最新美国发明专利第2013-05-21期 - 专利汇|PatentHub专利检索|专利查询网|发明专利查询分析

Document	Document Title
US08447311B2	Radio communications system A radio communications system includes at least one terminal communication unit having one antenna that conducts a radio communication with a plurality of terminals; and at least one baseband modem that generates and decrypts a data signal, a cell being configured by at least one of the antenna, wherein the baseband modem divides a radio frequency band used for the radio communication into two or more subbands, generates and decrypts the data signal specific to each of the divided subbands, and allocates the data signal specific to the subband to the terminal communication unit, and wherein the terminal communication unit receives the data signal specific to the subband generated by the baseband modem, and forms the cell of each the subband by the data signal specific to the received subband.
US08447309B2	Intelligent routing of communications to an international number in a messaging service System(s) and method(s) are provided for intelligent routing of communication(s) to international number(s) in a messaging service. To route a communication that includes an international number, format of the communication is established. A text-only communication is delivered through a messaging service transport protocol (MSTP) suitable for text. A media-based communication intended for a plurality of recipients, e.g., a group message, is ungrouped, the international number is identified, and a new message is generated for a group of recipients that excludes a recipient associated with the international number. The new message is delivered through a MSTP suitable for media, whereas an exception handling procedure is conducted for the international number. In addition, to route the communication that includes an international number, network interoperability of predetermined MSTP can be assessed. The communication is delivered through the predetermined MSTP if it is interoperable. Conversely, the communication is routed as a media-based group message.
US08447305B2	Support for handoffs in high rate packet data systems The invention supports two types of handoffs. The first handoff is for an inter-AN cell selection where the source AN allows the AT to add a cell under the control of a different AN to its active set and then allows the AT to switch to the target AN. A bearer path is established between the source and target AN to transfer the packet data traffic using an exchange of messages to register the AT's movement from one BTS to another BTS. The A8/A10 connections remain anchored at the source AN and, hence, a bearer path is needed between the source and target AN to transfer the packet data traffic. The second handoff occurs when the source AN specifies a move of the AT to a new AN proactively. New connections are established at the target AN to support the AT, and the AT is subsequently moved to the target AN via the relevant air-interface messaging.
US08447301B2	Apparatus and method for improved handoffs in an EV-DV wireless network A base station for use in a 1xEV-DV/DO wireless network that communicates with mobile stations in its coverage area. The base station comprises a handoff controller for receiving a Handoff Request message from a first mobile station attempting to hand off to the base station. In response to receipt of the Handoff Request message, the handoff controller determines whether the available resources in the base station exceed a predetermined minimum threshold. If the available resources exceed the predetermined minimum threshold, the handoff controller allows the first mobile station to be handed off to the base station. Otherwise, the handoff controller prevents the first mobile station from being handed off to the base station.
US08447300B2	Method for selecting a cell of a network when a wireless communications device is turned on and corresponding wireless communications device Method for selecting a cell from a network when a wireless communications device is turned on, following a previous power down, comprising a process for obtaining (12) the current country code (CC) corresponding to the current location where the device is situated when it is switched on and, if the current country (CC) is different from the current country code (LCC) corresponding to the place where the device was located during the said previous power down, a search (14) for the possible presence of at least one set of parameters, stored in the device, associated with the said current country code and relating to a cellular environment having already allowed a network access, and, in the eventuality of such a presence, a selection (16) of the said cell using the set or sets of parameters as a first priority.
US08447298B2	Mobile station for cell selection and detecting radio link failure In a mobile station (UE) according to the present invention, an AS function is configured to notify, when detecting a failure in a radio link established with the radio base station is detected or when discovering a cell subject to a location registration by a cell selection process, a NAS function of the detection or the discovery; and the NAS function is configured to transmit, in response to the notification, a location registration request signal to a mobile switching center (MME).
US08447297B2	Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating control of control signaling performed by a mobile node operable in a radio communication system Apparatus (48), and an associated method, for facilitating effectuation of control over when a mobile node (12) operable in a communication system (10) generates control signaling pursuant to a control procedure (62), such as a network search and selection procedure (64) or a registration procedure (66). A determiner (52) determines whether prior-sent control signals appear to have been successfully delivered to the network. If not, a selector (54) selects whether to increase a wait period prior to commencement of a subsequent control procedure, such as another network searching and selection procedure.
US08447293B2	Methods and apparatus to analyze communication system transceivers Methods and apparatus to monitor communication system transceivers are disclosed. For example, the disclosed system may determine the number and locations of available cellular stations. An example method includes receiving a first message from a base station, receiving a second message from the base station, extracting a first parameter from the first message, extracting a second parameter different from first parameter from the second message, determining if the first message and the second message were received from the same base station based on the first parameter and the second parameter, and reporting that the first message and the second message were from the same base station if the first message and the second message were received from the same base station. Some implementations of the disclosed methods and apparatus enable pseudorandom number codes received over-the-air from base stations to be grouped by base station.
US08447292B2	Multi-link aircraft cellular system for simultaneous communication with multiple terrestrial cell sites The Multi-Link Aircraft Cellular System makes use of multiple physically separated antennas mounted on the aircraft, as well as the use of additional optional signal isolation and optimization techniques to improve the call handling capacity of the Air-To-Ground cellular communications network. These additional techniques can include polarization domain and ground antenna pattern shaping (in azimuth, in elevation, or in both planes). Further, if code domain separation is added, dramatic increases in capacity are realized. Thus, the Air-To-Ground cellular communications network can increase its capacity on a per aircraft basis by sharing its traffic load among more than one cell or sector and by making use of multiple physically separated antennas mounted on the aircraft, as well as the use of additional optional signal isolation and optimization techniques.
US08447276B2	Mobile terminal and method of controlling operation of the same The present invention relates to a mobile terminal and a method of controlling an operation of the same. The method of controlling an operation of a mobile terminal includes driving a web browser and access a specific website, displaying a web page provided by the specific website, and when any one of numeric enter keys is pressed, displaying an entry window for inputting a website address. Accordingly, a user interface of an intuitive and natural control fashion can be provided to a user.
US08447274B2	Managing voicemail greeting based on location of wireless communication device Disclosed are a method, system and computer program product for managing voicemail greetings on a wireless communication device based on the device's location. A user records location-specific voicemail greetings on the user's wireless communication device, and associates the greetings with specific locations. When an authorized caller calls the user's wireless communication device, the location of the user's wireless communication device is detected, and location information of the user's device is sent to a call switching component. The call switching component presents the caller with the voicemail greeting associated with the location of the user's wireless communication device. The date and time the user's wireless communication device entered the location can be provided via a timestamp and presented to the caller along with the location-specific voicemail greeting, to enable the caller to determine when the user may be available to communicate, based on the combination of the information in the greeting and the timestamp information.
US08447273B1	Hand-held user-aware security device A device and method is described that can be used to provide for various levels of security authentication of a user based upon stored rules applied to results of a combination of biometric and other sensor-derived information.
US08447272B2	Authentication and human recognition transaction using a mobile device with an accelerometer Methods, devices, and systems are presented for screen locking or delaying the screen locking of mobile devices, such as smart phones, based on whether the gait of the current user match that of its true, authorized owner. A user's gait can be measured using accelerometers embedded in the device. Other movements, such as where a user normally goes to work, can be measured using GPS or other positional location data and used to lock or delay locking of the screen.
US08447261B2	Integrating multimedia and voicemail Integrated multimedia voicemail systems and methods allow the creation of voicemail with associated multimedia content. A user can compose a voicemail and select or create multimedia content to be associated with the voicemail. A user can associate files, webpage addresses, applications, and user-created content with a voicemail. A user may operate an interface on a user device to select content and instruct a voicemail system to associate such content with a voicemail. The voicemail with integrated multimedia content may be an originating voicemail or a voicemail in response to another voicemail.
US08447258B2	Filtering communications channels within telecommunications satellites A method is disclosed for filtering communications channels in a telecommunications satellite to remove large unwanted interfering signals, which includes monitoring channels of an uplink signal by stepping across a channel with a first analog agile filter having a narrow bandwidth in relation to the channel, and at each step monitoring the signal within the channel step, in order to determine the presence of interfering signals, and configuring a second analog agile filter having an adjustable band stop function to block the interfering signals. The uplink signal has first and second signal paths for the uplink signal, and the method includes demultiplexing the channels of the uplink signal onto separate lines in the first path, carrying out the band stop function within the second signal path, and replacing with the remaining filtered part of the channel, by a switching operation, the demultiplexed version of the channel.
US08447257B2	Dual receive filter A stage is provided for a receiver of a wireless device. The stage comprises a matching network that separates amplified signals of interest received from an amplifier from amplified unwanted signals received from the amplifier in conjunction with additional downstream filters. The stage also comprises a signal path that comprises components for receiving and processing the amplified signals of interest, and a shunt path that comprises components for adjusting reflected energy sent back to the amplifier for limiting the output swing of the amplifier in a frequency band corresponding to the amplified unwanted signals.
US08447256B2	Digital voltage-controlled attenuator In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure an attenuating circuit comprises a balun configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal at first and second input ports and configured to output the RF signal. The circuit further comprises an attenuator coupled in parallel with the first and second input ports. A power level of the RF signal output by the balun is based at least partially on an impedance of the attenuator. The attenuator comprises a resistor ladder configured to receive at least a portion of the RF signal and a plurality of switches coupled to the resistor ladder. The plurality of switches are configured to open and close such that the impedance of the attenuator is a function of which switches are open and closed. Therefore, the power of the RF signal is controlled based at least on the opening and closing of the switches.
US08447254B2	Receiver and a method of receiving a signal A receiver comprising a plurality of antennas immobilized in relation to each other and positioned on a movable carrier, each antenna being adapted to receive a signal and output a corresponding, received signal; first means for generating, from the received signals, a sum signal; second means for generating, from the received signals, one or more difference signals; third means for deriving, from the sum signal, timing information; fourth means for receiving the sum signal, the difference signal(s) and the timing information and outputting information relating to an angle between a direction of the antennas and a direction of reception of the signal.
US08447251B2	Audio signal processing circuit An audio signal processing circuit comprising: a modulation circuit configured to output a modulated signal of a frequency corresponding to an input audio signal; a drive circuit configured to generate a driving current for driving the modulation circuit based on a control signal; an audio detection circuit configured to detect presence or absence of the audio signal input to the modulation circuit; and a control signal generation circuit configured to generate the control signal for generating the driving current in the drive circuit when the presence of the audio signal is detected and generate the control signal for stopping generation of the driving current in the drive circuit when the absence of the audio signal is detected for a predetermined period, based on a detection result of the audio detection circuit.
US08447242B2	Hybrid circuit for a transceiver front-end A transceiver front-end provides an interface between a transmission medium and transmitter, and between a transmission medium and receiver. The transceiver front-end includes a hybrid circuit, a high-pass filter, and a gain stage, that permits the reduction or the complete elimination of buffer amplifiers. Buffer amplifiers can be eliminated because the hybrid circuit and/or the high-pass filter are adapted so that they can be directly connected to each other, without a loss in circuit performance. Furthermore, the high-pass filter and/or the gain stage are also adapted so they can be directly connected. As such, the transceiver front-end can be constructed using all passive components, reducing or eliminating excess heat generation.
US08447241B2	Wireless communication apparatus A wireless communication apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a wireless transceiver which conducts communication with another wireless communication apparatus using a channel belonging to a first band of a plurality of frequency bands, and a switching unit which switches the channel being used by the wireless transceiver to a different channel of a second band of the plurality of frequency bands other than the first band.
US08447239B1	System and method for mobile data expansion A data expansion system that provides continuum of discrete wireless small cell coverage areas for mobile terminals includes a set of roadway reflectors configured to provide wireless broadband data services to a mobile terminal. Each reflector includes processing circuitry configured to establish communications between the mobile terminal and a backhaul network. Each reflector includes a wireless transceiver configured to transmit and receive data. Each reflector includes a power source that converts solar energy into electricity. Each reflector includes a housing configured to contain the processing circuitry, the transceiver, and the power source. The housing has a raised reflective surface.
US08447238B2	RF transmitter device and method for operating the same A radio frequency (RF) transmitter device arranged for supplying RF energy is disclosed. In one aspect, the RF transmitter device has a reception unit for receiving information on detected living beings. The RF transmitter device is arranged for adapting its transmit power according to the received information. A method for adapting the transmit power of the RF transmitter device while it is supplying energy to a sensor network is also disclosed.
US08447237B2	Interference avoidance in white space communication systems Mobile communication system equipment avoids interfering with another transmitter's operation. Sensing information indicating whether the other transmitter's signal has been detected is received from remote sensors, wherein each of the remote sensors is situated at a respective one of two or more sensor locations. The sensing information and information about the sensor locations is used to ascertain one or more exclusion boundaries needed to avoid interfering with the other transmitter's use of the spectral resource. Beamforming parameters are ascertained that will enable the main node to transmit within one or more predefined geographical areas except for any portion of a predefined area located on a far side of the one or more exclusion boundaries. Two or more adjusted signals are produced as a function of the beamforming parameters and one or more signals to be transmitted. The adjusted signals are transmitted from respective ones of two or more antennas.
US08447233B2	Device with an EEPROM having both a near field communication interface and a second interface A peripheral device and a method for programming the read/writeable memory of the RFID circuitry by communications between either RF antenna or bus communications port controller interface or both. In the peripheral device, an EEPROM, bus communications controller interface, NFC interface, antenna, and logic controller operate to receive and transmit configuration and calibration data between a BLUETOOTH circuit and an external BLUETOOTH enabled device. The dual interfaced EEPROM is operable to share or partition its EEPROM between an NFC interface and a bus communications controller.
US08447232B2	System and method for frequency offsetting of information communicated in MIMO-based wireless networks A communications system includes a multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) architecture for high capacity switched mesh networks. The MIMO architecture has a plurality of radio frequency chains. One of the plurality of radio frequency chains is configured to apply a first frequency offset to a base frequency of an output signal to generate a first transmitting frequency; and another of the plurality of radio frequency chains being configured to apply a second frequency offset to the base frequency to generate a second transmitting frequency. The system uses the carrier frequency offset to lock the clock of the master subsystem to the clock of the slave subsystem, thereby enabling bandwidth expansion to be employed on the MIMO data streams.
US08447231B2	Intelligent telematics information dissemination using delegation, fetch, and share algorithms A system for intelligent dissemination of messages via long-range communications to select delegate vehicles, and short-range communications from the delegate vehicles. The system includes a processor and a memory storing a delegation and dissemination algorithm that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to define a dissemination area and define multiple delegation zones within the dissemination area. The algorithm also causes the processor to identify at least one delegate vehicle, of a network of vehicles, for each delegation zone and seed a message into the network of vehicles by transmitting the message to each delegate vehicle via long-range communications so that the delegate vehicles can transmit the message throughout the network of vehicles via short-range communications.
US08447226B1	Portable satellite earth station and methods of using the same Various aspects of a portable satellite earth station to facilitate reception of satellite signals and to display audio and video corresponding to the satellite signals are described. According to one example, a portable satellite earth station includes a housing including a base hingably connected to an antenna containing portion, wherein the base includes a compartment; and a receiver/display configured to fit into the compartment in the housing, the receiver/display including a video display portion hingably connected to a receiver portion and movable between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein the receiver/display may be moved to the unfolded position when the receiver/display is located in the compartment in the housing and the antenna containing portion can be closed into contact with the base over the receiver/display when the receiver/display is in the folded position.
US08447223B2	Sheet conveying apparatus with inclined surface against which the sheet abuts and image forming apparatus having same A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference guide in which a reference surface that is elongated in a sheet conveying direction and abuts against an end portion of a sheet, an inclined surface which is provided upstream of the reference guide and which is inclined in a width direction intersecting with the sheet conveying direction so that an edge of the sheet is guided, the inclined surface intersecting the reference guide at an intersection, a sheet guide portion, a passage portion having an upstream area which is wider than the sheet guide portion in a vertical direction, a downstream area which is narrower than the upstream area in a vertical direction, and an inclined guide which is provided between the inclined surface and the reference surface, wherein a position of an upstream edge of the downstream area is provided between the intersection and the oblique conveying unit.
US08447221B2	Fixing device and image forming apparatus incorporating same A fixing device includes a fixing belt looped over a heating rotary body and a stationary pad and an anti-slip member contacting an outer circumferential surface of the fixing belt in a lateral end span in an axial direction of the heating rotary body to press the fixing belt against the heating rotary body to prevent slippage of the heating rotary body and the fixing belt. The lateral end span is at each lateral end of the heating rotary body and outboard from a center span in the axial direction of the heating rotary body.
US08447212B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes an endless belt member; a drive unit moving the endless belt member; a first detecting unit detecting a rotating speed of the drive unit; a second detecting unit detecting an endless transport speed of the endless belt member; and a control unit controlling the rotating speed of the drive unit based on a first detection signal from the first detecting unit or a second detection signal from the second detecting unit selectively depending on a selection condition. Upon selection of the first detection signal in accordance with the selection condition, the control unit corrects the rotating speed of the drive unit using the second detection signal such that an average value of the endless transport speed of the endless belt member approaches a target average value.
US08447205B2	Image forming apparatus An image forming apparatus includes a printing engine to form an image on a printing medium through printing processes, an engine frame to support the printing engine having a driving system to drive the printing engine, a high voltage power supply provided in a surface of the engine frame to apply a high voltage to at least one of units performing the printing processes, a main board provided in a surface of the engine frame adjacent to the surface having the high voltage power supply, and having a system engine controller to control the printing engine and a video controller to control a video signal, first and second main connectors respectively provided at lateral sides of the high voltage power supply and the main board adjacent to each other, and a connection control line to connect the first and second main connectors.
US08447204B2	Simulated paper texture using clear toner on uniform substrate A system is adapted for simulating a textured pattern on a non-textured substrate. The system includes generating at least a first textured description in a controller unit operatively associated with at least one image forming apparatus. The first textured description is combined with at least one image of an original print job to generate a first print job. The first textured description is printed on at least one face of a substrate to provide a perceived first textured substrate. The at least one image is then printed on the perceived first textured substrate.
US08447200B2	Fusing device, image forming apparatus having the same, and control method thereof An induction heating type fusing device to reduce the size of an induction coil and an image forming apparatus having the same, and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a printing device to form an image on a recording medium, and a fusing device to fix the image to the recording medium. The fusing device includes a heating member arranged to transfer heat to the recording medium and having a main heater and a sub heater, and an induction coil having a width equal to or less than a width of the recording medium and arranged in an axial direction of the heating member to generate a magnetic field acting on the main heater. The sub heater is arranged inside the heating member to heat both ends of the main heater.
US08447195B2	Methods and apparatus for adjusting device power consumption based on usage data Methods and apparatus for adjusting printing device power consumption based on previously acquired usage data. The printing device has multiple energy consumption states including at least a ready state in which the printing device is ready to commence processing of a print job immediately upon receipt and including at least a low power state where the printing device is not ready to commence processing of a newly received print job. Acquired usage data includes parameters of print jobs submitted during a data collection period of time. The parameters may include time and date of submitted print jobs. Based on the usage data a usage profile is determined. The usage profile identifies one or more high usage periods of time and one or more low usage periods of time. Methods and apparatus then switch the printing device among the multiple energy consumption states based on the usage profile.
US08447193B2	Printing apparatus, printing method, and computer-readable storage medium for implementing the printing method A printing apparatus connected to another printing apparatus to feed sheets to the another printing apparatus includes a reception unit configured to receive, from another printing apparatus, stop detection information regarding timing of a printing stop in another printing apparatus, and a control unit configured to feed sheets for performing printing up to a page indicated by the stop detection information received by the reception unit, perform printing on the sheets to prevent retention of the fed sheets, and cancel feeding preparation of the sheets for printing the page indicated by the stop information and succeeding pages.
US08447192B2	Infrared receiver circuit The invention relates to an infrared receiver circuit for processing a carrier-modulated infrared signal, comprising an amplification circuit and a demodulator. A comparator is provided, which is designed to digitize the output signal of the amplification circuit or of a band pass filter connected downstream of the amplification circuit by comparison to a threshold value in order to create a pulse train signal. The receiver circuit comprises a logic circuit, which is designed to link the pulse train signal of the comparator and the output signal of the demodulator logically to each other in order to extract an additional output signal corresponding to the infrared signal from the pulse train signal.
US08447187B2	Optoelectronic interconnect for high frequency data transmission at low power consumption An optoelectronic interconnect which includes optical transmitter and detector having capacitances below 150 femto-Farads each suitable for transmission of optical signals at speeds at and above 20 Gigabit per second at power consumption below 10 milliWatt per Gigabit per second.
US08447181B2	Method and apparatus for displaying and identifying available wavelength paths across a network Due to demand for more network bandwidth, a need for multi-user optical network topologies has, and will continue to, increase. A method or corresponding apparatus in embodiments of the present invention provide for an availability determination tool for determining and displaying wavelength and subrate availabilities within a network. Benefits of embodiments of a tool include allowing a user to identify the availability and capacity of any wavelength on any network, via an interactive graphical user interface, such as by using three-dimensional representations. In one embodiment, the disclosed availability determination tool allows users to locate and view any combination of available wavelengths between nodes in an optical network topology, and generate graphical and tabular reports of the availability in order to maintain an efficient and organized method or apparatus for determining and controlling wavelengths in a network. Consequently, service providers using the tool can keep performance rates high and costs low.
US08447180B2	Imaging apparatus An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor, a display unit configured to display an image acquired from the image sensor, and a control unit configured to perform a live view display of an image of an object on the display unit for a user to observe the object and to perform photographing after a self-timer setting time elapses from when a photographing start operation is performed, wherein the control unit compares, when performing the live view display, time required for charging a flash and the self-timer setting time, and if the self-timer setting time is longer than the time required for charging the flash, the control unit does not cause a charging operation of the flash to be performed before starting to count the self-timer setting time and causes the charging operation of the flash to be performed after starting to count the self-timer setting time.
US08447174B2	Portable video system A video system attachable to a docking station includes a display capable of displaying video data received from the docking station, and a media player, wherein the video system is capable of operating when removed from the docking station. The video system is capable of connecting to at least one of a battery and an adapter for a power supply.
US08447170B2	Automatically recording supplemental content A content provider transmits instructions to a content receiver to record multiple instances of content. The instances of content are included in the same frequency band of a broadcast transmitted by the content provider via a first communication link and scrambled utilizing the same control word. The content provider determines to supplement the multiple instances of content and transmits an instruction to record a supplemental instance of content from a second content provider via a second communication link. The content receiver receives the instructions and accordingly receives, descrambles, and stores the multiple instances of content and the supplemental instance of content. In some implementations, the first communication link may be a satellite communication link and the second communication link may be a different type of communication link such as a terrestrial broadcast communication link and/or an Internet protocol communication link.
US08447166B2	Method and apparatus for recording manufacturer information on a recording medium and for determining whether the manufacturer information is effective A recording medium and a recording apparatus store manufacturer information to support specific functions for each manufacturer and a method therefore. A reproducing apparatus reproduces the manufacturer information to support specific functions. When the recording apparatus modifies the contents of the recording medium, the manufacturer's identification code is recorded. The recording apparatus and the reproducing apparatus checks the identification code on the recording medium before using its own manufacture information item for some specific function. Also, a time required to determine whether the manufacturer information items are effective is reduced.
US08447165B1	Summarizing video data Systems, methods, and apparatuses for summarizing contents of video data are disclosed. The method includes identifying at least one utterance in the video data, generating text for each utterance identified, associating a plurality of source frames with each utterance identified, identifying one or more candidate frames in the plurality of source frames, selecting a summary frame from the one or more candidate frames, and associating the text with the summary frame. In a preferred embodiment, the method also includes generating a bubble including the text generated and positioning the bubble on the summary frame.
US08447163B2	Information recording method, information recording medium, and information reproducing method, wherein information is stored on a data recording portion and a management information recording portion With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US08447152B2	Waveguide coupling device with properties of forward and backward coupling as well as manufacturing method thereof The present invention relates to a waveguide coupling device with properties of forward coupling and backward coupling as well as a manufacturing method thereof, the waveguide coupling device comprises: a substrate, at least one inverted taper coupling structure, an intermediate layer, and at least one three-dimensional taper coupling structure. Wherein one end of the three-dimensional taper coupling structure is adopted for connecting to an external optical fiber, so as to couple the optical wave propagating in the optical fiber; Moreover, by way of the specific coupling sequence of (three-dimensional taper coupling structure)-(intermediate layer)-(inverted taper coupling structure), the optical wave may be efficiently coupled into, be confined in, and ultimately propagates in the inverted taper coupling structure connecting to waveguide devices. In addition, through the manufacturing method, the waveguide coupling device with properties of forward coupling and backward coupling can be massively fabricated by the present semiconductor process with low cost.
US08447145B2	Electro-optical modulator structure The present invention discloses an ultra-compact optical modulator comprising at least one resonator on a semiconductor chip. The EO modulator modulates incoming light having a certain wavelength range and comprises a waveguide layer accommodating at least one resonator having a periodic complex refraction index distribution structure defining a periodic defect band-edge and a cladding layer; and at least one electrode; the waveguide layer, the cladding layer and the electrode forming a capacitor structure; such that when an external voltage is applied to the capacitor structure the free carrier concentration in the waveguide layer is controlled, enabling a modulation of the resonator's refractive index; wherein the periodic defect band-edge is selected to be within the wavelength range, enabling a slow-light propagation of the incoming light within the waveguide layer.
US08447144B2	Data capture from rendered documents using handheld device A portable device having scanning, imaging or other data-capture capability is described. In some cases, the portable device can indicate to the user when enough information has been captured to uniquely identify a source document. In some cases, the portable device calculates timestamps and location-stamps indicating when and where a data capture occurred. In some cases, the portable device is controlled by gestures. In some cases, the portable scanning device has associated billing and content/service subscription information.
US08447143B2	Image processing apparatus and storage medium storing image processing program An image processing apparatus that includes a character recognition component, a determining component and a generating component is provided. The determining component determines, when document data is generated that contains first data representing the document and representing the entity in which the characters are mixed and second data containing character code data of the characters recognized by the character recognition component and representing a character block displaying the characters represented by the character code data, whether to hide the character block represented by the second data behind the entity represented by the first data or to display the character block represented by the second data in front of the entity represented by the first data when the document represented by the document data is displayed, based on lightness or distribution of the lightness of a background region around the characters of the entity or the like.
US08447141B2	Method and device for generating a depth map The present invention relates to a device and method (100) of generating a depth map for an image using monocular information, the method comprising: generating (110) a first depth map for the image (205), wherein the first depth map corresponds with an estimate of a global depth profile of a scene depicted in the image, generating (120) a second depth map for the image, wherein a depth value associated with a pixel in the second depth map is based on depth values in the first depth map within a region spatially proximate to the pixel and at least one of color and luminance values of the image within the region and generating (130) a third depth map for the image using depth values from the first depth map and the second depth map, the generating scaling a depth difference, such that a difference between a depth value of the third and first depth map is scaled compared to the corresponding difference between a depth value of the second and first depth map. The invention further relates to a computer program product for use in executing the method according to the present invention.
US08447140B1	Method and apparatus for estimating rotation, focal lengths and radial distortion in panoramic image stitching Method and apparatus for estimating relative three-dimensional (3D) camera rotations, focal lengths, and radial (lens) distortions from point-correspondences in pairwise (two image) image alignment. A core estimator takes a minimal (three) number of point-correspondences and returns a rotation, lens (radial) distortion and two focal lengths. The core estimator solves relative 3D camera rotations, and lens distortions from 3-point-correspondences in two images in the presence of noise in point-correspondences. A robust estimator may be based on or may be “wrapped around” the core estimator to handle noise and errors in point-correspondences. The robust estimator may determine an alignment model for a pair of images from the rotation, distortion, and focal lengths.
US08447138B2	Image processor, image processing method and program An image processor performing super-resolution of converting an input image with first resolution to an output image with second resolution higher than the first resolution on consecutive input images includes a prediction unit predicting the output image with the second resolution of a current frame using the input image of the current frame and the output image obtained by the super-resolution on an input image of a previous frame; a generation unit generating a reduced image with the first resolution composed of pixels at different phases of the prediction image using a prediction image obtained by the prediction of the prediction unit; a difference calculation unit calculating a difference between the input image of the current frame and the reduced image; and an addition unit adding the difference up-sampled to the second resolution to the prediction image, thus generating the output image with the second resolution of the current frame.
US08447137B2	Method of image fusion A method of fusing images includes the steps of providing at least two images of the same object, each image being a digital image or being transformed in a digital image formed by an array of pixels or voxels, and of combining together the pixels or voxels of the at least two images being combined to obtain a new image formed by the combined pixels or voxels.
US08447133B2	Method for determining distortions in a particle-optical apparatus The invention relates to a method of determining the distortions in the projection system of a TEM, and a method of correcting for these aberrations. The aberrations are determined by collecting a large number of images of a sample, the sample slightly displaced between each acquisition of an image. On the images sub-fields (303, 304-i) showing identical parts of the sample are compared. These sub-fields (303, 304-i) will show small differences, corresponding to differential aberrations. In this way the differential aberrations in a large number of points can determined, after which the aberrations for each point can be determined by integration. By now correcting the position of each detected pixel in an image to be displayed, the displayed image has much reduced aberrations. An advantage of the method according to the invention is that no highly accurate steps of the sample are needed, nor is a sample with known geometry needed.
US08447131B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method A characteristic image detection interpolation unit performs interpolation processing for increasing the luminance value in low-luminance area which is partly present in an input image. A minimum value filter unit executes minimum value filter processing on an image subjected to the interpolation processing, and a low-pass filter performs low-pass filter processing on the image subjected to the minimum value filter processing, thereby generating a low-frequency component image. A subtracter generates a high-frequency component image by subtracting the low-frequency component image from the input image. A coefficient multiplier adds the luminance value of the high-frequency component image to the input image by a preset ratio K1, thereby generating a high-frequency component enhanced image. A selector alternately outputs the low-frequency component image and the high-frequency component enhanced image.
US08447129B2	High-speed diversity-based imaging method for parallel atmospheric turbulence compensation An imaging method providing atmospheric turbulence compensation includes capturing a subject image pair. Data corresponding to the captured subject image pair is loaded into memory associated with a parallel processing device. A 2-D Fast Fourier Transform is performed on the stored image data and the transformed image data is stored. An optical transfer function is developed for the transformed image data. The optical transfer function is inverted and applied to the transformed image data to generate corrected image spectrum data that is compensated for atmospheric aberrations. An Inverse Fast Fourier Transform is applied to the corrected image spectrum data to produce corrected image data. The corrected image data is stored.
US08447128B2	Image processing system An image processing system capable of reducing an operation time required to generate a high image quality image, includes an image obtaining section that obtains an input image having been captured; a characteristic region information obtaining section that obtains information indicating a characteristic region in the input image; a model storage section that stores a model representing an object by a character parameter; an image generating section that converts an image of an object included in the characteristic region in the input image into a high image quality image having an image quality higher than an image quality of the input image, by adapting the image of the object included in the characteristic region in the input image to the model; and an output section that outputs an image including the high image quality image and an image other than the characteristic region.
US08447126B2	Image processing method and related apparatus An image processing method is used for determining a motion vector of a covered/uncovered area within an interpolated picture when picture interpolation is performed. The interpolated picture includes a plurality of blocks, and the image processing method includes: generating a first motion vector and a second motion vector of a block within the interpolated picture; determining which one of the covered and uncovered areas the block is located in, and calculating a reference vector according to the first and second motion vectors; and determining a motion vector of the block according to the reference vector, wherein the reference vector is obtained from vector calculation of the first and second motion vectors using the principle of similar triangles.
US08447124B2	Film grain simulation for normal play and trick mode play for video playback systems There is provided method and apparatus for film grain simulation for normal play and trick mode play for video playback systems. A method for simulating film grain in video includes the step of performing (214) film grain simulation on a sequence of decoded video pictures in decode order.
US08447120B2	Incremental feature indexing for scalable location recognition Described is a technology in which an image retrieval system is updated incrementally as new image data becomes available. Updating is incrementally performed and only triggered when the new image data is large enough or diverse enough relative to the image data currently in use for image retrieval. Incremental updating updates the leaf nodes of a vocabulary tree based upon the new image data. Each leaf node's feature frequency is evaluated against upper and/or lower threshold values, to modify the nodes of the tree based on the feature frequency. Upon completion of the incremental updating, a server that performed the incremental updating is switched to an active state with respect to handling client queries for image retrieval, and another server that was actively handling client queries is switched to an inactive state, awaiting a subsequent incremental updating before switching back to active state.
US08447119B2	Method and system for image classification Methods and systems are disclosed for image classification coding an image by nonlinearly mapping an image descriptor to form a high-dimensional sparse vector; spatially pooling each local region to form an image-level feature vector using a probability kernel incorporating a similarity metric of local descriptors; and classifying the image.
US08447115B2	Method and installation for imaging (a) a measurement F0(x, y, δt) of the signals detected is provided; (b) on the one hand a first value F1(X, y, δt) is provided, termed the “integration” value and on the other hand a second value F2(x, y, δt) termed the “count” value is provided; (c) a value Fe(x0, y0, δt) of a number of signals is estimated from a combination of first F1(X0, y0, δt) and second F2(x0, y0, δt) values, on the basis of a criterion of detection in the neighborhood.
US08447113B2	Character area extracting device, imaging device having character area extracting function, recording medium saving character area extracting programs, and character area extracting method A character area extracting device includes a reflective and non-reflective area separation unit separating image data into reflective and non-reflective areas, and binarizing the image data by changing a first threshold value when it is inappropriate; a reflective area binarizing unit separating the reflective area into character and background areas, and binarizing it by changing a second threshold value when it is inappropriate; a non-reflective area binarizing unit separating the non-reflective area into the character and background areas, and binarizing it by changing a third threshold value when it is inappropriate; a reflective and non-reflective area separation evaluation unit; and a line extracting unit connecting the character areas of the reflective and non-reflective areas and extracting positional information of the connected character areas in the image data.
US08447110B2	Time-series analysis of keywords Processing for a time-series analysis of keywords comprises clustering or classifying pieces of document data, each of which is description of a phenomenon in a natural language, on the basis of frequencies of occurrence of keywords in the pieces of document data, individual keywords being also clustered or classified by clustering or classifying the pieces of document data, and performing a time-series analysis of frequencies of occurrence of pieces of document data containing individual keywords in clusters or classes into which the pieces of document data are clustered or classified or a time-series analysis of frequencies of occurrence of pieces of document data containing clusters or classes into which the individual keywords are clustered or classified. Frequency distribution showing variation of the frequencies of occurrence of the pieces of document data is acquired by the time-series analysis.
US08447096B2	Method and device for processing a depth-map A device and apparatus for processing a depth-map including obtaining a depth-map based on a lossy compressed depth-map, the depth-map including depth information of a scene from a viewpoint, the scene includes an object; obtaining occlusion information for the scene from the viewpoint, the occlusion information including information occluded by the object in the depth-map; and processing at least part of the depth information using at least part of the occlusion information in order to reduce compression artifacts in the depth-map.
US08447095B2	Harmonic resist model for use in a lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method A method for determining an image of a mask pattern in a resist coated on a substrate, the method including determining an aerial image of the mask pattern at substrate level; and convolving the aerial image with at least two orthogonal convolution kernels to determine a resist image that is representative of the mask pattern in the resist.
US08447091B2	Ultrasonic observation apparatus, operation method of the same, and computer readable recording medium A data space in which a coordinate system is set having, as components, feature data extracted by approximation with respect to frequency spectrums of received ultrasonic waves, when a feature point of a frequency spectrum at a data position is present within a first area in an i-th frame (i is a positive integer) in a display and moves closer to a second area, having a lower priority than the first area, in subsequent (i+1)-th frame; an ultrasonic observation apparatus generates image data by setting a virtual feature point that is far off from the second area as compared to the latest feature point and that is within or around the first area, and by replacing visual information corresponding to the latest feature point in the (i+1)-th frame of the predetermined data position with visual information corresponding to the virtual feature point, and then displays the image data.
US08447087B2	Apparatus and method for caries detection An apparatus for imaging a tooth has at least one illumination source for providing an incident light having a first spectral range for obtaining a reflectance image of the tooth and a second spectral range for exciting a fluorescence image of the tooth. A first polarizer having a first polarization axis and a compensator in the path of the incident light of the first spectral range are disposed to direct light toward the tooth. A second polarizer is disposed to direct light obtained from the tooth toward a sensor and has a second polarization axis that is orthogonal to the first polarization axis. A lens is positioned in the return path to direct image-bearing light from the tooth toward the sensor for obtaining image data. A filter in the path of the image-bearing light from the tooth is treated to attenuate light in the second spectral range.
US08447086B2	Lens capsule size estimation Methods of estimating the size of an ocular lens capsule.
US08447081B2	Pulmonary emboli detection with dynamic configuration based on blood contrast level A method for automatically detecting pulmonary embolism (PE) candidates within medical image data using an image processing device includes administering radiocontrast into a patient. A sequence of computed tomography (CT) images is acquired. A level of radiocontrast at a pulmonary artery trunk of the patient is determined. One or more PE candidates are detected within a pulmonary artery tree of the patient based on the determined level of radiocontrast at the pulmonary artery trunk. The one or more detected PE candidates are displayed.
US08447077B2	Method and apparatus for fingerprint motion tracking using an in-line array A fingerprint motion tracking method and system is provided for sensing features of a fingerprint along an axis of finger motion, where a linear sensor array has a plurality of substantially contiguous sensing elements configured to capture substantially contiguous overlapping segments of image data. A processing element is configured to receive segments of image data captured by the linear sensor array and to generate fingerprint motion data. Multiple sensor arrays may be included for generating directional data. The motion tracking data may be used in conjunction with a fingerprint image sensor to reconstruct a fingerprint image using the motion data either alone or together with the directional data.
US08447075B2	Systems, methods and devices for using ultrasonic probe pressure information in assessing muscle tissue quality Methods, systems and devices are implemented in connection with measuring characteristics of a portion of muscle tissue. Consistent with one such method an ultrasound probe is presented to the portion of muscle tissue. The probe produces a response-provoking signal in the muscle tissue, and the pressure applied between the probe and the portion of muscle tissue is sensed. A resulting signal is used to determine the muscle tissue characteristics based on the pressure being exerted between the probe and the portion. For example, the pressure data is associated with and used to filter the acquisition or use of ultrasound image data.
US08447074B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program An image processing apparatus includes an outline distance estimating unit that acquires distance information on an outline portion of an area included in an image; an area dividing unit that divides an area included in an image on the basis of pixel attribute values; an area-plane estimating unit that estimates an area plane composing each area by using the distance information on the outline portion of each area resulting from the division to calculate an area-plane definitional equation; an abnormal data determining unit that compares the area plane with each coordinate position on a three-dimensional space indicated by the distance information to determine the distance information having a high degree of shift from the area plane to be abnormal data; and an area interpolating unit that estimates the distances inside the area by using the distance information resulting from removal of the abnormal data from the distance information.
US08447073B2	Process for the automatic longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle For the automatic longitudinal guidance of a motor vehicle having a longitudinally guiding driver assistance system with a stop-and-go function, at least starting from a point-in-time wherein the motor vehicle is stopped, the vehicle apron is continuously monitored for possible obstacles by a monitoring device having a camera which supplies a sequence of individual images of the vehicle apron. For the detection of obstacles in the vehicle apron, characteristic image features are extracted from the individual images and are tracked with respect to time within the sequence of individual images, and an appearance and/or disappearance of one or more characteristic image features taking place in the course of the sequence is determined and evaluated. Additionally or alternatively, a change of a spatial distribution of one or more characteristic image features taking place in the course of the sequence in the respective individual image or in a cutout of the latter is determined and evaluated.
US08447070B1	Approaches for device location and communication An electronic device can utilize image capture technology to detect the presence and location of another device. Using this information, the electronic device can display, in a user interface, a graphical element representing a detected device, along with identity information and the location of the detected device relative to the electronic device. The location of each detected device relative to the electronic device can be tracked and thus the graphical element can be updated in the user interface.
US08447069B2	Apparatus and method for moving object detection An apparatus and method for moving object detection computes a corresponding frame difference for every two successive image frames of a moving object, and segments a current image frame of the two successive image frames into a plurality of homogeneous regions. At least a candidate region is further detected from the plurality of homogeneous regions. The system gradually merges the computed frame differences via a morphing-based technology and fuses the merged frame difference with the at least a candidate region, thereby obtaining the location and a complete outline of the moving object.
US08447066B2	Performing actions based on capturing information from rendered documents, such as documents under copyright A hardware, firmware, and/or software facility (“facility”) for providing information relevant to rendered documents is described. In some embodiments, the facility identifies multiple versions of an electronic document corresponding to a rendered document captured by a capture device. The facility may then provide a person utilizing the capture device with various ways to interact with one or more versions of the electronic document. In some embodiments, the facility determines that use of a rendered document is restricted, such as by copyright, to some degree. The facility may then offer the person the option to obtain unrestricted use of the rendered document. If the person accepts, the person obtains the right to store captures of the rendered document. If the person declines, the facility automatically discards captures of the rendered document. In some embodiments, the facility may automatically purchase rights to restricted-use rendered documents based upon the person's pre-defined criteria.
US08447063B2	Flat thin dynamic speaker A flat thin dynamic speaker which includes a motor unit, a suspension unit, a radiating unit and a frame arranged in such a manner that the motor unit and the suspension unit are at the same plane while the radiating unit is on top of the motor unit such that the thickness of the speaker assembly is reduced while the performance of the speaker assembly is maintained or even improved. Also, the speaker can be made into a quadrangular, polygon or a spherical structure. The speaker further has a surround at a level lower than the radiating unit without utilizing the radiating surface of the radiating unit such as a maximized radiating surface is provided, and includes a dual side voice-coil actuation to the radiator unit, thereby providing a slim and flat speaker assembly with high power output.
US08447054B2	Microphone with variable low frequency cutoff A microphone system has a package with an interior, a MEMS microphone within the package interior and forming a backvolume between it and the package interior, and a MEMS valve coupled with at least one input aperture in the package. The package defines at least one input aperture (e.g., the prior noted aperture) for receiving an acoustic signal, and the MEMS microphone is mechanically coupled to at least a portion of one input aperture. The valve has a valve opening generally circumscribed by a valve seat. The valve is considered as having an open mode for permitting acoustic signal access into the package interior through the valve opening, and a closed mode for substantially preventing acoustic signal access into the package interior through the valve opening. The valve has a movable member configured to contact the valve seat when in the closed mode. This movable member is configured to move between the open mode and the closed mode in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the valve seat.
US08447052B2	Electronic device employing sound plate switchable between stand type and hang type An electronic device includes a sound plate switchable between a stand type and a hang type. In the electronic device, the sound plate has a coupled structure movable between a first arrangement, in which the sound plate functions as a stand and a second arrangement wherein the sound plate is disposed at the rear of a main body as a hang type. In the first arrangement, the sound plate emits a sound through a slit provided in a side surface of the sound plate, and in the second arrangement, the sound plate emits sound through an opening in a front surface of the sound plate which is perpendicular to the side surface of the sound plate.
US08447051B2	Communication headset A communication headset is disclosed. The headset comprises two earpieces: a first earpiece, having a first arm, positionable in front of a wearer's ear and a second arm, positionable behind a wearer's ear, with a first bone conduction speaker carried on the second arm; and a second earpiece, having a first arm, positionable in front of a wearer's ear and a second arm, positionable behind a wearer's other ear, with a second bone conduction speaker carried on the second arm. A first microphone is carried on the first earpiece, and is adapted to detect ambient sound from at least a first direction. A second microphone is carried on the second earpiece, and is adapted to detect ambient sound from at least a second direction.
US08447050B2	Thermal feedback for switch mode amplification A thermal sensor at the output of a switching amplifier senses heat dissipation at the output switch. If an overheating condition is sensed, gain of the digital input signal is lowered to reduce output power of the audio output signal.
US08447049B2	Programmable microphone A semiconductor die with an integrated electronic circuit, configured so as to be mounted in a housing with a capacitive transducer e.g. a microphone. A first circuit is configured to receive an input signal from the transducer at an input node and to provide an output signal at a pad of the semiconductor die. The integrated electronic circuit comprises an active switch device with a control input, coupled to a pad of the semiconductor die, to operatively engage or disengage a second circuit interconnected with the first circuit so as to operate the integrated electronic circuit in a mode selected by the control input. That is, a programmable or controllable transducer. The second circuit is interconnected with the first circuit so as to be separate from the input node. Thereby less noise is induced, a more precise control of the circuit is obtainable and more advanced control options are possible.
US08447043B1	Piezo element stethoscope A stethoscope chest piece has a chest piece housing containing a piezoelectric (piezo) element mounted within a housing. The piezo element converts body signals to an electrical representation that is processed by circuitry on a circuit board. A back stop is affixed to the circuit board to prevent excess excursion by the piezo element and may be one of the circuit elements on the circuit board. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US08447040B2	Communication apparatus, control method thereof, and storage medium A first communication apparatus that functions as a providing apparatus that provides an encryption key or as a receiving apparatus that receives an encryption key provided by a providing apparatus, and that performs a key sharing process for sharing an encryption key with another apparatus, confirms whether or not the first communication apparatus functioned as the providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed among a plurality of apparatuses present on a network in which the first communication apparatus is joining; compares identification information of a second communication apparatus that has newly joined the network with identification information of the first communication apparatus; and determines whether or not the first communication apparatus is to function as a providing apparatus in the key sharing process performed between the first and the second communication apparatuses based on the result of the confirmation and the comparison.
US08447038B2	Method and systems using identifier tags and authenticity certificates for detecting counterfeited or stolen brand objects A method and system for generating data for generating an authenticity certificate to be stored on a media. The authenticity certificate authenticates an object. A request for a step certificate includes a media identifier, a media key block, an object identifier, a requester entity type, and a requester identity certificate. The object identifier is hashed. A created signature includes the hashed object identifier, the requester entity type, a certifier identity certificate, and the requester identity certificate. A generated hashing result is a concatenation of the object identifier, the requester entity type, the certifier entity certificate, the requester identity certificate, and the signature. The step certificate including the hashing result is generated and encrypted. The encrypted step certificate and an encrypted random key are sent to a requester of the step certificate. The object may be determined to be an authentic object, a counterfeited object, or a stolen object.
US08447033B2	Method for protecting broadcast frame A method and system for protecting a broadcast frame are provided. A frame broadcasted through a packet switching network is protected and a wireless LAN system is included. A current frame is authenticated based on a TESLA scheme. The authentication of the broadcast frame can be performed without a time difference.
US08447030B2	Dual mode communication device and method for managing voice communication A dual mode communication device comprises a first mode chip, a second mode chip, a switch, a first headphone jack, and a second headphone jack. The first headphone jack is electronically and selectively connected to the first mode chip or to the second mode chip through the switch. The second headphone jack is electronically connected to the second mode chip. The dual mode phone can simultaneously establish two voice communications with two other communication devices using the first mode chip and the second mode chip by respectively transmitting voice signals of the two voice communications through the first headphone jack and the second headphone jack.
US08447029B2	Communication apparatus and control method therefor This invention provides a communication apparatus, which suppresses abrupt changes of a current and voltage generated in a communication line upon connecting an external telephone to the communication line, and a control method thereof. To accomplish this, in a communication apparatus of this invention, when an off-hook state of an external telephone is detected upon connecting the external telephone to a communication line, an SOC captures a line using a first line capture means having an impedance lower than the external telephone side, and then switches an H-relay to connect the external telephone to the communication line. Furthermore, the SOC temporarily switches a line capture state to a second line capture means having an impedance higher than the first line capture means after the H-relay is switched and before the line is released.
US08447027B2	System and method for language variation guided operator selection A system and method for language variation guided operator selection is disclosed. The method discloses: initiating a dialog between a contact and a call handling system; identifying a language variation spoken by the contact; determining a skill level with respect to the language variation for each operator within a set of operators; selecting an operator whose skill level in the language variation is above a predetermined value; and transferring the dialog with the contact to the operator. The system discloses means and embodiments for implementing the method.
US08447020B2	Speed-dial and speed-contact with predictive logic A method for predicting to whom a phone call is being made, including identifying at least one state parameter for a mobile phone, and at least one weighting factor corresponding to the at least one state parameter for each identified state parameter, predicting one or more likely contacts that a user of the mobile phone is calling, given that the user is making a phone call, based on the identified state parameter, for each likely contact, assigning a combined weight to the likely contact based on the at least one weighting factor, ranking the likely contacts according to the combined weights, and facilitating making a phone call to one or more of the likely contacts with the highest rankings. A mobile phone is also described and claimed.
US08447018B2	Information provided to parent regarindg a called for child protection The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer readable medium for providing information of a calling party to an alert party, wherein the calling party is in communication with the receiving party in a communications network. The method includes receiving a message from a calling party to a receiving party and performing a lookup of information relating to the calling party in a database, wherein the lookup is based on an identifier associated with the message, Thereafter, an alert is sent to the alert party if the calling party information is unavailable in a contact list of the receiving party.
US08447016B1	System and method for emulating call center screen-pop application A system and method are provided for establishing interactive communications between a customer and an agent of a merchant using a third-party. The customer is provided with a link that accesses a data entry element, such as a form, via which the customer can provide additional information to the agent. The third-party receives the entered customer information and forwards it on to the agent via, e.g., a screen pop. If the agent determines that the call should be accepted, the third-party facilitates connecting the agent with the customer.
US08447015B2	Method and system for processing messages within the framework of an integrated message system A method and system for processing messages within the framework of an integrated message system. Recipients of messages in an integrated messaging system are provided with an authentic impression of the received message. In a first step, a message received within the framework of an integrated messaging system is automatically translated. Language detection and dictation system is provided. The message contents of the incoming message as well as its segments and parameters are simultaneously utilized to generate additional information regarding the sender and the information, which is suitable to give the recipient an impression of the received message in the most authentic form possible.
US08447014B2	Voice-over-IP (VoIP) systems, components and methods for providing enhanced location information to emergency responders to respond to emergency calls Disclosed are systems and techniques for identifying VoIP phone connector locations whereby an emergency call request can be specifically located on a VoIP phone network. This system addresses prior-art shortcomings in which the location information is attempted to be tracked with identification information stored in VoIP phones, or in which databases of location information are created relative to MAC addresses of component pieces of the VoIP phone network (such as the VoIP phones themselves, data switches, or LAN routers) in that the VoIP phone connectors are fixedly mounted in buildings and their locations can be more reliably fixed and maintained. Further described are methods for establishing databases of location and/or caller information associated with these VoIP phone connectors. Still further described are VoIP phone server embodiments that enable the location and/or caller information to be determined according to the associated VoIP phone connectors and for that information to be transmitted both to public safety access points and to campus security networks, and for emergency calls to be bridged both to public safety access points and to campus security networks.
US08447012B2	Radiation inspection apparatus A radiation inspection apparatus includes a radiation source, a measurement radiation detecting unit being a rectangle having a long side, and a reference radiation detecting unit that is disposed between the radiation source and an inspection target, the reference radiation detecting unit being disposed near a path of a radiation from the radiation source to the measurement radiation detecting unit not to interrupt the radiation from the radiation source to the measurement radiation detecting unit. An intensity of the radiation source are corrected by calculating a change value of the intensity and the intensity distribution from an output of the reference radiation detecting unit and by correcting the output of the measurement radiation detecting unit based on the change value.
US08447008B2	Shift frequency demultiplier with automatic reset function A shift frequency demultiplier with automatic reset function is N-frequency demultiplication (N>2) and includes N-1 registers connected with each other and defined from a first register to an (N-1)th register. Each of the registers has an input end, an output end, a reset end and a clock end. For the registers from the first register to the (N-2)th register, the output end of every register is connected with the input end of a next register adjacent thereto, the output end of the (N-1)th register is connected with the input end of the first register by a reverser. The reset end of the (N-1)th register is connected with a system reset signal end. The system reset signal end logically multiplied by the output end of the (N-1)th register is connected with the reset ends of the registers from the first register to the (N-2)th register.
US08447006B2	Shipping package up-ender A reusable up-ending device for loading or unloading nuclear fuel assembly shipping packages. The device has a translating base mounted to a fixed beam structure and two stabilizing arms affixed to a mounting fixture on the base that is secured to the operating floor. The stabilizing arms include a spring dampener and have a simple elbow joint that straightens after the package is up righted. Translation is achieved by means of a hand adjustable lead screw and enables the base to be most advantageously positioned. The shipping package is inserted into pivot mount blocks located at the front of the base and the package is secured at the pivot mount blocks by means of a trunnion and at the support arms by means of a locking pin. Once the package is up-righted the elbows on the support arms are locked in place.
US08447005B2	Frequency synchronization methods and apparatus Methods and apparatus for have frequency offset estimation and cell search in radio communication systems take into account the time-frequency correlation properties of reference and synchronization signals in such systems. This reduces the probability of misdetection of the physical layer cell ID and frequency offset by accounting for time-frequency ambiguities and evaluating correlation signal peaks in the frequency domain, saving signal processing time and making initial cell search considerably faster. Also, lower-grade and hence cheaper oscillators can be used without causing problems in the user's experience with a receiver, such as a cellular telephone.
US08447002B2	Receiving apparatus with frequency domain equalizer The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus (1) for receiving signals in a wireless communication system, in which the signals comprise a dedicated channel estimation sequence, comprising a channel estimation means (6) adapted to perform a channel estimation on a dedicated channel estimation sequence comprised in a received signal, a noise reduction means (8) adapted to reduce noise in the channel estimation result obtained from the channel estimation means by setting complex samples of the channel estimation result which are below a noise threshold to zero, and a frequency domain equalizing means (12) adapted to perform an equalization on the received signal in the frequency domain on the basis of the noise reduced channel estimation result from the noise reduction means (8). The present invention further relates to corresponding method.The present invention enables an improvement of the equalization performance.
US08446999B2	Receiving apparatus and communication system A receiving antenna diversity effect is improved by equalizing the likelihood while exchanging the likelihood among a plurality of equalizers. A receiving apparatus (300) which receives radio signals using antennas (301-1 to 301-M), includes: pilot separation sections (304-1 to 304-M) separating a pilot signal and a received data signal from the radio signals; a channel estimation section (305) calculating a channel estimation value corresponding to each of the antennas (301-1 to 301-M) according to the pilot signal; and a reception processing section (306) performing signal detection for the received data signal corresponding to each of the antennas (301-1 to 301-M) and having a plurality of equalization sections each generating likelihood information according to the received data signal and the channel estimation value, wherein any one of the equalization sections generates likelihood information using the likelihood information generated by another equalization section and also outputs the generated likelihood information to another equalization section.
US08446997B2	Apparatus and method for reducing third-order intermodulation distortion A method and apparatus for compensating for third-order intermodulation (IM) distortion in a receiver by passing a received signal through a detector to obtain a second-order difference signal, combining the 2nd-order signal with the received signal in a multiplier to obtain a 3rd-order IM signal, adjusting a parameter such as amplitude, phase or quadrature amplitude of the 3rd-order IM signal, and coupling the 3rd-order IM signal into the received signal.
US08446992B2	Digital exciter having pilot signal compensation A digital exciter is presented herein for use in RF broadcasting and wherein the exciter employs pilot signal compensation. This includes an input digital circuit for receiving a modulated digital data at an input sample rate for RF broadcasting at a desired RF frequency. The pilot frequency may be displaced from a desired location at the frequency band because of an error in the input sample rate. A digital compensator determines whether the pilot frequency is displaced and provides a digital correction signal in accordance therewith. A digital correction circuit corrects the pilot frequency in accordance with the correction signal.
US08446986B2	Method of estimating log-likelihood ratios and relative S-FSK receiver A method of estimating log-likelihood ratios for first and second streams of samples of a received S-FSK signal demodulated using first and second carriers includes estimating channel and noise parameters associated with first and second transmitted values for the first and second streams of samples obtained from the received S-FSK modulated signal. Current signal-to-noise ratios are estimated for current samples of the first and second streams of samples obtained from the received S-FSK modulated signal using the channel and noise parameters. The estimated current signal-to-noise ratios are compared with values of a discrete ordered set and respective pairs of consecutive values of the discrete ordered set between which the estimated current signal-to-noise ratios are comprised are identified. Log-likelihood ratios are estimated for the current samples of the first and second streams.
US08446985B2	Method and system for reducing duty cycle distortion amplification in forwarded clocks A method and apparatus for reducing the amplification of the duty cycle distortion of high frequency clock signals when is provided. A data signal is sent to a receiver via a first channel. A clock signal is sent to the receiver via a second channel. The clock signal is filtered to substantially remove therefrom low frequency components before the clock signal is used by the receiver to recover data from the data signal.
US08446983B2	Amplitude shift keyed (ASK) demodulation pattern and use in radio frequency identification (RFID) A demodulation circuit for an Amplitude Shift Keyed (ASK) modulated signal includes an envelope detector, an alternating voltage amplifier, a differentiator circuit, and a comparator having a hysteresis connected in series. The envelope detector produces an envelope signal from the received ASK signal. The amplifier blocks the DC component of the envelope signal and amplifies AC components of the envelope signal to obtain a steeper slope of the rising and falling edges. The differentiator circuit then processes the transition edges to provide a differentiated signal having positive and negative electrical pulses. The comparator converts the pulses into a binary data stream which corresponds to the transmitted data stream. The combination of the differentiated signal and comparator having a hysteresis enables better stability and sensitivity of the ASK demodulation circuit.
US08446982B2	Beamforming by antenna puncturing Beamforming is provided for a wireless MIMO device by using antenna puncturing to reduce the number of transmit antennas that are used to transmit data for certain subcarriers. In a conventional approach, if N spatial streams are being used to provide spatial multiplexing, then N transmit antennas would be used to transmit for each subcarrier. In at least one embodiment of the invention, enhancements in channel capacity are achieved by using less than N transmit antennas for one or more subcarriers.
US08446981B2	Transmission apparatus, reception apparatus and communication system In SU-MIMO, even when the channel state of one antenna is poor, an error ratio is improved by obtaining a transmission antenna diversity effect. A transmission apparatus 100 that has a plurality of antennas 108-1 to 108-Ntx and transmits a signal according to a MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) system includes a DFT part 111 for precoding transmission data and a spectrum division part 112 for dividing a spectrum output from the DFT part 111. The divided spectrums are transmitted from the different antennas 108-1 to 108-Ntx, respectively.
US08446979B1	Predistortion with integral crest-factor reduction and reduced observation bandwidth Apparatus and methods configure digital predistortion linearizers for power amplification of bandlimited signals using non-linear amplifiers. The predistorter is configured to achieve both crest factor reduction (CFR) and predistortion for linearization. One embodiment advantageously reduces processing requirements conventionally associated with CFR by considering only the in-band component, that is, the information bearing component, of the desired signal to be reproduced for those cases in which the mitigation of in-band error vector magnitude (EVM) is preferred over the reduction of spurious out-of-band emissions.
US08446978B2	Communication system According to an aspect of an embodiment, a communication system includes a transmission apparatus with a coding section that generates multi-level-coded signals and transmits the multi-level-coded signals; and a deskew signal generation section that generates and transmits a deskew signal related to the multi-level-coded signals. The communication system also includes a receiving apparatus with a decoding section that decodes the multi-level-coded signals to generate decoded signals, and a deskew processing section that performs deskew processing for compensating skew among the decoded signals of the multiple channels. The deskew signal generation section generates the deskew signal that has been framed by extracting a part of the data from each of the channels of the input signals, adding framing data for enabling a receiving apparatus to recognize which channel the extracted data has been extracted from, and performing rate conversion.
US08446975B2	Iterative interference suppressor for wireless multiple-access systems with multiple receive antennas This invention teaches to the details of an interference suppressing receiver for suppressing intra-cell and inter-cell interference in coded, multiple-access, spread spectrum transmissions that propagate through frequency selective communication channels to a multiplicity of receive antennas. The receiver is designed or adapted through the repeated use of symbol-estimate weighting, subtractive suppression with a stabilizing step-size, and mixed-decision symbol estimates. Receiver embodiments may be designed, adapted, and implemented explicitly in software or programmed hardware, or implicitly in standard RAKE-based hardware either within the RAKE (i.e., at the finger level) or outside the RAKE (i.e., at the user or subchannel symbol level). Embodiments may be employed in user equipment on the forward link or in a base station on the reverse link. It may be adapted to general signal processing applications where a signal is to be extracted from interference.
US08446974B2	Blind mechanism for the joint estimation of frequency offset and phase offset for QAM modulated signals A mechanism for jointly correcting carrier phase and carrier frequency errors in a demodulated signal. A computer system may receive samples of a baseband input signal (resulting from QAM demodulation). The computer system may compute values of a cost function J over a grid in a 2D angle-frequency space. A cost function value J(θ,ω) is computed for each point (θ,ω) in the grid by (a) applying a phase adjustment of angle θ and a frequency adjustment of frequency ω to the input signal; (b) performing one or more iterations of the K-means algorithm on the samples of the adjusted signal; (c) generated a sum on each K-means cluster; and (d) adding the sums. The point (θe,ωe) in the 2D angle-frequency space that minimizes the cost function J serves an estimate for the carrier phase error and carrier frequency error. The estimated errors may be used to correct the input signal.
US08446973B2	Transmission and reception apparatus and method A transmission apparatus includes a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation signal generators, which generate a first OFDM modulation signal and a second OFDM modulation signal. The transmission apparatus also includes a transmitter that transmits the first OFDM modulation signal from a first antenna and the second OFDM modulation signal from a second antenna, in an identical frequency band. A reception apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of antennas that receive a plurality of OFDM modulation signals; a plurality of OFDM demodulators that transform the plurality of OFDM modulation signals to a plurality of reception signals using Fourier transform; an estimator that outputs a distortion estimation signal using one or more symbols for demodulation included in the plurality of reception signals; and a demodulator that compensates for distortion of the reception signals using the distortion estimation signal and demodulates a data symbol included in the reception signals.
US08446971B2	Communication station and method for efficiently providing channel feedback for MIMO communications Embodiments of a communication station and methods for efficiently providing channel feedback for MIMO communications over an OFDM channel are generally described herein. In some embodiments, receiving stations may perform a recursive differential quantization of channel information across time and/or frequency to generate quantized differential channel feedback. The quantized differential channel feedback from each receiving station may be used by a transmitting station to precode MIMO transmissions to one or more of the receiving stations. The quantized differential channel feedback may be either a quantized differential channel matrix or a quantized differential beamforming matrix.
US08446970B2	Data processing apparatus and method A receiver detects and recovers data from Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols. The receiver includes a correlator operable to correlate the time domain samples at a separation determined in accordance with the useful samples of the OFDM symbols and for each of a plurality of possible guard intervals combining the correlated samples for a period equal to the guard interval, for a plurality of consecutively received OFDM symbols, to form for each of the possible guard intervals a correlation output value, and a guard interval identifier arranged to receive the output from the correlator and to identify one of the guard intervals used for the received OFDM symbols from the correlation output value for each of the plurality of possible guard intervals.
US08446969B2	Multi-carrier transmission apparatus and peak suppression method Peak power is reduced without causing degradation of EVM. A multi-carrier transmission apparatus comprises: a first amplitude suppression unit suppressing amplitude of an oversampled multi-carrier signal; a first Fourier transform unit transforming an output signal of the first amplitude suppression unit into a frequency domain; a first signal suppression unit suppressing a signal outside a band of the output signal from the first Fourier transform unit under a predetermined condition; and a first inverse Fourier transform unit receiving a multi-carrier signal with respect to a signal within the band, receiving the output signal of the first signal suppression unit with respect to a signal outside the band, and inverse Fourier transforming these received signals.
US08446967B2	Preamble sequences for wireless communication systems A method is provided to generate preamble sequences. The method includes transmitting a periodic set of samples as part of a wireless communications preamble sequence and determining a set of null periods in which zero samples are transmitted. The null periods are interspersed among the periodic set of samples in order to enhance correlation efficiency and mitigate processing complexity.
US08446965B2	Compression noise reduction apparatus, compression noise reduction method, and storage medium therefor A compression noise reduction apparatus includes a peripheral pixel state determination module, a filter strength determination module, and a deringing processing module. The peripheral pixel state determination module determines a state of a flat area and an edge area at a periphery of a filtering target pixel in decoded image. The filter strength determination module determines a filter strength to be used in filter processing in accordance with the state of the flat area and the edge area. The deringing processing module performs deringing processing using the determined filter strength.
US08446963B2	Method and system for synchronizing audio and video data signals A system for synchronizing video data and audio data for an optical disc is disclosed. The system includes a demultiplexer, for splitting a data stream into audio data and video data, the audio data having an embedded/associated audio playback time information and the video data having an embedded/associated video playback time information; an audio decoding block, having at least fast forward or slow forward functionality, for decoding the audio data to output decoded audio data; a video decoding block, having at least fast forward or slow forward functionality, for decoding the video data to output decoded video data; and a decision block, for sending at least an adjustment signal, wherein the adjustment signal is for instructing either the video decoding block or the audio decoding block to perform fast forward or slow forward operations.
US08446962B2	Compressed video format with partial picture representation An encoder comprising a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to (i) generate a cropped video signal in response to separating a video signal and (ii) generate overscan information describing a shape of an overscan region. The video signal conveys an image having a picture region containing image information and the overscan region. The cropped video signal conveys the picture region. The second circuit may be configured to generate a digital video bit-stream in response to compressing said cropped video signal. The overscan region is absent from the digital video bit-stream as transmitted from the encoder.
US08446961B2	Color gamut scalability techniques Techniques are described that can be used to either compress or expand video. Color compression techniques are described that can be used to compress the wide color gamut content into lower color gamut for inclusion in a baseline layer. Color expansion techniques are described that convert lower color gamut data into wider color gamut format for inclusion in an enhancement layer. Both of the baseline video stream and enhancement layer video streams may be transmitted through a channel or stored in a memory device to be viewed later. Accordingly, both baseline and enhancement video layers are available so that either lower or higher quality displays can be used to display video.
US08446956B2	Inter-layer motion prediction method using resampling The invention relates to a method for generating for at least one macroblock of a high resolution image at least one motion predictor from motion data associated to macroblock(s) of a low resolution image. The method comprises the following steps: —defining a virtual structure made up of non overlapping macroblocks, called virtual base layer macroblocks; —identifying for the high resolution macroblock corresponding virtual base layer macroblocks in the virtual image on the basis of the location of the high resolution macroblock within the high resolution image and on the basis of the ratios of low resolution and high resolution images dimensions; —deriving, for each identified virtual base layer macroblocks, motion data from motion data associated to at least one macroblock of a corresponding low resolution macroblocks pair on the basis of the field/frame mode of the corresponding low resolution macroblocks pair and on the basis of the field/frame mode of the high resolution macroblock; —resampling motion data associated to the corresponding virtual base layer macroblocks so as to generate the at least one motion predictor.
US08446944B1	Data processing system and method A data processing device is provided. The data processing device includes a first port configured to receive data from a first bus, and a direct memory access (DMA) engine coupled to the first port. The DMA engine is configured to receive the data from the first bus, receive a contiguous scatter-gather list from a processing device via a second port, configure the data according to the contiguous scatter-gather list, and provide the configured data to the processing device through the second port. The second port is configured to write the configured data to the processing device over a second bus.
US08446943B2	Communication over power lines A method and apparatus for communicating over a power line. In one embodiment of the method, a first PWM waveform signal is generated, wherein a duty cycle of the first PWM waveform signal is proportional to an amplitude of a first analog signal. A first sinusoidal waveform signal is also generated, which has a first frequency. The first sinusoidal waveform signal is modulated in relation to the first PWM waveform signal. The modulated first sinusoidal waveform signal is transmitted to a circuit via a power conductor that couples a power source to the circuit. The circuit in turn generates a demodulated signal by demodulating the modulated first sinusoidal waveform signal.
US08446936B2	Co-channel feedback signal cancelling regenerative repeater of advanced television system committee Disclosed is a co-channel feedback signal cancelling regenerative repeater of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) that extracts a predetermined reference value of feedback signal to be able to cancel the feedback signal among received signals, including: a signal receiving unit; a signal demodulating unit that converts frequency of a received signal and demodulates it into a baseband signal; an interference equalizing unit that corrects characteristics of the demodulated signal and cancels feedback signal; a channel equalizing unit that compensates for channel distortion of an original signal from which the feedback signal is cancelled; a modulating unit that modulates the channel distortion-compensated original signal and converts it into an analog signal; and a signal transmitting unit that converts the frequency of the modulated signal, controls and amplifies its gain, and transmits a regenerative transmission signal.
US08446932B2	Method for reconstructing the characteristics of transmitted CDMA waveforms A waveform reconstruction system and method for using the same are disclosed. The system includes an RF down-converter that receives a signal and outputs a down-converted signal. A demodulator demodulates the down-converted signal to generate a recovered digital data stream. A pattern detector detects a predetermined pattern in the recovered digital data stream. A delay generator delays the down-converted signal and outputs a delayed copy thereof. A signal processing circuit combines the delayed copy with previously received delayed copies of the down-converted signal to reconstruct an averaged waveform from the plurality of delayed copies having the predetermined pattern.
US08446930B2	Impulse radio communication device An impulse radio communication device includes a short pulse generator configured to change a shape of an impulse to be output; a bandpass filter configured to receive the impulse and output the impulse as a wave packet; an amplifier configured to amplify an output from the bandpass filter; and an antenna configured to output the wave packet, output from the amplifier, as a wireless signal, the short pulse generator includes a control section configured to change the shape of the impulse to be output, in response to an environmental condition of a transmission path for wireless communication.
US08446926B2	Broad-area edge-emitting semiconductor laser with limited thermal contact A diode-laser having an elongated diode-laser emitter is mounted on a relatively massive heat-sink. Two parallel grooves are machined into the heat-sink to leave a relatively narrow elongated ridge of the heat-sink between the grooves. The ridge has a width about equal to or narrower that the width of the emitter. The diode-laser is mounted on the heat-sink such that thermal communication between the emitter and heat-sink is essentially limited to thermal communication with the ridge.
US08446917B2	Methods and apparatus for efficiently communicating information using a proxy Methods for communicating discovery information are described. A module intercepts messages within a device which include a first identifier, e.g., a service, application, device or other identifier which is to be communicated or which is to be monitored for in the case of a device seeking something. A second identifier corresponding to the information to be communicated or item or service being sought is generated. The second identifier is transmitted in the case of an advertisement or monitored for in the case of the device seeking something. Following a second device establishing a communications connection in response to an advertisement, stored information such as all or a portion of the first identifier is transmitted over the established connection. A device seeking an item or service, in response to detecting the second identifier, establishes a connection with the second device. The second identifier maybe shorter than the first identifier.
US08446916B2	Flow consistent dynamic load balancing A device provides a flow table. The device receives a data unit, determines a data flow associated with the data unit, determines whether the flow table includes an entry corresponding to the data flow, determines a current utilization of a group of output ports of the device, selects an output port, of the group of output ports, for the data flow based on the current utilization of the group of output ports when the flow table does not store an entry corresponding to the data flow, and stores the data unit in a queue associated with the selected output port.
US08446914B2	Method and system for link aggregation across multiple switches One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a forwarding mechanism and a control mechanism. During operation, the forwarding mechanism forwards frames based on their Ethernet headers. The control mechanism operates the switch in conjunction with a separate physical switch as a single logical switch and assigns a virtual switch identifier to the logical switch, wherein the virtual switch identifier is associated with a link aggregation group.
US08446911B2	System and method for managing communication for component applications An application gateway server is provided for managing communication between an application executing in a runtime environment on a device and at least one backend server. The application gateway server comprises a message listener, a connector subsystem, and a messaging subsystem. The message listener receives messages from the component applications. The connector subsystem comprises a plurality of connectors, each of the plurality of connectors for communicating with one or more associated backend servers. The messaging subsystem comprises a message broker for processing messages received from the message listener and transmitting them to an associated one of the plurality of connectors and a communication mapping for identifying which of the plurality of connectors is to be used for each message in accordance with an origin of the message.
US08446907B2	Medium access control method and apparatus in wireless distributed network A pair scheduling medium access control method used in a wireless network, comprises the steps of: checking, by a receiving node, whether a transmitting node has data packets to be subsequently sent, according to data packets received from the transmitting node; when the transmitting node has no data packets to be subsequently sent, checking whether the receiving node has data packets to be sent to the transmitting node or not; if the receiving node has data packets to be sent to the transmitting node, then adding a time period required for sending the data packets of the receiving node into an acknowledgement packet to be sent to the transmitting node; after the receiving node receives a Clear to Send packet sent from the transmitting node, sending the data packets in the receiving node to the transmitting node.
US08446905B2	System for transporting ethernet frames over very high speed digital subscriber lines An apparatus for and method of encapsulating Ethernet frames over a Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) transport facility. The VDSL frames are transmitted over a point to point VDSL link where they are subsequently extracted and forwarded as standard Ethernet frames. The VDSL facility transport system comprises an Ethernet to VDSL Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) coupled to a DSL Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) over a VDSL transport facility. The Ethernet to VDSL CPE functions to receive a 10BaseT Ethernet signal and encapsulate the Ethernet frame into a VDSL frame for transmission over the VDSL facility. The DSLAM is adapted to receive VDSL frames, extract Ethernet frames therefrom and generate and output a standard Ethernet signal. Ethernet frames are encapsulated within VDSL frames and transmitted on the wire pair without regard to the state of the SOC signals.
US08446902B2	SCP-controlled overlay between GSM and IMS The invention relates to method of executing a service in a Media Gateway Control Function for establishing a call between a calling party's terminal served by a Mobile Switching Centre, and an IP Multimedia Subsystem Service. The Media Gateway Control Function is arranged to query a Service Control Point on which an overlay process is loaded. The correct SCP is identified by the MGCF using a correlation identifier originally published by the SCP itself after having received an IN service trigger from an MSC or GMSC. The MGCF will receive call related data from the SCP, such as the original dialled number. This data is used by the MGCF to populate information elements in a SIP Invite message. The invention gives a solution for providing GSM specific information, e.g. dialled number, location information, to an IMS service. This information may not be available to the IMS service through present methods.
US08446898B2	Method for distributing connection attempts to a server A client/server network includes a plurality of IP devices in communication with a central server and one another. Each of the plurality of IP devices maintains a count of the number of the IP devices attempting to connect to the central server at one time in order to monitor the load on the central server. Wherein each of the plurality of IP devices verifies that the count does not exceed a maximum count prior to attempting connection to the central server.
US08446895B2	Radio base station and mobile station Provided is a radio base station eNB including a transmission timing decision unit and a system information transmission unit. The transmission timing decision unit decides a transmission radio frame according to an offset Xk from a transmission timing of a first system information SI-1 and a transmission cycle Tk for other system information k and decides a transmission sub-frame in a decided transmission radio frame according to scheduling information contained in the first system information SI-1. The system information transmission unit transmits other system information k in the decided transmission sub-frame. The offset Xk is defined so as to be different for each transmission cycle Tk.
US08446893B2	Enhanced coexistence beacon protocol (ECBP) for precise intercell synchronization of overlapping wireless base stations A method for synchronizing overlapping cells covered by different base stations include obtaining a propagation delay between a first base station and a second base station, scheduling by the first base station a selected one of first users located in a first cell covered by the first base station to transmit a first data packet which is a part of a transmission data frame, transmitting at the selected one the first users a transmission offset indicating the difference in a time domain between the beginning of the transmission data frame and the first data packet, in response to the reception of the first data packet, recording a reception offset at a selected one of second users located in a second cell covered by the second base station, the reception offset indicating the difference in time domain between the beginning of a reception data frame and the first data packet, transmitting at the selected one of the second users the reception offset to the second base station, calculating at the second base station a frame slide by adding the transmission offset and the propagation delay, and subtracting the reception offset, and synchronizing the first cell and the second cell based upon the calculated frame slide.
US08446888B2	Mobile communication systems and ranging methods thereof A mobile communication system, including: first and second nodes, wherein the first node includes: a first transmitter and a first receiver, and wherein the second node includes: a second receiver receiving a ranging signal from the first transmitter; a frequency synthesizer generating an internal signal in response to a sensing of the reception of the ranging signal; a digital circuit calculating a beat frequency by comparing the ranging signal to the internal signal and evaluating a time lapse from the reception of the ranging signal until the sensing of the reception of the ranging signal by using the beat frequency, wherein the time lapse is part of a response time of the second node; and a second transmitter providing the first receiver with the ranging signal that includes the response time of the second node.
US08446883B2	Method and apparatus for enabling networked operations in voice radio systems A method and system for the networking of radio transceivers is disclosed. The system includes a source transceiver with a source address, and a destination transceiver with a destination address. A router gateway includes a first interface in communication with the source transceiver and a second interface in communication with the destination transceiver, and interconnections between the two are defined in a routing table. A network signaling system independent of the respective radio transmission and receipt systems enables communication between the source transceiver and the destination transceiver.
US08446876B2	Maintaining point of presence at access switch for roaming clients in distributed wireless controller system Techniques are provided to enable support of roaming wireless devices in a network such that the wireless devices can keep their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses as they roam across mobility sub-domains. Traffic for a wireless device that roams is tunneled back to the access switch that serves the IP subnet which includes an IP address for the wireless device. Traffic is tunneled back to that access switch for the wireless device when the wireless device roams to another access switch which does not serve the IP subnet for the wireless device in the same mobility sub-domain and when the wireless device roams to a different mobility sub-domain, in which case the traffic is tunneled between tunneling endpoints in the respective mobility sub-domains.
US08446874B2	Apparatus and method for filtering packet in a network system using mobile IP A network system using Mobile Internet Protocol (IP). The network system includes a correspondent node for transmitting a packet in which information passing a packet filter rule is included, and a packet filtering apparatus for determining whether an address included in information of the packet received from the correspondent node is identical to a destination address stored in the packet filter rule, and determining whether to pass the packet according to the determination result.
US08446872B2	Communication terminal, communication device, method for data communication, and method for frequency allocation A communication terminal is described comprising a determiner configured to determine, for a frequency region, a plurality of first communication devices from which the communication terminal receives a signal via the frequency region; a selector configured to select at least one of the first communication devices based on a predetermined interference criterion; a signal generator configured to generate a signal with an identification of the at least one selected first communication device; and a transceiver configured to transmit the signal to a second communication device, to receive an indication from the second communication device specifying whether the communication terminal should use the frequency region for data communication with the second communication device, and to carry out data communication with the second communication device using the frequency region depending on the indication.
US08446870B2	Wireless communication base station device, wireless communication terminal device, and channel allocation method Disclosed is a base station in which the frequency usage efficiency can be improved when the communication bandwidths are asymmetric in the uplink line and the downlink line. A base station (200) can communicate by using a plurality of downlink unit bands and a smaller number of uplink unit bands. A control unit (201) allocates uplink resource allocation information and downlink resource allocation information to a PDCCH which is arranged in each of the plurality of downlink unit bands, and allocates a response signal to the uplink line data to a PHICH which is arranged in the same number of downlink unit bands from the plurality of downlink unit bands as there are uplink unit bands. A transmit RF unit (212) transmits the resource allocation information or the response signal.
US08446862B2	Radio communication device and radio communication method A wireless communication device includes a battery voltage monitoring section, which monitors the amount of decline in output voltage when a network connection section is connected to a wireless communication network to which the wireless communication device should be connected based on a communication, request; and an operation control section, which selects fewer wireless communication networks than the wireless communication device should be connected to based on the communication request if a predicted voltage calculated by subtracting the amount of decline from the output voltage is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold, and connects the network connection section to the selected one or more wireless communication networks. Based on the amount of decline, the operation control section selects one or more wireless communication networks so that the predicted voltage exceeds the predetermined threshold.
US08446861B2	Multi-antenna radio channel measurement system and method for two-way radio channel measurement The present invention relates to a multi-antenna radio channel measurement system and method for a two-way radio channel measurement, including: Control & Console Software to select a radio measurement mode, generate a probing signal for measurement, receive input parameters to be measured, and deliver the parameters to a baseband unit; a baseband unit (BBU) to set a transmission/reception frequency band and bandwidth and set a timing using the selected radio measurement mode and the received input parameters; a timing unit to synchronize a time with another radio channel measurement system to generate a transmission/reception synchronization signal, and provide the transmission/reception synchronization signal to the BBU; a transceiver unit (TRXU) to up-convert the probing signal for measurement and down-convert the reception channel signal; and a radio frequency (RF) front-end unit (RFFU) to switch to a suitable antenna according to a timing control signal of the BBU.
US08446860B2	Apparatus and method for network access device localization on a wireless network According to an example embodiment, a method for wireless communication includes establishing a communication session between a base station associated with a wireless network and a network access device associated with a separate communications network. The network access device provides the base station access to the communications network. The method further includes receiving location information from the network access device. The location information describes the location of the network access device. The network device receives the location information from a server on the communications network. In addition, the method includes providing a service to at least one wireless device utilizing the location information.
US08446857B1	Multiple access spread spectrum switching methodology A low-cost, low-power, low-complexity, small, high-reliability, robust, seamless satellite communication network is described. The network performs encoding of a user signal at the customer premises to enable routing of the user signal to an appropriate destination beam at the satellite requiring low power user signal processing. Routing information is embedded at the periphery of the network CPE's rather than at the satellite. Embedding the routing information in this way greatly reduces on-board switching complexity and increases signal to interference ratio for the user.
US08446853B2	Communication control apparatus, mobile terminal apparatus, and radio communication method Each mobile terminal apparatus measures receiving power or receiving quality of a signal received from a radio communication apparatus. If a plurality of mobile terminal apparatuses in which the receiving power or the receiving quality is lower than or equal to a determined threshold are detected, then a communication control apparatus selects a mobile terminal apparatus made to function as a relay station from the plurality of mobile terminal apparatuses detected on the basis of a result of measuring the receiving power or the receiving quality. The mobile terminal apparatus selected relays communication between the radio communication apparatus and a mobile terminal apparatus which does not function as a relay station.
US08446851B2	Method and device for transmitting a multimedia broadcast multicast service A method and a device for transmitting a multimedia broadcast multicast service are provided. The method includes one or more base stations encode and modulate the original multimedia broadcast multicast service data to be transmitted, and transmit the encoded and modulated multimedia broadcast multicast service data to one or more transparent relay stations belonging to the one or more base stations via a specified same time and frequency resource; the one or more transparent relay stations performs a relay process for the received multimedia broadcast multicast service data; then the one or more transparent relay stations and the one or more base stations transmit the multimedia broadcast multicast service data via the specified same time frequency resource simultaneously; and a terminal processes the received multimedia broadcast multicast service data to acquire the original multimedia broadcast multicast service data. The present invention can improve the MBMS service transmission performance in the next generation mobile communication system.
US08446849B2	Methods and apparatuses for power control Downlink power control commands are mapped to resources used for uplink communications within a wireless communication system. An eNode B receives communications from UEs and determines the resources used by the UEs for those transmissions on the uplink which are transmitted at non-optimum power levels. Power control messages are formulated wherein the location of the power control commands is mapped to particular resources used by the UEs for their uplink transmissions. This facilitates the eNode B to dynamically assign resources for the power control commands while permitting the UEs to decode the power control messages to adjust their power accordingly.
US08446847B2	System, device and method for implementing special call service A system, device and method for implementing a special call service are disclosed. The method includes receiving a session establishment request message carrying a service type identifier, determining a service type identified by the service type identifier in the session establishment request message, and implementing a special call service with a service processing logic corresponding to the service type.
US08446846B1	Method of passing signal events through a voice over IP audio mixer device In Voice-over-IP or like systems, audio mixers are used for implanting conferencing applications for IP networks. In such systems, a problem exists as how to pass through user signal events, such a DTMF digits, in-band as well as out-of-band telephony events (RFC 2833/4733) because they are not handled well in such systems. In accordance with the invention, a signalling event in incoming audio packets or user signalling event received out-of-band is detected at one of the inputs. A meta-data representation of the signal event is attached to the audio and passed through the mixer for regeneration, as in-band or out-of-band telephony events, on the other side of the mixer.
US08446842B2	Method and apparatus for identifying similar sub-graphs in a network A method and an apparatus for identifying sub-graphs similar to a sample sub-graph from a network, in particular for identifying similar community structures from a network, are disclosed. Specifically, when a sample sub-graph is a community structure, it usually contains a plurality of nodes densely associated with each other. The method proposes first screening the network via key nodes of community structures so as to find sub-graph candidates that are potentially similar to the sample sub-graph, then strictly comparing the sub-graph candidates with the sample sub-graph to find similar sub-graphs of the sample sub-graph.
US08446841B2	Communicating information between core and edge network elements In particular embodiments, a network element filters information sent to a neighboring network element. In the embodiments, the core network element may determine whether the neighboring network element is an edge network element or a core network element. If the neighboring network element is an edge network element, the core network element may set a filter, remove traffic engineering information according to the filter, and send the remaining information to the neighboring network element.
US08446839B2	Multi-dimensional rate adaptation in a communication system Performing wireless transmission of data over a wireless communication medium. A first data structure may be maintained which includes data rate information for transmission using a first number of streams. A second data structure may be maintained which includes data rate information for transmission using a second number of streams. Channel characteristics of the wireless communication medium may be determined. Channel characteristic information may be maintained based on the determined channel characteristics. Accordingly, a stream configuration and data rate may be determined based on the current channel characteristic information. Wireless transmission may be performed using the determined stream configuration and data rate. Determining channel characteristics, maintaining current channel characteristic information, determining a stream configuration and data rate, and performing wireless transmission may be dynamically performed a plurality of times during wireless data transmission.
US08446836B2	Method and system for supporting a plurality of providers via a single femtocell Aspects of a method and system for supporting a plurality of providers via a single femtocell are provided. In this regard, a femtocell may determine characteristics of one or more VLANs to which it is virtually communicatively coupled via a non-cellular connection and via a cellular connection. Based on the determined characteristics of the one or more VLANs, a cellular transmitter and/or receiver of the femtocell may be controlled to transmit and/or receive packets belonging to the one or more VLANs via the non-cellular connection and/or via the cellular connection. The characteristics of the one or more VLANs may comprise one or more of: cellular standards utilized by the one or more VLANs, cellular frequencies utilized in the one or more VLANs, access technologies utilized by the one or more VLANs, and a duplexing method utilized by the one or more VLANs.
US08446835B2	Method and termination node for bundling multiple messages into a packet The invention relates to a method and a termination node for bundling multiple messages into a packet having a predetermined maximum size. The total size of messages received from an upper layer is checked if it is large enough to fill the maximum-sized packet. If not, the receipt of further messages is waited for a bundling delay time and if the bundling delay time has expired the messages received during said delay time are bundled into the packet. In order to ensure primarily a maximal bundling efficiency and secondarily a lowest possible delay time for the received messages before they are bundled the bundling delay time is calculated in response to an average arrival rate and an average size of the previously received messages such that the bundling delay time corresponds to an average time to fill the packet of the predetermined maximum size.
US08446829B2	System and method for overload control in a next generation network A Call Server in a network is able to monitor an offered rate of incoming calls per Access Gateway (AGW). A calculated GlobalLeakRate can be distributed between the AGWs in proportion to the traffic rate they offer. A leak rate calculation method is used to calculate the GlobalLeakRate control parameter of the ETSI_NR restrictor at an overloaded Control Server The leak rate calculation is based on the POTS call rejection rate. In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the calculation is based on bringing the call reject rate close to a configurable low target reject level. An MGC is able to identify the end of an overload event with a greater degree of confidence and an AGW is able respond appropriately if the AGW is prematurely instructed to stop the control.
US08446827B2	Radio communication terminal A radio communication terminal includes a link-usage level calculating section that calculates usage level of a radio link, and a data reception continuation/suspension determining section that determines continuation of data reception or suspension of data reception according to the level of usage calculated by the link-usage level calculating section. The link-usage level calculating section calculates a current usage level indicating a level of usage of the radio link associated with current data reception in the radio communication terminal. The data reception continuation/suspension determining section determines continuation of data reception when the current usage level is equal to or higher than a reference level of usage being a threshold and determines suspension of data reception when the current usage level is lower than the reference level of usage.
US08446825B2	Method and system for reliable service period allocation in 60 GHz MAC A technique to send service period allocation from a network control point to a plurality of stations using an Announce frame of a 60 GHz DBand specification. The use of the Announce frame ensures that the control point receives confirmation of the service period allocation assigned to the stations before data transfer is permitted between the stations.
US08446822B2	Pinning and protection on link aggregation groups A device may assign a virtual local area network (VLAN) to one or more specific links in a link aggregation group (LAG), and send traffic from the VLAN on the assigned one or more specific LAG links. Traffic from the same VLAN may be sent on one link in the LAG by selecting a hashing criterion or by pinning the VLAN to a primary link in the LAG and another link for redundancy purposes.
US08446810B2	Information recording medium having recording condition for adjusting the position of cooling pulse An information recording medium includes a track on which a data sequence is recordable, and at least one of a PIC area in which a recording condition for recording the data sequence on the track is recorded. The recording condition includes a parameter for adjusting a position of a trailing end of a cooling pulse in a recording pulse waveform for forming the recording mark. The parameter is classified using a combination of a length of the recording mark, a length of a first space located adjacently previous to the recording mark and a length of a second space located adjacently subsequent to the recording mark. A recording apparatus is provided for recording a data sequence on an information recording medium based on the recording condition recorded on the information recording medium. An evaluation apparatus is provided for evaluating an information recording medium having the recording parameter recorded thereon.
US08446807B2	Optical information recording medium, reproducing device for optical information recording medium, control method and control program for the reproducing device, and medium with the control program recorded therein A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).
US08446803B2	Information storage medium, reproducing method, and recording method According to one embodiment, an information storage medium includes an organic dye material which records information with a light beam having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 620 nm.
US08446796B2	Method and system for processing echo signals In a pulse-echo measuring system, echo signals are compared by a difference calculator with the output of a model simulating the system. The detected differences are used to re-calculate parameters in the model. Other parameters are directly measured and applied to the model. A primary measurement, such as level, is detected more accurately and other parameters such as froth height and turbulence are estimated accurately.
US08446794B2	Refreshing data of memory cells with electrically floating body transistors A semiconductor device along with circuits including the same and methods of operating the same are described. The device comprises a memory cell including one transistor. The transistor comprises a gate, an electrically floating body region, and a source region and a drain region adjacent the body region. Data stored in memory cells of the device can be refreshed within a single clock cycle.
US08446793B2	Semiconductor memory device including clock control circuit and method for operating the same A clock control circuit includes a first clock buffer configured to toggle a first clock signal when a self-refresh exit command signal is inputted during a self-refresh operation; and a second clock buffer configured to toggle a second clock signal when the self-refresh operation is finished, the second clock being provided to internal circuits.
US08446792B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit A temperature sensing circuit activates a sensing signal when sensing that a temperature inside a semiconductor integrated circuit is lower than a predetermined temperature. A heat generation control circuit activates a heat generation control signal when the sensing signal is activated. When the heat generation control signal is activated, a current is generated inside a memory circuit to raise the temperature inside the semiconductor integrated circuit.
US08446790B2	Circuit for supplying a reference voltage in a semiconductor memory device for testing an internal voltage generator therein A reference voltage supplying circuit can include an internal reference voltage generating unit configured to generate an internal reference voltage, a pad configured to receive an external reference voltage, a switching unit selectively configured to supply the internal reference voltage or the external reference voltage to an internal voltage generator in a test mode.
US08446789B2	Global line sharing circuit of semiconductor memory device A global line sharing circuit of a semiconductor memory device includes: a ZQ calibration unit configured to adjust an impedance of a DQ output driver; a test unit configured to control a test operation; and a shared global line coupled to and used in common by the ZQ calibration unit and the test unit.
US08446787B2	Replacing defective memory blocks in response to external addresses Electronic systems and methods of operating memory devices are provided. In one such embodiment, a memory device receives an external address that addresses a non-defective memory block of a sequence of memory blocks of the memory device in place of a defective memory block of the sequence of memory blocks such that the non-defective memory block replaces the defective memory block. The non-defective memory block is proximate non-defective memory block following the defective memory block in the sequence of memory blocks that is available to replace the defective memory block.
US08446786B2	Outputting a particular data quantization from memory The present disclosure includes methods, devices, and systems for outputting data particular quantization of data from memory devices and systems. Outputting data particular quantization of data can include enabling a particular one of a plurality of different quantizations of data. The particular one of the plurality of quantizations of data can then be output.
US08446780B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device A control circuit during an erase operation sets a voltage of a first line connected to a selected cell unit to a voltage larger than a voltage of a gate of a first transistor included in the selected cell unit by an amount of a first voltage, sets a voltage difference between a voltage of a first line connected to an unselected cell unit and a voltage of a gate of a first transistor included in the unselected cell unit to a second voltage which differs from the first voltage, applies in the selected cell unit and the unselected cell unit a third voltage to a gate of at least one of dummy memory transistors in a dummy memory string, and applies a fourth voltage to a gate of another one of the dummy memory transistors in the dummy memory string, the fourth voltage being lower than the third voltage.
US08446778B2	Method for operating a flash memory device A charge trap flash memory device is capable of preventing a data retention fail by ensuring a data retention margin. A method for operating the charge trap flash memory device is provided. A selected memory cell is programmed using a program voltage. The selected memory cell is verified using a first program verify voltage. Date retention states of selected memory cell having passed the program verify step are verified using a retention verify voltage. A read step of determining a program pass or fail by reading data of the selected memory cell having passed the retention verify step is performed using a read voltage.
US08446768B2	Control device for nonvolatile memory and method of operating control device A device comprises a nonvolatile memory cell array, a buffer circuit, a program control circuit, and a read control circuit. The nonvolatile memory cell array comprises a plurality of memory cells. The program control circuit stores program data in the buffer circuit. The read control circuit reads data from a selected address of the nonvolatile memory cell array. The program control circuit compares the program data with the read data, and sets a bit of the program data as a program-inhibit bit based on the comparison.
US08446764B2	Control voltage generation circuit and non-volatile memory device including the same A control voltage generation circuit for generating a control voltage for controlling a high-voltage transistor includes an input node configured to receive a first enable signal; an output node configured to generate the control voltage, a transferor configured to transfer a voltage of the input node to the output node in response to a transfer signal, an enabling voltage driver configured to drive the output node with a high voltage when the first enable signal is enabled, and a disabling voltage driver configured to drive the output node with a negative voltage when a second enable signal is enabled in a negative mode.
US08446763B2	Semiconductor memory device, method of manufacturing the same, and cell array of semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a cell array of a semiconductor memory device are provided. The semiconductor memory device includes: a first gate insulation layer and a second gate insulation layer, being spaced a predetermined distance from each other, on a portion of a semiconductor substrate; a select gate on the first gate insulation layer; a floating gate on the second gate insulation layer; a third gate insulation layer on the floating gate; a control gate on the third gate insulation layer; a first ion implantation region in the semiconductor substrate between the select gate and the floating gate; a second ion implantation region in the semiconductor substrate at a side of the select gate opposite the first ion implantation region; and a third ion implantation region in the semiconductor substrate at a side of the floating gate opposite the first ion implantation region.
US08446761B2	Method and system for providing multiple logic cells in a single stack A method and system for providing a magnetic junction usable in a magnetic device are described. The magnetic junction includes a pinned layer, a plurality of nonmagnetic spacer layers, and a plurality of free layers. The free layers are interleaved with the nonmagnetic spacer layers. A first nonmagnetic spacer layer of the nonmagnetic spacer layers is between the free layers and the pinned layer. Each of the free layers is configured to be switchable between stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic junction. Each of the free layers has a critical switching current density. The critical switching current density of one of the free layers changes monotonically from the critical switching current density of an adjacent free layer. The adjacent free layer is between the pinned layer and the one of the plurality of free layers.
US08446752B2	Programmable metallization cell switch and memory units containing the same An electronic device that includes a first programmable metallization cell (PMC) that includes an active electrode; an inert electrode; and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the active electrode and the inert electrode; and a second PMC that includes an active electrode; an inert electrode; and a solid electrolyte layer disposed between the active electrode and the inert electrode, wherein the first and second PMCs are electrically connected in anti-parallel.
US08446749B2	Resistance change memory device A resistance change memory device including: a cell array having a resistance change type of memory cells disposed at the cross-points of word lines and bit lines, the resistance value of the memory cell being reversibly settable; a word line driver circuit configured to apply a selecting drive voltage to one selected in the word lines; and a bit line driver circuit configured to drive multiple bit lines in such a manner that a set mode and a reset mode are set simultaneously for multiple memory cells selected by the selected word line, the set mode being for changing a selected memory cell from a first resistance state into a second resistance state while the reset mode is for changing a selected memory cell from the second resistance state into the first resistance state.
US08446746B2	Switch mode power supply controller with feedback signal decay sensing This invention relates to SMPS controllers employing primary side sensing. We describe a system for identifying a knee point in a sensing waveform, at which the output voltage of the SMPS may be sampled accurately on the primary side. The system identifies the knee point, broadly speaking, by tracking a portion of a power transformer voltage waveform, and samples the voltage waveform at the knee point to determine the SMPS output voltage. In preferred embodiments this technique is implemented using a circuit akin to a decaying peak detector, providing a timing signal indicating detection of the knee point. Sample/hold and error amplifier circuits may be employed to achieve output voltage regulation.
US08446744B2	Method for controlling a switching device of a resonant power converter, especially in order to provide a required power, especially for an X-ray generator A method and a control device control a switching device for providing a resonant circuit with a switching voltage for generating a resonant current in order to provide a required output power at an output of a resonant power converter.
US08446741B1	Multiple driver power supply A power supply includes a power source having at least one power source output, and a plurality of drivers connected to the at least one power source output. At least one of the plurality of drivers includes a bridge network having a first switch, a second switch and a bridge network output. The first switch is connected between the at least one power source output and the bridge network output. The second switch is connected between the bridge network output and a ground. The bridge network further includes at least one control input connected to the second switch. The bridge network is adapted to change a state of the first switch based on a state of the second switch.
US08446740B2	Frame reinforcing structure and electronic apparatus including the structure Even in a location where, for example, a notch section is formed, sufficient rigidity is secured. For this purpose, in reinforcing structure of a front case, a horizontal hemming-bent section 18 formed by folding work is disposed not only in a notch section 9, but also in regions near neighborhood regions 15 and 16. As a result, in the neighborhood regions 15 and 16 of the notch section 9, there is formed a location in which the horizontal hemming-bent section 18 overlaps with a sidewall section 7 along a side end edge to thereby provide reinforcement. Hence, also in the notch section 9, sufficient rigidity is secured.
US08446739B2	Circuit device and electronic device An electronic circuit device comprising an attaching material between an electronic component and a circuit board is disclosed. A bonding resin is situated on a side of an electronic component and flowed between the electronic component and a circuit board. The flow action may be facilitated by thermoplasticity and capillary action.
US08446738B2	Motherboard assembly for interconnecting and distributing signals and power A system, method, and motherboard assembly are described for interconnecting and distributing signals and power between co-planar boards that function as a single motherboard. The motherboard assembly includes a multilayered first printed circuit board having opposed parallel first and second surfaces, each having at least one land grid array (LGA) disposed thereon. The assembly further includes at least one wiring layer (Y) designed to only electrically interconnect components on or within the first PCB, and at least one wiring layer (X) designed to only electrically connect the components on the first PCB to a multilayered second PCB. The multilayered second PCB has opposed parallel first and second surfaces, the first surface having at least one LGA disposed thereon. It further includes at least one wiring layer (V) designed to only electrically interconnect components on or within the second PCB, and at least one layer (X) designed to only electrically interconnect the components on the second PCB with the components on the first PCB. A first LGA interposer couples to the LGA disposed on the first surface of the first PCB, and electrically connects at least one component to the first PCB. A second LGA interposer is sandwiched between and couples to the LGA disposed on the second surface of the first PCB and to the LGA disposed on the first surface of the second PCB. It electrically connects the first PCB to components on the second PCB.
US08446730B2	Package of environmental sensitive element A package of an environmental sensitive element including a flexible substrate, an environmental sensitive element, a flexible sacrificial layer and a packaging structure is provided. The environmental sensitive element is disposed on the flexible substrate. The flexible sacrificial layer is disposed on the environmental sensitive element, wherein the environmental sensitive element includes a plurality of first thin films and the flexible sacrificial layer includes a plurality of second thin films. The bonding strength between two adjacent second thin films is substantially equal to or lower than the bonding strength between two adjacent first thin films. Further, the packaging structure covers the environmental sensitive element and the flexible sacrificial layer.
US08446728B1	Flash memory card carrier A multi-standard flash-memory-card carrier includes a carrier chassis and bay to accept flash-memory cards. Embodiments provide flexible hinges or covers allowing use of the card within the chassis or release there from, and adaptable chassis to include additional flash-memory storage within the chassis and data transfer through connected wires within the flexible hinge. All micro and standard flash-memory cards can be carried in the disclosed flash-memory-card carrier, and all embodiments of the carrier can be sized for easy placement in plastic sleeves for credit cards in a person's wallet.
US08446727B2	Electronic component There is provided an electronic component which comprises an insulating member on which an electronic element is mounted, and a thermal diffusion member on which the insulating member is mounted, wherein a thermal expansion coefficient of the insulating member is lower than a thermal expansion coefficient of the thermal diffusion member, and the insulating member is mounted in an embedded manner in a recess formed on a surface of the thermal diffusion member.
US08446718B2	Disk drive bracket A disk drive bracket includes a receiving box for receiving a disk drive and a thermal-dissipating module wrapped on and in contact with an exterior surface of the receiving box. The thermal-dissipating module includes a number of fins extending from the thermal-dissipating module opposite to the receiving box.
US08446713B2	Waterproof button and electronic device using the same A button assembly applied on an electronic device is provided. An electronic device includes a housing and a button assembly. The housing defines two through holes and includes a first latching member. The button assembly includes a button body and a sealing frame. The button body includes two keycaps and a waterproof layer. Each of the keycaps extends through one of the through holes and is external to the housing. The waterproof layer is made of elastic waterproof material. The sealing frame includes a second latching member and is fixed to the housing. The waterproof layer corresponding to the first latching member and the second latching member is deformed, which creates waterproof seal.
US08446710B2	System and method for structural, modular power distribution in a modular data center In accordance with the present disclosure, a system and method for structural power distribution in a modular data center. In particular, the present application describes a modular data center with a modular structural frame. The modular structural frame defines an enclosure, and a plurality of information handling systems may be located in the enclosure. The modular data center may also include a power distribution pathway that is at least partially disposed within the modular structural frame of the modular data center. The modular data center may also include a plurality of power distribution elements disposed within the power distribution pathway, which power the information handling systems located in the enclosure.
US08446706B1	High precision capacitors High precision capacitors and methods for forming the same utilizing a precise and highly conformal deposition process for depositing an insulating layer on substrates of various roughness and composition. The method generally comprises the steps of depositing a first insulating layer on a metal substrate by atomic layer deposition (ALD); (b) forming a first capacitor electrode on the first insulating layer; and (c) forming a second insulating layer on the first insulating layer and on or adjacent to the first capacitor electrode. Embodiments provide an improved deposition process that produces a highly conformal insulating layer on a wide range of substrates, and thereby, an improved capacitor.
US08446703B2	Surge arrester with a cage design The invention relates to a surge arrester having at least one varistor block 1, one end fitting 3, one reinforcing element 9 which holds the varistor block 1 firmly on the end fitting 3 with a tensile load, and at least one anchoring element 27 which holds the reinforcing element 9 firmly on the end fitting 3 with a tensile load wherein the anchoring element 27 has at least one edge 29 which cuts into the reinforcing element 9. The anchoring element 27 is preferably a cutting-ring screw union.
US08446701B2	Single-phase transient voltage suppression circuit In accordance with the disclosed subject matter herein, an apparatus for suppressing in a split-phase power system, effects of line-to-ground transient voltage spikes, balancing phase voltage with respect to ground, filtering phase voltage harmonics, cleaning up electrical noise in a split-phase power system, redirecting energy and absorbing electrical noise, protecting or replacing typical TVSS (transient voltage surge suppressor) units. The apparatus of the present invention can not be damaged by electrical noise. It uses virtually no energy in monitor mode and cannot draw over 3 amps. The apparatus of the present invention can be applied to single-phase lines from center tapped delta power transformers.In some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, an apparatus for use with a power supply bus having at least a first power line and a second power line. An exemplary apparatus includes an interface having an input side and an output side, the input side capable of being coupled to at least the first power line, the second power line and ground node, and the output side of the interface having at least first and second output nodes.
US08446700B2	Overcurrent protection in a dimmer circuit Disclosed is an overcurrent protection circuit for use in a dimmer circuit having a switching device for controlling power delivered to a load. The overcurrent protection circuit comprises means for sensing a load current passing through the load and means for comparing the sensed load current with a threshold, wherein the threshold is a dynamic current threshold. Also disclosed is a dimmer circuit comprising the overcurrent protection circuit.
US08446699B2	Residual current device having voltage dependent and voltage independent modes of operation This invention relates to a residual current device which is able to safely and reliably operate when a line voltage is present (voltage dependent mode) and when the line voltage is not present or falls below a predetermined threshold level (voltage independent mode). The present invention is implemented as a residual current device having a trip mechanism for isolating an electric supply to an electrical installation upon detection of a predetermined current imbalance between the line and neutral conductors of said electric supply. The present invention comprises a current transformer having a secondary winding responsive to any current imbalance on said electrical installation, and a circuit protection winding being connectable to a processing means. The impedance of said processing means varies according to the level of the line voltage such that the device, under normal operation, behaves as a voltage dependent residual current device, but in the rare occasion where operation may be required when no line voltage is present, offers voltage independent protection.
US08446698B2	Magnetoresistive element, magnetic head assembly, and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus A magnetoresistive element includes a lamination body and a pair of electrodes. The lamination body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a spacer layer. The spacer layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and includes an oxide layer. The oxide layer includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn, In, Sn, and Cd, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, and Ni.
US08446697B2	Magnetic head suspension with optimized inclination angle In a magnetic head suspension according to the present invention, each of paired right and left connecting beams that are positioned on both sides of an open section, with which paired piezoelectric elements are at least partially overlapped in a plan view, in a suspension width direction and connect a proximal end section that is directly or indirectly connected to a main actuator and a distal end section to which the load bending part is connected includes proximal-side and distal-side beams. The distal-side beam is inclined with respect to the proximal-side beam in a plan view such that a connection point between the proximal-side and distal-side beams is located closer to a suspension longitudinal center line relative to a virtual line connecting the proximal end of the proximal-side beam and the distal end of the distal-side beam.
US08446696B2	Suspension having a short flexure tail, head gimbal assembly and disk drive unit with the same A suspension for a head gimbal assembly comprises a flexure having a flexure having a tail with a plurality of electrical traces and a plurality of bonding terminals adapted for connecting with a flexible printed circuit formed thereon. Each of the bonding terminals comprises a connecting pad and a hole formed at one end of the connecting pad for electrically and mechanically connecting the connecting pad to the flexible printed circuit by bonding material. And the connecting pad has a bonding portion adjacent to the hole and an exposed portion for testing. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly and a disk drive unit with the same.
US08446695B1	Suspension ring gimbal having forwardly extending torsion arms For decreased pitch and roll stiffness, a ring gimbal suspension for a hard disk drive has torsion arms that extend toward the distal end of the suspension as they extend inward from the gimbal outer arms toward the slider bond pad. The torsion arms connect to the slider bond pad at a location that is distal of the dimple contact point. The electrical circuit traces are generally free of stainless steel except where the circuit traces cross the torsion arms, at which point they are affixed to the torsion arms. The electrical circuit traces can include an outward meander away from the slider bond pad as the traces pass over the torsion arms, for additional reduction in stiffness.
US08446691B2	Magnetic recording device According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording device includes a magnetic recording head and a magnetic recording medium. The magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole, a shield and a stacked structure. The main magnetic pole has a medium facing surface and a main magnetic pole side surface. The shield has a shield side surface. The stacked structure is provided between the main magnetic pole and shield, and includes first and second magnetic layers, and an intermediate layer. The magnetic recording medium includes a backing layer and a magnetic recording layer. A distance between an end portion of the medium facing surface on a side of the stacked structure and the backing layer is twice or more of a distance between the main magnetic pole side surface and the shield side surface.
US08446682B2	Two-axis stage and camera module having the same A camera module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing, a first shaft, which is disposed in a first axis direction and coupled to the housing in such a way that the other end part can be tilted against one end part, a moving guide, which is mounted on the first shaft in such a way that the moving guide can slide in the first axis direction, a second shaft, which is disposed in a second axis direction and supported by the housing in such a way that the second shaft can be tilted against the housing, a lens module, which is mounted on the second shaft in such a way that the lens module can slide in the second axis direction, and a driver, which moves the lens module in the first axis direction and the second axis direction.
US08446680B2	Zoom lens and imaging apparatus A zoom lens includes a first lens group having positive refractive power, a second lens group having negative refractive power, a third lens group having positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having positive refractive power, the first, second, third, and fourth lens groups being arranged in order from an object side, and satisfies conditional expression (1) and conditional expression (2) below, (1) 0.95<\|fw12\|/fw<1.2 and (2) 140
US08446678B2	Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus equipped with same To provide an image forming optical system that can achieve good correction of chromatic aberration, which is seriously needed particularly when the zoom ratio is high, while achieving slimness and a high zoom ratio and to provide an electronic image pickup apparatus equipped with such an image forming optical system, an image forming optical system has a lens group A including a lens component made up of a positive lens LA and a negative lens LB cemented together and having a negative refracting power as a whole. The lens group A is arranged between a lens group I closest to the object side and an aperture stop. The distance between the lens group I and the lens group A changes for zooming. The lens component has an aspheric cemented surface, and a certain condition concerning the shape of the aspheric surface is satisfied.
US08446676B2	Head-mounted display device Provided is a head-mounted display element, including: a first casing (11) which incorporates therein at least a display element (21), and has a light projection window (11a) for projecting image light from the display element (21); a second casing (12) which incorporates therein an eyepiece optical system (31) with a refractive power, and has a light receiving window (12a) for receiving incident image light projected through the light projection window (11a) and an eyepiece window (12b) for emitting the image light that has passed through the eyepiece optical system (31); and a coupling portion (13) for coupling the second casing (12) to the first casing (11) so as to make adjustable a length of an optical path between the light projection window (11a) and the light receiving window (12a).
US08446675B1	Image waveguide with mirror arrays An image waveguide includes an in-coupling region for receiving input light into the image waveguide and an out-coupling region for emitting output light from the image waveguide. The in-coupling region includes at least one in-coupling structure orientated to direct the input light into the waveguide for propagation towards the out-coupling region as guided light. The out-coupling region includes a two dimensional array of out-coupling mirror structures orientated to reflect the guided light out of the waveguide as the output light.
US08446662B2	Electrophoretic display device and method for manufacturing same A method of manufacturing is disclosed for an electrophoretic display apparatus that includes an array substrate and an electrophoretic film laminated to the array substrate. A thermally activated adhesive is used to adhesively attach the electrophoretic film to the array substrate. The electrophoretic film is first aligned to and flattened against the array substrate and then a substantially stronger than original adhesion property of the adhesive is activated by annealing at a high temperature that is substantially greater than room temperature. Rework prior to annealing is therefore possible when alignment errors occur between the electrophoretic film and the array substrate.
US08446659B2	Electrochromic device An electrochromic device includes a first electrode, a second electrode opposing the first electrode, a first electrochromic layer, a second electrochromic layer, and an electrolyte contacted with the first and second electrochromic layers. The first and second electrochromic layers are positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode and includes different electrochromic materials. The first and second electrochromic layers are simultaneously n-type or simultaneously p-type. The electrochromic device may display transparency and various colors in a single pixel without using plural sub-pixels.
US08446656B2	Method for generating two optical pulses with a variable, time pulse interval A method for generating two delayed pulses, in particular in terahertz spectroscopy and/or in pump-probe experiments, with the following method steps: generating a pulsed beam using a beam source, in particular a pulsed laser; dividing the pulsed beam, where a first partial beam contains a first pulse and a second partial beam contains a second pulse; directing the two pulses onto a respective target area, the first pulse directly reaching a first target area and the second pulse reaches a second target area after covering a delay path, and the two target areas may coincide; using the two pulses, in particular for a measuring method, where a time delay of the two pulses in the respective target area is adjustable by a pulse repetition rate of the pulsed beam.
US08446654B2	Holographic reconstruction system and method with an enlarged visibility region A holographic reconstruction system and a corresponding holographic reconstruction method are disclosed. The holographic reconstruction system comprises light source means for providing substantially coherent light, reconstruction means for holographically reconstructing a scene and for producing a visibility region from where the viewer can view the holographically reconstructed scene, and deflection means for positioning the visibility region. The aim of the invention is to improve the visibility region of a holographic reconstruction system. To achieve this aim, the holographic reconstruction system comprises deflection drive means for continuously rotating or pivoting the deflection means about a rotational axis at a rotary frequency, thereby displacing the visibility region. The invention allows one or more viewers to view the scene reconstructed by means of the holographic reconstruction system from different positions while facilitating the implementation of the holographic reconstruction system with conventional means.
US08446651B2	Image reading device An image reading device includes a light source, an imaging unit that captures an image of an original using light from the light source, a conveying unit that conveys the original to the imaging unit, a casing that accommodates at least the imaging unit and the conveying unit, the casing having an insertion slot for feeding the original to the conveying unit, a determination unit that determines whether or not the image reading device is in a conveyable state in which the conveying unit is enabled to convey the original toward the imaging unit, and a notification unit that visually indicates whether or not the image reading device is in an insertion-enabled state enabling the original to be inserted through the insertion slot to the conveying unit based on determination made by the determination unit.The notification unit is provided above and near the insertion slot outside the casing or inside the insertion slot and between boundary planes, and the boundary planes contain respective opposite horizontal ends of the insertion slot and are perpendicular to a horizontal direction of the insertion slot with the casing being in a placed state.
US08446649B2	Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a rotating polygonal mirror, a scanning optical system, a detector, and a light emission controller. The light source includes plural light emitting elements. The rotating polygonal mirror is irradiated with light beams. While rotating, the rotating polygonal mirror reflects and deflects, in a deflecting direction, light beams emitted from light emitting elements in a first direction to propagate through one point in the deflecting direction substantially at the same time. The scanning optical system causes the reflected and deflected light beams to scan over an object. The detector detects the timing at which a light beam propagates through a detection point. When the light beams propagate through the detection point, the light emission controller causes light emitting elements in a row in the first direction other than light emitting elements at both ends of a projection plane to emit light.
US08446648B2	Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus including the same In one embodiment, an image reading apparatus has a light source configured with a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed in a row in a main scanning direction that irradiate light toward an original, and a photoelectric conversion element that receives light reflected from the original, an output light amount from the light-emitting elements can be adjusted, and a state of bright spots due to repetition of light-dark in the main scanning direction on a light irradiation face of the original due to the plurality of light-emitting elements is determined, and the output light amount from the light-emitting elements is adjusted based on the determination result of the state of the bright spots.
US08446646B2	Light guide and image reading apparatus A light guide includes: a body which is a light-transmitting member and has light incidence surfaces as two end surfaces in a longitudinal direction and a light output surface which is one of side surfaces extending in the longitudinal direction; and light absorbing members which are provided on the light output surface or at least one, adjacent to the light output surface, of the side surfaces of the body and have a function of absorbing light that shines on the body from outside the body.
US08446645B2	Image reading apparatus An image reading apparatus including a sheet conveyance unit that conveys the sheet via a conveyance path; a reading unit, which is movable within a reading area; an image data generation control unit that is configured to control: the reading unit to read the sheet at the reading position while conveying the sheet through the reading position so as to generate an entire image data of the sheet; and generate an entire image data of the sheet; a determination data generation control unit that is configured to: control the reading unit to read the sheet by the image data generation control unit; and generate a partial image data of the sheet including the leading end portion as a determination data; and a determination unit that determines whether or not a state of conveyance of the sheet is normal based on the determination data.
US08446644B2	Scanner apparatus Disclosed herein is a scanner apparatus. The scanner apparatus includes a light source, a reflecting means and an imaging means. The light source is located under an object, and radiates light so that the light is reflected from the object. The reflecting means is placed under the light source at a specific angle of inclination with respect to a surface of the object, and folds the path of the light when the light radiated by the light source is reflected from the object. The imaging means is placed along the path of the light reflected from the reflecting means, and condenses light reflected from the reflecting means and then acquires an image of the object.
US08446641B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method An image processing apparatus includes a correcting unit that performs enlarging or reducing correction on an image to be processed by determining an arrangement of pixels that are to be added to or deleted from gradational image data of the image to be processed based on an angle at which the pixels are to be arranged with respect to a horizontal direction of the image to be processed or with respect to a vertical direction of the image to be processed, and a pixel array control unit that changes the angle at which the pixels are arranged based on a test image of the image data to be processed after being corrected by the correcting unit.
US08446632B2	Image forming apparatus which executes a color registration correction process and a deviation correction process An image forming apparatus having: a plurality of image forming sections each of which forms images of respective colors; an intermediate transfer belt; and a control section which executes a color registration correction process and a deviation correction process, wherein the color correction process includes: forming test images on the intermediate transfer belt by the plurality of image forming sections; measuring the test images thereafter; and correcting image forming positions of the image forming sections in response to the measurement results; and wherein the deviation correction process includes: detecting a deviation of the intermediate transfer belt; and correcting the detected deviation, and wherein, when an amount of correction in the deviation correction process exceeds a predetermined level during the execution of the color registration correction process, the control section executes the color registration correction process again.
US08446631B2	Systems and methods for efficiently printing poster documents In an exemplary method, a driver for a printing device receives a print job comprising a poster document. The print job is designated to be printed on a printing device. The driver identifies the size of the paper for which the poster document is initially formatted. The driver determines whether the target printing device is capable of printing on larger paper. If the target printing device is capable of printing on larger paper, the driver reformats the poster document for printing on the larger paper.
US08446630B2	Output control apparatus, its control method, and computer-readable storage medium An output control apparatus which performs output control of data displayed on a display unit includes a detection unit configured to detect an output apparatus located near the display unit, an acquisition unit configured to acquire arrangement position information indicating an arrangement position of the output apparatus, a determination unit configured to determine an output layout of the data according to a relationship between the arrangement position of the output apparatus indicated by the arrangement position information and a display position of the data displayed on the display unit, and a control unit configured to perform control to output the data from the output apparatus with the output layout determined by the determination unit.
US08446629B2	Printer driver, image forming apparatus and print controlling method There is described an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to prevent a final print product from getting its appearance worse due to such a drawback that a reference mark still remains on the final print product. The apparatus includes: a setting section to make the display section display a setting screen for inputting setting information therefrom, the setting information being in regard to a post-processing use page including a reference mark to be used for post processing; an image processing section to create image data representing a second image of the post-processing use page, based on the setting information inputted from the setting screen; and a print processing section to print the first images of the pages included in the document and the second image of the post-processing use page onto first paper sheets and a second paper sheet being separate from the first paper sheets, respectively.
US08446625B2	Power overload-preventing printing apparatus, printing control apparatus, and printing system A printing apparatus comprises: a storage unit configured to store a power usage of each of one or more other printing apparatuses connected to a power supply system to which the printing apparatus is connected; and a print execution controller. The print execution controller is configured to: keep track of which of the other printing apparatuses are in printing operation; calculate, upon receipt of a print instruction from any of the external apparatuses, a total of power usages of the other printing apparatuses that are in printing operations; inhibit the printing apparatus from printing when an expected power exceeds a predetermined allowable value, the expected power is a sum of the calculated total of power usages and the power usage of the printing apparatus during the printing operation; and allow the printing apparatus to print when the expected power is equal to or below the predetermined allowable value.
US08446620B2	Data processing apparatus and data processing method In order to display the more detailed print status of an electronic document having a tree structure, information about the tree structure is added to a print command. Furthermore, for information management, the information about the tree structure is associated with a corresponding page.
US08446619B2	Print control apparatus, print control system and print apparatus A print control apparatus in which a plurality of print apparatuses having a hold print function are caused to hold print data, and the print data of other print apparatuses other than a print apparatus print-instructed by a user is deleted, is provided. A print server is connected to the plurality of printers having a hold print function through a network. The print server includes a print data transmission portion that transmits print data received from a PC to printers to cause the printers to hold the print data, and a print data deletion instruction portion that, when a print notification of the print data is received from any one of the plurality of the printers, instructs other printers other than the printer to delete the print data.
US08446615B2	Method, apparatus and computer program product for viewing on a client computer documents data to be printed A method, an apparatus and a computer program enable viewing of data of documents to be printed on a client computer. A client computer includes a version y of a conversion function for converting document data into raster image data and a version z of a client viewer application. A print server includes a version x of the conversion function and a version x of the client viewer application. The method includes the steps of replacing the version y of the conversion function by the version x of the conversion function on the client computer, if the version x is more recent than the version y; installing the version x of the client viewer application on the client computer, if the version z is different from the version x; converting the document data on the client computer; and displaying the image data.
US08446614B2	Data transmitting and receiving system, transmitting apparatus and receiving apparatus In a system where a transmitting apparatus is connected via a network to a receiving apparatus, the receiving apparatus has a storage device for storing destination information which can be registered to a key in an operating device to be operated for transmission in a transmitting apparatus. When data is received from the transmitting apparatus, the destination information including an icon or information on a site wherein the destination information is stored is returned to the transmitting apparatus. Thus, registration of destination information to the key becomes easy at the transmitting apparatus.
US08446610B2	Image forming apparatus, power-saving control method, and computer-readable recording medium in which power-saving control program is recorded The image forming apparatus includes: a sleep control unit which, in a normal operation mode in which power is supplied to a fixing device, if predetermined processing is not executed for a preset time or if an instruction to execute shifting to a power-saving mode with lower power consumption than in the normal operation mode is received, makes a shift to a sleep mode with a lower power consumption than in the normal operation mode, in which at least power supply to the fixing device is stopped; and a super-sleep control unit which makes a shift to a super-sleep mode in which a power source of a processor is turned off if predetermined processing is not executed for a shorter time than the preset time after the shift to the sleep mode is made.
US08446603B2	Systems and methods for optimizing function based object operations in interpreted page description languages Methods for optimizing the processing of function based object operations in interpreted page description languages are presented. In some embodiments, the method comprises parsing the PDL document to identify a function based operator in the PDL document; generating program code in a programming language, wherein the program code is functionally equivalent to the function based operator; compiling the program code to generate a shared object and dynamically linking the software that performs the document processing functions to the entry point of the shared object; and invoking the shared object associated with the function based operator when the function based operator is processed.
US08446599B2	Methods and structures for converting JDF information into commands for a printer Methods and structures for processing JDF elements for a printing system by translating JDF elements into corresponding command language strings for output to a printer. The command language strings are associated with a priority value. The generated command language strings are output in an order based on the associated priority values so that the intended semantic and scope of the JDF elements may be maintained in the generated command language strings. The translation may use one or more translation tables to match a JDF element path name for a received JDF element with one or more entries in one or more translation tables. The matching table entries may specify a corresponding command language string and a priority value to be output to a printer. The generated command language strings and associated priority values may be stored in a memory structure to permit output in the desired order.
US08446598B2	Image forming device with a UWB communication function for transmitting search signal corresponding to type of data received, and method for providing data thereof, and system for providing data using the UWB communication function An image forming device having an ultra wide band (UWB) communication function and a method for providing data thereof, and a system for providing data using UWB communication function are disclosed. The image forming device having a UWB communication function include: a communication network interfacing unit for receiving data through a communication network, a data processing unit for analyzing received data type and converting the data into a certain form, a UWB interfacing unit for transmitting a search signal to a plurality of devices connected through a UWB network, and receiving an answer signal from available devices of the plurality of devices, and a controlling unit for controlling the data processing unit to convert the received data into a form reproducible at the devices transmitting the answer signal, and controlling the UWB interfacing unit to transmit the converted data to the available devices.
US08446596B2	Signal processing apparatus used for optical signal output device and optical displacement detection system A signal processing apparatus includes a first signal processing unit and a second signal processing unit. The first signal processing unit executes a first predetermined operation with respect to first and second signal groups and to extract a first component having a predetermined characteristic when an optical signal output device is in a normal state, the first signal group whose amplitude or direct current component gradually increases with a predetermined direction displacement of a displacement detection target, the second signal group whose amplitude or direct current component gradually decreases with the predetermined direction displacement of the displacement detection target. The second signal processing unit executes a second predetermined operation with respect to the first and second signal groups and to extract an output containing a second component, which is peculiar to an optional position of the displacement detection target.
US08446585B2	Optical assemblies for a color measurement instrument The optical assemblies disclosed herein advantageously utilize a beamsplitting apparatus in association with (i) the illumination path or (ii) the collection path of a color measurement instrument. Thus, the beamsplitting apparatus may be configured to spectrally divide one or more initial beams of light to emit a plurality of resultant beams of light, wherein the optical assembly is configured to illuminate a target using at least a first and second of the plurality of resultant beams. Alternatively, the beamsplitting apparatus may be configured to spectrally divide light received from a target to emit a plurality of resultant beams of light, wherein the optical assembly is configured to detect at least a first and second of the plurality of resultant beams of light. Advantageously, each of the first and second resultant beams is a product of a distinct set of one or more spectral constraints exacted by the beamsplitting apparatus.
US08446583B2	Light focusing unit and spectrum measuring apparatus having the same A light focusing unit and a spectrum measuring apparatus having the same are provided. The light focusing unit includes a light source section configured to emit light, a light guiding section configured to guide the light emitted from the light source section along multiple parallel light incidence paths, and a light focusing section configured to direct the light from the guiding section to be incident on a test position of a sample at different incidence angles.
US08446576B2	Carrier concentration measuring device and carrier concentration measuring method A nondestructive carrier concentration measuring device (100) includes: a storage unit (101) that stores a correlation between the reflectance of an inorganic compound semiconductor against terahertz light and a carrier concentration; a light radiation unit (103) that irradiates the terahertz light (105) to the inorganic compound semiconductor as a sample; a detection unit (109) that detects reflected light (108) of the inorganic compound semiconductor against the irradiated terahertz light (105); a reflectance calculation unit (111) that compares the irradiated terahertz light (105) with the reflected light (108) and calculates an actual measurement value of the reflectance of the inorganic compound semiconductor; and a read unit (113) that refers to the stored correlation and reads the carrier concentration of the sample corresponding to the actual measurement value of the reflectance.
US08446571B2	Adaptive angle and power adaptation in 3D-micro-mirror LIDAR A device for recording a geometry of an environment of a device in a detection field with the aid of laser scanning may include a laser beam controlled by an oscillating micromechanical mirror. The detection field is specifiable in the vertical and horizontal directions by adapting an amplitude of oscillation of the micromechanical mirror. Driver-assistance systems are used for tasks both in the near field, such as a parking function, and in the distant field of the vehicle, such as a distance control or the detection of obstacles on the roadway. If the amplitude of the oscillation of the micro-mirror is then reduced in the horizontal direction and/or vertical direction, the spatial resolution for the reduced detection range is improved. Moreover, the higher intensity of the laser radiation impinging on the smaller detection region improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the detected signal.
US08446564B2	Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method A detection method for detecting a property of an extended pattern formed by at least one line generally extending in a first direction. The extended pattern is formed on a substrate or on a substrate table and preferably extends over a length of at least 50× the width of the line. The extended pattern is focus sensitive. The detection method includes moving the substrate table in a first direction and measuring along that first direction a property of the extended pattern. The property can be a result of a physical property of the extended pattern in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. In a next step a calibration of the substrate table position can be derived from the measured position of the extended pattern.
US08446562B2	Actuator system using multiple piezoelectric actuators A positioning system adjusts a position of an optical element within an optical device, such as a variable-zoom lens system. A frame supports the optical element, and an elongated surface of each of one or more elongated support structures supports the frame. The frame also supports one or more piezoelectric actuators that, respectively, engage one of the elongated support structures. A controller supplies a control signal to activate each of the one or more actuator modules. Upon activation, a piezoelectric element of each of the activated actuator modules applies a combination of a first force and a second force to an elongated surface of the respective elongated support structures to position the frame along the elongated surface. The combination of forces applied by the piezoelectric element advances the piezoelectric actuator module along the elongated support structure.
US08446559B2	Stereoscopic display device, method of fabricating the same, and bonding apparatus used to fabricate the same A method of forming a stereoscopic liquid crystal display comprises providing an LCD panel, the LCD panel having a display area and a non-display area; disposing a lenticular plate on the LCD panel wherein a space is defined between a surface of the LCD panel and a surface of the lenticular plate; forming a seal between the surface of the LCD panel and the surface of the lenticular plate, the seal formed around the perimeter of the display area; forming a hole in the lenticular plate, the hole providing an air conduit that communicates with the space between the surface of the LCD panel and the surface of the lenticular plate; evacuating air from between the space; and filling the hole with a finishing material to maintain the vacuum between the lenticular plate and the LCD panel.
US08446550B2	Automatic darkening and glare reducing liquid crystal mirror An automatic darkening liquid crystal mirror for vehicles, the mirror having a transparent front substrate and a back substrate with a reflective or transflective mirrored coating. The front and back substrates are spaced apart to define a liquid crystal cell between the substrates that is filled with a liquid crystal fluid incorporating a dichroic dye. A conductive thin film is applied onto the interior surface of the front substrate, and the mirrored coating of the back substrate also is conductive. An alignment compound is deposited on opposite sides of and bounding the liquid crystal cell. An electronic control circuit is adapted to apply selectively a voltage signal to the conductive think film and the conductive mirrored coating to affect the transmittance of the liquid crystal fluid, and thereby the darkness of the mirror, in response to light intensity sensed by a headlight sensor coupled to the electronic control circuit.
US08446549B2	Color filter to prevent color errors in a roll up display A conformable, flexible or roll up display (100) includes a matrix display layer (115) including lines of sub-pixels (116). Each line has an associated color assigned to the line (132, 134, 136), and each line extends along a roll up or bend direction (140). A display effect layer (128) is formed on the matrix layer. A color filter layer (152) includes striped color filters (154) which extend in the roll up or bend direction. The striped color filters each include a filter color corresponding with the lines of sub-pixels in the matrix layer to address misalignment and color errors due to bending or rolling up the display. Methods for fabricating flexible displays are also disclosed.
US08446547B2	Liquid crystal display device including back light unit having LED array The present disclosure relates to a back light unit having an LED array structure for reducing light leakage problem at edge portion. A liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel; an optical sheet disposed under the liquid crystal display panel; and an LED array having red LED, green LED and blue LED are sequentially arrayed under the optical sheet, wherein one portion of an outermost LED of the LED array is included within an area covered by the liquid crystal display panel, and other portion of the outermost LED of the LED array is excluded from the area covered by the liquid crystal display panel.
US08446544B2	Light emitting module and display device having the same A light emitting module and a display device having the same, are discussed. The light emitting module according to an embodiment comprises a board, a plurality of light emitting devices on the board, and a phosphor film covering the light emitting devices and covering and extending along areas between the light emitting devices.
US08446543B2	Chassis assembly for display apparatus Supporting metal plates 121 are attached to the sides of a display 101, so that screwing flat portions 123 of the supporting metal plates 121 are placed out of the back side of the display 101. Further, a lid 151, fixing brackets 141, and the screwing flat portions 123 are fixed with screws in a state in which fixing flat portions 143 of the fixing brackets 141 are inserted into long grooves 112 on the side walls of a body case, thereby reducing clearances between the display 101 and the side walls of the body case. Thus with the simple chassis configuration having only the long grooves 112 formed on the body case 111, a chassis can be constructed detachably with a chassis peripheral part having a small width.
US08446541B2	Portable computer Disclosed is a portable computer that includes: a receiving portion configured to receive a liquid crystal display panel, and a light guide plate; optical sheets; a screen case combined with edges of a liquid crystal display module which includes the liquid crystal display panel, the light guide plate, the optical sheets, and the receiving portion; and a camera disposed at the center of an edge of the screen case which is combined with the liquid crystal display module. The camera is inserted into a hole, which is formed to penetrate through the screen case and liquid crystal display module, and is combined with the screen case.
US08446538B2	Display substrate and display apparatus having the same A display substrate may include a substrate, a first pixel electrode, a first switching element, and a second switching element. The first pixel electrode may be disposed in a first pixel area of the substrate and may include high and low electrodes. Short sides of the first pixel area may be defined by first and second data lines adjacent to one other. A long side of the first pixel area may be defined by a first gate line. The high electrode may be adjacent to the first data line, and the low electrode may be adjacent to the second data line. The first switching element may be electrically connected to the first gate line and the first data line, and may contact the high electrode. The second switching element may be electrically connected to the first gate line and the second data line, and may contact the low electrode.
US08446537B2	Liquid crystal display device having resin layer contacts a transparent conductive film In an active matrix type liquid crystal display device, a plurality of pixels connected to thin film transistors (TFTs) are arranged in an active matrix form in a pixel portion, and driven by a driver circuit portion. The pixel portion and the driver circuit portion are formed on one of a pair of insulating substrates. A liquid crystal material is interposed between the insulating substrates. An black matrix material made of an organic resin is formed over the one insulating substrate in which the driver circuit portion has been formed. An flat film is formed on the black matrix material.
US08446532B2	Image processing apparatus for improving sharpness and image processing method An image processing apparatus includes an image receiving unit, and an image processing unit which allows luminance of an image to be within a preset range of luminance and adjusts sharpness of the image. Accordingly, the problem that the luminance exceeds a digital value may be prevented, and the sharpness of the image may be effectively improved.
US08446530B2	Dynamic sampling A sampling system adapts the sampling rate for sampling analog signals and/or the stored number of samples to the fixed or video image content, such that a higher rate, and equivalently a larger number of samples, are acquired for an image or video segment containing higher spatial frequencies while a lower number of samples (lower sampling rate) are retained for image or video segments containing lower spatial frequencies. The Nyquist theorem may still be satisfied for each individual image segment, while information necessary for edge enhancement is retained.
US08446528B2	Display apparatus A display apparatus transmits a picture acquisition request for getting picture information to an external image apparatus connected through a predetermined interface to the display apparatus from the external image apparatus at predetermined intervals and gets a plurality of pieces of picture information from the external image apparatus to be displayed. The plurality of pictures may be switched at predetermined intervals, for example, to be displayed, so that the plurality of pictures may be displayed in a so-called slide show manner. A plurality of pictures for thumbnail may be produced from the plurality of pieces of picture information and be arranged together to be displayed in one picture screen of a display device.
US08446527B2	System of programmable time intervals used for video signal synchronization A circuit and a method for using the circuit to provide synchronization between a first video signal and a second video signal are provided, comprising a circuit to capture a first video signal, a circuit to measure the timing format of the first video signal including an input clock and count input Vsync pulses, a circuit to measure a phase difference between the first video signal and the second video signal, a circuit to generate an output video signal comprising a number of output Vsync pulses and an output clock, and a PLL circuit to control the output clock period as a constant ratio of the input Vsync period, and maintain a constant number of output clock periods per a number of input clock periods. Also provided is a system to perform the method as above using the circuit as above, maintaining a constant ratio between the output clock period and a number of input clock periods.
US08446526B2	Image displaying device and method, and image processing device and method It is an object to suppress a disturbance or distortion of an insertion image in the vicinity of an effective image edge portion such as an edge portion of a screen or the like caused by a moving compensation type frame rate conversion (FRC). An image processing device is provided with a moving vector detection circuit (2) for detecting a moving vector of an input image signal, an effective image edge portion judging circuit (5) for judging if a moving vector detecting position is adjacent to the effective image edge portion, and a vector switching circuit (3) for switching a vector in accordance with the judging result. The vector switching circuit (3) fixes the vector to 0 vector in the case where the moving vector detecting position is adjacent to the effective image edge portion. In the case where the position is in other region, the vector switching circuit (3) outputs the moving vector detected by the moving vector detection circuit (2) to an insertion vector allocation circuit (4).
US08446524B2	Apparatus and method for frame rate conversion The disclosure is regarding an apparatus and a method for frame rate conversion. The frame rate conversion apparatus, for receiving at least two input frames to generate at lease one output frame, comprises a motion estimation module for generating a candidate list comprising regional motion vectors and temporal motion vectors from the at least two input frames and choosing a winner motion vector from the candidate list, a motion compensation module for generating the at lease one output frame according to the winner motion vector, a frame feature extraction module for generating fade-in/out information or a logo detection information from the at least two input frames, and an adaptive MEMC control module for deciding a weighting of the winner motion vector according to the fade-in/out information or the logo detection information.
US08446520B2	Zoom lens system, imaging device and camera A zoom lens system, in order from an object side to an image side, comprising a first lens unit having negative optical power, a second lens unit having positive optical power, a third lens unit having positive optical power, and a fourth lens unit having positive optical power, wherein in zooming, the intervals between the respective lens units vary, and the condition (I-1): 2ωW/FW≧34 (fT/fW>2.0, ωW: a half view angle (°) at a wide-angle limit, FW: an F-number at a wide-angle limit, fT: a focal length of the entire system at a telephoto limit, fW: a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit) is satisfied, having a high resolution and a short overall optical length (overall length of lens system), and still having a view angle of 70° or greater at a wide-angle limit, which is satisfactorily adaptable for wide-angle image taking, and yet having a large aperture with an F-number of about 2.0 at a wide-angle limit; an imaging device; and a camera.
US08446518B2	Photographing apparatus and method to control auxiliary light emission A photographing apparatus and method are provided that can reduce power consumption by detecting a high precision focusing position for a predetermined range and controlling light emission according to a driving mode when performing focus control. The photographing apparatus includes: a lens movable in an optical axis direction and that focuses a subject image on an imaging surface; a photoelectric converter that converting the subject image into an electric signal; a focusing position detector for detecting a focusing position of the focus lens when at least one main subject image of the subject images is focused on the imaging surface; a focus control unit for controlling a first drive of the focus lens and a second drive of the focus lens that is different from the first drive; a light emitting unit; and a light emitting control unit for controlling for different light emissions during the first and second drive.
US08446513B2	Imaging apparatus with light transmissive filter An imaging apparatus includes a light receiving device array having light receiving devices, a light transmissive filter including plural types of band-shape light transmissive sections arranged in sequence to form a light transmissive section pattern, and an arithmetic processing unit, wherein the arithmetic processing unit includes a first parameter generating unit configured to generate a first parameter indicative of a displacement of the light transmissive section pattern relative to the light receiving device array in response to a position of one of the light receiving devices, a second parameter generating unit configured to generate second parameters in response to the first parameter generated by the first parameter generating unit, and an image generating unit configured to produce output images in response to image signals output from the light receiving devices and the second parameters generated by the second parameter generating unit.
US08446512B2	Image forming optical system and electronic image pickup apparatus equipped with same An optical system includes, in order from its object side a negative first lens unit, a positive second lens unit, a negative third lens unit, and a positive fourth lens unit. The air gaps between the lens units are variable during zooming. The first lens unit includes one positive lens, the second lens unit includes one negative lens, the third lens unit consists of one or two lens components, and the fourth lens unit consists of one lens component, where the term “lens component” refers to a single lens or a cemented lens. The system satisfies the condition “0
US08446510B2	Method and apparatus for improving face image in digital image processor Provided are a method and apparatus for measuring the skin condition of a face detected from an image and improving the face image. The apparatus for improving a face image in a digital image processor comprises a digital signal processor measuring the skin condition of a face detected from an image, correcting a rough portion of the skin of the detected face according to the measured skin condition and displaying the corrected image.
US08446505B2	Row and column jumping for pixel readout using burst switching mode An imaging apparatus is described for obtaining images. The imaging apparatus includes a pixel array, a row decoder, a column decoder, and a trigger circuit. The pixel array integrates electrical signals corresponding to incident light from a scene. The row decoder enables a selected row of pixels within the pixel array. The column decoder enables readout of a pixel in a selected column of the selected row within the pixel array. The trigger circuit generates one or more burst pulses to traverse through a corresponding number of decoder stages that correspond to pixels which are identified for discarding. Each burst pulse has a duration that is less than a stipulated minimum pulse duration of a typical decoder pulse of the decoders. By using shorter burst pulses, the trigger circuit can quickly jump to a desired row and/or column of pixels for readout, while conserving power.
US08446501B2	Image pickup apparatus with focus detection The image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup element 106 including image pickup pixels photoelectrically converting an object image formed by a light flux from an image pickup optical system 202 and focus detection pixels photoelectrically converting two images formed by two divided light fluxes of the light flux from the image pickup optical system. The apparatus further includes an image generator 112 generating an image based on first pixel signals, a focus controller 112 performing focus control for the image pickup optical system based on second pixel signals. A signal processor 112 outputs signals read out from the image pickup pixels after each charge accumulation operation of the image pickup pixels for a predetermined time period as the first pixel signals, and outputs signals obtained by plural charge accumulation operations of the focus detection pixels as the second pixel signals.
US08446496B2	Knee correction device and knee correction method According to one embodiment, a knee correction device includes a generator, a detector, a mixer, and a calculator. The generator generates a luminance signal from R, G, and B color signals. The detector detects a color signal having a maximum value among the R, G, and B color signals. The mixer mixes the luminance signal generated by the generator and the color signal detected by the detector, at a predetermined mixing ratio. The supply module supplies a coefficient for performing level compression on each of the R, G, and B color signals, based on an output of the mixer. The calculator performs level compression on the R, G, and B color signals by subjecting the coefficient supplied by the supply module and the R, G, and B color signals to a calculation.
US08446494B2	Automatic redeye detection based on redeye and facial metric values Candidate redeye areas (24) are determined in an input image (20). In this process, a respective set of one or more redeye metric values (28) is associated with each of the candidate redeye areas (24). Candidate face areas (30) are ascertained in the input image (20). In this process, a respective set of one or more face metric values (34) is associated with each of the candidate face areas (30). A respective joint metric vector (78) is assigned to each of the candidate redeye areas (24). The joint metric vector (78) includes metric values that are derived from the respective set of redeye metric values (28) and the set of face metric values (34) associated with a selected one of the candidate face areas (30). Each of one or more of the candidate redeye areas (24) is classified as either a redeye artifact or a non-redeye artifact based on the respective joint metric vector (78) assigned to the candidate redeye area (24).
US08446493B2	Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, computer readable storage medium storing image processing program, and image processing method for performing color processing on a raw image In order to effectively and efficiently perform noise reduction by smoothing, an image processing apparatus of the present invention includes an image inputting part inputting an image in which a first pixels and a second pixels indicating mutually different color components are included and at least the second pixels are arranged at discrete positions, a color estimating part estimating first color component data at the second pixels based on first color component data of the first pixels, a calculating part calculating color-difference data at the second pixels based on the first color component data at the second pixels and second color component data of the second pixels, a smoothing part performing smoothing processing on a discrete color-difference image formed of the color-difference data being calculated at the second pixels, and a color-difference estimating part estimating color-difference data at pixels other than the second pixels on the input image.
US08446491B2	Image capture device, method of controlling the same, and image capture system An image capture device of the present invention has an image shooting function, and is connectable to an external storage device. The image capture device includes: a memory in which image data obtained by image shooting is stored; a transmission unit for transmitting several pieces of image data stored in the memory at a time to the external storage device; and an allocation unit for allocating the several pieces of image data transmitted to the external storage device to one or a plurality of directories according to a certain index.
US08446490B2	Video capture system producing a video summary A digital video capture system for capturing a digital video sequence and for producing a corresponding video summary, comprising: an image sensor; an optical system; a processor, a softcopy display and a means for providing a user with an option to view either a stored digital video sequence or a video summary on the softcopy display. The processor performs the steps of: capturing a digital video sequence; automatically analyzing the digital video sequence at the time the digital video sequence is captured to determine one or more feature values; compressing the digital video sequence; storing the compressed digital video sequence; automatically analyzing the feature values to identify one or more key video snippets, assembling the key video snippets to form a video summary; and storing a representation of the video summary.
US08446486B2	Target detecting apparatus, image file recording apparatus and methods of controlling same It is so arranged that a user can check whether face detection processing has been set. The back side of a digital still camera is provided with a face detection button for setting whether face detection processing is ON or OFF. If the button is pressed to set the camera so that face detection processing will be executed, a face-detection execution mark is displayed at the upper-right corner of a display screen. The user can ascertain that face detection processing will be executed merely by observing the face-detection execution mark. If a face is detected from within the image of a subject, a detection border is displayed so as to enclose the face. When face detection processing is unnecessary, the face detection button is pressed again. Now a face-detection non-execution mark is displayed on the display screen. By observing the face-detection non-execution mark, the user can ascertain that face detection processing will not be executed.
US08446485B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium thereof An image processing apparatus, including: an image obtaining means that obtains an image; a color area detecting means that detects a predetermined color area from the image thus obtained by the image obtaining means; an area specifying means that specifies an area to be adjusted based on saturation and brightness of the color area thus detected by the color area detecting means; and a color adjusting means that adjusts at least one of a hue, the saturation and the brightness of a pixel in the process area thus specified by the area specifying means.
US08446484B2	Image processing architecture with pre-scaler Disclosed is an image signal processing chain or functionality having an image data scaler. A method includes receiving a stream of image data having a first resolution; scaling the received stream of image data using a substantially freely configurable downscaling ratio to generate scaled image data having a second resolution that is less than the first resolution; outputting the scaled image data to at least one of a viewfinder image signal processing functionality or a video image signal processing functionality to create image data for at least one of display to a user or provide to a video encoder; and during at least one of receiving, scaling or outputting, simultaneously storing the stream or a subset of the stream of image data having the first resolution into a memory as a set of frames of image data for being processed as needed.
US08446482B2	Image processing apparatus and method An image processing device including an encoder processor and a decoder circuit. The encoder processor receives image data from a sensor and encodes the data with padding data if a series of bytes indicative of command sequence occur within the image data. The decoder circuit receives the image data and the padding data, and removes the padding data from within the image data.
US08446478B2	Vibration correcting device, lens barrel, and optical device An optical device with an imaging device for forming an image of a subject with a lens device, including a lens unit, a movable member making the lens unit movable within a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens unit, an image pickup device imaging the subject image formed by the lens device, a fixed member limiting the movement of the movable member in the optical axis direction, at least three balls rolling between the movable and fixed member, a vibration detecting unit, and a pitch and yaw direction drive units for driving the movable member in the pitch and yaw directions within the optical axis orthogonal plane, respectively. The pitch and yaw direction drive units press the movable member toward the fixed member side by means of magnetic pressing forces caused by magnetic attractive action between drive magnets and yokes.
US08446465B2	System and method for displaying an image stream captured in-vivo A system and method may allow automatic display of un-viewed images of an image stream, which may be produced by an ingestible capsule. A set of images acquired by an in-vivo device disposed within a body lumen is received by a receiver or workstation, and a portion of the set of images is selected for display as an image stream. The selected portion of images is displayed as a first image stream, and a complementary portion of the set of images is displayed as a second image stream. The complementary portion includes unselected images from the set of images, and/or images which are indicated as unviewed images. A graphical user interface is provided for selecting a viewing mode which is determined based on previously viewed images and users' review history.
US08446463B2	Apparatus, method and article to perform assays using assay strips An assay system includes an optical imager to acquire high resolution images of assay strips (e.g., lateral flow immunochromatographic test strips) and performs image processing to identify individual assay strips and determine results for each assay strip, by quantifies the presence or absence of test signal line(s) and control signal line(s). Assay strips may be in a holder or carrier contained in a specimen container also holding a specimen. The assay system automatically logs all results and data to a database that stores a high resolution image of the original immunochromatographic assay, the values of test line(s) and control line(s), and the test result. A user interface directs an end user through operation.
US08446456B2	Intersection detection in panoramic video Provides a system for detecting an intersection between more than one panoramic video sequence and detecting the orientation of the sequences forming the intersection. Video images and corresponding location data are received. If required, the images and location data is processed to ensure the images contain location data. An intersection between two paths is then derived from the video images by deriving a rough intersection between two images, determining a neighborhood for the two images, and dividing each image in the neighborhood into strips. An identifying value is derived from each strip to create a row of strip values which are then converted to the frequency domain. A distance measure is taken between strips in the frequency domain, and the intersection is determined from the images having the smallest distance measure between them. The orientation between the two paths may also be determined in the frequency domain by using the phases of signals representing the images in the Fourier domain or performing a circular cross correlation of two vectors representing the images.
US08446454B2	Dynamic adaption of a continuous presence videoconferencing layout based on video content Dynamically adapting a continuous presence (CP) layout in a videoconference enhances a videoconferencing experience by providing optimum visibility to regions of interest within the CP layout and ignoring regions of no interest. Based on the CP layout, a CP video image can be built, in which a conferee at a receiving endpoint can observe, simultaneously, several other participants' sites in the conference. For example, more screen space within the CP layout is devoted to presenting the participants in the conference and little or no screen space is used to present an empty seat, an empty room, or an unused portion of a room. Aspect ratios of segments of the CP layout (e.g., landscape vs. portrait) can be adjusted to optimally present the regions of interest. The CP layout can be adjusted as regions of interest change depending on the dynamics of the video conference.
US08446439B1	Apparatus and method for single pass BLOB analysis of high frame rate video An apparatus and method for performing BLOB analysis. BLOB analysis generally encompasses image processing techniques designed to classify data into BLOBs and calculate statistics for each BLOB.
US08446437B2	Display device, method of driving display device, and program Provided is a display device including a panel (158) in which a plurality of pixels that emit light in response to a video signal are arranged, a light emission amount calculation unit (164) that acquires a light emission amount on a plurality of positions of the panel (158) based on a video signal supplied to the panel (158), a storage unit (150) that accumulates data related to the light emission amount accumulated based on a video signal of a plurality of frames, a high-brightness gamma adjustment block (172b) that reduces brightness of a high brightness side of the video signal supplied to the panel (158) based on the data related to the light emission amount accumulated in storage unit (150), and a low-gradation gamma adjustment block (172c) that reduces brightness of a low brightness side of the video signal in conjunction with a reduction in brightness of the high brightness side.
US08446433B1	Interactive visual distortion processing A system includes a computing device that includes a memory for storing one or more computer graphics, and a graphics distorter. The graphics distorter applies a distortion model to the computer graphic to produce a distorted version of the computer graphic, while substantially simultaneously allowing user interactions with the computer graphic. The applied distortion model represents lens distortion.
US08446432B2	Context aware user interface system Methods and apparatus for presenting image data to include a graphic element. In one embodiment a method includes acquiring image data from a display buffer of a device, analyzing the image data to identify active and passive regions of the image data and ranking passive regions to determine a confidence measure for each passive region. The method may further include modifying the image data for display on the device to include a graphic element, wherein the graphic element is presented in a passive region based on the ranking.
US08446425B1	Object transformation for object trees utilized with multiprocessor systems A system creates a first set of objects in a first structure that describe a graphical scene. A second set of objects is created in a second structure based on the first set of objects in the first structure. The system also performs one or more of the following: i) converting coordinate values in a first coordinate system to coordinate values in a second coordinate system, ii) converting color values in a first color space to color values in a second color space, and/or iii) converting data having first data types or formats to data having second data types or formats, where the first data types or formats are different than the second data types or formats. The system further associates the converted coordinate values, color values and/or data types or formats with the second set of objects and enables a graphical processing unit to use the second set of objects for rendering the graphical scene.
US08446423B2	Methods and devices for processing a raster image Disclosed are methods and devices for processing a raster image so that the white color filled in the raster image during building the raster image can be differentiated from that contained in the figure objects presented in the page, which will be inserted into the raster image later. The method comprises building the raster image and filling the raster image with a white color; and transferring the white color in a figure object described in a page and inserting the figure object into the raster image. In this way, the white color filled in the raster image during building the raster image can be differentiated from that contained in the figure objects presented in the page, which will be inserted into the raster image later.
US08446422B2	Image display apparatus, image display method, program, and record medium An image display apparatus is disclosed. The image display apparatus includes a detection section, an image forming section, and a display process section. The detection section detects a user's watching state. The image forming section that forms a display image which is displayed on a screen based on a plurality of images and changes the display image based on a detected result of the detection section. The display process section which performs a process of displaying the display image formed by the image forming section.
US08446418B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method An image processing apparatus includes: a plurality of image processing units each of which is disposed so as to correspond to each of partial images and processes data of each of pixels composing the partial image with reference to data of peripheral pixels of the pixel, wherein the plurality of image processing units includes at least a first image processing unit which use data of pixels composing other partial images adjacent to a first partial image as the data of the peripheral pixels for the image processing on a first partial image, and a second image processing unit which performs the image processing on a second partial image and brokers data of pixels treated as the peripheral pixels by the first image processing unit from an image processing unit which processes the other partial image to the first image processing unit.
US08446417B2	Discrete graphics system unit for housing a GPU A DGS (discrete graphics system) unit is disclosed. The DGS unit includes a system chassis configured to house a GPU, the GPU for executing 3-D graphics instructions, and a GPU mounting unit coupled to the system chassis and configured to receive the GPU. A serial bus connector is coupled to the chassis and is coupled to the GPU mounting unit, wherein the serial bus connector is configured removably connect the GPU to a computer system to enable the GPU to access the computer system via the serial bus connector and execute the 3-D graphics instructions for the computer system. A power supply coupled to the system chassis for supplying power to the GPU independent of the computer system.
US08446415B2	Framework for graphics animation and compositing operations A framework for performing graphics animation and compositing operations has a layer tree for interfacing with the application and a render tree for interfacing with a render engine. Layers in the layer tree can be content, windows, views, video, images, text, media, or any other type of object for a user interface of an application. The application commits change to the state of the layers of the layer tree. The application does not need to include explicit code for animating the changes to the layers. Instead, an animation is determined for animating the change in state. The determined animation is explicitly applied to the affected layers in the render tree. A render engine renders from the render tree into a frame buffer for display on the processing device. Those portions of the render tree that have changed relative to prior versions can be tracked to improve resource management.
US08446414B2	Programming APIS for an extensible avatar system Disclosed is an application programming interface (API) that provides for an extensible avatar system. In one embodiment an API may allow video game applications to retrieve structures of data which represent an avatar. The game can then take those structures and incorporate the data into its own rendering system. In another embodiment an API may allow a video game application to render an avatar to a render target or texture wherein the video game system performs rendering and animation functions.
US08446410B2	Apparatus for generating volumetric image and matching color textured external surface Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for generating combined image data representing a volumetric image of a subject and a color textured external surface of the subject. According to one embodiment, two-dimensional image data of a surface of the subject can be obtained from a two-dimensional imager. Volumetric data of the subject can be obtained from a volumetric scanner. The two-dimensional imager can have a known optical property and physical position relative to the volumetric scanner. External surface mesh data can be generated based on the volumetric data. The two-dimensional image data can be mapped to the external surface mesh data based on the known physical position of the two-dimensional imager and the volumetric scanner. Display image data including the two-dimensional image data mapped to the external surface map data combined with the volumetric data can be generated and displayed.
US08446407B1	System and method for parametric display of modular aesthetic designs A system and method for the aesthetic design of a modular assemblage, comprising means for providing a client graphic user interface for receiving an input for defining parameters of the modular assemblage, and for presenting an image of the defined modular assemblage; communicating a code to a server representing the defined parameters; at the server, in dependence on the communicated code, defining a set of graphic elements corresponding to the defined modular assemblage; communicating the graphic elements from the server to the client; and displaying, at the client, the graphic elements received from the server to represent the defined modular assemblage.
US08446397B2	Display device, method for driving the same, and electronic device using the display device and the method An object is to reduce degradation of display quality due to variation in luminance of light-emitting elements, which is caused by variation in voltage because of wiring resistance of current supply lines, and to improve the display quality. In a voltage program period, a terminal serving as a source of a transistor for driving an EL element is electrically connected to a first wiring to which a first potential is supplied. In a light-emitting period, the terminal serving as the source of the driving transistor is electrically connected to a second wiring to which a second potential is supplied. Accordingly, voltage between a gate terminal and the source terminal of the driving transistor can be held without being adversely affected by wiring resistance of the current supply lines.
US08446392B2	Method for determining the location of a pointer in a pointer input region, and interactive input system executing the method An interactive input system comprises a touch surface, and imaging system associated with the touch surface and processing structure. The imaging system comprises an optical sensor array that spans at least a portion of the area of the touch surface, and the processing structure communicates with the imaging system and analyzes images received by the imaging system to determine whether at least one pointer is near to the touch surface and the location of the at least one pointer in respect of the touch surface based at least in part on the edge sharpness of the at least one pointer.
US08446387B2	Touch control system with multi-touch detection functions The touch control system with multi-touch detection functions includes a touch panel, a first transceiver, a second transceiver, and a processor. The first transceiver scans N first sensing lines along a first axis of a touch panel, and detects at least one first sensing line touched by at least one object according to the scanning result. The first transceiver inputs at least one high frequency signal to the at least one first sensing line touched by the at least one object, and the second transceiver inputs M low frequency signals to M second sensing lines along a second axis of the touch panel. The processor receives and detects M feedback signals of the M second sensing lines along the second axis, and determines a position of at least one touch point according to the M feedback signals.
US08446383B2	Information processing apparatus, operation prediction method, and operation prediction program An information processing apparatus includes: a touch detection unit detecting touch of an instruction object on an operation surface; a proximity detection unit detecting proximity of the instruction object to the operation surface; and a control unit detecting movement of the instruction object on or to the operation surface based on the detection result of the touch detection unit and the detection result of the proximity detection unit and starting a process corresponding to an input operation predicted from the detected movement of the instruction object.
US08446382B2	Information processing apparatus and input control method An information processing apparatus includes a fingerprint sensor that detects movement of a finger, and a transforming unit that transforms the movement of the finger detected by the fingerprint sensor into an input event corresponding to an operational instruction to an application that runs on the information processing apparatus. When an amount of movement of the finger detected by the fingerprint sensor is greater than a threshold for the amount of movement, the transforming unit inhibits transformation of the movement of the finger detected by the fingerprint sensor into the input event.
US08446381B2	Control panels for onboard instruments An automotive control/display panel for multiple onboard systems includes a touch-screen for displaying system related information and a peripheral frame defining operator finger guide zones. The touch-screen is selectively reconfigurable to establish virtual display and control buttons on the screen within associated finger guide zones. The information and functionality of the virtual control and display buttons is varied to relate to a particular onboard system as a function of the previous actuation of a virtual selection button. The peripheral frame also defines virtual knobs disposed adjacent the touch-screen.
US08446379B2	Liquid crystal display having a sensing unit and pixel unit sharing the same data line A liquid crystal display with sensing mechanism includes a data line, a sensing unit, a pixel unit, a first gate line, a second gate line, a source driver, a readout signal processing unit and a switch unit. The data line is used to deliver a data signal or a readout signal. The sensing unit is employed to generate the readout signal. The pixel unit functions to control pixel brightness according to the data signal. The first gate line delivers a first gate signal for controlling the sensing unit. The second gate line delivers a second gate signal for controlling the pixel unit. The source driver is utilized for providing the data signal. The readout signal processing unit performs a sensing position analysis on the readout signal received. The switch unit is put in use for connecting the data line with either the source driver or the readout signal processing unit.
US08446377B2	Dual screen portable touch sensitive computing system A touch sensitive computing system is provided, including a first touch sensitive display and a second touch sensitive display. The displays are operatively coupled with a processing subsystem, and with a memory subsystem which stores a plurality of content pages. User interface instructions are stored in the memory subsystem and are executable by the processing subsystem to provide user interactivity with the content pages through the first touch sensitive display and the second touch sensitive display. The interface instructions are further configured to control the displays so that they operate as discretely organized interface units for the content pages.
US08446373B2	Method and apparatus for extended adjustment based on relative positioning of multiple objects contemporaneously in a sensing region A touch sensor device and method is provided that facilitates improved device usability. Specifically, the device and method provide improved user interface functionality by facilitating extended parameter adjustment using proximity sensor devices. The device includes a processing system and a sensor adapted to detect objects in a sensing region. The device is adapted to provide user interface functionality by determining a measurement descriptive of a location of a first object relative to a location of a second object, and applying a first rate for adjusting a visual parameter such that the visual parameter adjusts even if the first object is stationary relative to the second object, where the first rate is based on the measurement. By so providing a first rate for adjusting a parameter, the device facilitates extended user input.
US08446371B2	Method and apparatus for launching activities A handheld electronic device having a microprocessor housed within a body including a display area and a contact-sensitive area is disclosed. The contact-sensitive area detects contact engagement therewith and produces instruction data based thereupon. A microprocessor-run software program receives instruction data from the contact-sensitive area. The contact-sensitive area has a home zone area and a plurality of activity launch zone areas. The software program is programmed to process the instruction data and determine sweeping contact motion detected on the contact-sensitive area originating at the home zone area and terminating at one of the plurality of activity launch zone areas. The program responsively launches an operator-instructed activity corresponding to the activity launch zone area at which the sweeping contact motion terminated.
US08446367B2	Camera-based multi-touch mouse Technologies for a camera-based multi-touch input device operable to provide conventional mouse movement data as well as three-dimensional multi-touch data. Such a device is based on an internal camera focused on a mirror or set of mirrors enabling the camera to image the inside of a working surface of the device. The working surface allows light to pass through. An internal light source illuminates the inside of the working surface and reflects off of any objects proximate to the outside of the device. This reflected light is received by the mirror and then directed to the camera. Imaging from the camera can be processed to extract touch points corresponding to the position of one or more objects outside the working surface as well as to detect gestures performed by the objects. Thus the device can provide conventional mouse functionality as well as three-dimensional multi-touch functionality.
US08446364B2	Visual pairing in an interactive display system An interactive display system including a wireless pointing device including a camera or other image capture system. Pairing of the pointing device is performed by a computerized display system displaying a visual pairing code at its display, for capture by the pointing device. The pairing code may be displayed in a form that is human-readable, human-perceptible but not human-readable, or human-imperceptible. In response to detecting the pairing code, the pointing device transmits a wireless signal to the computerized display system including the pairing code. If the pairing code received by the display system matches that originally displayed, the computerized display system authorizes the pointing device as a source of control signals in the graphical user interface manner. Various additional handshaking approaches in combination with the visual pairing procedure are disclosed.
US08446360B2	Force sensor for use in an input device and methods for constructing and using the sensor The disclosure addresses a force sensor that is scalable in size and adaptable to a variety of form factors, including those suitable for use in an input device for a computer or other processing system, and in some cases including those of the configuration normally referred to as a computer mouse. The force sensor will include at least two structural members that are cooperatively attached one another as to be displaced from one another in response to a force acting upon one of the structural members. In some examples, the engagement between the two structural members will be specifically configured to allow such displacement in response to forces acting laterally on the force sensor. The force sensor will also include one or more sensing mechanisms to provide a measurement of the sensed deflection.
US08446357B2	E-paper display control based on conformation sequence status A system for one or more portions of one or more regions of an electronic paper assembly having one or more display layers includes, but is not limited to: obtaining and controlling display of one or more portions of one or more display layers of the electronic paper assembly regarding display of second information in response to the information associated with the one or more sequences of two or more conformations of the one or more portions of the one or more regions of the electronic paper assembly. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08446356B2	Display device The display device including: a display panel; a backlight; a memory for converting frame rate of an input video signal and outputting a video signal; an interpolation frame generation unit for generating an interpolation frame based on the video signal output from the memory; a histogram generator for generating a histogram based on the input video signal; and a backlight brightness calculation unit for calculating a backlight control signal, the display device further comprising: wherein image data for display, which is obtained by an N-th frame of the input video signal, and image data of the interpolation frame generated based on the N-th frame and an (N+1)-th frame of the input video signal, is input to the display panel; and wherein the backlight control signal calculated based on the histogram generated based on the image data of the N-th frame is used for displaying the image data for display.
US08446354B2	Liquid crystal display capable of compensating common voltage signal thereof An exemplary liquid crystal display (200) includes a liquid crystal panel (201) having a plurality of pixel units (240), a scanning circuit (202) configured to activate the pixel units, a data circuit (203) configured to provide data voltage signals the pixel unit via a plurality of data lines (220), and a common voltage circuit (205) configured to generate a common voltage signal. Each pixel unit includes a pixel electrode (242), a common electrode (243), and a coupling member (245). The coupling member is connected between the pixel electrode and a corresponding one of the data lines, and is configured to transfer an electrical potential shift of the corresponding common electrode to the corresponding data line when one of the data voltage signals is applied to the pixel electrode. The common voltage circuit is configured to compensate the common voltage signal according to a feedback signal obtained from the data lines.
US08446351B2	Edge lit LED based locally dimmed display A display has a screen which incorporates a light modulator. The screen may be a front projection screen or a rear-projection screen. The screen is illuminated with light from a light source comprising an array of controllable light-emitters. The controllable-emitters and elements of the light modulator may be controlled to adjust the intensity of light emanating from corresponding areas on the screen. The display may provide a high dynamic range.
US08446349B2	Method and system for controlling deformable micromirror devices A method and system for controlling deformable micromirror devices are provided. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a display system includes multiple deformable micromirror devices, a buffer, and a controller. Each deformable micromirror device includes a plurality of micromirrors. The buffer is communicatively coupled, at a first interface speed, to each deformable micromirror device. The buffer is operable to communicate in parallel with the deformable micromirror devices. The controller is communicatively coupled, at a second interface speed, to the buffer. The controller is operable to receive a display input and, in response, generate a plurality signals each corresponding to an optical characteristic of the display input. The controller is further operable to sequentially communicate each of the plurality of signals through the buffer to a corresponding one of the deformable micromirror devices. Each deformable micromirror device receives at least a subset of the plurality of signals.
US08446348B2	Display device A display device in which the current load of wirings are distributed and display variations due to voltage drop are suppressed. An active matrix display device of the invention comprises a first current input terminal, a second current input terminal, and a plurality of current supply lines extending parallel to each other. Each current supply line is connected to a plurality of driving transistors in a line. One end of each current supply line is connected to the first current input terminal via a first wiring intersecting with the current supply lines, and the other end thereof is connected to the second current input terminal via a second wiring intersecting with the current supply lines. Accordingly, a current is supplied to each current supply line from both the first and the second current input terminals. The first and the second current input terminals are provided separately from each other.
US08446344B2	Pixel and organic light emitting display device using the same A pixel of an organic light emitting display device and an organic light emitting display device using the same. The pixel is configured to compensate for the deterioration of organic light emitting diodes. The pixel includes an organic light emitting diode; a pixel circuit including a drive transistor for controlling an amount of electric current that flows from a first power source to a second power source via an organic light emitting diode; and a compensation unit between a gate electrode and a first electrode of the drive transistor for controlling a voltage of the gate electrode of the drive transistor to correspond to the deterioration of the organic light emitting diode. The compensation unit includes a transistor and a capacitor coupled in series between the gate electrode and the first electrode of the drive transistor.
US08446342B2	Projection system with multi-phased scanning trajectory A scanned beam display device scans a beam to paint an image. The beam is scanned in two dimensions and includes at least one sinusoidal component. Phase offsets are introduced to provide different scan trajectories for successive traversals of the image field of view.
US08446341B2	Contact lens with integrated light-emitting component A light-emitting contact lens and a method and system for tracking a user's eye position using the light-emitting contact lens are disclosed. The eye position tracking can be used, for example, to allow the user to interact with a display device such that the position of the user's eye determines the image generated by the display device. Thus, as the user's eye moves, the image on the display device will be altered to represent the new position (e.g., viewing angle) of the user with regard to the display device.
US08446337B2	Method for operating object between terminals and terminal using the method A method for operating an object between a first terminal and a second terminal. The display space of one of the first and second terminals is extended to the other terminal. One of the first and second terminals intercepts an event associated with the object occurring in the terminal so as to obtain the position of the object, informs the other terminal of the position of the object, and redraws the object on the screen of the other terminal based on the received position.
US08446336B2	Multi-directional pivoting antenna A multi-directional pivoting antenna includes an antenna case, a pivotal device, and a pivot base. The antenna case is pivotally connected to the pivotal device and can be vertically turned relative to the pivotal device, and the pivotal device is fitted in the pivot base and can be horizontally turned relative to the pivot base. Therefore, when the pivot base of the pivoting antenna is mounted on an electronic device for wireless signal transmission, the pivotal device and the pivot base provide the pivoting antenna with high degrees of freedom, allowing the antenna case to be pivotally turned horizontally and vertically to different angular positions and directions, and making the pivoting antenna very convenient to use.
US08446335B2	Mounting an antenna system to a solid surface A solid surface bracket is provided. The solid surface bracket is configured to couple an antenna system with a solid surface ceiling. The solid surface bracket may include a top flange, bottom flange, and a side flange. The top flange may include an opening that is sized and shaped to receive a solid surface screw. The solid surface screw may be configured to engage with the solid surface ceiling. The bottom flange may be configured to receive a clip of the antenna system. The bottom flange may extend substantially parallel to the top flange. The side flange may be coupled with the top flange and bottom flange. The side flange may extend between and substantially perpendicular to the top flange and bottom flange. The side flange may have a height greater than a minimum bend radius of a cable extending from the antenna system.
US08446334B2	Multi-antenna multiband system An antenna system including at least one flexible dielectric sheet, a plurality of individual antennas mounted on the at least one flexible dielectric sheet, a feed network mounted on the at least one flexible dielectric sheet, the feed network being connected to and feeding the individual antennas and at least one conductive ground plane mounted on the at least one flexible dielectric sheet.
US08446327B2	Compound two-way antenna with installation compensator A two-way terrestrial antenna, employing electrical down tilt and azimuth beam adjustment capability is disclosed. Such antenna configuration allows for a variable antenna coverage footprint within designated coverage sector. To compensate for installation support structure variations the two-way antenna employs a positional sensor that can provide feedback to BTS or automatically compensate azimuth and tilt beam angles so as to provide uniform sector coverage. In particular by monitoring tri-vector gravitational inclinometer and earth magnetic field sensors, and determining correction factors for antenna tilt and azimuth beam adjustments, uniform or compensated sector coverage is provided.
US08446326B2	Foldable antenna for reconfigurable radar system The invention provides for phased array radar system that mechanically reconfigures its antenna array from a single faced aperture into two geometrically opposed arrays.
US08446324B2	Antenna device Provided is an antenna device with which the degradation of characteristics arising from the fact that the antenna has been miniaturized and made thinner is reduced and in which it is possible to increase the gain and to widen the coverage area by improving the characteristics of the internal antenna. The device is equipped with a circuit board, a wireless circuit component which is mounted on the substrate, an internal antenna which is connected to the wireless circuit component which is mounted on the substrate, a circuit-side ground pattern which is connected to the wireless circuit component which is mounted on the substrate, and a dedicated antenna ground paten which is connected to the internal antenna which is mounted on the circuit board.
US08446320B2	Reliable location information for a mobile station using a non-GPS location technique A method and apparatus determines if a location fix received by a mobile station using a non-GPS location techniques is accurate. Location results obtained using the non-GPS location technique or techniques are treated as accurate if they are verified as being within an error margin obtained from a trusted source of location information such as a GPS positioning system. Non-GPS Location information may be obtained from a signal transmitted by the base station, which signal includes the base station location. The non-GPS location information may also be obtained from a backend service associated with the wireless network that includes the base station.
US08446316B2	Device for discriminating the phase and the phase variation of a signal In a phase discriminator device for receiving, as input, a complex signal whose argument represents a phase error, and for producing, as output, an estimate of the phase error for each signal sample Zn+1 received, the device includes a frequency discriminator and a computation part for determining the phase estimate obtained at an instant (N+1)T1. The computation part determines the phase estimate according to predetermined relations, and T1 is the time interval between two samples Zn and Zn+1, received consecutively.
US08446315B2	Method for providing satellite orbit ephemeris, server, and positioning system A method for providing satellite orbit ephemeris includes: determining a positioning satellite in view of a reference position; and providing to a positioning device a satellite orbit ephemeris of the positioning satellite in view of the reference position, the satellite orbit ephemeris being valid for at least one day.
US08446314B2	Method and device for receiving GNSS location information on a mobile computing device through an ad-hoc network A mobile computing device comprising processing components, memory components, and at least one wireless transmitter/receiver. The at least one wireless transmitter/receiver comprises a gps communication device and a network communication device. When at least a portion of gps location information is unable to be received by the gps communication device, the network communication device is configured to receive the gps location information from an additional mobile computing device across an ad-hoc network created between the two mobile computing devices.
US08446313B2	Slot array antenna and radar device This disclosure provides a slot array antenna, which includes an emission waveguide having a conductor surface where emission slot rows are formed and for guiding electromagnetic waves to be emitted from the emission slot rows, each of the emission slot rows having a plurality of emission slots are arrayed in line, and a lattice. The lattice includes a plurality of conductor walls formed in a planer shape so as to extend in a direction intersecting with the conductor surface and repeatedly arranged corresponding to the plurality of emission slots, and a base plate coupling and fixing the plurality of conductor walls thereto, the base plate being fastened to the conductor surface of the emission waveguide.
US08446312B2	Electronic scanning type radar device, estimation method of direction of reception wave, and program estimating direction of reception wave An electronic scanning type radar device mounted on a moving body includes: a transmission unit transmitting a transmission wave; a reception unit comprising a plurality of antennas receiving a reflection wave of the transmission wave from a target; a beat signal generation unit generating a beat signal from the transmission wave and the reflection wave; a frequency resolution processing unit frequency computing a complex number data; a target detection unit detecting an existence of the target; a correlation matrix computation unit computing a correlation matrix from each of a complex number data of a detected beat frequency; a target consolidation processing unit linking the target in a present detection cycle and a past detection cycle; a correlation matrix filtering unit generating an averaged correlation matrix by weighted averaging a correlation matrix of a target in the present detection cycle and a correlation matrix of a related target in the past detection cycle; and a direction detection unit computing an arrival direction of the reflection wave based on the averaged correlation matrix.
US08446311B2	Array of UHF radar bases for protecting sensitive zones against intrusions A system for protecting sensitive zones includes detection bases disposed in such a way that each base performs the monitoring of a part of the limit of the protected zone. To each base n is allocated a frequency channel of width B′ centered on a frequency Fn. Each base comprises a plurality of UHF radars emitting pulses of spectral width B, with a high repetition frequency Fr. Each radar processes a fraction b0 of the global Doppler band b1 concerned. The emission frequencies of the various radars constituting one and the same base are defined in such a way that the gap between the emission frequency Fi of a radar of the base and the frequency Fn is less than the repetition frequency Fr and that the gap between the emission frequencies Fi and Fj of two radars of one and the same base is greater than (b1+b0)/2. The channel allocated to a base n as well as the emission frequencies allocated to the radars of this base are defined in such a way that, having regard to the position of the base, none of the radars constituting the base concerned is liable to be disturbed from a radioelectric point of view by the radars of the other bases.
US08446309B2	Analog-to-digital conversion in pixel arrays An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) generates an output digital value equivalent to the difference between two analog signal values. The ADC 30 receives a first analog signal level, a second analog signal level and a ramp signal. A counter 32 is operable to count in a single direction. A control stage is arranged to enable the counter 32 based on a comparison 19 of the ramp signal with the first analog signal and the second analog signal. A digital value accumulated by the counter during a period when it is enabled forms the output. The ADC can perform the conversion during a single cycle of the ramp signal. The counter 32 can be loaded with a starting digital value representing an exposure level accumulated during a previous exposure period. Techniques are described for reducing the conversion time.
US08446308B2	Apparatus for detection of a leading edge of a photo sensor output signal A system and method for processing an analog signal output by a sensor. The system and method converting, using at least one analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the analog output signal to a digital signal, the digital signal including a plurality of samples at a predetermined resolution, detecting whether a trigger condition is met by analyzing the digital signal, detecting an event based on trigger information from the detecting whether a trigger condition is met, generating event information having time information included therein when the event is detected, defining one or more time windows based on the time information included in the event information, performing decimation on the digital signal based on the defined one or more time windows to generate a decimated signal, and outputting the decimated signal.
US08446307B2	Comparator noise reduction by means of a programmable bandwidth A comparator including a preamplifier amplifying a first signal and a second signal to produce a first amplified signal on a first output terminal and a second amplified signal on a second output terminal. The comparator also includes a capacitor, a clamp and a latch coupled in parallel to the first output terminal and the second output terminal of the preamplifier. A control circuit is coupled to the variable capacitor and the clamp and is configured to close the clamp during a first time period to cause the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal to bypass the capacitor and the latch, and open the clamp during a second time period following the first time period to cause the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal to be coupled to the capacitor and the latch. The capacitor filters the amplified signals, and the latch produces a digital output signal of the comparator based on the filtered signals.
US08446306B2	Method for mixing a complex digital signal with a reference signal, mixer and digital-to-analogue converter using the method Method and mixer using the method for mixing a complex digital input vector with an oscillator reference signal based on a separation of the mixing process in mainly two processing steps, to with a first step in which a set of n real part values Vi, is derived from said complex digital input vector in which n is an integer larger than 1 and in which each real part value Vi is proportional to the real part of the digital input vector when being rotated over predetermined phase angles φi=φ0+i*Δφ, respectively, for a constant φ0, Δφ corresponding to either 2π/n or −2π/n, with integer i varying between 0 and n−1 and a second step, in which said n real part values and Vi are each consecutively selected to be coupled to a load.
US08446305B1	Photonic analog to digital conversion A photonic analog to digital converter includes one or more modulators configured to receive a first optical signal and a radio frequency signal. The one or more modulators is configured to modulate the first optical signal based on the radio frequency signal. The converter also includes circuitry configured to independently quantize one or more of phase, quadrature, and amplitude coordinates of the modulated signal. The circuitry provides the quantized coordinates to one or more electronic analog to digital converters.
US08446304B2	Digital background calibration system and method for successive approximation (SAR) analogue to digital converter The invention provides a digital background calibration system and method for a successive approximation analog-to-digital converter comprising a digital to analog converter (DAC) having a plurality of weighted capacitors to be calibrated; means for splitting each of said weighted capacitors into a plurality of sub-capacitors and at least one redundant capacitor; means for multiplying the voltage level of at least one of the sub-capacitors with a PN sequence; and means for calibrating the weighted capacitor from the multiplied sub-capacitor and the redundant capacitor.
US08446299B2	Method and device for encoding and decoding of data in unique number values Systems and methods for the encoding of data in a dataset, comprising the storage of the data in an i-th temporary code list (TCL(i)); generating an i-th folder (folder(i)) from the i-th temporary code list (TCL(i)) by replacing each value by an index that refers to the same value in a reference database; generating new temporary codes, using a predetermined formula F that always combines at least two values from the i-th folder (folder(i)), and placing thereof in an (i+1)-th temporary code list (TCL(i+1)); and the recursive repetition of actions b) and c) for subsequent values of i, so long as the (i+1)-th temporary code list (TCL(i+1)) or the (i+1)-th folder (Folder(i+1)) contains one or more values more than once.
US08446298B2	Quick record function in a smart pen computing system Embodiments of the invention present a system and method for controlling audio capture by a smart pen based computing system. An audio capture mechanism that is independent from a gesture capture system is included on the smart pen to control audio capture by one or more microphones included on the smart pen. In one embodiment, the audio capture mechanism comprises a shared function button, such as a power button. For example, a user interaction with the shared function button initiates audio capture by the one or more microphones on the smart pen and a second user interaction with the shared audio function stops audio capture. Alternatively, audio capture is stopped after completion of a predefined time interval after the user interaction with the shared function button.
US08446288B2	Light projection device A light projection device, includes a movable projector section which illuminates or display information by projecting light while moving a projection position; a position detecting section which detects a position of a lost article instructed by a user; a view field detecting section which detects a view field of the user, and a controller section which controls said movable projection section based on the lost article detected by the position detecting section and the view field of the user detected by the view field detecting section, and either directly illuminates the lost article or projects guide information for guiding the user to the lost article within a view field of the user.
US08446286B2	Method and system for a digital voltage detector with digital voltage display for armament circuit testing A digital voltage detector system that is compatible with existing Armament Circuits Preload Test Sets is described. Adjustment of under and over voltage trip points is accommodated in accordance with conventional means. The digital voltage detector is compatible with all conventional Voltage Detector interface cables and adapters. Unlike the conventional voltage detector of existing Armament Circuits Preload Test Sets, over-voltage trips do not blow a fuse, eliminating the need to have replacement fuses or redundant conventional voltage detectors in an Armament Circuits Preload Test Set. Additionally, the digital voltage detector provides a digital voltage readout allowing the user to view the input voltage during a Presence of Voltage test. The digital voltage detector system facilitates timely and efficient execution of the Armament Circuits Preload Test series.
US08446279B2	Article holding and tracking device An apparatus is provided for holding articles, such as keys, which is attachable to a person's clothing, handbag or a purse, and wherein a physical or electronic tether is used to allow the user to use the articles stored thereupon without removing them from the holder or from their clothing, handbag, purse, briefcase or other hand carried item. The tension on the tether is manageable by the use of a tension management system, so that the tension of the tether will not damage the article or the mechanism that the article is used with and the article is tracked by use of the tether so that the user does not lose the article. Infrared, radio frequency, and transponder and polling versions of the invention are also disclosed.
US08446277B2	Proximity warning system with silent zones Various proximity detection zones for work sites that require personnel to be in close proximity to various hazardous elements, such as machines, mobile equipment, remotely controlled machines, and operated vehicles can be shaped to fit specific equipment or work area configurations and may include one or more silent zones within the proximity warning zone in which an alarm is not sounded. The zones are determined by overlapping magnetic fields that expand and collapse at a selected operating frequency. Devices sense and measure the strength of the magnetic fields in which they are located and use the information to determine if they are in a silent or warning zone. Thus, it is possible to produce silent zones having desired shapes.
US08446275B2	General health and wellness management method and apparatus for a wellness application using data from a data-capable band General health and wellness management techniques and devices are configured for use with a data-capable personal worn or carried device. In one embodiment, a method receiving data representing a profile upon which a target score is established based on one or more health-related activities, and acquiring data representing one or more subsets of acquired parameters based on, for example, one or more sensors disposed in a wearable computing device. The method can include determining data representing values for the one or more subsets of the acquired parameters based on reference values for the parameters set forth in the profile and calculating at a first processor a score based on data representing the values. The score represents an attained portion of the one or more health-related activities. In some cases, the method includes causing presentation of a representation of the score relative to the target score.
US08446274B1	Lone worker gas safety alarm system and method A person-carried portable transceiver unit informs a remote home base of the person's activities, location, and/or exposure to a toxic gas. The person uses the portable transceiver unit for sending different predetermined chosen text messages to the home base. In some examples, the particular message is chosen by the number of times the person sequentially triggers a single switch on the unit. In cases where the single switch is a pushbutton, pressing the button three times, for example, could indicate the person is heading to a worksite, and pressing the button four times could indicate the person arrived at the worksite. For the home base to determine whether the person is still conscious and alert while at the worksite, the home base periodically sends to the portable unit reminder signals that prompt the person for a certain response, such as, for example, the person pressing the button twice in succession.
US08446263B2	User interface for and method of implementing a user interface in a configurable light timer A user interface of a configurable light timer is described. The user interface comprises an input portion for receiving timing characterization data, the input portion having a slot adapted to receive a portable memory device storing the timing characterization data; and a feedback portion providing an indication of the status of the timer in based upon the timing characterization data and a current day and time setting. A method of implementing a user interface in a configurable light timer is also disclosed.
US08446260B2	Group proving method and radio frequency identification reader and tags using thereof A group proving method includes the following steps. First, a query command is broadcasted to radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, each of which responds the query command with tag identification data. Next, a first round parameter is generated and broadcasted according to the tag identification data, and each RFID tag responds the first round parameter with a first response parameter. Then, a second round parameter is generated and broadcasted according to the first response parameter, and each RFID tag determines whether the second round parameter is received in a predetermined period after the first round parameter was received and whether the first and second round parameters correspond to each other. If so, each RFID tag updates its tag key according to a random number parameter and outputs a second response parameter. Thereafter, group proving data are generated according to the above-mentioned data.
US08446259B2	Authentication of an electromagnetic terminal-transponder couple by the transponder A method of authentication of a terminal generating a magnetic field, by a transponder including an oscillating circuit from which a D.C. voltage is generated, wherein the transponder: receives first data relative to the current in an oscillating circuit of the terminal, measured by the terminal for a first value of the resistive load of the transponder; and exploits these first data and second data relative to the level of said D.C. voltage, respectively measured for the first resistive load value and for a second resistive load value.
US08446256B2	Multiplexing radio frequency signals The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for multiplexing radio frequency signals. In some implementations, a system includes a host coupling module, a plurality of antennas, and a processing module. The host coupling module is configured to receive and transmit RF signals through a wired connection. The plurality of antennas are configured to wirelessly transmit RF signals and receive RF signals from RFID tags. The processing module is configured to selectively switch between the plurality of antennas for communication with the RFID tags using the host coupling module and backscatter at least a portion of the received RF signals through the wired connection to communicate information independent of an internal power supply.
US08446255B2	Circuit for transmitting a RFID signal A circuit for transmitting a RFID signal while conserving the battery power for a circuit in continuous operation is disclosed herein. The circuit includes a RFID component, a microprocessor, an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a battery. The battery preferably has no more than 225 milliamp hours of power. The accelerometer is preferably a multiple axis accelerometer. The circuit is preferably utilized with a device for shot tracking.
US08446251B2	System, apparatus and method for supplying electric power, apparatus and method for receiving electric power, storage medium and program An electric power supply system includes an electric power reception apparatus and an electric power supply apparatus adapted to supply electric power to the electric power reception apparatus when the electric power reception apparatus is placed on the electric power supply apparatus. The electric power supply apparatus includes a plurality of electric power supply units adapted to supply electric power by electromagnetic induction to the electric power reception apparatus. A selection unit of the electric power supply apparatus selects, from the total plurality of electric power supply units, a plurality of electric power supply units whose location corresponds to a position where the electric power reception apparatus is placed, and a control unit controls the supply of electric power such that electric power is supplied to the electric power reception apparatus from the selected plurality of electric power supply units.
US08446250B2	Method and device for providing digital security This invention relates to a method and system for providing digital security by means of a reconfigurable physical uncloneable function, RPUF. The RPUF comprises a physical system constituted by distributed components arranged to generate a first response when receiving a first challenge at a point of the physical system. The physical reconfiguring of the RPUF comprises redistributing the components such that they generate a second response, which differs from said first response, when again applying the first challenge at the point. The reconfiguration step is further utilized in providing secure storage for digital items. The digital item is data of any kind, including data that needs to be accessed and updated, i.e. which is dynamic in nature. The method is exemplified by implementations such as secure storage of a key, a secure counter and a seed generator.
US08446249B2	Method of controlling access to an area A method of controlling access to an area accessible by persons, particularly to a space closed by a door, utilizes at least two communications units for transmitting and receiving an identification code and an access code. The identification code is transmitted at a predetermined first transmission power from a first communications unit to at least one second communications unit. The second communications unit checks the identification code and transmits an acknowledgement code at a second transmission power, which is lower than the first transmission power, from the second communications unit to the first communications unit if the check of the identification code was successful. The first communications unit transmits an access code to the second communications unit. After a successful check of the access code by the second communications unit the access is freed.
US08446248B2	Wireless power transmission system The wireless power transmission is a system for providing wireless charging and/or primary power to electronic/electrical devices via microwave energy. The microwave energy is focused onto a device to be charged by a power transmitter having one or more adaptively-phased microwave array emitters. Rectennas within the device to be charged receive and rectify the microwave energy and use it for battery charging and/or for primary power. A communications channel is opened between the wireless power source and the device to be charged. The device to be charged reports to the power source via the channel a received beam signal strength at the rectennas. This information is used by the system to adjust the transmitting phases of the microwave array emitters until a maximum microwave energy is reported by the device to be charged. Backscatter is minimized by physically configuring the microwave array emitters in a substantially non-uniform, non-coplanar manner.
US08446246B2	Metal oxide sintered compact for thermistor, thermistor element, thermistor temperature sensor, and manufacturing method for metal oxide sintered compact for thermistor A metal oxide sintered compact used for a thermistor includes a composite oxide represented by the general expression La(Cr1-xMnx)O3 (with x=0.0 to 0.6). Furthermore, the thermistor element 3 includes the metal oxide sintered compact 2 for a thermistor and a pair of leads 1, one terminal of each of which is fixed to the metal oxide sintered compact 2 for a thermistor.
US08446244B1	Integrated magnetic element An integrated magnetic element includes a conductive base, a bobbin, a winding coil, a first magnetic core assembly and a second magnetic core assembly. The conductive base includes a first conductive unit including a plurality of first conductive winding parts, a second conductive unit including at least one second conductive winding part, and a connecting part. The bobbin includes a bobbin body, a winding section, a channel and a plurality of insertion slots. The first conductive winding parts are inserted into corresponding insertion slots of the bobbin. The first magnetic core assembly is sheathed around the bobbin and partially embedded into the channel of the bobbin and the first holes of the first conductive winding parts. The second magnetic core assembly is sheathed around the second conductive unit of the conductive base and partially embedded into the second hole of the second conductive winding part.
US08446243B2	Method of constructing inductors and transformers An embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus including a magnetic device and a related method. A multilayer substrate is constructed with a winding formed in a metallic layer, an electrically insulating layer above the metallic layer, and a via formed in the electrically insulating layer to couple the winding to a circuit element positioned on the multilayer substrate. A depression is formed in the multilayer substrate, and a polymer solution, preferably an epoxy, containing a ferromagnetic component such as nanocrystaline nickel zinc ferrite is deposited within a mold positioned on a surface of the multilayer substrate above the winding and in the depression. An integrated circuit electrically coupled to the winding may be located on the multilayer substrate. The multilayer substrate may be a semiconductor substrate or a printed wiring board, and the circuit element may be an integrated circuit formed on the multilayer substrate.
US08446240B2	Sealed contactor A low cost, sealed contactor comprises a hermetically sealed housing with a flat header having internal components for changing the state of said contactor. Terminals are electrically connected to the internal components for connection to internal circuitry and applying an electrical signal to control the state of the contactor. A solenoid-driven plunger with a hollow shaft is included. Power-reducing electronics located within the hermetically sealed housing are also included. Two contact springs are also included to improve electrical performance. O-rings are added to help seal the contactor and keep it hermetically sealed.
US08446235B2	Electromagnetic relay and method of manufacturing the same A disclosed electromagnetic relay includes a fixed contact, a movable contact provided in a movable contact spring, an electric magnet causing the movable contact to contact the fixed contact by applying force via an arming unit, a magnet generating a magnetic field between the fixed contact and the movable contact, and yokes made of a magnetic material, wherein the yokes are arranged in parallel to interpose the fixed contact and the movable contact between the yokes and to apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to an area where the fixed contact and the movable contact exist, and insulating portions are provided on inner surfaces of the yokes facing the fixed contact and the movable contact, respectively.
US08446230B2	Microwave directional coupler Directional couplers are provided. In one embodiment, the directional coupler includes first and second transmission line segments positioned on a first plane and spaced apart by a first distance, third and fourth transmission line segments positioned on a second plane and spaced apart by a second distance, the second plane spaced apart from the first plane, a first conductive segment connecting the first and third transmission line segments, and a second conductive segment connecting the second and fourth transmission line segments, where the first and second transmission line segments are configured to couple energy therebetween, and where the third and fourth transmission line segments are configured to couple energy therebetween.
US08446225B2	Surface mounted oven controlled crystal oscillator A surface mounted oven controlled crystal oscillator includes a crystal oscillator shell, a crystal oscillation circuit, several functional pins and a base plate. The crystal oscillation circuit is accommodated in a cavity that is formed by the crystal oscillator shell and the base plated and electrically connects with the functional pins. The functional pins drill through the base plate from the cavity. An insulating layer is formed between each functional pin and the base plate. The surface mounted oven controlled crystal oscillator further includes several pads formed at an outer surface of the base plate. The insulating layer is also formed between each pad and the base plate, and the functional pins are electrically connected with the corresponding pads respectively. Added pads, the oven controlled crystal oscillator has high stability, simple manufacturing process, and low manufacturing cost. Moreover, the oven controlled crystal oscillator is mounted on the product by using surface mounted technology, thereby achieving mechanized batch production with high efficiency.
US08446224B2	Network of tightly coupled performance monitors for determining the maximum frequency of operation of a semiconductor IC A circuit interconnection structure for synchronizing a network of oscillators placed on a semiconductor substrate. One such structure comprises a first synchronizing circuit electrically coupled to a second synchronizing circuit through tunable delay circuits. Also disclosed are methods to tune oscillators placed in different regions of a circuit having multiple clock domains by estimating the relative slack of a first group of signals within the circuit with regard to the period of a first clock domain, and estimating the relative slack of the second group of signals within the circuit with regard to the period of second clock domain, wherein the estimating is performed at process and operational corners that cover the variability of the circuit at different speed conditions, then calculating tuning values for the oscillator delays for each region such that the oscillator delay slack matches the worst relative slack of the signals of the same region.
US08446222B2	Apparatus and methods for reducing noise in oscillating signals Methods and apparatus are described for reducing noise, such as phase noise, in an oscillating signal. The oscillating signal may be generated by a signal generator having a mechanical resonator, such as a crystal oscillator. A filter may be coupled to the output of the mechanical resonator and may have its center frequency adjusted using a phase-locked loop (PLL). A feedback signal from the filter to the signal generator may also be used.
US08446217B2	Dual-loop feedback amplifying circuit An amplifying circuit arranged for converting an input signal into an amplified output signal comprising: an input node (11) at an input side of said circuit for receiving said input signal (pi); an output node (9) at an output side of said circuit for outputting said amplified output signal (io); a first gain element (M1) connected between said input and output nodes and provided for converting an input voltage taken from said input signal into a current for forming said amplified output signal; a negative feedback loop (3) over said first gain element, said negative feedback loop having first elements (5, 6) arranged for providing input matching; and a positive feedback loop (2) over said first gain element, said positive feedback loop having second elements (7, 8) arranged for providing additional input matching and gain enhancement of said first gain element.
US08446216B2	Anti-pop circuit Presently many audio chips suffer from pop issues, which is especially serious for single ended audio drivers. An audio pop is a disturbance in the output caused by a sudden transition of chip power, particularly when a chip is powered on or powered off. Furthermore, compensation networks included in the amplifiers on audio chips for stability offer a significant path for transmitting power disturbances to the output. Hence, circuitry is developed to suppress pops in the output stages of an amplifier.
US08446213B2	Charge pump circuit, control method thereof, and semiconductor integrated circuit There is provided a charge pump circuit suited for reducing the power consumption. A capacitor 201a, a capacitor 201b, a capacitor 201c, and switching elements 202a to 202k, for electrically connecting or separating capacitors 201a, 201b, and 201c, repeats: a first state where charge supplied from an input power-supply voltage VDD is accumulated in the capacitors 201a and 201b; a second state where the charge accumulated in the capacitor 201a is transferred to the third capacitor 201c, and a positive output power-supply voltage is held by the charge accumulated in the capacitor 201b; a third state where the charge supplied from an input power supply is accumulated in the capacitors 201a and 201b; and a fourth state where the charge accumulated in the capacitor 201b is transferred to the third capacitor 201c, and the positive output power-supply voltage VCC is held by the charge accumulated in the capacitor 201a.
US08446211B2	Internal voltage generation circuit An internal voltage generation circuit includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, a control unit, and a voltage pumping unit. The first detection unit compares an internal voltage with a first reference voltage to generate a first detection signal when the first detection unit is activated in response to a first enable signal. The second detection unit compares the internal voltage with a second reference voltage to generate a second detection signal. The control unit generates the first enable signal and a second enable signal in response to the first detection signal and the second detection signal. The voltage pumping unit generates the internal voltage in response to the second enable signal.
US08446207B2	Load driving circuit A load driving circuit in which the off-time Toff and the fall time Tf can be improved in turn-off operation of the N-channel type MOSFET used as a high side switch. The load driving circuit uses an N-channel type power MOSFET as a high side switch connected between a power supply and a load, including a comparator circuit for comparing a gate voltage of the power MOSFET with a power-supply voltage; and a shut-off circuit for discharging the gate terminal of the power MOSFET in turn-off operation of the power MOSFET, the rate of discharging the gate terminal of the power MOSFET performed with the shut-off circuit being set such that the discharge rate provided if the gate voltage Vg is lower than the power-supply voltage Vp is slower than the rate of discharging the same provided if the gate voltage Vg is higher than the power-supply voltage Vp.
US08446204B2	High voltage tolerant receiver A high voltage tolerant single ended receiver circuit includes a voltage divider that is operative to divide in half single ended input signals that are greater than the threshold voltages of the voltage divider. A pass gate circuit is operative to receive single ended signals that are below the threshold voltages of the voltage divider. Output from the voltage divider is coupled to a first input of a modified Schmitt trigger circuit to control a high threshold level of the Schmitt trigger circuit. Output from the pass gate circuit is coupled to a second input of the modified Schmitt trigger circuit to control a low threshold level of the Schmitt trigger circuit.
US08446200B2	Systems and methods for a continuous, linear, 360-degree analog phase shifter Embodiments of the invention may be directed to a continuous analog phase shifter for radio frequency (RF) signals, which can be integrated on a CMOS process or another compatible process where inherent process-dependent passive components such as inductors and capacitors may have low quality factors. Insertion loss degradation for a given amount of phase shift may be compensated by using an active compensation circuit/device that smartly controls negative resistance generated from the compensation circuit/device to cancel out finite resistance of a network, leading to very small insertion loss variation. According to an example aspect of the invention, improved phase linearity and increased phase shift for a given size may be obtained by incorporating the compensation circuit/device. Thus, example analog phase shifters in accordance with example embodiments of the invention may have one or more of low insertion loss variation, small size, and good phase linearity over more than a 360 degree phase shift.
US08446199B2	Duty cycle correction circuit A duty cycle correction (DCC) circuit includes a duty signal generating unit configured to compare a high duration of an output clock with a low duration of the output clock in a clock cycle to generate a duty signal, a counting unit configured to count and output a preliminary code after a duty cycle correction (DCC) operation starts, a duty code generating unit configured to generate a duty code by selectively inverting or transferring without inversion the preliminary code in response to an initial value of the duty signal, and a duty cycle correcting unit configured to output the output clock by driving an input clock to a pull-up driving capacity and a pull-down driving capacity which are determined in response to the initial value of the duty signal and the duty code.
US08446198B2	Phase interpolator and a delay circuit for the phase interpolator Phase interpolator and a delay circuit for the phase interpolator. The phase interpolator includes a variable delay circuit to rotate phase of an input clock to generate a phase rotated signal. The phase interpolator also includes a delay locked loop coupled to the variable delay circuit to generate a plurality of phase shifted outputs. The delay locked loop includes a plurality of delay elements. Each delay element includes a multiplexer and a delay cell coupled to the multiplexer. The multiplexer is configurable using a first control signal to output one of the phase rotated signal and a phase shifted output of the plurality of phase shifted outputs. The delay cell delays one of the phase rotated signal and the phase shifted output to generate another phase shifted output of the plurality of phase shifted outputs.
US08446197B2	Delay locked loop and method for driving the same A delay locked loop includes a delay pulse generation unit, a coding unit, and a delay line. The delay pulse generation unit is configured to generate a delay pulse having a certain width. The coding unit is configured to code the delay pulse and output a code value. The delay line is configured to delay an input clock by the code value, and generate a delayed locked clock. The delay pulse has a logic high level state during a third period equivalent to a difference between a first period, which corresponds to an integer multiple of the input clock, and a second period, which is a certain replica delay period.
US08446191B2	Phase locked loop with digital compensation for analog integration A phase locked loop (PLL) device includes a digital differentiator configured to differentiate a digital loop signal to at least partially compensate for the integration of an analog current signal by an analog integrator. A digital to analog converter (DAC) includes a current source output stage that generates the analog current signal based on an digital input signal. The analog integrator integrates the analog current signal to generate a voltage control signal for controlling a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO).
US08446188B2	Systems and methods for producing a predetermined output in a sequential circuit during power on An integrated circuit configured for producing a predetermined output in a sequential circuit during power on is disclosed. The integrated circuit includes one or more capacitors coupled to one or more internal nodes. The one or more capacitors charge the internal nodes if a voltage at the power supply node ramps up to a set voltage at or faster than a period of time. The integrated circuit also includes a first transistor coupled to the power supply node. The first transistor produces leakage current that charges one or more internal nodes when the voltage on the power supply node ramps up to the set voltage no faster than the period of time. The integrated circuit also includes an output node. A logical value on the output node is based on a logical value on the charged internal nodes when an input signal to the sequential circuit is not active and the voltage on the power supply node is at the set voltage.
US08446185B2	Load driving device A load driving device includes a power supply terminal, a ground terminal, an output terminal coupled to a load, an output transistor coupled between the power supply and output terminals, a driver circuit supplying a first control signal to turn on the output transistor and a second control signal to turn off the output transistor, a discharge circuit coupled between the control terminal of the output transistor and the output terminal, a compensation circuit that turns on when a potential of the ground terminal is at least a predetermined value to maintain a non-conductive state of the output transistor when a polarity of a power supply coupled between the power supply and ground terminals is normal, and a reverse connection protection circuit coupled between the control terminal and the ground terminal, which brings the output transistor into a conductive state when a polarity of the power supply is reversed.
US08446181B2	Sampling circuit and image signal amplifying circuit each including feedback clamp block and image sensor including the image signal amplifying circuit A sampling circuit samples an input signal by using at least one switch, at least one capacitor, an amplifier, and a clamp block connected between an output terminal and a negative input terminal of the amplifier. The clamp block prevents a difference between a voltage level of the output terminal of the amplifier and a voltage level of the negative input terminal of the amplifier during sampling from exceeding a maximum voltage difference.
US08446178B2	Comparator and analog-to-digital A comparator includes: a pre-amplification module, configured to generate two amplified differential signal reference currents according to an input voltage and a reference voltage; and a differential signal obtaining module, configured to obtain a differential signal according to the two amplified differential signal reference currents. The pre-amplification module includes a differential unit, an offset unit, and an amplification unit, where the differential unit is configured to generate two direct current bias currents according to the input voltage and the reference voltage; the offset unit is configured to generate an offset current of the two direct current bias currents according to the input voltage and the reference voltage, so as to reduce magnitude of the two direct current bias currents and obtain two differential signal reference currents; the amplification unit is configured to receive the two differential signal reference currents, and amplify the two differential signal reference currents.
US08446177B2	Inverter circuit and display An inverter circuit includes: first to third transistors; and first and second capacity elements. The first transistor makes/breaks connection between an output terminal and a first voltage line in response to potential difference between an input terminal and the first voltage line or its correspondent. The second transistor makes/breaks connection between a second voltage line and the output terminal in response to potential difference between a gate of the second transistor and the output terminal or its correspondent. The third transistor makes/breaks connection between a gate of the second transistor and a third voltage line in response to potential difference between the input terminal and the third voltage line or its correspondent. The first and second capacity elements are inserted in series between the input terminal and the gate of the second transistor. A junction between the first and second capacity elements is connected to the output terminal.
US08446176B1	Reconfigurable engineering change order base cell An integrated circuit ECO base cell module is formed with PMOS and NMOS gate electrode structures and power supply lines that are electrically separated from one another up to the second metal (M2) layer in a fixed circuit structure that may be reconfigured with one or more conductor elements formed above the M2 layer to form a predetermined circuit function.
US08446174B2	Data output circuit of semiconductor apparatus A data output circuit of a semiconductor apparatus includes a clock skew compensation repeater configured to control a delay amount of a clock in response to skew compensation codes and output a data synchronization clock; a mismatch compensation driver configured to synchronize internal data with the data synchronization clock and output the internal data synchronized with the data synchronization clock by controlling a transition timing of the internal data according to mismatch compensation codes; and a data output driver configured to generate output data in response to an output of the mismatch compensation driver.
US08446172B2	Apparatus and methods of reducing pre-emphasis voltage jitter One embodiment relates to a method of driving a transmission signal with pre-emphasis having minimal voltage jitter. A digital data signal is received, and a pre-emphasis signal is generated. The pre-emphasis signal may be a phase shifted and scaled version of the digital data signal. An output signal is generated by adding the pre-emphasis signal to the digital data signal within a driver switch circuit while low-pass filtering is applied to current sources of the driver switch circuit. Other embodiments, aspects, and features are also disclosed.
US08446171B2	Signal processing unit A signal processing unit with reduced power consumption is provided. A transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor is used for a storage circuit included in the signal processing unit, so that data can be held (stored) even while supply of power is stopped. Non-destructive reading can be performed on the data stored in the storage circuit even when supply of power to the signal processing unit is stopped.
US08446168B2	Pre-emphasis technique for on-chip voltage-driven single-ended-termination drivers A transmitter configured for pre-emphasis is described. The transmitter includes a voltage-driven single-ended-termination driver circuitry. The voltage-driven single-ended-termination driver circuitry includes a first termination point and a second termination point. The transmitter also includes a pre-emphasis encoder circuitry. The pre-emphasis encoder circuitry receives a pre-emphasis signal. The transmitter may reduce signal loss in transmission lines by detecting a transition in a data stream, adjusting a source determination resistance and obtaining a gain from the adjusted source determination resistance.
US08446163B2	Test circuit and test method for testing differential input circuit A test circuit includes a signal level modifying circuit. The signal level modifying circuit modifies at least one of signal levels of an inverting input signal and a noninverting input signal supplied to a differential input circuit in response to a test signal outputted from a signal output circuit to make a difference between signal levels of the inverting input signal and the noninverting input signal smaller than that in a normal operation. Here, the test signal indicates a test mode in which input/output characteristics of the differential input circuit is tested.
US08446161B2	Method of self monitoring and self repair for a semiconductor IC A method for self repair of a semiconductor IC is presented. An IC state is set to test/repair mode upon powering up the IC. Fuse data is loaded from an e-fuse module. Defects or faults are detected by employing a built in self test (BIST) module. The IC self repairs using redundant circuitry by employing a built in self repair (BISR) module to repair each fault using redundant circuitry. The fault locations and repair locations are stored in the e-fuse module. The semiconductor IC state is changed to mission mode.
US08446158B1	Compensation for parasitic capacitance of a capacitive sensor An apparatus for converting a capacitance measured on a capacitive sensor to a digital code may include a modulation capacitor to receive charge transferred from the sensor and compensation circuitry to divert charge from the modulation capacitor. A method for operating the apparatus may include generating a digital bitstream based on the capacitance of the sensor and compensating for a parasitic capacitance of the capacitive sensor.
US08446156B2	Rock analysis apparatus and method The invention provides a method and apparatus for the analysis of rocks and rock fragments. A method for the analysis of a rock fragment including: feeding the rock fragment to a microwave irradiation zone of microwave energy generated by a microwave source; gauging energy absorbed by the rock fragment; and correlating rate of change of the gauged energy absorbed by the rock fragment with compositional characteristics of the rock fragment. The rock fragment analysis assembly including: a microwave energy source that generates a microwave irradiation zone; a rock fragment feed that facilitates the feeding of rock fragments into the microwave irradiation zone; at least one primary sensor located on a microwave energy source side of the microwave irradiation zone for gauging microwave energy absorbed by the rock fragments in the microwave irradiation zone; and a processing unit for correlating rate of change of the gauged energy 26 absorbed by the rock fragments with compositional characteristics of the rock fragments.
US08446152B2	Printed circuit board test assisting apparatus, printed circuit board test assisting method, and computer-readable information recording medium A printed circuit board test assisting apparatus includes an input part that has the attribute information of the wiring pattern input thereto; a degradation degree process part that obtains a degradation degree in signal characteristics in a wiring pattern corresponding to attribute information that is input to the input part, based on position information of the wiring pattern corresponding to the attribute information input to the input part, the position information and the size information of the pattern removed area, and the degradation degree information; and an extracting process part that extracts for an actual measurement test a wiring pattern that has a degradation degree equal to or more than a predetermined degree, from wiring patterns for which degradation degrees have been obtained by the degradation degree process part.
US08446144B2	Frequency characteristics measuring device It is possible to provide a frequency characteristics measuring device which can simplify the configuration for performing a measurement and reduce the undue effort required for the measurement.A spectrum analyzer (10) includes: two sets of measuring units having mixers (110, 210), local oscillators (112, 212), and IF sections (120, 220) for separately measuring frequency characteristics of two input signals; a trigger generation section (310) which generates a trigger signal for specifying a measurement start timing in each of the two sets of measuring units; a sweep control section (300) which simultaneously sends an instruction to the two local oscillators (112, 212) when a trigger signal is inputted and performs a sweep control so that the two local oscillators (112, 212) output local oscillation signals of the same frequency at the same timing.
US08446140B2	Circuits and methods to produce a bandgap voltage with low-drift In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a bandgap voltage reference circuit includes a group of X current sources, a plurality of circuit branches, and a plurality of switches. Each of the X current sources (where X≧3) produces a corresponding current that is substantially equal to the currents produced by the other current sources within the group. The plurality of circuit branches of the bandgap voltage reference circuit are collectively used to produce a bandgap voltage output (VGO). Each of the plurality of circuit branches receives at least one of the currents not received by the other circuit branches. The plurality of switches (e.g., controlled by a controller) selectively change over time which of the currents produced by the current sources are received by which of the plurality of circuit branches of the bandgap voltage reference circuit.
US08446136B2	Pseudo fixed frequency switch-mode DC/DC voltage regulator control method A method for controlling a step down regulator includes (a) generating a first feedback signal as a function of the voltage at the output node; (b) generating a second feedback signal as a function of the voltage at the input node; (c) maintaining the on-time of the low-side switch at a fixed duration; and (d) varying the on-time of the high-side switch to be proportional to the first feedback signal and inversely proportional to the second feedback signal so that the switching frequency of the high and low side switches is approximately constant.
US08446135B2	Control circuit and method for a ripple regulator system A control circuit and method for a ripple regulator system generate a ripple signal in-phase and synchronous with an inductor current of the ripple regulator system, and extract a ripple information proportional to the amplitude of the ripple signal. The ripple signal is used for triggering control in PWM signal generation to make the ripple regulator system have small ripples and better loop stability simultaneously. The ripple information is used to improve the output offset of the ripple regulator system that is caused by the ripple signal.
US08446133B2	Methods and control circuits for controlling buck-boost converting circuit to generate regulated output voltage under reduced average inductor current A method of controlling a buck-boost converting circuit is provided. The buck-boost converting circuit has an inductive element, a first conduction controlling element, a second conduction controlling element, a third conduction controlling element, and a fourth conduction controlling element. The method includes: controlling the first and third conduction controlling elements to be electrically conductive and the second and fourth conduction controlling elements to be electrically nonconductive according to a first duty setting; determining a second duty setting whose generation is independent of that of the first duty setting; controlling the first and fourth conduction controlling elements to be electrically conductive and the second and third conduction controlling element to be electrically nonconductive according to the second duty setting; and controlling the second and fourth conduction controlling elements to be electrically conductive and the first and third conduction controlling elements to be electrically nonconductive according to a third duty setting.
US08446129B2	Digital flash charger controller A digital flash charger controller includes a transformer, a power supply element, and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). A secondary side of the transformer is electrically connected to an energy storage device, and the power supply element is used to supply an electric power to a primary side of the transformer. The ASIC outputs a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) signal to control whether the electric power is input to the primary side, and the ASIC converts a sensing signal generated at the secondary side of the transformer to a digital signal, and tracks a sensing negative edge of the sensing signal according to the digital signal to adjust a cutoff time of the PWM signal, such that the next pulse positive edge approaches the corresponding sensing negative edge.
US08446128B2	Vehicle battery management system and method A vehicle battery management system and method includes a battery, a battery sensor for measuring a condition of the battery and an electronic control unit that receives a signal from the battery sensor corresponding to the condition of the battery. The electronic control unit selectively connects and disconnects that the battery from each of: at least one accessory load and at least one other load. The at least one other load is disconnected from the battery when the vehicle is in a shipping mode and the at least one accessory load is connected to the battery when the vehicle is in an accessory ON mode. The electronic control unit disconnects the at least one accessory load from the battery when the vehicle is in the accessory ON mode and in the shipping mode when the signal indicates that the condition of the battery is below a predetermined threshold.
US08446114B2	Control apparatus for electric rotating machine A control apparatus for use with an electric power conversion system which is equipped with a dc/ac converter connected to an electric rotating machine and a capacitor joined to input terminals of the dc/ac converter. The control apparatus stores an angle of rotation (i.e., start angle θ0) of the electric rotating machine before start of control of energization of the electric rotating machine to discharge the capacitor and determines command currents idr and iqr which will result in zero (0) torque in the electric rotating machine. The control apparatus includes a command current correcting circuit which corrects the command currents idr and iqr by a difference between a current angle θ of rotation of the electric rotating machine and the start angle θ0, thereby avoiding constant rotation of the electric rotating machine when the capacitor is discharged.
US08446111B2	Motor for electric power steering device with integrated controller and electric power steering device A motor for an electric power steering device with an integrated controller (1) includes a motor (2) and a controller (15) which controls driving of the motor (2) and has a metal case, the motor and the controller being formed integrally with each other. The motor (1) is attached to a speed reduction mechanism (23). The motor (2), the controller (15), and the speed reduction mechanism (23) are arranged in this order, in an axial direction, and in substantially coaxial relation with each other. The heat emitted from a driving substrate and the motor can be efficiently transmitted to the speed reduction mechanism.
US08446106B2	Light emitting diode driving system A light emitting diode (LED) driving system comprises a plurality of current limitation circuits and a plurality of over-voltage protection circuits to driving a plurality of LED strings. Each of the current limitation circuits comprises a first switch comprising a control pole receiving a reference voltage, a first pole correspondingly connected to a LED string, and a second pole connected to the ground via a first resistor and a second switch comprising a control pole connected to the second pole of the first switch via a second resistor, a first pole receiving the reference voltage, and a second pole grounded. Each of the over-voltage protection circuits comprises a zener diode, a third switch and a first capacitor.
US08446103B2	Lamp driver There is provided a lamp driver including: a power supplying part switching an input power, supplying a driving power to at least one lamp, and controlling brightness of the at least one lamp according to a dimming signal; a signal supplying part supplying a first comparison result signal obtained by comparing a current sensing signal sensing a current flowing through the at least one lamp with a reference signal having a current level set beforehand when the dimming signal is a logic high signal, and supplying a second comparison result signal having a voltage level set beforehand when the dimming signal is a logic low signal; and a controlling part controlling the switching of the power supplying part according to a signal being supplied by the signal supplying part.
US08446097B2	Discharge lamp ignition apparatus and discharge lamp ignition method In a discharge lamp ignition apparatus, a control circuit unit: lowers a drive frequency from a predetermined initial frequency; establishing, if a resonant voltage reaches an ignition voltage for igniting a discharge lamp, a drive frequency at the ignition voltage as a discharge-lamp-ignition drive frequency which is a frequency for igniting the discharge lamp; and sets, if the resonant voltage does not reach the ignition voltage even though the drive frequency is lowered from the predetermined initial frequency to a resonant frequency, a frequency which is a predetermined value higher than the drive frequency at a resonant voltage peak voltage as the discharge-lamp-ignition drive frequency, and an inverter circuit unit alternating-current drives the resonant circuit unit at the discharge-lamp-ignition drive frequency established by the control circuit unit.
US08446090B2	Organic light-emitting device An organic light-emitting device including an anode, a cathode having a double-layered structure, and an emission layer between the anode and the cathode.
US08446075B2	Conductive film, and transducer and flexible wiring board using the same To provide a conductive film that is flexible, extendable and contractible, and for which the electrical resistance hardly increases even when the conductive film is extended. The conductive film contains an elastomer and metallic filler particles, and satisfies a condition (A) [an average value of reference numbers is 0.8 (1/μm) or more, or the metallic filler particles include flake-like metallic filler particles having a thickness of 1 μm or less and an aspect ratio of 26 or more and the average value of the reference numbers is 0.4 (1/μm) or more] and a condition (B) [a number of unit areas for which an area percentage of the elastomer is 60% or more is 20 or more], the condition (A) being a conductivity indicator and the condition (B) being a flexibility indicator.
US08446074B2	Piezoelectric thin-film element and piezoelectric thin-film device There is provided a piezoelectric thin film element, comprising: a substrate 1; and a piezoelectric thin film 3 having an alkali niobium oxide-based perovskite structure represented by a composition formula (K1-xNax)yNbO3 provided on the substrate 1, wherein a carbon concentration of the piezoelectric thin film 3 is 2×1019/cm3 or less, or a hydrogen concentration of the piezoelectric thin film 3 is 4×1019/cm3 or less.
US08446072B2	High-efficiency compact miniaturized energy harvesting and storage device An energy harvesting and storage system includes an array of piezoelectric electrodes, in which the piezoelectric electrodes generate electrical energy from mechanical displacements of the piezoelectric electrodes; and an array of capacitor electrodes disposed in proximity to the piezoelectric electrodes, in which the array of capacitor electrodes stores a portion of the energy generated by the piezoelectric electrodes. An energy system includes a substrate including an array of micro-post electrodes connected to a cathode layer of the substrate; an isolation material covering the array of micro-post electrodes; and an anode layer including electrodes filling the remaining region between the isolation material-covered micro-post electrodes, in which the anode layer, electrodes, isolation material, micro-post electrodes, and substrate are monolithically coupled.
US08446067B2	Ultrasonic motor An ultrasonic motor is configured as follows. Namely, the ultrasonic motor includes an oscillator which is configured to has a shape that conforms a resonant frequency of longitudinal oscillation exited in the oscillator to a resonant frequency of torsional oscillation, a driven body that comes into contact with an elliptic oscillation generation surface of the oscillator and is driven by the elliptic oscillation, and a pressing mechanism unit that welds the elliptic oscillation generation surface of the oscillator to the driven body by pressing, wherein the oscillator has a first polarization unit that is formed in a region associated with a node portion of the longitudinal oscillation and configured to excite the longitudinal oscillation in the oscillator, and a second polarization unit that is formed in a region associated with a ventral portion of the torsional oscillation and configured to excite the torsional oscillation in the oscillator.
US08446066B2	Ultrasonic motor An ultrasonic motor is configured as follows. Namely, the ultrasonic motor includes an oscillator whose cross section vertical to a central axis has a rectangular shape which has a predetermined length ratio of a narrow side and a wide side, wherein the oscillator comprises driving electrodes and oscillation detecting electrodes near a node portion of the longitudinal oscillation and near ventral portions of the torsional oscillation, an external electrode achieving electrical conduction with the driving electrodes and an external electrode associated with one polarity of an external electrode achieving the electrical conduction with the oscillation detecting electrodes are formed on a first surface of outer surfaces of the oscillator, and an external electrode associated with the other polarity of the external electrode achieving the electrical conduction with the oscillation detection electrodes is formed on a second surface different from the first surface of the outer surfaces of the oscillator.
US08446064B2	Rotor for rotary electric machine including open chain of at least two interpolar members defining magnetic barrier A rotor (24) for a rotary electric machine (20), mainly for the automotive industry, has a front polar wheel (46N) and a rear polar wheel (46S). Each polar wheel (46N, 46S) includes claws (52) extending axially towards the other polar wheel (46N, 46S). Each claw (52) of the polar wheel (46N, 46S) is circumferentially interleaved between two claws (52) of the other polar wheel (46N, 46S). At least two interpolar gaps (62) are provided between the side faces (60) opposite two consecutive claws (52), and at least two members (68) defining a magnetic barrier are provided in two interpolar gaps (62) associated on either side of a predetermined claw (52D). The front longitudinal ends (72) of the two members (68) are connected by a connector (82) in order to define an open chain (80).
US08446063B2	Stepping motor A claw-pole-type stepping motor includes a stator annularly disposed therein and having a coil, a rotor rotatably disposed inside the stator and having a multiply magnetized permanent magnet and a shaft, an outer yoke provided in the stator and having a cup shape opening toward an axially outside direction an outer circumferential portion provided in the outer yoke and having a cylindrical shape and an inner circumferential portion including first pole teeth, an inner yoke provided in the stator and having second pole teeth provided in an inner circumference thereof and an outer circumferential portion fixed to an inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential portion of the outer yoke, in which the first pole teeth and the second pole teeth are engaging with each other via a gap in an axial direction and are disposed with respect to the permanent magnet of the rotor via a gap, a fixed portion of the inner yoke and the outer yoke is positioned at the axial inside of an opening end of the cup shape of the outer yoke and the opening end protrudes beyond the fixed portion toward the axially outer direction.
US08446062B2	Brush holder assemblies Brush holder assemblies are detailed. The assemblies may employ rails, rather than boxes, for supporting brushes. They additionally may extend along all, or substantially all, of the lengths of the brushes for enhanced support of the brushes.
US08446060B1	Magnetic advanced gas-turbine transmission with radial aero-segmented nanomagnetic-drive (MAGTRAN) An electrical machine apparatus having magnetic gearing embedded therein includes a moveable rotor having a first magnetic field associated therewith, a stator configured with a plurality of stationary stator windings therein, and a magnetic flux modulator interposed between the moveable rotor and the stator windings. The magnetic flux modulator is configured to transmit torque between the first magnetic field associated with the moveable rotor and a second magnetic field through a movable stator, through a plurality of magnetic flux gates arranged axially in the modulator with the field excited by, and controlled by, eddy currents normal to the field through the plurality of stationary stator magnets governed by the position of the modulator rotating in reference to the rotating (at different speeds, hence flux paths) stator and rotor and their magnetic field poles, than the speed of the modulator and its interfering referenced field poles, with the eddy currents existing flux gate arrays with open or closing sequencing governing rotational speeds of the movable rotor, and enabling magnetic gear ratios, in respect to the driving movable stator, intermediate magnetic flux modulator, methods of a continuously variable, high torque, aero gas turbine transmission which allows for complete segmentation of turbomachinary stages (in respect to the bypass fan, compressor and power of the aero gas turbine.
US08446058B2	Electric motor terminal block assembly An electric motor includes a housing, and a stator arranged within the housing. The stator includes a plurality of terminal leads. A terminal box is mounted to the housing, and a terminal block assembly arranged within the terminal box. The terminal block assembly includes a terminal block portion having a first plurality of terminals and a terminal block section that is distinct from the terminal block portion. The terminal block section including a second plurality of terminals. The terminal block portion is configured and disposed to be spaced from the terminal block section in the terminal box. The plurality of terminal leads is electrically connected to corresponding ones of the first and second pluralities of terminals.
US08446057B2	Cooling system, a motor handling system, and a method of positioning a motor in a cooling system A cooling system, a motor handling system, and a method of positioning a motor in a cooling system are disclosed. The motor handling system includes a suspension feature configured to engage a support member, the support member positioned partially below a cooler. The motor handling system permits positioning of a motor in a first position and re-positioning of the motor to a second position. The cooling system includes a cooler, a support member positioned partially below the cooler, and a motor handling system. The method of positioning includes engaging a support member of a cooling system with a suspension feature, positioning the motor at a first position, and re-positioning the motor at a second position.
US08446055B2	Linear type vibration motor having magnet casing A linear type vibration motor having a magnet casing is disclosed. The linear type vibration motor in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a magnet assembly having a pair of magnets, in which same magnetic poles thereof face each other, a magnet casing, which has a hollow part formed therein and houses the magnet assembly in the hollow part, a base, which has a bobbin formed thereon and in which the magnet casing is inserted into the bobbin, a coil, which is coupled to the bobbin, a weight, which is coupled to both ends of the magnet casing, and a pair of elastic bodies, which are interposed between either end of the base and either end of the weight, respectively. Thus, the operating lifetime of the linear type vibration motor can be extended, and this arrangement can prevent the linear type vibration motor from being damaged by an external shock.
US08446053B2	Computer system A computer system includes a power supply, a number of first power interfaces, a second power interface, and a voltage regulating module. The power supply includes a number of direct current (DC) voltage output terminals, to output a number of DC voltages to a motherboard of the computer system. The first power interfaces are connected to the DC voltage output terminals of the power supply, to output the DC voltages to first peripheral devices. The voltage regulating module includes an input terminal and an output terminal. The input terminal is connected to one of the DC voltage output terminals of the power supply, to receive the DC voltage from the connected DC voltage output terminal. The output terminal is connected to the second power interface, to output a regulated second voltage to a second peripheral device through the second power interface.
US08446047B2	Vehicle interior light A vehicle interior light includes a lighting source that illuminates a vehicle interior; an decorative lighting source that decoratively illuminates the vehicle interior; a lighting switch that controls on-off state of the lighting source; an decorative lighting switch that controls on-off state of the decorative lighting source and the lighting source; and a light dimming unit that lowers illuminance of the lighting source. When the decorative lighting source is turned on, power is supplied to the decorative lighting source so that the decorative lighting source is lit up, while power is supplied to the lighting source through the light dimming unit so that the lighting source is lit up with low illuminance.
US08446041B2	No break power transfer with solid state power controls A method of controlling a power system provides at least two alternative sources of power delivering power to a power bus. Switches are provided between each of the at least two sources of power and the power bus. The bus is powered by a first of the at least two sources of power. A characteristic of the power supplied by the sources of power is monitored. Switching from the first source of power to a second source of power occurs by opening a switch associated with the first source of power, and closing the switch associated with the second source of power. The timing for performing the switching is selected such that one or more characteristics of the power supplied by the first and second sources of power are close to each other to minimize the apparent break in the power. A power system incorporate controls for effecting the method.
US08446039B2	Apparatus, system and method employing a UPS A method of installing a power distribution system in a facility includes acts of: obtaining a power distribution unit including at least one rack mounted power distribution unit, the power distribution unit including an electrical connection having an electrical bus configured to directly connect to a riser of a power busway; installing the power busway from a terminus located at the output of the UPS to the electrical connection at the power distribution unit; and directly connecting the power busway to the output of the UPS with a busbar-to-busbar connection between the output of the UPS and the terminus of the busway.
US08446037B2	Energy storage system for peak-shaving of drilling rig power usage An energy storage means for a drilling rig has a source of power, an AC bus connected to the source of power, a DC bus, a load connected to the DC bus, a rectifier connected to the AC bus and to the DC bus for converting AC power from the source of power to DC power to the load, and an energy storage system connected to the DC bus. The energy storage system can be batteries, capacitors or combinations thereof. A diode is connected between the energy storage means and the DC bus so as to supply power to the load when the DC voltage is less than a DC source voltage. The energy storage system has a nominal voltage slightly lower than a voltage of a AC-to-DC conversion by the rectifier.
US08446032B2	Hydroelectric power generator and related methods A hydroelectric power generator is capable of generating electrical power from a moving body of water. The power generator comprises a shell comprising a wall having interior and exterior surfaces, and an interior volume. A fixed gear is fixedly attached to the interior surface of the shell. A stationary shaft extends across the interior volume of the shell. A set of fins is attached to the exterior surface of the shell, and the fins are capable of rotating the shell about the stationary shaft from the force of the moving body of water. An electrical generator is mounted on the stationary shaft. The generator comprises a drive gear that engages the fixed gear to drive the electrical generator. An electrical connector transmits the generated electrical power to the external environment.
US08446031B2	Apparatus for converting energy from wave or current flow using pipes acting as venturi pumps Apparatus for generating electricity using tidal, wave or current flow in a body of water, comprising: an arrangement of first (10) and second (11) pipes, each first pipe (10) being provided with a series of holes (12a, 12b, 13a, 13b) spaced along its length, and the first pipes being arranged relative to the second pipes such that a venturi is defined between the walls of adjacent first and second pipes near the holes; a flow conduit having an inlet and an outlet; an impeller located in the flow conduit; and a generator connected to the impeller; wherein water from the body can enter the flow conduit via the inlet, and the first pipes are connected to the outlet of the flow conduit such that flow of water past the arrangement of first (10) and second (11) pipes causes the first pipes (10) to act as venturi pumps inducing flow from the inside of the first pipes through the holes (12, 13) so as to draw water through the flow conduit and drive the impeller.
US08446027B2	Tuned rolling wave energy extractor An apparatus for extracting wave energy may include a watercraft, a pendulum and an energy converter. The watercraft may be configured to roll in response to wave action and may have roll characteristics that are tunable to characteristics of the wave action. The pendulum may be supported by the watercraft to enable the pendulum to swing in response to the wave action. An energy converter may be configured to convert the relative movement of the pendulum and watercraft into electrical energy. The pendulum may also be tunable to characteristics of the wave action.
US08446026B2	System for mooring a floating plant for the production of energy from currents in water A system for mooring a floating plant for the production of energy from currents in a body of water, comprising a plant (10) floating in the body of water and having at least one generator (7) for energy production, and at least one elongate first mooring element (24) which at a first end is connected to one end of the plant (10). The first mooring element (24) at its second end is attached to one buoyant element (50) floating in the body of water and anchored to a bottom (B) below the body of water, and the second end of the first mooring element (24) is connected to the buoyant element (50) at a level (d) in the body of water that corresponds to the level in the body of water at which the first end of the first mooring element (24) is connected to the floating plant (10), whereby the first mooring element (24) runs horizontally or almost horizontally in the body of water.
US08446025B2	Biaxial type of starter for starting internal combustion engine A starter for starting in-vehicle internal combustion engines comprise a motor, an electromagnetic switch and an electrically conductive connection member. The electromagnetic switch comprises first and second fixed contacts, a movable contact, an electromagnet moving back and forth to the movable contact to electrically connect and disconnect the first and second fixed contacts, and a cover covering the first and second contacts and movable contact. The predetermined direction is parallel to an armature provided in the motor. The electromagnet is provided with only a single coil generating a drive force for moving the movable contact. A connection member is arranged to be through the casing and the cover and electrically connects a brush of the armature in the motor and the second fixed contact in the switch. The connection member includes an end part arranged in the casing of the switch. This end part functionally provides the second fixed contact.
US08446023B2	Cogeneration apparatus case venting system A cogeneration apparatus having a ventilation-introducing channel communicating an electrical-equipment compartment with a ventilation fan is disclosed. Driving the ventilation fan causes air to be led from an exterior of a cogeneration case through the electrical-equipment compartment to the interior of the ventilation-introducing channel. The air led to the interior of the ventilation-introducing channel is led to an electrical generator. The air led to the electrical generator is exhausted through a power-generation compartment to the exterior of the cogeneration case.
US08446022B2	Shock absorbing system for energy recycling A shock absorber includes a resilient element; a gear set comprising a first non-return gear and a second non-return gear; and an electric generator driven by the first non-return gear to generate a power when the resilient element is compressed and driven by the second non-return gear when the resilient element is loosened.
US08446018B2	Package on package A package on package structure is provided. The package on package structure may include a first substrate having a first center region and a first C-shaped edge region at a first end of the first center region. In example embodiments, the first C-shaped edge region may faun a first space. The package structure may further include at least two first connection pads on an inner surface of the first C-shaped edge region and the at least two first connection pads may be arranged to face one another. In example embodiments, at least one first solder ball may be arranged in the first space and the at least one first solder ball may be connected to the at least two first connection pads.
US08446014B2	Integrated circuit interconnect structure An integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure that includes a first via positioned in a dielectric and coupled to a high current device at one end, and a buffer metal segment positioned in a dielectric and coupled to the first via at an opposite end thereof. The buffer metal segment includes a plurality of electrically insulating inter-dielectric (ILD) pads forming an ILD cheesing pattern thereon, to direct current. The IC interconnect structure further includes a second via positioned in a dielectric formed over the buffer metal segment and coupled to the buffer metal segment at one end and a metal power line formed in a dielectric and coupled to the second via at an opposite end thereof. The use of the ILD pads on the buffer metal segment enables a more even distribution of current along the metal power line.
US08446013B2	Wiring substrate and method for manufacturing the wiring substrate A wiring substrate includes a substrate body including a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface, a trench being open toward the first substrate surface, the trench having an inner bottom surface and an inner side surface, a through-hole having a first end communicating with the inner bottom surface of the trench and a second end being open toward the second substrate surface, a first conductive layer having a first surface toward the trench and being filled inside at least a portion of the through-hole from the second end, a second conductive layer covering the first surface and at least a part of the inner bottom surface of the trench, and a third conductive layer covering the second conductive layer and being filled inside the trench.
US08446012B2	Interconnect structures A semiconductor structure includes a first dielectric layer over a substrate. At least one first conductive structure is within the first dielectric layer. The first conductive structure includes a cap portion extending above a top surface of the first dielectric layer. At least one first dielectric spacer is on at least one sidewall of the cap portion of the first conductive structure.
US08446007B2	Non-uniform alignment of wafer bumps with substrate solders An integrated circuit structure includes a work piece selected from the group consisting of a semiconductor chip and a package substrate. The work piece includes a plurality of under bump metallurgies (UBMs) distributed on a major surface of the work piece; and a plurality of metal bumps, with each of the plurality of metal bumps directly over, and electrically connected to, one of the plurality of UBMs. The plurality of UBMs and the plurality of metal bumps are allocated with an overlay offset, with at least some of the plurality of UBMs being misaligned with the respective overlying ones of the plurality of metal bumps.
US08446002B2	Multilayer wiring substrate having a castellation structure A multilayer wiring substrate has a through hole that passes from a first surface through to a second surface. The multilayer wiring substrate includes an electrical connection terminal formed in at least one of an inner edge portion which is a periphery of the through hole, an outer edge portion which is an outer periphery of the substrate, and a non-edge portion, on at least one of the first surface and the second surface. The electrical connection terminal has a castellation structure that does not pass through to a surface opposite to a formation surface.
US08445994B2	Discontinuous thin semiconductor wafer surface features A semiconductor wafer has a semiconductor substrate and films on the substrate. The substrate and/or the films have at least one etch line creating a discontinuous surface that reduces residual stress in the wafer. Reducing residual stress in the semiconductor wafer reduces warpage of the wafer when the wafer is thin. Additionally, isolation plugs may be used to fill a portion of the etch lines to prevent shorting of the layers.
US08445992B2	Lateral avalanche photodiode structure A lateral avalanche photodiode structure including a substrate, a PN diode and a metal layer is provided. The substrate has at least one first electrode area, at least one light receiving area, and at least one second electrode area which are arranged horizontally. The first electrode area is also an avalanche area, and the light receiving area is between the first electrode area and the second electrode area. The PN diode is disposed in the substrate in the first electrode area. The metal layer is disposed on the substrate and covers the first electrode area and the second electrode area, but does not cover the light receiving area.
US08445988B2	Apparatus and method for plasma processing Disclosed is an apparatus and method for plasma processing, which facilitates to constantly control a RF voltage supplied to a substrate supporting member by precisely detecting an inductive RF voltage induced to the substrate supporting member for a plasma, the apparatus comprising: a substrate supporting member for supporting a substrate, installed in a reaction room of a processing chamber; a RF generator for supplying a RF voltage to the substrate supporting member so as to form plasma in the reaction room; and a matching device for matching impedance of the RF voltage to be supplied to the substrate supporting member from the RF generator, wherein the matching device comprises: a matching unit for matching the impedance of RF voltage; and an inductive RF detecting unit which an inductive RF detecting voltage by removing noise frequency elements except a waveform of the RF voltage from a waveform of an inductive RF voltage induced to the substrate supporting member, and supplies the detected inductive RF detecting voltage to the RF generator so as to control the RF voltage.
US08445987B2	Semiconductor device having a lower-layer line A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first lower-layer line for supplying power to a transistor formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first interlayer line which is connected to the first lower-layer line, and an allowable current of which is larger than that of the first lower-layer line; and an upper-layer line which is provided above the first interlayer line and receives power input from outside. The first interlayer line is connected to the upper-layer line through a switch circuit formed on the semiconductor substrate.
US08445984B2	Micro-optical device packaging system According to one embodiment, a micro-optical device includes an electro-optical circuit and an annular frame disposed on a surface of a substrate. The electro-optical circuit has an active region that is encapsulated by a window and an interconnect region adjacent at least one edge of the electro-optical circuit. The annular frame extends around an outer periphery of the window and is separated from the window by a gap, the annular frame and the electro-optical circuit form a cavity for placement of a plurality of bonding wires the interconnect that electro-optical circuit to the substrate.
US08445980B2	Memory element and memory device There is disclosed a memory element which includes a layered structure. The layered structure includes a memory layer that has a magnetization perpendicular to a film face; a magnetization-fixed layer having magnetization perpendicular to the film face; an insulating layer provided between the memory layer and the magnetization-fixed layer; and a cap layer provided at a face side, which is opposite to the insulating layer-side face, of the memory layer, in which an electron that is spin-polarized is injected in a lamination direction of the layered structure, and thereby the magnetization direction of the memory layer varies and a recording of information is performed, a magnitude of an effective diamagnetic field which the memory layer receives is smaller than a saturated magnetization amount of the memory layer, and at least a face, which comes into contact with the memory layer, of the cap layer is formed of a Ta film.
US08445975B2	Replacement metal gate transistors with reduced gate oxide leakage A semiconductor device has a substrate, a gate dielectric layer, and a metal gate electrode on the gate dielectric layer. The gate dielectric layer includes an oxide layer having a dielectric constant (k) greater than 4, and silicon concentrated at interfaces of the oxide layer with the substrate and with the metal gate electrode. A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a removable gate over a substrate with a gate dielectric layer between the removable gate and the substrate, forming a dielectric layer over the substrate and exposing an upper surface of the removable gate, removing the removable gate leaving an opening in the dielectric layer, forming a protective layer on the gate dielectric layer and lining the opening, and forming a metal gate electrode in the opening. The protective layer has a graded composition between the gate dielectric layer and the metal gate electrode.
US08445963B2	Multi-gate semiconductor devices with improved carrier mobility A multi-gate device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes a substrate having a first semiconductor layer of a first carrier mobility enhancing parameter, a buried insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer with a second carrier mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a first active region electrically isolated from a second active region in the substrate. The first active region has a first fin grown on the first semiconductor layer and having the first mobility enhancing parameter. The second active region has a second fin grown on the second semiconductor layer and having the second mobility enhancing parameter. The device also includes a dielectric layer over the second semiconductor layer which is located between the first fin and the second fin. The first and second fins protrude through and above the dielectric layer.
US08445962B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device having high operation characteristic and reliability. The measures taken are: A pixel capacitor is formed between an electrode comprising anodic capable material over an organic resin film, an anodic oxide film of the electrode and a pixel electrode above. Since the anodic oxide film is anodically oxidized by applied voltage per unit time at 15V/min, there is no wrap around on the electrode, and film peeling can be prevented.
US08445961B2	Measuring floating body voltage in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) In one embodiment, a body region of a body-contacted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) is connected to a gate of another MOSFET in a sensing circuit to form a floating body node. The voltage at the floating body node is accurately obtained at the output of the sensing circuit and used to provide an estimate of required floating body voltage over a full device operating range.
US08445959B2	Semiconductor devices having recessed channels A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate insulation layer, a gate structure, a gate spacer, and first and second impurity regions. The substrate has an active region defined by an isolation layer. The active region has a gate trench thereon. The gate insulation layer is formed on an inner wall of the gate trench. The gate structure is formed on the gate insulation layer to fill the gate trench. The gate structure has a width smaller than that of the gate trench, and has a recess at a first portion thereof. The gate spacer is formed on sidewalls of the gate structure. The first and second impurity regions are formed at upper portions of the active region adjacent to the gate structure. The first impurity region is closer to the recess than the second impurity region. Related methods are also provided.
US08445954B2	Three-dimensional semiconductor memory device A three-dimensional semiconductor memory device includes word lines and gate interlayer insulation layers that are alternatively stacked on a semiconductor substrate while extending in a horizontal direction, a vertical channel layer that faces the word lines and extends upwardly from the semiconductor substrate, and a channel pad that extends from the vertical channel layer and is disposed on an uppermost gate interlayer insulation layer of the gate interlayer insulation layers.
US08445952B2	Zr-Sn-Ti-O films A dielectric layer containing a Zr—Sn—Ti—O film and a method of fabricating such a dielectric layer produce a reliable dielectric layer having an equivalent oxide thickness thinner than attainable using SiO2. In an embodiment, forming the Zr—Sn—Ti—O film on a substrate includes depositing materials of the Zr—Sn—Ti—O film substantially as atomic monolayers. In an embodiment, electronic devices include a dielectric layer having a Zr—Sn—Ti—O film such that Zr—Sn—Ti—O material is configured as substantially atomic monolayers. Dielectric layers containing such Zr—Sn—Ti—O films may have minimal reactions with a silicon substrate or other structures during processing.
US08445949B2	Field effect transistors (FETS) and methods of manufacture An improved field effect transistors (FETs) and methods of manufacturing the field effect transistors (FETs) are provided. The method of manufacturing a zero capacitance random access memory cell (ZRAM) includes comprises forming a finFET on a substrate and enhancing a storage capacitance of the finFET. The enhancement can be by either adding a storage capacity to the finFET or altering a portion of the finFET after formation of a fin body of the finFET.
US08445943B2	Semiconductor integrated circuit device A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes: a plurality of data holding circuits; and a plurality of wells. The plurality of data holding circuits is provided in a substrate of a first conductive type. Each of the plurality of data holding circuits includes a first well of the first conductive type and a second well of a second conductive type different from the first conductive type. The plurality of wells is arranged in two directions for the each of the plurality of data holding circuits.
US08445939B2	Method of forming a semiconductor device and semiconductor device A method of forming a semiconductor device comprises forming a control electrode over a portion of a semiconductor layer, forming recesses extending into the semiconductor layer on opposing sides of the control electrode, and forming doped regions in the semiconductor layer through the recesses. The doped regions form current electrode regions of the semiconductor device and each doped region extends into the semiconductor layer from at least a base of a recess. The method further comprises forming, after forming the doped regions, strained semiconductor regions in the recesses, wherein a junction between each doped region and the semiconductor layer is formed below an interface between a strained semiconductor region and the semiconductor layer.
US08445937B2	Barrier films for plastic substrates fabricated by atomic layer deposition Gas permeation barriers can be deposited on plastic or glass substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The use of the ALD coatings can reduce permeation by many orders of magnitude at thicknesses of tens of nanometers with low concentrations of coating defects. These thin coatings preserve the flexibility and transparency of the plastic substrate. Such articles are useful in container, electrical and electronic applications.
US08445935B2	Semiconductor apparatus with thin semiconductor film A semiconductor apparatus includes a substrate having at least one terminal, a thin semiconductor film including at least one semiconductor device, the thin semiconductor film being disposed and bonded on the substrate; and an individual interconnecting line formed as a thin conductive film extending from the semiconductor device in the thin semiconductor film to the terminal in the substrate, electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the terminal. Compared with conventional semiconductor apparatus, the invented apparatus is smaller and has a reduced material cost.
US08445934B2	Organic light emitting diode display and method for manufacturing the same An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display includes a display substrate including an organic light emitting element, an encapsulation substrate arranged opposite to the display substrate and covering the organic light emitting element, a sealant disposed on the edge of the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate, and sealing the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate to each other; and a filler filling the space between the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate. One surface of at least one of the display substrate and the encapsulation substrate is contacted with the filler and is divided into a hydrophobic region and a hydrophilic region, and the hydrophobic region is positioned between the hydrophilic region and the sealant.
US08445932B1	Light-emitting diode device A light-emitting diode device is described, which includes a luminous body and a colloid. The luminous body has a light-emitting surface and a bottom surface on opposite sides. The luminous body has a first length, a first width and a beam angle. The colloid covers the luminous body. The colloid includes a first surface and a second surface on opposite sides. The second surface has a second length and a second width. The colloid has a refractive index. A distance between the light-emitting surface of the luminous body and the second surface of the colloid is smaller than a first value and greater than a second value. The first value < the ⁢ ⁢ second ⁢ ⁢ width - the ⁢ ⁢ first ⁢ ⁢ width 2 · cot ⁢ ⁢ α . The second value < the ⁢ ⁢ second ⁢ ⁢ width - the ⁢ ⁢ first ⁢ ⁢ width 2 · cot ⁢ ⁢ v . The sin α=1/the refractive index of the colloid, and the ν is a full width at half maximum of the beam angle.
US08445930B2	Nitride semiconductor element, methods for manufacturing nitride semiconductor element and nitride semiconductor layer, and nitride semiconductor light-emitting element Described herein is a method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor layer by stacking, on a silicon nitride layer, the first nitride semiconductor layer having a surface inclined with respect to the surface of the silicon nitride layer and then stacking the second nitride semiconductor layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer, a nitride semiconductor element and a nitride semiconductor light-emitting element each including the nitride semiconductor layer; and a method for manufacturing the nitride semiconductor element.
US08445929B2	Wavelength-converted semiconductor light emitting device Embodiments of the invention include a light emitting structure comprising a light emitting layer. A first luminescent material comprising a phosphor is disposed in a path of light emitted by the light emitting layer. A second luminescent material comprising a semiconductor is also disposed in a path of light emitted by the light emitting layer. The second luminescent material is configured to absorb light emitted by the light emitting layer and emit light of a different wavelength. In some embodiments, one of the first and second luminescent materials may be bonded to the semiconductor structure.
US08445925B2	Semiconductor optical device A semiconductor optical device includes: a group III nitride semiconductor substrate having a primary surface of a first orientation; a first group III nitride semiconductor laminate including a first active layer disposed on a first region of the primary surface; a group III nitride semiconductor thin film having a surface, which has a second orientation different from the first orientation, disposed on a second region, the second region being different from the first region; a junction layer provided between the second region and the group III nitride semiconductor thin film; and a second group III nitride semiconductor laminate including a second active layer and disposed on the surface of the group III nitride semiconductor thin film. The first and second active layers include first and second well layers containing In, respectively, and the emission wavelengths of the first and second well layers are different from each other.
US08445924B2	Light emitting device A light emitting device is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a support member, a light emitting structure disposed over the support member and includes first and second light emitting structures, the first and second light emitting structures including a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, and an active layer, a passivation layer disposed on one side surface of the first light emitting structure, a first electrode disposed between the support member and the first semiconductor layer in the first light emitting structure, a second electrode disposed on a side surface of the passivation layer and on the second semiconductor layer in the first light emitting structure, a third electrode disposed between the support member and the first semiconductor layer in the second light emitting structure, an insulation layer disposed with a through hole, and a fourth electrode disposed in the through hole.
US08445922B2	Light emitting package The present invention discloses a light emitting package, comprising: a base; a light emitting device on the base; an electrical circuit layer electrically connected to the light emitting device; a gold layer on the electrical circuit layer; a wire electrically connected between the light emitting device and the gold layer; a screen member having an opening and disposed on the base adjacent to the light emitting device; and a lens covering the light emitting device, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the screen member is substantially rectangular, and a width of the cross-sectional shape of the screen member being larger than a height of the cross sectional shape of the screen member, wherein a bottom surface of the screen member is positioned higher than the light emitting device, and wherein an entire uppermost surface of the screen member is in contact with the lens.
US08445921B2	Thin film light emitting diode Light emitting LEDs devices comprised of LED chips that emit light at a first wavelength, and a thin film layer over the LED chip that changes the color of the emitted light. For example, a blue LED chip can be used to produce white light. The thin film layer beneficially consists of a florescent material, such as a phosphor, and/or includes tin. The thin film layer is beneficially deposited using chemical vapor deposition.
US08445920B1	Light emitting diode A light emitting diode includes a substrate, two electrodes mounted on the substrate, a light emitting diode chip and an encapsulate sealing the light emitting diode chip. The encapsulant is doped with fluorescence particles and light diffusion particles. An average diameter of the diffusion particles is less than that of the fluorescence particles. A concentration of the diffusion particles in a portion of the encapsulant adjacent to a light output surface thereof is larger than that of the diffusion particles in a portion thereof adjacent to the chip. A concentration of the fluorescence particles in the portion of the encapsulant adjacent to the chip is larger than that of the fluorescence particles in the portion of the encapsulant adjacent to the light output surface.
US08445919B2	Wafer-level package structure of light emitting diode and manufacturing method thereof A wafer-level package structure of a light emitting diode and a manufacturing method thereof, and the package structure includes: a die including a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; a first insulating layer on the first side of the die; at least two wires which are arranged on the insulating layer and electrically isolated from each other; bumps which are arranged on the wires and adapted to be electrically connected correspondingly with electrodes of a bare chip of the light emitting diode; at least two discrete lead areas on the second side of the die; and leads in the lead areas, electrically isolated from each other and electrically connected correspondingly with the wires. The invention forms the leads on the second side of the substrate to extract the electrodes of the light emitting diode, that is, the light emitting diode and the leads thereof are located on the two opposite sides of the substrate in the technical solution of the invention, to thereby reduce the area required for the substrate; and the electrodes can be extracted in the subsequent structure of the package without gold wiring to thereby further reduce the volume of the package.
US08445918B2	Thermal enhancement for multi-layer semiconductor stacks A circuit arrangement and method in one aspect utilize thermal-only through vias, extending between the opposing faces of stacked semiconductor dies, to increase the thermal conductivity of a multi-layer semiconductor stack. The thermal vias are provided in addition to data-carrying through vias, which communicate data signals between circuit layers, and power-carrying through vias, which are coupled to a power distribution network for the circuit layers, such that the thermal conductivity is increased above that which may be provided by the data-carrying and power-carrying through vias in the stack. A circuit arrangement and method in another aspect organize the circuit layers in a multi-layer semiconductor stack based upon current density so as to reduce power distribution losses in the stack.
US08445917B2	Bidirectional silicon carbide transient voltage suppression devices An electronic device includes a silicon carbide layer having a first conductivity type and having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and first and second silicon carbide Zener diodes on the silicon carbide layer. Each of the first and second silicon carbide Zener diodes may include a first heavily doped silicon carbide region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type on the silicon carbide layer, and an ohmic contact on the first heavily doped silicon carbide region.
US08445916B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and method for manufacturing same According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, a first electrode, a second electrode, an insulating film, a first interconnection, a second interconnection, a barrier metal layer, a first metal pillar, a second metal pillar, and a resin. The semiconductor layer has a first major surface, a second major surface formed on an opposite side to the first major surface, and a light emitting layer. The first electrode is provided on the second major surface of the semiconductor layer. The second electrode is provided on the second major surface of the semiconductor layer and includes a silver layer. The insulating film is provided on the second major surface side of the semiconductor layer. The barrier metal layer is provided between the second electrode and the insulating film and between the second electrode and the second interconnection to cover the second electrode.
US08445915B2	Organic light-emitting display device and method of manufacturing the same An organic light-emitting display device includes a thin film transistor (TFT) including an active layer, a gate electrode comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode, a photoresist layer on the source electrode and the drain electrode, a pixel electrode electrically coupled to the TFT, comprising a same material as the first electrode, and at a same layer as the first electrode, a pixel defining layer having a hole exposing the pixel electrode, the pixel defining layer covering the photoresist layer, an intermediate layer on the pixel electrode and comprising a light-emitting layer, and an opposite electrode covering the intermediate layer and facing the pixel electrode.
US08445914B2	Display substrate having a black matrix A display substrate includes a transistor, a black matrix and a color spacer. The transistor is connected to a gate line, and a data line crossing the gate line. The black matrix includes a first light-blocking portion covering the gate line and the data line, and a second light-blocking portion covering a channel of the transistor. The second light-blocking portion has a thickness which is smaller than a thickness of the first light-blocking portion. The color spacer is disposed on the second light-blocking portion.
US08445912B2	Thin film transistor structure, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic device A high-performance thin film transistor structure which is easily manufactured is provided. The thin film transistor structure includes: a first electrode; second and third electrodes apart from each other in a hierarchical level different from that of the first electrode; first, second, and third wirings connected to the first, second, and third electrodes, respectively; a main stack body disposed so as to be opposed to the first electrode with an interlayer insulating layer in between, between the first electrode, and the second and third electrodes; and a sub stack body including an insulating layer and a semiconductor layer, disposed so as to be opposed to the first wiring with the interlayer insulating layer in between, between the first and second wirings in a position where the first and second wirings overlap and/or between the first and third wirings in a position where the first and third wirings overlap.
US08445910B2	High resolution organic light emitting display with increased aperture ratio In an organic light emitting display, a conductive layer is formed on the bottom surface of a substrate, and the conductive layer is used as a wiring line for supplying a power source, and as the electrode of a capacitor. Therefore, it is possible to easily secure the aperture ratio of a pixel, to easily solve the problem of IR drops by controlling the area or thickness of the conductive layer, and to easily secure the electrostatic capacity of the capacitor. In particular, in the case of a front surface light emitting structure, since a capacitor of a metal/insulating layer/metal (MIM) structure may be formed in a light emitting region, enough aperture ratio and electrostatic capacity may be secured. Therefore, a high resolution organic light emitting display may be easily realized, and enough aperture ratio and electrostatic capacity are secured so as to realize high picture quality.
US08445908B2	Parallel scan paths with stimulus and header data circuitry Testing of integrated circuits is achieved by a test architecture utilizing a scan frame input shift register, a scan frame output shift register, a test controller, and a test interface comprising a scan input, a scan clock, a test enable, and a scan output. Scan frames input to the scan frame input shift register contain a test stimulus data section and a test command section. Scan frames output from the scan frame output shift register contain a test response data section and, optionally, a section for outputting other data. The command section of the input scan frame controls the test architecture to execute a desired test operation.
US08445907B2	Semiconductor device including process monitoring pattern having overlapping input/output pad array area The semiconductor device includes a process monitoring pattern and an input/output (I/O) pad array area, the process monitoring pattern including a lower layer having a peripheral area surrounding a first internal area, the first internal area exposed by an internal open area, an external structure on the peripheral area of the lower layer, and a first dam disposed in the peripheral area spaced apart from the external structure by an external open area, the first dam defining the first internal area. The peripheral area overlaps the input/output (I/O) pad array area of the semiconductor device.
US08445904B2	Transparent rectifying metal/metal oxide/semiconductor contact structure and method for the production thereof and use The invention relates to transparent rectifying contact structures for application in electronic devices, in particular appertaining to optoelectronics, solar technology and sensor technology, and also a method for the production thereof. The transparent rectifying contact structure according to the invention has the following constituents: a) a transparent semiconductor, b) a transparent, non-insulating and non-conducting layer composed of metal oxide, metal sulphide and/or metal nitride, the resistivity of which is preferably in the range of 102 Ωcm to 107 Ωcm and c) a layer composed of a transparent electrical conductor wherein the layer b) is formed between the semiconductor a) and the layer c) and the composition of the layer b) is defined in greater detail in the description of the patent.
US08445903B2	Thin film transistor having a crystalline semiconductor film including indium oxide which contains a hydrogen element and method for manufacturing same A thin film transistor including a gate electrode, a gate-insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film in contact with the gate-insulating film, and source and drain electrodes which connect to the oxide semiconductor film and are separated with a channel part therebetween, wherein the oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystalline indium oxide which includes hydrogen element, and the content of the hydrogen element contained in the oxide semiconductor film is 0.1 at % to 5 at % relative to all elements which form the oxide semiconductor film.
US08445901B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor device In view of the problem that an organic semiconductor layer of an organic TFT is likely to deteriorate due to water, light, oxygen, or the like, it is an object of the present invention to simplify a manufacturing step and to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having an organic TFT with high reliability. According to the invention, a semiconductor layer containing an organic material is formed by patterning using a mask, and thus an organic TFT is completed in the state where the mask is not removed but to remain over the semiconductor layer. In addition, a semiconductor layer can be protected from deterioration due to water, light, oxygen, or the like by using the remaining mask.
US08445900B2	Organic eletroluminescent element including polyester electronic material and display device including the same An organic electroluminescent element includes a pair of electrodes formed of a positive electrode and a negative electrode, with at least one of the electrodes being transparent or semi-transparent, and one or more organic compound layers interposed between the pair of electrodes, with at least one layer containing one or more charge transporting polyesters represented by the following formula (I), wherein A1 represents at least one selected from structures represented by the following formula (II), and X represents a group represented by the following formula (III):
US08445899B2	Organic electronic panel and method for manufacturing organic electronic panel Provided is an organic electronic panel wherein warping (deformation) of a metal member is suppressed when the metal member is used as a packaging board, an electrical short-circuit due to the warping is eliminated, and generation of light emission failure and deterioration of power generating performance are eliminated. In the organic electronic panel, the packaging board is composed of a metal foil, and a polymer film is laminated on the metal foil surface on the reverse side of the side having the adhesive layer. The thickness of the polymer film is not more than that of the metal foil, and heat is applied at the time of bonding/laminating the packaging board or at the time of hardening the adhesive layer.
US08445894B2	Organic thin film transistor A thin film transistor comprising at least three terminals consisting of a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode; an insulator layer and an organic semiconductor layer on a substrate, which controls its electric current flowing between the source and the drain by applying a electric voltage across the gate electrode, wherein the organic semiconductor layer comprises a styryl derivative having a styryl structure expressed by C6H5—CH═CH—C6H5, or a distyryl structure expressed by C6H5—CH═CH—C6H5—CH═CH—C6H5 each without molecular weight distribution. The transistor has a fast response speed (driving speed), and further, achieves a large On/Off ratio getting an enhanced performance as a transistor.
US08445893B2	High-performance gate oxides such as for graphene field-effect transistors or carbon nanotubes An apparatus or method can include forming a graphene layer including a working surface, forming a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) layer upon the working surface of the graphene layer, and forming a dielectric layer upon the PVA layer. In an example, the PVA layer can be activated and the dielectric layer can be deposited on an activated portion of the PVA layer. In an example, an electronic device can include such apparatus, such as included as a portion of graphene field-effect transistor (GFET), or one or more other devices.
US08445892B2	p-FET with a strained nanowire channel and embedded SiGe source and drain stressors Techniques for embedding silicon germanium (e-SiGe) source and drain stressors in nanoscale channel-based field effect transistors (FETs) are provided. In one aspect, a method of fabricating a FET includes the following steps. A doped substrate having a dielectric thereon is provided. At least one silicon (Si) nanowire is placed on the dielectric. One or more portions of the nanowire are masked off leaving other portions of the nanowire exposed. Epitaxial germanium (Ge) is grown on the exposed portions of the nanowire. The epitaxial Ge is interdiffused with Si in the nanowire to form SiGe regions embedded in the nanowire that introduce compressive strain in the nanowire. The doped substrate serves as a gate of the FET, the masked off portions of the nanowire serve as channels of the FET and the embedded SiGe regions serve as source and drain regions of the FET.
US08445891B2	Nitride based semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same Disclosed herein is a nitride based semiconductor device. There is provided a nitride based semiconductor device including: a base substrate; an epitaxial growth layer disposed on the base substrate and generating 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) therein; and an electrode structure disposed on the epitaxial growth layer and having an extension extending into the epitaxial growth layer, wherein the epitaxial growth layer includes a depressing part depressed thereinto from the surface of the epitaxial growth layer, and the depressing part includes: a first area in which the extension is disposed; and a second area that is an area other than the first area.
US08445890B2	Solid state lighting devices grown on semi-polar facets and associated methods of manufacturing Solid state lighting devices grown on semi-polar facets and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state light device includes a light emitting diode with an N-type gallium nitride (“GaN”) material, a P-type GaN material spaced apart from the N-type GaN material, and an indium gallium nitride (“InGaN”)/GaN multi quantum well (“MQW”) active region directly between the N-type GaN material and the P-type GaN material. At least one of the N-type GaN, InGaN/GaN MQW, and P-type GaN materials is grown a semi-polar sidewall.
US08445888B1	Resistive random access memory using rare earth scandate thin film as storage medium The present invention relates to a resistive random access memory using the rare earth scandate thin film as the storage medium, comprising a substrate, an insulation layer, a first electrode layer, a resistive memory layer, and a second electrode layer. In the present invention, it uses an amorphous rare earth scandate layer as the resistive memory layer of the resistive random access memory. Therefore, the resistive random access memory using the rare earth scandate thin film as the storage medium having advantages of low operation voltage and low power consumption can easily be manufactured without using any forming process or thermal annealing process. Moreover, through the characteristics of unipolar resistance switching behavior revealed by the amorphous rare earth scandate layer, the resistive random access memory using rare earth scandate thin film as the storage medium is able to perform a high resistance state and a low resistance state.
US08445887B2	Nonvolatile programmable switch device using phase-change memory device and method of manufacturing the same A nonvolatile programmable switch device using a phase-change memory device and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The switch device includes a substrate, a first metal electrode layer disposed on the substrate and including a plurality of terminals, a phase-change material layer disposed on the substrate and having a self-heating channel structure, the phase-change material layer having a plurality of introduction regions electrically contacting the terminals of the first metal electrode layer and a channel region interposed between the introduction regions, an insulating layer disposed on the first metal electrode layer and the phase-change material layer, a via hole disposed on the first metal electrode layer, and a second metal electrode layer disposed to fill the via hole. The switch device performs memory operations using resistive heating of a phase-change material without an additional heater electrode, thereby minimizing thermal loss due to thermal conductivity of a metal electrode to reduce power consumption of the switch device.
US08445875B2	Optical crystal and terahertz wave generation device and method An optical crystal includes a first non-linear optical crystal that generates terahertz waves corresponding to a difference frequency component in incident light with two different wavelengths by a difference frequency generation, and a second non-linear optical crystal that generates terahertz waves corresponding to a difference frequency component in incident light with two different wavelengths by a difference frequency generation, the second non-linear optical crystal being different in material from the first non-linear optical crystal, and the first non-linear optical crystal and the second non-linear optical crystal being disposed in contact or close together.
US08445871B2	Pattern measurement apparatus Mutual compatibility is established between the measurement with a high magnification and the measurement in a wide region. A pattern measurement apparatus is proposed which adds identification information to each of fragments that constitute a pattern within an image obtained by the SEM, and which stores the identification information in a predetermined storage format. Here, the identification information is added to each fragment for distinguishing between one fragment and another fragment. According to the above-described configuration, it turns out that the identification information is added to each fragment on the SEM image which has possessed no specific identification information originally. As a result, it becomes possible to implement the SEM-image management based on the identification information.
US08445866B2	Refractive index matched phosphors and substrates for security applications Phosphor compositions are provided that can be incorporated into or onto plastic substrates as covert security features. The plastic substrates can be transparent and the phosphor compositions have a refractive index that effectively matches the refractive index of the plastic substrate to maintain the transparency. The phosphor compositions have absorption in the infrared, thus enabling excitation and detection of the compositions with an infrared emitting source.
US08445860B2	Boron-10 compounds for neutron capture layer A neutron detector includes a shell bounding an interior volume. A portion of the neutron detector serves as a cathode. The detector includes a central structure located within the interior volume and serving as an anode. The detector includes a boron coating on the interior of the wall wherein at least some of the boron coating is heat diffused into the wall from a boron-containing powder to form the boron coating which is sensitive to neutrons. The detector includes an electrical connector operatively connected to the central structure for transmission of a signal collected by the central structure. An associated method of heat diffusing the boron includes subjecting boron-containing powder to an elevated temperature so that a quantity of the boron-containing powder heat diffuses.
US08445850B2	Optical remote sensing of fugitive releases Disclosed is an open-path optical sensor. Typically, the optical sensor directs UV radiation from a source assembly to a detector assembly along a monitoring path. The source assembly emits UV radiation corresponding to a signal channel and to a reference channel. The detector assembly detects UV radiation corresponding to the signal channel and to the reference channel. The detector assembly is in communication with a data acquisition system, which compares the intensity of the detected UV radiation corresponding to the signal channel to the intensity of the UV radiation corresponding to the reference channel.
US08445848B2	Infrared array sensor An infrared array sensor includes: a base substrate; cavities which have array structure and are formed on a surface side of the base substrate; and pixel parts supported by the base substrate to cover the cavities, respectively. Each of the pixel parts includes a membrane structure that includes segmented membrane structures divided by slits. Each of the segmented membrane structures includes a thermosensor. Each membrane structure of the pixel parts includes a coupling piece for connecting its own segmented membrane structures to each other.
US08445837B2	Vibration actuator for rotating a rotating axle and image capturing apparatus Provided is a vibration actuator comprising a drive unit that generates a drive force; a vibrating component that vibrates according to the drive force from the drive unit; a rotating body that receives the vibration of the vibrating component to rotate; and a converting section that changes a contact force between the vibrating component and the rotating body according to size of a load acting on the rotating body.
US08445833B2	Optoelectronic sensor An optoelectronic sensor, comprising a first strip having transmitter elements and/or receiver elements, a second strip having transmitter elements and/or receiver elements, wherein the transmitter elements of one strip form transmitter/receiver pairs with receiver elements of the other strip for the formation of a protective field, and an evaluation unit for the evaluation of the received light of the receiver elements, wherein a light beam between the transmitter elements and receiver elements counts as interrupted when received light falls below a first lower switching threshold and as not interrupted when a first lower switching threshold is exceeded and wherein an object detection signal can be transmitted when at least one light beam is interrupted, characterized in that for the evaluation of the received light of at least one receiver element a second upper switching threshold is provided in the evaluation unit the value of which lies above the value of the first lower switching threshold, with a signal to indicate bypass light being given when the value of the received light lies above the second upper threshold.
US08445832B2	Optical communication device An optical communication device which can be operated at high speed is provided. For example, the optical communication device includes: a pre-amplifier circuit PREAMP1 amplifying a current signal Iin from a photodiode PD, and converting an amplified signal into a voltage signal; and an operating-point controller circuit VTCTL1 controlling an operation of the PREAMP1. The PREAMP1 includes a negative feedback path formed by a feedback resistance Rf1, and includes: a level-shift circuit LS1 level-shifting in accordance with an operating-point control signal Vcon; and an amplifier circuit AMP1 connected to a subsequent stage of the LS1 and performing an amplifying operation with a high gain. The VTCTL1 includes a replica circuit configured by the same circuit and circuit parameter as those of the AMP1 and electrically connected between the input and the output, and generates the Vcon so that an output DC level of this replica circuit is matched with an input DC level of the AMP1.
US08445831B2	Liquid electrical interconnect and devices using same Various embodiments include interconnects for semiconductor structures that can include a first conductive structure, a second conductive structure and a non-hardening liquid conductive material in contact with the first and second structure. Other embodiments include semiconductor components and imager devices using the interconnects. Further embodiments include methods of forming a semiconductor structure and focusing methods for an imager device.
US08445829B2	Active photosensing pixel An active photosensing pixel is disclosed, in which a two-terminal photosensing transistor has a first terminal coupled to a first node, a second terminal coupled to a selection line and a control terminal connected to the second terminal. A driving transistor has a first terminal coupled to a first reference voltage, a second terminal coupled to an output line and a control terminal connected to the first node. A reset capacitor has a first terminal connected to the control terminal of the two-terminal photosensing transistor, and a second terminal connected to the first node.
US08445826B2	Outdoor lighting systems and methods for wireless network communications An outdoor lighting fixture includes at least a first ballast for controllably providing power to at least one lamp for illuminating an outdoor area. The outdoor lighting fixture further includes a housing and a radio frequency transceiver. The outdoor lighting fixture yet further includes an antenna coupled to the radio frequency transceiver and extending away from the housing. The outdoor lighting fixture also includes a control circuit that operates the radio frequency transceiver as a wireless router for wireless network communications.
US08445825B2	Optical surface shape determination by mapping a lenslet array spot pattern to a spatial frequency space Devices systems, and methods can characterize an optical surface of an object. A wavefront sensor system focuses light energy propagating from the object to form a pattern on a detector. The system maps the pattern to an array with a transform function such as a Fourier transform. The values of array correspond to characteristic locations and signals in a transform space, for example an intensity of spatial frequency signals in frequency space. The characteristic location and intensity of these signals in transform space are used to measure the optical surface. For example, a characteristic frequency of a spatial frequency intensity peak in Fourier transform space can be used to estimate the location of spots on the detector. Alternatively, the characteristics can be used to the measure sphere, cylinder and axis of a wavefront, wavefront elevation maps and point spread functions, often without locating positions of individual spots on the detector.
US08445823B2	Guided munition systems including combustive dome covers and methods for equipping guided munitions with the same Embodiments of a guided munition system are provided, as are embodiments of a combustive dome cover and methods for equipping a guided munition with a combustive dome cover. In one embodiment, the guided munition system includes a guided munition, which has a munition body and a seeker dome coupled thereto, and a combustive dome cover disposed over the seeker dome. The combustive dome cover is configured to uncover the seeker dome at a predetermined time of deployment and to combust when so deployed to minimize the production of debris.
US08445818B2	PCB quick heater Disclosed is a device and method for intelligently heating a component of a printed circuit board (PCB) to bring it within a specified operating temperature range quickly. A temperature sensor positioned in proximity to the component and is coupled with a logic circuit that receives a reading from the temperature sensor and compares it to a threshold temperature value. A heating element positioned in proximity to the component is coupled with a power source and a switch. The switch is triggered by the logic circuit to activate the heating element when the temperature sensor reading is cooler than the threshold temperature value thereby causing the component to warm up. The switch is triggered again by the logic circuit to de-activate the heating element when the temperature sensor reaches the threshold temperature value or a predetermined timeout period expires.
US08445817B2	De-icing or defogging system for optical instrument and image acquisition device provided with said system The disclosed embodiments relate to a defogging or de-icing system for an optical instrument including a protection housing. According to the disclosed embodiments, the system includes: a porthole covered on at least one face thereof with a heat conducting film provided at the edge of the useful area of said porthole, the porthole being mounted on the protection housing, heating members placed in contact with the film for heating said film, and a power supply circuit for the heating members.
US08445816B2	Modular process list for welding power supply A welding power supply includes a controller that automatically monitors the presence or absence of one or more modules connected to or installed into the welding power supply. The controller automatically turns on or off the power supply functions related to which optional modules are present. The controller populates various end-user interface menus based on which optional modules are installed. The controller uses software and/or hardware to make the determination. The optional module(s) themselves include circuitry which allows the controller to recognize when the optional module has been installed and what functions the installed optional module is capable of performing. The circuitry of the optional module(s) allows the optional module(s) to communicate with the controller. In this way, the end-user will not have the options of selecting a process on the user interface menus that is not available because the required equipment has not been installed.
US08445812B2	Devices for treating film material, for instance for manufacturing sanitary products A device for cutting, using laser beams (B1, B2), a material (A) such as a material for manufacturing sanitary products comprises a supporting formation for the material (A), such as a motor-driven belt, including a net (72) for supporting said material (A) in a position corresponding to the area of cutting where the laser beam (B1, B2) acts. Typically said net is a wire net, e.g., made of steel, bronze or a combination of the two, to which there is preferentially associated a rotary cleaning brushes (9) and suction and/or air jets systems.
US08445810B2	Laser welding apparatus According to one embodiment, a laser welding apparatus has a laser irradiation head that is arranged in an outer frame and is divided inside into a light source side and an irradiation side by a partitioning member. The apparatus also has a gas jet nozzle that is formed so as to irradiate a portion to be welded with the laser light and jet the inert gas to the portion to be welded; and a welding wire feed pipe that sequentially feeds a welding wire. The apparatus also has a welding wire contact mechanism that includes a measuring means for measuring a distance between the extremity of the irradiation side and the extremity of the welding wire, and is formed so that the extremity of the welding wire is brought into contact with and pressed against the portion to be welded by an elastic member.
US08445807B2	Electrode wire for wire electrical discharge machining, method for manufacturing the same, and method for electrical discharge machining using the same A wire material having a copper-zinc alloy layer, which is formed by action of thermal diffusion, and a zinc layer on its circumference surface is subjected to processes, including from a step of drawing the wire material to a step of reducing the diameter of the product, to reliably crash the copper-zinc alloy layer into particles. The particles are embedded in the circumference surface of a core to integrate the diffusion alloy layer and zinc layer with the core and prevent the diffusion alloy layer and zinc layer from falling off from the core. In addition, in order to cover cracks formed in the copper-zinc alloy layer during wire drawing with a zinc thin film, wire drawing is performed at temperatures appropriate for maintaining good malleability and ductility of zinc.
US08445802B2	Button structure of portable electronic device A button structure includes a pressing member and a housing. The pressing member has a plate portion and a pressing portion protruding from the plate portion, and the plate portion is elastic. The housing has an end wall defining a through hole. The pressing member is assembled in the housing, a portion of the plate portion is fixed on the end wall, and the pressing portion extends through the through hole. The plate portion pivots relative to the end wall by pressing the pressing portion.
US08445801B2	Switch A switch comprises a room light case, a switch knob arranged inside an aperture portion of the room light case, guide grooves provided on an inner circumferential face of the aperture portion of the room light case, and guide ribs provided on an outer circumferential face of the switch knob. The switch knob moves for a switch stroke part in a depth direction of the aperture portion, from a waiting position to a pressed-down position by a pressing down operation. The guide grooves are provided in a range deeper than a depth size of the switch stroke from an opening edge located on the switch case surface side of the aperture portion.
US08445800B2	Electrical system, and circuit protection module and electrical switching apparatus therefor An electrical switching apparatus such as, for example, a subminiature or aircraft circuit breaker, is provided for a circuit protection module of an electrical system, such as an aerospace power distribution unit. The circuit protection module includes a panel member. The electrical switching apparatus includes a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a mounting element for attaching the housing to the panel member. The housing is a thermally conductive liquid crystalline polymer. The panel member and mounting element are thermally conductive. Heat generated by the separable contacts is transferred away from the separable contacts, through the housing and the thermally conductive mounting element, and into the thermally conductive panel member. A circuit protection module and an electrical system are also disclosed.
US08445795B2	Multi function navigational switch An assembly includes an electronic device having depressible controls and a navigation button which is positioned over the electronic device. The navigation button has a central portion, and directional lobes extending from the central portion. The navigation button initially resides in a non-pivoting orientation in which none of the depressible controls are actuated. The navigation button (i) pivots about a first axis in response to depression of a first directional lobe to actuate a first depressible control of the electronic device without actuating a second depressible control of the electronic device, and (ii) pivots about a second axis in response to depression of a second directional lobe to actuate the second depressible control of the electronic device without actuating the first depressible control of the electronic device. Each of the first axis and the second axis is offset from a midpoint of the navigation button.
US08445793B2	Selective input signal rejection and modification This invention is related to user input devices that accept complex user input including a combination of touch and push (or pick) input. The invention provides for selective ignoring or rejection of input received from such devices in order to avoid interpreting unintentional user actions as commands. Furthermore, some input signals can be modified. The selective rejection or modification can be performed by the user interface device itself or by a computing device that includes or is attached to the user interface device. The selective rejection or modification may be performed by a module that processes input signals, performs the necessary rejections and modifications and sends revised input signals to higher level modules.
US08445791B2	Implementing increased latching force with gasket for perpendicular surfaces A method and structures are provided for implementing a latching gasket including an electrically conductive fabric, and a latching clip. The latching clip includes a support member carrying the electrically conductive fabric for radio frequency (RF) connection engagement with a first wall surface. The latching clip includes a first channel-defining member and a second channel-defining member extending downwardly from the support member. The first channel-defining member carries the electrically conductive fabric for radio frequency (RF) connection engagement with a second wall surface received in a channel defined by the first and second channel-defining members. The latching clip includes a latch arm extending outwardly and downwardly from an end of the support member near the second channel-defining member. The second channel-defining member includes an outwardly and upwardly extending plate with at least one latching tab for latching engagement and spring biasing with the latch arm in a closed position of the latching gasket.

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