| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08099035B2 |
Induction heated member
Exemplary embodiments provide an induction heating member including a substrate and a heating layer disposed on the substrate. The heating layer includes carbon nanotubes and metal. An outer layer is disposed on the heating layer and includes a fluoropolymer. |
| US08099030B2 |
Apparatus and method for development of potential images, produced on an intermediate image carrier, for an electrographic printing or copying device
In a system or method for development of potential images of images to be printed and generated on an intermediate image carrier using a developer fluid comprising charged toner particles and developer fluid in an electrographic printing or copying device, a feed device is provided comprising as function elements at least one chamber scraper, a raster element comprising cups to receiver the developer fluid, and at least one first flow element arranged in the chamber scraper. Between the at least one flow element and the raster element an electrical voltage is supplied such that a toner particle concentration in the cups of the raster element is increased. An application device accepts the developer fluid from the feed device and supplies it to the intermediate image carrier. |
| US08099027B2 |
Developer containing device and image forming apparatus into/from which developer containing device is installed and removed
A developer containing device includes: a developer container configured to contain developer and to be inserted into a receptacle defined in an image forming apparatus main body; a developer feed inlet provided in a forward end of the developer container which is inserted into the receptacle in an insertion direction and for feeding the developer contained in the developer container into the image forming apparatus main body; and an opening and closing member that opens the developer feed inlet with movement of the developer container in the insertion direction when the developer container is inserted into the receptacle and closes the developer feed inlet with movement of the developer container in opposition to the insertion direction when the developer container is removed from the receptacle, the opening and closing member having a protrusion formed to protrude inward of the opening and closing member and allowed to engage with a recess provided in the developer container and being arranged to be allowed to move on the outside of the developer container in a direction intersecting with the insertion direction of the developer container, and when the developer container is inserted into the receptacle, a developer container outside section sliding into the opening and closing member being brought to one side of the opening and closing member in the direction intersecting with the insertion direction of the developer container, then the protrusion being released from an engageable state. |
| US08099026B2 |
Development device and image forming apparatus capable of reducing stress applied to developer
A development device includes a development roller, a developer storage, a first rotating member, a second rotating member, and a rotation speed adjuster. The development roller carries a developer containing non-magnetic toner and magnetic carrier. The developer storage stores the developer. The first rotating member is provided in the developer storage at a position near the development roller. The second rotating member is provided in the developer storage at a position farther from the development roller than the first rotating member is. The first rotating member and the second rotating member agitate and convey the developer stored in the developer storage to supply the agitated developer to the development roller. The rotation speed adjuster adjusts a rotation speed of the second rotating member depending on an amount of new toner supplied to the developer storage. |
| US08099019B2 |
Developing-transferring module and image forming apparatus having the same
A developing-transferring module includes a sub frame which is detachably mounted to a main frame, a plurality of photosensitive units which are disposed inside the sub frame with a predetermined interval and includes a photosensitive body to which a developer is attached, and a intermediate transferring unit which are provided inside the sub frame disposed opposite the plurality of photosensitive units so that the developer of the photosensitive units can be primarily transferred thereto and secondarily transfers the primarily transferred developer to a record medium of the main frame. |
| US08099008B2 |
Image heating apparatus with control means for controlling power to the coil that generates magnetic flux
An image heating apparatus includes a coil for generating a magnetic flux by a current flowing therethrough; an image heating member having an electroconductive layer in which an eddy current is produced by the magnetic flux by which heat is generated, the image heating member being effective to heat an image on a recording material; an electroconductive magnetic flux adjusting member movable from a first position and a second position to decrease the eddy current produced in the image heating member by the magnetic flux; a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of image heating member; electric power control means for control electric power supplied to the coil on the basis of an output of the temperature sensor, wherein the electric power control means changes an electric power condition to be supplied to the coil before start of the movement from the first position to the second position of magnetic flux adjusting member. |
| US08099004B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming apparatus control method
An image forming apparatus includes a first image carrier that carries a first latent image. A first charging section charges the first image carrier. A first exposure section exposes the first image carrier charged by the first charging section. A first developing section develops the first latent image formed on the first image carrier in the first exposure section using a first liquid developer containing a carrier and first toner particles. A first primary transfer section transfers a first image developed in the first developing section onto a transfer medium. A second image carrier carries a second latent image. A second charging section charges the second image carrier. A second exposure section exposes the second image carrier charged by the second charging section. |
| US08099003B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image forming method for eliminating image defects by considering a kind of transfer material
An image forming apparatus and method which can take a countermeasure against a tail or the like in consideration of differences of various conditions such as a kind of transfer paper and the like is provided. The apparatus has an image processing portion for extracting an image pattern whose image information has a concentration of 100% and executing a thin-out process for thinning out a predetermined area in the extracted image pattern at a predetermined ratio. The image processing portion or step changes the thin-out process according to the transfer paper kind. |
| US08099002B2 |
Developing device of image forming apparatus using a toner and carrier mixture
According to an embodiment of the invention, degradation of carrier in a case is detected from the number of rotations of a developing roller. A predetermined quantity of carrier is replenished every time the developing roller reaches a predetermined number of rotations. An excess developer caused by an increase in bulk through carrier replenishment is discharged from a developer discharge port. The degraded old carrier in the case is replaced by new carrier little by little. |
| US08099001B2 |
Developer cartridge and developer device for detecting the amount of developer in the developer cartridge
A developer cartridge and developing device are provided. The developer cartridge is attachable to and detachable from a developing housing, the developing housing comprising a drive gear for transmitting a driving force to the developer cartridge. The developer cartridge includes a cartridge housing that is configured to accommodate developer; a first passage portion provided in the cartridge housing to allow a passage of a detection light for detecting an amount of the developer accommodated in the cartridge housing; an agitator provided in the cartridge housing and configured to agitate the developer by the driving force; a transmission gear configured to mesh with the drive gear to transmit the driving force to the agitator, the transmission gear meshing with the drive gear when the developer cartridge is installed in the developing housing; and a second passage portion provided in the transmission gear to allow the passage of the detection light. |
| US08098998B2 |
Optical transmitter
A technology to automatically control the biasing of an optical duobinary transmitter using a single-drive LN-MZ modulator is provided. A low-frequency signal is amplitude modulated onto a voltage signal input into a Mach-Zehnder optical modulator 22. The optical output from the optical modulator 22 is detected by an optical detection subsystem 30. In a bias control subsystem 40, the low-frequency signal component amplitude modulated onto the electrical signal is detected from the optical output, and a DC bias voltage applied to the optical modulator is controlled such that the low-frequency signal component is either minimized or maximized. |
| US08098997B2 |
Optical modulator and optical transmitter
A reduction in size and cost of an optical modulator is achieved with a simple configuration, while improving the modulation characteristics. An optical modulator modulates light branched by an optical coupler and then couples the light via the optical coupler. The optical coupler is formed in a substrate having electro-optic effects. An optical waveguide is formed in the substrate and, includes a turnback section and ends into which the light branched by the optical coupler is input. A signal electrode is provided in the substrate along the optical waveguide. A modulation signal to modulate the light passing through the optical waveguide is input to the signal electrode. |
| US08098992B2 |
Multipurpose infrared apparatus and display apparatus thereof
The present invention relates to a multipurpose infrared apparatus and a display apparatus thereof. The display apparatus includes a display panel and the multipurpose infrared apparatus, wherein the multipurpose infrared apparatus includes an infrared light emitted diode (hereinafter refer to as, IR LED) transmitter, an IR receiver and a microcontroller. The IR LED transmitter is used for transmitting infrared ray. The IR receiver is used for receiving infrared ray. The microcontroller utilizes the Time-Division Multiplexing method to control the IR LED transmitter and receiver to achieve the distance detecting, the remote control signal receiving and an ambient light detecting. |
| US08098987B2 |
Optical transmitting and receiving apparatus and method for analyzing abnormality or failure of the optical transmitting and receiving apparatus
An optical transmitting and receiving apparatus 1 has a transmitting circuit unit 20 including a light emitting element 2 and a driving circuit 3 which drives the light emitting element 2, a receiving circuit unit 30 including a light receiving element 5 and amplification circuit 6 which amplifies a signal received from the light receiving element 5, a judging unit 8 which judges an abnormality or failure of either or both of the transmitting circuit unit 20 and the receiving circuit unit 30 based on a measured data value provided from the transmitting circuit unit 20 and/or the receiving circuit unit 30, and a measured value storing unit 9 which stores the measure data value in the case that the judging unit 8 judges the abnormality or failure occurs in the transmitting circuit unit 20 and/or the receiving circuit unit 30. |
| US08098984B2 |
Focus detecting apparatus and an imaging apparatus
Disclosed is a focus detecting apparatus detecting an image offset of an optical system. The apparatus comprises a micro lens array arranged with a plurality of micro lenses, a photo-detector having a plurality of detecting elements provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of micro lenses and receiving an optical beam from the optical system via the micro lenses, and a calculator that selects a pair of detecting elements from the plurality of detecting elements in accordance with a plurality of aperture values of the optical system and calculates an image offset of the optical system based on outputs from the pair of detecting elements. The pair of detecting elements receive respectively a pair of optical beams passing through different areas of the optical system. |
| US08098982B2 |
Image shake correction apparatus and image pickup apparatus
An image shake correction apparatus includes: a fixed member; a first guide shaft; a second guide shaft; an intermediate member; and a movable member. |
| US08098981B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus and information storage medium storing image information
An image processing method and apparatus for automatically rotating an image and a display unit, and an information storage medium storing image information. The apparatus including a photographing unit which generates image data and a rotation sensing unit which generates rotational information of a rotation state of the photographing unit. When an object is photographed, the rotation information of the image is obtained and stored together, and when the image is displayed, the rotation is analyzed and the image and display unit are automatically rotated. When an image including moving picture information is watched, an image always optimized to be horizontal without additional work by a user can be seen. |
| US08098972B2 |
Reproduced signal processor and video display
In a feedforward control type reproduced signal processor, a clock generator 1 changes a clock frequency, depending on a digital value set by a digital value generator 7. Therefore, power consumption of a system is optimized and control is facilitated. Moreover, when a frequency lock state is established in which a frequency ratio calculated by a frequency ratio calculator 3 satisfies a set condition, a modulation component having a small change is generated using a clock of a clock generator 1. Therefore, the digital value is updated with the modulation component, so that a change in clock frequency of the clock generator 1 gradually varies. As a result, the influence of the change in clock frequency on the response of a decoding process is reduced. |
| US08098959B2 |
Method and system for frame rotation within a JPEG compressed pipeline
A system and methods for rotating and compressing digital image data is presented. The system includes an image sensor that vertically and horizontally flips a digital image, an image processor that converts the image into the YCbCr color space, reorder buffers that divide the YCbCr component data into component blocks and rotate the component blocks, and a JPEG encoder that applies JPEG compression to the rotated component blocks. The JPEG encoder differentially encodes DC coefficients of the component blocks in an order that corresponds to the desired rotated image. An index is created by the JPEG encoder that allows for the reconstruction and storing of the rotated component blocks as a rotated JPEG image. |
| US08098954B2 |
Distorted aberration correction processing apparatus
A distorted aberration correction processing apparatus includes DRAM and SRAM for storing an object image from an optical system. Further, the distorted aberration correction processing apparatus includes: a first address control circuit for reading out a pixel in the DRAM on a unit basis of an area including a plurality of the pixels along a curve corresponding to a distorted aberration of an optical system and writing the read-out pixel in SRAM; and a second address control circuit for reading out a pixel in the SRAM on a pixel basis and outputting the pixel read out on a pixel basis to an output portion so as to suppress the distorted aberration of the optical system. The first address control circuit effects control so that the signal of the areas is sequentially read out in a predetermined order, and the second address control circuit effects random access control. |
| US08098947B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing image data by rearranging wavelet transform data
An image data processing apparatus includes a memory for storing coefficient data obtained by performing a wavelet transform on image data, a calculation unit for calculating a memory address of the memory storing the coefficient data, based on an encoding parameter of the image data and an amount of data of the coefficient data, a memory area reservation unit for reserving a memory area where the coefficient data is to be written, in accordance with the memory address calculated by the calculation unit, and a write unit for rearranging the coefficient data in the order of inverse wavelet transform and writing the order-rearranged coefficient data onto the memory area reserved by the memory area reservation unit. |
| US08098942B2 |
Systems and methods for color data compression
Systems and methods are provided for reducing data size of at least one bitmap image, wherein the bitmap image comprises a plurality of color blocks, wherein each color block is associated with a distinct color plane. In some embodiments, the bitmap image may be compressed. At least one compressed color block that is contained in a transfer frame may be determined, based on information pertaining to a physical offset between successive color planes when they are rendered on a print medium. Further, at least one compressed color block in the transfer frame may be tagged, if the size of the transfer frame exceeds a threshold, and the resolution of the at least one compressed color block that is tagged may be reduced. |
| US08098936B2 |
Method and apparatus for detecting objects in an image
A method of detecting generally rectangular objects in an image comprises determining candidate rectangles in the image based on detected corners in the image, ranking the candidate rectangles on the basis of a set of differentiating factors and detecting objects in the images based on the ranked candidate rectangles. |
| US08098935B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing pattern data in a mobile terminal
Provided is an improved apparatus and method for recognizing pattern data. The method including extracting a high frequency component with Y data from pattern data sensed through a camera equipped in a mobile station to more clearly recognize edge portions. The high frequency component and the Y data are weighted with predetermined weights, and input data is generated using the high frequency component and Y data weighted with the pre-set weights. Accordingly, edge portions of the input data are more clearly defined, thereby increasing a recognition rate of the pattern data. |
| US08098932B2 |
Color correction method and apparatus of display apparatus
The invention discloses a color correction method for adjusting the color performance of a display apparatus. The color correction method first displays a plurality of images on a panel of the display apparatus and measures the chromatic value and the luminance of each image so as to obtain the color characteristics of the display apparatus. According to the color characteristics, a corresponding color matrix is generated which is located at the CIE XYZ color space. Next, an output matrix is outputted by performing an operation between the color matrix and a gain matrix. Next, the elements in gain matrix are adjusted in order to have the output matrix be equal to a target matrix substantially. Finally, the display apparatus is set for calibrating the color performance thereof in accordance with the elements of the adjusted gain matrix. |
| US08098928B2 |
Apparatus for picking up objects
An apparatus for picking up objects including a robot for picking up an object, at least one part of the object having a curved shape, having a storing means for storing a gray gradient distribution model of the object, a recognizing means for recognizing a gray image of the object, a gradient extracting means for extracting a gray gradient distribution from the gray image recognized by the recognizing means, an object detecting means for detecting a position or position posture of the object in the gray image in accordance with the gray gradient distribution extracted by the gradient extracting means and the gray gradient distribution model stored by the storing means, a detection information converting means for converting information of the position or position posture detected by the object detecting means into information of position or position posture in a coordinate system regarding the robot; and a robot moving means for moving the robot to the position or position posture converted by the detection information converting means to pick up the object. Thus, the object having a curved shape can be detected and picked up in a reasonably short period of time. |
| US08098926B2 |
Method and system for evaluating an evaluated pattern of a mask
A method, system and a computer program product for evaluating an evaluated pattern of a mask, the method includes: receiving multiple moments that represent an image of the evaluated pattern; wherein a size of information required for representing the multiple moments is substantially smaller than a size of pixel information that form the image of the evaluated pattern; and processing the multiple moments in order to determine at least one shape parameter of the evaluated pattern. |
| US08098923B2 |
Sheet metal processing examination
For examining a metal sheet processing operation, a method includes scanning a detection beam along a processed metal sheet by causing a relative movement between the detection beam and the processed metal sheet, during the scanning, determining a position of an edge of the metal sheet hole by monitoring the detection beam, determining, from the determined hole edge position, a geometric configuration of the metal sheet hole, performing a comparison of the determined geometric configuration of the metal sheet hole with a corresponding desired hole configuration; and then sending a signal indicating information about the metal sheet processing operation, based upon the comparison. |
| US08098922B2 |
Selective imaging of data printed on financial instruments
Systems and processes for processing financial instruments include receiving a physical financial instrument, printing data on the received physical financial instrument, and capturing an image of the physical financial instrument to produce an electronic image. At least a portion of the data printed on the physical financial instrument is printed in a manner that substantially precludes reproduction in the electronic image. The electronic image is transmitted across a network, for example, to perform electronic processing, such as posting or clearing. |
| US08098919B2 |
Three-dimensional reconstruction of an object from projection photographs
A method for the three-dimensional reconstruction of an object, or its surroundings, in a moving body volume of a patient includes obtaining a series of X-ray projection photographs produced from different directions, with a relevant ECG phase or respiration being recorded simultaneously. Projection photographs of the moving body volume are transformed such that the images of feature points that are located on the projection photographs respectively come to rest at a place on which randomly set spatial reference positions for the feature points are projected. With the projection photographs aligned onto the reference positions, three-dimensional reconstruction of the object can subsequently take place. |
| US08098918B2 |
Method and system for measuring left ventricle volume
A method and system for measuring the volume of the left ventricle (LV) in a 3D medical image, such as a CT, volume is disclosed. Heart chambers are segmented in the CT volume, including at least the LV endocardium and the LV epicardium. An optimal threshold value is automatically determined based on voxel intensities within the LV endocardium and voxel intensities between the LV endocardium and the LV epicardium. Voxels within the LV endocardium are labeled as blood pool voxels or papillary muscle voxels based on the optimal threshold value. The LV volume can be measured excluding the papillary muscles based on the number of blood pool voxels, and the LV volume can be measured including the papillary muscles based on the total number of voxels within the LV endocardium. |
| US08098917B2 |
Automatically updating a geometric model
A computer implemented method for automatically updating a geometric model of an object of interest includes determining, automatically, a region of the geometric model for updating according to a update parameter, acquiring data at the region, extracting features from the acquired data, updating the geometric model described by the extracted features, wherein updating the model includes calculating at least one acquisition parameter of a set of acquisition parameters, and displaying a scene showing the object of interest using the model. |
| US08098912B2 |
Method of tracking position and velocity of objects' borders in two or three dimensional digital images, particularly in echographic images
A method of tracking position and velocity of objects' borders in two or three dimensional digital images, particularly in echographic images. A sequence is acquired of at least two consecutive ultrasound image frames of a moving tissue or a moving object. The frames are separated by a certain time interval. Reference points define a border of the moving tissue or object and the border is automatically tracked by estimating the position of the reference points in following image frames on the basis of the ultrasound image data of the acquired sequence of image frames. |
| US08098911B2 |
Method and system for registration of contrast-enhanced images with volume-preserving constraint
A method and system for registering a first image of, for example, a liver and a second image of the liver being contrast-enhanced comprises: deriving a statistical similarity measure between images; deriving a smooth divergence-free vector field derived from a gradient of the statistical similarity measure; and integrating the vector field for providing a fluid-based algorithm including a volume-preserving constraint for a transformation for registering the images. |
| US08098908B2 |
Method and device for analyzing the retinal vessels by means of digital images
It is the object of a method and apparatus for retinal vessel analysis based on digital images to enhance the ability to discriminate between healthy vessel states and at-risk vessel states while reducing manual effort and saving time in order to allow individual vascular risk, particularly stroke risk, to be determined in a more reliable manner and with fewer subjective systematic and random errors. The vessel segment diameter, type of vessel and the image coordinates are determined for a series of adjoining vessel segments along vessel portions in a measurement zone surrounding the papilla and are stored by vessel segment with reference to the evaluated image, to a reference image recorded with a time offset, and to a displacement vector that is determined for the vessel segment between the reference image and an evaluated comparison image. Comparison measurements are carried out only on identical vessel segments already measured in the reference image. The correlation of vessel segments to vessel portions and to vessel type is adopted intact from the reference image. The stored data sets for the vessel segments of the reference image and comparison images provide a progression of coordinate-oriented vessel segment diameters for all measured vessel segments as basis for determining parameters and presenting them in a spatially resolved progression, e.g., in progress images. |
| US08098904B2 |
Automatic face detection and identity masking in images, and applications thereof
A method and system of identity masking to obscure identities corresponding to face regions in an image is disclosed. A face detector is applied to detect a set of possible face regions in the image. Then an identity masker is used to process the detected face regions by identity masking techniques in order to obscure identities corresponding to the regions. For example, a detected face region can be blurred as if it is in motion by a motion blur algorithm, such that the blurred region can not be recognized as the original identity. Or the detected face region can be replaced by a substitute facial image by a face replacement algorithm to obscure the corresponding identity. |
| US08098898B2 |
Motion detection device, MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) integrated circuit, and video system
A motion detection device includes a current image memory, a reference image memory, a reference image memory control section, and a motion detection section. When the motion detection section detects a motion vector for a first current macroblock image, the reference image memory control section determines a motion estimation range by using a surrounding motion vector being a motion vector detected for a current macroblock image present around the first current macroblock. |
| US08098897B2 |
Multi dimensional imaging system
An image processing apparatus comprises a distance measurement section for measuring a distance from the section to a subject for each pixel on the basis of a plurality of images photographed at different visual point positions. A setting section sets a range of the distance in which an obstacle is present. An image formation section executes image processing of replacing a first image signal relating to an obstructed region included in the range of the distance with a second image signal different from the first image signal on the basis of an output from the distance measurement section. |
| US08098895B2 |
Lane marker recognition apparatus and lane marker recognition method used by said apparatus
A lane marker recognition apparatus which recognizes a lane marker based on a captured image of a road surface in the direction in which a vehicle is traveling, includes recognizing means for recognizing at least one left lane marker and at least one right lane marker captured in the image, and generating lane marker information indicative of the recognized lane markers; calculating means for calculating, based on the lane marker information, at least one type of control value for each potential running lane demarcated; first selecting means for selecting a control value of one of the running lanes that is to be indicated as information; generating means for generating information indicative of the selected control value; and second selecting means for, after the information has been generated, selecting the control value of the potential running lane that is closest to the control value indicated by the information. |
| US08098894B2 |
Mobile imaging device as navigator
Embodiments of the invention are directed to obtaining information based on directional orientation of a mobile imaging device, such as a camera phone. Visual information is gathered by the camera and used to determine a directional orientation of the camera, to search for content based on the direction, to manipulate 3D virtual images of a surrounding area, and to otherwise use the directional information. Direction and motion can be determined by analyzing a sequence of images. Distance from a current location, inputted search parameters, and other criteria can be used to expand or filter content that is tagged with such criteria. Search results with distance indicators can be overlaid on a map or a camera feed. Various content can be displayed for a current direction, or desired content, such as a business location, can be displayed only when the camera is oriented toward the desired content. |
| US08098892B2 |
Body position detecting apparatus
In a body position detecting apparatus, a controller repeatedly acquires image data that includes an object and an operator in a place where the operator is capable of operating the object. When the controller detects that the operator is in an operating position where the operator operates the object, the controller detects a position of a body part of the operator in the image data and the controller sets the position of the body part to an initial position. The controller detects a position of the body part of the operator in the image data that is acquired after the initial position is set, by detecting a displacement from a position of the body part detected last time and accumulating the displacement to the initial position. |
| US08098891B2 |
Efficient multi-hypothesis multi-human 3D tracking in crowded scenes
System and methods are disclosed to perform multi-human 3D tracking with a plurality of cameras. At each view, a module receives each camera output and provides 2D human detection candidates. A plurality of 2D tracking modules are connected to the CNNs, each 2D tracking module managing 2D tracking independently. A 3D tracking module is connected to the 2D tracking modules to receive promising 2D tracking hypotheses. The 3D tracking module selects trajectories from the 2D tracking modules to generate 3D tracking hypotheses. |
| US08098890B2 |
Image processing apparatus for reducing effects of fog on images obtained by vehicle-mounted camera and driver support apparatus which utilizes resultant processed images
Kalman filter processing is applied to each of successive images of a scene obscured by fog, captured by an onboard camera of a vehicle. The measurement matrix for the Kalman filter is established based on currently estimated characteristics of the fog, and intrinsic luminance values of a scene portrayed by a current image constitute the state vector for the Kalman filter. Adaptive filtering for removing the effects of fog from the images is thereby achieved, with the filtering being optimized in accordance with the degree of image deterioration caused by the fog. |
| US08098887B2 |
Face tracking device
A face tracking device for tracking an orientation of a person's face with using a cylindrical head model, the face tracking device comprises: an image means for continuously shooting the person's face and for obtaining a first image data based on a shot of the person's face; an extraction means for extracting a second image data from the first image data, the second image data corresponding to a facial area of the person's face; a determination means for determining whether the second image is usable as an initial value required for the cylindrical head model; and a face orientation detection means for detecting the orientation of the person's face with using the cylindrical head model and with using the initial value determined to be usable by the determination means. |
| US08098882B2 |
Perceptability model applied to watermark signals
This document relates generally to digital watermarking. One claim recites a method including: obtaining data representing visual media; determining a model through iteratively embedding a digital watermark signal in the data; and embedding the digital watermark signal in the data according to the model. The model maximizes robustness of the digital watermark signal while minimizing perceptibility of the digital watermark signal when the signal is embedded in the data. A new embedding form or embedding mask is created after each embedding iteration. Of course, other combinations are described and claimed as well. |
| US08098881B2 |
Advertisement insertion systems and methods for digital cameras based on object recognition
Digital cameras include an image capture system, an object recognition system and an advertisement insertion system. The image capture system captures a visible image as a digital image. The object recognition system recognizes visible objects in the digital image. The advertisement insertion system inserts an advertising-related image into the digital image in response to a visible object in the digital image that was recognized. The user of the digital camera may be compensated for exposure to the advertising-related image. |
| US08098875B2 |
Headrest surround channel electroacoustical transducing
An audio system including a first audio source, including a surround channel signal, coupled to an electroacoustical transducer mounted in the back of a seat of, for example, an automobile, so that the surround channel is radiated from the electroacoustical transducer. In one embodiment, the electroacoustical transducer is oriented to radiate substantially upwardly. |
| US08098873B2 |
Headphones
In headphones in which headphone units are worn on the head via a headband having a predetermined urging force, a substantially constant urging force is always obtained without being influenced by a difference in width and shape of the user's head. In headphones 100 including a headphone unit 200 in which an electroacoustic transducer is incorporated in a housing 210; and a head wearing means (for example, a headband 110) for supporting the headphone unit 200 via a hanger member, the headphone unit 200 being held at the ear position of the head in a state of being urged by the head wearing means, the hanger member is a support frame 120 arranged around the housing 210 of the headphone unit 200, and the headphone unit 200 is supported on the support frame 120 via a plurality of constant force spiral springs 130. |
| US08098872B2 |
Headphone
In a headphone having a headband and two speaker units respectively pivotally mounted on the two distal ends of the headband, each speaker unit includes a speaker eccentrically positioned therein, an ear cushion covered on the front side of the speaker and having an eccentric opening, and a soft front covering the ear cushion and defining with the eccentric opening a sound chamber for enhancing the sound produced by the speaker and having sound holes for output of sound from the sound chamber to the user's ear. |
| US08098868B2 |
Speaker device for portable terminal
A speaker device for a portable terminal including a first housing and a second housing coupled to the first housing and rotating towards or away from the first housing while facing the first housing. The speaker device includes a speaker unit mounted in the second housing, first sound output holes formed in the second housing, and second sound output holes formed in the first housing. When the second housing is folded to the first housing, a sound output from the speaker unit is guided into the first housing through the first sound output holes, travels inside the first housing and is output through the second sound output holes. In the speaker device for the portable terminal, the speaker unit and the resonating space are separately positioned in the housings, thereby providing a mellow volume and a high-quality sound and contributing to slimness of the portable terminal. |
| US08098865B2 |
Behind-the-ear hearing device with a magnetically-attached ear hook
An ear hook is to be able to be tightly attached to a hearing device housing in a simple fashion. To this end, provision is made for it to be possible to clip the ear hook onto the hearing device housing. One of the two parts; hearing device housing and ear hook has a sound outlet tube, which can be inserted into a corresponding opening in the other part. The two parts are detachably fastened to one another in an axial direction in respect of the sound outlet tube by means of a magnetic connection. The magnetic connection ensures that the two components are fitted tightly onto one another, though it enables said two components to rotate in respect of each other. |
| US08098862B2 |
Hearing apparatus with a special charging circuit
Provisions to charge the battery of a hearing apparatus without having to remove the battery from the housing are provided. A hearing apparatus separates charging contacts, which are disposed on the surface of the housing and serve to charge the battery, from the battery and to connect the battery to an amplifier circuit, when the battery is not being charged. Otherwise, when the battery is being charged, the hearing apparatus connects the charging contacts to the battery and separates the battery from the amplifier circuit. This double switching function means that the amplifier circuit is protected from charging power surges and also in the normal operating state of the hearing apparatus electrochemical reactions at the charging contacts are avoided. |
| US08098860B2 |
Hearing apparatus with special power source
Hearing apparatus and especially hearing devices are to be designed to be smaller. To this end there is provision for the shell or otoplastic to be worn in the auditory canal or for the housing of the hearing apparatus to be made of battery layers, so that the shell or otoplastic or the housing of the hearing apparatus itself represents the battery. Alternatively the hearing device battery can also be relocated from a conventional hearing device into a normal otoplastic, with this also reducing the volume of the hearing device. The reduction in volume allows the acceptance of wearing the hearing device to be greatly increased, and a variant of the hearing apparatus can be more easily implemented as a cymba device. |
| US08098855B2 |
Flexible electret actuators and methods of manufacturing the same
A flexible actuator comprises a thin film and at least one first enclosure with at least one first bendable element coupled to the first enclosure. The thin film may comprise a conductive layer and a first electret layer over a first surface of the conductive layer. The thin film is configured to be bendable. The first enclosure have a first electrode layer as part of the first enclosure. The first enclosure is provided over the first electret layer with the first electrode layer being spaced apart from the first electret layer. The first electrode layer is coupled with a first terminal of an audio signal input. The thin film is configured to interact with the first enclosure in response to audio signals supplied by the audio signal input and to generate sound waves. |
| US08098848B2 |
System for equalizing an acoustic signal
An equalization system enhances the quality of communications between a remote party and a local party. The equalization system includes an equalization filter that equalizes an acoustic signal received from the remote party. The equalized acoustic signal is transmitted to a speaker based on the equalized acoustic signal. A device converts sound into electrical signals. The electrical signals are transmitted to an echo compensation filter that compensates for reflected sound. Filter characteristics of the equalization filter are based on filter characteristics of the echo compensation filter. |
| US08098847B2 |
Muting circuit
A muting circuit comprising: a DC offset eliminating unit including an HPF (High Pass Filter) constituted by a first operational amplifier to eliminate a DC offset component of an AC input signal, the DC offset eliminating unit being configured to output an output signal obtained by eliminating the DC offset component of the AC input signal; a muting signal generating unit including a second operational amplifier configured to generate a second DC offset identical in level to a first DC offset at the first operational amplifier, the muting signal generating unit being configured to output a muting signal indicative of the second DC offset by fixing input to the second operational amplifier at a predetermined DC level; and a selecting unit configured to select and output the output signal when muting is not executed, and to select and output the muting signal when muting is executed. |
| US08098846B2 |
Sound field generator and method of generating sound field using the same
The invention relates to a sound field generator and a method of generating a sound field using the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a sound field generator and a method of generating the same, which can apply a filter in consideration of a masking effect in a time domain to a room impulse response, remove inaudible data depending on a frequency in a signal obtained by multiplying the room impulse response by an input signal in a frequency domain, and remove a signal block having a lower level than a level of a background noise block among output signal blocks to considerably reduce computational complexity required for performing a convolution, making it possible to generate an accurate sound field by minimizing sound quality distortion while implementing a real-time sound field generating system. |
| US08098843B2 |
Sound source direction detecting apparatus, sound source direction detecting method, and sound source direction detecting camera
Disclosed herein is a sound source direction detecting apparatus including: a plurality of microphones configured to collect sounds from a sound source in order to form an audio frame; a frequency decomposition section configured to decompose the audio frame into frequency components; an error range determination section configured to determine the effects of noises collected together with the sounds as an error range relative to phases; a power level dispersion section configured to disperse power levels of the sounds for each of the frequency components decomposed by the frequency decomposition section, on the basis of the error range determined by the error range determination section; a power level addition section configured to add the power levels dispersed by the power level dispersion section; and a sound source direction detection section configured to detect the direction of the sound source based on the phase at which is located the highest of the power levels added by the power level addition section. |
| US08098842B2 |
Enhanced beamforming for arrays of directional microphones
A novel enhanced beamforming technique that improves beamforming operations by incorporating a model for the directional gains of the sensors, such as microphones, and provides means of estimating these gains. The technique forms estimates of the relative magnitude responses of the sensors (e.g., microphones) based on the data received at the array and includes those in the beamforming computations. |
| US08098841B2 |
Sound field controlling apparatus
A sound field controlling apparatus for a public-address system comprises a microphone that picks up a sound of a speaker, a loudspeaker that sound a sound signal based on the sound picked up by the microphone, a sound source position detector that detects a position of a sound source, and a signal processor that controls a level, delay time and equalizing property of the sound signal output to the loudspeaker in accordance with the sound source position detected by the sound source position detector. |
| US08098838B2 |
Detecting the repositioning of an earphone using a microphone and associated action
A system detects the repositioning of an earphone that is worn by a user, and changes an operation mode of a host coupled to the earphone. Within the earphone is a pressure transducer that detects a pressure change caused by the repositioning of the earphone. A signaling mechanism sends a repositioning detection signal to the host in response to a signal from the pressure transducer indicating the detection of the pressure change. |
| US08098837B2 |
Active noise control apparatus
A subtractor subtracts an echo canceling signal Ĉ·y1(n−1) from a canceling error signal e(n) to estimate a residual noise to be silenced at the position of a microphone, and outputs a first basic signal x1(n) representing the residual noise. A first control circuit section generates a first control signal y1(n) based on the first basic signal x1(n) and a second basic signal x2(n) that is generated by delaying the first basic signal x1(n) by a time Z−n. A second circuit section generates a second control signal y2(n) based on the first basic signal x1(n) and an engine rotation signal. |
| US08098834B1 |
Distributed audio system
An apparatus comprising a housing, a speaker, and an amplifier. The speaker may be mounted within the housing. A concave portion may be implemented in the housing and may be configured to hold a transformer. An amplifier may be implemented within the housing and may be configured to receive power through a connection to the transformer. |
| US08098832B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting sound
An apparatus for detecting sound includes a plurality of microphones, a sound inspecting unit, a direction estimating unit, a background noise removing unit, and an alerting unit. The microphones are used to collect sounds around a user. The sound inspecting unit is used to calculate the feature values of a background noise within a preset time interval, and to determine if a latest collected sound satisfies a preset condition. When the preset condition is satisfied, the direction estimating unit is used to estimate the occurrence direction of the latest collected sound, and to determine if the occurrence direction is within a preset range behind the user. When the preset range is satisfied, the background noise removing unit is used to remove the background noise in the latest collected sound so as to obtain a detected sound. The alerting unit is used to inform the user of the detected sound via an alert message. A method for detecting sound is also disclosed. |
| US08098831B2 |
Visual feedback in electronic entertainment system
The presentation of visual feedback in an electronic entertainment system is disclosed. One disclosed embodiment relates to a method of providing user feedback in an electronic entertainment system, wherein the method comprises inviting an input from a user, receiving a user input via a hand-held remote input device, performing a comparison of the user input received to an expected input, assigning a rating to the user input received based upon the comparison to the expected input, and adjusting light emitted by one or more lights sources on the input device based upon the rating. |
| US08098829B2 |
Methods and systems for secure key delivery
An embodiment pertains generally to a method of delivering keys in a server. The method includes generating a subject key pair, where the subject key pair includes a subject public key and a subject private key. The method also includes retrieving a storage key and encrypting the subject private key with the storage key as a wrapped storage private key. The method further includes storing the wrapped storage private key. |
| US08098828B2 |
Key distribution
Methods and systems are provided for trusted key distribution. A key distribution or an identity service acts as an intermediary between participants to a secure network. The service provisions and manages the distribution of keys. The keys are used for encrypting communications occurring within the secure network. |
| US08098827B2 |
Data processing system, data processing method, and program providing medium
The inventive data processing apparatus enables own memory device to store a plurality of key distribution approval data files each containing such a header data comprising a number of “link-count” data units each designating actual number of applicable contents data per decodable contents key based on an enabling key block (EKB) distribution key enciphering key (KEK) enciphered by a corresponding enabling key block (EKB) provided for by a hierarchy key tree structure. When storing a plurality of the enabling key blocks (EKB) in a memory device, such a key enciphering key (KEK) contained in an enabling key block (EKB) having a number of link-count data units is previously decoded and stored in the memory device. By way of applying the stored (KEK) when utilizing contents data, the enabling key block (EKB) processing step is deleted, whereby promoting higher efficiency in the utilization of contents data. |
| US08098821B2 |
Data encryption/decryption method and mobile terminal for use in the same
A mobile terminal including a sensing unit configured to detect a motion of the mobile terminal, and a controller configured to calculate at least one from a degree and a pattern of the terminal motion detected by the sensing unit, and to encrypt input data according to the calculated value. |
| US08098819B2 |
Method, system and securing means for data archiving with automatic encryption and decryption by fragmentation of keys
In the method for data archiving with automatic en- and decryption data (9, 10) are exchanged between a client station (1) and an archive station (4). A securing means (2) connected between the stations (1, 4) encrypts the plain data (9) which are transmitted towards the archive station (4) and decrypts the encrypted data (10) which are transmitted towards the client station (1). The encryption is carried out with at least two keys (6, 7). One of the two keys (6, 7) is swapped out by transmitting it to the archive station (4) and deleting it locally, i.e. in the securing means (2), after the encryption. If the securing station (2) is stolen, the encrypted data (10) on the archive station (4) can be accessed, however their decryption can be prevented in a simple, reliably and comprehensible manner by deleting the swapped out key (7) in the archive station (4). |
| US08098816B2 |
Apparatus and method for evaluating a cipher structure's resistance to cryptanalysis
Disclosed is a method for evaluating resistance to cryptanalysis of a cipher structure having a diffusion element including a linear transformation placed between differently-sized confusion elements at an input and an output of the diffusion element. A generalized minimum number of non-zero symbols at the diffusion element's input and output is determined. The diffusion element's input is divided into subset inputs, each having a size corresponding to the size of each confusion element at the diffusion element input. For each subset input, a subset number of non-zero symbols at the subset input and the diffusion element output is determined. Each subset number is summed to generate a summed subset number. The summed subset number is subtracted from the generalized minimum number to generate a worst-case number. An upper bound of a maximum differential characteristic probability is calculated and used to evaluate the cipher structure. |
| US08098815B2 |
Device, system and method for cryptographic key exchange
A method is disclosed whereby two parties can establish a cryptographic key for secure communications without any prior distribution of secret keys or other secret data, and without revealing said key to any third party who may have access to all of the transmissions between them. The two parties agree upon a matrix M, and two commutative families of square matrices F and G. The sender chooses a matrix S from F and a matrix T from G. The receiver independently chooses a matrix R from F and a matrix Q from G. The sender transmits the matrix SMT to the receiver and the receiver transmits the matrix RMQ to the sender. The sender computes the matrix SRMQT from the received matrix RMQ, and the receiver computes the matrix RSMTQ from the received matrix SMT. Since the matrices S and R commute, and the matrices T and Q commute, SRMQT=RSMTQ. The value of the matrix SRMTQ is then used to produce the desired cryptographic key. |
| US08098814B2 |
Handheld electronic device with keyboard
A keyboard includes a plurality of keys each of which is associated with indicia corresponding to at least one of alphabetic characters, numbers, or commands. The keys of the plurality of keys associated with alphabetic characters number fewer than 26 and greater than nine. No more than two alphabetic characters are associated with each of the keys associated with alphabetic characters. At least one of the keys associated with alphabetic characters is associated with two alphabetic characters and at least one number. The numbers are arranged and displayed in the format of a phone keypad and the letters are arranged and displayed in a keyboard layout. |
| US08098812B2 |
Method of controlling an adaptation of a filter
The invention concerns a method of controlling an adaptation of a filter, and a controller and a computer program product to execute this method. The filter is an adaptive finite impulse response (=FIR) filter for modelling an echo path impulse response for echo cancellation in a telecommunications connection between a first terminal providing a near-end signal at a first end of the telecommunications connection and a second terminal providing a far-end signal at another end of the telecommunications connection. In a multi-windowing scheme, a plurality of filter segments and segments of the far-end signal is determined in the time domain. An energy level associated to an individual segment of the far-end signal is compared with an energy level associated to a sample of the near-end signal. In dependence on the result of the comparison of the energy levels, the adaptation of an individual filter segment associated to the individual segment of the far-end signal is enabled or inhibited. |
| US08098808B2 |
Automated calling system for conference calls
In a method for calling participants in a conference call, a computer system receives a conference date, a call time for the conference call, names of the participants, and telephone numbers for the participants. The computer system is operable to automatically initiate computer originated calls to the participants on the conference date at the call time for connecting the participants together for the conference call. The computer system receives one or more pre-set call-back preferences before the conference call is initiated. The one or more pre-set call-back preferences are for use by the computer system if one or more of the participants is not initially connected to the conference call in response to one or more of the computer originated calls. The one or more call-back preferences include a designation of a user-selectable call-back frequency with which each non-answering participant is called back. |
| US08098805B2 |
System and method for providing telephone call notification and management in a network environment
Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to receive an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of a trigger established with a voice communication network and activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account; generate a call notification in response to the incoming call message; obtain a list of set-top boxes corresponding to the pre-determined subscriber account; and route the call notification to the set-top boxes on the list. |
| US08098800B2 |
Method and apparatus for bulletin board messaging in a voice mail system
The present invention provides an option to record messages that can be geared to specific audiences, using PIN-restricted access as needed. The present invention provides a method and apparatus way for subscribers to record a number (more than one) of personalized messages or greetings geared towards specific callers or audiences in a plurality of bulletin boards associated with a single telephone number. The personalized greetings comprise public messages, private messages, public comments and private comments. The method and apparatus of the present invention also ensures customer privacy and increases the level of security by providing an option to PIN-protect the content and access to the content for each of the public and private recorded messages and comments. |
| US08098799B2 |
Messaging advise in presence-aware networks
A presence aware communications system, comprising a messaging system configured to perform at least one of the following operations: (a) provide a subscriber's communication device with information regarding an incoming contact during a messaging session between the subscriber's communication device and the messaging system; (b) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message containing information regarding one or more messages when a notification is received that the subscriber's communication device is available; (c) provide the subscriber's communication device with a text message relating to a voice message from a different first party received by the messaging system; (d) in response to the subscriber's communication device requesting a connection with at least one of an inputted telephone number and address, provide the subscriber's communication device with a notification respecting at least one eligible message from a second party associated with the at least one of an inputted telephone number and address; (e) while a contact between the subscriber and a different third party is in progress, provide the subscriber's communication device with information respecting the at least one eligible message from the third party; (f) transform an audio messaging session between the messaging system and the communication device of a contacting party into a graphical user interface-based audio session; and (g) transform the audio messaging session into a session having a video channel or both audio and video channels. |
| US08098796B2 |
Target assembly with electron and photon windows
An X-ray target assembly includes a substrate, a target supported by the substrate adapted to generate X-rays when impinged by an electron beam, and an enclosure over the target providing a volume for the target. The enclosure is made of a material substantially transparent to electrons. The volume is substantially vacuum or filled with an inert gas. |
| US08098786B2 |
Reception apparatus
In a reception apparatus 1, a multiphase sampling clock signal is generated by a sampling clock signal generation circuit 40, based on a clock signal which has been phase-adjusted by a phase adjustment circuit 50. The data of each of the bits of a serial data signal is sampled and output by a sampler block circuit 30n, with timing indicated by the sampling clock signal. The amount of phase adjustment of the clock signal in the phase adjustment circuit 50 is set such that the delay time from generation of the multiphase sampling clock signal in the sampling clock signal generation circuit 40 until indication of the sampling timing by the sampling clock signal in the sampler block circuit 30n is canceled. |
| US08098773B1 |
Communication method and apparatus
A communication system (30) includes a transmitter (32) which generates transmit phase points (54) defined to be the vector sum of two or more QPSK signals (76, 78). Forward error correction encoding (48) is performed independently for the QPSK signals. In a receiver (34) alternate hypotheses are formed about the potential values that might have been transmitted for at least one of the QPSK signals, and offset phase points (68) are defined for each hypothesis. Each offset phase point has the effect of cancelling at least one of the two or more QPSK signals from the combined communication signal (36). Branch metrics (70) are responsive to Euclidean distances between all offset phase points (68) and all noise-free phase points that correspond to the QPSK signal about which no hypotheses are formed. A decoder (72) is configured to accept and reject the hypotheses in addition to counteracting noise. |
| US08098772B2 |
Method for digital wireless communications
In a multivalue modulation type with one pilot symbol inserted for every 3 or more symbols, signal points of each one symbol immediately before and after a pilot symbol are modulated using a modulation type different from that for pilot symbols. In this way, it is possible to suppress deterioration of the accuracy in estimating the reference phase and amount of frequency offset by pilot symbols and improve the bit error rate characteristic in the signal to noise ratio in quasi-coherent detection with symbols whose symbol synchronization is not completely established. |
| US08098771B2 |
Receiver apparatus and method for receiving data units over a channel
When transmitting medium access control protocol data units for the high speed downlink shared channel over a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request processes, one of the processes can be in a retransmission procedure. In this case, stalling of the transmission can occur, because the medium access control layer for the high speed downlink shared channel of the receiver apparatus (3) buffers the following packet data units, when a preceding protocol data unit is waiting in the stalled process. To enable an early processing of the already received data, the receiver apparatus determines, whether the next expected service data units for a higher layer such as a radio link control layer, are included in the already received packet data units by taking into account the sequence number for the higher layer. Therefore, the medium access control layer for the high speed downlink shared channel accesses the data of the service data unit for the higher layer. |
| US08098767B2 |
Receiver adjustment between pilot bursts
A receiver may train its equalizer using consecutive pilot bursts, divide the traffic between the consecutive pilot bursts into multiple sub-segments, and interpolate the trained equalizer coefficients to obtain the coefficients for equalizing one or more of the sub-segments. The receiver may also determine signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) values based on each of the consecutive pilot bursts, and interpolate the SINR for decoding one or more of the sub-segments. The receiver may be an access terminal receiver operating in a code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular system. |
| US08098764B2 |
Millimeter wave radio with phase modulation
Millimeter wave radio with phase modulation. In preferred embodiments each of the two radios in a link uses a single aperture to transmit radiation in one of the two bands, and receive radiation in the other of the bands. The counterpart radio used to form a link preferably is almost identical, except for the interchange of the transmit and receive frequencies. Preferred embodiments utilize a modulation scheme in which the radios each receive on-off keyed data and transmit the on-off keyed data encoded in a millimeter wave carrier wave with binary phase shift keying. |
| US08098761B2 |
Method and apparatus for optimizing transmitter power efficiency
A peak to average power ratio signal is generated from a first mapping function that selects the peak to average power ratio signal that corresponds to the data rate or data format of the signal to be transmitted. The selected peak to average power ratio signal is summed with a desired average transmit power signal. The resulting summation signal is input to a second effectively continuously valued mapping function comprising a table that has a plurality of power amplifier control signal values each with a corresponding peak transmit power. Each peak transmit power signal value results in a power amplifier control signal value that achieves the best possible transmitter power efficiency while still meeting out of band spurious emissions and waveform quality requirements. The summation signal value maps to one of the power amplifier control signal value that is then used to adjust a parameter such as bias of the power amplifier. |
| US08098758B2 |
Digital baseband transmitter with digital RF/IF support in GSM/GPRS/EDGE compliant handsets
Certain aspects of a digital baseband transmitter with digital RF/IF support in GSM/GPRS/EDGE compliant devices may comprise receiving digitized data within a chip. A control signal may be generated within the chip indicating whether the received digitized data is to be processed by an IF processing interface or a digital RF processing interface. The baseband processor has the capability to work together with different kinds of RF chips on the market and since this design is implemented on a single module, most of the circuits are shared which reduces the die size significantly. This design also provides a customer more flexibility to choose among different RF vendors. |
| US08098753B2 |
Infrared, touch screen, W-CDMA, GSM, GPS camera phone
System and method for receiving and transmitting one or more signals, for processing and generating signals used in an infrared (IR) system, in a cellular system and in a separate Wi-Fi wireless network. Receiver and demodulator for demodulating and processing a modulated signal for generating from a modulated signal a demodulated processed position finder signal, including Global Positioning System (GPS) position finder processed signal. Processors and selector for selection of processed TDMA, CDMA and OFDM signals and for providing selected TDMA or CDMA or OFDM or IR signal to a transmitter. Processors for providing cross-correlated GSM, or cross-correlated spread spectrum, or cross-correlated Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) baseband signals to quadrature modulators for modulation and transmission. System with multiple input multiple output (MIMO) implementations. Transmitters and receivers for Bluetooth systems and barcode reader provided signals. Processors and receivers for processing touch screen generated signals used for IR, OFDM or TDMA or CDMA systems. |
| US08098751B2 |
Software adaptable high performance multicarrier transmission protocol
Techniques for reducing peak-to-average power in multicarrier transmitters employ peak cancellation with subcarriers that are impaired by existing channel conditions. The use of Carrier Interferometry (CI) coding further improves the effectiveness of peak reduction. CI coding can also be impressed onto pulse sequences in the time domain, which enhances spectral selection and facilitates peak-power control. |
| US08098750B2 |
Method and device for transmitting a plurality of data symbols
A method for transmitting a plurality of data symbols using a plurality of transmit antennas and a plurality of transmission resources is described, in which transmission symbols are generated and associated with the transmit antennas and transmission resources in such a way, such that if this association is represented in the form of a matrix, this matrix can be represented as the combination of two matrices comprising as components the data symbols multiplied with at least partially different weighting factors. |
| US08098748B1 |
Systems and methods of testing wireless networks
Systems and methods of testing a wireless network are provided. Simulated user data, spread across all user data sub-carriers of all sub-channels of a frequency band assigned for transmissions, is transmitted by a number of base stations surrounding a base station under test. The power level of the simulated user data is determined based on a selected network load. A mobile station receives signals from the base station under test and the number of base stations, and the interference caused by the simulated user data to the transmission from the base station under test is determined. When less than 100% loading is employed for testing, the sub-channels carrying the simulated user data can vary on a frame-by-frame basis. |
| US08098747B2 |
OFDM system, symbol estimating apparatus and inter-carrier interference cancellation method for estimating symbol value using output of forward error correction decoder
A OFDM system, a symbol estimation apparatus and an inter-carrier interference cancellation method for estimating a symbol value using the output of a forward error correction decoder. The OFDM system includes a symbol estimation unit, a time varying channel impulse response estimation unit and an interference cancellation unit. The symbol estimation unit performs forward error correction on a received OFDM signal according to a forward error correction code to estimate a symbol value of the received OFDM signal. The time varying channel impulse response estimation unit estimates a time varying channel impulse response in response to the received OFDM signal. The interference cancellation unit cancels inter-carrier interference between carriers of the received OFDM signal based on the estimated symbol value output from the symbol estimation unit and the estimated time varying channel impulse response output from the time varying channel impulse response estimation unit. |
| US08098746B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a closed-loop multi-antenna system
An apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a closed-loop multi-antenna system. A receiver receives a plurality of data streams from a plurality of transmit antennas of a transmitter, generates Channel Quality Information (CQIs) of channels that carry data streams transmitted from at least two transmit antenna allocated to the receiver among the plurality of transmit antennas, and transmits the CQIs to the transmitter. For the CQI generation, the receiver generates a channel matrix through channel estimation of the received data streams, generates a reception beamforming matrix from the channel matrix including only components of the data streams transmitted from the allocated transmit antennas, and calculates the CQIs using the channel matrix, the reception beamforming matrix, and a total signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained through the channel estimation. |
| US08098744B2 |
Reducing a peak-to-average ratio of a signal using filtering
Methods and corresponding systems for reducing a peak-to-average signal ratio include determining peak and null samples of a symbol. Thereafter, an error signal is calculated that is responsive to the peak and null samples. In one embodiment the error signal has values corresponding to differences between the peak samples and a high threshold and the null samples and a low threshold. In response to the error signal, the samples are filtered to produce a filtered symbol having a reduced peak-to-average signal ratio. The error signal can also be used to calculate reserved tones on reserved subcarriers, which are combined with multi-tone subcarriers in a multi-carrier transmitter. |
| US08098743B2 |
Pilot signal transmission method and radio communication system for enabling measurement of reception quality with high accuracy
In a pilot signal transmission method for raising the SIR measurement accuracy for transmission power control during high-speed transmission and thus reducing the block error rate and improving the throughput, a first SIR value measured by first pilot signals and second SIR value measured by second pilot signals are first compared, and the presence or absence of second pilot signals then determined in slot units based on the comparison results. When the second pilot signals exist, the second pilot signals are used in addition to the first pilot signals in the SIR measurement for high-speed closed-loop transmission power control. When the second pilot signals do not exist, only the first pilot signals are used in the SIR measurement for high-speed closed-loop transmission power control. |
| US08098741B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and data processing method
The present invention provides a method of processing data in digital broadcasting system. The method includes receiving a broadcast signal including mobile broadcast service data and main broadcast service data, wherein the mobile broadcast service data configures a RS frame, and wherein the RS frame includes at least one data packet corresponding to the mobile broadcast service data, an RS parity generated based upon the at least one data packet, and a CRC checksum generated based upon the at least one data packet and the RS parity, performing CRC-decoding and RS-decoding on the RS frame, thereby correcting errors occurred in the corresponding mobile broadcast service data, extracting video data from the mobile broadcast service data, and decoding the extracted video data, wherein the video data includes data of a base layer and data of an enhanced layer and wherein the enhanced layer has a spatial resolution or an image quality different from that of the base layer. |
| US08098740B2 |
Digital broadcasting system and data processing method
The present invention provides a method of processing data in digital broadcasting system. The method includes receiving a broadcast signal including mobile broadcast service data and main broadcast service data, wherein the mobile broadcast service data configures a data group, wherein the data group is divided into a plurality of regions, wherein N number of known data sequences are inserted in some regions among the plurality of regions, and wherein a transmission parameter is inserted between a first known data sequence and a second known data sequence, among the N number of known data sequences, detecting the transmission parameter from the mobile broadcast service data, symbol-decoding the received broadcast signal included in the mobile broadcast service data in block units, based upon the detected transmission parameter, extracting a video data from the mobile broadcast service data, parsing the extracted video data by a NAL unit, obtaining NAL unit type information from parsed NAL header, obtaining extension information of a NAL header, when data of a current NAL unit indicates scalable video coded data according to the NAL unit type information, and decoding the video data using the extension information of the NAL header, wherein the extension information of the NAL header includes at least one of temporal level information, quality level information, information indicating whether inter-layer prediction is used, and dependency information of the NAL unit. |
| US08098738B2 |
Predictive encoding and data decoding control to decode fewest possible pictures
A shortest cut duration is a minimum required period between an edit point set on a stream of pictures such as an MPEG stream and the next edit point set on the stream. Restrictions are made on the shortest cut duration lenient in editing the stream. A controller detects each edit point set on the stream and identifies the fewest possible pictures which are not to be displayed but must be decoded first before decoding a picture to be displayed after the edit point. Then, the controller finds a start point representing the timing to start decoding the fewest possible pictures. Subsequently, the controller controls decoders to decode the stream in picture units on the basis of the start point, and controls a switcher to select one of outputs of the decoders on the basis of the edit point. |
| US08098737B1 |
Robust multi-tuner/multi-channel audio/video rendering on a single-chip high-definition digital multimedia receiver
A method and apparatus for providing a single-chip digital multimedia receiver for multi-channel/multi-tuner rendering comprising receiving multiple independently encoded input streams on a system-on-a-chip, and independently locking each video output to a corresponding input channel, to ensure that each video and audio output has a clock matched to an encoder clock. |
| US08098735B2 |
Efficient 8×8 CABAC residual block decode
A circuit generally having a first module, a second module and a third module is disclosed. The first module may be configured to (i) generate a plurality of parsed residual blocks by parsing an 8×8 CABAC (context-based adaptive binary arithmetic coding) residual block received in an input signal and (ii) generate a plurality of metric signals resulting from the parsing of the 8×8 CABAC residual block. The second module may be configured to generate a scanning position signal based on the metric signals. The third module may be configured to generating a plurality of 4×4 CAVLC (context-based adaptive variable length coding) residual blocks in an output signal by sub-sampling the parsed residual blocks based on the scanning position signal. |
| US08098733B2 |
Multi-directional motion estimation using parallel processors and pre-computed search-strategy offset tables
A motion estimator uses many parallel Arithmetic-Logic-Unit (ALU) processors to simultaneously perform searches in many directions from a starting point. Each processor follows a different path outward from the starting point, generating sum-of-absolute differences (SADs) for each point in the path. A best SAD for the path is kept, along with an index into motion vector tables containing X,Y points for all paths. Current and best SAD's, thresholds, and indexes are stored in an ALU dedicated memory. When the number of best SAD's meeting thresholds exceeds a target, the current search-level ends. The index of the overall best SAD locates a new starting point, and a next-denser search-level is performed in the same manner, but over a smaller search area. Each processor calculates SAD's for one 16×16 macroblock, four 8×8 blocks, and 16 4×4 blocks and the net best SAD of these 3 types determines partitioning. |
| US08098730B2 |
Generating a motion attention model
Systems and methods to generate a motion attention model of a video data sequence are described. In one aspect, a motion saliency map B is generated to precisely indicate motion attention areas for each frame in the video data sequence. The motion saliency maps are each based on intensity I, spatial coherence Cs, and temporal coherence Ct values. These values are extracted from each block or pixel in motion fields that are extracted from the video data sequence. Brightness values of detected motion attention areas in each frame are accumulated to generate, with respect to time, the motion attention model. |
| US08098721B2 |
Reception of a signal transmitted over a transmission link comprising coded channels
A method to receive a signal transmitted over a transmission link comprising coded channels, the method comprising: —equalization operations (110-116) to compensate for signal distortion introduced by the transmission link in a signal burst, and—block decoding operations (120-126) to perform channel decoding operation from the equalized signal bursts. If one of the block decoding operations has not been executed before a predetermined time limit, the method comprises at least one step (146) of discarding one of the next burst equalization operations. |
| US08098720B2 |
Method and apparatus for suppressing adjacent channel interference and multipath propagation signals and radio receiver using said apparatus
A method detects multipath propagation in a modulated digital signal. The method provides a first value of channel frequency, representing the modulated digital signal free of multipath propagation, providing a second value of said channel frequency, representing the modulated digital signal with multipath propagation, and comparing the first and second values. A method detects adjacent channel interference in a modulated digital signal by comparing first and second values of a characteristic parameter of the digital signal, respectively representing the digital signal free of adjacent channel interference and the digital signal affected by adjacent channel interference. In particular, the method obtains a derivative signal, applies a non-linear Teager-Kaiser function to the digital signal and the derivative signal for generating first and second signals respectively representing energy content of the digital signal and energy content of the derivative signal, and processes the first and second signals for generating the second value. |
| US08098717B1 |
Hybrid equalizer
A method for communication includes receiving signals at a receiver from multiple sources, including a target signal transmitted by a given transmitter, and estimating a channel response from the given transmitter to the receiver. A filter response is computed by taking a sum including a first autocorrelation of the received signals with a second autocorrelation of the channel response, and applying the sum to the estimated channel response. The filter response is applied to the received signals in order to recover the target signal. |
| US08098715B2 |
Method and apparatus for estimating impairment covariance matrices using unoccupied spreading codes
In one of its aspects, the technology concerns a method of processing a signal which includes physical data channels which have been channelized using spreading codes. The method comprises (1) despreading unoccupied spreading codes (e.g., codes which are essentially unobscured by traffic data) included in the signal to obtain unoccupied code despread values, (2) using the unoccupied code despread values to form an impairment covariance matrix; and (3) using the impairment covariance matrix along with a channel estimate to form a processing parameter. The processing parameter can be one of combining sets and a signal quality estimate. In another of its aspects, the technology concerns a coherent, linear equalizer apparatus configured to process a signal which includes physical data channels which have been channelized using spreading codes. The equalizer apparatus comprises plural delay fingers (32) configured to despread unoccupied spreading codes included in the signal to obtain unoccupied code despread values, and a generator (60) configured to use the unoccupied code despread values to form an impairment covariance matrix. |
| US08098714B2 |
Method for estimating, in a communication system, the level of interference plus noise affecting received signals representative of a set of received pilot symbols
The present invention concerns a method for estimating, in a communication system, a level of interference plus noise affecting received signals representative of a set of received pilot symbols, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: dividing the set of received pilot symbols by a corresponding set of pilot symbols, filtering the divided set of received pilot symbols by a filter the coefficients of which are determined from an eigenvector associated with one of the lowest eigenvalues of a channel fading correlation matrix representative of the correlation between the channel coefficients affecting the set of pilot symbols, averaging up the square absolute values of the symbols obtained at the output of the filter in order to estimate the level of interference plus noise affecting the received signals. |
| US08098707B2 |
Ultra wideband receiver
An ultra-wideband (UWB) receiver utilizing an Xn(n>1) device as a signal detector for short pulse(s), impulse(s) or ultra-wideband signal(s). The transmitted signal comes to antenna and passes through a band pass filter (BPF). The signal is fed into an Xn device. The output signal from the Xn device is fed into integration/dump block. The output from the integration/dump block is fed into decision block. |
| US08098706B2 |
Signal generator for a DSSS or CDMA signal
The invention relates to a signal generator for a DSSS or CDMA signal, comprising several spread sequence memories and a digital signal processor which pre-calculates the spread sequence in an initialization phase and deposits the same in the spread sequence memory, and which supplies data symbols to an image memory in an operating phase. Each image memory contains an image table by means of which the bits of the current data symbols and at least one current bit of the spread sequence, which is sequentially read from every spread sequence memory, is imaged in at least one output value. |
| US08098704B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor laser apparatus, and optical pickup apparatus
A monolithic red/infrared semiconductor laser device is joined to a blue-violet semiconductor laser device. The distance between a blue-violet emission point in the blue-violet semiconductor laser device and an infrared emission point in an infrared semiconductor laser device is significantly shorter than the distance between a red emission point in a red semiconductor laser device and the infrared emission point. A blue-violet laser beam, a red laser beam, and an infrared laser beam respectively emitted from the blue-violet emission point, the red emission point, and the infrared emission point are introduced into a photodetector after being incident on an optical disk by an optical system comprising a polarizing beam splitter, a collimator lens, a beam expander, a λ/4 plate, an objective lens, a cylindrical lens, and an optical axis correction element. |
| US08098699B2 |
Semiconductor laser apparatus and optical apparatus
A semiconductor laser apparatus comprises a first semiconductor laser device that emits a blue-violet laser beam, a second semiconductor laser device that emits a red laser beam, and a conductive package body. The first semiconductor laser device has a p-side pad electrode and an n-side electrode. The p-side pad electrode and n-side electrode of the first semiconductor laser device are electrically isolated from the package body. The p-side pad electrode of the first semiconductor laser device is connected with a drive circuit that generates a positive potential, while the n-side electrode thereof is connected with a dc power supply that generates a negative potential. |
| US08098698B2 |
Active spectral control of DUV laser light source
According to aspects of an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, a line narrowed high average power high pulse repetition laser micro-photolithography light source bandwidth control method and apparatus are disclosed which may comprise a bandwidth metrology module measuring the bandwidth of a laser output light pulse beam pulse produced by the light source and providing a bandwidth measurement; a bandwidth error signal generator receiving the bandwidth measurement and a bandwidth setpoint and providing a bandwidth error signal; an active bandwidth controller providing a fine bandwidth correction actuator signal and a coarse bandwidth correction actuator signal responsive to the bandwidth error. The fine bandwidth correction actuator and the coarse bandwidth correction actuator each may induce a respective modification of the light source behavior that reduces bandwidth error. The coarse and fine bandwidth correction actuators each may comprise a plurality of bandwidth correction actuators. |
| US08098697B2 |
Optical device for addressing a slave cavity with a wide-band laser source
The invention concerns an optical device comprising an optical source for emitting a light beam in a plurality of emitting wavelengths and at least one laser, each of said at least one laser including a holographic medium (MH), means for injecting (FO, MCS, MUX, CO, IO, AV) said light beam derived from said optical source into said at least one laser, said holographic medium (MH) being adapted to generate a laser in at least one oscillation mode, said at least one oscillation mode being determined by at least one excitation wavelength among the plurality of emitting wavelengths. The invention is characterized in that said optical source comprises a light source emitting simultaneously in said plurality of emitting wavelengths. |
| US08098689B2 |
Systems and methods for frame tunnelling in wireless communications
Embodiments include systems and methods for frame tunneling in a wireless communications system comprising digital beam forming. Embodiments comprise a first and second frame control field with the second frame control field comprising a High Throughput Control (HTC) enabling field. If the HTC enabling field is enabled, then an HTC field is sent that announces a sounding frame and a type of channel estimation feedback expected from a receiving station. |
| US08098686B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing an application-level utility metric
A method and apparatus for providing an application utility metric for an application by taking into account of multiple protocols used by the application as well as at least one interaction of the application at the application-level that is deemed to be useful are disclosed. For example, the method computes a protocol overhead of one or more underlying Internet Protocol suite protocols supporting the application. The method also computes an application-level overhead based on at least one application-level interaction. Finally, the method computes the application-level utility metric in accordance with the protocol overhead and the application-level overhead. |
| US08098685B2 |
Method and apparatus of scheduling bandwidth in cable network
Disclosed are a method and apparatus of scheduling a bandwidth in a cable network. The method includes receiving variable information set according to a condition of a network, calculating a packet time slot value in which a delay time gain is maximized using the received variable information; setting an algorithm allocating a bandwidth between channels of the network using the packet time slot value, and operating a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) according to the algorithm. |
| US08098684B2 |
System, device and method
A system or device includes a consumer supplied via a supply line, electrical power and data being transmittable via the supply line, the power signal and the data signal being alternately transmittable. |
| US08098679B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing composite link assignment in network design
A method and apparatus for composite link assignment are provided such that network capacity is sufficient to handle all the traffic (e.g., load) while an objective function, e.g., the total cost of the capacity is minimized. The present method receives a plurality of weights for a plurality of arcs and a load for the network. An objective function is selected for minimization, where the present method then determines the composite link assignment to handle the load while the objective function is minimized. In one embodiment, the composite link assignment comprises a plurality of different link types for the plurality of arcs. |
| US08098678B2 |
PON system
Disclosed herewith is a PON system and a bandwidth controlling method capable of controlling congestion with use of an upstream bandwidth in a PON section efficiently when congestion occurs in a gateway (GW) connected to an OLT. An OLT connected to a plurality of ONUs through a passive optical network (PON) and to a gateway (GW) through a communication line, when receiving a congestion occurrence notice indicating a congestion occurred output number from a GW, identifies the identifier of the ONU that is using a GW output line having the congestion output port number and shifts the bandwidth controlling of the PON section in a normal mode for allocating a bandwidth to each ONU normally to that in a bandwidth suppression mode for allocating a congestion time allowable bandwidth that is less than the current bandwidth to the ONU having the identified ONU identifier and a bandwidth to each of other ONUs according to its transmission queue length. |
| US08098674B2 |
Queue selection method and scheduling device
A queue selection method for controlling selection of many queues without increasing the circuit scale is provided. Queues are organized into groups, and each group is created as a tree structure with a plurality of steps, and a queue is selected by selecting a group of each step. By this, even if the number of queues is enormous, it is sufficient to provide registers for managing the presence of packets only for the number of groups selected in each step, and it becomes unnecessary to provide registers for all of the queues, so an increase of registers can be suppressed even if the number of queues increases. It is preferable that group selection in each step is performed in parallel independently from pipeline processing so as to maintain high-speed operation. |
| US08098673B2 |
Method and apparatus for communication device configuration
A User Equipment UE sends a PDP context activation request with an invalid APN to an SGSN. When detecting an invalid APN the SGSN creates a PDP context activation request towards a GGSN and inserts a default APN. The GGSN detects the default APN and sends a RADIUS Accounting request message to a Device Management System DMS. The DMS initiates a device management configuration flow towards the UE using IP over the existing PDP context or an SMS bearer and responds with a RADIUS Accounting response message to the GGSN. When the RADIUS Accounting response message is received the GGSN will initiate a successful Create PDP context response towards the SGSN causing a successful PDP Context Activation Response towards the UE. An advantage of the invention is that it can detect devices having no GPRS configuration and devices having a faulty GPRS configuration. |
| US08098672B2 |
Internet telephone system ensuring communication quality and path setting method
A method of setting a path in a network using an Internet protocol includes determining whether a first label switching path having an adequate band for transferring a packet between two label switching routers exists. The method also includes setting a new label switching path when it is determined that the first label switching path does not exist. |
| US08098670B2 |
XDSL accommodation apparatus, multicast distribution system, and data distribution method
An xDSL accommodation apparatus includes an xDSL interface, exchange switch, and cache server. The xDSL interface interfaces an xDSL (any types of Digital Subscriber Line) to which each of a plurality of clients is connected. The exchange switch exchanges a packet transmitted/received between a content server and a client. The cache server temporarily stores a content received from the content server through a network. The cache server includes a copy/distribution section. The copy/distribution section copies and distributes the stored content to distribute the same content to the plurality of clients. A multicast distribution system and data distribution method are also disclose. |
| US08098669B2 |
Method and apparatus for signaling virtual channel support in communication networks
A method and apparatus for signaling virtual channel support in communication networks. A node receives a data packet from another node to examine whether the other node commonly supports one or more virtual channels of a given type on a point-to-point communication link between the nodes, and the node signaling common support for one or more virtual channels of a given type, based on the content in the received data packet that indicates whether the other node transmitting the data packet has adequate queue resources to support one or more virtual channels of a given type, and based on whether the node has adequate queue resources to support the one or more virtual channels of a given type. |
| US08098668B2 |
Methods and arrangements for LAN emulation communications
LAN emulation in a moving network environment is disclosed. An emulated LAN encompassing a number of moving networks is formed by means of a set of layer 2 tunnels that interconnect a home agent with mobile routers in the moving networks. The home agent and the mobile routers are arranged to perform layer 2 forwarding over the layer 2 tunnels in order to form the emulated LAN. The layer 2 tunnels can be established in a number of alternative ways. The moving networks that are part of the emulated LAN may move, i.e. change their points of attachment to the network infrastructure, in a dynamic fashion without disrupting the function of the emulated LAN. |
| US08098667B2 |
Methods and apparatus for efficient providing of scheduling information
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate efficiently providing scheduling information from an access terminal to a base station to enable effectuating scheduling decisions. Access terminals may transmit scheduling information in bifurcated requests. For instance, coarse scheduling information may be transferred utilizing a dedicated out-of-band channel, and fine scheduling information may be transmitted over an in-band channel. |
| US08098665B2 |
Method and system for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network
Methods for automating membership discovery in a distributed computer network are presented. A particular method includes establishing a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) tunnel and Targeted Label Distribution Protocol (LDP) signaling channel between a first Provider Edge (PE) device and a plurality of PE devices. A first Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) site is added to a Multi-Tenant Unit (MTU) device associated with the first PE device. A first LDP Label Mapping Message is sent to the first PE device from the MTU device. The first LDP Label Mapping Message is broadcast to the plurality of PE devices from the first PE device. A second LDP Label Mapping Message is sent to the MTU device from the first PE device to establish a virtual circuit label switch path between the MTU device and the first PE device. A second VPLS site is added to the MTU device without sending an associated LDP Label Mapping Message to the first PE device. A respective one VPLS site of the first VPLS site or the second VPLS site is deleted using a configuration command. |
| US08098660B2 |
Transmitting apparatus and transmitting method
To transmit multimedia data in such a manner that is adaptive to the transmission capability of a receiving apparatus and/or to the congestion state of a network. In a transmitting apparatus (100), a receiver capability estimating part (102) estimates, based on feedback information from a receiving apparatus (200), a useable band. A receiver classifying part (103) classifies, based on the useable band, the receiving apparatus. A receiver list rearranging part (105) rearranges, in order of transmission capability, a receiver list where classified receiving apparatuses are listed in classes. A packet generating part (106) generates a packet having the receiver list and transmits it at an appropriate transmission rate. |
| US08098659B2 |
Communication apparatus, communication system including the same, and method for setting IP address of communication apparatus
An communication apparatus relays communication between a network device and an IP network, and assigns an IP address within a reserved range of IP address to the network device. The communication apparatus includes an address setter that sets an IP address of the communication apparatus; and the address conflict determiner that determines whether or not the IP address of the communication apparatus conflicts with the IP address of the network device, based on a result of query to the network device. When the IP address of the communication apparatus conflicts with the IP address of the network device, the address setter changes the IP address of the communication apparatus to a new IP address selected out of a reserved range of IP address. |
| US08098658B1 |
Power-based networking resource allocation
A method for routing network traffic in a data network having a plurality of network switches, the method including identifying network traffic to be routed in the data network, evaluating multiple options for provisioning resources in the data network to handle the identified network traffic, selecting one option from the multiple options for provisioning resources based on at least one predetermined policy, and controlling the plurality of network switches based on the selected option. |
| US08098654B2 |
Storage system, computer system and interface module
An interface module comprises a serial signal transceiver to be connected to an external transmission path and an interface processing unit connected to the transceiver. The interface processing unit comprises a serializer/deserializer circuit, an encoder/decoder, a protocol processing unit having at least two kinds of selectable protocol processing functions, and a communicate mode switch circuit for changing reference clock to be supplied to the serializer/deserializer circuit in conjunction with switching of the protocol processing function from one to another. |
| US08098652B2 |
IP telephone provisioning system and methods
A method and apparatus relate to receiving and storing data through an interface for an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone database. The interface receives a request related to provisioning a function of an IP telephone. In response to receiving the request, data from the IP telephone database may be transmitted to the IP telephone to be used to provision the function. |
| US08098649B2 |
Using network transport tunnels to provide service-based data transport
Service-based distribution paths that provide transport tunnels and control capabilities for data communication over a service are disclosed. Service-based distribution paths or transport tunnels include services mapped or bound to the transport tunnel. Encapsulation provides for packet-by-packet handling, including service separation of packets based on header data included within each packet. Services may be monitored, managed, and controlled by performing operational determinations between end points to ensure end-to-end service configuration and connectivity are established. |
| US08098645B2 |
Random access slot selection in a communications system
A communications system (20) includes a resource controller (22) and a terminal (24) in communication with the resource controller (22). Periodically, the resource controller (22) sends a service announcement (46) that identifies a set (50) of timeslots (52) within a communication resource (40) configured for random access within a future frame (42). The terminal (24) ascertains a burst characteristic (118) of a message (54) to be sent from the terminal (24) and generates a random access parameter (128). The terminal (24) selects one of the timeslots (52) from the set (50) in accordance with the random access parameter (128), the timeslot exhibiting a burst type (62) corresponding to the burst characteristic (118) of the message (54). The terminal (24) transmits the message (54) in the selected timeslot (52). |
| US08098644B2 |
Method and apparatus for uplink resource allocation in a frequency division multiple access communication system
To address the need for a resource allocation scheme that results in a better tradeoff between the cell-edge performance and the overall spectral efficiency, a communication system is provided that allocates uplink transmit power to user equipment (UEs) based on a fractional power control scheme. In another embodiment, since the cell-edge users are also likely to be power limited, the communication system may implement a minimized uplink transmission bandwidth resource allocation scheme that may work with the fractional power control scheme to achieve a level of performance desired for uplink transmissions in 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project) and 3GPP2 Evolution communication systems. |
| US08098643B2 |
Method of increasing the capacity of the forward link MAC channel in a wireless communication system
In an H-ARQ system, when the AN is receiving packet data traffic on the RL from an AT and is generating ACKs and NAKs according to the ability of the AN to properly decode such data, the AN gates-off a DRCLock bit within in a sub-packet duration in which an ACK is transmitted on the FL MAC channel. When it receives an ACK, the AT ignores the non-transmitted DRCLock bit in a current sub-packet duration, and assumes that the DRC channel is “good”. When the AN sends a NAK to the AT, it also sends the DRCLock bit. When the AT receives a NAK in a sub-packet duration, it reads and processes whatever DRCLock bit is received during that sub-packet duration. When no data traffic is transmitted on the RL traffic channel, corresponding DRCLock bits are not gated-off by the AN and are transmitted to the AT. The AT then processes the received DRCLock bits. In an alternative embodiment, transmission of DRCLock is totally eliminated. |
| US08098640B2 |
Systems and methods for determining a predictable modulation and coding scheme
Embodiments of a wireless communication system, device and method for determining a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a control response packet in a wireless local area network based on the MCS of a received data frame are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08098635B2 |
Method and apparatus for packet communications in wireless systems
Techniques for transmitting and receiving data in an efficient manner to potentially improve capacity for a wireless network and achieve power savings for a wireless device are described. The techniques utilize a Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC) mode comprised of multiple (e.g., two) discontinuous transmission (DTX) modes and at least one (e.g., one) discontinuous reception (DRX) mode. Each DTX mode is associated with different enabled uplink subframes usable for transmission from the wireless device to the network. Each DRX mode is associated with different enabled downlink subframes usable by the network for transmission to the wireless device. The wireless device may send signaling and/or data on the enabled uplink subframes and may receive signaling and/or data on the enabled downlink subframes. The wireless device may power down during non-enabled subframes to conserve battery power. Mechanisms to quickly transition between the DTX and DRX modes are described. |
| US08098634B2 |
Method for performing a handover from a WCDMA system to a CDMA system in a multi-mode mobile communication terminal
A method of performing a handover from a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) system to a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) system in a multi-mode terminal having a WCDMA module and a CDMA module includes determining whether a handover to the CDMA system is necessary during a call through a WCDMA system; acquiring a pilot signal from the CDMA system by activating the CDMA module if it is determined that the handover to the CDMA system is necessary; receiving a sync signal if the pilot signal from the CDMA system is acquired; transmitting information for handover to the WCDMA system through the WCDMA module; allowing the CDMA module to enter a CDMA traffic state using handover information if the handover information is received from the WCDMA system through WCDMA module; and releasing a traffic state of the WCDMA module. |
| US08098630B2 |
Scanning methods and apparatus for system acquisition
In one illustrative example, a system acquisition method suitable for use in W-CDMA utilizes a receiver having an automatic frequency control (AFC) circuit. A system acquisition scan is performed over a plurality of candidate frequencies in an RF band. During the system acquisition scan, a pilot signal of a system on one of the candidate frequencies is detected. When information of the system is successfully decoded, and the system is different from a requested system (e.g. not the RPLMN or HPLMN), the pilot signal of the system is assigned as a timing reference in the receiver for one or more remaining candidate frequencies of the system acquisition scan. Therefore, an AFC window time otherwise needed to converge on a remaining candidate frequency is not needed or reduced. |
| US08098627B2 |
P-CSCF fast handoff for IMS/MMS architecture
A mechanism by which handoff delay can be minimized while not compromising the IMS/MMD security and also protecting the media if required by certain applications is presented. One proactive method includes proactive authentication. Another proactive method includes proactive security association, such as transferring SA keys from old proxy to new proxy, or transferring keys through serving signal entities. Reactive methods include transferring SA keys from old proxy to new proxy, using either push or pull technology. Other reactive methods include transferring keys through serving signal entities using either push or pull technology. |
| US08098626B2 |
Packet transfer control method, communication message processing method, access router, and mobile terminal
Provided is a technique for eliminating buffer and transfer of a packet which is not required for an MN in a handover mechanism in which a packet to be sent to the MN performing handover is buffered and the buffered packet is supplied to the MN after the handover. Before handover, a mobile terminal (MN) notifies an access router (nAR) to be newly connected after the handover of information (buff_time/flow) indicating a correspondence between a flow label of a packet concerned with packet communication and a buffer time based on a delay allowance time of an application using the packet having the flow label. The nAR buffers the packet while the MN performs the handover. When performing packet transfer to the MN connected after the handover, the nAR does not transfer, to MN, the packet stored for a predetermined buffer time or more among the packets stored in the buffer. |
| US08098625B2 |
Wireless terminal and communication system switching method
A wireless terminal involving small redundancy that can be reconfigured to a configuration compatible with a plurality of systems using the hardware resources compatible with one system is provided.A wireless terminal 100A is compatible with an OFCDM system and has a signal processing section 151, a synchronous detection section 162, etc. The signal processing section 151 performs Fourier transform when the wireless terminal is compatible with the OFCDM system; the signal processing section 151 performs Fourier transform and inverse Fourier transform compatible with an OFDM system when the wireless terminal is compatible with the OFDM system and a CDMA system. When the wireless terminal is compatible with the OFCDM system, the synchronous detection section 162 uses taps used in the systems when the wireless terminal is compatible with the OFDM system and the CDMA system. When the wireless terminal 100A is placed out of the area in the OFCDM system, it is switched to a configuration compatible with the OFDM system and the CDMA system. |
| US08098620B2 |
Method for status reporting in wireless communication systems when one-time allocated resource is insufficent
A wireless communication terminal includes a controller configured to prompt a transceiver to transmit a partial status report accommodated by a radio resource available to the terminal. The partial status report includes a sub-set of complete acknowledgement information that is associated with set of protocol data units, wherein the partial status report omits a portion of the complete acknowledgement information. The partial status reporting includes an indication that the partial status report omits the portion of the complete acknowledgement information. |
| US08098618B2 |
Multicast in point-to-point packet-switched oriented networks
The invention relates to a method, network node, router, serving node and system for performing multicast in a point-to-point packet-switched oriented telecommunication network. The basic idea is to introduce pre-configured multicast transmission for parts of a network. This is done by creating pre-configured transport multicast group tunnels between a router and a serving node in order to transport the multicast data. Further the present invention describes the possibility of multiplexing of the multicast data streams on a pre-configured transport multicast group tunnel. In particular the invention is applicable for multicasting in networks, like UMTS with a scarce number of resources, in the IP network between the SGSN and GGSN for example on the Gn interface. |
| US08098614B1 |
Channel-occupancy efficient, low power wireless networking
An apparatus and method are provided for efficiently sharing a single wireless channel and for providing improved power saving. Automatic beacon “sliding” establishes a round-robin contention-free channel schedule among multiple IBSSs. Entering an idle state immediately following communication after a beacon saves power. Further power savings occur when presumptions of pending traffic may be made. |
| US08098612B2 |
Apparatus and method for remote beam forming for satellite broadcasting systems
A satellite broadcasting system is achieved in which remote beam forming processors located among distributed ground stations are used to control downlink beam footprints and pointing directions. Digital beam forming techniques allow a single satellite downlink broadcast antenna array to generate multiple simultaneous downlinks that can be pointed independently and that may contain distinct information content. By allocating some of the uplink back-channel elements as null channels, continuous calibration of the uplink channel can be performed, improving the performance of the downlink broadcast array and the quality of the broadcast for users. By wavefront multiplexing, all of the uplink channel elements propagate through the all of the available propagation channels simultaneously, eliminating the need for complex and costly individual array-element calibration equipment using on-board or ground-based references. |
| US08098607B2 |
Efficient multi-cast broadcasting for packet data systems
Methods and apparatus are presented for efficient broadcasting in wireless packet data systems. A single MAC_ID is used for broadcasting to a group of subscribers. By using the channel quality information of the group of subscribers, a base station determines the identity of the subscriber with the worst channel conditions. The timing and the transmission format of the multi-cast are then tailored so that the subscriber with the worst channel conditions is capable of recovering the transmission. If the timing and the transmission format is chosen in relation to subscriber with the worst channel conditions, it is probable that other subscribers will be able to recover the transmission as well. Hence, only a single MAC_ID need to be used to make a single broadcast, rather than sending multiple transmissions to multiple subscribers. |
| US08098606B2 |
Modified upstream channel descriptor messages for DOCSIS-based broadband communication systems
A method, apparatus and computer program product for generating and processing upstream channel descriptor (UCD) messages in a DOCSIS-based broadband communications system, such as a DOCSIS-based two-way satellite communications system, is provided. A satellite modem termination system (SMTS) generates a UCD message that includes one or more standard parameters pertaining to an upstream channel of the two-way satellite communications system, wherein the one or more standard parameters are defined in accordance with the DOCSIS protocol, and one or more satellite application-specific parameters pertaining to the upstream channel, wherein the one or more satellite application specific parameters are not provided for by the DOCSIS protocol. The UCD message is transmitted to a satellite modem that extracts both the standard and satellite application-specific parameters for use in managing communication over the upstream channel. |
| US08098603B2 |
Bandwidth adaptation in a wireless network
An arrangement is provided for adapting the output bit rate of a multimedia source to the bandwidth available in a wireless network. Depending on the value of the available network idle time, at least a portion of the available network idle time may be used by the source to increase its output bit rate so that the network bandwidth may be more efficiently utilized. If the effective throughput of the network after the increase of source output bit rate drops significantly, the source may reduce its output bit rate until the effective throughput returns to the level before the source output bit rate increase. Additionally, packet delay and queue jitter information may be collected and used for queue rate adaptation as well as bandwidth adaptation. |
| US08098602B2 |
System and method for transferring data over full-duplex differential serial link
A data transmission technique where high speed data is transmitted differentially in a forward channel by way of a serial link, and relatively low speed data is differentially modulated onto the forward channel signal for transmission in a reverse channel via the link. By utilizing differential modulation in both forward and reverse channels, the resulting signal has a common mode voltage that is substantially constant, resulting in low EMI. The spectral content of the signal associated with the high speed data may be substantially non-overlapping with the spectral content of the signal associated with the low speed data. This facilitates the recovery of the high speed data and low speed data with minimal interference. The differential signaling lends itself for communicating data via an inexpensive medium, such as twisted wire pair or parallel PCB traces. The data transmission technique applies to various communication network topologies: point-to-point, daisy-chain, and point-to-multiple points. |
| US08098599B2 |
Method and system for multiple party telephone call
Provided is a method and system for multiple party telephone calls. The method includes receiving an incoming voice telephone call from a call network at a multi-party module, and allowing, by the multi-party module, for a plurality of terminal modules to participate in the incoming voice telephone call, each terminal module comprising a telephone. |
| US08098596B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring channel node tree in an OFDMA wireless communication system
A method and apparatus for configuring a channel node tree in an OFDMA wireless communication system are provided, in which as many DRCH nodes as the number of DRCHs used for a frame are configured at base nodes, as many BRCHs as the number of DRCHs are selected from among BRCHs used for the frame, BRCH nodes with unselected BRCHs are configured at base nodes, and upper nodes are configured using the base nodes corresponding to the DRCH nodes and the BRCH nodes. |
| US08098590B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating performance measurements in wireless networks
A method and apparatus for generating performance measurements for a wireless network is provided. The method may comprise: obtaining, at a base station, performance measurements and location data from a mobile device, storing, at the base station and based on the location data, at least a portion of the obtained measurements to at least one virtual geographic bin of a storage array, wherein each virtual geographic bin corresponds to a different geographic area within a cell serviced by the base station, aggregating, at the base station, at least a portion the measurements stored in each virtual geographic bin into one or more location-based performance measurements, and transmitting, from the base station, at least a portion of the location-based performance measurements to a network manager. |
| US08098588B1 |
Blind adaptive decision feedback equalizer for high-speed serial communications
A blind adaptive decision feedback equalizer technique relies on two thresholds. The first threshold is applied to the incoming sampled analog data. According to this aspect of the invention, if the signal magnitude exceeds the threshold, then it is considered valid, while if it is below the threshold, it is considered erroneous. This reduces processing, because not every sample generates an error signal. The second threshold is a block threshold that determines when the filter coefficients are updated to account for the incoming data. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, only when a certain number of errors has been accumulated are the coefficients updated. This results in a further reduction in processing. |
| US08098586B2 |
Determining configuration parameters of a mobile network
A method of determining configuration parameters of a mobile network topology for testing and monitoring purposes at an interface (lub) located between a first node and a second node of the mobile network where between the first and the second node there exist several channels includes finding the channel having signaling information, analyzing signaling information to determine the configuration parameters, updating the configuration parameters dynamically, and performing a monitoring activity or test scenario based on the configuration parameters. |
| US08098584B2 |
Optimization of traffic routing for data center services
Techniques and systems for providing optimization of traffic routing for data centers are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method may include identifying a plurality of available source sites and paths or routes between an online service provider (OSP) and a destination prefix. A traffic manager may measure a cost for each of the plurality of available paths. In some instances, the traffic manager may also measure a performance value for each of the available paths. The traffic manager may then select one of the available source sites and paths as a preferred source site and path that has a minimized cost for an instance of the performance value when compared to other paths of the plurality of available source sites and paths. In further embodiments, the traffic manager may rewrite a routing table and DNS mapping to implement the preferred source site and path as the default source site and path between the OSP and the destination prefix. |
| US08098581B2 |
Reverse link channel architecture for a wireless communication system
A channel structure and mechanisms that support effective and efficient allocation and utilization of the reverse link resources. In one aspect, mechanisms are provided to quickly assign resources (e.g., a supplemental channel) as needed, and to quickly de-assign the resources when not needed or to maintain system stability. The reverse link resources may be quickly assigned and de-assigned via short messages exchanged on control channels on the forward and reverse links. In another aspect, mechanisms are provided to facilitate efficient and reliable data transmission. A reliable acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment scheme and an efficient retransmission scheme are provided. Mechanisms are also provided to control the transmit power and/or data rate of the remote terminals to achieve high performance and avoid instability. |
| US08098580B2 |
Priority scheduling using per-priority memory structures
A system schedules traffic flows on an output port using circular memory structures. The circular memory structures may include rate wheels that include a group of sequentially arranged slots. The traffic flows may be assigned to different rate wheels on a per-priority basis. |
| US08098578B1 |
System and method for increasing granularity of prefix control in a computer network
A technique dynamically increases the granularity of prefix control in a computer network. According to the novel technique, a routing table is populated with one or more reachable prefixes, e.g., learned or configured prefixes, and performance characteristics (e.g., bandwidth, cost, delay, etc.) of the prefixes are monitored. Upon determining that a need exists for more granular prefix control (i.e., smaller prefixes), one or more boundaries may be determined upon which to divide one or more of the prefixes based on the monitored characteristics and/or need. Once the one or more boundaries are determined, the one or more prefixes may be “split” accordingly, e.g., by injecting more specific prefixes into the routing table, thus providing more granular prefix control (i.e., by controlling the split prefixes). |
| US08098575B2 |
Packet relay method and device
A packet relay method and device in which even in the presence of a relay device between transmitting and receiving devices, a normality of a protection route can be surely confirmed is provided; A specific source address or destination address are registered, and when a route normality confirmation packet having the source address or destination address is received, the packet is transmitted to a protection route regardless of a hash operation; The registering can include link aggregation information in addition to the source address or destination address and the transmitting is made when the route normality confirmation packet consistent with both of the source address or destination address and the link aggregation information is received. |
| US08098573B2 |
Bridge, system, bridge control method and program recording medium
A bridge according to an exemplary aspect of the invention comprises a BPDU-receiver which receives a BPDU packet of an STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) including failure information and an error-handler which performs error handling according to the failure information. |
| US08098569B2 |
Signaling method in an OFDM multiple access system
A method for reducing the peak-to-average ratio in an OFDM communication signal is provided. The method includes defining a constellation having a plurality of symbols, defining a symbol duration for the OFDM communication signal, and defining a plurality of time instants in the symbol duration. A plurality of tones are allocated to a particular communication device, and a discrete signal is constructed in the time domain by mapping symbols from the constellation to the time instants. A continuous signal is generated by applying an interpolation function to the discrete signal such that the continuous signal only includes sinusoids having frequencies which are equal to the allocated tones. |
| US08098565B2 |
Disc apparatus with holder for holding discs
A disc apparatus includes a player and a holder. The player is configured for reading an optical disc, the player comprising a first latching portion. The holder is configured for holding extra optical discs, the holder comprising a second latching portion. The first latching portion and the second latching portion are capable of attaching the holder to the player cooperatively. |
| US08098562B2 |
Objective lens comprising a diffraction structure for distributing light in to light of different diffraction orders, optical pickup device, and optical information recording or reproduction apparatus having same
An objective lens includes a diffraction structure for distributing much of a quantity of an incident light beam into two diffracted lights having different diffraction orders from each other, wherein recording or reproduction of information on an optical disk is performed by converging the diffracted light having a longer focal length of the two diffracted lights onto an information recording surface through a protective layer of the optical disk, and a distance from the objective lens to a surface of the protective layer along an optical axis is longer than a distance between focuses of the two diffracted lights along the optical axis when the diffracted light having the longer focal length is converged onto the information recording surface of the optical disk. |
| US08098559B2 |
Information recording/reproducing apparatus, apparatus for manufacturing optical information recording medium, and optical information recording medium
An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus equipped with a mechanism for moving an optical pickup to an arbitrary radial position of an optical information recording medium using holography. A total sum signal of signals is generated at the photodetector for receiving signals reproduced from the optical information recording medium, and a radial position of the pickup is obtained from the number of pulses in the total sum signal to thereby allow the pickup to move to an arbitrary radial position. |
| US08098557B2 |
Signal evaluation method and signal evaluation apparatus
A signal evaluation method according to the present invention is a method for evaluating a read signal, retrieved from an information recording medium, based on a binarized signal generated from the read signal by a PRML method. The method includes the steps of: detecting the patterns of multiple paths associated with the binarized signal and merging into the same state; getting the ideal value of a correct pattern associated with the binarized signal and that of an erroneous pattern that is similar to, but different from, the correct pattern; calculating the difference between a distance from the ideal value of the correct pattern to the read signal and a distance from that of the erroneous pattern to the read signal; calculating, based on the difference, an expected error rate for each predetermined group of patterns by the PRML method; and calculating a standard deviation that is associated with a total error rate, which is obtained by adding together the error rates of the predetermined groups of patterns, and that is used for evaluating the read signal. |
| US08098555B2 |
Optical disk device with coma aberration correction
The optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a tilt detecting means; a coma aberration correcting means; and a spherical aberration correcting means. Based on the result of a tilt detection, the amount of the correction performed by the coma aberration correcting means is determined so that the amount of correction is constant for the whole circumference of an optical disc, and then a spherical aberration is corrected by the spherical aberration correcting means. Thus, it is possible to correct the spherical aberration that has occurred due to the coma aberration correcting means, while the tilt margin is secured, thereby improving the reliability of reproduction and recording by the optical disc apparatus. Further, the optical disc apparatus according to the present invention is configured, in the case where a thermal shock tilt has occurred during the activation of the apparatus, to wait until the thermal shock tilt has settled. Thus, it is possible to perform the activation while the influence of the thermal shock tilt is avoided, thereby improving the reliability of the recording and reproduction operations by the optical disc apparatus. |
| US08098553B2 |
Method of and apparatus for recording data on write-once disc, method of and apparatus for reproducing data from write-once disc, and write-once disc therefor
A write-once disc includes: a plurality of update areas in which a predetermined kind of updated information is recorded; at least one main access information area in which main access information is recorded, the main access information indicating a final update area in which finally updated information is recorded among the plurality of update areas; and at least one sub access information area in which sub access information is recorded, the sub access information indicating a location of the finally updated information recorded in the final update area. Accordingly, an access time for reading a predetermined kind of information required to use the write-once disc can be reduced. |
| US08098550B2 |
Information recording medium, information recording method, information recording apparatus, information reproducing method and information reproducing apparatus including writing information on rewritable information recording medium
If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used). |
| US08098549B2 |
Information recording medium, recording apparatus, reproduction apparatus, recording method and reproduction method
An information recording medium is provided that includes a data area for recording user data and a defect management area for recording a defect list for managing N number of defect areas existing in the data area, where N is an integer satisfying N≧0. The defect list includes two or more blocks, and further includes a header located at a fixed position in the defect list and N number of defect entries, located subsequent to the header, including position information on the respective positions of the N number of defect areas. An anchor is located subsequent to the defect entries, and the header includes first update times information representing the number of times that the defect list has been updated. The anchor includes second update times information representing the number of times that the defect list has been updated. |
| US08098548B2 |
Optical head and optical disk apparatus
An interference type optical head and an optical disk apparatus which have a signal amplification effect and can be manufactured in sizes comparable to conventional optical heads. In an optical disk apparatus that performs signal amplification by making a light, which is used as a reference light without being irradiated on an optical disk and, interfere with reflected light from the optical disk, a corner cube prism that reflects the reference light is mounted on the same actuator as an objective lens. A movable portion adjusts the optical path length of the interfering light in accordance with the kind of optical disk being read and the recording layer being read. A wedge prism may be used for the movable portion, and a spherical aberration correction lens and an optical path length adjusting component may be moved integrally. |
| US08098538B2 |
Spin-torque bit cell with unpinned reference layer and unidirectional write current
Method and apparatus for using a uni-directional write current to store different logic states in a non-volatile memory cell, such as a modified STRAM cell. In some embodiments, the memory cell has an unpinned ferromagnetic reference layer adjacent a cladded conductor, a ferromagnetic storage layer and a tunneling barrier between the reference layer and the storage layer. Passage of a current along the cladded conductor induces a selected magnetic orientation in the reference layer, which is transferred through the tunneling barrier for storage by the storage layer. Further, the orientation of the applying step is provided by a cladding layer adjacent a conductor along which a current is passed and the current induces a magnetic field in the cladding layer of the selected magnetic orientation. |
| US08098537B2 |
Data refresh for non-volatile storage
Techniques are disclosed to refresh data in a non-volatile storage device often enough to combat erroneous or corrupted data bits, but not so often as to interfere with memory access or to cause excessive stress on the memory cells. One embodiment includes determining to perform a refresh of data stored in a first group of non-volatile storage elements in a device based on a condition of data in the first group, determining that a second group of non-volatile storage elements in the device should undergo a refresh procedure based on when the second group of non-volatile storage elements were last programmed relative to when the first group of non-volatile storage elements were last programmed, and performing the refresh procedure on the second group of non-volatile storage element. |
| US08098531B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
In a semiconductor memory device which uses a same pad for an address input and data input/output, and has an input circuit and data output circuit connected to the pad, an output of the data output circuit is turned to a high impedance state in accordance with a chip enable signal, output enable signal, and address capture signal, at a stand-by time, output disable time, and address capture period, and thereby, it becomes possible to start an internal read operation even before the address capture period is finished, and a high-speed operation becomes possible. |
| US08098526B2 |
Reverse reading in non-volatile memory with compensation for coupling
Shifts in the apparent charge stored by a charge storage region such as a floating gate in a non-volatile memory cell can occur because of electrical field coupling based on charge stored in adjacent (or other) charge storage regions. Although not exclusively, the effects are most pronounced in situations where adjacent memory cells are programmed after a selected memory cell. To account for the shift in apparent charge, one or more compensations are applied when reading storage elements of a selected word line based on the charge stored by storage elements of other word lines. Efficient compensation techniques are provided by reverse reading blocks (or portions thereof) of memory cells. By reading in the opposite direction of programming, the information needed to apply (or select the results of) an appropriate compensation when reading a selected cell is determined during the actual read operation for the adjacent word line rather than dedicating a read operation to determine the information. |
| US08098521B2 |
Method of providing an erase activation energy of a memory device
A write-once read-many times memory device is made up of first and second electrodes, a passive layer between the first and second electrodes, and an active layer between the first and second electrode. The memory device is programmed by providing a charged species from the passive layer into the active layer. The memory device may be programmed to have for the programmed memory device a first erase activation energy. The present method provides for the programmed memory device a second erase activation energy greater than the first erase activation energy. |
| US08098517B2 |
Method of restoring variable resistance memory device
Methods of programming a phase-change memory device that remedy device failure. The methods includes applying a sequence of two or more electrical energy pulses to the device, where the sequence of pulses includes positive polarity pulses and negative polarity pulses. In one method, two or more pulses of an initial polarity are applied and are followed by one or more pulses having opposite polarity. In another method, pulses of an initial polarity are repeatedly applied until the device fails and one or more pulses of opposite polarity are subsequently applied to restore the device to its initial performance. The pulses may be set pulses, reset pulses, or pulses that produce programmed states having a resistance intermediate between the set resistance and reset resistance of the device. |
| US08098515B2 |
Spin injection device having semiconductor-ferromagnetic-semiconductor structure and spin transistor
A spin injection device and spin transistor including a spin injection device. A spin injection device includes different semiconductor materials and a spin-polarizing ferromagnetic material there between. The semiconductor materials may have different crystalline structures, e.g., a first material can be polycrystalline or amorphous silicon, and a second material can be single crystalline silicon. Charge carriers are spin-polarized when the traverse the spin-polarizing ferromagnetic material and injected into the second semiconductor material. A Schottky barrier height between the first semiconductor and ferromagnetic materials is larger than a second Schottky barrier height between the ferromagnetic and second semiconductor materials. A spin injection device may be a source of a spin field effect transistor. |
| US08098511B2 |
Reverse set with current limit for non-volatile storage
A storage system includes a substrate, control circuitry on the substrate, a three dimensional memory array (above the substrate) that includes a plurality of reversible resistance-switching elements, and circuits for limiting the SET current for the reversible resistance-switching elements. The memory cell is SET in a reverse biased fashion. |
| US08098509B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, method of fabricating the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and process of writing data on the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of first element isolation insulating films formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a first cell array region into a band shape, a plurality of second element isolation insulating films formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a second cell array region into a band shape. Each first element isolation insulating film has a level from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the first charge storage layer has a level from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and each second element isolation insulating film has a level from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, the level of each first element isolation insulating film being lower than the level of the first charge storage layer and higher than the level of each second element isolation insulating film. |
| US08098507B2 |
Hierarchical cross-point array of non-volatile memory
A method and apparatus for reading data from a non-volatile memory cell. In some embodiments, a cross-point array of non-volatile memory cells is arranged into rows and columns. A selection circuit is provided that is capable of activating the first block of memory cells while deactivating the second block of memory cells. Further, a read circuit is provided that is capable of reading a logical state of a predetermined memory cell in the first block of memory cells with a reduced leak current by programming a first resistive state to the block selection elements corresponding to the first block of memory cells while programming a second resistive state to the block selection elements corresponding to the second block of memory cells. |
| US08098501B2 |
Switching power supply control circuit
A comparator detects whether a feedback signal of an output voltage detecting circuit for a switching power supply circuit reaches a control voltage. A comparator detects an operating state of the switching power supply circuit, which is instructed by a switching instruction signal, by comparing the instruction signal with a reference voltage. The comparators are connected to a decision circuit which outputs to a control circuit a signal instructing a normal state until the feedback signal reaches the control voltage, and thereafter a signal instructing a normal state or a stand-by state that is instructed by the switching instruction signal. Thus, the control circuit makes the switching power supply circuit operate in a normal state until the output voltage reaches the control voltage. After the output voltage reaches the control voltage, the switching power supply circuit operated in an operation state instructed by the switching instruction signal to enable stable startup. |
| US08098500B2 |
Phase shift full bridge converter with reduced current stress
A phase shift full bridge converter with a reduced current stress includes: a switching unit that switches an input voltage; a transformer that includes a first capacitor serially connected to, and having a primary side and a secondary side; an auxiliary circuit unit that includes a first switch, a second switch, and a second capacitor, which are connected in parallel to the secondary side of the transformer; and a rectification unit that is connected to the auxiliary circuit unit, with an output inductor being removed. |
| US08098497B2 |
Expansion card fastening mechanism
An expansion card fastening mechanism includes a baseboard, a card edge connector and a support bracket. The card edge connector is disposed on the baseboard to be inserted by an edge of an expansion card substantially in parallel with the baseboard. The support bracket includes a bottom wall, two lateral walls and two fastening members. The bottom wall is in contact with the baseboard. Two lateral walls extends upright from the bottom wall. Two fastening members are respectively disposed on a top edge of each lateral wall, wherein the bottom wall is selectively located at one of multiple positions on the baseboard such that an opposite edge of the expansion card is secured by the two fastening members. |
| US08098493B2 |
CFP mechanical platform
In one example embodiment, a host device includes a host bezel, first and second guides, and a host connector. The host bezel defines an opening configured to receive a pluggable module. A first cutout on one side of the opening and a second cutout on the opposite side of the opening are adapted to receive corresponding guiderails on the module. The first and second guides are coupled to the host bezel and to a host printed circuit board. Each of the first and second guides defines a channel configured to receive the first and second guiderails of the module. The host connector is coupled to the host printed circuit board and is disposed at the back end of the first and second guides. The host connector includes a recessed slot configured to receive a module connector to electrically couple the module to the host printed circuit board. |
| US08098492B2 |
Data processing modules and systems
Data processing modules including a housing and connectors carried by the housing, and systems including the same. |
| US08098484B2 |
Solid electrolytic capacitor and method for manufacturing the same
Solid electrolytic capacitors are provided with decreased equivalent series resistance (ESR). The solid electrolytic capacitors include: an anode containing a valve metal or an alloy that is mainly made of a valve metal; a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the anode; an electrolyte layer formed on the dielectric layer; a carbon layer formed on the electrolyte layer; and a silver paste layer formed on the carbon layer, wherein the silver paste layer contains a nonionic surfactant. |
| US08098481B2 |
Energy storage device
In one embodiment, an energy storage device having a first electrode supported by a first collectors sheet; a second electrode supported by a second collector sheet; and a dielectric separator therebetween, all spirally wound together. A container houses this spiral winding, with the first collector sheet having an end in contact with the base and the second collector sheet having an end oriented towards an opening opposite to the base. A collector plate is interposed between the second collector sheet and the opening and is restrained in position by a crimp in the container. A lid is positioned in the opening and has one side in electrical contact with the collector plate and an opposite side oriented outwardly of the container. The lid is restrained in position by rolling the one or more container walls over the lid. |
| US08098478B2 |
Electric element
An electric element includes a dielectric layers, conductive plates, anode electrodes, and cathode electrodes. The conductive plates and the conductive plates are alternately laminated in the width direction of the electric element. The anode electrodes are connected to each of the conductive plates with a predetermined distance. The cathode electrodes are connected to each of the conductive plates with a predetermined distance. The electric element is mounted on a substrate in a manner where the bottom surface makes contact with the substrate. The anode electrode is connected to a first signal line that has a width substantially equal to that of the electric element disposed on the substrate. The anode electrode is connected to a second signal line that has a width substantially equal to that of the electric element disposed on the substrate. |
| US08098476B2 |
Fluidic electrostatic energy harvester
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a variable capacitor that operates without moving mechanical parts. In this capacitor electrically conductive electrodes are separated by an enclosed chamber filled with an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material can freely vary its position within the chamber. The capacitance of the device will vary as position of the conductive material changes due to external mechanical motion (ex: rotation, vibration, etc.) of the device. Other embodiments of this device are also disclosed. |
| US08098474B2 |
Systems and methods for immobilization using pulse series
A cartridge for a system that uses a stimulus signal for immobilizing a human or animal target includes a propellant and a projectile propelled away from about the cartridge by the propellant. The projectile includes a power supply, a waveform generator, and several electrodes. The waveform generator is powered by the power supply. The waveform generator includes a processor. The electrodes complete a stimulus delivery circuit to conduct a current through the target. The waveform generator generates the current to include a first series of pulses and a second series of pulses. The second series begins after the first series is completed. The first series has a first pulse repetition rate determined by the processor. Each pulse of the first series has a first pulse width of from about 10 to about 1000 microseconds. Each pulse of the first series delivers through the target a first charge per pulse of from about 50 to about 500 microcoulombs. The second series has a second pulse repetition rate determined by the processor to be less than the first pulse repetition rate. Each pulse of the second series delivers through the target a charge greater than a minimum charge per pulse. A product of the second pulse repetition rate and the minimum charge per pulse is greater than 250. |
| US08098472B2 |
System and method for controlling an electromagnetic field generator
A system for driving an electromagnetic field generator. In one aspect, the system may include a plurality of transistors arranged in an H-bridge configuration, the H-bridge having first and second output terminals, first and second switching inputs, and a power input. The system may further include a control transistor coupling the power input to a power supply, and a diode having a cathode coupled to the power input and an anode coupled to ground. The first and second output terminals may be coupled to the electromagnetic field generator and the first and second switching inputs may receive switching signals based on an output of the electromagnetic field generator. |
| US08098470B2 |
Protection unit for an AC/DC low-voltage power supply line
Protection unit for an AC or DC low-voltage power supply line, comprising means for detecting the current circulating in one or more power supply line conductor(s) and at least first electronic protection means operatively coupled to a circuit breaker with at least one pole for inserting along said conductor, characterized in that said detection means comprise at least one resistor suitable for electrical connection in series with said circuit breaker pole and for enabling the passage of the current circulating in said conductor, and at least a first electronic processing circuit that receives a signal indicative of the voltage at the terminals of said resistor and delivers to said first electronic protection means a signal that is indicative of the current circulating in said line conductor. |
| US08098469B2 |
Electricity delivery system
An electronic system can include a switch and a regulator coupled to the switch. The switch can be used to deliver electricity from a first terminal to a second terminal. The switch can also be used to prevent the second terminal from having a level that is higher than a predefined operation level limit by controlling the status of the switch according to a supply signal at the first terminal. The regulator can be used to adjust a regulated signal at the second terminal according to the supply signal. |
| US08098467B2 |
Method for avoidance of inadvertent protective tripping as a result of measurement errors within a protection system for an HVDC transmission installation
A method for avoiding undesired, measurement error-induced protective tripping within a protection system of an HVDC transmission system. State variables of components of the HVDC transmission system are detected by first measuring devices to obtain a first set of measured values and by further measuring devices, which are designed in redundant fashion with respect to the first measuring devices, to obtain further sets of measured values. The first and further sets of measured values are supplied to a closed-loop control unit and a protective unit. The protective unit checks the first set of measured values for the presence of a risk of protective tripping by way of internal logic, and the closed-loop control unit regulates the HVDC transmission system as a function of one of the further sets of measured values. In the event of the presence of a risk of protective tripping, the protective unit checks one of the further sets of measured values for the presence of switchover conditions and, if present, switches over to the further set of measured values and checks the further set of measured values for the presence of a risk of protective tripping. |
| US08098460B1 |
Dual-state clamping mechanism
An apparatus is provided for releasably holding a contact pad of a head gimbal assembly in electrical contact with a flex cable assembly of an actuator coil assembly. The apparatus includes a clamp body pivotally connected to an actuator body of the actuator coil assembly and moveable between an open position and a closed position, and a latch rotatably connected to the clamp body and operable to selectively position the clamp body in the open and closed positions. The clamp body is configured to apply pressure to the contact pad of the head gimbal assembly to make electrical contact with the flex cable assembly when the contact pad is arranged on the flex cable assembly and the clamp body in the closed position. |
| US08098456B2 |
Perpendicular magnetic recording head having a tapered main pole
A perpendicular magnetic recording head including: a data recording module comprising a main pole, a return pole, and a coil wrapped around the main pole; and a data reproduction module including magnetic shield layers and a reading device located between the magnetic shield layers, wherein the width of a lower end of the main pole is gradually reduced in a downward direction thereof, and the lower end of the main pole comprises a first part and a second part extending from the first part, the first part having a curved surface of a first curvature and the second part having a curved surface of a second curvature. The first curvature can be equal to or different from the second curvature, and magnetic shield devices can be further disposed on both sides of the lower end of the main pole. |
| US08098455B2 |
Wire-assisted magnetic write device with phase shifted current
A magnetic device includes a write element having a write element tip and a conductive coil for carrying a current to induce a first field from the write element. A conductor proximate the write element tip carries the current to generate a second field that augments the first field. A driver provides the current to the conductive coil and the conductor, and a circuit phase shifts the current through the conductor relative to the current through the conductive coil. |
| US08098454B2 |
Manufacturing method of hermetic connection terminal used in a disk drive device having hermetically sealed enclosure and disk drive device
To efficiently manufacture a feedthrough used in a disk drive device having a hermetically sealed enclosure, embodiments of the present invention manufacture a feedthrough used in an HDD having a hermetically sealed enclosure. An embodiment of a manufacturing method of the present embodiment manufactures a columnar body, cuts the columnar body in the direction vertical to the axes of pins, and cuts out a feedthrough. Then, necessary plating is made on the outer surfaces of the cut out feedthrough. The columnar body comprises a hollow tube, a plurality of pins inserted inside the tube, and an insulating sealant filled inside the tube. This manufacturing method achieves efficient manufacture of the feedthrough. |
| US08098451B2 |
Systems and methods for variable fly height measurement
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for determining fly height. For example, a system for fly height determination is disclosed that includes a head assembly disposed in relation to a storage medium, a write channel, and a read circuit. The read circuit is operable to receive information from both the head assembly and the write channel. A frequency determination circuit is included that is operable to receive a first signal from the read circuit corresponding to information received from the write channel and to provide a first fundamental frequency and a first higher order frequency based on the first signal, and the frequency determination circuit is operable to receive a second signal from the read circuit corresponding to information received from the head assembly channel and to provide a second fundamental frequency and a second higher order frequency based on the second signal. A compensation variable calculation module is included that is operable to divide the first fundamental frequency by the first higher order harmonic to yield a compensation variable. A fly height calculation module is included that is operable to divide the second fundamental frequency by the second higher order harmonic and the compensation variable to yield an indication of a distance between the head assembly and the storage medium. |
| US08098449B2 |
Magnetic recording device, control device, and magnetic recording device control method
A magnetic recording device includes: a magnetic recording medium including a write-synchronization region and a data region; a correction-value-storage unit configured to store therein a phase-correction value for correcting a phase of the write clock; a reading unit configured to read out a signal from the magnetic recording medium; a write-clock generator configured to generate the write clock based on a write-reproduction signal which is a signal read out from the write-synchronization region by the reading unit; a phase-correction unit configured to correct the phase of the write clock generated by the write-clock generator based on the phase-correction value stored in the correction-value-storage unit; and a data acquisition unit configured to acquire data included in a data-reproduction signal which is a signal read out from the data region by the reading unit based on a clock that is generated by correcting the phase by the phase-correction unit. |
| US08098446B2 |
Lens barrel and camera
A small-sized lens barrel and camera have the following configuration. The lens barrel has a first barrel, a second barrel movable between retracted position retracted in the inner diameter side of the first barrel and shooting position shifted toward the incident side in an optical axis direction with respect to the first barrel, a lens moved relative to the second barrel, a support part formed into a ring shape and supported by the end of the first barrel on the exit side in the optical axis direction, the support part being arranged on the inner diameter side of the first barrel, a projecting part formed so as to project in the optical axis direction from the end of the second barrel on the exit side in the optical axis direction, and an accommodating part being formed at the support part and accommodating the projecting part at the retracted position. |
| US08098444B2 |
Clutching jig
A clutching jig has a pair of holding arms which has upper ends connected together, and lower ends spaced away from each other. An inner surface of each holding arm has a through mounting hole of substantially ellipse shape, for allowing a connecting pole passing therethrough and moving therein. A trough is formed at a lower surface of each holding arm and passing through the corresponding inner surface. Two sliding elements are slidably mounted to the holding arms respectively, each of which has a basic plate. The basic plate has a though hole at an upper portion thereof, for engaging with the connecting pole. Two resisting pads are disposed between outer surfaces of the holding arms and the basic plates. Each of the resisting pads has a hole at an upper portion thereof, for engaging with the connecting pole. |
| US08098442B2 |
Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera
An object of the present invention is to provide: a zoom lens system that has a high resolution, high capability of compensating curvature of field, a high zoom ratio of, for example, 3 or greater, a reduced weight, and a reduced overall optical length at the time of non-use; and an imaging device and a camera that employ this zoom lens system so as to have a reduced thickness and excellent portability as well as high performance. The zoom lens system forms an optical image of an object with variable magnification and, in order from the object side to the image side, comprises: a first lens unit having negative optical power; a second lens unit that has positive optical power and that contains a bi-convex lens element composed of a resin material and serving as the most image side lens element; and a third lens unit having positive optical power. Then, the lens units move respectively along the optical axis in such a manner that intervals between the individual lens units should vary so that the variable magnification is achieved. Further, the condition |(R2mi1+R2mi2)/(R2mi1−R2mi2)|<1.0 (R2mi1 is a radius of curvature on the object side of the most image side lens element of the second lens unit, while R2mi2 is a radius of curvature on the image side of the most image side lens element of the second lens unit) is satisfied. The imaging device and the camera employ this zoom lens system. |
| US08098436B2 |
Lens module with adhesively mounted filter
A lens module includes a barrel and a parallelogram-shaped filter. The barrel defines a through hole bounded by an inner circumferential surface thereof. The barrel includes an end surface substantially perpendicular to the inner circumferential surface. The barrel further defines four positioning cutouts extending from the end surface to the inner circumferential surface. The parallelogram-shaped filter includes four corners fixed in the four positioning cutouts of the barrel. |
| US08098435B2 |
Optical combiner and image projector using the optical combiner
An optical combiner in which the number of parts used is lessened is made of a resin. The optical component comprises a first surface, a diffraction grating, and a second surface. The first surface is a surface providing first, second, and third lenses. The diffraction grating diffracts to a common optical path leading to the second surface light of the first wavelength incident on the first lens, light of the second wavelength incident on the second lens, and light of the third wavelength incident on the third lens. The second surface emits light incident thereon through the common optical path. The optical path from the first surface to the diffraction grating and the common optical path are constituted of the resin. |
| US08098431B2 |
Method and device for generating white in an interferometric modulator display
Various embodiments of the invention relate to methods and systems for generating the color white in displays created from interferometric modulators and more specifically, to the generation of the color white through the use of reflected light at two wavelengths. In one embodiment, a display device displays the color white. The color white is generated by reflecting light from two pluralities of interferometric modulator types. The first modulator type reflects colored light at a specific wavelength. The second modulator type reflects colored light selected to be at a wavelength complementary to the first. The combined light reflected from the two types appears white in the display. |
| US08098430B2 |
Grating structure for directing non-polarized light
A grating structure having a fused silica base includes alternating ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves form a fused silica to air interface. The ridges and grooves are configured such that the grating has a ratio between the effective refractive index difference between s-polarization and p-polarization of about 1/3. As such, for non-polarized light with an incident angle θin of between 40° and 90° and a wavelength λ=350-1600 nm, the grating directs both s-polarization and p-polarization components of the incident light to the −1st order diffraction mode. |
| US08098429B2 |
Projection-type image display apparatus
A projection-type image display apparatus includes a screen on which an image is projected; and a frame that holds a periphery of the screen. The frame includes a plurality of frame units that respectively extend along a plurality of sides of the screen and holds a rim of the screen, and a coupling member that couples the frame units that abut at a corner portion. Each end of the coupling member is fitted into an enclosed section formed at a rear portion of each of the frame units at a position hidden behind the screen. |
| US08098428B2 |
Circular dichroism fluorescent microscope
Example embodiments relate to a circular dichroism fluorescent microscope having a confocal section. In the circular dichroism fluorescent microscope, a circularly polarizing/modulating section converts, into right and left circularly polarized lights, a light beam emitted from a light source. As such, the obtained right and left circularly polarized lights are focused on a sample so that the sample is irradiated with the right and left circularly polarized lights. Then, an optical lens focuses fluorescence emitted from the sample. Further, a wavelength selecting section transmits only fluorescence having a predetermined wavelength. Subsequently, the fluorescence having passed through the wavelength selecting section is detected. Based on fluorescent intensity signals of the fluorescence, a difference between an intensity of the fluorescence emitted from the sample at the time of irradiation with the use of the right circularly polarized light and that with the use of the left circularly polarized light is calculated. |
| US08098427B2 |
Microscopic insemination viewing method
A microscope system includes a transmission illumination optical system having a light source and a condenser lens; a first dry objective having a magnification of from 20 or higher to 40 or lower and capable of viewing by at least one of a differential interference viewing method and a modulation contrast viewing method; and a second dry objective having a magnification of from 60 or higher to 100 or lower and capable of viewing by a differential interference viewing method; the first objective and the second objective being exchangeable. |
| US08098426B2 |
Two-way amplifier for passive optical network (PON)
A two-way optical amplifier system amplifies upstream and downstream optical signals in a passive optical network (PON). The downstream optical amplifier system includes an optical amplifier (EDFA), configured and arrange to amplify the downstream optical transport signal. The upstream optical amplifier operates in burst mode and includes an upstream transport fiber receiving an upstream optical transport signal, an optical source coupled to the upstream transport fiber to generate a saturating optical input signal that is combined with the optical transport signal and establishes a baseline reference level for AGC of the optical transport signal, a PON input receiving an incoming PON RF return signals, a first optical amplifier configured and arrange to amplify with AGC and equalize the PON RF return signals with the optical transport signal, a beam combiner configured and arranged to combine said equalized PON RF return signals with said optical transport signal, and a second optical amplifier configured and arranged to amplify the optical transport signal including said equalized PON RF return signals. |
| US08098424B2 |
Optical fiber amplifying module
The present invention relates to an optical fiber amplifying module equipped with a structure for stably attaining a high gain even when amplifying light having a low duty cycle. The optical fiber amplifying module comprises at least three amplification optical fibers successively arranged from an input connector to an output collimator. A bandpass filter is arranged between the first- and second-stage amplification optical fibers. Control means having a structure constituted by optically passive components alone or a feedback structure functions so as to render an upper limit to a gain for input light in the first-stage amplification optical fiber, thereby preventing the deterioration in performances such as destruction of the bandpass filter from occurring in optical components positioned on the upstream side of the final-stage amplification optical fiber. |
| US08098422B2 |
Wavelength conversion device package
A nonlinear optical device is provided. More specifically, a wavelength conversion device package with less optical loss stabilizes optical alignment under an external environmental change, for example, in a temperature variation by providing a temperature regulating block and a temperature sensor to an optical oscillator and a wavelength modulator and fixing a flexible optical transmitter to the optical oscillator and the wavelength modulator.The wavelength conversion device package includes an optical oscillator comprising a light source for emitting a light; a flexible optical transmitter for transferring the light emitted from the optical oscillator to a wavelength modulator; and the wavelength modulator for receiving the light from the optical transmitter and radiating a wavelength-modulated light. |
| US08098421B2 |
Application independent operational controls of a suspended particle device
A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device, a small number of SPD devices or thousands of such SPD devices installed in windows in automobiles, aircraft, trains, marine vehicles, residential homes, commercial buildings and skyscrapers. A scalable apparatus and a network environment dynamically changes the light transparency of a single SPD device or thousands of such SPD devices in the presentation of a multi-media special effects display. Textual messages, graphical images and simulated motion effects are driven. Such scalable apparatus being capable of driving and using several operational parameters of SPD materials such as frequency range, AC voltage and temperature so as to provide fine control of SPD characteristics such as switching speed and power consumption. |
| US08098419B2 |
Light control film and light control glass
The present invention relates to a light control film, comprising: two transparent electroconductive resin substrates; and a light control layer sandwiched by the two transparent electroconductive resin substrates, wherein the light control layer contains a resin matrix and a light control suspension dispersed in the resin matrix, and the thickness of the transparent electroconductive resin substrates is from 130 to 500 μm. |
| US08098418B2 |
Electro-optic displays, and color filters for use therein
A process for producing a color electro-optic display uses an electro-optic sub-assembly comprising an electro-optic layer and a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer. This sub-assembly is laminated to a backplane comprising a plurality of electrodes with the electro-optic layer disposed between the backplane and the electrically-conductive layer. A flowable material is placed over the sub-assembly and a color filter array is placed over the electrically-conductive layer and aligned with the electrodes of the backplane to form the color electro-optic display. |
| US08098413B2 |
Image output apparatus, image output method, computer program and recording medium
An image output apparatus supplies output image data including color components of color materials to an image forming apparatus that prints an image represented by input image data using chromatic color material and/or achromatic color material. In a monochrome mode in which an amount of the chromatic color material is larger than an amount of the chromatic color material used in a neutral tone, the image output apparatus includes a gradation correction unit configured to correct gradation levels of the image data which includes the color components of the color materials and which has been converted using the color separation unit. The gradation correction unit processes the chromatic color material so that a value of the output image data corresponding to an intermediate value of intermediate image data obtained through the conversion using the color separation unit is equal to or smaller than a half of a maximum value of the output image data. |
| US08098409B2 |
Image distribution system via e-mail
A technique allowing the pictographic characters or the face marks to be converted to, for example, the corresponding, but more expressive and more vivid facial image of high picture quality and thereby to achieve compact but smooth and amusing communication.Images are distributed via e-mail constructed so that, when a text accompanied with pictographic characters is transmitted from a user terminal and received by a communication processor of a server a registering station and an image/text processor read out user-registered images corresponding to the ideographic characters from a user database are then combined these images with the text back such combination sent back to the user terminal via the communication processor. Thus, it is also possible for the image processor to utilize the image database for the purpose of synthesis of a morphing processed image, as a user instruct it, and to distribute the text accompanied with such morphing processed image. |
| US08098400B2 |
Gamut mapping in spectral space based on an objective function
Mapping spectral colors in an Interim Connection Space (ICS) of a full spectral space based on an objective function is provided. A spectral color value in the ICS is accessed, and a spectral gamut boundary of the destination gamut is accessed. The spectral color value is mapped into mapped spectral color value based on minimization of an objective function of coordinates of a first subspace of the ICS, by fixing coordinates of a second subspace of the ICS, subject to a constraint that a result is within the spectral gamut boundary. The first subspace is a null space of a transformation from the ICS to a color space, while the second subspace is an orthogonal complement of the first subspace in the ICS. The constraint is determined by a gamut section that is an intersection of the spectral gamut in the ICS and an affine subspace characterized by the fixed coordinates of the second subspace. |
| US08098398B2 |
Printing system, printing apparatus, and preview method for printing system
A printing system configured to set a segment unit size serving as a unit of a display area for displaying, as images, a list of pages which form the document; acquire a width and a height of each page image from the document data; calculate, when a value of a ratio of the width and the height of the page acquired in the acquiring exceeds a predetermined value, a display area size having a display region larger than the segment unit size; determine, for a page having the value of the ratio exceeding the predetermined value, an enlargement/reduction ratio so as to fit the page into the display area size; and display, a list of pages which form the document, by enlarging or reducing the page based on the enlargement/reduction ratio determined in the determining and displaying the page in a display screen at the display area. |
| US08098392B2 |
Controlling program and image forming apparatus
There is described a network system that includes a plurality of image forming apparatuses, which are coupled to each other through a network, and each of which makes it possible to output guidance by emitting an audible voice from an image forming apparatus located in the vicinity of the specific user who has instructed any one of the other image forming apparatuses to implement a print job. Each of the plurality of image forming apparatuses includes: a communication section to bilaterally communicate information with other image forming apparatuses; an authenticating section to authenticate whether or not the specific user resides in a peripheral area of the image forming apparatus concerned; and a voice outputting section to output the guidance for the specific user by emitting the audible voice. |
| US08098391B2 |
Document processing system having improved operational sequencing
An automated document processing system is disclosed. The system includes a magnetic character reader located along a path of travel of a document. The system also includes a first image scanner located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, the first image scanner configured to capture an image of a first side of the document. The system further includes an endorser located after the magnetic character reader along the path of travel, where the endorser is configured to print an endorsement on at least one side of the document. The system also includes a second image scanner located after the endorser along the path of travel, the second image scanner configured to capture an image of the at least one side of the document endorsed by the endorser. |
| US08098389B2 |
Image processing apparatus, workflow testing method and workflow testing program
An image processing apparatus comprising: a test data generator that generates test data instead of actual data entered for executing a workflow consisting of a plurality of unit works, if an instruction is given to test the workflow; a test process executor that executes a test process by processing the generated test data according to parameters for executing the unit works; a test process suspender that suspends the test process if a trouble happens during the test process; a notifier that notifies a user of a trouble if it happens during the test process; a parameter modifier that is capable of modifying the parameters if the test process is suspended due to the trouble; and a test process resuming portion that resumes the test process after the parameters are modified. |
| US08098387B2 |
Image transferring apparatus
An image transferring apparatus for transmitting image data to a file server has an image input unit allowing input of image as the image data, a memory section for storing the image data, and registration and transmission information of the image data, and a communication controller for transmitting the image data stored in the memory section to the file server. The communication controller has a judgment unit for making a judgment based on the registration and transmission information of the image data as to whether communication condition of the image data is normal or not. The communication controller transmits a request for deleting the image data to the file server in a case where the judgment is made that the communication condition is not normal during transmission of the image data stored in the memory section to the file server. |
| US08098384B1 |
Coplanarity-testing machine
Provided is a coplanarity-testing machine. The coplanarity-testing machine includes a working stage, an illuminant, an image picking-up processor, a frequency converter, a double-cross lines generator, a linear module and a display. The linear module includes a test vehicle, a linear drive mechanism and a regulating block. The linear drive mechanism can drive the test vehicle to linearly move to and fro on a bearing surface of the working stage. The regulating block is placed on a supporting surface of the test vehicle. By adjusting the double-cross lines generator, horizontal lines of the generator can coincide with a projecting line of the bottom surface of the regulating block, and vertical lines of the generator can measure the height of the regulating block. The coplanarity-testing machine can timely and exactly display the testing result, is easily operated, and has a high testing efficiency and a high exact degree of testing. |
| US08098383B2 |
Method for detecting the space orientation and position of an object
The invention relates to a method for the optical detection of the position and orientation of an object by means of an optical device comprising at least one parallelogram fastened to said object, the optical device comprising optical means and electronic analysis means making it possible to determine the coordinates of the four vertices of the parallelogram A′B′C′D′, in an orthonormal frame with center 0, denoted R0 (O, {right arrow over (i)}, {right arrow over (j)}, {right arrow over (k)}). The principle of the device consists in determining the vertices of the parallelogram A′B′C′D′, on the basis of the knowledge of the characteristics of the parallelogram and of four known points of a quadrilateral ABCD. This quadrilateral represents the drawing arising from the projection of the parallelogram A′B′C′D′ in a known image plane. The characteristics A′B′C′D′ of the parallelogram can be for example its height, its width and the coordinate of one of its points in the frame R0. |
| US08098380B2 |
Resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) with reduced bias error from high order spatial modes
Multiple resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) configurations comprising one or more mode filters inside the resonator are adopted to effectively suppress unwanted high order spatial modes which can be a significant source of gyro bias errors. The resonator comprises at least a loop fiber, either two or more in/out coupling elements, and connectors that link elements into a circulating loop. Directional elements may be used to separate output light from input light in some of the embodiments. In all embodiments, mode filters are placed in the resonator to guarantee that the light reaching the photodetector is filtered by at least one mode filter in the resonator at least once. The mode filters may contain both spatial mode filters (such as single mode fibers or waveguides) and polarization mode filters (such as polarizing elements) so that both spatial and polarization mode filtering can be implemented simultaneously. |
| US08098374B2 |
Highly sensitive spectroscopic unit
The invention is directed to a highly sensitive spectrum analysis unit with a diffraction grating, wherein a parallel light bundle having a wavelength range impinges on a diffraction grating which splits the different wavelengths into spectra by diffraction in first directions, and wavelength partial ranges of the spectrally split light bundle can be focused on a detector row by means of camera optics, and evaluation electronics are connected to the detector row and acquire the generated spectrum as information and display it. The invention is characterized in that the light bundle passes a first optical element, and then wavelength partial ranges of a spectrally split light bundle impinge on respective partial regions of a diffraction grating, the diffraction grating having the same grating constant across all partial regions and a changing profile shape, the profile shapes generating different blaze wavelengths that lie in the respective wavelength partial ranges. |
| US08098373B2 |
Spatially and spectrally parallelized fiber array spectral translator system and method of use
System and method for spatially and spectrally parallelized FAST. A sample is illuminated to thereby produce interacted photons. The photons are passed through a filter and received at a two-dimensional end of a FAST device wherein said FAST device comprises a two-dimensional array of optical fibers drawn into a one-dimensional fiber stack so as to effectively convert a two-dimensional array of optical fibers into a curvilinear field of view, and wherein said two-dimensional array of optical fibers is configured to receive said photons and transfer said photons out of said fiber array spectral translator device and to a spectrograph through said one-dimensional fiber stack wherein said one-dimensional fiber stack comprises at least two columns of fibers spatially offset in parallel at the entrance slit of said spectrograph. The photons are then detected at a detector to thereby obtain a spectroscopic data set representative of the sample. |
| US08098372B2 |
Optical inspection tool featuring multiple speed modes
An optical inspection tool can feature a double-speed and other modes whereby the inspection rate is increased by using pixel binning. For instance, the tool may include an array of pixels provided by one or more detectors. Some or all of the pixels in one or more of the detectors may be binned according to inspection requirements. Based on the reduction in effective pixels due to the binning, in some embodiments, the rate of imaging and scanning rate of the wafer (or other object) can be increased. Different portions of the array may be binned differently to provide for increased throughput during inspections; for instance, the binning arrangement across an array can be correlated to the features that will be imaged using the array. |
| US08098370B2 |
Methods and apparatus for maintaining effective operation of apparatus for candling avian eggs
Egg candling methods and apparatus are provided wherein the optical path between a light source and light detector is monitored for obscuring debris and/or malfunctions. A method of candling eggs includes illuminating an egg with light from a light source; receiving light passing through the egg at a light detector; generating an output signal that corresponds to light received at the light detector for the egg; and analyzing the output signal to determine whether the optical path between the light source and light detector has been altered. In response to determining that a respective optical path has been altered, the light source and/or light detector is cleaned and/or inspected for malfunctions. Cleaning the light source and/or light detector may include wiping a surface of the light source and/or light detector and/or spraying a surface of the light source and/or light detector with a fluid. |
| US08098369B2 |
Systems and methods for the evaluation of scintillation in gemstones
Systems and methods, for the evaluation, grading, and presentation of evaluation results, of the scintillation of gemstones, such as diamonds. Specifically, there are discussed systems and methods for determining when a scintillation event in a gemstone is likely to occur and for mapping such events to a presentation. |
| US08098362B2 |
Detection device, movable body apparatus, pattern formation apparatus and pattern formation method, exposure apparatus and exposure method, and device manufacturing method
By irradiating a detection beam from an irradiation system of a detection device to a scale used for measuring the position of a wafer stage, and detecting the detection beam via the scale by a photodetection system, a surface state (an existence state of foreign substance) of the scale is detected. With this operation, detection of the surface state can be performed contactlessly with respect to the scale. Moreover, movement control of the wafer stage can be performed with high precision by taking the surface state into consideration. |
| US08098359B2 |
Liquid crystal display device having an optimized thickness of a transparent conductive film and method of manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display device in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a liquid crystal panel including a electrode substrate, a opposed substrate disposed opposite to the electrode substrate, and liquid crystal sandwiched between the electrode substrate and the opposed substrate, and a transparent conductive film formed on the opposite surface of the opposed substrate to the liquid crystal, wherein the thickness d1 (cm) of the transparent conductive film satisfies the equation d1>0.5×R1×∈0×∈r×S/d0 (cm), where R1 (Ω·cm) is specific resistance of the transparent conductive film, ∈0 (F/m) is the electric constant, ∈r (F/m) is relative dielectric constant of the opposed substrate, d0 (cm) is thickness of the opposed substrate, and S (m2) is size of the display area of the liquid crystal panel. |
| US08098356B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
An object of the present invention is to prevent the domain from being generated in the pixel end portions so that the transmittance can increase in an IPS type liquid crystal display device where the size of the pixels is extremely small. In the liquid crystal display device according to the present invention, the electrodes close to the liquid crystal layer have a comb-like structure having a linking portion only at one pixel end, the end portion of the comb-like structure has a structure for preventing the domain from growing, the width of the slits in the comb-like structure is greater than the width of the electrodes, and the alignment of the liquid crystal layer has such a pretilt angle that the liquid crystal rises from the end portion in the comb-like structure towards the root in the interface close to the electrode. |
| US08098354B2 |
Liquid crystal display
In a vertical alignment liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor is formed on a first insulating substrate, and a pixel electrode (ITO) including cutouts (OPEN) is formed on the first substrate or a second substrate. A width of the cutouts of the upper and lower substrates gradually increases or decreases along a length thereof. |
| US08098348B2 |
Light-guide plate having a protrusion pattern and display apparatus having the same
A light-guide plate includes a base plate, first protrusion patterns and second protrusion patterns. The first protrusion patterns are formed on a left portion of an upper surface of the base plate with respect to a central line of the upper surface. The first protrusion patterns have a cross-section of a trapezoidal shape which has a top and a bottom parallel with each other and first and second inclined sides inclined at different angles with respect to the bottom side. The second protrusion patterns are formed on a right portion of the upper surface with respect to the central line. A cross-section of the second protrusion patterns have the trapezoidal shape and disposed substantially symmetrical to the first protrusion patterns with respect to the central line. |
| US08098347B2 |
Stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display with graded light guide light extraction features
A backlight for a stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display apparatus includes a light guide having a light emission surface and an opposing light extraction surface, a first side extends between the light emission surface and the light extraction surface, and a second side extends between the light emission surface and the light extraction surface, the second side opposing the first side. A centerline extends parallel to the first side and second side and is equidistant from the first side and the second side. A center elongated prism extends along the centerline and forms a portion of the light extraction surface. A plurality of elongated prisms extend parallel to the center elongated prism wherein the prisms are progressively more canted for each subsequent elongated prism further from the center elongated prism. A plurality of light sources disposed along the first side and the second side. |
| US08098346B2 |
Mold frame and bezel and liquid crystal display containing the same
A mold frame and a bezel are disclosed. The mold frame includes a bottom portion having a first side, wherein the first side has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and there is only one stopper set disposed on the first side. The stopper set is composed of a plurality of stoppers sequentially arranged from the first end to the second end, wherein the first stopper of the stopper set is spaced a first distance apart from the first end; and/or the last stopper of the stopper set is spaced a second distance apart from the second end. The bezel is used for accommodating the aforementioned mold frame, and includes a first side structure having a first opening; and/or a second side structure having a second opening. A liquid crystal display is also disclosed, and includes the mold frame and bezel. |
| US08098343B2 |
Liquid crystal display and pixel unit thereof
A pixel unit includes a first control circuit and a second control circuit and is divided into a first region and a second region. The first control circuit determines the output voltage of the first region and includes a first switching device, a first liquid crystal capacitor and a first storage capacitor coupled to the first switching device. The second control circuit determines the output voltage of the second region and includes a second switching device, a second liquid crystal capacitor and an auxiliary capacitor coupled to the second switching device, and a third switching device. The third switching device is coupled to the second switching device through the auxiliary capacitor, and the output voltage of the first region is different to that of the second region. |
| US08098337B2 |
Systems and methods for automatic configuration of a remote control device
A remote control device establishes a bi-directional communication with a television receiver and uploads a set of remote control codes associated with a target component selected by the user. One method includes storing, within a television receiver, a set of remote control codes associated with a corresponding set of component types; presenting a component-selection user interface; receiving a target component type selected from the set of component types presented by the component-selection user interface; determining, from the set of remote control codes, a target remote control code associated with the target component type; and transmitting the target remote control code to the remote control device. |
| US08098332B2 |
Real time motion picture segmentation and superposition
Various embodiments of separating a picture part of interest from an arbitrary background are described. The background may be a moving or still frame. The picture part of interest and background frames may be in or out of focus. One separation approach employs the difference between luminance and chrominance values of the input and background frames where changes in luminance from frame to frame are compensated for. In another approach, picture part of interest separation is based on spatial resolution differences between the background and the picture part of interest frames. Parameter matching can also be performed for the picture part of interest and the basic picture into which the picture part of interest is embedded. Further, a separated picture part of interest can be embedded into a basic picture containing text. |
| US08098331B2 |
Video-data processing apparatus for achieving edge-smoothing and method of processing video data
According to one embodiment, an edge-smoothing apparatus has a synthesizing unit that generates a main synthesized video signal representing different images, a flag-inserting unit that inserts ID flags into the video data items, respectively, an image-edge processing unit that outputs a reference synthesized video signal from the main synthesized video signal, and selects and outputs a plurality of edge-smoothing synthesized video signals in accordance with a selection signal. A flag decoder discriminates the ID flags and generates the selection signal to prevent the edge-smoothing synthesized video signals for the different images, from being processed together, and generates an edge-smoothing-parameter selecting signal in accordance with the ID flags. Edge-smoothing components are generated by using the reference synthesized video signal from the image-edge processing unit and the edge-smoothing synthesized video signals. The edge-smoothing components, thus generated, are adjusted with a parameter selected. |
| US08098330B2 |
Mapping of presentation material
Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating a video output by combining a first video input and a second video input. A first input image is accessed from the first video input and a second input image is accessed from the second video input, wherein the second input image includes a selected element recorded in front of a monochromatic background. A first region and a second region are generated from the first input image. An output image that includes the first region and the second region with a gap separating the first region from the second region is generated. The selected element is placed at least over the gap in the output image, wherein predetermined areas of the first region and the second region remain visible in the output image. The output image is included in the video output. |
| US08098323B2 |
Camera system and camera body
A camera system having a camera body and an interchangeable lens is made more convenient to use. A camera system 1 includes an interchangeable lens unit 2 and a camera body 3. A body microcomputer 10 of the camera body 3 decides whether or not the interchangeable lens unit 2 is compatible with moving picture mode on the basis of lens information about the interchangeable lens unit 2. If the interchangeable lens unit 2 is not compatible with moving picture mode, the body microcomputer 10 prevents the operation of an imaging sensor 11 from being set to moving picture mode. |
| US08098322B2 |
Image pickup device and image pickup apparatus
An image pickup device includes a group of photoelectric conversion cells that output distance-measurement signals for phase difference detection. Each photoelectric conversion cell includes a photodetector and a pupil restricting unit. The photodetector generates the distance-measurement signal. The pupil restricting unit restricts a size of a pupil area, from which arrival light has exited, to a predetermined size in an exit pupil of a taking optical system, object light exiting from the exit pupil of the taking optical system, the arrival light arriving at the photodetector. The predetermined size is less than half a size of an entire area of the exit pupil. |
| US08098320B2 |
Imaging device
An imaging device includes a housing including first and second photographing apertures which are open toward opposite directions; an image pickup device provided in the housing; a main optical system forming incident light from the first photographing aperture onto an imaging surface of the image pickup device; and an insertable optical element movable between an insertion position in an optical path of a main optical system and a removed position out of the optical path of the main optical system, the insertable optical element constituting at least a part of a sub-optical system which forms incident light from the second photographing aperture onto the imaging surface when at the insertion position. When the insertable optical element is positioned in the insertion position, the sub-optical axis is offset from the main optical axis toward the removed position of the insertable optical element in the inserting/removing direction. |
| US08098319B2 |
Portable electronic device having high-resolution camera with tunable sensor auto focus
To improve the consumer experience with portable electronic devices, a high-resolution digital camera function is incorporated into a multifunction portable electronic device. In exemplary embodiments, a clamshell portable electronic device, such as a mobile telephone, is provided with a digital camera/video function. The lens of the camera/video function is separated from an image sensor in a manner such that the two are not linearly aligned. Light coming through the lens is reflected by a reflective element, such as prism, onto the image sensor. The sensor is movable relative to a fixed position of the prism to provide an auto focus feature. In an exemplary embodiment, the sensor is movable along a portion of the width of the portable electronic device, the width being substantially greater in distance than the thickness of one of the clamshell portions. In this manner, the width of the portable electronic provides a greater distance available for the focal length than in the typical configuration, in which the lens and image sensor are linearly aligned within a clamshell portion. By increasing the focal length, higher resolution can be obtained. |
| US08098318B2 |
Video reproduction apparatus, digital camera, semiconductor integrated circuit, and method for video reproduction
The decode control unit (103) has control over a video decode unit (101) so as to cause the video decode unit (101), which decoded images obtained from respective normal coded data items and high-speed coded data items, to start decoding of some of the normal coded data items with timings which are ahead of predetermined timings so that the video decode unit (101) starts decoding of the beginning one of the high-speed coded data items with a timing which is ahead of a predetermined timing by a period of time necessary for the display unit (105) to display the images sequentially. |
| US08098316B2 |
Multiple output charge-coupled devices
An image sensor includes a plurality of pixels overlaid with a color filter pattern of at least two colors having the same color on every other pixel in one direction; three or more charge-coupled devices oriented parallel to the every other pixel color filter repeat pattern; a charge sensing amplifier at the output of at least two of the charge couple devices; each charge-coupled device having a first and a second gate; a CCD-to-CCD transfer gate connecting adjacent charge-coupled devices with the first gate being on one side of the CCD-to-CCD transfer gate and the second gate being on the opposite side of the CCD-to-CCD transfer gate; all CCD-to-CCD transfer gates are electrically connected together; all first gates are electrically connected; and all second gates are electrically connected. |
| US08098310B2 |
Imaging apparatus and image signal processing method
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, an imaging device deriving unit and a signal processing unit. Pixels of the imaging device include a first pixel group and a second pixel group. The imaging device driving unit exposes the first pixel group during a first exposure period, exposes the second pixel group during a second exposure period, and reads first image data captured by the first pixel group and second image data captured by the second pixel group separately. The signal processing unit performs image processing for the first and second image data. A first shooting mode and a second shooting mode are provided. In the first shooting mode, the signal processing unit performs the image processing for the first and second image data separately to generate two pieces of subject image data. In the second shooting mode, the signal processing unit combines the first and second image data. |
| US08098308B2 |
Image processing device and computer-readable storage medium
An image processing device that processes an image signal in which at least one of a predetermined plural number of color signals intended to constitute the image signal in each pixel is missing in accordance with a pixel position comprises: a component separation unit that separates the color signal into a plurality of components including a first component U, which is a skeleton component, and a second component V obtained from the residual difference between the color signal and the first component; a first interpolation unit that interpolates the first component U such that the first component U in a pixel position in which the color signal is missing is interpolated; and a second interpolation unit that interpolates the second component V such that the second component V in a pixel position in which the color signal is missing is interpolated. |
| US08098307B2 |
Imaging device and imaging method
According to an aspect of an embodiment, an imaging device has a black level reference generator for generating a reference value of a black level by calculating an average value of the accumulated pixel values for which the maximum values and/or minimum values has been replaced by the compensational pixel values, and an output compensator for compensating an output from the light sensitive pixels with the reference value of the black level. |
| US08098306B2 |
Phase adjustment device, phase adjustment method and digital camera
A brightness level detector detects a brightness level of the digital imaging signal for each of the plurality of pixels. A shading detector sets a group of pixel regions distant from each other in a horizontal direction in the imaging element and then detects whether or not shadings are generated in the analog imaging signal based on a difference between the brightness levels of the group of pixel regions. A timing adjuster adjusts a phase of a peak sample pulse for detecting a peak level of the analog imaging signal, a phase of a reference sample pulse for detecting a signal level used as a reference in the correlated double sampling executed when the digital imaging signal is generated and a phase of a horizontal transfer pulse in the imaging element based on outputs of the brightness level detector and the shading detector. |
| US08098302B2 |
Stain detection system
An image pickup unit that does not have a movable system and is fixed at one point picks up an image. A subject region extraction unit detects a subject in the image, extracts a region of the subject, and generates a region extraction image. A region extraction image storage unit holds a plurality of recent region extraction images. Then, a stain level calculation unit compares the held region extraction images for each pixel, and increases a value of the stain level of a pixel when it is highly probable that a stain is present on the pixel, and vise versa. The subject region extraction and the stain level calculation are performed each time an image is picked up, and the value is updated. A stain determination unit outputs whether or not a stain is present and the degree that the stain is present on the basis of the value. |
| US08098300B2 |
Multi-band image photographing method and apparatus, and program for executing the method
The multi-band image photographing method and apparatus photograph a subject by dividing a photographing wavelength region into plural bands and obtain spectral images of the subject corresponding to the respective divided plural bands. The method and apparatus detect a sensitivity balance among the respective plural bands from photographing data of each of the spectral images obtained by preliminary photographing performed prior to main photographing, determine photographing conditions for the respective plural bands based upon the detected sensitivity balance, and perform the main photographing in accordance with the determined photographing conditions to photograph a multi-band image. The program is used to cause a computer to execute this method or part thereof. |
| US08098296B2 |
Image display system
An image display system, including a display unit, a memory device configured to memorize a plurality of image data, and a mode switching device configured to set a one coma-reproduction mode and a division-reproduction mode selectively, and a display part provided in the display unit, the display part being configured to display at a time one image datum memorized in the memory device when the mode switching device is in the one coma-reproduction mode, and a plurality of image data memorized in the memory device when the mode switching device is in the division-reproduction mode, at a time, and the display part being configured to display at a time a plurality of image data in accordance with a predetermined condition in the division-reproduction mode. |
| US08098293B2 |
Image extraction device, image extraction method, image processing device, image processing method, and imaging device
An image extracting apparatus is provided which can automatically finish a captured image of a person to provide an easy-to-view picture. It includes an image input unit supplied with a captured color image of the person to output it as digital data, a flesh-color region extraction unit supplied with the digital image data to detect a flesh-color region in the image, an object-image detection unit to detect an object image from the detected flesh-color region, and a trimming unit to trim the detected object image. On the assumption that a region extending from the top end of a certificate picture to the head top of a person is an overhead region A, a region extending from the head top to the jaw is a face region B and a region extending from the jaw to the bottom end of the certificate picture is a chest region C, the trimming unit trims the image so that the dimensional ratio between these regions A, B and C is 1:0.4 to 0.8:0.1 to 0.26. |
| US08098292B2 |
Method of capturing still image during capture of moving image and image capture apparatus
According to an electronic camera capable of capturing a still image during capturing of a moving image, by storing the zoom lens position information at that time when capturing of the moving image is temporarily stopped for capturing of the still image and using the field angle information or the like recorded after capturing of the still image is terminated, the zoom lens can be automatically returned to the original zoom position so as to prevent the generation of an uncomfortable feeling between the moving image before capturing of the still image and the moving image of which capturing is restarted just after termination of the still image capturing. |
| US08098290B2 |
Multiple camera system for obtaining high resolution images of objects
A system and corresponding method for image acquisition are provided, the system including a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving image data from each of a static imaging device and a dynamic imaging device, and a homography unit in signal communication with the processor for computing a planar homography between the static and dynamic image data; and the method including receiving an image from a static imaging device, receiving an image from a dynamic imaging device, and registering the dynamic image to the static image using planar homography. |
| US08098289B2 |
Micro-optical image stabilizer
The optical image stabilizer includes a substrate, a carrier movably disposed above the substrate for carrying an image sensor, an anchor fixed above the substrate, a conducting pad fixed above the anchor for coupling an image processing circuit, a flexible suspension disposed between the conducting pad and the carrier, a conducting line disposed above the flexible suspension coupled to the conducting pad and protruding over the carrier for coupling the image sensor, and a micro-actuator disposed between the substrate and the carrier for adjusting the position of the carrier according to control signals from an actuator control circuit. |
| US08098288B2 |
Imaging apparatus and method of controlling imaging
In an imaging apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention, three images are picked up by a CCD having a color filter, and thirteen images are picked up by a CMOS having no color filter. Three of thirteen images are picked up at the same timing as by the CCD. A motion vector data between the images is calculated from the thirteen image data of the CCD. Further, the motion vector data is integrated to calculate motion vector data between a previous pickup image and a present pickup image, and motion vector data between the present pickup image and a following pickup image. A predicted image of the present pickup image is generated from the motion vector data, the previous pickup image, and the following pickup image. A weighted average is calculated between the predicted image and the present pickup image, which are synthesized into an image having decreased hand jiggling. |
| US08098284B2 |
Method of manufacturing camera module
A measuring device includes an actuator which holds a lens unit and moves the lens unit in the direction of the optical axis thereof. A test chart is photographed, with the lens unit being opposed to a reference image pickup device, and the lens unit is positioned at a just-focus position. The gap between the reference image pickup device and the lens unit at this time is reproduced, and an image pickup device, which is to be integrated, and the lens unit are opposed with this gap, and are fixed. |
| US08098282B2 |
Privacy zone algorithm for ptz dome cameras
The present invention advantageously provides a means by which the privacy zone on a PTZ camera can be maintained so that an object in the camera's sight is always masked or covered. An algorithm which remembers the defined privacy zones as an area in space marked by four rays touching the four corners of the marked zone and having absolute Pan, Tilt angular coordinates is presented. The privacy zone is initially defined by a rectangle on the screen with known pixel co-ordinates which are translated into angular coordinates. Then, when the camera moves and prepares to display a new screen, the privacy zone is superimposed on the object to be masked. Locating the object and displaying its privacy zone is done by translating the absolute angular coordinates of the original privacy zone into pixel coordinates. Additionally, multiple privacy zones can be displayed on one camera screen. |
| US08098279B2 |
Imaging apparatus and microscope
Providing an imaging apparatus and a microscope capable of taking two-dimensional images of a sample at a plurality of observation positions different in the optical axis direction at the same time. The apparatus includes an image-forming lens 15 that forms images of a sample 4 on a plurality of image-forming places; an optical-path-dividing member 17, 18, 19 that divides an optical path from the same area in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the sample 4 so as to form the plurality of image-forming places; and an optical-path-length-changing member 27, 28, 29 that is provided on at least one optical path between the plurality of image-forming places and the imaging lens 15. |
| US08098278B2 |
Optical image measurement device
A fundus oculi observation device 1 splits a low-coherence light L0 into a signal light LS and a reference light LR, generates an interference light LC from the signal light LS propagated through an eye E and the reference light LR propagated through a reference mirror 174 to detect the interference light LC and, based on the result of the detection, forms a tomographic image of a fundus oculi Ef. The device 1 includes a scan unit 141 configured to scan with the signal light LS, and an LCD and optical system that present a fixation target. The device 1 acquires an image of the fundus oculi Ef in a state that scan a fixation target is presented while scanning with the signal light LS, and based on the image, determines whether fixation is proper or not. |
| US08098277B1 |
Systems and methods for communication between a reactive video system and a mobile communication device
Systems and methods are provided for communication between a reactive video engine and a mobile communication device. In a system according to one embodiment, a reactive video engine is coupled to a communication interface. The communication interface is configured to facilitate communication with the reactive video engine and a mobile communication device. |
| US08098272B2 |
Commercial product routing system with video vending capability
A traffic control system selectively interfaces members of plural groups, as buyer groups and vendor groups, for video communication through a dial-up telephone system, for analyzing and compiling data, scheduling appointments, implementing conferences, consummating sales and the like. The traffic-control system comprises a telephonic interface apparatus for interfacing remote telephonic terminals of the dial-up telephone system identified with the members of plural groups, a video recording unit for recording and playing video transcriptions, a storage memory for storing data on the members, including telephonic terminal numbers and area-of-interest codes and a control computer to selectively interconnect the video recording unit with the remote telephone terminals through the telephonic interface apparatus to record and receive video communication. |
| US08098270B2 |
Method of creating a digital mask for flexographic printing elements in situ
A method of creating a digital mask in situ for use in a process of making digital flexographic printing elements. The digital mask is created by laminating the negative image that is the by-product of a thermal proofer to a photosensitive printing plate. Thereafter, the photosensitive printing element can be imaged, exposed, and developed in the usual manner. |
| US08098269B2 |
Print head pulsing techniques for multicolor printers
In one aspect of the invention there is disclosed a multicolor thermal imaging system wherein different heating elements on a thermal print head can print on different color-forming layers of a multicolor thermal imaging member in a single pass. The line-printing time is divided into segments, each of which is divided into a plurality of subintervals. All of the pulses within the segments have the same energy. In one embodiment, every pulse has the same amplitude and duration. Different colors are selected for printing during the different segments by varying the fraction of subintervals that contain pulses. This technique allows multiple colors to be printed using a thermal print head with a single strobe signal line. Pulsing patterns may be chosen to reduce the coincidence of pulses provided to multiple print head elements, thereby reducing the peak power requirements of the print head. |
| US08098266B2 |
Image processing method and image processing apparatus
An image processing method which contains: delivering laser light to a thermoreversible recording medium to heat the medium and record an image thereon, the medium reversibly changing a transparency or tone thereof depending on a temperature thereof; and heating the medium to erase the image recorded thereon, wherein the delivering is carried out using an image processing device containing: a laser light emitting unit; a light scanning unit disposed on a plane onto which laser light emitted from the laser light emitting unit is delivered; a light intensity distribution adjusting unit to change a light intensity distribution of the laser light; and a fθ lens to condense the laser light, and wherein energy of the laser light passing through a peripheric portion of the fθ lens and traveling onto the medium is lower than energy of the laser light passing through a center portion of the fθ lens and traveling onto the medium. |
| US08098260B1 |
Method and apparatus for mapping a multi-dimensional signal from one space to another space
In a method of mapping data from a source space to a target space, a space transformation look-up table (LUT) that contains a plurality of locations storing information is maintained, wherein each of the plurality of locations includes information specifying a function to be evaluated. First data defined according to a multi-dimensional source space is input, and second data defined according to a multi-dimensional target space is generated, by applying information contained in the LUT to the first data. |
| US08098258B2 |
Methods and apparatus for multiple texture map storage and filtering
A method for a computer system including receiving a file comprising textures including a first and a second texture, and metadata, wherein the first texture need not have a predetermined geometric relationship to the second texture, wherein the metadata includes identifiers associated with textures and includes adjacency data, associating the first texture with a first location on an object in response to an identifier associated with the first texture, associating the second texture with a second location on the object in response to an identifier associated with the second texture, determining an edge of the first texture is adjacent to an edge of the second texture in response to the adjacency data, and performing a rendering operation with respect to the first and the second surface on the object to determine rendering data in response to the first texture and to the second texture. |
| US08098256B2 |
Video acquisition with integrated GPU processing
Systems and techniques for processing sequences of video images involve receiving, on a computer, data corresponding to a sequence of video images detected by an image sensor. The received data is processed using a graphics processor to adjust one or more visual characteristics of the video images corresponding to the received data. The received data can include video data defining pixel values and ancillary data relating to settings on the image sensor. The video data can be processed in accordance with ancillary data to adjust the visual characteristics, which can include filtering the images, blending images, and/or other processing operations. |
| US08098255B2 |
Graphics processing system with enhanced memory controller
A graphics system including a custom graphics and audio processor produces exciting 2D and 3D graphics and surround sound. The system includes a graphics and audio processor including a 3D graphics pipeline and an audio digital signal processor. A memory controller performs a wide range of memory control related functions including arbitrating between various competing resources seeking access to main memory, handling memory latency and bandwidth requirements of the resources requesting memory access, buffering writes to reduce bus turn around, refreshing main memory, and protecting main memory using programmable registers. The memory controller minimizes memory read/write switching using a “global” write queue which queues write requests from various diverse competing resources. In this fashion, multiple competing resources for memory writes are combined into one resource from which write requests are obtained. Memory coherency issues are addressed both within a single resource that has both read and write capabilities and among different resources by efficiently flushing write buffers associated with a resource. |
| US08098252B2 |
Parallel video processing architecture
The video data is parallel processed allowing for extremely fast video processing or a greatly reduced clock requirement for the video processing circuit. In operation, each video channel reads from main memory. This allows each video channel to track the laser directly. The Parallel video processor receives non-columnar pixel data, such as rows. The videoprocessor may support printers of any width without significantly increasing the size of the system. |
| US08098251B2 |
System and method for instruction latency reduction in graphics processing
A system, method and apparatus are disclosed, in which an instruction scheduler of a compiler, e.g., a shader compiler, reduces instruction latency based on a determined instruction distance between a dependent predecessor and successor instructions. |
| US08098247B2 |
Systems and methods for geometric data compression and encryption
Systems, methods, and physical computer-readable storage media for performing geometric data compression and geometric data decompression and/or geometric data encryption and geometric data decryption. A virtual geometric compression object is generated within a computer system by defining a plurality of discrete elements arranged in a geometric shape and assigning one or more data bit values to each of the plurality of discrete elements. The virtual geometric compression object is used by the computer system to compress sequences of uncompressed data bits into compression definitions. A compression definition defines a path through the virtual geometric compression object corresponding to a sequence of uncompressed data bits. In a reverse manner, for data decompression, at least a portion of a virtual geometric compression object is generated and a compression definition is used to extract a corresponding sequence of uncompressed data bits from the portion of the virtual geometric compression object. |
| US08098246B2 |
Method and system for providing transparent access to hardware graphic layers
The present invention relates generally to computer graphics, and more specifically to methods of, and systems for, configuring, controlling and accessing multiple hardware graphics layers that are used to compose a single video display. One aspect of the invention is broadly defined as follows: in a computer environment including a software application and an operating system running on a computer, the computer including a graphics card and a video display, the graphics card being operable to render images to the video display, the improvement comprising: the operating system including a universal application programming interface (API) which supports hardware layers on graphics cards; the operating system being operable to: receive draw events via the universal API; determine what hardware layers are available on the graphics card, and what their parameters are; and respond to draw requests from the software application by rendering the draw requests selectively to any of the available hardware layers on the graphics card; whereby the computer environment allows software applications to exploit available hardware layers on the graphics card. |
| US08098243B2 |
Method and apparatus for efficiently handling query for 3D display
A method and apparatus for processing a query required for 3-dimensional (3D) display, for example, a visibility query and a localization query, are provided. The method includes: dividing a 3D space into a plurality of regions; and processing a query in units of divided regions, detecting desired divided regions for processing the query of all the divided regions, and outputting objects included in the detected divided regions, as the result of processing the query. According to the method and apparatus, an entire 3D space is divided into a plurality of regions, and when a query required for 3D display or for running a game using 3D display is processed, a query is made to be processed in units of divided regions, and thus the amount of calculation and time required for processing the query can be reduced. Accordingly, performance of 3D display or the performance of a game using 3D display can be improved. |
| US08098241B2 |
Display device, electronic device, and method of driving display device
A display device is provided having improved reliability compared with the related art. The display device includes, for each pixel: a photo-emission element and a first MOS transistor connected in series between a first power source line and a second power source line; a capacitor connected to be inserted between a gate and a source of the first MOS transistor; and a second MOS transistor connected to be inserted between a signal line to be applied with a image signal voltage and the gate of the first MOS transistor, the second MOS transistor being controlled by a scan signal to change between ON-state and OFF-state, wherein ON-period of the first transistor is established within a period in which the photo-emission element is maintained to an extinction state and the signal line is applied with a voltage having a fixed level independent from the image signal voltage. |
| US08098237B2 |
Stylus for data collection devices
A data collection device having a touch pad, supported by a housing, for receiving input from a stylus having a first end adapted to interact with the touch pad so as to input data through movement of the first end relative to the touch pad and a second end having a light source to illuminate dark areas. The housing is adapted to receive and support the stylus. In an additional embodiment, the stylus is supported by the housing in such a manner as to allow the stylus to project light in a predetermined direction to assist with the illumination of a data source. In another additional embodiment, the housing has contacts that facilitate the provision of power to the stylus for charging a battery in the stylus and/or powering the light source. In yet another embodiment, the light source on the stylus is adapted to be controlled via user interaction with interface elements on the housing, such as keys, buttons, or the touch pad. |
| US08098236B2 |
Touch-sensitive screen with haptic acknowledgement
A touch sensitive screen comprising a display device and a light-permeable, wherein a touch-sensitive arrangement arranged upstream of an image side of the display device at a distance therefrom. The arrangement can be displaced in relation to the display device such that a haptic acknowledgment is generated. The touch-sensitive arrangement forms part of the housing containing the display device, and the housing can be displaced in relation to the display device, by way of the touch-sensitive arrangement. |
| US08098234B2 |
Haptic feedback system with stored effects
A haptic feedback system that includes a controller, a memory coupled to the controller, an actuator drive circuit coupled to the controller, and an actuator coupled to the actuator drive circuit. The memory stores at least one haptic effect that is executed by the controller in order to create a haptic effect. |
| US08098231B2 |
Portable device with versatile keyboard
An apparatus comprising: a display for presenting information to a user; a housing connected to the display for supporting the display; and a keyboard assembly deployable through a sliding connection to the housing, the keyboard assembly deployable in multiple directions, the information presented to the user through the display is oriented based on deployment of the keyboard assembly, direction of deployment of the keyboard assembly, and input from an application resident on the device. The application prescribes the orientation of the information presented on the display to the user in relation to the direction of keyboard assembly deployment. |
| US08098230B2 |
Ground-based haptic interface comprising at least two decoupled rotary finger actuators
A ground-based haptic interface equipped with at least two decoupled rotary finger actuators adapted to be manipulated with the fingertips of a single hand of a user. For each finger actuator, a means are included for measuring the angular position of the actuator or for measuring the torque applied on the axis of rotation of the actuator. Each rotary finger actuator is associated with a control motor adapted to apply, on the axis of rotation of the actuator, a torque that is a function of the angular position of the actuator, or that controls the rotational position of the axis of rotation of the actuator as a function of the torque applied on this axis. The haptic interface can be used as a peripheral of a computer, for example, for interacting with a virtual environment. It can also be applied to the control or manipulation of real objects by being coupled, for example, with a robot or a manipulating arm. The interface also can be telemanipulated. |
| US08098228B2 |
Driving method of electrophoretic display device
A driving method of an electrophoretic display device composed of a pair of substrates with electrophoretic elements, each containing electrophoretic particles, interposed therebetween, first electrodes provided on one substrate of the pair of substrates so as to correspond to pixels, and a second electrode which is provided on the other substrate and is shared by all of the pixels, in which each pixel includes a pixel switching element connected to a scan line and a data line, a memory circuit connected to the pixel switching element, and a switch circuit disposed between the memory circuit and the first electrode, and the switch circuit is connected to a first control line and a second control line, the driving method includes: inputting an image signal to the memory circuit via the pixel switching element; causing the first control line and the second control line to be connected to the first electrode by driving the switch circuit in response to an output from the memory circuit; causing a potential of the second electrode to alternate between a first potential and a second potential in a state in which a potential of the first control line is set to the first potential and a potential of the second control line is set to the second potential; and setting the potential of the first control line to a third potential which is higher than the first potential in an image display step which is performed after the inputting an image signal. |
| US08098222B2 |
Liquid crystal display and display panel thereof
A liquid-crystal-display (LCD) and a display panel thereof are provided. The display panel includes a plurality of pixel row units and a plurality of switch units. Each pixel row unit is connected between a scan line and a potential switch line. The first end of each switch unit receives the common voltage provided by the display panel, and the second end of each switch unit is connected to its corresponding potential switch line. Thus, not only the flicker-noise of the display panel is reduced, but also the display-quality of the LCD is promoted. |
| US08098217B2 |
Driving device and driving method of plasma display panel and plasma display device
Any of first and second sub-field configurations is selected. In the first sub-field configuration, a width of a write pulse of a sub-field with a lowest display luminance is not more than widths of write pulses of the other sub-fields. In the second sub-field configuration, the width of the write pulse of the sub-field with the lowest display luminance is larger than the widths of the write pulses of the other sub-fields. When the first sub-field configuration is selected, a voltage applied to a sustain electrode in a write period of the sub-field with the lowest display luminance is set higher than a voltage applied to the sustain electrode in write periods of the other sub-fields. When the second sub-field configuration is selected, the voltage applied to the sustain electrode in the write period of the sub-field with the lowest display luminance is set to be the same as the voltage applied to the sustain electrode in the write period of any of the other sub-fields. |
| US08098207B1 |
Electronically scanned antenna
An aperture of an antenna for a radar system comprises a first waveguide comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion, each protrusion extending longitudinally along one side of the first waveguide. The aperture further comprises a second waveguide comprising a third protrusion and a fourth protrusion, each protrusion extending longitudinally along one side of the second waveguide. The first and third protrusions and second and fourth protrusions adjoin to form a radio frequency choke at least partially suppressing cross polarization of radio frequencies between the first and second waveguides. |
| US08098205B2 |
GPS, GSM, and wireless LAN antenna for vehicle applications
A Global Positioning System (GPS), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), wireless local area network (WLAN) antenna, including a dielectric board including a ground plane; a first antenna trace line disposed on a first portion of the dielectric board and in electrical contact with the dielectric board, the first antenna trace line including at least one first meandered trace for transmitting and receive a WLAN radio frequency signal; a second antenna trace line disposed on a second portion of the dielectric board and in electrical contact with the dielectric board, the second antenna trace line including at least one second meandered trace for transmitting and receiving a GSM radio frequency signal; a GPS antenna for receiving radio frequency signals from at least one global positioning satellite; and a vehicle mountable housing for enclosing the dielectric board, the first antenna trace line, the second antenna trace line, and the GPS antenna. |
| US08098204B2 |
Mobile communication terminal
An antenna element made of an electrically conductive material pattern is printed and formed on a face of a casing made of an electrically nonconductive material having a circuit board housed therein, and the antenna element and the circuit board are electrically connected to each other by a connecting element. |
| US08098201B2 |
Radio frequency identification tag and radio frequency identification tag antenna
An RFID tag includes an antenna and a chip, and the antenna includes a first polygonal dielectric material, first and second microstrip lines partially formed in the first dielectric material, a second polygonal dielectric material stacked on the first dielectric material, and a third microstrip line partially formed in the second dielectric material. According to the present invention, the RFID tag can efficiently receive electromagnetic waves to thereby maximize a readable range. |
| US08098200B1 |
Method and system for locating signal emitters using residual values
A method and system determine a location of an emitter using at least three sensors, each receiving a signal from the emitter. Cross-correlation data is determined for the received signals at sensor pairs, and one or more peaks are identified in the cross-correlation data. A likelihood function is determined for each sensor pair. A total likelihood function is determined for the sensors using the likelihood functions for each sensor pair, and the location of the emitter is determined as the point where the total likelihood function is maximized. The individual likelihood function for each sensor pair can be determined by selecting, at each point in a grid, a peak in the cross-correlation data that generates a minimum residual according to a minimum residual criterion, and using the selected peak in the cross-correlation data for each point in the grid to calculate the likelihood function. |
| US08098197B1 |
System and method for providing hybrid global positioning system/height of burst antenna operation with optimizied radiation patterns
The present invention is a device which includes an antenna and circuitry. The antenna may receive a circularly-polarized signal as first and second linearly-polarized signals. The circuitry is connected to the antenna and is configured for combining the first and second linearly-polarized signals to produce at least two reception patterns. The reception patterns are created by summing the first and second linearly-polarized signals via phase shifting. The reception patterns are optimized for at least two substantially different directional orientations. Further, the antenna may simultaneously allow/provide spec-compliant Global Positioning System operation and spec compliant Height of Burst operation. |
| US08098196B2 |
Time-compressed clutter covariance signal processor
The time compression processor coding methodology gives rise to an exceedingly fast clutter covariance processor compressor (CCPC). The CCPC includes a look up memory containing a very small number of predicted clutter covariances (PCCs) that are suitably designed off-line (e.g., in advance) using a discrete number of clutter to noise ratios (CNRs) and shifted antenna patterns (SAPs), where the SAPs are mathematical computational artifices not physically implemented. The on-line selection of the best PCC is achieved by investigating for each case, e.g., each range bin, the actual CNR, as well as the clutter cell centroid (CCC), which conveys information about the best SAP to select. The advanced CCPC is a ‘lossy’ processor coder that inherently arises from a novel practical and theoretical foundation for signal processing, namely, processor coding, that is the time compression signal processing dual of space compression source coding. |
| US08098195B2 |
Pulse transmitters having multiple outputs in phase relationship and methods of operation
A transmitter provides a plurality of output signals. The transmitter includes a processor, a modulator, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The modulator provides a modulated signal responsive to the processor. The modulated signal includes an amplitude modulated radio frequency for transmitting a pulse. The first circuit provides a first output signal, responsive to and with higher power than the modulated signal. The first output signal has a first phase during transmitting of the pulse. The second circuit provides a second output signal, responsive to and with higher power than the modulated signal. The second output signal has a second phase during transmitting of the pulse. The second phase is controlled by the second circuit in accordance with the first phase, the second phase, and indicia of a third phase provided by the processor. |
| US08098193B2 |
Digitally controlled UWB millimeter wave radar
An ultra wide band (UWB) millimeter (mm) wave radar system includes a signal source having a control input, a GHz signal output and a frequency controlled output. A control loop is coupled between the GHz signal output and the control input including a frequency divider and a digitally controlled PLL that provides a locked output coupled to the control input of the signal source to provide frequency locked output signals that are discrete frequency swept or hopped. A frequency multiplier is coupled to the frequency controlled output of the signal source for outputting a plurality of mm-wave frequencies. An antenna transmits the mm-wave frequencies to a surface to be interrogated and receives reflected mm-wave signals therefrom. A mixer mixes the reflected mm-wave signals and mm-wave frequencies and processing circuitry determines at least one parameter relating to the surface from the mixing output. |
| US08098189B1 |
Weather radar system and method using dual polarization antenna
An antenna system for a weather radar system includes a first transceiver and a second transceiver. The polarization of the first transceiver is orthogonal to the polarization of the second transceiver. The first transceiver and the second transceiver are interlaced to occupy the same volume. |
| US08098182B2 |
Cable gateway using a charge-domain pipeline analog to digital converter
A cable gateway, such as compatible with version 3.0 of the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications and other audiovisual standards, that uses an analog front end having a charge-domain analog-to-digital converter that uses a charge-domain pipeline of at least two stages. |
| US08098181B2 |
Attenuator circuit
An attenuator circuit includes a high-frequency circuit path to produce an attenuated first signal; a low-frequency circuit path to produce an attenuated second signal, where the attenuated first signal has a higher frequency than the attenuated second signal; and a transistor that includes a control input. The control input is configured to receive the attenuated second signal to bias the transistor for passage of the attenuated first signal and the attenuated second signal. |
| US08098177B2 |
Mapping alphabetic characters to a numeric keypad
A keypad comprising a plurality of numerically labeled keys; wherein each key on a numeric keypad as mapped to letters of alphabet in a language, wherein a plurality of alphabetic letters are assigned to at least one key on the numeric keypad; wherein a first alphabetic letter is selected from among the plurality of alphabetic letters assigned to the key, in response to a first interaction with said key, such that the first alphabetic letter is the first most frequently used letter from among said plurality of letters assigned to the key in said language. |
| US08098176B2 |
Systems and methods for adjusting landing gear alert envelope for offshore platforms and building-top landings
Systems and methods for improving landing gear alerting on a rotary wing aircraft. An example system includes a user interface device that allows a user to set a bug altitude value and a radio altimeter that produces an altitude value, both of which are in communication with a processor. The processor receives a bug altitude setting, generates a landing gear alert altitude value based on the received bug altitude setting and a predefined additive, receives a radio altitude value for the rotary-wing aircraft, and generates a landing gear alert if the radio altitude value is less than the landing gear alert altitude value and the landing gear is not in a landing position. An output device in signal communication with the processor, outputs the generated landing gear alert. |
| US08098173B2 |
Parking apparatus
In a parking apparatus for a vehicle, a parking space is measured and a parking trajectory into the parking space is determined by using this apparatus. A driving space for the vehicle is captured by a camera, both the parking trajectory and a turning point situated on the parking trajectory being superimposed on the camera image. |
| US08098170B1 |
Full-windshield head-up display interface for social networking
A method to dynamically register a graphic identifying social networking subscribers of a social networking service having socialization attributes common to the vehicle onto a driving scene of a vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display includes monitoring the social networking service, including: monitoring informational inputs of the vehicle; monitoring broadcasted socialization attributes of the social networking subscribers; and identifying the social networking subscribers having the socialization attributes common to the vehicle based on the monitored informational inputs of the vehicle and the monitored broadcasted socialization attributes of the social networking subscribers. The graphic identifying the social networking subscribers having the socialization attributes common to the vehicle is determined, and a location of the graphic is dynamically registered upon the substantially transparent windscreen head-up display corresponding to the driving scene of the vehicle. The graphic is displayed onto the driving scene of the vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head-up display including one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting transmission therethrough. |
| US08098169B2 |
Methods and apparatus for monitoring a plurality of worksites
Embodiments provide methods for monitoring a plurality of worksites at a facility, the methods including transporting a central monitoring station package to the facility, seating a transport container, stationing worksite monitoring equipment packages at the worksites, connecting communication links from the worksite monitoring equipment packages to central monitoring station equipment, transmitting remote transmissions from worksite monitoring equipment packages to central monitoring station equipment, displaying worksite monitoring information for a monitoring technician, and responding when remote monitoring information received from a worksite meets a response threshold criteria. |
| US08098166B2 |
Variable air speed aspirating smoke detector
An aspirated smoke detector includes a smoke sensor, an aspirator and variable speed control circuits. As the concentration of smoke increases, the speed control circuits can increase aspirator speed from a first, nominal value to a second, higher value. |
| US08098158B2 |
RFID server internals design
The subject invention provides a system and/or a method that facilitates implementing an RFID process by providing creation and/or execution of the RFID process as it relates to a provider(s) and the associated devices related to such provider(s). A receiver component can receive information relating to at least one or more providers. An RFID server component can employ the information in connection with providing an RFID process that can be applied generically to a plurality of devices associated with a subset of providers. An RFID engine can process an RFID event including an event processing tree that abstracts a logical entity, wherein the logical entity consists of a logical source can define the RFID process. |
| US08098153B2 |
System and method of providing emergency response to a user carrying a user device
The subject invention provides a system and method of providing emergency response to a user carrying a user device (32). The method establishes a monitoring database (34) including identifications for a plurality of user devices (32) and user information associated with each of the user devices (32). An internet protocol (IP) address is established for the monitoring database (34) and for each user device (32). The monitoring database (34) includes contacts to be contacted in an emergency for each user of each user device (32) and receives priority information for notifying the contacts. Communication is established between one of the user devices (32) and the monitoring database (34) and the monitoring database (34) automatically processes the priority information to notify the contact using either internet protocols or public-switched telephone networks. |
| US08098151B2 |
Method of sharing position information in personal navigation devices
A method of sharing position information of a personal navigation device (PND) with a peer PND includes the PND receiving a request from the peer PND to share the position information with the peer PND, determining a class of the peer PND, the PND filtering out a piece of the position information from the PND thereof according to the class of the peer PND to generate a filtered position information, and the PND sending the filtered position information to the peer PND. |
| US08098147B2 |
System for monitoring the tire
This invention provides a tire monitoring system, comprising a remote tire monitoring unit installed in the tire, a central controller, a speech indicating unit and a brake deceleration mechanism; wherein the remote tire monitoring unit is used to monitor and sample the pressure and temperature within the tire, and generate the sampling data signals of tire conditions which are subsequently wirelessly transmitted to the central controller; the central controller wirelessly receives sampling data signals of tire conditions, and calculates received data signals so as to generate speech indicating command and/or brake deceleration command, and afterward conveys the speech indicating command to the speech indicating unit, while the brake deceleration command to the brake deceleration mechanism; a speech indication unit, provided to receive said speech indication command and output the speech indication information; and a brake deceleration mechanism, provided to receive said brake deceleration command and performs action of brake deceleration so as to provide effective security protection when quick deflation and tire burst suddenly occur in a short time. |
| US08098146B2 |
Tire pressure monitoring system using wireless network
A tire pressure monitoring using wireless network includes a remote command device and a valve-stem mountable tire pressure gauge. The tire pressure gauge includes a pressure sensor for detecting a pressure of a fluid in a tire and providing an output signal indicative of the detected fluid pressure, and a first radio-frequency module for transmitting data indicative of the detected fluid pressure based on the output signal of the pressure sensor. The remote command device includes a second radio-frequency module for wirelessly receiving the data transmitted by the data transmitted by the first radio frequency module, a wireless communication module for communicating via a wireless network, information based at least one data received by the second radio frequency module, and a display for displaying at least the fluid pressure detected by the pressure sensor. |
| US08098145B2 |
Trailer detection apparatus and method
Apparatus and method for detecting the connection of a trailer to a vehicle. The apparatus is connected to a pneumatic pressure line of the trailer's service braking system, and measures the pressure of the system to determine if the trailer is properly connected to the vehicle when the vehicle's engine is running. Further, the apparatus also contains an algorithm that monitors the signals from other vehicle systems, and uses that information to determine the trailer characteristics. The vehicle engine control system receives information from the apparatus and adjusts the various vehicle systems accordingly. |
| US08098144B2 |
Alarm system
The invention relates to an anti-theft alarm system for vehicle wheels. The system comprises at least one wireless measuring module for determining kinetic state information characterizing the kinetic state of a vehicle wheel on the basis of acceleration measurement. The wireless measuring module is further configured to be attached to the vehicle wheel, to generate a wireless data transfer signal on the basis of the kinetic state information and transmit the wireless data transfer signal. The system further comprises at least one wireless central processing unit, which is configured to receive the wireless data transfer signal and execute a predetermined alarm function when the wireless data transfer signal fulfils predetermined conditions. |
| US08098141B2 |
Touch sensitive wearable band apparatus and method
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises a touch sensitive wearable band having a touch sensing circuit; and an electronic device configured to receive signals generated from the touch sensing circuit to provide an indication to a user of the touch sensitive wearable band. In accordance with an another example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises providing a touch sensitive wearable band having a touch sensing circuit; and configuring an electronic device to receive signals generated from the touch sensing circuit to provide an indication to a user of said touch sensitive wearable band. |
| US08098140B1 |
Customizable and upgradable devices and methods related thereto
A remote control is configured by a user specifying a type and brand of a consumer electronic device. A plurality of function code sets that have been identified as being candidates for commanding operations of the specified type and brand of consumer electronic device are selected and at least a subset of each of the plurality of selected function code sets is made available such that a user may determine by experimentation which one of the plurality of function code sets is appropriate for commanding operations of the specified type and brand of consumer electronic device. |
| US08098136B2 |
Integrated switch systems and methods for locating identification tags
Integrated switch systems and methods for locating ID tags are disclosed. One system includes an application, a plurality of different tag readers in communication with the ID tags, and an integrated switch configured to enable the application to receive tag information from the different tag readers. An integrated switch includes multiple reader adapters, an application adapter, and a virtualization core. The virtualization core is configured to provide a common interface between each tag reader and the application. One method includes receiving a first signal from a first tag reader and receiving a second signal from a second tag reader, the first and second signals having information related to first and second ID tags, respectively. The method also includes normalizing the first and second signals such that the signals are compatible with the application and transmitting an ID tag report based on the normalized first and/or second signal to the application. |
| US08098133B2 |
Radio frequency identification tag
An RFID tag having mounted thereon an IC chip capable of receiving and delivering information from and to an external source without contact. In the RFID tag, a central axis of its own antenna having mounted thereon the IC chip coincides with a center of the RFID tag, and an antenna width is controlled. That is, a position of the central axis of the antenna is controlled to correct the mass eccentricity of the RFID tag. Further, the RFID tag is an RFID tag having mounted thereon the IC chip capable of receiving and delivering information from and to an external source without contact, and an RFID tag having attached thereon the IC chip at a position in which a first and a second antenna lengths are different from each other. |
| US08098132B2 |
Call receiving system and apparatus for selective reception of caller communication
A system and method for a call receiving pager apparatus, system and method providing priority access, billing functions, and other enhanced features. The system utilizes a subscriber apparatus having a pager or radiotelephone functions whereby a caller may call the apparatus and gain direct two-way communication with the subscriber. The caller is billed for the communication. A call receiving pager allows a subscriber to initiate an outgoing connection to at least one predetermined telephone number in order to send a pre-recorded voice or data message requesting a call back from the recipient. |
| US08098131B2 |
Mobile terminal with a short-range communication unit
An information processing apparatus includes a first control unit configured to judge whether or not the information processing apparatus is in a state where a remote lock operation is impossible; an input unit configured to accept input of authentication information in case that the first control unit judges that the information processing apparatus is in a state where the remote lock operation is impossible; an authenticate unit configured to authenticate whether or not the input-accepted authentication information is coincident with previously stored authentication information; and a second control unit configured to prohibit a transmission/reception of data between the information processing apparatus and an information read device disposed adjacent to the information processing apparatus. |
| US08098128B2 |
Lock control system and method for working machine, working machine, lock control device and lock control management device for working machine
The lock control system of the present invention makes it possible to perform lock control of a working machine both by remote actuation and by local actuation, so that the convenience of use and so on is enhanced. A lock setting device 140 is provided to the working machine. The lock setting device 140 is provided with a user password storage unit 144, a manager password storage unit 145, and a one-time password storage unit 146. The user is able to perform lock setting and release by local actuation using the user password. A maintenance person is able to perform lock setting and release by local actuation using the one-time password. And lock setting and release can also be performed by remote actuation via a satellite communication network. It is possible to perform lock setting and release by selecting the appropriate method for each individual scenario. |
| US08098126B2 |
High voltage service disconnect assembly
A high voltage service disconnect assembly is provided. The high voltage service disconnect assembly is configured to fixedly hold a plurality of different sized fuses therein having different current rating capabilities, one fuse at a time. |
| US08098123B2 |
Power inductor with reduced DC current saturation
A power inductor includes a first magnetic core having a first end and a second end, an inner surface and an outer surface, and an inner cavity defined by the inner surface. A slotted air gap in the first magnetic core extends from i) the first end to the second end and ii) from the inner surface to the outer surface. A second magnetic core is located inside the slotted air gap between opposing inner walls of the slotted air gap. The second magnetic core i) extends from the inner surface to the outer surface of the first magnetic core inside the slotted air gap and ii) has a shape configured to lock the second magnetic core between the opposing inner walls of the slotted air gap. |
| US08098121B2 |
Method of switching a magnetic MEMS switch
A MEMS magnetic flux switch is fabricated as a ferromagnetic core. The core includes a center cantilever that is fabricated as a free beam that can oscillate at a resonant frequency that is determined by its mechanical and material properties. The center cantilever is moved by impulses applied by an associated motion oscillator, which can be magnetic or electric actuators. |
| US08098115B2 |
Noise eliminating wire harness
There is provided a noise eliminating wire harness capable of enhancing a noise elimination performance. In the wire harness 31, an intermediate portion of a sheath 34 of a wire 33 is removed to expose a conductor 35, thereby forming a conductor connection portion 36, and a capacitor 39 is directly connected to this conductor connection portion 36. The capacitor 39 is directly connected to the conductor connection portion 36 without using any wire serving as a branch wire. The capacitor 39 is connected to the conductor connection portion 36 in perpendicularly intersecting relation thereto. The capacitor 39 is connected to the wire 33 in such a condition that there is not provided any portion extending side by side with the wire 33. |
| US08098114B2 |
Matching circuit
A matching circuit including a main matching block 51 inserted in a signal path and a series matching block 522, one end of which is connected to the main matching block 51, in which one end of a series connection of a switch 542 and a parallel matching block 532 is connected to the signal path at the other end of the series matching block 522 and impedance matching between input/output is performed at any one of two frequencies by setting the switch to ON/OFF. |
| US08098110B2 |
Phase locked loop apparatus with selectable capacitance device
A phase locked loop apparatus includes an oscillator, a variable capacitance device, a selectable capacitance device, and a capacitance controller that is configured to provide a control signal to the selectable capacitance device. The selectable capacitance device is connected to the oscillator and is responsive to the control signal such that the selectable capacitance device has a first capacitance at a first control signal value and a second capacitance at a second control signal value. The capacitance controller only selects either the first capacitance or the second capacitance by providing a control signal that has the first control signal value to select the first capacitance and having the second control signal value to select the second capacitance. |
| US08098108B2 |
Microwave oscillator using integrated circuit technology
The invention relates to a millimeter frequency oscillator using integrated circuit technology. The oscillator includes a microwave output (Sf) providing an oscillation frequency Fout as a function of a control signal Vt. The oscillation frequency Fout may be modulated around a central frequency Fc via two control inputs of the oscillator, a first control input Ec1 driven by a first control signal Vt1 fixing the central frequency Fc of the oscillator and a second control input Ec2 driven by a second control signal Vt2 allowing linear modulation of this central frequency Fc. The control signal Vt of the oscillator is a function of the two control signals Vt1 and Vt2. |
| US08098106B1 |
Low noise voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)
In one embodiment, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) includes a tank circuit having a first node and a second node. A first pair of transistors includes a first transistor and a second transistor each having a gate, a drain, and a source. The gates of the first transistor and the second transistor are coupled together and coupled to the first node. A second pair of transistors includes a third transistor and a fourth transistor each having a gate, a drain, and a source. The gates of third transistor and the fourth transistor are coupled together and coupled to the second node. The first transistor and the second transistor are configured to alternately couple the second node to a first output node. The third transistor and the fourth transistor are configured to alternately couple the first node to a second output node. |
| US08098104B2 |
Estimation and compensation of oscillator nonlinearities
A device may include an oscillator circuit, a control circuit, a frequency detector circuit, and a processor circuit. The oscillator circuit may include a frequency control input to output an oscillator signal. The frequency of the oscillator signal depends on an input signal applied to the frequency control input. The control circuit is configured to apply a first input signal value, a second input signal value, and a third input signal value to the frequency control input. The frequency detector circuit is configured to detect the first frequency value of the oscillator signal when the first input signal value is applied to the frequency control input, a second frequency value of the oscillator signal when the second input signal value is applied to the frequency control input, and a third frequency value of the oscillator signal when the third input signal value is applied to the frequency control input. |
| US08098103B2 |
PLL disturbance cancellation
Techniques for cancelling a disturbance signal from a PLL output signal. In an aspect, a cancellation signal is combined with the signal input to a VCO or DCO in the PLL. In a further aspect, the appropriate cancellation signal is derived by analyzing one or more signals within the PLL. The signals within the PLL may be correlated against one or more disturbance signal templates, such as a sinusoid having a known frequency, to derive one or more correlation coefficients. The coefficients may be applied to weight one or more disturbance synthesis functions to generate the cancellation signal. Further aspects provide for joint analysis, synthesis, and cancellation of signals having unknown frequency from the PLL output. |
| US08098101B2 |
Method of achieving high selectivity in receiver RF front-ends
According to some embodiments, an apparatus may comprise an amplifier, wherein the amplifier comprises: an output stage formed of a positive output terminal providing a positive output voltage and a negative output terminal providing a negative output voltage; a load tank coupled in parallel with the output stage and configured to filter signals received at the amplifier; and a negative resistance block coupled in parallel with the output stage and the load tank. |
| US08098100B2 |
Variable gain amplifiers
Variable gain amplifiers with controllable gain gradient over temperature. A variable gain amplification circuit comprises an input terminal receiving an input signal, an output terminal outputting an output signal, and a control terminal receiving a first gain control signal. The relationship between gain of the variable gain amplification circuit and temperature is programmable rather than temperature independent, and is controlled by the first gain control signal obtained by a second gain control signal and a third gain control signal. The second gain control controls gain of a variable gain amplification circuit linearly, the third gain control signal controls gain gradient of the variable gain amplification circuit over temperature and the third gain control signal is determined based on a formula of S CT = ∑ n = 1 N S n [ ( T T 0 ) n - 1 ] , in which T0 represents a predetermined temperature, T represents a present temperature, and Sn represents the nth programmable signal. |
| US08098099B2 |
Broadband high output current output stage
A broadband high output current output stage includes at least one first differential pair for enhancing the bandwidth. A second differential pair is further disposed in the circuit. The second differential pair is coupled to one of the first differential pair, such that a large output voltage swing is distributed to all transistors to avoid breakdowns thereof. A feedback unit is connected between each bias unit and the first differential pair. The first compensation unit compensates the electric characteristic of the high-frequency zero of the feedback unit and the bias unit, thereby broadening the linear bandwidth of the frequency response. The second compensation units are disposed between the first differential pairs. Each second compensation unit compensates the high-frequency zero of the node where each two first differential pairs are cascaded, thereby further broadening the linear bandwidth of the frequency response. |
| US08098090B2 |
Open-drain output buffer for single-voltage-supply CMOS
An open-drain output buffer is operative to sustain relatively high voltages applied to an output pad. The open-drain buffer includes a number of floating wells, output switching devices and corresponding well-bias selectors to ensure that no gate oxide sustains voltages greater than a predefined value. PMOS and NMOS well-bias selectors operate to select and provide an available highest or lowest voltage, respectively, to bias corresponding well-regions and ensure no device switching terminals are electrically over stressed. As output related terminals experience switching related voltage excursions, the well-bias selectors select alternate terminals to continue selection of the respective highest or lowest voltages available and provide correct well-biasing conditions. Voltage dividers are incorporated to generate well-biasing control voltages. By electrical coupling across maximal voltages, the voltage dividers generate reference voltages that induce proper selection of well-bias voltages to the floating wells. |
| US08098084B2 |
Transmission apparatus for differential communication
A transmission apparatus for differential communication includes a driver bridge circuit and a pair of noise protection circuits. The driver bridge circuit includes four output devices that are independently connected between each of a pair of transmission lines and a power line or a ground line. Each noise protection circuit is provided to a corresponding transmission lines. Each noise protection circuit includes a ground potential detector and an impedance controller. The ground potential detector detects a potential of the corresponding transmission line with respect to the ground line. The impedance controller causes an impedance of the corresponding transmission line with respect to the ground line to become equal to an impedance of the other transmission line with respect to the ground line, when the detected potential becomes outside a predetermined potential range. |
| US08098082B1 |
Multiple data rate interface architecture
Method and circuitry for implementing high speed multiple-data-rate interface architectures for programmable logic devices. The invention partitions I/O pins and their corresponding registers into independent multiple-data rate I/O modules each having at least one pin dedicated to the strobe signal DQS and others to DQ data signals. The modular architecture facilitates pin migration from one generation of PLDs to the next larger generation. |
| US08098079B2 |
Receive circuit for connectors with variable complex impedance
Embodiments of a circuit for use with an inter-chip connection that has a variable complex impedance (which can be conductive, capacitive or both), a system that includes the circuit, and a communication technique are described. This inter-chip connection may be formed between a microspring or an anisotropic film and a metal connector on or proximate to a surface of a chip. Moreover, the circuit may mitigate signal distortion associated with the variable complex impedance. For example, the circuit may include an internal impedance that is electrically coupled in series with the metal connector, and that has an impedance which dominates the variable complex impedance over a range of operating frequencies. Separately or additionally, the circuit may be adapted to correct for the signal distortion. |
| US08098077B2 |
Contact-making apparatus
A contact-making apparatus for electrical connection of a unit under test to an electrical test device. The apparatus has a plurality of electrical test contacts, which are associated with at least one holding element, for making contact with the unit under test. An adapter device increases the distance between adjacent contact paths. The adapter device has contact elements for touch contact with the test contacts. The contact elements are comprised of noble metal or of a noble metal alloy, or of an alloy having at least one noble metal component, or of electrically conductive plastic. The invention also relates to a corresponding method of forming the contact elements by heating and then cooling and then forming the apparatus. |
| US08098070B2 |
Electromagnetic subterranean imaging instrument
The instrument utilizes at least one electromagnetic signal transmitter and at least one electromagnetic signal receiver with the receiver detecting a receiver signal responsive to the transmitter signal and indicative of subterranean details adjacent to the instrument. The instrument is attachable to a tow vehicle for transport and includes a GPS antenna and tags data gathered by the instrument with GPS position information. The instrument is formed in modular sections which can be removably attached for collapsing into a smaller space and to allow for flexible configuration of the instrument in various different ways. A wheeled carriage is provided to carry the instrument over the ground. Antennas for the transmitter and receiver, as well as circuitry and cooling systems are all provided to supply the instrument with high resolution and a clear signal indicative of the position and characteristics of subterranean details of interest. |
| US08098067B2 |
Magnetic sensor element and magnetic sensor using the same
The present invention provides a fluxgate magnetic sensor element which includes: a substrate; an exciting pattern which is disposed on the substrate to generate a magnetic field; a magnetic thin film pattern for detection which is disposed adjacent to the exciting pattern; and a detection coil pattern which is disposed adjacent to the magnetic thin film pattern for detection. In the magnetic sensor element, the exciting pattern, the magnetic thin film pattern for detection, and the detection coil pattern are formed on the substrate. Therefore, the magnetic sensor element can be formed into a flat shape. Moreover, since the length of the generated magnetic field is short in a long-axis direction, the size and thickness of the element itself can be reduced. |
| US08098063B2 |
Untethered, unpowered, rollable device to sense condition of pipeline wall
A sensor unit for use in sensing conditions in a pipeline comprises an untethered a ball-shaped surround adapted to roll along the interior surface of a pipeline, and instrument package within the ball-shaped surround. The package contains at least one magnetometer or accelerometer. Preferably, three magnetometers, arranged orthogonally, are present. Other sensors can also be present as required, such as an acoustic sensor to detect leaks and a temperature or chemical sensor. Recording means record the data acquired by the magnetometer(s) or accelerometer and the sensors, and optionally also record a timing trace. |
| US08098060B1 |
Systems, methods and apparatus for position sensor digital conditioning electronics
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations determine the amplitude of an amplitude modulated signal, modulated by the position of an object being sensed. In some aspects, the apparatus accepts an excitation signal and the amplitude modulated signal and divides the amplitude modulated by the excitation signal to produce an output signal that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed. In other aspects, the division is performed only when the excitation signal is non-zero, such as close to the peaks in the excitation signal. In other aspects, the excitation signal and amplitude modulated signal are degraded due to an air gap and the degraded signals are used to correct for amplitude fluctuations due to the air gap, and produce an output signal, tolerant of the air gaps, that is proportional to the position of the object being sensed. |
| US08098059B2 |
Current negative-feedback circuit and DC-DC converter using the circuit
A current negative-feedback circuit comprises a current detection unit and a sawtooth-shaped waveform generation unit. The current detection unit comprises a first P-ch MOSFET Q2 and a second P-ch MOSFET Q3 which constitute a current mirror circuit, a current adjustment resistor R4, a current detection resistor R1, and a constant current source I1. The current mirror circuit outputs current almost proportional to the charge current of an inductance via a switching device or outputs a current which is the quadratic function of the charge current of an inductance. The sawtooth-shaped waveform generation means adds the constant charge current of the constant current source I2 and the current output from the current mirror circuit, charges the capacitor C1, and generates a sawtooth-shaped waveform. |
| US08098058B2 |
Circuit arrangement comprising a load transistor and a measuring transistor
One aspect is a circuit arrangement having a load current path with a load transistor having a first and a second load path terminal and a control terminal. A first measurement current path includes a measuring transistor having a first and a second load path terminal and a control terminal. The control terminals and first load path terminals of the load transistor and the measuring transistor are coupled. A first regulating circuit has a controllable resistor and is designed to drive the resistor depending on electrical potentials at the second load path terminals of the load transistor and of the measuring transistor. A current mirror circuit is coupled between the first measurement current path and a second measurement current path. A deactivation circuit is designed to deactivate the first regulating circuit depending on a current flowing through the measuring transistor. |
| US08098052B2 |
Battery charger
A batter charger for charging a secondary batter using a power supply circuit which converts an AC input into a DC output, includes a first resistor for detecting constant-current control and a second resistor for detecting end of charging. The first resister and the second register are inserted in series in a current path of the charging current. The power supply circuit has output characteristics of a constant-current control characteristic and a constant-voltage control characteristic. The constant-current control is performed using a first detection voltage generated at the first resistor, and the constant-voltage control is performed by comparing a second detection voltage generated at a series resistor composed of the first resistor and the second resistor with a reference voltage using a comparator, and detecting an end of charging indicated by the second detection voltage fallen below the reference voltage. |
| US08098051B2 |
Temperature-based charge and discharge control for a battery
A protection circuit for a battery pack, comprising: a thermistor for indicating a temperature of a cell in the battery pack; a first comparator coupled to the thermistor for determining whether the temperature has exceeded a charge cut-off temperature threshold for the cell, and if so, for turning off a first switch in series with the cell to prevent charging of the cell; and, a second comparator coupled to the thermistor for determining whether the temperature has exceeded a discharge cut-off temperature threshold for the cell, and if so, for turning off a second switch in series with the cell to prevent discharging of the cell. |
| US08098050B2 |
Charge/discharge control device for secondary battery and vehicle equipped with the same
A charge/discharge control device for a secondary battery mounted on a vehicle includes a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of a battery and a control device setting a battery power charged to and discharged from the battery base on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the state of charge of the battery. The control device sets at least one of a first value, a second value and a third value to be increased as the battery temperature rises, the first value indicating the state of charge at the time of switching between charging and discharging of the battery, the second value indicating the state of charge at the time when the battery power charged to the battery reaches a limit value in the case where the state of charge falls below the first value, and the third value indicating the state of charge at the time when the battery power discharged from the battery reaches the limit value in the case where the state of charge exceeds the first value. |
| US08098047B2 |
Battery apparatus for controlling plural batteries and control method of plural batteries
Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices. |
| US08098046B2 |
Battery charging apparatus having a chute and method of recharging a battery
The embodiments of the invention relate to a novel apparatus and method for a battery charging system in a shared environment, as well as for monitoring battery usage and tracking battery location. In one embodiment, the battery charging chute comprises a housing configured to receive a battery via an insertion slot and configured to dispense a battery through a dispensing slot. Within the housing, charging terminals are disposed is a spaced or continuous manner, to come in contact with the charging terminals on batteries inserted into the housing. Optionally, solenoid-controlled gates may be employed at the insertion slot and dispensing slot, to inhibit the removal or insertion of batteries from the incorrect location, to ensure that the battery with the longest residence time in the chute is dispensed to a user. The housing may also include a radio-frequency identification tag reader to permit inventorying and tracking of batteries inserted into the housing. |
| US08098042B2 |
Charging system for walking robot and charging method therefor
A charging system for a walking robot which charges a battery mounted on the walking robot by connecting a power supplying connector provided in a charging station to a power receiving connector in the walking robot, wherein the walking robot is capable of moving without significant restrictions during charging. The charging system includes a lock mechanism for locking the power supplying connector to the power receiving connector. A connector holder holds the power supplying connector detachably, an advancing/retracting mechanism advances and retracts the connector holder in the anteroposterior direction, and a lock operation mechanism performs a lock operation and an unlock operation of the lock mechanism via the connector holder. After an advance of the connector holder, the lock mechanism performs the lock operation to lock the power supplying connector to the power receiving connector. Thereafter, the connector holder is retracted out of the power supplying connector. |
| US08098040B1 |
Ram air driven turbine generator battery charging system using control of turbine generator torque to extend the range of an electric vehicle
A system and method to convert the ram air energy resulting from the movement of an electric vehicle through the air mass into electric energy to recharge the energy storage devices of the vehicle while minimizing the apparatus caused drag effect on the vehicle, thereby extending the driving range of the vehicle between external charging. At least one ram air driven turbine is positioned within the vehicle, the turbine driving a mechanically coupled generator to charge the battery. Ram air is ducted in the front of the vehicle to cause the turbine generator to rotate and output electrical energy to charge the battery. The effect of variation in vehicle speed on both turbine generator output and turbine caused drag is optimized by adjusting the pitch angle of the turbine blades. At least one included ultra capacitor will implement a pre-programmed charge/discharge profile to reduce charge resistance electrical loading on the turbine generator and enable continued battery charging with minimal increase of turbine caused drag. |
| US08098037B2 |
Vehicle door opening-closing apparatus
A vehicle door opening-closing apparatus is provided, which includes a vibration detector and a controller. The controller acquires an envelope formed by connecting crests or troughs of a waveform of vibration detected by the vibration detection sensor. The controller determines whether or not a shape of the envelope meets a condition. A vehicle door is controlled based on a result of determination by the controller. |
| US08098033B2 |
Motor drive circuit
A motor drive circuit comprising: a triangle wave generation circuit configured to charge/discharge a capacitor with a charging/discharging current having a current amount corresponding to an amplitude control voltage for controlling an amplitude of an oscillation voltage that varies in a triangle wave shape, and to output a charging voltage of the capacitor as the oscillation voltage; a pulse signal generation circuit configured to generate a pulse signal having a duty ratio corresponding to a level of a speed control voltage for controlling a rotational speed of a motor, based on a comparison result between the speed control voltage and the oscillation voltage output from the triangle wave generation circuit; and a drive circuit configured to intermittently drive a motor coil based on the pulse signal. |
| US08098030B2 |
Drive unit for a door or gate, particularly for a garage door, and method for operating such drive unit
A drive unit for a door or a gate includes an electric motor, a detection unit for detecting the position of the door or gate, the detection unit being coupled to the motor and providing an identical pulse sequence with every rotation of the motor, wherein the duration of one pulse in the sequence is different from the duration of the other pulses in the sequence, which are equal. All detected pulses are stored in a non-volatile memory. The drive unit includes an electronic control and regulating circuit including an output stage for the electric motor and at least one memory, in which an operational program is stored providing a programmable learning procedure for an opening and closing movement of the door or gate based on the pulses provided by the detection unit. |
| US08098027B2 |
Light-emitting device driving circuit for dynamically adjusting turn-off time length of switch
A light-emitting device driving circuit and a method thereof are provided. A terminal of a light-emitting device is coupled to a supply voltage and a cathode of a diode via an inductor, and the other terminal is coupled to an anode of the diode. The light-emitting device driving circuit includes a switch, a current-sensing circuit, and a switch control circuit. The current-sensing circuit is coupled to the anode of the diode via the switch to determine whether or not to generate a turning-off control signal according to a conducting-current value of the switch. The switch control circuit controls an on/off state of the switch, and turns off the switch according to the turning-off control signal. Besides, the switch control circuit compares the conducting-current value with a reference-current value to generate a comparing result to dynamically adjust a time length of turning off the switch accordingly. |
| US08098026B2 |
Lighting control circuit
The present invention is directed to an LED light system that comprises a control circuit that operates on a pair of 1.5 volt batteries but which generates an operational voltage in excess of 3.0 volts. The lighting system includes a boost circuit that raises the operational voltage of the system to 5.0 volts, and an output circuit connected to a plurality of LEDs that controls their function. |
| US08098025B2 |
LED flash bulb decorating light
A LED flash bulb decorating light with features of able to achieve complicated light variation by employing simple circuit design, which comprises a power cord with a power plug, a series of single color, dual color or multiple color LED flash bulb forming in series or parallel circuit with the power cord. And a circuit control box comprises a low pass filter circuit and a power reset circuit and installed between the power plug of the power cord and the LED flash bulb, wherein the LED flash bulb at least comprises a LED chip and an IC driving element for driving the LED chip with DC power according to the setting time sequence to generate desired light variation. And the power reset circuit reset power supply at the repeated setting time interval to enable each LED flash bulb on the power cord to restart flash sequence to maintain the desired synchronous light variation. |
| US08098021B2 |
Driving circuit of light emitting diode and lighting apparatus
A driving circuit of a light emitting diode (LED) includes a rectifier unit, a voltage-dividing circuit, a control unit, a voltage converter, a resistance and a capacitor. The rectifier unit rectifies an AC power to generate a first operation voltage. The voltage-dividing circuit generates a voltage-dividing signal. The control unit includes a regulating unit and a pulse width modulation (PWM) unit. An output terminal of the regulating unit is coupled to the PWM unit. The PWM unit outputs a PWM signal. The voltage converter adjusts a driving voltage and a driving current of the LED. The resistance is coupled between an output terminal of the regulating unit and a diode. The capacitor is coupled between a power input terminal of the regulating unit and a ground terminal. The PWM unit adjusts the PWM signal according to the voltage-dividing signal and a feedback signal output by the voltage converter. |
| US08098019B2 |
Driving circuit of multi-lamps
A driving circuit of multi-lamps including a power supply module, a transformer module, a first detection module, and a control module is provided. Whether the power supply module is turned off is controlled by a control signal. The transformer module respectively provides a driving signal and an inverted driving signal to a first terminal and a second terminal of each lamp according to the AC signal. The first detection module detects a first indication signal combined by signals of the first terminal of one lamp and the second terminal of another lamp. The control module generates the control signal according to the first indication signal. Therefore, whether the lamps have a problem of a short circuit or an open circuit, or are in abnormal states can be known from the variations of the first indication signal, and a protection function for the driving circuit can be activated. |
| US08098018B2 |
Pulse dimming circuit and the method thereof
The present invention provides a pulse dimming circuit and a method thereof. The pulse dimming circuit is compatible for both DC input signal and PWM input signal using only one circuit board, and includes a first input port, a second input port, a comparison signal generator, a comparator, a logic module, and a switch network electrically coupled to the second input port, an output terminal of the comparator, and an output terminal of the logic module. |
| US08098016B2 |
Plasma generating apparatus and plasma generating method
An impedance matching device is provided with a basic element having variable characteristic parameters for impedance matching, and an auxiliary element having variable characteristic parameters. At the time of generating plasma by using the impedance matching device, the characteristic parameters of the basic element of each antenna element are fixed, respectively, and the characteristic parameters of the auxiliary element are adjusted for each antenna element. Thus, in an adjusted status where impedance matching for each antenna element is adjusted, each antenna element of an antenna array is fed with a high frequency signal, an electromagnetic wave is radiated from the antenna element, the characteristic parameters of the basic element of each antenna element are synchronized and adjusted, and the impedances of the whole antenna array are matched. |
| US08098013B2 |
Plasma display panel and display device using the same
A plasma display device includes: a front substrate and a back substrate facing each other and interposing a discharge gap; and a plurality of discharge cells formed by the front substrate and the back substrate, wherein a mixture gas containing Xe is filled in the discharge gap, and a red, green, or blue phosphor materials is arranged in each of the discharge cells. The plasma display device performs a reset operation by, at least, a weak discharge. A crystal material is arranged in the red, green, and blue phosphor materials so as to make weak discharge firing voltages for reset discharges in respective discharge cells uniform. |
| US08098011B2 |
Phosphor layer arrangement for use with light emitting diodes
Phosphor layer arrangement for use with light emitting diodes. In an aspect, a light emitting diode apparatus is provided that includes a least one light emitting diode, an encapsulation covering the at least one light emitting diode, a lens having a phosphor layer formed upon a bottom surface, the lens positioned to cover at least part of the encapsulation, and an air gap between the phosphor layer and the encapsulation. In an aspect, a light emitting diode lamp is provided that includes a package, a least one light emitting diode, an encapsulation covering the at least one light emitting diode, a lens having a phosphor layer formed upon a bottom surface, wherein the lens is positioned to cover at least part of the encapsulation, and an air gap between the phosphor layer and the encapsulation. |
| US08098010B2 |
Organic electroluminescence display device and manufacturing method thereof
A solid sealing method of an organic EL display device is provided which effectively prevents influences of moisture and reduces manufacturing cost. A mother sealing sheet (400) and a mother element substrate (100) are adhered with a use of a positioning mark (+). A rectangular portion shown in a dotted line on the mother sealing sheet (400) is a separation line (41). An adhesive member is formed in the separation line (41), and the adhesive member is adhered to a display region (101) formed over the mother element substrate (100). A cut-out is formed at a corner portion and a short side portion of the rectangular separation line (41) and a cut-out and a bridge are formed on the long side portion. Thus, unnecessary portion of the mother sealing sheet can be removed without losing the reliability of adhesion. |
| US08098009B2 |
Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus for a liquid crystal panel
An electro-optical device includes a light emitting unit; a color filter that has a plurality of colored portions selectively transmitting light components belonging to a portion of a wavelength range of light emitted from the light emitting unit; and a color converting member that converts some of the light components emitted from the light emitting unit into light components having wavelengths around transmission wavelength ranges of the colored portions having one or more colors of the color filter, which is provided between the light emitting unit and the color filter. |
| US08098005B2 |
White light emitting device
A white light emitting device including: a blue light emitting diode (LED); a green silicate phosphor formed on the blue LED; and a red sulfide phosphor with a surface coated with a silicone oxide layer, the red sulfide phosphor formed on the blue LED. |
| US08098004B2 |
Method for producing spark plug and spark plug
A spark plug (100) including a center electrode (130) and a ground electrode (140), which is formed by joining a ground electrode chip (143) to a ground electrode base material (141) via an intermediate member (142). A method for producing the spark plug (100) includes providing a projecting portion (142p) on the intermediate member (142), and projection-welding the intermediate member (142) to the ground electrode base material (141) by means of the projecting portion (142p), to thereby join the intermediate member 142 to the ground electrode base material (141). Further, the intermediate member (142) of the spark plug (100) includes a cylindrical columnar portion (142e) which is joined to the ground electrode chip (143), and a flange portion (142d) which is joined to the ground electrode base material (141) and which flange portion (142d) has a diameter greater than that of the cylindrical columnar portion (142e). |
| US08098003B2 |
Light emitting module and illumination device
According to one embodiment, a light-emitting module includes a module substrate, a reflective layer, conductive layers, a light-emitting element, and a sealing member. A reflective layer is provided on a surface of an insulating layer of the module substrate, and the conductive layers are provided in the vicinity of the reflective layer. Further, the light-emitting element is provided on the reflective layer. Moreover, the translucent sealing member has translucency and bury the reflective layer, the conductive layers, and the light-emitting element. The ratio of the area occupied by the reflective layer and the conductive layers to the sealed region sealed by the sealing member is equal to or greater than 80%. |
| US08097999B2 |
Piezoelectric actuator
Piezoelectric actuators having a piezoelectric layer in which a cantilever portion is formed are disclosed. In one embodiment, an actuator includes a support layer and a piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer may include a supported portion formed on the support layer and a cantilever portion which extends beyond the support layer. |
| US08097998B2 |
Linear drive having shock compensation
A directly coupled linear drive having a drive unit and a sliding element that are disposed in a frame, the sliding element, actuated by the drive unit, being capable of effecting a movement in a direction of translation with respect to the frame and having a blocking device for blocking the sliding element in the frame in the event of a shock load to the sliding element, the blocking device having a body coupled to the sliding element that absorbs the shock load and is disposed such that the shock load of the body counteracts the shock load of the sliding element. |
| US08097996B1 |
Thermally conductive ground wall insulation for a stator bar
A method of manufacturing a stator bar in large dynamoelectric machines, with the bar insulation made of solid materials with high thermal conductivity and high dielectric strength. In the present invention, the bar insulation is provided by thermally conductive shells whose inner cavity conforms to the bar stock. The manufacturing process comprises slipping one or more thermally conductive shells at the substantially central straight portion of the bar stock, bending the ends of the bar stock to form end-arms, insulating the end-arms with tape or extrusion insulation and bonding all members to form a solid stator bar. In short, the bent end-arms are insulated by the tape or extrusion insulation while the straight portion of the bar is insulated by the thermally conductive shells. This greatly increases the effective thermal conductivity of the stator bar. The high dielectric strength of the materials significantly reduces the wall thickness of the bar insulation. The space freed by the thinner bar insulation can be filled beneficially by copper or iron thereby reducing the size of the machine. The high thermal conductivity of the bar insulation will increase the life of the stator bar, while the thinner bar insulation will reduce the size of the machine. |
| US08097994B2 |
Cooling structure for a vehicle AC generator
There is provided a vehicle AC generator in which the contact face of at least one of a pair of cases that make contact with the respective axis-direction end faces of a stator core is provided with a cooling air path that connects the outer circumferential surface of a coil end portion with the outer circumferential surface of the stator core and has an opening in the axis direction at the outer circumferential surface of the stator core so that the coolability of the coil end portions of the stator coil is raised, and the amount of cooling air is increased so that the overall coolability of the AC generator is improved. |
| US08097988B2 |
Horizontal linear vibrator
The present invention provides a horizontal linear vibrator which can reduce the thickness but increase the strength of vibrations while at the same time guaranteeing a sufficiently long lifetime and satisfactory responsivity. The horizontal linear vibrator includes a casing, a bracket, a vibration unit, a cylindrical coil and springs. The bracket is coupled to the casing to form an internal space. The vibration unit includes a weight, a pair of yokes and magnets. The weight has an opening therein. The yokes are disposed on the inner surfaces of the weight. The magnets are provided in the yokes such that different poles of the magnets face each other. The cylindrical coil is perpendicularly mounted to the bracket and disposed in space between the pair of yoke. The springs are coupled to both ends of the casing or the bracket. The springs elastically support the vibration unit to allow the vibration unit to vibrate in the horizontal direction. |
| US08097987B2 |
Movable magnet type linear motor with improved end cover assembly
A movable magnet type linear motor with an improved end cover assembly includes a mover having a housing and an accommodating space extending along an axis of the housing for receiving therein a coil, wherein the housing having each of two opposite ends formed with a retaining groove in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the housing for receiving an end cover that is centrally formed with a hole so as to receive a stationary inner stator, and wherein an engaging mechanism is provided between the end cover and the retaining groove so that the end cover is allowed to be assembled to the housing in the direction perpendicular to the axis of the housing and coupled with the housing. |
| US08097986B2 |
Micro actuator
Disclosed is a micro actuator capable of being formed in compact as a whole, such as 10 mm in diameter by diminishing a difference between a stroke distance of a moving member and an overall length, and by reducing a sectional area taken in a direction orthogonal to a stroke direction. The micro actuator includes: a spline shaft formed as a cylinder with a hollow part and having an axially extending slit opening; a spline nut fit-engaged with the spline shaft and axially guiding the spline shaft; a pair of end caps fixed to openings at both ends of the spline shaft; a magnet rod supported at both ends within the hollow part of the spline shaft by the end caps; and a forcer loosely fit-engaged with a periphery of the magnet rod within the hollow part of the spline shaft to constitute a linear motor together with the magnet rod and connected with the spline nut through the slit opening. |
| US08097984B2 |
Inductive power supply with device identification
An inductive power supply system to identify remote devices using unique identification frequencies. The system includes an AIPS and a tank circuit capable of inductively providing power to a remote device at different frequencies, and a sensor for sensing the reflected impedance of the remote device at tank circuit. The system further includes a plurality of different remote devices, each having a unique resonance frequency. In operation, the AIPS is capable of identifying the type of remote device present in the inductive field by applying power to a remote device at a plurality of unique identification frequencies until the remote device establishes resonance in response to one of the identification frequencies. The AIPS includes a controller that recognizes when resonance has been established by evaluating sensor data, which is representative of the reflected impedance of the remote device. Once the identity of a remote device is determined, the AIPS may pull operating parameters for the remove device from memory to ensure efficient operation and to assist in recognizing fault conditions. |
| US08097983B2 |
Wireless energy transfer
Disclosed is an apparatus for use in wireless energy transfer, which includes a first resonator structure configured to transfer energy non-radiatively with a second resonator structure over a distance greater than a characteristic size of the second resonator structure. The non-radiative energy transfer is mediated by a coupling of a resonant field evanescent tail of the first resonator structure and a resonant field evanescent tail of the second resonator structure. |
| US08097982B2 |
System and method for pre-detection in a power over ethernet system
A system and method for pre-detection in a power over Ethernet (PoE) system. A power sourcing equipment (PSE) is designed to measure a port voltage upon application of a small current source. A microcontroller controls the current source based on a comparison of the measured port voltage to a threshold voltage. |
| US08097980B2 |
Distributed solar power plant and a method of its connection to the existing power grid
A method and apparatus is provided for using a renewable source of energy such as solar, wind or geothermal energy. The method includes generating electric energy from a renewable form of energy at a plurality of locations at which reside an electric power line associated with an electric power grid. The electric energy generated at each location is transferred to the electric power line to thereby supply electric energy to the electric power grid. |
| US08097978B2 |
Extending backup times of uninterruptible power supplies
A system for extending backup times using networks of direct current (DC) uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) is provided. A first DC UPS has a first input and a first output. A second DC UPS has a second input coupled to the first output of the first DC UPS, a second output coupled to at least one electrical load, and a third output coupled to the first input of the first DC UPS. Battery current from the first and second DC UPS is shared with the at least one electrical load in the event of a power loss. |
| US08097977B2 |
Multi-output power supply device
A multi-output power supply device includes a first power switch, a first switch controller that controls the first power switch, a transformer that transforms a power supplied from the first power switch, first through Nth output circuits connected to a secondary side of the transformer, where N is a positive integer greater than 1, a second power switch that switches the power output from one of the first through Nth output circuits, a second switch controller that controls the second power switch, a feedback circuit that feeds back output voltages of the first through Nth output circuits, and a feedback compensation circuit that performs a switching operation complementarily with the second power switch to compensate for a resistance of the feedback circuit. Accordingly, when power output to one of the output circuits is blocked, the multi-output power supply device can stably control the power output to the other output circuits. |
| US08097976B2 |
Lighting controller for a vehicle lamp
A lighting controller has current driving means which include a shunt resistor connected in series to each of multiple LEDs to detect an LED driving current, a PMOS transistor connected to the positive electrode side of each of the LEDs, and an amplifier for sending an output according to the result of comparison between the respectively detected driving current values and a reference value, and which subject each of the PMOS transistors to ON/OFF operation. Control means includes a Zener diode ZD1 and a Zener diode ZD2 for detecting an abnormality occurring in the current driving means and for sending the abnormality detection result. The control means controls the PMOS transistor to be turned OFF after elapse of a predetermined time upon receipt of the abnormality detection result. |
| US08097973B2 |
Power mains transformer data bridge
A circuit and system having an inductive data link from one or more user-side phases to a plurality of line-side phases by individual data transformers having a winding coupled to the particular phase by a high-permeability ferrite material. The resulting connection across the primary (or primaries) and secondary (or secondaries) selectively provides and efficient coupling of data in a multi-phase environment including step-down distribution transformers and “Δ”-to-“Y” configured circuits while maintaining isolation at the power line frequency. Further embodiments include transfer to selected phases or single-phase applications, and selective signal-pass or -reject filtering. |
| US08097971B2 |
Wind turbine generator system
In a wind turbine generator system including an AC exciting converter a grid side converter, and a controller configured to control the AC-exciting converter and the grid side converter, the controller operates a short-circuiting circuit when decrease in the grid voltage and increase in the DC voltage are detected. |
| US08097964B2 |
IC having TSV arrays with reduced TSV induced stress
An integrated circuit (IC) includes a substrate having a top side having active circuitry thereon including a plurality of metal interconnect levels including a first metal interconnect level and a top metal interconnect level, and a bottom side. At least one TSV array includes a plurality of TSVs. The TSVs are positioned in rows including a plurality of interior rows and a pair of exterior rows and a plurality of columns including a plurality of interior columns and a pair of exterior columns. At least a portion of the TSVs in the array are electrically connected TSVs that are coupled to a TSV terminating metal interconnect level selected from the plurality of metal interconnect levels. At least one of the exterior rows or exterior columns include a lower number of electrically connected TSVs compared to a maximum number of electrically connected TSVs in the interior rows and interior columns, respectively. |
| US08097962B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having external connection terminals, and a semiconductor chip mounted over a semiconductor-chip mounting portion of the substrate. The external connection terminals are formed by sequentially forming an electroless nickel plating layer, an electroless gold plating layer, and an electrolytic gold plating layer on a terminal portion formed on a surface of the substrate. |
| US08097956B2 |
Flexible packaging for chip-on-chip and package-on-package technologies
In one embodiment, a packaging solution for an application integrated circuit (IC) and one or more other ICs is provided. The packaging solution may support both chip-on-chip packaging of the application IC (in flip-chip connection to a package substrate) and other ICs (in non-flip chip orientation), and package-on-package packaging of the application IC and the other ICs. The package substrate may include a first set of pads proximate to the application IC to support chip-on-chip connection to the other ICs. The pads may be connected to conductors that extend underneath the application IC, to connect to the application IC. A second set of pads may be connected to package pins for package-on-package solutions. If the chip-on-chip solution proves reliable, support for the package-on-package solution may be eliminated and the package substrate may be reduced in size. |
| US08097948B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of semiconductor device
To provide a semiconductor device having a structure in which a barrier metal film containing nitrogen is formed in a connection surface between a copper alloy wiring and a via, in which the electric resistance between the copper alloy wiring and the via can be prevented from rising, and the electric resistance can be prevented from varying. A semiconductor device according to the present invention comprises a first copper alloy wiring, a via and a first barrier metal film. The first copper alloy wiring is formed in an interlayer insulation film and contains a predetermined additive element in a main component Cu. The via is formed in an interlayer insulation film and electrically connected to the upper surface of the first copper alloy wiring. The first barrier metal film is formed so as to be in contact with the first copper alloy wiring in the connection part between the first copper alloy wiring and the via and contains nitrogen. The predetermined additive element reacts with nitrogen to form a high-resistance part. In addition, the concentration of the predetermined additive element is not more than 0.04 wt %. |
| US08097946B2 |
Device mounting board, semiconductor module, and mobile device
A device mounting board includes an insulating layer formed of an insulating resin, a glass cloth covering the surface of the insulating layer, and an electrode provided in a through hole extending through the glass cloth. The angle of contact with solder of the glass cloth is larger than that of the resin. Thus, solder bumps are formed on the electrode 14 of the device mounting board 10 with high precision. |
| US08097944B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a chip island, a chip attached to the chip island, and encapsulation material deposited on the chip and part of the chip island. The chip island includes a first main face to which the chip is attached opposite a second main face, with the second main face of the chip island defining at least one cavity. |
| US08097937B2 |
Leadframe and housing for radiation-emitting component, radiation-emitting component, and a method for producing the component
A leadframe, a housing, a radiation-emitting component formed therefrom, and a method for producing the component includes the leadframe having a mount part with at least one bonding wire connecting area and at least one electrical solder connecting strip into which a separately manufactured thermal connecting part, which has a chip mounting area, is linked. To form a housing, the leadframe is sheathed, preferably, with a molding compound, with the thermal connecting part being embedded such that it can be thermally connected from the outside. |
| US08097934B1 |
Delamination resistant device package having low moisture sensitivity
A lead frame and package construction configured to attain a thin profile and low moisture sensitivity. Lead frames of this invention may include a die attach pad having a die attachment site and an elongate ground lead that extends from the die attach pad. The lead frame includes a plurality of elongate I/O leads arranged about the die attach pad and extending away from the die attach pad in at least two directions. An inventive lead frame features “up-set” bonding pads electrically connected with the die attach pad and arranged with a bonding surface for supporting a plurality of wire bonds. The bonding surfaces also constructed to define at least one mold flow aperture for each up-set bonding pad. A package incorporating the lead frame is further disclosed such that the package includes an encapsulant that surrounds the bonding support and flows through the mold flow aperture to establish well supported wire bonds such that the package has low moisture sensitivity. Such packages can be constructed in single inline configuration, dual inline configuration, quad package configurations. |
| US08097932B2 |
Ultra low κ plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition processes using a single bifunctional precursor containing both a SiCOH matrix functionality and organic porogen functionality
A method for fabricating a SiCOH dielectric material comprising Si, C, O and H atoms from a single organosilicon precursor with a built-in organic porogen is provided. The single organosilicon precursor with a built-in organic porogen is selected from silane (SiH4) derivatives having the molecular formula SiRR1R2R3, disiloxane derivatives having the molecular formula R4R5R6—Si—O—Si—R7R8R9, and trisiloxane derivatives having the molecular formula R10R11R12—Si—O—Si—R13R14—O—Si—R15R16R17 where R and R1-17 may or may not be identical and are selected from H, alkyl, alkoxy, epoxy, phenyl, vinyl, allyl, alkenyl or alkynyl groups that may be linear, branched, cyclic, polycyclic and may be functionalized with oxygen, nitrogen or fluorine containing substituents. In addition to the method, the present application also provides SiCOH dielectrics made from the inventive method as well as electronic structures that contain the same. |
| US08097929B2 |
Electronics device package and fabrication method thereof
Embodiments provide an electronic device package and a method for fabricating thereof. A semiconductor chip has a substrate. A supporting brick is separated from the substrate by a certain distance. A bonding pad having a surface is disposed across the substrate and the supporting brick. |
| US08097928B2 |
Solid-state imaging device, and imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging device having a light-receiving section that photoelectrically converts incident light includes an insulating film formed on a light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section and a film and having negative fixed charges formed on the insulating film. A hole accumulation layer is formed on a light-receiving surface side of the light-receiving section. A peripheral circuit section in which peripheral circuits are formed is provided on a side of the light-receiving section. The insulating film is formed between a surface of the peripheral circuit section and the film having negative fixed charges such that a distance from the surface of the peripheral circuit section to the film having negative fixed charges is larger than a distance from a surface of the light-receiving section to the film having negative fixed charges. |
| US08097926B2 |
Systems, methods, and devices having stretchable integrated circuitry for sensing and delivering therapy
System, devices and methods are presented that integrate stretchable or flexible circuitry, including arrays of active devices for enhanced sensing, diagnostic, and therapeutic capabilities. The invention enables conformal sensing contact with tissues of interest, such as the inner wall of a lumen, a the brain, or the surface of the heart. Such direct, conformal contact increases accuracy of measurement and delivery of therapy. Further, the invention enables the incorporation of both sensing and therapeutic devices on the same substrate allowing for faster treatment of diseased tissue and fewer devices to perform the same procedure. |
| US08097924B2 |
Ultra-shallow junction MOSFET having a high-k gate dielectric and in-situ doped selective epitaxy source/drain extensions and a method of making same
A MOSFET includes a gate having a high-k gate dielectric on a substrate and a gate electrode on the gate dielectric. The gate dielectric protrudes beyond the gate electrode. A deep source and drain having shallow extensions are formed on either side of the gate. The deep source and drain are formed by selective in-situ doped epitaxy or by ion implantation and the extensions are formed by selective, in-situ doped epitaxy. The extensions lie beneath the gate in contact with the gate dielectric. The material of the gate dielectric and the amount of its protrusion beyond the gate electrode are selected so that epitaxial procedures and related procedures do not cause bridging between the gate electrode and the source/drain extensions. Methods of fabricating the MOSFET are described. |
| US08097923B2 |
Method for fabricating higher quality thicker gate oxide in a non-volatile memory cell and associated circuits
A non-volatile memory cell includes a program transistor and a control capacitor. A portion of a substrate associated with the program transistor is exposed to multiple implantations (such as DNW, HiNWell, HiPWell, and P-well implantations). Similarly, a portion of the substrate associated with the control capacitor is exposed to multiple implantations (such as DNW, HiNWell, HiPWell, P-well, and N-well implantations). These portions of the substrate may have faster oxidation rates than other portions of the substrate, allowing a thicker front-end gate oxide to be formed over these portions of the substrate. In addition, a rapid thermal process anneal can be performed, which may reduce defects in the front-end gate oxide and increase its quality without having much impact on the oxide over the other portions of the substrate. |
| US08097922B1 |
Nanometer-scale transistor architecture providing enhanced carrier mobility
The present invention provides a nanometer-scale transistor architecture providing enhanced carrier mobility. In particular, a portion of a channel of a transistor is substantially surrounded with an acoustically hard material to form a barrier shell about the channel. The barrier shell functions to confine phonons in the channel. Confining the phonons in the channel reduces the extent to which atoms in the crystal lattice structure of the channel move as they vibrate. Restricting the extent that the atoms vibrate in the crystal lattice of the channel significantly reduces the scattering of electrons or holes traveling through the channel. In one embodiment of the invention, the thickness of the channel is in the order of the thermal phonon wavelength of the material forming the channel, and the barrier shell is acoustically harder than the channel. The benefits of the present invention may be provided without requiring strain engineering. |
| US08097919B2 |
Mesa termination structures for power semiconductor devices including mesa step buffers
An electronic device includes a drift layer having a first conductivity type, a buffer layer having a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type, on the drift layer and forming a P−N junction with the drift layer, and a junction termination extension region having the second conductivity type in the drift layer adjacent the P−N junction. The buffer layer includes a step portion that extends over a buried portion of the junction termination extension. Related methods are also disclosed. |
| US08097918B2 |
Semiconductor arrangement including a load transistor and sense transistor
A semiconductor arrangement including a load transistor and a sense transistor that are integrated in a semiconductor body. One embodiment provides a number of transistor cells integrated in the semiconductor body, each transistor cell including a first active transistor region. A number of first contact electrodes, each of the contact electrodes contacting the first active transistor regions through contact plugs. A second contact electrode contacts a first group of the first contact electrodes, but not contacting a second group of the first contact electrodes. The transistor cells being contacted by first contact electrodes of the first group form a load transistor, with the second electrode forming a load terminal of the load transistor. The transistor cells being contacted by first contact electrodes of the second group form a sense transistor. |
| US08097914B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including: a main body transistor region; and an electrostatic discharge protection element region, wherein the main body transistor region includes, a drain region; a drift region; body regions; a gate insulating film; gate electrodes; source regions; channel regions; and potential extraction regions, and the electrostatic discharge protection element region includes, the body regions; the gate insulating film; the gate electrodes; source regions and drain regions; and potential extraction regions, and a gate length in the electrostatic discharge protection element region is equal to or less than twice a channel length in the main body transistor region. |
| US08097912B2 |
Systems and methods for self convergence during erase of a non-volatile memory device
A non-volatile memory device implements self-convergence during the normal erase cycle through control of physical aspects, such as thickness, width, area, etc., of the dielectric layers in the gate structure as well as of the overall gate structure. Self-convergence can also be aided during the normal erase cycle by ramping the erase voltage applied to the control gate during the erase cycle. |
| US08097910B2 |
Vertical transistors
The invention includes a semiconductor structure having U-shaped transistors formed by etching a semiconductor substrate. In an embodiment, the source/drain regions of the transistors are provided at the tops of pairs of pillars defined by crossing trenches in the substrate. One pillar is connected to the other pillar in the pair by a ridge that extends above the surrounding trenches. The ridge and lower portions of the pillars define U-shaped channels on opposite sides of the U-shaped structure, facing a gate structure in the trenches on those opposite sides, forming a two sided surround transistor. Optionally, the space between the pillars of a pair is also filled with gate electrode material to define a three-sided surround gate transistor. One of the source/drain regions of each pair extending to a digit line and the other extending to a memory storage device, such as a capacitor. The invention also includes methods of forming semiconductor structures. |
| US08097909B2 |
Field-effect transistor with spin-dependent transmission characteristics and non-volatile memory using the same
When a gate voltage is applied, the Schottky barrier width due to the metallic spin band in the ferromagnetic source decreasing, up-spin electrons from the metallic spin band are tunnel-injected into the channel region. However, down-spin electrons from the nonmagnetic contact are not injected because of the energy barrier due to semiconductive spin band of the ferromagnetic source. Only up-spin electrons are injected into the channel layer from the ferromagnetic source. If the ferromagnetic source and the ferromagnetic drain are parallel magnetized, up-spin electrons are conducted through the metallic spin band of the ferromagnetic drain to become the drain current. Contrarily, if the ferromagnetic source and the ferromagnetic drain are antiparallel magnetized, up-spin electrons cannon be conducted through the ferromagnetic drain. A nonvolatile memory composed of MISFETs operating on the above principle is fabricated. |
| US08097904B2 |
Method and apparatus for backside illuminated image sensors using capacitively coupled readout integrated circuits
The images sensor includes a readout circuit capacitatively coupled to a memory circuit. The readout circuit includes: (i) a photon detector to receive a plurality of photons and to provide a charge signal corresponding to the received photons, (ii) a resettable integrator that is reset multiple times over a single exposure time and provides an analog representation of the incident photons during the last integration cycle, and (iii) a comparator that monitors the integrator output and generates a reset pulse when the integrator reaches a built-in threshold value. The memory circuit includes: (i) a receiver circuit that detects the output of the digital driver in the front-end readout circuit via capacitive coupling and generates a digital voltage pulse for each received signal, and (ii) a digital counting memory to count the received pulses to provide a coarse digital representation of how many times the integrator is reset. |
| US08097899B2 |
Light emitting diode
A light emitting diode of the present invention comprises a support frame, a shell, a light emitting diode chip and an encapsulating body. The shell is used to accommodate the support frame. The shell has a bowl-shaped structure and the bowl-shaped structure has two opposite first walls and two opposite second walls. The upper edge of the second wall is a concave-convex structure. The encapsulating body is used to package the bowl-shaped structure and the encapsulating body has a concave-convex structure similar to the concave-convex structure of the bowl-shaped structure. The concave-convex structure comprises a concave portion and a convex portion. The structure of the light emitting diode is simplified. The luminous intensity and the light extraction efficiency of the light emitting diode are enhanced and the thickness of the light emitting diode is not increased. |
| US08097887B2 |
Light emitting device having a monotone decreasing function
The present invention provides a light emitting device. The light emitting device has a light distribution in which a light distribution I (θ, φ) obtained when light emitted from a chip of the light emitting device is directly measured is not dependent on a direction φ and is substantially represented by I (θ, φ)=I (θ). I (θ, φ) represents a light intensity distribution in a direction (θ, φ), θ represents an angle from a direction of a normal to a light extraction surface of the light emitting device (0≦θ≦90°), φ represents a rotation angle around the normal (0≦φ≦360°), and I (θ) represents a monotone decreasing function with which 0 is approached when θ=90° is satisfied. In the light emitting device, of a structural body constructing the chip of the light emitting device, with regard to a size of a portion of the structural body which is transparent to light emitted from a light emitting layer, a ratio (an aspect ratio) between the size in a lateral direction and the size in a thickness direction is not less than 5 and a structure having a light scattering function is provided on a surface of the light emitting device chip or in an interior of the transparent portion of the structural body. |
| US08097886B2 |
Organic electroluminescence device
An organic electroluminescence device which can prevent the deterioration thereof attributed to moisture by preventing a desiccant from influencing organic electroluminescence elements is provided. The organic electroluminescence device includes: first and second substrates which are arranged to face each other in an opposed manner with a gap therebetween; organic electroluminescence elements which are formed on a first surface of the first substrate which faces the second substrate in an opposed manner; a desiccant which is formed on a second surface of the second substrate which faces the first substrate in an opposed manner; and a resin which is adhered to the first and second surfaces and covers the desiccant and the organic electroluminescence elements. The desiccant includes a portion which is arranged outside a region of the second surface which faces the organic electroluminescence elements in an opposed manner and surrounds the whole of the region, and the organic electroluminescence elements are isolated from the desiccant by way of the resin. |
| US08097884B2 |
Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof
A semiconductor device having high operating performance and reliability, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. An LDD region 207 provided in an n-channel TFT 302 forming a driving circuit enhances the tolerance for hot carrier injection. LDD regions 217-220 provided in an n-channel TFT (pixel TFT) 304 forming a pixel portion greatly contribute to the decrease in the OFF current value. Here, the LDD region of the n-channel TFT of the driving circuit is formed such that the concentration of the n-type impurity element becomes higher as the distance from an adjoining drain region decreases. |
| US08097881B2 |
Thin film transistor substrate and a fabricating method thereof
An oxide semiconductor thin film transistor substrate includes a gate line and a gate electrode disposed on an insulating substrate, an oxide semiconductor pattern disposed adjacent to the gate electrode, a data line electrically insulated from the gate line, the data line and the gate line defining a display region, a first opening exposing a surface of the data line, a second opening exposing a surface of the oxide semiconductor pattern, and a drain electrode disposed on the first opening and a drain electrode pad, the drain electrode extending from the first opening to the second opening and electrically connecting the drain electrode pad and the oxide semiconductor pattern. |
| US08097880B2 |
Semiconductor component including a lateral transistor component
A semiconductor component including a lateral transistor component is disclosed. One embodiment provides an electrically insulating carrier layer. A first and a second semiconductor layer are arranged on above another and are separated from another by a dielectric layer. The first semiconductor layer includes a polycrystalline semiconductor material, an amorphous semiconductor material or an organic semiconductor material. In the first semiconductor layer: a source zone, a body zone, a drift zone and a drain zone are provided. In the second semiconductor layer; a drift control zone is arranged adjacent to the drift zone, including a control terminal at a first lateral end for applying a control potential, and is coupled to the drain zone via a rectifying element at a second lateral end. A gate electrode is arranged adjacent to the body zone and is dielectrically insulated from the body zone by a gate dielectric layer. |
| US08097878B2 |
Nonvolatile memory elements with metal-deficient resistive-switching metal oxides
Nonvolatile memory elements are provided that have resistive switching metal oxides. The nonvolatile memory elements may be formed by depositing a metal-containing material on a silicon-containing material. The metal-containing material may be oxidized to form a resistive-switching metal oxide. The silicon in the silicon-containing material reacts with the metal in the metal-containing material when heat is applied. This forms a metal silicide lower electrode for the nonvolatile memory element. An upper electrode may be deposited on top of the metal oxide. Because the silicon in the silicon-containing layer reacts with some of the metal in the metal-containing layer, the resistive-switching metal oxide that is formed is metal deficient when compared to a stoichiometric metal oxide formed from the same metal. |
| US08097877B2 |
Inorganic-organic hybrid thin-film transistors using inorganic semiconducting films
Inorganic semiconducting compounds, composites and compositions thereof, and related device structures. |
| US08097873B2 |
Phase change memory structures
A phase change memory cell has a first electrode, a plurality of pillars, and a second electrode. The plurality of pillars are electrically coupled with the first electrode. Each of the pillars comprises a phase change material portion and a heater material portion. The second electrode is electrically coupled to each of the pillars. In some examples, the pillars have a width less than 20 nanometers. |
| US08097871B2 |
Low operational current phase change memory structures
Memory cells described herein have an increased current density at lateral edges of the active region compared to that of conventional mushroom-type memory cells, resulting in improved operational current efficiency. As a result, the amount of heat generated within the lateral edges per unit value of current is increased relative to that of conventional mushroom-type memory cells. Therefore, the amount of current needed to induce phase change is reduced. |
| US08097866B2 |
Apparatus for measuring beam characteristics and a method thereof
An apparatus and a method for detecting particle beam characteristics are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus may have a body including a first end and second end and at least one detector between the first and second ends. The apparatus may have a transparent state where a portion of the particles entering the apparatus may pass through the apparatus. The apparatus may also have a minimum transparency state where substantially all of the particles entering the apparatus may be prevented from passing through the apparatus and detected. Different transparency state may be achieved by rotating the apparatus or the detector contained therein. With the apparatus, it is possible to detect the beam properties such as the beam intensity, angle, parallelism, and a distribution of the particles in a particle beam. |
| US08097865B2 |
Multispectral illuminaton device
An illumination device includes at least four semiconductor radiation sources (18) for emitting optical radiation in respectively different emission wavelength ranges. At least one color splitter (22.1, 22.2, 22.3), which is reflective for optical radiation of the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is assigned to each of at least three of the semiconductor radiation sources (18). The semiconductor radiation sources (18) and the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3) are arranged such that the optical radiation, which is emitted in each case from each of the semiconductor radiation sources (18), is coupled into a common illumination beam path section (24). In each case, one collimating unit (20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4), which collimates the optical radiation emitted by the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is arranged in the beam path sections from the semiconductor radiation sources (18) to the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3). |
| US08097862B2 |
Fluorescence detecting method and fluorescence detecting apparatus
Fluorescence detection utilizes surface plasmon. The intensity of scattered light, which is substantially proportionate to the intensity of an electric field enhancing field generated on a metal film, is employed, to normalize and correct the intensity of fluorescence emitted by fluorescent labels with respect to the intensity of the electric field enhancing field. |
| US08097860B2 |
Multiple nozzle gas cluster ion beam processing system and method of operating
A gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) processing system using multiple nozzles for forming and emitting at least one GCIB and methods of operating thereof are described. The GCIB processing system may be configured to treat a substrate, including, but not limited to, doping, growing, depositing, etching, smoothing, amorphizing, or modifying a layer thereupon. Furthermore, the GCIB processing system may be operated to produce a first GCIB and a second GCIB, and to irradiate a substrate simultaneously and/or sequentially with the first GCIB and second GCIB. |
| US08097855B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting concealed objects
Methods and systems for detecting the presence of concealed objects that can be utilized at locations where conventional methods cannot be utilized are disclosed. One embodiment of the method of these teachings for detecting the presence of concealed objects uses thermal radiation of a body as a source of radiation. Other embodiments include portable and handheld systems, devices, methods, and apparatus to determine the presence of a concealed object. |
| US08097850B2 |
Infrared sensor
To improve thermal insulation, a thermal infrared sensing element is carried on a sensor mount of a porous material and is spaced upwardly from a substrate by means of anchor studs projecting on the substrate. The sensor mount is formed with a pair of coplanar beams carry thereon leads extending from the sensing element. The leads and the beams are secured to the upper ends of the anchor studs to hold the sensing element at a predetermined height above the substrate. The beams and the leads are combined with each other by intermolecular adhesion such that the sensing element as well as the sensor mount can be altogether supported to the anchor studs. |
| US08097848B2 |
Scanning electron microscope
In a VP-SEM that uses gas multiplication induced within a low-vacuum sample chamber and uses a method of detecting a positive displacement current, a secondary electron detector for the VP-SEM that responds at high speed, which can acquire a TV-Scan rate image at a low cost while saving a space is provided. A secondary electron detector is formed by forming the electron supplying electrode and the detection electrode on the flexible thin film type substrate such as a polyimide film, etc., by an etching method. Thereby, the space can be saved while realizing low cost due to mass production. Further, the ion horizontally moving with respect to the surface of the secondary electron detector is detected and the ion moving in a vertical direction returned to the sample holder is not detected, making it possible to realize a high-speed response. |
| US08097845B2 |
Focused analyte spray emission apparatus and process for mass spectrometric analysis
An apparatus and process are disclosed that deliver an analyte deposited on a substrate to a mass spectrometer that provides for trace analysis of complex organic analytes. Analytes are probed using a small droplet of solvent that is formed at the junction between two capillaries. A supply capillary maintains the droplet of solvent on the substrate; a collection capillary collects analyte desorbed from the surface and emits analyte ions as a focused spray to the inlet of a mass spectrometer for analysis. The invention enables efficient separation of desorption and ionization events, providing enhanced control over transport and ionization of the analyte. |
| US08097844B2 |
Mass-analysis method and mass-analysis apparatus
Among various ions introduced into an ion trap 1, those ions which are within a predetermined mass range including the mass-to-charge ratio of an objective ion are selected. Then, the frequency of a capturing voltage is set so that the objective ion will be captured with a high q-value, and a CID gas is introduced into the ion trap 1. An excitation voltage corresponding to the mass-to-charge ratio of the objective ion is applied to end-cap electrodes 3 and 4 to cause an oscillation of the objective ion and help dissociation of the ion by CID. The high q-value leads to a high dissociation efficiency. The application of the excitation voltage is discontinued before the low-mass ions produced by CID totally dissipate. Simultaneously with this operation, or slightly delayed therefrom, the frequency of the capturing voltage is switched so that the q-value will be lowered. Although the high q-value allows the low-mass product ions to easily dissipate during the CID process, they can be captured within an ion-trapping space 5 since the q-value is lowered when those ions still remain there. Thus, measurement of low-mass product ions can be simultaneously achieved with improvement of dissociation efficiency. |
| US08097842B2 |
High resolution single track optical encoder
Disclosed are various embodiments of a single track reflective optical encoder featuring increased spatial resolution, reduced cross-talk between adjoining photodiodes, and increased amplitude output signals from individual photodiodes. With respect to prior art single track optical encoders, some photodiodes are removed from a photodiode array, while nevertheless maintaining appropriate phase relationships between pairs of A and A\, and B and B\, photodiodes. Such a configuration of photodiodes results in increased inter-photodiode spacing, and thereby permits spatial resolution to be increased while boosting current outputs from individual photodiodes. The single track optical encoder configurations disclosed herein permit very high resolution reflective optical encoders in small packages to be provided. In addition, the single track configuration reduces problems with misalignment between code scales and light detectors, permits relatively simple electronic circuitry to be used to process outputs, and reduces manufacturing, assembly, integrated circuit and encoder costs. Methods of making and using such optical encoders are also disclosed. |
| US08097837B2 |
Method of making interchangeable glass ceramic tops for a cooking stove
In the method of manufacturing a cooking stove its stove top can be equipped with different glass ceramic tops, which each have at least one cooking area, which is heated by a radiant heating body cooperating with a temperature-limiting adjusting device, which limits a surface temperature of the glass ceramic top. To economically and individually adjust the IR transmission of a glass ceramic top with a higher IR transmittance to that of a lower IR transmittance corresponding to that of another glass ceramic top so that they are interchangeable, the glass ceramic top with the higher IR transmittance is provided with an absorbing and/or reflecting coating. When the glass ceramic tops are interchangeable, either can be used in a given cooking stove without changing the expensive temperature-limiting device. |
| US08097835B2 |
Temperature control circuit
A temperature control circuit includes a microprocessor, a protection module, a temperature detecting module, and a heating module. The temperature detecting module includes a thermistor and a first switch. The thermistor is operable to sense a temperature to turn on or off the first switch for outputting a detection signal to the microprocessor and the protection module. The protection module is operable to control the microprocessor to work or reset according to the detection signal. The heating module includes a heater and a second switch. The microprocessor controls the second switch to turn on or off for making the heater work or stop working according to the detection signal. |
| US08097832B2 |
Heating device for article specially worn in water activities
A heating device for an article specially worn in the water activities includes a magnetic unit, a power source unit, an inductive unit, a control unit, a heating unit, and a display unit. In this device, the magnetic unit is to generate a magnetic output. The power source unit is to provide a power source needed by the device. The inductive unit, induced by the magnetic force of the magnetic unit, generates an inductive signal output. The control unit, electrically connected to the power source unit and the inductive unit, generates a control signal output by receiving an inductive signal output from the inductive unit. The heating unit is electrically connected to the control unit and is driven by the control signal output from the control unit to process a heating procedure. The display unit is electrically connected to the control unit and is driven by the control signal output from the control unit to display various statuses of the heating device, for example, actuation, shutdown or values of temperature. |
| US08097831B2 |
Use of an activating flux for the TIG welding of metal parts
A method for welding two metal parts, in which: the metal parts are positioned against each other in a welding position, the parts being respectively in surface contact along their welding surfaces, at least one of the parts having at least one extra-thick zone along its welding surface; TIG welding is carried out on the welding surfaces (v) of the metal parts by means of a TIG welding torch, a method in which a penetrating welding flux is applied locally on said extra-thick zone of the metal part prior to the TIG welding step. |
| US08097830B2 |
Method for material processing and/or material analysis using lasers
The invention relates to a method for material processing and/or material analysis of an object (18) made from condensed matter by means of a laser (12). A laser pulse (14) is generated by a laser, emitted in the direction of the object. The laser pulse is spatially and temporally focussed such as to give a peak power for the laser pulse at a point between the laser and the object which exceeds the critical power for a self-focussing effect of the laser pulse. The laser pulse thus forms a filament (88) of high power density. The filament (88) is directed at the object and generates an aggregation state change there (evaporation or plasma formation) for a part of the material of the object. The method can be applied to both material processing (cutting, drilling, welding, hardening) and material analysis (analysis of the plasma light). |
| US08097829B2 |
Laser processing method and laser processing apparatus
A laser processing method involving moving first and second laser beams relative to a workpiece, wherein the first and second laser beams have at least a differing wavelength or intensity. The method including irradiating the first and second laser beams through first and second portions, respectively, of an optical element that directs the first and second laser beams onto the workpiece, wherein irradiating the second laser beam is subsequent to the irradiating the first laser beam. The method including moving the first laser beam and the second laser beam relative to the workpiece along another direction. The method including irradiating the first and second laser beams through third and fourth portions, respectively, of the optical element, wherein the third and fourth portions are dependent on the another direction, wherein irradiating the second laser beam is subsequent to the irradiating the first laser beam. |
| US08097827B2 |
Method for soldering two elements together using a solder material
A method for soldering or hybridizing two components including preparing, on opposing surfaces of the components to be welded or hybridized, a wettability surface, depositing on one of the wettability surfaces an appropriate quantity of solder material, constituting a soldering or hybridizing dot, contacting the wettability surfaces of the components with the solder material deposited, then raising the temperature of the chamber in which the components are positioned, to at least the melting point of the solder material in order to ensure the effective soldering or hybridizing of the two components together by a remelt effect. At least one of the components is in contact with a conducting track having another quantity of solder material that constitutes a sacrificial dot, having a contact area with the at least one component that is higher than that of the solder quantity that constitutes the soldering or hybridizing dot. |
| US08097825B2 |
Laser cladding apparatus and method
A laser-clad processing apparatus of the present invention is one which is for carrying out laser-clad processing onto a valve-seat portion of a cylinder head, and is characterized in that it comprises cylinder-head holding means (1) for holding a cylinder head (H) in an inclining manner so that the central axial line of a valve seat becomes the vertical direction, a laser-processing head (2) for irradiating a laser beam onto a process part of the valve seat and at the same time discharging a powdery material to this process part, rotary means (3) which rotates around the central axial line of the valve seat in such a state that the laser-processing head is inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and powdery-material supply means (4) for supplying the powdery material to the laser-processing head.Moreover, a laser-clad processing method of the present invention is characterized in that it fixes the cylinder head (H), and forms a clad layer while rotating the laser-processing head (2), which emits the laser beam with respect to the valve-seat portion of the cylinder head and discharges the powdery material, around the axial center line of the valve seat. |
| US08097824B2 |
Arc extinguishing device of circuit breaker for manual motor starter
Disclosed is an arc extinguishing device of circuit breaker for manual motor starter capable of swiftly extinguishing and discharging an arc generated by a fault current flowing into a motor circuit during an interruption operation of a circuit breaker, thereby enhancing the performance of interruption. |
| US08097820B2 |
Controlling a scale in connection with a container of pourable bulk materials
A method of controlling a scale in connection with to a carrier of pourable bulk materials. The scale involved has a control with a display and control buttons. Upon a first press of a first control button, the system is transitioned into a “tare” mode and displays a base, or tare, value. Upon a second press of the first control button, generally after unloading some or all of the load, the difference in weight from the first press is saved to a storage medium, and a value displayed representing the weight of bulk material in the container at that time. The method may also include the pressing of a Zero button to zero the scale before the carrier is first loaded. |
| US08097817B2 |
Electronic component
An electronic component includes: a first substrate having a through-hole; a second substrate opposite the first substrate; a sealing member surrounding a sealing space formed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a functional element having at least a part thereof disposed in the sealing space, and a through-electrode filling the through-hole, the through-hole penetrating the first substrate. The sealing member includes an elastic core part on the first substrate. A metal film is on a surface of the core part and is bonded to the second substrate. |
| US08097815B2 |
Printed circuit board and its designing method, and designing method of IC package terminal and its connecting method
The invention provides a printed circuit board capable of mounting BGA or other IC package of narrow terminal interval by using through-holes of conventional size. On one principal surface of printed circuit board (1), soldering lands (2a), (2b), (2c), and (2d) for connecting solder balls are disposed in lattice. Central point (B) of through-hole (3) is set eccentric to the side of soldering land (2a) at the same potential as through-hole (3), remote from intersection (A) formed by diagonal line (200ab) linking soldering lands (2a) and (2b) and diagonal line (200cd) linking soldering lands (2c) and (2d). |
| US08097808B2 |
Separation and/or reinforcement device for a wire cable duct
A device for a wire cable duct (18) has a profiled part having a first wing (2), termed horizontal wing, and at least one second wing (4), termed vertical wing, extending substantially perpendicularly to the first wing on one side thereof. The device includes: at least one longitudinal housing (6) intended to receive a warp wire (20) formed on the lower face (10) of the horizontal wing, that is to say the face opposed to the second wing; transverse cutouts (8), formed with a predetermined pitch corresponding to the pitch of the transverse weft wires (22), all along the horizontal wing (2), the transverse cutouts (8) extending over the whole width of the horizontal wing and continuing into the region of the vertical wings (4); and at least one tongue (12) extending longitudinally from a transverse edge (14) of each cutout (8) over part of the width of the cutout. |
| US08097807B2 |
Apparatus for a junction point between two electrical high-voltage cables
Apparatus for a connecting point between high-voltage cables, each cable having a conductor, inner conductive layer, insulation, outer conductive layer, and a sheath over the outer conductive layer and in which the conductors, from which the surrounding layers have been removed, are conductively connected to one another. The arrangement has electrical screening elements and an integral elongated sleeve body, composed of elastic insulating material and a through-hole. The sleeve body has at its axial ends, which are intended for the cable to pass through, electrical control funnels which abut the outer conductive layers, from which the sheaths have been removed. The internal diameters of the through-hole in the sleeve body, at its axial ends, are for its use in a connecting point of cables, having an external diameter of their insulation which differs by at least 10 mm, different in a defined manner and adapted to the different external diameters. |
| US08097801B2 |
Systems and methods for composing music
Generating a musical composition from one or more portions of one or more performances of one or more musical compositions included in a database is disclosed. The method and system include selecting a portion of a pre-recorded composition based on a degree of similarity with the component of the composition that is input; portions that are musically similar but not musically the same as the component may be selected for addition to the composition. The degree of similarity may be based on a ChordScore and/or a ScaleScore of the retrieved portion of the pre-recorded compositions. A ChordScore is generated by comparing chord tones of one or more chords in the pre-recorded portion with chord tones of the input component. A ScaleScore is generated by comparing tones of one or more notes in the pre-recorded portion with tones in a harmonic scale associated with the input component's chords. |
| US08097800B2 |
Method for controlling a digital audio source
An apparatus for signal processing, wherein a disc is placed on a turntable and is provided with a groove which can be followed by the pick-up element, and employing a time-code signal wherein during use of the disc the said time-code signal controls the digital audio source. |
| US08097794B2 |
Tomato line FIR16-1090
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid PS01059664 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid PS01059664 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US08097792B2 |
Sweet grape tomato line CHD 15-2114
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 and hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 and hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing a plant of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 or hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756 with itself or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another line or variety. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 or hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US08097791B2 |
Tomato line FDR 15-2081
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid PS 01565172 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid PS 01565172 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US08097788B2 |
Tomato line FIR 18-2024
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid PS01819578 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid PS01819578 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants. |
| US08097778B2 |
Nucleic acid sequences and methods of use for the production of plants with modified polyunsaturated fatty acids
The present invention is directed to nucleic acid molecules and nucleic acid constructs, and other agents associated with fatty acid synthesis, particularly the ratios of saturated and unsaturated fats. Moreover, the present invention is directed to plants incorporating such agents where the plants exhibit altered ratios of saturated and unsaturated fats. In particular, the present invention is directed to plants incorporating such agents where the plants exhibit altered ratios of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fatty acids. |
| US08097776B2 |
Method of producing double low restorer lines of Brassica napus having a good agronomic value
The invention relates to a method of producing a double low restorer line of Brassica napus for Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) presenting a radish introgression carrying the Rfo restorer gene deleted of the radish Pgi-2 allele and recombined with the Pgi-2 gene from Brassica oleracea, and having a good agronomic value characterized by female fertility, a good transmission rate of Rfo and a high vegetative vigour. The invention relates also to a method of forming Brassica napus hybrid seeds and progeny thereof and to the use of markers for selection. |
| US08097775B2 |
GRO-1 herbicide resistance gene and methods for its use
Compositions and methods for conferring herbicide resistance to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a polypeptide that confers resistance or tolerance to glyphosate herbicides are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated nucleic acid molecules corresponding to glyphosate resistant nucleic acid sequences are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:3 or the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2, or 4. |
| US08097768B2 |
Method of enhancing quality factors in cotton
Preferred embodiments of this invention relate to a method for increasing fiber yield in a cotton plant by regenerating a whole cotton plant from a plant cell that has been transformed with a dominant negative allele for an endoplasmic reticulum located gene. The expression of this gene results in suppression of oil and protein biosynthesis in the developing seed and increased production of fiber in the plant. |
| US08097765B2 |
Method of decontaminating radioisotope-contaminated surface vicinity region by use of nonthermal laser peeling without re-melting, without re-diffusion and without re-contamination, and apparatus therefor
Parts, structural components, etc. that have their surfaces contaminated by radioisotopes in the accelerators, nuclear reactors, RI product manufacturing factories, nuclear fuel factories, nuclear fuel reprocessing factories, etc. are decontaminated by non-thermal laser peeling without suffering re-melting, re-diffusing and re-contaminating such that upon non-thermal laser irradiation, areas near the irradiated surface are evaporated and removed faster than the heat generated in the irradiated surface is transmitted to nearby areas. |
| US08097763B2 |
Process for production of aromatic compound
An aromatic compound, particularly benzene, is stably produced in the presence of a catalyst from a lower hydrocarbon having 2 or more carbon atoms, particularly from an ethane-containing gas composition such as ethane gas and natural gas. Disclosed is a process for producing an aromatic compound by reacting ethane or an ethane-containing raw gas in the presence of a catalyst. The catalyst may comprise molybdenum carried on metallosilicate such as H-type ZSM-5H or H-type MCM-22. In the reaction, the temperature is from 550 to 750° C., preferably not lower than 600° C. and not higher than 680° C. Additionally, the raw gas further contains methane and hydrogen is added thereto, thereby improving the production efficiency and stability. |
| US08097760B2 |
Preparation of chiral amides and amines
This invention provides a convenient method for converting oximes into enamides. The process does not require the use of metallic reagents. Accordingly, it produces the desired compounds without the concomitant production of a large volume of metallic waste. The enamides are useful precursors to amides and amines. The invention provides a process to convert a prochiral enamide into the corresponding chiral amide. In an exemplary process, a chiral amino center is introduced during hydrogenation through the use of a chiral hydrogenation catalyst. In selected embodiments, the invention provides methods of preparing amides and amines that include the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-N-alkyl-1-naphthalenamine or 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-naphthalenamine substructure. |
| US08097756B2 |
Process for producing carboxylic acid anhydrides
A process for producing carboxylic acid anhydrides by the carbonylation reaction of a carboxylic acid ester, derived from an alcohol and a carboxylic acid, with carbon monoxide containing a small amount of hydrogen in a liquid reaction medium in the presence of a Group VIII B catalyst to produce a carboxylic acid anhydride. The reaction medium comprises the Group VIII B catalyst, an organic halide, the carboxylic acid ester, an alkali metal salt, the carboxylic acid anhydride, the carboxylic acid, and at least one ionic liquid consisting of a cation and an anion where the cation of the ionic liquid has a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structure. The ionic liquid has at least one of the following structural forms: The reaction rate of the carbonylation reaction is increased by the use of the specified ionic liquid promoters. |
| US08097753B2 |
Mixtures composed or monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acids, their use and a process for their preparation
The invention relates to mixtures composed of monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acids and of further components, which comprise A) from 98 to 100% by weight of monocarboxy-functionalized dialkylphosphinic acids of the formula (I) in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are identical or different and, independently of one another, are H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, and/or phenyl, X and Y are identical or different and, independently of one another, are H, Li, Na, K, or NH4, and B) from 0 to 2% by weight of halogens, where the entirety of the components always amounts to 100% by weight. |
| US08097740B2 |
Isolation and subsequent utilization of saturated fatty acids and α-olefins in the production of ester-based biolubricants
The present invention is generally directed to the synthesis and/or manufacture of ester-based lubricant compositions. The present invention is also directed to methods of making these and other similar lubricant compositions, and to systems for implementing such methods (processes). In some embodiments, the methods for making such ester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor (e.g., triglyceride-bearing vegetable oils) such that the lubricant compositions generated by the methods and systems of the present invention can be properly deemed biolubricants. In these or other embodiments, lubricant precursor species can also be sourced or derived from Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and/or long-chain paraffin pyrolysis reaction products. The ester component of the lubricant compositions, produced in accordance with the methods and systems of the present invention, comprises largely diester species. |
| US08097731B2 |
Reaction products of mercaptobenzothiazoles, mercaptothiazolines, and mercaptobenzimidalzoles with epoxides as lubricant additives
A composition comprising: (A) a lubricant, and (B) at least one alcohol that is the reaction product of mercaptobenzothiazoles, mercaptothiazolines, or mercaptobenzimidazoles with various epoxies. |
| US08097730B2 |
Bicyclic heterocycles useful as selective androgen receptor modulators
The present invention is directed to novel bicyclic heterocycles, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of disorders and conditions modulated by the androgen receptor. |
| US08097727B2 |
N,N′-diphenylurea derivatives which are suitable as kinase inhibitors
Compounds of the formula (I), in which R1a-R1e, R2a, R2b, R3 and R5 have the meanings indicated in claim 1, are inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, in particular TIE-2, and Raf kinases and can be employed, inter alia, for the treatment of tumors. |
| US08097725B2 |
Luminescent indicator dye and optical sensor
The present invention relates to a chemical compound that has applications as a luminescent indicator dye, and to an optical sensor, typically employed for determination of near-neutral pH values of aqueous samples. The optical sensor has particular application in the pH determination of body liquids such as, for example, blood, plasma and serum. |
| US08097722B2 |
Inhibitors of polyisoprenylated methylated protein methyl esterase
Inhibitors of the enzyme prenylated methylated protein methyl esterase (PMPMEase), the last step in the prenylation process for many eukaryotic proteins, having the general structure R1-X-A-B(R2)-Y or R1-X-A(R2)-B-Y, where R1 is preferably a polyisoprenyl group, X is a linking group, Y is a group that promotes affinity interactions to the active site of PMPMEase and imparts hydrolysis resistance to the inhibitor, A and B are bridge atoms, and R2 is a characteristic-providing substituent. |
| US08097716B2 |
Interfering RNA duplex having blunt-ends and 3′-modifications
The present invention relates to double-stranded RNA compounds with at least one blunt end comprising at least one 3′-end of formula wherein X is O or S R1 and R2 are independently OH, NH2, SH, alkyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, aryl-alkyl, where alkyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, aryl-alkyl can be substituted by additional heteroatoms and functional groups, preferably a heteroatom selected from the group of N, O, or S or a functional group selected from the group OH, NH2, SH, carboxylic acid or ester; or R1 and R2 may be of formula Y-Z where Y is O, N, S and Z is H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, aryl-alkyl, where alkyl, aryl, alkyl-aryl, aryl-alkyl can be substituted by additional heteroatoms, preferably a heteroatom selected from the group of N, O, or S; and wherein said double-stranded RNA mediates RNA interference. |
| US08097715B2 |
Multitargeting interfering RNAs having two active strands and methods for their design and use
Interfering RNA molecules are now designed and produced with specificity for multiple binding sequences present in distinct genetic contexts in one or more pre-selected target RNA molecules and are used to modulate expression of the target sequences. The multitargeting interfering RNA molecules have two strands that target multiple target sites on one or more pre-selected RNA molecules. Such a multitargeting interfering RNA approach provides a powerful tool for gene regulation. |
| US08097709B2 |
Macrolactam compounds
The invention relates generally to novel macrolactams and their analogs, to processes for the preparation of these novel macrolactams, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel macrolactams; and to methods of using the novel macrolactams to treat or inhibit various disorders. |
| US08097708B2 |
10a-Azalide compound
[Object]: To provide a compound having a novel structure effective against Hemophilus influenzae and erythromycin resistant bacteria (for example, resistant pneumococci and streptococci) as well as against conventional erythromycin sensitive bacteria.[Solution]: A novel 10a-azalide compound represented by the formula (I), a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or a solvate thereof, or an intermediate for the preparation of the same. The compound of the present invention has superior antibacterial activity against Hemophilus influenzae, erythromycin resistant pneumococci and the like, and therefore, the compound can be used as a therapeutic agent of infectious diseases. |
| US08097706B2 |
Methods for preparing capecitabine and beta-anomer-rich trialkyl carbonate compound used therein
The present invention relates to a method for preparing capecitabine and a method for preparing a β-anomer-rich trialkyl carbonate compound used therein, and a highly pure capecitabine can be efficiently prepared with a high yield by the method of the present invention using the β-anomer-rich trialkyl carbonate compound as an intermediate. |
| US08097701B2 |
Aldehyde tags, uses thereof in site-specific protein modification
The invention features compositions and methods for site-specific modification of proteins by incorporation of an aldehyde tag. Enzymatic modification at a sulfatase motif of the aldehyde tag through action of a formylglycine generating enzyme (FGE) generates a formylglycine (FGly) residue. The aldehyde moiety of FGly residue can be exploited as a chemical handle for site-specific attachment of a moiety of interest to a polypeptide. |
| US08097698B2 |
Derivatives of GLP-1 analogs
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a GLP-1 derivative having a lipophilic substituent; and a surfactant. |
| US08097697B2 |
Tumor antigen protein SART-3 and tumor antigen peptides thereof
A novel tumor antigen protein and gene therefor, tumor antigen peptides derived from said tumor antigen protein or derivatives thereof as well as medicaments, prophylactics, or diagnostics for tumors using such tumor substances in vitro or in vitro are provided. |
| US08097696B2 |
Method for preparing multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) chlorides
A method for preparing multi-arm poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chlorides from multi-arm PEG polyols is described. The method comprises a process, wherein the multi-arm PEG polyol is reacted with thionyl chloride to form the multi-arm PEG chloride. |
| US08097695B2 |
Methods for the formation of hydrogels using thiosulfonate compositions and uses thereof
The present invention provides both crosslinked polymer compositions capable of forming hydrogels upon exposure to an aqueous environment and thiosulfonate hydrogel-forming components. The thiosulfonate hydrogel-forming components of the invention are preferably multi-arm thiosulfonate polymer derivatives that form a crosslinked polymer composition when exposed to a base without requiring the presence of a second cross-linking reagent, redox catalyst, or radiation. Methods for forming hydrogel compositions, as well as methods for using the hydrogels, are also provided. |
| US08097685B2 |
Dendritic polymer, method for producing the same, and thermoplastic resin composition
The present invention is directed to a hyperbranched-polyester comprising at least one kind of a structural unit selected from an aromatic oxycarbonyl unit (P), aromatic and/or aliphatic dioxy units (Q), and an aromatic dicarboxy unit (R), and a trifunctional or higher polyfunctional organic residue (B), wherein the content of B is within a range from 7.5 to 50 mol % based on entire monomers constituting the hyperbranched-polyester. The present invention provides a hyperbranched-polyester which can remarkably improve thin-wall flowability, stiffness and gas barrier property by blending with a thermoplastic resin, and a thermoplastic resin composition blended with the same. |
| US08097683B2 |
Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and carborane containing network polymers
A thermoset and method of making such by crosslinking a mixture of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane having pendent siloxane groups or unsaturated carbon bonds and a siloxylcarborane compound having unsaturated carbon bonds. |
| US08097682B2 |
1-butene propylene copolymer compositions
A 1-butene/propylene copolymer composition having a content of propylene derived units from 4 to 10% by weight, wherein at least 50% of the polymer is present in the thermodynamically stable, trigonal form I after 100 hours at room temperature, said composition comprising: a) from 5% by weight to 95% by weight of an atactic 1-butene propylene copolymer having the following features: i) distribution of molecular weight Mw/Mn equal to or lower than 4; ii) no enthalpy of fusion detectable at a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC); and iii) infrared crystallinity lower than 0.5%; b) from 5% by weight to 95% by weight of an isotactic 1-butene propylene copolymer having the following features: i) isotactic pentads (mmmm) measured by 13C-NMR, higher than 80%; ii) melting point (Tm(II)) higher than 70° C.; and iii) distribution of molecular weight Mw/Mn equal to or lower than 4. |
| US08097680B2 |
Low gloss thermoplastic resin having excellent heat resistance and impact strength and method of preparing the same
A thermoplastic resin of the present invention is prepared by copolymerizing conjugated diene rubber (A), rubbery aromatic copolymer (B), heat resistant aromatic vinyl compound (C), aromatic vinyl compound (D), unsaturated nitrile compound (E) and cross linking agent (F) and can have excellent heat resistance, impact strength, and low gloss. |
| US08097679B2 |
Compositions of 1-butene based polymers
A 1-butene polymer composition comprising: a) from 10% to 90% by weight of an isotactic 1-butene polymer having the following features: i) isotactic pentad (mmmm) measured by 13C-NMR, higher than 90%; ii) melting point (TmII) higher than 90° C.; and iii) intrinsic viscosity (IV) measured in tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) at 135° C. comprised between 0.5 dl/g and 5.0 dl/g. b) from 90% to 10% by weight of a copolymer of 1-butene and at least a C8-C12 alpha-olefin derived units, containing from 0% to 10% by mole of propylene or pentene derived units, and/or containing from 0% to 5% by mole of ethylene derived units having a content of C8-C12 alpha-olefin derived units higher than 4.0% by mol and lower than 20.0% by mol; endowed with the following features: i) isotactic pentad mmmm higher than or equal to 90%; pentads (mmrr+mrrm) lower than 4 and pentad rmmr not detectable by C NMR. ii) intrinsic viscosity (IV) measured in tetrahydronaphthalene at 135° C. comprised between 0.8 and 5.0 dL/g; iii) the melting point measured by DSC (TmI) and the C8-C12 alpha-olefin content fulfil the following relationship: TmI<130×C−0.3 wherein C is the molar content of C8-C12 alpha-olefin derived units and TmI is the highest melting peak in the first melting transition; otherwise the melting point TmI is not detectable. |
| US08097671B2 |
Carbon black with large primary particle size as reheat additive for polyester and polypropylene resins
Reheat characteristics of polyethylene and polypropylene resins, including reheating time and resin color, are improved by adding to the resin carbon black with a primary particle size in the range of 200 to 500 nm as an infrared absorber. Thermal carbon blacks having this primary particle size are preferred over Furnace carbon blacks. Injection stretch-blow molded bottles and other thermoformed products are made from resins with carbon black infrared absorber. |
| US08097670B2 |
Polyacetal resin composition, process for producing the same, and sliding member molded from the resin composition
A polyacetal resin composition which has improved friction-wear characteristics as compared with conventional polyacetal resin compositions and which is less restricted in counter sliding members and can conform to a wide range of friction-wear conditions. A polyacetal resin composition comprising 100 parts by weight of (A) a polyacetal resin, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of (B) a polyethylene wax having a number average molecular weight of 500 to 15,000, 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of (C) a polyethylene resin having a number average molecular weight of 2×104 to 50×104, and 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of (D) a silicone oil having a kinetic viscosity at 25° C. of 50×104 cSt or more. |
| US08097668B2 |
Colorimetric indicator of radiation exposure
A colorimetric composition is disclosed comprising a polycarbonate resin, a dye, and a thiopropionate. The composition undergoes an irreversible color shift to a darker color upon exposure to sunlight or UV radiation. Processes for producing and/or using such a colorimetric composition are also disclosed. |
| US08097663B2 |
Non-aqueous pigmented inkjet inks
A non-aqueous inkjet ink containing a pigment includes C.I. Pigment Violet 19 and a polymeric dispersant according to Formula (I): wherein, T represents hydrogen or a polymerization terminating group; Z represents the residue of polyethyleneimine having a number-average molecular weight of at least 100; A represents an oxyalkylene carbonyl group; T-C(O)An- represents a TPOAC-chain which is bound to Z through an amide bond; and n and m are integers wherein m is at least 2 and n is from 2 to 100; wherein the polymeric dispersant fulfills the conditions of: WTPOAC>57 and NAmide≧65 mol % with WTPOAC representing the ratio of the weight percentage of TPOAC-chains over the weight percentage of amide bonds in the polymeric dispersant; NAmide representing the mol % of amide bonds based on the total nitrogen content of the polymeric dispersant; and wherein the values of WTPOAC and NAmide are calculated from the total nitrogen content determined by dry combustion of the polymeric dispersant and from the amine content determined through potentiometric titration in a mixture of CH3COOH:THF (14.5:0.5) with 0.1N aqueous perchloric acid. |
| US08097662B2 |
Enhanced oxygen-scavenging polymers, and packaging made therefrom
Oxygen-scavenging polymers and packaging for holding oxygen-sensitive products. A heat treatment process has been found to significantly increase the oxygen-scavenging performance of the polymer. The enhanced scavenging polymer can be effectively incorporated into various packaging, including transparent multilayer containers for beer and juice. In one embodiment, a multilayer package made from the scavenger provides an actual reduction in oxygen content of a contents of the package, over a long period of time (e.g., 24 weeks). The package can be stored unfilled for an extended period (without significant loss of scavenging capability) and will scavenge substantially immediately upon filling with a liquid product. The package may incorporate a relatively low weight percentage of the scavenger, thus providing enhanced scavenging in a cost-effective manner. |
| US08097655B2 |
Methods for concomitant administration of colchicine and macrolide antibiotics
Methods for concomitant administration of colchicine together with one or more macrolide antibiotics, e.g., clarithromycin, are disclosed. Such methods reduce the dangers commonly associated with such concomitant administration and provide additional benefits. |
| US08097654B2 |
Radiolabeled 3-[3-(benzoyl-amido)benzyloxy]aspartic acid derivative and method of producing the same
The present invention provides a radiolabeled ligand which is highly selective and potent for glutamate transporters and is usable in specifically detecting the glutamate transporter.Specifically, the present invention provides a 3-[3-(benzoylamido)benzyloxy]aspartic acid having a radioactive substituent on the benzoyl group which is represented by the following formula (1), or an ester or salt thereof: wherein X represents a substituent containing a radioactive atom(s) which is selected from a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group, a hydroxyl group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkoxy group, an amino group, a straight or branched lower aliphatic acylamido group, a halogen atom and a straight or branched lower aliphatic haloalkyl group; and R1 and R2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a straight or branched lower aliphatic alkyl group or an acetoxymethyl group. |
| US08097653B2 |
Dosage unit comprising a prostaglandin analog for treating constipation
A dosage unit for treating constipation in a human patient is described. The dosage unit of the invention comprises a halogenated prostaglandin analog and a pharmaceutically suitable excipient. The dosage unit relieves constipation without substantial side effects. |
| US08097648B2 |
Methods and compositions for use in treating cancer
The invention provides methods and compositions for use in treating diseases associated with excessive cellular proliferation, such as cancer. |
| US08097647B2 |
Augmented cognitive training
The present invention provides methods of treating cognitive deficits associated with mental retardation. The methods comprise combining cognitive training protocols and a general administration of phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors. |
| US08097642B2 |
Therapeutic inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle cells
Methods are provided for inhibiting stenosis following vascular trauma or disease in a mammalian host, comprising administering to the host a therapeutically effective dosage of a therapeutic conjugate containing a vascular smooth muscle binding protein that associates in a specific manner with a cell surface of the vascular smooth muscle cell, coupled to a therapeutic agent dosage form that inhibits a cellular activity of the muscle cell. Methods are also provided for the direct and/or targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to vascular smooth muscle cells that cause a dilation and fixation of the vascular lumen by inhibiting smooth muscle cell contraction, thereby constituting a biological stent. |
| US08097641B2 |
Heterocyclyl substituted tetrahydronaphthalene derivatives as 5-HT7 receptor ligands
The present invention relates to heterocyclyl-substituted-tetrahydro-naphthalen compounds of general formula (I), methods for their preparation, and compositions comprising these compounds as well as their use for the treatment or prophylaxis of various disorders in humans or animals. |
| US08097636B2 |
Heterocyclic derivatives as modulators of ion channels
The present invention relates to heterocyclic derivatives useful as inhibitors of ion channels. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disorders. |
| US08097633B2 |
Uses for quaternary ammonium anticholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonists in patients being treated for cognitive impairment or acute delirium
A method for treating the adverse effects of acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitors used in the treatment of cognitive disorders such as acute delirium and cognitive impairment in elderly human patients. The administration of a clinically effective amount of a quaternary ammonium anti-cholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonist having very low lipid solubility substantially eliminates the adverse effects of urinary and/or fecal incontinence, nausea, bradycardia, bronchorrhea or brochospasm caused by the acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitors, without affecting the beneficial activity of the acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitors. This permits the administration of the optimum effective dosing of acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitors to provide maximum benefit to the patient with the added benefit of reducing or eliminating the unwanted side effects of fecal and urinary incontinence. Further, the combination of rivastigmine and glycopyrrolate has been effective in significantly improving cognitive function in patients suffering from acute dementia or cognitive impairment. |
| US08097632B2 |
Inhibitors of hedgehog signaling pathways, compositions and uses related thereto
The present invention makes available assays and reagents inhibiting paracrine and/or autocrine signals produced by a hedgehog protein or aberrant activation of a hedgehog signal transduction pathway, e.g., which involve the use of a steroidal alkaloid or other small molecule. |
| US08097631B2 |
Fungicidal composition comprising cyprodinil
A fungicidal composition in the form of a liquid concentrate, which, in addition to at least one formulation adjuvant, comprises cyprodinil and an unsaturated C18-fatty acid selected from oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. |
| US08097630B2 |
Pinane-substituted pyrimidinediamine derivatives useful as Axl inhibitors
Pinane-substituted pyrimidinediamine derivatives and pharmaceutical compositions containing the derivatives are disclosed as being useful in inhibiting the activity of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase Axl. Methods of using the derivatives in treating diseases or conditions associated with Axl catalytic activity are also disclosed. |
| US08097628B2 |
Compounds
Compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts or N-oxides thereof: (relative chemistry shown) pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, their use in therapy especially against tuberculosis, and methods of preparing them are described. |
| US08097621B2 |
Pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidines as phosphodiesterase inhibitors
This invention relates to compounds of formula (I) |
| US08097617B2 |
Organic compounds
New compounds of the Formula (I): for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. |
| US08097615B2 |
Neurofibrillary labels
Disclosed are in vitro methods for identifying ligands capable of labeling aggregated PHF tau protein, the methods comprising the steps of: (i) providing a first agent suspected of being capable of labeling aggregated PHF tau protein, (ii) contacting (a) a tau protein or a derivative thereof containing the tau core fragment bound to a solid phase so as to expose a high affinity tau capture site, with (b) a liquid phase tau protein or derivative thereof capable of binding to the solid phase tau protein or derivative, and (c) said selected first agent and (d) a second agent known to be tau-tau binding inhibitor, (iii) selecting first agent which fully or partially relieves the inhibition of binding of the liquid phase tau protein or derivative of (b) to the solid phase tau protein or derivative of (a) by the inhibitor (d). Ligands may also be tested to confirm that they are not themselves inhibitors. |