| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08151457B2 |
Method of providing crosstalk compensation in a jack
The present disclosure relates to a telecommunications jack including a housing having a port for receiving a plug. The jack also includes a plurality of contact springs adapted to make electrical contact with the plug when the plug is inserted into the port of the housing, and a plurality of wire termination contacts for terminating wires to the jack. The jack further includes a circuit board that electrically connects the contact springs to the wire termination contacts. The circuit board includes a multi-zone crosstalk compensation arrangement for reducing crosstalk at the jack. |
| US08151454B2 |
Joining means
In the invention, a joining means having a ram tool, a countertool and a holder with an opening to accommodate the ram tool or the countertool, is described. The two tools are arranged coaxial with each other at different ends of a C-bracket. The invention is distinguished in that the holder comprises at least one plane contact surface arranged on the outer surface of the holder, resting in contact with at least one plane face of the corresponding end of the C-bracket and detachably fastened thereto. Between the contact surface and the face, at least one interlay is arranged, determining the information and/or the distance of the contact surface from the face. |
| US08151447B2 |
Apparatus for loading stator windings into a stator core
An apparatus for loading stator windings into a stator core includes an arbor member including a body having a central axis and an outer diametric portion provided with a plurality of slots. An insertion element is rotatably mounted adjacent the arbor member. The insertion element includes a plurality of slot elements that are configured to register with the plurality of slots. A loading member is rotatably mounted adjacent the insertion element. The loading member includes a plurality of slot members that are configured to register with the plurality of slot elements. The loading member is selectively operated to receive a stator winding into one of the plurality of slot members and transfer the stator winding into one of the plurality of slot elements. The at least one insertion element is selectively operated to transfer the stator winding into one of the plurality of slots of the arbor member. |
| US08151446B2 |
Apparatus for manufacturing printed circuit board
An apparatus for manufacturing a printed circuit board that uses conductive bumps to interconnect layers includes: a conveyor unit, which is configured to transport a board that has the conductive bumps formed on one side; an upper roller and a lower roller, which press the board and an insulator together; an elastic coating layer, formed on a surface of the upper roller; and a cleaning device, which removes impurities from a surface of the elastic coating layer. The apparatus does not require a separate device for performing a cushioning function and a detaching function between the bumps and the rollers, and the rollers can be kept clean using a cleaning device. |
| US08151443B2 |
Method of producing a wound magnet coil
A method of producing a former for winding a magnet coil, which former has a pattern of recess-defining ridges that define at least one recess into which wire may be wound to form a magnet coil. The method includes the steps of: producing an accurately machined tool bearing protrusions conforming to an inverse of said pattern of recess-defining ridges; producing said former by molding material against said accurately machined tool; and separating the former from the accurately machined tool. The invention also provides a method of producing a magnet coil employing the former so produced. |
| US08151442B2 |
Method of fabricating a magnetoresistive (MR) element having a continuous flux guide defined by the free layer
Magnetoresistive (MR) elements having flux guides defined by the free layer. The MR element includes a free layer, a spacer/barrier layer, a pinned layer, and a pinning layer. A back edge of the free layer (opposite the sensing surface of the MR element) extends past a back edge of the spacer/barrier layer. The portion of the free layer extending past the back edge of the spacer/barrier layer defines a continuous flux guide. The flux guide is processed to reduce the conductive characteristics of the flux guide, thereby reducing current shunt loss in the flux guide. |
| US08151439B2 |
Method for mounting a magnetic pole and associated rotor
The present invention provides a method for mounting at least one magnetic pole of a rotor of a motor of a synchronous electrical rotating machine from elementary elements, the rotor including a hub. The method includes the following successive steps: forming the set of elementary elements of rectangular parallelepipedal shape by fixing at least two elementary elements to each other with an electrical insulator being interposed therebetween; the set of elementary elements being magnetizable; machining a main face of the set of elementary elements in order to form a cylindrical face having a radius substantially equal to the predefined radius of the hub; magnetizing the set of elementary elements; and fixing the set of elementary elements to the hub, the set of elementary elements forming at least a portion of the magnetic pole. |
| US08151435B2 |
Method for forging a spindle housing
A manufacturing method includes shearing or cutting an elongated rod blank from bar stock, forge-forming a through hole in the rod blank that extends longitudinally through opposing ends of the rod blank, forge-forming a radially-extending collar on the rod blank between the opposing ends, forming attachment holes in the radially-extending collar, and extruding bearing bores in each of the recesses to form a main spindle housing. Bearings are supported in forged recesses at each end, and a shaft is rotatably supported on the bearings. The spindle housing includes a rod portion and collar both forged from the rod blank for work-hardened strength of material, and includes attachment holes and the through hole formed by pressing out slugs of material, thus facilitating recycling of scrap. |
| US08151434B2 |
Method of grinding a brake disk mounting surface with an annular recess using an inclined grinding wheel
A brake disk mounting surface is ground by bringing it into contact with an annular grinding wheel, while an inner ring having the brake disk mounting surface is rotated around its center axis, in a state where a part of the annular grinding wheel overlaps with a recess over an entire region of the annular grinding wheel in a radial direction, and in a state where a grinding surface of the annular grinding wheel is inclined with respect to the brake disk mounting surface so that a distance between the brake disk mounting surface and the annular grinding wheel grows larger in a direction toward an outer edge of the brake disk mounting surface. |
| US08151427B1 |
Method of accurately fixturing stamped work parts after trim and bend process
A method and device is provided for measuring springback of a vehicle panel within a deformation press. This avoids the need for removing the panel from the press and fabricating a dedicated measuring fixture. A trim die in the deformation press is retrofit to perform an additional function, namely securing a deformed panel in a position such that a measurement of the panel can be made. The trim die is retrofit by modifying existing apertures and adding additional aperture(s) in required positions. In the process, after bending the panel into the press and, using the trim die, undesired material is trimmed from the deformed panel. The panel is raised and at least three fixture posts are placed in apertures in the trim die. The panel rests on the posts with one post securing the panel in either one, two or three directions. The panel is then scanned or otherwise measured to determine springback in the panel. |
| US08151426B2 |
Method of converting a trailer configuration
A convertible trailer that may be reconfigured for use with different towing hitch arrangements. The trailer includes a first deck, a second deck, and an adjustable neck configured to support the second deck substantially level with the first deck in a pintle configuration and to support the second deck above the first deck in a fifth wheel configuration. |
| US08151422B2 |
Guide tool and method for assembling radially loaded vane assembly of gas turbine engine
The vane assembly has mating vane support and vane ring, the vane ring having a plurality of annularly interspaced radial loading elements which, when the vane ring is assembled to the vane support, are in a resiliently flexed state and exert corresponding annularly interspaced and outward-oriented radial loads against the vane support, thereby restraining relative radial movement between the vane ring and the vane support during operation of the gas turbine engine. The method includes flexing each of the radial loading elements into the resiliently flexed state simultaneously by sliding the radial loading elements against corresponding lead-in tapers. This can be achieved using a guide tool which includes a plurality of segments bearing the lead-in tapers and which is previously assembled to the vane support. |
| US08151417B1 |
Vertical door conversion kit
A vehicle door hinge for a passenger or driver side vehicle door. The hinge has a chassis mounting plate securely fastenable to the vehicle frame, a swingarm securely fastenable to the vehicle door, a bi-directional rotation mechanism connecting the chassis mounting plate to the swingarm and allowing rotation of the swingarm in a horizontal plane and in a vertical plane, first and second bearing surfaces positioned to rotate with the bi-directional rotation mechanism and to bear against each other when the swingarm is rotated in the horizontal plane, and not to bear against each other when the swingarm is rotated in the vertical plane, and means for counter-balancing the weight of the vehicle door when the swingarm is rotated in the vertical plane. |
| US08151416B2 |
Hinge with integral locking mechanism
A hinge for use in, e.g., folding tables, folding chairs, or folding shelves that can be locked in at least one position. According to an aspect of the invention, the hinge is locked in the position that would correspond to the open or deployed state of the piece of furniture of which it is a part. |
| US08151415B2 |
Hinge assembly
A hinge assembly includes a stationary member, a rotating member, and a pivotal shaft. The stationary member forms a position protrusion. The rotating member defines a receiving depression to receive the position protrusion. The pivotal shaft includes an elastic portion. The stationary member and the rotating member are positioned on the pivotal shaft such that the position protrusion is received in the receiving depression. The rotating member is non-rotatable relative to the pivotal shaft. The stationary member is rotatable relative to the pivotal shaft. The elastic portion deforms to push the rotating member to firmly engage the stationary member. |
| US08151414B2 |
Self-driven articulation for an articulated assembly such as a satellite solar panel
A frictionless self-driven articulation designed to be mounted between two neighboring elements, including two cylindrical fittings rotationally driven through the action of a leaf spring, the ends of the leaf spring being fixed respectively to each of the fittings. The articulation includes means of retaining the fittings and load transfer means separate from the retention means. |
| US08151413B2 |
Drawing device
A drawing device increases durability of dampers. A slider 14 and a damper base 22 are provided slidable on a base 12 of a drawing device. The damper base 22 is provided with a damper lock 28 which engages with the base 12 to prevent the damper base 22 from sliding and also makes the damper base slidable in the longitudinal direction. When the slider 14 moves relative to the base 12 in the longitudinal direction by a biasing force of an elastic member 15, the damper base in engagement with the base 12 by the damper lock 28 first moves relative to the slider 14 and thereby, the first damper 24 generates a damping force. Then, the damper lock 28 and the base 12 are disengaged, the base 12 moves relative to the damper base 22 and the slider, and thereby, the second damper 25 generates a damping force. |
| US08151411B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner of a type comprising an elongated support body (1) including a handle (3) in an upper end of the support body, a nozzle device attached to a lower end of the support body by means of a rotatable joint, and a vacuum unit, including an electric motor, a fan and a debris collecting compartment, being accommodated in the support body. An upper portion of the support body (1) is provided with a layer (7, 8) of a slip reducing material at least on a rear surface thereof. |
| US08151410B2 |
Blower and rotary rake for debris herding
A debris herding method and apparatus is described comprising a low power air blower and a tilted rotary rake. The air blower acts together with a tilted rotary rake to dislodge and impel the debris. A motor driven chassis transports the blower and the rotary rake across the lawn. The blower and rotary rake can be energetically powered, such as by a solar cell array mounted to the chassis. The present invention is directed to an energetically efficient device for moving debris on a surface, such as leaves on a lawn. |
| US08151409B2 |
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner is provided in which detachment of a dust collection device and compression of dust may be selectively performed. The vacuum cleaner may include a main body, a dust collection device selectively mounted on the main body, and a dust separation device selectively coupled to the dust collection device by operation of a lever assembly. |
| US08151406B2 |
Wiper blade
A wiper blade 13 comprises a rubber holder 17 attached to a tip of a wiper arm 14 and a blade rubber 16 supported by the rubber holder 17. The rubber holder 17 is formed into a U-shaped cross section, and an intermediate portion of the blade rubber 16 is covered with the rubber holder 17. Also, both sides of the rubber holder 17 are provided with covers 18 in a longitudinal direction in series. Each of the cover 18 becomes rotatable to the rubber holder 17 in a direction perpendicular to a front windshield glass 12, and exposed portions from the rubber holder 17 of the blade rubber 16 are covered with these covers 18 in an elastically deformable state. |
| US08151405B2 |
Drywall trowel
A tool for spreading viscous material comprising a sheet of resilient material having a inner face and an outer face, a handle attachment edge and a forward edge. The sheet being bent from the outer face toward the inner face along a bend line to form a V-shaped point to shape an offset corner blade and at least one substantially flat surface blade from the forward edge, and a handle for gripping the tool attached to the handle attachment edge of the sheet distal distally from the bend line. |
| US08151403B2 |
Cleaning implement
A cleaning implement 1 including a cleaning article 10 having a pocket 15 and a holder 20 adapted to be inserted into the pocket 15 to hold the cleaning article 10. The pocket 15 of the cleaning article 10 has a counter bumping portion 18 in the middle between the inlet opening at one end and the opposing end thereof. The holder 20 includes a handle 21, an insertion portion 22 extending from one end of the handle 21, and a retaining means 24 for retaining the vicinity of the inlet opening of the cleaning article 10. The insertion portion 22 has a bumping portion 23 that allows the insertion portion 22 to be inserted into the pocket 15 with no substantial obstruction until it reaches a bumping position where it bumps against the counter bumping portion 18 and then restricts further insertion beyond the bumping position. The cleaning article 10 is substantially prevented from moving between the bumping portion 23 and the retaining means 24 when it has the insertion portion 22 inserted into the pocket 15 and is retained by the retaining means 24. |
| US08151400B2 |
Toilet aid for handicapped persons
A device by which a person who is handicapped by physical limitations in performing ordinary cleaning of the anal region after toilet excretion has elongated members which have grips or handles at one end and finger-like tips at the other end and are pivotally attached to one another intermediate the ends so that the user can grasp the handle end and hold toilet tissue between the finger-like pads and move the device horizontally while partly slightly raised above the toilet seat to place the tissue in the anal region and move the device to produce a wiping action and when completed, turn the device to release the used tissue into the toilet bowl. The device can be used in similar fashion to apply medication to the anal-genital region. An embodiment of the invention provides an adjustability feature. |
| US08151397B2 |
Oral care implement having flexibly supported cleaning elements extending in opposite directions
An oral care implement is provided includes a head platform having a plurality of faces with cleaning elements extending therefrom. The oral care implement can have flexibly mounted cleaning elements extending in opposite directions. The oral care implement can include a handle and a head with tooth cleaning elements extending from fixed pods and one or more central pods suspended between the fixed pods via a bridge. The bridge may be formed from an elastomer and permit the one or more central pods to move from an initial position toward and away from the head platform during use. The one or more central pods can include first cleaning elements extending in a first direction toward the first face and second cleaning elements extending in a second direction opposite the first direction. The second cleaning elements can extend through one or more apertures in the head platform. |
| US08151396B2 |
Liquid-sample wiping mechanism and wipe-material holding mechanism for optical measurement apparatus
After a liquid sample between a sample-holding platform 11 and a window plate 22 is measured, a window plate holder 23 is raised, and a head 14 is moved from a standby position into the gap between the window plate 22 and the sample-holding platform 11. Then, the window plate holder 23 is lowered so as to press the window plate 22 onto the head 14 until the head 14 touches the sample-holding platform 11 below. Then the head 14 is swung back to the original position, whereby a wipe material 40 fitted on the head 14 simultaneously wipes off the liquid sample from both the lower surface of the window plate 22 and the upper surface of the sample-holding platform 11. Pressing the arch springs 35 enables the wipe material 40 to be easily attached to or detached from the head 14. |
| US08151393B2 |
Washing machine and method of controlling a washing machine
The present invention relates to a washing machine and a method of controlling a washing machine. According to the washing machine and the method of controlling the washing machine in accordance with the present invention, the drum is operated at a first speed so that laundry tumbles within the drum. A laundry amount within the drum during the first speed operation is sensed. The drum is driven at a second speed so that part of the laundry tumbles within the drum and another part of the laundry adheres to the drum. Operation commands for driving the drum subsequent to the first speed operation are changed based on the sensed laundry amount. Accordingly, at the time of a dehydration cycle, stability of the washing machine and laundry balancing can be ensured. |
| US08151391B2 |
Inflatable temperature control system
An inflatable device has non-pressurized ducts and channels formed within the body of the inflatable device when inflated, wherein the inflation pressure of the inflatable device is maintained when the interior of the ducts and channels are exposed to atmospheric pressures allowing fluid to flow through the ducts and channels at substantially lower pressure levels than the inflation pressure of the inflatable device. When used for heating or cooling, a plurality of non-pressurized channels and pressurized support columns can be located in substantial proximity to the surface of the inflatable device in contact with the object to be heated or cooled. |
| US08151383B2 |
Juvenile bathing unit
A juvenile bathing unit includes a baby bath seat and a seat mounting bracket coupled to the baby bath seat. The seat mounting bracket includes a rim clamp configured to be mounted on a rim of a bath rub to hold the baby bath seat in the bath tub. |
| US08151376B2 |
Compliant impact protection pad
A hip protector pad absorbs impact energy at a vulnerable area of a greater trochanter of an adult human hip. The pad has a continuous sheet of flexible honeycomb material having faces covered with a cover material and a layer of compliant and resilient foam on an inner side and an outer side of the honeycomb material. The pad is flexible to conform to a shape of the hip area. The cover material reduces a penetration of the foam into cells of the honeycomb material when subjected to impact. The pad is effective to reduce an impact of a fall of an adult human on the vulnerable area to be below an average adult human hip fracture impact level. |
| US08151375B2 |
Mechanism for assembly and disassembly of helmet visors
Device for assembly and disassembly of protective helmet visors, such visor being of the type presenting a hinge inwards the inner visor face, one on each visor extreme. The device includes a base component developed to be robustly linked to the protective helmet and a first recess developed to consent the insertion of the visor hinge into such recess. It also includes blocking components interacting with the hinge. At the same time the lever, inserted into the base, has a relative movement with respect to the base between the visor blocking position and visor opening position. |
| US08151373B2 |
Glove with insect proofing
The inventive subject matter is directed toward a glove having a hand receiving opening and a sealing mechanism that substantially seals the hand receiving opening. |
| US08151372B2 |
Breast feeding cover
Presented is a nursing cover with a neck strap which attaches the cover to a nursing mother's neck. The cover body of the device covers the nursing mother's front torso, and specifically covers a nursing infant. The cover includes structure which holds the cover slightly away from the nursing infant, so that the mother can see the nursing infant but the infant is otherwise covered while it is nursing. |
| US08156565B2 |
Hardware-based protection of secure data
Computer-readable media, computerized methods, and computer systems for protecting secure data by writing content of the secure data to a protected memory segment are provided. Initially, streaming media is received from a media-reading device and portions of the streaming media are identified as secure data. A data-management process to protect content within the secure data is executed. During execution, the protected memory segment is instantiated, a region of memory is dynamically allocated to hold the protected memory segment, and content of the secure data is written thereto. The protected memory segment is generally a data store that conditionally limits access thereto utilizing hardware-based rules, thereby guarding the content against exposure to unauthorized systems and to attackers. The region of memory may be allocated on CPU hardware, GPU hardware, or a combination thereof. The content may then be encrypted and released for conveyance to one or more presentation devices. |
| US08156563B2 |
Method for managing keys and/or rights objects
One or more rights objects (RO) files may be used for storing RO's preferably in the protected area available only to authenticated users. A RO navigation file is stored preferably in an unprotected public area containing status bits, where each status bit identifies whether a location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not. Preferably, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the location for a RO in a RO file and a location in the RO navigation file for the status bit which identifies whether its corresponding location in the RO file contains a valid RO or not. Whether a particular location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not can be found by checking its corresponding status bit in the RO navigation file. By finding out whether a particular location in a RO file contains a valid RO or not in this manner, it is possible to delete ROs without having to go through an authentication process. The process of finding an empty slot in the RO file for storing a new RO is also simplified. This greatly increases the efficiency of RO management. A similar system may be used for management of content encryption/encryption keys for protecting content files. |
| US08156558B2 |
Mechanism for evaluating security risks
Described is a mechanism for collectively evaluating security risks associated with loading an application. A hosting environment associated with loading the application invokes a trust manager to evaluate the security risks. The trust manager invokes a plurality of trust evaluators, where each trust evaluator is responsible for analyzing and assessing a different security risk. Upon completion of each security risk evaluation, results of those individual security risk evaluations are returned to the trust manager. The trust manager aggregates the variety of security risk evaluation results and makes a security determination based on the aggregated evaluation results. That determination may be to move forward with loading the application, to block the load of the application, or perhaps to prompt the user for a decision about whether to move forward with the load. |
| US08156557B2 |
Protection against reflection distributed denial of service attacks
A method includes monitoring outgoing request packets transmitted by a node in a protected network over a link connecting the protected network to an external network. Incoming response packets that originate in the external network and are destined for transmission to the node are also monitored. One or more of the incoming response packets that were not solicited by any of the outgoing request packets are identified responsively to monitoring the outgoing request packets and the incoming response packets. A characteristic that differentiates between the identified incoming response packets and the incoming response packets that were solicited by the outgoing request packets is determined. A guard device in the external network is instructed to inhibit the transmission over the link of subsequent unsolicited response packets based on the characteristic. |
| US08156555B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information providing medium, information decryption apparatus, and information recording medium
An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information providing medium are provided. Encrypted information, an encrypted first key for decrypting the encrypted information, and a second key for decrypting the first key are processed to store the information in a storage medium. To be more specific, cross certification is executed with the storage medium, the first key is decrypted by the second key, the decrypted first key is encrypted, and the decrypted first key and the encrypted information are stored in the storage medium. The novel constitution prevents unauthorized replication of information by use of a low-cost, general-purpose semiconductor memory. |
| US08156553B1 |
Systems and methods for correlating log messages into actionable security incidents and managing human responses
Systems and methods for correlating log messages into actionable incidents. Some embodiments implement a method which includes comparing a plurality of disparate log messages to a plurality of incident descriptions. The disparate log messages can be parsed. When the messages correlate with an incident description an incident case can be created. Workflow steps can be associated with the incident case and output along with the incident case. Additional disparate log messages can be compared to the incident expressions and, when additional messages correlate with the correlated incident description, the incident case can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the adjustment can include adding workflow steps to the incident case. Results of various workflow steps can be monitored and adjustments can be made accordingly. In some embodiments, the results can include out-of-bounds activities. |
| US08156552B2 |
Method, computer software, and system for providing end to end security protection of an online transaction
A method for implementing an online transaction security product includes downloading an online transaction security product program from a web site to an information handling system. The security product program includes an anti-malicious code program configured to detect malicious code on the information handling system. Lastly, the security product program is executed, wherein the anti-malicious code program of the security product program operates to detect malicious code on the information handling system. |
| US08156544B2 |
System and method for a WPAN firewall
Systems and methodologies for implementing Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) security are provided herein. As disclosed herein, firewall functionality can be implemented for a WPAN-capable device to control access to resources of the device over a WPAN. In one example, a WPAN protocol can be extended to include low-level access control measures that enable analysis of communication requests to and/or from a device prior to acting on the requests. As described herein, a WPAN firewall associated with a device can be configured to block, monitor, and/or log respective resource accesses to and/or from a WPAN. WPAN firewall functionality as described herein can be configured using mechanisms such as an Application Programming Interface (API) and/or a user control interface. Additionally, lateral regulation of security policies for a WPAN and one or more other networks utilized by a device can be provided. |
| US08156541B1 |
System, method, and computer program product for identifying unwanted activity utilizing a honeypot device accessible via VLAN trunking
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying unwanted activity utilizing a honeypot accessible via virtual local area network (VLAN) trunking. In use, a honeypot device is allowed to be accessed via VLAN trunking. Furthermore, unwanted data is identified, utilizing the honeypot device. |
| US08156538B2 |
Distribution of information protection policies to client machines
One embodiment includes a method which may be practiced in a computing environment where resources are distributed. The method includes acts for obtaining policy information defining restrictions on resources distributed in the computing environment. The method includes sending a request to a server for metadata about one or more resource protection policies at the server. In response to the request, metadata about one or more resource protection polices at the server is received from the server. The metadata from the server is analyzed. Based on analyzing the metadata, one or more resource protection policies stored at the client are updated. |
| US08156537B2 |
Method and system for access control using resource filters
The present description refers in particular to a method, a system, and a computer program product for access control using resource filters for a strict separation of application and security logic. The computer-implemented method for access control may include receiving at least one access request to at least one resource from an application; providing a resource hierarchy for the at least one resource, the resource having at least one resource class, wherein the resource hierarchy is defined in a single resource; providing a policy comprising at least one access control rule for accessing at least one element of the at least one resource class; verifying the at least one access request based on the policy through an authorization service; and processing the at least one access request through a service interface. |
| US08156531B2 |
Receiving device, server, television receiver, mobile terminal, system, receiving method, information processing program, and storage medium
A receiving device receives broadcast, information, etc. in response to a user selection by manipulation, in order to present the broadcast, information, etc. to the user. The device includes a channel set managing section (30) which collectively handles multiple channels corresponding to broadcast and content on the Internet or another network received by a receiving device (100) as channel groups which are preset handling units according to certain rules. The user can readily handle large numbers of channels when compared with cases where increasing channels are all handled equally without being grouped. |
| US08156530B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing access plans
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a television having a controller to determine an access plan associated with a mobile communication device that is capable of wirelessly receiving broadcast video content, present one or more options for adjusting the access plan where the one or more options include wireless access for the television to the broadcast video content, and receive a selection of the one or more options, wherein the access plan is adjusted based on the selection. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08156527B2 |
System and method for providing a unified programming guide
A method includes receiving data representative of a plurality of multimedia channels and associating channel numbers with at least a subset of the plurality of multimedia channels to generate a first channel numbering set. The method further includes providing, in response to user input indicating a selection of a channel number of the first channel numbering set, data representative of one of the plurality of multimedia channels for display. A set of executable instructions manipulate a processor to display an electronic programming guide (EPG) interface. The EPG interface includes a user input interface to receive user information indicating a preferred arrangement of a plurality of multimedia channels ordered in a channel numbering set. The set of executable instructions further manipulate the processor to provide, in response to user input indicating a selection of a channel number by a user, one of the plurality of multimedia channels for display based on the channel numbering set. |
| US08156522B2 |
Linked information system
A method of providing an interactive expert link within a linked information system configured to obtain a set of media content related to at least one tracked theme or topic within a field and to generate a set of links between media content from the set of media content as a function of a relevance to the at least one tracked theme or topic, the method including the steps of identifying a new development within a topic from the at least one tracked theme or topic, obtaining a set of independent expert inputs related to the new development from a set of experts, wherein an expert meets a set of predefined expert criteria related to the field or topic, providing access to the set of independent expert inputs to the set of experts, enabling experts to provide expert commentary to one or more independent expert inputs from the set of independent expert inputs and providing access to the expert commentary to the set of experts. |
| US08156520B2 |
Methods and apparatus for presenting substitute content in an audio/video stream using text data
Various embodiments of apparatus and/or methods are described for skipping, filtering and/or replacing content from an audio/video stream using text data associated with the audio/video stream. The text data is processed using location information that references a segment of the text data of the first audio/video stream to identify a location within the first audio/video stream. The location within the first audio/video stream is utilized to identify portions of the audio/video stream that are to be skipped during presentation. The portions of the audio/video stream that are to be skipped are filtered from the audio/video stream, and some of the skipped portions of the audio/video stream are replaced with substitute content. The filtered video stream, including the substitute content, is outputted for presentation to a user. |
| US08156519B1 |
System, method and computer program product for calculating the cost of an advertisement
A system, method and computer program product are provided for calculating the cost of an advertisement. Initially, data reflecting an advertisement and usage of the advertisement may be provided. The data provided may then be rated. A cost may then be calculated based on the rated data. |
| US08156518B2 |
System and method for filtering audio content
A system and method for filtering audio content are provided. An audio data filtering system may include an input interface to receive audio data. The system may also include an analysis module to compare a textual representation of the audio data to data identifying prohibited audio content. The system may also include a packet filter to prevent transmission of portions of the audio data matching prohibited audio content to a remote user device. The system may further include an output interface to transmit portions of the audio data not identified as prohibited audio content to the remote user device. |
| US08156515B2 |
Optical recording medium and reproducing device
An optical recording medium is provided having a plurality of laminated recording layers, wherein the recording layers are formed such that a spacing between each pair of recording layers of all recording layer combinations selected from the plurality of recording layers is different from that of each other pair. Accordingly, a return of lights reflected by other layers to an optical head along the same optical path as reflected light from a readout layer during the reproduction can be avoided. Therefore, use of the optical recording medium, from which a good reproduction signal can be obtained, can suppress a deterioration of a servo signal and a reproduction signal of a reproducing device due to a variation of interference fringes on a light receiving element. |
| US08156512B2 |
Optical disc drive having impact absorbing mechanism
The present invention provides a thin optical disc drive whose impact resistance performance is improved.An under cover 19 is provided with a collision evasion hole 21 at a position corresponding to an end of an optical head housing 25. Moreover, a bottom cover 4 is provided with an impact force buffering member 22 at a position corresponding to the collision evasion hole. When an impact force acts on an optical disc drive 1, the impact force to the optical head housing 25 is buffered by the structure. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the optical head 8 from being damaged, and it is possible to improve the reliability of the optical disc drive 1. |
| US08156508B2 |
Method for runtime execution of one or more tasks defined in a workflow process language
Runtime execution of one or more tasks defined in a workflow process language. The method may include obtaining a description of the task from a process ontology (PO). The PO may define a hierarchical taxonomy of executable tasks, where each task refers to at least one frame of a hierarchical frame taxonomy of the PO. The method may further include identifying at least one parameter as described in the frame description to which the task refers, resolving the value of the at least one parameter, and executing the most specific applicable version of the task contained in the task taxonomy of the process ontology. |
| US08156506B2 |
Methods and apparatus for message oriented invocation
The invention relates to data processing apparatus and methods for method oriented invocation (MOI) of data processing service modules. MOI Adapters and methods interface compound messages with service modules that process them, advantageously reducing memory and processing time utilization. Compound messages may be progressively parsed and processed, identifying the constituent information items needed by a service module and invoking the service module when all needed information items are available, without using resources to maintain and process superfluous message data. Multiple service modules may be addressed by a single MOI Adapter. |
| US08156498B2 |
Optimization of thread wake up for shared processor partitions
A mechanism is provided for biasing placement of a software thread on a currently idle and dispatched processor. The operating system starts with the last logical processor on which the software thread ran and determines whether that processor is idle and dispatched and considers each logical processor until a currently dispatched and idle logical processor is found. If a currently dispatched and idle logical processor is not found, then the operating system biases placing the software thread on an idle logical processor. |
| US08156496B2 |
Data processing system and method
A method of optimizing a thread in a system comprising a plurality of processors, the method comprising: determining performance of the thread on each of the processors; comparing the determined performances; and selecting a processor for executing the thread based on the comparison. |
| US08156493B2 |
Exception handling in a concurrent computing process
The present invention provides a method and system for exception handling in an executable process executing in a concurrent computing environment. The present invention allows a user to interrupt the executable process at any stage of the computation without disconnecting the communication channel among the instances of the executable process. Additionally, the present invention also allows interrupting the concurrent computing process at any stage when an error occurs in the executable process or the communication channel without terminating the communication among the instances of the executable process. Upon notification of an interrupt request, each of the instances of the executable process in the concurrent computing environment flushes any pending incoming messages to return itself to a previous known state while maintaining the communication channel between the instances of the executable process. |
| US08156483B2 |
Method and system for detecting vulnerabilities in source code
A method and system of detecting vulnerabilities in source code. Source code is parsed into an intermediate representation. Models (e.g., in the form of lattices) are derived for the variables in the code and for the variables and/or expressions used in conjunction with routine calls. The models are then analyzed in conjunction with pre-specified rules about the routines to determine if the routine call posses one or more of pre-selected vulnerabilities. |
| US08156482B2 |
System and method for efficiently generating native code calls from byte code in virtual machines
A system and method for generation of efficient calls from compiled byte code within a virtual machine (VM) or Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment. Current techniques used to interface dynamically compiled byte code with native libraries using stubs are unsatisfactory due to non-optimal performance and the large amount of manual work needed to maintain the stub generation code. An embodiment of the present invention addresses this by providing a system and a method for automatic stub generation based on a small set of parameters stored in a ParamInfo structure. In accordance with an embodiment, the system comprises a computer with native libraries; a virtual machine for executing a software application; a memory space for the compiled byte code; and a compiler with a calling convention adaptor that integrates native calls into the high level analysis step of the compilation of byte codes, so that the overhead for the native call is reduced. |
| US08156481B1 |
Profiler-based optimization of automatically generated code
A device generates code with a technical computing environment (TCE) based on a model and information associated with a target processor, registers an algorithm with the TCE, automatically sets optimization parameters applied during generation of the code based on the algorithm, executes the generated code, receives feedback based on execution of the generated code, and uses the feedback to automatically update the optimization parameters and to automatically regenerate the code with the TCE until an optimal code is achieved for the target processor. |
| US08156480B2 |
Methods and apparatus to form a resilient objective instruction construct
Methods and an apparatus to form a resilient objective instruction construct are provided. An example method obtains a source instruction construct and forms a resilient objective instruction construct by compiling one or more resilient transactions. |
| US08156475B2 |
Device and method for testing embedded software using emulator
Embodiments of the invention provide a device and a method for automatically testing embedded software, and more specifically for testing interfaces between layers of the embedded software. In one embodiment, the device includes: an emulator; a server including embedded software; an evaluation board configured to download the embedded software from the server and controlled by the emulator; and a host system configured to receive the embedded software from the server and automatically generate test cases for testing the embedded software using the emulator. |
| US08156473B2 |
Model oriented debugging
A system and method for debugging a business application that has been generated according to a model are disclosed. A system includes a debugger that generates a model-oriented debugging view based on a model-oriented development environment that generates the business application. The model-oriented debugging view uses debugging information determined from a Java virtual machine that executes the business application to generate one or more breakpoints in the model-oriented debugging view. |
| US08156472B2 |
Process language for microprocessors with finite resources
A reflective process algebra called the ρ-calculus facilitates the serialization of processes at the level of the reflective process algebra. The reflective process algebra because of its reflective properties, can be used on computing systems with finite resources. The reflective process calculus can be made to be sensitive to resources, such as memory and bandwidth, hence facilitating its use as a programming language at the machine level. The reflective process calculus causes the dual nature of a computation entity to be exposed. A name can be caused to become a process and a process can be caused to become a name. |
| US08156470B2 |
Software customization system and method
A system and method for the mass customization of software includes a software production line infrastructure, development environment, and actuator. The infrastructure organizes the software production line using a feature declarations component, a product definitions component, an automatons component, and a partition composition component. The development environment browses, displays, organizes, edits, and maintains the infrastructure. The actuator actuates the software production line to produce custom software products. |
| US08156469B2 |
Single composition of pattern modules
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for generating an application based on a selection of one or more application patterns. A model of an operation of the application is generated. A design time application component to provide content for the model is provided, as well as a runtime application component to execute the operation associated with the model based with the content. The model, design time application component, and runtime application component are linked together to form a pattern module, the pattern module being an executable and portable operation of the application. |
| US08156466B2 |
Moment computation algorithms in VLSI system
An improved method for interconnect delay analysis for VLSI circuits reduces a parasitic graph for moment computation by eliminating one or more nodes in the graph. the elimination process is performed based upon the degree of the nodes. By eliminating nodes in this fashion, the computation complexity is significantly reduced. With this elimination process, resistor loops and crossed loops can also be solved. The order in which the nodes are eliminated is optimized using the depth-first-search method on the parasitic graphs, further reducing the computation complexity. The method provides a consistent functional interface, applicable to different circuit model structures. In addition, the method accounts for coupling capacitance between interconnects. |
| US08156461B2 |
Spice corner model generating method and apparatus
In one embodiment, a SPICE corner model generating method for generating a SPICE corner model of an MOSFET includes preparing a table of a ratio X regarding a combination of two kinds of MOSFETs selected from N kinds of MOSFETs, the ratio X being a magnitude of a variation of an MOSFET in a case where directions of variations of the two kinds of MOSFETs are opposite directions to a magnitude of a variation of an MOSFET in a case where the directions of the variations of the two kinds of MOSFETs are the same direction, where N is an integer of 2 or greater. The method further includes reading out, when a combination of two kinds of MOSFETs is designated among the N kinds of MOSFETs, a value of the ratio X corresponding the designated combination from the table of the ratio X. The method further includes forming two kinds of corner models of opposite directional variations, the two kinds of corner models including a first corner model generated by applying the value of the ratio X to a fast-side corner of a first MOSFET of the two kinds of MOSFETs and to a slow-side corner of a second MOSFET of the two kinds of MOSFETs, and a second corner model generated by applying the value of the ratio X to a slow-side corner of the first MOSFET and to a fast-side corner of the second MOSFET. |
| US08156460B2 |
Method of estimating a leakage current in a semiconductor device
In a method of estimating a leakage current in a semiconductor device, a chip including a plurality of cells is divided into segments by a grid model. Spatial correlation is determined as spatial correlation between process parameters concerned with the leakage currents in each of the cells. A virtual cell leakage characteristic function of a cell is generated by arithmetically operating actual leakage characteristic functions. A segment leakage characteristic function of a segment is generated by arithmetically operating the virtual cell leakage characteristic functions of all cells in the segment. Then, a full chip leakage characteristic function of the chip is generated by statistically operating the segment leakage characteristic functions of all segments in the chip. Accordingly, computational loads of Wilkinson's method for generating the full chip leakage characteristic function can remarkably be reduced. |
| US08156458B2 |
Uniquification and parent-child constructs for 1xN VLSI design
Embodiments that create parent-child relationships for reuse of 1×N building blocks in a closed-loop 1×N system are disclosed. Some methods comprise generating a representation of an IC design, inserting a first 1×N building block into the representation, and creating an association between the first 1×N building block and a second 1×N building block. The association enables the first 1×N building block to inherit alterations of attributes of the second 1×N building block and enables unique alterations of attributes of the first 1×N building block which differ from the second 1×N building block. Further embodiments comprise an apparatus having an equivalency determiner to determine a logical equivalence between a two 1×N building blocks, an attribute creator that creates a set of attributes and enables one of the 1×N building blocks to inherit parent attributes and comprise child attributes. |
| US08156457B2 |
Concurrent simulation of hardware designs with behavioral characteristics
Simulating hardware includes generating a data flow representation of the hardware, based on a hardware description language (HDL) description. The data flow representation including compatibility information that preserves behavioral and synthesizable characteristics of the HDL description. Simulating hardware further includes generating code from the data flow representation, and executing the code concurrently. |
| US08156452B1 |
Method and apparatus for importing hardware description language into a system level design environment
A method for importing a design in hardware description language (HDL) into a system level design tool includes setting a sampling time. The simulation model template is generated with the sampling time according to a selected simulation model type. |
| US08156450B2 |
Method and system for mask optimization
A method and apparatus for mask optimization is provided. Mask design and production is optimized by providing proper weighting parameters for critical features. The parameters may include information such as parametric information, functional information, and hot spots determination. |
| US08156449B2 |
Graphics stack system and method
A system and method are provided for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device. A graphics stack is used to store pre-computed coordinate values to improve performance for drawing graphics, such as to display a user interface on a display of a mobile device. |
| US08156446B2 |
Information processing device, and control method
A digital camera as an information processing device comprises a storage unit which stores a taken still image and which includes a history information storage section to store history information associated with the still image, a CPU which includes a history information processing unit to perform processing regarding the history information and which controls the processing in each unit of the digital camera, a communication unit which communicates with other digital cameras in a wired or wireless manner, and a display unit which displays the still image and the history information. |
| US08156443B2 |
Facilitating communications between computer users across a network
A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact. |
| US08156441B1 |
Inter-gadget communication
Disclosed is an inter-gadget communication architecture or framework that allows information from different sources to be independently viewed or correlated from within a browser. The inter-gadget communication architecture or framework comprises gadgets or iFrames, which communicate or interact with other gadgets on the displayed page by accessing other iFrames/gadgets on the same web page. The inter-gadget communication architecture or framework allows gadgets to be vendor application agnostic, providing platform independence. |
| US08156437B2 |
Creation of image designating file and reproduction of image using same
A technique for enabling scenario files and image files for supply to a scenario generating device to be created easily is provided. The scenario creating device creates a scenario file supplied to a scenario reproducing device capable of reproducing only image files of a predetermined format. The scenario creating device comprises: an input section including a pointing device; a display section; and a scenario creating section for creating the scenario file. The scenario creating section provides a display of an execution icon on the display screen for causing the scenario creating section to execute a process. When a file icon for a source file of a predetermined format including pagewise scenario information and image information is dragged and dropped on the execution icon by means of operation of the pointing device, a scenario file is created on the basis of the scenario information, and an image file of the predetermined format is generated on the basis of the image information. |
| US08156435B2 |
Systems and methods to select media content
Systems and methods to select media content are provided. A particular method includes generating a media playlist based on user preference data and generating a user interface display. The user preference data indicates proportions of each of a plurality of categories of media content to be present in the media playlist. The user interface display presents the user preference data using adjustable bars. Each bar is associated with one of the categories of media content, and a dimension of each bar is associated with the proportion of the respective category of media content included in the media playlist. The method includes receiving user input adjusting the dimension of a first bar associated with a first category of the plurality of categories of media content. The method includes adjusting the proportion of the first category of media content included in the media playlist based on the user input. |
| US08156432B2 |
Detection of UTF-16 encoding in streaming XML data without a byte-order mark and related printers, systems, methods, and computer program products
Provided are printers and other electronic devices, systems, methods, and computer program products that automatically detect and determine UTF-16 encoding schemes and endiannesss thereof in an incoming XML data steam for XML declarations without a UTF-16 byte-order mark (BOM) or encoding declaration. This allows for the automatic and unambiguous accurate detection of UTF-16 encoded XML data within a mixed encoding environment, such as from multiple sources using more than one encoding scheme, even when XML data does not start with a BOM or encoding declaration. |
| US08156429B2 |
Method and system for accelerating downloading of web pages
Web content based on markup language technology is delivered to a client device running a browser or similar application through a markup language file manipulator. Files requested by a client device are processed through the markup language file manipulator and the browser links embedded in the web content are traversed to fetch the objects associated with the browser links. The browser links are then replaced by the actual objects in the markup language file. The modified markup language file is then delivered to the client device and the client device is not required to further render the web content. |
| US08156427B2 |
User interface for mixed media reality
A Mixed Media Reality (MMR) system and associated techniques are disclosed. The MMR system provides mechanisms for forming a mixed media document that includes media of at least two types (e.g., printed paper as a first medium and digital content and/or web link as a second medium). In one embodiment, an MMR document is retrieved based on recognition of a paper document. Responsive to a comparison of the paper document and a virtual multimedia document, a set of actions is displayed to a user. Responsive to a user selection, the user-selected action is performed. In another embodiment, a captured list of names is used to assist a user with labeling a media file. |
| US08156426B2 |
System and method for rapid creation and display of stylized digital content items
Stylized digital content is rapidly created by reading a first file and a plurality of second files. The first file contains a digital content item and each second file contains at least one style definition. At least one display instance of stylized digital content is created by applying the style definition of one of the plurality of second files to the digital content item of the first file. The at least one display instance is mapped to a location on the display device. A location is received from a pointing device and one of the plurality of display instances is displayed based on the received location. |
| US08156425B2 |
User interface (UI) dimensioning
Determining a total dimension of items in computer-based user interface control (e.g., non-uniform items displayed in grid-view), may be accomplished by determining an estimated dimension value (e.g., for all items in a series) and combining (e.g., multiplying) that value with a total number of items (e.g., items in the series). If a viewport offset value and viewport item value is known, and/or a previously realized dimension and previously realized item value is known, the estimated dimension value may be determined by combining one or more of these values with values for realized items. Otherwise, the estimated dimension value can be determined by dividing the realized items dimensions value by the number of realized items. A total dimension value may be used by a user interface element, for example, to calculate an appropriate size and location of a scroll bar display. |
| US08156423B1 |
Method and system for dynamically updating fixed resources on client station
An intermediary such as a gateway will intercept a markup document being sent in a response message from a web server to a client station and will determine that the client station does not have stored locally the set of objects necessary to render the markup document. The intermediary will then modify the response message to include both the markup document and the necessary set of objects. Upon receipt of the response, the client station will extract and store the objects as non-cached objects, to be used when rendering the markup document. Preferably the client station is a cell phone. |
| US08156421B2 |
Analysis of database performance reports for graphical presentation of summary results
Computer implemented methods, programs and systems for displaying statistical data in a graphical user interface are provided. According to the method, baseline data is imported from a first report which corresponds to a trouble-free period. Similarly, critical data is imported from a second report corresponding to a trouble period. The imported data is compared and analyzed to create a results table, each cell in the results table corresponding to a timestamp and a statistical item. The cells in the results table contain a visual identifier according to the criticality of the comparison of the statistical items from the baseline data and the critical data. The results table is presented on a display to the user. |
| US08156419B2 |
Intelligent preloads of views and asynchronous loading of models using the MVC design pattern
In one embodiment, the present invention is a system and method for loading a web page in a browser application. The method sends a request to retrieve the web page, receives a response to the request that includes the web page, and displays the web page in the browser application. The web page includes a static view portion, a dynamic view portion, and at least one possible action that a user may take from the web page. When the user takes each possible action, the browser application will display a related web page. The method receives a second response to the request that includes the static view portion of the related web page for each possible action, and stores the static view portion of the related web page for each possible action. |
| US08156417B2 |
Computer-readable recording medium having template for easy preparing multimedia contests
A computer-readable recording medium recording multimedia contents data and a data structure that represents a chronological sequence of operations that are processed in a data processing device. The computer-readable recording medium includes a schedule portion including a predetermined reproduction time when the media data is to be reproduced in the reproducing unit and a predetermined input time when the input operation is to be received by the input unit. The data processing device performs steps of processing the multimedia contents data so that the predetermined media data is reproduced at the predetermined reproduction time on the basis of a schedule portion, receiving a predetermined input operation at the predetermined input time. The data processing device carries out a predetermined editing operation and resumes processing of the multimedia contents in accordance with the schedule portion. |
| US08156416B2 |
Securing printed output
A notary processor can be dedicated to performing the security-based variable information printing. A method resolves the availability of resources required by a document template and a security map, replaces the data placeholders with dynamic data, replaces the data placeholders with the dynamic data to produce a complete, printer-ready secure document, sends the document directly to a user-specified, authorized output printing device capable of handling the security features, deletes the dynamic data and the document, and can notify the calling application of the sending of the document to the output device, all automatically and all using the dedicated notary processor. |
| US08156415B1 |
Method and system for command queuing in disk drives
A method and system for command queuing in disk drives may improve performance by queuing multiple commands and sequentially executing them automatically without firmware intervention. The method may use a number of queues, e.g., a staging queue for commands to be executed, an execution queue for commands currently being executed, and a holding queue for commands which have been executed but have not received a status report from a host. With the pipelined nature of queued commands, when data requested by one command are being sent to the host, the queue logic may already be fetching data for the next command. If an error occurs in the transmission, commands in the queues may backtrack and restart from the point where data were last known to have been successfully sent to the host. |
| US08156413B2 |
Convolutional encoding with partitioned parallel encoding operations
Convolutional encoding throughput is increased by partitioning input information bits into a plurality of blocks that are convolutionally encoded in parallel. A plurality of convolutional encoding operations which have respective initial encode states that are mutually different from one another are applied in parallel to one of the blocks to produce a respectively corresponding plurality of convolutional encoding results. One of the convolutional encoding results is selected based on a convolutional encoding operation applied to another of the blocks. |
| US08156411B2 |
Error correction of an encoded message
An encoded message is stored in a first memory. The encoded message is retrieved from the first memory as a retrieved encoded message that may contain an error. Syndromes are generated from the retrieved encoded message. The syndromes are used to determine if the retrieved encoded message has an error. Polynomial coefficients are generated for establishing a polynomial equation having a first number of solutions. The polynomial equation is solved only for a second number of solutions. The first number is greater than the second number. The second number of solutions comprises solutions corresponding to locations in the retrieved encoded message. Each location is corrected in the retrieved encoded message that corresponds to a solution of zero of the polynomial equation. The result is efficient error correction. |
| US08156409B2 |
Selectively applied hybrid min-sum approximation for constraint node updates of LDPC decoders
In accordance with one or more embodiments, a decoder may determine whether a lowest reliability value of a plurality of codeword bits that correspond to a particular output reliability value for a particular constraint node of a parity-check matrix is greater than a threshold value (e.g., an offset), and if so, selectively applies a modified min-sum approximation constraint node update with a reliability value modification (e.g., an offset or normalized min-sum approximation). |
| US08156404B1 |
L2 ECC implementation
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method for implementing ECC protection in an on-chip L2 cache. When data is written to or read from an external memory, logic within the L2 cache is configured to generate ECC check bits and store the ECC check bits in the L2 cache in space typically allocated for storing byte enables. As a result, data stored in the L2 cache may be protected against bit errors without incurring the costs of providing additional storage or complex hardware for the ECC check bits. |
| US08156401B2 |
Validating data using processor instructions
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for determining from a data block in a buffer a number of first operands in a first portion of the buffer and a number of second operands in a second portion of the buffer. Based on these numbers, a cyclic redundancy checksum (CRC) operation may be iteratively performed on the first and second operands to obtain a checksum result. The first and second operands are of a different length, and the checksum operation may be executed using processor instructions corresponding to the different lengths. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08156395B2 |
Methods for generating test patterns for sequential circuits
A single-pass method for test pattern generation for sequential circuits employs a local-fault at each time-frame. The result is that a fault arriving at circuit primary output lines unambiguously signals the discovery of a valid test pattern sequence for the fault. The valid test pattern sequence is reconstructed from stored history and is used to test a sequential circuit. |
| US08156394B2 |
Selectively accessing test access ports in a multiple test access port environment
A TAP linking module (21, 51) permits plural TAPs (TAPs 1-4) to be controlled and accessed from a test bus (13) via a single TAP interface (20). |
| US08156393B2 |
Memory system
To provide a memory system which determines a memory state such as an exhaustion level and allows a memory to be efficiently used.The memory system includes a NAND type flash memory 1 in which data can be electrically written/erased, a nonvolatile memory 2 which counts the number of erase operations of the NAND type flash memory 1 and retains the number of erase operations and a maximum number of erase operations, and a controller 3 which has a connection interface 31 to be given a self-diagnosis command from a computer 4, and retrieves the number of erase operations and the maximum number of erase operations from the nonvolatile memory 2 based on the self-diagnosis command and outputs the number of erase operations and the maximum number of erase operations to the computer 4 through the connection interface 31. |
| US08156391B2 |
Data controlling in the MBIST chain architecture
A memory collar including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate one or more data sequences in response to one or more test commands. The one or more data sequences may be presented to a memory during a test mode. The second circuit may be configured to pre-process one or more outputs generated by the memory in response to the one or more data sequences. |
| US08156386B2 |
Information processing apparatus, and method and computer program for controlling same, for detecting certain failures
An information processing apparatus having a first subsystem and a second subsystem, is provided. The first subsystem includes a first updating unit configured to update a first counter at a priority higher than that of a processing task executed by the first subsystem, and a second updating unit configured to update a second counter at a priority lower than that of the processing task. The second subsystem includes a check unit configured to check whether the first and second counters have been updated, and a determination unit configured to determine that failure has occurred in the first subsystem if at least one of the first and second counters has not been updated. |
| US08156385B2 |
Systems and methods for backward-compatible constant-time exception-protection memory
Embodiments of the invention provide a table-free technique for detecting all temporal and spatial memory access errors in programs supporting general pointers. Embodiments of the invention provide such error checking using constant-time operations. Embodiments of the invention rely on fat pointers, whose size is contained within standard scalar sizes (up to two words) so that atomic hardware support for operations upon the pointers is obtained along with meaningful casts in-between pointers and other scalars. Optimized compilation of code becomes possible since the scalarized-for-free encoded pointers get register allocated and manipulated. Backward compatibility is enabled by the scalar pointer sizes, with automatic support provided for encoding and decoding of fat pointers in place for interaction with unprotected code. |
| US08156380B2 |
Apparatus and method to configure, format, and test, a data storage subsystem product
An apparatus and method are disclosed to configure, format, and test, a data storage subsystem product. The method supplies a data storage subsystem product comprising one or more host computer ports, a processor, one or more data storage device ports, and one or more data storage devices interconnected to the one or more data storage device ports. The method further supplies a configuration appliance comprising a storage configuration. The method connects the configuration appliance to one of the one or more storage device ports, boots up the data storage subsystem product, discovers the configuration appliance by the data storage subsystem product, imports storage configuration data into the data storage subsystem product, formats the one or more data storage device, and tests the input and output data transfer rates for the data storage subsystem product, wherein the formatting and testing are initiated concurrently. |
| US08156366B2 |
Method and apparatus for timing and event processing in wireless systems
A digital baseband processor is provided for concurrent operation with different wireless systems. The digital baseband processor includes a digital signal processor for executing digital signal processor instructions, a microcontroller for executing microcontroller instructions, and a timing and event processor controlled by the digital signal processor and the microcontroller for executing timing-sensitive instructions. The timing and event processor includes a plurality of instruction sequencers for executing timing-sensitive instruction threads and a time base generator for generating timing signals for initiating execution of the instruction threads on each of the plurality of instruction sequencers. |
| US08156365B2 |
Data reception apparatus
A data reception apparatus is disclosed. The data reception apparatus includes a strobe extractor for receiving a transmission signal and extracting a strobe signal from the transmission signal, the transmission signal including the strobe signal inserted between data signals and a clock signal following the strobe signal, the strobe signal having a different magnitude from a magnitude of a data signal, and the clock signal having an equal magnitude to the magnitude of the data signal, a clock recoverer for recovering the clock signal from the transmission signal, using the extracted strobe signal, and a sampler for sampling the data signals included in the transmission signal in response to the recovered clock signal. The probability of generating a timing skew error in the time interval between a clock signal and a data signal is minimized. Even though the level of a common component might change, the clock signal can be recovered accurately and the size of the clock recovery circuit can be reduced. Further, the data reception apparatus is suitable for transmitting/receiving data at a high transmission rate, and is robust against noise generated during transmission of the data signal and the clock signal, or against noise generated along a common path. |
| US08156364B2 |
Synchronized parallel processing of rows of data with dependencies by determining start time for processors
A method (which can be computer implemented) for processing a plurality of adjacent rows of data units, using a plurality of parallel processors, given (i) a predetermined processing order, and (ii) a specified inter-row dependency structure, includes the steps of determining starting times for each individual one of the processors, and maintaining synchronization across the processors, while ensuring that the dependency structure is not violated. Not all the starting times are the same, and a sum of absolute differences between (i) starting times of any given processor, and (ii) that one of the processors having an earliest starting time, is minimized. |
| US08156363B2 |
Information processing device and mobile phone including comparison of power consumption information and remaining power
An information processing device and a mobile terminal include a power consumption calculator which calculates, for each processing executed by the information processing device (or mobile terminal), power consumption information concerning an amount of power consumed by executing each processing. A request generator compares the amount of power indicated by the power consumption information and a remaining amount of power of the information processing device(or mobile terminal), and generates a request to execute predetermined processing according to a result of the comparison. A request processor executes the predetermined processing in response to the generated request. |
| US08156356B2 |
Dynamic power management for internal information handling system links
In some embodiments, a method for automatically and dynamically controlling the power states of physical layer links (PHYs) in a modular information handling system is provided. A chassis manager automatically determines a status of at least one of the chassis manager and a managed chassis module of a modular information handling system. The chassis manager automatically identifies a PHY power down condition based at least on the determined status of at least one of the chassis manager and the managed chassis module, and in response to identifying the power down condition, the chassis manager powers down one or more management link PHYs associated with a management link between the chassis manager and the managed chassis module. |
| US08156353B2 |
Techniques for communications power management based on system states
Techniques for communications based power management based on system states are described. An apparatus may comprise a communications sub-system having a control policy module, a controller and a first transceiver capable of operating at different communications rates. The control policy module may be operative to receive computing power state information and communications state information, determine a communications rate parameter for the first transceiver based on the computing power state information and the communications state information, and instruct the controller to modify a communications rate for the first transceiver based on the communications rate parameter. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08156351B2 |
Dynamic core swapping
An embodiment of the present invention is a technique to dynamically swap processor cores. A first core has a first instruction set. The first core executes a program at a first performance level. The first core stops executing the program when a triggering event occurs. A second core has a second instruction set compatible with the first instruction set and has a second performance level different than the first performance level. The second core is in a power down state when the first core is executing the program. A circuit powers up the second core after the first core stops executing the program such that the second core continues executing the program at the second performance level. |
| US08156349B2 |
Electronic device and interface system
An electronic device, comprising a USB connector through which another electronic device is connected to the electronic device; and a power supply circuit that supplies power from a power source to the other electronic device via a specified pin other than a power supply pin of the USB connector. |
| US08156344B2 |
Method and apparatus for backing up and restoring domain information
A method of backing up domain information relating to the construction of a domain is provided. In the method, the domain information is encrypted and the encrypted domain information is stored in a predetermined storage device in the domain the encrypted domain information to the predetermined storage device, thereby securely backing up the domain information without the help of an external network. Accordingly, even when the existing domain server malfunctions, a new domain server is capable of obtaining the domain information. |
| US08156343B2 |
Accessing private data about the state of a data processing machine from storage that is publicly accessible
According to an embodiment of the invention, a method for operating a data processing machine is described in which data about a state of the machine is written to a location in storage. The location is one that is accessible to software that may be written for the machine. The state data as written is encoded. This state data may be recovered from the storage according to a decoding process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08156341B2 |
Pattern recognition method and apparatus for data protection
Provided a secure pattern recognition method. The method includes: receiving data and generating a probe by converting the received data into a template for pattern recognition; accessing a gallery that is a template registered and stored in advance; determining a region to which the probe belongs and obtaining the center point of the region; obtaining a hash value of the center point and coordinate of the probe; and determining whether or not the hash value of the center point and a hash value stored in the gallery are equal and determining whether or not the probe and the gallery are classified into the same class by calculating whether or not the coordinate of the probe is inside a decision boundary configured with thresholds on the basis of the coordinates of the center point. |
| US08156339B2 |
Method for transmission/reception of contents usage right information in encrypted form, and device thereof
A license-data transmitter (in a case of recording, a recording device 100 serves as a license-data transmitter, and in a case of readout, a storage device 200 serves as a license-data transmitter) verifies a certificate C[KPdx] (the license-data receiver and the license-data transmitter will be represented by “x” and “y”, respectively) of a license-data receiver (in a case of recording, a storage device 200 serves as a license-data receiver, and in a case of readout, a reproducing device 300 serves as a license-data receiver), following which the license-data transmitter transmits a certificate C[KPdy] thereof to the license-data receiver in the form of challenge information E(KPdx, Kcy)//C[KPdy]. Then, the license-data receiver verifies the certificate C[KPdy] of the license-data transmitter. Only in a case that the license-data transmitter device has been authorized, the license-data receiver transmits the session information E(Kcy, E(KPdy, Ksx)//KPpx) to the license-data transmitter in response to the challenge information. The license-data transmitter provides the license data to the license-data receiver using the key Ksx and KPpx thus received. |
| US08156338B1 |
Systems and methods for strong authentication of electronic transactions
A token value is generated for a user to submit to an authentication service of an electronic system. The token value represents that the user is in possession of an electronic item known to the authentication service, where the electronic item is capable of two-way communications with the authentication service and has thereon an authenticator application transmitted from the authentication service to the electronic item. The authenticator application obtains a current time value from a clock of the electronic item or an authentication value from the authentication service, retrieves predetermined indicia of the electronic item from a location thereon, and combines the obtained value and the retrieved indicia of the electronic item to generate the token value. The authentication service essentially performs the same steps based on information already available at such authentication service to generate a verification token value, and compares the submitted token value to the verification token value. |
| US08156334B2 |
Public key out-of-band transfer for mutual authentication
Methods for key exchange and mutual authentication are provided that allow for inherent authentication and secret key derivation of parties communicating through an unsecured medium. These methods allow for greater security than existing key exchange and authentication methods while requiring little or no additional energy or time compared with a basic Diffie-Hellman key exchange. These methods allow for secure communication with small, low-power devices and greater security for any devices communicating through an unsecured medium. |
| US08156328B1 |
Encryption method and device
A method and a device are disclosed for the low-cost implementation even of high-performance encryption functions in an encryptor. The encryptor may be composed merely of PC software or the like, or of any other terminal/information system with integrated Vernam cipher which does not need to be supported by expensive crypto-hardware for the actual encryption process. The crypto-hardware is made either of a chipcard or a multifunctional PC interface adapter (e.g., PCMCIA module) with built-in special crypto-hardware. The encryptor, on the other hand, is a conventional personal computer, software or another terminal which, however, with the exception of the very simple Vernam cipher (e.g., EXOR), needs no further crypto-technology even for broad-band applications in software. The external crypto-modules contain all the complex crypto-functions which generate the Vernam key in reserve, the reserves being temporarily stored in an intermediate storage until they are gradually used up by the encryption process through logic operations of the method. The storage may be installed either in the PC or terminal, or also in the crypto-module. The encryptor always operates with the same Vernam cipher, even if the external crypto- or PCMCIA modules use different symmetrical and asymmetrical ciphers. External crypto-modules in the form of chipcards or PCMCIA modules are inexpensive to manufacture. All the complex crypto-functions are located outside of the encryptor. They are interchangeable by module and can be implemented in the proposed low-cost and somewhat lower-speed external crypto-modules. |
| US08156327B2 |
Revocation of cryptographic digital certificates
A distributed certificate authority includes a CA and a number of Sub-CAs (2610). The Sub-CAs have secret certificate validation data, but different data are provided to different Sub-CAs for each certificate. If a Sub-CA is compromised, the Sub-CA validity proof will be withheld by the CA to alert the verifiers not to use the data from this Sub-CA. Also, the secret data are encrypted when distributed to the Sub-CAs. A decryption key (DK.j.k) for each “partition” of time is distributed to each Sub-CA at or shortly before the start of the partition. A compromised Sub-CA can be reactivated at the end of the partition because the adversary does not get the decryption keys for the future partitions. |
| US08156316B2 |
Electronic device having an alterable configuration and methods of manufacturing and configuring the same
An electronic device having an alterable configuration includes a non-volatile memory configurable to include at least a first partition and a second partition, the non-volatile memory storing a boot ROM. The boot ROM is operable when executed by a processor of said electronic device to, in the event that a third partition is available, boot an operating system in the third partition, the operating system operable when booted to cause the third partition to be deleted and the second partition to be expanded to encompass memory freed by the deletion; and otherwise boot an operating system in the first partition. |
| US08156314B2 |
Incremental state updates
A system and method are described that manage incremental state updates in such a way that multiple threads within a processor can each operate, in effect, on their own set of state data. The system and method are applicable to any processor in which multiple threads require access to sets of state information which differ from one another by a relatively small number of state changes. |
| US08156313B2 |
Chained operation of functional units in integrated circuit by writing DONE/complete value and by reading as GO/start value from same memory location
In an embodiment, the present invention discloses a flexible and reconfigurable architecture with efficient memory data management, together with efficient data transfer and relieving data transfer congestion in an integrated circuit. In an embodiment, the output of a first functional component is stored to an input memory of a next functional component. Thus when the first functional component completes its processing, its output is ready to be accessed as input to the next functional component. In an embodiment, the memory device further comprises a partition mechanism for simultaneously accepting output writing from the first functional component and accepting input reading from the second functional component. In another embodiment, the present integrated circuit comprises at least two functional components and at least two memory devices, together with a controller for switching the connections between the functional components and the memory devices. The controller can comprise a multiplexer or a switching matrix. |
| US08156310B2 |
Method and apparatus for data stream alignment support
One embodiment of the present method and apparatus for data stream alignment support includes retrieving a first input from a first register file, retrieving a second input from a second register file, the second register file being dedicated to a stream shift unit and performing the stream shift instruction in accordance with the first input, the second input and a third input. |
| US08156309B2 |
Translation look-aside buffer with variable page sizes
Multiple pipelined Translation Look-aside Buffer (TLB) units are configured to compare a translation address with associated TLB entries. The TLB units operated in serial order comparing the translation address with associated TLB entries until an identified one of the TLB units produces a hit. The TLB units following the TLB unit producing the hit might be disabled. |
| US08156304B2 |
Dynamic data storage repartitioning
Embodiments of the present invention enable dynamic repartitioning of data storage in response to one or more triggers. In embodiments, a trigger may be a user-initiated action, a system-generated action, and/or an inference based on storage usage parameters. Applications of the present invention are its use in embodiments of a storage management system comprising a file system manager and a volume manager, where the placement of data into a partition (data storage region) may be specified by matching one or more disk region placement data attributes assigned to data with corresponding disk region attributes. In embodiments, dynamic repartitioning comprises adjustment of the location of the boundary between adjacent disk partitions and, if necessary, rebalancing of the data stored within the partitions by identifying mismatched data and relocating it to the partition with which it is associated. |
| US08156302B2 |
Integrating data from symmetric and asymmetric memory
Data stored within symmetric and asymmetric memory components of main memory is integrated by identifying a first data as having access characteristics suitable for storing in an asymmetric memory component. The first data is included among a collection of data to be written to the asymmetric memory component. An amount of data is identified within the collection of data to be written to the asymmetric memory component. The amount of data is compared within the collection of data to a volume threshold to determine whether a block write to the asymmetric memory component is justified by the amount of data. If justified, the collection of data is loaded to the asymmetric memory component. |
| US08156298B1 |
Virtualization-based security apparatuses, methods, and systems
Apparatuses, devices, and methods for protecting content on a computer are disclosed that employ a novel hypervisor configured to segregate, or partition, hardware resources or portions thereof into protected and unprotected areas and devices. The partitioning, effectively hides protected hardware resources, such as the BIOS device, etc., from operating systems running on the computer. The hypervisor controls access resources into the protected area and limits the manner in which the operating systems on the computer can access the protected resources and content. The hypervisor can be configured to physically partition entire hardware resource or to employ virtualization technology to partition hardware resources, such as memory devices, into protected and unprotected areas that are virtually partitioned. The hypervisor of the present invention provides a new concept in employing anti-forensic techniques to bring about a protection mechanism that prevents unauthorized users including remote attackers who have obtained administrative access from accessing, reverse engineering, or otherwise exposing content protected. The content can generally be anything that can be maintained in a computer including data, algorithms, code, information and processes in general, etc., such as personal, sensitive, confidential and proprietary information and algorithms, and cryptographic keys. |
| US08156297B2 |
Smart device recordation
Valuable information can be retained upon a storage device, such as a flash memory unit. Due to the portable nature of the memory, there can be increased likelihood of theft, less back up of important files not a reliable medium, legal physical transfer of the device between parties, and the like. When an operation is requested to take place related to the device, a check can take place if the operation should be allowed based upon device metadata, such as physical location of the device, device history, and so forth. A determination can be made on if the operation should automatically occur based upon a result of the check. If it is determination that the operation should not automatically occur, then the operation can be denied or a request can be made to an owner of the device on if the operation should be allowed to occur. |
| US08156295B2 |
Four-slot asynchronous communication mechanism with decreased latency
System and method for a four-slot asynchronous communication mechanism with decreased latency. The system may include a host system and a client device. The host may comprise a data structure with four (two pairs of) slots. The client may comprise first information indicating a status of write operations to the data structure on the host and second information usable to determine a slot that should be written to. If the first information indicates that the second information is accurate, the client may determine which slot in the data structure should be written to based on information stored only on the client device. The determined slot may be the slot that has not been written to more recently of the pair of slots that has not been read from most recently. The client may write data to the determined slot. The client may update at least a portion of the information stored on the client device to reflect the write of data to the determined slot. |
| US08156294B2 |
Apparatus and method for controlling storage buffers
Disclosed herein is a memory control apparatus including: a plurality of buffers configured to store data; a plurality of input ports configured to input the data to be written into the buffers; a plurality of output ports configured to output the data read from the buffers; a write control circuit configured to write the data inputted via each of the input ports into an unused one of the buffers; and a read control circuit configured to read the data written into the unused buffer, and supply the read data to a particular one of the output ports corresponding to a destination of the data. |
| US08156292B2 |
Methods for implementation of data formats on a removable disk drive storage system
An archiving system including one or more removable disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges, referred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drives allow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving system need not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. In embodiments, the removable disk drives store metadata that contain information about the data stored on the removable disk drive. The metadata allows the system to retrieve the correct data from the random access memory and establishes controls on the data stored on the removable disk drive. In embodiments, the metadata is stored in two locations, such that, if the metadata in one location is corrupted, the second copy of the metadata may be retrieved. |
| US08156291B2 |
Memory register encoding systems and methods
Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to encode register bits to generate encoded bits such that, for pairs of addresses, an encoded bit to be coupled to a first address in a memory device may be exchanged with an encoded bit to be coupled to a second address in the memory device. Apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed that operate to invert encoded bits in logic circuits in the memory device if original bits were inverted. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed. |
| US08156290B1 |
Just-in-time continuous segment cleaning
Just-in-time segment cleaning obtains the location of blocks of a storage system predicted to be targeted by a future write operation and cleans the blocks targeted for the future write operation prior to the occurrence of the future write operation. In one aspect, just-in-time segment cleaning is performed in proportion to previous user-initiated write operations. In another aspect, just-in-time segment cleaning applies a cost analysis determination to minimize the work of cleaning. |
| US08156286B2 |
Processor and method for using an instruction hint to prevent hardware prefetch from using certain memory accesses in prefetch calculations
A microprocessor includes a cache memory, a prefetch unit, and detection logic. The prefetch unit may be configured to monitor memory accesses that miss in the cache and to determine whether to prefetch one or more blocks of memory from a system memory based upon previous memory accesses. The prefetch unit may be further configured to use addresses of the memory accesses that miss to calculate each next memory block to prefetch. The detection logic may be configured to provide a notification to the prefetch unit in response to detecting a memory access instruction including a particular hint. In response to receiving the notification, the prefetch unit may be configured to inhibit using an address associated with the memory access instruction including the particular hint, when calculating subsequent memory blocks to prefetch. |
| US08156281B1 |
Data storage system and method using storage profiles to define and modify storage pools
A method and system for allocating storage in a data storage system using one or more storage profiles. A set of storage profiles are provided that each has a set of parameters with values defined for the data storage system and for particular client applications. The method includes receiving a selection of one of the storage profiles, such as from an administrative user interface generated by a storage manager running in conjunction with the data storage system. The selected storage profile is then applied to the data storage system to allocate a portion of the data storage system to a storage pool which is defined by the values of the set of parameters in the selected storage profile. The method includes creating a user-defined storage profile by copying parameters from one of the provided storage profiles and allowing a user to modify or accept the parameters. |
| US08156272B2 |
Multiple communication channels on MMC or SD CMD line
The claimed subject matter can provide an architecture that interfaces a single slave device such as a UICC smartcard with multiple host controllers. For example, a secondary host can be interfaced between a primary host (e.g. a controller in a cellular phone, a PDA, an MP3 player . . . ) to manage all transactions with the slave device. The secondary host can operate transparently to the primary host and thus does not require any modifications to the primary host. This can be accomplished, e.g. by employing the CMD channel (which is relatively sparsely used by the primary host) to communicate both commands and data with the slave. Moreover, the transactions initiated by the secondary host can be segmented into many smaller fragments and interleaved between transactions initiated by the primary host. In addition, the secondary host can temporarily take on the role of the slave device and affect direct communication with the primary host. |
| US08156270B2 |
Dual port serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) disk drive
An embodiment of the present invention is disclosed to include a hard disk drive allowing for access by two hosts to a device. Further disclosed are embodiments for reducing the delay and complexity of the SATA disk drive. |
| US08156269B2 |
Reference distribution bus
A system that includes a multiplexer having an output selectively coupled to a plurality of inputs, a bus coupled to the output of the multiplexer, and first and second circuits configured to generate first and second digital signals, respectively. The first digital signal is related to a rotational angle of a crankshaft at a first point in time, and the second digital signal is related to a value of parameter at the first point in time, wherein the parameter is one other than the rotational angle of the crankshaft. The first and second circuits are coupled directly or indirectly to first and second inputs of the multiplexer. |
| US08156267B2 |
Switching apparatus and displaying system
The present invention provides a switching apparatus, which includes at least one first USB hub, one second USB hub and a controller. The first USB hub includes at least one first USB port for connecting N image input apparatus respectively; N is a positive integer. The second USB hub includes at least one second USB port for connecting M peripheral apparatus respectively; M is a positive integer. The controller is connected to the first USB hub and the second USB hub, for selecting at least one target image input apparatus from the N image input apparatus, and controlling the at least one target image input apparatus to communicate with at least one of the peripheral apparatuses. |
| US08156266B2 |
Consumer electronics control (CEC) line enhancement method for HDMI network that selects a transfer rate from a plurality of transfer rates
A method for determining transfer rate comprising selecting a first transfer rate of a plurality of transfer rates, transmitting a message at the first transfer rate over a Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) line of a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) network, determining whether an acknowledgment to the message having been transmitted at the first transfer rate is received, storing, in the event the acknowledgment to the message having been transmitted at the first transfer rate is received, the first transfer rate and storing, in the event no acknowledgment is received, a default transfer rate of the plurality of transfer rates. |
| US08156263B2 |
Information processing apparatus and storage device control method
An information processing apparatus includes: a processor configured to run an operating system; a plurality of storage devices connected to the processor; a detection module configured to detect a boot process for installing the operating system; a determination module configured to acquire device information from each of the storage devices and determine priority rank of the storage devices based on the device information when the detection module detects the boot process being originated from a device other than the storage devices; and a control module configured to install the operating system in a target storage device that is selected from among the storage devices, the target storage device having the highest priority rank determined by the determination module. |
| US08156261B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing data transfer control
A variety of advantageous mechanisms for improved data transfer control within a data processing system are described. A DMA controller is described which is implemented as a multiprocessing transfer engine supporting multiple transfer controllers which may work independently or in cooperation to carry out data transfers, with each transfer controller acting as an autonomous processor, fetching and dispatching DMA instructions to multiple execution units. In particular, mechanisms for initiating and controlling the sequence of data transfers are provided, as are processes for autonomously fetching DMA instructions which are decoded sequentially but executed in parallel. Dual transfer execution units within each transfer controller, together with independent transfer counters, are employed to allow decoupling of source and destination address generation and to allow multiple transfer instructions in one transfer execution unit to operate in parallel with a single transfer instruction in the other transfer unit. Improved flow control of data between a source and destination is provided through the use of special semaphore operations, signals and message synchronization which may be invoked explicitly using SIGNAL and WAIT type instructions or implicitly through the use of special “event-action” registers. Transfer controllers are also described which can cooperate to perform “DMA-to-DMA” transfers. Message-level synchronization can be used by transfer controllers to synchronize with each other. |
| US08156259B2 |
Memory data transfer method and system
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing a DMA process. Accordingly, a DMA process is initiated for moving data from contiguous first locations to contiguous second locations and to a third location or third locations. Within the DMA process the data from each of the contiguous first locations is retrieved and stored in a corresponding one of the contiguous second locations and in the third location or corresponding one of the third locations. The DMA process is performed absent retrieving the same data a second other time prior to storing of same within the corresponding one of the contiguous second locations and in the third location or corresponding one of the third locations. |
| US08156256B2 |
Method for managing logical address and device thereof
An address management method and a device thereof are provided. The address management method includes determining by a device whether all logical addresses corresponding to a type of the device are currently being used by external devices; setting by the device a non-use logical address as a logical address of the device, if it is determined that one of the logical addresses is currently not in use; and setting by the device a predetermined logical address as a logical address of the device, if it is determined that all the logical addresses are currently being used. Therefore, logical addresses may be allocated to a device even if all logical addresses corresponding the type of the device are currently being used. |
| US08156249B2 |
Using server type to obtain network address
In aspects, a gateway that sits between a single network protocol client and a server receives a request from the client for a network address of the server. The gateway issues multiple name resolution requests and waits for a first response. Depending on various factors, the gateway determines whether or not to wait for additional responses before responding to the client. If needed, the gateway may obtain an address of a translating device to assist the client in communicating with the server. |
| US08156248B2 |
Image distribution for dynamic server pages
Methods, systems, and products for distributing images in a data processing system, including receiving a request for a dynamic server page having a multiplicity of associated images, each image having a storage location identified in the dynamic server page by an image resource locator; inserting in the dynamic server page an image group identifier for the images; and inserting in the dynamic server page client data names for the images. Typical embodiments also include receiving from the client a request for a group of images, wherein the request comprises the image group identifier; retrieving from storage the images identified by the image group identifier; and sending the retrieved images to the client. |
| US08156246B2 |
Systems and methods for providing content and services on a network system
Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include location-based determination of network content and services that may be provided to client computers. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for redirecting client computers to different network content. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications. |
| US08156244B2 |
Software client control of digital picture frames
In one embodiment, a method can include: determining a topology of digital picture frames in a frame network; identifying a lead picture frame from among the digital picture frames; sending the digital picture frame topology to a client coupled to the lead picture frame; receiving in the lead picture frame and from the client, media content for display on a destination digital picture frame in the frame network; and routing the received media content to the destination digital picture frame using router functionality in at least one of the plurality of digital picture frames. |
| US08156243B2 |
Request routing
A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing. A client request processing a resource identifier for requested content transmits a first DNS query to a content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat with the content delivery network service provider's network until a DNS server resolves a DNS query from the client computing device. |
| US08156236B2 |
Audio-video data switching and viewing system
A computer system and method providing for viewing and switching of audio-video data. The system comprises: a plurality of audio/video sources containing information referring to an event; a streaming server, streaming the contents of a first audio signal and a first video signal from the audio and video sources to a user; a feed distributor controllably feeding the first audio signal and first video signal to the streaming server; and a user-operated control unit communicating with the feed distributor and controlling operation of the feed distributor, so as to instruct the feed distributor to switch between audio or video. Switching between audio signals occurs without altering the video signals and switching between video signals occurs without altering the audio signals. |
| US08156228B1 |
Method and apparatus to enable confidential browser referrals
A method of facilitating a blind referral comprising producing a referral communication for referring a client computer from a connection with a first server to a second server, wherein the referral communication comprises first server information defining a location of the first server, generating a placeholder for the first server information in the referral communication, and replacing the first server information with the placeholder in communications with the second server during the referral communication. |
| US08156227B2 |
System and method for managing multiple domain names for a website in a website indexing system
When a website has a number of equivalent domain names including a preferred domain name, the locator for a document in the website can be rewritten using the preferred domain name before indexing the document, according to certain embodiments. According to certain embodiments, a user interface is provided to allow a user to specify the preferred domain name for a website for which the user is a verified owner. |
| US08156226B2 |
Ordering provisioning request execution based on service level agreement and customer entitlement
A solution provided here comprises receiving requests for a service from a plurality of customers, responding to the requests for a service, utilizing a shared infrastructure, and configuring the shared infrastructure, based on stored customer information. Another example of such a solution comprises: analyzing at least one provisioning request; assigning a priority to the provisioning request, based on performance data and stored customer information; configuring a shared infrastructure, according to the provisioning request and the priority; and responding to requests for services, utilizing the shared infrastructure. |
| US08156217B2 |
Dynamically balancing load for servers
Dynamically balancing load for servers. Servers that are able to respond to requests directed at the system are monitored for. After discovery of a server, a performance metric is obtained for the discovered server. The performance metric for the discovered server is stored in a table. When a request is received, the request is routed to a selected server in the system of servers based on the performance metric, wherein the system of servers comprises the discovered servers. |
| US08156215B2 |
System and method for device management
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method of device management. In one embodiment of the present invention, a management device can receive device management data from devices on a network in a variety of device management protocols and map the device management data to a protocol used by a device management client. Because the management device can provide device management data in a format usable by the device management client, regardless of which protocol was originally used to generate the device management data, the device management client can turn to the management device to gather all or a portion the device management data from heterogeneous devices on a network. |
| US08156212B2 |
Method, system and apparatus for managing computer processes
Methods, systems and apparatuses for managing computer processes in a computing environment may be described. An exemplary method may include the defining of a plurality of computer processes; the defining of a sequence that dictates the starting and stopping of the plurality of computer processes; the Defining of any process dependencies for the plurality of computer processes; the defining of a first networked environment where the plurality of computer processes run; the determining of an action to take following a system event; and the executing of the action. |
| US08156209B1 |
Aggregation devices processing keep-alive messages of point-to-point sessions
Several keep-alive messages of point to point (PPP) sessions received from a remote system are aggregated into a single packet in an aggregation device (e.g., network access server). The aggregated packet is sent to a peer aggregation device (e.g., home gateway) at the other end of the PPP session. The peer aggregation device may send the status of the sessions in a single packet. As a result, the data traffic on a communication backbone due to keep-alive status checks may be reduced. Without waiting for the peer aggregation device to provide the status information, a proxy reply may be generated from the aggregation device. |
| US08156207B2 |
Method and apparatus for remotely configuring network devices
A preferred embodiment apparatus for configuring network devices in a network includes a controller provided at a remote location on the network for receiving a configuration request from a user to configure a select user defined device. The controller translates the configuration request to another configuration request, and issues the translated configuration request to a select network device corresponding to the select user defined device for configuring the select network device. A translation enabling part allows the controller to translate the first configuration request received from the user to the second configuration request issued to the select network device. |
| US08156202B2 |
Method and system for sharing data between radiology information systems
The present invention relates to a method and a system for sharing and exchanging event data between at least two 5 radiology information systems. An event in any of the radiology information systems triggers a send and receive server to convert the event data from the radiology information system that has sent out the trigger signal. The send and receive server than then packages the converted 10 data and sends the converted and packed data from the send and receive server to a central server. The central server tags the received data and stores the received data at a central storage unit connected to the central server. Finally, the central server sends the stored data back to 15 any of the radiology information systems via the send and receive server at the request by any of the radiology information systems and if the stored data comprises images exchange the exciting meta-data with meta-data generated by the send and receive server (8) of the receiving radiology 20 information system (2). |
| US08156198B2 |
Live custom media play lists
List processing functionality (LPF) is described for creating a play list that defines an order in which video media programs are to be presented. Different techniques are described for creating the play list, including various manual techniques and various automatic (or semi-automatic) techniques. |
| US08156197B1 |
Systems and methods for accessing and controlling media stored remotely
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a server that stores a set of media files. The server is configured to send an authentication code to a first communication device in response to a request from the first communication device to access the set of media files such that the first communication device can present the authentication code to a user. The server is configured to associate an identifier of a second communication device with the first communication device such that a user of the second communication device can authorize access to the set of media files from the first communication device by sending the authentication code to the server using the second communication device. |
| US08156194B2 |
Signaling gateway
A signaling gateway for passing messages from a first network to an application server process provided on a second network, the messages comprising a transaction identifier, the signaling gateway being operable to receive a message and read the transaction identifier, identify the application server process from a part of the transaction identifier and forward the message to the application server process. |
| US08156190B2 |
Generating PKI email accounts on a web-based email system
The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing an Email User to create a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Email Account and thereafter to digitally sign, send, verify and receive PKI encrypted emails over a computer network, such as the Internet. The systems and methods preferably include a Web-based Email System and a Certificate Authority that coordinate their actions to make the process of creating, maintaining and using the PKI Account as easy as possible for the Email User. In a preferred embodiment, a Keystore System may also be used to enhance the management and use of digital keypairs. |
| US08156187B2 |
Searching for electronic mail (email) messages with attachments at a wireless communication device
A set of email messages is received at a wireless communication device. Each of the email messages has at least one attachment. For each attachment, an indicator of whether any content of the attachment has been presented at the wireless communication device (e.g. displayed on a display or played on a speaker) is maintained. A subset of the set of email messages is identified and displayed on the basis of the indicators and a user-specified parameter, which may be specified via a graphical user interface. Alternatively, a subset of the set of email messages is identified, wherein each email message of the subset has at least one attachment whose content is presentable at the device. |
| US08156184B2 |
Dialog server for handling conversation in virtual space method and computer program for having conversation in virtual space
A dialog server which provides dialogs made by at least one user through their respective avatars in a virtual space. A method and a computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the steps of the method are also provided. The dialog server includes: a position storage unit which stores positional information on the avatars; an utterance receiver which receives at least one utterance of avatars and utterance strength representing an importance or attention level of the utterance; an interest level calculator which calculates interest levels between avatars based on their positional information; a message processor which generates a message based on the utterance in accordance with a value calculated from the interest levels and the utterance strength; and a message transmitter which transmits the message to the avatars. |
| US08156182B2 |
System and method for inter-platform communications blocking
A system and method for preventing unwanted communications. A communication is received from a sending party. Input indicating the communication is to be filtered is received. Filtering information is extracted from the communication. The filtering information is distributed to multiple telecommunications platforms. The communication and future communications are blocked across the multiple telecommunications platforms utilizing the filtering information. |
| US08156180B2 |
Tools for redirecting to a book website
Systems and methods of the present invention provide for redirecting a user to a book's website after submitting a request for information about the book. The book's website or a link to the website may be displayed to the user on a client browser. |
| US08156176B2 |
Browser based multi-clip video editing
Embodiments of the present invention provide a manipulation facility within a browser environment. Without limitation, the clip may be a video clip. An editing tool may be adapted to associate a first and second clip in association with the manipulation facility. |
| US08156172B2 |
Monitoring and reporting enterprise data using a message-based data exchange
Systems and techniques for monitoring and reporting enterprise data by using a message-based data exchange. In one general aspect, the invention features a computer-implemented method that includes receiving at a message hub one or more messages from one or more sources. A message includes enterprise data. The method includes selecting a message from among the one or more messages, using an extractor implemented at the message hub to extract enterprise data from the selected message, and obtaining information regarding message traffic through the message hub. The method includes selecting a destination and sending to the destination the extracted enterprise data and information regarding message traffic. |
| US08156171B1 |
Digital logic circuit
In one aspect, there is provided a digital logic circuit that comprises circuitry for generating a new iteration xn+1 of the reciprocal square root of A from the previous iteration xn by (i) multiplying the previous iteration xn by the number A; (ii) multiplying the result of (i) by the previous iteration xn; (iii) subtracting the result of (ii) from 3; and (iv) multiplying the result of (iii) by half of the previous iteration xn. According to another aspect there is provided a calculator unit for determining an initial value for use in a iterative process for calculating an estimate of the reciprocal square root of a number A, the calculator unit comprising circuitry for (a) rounding the number A to the nearest number of the form 2J, where J is an integer; (b) if J is odd, rounding J up to the nearest even number to give J′; (c) if J is even, setting J to J′; and (d) calculating 2−(J′/2) to determine the initial value for the reciprocal square root of A. |
| US08156170B2 |
Increased precision in the computation of a reciprocal square root
A method and arrangements for increased precision in the computation of a reciprocal square root is disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to achieve fifty three (53) bits of precision in less processing time than previously possible. |
| US08156169B2 |
Signal processing method and signal processing circuit
A signal processing method includes a first step of calculating a value indicating a value obtained by multiplying a ratio of the number of times of inputting the input signal having any one of values from p to m, where m is a maximum value of values of input signal which are subject to said signal processing and p is a value smaller than m and not a minimum value of the input signal, within a predetermined period to the number of times of inputting the input signal within the predetermined period, by the variable range of the converted value; and a second step of subtracting the calculated value from a maximum value within the variable range of the converted value or a value near the maximum value, wherein the input signal is converted according to the conversion characteristic specified based on a value obtained by subtraction. |
| US08156167B2 |
Analog pseudo random bit sequence generator
A Pseudo Random Bit Sequence (PRBS) generator is provided with components to enable operation at very high microwave frequencies with inexpensive components. The PRBS generator initially replaces the D flip-flops of a conventional PRBS generator with delay lines connected in a similar manner. Further, an exclusive OR (EXOR) gate used in a conventional device is replaced in one embodiment by a mixer and amplifier. In another embodiment, the EXOR gate is replaced by a Gilbert Cell. In some embodiments, complementary outputs of an EXOR gate are connected to separate delay lines to reduce components needed for the PRBS generator. |
| US08156166B2 |
Method and apparatus for selecting a doctor based on an observed experience level
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that facilitates the selection of a doctor for a user. The system provides a list of doctors to the user based on an observed experience level of the listed doctors with a condition or a procedure. During operation, the system receives from a user a selection criteria for selecting of a doctor. The system also receives from the user a medical profile for the user. Next, the system receives from a third-party a plurality of doctors' profiles. Then, the system ranks the plurality of doctors' profiles into a ranked list based on the selection criteria and conditions within the medical profile. Finally, the system sends the ranked list to the user. |
| US08156164B2 |
Concurrent directory update in a cluster file system
A method for avoiding directory conflicts across a file system having multiple nodes with one node representing a token manager. For each directory, at least one metanode responsible for directory updates. The method involving obtaining a name-based lock on a filename. Querying the token manager for a lock token. If a new token is obtained, sending a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) to the metanode to obtain matching directory entries, and caching the result of the RPC so that subsequent operations on that filename can be satisfied without additional messages sent to the metanode. Updating a cached directory block in memory by creating a new directory entry in the block or deleting an existing directory entry from the block. Information regarding the updating is sent to the metanode on one of: periodic schedule, a subsequent synchronization event, or when the name-based lock token is revoked. |
| US08156159B2 |
Data masking and unmasking of sensitive data
A server is configured to receive an input file or table that includes a number of data elements, where the data elements include some sensitive data elements of different types; identify each of the different types of sensitive data elements; identify a subset of the sensitive data elements that corresponds to each of the different types of sensitive data elements; simultaneously perform data masking operations on the sensitive data elements to create masked sensitive data elements, where a separate one of the data masking operations is performed on each of the subsets of the sensitive data elements; generate an output file or table that includes the data elements from the input file or table, where the sensitive data elements, of the input file or table, are replaced with the masked sensitive data elements; and output or store the output file or table. |
| US08156158B2 |
Method and system for use of a database of personal data records
A system and method are presented for managing and using (e.g. for commercial or medical use) of a database. A verified database of a plurality of identified individuals is provided. The verified database comprises a plurality of individual-identifier data sets (IDSs) and relationship data. The verified database is processed in accordance with one or more parameters or conditions selected in accordance with at least one medical application, and a sub-group database is created including data records of the individuals from the verified database having said one or more selected parameters or conditions. This allows collection of data comprising the one or more selected parameters or conditions and delivery of at least part of the collected data to one or more users, and enables applying data from the verified database to provide personalized medicine service to at least one of the identified individuals. |
| US08156154B2 |
Techniques to manage a taxonomy system for heterogeneous resource domain
Techniques to manage vocabulary terms for a taxonomy system are described. An apparatus may comprise a managed taxonomy system having a vocabulary management module to manage a taxonomy of formal vocabulary terms organized in a hierarchical structure. The taxonomy may include a category for informal vocabulary terms stored as a list of keywords. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08156150B2 |
Fusion general ledger
A database system combines a general ledger and a multi-dimensional database. The general ledger and multi-dimensional database are mapped such that relationships between the general ledger and multi-dimensional database are characterized with metadata dimensions. Using the mapping, data can be received into the general ledger and stored in both the general ledger and multi-dimensional database substantially simultaneously. Further, a synchronization of the data copies changes to the data automatically from the general ledger to the multi-dimensional database. Thus, there is no manual copying of data between the general ledger and the database. Further, the latency between the general ledger and database is minimal ensuring accurate analysis even contemporaneous with the input of the data. |
| US08156147B1 |
Sharing of instructions across model boundaries
An exemplary embodiment may provide a repository for containing representations that represent a model or a portion of the model. A user may store the representations in the repository, for example, as functions. The functions stored in the repository may be shared and used for processing another model that includes a pattern performing the same or similar function as the representations stored in the repository. A checksum may be compared to determine an equivalent function in the repository. In a different embodiment, the intermediate representation of the pattern may be compared to determine an equivalent function in the repository. |
| US08156145B2 |
Analytic enhancements to model clause in structured query language (SQL)
A method for processing queries is provided. A database server receives and executes a query to generate a relation. The query comprises first one or more clauses and a model clause. The model clause comprises a rule that has a left-side expression and a right-side expression. In one embodiment, the right-side expression of the rule includes a window function, which specifies one or more partition columns. In an embodiment, the left-side expression comprises a for-loop predicate. The for-loop predicate is unfolded after the database server compiles the query. In one embodiment, the left-side expression of the rule comprises one or more existential predicates, where each existential predicate evaluates to a Boolean value. |
| US08156144B2 |
Metadata search interface
A system and method for implementing a metadata search interface is disclosed. The technology creates a configuration file for the metadata search interface comprising a predicate describing a search parameter of the metadata search interface. The configuration file further comprises a control attribute which associates the predicate with a control describing how a display element displayed on the metadata search interface is displayed and a correlation between the display element and the predicate. The technology further comprises generating the metadata search interface in runtime based upon the control. |
| US08156142B2 |
Semantically weighted searching in a governed corpus of terms
A method and system for conducting semantically weighted searches in a governed corpus of terms is provided. A search expression having a plurality of terms for performing a search in the governed corpus of terms is received. The governed corpus of terms comprises a plurality of corpus expressions each comprising a plurality of terms, each term within the governed corpus of terms being associated precisely with a single concept within a lexical database. At least one concept of the lexical database is assigned to each term in the search expression based on a syntactical analysis. A semantic similarity is calculated between pairs of concepts of the search expression and one of the corpus expressions. A total semantic similarity is calculated between the search expression and the one of the corpus expressions by aggregating the semantic similarities of the pairs of concepts based on an order of significance of the terms. |
| US08156141B1 |
Incorporated web page content
Keeping incorporated web page content up to date is disclosed. A web page is associated with a stored object that has been incorporated into the web page, for example an object stored in a repository. The web page is updated automatically based at least in part on an indication that the stored object has been changed. |
| US08156132B1 |
Systems for comparing image fingerprints
Surrogate heuristic identification is described, including a memory configured to store data associated with an image, and a processor configured to select a portion of an image, and the portion is standardized, to identify a characteristic associated with the image, to use the characteristic to generate a data representation, the data representation being used to provide heuristic data, and to process the heuristic data to generate a fingerprint configured to compare against one or more stored fingerprints associated with other images. |
| US08156130B2 |
System and method for collapsing search results
A system and method for collapsing search results. User input is received to perform a search of a communications network. The search results and multiple selection elements are displayed for removing each of the search results. A user selection of a selection element associated with a search result is received. A determination is made of irrelevant results that are similar to the search result. The search results are collapsed to remove the search result and the irrelevant search results. |
| US08156126B2 |
Method for the allocation of data on physical media by a file system that eliminates duplicate data
The present invention is a method for the allocation of data on physical media by a file system that eliminates duplicate data. Efficient searches are employed using a unique algorithm when a compare on hash is used to achieve realtime operation of the file system. The in memory feature of the invention allows the search to be performed in constant time. Also, the on disk representation of search structures enables the present invention to maintain these critical search structures in a highly efficient, self-consistent and resilient manner. |
| US08156123B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing metadata
Methods and apparatuses for processing metadata are described herein. In one embodiment, when a file (e.g., a text, audio, and/or image files) having metadata is received, the metadata and optionally at least a portion of the content of the file are extracted from the file to generate a first set of metadata. An analysis is performed on the extracted metadata and the content to generate a second set of metadata, which may include metadata in addition to the first set of metadata. The second set of metadata may be stored in a database suitable to be searched to identify or locate the file. Other methods and apparatuses are also described. |
| US08156122B2 |
Information reproduction device and method and program
An information processing apparatus that connects with an external apparatus via a network includes a transmitter that transmits a request for page information to the external apparatus. A receiver receives the page information, which includes identification information corresponding to content data and the content data. A memory stores the content data, based on the identification information independently of the page information. An interface outputs the content data along with the page information. A controller detects whether the memory is storing the content data independently of the page information, controls the interface to output the content data stored by the memory without an inquiry via the network when the controller detects that the memory is storing the content data independently of the page information, and controls the receiver to receive the content data from the external apparatus via the network when the content data is not stored in the memory. |
| US08156120B2 |
Information retrieval using user-generated metadata
System, device and method for using user-generated metadata to arrive at a modified search index that emphasizes a relationship between documents selected by a user during a prior search session and salient terms of those documents. An initial search index is modified by adding a synthetic term and a synthetic document to terms and documents that are used to arrive at the elements of the index and by modifying the relevance scores to highlight one or more of the search terms, the synthetic term, and the synthetic document. Synthetic term ties a cluster of related documents together and synthetic document ties terms of these documents together. Synthetic term is not found in any other documents and synthetic document does not belong to any normal corpus of documents. Modified index aids in re-generating prior user choices because it contains artifacts reflecting associations that user perceived between various terms and documents. |
| US08156116B2 |
Dynamic presentation of targeted information in a mixed media reality recognition system
A context-aware targeted information delivery system comprises a mobile device, an MMR matching unit, a plurality of databases for user profiles, user context and advertising information, a plurality of comparison engines and a plurality of weight adjusters. The mobile device is coupled to deliver an image patch to the MMR matching unit which in turn performs recognition to produce recognize text. The recognized text is provided to a first and second comparison engines to produce relevant topics and relevant ads. The relevant topics and relevant ads are adjusted with information from a user context database including information such as location, date, time, and other information from a user profile. The weight adjusted relevant topics and relevant ads to a third comparison engine. The third comparison engine compares the weighted relevant topics and relevant ads to produce a set of final ads that are most related to the topics of interest for the user and delivered for display on to the mobile device. |
| US08156114B2 |
System and method for searching and analyzing media content
Disclosed is a system, method and computer-readable medium related to searching at least one media presentation. The media presentation may be a video such as a movie or television program, an audio presentation such as a song or music, or a printed media such as a book or publication. The method comprises receiving a query associated with words in a media presentation and in response to the query, searching within a database organized as a plurality of indexed segments associated with at least one media presentation, each indexed segment further comprising text and a still image corresponding to an associated portion of the media presentation. A word-based analysis of the media presentation is also presented such as a verbosity histogram to provide context for the retrieved search text. The matching indexed segments are retrieved as a result of the search and presented to the user in such a way as to enable the user to browse or purchase the media presentation. |
| US08156110B1 |
Rescheduling of modification operations for loading data into a database system
A method or apparatus for use with a database system that stores a join view associated with plural base relations includes receiving modification operations to modify at least two of the base relations of the join view, and re-ordering the received modification operations to avoid concurrent execution of modification operations of more than one of at least two base relations. |
| US08156108B2 |
Methods and systems for creation and use of raw-data datastore
A raw-data datastore during data analysis and feature recognition abstracts away and/or reduces dependency upon typically required components of datastore training. The datastore functions to store the original data values of a data set selection, which can represent a known feature. In some embodiments, the original data set is retained as the raw data value set referenced by the raw-data datastore. The use of this raw-data datastore eliminates the need for continued manual retraining of the original data values and patterns, which can be associated with a particular known feature, each time the pluralities of evaluation algorithms and/or the target data area are altered, changed, modified, or reconfigured. |
| US08156107B2 |
System and method for join-partitioning for local computability of query over shared-nothing clusters
The present invention addresses the problem of partitioning database relations across a plurality of hosts in a shared-nothing cluster while minimizing communication costs. A new partitioning approach for database relations—join-partitioning—is introduced that focuses on relations and their dependencies to a priori partition the plurality of relations to the plurality of hosts such that each host can locally compute a large class of queries over its partitioned data in isolation at query time, independent of other hosts in the cluster. Such an approach thus overcomes the primary bottleneck, i.e., the network, in deploying database systems over shared-nothing clusters by allowing them to seamlessly scale linearly to tens of thousands of hosts and manage tens or hundreds of terabytes of data. |
| US08156100B2 |
Methods and apparatus for employing usage statistics in document retrieval
Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide improved organization of documents responsive to a search query. In one embodiment, a search query is received and a list of responsive documents is identified. The responsive documents are organized based in whole or in part on usage statistics. |
| US08156099B2 |
Interpreting local search queries
A search query may be interpreted as a number of possible interpretations, and each interpretation may be explored before the results of the search are sent to a user. In one embodiment, a device may split the search query into partitions. Each of the partitions may be submitted, as a search query, to search repositories. Confidence scores based on the results returned from the repositories may be used to determine a measure of confidence of the repository in the search query interpretation. |
| US08156097B2 |
Two stage search
A two stage model identifies individuals having knowledge in a subject matter area relevant to a query. A relevance model receives a query and identifies documents, or other information, relevant to the query. A co-occurrence model identifies individuals, in the retrieved documents, related to the subject matter of the query. Individuals identified can be scored by combining scores from the relevance model and the co-occurrence model and output in a rank ordered list. |
| US08156092B2 |
Document de-duplication and modification detection
Provided is a system and method for the de-duplication and modification detection of documents collected during document production. The disclosed technology provides a simple, legally defensible, rapid and cost-efficient system for collecting responsive electronic document sets, identifying and eliminating unnecessary documents by comparing a collected document to previously collected documents and copying only information that has not been duplicated. The disclosed technology provides a method for copying the unduplicated information without transmitting or storing the duplicated portions. In addition, the claimed subject matter provides a system for detecting whether or not a document being submitted to a project archive is a modification of a previously submitted document. A document being submitted that represents a modification of a previously submitted document is prevented from being added to the project document archive. |
| US08156091B2 |
Method to retain an inherent and indelible item value in a relational database management system
A data processing apparatus, a data processing method, and a data processing program for use in a data processing system is provided, the system including the data processing apparatus which includes an RDBMS storing information shared among a plurality of organizations and a business application execution apparatus which is employed when either one of the organizations uses the information stored in the RDBMS of the data processing apparatus and which is communicably connected to the data processing apparatus. An inherent item table managed by the data processing apparatus is kept unchanged even if an organization is added. |
| US08156086B2 |
Systems and methods for stored data verification
Methods and systems are described for verifying stored data by receiving a first set of metadata associated with a first set of stored data, generating a second set of metadata associated with a second set of stored data which is associated with the first set of stored data, and comparing the first set of metadata and second set of metadata. Alternatively, the storage system can also generate a first set of metadata associated with a first set of stored data, generate a second set of stored data which is a copy of the first set of stored data, generate a second set of metadata associated with the second set of stored data, and compare the first set of metadata and the second set of metadata. |
| US08156085B2 |
Java object cache server for databases
A cache server is provided in a network for storing Java objects for retrieval by one or multiple application servers. Application server(s) are configured to request an object from the cache server, rather than requesting the Java object directly from a database, so as to reduce processing load on the database and free up database resources. Responsive to a request for a Java object from an application server, e.g., in an HTTP request, the cache server determines if the object is stored in memory and if so, serializes the requested object and sends the serialized object to the requesting server, e.g., in an HTTP response. The requesting server then deserializes the Java object. If the object is not stored in memory, the cache server instantiates the object (typically by requesting the object from the database), serializes the instantiated object and sends it to the requesting server. Cache coherency methods are also provided. |
| US08156083B2 |
Database system that provides for history-enabled tables
Techniques for history enabling a table in a database system so that past versions of rows of the history-enabled table are available for temporal querying. The table is history enabled by adding a start time column to the table and creating a history table for the history-enabled table. The start time field's value in a row of the history-enabled table indicates when the contents of the row last changed. The rows of the history table are copies of rows of the history-enabled table that have been deleted or updated. The rows include end time fields whose values indicate when the row was updated or deleted. A history table's row thus indicates a period in which the history table's row was in the history-enabled table. Temporal queries are performed on a view which is the union of the history-enabled table and the history table. |
| US08156082B2 |
System and methods for temporary data management in shared disk cluster
System and methods for temporary data management in shared disk cluster configurations is described. In one embodiment, a method for managing temporary data storage comprises: creating a global temporary database accessible to all nodes of the cluster on shared storage; creating a local temporary database accessible to only a single node (owner node) of the cluster; providing failure recovery for the global temporary database without providing failure recovery for the local temporary database, so that changes to the global temporary database are transactionally recovered upon failure of a node; binding an application or database login to the local temporary database on the owner node for providing the application with local temporary storage when connected to the owner node; and storing temporary data used by the application or database login in the local temporary database without requiring use of write ahead logging for transactional recovery of the temporary data. |
| US08156080B2 |
Clustered filesystem with data volume snapshot maintenance
A computer system with read/write access to storage devices creates a snapshot of a data volume at a point in time while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume by copying before making changes to the base data volume. Multiple snapshots may be made of the same data volume at different points in time. Only data that is not stored in a previous snapshot volume or in the base data volume are stored in the most recent snapshot volume. |
| US08156075B2 |
Method of automatically replicating data objects between a mobile device and a server
Network operators can control how data replication services use available bandwidth, in order to make the most efficient usage of that bandwidth, using parameters applied to a data object to be replicated. The parameters may be both time dependent and also relate to how urgently that object needs to be replicated. A change log lists all objects at the device and/or server to be replicated and the parameters then comprise a weight associated with each object that defines how urgently that object needs to be replicated; the weight of each object is then locally compared to a threshold at a given time and the outcome of the comparison determines whether the object is sent for replication or not at that time. This combination of weight and threshold gives a flexible way to control the timing of data replication and hence make the best use of bandwidth. |
| US08156073B1 |
Item attribute generation using query and item data
Arrangements and methods provide item data information to one or more merchants. A Web server includes various modules that interact with customer item search queries and item data to create a set of attributes that is sent to a merchant as part of an item data form. The set of attributes included on the form is designed to aid in describing and identifying various items that a merchant may offer or currently offer for purchase on an e-commerce service provider. The set of attributes may also be used to augment or generate an item attribute index usable in conjunction with a service provider searching mechanism related to items offered for sale. |
| US08156068B2 |
Predictive ephemeral points-of-interest (PEPOI)
Predicted ephemeral Points of Interest (PEPOI) are provided to wireless application users, as are likelihood maps. Wireless application users are provided with the ability to record locations and retrieve maps of past locations and predicted future locations of PEPOIs of specific interest. To predict a location for a PEPOI, data about previous reported locations are gathered, along with variable values associated with variations in location. The variables gathered may differ based on the type of PEPOI in question. For instance, a person has different variables associated with its locations than does a storm cloud. Once there is enough data recorded to provide predictable patterns, desirable methods of statistical analysis are chosen depending of the behavior model of PEPOI, which can be used to present a visual guide to finding the PEPOIs at a particular time in the future. |
| US08156067B1 |
Systems and methods for performing anytime motion recognition
Techniques for performing anytime motion recognition are disclosed. Based on a motion signal received from a motion-sensitive device being manipulated by a user as a way to interact with an application, a processing unit is configured to a set of prototypes included in a motion recognizer to generate a recognition signal from the motion signal in response to the motion recognizer. A prototype is eliminated out of the set of the prototypes from further consideration when a corresponding running distance of the prototype to the motion signal is beyond a predefined measurement so that the motion recognition speeds up as time passes. |
| US08156066B2 |
Rule-based content request handling
An embodiment of a method includes receiving a content request including a first set of attribute values, using at least one of the attribute values from the first set of attribute values to determine a second set of attribute values, traversing a hierarchy of decision nodes, wherein each decision node implements business logic based on one of the attribute values from the first set of attribute values or the second set of attribute values, and generating a decision from a last node in the hierarchy, wherein the decision dictates how to respond to the content request. |
| US08156064B2 |
Observation-based user profiling and profile matching
Observation-based user profiling and profile matching are provided. The network behavior of users of a computer-implemented social network are observed and used for user profiling. By observing network behavior instead of necessarily relying on user self-reported data, accurate and objective user profiles can be formed; user profiling is accomplished based on the observed network behaviors with or without the knowledge of the user being profiled. The observed network behaviors can include the customization of a visual graphic, a media preference, a communication preference, or a selection of words from a word list. The user profiles can be with respect to a domain and two or more users can be matched based on their profiles with respect to the same domain. User ratings and profile updating based on the ratings are also provided. |
| US08156044B2 |
Many-to-many correspondence: methods and systems for replacing interbank funds transfers
By establishing a correspondence account in each Financial Service Provider (FSP) of a group of FSPs and a secure inter-FSP messaging mechanism, transfers of funds entirely within member FSPs (FSP 1, FSP 2, FSP 3, FSP 4) may be combined with secure messaging to effectively transfer funds between buyers in one FSP (FSP 2) and sellers in another FSP (FSP 1) without actual transfer of funds between FSP's. |
| US08156028B2 |
Technology portfolio health assessment system and method
A system and method for producing infrastructure health assessments enabling enterprises to monitor the health of individual technology portfolios and plan accordingly is disclosed. The tool uses two primary assessments to determine: 1) an infrastructure score based the general health of asset components; and 2) adaptability score based on asset components ability to interact with other elements within the asset. To generate the assessment scores, the tool accepts inventory input specific to a portfolio's assets and components. A user interacting with the tool provides classification information relating to each asset and component. The tool then calculates health assessment scores for both individual portfolio assets and for the portfolio as a whole. |
| US08156027B1 |
Fair-value pricing of a financial asset
An exemplary embodiment comprises a method for determining at an effective valuation time a fair value of an exchange traded fund comprising securities, at least one of the securities not currently trading in a liquid market, comprising: (a) for each security: (i) receiving historical price data, wherein the historical price data comprises data for price-related time-dependent variables; (ii) performing a regression analysis on the historical price data; and (iii) calculating at the effective valuation time a fair value of the security based on the regression analysis and on values of one or more of the plurality of price-related time-dependent variables; (b) multiplying the fair value by the security's weighting in the exchange traded fund to obtain a weighted fair value; and (c) aggregating the weighted fair values of the plurality of securities in the exchange traded fund to obtain a fair value adjusted price for the exchange traded fund. |
| US08156026B2 |
Method and apparatus for enabling purchasers of products to obtain return information and to initiate product returns via an on-line network connection
An electronic registration system facilitates authorized product returns and reduces the incidence of improper returns. A retailer sales associate is prompted to enter individual product identification information such as an individual serial number. This individual product identification information is then stored in a data base along with the date on which the product was sold and an appropriate UPC code, SKU number or manufacturer code. A check digit algorithm may be used to verify the serial number prior to storage. A sales receipt may be imprinted with at least the date of the transaction and the serial number. When a product is returned, the retailer may cross-reference the serial number on the product with that on the receipt to verify the sales receipt. Otherwise, the database may be searched for pertinent sales information. A customer may also access a return authorization engine via the Internet to obtain return approval, an authorization number, return instructions, etc. to reduce retailer hassle. |
| US08156023B2 |
Incentive structure for centralized trading market
An automated marketplace is separated into tiers, with behavioral requirements for each tier. Tier eligibility is a “structural incentive” for market participants to exhibit desirable behavior and eschew undesirable behavior. Tiered eligibility also reflects the natural imbalance of liquidity in the market and the need to preserve the identity of a class of liquidity providers, which further leads to a structure that can preserve the integrity of person-to-person trading relationships even in an automated environment. Within each tier, participant behavior leads to a ranking for that participant. When specific events occur, these events are allocated based on participant ranking. Participant ranking is an “activity incentive” that influences the behavior of market participants. Certain events are defined as desirable or undesirable, and when performed by a market participant, lead to positive incentives or negative incentives, of structural and/or monetary type. |
| US08156022B2 |
Method and system for providing price protection for commodity purchasing through price protection contracts
Systems and methods for the provisioning of price protection contracts which provide price protection against adverse fluctuations in the retail price of a commodity to a consumer are disclosed. While these price protection contracts may pertain to almost any type of commodity, certain embodiments of the present invention may provide systems and method for allowing a consumer to obtain price protection on the purchase of fuel. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention may provide the ability for fleet managers to obtain a price protection contract for the purchase of fuel where the price protection contract specifies at least one lock price, quantity, locale and time period such that the price protection contract may guarantee the right to aggregately purchase the quantity of fuel in the locale at the lock price during the time period. |
| US08156018B1 |
Transformation of standard document format electronic documents for electronic filing
An electronic filing system may receive electronic documents including a completed tax return. The electronic documents may be of a standard document presentation format such as Portable Document Format. The electronic filing system may parse the completed tax return and create transmittable data that includes the completed tax return. The transmittable data may be of a format that is accepted by a taxing authority and different than the original format. The transmittable data may be transmitted to the taxing authority for electronic filing of the completed tax return. The electronic filing system may check for tax return errors before transmitting the transmittable data. The electronic filing system may enable the user to correct errors before transmitting the transmittable data as well as receiving additional error notifications from the taxing authority. The electronic filing system may notify the user of such errors and enable the user to correct the errors. |
| US08156015B1 |
Method, medium, and system for associating graphical icons with destination addresses using drag and drop
Various embodiments of a network page are provided. In one embodiment, at least one server serves up a network page to a client to be rendered on the client in a networked environment. The network page is associated with a network site that facilitates a purchase of items. The network page includes a graphical representation of a selected one of the items, and a plurality of destination regions, each of the destination regions being associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of shipping addresses. The network page is configured to facilitate an association of the selected one of the items with a respective one of the destination regions. |
| US08156013B2 |
Methods and apparatus for fulfilling tote deliveries
Methods and apparatus for fulfilling tote delivery orders. A tote delivery service directs delivery of items ordered by customers via a network site to delivery addresses corresponding to the customers in reusable totes on assigned tote delivery days. Tote delivery data may be processed to generate bulk transfer data for fulfillment centers and zone delivery data for sortation nodes. Each fulfillment center may pick items indicated by the bulk transfer data and bulk transfer the items to particular sortation nodes. At a sortation node, the items in the received bulk transfers, and possibly items received from other sources such as direct transfers from vendors, are rebinned into totes corresponding to delivery addresses in zones. The totes are loaded onto delivery vehicles, which deliver the totes to the delivery addresses in particular zones served by the sortation node. The zones and tote delivery days may be determined by zip code. |
| US08156011B2 |
Cenotaph facility and method including auctioning of items associated with honoree
A cenotaph memorial facility comprising a plurality of walls containing crypts is dedicated to an honoree who is not interred within the facility. The facility may comprise a large external memorial structure to protect the walls and individual crypts. The cenotaph memorial facility includes a plurality of video cameras to permit remote viewing of various portions of the facility. The video cameras are controlled by a computer system that allows remote access via a network, such as the internet. An individual enters authorization data and, upon authorization, can remotely view one or more portions of the facility. An on-line auction processor can automatically conduct auctions of selected articles using a timed auction over a prolonged bidding period or a real-time auction. In another aspect, a virtual reality (VR) image capture system captures images that may be remotely viewed using VR technology. This may include 3-D imaging, holographic imaging, or the like. Image viewing may be remotely controlled using conventional controls or VR controls. |
| US08156010B2 |
Multimodal context marketplace
A method and system for trading of rights to associate information services with multimodal contexts is described. Also described are methods for associating financial transactions with trading of rights in the marketplace and determining the value of the financial transactions. Also described are user interfaces for trading on the marketplace. |
| US08156008B2 |
System and method for information provider communication with information requester
The present invention provides a system and a method for an information provider communicating with an information requester. The system includes a messenger server for managing instant messaging, identifying whether the information provider registers a timing available for communication, priority sequence of communication channel and communication means, searching communication means available for communication promptly connecting the communication means of the information provider from a higher priority to a lower priority sequentially; a proxy server, coupled to the messenger server, receiving a signal from the messenger server and deciding a communication channel to process this signal and transmitting a call; a redirect server administrating the position of the information requester and the information provider logged in the messenger server, based on Internet Protocol; and a VOIP gateway providing the internet telephone network services to which a personal computer terminal or a phone is connected. |
| US08156005B2 |
Systems and methods of contextual advertising
A system of contextual advertising is disclosed. The system includes a message receiving module to receive a message from a sender and determine a recipient of the message. The system further includes an advertisement selection module to select an advertisement. The advertisement is selected based on at least one of a characteristic of the recipient, a characteristic of the sender, and a characteristic of the message. The system further includes a message delivery module to send the message to the recipient and an advertisement delivery module to send the advertisement to the sender. |
| US08156003B2 |
Apparatus, method, and program for transferring structured documents including plurality of document elements
A web browser 11 of a client 10 requests a transfer of a parent document having a banner advertisement and a news article included therein from a document processing module 21. Upon receiving their file names, a transfer rate determination module 24 instructs the document processing module 21 to check on a band and to stand by for transferring the news article. When the document processing module 21 completes the band check, the transfer rate determination module 24 calculates a transfer rate of the banner advertisement and a transfer rate of the news article and instructs the document processing module 21 to transfer the banner advertisement and the news article at the transfer rates. The transfer rates assure that the banner advertisement is displayed for a predetermined period of time before the news article is fully displayed. |
| US08156002B2 |
Contextual ad matching strategies that incorporate author feedback
An ad matching system that includes an interactive client permits a triggering Web page author to provide feedback on a candidate advertisement for the page. Author feedback is used to rank ads for display on the triggering page. Preferably author feedback is also incorporated into ad clustering and/or ad ranking formulae within the system. Also, author credibility is judged based on author feedback and on click through rates of placed ads. |
| US08155996B1 |
System and method for customer care complexity model
A system for customer care complexity management is disclosed that comprises a processor, a customer care index forecast module, and a project launch capability assessment and threshold module. The customer care index forecast module establishes a customer care index forecast model based on a plurality of historical customer care data and a plurality of historical performance metrics data. The customer care index forecast module also forecasts a customer care index using the established customer care index forecast model and a plurality of projected performance metrics data. The project launch capability assessment and threshold module identifies a number of projects to be launched in a current project launch plan based on the forecast customer care index and a pipeline project complexity index for the project launch plan. The project launch capability assessment and threshold module also identifies an adjustment to the project launch plan. |
| US08155992B2 |
Method and system for high performance model-based personalization
The present invention relates to a method and system for generating client preference recommendations in a high performance computing regime. Accordingly, one embodiment of the present invention comprises: providing a sparse ratings matrix, forming a plurality of data structures representing the sparse ratings matrix, forming a runtime recommendation model from the plurality of data structures, determining a recommendation from the runtime recommendation model in response to a request from a user, and providing the recommendation to the user. |
| US08155989B2 |
Engineered management system particularly suited for maintenance and repair (M and R) management of structure such as pavement
An automated user-implemented method for optimizing cost, schedule and performance of maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) on manmade structure, such as pavements. The method utilizes a database containing information on the condition of the manmade structure, the information on condition further including a condition index; applies one or more algorithms to data in the database to yield schedule and budget for M&R of the manmade structure; correlates the type of M&R and schedule for performing the M&R with alternative budgets that a user may enter into the software supporting the method and outputs and displays work plans associated to each of the alternative budgets for use by managers in planning future M&R work and predicting performance thereof by evaluating past work on the manmade structure. The system may be implemented by a user on the internet as well as on individual personal computers. Specific implementations include PAVER™ and microPAVER™ software. |
| US08155986B2 |
Collapsible itineraries
Method and system for grouping and displaying travel itineraries are disclosed. The method for grouping travel itineraries includes receiving a list of travel itineraries, grouping the list of travel itineraries to one or more clusters according to a set of grouping parameters, selecting a lead itinerary to represent each of the one or more clusters, determining additional itineraries in each cluster, and displaying the lead itinerary and a link referencing to further details about the additional itineraries in each cluster. |
| US08155985B2 |
System and method using insurance for risk transference
Disclosed herein is a system and method for eliminating or transferring the non-economic risk of financial securities. The system and method serves to avoid non-economic losses in the first instance, and to counter the adverse capital impact of prior non-economic gap losses by providing capital relief consistent with a determined protected amount. A second party provides to a first party a policy covering potential losses in value for a fixed income securities (FIS) Portfolio, particularly losses between an upper attachment value and a lower exit value. The second party provides capital to the first party as a policy security in the event that the aggregate principle payments (APP) of the FIS Portfolio are less than the attachment value and the first party makes a claim under the policy. The first party pledges policyholder security for its future obligation to return all or a portion of the policy security should no claims arise under the policy or if the policy security exceeds the amount sought by any claims. The policyholder security may be the FIS Portfolio or other agreed upon assets, or some combination thereof. |
| US08155983B2 |
Managing appointments and payments in a health care system
A data management system for managing appointment and payment transactions, such as HIPAA transactions, for patient care is provided. The data management system operates within a network of medical service entities and insurance entities that communicate with one another via standardized transactions. The system receives an eligibility-benefits transaction related to a patient and constructs a corresponding confirmation transaction that indicates the patient's eligibility status. The system further receives a payment request transaction and constructs a corresponding payment transaction that includes information related to payment authorization and processing of an amount due. The system automatically receives the transactions based upon a registration with a medical service entity as a payer for the patient. The data management system thus emulates an insurance company to process appointment scheduling and payment information and to communicate the information to the medical entity. |
| US08155982B2 |
Methods for sampling and relaying patient medical data
In an aspect of a method of the present invention, medical data may be obtained either through a wired or wireless connection to a medical device (or both), and may be relayed to a medical data server directly or through an intermediary device (or a combination of both pathways). Accordingly, there is provided a method whereby data from a medical device can be received through one or more of a wired connection and a wireless connection, and a message including the received data for transmission may be formatted for transmission to one or more of: a medical data server and a intermediary device, wherein the intermediary device includes a software program configured to retransmit the message to the medical data server. Data received by the medical server may automatically determine a medical device type based on a medical device identifier. This method can be practiced automatically to allow a medical device for a patient or other subject to be monitored without requiring the patient to manually enter information. |
| US08155979B2 |
Attachment integrated claims systems and operating methods therefor
Systems and methods for processing textual messages which are integrated with one or more digital attachments is described. These systems and methods are useful in the electronic filing and processing of, for example, image data, and of textual data associated with the image data. One particular application of these systems and methods would be for the electronic filing and processing of dental x-rays with patient claim forms. |
| US08155978B2 |
Operating method for a computer
A user predefines for a computer a retrieval instruction for primary data of a patient or of several patients. The computer accesses the primary data of this patient and outputs them to the user via a visual display device. The primary data comprise the primary image data recorded by way of a primary imaging modality and/or primary information derived from said primary image data. The computer automatically checks whether it is possible to access secondary data of this patient, which comprise the secondary image data recorded via a secondary imaging modality and/or secondary information derived from said secondary image data. In the affirmative case, the computer outputs a corresponding message to the user via the visual display device and/or by accessing at least a portion of the secondary data of this patient and outputting said data to the user via the visual display device. |
| US08155976B1 |
Automated mailer envelope addressing
An envelope for conveying an item from a sender to a recipient and back with a window and unique identifying indicia. The envelope comprises a base panel with a window, a sender address panel, and a recipient address panel. The sender address panel is affixed to the base panel by an adhesive region, which defines a pocket sized to accept an item. The adhesive region extends laterally on the base panel to ensure that a postal cancellation is not applied to an area overlying the item. The recipient address panel is joined to the base panel by a detachable joint. A fragile item may be conveyed from the sender to the recipient and back without damage to the item. The base panel includes indicia that uniquely identify the envelope among a plurality of envelopes. Reading the indicia assists in resolving inventory problems, for example, when unknown items are returned. |
| US08155975B1 |
System and method for providing configuration and settlement processing of financial transactions using a hierarchy node model
Client systems use a scanner to convert a paper form of a document to a digital representation and then send the digital representation over a network to a host system for storage. The host system archives the digital representation and determines the appropriate processing stream for a transaction related to the paper document, via a decisioning engine, based on a set of predefined stream selection rules. The host system then communicates the transaction to a back end transaction destination, according to the selected processing stream, using a hierarchy for coordinating the configuration of the host and client systems as well as coordinating the settlement process for the digital representations. |
| US08155974B2 |
Methods and systems for obtaining profile information from individuals using automation
Methods and systems obtain profile information from individuals using automation to select and provide the questions that are given to the individual. The answers the individuals provide to the questions can then be used to generate the profile information. Subsequent questions are selected and presented according to analysis of the previous answers. The exchange of the questions and answers occurs over a communications network and may take the form of emails, web page interfaces, wireless data messages, or verbal communication over a voiced call. The answers are analyzed to determine certain characteristics, such as the personality type, mood, and gender of the individual. The subsequent questions are selected based on the characteristics that are found from the answers to facilitate the information exchange between the automated system and the individual. |
| US08155970B2 |
System and method for access to multimedia structures
A system for access to multimedia structures has telephone sets capable of connecting to a telephone network, a storage device capable of storing a plurality of multimedia structures representing messages and/or data and/or commands, and a network access server that can be associated with the telephone sets and is capable of selectively instantiating the multimedia structures via an interconnection network. There is also a voice-recognition and speech-synthesis system that can be associated with the network access server and that comprises modules for reading files in XML format and for processing the files so as to obtain files in a format that can be synthesized by a speech synthesizer. |
| US08155968B2 |
Voice recognition apparatus and method for performing voice recognition comprising calculating a recommended distance range between a user and an audio input module based on the S/N ratio
A voice recognition apparatus includes: a voice recognition module that performs a voice recognition for an audio signal during a voice period; a distance measurement module that measures a current distance between the user and an voice input module; a calculation module that calculates a recommended distance range, in which being estimated that an S/N ratio exceeds a first threshold, based on the voice characteristic; and a display module that displays the recommended distance range and the current distance. |
| US08155962B2 |
Method and system for asynchronously processing natural language utterances
The methods and systems described herein may asynchronously process natural language utterances to provide real-time response performance and natural interaction with users. In particular, the methods and systems described herein may use various natural language speech recognition and interpretation components to identify a request (e.g., a query or command) in an utterance. The request identified in the utterance may then be processed with one or more domain agents, which may submit duplicate queries to multiple different data sources to process the request. The domain agents may then asynchronously evaluate responses to the duplicate queries to return results to users in a timely and natural manner, and further to account the fact that the different data sources may respond to the queries at different speeds, provide unsatisfactory responses to the queries, or fail to respond to the queries at all. |
| US08155960B2 |
System and method for unsupervised and active learning for automatic speech recognition
A system and method is provided for combining active and unsupervised learning for automatic speech recognition. This process enables a reduction in the amount of human supervision required for training acoustic and language models and an increase in the performance given the transcribed and un-transcribed data. |
| US08155957B1 |
Medical transcription system including automated formatting means and associated method
An automated transcription system includes an housing on a PC, and a portable electronic device including a mechanism for creating and managing a plurality of predetermined templates with a plurality of headings and sub-headings that are automatically populated in real time as a user speaks an audio message. The portable electronic device further includes a mechanism for converting and displaying the audio message to a text message on the portable electronic device and thereby enabling a user to read, edit and print the text message. Such an audio message converting and displaying mechanism includes an LCD screen, a microphone for receiving the audio message when the user speaks, and a data transfer interface. |
| US08155955B2 |
Speech decoding method and apparatus which generates an excitation signal and a synthesis filter
A speech decoding method which generates an excitation signal and a synthesis filter from coded data and which obtains a speech signal based on the excitation signal and the synthesis filter. The method includes acquiring identification information used for determining whether the speech signal to be decoded is a narrowband signal or a wideband signal; and modifying the excitation signal based on the identification information by controlling strength or presence of emphasis of pitch periodicity with respect to the excitation signal generated from the coded data, so as to generate the speech signal by use of the modified excitation signal and the synthesis filter. |
| US08155954B2 |
Device and method for generating a complex spectral representation of a discrete-time signal
A filter bank device for generating a complex spectral representation of a discrete-time signal includes a generator for generating a block-wise real spectral representation, which, for example, implements an MDCT, to obtain temporally successive blocks of real spectral coefficients. The output values of this spectral conversion device are fed to a post-processor for post-processing the block-wise real spectral representation to obtain an approximated complex spectral representation having successive blocks, each block having a set of complex approximated spectral coefficients, wherein a complex approximated spectral coefficient can be represented by a first partial spectral coefficient and by a second partial spectral coefficient, wherein at least one of the first and second partial spectral coefficients is determined by combining at least two real spectral coefficients. A good approximation for a complex spectral representation of the discrete-time signal is obtained by combining two real spectral coefficients, preferably by a weighted linear combination, wherein additionally more degrees of freedom for optimizing the entire system are available. |
| US08155952B2 |
Method and system of using information banners to communicate with users of electronic dictionaries
In one embodiment, the invention provides a method, comprising: receiving a query from a user computer device; determining what custom messages are applicable based on the query; and delivering any applicable custom messages to the user computer device. The messages may be selected and customized based on a customization control parameter. In one embodiment, the customization control parameter may include the interface language, the regional settings, and the version of the product. Advantageously, trial versions of dictionaries may have different messages from paid or non-trial versions. For example, for the trial versions, a warning message will be sent informing the user that the trial period is about to expire. Additionally, the server device has the capability to detect whether the version used by a user is bootleg or not, and send customized messages to users of bootleg versions. |
| US08155949B1 |
Geodesic search and retrieval system and method of semi-structured databases
A knowledge-based decision support system that allows for communication and learning to occur using natural language is presented. The system has a capability to automatically extract features from the natural language using symmetric reductions and random search. The iterative generalization of the rule base and checking of the resultant base against a case base from which the generalizations are induced is also provided. The decision support system can be used to search semi-structured databases and automatically learns new knowledge and search control knowledge where it is most needed based on the pattern of previous rule firings. |
| US08155945B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, computer-readable medium and computer data signal
An image processing apparatus includes an image receiving unit, a writing detection unit, a writing deletion unit, a character recognition unit, a character string generation unit, a translation unit and a translation image generation unit. The image receiving unit receives an image including a writing. The writing detection unit detects a position of the writing. The writing deletion unit deletes the writing from the received image based on the position of the writing. The character recognition unit recognizes characters in the image from which the writing has been deleted. The character string generation unit generates a character string by inserting a code representative of the writing into the recognition result based on the position of the writing. The translation unit translates the character string. The translation image generation unit generates, based on the translation result, an image of the translation result including an image corresponding to the writing. |
| US08155942B2 |
System and method for efficient well placement optimization
The disclosed methods, systems, and software are described for optimizing well placement in a reservoir field. A geological model of a reservoir field, a grid defining a plurality of cells, one or more wells to be located within the plurality of cells, and an objective function are all provided. The geological model is associated with the grid defining the plurality of cells. The locations of the wells are represented by continuous well location variables associated with a continuous spatial domain. A gradient of the objective function is calculated responsive to the continuous well location variables. The locations of the wells are then adjusted responsive to the calculated gradient of the objective function. Iterative calculation of the gradient and adjustment of the wells continue until the well locations are optimized. A visual representation of the reservoir field can be generated based on the optimized well placements. |
| US08155941B2 |
Simulation apparatus, simulation system, and simulation method
A simulation apparatus includes an arithmetic process unit 20 that models a controlled plant and simulates the operation of the modeled controlled plant, and an interface unit 30 that inputs and outputs a signal between the arithmetic process unit 20 and an ECU 100A, and the arithmetic process unit 20 is configured so as to be capable of inputting and outputting the signal from/to the ECU 100A by using another interface unit 30 provided on another simulation apparatus in addition to the interface unit 30. |
| US08155938B2 |
Method and apparatus for sampling and predicting rare events in complex electronic devices, circuits and systems
The invention provides methods for enhancing circuit reliability under statistical process variation. For highly replicated circuits such as SRAMs and flip flops, a rare statistical event for one circuit may induce a not-so-rare system failure. To combat this, the invention discloses the method called “Statistical Blockade,” a Monte Carlo-type technique that allows the efficient filtering—blocking—of unwanted samples insufficiently rare in the tail distributions of interest, with speedups of 10-100×. Additionally, the core Statistical Blockade technique is further extended in a “recursive” or “bootstrap” formulation to create even greater efficiencies under a much wider variety of circuit performance metrics, in particular two-sided metrics such a Data Retention Voltage (DRV) which prior Monte Carlo techniques could not handle. |
| US08155935B2 |
System and method of sub-surface system design and installation
The system and method of the present invention provides comprehensive design and installation management for agricultural water management systems. Maps and grade profiles are created from data collected by Global Positioning devices in the field. Latitude, longitude, and elevation are triangulated from GPS data to develop contour, grade, and profile maps, used to design drainage systems in real time. Customer billing information and vendor pricing information are produced from map and grade profile data. Interfacing and machine control for machines used to install drainage and/or irrigation systems are generated from contour, grade and profile data. Data is exported and imported in common file formats for efficient data exchange. |
| US08155934B2 |
Passivity enforcement by modal perturbation
Residue perturbation is used for enforcing passivity of a linear response model of an electrical component having n>1 ports. According to an exemplary embodiment, a modal perturbation approach can be used, which allows weighted perturbation of the individual modes by the inverse of the corresponding eigenvalues. This provides superior results if the admittance or impedance matrix of the device has a large eigenvalue spread. |
| US08155927B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving noise discrimination in multiple sensor pairs
Noise discrimination in signals from a plurality of sensors is conducted by enhancing the phase difference in the signals such that off-axis pick-up is suppressed while on-axis pick-up is enhanced. Alternatively, attenuation/expansion are applied to the signals in a phase difference dependent manner, consistent with suppression of off-axis pick-up and on-axis enhancement. Nulls between sensitivity lobes are widened, effectively narrowing the sensitivity lobes and improving directionality and noise discrimination. |
| US08155926B2 |
Method and apparatus for accommodating device and/or signal mismatch in a sensor array
Noise discrimination in signals from a plurality of sensors is conducted by enhancing the phase difference in the signals such that off-axis pick-up is suppressed while on-axis pick-up is enhanced. Alternatively, attenuation/expansion are applied to the signals in a phase difference dependent manner, consistent with suppression of off-axis pick-up and on-axis enhancement. Nulls between sensitivity lobes are widened, effectively narrowing the sensitivity lobes and improving directionality and noise discrimination. |
| US08155921B2 |
Power transmission line dip measurement method
A power transmission line dip measurement method is disclosed. The dip measurement method includes installing a measurement instrument at a place where power line support points of steel towers can be seen from the ground, collimating the measurement instrument at the power line support point of one of the steel towers, transmitting a collimated value to a PDA in a wired or wireless manner, collimating the measurement instrument at the power line support point of the other steel tower, transmitting a collimated value to the PDA, calculating the collimated values to display a horizontal angle position of a dip base line, and adjusting an angle of the measurement instrument based on the horizontal angle displayed on a screen of the PDA by a worker, collimating the measurement instrument at a power line dip point as a dip base point, and displaying a dip value on the screen of the PDA. |
| US08155916B2 |
Semiconductor component and method of determining temperature
One embodiment provides a circuit arrangement integrated in a semiconductor body. At least one power semiconductor component integrated in the semiconductor body and having a control connection and a load connection is provided. A resistance component is thermally coupled to the power semiconductor component and likewise integrated into the semiconductor body and arranged between the control connection and the load connection of the power semiconductor component. The resistance component has a temperature-dependent resistance characteristic curve. A driving and evaluation unit is designed to evaluate the current through the resistance component or the voltage drop across the resistance component and provides a temperature signal dependent thereon. |
| US08155911B2 |
Flow rate measurement device
The present invention provides a flow rate measurement device for measuring a volume of gas flowing through a gas supply system in which a plurality of appliances are connected. The flow rate measurement device according to the second embodiment comprises a flow rate sensor configured to detect a gas flow flowing through the gas supply system and a differentiator configured to differentiate the detected gas flow. A memory is provided in which profiles of gas consumption by appliances are storable in relation to identities of the appliances. The flow rate measurement device according to the present invention also comprises a first profile finder which is responsive to the differentiated gas flow to search for a profile from the stored profiles which corresponds to the detected gas flow. The device further comprises a second profile finder which is responsive to a failure by the first profile finder to find the corresponding profile from the stored profiles to analyze the detected gas flow to thereby determine an identity of at least one of the plurality of appliances. |
| US08155909B2 |
Method and device for checking the plausibility of measured values in a motor vehicle environment
A method, a device and a computer program product, by means of which sensor values of redundant sensors in vehicles can be compared with each other to carry out a plausibility check, the measured values of said sensors not being synchronized with each other, are described. On the basis of a first measured value in time, and using the physical properties of the vehicle, a plausibility window, in which a second, subsequent measured value of a different sensor must be to count as plausible, is formed. The determined plausibility of the measured values is indicated by means of a plausibility signal. |
| US08155908B2 |
Systems and methods for real-time system monitoring and predictive analysis
A system for providing real-time modeling of an electrical system under management is disclosed. The system includes a data acquisition component, a virtual system modeling engine, and an analytics engine. The data acquisition component is communicatively connected to a sensor configured to provide real-time measurements of data output from an element of the system. The virtual system modeling engine is configured to generate a predicted data output for the element. The analytics engine is communicatively connected to the data acquisition system and the virtual system modeling engine and is configured to monitor and analyze a difference between the real-time data output and the predicted data output. |
| US08155907B1 |
Methods of enabling functions of a design to be implemented in an integrated circuit device and a computer program product
Methods of enabling functions of a design to be implemented in an integrated circuit device are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises applying test data to a plurality of dice having different element types for implementing circuits, wherein the plurality of dice have a common layout of the different element types for implementing the circuits; receiving output data from the plurality of dice in response to applying the test data to the plurality of dice; analyzing the output data from the plurality of dice; transforming by a computer the output data to characterization data comprising timing data associated with the different element types for implementing circuits, wherein the characterization data comprises data associated with regions of the dice, and storing the characterization data. A computer program product for enabling functions of a design to be implemented in an integrated circuit device is also disclosed. |
| US08155906B2 |
Method and system for curve quality control
A method of analysis wherein molecular interactions at one or more sensing surface areas are detected and respective response curves representing the progress of each interaction with time are produced, and wherein a resulting set of response curves is subjected to a quality assessment procedure which comprises representing the response curves with one or more quality descriptors, applying a quality classification method to the descriptors to find outliers, and removing the outliers. The invention also relates to an analytical system including means for classifying the response curves with regard to quality, a computer program for performing the classification, and a computer program product containing the program. |
| US08155902B2 |
Contactor status detection in power inverters
A sensor-less technique is described for detecting the status of an AC contactor of a power inverter. In one embodiment, a method is provided of sensing an unexpected condition of an AC contactor used to couple to a power distribution system a power inverter having at least one power conductor. The method includes determining a voltage value for the conductor; determining a current value for the conductor; determining a phase difference using the voltage value and the current value; and monitoring successive values of the phase difference to produce a monitoring result. Depending on the monitoring result, a determination is made whether or not to issue an alert signal. Control routines embodying such technique may be stored on computer-readable media. A power inverter using such technique is described. |
| US08155901B2 |
System for remedying electrical power instability
A system for real-time monitoring of synchrophasors from an electrical power system serving multiple geographic areas can control system instability, without preset parameters or thresholds, detects power flow between the generation sources. If a change in power flow of at least 5% over at time period of 1 second or less occurs and the response to the change in power flow is greater than the change in power flow a signal is generated for corrective action. |
| US08155899B2 |
Efficiency meter for photovoltaic power generation systems
A portable instrument for displaying an efficiency metric for a photovoltaic power generation system based on an estimate of the source power available from the photovoltaic modules. The source power is a value scaled from the rated DC source power computed with data from irradiance and temperature sensors or from a photovoltaic sensor's deviation from a rated level of power generation. A ratio of output power divided by source power is one measure of efficiency and relates to the health of the physical photovoltaic power generation system. |
| US08155897B2 |
Test apparatus, transmission system, program, and recording medium
Provided is a semiconductor test apparatus that tests a device under test, comprising a test unit that tests a device under test; and a serial transmitting section that transmits transmission data back and forth between the test unit and a control section controlling the test unit. The serial transmitting section includes a data sending section that sends a plurality of pieces of the transmission data in a predetermined order; a resending control section that resends the transmission data; and an expected acknowledgement ID storage section that stores an expected acknowledgement ID indicating identification data that is expected to be attached to an acknowledgement signal received on a transmission side. The resending control section judges whether resending is necessary based on (i) whether resend count information indicates that a piece of transmission data is resent data and (ii) the expected acknowledgment ID in the expected acknowledgement ID storage section. |
| US08155894B2 |
X-ray inspection apparatus
An X-ray inspection apparatus includes a storage device, a setting device, a determining device, a calculating device and a display control device. The setting device is configured to set a hypothetical reference value that is different from an actual reference value that was used during the inspection of the articles. The determining device is configured to determine whether a contaminant exists inside each of the articles based on a result of a comparison between the hypothetical reference value and each of detection data stored in the storage device. The calculating device is configured to calculate a hypothetical contaminant existence rate as a ratio of a number of the articles in which the determining device has determined that a contaminant exists with respect to a total number of the articles. The display control device is configured to control a display section to indicate the hypothetical contaminant existence rate. |
| US08155892B2 |
Means for identifying a strain isolated from a clinical sample at the species and/or subspecies level
The invention relates to a method for identifying a strain isolated from a clinical sample, at the species and/or subspecies level, using MALDI-TOF-MS analysis comprising a step of classifying the germ in a group before performing the MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. |
| US08155890B2 |
Exhaust gas analysis method and exhaust gas analysis apparatus
An exhaust gas analysis method comprises applying a laser beam to the exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine, receiving the laser beam that has passed through the exhaust gas, and measuring the concentration of any of the components contained in the exhaust gas based on the received laser beam. The exhaust gas analysis method further comprises detecting the absorption spectrum of the laser beam absorbed in the exhaust gas by using the received laser beam, calculating the concentration of the specific gas component by using the absorption spectrum, calculating the temperature of the exhaust gas by using the absorption spectrum, calculating the pressure of the exhaust gas by using the absorption spectrum, correcting the calculated concentration of the component contained in the exhaust gas by using the calculated temperature, correcting the concentration by using the calculated pressure, and outputting the true concentration value. |
| US08155884B2 |
Bearing display apparatus and bearing display method
A bearing display apparatus provided with a geomagnetic sensor for detecting earth-magnetism, a display unit, and a control unit for calculating a geographical bearing based on detection values of the geomagnetic sensor and making the display unit display the information of the calculated bearing. The control unit monitors for an event of changes in operation of electronic parts mounted in the bearing display apparatus and updates the display of the information of the bearing on the display unit in accordance with an occurrence of the event. |
| US08155880B2 |
Location tracking optimizations
A computer-implemented method includes probing a first band along a centerline dimension for a distribution of Location Based Notifications (LBNs), the distribution including a majority of LBNs clustered along and overlapping with the centerline. |
| US08155878B2 |
System and method for locating an operator in a remote troubleshooting context
A system locates a user in a remote troubleshooting environment. An office device is utilized to perform at least one of a copy, a facsimile, a print, and an email. A headset facilities audio communication between the user and a remote troubleshooter. A compass is located proximate to the office device wherein the headset is placed in a predetermined location proximate to the compass to establish a datum point such that movement from the datum point is recognized as a location proximate to the office device. A remote processing component displays the location of the headset relative to the office device based on information provided by the compass. |
| US08155877B2 |
Location-to-landmark
A mapping application that returns results for a target location as a function of at least one nearby landmark. The one or more nearby landmarks can be selected based on an expected user familiarity with the landmark, a precision of the landmark and/or a spatial relationship of the landmark with respect to the target location. Although landmarks are an integral aspect of navigation, they have rarely been used within electronic navigation devices. Electronic navigation means for a mobile device or other devices can guide the user along a route using photographs of landmarks together with audio and text instructions that reference these landmarks. This can assist older users who often find their mobility hampered by declines in sensory, cognitive and motor abilities. |
| US08155871B2 |
Method, device, device arrangement and computer program for tracking a moving object
The invention relates to a location method, a locating device, a locating arrangement and a computer program for tracking an object, such as a dog. The method utilises GPS locating, the event time of which may be controlled by the user. In addition, the user may define a data transmission network via which location data are primarily communicated to the tracker's device. By means of the frequency of measurements and the data transmission network used, the power consumption of the locating device of the object being tracked is minimised. |
| US08155869B2 |
Navigation system and method for navigating route to destination
A navigation system includes: an information center; a navigation device of a vehicle communicating with the information center; a communication unit transmitting information of a destination to the information center; a center side transmission unit searching positional information of the destination in a database of the information center and transmitting the positional information to the navigation device; a calculation unit of the navigation device calculating a first route to the destination; a navigation side transmission unit transmitting first route calculation result to the information center; and a determination unit of the information center calculating a second route to the destination, comparing second route calculation result with the first route calculation result, and determining whether the navigation device guides a route to the destination based on the first or second route calculation result. |
| US08155868B1 |
Managing vehicle efficiency
Historic vehicle state information specifying a plurality of performance values associated with the plurality of subsystems of the vehicle at a plurality of time points, including a current time point is stored at the vehicle. Historic neighbor vehicle state information specifying a plurality of performance values associated with a plurality of subsystems of a vehicle at a plurality of time points, including a current time point is received from a neighbor vehicle proximate to the vehicle. A forward-looking model is generated based on vehicle state information. An performance value associated with a subsystem of the plurality of subsystems of the vehicle is determined based on the historic vehicle state information, the historic neighbor vehicle state information, and the forward-looking model. A recommendation to a driver of the vehicle is provided based on the optimized performance value. |
| US08155865B2 |
Method and system for automatically updating traffic incident data for in-vehicle navigation
Aspects of the invention disclose a method and system for automatically updating traffic incident data for in-vehicle navigation. This includes, but is not limited to, a method and system of notifying one or more traffic providers of a traffic accident when a telematics provider receives an automated accident notification from a vehicle. The notification prompts the traffic provider to investigate the traffic accident immediately using manual techniques (monitoring police scanners, visual confirmation by aircraft, etc.) and accurately updates its traffic information in a more timely manner. In turn, the traffic information received by the telematics unit from traffic provider is more accurate. This allows the telematics unit navigation system to provide accurate navigation directions to the subscriber while driving through traffic congested areas. |
| US08155864B2 |
Method and device for controlling a combustion engine during a temporary stoppage
A method for controlling, during temporary stoppage, a four-stroke combustion engine including a block delimiting cylinders which define combustion chambers equipped with pistons into which opens an intake pipe and an exhaust pipe, both provided with valves that can move between open and closed positions. The method involves detecting conditions of a temporary stoppage of the engine and commanding the exhaust valves to be kept in the closed position once the engine has gone through an intake phase during the last engine cycle prior to the stoppage. |
| US08155861B2 |
Method for controlling a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine
In a method for controlling a fuel supply system of an internal combustion engine with at least one combustion chamber, into which fuel can be injected via a fuel injector, the fuel injector being activated for the implementation of a normal start-up with specified injection parameters when the fuel supply system is filled, the specified injection parameters are modified for the acceleration of an initial start-up of the internal combustion engine when a filling of the fuel supply system with fuel has been implemented to evacuate the air from said fuel supply system. |
| US08155860B2 |
Real time doser efficiency monitoring
A real time, average pressure difference method for monitoring doser efficiency is described that determines the difference between the average pressure when the doser is not injecting and the average pressure when the doser is injecting at a predetermined commanded injection rate. The average pressure difference method results in improved doser efficiency monitoring. The method can be implemented in a number of areas. For example, in a diesel truck application, the doser efficiency can be monitored accurately in real time. |
| US08155856B2 |
Vehicle running control system
In a vehicle running control system, when an estimated collision time taken until a subject vehicle collides with a target object is shorter than a set threshold value, the target object is regarded as a preceding vehicle, and the subject vehicle is caused to follow the target object. Even in a case in which the estimated collision time is longer than or equal to the threshold value, when the target object is present on a subject-vehicle traveling lane or when the subject-vehicle traveling lane is not recognized, if an overlapping ratio between the subject vehicle and the target object is more than or equal to an overlapping-ratio determining threshold value, the target object is regarded as a preceding vehicle, and the subject vehicle is caused to follow the target object. |
| US08155854B2 |
Vehicle automatic operation control device
A vehicle automatic operation control device includes a target required torque calculating part (31) which determines the target required torque from the respective calculated values of a feed-forward calculated value and a feedback calculated value, and an automatic operation control part D which causes the vehicle to operate automatically on the basis of the determined target required torque, and which performs slip suppression control that suppresses slip of the wheels when any of the wheels of the vehicle slip. In cases where slip suppression control is performed by the automatic operation control part (D), the target required torque calculating part (31) holds the feedback calculated value based on the deviation between the target acceleration and actual acceleration, and determines the target required torque from the respective calculated values of the held feedback calculated value and feed-forward calculated value. |
| US08155851B2 |
Method for supporting a brake system in case of reduced effectiveness of the vehicle brake system
Disclosed is a method for increasing a braking effect in a motor vehicle with a hydraulic brake system. An energy supply unit, which is used to increase the brake pressure in at least one wheel brake, is switched on when the brake pressure adjusted by the driver in a master brake cylinder exceeds an activation threshold, which is determined depending on a detected vehicle deceleration. A check is made whether an unbraked trailer is coupled to the vehicle, and in that the activation threshold PAT is raised, if the presence of an unbraked trailer that is coupled to the vehicle is detected. |
| US08155848B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus
A vehicle control apparatus includes a vehicle drive device having a friction engagement element capable of being engaged and disengaged by an oil pressure generated by an electric oil pump, a start operation detecting unit that detects a start operation of the vehicle, a vehicle status change detecting unit that detects a status change of the vehicle, an electric oil pump control unit that controls the electric oil pump, and a management unit that is connected between the vehicle status change detecting unit and the electric oil pump control unit in a manner capable of transmitting data. The management unit transmits a wakeup signal to the electric oil pump control unit when a status change of the vehicle is detected, and when the wakeup signal is received prior to detection of the start operation, the electric oil pump control unit starts the electric oil pump in response to the wakeup signal. |
| US08155846B2 |
Power train control method and system
A method and system for controlling an internal combustion power train, whereby the values of various operating parameters of the power train are measured by means of a number of sensors, and operation of the engine is monitored by means of at least one control unit, which is physically separate from the engine block and connected to the sensors; at least one pressure sensor is housed in the control unit, is physically separate from the engine block, and determines the intensity of pressure waves generated by the power train; and the control unit determines the value of at least one operating parameter of the power train as a function of the intensity of the pressure waves generated by the power train. |
| US08155845B2 |
Method of selecting tire tread pattern for construction vehicle and system for supporting selection of tire tread pattern for construction vehicle
The present invention provides a system for measuring slip rate of a tire for a construction vehicle, which system makes it possible to select based on a quantitative estimation a tire species that is the most advantageous in terms of wear resisting period among plural types of tire species having the same TKPH value and a method of selecting a tire tread pattern for a construction vehicle using the system. The system 10 for measuring slip rate of a tire for a construction vehicle includes a running position sensor 1 mounted in a construction vehicle 11, for continuously acquiring data of running position of the construction vehicle 11, a slip rate sensor 2 for continuously acquiring data of slip rate for at least one tire mounted on the construction vehicle 11, a memory 3 for storing data acquired by these sensors, and a calculation portion 5 for calculating based on the data stored in the memory 3 a slip rate distribution in which the slip rate range is divided into predetermined range sections and frequency ratios of the slip rates, measured in dry conditions at respective spots on a predetermined travelling path preset such that the construction vehicle runs, are plotted in the corresponding range sections. |
| US08155843B2 |
Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control system using the same
A vehicle control apparatus is provided, which comprises a mode setting unit and a control adjusting unit which are mounted in a vehicle. The vehicle is provided with control units that control behavior of a subject to be controlled which is mounted on a vehicle by each functional domain of the vehicle. The mode setting unit is provided independently from the control units and sets a vehicle mode depending on a vehicle environment in which the vehicle is placed. The control adjusting unit is also provided independently from the control units and adjusts behavior control performed by the control units based on the vehicle mode. |
| US08155839B2 |
Steering device for vehicle
A motor vehicle steering apparatus is provided with: a steering-angle feedforward-control-value setting unit arranged to set a steering angle value that corresponds to a steering state; a vehicle-behavior-stabilization controlling unit including a steering-angle feedback-control-value setting unit arranged to set a steering-angle correction value that corresponds to vehicle behavior; and a feedback-gain changing unit arranged to decrease a gain of the steering-angle feedback-control-value setting unit to a value less than at a normal time, when the steering-angle correction value is equal to or less than a predetermined value, during vehicle-behavior stabilizing control by the vehicle-behavior-stabilization controlling unit. |
| US08155838B2 |
Steering system and method for quadrant dependant adapting of return torque
A method for generating a return torque signal in an electric servo steering system of a vehicle, including the steps of: determining a current steering wheel position; determining a current vehicle speed; generating a return torque signal as a function of the steering wheel position and the vehicle speed; determining a current directional relationship between a torque exerted on the steering wheel and a speed of steering wheel rotation; determining a scaling factor dependent on the directional relationship; and multiplying the return torque signal by the scaling factor in order to obtain a modified return torque signal. Also, a servo steering system which is designed to carry out such a method. |
| US08155835B2 |
Vehicle chassis height adjustment method and system
A method and system for adjusting a relative leveled height of a sprung mass of a vehicle to an unsprung mass of the vehicle. The method also includes receiving an input from an operator for incrementally/decrementally changing the height of the sprung mass. A system for performing the method is also disclosed. |
| US08155833B2 |
Method for controlling compressor of air conditioner for vehicle
The present invention relates to a method for controlling the operation of a compressor for preventing noise that occurs in case of the shortage of refrigerant flow caused by less discharge capacity of the compressor of an air conditioner for a vehicle. The compressor includes a cylinder bore for compressing a refrigerant, a piston inserted into the cylinder bore, a swash plate having a controllable slope with respect to a drive shaft, and a control valve for controlling the slope of the swash plate. The discharge capacity of the compressor is increased if it is determined that vehicle speed and accelerating rate satisfy predetermined conditions. If a low flow rate state of refrigerant of the compressor is predicted, the ECV duty is increased to prevent the compressor from entering the low flow rate state, thereby improving the workability of the compressor and solving the noise problem. |
| US08155826B2 |
Vehicle behavior learning apparatuses, methods, and programs
Vehicle behavior learning apparatuses, methods, and programs store pieces of feature information including position information and attribute information of a plurality of target features. The apparatuses, methods, and programs obtain vehicle position information that shows a current position of a vehicle, obtaining image information of surroundings of the vehicle, and obtain one of the stored pieces of feature information corresponding to the surroundings of the vehicle based on the vehicle position information. The apparatuses, methods, and programs perform an image recognition for recognizing a target feature contained in the image information that corresponds to the obtained piece of feature information, detect a behavior of the vehicle that is performed within a predetermined range from a position of the recognized target feature, and store, based on the vehicle position information, the detected behavior in correspondence with information of a position in which the detected behavior was detected. The apparatuses, methods, and programs extract, based the detected behavior being stored a plurality of times at the same position, the detected behavior as a learned behavior, output learned behavior information including attribute information of the detected behavior and the position information of the detected behavior, each of which are kept in correspondence with the piece of feature information of the recognized target feature. |
| US08155825B2 |
On-vehicle database distribution node and on-vehicle database system
A on-vehicle database system includes: a memory for recording an on-vehicle database connected to an on-vehicle LAN network and to an ECU for registering data inputted from respective ECU as attribute value data all at once; and data output means for registering data in the on-vehicle database when the data is inputted via I/O means and outputting the data to the ECU at the timing when the data is required by the ECU, by using the attribute value data in the on-vehicle database. |
| US08155823B2 |
Vehicle mounted failure information system
A failure information system that transmits various kinds of failure information of a vehicle to an outside diagnosis service center is disclosed. The failure information system includes a signal receiving unit that receives a signal indicating a failure of a vehicle-mounted system, a vehicle-run judging unit that judges that the vehicle is running, a run-distance calculation unit that calculates a run-distance of the vehicle since the signal indicating a failure is received, a reliability judging unit that judges that the signal indicating a failure is reliable if the signal receiving unit continuously receives the signal indicating a failure until the run-distance exceeds a preset distance level, and an over-vehicle communication unit that transmits the failure information that includes the signal indicating a failure when the reliability judging means judges that the signal indicating a failure is reliable. |
| US08155819B2 |
System and method for effecting vehicle maneuver to compensate for IMU error
The effects of IMU gyro and accelerometer bias errors are significantly reduced in accordance with the present teachings by a system or method for commanding an IMU or vehicle through a series of preprogrammed maneuvers. The maneuvers can be designed to minimize the effects of other gyro errors including scale factor errors, nonlinearities, cross coupling/misalignment, and scale factor asymmetries. A sample maneuver is provided which demonstrates performance based on a sequence of roll and yaw maneuvers resulting in zero build up of error at the end of a maneuver cycle period as a result of these errors. Modification of the system involves the addition of control logic to determine the maneuver period, maneuver rate, and vehicle orientation. No additional hardware beyond possible fuel required to perform the maneuver is required. |
| US08155815B2 |
Method and apparatus for securing output torque in a distributed control module system for a powertrain system
A method to monitor integrity of a motor torque command for a transmission in a hybrid powertrain system includes calculating motor torque commands for the torque generating machines. Torque corrections for the motor torque commands are determined. The motor torque commands are adjusted based upon the torque corrections. The adjusted motor torque commands are verified based upon an estimated output torque. |
| US08155808B2 |
System for monitoring track transportation
A system for monitoring track transportation to determine an abnormal status of a track is disclosed. The system includes at least one sensing module arranged at a predetermined monitoring point of the track, and each sensing module includes at least one force sensing unit and vibration sensing unit. A track status signal processing circuit is electrically connected to the sensing module for receiving the time domain force-related signal and time domain vibration-related signal, and these signals are converted to the digital signals. The digital signals are transferred to a signal calculating and processing unit, which includes a time domain/frequency domain force-related signal converting circuit, a time domain/frequency domain vibration-related signal converting circuit, and a frequency response function calculating unit. The frequency response function calculating unit divides the frequency domain vibration-related signal into frequency domain force-related signal to generate an input-output response frequency spectrum signal for determining an abnormal status of the track. |
| US08155804B2 |
Device and method for providing a flight status signal
The present invention provides a device for providing an aircraft flight status signal which indicates whether the aircraft is in the air or on the ground, which device calculates the flight status signal as a function of a number of differently provided flight speed signals, a number of differently provided engine status signals, a number of differently provided evacuation signals, a number of differently provided front undercarriage status signals and a number of differently provided main undercarriage status signals. |
| US08155802B1 |
Optical flow navigation system
An optical navigation sensor includes four two-dimensional imagers, each aligned with an x or y axis of an orthogonal xyz coordinate system, and each defining mutually parallel vertical image directions and the same horizontal directions about a yaw axis. Translation or roll, pitch, and yaw cause image flow or movement, which can be determined by cross-correlation of successive images. Translation in the x or y direction is determined by differencing image motion in the horizontal direction, and translation in the z direction is determined by summing the image motion in the vertical direction. Pitch about x and roll about y are determined by differencing image motion in the vertical direction, and yaw about z is determined by summing the image flow in the horizontal direction. |
| US08155801B2 |
Architecture with optimized interfacing for an aircraft hybrid cockpit control panel system
A hybrid electronics cockpit control panel system architecture is provided that includes optimized interfacing and partitioning. The architecture includes a digital function block with a digital signal processor and digital communication capabilities. The architecture also includes integrated cockpit control panels that employ a printed circuit board to avoid wire/cable connections for cockpit control panel components beyond the face panel. The architecture provides digital control and communication along a central communication bus that can eliminate the need for dedicated wire connections between the control panel and the electrical components throughout the aircraft, reducing weight and volume. One example aircraft cockpit control panel system includes a control signal processor that receives electrical control signals from pilot operating devices on the control panel and transforms them into digital status signals for communication on a communication bus. In another example aircraft cockpit control panel system, the control signal processor transforms the electrical control signals into digital control signals that are communicated to aircraft components. In another example aircraft cockpit control panel system, signals from a first control signal processor are passed through at least a second control signal processor to provide a redundant circuit path. |
| US08155796B2 |
Protective relay device
Data from a digitizing unit is stored in a time-series data buffer, via a data receiving circuit. The data on which a digital filtering process is performed by a digital filtering processing circuit is stored in time series in a time-series instantaneous-value data storing circuit. A digital computing unit sets a time of temporally oldest data from among a group of latest time data stored in a latest time-data storing circuit as a reference time, extracts time data having the same time as the reference time from the time-series instantaneous-value data storing circuit, and then performs a digital computation. |
| US08155795B2 |
Demand control system, demand controller, demand program, and demand controlling method
A demand control system 1 according to the present invention includes a CPU 41 and a power database 45. The power database 45 stores actual data in a state where the actual data are classified according to environmental conditions, the actual data being based on a consumption integration value of power actually consumed by the power consuming device. The CPU 41 calculates a predicted integration value of power predicted to be consumed in the demand time period, by using contents stored in the power database 45 at a start or before the start of the current demand time period. Further, the CPU 41 lowers a power target value when the calculated predicted integration value falls below the power target value being a target value of the power to be consumed in the demand time period. |
| US08155793B2 |
System and method for controlling air conditioning facilities, and system and method for power management of computer room
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling air conditioning facilities, and a system and method for power management of a computer room. In an air-conditioning facility control system of a computer room (cooling room) equipped with air-conditioning facilities for air-cooling the computer room in which a large number of information processing units are installed, an air-conditioner monitoring and controlling unit calculates a temperature sensitivity coefficient of each information processing unit, and that of each air conditioner, and then determines discharge air temperature of each air conditioner by use of the temperature sensitivity coefficients in such a manner that the sum of squares of a deviation of a change in discharge air temperature of each information processing unit becomes the smallest, and in such a manner that the sum total of the power consumption of the individual air conditioners becomes the smallest. |
| US08155789B2 |
Device, method, program and recording medium for robot offline programming
An offline programming device for preparing an operation program for making a robot with a hand perform a handling operation for an object with respect to a machine tool. The device includes a hand-position designating section designating a relative positional relationship between the object and the hand when the hand holds the object; a first calculating section determining a position and orientation of the object mounted on the machine tool when the robot performs the handling operation, based on a command specifying a position of the object and included in a workpiece processing program given to the machine tool; a second calculating section determining a position and orientation of the robot acting to hold the object by the hand when the robot performs the handling operation, based on the relative positional relationship between the object and the hand and the position and orientation of the object; and an operation-program generating section generating the operation program by using the position and orientation of the robot. |
| US08155782B2 |
Fluid heating apparatus
A fluid heating apparatus heats fluid in a passage to a target temperature. The fluid heating apparatus includes a fluid heating unit that heats the fluid, a fluid temperature measuring unit that measures a temperature of the fluid, and a pressure control unit that controls a pressure in the passage such that the pressure becomes equal to a target pressure. While the fluid in the passage is heated to the target temperature and when a temperature estimated from the thermal conductivity and specific heat is not increased, the pressure control unit increases the target pressure. According to a fluid heating method, when the fluid is heated by the fluid heating apparatus, the pressure control unit controls the pressure of the fluid such that the pressure becomes equal to or higher than a critical pressure. |
| US08155780B2 |
System and method for automated generating of a cutting curve on a surface
A computer-implemented method for the automated adjustment of the position of a cutting tool when cutting dental aligner material includes using a computer for generating digital data that define (a) a first cutting angle in a labial cutting area along a dynamic cutting curve, (b) a second cutting angle in a lingual cutting area along the dynamic cutting curve, and (c) a third cutting angle in a back molar cutting area along the dynamic cutting curve. The cutting tool is automatically moved from the labial cutting area to the back molar cutting area while gradually increasing a cutting tool angle from the first cutting angle to the third cutting angle. The cutting tool is also automatically moved from the lingual cutting area to the back molar cutting area while gradually increasing the cutting tool angle from the second cutting angle to the third cutting angle. |
| US08155777B2 |
Method for the designing of tools
The invention concerns a method for the creation of addendums (4) of tools for sheet metal formed parts (2). In the case of this method, fill surfaces (7) for the smoothing of irregular zones of a component edge (3) are generated. Initial directions (31) of sectional profiles (10) are determined in such a manner, that sectional profiles (10) at a distance from one another are arranged along a component (3, 8) with utilization of these initial directions (31) and that an addendum (4) is creatable by the connection of these sectional profiles (10). |
| US08155775B2 |
Support structure packaging
A method comprising building at least one three-dimensional model and a support structure using a layer-based additive technique, where the at least one three-dimensional model is at least partially encased in the support structure, and where the support structure functions as a shipping package for the at least one three-dimensional model. |
| US08155774B2 |
3D object fabrication methods and systems
A 3D object fabrication method implemented in a fabrication system includes the following steps. A digital object model is retrieved. Sections of the digital object model are respectively printed on plural pieces of plane material. The pieces of plane material are combined to form a physical 3D object of the digital object model. |
| US08155772B2 |
Method and system for integrating a restriction object with a material object
A method and system for integrating a restriction object with a material object is provided. A reference is generated between a material object and a restriction object. A restriction note is received from a supplier having a material restriction for a material in the material object. A material position is searched in the material object using a material number of the material. A selection condition is determined based on which the material is chosen from the material position. A restriction condition is generated in the restriction object based on the material restriction and the selection condition. |
| US08155770B2 |
Method and apparatus for dispatching workpieces to tools based on processing and performance history
Metrology data associated with a plurality of workpieces processed at a selected operation in the process flow including a plurality of operations is retrieved. A processing context associated with each of the workpieces is determined. The processing context identifies at least one previous tool used to perform an operation on the associated workpiece prior to the selected operation. A plurality of performance metrics is determined for a plurality of tools capable of performing the selected operation based on the metrology data. Each performance metric is associated with a particular tool and a particular processing context. A set of the performance metrics is identified for the plurality of tools having a processing context matching a processing context of a selected workpiece awaiting performance of the selected operation. The selected workpiece is dispatched for processing in a selected one of the plurality of tools based on the set of performance metrics. |
| US08155769B2 |
Industrial control with integrated machine vision
System and method for performing industrial control. A vision engine operable to execute vision functions to control a vision element in response to received asynchronous commands is stored on a vision system. An application programming interface (API) that provides access to the vision engine is stored. The API includes multiple function blocks operable to be included in an industrial control application, and executable to send the asynchronous commands to the vision engine. The application is created, including inserting at least one function block of the API into the application. The application is executed on a programmable controller, including executing the function block to send a corresponding asynchronous command to the vision engine. The vision engine performs a vision function corresponding to the function block in response to the asynchronous command, and sends resultant data to the industrial control application, which stores the resultant data. |
| US08155758B2 |
Fault tolerant implantable pulse generators and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators incorporating physiologic sensors and methods for implementing fault tolerance in same
This disclosure relates to fault tolerant instantiations of a cardiac therapy delivery device such as an implantable cardiac stimulator (e.g., an implantable pulse generator, IPG, and/or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, ICD) coupled to an implantable physiologic sensor (IPS). According to the disclosure delivery of cardiac pacing and/or cardioversion-defibrillator therapy delivery can cause errors in output signals from an IPS. Resolution of such errors involves selectively energizing (or disconnecting the output signal from) the IPS during pacing and/or defibrillation therapy delivery. Programmable signal “blanking” in lieu of or in addition to the foregoing also improves the integrity of the output signal (i.e., continuously energize the IPS and ignore parts of the output signal). An ICD having a transient weakness in an insulated conductor used for the IPS signal can likewise have the IPS de-energized and/or blank the IPS output signal during high voltage therapy delivery. |
| US08155754B2 |
Method for fabrication of low-polarization implantable stimulation electrode
A method for fabricating an implantable medical electrode includes roughening the electrode substrate, applying an adhesion layer, and depositing a valve metal oxide coating over the adhesion layer under conditions optimized to minimize electrode impedance and post-pulse polarization. The electrode substrate may be a variety of electrode metals or alloys including titanium, platinum, platinum-iridium, or niobium. The adhesion layer may be formed of titanium or zirconium. The valve metal oxide coating is a ruthenium oxide coating sputtered onto the adhesion layer under controlled target power, sputtering pressure, and sputter gas ratio setting optimized to minimize electrode impedance and post-pulse polarization. |
| US08155753B2 |
Activity sensing for stimulator control
The disclosure describes a system that measures the distance between one or more electrodes and tissue of a patient, and controls one or more parameters of the stimulation delivered to the tissue by the electrodes based on the measured distance. The system controls the measurement of the distance between the electrodes and the tissue as a function of activity of the patient. The system uses, for example, a piezoelectric transducer to sense activity of the patient, and may determine whether or how frequently to measure the distance between electrodes and tissue based on the sensed physical activity. A piezoelectric transducer may be used both to sense activity and to measure the distance between the electrodes and the tissue. |
| US08155752B2 |
Implantable medical device with single coil for charging and communicating
A combination charging and telemetry circuit for use within an implantable device, such as a microstimulator, uses a single coil for both charging and telemetry. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, one or more capacitors are used to tune the single coil to different frequencies, wherein the coil is used for multiple purposes, e.g., for receiving power from an external source and also for the telemetry of information to and from an external source. |
| US08155747B2 |
Electric and acoustic stimulation fitting systems and methods
Methods and systems for modifying the parameters of at least one hearing device for a patient with residual hearing provide needed orchestration of acoustic and electric stimulation of patients wearing such devices. |
| US08155746B2 |
Cochlear implant sound processor with permanently integrated replenishable power source
A cochlear implant sound processor is powered by a rechargeable battery that is permanently integrated into the sound processor. The sound processor contains an inductive coil that may be tuned to an external charging coil for battery recharging. The electronic circuits and coil of the sound processor are housed in a material transparent to RF signals. The sound processor may be placed in a recharging base station in which the sound processor is positioned in a space surrounded by the inductive charging coil embedded in a material transparent to RF signals. The inductive charging coil sends power to the coil inside the processor and thereby recharges the battery. An alternative embodiment utilizes contacts in the sound processor case and aligned terminals in the recharging base station that allow direct charging of the battery. |
| US08155745B1 |
System and method for gait rehabilitation
The invention is a system and a method of enabling a person with one or two prosthetic legs to walk [i.e. be gait enabled] by using an implanted microstimulator that activates hip abduction, using a control unit, external coil, and a foot mounted foot switch. |
| US08155736B2 |
EEG control of devices using sensory evoked potentials
An EEG control of devices using Sensory Evoked Potentials (SEPs) (e.g., visually-evoked potentials), is disclosed. In some embodiments, a system receives a plurality of EEG signal samples; generates a stimulus locked average signal using the plurality of EEG signal samples; and determines whether the plurality of EEG signal samples are evoked in response to a pattern of stimulus. |
| US08155734B2 |
Probabilistic fusion in arrhythmia diagnosis and therapy
This document describes, among other things, systems and methods for characterizing a tachyarrhythmia. A method comprises obtaining a current first primary characterization of the tachyarrhythmia and a current first primary confidence level of the current first primary characterization, obtaining a current second primary characterization of the tachyarrhythmia and a current second primary confidence level of the current second primary characterization, and determining a current secondary characterization using the current first primary characterization, the current first primary confidence level, the current second primary characterization, and the current second primary confidence level. |
| US08155732B2 |
ECG system for use in ECG signal measurement of intra-cardiac ECG using a catheter
An ECG system is used in ECG signal measurement of intra-cardiac ECG using a catheter. The system includes a lead signal switch for disconnecting an amplifier input terminal from a reference point and reconnecting the input terminal to a patient limb electrode. An ECG signal processor amplifies the difference of a chest lead signal electronically connected to a catheter, and a patient limb signal provided by the reconnecting of the input terminal. |
| US08155727B2 |
Wrist coil for magnetic resonance imaging
A wrist coil for magnetic resonance imaging has a tubular coil formed by a number of coil splicing units spliced together in succession, and an annular coil unit that is wound around the surface of the tubular coil. Since the annular coil unit is wound around the surface of the tubular coil, and the current direction in the annular coil unit is perpendicular to the current direction in each of the coil splicing units, when some of the coil splicing units in the tubular coil do not acquire signals due to the fact that their magnetic field direction is parallel to that of the main magnetic field direction, the annular coil unit will carry out signal acquisition. Furthermore, since the magnetic flux of the annular coil unit is relatively large, this ensures a relatively high signal-to-noise ratio in the acquired signals no matter whatever layout position is adopted for the wrist coil, thus reducing equipment costs and eliminating restrictions for clinical applications in the prior art. |
| US08155725B2 |
Method for optimising the focussing of waves through an aberration-inducing element
The invention concerns a method for optimizing the focusing of waves in a zone of interest of a medium, with the waves being emitted by a network of sources to the medium through an aberration-inducing element that introduces an initially indeterminate phase shift. The method according to the invention proposes to use M−1 successive modifications of the emitted wave, each giving rise to a perturbation. According to the invention, the M perturbations are measured in the zone of interest at each modification of the phase and/or amplitude distributions, and these measurements are used to deduce optimal focusing characteristics to maximize the perturbation induced in the zone of interest. |
| US08155716B2 |
Portable radio device
A portable radio device of a type having two-direction openable and closable enclosures that can effectively lessen influence on an antenna exerted by a hinge section is provided. A horizontal hinge section 5 for rotatably joining an upper enclosure 1 to a hinge enclosure 3 around a first shaft center includes a horizontal hinge anchor 52 electrically connected to a first metal part 13 disposed in the upper enclosure 1, a horizontal hinge plate 53 that is placed in the hinge enclosure 3 and that contains a conductive material, and a first hinge shaft 51 that electrically connects the horizontal hinge anchor 52 to the horizontal hinge plate 53 and that contains a conductive material interposed between an area from a substantial center to an end of a long side of a face along which the upper enclosure 1 and the hinge enclosure 3 face a direction of second shaft center (X). An electrical path length of the lateral hinge section 5 including the lateral hinge plate 53 and the first hinge shaft 51 corresponds to a predetermined value that is not a substantially constant multiple of λ/8. |
| US08155714B2 |
Portable media player having a flip form factor
A portable media player is configured with a flip form factor in which a flip cover is hingedly fixed to a main body portion of the player. The flip cover rotates about the hinge between open positions that expose the display screen and user controls of the player and a closed position that covers that screen and controls to keep them clean and protected against damage when the player is being used or transported. The flip cover includes a set of secondary user controls on its exterior surface so that the user may operate the player when the flip cover is in its closed position. The hinge is configured to provide sufficient frictional torque over its angular range of motion to enable the flip cover to operate as a built-in display stand to angle the display screen for comfortable viewing. The flip cover further provides additional surface area for personalization. |
| US08155712B2 |
Low power very high-data rate device
A radio frequency (RF) transmitter has a plurality of digitally controlled phased array antennas coupled to and controlled by the processor to transmit data. The processor is to enable one or more antennas to be turned off during a use of the apparatus to reduce a power consumption of the apparatus. |
| US08155707B2 |
Voice input-output device and communication device
A voice input-output device includes a voice input section and a voice output section. The voice input section includes a microphone unit, the microphone unit including a housing that has an inner space, a partition member that is provided in the housing and divides the inner space into a first space and a second space, the partition member being at least partially formed of a diaphragm, and an electrical signal output circuit that outputs an electrical signal that is the first voice signal based on vibrations of the diaphragm, a first through-hole through which the first space communicates with an outer space of the housing and a second through-hole through which the second space communicates with the outer space being formed in the housing. The voice output section includes: an ambient noise detection section that detects ambient noise during a call based on the first voice signal; and a volume control section that controls volume of the speaker based on a degree of the detected ambient noise. |
| US08155704B2 |
Display device
A display device includes a printed circuit board disposed at a rear of a display panel. The printed circuit board includes a main board portion, an auxiliary board portion and a connection board portion continuously disposed with each other. |
| US08155699B2 |
Communication apparatus
A communication apparatus comprises read-out means for reading out identification information from each of a plurality of storage media each storing identification information about a communication line; communication means for determining communication lines corresponding to the plurality of storage media based on the identification information read out from the plurality of storage media by the read-out means and performing communication with a base station using one of the plurality of determined communication lines; and control means for controlling the communication means to execute a search process of searching for a base station communicable with the communication means at an interval determined for each of the determined communication lines. |
| US08155695B2 |
Apparatus and method to improve WLAN performance in a dual WLAN modality environment
A portable communication device including a first wireless transceiver operable under a first communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a second wireless transceiver operable under a second communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a method for controlling transmission of signals from an access point to the first wireless transceiver by limiting transmission of information from the associated access point to the first wireless transceiver to time slots or sub-frames associated with the second wireless transceiver in which the second wireless transceiver does not transmit. |
| US08155693B2 |
Mobile communication device providing communication pathway determination assistance
A system and method in a mobile communication device for providing assistance to a user in determining a communication pathway. A mobile communication device may comprise a communication interface module adapted to communicate over at least a first plurality of communication pathways. At least one module may be adapted to utilize the at least one communication interface module to perform at least a particular type of communication over any of the first plurality of communication pathways. The at least one module may also, for example in a scenario where a second plurality of the first plurality of communication pathways are presently available for performing the first particular type of communication, provide assistance to a user in determining which of the second plurality of communication pathways to utilize for performing a communication of the first particular type of communication. |
| US08155691B2 |
Mobile communication system
A base station accommodation method and mobile communication system which allows the installation of many micro-miniature BTS devices are provided. The mobile communication system includes a plurality of base stations which accommodate a plurality of mobile terminals respectively; a plurality of first base station control devices, each of which accommodates a predetermined number of base stations out of the plurality of base stations; and a second base station control device which accommodates the plurality of first base station control devices, wherein each of the plurality of first base station control devices comprises, for supporting information identifying a mobile terminal, a mobile terminal data base to store identification information which identifies a base station to which the mobile terminal is subordinate, and a station data base to store an address of the base station. |
| US08155680B2 |
Sensing RF environment to synchronize network elements
Providing a frequency reference to a mobile telecommunications base station is disclosed. A radio frequency signal that includes a periodic component having a known frequency is received. A frequency reference is derived from the received radio signal, based at least in part on the periodic component. The frequency reference is used to transmit from the base station at an assigned frequency. |
| US08155678B2 |
Email system providing account provisioning based upon device-supported markup language and related methods
An email communications system may include a plurality of wireless communications devices each supporting at least one markup language from among a plurality of different markup languages, and an electronic mail (email) server. The email server may include an account provisioning module for determining the at least one markup language supported by a given wireless communications device, providing at least one respective markup language provisioning template to the given wireless communications device based upon the supported at least one markup language, and generating a provisioned email account for the given wireless communications device based upon at least one provisioning parameter returned via the at least one markup language provisioning template. The email server may further include a mail-user agent module for forwarding emails to the given wireless communications device based upon the provisioned email account therefor. |
| US08155675B2 |
Broadcast information transmission method, radio base station and mobile station
A radio base station (eNB) transmits a change notification to the plurality of mobile stations (UE), when repeatedly transmitting the plurality of segments, and when having changed a content of the broadcast information formed of the plurality of segments, size of each of the plurality of segments or subframes in which the plurality of segments are to be transmitted, the change notification indicating the change. The mobile station (UE) receives all the plurality of segments again, when having failed to receive only some of the plurality of segments, and when having received the change notification. |
| US08155674B2 |
Apparatus, and associated method, for dynamically configuring a page message used to page an access terminal in a radio communication system
Apparatus, and an associated method, for paging an access terminal in a radio communication system. Dynamic configuration and reconfiguration of a quick page message is provided. Its configuration is dependent upon paging load in the system. Hash values are selected and used pursuant to the configuration, and use, of the message. A first hash value is selected within a first range. And, a second hash value is selected within a second range. The second range from which the second hash value is selected does not include the first hash value. |
| US08155668B2 |
Radio communication apparatus, position measurement method for radio communication apparatus, and radio communication system
A radio communication apparatus for performing radio communication with a terminal apparatus, including: a calculation unit which calculates first and second propagation distances indicating path lengths of first and second paths respectively; a decision unit which determines whether the first and second received waves are reflected waves or direct waves, respectively, based on the first and second propagation distances, and outputs a first or second terminal-reflection point distance on determining the first or second received wave as the reflected wave, or outputs the first or second propagation distance on determining the first or second received wave as the direct wave; and a position measurement unit which measures the position of the terminal apparatus based on the first or second terminal-reflection point distance, or the first or second propagation distance. |
| US08155661B2 |
Method for automatic resource restriction distribution, a base station, a mobile terminal, a resource distribution device and a mobile network therefor
The invention concerns a method for automatic resource restriction distribution for coordination of the interference between cells (C1, C2, . . . ) or sectors (S1, S2, . . . ) of a single frequency network with the frequency band being subdivided into at least two subsets (F1, F2 . . . FR), whereby mobile terminals (T1) in the single frequency network perform power measurements of pilot symbols, based on said power measurements, the signal to interference ratio and the data throughput in the cells (C1, C2, . . . ) in case of no interference coordination and in case of interference coordination is calculated, and at least one dedicated subset of said at least two subsets (F1, F2 . . . FR) is chosen for usage with restricted power in such a way that the overall data throughput in the cells (C1, C2, . . . ) is maximized, a base station, a mobile terminal, a resource distribution device and a mobile network therefor. |
| US08155659B2 |
Measurement-assisted dynamic frequency-reuse in cellular telecommunications networks
A radio network resource controller directs a first network node associated with a first cell region, or a wireless terminal in communication through the first cell region, to measure and report radio resource-related data selected from the group consisting of: resource activity per channel; the number of transmitted power samples that exceed a threshold over a measurement period; and, channel quality samples that exceed a quality threshold. The controller then receives at least one measurement report of the radio resource-related data and, as a function of the radio resource-related data in the first cell region, dynamically reallocates the distribution of resources, such as radio-frequency channels associated with uplink and downlink communications, between the first cell region and at least a second cell region. The invention has a particular advantage in time division duplex (TDD) mode of operation where efficient and dynamic interference mitigation is needed to combat the inherent mobile-to-mobile and base station-to-base station interference. |
| US08155657B2 |
Dynamic routing
A method for managing transactions across a large number of service providers includes determining performance metrics associated with each of a plurality of service providers and generating a score for each service provider based on the performance metrics associated with each of the plurality of service providers taken over a short time period. The service providers are then sorted based on the scores to generate a list of service providers. Customer transactions are then assigned to one of the service providers based on the order of the list of service providers. The list of service providers is reprioritized based on mid-term metrics and accumulated costs taken over a mid-term period that is longer than the short term period. |
| US08155655B1 |
Assigning an access channel based on a timer in a wireless communication system
Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for adjusting an access channel dormancy timer. In a particular embodiment, a method comprises wirelessly receiving a call request from a wireless communication device. In response to the call request, starting an access channel timer and transferring call set-up signaling to extend the call. If the access channel timer expires before a negative response is received to the call set-up signaling, then allocating a wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call. If the negative response is received before the timer expires, then denying the wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call. If the negative response is received after the timer expires, then releasing the wireless access channel from the wireless device. If a positive response is received before the timer expires, then allocating the wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call. |
| US08155651B2 |
Transmission parameter negotiation after packet-switched handover
A user equipment (UE) includes a resettable timer that clocks a period after a successful packet-switched handover in a communication system. If a command message for setting packet-data transmission parameters is not received from the network before the period elapses, the UE starts a transmission-parameter negotiation if the UE wishes to do so. In this way, a UE can negotiate optimal parameters for packet-data transmission. |
| US08155644B2 |
Wireless communication system for switching to a preferred carrier
A wireless communication system, including: a first wireless base station disposed on a first wireless network; a second wireless base station disposed on a second network; and a mobile station that includes a communication controller, which controls wireless communication; wherein in the case where the mobile station attempts to switch communication to the second wireless network while coupled to the first wireless base station and communicating on the first wireless network, the communication controller temporarily synchronizes with the second wireless base station, and obtains an address pointer for acquiring network configuration information from the second wireless base station, the network configuration information containing information regarding the network configuration of the second wireless network, and after obtaining the address pointer, the communication controller recouples with the first wireless base station, accesses the data acquisition location specified by the address pointer via the first wireless network, and acquires the network configuration information. |
| US08155642B2 |
Advanced multi-network client device for wideband multimedia access to private and public wireless networks
A wireless device (e.g., a wireless smart phone) uses Global Positioning System (GPS) data, or other position-indicating data, to accurately determine its location in relation to multi-layered wireless networks that the device may see concurrently. If location information is available, the device employs a user-defined priority table to select the order of user-contracted networks available at that location in which the device will register. If location information is unavailable, the device employs a technology priority table to select Common Air Interface (CAI) options for the invention device radio parameters (e.g., GSM, cdma2000, IS-136, IEEE 802.11x, etc.) to search for an available network to access. Information is gathered and stored in databases within the invention device allowing it to be registered in multiple wireless networks. The inventive device provides unique access codes to each wireless network with which a user has contracted, without the intervention of any “anchor” (home) network. The invention facilitates equivalent “home”, or personalized, service in any network by using these features for automatic technology adaptation. This allows the invention device to receive service as if it is in a “home” network no matter what network it is traveling through. The invention provides a ubiquitous experience allowing the user to traverse multiple wireless networks with seamless access to multiple systems and services provided by those networks. It also provides a platform to facilitate the customization of wireless services for business customers. |
| US08155640B1 |
System and method for mobile terminal initiated satellite communications
A system and method for improving efficiency of satellite communications is described. In one embodiment, efficient satellite communications is enabled through event-driven reporting by a mobile terminal. |
| US08155639B2 |
System and method for computer noteboook electromagnetic compatibility analysis
A system and method for antenna analysis and electromagnetic compatibility testing in a wireless device utilizes a “parent” device that undergoes rigorous conventional testing. A “child” device having similar components may thereafter undergo abbreviated testing. Because the Total Isotropic Sensitivity of the parent device is known, testing may be performed on the child device to infer equivalence to the parent's TIS performance using the abbreviated test techniques. |
| US08155636B2 |
Systems and methods for remotely controlling mobile stations
Methods for remotely controlling a mobile station by a controller are provided. An embodiment of a method performed by the mobile station comprises the following steps. An action request comprising a remote control instruction issued by the controller is received. The remote control instruction is acquired from the received action request. The remote control instruction is executed to activate or deactivate a particular function resident on the mobile station or return data stored by the mobile station. The action request is received through a wireless network. |
| US08155629B2 |
System and method for providing information services to subscribers in a GPRS network
The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing services, such as location-based services, in a GPRS network. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a database including local geographical information is stored in a BSS (Base Station System). The BSS transmits data in the database to at lease one MS on dedicated DPCHs in idle packet frames. The MS populates its database with the data while in idle mode and provides the location-based services to a subscriber using its database. |
| US08155625B2 |
Methods and apparatus for conserving energy used by a mobile device
Methods and apparatus are provided for saving energy in a mobile device configured to maintain a persistent communication session with an application server over a wireless network. A method comprises detecting a traffic pattern between a mobile device and an application server for maintaining a persistent communication session and automatically initiating a transition of the mobile device from a first operating state to a second operating state in response to detecting the traffic pattern. The power consumption associated with the second operating state is less than power consumption associated with the first operating state. |
| US08155621B2 |
Reverse charging service
The present invention provides systems and methods for facilitating mobile communication between a calling party and a called party. Aspects of the present invention include establishing, via a service node, mobile communications upon receiving a response, from the called party, to a mobile communication request made by the calling party to the service node, and further include facilitating, via the service node, charging the called party for the established mobile communications. |
| US08155617B2 |
Lightweight MRRM with radio agnostic access selection in the core network
A method and arrangement for making a handover decision in a multi-access communication network is disclosed. A first set of criteria is determined for when a handover between at least two access paths should be performed and a report is sent when at least one criterion of a first set of criteria is fulfilled. A second set of criteria is determined for when a handover between said at least two access paths should be performed and a report is sent when at least one criterion of said second set of criteria is fulfilled. One or more data sessions of at least one user terminal network are determined to be handed over based on the sent reports and a core network anchor and a terminal anchor are directed to execute a handover by re-routing said determined data sessions from one access path to an alternative access path. |
| US08155615B2 |
Generation of a composite mitigation signal with a desired spectral energy distrubution
A method (1100, 1200) of generating a composite mitigation signal (216, 902, 1002) is presented. The composite mitigation signal includes an odd integer (N) of transitions (310, 312) between a first amplitude and a second amplitude of the composite mitigation signal. Successive sets of the transition bursts are separated by a desired phase delay or time delay (330), or such separations are defined by a base signal (416) having a frequency equal to a fundamental frequency of the composite mitigation signal. The composite signal generators (222, 900, 1000) that generate the composite mitigation signal are also presented. |
| US08155612B1 |
Wireless device using a shared gain stage for simultaneous reception of multiple protocols
A wireless device that can process signals according to multiple wireless protocols simultaneously and without signal loss. The wireless device may comprise an antenna and first and second wireless protocol circuitry. The first wireless protocol circuitry comprises a shared gain element that amplifies signals that are processed by each of the first and second wireless protocol circuitry. Since the third signals are amplified by the shared gain element prior to being split out to the respective protocol circuitry, the first and second portions of the amplified third signals do not have significant signal loss relative to the third signals provided by the antenna. Thus the wireless device can receive and process wireless signals according to both the first and second protocols simultaneously without any significant signal losses due to splitting of the receive signal. |
| US08155611B2 |
GPS baseband architecture
A GPS baseband architecture provides flexibility and power consumption and chip area usage advantages. The GPS baseband architecture includes a first stage having a preamplifier coupled to a low noise amplifier, which is coupled to a mixer. A PLL provides the mixer with a frequency to convert a signal to a higher intermediate (IF) frequency. The output of the mixer is fed to a poly-phase filter. The output of the poly-phase filter is fed to a programmable gain amplifier (PGA), whose output is fed to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to produce an output GPS signal. A saturation bit of the ADC is used to control the PGA through a digital amplifier gain control (AGC) circuit. |
| US08155610B2 |
Combining multiple frequency modulation (FM) signals in a receiver
In one embodiment, the present invention provide a method for detecting signal quality metrics of a constant modulo (CM) signal received in two different signal paths, and combining the signal from the two signal paths based at least in part on the detected first and second signal quality metrics. Such method may be implemented in a radio receiver such as an automobile receiver. |
| US08155608B2 |
System and method for enhanced parallel receiving interworking in a wireless communications system
A system and method for enhanced parallel receiving interworking in a wireless communications network. A method for controller operation where the controller serves a communications device having at least two receivers includes detecting that the communications device has at least one receiver tuned to a current radio access technology (RAT) and at least one receiver tuned to an alternate RAT, adjusting a network parameter to alter the communication network's performance, and readjusting the network parameter back to its original value in response to determining that the communications device no longer has any receiver tuned to the alternate RAT. The adjusted network parameter impacts only the communications device. |
| US08155604B2 |
Method and system for power supply adjustment and polar modulation in an RF transmitter
Aspects of a method and system for power supply adjustment for polar modulation of an RF signal are provided. In an RF transmitter, a signal representative of an amplitude of a pair of phase-quadrature baseband signals may be generated, and a voltage and/or current supplied to one or more components of said RF transmitter may be controlled based on said generated signal. Additionally, aspects of the invention may enable dividing each signal of said pair of baseband signals by said generated signal, up-converting the divided signals, and combining the up-converted signals to generate a phase modulated RF signal. The one or more components may comprise, for example, one or more amplifiers, and/or one or more mixers. The generated signal may result from squaring each signal of the pair of baseband signals and calculating a square root of a sum of the squared signals. |
| US08155602B2 |
MEMS-based radio frequency circulator
The invention relates to an RF circulator device with n ports allowing an RF signal to circulate in a single direction, where the circulator has at least three ports, an input port for receiving a radio frequency signal to be transmitted to a second port designed to be connected to an antenna port, an output port capable of being connected to a receiving device or a load, comprising a first and a second microswitches each comprising two armatures of which the first is a flexible membrane and the second comprises at least one zone of a signal line, both armatures being separated by a thickness of void or of gas, the device making it possible to connect the main line to ground planes by self-actuation of the membrane under the effect of an input signal power. |
| US08155601B2 |
Method and system for power combining in a multi-port distributed antenna
Methods and systems for power combining in a multi-port distributed antenna are disclosed and may include power combining signals from power amplifiers (PAs) on a chip. The PAs may be coupled to a single distributed antenna via antenna ports. A phase of each of the signals may be matched at the antenna ports via phase-matching circuitry. A characteristic impedance may be configured at the ports based on a location of the ports. The PAs may be impedance matched to the antenna ports via impedance matching elements. A power level of the power-combined signals may be monitored via a power detector coupled to the distributed antenna. The power detector may include an envelope detector, such as a diode. The antenna may be integrated on the chip or may be located external to the chip. The signals may include RF signals and the antenna may include a microstrip antenna. |
| US08155596B2 |
Radio communication device and method for processing measurement control information in a communication device
In various embodiments, a communication device and a method for processing measurement control information in a communication device are provided. In an embodiment, system information and a system information identifier are stored by the communication device in a first connection state and the system information identifier is transmitted to the network communication device after changing to a second connection state. |
| US08155587B2 |
Communication method, communication system, and communication device for performing communication having altering communication ranges
When wireless communications are performed with other communication devices, an inquiry message to discover other communication devices residing in the vicinity is wirelessly transmitted by having communication ranges altered at a plurality of stages; response messages to the transmitted inquiry message are received; information relating to a receiving state or frequency of receipt of the response messages from the respective communication ranges is preserved with respect to each communication device which is a source of the response message; and based on the preserved information relating to the receiving state or the frequency of receipt of the response messages a communication device to be a connection object for wireless communication is selected. By doing so, when short-range wireless communications are performed, communication services can be performed appropriately between required devices. |
| US08155578B2 |
Method and system for generating and processing an assessment examination
Methods and systems for generating and processing an assessment examination answer sheet are disclosed. An answer sheet is formatted by question, column or section using a layout tool and includes calibration marks, and examinee and examination identifiers. The format is stored in a computer-readable form, such as an XML file. A conventional printer prints the answer sheet prior to a test administration. Upon completion, a scanned image of the answer sheet is produced using a conventional scanner. The calibration marks are used to determine relative positions of answer sheet elements and to determine light and dark answer values. The examinee and examination identifiers identify the examinee and the proper stored format. Automatic grading ensues. A graphical user interface (“GUI”) assists grading of the answer sheet. The GUI may use confidence level indicators to denote answer choices or questions for which the grading system cannot precisely determine the intended response. |
| US08155572B2 |
Dual position pre-transfer assembly
A dual mode media registration transport and media pre-transfer baffle arrangement within a printer enables printing onto normal and heavy weight media materials. In a first mode, the arrangement allows normal media to enter pre-transfer baffles with the normal “S” shape, which allows all performance specifications to be maintained. To accommodate heavy weight media, the registration transport and pre-transfer baffles are moved into a second mode position which straightens the media path and enables heavy weight media to enter the pre-transfer area. Thus, enabling the printing of these materials which could not be processed through the “S” shape baffle arrangement. |
| US08155570B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus with the same
A first bias Vslv is applied to a development roller 22 and a second bias Vmag is applied to a magnetic roller 23 to perform development; after completion of development, without changing the setting of Vslv, of the AC component Vpp2 of Vmag, the peak voltage value Vpp2 (max) at the side with the same polarity as toner is made lower than during a development period and development-residual toner on the development roller 22 is collected to prevent a lateral streak formed on photoconductor drums 1a to 1d during a non-development period. |
| US08155560B2 |
Image forming apparatus with integral unit of fixing unit and reverse rollers in main body
An image forming apparatus has a main body; an image forming portion for forming a toner image on a recording material; a fixing unit; a reverse roller to convey the recording material which is passed through the fixing portion to the image forming portion again after conveying the recording material which has passed through the fixing portion, where a rear end of the recording material passes through the fixing portion and the recording material is conveyed toward the image forming portion by rotating the reverse roller backward. The apparatus has a first and second conveying path, the second conveying path provided outside the first conveying path, and the reverse roller unit is attached to an opening/closing portion which exposes the first convey path when opened. |
| US08155556B2 |
Image forming apparatus having two front curved planes one having radius curvature larger than the other
An image forming apparatus includes: a printer unit that forms an image on a recording sheet; an operation panel for operating and/or setting the printer unit, a side on which the operation panel is provided is defined as a front side; and an ejection space on which the recording sheet ejected from the printer unit is placed. As viewed from the front side, a radius curvature of a first portion that intermediates a right side plane of the printer unit and a front plane of the printer unit is larger than a radius curvature of a second portion that intermediates a left side plane of the printer unit and the front plane of the printer unit. |
| US08155552B2 |
Image forming apparatus for stabilizing the relative position of a body casing and a photosensitive drum
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming apparatus body including a driving force transmitting portion and a process cartridge. The process cartridge includes a housing, a photosensitive drum disposed in the housing, a first bearing rotatably supporting an axial end portion of the photosensitive drum, a driving force input portion, which is provided on the axial end portion of the photosensitive drum and is configured to engage the driving force transmitting portion in order to drive the photosensitive drum by a driving force transmitted from the driving force transmitting portion when the driving force transmitting portion is pressed against the driving force input portion, and a second bearing, which rotatably supports the other axial end of the photosensitive drum, and which comprises a first contact portion which contacts the image forming apparatus body when the driving force transmitting portion is pressed against the driving force input portion. |
| US08155541B2 |
Fixing device which detects anomaly of heater
A fixing device shifts to the anomaly detection mode in arbitrary timing except during printing. In the anomaly detection mode, a first heat generation member and a second heat generation member are off and only a third heat generation member is turned on for a predetermined time. A quantity of temperature change in a fixing member during that time is detected by a first temperature detection member or a second temperature detection member. When the quantity of temperature change is within a predetermined range, it is determined that the third heat generation member is normal. In inspecting whether the third heat generation member is normal or not, when the temperature of the fixing member is in the area exceeding T1° C. where the temperature rise gradient of the fixing member is gentler, the inspection is skipped. |
| US08155540B2 |
Optimized limit gain compensation for dispense time accumulators of toner concentration control
A method and system includes updating an accumulated dispense value from within a toner dispense actuation loop and adjusting the accumulated dispense value by receiving dispense values from at least one control loop element that operates asynchronously from the toner dispense actuation loop. A temporary accumulated dispense value is stored when it is greater than or equal to a predetermined dispense saturation upper limit, or is less than or equal to a predetermined dispense saturation lower limit. An adjusted accumulated dispense value is calculated by subtracting the accumulated dispense value from the temporary accumulated dispense value and multiplying the difference by a predetermined optimized limit gain. A new accumulated dispense value is calculated by adding the adjusted accumulated dispense value to the accumulated dispense value. A toner dispense motor is activated for a time period equal to the on time value, and the on time value is subtracted from the new accumulator value. |
| US08155534B2 |
Optical modulator for higher-order modulation
According to one embodiment of the invention, a 16-QAM optical modulator has a Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) coupled to a drive circuit that drives the MZM based on two electrical binary signals. The output of the MZM corresponds to an intermediary constellation consisting of four constellation points arranged on a straight line in the corresponding in-phase/quadrature-phase (I-Q) plane. Two of these constellation points correspond to a zero phase, and the remaining two constellation points correspond to a phase of π radian. The 16-QAM optical modulator further has a phase shifter that modulates the output of the MZM based on two additional electrical binary signals. The resulting optical output signal corresponds to a star 16-QAM constellation, which is produced by incremental rotation of the intermediary constellation. |
| US08155533B2 |
Optical transmitting apparatus and optical communication system
A waveform converting unit gives a change to a clock signal as a periodic voltage fluctuation that drives a pulse carver unit carrying out shaping into an RZ waveform. The pulse carver unit receives a bias voltage applied thereto from a bias voltage applying unit, is driven by the clock signal that is given a change by the waveform converting unit and that is amplified by an amplifying unit, and outputs an RZ pulse whose duty has been changed. |
| US08155532B2 |
Optical transmission apparatus, optical transmission system, apparatus control method, and recording medium on which program for the apparatus is recorded
A removable optical interface module is used to allow an optical transmission apparatus to flexibly respond to a change from a type of service to another that uses a different light wavelength. To this end, the optical transmission apparatus is removably provided with an optical interface module storing attribute information and includes a plurality of service implementation units implementing services using signals transmitted and received through the optical interface module. An operation selecting unit is provided which selects and causes a service implementation unit among the plurality of service implementation units that implement a service corresponding to the attribute information to operate. |
| US08155529B2 |
Forward discrete/inverse-discrete Fourier transform device and method for optical OFDM communication and transmitting and receiving apparatus comprising the device
Disclosed are a forward discrete/inverse-discrete Fourier transform device and method for optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) communication and a transmitting and receiving apparatus. The forward inverse-discrete Fourier transform device includes N 1:N splitters for splitting subcarrier signals received from N inputs corresponding to the number of optical frequencies of subcarriers, a phase shift delay array module for shifting phases of the split signals from the 1:N splitters, N N:1 power couplers for coupling signals output from the phase shift delay array module, a time delay array module for performing time delay on optical OFDM symbols from the N:1 power couplers, and an N:1 power coupler for coupling signals output from the time delay array module. |
| US08155528B2 |
Authentication modes for an optical transceiver module
Methods for authenticating an optical transceiver module to a host are disclosed. The transceiver comprises a receive signal line for transferring data from the transceiver to the host and a transmit signal line for transferring data from the host to the transceiver in preparation for transmission to a communications network. The transceiver includes a controller having a processor in communication with the host, and a first memory register assignable by the processor. A consolidated laser driver/post amplifier is also included and features a pattern generator and a data switch. The pattern generator produces a string of bit values that serve as an authenticating data portion. The data switch selectively inputs the authenticating data portion to the receive signal line of the transceiver according to the state of the first memory register, enabling the authenticating data portion to be received by the host, thereby authenticating the transceiver. |
| US08155523B2 |
WDM PON RF overlay architecture based on quantum dot multi-wavelength laser source
In a Wavelength Division Multiplexed Passive Optical Network (WDM-PON) including, a system for overlaying an analog broadcast signal. An Optical Line Terminal of the WDM-PON includes a broadband light source for generating uplink seed light for each uplink channel of the WDM-PON, and a modulator for modulating the analog broadcast signal onto the uplink seed light. An Optical Network Terminal of the WDM-PON receives the uplink seed light from the Optical Line Terminal, and includes an optical divider for dividing the received seed light into a first signal and a second signal; a light source for generating an uplink data signals using the first signal as seed light; and an RF receiver for detecting the analog broadcast signal modulated on the second signal. |
| US08155520B1 |
Multi-fabric shelf for a transport network
A network element of a transport network has three fabrics housed within a single shelf of a telco rack, namely a packet fabric, an electrical fabric and an optical fabric. The shelf also includes inter-fabric circuitry, to bridge between the fabrics, e.g. packet-electrical and/or electrical-optical and/or packet-optical. The inter-fabric circuitries switchably transmit packets across fabrics in intermediate nodes of the transport network. The single shelf of some embodiments has a wall (“midplane”) between a rear region that holds the three fabrics and a front region that holds inter-fabric circuitry, and external interfaces to optical trunks and/or packet services and/or optical tributaries. |
| US08155519B2 |
Flexible, dense line card architecture
The disclosure relates to optical fiber transmission systems, and in particular, pertains to the transceiver cards in an optical fiber transport system. In particular the disclosure teaches an improved transceiver card architecture that allows high density, flexibility and interchangeability of functionality. |
| US08155518B2 |
Dynamic load balancing of fibre channel traffic
Systems and methods herein provide for load balancing Fiber Channel traffic. In this regard, a Fiber Channel load balancer may be operable to monitor Fiber Channel paths coupled to a host bus adapter and determine the speeds of the Fiber Channel ports within the Fiber Channel paths. The Fiber Channel load balancer may also be operable to determine certain characteristics of the Fiber Channel traffic being passed over the Fiber Channel paths. For example, a load balancer may determine Fiber Channel traffic sizes of pending requests and, based in part on the traffic sizes and operable normalized speeds of the Fiber Channel ports, adaptively route the pending original traffic across the Fiber Channel ports. |
| US08155516B2 |
Apparatus and method for ensuring continuity of fiber optic
In a fiber-optic communications system, a backup or redundant optical link is provided at the central office in parallel with the primary one in use. Parameters associated with the backup link, including its signal delay, its attenuation, etc. are stored at the time of installation. Upon failure of the primary link, switchover can be automatic, and the stored parameters are used to make adjustments necessary for the differences between the primary link and the backup link. In addition, having information on the differences between the two links, the central office is able to send control information downstream which is used at the remote site to control changes that must be made for upstream signals. For example, customer equipment can be signaled to adjust its timing for the next time slot or interface amplifiers can be adjusted to account for the change in attenuation. The central office could be provided with a corrected interface to accommodate the new link and a substantial buffer to account for the change in timing, and switchover to the new timing could be done gracefully. |
| US08155515B2 |
Method and apparatus for sharing common capacity and using different schemes for restoring telecommunications networks
A system and method for responding to a failure in a communications network. The failure is detected by a router, which then transmits data from the protection port. A signal is sent from the router to a optical cross-connect system indicating the failure and causing the optical cross-connect system to connect the protection port of the router to a working port of the OXC. |
| US08155508B2 |
Drying apparatus
A drying apparatus includes a casing and a cavity formed in the casing for receiving an object to be dried. A fan is located in the casing so as to be capable of creating an airflow, and a motor is provided in the casing for driving the fan. Ducting is provided for carrying the airflow from the fan to at least one opening arranged to emit the airflow into the cavity (12). The ducting includes at least one air duct having a wall in which perforations are provided, and a layer of sound-absorbing material is located on the external surface of the wall so as to cover the perforations. The invention is particularly suitable for use in hand dryers. |
| US08155507B2 |
Video device having priority-based recording function and control method for the same
A video device having a priority-based recording function and a control method for the same are disclosed in which timer recording is performed based on user preferences. First, recording priority of a specific program for timer or immediate recording is set. When the time to perform the timer or immediate recording is reached, it is determined whether or not at least one program preset for timer recording, which has a higher recording priority than the specific program and which have not yet been recorded, is present. If the at least one program is present, the sum of a memory capacity required for the specific program and a memory capacity required for the at least one program is compared with an available memory capacity of the video device. The specific program is recorded if the sum of the memory capacities is less than or equal to the available memory capacity. |
| US08155503B2 |
Method, apparatus and system for displaying video data
A method (400) of displaying video data using a video recording system (100). The method (400) records a first stream of video data captured by a first camera (e.g., 103) and a first event associated with the first camera (103). The method records a second stream of video data captured by a second camera (e.g., 104) and a second event associated with the second camera (104). A playback speed is determined based at least on a difference between a current play time position and a time position of a nearest one of the first event and the second event. The first stream and the second stream of video data are displayed in a synchronized manner. The first stream of video data and the second stream of video data are displayed at the playback speed. |
| US08155499B2 |
Screen saving method of image apparatus
A screen saving method of an image apparatus is provided. The screen saving method includes playing back an audio signal, and displaying a screen saving image that includes audio playback data, according to the played back audio signal. The image apparatus includes a media playback unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The media playback unit plays back the audio signal. The display unit displays the audio playback data. The control unit controls the displaying of the screen saving image, and varies the position of the screen saving image over time. |
| US08155496B1 |
Composite truss armor
A composite truss armor and a method of manufacturing the same. The composite truss armor includes a filler material and a three-dimensional (3D) ordered truss structure. The 3D ordered truss structure includes: a plurality of first truss elements defined by a plurality of first self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a first direction; a plurality of second truss elements defined by a plurality of second self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third truss elements defined by a plurality of third self-propagating polymer waveguides and extending along a third direction. The first, second, and third ordered truss elements interpenetrate each other at a plurality of nodes to form a continuous material. The first, second, and third truss elements define an open space. The filler material occupies at least a portion of the open space, and the 3D ordered truss structure is self-supporting. |
| US08155495B2 |
Assembly of optical fiber and optical fiber holder with end portion of optical fiber housed in recess
The present invention is directed to an assembly of an optical fiber and an optical fiber holder for holding the optical fiber, the optical fiber having an end surface formed at an end portion thereof, the end surface being configured to perform light coupling with a light emitting element or with a light receiving element. The optical fiber holder comprises; a throughhole which extends through the optical fiber holder and a recess that is positioned on a surface of the optical fiber holder and that is provided with an opening of the throughhole. The optical fiber is inserted through the throughhole and an adhesive is filled in a gap between an inner wall of the throughhole and an outer periphery of the optical fiber, the adhesive being used for adhering the optical fiber to the optical fiber holder. The end portion, on which is formed the end surface of the optical fiber, protrudes from the opening and terminates within the recess. |
| US08155488B2 |
Wavelength locking and power control systems for multi-channel photonic integrated circuits (PICs)
A transmissive active channel element is provided in each signal channel of a monolithic multi-channel TxPIC where each channel also includes a modulated source. The active channel element functions both as a power control element for both monitoring and regulating the output channel signal level of each signal channel and as a modulator for channel wavelength tagging or labeling to provide for wavelength locking the modulated sources. The power regulating function is also employed to control the channel signal power outputs of each channel to be uniform across the channel signal array. All of these functions are carried out by a feedback loop utilizing digital signal processing. |
| US08155484B2 |
All-optical devices and methods for data processing
An all-optical device for data processing is presented. The device comprises at least one optical waveguide unit (10) made of linear media and configured to provide multiple total internal reflections of light passing therethrough, the waveguide unit (10) comprising a waveguide portion (11) for interaction between reflected light components of input light; an input aperture arrangement (14) formed by at least one input aperture at an input facet of the waveguide portion (11); and an output aperture arrangement form by at least one output aperture at an output facet of the waveguide portion. The geometry of the input aperture arrangement and the waveguide portion is selected so as to determine an interference pattern resulting from a diffraction-based interaction between light components of a predetermined wavelength while the light components propagate through the waveguide portion, a location of the at least one output aperture relative to features of the interference pattern being selected to provide at the output an appropriate modulation of at least one parameter of the input light. |
| US08155483B2 |
Apparatus for and method of measuring image
An image measuring apparatus for enhancing an accuracy of an image captured by an optical system and a method thereof are disclosed. The apparatus includes a CCD camera for capturing the object and outputting the captured image, a lamp for generating white light to illuminate a capturing area of the object, an illumination controller for controlling the lamp to be turned on, a piezoelectric actuator for controlling a minute height of the optical system with respect to the object, an image capturing device for acquiring the image captured by the CCD camera, a driving signal generator for outputting a driving signal to the illumination controller and the piezoelectric actuator when an enable signal is generated from the CCD camera, and an image signal processor for estimating height information of the object from data transmitted from the image capturing unit. |
| US08155480B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
An image processing apparatus includes a combining unit configured to combine a visible light image obtained by capturing visible light from an object and a radiation image obtained by capturing a radiation ray that has passed through the object, and an image processing unit configured to change a proportion between the visible light image and the radiation image to be combined by the combining unit such that the proportion differs between combinations in a peripheral region and a central region. |
| US08155478B2 |
Image creation with software controllable depth of field
A method of controlling depth of field of an image by a computer after the image has been taken based on the data acquired while taking the images including, acquiring multiple images from the same perspective with different focal points, selecting parameters for preparing a displayable image, constructing an image using the data of the acquired multiple images according to the selected parameters; and displaying the constructed image. |
| US08155474B2 |
Method, medium, and system compensating shadow areas
An image compensating system, medium, and method, including, a shadow area compensating system, medium, and method which may significantly increase the luminance of each pixel in a dark area with respect to pixels positioned in the vicinity of the corresponding pixel and slightly increase the luminance of each pixel in a bright area. The shadow area compensating method includes calculating a representative luminance Lav of each pixel having image information by reflecting the luminance of the corresponding pixel and the luminances of pixels positioned in the vicinity of the corresponding pixel, determining a compensation luminance ratio using the calculated representative luminance, and increasing an output luminance on the basis of the compensation luminance ratio. |
| US08155472B2 |
Image processing apparatus, camera, image processing program product and image processing method
An image processing apparatus, includes: an information acquisition unit that obtains position information indicating a position of a first pixel group made up with pixels set along a predetermined direction among a plurality of pixels constituting an image; a smoothing processing unit that executes smoothing processing on pixel values indicated at the pixels in the first pixel group; and a control unit that controls the smoothing processing unit so that the smoothing processing unit executes the smoothing processing differently when using pixel values indicated at least at some pixels in the first pixel group during the smoothing processing and when using pixel values indicated at least at some pixels in a second pixel group among the plurality of pixels during the smoothing processing, the second pixel group being different from the first pixel group. |
| US08155466B2 |
Methods and apparatus for reducing noise in images
A method for enhancing images of an object includes registering a fixed image with cine images of the same object. Next, the fixed image and the cine images are transformed into frequency space representations thereof. A central portion of the frequency space cine images are merged with a peripheral portion of frequency space fixed image using a defined normalized response curve or a predefined normalized response curve (or both) to form a merged image. Finally, the method includes inversely transforming the merged image into enhanced cine images of the object. |
| US08155463B2 |
Pre-processed information embedding system
Auxiliary information (150) representing binary or multi-level (M≧2) logical values is embedded into successive segments (110) of an audio, video or other data signal in response to a user request to download the data signal via an on-line distributor (350) on a computer network such as the Internet. To avoid unnecessary delays in providing the data signal to the user, the data signal is pre-processed to provide two sets or copies of data (230, 235). One set (230) of the data contains segments with an embedded binary “0”, while the other set (235) contains corresponding segments with an embedded binary “1”. Successive segments are selected from one of the two sets to provide a time-multiplexed composite data signal (230) that has the desired content, but with an embedded binary data sequence that identifies the user. |
| US08155460B2 |
Image information decoding apparatus and image information decoding method for motion prediction and/or compensation of images
The present invention is directed to an image information encoding apparatus, used in receiving compressed image information through network media when processing of such compressed image information is performed on storage media. A picture sorting buffer delivers information of picture type of frame Picture_type to a picture type discrimination unit. The picture type discrimination unit transmits command to a motion prediction/compensation unit on the basis of that information. The motion prediction/compensation unit generates predictive picture by using filter coefficients having the number of taps lesser than that of P picture with respect to B picture for which operation quantity and the number of memory accesses are required to more degree as compared to P picture on the basis of that command. |
| US08155454B2 |
Method and apparatus for encoder assisted post-processing
Devices and methods for processing multimedia data to generate enhanced quality multimedia data at the receiver based on encoder assisted post-processing. In one aspect, processing multimedia data includes identifying an indicator of a post-processing technique, encoding first multimedia data to form first encoded data, processing the first encoded data to form second multimedia data, the processing comprising decoding the first encoded data and applying the post-processing technique identified by the indicator, comparing the second multimedia data to the first multimedia data to determine difference information indicative of differences between the second multimedia data and the first multimedia data, and generating second encoded data based on the difference information. |
| US08155453B2 |
System and method for displaying groups of cluster spines
A system and method for displaying groups of cluster spines is provided. Groups of cluster spines are obtained. Each group includes one or more spines with one or more clusters each associated with at least one concept. Group concept score vectors are generated for each of the spine groups by aggregating the concepts for that spine group. The group concept score vectors for the spine groups are compared and those spine groups that are unique are identified. The unique spine groups are placed into a display by arranging the unique spine groups at equal distance angles around a center ring provided in the display. |
| US08155451B2 |
Matching apparatus, image search system, and histogram approximate restoring unit, and matching method, image search method, and histogram approximate restoring method
A matching apparatus and method compares a set of feature points of two objects projected to an N-dimensional space and determines the similarity between the objects and includes mapping the set to a one-dimensional space, creating a set of pairs of a feature point of first object that is the most approximate to a feature point of second object, partly extracting the pairs in small order of the pair distance from the set of the pairs of the feature points and creating a partial set of the pairs of the feature points, calculating a rating-scale of the pair belonging to the partial set of the pair of the feature points, and determining the similarity between the first object and the second object on the basis of an average value of the distance. |
| US08155441B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program for color fringing estimation and compensation
This invention more effectively suppresses color fringing in a color image by image processing. An image processing method includes estimating the degree of color fringing in a color image based on the color image that is generated by photo-electrically converting an object image and formed from a plurality of color planes. The method also includes removing from the color image the estimated degree of color fringing. |
| US08155440B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image processing method
The gradients of a reference image signal and suppression target image signals are respectively detected. Suppression coefficients are computed according to functions defined based on the magnitude relationship among the gradient value of the reference image signal and those of the suppression target image signals. The reference image signal is weighted according to the suppression coefficients, the weighted signals are combined with the corresponding suppression target image signals, and the combined signals are output as color component signals after color fringing suppression. Then, color fringing can be effectively corrected while suppressing correction errors. |
| US08155439B2 |
Image processing apparatus for correcting image color and image processing program
An image processing device of the present application includes a color drift correcting section, a saturation reduction calculating section, and a color correcting section. The color drift correcting section corrects a color drift of an input image and generates a color drift correction image. The saturation reduction calculating section calculates a degree of saturation reduction caused by the color drift correction by comparing the input image with the color drift correction image. The color correcting section performs a color correction depending on the degree of saturation reduction with respect to a processed image of either one of the input image and the color drift correction image. |
| US08155438B2 |
Apparatus and method for adjusting inputted color concerning total and specific colors
A specific color-adjusting stage adjusts data of an inputted color with respect to a specific color. A total color-adjusting stage adjusts the data of the inputted color with respect to a total color. The specific color-adjusting stage and the total color-adjusting stage are provided in parallel. A composing unit composes linearly an output of the specific color-adjusting stage and an output of the total color-adjusting stage. When a degree that the total color-adjusting stage adjusts the data of the inputted color increases, then a degree that the specific color-adjusting stage adjusts the data of the inputted color decreases, and vice versa. |
| US08155437B2 |
Perceptually lossless color compression
A system and method of color data compression may perform variations of MRC compression including taking into consideration means and/or variances within k×k cells of an image, background texture, background smoothed color, and gradient components for determination of which parts of an image belong to the background and foreground MRC layers, for calculating thresholds values for such determinations, and determining correctness of determined thresholds and polarity, and may determine the background and foreground layer colors based on the variances, the gradient components, and neighboring pixels of non-color-assigned pixels of the background and foreground layers. |
| US08155434B2 |
Methods and systems for image enhancement
Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for image enhancement. Some embodiments comprise color detection, color mapping and differential processing based on color characteristics. Some embodiments comprise tonescale processing. Some embodiments comprise application of dither pattern noise to an image to reduce contouring artifacts. |
| US08155433B2 |
Method of object location in airborne imagery using recursive quad space image processing
A method and computer workstation are disclosed which determine the location in the ground space of selected point in a digital image of the earth obtained by an airborne camera. The image is rectangular and has four corners and corresponds to an image space. The image is associated with data indicating the geo-location coordinates for the points in the ground space corresponding to the four corners of the image, e.g., an image formatted in accordance with the NITF standard. The method includes the steps of: (a) performing independently and in parallel a recursive partitioning of the image space and the ground space into successively smaller quadrants until a pixel coordinate in the image assigned to the selected point is within a predetermined limit (Δ) of the center of a final recursively partitioned quadrant in the image space. The method further includes a step of (b) calculating a geo-location of the point in the ground space corresponding to the selected point in the image space from the final recursively partitioned quadrant in the ground space corresponding to the final recursively partitioned quadrant in the image space. The methods are particularly useful for geo-location from oblique reconnaissance imagery. |
| US08155430B2 |
Method of measurement of number of nonmetallic inclusions and casting mold for obtaining cast sample used for same
A method of automatically counting a number of inclusions by eliminating the effects of shrinkage cavities in the conventional method and securing a high correlation with a value measured by a skilled worker and a casting mold for obtaining a cast sample used for the same are provided. A method of measurement of a number of nonmetallic inclusions comprising capturing an image of a rectangular fracture surface of a cast sample consisting of an aluminum alloy by a CCD camera or other image capturing means, processing the image captured by the image capturing means for color density, digitalizing the processed image by a predetermined threshold value, and counting the number of pixel clusters of a predetermined size or more, the method characterized by detecting the end edges of the short sides of the rectangular fracture surface before the capturing of its image and automatically setting measurement regions of an area of ¼ to ⅔ of the area of the fracture surface at the two ends of the fracture surface. A casting mold for obtaining a cast sample comprised of a top mold having a recess and a bottom mold having a sprue, having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped cavity extending in the melt flow direction in the state where the top mold and the bottom mold are assembled, and provided, at equal intervals at the bottom of the recess of the top mold with a handle, with inverted V-shaped projections extending in a direction vertical to the melt flow direction. |
| US08155425B1 |
Automated check detection and image cropping
A method of locating a check image region within a document image comprising the steps of locating a MICR region of the check and calculating the top of the check relative to the MICR region. |
| US08155420B2 |
System and method for detecting poor quality in 3D reconstructions
A system and method for detecting poor quality images in an optical tomography system includes an acquisition apparatus for acquiring a set of pseudo-projection images of an object having a center of mass, where each of the set of pseudo-projection images is acquired at a different angle of view. A reconstruction apparatus is coupled to receive the pseudo-projection images, for reconstruction of the pseudo-projection images into 3D reconstruction images. A quality apparatus is coupled to receive the 3D reconstruction images and operates to detect of selected features that characterize poor quality reconstructions. |
| US08155412B2 |
Device, method and computer readable recording medium containing program for separating image components
A problem inherent to radiographic images, which may occur when an independent component analysis technique is applied to energy subtraction carried out on radiographic images, is solved to achieve separation of image components to be separated with higher accuracy. As preprocessing before the independent component analysis, a spatial frequency band which contains the components to be separated is extracted, pixels of the radiographic images are classified into more than one subsets for each radiographic image based on a value of a predetermined parameter, and/or nonlinear pixel value conversion is applied to the radiographic images based on a value of the predetermined parameter. Alternatively, nonlinear independent component analysis is carried out according to a model using the predetermined parameter. |
| US08155410B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and program storage medium
An image processing device is provided that corrects image data obtained by sequentially reading out as a current, charges from unit regions from a radiographic image detector provided with signal lines extending along a predetermined direction. The correction includes estimating the respective leakage current superimposed on the read-out current when the charge is read out from a target unit region using a leakage current estimation equation, formed from a single exponential function or from a sum of plural exponential functions, for respective leakage currents of unit regions that are positioned along the same signal line as that of the target unit region and whose charges are in an unread state when the charge is being read out from the target unit region, and correcting the image data corresponding to the target unit region on the basis of the leakage current estimate result. |
| US08155407B2 |
Method and device for navigating and measuring in a multidimensional image data set
The invention relates to a method and device for navigating on a vision plane (1) in a multidimensional image data set (8), wherein the intersection angle and degree of freedom (3, 6, 7) of the vision plane (1) displacement correspond to the degree of freedom of a sample (2) displacement, in particular an ultrasound transducer (2) during an interactive image producing examination. Said invention also relates to a method and device for carrying out measurements in dynamic image data, wherein said method consists in stopping, for a predefined time interval, a sequence reproduction when a frame (Fp) is interesting, thereby enabling a user to carry out measurements. |
| US08155406B2 |
Image processing system, particularly for use with diagnostic images
An image processing system particularly for use with diagnostic images includes at least one processing unit, which receives digital images acquired by one or more imaging apparatus and provides output images, processed by an image processing program loaded in the memory of the processing unit and executed thereby, wherein the system includes a central service unit having an interface to be accessed by remote users, which connect to the central unit by remote communication. |
| US08155403B2 |
Methods and devices for airway tree labeling and/or matching
Devices, such as computer readable media, and methods, such as automated methods, for labeling and/or matching. Some of the devices and methods are particularly useful for anatomical labeling of human airway trees. Some of the devices and methods are particularly useful for matching branch-points of human airway trees from represented in two or more graphs. |
| US08155400B2 |
Facial recognition and the open mouth problem
A method of cropping a representation of a face for electronic processing, said method comprising: selecting a first geodesic contour about an invariant reference point on said face, setting a region within said first geodesic contour as a first mask, selecting a second geodesic contour about a boundary of said identified first region, setting a region within said second geodesic contour as a second mask, and forming a final mask from a union of said first mask and said second mask. |
| US08155399B2 |
Generic face alignment via boosting
There is provided a discriminative framework for image alignment. Image alignment is generally the process of moving and deforming a template to minimize the distance between the template and an image. There are essentially three elements to image alignment, namely template representation, distance metric, and optimization method. For template representation, given a face dataset with ground truth landmarks, a boosting-based classifier is trained that is able to learn the decision boundary between two classes—the warped images from ground truth landmarks (e.g., positive class) and those from perturbed landmarks (e.g., negative class). A set of trained weak classifiers based on Haar-like rectangular features determines a boosted appearance model. A distance metric is a score from the strong classifier, and image alignment is the process of optimizing (e.g., maximizing) the classification score. On the generic face alignment problem, the proposed framework greatly improves the robustness, accuracy, and efficiency of alignment. |
| US08155398B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer program
An image processing apparatus includes an image conversion section that receives an input of a face image to be identified, executes an image conversion on the input face image, and performs a normalization processing into an image. The image conversion section obtains a face image from a first memory storing the face image to be normalization processed, performs the normalization processing by an image conversion and stores the face image after the normalization processing into a second memory. The image processing apparatus includes a calculation section that calculates a conversion parameter for calculating a corresponding point in the first memory to each pixel position in the second memory. The conversion parameter defines one of an image contraction processing, an image rotation processing, or an image translation processing to be performed when the face image stored in the first memory is converted into the face image stored in the second memory. |
| US08155397B2 |
Face tracking in a camera processor
A method operable in a digital image acquisition system having no photographic film is provided. The method comprises receiving a relatively low resolution image of a scene from an image stream, wherein the scene potentially includes one or more faces. At least one high quality face classifier is applied to the image to identify relatively large and medium sized face regions and at least one relaxed face classifier is applied to the image to identify relatively small sized face regions. A relatively high resolution image of nominally the same scene is received and at least one high quality face classifier is applied to the identified small sized face regions in the higher resolution version of said image. |
| US08155396B2 |
Method, apparatus, and program for detecting faces
An apparatus detects a predetermined number of facial images from detection target images. An inclination order setting means utilizes the correlative relationships among correlative data obtained by a correlative data obtaining means and the inclinations of faces that appear in input images, to determine the relative value of the probability that faces of a predetermined inclination will appear in the input images. The inclination order setting means sets the order of inclinations of faces to be detected such that faces are detected in order of inclinations according to the relative values of the probabilities, based on the correlative data that they will appear. A face detecting means detects faces within the input images while varying the inclinations of faces to be detected according to the set order. |
| US08155395B2 |
Iris authentication apparatus
An iris authentication apparatus includes an iris area extraction unit, registration pattern generating unit, collation pattern generating unit, and collation unit. The iris area extraction unit extracts iris areas from a sensed registration eyeball image and a sensed collation eyeball image. When the iris area extraction unit extracts an iris area from the registration eyeball image, the registration pattern generating unit generates a registration iris pattern image by performing polar coordinate transformation of an image in the extracted iris area. When the iris area extraction unit extracts an iris area from the collation eyeball image, the collation pattern generating unit generates a collation iris pattern image by performing polar coordinate transformation of an image in the extracted iris area. The collation unit collates the registration iris pattern image output from the registration pattern generating unit and the collation iris pattern image output from the collation pattern generating unit on the basis of a correlation therebetween. |
| US08155394B2 |
Wireless location and facial/speaker recognition system
An integrated wireless location and facial/speaker-recognition system that provides distinct advantages over facial-recognition systems and speaker-recognition systems of the prior art is disclosed. The integrated system is capable of using information from a wireless location system to improve the performance of the facial recognition and speaker recognition. The system is capable of processing photographs and/or audio samples captured by a camera/microphone at a fixed location (e.g., a digital pan-zoom-tilt (PZT) surveillance camera, etc.) as well as those captured by a mobile camera/microphone (e.g., a digital camera and microphone in a smartphone, etc.). The system also features a feedback mechanism by which the location-informed results can be used to improve the system's recognition abilities. |
| US08155392B1 |
Security system
The present invention is directed to a security system and method for child safety. Advantageously, the present invention includes displaying an image of a child, and for departure, the child recognizing the image of himself/herself, and being informed upon seeing his/her image that a person has arrived who is authorized to leave a setting such as a day care center, with the child. The invention is particularly useful in the case of young children unable to read, but capable of identifying their own images. |
| US08155390B2 |
Methods and apparatus for providing unbuffered dig area indicators on aerial images to delimit planned excavation sites
Indicating a precise geographic extent and a precise geographic location of a dig area at a work site at which excavation is planned, to facilitate detection and/or marking of a presence or an absence of an underground facility in the dig area. A graphical user interface includes an aerial image of a geographic area proximate to and including the work site and the dig area, and a drawing tool to facilitate placement of one or more dig area indicators on the aerial image. A user uses the drawing tool to delimit the precise geographic extent and the precise geographic location of the dig area(s) on the displayed aerial image so as to form the dig area indicator(s), representing unbuffered dig areas, and thereby generate a marked-up aerial image. Geographic coordinates are determined corresponding to the unbuffered dig area(s) represented by the dig area indicator(s). A locate request ticket is generated that includes the marked-up aerial image itself, the geographic coordinates corresponding to the unbuffered dig area(s), and/or a link to a webpage at which the marked-up aerial image may be viewed and/or the geographic coordinates may be accessed. |
| US08155381B2 |
Vehicle headlight detecting method and apparatus, and region-of-interest segmenting method and apparatus
A method and apparatus for detecting vehicle headlights and a region-of-interest (ROI) segmenting method and apparatus are disclosed. The ROI segmenting method includes: performing an edge extracting operation on a captured image to obtain edges of the captured image; selecting edges meeting predetermined criteria from the obtained edges, the predetermined criteria being the similarity between the region surrounded by the selected edges and the pattern formed by a vehicle headlight in physical reality at a position of the selected edges; determining the region surrounded by the selected edges within the captured image as a vehicle headlight pattern; and segmenting the ROI which potentially includes the vehicle pattern from the captured image based on the determined vehicle headlight pattern. With such a method and apparatus, the ROI of a vehicle may be acquired from the image without using the vehicle's bottom shadow. |
| US08155376B2 |
Image processor, image forming apparatus, image processing method and computer readable medium
The image processor includes: an acquisition unit acquiring a read-out image read out by an image reading apparatus; a detection unit detecting, from the read-out image, an embedded image including a first specified image having a first shape and a second specified image having a second shape; an adding unit adding attribute information to a specified region in the embedded image, in accordance with an appearance ratio of the first specified image in the specified region, and adding attribute information to other region surrounding the specified region, in accordance with an appearance ratio of the first specified image in the other region; and a determination unit determining whether or not the specified region is to be subjected to a predetermined processing using the first specified image based on whether or not the attribute information added to the specified region corresponds to the attribute information added to the other region. |
| US08155375B2 |
Video watermarking using temporal analysis
Methods of embedding and detecting watermarks in video use temporal analysis to compute temporal components of video from which the watermarks are embedded and detected. Temporal analysis, such as a temporal wavelet, is used to compute representations of static and dynamic portions of the video. For embedding, watermarks are computed from and/or adapted to the temporal components. For detecting, temporal properties are exploited to detect watermarks in the static and/or dynamic components. Temporal analysis also enables plural watermarks to be embedded at different levels of temporal resolution. |
| US08155365B2 |
Gooseneck microphone with covering member in output module
In a gooseneck microphone in which a support pipe is capable of extending and contracting, and accordingly a microphone cord extension/contraction part is provided in an output module section, the microphone cord soldered part on a circuit board is prevented from being rubbed by the microphone cord extension/contraction part. The gooseneck microphone includes the support pipe that includes a telescopic pipe and supports a condenser microphone unit on the upper end side thereof, the output module section 30 that is connected to the lower end of the support pipe via a connector 23 at the upper end of a shield case incorporating the circuit board 32, and a microphone cord 40 one end of which is connected to the condenser microphone unit and the other end 40b of which is pulled out into the output module section 30 through the support pipe and a connector 23 and is soldered to the circuit board 32, and a cord extension/contraction part 41 that extends and contracts along with the extension and contraction of the support pipe is provided on the other end 40b side of the microphone cord in the output module section 30. In the gooseneck microphone, the circuit board 32 is provided with a covering member 50 for covering at least a soldered part S of the microphone cord 40. |
| US08155362B2 |
Wireless listening system
A wireless listening system includes a base operable to receive an electrical signal corresponding to an audio signal, including the ring of an incoming telephone call, up-convert the audio signal to an infrared signal, and transmit the infrared audio signal wirelessly therefrom, and a wireless headset operable to selectably receive either the infrared audio signal transmitted by the base, or an infrared signal corresponding to an audio signal transmitted by a public address system, down-convert the received signal back into the audio signal, and audibly reproduce the audio signal to a wearer of the headset. The system enables a hearing impaired listeners to enjoy their favorite audio programs without disturbing nearby persons with normal hearing and without missing an incoming telephone call, and is also compatible with public IR PA systems currently used to assist the hearing impaired community. |
| US08155361B2 |
Insertion device for deep-in-the-canal hearing devices
The invention provides a device and method for inserting a deep-in-the-ear-canal (DIC) hearing aid into the ear canal. The method may be performed by a DIC hearing aid user self-inserting the hearing aid or by a second person assisting the user. Embodiments of a DIC hearing aid insertion device include a base configured to fit into the conchal cavity of an ear, a chimney configured to fit into the ear canal projecting distally from the base and having a channel sized for a DIC hearing aid, and a piston. The piston is supported by a support structure such that the piston's longitudinal axis is collinear with the channel and the piston is moveable into the channel. A method of using the insertion device includes seating the DIC hearing aid in the insertion device, positioning the base of the insertion conformably within the conchal bowl of the ear, and inserting the hearing aid deep into the ear canal. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to in situ activation and programming of the DIC hearing aid, as well as its removal from the ear canal. |
| US08155354B2 |
Electro acoustic transducer
A condenser microphone capsule is described. The condenser microphone capsule (10) has an electrically conducting transducer membrane (15) arranged in parallel with and at a distance from an electrically conducting electrode surface (26) wherein the active area (20) of the transducer membrane has an essentially triangular shape. The microphone capsule may comprise a lid (50) with a membrane opening (55) that defines the shape of the active area (20) of the transducer membrane (15). |
| US08155351B2 |
Sound signal output device and program for controlling sound output
A sound signal generator includes a sound signal output function for outputting a sound signal to a command-driven amplifier that drives a speaker by using the sound signal being converted according to a control command, a first counter control function for changing a content of a first counter in a storage medium in a predetermined manner, a control command sending function for sending a control command to the command-driven amplifier upon having change in the content of the first counter in the predetermined manner, and a second counter control function for changing a content of a second counter in the storage medium in the predetermined manner upon having the control command sent to the command-driven amplifier by the control command sending function. |
| US08155349B2 |
Muting control device, muting control method, and muting control program
When controlling the audio signal to the mute mode from an unmute mode, first, the muting circuit switches from the non-attenuating state to the attenuating state to cause the muting circuit to attenuate the audio signal by the predetermined amount of attenuation, and then, the amount of attenuation by the volume control section is set to the maximum amount of attenuation to cause the volume control section to attenuate the audio signal by the maximum amount of attenuation. |
| US08155348B2 |
Post phase-inverter volume control
A post phase-inverter master volume regulator for use in combination with a tube-type musical amplifier having a phase-inverter tube. The signals at both sides of the phase-inverter tube's DC voltage plate are extracted from the amplifier for processing by the master volume regulator. In one embodiment, such signals are extracted by inserting a male/female tube base between the amplifier's phase-inverter tube and its socket. The two voltage plate signals are then transmitted through a multiconductor umbilical to an exterior enclosure. Each signal is connected to ground through its respective user adjustable rheostat, permitting the user to simultaneously change the inverter-tube's two voltage signals (and vary the amplifier's volume). The regulator may also include circuitry adapted to provide a bass-boost, and/or a high frequency cutoff. Sometimes, first and second volume controls may be provided to permit a user to quickly change between two volume settings. In another embodiment, a dual-ganged pot, for controlling the volume, would be mounted directly in the tube base, thereby eliminating the need for an umbilical and an exterior enclosure. |
| US08155347B2 |
Pop noise eliminating circuit that disables an audio output device when turning the device on
An pop noise eliminating circuit includes a power source, a grounding terminal, a speaker, an audio amplifier that has two opposite ends respectively connected with the power source and the first end of the speaker, a delay unit that has one end electrically connected with the power source, a first power control switch that has a control end electrically connected with the delay unit, a first conduction end electrically connected with the other end of the speaker, and a second power control switch that has a control end electrically connected with the delay unit, a first conduction end electrically connected with the grounding terminal, and a second conduction end electrically connected with a second conduction end of the first power control switch. |
| US08155342B2 |
Multimedia device integration system
An multimedia device integration system is provided. One or more after-market audio or video devices, such as a CD player, CD changer, digital media device (e.g., MP3 player, MP4 player, WMV player, Apple iPod, portable media center, or other device) satellite receiver (e.g., XM or Sirius receiver), DAB receiver, video device (e.g., DVD player), cellular telephone, or any other device or combinations thereof, is integrated for use with an existing OEM or after-market car stereo or video system, wherein control commands can be issued at the car stereo or video system and data from the after-market device can be displayed on the car stereo or video system. Control commands generated at the car stereo or video system are received, processed, converted into a format recognizable by the after-market device, and dispatched to the after-market device for execution. Information from the after-market device is converted into a format recognizable by the car stereo or video system, and dispatched to the car stereo or video system for display thereon. One or more auxiliary input sources can be integrated with the car stereo or video system, and selected using the controls of the car stereo or video system. A docking station is provided for docking a portable audio or video device for integration with the car stereo or video system. Wireless integration between the portable audio or video device and a car stereo or video system is provided, and voice recognition and speech synthesis capabilities are provided in the portable audio or video device or the car stereo or video system. |
| US08155336B2 |
Wireless headset with integrated media player
Additional functionality in a wireless headset allows it to be used during times that the external device with which it is wirelessly coupled is not being used, but when the headset is nevertheless being worn. This is accomplished by integrating a media player into the wireless headset. The media player may be an audio player, capable, e.g., of playing audio files such as MPEG-3 (“MP3”) files. Optionally, the media player may include a recording function as well, so that a user can record voice notes. In addition, if the external device is a telephone (mobile or landline), the availability of a recording function could make it possible for the user to record all or part of a conversation. Similarly, voicemail messages received on the user's telephone could be uploaded into the headset for later off-line playback. Media files recorded by the headset also could be downloaded to the external device. |
| US08155335B2 |
Headset having wirelessly linked earpieces
A wireless headset includes a first earpiece and a second earpiece, where the first and second earpieces communicate with each other over a wireless link. In some configurations, the first earpiece includes both a primary wireless interface for receiving audio from an audio source and a secondary wireless interface transmitting a portion of the audio to the second earpiece. The earpieces can incorporate Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to provide the wireless link between each other. The wireless headset can be configured to synchronize audio output at the earpieces, and can also include a second-earpiece detection mechanism that permits the first earpiece to be used in either a stand-alone mode, with audio output at only the first earpiece, or full-headset mode, with audio output at both earpieces when the second earpiece is detected within wireless range of the first earpiece. |
| US08155326B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for using the sound signature of a device to determine its operability
A system for monitoring the operation of one or more devices is provided. The system includes a microphone acoustically coupled to one the monitored device. An analog-to-digital-converter samples the microphone and a processor examines the resultant digital signal for the occurrence of an abnormal event. |
| US08155321B2 |
Methods and apparatus for protecting digital content
A processing system to serve as a source device for protected digital content comprises a processor and control logic. The processing system may generate and save a first master key, and may transmit that key to a first receiving device for use during a first session. During a second session, the processing system may obtain an identifier for a candidate receiving device. The processing system may use the identifier to determine whether the processing system contains a master key for the candidate receiving device. If the processing system such a master key, the processing system may send verification data concerning that key to the candidate receiving device, and may use that key to encrypt a session key for the second session. If not, a second master key may be generated and transmitted to the candidate receiving device for use during the second session. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08155319B2 |
Counter initialization, particularly for radio frames
A method for protecting traffic in a radio access network connected to at least two core networks. The method comprises maintaining a corenetwork-specific authentication protocol and a radio-bearer-specific ciphering process, and generating, for each ciphering process, a count parameter comprising a cyclical sequence number and a hyperframe number (HFN) which is incremented each time the cyclical sequence number completes one cycle. For each core network or authentication protocol, a first radio bearer of a session is initialized with a HFN exceeding the highest HFN used during the previous session. When a new radio bearer is established, the mobile station selects the highest HFN used during the session for the core network in question, increments it and uses it for initializing the count parameter for the new radio bearer. At the end of a session, the mobile station stores at least part of the highest HFN used during the session. |
| US08155315B2 |
Apparatus for and a method of downloading media content
A data file reproduction system has a data file supplying apparatus that extracts video data and audio data from a received data file, compresses the extracted video and audio data and produces a compressed data file containing the compressed audio and video data together with meta data or navigation data determined from the received data file for enabling navigation of the original data file. The compressed data file is then copy-protected. Upon request, the copy-protected compressed data file is communicated to a reproduction apparatus. The reproduction apparatus decompresses the compressed audio and video data of the received copy-protected compressed data file, encodes the decompressed audio and video data and produces a copy-protected reconstituted data file containing the encoded audio and video data together with the meta or navigation data determined from the copy-protected compressed data file, so enabling navigation of the copy-protected reconstituted data file in the same manner as the original data file. |
| US08155314B2 |
Systems and methods for securing video card output
The various methods and systems described herein are directed to supplying a secure channel for software executing on a host computer. The methods and systems address and provide solutions for an attack model in which rogue software executing on the host computer attempts to inappropriately obtain or otherwise manipulate data. Some embodiments can provide pixel data that can be kept confidential (in that untrusted software applications cannot read the data off of the display screen). In addition, other embodiments can preserve the integrity of the pixel data by detecting whether the pixel data has been inappropriately manipulated. Various embodiments are based on a decryption engine that is located on a video card very late in the video processing chain such that programmatic access to decrypted pixel data is denied. |
| US08155309B2 |
Circuit arrangement with non-volatile memory module and method for en-/decrypting data in the non-volatile memory module
An apparatus and method is provided for protecting data in a non-volatile memory by using an encryption and decryption that encrypts and decrypts the address and the data stored in the non-volatile memory using a code read only memory that stores encryption and decryption keys that are addressed by a related central processing unit at the same time data is being written or read from the non-volatile memory by the central processing unit. |
| US08155308B1 |
Advanced encryption system hardware architecture
A cryptographic device comprises a first pipeline stage, a pipeline register, and a second pipeline stage. The first pipeline stage comprises a first byte substitution module that performs mathematical operations on a received byte and outputs an intermediate value based on the mathematical operations. The pipeline register stores the intermediate value. The second pipeline stage comprises a second byte substitution module and a column mixing module. The second byte substitution module generates a replacement byte corresponding to the received byte based on mathematical operations performed on the stored intermediate value. The column mixing module transforms groups of four bytes of a plurality of replacement bytes including the replacement byte. |
| US08155307B2 |
Reliable elliptic curve cryptography computation
A method for reliable computation of point additions and point multiplications in an elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) system. Two asymmetric operations are performed: one of the operations is of slightly higher complexity than a conventional ECC operation, and the other operation is of much lower complexity than the first operation. The complexity of the second operation is a function of the desired degree of reliability, or the desired probability of failure detection. The method validates a computation involving one or more points on a specified elliptic curve by selecting a second elliptic curve, deriving a third elliptic curve from the specified and selected curves, projecting points onto the derived curve, performing a computation on the derived curve involving the projected points, validating the computation on the selected curve, extracting from the computation on the derived curve a predicted result of the computation on the selected curve, and comparing the predicted result to the computation on the selected curve. A predicted result of the computation to be validated may then be extracted from the computation on the derived curve. The predicted result is compared to an actual result of a computation on the selected curve, and if the results match, the predicted result of the computation performed on the selected curve is validated. |
| US08155296B2 |
Method, system, and article for audibly identifying a called party
A dialed number of a called party is received from a calling party. Based on the dialed number, a name of the called party is retrieved from a database. An audio message which includes the name of the called party is generated and communicated to the calling party. A call is routed between the calling party and the called party after said communicating the audio message. |
| US08155295B1 |
Method and apparatus for tracking allocated phone numbers
A method and apparatus for providing a method for determining the status of allocated phone numbers in a VoIP network by providing a tool to automatically determine whether allocated phone numbers are in service, deactivated, or waiting to be allocated phone numbers are disclosed. The present method enables access into service provisioning systems and their associated database regarding move, add, change, and disconnect operations to make this determination. |
| US08155288B2 |
Template processing system and method
A system and method for processing digital templates having one or both of a pre-filled image and text field. Optional image and/or text fields are provided for filling in by the customer using customer-selected data. As the customer adds text and images to the template, a data file is created having an indication of the template style selected as well as the optional data fields filled in by the customer including one or more of the location, orientation, size and font thereof. The data file is transmitted to a photofinisher which has access to a high resolution copy of the template, which is populated by the data in the data file to create the finished template print. Since only the data file is transmitted to the photofinisher, the file size is kept to a relative minimum and is thus relatively quick and easy to transmit to the photofinisher. |
| US08155287B2 |
Systems and methods for providing user profile information in conjunction with an enhanced caller information system
An enhanced caller-id service providing multi-media based caller information to subscribers via a server system. The server system can combine user-provided profile information with other data to provide more detailed reports for the subscriber. The server can also be used to maintain long-term calling records for subscribers. The caller information can be accessed remotely by the subscriber and can be downloaded from the server to another computer for use with other applications. |
| US08155284B2 |
Facsimile apparatus to support a plurality of lines and operating method thereof
A facsimile apparatus capable of transmitting and receiving voice data and non-voice data, and supporting a plurality of lines includes a main section including a plurality of modem units to individually control each of the plurality of modem units, and a line section including a plurality of line connecting units to connect a plurality of General Switched Telephone Networks (GSTNs) with the plurality of modem units, respectively. Accordingly, a plurality of lines can be used via one telephone circuit. |
| US08155282B2 |
Self-provisioning, notification, retrieval, and submission of visual voice mail
A method includes receiving from a visual voice mail (VVM) client a request to access VVM services and determining whether VVM services have been previously activated. The method further includes providing a negative response to the VVM client if it is determined that VVM services have not been activated and receiving, from the VVM client, a self-provisioning request to initialize VVM services. The method may also include configuring VVM services based on the self-provisioning request and providing, to the VVM client, an indication that VVM services have been configured. The method may additionally include providing notifications and retrieval of voice mail messages, and submitting voice mail messages from the user device. |
| US08155280B1 |
Systems and methods for visual presentation and selection of IVR menu
Embodiments of the invention provide a system for generating an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) database, the system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory comprising a list of telephone numbers associated with one or more destinations implementing IVR menus, wherein the one or more destinations are grouped based on a plurality of categories of the IVR menus. Further the memory includes instructions executable by said processor for automatically communicating with the one of more destinations, and receiving at least one customization record from said at least one destination to store in the IVR database. |
| US08155277B2 |
Voice and motion activated telephone
A method and system for communicating without use of manual contact with a communications unit. The user approaches a communications system and can activate a communications unit by a proximity/motion detector and/or a voice activation device. The person can generate audio signals, such as by voice command, to activate the unit and establish contact. Body movements can also be used to connect to a specific location and/or control the communications mode, such as private, semi-private or conference call mode. |
| US08155276B2 |
Synchronous and asynchronous brokering of IVR sessions for offline interaction and response
An IVR session brokering service provides as one core mechanism, a pool of intelligent software agents residing on a cluster-able software services platform. These agents could be designed to act as stateful and customized interaction brokers for interacting automatically and semi-automatically with existing IVR systems. Customers and users would use this brokering service as an IVR normalization and aggregation mechanism for centralizing and personalizing their user experience with a full range of IVR systems that are of interest to them. The service could consume, operate on and transform voice and touchtone communication information that is transmitted between IVR systems and the end-user customers that are currently using those IVR systems. |
| US08155275B1 |
Systems and methods for managing alarms from recorders
Systems and methods for managing alarms from recorders are provided. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: receiving alarm alerts from one or more recorders by a central application module, the alarm alerts being operative to notify a user of a problem associated with the one or more recorders, storing the alarm alerts in an alarm database, and managing the alarm alerts by the central application module so that a user can view the alarm alerts. |
| US08155272B2 |
Methods and apparatus for e-beam scanning
In one aspect, an x-ray scanning device is provided. The x-ray scanning device comprises a target adapted to convert electron-beam (e-beam) energy into x-ray energy, a detector array positioned to detect at least some x-rays emitted from the target, and a conveyer mechanism adapted to convey items to be inspected through an inspection region formed by the target and the detector array, wherein the target and the detector array are rotated out of alignment with each other such that x-rays emitted from the target impinge on diametrically positioned detectors of the detector array without passing through near-side detectors of the detector array. |
| US08155270B2 |
Synergistic energy-dispersive and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectrometry
An X-ray spectroscope collects an energy-dispersive spectrum from a sample under analysis, and generates a list of candidate elements that may be present in the sample. A wavelength dispersive spectral collector is then tuned to obtain X-ray intensity measurements at the energies/wavelengths of some or all of the candidate elements, thereby verifying whether or not these candidate elements are in fact present in the sample. Additionally, the alignment of the wavelength dispersive spectral collector versus the sample can be optimized by tuning the wavelength dispersive spectral collector to the energy/wavelength of a selected one of the candidate elements—preferably one whose presence in the sample has been verified, or one which has a high likelihood of being present in the sample—and then varying the alignment of the wavelength dispersive spectral collector versus the sample until the wavelength dispersive spectral collector returns the maximum intensity reading for the selected candidate element. Intensity readings for the other candidate elements can then be collected at this optimized alignment. |
| US08155264B2 |
Gated computed tomography
A computed tomography system (100) includes a windowing component (140) that receives an ECG signal that includes a premature heart cycle. The ECG signal is time-synchronized with x-ray projection data of a beating heart. The windowing component (140) either removes or repositions a first reconstruction window within a first heart cycle to correspond to a desired cardiac phase when the premature heart cycle causes the first reconstruction window to correspond to a different cardiac phase, based on available data. A reconstructor (148) that reconstructs projection data corresponding to a plurality of reconstruction windows from different cardiac cycles generates image data indicative of the desired phase of the heart. |
| US08155263B2 |
Apparatus and method for voltage modulation in X-ray computed tomography
The present invention discloses a computed tomography imager comprising: an x-ray source disposed in a gantry; a detector assembly for receiving an x-ray emission from an x-ray source, the x-ray source and the detector assembly rotatable about an imaging target; an imager control system for selectively modulating a kVp operating value in the x-ray source during a scan slice in accordance with an x-ray modulation software program; and a computer for receiving data from the detector assembly, and for providing control signals to the imager control system by executing the x-ray modulation software program for at least a portion of the total possible rotational scanning range of the x-ray source. |
| US08155261B2 |
Shift register and gate driver therefor
The present invention relates to a shift register and a gate driver therefor. The shift register comprises: a first thin film transistor, of which a gate is connected to a first node, a source is connected to a clock signal terminal, and a drain is connected to an output terminal at current stage; a second thin film transistor, of which a gate is connected to a second node, a source is connected to the output terminal at current stage, and a drain is connected to a low level signal terminal; a third thin film transistor, of which a gate is connected to the first node, a source is connected to the low level signal terminal, and a drain is connected to the second node; a fourth thin film transistor, of which a gate is connected to the second node, a source is connected to the low level signal terminal, and a drain is connected to the first node; a first capacitor connected between the clock signal terminal and the second node; a discharging module connected between the clock signal terminal and the output terminal at current stage; a compensation module connected between the first node and the low level signal terminal. The present invention has the advantages of low cost, low power consumption and long life span etc, as well as the features of high stability, strong anti-interference capability and small delay etc. |
| US08155255B2 |
Method for estimation of signal frequency and displacement estimation method and device with consistency check, period prediction and compensation, and/or adaptive threshold update
A displacement estimation method is disclosed which includes: a signal capturing step for capturing a signal; a displacement estimation step for calculating a displacement based on a state change of the signal; and an output step for outputting the displacement, in which the displacement estimation step includes one or more of the steps of (A) consistency check to determine whether the state change of the signal is consistent with the waveform of the signal; (B) period prediction and compensation to count in the present period according to a proportional length of a previous period; and (C) adaptive threshold update to adjust the definition of the state change corresponding to the amplitude of the signal. |
| US08155253B2 |
Apparatus and method for automatically changing broadcast channel for mobile communication terminal adapted to receive digital multimedia broadcast
Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for automatically changing the broadcast channel for a mobile communication terminal adapted to receive digital multimedia broadcasts. The apparatus includes a memory unit for storing an adjacent area database and an area-wise broadcast channel database; a search unit for searching for broadcast channels and receiving broadcasts; and a control unit for determining the received field strength of at least one adjacent area frequency based on the adjacent area database during digital multimedia broadcast playback, and when a predetermined threshold is exceeded, determining that a movement into a corresponding adjacent area is occurring, the control unit controlling the search unit to search through broadcast channels of the adjacent area in the area-wise broadcast channel database to find a broadcast channel identical to a broadcast channel used for playback before the movement into the adjacent area. |
| US08155252B2 |
Frequency offset correction
A frequency error correction scheme applicable in a receiver of a mobile telecommunication system is presented. The present frequency error correction scheme is carried out in a time domain after an equalization process. The present frequency error correction scheme may be applied to a base station receiving signals transmitted according to a single-carrier frequency division multiple access communication scheme. The separation of different received signals for further processing is carried out in the frequency domain before the equalization and the frequency error correction. |
| US08155251B2 |
Detection of access bursts in a random access channel
A technique for detecting one or more access bursts (112) in a random access channel (110) is described. Each access burst includes a transmission preamble, the transmission preamble being a member of a preamble set including sequences of preamble symbols that can be obtained by cyclically shifting a basic preamble sequence. A detector (118, 120) in a radio base station (108) determines correlation information indicative of a correlation of a single correlation preamble with each of the one or more received transmission preambles, wherein the correlation preamble is a member of the preamble set. The one or more access bursts are detected based on the correlation information. |
| US08155250B2 |
Receiver with frequency offset compensation for M-state phase modulation
Method and apparatus for a wireless receiver are described which derive at least a first stream of first digitized samples from a received analog signal at a first sampling rate and identify a first frequency offset based on a plurality of parallel correlations using complex reference signals which differ from each other by phase offsets. A second frequency offset is identified based on tracking a demodulation accuracy for each symbol which is demodulated from the first stream of digitized samples. These frequency offsets can be used to rotate decision areas in the demodulator. The methods and apparatus may be used in a Bluetooth receiver. |
| US08155249B2 |
Apparatus of maximum likelihood signal detection
An apparatus for maximum likelihood signal detection comprises a reference data unit, a branch metric unit, an add-compare-select unit, a path metric unit and a path memory, and is used for detecting maximum likelihood signal. The reference information unit, the branch metric unit, the add-compare-select unit or the path metric unit can further comprise a multiplexer to removing unnecessary paths according to a control signal. The control signal is adjusted according to channel response, coding constraint or channel memory length. |
| US08155248B2 |
Equalizing structure and equalizing method
An equalizing structure and method for a wireless communication system receiving device, in which two or more transmit signals transmitted in parallel from one or more transmitters are received in received signal vectors representing two or more received data streams, the signals including information modulated onto carrier signals according to a modulation scheme, all possible transmit signals being represented by candidate constellation values in the signal constellation of the modulation scheme. A processor calculates an estimate for a constellation value of a received signal and determines a number of candidate constellation values in the vicinity of the estimated constellation value in the signal constellation. A metric value calculator calculates metric values based on the received signal vectors and the product of channel estimation values with candidate signal vectors, each candidate signal vector including a candidate constellation value for each of the two or more transmit signals, wherein the metric values are calculated for each constellation value of the number of candidate constellation values and the estimated constellation value. A maximum likelihood detector detects one of the candidate signal vectors having a minimum Euclidean distance to a respective receive signal vector as a most likely transmit signal vector based on the metric values. |
| US08155243B2 |
Method for the detection of symbols and associated receiver
Method for the detection of symbols by a receiver, each symbol (S0, S1) being transmitted from a transmitter in the form of a succession of pulses (3a, 3b, . . . , 3n; 4a, 4b, . . . , 4n) representing a predetermined sequence of numerical values, the numerical values having respective nominal weights within each predetermined sequence. According to this method, a succession of pulses corresponding substantially to a symbol (S0, S1) transmitted from the transmitter is received at the receiver. A sequence of numerical values (Sr) corresponding to the said received succession of pulses is determined, the said numerical values having respective weights within the determined sequence. The received symbol is chosen as a function of the determined sequence of numerical values, the choice comprising a weighting of the numerical values of the determined sequence, chosen to re-establish the respective nominal weights of the said numerical values. |
| US08155242B2 |
Frequency shift keying (FSK) digital signal receiving apparatus
A frequency shift keying digital signal receiving apparatus includes a detecting portion detecting a new signal on the basis of a signal, from which a correlated ambient noise is filtered out by an adaptive filter, a holding portion holding a first electric power for the signal received before a new signal is detected, a calculating portion calculating a second electric power for the signal received after the new signal is detected, a comparing portion comparing levels of the first and second electric powers, a selector selecting the signal, from which the correlated ambient noise is filtered out, when the first electric power is higher than the second electric power and selecting the signal bypassing the adaptive filter when the first electric power is lower than the second electric power, and a demodulating portion demodulating a desired signal on the basis of the signal selected by the selecting portion. |
| US08155238B2 |
Device for processing radio transmission data with digital predistortion
A device for processing data which is to be transmitted by radio, with the data to be transmitted being in the form of a digital baseband signal (DAT1), has a filter unit (301) for pulse shaping and oversampling of the digital baseband signal (DAT1), a predistortion unit (302, 303) for predistortion of the filtered and oversampled digital baseband signal (DAT2), and a control unit (304, 313) for controlling the predistortion unit (302, 303) as a function of the digital baseband signal (DAT1). |
| US08155236B1 |
Methods and apparatus for clock and data recovery using transmission lines
A data receiver circuit includes a transmission line to generate the appropriate timing for clock and data recovery. The transmission line receives a reference signal, and propagates the reference signal through at least two segments of predetermined lengths. The transmission line is configured with a first tab to extract, from the first predetermined length, a first delayed signal, and a second tab to extract, from the second predetermined length, a second delayed signal. A sampling circuit generates samples, at a first time period, from an input signal and the first delayed signal. The sampling circuit also generates samples, at a second time period, from the input signal and the second delayed signal. A capacitance control device to adjust the capacitance of the transmission line is disclosed. The data receiver circuit and the transmission line may be both fabricated on an integrated circuit, or the transmission line may be implemented external to the integrated circuit chip, such as on a package housing of the integrated circuit chip or on a printed circuit board for which the integrated circuit chip is mounted. |
| US08155234B2 |
Method for processing a data signal, data processing unit and computer program product
A method for processing a data signal received via a communication channel is described, comprising determining a first matrix comprising components describing characteristics of the communication channel and inverting the first matrix by sub-dividing the first matrix into at least four sub matrices, inverting a first sub matrix of the four sub matrices generating a second matrix by multiplying a second sub matrix of the four sub matrices with the inverted first matrix and a third sub matrix of the four sub matrices, determining the difference matrix between the second matrix and a fourth sub matrix of the four sub matrices inverting the difference matrix and calculating the inverted matrix based on the inverted difference matrix. The data signal is processed using the inverted first matrix. |
| US08155233B1 |
MIMO decoding in the presence of various interfering sources
A method of decoding a signal transmitted via a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication channel includes obtaining a first set of parameters associated with a first plurality of transmitters transmitting a plurality of intended streams, obtaining a second set of parameters associated with an interference source, receiving a plurality of streams including the plurality of intended streams; and decoding the plurality of intended streams using the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters. |
| US08155227B2 |
Mobile station apparatus, communication method, and base station apparatus
A mobile terminal device for performing multi-carrier communication with a base station device can improve communication quality while reducing the data amount without lowering accuracy of feedback information. In the mobile station device (100), a reception level measuring unit (135) measuring SINR as a reception level for each chunk formed by a plurality of sub-carriers according to a known signal; a control information transmission control unit (160) transmits feedback information (CQI information) based on the communication quality of each chunk to a base station device (200); a relative value calculation unit (150) calculates a relative value of MCS corresponding to the reception level between adjacent chunks from the reception level of each chunk; and a CQI information generation unit (155) generates feedback information (CQI information) from an absolute value of MCS corresponding to the reception level of the reference chunk and a relative value of MCS corresponding to the reception level between the adjacent chunks. |
| US08155226B2 |
Systems, devices, and methods for training sequence transmission and reception
A training sequence helps optimize SNR degradation in a wireless communication. Various sets of training sequences may be stored in a repository, and transmitters and receivers encoded with such sequences transmit at least one of the sequences between them as part of the wireless transmission of data. |
| US08155222B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving control information in a wireless communication system
A base station transmits control information to a mobile station. A first control channel is transmitted to the mobile station. The first control channel contains an indication of the number of control channel occurrences in a frame. A second control channel is transmitted to the mobile station in a control subframe. The second control channel contains information for communicating a packet between the base station and the mobile station. The control subframe is determined from the number of control channel occurrences in the frame. The packet can then be communicated between the base station and the mobile station in a subframe based on the control channels transmitted. |
| US08155221B2 |
Receiver
A receiver employing an OFDM system which uses a frequency band that is constituted by a plurality of subchannels, and receiving a signal added a phase rotation which is made to respectively differ for each transmission antennas of transmitter and transmitted from the transmission antennas, having an informing portion which informs the transmitter of an information in subchannel units for deciding a phase rotation which is added to the signal. |
| US08155220B2 |
IIR transmit filter for OFDM baseband processor
A transmit filter for a stream of OFDM symbols has a remapper, Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) filter and a controller, the transmit filter operating on a stream of OFDM symbols. The transmit filter accepts symbols to be transmitted, the re-mapper re-orders them, the IIR filters the re-ordered stream, and a controller provides an output by rearranging the filtered symbols. The incoming symbol stream contains a series of symbols, each followed by a guard interval, where each guard interval has a first Tg symbol interval, and a second Tg symbol interval, the remapper generating a re-ordered stream having a first Tg symbol interval, a second Tg symbol interval and the symbol, the output of the IIR filter thereby generating a filtered first Tg symbol, a filtered second Tg symbol, and a filtered symbol, and the controller forms the transmit output by discarding the filtered first Tg symbol and outputting, in sequence, the filtered second Tg symbol, the filtered symbol, and a copy of the filtered second Tg symbol. The filtered second Tg symbol may be saved into a local buffer at the time it is initially output for use following the current symbol. |
| US08155218B2 |
Frequency domain equalization for time varying channels
Systems and methods for a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes estimating a time-variation of a channel through which the wireless communication system transmits. This also includes decreasing the estimated time-variation of the channel from a signal transmitted by the wireless communications system. |
| US08155217B2 |
Systems and methods for low-complexity MIMO detection with analytical leaf-node prediction
Systems and methods for providing multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection, comprising a leaf node predictor for receiving a processed communications stream, computing at least one channel metric corresponding to the communications stream for a given channel realization by optimizing a predetermined probability, and analytically generating at least one parameter to output, which at least one parameter corresponds to at least one predicted best leaf node candidate for the given channel realization. The leaf-node predictor may generate, in real-time and without using a look-up table, at least one parameter directly from a given channel metric. Some embodiments analytically generate at least one parameter value for use by a MIMO detector corresponding to a channel metric and store the generated at least one parameter value and corresponding channel metric in a look-up table. |
| US08155216B2 |
Receiving circuit and receiving method
A receiving circuit which receives information using a multi-carrier signal comprises a phase rotation amount calculator which calculates a first and a second phase rotation amount of a multi-carrier signal included in a first and a second frequency band according to a pilot-sub carrier included in the first and the second frequency band, a phase storage which stores the first and second phase rotation amount and a phase rotation amount determination unit which calculates a correction amount based on the first phase rotation amount stored in the phase storage and an input multi-carrier signal when the input multi carrier signal is included in the first frequency band, and calculates a correction amount based on the second phase rotation amount stored in the phase storage and an input multi-carrier signal when the input multi-carrier signal is included in the second frequency band. |
| US08155212B2 |
System and method for outputting video streams
A structure outputting a decoded video stream includes a processing block and a range modification circuit. The processing block decodes an input stream to generate and store a decoded stream in a decoded picture buffer, wherein the decoded stream comprises a luminance component and a chrominance component a decoded stream. The range modification circuit receives the decoded stream, and modifies, if required, a luminance range of the luminance component and a chrominance range of the chrominance component. The range modification circuit further outputs a video stream. The video stream comprises the modified luminance component when the luminance modification signal is true, and the video stream comprises the luminance component when the luminance modification is false. Similarly, the video stream comprises the modified chrominance component when the chrominance modification signal is true, and the video stream comprises the chrominance component when the chrominance modification signal is false. |
| US08155209B2 |
Apparatus for encoding and decoding header data in picture signal transmission
A picture decoding method and apparatus for decoding a bit stream, the bit stream being compatible with MPEG 1 moving picture video standard. The method includes receiving, via an input terminal, from a bit stream that includes extension data added in a header of a picture layer of the bit stream when the header includes control data that is newly added in MPEG 2 standard format, the extension data of an anterior header of the picture layer. The method also includes decoding the bit stream in the picture layer using the extension data of an anterior header of the picture layer when an extension start code indicating the beginning of the extension data of the current header is not received from the bit stream. |
| US08155208B2 |
Adaptive weighting of reference pictures in video decoding
A video decoder, encoder, and corresponding methods for processing video signal data for an image block and a particular reference picture index to predict the image block are disclosed that utilize adaptive weighting of reference pictures to enhance video compression, where a decoder includes a reference picture weighting factor unit for determining a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; an encoder includes a reference picture weighting factor assignor for assigning a weighting factor corresponding to the particular reference picture index; and a method for decoding includes receiving a reference picture index with the data that corresponds to the image block, determining a weighting factor for each received reference picture index, retrieving a reference picture for each index, motion compensating the retrieved reference picture, and multiplying the motion compensated reference picture by the corresponding weighting factor to form a weighted motion compensated reference picture. |
| US08155202B2 |
System and method for encoding scrolling raster images
A scrolling encoder encodes scrolling elements that are to be scrolled around all or a subset of the frames of a video stream or file with their movement in time and space controlled by a path to produce a video stream or file, without searching previous or subsequent frames of the video stream or file for reference blocks. The scrolling element can be an image, video, text or any combination thereof. The scrolling element is encoded using information about the contents of the scrolling element and information about a path the scrolling element is to take across a screen. The information about the contents of the scrolling element is obtained when the scrolling element is first introduced into a frame. The information about the path of the scrolling element is provided by an external component or is otherwise deduced. Optionally, the path information includes information about how the scrolling element is to change appearance. This information may be used to automatically generate error terms. |
| US08155200B2 |
Motion vector coding and decoding method
A motion vector coding method and apparatus that improves efficiency of coding motion vectors when a current block is coded using a plurality of motion vectors. The apparatus includes a motion vector coding unit that codes a motion vector inputted from a motion vector detecting unit. A motion vector for each current block is coded based on a difference between the motion vector and a predicted vector obtained from motion vectors for previously coded neighboring blocks. The predicted vector is generated by one of the following processes: (A) the motion vectors which refer to the same picture are selected from among the motion vectors for the neighboring blocks so as to generate the predicted vector; (B) the motion vectors for the respective neighboring blocks are ordered in the predetermined order, and the motion vectors of the same order rank are selected from the ordered motion vectors so as to generate the predicted vector; and (C) the predicted vector for the second motion vector of the current block shall be the first motion vector, and if the second motion vector and the first motion vector refer to different pictures, the first motion vector is scaled according to the temporal distance between the pictures so as to generate the predicted vector. |
| US08155196B2 |
Method of and apparatus for estimating motion vector based on sizes of neighboring partitions, encoder, decoding, and decoding method
Provided are a method of and apparatus for estimating a motion vector using the sizes of neighboring partitions, an encoder, a decoder, and a decoding method. The method includes comparing the size of a first neighboring partition located to the left of the current block with the size of a second neighboring partition located above the current block and, if the size of the first neighboring partition and the size of the second neighboring partition are different from each other, estimating a motion vector of the larger one of the first neighboring partition and the second neighboring partition as the motion vector of the current block. |
| US08155194B2 |
Method and apparatus for MPEG-2 to H.264 video transcoding
A method for transcoding from an MPEG-2 format to an H.264 format is disclosed. The method generally comprises the steps of (A) decoding an input video stream in the MPEG-2 format to generate a plurality of macroblocks; (B) determining a plurality of indicators from a pair of the macroblocks, the pair of the macroblocks being vertically adjoining; and (C) coding the pair of the macroblocks into an output video stream in the H.264 format using one of (i) a field mode coding and (ii) a frame mode coding as determined from the indicators. |
| US08155191B2 |
Method and apparatus for fast mode decision of B-frames in a video encoder
There are provided video encoders and corresponding methods for performing fast mode decision of B-frames. A video encoder for encoding video data for a B slice that is divisible into macroblocks includes an encoder (OO) for performing mode selection when encoding a current macroblock in the B slice by counting a number of neighboring macroblocks in the B slice coded in a DIRECT mode, and only checking one of the DIRECT MODE or a 16×16 mode for the current macroblock when the number of neighboring macroblocks coded in the DIRECT mode exceeds a predetermined threshold. |
| US08155189B2 |
System and method of coding mode decision for video encoding
A method of making a coding mode decision for a current macroblock of a current video frame including determining an INTERSAD value, selecting at least one video characteristic associated with the current video frame, comparing the INTERSAD value with a corresponding range of each selected video characteristic, selecting interframe coding if the INTERSAD value is within the corresponding range of each selected video characteristic, performing intraframe prediction to provide an intraframe prediction macroblock and determining an INTRASAD value if the INTERSAD value is an outlier of any selected video characteristic, selecting intraframe coding if the INTERSAD value is greater than the INTRASAD value and otherwise selecting interframe coding. The video characteristics may be based on any combination of an average of interframe differential sums, a sum of absolute differences between each pixel value of the current macroblock and a mean pixel value of the current macroblock, and a quantization parameter. |
| US08155188B2 |
Field/frame adaptive decoding with field/frame index
A moving picture coding method for coding a picture with switching between frame coding and field coding adaptively on a block-by-block basis includes: determining the maximum number of reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, using the maximum number of reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding; and assigning to fields the reference indices for field coding for specifying fields which are to be referred to at the time of field coding, within a range of the determined maximum number thereof, using the reference indices for frame coding for specifying frames which are to be referred to at the time of frame coding. |
| US08155186B2 |
Bit stream recording medium, video encoder, and video decoder
A conventional coding method has a problem that, for frame-by-frame reverse playback, data must be once decoded in a forward direction and thus a larger volume of data must be processed and a larger volume of memory is required. By recoding a forward predicted picture and a backward predicted picture for a frame in a bit stream, the bit stream can be played back reversely frame by frame easily. By the use of this method for multi-viewpoint video coding, a device that can play back pictures while varying the viewpoint in real time is realized. |
| US08155181B2 |
Multilayer-based video encoding method and apparatus thereof
A method and apparatus are provided for reducing the inter-layer redundancy of a difference signal obtained from an intra-prediction when coding a video using multi-layer structure supporting intra-prediction. The method includes obtaining a first difference block between a block of a first layer and a first prediction block which is used to perform an intra-prediction on the block, obtaining a second difference block between a block of a second layer corresponding to the block of the first layer and a second prediction block which is used to perform an intra-prediction on the block, and obtaining a final difference block between the first difference block and the second difference block. |
| US08155178B2 |
16k mode interleaver in a digital video broadcasting (DVB) standard
A data processing apparatus maps input symbols to be communicated onto a predetermined number of sub-carrier signals of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbol. The data processor includes an interleaver memory which reads-in the predetermined number of data symbols for mapping onto the OFDM sub-carrier signals. The interleaver memory reads-out the data symbols on to the OFDM sub-carriers to effect the mapping, the read-out being in a different order than the read-in, the order being determined from a set of addresses, with the effect that the data symbols are interleaved on to the sub-carrier signals. The set of addresses are generated from an address generator which comprises a linear feedback shift register and a permutation circuit. |
| US08155168B2 |
Inductive communication system with increased noise immunity using low-complexity transmitter
A modulator for a communications system includes a spread spectrum coder and a pulse code modulator having a signal input port connectable to a signal output port of the spread spectrum coder. The modulator performs a robust and error free modulation and coding scheme by using a modified spread spectrum scheme combined with pulse code modulation. The communication system contains a low data rate, noise robust modulation and coding scheme using a very simple transmitter. This results in a very straightforward transmitter circuit, reducing size and costs of the transmitter. |
| US08155166B2 |
Reducing inter-carrier-interference in OFDM networks
Embodiments of the invention disclose a system and a method for reducing inter-carrier interference (ICI) in a network, wherein the network uses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). The method generates, in a transmitter, a diversified signal, wherein a diversified signal includes diversified elements representing data elements, such that each data element is represented by a number of diversified elements, wherein the number equals a degree of diversity. The diversified signal is modified based on an orthogonal matrix producing a spread signal, wherein columns of the orthogonal matrix are formed by vectors, wherein the vectors are orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal to each others, and the spread signal is transmitted in the network. |
| US08155164B2 |
Spread frequency spectrum waveform generating circuit
The objective of this invention is to provide a circuit that generates a spread frequency spectrum waveform with shaped frequency spectrum distribution. The waveform generator has a spread spectrum waveform generating circuit that generates a waveform with a spread spectrum and frequency spectrum distribution shaping circuit that shapes the frequency spectrum distribution of the spread spectrum waveform. In one embodiment, distribution shaping circuit can perform shaping such that the spread spectrum waveform has a frequency spectrum distribution having a spectrum reducing part in at least one band. Also, in one embodiment, the frequency of the spread spectrum waveform can vary periodically or nonperiodically. |
| US08155161B2 |
Semiconductor laser
A semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor laser region and a wavelength-monitoring region. The semiconductor laser region includes a first optical waveguide that includes a gain waveguide, the first optical waveguide having one end and another end opposite the one end. The wavelength-monitoring region includes a second optical waveguide that is optically coupled to the first optical waveguide with the one end therebetween, and a photodiode structure that is optically coupled to the second optical waveguide. In the wavelength-monitoring region, the second optical waveguide is branched into three or more optical waveguides, and at least two optical waveguides among the three or more optical waveguides form first ring resonators having optical path lengths different from each other. |
| US08155160B2 |
Method and device for igniting a fuel-air mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine
A device is provided for igniting a fuel-air mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine with the aid of electromagnetic radiation, in particular light. The device includes at least two laser radiation sources, each having an optical resonator. The resonators are spatially oriented with respect to one another in such a way that modes of the laser radiation sources are coupled to one another and are able to generate time-shifted pulses of the electromagnetic radiation. |