| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08370620B2 |
Distribution system and method of distributing content files
A distribution system including, for connection over a network a plurality of client upload devices, each client upload device storing one or more chunks of a content file, a client download device configured to download from the client upload devices chunks of the content file stored by the respective client upload devices and an incentive device configured to generate token data packets exchangeable for chunks of the content file. The client download device is configured to acquire a plurality of token data packets from the incentive device and to communicate with individual respective client upload devices and thereby download, in exchange for respective token data packets, stored chunks of the content file. Each client upload device is configured to communicate with the client download device and, thereby, upload to the client download device stored chunks of the content file in exchange for token data packets acquired by the client download device from the incentive device and is configured to transmit to the incentive device token data packets received from the client download device. |
| US08370619B2 |
Method and apparatus for booting host
Provided are a method and a device for booting a host embodying a downloadable conditional access system (DCAS), wherein one of a plurality of pre-determined booting modes is decided as a booting mode of the host based on first information indicating whether a host can communicate with a broadcasting service provider and second information indicating whether a software-based security client providing information required for decrypting broadcasting data is installed to a hardware-based security module connected to the host, and the host is booted in the decided booting mode. |
| US08370609B1 |
Data cache rollbacks for failed speculative traces with memory operations
This invention includes a circuit for tracking memory operations with trace-based execution. Each trace includes a sequence of operations that includes zero or more of the memory operations. The memory operations being executed form a set of active memory operations that have a predefined program order among them and corresponding ordering constraints. At least some of the active memory operations access the memory in an execution order that is different from the program order. Checkpoint entries are associated with each trace. Each entry refers to a checkpoint location. Memory operation ordering entries correspond to each one of the active memory operations. Violations of the ordering constraints result in overwriting the checkpoint locations associated with the selected trace as well as the checkpoint locations associated with traces that are younger than the selected trace. |
| US08370607B2 |
Power efficient system for recovering an architecture register mapping table
A system for recovering an architecture register mapping table (ARMT). The system includes a first number of collection circuits and decode circuits, a second number of selection circuits, and an enable circuit. Information related to the mapping between each physical register and an appropriate architecture register is obtained from a physical register mapping table (PRMT) by one and only one collection circuit during only one of a fourth number of instruction cycles. Each decode circuit has its input coupled to the output of one different collection circuit and is capable of converting its input into a third number bit wide binary string selection code at its output. Each selection circuit is configured to receive from each selection code a bit from a bit position associated with that selection circuit. The enable circuit is configured to appropriately enable mapping of information from the PRMT to the ARMT. |
| US08370595B2 |
Aggregate data processing system having multiple overlapping synthetic computers
A first SMP computer has first and second processing units and a first system memory pool, a second SMP computer has third and fourth processing units and a second system memory pool, and a third SMP computer has at least fifth and sixth processing units and third, fourth and fifth system memory pools. The fourth system memory pool is inaccessible to the third, fourth and sixth processing units and accessible to at least the second and fifth processing units, and the fifth system memory pool is inaccessible to the first, second and sixth processing units and accessible to at least the fourth and fifth processing units. A first interconnect couples the second processing unit for load-store coherent, ordered access to the fourth system memory pool, and a second interconnect couples the fourth processing unit for load-store coherent, ordered access to the fifth system memory pool. |
| US08370593B2 |
Method and apparatus to manage groups for deduplication
A storage system comprises one or more pool volumes having chunks for storing data; one or more primary volumes; writable snapshots as virtual volumes for each primary volume which is a common ancestor of the writable snapshots, each primary volume and corresponding writable snapshots being members forming a snapshot group; and a storage controller which includes a processor, a memory storing, for each snapshot group, group information of the members within the snapshot group, and a deduplication module. The deduplication module may identify a snapshot group for deduplication based on the group information and perform deduplication of data for the identified snapshot group in a deduplication area, or perform deduplication of data in a deduplication area which is specified based on the group information of a snapshot group being generated in the storage system. |
| US08370591B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatic snapshot
A method for automatic snapshot includes obtaining the amount of data written into a source Logical Unit Number (LUN) and performing increment accumulation; and taking a snapshot when a value of the increment accumulation exceeds the upper limit value. An apparatus for automatic snapshot is disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, snapshots are taken according to the size of a data variable, only two characterizing parameters, an upper limit value and an increment value need to be added, and the determination logic is clear and concise. Thus, system efficiency or resource overload is not affected, the pertinence is strengthened, the resource usage is increased, and the adaptability is strengthened. Furthermore, stored data may be automatically protected with snapshot, and data safety and reliability are greatly improved. |
| US08370590B2 |
Storage controller and data management method
This storage controller providing a volume for storing data transmitted from a host system includes a management unit for managing the data written in the volume with a first block area, or a second block area in the first block area which is smaller than the first block area; a snapshot acquisition unit for acquiring a snapshot of the volume at a prescribed timing; and a transfer unit for transferring the data of the volume acquired with the snapshot of the snapshot acquisition unit to an external device with the first block area or the second block area. |
| US08370588B2 |
Computer system control method and computer system
A host computer is coupled to a first fabric, a source storage apparatus is coupled to a second fabric, and a destination storage apparatus is coupled to a third fabric. A destination port of the destination storage apparatus comprises a same WWPN as a WWPN of a source port, and is logged in to the fabric beforehand. Duplicate WWPNs are allowed to exist because an inter fabric router separately manages the second fabric and the third fabric. When a switchover is instructed, the inter fabric router switches a coupling destination of the host computer to the destination storage apparatus. |
| US08370585B2 |
Data processing system and cache control method
A data processing system is provided. The data processing system includes a plurality of processors, a cache memory shared by the plurality of processors, in which memory a cache line is divided into a plurality of partial writable regions. The plurality of processors are given exclusive access rights to the partial writable region waits. |
| US08370584B2 |
Predictive ownership control of shared memory computing system data
A method, circuit arrangement, and design structure utilize a lock prediction data structure to control ownership of a cache line in a shared memory computing system. In a first node among the plurality of nodes, lock prediction data in a hardware-based lock prediction data structure for a cache line associated with a first memory request is updated in response to that first memory request, wherein at least a portion of the lock prediction data is predictive of whether the cache line is associated with a release operation. The lock prediction data is then accessed in response to a second memory request associated with the cache line and issued by a second node and a determination is made as to whether to transfer ownership of the cache line from the first node to the second node based at least in part on the accessed lock prediction data. |
| US08370582B2 |
Merging subsequent updates to a memory location
A method of merging subsequent updates to a memory location includes receiving, at a first stage in an update pipeline, a first request to update a status word at a first address of a cache memory and receiving the status word from the cache memory. The method continues with determining, at a stage subsequent to the first stage, that a second request to update the status word has been received. Further included is updating the status word according to the first and second requests to form an updated status word and writing the updated status word to the cache memory. |
| US08370577B2 |
Metaphysically addressed cache metadata
Storing metadata that is disjoint from corresponding data by storing the metadata to the same address as the corresponding data but in a different address space. A metadata store instruction includes a storage address for the metadata. The storage address is the same address as that for data corresponding to the metadata, but the storage address when used for the metadata is implemented in a metadata address space while the storage address, when used for the corresponding data is implemented in a different data address space. As a result of executing the metadata store instruction, the metadata is stored at the storage address. A metadata load instruction includes the storage address for the metadata. As a result of executing the metadata load instruction, the metadata stored at the address is received. Some embodiments may further implement a metadata clear instruction which clears any entries in the metadata address space. |
| US08370576B1 |
Cache rollback acceleration via a bank based versioning cache ciruit
An embodiment of the present invention includes a circuit for tracking memory operations with trace-based execution. Each trace includes a sequence of operations that includes zero or more of the memory operations. At least some of the active memory operations access the memory in an execution order that is different from the program order. The circuit includes a first memory that caches data accessed by the memory operations. This memory is partitioned into N banks. Checkpoint entries, which are stored in a second memory also partitioned into N banks, are associated with each trace. Each entry refers to a checkpoint location in the first memory. A sub-circuit receives rollback requests and responds by overwriting checkpoint locations. Each of the N memory units consisting of a bank in the first memory and the corresponding bank in the second memory may be rolled back independently and concurrently with other memory units. |
| US08370568B2 |
Memory interface and adaptive data access method
A data access method for an application circuit to access a memory. The method includes steps of: receiving a first data from the application circuit; duplicating the first data to obtain a duplicated first data; and writing the first data and the duplicated first data into the memory at continuously accessible addresses. For accessing to the first data, the first data and the duplicated first data are read from the memory in response to a rising edge and a falling edge of a data-triggering signal; and one of the first data and the duplicated first data is outputted while the other of the first data and the duplicated first data is discarded. |
| US08370562B2 |
Interruptible cache flushing in flash memory systems
Cache flushing is effected for a flash memory by copying, to a block of the memory, first and second portions of cached data, and servicing a host access in-between copying the first portion and the second portion. Either both portions are selected before the copying, or erasing the block is forbidden until after the copying, or a portion of the block left unwritten by the first copying remains unwritten until after the host access is serviced. |
| US08370560B2 |
Symmetric live migration of virtual machines
An information processing system is provided for symmetric live migration of virtual machines. The system includes a migration manager that generates a first least recently used map for a set of memory pages of a first virtual machine. The first least recently used map includes metadata including memory page physical address location information. A first, memory page of the first virtual machine and the metadata for the first memory page is sent from the first virtual machine to a second virtual machine while the first virtual machine is executing. A first memory page and meta data associated therewith of the second virtual machine is received from the second virtual machine. The memory pages of the first virtual machine are ordered from a first location of the first least recently used map to a last location of the first least recently used map based on how recently each of the memory pages of the first virtual machine has been used. |
| US08370558B2 |
Apparatus and method to merge and align data from distributed memory controllers
We describe a system and method to merge and align data from distributed memory controllers. A memory system includes a command bus to transmit a predetermined memory access command, and a memory interface to manipulate data from at least two memory channels, each memory channel corresponding to a portion of a distributed memory, responsive to the predetermined memory access command. The memory interface includes a plurality of memory controllers coupled to the command bus, each memory controller being operable to control a corresponding memory channel responsive to the predetermined memory access command, and a push arbiter coupled to each memory controller. The push arbiter being is operable to merge and align data retrieved responsive to each split read align command. |
| US08370557B2 |
Pseudo dual-port SRAM and a shared memory switch using multiple memory banks and a sideband memory
A memory is described which includes a main memory array made up of multiple single-ported memory banks connected by parallel read and write buses, and a sideband memory equivalent to a single dual-ported memory bank. Control logic and tags state facilitates a pattern of access to the main memory and the sideband memory such that the memory performs like a fully provisioned dual-ported memory capable of reading and writing any two arbitrary addresses on the same cycle. |
| US08370553B2 |
Formal verification of random priority-based arbiters using property strengthening and underapproximations
A mechanism is provide for formally verifying random priority-based arbiters. A determination is made as to whether a random priority-based arbiter is blocking one of a set of output ports or a set of input ports. Responsive to the first predetermined time period expiring before the processor determines whether the random priority-based arbiter is blocking, a determination is made as to whether the random priority-based arbiter is blocking one of the set of output ports or the set of input ports within a second predetermined time period using the random seed and at least one of property strengthening or underapproximation. Responsive to the processor determining that the random priority-based arbiter satisfies a non-blocking specification such that not one of the set of output ports or the set of input ports is blocked within the second predetermined time period, the random priority-based arbiter is validated as satisfying the non-blocking specification. |
| US08370552B2 |
Priority based bus arbiters avoiding deadlock and starvation on buses that support retrying of transactions
A scheduler provided according to an aspect of the present invention provides higher priority for data units in a low priority queue upon occurrence of a starvation condition, and to packets in a high priority queue otherwise. The scheduler permits retransmission of a data unit in the lower priority queue when in the starvation condition, but clears the starvation condition when the data unit is retransmitted a pre-specified number of times. As a result, the data units in the higher priority queue would continue to be processed, thereby avoiding a deadlock at least in certain situations. |
| US08370548B2 |
Methods of assembly of a computer system with randomly accessible non-volatile memory
An apparatus includes a printed circuit board with a plurality of printed circuit board traces, a memory controller mounted on the printed circuit board coupled to one or more of the plurality of printed circuit board traces, a plurality of non-volatile type of memory integrated circuits coupled to the printed circuit board, and a plurality of support integrated circuits coupled between the memory controller and the plurality of non-volatile type of memory integrated circuits. |
| US08370546B2 |
Communication station and method for communicating aggregate MAC service data units (A-MSDU) under a block acknowledge agreement
A dynamic A-MSDU enabling method is disclosed. The method enables the recipient of an aggregate MAC service data unit (A-MSDU) under a block ACK agreement to reject the A-MSDU. The method thus distinguishes between A-MSDU outside of the block ACK agreement, which is mandatory, from A-MSDU under the block ACK agreement, which is optional. The method thus complies with the IEEE 802.11n specification while enabling the recipient to intelligently allocate memory during block ACK operations. |
| US08370544B2 |
Data storage system with compression/decompression
A data storage system includes a host interface configured to be coupled to a host device, to receive data from the host device, and to send data to the host device and a memory. The data storage system further includes a primary compression engine coupled to the host interface and to the memory, wherein the primary compression engine is configured to compress data received from the host device via the host interface and to store the compressed data in the memory, and wherein the primary compression engine is further configured to decompress compressed data stored in the memory prior to the decompressed data being sent to the host device via the host interface. The data storage system further includes a secondary compression engine coupled to the memory, wherein the secondary compression engine is configured to compress data stored in the memory and to store the compressed data back in the memory, and wherein the secondary compression engine is further configured to decompress compressed data stored in the memory and to store the decompressed data back in the memory. The data storage system further includes a non-volatile storage medium and a processor configured to transfer compressed data from the memory to the non-volatile storage medium in response to a write command received from the host device and to transfer compressed data from the non-volatile storage medium to the memory in response to a read command received from the host device. |
| US08370542B2 |
Combined stream auxiliary copy system and method
A system and method for transferring data in a library storage system. The library storage system comprises a management server including a storage policy. A media agent is connected to the management server. A plurality of storage media and a data source are connected to the media agent. The data source is divided into at least a first and a second portion of data. The portions of data are transferred from the data source to a first and second primary storage medium using a first and a second data stream respectively. The media agent then causes the first and second portion of data to be transferred from the first and second storage medium to a third auxiliary storage medium using a third combined data stream. Auxiliary copying is performed in chunks and multiple streams are copied in parallel. |
| US08370538B2 |
Communication system, information processing apparatus, peripheral apparatus, and method and medium therefor
A communication system has a peripheral apparatus and a data processing apparatus configured to make a request for processing to the peripheral apparatus. The peripheral apparatus includes a changing unit configured to change state identification information representing a state of the peripheral apparatus by changing a value if the peripheral apparatus is continuously in a predetermined state and not changing the value if the peripheral apparatus is not continuously in the predetermined state. The data processing apparatus receives status information based on the state identification information changed by the changing unit from the peripheral apparatus, and a displaying unit displays the information about the state of the peripheral apparatus for a predetermined display time. The changing unit sets a changing cycle of the state identification information to be shorter than the predetermined display time. |
| US08370530B2 |
Method and system for controlling network traffic in a blade chassis
In general, embodiments of the invention relates to a method for controlling network traffic in a chassis. The method includes assigning control of a network express manager located in the chassis to a control virtual machine selected from a number of virtual machines. The method further includes configuring the network express manager, by the control virtual machine, where the network express manager is configured to route network traffic in the chassis. The method further includes implementing a virtual network path using the network express manager, where the virtual network path includes a virtual wire between a first VNIC and a second VNIC, where the first VNIC is located in a first computer and the second VNIC is located in a second computer. |
| US08370527B2 |
Active control of collaborative devices according to a tertiary relationship among the collaborative devices
Control of collaborative devices, including providing at least two collaborative devices, wherein each collaborative device comprises a client device and an embedded Java server, providing a registry service to which the collaborative devices are coupled for data communications, and providing at least one registry table, wherein the registry table includes registry records, wherein the registry records include registry records representing capabilities of collaborative devices, wherein the registry records representing capabilities of collaborative devices include data elements describing, for each collaborative device, capabilities, tertiary relationships, and network connectivities. The method further includes providing a service bundle of OSGI-compliant Java servlets comprising at least one predetermined algorithm for controlling the collaborative devices, and controlling the collaborative devices in accordance with the predetermined algorithm. |
| US08370525B2 |
Transmitting new data format under existing infrastructure
A method and apparatus for implementing ink data communication between multiple parties using computing and/or communication devices on a network is disclosed. An electronic chat system comprising a hardware interface layer for receiving raw ink data from an input device, an ink management layer for processing the raw ink data into a form useable by a chat interface layer, and a network interface layer for transferring the processed ink data across a network to a chat interface layer on a remote computer. |
| US08370523B1 |
Managing routing information for a computer network
A plurality of routing entries may be stored in a routing table. Each routing entry may include information usable for routing a message through a network. As new routing entries are received or created, each new routing entry may be added to the routing table. However, if there is not sufficient memory or storage to add the new routing entry to the routing table, then the least recently used existing routing entry in the routing table may be replaced with the new routing entry. In the event that the replaced routing entry is needed later, the replaced routing entry may be re-created. |
| US08370521B2 |
Reliable data message exchange
Various embodiments of systems and methods for data message exchange in a client server network are described herein. In various embodiments, a client and a server network may implement a data message protocol for message exchanges. A method of an embodiment ensures message delivery, acknowledge message delivery, message delivery in a specific order, resending of lost data messages, and the like. In various embodiments, such data exchange may optimize data transmission and resource consumption in a client server network. A server can store data messages in a buffer and resend them only when requested by the client, as in the case of lost or out of sequence data message. A client with limited storage space need not concern itself with storing data messages and processing them at a later point in time. Furthermore, a client may optimize data transmission by acknowledging bulk data messages, rather than acknowledging them individually. |
| US08370520B2 |
Adaptive network content delivery system
A method and apparatus stores media content in a variety of storage devices, with at least a portion of the storage devices having different performance characteristics. The system can deliver media to a large number of clients while maintaining a high level of viewing experience for each client by automatically adapting the bit rate of a media being delivered to a client using the client's last mile bit rate variation. The system provides clients with smooth viewing of video without buffering stops. The client does not need a custom video content player to communicate with the system. |
| US08370519B2 |
Copying data onto an expandable memory in a wireless device using a desktop interface
A method for synchronizing files on an expandable memory card inserted in a wireless device with an application running on a computer desktop where downloading of files is performed wirelessly without user involvement. |
| US08370518B2 |
Method and apparatus for selectively installing webpage plug-in
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for selectively installing a webpage plug-in. The method includes: when there is a webpage plug-in in a webpage, determining whether the webpage plug-in has been shielded by a subscriber according to a list of shielded plug-ins that records information of webpage plug-ins shielded by the subscriber; terminating a procedure of selectively installing the webpage plug-in if the webpage plug-in has been shielded; downloading the webpage plug-in and installing the webpage plug-in if the webpage plug-in has not been shielded. The apparatus includes a browser control and an auxiliary tool of download and installation of a webpage plug-in and. According to the embodiments of the present invention, the speed of browsing a webpage is improved. |
| US08370514B2 |
System and method of minimizing network bandwidth retrieved from an external network
A system and method are provided of minimizing network bandwidth used from an external network by client peers in a local network. The method can include the operation of organizing a plurality of clients each having media streamlets and a client parent in a structure within the local network. Mapping information propagates through the structure. The mapping information represents local streamlet locations as stored by the plurality of clients. Another operation is retrieving a local streamlet from a client identified in the mapping information as having the local streamlet for the requesting client. |
| US08370509B2 |
Identity management services provided by network operator
Techniques are disclosed for enabling operators of communication networks to provide one or more identity services such as, for example, an authentication service. For example, in a communication network, assume that a first computing device is a client device, a second computing device is an application server, and a third computing device is a server under control of an operator of the communication network. A method may comprise the following steps. In response to the first computing device issuing a resource request to the second computing device and the first computing device providing a first identifier to the second computing device for use in authenticating the first computing device to the second computing device, and in response to the second computing device being unable to authenticate the first computing device, the third computing device assisting in the authentication of the first computing device to the second computing device when a correlation exists between the first identifier sent by the first computing device and a second identifier used by the first computing device to access the communication network as a subscriber, wherein the second computing device is able to reply to the resource request sent by the first computing device upon a successful authentication assisted by the third party computing device. |
| US08370506B2 |
Session initiation protocol-based internet protocol television
Video on demand (VoD) and other video streaming and delivery mechanisms are provided using a messaging protocol (e.g., a session initiation protocol (SIP))-based approach that builds upon existing service delivery platforms. In one example, SIP functionality is extended to provide the ability to control and alter a delivery mode of a content stream, such as to change a playback mode or quality of service, by providing such requests as part of the instruction or payload of existing SIP messages, or by providing new SIP messages. Using SIP allows for third party control, such as by IPTV applications, which is not provided by current Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP)-based systems. SIP also can establish a peer-to-peer connection between a client and a SIP-enabled content server to allow the client to directly control the media stream. As an advantage over RTSP, SIP provides for bi-directional messaging between SIP endpoints. |
| US08370504B2 |
Method and system for predicting domain name registration renewal probability
A method for determining probability of a domain name registration renewal includes receiving a plurality of inputs associated with the domain name and assigning each of the plurality of inputs to at least one category from among a plurality of categories. The method also includes assigning a weighted value to each of the plurality of categories and calculating the probability of the domain name registration renewal based in part on the weighted value of each category. |
| US08370503B2 |
Authentication option support for binding revocation in mobile internet protocol version 6
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising sending a message comprising an authentication mobility option to a mobile node, wherein the message is configured to revoke a mobility binding for the mobile node is disclosed. Also disclosed is a system comprising a home agent configured to send a binding revocation indication (BRI) to a mobile node and receive a binding revocation acknowledgement (BRA) from the mobile node, wherein the BRI comprises a first authentication mobility option and the BRA comprises a second authentication mobility option. Included is a method comprising receiving a BRI message comprising an authentication mobility option from a home agent, analyzing the authentication mobility option, and sending a BRA message to the home agent. |
| US08370500B2 |
Remote session control
A method and system for remote session control of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) sessions, wherein media is established using one or more devices, and multi-media session/session control for multi-media session is provided by a device which may or may not be the same as the device on which the media is established. A method and system is also provided to transfer media from one device to one or more devices retaining multi-media session/session control on a transferring device. |
| US08370489B2 |
Methods and apparatus to determine impressions using distributed demographic information
Example methods and apparatus to determine impressions using distributed demographic information are disclosed. A disclosed example method to monitor media exposure involves receiving, at a first internet domain, a first request from a client computer, the first request indicative of access to the media at the client computer. The example method also involves determining if the client computer is known. If the client computer is not known, a response is sent from the first internet domain to the client computer, the response to instruct the client computer to send a second request to a second internet domain, the second request to be indicative of access to the media at the client computer. If the client computer is known, an impression of the media is logged. |
| US08370488B1 |
Using virtual networking devices to manage routing communications between connected computer networks
Techniques are described for providing managed virtual computer networks whose configured logical network topology may have one or more virtual networking devices, such as by a network-accessible configurable network service, with corresponding networking functionality provided for communications between multiple computing nodes of a virtual computer network by emulating functionality that would be provided by the networking devices if they were physically present. The networking functionality provided for a managed computer network may include supporting a connection between that managed computer network and one or more other managed computer networks, such as via a provided virtual peering router to which each of the managed computer networks may connect, with the functionality of the virtual peering router being emulated by modules of the configurable network service without physically providing the virtual peering router, including to manage routing communications between the inter-connected managed computer networks in accordance with client-specified configuration information. |
| US08370481B2 |
Inventory management in a computing-on-demand system
A system may receive parameters for provisioning a resource object and may select network resources that correspond to the resource object based on the parameters, inventory information, and configuration information. In addition, the system may configure the selected network resources in accordance with the parameters and may monitor the selected network resources to obtain information on the selected network resources. Further, the system may update the inventory information and the configuration information based on the obtained information to reflect changes in state and configuration of the selected network resources. |
| US08370478B2 |
Testing a data communication architecture
A method, system, and apparatus for testing a scalable computer system is provided. In an illustrative implementation, a system for testing a scalable computer system includes configuring a single cell on a partitionable system to create an isolated test channel. A test packet is generated and provided to the test channel. The test channel inserts the test packet into the scalable computer system via a communications link, and a response to the insertion of the test packet is monitored to determine system performance. |
| US08370475B1 |
Keep my opt-outs
A browser extension acts as a cross-domain persistent cookie opt-out by providing opt-out cookies. This allows users to opt-out of interest-based advertising by simply downloading one extension, essentially acting as a mechanism that prevents ad companies from personalizing ads on a per browser basis. Furthermore, opt-out cookies persist across otherwise destructive actions, such as deleting stored cookies. |
| US08370472B2 |
System and method for efficient machine selection for job provisioning
A method for efficient machine selection for job provisioning includes receiving a job request to perform a job using an unspecified server machine and determining one or more job criteria needed to perform the job from the job request. The method further includes providing a list of one or more server machines potentially operable to perform the job. For each server machine on the list of one or more server machines, a utilization value, one or more job criteria satisfaction values, and an overall suitability value are determined. The overall suitability value for each server machine is determined from the one or more job criteria satisfaction values and the utilization value, and may include a numeric degree to which each server machine is suitable for performing the job. Furthermore, the overall suitability value for each server machine may be included on a list of one or more overall suitability values. |
| US08370470B2 |
System and method for managing server configurations
A computer system comprises servers running application programs which are controlled, at least in part, by configuration parameters. The parameters are updated by first updating a database of configuration parameters, and then automatically updating the servers in accordance with the database updates to automatically maintain synchronization between the server configuration and the database. |
| US08370468B2 |
Method and apparatus for creating a secure embedded I/O processor for a remote server management controller
The present invention relates to providing a secure computing environment in a remote server management controller. The exemplary embodiment includes a hierarchy of register security levels restricting register access by communications interfaces shared by the remote server management controller and a managed server associated therewith. Failsafe protection is provided to override register security under certain conditions. |
| US08370467B1 |
Method for seamlessly providing incremental application updates to users while serving continuous live traffic
Methods and systems are provided for upgrading a web application from an existing version to a new version without causing or creating any interruption in service to clients receiving the upgrade. A combination of techniques and strategies are used to fully migrate all connected clients from a first version to a second version of an application while keeping at least two deployment constraints in mind: (1) prevent clients from running with a mixture of resources from two different versions of an application (e.g., Version A and Version B of a given application); and (2) prevent clients from accessing service endpoints from a different version of the application than the client is running (e.g., accessing service endpoints for Version B when running Version A). |
| US08370464B1 |
Web-based spreadsheet interaction with large data set
A computer-implemented method for presenting data is disclosed. The method includes receiving at a data server sub-system, from a browser on a remote client computing system, a request for data stored in a central data store; retrieving the requested data from the central data store and providing data corresponding to the requested data to a spreadsheet presentation sub-system that is in communication with the data server sub-system and with the browser on the remote client computing system; and providing a document key to the browser on the remote client computing system so that the browser can request from the presentation sub-system a spreadsheet document that displays the data corresponding to the requested data. |
| US08370463B2 |
Methods for auto-configuring a router on an IP subnet
An autoconfiguring data router is connected to a communications network subnet having a second network data router. The autoconfiguring data router includes a configuration determination module that determines configuration attributes for operably connecting the autoconfiguring data router to the subnet, and an autoconfiguration module that configures the autoconfiguring data router according to the configuration attributes so that the autoconfiguring data router is operably connected to the subnet. |
| US08370462B2 |
Service configuration assurance
Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with service configuration assurance are described. One example method includes generating an expected device configuration model based at least in part on service information for a network device. The example method may also include comparing this expected device configuration model with an actual device configuration model for the network device. The example method may also include generating a service-impact event notification when a likely service-impacting configuration change is detected. |
| US08370460B1 |
Optimizing multi-hit caching for long tail content
Some embodiments provide an optimized multi-hit caching technique that minimizes the performance impact associated with caching of long-tail content while retaining much of the efficiency and minimal overhead associated with first hit caching in determining when to cache content. The optimized multi-hit caching utilizes a modified bloom filter implementation that performs flushing and state rolling to delete indices representing stale content from a bit array used to track hit counts without affecting identification of other content that may be represented with indices overlapping with those representing the stale content. Specifically, a copy of the bit array is stored prior to flushing the bit array so as to avoid losing track of previously requested and cached content when flushing the bit arrays and the flushing is performed to remove the bit indices representing stale content from the bit array and to minimize the possibility of a false positive. |
| US08370447B2 |
Providing a memory region or memory window access notification on a system area network
A system and method for providing a memory region/memory window (MR/MW) access notification on a system area network are provided. Whenever a previously allocated MR/MW is accessed, such as via a remote direct memory access (RDMA) read/write operation, a notification of the access is generated and written to a queue data structure associated with the MR/MW. In one illustrative embodiment, this queue data structure may be a MR/MW event queue (EQ) data structure that is created and used for all consumer processes and all MR/MWs. In other illustrative embodiments, the EQ is associated with a protection domain. In yet another illustrative embodiment, an event record may be posted to an asynchronous event handler in response to the accessing of the MR/MW. In another illustrative embodiment, a previously posted queue element may be used to generate a completion queue element in response to the accessing of the MR/MW. |
| US08370446B2 |
Advertisement forwarding storage and retrieval network
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for to advertisement forwarding storage and retrieval network. A method includes, in a network of interconnected computer system nodes, directing advertisement to a computer memory, directing data to a computer memory, continuously forwarding each of the unique data, independent of each other, from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes without storing on any physical storage device in the network, continuously forwarding each of the unique advertisements, independent of each other, from one computer memory to another computer memory in the network of interconnected computer system nodes without storing on any physical storage device in the network, and retrieving one of the advertisements in response to an activity. |
| US08370443B2 |
Reliable messaging using publish subscribe mechanism
A resend operation of application-level messages by communicating control messages over a publish/subscribe channel. A sending module sends application-level original messages to recipients, and stores a copy of the original message in a store. A resend determination module determines, in the event of insufficient acknowledgement of the original message, whether the original message should be resent. If the original message should be resent, the resend determination module also publishes a control message that correlates to the original message. A resend module subscribes in a manner that results in the resend module receiving the control message, and uses the control message to determine that the corresponding original message should be resent, whereupon the original message may be resent using the copy of the original message in the store. |
| US08370441B2 |
Processing of a mobile terminated data over signaling message
Systems and methods for processing a data over signaling (DoS) message at an access terminal are disclosed. A message is received at an access terminal. The message is decoded to determine if it is a DoS message. Upon detecting the DoS message a sleep delay timer is set to prevent the access terminal from entering a sleep state for a predetermined time. |
| US08370440B2 |
Role-independent context exchange
Technologies for conversations between various parties, the conversations including context information that can be persisted to maintain the conversation when the parties or the communications media they communicate over operate intermittently. In such a conversation, any party can embed its view of the context into a message and any party can send the next message regardless of role and regardless of the underlying network, transport, or application message exchange pattern. Such technologies provide for durable services. |
| US08370439B2 |
Activating automatic messaging session
Methods and systems are directed toward enabling a user of a target device, such as a mobile device, to register for automatic initiation of a messaging service on the target device. A target device user interface, such as a login user interface, provides a selectable activation element for the user to indicate that future messaging sessions with the target device should be established automatically. An activation indicator and target identifier are associated with a user identifier and stored in a messaging system data store. When the user ceases use of a messaging session on another device, such as a general purpose computing device, the messaging system uses the user identifier and target identifier to automatically establish a corresponding messaging session on the target device. The user of the target device may then hold a messaging session with an existing third party device or with a different third party device. |
| US08370438B2 |
Terminal device, information viewing method, information viewing method of information server system, and recording medium
The present invention enables restriction of content of information in a message, which has been prepared by a user and is provided in an information service system for the viewing by a group of users, in accordance with a use purpose. The message information is prepared by selecting and combining words from a word group prepared in advance. The information for viewing is prepared by a game device. |
| US08370435B1 |
System and method for servers to send alerts to connectionless devices
A method of sending alerts from servers to client devices is provided. The alert can be generated with a server application and may include customer information. The alert may then be sent to a message router. The message router retrieves a station ID of the client device based on the customer information. A communication type of the client device can be determined based on the station ID and one or more of a plurality of protocol gateways can be selected based on the communication type. The alert can be forwarded to the selected one or more of the plurality of protocol gateways where is may be formatted for the selected client device. The formatted alert may then be forwarded via the network to the selected client device. |
| US08370433B2 |
System and method for transitioning communications in a conferencing environment
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating calendar information in order to identify a first meeting involving an end user and a second meeting involving the end user. The meetings are configured to be provided consecutively in relation to each other and during a designated time period in which both meetings begin. The credential information can be used to enable participation in the first meeting by the end user. The method also includes transitioning the end user from the first meeting to the second meeting without requiring additional credential information to enable participation in the second meeting. In other embodiments, the method includes prompting the end user with information about the second meeting before transitioning the end user from the first meeting to the second meeting. In still other embodiments, the method includes maintaining shared information generated in the first meeting such that the shared information is provided to the end user in the second meeting. |
| US08370429B2 |
Managing instant messaging sessions on multiple devices
Transferring instant messaging sessions includes receiving a selection, from a user within a user interface, of at least one instant messaging session from among multiple instant messaging sessions to transfer from a first instant messaging controller on a first device to at least a second instant messaging controller on a second device, where the user is signed on concurrently to the first instant messaging controller on the first device and the second instant messaging controller on the second device. At least a portion of the selected instant messaging session is transferred from the first instant messaging controller on the first device to the second instant messaging controller on the second device and the transferred portion of the instant messaging session is made perceivable on the second instant messaging controller on the second device. |
| US08370428B1 |
System and methods for developing, provisioning and administering composite mobile applications communicating in real-time with enterprise computing platforms
The present invention teaches a system & methods for developing & administering composite mobile applications communicating in real-time with enterprise computing platforms comprising combinations of the steps of transmitting a data message, intended for delivery to a mobile client device, from an enterprise server computer to a gateway computer system, receiving at the gateway computer system the data message, recording receipt of the data message in a transaction log at the gateway computer system, determining a mode of delivery of the data message from the gateway computer system to the mobile client device, transmitting the data message from the gateway computer system to the mobile client device via the determined mode of delivery, and recording the transmission of the data message to the mobile client device in the transaction log at the gateway computer system. |
| US08370425B2 |
Transient networks
The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate creation and management of an event-oriented transient network and can further manage decommission of the transient network. In particular, the architecture can construct temporary communities based upon a particular event, project, or activity; manage (e.g., filter, prioritize, or control) communications and content associated with the community; and disband the community by deconstructing the transient network according to an aging function that controls how the network decays. In addition, the architecture can leverage existing information (e.g. profile data) and content feeds associated with disparate social networking services or communities for the benefit of the temporary community. |
| US08370423B2 |
Data synchronization and sharing relationships
Systems and methods for synchronizing and sharing data associated with sharing relationships are disclosed. Such systems and methods may be implemented by interfacing with an application that manages or accesses the data to be shared, and by making shared data available using a feed along with some mechanism for tracking changes or enabling synchronization between different endpoints. |
| US08370421B2 |
Method for coordinating a plurality of sensors
Method for coordinating a plurality of sensors, wherein a plurality of networked computers control the sensors for the purpose of executing one or more services requested through the network. In order to coordinate with one another, the computers exchange information over the network in a manner such that each networked computer knows the characteristics of and the services executed by the other computers. Subsequently, the computers providing the same service execute the same configuration algorithm that defines the tasks to be carried out by each computer as a function of the characteristics of the computers providing said same service. Thus, the computers get to the same conclusions as to the tasks to be carried out, and control the sensors based on the tasks defined by the configuration algorithm. |
| US08370418B2 |
Relay apparatus and method for transferring message
A relay apparatus for transferring message data received from a client to one of a plurality of servers includes a status management data storage, a transfer rule handling section, and an acknowledgment transmitting section. The status management data storage holds data of an acknowledgment necessity table. The acknowledgment necessity table includes first identification information of a first apparatus to which the relay apparatus acknowledges when the relay apparatus has received first transfer rule notification data from the first apparatus. The transfer rule handling section determines whether the acknowledgment necessity table includes the first identification information identical to second identification information of a second apparatus upon receiving second transfer rule notification data from the second apparatus. The acknowledgment transmitting section transmits acknowledgment data to the second apparatus when the acknowledgment necessity table includes the first identification information identical to the second identification information. |
| US08370414B2 |
FFT-based parallel system with memory reuse scheme
A method may include storing N number of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) data points into x-memories, N and x being integers greater than one, and the x-memories having a total memory capacity equivalent to store the N number of FFT data points, and reading K FFT data points of the N number of FFT data points from each of the x-memories so that the N number of FFT data points are read, K being an integer greater than one. The method may further include performing parallel radix-m FFTs on the x*K number of FFT data points, multiplying the x*K number of FFT data points by twiddle factors to obtain resultants, shifting the resultants, and writing back the shifted resultants of the x*K number of FFT data points to the x-memories. The method may also include repeating the reading, the multiplying, the shifting and the writing back until the N number of FFT data points have been completely transformed into an FFT resultant, and where there is x*K number of FFT data points available for processing during every repetition, and outputting the FFT resultant. |
| US08370412B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating random numbers
A method for generating random numbers mimics by software the principle of coin flipping by combining different sources of randomness. The random number to be generated is assembled bit by bit from the subsequent results of this “coin flipping simulation”. The method for generating a random number with nRND bits BRi, wherein 0≦i≦nRND−1, comprises the steps of • providing a random bit table BFT with mBFT addressable bits BTj, wherein 0≦j≦mBFT−1, said random bit table containing an equal number of “0” bits and “1” bits in a random distribution, and • for a bit BRi of said random number with 0≦i≦nRND−1, generating an address FA in the range between 0 and mBFT−1, selecting the bit BTFA having the address FA from said random bit table, and setting said bit BRi of said random number to equal said bit BTFA from said random bit table (BRi=BTFA). |
| US08370411B2 |
Generating unique random numbers for multiple instantiations
In a first embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating a random number for an instance of a hardware description language definition is provided, the method comprising: generating a unique signature for the instance; applying a message digest generation process on the unique signature to arrive at a message digest having a fixed length; and applying a random number generation process on the message digest. |
| US08370399B2 |
Building, viewing, and manipulating schema sets
A schema development system is provided. The system includes a location component to automatically determine members of a schema set. A processor component performs software development operations across the schema set. The members of the schema set can be implicitly determined from at least one development file, where the development file can be an XML file or an XSD file, for example. |
| US08370398B2 |
Compression and storage of computer aided design data
The size of lightweight JT data files containing CAD data is reduced by employing lossy compression where acceptable for portions of the CAD data, such as 3D geometry data. Dictionary-based lossless compression for the remaining portions is augmented by exploiting common repeated structures for some portions, such as precise Brep data, and compressing separate but similar data, such as all metadata for a given part and all scene graph data, together as a single block. The compressed data is then written in separate, uniquely identified data segments indexed in a table of contents, allowing quick access to any data segment for streaming. |
| US08370393B2 |
Process and apparatus for selecting an item from a database
A method and apparatus for selecting database items from a database, where the database items are indexed by a list of item identifiers. The item identifiers may be in the form of text. An initial display is generated which includes one or more parts of the item identifiers. Selection of the one or more parts may be made and results in the generation of a display of a further one or more parts for selection. The further one or more parts may be selected in order to add to the selected one or more parts to build a larger part or whole of an item identifier. Selection from a large list of item identifiers may be carried out in a relatively short time period. |
| US08370389B1 |
Techniques for authenticating users of massive multiplayer online role playing games using adaptive authentication
A technique authenticates a user of a massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG). The technique involves establishing a user database containing user information describing the MMORPG user based on a set of first transmissions received from a game provider of the MMORPG. The technique further involves (i) receiving a second transmission from the game provider, the second transmission including an authentication request to authenticate the MMORPG user, and (ii) providing a response transmission to the game provider in response to the second transmission. The response transmission includes an authentication result based on an adaptive authentication operation involving the user database. The authentication result controls whether the game provider provides the MMORPG user with current access to the MMORPG. |
| US08370388B2 |
Mandatory access control list for managed content
Restricting access to managed content to users that are both (1) members of one or more required groups identified in an ACL associated a content item to which access is requested and (2) otherwise granted access under the ACL, e.g., by virtue of their individual identity, role, or group membership is disclosed. In some embodiments, an ACL is configured to identify one or more groups as being a “required” group, membership in which is required for a user to be granted access to a content item with which the ACL is associated. If a user is not a member of a required group, the user is denied access (or denied access above a certain level), even if the user is otherwise delegated access rights in the ACL. |
| US08370387B2 |
Systems and methods for data indexing and processing
Systems and methods are disclosed that allow for indexing, processing, or both of information from physical media or electronic media, which may be received from a plurality of sources. In embodiments, a document file may be matched using pattern matching methods and may include comparisons with a comparison reference database to improve or accelerate the indexing process. In embodiments, information may be presented to a user as potential matches thereby improving manual indexing processes. In embodiments, one or more additional actions may occur as part of the processing, including without limitation, association additional data with a document file, making observations from the document file, notifying individuals, creating composite messages, and billing events. In an embodiment, data from a document file may be associated with a key word, key phrase, or word frequency value that enables adaptive learning so that unindexed data may be automatically indexed based on user interaction history. |
| US08370383B2 |
Multi-process interactive systems and methods
A multi-process interactive system is described. The system includes numerous processes running on a processing device. The processes include separable program execution contexts of application programs, such that each application program comprises at least one process. The system translates events of each process into data capsules. A data capsule includes an application-independent representation of event data of an event and state information of the process originating the content of the data capsule. The system transfers the data messages into pools or repositories. Each process operates as a recognizing process, where the recognizing process recognizes in the pools data capsules comprising content that corresponds to an interactive function of the recognizing process and/or an identification of the recognizing process. The recognizing process retrieves recognized data capsules from the pools and executes processing appropriate to contents of the recognized data capsules. |
| US08370378B2 |
Data display server, data display method and program thereof
The present invention relates to recommendation of items to a user for providing items more satisfying a user's request on the basis of new association. The present invention provides a data display server connected to a user terminal, which includes a posting database for storing posting data posted through the user terminal, a reference data base for storing reference data, relational metadata generating means which generates relational metadata making association between two pieces of reference data, and a relational database for storing the relational metadata. According to the arrangement, tight linking between reference data is made possible so that items more suitable for a user's preference can be recommended. |
| US08370374B1 |
On-the-fly pattern recognition with configurable bounds
Some embodiments of on-the-fly pattern recognition with configurable bounds have been presented. In one embodiment, a pattern matching engine is configured based on user input, which may include values of one or more user configurable bounds on searching. Then the configured pattern matching engine is used to search for a set of features in an incoming string. A set of scores is updated based on the presence of any of the features in the string while searching for the features. Each score may indicate a likelihood of the content of the string being in a category. The search is terminated if the end of the string is reached or if the user configurable bounds are met. After terminating the search, the scores are output. |
| US08370371B1 |
Business constructs
Various systems, processes, tools and techniques are provided for managing and processing data within a computing environment including a data warehouse component. Certain embodiments of the business construct of the invention can provide an interim stage for mapping data prior to loading the data into the data warehouse. When embodied as standard interface files, each of the business constructs can represent a business object that is of importance to a corporate entity or other enterprise. |
| US08370370B2 |
Bridging real-world web applications and 3D virtual worlds
A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for automating information sharing and propagation of control commands and events between software objects created in Web applications and 3D virtual world objects created in virtual world applications. A relationship is created to link a Web object with one or more virtual world objects, or to link a virtual world object with one or more Web objects. A Web application may retrieve the meta-data of one or more virtual world objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more virtual world objects to which a Web object within the Web application is linked. A virtual world system may retrieve the meta-data of one or more Web objects or send commands or events to manipulate one or more Web objects to which a virtual world object within the virtual world system is linked. |
| US08370368B2 |
System and method for providing user-tailored views
A method and computer program product include defining one or more filter criteria based upon, at least in part, an organizational structure. A body of content is filtered based upon, at least in part, the defined filter criteria. At least a portion of the filtered body of content is provided. The organizational structure may be defined within a corporate directory. The body of content may include one or more of a document library, a tag repository; a threaded discussion, a wiki, and a blog. Defining one or more filter criteria may include defining one or more filter criteria based upon, at least in part, an organizational hierarchy. Defining one or more filter criteria may further include defining one or more filter criteria based upon, at least in part, one or more positions defined within the organizational structure. |
| US08370365B1 |
Tools for predicting improvement in website search engine rankings based upon website linking relationships
The present inventions may be implemented by tools for predicting website search engine rankings. An example system may comprise: a first website having a first IP address hosted on at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a network; a second website having a second IP address hosted on one or more of the at least one server computer; and one or more of the at least one server computers being configured to calculate a link match score indicating whether a search engine ranking for the first website would improve if the first website entered a linking relationship with the second website, wherein the link match score is a function of whether the first IP address is similar to the second IP address. |
| US08370364B2 |
Determination of applicable time zone of a web browser
Exemplary method, system, and computer program embodiments for establishing an applicable local time zone of a web browser in a computing environment are provided. In one such embodiment, a plurality of time zone offsets is queried over a predetermined period of time to obtain a listing of possible time zones. Ones of the listing of possible time zones matching a polled absolute coordinated universal time (UTC) offset are selected. A plurality of weights are assigned to the selected ones of the listing of possible time zones based on at least one of the matching polled absolute UTC offset, a matching daylight savings observance type, a matching Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) accept-language header and a human population size. The listing of possible time zones is sorted based on the plurality of assigned weights. |
| US08370357B1 |
Method and system for grouping multimedia files from plural vendors' servers in media store's catalog
A media store server offers access to multimedia contents available from servers of one or more vendors. The media store server provides customers' digital information devices with catalog of content offered through the media store server. To provide a unified catalog for the store, multimedia contents are grouped according to descriptive texts for the multimedia contents. A descriptive text for a multimedia content item or file is obtained from a vendor's catalog. The descriptive text for the multimedia content is standardized to generate a token for that particular multimedia content item. The multimedia content is classified in an existing catalog group corresponding to an already existent token, if the newly generated token matches an existent token in the catalog of the media store server. A new group for multimedia content is generated and the particular multimedia content is assigned to the newly generated group, if the newly generated token does not yet exist in the catalog of the multimedia store server. |
| US08370354B2 |
Acceleration of legacy to service oriented (L2SOA) architecture renovations
A method, system, and program product are presented for identifying similar functional segments of code to a service oriented architecture transition team. The method, system and program product comprise identifying, by a processor of a computer, a number of functionally equivalent segments in a number of lines of code by analyzing tag files associated with each of a number of functional segments in the number of lines of code. |
| US08370344B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program and recording medium for determining an order of displaying search items
An information processing apparatus is disclosed which determines, based on fitness to a specified condition, an order of displaying multiple to-be-searched information items which are pre-stored. The apparatus includes a specifying-condition information obtaining unit, an index-information obtaining unit, a population-limiting information obtaining unit, an index-information modifying unit, and a fitness calculating unit. |
| US08370339B2 |
Location input mistake correction
A system for automatically correcting a mistaken geocoded location input. A wireless device such as a cell phone ranks possible location input based on edit distance, which is a ‘confidence factor’. If there is no perfect match, then a list of geocode options is returned, preferably sorted by the score. The ‘closeness’ is derived by looking at the edit distance to go from the input to the matched address. Edit distance is defined herein as the number of insertion/deletion/replacement operations to go from input location to the possible matched location. In one embodiment, an option list, or ‘pick list’, may be provided based on an edit distance scoring system. The edit distance scoring system is preferably based on a number of keystrokes difference between the input location name and the possible matched location name. |
| US08370334B2 |
Dynamic updating of display and ranking for search results
Presenting search results is disclosed. At least a portion of a first set of results is displayed in an order determined at least in part by a corresponding attribute of each respective result. An updated display of at least a portion of a combined set that includes at least a part of the first set of results and at least a part of the second set of results in an order determined at least in part by the corresponding attribute of each respective result in the combined set is displayed automatically. |
| US08370332B2 |
Blending mobile search results
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for blending mobile search results. A method includes receiving a search query and multiple search results. The search results each satisfy the search query and have a respective search result quality score. The search results include generic and mobile search results. The generic and mobile search results each identify a generic and mobile resource, respectively. The search result quality scores include mobile and generic search result quality scores for the mobile and generic search results, respectively. The mobile search result quality scores and the generic search result quality scores were generated according to different scoring formulas. Based on one or more terms in the search query, the search query is classified as a mobile query. As a consequence, one or more search result quality scores are modified to improve the sorting of search results that include both mobile and generic search results. |
| US08370327B2 |
Book of business mechanism
A “Book of Business” (or Book) is a set of business domain data of one or more book types. This set of data is identified by a “driving condition” or quality. A driving condition typically arises from a business practice, and may be further qualified by local conditions. Accordingly, data may be organized based on local activities or conditions that may not be explicitly stored in a database. In one embodiment, a method for querying the database includes identifying data in a database. The data is organized into one or more segments. A book of business associated with a segment in the one or more segments is then generated. The book of business includes a set of references to the data organized into the segment. A query plan may be determined based on the book of business. A set of results may then be generated based on the query plan. |
| US08370322B2 |
Assessing an individual's influence over decisions regarding hospitality venue selection
A method for identifying influential individuals in a customer arrivals list, including importing a customer arrivals list from a hospitality enterprise data source, wherein the arrivals list includes a plurality of entries, each entry corresponding to a customer and including at least a name of the customer, collecting profile information for the name in a designated entry in the arrivals list, from sources on the web, when the collecting profile information identifies one or more individuals who have the name in the designated entry: determining a level of certainty for at least one of the one or more identified individuals, that the identified individual be the same individual as the customer corresponding to the designated entry, based on data in the designated entry, determining a level of influence for the designated entry, based on the collected profile information; and assigning a hospitality venue selection influence metric (HVSIM) to the designated entry, based on the determining a level of certainty and on the determining a level of influence. A system is also described and claimed. |
| US08370320B1 |
Computer assisted method for sending queries to a plurality of websites synchronously
One or more computer assisted methods for using favicons to send queries to searchable webpages and obtain a search results page for each searchable webpage over a network are provided. |
| US08370318B2 |
Time limited lock ownership
Described herein are techniques for time limited lock ownership. In one embodiment, in response to receiving a request for a lock on a shared resource, the lock is granted and a lock lease period associated with the lock is established. Then, in response to determining that the lock lease period has expired, one or more lock lease expiration procedures are performed. In many cases, the time limited lock ownership may prevent system hanging, timely detect system deadlocks, and/or improve overall performance of the database. |
| US08370314B2 |
Replacing a master media file
Methods, systems and program products for replacing a master media file. Data indicates characteristics of a first user's multiple media files. At least one of the multiple media files matches content in a master media file. The content in the matching media file is of a second quality that is higher than the first quality of the master media file. A server system stores the matching media file in place of the master media file. The server system receives a request from a second user for content matching the master media file, and accesses quality parameters that indicate the second user can access a version of the content at a third quality that is less than the second quality. A media file that contains the requested content at the third quality is generated and sent to the second user. |
| US08370313B2 |
Scoring nodes in a directed graph with positive and negative links
A method assigns a score to each node in a directed graph. Nodes in the graph represent autonomous entities, and links denote opinions entities hold of each other. Scores are assigned based on either a deterministic iterative method or a random walk. Both methods are able to take negative opinions into account by assigning negative reputation to a node in proportion to the positive reputation of the node that links to it with a negative opinion, and also assigning a separate kind of negative reputation to nodes that have a positive opinion of a node with either kind of negative reputation. The random walk method also solves the “rank sink” problem of previous methods by disallowing any single traversal from visiting any particular node more than once within a certain interval. |
| US08370312B1 |
Systems and methods for using cloud-based storage to optimize data-storage operations
A computer-implemented method for using cloud-based storage to optimize data-storage operations may include: 1) receiving a request from a client device for instructions or directions for storing a data object, 2) accessing a data-placement policy that contains criteria for identifying storage systems suitable for storing the data object, 3) identifying, based at least in part on the data-placement policy, a plurality of storage systems for storing the data object, at least one of the storage systems including a third-party Internet-based storage system, and then 4) directing the client device to store the data object on the identified storage systems. |
| US08370309B1 |
Revision-tolerant data de-duplication
Redundant data is removed from a volume of data by partitioning the volume of data into fixed-length input segments and determining, for each of the input segments, whether a selected portion of the input segment matches a portion of a segment within a de-duplication dictionary. If the portion of the input segment matches a portion of the segment within the dictionary, the segment within the de-duplication dictionary is compared with the input segment and a token representative of the segment within the dictionary is substituted for at least part of the input segment determined to match the segment within the dictionary. |
| US08370306B1 |
Systems and methods for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts
A computer-implemented method for recovering from continuous-data-protection blackouts may include identifying a continuous data protection system configured to copy each change made to a set of data. The computer-implemented method may also include identifying a set of changes made to the set of data but missed by the continuous data protection system. The computer-implemented method may further include identifying an alternate change-tracking system that tracks changes made to the set of data. The computer-implemented method may additionally include updating the continuous data protection system with the missed set of changes as tracked by the alternate change-tracking system. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed. |
| US08370302B2 |
Method and apparatus for block based volume backup
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for block based storage subsystem to have backup ability to a file based storage service such as HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or cloud storage service. In one embodiment, a storage system is coupled via a network to a storage service which has one or more file servers. The storage system includes a volume-based snapshot control module configured to create a snapshot volume of data at a certain time, the snapshot volume being a block-based volume which is divided into a plurality of portions. A copy control module is configured to read each portion of the snapshot volume and send said each portion as file data to the storage service via the network, and to generate mapping information between an address of said each portion in the storage system and a file identifier of the file data of said each portion in the storage service. |
| US08370298B2 |
Method and apparatus for a file sharing and synchronization system
A computer-implemented method is provided for managing and sharing picture files. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises providing a server platform and providing a data store on the server platform for maintaining full resolution copies of the files shared between a plurality of sharing clients. A synchronization engine is provided on the server platform and is configured to send real-time updates to a plurality of sharing clients when at least one of the sharing clients updates or changes one of said files. A web interface may also be provided that allows a user to access files in the data store through the use of a web browser. |
| US08370297B2 |
Approach for optimizing restores of deduplicated data
Various techniques for improving the performance of restoring deduplicated data files from a server to a client within a storage management system are disclosed. In one embodiment, a chunk index is maintained on the client that tracks the chunks remaining on the client for each data file that is stored to and restored from the storage server. When a specific file is selected for restore from the storage server to the client, the client determines if any local copies of this specific file's chunks are stored in files already existing on the client data store. The file is then reconstructed from a combination of these local copies of the file chunks and chunks retrieved from the storage server. Therefore, only chunks that are not stored or are inaccessible to the client are retrieved from the server, reducing server-side processing requirements and the bandwidth required for data restore operations. |
| US08370294B2 |
File stashing for storage media
An embodiment of a method includes determining a file size of each of multiple files to be included in a file system image. For each file having a file size less than a lower file size threshold of the storage device currently storing the file, the file is stashed in an alternate storage device having a throughput greater than a throughput of the current storage device. In an example embodiment, files that have sizes within a size range greater than the lower file size threshold are randomly selected for stashing in an alternate storage device. A system includes a file system image generator configured to selectively stash files based on file sizes and a lower file size threshold. |
| US08370290B2 |
Music selecting system and method thereof
The present invention relates to a music selecting system and method, and more particularly, to a technology that suitably determines an emotional quotient of user by preferably using a heart rate and biorhythm of user, and automatically selecting music of specific genre according to the determined emotional quotient, a current time and an age. |
| US08370288B2 |
Summarizing a body of media by assembling selected summaries
Bodies of media may be summarized in various ways depending on numerous factors, thus resulting in summaries that are tailored to particular desires of consumers. An instruction may be received to provide a summary of at least a portion of the body of media. Software stored in memory may then be executed by a processor to determine one or more factors for providing the summary. The summary may be selected, based on the one or more factors, from a plurality of available summaries stored in memory. The plurality of available summaries corresponds to the at least a portion of the body of media. Finally, the selected summary may be provided to a consumer via an output device. |
| US08370287B2 |
Classification of patient conditions using known and artificial classes
Methods of classifying a subject's condition are described. The method includes: receiving measured signals from the subject; processing the measured signals using a computing device to identify a class associated with an identified condition of the subject; introducing an artificial class, the artificial class being associated with an unknown condition of the subject; classifying a feature vector from the subject into the identified class or the artificial class; and generating a signal in response to classifying the feature vector. The measured signals from the subject may include at least one signal extracted from brain activity of the subject. |
| US08370284B2 |
System and method for finding desired results by incremental search using an ambiguous keypad with the input containing orthographic and/or typographic errors
A system for finding and presenting content items in response to keystrokes entered by a user on an input device having a known layout of overloaded keys selected from a set of key layouts. The system includes a database containing content items and terms characterizing the content items; input logic for receiving keystrokes from the user and building a string corresponding to incremental entries by the user, each item in the string having the set of alphanumeric symbols associated with a corresponding keystroke; mapping logic to map the string to the database to find the most likely content items corresponding to the incremental entries, the mapping logic operating in accordance with a defined error model corresponding to the known layout of overloaded keys; and presentation logic for ordering the most likely content items identified by the mapping logic and for presenting the most likely content items. |
| US08370280B1 |
Combining predictive models in predictive analytical modeling
A method can include the actions of: receiving a feature vector, the feature vector including one or more elements; identifying an element type for each of the one or more elements; selecting, from a set of predictive models, a subset of one or more predictive models based on the element types and one or more performance indicators associated with each predictive model in the set of predictive models; processing the feature vector using the subset of predictive models, each predictive model of the subset of predictive models generating an output based on the feature vector to provide a plurality of outputs; and generating a final output based on the plurality of outputs. Other embodiments may include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products for executing the method. |
| US08370276B2 |
Rule learning method, program, and device selecting rule for updating weights based on confidence value
A rule learning method in machine learning includes distributing features to a given number of buckets based on a weight of the features which are correlated with a training example; specifying a feature with a maximum gain value as a rule based on a weight of the training example from each of the buckets; calculating a confidence value of the specified rule based on the weight of the training example; storing the specified rule and the confidence value in a rule data storage unit; updating the weights of the training examples based on the specified rule, the confidence value of the specified rule, data of the training example, and the weight of the training example; and repeating the distributing, the specifying, the calculating, the storing, and the updating, when the rule and the confidence value are to be further generated. |
| US08370272B2 |
Managing consistent interfaces for business document message monitoring view, customs arrangement, and freight list business objects across heterogeneous systems
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a business document message monitoring view, a customs arrangement, and/or a freight list business object. |
| US08370269B2 |
System and methods for electronic commerce using personal and business networks
Electronic commerce over a publicly accessible computer network such as the Internet is facilitated and leveraged by a computer system that forms a community of computer user parties based on personal and business connections of the parties involved. Personal connections are created between users by invitation and mutual acceptance. Business connections are created between users when a transaction takes place between those users. Users search to perform any one or more of a variety of actions such as to purchase products, browse departments and categories for purchasing products, or explore the connections between the parties involved to find items to buy. Different groupings of the parties involved may be the users themselves and other buyers/sellers in the business network, the users themselves and their friends in the personal networks, or some combination of buyers/sellers and friends from each of the types of networks. A computer or server at a site in the network implements an architecture whereby various pages viewed by a user have links to enable them to find products. |
| US08370261B2 |
System and a method for access management and billing
An access management system for managing network access of an end-user to one or more online content sources of a number of content providers. The system comprises a content proxy unit that stores the concealed addresses of the content sources. The content proxy unit is designed to receive a request for accessing one or more content sources from the end-user. The system further comprises an access management unit that stores an access rights record of the end-user. The access management unit is designed to authorize the request according to the access rights record of the end user. If the request is authorized, the content proxy unit facilitates the accessing using the concealed addresses of the requested content sources. |
| US08370257B2 |
Print system for outputting transaction statement
A print system allowing a user to obtain a transaction statement in a safe and easy manner is provided. For this purpose, a print system includes: a banking terminal; and a digital multi-function peripheral performing data communication with a Web server having transaction statement data and PIN code stored in association with each other, through an external network and an in-store network. The banking terminal is adapted to include an operation panel receiving a request from a user for an output of a transaction statement, and a PIN code generating unit and a receipt issuing unit for generating and outputting a PIN code in response to the received request. The digital multi-function peripheral is adapted to include an operation panel receiving the PIN code input by a user operation, a control unit obtaining transaction statement data corresponding to the received PIN code from the Web server, and a printer unit outputting a transaction statement based on the obtained transaction statement data. |
| US08370252B2 |
System and method for providing electronic price feeds for tradeable objects
System and methods for a price feed generation are described. According to an example method described herein, upon receiving market information including a plurality of linear prices and order quantities, a reference price level is selected and a price feed message is generated to include the reference price level and the plurality of order quantities. The price feed message is then provided to client terminals. |
| US08370250B2 |
Total return to shareholders target setting
The performance management system and method enable users to set performance targets and analyze performance measures for a company based on financial information. The system displays three template areas respectively containing historical financial data for a first time period, predicted financial data for a second time period, and financial performance measurement changes from the first time period to the second time period, where financial performance measures are displayed for each of the time periods. The second template area receives target input variables that include target NOPAT growth, target TRS, and target dividends per share. The system and method enable the recursive adjustment of at least one of the target input variables for a future time period until a percentage change in the target TRS displayed in the second template area is equal to a user selectable target TRS value. |
| US08370245B2 |
Electronic information and analysis system
An automated information and analysis system and methods, including methods to acquire information, which may include financial market data such as rates or prices, from one or more external sources, and to process, enhance, extend or otherwise develop that information to derive additional, different, modified or otherwise developed information which, separately or together with the original acquired information, provides to users additional, different or modified utility relative to the utility that the original acquired information provides alone. |
| US08370243B1 |
Financial planner and portfolio simulator
A financial planner and portfolio simulation system projects the simulated cumulative risks and rewards of one or more mixed portfolios in relation to the expected risk and reward of a minimum-risk or relatively risk-free baseline portfolio. As a user enters portfolio input parameters, the system immediately computes, displays, and graphs an inflation-adjusted retirement budget that a baseline portfolio fully invested in minimum-risk assets would be able to sustain. The system also generates—through simulation—a probability distribution of average retirement budgets that the mixed portfolio(s) would be projected to sustain, and graphs various percentile-ranked samples from that distribution on the same computer-generated plot that displays the sustainable retirement budget supported by a baseline (minimum risk) portfolio. The statistical and graphical comparisons of the mixed portfolio(s) to the baseline portfolio assist investors in choosing mixed portfolios best suited to their retirement goals and risk tolerance. |
| US08370241B1 |
Systems and methods for analyzing financial models with probabilistic networks
A computer-assisted method for evaluating a financial model. The method may include selecting a financial model describing a distribution of a first financial variable and representing the financial model in a probabilistic network. The model may also include deriving a refined financial model based on the probabilistic network and finding a value of a financial instrument based at least in part on the refined financial model. A property of the financial instrument may be described by the first financial variable. In various embodiments, the method may also include inferring a value of the first financial variable. |
| US08370239B2 |
Method and apparatus for testing automated valuation models
A method and apparatus for real time testing of automated valuation using various indicators of accuracy. These indicators are then weighted according to their value as indicators of accuracy using individualized weighting factors or an equation. A ranking is then computed based upon the factors and their weights. This method is preformed continuously, so as to achieve real-time or periodically updated automated valuation model accuracy rankings. |
| US08370237B1 |
Profit model for non-execution services
Methods of pricing non-execution services provided by a firm comprising an execution service provider and a non-execution service provider. The methods may comprise the steps of accruing a payment for execution and non-execution services from an external client and allocating a first portion of the payment to an execution service provider and a second portion of the payment to a non-execution service provider. The methods may also comprise the steps of calculating a cost of providing the non-execution services, and calculating a profit of the non-execution service provider considering the cost of providing the non-execution services and the second portion of the payment. |
| US08370233B2 |
Managing consistent interfaces for business objects across heterogeneous systems
A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a cost model, a current account contract, and/or a collateral constellation business object. |
| US08370223B2 |
Broadband intelligent event repository
A broadband intelligent event repository may be provided. The broadband intelligent repository may allow a cross processing life cycle phase view of an event. In addition, the broadband intelligent repository may provide for the ability to associate all recordings associated with a given event. Furthermore, the broadband intelligent repository may provide the ability to view events as they morph through the various phases of the processing life cycle. The events may occur at elements within a data network. The data network may be configured to provide at least one of the following services: voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP) communications services, video services, Internet services, and e-mail services. |
| US08370221B2 |
Survey lifecycle tracking
Tracking and management data for a survey distribution and response lifecycle is disclosed. The system generates and links tracking data for both the distribution and the response, generates indicators that include the tracking data, and encodes the indicators so that the indicators are detectable as the indicators traverse various events and locations throughout the lifecycle. A detailed audit trail of each event in the distribution and response lifecycle is constructed using data matching methods and various statistics regarding the lifecycle, such that the response habits of customers are formulated. |
| US08370215B2 |
Alternative selections for compound price quoting
Methods and systems for automated alternative selection for compound price quotes are provided. A requesting party submits a request that includes information regarding at least one specification. A database is searched based on the information provided by the request. The search results are evaluated to determine whether they meet a predefined target. When the search results do not meet a predefined target, an alternative specification is identified. At least a second set of search results is retrieved from the database that may be used to meet the target. Vehicles are selected for inclusion in a compound price quote. A compound price quote including multiple price quotes for each selected vehicles is generated. |
| US08370214B2 |
Interactive exploded view diagram ordering tool
The present invention provides a method and computer-readable medium for executing a method of placing an order for a sub-component (part) of a product, including generally three steps: displaying a diagram depicting sub-components of a product in an exploded view on a user screen; receiving a user selection of a sub-component to be ordered; and processing the selection of a sub-component to be ordered. Optionally, the method may allow the user to selectively view further information pertinent to displayed sub-components, such as their prices and specifications, or to selectively zoom in on and zoom out of the exploded view or to scroll the exploded view. The method thus assists the user when attempting to identify and/or order a sub-component for the product. The method may also be implemented in a stand-alone computer system. |
| US08370209B2 |
Method for aggregated location-based services
A method for operating an aggregated web service to display location-based items and services and allow for their remote purchase and pick-up or delivery. Algorithms provided to vendors allow for automated pricing adjustments to encourage purchase in competitive geographical locations. |
| US08370207B2 |
Virtual reality system including smart objects
Embodiments of the invention include a virtual reality system that includes an instrumented device used to present a virtual shopping environment to a simulation participant. The participant's interactions with the virtual shopping environment may be used to conduct market research into the consumer decision making process. The virtual shopping environment may include one or more smart objects configured to be responsive to participant interaction. The virtual shopping environment may recreate a real-world shopping environment. |
| US08370206B2 |
Method, medium, and system for an inmate privilege kiosk
A method of administrating inmate privileges in a correctional facility using a computer kiosk is provided. The method includes accepting data and information corresponding to inmate privileges for an inmate population, the data and information including restrictions on the inmate privileges. The method also includes accepting requests for privileges by an inmate, applying the restrictions to the accepted requests, and visually presenting information to the inmate regarding accepted requests. |
| US08370194B2 |
Robust forecasting techniques with reduced sensitivity to anomalous data
Robust forecasting techniques are relatively immune from anomalies or outliers in observed data, such as a stream of data values reflective of the operation or use of a computer system. One robust technique provides a relatively accurate forecast of seasonal behavior even in the presence of an anomaly in corresponding historical data. Another robust forecasting technique provides a relatively accurate forecast even in the presence of an anomaly that spans multiple recent observations. In one embodiment, both techniques are used in combination to automatically detect anomalies in the operation and/or use of a multi-user computer system. |
| US08370191B2 |
Method and system for generating quantitative indicators
A method of generating a quantitative indicator of sales for a market segment for a predetermined time period is disclosed. The market segment represents a plurality of members with one or more products. The method includes receiving sales data from the plurality of members of the market segment, calculating the quantitative indicator for each member of the market segment, calculating the quantitative indicator for the market segment by creating a composite of the quantitative indicator for each member representing the market segment, and either calculating the quantitative indicator for the member with missing data using a estimated value of units of the product sold by the member or modifying the baseline benchmark by removing the data of the member with missing data. |
| US08370188B2 |
Management of work packets in a software factory
Work packets are assembled, within a software factory, into a customized deliverable unit of software by software factory components that have been rated as being the most suitable according to requirements set by the customer. The work packets comprise exit criteria for returning the work packets and the customized deliverable unit from an assembly line to a software factory operations unit in the software factory. |
| US08370187B2 |
Internet package shipping systems and methods
Systems and methods for shipping a package from a package sender to an intended recipient, utilizing Internet communications to place shipping orders, request on demand package pickup, maintain and utilize pre-stored profile information, view shipping history, track orders, etc. A package sender with an Internet-accessible computer accesses an Internet site and associated shipping system operated by a shipping service provider. The package sender enters information required for shipping the package, including shipping options and methods for payment, and the shipment transaction is validated. If the transaction is validated, printer indicia are communicated to the customer's computer, which is enabled to locally print a prepaid label containing special machine-readable as well as human-readable indicia. The shipping service provider acquires the package by drop-off, standard pickup or on call pickup, scans the machine readable indicia, verifies other indicia of authenticity, and processes the package in accordance with information encoded on the label. |
| US08370182B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring product shipment process capability
A system and method for automatically assessing the process quality capability of a shipping process is disclosed. The system monitors data on a database that is being constantly updated with information about shipment requests and shipment dates for various products. From that data, a statistical calculation is performed and the results are indicated on an Internet or intranet electronic page. The statistical calculation is designed to indicate the capabilities of the current process to deliver products to customers on time. |
| US08370179B2 |
System and method for facilitating management of a financial instrument
A computer-implemented method for facilitating the management of a financial instrument includes determining an account balance for a financial account. The financial account includes an investment portfolio and a springing guarantee of an income base for a retirement income. The retirement income includes periodic monetary transfers to be commenced at a target retirement date. Each periodic monetary transfer has a respective value based on the income base. The springing guarantee of the income base may be activated on an activation date. The account balance is stored in memory of the data processing system. The stored account balance is periodically updated based at least in part on market performance of the investment portfolio. Using a computing system, the activation date is determined based at least in part on the target retirement date and the income base is determined. A respective value is outputted for each one of the periodic monetary transfers. The respective value of each one of the periodic monetary transfers is based on the value of the stored income base at a time proximate the one of the periodic monetary transfers. |
| US08370172B2 |
System and method for submitting medication claims by point-of-care physicians
A system for submitting a claim for a dispensed medication to a patient by a point-of-care physician including means acquiring at least one of the group consisting of a national practitioner number and a non pharmacy dispensing number for the point-of-care physician; means for displaying to a user a selection of data fields relating to the claim; means for inputting into the data fields data relating to the claim including the at least one of the group consisting of the national practitioner identifier number and the non pharmacy dispensing number; means for transmitting to a logic switch the claim containing the at least one of the group consisting of a national practitioner identifier number and a non pharmacy dispensing number identifying the point-of-care physician for determining the processor for the claim; means for determining the pathway for the claim based on a type of payor associated with the patient; means for processing the claim containing the at least one of the group consisting of a national practitioner identifier number and a non pharmacy dispensing number to identify the point-of-care physician; and responsive to the means for processing, means for transmitting to the point-of-care physician an adjudication regarding the claim. |
| US08370169B2 |
Automated on-line business bandwidth planning methodology
Closed-loop control is applied to the field of automated on-line business bandwidth planning tools by comparing measured business bandwidth with a baseline for providing a difference indication, changing the baseline according to the difference, and reporting the change as an event relating to a service level agreement. |
| US08370165B2 |
Methods and systems for providing an alternative delivery point code
Systems and methods for providing an alternative delivery point code may comprise receiving delivery data corresponding to a delivery point. Furthermore, the systems and methods may include determining if the delivery data includes a secondary element. Moreover, the systems and methods may include creating the alternative delivery point code based upon the secondary element if the delivery data includes the secondary element. The secondary element may comprise a descriptor or a secondary number associated with the delivery point. If the delivery data does not include the secondary element, a normal delivery point code may be created. |
| US08370161B2 |
Responding to a call to action contained in an audio signal
An audio signal is monitored to detect the presence of a call to action contained therein. Addressing information is automatically extracted from the call to action and stored on a storage medium. An electronic message responding to the call to action may be automatically prepared, or a contact field may be automatically populated for inclusion in a contact list. The audio signal may be digitized or obtained from a broadcast transmission, and the process may be performed by a mobile communication device, a central system, or a combination thereof. |
| US08370155B2 |
System and method for real time support for agents in contact center environments
A real-time method and system are described for automatically extracting text from the customer-agent interaction at a contact center, analyzing the extracted text to automatically identify one or more customer issues, and performing processing by contact-center agent buddies (CABs) to generate at least one response to the customer issues. |
| US08370154B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating an excitation signal for background noise
A method and apparatus for generating an excitation signal for background noise are provided. The method includes: generating a quasi excitation signal by utilizing coding parameters in a speech coding/decoding stage and a transition length of an excitation signal; and obtaining the excitation signal for background noise in a transition stage by generating a weighted sum of the quasi excitation signal and a random excitation signal of a background noise frame. Moreover, the apparatus includes: a quasi excitation signal generation unit and a transition stage excitation signal acquisition unit. Through the synthesizing scheme of comfortable background noise according to the present invention, the transition of a synthesized signal from speech to background noise could be more natural, smooth and continuous, which makes the listeners feel more comfortable. |
| US08370153B2 |
Speech analyzer and speech analysis method
A speech analyzer includes a vocal tract and sound source separating unit which separates a vocal tract feature and a sound source feature from an input speech, based on a speech generation model, a fundamental frequency stability calculating unit which calculates a temporal stability of a fundamental frequency of the input speech in the sound source feature, from the separated sound source feature, a stable analyzed period extracting unit which extracts time information of a stable period, based on the temporal stability, and a vocal tract feature interpolation unit which interpolates a vocal tract feature which is not included in the stable period, using a vocal tract feature included in the extracted stable period. |
| US08370151B2 |
Systems and methods for multiple voice document narration
Disclosed are techniques and systems to provide a narration of a text in multiple different voices where the portions of the text narrated using the different voices are selected by a user. |
| US08370150B2 |
Character information presentation device
The text information presentation device calculates an optimum readout speed on the basis of the content of text information being input, its arriving time, and its previous arriving time; speech-synthesizes text information being input, at the readout speed calculated; and outputs it as an audio signal, or alternatively controls the speed at which a video signal is output according to an output state of the speech synthesizing unit. |
| US08370140B2 |
Method of filtering non-steady lateral noise for a multi-microphone audio device, in particular a “hands-free” telephone device for a motor vehicle
A multi-microphone hands-free device operating in noisy surroundings implements a method of de-noising a noisy sound signal. The noisy sound signal comprises a useful speech component coming from a directional speech source and an unwanted noise component, the noise component itself including a lateral noise component that is non-steady and directional. The method operates in the frequency domain and comprises combining signals into a noisy combined signal, estimating a pseudo-steady noise component, calculating a probability of transients being present in the noisy combined signal, estimating a main arrival direction of transients, calculating a probability of speech being present on the basis of a three-dimensional spatial criterion suitable for discriminating amongst the transients between useful speech and lateral noise, and selectively reducing noise by applying a variable gain specific to each frequency band and to each time frame. |
| US08370139B2 |
Feature-vector compensating apparatus, feature-vector compensating method, and computer program product
A noise-environment storing unit stores therein a compensation vector for compensating a feature vector of a speech. A feature-vector extracting unit extracts the feature vector of the speech in each of a plurality of frames. A noise-environment-series estimating unit estimates a noise-environment series based on a feature-vector series and a degree of similarity. A calculating unit obtains a compensation vector corresponding to each noise environment in estimated noise-environment series based on the compensation vector present in the noise-environment storing unit. A compensating unit compensates the extracted feature vector of the speech based on obtained compensation vector. |
| US08370136B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating noises
A method and an apparatus for generating comfortable noises so as to improve user experience are disclosed. The method includes: if a received data frame is a noise frame, calculating a corresponding energy attenuation parameter based on the noise frame and a data frame received earlier than the noise frame; and attenuating noise energy based on the energy attenuation parameter to obtain a comfortable noise signal. An apparatus for generating comfortable noise is also provided. |
| US08370133B2 |
Method and device for noise filling
A method for perceptual spectral decoding comprises decoding of spectral coefficients recovered from a binary flux into decoded spectral coefficients of an initial set of spectral coefficients. The initial set of spectral coefficients are spectrum filled. The spectrum filling comprises noise filling of spectral holes by setting spectral coefficients in the initial set of spectral coefficients not being decoded from the binary flux equal to elements derived from the decoded spectral coefficients. The set of reconstructed spectral coefficients of a frequency domain formed by the spectrum filling is converted into an audio signal of a time domain. A perceptual spectral decoder comprises a noise filler, operating according to the method for perceptual spectral decoding. |
| US08370130B2 |
Speech understanding system using an example-based semantic representation pattern
A speech understanding apparatus includes: a speech recognition unit for recognizing an input speech to produce a speech recognition result; a sentence analysis unit for performing morpheme analysis on a sentence corresponding to the speech recognition result, extracting additional information, and performing syntax analysis; a hierarchy describing unit for describing hierarchy of the sentence; a class transformation unit for performing class transformation on the sentence; a semantic representation determination unit for marking optional expressions for the sentence, deleting meaningless expressions and the additional information, converting the sentence into its base form, and deleting morphemic tags or symbols to determine a semantic representation; a semantic representation retrieval unit for retrieving the determined semantic representation from an example-based semantic representation pattern database; and a retrieval result processing unit for selectively producing a retrieved semantic representation. |
| US08370124B1 |
High fidelity time domain for spacecraft emulation systems
An emulation system includes a central time source generating a time reference and an emulated spacecraft control processor which contains an embedded processor that provides an emulated input/output interface to communicate simulated spacecraft data. The embedded processor processes the simulated spacecraft data and contains a real time clock engine having a real-time clock period. The system further has a first simulation that processes attitude control system data from the emulated spacecraft control processor to simulate an attitude control system of the spacecraft in real-time. The first simulation engine operative to produce sensor data for input to the emulated spacecraft control processor based on the simulated system dynamics and adjusts the real time clock period in response to the time reference. |
| US08370123B2 |
Methods and apparatus for simulating a distributed business process
Methods and apparatus for simulating a distributed business process are disclosed. The methods and apparatus simulate an interdependent business process, such as a financial transaction system, in a secure distributed manner. Each business entity that is part of the interdependent business process models itself on a local client device at any chosen level of detail. A simulation server connects the separate client based simulations into one large simulation. Details of each local simulation may be hidden from other simulation participants. However, interruptions in business flow caused by simulated disruptions introduced at the simulation server and/or a client device are propagated to all of the effected simulation participants via the simulation server. In addition, if a client based model is not available, the server supplies a software agent to replace the inputs and outputs normally associated with that portion of the overall simulation. |
| US08370122B2 |
Method of predicting connectivity between parts of a potential hydrocarbon reservoir and analyzing 3D data in a subsurface region
A method and apparatus for segmenting geobodies extracted from three-dimensional geophysical survey data volumes. In one embodiment, the invention involves (a) obtaining a plurality of data elements, respectively corresponding to three-dimensional locations in a subsurface region, and generating a data volume consisting of discrete cells from the plurality of data elements (1); (b) identifying an initial geobody corresponding to a potential hydrocarbon reservoir within the data volume by grouping cells in the data volume according to a selected connectivity criterion (2); (c) selecting a rule (3) that characterizes stratigraphically reasonable geobodies (e.g. they cannot vertically overlap); and (d) in response to a determination that the initial geobody does not conform to the rule, segmenting the initial geobody into a plurality of fundamental geobodies via processing the data elements with an automated segmentation routine, wherein the fundamental geobodies each conform to the rule (4). |
| US08370121B2 |
Sediment transport by fully developed turbulent flows
The invention is a method of modeling a hydrocarbon reservoir. A parameter value in a set of equations is adjusted so that the output of the equations accurately matches observed sediment erosion and deposition behavior for sediment sizes throughout a range of about 10 microns to about 10 centimeters. An initial condition of a sediment bed in the hydrocarbon reservoir is defined. The equations are applied to the initial condition, wherein outputs of the equations express how a fluid flow affects erosion and deposition of sediments at the initial condition. The initial condition is adjusted based on the equation outputs to create a subsequent sediment bed condition. The equations are re-applied to the subsequent sediment bed condition a pre-determined number of times. The subsequent sediment bed condition is re-adjusted after each re-application of the equations. The model of the hydrocarbon reservoir is created and outputted. |
| US08370120B2 |
Polymeric stents and method of manufacturing same
A pattern is used to form a stent scaffold from a polymeric precursor tube having a particular outer diameter. A new pattern can be derived from a base pattern, wherein the new pattern can be used to form a stent scaffold from a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR smaller than that needed for the base pattern. The new pattern can be derived by determining the shape of a stent scaffold, having the base pattern, after having been radially compressed to ODPR. The radially compressed shape is used to design the new pattern, which is applied to a precursor tube having an outer diameter ODPR. The new pattern can have a plurality of W-shaped closed cells, each W-shape closed cell bounded by struts oriented in such a way to form interior angles from about 80 degrees to about 95 degrees between every two adjacent struts. |
| US08370117B2 |
Systems, methods, and tools for proofing a computer-aided design object
Systems, methods, and tools for proofing computer-aided design (CAD) objects (e.g., CAD drawings or models). The objects are implemented with CAD software and represent an apparatus. An exemplary method includes receiving a CAD object representing the apparatus, determining criteria for proofing the CAD object, determining rules, extracting items of interest from the CAD object, and comparing the extracted items with the rules. An example item of interest is a drawing note on the CAD object and an example rule includes a plurality of keywords. |
| US08370116B2 |
Harness verification apparatus, harness verification method and storage medium
A harness verification method includes placing a three-dimensional model in virtual space and displaying a model plane onto which an overhead view of the three-dimensional model is projected, setting reference planes in the virtual space and displaying on the display cross-section projection planes onto which cross sections defined by intersection of the three-dimensional model and the reference planes is projected; obtaining a pointing position operated by a pointing unit in the virtual space, designating the pointing position as an operation position, identifying the operation position as a pass point of a harness, generating curve segments each corresponding to section between two adjacent pass points, and storing in the storage unit definition information that defines a route of the harness on the basis of jointed curve segments; and displaying on the cross-section projection planes the route of the harness generated on the cross section on the basis of the definition information. |
| US08370115B2 |
Systems and methods of improved boolean forms
Various systems, methods, and computing units are provided for reduced cost evaluation of Boolean expressions. In one representative embodiment, a method includes: determining a first modified cost measure for a node of a binary tree, the first modified cost measure comprising M cost values, the node in an original condition; pivoting the node; determining a second modified cost measure for the node in a pivoted condition, the second modified cost measure comprising M cost values; and determining a preferred node condition responsive to a comparison of the first and second cost measures. |
| US08370112B2 |
Evaluation circuit for processing digital signals, method, and sensor assembly
An evaluation circuit for processing digital signals, the evaluation circuit processing an input data word and outputting an output data word, and a method for processing digital signals in an evaluation circuit, and to a sensor assembly. |
| US08370111B2 |
System and method for forming optimized perimeter surveillance
A method for forming a virtual tripwire through a subregion of an area of interest. The method may involve performing a geometric analysis of terrain in the subregion, the geometric analysis determining a location for each one of a pre-designated plurality of candidate sensors that may potentially be used in forming the virtual tripwire. A viewshed for each candidate sensor is determined. Each viewshed represents a coverage region for its associated candidate sensor. A geometric beginning point and a geometric end point within the subregion are each defined for the virtual tripwire. The viewsheds are analyzed to determine a number of the candidate sensors required to form a path for the virtual tripwire from the beginning point to the end point. |
| US08370107B2 |
Automated hypothesis testing
A method of automatically applying a hypothesis test to a data set. The method reduces errors made in failing to appreciate predicate assumptions of various statistical tests, and elicits a series of indications from the user regarding characteristics of interest embodied by the data set to select an appropriate statistical test. The system also reduces errors in constructing competing null and alternative hypothesis statements by generating a characterization of the data and defining null and alternative hypotheses according to the indications, selected statistical test, and conventions adopted with respect to the tests. The system also establishes a significance level, calculates the test statistic, and generates an output. The output of the system provides a plain interpretation of the quantitative results in the terms indicated by the user to reduce errors in interpretation of the conclusion. |
| US08370104B2 |
Hand held pointing device with roll compensation
A pointing device includes accelerometers and rotational sensors that are coupled to a processor. The processor samples the accelerometers and rotational sensors to detect gravity and pointing device motion and uses algebraic algorithms to calculate roll compensated cursor control signals. The processor transmits the cursor control signals to a receiver that is coupled to an electronic device that moves the cursor on the visual display. |
| US08370101B2 |
Circuit card assembly testing system for a missile and launcher test set
The invention generally relates to a circuit card assembly testing system for testing and troubleshooting new and failed circuit card assemblies. Specifically, circuit card assemblies that are part of a guided missile and launcher test set are tested using a board testing system (BTS), the preferred embodiment, to isolate faults or to verify final assembly. The BTS is used for testing and troubleshooting a wide variety of circuit card assemblies at the end of final assembly and upon their return as a failed item from the field. The BTS is designed to rapidly isolate faults in failed circuit card assemblies that have been returned to a maintenance facility by providing an improved means of fault isolation. The BTS is designed to aid in the production of circuit card assemblies by providing an improved means of rapidly verifying the proper operation of circuit boards after final assembly. |
| US08370098B2 |
Measuring system for a medium flowing in a process line
A measuring system for precise measuring a density of a medium flowing in a pipe line. The measuring system comprises a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor. Both sensors communicate with a measuring electronics of the system. The measuring electronics are operable to provide, based on temperature measurement and pressure measurement, a provisional density measured value, especially according to one of the industrial standards AGAR, AGN NX-19, SGERG-88 IAWPS-IF97, ISO 12213:2006. Further, the measuring electronics provides, based on the provisional density measured value and a density correction value, which is dependant on a flow velocity of the medium, and temperature measurement, a density measured value, which differs from the provisional density measured value, and which represents the density to be measured more accurately. |
| US08370095B2 |
Method for clocking cumulative operating time for a cargo-handling vehicle, and the cargo-handling vehicle by use of the method
The use time till a display unit including an hour meter (a time measuring device) is replaced can be continued even if the time measuring device fails, and false alteration after shipping can be prevented while infallibly resetting the hour meter to zero when the vehicle equipped with the hour meter is shipped from the factory. The cargo handling vehicle includes a first storage device for accumulatively storing the vehicle use time measured by a first time measuring device provided in a display unit of the vehicle and a second storage device for accumulatively storing the vehicle use time measured by a second time measuring device provided in a control device. The control device allows the first and second storage devices to communicate the accumulated use times stored therein when the electric power of the vehicle is turned on. The control device compares the accumulated use times and writes the longer accumulated use time in the storage device storing the shorter one. |
| US08370094B2 |
Detecting device for fuel injector
A detecting device for a fuel injector includes a sensor unit and an ECU. The sensor unit is provided with a fuel pressure detection circuit which outputs a pressure detection signal in response to a fuel pressure. The ECU computes the fuel pressure based on a voltage value of the pressure detection signal relative to a reference voltage. The ECU obtains a comparative voltage according to an applied-voltage to the fuel pressure detection circuit and computes a deviation between the comparative voltage and the reference voltage. The sensor unit adjusts the applied-voltage in such a manner as to decrease the deviation. Thus, the computation accuracy of the fuel pressure is improved. |
| US08370092B2 |
Method of timing demand and time-of-use functionality with external clock source
A method of associating chronological time with energy consumption includes a step of storing in a utility meter a plurality of energy consumption values, each energy consumption value corresponding to a time interval of a first type. The method also includes obtaining from a source external to the utility meter chronological time information regarding at least one of the plurality of energy consumption values. The method further includes associating each of the energy consumption values with a time interval of the second type, each time interval of the second type associated with at least one chronological time value. |
| US08370091B2 |
Computer-implemented systems and methods for detecting electrostatic discharges and determining their origination locations
Computer-implemented systems and methods for detecting ESD on a surface and determining an origination location of the ESD. A programmed computer device monitors time-varying current data related to the surface to detect ESD on the surface. The current profile for the surface may be compared to a catalog of ESD current profiles, where each ESD current profile in the catalog corresponds to a different location on the surface. The location on the surface whose corresponding ESD current profile best matches the actual current profile from the ESD may be determined to be the origination location of the ESD. Moderately different processes may be used to determine the ESD origination location depending on whether the surface is symmetrical or irregular, flat or curved, etc. |
| US08370085B2 |
Device, method, and program for detecting position
Sonic wave speed at a part is calculated considering the environment surrounding the part, sonic wave speed around the part is measured, and the accuracy of the position detection is improved. An ultrasonic wave transmitting device is arranged at a robot hand tip, hexahedrons which can contain the tip are set, and the ultrasonic wave transmitting-receiving devices are arranged at the top points thereof. Upon detecting the tip position, a top point that is close to the tip is selected as a specific point, and sonic wave speeds from other top points to this specific point are calculated. Based on these sonic wave speeds, sonic wave speed along a route from the tip to the specific point is calculated. Based on this sonic wave speed value and spread time of ultrasonic waves between the tip and the specific point, distance from the specific point to the tip is calculated. |
| US08370084B2 |
Method for estimating physical property of ceramic, method for estimating physical property of thermal barrier coating, method for estimating remaining lifetime of thermal barrier coating, method for estimating remaining lifetime of high-temperature member, and physical property acquiring apparatus
A method by which physical properties, including the Young's modulus and thermal conductivity of a ceramic layer of a thermal barrier coating formed on a high-temperature member, are quickly and accurately estimated. A method for estimating a physical property of a ceramic includes a step of calculating the Larson-Miller parameter from the time for which and the temperature at which the ceramic is heated; a step of acquiring the porosity of the ceramic corresponding to the calculated Larson-Miller parameter, based on the calculated Larson-Miller parameter and a diagram correlating the Larson-Miller parameter and the porosity obtained from samples having the same composition as the ceramic; and a step of acquiring the physical property of the ceramic corresponding to the acquired porosity, based on the acquired porosity and a diagram correlating the porosity and the physical property obtained from samples having the same composition as the ceramic. |
| US08370082B2 |
Method for predicting a physical property of a residue obtainable from a crude oil
A method for predicting a physical property of a residue obtainable from a crude oil by a process of distillation, wherein the conditions during the process are represented by a processing parameter, is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: a) using a spectroscopic technique to acquire a spectrum for the crude oil; and b) applying a predictive model based upon a correlation between the spectrum, the physical property and the processing parameter. The method may be used to predict the suitability of crude oil for bitumen production. |
| US08370079B2 |
Algorithms for sequence determination
The present invention is generally directed to powerful and flexible methods and systems for consensus sequence determination from replicate biomolecule sequence data. It is an object of the present invention to improve the accuracy of consensus biomolecule sequence determination from replicate sequence data by providing methods for assimilating replicate sequence into a final consensus sequence more accurately than any one-pass sequence analysis system. |
| US08370078B2 |
Integrated biosensor and simulation system for diagnosis and therapy
BioMEMS/NEMS appliance biologically monitors an individual, using biosensors to detect cellular components. Data is simulated or analyzed using systems-biology software, which provides diagnostic or therapeutic guidance. |
| US08370069B2 |
Method for predicting secondary structure of nucleic acid sequence, a predictor for secondary structure of nucleic acid sequence and a predicting program for predicting secondary structure of nucleic acid sequence
An exemplary object of the present invention is to provide method, predictor and predicting program for predicting secondary structure of nucleic acid sequence capable of evaluating not only overall similarity and but also localized similarity of secondary structure of nucleic acid sequence. A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: extracting a structural element of the secondary structure from the secondary structure of the nucleic acid sequence; and evaluating a similarity of each structural element of the nucleic acid sequence as a subject, based on a feature vector of the structural element. |
| US08370067B2 |
Monitoring compression of successive layers of landfill material and measurement of layer density
A method and system and the use of a 3-D positioning system for monitoring a landfill and landfill material added thereto and undergoing compaction and measures in real time the relative density of the compressed landfill material. The method and system calculates thickness, volume, density during the landfill operation to ensure that the landfill is comprised of compacted layers of substantially optimized density. |
| US08370066B2 |
Methods and apparatus for travel information
Systems and techniques for providing travel information. An information terminal offers a user an opportunity to select to receive travel information. Upon such a selection by the user, selections and information are received from the user to indicate the user's needs. The selections and information may take the form of explicit selections and entries, or submission of an identifier associated with a use record indicating user needs. Information submitted by the user is examined and appropriate travel directions, local area information, and information relating to the destination or points along the route are furnished to the user. If desired, a user record may be updated with information related to the current transaction. |
| US08370058B2 |
Method for controlling a display device in a motor vehicle, and display device
In a method for controlling a display device in a motor vehicle, the display device displays a geographic map having elements which are assigned geographic positions and which are displayed on the displayed map at the geographic positions they are assigned. The relevance of the elements displayable on the map for the user is evaluated and an automatic decision is made as a function of the result of the evaluation as to which elements are displayed at the geographic positions they are assigned. A display device in a motor vehicle includes a control device, a display connected to the control device, a memory or a plurality of memories for storing data for displaying a geographic map and for storing elements that are assigned geographic positions and which are displayable on the displayed map at the geographic positions they are assigned. The display device includes a decision processor, which is connected to the control device, by which the relevance of the elements displayable on the map is able to be evaluated, and an automatic decision is able to be made as a function of the result of the evaluation as to which elements will be displayed at their assigned geographic positions. |
| US08370050B2 |
Instantaneous interruption detection apparatus and internal combustion engine control apparatus including the same
The instantaneous interruption detection apparatus includes a noise removing section to remove a noise component from an in-cylinder pressure signal inputted thereto, and output a noise-removed in-cylinder pressure signal, a derivative signal calculating section to calculate a detection signal which is a function of a derivative value of the noise-removed in-pressure signal with respect to the crank angle of an internal combustion engine, an instantaneous interruption determining section configured to make determination that instantaneous interruption of the in-cylinder pressure signal has occurred when the detection signal has exceeded a detection threshold, and a threshold setting section configured to set the detection threshold to such a value that the instantaneous interruption determining section can make the determination in accordance with the noise-removed in-pressure signal which is dull compared to the in-cylinder pressure signal inputted to the noise removing section depending on a gain-frequency characteristic of the noise removing section. |
| US08370045B2 |
Starter control valve failure prediction machine to predict and trend starter control valve failures in gas turbine engines using a starter control valve health prognostic, program product and related methods
Starter control valve failure prediction machines, systems, program products, and computer implemented methods to predict and trend starter control valve failures in gas turbine engines using a starter control valve health prognostic and to make predictions of starter control valve failures, are provided. A computer implemented method according to an embodiment of the present invention can include the steps of generating a continuous starter control valve deterioration trend function responsive to a plurality of health indices derived from gas turbine engine startup data downloaded from gas turbine engine sensors for a plurality of startups and analyzing the continuous starter control valve deterioration trend function to identify potential starter control valve failure points where the points on the starter control valve deterioration trend function correlate to a starter control valve health prognostic responsive to historic gas turbine engine startup data downloaded from gas turbine engine sensors. |
| US08370044B2 |
NOX compliant peak for gas turbine
A gas turbine comprises a plurality of target exhaust temperature determination modules, the plurality of target exhaust temperature modules comprising a nitrogen oxide (NOx) compliance module configured to determine an exhaust temperature at which an exhaust of the gas turbine complies with a maximum permitted level of NOx; at least one bias module, the at least one bias module configured to apply a bias to an output of at least one of the plurality of target exhaust temperature determination modules; and a controller configured to operate the gas turbine to produce the exhaust temperature determined by the NOx compliance module. |
| US08370037B2 |
Method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload
A method for the protection of an automatically actuated clutch of a vehicle from overload, comprising the steps of determining a driving situation of the vehicle, continuously determining the energy input in the clutch, and, preventing or reducing an overload state via targeted intervention in vehicle management as a function of the determined driving situation and the input energy. |
| US08370036B2 |
Shift control device for automatic transmission and control method thereof
An automatic transmission calculates a current thermal load state of the frictional element, predicts (S24, S31), prior to the start of the shift, a heat generation amount of the frictional element if the shift is performed in the first shift mode, predicts (S25, S32) a thermal load state of the frictional element upon shift completion on the basis of the current thermal load state of the frictional element and the predicted heat generation amount, and either performs (S28, S38) the shift in a second shift mode, in which a heat generation amount is lower than that of the first shift mode, or prohibits (S39) the shift when the predicted thermal load state upon shift completion is inside a predetermined region. |
| US08370033B2 |
Method for controlling an automated multistep change-speed gearbox
A method of controlling an automated multi-step change-speed transmission of a vehicle having an electronic control unit connected to sensors for detecting operating parameters and to gear and/or clutch control elements for carrying out shift operations. The control comprises a data memory such that the multi-step change-speed transmission can be operated automatically to initiate gearshifts in an automatic mode, manually initiated by a driver in a manual mode to provide gearshifts, and manually actuated in a learning mode in which gearshifts and operating parameters can be recorded automatically. When necessary to assist technicians in the application of the transmission, a configuration-learning mode that can be activated in which, during a test drive with manual gearshift initiation, operating parameters are automatically detected in an event-dependent manner, processed to produce control data for the transmission, and the control data stored in the data memory for the future control of the transmission. |
| US08370032B2 |
Systems and methods for shift control for vehicular transmission
Systems and methods for shift control for vehicular transmission. A transmission may shift gears at designated transmission shift points. When the slope of the road grade encountered by a vehicle changes, the transmission shift points may be altered to provide better vehicle performance. According to one embodiment, road slope may be calculated based upon vehicle acceleration and acceleration caused by pedal depression. In such an embodiment, brake indication may be calculated from the same road slope calculation without the use of a brake signal switch. If brake application is indicated by the road slope calculation, transmission shifting may be adjusted to prevent poor vehicle performance. |
| US08370031B2 |
Device for measuring a load at the end of a rope wrapped over a rod
A digging machine. The machine includes a rod having a central bore with at least two strain gauges angled relative to each other, a hoist rope, and a CPU configured to create a calibration table of a plurality of outputs from each of the two strain gauges, given various rope tensions and rope angles, determine an unknown rope tension and rope angle, use the output from one strain gauge and create a first set of data point angle and tension pairs from plurality of calibration outputs that correspond to the one output from one strain gauge, use the output from the other strain gauge and create a second set of data point angle and tension pairs from the plurality of calibration outputs that correspond to the one output from other strain gauge, and determine, based on where said two sets of data points intersect, rope tension and rope angle. |
| US08370028B2 |
Road information sensing system, method and program
A GPS sensor senses a current position of a vehicle. A map database stores map data. A controller obtains road information of a road ahead of the vehicle from the map data based on the sensed current position of the vehicle. Then, the controller measures a distance from the vehicle to a predetermined object, which serves as a sensing subject, on the road when the obtained road information is predetermined road information. Then, the controller outputs the measured distance as control information of the vehicle. |
| US08370027B2 |
Preventive and persuasive actions against drunk driving
A vehicle safety system is provided that includes an alcohol concentration determining arrangement. A control unit is adapted to receive and analyze data from the alcohol concentration determining arrangement and output a blocking signal or a dissuasion signal under certain conditions. A blocking arrangement is adapted to prevent driving of the vehicle by the vehicle occupant upon receipt of a blocking signal. An output device is adapted to receive the dissuasion signal and to present a warning to the vehicle occupant to dissuade the occupant from driving the vehicle. The control unit is operable to categorize the concentration of alcohol in the occupant's blood into one of three categories: a low concentration category, in which the blocking signal will not be generated, a high concentration category, in which the blocking signal will be generated, and an intermediate category, in which the dissuasion signal will be generated. |
| US08370021B2 |
Obstacle detecting device
A distance measuring sensor is arranged to a vehicle door, and measures a distance to an object in a direction corresponding to a scanning angle. A memory stores a standard angle and a comparison distance corresponding to the scanning angle. A distance-shortest scanning angle is defined by the shortest value of the measured distance. When the distance-shortest scanning angle is different from the standard angle, the scanning angle is corrected. The object is determined to be an obstacle having a possibility to contact with the door, when the measured distance is equal to or shorter than a corrected comparison distance corresponding to the corrected scanning angle. |
| US08370017B2 |
Smart vehicle sensor
Various systems and methods are described for controlling operation of a motor vehicle based on a sensor. One example method comprises receiving sensed parameter data from the sensor, receiving calibration data from the sensor, and adjusting a vehicle operating parameter in response to the sensed parameter data and the calibration data. |
| US08370016B2 |
OBD II readiness monitor tool apparatus and method
An OBDII device and method and system which includes an inexpensive, user friendly way to determine a vehicle's readiness status for emissions testing. An audible or visual indication that may or may not be wirelessly connected to the tool is provided to alert the repair shop technician or driver that the vehicle has completed its drive cycle and may now be tested for compliance with state and federal emissions laws. The device also includes the ability to prevent the tool from discharging a power source of the vehicle when the device is coupled to the vehicle. |
| US08370015B2 |
Hybrid industrial vehicle
A hybrid industrial vehicle including an engine, generator motor, battery, and a travel motor. A first generated power computation unit computes a deceleration rate based required generated power based on the travel power and charge power of the battery. A second generated power computation unit computes an actual power based required generated power based on used power used by the travel motor and the charge power of the battery. A generated power control unit controls the generator motor so that the generated power of the generator motor becomes equal to a total generated power determined from the deceleration rate based required generated power and actual power based required generated power. An engine rotation speed control unit controls rotation speed of the engine to be greater than or equal to a required cargo handling engine rotation speed. |
| US08370014B2 |
Control apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle
A control apparatus and method of controlling a hybrid vehicle are taught herein. The vehicle selectively switches between an EV mode wherein the vehicle travels by only a driving force produced by the motor/generator when an accelerator opening is less than or equal to an engine-stop line or a HEV mode wherein the vehicle travels by at least a driving force produced by the engine the accelerator opening exceeds the engine-stop line. A transition from the HEV mode to the EV mode is executed when the accelerator opening becomes less than or equal to the engine-stop line during the HEV mode and a given delay time has expired. The delay time is set to a shorter time as an accelerator return speed decreases. |
| US08370012B2 |
Drive control apparatus for hybrid vehicle
In a hybrid vehicle, an ECU collects data of (i) an amount of acquisition electrical power acquired when regeneratively charging a battery and (ii) an amount of requirement electrical power required for operating a motor, for every road section in association with a travel of the vehicle, and records the collected data in a storage device. Thereafter, when a travel course the vehicle is going to travel includes a road section where the amount of acquisition electrical power is greater than an acquisition-related threshold value or a road section where the amount of requirement electrical power is greater than a requirement-related threshold value, a re-plan of a control schedule for the engine and the motor is executed. In contrast, when the travel course does not include such a road section, a re-plan of the control schedule is prohibited. |
| US08370005B2 |
Methods for displaying aircraft procedure information
Methods are provided for presenting procedure information for an airport on a display device onboard an aircraft. A method comprises displaying a map on a display device and displaying a briefing panel overlying a portion the map. The briefing panel includes a plurality of segments, wherein each segment is associated with a type of procedure information for the airport. |
| US08370004B2 |
Control panel for an aircraft
The control panel (1) comprises two chains (A, B) of signal acquisition, digitization and processing, which are redundant and which include means (7) for performing crosschecks. |
| US08370003B2 |
System and method for multiple aircraft lifting a common payload
A system and method are provided for controlling a plurality of aircraft to lift a common payload. The system comprises of multiple aircraft tethered to a common payload, where the group of said aircraft form a swarm that is controlled by a pilot station. Each said aircraft is autonomously stabilized and guided through a swarm avionics unit, which further comprises of sensor, communication, and processing hardware. At the said pilot station, a pilot remotely enters payload destinations, which is processed and communicated to each said aircraft. The method for controlling a multi-aircraft lifting system comprises of first inputting the desired location of the payload, and then determining a series of intermediary payload waypoints. Next, these payload waypoints are used by the swarm waypoint controller to generate individual waypoints for each aircraft; a flight controller for each aircraft moves the aircraft to these individual waypoints. |
| US08370000B2 |
System and method for increasing the power efficiency of cooling fans
Systems and methods for increasing the power efficiency of cooling fans are disclosed. A method for providing power-efficient operation of a plurality of cooling fans may include testing a plurality of cooling fans over an operating range of delivered airflow to determine, in each of one or more regions of the operating range, a number of cooling fans to be enabled to provide the lowest power amount required to deliver the delivered airflow for such region. |
| US08369995B2 |
Central air-conditioning system
A central air-conditioning system conditions a house having a plurality of rooms. When a person is not present in any of the rooms, each room is conditioned in energy-saving conditioning mode having a low load. On the other hand, when the person is detected in any of the rooms, a controller switches an operating mode for conditioning the room, in which the person is detected, from the energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning. Air-conditioner ducts respectively connected to the remaining rooms are closed. Therefore, cold air or warm air from an air-conditioning unit is supplied to the room in which the person is detected, while the cold air or warm air is not supplied to the rooms in which the person is not present. As a result, the room that has been switched from energy-saving conditioning to rapid conditioning is conditioned in a concentrated manner. |
| US08369994B1 |
Apparatus and method for analysis, measurement and remote display of energy savings achieved by simultaneous comparative enabling of features of an HVAC energy management system for use in a hotel or motel
A method and/or apparatus providing for evaluation and illustration of the effects of installing and using specific features of an Energy Management System is disclosed. The system is typical of those utilized in Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) control systems. In one illustrated embodiment, cost savings that are achievable following installation of an HVAC system with certain selectable features are clearly illustrated and controllable in an easily understood and useful way, including from remote locations such as over the internet. |
| US08369988B2 |
Grain distribution apparatus and method
A grain distributor including a timer coupled to a distribution spout that generates a series of particular time values. The control processor is programmed with an algorithm to pivot the distribution spout and to receive and record signals from the sensor as the sensor confronts each of the code clusters and each of the proof windows. The control processor is programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each code cluster with a particular time value generated by the timer and to memorize the particular time value associated with each code cluster in a long term memory and the control processor being programmed with the algorithm to associate each signal from each of the proof windows in a long term memory. The grain distributor is also self programming. |
| US08369984B2 |
Facility and method for processing printed materials
Facility for processing printed materials, comprising primary conveyor lines for processing different printed materials, a first transfer device for transferring printed materials from each primary conveyor line to a distribution conveyor line, and a second transfer device for transferring printed materials from the distribution conveyor line to a grouping conveyor line. The grouping conveyor line comprises an identification device for affixing an indication of a point of destination on the printed materials. The facility is controlled such that the printed materials arrive on the grouping conveyor line grouped by recipient. |
| US08369979B2 |
Method of operation for a cooling track for cooling a rolling product, with cooling to an end enthalpy value uncoupled from temperature
A control device for a cooling track for cooling a rolling product accepts at least partially characteristic information for a starting enthalpy value. The control device (8) determines a refrigerant volume progression (K) such that a heat volume corresponding to the difference between the starting enthalpy value (EA) and a prespecified end enthalpy value (EE) is removed from a rolling product segment (12) of the rolling product (5) during the movement of said rolling product through the cooling track (1). The control device (8) determines the refrigerant volume progression (K) independently of whether a prespecified end temperature value (TE) assigned to the end enthalpy value (EE) is reached at the end of application of refrigerant (6) to the rolling product (5). The control device (8) applies refrigerant (6) to the rolling product segment (12) during its passage through the cooling track (1) according to the determined refrigerant volume progression (K). |
| US08369978B2 |
Adjusting polishing rates by using spectrographic monitoring of a substrate during processing
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a sequence of current spectra of reflected light from a substrate; comparing each current spectrum from the sequence of current spectra to a plurality of reference spectra from a reference spectra library to generate a sequence of best-match reference spectra; determining a goodness of fit for the sequence of best-match reference spectra; and determining at least one of whether to adjust a polishing rate or an adjustment for the polishing rate, based on the goodness of fit. |
| US08369975B2 |
Online recipe synchronization in a real-time batch executive environment
A method of executing a batch process in a manufacturing environment according to a product recipe, such that the product recipe specifies a plurality of actions and a plurality of parameters, includes performing at least one action of the batch process corresponding to a first version of the product recipe, receiving a second version of the product recipe, such that the second version of the product recipe is distinct from the first version of the product recipe, suspending the execution of the batch process prior to completion of the batch process, and resuming the execution of the batch process according to the second version of the product recipe. |
| US08369972B2 |
Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction
Encoding and decoding methods and apparatus as described. In one example, a method of embedding auxiliary information into an audio signal includes sampling the audio signal to create an audio block; receiving a code; determining frequency components that will be used to represent the code, wherein different sets of frequency components represent respectively different information and wherein one frequency component from each set of frequency components is located in a code band and there are multiple code bands and spacing between adjacent code bands is equal to or less than the spacing between adjacent frequency components of each code band; determining amplitudes of the frequency components that will be used to represent the information, wherein the amplitudes of the frequency components are determined by a masking ability of the audio block; synthesizing the frequency components that will be used to represent the information, wherein the frequency components are synthesized with the determined amplitudes; and combining the synthesized code frequency components with the audio block. |
| US08369970B2 |
Fantasy sports neural engine for player drafting
An apparatus, system and method for a neural engine for recommending picks in an on-line fantasy sport draft and in on-line fantasy trades. The apparatus, system and method may include at least one computing memory having associated therewith a plurality of rules, wherein at least ones of the plurality of rules include historical performance information for at least two fantasy sports teams in at least two fantasy sports leagues, wherein one of the at least two fantasy sports leagues is associated with the on-line fantasy sports draft, and expert information regarding the picks in the on-line fantasy sports draft. The present invention may additionally include at least one computer processor that applies ones of the plurality of rules drawn from the at least one computing memory to arrive at a recommendation. |
| US08369969B2 |
Distributed significant control monitoring system and device with transmission synchronization
Provided is a control system capable of reducing cost while securing reliability of original processing of a microcomputer. An engine control device and a meter control device each store a control amount calculating procedure for calculating a control amount regarding a significant control to be performed on the control target of the engine control device. The engine control device compares a control amount regarding the significant control calculated by the engine control device, and a control amount regarding the significant control calculated by the meter control device, to thereby control the control target of the engine control device based on a result of the comparison. |
| US08369968B2 |
System and method for handling database failover
A system includes a first database, a second database, a third database, and an application server. The first database server includes a database instance. The second database server is in communication with the first database server. The second database server includes a mirror of the database instance. The third database server is in communication with the second database server. The third database server is configured to store a copy of a database within the database instance. The application server is configured to be placed in communication with the first, second, and third database servers, configured to fail over between the first and second database servers, and further configured to fail over between the second and third database servers. |
| US08369966B2 |
Controller network and method for transmitting data in a controller network
A network having a plurality of subscribers has at least one message transmitter and at least one message receiver. The at least one message transmitter sends messages at predefined time intervals. The message receiver receives the messages at the predefined time intervals. A delay time of the messages is monitored on the basis of time outs. In addition, at least one of the subscribers repeatedly estimates a current delay time using a time measurement between sending out a request message and receiving a response message. The estimated delay time is compared with a predefined threshold value. If the estimated delay time exceeds the defined threshold value, an error signal is generated. |
| US08369964B2 |
MRI compatible medical device lead including transmission line notch filters
A medical device lead includes a conductor and one or more band stop filters. The conductor extends through a lead body and includes a proximal end and a distal end. The one or more band stop filters each have a first end and a second end and include a conductive coil. At least one of the first end and second end of each band stop filter is coupled to the conductor. A length of each band stop filter is such that, at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) frequencies, the band stop filter phase shifts an MRI-induced signal on the conductor by 180° to attenuate the MRI-induced signal on the conductor. |
| US08369963B2 |
Multi-electrode implantable stimulator device with a single current path decoupling capacitor
Disclosed herein are circuits and methods for a multi-electrode implantable stimulator device incorporating one decoupling capacitor in the current path established via at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode. In one embodiment, the decoupling capacitor may be hard-wired to a dedicated anode on the device. The cathodes are selectively activatable via stimulation switches. In another embodiment, any of the electrodes on the devices can be selectively activatable as an anode or cathode. In this embodiment, the decoupling capacitor is placed into the current path via selectable anode and cathode stimulation switches. Regardless of the implementation, the techniques allow for the benefits of capacitive decoupling without the need to associate decoupling capacitors with every electrode on the multi-electrode device, which saves space in the body of the device. Although of particular benefit when applied to microstimulators, the disclosed technique can be used with space-saving benefits in any stimulator device. |
| US08369959B2 |
Implantable medical device with integrated antenna system
The present invention is related to active implantable medical devices comprising an antenna and a band diplexer connected to said antenna. The band diplexer comprises first filter means for a first signal to be transmitted and/or received in a first RF band and second filter means for a second signal to be transmitted and/or received in a second RF band. A method of bidirectional wireless communication is disclosed between an active implantable medical device and an external device, comprising the steps of: communicating unidirectionally from the external device to the implantable medical device over a first wireless link in a first RF band in the MI near-field and communicating unidirectionally from the implantable medical device to the external device over a second wireless link in a second RF band in the EM field. |
| US08369957B2 |
Retinal prosthesis
A retinal prosthesis with an improved configuration by mounting necessary components within and surrounding the eye. The improved configuration better allows for the implantation of electronics within the delicate eye structure and further limits the necessary width of a thin film conductor passing through the sclera by use of a multiplexer external to the sclera and a demultiplexer internal to the sclera. |
| US08369956B2 |
Neurostimulator
Methods and devices for stimulating nerves are disclosed. In one embodiment adapted for stimulating excitable tissue, the invention includes drive circuitry, an acoustic transducer and a pair of electrodes. |
| US08369954B2 |
System and method for transvascularly stimulating contents of the carotid sheath
Methods and systems are disclosed for stimulating contents of the carotid sheath using an intravascular pulse generator and lead. The lead carries an energy delivery device such as an electrode, which is anchor within the portion of the internal jugular vein that is disposed within the carotid sheath. The energy delivery device is energized to transvenously direct energy to target contents of the carotid sheath external to the internal jugular vein. Such target contents may include nervous system elements associated with the carotid sinus baroreceptors, the carotid sinus nerve and associated nerve branches, and or the vagus nerve and associated nerve branches. The system may be used to control blood pressure and/or to lower heart rate and may be suitable for treatment of hypertension, heart failure, or other conditions. |
| US08369952B2 |
Bulimia treatment
At least one of a plurality of disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by vagal activity innervating at least one of a plurality of organs of the patient is treated by a method that includes positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity by an amount selected to treat the disorder. In some embodiments, the disorder is gastroparesis. The signal may be a blocking or a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the signal is selected to a) at least in part, upregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve without triggering muscular contractility, and, b) increase pancreobilliary output. |
| US08369948B2 |
Apparatus for reversal of myocardial remodeling with pre-excitation
An apparatus for reversing ventricular remodeling with electro-stimulatory therapy. A ventricle is paced by delivering one or more stimulatory pulses in a manner such that a stressed region of the myocardium is pre-excited relative to other regions in order to subject the stressed region to a lessened preload and afterload during systole. The unloading of the stressed myocardium over time effects reversal of undesirable ventricular remodeling. |
| US08369946B2 |
Time based arrhythmia therapy efficacy criteria
An implantable medical device and associated method classify therapy outcomes and heart rhythms in association with therapy outcome. A therapy success time interval is started in response to delivering an arrhythmia therapy. If normal sinus rhythm is detected after the therapy success time interval expires, the delivered therapy is classified as unsuccessful and the detected arrhythmia is classified as a self-terminating rhythm. |
| US08369945B2 |
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator with programmable capacitor charging level
An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has a programmable ICD energy level corresponding to the maximum defibrillation energy deliverable with each defibrillation shock pulse. The ICD energy level is programmable within the maximum energy capacity of the defibrillation capacitor(s) of the ICD. In various embodiments, after a user enters the ICD energy level, one or more corresponding ICD performance parameters are presented. Restrictions are applied to the energy level programming of the ICD to ensure the predictability of the one or more ICD performance parameters. |
| US08369944B2 |
Wearable defibrillator with audio input/output
A wearable defibrillator and method of monitoring the condition of a patient are disclosed. The wearable defibrillator includes at least one therapy pad, at least one sensor and at least one processing unit operatively connected to the one or more therapy pads and the one or more sensors. The wearable defibrillator also includes at least one audio device operatively connected to the one or more processing units. The one or more audio devices are configured to receive audio input from a patient. |
| US08369943B2 |
Method and apparatus for neural stimulation via the lymphatic system
An implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable medical device having a neural stimulation circuit and at least one implantable lead configured to allow one or more stimulation electrodes to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient's thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from the implantable medical device to one or more target regions adjacent to the thoracic duct or the vessels branching from the thoracic duct through the one or more stimulation electrodes. |
| US08369942B2 |
Subdermal material delivery device
A method may include placing a first device on a first side of a skin portion of a subject and transferring a material through the skin portion of the subject from the first device to a subdermal second device disposed on a second side of the skin portion of the subject. |
| US08369938B2 |
Rhythm discrimination enhancement—chamber of tachy origination
An apparatus comprises an implantable cardiac signal sensing circuit and a controller circuit. The implantable cardiac signal sensing circuit provides a sensed depolarization signal from a ventricle and a sensed depolarization signal from an atrium. The controller circuit includes an onset detection circuit and a classification circuit. The onset detection circuit detects an onset episode that includes fast cardiac depolarizations and identifies a depolarization that initiates the onset episode. The classification circuit classifies the onset episode as supra-ventricular tachycardia (SVT) when the initiating onset episode is identified in the atrium and the number of atrial depolarizations is greater than or equal to the number of ventricular depolarizations during the onset episode, and as ventricular tachycardia (VT) when the initiating onset depolarization is identified in the ventricle and the number of ventricular depolarizations is greater than the number of atrial depolarizations during the onset episode. |
| US08369937B2 |
System and method for prioritizing medical conditions
A system for ordering and prioritizing multiple health disorders for automated remote patient care is presented. A database maintains information for an individual patient by organizing monitoring sets in a database, and measures relating to patient information previously recorded and derived on a substantially continuous basis into a monitoring set in the database. A server retrieving and processing the monitoring includes a comparison module comparing stored measures from each of the monitoring sets to other stored measures from another of the monitoring sets with both stored measures relating to the same type of patient information, and an analysis module ordering each patient status change in temporal sequence and categorizing health disorder candidates by quantifiable physiological measures, and identifying the health disorder candidate having the pathophysiology substantially corresponding to the patient status changes which occurred substantially least recently as the index disorder. |
| US08369935B2 |
Echogenic needle mechanism
A medical device comprises a cannula for insertion to a target location in a body and at least one resonator situated on a surface of the cannula. The resonator resonates in response to an ultrasonic frequency applied to the target location to indicate the location of the cannula in the body. The ultrasonic frequency is generated by a transducer located external to the body. The medical device also comprises a device converting resonated frequencies into an image. |
| US08369934B2 |
Contact over-torque with three-dimensional anatomical data
A method is provided for establishing contact of a medical device against a three-dimensional surface geometry within a subject body, the method comprising obtaining a three-dimensional tissue surface geometry of an anatomical region within the subject body, obtaining a target location on the surface for the device to contact, determining local surface geometry information in a neighborhood of the target location, and using this information to determine a change of at least one control variable for effecting an over-torque of the medical device to enhance contact of the device with the target surface. |
| US08369929B2 |
Patient support table for use in magnetic resonace imaging
A patient table for a common imaging system including Magnetic Resonance and X-ray retains the patient stationary in position prior to, during and subsequent to the imaging and includes a base, a patient support portion cantilevered from the base and a mattress. The RF posterior coil portions for the head and for the chest can be inserted into and removed from an operating position underneath the head and chest of the patient while patient remains supported. The chest coil is inserted from one edge in a cavity in the mattress which is reinforced by a sleeve. The signal communication cable from the chest coil is routed in front of the mattress and over the mattress so as to not to be exposed at the sides. The head coil is carried on a base plate of the patient support alongside the head support which remains in place. |
| US08369928B2 |
Data processing system for multi-modality imaging
A data processing process and embodiment for optimizing the signal path for multi-modality imaging is described. The embodiment and process optimizes the signal to noise ratio in a positron emission tomography (PET) signal path utilizing scintillation crystals, avalanche photo diodes, and charge sensitive preamplifiers in a dual modality MRI/PET scanner. The dual use of both and analog pole zero circuit and a digital filter enables higher signal levels or a fixed ADC input range and thus a higher possible signal to noise ratio in the presence of significant pileup caused by high positron activity. The higher signal to noise ratio is needed in the PET signal architecture, because of the presence of non-modal time varying electromagnetic fields from the MR, which are a significant source of noise for the wideband PET signal modality. |
| US08369925B2 |
Method to derive anatomical and/or pathological structures from data of imaging technologies
A method to derive anatomical structures from non-invasive imaging technologies is provided. Non-invasive imaging technologies are computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), surface scans and others. Imaging data obtained by a non-invasive technology is used to create a surface contour. The imaging data is transmitted to a rapid prototyping apparatus as readable data. With this readable data the rapid prototyping apparatus establishes a positive or negative surface model, such as a fixation device, a mask, or a prosthesis, or other instruments for medical purposes. |
| US08369922B2 |
Method for displaying catheter electrode-tissue contact in electro-anatomic mapping and navigation system
An electrode coupling output system associated with an electrode catheter that provides indication to the physician via the navigation system, concerning the electrical coupling of an electrode, such as an ablative or mapping electrode, with a patient. The indication may be provided by changing the color or other display characteristics of the electrode on the navigation system display or by way of providing a waveform indicating the electrode coupling. In this manner, electrode coupling information is provided to a physician in a manner that minimizes physician distraction. |
| US08369914B2 |
Optical measuring apparatus, optical measuring method, and storage medium that stores optical measuring program
The present invention provides an optical measuring apparatus and an optical measuring method for being able to correct the influence of a superficial tissue to be able to accurately measure a degree of light absorption of a deep layer tissue such as a human body and fruits, and a storage medium that stores an optical measuring program. The optical measuring apparatus includes a probe, and the probe includes one light emitting diode and two photodiodes. In a configuration of the optical measuring apparatus, one of the photodiodes receives light which is emitted from the light emitting diode and transmitted through a superficial layer and a deep layer of a tissue, and the other photodiode receives light having a deep layer transmission distance different from that of the light received by one of the photodiodes. The light received by the other photodiode is also transmitted through the superficial layer and deep layer of the tissue. Based on intensity of the light received by each photodiode, a control unit computes a propagation constant in a medium through which the light propagates. An arithmetic expression is selected in accordance with an input fat thickness of the tissue, and an absorption coefficient of the light from a muscle tissue using the arithmetic expression based on the fat thickness and a spatial slope. A hemoglobin concentration and an oxygen saturation are obtained based on the obtained absorption coefficient of the light. |
| US08369913B2 |
Optical measurement instrument for living body semiconductor laser installation for living body light measuring device
A living body measuring instrument having a sub-mount on which plural light-emitting devices oscillating at different wavelengths are mounted in proximity, one optical output monitoring device that detects the optical outputs of these light-emitting devices and a light source mounted on the same heat sink which are housed in one can-package, a light-receiving device that detects a signal from a living body, and a circuit that separates the optical output signals from the light-emitting devices, wherein at least one light-emitting device has a light-emitting layer including a In1-xGaxAsyP1-y quantum well layer and a barrier layer on a GaAs substrate, the strain ε satisfies 0.4%≦ε≦1.4%, wherein y in the composition satisfies 0.10≦y≦0.45, and the wavelength of the emitted light is from 700 nm to 760 nm. |
| US08369912B2 |
Superconducting cable
A superconducting cable (1; 10; 30) has a channel (4, 38) for a cooling liquid, a tubular support structure (5, 37), at least two layers (2, 3; 11-15; 31, 32, 35, 36) comprising high Tc conductors (2a, 3a) which comprise a high Tc material, and an insulation (7, 17), in particular a tubular insulation (7). The conductors (3a) of the outer layer (3; 13-15; 33, 36) comprise a first high Tc material that is different from a second high Tc material of the conductors (2a) of the inner layer (2; 11-12; 32, 35), wherein the first high Tc material exhibits lower AC losses as compared the second high Tc material, and that the high Tc conductors (3a) of the outer layer (3; 13-15; 33, 36) comprise normal-conducting interruptions (41, 42, 43). The superconducting cable exhibits reduced AC losses. |
| US08369910B2 |
Cellular phone
A cellular phone capable of observing a background. The cellular phone includes a first main body and a second main body slidably connected to the first main body. A display is provided to the second main body. The display is divided into a first area that is not overlapped with the first main body when the second main body is slidably open, and a second area that is overlapped with the first main body when the second main body is slidably open. In the cellular phone, the first area has first pixels formed into a transparent structure in which a background is observed, and the second area has second pixels formed into a non-transparent structure in which the background is not observed. |
| US08369906B2 |
Antenna compensation system and method in a communications device
A communications device is provided. The communications device includes an antenna port, transmitter circuitry configured to broadcast a radio frequency (RF) output signal across the antenna port, and a controller configured to adjust a signal level of the RF output signal in accordance with antenna compensation information. The antenna port, the transmitter circuitry, and the controller are at least partially integrated on the same integrated circuit. |
| US08369904B2 |
Cell phone battery system with back-up reserve
The invention relates to a cell phone battery pack and a method of providing backup battery power to a cell phone. The cell phone battery pack is configured to be positioned within a cell phone. The battery pack includes a first battery, a second battery and a means to allow switching between the first battery and the second battery for powering the cell phone. The first battery and the second battery may differ in one or both of size and capacity. |
| US08369903B2 |
Handsfree apparatus for use in vehicle
At least one of outbound call history data, inbound call history data, and phone book data is transferred to a handsfree apparatus for use in a vehicle at a predetermined timing for the purpose of obtaining near realtime update of the inbound/outbound call history data from a cellular phone. By utilizing simultaneous connection of HFP and PBAP, the handsfree apparatus establishes a Bluetooth communication with the cellular phone through HFP first, and then establishes another communication through PBAP simultaneously, for receiving the inbound call history data and the outbound call history data stored before establishing the Bluetooth communication from the cellular phone. The handsfree apparatus can thus be capable of placing a call by using the outbound call history data and the inbound call history data stored in a work memory after receiving those data. |
| US08369892B2 |
Wireless modem module server system
An apparatus and method for managing data for a wireless device, which includes a first memory for storing received data of a wireless device, a second memory for storing a network operational file, the operational file consisting of instructions for selecting a destination using a wireless module of the wireless device, and instruction steps for operating the network operational file for sending the received data using the wireless module to the selected destination. |
| US08369886B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing WTRU state transitions in HSPA
A method and apparatus for performing state transition of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) which supports enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) in the CELL_FACH state is disclosed. Uplink data is transmitted via an E-DCH after a state transition to the CELL_FACH state. |
| US08369880B2 |
Join key provisioning of wireless devices
Wireless devices are provisioned to join a wireless mesh network by writing an individual or common join key and network identification information to the wireless device, and creating an association of the wireless device with a gateway of the network by providing the gateway with a unique device identifier for the wireless device. The writing of the join key to the wireless device is achieved without revealing the join key to a user. |
| US08369877B2 |
Image communication system, image server, method of controlling operation thereof and medium storing computer program for controlling operation thereof
Viewing of a scrolled image on a display screen is facilitated. Assume that a first image portion (81) is being displayed on the display screen of a mobile telephone and that a second image portion (82) is not being displayed on the screen. If scrolling is performed rightward in order to display the second image portion (82) on the display screen, data representing the scrolling direction and scrolling amount is transmitted from the mobile telephone to an image server. The image server rotates the second image portion (82) in accordance with the scrolling direction, reads the rotated second image portion (82) block by block and transmits the resultant image data to the mobile telephone block by block. The mobile telephone rotates the block images reversely through the angle of the original rotation and displays the blocks in order. The second image portion (82), which was not being displayed on the display screen, is displayed along the scrolling direction from the portion contiguous to the edge, in terms of the scrolling direction, of the first image portion (81) that is being displayed on the display screen. |
| US08369876B2 |
Mobility management in communication networks
The invention relates to a method for tracking locations of mobile terminals in a communication network. Further, the invention relates to a communication network and apparatuses therein capable of performing individual steps of the method according to different embodiments of the invention. To decrease the signaling load imposed by mobility related signaling the invention suggests to group mobile terminals in so called mobility groups and to reduce the signaling overhead by performing a location update on a per-mobility group basis. In one exemplary embodiment of the invention this is realized by only one of the mobile terminals in a mobility group sending a group location update on behalf of the group to trigger the location update for the mobility group. Alternatively, in another embodiment of the invention, a network operator trusted or controlled entity sends a group location update on behalf of the group to trigger the location update for the mobility group. |
| US08369875B1 |
Web services architecture for providing federated data relating to a mobile device
The present disclosure is directed to a web services architecture comprising a component operable for rapid development of a web services application, a mobile application. The web services architecture also includes a telecommunications provider system and a service provider. The mobile application is related to the web services application deployable on a mobile device. The telecommunications provider system is operable to host the web services application and to identify the mobile device and federate information related to the mobile device. The service provider is operable to provide a mobile device service associated with the web services application. The service provider is in communication with the web services application and operable to use the federated information related to the mobile device to provide application services to the mobile device. |
| US08369872B2 |
Method and device for determination of the position of a terminal in a mobile communication network
A method for improved determination of the position of a user device in a mobile-radio network is provided. In combination with adjacent, second user devices, the method is intended to achieve a relatively-accurate positioning even if only a relatively-inaccurate positioning method is available for the user device itself, especially if the latter is disposed inside a building. An absolute position of a second user device is determined with a first position-determining method. A relative position of the first user device relative to the second user device is then determined with a second position-determining method. Finally, the absolute position of the first user device is determined on the basis of the absolute position of the second user device and the relative position of the first user device relative to the second user device, wherein the first and the second position-determining methods are different methods. |
| US08369870B2 |
Methods and apparatus for mobile station location estimation
Methods and apparatus for estimating mobile station location include receiving reported signal strengths or other attachment indicator values from a mobile station. The reported signal strengths are compared with characteristic received signal strength values in a coverage area of a mobile network. A mobile switching center determines if a local function is requested and initiates a location estimation process by a mobile location module (MLM). The MLM receives the reported signal strength contours associated with the attachment points. Based on a comparison of the reported attachment indicator values with characteristic values, the MLM provides a mobile location estimate. |
| US08369866B2 |
Method and system for providing area specific messaging
A system and method for precisely locating a mobile device at a precise geographical distance and messaging to communication devices carried by persons in specific areas is disclosed. The method utilizes at least two elements, a mobile device and at least one location tag. When activated, the mobile device will interact with all of the location tags in range and determine the location tag most practically near. The mobile device will then download detailed local information from the location tag most practically near. The messaging system may be used to selectively send messages to communication devices known to be within range of location transmitters or tags in a predetermined area. |
| US08369864B2 |
Inter-sector macrodiversity interference cancellation and scheduling
The present invention provides a method for interference cancellation in a wireless communication system. One embodiment of a method includes accessing information indicative of one or more first signals transmitted by one or more first mobile units from one or more first sectors. The method also includes accessing information indicative of one or more second signals transmitted by one or more second mobile units from one or more second sectors different than the first sectors. The method further includes canceling interference caused in the second signal(s) by the first signal(s) using the accessed information indicative of the first signal(s) and the second signal(s). The method also includes jointly scheduling and allocating resources to one or more mobile stations in one or more sectors of one or more base stations. |
| US08369862B2 |
Resource allocation and power control method
A method for controlling transmission power in a mobile communication system is provided. According to the method, a serving base station arranges a plurality of terminals in ascending order according to Carrier-to-Interference-and-Noise-Ratios (CINRs) based on the CINR measured by the plurality of terminals, classifies the plurality of terminals in one of a first group and a second group according to the order, allocates a subchannel of a data region corresponding to the first group from among a plurality of data regions included in the uplink frame to a terminal classified as the first group, and allocates a subchannel of a data region corresponding to the second group from among the data regions to a terminal classified as the second group. |
| US08369858B2 |
Coordinating macro-cell and private cell operation in overlay wireless networks
The present application describes methods involving one or more mobile units, one or more macrocells providing wireless connectivity to one or more first coverage areas, and one or more femtocell providing wireless connectivity to one or more second coverage areas overlapping with the first coverage area(s). One embodiment of the method includes determining, at the femtocell(s), whether to transmit one or more beacon signal from the femtocell(s) on one or more carriers associated with the macrocell(s) based on whether mobile unit(s) are located within the first coverage area(s). |
| US08369854B2 |
Link layer control protocol implementation
A radio base station suitable for performing a handover operation for a LTE-variant of a radio access network comprises a transceiver and a status report requester. The transceiver is configured to facilitate wireless transmission between the radio base station and a wireless terminal over an air interface, including transmission of a radio link bearer for the connection over a downlink from the radio base station to the wireless terminal. The status report requester is configured to determine, according to one or more pre-defined criteria, whether to request from the wireless terminal a status report for a radio bearer prior to the radio base station transferring user data for the connection to another radio base station in conjunction with a handover. |
| US08369853B1 |
Enhanced simultaneous hybrid dual receive switching
A method and system is disclosed for enhanced idle-state sector selection during hybrid-mode operation of an access terminal. A hybrid access terminal engaged in an IS-856 data communication session in a hybrid IS-2000/IS-856 wireless communication system will, responsive to a handoff of the IS-856 session, select a sector for its next, upcoming IS-2000 idle-state scan prior to the start of the scan. The selection will be made during an interval between IS-2000 idle-state scans, thereby reducing or eliminating the possible need for idle-state handoffs during idle-state scans, and resulting in shorter idle-state scans and better IS-856 performance. |
| US08369852B2 |
Network selection in GAN environment
In one embodiment, a scheme is provided for network discovery and selection by a user equipment (UE) device that is operable in wide area cellular network (WACN) bands as well as in wireless access network bands. In particular, the UE device is operable to select a WACN that is accessible via a wireless generic access network (GAN) in addition to being accessible via the cellular network band. |
| US08369846B2 |
Personal area network systems and devices and methods for use thereof
Systems and methods are provided for interfacing wireless communications between two devices such that a device devoid of a relatively long-range communications protocol can access that protocol. This may be accomplished by providing a host device having relatively short-range communications circuitry integrated therein, which circuitry may be operative to communicate with relatively short-range communications circuitry of a multi-protocol or long-range communications device that also includes relatively long-range communications circuitry. |
| US08369844B2 |
Device and method for transmitting data in a wideband wireless network and computer program product
A device for transmitting data in a wideband wireless network. The device may include a transmitter for transmitting data via a channel of the wideband wireless network, the transmitter is arranged to start the transmitting in response to a start signal. A first transmission controller is connected to the transmitter, for controlling transmission of data by the transmitter. The transmission controller includes an energy detector for detecting the amount of energy in the channel. The energy detector is arranged to repeat the detecting in response to a repeat signal. A comparator is connected to an output of the energy detector and to a control input of the transmitter. The comparator is arranged to compare the detected amount of energy with an energy threshold, to output the repeat signal to the energy detector in case the detected amount of energy exceeds the energy threshold; and to output the start signal to the transmitter when the detected amount of energy is below the energy threshold. |
| US08369843B2 |
Method of responding to an incoming communication received by a handheld device
A method for replying to an incoming communication received by a handheld electronic device comprises detecting an incoming communication, detecting a selection of one of a number of predetermined responses to the incoming communication and, responsive to detecting a selection, providing the one of said number of predetermined responses. An improved handheld electronic device implementing the method is also provided. |
| US08369841B2 |
Invoke facility service and its applications to compound wireless mobile communication services
Invented is a facility service to be used as a component service for building compound wireless mobile communication services (CWSs). The name ascribed to this facility service is Invoke. The purpose of Invoke is to detect the events signifying that the CWS operation is to commence and then initiate (or invoke) the CWS execution. The events represent variables within a Boolean expression parameter of an Invoke service. The Boolean expression allows Invoke to be very versatile with respect to the possible combination of events for CWS invocation. Versatility is enhanced by the wide variety of events that are recognized; e.g., entering a geographical location, recognizing an audio signal, reaching a time of day, observing a specific caller ID. The Invoke facility service contains other parameters useful at CWS invocation; e.g., CWS password protection, CWS initialization of constants and variables, linkage to other CWSs to acquire data. |
| US08369836B2 |
Controlling and calibrating wireless range
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for controlling a wireless access point range. In one embodiment, the process identifies a distance between the client device and the wireless access point in response to a request by a client device to access the wireless access point. The process allows the client device to access the wireless access point if the distance from the client device to the wireless access point is within the selected access range for the wireless access point. |
| US08369835B2 |
Web server constituting single sign-on system, method of controlling operation of same, and recording medium storing program for controlling operation of same
A user ID and password are transmitted from a mobile telephone to a web server and whether the mobile telephone has the right to access the web server is authenticated. If the mobile telephone has the right to access the web server, a user ID and password for a first external server stored in a database are transmitted from the web server to the first external server. Authentication processing is executed in the first external server. If it is verified that the mobile telephone has the right to access the first external server, then the first external server generates authentication information and transmits this authentication information to the web server. In a case where the mobile telephone accesses the first external server, the generated authentication information is erased and then the first external server executes authentication processing. |
| US08369832B2 |
Systems and methods for managing information in mobile devices
Systems and methods are described for remotely managing mobile devices provided by an enterprise. Embodiments are described in which a client is provided to a mobile device whereby the client maintains a list of authorized contacts authorizes connections of the mobile device based on the list. The client responds to commands including commands to delete the list, prevent access to the list and synchronize the list. An administrative function is described for organizing users into groups, each user having access to a mobile device and each group being associated with a list of authorized contacts common to each user in the group. |
| US08369828B2 |
Mobile-to-mobile payment system and method
A mobile-to-mobile payment method and system are presented. One or more payor messages are received at a payment server from a mobile device associated with a payor. The one or more payor messages include an identifier of a payee and an amount. The identifier of the payee is associated with a payee account, and the mobile device is associated with a payer account. The payment server executes a transfer of funds of the amount from the payor account to the payee account. |
| US08369825B2 |
Enhanced E911 network access for a call center using session initiation protocol (SIP) messaging
A switched emergency call (e.g., a 911 call, an alarm company call) forwarded by a telematics call center is converted into a session initiation protocol (SIP) packetized phone call at the call center, and routed over an IP network, for presentation to an emergency services gateway, which connects to a selective router via dedicated circuits, gaining full access to the Enhanced 911 network. This provides a PSAP receiving a call from a telematics call center or other call center with all features available in an Enhanced 911 network, e.g., callback number of the 911 caller, and location of the 911 caller. Location of the caller is provided using a VoIP positioning center (VPC), queried from the call center. In this way, the switched emergency call is converted into a SIP packetized phone call and routed without further passage through the public switched telephone network (PSTN). |
| US08369823B2 |
Method for legitimately unlocking a SIM card lock, unlocking server, and unlocking system for a SIM card lock
A method for legitimately unlocking a SIM card lock, using an unlocking server connected to a USSD gateway, is for unlocking a SIM card lock set by a telecommunications service provider to a mobile terminal of a subscriber. Upon receiving an unlocking request that is transmitted from the mobile terminal and through the USSD gateway and that includes subscriber data and a USSD code representing activation of the unlocking request, the unlocking server requests the telecommunications service provider to verify, with reference to the subscriber data, whether the subscriber has a right to unlock the SIM card lock. Upon receiving verification from the telecommunications service provider that the subscriber has the right to unlock, the unlocking server transmits an unlocking program and an unlocking password to the mobile terminal such that the mobile terminal may execute the unlocking program and load the unlocking password for unlocking the SIM card lock. |
| US08369818B2 |
Low noise amplifier protection using a clamping device
Embodiments of a radio frequency (RF) receiver implementing one or more forms of protection to protect devices of the RF receiver from in-band interferers is provided. The RF receiver includes an integrated circuit terminal configured to couple a RF signal received at an antenna to a RF signal path, and a low noise amplifier (LNA) coupled to the RF signal path and configured to amplify the RF signal to provide an amplified RF signal. To protect the LNA from in-band interferers, the RF receiver can further include one or more clamping circuits and/or an over-voltage detector to determine if a peak of the RF signal exceeds an acceptable level. |
| US08369817B2 |
Analog FIR filter
An analog finite impulse response (AFIR) filter including at least one variable transconductance block having an input for receiving an input voltage and being adapted to sequentially apply each of a plurality of transconductance levels to the input voltage during at least one of a plurality of successive time periods to generate an output current at an output of the variable transconductance block, the at least one variable transconductance block including a plurality of fixed transconductance blocks each receiving the input voltage and capable of being independently activated to supply the output current; and a capacitor coupled to the output of the variable transconductance block to receive the output current and provide an output voltage of the filter. |
| US08369812B2 |
Method and system for detection of passive intermodulation interference emissions
A method and system for detecting intermodulation emissions, such as passive intermodulation emissions, is provided. The method comprises retrieving signal quality measurement (SQM) data, and determining whether there is an intermodulation hit in the SQM data. If there is no intermodulation hit, the SQM data is stored in a first data set; if there is an intermodulation hit, the SQM data is stored in a second data set. The method then determines whether there are one or more faults in the first data set. If there are, a confirmation count for an intermodulation failure is cleared, and the method starts again. If there are not one or more faults in the first data set, a determination is made whether there are one or more faults in the second data set. If not, the confirmation count is cleared, and the method starts again. An intermodulation failure can be confirmed if there are one or more faults in the second data set. |
| US08369811B2 |
System and method for radio antenna sharing in an information handling system
An information handling system includes a processing system with a radio output, another processing system with a radio output, and a radio selector operable to couple an antenna to a selected one of the radios. A radio selector board includes a radio, a selector switch with an input terminal coupled to the radio, another input terminal coupleable to another radio, a control input coupleable to a control module, and an output coupleable to an antenna. In response to a control signal from the control module, the selector switch connects the first radio to the antenna, and in response to another control signal, the selector switch connects the other radio to the antenna. |
| US08369809B2 |
Crest factor reduction
A device for generating a crest factor reduced signal is disclosed. The device comprises an interface for receiving an input signal; a peak identifier for identifying one or more peak regions of the input signal; a squelch level determiner for determining a reduction of the input signal near the one or more peak regions; a squelcher for reducing the one or more peak regions of the input signal as indicated by the squelch level determiner; and an interface for outputting a crest factor reduced signal. The crest factor reduced signal has a reduced dynamic range due to the reduction of the one or more peak regions of the input signal. The crest factor reduced signal also has been filtered to reduce undesired frequency components by: calculating a difference between a squelched signal from the squelcher and the input signal, band-pass filtering the difference to generate a result, and summing the result with the input signal that has been delayed. |
| US08369807B2 |
Polar-based RF receiver
A receiver includes a frequency translation bandpass filter (FTBPF) and an RF receiver section. The RF receiver section includes an amplifier section, a phase information detection module, an amplitude information detection module, and analog to digital conversion (ADC) modules. The FTBPF is operable to filter an inbound radio frequency (RF) signal to produce a filtered inbound RF signal. The amplifier section is operable to amplify the filtered inbound RF signal to produce an amplified inbound RF signal. The phase information detection module, when enabled, is operable to determine phase information from the amplified inbound RF signal. The amplitude information detection module, when enabled, is operable to determine amplitude information from the amplified inbound RF signal. A first one of the ADCs is operable to convert the phase information into digital phase information and a second one of the ADCs is operable to convert the amplitude information into digital amplitude information. |
| US08369806B2 |
Radio receiver apparatus and radio transmitter apparatus
A radio receiver apparatus that can effectively utilize GI to improve the reception quality. In this apparatus, a data extracting part (104) extracts a data portion of a direct wave from a signal subjected to a radio reception process by a received RF part (102). A GI extracting part (107) extracts, from the signal subjected to the radio reception process by the received RF part (102), GI having a length determined by an extracted GI length deciding part (106). The extracted GI is adjusted by a data position adjusting part (108) such that its rear end coincides with the read end of the extracted data portion. A combining part (109) combines the extracted data portion with the GI the data position of which has been adjusted. The combined signal is then supplied to a frequency axis equalizing part (110), which equalizes the signal distortions of the combined signal on the frequency axis. |
| US08369795B2 |
Game console notification system
Systems and methods for providing notifications to players of a gaming console of messages and system notifications. A controller and the gaming console include a four quadrant LED indicator. Each quadrant of the ring may be illuminated individually or together using an LED to indicate the messages and notifications. The quadrants may be illuminated in one of three colors and/or in patterns to indicate different types of notifications. Onscreen displays may be used to supplement the LED indicators to convey information to users. A method of binding and discovering a controller is also provided where the controller may be bound to a gaming console. After a controller is bound to a console, the controller may be discovered by the gaming console where it is assigned a virtual port and enabled for game play. |
| US08369792B2 |
Methodology to analyze sector capacity in data-only mobile-wireless network
Infrastructure network service measurements of time needed to complete data transfers are used to determine the capacity of a technology sector of a wireless packet data communication base station, such as a 1xEV-DO sector, using infrastructure network service measurements. The process, for example, may predict when the radio-frequency link between wireless data subscribers and a wireless base station becomes sufficiently congested that each user experiences reduced data speeds. The determination of capacity can be made down to the sector-carrier (a single carrier within a base station sector) level. The prediction can be cast in terms of time, which allows network service providers to plan the growth of their base stations to meet subscriber needs. |
| US08369791B2 |
Multi-user beamforming with inter-cell interference suppression
Techniques for determining interference-suppressing downlink transmission parameters in a wireless network using coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission are disclosed. In each of several iterations of an exemplary method, a tentative user-specific antenna beam-forming vector for the antennas of the first cell is formed for each of several first mobile stations served by the cell and for each of several second mobiles in neighboring cells, based on a most recent tentative virtual allocation of uplink transmitter power to each of the mobile stations and virtual uplink signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratios for the mobile stations that account for inter-cell interference. Further, a current tentative allocation of downlink transmitter power to each of the first mobile stations is determined for each iteration, based on the tentative user-specific antenna beam-forming vectors for the first cell, a pre-determined transmitter power constraint for the first cell, and target signal-to-noise-plus-interference ratios for the first mobile stations. |
| US08369788B2 |
Method for reducing inter-cell interference
A method for reducing inter-cell interference and a method for transmitting a signal by a collaborative MIMO scheme, in a communication system having a multi-cell environment are disclosed. An example of a method for transmitting, by a mobile station, precoding information in a collaborative MIMO communication system includes determining a precoding matrix set including precoding matrices of one more base stations including a serving base station, based on signal strength of the serving base station, and transmitting information about the precoding matrix set to the serving base station. A mobile station in an edge of a cell performs a collaborative MIMO mode or inter-cell interference mitigation mode using the information about the precoding matrix set collaboratively with neighboring base stations. |
| US08369787B2 |
Apparatus and method of switching channel under wireless network circumstances
An apparatus and method of switching a channel under wireless network circumstances is provided, which can secure network resources by performing channel switching and channel bonding with an adjacent network if the network resources of the currently participating network are insufficient in performing wireless data communications. The apparatus includes a message analysis unit analyzing at least one received channel information message and confirming whether a channel corresponding to the channel information message and a channel adjacent to the channel are usable, a channel switching unit performing a channel switching with a usable target channel among the channels with reference to whether the confirmed channel and the adjacent channels are usable, in accordance with a result of determining whether network resources of a currently used channel are insufficient, and a channel bonding unit performing a channel bonding between the channel-switched target channel and the adjacent channels. |
| US08369785B2 |
Adapter for physically interfacing between an accessory and a device
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide compatibility among incompatible accessories and portable media players. One example provides an adapter having a connector receptacle to mate with an accessory's connector insert and a connector insert to mate with a portable media player's connector receptacle. Another example provides an adapter having a direct connection between pins on the connector insert and pins on the connector receptacle that are used for compatible signals. Another example provides an adapter including a DC-to-DC converter that receives a first power supply from an accessory and provides a second power supply to a portable media player. Another translates signals using different signaling technologies. Authentication and identification circuitry may also be included. Other examples may employ wireless technologies instead of either or both the connector insert and connector receptacle. |
| US08369784B2 |
High speed data transmission utilizing a high frequency physical layer for a wireless personal area network device
Wireless devices may utilize a Bluetooth stack to setup a data transmission session with other devices. The data transmission session may include a Bluetooth physical layer or a medium access control/physical layer that permits wireless devices to perform discovery, pairing, and security setup operations. When a radio interface of a wireless device is insufficient to enable performing a required data communication, such as a high data rate communication, a data transmission session may be established with at least one medium access control/physical layer of a plurality of other medium access control/physical layers to accommodate the required data communication. |
| US08369783B2 |
Communication apparatus and method for controlling the communication apparatus
A method for controlling a communication apparatus includes communicating with an external device through close proximity wireless communication, receiving a remote control signal transmitted from a remote controller, storing a remote control setting which enables or disables an operation of the remote controller, making a determination as to whether a connection between the communication apparatus and the external device through the close proximity wireless communication is established, and controlling an operation of the remote controller for the communication apparatus on the basis of the determination. |
| US08369781B2 |
IC-tag read-write apparatus
A radio data communication apparatus includes a circuit unit and at least one antenna unit. The circuit unit performs data read and write operations relative to an IC tag. Each antenna unit has an antenna and conducts a predetermined signal modulation to a first signal to be transmitted through the antenna by radio to a specific IC tag in the data write operation. Also, each antenna unit conducts a predetermined signal demodulation to a second signal received through the antenna from the specific IC tag in accordance with the data read operation. The antenna unit is arranged at a position separated from the circuit unit. |
| US08369777B2 |
Communication apparatus, program, communication method and communication system
A communication apparatus including a first communication unit for communicating with other communication apparatus through electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling, an approach detection unit for detecting an approach between the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit, and a selection unit for, when the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit are separated from each other, selecting different data to be transmitted depending on a time for which the other communication apparatus and the first communication unit were in close proximity to each other. |
| US08369776B2 |
Apparatus and methods for power control in satellite communications systems with satellite-linked terrestrial stations
A signal power control loop is provided for a link between a terrestrial station and a terminal when the terminal and a satellite are linked via the terrestrial station. The signal power control loop may control transmitted signal power of the terminal and/or the terrestrial station. In some embodiments, the signal power control loop controls transmitted signal power of the terminal and/or the terrestrial station independent of signal power control for a link between the terrestrial station and the satellite. |
| US08369775B2 |
Integrated or autonomous system and method of satellite-terrestrial frequency reuse using signal attenuation and/or blockage, dynamic assignment of frequencies and/or hysteresis
A signal strength that is associated with a first wireless communications channel is detected. Electromagnetic energy is transmitted over the first wireless communications channel in response to the signal strength being sufficiently weak. A determination is made whether a handoff should be made to a second wireless communications channel having a signal that is weaker than a signal of the first wireless communications channel. Related systems and methods are described. |
| US08369770B2 |
Collection container, cleaning unit, and image forming apparatus capable of collecting waste toner efficiently
A collection container for collecting and containing waste toner includes a leveling member, a detector, and at least one inlet. The leveling member levels the waste toner contained in the collection container. The detector detects an amount of the waste toner contained in the collection container. The leveling member levels the waste toner delivered to the collection container through the at least one inlet by conveying the waste toner simultaneously in a first direction toward the detector and a second direction opposite to the first direction, starting from an origination position corresponding to the at least one inlet. |
| US08369768B2 |
Cleaning blade parameter adjustment system
A cleaning blade assembly within a printing device is positioned to contact a surface to be cleaned. There is a first opening within the cleaning blade assembly and a first pin within the first opening. There is also a second opening within the cleaning blade assembly, and a second pin within the second opening. The first and second pins connect the cleaning blade assembly to the printing device. The first pin has a first cam surface that is rounded and is off-center with respect to the axis of the first pin. The cam surface is parallel to the axis of the first pin and is positioned within the first opening such that rotation of the first pin within the first opening causes the cleaning blade assembly to move in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the first pin. |
| US08369766B2 |
Cleaning device and image forming apparatus
A cleaning device includes: a first scraping member that scrapes off a developer on a surface of a moving body that circularly moves; a second scraping member that is disposed downstream from the first scraping member in a moving direction of the moving body, and that scrapes off residuals remaining on the surface of the moving body; a container having: a first housing portion that houses the developer scraped off by the first scraping member, as a recovered material; and a second housing portion that houses the residuals scraped off by the second scraping member; a discharge port that is disposed in the first housing portion, wherein the developer in the first housing portion is discharged to an outside of the container through the discharge port; and a conveying member that conveys the recovered material housed in the first housing portion to the discharge port. |
| US08369764B2 |
Fixing member, fixing device, and image forming apparatus
A fixing member is included on a fixing rotational body having a heat source built therein. The fixing rotational body is configured to fix unfixed toner onto a recording medium as the recording medium carrying the unfixed toner passes through a nip portion formed between the fixing rotational body and a pressurizing unit that comes into pressure contact with the fixing rotational body via the recording medium. The fixing member is made of silicon rubber including carbon fiber, wherein vacant spaces are formed in the silicon rubber. |
| US08369761B2 |
Heating device and image forming apparatus having a heating member with a heat generation layer
A heating device includes: a heating member heating a recording medium by being heated through electromagnetic induction; a pressure member configured to come into contact with and separate from the heating member, and forming a nip portion between the pressure member and the heating member by pressing and coming into contact with the heating member; a first elastic member arranged inside the heating member, and elastically deformed at the nip portion by the pressure member; and any one of a second elastic member and a support member. The second elastic member is arranged between the first elastic member and the heating member while being fixed thereto, and has a larger elastic deformation ratio at the nip portion than the first elastic member. The support member supports the heating member and the first elastic member so as to form a gap therebetween, and rotates them with a rotational drive force. |
| US08369760B2 |
Apparatus and method for fixing an electrophotographic image on a recording medium
An image forming method for fixing a toner image on a recording medium by passing the recording medium through a fixing nip defined between a first member and a second member under heat and pressure. The toner includes a specific amount of a shear buffer. The first and second members extend along respective first and second longitudinal axes, and have respective at least one convex portion curving outward and at least one concave portion curving inward with respect to each of the respective first and second longitudinal axes. At least one of the first and second members is heated, and the first convex portion engages the second concave portion and the first concave portion engages the second convex portion, to define the fixing nip therebetween. |
| US08369755B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus using the developing device
The developing device includes a developer charging member configured to charge a toner serving as a one developer; and a developer bearing member configured to bear and feed the charged toner while forming an electric field so that the toner hops. The developer bearing member includes an insulating substrate; plural electrodes arranged on the insulating substrate in a developer feeding direction to form the electric field; and an outermost layer covering the plural electrodes. The toner has a softening point of from 115 to 130° C. |
| US08369754B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus
Provided is a developing device employing a two-component developer where a good image can be obtained by preventing the influence of scratching caused by a magnetic brush. A developing device comprises a first develop roller (41) for developing an electrostatic latent image, formed by the two-component developer on an image carrier (1), in a first development area (n1), and a second develop roller (42) for carrying toner supplied from the first develop roller (41) on the outer circumferential surface and developing the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier (1) in a second development area (n2) on the downstream side of the first development area (n1) in the rotational direction of the image carrier (1), wherein the moving direction of the outer circumferential surface of a sleeve (41A) is reverse to the moving direction of the surface of the image carrier (1) in the first development area (n1), and a position (n3) at which to supply toner from the first develop roller (41) to the second develop roller (42) is locate downstream of a regulation position (n4) in the rotational direction of the first develop roller and upstream of the first development area (n1). |
| US08369751B2 |
Conveyor, developer cartridge, and filling method
A conveyor includes a rotation shaft and a plurality of convey members provided along an axial direction of the rotation shaft, wherein at least one part of the plurality of convey members is an arc convey member that includes: an arc part having an outer periphery that forms an arc forming a part of a spiral so that an angle between two perpendiculars extended from two ends of the arc is smaller than 360°; and a support part that supports the arc part, with the outer periphery of the arc part inclined to the axial direction of the rotation shaft. |
| US08369749B2 |
Developing device and image forming device
A developing device includes a developing member for developing an electrostatic latent image by adhering developer on an image carrier; a feeding member for feeding the developer to the developing member; and an interposing member that is interposed between the developing member and the feeding member during a period of when the developing device is not being used. |
| US08369746B2 |
Clutch mechanism and processing device and image forming apparatus comprising the clutch mechanism
Clutch mechanism includes support plate, input element to which driving force is input, output element configured to rotate upon receiving driving force, first elastic member configured to bias output element toward support plate, first member including sliding arm inserted through through-hole of support plate and first slide surface, and second member configured to accommodate first member and including second slide surface. Insertion of the sliding arm into through-hole prevents rotation of first member with respect to support plate but allows first member to approach and move away from support plate. Output element moves apart from input element to cut off driving force when second member is in first rotational position. When second member rotates to second rotational position, output element outputs driving force transmitted from input element. |
| US08369742B2 |
Image forming agent storage container, image forming apparatus, method of mounting image forming agent storage container, and method of removing image forming agent storage container
An image forming agent storage container includes a container body, a driven transmission member, and a guide part. The container body stores an image forming agent. The container body is configured to be mounted to an image forming apparatus body. The driven transmission member is provided along a side face of the container body. A driving force is transmitted to the driven transmission member. The guide part guides mounting of the container body to the image forming apparatus body. The guide part is located in a position anterior to the driven transmission member in a mounting direction in which the container body is mounted to the image forming apparatus body. The guide part is provided so as to project in a direction away from the side face of the container body. |
| US08369741B2 |
Methods and devices for sealing toner opening ports of printer cartridges
There is provided a method of promoting adhesion of a printer cartridge seal to a printer cartridge. The method comprises providing a printer cartridge seal applicator having an applicator portion configured to apply pressure on a printer cartridge seal, an applicator body connected to the applicator portion, and a handle connected to the applicator body. The method further comprises positioning the printer cartridge seal applicator in between a toner supply roller and a printer cartridge surface defining a toner opening port. The method further comprises using the applicator portion to press the printer cartridge seal against the printer cartridge surface defining the toner opening port. |
| US08369740B2 |
Remanufactured toner cartridge with added cleaning roller for the primary charge roller, and methods
A remanufactured laser printer toner cartridge, and methods, having an added primary charge roller cleaning roller assembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the cleaning roller assembly engages the bare ends the primary charge roller shafts; installation of the cleaning roller assembly into the cartridge is accomplished by reinstalling the primary charge roller, with the assembly, into the cartridge's primary charge roller shaft saddles. The cleaning roller may be adapted to rotate through contact with the primary charge roller. |
| US08369729B2 |
Image forming apparatus with varying transfer bias
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming device for forming a toner image on an image conveying member on the basis of an input image signal; a transfer device for transferring the toner image from the image conveying member onto an image receiving member; a bias applying device for applying a transfer bias to the transfer device when the toner image is transferred from the image conveying member onto the image receiving member; an executing portion for executing a test mode in which a test image is formed on the image conveying member and is then transferred onto the image receiving member; a detecting device for detecting a current passing through the transfer device in the test mode; a control device for controlling an image forming condition of the image forming device on the basis of an output of the detecting device; and a setting device for setting a test bias to be applied from the bias applying device at a value larger than the transfer bias in terms of an absolute value. |
| US08369727B2 |
Exposure head, image forming apparatus, and control method of exposure head
An exposure head includes: at least one light emitting element; an imaging optical system adapted to image light from the light emitting element; at least one reference element disposed to the light emitting element; and a control section adapted to control light emission of the light emitting element, and to put off the reference element in a latent image forming operation, wherein the control section obtains degree of deterioration of the light emitting element based on an intensity of light emitted by the light emitting element at timing other than timing when the latent image formation operation is executed and an intensity of light emitted by the reference element at the timing other than the timing when the latent image formation operation is executed, and controls light intensity of the light emitting element in the latent image forming operation based on the degree of deterioration. |
| US08369721B2 |
Image output apparatus having power saving modes
An image output apparatus, which outputs an image on a recording medium, and which is activated in an activation mode including a first activation mode and a second activation mode that consumes less power than the first activation mode, the image output apparatus including: a switching unit that selects one of the first activation mode and the second activation mode as the activation mode for activating the image output apparatus; and a storage unit that stores a total amount of power consumed on and after a reference time. The switching unit switches the activation mode from the first activation mode to the second activation mode when the amount of total power consumption stored in the storage unit is equal to or more than a first threshold value. |
| US08369716B2 |
Integrated wavelength selectable photodiode using tunable thin film filters
An integrated wavelength selectable photodiode includes a device package having an input that receives an optical signal. A set-and-hold, thermally tunable thin-film filter is positioned in the device package and includes an input that is optically coupled to the input of the device package. The set-and-hold, thermally tunable thin-film filter passes light with a predetermined optical bandwidth to an output. An optical element collimates an incident optical beam onto the input of the set-and-hold, thermally tunable thin-film filter. A detector is positioned in the device package and includes an input that is optically coupled to the output of the set-and-hold, thermally tunable thin-film filter. The detector detects data received by the integrated wavelength selectable photodiode. |
| US08369714B2 |
Burst optical signal receiving device
A burst optical signal receiving device is provided, which includes an optical receiving component and a limiting amplifying circuit unit. The optical receiving component further includes a photodetector, a trans-impedance amplifier, a first direct current (DC) cancellation forbidding circuit, and a DC bias circuit, and the limiting amplifying circuit unit further includes a group of alternating current (AC) coupling capacitors, a limiting amplifier, and a second DC cancellation forbidding circuit. Through the technical solution, an input burst optical signal within a certain dynamic range can be recovered into a valid burst electric signal in shorter time. The technical solution can be applied in a burst optical signal receiver in a 10-Gigabit Ethernet passive optical network (10GEPON). |
| US08369711B2 |
Ethernet transmitter apparatus
An optical transmitter apparatus comprises at least three input transmitters that each provide at an output an NRZ optical signal, at least two of the NRZ optical signals having substantially the same bit rate, each of the signals having a bit rate which is less than 100 Gbit/s and the sum of the bit rates of all of the at least three transmitters being equal to or greater than 100 Gbit/s, an NRZ to RZ converter associated with each transmitter which converts each NRZ signal into an optical RZ signal, an optical time division multiplexer which converts the RZ signals into at least two further signals, and a polarization multiplexer which processes the two further signals to provide two output signals of differing polarization. |
| US08369710B2 |
Data processing network having an optical network interface
An optical data processing network having an optical network interface is disclosed. The optical data processing network includes a first multi-processor system and a second multi-processor system. The first multi-processor system includes a first set of processors and a first set of optical network interfaces electrically coupled to the first set of processors. Similarly, the second multi-processor system includes a second set of processors and a second set of optical network interfaces electrically coupled to the second set of processors. An optical cable is connected between the first set and the second set of optical network interfaces. The first multi-processor system communicates with the second multi-processor system via the optical cable. |
| US08369708B2 |
Data center with free-space optical communications
A data center for executing a data processing application includes processing units, sub-units or servers. Each of the processing units, sub-units or servers can execute a part or all of the data processing application. The processing units, sub-units or servers are electrical disjoint with respect to data communications, but can communicate with each other over free space optical links. |
| US08369707B2 |
Dynamic routing of optical signals in optical networks
A method for dynamic routing an optical signal in an optical network is provided, including: executing a shortest-path algorithm receiving input concerning a source node, a destination node and the topology of the network, providing a shortest-path tree comprising nodes and arcs connecting the nodes, the shortest-path tree comprising branches along which an effective attenuation is no greater than a predetermined limit, each branch comprising an end node and each end node being associated with a corresponding set of wavelengths; checking, for each end node having no wavelength conversion resources and for each wavelength, if the end node is connected to at least another node external to the branch through the wavelength; excluding, for any end node if the result of the checking is negative for at least one wavelength, the at least one wavelength from the corresponding set of wavelengths, thus updating the topology; and re-executing the shortest-path algorithm. |
| US08369702B2 |
Electronic devices with component mounting structures
Electronic devices are provided that have components. Outer and inner component mounting members may engage each other with threads. Openings in the outer and inner members may be configured to engage component sidewalls and alignment tools. |
| US08369701B2 |
Image capturing system, image capturing device, and image capturing method
To enable satisfactory simultaneous and widely varied pictures to be obtained, for example, by allowing a common user to obtain an overall picture while the common user performing desired image capturing, or the like. A first image capturing device image-captures a subject to record this image, and also transmits a trigger signal to a second image capturing device. The second image capturing device image-captures an image to record this image in accordance with the trigger signal. Thus, the first and second image capturing devices enable both of an overall image and a zoomed image to be obtained with simultaneous timing. |
| US08369700B2 |
Distance measurement and photometry device, and imaging apparatus
The distance measurement and photometry device includes: a case having an opening in its front surface; a rectangular lens array which is located on a front surface side of the case, which is made of a transparent resin material, and in which first and second distance measurement lenses and a photometry lens located between the distance measurement lenses are integrally formed in line; an image sensor board which is shaped like a thin plate, which is arranged on a back surface side of the case, and which is located opposed to the lens array; and two-dimensional distance measurement image sensors and photometry image sensor which are arranged on the image sensor board. |
| US08369699B2 |
Focus detection apparatus
A focus detection apparatus includes an image pickup element 106 that takes an object image, an object recognition circuit 109 that compares an obtained image with a previously stored image to detect a position of a main object, an AF sensor 101 that detects an in-focus state of a plurality of positions, a reliability determination circuit 110 that determines a reliability of a detection result of the in-focus state, a determination part 100 that determines a position where the reliability of the detection result of the in-focus state is the highest based on a determination result of the reliability determination circuit, and a selector 114 that selects one of the detection results of the in-focus state of the position of the main object and of the in-focus state of the position where the reliability of the detection result of the in-focus state is highest to focus the photographic optical system. |
| US08369686B2 |
Intelligent overlay for video advertising
Video advertising overlay technique embodiments are presented that generally detect a set of spatio-temporal nonintrusive positions within a series of consecutive video frames in shots of a digital video and then overlay contextually relevant ads on these positions. In one general embodiment, this is accomplished by decomposing the video into a series of shots, and then identifying a video advertisement for each of a selected set of the shots. The identified video advertisement is one that is determined to be the most relevant to the content of the shot. An overlay area is also identified in each of the shots, where the selected overlay area is the least intrusive among a plurality of prescribed areas to a viewer of the video. The video advertisements identified for the shots are then respectively scheduled to be overlaid in the identified overlay area of a shot, whenever the shot is played. |
| US08369685B2 |
Control device, television viewing system, information equipment, control method and medium
A device has an interface to the recorder and an interface to the television receiver and can connect the recorder to the television receiver. The device detects switching from a television program being viewed to the next television program to be next received and judges whether or not the current television program being viewed at the detection is registered as a television program to be recorded. When it is judged that the current television program is registered as a television program to be recorded, the device allows the recorder to start recording the current television program. After the recording is started, the device instructs the television receiver to switch the channel being received from the current television program channel to the next television program channel selected by the switching. |
| US08369684B2 |
Data processing apparatus and data processing method
Disclosed is a data processing apparatus that includes a plurality of ports inputting and outputting a clip including a plurality of types of essence, a memory storing the clip when recording or playing back of the clip from a recording medium, and a generator storing types of essence in separate regions of the memory, and generate identification information identifying the types of essence, while generating linking information indicating an association between regions of the memory storing one of the types of essence as a master essence and regions of the memory storing the remaining types of essence. The apparatus further includes a control unit outputting the master essence in the regions and the remaining essence in the regions associated therewith via linking information from the designated ports when the master essence in the clip of the video data subjected to playback request designating the ports is stored in the memory. |
| US08369682B2 |
Reproduction device, recording method and playback method
An AV Clip formed by multiplexing a video stream and a graphics stream and recorded on a BD-ROM as a recording medium. The video stream constitutes a moving picture while the graphics stream enables graphics to be overlaid on the moving picture, and includes pieces of control information called a PCS and an ICS. When the AV Clip is played back immediately following playback of another digital stream, the control information indicates to the reproduction device that the presence of data already in memory of a graphics decoder is to be continuous. |
| US08369680B2 |
System and method for synchronizing broadcast video with a secondary audio source
Embodiments of the disclosed invention include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for providing a video source with a secondary audio source. For example, in one embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes receiving a broadcast signal from a first source, the broadcast signal includes a video component and a first audio component. The method further includes receiving a second audio component from a second source, the second audio component providing audio corresponding to the video component of the broadcast. The method outputs the video component and the second audio component while suppressing the output of the first audio component. |
| US08369674B2 |
Optimizing total internal reflection multilayer optics through material selection
An optic device includes a multilayer zone forming a redirection section for redirecting and transmitting photons through total internal reflection, each multilayer zone including a high index material having a first real refractive index n1 and a first absorption coefficient β1, a low index material having a second real refractive index n2 and a second absorption coefficient β2, and a grading zone disposed between the high index material and the low index material and including a grading layer having a third real refractive index n3 and a third absorption coefficient β3, wherein n1>n3>n2. |
| US08369673B2 |
Ocean deployable biodegradable optical fiber cable
An optical fiber cable has a transparent core for transmitting optical data and a biodegradable protective covering. When placed in water, the protective covering dissolves in water after a few days. The raw remaining optical fiber cover is very thin, approximately 0.003 inches in diameter and very fragile. The optical core is easily broken into fine particles which becomes sand on the sea floor. |
| US08369667B2 |
Downhole cable
Downhole cables are described that are configured to protect internal structures that may be detrimentally impacted by exposure to the downhole environment, by protecting such structures by at least two protective layers. In some examples, the structures to be protected may be housed in a protective tube housed within the protective outer sheath. The described configuration enables the use of structures such as polymer fibers in the cables for strength and load-bearing capability by protecting the fibers, by multiple protective layers, from exposure to gases or fluids within a wellbore. |
| US08369662B2 |
Fiber optic rotary joint with extended temperature range
A fiber optic rotary joint has at least one fiber optic collimator. The fiber optic collimator has a plurality of lenses on a micro lens array. Furthermore a plurality of optical fibers are attached to the micro lens array. The fibers are further fixed by a fiber support. A spacer is provided between the micro lens array and the fiber support, setting the micro lens array and the fiber support apart from each other. The optical fibers have between the micro lens array and the fiber support a excess length greater than the distance between the micro lens array and the fiber support. This results in a slight bending of the fibers between the micro lens array and the fiber support. A temperature related extension of parts of the fiber optic rotary joint can be compensated by the excess length and does not lead to mechanical tension on the fibers. |
| US08369661B2 |
Optical multiplexer system
The optical multiplexer system comprises an optical multiplexer, an output path and an adjustable beam steering element. The optical multiplexer comprises an input port characterized by an original acceptance range. The output path is disposed relative to the optical multiplexer such that a light beam incident on the input port within the original acceptance range enters the output path. The adjustable beam steering element is located adjacent the input port and is adjustable such that a light beam incident on the beam steering element within an enhanced acceptance range enters the output path as an output beam. The enhanced acceptance range is at least angularly greater than the original acceptance range. |
| US08369659B2 |
High-Q resonators assembly
An electromagnetically responsive element includes sets of arrangements of self-resonant bodies, such as atoms or quantum dots that form an effective dielectric constant, typically at or near a resonance. |
| US08369655B2 |
Mixed media reality recognition using multiple specialized indexes
An MMR system for searching across multiple indexes comprises a plurality of mobile devices, a pre-processing server or MMR gateway, and an MMR matching unit, and may include an MMR publisher. The MMR matching unit receives an image query from the pre-processing server or MMR gateway and sends it to one or more of the recognition units to identify a result including a document, the page and the location on the page. The MMR matching unit includes a segmenter for segmenting received images by content type, a distributor for distributing the images to corresponding content type index tables, and an integrator for integrating recognition results. The result is returned to the mobile device via the pre-processing server or MMR gateway. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods including a method for processing content-type specific image queries and for processing queries across multiple indexes. |
| US08369654B2 |
Developing apparatus, developing method and computer program for developing processing for an undeveloped image
To facilitate setting of development condition an image developing apparatus is provided. The image developing apparatus performs a development process to first image data generated by a digital camera, each pixel of which lacks a part of color information, the image developing apparatus carries out a first type of development process on the first image data to generate developed image data; and a second type of development process on the first undeveloped image data to generate for-display image data with lower resolution. The first type of development process includes: a first specific process performed on the first image data to generate second image data; and a first interpolation process performed on the second image data, the second type of development process includes: a process to generate third image data through a second interpolation process performed on the first image data and a resolution converting process; and a second specific process performed on the third image data. |
| US08369652B1 |
Visual attention system for salient regions in imagery
Described is a system for finding salient regions in imagery. The system improves upon the prior art by receiving an input image of a scene and dividing the image into a plurality of image sub-regions. Each sub-region is assigned a coordinate position within the image such that the sub-regions collectively form the input image. A plurality of local saliency maps are generated, where each local saliency map is based on a corresponding sub-region and a coordinate position representative of the corresponding sub-region. Finally, the plurality of local saliency maps is combined according to their coordinate positions to generate a single global saliency map of the input image of the scene. |
| US08369646B2 |
Image correction circuit, image correction method and image display
An image correction method includes the steps of: acquiring a black-side intermediate luminance distribution as a luminance distribution in a region between a lowest luminance in a given intermediate luminance region in a luminance distribution of input image data in an image frame and a reference luminance provided in the center of the intermediate luminance region; determining a low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve on the basis of the acquired black-side intermediate luminance distribution, the low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve passing through a reference point, in the reference input/output characteristic line, determined in accordance with the reference luminance and through a minimum luminance point of the reference input/output characteristic line; and executing image correction on input image data having a luminance which is lower than the reference luminance on the basis of the determined low-luminance-region input/output characteristic curve. |
| US08369644B2 |
Apparatus and method for reducing motion blur in a video signal
The present invention relates to an apparatus for reducing motion blur in a video signal, comprising an analysing means for determining edge characteristics of an input video signal and for providing motion estimation of an edge within said input video signal, generation means for generating a synthetic detail signal dependent on said edge characteristics and said motion estimation, and an adding means for adding the detail signal to the edge within the input video signal and outputting an output video signal.The present invention further relates to a method for reducing motion blur in a video signal. |
| US08369643B2 |
Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and image processing program
The amount of time spent extracting linear noise components is reduced, when removing linear noise components from an image. A reduced image is generated, by reducing a radiation image in at least one of the vertical and horizontal directions. A linear noise image that represents linear noise components in the Y direction is generated, by extracting linear noise components from the reduced image. Thereafter, the generated linear noise image is enlarged to the image size of the original image; the linear noise components are removed from the radiation image, employing the enlarged linear noise image. |
| US08369642B2 |
Artifact removal from phase encoded images
PSF coding has become well known in recent years. Although it enables significant increases in the depth of field, defocus introduces artifacts in images that are a major detraction from the final image quality. A method is described that enables the deduction or defocus and consequently the removal of these artifacts. The principle of the disclosed techniques involves iteratively adjusting the restoration algorithm according to a chosen image or artifact metric and choosing the defocus parameter that yields the image the lowest level of artifact. |
| US08369640B2 |
Image processing for removing a noise component contained in an image
An image processing method for removing a noise component contained in an original image, includes: separating an original image into a temporary noise-free image and a temporary noise component; extracting an edge component in the temporary noise-free image by executing edge detection on the temporary noise-free image; determining a fine edge component in the original image contained in the temporary noise component based upon a level of the extracted edge component; extracting an actual noise component by excluding the fine edge component from the temporary noise component; and removing noise from the original image based upon the extracted actual noise component. |
| US08369639B2 |
Image processing apparatus, computer readable medium storing program, method and computer data signal for partitioning and converting an image
An image processing apparatus includes a partitions setting unit that sets up image partitions into which an input image is separated; a tone number setting unit that sets the number of tones for each of the image partitions set up by the partitions setting unit, based on gray levels of pixels included in each of the image partitions; and a conversion unit that converts each of the image partitions of the input image into an image partition represented with tones equal to or less than the number of tones set by the tone number setting unit. |
| US08369637B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus which able to shorten processing time and includes an image inputting unit that inputs an image, a region division unit that generates region information by dividing an input image input by the image inputting unit into regions having a plurality of different types of attributes, including a frame region attribute, a non-frame region processing unit that obtains data of respective regions other than frame regions by applying attribute-specific processing for respective regions, excluding frame regions, included in the input image on the basis of the input image and the region information, and executes processing of filling of the processed regions, and a frame region processing unit that executes reduction processing and vectorization processing for the frame region according to the region size of the frame region. |
| US08369633B2 |
Video codec method and system
Techniques pertaining to scalable video codec are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a video image is analyzed and a region of interest (ROI) and a region of non-interest (non-ROI) are identified. By comparing the non-ROI image with that of a previous image, a background ignored identifier is created indicating whether the non-ROI can be ignored during encoding and decoding processes. Based on the status of the background ignored identifier, the encoder encodes the images into a basic layer (BL) and an enhanced layer (EL), and transmits the coded bit streams along with the identifier to a decoder. The decoder reconstructs the image based on the identifier and the BL and the EL bit streams. |
| US08369632B2 |
Image processing apparatus and imaging apparatus
An image processing apparatus includes image processors and a margin storing buffer. The image processors read an input image data from a frame memory for each image data of a plurality of block lines each having a first number of pixels along the columns and a second number of pixels along the rows. The margin storing buffer stores the image data of the margin portion used also in the image processing of the image data of the next block line, among the image data of the present block line input to each of the image processors. Each of the image processors performs the image processing on an image data including the image data of the present block line and the image data of the margin portion, at the time of image processing on the image data of the next block line. |
| US08369628B2 |
Video encoding device, video encoding method, video encoding program, video decoding device, video decoding method, and video decoding program
A video encoding device including a region division section for dividing a frame image constituting video data into a plurality of regions as encoding target regions, an encoding section for encoding an image of each region, an inverse transformation section and an addition section for generating reproduced image of the encoded image, a storage section for storing reproduced images, a prediction generation section for searching a region which is highly correlated to a reproduced image of a template region, which is adjacent to the region of the encoding target image in a predetermined positional relationship and is a part of the reproduced image, from the reproduced image, and determining a prediction signal based on the searched region and the above-mentioned positional relationship, and a subtraction section for generating a difference signal between the prediction signal and the encoding target image as a signal for encoding. |
| US08369627B2 |
System and method for generating groups of cluster spines for display
A system and method for generating groups of cluster spines for display are provided. One or more concepts for each cluster in a set of clusters are generated. Spines are formed from at least a portion of the clusters based on the concepts. At least one spine unique from all other spines is placed. One or more spine groups are generated by positioning at least one unplaced spine in relation to one of the placed unique spines. The spine groups are displayed. |
| US08369626B2 |
Image processing device and image processing method in image processing device for identifying features in an image
A plurality of images inputted in an image signal input portion are divided into a plurality of regions by an image dividing portion, and a feature value in each of the plurality of regions is calculated by a feature value calculation portion and divided into a plurality of subsets by a subset generation portion. On the other hand, a cluster classifying portion classifies a plurality of clusters generated in a feature space into any one of a plurality of classes on the basis of the feature value and occurrence frequency of the feature value. And a classification criterion calculation portion calculates a criterion of classification for classifying images included in one subset on the basis of a distribution state of the feature value in the feature space of each of the images included in the one subset. |
| US08369625B2 |
Method for grouping 3D models to classify constitution
Provided is a three-dimensional model classification method of classifying constitutions. The method includes correcting color values of a frontal image and one or more profile images to allow a color value of a reference color table in the images to equal a predetermined reference color value, through obtaining the frontal image and one or more profile images of a subject including the reference color table by a camera, the reference color table including one or more sub color regions, generating a three-dimensional geometric model of the subject by extracting feature point information from the frontal image and the profile image, matching the corresponding feature point information to extract spatial depth information, after removing the reference color table region from the frontal image and the profile image, and classifying a group of the three-dimensional geometric model of the subject by selecting a reference three-dimensional geometric model having a smallest sum of spatial displacements from the three-dimensional geometric model of the subject from a plurality of reference three-dimensional geometric models stored in the database and setting the group which the selected reference three-dimensional geometric model represents as the group where the three-dimensional geometric model of the subject belongs. |
| US08369624B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, program of image processing method, and recording medium having program of image processing method recorded thereon
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image processing method, a program of the image processing method, and a recording medium having the program of the image processing method recorded thereon, and the present invention is applied to, for example, a display apparatus and improves the textures of details compared with the past.The present invention extracts a texture component S4 from an input image S1, reduces the texture component S4 to generate a subtle texture component S3, and performs image combination of this subtle texture component S3 and the input image S1. |
| US08369622B1 |
Multi-figure system for object feature extraction tracking and recognition
The invention features a system wherein a recognition environment utilizes comparative advantages of automated feature signature analysis and human perception to form a synergistic data and information processing system for scene structure modeling and testing, object extraction, object linking, and event/activity detection using multi-source sensor data and imagery in both static and time-varying formats. The scene structure and modeling and testing utilizes quantifiable and implementable human language key words. The invention implements real-time terrain categorization and situational awareness plus a dynamic ground control point selection and evaluation system in a Virtual Transverse Mercator (VTM) geogridded Equi-Distance system (ES) environment. The system can be applied to video imagery to define and detect objects/features, events and activity. By adapting the video imagery analysis technology to multi-source data, the invention performs multi-source data fusion without registering them using geospatial ground control points. |
| US08369621B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method and program
An image processing apparatus includes: a first distribution calculation unit calculating a distribution of luminance gradient vectors in a first local area that includes a feature point on an image; a second distribution calculation unit calculating distributions of the luminance gradient vectors in second local areas close to the feature point on the image; a selection unit comparing the distribution of the luminance gradient vectors of the first local area with the distributions of the luminance gradient vectors of the second local areas to select the most different distribution of the luminance gradient vectors of the second local area; and a feature descriptor calculation unit calculating a feature descriptor at the feature point on the basis of the distribution of the luminance gradient vectors of the first local area and the distribution of the luminance gradient vectors of the second local area selected by the selection unit. |
| US08369620B2 |
Object detection device and system
Provided are an object detection device and system. The object detection device includes an outline image extraction unit, a feature vector calculation unit, and an object judgment unit. The outline image extraction unit extracts an outline image from an input image. The feature vector calculation unit calculates a feature vector from the outline image by using histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) representing a frequency distribution of gradient vectors with respect to pixels of the outline image, and pixel coordinate information varying according to a spatial distribution of the gradient vectors. The object judgment unit judges a target object corresponding to the feature vector with reference to pre-learned data. |
| US08369614B2 |
Edge control in a digital color image via tone and size dependent dilation of pixels
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for calculating an amount of a total dilation for reverse objects in order to compensate for fill-in effects to improve quality of a digital image in a digital document reproduction system. In a manner more fully described herein, a tone-dependent compensation factor is determined which is a function of a gamma-corrected background density. The tone-dependent compensation factor is then used to scale the maximum base dilation to produce an amount of total dilation. The total dilation amount is applied to contone pixels along an edge of the reverse object to compensate for fill-in artifact effects. By adjusting pixels along the edges of reverse objects by the total dilation determined hereby, the sharpness (or crispness) of reverse fine features is improved on sweeps and for hue shifts at the edges of the reverse objects on backgrounds of more than one color separation. |
| US08369613B2 |
Image processing circuit, image processing method, and camera
An image processing circuit includes a memory configured to store an image retrieved from an image pick-up element, wherein the image is written on a plurality of rows of a two dimensional storage area of the memory and a filtering circuit configured to perform a filtering process with respect to each pixel data on a row when the image is written on the plurality of rows of the two-dimensional storage area of the memory. |
| US08369612B2 |
System and methods for Arabic text recognition based on effective Arabic text feature extraction
A method for automatically recognizing Arabic text includes digitizing a line of Arabic characters to form a two-dimensional array of pixels each associated with a pixel value, wherein the pixel value is expressed in a binary number, dividing the line of the Arabic characters into a plurality of line images, defining a plurality of cells in one of the plurality of line images, wherein each of the plurality of cells comprises a group of adjacent pixels, serializing pixel values of pixels in each of the plurality of cells in one of the plurality of line images to form a binary cell number, forming a text feature vector according to binary cell numbers obtained from the plurality of cells in one of the plurality of line images, and feeding the text feature vector into a Hidden Markov Model to recognize the line of Arabic characters. |
| US08369609B2 |
Reduced-complexity disparity map estimation
Image processing herein reduces the computational complexity required to estimate a disparity map of a scene from a plurality of monoscopic images. Image processing includes calculating a disparity and associated matching cost for at least one pixel block in a reference image, and then predicting, based on this disparity and associated matching cost, a disparity and associated matching cost for a pixel block that neighbors the at least one pixel block. Image processing continues with calculating a tentative disparity and associated matching cost for the neighboring pixel block, by searching for a corresponding pixel block in a different monoscopic image over a reduced range of candidate pixel blocks focused around the disparity predicted. Searching over a reduced range avoids significant computational complexity. Image processing concludes with determining the disparity for the neighboring pixel block based on comparing the matching costs associated with the tentative disparity and the disparity predicted. |
| US08369608B2 |
System and method for detecting drowsy facial expressions of vehicle drivers under changing illumination conditions
The present invention includes a method of detecting drowsy facial expressions of vehicle drivers under changing illumination conditions. The method includes capturing an image of a person's face using an image sensor, detecting a face region of the image using a pattern classification algorithm, and performing, using an active appearance model algorithm, local pattern matching to identify a plurality of landmark points on the face region of the image. The method also includes generating a 3D face model with facial muscles of the face region, determining photometric flows from the 3D face model using an extract photometric flow module, determining geometric flows from the 3D face model using a compute geometric flow module, determining a noise component generated by varying illuminations by comparing the geometric flows to the photometric flows, and removing the noise component by subtracting two photometric flows. |
| US08369606B2 |
System and method for aligning maps using polyline matching
A system and method for aligning maps using polyline matching is provided. A global map and a local map are represented as polyline maps including a plurality of line segments. One or more approximate matches between the polyline maps are identified. One or more refined matches are determined from the approximate matches. The global map and the local map are aligned at the one or more refined matches. |
| US08369605B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining the position of a structure on a carrier relative to a reference point of the carrier
A method is provided for determining the position of a structure on a carrier, relative to a reference point of the carrier, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an image including a reference structure; b) recording an image of the structure on the carrier by means of a recording device, with a known recording position relative to the reference points; c) superimposing the two images to form one superimposed image; d) determining the image distance of the two structures in the superimposed image; e) shifting the two structures in the superimposed image relative to one another, depending on the determined image distance; f) checking whether the determined image distance is below a predetermined maximum value; wherein, if the image distance is below the maximum value, the method is continued in step g), and, if the image distance is not below the maximum value, steps d)-f) are repeated, taking into account the determined image distance/distances: g) determining the position of the structure relative to the reference point, on the basis of the recording position in step b) and of the image distance/image distances determined in step(s) d). |
| US08369601B2 |
Method of processing a check in an image-based check processing system and an apparatus therefor
Check image data which is representative of an image of the check is captured. Endorsement data which is representative of an image of an endorsement is appended to the check image data to provide endorsed check image data which is representative of an image of the check and the endorsement. The endorsed check image data is stored in memory. |
| US08369597B2 |
Non-rigid registration between CT images and ultrasound images
There are disclosed embodiments for non-rigid image registration between 3-dimensional ultrasound and CT images by using intensity and gradient information of vessels and diaphragm. An ultrasound image forming unit transmits/receives ultrasound signals to/from a target object to thereby output electrical receive signals, and forms 3-dimensional ultrasound images based on the electrical receive signals. A CT image forming unit forms 3-dimensional CT images of the target object. A registration unit determines first and second objective functions associated with diaphragm and vessel regions of the target object, respectively, based on intensity and gradient information upon portions corresponding to the diaphragm and vessel regions in each of the 3-dimensional ultrasound and CT images. The registration unit performs non-rigid image registration between the 3-dimensional ultrasound images and the 3-dimensional CT images based on the first and second objective functions. |
| US08369588B2 |
Method and apparatus for registering at least three different image data records for an object
A method and an apparatus are disclosed for registering at least three different image data records for an object. In at least one embodiment, the method involves first of all determining for each image data record the anatomical region which is covered by the image data record. Next, degrees of overlap in these anatomical regions are calculated. These degrees of overlap are taken as a basis for determining the image data record as a master image data record which, in total, has a maximum overlap with the other image data records, ignoring degrees of overlap which are below a prescribable lower threshold. The other image data records are then registered merely with the master image data record. Thus, they are automatically also indirectly registered with one another. At least one embodiment of the present method and the associated apparatus reduce the waiting time for the user who wishes to visualize a plurality of the image data records simultaneously next to one another or superimposed on one another. |
| US08369579B2 |
Methods and apparatus for 3D surface imaging using active wave-front sampling
According to one aspect, a method of determining motion of at least one feature present in a plurality of images, the plurality of images captured by a single camera of a scene, each of the plurality of images resulting from light passing through an aperture positioned at a different location for each of the plurality of images is provided. The method comprises determining the motion, in integer pixel units using a first tracking algorithm, of the at least one feature between a first image of the plurality of images and a second image of the plurality of images to obtain an integer pixel measurement of the motion, offsetting the first image and the second image according to the integer pixel measurement, determining the motion, in sub-pixel units using a second tracking algorithm, between the at least one feature in the offset first image and the second image to obtain a sub-pixel measurement, and combining the integer pixel measurement and the sub-pixel measurement to form an estimate of the motion of the at least one feature. |
| US08369578B2 |
Method and system for position determination using image deformation
A method and system of position determination using image deformation is provided. One implementation involves storing an actual tag in a reference data module, receiving an image of a visual tag, the image captured by an image capturing device, comparing properties of the visual tag with properties of the actual tag; and based the comparison, determining a position of the image capturing device relative to the visual tag. |
| US08369576B2 |
Image processing apparatus
An image processing apparatus in which an erroneous discrimination about a convergence of a super resolution process can be eliminated and precision of the super resolution process can be improved is provided. The apparatus has: a distance measuring unit that measures a distance to an object; a deteriorated image reconstructing unit that reconstructs an image of the object by repetitive calculations; and an end discriminating unit that discriminates an end of an image reconstructing process. In the case of discriminating an end of the image reconstructing process, the end discrimination is made only to a specific distance layer based on information of the distance measured by the distance measuring unit or every distance layer based on the distance information. |
| US08369575B2 |
3D image processing method and apparatus for improving accuracy of depth measurement of an object in a region of interest
Example embodiments relate to a three-dimensional (3D) image processing apparatus and method that may determine a Region Of Interest (ROI) in an entire sensing region of the 3D image processing apparatus, and may obtain a depth image of the ROI. Also, example embodiments may be applied to a surveillance camera system, a motion detection system, a virtual reality simulation system, a distance recognition system for vehicles, a robotic system, a background separation system based on depth information, etc. |
| US08369574B2 |
Person tracking method, person tracking apparatus, and person tracking program storage medium
A person tracking method capable of tracking movements of a person captured by a camera through lighter processing in comparison with tracking processing that employs a Kalman filter or the like is provided. The method includes: detecting a head on each frame image; calculating a feature quantity that features a person whose head is detected on the frame images; calculating a relevance ratio that represents a degree of agreement between a feature quantity on a past frame image and a feature quantity on a current frame image, which belong to each person whose head is detected on the current frame image; and determining that, a head, which is a basis for calculation of a relevance ratio that represents a degree of agreement being a first threshold as well as being a maximum degree of agreement, is a head of the same person as the person having the head. |
| US08369573B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method
An image processing apparatus which is capable of suppressing an increase in the circuit size of buffers between data-processing circuits, thereby enabling an associated component thereof to be implemented by hardware. A position control unit sequentially shifts a position of a sub window image by a predetermined skip amount in a predetermined scanning direction, for scanning, and further repeating the scanning for skipped sub window images, after shifting a start position of the scanning, to thereby determine positions of all sub window images each as an area from a face image is to be detected. |
| US08369561B2 |
Sideways extending speaker apparatus and methods
Sideways-extending speaker apparatus and methods that include a speaker box that is adjustable to fit within given information handling system or electronic device chassis form factor constraints, while also being selectably extendable and expandable to provide increased speaker box volume to achieve improved sound quality performance both in terms of increased speaker spatial separation and wider dynamic range. |
| US08369560B2 |
Damper and loudspeaker using the same
The present disclosure provides a damper. The damper has alternating ridges and furrows thereon and has a through hole defined at a center of the damper. The ridges and furrows are concentric. The damper includes a matrix and at least one carbon nanotube structure disposed in the matrix. The present disclosure also provides a loudspeaker using the damper. |
| US08369558B2 |
Cup-shaped portable speaker with music player adapter
A portable speaker for a music play such as an iPod® player. The housing of the speaker is shaped and sized as a cup and can be placed inside a commonly seen cup holder, such as a cup holder in a car or other vehicles, a baby stroller, a foldable camping chair, etc. The speaker housing has a slot for receiving a music player, as well as electrical connectors for electrically connecting to the audio output of the music player. The sound producing devices are disposed within the speaker housing and face upwards and/or downwards. |
| US08369556B2 |
Microphone pop filter
A microphone pop filter for attenuating plosive artifacts utilizes a substantially acoustically transparent material configured to define multiple airfoil surfaces that are oriented non-orthogonally relative to an axis defined between an audio source and a microphone diaphragm, with the substantially acoustically transparent material disposed intermediate the audio source and the microphone diaphragm and separated from the microphone diaphragm by an airspace. Plosive artifacts from the audio source may be deflected away from the microphone diaphragm by the airfoil surfaces to reduce the impact of such artifacts on the microphone diaphragm and the resulting electronic signal output therefrom. |
| US08369554B2 |
Open tip for hearing aid
An earpiece includes an open tip in the shape of a dome, with apertures in the dome and a protrusion at the top of the dome for displacing ear wax, wherein the dome merges with the protrusion along a continuous curve. The dome is supported from a central body by non-linear ribs that normally have high compliance but exhibit low compliance at a limit of extension or compression. The tip can include more than one dome on the central body. If there is more than one dome, the apertures in the domes are not aligned with each other. |
| US08369547B2 |
Enclosure for a communication device
Disclosed is an enclosure for a communication device. The enclosure comprises: a casing for the communication device, the casing having a back side and a casing opening in the back side; a speaker mounted inside the casing and in communication with the casing opening; and a cover shaped to mate with and to cover the casing opening. The cover has: a central portion; a first rail protruding outwardly from a surface of the cover and located in the central portion; a second rail protruding outwardly from the surface and located in the central portion; and a speaker grill having an opening therein providing an air channel for the speaker. |
| US08369541B2 |
Distributed audio signal processing system having virtual channels
A distributed audio signal processing system having a plurality of linked audio signal processing units is disclosed. Each audio signal processing unit has physical channels for receiving and sending local audio signals and a high bandwidth interface for exchanging audio signals with other linked audio signal processing units. Each of the physical channels of each of the audio signal processing units is mapped to a corresponding global channel. Global channels can be combined to form virtual channels that can be processed as a signal channel. |
| US08369540B2 |
Audio signal amplification
A system for amplifying a digital audio signal comprises a receiver 12 for receiving a digital audio signal, a level estimator 14 arranged to calculate the audio level of the digital audio signal, a gain control 16 arranged to receive a gain level, the gain level defining the desired amplification of the digital audio signal, a logic circuit 18 arranged to calculate the headspace in the digital audio signal and to divide the gain level into a scaling gain and an amplifier gain, the scaling gain not exceeding the calculated headspace, a digital signal processor 20 arranged to amplify the digital audio signal with the scaling gain, a digital-to-analogue converter 22 arranged to convert the amplified digital audio signal into an analogue signal, and an amplifier 24 arranged to amplify the analogue audio signal with the amplifier gain. |
| US08369532B2 |
Device for and a method of processing an audio signal
A device for processing an audio signal, wherein the device comprises a detection unit adapted for detecting a widening state of the audio signal, and a widening modification unit adapted for modifying a widening characteristic of the audio signal depending on the detected widening state of the audio signal. |
| US08369531B2 |
Audio reproducing apparatus and method thereof
An audio reproducing apparatus includes the following elements: an output circuit operable to generate audio signals to be supplied to first and second speakers placed near the ears of a listener; and a detector operable to detect the presence of sound output from other speakers placed at positions further away from the listener than the first and second speakers. When it is determined that there is no sound output from the other speakers on the basis of a detection result obtained by the detector, the output circuit performs a control operation so that audio signals to be supplied to the other speakers are supplied to the first and second speakers. |
| US08369528B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing encrypted key based on DRM type of host device
A method and apparatus for providing an encrypted key based on a DRM type of a host device are provided. The method includes receiving available DRM type information of a host device, making a request for generation of a key object based on the received available DRM type information, and transmitting the generated key object to the host device. |
| US08369527B2 |
Access control over multicast
A multicast host for communicating information published about any one of a set of topics to one or more authorised subscribers to those topics, the set of topics being partitioned into one or more partition elements, each partition element having a partition element encryption key associated therewith, wherein each of the one or more partition elements is a disjoint proper subset of the set of topics, the host comprising: means for receiving information relating to a topic; means for determining a partition element for the topic; means for retrieving a partition element encryption key associated with the partition element; means for encrypting the information with the retrieved partition element encryption key; and means for communicating the information to the one or more authorised subscribers. |
| US08369526B2 |
Device, system, and method of securely executing applications
Device, system, and method of executing secure-processing (SEP) applications. Some demonstrative embodiments include a secure-processing (SEP) hardware module including a processor capable of executing at least one SEP application, wherein the SEP hardware module is configured to perform at least one of encrypting and decrypting data handled by the SEP application using an application-specific application-key corresponding to the SEP application, only if the processor begins execution of the SEP application at an approved entry point of the SEP application, and wherein the application-key corresponding to the SEP application is based at least on an internal key internally stored by the SEP hardware module and on application-specific information corresponding to the SEP application. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US08369524B2 |
Simplified method for renewing symmetrical keys in a digital network
The invention concerns a method implemented in a communication network comprising a source device including: a first symmetrical key for encrypting data to be transmitted to a display device connected to the network; and the first symmetrical key encrypted with a second symmetrical network key known only to at least one display device connected to the network. When the source device needs to renew its first symmetrical key to encrypt new data, it generates a random number, then it calculates a new symmetrical key based on the first symmetrical key and on the random number. It then encrypts the data to be transmitted with the new symmetrical key and transmits to a display device, via the network: the data encrypted with the new symmetrical key, the random number, and the first encrypted symmetrical key with the second symmetrical network key. |
| US08369523B2 |
Surrogate key generation using cryptographic hashing
The present invention relates to a method or system of generating a surrogate key using cryptographic hashing. One embodiment of the method of the present invention may have steps such as selecting a field or group of fields that is or are unique among all records in the database, for each record, extracting the data from the fields, concatenating the extracted data into an input message, running the input message through a hash generator, either in batches or one at a time, for testing purposes perhaps, and outputting a surrogate key. |
| US08369522B2 |
Encryption processing apparatus, encryption method, and computer program
A common-key blockcipher processing structure that makes analysis of key more difficult and enhances security and implementation efficiency is realized. In a key scheduling part in an encryption processing apparatus that performs common-key blockcipher processing, a secret key is input to an encryption function including a round function employed in an encryption processing part to generate an intermediate key, and the result of performing bijective transformation based on the intermediate key, the secret key, and the like and the result of performing an exclusive-OR operation on the bijective-transformed data are applied to round keys. With this structure, generation of round keys based on the intermediate key generated using the encryption function whose security has been ensured is performed, thereby making it possible to make analysis of the keys more difficult. The structure of the key scheduling part can be simplified, thereby making it possible to improve the implementation efficiency. |
| US08369519B2 |
Scrambling of a calculation performed according to an RSA-CRT algorithm
A method and a circuit for scrambling an RSA-CRT algorithm calculation by an electronic circuit, in which a result is obtained from two modular exponentiation calculations, each providing a partial result, and from a recombination step, and in which a first step adds a digital quantity to at least one first partial result before said recombination step; and a second step cancels the effects of this quantity after the recombination step. |
| US08369516B2 |
Encryption apparatus having common key encryption function and embedded apparatus
A common key block encryption apparatus for performing a nonlinear transformation with a multiplication executed in a binary field or a composite field includes a computing unit to execute a computation other than the nonlinear transformation with fixed value masked input data obtained by XORing input data with a fixed mask value, an XOR operation circuit to transform all input data into fixed value masked input data by XORing the input data with a fixed mask value and to transform the data into random value masked input data by XORing the input data with a random mask value in the multiplication, a multiplier to execute a multiplication based on the random value masked input data output from the XOR operation circuit, and a random value mask-to-fixed mask value transformation circuit to again transform the random value masked output data into fixed value masked output data and to output the data. |
| US08369512B2 |
Device and method for detecting a divergence of an adaptive system and use of such a device for the detection of a divergence of a digital filter
A divergence detection device for an adaptive system comprising means for calculating the energy of an input signal of the system, means for calculating the energy of an output signal of the system and means for analysing the energy of the input signal and the energy of the output signal so as to detect a rise in the energy of the output signal, relative to the energy of the input signal, in case of divergence of the system. |
| US08369506B2 |
Informing a teleconference participant that a person-of-interest has become active within the teleconference
A method, a computer program product, and a data processing system inform a teleconference participant that a person-of-interest has become active within the teleconference. A user is identified. A person-of-interest, an alert condition, and a notification method are received from the user. The identification, the alert condition, and the notification method are then stored in a person-of-interest data structure. When a user connects to a teleconference, the person-of-interest data structure is retrieved. The teleconference is then monitored for the occurrence of the alert condition. Upon the occurrence of the alert condition, the notification is delivered to the user according to the notification method. |
| US08369502B2 |
Communications system, presence server, and communications method used for them
The present invention provides a communications system, presence server, and communications method used for them, which determines an optimum operation for phone call taken into account presence information of caller. The presence server compares a priority level allocated to caller presence information with a priority level allocated to receiver presence information, selects optimum operation from preset operations based on the comparison result and controls a exchange according to the selected operation. |
| US08369498B2 |
Television set
A media appliance comprising: video apparatus for outputting signals to a screen; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus arranged to execute the communication client application. The client application is configured to allow a local user of the media appliance to participate in bidirectional communication sessions with other remote users via the network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured so as: to receive an invitation signal from a remote user terminal over the packet-based network, the received invitation signal comprising a trigger condition specifying a future event for triggering participation of the media appliance in a proposed one of said communication sessions with said remote user terminal; to monitor the received trigger condition at said media appliance; and to join the proposed session in dependence on an occurrence of said event. |
| US08369487B2 |
Enhanced 911 notification for internet enabled alarm system
The present invention allows an alarm monitoring service to ally with a PSAP provider to allow our customers to direct connect to the 911 center responsible for their home, but no matter where the customer calls from. When an alarm monitoring company or middleware provider's automatic notification function calls the customer to report an alarm, the customer can connect directly to the local 911 even when traveling, if needed. The alarm monitoring company contacts the customer if an alarm event occurs and offers the customer the opportunity to connect with the 911 call center for their home. If the customer indicates they want to call 911, the call is routed to the correct PSAP center, with the customers home Caller ID number emulated for the call. In this manner, the PSAP center can determine, from the emulated Caller ID data, the correct response agency that is local to the customer's home. |
| US08369482B2 |
Electrode inspection device for battery and method of the same
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inspecting the electrodes of a battery, which inspects the arrangement state of anodes and cathodes in the battery in a non-destructive manner (using X-rays). The apparatus radiates X-ray beams onto a battery in which a plurality of plate-shaped anodes and a plurality of plate-shaped cathodes are alternately stacked and inspects an arrangement state of the anodes and the cathodes. The apparatus includes a first X-ray source part for radiating a first X-ray beam onto the battery. A first detector detects the first X-ray beam having transmitted through the battery. A control unit receives an image of the battery output from the first detector, calculates a step difference between each anode and each cathode, and then inspects an arrangement state of the anode and the cathode. |
| US08369478B2 |
Pulse signal output circuit and shift register
A pulse signal output circuit capable of operating stably and a shift register including the pulse signal output circuit are provided. A clock signal is supplied to one of transistors connected to a first output terminal. A power supply potential is applied to one of transistors connected to a second output terminal. Thus, power consumed by discharge and charge of the transistor included in the second output terminal can be reduced. Further, since a potential is supplied from a power source to the second output terminal, sufficient charge capability can be obtained. |
| US08369477B2 |
Clock frequency divider circuit and clock frequency division method
A clock frequency divider circuit in accordance with the present invention is capable of generating a clock signal that makes it possible to perform an expected proper communication operation in communication with a circuit operating by a clock having a different frequency, and includes a mask control circuit 20 and a mask circuit 10. The mask control circuit 20 includes a mask timing signal generation circuit 22 that generates a mask timing signal 29 used to preferentially mask a clock pulse at a timing other than communication timings among M clock pulses of the input clock signal based on a communication timing signal 26, and a mask restraint circuit 62 that carries out a process to restrain masking of a clock pulse at a communication timing. The mask circuit 10 generates an output clock signal by masking clock pulses of an input clock signal according to a mask signal 50 generated by the mask control circuit. |
| US08369473B2 |
Device and method for the automated decontamination of a nuclear fuel rod
A method for the surface tribological decontamination of nuclear fuel rods automates surface wiping by one or more bands of fabric. The band is distant from the axis of the rod, the rod is placed facing the band, and then the band is tensioned around the surface of the rod and moved. The rod may be immobile, moved in pure translation along its axis or with a wide-step helical movement. Preferably, the decontamination is carried by two bands simultaneously, so as to cover the total surface in one pass of the rod. |
| US08369470B2 |
Methods and apparatus for adapting one or more equalization parameters by reducing group delay spread
Methods and apparatus are provided for adapting one or more equalization parameters in a communications system by reducing group delay spread. According to one aspect of the invention, one or more equalization parameters in a communications system are adapted by detecting one or more predefined run length patterns in a received signal, such as a plurality of consecutive same-valued bits; evaluating a transition latch value for each of the detected predefined run length patterns, wherein the transition latch value provides an indication of whether the received signal is under-equalized or over-equalized; and adjusting the one or more equalization parameters of the communications system based on the evaluation of the transition latch value. The adjusted equalization parameters may be employed to equalize intersymbol interference. A data eye monitor can be employed to evaluate the transition latch value. |
| US08369465B2 |
Frequency offset estimation apparatus and method in wireless telecommunication system
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for estimating a frequency offset in a wireless telecommunication system. The present invention does not estimate an initial frequency offset using a preamble which is the initial symbol of a frame upon estimation of the frequency offset in the wireless telecommunication system, but estimates a frequency offset using correlation of a cyclic prefix (CP) existing in each symbol, thereby eliminating a need to reproduce information about separate preamble signals and preamble signals, and easily estimating a frequency offset using only input signals. |
| US08369464B2 |
System and method for acquisition of signals
A system for processing a received signal having at least one code applied thereto, the received signal having a frequency, the system comprising: first correlator circuitry arranged to correlate the received signal with a first code to provide an output; second correlator circuitry arranged to correlate the received signal with a second code to provide an output, wherein the first code and the second code are different; and processor for processing together the outputs of the first and second correlator circuitry to cancel the frequency. |
| US08369461B2 |
Method and arrangement relating to telecommunications
The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for providing a reliability information on information bits (bk) transmitted in a communications network, said bits constituting a transmitted vector (s) comprising elements selected by a transmitter from finite alphabet (S), wherein said transmitted vector is detected from an observed vector received symbols (y) providing a log-likelihood (L). Thus, the approximation is done by defining a number of bit terms having constant size and selecting a subset of bits and marginalizing over a selected part of said subset of bits. |
| US08369454B2 |
Data receiving apparatus and data receiving method
A data receiving apparatus includes a measuring section configured to measure a first pulse width of a first pulse, a second pulse width of a second pulse, and a third pulse width of a third pulse. The first pulse, the second pulse, and the third pulse are sequentially and continuously received by putting a portion of a second signal level different from the first signal level between the first and second pulse and the second and third pulse. A first comparing section performs a first determination based on a measured value of the first pulse width and a measured value of the second pulse width, and a second comparing section configured to perform a second determination based on the measured value of the second pulse width and the measured value of the third pulse width, based on the first determination and the second determination. |
| US08369453B2 |
Adaptive offset adjustment algorithm
An apparatus and method is disclosed to compensate for one or more offsets in a communications signal. A communications receiver may carry out an offset adjustment algorithm to compensate for the one or more offsets. An initial search procedure determines one or more signal metric maps for one or more selected offset adjustment corrections from the one or more offset adjustment corrections. The offset adjustment algorithm determines one or more optimal points for one or more selected offset adjustment correction based upon the one or more signal maps. The adaptive offset algorithm adjusts each of the one or more selected offset adjustment corrections to their respective optimal points and/or each of one or more non-selected offset adjustment corrections to a corresponding one of a plurality of possible offset corrections to provide one or more adjusted offset adjustment corrections. A tracking mode procedure optimizes the one or more adjusted offset adjustment corrections. |
| US08369450B2 |
Pilot boosting and traffic to pilot ratio estimation in a wireless communication system
Methods and circuits for assigning pilot boosting factors and calculating traffic to pilot ratios in a wireless communication system. The data to be transmitted is first modulated to generate a plurality of data modulation symbols. The plurality of data modulation symbols and a plurality of reference signal symbols are mapped into transmission resources of each of a plurality of antennas in accordance with a transmit diversity scheme. The transmission resources of each of the antennas are divided into a plurality of subcarriers in a frequency domain and a plurality of time units in a time domain. Then, a power scaling factor are assigned for data modulation symbols on each of the antennas in dependence upon power levels of the reference signal symbols to maintain a fixed power level across the plurality of antennas in each time unit. Finally, the data modulation symbols and the reference signal symbols are transmitted via the plurality of antennas in accordance with the mapping scheme and the assigned scaling factors. |
| US08369448B2 |
Bit mapping scheme for an LDPC coded 32APSK system
A digital communication system, having a transmitter to transmit a digital signal; and a receiver to receive the digital signal; wherein the digital signal utilizes a 32APSK system with FEC coding, and the signal is bit-mapped using gray mapping, and bits of the digital signal are ordered based on the values of a log likelihood ratio from a communications channel. |
| US08369433B2 |
Digital up-converter and N-channel modulator with flexible association of QAM generation resources to narrowcast and broadcast frequencies
Embodiments of a digital up-converter and an N-channel modulator are provided herein. The embodiments of the digital up-converter, in combination with the N-channel modulator, are capable of efficiently filling the spectrum of one or more RF signals with one or more types of information signals. For example, the digital up-converter can fill the spectrum of one or more RF signals with both broadcast and narrowcast video and data signals. In addition, the digital up-converter is capable of flexibly mapping the information signals to one or more channels of the one or more RF signals using a novel, three-level switching architecture. |
| US08369432B2 |
Base station apparatus and reception band control method
A mobile station (14) transmits a signal after connection is established, by using the same number of subcarriers as the number of subcarriers equal to or smaller than a predetermined number used for transmitting a connection request signal (TCCH). A base station (12) detects the number of subcarriers used for transmitting the connection request signal (TCCH) (S106), and controls in accordance with the detected number of subcarriers the passband width of a bandpass filter having a passband with a variable width accommodating the predetected number of subcarriers, for separating a signal of the mobile station (14) falling within the passband from a received signal (S108). |
| US08369427B2 |
Method and apparatus for symbol transmission in an OFDM mobile communication system
A mapping method and an apparatus, which uniformly distribute bits included in transmission symbols to various resource blocks in mapping the transmission symbols to the resource blocks for transmission in an OFDMA mobile communication system. A sub-packet generator generates a sub-packet by selecting symbols from coded symbols including a first bit group and a second bit group, the first bit group having a different priority than the second bit group. A divider divides each bit group of the sub-packet into as many bit streams as previously allocated resource blocks. A resource block mapper maps the divided bit streams to the resource blocks, respectively, and outputs the bit streams for transmission. |
| US08369426B2 |
Reducing the effect of noise in a multi-channel telecommunication receiver
A telecommunication receiver provided according to the present invention is implemented to receive a first signal containing information and noise on a first set of sensors and a second signal containing only noise on a second set of sensors. Receiver then decodes the information using first signal and second signal. In one embodiment, a bonded DSL receiver with k signals sensors is implemented with additional s number of noise only sensors to receive only noise. Accordingly, joint demodulation is performed using signals received on k signals sensors and s noise only sensors. The noise sensor is implemented in common mode. |
| US08369419B2 |
Systems and methods of video compression deblocking
An exemplary video decoder comprises: an entropy decoder; a spatial decoder; combining logic; and an inloop deblocking filter. The entropy decoder receives an incoming coded bit stream. The spatial decoder receives the output of the entropy encoder and produces an encoded picture comprising a plurality of pixels. The combining logic combines a current picture with a prediction picture to produce a combined picture. The inloop deblocking filter receives the combined picture. The inloop deblocking filter comprises: logic configured to filter a predefined pixel group; and logic configured to filter each of the remaining pixel groups in the plurality after the predefined pixel group, according to a corresponding set of taps in a plurality of sets of taps, if the predefined pixel group meets a criteria. |
| US08369415B2 |
Method and apparatus for decoding an enhanced video stream
A method of decoding an enhanced video stream composed of base layer video access units and enhancement layer video access units, each access unit comprising a plurality of syntax structures, includes passing the syntax structures of the base layer access units to a base layer buffer, passing syntax structures of the enhancement layer access units to an enhancement layer buffer, outputting the syntax structures passed to the base layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, outputting the syntax structures passed to the enhancement layer buffer in a predetermined sequence, and recombining the sequences of syntax structures output by the base layer buffer and the enhancement layer buffer respectively to form a complete enhanced access unit, composed of base layer syntax structures and enhancement layer syntax structures in a predetermined sequence. |
| US08369405B2 |
Method and apparatus for motion compensated frame rate up conversion for block-based low bit rate video
A method and apparatus for video frame interpolation using a current video frame, at least one previous video frame, and a set of transmitted motion vectors is described. A first set of motion vectors is created as a function of the set of transmitted motion vectors. An intermediated video frame is identified, where the intermediate video frame having a plurality of non-overlapping blocks. Each non-overlapping block is assigned with at least one motion vector chosen from the first set of motion vectors to create a set of assigned motion vectors. Then, a second set of motion vectors is created as a function of the assigned set of motion vectors. A video frame is generated using the second set of motion vectors. |
| US08369401B1 |
System and method of bit allocation in scene change situations
The invention relates to a method of bit allocation in a scene change situation during encoding a video sequence. Following a scene change, the picture complexity of the current picture is adjusted so that the bit allocation for the next picture is more accurately estimated. |
| US08369399B2 |
System and method to combine multiple video streams
Methods and systems for combining multiple video streams are provided. Video feeds are received from multiple optical sensors, and homography information and/or corner metadata is calculated for each frame from each video stream. This data is used to mosaic the separate frames into a single video frame. Local translation of each image may also be used to synchronize the video frames. The optical sensors can be provided by an airborne platform, such as a manned or unmanned surveillance vehicle. Image data can be requested from a ground operator, and transmitted from the airborne platform to the user in real time or at a later time. Various data arrangements may be used by an aggregation system to serialize and/or multiplex image data received from multiple sensor modules. Fixed-size record arrangement and variable-size record arrangement systems are provided. |
| US08369396B2 |
Communication signal receiver and signal processing method thereof
A communication signal receiver includes an adder, a slicer, and an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. The adder performs an addition on a first signal and a filtered signal to generate an output signal. The slicer performs a hard decision on the output signal to generate a detecting result. The IIR filter is coupled to the slicer and the adder for processing the output signal to generate the filtered signal. The communication signal receiver further includes a decoder. The decoder receives and decodes the output signal to generate a decoded output signal, wherein the decoder is a Viterbi decoder. |
| US08369395B2 |
Portable apparatus and method of measuring wireless channel and multiple antenna correlation
A portable apparatus including: a Radio Frequency (RF) unit to control a frequency of a signal to be measured, to broadcast the signal to be measured through multiple transmission antennas, to control a frequency of a received signal, and to send the received signal to the baseband unit, the received signal being received through multiple receiving antennas; and a baseband unit to generate and transmit, to the RF unit, the signal to be measured, to measure wireless channels for each of the multiple transmission antennas and wireless channels for each of the multiple receiving antennas based on the received signal output from the RF unit, to calculate a correlation for each of the multiple transmission antennas, and to calculate a correlation for each of the multiple receiving antennas based on the wireless channels for each of the multiple transmission and receiving antennas. |
| US08369386B2 |
Receiver, signal processing method and program
A receiver includes a receiving unit that receives a signal from a satellite, a frequency conversion-discretization unit that converts the signal received in the receiving unit into an intermediate frequency signal of a frequency bandwidth including 0 Hz, and discretizes the frequency-converted intermediate frequency signal with a predetermined sampling frequency, a filter unit that filters the discretized signal, which is output from the frequency conversion-discretization unit, through a predetermined filter, a synchronization acquisition unit that acquires synchronization of a spreading code in the discretized signal filtered by the filter unit, and a synchronization holding unit that holds the synchronization of the spreading code, which is acquired by the synchronization acquisition unit. |
| US08369381B2 |
Method, transmitter and receiver for spread-spectrum digital communication by Golay complementary sequence
The frequency spectrum of a transmitter system is spreaded in the transmitter (1) through the codification of information bits by means of sequence pairs of Golay complementary sequences. The spectrum is received in the receiver (2) and is subject to a filter, which is adapted to the features of such sequences enabling the detection of digital levels corresponding to the original transmitted information. If pairs of orthogonal sequences, A amplitudes for modulating data, and N-PSK modulation are used, it is possible to get a transmission speed (C) equal to:Where B is to the null-to-null spread bandwidth used in Hertz. It allows an improvement in quality as compared to other digital-communication systems, which use spread spectrum techniques and CDMA, obtaining a process gain independent of the transmission speed. |
| US08369380B2 |
Transmitter, receiver, and mobile communication system
A transmitter includes: spread code multiplying means that multiplies a symbol indicating a reference signal by spread code to generate a chip sequence after spreading; chip pattern generation means that generates a chip pattern by performing chip repetition a predetermined repetition number of times on the chip sequence after spreading; and multiplying means that multiplies a signal having the chip pattern by a phase specific to the transmitter. |
| US08369377B2 |
Adaptive link communications using adaptive chaotic spread waveform
Systems (100) and methods (700) for providing a communications link with a power-limited communication transmitter (102) positioned remotely from an intended receiver system (104). The methods involve channel encoding a carrier signal with data provided at the power-limited communication transmitter to form an information signal. The methods also involve generating a chaotic spreading sequence based on a chaotic number sequence. The chaotic spreading sequence has a magnitude that is constant and a variable arbitrary phase angle comprising phase values which are uniformly distributed over a predetermined range of angles. A spread spectrum signal is formed by multiplying the information signal by the chaotic spreading sequence. The spread spectrum signal has an adjustable amplitude characteristic and a zero autocorrelation. The spread spectrum signal is transmitted from the power-limited communication transmitter to the intended receiver system. |
| US08369374B2 |
Light source device
A light source device wherein the high-temperature plasma state after the start of the lighting is maintained stably and the light emission can be maintained stably and a decrease of the lighting life cycle by means of a heating of the light emission tube is suppressed comprises a light emission tube, in which a light emitting means is enclosed, and a pulsed laser oscillator part emitting a pulsed laser beam towards said light emission tube, wherein a continuous-wave laser oscillator part is provided emitting a continuous-wave laser beam towards said light emission tube. |
| US08369373B2 |
Pre-ionization method for CO2 gas-discharge laser
An RF powered CO2 gas-discharge laser includes discharge electrodes and a lasing gas mixture between the electrode. The lasing gas mixture is ionized when the RF power is applied to the electrodes and laser action is initiated when the RF power has been applied for a duration sufficient to ignite a discharge in the lasing gas mixture. The gas mixture is pre-ionized by periodically applying the RF power to the electrodes for a predetermined period during which ignition of a discharge is not expected to occur. RF power reflected back from the electrodes is monitored. If the monitored power falls below a predetermined level indicative of the imminent onset of laser action before the predetermined duration has elapsed, application of the RF power to the electrodes is terminated to prevent the laser action from occurring. |
| US08369368B2 |
Laser driving device, laser driving method, optical unit, and light device
Disclosed herein is a laser driving device including: a sample-hold section; a first pulse generating section; a second pulse generating section; a light emission waveform generating section; a storing section; and a sampling pulse generating section. |
| US08369361B2 |
Early termination of low data rate traffic in a wireless network
Systems and techniques are disclosed relating to wireless communications, and more specifically, to various systems and techniques for early termination of low rate traffic in a wireless network. A physical layer packet (PLP) grouping factor K configures the PLP into K groups and an ACK/NAK is received on each group. |
| US08369358B1 |
Termination of network connections in absence of a dynamic network interface
A network access device is described that uses a modified lower layer two (L2) software interface that is enhanced to operate as a proxy for a dynamic upper L2 software interface when the upper L2 software interface has been torn down, i.e., terminated unbeknownst to a subscriber device. The lower L2 software interface may, for example, be extended to incorporate certain features of the upper L2 software interface to detect such a condition. In the absence of the upper L2 software interface, the lower L2 interface may output a simulated termination request on behalf of the upper L2 interface and in accordance with the upper L2 protocol. |
| US08369350B2 |
Method for transmitting and receiving frame in wireless LAN
The transmission delay of a voice frame can be reduced by performing internal collision resolution and frame aggregation according to the presence or absence of a voice frame awaiting transmission in a MAC layer, thereby reducing an end-to-end voice transmission delay time for a VoIP service. |
| US08369348B2 |
Method, and system, and computer program product for dynamically adjusting acknowledgement filtering for high-latency environments
A system and method for adjusting the filtering of acknowledgments (ACKS) in a TCP environment. State variables are used to keep track of, first, the number of times an ACK has been promoted into (a variable which can be stored on a per-packet basis along with the session ID), and second, the number of times an ACK is allowed to be promoted into (which can be global, or can be stored per-session). |
| US08369347B2 |
Fiber channel over Ethernet and fiber channel switching based on Ethernet switch fabrics
An apparatus comprising a Converged Port Controller (CPC) comprising a plurality of first ports and a plurality of second ports, and an Ethernet Switch Fabric (ESF) coupled to the second ports, wherein the CPC is configured to receive a plurality of Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) frames on the first ports, modify at least some of the FCoE frames, thereby producing modified FCoE frames, and transmit the FCoE frames on the second ports. An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a plurality of FCoE frames, a plurality of Fiber Channel (FC) frames, and a plurality of Ethernet frames, modifying the FCoE frames, thereby producing modified FCoE frames, encapsulating the FC frames in an Ethernet format, thereby producing a plurality of second FCoE frames, and switching the modified FCoE frames, the second FCoE frames, and the Ethernet frames using an Ethernet switch fabric. |
| US08369346B2 |
Method and system for restricting a node from communicating with other nodes in a broadcast domain of an IP (internet protocol) network
Method and system for restricting a first node in a broadcast domain of an IP (Internet Protocol) network from communicating with one or more other nodes. Each of the first node and the one or more other nodes has a respective translation table that maps an IP address to a respective physical address of all nodes with which the first node and the one or more other nodes have communicated. Embodiments of the invention describe obtaining communicated data including address resolution messages and accessing an address resolution table representative of address resolution activity in the network. Responsive to the communicated data indicating that the first node is communicating with other nodes, restricting the first node from communicating by generating and conveying a restricting address resolution message using information stored in the address resolution table, the restricting address resolution message including a substitute physical address. |
| US08369344B1 |
Customer isolation using a common forwarding database with hardware learning support
A network switch includes a plurality of isolated ports, each associated with a private domain. The switch also includes a network port associated with the private domain. A memory in the switch maintains a hardware-based forwarding table for the private domain. Processing logic in the network switch prevents forwarding of packets between isolated ports within the private domain based at least in part on a privacy level associated with each entry in the hardware-based forwarding table for the private domain. |
| US08369341B2 |
Multiplexing apparatus and receiving apparatus
Provided are: a multiplexing apparatus for comparing priorities, selecting multiplexed data in an arbitrary output rate, and outputting the multiplexed data; and a receiving apparatus for combining data outputted from the multiplexing apparatus in a time sequential order, and thereafter outputting the data. A multiplexing apparatus (1) includes: a multiplexing buffer (2) that receives and temporarily stores encoded units to which respective priorities have been added; a multiplexing control unit (4) for sequentially selecting, based on the priorities and data amounts of the encoded units, encoded units each having respective data amounts which can be transmitted in a unit time and also having a higher priority than any other one; and a multiplexing unit (3) for sequentially selecting and multiplexing, under control of the multiplexing control part, encoded units, from among the encoded units stored in the multiplexing buffer, each of which has a respective data amount which can be transmitted in the unit time and also has a higher priority than any other one, and outputting the encoded units. |
| US08369333B2 |
Method and apparatus for transparent cloud computing with a virtualized network infrastructure
A capability is provided for providing transparent cloud computing with a virtualized network infrastructure. A method for enabling use of a resource of a data center as an extension of a customer network includes receiving, at a forwarding element (FE), a packet intended for a virtual machine hosted at an edge domain of the data center, determining a VLAN ID of the VLAN for the customer network in the edge domain, updating the packet to include the VLAN ID of the VLAN for the customer network in the edge domain, and propagating the updated packet from the FE toward virtual machine. The edge domain supports a plurality of VLANs for a respective plurality of customer networks. The packet includes an identifier of the customer network and a MAC address of the virtual machine. The VLAN ID of the VLAN for the customer network in the edge domain is determined using the identifier of the customer network and the MAC address of the virtual machine. The FE may be associated with the edge domain at which the virtual machine is hosted, an edge domain of the data center that is different than the edge domain at which the virtual machine is hosted, or the customer network. Depending on the location of the FE at which the packet is received, additional processing may be provided as needed. |
| US08369328B2 |
System and method for efficient delivery of multi-unicast communication traffic
Disclosed is a system and method for the delivery of multi-unicast communication traffic. A multimedia router is adapted to analyze and identify contents which it handles and one or more access nodes are adapted to receive one or more of the identified contents, cache contents based on said identification; and use cached contents as substitutes for redundant traffic, received by the same access node. |
| US08369327B2 |
Application interface for global message delivery
A device, system, and method are directed towards communicating mobile information over a network. A mobile message (MM) is generated by an Internet Protocol (IP) enabled application interface. The MM may include advertising information. The MM is received at a routing server and comprises a destination phone number and/or advertising information. If the MM is determined to be locally processed, the routing server selectively routes the MM to a destination carrier associated with the destination phone number. If the MM is determined to be remotely processed, the MM is recursively forwarded until the MM reaches another routing server associated with the destination phone number. The other routing server is configured to selectively route the MM to the destination carrier. A response MM may be received at a boundary routing server. |
| US08369322B2 |
Tandem call admission control by proxy for use with non-hop-by-hop VoIP signaling protocols
Described are a method and system for determining whether to establish a call over an internet protocol (IP)-based network. A network device inspects an IP packet to determine that the IP packet conveys a message to initiate a call. The network device determines a shortest path through a link-state network to be taken by traffic associated with the call if the call is admitted. The network device also determines whether each link in the shortest path through the link-state network is available for supporting the traffic associated with the call and issues a message that rejects admission of the call if at least one link in the shortest path through the link-state network is unavailable for supporting the traffic associated with the call. |
| US08369317B2 |
Systems and methods for voice and data communications including a scalable TDM switch/multiplexer
A method for operating a communications system is disclosed. At a first point in time, the communications system is operated using a first TDM switch/MUX controlling a first set of TDM streams operating at a first frequency. At a second point in time, a second TDM switch/MUX is installed in the communications system which controls the first set of TDM streams operating at the first frequency and also controls a second set of TDM streams operating at a second frequency that is different as compared to the first frequency. The second TDM switch/MUX couples TDM streams to and from the communications system at the first frequency, while concurrently coupling TDM streams to and from the communications system at the second frequency, and an upgradable switch/MUX capability is provided in the communications system. |
| US08369309B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system broadcasts a control signal at a first frequency band from a base station and allocates additional frequency band(s) for transmitting data via terminal(s). A control signal at the first frequency band indicates the location of the additional frequency band(s) and is not transmitted over the additional frequency band(s). Wireless data transmission is simultaneously performed over the first frequency band and the additional frequency band(s). Each terminal receives the control signal, which is used in time-synchronizing frames between the wireless data transmission at the first frequency band and the wireless data transmission at the additional frequency band(s). The control signal also includes control data for managing wireless data transmission between the base station and the terminal(s) at the first frequency band, and is utilized instead of a control signal at the additional frequency band(s). |
| US08369308B2 |
Remote I/O system and synchronization method in the same
The object of the present invention is to provide a synchronization method that enables more accurate synchronization on a clock included in each I/O node, in a node that forms a remote I/O system where a master node and I/O nodes communicate each other.The master node includes a clocking means 14 for indicating the current time; a beacon recognizing means for detecting a reception of a beacon that is sent from a wireless LAN access point 3; a time detecting means 12 for determining a time stamp indicating when the reception of the beacon is detected based on the time indicated by the clocking means 14; a master list generating means 13 for generating a master list that is a list of the time stamp; and a master list sending means for sending the master list to the I/O nodes 2 through the wireless LAN access point 3, and the beacon contains a TSF timer value for identifying the beacon, and the master list contains the TSF timer value of the beacon corresponding to the time stamp indicating the time of the clocking means 14. |
| US08369302B2 |
System and method for mapping reference signal sequence in advanced long term evolution system
The present invention provides a method and system for mapping a reference signal sequence in an advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE) system, and the method and the system are used to map the reference signal sequence to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing symbol of l. The method includes: when the system uses a normal cyclic prefix, determining the symbol l according to an expression, and mapping the reference signal sequence to a location of a sub-carrier k on the symbol l of an antenna port p. The system includes: a mapping module, a first acquiring module and a second acquiring module. The system and the method which are provided ensure the transmission performance while ensuring the interference randomization. In addition, the system and the method are compatible with existing LTE systems, thus realizing high-order Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) transmission, supporting the usage of the corresponding techniques. |
| US08369300B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting by using transmit diversity at DFT spread OFDMA
The present invention relates to a packet data transmission method in an OFDMA system and an apparatus thereof. The present invention provides a user packet data transmission method including generating a RACH burst for channel information estimation, selecting a first antenna among a plurality of antennas, transmitting the RACH burst through the first antenna to a base station, receiving a data transmission acceptance signal from the base station, in response to the RACH burst, transmitting user packet data through the first antenna when receiving a signal indicating that the data transmission is allowed, and selecting a second antenna that is difference from the first antenna and transmitting a RACH burst through the second antenna when receiving a signal indicating that the data transmission is not allowed, and a transmitting apparatus of a mobile station having the plurality of antennas. According to the present invention, the RACH burst and user packet data are transmitted by using a mobile station having a plurality of antennas in an LTE-applied OFDMA system, and therefore data transmission can be performed with a wide bandwidth and high data rate and a deep fading period that may occur during the data transmission can be reduced, thereby preventing call dropping and improving data transmission performance. |
| US08369299B2 |
Method and apparatus for multiplexing CDM pilot and FDM data
Techniques for sending control information in a wireless communication system are described. In an aspect, a user equipment (UE) may send data for control information in a resource block with frequency division multiplexing (FDM) and may send pilot in the resource block with frequency-domain code division multiplexing (CDM). The UE may determine multiple groups of subcarriers to use to send data in multiple symbol periods of the resource block based on a predetermined pattern or a pseudo-random hopping pattern. Each group may include consecutive subcarriers to support localized FDM. The multiple groups may include different subcarriers to provide frequency diversity and possibly interference averaging. The UE may send modulation symbols for data (e.g., in the time domain) on the multiple groups of subcarriers in the multiple symbol periods. The UE may send a reference signal sequence for pilot on multiple subcarriers in each symbol period for pilot. |
| US08369298B2 |
Method for establishing network connections between stationary terminals and remote devices through mobile devices
A technique is provided for a seamless and transparent handoff from a user's mobile device to the user's stationary terminal of a network address of a remote device for the purpose of establishing a direct communication channel between the stationary terminal and a remote device, where the remote device first contacted the user's mobile device to initiate communications with the user. |
| US08369295B2 |
Method to provide connectivity and power for different aircraft sub-systems varying in levels of criticality and intended purposes while using a single partitioned airborne local area network (ALAN)
System for providing non-flight critical aircraft sub-system communication, over an ALAN, meeting DO-254/DO-178 certification. This system deterministically makes data available to each aircraft sub-system without regard to specific bandwidth requirements. This system network supports functions that are certified on a non-interference basis. The system network deterministically places all non-required functionality into a low priority to assure that all required data functions sets are not dropped. One aspect of this system is how the clients are able to join sessions. In this system, network clients are preprogrammed based on their hardware coding to be able to join a specific LVAN, or LVANs, in accordance with their predetermined functions. The present system is an ALAN based on a ring Ethernet topology, for redundancy, which provides two paths to each connection point without requiring all the wiring associated with a star wiring topology. |
| US08369294B2 |
IP telephone terminal and computer readable storage medium
An IP telephone terminal and a method for controlling IP telephone terminal capable of performing IP telephone communication upon receiving information from a conversation application through a user interface provided with a microphone and a loud speaker when a conversation is to be performed with the microphone and the laud speaker. The IP telephone terminal is connected to an internet. The terminal has a mouse and a keyboard operable as an operation input device, and a microphone and a loud speaker operable as an audio input device. A first selecting unit selects the operation input device of an interface device, and a second selecting unit selects the audio input device of the interface device. A third selecting unit selects one of the interface devices. A first control part controls the first selecting unit so that the first selecting unit selects the operation input device of the interface device selected by the third selecting unit. A second control part controls the second selecting unit so that the second selecting unit selects the audio input device of the interface device selected by the third selecting unit. |
| US08369279B2 |
Method and system for iterative multiple frequency hypothesis testing with cell-ID detection in an E-UTRA/LTE UE receiver
A mobile device receives a signal comprising a PSS and a SSS. The mobile device performs iterative MFHT utilizing a reduced number of MFH branches. At each iteration, frequency offset estimation and Cell-ID detection are concurrently performed. An iteration starts with selecting initial frequency offsets spanning a frequency offset estimation range. The selected initial frequency offsets are placed in the MFH branches. A particular MFH branch with a maximum PSS correlation peak magnitude is selected at the iteration. A frequency offset estimate in the selected MFH branch is utilized for frequency control. The frequency offset estimation range utilized for the current iteration is reduced for the next iteration. A Cell-ID is declared if the Cell-ID is consistently detected not only within a particular iteration on the basis of having detected consistent cell ID information for the first and second halves of a radio frame, but also from iteration to iteration. |
| US08369278B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending control signaling
A method for sending control signaling, including: a transmitter using different states of one field in the control signaling to indicate the payload size or RV; and sends the control signaling indicative of the payload size or RV in the field. It is appropriate that some states of one field indicate different payload sizes, and the remaining states of the field indicate different RVs. An apparatus for sending control signaling is disclosed. The apparatus may be integrated in a base station, and may include a control signaling generating unit and a control signaling sending unit. |
| US08369277B2 |
Signaling for wireless communications
A communication system, such as a wireless CDMA system, detects markers with fewer errors by having field units transmit the markers at different power levels (e.g., 9 dB for one marker and 11 dB for another marker). The difference in power levels of the markers allows the base station to identify the request markers using alternative criteria with a low probability of error, where the alternative criteria may include comparing the markers to respective energy level thresholds, monitoring occupancy of time slots, occupancy of mutually exclusive code channels, or combinations thereof. For example, in one particular embodiment, a request marker, which is generally a high priority marker, is transmitted with higher power, which improves the probability of detection and reduces the probability of false detection of the request marker. |
| US08369275B2 |
Adaptive allocation for variable bandwidth multicarrier communication
Data is distributed among the channels of an asynchronous data subscriber loop (ADSL) communications system in accordance with an adaptive algorithm which from time to time measures the signal to noise ratio of the various channels and finds a margin for each channel dependent on achievement (where possible) of a given bit error rate and a desired data transmission rate. The margin distribution is achieved by augmenting the constellation signal to noise ratio to enhance computational efficiency and allow redetermination of bit allocation tables during transmission as necessary. Pairs of bit allocation tables are maintained at the transmitter and receiver and one table of each pair at the transmitter and receiver is updated while the other pair is in use for controlling communication. |
| US08369268B2 |
Multiple device to one-antenna combining circuit and methods of using same
A multiple device to one-antenna combining circuit for transferring wireless communication signals from a first and second wireless communication device connected to a donor antenna is described. The circuit comprises a first single-stage circulator configured to be coupled to a transmission-reception path of the first wireless communications device; a two-stage circulator coupled to the first single-stage circulator and configured to be coupled a transmission-reception path of the second wireless communications device; a two-way splitter coupled to the two-stage circulator and configured to be coupled a transmission-reception path of the donor antenna; and a second single-stage circulator coupled between the two-way splitter and the first single stage circulator. The wireless transmissions of the first wireless communications device travel from the first signal stage circulator to the two-stage circulator to the two-way splitter to the donor antenna. The first wireless device can be a repeater. The second wireless device can be a telemetry radio. Methods of using the circuit are also provided. |
| US08369267B2 |
Technique for controlling establishment of a tandem-free transcoder operation
The invention relates to a technique for controlling establishment of a tandem free operation (TFO) for transfer of TFO frames including content frames between a first and a second transcoder unit without transcoding of the content frames. A method aspect of the technique comprises the steps of transmitting, in case a remotely used codec does not meet a codec compatibility condition, a first transparent mode message indicating to in-path equipment a transparent mode for subsequent transparent TFO negotiation, and transmitting, in the transparent mode, a TFO configuration frame indicating a local TFO codec list. |
| US08369264B2 |
Method and system for selecting and providing a relevant subset of Wi-Fi location information to a mobile client device so the client device may estimate its position with efficient utilization of resources
Methods and systems for selecting and providing a relevant subset of Wi-Fi location information to a mobile client device so the client device may estimate its position with efficient utilization of resources.A method of providing a relevant subset of information to a client device is based in part on scanning for Wi-Fi access points within range of the client device, using a Wi-Fi database that covers a large target region to retrieve information about these access points, using this information to estimate the position of the mobile client device, selecting a limited region in the vicinity of the estimated location of the client device, and providing information about Wi-Fi access points within this limited region to the client. For efficient transfer and maintenance of data, the target region may be divided into a hierarchy of fixed geographical tiles. |
| US08369262B2 |
Automated logon for diverse network access
The present invention allows a mobile terminal to automatically log on to an access network, and potentially log on to an entity on the access network or associated network based on the communication zone from which communications are afforded. The mobile terminal can detect one or more available access points associated with one or more communication zones and determine the most appropriate communication zone to use when obtaining network access. Based on the selected communication zone, the mobile terminal will obtain logon information from a logon profile. The logon information will provide sufficient information to allow the mobile terminal to obtain network access via the appropriate access point. Additional logon information may be provided for logging on to a network entity once network access is afforded. |
| US08369260B2 |
Power level of transmitted control channel symbol
Channel estimation accuracy is improved by adjusting the power level of a physical control channel allocated to a receiver based on the transmission rate and/or transport format of a corresponding physical data channel allocated to the same receiver. The physical control channel may be a DPCCH, E-DPCCH or other type of physical control channel allocated to a receiver for facilitating uplink or downlink communication. Regardless, the control channel power level is optimized for channel estimation as a function of data transmission rate and/or transport format. In one embodiment, control channel symbols are transmitted for use in channel estimation by adjusting the power level of a physical control channel allocated to a receiver based on the transmission rate and/or transport format of a physical data channel allocated to the receiver (200). Control channel symbols are transmitted to the receiver over the physical control channel at the adjusted power level (202). The receiver uses the control channel symbols to perform channel estimation (204). |
| US08369255B2 |
Uniform out-of-service search for wireless communication systems
Techniques for performing uniform out-of-service (UOOS) search to detect for wireless systems are described. The UOOS search is “uniform” in that sleep cycle and/or awake period are fixed. A wireless device transitions to an OOS state upon detection of OOS conditions for a radio access technology (RAT). The wireless device performs system search during the awake period of each sleep cycle while in the OOS state. The awake period may have a first fixed time duration, and the sleep cycle may have a second fixed time duration. In each awake period, the wireless device may either start a new search or resume a prior search based on saved state information if the search was not completed in a prior awake period. In each awake period, the wireless device may (i) start and complete a search for recently acquired frequency channels and systems and (ii) start or resume a search for other frequency channels and systems in one or more RATs. |
| US08369250B1 |
Multi-mode split band duplexer architecture
The present disclosure relates to a split-band duplexer architecture that takes advantage of a relationship between a frequency division duplex (FDD) transmit band, an FDD receive band, and a time division duplex (TDD) band, which has frequencies located between FDD transmit band frequencies and FDD receive band frequencies. As such, by splitting the FDD receive and transmit bands into two sub-bands, two separate sub-band duplexers may be used to fully support the FDD receive and transmit bands. Further, a passband of one of the sub-band duplexers may be widened to support the TDD band while transmitting, and a passband of the other of the sub-band duplexers may be widened to support the TDD band while receiving. By using sub-band duplexers, isolation margins and insertion loss margins may be increased, which may allow use of standard filter components, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters. |
| US08369249B2 |
Apparatus and method for managing a presentation of media content
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to detect a media device operating externally to the communication device actively engaged in presenting media content, detect an incoming communication session initiated by another communication device, present a notice identifying the media device and the media content being presented by the media device, detect a directive to modify an operation of the media device to mitigate interrupting a communication session with the other communication device, and instruct the media device to modify its operation according to the directive. Other embodiments are disclosed. |
| US08369247B2 |
Method and system for facilitating multi-point communications
A conferencing system, method and communication device for facilitating a conference call between a plurality of terminal devices is presented. The conference system comprises: a conference server for establishing the conference call; and re-connection means adapted to detect if a terminal device is disconnected from the conference call and to re-connect a terminal device to the conference call if it is detected that the terminal device is disconnected from the conference call. |
| US08369244B2 |
Method for operating an ethernet-capable field-bus device
The invention relates to a method for operating an Ethernet-capable field-bus device that can be connected to an arbitrary Ethernet-based communications unit by means of which data is transmitted using a predetermined communications protocol stack. For this purpose, a network management channel is initially established between the Ethernet-capable field-bus device (50) and a management device (30) connected to the communications network (20) using an Ethernet-based network management protocol that is installed both in the field-bus device (50) and also in the management device (30). The communications protocol stack installed in the management device (20) is then transmitted using the predetermined network management protocol from the management device (30) to the Ethernet-capable field-bus device (50), where it is stored. In this way, it is guaranteed that useful data can be transmitted using the communications protocol stack from and to the field-bus device (50) via the Ethernet-based communications network (20). |
| US08369243B2 |
Minimizing bandwidth costs for online games
Minimizing bandwidth cost for a participant in an online game, the method including: querying the game participant to determine a network service charge model; selecting a role for the game participant based on the determined network service charge model and a position of the participant in a network topology; and positioning the game participant into the selected role within the network topology of the online game. |
| US08369242B2 |
Efficient location discovery
Techniques are generally described for determining locations of a plurality of communication devices in a network. In some examples, methods for determining locations of a plurality of communication devices in a network may comprises formulating the determination as a quantitative problem based at least in part on one or more attributes between individual communication devices and one or more beacon nodes whose locations are known, wherein the quantitative problem is expressed in terms of an objective function, one or more constraints, and one or more models, and solving the quantitative problem to determine the location of at least a portion of the one or more communication devices, wherein the solving includes manipulation of at least the objective function, one of the one or more constraints or one of the one or more models. Additional variants and embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US08369241B2 |
Fast feedback contention-based ranging procedure in wireless communications systems
A fast feedback mechanism is provided in a contention-based ranging procedure. A Subscriber Station (SS) initializes a ranging procedure by sending a ranging code on a selected ranging opportunity for resource access to a Base Station (BS) on a shared ranging channel in a previous uplink frame. The SS also starts a time associated with the ranging code. In response to all received ranging opportunities, the BS broadcasts an acknowledgement (ACK) in a subsequent downlink frame. The ACK comprises a reception status message that indicates the decoding status of the ranging opportunities. With the novel fast feedback mechanism, when ranging collision or failure occurs, upon receiving the reception status report, the SS will proceed with the next round of contention without continuing wait for the entire timeout period. As a result, the total latency due to the ranging collision or failure is reduced. |
| US08369233B2 |
Lane synchronisation
A method of monitoring a plurality of transmission lanes in a data transmission system includes the step of extracting individual lane parameters in the data transmission system independently of a transmitted training sequence. |
| US08369231B2 |
Communication device, communication method, control method for communication device, and communication system
A combination of devices in which communication parameters are to be set is selected on the basis of information indicating the capabilities of communication devices located on a network, and an unselected device is notified of termination of the setting of the communication parameters. Therefore, the communication parameters are set in a desired combination of devices, and the communication parameters are not set in an unintended pair of devices. |
| US08369228B2 |
Method for detecting radio link failure for transmission over enhanced dedicated channel in a cell—fach state
A method and apparatus are used for detecting a radio link (RL) failure and a post verification process. A quality of a downlink fractional dedicated physical channel (F-DPCH) is monitored once a transmission on an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) has begun. It is determined whether the quality of the downlink F-DPCH is below a predefined threshold. If the quality is below the predefined threshold, then an occurrence of an RL failure is declared and a transmission over the E-DCH in a cell forward access channel (CELL_FACH) state is terminated. In a case of the post verification failure, E-DCH resources are released. |
| US08369225B2 |
Network testing providing for concurrent real-time ingress and egress viewing of network traffic data
There is disclosed a system and method for implementing concurrent real-time ingress and egress viewing of network traffic data to evaluate the performance of a device under test. The method may be performed by a network testing system. |
| US08369224B1 |
Combining network endpoint policy results
An endpoint integrity system controls access to resources of a protected network for endpoint devices attempting to access the protected network. The system may include a number of evaluation modules that communicate with an endpoint device. The evaluation modules generate policy results for the endpoint device, in which each of the policy results assume one of three or more states, called a multi-state policy result. The multi-state policy results are combined to produce a combined Boolean policy result. |
| US08369222B2 |
System and method for multi-layer network analysis and design
Techniques for providing a method and system for multi-layer network analysis and design are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method, comprising determining, using a computer model of a network, a minimum probability of failure path between a pair of network nodes at a first network layer for one or more pairs of network nodes, calculating, using a processor and stored network data, a value for the minimum probability of failure for the identified minimum probability of failure path between the pair of network nodes at the first network layer for the one or more pairs of network nodes. The method may include identifying a maximum of the determined minimum probability of failure values for the one or more pairs of network nodes for the first network layer. The method may include probability of failure calculations for one or more secondary network layers. |
| US08369216B2 |
System and method of monitoring packets in flight for optimizing packet traffic in a network
Systems and methods of optimizing packet flow in a network are disclosed. An internetwork has a first network and plural second networks. A respective packet-in-flight counter is established for each one of the plural second networks and a respective maximum packet-in-flight indication for each one of the plural second networks. The respective packet-in-flight counter for each one of the plural second networks when a request packet is sent from any node in the first network to any node in that one of the plural second networks, or a response packet is received from any node that one of the plural second networks. it is determined whether a second request packet can be sent from any node in the first network to any of the plurality of nodes in one of the plural second networks, based on processing a value of the respective packet-in-flight counter for that one of the plural second networks and a value of the respective maximum packet-in-flight indication for that one of the plural second networks. The respective maximum packet-in-flight indication for each one of the plural second networks is adjusted based on a statistic that is indicative of roundtrip time for request packets sent from any node of the first network to any of the plurality of nodes in that one of the plural second networks. |
| US08369215B2 |
Call admission control method and system
A call admission control technique allowing flexible and reliable call admissions at an ATM switch in the case of an ATM network including both QoS-specified and QoS-unspecified virtual connections is disclosed. In the case where a QoS (Quality of Service) specified connection request occurs, an estimated bandwidth is calculated which is to be assigned to an existing QoS-unspecified traffic on the link associated with the QoS-specified connection request. A call control processor of the ATM switch determines whether the QoS-specified connection request is accepted, depending on whether a requested bandwidth is smaller than an available bandwidth that is obtained by subtracting an assigned bandwidth and the estimated bandwidth from a full bandwidth of the link. |
| US08369209B2 |
Method for processing collision between random access procedure and measurement gap
A method for processing a collision between a random access procedure and a measurement gap, which involves a terminal and a base station, and the terminal is configured with a measurement gap; the method includes: when the random access procedure is a contention-based random access procedure, the terminal cancels the measurement gap if a random access response window or the operating time of a contention resolution timer has an overlap with the measurement gap. The concrete solution, that the priority of the random access procedure is higher than that of the measurement gap in the method provided by the present invention, improves the reliability of the random access procedure, reduces failure probability of the random access procedure, reduces the delay of the random access procedure, and effectively utilizes a measurement gap. |
| US08369202B2 |
Objective lens for optical pickup and optical pickup device
An objective lens for an optical pickup device is provided with a light-source-side lens surface by which laser light is converged, and a disc-side lens surface by which the laser light converged on the light-source-side lens surface is converged. In this arrangement, assuming that a projection area S1 is an area of the light-source-side lens surface when the light-source-side lens surface is viewed from an optical axis direction of the objective lens, and a projection area S2 is an area of the disc-side lens surface lens surface when the disc-side lens surface lens surface is viewed from the optical axis direction of the objective lens, the projection area S1 and the projection area S2 satisfy the following formula: S1/S2≦2.0. |
| US08369189B2 |
Heat assisted narrow pole design with trailing shield
A TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) writer has a narrow pole tip with a trailing edge magnetic shield. The narrow pole tipped write head uses the energy of laser generated edge plasmons, formed in a plasmon generating layer, to locally heat a PMR magnetic recording medium below its Curie temperature, Tc. When combined with the effects of the narrow tip, this local heating to a temperature below Tc is sufficient to create good transitions and narrow track widths in the magnetic medium. The write head is capable of writing effectively on state-of-the-art PMR recording media having Hk of 20 kOe or more. |
| US08369185B2 |
Inter-diver signaling device and process
Taps on a beam-interrupt button of an underwater signaling transceiver are encoded as binary frequency shift-key modulated Golay codes, which are transmitted via 56-58 kHz compression waves generated by a ring-shaped electromechanical transducer. Light emitting diodes flash to signal the content of received signals and provide monitoring of the distance between divers. All components of the transceiver—except outer portions of input/output leads and a suction cup for attaching to the transceiver to a diver's mask—are completely encased in transparent plastic. The input/output leads allow an internal battery to be recharged, provide access to the internal processor for programming and data retrieval, and monitor whether the transceiver is submerged so that the transceiver can operate in an underwater mode or an above-water mode. Transceivers only communicate with other transceivers which use the same communication channel. Transceivers monitor their separation distances and flash a warning signal when nearing an out-of-range condition. |
| US08369182B2 |
Delay locked loop implementation in a synchronous dynamic random access memory
A clock applying circuit for a synchronous memory is comprised of a clock input for receiving a clock input signal, apparatus connected to the synchronous memory for receiving a driving clock signal, and a tapped delay line for receiving the clock input signal for delivering the clock driving signal to the synchronous memory in synchronism with but delayed from the clock input signal, the delay being a small fraction of the clock period of the clock input signal. |
| US08369180B2 |
Memory word line boost using thin dielectric capacitor
A memory includes a word line and a word line boost circuit. The word line boost circuit includes a capacitor having a capacitor dielectric thickness, and a transmission gate coupled to the word line and the capacitor. The transmission gate has a gate-dielectric thickness that is greater than the capacitor dielectric thickness. The word line boost circuit is configured to supply a high voltage that is higher than a power supply voltage to the word line during an operation of the memory by utilizing the capacitor. |
| US08369174B2 |
Power up signal generation circuit
A power-up signal generation circuit includes a fixed level transition voltage generation unit, a variable level transition voltage generation unit, a comparison unit, and a selective output unit. The fixed level transition voltage generation unit is configured to generate a fixed level transition voltage changing at a constant level of an external voltage. The variable level transition voltage generation unit is configured to generate a variable level transition voltage changing at a level of an external voltage which varies depending on temperature. The comparison unit is configured to compare the level of the fixed level transition voltage with the level of the variable level transition voltage, and generate a selection signal. The selective output unit is configured to output the fixed level transition voltage or the variable level transition voltage as a power-up signal in response to the selection signal. |
| US08369168B2 |
Devices and system providing reduced quantity of interconnections
Methods, devices and systems for reducing the quantity of external interconnections of a memory device are disclosed. Implementation of one such method, device and system includes inputting over an address bus a first portion of an address of a next row of memory cells to be activated. The first portion of the address of the next row of memory cells to be activated is embedded in a command related to the previously activated row of memory cells. The next row of memory cells is subsequently activated according to a concurrently received second portion of the address of the next row of memory cells also received over the address bus. The portioning of the address signals can reduce the width of the address bus and, therefore, the number of required respective external interconnections. |
| US08369166B2 |
Redundancy system for non-volatile memory
A redundancy scheme for Non-Volatile Memories (NVM) is described. This redundancy scheme provides means for using defective cells in non-volatile memories to increase yield. The algorithm is based on inverting the program data for data being programmed to a cell grouping when a defective cell is detected in the cell grouping. Defective cells are biased to either “1” or “0” logic states, which are effectively preset to store its biased logic state. A data bit to be stored in a defective cell having a logic state that is complementary to the biased logic state of the cell results in the program data being inverted and programmed. An inversion status bit is programmed to indicate the inverted status of the programmed data. During read out, the inversion status bit causes the stored data to be re-inverted into its original program data states. |
| US08369165B2 |
Synchronous signal generating circuit
A synchronous signal generating circuit. The synchronous signal generating circuit includes a delay locked loop (DLL), an emulator and a multiplexer. The DLL is operative to delay a reference clock signal according to a count value to generate a first output clock signal. The count value is generated according to phase difference between the first output clock signal and the reference clock signal. The emulator is operative to provide a function of the DLL and includes a programmable delay line which is operative to receive the reference clock signal and a reference count value, wherein the reference clock signal is delayed according to the reference count value to generate a second output clock signal. The multiplexer is operative to receive the first and second output clock signal and selectively output the first or second output clock signal. The first output clock signal is outputted in a first mode and the second output clock signal is outputted in a second mode. |
| US08369158B2 |
Erase operations and apparatus for a memory device
Erase operations and apparatus configured to perform the erase operations are suitable for non-volatile memory devices having memory cells arranged in strings. One such method includes biasing select gate control lines of a string of memory cells to a first bias potential, biasing access lines of a pair of the memory cells to a second bias potential and biasing access lines of one or more remaining memory cells to a third potential. A ramping bias potential is applied to channel regions of the string of memory cells substantially concurrently with or subsequent to biasing the select gate control lines and the access lines, and floating the select gate control lines in response to the ramping bias potential reaching a release bias potential between an initial bias potential of the ramping bias potential and a target bias potential of the ramping bias potential. |
| US08369147B2 |
Non-volatile multilevel memory cell programming
The present disclosure includes methods, devices, modules, and systems for programming multilevel non-volatile memory cells, each cell having a number of lower pages and an upper page. One method includes programming a first lower page, programming a second lower page, programming a third lower page, programming an upper page, and reprogramming the upper page of a cell. |
| US08369142B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a cell unit including a first and a second selection gate transistor and a memory string provided between the first and second selection gate transistors and composed of a plurality of serially connected electrically erasable programmable memory cells operative to store effective data; and a data write circuit operative to write data into the memory cell, wherein the number of program stages for at least one of memory cells on both ends of the memory string is lower than the number of program stages for other memory cells, and the data write circuit executes the first stage program to the memory cell having the number of program stages lower than the number of program stages for the other memory cells after the first stage program to the other memory cells. |
| US08369134B2 |
TFET based 6T SRAM cell
Memory devices and methods of operation are provided. A memory device includes first and second cross-coupled inverters and first and second access transistors coupled to an input node of the second inverter. The memory device also includes a control circuit for providing a first reference voltage at a first ground node of the first inverter and a second reference voltage at a second ground node of the second inverter. The first access transistor is configured to conduct current from a first bit line to the input node and to provide substantially no current conduction from the input node to the first bit line. The second access transistor is configured to conduct current from the input node to one of the first bit line and a second bit line and to provide substantially no current conduction from the input node to the one of first and second bit lines. |
| US08369128B2 |
Storage device and information rerecording method
A storage device capable of decreasing the number of voltages necessitating control and decreasing peripheral circuit size is provided. A first pulse voltage (VBLR) is supplied from a first power source through a bit line BLR to an electrode of a variable resistive element. A second pulse voltage (VWL) for selecting a cell is supplied from a second power source through a word line WL to a control terminal of a transistor. A third pulse voltage (VBLT) is supplied from a third power source though a bit line BLT to a second input/output terminal of the transistor. At the time of rewriting information, the voltage value (VBLT) of the third power source is adjusted by an adjustment circuit. Thereby, a cell voltage and a cell current are changed (decreased or increased). |
| US08369126B2 |
Memory device, manufacturing method for memory device and method for data writing
A memory device to which an electron beam is irradiated to store data therein is provided. The memory device includes a plurality of floating electrodes that store data through irradiation of the electron beam thereto, a charge amount detecting section that detects data stored in each of the floating electrodes based on a charge amount accumulated in each of the floating electrode. |
| US08369124B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus having sense amplifier
Disclosed is a semiconductor memory apparatus comprising an upper mat and a lower mat with a sense amplifier array region in between, where the sense amplifier array region includes a plurality of sense amplifiers. There is also a plurality of bit lines configured to extend toward the sense amplifier array region from the upper mat, and a plurality of complementary bit lines configured to extend toward the sense amplifier array region from the lower mat. Bit lines of the upper mat and complementary bit lines of the lower mat are configured to be alternately disposed at a predetermined interval in the sense amplifier array region, and the sense amplifier is configured to be formed between a bit line and a corresponding complementary bit line. |
| US08369121B2 |
System for dynamically managing power consumption in a search engine
The power consumption of a search engine such as a CAM device is dynamically adjusted to prevent performance degradation and/or damage resulting from overheating. For some embodiments, the CAM device is continuously sampled to generate sampling signals indicating the number of active states and number of compare operations performed during each sampling period. The sampling signals are accumulated to generate an estimated device power profile, which is compared with reference values corresponding to predetermined power levels to generate a dynamic power control signal indicating predicted increases in the device's operating temperature resulting from its power consumption. The dynamic power control signal is then used to selectively reduce the input data rate of the CAM device, thereby reducing power consumption and allowing the device to cool. |
| US08369118B2 |
Synchronous rectifying drive circuit with energy feedback for voltage doubler rectifer
A current-driven synchronous rectifying drive circuit designed for a T-type voltage doubler rectifier with an energy feedback circuit including a clamp and energy feedback circuit, a high frequency transformer, a current transducer, an energy storage capacitor, an output capacitor, a first and a second synchronous rectifier, and a first drive circuit connected to the first synchronous rectifier and a second drive circuit connected to the second synchronous rectifier. |
| US08369117B2 |
Power conversion system for eliminating low frequency ripple current and control method thereof
There is provided an integrated control method for eliminating a low frequency ripple in a power conversion system for a fuel cell, more particularly, a control method of a power conversion system capable of eliminating a low frequency ripple, controlling a DC link voltage, and controlling an output power and a system using the same control method. A power conversion system (PCS) that converts an output of a DC power supply received from an external power supply includes a converter that converts a voltage of the input power supply; an inverter that converts an output voltage of the converter into an AC voltage; and a converter control module that outputs a PWM signal for controlling a switch of the converter, and after receiving a power instruction value, the converter control module generates the PWM signal for controlling the converter based on the power instruction value. |
| US08369114B2 |
Power supply with output overcurrent detection and error latch protection
A power supply employs an error detecting circuit to output an error signal when detecting an overvoltage or overcurrent occurred in one of output powers and employs a latch trigger circuit to cause the power supply to enter a latch mode when receiving the error signal. The power supply will keep the latch mode when entering the latch mode until the AC power VAC is removed. In addition, the power supply employs the error detecting circuit to provide the accurate safety threshold value by the constant current source with temperature compensation function and stable constant current output. |
| US08369112B2 |
Multiphase resonant DC/DC converter
A DC/DC converter has three half-bridge-type current resonant DC/DC converters that are connected in parallel, have a phase difference of 120 degrees, and are operated at a frequency higher than a resonant frequency. Each of the three half-bridge-type current resonant DC/DC converters includes a transformer having a primary winding, a secondary winding, and a tertiary winding, a series circuit connected to both ends of a DC power source and including first and second switching elements, a series circuit connected to both ends of the first or second switching element and including a resonant reactor, the primary winding of the transformer, and a resonant capacitor, and a rectifying circuit to rectify a voltage generated by the secondary winding and output the rectified voltage to a smoothing capacitor. The tertiary windings are annularly connected to a reactor. |
| US08369110B2 |
Switching power supply device of half-wave rectification current resonance type and method for starting same
Object of this invention is to prevent deviating increase of switching frequency of a switching element for a half-wave rectification current resonance type switching power supply device in the process of a soft start operation. To solve the object, between output terminals of a direct current power source, a first switching element Q1 and a second switching element Q2 are connected in series. A primary winding of a transformer T1 and a current resonant capacitor Cri are connected to the second switching element Q2 in parallel. A gate control circuit is designed to gradually lengthen the on period of the first switching element Q1 and also designed to shorten the on period of the second switching element Q2 in time of the start operation. This makes it possible to perform a soft start without deviating from the frequency band required for voltage control. |
| US08369109B2 |
Self-oscillating bipolar transistor DC/AC/DC converter using a pulse forming timer
A self-oscillating DC/DC converter comprising: a first and a second input connection for application of an input DC voltage; a first and a second bipolar transistor, wherein each bipolar transistor has a control electrode, a reference electrode and a working electrode; at least one first coupling capacitor; wherein a first switching junction is formed by the junction of the working electrode and the reference electrode of the first bipolar transistor, and a second switching junction is formed by the junction of the working electrode and the reference electrode of the second bipolar transistor, wherein the first and the second switching junctions are connected in series with respect to the input DC voltage; a rectifier, with an output that is coupled to a first and a second output connection in order to provide an output DC voltage; a transformer, which has a primary winding, a secondary winding and at least one control winding; wherein the primary winding is coupled between a galvanic connection of the first and the second switching junction and the at least one coupling capacitor; wherein the secondary winding is coupled to the input of the rectifier; wherein each bipolar transistor has an associated control winding which is coupled to the control electrode of the respective bipolar transistor and at least one timer, which is coupled between the respectively associated control winding and the respective control electrode. |
| US08369108B2 |
Resonant power converting circuit
A resonant power converting circuit is provided, which includes a resonant converting unit, a control unit, a voltage detecting unit and a frequency modulation unit. The control unit outputs switching signals to the resonant converting unit to adjust an output of the resonant converting unit. The voltage detecting unit is configured to detect an output voltage of the resonant converting unit. The frequency modulation unit may adjust a lowest switching frequency of the control unit according to the detected output voltage so as to increase a gain of the resonant converting unit and an output stability of the resonant converting unit. |
| US08369106B2 |
Plasma display apparatus to reduce EMI emission
A plasma display apparatus having a structure of a base chassis to reduce EMI emission is provided. The plasma display apparatus includes a panel, a driving circuit, and a base chassis having at least one slit formed thereon. |
| US08369104B2 |
Cradling apparatus for portable communication device
A cradling apparatus for a portable communication device which sets a cradling angle and provides a sense of click engagement to cradle a housing at a plurality of angles. The cradling apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing cradled at a slant angle while facing the first housing, and a cradling portion provided between the first housing and the second housing such that the cradling portion sets a cradling angle to cradle the second housing at a selected one of a plurality of cradling angles with respect to the first housing and further provides a sense of click engagement. |
| US08369102B2 |
Computer system with riser card
A computer system includes a riser card. The riser card includes a board body and a first socket. The board body includes a first surface. The first socket is located on the first surface. A first socket height of the first socket relative to the first surface is in the range of about 15 mm to about 16 mm. |
| US08369101B2 |
PCI-E module
A PCI-E module includes a circuit board, an insulated housing and a plurality of connection terminals. Each connection terminal has a connection end and a welding end away from the connection end. The connection terminals are alternately and parallelly arranged in the housing to form a structure of the PCI-E module. The circuit board has a plurality of gold fingers on both sides of one end thereof, and each connection end of the connection terminals is electronically connected to the gold fingers. Each welding end of the connection terminals is bent down through and extends out of the housing. Therefore, the PCI-E module can be welded directly on a main board of a computer through the welding ends of the connection terminals. |
| US08369100B2 |
Power converter
A power converter is disclosed in which the structure of a connecting portion is highly resistant against vibration and has a low inductance. The power converter includes a plurality of capacitors and a laminate made up of a first wide conductor and a second wide conductor joined in a layered form with an insulation sheet interposed between the first and second wide conductors. The laminate comprises a first flat portion including the plurality of capacitors, which are supported thereon and electrically connected thereto, a second flat portion continuously extending from the first flat portion while being bent, and connecting portions formed at ends of the first flat portion and the second flat portion and electrically connected to the exterior. |
| US08369093B2 |
Mounting apparatus for expansion card and electronic device using the same
A mounting apparatus for mounting an expansion card to an electronic device includes a panel, a fixing bracket, and two locking members. The panel includes a rectangular plate and a frame. The fixing bracket is pivotably secured to the frame. The fixing bracket includes a contact portion and two pivot portions. The contact portion includes a first latching plate and a second latching plate. The first latching plate and the second latching plate cooperatively define a receiving space therebetween. Each of the two pivot portions includes a main plate, a stop plate, and a resilient portion. The two locking members are received in the two pivot portions. The top surface and a block plate of the expansion card are received in the receiving space. |
| US08369089B2 |
Fixing assembly
A fixing assembly for fixing a peripheral device having a positioning member is provided. The fixing assembly includes a bracket and a latching mechanism. The bracket is configured for accommodating the peripheral device. The latching mechanism is configured for fixing the peripheral device to the bracket. The bracket defines a guiding slot. The positioning member is slidable along the guiding slot. The latching mechanism includes a base and a latching portion slidably coupled to the base. The base is fixed to the bracket. The base defines a sliding slot corresponding to the guiding slot. The latching portion is slidably received in the sliding slot. When the peripheral device is inserted into the bracket at a predetermined position, the latching portion cooperates with the positioning member to fix the peripheral device to the bracket. |
| US08369086B2 |
Electronic device
An electronic device includes a housing, at least two elastic latching members, an inner frame received in the housing, and at least two fixing members. The housing defines at least two locking portions, the inner frame defines at least two fixing portions, the at least two elastic latching members are fixed to the corresponding fixing portions by the fixing members, and each of the elastic latching members protrudes from the corresponding fixing portion and is latched with the corresponding locking portions. |
| US08369085B2 |
Rotating shaft structure for screen and foldable portable electronic device
A rotating shaft structure for a screen is used for a foldable portable electronic device. The rotating shaft structure includes a fixing element, a first pivot element, and a second pivot element. The fixing element includes a fixing base and a pivot hole. The fixing base is connected to the foldable portable electronic device. The first pivot element can be pivoted in relation to the fixing element via the pivot hole. The second pivot element is disposed on the fixing element and adjacent to the first pivot element. When the pivoting angle is in a specific pivoting angle range, the first pivot element is pivoted to drive the second pivot element to increase the torsion of the rotating shaft structure. |
| US08369079B2 |
Carrier, storage enclosure and methods
There is disclosed a carrier (50) for a disk drive (100) for inserting a disk drive into a bay (22) of a storage enclosure (10), a storage enclosure and methods relating to the same. The carrier (50) comprises a housing for housing a said disk drive, and a latch member (61) slidably attached to the housing. The latch member has at least one latch part (64) for engaging with a corresponding engagement part of a said bay to latch the carrier (50) into position when the latch member (61) is slid in a latch direction to a latch position. |
| US08369076B2 |
Electronic device and moving mechanism thereof
A moving mechanism is provided, including a torsion hinge, a slider, a lock member, and an elastic member disposed on the slider. The torsion hinge has a first plate and a second plate rotatable relative to each other. The lock member is rotatable relative to the first plate, and the slider is movably disposed on the second plate. When the moving mechanism is in a closed state, the lock member is engaged with a slot portion of the second plate, so as to restrict the second plate in a predetermined angle. When the slider slides relative to the second plate to a critical position, the elastic member pushes the lock member to release from the slot portion, such that the second plate is rotatable to an open position. |
| US08369069B2 |
Avionics equipment carrier system with quick-mount housing and quick-mount modules
An avionics equipment carrier system for slide-in modules with data processing, data transmitting, data storage or data displaying devices, such as for example electronics printed circuit boards, network components, storage devices, display devices and the like, or power supply devices, includes a housing, at least one module rack for accommodating the slide-in modules and at least one backplane board with Ethernet connection architecture. When the dimensions of the housing comply with ARINC standards, and the housing is arranged for installation in an avionics module rack as a quick-mount housing, and any desired circuit boards of a specific standard format can be used in the slide-in modules which are designed as quick-mount modules. |
| US08369064B2 |
Ceramic capacitor and wiring board
A ceramic capacitor includes a capacitor body and a metal layer arranged on an outer surface of the capacitor body. The outer surface includes: a first capacitor major surface; a second capacitor major surface opposite to the first capacitor major surface in a thickness direction of the capacitor body; and a capacitor lateral surface between the first and second capacitor major surfaces. The capacitor body includes a first layer section and a second layer section. The first layer section includes a plurality of ceramic dielectric layers and a plurality of internal electrodes, wherein the ceramic dielectric layers and the internal electrodes are layered alternately. The second layer section is exposed at the first capacitor major surface, and includes a corner portion at a boundary between the first capacitor major surface and the capacitor lateral surface. The metal layer covers the corner portion of the second layer section. |
| US08369062B2 |
Detonation control system
According to certain embodiments, a detonation control system includes a controller circuit coupled to a manual switch and a detonation device. The detonation device is configured to activate an explosive. The controller circuit includes a memory operable to store one of a multiple time-to-fire settings representing a time delay from arming the detonation device to activation of the detonation device. The controller circuit is operable to store a first time-to-fire setting in the memory, store another of the multiple time-to-fire settings in the memory upon actuation of the manual switch, and repeat the step of storing another of the multiple time-to-fire settings in the memory for each actuation of the manual switch. |
| US08369060B2 |
Relay connection
A relay connection with at least two relays (K1, K2) connected in series or in parallel to a supply voltage (UV). In order to achieve a defined relay cut-out sequence should there be a dip in the supply voltage and consequently to increase safety, it is provided that the relays (K1, K2) have different minimum holding voltages (UHalt,min1; UHalt,min2) and/or inductive resistances (Rsp1; Rsp2). |
| US08369058B2 |
Compact secondary substation comprising a fault protection system, a method for fault protection in a compact secondary substation, and a control unit for performing the method
A Compact Secondary Substation including a fault protection system and a method for fault protection in Compact Secondary Substations (CSS). The CSS includes a Ring Main Unit (RMU), a transformer and a Low Voltage (LV) switchgear. The CSS includes a number of detectors, which detectors can be placed at least in one of the RMU, the transformer or in the LV switchgear, which detectors can be connected to a control unit, which control unit by fault detection by the detectors can activate a fast operating switch for grounding. By using the fast operating grounding switch and controlling this on the basis of the detectors placed inside the CSS, an active arc fault protection is achieved. The control unit also controls the fast operating grounding switch so that it works as a working grounding switch. |
| US08369056B2 |
Power supply control device, method for controlling power supply, program and power supply device
A power supply control device for controlling power supply to a pair of terminals to which a load is connected, comprising a voltage measuring part for measuring a voltage which has a predetermined relationship with the voltage of the pair of terminals, a short circuit detecting part for detecting whether a short circuit exists between the pair of terminals based on the measured voltage and for making power supply to the pair of terminals stop when existence of a short circuit is detected, and a constant current supplying part for supplying a constant current though the pair of terminals; wherein the short circuit detecting part is configured to detect that the previously detected short circuit is eliminated when the voltage measured by the voltage measuring part is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value upon supplying the constant current through the pair of terminals. |
| US08369053B2 |
Discharge protection apparatus and method of protecting an electronic device
A protection circuit apparatus comprises an electrostatic discharge circuit coupled to an isolation filter. The isolation filter comprises an inductor coupled to a ground-coupled capacitor, the inductor and the capacitor being coupled to the electrostatic discharge circuit. The inductor is also coupled to an electrostatic discharge sensitive device to be protected from an electrostatic discharge event. |
| US08369052B2 |
Modular circuit breaker
The present invention relates generally to a circuit breaker. More particularly, the invention encompasses a modular circuit breaker. The present invention is also directed to a novel a modular circuit breaker with a trip bar. The inventive two pole residential circuit breaker includes an Arc Fault and Ground Fault electronic detection system. The modular breaker design includes an electronic system used for tripping a designated mechanism pole which in turn trips the secondary mechanism pole. Electronic components are included that sense the continuous current flow through each mechanism pole simultaneously to determine when a trip event is needed. The electronic system of this invention includes a self diagnostic system with electronic visual indicators that display the method of which trip condition occurred. |
| US08369051B2 |
Circuit arrangement and method for increasing the safety of an electronic operating device
A circuit arrangement for increasing the safety of an electronic operating device comprising: mains input terminals (3), a mains input filter (1) with X capacitors (XC1, XC2), which are connected in parallel with the mains input terminals, a rectifier part (2) with a full-wave rectifier (D1-D4) and a smoothing capacitor (C1), which is connected between the output terminals of the full-wave rectifier (D1-D4), and a DC-DC voltage converter (4), which is connected to the output terminals of the rectifier part. When the mains voltage is disconnected from the terminals, a load is switched on for a defined time span, the load and the time span being matched in such a way that the load consumes the residual energy which is stored in the capacitors (XC1, XC2, C1), and thus lowers the voltage across the mains input terminals (3) to a value which is unhazardous for humans within a very short period of time. |
| US08369038B2 |
Method and system for distinguishing spatial and thermal defects on perpendicular media
Disclosed are a method and system for distinguishing spatial and thermal defects on perpendicular media. The magnetic domains of the perpendicular media are oriented to have a first polarity, scanned using a read head, oriented to have a second polarity and scanned again. The signals from the read head are combined to produce output signals having improved signal to noise ratios from which the locations of spatial and thermal defects can be identified and distinguished. |
| US08369037B2 |
Actuator assembly and optical system having the same
An actuator assembly including a slider configured to be slidable along a sliding direction; and a driving force applying unit comprising a plurality of contact portions disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a direction crossing the sliding direction of the slider and for applying force to the slider by vibrating the contact portions. An optical system including a lens assembly comprising a lens unit comprising at least one lens and a moveable lens frame supporting the lens unit; and an actuator assembly as disclosed above. A driving force applying unit including a plurality of contact portions configured to contact the base plate and disposed in the slider to be spaced apart from each other in a direction crossing the sliding direction and configured to apply force to the base plate by vibrating the contact portions. |