increasing the number of elements of the circulating current diode. |
| US07957156B2 |
Busbar circuit board assembly
An electrical connection assembly includes a substrate having first and second sides and a substrate aperture formed therein. The substrate is made of an electrically non-conductive material. A busbar is attached to the first side of the substrate. The busbar has a busbar aperture formed therein. A trace is formed on the second surface of the substrate. The busbar and trace are formed of an electrically conductive material. A pin is disposed in both the substrate aperture and the busbar aperture, wherein the pin is in electrical communication with the busbar and the trace. |
| US07957144B2 |
Heat exchange system for blade server systems and method
A heat exchange system for blade server systems is disclosed, wherein said blade server system contains a plurality of server blades arranged in a blade center, wherein the heat exchange system comprises first heat sink associated to each of said plurality of server blades, and whereby the first heat sink are adapted to collect heat emitted from heat emitting devices on said associated server blade; means for transferring heat from the heat emitting devices to the first heat sink; and a liquid cooled second heat sink associated to said blade center, whereby said first heat sink are connected to said second heat sink by thermal coupling. |
| US07957137B2 |
Method for cooling an integrated circuit die with coolant flow in a microchannel and a thin film thermoelectric cooling device in the microchannel
A method includes an integrated circuit (IC) die that has a front surface on which an integrated circuit is formed. The IC die also has a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface. The method also includes a microchannel member to define at least one microchannel at the rear surface of the IC die. The microchannel is to allow a coolant to flow through the microchannel. The method further includes at least one thin film thermoelectric cooling (TFTEC) device in the at least one microchannel. |
| US07957135B2 |
Semiconductor module
A semiconductor module has switching semiconductor elements connected in parallel to each other and at least a free wheeling semiconductor element reversely connected in parallel to the switching semiconductor elements. The free wheeling semiconductor element is placed between the switching semiconductor elements. At both end parts of the semiconductor elements, each of the switching semiconductor elements is placed. A longitudinal side of each of the switching semiconductor elements and the free wheeling semiconductor element is placed in parallel to a short side of the semiconductor module. An electric-power conversion device has a plurality of arms. Each arm is composed of the semiconductor elements. |
| US07957133B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing thermal management in an electronic device
An electronic system includes a chassis, an air flow distribution assembly having a first set of baffles disposed within an intake volume of the chassis and a second set of baffles disposed in proximity to an air outlet of the chassis. The first set of baffles is configured to turn the flow of an air stream approximately 90 degrees, relative to an inlet flow direction of the air stream, toward circuit boards disposed within the chassis. The second set of baffles is configured as a flow splitter that receives the air stream from the circuit boards and partitions the air stream into separate portions prior to the air stream exiting via the air outlet. The use of both the first and second set of baffles redirects and distributes the air stream, flowing into the air inlet, in a substantially even manner across the circuit board component mounting surfaces of the circuit boards disposed within the system. |
| US07957127B2 |
Electronic apparatus having battery receptacle at the rear of keyboard
According to one embodiment of the invention, an electronic apparatus comprises a housing including a keyboard mount portion. A keyboard is mounted on the keyboard mount portion. The keyboard has a plurality of fixing pieces. The fixing pieces are protruded at the rear of the keyboard mount portion, and are removably fixed to the housing. A receptacle on which a module is removably mounted is provided in the housing. The receptacle is located between the fixing pieces at the rear of the keyboard mount portion. |
| US07957118B2 |
Multi-zone electrostatic chuck and chucking method
A method for processing a semiconductor wafer comprises measuring data indicating an amount of warpage of the wafer. At least two different voltages are determined, based on the amount of warpage. The voltages are to be applied to respective portions of the wafer by an electrostatic chuck that is to hold the wafer. The at least two different voltages are applied to hold the respective portions of the wafer while performing a fabrication process on the wafer. |
| US07957116B2 |
System and method for detection of multiple current limits
Devices, such as mobile devices, may be exposed to short circuit and output overload events. To protect against such events, mobile devices typically include current limit circuits. Some current limit circuits may involve user programmable function. User programmable function may need accurate current limit detectors. Various embodiments of the present invention include devices and methods for detecting one or more programmed current limits. Some embodiments allow for a user application to select among parallel or serial configurations of current detection circuitry. Each such configuration may include multiple resistive devices of different resistive values. |
| US07957114B2 |
Circuit breaker and method for triggering a circuit breaker, particularly a low voltage circuit breaker
In one embodiment of the present invention, a circuit breaker and a method for triggering a circuit breaker are disclosed, particularly a low voltage circuit breaker, including an electronic overload trigger, particularly for the protection against a short circuit, wherein the current is compared to a predetermined limit current and evaluated and the circuit breaker is triggered by the overload trigger, in case a short circuit is present according to the evaluation. In order to be able to reliably detect short circuits, the current is sampled with a predetermined sampling frequency and digitized. The wavelet coefficients of at least two segmentation levels are calculated for a predetermined number of digital current values in direct succession via a wavelet transformation. At least two wavelet coefficients, that is, one wavelet coefficient per segmentation level, are compared quantitatively to each other if the last of the current values in direct succession is larger than the limit current. The circuit breaker is triggered if the wavelet coefficient of a higher segmentation level is larger than the wavelet coefficient of a lower segmentation level. |
| US07957110B2 |
Display apparatus current discharging method
A display apparatus current discharging method, includes steps of: providing a potential difference between a first line and a second line; switching on a first switching element; generating a voltage drop of a resistance element having a first end and a second end; switching on a second switching element; providing a first discharging path through the first line, the first switching element, the resistance element, the second switching element, and the second line; and discharging a first current via the first discharging path. A display apparatus current leakage reducing method is also disclosed. |
| US07957109B2 |
Magnetic head of magnetoresistance effect type with high resistance to external stress
A tunnel magnetoresistance effect magnetic head having between magnetic shield layers, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer which has the direction of magnetization pinned by exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, an insulating layer, and a free layer whose direction of magnetization rotates relatively to external magnetic fields, wherein the antiferromagnetic layer is of an antiferromagnetic substance composed mainly of IrMn, the pinned layer is made up of a first pinned layer of CoFe alloy in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer and a second pinned layer of CoFeB alloy which is antiferromagnetically coupled with the first pinned layer, and the first and second pinned layers have the amount of magnetization such that the difference M1−M2 is in the range of 0 |
| US07957107B2 |
Current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor with antiparallel-free layer structure and low current-induced noise
A current-perpendicular-to-the-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor has an antiparallel free (APF) structure as the free layer and a specific direction for the applied bias or sense current. The (APF) structure has a first free ferromagnetic (FL1), a second free ferromagnetic layer (FL2), and an antiparallel (AP) coupling (APC) layer that couples FL1 and FL2 together antiferromagnetically with the result that FL1 and FL2 have substantially antiparallel magnetization directions and rotate together in the presence of a magnetic field. The thickness of FL1 is preferably greater than the spin-diffusion length of the electrons in the FL1 material. The minimum thickness for FL2 is a thickness resulting in a FL2 magnetic moment equivalent to at least 10 Å Ni80Fe20 and preferably to at least 15 Å Ni80Fe20. The CPP sensor operates specifically with the conventional sense current (opposite the electron current) directed from the pinned ferromagnetic layer to the APF structure, which results in suppression of current-induced noise. |
| US07957105B2 |
Shield in a magnetic device with reduced erase field
A shield in a magnetic reader includes a magnetic layer having a first surface and a second surface. The magnetic layer includes at least one aperture that extends through the magnetic layer from the first surface to the second surface. Apertures can be provided in both the top shield and bottom shield of the magnetic reader. |
| US07957103B2 |
Fixing of components
A thin component such as the actuator arm (10) of a hard disk drive, is mounted on a pivot or pin (31), such as the pivot assembly of the hard disk drive, using a ring (32), e.g. a tolerance ring, having one or more projections (35), wherein the engagement of the component (30) and the ring (32) is such as to apply a force to the component (30) in a direction which is inclined to both the radial and axial directions of the pivot or pin (31). The pivot or pin (31) has a flange onto which the component (30) is pressed by the axial component of the force generated by the ring on the component. The edge of the ring (32) remote from the component (30) is engaged with a stop element, e.g. another flange (34) of the pivot or pin (31). |
| US07957102B1 |
Disk drive including an actuator latch with a torsionally compliant pusher portion
A novel actuator latch includes a catch portion interfering with actuator rotation with the latch in a closed position. The latch includes a first stop portion that is in contact with a fixed member with the latch in the closed position. The latch includes a pusher portion that is in contact with the actuator with the latch in the closed position and with the actuator in an extreme rotational position. The pusher portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location in the range 5 JA/rad·sec2 to 30 JA/rad·sec2, where JA is the rotational inertia of the actuator about the actuator pivot location expressed in units of kg·m2. The first stop portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location that is at least 5 times that of the pusher portion. |
| US07957099B2 |
Thermally assisted magnetic head with optical waveguide and light shield
A thermally assisted magnetic head which can realize high-density writing onto magnetic recording media is provided.The thermally assisted magnetic head includes a magnetic head part having a medium-opposing surface and a back face opposing the medium-opposing surface. The magnetic head part has a recording head part, an optical waveguide, and light shields. The optical waveguide extends along the opposing direction of the medium-opposing surface and back face. Each of the light shields extends along the opposing direction of the medium-opposing surface and back face and inhibits laser light from passing between the medium-opposing surface and back face. The optical waveguide and light shields are arranged on a first line when seen from the back face. When seen from the back face, the light shields oppose each other while interposing the first line therebetween and are arranged on a second line substantially orthogonal to the first line. |
| US07957089B2 |
Servo pattern architecture and method using same to improve LPOS encoding efficiency
A sequential data storage medium, such as for example and without limitation a magnetic tape, comprising a sequence of plurality of servo patterns encoded therein, which provide lateral position information and LPOS information. Each servo pattern comprises a first burst comprising a first pulse, a second pulse, a third pulse, a fourth pulse and a fifth pulse and a second burst comprising a sixth pulse, a seventh pulse, an eighth pulse, a ninth pulse and a tent pulse. The widths of the plurality of pulses, in combination with the spacings between the plurality of pulses, encode two bits of data. |
| US07957088B1 |
Track compensation and skew compensation for drives having flangeless rollers and systems thereof
According to one embodiment, a system includes a plurality of synchronous servo channels, where each channel receives a signal from a servo reader of a magnetic head. The system also includes logic for estimating a tape velocity, logic for determining a first and second time instant representing a time at which a flag is generated by a related servo channel, logic for determining a first and second correction term representing a time difference between a time at which a peak of a correlation signal and a time at which the flag occur, logic for calculating a skew error estimate based on a reference shift value associated with a servo band pair being spanned by a head module, and logic for applying a control signal including a skew correction that corresponds to the calculated skew error estimate to the skew-following loop. Other systems and methods are disclosed as well. |
| US07957084B2 |
Extraction of transducer position information from bit patterned magnetic media
Extracting transducer position information from bit patterned magnetic media includes providing a magnetic storage medium having at least one data array with multiple discrete and separated recording bits and providing the transducer adjacent the data array. A readback signal dependent upon the multiple recording bits is generated with the transducer. Determining the transducer position information further includes generating at least a first position signal and a second position signal from the readback signal. |
| US07957077B2 |
Laser protective eyewear having improved glare protection
A molded optical filter is provided having effective filtering of energy emissions at an optical density (OD) of greater than 4 in three energy emission bands corresponding to the wavelengths of laser emissions while preserving the wearer's ability to differentiate and recognize colors and having a pleasing overall color. The selective optical filter is a moldable polymer filter that has three dyes therein to produce sharp notch filtering ranges at about 530 nm, 700 nm and 1060 nm and a fourth color balance dye therein to adjust the overall color of the filter making it more pleasing and desirable to the wearer. |
| US07957075B2 |
Optical lens system for taking image
An optical lens system for taking image consisting of from the object side to the image side: an aperture stop; a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, at least one of the object-side and the image-side surfaces of the second lens element being aspheric; and a third lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, at least one of the object-side and the image-side surfaces of the third lens element being aspheric. |
| US07957074B2 |
Imaging lens system and imaging apparatus using the imaging lens system
An imaging lens system is provided an includes: in order from the object side, a first lens which has a negative power; a second lens which has a negative power; a third lens; a fourth lens which has a positive power; a fifth lens; and a sixth lens which has a positive power. The first lens is made of glass, and the second to sixth lenses are made of plastic. At least one lens surface of each of the second to sixth lenses is aspheric, and each of the third lens and the fifth lens is made of a material having an Abbe number of 45 or less at the d-line. |
| US07957072B2 |
Method and apparatus for moving a component in an optical sight
A method and apparatus relate to an optical sight having a first section, and having a second section that is movable relative to the first section, and that has optics thereon. One aspect involves: preventing movement of the second section away from a first position past a second position; responding to movement of a member relative to the first section from a third position to a fourth position by moving the second section from the first position to the second position; resiliently urging the second section away from the first position and past the second position when the member is on a side of the fourth position remote from the third position; and releasably retaining the member in a position on a side of the fourth position remote from the third position. |
| US07957071B2 |
Focus adjustment method of zoom lens system
A focus adjustment method of a zoom lens system is provided for correcting a focal point shift caused by manufacturing error. The zoom lens system includes three movable lens groups in which at least two of said lens groups are moved to perform zooming to form an image onto an imaging device. In the zoom lens system, a finite number of focal length positions at which a focus adjustment is performed is provided. The lens group closest to the imaging device out of the three lens groups includes a focusing lens group. A position of the focusing lens group is controlled via pulses of a stepping motor. The focus adjustment method includes the combination of performing the above control of the focusing lens group to determine a position of the focusing lens group via pulses of the stepping motor and determining an amount of adjustment of the imaging device. |
| US07957070B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens includes: first, second and third lens groups having negative refracting power, positive refracting power and positive refracting power, respectively, disposed in the order listed from an object side to an image side, wherein during zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, the first lens group is moved and the second lens group is moved toward the object such that an air space between the first and second lens groups decreases and an air space between the second and third lens groups increases; and the first lens group is formed by first and second lenses, the first and second lenses being disposed in the order listed from the object side to the image side, and the zoom lens satisfying the following Conditional Expressions (1) and (2) nd12>2.0 (1) νd12<21.6 (2). |
| US07957069B2 |
Projection optical system
A projection optical system comprises a plurality of lenses disposed along an optical axis of the projection optical system; wherein the plurality of lenses is dividable into four non-overlapping groups of lenses, such that a total refractive power of each group of lenses is one of a negative refractive power and a positive refractive power; and wherein a refractive power of each lens of the fourth group of lenses is equal to or greater than 0. A lens of the third group of lenses which is disposed directly adjacent to a lens of the fourth group of lenses may have a concave surface facing towards the second object. |
| US07957065B2 |
Skylight collimator with multiple stages
A non-specular skylight collimator has at least two axially successive collimator segments from top to bottom, with the segments becoming successively less flared from top to bottom. A skylight diffuser assembly typically covers the open end of the bottom segment. |
| US07957059B2 |
Device and method for demonstrating optical effects
An optical system includes two lens systems, one that provides viewing of an object with relatively no spherical aberration, and another that provides viewing of the object with significant spherical aberration. Preferably, both lens systems provide viewing of the object with relatively no chromatic aberration. The optical system may have the configuration of binoculars. |
| US07957055B2 |
Pattern generator
The present invention relates to an apparatus for creating a pattern on a workpiece sensitive to radiation, such as a photomask a display panel or a microoptical device. The apparatus may include a source for emitting light flashes, a spatial modulator having modulating elements (pixels), adapted to being illuminated by the radiation, and a projection system creating an image of the modulator on the workpiece. It may further include an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, converting the pattern to modulator signals, and feeding the signals to the modulator. An electronic control system may be provided to control a trigger signal to compensate for flash-to-flash time jitter in the light source. |
| US07957053B2 |
Electro-optic displays
An electro-optic display comprises first and second substrates and a lamination adhesive layer and a layer of an electro-optic material disposed between the first and second substrates, the lamination adhesive layer having a thickness of from about 14 to about 25 μm. |
| US07957051B2 |
Flexible display and a method of producing a flexible display
The invention relates to a flexible display (40) comprising a frontplane (42), positioned on top of the backplane (44). Preferably, the frontplane (44) is laminated on top of the backplane (42). The flexible display (40) further comprises a bonding area (48). In accordance to the invention the frontplane (44) extends over an area (46) substantially corresponding with the bonding area (48). Preferably, the frontplane in the region of the bonding are (48) is provided with spacings (47) for arrangement of suitable electrical contacts for enabling a connectivity to the array of electronic pixels and/or to the array of electro-optic elements. The spacings (47) may be of any suitable shape being arranged individually or being interconnected with each-other to form a sole spacing on top of the bonding area (48). |
| US07957045B2 |
Hologram media reading apparatus
A hologram media reading apparatus including a reference light source, a stop with gray level aperture, and an optical sensor is provided. The reference light source is disposed on one side of a hologram medium, and capable of emitting a reference light beam. The reference light beam is transmitted to the hologram medium. The stop with gray level aperture and the reference light source are disposed on the same side or opposite sides of the hologram medium. The stop with gray level aperture has a light transmissive region, an opaque region, and a transmittance gradually varying region. The opaque region surrounds the light transmissive region. The transmittance gradually varying region surrounds the light transmissive region. A part of the reference beam from the hologram medium passes through the stop with gray level aperture and is transmitted to the optical sensor. |
| US07957044B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An object of an input print job is discriminated, and color conversion processing is applied to the object of the print job based on the discrimination result and information which is set in correspondence with the print job and is used to designate color conversion processing. When the object is a transparent object, the color conversion processing is executed on a rendering color space, and when the object is a gradation object, the color conversion processing is executed on a device color space. |
| US07957038B2 |
Code information printing apparatus, printing method, restoration apparatus, and restoration method
This invention facilitates an operation required to restore a desired file from code information. To accomplish this, a printing apparatus prints code information generated by encoding a file on a first sheet set, and prints identification information required to identify the sheet on which the code information corresponding to the file is printed. A restoration apparatus scans the first and second sheet sets. The restoration apparatus specifies, based on the identification information on the second sheet set, a sheet on which code information corresponding to a desired file is printed. Furthermore, the restoration apparatus restores the desired file by decoding the code information printed on the specified sheet. |
| US07957034B2 |
Image processing apparatus and information processing apparatus
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of preventing a specific image from being added without imposing a burden on the user, at the time of printing image data to which the specific image need not be added. The image processing apparatus includes a processing section configured to process the image data according to processing information, a specific image adding section 63 configured to add the specific image to the image data, and an addition determination section 65 configured to determine whether or not the specific image needs to be added, on the basis of the processing information. When the processing information includes unique information for preventing the image data from being kept confidential, the addition determination section 65 determines that the specific image need not be added. Even when it is set that the specific image is added at the time of processing the image data, the operation of the specific image adding section 63 is restricted so that the specific image is not added. |
| US07957024B2 |
Bookbinding device, bookbinding method, and printing device
A bookbinding system sets one of a right-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the left of a spine portion thereof to generate a right-opening book, and a left-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the right of the spine portion to generate a left-opening book. Also, the bookbinding system executes rotating processing for changing the top-and-bottom directions of image data depending on whether the right-opening bookbinding mode or the left-opening bookbinding mode is set so as to print image data that should be the top page, of image data of multiple pages, on a sheet serving as the top page of body, thereby appropriately generating a right-opening book and a left-opening book. |
| US07957023B2 |
Scan solution system
A document data producing part produces document data in which first meta data is embedded based on a document template and a data source; a printing part prints the document data in a paper document; a scanning part obtains a scanned image from scanning the paper document after predetermined processing is carried out thereon after the printing, and obtains various sorts of information provided at the time of the scanning as second meta data; and a processing part carries out predetermined processing according to the paper document with reference to the document template, based on the first meta data obtained decoded from the scanned image and the second meta data obtained at the time of scanning. |
| US07957022B2 |
Information processing apparatus allowing plurality of users to concurrently log in, and method of controlling the same
An information processing apparatus capable of displaying a predetermined object, such as a file, is configured to allow a plurality of users to access the object. First, a plurality of users are set to a logged-in status. While the plurality of users are set to the logged-in status, one user in the logged-in status and having no access right to an object is permitted to operate the object using an access right of another user in the logged-in status. |
| US07957018B2 |
Coversheet manager application
A method, and a system using the method, of managing and using a profile to be associated with a document. The method includes generating an identifier based on the profile and printing the identifier for use in scanning documents to be associated with the profile. |
| US07957016B2 |
Method and apparatus for image processing
A method for image processing loads a cache line width column of image data into a data cache. The cache line width column of image data is then processed to enhance the image data; and the enhanced image data is then outputted. |
| US07957015B2 |
Managing a control variable for a printing system by means of a database
In a control system or method for input or output of operating information and control data of a printing or copying system, the operating information is input or output with aid of at least one operating unit. The printing or copying system is controlled via a first control unit and at least one second control unit. Control data are transferred between the control units via a data line with aid of a data transfer protocol. A server which the operating unit accesses as a client is provided. At least one part of the transferred control data is input or output with aid of the operating unit of the printing or copying system. |
| US07957012B2 |
Relay device for relaying data from a sensing device to a computer system
A relay device is provided which is configured to relay data processed by a sensing device to a computer system and which has a memory storing an ID of the relay device, a first interface for receiving, from the sensing device, region data of an interactive surface and a sensing device ID, the region data being extracted by the sensing device through sensing coded data on the interactive surface, and a second interface for transmitting the received sensing device ID and the relay device ID to the computer system, receiving, from the computer system, permission to communicate the received region data based on a registration of the sensing device with the relay device recorded in the computer system, and transmitting the received region data to the computer system when said permission is received. |
| US07957011B2 |
Printer printing composited print image planes
A printer is provided having a receiver for receiving compressed print data, a first decoder for decoding continuous tone image planes in the received compressed print data to produce first decoded data, a second decoder for decoding bi-level image planes in the received compressed print data to produce second decoded data, a ditherer for dithering separate image color planes of the first decoded data to produce dithered data, a compositor for compositing the second decoded data with the dithered data to produce composited data, and a printhead for printing the composited data. |
| US07957004B2 |
Interference filter
This invention relates to an interference filter, especially for use in gas detection with infrared light within a chosen range, comprising at least two essentially parallel and partially reflective surfaces with a chosen distance between them thus defining a cavity delimited by the reflecting surfaces between which the light may oscillate, and wherein at least one of said surfaces is partially transparent for transmission of light to or from said cavity. The filter comprises a first transparent material having a high refractive index, e.g. silicon, positioned in at least a part of said cavity, and at least one of said reflective surfaces being divided into a three dimensional pattern with varying shift relative to its plane, thus to provide a position dependent resonance condition between them for separation of different wavelengths in the light. |
| US07957002B2 |
Method for optical measurement and optical measurement apparatus
An optical measurement apparatus can be provided, in which the sample is optically measured without loss of the illuminating light with high sensitivity. A glass plate as the transparent member 50 is placed in the interface between the end face 43 of the optical waveguide 40 guiding the illuminating light L generated by the laser light source 20 and the wall face of the capillary 30. According to the above feature, the air layer is prevented from existing in the interface between the end face 43 of the optical fiber 40 and the wall face of the capillary 30, thus the sample S can be optically measured with high sensitivity and few variability without causing the loss of the illuminating light L. |
| US07957001B2 |
Wavelength-modulation spectroscopy method and apparatus
In one embodiment of the spectroscopy method, the method comprises the steps of modulating the wavelength of a monochromatic radiation at a modulation amplitude and a modulation frequency; determining a first variable representative of an absorbance of an analyte in a sample; and demodulating by phase-sensitive detection the first variable at a harmonic of the modulation frequency to produce a harmonic spectrum of the analyte. In one embodiment of the spectroscopy apparatus, the apparatus comprises a laser diode integrated with a first photodetector configured to detect an intensity of a backward emission from the laser diode and act as a reference detector; a second photodetector configured to detect an intensity of laser radiation exiting a sample; and electronic circuitry coupled to the laser diode and the photodetectors, configured to acquire and process spectra of the sample. In another embodiment, the spectroscopy apparatus comprises a beam splitter configured to split the laser radiation into a first radiation portion and a second radiation portion and a first photodetector configured to detect the intensity of the first radiation portion. |
| US07956999B2 |
Resistivity testing method and device therefor
An object is to efficiently measure the resistivity of a transparent conductive film with high accuracy in a non-destructive and non-contact manner. Provided is a resistivity testing device that includes a light emitting device that emits p-polarized emission light having a wavelength selected by a preliminarily performed test-condition selecting method toward a transparent conductive film, formed on a light-transmissive substrate conveyed along a manufacturing line, from a film-surface side at an incidence angle selected by the method; a light detecting device that detects reflected light reflected at the transparent conductive film; and an information processor that calculates an evaluation value related to the amount of light of the reflected light with respect to the wavelength on the basis of the intensity of the detected light and obtains a resistivity from the calculated evaluation value by using a correlation characteristic in which the evaluation value and the resistivity are associated with each other in advance. |
| US07956993B2 |
Method for increasing accuracy of measurement of mean polarization mode dispersion
A method of determining a mean square differential group delay associated with a length of optical fiber. The method including measuring a polarization mode dispersion vector as a function of frequency, using a frequency-domain polarization mode dispersion measurement apparatus. The method also including calculating a second-order polarization mode dispersion vector as a function of frequency by calculating a derivative of the polarization mode dispersion vector with respect to frequency. Also, calculating the mean of the magnitude of the second-order polarization mode dispersion vector to obtain a first result. Further, multiplying a proportionality coefficient by the first result to calculate the mean square differential group delay. |
| US07956992B2 |
Optical cable testing
A method is disclosed for testing optical fiber connection quality of an optical drop fiber between a telecommunications system and a subscriber connection box in a multi-dwelling unit or other subscriber premises before connection to other subscriber equipment. An end of the optical fiber to be tested is placed in a fiber-holding device, which holds the fiber end in alignment with a suitable reflective body. An optical signal is provided from the system direction which is reflected by the reflective body back towards the system. The reflected signal is detected by a suitable instrument, preferably an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), to confirm acceptable signaling quality of the optical path between the system and the fiber end. |
| US07956991B2 |
Method and apparatus for interactive hyperspectral image subtraction
A method and apparatus of obtaining a spectral image of a plurality of predetermined chemical species. A sample is illuminated to produce photons. These photons are collected to produce a plurality of images for each predetermined chemical species, wherein each image comprises a frame consisting of a plurality of pixels. A wavelength range is identified wherein a chemical species exhibits a unique absorption of radiation. Pixels are identified that do not comprise the chemical species. The steps may be repeated for a plurality of chemical species. If more than one chemical species is present, the contribution of each in a pixel is separated and separate spectral images of each species is composed. |
| US07956990B2 |
Biochip, biochip reader and biochip reading method
A biochip for implementing analysis on the basis of the distribution of a quantity of light of fluorescent light generated at sites disposed thereon, the biochip having, markers formed thereon and defined previously in a positional relationship relative to the sites; and a processor for recognizing positions of the sites on the biochip on the basis of the positions of the markers, wherein the markers are formed of at least one of dyes, pigment, metal colloid bonded to biopolymer, dyes bonded to biopolymer, and pigment bonded to biopolymer. |
| US07956980B2 |
Liquid crystal device with bi- or multistable alignment gratings
A liquid crystal device is described that comprises a layer of liquid crystal material contained between a first cell wall and a second cell wall. The layer of liquid crystal material being switchable between at least a first state and a second state, said first state and said second state having sufficiently low splay to enable rapid electrical switching therebetween. The internal surface of said first cell wall is arranged to provide two or more surface alignment configurations of different pretilt to said layer of liquid crystal material. Said states may persist in the absence of an applied electric field. In particular, the invention relates to pi-cell devices that allow for rapid switching from the initial splay state to the bend states, and also to bistable or multistable pi-cell devices. |
| US07956977B2 |
Liquid crystal display having sealant observation windows
A liquid crystal display includes: a first substrate and a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer filling between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of sealant observation windows arranged on the second substrate, wherein each sealant observation windows is an enclosed pattern formed by smooth curve; and a sealant covering a portion of sealant observation windows and surrounding the liquid crystal layer to bond the first substrate and the second substrate. In the present invention, those sealant observation windows can avoid the condition of unequal cell gap and increase the convenience of monitoring the spreading condition of the sealant. |
| US07956976B1 |
Liquid crystal display device
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can obviate cutting off of a peripheral region of the liquid crystal display device which is provided with an inspection circuit and can surely perform the inspection of an image display even when the peripheral region is narrowed. On a substrate of the liquid crystal display device, a pixel region which is comprised of a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of drain lines and a peripheral region which surrounds the pixel region are formed. A turn-on inspection terminal of the liquid crystal display device are formed on the peripheral region and a semiconductor chip for driving liquid crystal is formed on the inspection terminal. The semiconductor chip is electrically insulated from the inspection terminal. |
| US07956975B2 |
Flat panel display device
A flat panel display device is disclosed. The flat panel display device includes a flat display panel, a driving integrated circuit driving the flat display panel, a cover shield, and a flexible connecting film on which the driving integrated circuit is mounted. The cover shield includes adhesive areas each having an adhesive portion and a non-adhesive area having a non-adhesive portion. An end of the flexible connecting film is electrically connected to an edge of the flat display panel, and the other end is positioned in the non-adhesive area of the cover shield. |
| US07956971B2 |
Liquid crystal display and electronic device having same
There is provided a CPA-type liquid crystal display device in which deterioration in display quality due to application of stress to a liquid crystal panel is suppressed.A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes a first substrate; a second substrate; and a liquid crystal layer of a vertical-alignment type provided therebetween. In each picture element region, a first electrode provided on a side of the first substrate facing the liquid crystal layer includes a solid portion formed of an electrically-conductive film and a non-solid portion in which no electrically-conductive film is formed. The solid portion includes a plurality of unit solid portions each of which is substantially surrounded by the non-solid portion, the plurality of unit solid portions being arranged at least along a first direction. When a voltage is applied, with an oblique electric field generated at an edge of the non-solid portion, the liquid crystal layer within the picture element region forms a liquid crystal domain on each unit solid portion, the liquid crystal domain taking a radially-inclined orientation. The length of the unit solid portion along the first direction is 70 μm or less. |
| US07956970B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device provides, on the internal side of one substrate of a pair of substrates a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of TFTs, a plurality of scan lines and signal lines, and a plurality of convex sections each formed on the internal side of the other substrate so as to be located substantially on a center part of each of the plurality of predetermined regions provided in each of the plurality of pixels. Further, the liquid crystal display device provides an opposing electrode on the internal side of the one substrate. Then, the liquid crystal display device provides vertical alignment films on the respective internal sides of the pair of substrates, and a liquid crystal layer having negative dielectric anisotropy and inserted in the gap between the pair of substrates. |
| US07956969B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the pair of substrates, as well as a source electrode, a Cs intermediate electrode, and a pixel electrode formed on one of the pair of substrates. The liquid crystal display device also includes vertical alignment films formed on the pair of substrates and polymer layers formed on the vertical alignment films, wherein a contact hole, which connects the source electrode and the pixel electrode, and another contact hole, which connects the pixel electrode and the Cs intermediate electrode, are both formed at a liquid crystal domain boundary. |
| US07956966B2 |
Very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD and method for producing the same
Disclosed herein is an very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD included in an LCD polarizer. More specifically, the very thin achromatic quarter wave film laminate for transflective LCD has a considerably reduced thickness, as compared to conventional quarter wave films in which anisotropic polymeric films are laminated. |
| US07956964B2 |
Optical device and method for making the same
A method for making an optical device includes the steps of: rubbing an orienting film so as to stretch the molecular structure thereof and so as to permit the molecular units of the molecular structure to be aligned along a first axis and to permit the orienting space between each adjacent pair of the molecular units of the molecular structure to be oriented in a direction parallel to a second axis; and forming an optical anisotropical layer on the orienting film by applying a liquid crystal film of rod-like molecules on the orienting film which orients the rod-like molecules by virtue of spatial effect of the molecular units and the orienting spaces. |
| US07956961B2 |
Pixel structure, display panel, electro-optical apparatus and manufacturing method of the same
A pixel structure disposed on a substrate having a plurality of protrudent patterns is provided. An area where the protrudent patterns are disposed defines a first display area. The arrangement of the protrudent patterns forms a plurality of arc loci. The arc loci have a same arc center disposed at a corner of the first display area. The abovementioned protrudent patterns avails improvement of a displaying effect of the pixel structure. |
| US07956953B2 |
Light guide plate with spiral-shaped light-guiding units for use in a liquid crystal display device
An optical plate includes a plurality of light-guiding elements. The optical plate includes a first optical surface which a light is incident to and a second optical surface which the light goes out from. The plurality of light-guiding elements disposed on the third optical surface are used for guiding the light incident to the first optical surface. Each light-guiding element includes a first arc portion, a second arc portion, and a third arc portion. Both first ends of the first arc portion and the second arc portion are connected with a first portion of the third arc portion, and a second end of the first arc portion is connected to a second portion of the second arc portion. Each light-guiding element is substantially spiral-shaped. |
| US07956950B2 |
Liquid crystal displays and methods of fabricating the same
In a liquid crystal display, an adhesion layer is provided between an insulating substrate and a wiring feature having very low resistance (e.g. a copper gate line). The adhesion layer may have a thickness of 190 to 210 nm. Good adhesion and high light transmittance can be obtained. |
| US07956946B2 |
Flat-panel display having test architecture
A flat-panel display having simplified test architecture is disclosed for reducing substrate border area. The flat-panel display includes a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of first conductive lines, a plurality of first one-way switching units, a plurality of second one-way switching units, a plurality of control units and a second conductive line. The gate lines are used to deliver gate signals for use in a test. Each first one-way switching unit functions to allow one-way signal transmission from a corresponding first conductive line to a corresponding gate line. Each second one-way switching unit functions to allow one-way signal transmission from a corresponding first conductive line to the second conductive line. The second conductive line is employed to deliver a corresponding gate signal furnished by a corresponding second one-way switching unit. Each control unit controls inputting of test data signals to one corresponding data line. |
| US07956942B2 |
Liquid crystal display and method thereof
A liquid crystal display includes a first gate electrode, a storage electrode having a body and an extension, a first semiconductor formed on a gate insulating layer, a first drain electrode formed on the first semiconductor, separated from a first source electrode, and having an end portion overlapping the first gate electrode, and an expansion overlapping the body of the storage electrode and distanced from the end portion with a connection connecting the end portion and the expansion and overlapping the extension of the storage electrode, a passivation layer having a contact hole exposing the expansion of the first drain electrode, and a first field-generating electrode connected to the first drain electrode through the contact hole. |
| US07956939B2 |
Touch-panel-equipped display module
The present invention provides a touch-panel-equipped display module which arranges a touch panel on a display panel and can maintain a favorable display obviating the adhesion of the touch panel to the display module even when the touch panel is strongly pushed. In the touch-panel-equipped display module which arranges the touch panel on the display panel, the touch panel arranges a plurality of first dot spacers on a surface thereof which faces the display panel in an opposed manner. |
| US07956938B2 |
Retardation compensation plate, retardation compensator, liquid crystal display device, and projection-type image display device
A retardation compensation plate having a birefringent property for compensating residual retardation of a liquid crystal panel includes: a combined unit formed of an optical multi-layered film composed of a plurality of layers having different refractive indices stacked in a regular order and a polymer film. In the retardation compensation plate, the retardation compensation plate and the liquid crystal panel have in-plane retardations that satisfy the relationship: 1 |
| US07956936B2 |
Remote controller and image system comprising the same
An image system includes a digital broadcasting processing apparatus and a remote controller for remotely controlling the digital broadcasting processing apparatus, wherein the remote controller includes a mode switching button for selecting one of a major channel mode and a minor channel mode, a channel search button for sequentially searching major channels and minor channels depending on the selected channel mode, and a radio transmitter which wirelessly transmits information about selection of the mode switching if the mode switching button is selected or information about a searched channel if the channel search button is selected, to a radio receiver. Further, the digital broadcasting processing apparatus includes the radio receiver which wirelessly receives the information and a channel controller which switches a channel mode tuned based on the information on the selection of the mode switching. |
| US07956930B2 |
Resampling and picture resizing operations for multi-resolution video coding and decoding
Techniques and tools for high accuracy position calculation for picture resizing in applications such as spatially-scalable video coding and decoding are described. In one aspect, resampling of a video picture is performed according to a resampling scale factor. The resampling comprises computation of a sample value at a position i,j in a resampled array. The computation includes computing a derived horizontal or vertical sub-sample position x or y in a manner that involves approximating a value in part by multiplying a 2n value by an inverse (approximate or exact) of the upsampling scale factor. The approximating can be a rounding or some other kind of approximating, such as a ceiling or floor function that approximates to a nearby integer. The sample value is interpolated using a filter. |
| US07956927B2 |
Video signal converter and video display device
A video signal converter has a target pixel setting unit which sets up a position of a target pixel of an input video signal, a position parameter feeding unit which supplies a position parameter depending on the position of the target pixel set by the target pixel setting unit, and a characteristic amount calculating unit which calculates a characteristic amount of the input video signal. The video signal converter also has a detection-threshold setting unit which sets up a detection threshold based on the characteristic amount calculated by the characteristic amount calculating unit, a compensation parameter setting unit which determines a compensation parameter based on the position parameter supplied by the position parameter feeding unit and the detection threshold set by the detection-threshold setting unit, and a multiplier which converts a signal of the target pixel set by the target pixel setting unit in the input video signal, based on the compensation parameter determined by the compensation parameter setting unit, and outputs the conversion result. |
| US07956926B2 |
Interactive television devices and systems
An interactive TV device is configured to receive and process multiple broadband input streams simultaneously. The device includes functionality to perform as a Web browser, HF, cable and satellite TV receiver, a digital PVR, an interactive TV set-top box, an advanced central processing unit and a videoconferencing device, thanks to an integrated videoconferencing camera. The present interactive TV device is configured to manage all multimedia sources identically, whether the input is a TV channel, a Web page, or a video stream played back from a data carrier such as a DVD, for example. The present interactive TV device is also configured to enable a user to watch and record a plurality of video streams simultaneously and to display them on four independently manageable quarter screen segments. |
| US07956921B2 |
Imaging apparatus including a separable monitor and capable of wireless communication, and method for controlling the imaging apparatus
An imaging apparatus includes a first part and a second part separable from each other. If the first part and the second part are in a united state, the imaging apparatus stores image data into a storage medium of the first part or a storage medium of the second part. If the first part and the second part are in a separated state, the imaging apparatus stores image data into a storage medium of the first part and transmits the image data stored in its storage medium to the second part. |
| US07956918B2 |
Solid-state image pickup device having improved light shielding characteristics and camera including the same
Provided is a solid-state image pickup device capable of outputting fine quality image signals at high speed. Vertical transfer sections 40 and a distribution transfer section 20 have a common pattern of electrodes for each 2n+1 (n is an integer equal to or greater than 1) and comprise driving electrodes V1 to V6, V3R, V3L, V5R, and V5L, to which driving pulses φV1 to φV6, φV3R, φV3L, φV5R, and φV5L are applied. The driving electrodes V1, V2, V4, and V6 are shared by all columns and the driving electrodes V3, V3R, V3L, V5R, and V5L are independent electrodes which are separated in an island-like manner. The distribution transfer section 20 controls, independently for each column, reading out signal charges from the vertical transfer sections 40 to the horizontal transfer section 10. |
| US07956917B2 |
Sensor apparatus
The present invention relates to a sensor apparatus having a structure capable of obtaining digital values of signal components with a high accuracy using an A/D conversing circuit with the outputted digital value thereof having a small number of expressive bits. In the sensor apparatus, a voltage value corresponding to the amount of incident light to a photodiode is held by a holding circuit through an integrating circuit and a CDS circuit. Meanwhile, a voltage value corresponding to the amount of incident light to an adjacent photodiode is held by another holding circuit through an integrating circuit and a CDS circuit. The voltage values held by the respective different holding circuits are inputted to a subtracting circuit through different paths. The subtracting circuit outputs a voltage value corresponding to the difference between the two inputted voltage values. In an A/D converting section, the difference voltage outputted from the subtracting circuit is converted into a digital value. |
| US07956914B2 |
Imager methods, apparatuses, and systems providing a skip mode with a wide dynamic range operation
Methods, apparatuses and systems provide a high dynamic range mode of operation for an image sensor when operating in a skip mode where certain pixels of an array are not readout. Multiple integration periods are employed in the skip mode with selected pixels being readout through circuits associated with pixels that are not readout. |
| US07956910B2 |
Apparatus and method for correcting image edge
An apparatus and method for correcting an edge are provided. The apparatus includes a luminance corrector obtaining a corrected luminance value of a center pixel in a first window of a predetermined size, the first window located at the edge of the input image, by using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between the center pixel and each of a plurality of adjacent pixels in the first window or a predetermined difference of variance (DoV) value representing the degree of uniformity in the luminance between the center pixel and each of the plurality of adjacent pixels; and a chrominance corrector correcting a chrominance value of the edge using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between a center pixel and a plurality of adjacent pixels to the center pixel in a second window of a predetermined size based on the corrected luminance value. |
| US07956909B2 |
Noise reducing device, electronic camera, and image processing program for reducing image noise by using blackout image
A noise reducing device captures image data obtained by capturing a field with an image capturing part and a plurality of blackout image data obtained by capturing the field with the image capturing part under a light shielded state. This device reduces non-correlative random noise in the plural blackout image data. With random noise reduced, fixed pattern noise appears more accurately in resultant as blackout image data B. This device reduces the fixed pattern noise in the image data by using this blackout image data B. |
| US07956901B2 |
Live-view optical system and image capture apparatus
A live-view optical system A is, in an image capture apparatus capable of obtaining an image of an object in a moving picture mode by reflecting an optical image formed on a focusing plate D from a part of a reflective surface F of a penta-dach mirror B and by re-forming the optical image on a live-view imaging device H, positioned between an opening G of the penta-dach mirror and the live-view imaging device, and re-forms light reflected from the part of the reflective surface on the live-view imaging device, wherein a position of an entrance pupil K satisfies the following conditional expression (1). 0.75<((Dp/2−Y)·Za)/((Ra/√2−Y)·Zp) (1) where Dp is a diameter of the entrance pupil of the live-view optical system, Zp is a distance from the focusing plate to the entrance pupil of the live-view optical system, Y is a maximum image height on the focusing plate, Za is a distance from the focusing plate to the opening of the penta-dach mirror, and Ra is a distance from an optical axis of the live-view optical system to a dach ridgeline. |
| US07956899B2 |
Imaging device and image processing apparatus
An imaging device includes an imager, with which an optical image of an object scene is repetitively captured. A first movement detector detects, as to each of a plurality of object scene images according to a time series output from the imager, a movement of a first feature point between the object scene image and the object scene images immediately before, and a clipper performs clipping processing on each of the plurality of object scene images on the basis of the detection result. When a still image recording operation is performed, a CPU changes an exposure time of the imager in such a direction as to shorten the time, and a second movement detector detects a movement of a second feature point between the object scene image immediately after the recording operation (reference object scene image) and the three object scene images being successive thereto out of a plurality of object scene images, and an adder adds the respective three object scene images to the reference object scene image while displacing the same on the basis of the detection result. |
| US07956894B2 |
Apparatus and method for computerized multi-media medical and pharmaceutical data organization and transmission
An apparatus for multi-media data organization and transmission is provided. The apparatus has a computer having a microprocessor, a memory storage, a display for providing information to a user, and an input device. An image-recording device is electrically-coupled to the computer for capturing images for storage in the memory storage of the computer. A database, which has a structure defined in the memory storage, receives and stores a plurality of information relating to an event. A program, being executable by the computer, provides a graphical user interface on the display. The program has an imaging module with document and image capture filing and scanning functions. The graphical user interface receives an input from the input device and from the image-recording device. In a further aspect of the invention, the program has a communications module for transmission of the plurality of information relating to the event to a remote location. |
| US07956892B2 |
Method of distributing sports entertainment
A method for distributing sports entertainment includes the step of providing a plurality of video cameras positioned on vehicles or athletes that are participating in sporting events, transmitters for transmitting information from the plurality of cameras to a processing station, retransmission equipment for directing the camera feed from each of the plurality of cameras to separate channels for distribution and remote viewing at viewers' locations, and channel selectors that permit viewers to select from among the various channels, thereby allowing the viewers to select from the plurality of camera feeds. The cameras are simultaneously operated during the sporting event so as to generate a plurality of camera feeds during the event, each feed reflecting the perspective of an individual participant. The plurality of feeds is received by the retransmission equipment and retransmitted to selectable channels, each channel being associated with a respective camera feed. A viewer is thus allowed to select from the plurality of channels to thus enable his or her viewing of the sports event through the perspective of the participant of greatest interest to the viewer. |
| US07956891B2 |
Camera control apparatus and method, and camera control system
A camera control system having a terminal device connected to a plurality of cameras via a network is provided. In response to an operation that exceeds a maximum control value (maximum control angle) of the PTZ of a camera that is the target of control, the terminal device displays peripheral camera information, which corresponds to a shooting direction in which the operation has been requested, together with video shot by the camera being controlled. The peripheral camera information includes installation camera position information, viewable angle information, control status information and peripheral map information as well as at least one item of captured video from a camera other than the camera being controlled. |
| US07956889B2 |
Video surveillance system
Viewing a three dimensional area from numerous camera angles at different exposures using intensity and chromaticity data at the different exposures to create a pixel model for each pixel. A current image is compared with the background model to find pixels that have changed from their pixel model. These novel pixels are processed using contiguous region detection and grouped into foreground figures. For each camera, software extracts features from each foreground figure. A central processor maintains an object model for each foreground figure. A graphical user interface displays the relative locations of foreground figures in a world model. The location and identification of the foreground figures is checked against a table of permissions so as to selectively generate an alert. If a figure leaves or is about to leave a cell, the invention accounts for its approximate position and notifies adjacent cells of the expected arrival of the foreground figure. |
| US07956888B2 |
Remote video inspection system integrating audio communication functionality
Remote viewing devices and methods are provided to communicate audio information to and/or from a user of the remote viewing device. The audio information can serve an entertainment purpose, and/or can be instructional in order to provide training, guidance and/or feedback to the user prior to or during the inspection process. The audio information can be stored onto physical media such as a CD/DVD disk or a tape, or can be stored as data, such as MP3 data stored within memory accessible to the device. Outputted audio information can be generated by one or more speakers located within the body of the device or located within a headset having a wire line or wireless connection with the remote viewing device. |
| US07956884B2 |
Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus
In an optical scanning device employing a multi-beam scanning method, a surface emitting laser light source includes laser emission sources; a parallel-plate-like quarter wavelength plate is arranged between the surface emitting laser light source and a first optical system; a light-intensity detecting unit separates light intensity of the laser beams of which form is converted by the first optical system and detects separated laser beams; and a light-intensity adjusting unit adjusts emission intensity of the laser emission sources individually based on a detection result by the light-intensity detecting unit. The quarter wavelength plate is arranged so that an optical axis thereof is tilted ±45 degrees with respect to the main-scanning direction around an optical axis of the first optical system. |
| US07956881B2 |
Printing apparatus and printing method
A printing apparatus includes a takeup reel driving motor which, after printing, takes up an ink ribbon to eliminate a slack in the ink ribbon. The printing apparatus includes a control device for comparing a distance (a) over which the ink ribbon R is taken up to eliminate the slack in the ink ribbon R with a distance (b) from a print end position to a print start position for a next color. |
| US07956877B2 |
Converting a three primary color input signal into four signals
A method of converting a three primary color input signal into a four primary color drive signal, includes defining three functions representing the first, second, and third drive signals as a function of the fourth drive signal, determining the intersection values of the fourth drive signal at a set of intersections of the three functions mutually, and of the three functions and a line defined by the fourth drive signal being equal to itself, determining boundary values of a valid range of the fourth drive signal in which all drive signals have valid values, determining calculated values of the first, second and third drive signals at the intersection values and the boundary values, calculating the maximum value (Vmax) or minimum value (Vmin) of the calculated values at the intersection, and selecting the intersection value at which the maximum value or minimum value is minimum or maximum, respectively. |
| US07956876B2 |
Drive method of display device, drive unit of display device, program of the drive unit and storage medium thereof, and display device including the drive unit
In one embodiment of the present invention, in the case of dark display on sub-pixels, a sub-frame processing section is disclosed which sets video data for a sub-frame to a value falling within the range for dark display, and increases or decreases video data for a sub-frame so as to control luminance of the sub-pixels. In the case of bright display, the sub-frame processing section sets video data to a value falling within the range for bright display, and increase or decreases video data so as to control luminance of the sub-pixels. A modulation processing section corrects video data of each frame and then outputs corrected video data to the sub-frame processing section. Also, the modulation processing section predicts luminance that the sub-pixels reach at the end of the frame and then stores prediction results for correction and prediction in the subsequent frame. This realizes a display device which is brighter, has a wider range of viewing angles, restrains deteriorated image quality caused by excessive emphasis of grayscale transition, and has improved moving image quality. |
| US07956871B2 |
Color disparity correction in image sensors methods and circuits
A method of displaying a captured image includes using an array of pixels to capture an image. The array of pixels includes a first plurality of pixels of a first color, a second plurality of pixels of a second color, and a third plurality of pixels of a third color. The pixels are arranged into rows and columns and the pixels of the third plurality of pixels have two different arrangements within the array of pixels with respect to neighboring pixels. The method includes, for each pixel in the third plurality of pixels, normalizing the pixel's value as a function of the pixel values of at least six other pixels in the third plurality of pixels. The method also includes displaying the captured image using a normalized value for the pixel value of each pixel in the third plurality of pixels. |
| US07956865B2 |
Method and system for modification of EPG object attributes
A system for identifying prior selection of specific display information on an EPG. In one embodiment, a user selects an object on a screen, and upon selection of the object, an attribute of the object (e.g., color, transparency, etc.) is modified. The modified value is saved into memory so the user may later identify that the specific object was selected. Each subsequent selection will modify the attribute further, allowing the user to identity that the object was selected a number of times. In one embodiment, the attribute will continue to be modified until a specific expiration limit has been reached. |
| US07956863B2 |
Computer readable medium for modifying an animation wire frame
An animation wireframe is modified with three-dimensional (3D) range and color data having a corresponding shape surface. The animation wireframe is vertically scaled based on distances between consecutive features within the 3D range and color data and corresponding distances within the generic animation wireframe. For each animation wireframe point, the location of the animation wireframe point is adjusted to coincide with a point on the shape surface. The shape surface point lies along a scaling line connecting the animation wireframe point, the shape surface point and an origin point. The scaling line is within a horizontal point. |
| US07956862B2 |
Determining camera motion
Camera motion is determined in a three-dimensional image capture system using a combination of two-dimensional image data and three-dimensional point cloud data available from a stereoscopic, multi-aperture, or similar camera system. More specifically, a rigid transformation of point cloud data between two three-dimensional point clouds may be more efficiently parameterized using point correspondence established between two-dimensional pixels in source images for the three-dimensional point clouds. |
| US07956861B2 |
Method for checkerboard-based vector to raster conversion
Provided is a method for converting an input vector outline image to an output monochrome raster image consisting of only corner-contiguous pixels in a checkerboard pattern. Using a combination of a monochrome checkerboard raster image and a vector-based diamond grid, a determination is made as to which output raster pixels are activated. Efficiencies in file size and computational complexity are realized by using a checkerboard pattern and only half the possible number of raster output pixels. The method improves monitor and printer raster displays for any personal computing or related device, reducing the need for anti-aliasing and font hinting. |
| US07956860B2 |
Subdividing geometry images in graphics hardware
A system may include a graphics memory, a data bus, a processor, and a vertex shader. The data bus may be operatively connected to the graphics memory. The processor may send vertex data to the graphics memory via the data bus. The vertex shader may read the vertex data from the graphics memory and may subdivide the vertex data into subdivided vertex data. The vertex shader may also write the subdivided vertex data to the graphics memory. |
| US07956858B2 |
Integrated photonics module and devices using integrated photonics modules
An integrated photonics module includes at least one light source and a MEMS scanner coupled to and held in alignment by an optical frame configured for mounting to a host system. According to some embodiments, the integrated photonics module may include a plurality of light sources and a beam combiner coupled to the optical frame. According to some embodiments, the integrated photonics module includes a selective fold mirror configured to direct at least a portion of emitted light toward the MEMS scanner in a normal direction and pass scanned light through to a field of view. The selective fold mirror may use beam polarization to select beam passing and reflection. The integrated photonics module may include a beam rotator such as a quarter-wave plate to convert the polarization of the emitted light to a different polarization adapted for passage through the fold mirror. The integrated photonics module may include one or more light detectors. |
| US07956856B2 |
Method and apparatus of generating or reconstructing display streams in video interface systems
A method and system for reading data from a link buffer for output to a display device. A link buffer read period is determined which balances a write throughput over a source video frame time and a read throughput over a display frame time. A threshold is determined indicating a required number of pixels stored in a link buffer prior to starting to read data out of the link buffer for a next line display. A read signal is issued when the link buffer read period ends and the threshold is reached. |
| US07956855B2 |
Display device using enhanced gate driver
A display device includes: a plurality of gate lines for transmitting a gate signal; a plurality of data lines for transmitting a data signal; a plurality of switching elements connected to the gate lines and the data lines; a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the switching elements; a gate driver connected to the gate lines and including a gate signal generation mechanism for generating the gate signal and applying the gate signal to the gate lines; a data driver for applying the data signal to the data lines; a signal controller for receiving and processing incoming image signals to be supplied to the data driver, the signal controller generating a first gate control signal for controlling the gate driver and generating a data control signal for controlling the data driver; and a signal generator for receiving the first gate control signal and generating second and third gate control signals based on the received first gate control signal, wherein the gate driver is capable of receiving the second and third gate control signals, wherein the gate driver generates the gate signal based on the second and third gate signals, and wherein the period of the first gate control signal is the same as the period of the second and third gate control signals. |
| US07956853B2 |
Apparatus operating system
An apparatus operating system includes a display unit and an input operation apparatus. The display unit displays an electronic map and an operation menu included in a multi-layer hierarchical structure. The input operation apparatus is a rotary switch or joy-stick enabled to input an operation direction or operation amount. When the input operation apparatus is operated with no operation menu displayed, the display unit displays a specific operation menu previously associated with the inputted operation direction or operation amount. |
| US07956849B2 |
Video manager for portable multifunction device
A video player for a portable multifunction device is disclosed. In some embodiments, a list of video items is displayed in a portrait orientation of a touch screen display of a portable electronic device. Upon user selection of a respective video item in the list, the user selected video item is automatically displayed in a landscape orientation of the touch screen display. |
| US07956848B2 |
Video chapter access and license renewal
Methods, systems, and programs products for license renewal and content chapter access. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a gesture input incident on a touch-sensitive surface to renew a content license, where the license identifies the content and a first period of time during which the content can be accessed. In another aspect, a method includes receiving a gesture input incident on a touch-sensitive surface. In response to the gesture input, a number of chapter indicators for content are presented, each chapter indicator including a thumbnail image and associated with a an offset in the content. In response to a second gesture input, the content from the selected chapter indicator's respective offset is played. |
| US07956847B2 |
Gestures for controlling, manipulating, and editing of media files using touch sensitive devices
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and software for implementing gestures with touch sensitive devices (such as a touch sensitive display) for managing and editing media files on a computing device or system. Specifically, gestural inputs of a human hand over a touch/proximity sensitive device can be used to control, edit, and manipulate files, such as media files including without limitation graphical files, photo files and video files. |
| US07956844B2 |
Handheld electronic device providing a learning function to facilitate correction of erroneous text entry in environment of text requiring multiple sequential actuations of the same key, and associated method
A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with disambiguation software that is operable to disambiguate text input. In addition to identifying and outputting representations of language objects that are stored in the memory and that correspond with a text input, the device provides a learning function which facilitates providing proposed corrected output by the device in certain circumstances of erroneous input. |
| US07956842B2 |
Pointing input system and method using one or more array sensors
In a pointing input system and method, a pointer applies a light spot on a screen, an array sensor shoots on the screen to generate a first data for an identification system to retrieve a second data therefrom, the second data includes the position information of the light spot for an information system to apply a correlated output on the screen. The second data is generated based on an optical distortion information and a spatial rotation and displacement information determined by an alignment procedure that comprises applying an input for alignment on the screen for the array sensor to shoot to generate an alignment data, and comparing the alignment data with a reference data. |
| US07956841B2 |
Stylus-based addressing structures for displays
Novel addressing schemes for controlling electronically addressable displays include a scheme for rear-addressing displays, which allows for in-plane switching of the display material. Other schemes include a rear-addressing scheme which uses a retroreflecting surface to enable greater viewing angle and contrast. Another scheme includes an electrode structure that facilitates manufacture and control of a color display. Another electrode structure facilitates addressing a display using an electrostatic stylus. Methods of using the disclosed electrode structures are also disclosed. Another scheme includes devices combining display materials with silicon transistor addressing structures. |
| US07956839B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing the power of illumination devices
An apparatus for managing the power of an illumination device supplied by a power source includes a switch, a switch controller, an imaging unit, and a pattern recognition unit. The switch is configured for electrically connecting or disconnecting the illumination device and the power source. The switch controller is configured for controlling the switch, thereby switching off the illumination device. The imaging unit is configured for capturing an image of an illuminated area illuminated by the illumination device. The pattern recognition unit is configured for detecting whether any person is contained in the captured image, and if not, instructing the switch controller to switch off the illumination device. |
| US07956837B2 |
Method for eliminating shadow around support pin of LED backlight
A method for eliminating shadow around a support pin of an LED backlight is provided. The method includes determining a luminance value for the plurality of LEDs according to a gray level distribution of pixels around the support pin, and setting the plurality of LEDs to the luminance value. The method may also include adjusting gray levels of related pixels according to the luminance profile of pixels around the support pin. |
| US07956835B2 |
Display device
An image display device includes a first display panel having a substrate with first scanning lines, first signal lines which intersect the first scanning lines, and first switching elements, a second display panel having another substrate with second scanning lines, second signal lines which intersect the second scanning lines, and second switching elements, and a flexible printed circuit board connecting the first display panel with the second display panel. The image display device drives the first display panel in a line inversion mode when only the first display panel displays images, drives the second display panel in a frame inversion mode when only the second display panel displays images, and drives the first display panel and the second display panel in the line inversion mode when both of the first display panel and second display panel display images. |
| US07956833B2 |
Display driver, electro-optical device, and electronic instrument
A display driver includes a common electrode charge storage switch provided between a first capacitor element connection node to which one end of a first capacitor element can be connected and a common electrode voltage output node to which a voltage of a common electrode opposite to a pixel electrode of an electro-optical device through an electro-optical material is supplied, a source charge storage switch provided between a second capacitor element connection node to which one end of a second capacitor element can be connected and a source voltage output node to which a voltage of a source line of the electro-optical device is supplied, and a node short circuit switch provided between the common electrode voltage output node and the source voltage output node. |
| US07956831B2 |
Apparatus, systems, and methods for dimming an active matrix light-emitting diode (LED) display
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for dimming pixels on an active matrix light-emitting diode display. One apparatus includes an LED couplable between a voltage source and ground. First and second pulse-width modulation (PWM) drivers are also coupled to the LED. A system includes a plurality of LEDs forming a plurality of rows coupled between a voltage source and ground. A plurality of PWM drivers, each coupled to each of the LEDs in one of the plurality of rows, and a global PWM driver coupled to each of the plurality of LEDs in each of the plurality of rows are also included. One method includes providing current to each LED of a row of LEDs for a first portion of a cycle via a PWM driver, and providing current to each LED in the row for a second portion of the cycle via a different PWM driver. |
| US07956826B2 |
Electroluminescent display device to display low brightness uniformly
An electroluminescent (EL) display device has current-driven pixels and is operable in at least two phases within each frame period. In one phase, one of a first plurality (31) of analogue drive currents can be driven through EL display element. In another longer phase, one of a second plurality (33) of analogue drive currents is independently driven through the EL display element. This device combines a time ratio method with an analogue drive scheme. A shorter phase may provide the higher resolution (smaller) increments and one longer phase may provide lower resolution (larger) increments. Low brightness outputs can be achieved with a higher drive current, but over a short duration, which reduces non-uniformity in the pixel output. |
| US07956825B2 |
Pixel circuit for an active matrix organic light-emitting diode display
Systems and methods associated with a pixel circuit for an OLED element are disclosed herein. |