| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08825553B2 |
Secure customer acknowledgement of relay actuation
A request for an acknowledgement using a private key may be generated and transmitting to a customer device. The acknowledgement may be received from the customer device and verified using a public key associated with a customer operating the customer device. A request for a current location of the customer device may be transmitted and the current location may be received. A determination that the current location is proximate to a meter may be made, and, in response to determining that the current location is proximate to the meter, the meter may be manipulated. |
| US08825552B2 |
Providing a radio station at a user device using previously obtained DRM locked content
A system and method are disclosed for providing a radio station for playback at a user device using previously obtained Digital Rights Management (DRM) locked content for the radio station. In one embodiment, a radio station application and DRM locked content to be used by the radio station application are downloaded to a user device, which is preferably a mobile user device. The DRM locked content includes a number of DRM locked songs that may be used for the radio station. Thereafter, the radio station application obtains a playlist for the radio station, where the playlist for the radio station includes at least a subset of the DRM locked content provided to the user device for the radio station. Playback of the playlist for the radio station is then provided at the user device, and playback is reported to a remote service for royalty tracking. |
| US08825550B2 |
Scaling a virtual machine instance
Techniques are described for scaling of computing resources. A scaling service is utilized that allocates additional computing resources (e.g., processors, memory, etc.) to a virtual machine instance (or other compute instance) and/or de-allocates computing resources from a virtual machine instance according requests and/or thresholds. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the description, figures, and claims. |
| US08825545B2 |
System and method for facilitating on-line payment
The present invention relates to a system and method for facilitating on-line payment particularly for goods or services purchased via a merchant site on the Internet.The system enables payment from an existing customer account at a financial institution, but does not require the user to provide credit card details. The payment is implemented in real-time from the customer account to a merchant account via a financial institution application such as an Internet banking website.An interface is provided which is initiated via the merchant site and which then interfaces the customer computer to the financial application having access to the customer computer's account. The customer can then enter payment details directly with the financial institution to pay the merchant directly for the transaction. |
| US08825532B1 |
Payment system and method using a mobile telephone network for charging and settlement
A payment system and method using a mobile telephone network for charging and settlement, which comprises a user's cell phone being associated with a payment account, and the user's cell phone accessing the international payment and settlement center. The international payment and settlement center generates a payment code according to the amount of payment, which is transmitted to the user's cell phone. The user uses said payment code to pay the merchant's POS machine. The POS machine reads said payment code and requests authorization for the transaction from the international payment and settlement center. The international payment and settlement center authorizes said transaction after verifying the correctness. During settlement, the international payment and settlement center collects the money of said transaction from the payment account of the user, and pays the money that should be charged by the merchant in this transaction to the receipts account of the merchant. |
| US08825529B2 |
Submitting a request to reserve a service
Methods and corresponding system are provided herewith that, in at least one embodiment, include the act or acts of: selecting a restaurant from a plurality of restaurants; and transmitting a request to reserve a service that is provided by the restaurant. The request to reserve is for a particular time and a particular date and the service comprises at least one of: (i) preparing a consumable good that is consumed at the restaurant's location; (ii) preparing a consumable good that is received at the restaurant's location; or (iii) preparing a consumable good that is delivered to a location external to the restaurant's location. The methods and system also include receiving an indicia that the request to reserve the service has been accepted or denied. |
| US08825521B2 |
Method and system for dynamically incorporating advertising content into multimedia environments
Methods and systems for dynamically incorporating advertising content into multimedia environments, such as games, are provided. Example embodiments include a dynamic inserter, which selects content, based upon a set of criteria, to deliver to a receiving client system, such as a game client. The receiving client system typically dynamically determines locations within the game where advertisements are desirably inserted. Associated with these locations are ad tags that specify criteria for the ads including, for example ad type, ad genre, and scheduling information, which are sent by the client system to the dynamic inserter to select appropriate ads. The dynamic inserter selects ads based upon the criteria and sends them to the client system, which selects them for ad tags with conforming criteria. The client system then renders the selected ad in the appropriate location. |
| US08825508B2 |
Method and apparatus for automated staff assignment
A method and an apparatus perform automatic assignment in an environment. The apparatus according to one embodiment comprises an event handler for extracting event elements from reports in the environment; an assignment handler for assigning information to the reports, the assignment handler assigning information to the reports by assigning events to the reports using the event elements of the reports, and assigning staff of the environment to the events; and an action handler for generating actions for the events and sending the actions to the assigned staff. |
| US08825493B2 |
Method and apparatus for social network communication over a media network
A system that transmits a request to initiate a communication session with a member device of a social network may include, for example, activating a speech capture element, maintaining activation of the speech capture element in accordance with a pattern of prior speech messages, detecting a speech message at the activated speech capture element, and transmitting the detected speech message, or a derivative thereof, to the member device of the social network. |
| US08825485B2 |
Text to speech method and system converting acoustic units to speech vectors using language dependent weights for a selected language
A text-to-speech method for use in a plurality of languages, including: inputting text in a selected language; dividing the inputted text into a sequence of acoustic units; converting the sequence of acoustic units to a sequence of speech vectors using an acoustic model, wherein the model has a plurality of model parameters describing probability distributions which relate an acoustic unit to a speech vector; and outputting the sequence of speech vectors as audio in the selected language. A parameter of a predetermined type of each probability distribution in the selected language is expressed as a weighted sum of language independent parameters of the same type. The weighting used is language dependent, such that converting the sequence of acoustic units to a sequence of speech vectors includes retrieving the language dependent weights for the selected language. |
| US08825481B2 |
Subword-based multi-level pronunciation adaptation for recognizing accented speech
Techniques are described for training a speech recognition model for accented speech. A subword parse table is employed that models mispronunciations at multiple subword levels, such as the syllable, position-specific cluster, and/or phone levels. Mispronunciation probability data is then generated at each level based on inputted training data, such as phone-level annotated transcripts of accented speech. Data from different levels of the subword parse table may then be combined to determine the accented speech model. Mispronunciation probability data at each subword level is based at least in part on context at that level. In some embodiments, phone-level annotated transcripts are generated using a semi-supervised method. |
| US08825478B2 |
Real time generation of audio content summaries
Audio content is converted to text using speech recognition software. The text is then associated with a distinct voice or a generic placeholder label if no distinction can be made. From the text and voice information, a word cloud is generated based on key words and key speakers. A visualization of the cloud displays as it is being created. Words grow in size in relation to their dominance. When it is determined that the predominant words or speakers have changed, the word cloud is complete. That word cloud continues to be displayed statically and a new word cloud display begins based upon a new set of predominant words or a new predominant speaker or set of speakers. This process may continue until the meeting is concluded. At the end of the meeting, the completed visualization may be saved to a storage device, sent to selected individuals, removed, or any combination of the preceding. |
| US08825473B2 |
Method, computer program and apparatus for analyzing symbols in a computer system
The present invention provides a computer-implemented method of analyzing messages in a computer system to allow workflows constituted by the messages to be identified, the method comprising: analyzing a sequence of messages in a computer system in order to classify the messages, thereby producing a corresponding sequence of classifications of the messages; and, applying sequence induction to the sequence of classifications of the messages to produce (i) a set or sub-sequences of the classifications of the messages and (ii) a sequence grammar for the sub-sequences, from which a workflow constituted by the sequence of messages can be identified. |
| US08825472B2 |
Automated message attachment labeling using feature selection in message content
Embodiments are directed towards an automated machine learning framework to extract keywords within a message that are relevant to an attachment to the message. The machine learning model finds a set of relevant sentences within the message determined to be relevant to the one or more attachments based on identification of one or more sentence level features within a given sentence. The sentence level features include, for example, anchor features, noisy sentence features, short message features, threading features, anaphora detections, and lexicon features. From the set of relevant sentences, useful keywords may be extracted using a sequence of heuristics to convert the sentence set into the set of useful keywords. The set of useful keywords may then be associated to at least one attachment such that the keywords may subsequently be used to perform various indexing, searching, sorting, and to provide further context to the attachment. |
| US08825470B2 |
System and method of providing a response with a different language for a data communication protocol
A system and method of providing a response with different language options for a data communication protocol, such as Session Initiation Protocol, are disclosed. For example, data communication is controlled between at least two endpoints. A response code indicative of a condition of the data communication is transmitted to one of the at least two endpoints. The response code is associated with a reason phrase operable to be displayed at the one of the at least two endpoints in a language selected from an option of a plurality of languages. |
| US08825469B1 |
Techniques for translating documents including tags
A computer-implemented method includes receiving a document and a request to translate the document to a different language, the document including at least one tag associated with a first portion of text within the document, receiving a manual translation of the document translated by a human translator but not including the at least one tag, generating a plurality of alignments between the document and the manual translation using a statistical alignment model, selecting one of the plurality of alignments based on a likelihood that the first portion of text in the document corresponds to an aligned second portion of text within the manual translation, mapping a location of the tag in the document to a corresponding location within the manual translation based on the selected alignment, and inserting the at least one tag into the manual translation at the corresponding location to obtain a modified manual translation of the document. |
| US08825468B2 |
Mobile wireless display providing speech to speech translation and avatar simulating human attributes
An apparatus includes a monocular display with a wireless communications interface, user input device, transmitter, and controller, and may provide a video link to and control and management of a host device and other devices, such as a cell phone, computer, laptop, or media player. The apparatus may receive speech and digitize it. The apparatus may compare the digitized speech in a first language to a table of digitized speech in a second language to provide translation or, alternatively, may compare the digitized speech to a table of control commands. The control commands allow user interaction with the apparatus or other remote devices in a visual and audio manner. The control signals control a “recognized persona” or avatar stored in a memory to provide simulated human attributes to the apparatus, network or third party communication device. The avatar may be changed or upgraded according to user choice. |
| US08825467B1 |
Translation game
High quality, human-generated training data for a parser can be accumulated through an online game in which two or more bi- or multi-lingual players compete to accurately translate phrases. When two or more translated phrases are sufficiently similar to each other, they can be treated as an accurate translation and one or more can be added to training data for a parser. |
| US08825466B1 |
Modification of annotated bilingual segment pairs in syntax-based machine translation
Systems and methods for automatically modifying an annotated bilingual segment pair are provided. An annotated bilingual segment pair (“Pair”) may be modified to generate improved translation rules used in machine translation of documents from a source language to a target language. Because a single Pair may be used to translate a phrase, many Pairs are used in a machine translation system and manual correction of each model is impractical. Each Pair may be modified by re-labeling syntactic categories within the Pair, re-structuring a tree within the Pair, and/or re-aligning source words to target words within the Pair. In exemplary embodiments, many alternate Pairs (or portions thereof) are generated automatically, rule sequences corresponding to each are derived, and one or more rule sequences are selected. Using the selected rule sequence, a modified Pair is distilled. |
| US08825464B2 |
Method and apparatus for parallelization of sequential power simulation
One particular implementation takes the form of an apparatus or method for parallelizing a sequential power simulation of an integrated circuit device. The implementation may temporally divide the simulation so that separate time segments of the simulation can be run at the same time, thereby reducing he required time necessary to perform the power simulation. More particularly, a logic simulation may be performed on the integrated circuit and snapshots of the logic devices of the integrated circuit may be taken at a specified period. The separate time segments of the simulation may then be simulated in a parallel manner to simulate power consumption of the integrated circuit. Performing the power simulation on the separate time segments may reduce the required time of a typical power consumption simulation of an integrated circuit. |
| US08825460B2 |
Device and method for the simulation of a development system
In order to be able to simulate a development system of a complex development environment, such as a test bench environment for motor, drive train, transmission, vehicle component, or vehicle development, utilizing an automation device and development tools in a continuous and reproducible manner, device models (7) generating development data (23) run in a simulation device (6), wherein the device models (7) at least partially process simulation data (24) from a test model (20), and a number of real development tools (5) are connected to an automation device (4) and/or to the simulation device (6) via real interfaces, and development tools (5) process the development data (23). |
| US08825459B2 |
Multi-modal manipulation of a geometric model
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to create a geometric model in a computer-aided design (CAD) application. Direct graphical manipulation via user interaction is used to create the geometric model in the CAD application. The direct graphical manipulation is captured, without additional user input, as one or more lines of script code as if the user is writing the script code. The captured script code is integrated into an environment hosted by the CAD application. The script code is then displayed where it can be modified. The modification of the script code acts to modify the geometric model. |
| US08825458B2 |
Method, computer program product and apparatus for providing a model map for workflow integration
A method, apparatus and computer program product are described for providing a model map for workflow integration from concept to production. The apparatus may receive a file in a first format, produce a mapped file from the file in the first format, and provide for conversion of the mapped file from the mapped format to a second, different format. The file in the first format may be supported by a first application, such as an architectural design application, a design engineering application, or a production specific application. The file in the second format may be supported by a second application, which may include an architectural design application, a design engineering application, or a production specific application. In this way, a file in the first format that is only operable on the first application may be converted to a file in the second format that is operable on the second application. |
| US08825455B2 |
On-demand table model for semiconductor device evaluation
An on-demand table model for semiconductor device evaluation is provided. A method of providing on-demand table models for semiconductor device evaluation, includes measuring one or more measurement values of an instance of a semiconductor device. The method further includes providing, by a processor, a table model of the instance for the semiconductor device evaluation upon receiving a request for the semiconductor device evaluation. The method further includes generating a table entry in the table model for the one or more measurement values, the table entry including one or more evaluation values of an evaluation function for the instance. |
| US08825454B2 |
Concurrent display systems and methods for aerial roof estimation
User interface systems and methods for roof estimation are described. Example embodiments include a roof estimation system that provides a user interface configured to facilitate roof model generation based on one or more aerial images of a building roof. In one embodiment, roof model generation includes image registration, image lean correction, roof section pitch determination, wire frame model construction, and/or roof model review. The described user interface provides user interface controls that may be manipulated by an operator to perform at least some of the functions of roof model generation. The user interface is further configured to concurrently display roof features onto multiple images of a roof. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. |
| US08825451B2 |
System and methods for rack cooling analysis
According to at least one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for modeling cooling performance is provided. The method includes acts of receiving, by a computer, input data from a storage device, the input data including data related to physical structures within at least one equipment rack, selecting, based on the data related to physical structures, at least one first equation of a plurality of predetermined equations that describe pressure values in a plurality of spaces within the at least one equipment rack, determining pressure values in identified spaces of the plurality of spaces by solving the at least one first equation using the input data, determining airflow values between identified spaces by calculating a difference between the pressure values and storing, on the storage device, the airflow values as equipment rack airflow values within the at least one equipment rack. |
| US08825449B2 |
Structure and method of data synchronization for Multi measuring apparatus
In a structure and a method of data synchronization for multi measuring apparatuses, the multi measuring apparatuses link together to expand channels. One of those apparatuses is a master control measuring apparatus, and others are slave measuring apparatus. The master measuring apparatus can output synchronous signal to the slave measuring apparatuses. The slave measuring apparatus can retrieve the synchronous signal as a mark of data synchronization, and the synchronous signal and the marks are further stored in a memory. All the data and marks stored in the memory of the measuring apparatuses are transferred to a processing platform. By the software installed in the processing platform, the data wave form length of the master control measuring apparatus and slave measuring apparatus can be adjusted to the same, and the problem caused by the clock error of the measuring apparatus can be solved as well. |
| US08825439B2 |
Multiturn rotary encoder
A multiturn rotary encoder includes a singleturn code disk which is joined in rotatably fixed manner to a shaft and which has a code track that is scannable by a singleturn scanning unit to ascertain the absolute position within one revolution of the shaft, a multiturn unit for measuring revolution data which are suitable for ascertaining the number of revolutions performed by the shaft, and an evaluation unit which is connected to the multiturn unit via at least two digital interfaces for transmitting the revolution data. The revolution data include at least two data words which have a different rate of change during rotation of the shaft, the interface for transmitting the data word having the highest rate of change to the evaluation unit is a parallel interface, and the interface for transmitting the data word having the lowest rate of change to the evaluation unit is a serial interface. |
| US08825437B2 |
Relocation detection method and relocation detection unit
A relocation detection unit includes: an acceleration sensor adapted to detect acceleration generated in the apparatus, an arithmetic section adapted to obtain a first calculation value by performing Nth-order integration on detected value of the acceleration sensor at a predetermined timing, wherein N is a predetermined positive integer, a correction section adapted to obtain a second calculated value by adding/subtracting a specific value to/from the first calculation value at the predetermined timing, and a detection section adapted to detect that the apparatus has been relocated if the second calculated value exceeds a preset reference value. |
| US08825434B2 |
Temperature measuring method, storage medium, and program
A temperature measuring method includes: transmitting a light to a measurement point of an object to be measured, the object being a substrate on which a thin film is formed; measuring a first interference wave caused by a reflected light from a surface of the substrate, and a second interference wave caused by reflected lights from an interface between the substrate and the thin film and from a rear surface of the thin film; calculating an optical path length from the first interference wave to the second interference wave; calculating a film thickness of the thin film; calculating an optical path difference between an optical path length of the substrate and the calculated optical path length; compensating for the optical path length from the first interference wave to the second interference wave; and calculating a temperature of the object at the measurement point. |
| US08825417B1 |
Battery health management and recording
A method, system, and apparatus are provided for managing battery data. A health monitoring unit monitors a number of battery units for battery data. A data logger stores the battery data. A data processing system identifies performance information from the battery data. A new battery design may be modified based on the performance data. Also, the performance data may be compared to health thresholds for inconsistencies to identify when the number of battery units may need to be serviced. |
| US08825413B2 |
Spectral deconvolution in ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
A method and system for deconvolution of a frequency spectrum obtained in an ICR mass spectrometer based on a detection of ion oscillation overtones of the M-th order (where the integer M>1). A plurality of frequency peaks is collected within the frequency spectrum corresponding respectively to oscillations of different groups of ions, and associates at least one of the frequency peaks having a frequency f and a measured amplitude A with a particular group of the ions. The method and system identify whether the frequency peak is related to one of an overtone frequency, a subharmonic frequency, a higher harmonic frequency, or a side-shifted frequency of the oscillations of the different group of ions. The method and system derive calculated amplitudes of the overtone frequency peaks associated with the groups of ions by incorporating measured amplitudes of the frequency peaks related to the subharmonic frequency, the higher harmonic frequency, or the side-shifted frequency associated with the groups of ions into the calculated amplitudes of the overtone frequency peaks. The method and system generate a deconvoluted frequency spectrum including the overtone frequency peaks associated with the different groups of ions. |
| US08825412B2 |
Methods for non-invasive prenatal ploidy calling
Methods for non-invasive prenatal ploidy calling are disclosed herein. Methods for determining the ploidy status of a chromosome in a gestating fetus from genotypic data measured from a sample of DNA from the mother of the fetus and from the fetus, and from genotypic data from the mother and optionally also from the father are disclosed herein. The ploidy state is determined by using a joint distribution model to create a set of expected allele distributions for different possible fetal ploidy states given the parental genotypic data, and comparing the expected allelic distributions to the pattern of measured allelic distributions measured in the mixed sample, and choosing the ploidy state whose expected allelic distribution pattern most closely matches the observed allelic distribution pattern. In an embodiment, the mixed sample of DNA may be preferentially enriched at a plurality of polymorphic loci in a way that minimizes the allelic bias. |
| US08825410B2 |
Move-out correction of seismic data
A method of processing seismic data including measurement data and their gradients to obtain gradients of move-out corrected data, comprising deriving gradients of the measurement data, deriving a first term comprising applying a move-out correction function to the measurement data; deriving a second term by applying the move-out correction function to the gradients and deriving gradients of move-out corrected data by adding the first term and the second term. The gradients of move-out corrected data are used to process physical properties of the earth's interior. The method may be used prior to any data processing algorithm which uses measurement gradient data in which move-out correction is applied prior to the algorithm, either because the algorithm makes a zero offset assumption or because it is beneficial for the algorithm to operate on move-out corrected data to reduce aliasing. |
| US08825409B2 |
Tracing seismic sections to convert to digital format
Method, system, and computer program product for tracing seismic sections to convert to digital format are provided. The method includes: receiving a scan of a seismic section having multiple overlapping traces measured at spot points; splitting the traces into segments; associating the segments with appropriate baselines; estimating the traces between segments using logical rules; and deriving amplitudes of the traces. |
| US08825404B2 |
Devices, methods, and systems for managing route-related information
A method can include, for a predetermined route, automatically processing a first set of machine instructions to create a visual travel guide for the predetermined route, the visual travel guide comprising a second set of machine instructions adapted to cause an information device to render: an identification of a destination of the predetermined route; a plurality of videos, each video corresponding to a road intersection located approximately on the predetermined route, each video adapted to substantially reproduce a view of a driver of an automobile approaching the road intersection; a plurality of textual descriptions associated with the plurality of videos; at least one of an identification of an origin of the predetermined route and an identification of an approach to the destination; and an advertisement associated with at least a portion of the predetermined route. |
| US08825396B2 |
Quasi tightly coupled GNSS-INS integration process
A quasi tightly coupled (QTC) aided INS (AINS) process has an inertial navigator system with a loosely-coupled AINS Kalman filter that constructs INS-GNSS position measurements, a GNSS position engine that computes a position fix from observables and an externally provided a priori position and position VCV matrix. An INS position seeding process in which the externally provided a priori position to the GNSS position engine is an antenna position computed from the INS position and attitude solution. An observable subspace constraint (OSC) process computes an OCS matrix that suppress the components of the GNSS position error due to a poor geometry in the GNSS position solution in the IG position measurement constructed by the AINS Kalman filter and that multiplies the OSC matrix and the IG position measurement and measurement model matrix to suppress uncorrected component of the GNSS position error in the IG position measurement and measurement model. |
| US08825390B2 |
Navigation device and navigation method capable of presenting prompt information with different light effects
The present disclosure discloses a navigation device and a navigation method. The navigation method includes a satellite signal receiving module of the navigation device for receiving a positioning signal, a control unit of the navigation device for controlling a display module to display a navigation map on a map region according to the positioning signal, and the control unit of the navigation device for controlling a prompt region to present prompt information with different light effects according to traffic information. The prompt region is located outside the map region. Therefore, it is unnecessary for the user to further pay too much cognitive attention on understanding or referring to the navigation images and instructions, so the driving safety can be ensured. |
| US08825389B1 |
Mobility device and method for guiding the visually impaired
A mobility device has an elongate handle housing that includes an electronic directing system that comprises a computer microcontroller operably connected with a transceiver for communicating with an electronic beacon. The mobility device may be used to trigger an audible signal from the electronic beacon to guide a visually impaired person to the electronic beacon at a desired location. The mobility device may further include a laser detection apparatus for directing the visually impaired person around obstructions. |
| US08825387B2 |
Positioning open area maps
Open area maps as well as related features, systems, and methods are disclosed. For example, one method comprises translating coordinates associated with an open area map into real-world coordinates. The open area map is positioned within a geographic map as a function of the real-world coordinates. The geographic map represents a real-world area around the open area map. The open area map includes an image of a layout representing a pedestrian walkable area, and the open area map is configured to provide point-to-point routing within the layout. |
| US08825386B2 |
Navigation apparatus
A navigation apparatus having a road learning function includes a detector, a memory, an identifying device, a determination device, and a guidance device. The detector creates a learned road link connecting exit and return points in an existing link. The memory stores road information representing that the existing link forms a continuous road at an end of the learned road link. The identifying device identifies an entrance link into the end of the learned road link and an exit link from the end of the learned road link in a route. The road determination device determines whether the entrance and exit links form the continuous road. The guidance device prohibits the guidance on a direction to go at the end of the learned road link when the road determination device determines that the entrance and exit links form the continuous road. |
| US08825381B2 |
Navigation system with single initiation mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a navigation system includes: receiving a single selection for a desired item; generating a destination for the desired item with a prioritization and a learned knowledge of a user's behavior for improving an accuracy of the destination that is generated; and calculating a route to the destination based solely on the single selection for reducing danger from distraction by entering multiple entries and for displaying the route on a device and the single selection is an only entry before displaying the route. |
| US08825377B2 |
Mobile navigation to a moving destination
A source device can navigate towards a moving destination target device, such as when two mobile phones are moving towards each other. The source device can receive an initial position of the target and a route to the target. As the source device and target device simultaneously move, the route can be updated. For example, if a distance of movement exceeds a threshold (e.g., 1 mile) the route can be updated. In another embodiment, a target device can switch between position tracking devices so as to provide less accurate position information, but save power, or provide high accuracy position information at the cost of higher power consumption. Generally, the switching between position tracking devices and the frequency at which the route to the destination point can be based on the distance apart between the source device and target device. |
| US08825374B2 |
Navigation route updates
Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing navigation routes and/or providing navigation route updates. According to various embodiments of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein, a navigation application can be configured to obtain route data from a routing service. The routing service can be configured to use navigation data locally stored and/or obtained from a number of sources to generate navigation routes and/or to update navigation routes. The generated and/or updated navigation routes can be provided to the user device as route data that can be used to provide navigation directions to a user. |
| US08825373B1 |
Correcting path errors for vehicle navigation
An apparatus and method are disclosed for performing loop closing on one or more paths to be optimized. The paths may include poses associated with imagery obtained by a vehicle. The apparatus may identify candidate intersections from the paths based on their proximity, and may further determine relative poses from the poses of the paths using structure-from-motion techniques. The apparatus may then apply a partitioning schema to the paths to be optimized to obtain individual partition cells. The partition cells may then be sent to one or more client devices for optimizing the paths included in the partition cells. When the apparatus receives a set of optimized paths from the client devices, the apparatus may re-partition the paths to be optimized to ensure that non-optimized portions of paths are optimized. |
| US08825372B2 |
Navigation system
A navigation system includes: a map information acquiring unit 31 for acquiring map information; an HOV lane decision unit 38 for deciding whether an HOV lane is included in a road represented by the map information acquired by the map information acquiring unit 31 or not; a road number processing unit 43 for performing, when the HOV lane decision unit 38 decides that the HOV lane is included, processing of adding information representing the HOV lane to a road number of the road including the HOV lane; and a display processing unit 44 or a voice information unit 46 for causing the road number passing through the processing by the road number processing unit 43 to be displayed on the guide map or output in voice. |
| US08825370B2 |
Interactive map-based travel guide
A trip planner is provided for creating, modifying, categorizing, and sharing online trip plans. A trip plan includes a list of items such as hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions selected from a travel guide or provided by a user. An item can have a street address for positioning the item on a map, an image and description of the item, and other metadata assigned by the user, such as tags and notes. The trip planner can generate an itinerary listing the items, and a corresponding map showing the locations of the items. A trip plan can be shared with other users, who can locate the trip plan by searching for the tags or other metadata. |
| US08825369B2 |
Telematics terminal and method for controlling vehicle using the same
A device and method for controlling a vehicle with a telematics terminal installed in or on the vehicle. The method includes a) receiving coordinates of a geo-fence area by the telematics terminal; b) determining whether or not the vehicle is located within the geo-fence area or is on a route that will intercept the geo-fence area; and c) if the vehicle is determined to have entered into the geo-fence area, controlling the vehicle to meet predetermined drive requirements previously set for the geo-fence area. |
| US08825367B2 |
Vehicle system and method for controlling vehicle system
A vehicle system includes a travel route including a merging section including a first entrance and a second entrance, a plurality of vehicles configured to travel on the travel route in one direction, and a ground controller configured and programmed to communicate with the plurality of vehicles. Any other vehicle expected to enter the merging section from the first entrance when a first vehicle is expected to enter the merging section from the second entrance is mapped on the travel route of the first vehicle based on a position and a velocity of the first vehicle and a position and a velocity of the other vehicle. A preceding-following relationship between the first vehicle and the other vehicle is determined from the position of the first vehicle and the position of the other vehicle after the mapping, and travel of the first vehicle is controlled so as to avoid a collision with the other vehicle. |
| US08825365B2 |
Methods and systems for detecting a potential conflict between aircraft on an airport surface
Methods and systems are provided for determining a potential conflict between a first aircraft and a second aircraft on an airport surface. In an embodiment, the methods include defining a first aircraft boundary around the first aircraft, based on data related to dimensions of the first aircraft, defining a second aircraft boundary around the second aircraft, based on data related to dimensions of the second aircraft, and determining a potential conflict exists between the first and the second aircraft, based on the first aircraft boundary and the second aircraft boundary. |
| US08825363B2 |
Portable terminal, travel path recording method and program storage medium
A portable terminal includes: a position obtaining section that obtains a piece of position information of a current position of the portable terminal; a power control section that controls turning on and off of power before and after the piece of position information is obtained by the position obtaining section, respectively; and a motion sensor that detects a movement of the portable terminal. The portable terminal further includes: a storage section that stores a history of the pieces of position information; and a recording section that records, into the storage section, a piece of position information newly obtained by the position obtaining section activated by the power control section, only when a movement is detected by the motion sensor. |
| US08825360B2 |
System for controlling operation of an airline
An airline operations control system for an airline having multiple aircraft and multiple routes formed by one or more flights, which are implemented by the aircraft flying the flights forming the routes, where the airline operations control system includes a computer searchable database, a query module configured to query the database, and a prognostic module. |
| US08825355B2 |
Lane departure control system
A lane departure control system is provided which works to control a lane departure of a vehicle. When the vehicle is expected to unintentionally leave a lane of a road, the system steers the vehicle toward the center of the lane at a first yaw rate. Afterwards, when the vehicle is determined to be traveling toward a virtual line extending parallel to the boundary line, the system directs the vehicle parallel to the virtual line at a second yaw rate. The system keeps an absolute value of the first yaw rate below a first upper limit and also keeps an absolute value of the second yaw rate below a second upper limit that is less than the first upper limit. This provides an improved comfortable ride to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is directed parallel to the virtual line. |
| US08825351B2 |
Terminal apparatus for transmitting or receiving a signal including predetermined information
A modem unit receives a signal broadcasted by a base station apparatus. A storage unit extracts information included in the received signal and stores the extracted information. A detection unit detects a fact that the signal broadcasted by the base station apparatus is not received. A generation unit measures a period of time starting when the storage unit has stored the information. When the detection unit detects the fact and when the measured period of time is shorter than a threshold, the generation unit broadcasts a signal including the information stored in the storage unit. |
| US08825349B2 |
On-vehicle information terminal and information distribution system
An on-vehicle information terminal includes a traffic information obtaining unit that obtains traffic information including at least either weather information or event information through wireless communication, a decision-making unit that makes a decision, based upon at least either the weather information or the event information, as to whether or not telematics information provided by a distribution server via a mobile communication network is to be downloaded, and a download unit that downloads the telematics information via the mobile communication network if the decision-making unit has determined that the telematics information is to be downloaded. |
| US08825347B2 |
Engine auto-stop vehicle and control method therefor
A controller actuates an electrical oil pump when an idle stop condition or a coast stop condition holds and causes the actuation of the electrical oil pump to continue without being stopped until an accelerated state of a vehicle or a driver's intention to accelerate is determined even if the idle stop condition and the coast stop condition no longer holds thereafter. |
| US08825345B2 |
Engine control for a motor vehicle
A control system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The control system determines if a motor vehicle is going to stop according to information about a preceding vehicle. The control system may use information about the vehicle speed of the motor vehicle, a following distance between the motor vehicle and a preceding vehicle and preceding vehicle deceleration information. When the control system determines that the motor vehicle is going to stop, the motor vehicle shuts down the engine prior to the vehicle stopping in order to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. |
| US08825340B2 |
Vibration control apparatus of driving system for vehicle and control method thereof
Disclosed is a vibration control apparatus of a driving system for a vehicle. More specifically, a toque command generating portion receives a demand torque from a driver and generates a torque command for operating a motor. A torque control portion receives the torque command from the toque command generating portion, collects information on exterior disturbances, and controls an actual torque of the motor accordingly. Lastly, a damping portion extracts and filters a vibration element generated due to operation of the motor by control of the torque control portion and generates a target torque to eliminate vibrations from the motor. |
| US08825338B2 |
Controller for a drive system
A primary controller disclosed. The primary controller is configured for controlling operation of a drive system comprising a prime mover, a generator, and a motor, wherein the prime mover is configured to provide energy to the generator, which is configured to drive the motor. The controller comprises a speed controller configured for determining a target speed of the motor dependent on externally-supplied speed input and a torque controller configured for determining a target torque of the motor based on externally-supplied torque input and on parameters of the vehicle. The primary controller is configured to simultaneously determine the target speed and the target torque and to simultaneously control the prime mover, generator, and motor to operate the motor at the target speed and the target torque. |
| US08825336B2 |
Method for detecting a burnout state during which driven wheels are caused to spin
A method for detecting a burnout state during which driven wheels of a motor vehicle are caused to spin is provided. The method includes detecting a rotational wheel speed of a first driven wheel and a rotational wheel speed of a second driven wheel and comparing the rotational wheel speed of the faster turning wheel with a first constant. A vehicle speed is detected and compared with a second constant. An engine rotational speed is detected and compared with a third constant. The burnout state is detected when the rotational wheel speed of the faster turning wheel is greater than the first constant, the vehicle speed is less than the second constant, and the engine rotational speed is greater than the third constant. |
| US08825334B2 |
Vehicle behavior control apparatus and vehicle behavior control method
A vehicle behavior control apparatus is equipped with a slip angle detector that detects a slip angle of a vehicle, a control amount calculation portion that calculates a control amount from the slip angle detected by the slip angle detector, a derivative of the slip angle, and a second order derivative of the slip angle, and a control portion that executes a behavior control for the vehicle based on the calculated control amount. |
| US08825332B2 |
Method for stabilizing a vehicle in a driving situation in which the vehicle is simultaneously braked and steered
A method is described for stabilizing a vehicle during a braking maneuver, in which the vehicle is steered at the same time. In order to bring the vehicle back again into a controlled state as rapidly as possible, the driving state is monitored with respect to a driving situation in which the wheel slip of the front wheels is greater than a specified threshold value, and besides that, a steering requirement is present. If such a driving situation has been detected, the brake pressure is first reduced at a first front wheel and after that at a second front wheel on the other side of the vehicle, until the wheel start-up pressure is reached. Because of that, the first wheel starts up substantially faster than in response to a simultaneous pressure reduction. |
| US08825330B2 |
Vehicle brake device
In a vehicle brake device having a hydraulic pressure sensor for detecting an output value corresponding to the pressure of a fluid pressure adjusted by a master cylinder and a master cylinder pressure calculating unit for storing the output value of the hydraulic pressure sensor at which the pressure of the master cylinder becomes 0 as a zero-point correction value and calculating a master cylinder pressure by correcting the output value of the hydraulic pressure sensor based on the zero-point correction value, the vehicle brake device has a zero-point correction value updating unit for setting, when the output value detected by the hydraulic pressure sensor is smaller than the zero-point correction value stored in the master cylinder pressure calculating unit, the output value as a new zero-point correction value and updating the zero-point correction value. |
| US08825329B2 |
Operating method for a motor vehicle comprising in particular an electronically controlled parking brake system
An operating method for a motor vehicle including an electronically controlled motor vehicle brake system, having an automated brake release function. A start-up request is determined electronically in an automated manner and subsequently at least one electronic command is transmitted to a parking brake actuating mechanism in order to release the brake, and the electronic unit EPB−ESC−ECU is networked with communication partners, for example, electronic units, sensors and/or data-bus systems in order to exchange signals and/or data with these communication partners, and including an electronic routine for providing software, configuring and/or calibrating the motor vehicle brake system. For improved operation, in a more flexible configuration routine, the routine for providing software, configuring and/or calibrating the motor vehicle brake system is embodied in a multi-level manner, and subsequent to the vehicle being produced the motor vehicle brake system includes at least self-learning properties in terms of an automated configuration routine. |
| US08825322B1 |
Bicycle component controlling apparatus
A bicycle component controlling includes at least a first sensor and a controller. The first sensor detects a first operating condition, whether a rider is sitting on a bicycle seat. A second sensor is provided that detects a second operating condition. The sensors output signals indicative of the respective operating conditions. The controller is operatively connected to at least the first sensor and possibly the second sensor. The controller is configured to generate a component control command to control a bicycle component based on at least the first signal and the possibly the second signal. The bicycle component is a component other than an automatic transmission and a suspension when the second sensor is not provided. If the second sensor is provided, a suspension and automatic transmission is controlled, or components other than an automatic transmission and a suspension is controlled. |
| US08825320B2 |
Method and apparatus for developing a deceleration-based synchronous shift schedule
A method for controlling a powertrain includes monitoring a desired synchronous transmission shift during deceleration of an output member including a desired operating range state, monitoring an output speed, predicting output deceleration through the desired synchronous transmission shift, determining a penalty cost associated with the desired synchronous transmission shift based upon an input speed profile resulting from the predicted output deceleration and from the desired synchronous transmission shift, and executing the synchronous transmission shift based upon the penalty cost. |
| US08825316B2 |
Hybrid-type construction machine
A hybrid-type construction machine is provided which permits swing operation without a sense of awkwardness compared with conventional construction machines and which allows the amount of stored electricity in an electrical storage device to be controlled within an appropriate range of use in consideration of the service life of the electrical storage device without enlarging its capacity.The hybrid-type construction machine includes an electric motor and a hydraulic motor for driving a swing structure, an electrical storage device, and a controller for controlling charging and discharging of the electrical storage device. The controller includes a storage unit which stores a discharge command region to be set in accordance with the swing speed of the swing structure with regard to the amount of stored electricity in the electrical storage device, and a computing unit which, if the amount of stored electricity in the electrical storage device reaches the discharge command region stored in the storage unit, computes an additional drive torque command value for increasing the amount of powering of the electric motor in accordance with the amount of stored electricity in the electrical storage device, the computing unit further outputting the additional drive torque command value to the electric motor to drive the swing structure. |
| US08825310B2 |
Method and apparatus for signaling to an operator of a farm implement that the farm implement is traversing a previously seeded area
A sectional control apparatus and method prompts the operator of an implement when the implement, or portion thereof, is traversing over land that has already been seeded and/or disturbed. The apparatus includes a GPS or GNSS receiver that communicates with a GPS or GNSS system and a controller that maps movement of the implement so that real-time positional data for the implement can be compared to the movement map. When the position of the implement, or portion thereof, is detected as moving over previously seeded and/or disturbed land, the controller activates an alert mechanism in the operator cab of the implement to notify the operator that sectional control, i.e., shutting down metering of product or raising the tool bar, needs to be implemented. |
| US08825303B1 |
Wheel alignment apparatus and method for vehicles having electro-mechanical power steering
A method and apparatus are provided for aligning the wheels of a vehicle equipped with an electro-mechanical power steering system having a steering angle sensor, a torque sensor, and a torsion bar linking the steering angle sensor and the torque sensor. Embodiments include moving a steering wheel of the vehicle to a level position such that there is substantially no torque applied to the torsion bar; adjusting the toe of a first one of the front wheels of the vehicle after the steering wheel is moved to the level position; and moving the steering wheel substantially back to the level position, then re-adjusting the toe of the first one of the front wheels, when the steering wheel has moved more than a predetermined angle from the level position while adjusting the toe of the first one of the front wheels. |
| US08825302B2 |
Motor vehicle, in particular automobile, and method for controlling a motor vehicle, in particular an automobile
A motor vehicle and a method for controlling a motor vehicle in road traffic are provided. A motor vehicle includes a driver assistance system and a navigation means comprising a sensor for detecting compressive forces, or tensile forces, or torsional forces. An evaluation unit is coupled to the navigation means and evaluates the signals of the sensor. The evaluation unit puts the driver assistance system into operation or takes it out of operation when a threshold value of the signals stored in the evaluation unit is exceeded or fallen below. A controller is activated when the threshold value is exceeded or fallen below and transfers at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system to manual operation by a driver or transfers the manual control of the motor vehicle to at least partial control by the driver assistance system. |
| US08825301B2 |
Electric power steering apparatus
An electric power steering apparatus that compensates both a static friction and a dynamic friction, performs the switching between a static friction compensation and a dynamic friction compensation smoothly and without unpleasant sensation in order to achieve a natural comfortable steering feeling. In an electric power steering apparatus wherein a current command value is calculated based on at least a steering torque, and a motor is controlled by a current control value calculated based on said current command value to provide a steering assist force to a steering mechanism, wherein: there is provided a friction compensator calculating a friction compensation value for compensating friction to said steering mechanism on the basis of said steering torque, and said current command value is corrected by said friction compensation value. |
| US08825299B2 |
Control system and electric power steering control device
A main control device generates a first signal and a second signal, which is substantially equivalent to the first signal, in accordance with the input signal, a sub-control device includes a comparison-judgment-processing unit that compares the first signal with the second signal, and judges that an abnormality occurs when a state, in which a deviation between the both signals is greater than equal to a predetermined value, is continued in a time being equal to a first predetermined time, and a limitation unit is configured in such a way that the limitation unit adds a predetermined limitation to the output of the main control device in accordance with a result for which the comparison-judgment-processing unit judges that the abnormality occurs. |
| US08825296B2 |
Method for operating a control system of a motorcycle
The invention relates to a method for operating a control system (63) of a motorcycle (60), which moves an electromechanical steering lock (10) from an unlocked position (1) to a locked position (2) and vice-versa, with an ignition system (62) to start the engine of the motorcycle (60), which is controlled by the control system (63), an authentication (70), in which an ID-generator (64) maintains a data link with the control system (63), wherein after a positive authentication (70) in an operational step (71a,71b), the steering lock (10) is brought into the appropriate position (1,2). According to the invention, it is provided that the first actuator element (31) has a signal connection with the control system (63), which is accessible to the user, and the operational step (71a,71b) commences only after positive authentication (70) via intentional activation of the first actuator element (31), which occurs after the authentication (70). |
| US08825293B2 |
Suspension control for pulse/glide green cruise control
A method is described comprising modulating vehicle speed about a target speed by operating a vehicle with an engine at high output and then operating the vehicle with the engine off, and adjusting operation of a suspension system based on the vehicle operation with the engine at high output and the engine off to control vehicle pitch during the modulating of vehicle speed about the target speed. |
| US08825291B2 |
Vehicle vibration-damping controlling apparatus
In a vehicle vibration-damping controlling apparatus for executing vibration-damping control to control a power source loaded on a vehicle to suppress sprung vibration of the vehicle, a control amount of the vibration-damping control is changed based on a judgment target amount that is used in judging control and variable accompanied by an execution of the vibration-damping control. Therefore, since the control amount of the vibration-damping control is changed based on the judgment target amount, it is possible to allow the vibration-damping control to coordinate with various pieces of judging control related to the power source and appropriately execute the vibration-damping control. |
| US08825285B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a drive device, in particular an engine cooling fan of a motor vehicle
The invention relates to a method and a device for operating a drive device. According to the invention, it is provided that the lower speed limit and the upper speed limit of a critical speed range of the drive device are determined when operating the drive device, that the target speed of the drive device is determined and that the operation of the drive device is done at one of the speed limits if the target speed is within the critical speed range. Through this procedure, it is for example avoided that the drive device is operated in a speed range in which the environment of the drive device or the device itself is excited into characteristic vibrations that are undesirable noise and/or vibrations. |
| US08825284B2 |
Automatic fan curve selection
A method and system for use in a vehicle. The method includes providing a plurality of fan curves in a vehicle, requesting vehicle information, and selecting a fan curve from the plurality of fan curves based on the vehicle information. |
| US08825283B2 |
Electric-drive tractability indicator integrated in hybrid electric vehicle tachometer
An indicator, system and method of indicating electric drive usability in a hybrid electric vehicle. A tachometer is used that includes a display having an all-electric drive portion and a hybrid drive portion. The all-electric drive portion and the hybrid drive portion share a first boundary which indicates a minimum electric drive usability and a beginning of hybrid drive operation of the vehicle. The indicated level of electric drive usability is derived from at least one of a percent battery discharge, a percent maximum torque provided by the electric drive, and a percent electric drive to hybrid drive operating cost for the hybrid electric vehicle. |
| US08825280B2 |
Vehicle data storage system, vehicle data storage apparatus, vehicle data storage server, and vehicle data storage method
A vehicle data storage system, in which vehicle data obtained from a vehicle-mounted device is stored, includes a vehicle data storage portion in which the vehicle data is stored; a country determination portion that determines a country in which a vehicle exists, based on position data of the vehicle; a selection table storage portion in which a type of the vehicle data that should be stored in the vehicle data storage portion is stored in association with country data; a data determination portion that determines the type of the vehicle data that should be stored in the vehicle data storage portion, based on the country determined by the country determination portion, by referring to the selection table storage portion; and a data processing portion that stores, in the vehicle data storage portion, the vehicle data determined by the data determination portion. |
| US08825276B2 |
Maintenance systems and methods for use in analyzing maintenance data
Methods and maintenance systems for use in analyzing data related to maintenance of at least one vehicle are disclosed. One example method includes receiving at least one fault message, receiving a maintenance event log for a vehicle. The maintenance event log including at least one maintenance event associated with the at least one fault message. The example method further includes automatically identifying a corrective action within a most recent maintenance event of the at least one maintenance event and storing a diagnostic entry including the at least one fault message and the identified corrective action, such that the diagnostic entry is retrievable from the computing device to evaluate a subsequent like fault message. |
| US08825273B2 |
Method for monitoring a pedestrian detecting device for a vehicle
A method is provided for monitoring a pedestrian detecting device for a vehicle, wherein an absorber is provided on a bumper of the vehicle. The absorber can deform in the event of a collision with a pedestrian. The deformation is transferred to a connecting element, and the connecting element actuates a sensor that generates a sensor signal. The functionality of the pedestrian detecting device can be monitored by saving the current sensor signal as a target value every time the vehicle is parked, and saving the current sensor signal as an actual value every time the vehicle is restarted. The actual value is compared to the target value, and a deviation of the target value from the actual value is detected and/or displayed. |
| US08825272B1 |
Alternator and starter tester with capacitive element
A diagnostic system configured to test the performance of a vehicle component may include a processor configured to process test information from the vehicle component and control the vehicle component to be tested. The system may also include a memory configured to store the test information of the vehicle component and software that operates the vehicle component and a capacitive element configured to supply power to perform the testing of the vehicle component, wherein the memory and the capacitive element are in communication with the processor. |
| US08825270B2 |
Method and apparatus for indicating an automotive diagnostic urgency
Provided is a method for determining the urgency for repairing a diagnostic condition in a vehicle. Upon determining the repair urgency, a driver may decide to continue driving (in the case of a “low” urgency determination), or cease driving (in the case of a “high” urgency determination). The urgency status may also enable a driver to shop around for the repair (in the event of a “low” urgency status), or to seek immediate assistance (in the event of a “high” urgency status). |
| US08825263B1 |
Vehicle guidance based on tractor position
Guiding a leading vehicle according to a desired trailing vehicle path includes generating one or more proceeding paths for one or more intermediate locations along an implement train between a trailing vehicle first location and a leading vehicle second location. The proceeding paths generated with a propagation and transformation algorithm that propagates a preceding path of one of the first location, such as the desired trailing vehicle path, or one of one or more intermediate locations to an immediately proceeding location, and transforms the preceding path according to dimensional characteristics of the implement train. A second guiding path is generated for the leading vehicle second location with the algorithm based on the immediately preceding path of the intermediate location closest to the second location. The method facilitates guidance of the trailing vehicle along the desired trailing vehicle path without navigation markers on the implement train except for the leading vehicle. |
| US08825260B1 |
Object and ground segmentation from a sparse one-dimensional range data
Methods and systems for object and ground segmentation from a sparse one-dimensional range data are described. A computing device may be configured to receive scan data representing points in an environment of a vehicle. The computing device may be configured to determine if a test point in the scan data is likely to be an obstacle or ground by comparing the point to other points in the scan data to determine if specific constraints are violated. Points that do not pass these tests are likely to be above the ground, and therefore likely belong to obstacles. |
| US08825257B2 |
Autonomous navigation method and autonomous mobile body
An autonomous navigation method is a method of causing a mobile body (100) to autonomously navigate while comparing environmental magnetism data obtained in advance by measuring magnetism generated along a navigation path on which the mobile body (100) navigates and measured magnetism detected by actually measuring the magnetism generated along the navigation path when the mobile body (100) navigates along the navigation path. The method includes a step (a) of detecting first measured magnetism and second measured magnetism in different positions on the mobile body (100) and a step (b) of causing the mobile body (100) to autonomously navigate on the basis of the second measured magnetism detected by a magnetism sensor (103), which is not affected by unexpected magnetism (G) not included in the environmental magnetism data, and the environmental magnetism data. |
| US08825256B2 |
Charging device of robot cleaner
A charging device of a robot cleaner is provided. The charging device of a robot cleaner according to the embodiment includes at least one cover forming an appearance of the charging device, a base which is coupled with the cover and includes a terminal unit for charging the robot cleaner, an induction signal generating unit disposed at a side of the cover or the base to transmit a return induction signal to the robot cleaner, and an induction signal guide member disposed at a side of the induction signal generating unit to enhance a docking performance of the robot cleaner by improving linearity of the induction signal. The charging device according to the embodiment can guide the path for the return of the robot cleaner and recharge the robot cleaner stably. |
| US08825255B2 |
Reconciling service class-based routing affecting user service within a controllable transit system
Aspects of this invention provide gradient means for reconciling user service class prioritization. Under this approach, higher priority service classes may be maintained and used to compute routes for reaching desired destinations. However, when such treatment poses a cumulative disadvantage (e.g., an adverse impact that exceeds a predetermined “impact” threshold”) to too many users/vehicles, the routing algorithms may be adjusted to minimize overall inconvenience. As such, aspects of this invention provide a means of ensuring that various service classes of system users will not be affected negatively beyond predefined thresholds. Such reconciliation leads to a more flexible system, with higher user satisfaction permissible within the transit system. |
| US08825253B2 |
Hybrid vehicle control device
A hybrid vehicle control device is provided that is capable of achieving stable input torque control and torque capacity control of the clutch. When transitioning between a slip drive mode, in which the vehicle travels by controlling the rotation speed of the drive source and controlling the slip state of a starting clutch, and an engagement drive mode, in which the vehicle travels by controlling the torque of the drive source and completely engaging the starting clutch, the torque of the inertia component of the drive source side is deducted from the target drive torque set on the basis of the acceleration opening degree set as the starting clutch transfer torque capacity in the slip state. |
| US08825247B2 |
System for managing battery charge of electric vehicle and method thereof
Disclosed are a system and a method for managing battery charge of an electric vehicle according to the present invention. A system for managing battery charge of an electric vehicle according to the present invention may include: a message processing unit to receive, from a management center, power information about a smart grid that supplies power, to receive, from a first user, user information for setting a charging condition, and to provide set charging information; a charging time/charging cost calculator to calculate a first charging tolerance time and a first charging cost of the first user who has requested charge according to a charging mode included in the user information; and a determining unit to select a charging time zone of a minimum cost within a tolerance time based on content calculated by the charging time/charging cost calculator, and to generate charging information. |
| US08825244B2 |
Method and apparatus for operating a hybrid vehicle
In a method and an apparatus (9) for operating a hybrid vehicle with an internal combustion engine (4) and an electric motor (5), the internal combustion engine (4) is started automatically in a readiness to drive mode of the hybrid vehicle (1) as soon as it is no longer detected reliably that the driver is present. |
| US08825243B2 |
Predictive energy management control scheme for a vehicle including a hybrid powertrain system
A method for controlling a vehicle having a hybrid powertrain includes monitoring vehicle navigation and traffic patterns associated with a predicted travel path. It extends the powertrain instantaneous controller into a predictive control framework, and utilizes previewed traffic and geographic information based on on-board sensing and navigation information. An impending road load is predicted from which a fuel cost factor is optimized under a model predictive control framework. A state-of-charge trajectory is predicted from the impending road load and operation of the hybrid powertrain system is controlled in response thereto. |
| US08825238B2 |
Aircraft systems and methods for monitoring energy height
A system is provided for monitoring an energy height of an aircraft during landing. The system includes a database including landing distance data; a processing unit configured to receive the landing distance data from the database and to calculate a landing distance of the aircraft based on a velocity and a height of the aircraft, the processing unit further configured to provide display signals based on the landing distance; and a visual display coupled to the processing unit and configured to provide a visual image based on the display signals. |
| US08825237B2 |
System and method for economic usage of an aircraft
The present application relates to a system and method for providing real-time indications of economic impact of aircraft operations to an aircraft operator. The system and method allow the aircraft operator to reduce economic impact during flight of the aircraft. Such an analysis and cue to the aircraft operator allows the operator to make real-time changes during flight to reduce damage of life-limited aircraft components, thereby reducing the economic impact of aircraft operation that is directly associated with maintenance and component replacement. The system and method can also include pre-flight and post-flight analysis methods for reduction of economic impact of flight operations. |
| US08825235B2 |
Aircraft hover system and method
An aircraft hover system for enabling an aircraft to hover at a target spatial location represented by GPS location coordinates. The hover system includes a display screen rendering a display including live video feed of the terrain below the airborne aircraft, a first mark overlaying the video feed, the first mark representing the current position of the aircraft relative to the terrain, and a perimeter surrounding the first mark, the portion of the terrain within the perimeter being substantially magnified compared to that of the terrain outside of the perimeter. The hover system is configured such that, as the aircraft approaches the target spatial location, the distance between the first mark and a second mark on the display gradually decreases until and finally the first and second marks coincide; the second mark representing the target spatial location. |
| US08825234B2 |
Turbulence mitigation for touch screen systems
A method and apparatus for managing a touch screen system. Data generated by an acceleration detector about acceleration of the touch screen system is received. The acceleration detector is located within the touch screen system. An action is initiated by an input manager when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces usability of the touch screen system. |
| US08825230B2 |
Multi core vehicle management unified user interface system and method
A computerized method for providing a unified user interface to a plurality of flight management components encapsulated within a flight management system. The method can include receiving a flight management system input dataset from a first flight management system user interface device. The method can also include creating, with a processor programmed to provide a unified user interface, a plurality of flight management system input data portions to be transmitted to a plurality of destination flight management system components. The plurality of flight management system input data portions can be based on the flight management system input dataset and each flight management system input data portion can correspond to one of said plurality of destination flight management system components. Each of said plurality of flight management system input data portions can be transmitted from the processor to said corresponding destination flight management system component. |
| US08825229B2 |
Mobile tracking and subduing apparatus, method, and computer program product
A mobile tracking and subduing apparatus of a target object that includes liquid storage tank that is configured hold a predetermined amount of a liquid, a probe configured to inject the liquid from the liquid storage tank into a skin surface of a target object, an optical detection unit for obtaining image or video data, a GPS unit that generates positional data, a wireless communications interface configured to receive command data, and a target tracking unit for detecting and tracking the target object based on the received positional data, command data, and images or video data and inject the contents of the liquid storage section into the target object via the probe. |
| US08825228B2 |
Method and a device for assisting the piloting of an aircraft, and an aircraft
A method of assisting the piloting of an aircraft (1) comprising a first rotor (5) having a plurality of first blades (6) with a first variable collective pitch, and a second rotor (7) having a plurality of second blades (8) with a second variable collective pitch. According to the method, a computer determines a power limit curve (70) and displays said limit curve (70) in a diagram (60) to inform the pilot of the first and second collective pitch margins available before reaching the limits of at least one operating rating of the power plant of the aircraft. |
| US08825226B1 |
Deployment of mobile automated vehicles
An automated mobile vehicle configured to autonomously provide coverage for inoperable infrastructure components at various locations. A plurality of automated mobile vehicles may be deployed to provide emergency lighting, a wireless network, audio, video, etc., at an event area. The event area may be indoors and/or outdoors. |
| US08825217B2 |
Energy consumption management
Methods, systems, and devices for controlling electrical energy consumption in an electricity distribution network, so as to reduce net energy consumption in a given area during a given time period, are described. In particular, a method of controlling electrical energy consumption within an electricity distribution network is described. The method comprises maintaining a database of information about electric devices, and identifying a time period during which consumption of electrical energy is to be controlled. The method further comprises selecting, based on device profile information stored in the database, groups of electric devices, and associating one or more time intervals with each of the selected groups. Requests are sent to the electric devices of the selected groups to control electrical energy consumption and/or provision by the electric devices. This enables a reduction in net consumption of electrical energy during a respective time interval. |
| US08825216B2 |
Apparatus for controlling power of sensor nodes based on estimation of power acquisition and method thereof
An apparatus for controlling power of sensor nodes based on estimation of power acquisition, includes: a self power acquisition unit acquiring self power; an internal sensing unit sensing power acquired from the self power acquisition unit and consumed power; a power cut-off unit cutting-off power for each component of the sensor nodes; and a microprocessor receiving information of acquired power and consumed power from the internal sensing unit to analyze a supply and demand of power, estimating the acquired power using annual meteorological statistics data and recent weather forecast data, controlling power for each component of the sensor nodes through the power cut-off unit according to the estimation of the acquired power, and controlling a sensing period and a communication period of the sensor nodes. |
| US08825215B2 |
Power consumption compliance monitoring system and method
Systems and methods for monitoring compliance with a request not to run a type of load (e.g., a high-power-consuming appliance) during a demand response event are provided. One such system may include storage containing a load profile representative of a pattern of power consumption by a type of load and data processing circuitry. The data processing circuitry may compare a power usage profile representing power consumption by a consumer at least over a period of time to the load profile to determine whether the consumer is running the type of load over the period of time. |
| US08825214B2 |
Method of analyzing and controlling a combustion process in a gas turbine and apparatus for performing the method
A method is provided for the measurement of parameters of a gas present in a gas turbine combustion chamber. The method includes tuning a laser to a range containing the absorption lines of species to be analyzed in the gas, and directing the laser light through the combustion chamber and detecting laser light reflected off boundary walls of the combustion chamber. In order to analyze the absorption spectrum measured at high temperatures and pressures, a signature recognition algorithm is applied to the spectrum. The measured absorption spectrum is cross-correlated with a calibration absorption model spectrum for the absorption lines at several temperatures, pressures, and concentrations generated prior to the measurement. Values for pressure, temperature, and concentrations of selected species in the gas are determined simultaneously allowing direct control of the combustion chamber process. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided. |
| US08825209B2 |
Method and apparatus to plan motion path of robot
If a manipulator of a robot falls in local minima when expanding a node to generate a path, the manipulator may efficiently escape from local minima by any one of a random escaping method and a goal function changing method or a combination thereof to generate the path. When the solution of inverse kinematics is not obtained due to local minima or when the solution of inverse kinematics is not obtained due to an inaccurate goal function, an optimal motion path to avoid an obstacle may be efficiently searched for. The speed to obtain the solution may be increased and thus the time consumed to search for the optimal motion path may be shortened. |
| US08825206B2 |
Display window device for sale of products
A display window device for the sale of products is disclosed. The display window device includes a transparent window, a shelf designed to receive different types of products displayed on one side of the window, at least one sensor capable of detecting a force exerted on the window, a meter to count the number of forces, a selector configured to associate a number of forces and a type of product, and an element to deliver a product of the chosen type. |
| US08825204B2 |
Method and control circuit for adjusting a gap
In a method for adjusting a gap through which a product is to be conveyed, a rotatable element is driven with a predetermined torque, and the rotatable element is moved against the product located in the gap until the rotatable element stops. |
| US08825197B1 |
Determining stowability based on item-size categories
Methods, systems and apparatus for determining stowability based on item-size categories are described. Embodiments may select a storage module for a stow operation based on accessing stowability information. Stowability information, in various embodiments may include stowability information for each storage module in a materials handling system. Stowability information may indicate a capacity to hold additional items in a storage module. The capacity may be determined according an item-size category descriptor, describing the quantity of items in each category of a storage module, and a storage module capacity module characterizing item descriptors of fully-stowed storage modules. In some embodiments the storage module capacity model is a function fitted to data points representing the values of item-size descriptors of fully-stowed storage modules. Embodiments may update the stowability information for a storage module in response to the removal of an item from the storage module. |
| US08825196B2 |
Pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system and methods of storing and retrieving pharmaceuticals
A pharmaceutical storage and retrieval system and a method of storing and retrieving pharmaceutical containers from the system. The system includes a pharmaceutical storage and retrieval and a controller operatively coupled to the device to control storage and retrieval functions of the device. The device includes a gantry assembly, a shelving assembly, a user access assembly, and a user authorization system that function in a coordinated manner to carry out the storage and retrieval functions of the device. |
| US08825195B2 |
Method for mover transition in an automated media library
A method for mover transition in an open systems based media library (14) for use with a host (10) that relays command requests comprises the steps of retaining a storage medium (20); selectively moving the storage medium (20) within the media library (14) with a first media mover (26); and when the first media mover (26) has a status of unavailable due to mover transition, indicating to the host (10) with a control system (40) that the first media mover (26) is not ready to perform a motion operation, and is in the process of becoming ready. Additionally, the host (10) continues to relay command requests to the media library (14) when the first media mover (26) has the status of unavailable, and the control system (40) performs any subsequent command requests relayed by the host (10) when the first media mover (26) subsequently has the status of available. |
| US08825190B2 |
Priority calculation device, program, priority calculation system, and priority calculation method
Priority can be calculated for works-in-process which are not in demand. A priority calculation device (110) comprises a priority calculation unit (124) which specifies a queue of lots in each production stage, a product category wherein the lot is to be used, and the number of components included in the lot, on the basis of information stored in a queue information storage area (115), and allocates priority for each lot so that when the specified lot is supplied to the production stage, a lot, by which a ratio of a component, in each product category, contained in a lot which is in a process subsequent to the process of the production stage is made closer to the ratio of demand in each product category specified by the information stored in a demand information storage area (113), is supplied into the production stage with higher priority. |
| US08825187B1 |
Surround sound in a sensory immersive motion capture simulation environment
A wearable computing device of the listener entity can receive 3D motion data of a virtual representation of the listener entity, 3D motion data of a virtual representation of a sound emitter entity and audio data. The audio data may be associated with an audio event triggered by the sound emitter entity in a capture volume. The wearable computing device of the listener entity can process the 3D motion data of the virtual representation of a listener entity, the 3D motion data of the virtual representation of the sound emitter entity and the audio data to generate a multi channel audio output data customized to the perspective of the virtual representation of a first entity. The multi channel audio output data may be associated with the audio event. The multi channel audio output data can be communicated to the listener entity through a surround sound audio output device. |
| US08825186B2 |
Digital audio processing
The invention concerns digital audio processing and in particular the detection of periods where samples can be deleted or repeated unobtrusively so as to change the average sample-rate or to provide time delay modification. Differences between succeeding sample values are evaluated and compared with a threshold and samples are deleted or repeated where two or more consecutive sample value differences are less than the said threshold value. |
| US08825183B2 |
Methods for a data driven interface based on relationships between process control tags
Navigation between process control graphics representative of process control entities in an operator display includes a list of relationship value references and process control graphical element identifications associated with each relationship value reference. Each process control graphical element identification uniquely identifies a process control graphical element of the operator display, each relationship is between various physical/logical entities and each relationship value reference uniquely identifies a logical and/or physical relationship between two or more entities within the process plant. One or more relationships are associated with a graphical object. Each relationship value reference is bound to two or more process control graphical elements of the operator display based on associated process control graphical element identifications. |
| US08825174B2 |
Therapeutic electric antioxidant clothing apparatus and method
A process for introducing therapeutic doses of electric antioxidants to the human skin with conductive portions in clothing for electrically contacting the skin, for applying direct current, pulsed direct current, or alternating current electricity of various voltage and current levels, for conductive wiring fiber interwoven in clothing, and for electronically controlling the doses of electric antioxidants in microcurrent doses applied percutaneously or transcutaneously to the human skin. A preferred embodiment includes the process for applying clothing that is skin tight, with or without a control module imbedded in the clothing or optionally, a wireless and remote control module for administering the therapeutic doses of electric antioxidants to the skin of the head, feet, legs, hips, or upper torso. |
| US08825172B2 |
Techniques for electronically assessing electrode condition and peri-electrode tissue conductivity change pre- and post-MRI
A neurostimulation system and method of operating an implantable neurostimulation device configured for outputting electrical stimulation energy to at least one electrode in accordance with a set of stimulation parameters. The implantable neurostimulation device may be switched from a normal operating mode to a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) operating mode. Electrical parameter measurements may be repeatedly acquired at each of the electrode(s) in response to the placement of the implantable stimulation system in the MRI mode. A corrective action may be performed based on at least one of the repeatedly acquired electrical parameter measurements. |
| US08825171B1 |
Impact resistant implantable antenna coil assembly
An impact resistant implantable antenna coil assembly comprising a flat antenna coil having a plurality of laterally separated turns of wire encapsulated with a non-orthogonal force absorbing coil reinforcement in a flexible biocompatible polymer and axially anchored with the reinforcement to a feedthrough case. Thus configured, non-orthogonal impact forces applied to the antenna coil assembly are absorbed and lateral components thereof that would otherwise be reflected as tensile forces in the plane of the coil are prevented from forming or from fracturing wire within the antenna coil. |
| US08825164B2 |
Neural modulation devices and methods
A system for designing a therapy or for treating a gastrointestinal disorder or a condition associated with excess weight in a subject comprising at least one electrode configured to be implanted within a body of the patient and placed at a vagus nerve, the electrode also configured to apply therapy to the vagus nerve upon application of a therapy cycle to the electrode; an implantable neuroregulator for placement in the body of the patient beneath the skin layer, the implantable neuroregulator being configured to generate a therapy cycle, wherein the therapy cycle comprises an on time during which an electrical signal is delivered, the electrical signal comprising: a) a set of pulses applied at a first selected frequency of about 150-10,000 Hz, wherein each pulse of the set of pulses has a pulse width of at least 0.01 milliseconds and less than the period of the first selected frequency. |
| US08825163B2 |
Systems and methods for selectively stimulating components in, on, or near the pudendal nerve or its branches to achieve selective physiologic responses
Systems and methods selectively stimulate components of the pudendal nerve away from the sacral root to evoke desired physiologic responses in persons who lack the ability to otherwise produce these responses—e.g., maintain continence and/or produce micturition, and/or provide male/female sexuality responses, and/or provide bowel responses. The systems and methods use a multiple electrode array, or individual electrodes, placed on, in, or near the pudendal nerve. The electrode array, or individual electrodes, in association with a pulse generator, provide selective stimulation of individual fascicles within the pudendal nerve, to achieve different physiologic responses. |
| US08825162B2 |
Ceramic bushing with inductive filter
One aspect relates to an electrical bushing for use in a housing of an implantable medical device. The electrical bushing includes at least one electrically insulating base body and at least one electrical conducting element. The conducting element is set up to establish, through the base body, at least one electrically conductive connection between an internal space of the housing and an external space. The conducting element is hermetically sealed with respect to the base body. The at least one conducting element includes at least one cermet. The electrical bushing includes an electrical filter structure. The at least one conducting element forms at least one conducting section of an inductor of the filter structure. |
| US08825160B2 |
Complex connector in component footprint of implantable medical device
A complex connector and component within an implantable medical device in which the complex connector is positioned within the spacing footprint of the component to optimize packaging within the device. |
| US08825159B2 |
Devices and methods for steering electrical stimulation in cardiac rhythm management
Tools and methods are particularly suited for certain cardiac conditions involving use of a catheter for pacing of the right and left ventricles from a lead in the right ventricle, e.g., to facilitate mechanically and/or electrically synchronous contractions for resynchronization. Certain aspects involve pacing and/or mapping by delivering pulses to a cardiac site useful for improving heart function as measured, e.g., by QRS width, fractionation, late LV activation timing, mechanical synchronicity of free wall and septal wall, effective throughput/pressure, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, a catheter arrangement includes a fixation mechanism to attach the catheter arrangement to heart tissue, individually-addressable electrodes for providing pacing signals to the heart tissue, and an elongated structure that supports the fixation mechanism and the electrodes. The elongated structure is used to direct an end thereof to the target region in the right ventricle, and deliver an electrical pacing signal to different portions within the target region of the heart when the fixation mechanism is operative to attach to heart tissue and also when the fixation mechanism is not attaching the catheter arrangement to heart tissue. |
| US08825147B2 |
Cardiac muscle excitation waveform detector
A cardiac muscle excitation waveform detector including: a waveform acquisition section that acquires, in a preset period, a waveform from an intracardiac electrocardiogram measured in middle of occurrence of atrial fibrillation; a waveform detection condition setting section that sets conditions for detecting a waveform of cardiac muscle excitation; and an excitation waveform detection section that detects a waveform of cardiac muscle excitation from the waveforms based on the conditions, wherein the waveform detection condition setting section includes a section that sets conditions based on a contour of a waveform to detect candidates for the waveform of cardiac muscle excitation, a section that sets a search period for searching for a waveform of cardiac muscle excitation; and a section that sets a preset period subsequent to detection as a detection exclusion period during which the candidate waveforms are not detected when the waveform of cardiac muscle excitation is detected. |
| US08825139B2 |
Method for automatic detection of a contrast agent inflow in a blood vessel of a patient with a CT system and CT system for carrying out this method
A method for automatic detection of a contrast agent inflow in a blood vessel of a patient with a CT system, and CT system for carrying out this method, are disclosed. At least one embodiment of the invention relates to a method which determines the position of at least one blood vessel in section image representations in a CT examination without external intervention with the aid of an active shape or active appearance model, measures the inflow of contrast agent in this region in a targeted way and automatically initiates at least one action in the event of inflowing contrast agent. |
| US08825134B2 |
Catheter localization system
A system and method for localizing a catheter is provided. Distance values are determined between a plurality of reference electrodes and a catheter electrode. At least two circles are identified based on the distance values. The catheter electrode is located at a position where the at least two circles substantially coincide or within a minimum distance between the at least two circles. A transformation is applied to the at least two circles to express the at least two circles in a global coordinate system. An image is displayed as a function of the catheter electrode position. |
| US08825132B2 |
Field cycling method for magnetic resonance
An NMR experiment on hyperpolarizable magnetic nuclei of substrate molecules in a living human or animal body, involves polarizing the substrate molecules by non-hydrogenating para-hydrogen induced polarization (=NH-PHIP) into a singlet/pseudo singlet state in low magnetic field and injecting the substrate molecules into the living body, the body or a part thereof being previously located inside a magnet at low magnetic field. The magnet is switched on to high magnetic field, and in at least part of the substrate molecules, the singlet state/pseudo singlet state is converted into observable magnetization. An MRI or MRS measurement is carried out with the living body or the part thereof, collecting data from the substrate molecules. The NMR experiment is well applicable on hyperpolarized nuclei within a patient, with reduced losses of magnetization due to relaxation processes. |
| US08825129B2 |
Indwelling nerve block catheters
A nerve block catheter system employs an indwelling, flexible catheter comprising a tissue lock to retain the catheter tip in pharmacologically proximity to a target nerve and optionally, a decoupler that insulates the tip of the catheter from proximal tissue movement. |
| US08825125B2 |
Endoscope system and processor apparatus thereof, and image generating method
An image of a target portion is captured while first light beams are applied thereto. Thereby, a first image signal is obtained. The first light beams are in a wavelength range in which an absorption coefficient varies in accordance with a change in oxygen saturation of hemoglobin in blood. An image of the target portion is captured while second light beams in a broadband wavelength range are applied thereto. Thereby, second and third image signals are obtained. Oxygen saturation is calculated from the first to third image signals. Reliability of the oxygen saturation is calculated from one of the first to third image signals. Color difference signals each corresponding to the oxygen saturation is obtained from a color table. Each of the color difference signals is corrected in accordance with the reliability. An oxygen saturation image is generated based on corrected color difference signals and displayed. |
| US08825123B1 |
Passthrough case for a smart phone
A passthrough case for a smart phone which provides a supplemental screen and controls for operating a camera of the smart phone. The passthrough case for a smart phone generally includes a cover for retaining a smart phone. The cover includes a phone receiving portion in which the smart phone is frictionally retained and which allows the display and controls of the smart phone to be fully accessible. A male connector extending from the cover interfaces with the data port of the smart phone to passthrough camera functionality to the cover. The user of the present invention may utilize a screen and controls on the cover to control camera functionality of the smart phone, thus significantly easing the process of taking self-portraits. |
| US08825118B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for controlling the same
A mobile terminal and a method for controlling the same are disclosed, which can connect communication with a preset external device when a battery of the mobile terminal is charged via a wireless charging pad, transmit information of the mobile terminal to the preset external device and output the information of the mobile terminal via the external device. |
| US08825115B2 |
Handoff from public to private mode for communications
An automobile communication system includes an outgoing communication controller that receives a communication from a first input source in a first operating mode and a second input source in a second operating mode. The system also includes an input selector that selects the first input source in the first mode and the second input source in the second mode and a mode selector operable by an automobile passenger that determines the operating mode. The system also includes an incoming communication controller that receives an incoming communication from a cellular phone and an output selector that provides an output of the incoming communication controller to a first output device in the first operating mode and to the second output device in the second mode. |
| US08825113B2 |
Portable terminal and driving method of the same
A device and method of controlling a portable terminal including a motion sensor and a manipulation unit. The method includes a) sensing a motion pattern of the portable terminal; b) receiving a manual manipulation of the manipulation unit from a user; and c) interpreting a value inputted from the manipulation unit and a motion pattern sensed by the motion sensing unit as a user instruction. |
| US08825108B2 |
Call handling on dual-mode wireless handsets
Embodiments of the invention provide novel solutions, including systems, methods and/or software, for handling calls in a dual-mode VoIP/cellular environment. Merely by way of example, some systems can be configured to determine whether to use a VoIP system or a cellular system to handle a particular call, and/or to transition a call from one network to the other network. Other systems can be configured to substitute a public number (which might be, for example, a VoIP number) for a private number (which might be, for example, a cellular number) when routing a call originating from a dual-mode phone on a cellular network. Further systems can be configured to allow a VoIP system to serve as an anchor for calls originated and/or delivered on a cellular system, for instance to facilitate a transition between cellular and VoIP service during a call. |
| US08825107B2 |
Method and system for toll-free government priority telecommunication systems
A method of an embodiment may include receiving a request for a toll free priority call from a caller, verifying authorization of a caller for priority service, translating a caller provided number to a routable destination number, and routing the toll free priority call with priority to the routable destination number. |
| US08825106B2 |
Intelligent roaming and interworking
A mobile device may be configured with multiple access point names (APNs) including a roaming APN and a non-roaming APN. After a mobile device determines whether it is roaming, it may transmit a service request with the corresponding APN. The network may then select a profile based on the APN that may include quality of service parameters and other parameters for servicing the mobile device. The profile may be obtained from a local home location register or a remote home location register. |
| US08825103B2 |
Transmission power control
A quality measuring section measures reception quality of a radio signal received by a wireless communication section. A quality information transmitting section transmits reception quality information indicating the reception quality measured by the quality measuring section. A device number calculating section calculates, based on reception quality indicated by reception quality information transmitted from other wireless communication devices and the reception quality measured by the quality measuring section, the number of wireless communication devices, from among the other wireless communication devices, that can communicate with the wireless communication device including this device number calculating section. A power value determining section compares the number of the wireless communication devices calculated by the device number calculating section with a predetermined number of devices, to determine, on the basis of the comparison result, a transmission power value for the wireless communication section to transmit the radio signal. |
| US08825102B2 |
Transmit power management for specific absorption rates
Systems and methods for regulating transmit power in a mobile station to comply with SAR limits are disclosed. A mobile station may include a processor, transmitter, and proximity sensor. The transmitter is configured to operate at a transmit power controlled by a first transmit power limit. The proximity sensor identifies how close the mobile station is to a human head. A transmit power regulator, implemented on the processor, determines the cumulative energy radiated by the transmitter over a specified number of frames. If the cumulative energy exceeds an energy limit based on a SAR limit, and the proximity sensor indicates that the mobile station is close to a human head, the transmit power regulator may decrease the transmit power limit of the transmitter. |
| US08825101B2 |
Method and arrangement for power control during soft handover
The present invention relates to a method and an arrangement of obtaining efficient power control during soft handover in a communication network system when a user equipment (18) is in communication with two or more radio base stations (15a, 15b) over a radio interface on downlink (17) and uplink (16) channels. Transmit power control (TPC) commands are received from said two or more radio base stations (15a, 15b) on said downlink channels (17). Said received transmit power control commands are analyzed and a power offset on said uplink channels (16) is adjusted based on said analyzed transmit power control commands. |
| US08825098B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing multi-rate broadcast services
A method and apparatus for providing multi-rate broadcast services in a wireless communication system are disclosed. The present invention takes advantage of the higher capacity of better channels by providing a certain data rate common to all users, while sending additional information to users with better channel conditions. A base station transmits a broadcast message including common information at a basic rate and additional information at a rate higher than the basic rate. The basic rate guarantees successful receipt by all WTRUs in a coverage area and the rate for the additional information is set such that only certain WTRUs with a channel condition above a threshold may decode the additional information successfully. The WTRU decodes the common information and subtracts the common information from received signals to decode the additional information. The additional information may be information supplementing the common information, such as video information. |
| US08825094B2 |
Mobile communication device, network node, communication system and method for distributed cooperative multi-antenna communication
Network node for a distributed cooperative multi-antenna communication, including at least two sending and receiving units, wherein the network node is adapted to receive an indication of a protocol descriptor from a mobile communication device and wherein the network node is communicatively couplable with at least one further network node. Furthermore, the network node may be adapted to provide and/or receive an indication of a protocol descriptor and/or a channel access method to/from the at least one further network node. |
| US08825088B2 |
Method and system for locating a mobile terminal
The present invention relates to a method and system for locating a mobile terminal addressed in a location service request by an overlay identity. A database is accessed to obtain a first routing information of the mobile terminal based on the overlay identity, and the first routing information is then used to access a sub-scriber database in order to derive a second routing information and a cellular identity of the mobile terminal, based on which a location service of the cellular network is initiated. Thereby, a LCS clients of the overlay system (e.g. IMS) can be supported in current LCS services to enhance their functionality. |
| US08825086B2 |
Direction display device and direction display system
The direction display device includes: a wireless communication section to perform near field wireless communication; a barometric pressure measuring section; a converting section to convert barometric pressure into altitude; an orientation measuring section to measure an orientation of a specified direction; an operation section; a display section; a registration controlling section to obtain current positional information from an external positioning device on the basis of a registration instruction of the measured orientation to store the current positional information as registered positional information so as to be correlated to registered orientation information; a registration position extracting section to extract the registered positional information including an altitude value whose difference from the converted altitude is within a predetermined range; and a display controlling section to cause the display section to indicate a direction regarding the registered orientation correlated to the registered positional information. |
| US08825085B1 |
Method and system for personalized venue marketing
A method and system for personalized venue marketing is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an application that is resident on a mobile communication device of a patron sends personally identifiable information and the identifying device address to a server when the patron enters a venue. The server associates the identifying device address of the mobile device with the patron in a customer relations management (CRM) database for the venue. The identifying device address allows for tracking of the patron by WiFi sensors positioned throughout the venue. |
| US08825081B2 |
Personal augmented reality advertising
Personal augmented reality advertising involves detecting a proximity between a participant's mobile device and a viewer's mobile device. An identifier of the participant's mobile device and biometric data that describes the participant have both been made publicly available. The biometric data is obtained in response to detecting the proximity between the participant's mobile device and the viewer's mobile device. A match is detected between the biometric data of the participant and an image captured from a sensor of the viewer's mobile device. In response to detecting the match, the captured image and an advertisement presented with the captured image is presented in the viewer's mobile device. The advertisement is associated with the participant. |
| US08825080B1 |
Predicting geographic population density
The population density for a geographic area is predicted using a Markov Random Field (MRF) model. A MRF model is defined for estimating a number of mobile devices being used within a geographic area. The MRF model includes a set of rules describing how to use current data describing mobile devices currently observed in the area, and historical data describing mobile devices historically observed in the area to produce the estimate. Values of weight parameters in the MRF model are learned using the historical data. The current and historical data are applied to the MRF model having the learned weight parameters, and cost minimization is used to estimate of the number of mobile devices currently being used within the area. This estimate is used to predict the population density for the area. The predicted population density can then be used to provide location-based services. |
| US08825079B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing system, and computer program product
An information processing apparatus includes a reception unit receiving measurement information on signal strength from a wireless terminal that measures the signal strength of wireless signals transmitted from base stations, a base station information storage unit storing, for each base station, base station position information and an index showing the reliability of the base station position information, a base station position estimating unit estimating position information of a base station based on the received measurement information, an estimation result evaluating unit calculating an index showing the reliability of the estimated position information of the base station, and an information management unit operable when the calculated index shows higher reliability than the index stored in the base station information storage unit, to update the stored base station position information using the position information estimated by the base station position estimating unit. |
| US08825074B2 |
Modifying a user'S contribution to an aggregate profile based on time between location updates and external events
A system and method that maintain current locations for users of a number of mobile devices and compute confidence levels for the current locations of the users are provided. In one embodiment, the confidence levels of the users are computed as a function of amounts of time since location updates were received for the users. In addition, detection of location confidence events may be used to modify the confidence levels for the current locations of the users. The location confidence events may include positive location confidence events that result in an increase in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, negative location confidence events that result in a decrease in the confidence levels of the current locations of corresponding users, or both. Once computed, the confidence levels of the current locations of the users may then be utilized in a desired manner. |
| US08825073B1 |
GPS validation for transactions
A location verification provision is implemented to determine the location of a device associated with a user at the time of an attempted transaction. The attempted transaction includes receiving user identification and/or payment information, which is associated with the device in an entry stored in a database. Location information of the device, as well as a time at each location, may also be stored in the database. To verify that the device is located at the location of the transaction, a comparison operation may be performed. If the device is located where the transaction is being processed, the transaction may be completed. Predetermined criteria may be defined to account for possible inaccuracies in location and time calculations. |
| US08825063B2 |
Systems and methods for facilitating instant communications over distributed cellular networks
A wireless user device maintains wireless access via a public land mobile network and, while maintaining such wireless access, participates with one or more other devices in an instant communication session delivered via a carrier instant communications processing element of the public land mobile network. The session communications from the wireless user device are routed through a processing element of a private communication network for an assignment of a generic identifier to the session communications in place of a user identifier of the wireless user device, and then routed back to the public land mobile network to the carrier instant communications processing element for delivery to the one or more other devices in the instant communication session. |
| US08825052B2 |
Providing a mobility state for a mobile device
In response to a transition of a mobile device from a first wireless access network to a second wireless access network, a mapping is applied to obtain a particular mobility state of the mobile device to use in the second wireless access network, where the mapping outputs the particular mobility state in response to information associated with mobility of the mobile device in the first wireless access network. |
| US08825051B2 |
Idle handoff to hybrid femto cell based on system selection database
Devices and methods are provided for facilitating handing over to a hybrid femto access point that implements multiple radio access technologies (RATs), including a first RAT and a second RAT. In one embodiment, the method involves detecting a pilot from the hybrid femto access point, wherein the pilot is associated with the first RAT. The method involves registering with the hybrid femto access point on a first channel associated with the first RAT based upon the detected pilot. A system selection database is analyzed to identify a second channel associated with the second RAT, and a selection to handover to the identified second channel is effectuated. |
| US08825047B2 |
Searching and reporting public land mobile networks (PLMNs) in a mobile telecommunications system
A method and apparatus for searching for and reporting Public Land Mobile Networks “PLMNs” in a mobile telecommunications system, the method comprising, at a mobile device: initiating a scan to find Public Land Mobile Networks; when a cell of a PLMN is detected on a frequency, then reading system information to determine one or more PLMN identities of the detected cell; determining whether the detected cell operates in a frequency band supported by the mobile device; when it is determined that the detected cell does not operate in a band supported by the device, omitting adding the associated one or more PLMN identities from a first of PLMNs, and otherwise adding the one or more PLMN identities to the list of PLMNs; and reporting the list of PLMNs. |
| US08825046B2 |
Short-term interference mitigation in a wireless communication system
Techniques for transmitting data with short-term interference mitigation in a wireless communication system are described. In one design, a serving base station may send a message to a terminal to trigger short-term interference mitigation. In response, the terminal may send a message to request at least one interfering base station to reduce interference on at least one resource. Each interfering base station may determine a transmit power level to be used for the at least one resource and may send a pilot at this transmit power level. The terminal may estimate the channel quality of the at least one resource based on at least one pilot received from the at least one interfering base station. The terminal may send information indicative of the estimated channel quality to the serving base station. The serving base station may send a data transmission on the at least one resource to the terminal. |
| US08825042B2 |
Network diagnostic system for analyzing the performance of a radio network during functional over-the-air operation
An apparatus for determining network health, the network comprising a plurality of network base station transceivers in bidirectional communication with radios operating in the network, a first radio transmitting a transmitted signal. The apparatus comprises first and second devices for determining respective first and second signal parameters of respective first and second received signals, the first and second received signals responsive to the transmitted signal transmitted during normal over-the-air operation of the first radio, wherein the received signal received at the first receiver is time aligned with the received signal received at the second receiver to ensure the first and second devices determine the first and second signal parameters of the same transmitted signal and wherein the network health is responsive to the first and second signal parameters. |
| US08825037B2 |
FM radio system for digital and analog communications for hearing assistance devices
The present disclosure relates to the wireless communication of analog and digital information using a modulator adapted to communicate analog information in an analog mode and to communicate digital information in a digital mode using frequency modulated transmissions. A demodulator adapted to receive the modulated information is provided. The present subject matter can be used with hearing assistance devices to communicate voice and data information. Applications of the system include communications with assistive listening devices, hearing aids, and other hearing assistance devices. |
| US08825017B2 |
Method and system for dual-network telephone calling
Methods and systems are provided to connect telephone calls, such as international phone calls, using both the data network and telephone network of a mobile communication device such as a cellular phone. These systems initially route a call to the destination phone number through a non-international temporary phone number, thereby saving the cost of an international phone call on the mobile phone's service plan. An application on the mobile phone uses the data network to automatically request and receive the substitute termination number, and automatically sets up a call on the telephone network to the substitute termination number, which routes the call to the desired international telephone number. These systems reduce the cost of an international call, permit mobile phone users without international calling plans to make international calls, and automatically connect to an international number through a temporary non-international number using dual networks. |
| US08825016B1 |
Active phone book enhancements
A first device including a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a query to a second device that is remote from the first device. The query is configured to not generate an alert to a user of the second device in response to the second device receiving the query. The receiver is configured to wirelessly receive data from the second device in response to the query transmitted to the second device. The data indicates whether the second device is (i) busy and cannot currently communicate with the first device or (ii) not busy and can currently communicate with the first device. The processor is configured to determine, based on whether the second device is (i) busy and cannot currently communicate with the first device or (ii) not busy and can currently communicate with the first device, whether to communicate with the second device. |
| US08825008B2 |
Method and apparatus for authorizing transfer of mobile devices
An approach is presented for providing the authorized transfer of a mobile device. A platform receives a request to modify ownership status information for a mobile device, and generates in response to the request, a sale identifier based on the ownership status, wherein the sale identifier provides verification that the mobile device can be subject to a transfer of ownership, and specifies device information associated with the mobile device. |
| US08825007B2 |
Systems and methods for applying a security policy to a device based on a comparison of locations
Location information associated with a computing device may be received by a server. The server may compare the current location of the computing device with a set of locations associated with the computing device. The comparison may result in a determination that the computing device is in a location that has been identified in the set of locations. In response to such a determination, a particular security policy may be applied to the computing device. For example, the server may transmit a command to the computing device to apply a security policy associated with the location. |
| US08825006B2 |
Authentication request management
The different illustrative embodiments provide a method, computer program product, and apparatus for managing an authentication request. A determination is made whether additional authentication is to be performed responsive to receiving the authentication request to access an application from a mobile device. A phone number to call is sent to the mobile device responsive to a determination that the additional authentication is to be performed. A determination is made whether an incoming call to the phone number is from the mobile device and within a selected period of time. The authentication request to access the application from the mobile device is granted responsive to a determination that the incoming call to the phone number is from the mobile device and within the selected period of time. |
| US08825005B2 |
Usage management system and usage management method
A usage management system includes a first storage and a processor. The first storage stores, for each communication area and for each user, usage restriction information regarding a network device which locates in each communication area and which is used by each user and connectable to a communication network. The processor identifies a location area which is a communication area in which a target network device locates, identifies a target user present in the identified location area, acquires usage restriction information regarding the target network device for the identified target user from the first storage, and controls operations of the target network device in accordance with the acquired usage restriction information. |
| US08825004B2 |
Methods, apparatuses, system and related computer program product for charging of always-on connections
The generation of charging data and charging traffic is reduced during idle periods of an always-on connection. During the detection of idle periods on the always-on connection special data like ICMP messages, keep alive messages and polling messages is ignored and not counted as active traffic. When an idle period is detected the charging session related to the always-on connection is suspended for the duration of the idle period in order to reduce the generation of charging data related to the idle always-on connection without terminating the charging session. Further on the user is not billed for the detected periods where the always-on connection was idle. |
| US08824994B2 |
Wireless communication system
A wireless communication system includes: a filter; and a semiconductor chip including a signal processing integrated circuit having an amplifier, wherein a main surface of the semiconductor chip is provided with a plurality of electrode terminals along an edge portion thereof; wherein the amplifier has a transistor including a control electrode, a first electrode through which a signal is outputted, and a second electrode to which a voltage is applied; wherein the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode of the transistor are connected to the electrode terminals, respectively; and wherein none of wirings are arranged between the electrode terminals and placements of the control electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode, making space between the electrodes and the electrode terminals narrow. |
| US08824993B2 |
Applications of universal frequency translation
Frequency translation and applications of same are described herein. Such applications include, but are not limited to, frequency down-conversion, frequency up-conversion, enhanced signal reception, unified down-conversion and filtering, and combinations and applications of same. |
| US08824991B2 |
Multi-mode power amplifier
A multi-mode power amplifier includes a high-power mode amplifier circuit, a mid-power mode amplifier circuit, and a low power amplifier circuit, where the low-power mode amplifier circuit comprises a plurality of independently selectable power cell/amplifier branches. The multi-mode power amplifiers selectively enable or disable amplifier branches to provide multiple levels of amplification. Selectively enabling certain of a plurality of split collector amplifier branches provides multiple low power and ultra-low power amplifier modes without the impedance mismatch or board layout problems associated with an RF switch. |
| US08824988B2 |
Using direct phase noise measurement and blocker recovery to cancel reciprocal mixing noise
A method for reciprocal-mixing noise cancellation may include receiving a baseband signal down-converted to baseband using a local oscillator (LO). The baseband signal may comprise a wanted signal and a reciprocal mixing noise, which at least partially overlaps the wanted signal and is due to mixing of a blocker signal with a phase noise of the LO. Blocker recovery may be performed on the baseband signal and a blocker estimate signal may be generated from the baseband signal. The phase noise of the LO may be measured and used in generating a phase noise measurement signal. The blocker estimate signal and the phase noise measurement signal may be processed to generate a reconstructed noise signal that may comprise the overlapping reciprocal mixing noise. The reconstructed noise signal may be subtracted from the baseband signal to provide the wanted signal free from to the reciprocal mixing noise. |
| US08824987B2 |
Squelch detector circuit and method
A squelch detector includes a first circuit, a second circuit, and a comparator. The first circuit is configured to receive a first pair of differential input signals and in response output a second pair of differential signals. The second pair of differential signals have higher voltages than the first pair of differential input signals. The second circuit is coupled to the first circuit and is configured to extract first and second voltage levels from the second pair of differential signals. The comparator is configured to output a squelch level signal based on a comparison of the first voltage level and a third voltage level. The third voltage level is based on the second voltage level and a reference voltage. |
| US08824986B2 |
Multi-channel radiofrequency receiver
The invention relates to a multichannel radio-frequency receiver (1) for electromagnetic waves, having a radio-frequency analogue section (2) which has an input (3) for an electrical signal of a receiving device (4), and having an lower-frequency section (8, 9) which is connected downstream from the radio-frequency analogue section (2) and has a plurality of parallel channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) for respectively different signal strengths and an evaluation circuit, in which a signal divider (5) is provided in the radio-frequency analogue section (2) in order to split the signal in accordance with a predeterminable division ratio into signal elements which can be supplied to radio-frequency analogue channels (6a, 7a), downstream from which the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) are respectively connected, and the channels (6b, 6c; 7b, 7c) of the lower-frequency section (8, 9) each have an evaluation circuit for detection of the phase and amplitude of the respective signal element. |
| US08824984B2 |
Outphasing power combining by antenna
Examples are disclosed for outphasing power combining by antenna. In some examples, a device such as a wireless device may route a first signal to a first branch of an outphasing power amplifier system and route a second signal to a second outphasing power amplifier system. The outputs of the first branch and the second branch may be directly coupled to an antenna. The antenna may be arranged to operate as a power combiner for signals outputted from the first and the second branches of the outphasing power amplifier system. A power combined signal may then be transmitted from the antenna. Other examples are described and claimed. |
| US08824983B2 |
System and method of prebias for rapid power amplifier response correction
A system and method are provided for reducing dynamic EVM of an integrated circuit power amplifier (PA) used for RF communication. In a multistage PA, the largest amplification stage is biased with a high amplitude current pulse upon receipt of a Tx enable, before receipt of the RF signal data burst. The high amplitude current pulse causes a large portion of the total ICQ budget of the multistage PA to pass through the largest amplification stage causing the entire integrated circuit to rapidly approach steady-state operating conditions. A smoothing bias current is applied to the largest amplification stage after the pulse decays to compensate for transient bias current levels while standard bias circuitry is still approaching steady-state temperature. |
| US08824982B2 |
Time-variant antenna enabled by switched capacitor array on silicon
A time-variant antenna is disclosed that uses a switched capacitor array in silicon to improve the performance and integration options of the time-variant antenna. Parasitic effects of the interface between the on-board antenna and on-silicon switched capacitor array are considered and the antenna is tuned to compensate for these effects. The switched capacitor array provides high linearity, lower cost, and reduced size, relative to prior art antenna implementations. |
| US08824981B2 |
Recalibration of envelope tracking transfer function during active transmission
An envelope tracking system and a method for adjusting a nonlinear transfer function of an envelope tracking power supply for a power amplifier are provided. An output signal of the power amplifier is provided to a feedback receiver for determining an actual performance of the envelope tracking power amplifier. An assumed performance of the envelope tracking power amplifier is determined by evaluating the non-linear transfer function at a value defined by an input signal for a transmitter including the power amplifier. A difference between the assumed performance and the actual performance provides a correctional value for the nonlinear transfer function. |
| US08824979B2 |
Interference management employing fractional frequency reuse
Interference that occurs during wireless communication may be managed through the use of fractional reuse and other techniques. In some aspects fractional reuse may relate to HARQ interlaces, portions of a timeslot, frequency spectrum, and spreading codes. Interference may be managed through the use of a transmit power profile and/or an attenuation profile. Interference also may be managed through the use of power management-related techniques. |
| US08824977B2 |
Using a same antenna for simultaneous transmission and/or reception by multiple transceivers
A circuit includes an antenna, and a pair of transceivers. A first transceiver in the pair is connected to the antenna via a first pair of feed-points, and is designed to transmit and receive signals in a first band of frequencies. A second transceiver in the pair is connected to the antenna via a second pair of feed-points, and is designed to transmit and receive signals in a second band of frequencies. The first band and the second band are non-overlapping frequency bands. The first pair of feed-points is located at a voltage null point of the antenna with respect to the second pair of feed-points. The second pair of feed-points is located at a voltage null point of the antenna with respect to the first pair of feed-points. The first transceiver and the second transceiver are, thus, enabled to simultaneously transmit and/or receive corresponding signals using the same antenna. |
| US08824976B2 |
Devices for switching an antenna
A switchplexer is described. The switchplexer includes switches that are coupled to an antenna. The switchplexer also includes ports. Each of the switches is separately coupled to one of the ports. The switchplexer also includes controlling circuitry coupled to the switches. The controlling circuitry concurrently closes at least two of the switches when indicated by a control signal. |
| US08824975B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication method
It is provided a radio communication apparatus and radio communication method that, in the radio communication apparatus having a normal transmitting/receiving mode and a distortion correction mode, communicates successfully without influencing circuit characteristic in a normal transmitting/receiving mode, sends back a transmitting signal from the receiving system, extracts a distortion component due to narrowband characteristics or non-linear characteristics of a circuit, and corrects distortion in a distortion correction mode. In radio communication apparatus (100), distortion detecting section (111) extracts a distortion component using a transmitting baseband signal and a receiving baseband signal, coupling degree adjustment circuit (180) adjusts the degree of coupling between transmitting antenna (130) and receiving antenna (140), and coupling degree control section (170) switches the degree of coupling depending on a normal transmitting/receiving mode or a distortion correction mode. |
| US08824974B2 |
Semiconductor integrated circuit device and radio frequency module
The present invention provides a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a radio frequency module realizing reduction in high-order harmonic distortion or IMD. For example, a so-called antenna switch having a plurality of transistors between an antenna terminal and a plurality of signal terminals is provided with a voltage supply circuit. The voltage supply circuit is a circuit for supplying voltage from a voltage supply terminal to at least two signal terminals in the plurality of signal terminals via resistive elements. With the configuration, antenna voltage dropped due to a leakage or the like can be boosted and, for example, transistors in an off state can be set to a deep off state. |
| US08824973B2 |
Filtering of a measurement quantity in a mobile communication network
A method for filtering measurement values of a measurement quantity obtained from a communication between a mobile device and a mobile communication network and a mobile communication network device adapted to filter such measurement values are provided. A measurement value for the measurement quantity is to be periodically received at fixed points in time. The measurement value is filtered using a digital filter for obtaining a filtering result, wherein the filtering of the measurement value includes the weighting of the measurement value with a weighting coefficient. The filtering result can be provided for an adaptation of the communication link to the mobile device. |
| US08824971B2 |
Systems and methods for dynamic temperature calibration of a frequency reference
A system and method are described for dynamic temperature calibration of a frequency reference in a wireless base station. In a consumer grade base station, a reference oscillator may encounter frequency drift as the temperature of the base station changes. This causes interference as the transmission signal is not synchronized with other frequency resources in a network. An improved method of calibrating a reference frequency includes measuring a frequency difference between a frequency derived from an accurate reference frequency in a first base station and a frequency derived from a less accurate frequency reference in a second base station, determining a calibration factor for the offset, and applying the calibration factor to the base station to correct frequency drift. The calibration factors may be correlated with an operating temperature of the base station and stored in a temperature calibration table in the base station device. |
| US08824969B2 |
Radio base station and mobile communication method
A radio base station eNB according to the present invention includes a CA controller unit 12 configured to determine a PCC and SCCs to be used for CA communications, and a receiver unit 11 configured to receive “Measurement Report” from a mobile station UE having detected a cell having a higher radio quality in a certain SCC than a predetermined threshold for a period of TTT or longer, the “Measurement Report” containing the radio quality of the detected cell. If the cell having the highest radio quality in a measurement object CC is not under the control of the radio station eNB, the CA controller unit 12 avoids use of the cell having the highest radio quality for SCC communications in the CA communications. |
| US08824964B2 |
System for proximity based ad-hoc data sharing across devices with intuitive interfaces
A system for transferring data between devices with user via a short range wireless communication system is disclosed. The system may include a first device configured to activate an intuitive interface on the first device having a system for proximity based ad-hoc data sharing between the first device with an intuitive interface and at least a second device with an intuitive interface. Once, the first device is determined to be within range of a second device with proximity based ad-hoc data sharing, data may be received by the intuitive interface on the first device and data may be sent from the intuitive interface on the first device to an intuitive interface on the second device using an intuitive interface on the first device without relying on an external communication network. The data may be transferred with a single click to the receiving device in a paste-to format. |
| US08824963B2 |
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 wireless personal area network circuit and an external wireless personal area network enabled device. The dual interfaced EEPROM is operable to share or partition its EEPROM between an NFC interface and a bus communications controller. |
| US08824956B1 |
Buffered audio system with synchronizing bus controller
A method includes receiving samples of audio data and storing the samples of audio data in a buffer. Each of the samples of audio data includes a plurality of bits. The method also includes transmitting each of the plurality of bits, of each of the samples of audio data retrieved from the buffer, across a single-bit bus; and subsequent to transmitting each of the samples, transmitting a selected number of dummy bits across the single-bit bus. The selected number is greater than one. The method further includes analyzing activity of the buffer and, based on the activity of the buffer, dynamically adjusting the selected number. The method also includes acquiring the samples of audio data transmitted across the single-bit bus and ignoring the dummy bits. The method further includes generating analog signals in response to the samples of audio data acquired across the single-bit bus. |
| US08824953B2 |
Printing apparatus, sheet processing apparatus, and sheet winding device
A device includes a winding rotary member having a cylindrical shape; a holder having a rotating member, which is provided in the vicinity of a cylindrical surface of the winding rotary member, capable of nipping and conveying the sheet; a first driving mechanism configured to rotate the winding rotary member; and a second driving mechanism configured to rotate the rotating member. The winding rotary member rotates with the sheet is nipped with the rotatable holder, whereby the sheet is wound around the winding rotary member. |
| US08824951B2 |
Toner conveyor, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus
A toner conveyor includes a noncircular conveyance member rotatable in a predetermined direction of rotation to convey toner to a toner container and a plate-shaped metal scraper slidably contacting the conveyance member with predetermined pressure therebetween to scrape the toner off the conveyance member. The scraper includes a contact end contacting the conveyance member, at least one through-hole spaced apart from the contact end, and a toner carrying face contacting the toner accumulated in the toner container. A lid is attached to the toner carrying face of the scraper to cover the at least one through-hole of the scraper and includes a separation region extending from an upper edge thereof to at least a position disposed opposite a lower edge of the at least one through-hole in a short direction of the scraper. The separation region is separatable from the scraper. |
| US08824950B2 |
Image forming apparatus
The rotating speed of the coating brush of the image forming apparatus fluctuates between the upper limit speed and the lower limit speed across the standard speed. Consequently, the positional relation of the contact between the brush textile of the coating brush and the surface of the photographic sensitive drum varies for a wider range compared to a case where the rotating speed of the coating brush does not vary. Since the thin area of the brush textile moves for a wider range of the surface of the photographic sensitive drum in the axial direction of the rotating shaft of the photographic sensitive drum, the area where the coating amount of the lubricant is less is evened out by the area where the coating amount of the lubricant is rich, thus improving the unevenness of coating of the lubricant on the photographic sensitive drum. |
| US08824944B2 |
Applying heating liquid to fix toner
A method for fixing toner onto a receiver medium includes depositing a pattern of toner onto a surface of the receiver medium. The toner has a toner glass transition temperature. At least one surface of the receiver medium is brought into contact with a heating liquid, the heating liquid being at a temperature greater than the toner glass transition temperature. Heat is transferred from the heating liquid to the toner, thereby raising a temperature of the toner to a level above the toner glass transition temperature. |
| US08824940B2 |
Image forming apparatus including heat transmission member
An image forming apparatus for transferring and superimposing toner images formed on plural image bearers onto an endless intermediate transfer member in an electric field created between the plural image bearers and plural semi conductive transfer members internally contacting the endless intermediate transfer member. The image forming apparatus includes a heat generating member arranged inside the intermediate transfer member to generate heat. A heat transfer member is provided to transfer the heat to the plural semi conductive transfer members. |
| US08824939B2 |
Image forming apparatus with belt position control feature
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a rotatable belt member; a rotatable supporting roller for stretching the belt member; and a steering roller controlled by motors for stretching the belt member and for moving the belt member in a widthwise direction by an inclining operation. A number of sensors detect the position of the belt member in the widthwise direction and produce an output, causing a first controller to change the amount of the inclining operation of the steering roller in order to counter the force moving the belt member in the widthwise direction. The output of the sensors also causes a second controller to change the amount of the inclining operation of the steering roller in short intervals to reduce the rapid positional deviation of the belt member attributable to the inclination of the steering roller. |
| US08824938B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus, wherein the packing density at a closest point where the first peripheral surface and the second peripheral surface are the closest to each other is within a range from 0.3 to 0.4; wherein a maximum magnetic flux density of a principal magnetic pole for generating the magnetic field for development is located in an upstream side from the closest point with respect to the specified direction and at a point where the packing density is equal to or greater than 0.2; and wherein a magnetic flux density of the principal magnetic pole at a point where the packing density is 0.2 in a downstream side from the closest point with respect to the specified direction is equal to or less than ½ of a magnetic flux density of the principal magnetic pole at a point where the packing density is 0.2 in the upstream side. |
| US08824937B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus with layer thickness restricting member to restrict thickness of developer on magnetic roller
A developing device includes a case for housing a developer, a magnetic roller, an agitating member, a layer thickness restricting member, an auxiliary developer storing portion and a plate-like flexible member. The magnetic roller includes a rotary shaft and magnetically carries the developer on a circumferential surface. The agitating member includes a shaft center and a screw forming portion arranged around the shaft center and agitates and conveys the developer while rotating. The layer thickness restricting member restricts the layer thickness of the developer to a predetermined thickness. The auxiliary developer storing portion faces the circumferential surface of the magnetic roller at a side upstream of the layer thickness restricting member in a rotating direction of the magnetic roller. The plate-like flexible member extends toward the circumferential surface of the magnetic roller and forms a wall surface on an upstream side of the auxiliary developer storing portion. |
| US08824933B2 |
Developing device and image forming apparatus including the same
A developing device and an image forming apparatus including the same includes an agitating and conveying unit that receives a developer, and at least one agitating and conveying member to mix and agitate the developer and convey the developer in a developer conveying direction. A developing roller faces a photosensitive drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, and attaches the developer to an outer surface of the developing roller. The agitating and conveying member includes a support shaft extending in the developer conveying direction. A plurality of agitation wings disposed on an outer surface of the support shaft to mix and agitate the developer. At least one paddle protrudes from the support shaft in a radial direction and extends along the shaft between adjacent agitation wings. The at least one paddle has a height increasing from an upstream side to a downstream side of the developer conveying direction. |
| US08824931B2 |
Liquid marking agent development assemblies and liquid marking agent hard imaging methods
Liquid marking agent development assemblies and liquid marking agent hard imaging methods are described. According to one aspect, a liquid marking agent development assembly includes a developer member comprising an outer surface and a charging assembly adjacent to the outer surface of the developer member, and wherein the charging assembly comprises at least one roller member configured to provide substantially an entirety of an electrical field relative to the developer member which electrical field is used to direct a plurality of ink particles of a liquid marking agent to the outer surface of the developer member and which ink particles upon the outer surface of the developer member are used to develop latent images upon an imaging member. |
| US08824929B2 |
Method for increasing useful life of an image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductive drums, each photoconductive drum transferring a portion of a toner image to an intermediate transfer member. The photoconductive drums are individually rotated to a printing speed such that a downstream photoconductive drum starts rotating prior to an adjacent upstream photoconductive drum starts image transfer. Similarly, an upstream photoconductive drum starts deceleration when its following downstream station has transferred image. |
| US08824927B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus including a release member
A fixing device includes a heating rotating body that heats a developer image formed on a recording medium, a pressurizing rotating body that pressurizes the recording medium by nipping the recording medium between the pressurizing rotating body and the heating rotating body, a pair of support plates that rotatably support both ends of one of the pressurizing rotating body and the heating rotating body, and a release member including an attachment portion attached to the support plates to hold the support plates from both sides in a thickness direction, and an operating portion. When an external force in a predetermined direction acts on the operating portion, the release member releases pressing of the one of the pressurizing rotating body and the heating rotating body against the other by moving the support plates in a direction away from the other. |
| US08824926B2 |
Fixing device including belt guide member and image forming apparatus including the same
A fixing device includes a fixing rotator unit and an induction heating portion. The fixing rotator unit includes a heating rotary belt, a pressing member being in contact with the inner surface of the heating rotary belt, a pressurizing rotator forming a fixing nip between the pressurizing rotator and the pressing member, a belt guide member including a guide portion and an extending portion, positioning the heating rotary belt, and guiding rotation. The induction heating portion includes a magnetic-flux generating portion, a magnetic core portion, and a support member supporting the magnetic-flux generating portion. The support member includes a positioning portion that positions the belt guide member by coming into contact with or engaging the extending portion to control a distance between the magnetic-flux generating portion and the outer surface of the heating rotary belt. |
| US08824925B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus includes a heating unit including a rotatable image heating member; an induction heating unit for externally induction heating the image heating member; a nip forming member press-contacting an outer surface of the image heating member to form a nip therewith; a pressing member for pressing the heating unit to the nip forming member; a press releasing member for releasing a pressure of the pressing member to the heating unit; fastening means for fastening the heating unit and the induction heating unit together; and a force receiving portion, provided on the induction heating unit, for contacting the pressing member to move the heating unit away from the nip forming member when the press releasing member releases the heating unit from the pressure of the pressing member. |
| US08824920B2 |
Unit mount-demount mechanism and image forming apparatus including the same
A mount-demount mechanism includes a unit that is mountable on and demountable from an apparatus main body, and a pair of slide rails that are disposed on the apparatus main body and slidably support both surfaces parallel to a mount-demount direction of the unit. Provided, on both side surfaces thereof parallel to a mount-demount direction of the unit, are a pair of unit-side rollers that include a first roller that is disposed in a downstream insertion direction and a second roller that is disposed in an upstream insertion direction. The slide rail is provided with a rail groove that includes a lower rail and an upper rail, a cut-away portion for allowing the unit-side roller run off from the rail groove is formed on a portion of the upper rail or the lower rail, wherein either of the first roller and the second roller runs off from the rail groove. |
| US08824917B2 |
Developer supplying apparatus
A developer supplying apparatus includes a developer carrying member, a casing, and a side seal. The developer carrying member includes a roller body and a brush part having fibrous members disposed on the peripheral surface. The developer carrying member is configured to carry a developer at the brush part. The casing includes a developer storing portion configured to store the developer, and has an opening formed along a rotation axis of the developer carrying member. The casing is configured to support the developer carrying member rotatably such that the brush layer is exposed outside from the opening. The side seal is disposed in an end of the opening in a direction along the rotation axis of the developer carrying member such that the side seal protrudes toward the brush layer to press the brush layer toward the rotation axis. |
| US08824906B2 |
Image forming apparatus capable of printing long sheets
In the case of a standard sized sheet, a first controller sets a linear velocity D of an image bearing member at a first velocity and sets a linear velocity S of a toner bearing member so that S/D, which is a ratio of the linear velocity S to the linear velocity D, has a first value and a second controller sets the thickness of the toner layer carried on the toner bearing member at a first layer thickness. In the case of a long sheet, the first controller sets the linear velocity D at a second velocity slower than the first velocity and sets the linear velocity S so that the S/D has a second value larger than the first value and the second controller sets the thickness of the toner layer at a second layer thickness smaller than the first layer thickness. |
| US08824904B2 |
Fixing device and image forming apparatus
A fixing device includes a temperature measuring unit, configured to measure the temperature in regions that extend partially along the outer surface of a heating rotating body, which includes a resistance heating layer, in the circumferential direction and are aligned in the direction of the axis of rotation of the heat rotating body, and a control unit configured to sample temperatures, measured by the temperature measuring unit in each of the regions, over the entire outer surface of the heating rotating body in the circumferential direction by causing the heating rotating body to rotate while supplying a predetermined amount of power to the resistance heating layer, and to determine whether an abnormality has occurred in the resistance heating layer based on the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature among the sampled temperatures in each region. |
| US08824900B2 |
Optical single-sideband transmitter
A method for generating an optical single sideband signal comprising the steps of splitting an optical field into two parts and introducing a relative phase delay of +/−π/4 radians in each direction of transmission to one of the parts, intensity reflection-modulating each part with electrical signals having a relative phase delay of +/−π/2 radians and then recombining the reflection-modulated signals. |
| US08824890B2 |
Open optical access network system
The present invention relates to an open optical access network system in which one optical access network is open to enable a plurality of service providers and a plurality of subscribers to simultaneously use the optical access network, to thereby improve the efficiency of using the optical access network, wherein each subscriber can be provided with a plurality of different services from the plurality of service providers, thereby enabling the flexible selection of services and the flexible change in services, thus improving the efficiency of using an optical infrastructure. |
| US08824888B2 |
Method for negotiating link capability information, network device, and communication system
The present invention relates to a method for negotiating link capability information. The method includes: After a higher order optical channel data unit (ODU) link is established, a second node receives first higher order ODU link capability information supported by a first node at one end of the link, where the second node is located at the other end of the link; determines link capability information according to the first higher order ODU link capability information and second higher order ODU link capability information that is supported by the second node; and sends the link capability information to the first node; or sends the second higher order ODU link capability information to the first node, so that the first node determines the link capability information according to the first higher order ODU link capability information and the second higher order ODU link capability information. |
| US08824887B2 |
Method and system for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a wavelength division multiplexed optical network
A network planning tool and method for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a WDM optical network without an optical control layer, such as a SONET/SDH layer. The optical network includes a plurality of optical fibers interconnected through nodes and the connection-oriented packet network, such an Ethernet network, MPLS network, or pseudowire network, includes two or more terminal devices. The method and tool function by building an association between the components of the physical layer, such as the optical fiber, and their geographic location or path. The connection-oriented packet network is configured by building multi-link trunks (MLTs) between terminal devices, where the MLTs are built by aggregating lightpaths that traverse distinctive geographic paths. The MLTs are planned and configured through aggregating lightpaths that traverse incongruent sets of photonic elements. A predetermined target for resiliency to physical failure events may determine the degree of congruence allowed between the sets of photonic elements associated with lightpaths in the same MLT. |
| US08824884B1 |
Security camera enclosure
A security camera enclosure that includes an internal power source that is protected from being tampered with. The internal power source is located within a battery box. The battery box is disposed within an outer housing. The outer housing also houses a camera, a communication device, and a battery control system. |
| US08824880B2 |
Integrated imaging system
An imaging system having a front side and rear side enveloping a light transmitting space formed therebetween A front lens situated on the front side forms a portal through which light from an object enters into the light transmitting space wherein at least one optical element composed of glass or elastic material, liquid lenses or liquid crystal elements, and an image sensor are positioned to develop a folded beam path between the front lens and the image sensor, and a real image of the object on the image sensor. Electrically driving at least one optical element enables alteration of the focal length within the system in a manner switchable between at least two values. The change in focal length is realized with the aid of electrically controlled piezo-actuators or by an electric field applied to at least one variable optical element. |
| US08824874B2 |
Apparatus and method for converting operation mode in image display compound device
An operation-mode conversion apparatus for an image display compound device includes a power-state detector which detects a power state of the compound device, an operation-mode determination unit which determines a present operation mode of the compound device, and an operation-mode controller which converts the operation mode of the compound device based on the power state, the present operation mode, and whether one of an optical storage medium and a movable memory is detected by the compound device, in response to a user input signal, regardless of the preset operation mode. |
| US08824872B2 |
Display control apparatus, reproduction system, and recording medium in which display control is performed based on a detected event
Whether images are to be displayed in a display order or at a display speed is determined for each type of event for when images that are recorded in a recording unit in association with events detected by a detection unit, which are to be displayed by a display unit. The display order indicates whether the images are to be displayed in chronological order or in reverse chronological order. The display speed indicates a display speed at which the images are to be reproduced by the display unit. |
| US08824871B2 |
Moving picture playback equipment and moving picture playback method
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a moving picture playback equipment includes a disk drive section which reads out video information containing voice streams, subtitle streams and menu information items of a plurality of languages and management information thereof, a decode stream setting information management section, a decode stream setting information management table which stores setting information set by the decode stream setting information management section, and a separating section which extracts a stream of a language set under control of the decode stream setting information management section, wherein the decode stream setting information management section includes means for making playback settings of disks of plural types of formats by use of setting information recorded in the decode stream setting information management table. |
| US08824870B2 |
Randomly accessible visual information recording medium and recording method, and reproducing device and reproducing method
Access point pictures designated as randomly accessible positions are I pictures or P pictures. Information indicating the decoding sequence (I1, P1, B1, B2, B3, B4, P2, . . . ) of pictures functioning as access points and attribute information (picture_type) indicating whether a picture functions as an access point or is necessary for decoding of the access point following a given access point are recorded on the video information recording medium. Random access is possible even if the GOP interval is lengthened. |
| US08824865B2 |
Digital video recorder system with an integrated DVD recording device
A digital video recorder (DVR) system with an integrated DVD recording device accepts TV input streams in a multitude of forms. Analog TV streams are converted to an MPEG formatted stream for internal transfer and manipulation, while pre-formatted MPEG streams are extracted from the digital TV signal and presented in a similar format. Indexes within the MPEG stream are determined and saved at predefined intervals and are stored on a hard disk along with the MPEG program material and used to create navigation packets when writing to a DVD inserted in an integrated DVD player/recorder. When a program is requested for display from the hard disk or the integrated DVD player/recorder, the program material are extracted from the appropriate source and reassembled into an MPEG stream which is sent to a decoder. The decoder converts the MPEG stream into TV output signals and delivers the TV output signals to a TV monitor. User control commands are accepted which affect the flow of the MPEG stream allowing the user to view stored programs with special functions: reverse, fast forward, play, pause, index, fast/slow reverse play, and fast/slow play. The user can select program material stored on the hard disk to be written to a DVD and can also select program material stored on a DVD to be transferred to the hard disk. |
| US08824863B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, and information processing system
Provided is an information processing apparatus including: a receiving unit which receives event information capable of specifying a type of an event; a template acquiring unit which acquires a template of the event of the type specified by the event information received by the receiving unit as a template which becomes a source of an editing list of a plurality of scenes; an editing list creating unit which creates the editing list of the plurality of scenes based on the template acquired by the template acquiring unit; and a digest creating unit which creates data of the plurality of scenes included in the editing list created by the editing list creating unit from one or more photographed materials acquired from another information processing apparatus and creates a digest by combining the created data of the plurality of scenes. |
| US08824862B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
An information processing apparatus includes: a display unit including a screen; a detection unit configured to detect a position designated by a user on the screen; and a controller configured to display, with at least a partial range of a moving image being a display range, a plurality of images corresponding to a plurality of frames belonging to the display range by annularly arranging them in time series, and shift, when an operation is judged to be made along a direction in which the plurality of images are arranged based on a result of the detection by the detection unit, the display range in the moving image. |
| US08824859B2 |
Adding watermarks to video content
A method for data display includes storing an identification code and receiving encoded video content for playback. The encoded video content is decoded so as to output a series of video frames while modulating a background level of the video frames in the series according to the identification code. Related systems and methods are also included. |
| US08824857B2 |
Method and apparatus for the varied speed reproduction of video images
A method of reproducing a video image is provided. The method includes reproducing a video image in a three-dimensional (3D) manner, being requested to reproduce the video image at an Nx playback speed (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 2), and in response to the request, reproducing the video image at the Nx playback speed. The reproducing of the video image at the Nx playback speed comprises includes reproducing the video image at the Nx playback speed in a two-dimensional (2D) manner. |
| US08824849B2 |
Fiber optic connector processing apparatus
An automated fiber optic connector processing system for processing a plurality of fiber optic cables and connectors, with each of said cables including an optical fiber, includes a pallet fixture for holding a plurality of fiber optic cables and connectors during movement along a manufacturing line so that the connectors may be secured to the cable ends, and the ends of the cables finished. The pallet fixture includes a pallet base plate, with a stationary fixture mounted along one edge of the pallet base plate. The stationary fixture defines a plurality of channels for receiving fiber optic cable connectors of the plurality of fiber optic cables, and at least one latching plate for retaining the connectors in the plurality of channels. An oven having an elongated oven opening is provided at a first processing station. A robotic processor for cutting the optical fibers of the fiber optic cables, buffing the ends of the optical fibers, and polishing the ends of the optical fibers, is provided at a second station. A conveyor moves the pallet fixture to the first processing station for heat treating the connectors, curing the epoxy that retains the connectors on the ends of the cables, and moves the pallet fixture to the second processing station for cutting and polishing the optical fibers. |
| US08824844B2 |
Optical transmission system capable of transmitting optical signals according to address information
An optical transmission system includes an optical emitting source, a plurality of optical fiber connectors, a first optical fiber, a plurality of second optical fibers, a plurality of third optical fibers, and a plurality of optical receiving terminals. The optical emitting source is configured for emitting optical signals. The first optical fiber connects the optical emitting source to one of the optical fiber connectors. Each of the second optical fibers is connected between two adjacent of the optical fiber connectors. Each of the third optical fibers is connected between a respective one of the optical fiber connectors and a respective one of the optical receiving terminals. |
| US08824843B2 |
Leaky mode solar receiver using continuous wedge lens
A leaky travelling wave array of optical elements provide a solar wavelength rectenna. |
| US08824833B2 |
Image data fusion systems and methods
Systems and methods for image data fusion include providing first and second sets of image data corresponding to an imaged first and second scene respectively. The scenes at least partially overlap in an overlap region, defining a first collection of overlap image data as part of the first set of image data, and a second collection of overlap image data as part of the second set of image data. The second collection of overlap image data is represented as a plurality of image data subsets such that each of the subsets is based on at least one characteristic of the second collection, and each subset spans the overlap region. A fused set of image data is produced by an image processor, by modifying the first collection of overlap image data based on at least a selected one of, but less than all of, the image data subsets. |
| US08824830B2 |
Method for assessing the quality of a distorted version of a frame sequence
A method for assessing the quality of a distorted version of a frame sequence includes the steps of determining a last spatial distortion by comparing a block of a last frame (I6) of the sequence with a corresponding block of the distorted version of the last frame, determining, in a last-but-one frame, a best-matching block matching said block of the last frame best, determining a last-but-one spatial distortion by comparing the determined best-matching block of the last-but-one frame with a corresponding block of the distorted version of the last-but-one frame, determining a spatio-temporal perceptual distortion value associated with said block using said determined distortions and using the determined spatio-temporal perceptual distortion value for assessing the quality. |
| US08824818B2 |
Imaging apparatus and image processing method
Disclosed is an imaging apparatus capable of, when a JPEG compression encoding is performed by dividing an image after an image processing into a plurality of blocks, simply performing the JPEG compression encoding and a combination of images after the encoding without encoding efficiency deterioration or a limitation in an image size of the block. The imaging apparatus includes an image processor for horizontally dividing image data into a plurality of blocks and supplying the blocks to an encoder without passing through a storage unit, the encoder for simultaneously storing an initiation address of a corresponding line to be encoded in a corresponding block and a data length after the corresponding line is encoded in the storage unit, and storing information used for a predictive encoding in the storage unit in every corresponding line to be encoded in the corresponding block. |
| US08824813B2 |
Image processing device and method
An image processing device that encodes image data including: an encoding unit which, with a small region line including, arrayed in the horizontal direction, small regions obtained by dividing large regions arrayed in the vertical direction of an image, performs encoding of image data of the large region, advancing the encoding order of small regions in the same order as a scan order, and advancing the encoding order of small region lines in an order different from the scan order; and a control unit that controls the encoding unit to encode in accordance with a state of a left small region situated at a left periphery of a small region to be processed, and a state of a lower small region situated at a lower periphery of the small region to be processed. The device suppresses deterioration in encoding efficiency due to high speed image encoding. |
| US08824811B2 |
LCD module, portable electronic devices and displaying method thereof
A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a processor for providing encoding data and an LCD module coupled to the processor. The processor includes an encoder for encoding a frame data to generate the encoding data. The LCD module includes a driver and an LCD coupled to the driver. The driver includes a decoder for decoding the encoding data to obtain an image data. The LCD displays the image data. |
| US08824806B1 |
Sequential digital image panning
Content portions to be presented on a display of an electronic device are identified by designating portions of a digital image as content regions and other portions of the digital image as non-content regions. The content portions are then identified from within the content region, in which each content portion has a predetermined width. Each content portion is then expanded to produce an expanded content portion. Each expanded content portion is presented on a display of an electronic device in a sequential manner. |
| US08824805B2 |
Regional information extraction method, region information output method and apparatus for the same
Provided are a regional information extraction method, a regional information output method, and an apparatus for the same. The regional information output method includes obtaining a regional image through the processing unit, transmitting the regional image to a server through the transmitting/receiving unit, receiving regional information on a geographical position that a regional image feature extracted from the regional image represents through the transmitting/receiving unit, and outputting the regional information through the output unit, wherein the geographical position represents one feature matching to the regional image feature, which is selected from a plurality of features representing a plurality of regional images. |
| US08824801B2 |
Video processing
A method and apparatus for processing video is disclosed. In an embodiment, image features of an object within a frame of video footage are identified and the movement of each of these features is tracked throughout the video footage to determine its trajectory (track). The tracks are analyzed, the maximum separation of the tracks is determined and used to determine a texture map, which is in turn interpolated to provide an unwrap mosaic for the object. The process may be iterated to provide an improved mosaic. Effects or artwork can be overlaid on this mosaic and the edited mosaic can be warped via the mapping, and combined with layers of the original footage. The effect or artwork may move with the object's surface. |
| US08824795B2 |
Digital image processing method and device for lightening said image
A method of processing a digital image, said image comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising a computation step (S1) wherein a histogram of the distribution of the number of pixels of the image as a function of their luminance is computed, a step (S2) for lightening the image based on said histogram comprising a subdivision (S20) of the pixels of the image into a first set of pixels having luminance values between a low threshold and a high threshold and into a second set of pixels having luminance values greater than said high threshold, a first luminance processing operation (S21) on the pixels of the first set of pixels and a second luminance processing operation (S22) on the pixels of the second set of pixels, the two luminance processing operations (S21, S22) being different, the first processing operation (S21) comprising an increase in the luminance of the pixels of the image. |
| US08824793B2 |
Methods and apparatus for applying a bokeh effect to images
Methods and apparatus for creating bokeh effects in digital images. A bokeh technique is described that may provide double threshold image bokeh boosting. The bokeh effect may be controlled by a boost amount, an upper threshold value, and a lower threshold value. Colorfulness may be added to the bokeh effect applied to specular highlights according to a variable colorfulness value. A soft threshold may be implemented that results in most but not all energy of the boosting of the intensity falling between the upper and lower threshold values. The bokeh technique may achieve creative bokeh effects in digital images by simulating bokeh in the resultant blurred image. The bokeh technique may, for example, be used in combination with any of various blur patterns, and also may be used with combinations of two or more blur patterns. |
| US08824792B2 |
Image element brightness adjustment
One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for adjusting a brightness level of an image element representing an image of a body-part relief print. A first weighting factor can be determined for a first image element that may be comprised in an initial image captured by a body-part relief print image capture device. A body-part relief print weighting value can be determined, which can be based at least upon a combination of the first weighting factor and a second image element brightness value for a second image element that may be comprised in a body-part relief print image, which may be captured by a same body-part relief print image capture device as the initial image. An adjusted brightness level can be determined for the second image element, based at least upon a combination of the body-part relief print weighting value and the second image element brightness value. |
| US08824788B2 |
Device and method of compressing image for display device
A mode coding unit for an image compression device includes a submode determination unit, a variable bit determination unit, and a coding unit. The submode determination unit is configured to determine a submode of an image block. The submode indicates a matching degree between an upper bit of the image block and an upper bit of a reference block. The variable bit determination unit is configured to determine a size of primary color compression information fields corresponding to primary colors in a reference pixel in the image block based on a relational size of color information of the primary colors. The coding unit is configured to generate compressed image data by coding the image block based on the submode and the size of the primary color compression information fields. |
| US08824786B2 |
Image processing apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium
An image processing apparatus includes a first extraction unit, a second extraction unit, a third extraction unit, a determination unit, a correction unit, and a color quantization unit. The first extraction unit extracts from an image a region and color of an information image. The second extraction unit extracts a color of a peripheral image surrounding the extracted region. The third extraction unit extracts information necessary for color quantization processing. The determination unit determines whether a color difference between the extracted color of the information image and the extracted color of the peripheral image falls within a predetermined range when color quantization processing is based on the extracted information. The correction unit corrects a representative color if it is determined that the color difference does not fall within the predetermined range. The color quantization unit performs color quantization processing on the image on the basis of the corrected representative color. |
| US08824783B2 |
Method and apparatus for measuring video quality using at least one semi-supervised learning regressor for mean observer score prediction
The invention is made in the technical field of video quality measurement. More precisely, the invention is related to mean observer score prediction using a trained semi-supervised learning regressor. That is, a method and apparatus for measuring video quality using a semi-supervised learning system for mean observer score prediction is proposed. Said semi-supervised learning system comprises at least one semi-supervised learning regressor and said method comprises training the learning system and retraining the trained learning system using a selection of test data wherein the test data is used for determining at least one mean observer score prediction using the trained learning system and the selection is indicated by a feedback received through a user interface upon presenting, in the user interface, said at least one mean observer score prediction. Doing so, prediction quality can be improved after re-training at least for the selection. |
| US08824770B2 |
Method for imaging and differential analysis of cells
Provided are methods for determining and analyzing photometric and morphometric features of small objects, such as cells to, for example, identify different cell states. In particularly, methods are provided for identifying apoptotic cells, and for distinguishing between cells undergoing apoptosis versus necrosis. |
| US08824768B1 |
Fertilization test method and apparatus
From a sample image, a fertilization test method determines the ratio of fertilized cells in the image by identifying cells in the image and calculating cell properties for each cell. An area is determined between a cell body and an outer search limit to search for a fertilization membrane. A cell outline is defined for each cell and cell membrane edges are found within the search area by changing the cell outline size between the cell body boundary the outer search limit, checking for a match with detected cell membrane edges. A cell is determined to be fertilized based on matches between detected cell membrane edges and the cell outline, patterns of contrast changes indicated by a cell membrane, or circles fit to cell membrane edges. |
| US08824767B2 |
Cell-image analyzing apparatus
A cell-image analyzing apparatus is intended to analyze, using a cell image, a cell collective that forms a colony, and is provided with a computer. The cell-image analyzing apparatus has an image analysis software that makes the computer function as: a boundary element extracting means for extracting boundary elements of subjects upon analyzing the cell image; a possible colony region determining means for determining, as a possible colony region, a region surrounded by boundary elements of subjects and having a size greater than a first criterion value; and a colony region determining means for determining, in the possible colony region, a region containing more than a predetermined number of clustered regions each being surrounded by boundary elements of subjects and having a size smaller than a second criterion value, as a colony region. |
| US08824766B2 |
Systems and methods for automated magnetic resonance imaging
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for automated MRI. According to an aspect, a method for MRI includes receiving a plurality of MRI data signals representative of a region including a volume of interest. The method also includes determining at least one subvolume within the VOI. Further, the method includes determining a state of the at least one subvolume. The method also includes implementing a predetermined action based on the predetermined state. |
| US08824764B2 |
Method for digitizing dento-maxillofacial objects
A method for capturing the shape of a dento-maxillofacial object out of volumetric image data of the dento-maxillofacial object is described. The method includes performing a segmentation of the volumetric image data with at least one calculated segmentation parameter indicative of the distinction between the dento-maxillofacial object and its background and derived from a calibration procedure. The method further includes capturing the shape of the dento-maxillofacial object from the segmented volumetric image data. |
| US08824761B2 |
Image processing method to determine suspect regions in a tissue matrix, and use thereof for 3D navigation through the tissue matrix
A method to generate a final image with a medical imaging system, wherein the final image highlights suspect regions in a tissue matrix and wherein the final image is generated from a first image and from previously acquired images of the tissue matrix is provided. The method comprises: creating a 3D map of suspicion from the previously acquired medical images; generating a 2D map of suspicion by projecting all or part of the 3D map of suspicion onto a plane from a point reproducing the conditions of acquisition of the first image; and generating a final 2D image of the tissue matrix from the first image and/or from the 2D map of suspicion, wherein the final 2D image highlights suspect regions in the tissue matrix. |
| US08824758B2 |
Method and apparatus for orienting tissue samples for comparison
Certain aspects of an apparatus and method for orienting tissue samples for comparison may include incrementally rotating orientation of a first image by a predetermined rotation angle while maintaining orientation of a second image at a fixed angle, checking alignment of the orientation of the first image with the orientation of the second image at each predetermined rotation angle by matching a plurality of points in the first image and the second image, determining whether a predetermined rotation angle is a correct rotation angle for alignment based on a count of the plurality of points being greater than a threshold value and rotating to the next predetermined rotation angle when the count of the plurality of points is less than or equal to a threshold value. |
| US08824754B2 |
Method and apparatus for generating variable resolution medical images
A hand carried medical imaging device includes a probe configured to acquire raw medical image data, an integrated display, a data memory configured to store the acquired raw medical image data, a back end processor, and a user interface operably coupled to the back end processor configured to receive commands from a user and to instruct the back end processor to display the produced medical image on the integrated display at a first resolution, and to either produce and send either the medical image at the second, higher resolution, to send the acquired raw image data, or both, to the external device, in accordance with the commands from the user. |
| US08824753B2 |
Task oriented noise suppression in medical images
A method for noise suppression in a 3-D volume image, executed at least in part on a logic processor, obtains the 3-D volume image, applies diffusion to the volume image according to a parameter that relates to image scale and is specified in an operator instruction, and displays the volume image modified according to the applied diffusion. |
| US08824749B2 |
Biometric recognition
A method for biometric identification for use with a computing device is provided herein. The method includes capturing a temporal sequence of images of the face of a user at different locations within a three-dimensional interaction space. The method further includes extracting one or more face descriptors from the images and generating a biometric template compiling the face descriptors. |
| US08824745B2 |
Map information display apparatus, map information display method, and program
A map information display apparatus for displaying map information on the basis of information on image-capturing times and image-capturing positions that are respectively associated with a plurality of captured images includes a captured image extraction unit configured to extract images captured within a predetermined time period that includes the image-capturing time of a predetermined captured image from among the plurality of captured images; a map area selection unit configured to select an area of a map so as to include the image-capturing positions of the captured images extracted by the captured image extraction unit by using as a reference the image-capturing position of the predetermined captured image; and a map information display unit configured to display map information in such a manner that the area of the map, which is selected by the map area selection unit, is displayed. |
| US08824744B2 |
Content-adaptive pixel processing systems, methods and apparatus
Embodiments include methods and systems for context-adaptive pixel processing based, in part, on a respective weighting-value for each pixel or a group of pixels. The weighting-values provide an indication as to which pixels are more pertinent to pixel processing computations. Computational resources and effort can be focused on pixels with higher weights, which are generally more pertinent for certain pixel processing determinations. |
| US08824738B2 |
Data capture and identification system and process
An identification method and process for objects from digitally captured images thereof that uses data characteristics to identify an object from a plurality of objects in a database. The data is broken down into parameters such as a Shape Comparison, Grayscale Comparison, Wavelet Comparison, and Color Cube Comparison with object data in one or more databases to identify the actual object of a digital image. |
| US08824737B2 |
Identifying components of a humanoid form in three-dimensional scenes
A method for processing data includes receiving a depth map of a scene containing a humanoid form. The depth map is processed so as to identify three-dimensional (3D) connected components in the scene, each connected component including a set of the pixels that are mutually adjacent and have mutually-adjacent depth values. Separate, first and second connected components are identified as both belonging to the humanoid form, and a representation of the humanoid form is generated including both of the first and second connected components. |
| US08824730B2 |
System and method for control of video bandwidth based on pose of a person
A system and method for control of video bandwidth based on the pose of a person. In one embodiment, a plurality of video streams is obtained that are representative of images at a first location. The video streams are communicated from the first location to a second location. A pose of the head of a person is determined wherein the person is at one of the first location and the second location. The images at the second location are displayed, wherein bandwidth for communication of the video streams is allocated among the video streams based on the pose of the head of the person. |
| US08824726B2 |
Low axial vibration receiver armature and assembly
An armature apparatus includes a first tine member, a second tine member, a center tine member, and a connecting portion. The connecting portion is coupled to the first tine member, the second tine member, and the connecting portion, and the connecting portion has a line of symmetry. The center tine member is attached to the connecting portion along the line of symmetry such that approximately one half the area of the connection portion is above the center tine member and approximately one half the area of the connection portion is below the center tine member. The attachment is effective to prevent a formation of a horizontal force in the center tine member along the third length when a vertical force is applied to the center tine member in the direction of third thickness. |
| US08824725B2 |
Speaker diaphragm, speaker using said diaphragm, and speaker diaphragm manufacturing method
A speaker diaphragm includes a fabric layer in which impregnated thermosetting resin is thermally cured, and a paper layer integrated on a rear face of this fabric layer. Fluffs of the paper layer filling stitches of the fabric layer are entangled with threads of the fabric layer from a surface of the fabric layer, and are firmly fixed by thermosetting resin. This integrates the layers in the state that the paper layer is filled in the stitches of the fabric layer. Accordingly, internal loss and Young's modulus of the speaker diaphragm can be increased. As a result, the speaker sound quality can be improved. |
| US08824723B2 |
Electro-acoustic transducer and method of manufacturing the same
An electro-acoustic transducer includes an insulative flexible substrate, a base, and a magnetic field generator. The base includes a cavity and a magnetic portion disposed below the cavity. The insulative flexible substrate is configured to cover the cavity. The magnetic field generator can be disposed on the insulative flexible substrate and corresponds to the cavity. The magnetic field generator can produce a magnetic field and a reverse magnetic field to cause the magnetic field generator and the magnetic portion of the base to attract and repel each other, thereby vibrating the insulative flexible substrate. |
| US08824722B2 |
Loudspeaker incorporating carbon nanotubes
A diaphragm includes a diaphragm and a voice coil bobbin. The diaphragm includes a membrane and a first reinforcing structure reinforcing the membrane. The voice coil bobbin includes a base and a second reinforcing structure reinforcing the base. The first reinforcing structure and the second reinforcing structure are a carbon nanotube structure. The carbon nanotube structure is disposed on the membrane and the base, or in the membrane and the base. |
| US08824714B2 |
Earwax filter, handing tool and dispenser for such filter
A transducer protection comprises a top cap, a stem extending from the top cap and having a distal end and a seal at the stem distal ends. The top cap has an outward facing and an inward facing side, the inward facing side facing the hearing aid, when in use. The stem protrudes into an opening of a hearing aid component to be protected, when in use. The stem's proximal end is connected to the top cap at the top caps inward facing side. The protection has an outward facing contour that is adapted to match an inner wall of the hearing aid component's opening so that the outer contour of the seal contacts the inner wall of the opening, when in use. Within the seal, at least one sound opening is provided that is surrounded by the seal. |
| US08824712B2 |
Method and apparatus for behind-the-ear hearing aid with capacitive sensor
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus for a behind-the-ear hearing aid with a capacitive sensor. |
| US08824708B2 |
Oscillation device and electronic apparatus
An oscillation device (100) includes a piezoelectric element (121), a vibrating member (122) which binds one surface of the piezoelectric element (121) and is formed of a metal material, a resin member (123) which holds an outer circumferential portion of the vibrating member (122), a piezoelectric element (111), a vibrating member (122) which binds one surface of the piezoelectric element (111), is overlapped with the vibrating member (121) and the resin member (123) when seen in a plan view, and is formed of a metal material, and a support member (140) which supports the resin member (123) and the vibrating member (112), wherein at least one opening (150), which connects a space (170) positioned between the vibrating member (121) and the resin member (123), and the vibrating member (122) to the outside of the space (170), is provided in at least one of the vibrating member (121), the resin member (123), and the vibrating member (112). |
| US08824707B2 |
Acoustic substrate
A micromachined microphone or speaker embedded within, or positioned on top of, a substrate suitable for carrying microelectronic chips and components. The acoustic element converts sound energy into electrical energy which is then amplified by electronic components positioned on the surface of the substrate. Alternatively, the acoustic element may be driven by electronics to produce sound. The substrate can be used in standard microelectronic packaging applications. |
| US08824700B2 |
Multi-input noise suppression device, multi-input noise suppression method, program thereof, and integrated circuit thereof
A power spectrum estimation unit (200) obtains an estimated sound power spectrum Ps(ω), based on a power spectrum P1(ω) and on a first calculated value obtained by at least multiplying a power spectrum P2(ω) by a weight coefficient A2(ω). A coefficient update unit (300) updates the weight coefficient A2(ω) and a weight coefficient A1(ω) so that a second calculated value approximates to the power spectrum P1(ω). The second calculated value is obtained by adding at least two values obtained by multiplying the power spectrum P2(ω) and the estimated target sound power spectrum Ps(ω) by the weight coefficient A2(ω) and the weight coefficient A1(ω), respectively. |
| US08824699B2 |
Method of, and apparatus for, planar audio tracking
A planar audio tracking system comprises a square array of four microphones (M1, M2, M3, M4) arranged as first and second cross-dipole microphones and a virtually constructed monopole microphone. The signals from these microphones undergo directional pre-processing and the results are applied to a filtered sum beamformer (FSB) (32). The FSB identifies functions (hd (0), hd (π/2), and hm) of the FSB which are representative of impulse responses from desired audio source(s) to the first and second cross-dipole and the monopole microphone, respectively. The functions of the first cross-dipole and the monopole microphones and the functions of the second cross-dipole and the monopole microphones are cross correlated to produce respective estimates (ψc(l) and ψs(l)) representative of the lag of the most dominant audio source. An angle-estimate ({circumflex over (φ)}) of the most dominant source is determined using the estimates of lag. Other embodiments of the tracking system may comprise 3 microphones arranged in a circular array and forming first and second cross-dipoles and a virtual monopole. |
| US08824696B2 |
Headset signal multiplexing system and method
A system and method for supplying power to a headset, and for transmitting multiple signals generated in the headset to a terminal using frequency division multiplexing. An audio signal and a carrier signal are generated in the terminal and summed together to form a composite uplink signal. The composite uplink signal is provided to a headset over a first physical channel. At the headset, the audio and carrier signals are separated, and the carrier signal is used to generate power in the headset. Signals generated by a plurality of acoustic sensors in the headset are combined using frequency division multiplexing to generate a composite downlink signal, which is transmitted to the terminal over a second physical channel. One or more carrier signals used to generate the composite downlink signal are provided by either a carrier source in the headset, or by recovering the carrier signal from the composite uplink signal. |
| US08824695B2 |
Instability detection and avoidance in a feedback system
In one aspect, in general, an active noise reduction system detects actual or potential instability by detecting characteristics of the system related to potential or actual unstable behavior (e.g., oscillation) and adapts system characteristics to mitigate such instability. In some examples, the system adapts to variation in characteristics of an acoustic component of a feedback path that has or may induce unstable behavior to improve a user's acoustic experience. |
| US08824692B2 |
Self calibrating multi-element dipole microphone
A self calibrating dipole microphone formed from two omni-directional acoustic sensors. The microphone includes a sound source acoustically coupled to the acoustic sensors and a processor. The sound source is excited with a test signal, exposing the acoustic sensors to acoustic calibration signals. The responses of the acoustic sensors to the calibration signals are compared by the processor, and one or more correction factors determined. Digital filter coefficients are calculated based on the one or more correction factors, and applied to the output signals of the acoustic sensors to compensate for differences in the sensitivities of the acoustic sensors. The filtered signals provide acoustic sensor outputs having matching responses, which are subtractively combined to form the dipole microphone output. |
| US08824691B2 |
Apparatus and method for monitoring sound in a process system
A method for monitoring sound in a process system is provided that includes sensing sound at a specified location, capturing the sensed sound as sound data, and forwarding the sound data from the specified location to a process control system. The sound data is analyzed at the process control system and a determination is made regarding whether or not to issue a warning based on the analysis of the sound data. For a particular embodiment, the analysis of the sound data includes comparing the sound data to at least one stored sound, and the determination regarding whether or not to issue a warning based on the analysis of the sound data is made based on a level of similarity between the sound data and the stored sound. |
| US08824688B2 |
Apparatus and method for generating audio output signals using object based metadata
An apparatus for generating at least one audio output signal representing a superposition of at least two different audio objects comprises a processor for processing an audio input signal to provide an object representation of the audio input signal, where this object representation can be generated by a parametrically guided approximation of original objects using an object downmix signal. An object manipulator individually manipulates objects using audio object based metadata referring to the individual audio objects to obtain manipulated audio objects. The manipulated audio objects are mixed using an object mixer for finally obtaining an audio output signal having one or several channel signals depending on a specific rendering setup. |
| US08824684B2 |
Dynamic, selective obfuscation of information for multi-party transmission
Selectively obfuscating, or obscuring, a portion or portions of information in a multi-party transmission. A user participating in a multi-party exchange signals a communication device (or proxy) that he will provide private information that is to be perceptible only to a subset of the other participants. This user also identifies that subset, preferably by providing a group identifier for a group in which that subset of participants are members. The communication device transmits a member-specific descriptor comprising an encrypted version of a group key, and uses this group key to encrypt the private information that is to be perceptible only to the subset. Device-specific characteristics of participant devices are used, in addition to user-provided data (such as a user's log-on identifier and/or password), as input to create cryptographic key information. Only participants in the subset can decrypt the encrypted private information; other participants preferably receive a filler pattern instead. |
| US08824680B2 |
Centralized key generation
A first network device is configured to receive a request for a secret key, generate the secret key, and send the secret key to a second network device, a third network device, and a wireless user device. The second network device may send content, encrypted with the secret key, to the wireless user device. The third network device may send content, encrypted with the secret key, to the wireless user device when the second network device is not sending content to the wireless user device. The wireless user device may use the secret key to decrypt the content received from the second network device or the third network device. |
| US08824674B2 |
Information distribution system and program for the same
An information distribution system described herein is capable of securely storing digitized personal information in an encrypted state in a storage section and securely transferring/disclosing the stored digitized information only to a particular third person via a network. Communication of the information is securely performed in the encrypted state between information terminals connected to the communication network. An information terminal which has created information encrypts the original information by a common key generated upon communication and stores the information in a secure storage of one of the information terminals connected to the communication network while maintaining the encrypted state. Further, the system creates a mechanism for authenticating a person having a particular authority for viewing the encrypted information and index information having an encrypted common key and link information indicating the location of the information for supply to a user. |
| US08824661B2 |
Systems and methods for customer contact
A user of a personal computing device may identify an item of interest displayed in a user interface provided by a network-based service and would like to obtain more information. The user may submit one or more electronic contact requests to a contact service in communication with a contact distribution system in order to obtain more information. The contact distribution system determines accurate, real-time availability of service agents and enables communications between the customer and an agent to be established in accordance with user contact information provided by the user. |
| US08824655B2 |
Routing inbound communications across call centers and the like
Communications within a communication management network are routed according to a dynamic scorecard routing method in which communication routing decision attributes of communication route destinations are monitored through data feeds from the communication route destinations at a communication router. Values of the communication routing decision attributes are processed to produce processed attribute values and these processed attribute values are stored in a scorecard routing database. Thereafter, upon receipt of an indication of an inbound communication, a call controller is instructed to route the inbound communication to one of the communication route destinations according to assessed scores of the communication route destinations compiled using the processed communication routing decision attribute values stored in the scorecard routing database. |
| US08824654B2 |
Communication device
A communication device configured to be connected with both a public switched telephone network and an IP network. The communication device may comprise an input allowing unit configured to allow a user to input specific identification information for the public switched telephone network, a judging unit configured to judge whether or not the communication device itself is in a specific state that is capable of executing a first communication process of communicating via the IP network using IP identification information for the IP network, and a communication unit configured to execute the first communication process, in a first case where the communication device is judged as being in the specific state, and execute a second communication process of communicating via the public switched telephone network, in a second case where the communication device is judged as not being in the specific state. |
| US08824652B2 |
Controlled recorded 3-way calling
Agencies issue recording devices to personnel for administrating and monitoring controlled calls during the course of their duties. To provide flexible capabilities to agencies, a virtual number is provisioned and configured to enable an operator to administrate controlled calls without dedicated recording devices. Using the virtual number, the operator may setup a controlled call between a victim and a baddie. The victim is contacted via the virtual number by the operator and optionally informed about the controlled call process. In turn, the baddie is contacted using number information of the victim's phone and connected with the victim. Call audio between the victim and baddie is transmitted to the operator. When necessary, the operator may terminate the call remotely from the telephonic device the operator used to setup the call. |
| US08824641B2 |
Real time automatic caller speech profiling
A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product recognizes a voice input received by an interactive voice recognition system. An unintelligible voice input, which is unintelligible due to background noise at the caller's location, is received from a caller. Upon determining that the unintelligible voice input does not match any entry from a lexicon of known voice inputs, the unintelligible voice input is stored in a no-match-based user profiles database, and the caller is prompted to transmit a non-verbal electronic input to clarify the unintelligible voice input. This non-verbal electronic input is used to match the unintelligible voice input with a specific known voice input from the lexicon of known voice inputs, which is updated with the unintelligible voice input. The updated lexicon is subsequently used in future phone calls from the user to match the unintelligible voice input to the user-requested activity for the caller. |
| US08824638B2 |
Systems and methods for making and using multi-blade collimators
Systems and methods for making and using a multi-blade collimator device are described herein. The collimator device can include a base member, a rotational member, and multiple X-ray-attenuating blades that fit together to define an aperture. The blades are typically disposed between the base member and rotational member. Additionally, the blades can be mechanically connected to or interfaced with the base member and the rotational member so that when the rotational member is rotated with respect to the base member, the blades move and cause the aperture to change in size. The aperture can be any shape, including polygonal, square, or rectangular. While the aperture's size can be increased and decreased, the shape and orientation of the aperture can remain substantially constant. The collimator can contain a single layer of blades or multiple layers of blades. Other embodiments are described. |
| US08824637B2 |
X-ray tubes
An X-ray tube is produced by forming a first housing section 20 from sheet metal; forming a second housing section 22 from sheet metal, mounting an electron source 18 in one of the housing sections; mounting an anode 16 in one of the housing sections; and joining the housing sections 20, 22 together to form a housing defining a chamber with the electron source 18 and the anode 16 therein. |
| US08824629B2 |
Radiation imaging system and image processing method
In each of a first phase shift differential image produced in the absence of a subject in preliminary imaging and a second phase shift differential image produced in the presence of the subject in main imaging, boundaries, at each of which a value changes from π/2 to −π/2 or from −π/2 to π/2, are determined. First and second staircase data in each of which a value changes by π or −π when crossing each of the boundaries in a predetermined direction is produced. The first and second staircase data is added to the first and second phase shift differential images to produce first and second added phase shift differential image, respectively. The first added phase shift differential image is subtracted from the second added phase shift differential image to produce a corrected phase shift differential image. |
| US08824624B2 |
Contactless power chain
An imaging system (100) includes a stationary gantry (102) and a rotating gantry (104). The rotating gantry (104) includes a first component (110, 114, 116) supplied with first power and a second component supplied with second power, wherein the first and second power are different. A contactless power chain (118) includes a first transformer (202, 204, 306) for transferring the first power from the stationary gantry (102) to the rotating gantry (104) and a second transformer (202, 204, 306) for transferring the second power from the stationary gantry (102) to the rotating gantry (104). The first and second transformers (202, 204, 306) are shifted relative to each other along the longitudinal axis (108) by a pre-determined finite non-zero distance (240). In another embodiment, an imaging system (100) includes a stationary gantry (102) and a rotating gantry (104) that rotates about a longitudinal axis (108). A contactless power chain (118) transfers power from the stationary gantry (102) to the rotating gantry (104), wherein windings (214, 218, 230, 234) of the contactless power chain (118) are carried by a non-resin based carrier (700). |
| US08824622B2 |
Buffer circuit and buffer circuit driving method
A buffer circuit driving method for driving a buffer circuit including: an output terminal; a first transistor connected to a signal source of a clock signal that is of at least a first voltage or a second voltage lower than the first voltage, for supplying the first voltage to the output terminal; and a second transistor connected to a voltage source that supplies a third voltage lower than the first voltage, for supplying the third voltage to the output terminal, includes: causing the first transistor to switch to a conducting state in a period where the clock signal is of the first voltage; and causing the first transistor and the second transistor to switch to the conducting state in a period where the clock signal is of the second voltage, following the period where the clock signal is of the first voltage. |
| US08824619B2 |
Steam generator flow by-pass system
A nuclear reactor module includes a reactor vessel and a reactor housing mounted inside the reactor vessel, wherein the reactor housing comprises a shroud and a riser located above the shroud. The nuclear reactor module further includes a heat exchanger proximately located about the riser, and a reactor core located in the shroud. A steam generator by-pass system is configured to provide an auxiliary flow path of primary coolant to the reactor core to augment a primary flow path of the primary coolant out of the riser and into the shroud, wherein the auxiliary flow path of primary coolant exits the reactor housing without passing by the heat exchanger. |
| US08824616B1 |
CMOS interpolator for a serializer/deserializer communication application
In an example, the phase interpolator (PI) is provided to adjust the phase of a clock such that the phase is aligned to an incoming data pattern from a data stream. The data can be captured from a device such as a flip-flop or the like. The present technique uses a PI (digital to phase) and a digital state machine in a feedback loop to set the correct digital code to the PI inputs to achieve an appropriate clock phase. Of course, there can be variations. |
| US08824615B2 |
Frequency tracing circuit and method thereof
A frequency tracking circuit is disclosed. The frequency tracking circuit includes an edge selector, a phase-frequency processor and a digital controlled oscillator. The edge selector receives a data signal and feedback clock signal and sequentially outputs a data edge signal and a feedback-clock-edge signal. The phase-frequency processor receives the data edge signal and the feedback-clock-edge signal and outputs a frequency adjusting digital signal after executing differential operation according to a first phase difference and a second phase difference. The digital controlled oscillator receives the frequency adjusting digital signal so as to adjust frequency of the feedback clock signal. The phase-frequency processor outputs a frequency tracking signal to the edge selector, wherein the edge selector utilizes the frequency tracking signal for acquiring the data edge signal and utilizes the data edge signal for acquiring the feedback-clock-edge signal. |
| US08824613B2 |
Signal transmission device, and transmission control method
There is provided a signal transmission device including a first communication module including a first signal transmission unit for transmitting a first transmission signal having first amplitude to a second communication module through a predetermined transmission path, and the second communication module including a second signal transmission unit for transmitting a second transmission signal having second amplitude different from the first amplitude to the first communication module through the predetermined transmission path, and a transmission timing adjustment unit for adjusting a transmission timing of the second transmission signal by the second signal transmission unit so that a transition timing of the first transmission signal transmitted from the first communication module and a transition timing of the second transmission signal coincide with each other at a receiving end of the first communication module. |
| US08824612B2 |
Apparatuses, circuits, and methods for reducing metastability in data synchronization
Apparatuses, circuits, and methods are disclosed for reducing or eliminating unintended operation resulting from metastability in data synchronization. In one such example apparatus, a sampling circuit is configured to provide four samples of a data input signal. A first and a second of the four samples are associated with a first edge of a latching signal, and a third and a fourth of the four samples are associated with a second edge of the latching signal. A masking circuit is configured to selectively mask a signal corresponding to one of the four samples responsive to the four samples not sharing a common logic level. The masking circuit is also configured to provide a decision signal responsive to selectively masking or not masking the signal. |
| US08824611B2 |
Adaptive non-linear model for highly-spectrally-efficient communications
A receiver may be operable to generate estimates of transmitted symbols using a sequence estimation process that may incorporate a non-linear model. The non-linear model may be adapted by the receiver based on particular communication information that may be indicative of non-linearity experienced by the transmitted symbols. The receiver may generate a reconstructed signal from the estimates of the transmitted symbols. The receiver may adapt the non-linear model based on values of an error signal generated from the reconstructed signal, and the values of the error signal may be generated from a portion of the generated estimates that may correspond to known symbols and/or information symbols. The values of the error signal corresponding to the known symbols may be given more weight in an adaptation algorithm, and the values of the error signal corresponding to the information symbols may be given less weight in the adaptation algorithm. |
| US08824610B1 |
Robust synchronization and detection mechanisms for OFDM WLAN systems
A method for performing a clear channel assessment to determine whether a wireless channel is clear for transmission of a transmit signal. The method includes receiving, through the wireless channel, a plurality of signals, wherein the plurality of signals are respectively received via a plurality of antennas of the receiver determining a signal strength of each of the plurality of signals, autocorrelating the plurality of signals to respectively generate a plurality of autocorrelated signals, weighting each autocorrelated signal of the plurality of autocorrelated signals based on one or more of the signal strengths determined for each of the plurality of signals, combining each autocorrelated signal, as weighted, to generate a combined signal, demodulating the combined signal, and determining, based at least in part on the demodulation of the combined signal, whether the wireless channel is clear for the transmission of the transmit signal onto the wireless channel. |
| US08824607B2 |
Subcarrier frequency acquisition and complex derotation to baseband
A method for demodulating a radio frequency signal according to one embodiment includes receiving digital signals derived from a radio frequency signal; converting the digital signals to baseband signals; generating a frequency error signal using the baseband signals during an acquisition period; and shifting a frequency of the digital signals towards zero frequency error during the acquisition period using the frequency error signal, with the proviso that the digital signals are not phase locked during the shifting. Such methodology may also be implemented as a system using logic for performing the various operations. Additional systems and methods are also presented. |
| US08824604B2 |
Method and apparatus for symbol decoding using tree pruning based sphere search
An apparatus and method for symbol decoding by selecting a degree of freedom (DOF) parameter for a noise vector; selecting a delta probability value; computing a cost function for a lattice point that is one of a discrete set of nominal codeword positions in a hypersphere; selecting a sphere decoding radius based on the DOF parameter, the delta probability value and the cost function; and decoding a symbol using the sphere decoding radius. And, the apparatus and method of setting pre-defined threshold probabilities; computing threshold radii based on the pre-defined threshold probabilities; setting an initial sphere radius square to the value of a first threshold radii; finding the Lattice point based on the initial sphere radius square; computing an updated sphere radius square as the minimum of either a cost function or a second threshold radii; and finding a next lattice point based on the updated sphere radius square. |
| US08824600B2 |
Multiuser MIMO system, receiver, and transmitter
Even when respective transmitters use different transmission schemes, signals of the respective transmitters are separated. A receiver that is applied to a multiuser MIMO system in which a plurality of transmitters performs transmission to at least one receiver, includes a MIMO separation part 40 that receives signals transmitted in different transmission schemes at the same time and at the same frequency and separates the received signals for each transmitter, a switching part 41 that switches output destinations according to the transmission scheme of the separated signal, and a single-carrier processing part 42 and a multi-carrier processing part 43 provided for each transmission scheme for processing a signal output from the switching part 41 according to its transmission scheme. |
| US08824595B2 |
High efficiency, remotely reconfigurable remote radio head unit system and method for wireless communications
A remote radio head unit (RRU) system is disclosed. The present invention is based on the method of adaptive digital predistortion to linearize a power amplifier inside the RRU. The power amplifier characteristics such as variation of linearity and asymmetric distortion of the amplifier output signal are monitored by a wideband feedback path and controlled by the adaptation algorithm in a digital module. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention can compensate for the nonlinearities as well as memory effects of the power amplifier systems and also improve performance, in terms of power added efficiency, adjacent channel leakage ratio and peak-to-average power ratio. The present disclosure enables a power amplifier system to be field reconfigurable and support multi-modulation schemes (modulation agnostic), multi-carriers, multi-frequency bands and multi-channels. Consequentially, the remote radio head system is particularly suitable for wireless transmission systems, such as base-stations, repeaters, and indoor signal coverage systems. |
| US08824591B2 |
Digital radio frequency clocking methods
A method and system for synchronous transfer of bitstream data between a power-driver chip and a digital signal processing chip in a digital radio frequency transmit system is disclosed. A master phase-locked-loop located in the power-driver chip is utilized to provide master clocking control for the digital radio frequency transmit system. Furthermore, the clocking method and system is configurable to secure precise carrier frequency positioning of a digitally-generated radio frequency signal based on predetermined chip frequencies unrelated to the carrier frequency, assuring low bitstream phase noise at the output of the power driver chip. |
| US08824589B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for microwave signal correction
A method, an apparatus, and a system are provided in various embodiments of the present invention. According to embodiments of the present invention, the receiver samples the frequency signal from the transmitter to obtain sampling data and obtain the feedback IQ signal from the sampling data, and performs signal correction by using the feedback IQ signal. Sampling the received radio frequency signal does not need an additional component. The receiving channel installed in the receiver can be used to receive the radio frequency signal, which reduces the cost and power consumption. |
| US08824587B2 |
Systems and methods for compressed feedback and subcarrier grouping for beamforming
Methods and apparatuses are provided for providing compressed feedback channel state information for beamforming. A beam transmitted by a transmission source is received at a receiving device. The receiving device computes a channel state matrix H of the transmission channel based on the received beam. Using the channel state matrix H, the receiving device performs a singular value decomposition procedure that produces a steering matrix V. The singular value decomposition procedure generates a set of angles (θV, φ) from which the steering matrix V can be computed. The receiving device transmits the set of angles (θV, φ) to the transmitting device. From the set of angles (θV, φ), the transmitting device can compute the steering matrix V. |
| US08824582B2 |
Base station and method for channel coding and link adaptation
A base station is arranged for performing channel coding and link adaptation. The base station comprises one or more processors and physical layer circuitry arranged to decode symbols received from a user station to determine an error rate, the symbols received through a plurality of antennas, receive signaling from the user station, the signaling including channel quality information for channel resources of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) channel, select a modulation and coding rate for transmission of symbols to the user station based at least in part on the error rate, and transmit a transmit power control command to the user station, the transmit power control command based at least in part on a downlink path loss estimate. The base station may also transmit additional transmit power control commands to the user station based on the error rate of subsequently decoded symbols. The transmit power control command may be selected for channel resources that are allocated to the user station, the channel resources comprising a group of subcarriers having an initially selected modulation and coding rate. |
| US08824578B2 |
System and method of single-carrier layer shifting for multiple-stream transmission facilitating SIC implementation
A system, method and node of single-carrier layer shifting for multiple-stream transmission in a network. Per-symbol layer shifting for multiple-stream transmission is implemented using DFTS-OFDM as an access technique. Code word-to-layer mapping is fixed within a DFTS-OFDM symbol and only shifted across consecutive DFTS-OFDM symbols. The method begins by receiving a multiple-stream transmission by a mapping module for transmission. The transmission includes a plurality of subframes and information carrying symbols transmitted on a plurality of layers. A per-symbol layer shifting scheme is then implemented on the transmission where layer shifting is conducted upon each symbol. |
| US08824572B2 |
Timing pilot generation for highly-spectrally-efficient communications
Methods and systems are provided for timing synchronization for reception of highly-spectrally efficient communications. An example method may include, mapping, in a transmitter, a plurality of transmit bits to a plurality of symbols at a symbol rate that is based on an oscillator signal. The plurality of symbols may be processed via a filter. The processing may result in an inter-symbol correlated (ISC) signal. The oscillator signal may be frequency divided to generate one or more pilot signals having a frequency that is a sub-harmonic of a frequency of the oscillator signal. The pilot signal may be injected into the ISC signal. The injecting may result in an ISC signal with timing carrier. The ISC signal with timing carrier may be transmitted. Gain of the one or more pilot signals may be adjusted based on a spectral mask value associated with the transmitting. |
| US08824566B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving images having undergone losses during transmission
The reception method is implemented in a receiver apparatus receiving images of a video sequence having undergone losses during an exchange of data with a sender apparatus connected to said receiver apparatus via a communication network. The receiver apparatus comprises at least a first module implementing a transport layer and a second module implementing an application layer, the application layer being subdivided into a first sub-module implementing the decoding of the video and a second sub-module implementing the display of said video. The method comprises the following steps: in the transport layer, transmitting a data loss detection signal intended for the application layer, as soon as the transport layer detects a loss of data; and in the application layer, implementing a loss concealment mechanism, on reception of said loss detection signal and without waiting for said application layer itself to detect said data loss so detected. |
| US08824565B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding with reduced requirements for division operations
A method and apparatus for performing motion estimation in a digital video system is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that quickly calculates estimated motion vectors in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, a first multiplicand is determined by multiplying a first display time difference between a first video picture and a second video picture by a power of two scale value. This step scales up a numerator for a ratio. Next, the system determines a scaled ratio by dividing that scaled numerator by a second first display time difference between said second video picture and a third video picture. The scaled ratio is then stored calculating motion vector estimations. By storing the scaled ratio, all the estimated motion vectors can be calculated quickly with good precision since the scaled ratio saves significant bits and reducing the scale is performed by simple shifts. |
| US08824559B2 |
Method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding
A method and apparatus for variable accuracy inter-picture timing specification for digital video encoding is disclosed. Specifically, the present invention discloses a system that allows the relative timing of nearby video pictures to be encoded in a very efficient manner. In one embodiment, the display time difference between a current video picture and a nearby video picture is determined. The display time difference is then encoded into a digital representation of the video picture. In a preferred embodiment, the nearby video picture is the most recently transmitted stored picture. For coding efficiency, the display time difference may be encoded using a variable length coding system or arithmetic coding. In an alternate embodiment, the display time difference is encoded as a power of two to reduce the number of bits transmitted. |
| US08824558B2 |
Method and apparatus of spatial motion vector prediction
An apparatus and method for deriving a motion vector predictor (MVP) or a MVP candidate for a current block are disclosed. Embodiments according of the present invention receive a first motion vector associated a first reference picture in a first reference picture list and a second motion vector associated with a second reference picture in a second reference picture list of a spatially neighboring block. A MVP or at least one MVP candidate associated with a selected reference picture in a selected reference picture list for the current block is then determined based on the first reference picture, the second reference picture and the selected reference picture according to a pre-defined priority order. The MVP or MVP candidate is determined depending on whether the first reference picture is the same as the selected reference picture or whether the second reference picture is the same as the selected reference picture. |
| US08824557B2 |
Adaptive coefficient scan order
A digital media codec adaptively re-arranges a coefficient scan order of transform coefficients in accordance with the local statistics of the digital media, so that the coefficients can be encoded more efficiently using entropy encoding. The adaptive scan ordering is applied causally at encoding and decoding to avoid explicitly signaling the scan order to the decoder in the compressed digital media stream. For computational efficiency, the adaptive scan order re-arranges the scan order by applying a conditional exchange operation on adjacently ordered coefficient locations via a single traversal of the scan order per update of the statistical analysis. |
| US08824553B2 |
Video compression method
A method of compressing video data having at least one frame having at least one block and each block having an array of pixels is provided. The method transforms the pixels of each block into coefficients and creates an optimal transmission order of the coefficients. The method also optimizes the speed of processing compressed video data by partitioning the data bitstream and coding each partition independently. The method also predicts fractional pixel motion by selecting an interpolation method for each given plurality or block of pixels depending upon at least one metric related to each given block and varies the method from block to block. The method also enhances error recovery for a current frame using a frame prior to the frame immediately before the current frame as the only reference frame for lessening quality loss during data transmission. Enhanced motion vector coding is also provided. |
| US08824550B2 |
Image capture apparatus
There is provided a moving image encoding apparatus comprising: an encoding unit which encodes moving image data using inter-frame prediction, the moving image data being input by an image pickup unit which captures an object image, and generates an encoded bitstream; a setting unit which performs settings for an encoding process performed by the encoding unit; a transmitting unit which transmits setting information created by the setting unit to an external moving image encoding apparatus; a receiving unit which receives setting information for an encoding process transmitted by the external moving image encoding apparatus; and an encoding control unit which controls the encoding process performed by the encoding unit in accordance with a first setting made by the setting unit and a second setting based on the setting information received by the receiving unit. |
| US08824547B2 |
Video coding using a constant perceptual quality
Methods and apparatus for video coding are disclosed, particularly for use in relation to video compression. Many commercially available video encoders support constant bit-rate encoding but not constant quality encoding. Aspects of the present invention are concerned with methods and apparatus for video coding, the methods involving the determination of bit-rates at which a constant bit-rate encoder may be operated such that segments of video can be chosen from files encoded at the bit-rates so-determined in order to produce an output bitstream in which the quality is nearly constant. Bit-stream segments may be chosen from a low bit-rate bitstream for easy-to-compress scenes, and from a high bit-rate bitstream for hard-to-compress scenes. |
| US08824543B2 |
Multilayer decoding using persistent bits
The invention relates to a method of iterative multi-layer decoding of a multimedia communication signal, wherein persistent bits from various upper layers of the employed protocol stack are used in error correction decoding at a lower error-correction layer. The method includes saving persistent bits from successfully decoded FEC frames in memory, and using a subset of the saved bits in decoding of future frames. A smart controller is used to analyze frames for the presence and location of persistent bits, for saving thereof in memory, and for inserting saved persistent bits into a next frame at successive decoding iterations thereof. |
| US08824541B2 |
Methods, devices and systems for parallel video encoding and decoding
A method for decoding a video bitstream is disclosed. The method comprises: entropy decoding a first portion (112-1) of a video bitstream (52), wherein first portion (112-1) of video bitstream is associated with a video frame (110), thereby producing a first portion (112-1) of decoded data; entropy decoding a second portion (112-2) of video bitstream (52), wherein second portion (112-2) of video bitstream (52) is associated with video frame (110), thereby producing a second portion (112-2) of decoded data, wherein entropy decoding second portion (112-2) of video bitstream (52) is independent of entropy decoding first portion (112-1) of video bitstream (52); and reconstructing a first portion (112-1) of video frame (110) associated with video bitstream (52) using first portion (112-1) of decoded data and second portion (112-2) of decoded data. |
| US08824532B2 |
Method and apparatus to generate wireless test signals
A method of generating a noisy receive signal for testing the performance of a mobile wireless communication device is described. A signal generator unit generates a transmit signal that frequency hops among a set of carrier frequency channels in a cyclic pattern having a time duration T. A wireless channel emulator unit generates a receive signal by modifying the transmit signal and also generates an interference signal by modifying the receive signal. The wireless channel emulator unit delays the interference signal relative to the receive signal by an integer multiple of the time duration T. The receive signal and the interference signal are combined by a combiner unit to generate the noisy receive signal. |
| US08824530B1 |
Communication system and method
A modem for handling notifications received over a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modem includes a first interface to connect to a network, a second interface to connect to a host processor on a terminal and a modem processor to receive presence configuration information from the host processor and in response thereto transmit a request comprising the presence configuration information to a presence information store. The modem processor further arranged to receive one or more notifications with presence information from the store based on the presence configuration information in the request. The presence information supplied to the store by one or more further terminals associated with one or more users. The modem processor stores the one or more notifications in a storage means, and in response to receiving a request for presence information from said host processor, supply presence information thereto based on the one or more notifications. |
| US08824528B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting spectrum inversion
The present invention relates to a spectrum inversion detection apparatus which includes a differential correlation value computing portion, utilized to use a present and previous time axial symbols to compute differential correlation values individually corresponding to carriers; and a controlling portion, utilized to use the differential correlation values, when a spectrum inversion status flag is not at a spectrum inversion state, to compute a correlativity value of the each integer frequency displacement thereby, and when spectrum inversion status flag is at the spectrum inversion state, to determine a maximal correlativity value among all the computed correlativity values, and to decide a spectrum inversion status flag of the computed correlativity value which is determined as the maximal correlativity value thereby utilizing as a detection result signal to output. |
| US08824527B2 |
OFDM receiver with time domain channel estimation
An OFDM communication system performs time domain channel estimation responsive to received symbols before the symbols are processed by a fast Fourier transform. The communication system generates virtual pilots from actual pilots to improve the stability and quality of channel estimation. The system generates a reference signal from the actual and virtual pilots and correlates the resulting reference signal with a signal responsive to the received symbol to generate an initial channel impulse response (CIR) and to determine statistics about the channel. In some circumstances, the resulting reference signal is correlated with a modified symbol in which the actual and virtual pilot locations are emphasized and the data locations are deemphasized. Time domain channel estimation iteratively improves on the initial CIR. The system determines channel estimates for data only symbols through averaging such as interpolation. |
| US08824524B2 |
Fault circuit indicator system using a random phase multiple access system
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer-readable media, are configured for receiving monitor data from a fault circuit indicator. A data stream is created based upon the monitor data. The data stream is spread with a common pseudo-noise (PN) code that is used by a plurality of nodes in communication with an access point. The spread data stream is transmitted at a first time based on a slot start time and a first randomly selected timing offset. The spread data stream is transmitted while at least a portion of a second spread data stream is transmitted at a second time based on the slot start time and a second randomly selected timing offset. The second spread data stream is spread with the common PN code. |
| US08824520B2 |
Surface emitting semiconductor laser, surface emitting semiconductor laser device, optical transmission device, and information processing apparatus
A laser includes: a substrate; a first reflector including pairs of high and low refractive index layers; an active region forming a resonator; a second reflector including an emission surface and pairs of high and low refractive index layers; an extending region thicker than oscillation wavelength, extending the length of the resonator, and including a conductive semiconductor material; a confining layer including a high refractive index region and a surrounding low refractive index region; and an additional film allowing the oscillation wavelength to transmit therethrough. The first and second reflectors, the extending region, and the active region determine a reflection band including resonance wavelengths, in one of which oscillation occurs. The additional film includes central and outer circumferential portions having different thicknesses to suppress resonance in the high refractive index region and the extending region. The central and outer circumferential portions overlap the high and low refractive index regions, respectively. |
| US08824519B1 |
VCSEL pumped fiber optic gain systems
Optical pump modules comprising VCSEL and VCSEL array devices provide high optical power for configuring fiber optic gain systems such as fiber laser and fiber amplifier particularly suited for high power operation. Pump modules may be constructed using two reflector or three reflector VCSEL devices optionally integrated with microlens arrays and other optical components, to couple high power pump beams to a fiber output port. The pump module having a fiber output port is particularly suited to couple light to an inner cladding of a double-clad fiber, often used to configure high power fiber laser and fiber amplifier. The pump modules may be operated in CW, QCW and pulse modes to configure fiber lasers and amplifiers using single end, dual end, and regenerative optical pumping modes. Multiple-pumps may be combined to increase pump power in a modular fashion without significant distortion to signal, particularly for short pulse operation. |
| US08824512B2 |
Interface circuit for receiving digital signals between devices
A video signal and an audio signal are TMDS transmitted from a source device to a sink device. Through a reserved line and a HPD line provided separately from a TMDS transmission line, an Ethernet™ signal is bidirectionally transmitted, and also, a SPDIF signal is transmitted from the sink device to the source device. The Ethernet™ signal bidirectionally transmitted between Ethernet™ transmitter/receiver circuits is differentially transmitted by an amplifier and is received by the amplifier. The SPDIF signal from a SPDIF transmitter circuit is common-mode transmitted from an adder and is received by the adder to be supplied to the SPDIF receiver circuit. |
| US08824510B2 |
Systems and methods of measuring communication performance
The disclosure is generally directed to a system and method of measuring transport utilization of data that is to be multiplexed and transmitted over a digital transport facility. In a particular embodiment, the system includes a traffic management reporting device to provide a report including performance information. The performance information is determined based on a count of stuff bits included in a user data frame having a fixed size payload. |
| US08824509B1 |
Method and device for providing services to end user devices
Method and system for providing data, video and voice to a group of end user devices includes receiving end user device group quality of service rules and access network node bandwidth constraints; assigning multicast addresses and unicast addresses to end user devices of the group in response to the access node bandwidth constraints; and providing, in response to the end user device group quality of service rules and requests to receive services from the residential gateways, data, video and voice utilizing the assigned multicast addresses and unicast addresses. Further methods include receiving location information representative of distances between multiple end user devices and access nodes; defining end user bandwidth constraints in response to the location information and in response to access node bandwidth constraints; and providing, in response to the end user bandwidth constraints and to requests to receive services from the end user devices, data, compressed video and voice. |
| US08824503B2 |
Transmission stream generating device for generating transmission stream which additional data is stuffed in a payload area of a packet, digital broadcast transmitting/receiving device for transmitting/receiving the transmission stream, and methods thereof
A transmission stream (TS) generating apparatus includes an adaptor which receives general data and generates a stream having a plurality of packets, and which provides adaptive field in some of the plurality of packets, and an inserter which inserts additional data into all the payload areas of some of the plurality of packets that are not provided with the adaptive fields. Because additional data is transmitted, without requiring adaptive field header in certain packet, a data transmission rate is increased. |
| US08824501B2 |
Performance enhancement through optical variants
An optical transport system configured to transmit a set of two or more optical variants per bit-word, with the optical variants in the set being different from one another in one or more of the time of transmission, spatial localization, polarization of light, carrier wavelength, and subcarrier frequency. Differences between the optical variants may also be due to different respective constellation mapping. The optical variants of each set are detected and processed at the receiver in a manner that enables coherent summation of the corresponding electrical signals prior to constellation de-mapping. The coherent summation tends to average out the deleterious effects of linear and nonlinear noise/distortions imparted on the individual optical variants in the optical transport link because said noise/distortions are incoherent in nature. A BER reduction enabled by the use of optical variants may be implemented in addition to or instead of that provided by FEC coding. |
| US08824500B2 |
Method of controlling connection between nodes in digital interface
A method of controlling connection between nodes in a digital interface whereby a first node that is a master node determines a second node to be the master and controls a point-to-point connection or a broadcast connection to another node. The first node having the display device determines the second node to be the master in accordance with a user selection, and transmits a connection command of a predetermined format for transmitting a data stream to the second node. The second node determined as the master in accordance with the transmitted connection command of the predetermined format is allocated with a channel and a bandwidth from an isochronous resource manager (IRM), and performs a point-to-point connection between the second node and the first node to transit the data stream. Thus, the transmission/reception, reproduction, and control of the data stream of the program can be smoothly performed. |
| US08824498B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting multiple services
A method and an apparatus for transmitting multiple services are provided, and which belong to the field of optical transmission technologies. The method includes: receiving bandwidth information of TCONTs of all nodes; dividing a payload area of a GTH frame into a preset number n of arrays, where each array includes a specified number of timeslots and the interval between any two neighboring timeslots in each array is n and n is a natural number; calculating, according to the bandwidth information of the TCONTs of all the nodes, timeslot positions of arrays occupied by the TCONTs of each node in the payload area; interleaving, according to the timeslot positions of the arrays occupied by the TCONTs of a local node in the payload area, the TCONTs of the local node into corresponding timeslots starting from a specified frame, obtaining a GTH frame, and transmitting the GTH frame. |
| US08824495B2 |
System and method for reservation of disjoint time intervals in wireless local area networks
A system and method of reserving bandwidth for disjoint time intervals in a wireless network. Parameters for a disjoint network allocation vector (NAV) define a reservation of a plurality of disjoint time durations during which transmissions by devices other than a target device are deferred. Parameters are sent as a control or data packet over a network and received by the devices associated with the network. |
| US08824484B2 |
System and method for deterministic I/O with ethernet based industrial networks
A networking system is discussed. The system may be used for industrial networks, where deterministic behavior is often valued. Bounded message travel times may be achieved for a first set of network traffic. Additional traffic may be routed over the networking system without interfering with the message travel times associated with the first set of network traffic. Systems and methods for assigning priority to various sets of network traffic are discussed. |
| US08824483B2 |
Delivering multicast frames to aggregated link trunks in a distributed switch
A distributed switch may include a plurality of sub-switches. These sub-switches may be arranged in a hierarchy that increases the available bandwidth for transmitting multicast data frames across the switch fabric. Moreover, the distributed switch may be compatible with link aggregation where multiple physical connections are grouped together to create an aggregated (logical) link. Link aggregation requires similar data frames to use the same data path when traversing the distributed switch. With a unicast data frame, the sub-switch in the distributed switch that receives the data frame typically identifies the destination port (during a process called link selection) and forwards the data frame to the sub-switch containing that port. However, with multicast data frames, instead of the receiving sub-switch performing link selection to determine the destination port, link selection may be done by a different sub-switch or not done at all. |
| US08824480B2 |
Method and apparatus for end-host based mobility, multi-homing and multipath protocols
A method and apparatus for dynamically engaging a network anchor adapted to support communication with one or more end-hosts associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) not supported by the multi-homed source host. are provided. |
| US08824479B2 |
Method and apparatus for controlling telecommunication services
Method and apparatus in a user terminal (200) for controlling the admission of outgoing communications. One or more communication admission rules (206a) are created locally in a communication admission controller (206) in the terminal, according to configuring input commands dictating when outgoing communications should be admitted or rejected. When an input unit (202) receives an input request from a current terminal user for an outgoing communication, the communication admission rules are checked. A communication request unit (210) sends a communication request message towards a used communication services network if the requested outgoing communication can be admitted according to the communication admission rules. Otherwise, a reject message is provided to the current terminal user. |
| US08824476B2 |
Method and apparatus for medium access control in-order delivery
Method and apparatus for MAC in-order delivery are disclosed. The MAC in-order delivery may be activated per-connection and may be negotiated at connection setup. The MAC in-order delivery either for non-ARQ connections or ARQ connections may be performed by using HARQ packet ordering information. Alternatively, the MAC in-order delivery may be performed using a sequence number (SN) field at the MAC PDU level or using an SN field at the MAC SDU level. For a connection that has MAC in-order delivery disabled, the MAC PDU may not include an SN field, and an SN field may be included in a MAC extended header or a MAC sub-header when needed. |
| US08824474B2 |
Packet routing in a network
Methods of providing packet routing information, according to various embodiments, may include encoding the packet routing information into a compact representation of set membership. The methods may include putting the compact representation of set membership into a header of a packet. Moreover, the methods may include computing the compact representation of set membership using input parameters that include at least one packet-specific, flow-specific or processing-context-specific parameter. |
| US08824470B2 |
Multiparty real time content delivery
Described is a distributed peer-assisted multicast content delivery system (e.g., a multiparty conferencing application) that uses an adaptive link rate control protocol to discover and adapt to an arbitrary topology quickly and converge to efficient link rate allocations allowed by an underlying network. Link rates are regularly obtained and used to determine trees for sending packets to other nodes. Network coding is used to implement data multicast so that mixtures (i.e., linear combinations) of the packets are transmitted in the network. The redundant packets may be differentiated from non-redundant (“innovative”) packets such that network conditions may be measured by link innovation and/or session innovation. |
| US08824469B2 |
Packet communication device for communicating packet to be transferred through packet communication which is time-managed in constant cycle and packet communication method thereof
A packet communication device for communicating a packet to be transferred in constant cycle, comprising one of a logic inversion section configured to invert a logical value with respect to at least one bit included in a first string of bits included in a first packet; and a register section configured to store another string of bits having a logical value different from a given logical value of the first string of bits; and a selector section configured to select one of the first string of bits and a second string of bits that is output from one of the logic inversion section and the register section to designate any one of a plurality of devices, wherein the packet communication is performed when a selected string of bits selected by the selector section conforms to a setting value of a receiving side. |
| US08824467B1 |
Systems and methods for detecting and controlling multicast bandwidth
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally pertain to systems and methods for controlling multicast bandwidth. A communication system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a network access device (NAD) having bandwidth (BW) expansion logic. The BW expansion logic is configured to automatically calculate the expansion ratio for a multicast stream based on various network parameters, such as layer 1 and 2 information, network packet size, and network transmission rate. Based on the expansion ratio, the BW expansion logic determines the actual transmission rate for transmitting the multicast stream across a subscriber link. The NAD then accepts or rejects join requests based on whether the sum of the current allocated link rate and the actual transmission rate exceed a rate threshold for the link. |
| US08824465B2 |
Verification apparatus, method, and recording medium of program
A verification device that is used in a system in which a first device and a second device communicate using a physical communication path that includes at least one switch among switches included in a plurality of switch clusters and does not include a plurality of switches that belong to a different switch cluster among the plurality of switch clusters, the verification device including a verification unit that verifies whether switches included in a first communication path and a second communication path that are communication paths used for communication between the first device and the second device are included in the same switch cluster, and an output unit that outputs a result of the verifying. |
| US08824464B2 |
Techniques for distributing network provider digital content to customer premises nodes
Techniques for distributing digital content include receiving provider content over a network connection at a customer premises node located on premises of a first customer. The provider content is offered by a network service provider different from the first customer. Provider data based on the provider content is stored in non-volatile storage on the customer premises node of the first customer. It is determined whether conditions are satisfied for sending the provider content to a second customer different from the first customer. If it is determined that such conditions are satisfied, then the provider data is retrieved from the non-volatile storage, and data based on the provider data is sent over the network connection for receipt by the second customer. Thereby a customer premises node serves as a cache of provider content for other customer premises nodes on the same last mile segment or access network. |
| US08824463B2 |
Prohibition turn determination apparatus
A prohibition turn determination apparatus determines an initial path so that the communication amounts of respective links connecting switches to each other are most efficiently distributed between a communication pair, that is, a pair of servers communicating with each other via a network. Then, the prohibition turn determination apparatus calculates the communication amounts of respective turns formed along the initial path based on the communication amounts set between end nodes which are the communication pair. Next, the prohibition turn determination apparatus determines prohibition turns, which are not used for packet communication, based on the communication amounts of respective turns by an Up/down method or a TP method. Finally, the prohibition turn determination apparatus determines the final routing to avoid the prohibition turns. |
| US08824460B2 |
IC generating packets containing destination, first, and second proxy addresses
In one form of the invention, a process of sending real-time information from a sender computer (103) to a receiver computer (105) coupled to the sender computer (103) by a packet network (100) wherein packets (111,113) sometimes become lost, includes steps of directing (441) packets (111) containing the real-time information from the sender computer (103) by at least one path (119) in the packet network (100) to the receiver computer (105), and directing packets (113) containing information dependent on the real-time information from the sender computer (103) by at least one path diversity path (117) in the packet network (100) to the same receiver computer (105). Other forms of the invention encompass other processes, improved packets and packet ensembles (111,113), integrated circuits (610), chipsets (DSP 1721, MCU), computer cards (1651), information storage articles (1511,1611), systems, computers (103,105), gateways (191,193), routers (131,133), cellular telephone handsets (181,189), wireless base stations (183,187), appliances (1721,1731,1741), and packet networks (100), and other forms as disclosed and claimed. |
| US08824459B2 |
Methods and apparatus to measure market share for voice over internet protocol carriers
Methods and apparatus to measure market share for VoIP carriers is disclosed. An example method includes querying a plurality of VoIP carrier servers to determine the VoIP carrier server that owns the telephone subscriber number (SN), in response to the querying, receiving a plurality of messages operable to determine whether the telephone SN is found within any one of the plurality of VoIP carrier servers, when the received plurality of messages is at least one of inconclusive or when the telephone SN is not found within any one of the plurality of VoIP carrier servers, placing a first partial call to the telephone SN from a first VoIP number within a first VoIP carrier network, receiving a first signal from the first VoIP carrier network, and based on the first received signal, determining whether the telephone SN belongs to the first VoIP carrier network. |
| US08824458B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting call control of circuit domain telephone and VoIP
A method and apparatus for supporting call control of circuit domain telephone and Voice over IP (VoIP) are provided by the present invention, and the apparatus includes a call flow control module, which is for receiving and storing off-hook events and judging if the user makes a circuit domain telephone call or VoIP call according to the number dialed by the user; if making a VoIP call, sending the off-hook event to a VOIP call control module, and sending all the events in the present call to the VoIP call control module for processing; if making a circuit domain telephone call, sending the off-hook event to a circuit domain telephone call control module, and sending all the events in the present call to the circuit domain telephone call control module for processing. |
| US08824457B2 |
Architecture for signal and power distribution in wireless data network
An architecture is provided for coupling wireless local area network (WLAN) signals between an internetworking device and a remotely located access point using a transport network. The access point is coupled to the transport network for communicating with the internetworking device. The access point includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point and an access point remote converter. The WLAN access point receives wireless local area network signals from wireless computing equipment and converts such signals to local area network compatible signals. The access point remote converter receives the local area network compatible signals from the WLAN access point and converts the signals to transport modulated format signals suitable for transmission over the transport network. The transport network also provides a power signal to power at least some components of the access point. |
| US08824456B2 |
Server device and information registration method
The present invention provides an information registration system, a server device, a server processing program, and an information registration method which are capable of efficiently registering a telephone number without hesitation of the user and recognizing an identical person using the telephone number thus registered.According to the present invention, an information registration system is provided with a server device and a terminal device which has a browser function and is connectable to the server device through a communication means. The terminal device is provided with a display means for displaying a specified page and a determination request sending means for sending to the server device a telephone number registration determination request including a telephone number designated by a user through thus displayed page.The server device is provided with a registration list memory means for memorizing a registration list on which the telephone number is registered; a registration determination request reception means for receiving the registration determination request; a registration determination means for determining whether or not the telephone number included in the registration determination request is registered on the registration list; an approval request information sending means for sending approval request information for encouraging approval to the telephone terminal device, when a call is made to the telephone terminal device corresponding to the telephone number through a communication means and the call is answered, in a case where the telephone number is not registered on the registration list; and a registration means for registering the telephone number included in the registration determination request on the registration list, in a case where approval information indicative of the approval is received from the telephone terminal device in response to the approval request information. |
| US08824455B1 |
Method and apparatus for providing user metadata exchange during call setup
A method and apparatus for enabling a calling party and a called party to exchange useful information with each other during a call setup process are disclosed. For example, the method receives user metadata from an originating party, and sends the user metadata provided by the originating party by embedding the user metadata in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling message during a call setup. |
| US08824450B2 |
Synchronising a communications device
In one aspect, the method of synchronizing a communications device in a wireless communications network comprises receiving a beacon signal at a first frequency; and receiving a data signal at a second frequency, the beacon signal being used to synchronize reception of the data signal. In another aspect, the method comprises transmitting a beacon signal at a first frequency; and transmitting a data signal at a second frequency, the beacon signal being useable to synchronize reception of the data signal. The first frequency is substantially less than the second frequency such that the beacon signal experiences substantially different frequency-dependent propagation effects to the data signal. |
| US08824448B1 |
Method for enhancing redundancy in a wireless system using location attributes
A method, apparatus and computer program product for enhancing redundancy in a wireless system using location attributes is presented. A First Network Device (FND) receives a discovery message from an Access Point (AP). The FND comprises either a Wireless Controller (WC) or a Wireless Switch (WS). The FND uses the location information associated with the AP to determine how many other APs from a same locality are currently allocated to at least one FND, and assigns the AP to a least loaded FND in the locality. |
| US08824443B2 |
Schemes for providing wireless communication
Technologies are generally described for providing wireless communications. In some examples, a method performed under control of a mobile operating server may include determining whether there is an authenticated wireless access point around a mobile device, if there is no authenticated wireless access point, determining whether there is a non-authenticated wireless access point whose capacity is over a predetermined value around the mobile device and if there is a non-authenticated wireless access point whose capacity is over the predetermined value, instructing the mobile device to connect to a wireless local area network provided by the non-authenticated wireless access point. |
| US08824441B2 |
Method for transmitting data frame in wireless local area network and apparatus for the same
A wireless device of transmitting a data frame in a WLAN is provided. The wireless device includes: a MAC unit generating a data frame; a PHY unit transmitting a wireless signal of the data frame; and a processor being operably coupled to the MAC unit and the PHY unit and controlling a set of TXVECTOR parameters. The processor is configured for: generating the data frame, the data frame including a data field having a service field and a very high throughput signal information (VHT-SIG-B); and transmitting a wireless signal of the data frame via a operating channel bandwidth. The data field is scrambled with a scrambling sequence, the scrambling sequence is generated based on a initial scrambling sequence and a generator polynomial. The service field is determined based on the set of TXVECTOR parameters, the TXVECTOR parameters including an control information for the service field. |
| US08824439B2 |
Combinatorial mobile hotspot device and network service provision method thereof, network access device and wireless service power supply device
This invention discloses a combinatorial mobile hotspot device, a network service provision method thereof, a network access device and a wireless service power supply device. The network access device has a mobile internet access ability to provide an external host machine connecting to a wide area network through the network access device when the network access device is selectively and electrically coupled to the external host machine. A mobile hotspot device is formed while the network access device is electrically coupled to the wireless service power supply device. The wireless service power supply device supplies the power to the network access device. Further, by a wireless local network transceiver, a plurality of electronic devices in the hotspot covering region are able to connect to wide area network through the wireless access point service provided by the network access device. |
| US08824438B2 |
Mobile router network system
A networked mobile router system comprises a plurality of mobile routers; and a main server operable to track and monitor the plurality of mobile routers. Each mobile router is initially configured to communicate with the main server and is operable to establish first communication with the main server to register with the main server to upload configuration information from each the mobile router to the main server. The main server is operable in response to each mobile router registering with the main server to assign each mobile router with a predetermined group. Each mobile router is operable to establish a second communication with the main server. The main server is operable in response to each mobile router second communication to reassign each mobile router to communicate with at least one group server assigned to communicate with the predetermined group. |
| US08824437B2 |
Wireless communications device, electronic apparatus, and methods for determining and updating access point
A wireless communications device includes an intent value storage configured to store therein an intent value indicating a level of intention to serve as an access point specified based on a certain criterion; a power supply status information storage configured to store therein a piece of power supply status information indicating whether power is supplied to the wireless communications device from an alternating-current power supply; and an access point determination unit configured to determine, between the wireless communications device and another wireless communications device forming the wireless network, one of the wireless communications devices as the access point. The determination unit is configured to acquire the intent value and the piece of power supply status information of the another wireless communications device, and determine the access point based on both of the intent values and both of the pieces of power supply status information. |
| US08824434B2 |
Portable wireless device with dual RF communication and antennas
A communication system, comprising a wireless communication device including a plurality of antennas communicatively coupled with a communication component, the communication component including a processor, a transmitter, and a receiver, the communication component configured to transmit a first data stream by simultaneously transmitting a first plurality of signal streams using the plurality of antennas, the first plurality of signal streams collectively representing the first data stream, the communication component configured to receive a second data stream by simultaneously receiving a second plurality of signal streams using the plurality of antennas and generating the second data stream from the second plurality of signal streams. |
| US08824433B2 |
Data offloading with distributed IP management and routing
A method performed by a wireless node includes receiving policies for data offloading; identifying a user associated with a data flow to which a user device is attached; determining whether data offloading is permitted for the user based on the policies; and performing data offloading when it is determined that data offloading is permitted for the user, wherein data offloading includes routing the data flow away from at least one of a higher layer traffic aggregation device relative to the wireless node or a higher hierarchical controlling device relative to the wireless node. |
| US08824429B2 |
Automatic estimation of node location based on trace information
The locations of nodes in a network are determined relative to the location of monitoring devices that collect trace information on the network. By appropriate sorting, filtering, and characterizing the trace information, nodes are identified as being local to or remote from each monitoring device that detects traffic to or from the node. If the trace information is insufficient to determine the relative location of a node, the node is identified as such. By identifying the nodes whose locations can be determined automatically by this analysis of the trace information, the number of nodes whose locations must be determined by more costly manual methods can be substantially reduced. |
| US08824421B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving resource allocation information in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for transmitting/receiving resource allocation information in a random access process in a wireless communication system. The method for transmitting/receiving resource allocation information in a random access process in a wireless communication system, according to one aspect of the present invention, involves a base station receiving a code from a terminal, and transmitting, to the terminal, CDMA Allocation A-MAP IE (code division multiple access allocation Advanced-MAP information element) including a field which indicates whether it is a source allocation for a bandwidth request or a resource allocation for ranging. |
| US08824419B2 |
Efficient uplink operation with high instantaneous data rates
Systems, methods, and instrumentalities to provide transmission allocations. A Node-B may receive control information, which may include scheduling information, from a WTRU. The Node-B may determine a non-persistent grant allocation for the WTRU based at least in part on the control information. The non-persistent grant allocation may include a determined grant limit The determined grant limit may be a transmission of a pre-defined number of packet data units. |
| US08824417B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for single radio voice call continuity (SRVCC) from CS to LTE
A method for a call control node (MSC Server) enhanced for Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) allowing for a session transfer of a call involving a User Equipment (UE) of a handover party from a circuit switched (CS) access towards a target packet switched (PS) access is provided, the call involving said handover party and another party, said call being anchored in an Service Centralization and Continuity Application Server (SCC AS) of the IP-Multimedia-Subsystem (IMS), the method comprising the steps of receiving (202) an indication that the User Equipment (UE) is SRVCC capable, receiving (204) an indication of an address and port the UE is going to use for speech media over PS, providing (206) the UE with an indication of the address and port to be used towards the other party (remote end), deciding (208) to perform a SRVCC from CS access to said target PS access, sending (210) a relocation request for a bearer to a respective mobility management node (SGSN/MME), including said address and said port of the UE to be used for creating a PDP context, and sending (212) a handover command message to the UE, sending (214) a request for a “Forward Session Transfer” to the SCC AS, using the address and the allocated port to be used for media to construct a respective SDP. |
| US08824416B2 |
Method and a radio base station in a communication network system
Methods and apparatus for controlling signaling processing resources that are shared among two or more cells at a base station, such that signaling processing resources are efficiently utilized and such that resources assigned for sending uplink grants and downlink assignments on a downlink control channel that is shared among the mobile terminals in each cell is also efficiently used. An example method is an iterative process whereby a manager controlling the assignments of resources on the downlink control channel among the mobile terminals on each cell is requested to provide resource to a restricted number of mobile terminals for a cell. This is repeated for each cell until a total processing capacity for the site is reached. The restriction in the number of mobile terminals included in each request relates to the total capacity for processing remaining on the site. |
| US08824414B2 |
Time slot and frequency allocation in wireless communication networks
In a wireless network including a server and clients, network resources, such as time slots and channel frequencies, are managed by having the server define the resources for future use by the clients, while the clients actually allocate the resources for their exclusive use according to performance criteria determined by the clients. The network can be ad-hoc and in industrial environments with low-latency requirements. |
| US08824406B2 |
Adaptive scheduling data transmission based on the transmission power and the number of physical resource blocks
A method of scheduling data transmission of transport blocks in an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access communication system, wherein each of the transport blocks is transmitted with a respective transmission format and transmission power in a set of physical resource blocks in the frequency domain. The method identifies the relationship between transmission power and the block error rate for a set of transmission formats, and evaluates alternative transmission formats and different numbers of physical resource blocks for at least one of the transport blocks. The method determines a set of alternative transmission formats with different numbers of physical resource blocks, and determines a value indicating the total power difference required to transmit the transport block, while maintaining a target block error rate. The transport block is then transmitted with the alternative transmission format and different number of physical resource blocks if the value indicates that the total transmission power is less. |
| US08824400B2 |
Method for setting modulation and coding scheme in wireless ran system and apparatus supporting the same
A method for setting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system supporting multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and a station supporting the method are provided. The method for setting the MCS and the station for supporting the method include: dividing a plurality of transmission (TX)/reception (RX) interfaces of the transmitting station into at least one bundled interface including at least one of the TX/RX interfaces; modulating a data stream to be transmitted through the TX/RX interface included in the at least one bundled interface by applying the MCS on a bundled interface basis; and spatially multiplexing the modulated data stream and transmitting the multiplexed modulated data stream through each of the plurality of TX/RX interfaces. |
| US08824399B2 |
Mobile communication method and radio access network apparatus
A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes the steps of: after a mobile station UE having RRC connection with the radio network controller RNC gets out of the coverage of the mobile communication system of WCDMA scheme, performing location registration to the mobile communication system of LTE scheme, issuing a notification to the radio network controller RNC by the exchange apparatus SGSN upon reception of predetermined signal, the notification implying that the mobile station UE performs the location registration to the mobile communication system of LTE scheme; and the radio network controller RNC releasing the resources for RRC connection without transmitting a signal to release the resources to the mobile station UE in response to the notification from the exchange apparatus SGSN. |
| US08824395B2 |
Dynamic selection of host-based or network-based mobility protocol
A device receives, from a mobile device, a request to connect to a network, and determines, based on the connection request, whether the mobile device has mobility capability. The device registers the mobile device per host-based mobility protocol standards when the mobile device does not have mobility capability. The device registers the mobile device per network-based mobility protocol standards when the mobile device has mobility capability. |
| US08824391B2 |
Method for transmitting sounding reference signal in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor
A method of transmitting a sounding reference signal from a user equipment to a base station in a wireless communication system using a plurality of component carriers is disclosed. The present invention includes the steps of checking offset values of a plurality of the component carriers corresponding to a subframe having the sounding reference signal applied thereto from the base station and if the sounding reference signal is transmitted using a certain component carrier of a plurality of the component carriers, transmitting the sounding reference signal to the base station using the certain component carrier in a sub-frame corresponding to the offset value of the certain component carrier. Preferably, the present invention further includes the step of if the sounding reference signals are transmitted using at least two component carriers in the same subframe, transmitting the sounding reference signal having a longest transmission periodicity among the sounding reference signals only. |
| US08824390B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a frequency channel for use in radio communication with a mobile terminal
To suppress interference that a base station capable of autonomously selecting a frequency channel to be used in a cell formed by the base station itself (own cell) exerts on a primary cell and a non-HSDPA. A base station 1 includes a radio communication unit 11 and a frequency channel control unit 15. The radio communication unit 11 wirelessly communicates with a mobile station. The control unit 15 determines a frequency channel to be used in an own cell formed by the radio communication unit 11. Further, the frequency channel control unit 15 identifies whether or not a nearby cell formed by a nearby base station is a secondary cell that is dependently formed under condition of generation of a primary cell, and preferentially selects a frequency channel different from that used in a nearby non-secondary cell as a frequency channel to be used in the own cell. |
| US08824389B2 |
Communications method and device in a multi-carrier system
A communication method and apparatus using multiple carriers are provided. A primary carrier is configured, and multi-carrier control information for monitoring a control channel of a secondary carrier is transmitted through the primary carrier. A user equipment monitors a control channel of the secondary carrier on the basis of the multi-carrier control information. |
| US08824388B2 |
Base station, terminal device, control channel assignment method and region size determination method
In a base station that performs radio data communication with terminal devices by using a plurality of bands of which each has a data channel region to which a data channel is assigned and a control channel region to which a control channel is assigned, the base station includes a control channel assigning unit that assigns a control channel for the terminal device at a location corresponding to a band to which a data channel assigned to the terminal device belongs, in the control channel region of any band of the plurality of bands, and a control channel transmitting unit that transmits the control channel to the terminal device at the location assigned by the control channel assigning unit. |
| US08824386B2 |
Method and system of operating a multi-user system
A method and system is disclosed for grouping the multiple stations connected to an access point (AP). The system and method comprise sending a sounding packet to a plurality of stations, wherein the stations may be all or part of the stations that are located within the range of the AP. The stations that receive the sounding packets respond to the AP, and the AP determines the channel state information (CSI) from the responses. According to the CSI, the AP divides the multiple stations into several groups. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a confirmation step is performed to each group of stations, respectively. The AP sends a second sounding packet to each group of stations, and verifies the CSI between each station group by group. Therefore, the method and system provides for monitoring the validation of each group by periodically sending sounding packets to each group. |
| US08824385B2 |
Local mobility anchor, proxy router, and management method for supporting network mobility in proxy mobile IPv6 network
Provided are an LMA, a proxy router, and a management method for supporting NEMO in a PMIPv6 network. To support mobility in the PMIPv6 network for mobile nodes forming one node group within a mobile network, the proxy router for delivering signal and data between the mobile nodes and the PMIPv6 network delivers mobile home network prefixes allocated by the LMA of the PMIPv6 network to the mobile nodes. The LMA generates a group ID corresponding to the node group. Packet delivery costs due to an unnecessary tunnel may be reduced by grouping a plurality of mobile nodes constituting a mobile network, and using and managing flags and the same group ID. |
| US08824384B2 |
Systems and methods for transmitting channel quality information in wireless communication systems
A base station in a wireless network transmits to a mobile station downlink subframes of OFDM symbols. Each downlink subframe comprises a plurality of resource blocks and is associated with a subframe (SF) type that is determined according to whether or not a PDSCH region of a resource block in a downlink subframe includes at least one of: 1) a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) resource element and 2) a channel-state-information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource element. The base station receives from the mobile station at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size and interprets the received at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size according to a default SF type used by the first mobile station to determine the at least one of CQI, PMI, modulation scheme, and transport block size. |
| US08824377B2 |
Method of transmitting data within a telecommunications system
A method of transmitting data within a telecommunications system, wherein scheduling of data transmissions and scheduling of re-transmission data is performed independently. |
| US08824370B2 |
Methods, systems and devices for dynamic context-based routing
Methods, servers and systems for performing dynamic context based routing operations in a telecommunications signaling network in which a dynamic context based router may receive a first message encoding signaling information from a source component, decode the message into an internal representation, perform application level routing operations using contextual information derived from the internal representation to identify a destination component, encode signaling information contained in the internal representation into a second message, and send the second message to the identified destination component. Application level routing operations using contextual information may include generating keys based on the internal representation, transmitting the generated keys to an external resource, receiving supplementary information in response to the generated keys, and using the supplementary information to identify the destination component. The information in the internal representation may be modified to send a subset or a superset of the information contained in the first message. |
| US08824367B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving paging information
A method for receiving paging information, including acquiring free time information of a traffic card and occupation time information for receiving paging information of a non-traffic card; and when occupation time for receiving paging information of the non-traffic card is not in conflict with free time of the traffic card, receiving paging information of the non-traffic card on the free time. Based on the above method, an apparatus for receiving paging information is provided. Paging information of a non-traffic card can be received when the traffic card is in traffic, which helps identify if the non-traffic card has incoming service (i.e. incoming traffic). |
| US08824366B2 |
Method and apparatus of receiving data in wireless communication system
A method and an apparatus of receiving data in a wireless communication system are provided. The method includes detecting a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) on which control information is transmitted in a first subframe, and receiving data in at least one second subframe based on the control information. |
| US08824364B2 |
Targeting communications in a femtocell network
The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can leverage Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) features to facilitate more efficient or more robust communication with a femtocell network. In particular, features such as a UMTS localized common pilot channel along with various UTRAN features can enable communications to be directed to specific targets such as to a specific home nodeB (HNB) or to a specific mobile device served by the HNB, while also reducing macro network load. |
| US08824360B2 |
Picocell and control method for wireless data transmission in an aircraft as well as the aircraft
A picocell in an aircraft for the wireless transmission of data between at least a mobile station in the aircraft and a base station in the aircraft in which a communications connection between the at least one mobile station in the aircraft and a subscriber in a terrestrial communications network is established via the base station. In order to enable passengers automatically the use of their mobile radio devices, when no risk of danger to the flying operation is to be expected, or otherwise to refer them to a corresponding ban, a flight control device is provided for detecting flight data and for setting up the picocell in dependence on the flight data. |
| US08824358B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving signals between a base station and a relay node in a wireless communication system
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting signals by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: resetting a start symbol index for a relay node dedicated downlink physical control channel and a relay node dedicated downlink physical common channel, respectively; transmitting a message including a parameter required for resetting the start symbol index to the relay node; setting the start symbol index to a preset value or a value that has been given prior to receiving the reestablishment message, in the case where the relay node has sent a specific number of NACKs for the relay node dedicated downlink physical control channel or the relay node dedicated downlink physical common channel; and transmitting the relay node dedicated downlink physical control channel and the relay node dedicated downlink physical common channel to the relay node, based on the start symbol index having been set. |
| US08824357B2 |
Throughput enhancement by acknowledgment suppression
Systems and methods for improving data transmission rates in communication networks are disclosed. In an 802.11 wireless communication network, where a source node of the wireless network transmits TCP data to a destination node of the wireless network, the destination node does not transmit TCP acknowledgments (ACKs) for the TCP data if 802.11 ACKs indicate that the destination node received the TCP data. If a source outside the wireless network transmits TCP data to the destination node within the wireless network through an intermediate device, such as an access point, the destination node suppresses transmitting TCP ACKs. The intermediate device transmits TCP ACKs as proxy for the destination node to the source. The intermediate device also suppresses TCP ACKs where a source node within the wireless network sends the TCP data to a destination node outside of the wireless network. |
| US08824356B2 |
Apparatus for transmitting and receiving control information and system information for repeaters and method thereof
The present invention provides an apparatus for transmitting and receiving control information and system information for repeaters and a method thereof. According to the present invention, a base station apparatus is provided for transmitting control information for repeaters, wherein a transmitter transmits, to each repeater, interleaving mode information and information on resource areas in which R-PDCCHs (Relay-Physical Downlink Control Channel) of each repeater are allocated. The information on the resource areas includes the control information for each repeater, and the interleaving mode information is related to the interleaving modes which are applied to the R-PDCCHs that are allocated to each repeater. Furthermore, a processor performs a control operation so that among the R-PDCCHs of each repeater, and R-PDCCH of a first repeater can be allocated with an R-PDCCH of another repeater at a first interleaving mode in a first resource area and an R-PDCCH of a second repeater can be allocated at a second interleaving mode in a second resource area. |
| US08824354B2 |
Communication system with relays and communication therein via multi-carriers
A system and method for transmitting multi-carriers in a wireless communication system with a relay are provided. The method includes configuring each of downlink carriers that form the multi-carriers as at least one normal sub-frame and at least one backhaul sub-frame; determining one of the downlink carriers that has a maximum number of backhaul sub-frames, as a primary carrier, and other downlink carriers as sub-carriers; and altering a backhaul sub-frame into a normal sub-carrier in the sub-carrier, in response to a normal sub-frame of the primary carrier. |
| US08824350B2 |
Channel synchronization method, system and device in multicast broadcast single frequency network
A channel synchronization method, system and device in the multicast broadcast single frequency network are disclosed, which relate to wireless communication filed and are used to solve the problem of unable to ensure the base station to synchronously send the multi-points control channel (MCCH) message in the multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) region in the prior art. The specific scheme is: the network device in the MBSFN obtains multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) service information and confirms the time resource and the frequency resource that bears MBMS service information. The network device sends the MBMS service information, the time resource and the frequency resource information to the base station in the MBSFN. The base station utilizing the time resource and the frequency resource sends the MBMS service information to the terminal via MBMS point to MCCH. Consequently the purpose that the base station synchronously sends the MBMS service message in the MBSFN is achieved. |
| US08824348B2 |
Method for controlling power saving mode in group communication
A method of controlling power saving modes of a plurality of terminals joining in a group communication by a base station is provided. The base station establishes a group call connection with the plurality of terminals, and establishes a same power saving mode pattern for the plurality of terminals. |
| US08824345B2 |
Wake-up apparatus and wake-up method for low power sensor node
Provided are a wake-up apparatus and wake-up method for a low power sensor node, and more particularly, to a wake-up apparatus and wake-up method for a low power sensor node, which can extend the battery life of the sensor node and minimize the amount of power consumed by an entire sensor network power by minimizing unnecessary power consumption of the sensor node. The wake-up apparatus for a low power sensor node includes: a wake-up signal detector receiving and detecting a wake-up signal of a sensor node; a wake-up radio frequency (RF) circuit unit filtering and amplifying the wake-up signal; and a wake-up baseband transducer detecting a wake-up address from the wake-up signal and comparing and verifying the wake-up address with a wake-up address that is provided from a server managing the sensor node. The wake-up apparatus outputs an interrupt signal for transmitting a sensing event of the sensor node or outputs a wake-up address of another sensor node in an area where the interrupt signal is to be sensed if errors are not detected when the wake-up address is verified. |
| US08824335B2 |
Endpoint-to-endpoint communications status monitoring
Communication ability between nodes in a cluster-based computer system is tracked to inform applications executing on the nodes of the existence and quality of the endpoint-to-endpoint communications available between the nodes. Communications between a node and other nodes are tracked, and a database records the communication ability between the node and the other nodes for each link between the nodes. The tracking and recording are repeated at the other nodes. A registration by an application executing at a particular one of the nodes to receive notifications of changes in the communication ability with another node over a particular link (or in general) will cause notification of the application when the link status changes. |
| US08824333B2 |
Method and apparatus for full duplex serial shifting mode and switch mode data transmission
An industrial network with bidirectional communication for real time control includes nodes selectively operable in either a switch mode or a serial shifting mode. Nodes operating in the switch mode are capable of initiating data frames for transmission on the network and receiving data frames from the network. Nodes operating in either the switch mode or the serial shifting mode are capable of extracting and/or inserting data into a data frame as it is transmitted through that node. An initialization procedure determines end nodes and intermediate nodes within the network. The end nodes are configured to initially operate in the switch mode and the intermediate nodes are configured to initially operate in the serial shifting mode. The intermediate nodes are additionally operable to selectively toggle between operation in switch mode and serial shift mode and may operate in both modes during a single I/O scan cycle. |
| US08824331B1 |
System and method for identifying an ingress router of a flow when no IP address is associated with the interface from which the flow was received
A system and method collects information for VPN traffic from non edge routers that are coupled to edge routers and identifies the path the traffic took and the customer corresponding to the VPN. The system and method also identifies the ingress router coupled to the non edge router from which the traffic was collected. The system and method may assign identifiers to route targets. |
| US08824330B2 |
System and method for synchronized and coordinated beam switching and scheduling in a wireless communications system
A system and method for synchronized and coordinated beam switching and scheduling in a wireless communications system is provided. A method for controller operation includes determining a beam cycle pattern, sharing the beam cycle pattern with neighboring controllers, receiving beam information from a communications device, generating scheduling information from the beam cycle pattern and beam cycle patterns from other controllers, receiving a transmission intended for the communications device, and causing the transmission to be transmitted to the communications device. The beam cycle pattern includes a list of beam patterns transmitted by the controller, and the transmission is transmitted using the scheduling information and the received beam information. |
| US08824329B2 |
Method for reporting and obtaining channel state information, eNodeB, and user equipment
A method for reporting and obtaining channel state information, an eNodeB, and a user equipment are disclosed. The method for reporting channel state information includes: determining a reported content in channel state information (CSI) of downlink component carriers according to priorities of contents-in-CSI, where the CSI of the downlink component carriers includes the reported content and a content that is not to be reported; and reporting the reported content to an eNodeB on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). By determining a reported content in CSI according to a priority, the shortage of a CSI reporting resource may be relieved. |
| US08824322B2 |
Controlling cell activation in a radio communication network
In a radio communication network there are a number of radio base stations, at least one of which belongs to a first radio access network and manages at least one active cell serving user equipment. It is determined whether a passive other cell of a radio base station belonging to a second overlapping radio access network should be activated based on information representative of radio access preferences of the user equipment (S1). When it is determined that the passive other cell should be activated, the passive cell is requested to be activated by causing the corresponding radio base station belonging to the second overlapping radio access network to start transmission of cell-defining information (S2). |
| US08824319B2 |
Transmitting apparatus, transmitting and receiving apparatus, communication system, and communication method
In a vehicle-side transmitting apparatus that applies a multi-link system employing a logical plurality of communication lines and includes a transmitting unit that transmits transmission data that should be transmitted to a receiving apparatus of a communication partner, the transmitting unit monitors changes in transmission rates of communication lines A to C, calculates, based on rated transmission rates, information concerning changes in the communication lines A to C, and a transmission time until data that should be transmitted to a ground-side receiving apparatus is completed to be transmitted to the ground-side receiving apparatus, fluctuating transmission rates of the communication lines A to C, and determines, based on the calculated transmission rates, allocation amounts to the communication lines of data that should be transmitted this time. |
| US08824314B2 |
Maintaining an allocation of antennas at an access terminal during a communication session within a wireless communications system
Embodiments are directed to monitoring downlink communication at an access terminal within a wireless communications system. The access terminal monitors data on a first downlink broadcast channel of a first network at least with a primary antenna of the access terminal, the monitored data associated with an active communication session (e.g., a high-priority multicast communication session) of the access terminal. The access terminal may optionally periodically monitor messaging information on a downlink channel of a second network with a secondary antenna of the access terminal, the primary antenna having a higher sensitivity than the secondary antenna. The access terminal maintains an exclusive allocation of the primary antenna to the first network irrespective of a quality level of the periodically monitored messaging information on the downlink channel of the second network. |
| US08824312B2 |
System for testing ethernet paths and links without impacting non-test traffic
A system for testing Ethernet paths or links without adversely impacting non-test traffic. The system includes a test traffic generator that includes a scheduler that determines when a new test packet is generated. The test traffic generator includes a packet creator that builds a test packet and a transmitter for transmitting the test packet via the Ethernet path or link. The packet creator sends the test packet to the transmitter. The traffic generator includes a transmit credit block coupled to the transmitter or to the scheduler. The transmit credit block stores an amount of credits representing a number of bytes that are available to transmit and decrements the amount each time a non-test packet is communicated via the Ethernet path or link. |
| US08824309B2 |
Method and device for judging radio link failure in carrier aggregation technology
The present invention discloses a method and device for judging Radio Link Failure (RLF) in Carrier Aggregation (CA) technology, which are used to effectively judge whether a radio link is failed or not in CA technology. Said method comprises: on an evaluation point, comparing the determined radio link quality parameter of each carrier participating in the RLF judgement with the corresponding radio link quality parameter threshold, determining whether to trigger an in-sync indication or out-of-sync indication on the evaluation point, and judging whether the radio link of the User Equipment (UE) is failed according to the number of the continuously received in-sync indications or out-of-sync indications. The embodiment of the present invention determines whether to trigger an in-sync indication or out-of-sync indication by comparing the radio link quality parameters of the carriers participating in the RLF judgement with the corresponding radio link quality parameter thresholds, and thereby judges that whether the radio link is failed or not in CA technology. |
| US08824304B2 |
Reducing overhead on voice traffic
The present invention provides a method, apparatus, gateway and a computer program product for reducing overhead on voice traffic within a packet based communication system. The present invention discloses collecting a plurality of packets to be multiplexed in an aggregated frame, measuring a number of received packets within a predetermined time period, and, if the number of received packets reaches a predetermined value, sending the aggregated frame including the collected packets. |
| US08824303B2 |
Multi-radio coexistence signaling
A method and apparatus relate to coexistence of multiple RF subsystems on a communication device. An apparatus may include a plurality of radio frequency (RF) subsystems configured to receive or transmit communication signals; and an interface for communication between a first RF subsystem of the plurality of RF subsystems and at least a second RF subsystem of the plurality of subsystems. The first RF subsystem can be configured to generate a timing offset for a coexistence signal, the timing offset being indicative of a difference between a time of generation of a signal and the time of an event associated with the signal. The timing offset can comprise a fixed offset generated based on at least one of a reference time from a periodic interrupt or direct access of a timer; and an offset adjustment based on a distance between the apparatus and a base station associated with the first RF subsystem. |
| US08824295B2 |
Link between chips using virtual channels and credit based flow control
A system and method is disclosed for multiple chips in which the connection between chips is made with registered inputs and registered outputs. This is achieved using a credit-based flow control protocol between the chips. The connection is made as part of a single packet-based on-chip and between-chip network with a common address space between the two chips. |
| US08824294B2 |
Source-based congestion detection and control
Congestion control techniques based upon resource utilization information stored by a network device. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a network device is configured to identify a data source causing congestion based upon information stored by the network device identifying a set of data sources, and for each data source, information identifying the amount of a resource of the network device being used for processing data received by the network device from the data source. |
| US08824291B2 |
Packet distribution apparatus and packet distribution method
According to one embodiment, a packet distribution apparatus distributes packets each containing a digital content via a communication network. The packet distribution apparatus includes a generator, a packet transmitter, a detector and a swapper. The generator generates the packets for each session with a bit rate corresponding to a content to be distributed. The packet transmitter transmits the generated packets to the communication network. The detector detects a collision of transmission timings of the packets in the sessions. The swapper exchanges, upon detecting a collision of the transmission timings, a transmission order of packets associated with the collision of the transmission timings based on the bit rates. |
| US08824288B2 |
Communications techniques for bursty noise environments
Techniques are disclosed that involve communicating in bursty noise environments. For instance, a source device may send a probing packet to a destination device. This probing packet is for determining whether the communications medium (e.g., one or more frequency channels) is currently exhibiting a busy or jammed (e.g., due to bursty noise) condition. More particularly, based on whether an acknowledgment of the probing packet is received, the source device determines whether the channel is jammed (or busy) or clear. For example, an unacknowledged probing packet indicates that the channel is jammed or busy, while an acknowledged probing packet indicates that the channel is clear. If the channel is determined to be clear, then the source device may transmit one or more data packets to the destination device. Such data packet transmissions may be in accordance with a non rate-adaptive technique. |
| US08824285B1 |
System and method for collision detection and avoidance during packet based communications
A system and method for collision detection and avoidance that converts a probabilistic, packet based communications system into a deterministic packet based communications system. The system and method operates in packet, frame, or datagram based network environments that support different levels of forwarding priority, for example, IP networks and Ethernet networks. |
| US08824284B2 |
Dynamic load balancing using virtual link credit accounting
Methods and apparatus for dynamic load balancing using virtual link credit accounting are disclosed. An example method includes receiving, at a network device, a data packet to be communicated using an aggregation group, the aggregation group including a plurality of virtual links having a common destination. The example method further includes determining a hash value based on the packet and determining an assigned virtual link of the plurality of virtual links based on the hash value. The example method also includes reducing a number of available transmission credits for the aggregation group and reducing a number of available transmission credits for the assigned virtual link. The example method still further includes communicating the packet to another network device using the assigned virtual link. |
| US08824282B2 |
Network simulation and analysis using operational forwarding data
A hybrid approach to populating forwarding tables in a virtual network obtains forwarding data both by simulating routing protocol behavior in the virtual network to build forwarding tables, and by importing operational forwarding data from corresponding physical nodes in a physical network. The use of operational forwarding data improves the fidelity of the simulation by closely conforming forwarding behavior in the simulation to that which occurs in the physical network. |
| US08824276B2 |
Increasing failure coverage of MOFRR with dataplane notifications
An enhanced fast re-route mechanism provides increased failure coverage to a multicast communication network. If a network node detects a failure and determines that it cannot re-route multicast data, the network node sends a downstream fast notification packet (DFNP) in the network. The DFNP causes a downstream merge node to switch reception of the multicast data to its secondary path. The network node then receives an upstream fast notification packet (UFNP) from the merge node. The network node modifies its forwarding information upon receipt of the UFNP such that the multicast data is to be received by the network node from its downstream via which the UFNP was received. The DFNP and the UFNP cause the multicast data to reverse its flow direction between the network node and the merge node. |
| US08824275B2 |
Route calculating after switching occurs from a primary main control board to a standby main control board
Calculating routing after switching occurs from a primary main control board to a standby main control board in a Fiber Channel (FC) switch includes receiving neighbor Link State Records (LSRs) sent by the primary main control board and backing up the neighbor LSRs on the standby main control board. The standby main control board is triggered to be promoted to the primary main control board, and an adjacency relationship is established with neighbors according to the backed up neighbor LSRs. LSRs of the switch are generated based on available ports on the switch and the neighbors, and a message is sent for maintaining the adjacency relationship to the neighbors with which the adjacency relationship has been established. Routing is calculated based on the neighbor LSRs and the LSRs of the switch. |
| US08824269B2 |
Method and system for a reference signal (RS) timing loop for OFDM symbol synchronization and tracking
Aspects of a method and system for a reference signal (RS) timing loop for OFDM symbol synchronization and tracking may include tracking symbol timing in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signal based on at least a reference symbol set. A receiver timing may be adjusted based on at least the symbol timing. The symbol timing may be tracked by generating an output signal as a function of a guard time Δtg in a phase discrimination feedback loop. The reference symbol (RS) set may be generated in an RS extraction module or circuit, from at least a fast Fourier transform of the received OFDM signal. The receiver timing may be coarsely adjusted and then finely adjusted. The coarse receiver timing adjustment may be based on processing at least a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal. |
| US08824265B2 |
Method and apparatus for configuring a multi-carrier data communication path
The present invention relates to a method for configuring communication parameters for communication through a first multi-carrier data communication path (DPx) established over a first subscriber line (Lx), and comprising the steps of: detecting a request (init_req, join_req(y)) whereby a second multi-carrier data communication path (DPy) is to be initialized over a second subscriber line (Ly), A method according to the invention further comprises the steps of: postponing initialization of the second data communication path, acquiring crosstalk characteristics (XT_char_xy(k)) from the second subscriber line towards the first subscriber line, deriving from the crosstalk characteristics a parameter value (VN_x(k)) characterizing a virtual noise model used for communication over the first data communication path, and applying the parameter value for further communication over the first data communication path, and resuming initialization of the second data communication path. The present invention also relates to an access node. |
| US08824262B1 |
Disk drive accounting for sinusoidal offset between heads when executing a rotational position optimization algorithm
A disk drive is disclosed wherein a radial offset is measured between a first head and a second head at a plurality of points along a circumference of a corresponding first and second disk surface to generate a first plurality of radial offsets. A first radial offset is determined and a second radial offset is determined based on the first plurality of radial offsets, wherein the first radial offset corresponds to approximately a maximum in the first plurality of radial offsets and the second radial offset corresponds to approximately a minimum in the first plurality of radial offsets. A plurality of access commands are stored in a command queue, and a rotational position optimization (RPO) algorithm is executed to select a next access command to execute from the command queue, wherein the RPO algorithm is responsive to the first and second radial offsets. |
| US08824260B2 |
Position control apparatus and position control method
There is provided a position control apparatus including a light radiating/receiving unit that performs radiation of laser light for recording and laser light for adjacent track servo onto an optical disc recording medium through a common objective lens, and receives return light of the laser light for the adjacent track servo and the laser light for the reference surface, a tracking mechanism unit that displaces the objective lens, a reference surface tracking error signal generating unit that generates a reference surface tracking error signal, a reference surface tracking servo control unit that controls the tracking mechanism unit, a recording layer tracking error signal generating unit that generates a recording layer tracking error signal, an integrating unit that integrates the recording layer tracking error signal, an offset providing unit that provides an integration output by the integrating unit, and a feedforward control unit that generates a control signal. |
| US08824255B2 |
Multi-output power supply device and electric apparatus using same
A multi-output power supply device (1) comprises a first power supply (10) for outputting a first output voltage (VDCO1); a second power supply (30) for outputting a second output voltage (VDCO3); and a reset circuit (40) for detecting an abnormality of the first output voltage (VDCO1) and for outputting a first reset signal (XRESET) to forcibly stop the output operation of the second power supply (30). |
| US08824254B2 |
Optical disk device
An optical disc device includes an optical pickup that causes a laser beam to be incident on an optical disc and detects a reflected beam, an A/D converter that converts into a digital signal a plurality of analog signals obtained from the reflected beam detected by the optical pickup, an error signal generating circuit that generates a servo signal for the optical pickup based on the digital signal converted by the A/D converter, a low-pass filter that removes noise of a specific band included in the servo error signal generated by the error signal generating circuit, a main processor that switches a noise removal band of the low-pass filter based on states of the optical disc, and an actuator that performs servo control for the optical pickup based on the servo error signal from which the noise has been removed by the low-pass filter. |
| US08824253B2 |
Optical pickup and optical system using the same
Provided are an optical pickup and an optical system using the same. The optical pickup may include an aperture that is disposed at a side where a light beam is incident on an objective lens. The aperture may limit a range of the light beam such that a width of the light beam incident on the objective lens in a first direction is less than a width in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. |
| US08824246B2 |
Timing system and device and method for making the same
A timing device for indicating a passage of a duration of time is disclosed. The timing device in accordance with the embodiments of the invention has a grid array architecture. The grid array architecture includes an electrode structure with an anode layer, a cathode layer and a thermistor layer. The anode layer and the thermistor layer are electrically coupled through a plurality of cathode line structures. In operation the timing device is actuated through a suitable mechanism to initiate depletion of the anode layer and, thereby, indicate a passage of a duration time. As the anode layer depletes, sequential cathode line structures are exposed and the thermistor layer acts as a variable resistor through a plurality of exposed cathode line structures. |
| US08824244B2 |
Radio-controlled wristwatch
Provided is a radio-controlled wristwatch that receives a radio wave including day-related information from a satellite within a global positioning system, in which a cycle number of the day-related information is correctly updated even in a case where a power supply voltage drops. A radio-wave wristwatch (1) according to the present invention includes: reception means (11) for receiving a radio wave from a satellite and extracting day-related information therefrom; timekeeping-circuit halting means for halting an operation of a timekeeping circuit based on a power supply voltage; timekeeping-circuit halt detection means for detecting that the operation of the timekeeping circuit (13) has been halted by the timekeeping-circuit halting means; a nonvolatile memory (23) for storing the day-related information and a cycle number of the day-related information; and cycle-number updating means for updating, when the timekeeping-circuit halt detection means detects that the operation of the timekeeping circuit has been halted, the cycle number of the day-related information based on a comparison result between the day-related information extracted by the reception means (11) and the day-related information stored in the nonvolatile memory (23). |
| US08824241B2 |
Method for a pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location
A method for a pressure release encoding system for communicating downhole information through a wellbore to a surface location includes positioning a valve and a brake in a drilling mud circulation system, initiating flow of drilling mud through the system, sensing flow through the valve and setting the brake at predefined pressure levels, sensing downhole conditions and releasing corresponding percentages of pressure across the valve at time intervals, and determining the downhole conditions at the surface by analyzing those associated time intervals. The method includes activation of the encoding system using drilling mud flow and setting predefined pressure levels, so that the pressure drops in the encoding process are from predefined levels at equilibrium and independent of fluid flow. |
| US08824240B2 |
Apparatus and method for measuring the acoustic impedance of wellbore fluids
An ultrasonic scanner tool employs a transducer that excites a target plate at a known distance from the transducer. One side of the target plate forms a chamber that in operation is filled with wellbore fluid. On the other side of the target plate, a chamber is formed containing a vacuum or a fluid with a significantly lower acoustic impedance than the wellbore fluid and the target plate, allowing an improved measurement of the acoustic impedance of the wellbore fluid. |
| US08824238B2 |
Memory device with bi-directional tracking of timing constraints
A memory device includes a DRAM, a first bi-directional tracking circuit and a second bi-directional tracking circuit. The DRAM includes a cell, a word line and a bit line. The first bi-directional tracking circuit is configured to track a first timing constraint associated with turning on or turning off the word line. The second bi-directional tracking circuit is configured to track a second timing constraint associated with turning on the bit line, turning off the bit line, or accessing the cell via the bit line. |
| US08824237B2 |
Pre-decoder for dual power memory
A pre-decoder for providing a pulse signal to a dual power rail word line driver is provided. The pre-decoder includes a clock generator, an address latch and decoder, a level shifter and a processing unit. The clock generator generates a first signal according to a clock, wherein the first signal is powered by a first supply voltage. The address latch and decoder decodes an address to obtain a second signal according to the first signal. The level shifter generates a third signal according to the first signal, wherein the third signal is powered by a second supply voltage higher than the first supply voltage. The processing unit generates the pulse signal according to the second signal and the third signal, wherein the pulse signal is powered by the second supply voltage. |
| US08824235B2 |
Controlling clock input buffers
An integrated circuit may have a clock input pin coupled to a buffer (24). The buffer may supply a clock signal (28) to an integrated circuit chip such as the memory. To conserve power, the buffer is powered down. When ready for use, the buffer is quickly powered back up. In one embodiment, in response to a predetermined number of toggles of the clock signal, the buffer is automatically powered up. |
| US08824228B2 |
Integrated circuit chip and memory device
An integrated circuit chip includes a test enable pad configured to receive a test enable signal, a plurality of test input pads including a reset pad, a signal combination unit configured to combine signals input to the plurality of test input pads when the test enable signal is activated, and to generate a plurality of test output signals, a plurality of test output pads configured to output the plurality of test output signals, and a reset control unit configured to generate a system reset signal using a signal input to the reset pad when the test enable signal is deactivated, and to generate the system reset signal using the test enable signal when the test enable signal is activated. |
| US08824227B2 |
Parallel test circuit and method of semiconductor memory apparatus
A parallel test circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a memory bank which includes first and second sub banks having test global lines, respectively, and sharing a global line connected to each of the first and second sub banks. When a read command is applied during a test mode, the parallel test circuit compares data loaded in the global line to data loaded in the test global line of the second sub bank to attain a comparison result, compresses the comparison result to attain a compression signal, and outputs the compression signal as a test output signal to a pad. |
| US08824221B2 |
Hybrid memory device, system including the same, and method of reading and writing data in the hybrid memory device
A hybrid memory device is provided. The hybrid memory device includes a DRAM, a non-volatile memory and a control circuit. The control circuit selects one of output data of the DRAM and output data of the non-volatile memory according to a mode selecting signal and output the selected data. The control circuit outputs data requested to be output from the DRAM when the data requested to be output is in the DRAM, and may output the data requested to be output from the non-volatile memory when the data requested to be output is in the non-volatile memory. Accordingly, the hybrid memory device has a high speed in a read and write operation, and has low power consumption. |
| US08824220B2 |
Semiconductor apparatus
A semiconductor apparatus includes: a sense amplifier unit enabled for a predetermined time during a read operation in response to a first read enable signal, enabled before a write operation in response to a second read enable signal, and disabled when the write operation is started, and a switch unit configured to connect a write driver and a memory unit during the write operation in response to a first select signal, connect the sense amplifier unit and the memory unit for the predetermined time during the read operation in response to a control signal, and disconnect the sense amplifier and the memory unit when the write operation is started. |
| US08824211B1 |
Group word line erase and erase-verify methods for 3D non-volatile memory
An erase operation for a 3D stacked memory device assigned storage elements to groups according to an expected erase speed. The storage elements are then erased according to their group to provide a more uniform erase depth and a tighter erase distribution. In one approach, the control gate voltages are set differently for the different groups to slow down the storage elements which are expected to have a faster programming speed. An erase or inhibit status can be set for all groups together. In another approach, the control gate voltages are common for the different groups but an erase or inhibit status is set for each group separately. |
| US08824205B2 |
Non-volatile electronic memory device with NAND structure being monolithically integrated on semiconductor
A non-volatile electronic memory device is integrated on a semiconductor and is of the Flash EEPROM type with a NAND architecture including at least one memory matrix divided into physical sectors, intended as smallest erasable units, and organized in rows or word lines and columns or bit lines of memory cells. At least one row or word line of a given physical sector is electrically connected to at least one row or word line of an adjacent physical sector to form a single logic sector being erasable, with the source terminals of the corresponding cells of the pair of connected rows referring to a same selection line of a source line. |
| US08824203B2 |
Multiple step programming in a memory device
A method for multiple step programming programs data to an even page of memory cells. The even page of memory cells is read into a page buffer and the uncertain data is removed. An odd page of memory cells is programmed and the data from the even page data from the page buffer is reprogrammed to the even page of memory cells without the uncertain data. |
| US08824201B2 |
Semiconductor memory apparatus and data reading method thereof
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a read current supply unit configured to supply a read current; a resistive memory cell configured to pass a current having a magnitude corresponding to a resistance value thereof in a data read mode; a voltage transfer unit coupled between the read current supply unit and the resistive memory cell and configured to transfer the read current to the resistive memory cell, wherein a voltage corresponding to the magnitude of the passed current is formed at a sensing node; and a feedback unit configured to pull-down drive a connection node, which is coupled between the voltage transfer unit and the resistive memory cell, when a voltage level of the sensing node reaches a predefined level. |
| US08824200B1 |
Nonvolative memory cells programable by phase change
An array of memory cells, each cell comprising a first and second ferromagnetic layers that form either a spin valve or a magnetic tunnel junction; at least one conductor operatively connected to at least one of the first and second ferromagnetic layers; a third ferromagnetic layer magnetically coupled to the second magnetic layer having permittivity which changes from a first state to a second state of lower permittivity upon heating; the second ferromagnetic layer being influenced by the permittivity of the third ferromagnetic layer; and a heater element operatively associated with the third magnetic layer which selectively provides heat to the third magnetic layer to change its permittivity. An alternate embodiment comprises an array of cells, each cell comprising a ferromagnetic region having permittivity which changes from a first state to a second state upon heating and a heater operatively which selectively provides heat to the third magnetic layer. |
| US08824197B2 |
Static RAM
A static RAM includes: a plurality of word lines; a plurality of pairs of local bit lines; a plurality of memory cells arranged in correspondence with intersections of the plurality of pairs of local bit lines and the plurality of word lines; a capacitance shared circuit arranged for each of the plurality of pairs of local bit lines; a common connection line connecting the plurality of capacitance shared circuits; and a pair of global bit lines connected to the plurality of pairs of local bit lines, wherein the capacitance shared circuit includes two N-channel transistors connected between the pair of local bit lines and the common connection line corresponding to each other. |
| US08824196B2 |
Single cycle data copy for two-port SRAM
A static random access memory (SRAM) includes a column of SRAM memory cells. The SRAM may include a circuit to copy a value stored in any SRAM memory cell in a column of SRAM memory cells to any SRAM memory cell in the column of SRAM memory cells in a single cycle of the SRAM. |
| US08824195B2 |
Methods of forming phase-change memory devices and devices so formed
Phase-change memory devices are provided. A phase-change memory device may include a substrate and a conductive region on the substrate. Moreover, the phase-change memory device may include a lower electrode on the conductive region. The lower electrode may include a metal silicide layer on the conductive region, and a metal silicon nitride layer including a resistivity of about 10 to about 100 times that of the metal silicide layer. Moreover, the lower electrode may include a metal oxide layer between the metal silicon nitride layer and the metal silicide layer. The metal oxide layer may include a resistivity that is greater than that of the metal silicide layer and less than the resistivity of the metal silicon nitride layer. The phase-change memory device may also include a phase-change layer and an upper electrode on the lower electrode. |
| US08824194B2 |
Semiconductor device and method for driving the same
In a semiconductor device performing pipeline processing with the use of a reading portion reading an instruction and an arithmetic portion performing an operation in accordance with the instruction, the instruction held in the reading portion is transmitted from the flip-flop to the memory when branch prediction turns out to be wrong. Note that the arithmetic portion controls transmission and reception of the instruction between the flip-flop and the memory which are included in the reading portion. This enables elimination of redundant operations in the reading portion in the case where an instruction read by the reading portion after the branch prediction turns out to be wrong is a subroutine, or the like. That is, the instruction held in the memory is transmitted back to the flip-flop without rereading of the same instruction by the reading portion, whereby the instruction can be output to the arithmetic portion. |
| US08824191B2 |
Non-volatile memory having 3D array of read/write elements and read/write circuits and method thereof
A three-dimensional array is especially adapted for memory elements that reversibly change a level of electrical conductance in response to a voltage difference being applied across them. Memory elements are formed across a plurality of planes positioned different distances above a semiconductor substrate. A two-dimensional array of bit lines to which the memory elements of all planes are connected is oriented vertically from the substrate and through the plurality of planes. During sensing, to compensate for word line resistance, a sense amplifier references a stored reference value during sensing of a memory element at a given location of the word line. A layout with a row of sense amplifiers between two memory arrays is provided to facilitate the referencing. A selected memory element is reset without resetting neighboring ones when it is subject to a bias voltage under predetermined conditions. |
| US08824190B1 |
Memory state sensing based on cell capacitance
A memory cell and method for operating a memory cell including a bidirectional access device and memory element electrically coupled in series. The bidirectional access device includes a tunneling capacitance. The memory element programmable to a first and second state by application of a first and second write voltage opposite in polarity to one another. The memory element has a lower capacitance in the first state than the second state. A read unit senses a transient read current due to a voltage drop upon application of a read voltage. Determining if the memory element is the first or second state is based on whether the read current is greater or less than a sense threshold. The sense threshold is based on a capacitance ratio between the first and second state. |
| US08824187B2 |
Phase change memory devices and methods of manufacturing the same
A phase change memory device includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of lower electrodes, and a plurality of phase change material patterns. The plurality of word lines extend in a first direction and the plurality of word lines are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The lower electrodes are on the word lines and the lower electrodes are arranged in a direction diagonal to the first direction by a first angle. Each of the plurality of phase change material patterns are on a corresponding one of the plurality of lower electrodes. |
| US08824183B2 |
Non-volatile memory having 3D array of read/write elements with vertical bit lines and select devices and methods thereof
A three-dimensional memory is formed as an array of memory elements that are formed across multiple layers of planes positioned at different distances above a semiconductor substrate. The memory elements reversibly change a level of electrical conductance in response to a voltage difference being applied across them. The three-dimensional array includes a two-dimensional array of pillar lines acting as local vertical bit lines through the multiple layers of planes which together with arrays of word lines on each plane are used to access the memory elements. The three-dimensional memory is formed over a CMOS substrate with an intermediate pillar select layer. The pillar select layer is formed with a plurality of pillar select devices which are switching transistors formed outside the CMOS and serve to switch selected rows of pillar lines to corresponding metal lines on the substrate. |
| US08824181B2 |
Apparatus and method for a switch mode power supply configured to reduce standby power consumption
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) is capable of reducing standby power consumption, and includes a power factor capacitor (PFC) bulk capacitor which supplies power in a standby mode to constant loads by repeatedly charging and discharging a voltage, a PFC controller which controls the voltage to be charged in the PFC bulk capacitor, a first resistor and a second resistor which divide the voltage of the PFC bulk capacitor and output a reference voltage, and a control unit which controls the charging and discharging of the voltage of the PFC bulk capacitor in accordance with the reference voltage. |
| US08824174B2 |
Control system and method for a universal power conditioning system
A new current loop control system method is proposed for a single-phase grid-tie power conditioning system that can be used under a standalone or a grid-tie mode. This type of inverter utilizes an inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) filter as the interface in between inverter and the utility grid. The first set of inductor-capacitor (LC) can be used in the standalone mode, and the complete LCL can be used for the grid-tie mode. A new admittance compensation technique is proposed for the controller design to avoid low stability margin while maintaining sufficient gain at the fundamental frequency. The proposed current loop controller system and admittance compensation technique have been simulated and tested. Simulation results indicate that without the admittance path compensation, the current loop controller output duty cycle is largely offset by an undesired admittance path. At the initial simulation cycle, the power flow may be erratically fed back to the inverter causing catastrophic failure. With admittance path compensation, the output power shows a steady-state offset that matches the design value. Experimental results show that the inverter is capable of both a standalone and a grid-tie connection mode using the LCL filter configuration. |
| US08824167B2 |
Self synchronizing power converter apparatus and method suitable for auxiliary bias for dynamic load applications
An auxiliary power supply or bias voltage supply employs a step up switch mode DC/DC power converter topology to supply regulated bias supply voltages, from very low input voltages (e.g., less than 2V). The supply will synchronize to dynamic loads making it particularly useful in circuits with periodic high peak current power demands, for example, gate drive circuits employed in regulated switched mode power converters. When unladed, the supply will efficiently adjust its cycle period to the minimum required to maintain the desired boosted output voltage. Additional transformer windings or a charge pump may be used to generate additional vias voltage sources. |
| US08824164B2 |
Laminate printed board and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a laminate printed board having a novel structure that is able to ensure alignment accuracy of the interboard terminals soldered to one printed board and that is also able to achieve a simplification of the process of soldering the interboard terminals. Through-hole lines in which a plurality of through-holes extend in lines are formed on a first printed board. Additionally, a press-fitting fastener hole is formed within the through-hole lines and a first end of an interboard terminal is press-fitted and fastened to the press-fitting fastener hole. Additionally, first ends of others of the interboard terminals are inserted through and flow soldered to through-holes on the first printed board. |
| US08824162B2 |
Electronic devices with moisture guiding structures
Electronic devices may have housings in which components are mounted. Some of the components may be sensitive to moisture. Other components may be insensitive to moisture and may form openings in a device housing that allow moisture to escape from within the housing. Components may be mounted on substrates such as printed circuit board substrates. Moisture repelling layers and moisture attracting layers may be patterned to form channels and other structures that guide moisture away from sensitive components towards insensitive components. Moisture repelling and attracting layers may also be used to limit the lateral spread of a conformal coating layer when coating components. |
| US08824161B2 |
Integrated circuit packaging for implantable medical devices
A hybrid integrated circuit in a wafer level package for an implantable medical device includes one or more passive component windings formed, at least in part, along one or more routing layers of the package. The windings may be primary and secondary windings of a transformer, wherein all or part of a magnetic core thereof is embedded in a component layer of the wafer level package. If the core includes a part bonded to a surface of the package, that part of the core may be E-shaped with legs extending into the routing layers, and, in some cases, through the routing layers. Routing layers may be formed on both sides of the component layer to accommodate the transformer windings, in some instances. |
| US08824160B2 |
Cover glass structure and fabrication method thereof and touch-sensitive display device
A cover glass structure includes a glass substrate, a touch-sensing structure and a decorative layer. The glass substrate has at least one cutting section, and the cutting section is polished to form a polished surface. The touch-sensing structure is disposed on the glass substrate, and the decorative layer is disposed on the glass substrate. |
| US08824156B2 |
Pocket-enabled chip assembly for implantable devices
Systems and methods for providing biologically compatible pockets or envelopes that can contain chips and other circuit elements and can make electrical connection between those elements and living organisms. The assembled biologically compatible pockets and circuit components can have biomedical applications, such as bioimplantable devices such as retinal, cochlear and cortical prosthesis implants, muscular stimulators, and other uses. In various embodiments, the described technology explains how to make and use pocket systems for dealing with chips having connectors on one or two surfaces, and with other circuit components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors and transistors. Operation of chips encapsulated according to the described technology is demonstrated. Accelerated life testing suggests that the pocket systems described will survive for years at 37 degrees C. |
| US08824155B2 |
Flat panel display device
A flat panel display device with an improved structure reducing the number of components and assembling processes comprises: a panel including a first substrate, an emission unit formed on the first substrate, and a second substrate coupled to the first substrate so as to seal the emission unit and including a flange portion having a first coupling hole; a monitor frame having a second coupling hole corresponding to the first coupling hole; and a fastener for coupling the panel and the monitor frame by being inserted into the first coupling hole. In this structure, the flange portion is used to couple the monitor frame to the panel, and thus a separate fixing frame is not used. The lack of need for the fixing frame leads to a fewer number of components and assembling processes. |
| US08824147B2 |
Fluid-cooled electrical equipment, avionic rack to receive such equipment and aircraft equipped with such racks
This invention relates to a fluid-cooled electronic equipment item, an avionic rack to receive such an equipment item and an aircraft equipped with such racks.The electronic equipment items are connected to the avionic rack on the one hand electrically (C3-C4) and on the other hand fluidically (36′-37, 45′-44) to a system of pipes (30a, 30b) on at least one cold source for a cooling fluid (30). A heat-dissipating electronic board (35) is equipped with a dissipated-heat collector plate (61-65), in which fluid circulation channels are implemented, connected via quick-disconnect fluidic couplings (42, 39) to quick-disconnect fluidic couplings of the system of pipes. These devices allow the equipment to be removed from or inserted into the rack (32-EE) or the electronic board (35) to be removed from or inserted into the electrical equipment (33-35). |
| US08824146B2 |
Directly injected forced convection cooling for electronics
Electronic circuitry includes a circuit board and at least one component mounted on the circuit board, with the at least one component generating heat while in use. The circuit board includes one or more apertures aligned with one or more respective components, and the electronic circuitry is configured to provide, while in use, a path for coolant fluid to flow through each aperture and past the respective component. |
| US08824143B2 |
Combined power and cooling rack supporting an electronics rack(S)
A combined power and cooling apparatus is provided facilitating powering and cooling one or more electronics racks, which are distinct from the power and cooling apparatus. The power and cooling apparatus includes a frame, one or more bulk power assemblies associated with the frame, and one or more heat exchange assemblies associated with the frame. The one or more bulk power assemblies are configured to provide power to the one or more electronics racks, and the one or more heat exchange assemblies are configured to cool system coolant provided to the one or more electronics racks. Heat is transferred by the one or more heat exchange assemblies from the system coolant to a facility coolant. In operation, the power and cooling apparatus is coupled to provide both power and cooling to the one or more electronics racks. |
| US08824140B2 |
Glass enclosure
A handheld computing device that includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a glass material that can be radio-transparent. The enclosure can be formed from a hollow glass tube or two glass members bonded together. A laser frit bonding process may be used to hermetically seal the two glass members together to create a water resistant electronic device. |
| US08824138B2 |
Heat dissipation system with DIMM baffle
A baffle guides airflow into two heat areas in a heat dissipation system. Each of the two heat areas includes a plurality of slots. The baffle includes a main body, an interval portion, and a clasp. The interval portion is located on the main body. The clasp is located on the main body opposite to the interval portion. The clasp includes a resilient clip and a stand portion vertically located on the resilient clip. The stand portion is engaged with at least one of the slots. The interval portion extends between two of the plurality of slots. |
| US08824132B2 |
Electronic device comprising a removable hard disk
An electronic device comprises a casing, a hard disk, a housing on the casing of the electronic device intended to host the hard disk, and a stopper ensuring the holding of the hard disk in the housing. The stopper comprises a first fixation mechanism on a first end of the stopper to the casing of the electronic device, and a second fixation mechanism on a second end of the stopper to the casing of the electronic device. According to exemplary embodiments, the first fixation mechanism is a clip, the second fixation mechanism is a lock, and the stopper also comprises a hinge enabling the articulation of the stopper around its first end. According to another aspect of the invention, the device comprises a seal positioned on the stopper during the first assembly of the hard disk. |
| US08824128B2 |
Flexible circuit board shielding device for electronic apparatus
A flexible circuit board shielding device for an electronic apparatus is disclosed. The flexible circuit board shielding device is provided to protect a flexible circuit board or a cable, including a body assembled on a slide and/or rotation module and a wing portion pivoted to the body. When the body is moved in response to the motion of the slide and/or rotation module, the wing portions can be freely swung or rotated in response to on the body. |
| US08824127B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
A display device includes: a display panel; a first housing attached to the display panel, the first housing having an opening to expose a display surface of the display panel; and a second housing attached to the first housing to cover a back surface of the display panel, wherein an end portion of one of the first housing and the second housing includes a folded portion and an end portion of the other of the first housing and the second housing includes an insertion portion to be inserted into the end portion. |
| US08824124B1 |
Modular wire harness arrangements and methods of using same for backside to frontside power and data distribution safety schemes
A large format billboard type electronic sign includes at least one structural frame member mounted to a front side of a planar mounting structure that defines a plurality of structural bay members configured for receiving and removably supporting therein a corresponding plurality of weatherized display modules to conceal and protect at least one preformed wiring harness from wind load forces in excess of 100 pounds per square foot and degradation from the effects of ultra-violet sunlight; each individual one of said plurality of structural bay members is provided with a plurality of receptacles to facilitate mechanically and electrically coupling the at least one preformed wiring harness to the plurality of weatherized display modules; and wherein the at least one preformed wiring harness is provided with a plurality of preformed nodes which are dimensioned to be snapped or pressed into position in a wire harness node receptacle forming part of the plurality of receptacles. |
| US08824123B2 |
Animal deterrent device for electrical charging system
An animal deterrent device (ADD) includes a non-yielding base containing an array of animal deterring elements extending outwardly away therefrom. The base of the ADD is configured for deployment on at least one external surface of a transducer associated with a electrical charging system (ECS) used to electrically charge an energy storage device (ESD) on a vehicle. An array of animal deterring elements are respectively spaced apart a sufficient distance one-to-another and have respective heights so as to fill a space so that animals, such as a dog or a cat, are discouraged from residing on, or adjacent to at least one external surface of the transducer when the transducer that includes the ADD is disposed within a ground clearance of the vehicle. A method of using the ADD is also presented that includes a step of the ADD being formed in a mold in a single molding operation. |
| US08824121B2 |
Conductive polymer coating for wet electrolytic capacitor
A wet electrolytic capacitor including a porous anode body containing a dielectric layer, a cathode containing a metal substrate on which is disposed a conductive polymer coating, and an electrolyte is provided. The conductive polymer coating is in the form of a dispersion of particles having an average diameter of from about 1 to about 500 nanometers, in some embodiments from about 5 to about 400 nanometers, and in some embodiments, from about 10 to about 300 nanometers. The relatively small size of the particles used in the coating increases the surface area that is available for adhering to the metal substrate, which in turn improves mechanical robustness and electrical performance (e.g., reduced equivalent series resistance and leakage current). Another benefit of employing such a dispersion for the conductive polymer coating is that it may be able to better cover crevices of the metal substrate and improve electrical contact. |
| US08824119B2 |
Multilayer ceramic capacitor having increased overlapping area between inner electrodes and method of manufacturing same
There are disclosed a multilayer ceramic capacitor and a method of manufacturing the same. The multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic body having a first side and a second side opposed to each other and having a third side and a fourth side connecting the first side to the second side, a plurality of inner electrodes formed within the ceramic body, and outer electrodes formed on the third side and the fourth side and electrically connected to the inner electrodes. A distance from distal edges of the inner electrodes to the first side or the second side of the ceramic body is 30 μm or less. |
| US08824118B2 |
Method of removal of electrostatic charges from trays used for transporting rod shaped elements, tray protected against negative action of electrostatic field and device for unloading trays filled with rod shaped elements with simultaneous removal of electrostatic charges
A method of removing electrostatic charges from a tray by supplying pressurized ionized air, first along the bottom of the already turned over tray, and then, when unloading the tray, along its side walls or the inner walls of a compartment. A tray made of dielectric material and protected against negative action of the electrostatic field and having a conducting metal insert provided on the inside of the tray. The insert may have different shapes. A device for unloading compartment trays made of a dielectric material and provided with an ionizer disposed horizontally along the linear transporter, in the zone of feeding of the trays with its nozzles turned in the direction of the inside of the bottom of the tray. |
| US08824117B2 |
Relay and method for controlling relay
A method for controlling a normally closed relay includes: providing power to at least one of a first electromagnet and a second electromagnet via a power input port, then cause a first actuation member and a second actuation member to separate from each other, and the relay is then in an open state; and stopping providing power to the at lease one first electromagnet and the second electromagnet which being powered by the power input port such that the first actuation member and the second actuation member makes contact with each other, and the relay is then in a closed state. |
| US08824113B2 |
High voltage interlock circuit utilizing serial communications
The system provides for controlling the connection of electrical power sources to electrical loads installed on a motor vehicle and limiting exposure of personnel to relatively high electrical voltages from the electrical power sources. The system includes a serial communication bus and power cables routed through the motor vehicle. At least a first connector is provided through which the serial communication bus and a power cable are routed allowing temporary severing of the serial communication bus and the power cable. The power cable includes a circuit interrupter which isolates the connector from the electrical power source in response to certain conditions on the serial communication bus, including, but not limited to, the cessation of data traffic on the serial communication bus. |
| US08824112B2 |
Digital protection relay and operation method thereof
The present disclosure relates to a digital protection relay and an operation method of the digital protection relay for enhancing the operation of a frequency change rate relay element (81R) thereof, and the digital protection relay and an operation method thereof may calculate a plurality of different frequency change rates from the measured frequency and use a value of the frequency change rate selected based on a predetermined criteria in the control of a relay operation, thereby providing an effect of enhancing reliability for the operation of the frequency change rate relay element. |
| US08824110B2 |
Power plug with leakage current protection
A power plug, including: a shell, the shell having two sides, a reset button and a test button protruding from the first side, and a live wire pin and a neutral wire pin protruding from the second side; a circuit board; a stationary contact; a movable contact; a tripping device; a cross arm; and a push block. The stationary contact is connected with the live wire pin and the neutral wire pin; the movable contact can be connected to or disconnected from the stationary contact. The tripping device includes a sliding pedestal and a sliding part and controls the connection between the movable contact and the stationary contact. An elastic member is disposed on the push block. An ejector spring is disposed on one end of the movable armature. A reset spring is disposed between the sliding part and the sliding pedestal. |
| US08824102B2 |
Thin-film magnetic head with improved wide area track erasure (WATE), method of manufacturing the same, head gimbal assembly, and hard disk drive
A thin-film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer, write shield layer, gap layer, and thin-film coils, which are laminated on a substrate. A return magnetic pole layer is spaced from the medium-opposing surface on the side opposite to the write shield layer with the main magnetic pole layer intervening therebetween. A connecting magnetic layer is formed using a magnetic material to connect the return magnetic pole layer to the write shield layer on the side closer to the medium-opposing surface than is the thin-film coil. The thin-film coil is wound as a flat spiral around the write shield layer. A part of the thin-film coil wound as the flat spiral is disposed only at a position distanced from the substrate than is the main magnetic pole layer. |
| US08824093B1 |
Head position detecting method and magnetic disk device
According to one embodiment, a head position detecting method and a magnetic disk device includes measuring a burst output by reading a burst pattern, which is recorded on a magnetic disk, with a magnetic head and calculating a demodulation position of the magnetic head on the basis of the result of the correction of the phase shift of the burst output corresponding to magnetization transition curvature of the burst pattern. |
| US08824090B2 |
Methods and devices for compensating for off-track motion
In certain embodiments, a method includes sensing a mode of a motor-base assembly's response to vibration. Based on the sensed response, the method includes adjusting a head-suspension assembly to compensate for off-track motion caused by the vibration.In certain embodiments, an apparatus includes a sensor positioned on a basedeck such that the sensor senses a mode of the motor-base assembly's response to linear vibration. |
| US08824089B1 |
Tape cartridge and tape device
A tape cartridge includes a drive gear that is rotatably driven by a driving device, a first reel that winds a first tape-like storage medium therearound and is rotatable by a driving force transmitted from the drive gear, a second reel that winds a second tape-like storage medium therearound and is rotatable by a driving force transmitted from the drive gear, and a blocking unit that blocks transmission of the driving force from the drive gear to the first or second reel. |
| US08824088B2 |
Method and system for hard disk drive throughput optimization using position error signaling
Systems and methods are provided for throughput optimization of a hard disk drive (HDD) using position error signaling (PES) that includes determining a PES for a HDD mounted in a chassis based on a dynamic disturbance. The method also includes calculating a critical parameter of the PES. The method further includes indicating a mechanical design modification of the HDD or the chassis if the critical parameter of the PES exceeds a pre-defined threshold. |
| US08824087B2 |
Zero gain start bias estimation
A method and system for estimating a zero gain start (ZGS) bias in a read channel is disclosed. The method may include: receiving preamble samples within a fixed-length window selected for ZGS calculation; calculating an energy associated with a 2T frequency in the preamble samples; calculating an energy associated with non-2T frequencies in the preamble samples; and calculating the ZGS bias based on the energy associated with the 2T frequency in the preamble samples and the energy associated with non-2T frequencies in the preamble samples. |
| US08824085B2 |
Laser power control in a heat-assisted magnetic recording system
A heat-assisted magnetic recording system may include, but is not limited to: at least one magnetic recording read/write head; at least one laser diode configured to illuminate at least a portion of at least one magnetic recording medium; at least one laser power level sensor configured to detect a power level of the at least one laser diode; and a controller configured to modify one or more power level settings associated with the at least one laser diode in response to one or more output signals of the at least one laser power level sensor. |
| US08824080B2 |
Data recording and reading device and method
Provided is a method for recording data to a tape medium in such a manner as to achieve the easy management of mutually related multiple data pieces. First data and second data continuously received as a file from a higher level apparatus are accumulated in multiple buffer segments in the form of multiple successive data sets. A data structure is determined for each of the accumulated data sets. Management information indicating a result of the determination is added to the data sets, and the data sets and the management information thereof are stored into the tape medium. |
| US08824068B2 |
Rapid optical assembly via simultaneous passive bonding
Techniques are disclosed for fabricating optical instrumentation. The techniques can be used, for instance, to populate an optical bench with several optics that can be simultaneously bonded and simultaneously verified to precise assembly, and without the use of adjustable mounts or active alignment. The techniques may be embodied, for instance, in a jig designed for operatively coupling to a given optical bench. The jig includes cut-outs that identify placement locations for the various optical components on the underlying optical bench. Thus, once the jig is secured to the optical bench, precise placement of the optical components is simplified. In some such embodiments, the jig further includes a clamping assembly for each cut-out, so that once an optical component is placed on the optical bench via that cutout, the clamping assembly can be engaged to hold that optical component in place while a deposited bonding agent is cured. |
| US08824067B2 |
Endoscope objective optical system
Provided is an endoscope objective optical system that is constituted of, in order from the object side, a positive first group, an aperture stop, and a positive second group, wherein the first group is constituted of a negative first lens whose surface on the object side is flat and a positive second lens; the second group is constituted of a combined lens formed of a positive third lens and a negative fourth lens; and Conditional Expressions (1) to (3) are satisfied. F31, F32, and f are the focal lengths of the third lens, the fourth lens, and the entire system, respectively; and R3 and R4 are the radii of curvature at the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the second lens, respectively. 1.2 |
| US08824065B2 |
Imaging lens
A concave surface is formed on an object side of a plastic lens of a one-piece construction, and a convex surface is formed on an image-point side thereof. The concave and convex surfaces are aspherical. A diffractive optical surface that exerts a chromatic dispersion ability is formed on the convex surface, and conditional expressions (1) 0.45 |
| US08824062B2 |
Zoom lens and imaging apparatus
A zoom lens consists of positive first lens group, which is fixed during changing magnification, negative second lens group, which is moved during changing magnification, negative third lens group for correcting a fluctuation of an image plane caused by changing magnification, and positive fourth lens group, which is fixed during changing magnification, which are in this order from an object side. The first lens group consists of negative lens and positive lens group consisting of three or less positive lenses in this order from the object side. Each of the negative lens and at least one of the positive lens or lenses in the first lens group has at least an aspherical surface. A predetermined formula is satisfied. |
| US08824051B2 |
Passive louver-based daylighting system
A daylighting system for use in a building including a louver array having a first longitudinal element, and a second longitudinal element spaced therefrom. At least one of the first and second elements has an asymmetrical profile, each of the first and second longitudinal elements has a bottom profile including a parabolic surface, portions of opposing surfaces of the first and second longitudinal elements define a compound parabolic concentrator profile having a non-horizontal centerline that is tilted upwards, and the array prevents line of sight therethrough. A louver for a daylighting system includes (i) a leading edge defined by a leading connecting surface disposal between a parabolic concentrator surface and a flat surface; and (ii) a trailing edge defined by a trailing connecting surface disposed between a lower compound parabolic concentrator profile, and an upper compound parabolic concentrator profile. A method for designing a louver profile is provided. |
| US08824049B2 |
Scalable wavelength beam combining system and method
Systems and methods have been provided to scale wavelength beam combining (WBC) systems, which are systems configured to increase output power, as well as spatial and/or spectral brightness when utilizing or combining a plurality of beam emitters. |
| US08824045B2 |
Optical amplifier control apparatus
An optical amplifier control apparatus according to the present invention includes control circuit 300; optical amplifiers 4, 5 respectively located on paths; a plurality of light sources 200, 201 that output excitation lights that differ in light intensity; and optical switch 32 that changes optical routes of excitation lights that are output from light sources 200, 201 and inputs the excitation lights to optical amplifiers 4, 5 as determined by control circuit 300. Control circuit 300 is provided with determination section 301 that determines which paths to allocate which excitation lights that differ in light intensity based on a parameter that relates to wavelength lights on a plurality of paths when wavelength lights of WDM signal light that propagate to one of the plurality of paths are optically amplified. |
| US08824044B2 |
Planar optical waveguide element, chromatic dispersion compensator, optical filter, optical resonator and methods for designing the element, chromatic dispersion compensator, optical filter and optical resonator
There is provided a planar optical waveguide element in which an optical waveguide core comprises an inner side core having protruding portions that form a rib structure, and an outer side core that is provided on top of the inner side core and that covers circumferential surfaces of the protruding portions, wherein a refractive index of the outer side core is lower than an average refractive index of the inner side core. The structure of the planar optical waveguide element can be applied even when the core is formed from a material having a higher refractive index than that of a silica glass-based material such as silicon (Si) or silicon nitride (SixNy). |
| US08824041B2 |
Reconfigurable repetition rate and energy chirped pulse amplification fiber laser
The present application discloses a novel chirped pulse amplification (CPA) fiber laser that has easily reconfigured output repetition rate and energy, and high spatial and temporal quality. |
| US08824039B2 |
Apparatus for displaying information
The invention relates to an apparatus for displaying information by way of at least one fluid. For this purpose, the apparatus comprises at least one display element having two volumes, wherein the first volume is disposed between a transparent cover layer and a non-transparent intermediate layer and the second volume is disposed between the intermediate layer and a final layer such that only the content of the upper volume is visible. The display according to the invention further comprises at least one fluidic transition, by way of which the fluid can be transported between the two volumes. The apparatus according to the invention has an optimized space requirement, solves the problem of uneven saturation over the surface of a display element, and is additionally not sensitive to mechanical interference. |
| US08824034B2 |
Method of operating a laser in an optical component, optical component, and optical communication system
A method and a device for operating a laser in an optical component are provided, wherein the laser is a local oscillator of the optical component; and wherein a linewidth of the laser is broadened. Furthermore, an optical communication system is suggested comprising said optical component. |
| US08824028B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus
An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit for reading an image of a document at a reading position, a document feeding unit for discharging the document via the reading position, an abnormality detection unit for detecting a feeding abnormality, and a reading determination unit. The reading determination unit determines that the reading of the image of the fed document by the image reading unit is complete in a case where it is determined that a fed document, which is being fed by the document feeding unit, is not a final document, and it is detected that the leading edge of the fed document has reached the reading position, and when it is detected that the leading edge of the subsequent document has reached the reading position without the abnormality detection unit detecting any abnormality. |
| US08824027B2 |
Media feeder, image scanning apparatus, multifunctional periphery, and image scanning method
An automatic media feeder includes: a media stacker on which sheets are to be stacked; a discharged media stacker; a scanning position where the sheet is to be scanned; a first conveyance path from the media stacker to the scanning position; a feeding device configured to convey the sheet from the media stacker to the scan position along the first conveyance path; a discharging device configured to discharge the sheet that passed through the scanning position to the discharged media stacker; a first reverse mechanism configured to turn over the sheet conveyed from the media stacker toward the scanning position along the first conveyance path and return the turned-over sheet to the first conveyance path; and a second reverse mechanism configured to refeed the sheet that passes through the scanning position to the first conveyance path. |
| US08824026B2 |
Image reading apparatus and image reading head
An image reading apparatus having light emitting unit for irradiating light onto a original, reflected light detector light reflected by the original after the original is irradiated by the light emitting unit, outside light detector disposed in an area outside the area in which light reflected by the original enters the reflected light detector and reflected light correcting unit for correcting detection result data detected the reflected light detector based on outside light detected by the outside light detector. An image reading head having light emitting unit, which irradiates, a original with light, and a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a row having a length longer than a length of the light emitting unit. |
| US08824022B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus
An optical scanning apparatus includes an optical source, a deflection part deflecting an optical beam emitted from the optical source, plural optical elements directing or focusing the optical beam deflected by the deflection part to corresponding one of plural image carrying bodies, a holding member holding the plural optical elements, wherein the optical beam scans the respective image carrying bodies in a main scanning direction, and wherein the holding member includes a pair of holding member elements disposed so as to face each other in the main scanning direction, and the plural optical elements are held between the pair of holding member elements in a bridged state. |
| US08824020B2 |
Image editing apparatus, image editing method, image editing system, and recording medium
An image editing apparatus is configured to determine two or more scheduled disposition regions in a predetermined region on a printing plate or an output medium, and to gang two or more content images for the respective disposition regions. The apparatus includes: a ganging information managing unit that sequentially manages first list information regarding plural print jobs and second list information regarding assignment states of the print jobs; a job assigning unit that assigns the disposition regions to at least one print job; a ganging state monitoring unit that sequentially monitors the first and second list information and determines whether there is at least one combination of the print jobs which have not been assigned and the disposition regions; and a monitoring result informing unit that informs a user of there being the combination in a case where the ganging state monitoring unit determines that there is the combination. |
| US08824018B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image forming apparatus, image reading apparatus, image processing method, and recording medium
In a case where a line noise suppression mode in which a line noise image is suppressed is enabled by a mode setting section 81, (A) a spatial filter process section 108 executes a spatial filter process with respect to a text pixel which have determined to be included in a text region by a segmentation process section 105, in which spatial filter process an edge enhancement degree of an image is smaller than that obtained when the line noise suppression mode is disabled, and (B) an output tone correction section 109 executes, with respect to the text pixel subjected to the spatial filter process, a tone correction process in which a contrast enhancement degree of an image is higher than that obtained when the line noise suppression mode is disabled. |
| US08824017B2 |
Paper detector with inducted module and printer using the same
A detector and a printer using the same are provided. The printer includes a body and the detector. The body has a base and a shaft located above the base. The detector includes multiple inducted modules, a carriage, an inducing unit, and a light receiving unit. The inducted modules are disposed on the base of the body aligning to an axial direction of the shaft. The carriage is disposed on the shaft. The inducing unit and the light receiving unit are disposed on the carriage. During a printing process, the carriage moves back and forth along the axial direction, and the inducing unit induces the corresponding inducted modules to emit lights. The light receiving unit receives light emitted from one of the inducted modules and penetrated a paper undergoing the printing process for detecting a paper barcode. |
| US08824014B1 |
System and method for adjustment of coverage parameters for different colors in image data
A method of operating a printer includes reducing a first plurality of coverage parameters in a first continuous tone (contone) pixel by a predetermined amount if a combination of at least two of the coverage parameters is below a predetermined threshold and reducing a second plurality of coverage parameters in a second pixel by a smaller amount if the combination of coverage parameters in the second pixel is greater than the predetermined threshold. The method further includes generating half-tone image data from the first and second pixels and forming printed marks corresponding to the first and second pixels on an image receiving surface. |
| US08824013B2 |
Error diffusion halftoning method for dark ink and light ink channels, based on a measure of solvent quantity that should be ejected for each pixel, and apparatus that performs the halftoning method
An image processing method suitable for a printer unit, includes an error diffusion halftoning process arranged for quantizing and diffusing each pixel of an image including a set of subtractive primary colors (C′, M′, Y′), in an image including a quantized printer image including a set of ink drops (DC, DM, DY, Dc, Dm) of respective ink channels to be printed. The method comprises the step of determining, for each pixel, an input variable value (S) representing a measure of solvent quantity that should be ejected by the printer unit for each pixel, the input variable value being computed on the basis of the value of a corresponding pixel of the image including the set of subtractive primary colors (C′, M′, Y′), and of inputting the determined input variable value (S) in the error diffusion halftoning process together with the values of the corresponding pixel. The invention further relates to the apparatus embodying the method. |
| US08824012B1 |
Determining end of print job in a handheld image translation device
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for determining an end of printing operation in a handheld image translation device are described herein. The determining of the end of the printing operation may include generation and maintenance of a processed image by an image processing module and a print module, respectively. The print module may rewrite print data of the processed image as the printing operation progresses. |
| US08824009B2 |
Display processing apparatus, image forming system, display processing method, and computer-readable storage medium
A display processing apparatus includes a gloss-control plane generating unit configured to generate gloss-control plane data for specifying a type of a surface effect applied to a recording medium and an area in a recording medium to which the surface effect is applied; an obtaining unit configured to obtain replacement information that is used to replace a type of the surface effect that is not available in a device configuration with a type of the surface effect that is available in the device configuration; a replacing unit configured to replace the type of the surface effect designated by the designation information with the type of the available surface effect using the replacement information obtained by the obtaining unit; and a preview image generating unit configured to generate a preview image based on the gloss-control plane data having an area to which the available surface effect is to be applied. |
| US08824007B2 |
Image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus that forms an image using an electrophotographic process
A texture processing unit obtains smoothness information from a paper type specifying unit or a smoothness measuring device, and a lookup table is selected corresponding to the smoothness. An image area division unit divides off image signals of a predetermined hue area from among converted image signals. Predetermined hue area refers to a hue area in which, among multiple areas of different hues, a toner transfer failure tends to occur at concave portions that exist on a printing surface of a printing medium. The image signal processing unit applies the lookup table selected by the texture processing unit on the image signals that have been divided off, thereby increasing the toner amounts at concave portions. |
| US08824006B2 |
Color correction apparatus and color correction method
According to one embodiment, a color correction apparatus includes an input portion, a storing portion and a correction portion. The input portion inputs color image signals which correspond to recording color material amounts. The storing portion stores a standard color reproduction parameter for calculating a standard color reproduction chromaticity and reference chromaticity deviation amounts at a plurality of reference color points in recording color material amount coordinate space. The correction portion estimates chromaticity deviation amounts of the input color image signals on the basis of the reference chromaticity deviation amount, calculates a standard chromaticity which corresponds to the input color image signals on the basis of the standard color reproduction parameter and corrects the input color image signals on the basis of the estimated chromaticity deviation amounts and the standard chromaticity. |
| US08824005B2 |
Method of designing a color chart
A method of characterizing an imaging system is described includes printing a color chart having a plurality of predetermined color patches; measuring the color patches to obtain colorimetric data; initializing a Neugebauer model with the Neugebauer solids of said colorimetric data; optimizing the global parameters of the Neugebauer model; optimizing the parameters associated with Demichel terms based on the Neugebauer primary associated with the Demichel term; optimizing parameters that vary with device coordinates; and creating a characterization file for the imaging system. |
| US08823991B2 |
Systems and methods of processing scanned data
An efficient method and system to enhance digital acquisition devices for analog data is presented. The enhancements offered by the method and system are available to the user in local as well as in remote deployments yielding efficiency gains for a large variety of business processes. The quality enhancements of the acquired digital data are achieved efficiently by employing virtual reacquisition. The method of virtual reacquisition renders unnecessary the physical reacquisition of the analog data in case the digital data obtained by the acquisition device are of insufficient quality. The method and system allows multiple users to access the same acquisition device for analog data. In some embodiments, one or more users can virtually reacquire data provided by multiple analog or digital sources. The acquired raw data can be processed by each user according to his personal preferences and/or requirements. The preferred processing settings and attributes are determined interactively in real time as well as non real time, automatically and a combination thereof. |
| US08823990B2 |
Print job distribution within a printing system
Disclosed are a method, computer program product, and system for print job distribution. An amount of available consumable resources for each of a plurality of printers is determined. An estimated usage of the consumable resources for the plurality of printers for one or more printer jobs in a printer queue is determined. A maintenance schedule related to the maintenance of the consumable resources for each of the plurality of printers is accessed. A print distribution plan for each print job in the printer queue is determined, based at least in part on the amount of available consumable resources for each of the plurality of printers, the estimated usage of consumable resources for the plurality of printers for each printer job in a printer queue, and the maintenance schedule related to the maintenance of the consumable resources for each of the plurality of printers. |
| US08823989B2 |
Printing system, preview display control program and preview display control method
A printing system including a client terminal, a printing apparatus, and a Web server for allowing the client terminal to display a print preview image, wherein the client terminal includes: a print setting section which, when a print setting is changed on a screen notifies the Web server of the changed print setting and requires creation of a print preview image, and when a predetermined time period has elapsed after the change, requests the print preview image reflecting the changed print setting; and a preview display section which displays the image acquired from the Web server, and wherein the Web server includes: a control section which, when the changed print setting is notified, creates the print preview image by reflecting the change, and when the print preview image is required, sends the print preview image reflecting the changed print setting to the client terminal. |
| US08823987B2 |
Virtual media trays
Methods and devices maintain the status of unaltered media currently available within physical media trays of a printing device and maintain the status of currently available media processing components of the printing device. The media processing components have elements that physically alter the unaltered media. Further, such methods and devices dynamically enable previously created virtual media trays (and/or create virtual media trays) based on the availability of the unaltered media and the availability of the media processing components. The virtual media trays virtually appear to contain virtual media that is physically different from the unaltered media currently available. Such methods and devices receive a request to print on a selected virtual media from one of the virtual media trays through the graphic user interface. Then, these methods and devices physically alter the unaltered media using the media processing components to physically change the unaltered media to the selected virtual media. |
| US08823978B2 |
Document management system, document management method, and storage medium
A document management system includes a primary storage server and a secondary storage server. The primary storage server stores document information about a document including owner information for identifying a user having registered the document and group information for identifying a group to which the user belongs in the primary storage server storage device for each group based on the group information included in the document information. The secondary storage server specifies the group information for identifying the group to which the user accessing the document belongs, acquires the document information about the specified group information, and then stores the acquired document information in the secondary storage server storage device for each user based on the information about the user accessing the document. |
| US08823976B2 |
Queue processor for document servers
A configurable queue processor for document servers is described. The configurable queue processor strives to allocate server resources in an optimal manner such that document servers can process documents efficiently. In various embodiments, the facility includes a configurable queue processor for allocating document flows for handling documents, document transport module for transporting documents between network devices, such as printers, fax boards, and content servers and across local and wide-area networks; functionality for routing optimization with other communications networks, such as messaging services, telephony, and IP networks; and flexible document transport capabilities to workflow applications and multifunction devices (such as all-in-one print/scan/copy/fax/telephone/answering machine devices) and multifunction devices enhanced with video & video capture, messaging, email, network router & gateway capabilities. |
| US08823974B2 |
Method and apparatus for processing scan data
Provided are a scan data processing method and apparatus. The method includes: performing a wireless communication connection with a predetermined user device during a scan mode; detecting user profile information corresponding to a user address of the predetermined user device; and controlling scan data based on the user profile information. |
| US08823973B2 |
Image forming apparatus for starting a preparation operation without receiving information about an accessory device
An image forming apparatus, to which an accessory device is connectable, includes a control unit configured to control the image forming apparatus to start a preparation operation in which an image forming unit can form an image in response to a power supply, and a storage unit configured to store a connecting state between the image forming apparatus and the accessory device. The control unit determines, in response to the start of the power supply, whether the accessory device has been connected to the image forming apparatus before the power supply is stopped, with reference to information stored in the storage unit. Then, the control unit controls the image forming apparatus to start the preparation operation without waiting for the receiving of the information about the accessory device therefrom if the accessory device has not been connected to the image forming apparatus. |
| US08823972B2 |
Print control device, printing system and computer-readable recording medium storing printing program
A print controlling device is provided with an image data processing module configured to apply an image processing operation to an image data, a transmitting module configured to transmit the processed image data which is processed by the image data processing module to a printing device, and a modifying module configured to modify the image processing operation in accordance with the printing device to which the modified image data is to be transmitted. |
| US08823971B2 |
External storing device, image processing apparatus and image forming apparatus respectively comprising the external storing device
The present invention has an object to make the unallowed image forming apparatus be unable to use option data or option program even if having read out them from the allowed image forming apparatus having the option data or the option program. In an image forming apparatus, a program executing section judges whether the image forming apparatus meets identification information described in a license key stated in activating data in activating key file when executing Java program serving as option program, and executes the Java program in the case that the image forming apparatus meets the identification information. |
| US08823970B2 |
PS to PDF conversion with embedded job ticketing preservation
A system and method for converting a first print file having embedded job ticket data generated in a first format into a second print file of a second format while preserving the embedded job-ticket data. A computer system and a computer program are configured to convert the first print file to the second print file by translating the first print file to the second print file, searching the first print file for the embedded job ticket data and associated page ranges, and inserting the embedded job ticket data and associated page ranges identified by the searching into the translated second print file. A printing system includes a digital frontend, an image output terminal, and an interpreter unit. The interpreter unit is configured to parse the second print file for the inserted job ticket data and program a print job based on the parsed job ticket data. |
| US08823969B1 |
Image processing architecture
An inspection system that receives image data corresponding to an image and processes the image data to produce a report corresponding to characteristics of the image. Interface cards receive the image data in a flow, where each interface card receives image data corresponding to a different portion of the image. Process nodes connect to the interface cards, and receive the image data from the interface cards. A host computer is connected to the process nodes, and job managers implemented in the host computer manage the flow of image data to and from the process nodes. The job managers are written in a relatively stable and slow programming environment, to remain operable during a crash of one of the process nodes. Process node programs are implemented in the process nodes, and analyze a portion of the image data and produce the report corresponding to the characteristics of the analyzed portion of the image data. At least one process node program is implemented in each process node. The process node programs are written in a relatively instable and fast programming environment, and rapidly analyze the image. The process node programs are isolated from the job managers so that a crash of a process node program does not crash the job manager. |
| US08823966B2 |
Image forming apparatus and system and method for charging for printing
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a storage unit which stores information regarding the other image forming apparatuses of the same group as the image forming apparatus and quota information of each user which is shared by the other image forming apparatuses, a controller which, if a job command is input, determines whether to perform a job according to whether the number of copies requested by the job command satisfies the quota information of each user, a function unit which performs the job under control of the controller, a quota information administration unit which updates the quota information of each user stored in the storage unit as the job is performed, and a communication interface which transmits the updated quota information of each user to the other image forming apparatuses. |
| US08823960B2 |
Setting value management apparatus, setting value management method, and computer-readable medium
A management apparatus comprises: a holding unit that holds configuration data defined for respective models of a plurality of image forming apparatuses or respective image forming apparatuses; a determination unit that determines whether a value defined in configuration data of a first image forming apparatus exceeds a range settable for a function of a second image forming apparatus; and a generation unit that, when the determination unit determines that the value defined in the acquired configuration data of the first image forming apparatus exceeds the settable range, newly generates configuration data to implement an operation to be executed based on the value defined in the configuration data of the first image forming apparatus by combining at least one other function executable by the second image forming apparatus. |