| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US08983096B2 |
Bone-conduction pickup transducer for microphonic applications
A personal audio device has a bone conduction pickup transducer, having a housing of which a rigid outer wall has an opening formed therein. A volume of yielding material fills the opening in the rigid outer wall. An electronic vibration sensing element is embedded in the volume of yielding material. The housing is shaped, and the opening is located, so that the volume of yielding material comes into contact with an ear or cheek of a user who is using the personal audio device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. |
| US08983089B1 |
Sound source localization using multiple microphone arrays
An augmented reality environment allows interaction between virtual and real objects. Multiple microphone arrays of different physical sizes are used to acquire signals for spatial tracking of one or more sound sources within the environment. A first array with a larger size may be used to track an object beyond a threshold distance, while a second array having a size smaller than the first may be used to track the object up to the threshold distance. By selecting different sized arrays, accuracy of the spatial location is improved. |
| US08983085B2 |
Method and apparatus for reducing noise pumping due to noise suppression and echo control interaction
An input signal is processed through noise suppression (NS) and echo control (EC) via a multipath model that reduces noise pumping effects while maintaining EC performance. A copy of a “noisy” input signal is sent to an EC component before the noisy signal is sent to a NS component, which processes the signal first, when there is a consistent noise level for estimation. The copy of the pre-processing noisy signal is sent to the EC component along with a “clean” or “noise-suppressed” signal output from the NS component. The EC component analyzes the noisy signal as if the EC was the first component in the signal chain to determine what actions to take. The EC component then applies these actions to the clean signal received from the NS component. |
| US08983084B2 |
Modular wireless auditory test instrument with intelligent transducers
A method and apparatus for performing various auditory tests utilizing a hand-held, portable, wireless testing device is provided. Within the device is a diagnostic subsystem used to implement and analyze selected tests. Attached to the device, either directly or via a flexible cable, are one or more probes. A processor, storage means, input means and display means are included, thus allowing the device to process and store instructions as well as process, store and display data. A wireless networking subsystem is included, enabling the device to communicate with other, similarly enabled, systems and devices within the device's communication range. Due to the inclusion of the wireless networking subsystem, the device can be configured to allow the user to transmit and/or print data, connect to a network, obtain device configuration updates, and send and receive patient and office updates. |
| US08983083B2 |
Electronic device and headset with speaker seal evaluation capabilities
Electronic devices and accessories for electronic devices such as headsets are provided. The electronic devices may produce audio output. The headsets may include earbuds with speakers that play the audio output for a user while the earbuds are located in the user's ears. Circuitry in an electronic device and a headset may be used in evaluating how well the earbuds are sealed to the user's ears. In response to seal quality measurements, informative messages can be generated for the user, overall earbud volume may be increased, balance adjustments may be made to correct for mismatched balance between left and right earbuds, equalization settings may be adjusted, and noise cancellation circuitry settings can be changed. Electrical impedance measurements and acoustic measurements can be used in evaluating seal quality. |
| US08983082B2 |
Detecting musical structures
Among other things, techniques and systems are disclosed for detecting musical structures, such as downbeats. In one aspect, a method performed by a data processing device includes receiving an input audio signal. The method includes detecting a meter in the received audio signal. Detecting the meter includes generating an envelope of the received audio signal; generating an autocorrelation phase matrix having a two-dimensional array based on the generated envelope to identify a dominant periodicity in the received audio signal; and filtering both dimensions of the generated autocorrelation phase matrix to enhance peaks in the two-dimensional array. The meter represents a time signature of the input audio signal having multiple beats. Additionally, the method includes identifying a downbeat as a first beat in the detected meter. |
| US08983080B2 |
Method and system for temperature protection of a speaker
For protecting a speaker, an input signal is received and filtered into component signals. A sum of the component signals is approximately equal to the input signal. The component signals include at least first and second component signals. A perceived loudness to a human from the speaker is more sensitive to the first component signal than to the second component signal. A temperature of the speaker is estimated. In response to the estimated temperature, the second component signal is scaled. An output signal is output to the speaker in response to the first component signal and the scaled second component signal. |
| US08983079B2 |
Stereo microphone
A stereo microphone has four condenser microphone units having respective directional axes in the same horizontal plane. The four units each have unidirectivity and a quadrangular shape viewed from the direction of the directional axis. The units are disposed by rotating the directional axes of adjacent units by 90°. A pair of two units diagonally positioned and having the directional axes directed at 180° to each other collaborate with each other to form a pair of bidirectional microphone units. |
| US08983077B2 |
Media storage, media reader and method for reading contents of the media storage in the media reader
A media storage device may store content adapted to be inserted in a media reader for reading the content. The content may be encrypted, and the media storage may include a smart object physically attached to the media storage and arranged to be read by a smart object reader of the media reader. The smart object may include security information for decrypting the content in the smart object reader. |
| US08983074B2 |
Input content data managing system and method of managing input content data
An input content data managing system, includes a first electronic storing apparatus that stores encoded content data generated by encoding content data with a cryptographic key; a electronic second storing apparatus that stores the cryptographic key with corresponding digest-value data of the encoded content data capable of identifying sameness of the encoded content data; a matching unit that determines a matched cryptographic key stored in the second storing apparatus for the encoded content data stored in the first storing apparatus, the matching using, as a matching key, at a predetermined time, digest-value data of the encoded content data obtained from the encoded content data stored in the first storing apparatus to match with the digest-value data of the encoded content data stored in the second storing apparatus, in order to obtain the content data by decoding the encoded content data using the matched cryptographic key. |
| US08983069B2 |
System and method for counter mode encrypted communication with reduced bandwidth
In a counter mode encryption scheme, a sending device sends a first message including first cipher text and a first counter used to generate the first cipher text to a receiving device for decryption. The sending device subsequently generates a second counter for generating second cipher text. The sending device sends a second message including the second cipher text and intermediate state data corresponding to a change between the first counter second counter to the receiving device for decryption. The intermediate state data are represented by a smaller number of bits than the first counter. The method enables improved counter mode encrypted communication in networks that lose one or more intermediate messages between the first message and the second message. |
| US08983068B2 |
Masked nonlinear feedback shift register
An NLFSR of length k, configured to output a sequence of masked values x′i=xi+mi according to a masked recurrence x′n+k=f(x′n, . . . , x′n+k−1), the NLFSR including a nonlinear feedback function configured to compute f(x′n, . . . , x′n+k−1) so as to obtain a feedback value, a correction function configured to compute (mn, . . . , nn+k−1)+mn+k+h(mn, mn+k−1, xn, . . . , xn+k−1) to obtain a correction value c, and a corrector configured to correct the feedback value {circumflex over (x)}′n+k using the correction value c to obtain a corrected feedback value which forms x′n+k. |
| US08983066B2 |
Private pairwise key management for groups
In an example embodiment, a key generation system (KGS) is used to generate private pairwise keys between peers belonging to a group. Each member of the group is provisioned with a set of parameters which allows each member to generate a key with any other member of the group; however, no group member can derive a key for pairings involving other group members. The private pairwise keys may be used to derive session keys between peers belonging to the group. Optionally, an epoch value may be employed to derive the private pairwise keys. |
| US08983065B2 |
Method and apparatus for security in a data processing system
Method and apparatus for secure transmissions. Each user is provided a registration key. A long-time updated broadcast key is encrypted using the registration key and provided periodically to a user. A short-time updated key is encrypted using the broadcast key. The short-time key is available with each broadcast message, wherein sufficient information to calculate the short-time key is provided in an Internet protocol header preceding the broadcast content. Broadcasts are then encrypted using the short-time key, wherein the user decrypts the broadcast message using the short-time key. |
| US08983064B2 |
Strengthened public key protocol
A method of determining the integrity of a message exchanged between a pair of correspondents. The message is secured by embodying the message in a function of a public key derived from a private key selected by one of the correspondents. The method comprises first obtaining the public key. The public key is then subjected to at least one mathematical test to determine whether the public key satisfies predefined mathematical characteristics. Messages utilizing the public key are accepted if the public key satisfies the predefined mathematical characteristics. |
| US08983062B2 |
Encryption processing device, encryption processing method, and programme
A cryptographic processing unit divides and inputs constituent bits of data to be subjected to data processing to lines, and repeatedly performs a data converting operation using round functions on the data of the respective lines. The cryptographic processing unit inputs n/d-bit data obtained by dividing n-bit data as input data by a division number d to each line, and repeatedly performs a round calculation including a data converting operation using round functions. The n/d-bit data in each line having output data of the round calculations is divided into d/2 sets of data, and the divided data are combined to restructure d sets of n/d-bit data that are different from the output data of the round calculations of the previous stage. The restructured data is set as input data for round calculations of the next stage. The cryptographic processing realizes improved diffusion properties and a high level of security. |
| US08983061B2 |
Method and apparatus for cryptographically processing data
A method and apparatus cryptographically process data including a plurality of data segments. The cryptographic process includes (a) receiving a plurality of data segments, (b) selecting, for each data segment, a set of encryption information based on data contained in a predetermined portion of the data segment to be encrypted, and (c) encrypting each data segment using the set of encryption information selected for the data segment. At least one of an encryption algorithm, an encryption key, and an encryption parameter may be changed for each data segment based on the data contained in the predetermined portion. The predetermined portion may include a first predetermined portion for selecting a first set of encryption information, and a second predetermined portion for selecting a second set of encryption information, the encryption information including an encryption algorithm, an encryption key, and optionally an encryption parameter. |
| US08983060B2 |
Dynamic target margin adaptation for DSL transmission lines
A method and arrangement is proposed for adaptively generating a target noise margin for use on a DSL transmission line. The method includes determining a first quantity representing a current noise power on the line using line parameter data relating to the transmission performance of the line, determining a second quantity representing a worst-case noise power on said line using previously obtained values of the line parameter data, calculating the difference between the first and second quantities to generate a difference value, setting a target noise margin as at least equal to said difference value, and providing the target noise margin for use on the line upon initialisation of the line. In a preferred embodiment, the line parameter data is the bit loading on the line and the first and second quantities are values of the average signal-to-noise ratio on the line derived from the bit loading data. |
| US08983057B1 |
Step size control for acoustic echo cancellation
A step size controller may be used to control the rate of adaptation in an acoustic echo canceller. Step size control based on the values of adaptive coefficients (rather than, e.g., a fixed initial adaptation period) provides improved reliability and resistance to disruption. Accordingly, features are disclosed for controlling step size based on the values of adaptive coefficients. |
| US08983056B2 |
Communication system and call connecting method thereof
A communication system determining a virtual number of a receiver's terminal included in a call connecting request signal when a caller's terminal makes a call connection request to the receiver's terminal and providing a ring back tone or a sound message corresponding to the virtual number, and a method thereof are disclosed. |
| US08983055B1 |
Quality review of contacts between customers and customer service agents
A user of a personal computing device may identify an item of interest provided by a network-based service for which additional information is desired. Customer service agents (CSAs) of the network-based service may be contacted by the user to respond to queries. To assess the quality of a contact, a contact review service may record the contact between the CSA and the user and edit the contact to reduce its length for ease of review. The edited contact may be submitted to one or more reviewers to obtain reviews characterizing the contact quality. Reviewers may include CSAs not participating in the contact or other human reviewers. The reviewers may return their reviews to the contact review service, which generates a composite review from the returned reviews. The composite review may be employed for CSA evaluation and/or training purposes, amongst others. |
| US08983054B2 |
Method and system for automatically routing a telephonic communication
A method for automatically routing a telephonic communication to at least one of a plurality of communication destination addresses is provided. The method is implemented by a computer readable medium having a plurality of code segments. The method comprises the step of receiving customer identifier and communicating with a customer history database configured to store historic data. The method also includes determining whether the received customer identifier corresponds to a stored customer identifier in the customer history database. Historic data corresponding to the stored customer number is identified based on the comparison of the received customer identifier and the stored customer identifier. The telephonic communication is associated with a predetermined communication destination based on the identified historic data. The associated communication data is transmitted to a switching signal. |
| US08983053B2 |
Customer service controller
Information about a caller is provided to an agent, such as a customer service operator in a customer service call center. In one embodiment, the agent may receive detailed account and/or personal information about the caller before being connected to the actual or live call. For example, the agent receives information from a customer database regarding a customer profile and information from an order database regarding order or transaction information. The customer database and the order database are external to the call center. The agent may modify the customer profile and/or the order or transaction information. The customer database and order database are update accordingly and the information may be transferred along with the call to another agent. |
| US08983052B2 |
Method and apparatus for communication having critically assured services
A critical assured service that includes a network management system and an A/B switch. The A/B switch having at least four ports with a first port being connected to the network management system over a dedicated line. The A/B switch sending and receiving messages and/or signals from the network management system over the first dedicated line. The A/B switch automatically switching telephone service from a first point of presence to a second point of presence after the A/B is signaled that the first point of service is inoperable. |
| US08983050B2 |
Handling of forwarded calls
This invention presents a service of barring the forwarded calls. According to the invention, a subscriber may define in his subscriber information that all calls forwarded to him are to be rejected. In response to receiving a request for establishing a call to a subscriber, his subscriber information is checked to find out if he has defined that calls forwarded to him are to be rejected. If the subscriber information shows that the subscriber wishes to reject the forwarded incoming calls, the call establishment signaling is studied to find out if the call has been forwarded. If the call is determined to have been forwarded, the call is rejected. In a preferred embodiment the subscriber may define a set of allowed numbers from which even the forwarded calls are to be accepted. |
| US08983049B2 |
Methods and systems for controlling a user device in a telecommunication network
A method of controlling a user device in a telecommunications network having a first part and a second, different part is provided. The method includes, at the user device, receiving a first communication session setup request to set up a given communication session, the first communication session setup request being directed to a first communication interface, receiving a communication notification in relation to the same given communication session, the communication notification being directed to a second communication interface, establishing the given communication session via the first communication interface via the first part of the telecommunications network, and after having established the given communication session via the first communication interface, activating an alert function to alert a user of the user device to the availability of the second communication interface at least on the basis of having received the communication availability notification. |
| US08983046B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing end-to-end call completion status
The present invention enables a method for following the state of a call and generating defects as function of call completion success as opposed to discrete events that happen at individual network elements during the call. In one embodiment, the invention uses Call Detail Records (CDR) to analyze the end-to-end completion status to measure per call basis defects instead of using defect codes generated by network elements on a per equipment basis. CDR is data associated with a telephone call, including the calling and the called numbers, the date and timestamp, the duration, the call setup delay, and the final handling code of the telephone call. |
| US08983045B1 |
Managing vendor credits during load balancing
A computer-implemented method of using vendor credits to achieve load balancing in a communications network is described. Network traffic operating under a first carrier of the communications network is monitored. Initial load balancing triggers are set, by which network traffic of the first carrier is offloaded to a second carrier. It is determined whether the initial load balancing triggers have been met. It is also determined whether a vendor credit of the first carrier is available when the initial load balancing triggers have been met. One or more devices of the first carrier are offloaded to the second carrier when a vendor credit of the first carrier is available. |
| US08983041B2 |
Conserving call logic during handoff
Conserving call logic during handoff may be provided. First, a call may be received at a first server. Next, the first server may determine that it cannot handle the call. Then the call may be transferred by the first server to a second server with enough information so that the second server can take up the call where the first server left off. Transferring the call to the second server with enough information so that the second server can take the call up where the first server left off may comprise placing the information in a REFERRED-BY header and sending the REFERRED-BY header to the second server. |
| US08983040B2 |
Method and device for consulting a voice message
A method for consulting a voice message received and a method for providing a compounded voice message. The compounded voice message is composed of at least one first and one second voice component and is associated with a group of items of information relating to the voice components. The method for consultation includes reading at least one voice component of the voice message, detecting at least one user interaction concomitant upon the reading of the at least one voice component, sending at least one signal relating to the interaction detected, and receiving a command of an action to be performed relating to a voice component read from the voice message and to at least one item of information of the group of items of information associated with the voice message. Also provided is a device implementing the method for consulting a compounded voice message. |
| US08983038B1 |
Method and apparatus of processing caller responses
Disclosed is a method, apparatus, system and non-transitory computer program product configured to process user call responses and assign caller specific preferences to the user based on the caller's feedback. One example method of processing spoken words from a user of a calling platform may include operations, such as calling a user via a call processing device, and sending a call prompt message to the user after the user has answered the call, the call prompt message soliciting a user response. The user may respond and the response is received as a spoken call greeting from the user in response to the call prompt message. Other operations may include recording the spoken call greeting, and determining whether the spoken call greeting is indicative of a language preference. The system may process the user's word or utterances and assign language preferences to the user based on the user provided information. |
| US08983035B2 |
Radiographic image detector and controlling method therefor
A flat panel detector has pixels for obtaining image signals and detective pixels for detecting the amount of incident x-rays. A signal processing circuit is of a pipeline-type, wherein first and second buffer memories are connected to the output of an A/D converter. In a dose detecting operation, the signal processing circuit repeats primary cycles alternately with secondary cycles of a shorter length than the primary cycles. In the primary cycle, a dose detection signal based on electric charges from the detective pixels is input in the first buffer memory and, simultaneously, a dummy signal is output from the second buffer memory. In secondary cycle, the dose detection signal is output from the first buffer memory and, simultaneously, a second dummy signal is input in the second buffer memory. On the basis of the dose detection signals, a start-of-radiation detector detects the start of x-ray radiation. |
| US08983031B2 |
Irradiation planning and irradiation for a quasi-cyclically moving target volume
A method for irradiation planning for a quasi-cyclically moving target volume includes defining a first movement phase within a movement period of the target volume and carrying out a first irradiation planning using a first position of the target volume during the first movement phase. The method also includes defining a second movement phase within the movement period of the target volume, and carrying out a second irradiation planning for the second movement phase using a second position of the target volume during the second movement phase. An apportionment of a total dose to be applied is provided to a first partial dose that is allocated to the first movement phase and to a second partial dose that is allocated to the second movement phase. |
| US08983029B2 |
Radiographic apparatus and method for the same
An apparatus, system, and method corrects line deficiency in radiographic systems. A Fourier transform element provides a one-dimensional Fourier transform on a line orthogonal to a line of a moire patterns appearing in an X-ray image during a use. A peak frequency detection element detects the peak frequency indicating the spatial frequency of the moire pattern on the basis of the results of one-dimensional Fourier transform. The detected peak frequency is transformed to a number of pixels in 1 cycle of the moire pattern by a pixel cycle conversion element. The line deficiency correction element obtains pixels of the same phase as the line deficiency pixel in the moire pattern from the number of pixels, and then corrects the line deficiency pixel by using the pixel value thereof. Since the number of pixels in 1-cycle is acquired from the moire pattern in the X-ray image, the line deficiency can be corrected. |
| US08983028B2 |
Density profile measurement by detecting backscattered radiation with position-sensitive detector
A method for measuring a density profile of a fluid in a process vessel is disclosed. The method includes emitting gamma rays into the fluid and acquiring a backscattered gamma ray counts distribution using at least one position sensitive gamma ray detector disposed proximate the vessel. The method further includes determining the density profile of the fluid contained in the process vessel based on the backscattered gamma ray counts distribution. |
| US08983026B2 |
X-ray CT system
An X-ray tube and an X-ray detector are arranged opposing one another. X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray tube by revolving around the subject. An X-ray image is obtained based on the X-rays that penetrate the subject and are detected by the X-ray detector. The high voltage generator has an inverter that supplies a voltage to the X-ray tube by switching to a predetermined operating frequency during revolution of the X-ray tube. Regarding the frequency adjustable part, the operating frequency of the inverter is adjustable such that it is a multiple of the collection rate, which is the number of X-ray images obtained per one revolution of the X-ray tube. The timing generator may adjust the voltage supplied to the X-ray tube at a timing synchronized with the operating frequency of the inverter. |
| US08983023B2 |
Digital self-gated binary counter
An n-bit counter is formed from cascading counter sub-modules. The counter includes combinatorial control logic coupled to a lower order counter sub-module. The control logic is arranged to clock gate at least one higher order counter sub-module dependent on a logical combination of outputs of the lower order counter sub-module and where the control logic uses pipelining to store at least one previous control logic output for use in determining a later control logic output. |
| US08983021B2 |
Reset circuit for gate driver on array, array substrate, and display
A reset circuit for Gate Driver on Array, an array substrate and a display is used for increasing reliability and long-term stability of a GOA circuit and thus improving performance of the GOA circuit. The GOA reset circuit includes a first electronic switch circuit (301) connected to an input terminal of a GOA unit of the Gate Driver on Array (INPUT); and a second electronic switch circuit connected to an output terminal of the GOA unit (OUTPUT), wherein the first electronic switch circuit (301) is connected to a low level signal terminal and is switched on to connect the low level signal terminal to a reset terminal of the GOA unit (RESET) when the input terminal of the GOA unit (INPUT) is at a high level; and the second electronic switch circuit (302) is connected to a high level signal terminal and is switched on to connect the high level signal terminal to the reset terminal of the GOA unit (RESET) when the output terminal of the GOA unit (OUTPUT) is at a high level. |
| US08983020B2 |
Shift register circuit and driving method thereof
A shift register circuit includes a first shift register string and a second shift register string. The first shift register string is configured to receive a first start signal and output a first-stage control signal. The second shift register string, electrically connected to the first shift register string, is configured to receive the first-stage control signal and a second start signal and output the first pulse of a first-stage scan signal according to the first-stage control signal and the second start signal and consequently output the second pulse of the first-stage scan signal according to the second start signal; wherein the first and second pulses are configured to have different pulse widths. A driving method of a shift register circuit is also provided. |
| US08983015B2 |
Synchronization distribution in microwave backhaul networks
In some embodiments, a system comprises a clock, a root node, a radio channel network, and first and second child nodes. The clock may be configured to generate a clock signal. The root node may be configured to generate a first frame including a first payload and a first overhead and generate a second frame including a second payload and a second overhead. The first and second overheads may comprise a synchronization value based on the clock signal. The radio channel network may be in communication with the root node for transmitting the first and second frames. Each first and second child nodes may be configured to perform clock recovery including frequency synchronization using the synchronization value and a respective phase-lock loop. |
| US08983012B2 |
Receive timing manager
A novel receive timing manager is presented. The preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an edge detection logic to detect the data transition points, a plurality of data flip-flops for storing data at different sample points, and a multiplexer to select the ideal sample point based on the transition points found. A sample window is made with multiple samples. The sample window size can be designed smaller or greater than the system clock period based on the data transfer speed and accuracy requirement. |
| US08983008B2 |
Methods and apparatus for tail termination of turbo decoding
Methods and apparatus for trellis termination of a turbo decoder are disclosed which simplifies the hardware implementation. As a given example, backward state metrics, which is required to be calculated with forward state metric as part of a constitute decoding, are initialized with pre-calculated values based on input bits. |
| US08983004B2 |
Blind carrier tracking loop
A receiver is an ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee)-receiver and comprises a phase lock loop (PLL) for performing carrier tracking of a carrier in a received signal. The PLL includes a detector (160) comprising two pseudo-Hilbert filters (205, 215). The detector uses energy from both band edges of the received ATSC signal for driving the PLL. |
| US08983003B2 |
Method and system for adaptively identifying signal bandwidth
The present invention discloses a method and system for adaptively identifying signal bandwidth. The method includes: performing digitizing intermediate frequency processing to the received signal and outputting in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) signals; identifying signal bandwidth of the I/Q signals according to at least two signal identification templates and outputting the synchronized signal flows after a successful identification. A system for adaptively identifying signal bandwidth is also disclosed. The present invention can be compatible with at least two bandwidth modes, and the software can automatically perform identification and switch of the modulation bandwidth, when manual invention is not necessary and the operation is simple. |
| US08983002B2 |
Systems and methods for establishing transmission format parameters between communication devices
Systems and methods for establishing transmission format parameters between communication devices are provided. In some aspects, a method includes identifying, by a first base station, a first communication session with a first user equipment. A master set of transmission format parameters is shared between the first base station and the first user equipment. The method also includes assigning a first subset of the master set of transmission format parameters to the first communication session. The first subset is specifically assigned to the first communication session and specifies which of the master set of transmission format parameters is allocated for use in the first communication session. The method also includes transmitting an indicator of the first subset to the first user equipment. |
| US08983000B2 |
Receiver circuit and method for operating a receiver circuit
A receiver circuit includes a unit configured to determine filter coefficients based on a sampling time error of a received signal and a phase error of the received signal, as well as a filter configured to filter a signal, which is based on the received signal, based on the filter coefficients. |
| US08982999B2 |
Jitter tolerant receiver
An embodiment of the invention includes a receiver with reduced error terms and incoming jitter tracking that improves jitter tolerance. An embodiment provides these benefits based on a voltage integrator that recovers data and clock information from incoming signals without use of a PLL, PI, CDR, and the like. An embodiment provides these benefits based on a time integrator that recovers, using digital logic, data and clock information from incoming signals without use of a PLL, PI, CDR, and the like. Other embodiments are described herein. |
| US08982995B1 |
Communication device and method of multipath compensation for digital predistortion linearization
A method of multipath compensation for digital pre-distortion (DPD) linearization suppresses linear distortion caused by reflected signals and distortion in transmitting and receiving paths. Reflection suppression suppresses effects of the linear distortion on the transmitting and receiving paths. |
| US08982992B2 |
Block-based crest factor reduction (CFR)
Block-based crest factor reduction (CFR) techniques are provided. An exemplary block-based crest factor reduction method comprises obtaining a block of data samples comprised of a plurality of samples; applying the block of data to a crest factor reduction block; and providing a processed block of data from the crest factor reduction block. The block-based crest factor reduction method can optionally be iteratively performed a plurality of times for the block of data. The block of data samples can comprise an expanded block having at least one cursor block. For example, at least two pre-cursor blocks and one post-cursor block can be employed. The peaks can be cancelled, for example, only in the block of data samples and in a first of the pre-cursor blocks. |
| US08982991B2 |
Digital pre-distortion method and apparatus thereof for changing memory degree depending on input level
An apparatus and a method for operating a memory compensation Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) are provided. In the method for operating a memory compensation DPD system, an input signal is received. An input average power of the input signal is determined. When the input average power of the input signal belongs to a non-linear section of the input average power, DPD is performed on a previous signal corresponding to a memory degree set depending on at least one non-linear section of the input average power. |
| US08982988B2 |
Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving signal of OFDM system
A method and apparatus for transmitting an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signal including converting a distribution of a signal in which inverse Fourier transform is performed in an OFDM system and a method of receiving an OFDM signal including expanding a received signal are provided, and by changing a magnitude distribution of a signal that is output from an OFDM modulator to a bimodal Gaussian distribution, an influence of noise in a receiving terminal can be reduced, and by limiting a signal that is output from an OFDM modulator to an appropriate magnitude, a phase in the receiving terminal can be prevented being wrongly demodulated. |
| US08982984B2 |
Dynamic filter adjustment for highly-spectrally-efficient communications
A method and system for dynamic configuring of one or both of a transmitter pulse-shaping filter and a receiver pulse-shaping filter to generate a total partial response that incorporates a predetermined amount of inter-symbol interference (ISI). The predetermined amount of ISI is determined based on an estimation process during extraction of data from an output of the receiver pulse-shaping filter, such that performance of total partial-response-based communication matches or surpasses performance of communication incorporating filtering based on no or near-zero ISI. The reconfiguring may comprise obtaining data relating to changes affecting one or more of: the pulse-shaping filtering, and a channel and/or an interface used in the communication of data based on the total partial response, and adjusting the filter configuration, such as by determining a new optimized filtering configuration or changes to existing configurations (e.g., by applying a filtering optimization process). |
| US08982982B2 |
Joint carrier recovery for MIMO systems
The invention relates to a method for carrier recovery of an equalized communications signal in a multiple-input multiple-output communications system. The method is comprised of the steps generating a phase rotation estimate from the equalized communications signal and a demodulated signal estimate of the equalized communications signal, and adjusting at least one of the phase and frequency of the equalized communications signal based on the phase rotation estimate. The step of generating the phase rotation estimate further comprising using a model based filter with the equalized communications signal as input signal to the model based filter and the demodulated signal estimate as a measurement to the model based filter. |
| US08982975B2 |
Method for signal estimation and compensation and apparatus using the same
A method for signal estimation and compensation and an apparatus using the same, adapted for estimating and compensating an imbalance effect between an in-phase path and a quadrature path of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication system are provided. The method includes the following steps: receiving a signal, and using a plurality of symbols in a plurality of time frame to generate a plurality of balance coefficient groups, wherein every balance coefficient group includes a plurality of balance coefficient candidates; deriving a balance coefficient according to the balance coefficient set; and compensating the signal according to the balance coefficient. |
| US08982970B2 |
Tone count selection
In a device or system, a total tone count is determined or selected for modulating a data payload. Two or more code words are interleaved into the data payload, and the data payload is transmitted on a channel of the device or system. |
| US08982964B2 |
Image decoding device, image coding device, methods thereof, programs thereof, integrated circuits thereof, and transcoding device
An image decoding device which increases decoding efficiency and can be easily implemented includes: a division unit dividing coded image data into first and second coded image data; a frame storage unit; first and second decoding units decoding, in parallel, the first and second coded image data; and an information storage unit. The first decoding unit decodes the first coded image data using second decoding result information stored in the information storage unit and stores, as first decoding result information, a part of information generated by the decoding into the information storage unit. The second decoding unit decodes the second coded image data using the first decoding result information stored in the information storage unit and stores, as the second decoding result information, a part of information generated by the decoding into the information storage unit. |
| US08982956B2 |
Picture coding device, picture coding method, picture coding program, picture decoding device, picture decoding method, and picture decoding program
In a first inter-image prediction mode in which information on a motion vector is used, a first mode detection unit constructs a first candidate list from a plurality of reference block candidates based on a first predetermined order, assigns indices for designating reference block candidates added in the first candidate list, and outputs the indices of the plurality of reference candidate blocks. In a second inter-image prediction mode in which is used a motion vector difference between a motion vector predictor based on information on a motion vector, and a motion vector of a coding target block, a second mode detection unit constructs a second candidate list from a plurality of reference block candidates based on a second predetermined order, assigns indices for designating reference block candidates added in the second candidate list, and outputs the indices of the plurality of reference block candidates and motion vector differences. |
| US08982954B2 |
Method of determining motion vectors for bi-predictive image block
In one embodiment, the method includes determining a motion vector of a current image block equal to a motion vector of an image block based on a reference picture index indicating a reference picture for the image block. For example, the motion vector of the current image block may be equal to the motion vector of the image block if the reference picture index indicates a long-term reference picture for the image block. |
| US08982953B2 |
Moving picture coding method, moving picture coding apparatus, moving picture decoding method, moving picture decoding apparatus and moving picture coding and decoding apparatus
By the moving picture coding method and the moving picture decoding method, it is possible to improve coding efficiency. The moving picture coding apparatus includes a merge block candidate calculation unit that (i) specifies merge block candidates at merge mode, by using colpic information such as motion vectors and reference picture index values of neighbor blocks of a current block to be coded and a motion vector and the like of a collocated block of the current block which are stored in a colPic memory, and (ii) generates a combined merge block by using the merge block candidates. |
| US08982952B2 |
Method and system for using motion vector confidence to determine a fine motion estimation patch priority list for a scalable coder
Methods and systems for using motion vector confidence to determine a FME patch priority list for a scalable coder are disclosed, and may include a fine motion estimator receiving a plurality of coarse motion vectors and corresponding confidences. A patch list may be generated based on the corresponding confidences of the coarse motion vectors. The patch list may then be used to determine a search area. Each video block in a present picture may be matched to the video blocks in the search area to find the best match. A fine motion vector may be determined for each video block in the present picture with respect to a video block in the search area. |
| US08982950B1 |
System and method for restoration of dynamic range of images and video
A processing device receives, from an upstream device, a D-dimensional vector data set of media content, wherein D is greater than or equal to one. The processing device applies a low-frequency-pass method to the received D-dimensional media content to generate a low-frequency D-dimensional vector data set of media content. The processing device obtains a structure tensor field comprising a set of D-dimensional structure tensors corresponding to each vector of the received D-dimensional media content. The processing device performs an eigensystem analysis for each structure tensor in the field of structure tensors to generate a plurality of D eigenvalue fields comprising D eigenvalues for each vector of the received D-dimensional media content. The processing device interpolates between each vector of the received D-dimensional media content and a corresponding vector from the low-frequency D-dimensional media content in view of one or more of the D eigenvalues for each vector of the plurality of D eigenvalue fields to produce a restored-dynamic range D-dimensional vector data set of media content. |
| US08982948B2 |
Video system with quantization matrix coding mechanism and method of operation thereof
A method of operation of a video system includes: generating a quantization matrix for a video input data, the quantization matrix having a corner seed and a right-bottom sub-quad coefficient estimated based on the corner seed; generating a video bitstream based on the quantization matrix; and generating a reconstructed video data with the video bitstream for displaying on a video device. |
| US08982947B2 |
Rate control and video denoising for noisy video data
A method and a computer-readable medium containing computer program for simultaneously performing rate control and video denoising for video corrupted by noise are presented. Video data includes original video data and noise data. A variance of the noise data for each macroblock within a frame is estimated. Based on the estimated noise variance, a low bound quantization parameter is generated. The video data are reconstructed such that the distortion between the original video data and reconstructed video data is minimized over each macroblock within a frame. The minimization of the distortion between the original video and reconstructed video data is implemented using a quantization parameter that is equal to or larger than the low bound quantization parameter. |
| US08982943B2 |
Data processing device and data processing method
A data processor according to the present invention plays back video and audio from a data stream including video data and audio data, each of which is provided with time information representing its presentation time. The processor includes: a stream acquiring section for acquiring a first data stream and a second data stream continuously; an inserting section for inserting boundary-setting dummy data between the data streams; an analyzing section, which detects the dummy data and associates identification information with the video and audio data of each data stream; a control section for controlling the respective output timings of video data and audio data by reference to the time information of the video data and the time information of the audio data that are associated with the same piece of identification information; and an output section. |
| US08982942B2 |
Adaptive codec selection
Disclosed herein are tools and techniques for storing and using video processing tool configuration information that can identify combinations of video processing tools to be used for processing video. In one exemplary embodiment, video processing tools of a computing system are identified. The performance of a combination of the video processing tools is measured. The performance measurement is compared with another performance measurement of another combination of the video processing tools. Based on the comparison, video processing tool configuration information is set. In another exemplary embodiment, video processing tool configuration information indicating a combination of video processing tools is accessed, and video data is processed using the combination of video processing tools based on the video processing tool configuration information. |
| US08982940B2 |
Adaptive equalization method and adaptive equalizer
The present disclosure relates to the field of network communication, and specifically discloses an adaptive equalization method, including: obtaining a first filtered signal according to a first filter coefficient; deciding the first filtered signal based on an original constellation map to obtain a first decision signal, and deciding the first filtered signal based on a level (n−1) constellation map to obtain a level (n−1) pseudo decision signal; if average energy of the level (n−1) error signal is less than a level (n−1) threshold, switching the level (n−1) constellation map to a level n constellation map; obtaining a second filter coefficient according to the update magnitude; obtaining a second filtered signal according to the second filter coefficient; and deciding the second filtered signal based on the original constellation map to obtain a second decision signal. Embodiments of the present disclosure also disclose an adaptive equalizer. |
| US08982937B1 |
Digital system and method of estimating non-energy parameters of signal carrier
Navigation satellite receivers have a large number of channels, where phase discriminators and loop filter of a PLL operate in phase with data bits and control of numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) carried out simultaneously on all channels. Since symbol boundaries for different satellites do not match, there is a variable time delay between the generation of control signals and NCO control time. This delay may be measured by counting a number of samples in the delay interval. A proposed system measures non-energy parameters of the BPSK-signal carrier received in additive mixture with noise when a digital loop filter of PLL controls NCO with a constant or changing in time delay. A control unit controls bandwidth and a LF order by changing transfer coefficients based on analyzing estimated signal parameters and phase tracking error at a PD output. |
| US08982936B2 |
Method and apparatus for simultaneous RF testing of multiple devices in specific frequency bands
A system employing vector signal generator (VSG) and vector signal analyzer (VSA) modules or cards that are configured to test multiple devices under test simultaneously. Each VSG is configured to generate multiple RF test signals and send them to multiple devices under test simultaneously. Similarly, each VSA is configured with multiple signal receiving modules connected to a single controller or memory. Each signal receiving module receives an RF signal from a device under test, converts it to a baseband digital signal, and transmits this digital signal to the VSA's memory. A single RF testing system can employ multiple such VSGs and VSAs, each capable of evaluating multiple devices under test. Each VSG/VSA can further be tuned for operation in discrete or defined frequency bands, which are narrower than those for conventional RF testers, and which can correspond to various wireless standards. |
| US08982932B2 |
Active auxiliary channel buffering
A system and a method for communicating configuration data between a source device and a sink are described. An active buffer receives data from an auxiliary communication channel which communicates data between the source device and the sink device. The active buffer modifies data received from the auxiliary communication channel. For example, the active buffer amplifies the received data or electrically reshapes the received data. The modified data is then transmitted from the active buffer to a destination device. In one embodiment, the auxiliary communication channel is bi-directional and upon receiving data from a first device, the active buffer is modified to permit uni-directional transmission of data from the first device to a second device. |
| US08982927B2 |
Transmitting method, receiving method, transmitter and receiver
D-dimensional vectors that each have D real-valued symbols as elements are converted into D-dimensional rotated vectors that each have D real symbols as elements. The conversion is performed by multiplying each of the D-dimensional vectors by a D×D orthogonal matrix. A complex symbol sequence including NC=NS/2 complex symbols is generated from NS real symbols. The complex symbol sequence is generated such that the distance between any two of the D real symbols of each of the D-dimensional rotated vectors is NC/D complex symbols or NC/D−1 complex symbols, or such that the distance between any two of the D real symbols of each of the D-dimensional rotated vectors, except for part of the D-dimensional rotated vectors, is NC/D complex symbols or NC/D−1 complex symbols. |
| US08982925B2 |
Frequency hopping
A communications node operable to communicate with another communications node over a communications channel having a plurality of frequency resources, the communications node includes data defining a division of the communications channel into a plurality of contiguous sub-bands each having N frequency resources, wherein each frequency resource in a sub-band has a corresponding frequency resource in each of the other sub-bands, data defining an initial allocation of the frequency resources, a resource determination module operable to apply a frequency shift to the initially allocated frequency resources in accordance with a frequency hopping sequence to determine frequency resources to use for communicating information with the other communications node, wherein the frequency shift applied moves the initially allocated frequency resources to corresponding frequency resources in another sub-band, a transceiver for communicating information with the other communications node using the determined frequency resource. |
| US08982924B2 |
Architectures and methods for code combiners
Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for combining a plurality of codes. The plurality of codes may be binary codes having possible logical values of −1 and +1 and may comprise an even number of codes. An output of the combining v0,k may be given by: v0=sgn(vi), where vi is the sum of the first plurality of codes at the first time. Embodiments for allocating different power levels among various codes are presented. |
| US08982923B2 |
Capping method for laser diode protection
An apparatus includes a slider with a cavity in a trailing end of the slider. A laser is positioned in the cavity and has an output facet positioned adjacent to a first wall of the cavity. A cap is connected to the trailing end of the slider and covers the laser. |
| US08982922B2 |
Very high power laser chamber optical improvements
An aspect of the disclosed subject matter includes a method of reducing the laser absorption of a beam reverser prism consisting of at least one of the following: increasing a first distance between a first incident point and a chamfered corner, wherein the first incident point is on a first reflective surface of the prism and the chamfered corner is formed between the first reflective surface and a second reflective surface of the prism, wherein the chamfered corner has a chamfered surface; increasing a second distance between a second incident point and the chamfered corner, wherein the second incident point is on the second reflective surface of the prism; and increasing a reflectivity of the chamfered surface of the chamfered corner of the prism. A method of determining a prime cut for an optical component is also disclosed. A laser including at least one prime cut optical component is also disclosed. |
| US08982918B2 |
System, device and method for stabilizing the optical output power of an optical system
A light source system for delivery of light including a light source having an output arranged to emit light in an output path, the output path including an unguided section and an at least partially transmissive optical component wherein the optical component provides at least one residual reflection when the system is in use and a detector system is arranged to detect said residual reflection. The detector is in one embodiment arranged to produce at least one feedback response arranged to stabilize the optical output of the light source system. Hereby a feedback may be implemented with little or no reduction of performance. |
| US08982916B2 |
Method for producing an externally injected gain switch laser ultrashort pulse
A method for producing an externally injected gain switch laser ultrashort pulse, comprising the following steps of ultrashort light pulse signals having multi-longitudinal mode characteristic produced by the gain switch laser are inputted into an optical amplifier and then amplified; a spectral component signal selector selects a narrow spectral component signal outputted by the optical amplifier, the narrow spectral component signal is within an amplified spontaneous emission noise frequency band and its central wavelength is equal to the longitudinal mode of the gain switch laser; a route of the narrow spectral component signal is used as an external seed light and reinjected into the gain switch laser via a spectral component signal feedback loop. Therefore, the oscillation of a selected single longitudinal mode within the cavity of the gain switch laser is enhanced, thereby forming an externally light injected locking. |
| US08982914B2 |
Methods for transmitting and receiving data using a plurality of radio channels, transmission and destination devices, corresponding signal and computer program
A method and apparatus are provided for transmitting data packets in a communication network using a plurality of radio channels. The network is organized into a plurality of communication layers including a data link layer MAC and a physical layer PHY. The method includes aggregating data packets to be transmitted to a single recipient, in the MAC layer, outputting at least two aggregated packets, with which a single header of the PHY layer is associated. At least two of the radio channels are concatenated to form a concatenated channel. The aggregated packets are simultaneously transmitted respectively over at least two separate concatenated sub-channels, one concatenated sub-channel including at least one of the radio channels of the concatenated channel. |
| US08982912B2 |
Inter-packet gap network clock synchronization
A network component comprising a processor configured to receive a data stream from an upstream node, wherein the data stream comprises a plurality of Ethernet packets and a synchronization request comprising a timestamp, synchronize a clock with the timestamp, and transmit a response to the upstream node, wherein the data stream has the same bandwidth as a second data stream that does not have the synchronization request and the timestamp. |
| US08982911B2 |
Generating downlink frame and searching for cell
The present invention relates to a method for generating a downlink frame including generating a first short sequence and a second short sequence indicating cell group information, generating a first scrambling sequence determined by the first synchronization signal, generating a second scrambling sequence determined by the first short sequence, scrambling the first short sequence with the first scrambling sequence, scrambling the second short sequence with at least the second scrambling sequence, and mapping a second synchronization signal including the scrambled first short sequence and the scrambled second short sequence in the frequency domain. |
| US08982910B1 |
Fixed generic mapping of client data to optical transport frame
A fixed Generic Mapping Procedure (GMP) apparatus and method are provided to map client data to an optical transport frame. Client data to be mapped into a payload field of an optical transport frame is received and store in a memory. Timing information is generated based on bit and fractional bit granularity of client data mapped into the payload field of successive optical transport frames for use in recovering the client data from received optical transport frames. |
| US08982905B2 |
Fabric interconnect for distributed fabric architecture
A system includes scaled-out fabric coupler (SFC) boxes and distributed line card (DLC) boxes. Each SFC box has fabric ports and a cell-based switch fabric for switching cells. Each DLC box is in communication with every SFC box. Each DLC box has network ports receiving packets and network processors. Each processor has a fabric interface that provides SerDes channels. The processors divide each packet received over the network ports into cells and distribute the cells of each packet across the SerDes channels. Each DLC box further comprises DLC fabric ports through which the DLC is in communication with the SFCs. Each DLC fabric port includes a pluggable interface with a given number of lanes over which to transmit and receive cells. Each lane is mapped to one of the SerDes channels such that an equal number of SerDes channels of each fabric interface is mapped to each DLC fabric port. |
| US08982904B2 |
Network combining wired and non-wired segments
A local area network (60) within a residence or other building, including both wired (5) and non-wired segments (53). The wired segments are based on new or existing wires (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) in the building, wherein access to the wires is provided by means of outlets (61a, 61d), such as a telephone system, electrical power distribution system, or cable television wiring system. The non-wired segments are based on communication using propagated waves such as radio, sound, or light (e.g. infrared). The wired and non-wired segments interface in the outlet, using a module (50) that serves as mediator between the segments. The module can be integrated into the outlet, partially housed in the outlet, or attached externally to the outlet. Such a network allows for integrated communication of data units (24b) connected by wires and data units (24a, 24d) connected without wires. |
| US08982903B2 |
Network combining wired and non-wired segments
A local area network (60) within a residence or other building, including both wired (5) and non-wired segments (53). The wired segments are based on new or existing wires (5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e) in the building, wherein access to the wires is provided by outlets (61a, 61d), such as a telephone system, electrical power distribution system, or cable television wiring system. The non-wired segments are based on communication using propagated waves such as radio, sound, or light (e.g. infrared). The wired and non-wired segments interface in the outlet, using a module (50) that serves as mediator between the segments. The module can be integrated into the outlet, partially housed in the outlet, or attached externally to the outlet. Such a network allows for integrated communication of data units (24b) connected by wires and data units (24a, 24d) connected without wires. |
| US08982901B2 |
Counter based fairness scheduling for QoS queues to prevent starvation
Systems and methods are disclosed to communicate data between wireless access point with one or more low priority queues; one or more high priority queues; a quality of service (QoS) queue coupled to the low and high priority queues; a fairness counter; and a buffer coupled to the fairness counter and the QoS queue to map buffer mapping to the QoS queue when the fairness counter expires, the method including performing an association request for fairness scheduling; and injecting a low priority packet in a transmit opportunity of the high priority queue. |
| US08982899B2 |
Apparatus and control interface therefor
An apparatus comprises a number of sub-systems and a control interface operably coupled to sub-systems for routing data therebetween. A strobe generation function is operably coupled to the control interface and configured to generate a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between different intended receiving devices. Thus, different strobe signals may be multiplexed onto a single control interface link, based on a pulse width or voltage magnitude characteristics of the respective strobe signals. A strobe decoder function is operably coupled to the control interface and configured to decode a plurality of different strobe signals to differentiate between triggering sub-systems on receiving devices. |
| US08982893B2 |
System and method of quality of service enablement for over the top applications in a telecommunications system
A system, method, and node providing a predefined Quality of Service (QoS) level to an Over The Top (OTT) service provider in a telecommunications network. A User Equipment (UE) initiates an IP-based application session (e.g., Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) session) with the OTT service provider by sending an application-dependent message toward an OTT application server. The method begins with a proxy node in the telecommunications network intercepting the application-dependent message. The proxy node then modifies the application-dependent message by adding a subscriber identification to the header of the application-dependent message. The proxy node forwards the modified application-dependent message to the OTT application server. The OTT application server then sends a request having the subscriber identification to the telecommunications network with a QoS requirement for the HTTP session. Next, a network policy node determines an appropriate QoS level for the subscriber. A network gateway then enforces the determined QoS level for the HTTP session with the OTT service provider. |
| US08982885B2 |
Using FM/AM radio and cellular technology to support interactive group communication for large number of users
The disclosure is directed to conducting group communications. An embodiment receives information defining a group communication from a first network, detects an availability of at least one local uni-directional radio broadcast network outside the first network, transmits an acknowledgment indicating an intention to connect to the at least one local uni-directional radio broadcast network, and monitors the group communication on the at least one local uni-directional radio broadcast network. |
| US08982881B2 |
Upstream label allocation on ethernets for MP2MP LSPS
An apparatus or method for upstream label allocation on LANs for multipoint (MP) label switched paths (LSPs). In one embodiment of the method, a first router receives a first incoming labeled data packet, wherein the first incoming labeled data packet comprises a first data packet and one or more first labels. The first router creates a first outgoing labeled data packet, wherein creating the first outgoing labeled data packet includes the step of swapping the one or more first labels of the first incoming labeled data packet with a context label and a forwarding label, wherein the first outgoing labeled data packet comprises the first data packet, the context label, and the forwarding label. Ultimately, the first router transmits the first outgoing labeled data packet to second and third routers via a LAN. |
| US08982880B2 |
Communication path switching for mobile devices
Methods, systems, and devices for switching internet protocol (IP) flows from a first communication path to a second communication path are disclosed herein. A user equipment (UE) may include an exchange component, a session component, and a communication component. The exchange component exchanges second communication path availability information between the UE and another UE by sending and receiving session initiation protocol (SIP) messages that include second communication path availability information over the first communication path. The session component changes the communication session by re-routing traffic flows to the second communication path based on the exchanged second path availability information. The communication component sends to and receives from the other UE data corresponding to an IP flow over the second communication path. |
| US08982878B1 |
Centralized circuit switch provisioning system
A method of reconfiguring a provisioning system. The method comprises sending a reload command to a controller component that identifies one of a plurality of circuit switches which the provisioning system is configured to provision; sending by the controller component the reload command to a plurality of commander components associated with the circuit switch identified in the reload command; the commander components associated with the circuit switch identified in the reload command sending a stop command to each of an at least one connection thread launched by the commander component; terminating by the commander components the at least one connection thread; reading a modified configuration file by each of the commander components associated with the circuit switch identified in the reload command; and launching at least one connection thread by each commander component associated with the circuit switch identified in the reload command based on the modified configuration file. |
| US08982877B2 |
Provision of telephony caller ID service via common instant communications clients
An approach is provided for supporting telephony services over a data network. A communication network establishes a voice session from a calling station to a called station associated with a user. A service platform, in communication with the communication network, obtains Caller ID information corresponding to the voice session, and determines an instant communication client of the user. The Caller ID information is transmitted over the data network to the instant communication client for display of the Caller ID information. |
| US08982876B2 |
Method and system for customer selected direct dialed voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP)
A Voice-over-Internet protocol (VOIP) communications network system that enables direct-dialed (single-stage) access to the Internet Protocol network from the circuit-switched network. Specifically, the VOIP network system includes a VOIP service implemented on a communications system which, after a customer number has been registered for the service, automatically recognizes calls from the registered customer's telephone number and determines if the call can be routed as a VOIP call over the IP network. In embodiments of the present invention, the customer can register for the VOIP service by selecting both a provider and a calling plan or by only selecting a provider. The system can be implemented to handle intra-state, inter-state and international voice-band calls (for example, regular telephone calls, facsimile transmissions and modem initiated calls) using standard circuit-switched telephone lines, cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line and wireless. |
| US08982875B2 |
Method and system for routing and security for telephone calls over a packet-switched network
A server, upon receiving a request to complete a call over a packet-switched network, looks up an address on the packet-switched network on a local table. If the local table does not contain a matching address, the server asks a routing server to identify a receiving server address. The routing server identifies a suitable address and sends a message to the originating server containing the address. The receiving server then receives, via the packet-switched network, a message requesting a telephone connection to a second telephone device. Before completing the connection to the second telephone device, information in the message representing the address of the device on the packet-switched network that originated the message is identified and the address information is compared to selected predetermined addresses for permitted origins of the message. |
| US08982872B2 |
Transmitting method and device for scheduling information
A transmitting method and device for scheduling information, wherein the method includes: scheduling information of the MBMS controlling signaling is borne in a designated system information block to be transmitted, wherein the designated system information block is a system information block 2, a system information block 3, or a new added system information block. |
| US08982871B2 |
System and method for providing location information to a public safety answering point during an emergency 911 call from a softphone
A system and method for providing location information to a public safety answering point from a softphone may include receiving, at a network access point, an emergency 911 call from the softphone. The emergency 911 call may be communicated to a public safety answering point. In response to a call connection message being received, an address location of the network access point to which the softphone is in communication in placing the emergency 911 call to the public safety answering point may be communicated in a type II caller ID data packet. The softphone may generate the type II caller ID data packet with the address location in a data field, such as a data field typically used for name information of a caller. |
| US08982867B2 |
System and method for wireless communications
A system and method for wireless communications is provided. A method for operating in a communications network includes receiving a codebook, the codebook includes a plurality of codewords, and determining if the codebook satisfies a constant modulus property. The method also includes in response to determining that the codebook does not satisfy the constant modulus property, converting the codebook into a codebook satisfying the constant modulus property, and storing the codebook satisfying the constant modulus property. The method further includes storing the codebook in response to determining that the codebook does satisfy the constant modulus property, and causing to transmit a transmission to a communications device, wherein the transmission is encoded using a codeword in the stored codebook. |
| US08982859B2 |
Wireless device and method of short MAC frame indication
Embodiments of a wireless communication device and method for short frame indication in an IEEE 802.11ah network are generally described herein. In some embodiments, a reserved bit in a service field is used to indicate whether a frame is using a short MAC header or a regular MAC header. |
| US08982858B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus, information processing apparatus, and wireless communication control method
An input unit inputs input data. A priority determination unit determines priority of the data input by the input unit. A speed control unit sets the communication speed of the wireless communication of the data to be output from an output unit according to the priority of the data determined by the priority determination unit, and also, when input of the data is not detected, sets the communication speed of the wireless communication of the data to be output from the output unit to be lower than the communication speed when the input of the data is detected. The output unit outputs output data by the wireless communication at the set communication speed. |
| US08982855B2 |
Systems and methods for improved mobility and quality of service in a wireless network
For a mobile node visiting a packet-switched wireless access network, said access network using a tunnelling-type micro-mobility protocol and a Quality of Service (QoS) routing protocol to route packet data to and from said mobile node, and comprising an access router to which said mobile node may attach, a mobility agent and a gateway, a method of configuring said access network to route packet data toward said mobile node which method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving in said access network a handover indication of said mobile node or a login request therefrom; (b) in response to said handover indication or login request computing a QoS route for said mobile node, which QoS route is useable to route packets between said mobility agent and said mobile node; (c) performing step (b) at a location in said access network remote from said mobility agent; and (d) transmitting said QoS route and said handover indication or login request from said remote location toward said mobility agent; whereby upon receipt of data transmitted in step (d) said mobility agent may handle both mobility configuration and QoS route configuration for said mobile node as part of said network layer handover. |
| US08982845B2 |
Measurement control method, system and device for multi-carrier system
A measurement control method, system and device for a multi-carrier system are disclosed. The method includes that: UE selects the channel quality of a serving carrier or serving carrier group as a reference value, uniformly starts measurement on carriers except serving carriers or serving carrier groups when the reference value is smaller than a measurement starting threshold, s-Measure, configured by an eNB for the serving carriers or serving carrier groups, and uniformly closes the measurement on the carriers except the serving carriers or serving carrier groups when the reference value is larger than or equal to the s-Measure. Through referring to the channel quality of one serving carrier or one serving carrier group, measurement on the carriers except the serving carriers or serving carrier groups is uniformly started and closed, so as to solve the problem that the UE controls measurement according to multi-carrier signal quality in multiple serving cells. |
| US08982843B2 |
Wireless communication system and method for performing handover in such a system
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for performing handover in a wireless communication system, and the handover method of the present invention includes checking, when a Path Switch Request message associated with a terminal is received from a base station, whether a list of terminal security information values which has been saved exists; generating, when the list exists, a Path Switch Request acknowledge message including an unused terminal security information value selected form the list; and transmitting the Path Switch Request acknowledge message to the base station. Through this procedure, it is possible to reduce the terminal handover signal load generated by the base station. |
| US08982839B2 |
Method and apparatus for improving a mobile station cell change operation in the general packet radio system (GPRS)
A mobile station executed method, wherein upon changing from a current cell to a new cell in a wireless packet data network the mobile station enters the new cell; generates a cell change packet data unit (PDU) message for informing the network of the location of the mobile station in the new cell; buffers the cell change PDU message into a PDU transmit queue before any buffered PDUs that were present before the mobile station entered the new cell; and transmits the buffered cell change PDU before any of the buffered PDUs that were present before the mobile station entered the new cell. |
| US08982837B2 |
Handling cell reselections and state transitions for high-speed downlink packet access
A wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU) is configured to operate in an high speed data packet access (HSDPA) mode in a cell and/or state and to clear HSDPA resources when moving out of the cell and/or state. The WTRU is configured to clear HSDPA resources when conditions to perform high speed downlink shared channel reception are not met. |
| US08982836B2 |
System and method for minimizing loss of IP context during IRAT handover
A method for maintaining IP context during an inter RAT handover of a UE between an eHRPD network and an LTE network may include delaying a transfer of an Internet Protocol context for at least one active packet data network until an IP address for an attach (PDN) Packet Data Network has been assigned and in the case where the Internet Protocol address for the Attach Packet Data Network is not assigned, initiating a detach operation from the LTE network without the user equipment losing the Internet Protocol context of the at least one active Packet Data Network. |
| US08982834B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting a reference signal in a multi-antenna system
Provided are a method and apparatus for transmitting a reference signal in a multi-antenna system. A terminal generates a plurality of reference signal sequences in which cyclic shift values that are different from each other are allocated to the respective plurality of layers, and generates an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (SC-FDMA) symbol to which the plurality of reference signal sequences are mapped. The SC-FDMA symbol is transmitted to a base station via a plurality of antennas. Each of the reference signal sequences is multiplied by either +1 or −1 in accordance with an orthogonal covering code (OCC) index corresponding to the cyclic shift field in a DCI format transmitted via a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for each layer. |
| US08982831B2 |
Transmission of data in a broadband radio communication system
Data packets are transmitted from a terminal of a broadband radio communication system. For each transmission cycle in a transmission period data is received at a data interface of the terminal and buffered, and transmission of radio signals comprising the received data is enabled on expiry of a repetition interval from the start of a previous transmission. The repetition intervals are controlled to reduce a proportion of the transmission period for which transmission may occur at an allowed pulse repetition interval of a radar with which the terminal may interfere. The presence of radar pulses is checked during a wait period for each cycle while the terminal is not transmitting. If radar pulses are present, the transmission of radio signals which may interfere with the radar pulses is inhibited. |
| US08982830B2 |
Method and apparatus for supporting multiple frequency bands in mobile communication system
A method and an apparatus for supporting multiple frequency bands efficiently in a mobile communication system are provided. The method includes generating first system information including a frequency band indicator indicating a frequency band supported by the base station and an additional frequency band indicator indicating at least one frequency band supported by the base station, and broadcasting the first system information. |
| US08982827B2 |
Method of transmitting and receiving wireless resource information
A method of transmitting and receiving radio resource information is disclosed, by which a mobile terminal is able to quickly access a mobile communication system. The present invention includes transmitting a paging message to locate a specific mobile terminal by including information for a radio resource allocated to the mobile terminal in the paging message receiving a response signal for the paging message transmitted according to the information for the radio resource, and performing a connection to the mobile terminal according to the response signal. |
| US08982821B2 |
Method and a device for reporting the number of correctly decoded transport blocks in a wireless system
A method and a device for reporting the number of correctly decoded transport blocks in a wireless system. The maximum number of correctly decoded transport blocks within a reporting period is determined. Then the actual number of correctly decoded transport blocks is determined and cultivated into an indication thereof on the basis of the maximum number. The indication is sent to a network element capable of decoding it for analysis. |
| US08982820B1 |
Methods for multi-band wireless communication and bandwidth management
Embodiments of methods for multi-band wireless communication and bandwidth management are described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US08982817B2 |
Radio communication system, base station apparatus and user terminal
The present invention maintains communication even during a transition period in which ON/OFF of the CIF is switched by higher layer signaling or during a transition period in which the number of component carrier aggregations is increased/decreased. In a radio communication system in which an LTE-A system, in which an LTE-A system to add or remove the frequency band to assign for communication between a base station apparatus (20) and a mobile terminal apparatus (10) on a per component carrier basis, and an LTE system to perform communication between the base station apparatus (20) and the mobile terminal apparatus (10) using one fixed fundamental frequency block, are arranged in an overlapping manner, in the LTE-A system, one of the fundamental frequency blocks assigned to the mobile terminal apparatus (10) is determined as an anchor block, and the anchor block supports the same operation as in the LTE system. |
| US08982814B2 |
Network node, user equipment and methods therein
A method in a network node for transmitting an enhanced Control CHannel, eCCH, to a user equipment in a telecommunications system. The eCCH comprises control information to the user equipment in at least one Control Channel Element, CCE. The at least one CCE maps to a number of resource elements comprised in at least one enhanced resource element group. The at least one enhanced resource element group is comprised in at least one resource block in a time-frequency Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing, OFDM, grid. The network node decides to use a CCE aggregation level that is smaller than the smallest CCE aggregation level of a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, for a first eCCH. The network node then modulates the first eCCH by using a higher order modulation than Quadrature Phase Shift Keying, QPSK, modulation, when the smaller CCE aggregation level is used for the first eCCH. Then, the network node maps the modulated first eCCH to the at least one enhanced resource element group of resource elements in the at least one resource block, and transmits the mapped first eCCH to the user equipment. A network node, a method in user equipment and a user equipment are also provided. |
| US08982812B2 |
Group ID allocation for direct link service (DLS)
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques and apparatus for managing group identifiers (IDs) in multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) schemes to ensure that the group ID maps to the same assigned spatial stream position for a particular station (STA), for either Direct Link Service (DLS) or downlink (DL) MU-MIMO transmissions. One example method generally includes transmitting, from a first apparatus to a second apparatus, a message requesting assignment of a group ID identifying a group of apparatuses for receiving MU transmissions; and receiving, from the second apparatus, an indication of the assigned group ID, such that spatial stream assignments for the group of apparatuses are the same between the first and second apparatuses, the spatial stream assignments corresponding to the assigned group ID. |
| US08982811B2 |
Traffic bearer mapping method and communication device
Embodiments of the present invention provide a traffic bearer mapping method and a communication device. The traffic bearer mapping method includes: obtaining attribute information of a traffic data flow of a user; selecting a relay transmission tunnel according to the attribute information of the traffic data flow of the user; and mapping the received traffic data flow to the relay transmission tunnel for transmission, where the relay transmission tunnel includes a relay link radio bearer Un RB or a bearer including the Un RB. According to the embodiments of the present invention, transmission of a traffic data flow in an LTE-A network after a relay node is introduced into is implemented, thereby ensuring quality of service of multi-service. |
| US08982807B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving HARQ burst
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) burst in a communication system are provided. A transmitter obtains at least one Protocol Data Unit (PDU) according to a decoding order of a receiver which supports a HARQ mode. The receiver controls an order of at least one HARQ burst using burst information including a HARQ Channel IDentifier (ACID). |
| US08982806B2 |
Methods and nodes in a radio communication system with efficient control channel use
The present invention generally relates to radio communication systems, relay nodes, controller nodes, user equipment (user terminals), software and methods for said systems and nodes. In one embodiment, a method for operating a control node for a wireless communication system is provided. The method comprises the steps: creating a data frame comprising an early part and a later part, wherein the early part comprises first control data for controlling a receiving node; checking whether second control data are to be put into the later part; scheduling payload data for the receiving node into the later part if second control data are not to be put into the later part; and transmitting the date frame to the receiving node. |
| US08982801B2 |
Apparatus and method for uplink power control for a wireless transmitter/receiver unit utilizing multiple carriers
A method and apparatus for determining uplink power in a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU). The WTRU operates in a carrier aggregated system. The WTRU is configured to receive a plurality of uplink power parameters indexed to one of a plurality of uplink carriers and receive a transmit power control command indexed to the one of the plurality of uplink carriers. The WTRU is configured to determine a pathloss of the one of the plurality of uplink carriers and determine a transmit power for the one of the plurality of uplink carriers based on the plurality of power parameters, the transmit power control command, and the pathloss. |
| US08982797B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus with resource allocation to users performing array combining using array combining weights
A wireless communication apparatus including an MMSE combining processing unit that performs MMSE combining based on frequency domain received signals obtained by performing a discrete Fourier transform on received signals, the apparatus including an amount-of-phase-rotation estimating unit that estimates an amount of phase rotation occurring in the frequency domain received signals due to a shift in discrete Fourier transform timing of the received signals, and a reverse rotation unit that applies a reverse rotation of an amount of rotation corresponding to the amount of phase rotation estimated by the amount-of-phase-rotation estimating unit, to the frequency domain received signals, wherein the MMSE combining processing unit computes an MMSE weight based on the frequency domain received signals to which the reverse rotation has been applied by the reverse rotation unit, and performs MMSE combining. |
| US08982793B2 |
Method for controlling channel access in wireless local area network and apparatus for the same
A method for controlling channel access performed by an access point (AP) in a wireless system is provided. The method includes: receiving at least one frame from at least one station (STA), respectively, for a specific time period, each frame including information on a contention window (CW) used when the frame is transmitted; processing information one at least one CW for each STA; determining whether to control the channel access based on the processed information on the CW; selecting an abnormal STA candidate group if it is determined that the channel access control is performed; and controlling the channel access to each STA included in the abnormal candidate STA group. |
| US08982791B2 |
Method of and Node B and user equipment for power control in case of segmentation
A method (200, 400) of and a Node B (102) and a User Equipment (UE) (106) for power control of a data channel (100, 112) between the Node B (102) and the UE (106) in a cellular communication system in case of segmentation of a Radio Link Control (RLC), Protocol Data Umt (PRC) into m Media Access Control (MAC) segments are provided The method (200, 400) comprises the steps of determining (202, 402) a transmit power boost for transmission of the MAC segments and applying (204, 404) the determined transmit power boost for transmission of the MAC segments A method (500) of and a Node B (102) for power control of an uplink data channel (112) in case of segmentation are also provided The method (500) comprises determining (504) a Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) target boost and applying (506) the determined SIR target boost for power control. |
| US08982788B2 |
Method and apparatus for transmitting positioning reference signal in wireless communication system
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) in a wireless communication system. A terminal obtains positioning subframe configuration information to determine at least one positioning subframe among a plurality of downlink subframes in a wireless frame, obtains downlink subframe configuration information to determine the type of each downlink subframe in the wireless frame, receives PRSs in at least one positioning subframe from a plurality of cells, and reports measured time differences between the PRSs received from the plurality of the cells. The type of each downlink subframe of the wireless frame is classified into a 1st type subframe and a 2nd type subframe, and the type of at least one positioning subframe is either the 1st type subframe or the 2nd type subframe. In addition, the PRSs are mapped into at least one positioning subframe on the basis of a single PRS pattern. |
| US08982785B2 |
Access point assisted direct client discovery
A wireless access point device configured to serve wireless client devices in a wireless network monitors transmissions sent by direct clients capable of forming ad hoc networks with one or more other direct clients. Profile data is stored for each detected direct client. The profile data indicates device type and services of the direct client, as well as potentially other information. The wireless access point receives from a direct client a request for information concerning one or more other direct clients, and sends a response to the direct client containing information for other direct clients based on the stored profile data. |
| US08982784B2 |
Sensor and sensor network for an aircraft
The invention relates to a sensor network in an aircraft, which comprises several sensor nodes that communicate with a central data collection and evaluation unit via a radio transmission path. Data transmission can take place in various ways. For example, different frequency ranges are provided, from which the respective frequency range enabling the best data transmission quality is selected. |
| US08982778B2 |
Packet routing in a wireless communications environment
The claimed subject matter relates to performing routing in a wireless communications system. In more detail, each device associated with a wireless packet-switched network may not be aware of an identity and/or address of a particular point of attachment with respect to a wireless terminal. A data packet that should be provided to a particular point of attachment can be initially directed to a wireless terminal or a one-hop multicast address, for instance. Thereafter, the data packet can be encapsulated in a frame format and identity of the particular point of attachment can be provided in such frame. The frame can thereafter be routed to the point of attachment. |
| US08982777B1 |
Method of adding and removing sites for a cluster based on a baseline delay comparison
Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for adding and removing unanchored small cell sites for a cluster that delivers precision time protocol frequency and phase synchronization over a network without on-path support are provided. In embodiments, the method includes continuously measuring, in an asymmetric network without on-path support, an anchor path delay. A maximum standard allowable (MSA) delay variation is determined for the cluster. A respective round trip (RT) delay is continuously measured from the host site to each unanchored small cell site in the cluster. The anchor path delay is compared to each respective RT delay to determine a respective unanchored delay variation. In embodiments, unanchored small cell sites are be added to or removed from the cluster based on a comparison of a respective unanchored delay variation to the MSA delay variation. |
| US08982774B2 |
Method for ranging to a station in power saving mode
A network based positioning (NBP) system is disclosed that allows any of its access points (APs) to initiate ranging operations with a station device (STA), regardless of whether the STA is in power save mode and regardless of whether a particular AP is currently associated with the STA. For example, to initiate ranging operations with the STA from a non-associated AP, the non-associated AP obtains the TSF timer of the associated AP, and then uses the obtained TSF timer to derive the associated AP's beacon transmission schedule and thereby determine when the STA's corresponding wake-up periods occur. Thereafter, the non-associated AP can initiate ranging operations with the STA during the STA wake-up periods, thereby ensuring that probes sent from the non-associated AP will arrive at the STA while the STA is awake from power save mode. |
| US08982767B2 |
Method for transceiving data with both a mobile station and a relay station in a broadband wireless communication system
A method for transceiving data with both a mobile station and a relay station in a mobile communication system are disclosed. In a present invention, the base station transmits an ACK signal regardless of whether a result of the decoding is successful or unsuccessful to the terminal for using a uplink packet data transmitted from the relay station. And, the relay station operates two operation modes. Procedures of downlink/uplink packet data transmission according to the operation mode are disclosed. |
| US08982766B2 |
Signal transmission method performed by relay station in wireless communication system and apparatus thereof
Disclosed is a signal transmission method performed by a relay station in a wireless communication system. The method comprises the steps of: arranging guard time within at least one symbol period in a subframe which is configured with multiple symbol periods in a time domain; and transmitting a control signal or data to a base station by using symbol periods except for the symbol periods which include the guard time in the subframe. The guard time is equal to or shorter than one symbol period. The structure in which the control signal or the data is arranged in each symbol period of the subframe is determined on the basis of the number of symbol periods except for the symbol periods which include the guard time. |
| US08982764B2 |
Method of decoding physical broadcast channel in long term evolution system
The present invention relates, in general, to a method of decoding a Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH) in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system and, more particularly, to a method of detecting a Master Information Block (MIB) contained in a PBCH. |
| US08982763B2 |
Method and device for maneuvering talk groups to a new channel
A process for communicating with a plurality of push-to-talk (PTT) devices in a wireless network of PTT devices includes, at a first one of the PTT devices, responsive to detecting a change in selected channel, via a channel selector input, from the first channel to a second channel while a PTT input is activated: transmitting, to other PTT devices in a first talkgroup on the first channel, a notification that further transmissions by the PTT device will be made in the second channel, switching the transmitter from the first channel to the second channel, and transmitting further communications to the one or more other PTT devices in a second talkgroup on the second channel. |
| US08982762B2 |
Methods and apparatus for use in communicating in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network
Techniques for use in a wireless device which is configured to operate as a group owner (GO) in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network are described. The group owner sends a first multicast message to one or more first P2P devices in the P2P network. The first multicast message includes first notice of absence (NoA) data. The group owner also sends a second multicast message to one or more second P2P devices in the P2P network. The second multicast message includes second NoA data. Partitioning in the P2P network in this fashion may be set based on the different types of communications established with the P2P devices (e.g. different traffic classes or Quality of Service (QoS) types). |
| US08982760B2 |
Sink device and wireless transmission system
When reproducing AV data transmitted from a source device by multicast wireless transmission, a sink device can check the wireless connection status of other sink device which reproduces AV data from the same source device. The sink device (2a) includes: an AV reception portion which receives AV data through multicast wireless transmission from the source device (1); a reproduction portion which extracts and reproduces AV data transmitted to the sink device (2a) from the received AV data; and a device information receiving portion that wirelessly receives a portion or whole of the sink device information managed in the source device (1). The sink device information correlates identification information for identifying a plurality of sink devices (2a, 2b, . . . ) containing the sink device (2a) with state information indicative of wireless connection status of the sink devices (2a, 2b, . . . ). |
| US08982758B2 |
Techniques for efficient acknowledgement for UL MU MIMO and uplink OFDMA in wireless networks
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of supporting acknowledgement transmissions for Uplink (UL) Multi-user Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU MIMO) in wireless networks, comprising, enabling an AP operable in the wireless network to send back acknowledgements to different wireless stations (STAs) in communication with said AP either sequentially or simultaneously by defining a new block ack (BAs) type for multiple STAs. |
| US08982755B1 |
Methods and systems for selecting a TTI bundle size
A radio access network (RAN) determines whether transmission time interval (TTI) bundling is warranted for a wireless communication device (WCD) based on at least a power headroom report from the WCD. In response to determining that TTI bundling is warranted, the RAN selects a TTI bundle size, N, for the WCD and instructs the WCD to use the selected TTI bundle size. The TTI bundle size, N, could be selected from among a set of predefined values, such as N=2, N=3, and N=4. The selection could be based on various factors, such as a utilization of an uplink shared channel, a re-transmission rate of the WCD, and/or a remaining battery life of the WCD. |
| US08982753B2 |
Method and system for low latency state transitions for energy efficiency
Aspects of a method and system for physical layer control of low latency state transitions for energy efficiency. In this regard, a determination may be made to reconfigure a network device from an energy saving mode of operation to a higher performance mode of operation. A first portion of the network device may be reconfigured prior to sending an indication of the reconfiguration to a link partner, and a remaining portion of the network device may be reconfigured after sending the indication. The link partner may begin reconfiguration from an energy saving mode of operation to higher performance mode of operation upon receiving the indication. The energy saving mode may comprise a low power idle (LPI) or a subset PHY mode. The reconfiguration may comprise allocating memory to, and/or de-allocating memory from, buffering received and/or to-be-transmitted data. |
| US08982746B2 |
Clock-less half-duplex repeater
A method and system for communicating data between two devices are described herein. The method detects an electrical signal of a first protocol from a first device in a repeater, wherein the first protocol comprises single-ended signaling. The method also determines the speed of the electrical signal. Additionally, the method converts the electrical signal of the first protocol into an electrical signal of a second protocol based on the speed of the electrical signal. The second protocol comprises differential signaling. Furthermore, the method sends the electrical signal of the second protocol to a second device. In addition, the method stops the electrical signal of the second protocol to the second device when the electrical signal of the second protocol indicates an end of data flow. |
| US08982743B2 |
DAI designs for FDD carrier aggregation
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for indicating downlink assignments to a user equipment (UE). According to certain aspects, the techniques generally involve generating a downlink assignment index (DAI) indicating a number of assigned downlink transmissions for a user equipment (UE) configured to communicate using multiple component carriers and transmitting a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) containing the DAI to the user equipment (UE) in a frequency division duplexing (FDD) subframe in which uplink and downlink transmissions may take place at the same time on different carrier frequencies. |
| US08982739B2 |
Mobile terminal and method of controlling the same
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. The mobile terminal includes: a display; a wireless Internet module; and a controller for acquiring information about a plurality of voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) accounts that can communicate through the wireless Internet module and for distinguishing information about a first user group corresponding to the acquired plurality of VoIP accounts from information about a second user group not corresponding to the acquired plurality of VoIP accounts and for displaying the information in the display. Therefore, by displaying to distinguish information about a user group corresponding to a plurality of VoIP accounts from other information, a function can be easily selected through a plurality of VoIP accounts. |
| US08982738B2 |
System, apparatus for content delivery for internet traffic and methods thereof
In one embodiment, a method of serving media includes receiving a request to serve media content to an user equipment, and receiving caching information regarding the media content. The caching information includes information regarding whether the media content requested by the user equipment is cacheable. A first media server is assigned from a hierarchical set of media servers to serve the user equipment if the media content to be served is cacheable. The hierarchical set of media servers includes a plurality of first type of media servers deployed in a plurality of layer2 (L2) access networks. The user equipment is coupled to the content delivery network through a layer2 access network of the plurality of L2 access networks. |
| US08982737B2 |
Method, device and system for implementing conference access
A method for conference access includes: receiving, by a switchboard device, a first call request sent by a user terminal, where a calling identifier included by the first call request is an identifier of the user terminal, and the included called identifier is a switchboard number corresponding to the switchboard device; obtaining, according to the identifier of the user terminal, recorded information about a conference corresponding to a call missed by the user terminal, where the information about the conference includes an access number of a conference system to which the conference belongs and a conference identifier of the conference; and enabling the user terminal to access the conference. When a user misses answering a conference-related call, by dialing a switchboard number, the user may directly accesses a conference, thereby improving the efficiency of accessing the conference. |
| US08982736B2 |
Method for implementing radiophone based conference call and dynamic grouping
The present invention provides a method for implementing a radiophone based conference call and dynamic grouping, which generally includes selecting a dynamic grouping function and members of an intended group through a man-machine interface of a radiophone, generating a control packet in a coding format and an extensible interface, the coding format and the extensible interface being inherent to a preset protocol stack module, and then transmitting the control frame in a control frame to a corresponding receiving end, and the receiving end upon reception of the control frame decodes the control frame and initiates a frequency modification module to modify frequency modification information by adding the group ID of the intended group. The radiophone in the present invention can perform a scheduling function, and time can be saved in an emergency for rapid and convenient dealing with an incident. |
| US08982728B2 |
Computer-implemented system and method for visualizing message-related relationships within a social network
A computer-implemented system and method for visualizing message-related relationships within a social network is provided. Entities associated with a group of messages are identified. A social network is built based on a relationship of the entities and messages by connecting those entities that share at least one of the messages from the group. A representation of the social network is generated by representing each message with a node. The nodes are organized based on at least one characteristic of the messages. |
| US08982722B1 |
Determining wireless communication gain
Combinations of a number of physical resource blocks and modulation and coding schemes which meet a data rate threshold are selected. For each combination of the number of physical resource blocks and modulation and coding schemes, a signal gain is calculated. The combination of the number of physical resource blocks and modulation and coding schemes corresponding to the largest signal gain is selected, and information is transmitted from an access node to a wireless device over a communication link using the selected combination of the number of physical resource blocks and modulation and coding schemes. |
| US08982721B2 |
Method and apparatus for reporting channel state information (CSI) based on physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)
A method and apparatus for reporting channel state information (CSI) based on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) are used to realize correct reporting of the CSI based on double code books. The method includes the following steps: a reporting mode configuration signaling for the CSI sent from a network side is received, and said reporting mode configuration signaling for the CSI at least carries a designated reporting mode identifier; a first CSI aiming at the whole bandwidth of a system is established according to a reporting type corresponding to said reporting mode identifier; the whole bandwidth of the system is divided into at least two frequency band subclasses, and a second CSI aiming at a designated frequency band subclass is established according to the reporting type corresponding to said reporting mode identifier; and when a reporting indication signaling sent from the network side is received, said first CSI and said second CSI are transmitted to the network side. Therefore, when a user equipment (UE) reports the CSI, a long-term/wideband CSI and a short-term/frequency selective CSI could be considered comprehensively, then a two-level feedback mechanism based on the PUSCH double code books is realized. |
| US08982717B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting transmission power of terminal having heterogeneous modem chips
An apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus for detecting transmission power of a first communication scheme in a mobile communication terminal having a first modem for the first communication scheme and a second modem for a second communication scheme which is different from the first communication scheme, includes: a feedback circuit configured to detect a high frequency signal outputted from a power amplifier of the first communication scheme and convert the detected high frequency signal into an analog signal; a reception unit configured to receive the analog signal outputted from the feedback circuit and band information transmitted from the first modem for the first communication scheme; and an output unit configured to output a particular value after comparing a signal outputted from the reception unit and a predetermined signal. |
| US08982716B2 |
Providing positioning assistance data
For supporting the use of positioning assistance data, the positioning assistance data is broadcast in a plurality of different logical sub-channels. The positioning assistance data is distributed to the plurality of different logical sub-channels depending on its content. |
| US08982715B2 |
Inter-networking devices for use with physical layer information
One exemplary embodiment is directed to an inter-networking device that performs at least one inter-networking function using physical layer information about the network of which the device is a part. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to capturing physical layer information about physical communication media that is attached to an inter-networking device. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a technique for generating a spanning tree and/or forwarding database information for a plurality of switches in a network at a central location. The spanning tree and/or forwarding database information is generated at the central location using information including physical layer information about devices and physical communication media in the network. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to an ETHERNET physical layer device having integrated support for capturing physical layer information about the physical communication media connected to the ETHERNET physical layer device. |
| US08982714B2 |
Methods for exchanging data in a communications system and apparatuses utilizing the same
A communication system is provided. A first communications device transmits at least one first message including predetermined bit sequences. A second communications device determines one or more antenna weighting vectors (AWVs) and one or more bitloading vectors (BLVs) by using the first message in accordance with a predetermined rule and transmits a second message including information pertinent to the AWVs and the BLVs to the first communications device. The first communications device further communicates with the second communications device about an AWV selected from the AWVs and the first and second communications devices apply the selected AWV to the corresponding antennas before exchanging data. The data includes a header carrying information pertinent to a BLV selected from the BLVs used to encode the data and a payload is transmitted to the second communications device. The second communications device decodes the data in accordance with the selected BLV. |
| US08982707B2 |
Interoperability of data plane based overlays and control plane based overlays in a network environment
Technologies are provided in example embodiments for intercepting a packet being multicast from a first tunnel endpoint in a network, determining first address mapping information of the first tunnel endpoint and a first host, wherein the first host created the packet, generating a control protocol message with the first address mapping information, and communicating the control protocol message through a control plane in the network. In more specific example embodiments, the communicating the control protocol message includes sending the control protocol message to a network repository, where the first address mapping information is registered in the network repository. In other more specific example embodiments, the communicating the control protocol message includes pushing the control protocol message to one or more other tunnel endpoints. Further embodiments include decapsulating the packet to determine an endpoint identifier of the first host and a location of the first tunnel endpoint. |
| US08982706B2 |
Communication technique for a repeater using a transmission indicator
To prevent the self-interference of an inband relay node, a base station transmits a transmission indication on the downlink of a Un interface. Only when the base station receives an ACKnowledgment (ACK) signal in response to the transmission indication from the relay node, the base station transmits a Un interface downlink signal to the relay node in a specific time area. The time area allocated by the transmission indication may be a time area added to a statically allocated time area. |
| US08982705B2 |
Transmission control apparatus and transmission control method
A transmission control apparatus includes: a communication unit communicating with each of communication apparatuses, which are included in a communication system in which communication is executed via one relay apparatus, via the relay apparatus; a determination unit determining, as a transmission apparatus transmitting content data indicating a content to be transmitted, the apparatus with higher transmission quality between the apparatus and the relay apparatus in the communication system based on quality information of each communication apparatus, which is received by the communication unit and includes information regarding the transmission quality between the relay apparatus and the communication apparatus; and a transmission control unit allowing the transmission apparatus determined by the determination unit to concurrently transmit the content data indicating the content to the respective apparatuses of the communication system excluding the transmission apparatus. |
| US08982704B2 |
Elastic traffic marking for multi-priority packet streams in a communications network
Routers in a communications network mark packets of a multi-priority stream to establish a drop precedence of the packets during network congestion. For each packet received, a router employs one of two types of packet-marking mechanisms to associate low drop precedence with a high-priority, out-of-profile packet. One type, called “token bucket with loan bucket,” uses a token bucket to determine whether a packet is in conformance, i.e., in-profile, with a traffic profile and at least one loan bucket to determine whether a high priority, out-of-profile packet may borrow bandwidth. Another mechanism type, called “token bucket with color-exchange queue,” uses a color-exchange queue to delay packet forwarding for a fixed period. During this delay, a high-drop-precedence marking of an out-of-profile, high-priority packet may be exchanged with a low-drop-precedence marking of an in-profile, low-priority packet. The packet-marking mechanisms are useful in improving the quality of video viewing. |
| US08982703B2 |
Routing support for lossless data traffic
A method for communication in a packet data network including at least first and second subnets interconnected by routers. The method includes defining at least first and second classes of link-layer traffic within the subnets, such that the link-layer traffic in the first class is transmitted among nodes in the network without loss of packets, while at least some of the packets in the second class are dropped in case of network congestion. The routers are configured by transmitting control traffic over the network in the packets of the second class. Data traffic is transmitted between the nodes in the first and second subnets via the configured routers in the packets of the first class. |
| US08982697B2 |
Method and apparatus for sending and receiving ethernet physical-layer OAM overhead
A method and an apparatus for sending an Ethernet physical-layer OAM overhead, and a method and an apparatus for receiving an Ethernet physical-layer OAM overhead are disclosed herein. A method for sending an Ethernet physical-layer OAM overhead includes: adjusting the order of sending a payload block and part of Inter-Packet Gaps (IPGs) in a data stream to be transmitted; and when receiving a request for sending an OAM overhead, substituting the OAM overhead for the part of IPGs, and sending the OAM overhead before sending the payload block. Through the present invention, the order of sending IPGs and payload blocks in an MAC data stream can be adjusted, and the OAM overhead can be sent in time. |
| US08982696B2 |
Method for providing service quality in a WiMAX communication network, and method for selecting an access transport resource control function by means of a guideline decision-making function in a communication network
A method provides service quality in a WiMAX communication network, and a method selects an access transport resource control function by a guideline decision-making function in a communication network. According to a method for providing service quality on an air interface of an access network in a WiMAX communication network by an application function, the application function aims to provide a user of the WiMAX communication network with a service quality-related application. The desired service quality is signaled by an authentication, authorization and accounting infrastructure of the WiMAX communication network. |
| US08982694B2 |
Localized congestion exposure
A method for localized congestion exposure within a local loop in a cellular network that is performed by a localized congestion exposure receiver node of the local loop. The method includes receiving downlink packets destined for a downstream user device. The downlink packets have headers that indicate a level of congestion experienced by the downlink packets. The headers also indicate a level of expected downstream congestion declared by an upstream node. The method also includes forwarding the downlink packets to the downstream user device through a wireless connection. The method further includes sending packets upstream that have feedback indicative of the level of congestion experienced by the downlink packets and any congestion experienced within the localized congestion exposure receiver node. |
| US08982689B2 |
Split tiebreakers for 802.1AQ
A node in a communication network selects between equal cost shortest paths (ECSPs) using split tiebreakers. The node advertises multiple system identifiers (IDs) for that node, and each system ID is associated with a different set of traffic IDs that distinguish different virtual networks in the network. The node receives sets of system IDs for each of the other nodes in the network. After constructing a plurality of different ECSPs between two nodes, the node selects one of the ECSPs for each traffic ID used between the two nodes. For a traffic ID, the node constructs path IDs for each of the ECSPs using one system ID of each node in the path that is associated with that traffic ID. Because of the configuration of the system IDs and the traffic IDs in the network, traffic affected by a failure will be distributed across a plurality of surviving ECSPs. |
| US08982688B2 |
Congestion abatement in a network interconnect
A method and system for detecting congestion in a network of nodes, abating the network congestion, and identifying the cause of the network congestion is provided. A congestion detection system may comprise a detection system, an abatement system, and a causation system. The detection system monitors the performance of network components such as the network interface controllers and tiles of routers to determine whether the network is congested such that a delay in delivering packets becomes unacceptable. Upon detecting that the network is congested, an abatement system abates the congestion by limiting the rate at which packets are injected into the network from the nodes. Upon detecting that the network is congested, a causation system may identify the job that is executing on a node that is the cause of the network congestion. |
| US08982684B2 |
Radio communication device and radio communication method
A radio base station 100 judges a receiving state of a radio signal in conformity with the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing scheme, and changes a symbol string configuration of a symbol string defined by a size in a frequency axis direction and in a time axis direction, on the basis of the judged receiving state. |
| US08982683B2 |
Transmission method and related device
A method for transmitting a signal carrying information elements over a plurality of frequency subcarriers simultaneously. The method comprises: identifying a set of at least one frequency subcarrier of the plurality particularly subjected to attenuation; and transmitting the signal simultaneously over said plurality of frequency subcarriers by assigning respective information elements to the frequency subcarriers of the plurality not belonging to said set and assigning to each frequency subcarrier of said set a respective coefficient set so that an envelope of the transmitted signal is less than an envelope of the signal that would be transmitted by assigning respective information elements to all the frequency subcarriers of the plurality. |
| US08982681B1 |
Method and device for increased pull-in range of a timing recovery circuit for storage devices
A method and device for determining frequency error to extend the pull-in range of a timing recovery circuit for a storage device such as an optical disc drive. A code associated with a storage format of the storage device is detected, and the distance between occurrences of the code is determined. The calculated distance is compared with the expected distance to determine the difference. Based on the difference, the frequency error is determined. |
| US08982676B2 |
Golfing accessory time piece
A golfing time-keeping apparatus is arranged to indicate time of day using a clock face and a movement which has at least a minute hand arranged to complete a revolution of the clock face every hour. The time piece includes a structure for indicating a plurality of subdivisions of a time period longer than 1 hour and shorter than 5 hours, the structure comprising an indicator having a plurality of markings arranged for general visual alignment with the minute hand. The markings include a sequence of indicia circumferentially spaced apart and continuing for more than one but no more than five revolutions wherein some of the later indicia in the sequence are interleaved with some of the earlier indicia. |
| US08982675B2 |
Power supply unit and electronic timepiece
A power supply unit has a first power supply circuit that supplies a voltage to a load driving unit and a second power supply circuit that supplies a voltage to circuits other than the load driving unit. A first switching unit connects any one of a power supply that supplies a power supply voltage and a voltage step-down circuit that supplies a step-down voltage of the power supply voltage to the first power supply circuit. A second switching unit connects any one of the power supply and the voltage step-down circuit to the second power supply circuit. A control unit controls the connection by the first switching unit and the connection by the second switching unit to switch the voltage supplied to the first power supply circuit and the voltage supplied to the second power supply circuit in accordance with properties of the load driving unit. |
| US08982672B2 |
Animal medicine reminder tag
An animal medicine reminder tag that is non-toxic, water resistant, and shock resistant, wherein the tag is automatically activated when attached to the companion animal and cannot be reset or turned off by the companion animal's caregiver. The tag is designed to be minimally harmful if accidentally swallowed by the companion animal. |
| US08982669B2 |
Method for detecting objects
In a method for detecting objects, at least one sensor emits a transmitting pulse as a wave, particularly as an acoustic or an electromagnetic wave, which wave is reflected at least partially by objects in the propagation space, and the reflected wave being detected by at least one receiver as a received signal. The received signal of the reflected wave is divided up into segments, and from the individual segments, data are gathered that are drawn upon for the determination of an object hypothesis. |
| US08982668B2 |
Semiconductor device and method of forming same for correlation detection
In an embodiment a semiconductor device correlates a received signal with a known pattern. A correlation output is used as a basis for forming a confidence reference level. The confidence reference level and the correlation output are compared to identify a peak in the received signal indicating that a present signal state of the received signal contains the known pattern. |
| US08982665B2 |
Dithered slip sweep vibroseis acquisition system and technique
A technique includes generating vibroseis sweeps for a vibroseis survey to produce seismic data acquired in response to seismic signals produced by the sweeps. The generation of the vibroseis sweeps including temporally arranging the sweeps into time-overlapping groups. The technique includes regulating a timing of the groups relative to each other based on a slip time. The technique also includes regulating a timing of the sweeps of each group such that consecutive sweep firings of each group are spaced apart by a time substantially less than the slip time. |
| US08982663B2 |
Subsurface imaging systems and methods with multi-source survey component segregation and redetermination
A disclosed subsurface imaging method begins by obtaining initial signals from a geophysical survey that has been acquired with multiple geophysical energy sources actuated in a plurality of firing sequences, each sequence having a known time delay between the firing times of each source. The initial signals are grouped into gathers of signals acquired from multiple firing sequences. For each gather, initial estimates of the first and second source wave fields are determined. Quieted signals for the first source are then generated to represent the initial signals minus a current estimate of the second source wave field. A coherent energy separation operation is applied to the quieted signals to obtain a refined estimate for the first source wave field. |
| US08982661B2 |
Flexible identification technique
A shared-signaling multi-device memory system is capable of changing between addressing modes without the multi-device memory being required to undergo a power cycle. First and second registers of a memory device are set to both contain first address-identification information in response a first address-assignment command that is received a power cycle. The first register is set to contain second address-identification information in response a second address-assignment command that is received subsequently to the first address assignment command. Depending on the value of the second address-identification information, the memory device is configured in an individual-device-addressing mode or a parallel addressing mode without a power cycle. The first register can be reset to the first address-identification information contained in the second register in response to an address-restore command without a power cycle. A corresponding method is also disclosed. |
| US08982660B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and method for word line decoding and routing
The invention discloses a semiconductor memory device and a method for word line decoding and routing. The present invention relates generally to semiconductor memory field, Problems solved by the invention is that, to improve the quality of word line signals results in routing congestion. Embodiments of the invention provide the program as follows: a semiconductor memory device and a method for word line decoding and routing, dividing memory array of the semiconductor memory device into a plurality of smaller memory arrays, on a first metal layer routing first decoded row address, on a second metal layer below the first metal layer routing second decoded row address, and the output word line after decoding drives the plurality of smaller memory arrays. Embodiments of the invention are suitable for various semiconductor memory designs, including: on-chip cache, translation look-aside buffer, content addressable memory, ROM, EEPROM, and SRAM and so on. |
| US08982650B2 |
Memory interface circuit and timing adjusting method
A memory interface circuit, which controls capture timing of data provided from a memory according to a strobe signal provided from the memory, includes a control unit that controls an activation timing of an internal strobe gate signal, which masks the strobe signal when being deactivated, by delaying the internal strobe gate signal by a first period shorter than one cycle time of a clock signal to generate an internal strobe gate adjustment signal, and by adjusting an activation timing of the adjustment signal. A detection unit outputs a detection signal, when the strobe signal changes from a first potential to a second potential higher than the first potential, or when the first potential of the strobe signal continues for a second period or longer. The control unit adjusts the activation timing of the adjustment signal in accordance with the detection signal. |
| US08982644B1 |
Method and apparatus for memory control
Aspects of the disclosure provide an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a processing unit and a signal-terminal matching circuitry. The processing unit is configured to communicate with an external memory device through conductive couplings that electrically couple terminals of an IC external interface respectively with terminals of the external memory device. The external memory device is disposed on a circuit substrate separate from the IC. The signal-terminal matching circuitry is configured to match memory control signals to the terminals of the IC external interface based on the external memory device. |
| US08982641B2 |
Memory erasing method and driving circuit thereof
A memory erasing method and a driving circuit thereof are introduced, when cells are selected to be erased, the method includes setting gates of cells which are not selected to be erased and are located at a selected block, drains of all the cells in a selected bank, and the gate of the unselected cells to be floating; supplying a positive voltage to all the sources in a selected bank and their shared P well and N well; and supplying a negative voltage to the gates of the cells located in a selected block and selected to be erased. Accordingly, a positive coupling voltage from P wells is received whenever gates are floating, so as to inhibit erasure of unselected blocks and thereby streamline decoding, thus making it easy to attain further expansion of blocks or banks with a small layout area and partition of sectors in the blocks. |
| US08982639B2 |
Nonvolatile memory device and method of driving the same
A nonvolatile memory device includes a plurality of memory blocks, and a pass transistor array transmitting a plurality of drive signals to a selected memory block among the plurality of memory blocks in response to a block select signal. The pass transistor array includes high voltage transistors including one common drain and two sources formed in one active region and one of the plurality of drive signals transmitted to the common drain is transmitted to different memory blocks through the two sources. |
| US08982636B2 |
Accessing method and a memory using thereof
A memory comprises a memory cell, a sense amplifier, and a control unit. The memory cell stores a first bit and a second bit. The sense amplifier senses a first cell current and a second cell current corresponding to the first and the second bits respectively with a voltage applying on the memory cell. The control unit determines a digital state of the first bit by comparing a first reference current with the first cell current or by comparing a reference data with a first delta current between the first cell current and the second cell current. |
| US08982635B2 |
Semiconductor memory device and writing method thereof
A writing method of a semiconductor memory device includes applying a plurality of program voltages sequentially generated to a selected word line, and applying any one of a plurality of source selection line voltages to a source selection line when each of the plurality of program voltages is applied. |
| US08982634B2 |
Flash memory
The present invention provides a flash memory including a memory cell, a current limiter and a program voltage generator. The memory cell is programmed in response to a program current and a program voltage. The current limiter reflects amount of the program current by a data-line signal, e.g., a data-line voltage. The program voltage generator generates and controls the program voltage in response to the data-line voltage, such that the program current can track to a constant reference current. |
| US08982629B2 |
Method and apparatus for program and erase of select gate transistors
Techniques are provided for programming and erasing of select gate transistors in connection with the programming or erasing of a set of memory cells. In response to a program command to program memory cells, the select gate transistors are read to determine whether their Vth is below an acceptable range, in which case the select gate transistors are programmed before the memory cells. Or, a decision can be made to program the select gate transistors based on a count of program-erase cycles, whether a specified time period has elapsed and/or a temperature history of the non-volatile storage device. When an erase command is made to erase memory cells, the select gate transistors are read to determine whether their Vth is above an acceptable range. If their Vth is above the acceptable range, the select gate transistors can be erased concurrently with the erasing of the memory cells. |
| US08982627B2 |
Fast programming memory device
In an embodiment of a memory device including a matrix of memory cells wherein the memory cells are arranged in a plurality of memory cells strings each one including at least two serially-connected memory cells, groups of at least two memory cells strings being connected to a respective bit line, and wherein said memory cells are adapted to be programmed into at least a first programming state and a second programming state, a method of storing data comprising exploiting a single memory cell for each of the memory cells string for writing the data, wherein said exploiting includes bringing the single memory cell to the second programming state, the remaining memory cells of the string being left in the first programming state. |
| US08982626B2 |
Program and read operations for 3D non-volatile memory based on memory hole diameter
Techniques are provided for programming and reading memory cells in a 3D stacked non-volatile memory device by compensating for variations in a memory hole diameter. The memory hole diameter is smaller at the bottom of the stack, resulting in more severe read disturb. To compensate, programming of memory cells at the lower word line layers is modified. In one approach, threshold voltage (Vth) distributions of one or more data states are narrowed during programming so that a lower read pass voltage can be used in a subsequent sensing operation. A sufficient spacing is maintained between the read pass voltage and the upper tail of the highest data state. The Vth distributions can be downshifted as well. In another approach, the read pass voltage is not lowered, but the lowest programmed state is upshifted to provide spacing from the upper tail of the erased state. |
| US08982622B2 |
3D memory array with read bit line shielding
A memory device includes a block of memory cells having a plurality of levels. Each level includes strips of memory cells extending in a first direction between first and second ends of the block. A first bit line structure, at each level at the first end, is coupled to a first string of memory cells extending from the first end. A second bit line structure, at each level at the second end, is coupled to a second string of memory cells extending from said second end. Bit line pairs extend in the first direction with each including odd and even bit lines. Odd and even bit line connectors connect the odd and even bit lines to the second and first bit line structures, respectively. Each bit line for a series of bit line pairs are separated by a bit line of an adjacent pair of bit lines. |
| US08982616B1 |
Spin-transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) with perpendicular laminated free layer
A perpendicular spin transfer torque magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) element includes a fixed layer having a magnetization that is substantially fixed in one direction and a barrier layer formed on top of the fixed layer and a free layer. The free layer has a number of alternating laminates, each laminate being made of a magnetic layer and an insulating layer. The magnetic layer is switchable and formed on top of the barrier layer. The free layer is capable of switching its magnetization to a parallel or an anti-parallel state relative to the magnetization of the fixed layer during a write operation when bidirectional electric current is applied across the STTMRAM element. Magnetic layers of the laminates are ferromagnetically coupled to switch together as a single domain during the write operation and the magnetization of the fixed and free layers and the magnetic layers of the laminates have perpendicular anisotropy. |
| US08982615B2 |
Decoding architecture and method for phase change non-volatile memory devices
A decoding system for a phase change non-volatile memory device having a memory array may include a column decoder that selects at least one column of the memory array during programming operations. The decoding system includes a selection circuit that includes selection switches on a number of hierarchical decoding levels for defining a conductive path between at least one column and a driving stage. A biasing circuit may supply biasing signals to the selection switches for defining the first conductive path and bringing the selected column to a programming voltage value. The programming selection circuit may have protection elements between columns and the selection switches. The selection switches and the protection elements may include metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors having an upper threshold voltage level lower than the programming voltage. |
| US08982614B2 |
Magnetoresistive effect element and manufacturing method thereof
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive effect element includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a tunnel barrier provided on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer provided on the tunnel barrier. The tunnel barrier includes a nonmagnetic mixture containing MgO and a metal oxide with a composition which forms, in a solid phase, a single phase with MgO. |
| US08982613B2 |
Scalable orthogonal spin transfer magnetic random access memory devices with reduced write error rates
A magnetic device includes a pinned polarizing magnetic layer having a magnetic vector parallel to a plane of the pinned polarizing magnetic layer. The magnetic device also includes a free layer, separated from the polarizing magnetic layer by a first non-magnetic layer, having a magnetization vector with a changeable magnetization direction. The changeable magnetization vector is configured to change to a first state upon application of a first current of a first polarity and to change to a second state upon application of a second current of a second, opposite polarity. The magnetic device also has a reference layer having a magnetic vector perpendicular to the plane of the reference layer and separated from the free layer by a second non-magnetic layer. |
| US08982610B2 |
Low power static random access memory
A bit line driver for a static random access memory (SRAM) cell including: a first voltage supply for supplying a first voltage; a second voltage supply for supplying a second voltage that is less than the first voltage; a write circuit to drive a bit line and an inverse bit line when writing to the SRAM cell; and a pre-charge circuit to pre-charge the bit line and the inverse bit line before reading the content of the SRAM cell. The bit line driver supplies a voltage less than the first voltage by a threshold voltage of one transistor to the bit line or the inverse bit line when the bit line driver drives the bit line or the inverse bit line to a high state. |
| US08982603B2 |
Cross point variable resistance nonvolatile memory device and method of reading thereby
A cross point variable resistance nonvolatile memory device including: a cross point memory cell array having memory cells each of which is placed at a different one of cross points of bit lines and word lines; a word line decoder circuit that selects at least one of the memory cells from the memory cell array; a read circuit that reads data from the selected memory cell; an unselected word line current source that supplies a first constant current; and a control circuit that controls the reading of the data from the selected memory cell, wherein the control circuit controls the word line decoder circuit, the read circuit, and the unselected word line current source so that when the read circuit reads data, the first constant current is supplied to an unselected word line. |
| US08982598B2 |
Stacked memory device with redundant resources to correct defects
A memory device includes a stack of circuit layers, each circuit layer having formed thereon a memory circuit configured to store data and a redundant resources circuit configured to provide redundant circuitry to correct defective circuitry on at least one memory circuit formed on at least one layer in the stack. The redundant resources circuit includes a partial bank of redundant memory cells, wherein an aggregation of the partial bank of redundant memory cells in each of the circuit layers of the stack includes at least one full bank of redundant memory cells and wherein the redundant resources circuit is configured to replace at least one defective bank of memory cells formed on any of the circuit layers in the stack with at least a portion of the partial bank of redundant memory cells formed on any of the circuit layers in the stack. |
| US08982597B2 |
Memory system with sectional data lines
The system includes multiple sets of local data lines in one or more routing metal layers below the three-dimensional memory array and multiple sets of global data lines in one or more top metal layers above the three-dimensional memory array. Each set of one or more blocks include one set of the local data lines. Each bay includes one set of global data lines that connect to the group of sense amplifiers associated with the blocks of the respective bay. Each block includes a subset of first selection circuits for selectively coupling a subset of array lines of the first type to respective local data lines. Each block includes a subset of second selection circuits for selectively coupling a subset of the respective local data lines to global data lines associated with a respective bay. |
| US08982596B1 |
Content addressable memory having column segment redundancy
A CAM device includes a CAM array that can implement column redundancy in which a defective column segment in a selected block can be functionally replaced by a selected column segment of the same block, and/or by a spare column segment of the same block. |
| US08982595B2 |
T-connected autotransformer-based 40-pulse AC-DC converter for power quality improvement
Design of a T-connected autotransformer based 20-pulse ac-dc converter is presented in this invention. The 20-pulse topology is obtained via two paralleled ten-pulse ac-dc converters each of them consisting of a five-phase (five-leg) diode bridge rectifier. For independent operation of paralleled diode-bridge rectifiers, a zero sequence blocking transformer (ZSBT) is designed and implemented. Connection of a tapped inter-phase transformer (IPT) at the output of ZSBT results in doubling the number of output voltage pulses to 40. Experimental results are obtained using the designed and constructed laboratory prototype of the proposed converter to validate the design procedure and the simulation results under varying loads. The VA rating of the magnetic in the proposed topology are calculated to confirm the savings in space, volume, weight, and cost of the proposed configuration. |
| US08982593B2 |
Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) inverter level shift PWM with rotation
Cascade H-Bridge inverters and carrier-based level shift pulse width modulation techniques are presented for generating inverter stage switching control signals, in which carrier waveform levels are selectively shifted to control THD and to mitigate power distribution imbalances within multilevel inverter elements using either complementary carrier or complementary reference modulation techniques. |
| US08982591B2 |
System and method for exchangeable capacitor modules for high power inverters and converters
A method of and system for monitoring condition of a large capacitor connected across an output of a rectifier circuit in an operating electrical power transmission circuit in order to anticipate capacitor failure and facilitate appropriate corrective action is disclosed. The method includes measuring a ripple voltage on the capacitor and ripple current through the capacitor, determining from a representative signal whether the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and sending an output to a controller on a system operator if the signal exceeds the predetermined threshold. The ripple current and ripple voltage measurements may be provided as inputs to a digital to analog converter which produces and sends the representative signal to a microprocessor to generate the output to the controller. |
| US08982588B2 |
Method and an apparatus for controlling the output voltage of a boost converter composed of plural bridge devices
A method and apparatus for controlling the output voltage of a boost converter including a number n of bridge devices connected in series, each bridge device including plural switches and a capacitor. The method and apparatus provide control of the switches according to a selected periodical matrix pattern including a number N of time intervals, N being a positive integer greater than 2, and in that in each time interval, the voltage between the input and the output of each ith bridge device with i from one to n, is equal to one of a null value, a number ki times a positive value, and minus the number ki times the positive value, the positive value being the result of the division of the output voltage of the boost converter including the n bridge devices by the number of time intervals N of the periodical matrix pattern. |
| US08982585B2 |
Systems and methods for primary-side regulation in off-line switching-mode flyback power conversion system
Switching-mode power conversion system and method thereof. The system includes a primary winding configured to receive an input voltage, and a secondary winding coupled to the primary winding and configured to, with one or more first components, generate, at an output terminal, an output voltage and an output current. Additionally, the system includes an auxiliary winding coupled to the secondary winding and configured to, with one or more second components, generate, at a first terminal, a detected voltage. Moreover, the system includes an error amplifier configured to receive the detected voltage and a first reference voltage and generate an amplified voltage based on at least information associated with a difference between the detected voltage and the first reference voltage. Also, the system includes a compensation component configured to receive the amplified voltage and generate a second reference voltage based on at least information associated with the amplified voltage. |
| US08982582B2 |
Electronic device with antenna cable bracket
An electronic device contains circuitry such as radio-frequency transceiver circuitry and antenna structures that are coupled using transmission line paths such as coaxial cable paths. A coaxial cable is mounted within an electronic device housing cable mounting structures. The coaxial cable has a meandering portion that forms a service loop. The cable mounting structures includes grooves that receive the meandering portion of the cable. The grooves may be formed within a molded plastic body. Patterned metal may be formed on the surface of the molded plastic body using laser-based processing techniques. The cable in the meandering portion may have a segment in which an outer cable conductor is exposed. The patterned metal on the molded plastic body may short the exposed outer conductor to the electronic device housing or other ground structure. |
| US08982578B2 |
Connector system and assembly having integrated protection circuitry
A system configured to protect a load within a vehicle includes a plug subassembly and a sensor connector subassembly. The sensor connector subassembly is selectively connectable to the plug subassembly. A circuit board is secured within the sensor connector subassembly. The circuit board includes at least one positive temperature coefficient (PTC) device electrically connected between an activation switch and a load. The circuit board includes at least one circuit to protect against over-voltage or over-current to the load, detect a fault condition of the load, and determine whether the plug subassembly is connected to the sensor connector subassembly. |
| US08982572B2 |
Control device for executing open mode of motion module of electric apparatus
The invention relates to a control device for executing an open mode of a motion module of an electric apparatus. The electric apparatus includes a motion module and a machine body module. The control device disposed on a path of the relative movement includes a combination of a carrier and an elastomer, in which the carrier has a blocking portion. The elastomer normally keeps the carrier at a first position, and the elastomer allows the carrier to motion toward a second position when the carrier is pressed. The control device allows the motion module to rotate (in an open mode) when the motion module crosses the blocking portion of the carrier. Accordingly, the invention promotes visual artistic effects by eliminating the essential exposure of the rotary shaft in the rotation-open mode of conventional skills. |
| US08982568B2 |
Battery cover latching structure and electronic device employing same
A battery cover latching structure is used to latch a battery cover to a housing of an electronic device. The battery cover includes a latching portion. The housing defines a receiving portion and a latching slot communicating to the receiving portion. The battery cover latching structure includes an urging member and a spring member elastically connected between the urging member and the housing. The urging member is rotatably connected to the housing. The urging member includes an urging portion extending into the latching slot. To close the battery cover, the latching portion is positioned on the receiving portion of the housing, and then the battery cover is pushed to allow the latching portion slide into the latching slot to engage with the urging portion to latch the batter cover to the housing. |
| US08982567B2 |
Device including circuit board with different form factor terminal sets and assemblies including the same
Example embodiments are directed to circuit boards, connectors, cases, circuit board assemblies, case assemblies, devices and methods of manufacturing the same, which are common to at least two different form factors. According to example embodiments, a solid state device (SSD) may include a circuit board, a connector, and a case. The circuit board may include a unibody board common to at least a first and a second form factor, first circuit board connection terminals of the first form factor on a front side of the board, and second circuit board connection terminals of the second form factor on a back side of the board. The connector may include connector connection terminals, where only one of the first circuit board connection terminals and the second circuit board connection terminals are connected to the connector connection terminals. |
| US08982563B2 |
Chip package to support high-frequency processors
A chip package includes a processor, an interposer chip and a voltage regulator module (VRM). The interposer chip is electrically coupled to the processor by first electrical connectors proximate to a surface of the interposer chip. Moreover, the interposer chip includes second electrical connectors proximate to another surface of the interposer chip, which are electrically coupled to the first electrical connectors by through-substrate vias (TSVs) in the interposer chip. Note that the second electrical connectors can electrically couple the interposer chip to a circuit board. Furthermore, the VRM is electrically coupled to the processor by the interposer chip, and is proximate to the processor in the chip package, thereby reducing voltage droop. For example, the VRM may be electrically coupled to the surface of the interposer chip, and may be adjacent to the processor. Alternatively, the VRM may be electrically coupled to the other surface of the interposer chip. |
| US08982559B2 |
Heat sink, cooling module and coolable electronic board
A heatsink is provided with a base body opposed to a heat generating body and absorbing heat from the heat generating body. Thermal resistance of that opposed portion of the base body which is opposed to the heat generating body is higher than thermal resistance of a surrounding portion surrounding the opposed portion. |
| US08982553B2 |
Mobile terminal and method for fabricating case thereof
In a mobile terminal having a case defining an appearance of the terminal, and a fabrication method for the case, the mobile terminal includes a plurality of pieces formed of zirconia or ceramic and each having a preset shape, and a frame recessed into one surface of the case to receive the plurality of pieces, the frame covering edges of the plurality of pieces, wherein the plurality of pieces are aligned in a repetitive manner to define one surface of the case. |
| US08982552B2 |
System for providing physically separated compute and I/O resources in the datacenter to enable space and power savings
An embodiment of a system and method disaggregate I/O resources from a server's compute resources, such as CPU and memory, by moving the server's local I/O devices to a remote location apart from the server's compute resources. An embodiment uses optical technology to accomplish the fast communication speeds needed between the compute resources and the remotely located I/O resources. Specifically, an embodiment uses fiber-optic cables and electrical-to-optical conversion to facilitate communication between the compute resources and the I/O resources. The compute resources and the remotely located I/O resources can be designed differently to allow conductive liquid cooling for the compute resources and air cooling for the I/O resources. |
| US08982544B2 |
Housing and electronic device
A housing includes a base housing and a reinforcing frame fixed with the base housing. The base housing includes a base plate, a peripheral sidewall extending outward from a peripheral edge of the base plate, and an inclined supporting peripheral wall extending inward from a distal end of the peripheral side wall toward a central portion of the base plate. The reinforcing frame is securely mounted on the inclined supporting peripheral wall of the base housing. The reinforcing frame includes a mounting portion having an inclined bottom surface resisting against and fixing with the corresponding inclined supporting peripheral wall of the base housing. An electronic device using the housing is also provided. |
| US08982543B2 |
Slider for keyboard
A slider for keyboard is disclosed, which comprises a keyboard, a slider, and a supporting frame. The slider is slidably disposed on the lateral side of the keyboard. The supporting frame is pivotally connected to the slider. The keyboard includes a top shell and a bottom shell, the top shell formed with a first sliding rail and the bottom shell formed with a second sliding rail. The slider is slightly bent defining a first block and a second block, a first track is formed on the first block, and a second track is formed on the second block. The first sliding rail is slidably received by the first track, and the second sliding rail is slidably received by the second track. |
| US08982532B2 |
Filtered feedthrough assembly and associated method
A system and method for sealing a capacitor bottom in a filtered feedthrough. The feedthrough comprises a ferrule, a capacitor, at least one terminal pin and a support structure. The support structure includes at least one projection that extends into an aperture of the capacitor. The projection includes an opening through which the at least one terminal pin extends such that, in an assembled state, the terminal pin extends through the opening of the projection and the aperture of the capacitor. |
| US08982531B2 |
Additional force augmented electroadhesion
An electrostatic device or system includes electrode(s) adapted to produce an electrostatic attraction force and a base surface adapted to facilitate the application of the electrostatic attraction force and also a physical attraction force separate therefrom. The electrostatic and physical attraction forces can maintain a position of the electrostatic device relative to a foreign object via electroadhesion and/or via an additional manner that is separate from the electroadhesion. The physical attraction force can be a vacuum, van der Waals, and/or adhesive force, can be applied at less than all locations across the base surface, and may involve a one-time permanent attachment. The base surface can include a deformable surface portion that moves closer to the foreign object when the electrostatic or physical attraction force is applied. The physical attraction force can be sufficient to adhere the device to the object when the electrostatic attraction force is removed. |
| US08982530B2 |
Methods and apparatus toward preventing ESC bonding adhesive erosion
Embodiments of the present invention provide chamber components having a protective element for shielding bonding material from processing environments in a processing environment. The protective element may include protective seals, protective structures, erosion resistive fillers, or combinations thereof. Embodiments of the present invention reduce erosion of bonding material used in a processing chamber, thus, improving processing quality and reducing maintenance costs. |
| US08982523B2 |
Bias voltage circuit for biasing a transient suppression device and apparatus using same
Embodiments provide a charge pump circuit which produces a bias voltage that is applied to a transient suppression device used to clamp both positive and negative transients on signal lines. The bias voltage can be set to a level that is above the sum of a DC voltage differential between positive and negative signal lines and the maximum signal voltage. |
| US08982522B2 |
Self-adaptive surge-proof circuit
A self-adaptive surge-proof circuit is used in a switching power supply device. The switching power supply device includes an AC input, a filter-rectifier circuit connected to the AC input, and a power converter circuit connected to the filter-rectifier circuit. The self-adaptive surge-proof circuit includes a surge suppression unit connected between the filter-rectifier circuit and the power converter circuit, a switching unit connected in parallel with the surge suppression unit for adjusting an input impedance of the switching power supply device, a sampling unit connected to the filter-rectifier circuit for collecting a surge signal from the filter-rectifier circuit, and a drive-controlling circuit connected to the sampling unit for generating a driving signal for controlling on and off of the switching unit according to the surge signal. |
| US08982521B2 |
Overvoltage protection method for backlight driver
An overvoltage protection method for backlight driver includes: providing an LCD device having 2D and 3D modes, comprising a backlight driver comprising a constant current supplying chip and a dimming control coupled to the constant current supplying chip, the constant current supply chip applying a first overvoltage protection level and a second overvoltage protection level as a overvoltage protection level; detecting a signal of the dimming control by using the constant current flow supplying chip, and applying the first overvoltage protection level as the overvoltage protection level based on the signal of the dimming control when the LCD device is in the 2D mode; and detecting the signal of the dimming control by using the constant current flow supplying chip, and applying the second overvoltage protection level as the overvoltage protection level based on the signal of the dimming control when the LCD device is in the 3D mode. |
| US08982518B2 |
Methods and apparatus to provide transient event protection for circuits
Methods and apparatus to provide transient event protection for circuits are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first clamp circuit. The first power circuit provides a first reference voltage. The first clamp circuit directs energy from a signal node to the first power circuit in response to a transient resulting in a voltage at the signal node being lower than a second reference voltage. The apparatus also includes a second clamp circuit. The second clamp circuit includes a transistor. A collector terminal of the transistor is prevented from having a lower voltage than the second reference voltage. A second power circuit provides the second reference voltage, which is lower than the first reference voltage. The second clamp circuit directs energy from the signal node to the second power circuit in response to a transient resulting in the voltage at the signal node being higher than the first reference voltage. |
| US08982514B2 |
Magnetic oscillator
According to one embodiment, a magnetic oscillator includes a layered film and a pair of electrodes. The layered film includes a first ferromagnetic layer, an insulating layer stacked on the first ferromagnetic layer, and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked on the insulating layer. The pair of electrodes is configured to apply a current to the layered film in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of the layered film. Regions having different resistance area products are provided between the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer. |
| US08982513B1 |
Disk drive head suspension with dual piezoelectric elements adhered to rotary-actuated and non-actuated portions of a structural layer of a tongue of a laminated flexure
A disk drive head gimbal assembly includes a laminated flexure with a tongue having an actuated portion that rotates about an axis of rotation by expansion of a first adhered piezoelectric element relative to a second adhered piezoelectric element. A non-actuated portion of the tongue adjoins and forms a bridge between two outrigger beams, with a dimple contact location that is in contact with a dimple of the load beam and through which the axis of rotation passes. A read head is adhered, closer to its leading end than to its trailing end, to the actuated portion of the tongue. Each of the first and second piezoelectric elements has an anchored end that is adhered to the bridge, closer to the trailing end of the read head, and an opposing actuated end adhered to the actuated portion of the tongue, closer to the leading end of the read head. |
| US08982512B1 |
Low impedance, high bandwidth disk drive suspension circuit
A low impedance, low crosstalk disk drive suspension circuit has multiple traces carrying a first polarity of a differential signal, interleaved with multiple traces carrying the second polarity of a differential signal. Each pair of conductors consisting of a trace of the first polarity and a trace of the second polarity may cross over each other at multiple crossover points. The crossover connections may utilize a second layer of copper trace conductors over the first and main layer, or alternatively the crossover connections may utilize an isolated portion of the suspension substrate. |
| US08982502B2 |
Hard disk drive with write assist based on detected conditions
In one embodiment, a hard disk drive includes a magnetic disk medium, a magnetic head adapted for writing data to the magnetic disk medium, a mechanism (such as a detection circuit) adapted for detecting at least one recording condition of drive current provided to the magnetic head during writing operations, and an energy conversion element for controlling at least one recording characteristic of the magnetic head in response to the at least one detected recording condition. According to another embodiment, a method includes writing data to a magnetic medium using a magnetic head, detecting at least one recording condition of drive current provided to the magnetic head during the writing, and controlling at least one recording characteristic of the magnetic head during the writing using an energy conversion element in response to the at least one detected recording condition. |
| US08982494B2 |
Head gimbal assembly and data recording and reproducing apparatus having the same
A head gimbal assembly has a suspension configured to extend along a surface of a recording medium and to bend and deform in a thickness direction of the recording medium. A slider is provided on a front end side of the suspension so as to confront the surface of the recording medium. A support section supports the slider such that the slider can pivot about two axes parallel to the surface of the recording medium and perpendicular to each other. An optical waveguide is connected to the slider and is configured to introduce a light flux into the slider. A near-field light generating element generates near-field light from the optical flux and causes the near-field light to record information on the recording medium. A positioning section is mounted between the support section and the slider for positioning the optical waveguide relative to the slider. |
| US08982492B2 |
Adjusting tension in a tape media to counter tape dimensional stability (TDS) errors in a tape media
Provided are a method, system, and program for adjusting tension in a tape media to counter tape dimensional stability (TDS) errors in a tape media. A determination is made of whether to adjust tension of the tape media based on a detected error rate of reading at least one of the tracks. The tension of the tape media is adjusted in response to determining to adjust the tension. |
| US08982491B1 |
Disk drive with different synchronization fields and synchronization marks in the data sector preambles in adjacent data tracks
A hard disk drive has disks with data sector preambles that allow for inter-track interference. The same data sector preamble is used for all data sectors in a track but the preamble in each track is different from the preamble in radially adjacent tracks. In a first embodiment each preamble includes a synchronization field (SF) and synchronization mark (SM) that are the same in each track but different from the SF and SM in radially adjacent tracks. Only two unique SFs and two unique SMs are required, with the two SFs and two SMs alternating in radially adjacent tracks. In a second embodiment the preambles are “integrated”, meaning that the preamble is a sequence of bits that does not include separate dedicated fields, like SF and SM. The preamble bit sequences are decoded using matched filters to provide bit synchronization and start-of-data information. |
| US08982486B2 |
Image pickup lens unit manufacturing method and image pickup lens unit
An image pickup lens unit, in which a holder body and a cover can be easily connected together, without additional components and a resin flow path for the connection. A lens 10 is positioned in a first holder member 20 which remains in a mold. A second holder member 30 for preventing the lens 10 from falling off is molded such that it is welded to the first holder member having the lens 10 positioned therein. This facilitates molding of the second holder member 30 and joining of the second holder member 30 to the first holder member 20 at the same time. Since there is no need to provide a resin flow path for joining the first holder member 20 and the second holder member 30 together, the image pickup lens unit can be made small in size. |
| US08982476B2 |
Zoom lens and image pickup apparatus having the same
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a negative refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, a focus lens unit having a negative refractive power, configured to move in focusing, and a final lens unit having a positive refractive power, disposed closest to the image side. The focus lens unit and the final lens unit are disposed so as to be adjacent to each other, each lens unit moves so that a distance between adjacent lens units changes in zooming, and a focal length of the final lens unit fimg, a focal length of the focus lens unit ff, and a focal length of an entire system at a wide-angle end fw are appropriately set. |
| US08982469B2 |
Lens master devices, lens structures, imaging devices, and methods and apparatuses of making the same
A method and apparatus providing a lens master device and use of the same to form a lens template and/or a lens structure. The method includes obtaining a plurality of individual lens masters, each of which has a shaped portion defining at least a portion of a lens structure to be formed. The lens masters are affixed onto a supporting structure to form a lens master device. |
| US08982467B2 |
High aspect ratio daylight collectors
Lighting devices and methods for providing daylight to the interior of a structure are disclosed. Some embodiments disclosed herein provide a daylighting device including a tube having a sidewall with a reflective interior surface, a light collecting structure, and a light reflector positioned to reflect daylight into the light collector. In some embodiments, the light collector is associated with one or more light-turning and/or light reflecting structures configured to increase the amount of light captured by the daylighting device. Optical elements may allow for the absorption and/or selective transmission of infrared light away from an interior of the daylighting device. |
| US08982460B2 |
Autostereoscopic display apparatus
A display device is configured so that color pixels of a plurality of colors are formed in a longitudinal stripe shape. A lenticular lens is arranged on the display device, in which a periodical direction thereof is inclined with respect to the horizontal direction of the display device. A display position adjustment unit shifts a projected image data in predetermined pixel shift amounts of the respective horizontal and vertical directions including the pixel shift amount of 0, in a unit of one pixel defined by each of the color pixels of the plurality of colors in the horizontal direction of the display device and in a unit of each of the color pixels in the vertical direction thereof. A driving unit drives the display device to display the projected image data thereon. |
| US08982456B2 |
Inverted microscope
The invention relates to an inverted microscope, including a microscope stand having a stand housing. The stand housing has a rear wall, a front wall, and side walls, and an objective turret, a focusing drive, and a rotatable retaining device, which is designed as a reflector turret and which has a plurality of locations for receiving exchangeable optical components.The retaining device protrudes from a side wall of the stand housing so that the optical components can be quickly changed without having to remove the retaining device from the stand housing. |
| US08982446B2 |
Reflective color display
A reflective color display is disclosed. A substrate supports a first conductor layer and pixel wells. A piezoelectric segment is formed in each pixel well over the first conductor layer. A second conductor layer overlies the piezoelectric segments, wherein an electric field created across any piezoelectric segment causes the piezoelectric segment to expand or contract under control of the electric field. A Bragg reflector segment overlies each piezoelectric segment and is compressible by expansion of the underlying piezoelectric segment. A white light LED layer overlies the Bragg reflector segments. By varying the electric field across each piezoelectric segment, the overlying Bragg reflector segment is controlled to reflect a selected wavelength for each pixel of the display. The walls of the pixel wells provide acoustic isolation between adjacent pixel wells. An acoustic membrane isolates the Bragg reflector segment from high frequency vibrations of the piezoelectric segment. |
| US08982445B2 |
Micro-fluidic variable optical device array and method of manufacturing the same
A variable optical device array includes: a transparent substrate; an addressing layer including an electrode wire arranged on the transparent substrate; a barrier wall portion disposed on the addressing layer to define cell regions and including conductive barrier walls that are electrically connected to the electrode wire, wherein pairs of the conductive barrier walls are arranged to form double walls; an insulation material filling a region between each pair of conductive barrier walls; a conductive first fluid and a nonconductive second fluid disposed in each of the cell regions, wherein the first and second fluids are not mixed; an insulation coating layer disposed on a top surface of each of the conductive barrier walls and on side surfaces of each of the cell regions; a transparent electrode layer covering the cell regions; and a voltage applying unit to apply a voltage between the transparent electrode layer and the addressing layer. |
| US08982444B2 |
Electrowetting display device and manufacturing method thereof
The present inventive concept relates to an electrowetting display device including a lyophobic colloid material and a polymer resin such as an organic layer or a polyimide (PI), and a lyophobic layer including a supporting layer supporting the lyophobic colloid material and using a photoreactive fluorine-based surfactant for a fluorine-based material to be positioned above and for a hardened photoreactive material layer to be positioned below through exposure in a single step without separately performing a hydrophilic treatment and then a water-repellent treatment, thereby reducing the number of processes, the manufacturing time, and the cost. |
| US08982443B2 |
Organic compound and electrochromic device including the same
Provided is a novel electrochromic compound that is excellent in oxidation-reduction repetition and highly transparent when bleached and does not show optical absorption in the visible light region.The compound is an organic compound represented by General Formula [1] shown in Claim 1. In the General Formula [1], A and A′ are each independently selected from hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, alkoxy groups, and aryl groups, wherein at least one of A and A′ is selected from the alkyl groups, the alkoxy groups, and the aryl groups.R1 and R2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group, an amino group, or a silyl group; and n represents 1 or 2. |
| US08982437B2 |
Hologram recording film and method of manufacturing same, and image display apparatus
A hologram recording film manufacturing method includes the steps of obtaining a laminated structure by alternately laminating M (where M≧2) photosensitive material precursor layers including a photosensitive material and at least one (M−1) resin layer on one another, obtaining M photosensitive material layers, where at least two interference fringes with a desired pitch and a desired slant angle are formed on each of the M photosensitive material layers, from the M photosensitive material precursor layers by irradiating the laminated structure with a reference laser light beam and an object laser light beam, and making the slant angles of the M photosensitive material layers different from each other while retaining the pitch value, which is defined on a face of the photosensitive material layer, by irradiating the laminated structure with an energy ray from the laminated structure's one face side, and heating the laminated structure. |
| US08982436B2 |
Image reading apparatus, image reading method and a program for measuring black and white reference data
A carriage motor which is a heat generating device is arranged next to a CIS in a scanner unit. The carriage motor drives respective transport rollers of an ADF unit via a gear system as well. The scanner unit makes a white reference board be read so as to obtain white reference data, and obtains black reference data more frequently than the white reference data, e.g., in a continuous process for reading a document. As a CIS module continues a reading process, the black reference data changes as being affected by a change in temperature in the CIS module, etc. The scanner unit deals with such a change in the black reference data by obtaining the black reference data more frequently. |
| US08982435B2 |
Non-transitory computer readable storage medium stored with program for image forming system, image forming apparatus, and controller
A storage medium which stores a program to cause an image forming system to execute a process includes, (a1) forming a product image, which is subjected to color correction by a product LUT being applied thereto, and a verification image, which is subjected to color correction by a verification LUT being applied thereto on same paper, (b1) subjecting said verification image that is formed in (a1) to color measurement, (c1) determining whether verification LUT is applicable to color correction of the product image based on a difference between said color measurement values of the verification image that is measured in (b1) and target values, and (d1) forming the product image and the verification image, which are respectively subjected to color correction by applying the verification LUT that is determined to be applicable, and applying another verification LUT to color correction of said verification image, on same paper. |
| US08982425B1 |
Selecting information embedding method affecting correct interpretation based on effect of embedded information on content data
An information processing apparatus includes a selecting unit and a processing unit. The selecting unit selects an embedding method from multiple embedding methods for embedding information in content data, on the basis of a first effect affecting correct interpretation of the information embedded in the content data. The processing unit causes the content data in which the information is embedded by using the embedding method selected by the selecting unit, to be processed. |
| US08982422B2 |
Method and apparatus for forming images, and method for producing printed products
An image forming apparatus for forming an image in accordance with light to be emitted from a light source includes: a digital half-toning unit configured to convert a uniform-pixel-value region of image data to a parallel-line pattern formed with a plurality of parallel lines extending obliquely with respect to a direction, in which pixels are arrayed, thereby expressing each gray level of the image data as an area percentage; a modulated-signal generating unit configured to generate a modulated signal by modulating the converted image data with a clock signal; a light-source driving unit configured to drive the light source according to the modulated signal; and an edge control unit configured to narrow a to-be-illuminated region, which is to be illuminated by the light from the light source, in each of edge neighborhoods of the lines constituting the parallel-line pattern, while increasing intensity of the light. |
| US08982421B2 |
Method and device for generating threshold matrix for determining state of formation of dots composing output image, quantizer comprising threshold matrix for generating output image data, and image forming device and storage device comprising threshold matrix
A threshold matrix generating method includes: generating q(x, y, g) in which the number of dots in an initial dot pattern is varied; calculating an error matrix (ERR(x, y, g)) of q(x, y, g); calculating AVE(a, b) representing the uniformity of the number of dots in discrete blocks into which the dot pattern has been divided; determining two pixels, of which the dot positions are to be swapped, on the basis of ERR (x, y, g) and AVE(a, b); swapping the dot positions; calculating the evaluation value (MSE(n)) of q(x, y, g) after the positional swapping; and repeating the positional switch of the dots repeating the generation of q(x, y, g) and the positional swapping of the dots with q(x, y, g) functioning as the initial dot pattern until a q(x, y, g) satisfying MSN(n) |
| US08982416B2 |
Providing a mapping data structure for use in generating a proof
To generate a proof of a printable item, a data structure is provided that maps a set of spot colors into a respective set of color values based on measurement data provided by a measurement device of colors printed by a printing system from the spot colors. |
| US08982414B2 |
Method and apparatus for automatically updating a prose attribute entry based upon print job parameters of a print job order
A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for updating a prose attribute entry based upon one or more print job parameters of a print job order are disclosed. For example, the method detects a mismatch between the one or more print job parameters of the print job order and a prose attribute field of a print job request, presents an option to update the prose attribute entry in the prose attribute field corresponding to the one or more print job parameters of the print job order that are mismatched, receives a confirmation to update the prose attribute entry in the prose attribute field and updates the prose attribute entry to include the one or more print job parameters that were mismatched. |
| US08982413B2 |
Methods, systems and processor-readable media for dynamically detecting and switching profiling configurations
Methods and systems for dynamically detecting and switching profiling configuration in digital rendering. A set of color patches utilized for profiling can be rendered via a calibration engine and the color patches can be measured via inline/offline spectrophotometer. A high-accuracy MFD model can be built based on measurement from the color patches. A set of measurement values for a set of CMYK color probes can be obtained directly from the measurement and/or by processing through a MFD model. A classifier can be configured to determine a toner set based on the predicted and/or measured Lab values. The profiling procedure then automatically sets up a parameter set for the corresponding toner set to build a color look-up table via an inversion and optimization function. A destination ICC profile can be built based on the color LUTs. The system can handle multiple toner sets and produce optimized color outcome for each toner set. |
| US08982410B2 |
Printing control method, printing control apparatus, and computer-readable recording medium for setting a binding margin according to a binding direction
A printing control method for printing an image onto a recording medium including inputting data to be used for printing a page, setting a position and a size of a margin for a plurality of pages represented by the input data, according to an instruction from a user, and causing a print device to print an image including the plurality of pages and in which the binding margin with the set width is arranged at the set position, onto the recording medium in a direction determined according to the width of the margin. |
| US08982405B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method, and image forming apparatus for processing image data having a larger size
An image processing device includes: a drawing command transfer unit that transfers a drawing command for generating image data in a third region of a second storage unit to a first region of a first storage unit; a drawing unit that generates band image data in units of a band having a lower height compared with one page and a predetermined width, in accordance with the drawing command in the first region; a band image data transfer unit that transfers the band image data to a second region of the first storage; and an image transfer unit that transfers the band image data in the second region to a fourth region of the second storage unit. The drawing unit determines the first region according to a size of the drawing command, and determines the second region by subtracting the first region from a region of the first storage unit. |
| US08982395B2 |
Information processing apparatus which issues a predetermined output instruction when a dragged file is dropped on an object
An information processing apparatus, which issues a print instruction when a dragged file is dropped on a print object, the apparatus comprises: a layout unit configured to lay out the print object at a first position; and a display control unit configured to display, when the file is dragged, the print object at a second position which is closer to the dragged file than the first position by moving the print object from the first position. |
| US08982391B2 |
Method and system for print driver based information exchange
In a system where a print device is connected to a computing device but not to an external web service that relates to the print device, the computing device implements a print driver session that retrieves print device operational data, identifies the web service, and generates a barcode that encodes the device operational data as a data string with a web address for a web service. A user may use a mobile electronic device to receive an image of the generated barcode, decode the barcode to detect the web address and the device operational data, and send a web service request comprising the device operational data to a web service associated with the web address. When the mobile electronic device receives a response that is responsive to the web service request, it may present the response to a user via a display of the mobile electronic device. |
| US08982387B2 |
Information processing apparatus, control method thereof and computer-readable medium
An information processing apparatus that is connectable via a network to a print server and a printer having at least one print function of local printing and printing mediated by the print server, comprises: a search unit configured to search for a printer connected to the network; a determination unit configured to determine whether a printer detected by the search unit has both the print functions of local printing and print server-mediated printing; and a display unit configured to display, for each print function, a printer determined by the determination unit to have both the print functions. |
| US08982386B2 |
Device, charging method, and system
A device includes a display unit, a display control unit configured to display a screen on the display unit according to display data, an execution unit configured to cause the device to perform a process corresponding to a script included in the display data, and a storing unit configured to store information indicating whether the script is charged for. The execution unit is configured to determine whether the script is charged for by referring to the information stored in the storing unit, and update charging information for the process performed by the device if the script is charged for. |
| US08982384B2 |
Methods and systems for brokering printing device capacity
Methods and systems of brokering printing device capacity are disclosed. A broker computing system including one or more broker computing devices receives a print request including one or more print parameters from a print requester computing device and availability information from one or more print supplier printing devices. The broker computing device selects one of the one or more print supplier printing devices based on the one or more print parameters and the availability information for the selected print supplier printing device. The print request may be transmitted to the selected print supplier printing device. Alternately, a link for the selected print supplier printing device may be transmitted to the print requester computing device. The link enables the print requester computing device to directly contact the print supplier printing device. |
| US08982381B2 |
System, device, method, and computer-readable storage medium for registering information processing device identification data with an image processing device
Provided is an image processing system which reduces the load of destination registration on the user. To accomplish this, in an image processing system including a PC (102) and device (101) connected to a network, the PC (102) has a transfer unit (120) which transfers identification data of the PC (102) to the device (101), and the device (101) has a scanner unit (130) which scans an image and outputs the image data, a memory (140) which stores a destination of the output image data from the scanner unit (130), a transfer unit (150) which transfers the image data to the destination stored in the memory (140), and a registration unit (170) which receives the identification data transferred by the transfer unit (120), and registers the received identification data as a destination of image data in the memory (140). |
| US08982379B2 |
Image processing apparatus having controller for controlling power supply after interruption
An image processing apparatus includes an input/output unit which performs an input operation and/or an output operation, a supply unit which supplies power from a primary power source to the input/output unit, a storage unit which stores therein a state of power supply to the input/output unit before the power supply from the primary power source is interrupted, and a controller which, when the power supply is started from a state where the power supply from the primary power source is interrupted, determines whether to supply power to the input/output unit based on the state of power supply stored in the storage unit, and when determined to supply power to the input/output unit, controls the supply unit to supply or not to supply power to the input/output unit based on the determination. |
| US08982378B2 |
Methods and systems for analyzing the impact of machine failure data on a print shop
A method of analyzing failures of a print device may include receiving failure information associated with a print device in a print shop. The failure information may pertain to a plurality of failures experienced by the print device over a period of time. The method may include generating, by a computing device, failure distribution information by, for each pair of consecutive failures in the failure information, determining a time to failure between the pair of consecutive failures, determining a repair time associated with each failure in the pair of consecutive failures, and setting the determined times to failure and the determined repair times as the failure distribution information. The method may include performing, by the computing device, a simulation of processing of one or more print jobs by the print device using the failure distribution information, and displaying one or more results of the simulation to a user. |
| US08982376B2 |
Appending a print password and a reprint password to a print job
Print data is always stored securely in printing to prevent printing of the print data by another person in reprinting without being aware by the user of whether to storage it securely. To accomplish this, print data received from a data processing apparatus is stored, and print processing is executed. When reprinting of the stored print data is instructed after printing, input of authentication information for reprinting is requested. When authentication information input in accordance with the request and authentication information of the stored print data coincide with each other, print processing based on the stored print data is executed. |
| US08982375B2 |
Image forming apparatus and image reading apparatus having interface selection for power saving
An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a power supply controller controls the image forming apparatus to operate in a normal mode and a power saving mode, in which supply of power to the image forming unit is cut off; and a plurality of interfaces that receives a transition command for transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode. The power supply controller performs an interface-power supply process of supplying power to at least one interface; a first change process of changing power supply destinations in the interface-power supply process so as to reduce an amount of power supply in the interface-power supply process; and a second change process of changing the power supply destinations in the interface-power supply process after the first change process so as to further reduce the amount of power supply. |
| US08982374B2 |
Image forming system and image forming method for collectively supporting output data formats and authentication methods
A multifunction peripheral (MFP) transmits read data (user identification information) obtained by a reader to a user-manager server device via a network. The user-manager server device specifies a data format of the read data, converts the data format into another data format to specify a user ID corresponding to the read data, performs a user authentication using the user ID, and transmits authorization information corresponding to a logged-in user. Further, the MFP receives the identification information corresponding to the logged-in user by a user authentication method specified by authentication setting data, and transmits the identification information to the user-manager server device. The authentication setting data is updated by the master authentication data stored in the user-manager server device. The user-manager server device performs the user authentication using the identification information, and transmits the authorization information corresponding to the logged-in user. |
| US08982373B2 |
Information processing device, method, and storage medium
A computer-implemented method is provided that includes creating a virtual device object when an application accepts an instruction for creating the virtual device object by using a driver corresponding to an image processing device by a user; displaying the created virtual device object; extracting the driver selected in the instruction registering so as to register the driver with the virtual device object; and outputting a file by using the driver which the registering has registered with the virtual device object when the user selects the virtual device object by using the file. |
| US08982371B2 |
Image forming apparatus, control method of image forming apparatus, and storage medium
An image forming apparatus that executes a job includes a receiving unit configured to receive a cancel instruction for the job after the job processing is started and before the job is completed; and a control unit configured to perform control, by determining a cause of the cancel instruction received for the job, to switch between a processing in which the job is saved in a saving unit as a job to be re-processed and a processing in which the job is not treated as a job to be re-processed. |
| US08982369B2 |
Methods, systems and processor-readable media for automatically detecting device movement in a managed service environment
Methods, systems and processor-readable media for automatically detecting movement of a device in a managed service environment. A device management software module can be configured to monitor a number of devices and retrieve traps from the device. A new Internet Protocol (IP) address with respect to the device on a subnet can be automatically updated by the device management software module if the device has changed location to ensure continual monitoring of the device. A notification indicative of the new IP address with respect to the device that has changed location can be sent to an administrator if the device management software module is not permitted to contact the new IP address. A notification indicative of a new device can also be sent to the administrator to determine if the device should be managed and monitored. |
| US08982368B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of operation modes. An image reading section reads image information from an original document. An image recording section records the image information on a recording medium. An electric power supply supplies electric power to the image reading section and the image recording section. A controller controls the electric power supply. When the image forming apparatus is operating in a first operation mode where the image recording section is involved, if the controller receives a new operation command that involves the image recording section, the controller drives the image recording section to operate in a second operation mode where the image forming apparatus operates at a lower speed than in the first operation mode. |
| US08982367B2 |
Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer readable medium
An information processing apparatus includes a receiving unit, a rasterization processing unit, a saving unit, a detector, a conversion unit, a storage unit, and a removing unit. The receiving unit receives print information described in a page description language. The rasterization processing unit performs a rasterization process of converting the print information into bitmap data. The saving unit saves the bitmap data as cache data for each of objects included in the print information. The detector detects, among the objects included in the print information, an object which is called only once to obtain a detection result. The conversion unit converts, in accordance with the detection result, the object which is called only once for the print information into page data. The storage unit stores the page data. The removing unit removes a command to call, from the saving unit, the object called only once for the print information. |
| US08982366B2 |
Automated variable information regression testing
A method automatically performs regression testing of output of an altered variable information print job (program). In one embodiment, the method begins by supplying test data to a variable information (VI) print job to produce first sample data. Next, the method applies a numeric generation application to the sample data to produce numerical representations. Then, the VI print job is altered and the same test data is supplied to the altered VI print job to produce second sample data. Again, the numeric generation application is applied to the second sample data to produce more of the numerical representations. The numerical representations are then compared to identify altered data records caused by the altering of the VI print job. |
| US08982365B2 |
Image forming apparatus and method of image forming
An image forming apparatus includes an input unit to receive printing data, a controller to determine a duplex printing mode to be applied to the printing data from among a plurality of duplex printing modes and an engine waiting time according to a feature of the input printing data and performance of the image forming apparatus, an image processor to perform image-processing of the input printing data, and an image former to print the image-processed printing data based on the determined duplex printing mode and the determined engine waiting time. |
| US08982364B2 |
Apparatus, system, and method for calibration of a media processing device
A method, apparatus, and system for calibration of a media processing device are provided. The method may include providing a calibration sub-routine where the calibration sub-routine includes a plurality of calibration operations to be performed in sequence. The method may further include associating an audible note with each calibration operation and generating the audible note for each calibration operation as each respective calibration operation is performed, where the audible note is generated by a frequency of operation of a motor. The audible note associated with one calibration operation may be different from the audible note associated with another calibration operation. |
| US08982363B2 |
Method and apparatus to determine depth information for a scene of interest
Depth information about a scene of interest is acquired by illuminating the scene, capturing reflected light energy from the scene with one or more photodetectors, and processing resulting signals, in at least one embodiment, a pseudo-randomly generated series of spatial light modulation patterns is used to modulate the light pulses either before or after reflection. |
| US08982357B2 |
Imaging device and imaging method
The present invention relates to a structure in which a sensor includes a first area and a second area upon which dispersed first and second lights are focused. The first and second areas are disposed in a dispersion direction or a direction perpendicular to the dispersion direction. A distance between the first and second areas is adjusted by using a distance between a plurality of fiber ends from which a plurality of combined lights exit and an optical magnification at a detecting section. |
| US08982352B1 |
Regular, stable optical frequency scale for cavity enhanced optical spectroscopy
For cavity enhanced optical spectroscopy, the cavity modes are used as a frequency reference. Data analysis methods are employed that assume the data points are at equally spaced frequencies. Parameters of interest such as line width, integrated absorption etc. can be determined from such data without knowledge of the frequencies of any of the data points. |
| US08982351B2 |
Apparatus for measuring transmittance of cover glass for photovoltaic cell
An apparatus for measuring the transmittance of a piece of cover glass for a photovoltaic cell which can measure an accurate transmittance irrespective of whether or not the cover glass has a pattern and irrespective of the shape of the pattern. The apparatus includes a light source part disposed in front of the piece of cover glass. The light source part directs light into the piece of cover glass. A detector is disposed in the rear of the piece of cover glass, and detects light that has been directed into the piece of cover glass and then has passed through the piece of cover glass. The detector is disposed within a range where the intensity of the light that has passed through the piece of cover glass is uniform. |
| US08982348B2 |
Light source classification system and method
A method of light source classification includes determining a plurality of color regions in the CIE 1976 chromaticity diagram according to desired classification criteria. The plurality of color regions of the CIE 1976 chromaticity diagram are converted into a plurality of color classification regions defined by color coordinates of the CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram. The light source is classified into one of the plurality of color classification regions. This classification method may allow for precise classification based on actual color differences, while providing light sources having color uniformity in the same classification region. |
| US08982347B2 |
Alignment mark deformation estimating method, substrate position predicting method, alignment system and lithographic apparatus
A method is used to estimate a value representative for a level of alignment mark deformation on a processed substrate using an alignment system. The alignment sensor system is able to emit light at different measuring frequencies to reflect from an alignment mark on the substrate and to detect a diffraction pattern in the reflected light in order to measure an alignment position of the alignment mark. The two or more measuring frequencies are used to measure an alignment position deviation per alignment mark associated with each of the two or more measuring frequencies relative to an expected predetermined alignment position of the alignment mark. A value is determined representative for the spread in the determined alignment position deviations per alignment mark in order to estimate the level of alignment mark deformation. |
| US08982332B2 |
Distance measuring device and distance measuring method
Disclosed is a distance measuring device using an optical comb. In order for the absolute distance to an object to be measured which has a surface with low reflection ratio or a scattering surface and is approximately 10 m apart, to be easily measured with accuracy of 0.1 mm or more using an optical and contactless method, the distance measuring device which measures the distance to the object to be measured is configured such that the distance to the object to be measured is measured by comparing the phase of the beat signal between a light source and a plurality of CW lasers which are reflected or scattered by the object with the phase of the beat signal between the light source and a plurality of CW lasers prior to being irradiated onto the object. |
| US08982331B2 |
Laser rangefinder and condenser lens thereof for receiving a light ray
A condenser lens suitable for a laser rangefinder includes a lens body wherein the lens body is formed with or has attached thereto a deviation correction area that is located on the light emitting side thereof for correcting focus deviation upon reception of light scattered by a close range object. A center of the body is located inside the deviation correction area of the lens. The deviation correction area may include one or more deviation correction zones. |
| US08982324B2 |
Polarization designs for lithographic apparatus
Improved low k1 lithographic imaging is disclosed by optimizing or improving an illumination polarization condition. The polarization condition may be a pre-defined spatially varying polarization, or a spatially customized local polarization of bright illumination points based on tracking a value of a desired lithographic response. Several non-traditional polarization conditions, e.g., TM/TE polarization (with or without a central TM region), diagonal polarization, and Y+X polarization (typically for dark field illumination) are disclosed, that offer substantial imaging advantages for specific lithographic problems, especially at low k1 values. The initial polarization definition may be limited to specific fixed polarization angles. |
| US08982323B2 |
Light generating apparatus and method of controlling the same
A light beam generating apparatus and method of controlling the same is provided. The light beam generating apparatus may include a light source, a beam expander collimating a light beam emitted from the light source, an optical shutter selectively transmitting a light beam transmitted through the beam expander, and a focusing lens focusing a light beam transmitted the optical shutter. The optical shutter in the light generating apparatus can selectively transmit a light beam based on on/off control of the optical shutter on a pixel-by-pixel basis. This may permit one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional nano patterns having various periods and directions to be manufactured. |
| US08982308B2 |
Active liquid crystal array device and the fabrication method thereof
An active liquid crystal array device is provided. A gate control electrode is disposed on the first transparent conductive substrate, a first transparent insulation layer is disposed on the gate control electrode, a liquid crystal control electrode is disposed on the first transparent insulation layer, a second transparent conductive substrate which includes a transparent electrode and a second liquid crystal oriented layer, and a liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first liquid crystal oriented layer and a second liquid crystal oriented layer. |
| US08982306B2 |
Display device and electronic apparatus
A display device includes: a pixel section provided between a pair of substrates and including plural pixels; one or plural active components disposed in a frame region around the pixel section on one substrate of the pair of substrates; an insulating film provided in the frame region on the one substrate to cover the one or plural active components; and a sealing layer provided to seal the pixel section and cover an end edge portion of the insulating film in the frame region. |
| US08982301B2 |
Method for making liquid crystal display module
A method for making a liquid crystal display module is provided. In the method, a first polarizing layer is provided. A free-standing transparent conductive layer is disposed on a surface of the first polarizing layer. At least two driving-sensing electrodes are disposed on a surface of the transparent conductive layer and spaced from the first polarizing layer. The at least two driving-sensing electrodes are spaced from each other and electrically connected with the transparent conductive layer. The first polarizing layer, the at least two driving-sensing electrodes, and the transparent conductive layer cooperatively form a polarizer. The polarizer is fixed to a liquid crystal module to form the liquid crystal display module. |
| US08982298B2 |
Liquid crystal display comprising springs that horizontally expand and contract a third backplane unit relative to a first and second backplane
The backplane for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes side walls, and the backplane at least includes two backplane units. A horizontal moving guide device is arranged between the adjacent backplane units, and an elastic device which enables the two backplane units to relatively elastically expand and contract horizontally is further arranged between the adjacent backplane units. The backplane of the LCD device of the present disclosure is designed to be able to elastically expand and contract in a direction perpendicular to a light emitting diode (LED) lightbar. When a light guide panel (LGP) in the backplane expands after absorbing heat, the backplane is extended by a pushing force, and heat expansion quantity of the LGP is directly absorbed. When the LGP is contracted because of temperature drop, the backplane is shortened under action of the elastic device, and a light coupling distance between the LGP and the LED lightbar is always kept constant. |
| US08982291B2 |
Image display device
According to one embodiment, an image display device includes a liquid crystal optical apparatus, an image display unit, and a control unit. The image display unit includes a display unit stacked with the liquid crystal optical apparatus. The control unit controls a potential of electrodes provided in the liquid crystal optical apparatus. Light including kth (k being an integer) major region parallax image is emitted outside the liquid crystal optical apparatus through a lens center portion. Light including kth adjacent region parallax image is emitted outside the liquid crystal optical apparatus through a refractive index increase portion. |
| US08982289B2 |
Projection display device
A projection display device includes a first display panel (23a), a second display panel (23b), a PBS (Polarization Beam Splitter) (22) with a first surface (22a) and a second surface (22b) opposite each other, a light recycling device (25a, 25b and 23b), and a projection lens (24). The PBS (22) transmits a first type parallel polarized light and reflects a second type parallel polarized light. The light recycling device (25a, 25b and 23b) transforms the first type parallel polarized light transmitted by the PBS (22) into the second type parallel polarized light which carries a second image information, then reversely transmits the second type parallel polarized light to the second surface (22b) of the PBS (22). The projection display device improves the light utilization efficiency and can be used for 3D display. |
| US08982288B2 |
Fabrication process for cholesteric liquid crystal media having a volume hologram
The invention provides a process capable of fabricating a cholesteric liquid crystal medium having a volume hologram with efficiency yet without recourse to complicated steps such as an alignment step. This is achievable as follows. A volume hologram layer is formed on a substrate, and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer is then formed on another substrate. The volume hologram layer and the cholesteric liquid crystal layer are laminated together via a bonding layer. Further, a bonding for lamination onto an application member is formed on either the volume hologram layer side or the cholesteric liquid crystal layer side to obtain a cholesteric liquid crystal medium having a volume hologram. |
| US08982287B2 |
Data processing apparatus, liquid crystal display device, television receiver, and data processing method
Provided is a data processing apparatus including a correction circuit. In at least one embodiment, the data correction circuit acquires pixel data of a first pixel for display of a first color component and pixel data of a second pixel for display of a second color component, the second pixel being driven by a scanning signal line which drives the first pixel and being driven by a data signal line which is adjacent to the first pixel, and corrects the pixel data of the second pixel in accordance with a relationship between a value of the pixel data of the first pixel and a value of the pixel data of the second pixel. Thus, it is possible to cause a liquid crystal driving panel to perform uniform display without causing display unevenness even in a case where a halftone of a specific color component is uniformly displayed. |
| US08982284B2 |
Remote controller for setting mode according to state of broadcast receiving apparatus
A remote control apparatus for setting a mode according to a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus is provided. The remote control apparatus sets operation modes based on information regarding a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus received from the broadcast receiving apparatus. The operation mode of the remote control apparatus is automatically set based on information regarding a state of a broadcast receiving apparatus, so less power is consumed in the remote control apparatus. |
| US08982282B2 |
Display apparatus and channel searching method thereof
A display apparatus and a method of searching for a channel in the display apparatus includes a plurality of tuners and a plurality of antenna ports respectively connected to the plurality of tuners. The method includes receiving a channel search command; if the channel search command is input, searching for one of the plurality of antenna ports that is connected to a satellite antenna to receive a broadcasting signal, if one of the plurality of antenna ports is connected to the satellite antenna to receive the broadcasting signal, setting one of the plurality of tuners connected to the one antenna port, to a main tuner, and performing a channel search through the tuner set to the main tuner. Therefore, although an antenna port connected to one of the plurality of tuners initially set to a sub tuner, the display apparatus performs a channel search through the corresponding tuner. |
| US08982281B2 |
HDMI switch system with video alerts
An HDMI switch system determines whether or not to make a connection requested by an HDMI sink and whether to send video alerts to the sink based on AV stream format and sink capabilities. To these ends, the switch system includes a metadata abstractor to determine a sink's capabilities from EDID data and to characterize an audio-visual stream. These devices are used to either analyze an existing data stream, or construct a new data stream based on the sink's capabilities. |
| US08982280B2 |
Television and method for displaying program images and video images simultaneously
A method for displaying video image of a television includes processing video signals corresponding to video images transmitted from an electronic device and determining whether the TV programs are displayed on a full displaying window or on a partial displaying window. The display is controlled to provide a first video image displaying window overlaying the full displaying window if the TV programs are displayed on the full displaying window or provide a second video image displaying window spaced from the partial displaying window if the TV programs are displayed on the partial displaying window. The video image is displayed in the first video image displaying window or the second video image displaying window. Any human faces in the video image displayed in the first video image displaying window cause the video image to be transparent except for the faces. A related TV is also provided. |
| US08982277B2 |
System and method for processing video data
A system and method for video processing is provided. The system and method process a video stream having a first resolution video frame, the first resolution video frame comprising a plurality of second resolution video frames. The second resolution video frames may be used to generate a second video stream. |
| US08982268B2 |
Image sensing device
An image sensing device includes an image sensing chip, an optical module and a protecting element. The image sensing chip has a front surface defining an image sensing region thereon. The optical module includes a barrel and at least one transparent element. The barrel is directly disposed on the front surface and around the image sensing region. The transparent element is disposed in the barrel and faces to the image sensing region. The protecting element covers an area of the front surface outside the optical module and surrounds the barrel. The image sensing device has a thin thickness. |
| US08982266B2 |
Imaging device and control method for imaging device
An imaging device includes an imaging section for repeatedly forming an image of a subject at a set period, while performing a bulb exposure operation, and outputting image data; an adding processing section for performing adding processing of the image data and previously output image data; an image display section for displaying the added image; and a designation section for designating to display only notification information indicating that bulb exposure is being performed, on the image display section, for a given period from commencement of the bulb exposure. |
| US08982263B2 |
Blemish detection and notification in an image capture device
A lens on an image capture device is illuminated with a known light source. The current light field created by illuminating the lens is measured at an image sensor on the device. In response to detecting that the current light field measurement fails to satisfy a threshold, a notification is provided on the device. |
| US08982259B2 |
Analog-to-digital converters and related image sensors
An image sensor includes a pixel array including a plurality of pixels which are arranged in a matrix of a plurality of rows and columns and each of the plurality of pixels being configured to convert intensity of incident light into an electrical image signal; and an extended counting analog-to-digital converter configured to perform a first analog-to-digital conversion to provide a digital signal from an output signal of the pixel array, to obtain a residue using the output signal of the pixel array and the digital signal, and to perform a second analog-to-digital conversion using the residue. |
| US08982254B2 |
Solid-state image sensor and manufacturing method thereof, and camera
A method of manufacturing a solid-state image sensor having a photoelectric conversion portion includes forming a silicon nitride film by a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition method using hexachlorodisilane (Si2Cl6) as a material gas such that the silicon nitride film covers at least a part of the photoelectric conversion portion. |
| US08982251B2 |
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, photographic imaging apparatus, and recording device recording image processing program
An image processing apparatus includes: a gray-scale conversion characteristic deriving unit configured to set reference image data out of a plurality of input image data obtained by shooting an identical object with a different amount of exposure and derive a gray-scale conversion characteristic from the reference image data; and an image synthesis processing unit configured to derive a new pixel value for each pixel using a pixel value of one or more input image data selected from a plurality of the input image data based on the gray-scale conversion characteristic to create synthesized image data. |
| US08982244B2 |
Image capturing apparatus for luminance correction, a control method therefor, and a recording medium
A low-frequency region of an output target image is specified. Luminance correction is performed with the target amount decided in advance for a pixel, among pixels included in the target image, which is included in the low-frequency region and has a luminance value equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and the target image after the correction is output. Then, an effective correction amount is obtained based on the luminance distribution of the target image before the correction and the luminance distribution of the target image after the correction, which has been corrected with the target amount decided in advance. A luminance correction target amount for the next correction target image is decided based on the luminance distribution of the target image and the ratio of the effective correction amount to the target amount decided in advance. |
| US08982243B2 |
Image processing device and image capturing device
An image processing device includes a dynamic range compressor that changes a characteristic of a tone curve depending on a position on input image data so as to compress a dynamic range of the image data, and a coordinate converter that converts coordinates of the image data of which the dynamic range has been compressed. |
| US08982238B2 |
Multi-target automatic exposure and gain control based on pixel intensity distribution
An example method of multi-target automatic exposure and gain control based on pixel intensity distribution includes capturing a series of digital images with an image sensor. As the series of digital images are captured, exposure time and/or gain are adjusted to adjust a mean intensity value of the digital images until a target mean intensity value is reached. The method includes dynamically selecting the target mean intensity value from a plurality of target mean intensity values based on a relative number of pixels, in each captured digital image, that have an intensity value that falls outside a range of intensity values. |
| US08982229B2 |
Storage medium recording information processing program for face recognition process
An information processing device, which acquires a face image of a person to be imaged that is captured by an imaging device, executes: a determination step of determining whether a distance between a face of the person to be imaged and the imaging device is within a predetermined range; and a display step of, if the distance between the face of the person to be imaged and the imaging device is determined to be within the predetermined range in the determination step, displaying, on a display device, a target position for alignment of at least one feature point contained in the face image of the person to be imaged, together with the face image of the person to be imaged repeatedly captured by the imaging device. |
| US08982225B2 |
Camera module, image processing apparatus, and image processing method
According to one embodiment, a camera module includes a second imaging optical system and an image processing section. The second imaging optical system forms an image piece. The image processing section has at least one of an alignment adjustment section, a resolution restoration section, and a shading correction section and has a stitching section. The stitching section joins the image pieces, subjected to at least one of alignment adjustment, resolution restoration, and shading correction, together to form a subject image. |
| US08982224B2 |
Image pickup apparatus, control apparatus, and control method for distributing captured images to a terminal via a network
An image pickup apparatus includes image pickup means; holding means for holding a coordinate system used to represent an image capturing direction or a region in an image capturing range of the image pickup means; reception means for receiving a first command for rotating a captured image obtained by the image pickup means or a captured image cut out from the region in the image capturing range by a certain angle, a second command for rotating the coordinate system held in the holding means about the origin by the certain angle, and specification information for specifying the image capturing direction in the coordinate system; and change control means for executing control to change the image capturing direction of the image pickup means to the image capturing direction specified by the specification information. |
| US08982222B2 |
Image stabilization apparatus
A image stabilization apparatus includes a support member, a holder where a lens is movable between a retraction position and a vibration-prevention-and-correction region, an urging member that urges the holder in a direction of the vibration-prevention-and-correction region, and a drive member that causes the lens in the vibration-prevention-and-correction region to move to the retraction position when the drive member is in a first positional relation relative to the holder, and allows movement of the lens located in the retraction position to the vibration-prevention-and-correction region direction when the drive member is in a second positional relation relative to the holder, wherein when the holder and the drive member are in the second positional relation, the urging member causes the lens to move to the vibration-prevention-and-correction region from the retraction position, and in the position, enables movement of the holder within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. |
| US08982221B2 |
Photography device with a shake-correction structure
A photography device with anti-shake function for sensing camera shake and moving a lens toward a direction to correct the camera shake when photographing an object so that the object may be clearly photographed. A coil and a magnet are included in the invention, and the coil moves in a direction perpendicular to the optical-axis of the lens as a result of magnetic fields generated by the magnet and the coil when electric power is applied to the coil. |
| US08982219B2 |
Receiving device and camera system
A transmitting device in accordance with the present invention includes an encoding unit that converts an input video signal into encoded data and sends out the encoded data to a transmission line, and a synchronization signal generation unit that generates a synchronization signal SYNC for adjusting the phase of an input video signal on the basis of phase information transmitted through the transmission line, wherein the phase information PHS includes information indicating that a timing of a synchronization signal generated by the synchronization signal generation unit is to be advanced by the time necessary for transmission, and the synchronization signal generation unit generates the synchronization signal SYNC so that an input video signal is advanced by the time necessary for transmission. |
| US08982218B1 |
Detecting media source quality to determine introduced phenomenon
A system and method for detecting media source quality are provided. The system includes a data store comprising a computer readable medium storing a program of instructions for the detection of media source quality; a processor that executes the program of instructions; a video data receiver to receive video raw data, the video raw data corresponding to an uploaded and transcoded video; a video improver to apply a video improvement technique to the received video raw data to produce a modified version of the video raw data; and a video quality assessor to compare the received video raw data and the modified version of the video raw data, and based on the modified version of the video raw data improving on a factor associated with the video improvement technique, the video quality assessor indicates a phenomenon affecting the quality of the uploaded and transcoded video. |
| US08982213B2 |
Controlling use of parking spaces using cameras and smart sensors
Tracking use of a destination location is disclosed. Based on a first vehicle image showing a first vehicle at a first location and on the first location of the first vehicle received based on a sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle is occupying the destination location at the first time. Next, based on a second vehicle image showing the first vehicle at a second location and on the second location of the first vehicle received based on the sensor located within the first vehicle, it is determined that the first vehicle has left the destination location at the second time. Finally, it is indicated that the first vehicle began use of the destination location at the first time and that the first vehicle completed use of the destination location at the second time. |
| US08982210B2 |
Vehicle having scanning imager with fixed camera and multiple achromatic prism pairs
A vehicle including a scanning imaging system includes a vehicle body having an outer surface, a propulsion source, and an optical window secured to the outer surface of the vehicle positioned on an optical axis for transmitting electromagnetic radiation received from a portion of an area of interest to the scanning imaging system. The scanning imaging system includes a first achromatic prism pair having prisms with different materials that have different refractive properties, and a second achromatic prism pair having prisms with different materials that have different refractive properties, both positioned on the optical axis. A camera fixed in location is optically coupled to form images from the electromagnetic radiation after being bent by the achromatic prism pairs. A motor including a controller independently rotates the first and second achromatic prism pairs about the optical axis for scanning within the area of interest. |
| US08982207B2 |
Automated visual inspection system
A method and apparatus for inspecting an object. In response to a presence of the object in an inspection area, a volume containing the object is identified. The volume has a plurality of portions. A number of sensor systems is assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume. Each sensor system in the number of sensors systems is assigned to a number of portions in the plurality of portions of the volume based on whether each sensor system is able to generate data with a desired level of quality about a surface of the object in a particular portion in the plurality of portions. Data about the surface of the object is generated using the number of sensor systems assigned to the plurality of portions of the volume. A determination is made as to whether a number of inconsistencies is present on the surface of the object using data. |
| US08982205B2 |
System and method for displaying an image stream
A system and method may display an image stream, where an original image stream may be divided into two or more subset images streams, each subset image stream being displayed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously. The images may be displayed fused. The images may be collected from an ingestible capsule traversing the GI tract. |
| US08982198B2 |
Image signal correction apparatus, imaging apparatus, endoscopic apparatus
An image signal correction apparatus includes: a frame memory configured to hold input image signals corresponding to a predetermined number of frames; a difference calculation unit configured to calculate a difference signal between an input image signal and each of the image signals held in the frame memory; a filter unit configured to pass a difference signal having a value equal to or smaller than a threshold value; and a control unit configured to change the threshold value of the filter unit in accordance with the value of the difference signal calculated in the difference calculation unit. |
| US08982197B2 |
Optical filter
An optical filter for stereoscopic image display device and a stereoscopic image display device may be provided. In one embodiment, the optical filter for stereoscopic image display device may include a plastic substrate; an alignment layer; and a retardation layer, and the stereoscopic image display device may include the optical filter. |
| US08982194B2 |
Image watching glasses identification device, image watching system, pair of image watching glasses, image watching glasses identification program, computer-readable recording medium, and display device
An image watching glasses identification device 10 (or 20 or 30) is an image watching glasses identification device 10 (or 20 or 30) for identifying a pair of shutter glasses 400 through which to watch an image displayed on a display device 100, the image watching glasses identification device 10 (or 20 or 30) including: an identification information obtaining section 15 for obtaining an identification information item for identifying the pair of shutter glasses 400 and; a display control section 12 for causing the display device 100 to display an identification result associated with the identification information item obtained by the identification information obtaining section 15. This makes it possible to provide an image watching glasses identification device that is capable of causing, when a viewer watches through the pair of image watching glasses 400 the image displayed on the display device 100, the display device 100 to display the identification result. The identification result enables the viewer to identify the pair of image watching glasses worn by the viewer. |
| US08982192B2 |
Visual information display on curvilinear display surfaces
Three-dimensional visual information may be displayed on curvilinear display surfaces. The display devices can include a control system configured to execute various methods for obtaining the visual information and displaying the visual information on the curvilinear display surface. If the visual information is intended for display on a first display surface, the control system can modify the visual information for display on the curvilinear display surface. The control system also can modify the visual information based upon relative positions and orientations of a viewer, projector, and/or the display surface, as well as to correct for anticipated environmental or optical interference. The control system outputs the visual information or modified visual information to a display device for display on a curvilinear display surface. |
| US08982188B2 |
Running-environment recognition apparatus
A running-environment recognition apparatus includes an information recognition section mounted in a vehicle and configured to recognize an information of at least a frontward region of the vehicle relative to a traveling direction of the vehicle; and a road-surface calculating section configured to calculate a road surface of a traveling road and a portion lower than the road surface in the frontward region of the vehicle, from the information recognized by the information recognition section. |
| US08982177B2 |
System and method for whiteboard collaboration
Disclosed is a method and tool for collaborating in a video conference using a non-electronically enhance whiteboard and without the use of electronically enhanced writing and/or pointing tools. An embodiment may set up a front camera to capture an overall video stream that is split into at least two video feeds, a whiteboard feed and presenter feeds. The front camera may be set up to have a depth of field and focus to capture the whiteboard and presenter as well as specific video capture settings for each feed to optimize the whiteboard or the presenter. An embodiment may capture the two feeds according to the appropriate settings and deliver the two feeds to other video conference member devices. Embodiments may add additional cameras to permit additional optimization such as eliminating whiteboard occluded areas and/or automatically selecting a presenter from a plurality of people who are in the video capture frame. |
| US08982176B2 |
Distributed transcoding of a video based on insufficient computing resources
A federated media server system. The federated media server system may include a plurality of media servers. A first media server may be coupled to a second media server over a network. The first media server may also be coupled to a third media server over the network. Additionally, the second and third media servers may be coupled to a plurality of respective clients. The first media server may be configured to record video, e.g., videoconferences, and stream recordings to clients and/or the second and third media servers. The second and third media servers may assist in performing video recording, transcoding, storage of recordings, multicasting, etc. |
| US08982175B2 |
Integrating a video with an interactive activity
A method for sending a video ringtone. The method includes: integrating a received first video of a first location with an interactive activity, wherein the interactive activity includes an activity in which a first entity at the first location and a second entity at a second location are engaged over a telecommunications network, wherein the integrating the received first video of the first location with the interactive activity achieves an integrated interactive activity. |
| US08982169B2 |
Fine wiring pattern and composition, manufacturing method thereof, and thermal print head including fine wiring pattern
According to the present disclosure, a manufacturing method of a fine wiring pattern is disclosed. The manufacturing method includes preparing a support member, forming a first layer on the support member by thick-film printing, and forming a second layer including Ag on the first layer by the thick-film printing. The method also includes forming a predetermined fine wiring pattern by performing an etching process upon the first layer and the second layer. |
| US08982167B2 |
Sub-pixel rendering of a multiprimary image
Methods and systems for displaying an image on a display, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) having more than three different colored filters. The display may include a plurality of sub-pixels, each of the sub-pixels being aligned with a filter having a color selected from a set of more than three different colors, none of which is white. A number of methods and systems for processing data for display are disclosed, for example, using data points from adjacent pixel groups, or data points for different colors within the same pixel data set. |
| US08982165B2 |
Illumination device and display device including the same
An illumination device includes a light source in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged, a luminous intensity controller configured to control luminous intensities of the plurality of light emitting elements separately in groups of one or more light emitting elements, and a predetermined correction table indicating temperature distribution characteristics corresponding to position information of the plurality of light emitting elements in the light source. The luminous intensity controller controls the luminous intensities of the plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to the position information based on the temperature distribution characteristics of the correction table. |
| US08982163B2 |
Techniques for dynamically regulating display images for ambient viewing conditions
Techniques pertaining to dynamically regulating brightness of backlighting in display devices are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, the brightness dynamic range of a display device is adjusted according to the current ambient viewing conditions. In order words, the original brightness dynamic range of the display image is mapped to the brightness dynamic range suitable for human eyes under the current ambient viewing conditions. The brightness of the display image is corrected according to a histogram to enhance the contrast and details of the display image, thereby a high quality displayed image can be presented under the current ambient viewing conditions. |
| US08982158B2 |
Computer screen image displaying method, computer having a vertical display device, and computer program product
A computer screen image displaying method is executed after power-on of a computer and includes: receiving data associated with a detected default display mode of a BIOS of the computer and a display mode stored in a display device coupled to the computer; and determining if the default display mode of the BIOS and the display mode of the display panel match, and if so, causing a video controller of the computer to output image signals according to the display mode of the display panel, and if not, causing the video controller to output image signals corresponding to the default display mode of the BIOS. Thus, screen orientation can be controlled during BIOS POST to spare the user the trouble of changing screen orientation under an operating system environment, thereby enhancing efficiency and saving system resources. |
| US08982155B2 |
Augmented reality providing system, information processing terminal, information processing apparatus, augmented reality providing method, information processing method, and program
An Augmented Reality (AR) providing apparatus sends to a server apparatus a request, including image information from an imaging device, for obtaining product information indicating a product that can be displayed on a shelf. and the AR apparatus displays product information included in a reply from the server apparatus in response to the request in an overlaying image manner. The server apparatus determines a shelf from the image information included in the request, determines a size of an empty shelf space, and selects product information of products smaller than the determined size of the empty shelf space. The product information is selected from a storage device storing multiple sets of product information indicating a product and its associated size information. The server apparatus sends a reply including the selected product information to the AR providing apparatus. |
| US08982154B2 |
Three-dimensional overlays within navigable panoramic images, and applications thereof
A panorama viewer is disclosed which facilitates navigation from within the panorama of a larger, structured system such as a map. The panorama viewer presents a viewport on a portion of a panoramic image, the viewport including a three-dimensional overlay rendered with the panoramic image. As the orientation of the viewport within the panoramic image changes, the three-dimensional overlay's orientation in three-dimensional space also changes as it is rendered with the panoramic image in a manner that matches the change in orientation of the viewport. |
| US08982153B2 |
Display control apparatus, control method therefor, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
When rendering a graphic according to the locus of an input position, it is determined whether a region which has been preset for the graphic to be rendered, and has the start position of the continuous input as a reference overlaps a region preset for an already rendered graphic by a predetermined amount or more. If it is determined that the regions do not overlap each other by the predetermined amount or more, a graphic is rendered according to the locus of the input position. Alternatively, if it is determined that the regions overlap each other by the predetermined amount or more, control is switched to remove the already rendered graphic according to the locus of the input position. |
| US08982151B2 |
Independently processing planes of display data
Independently processing planes of display data is provided by a method of outputting a video stream. The method includes retrieving from memory a first plane of display data having a first set of display parameters and post-processing the first plane of display data to adjust the first set of display parameters. The method further includes retrieving from memory a second plane of display data having a second set of display parameters and post-processing the second plane of display data independently of the first plane of display data. The method further includes blending the first plane of display data with the second plane of display data to form blended display data and outputting the blended display data. |
| US08982149B2 |
Generating flower images and shapes with compositional pattern producing networks
Various embodiments are disclosed for generating an image from a Compositional Pattern Producing Network (CPPN). One such method includes receiving, in the CPPN, a series of polar coordinates {r,θ}; outputting, by the CPPN, a series of pixel values, each of the pixel values corresponding to one of the polar coordinates; and displaying the pixel values at the corresponding polar coordinates to produce the image. |
| US08982143B2 |
Method and apparatus for constructing virtual sloped landscapes in computer graphics and animation
There are both flat and sloped ground surfaces on which the game characters traverse. In areas where a sloped surface changes angle (i.e. where a sloped surface connects to a flat surface), a transitional method has been created to make the adjoining textures on the top surface area of the ground blend together seamlessly. A unique texture is used for this purpose. This texture uses the same material as the flat “ground trim” texture seen on the top of every surface. The texture has a diagonally drawn alpha mask that blends from completely transparent to completely opaque from the bottom right corner of the texture to the top left corner. When this texture is drawn at the ends of each sloped surface where they change angle, the combination of the color channels and the alpha mask line up with adjoining textures to blend them together and create a seamless visual transition. |
| US08982141B2 |
Image processing method and apparatus
There is disclosed apparatus and a computer implemented method for processing a digital image. The method comprises maintaining ordered cached digital images arranged in a predetermined order. The ordered cached digital images comprise a base digital image and a subsequent plurality of modified cached digital images. Each modified cached digital image is associated with an image modification category. Each subsequent modified cached digital image is generated by performing image modification operations relating to its respective image modification category on the immediately preceding cached image in accordance with the predetermined order. |
| US08982135B2 |
Information processing apparatus and image display method
A server device 10 includes a frame buffer 13 that stores the image; an encoder 14e that compresses the image; a whole screen moving image conversion determination unit 14m that detects, from the image, a moving image area to be compressed by using the encoder 14e; a screen generator 14b that compresses the image such that image degradation is lower than that of the encoder 14e; a high frequency screen update area identifier 14n that detects, from an area compressed by the encoder 14e, a change area that has changed and calculates an accumulated change area by accumulating the change area; and a transmitter that transmits, to a client terminal 20, a moving image by compressing the moving image area detected by the moving image area and the detected change area and an image of the accumulated change area that is compressed by the screen generator 14b. |
| US08982134B2 |
Area-based dependency chain analysis of shaders and command stream
A method and device are provided for performing tile based rendering. The method and device analyze past and current commands to determine when tiles are renderable independently of other tiles. In such cases, all rendering passes are performed successively without rendering other tiles in between. |
| US08982131B1 |
Multivariate digital camera device and method for generating 2D and 3D pictures of datasets comprised of points in hyperspace
A multivariate digital camera device and method for generating pictures of datasets comprised of points in hyperspace is provided. The invention may be embodied in an input device, a computer processor, and an output device. The input device may be a keyboard, a laboratory instrument such as a mass spectrometer, a reader of computer readable medium, or a network interface device. The output device may be a monitor used in conjunction with either a 2D or 3D printer or both. The computer processor receives data from the input device and performs a series of steps to create a 2D or 3D image of the hyperspace object. The resulting image is then produced in a non-transitory medium by at least one of the output devices. The processor steps include the use of a maximum distance method in which distances and angles information from the points in the hyperspace dataset are preserved to produce a more picture-like quality. |
| US08982128B2 |
Method of providing image and display apparatus applying the same
A method of providing an image and a display apparatus applying the same are provided. The method of providing an image of a display apparatus includes receiving signals requesting images having different resolutions from each other from a plurality of mobile apparatuses, determining a resolution reproducible by all of the plurality of mobile apparatuses among a plurality of resolutions requested from the plurality of mobile apparatuses as a first resolution and processing the image to be provided to the plurality of mobile apparatuses with the first resolution, and transmitting the image having the first resolution to the plurality of mobile apparatuses. |
| US08982124B2 |
Load balancing and merging of tessellation thread workloads
In one embodiment described herein, a graphics engine with shader unit thread load balancing functionality executes shader instructions from multiple execution threads in a smaller number of execution threads by combining instructions from multiple threads at runtime. In one embodiment, multiple shader unit threads containing less than a minimum number of instructions are combined to minimize the discrepancy between the shortest and longest thread. In one embodiment, threads are merged when they contain a common output register. |
| US08982119B2 |
Electronic device and method for establishing a safety plane in coordinate measurements
In a method for establishing a safety plane in coordinate measurements, the method meshes a 3D model of a workpiece and a probe by triangles, and calculates a maximum bounding box of the probe. The method further obtains a moving path of the maximum bounding box after moving the maximum bounding box from a first measuring point to a second, and obtains a maximum space box of the moving path. If the maximum space box has one or more intersections with the workpiece, the method calculates a distance between vertices of each of the triangles falling within the maximum space box and a bottom face of the maximum space box, and obtains a point in the bottom face of the maximum space box that has a maximum distance from the triangles. By correcting a plane containing the point, the safety plane is obtained. |
| US08982117B2 |
Display apparatus and method of displaying three-dimensional image using same
A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to include a plurality of pixels and display an image having a plurality of viewpoints in response to a data signal and a control signal, a converter, and a driver. The converter is configured to receive a first image signal and a first control signal, the first image signal including an image data and a depth data corresponding to the image data and a first control signal, the converter further configured to generate a converted depth data corresponding to a predetermined pixel on the basis of the first image signal, and output a second image signal having the viewpoints and a second control signal based on the image data and the converted depth data. The driver is configured to receive the second image signal and the second control signal and output the data signal and the control signal to the display panel. |
| US08982109B2 |
Devices, systems and methods of capturing and displaying appearances
Systems, devices and methods enabling appearance comparison. The system includes at least one interactive imaging and display station. The station includes a mirror-display device capable of selectably operating in either or both a mirror mode or a display mode; an imaging device to capture one or more appearances appearing in a field of view in front of the mirror-display device; and/or an image control unit to select the mode of operation of the mirror-display device according to a user command. |
| US08982108B2 |
Display device and driving method thereof
A display device including: a display panel; and a signal controller which controls signals for driving the display panel, where the signal controller includes a representative value generator which sequentially operates a portion of image data of one frame, where the representative value generator moves a last position digit into another position digit of the portion of the image data and generates a representative value representing a portion of a frame image corresponding to the portion of the image data; a storage portion which stores the representative value therein; and a comparator which compares the representative values of present and prior frames to determine whether the portion of the frame image is a still image or a motion picture, and the signal controller controls the signals for driving the display panel such that a driving frequency for the still image is lower than a driving frequency for the motion picture. |
| US08982106B2 |
Display device with flexible substrate and method of controlling display device
A display device includes flexible substrate, a display unit including multiple light-emitting elements arranged at the substrate and configured to display an image according to an image signal, a displacement sensor provided to at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the substrate and configured to detect a curved state of the substrate, and a control unit configured to perform a flip control with respect to the image displayed in the display unit when a curve of the substrate is detected by the displacement sensor. |
| US08982094B2 |
Device-to-device communications based on capacitive sensing and coupling via human body or direct device-to-device coupling
Systems, devices and techniques disclosed in this document provide device-to-device communications via a human body of a user between (1) a capacitor sensor touch screen device that includes a capacitor sensor touch screen that includes capacitor sensors and provides a display function and (2) a capacitor sensor device that includes one or more capacitor sensors that detect or sense, based on capacitive sensing and without providing a display function, signals transmitted from the capacitor sensor touch screen of the capacitor sensor touch screen device. The human body of a user operates as a signal transmitting medium. In addition, the systems, devices and techniques disclosed in this document provide device-to-device communications via direct device-to-device coupling between two capacitor sensor touch screen devices each including capacitor sensor touch screen that includes capacitor sensors and provides a display function. |
| US08982091B1 |
Hadamard matrix based projected mutual capacitance touch panel decoding
Systems for and methods of decoding the coordinates a touch upon a touch panel. The touch panel comprises drive channels and sense channels. A Hadamard excitation matrix and a cover code are used to generate drive signals to the drive channels of the touch panel. Sense channels of the touch panel are demodulated and decoded using an inverse excitation matrix. The inverse of an Hadamard excitation matrix is the same as the Hadamard excitation matrix. A Hadamard excitation matrix is orthogonal and enables the use of cyclic extension of excitation of the drive signals to reduce the effect of phase shift of drive signals propagated to the sense channels. The cover code enables reduction of the dynamic range of amplifiers at the sense channels. |
| US08982088B2 |
Touch sensitive device
A touch sensitive device is provided. The device includes a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes formed on the substrate and arranged along a first direction without overlapping one another; a first insulating layer formed on the substrate and covering the plurality of first electrodes; and a plurality of second electrodes formed on the first insulating layer and arranged along a second direction without overlapping one another, wherein the first direction is vertical to the second direction. |
| US08982084B2 |
Tracking objects on a touch surface
A device implements a method of tracking objects on a touch surface of an FTIR based touch-sensitive apparatus. The method repeatedly operates to generate an interaction pattern that indicates local changes in interaction on the touch surface, identify apparent peaks in the interaction pattern, and update existing movement trajectories based on the apparent peaks. An error suppression process is executed at least intermittently in the method to process the apparent peaks and/or the existing movement trajectories to identify implicated trajectories with a potential tracking problem, define two or more movement propositions for each implicated trajectory, and cause an evaluation of the movement propositions in one or more subsequent repetitions of the method. The error suppression process improves tracking by postponing the final decision on how to track the object of the implicated trajectory until more information is available. |
| US08982081B2 |
Displacement sensing touch panel and touch screen using the same
The disclosure relates to a displacement sensing touch panel and a touch screen using the touch panel. The touch panel includes a first panel, a second panel, and a displacement sensor sandwiched between the first panel and the second panel. The displacement sensor deforms when a pressure is applied to the first panel. The touch screen includes the touch panel, a controller where the touch positions and forces applied are deduced from the readings of the displacement sensor, and a display coupled to the controller and adjacent to the touch panel. Displacement information is collected through the displacement sensor to deduce the positions and magnitudes of the forces applied to the first panel of the touch panel or touch screen. |
| US08982077B2 |
Portable electronic apparatus to bypass screen lock mode for electronic notebook and operation method thereof and computer readable media
A portable electronic apparatus and an operation method thereof and a computer readable media are provided. The portable electronic apparatus comprises a touch display unit, and an electronic notebook is displayed in the touch display unit. When the touch display enters a power saving mode, and a trigger event is detected, the power saving mode is ended, and the electronic notebook is directly displayed in the touch display unit without displaying a screen lock mode before displaying the electronic notebook. |
| US08982072B2 |
Mobile device and method of controlling screen thereof
There are provided a mobile device and a method of controlling a screen of the mobile device. The mobile device includes: a display unit including an effective display area for displaying a screen; a touch screen panel including a plurality of sensing electrodes; and a control unit detecting a touch input based on a sensing signal generated from the plurality of sensing electrodes and controlling the screen displayed by the display unit, wherein when the touch input corresponds to a previously set first input gesture, the control unit controls such that a size of the screen is reduced at a predetermined first ratio and the reduced screen is only displayed in a portion of the effective display area. |
| US08982071B2 |
Tactile sensation providing apparatus
A tactile sensation providing apparatus includes a touch sensor 11, a detection unit 12, a tactile sensation providing unit 13, a main control unit 16, and a tactile sensation provision control unit 14. The control unit 14 stores a signal related to information from the detection unit in the memory unit and, based on contents thereof and a tactile sensation provision instruction signal from the main control unit 16, determines a state of the main control unit 16. When the instruction signal does not correspond to a busy state, the providing unit 13 vibrates the touch sensor 11 in a first mode, and, when the instruction signal corresponds to the busy state, the control unit 14 controls the main control unit 16 to cancel the process corresponding to the detection information and controls the providing unit 13 to vibrate the touch face 11a in a second mode. |
| US08982069B2 |
Keyboard with integrated touch surface
Some embodiments provide a single integrated multi-functional input device (1) that provides the discrete input functionality of a keyboard to facilitate efficient text insertion operations and (2) that provides the functionality of a trackpad to facilitate efficient spatially dependent navigation in a graphical user interface (GUI) whereby each such functionality is accessible by the user's hands positioned at the home position keys of the keyboard. More specifically, some embodiments provide an enhanced keyboard with at least one touch sensitive key and software for adapting touches applied over the touch sensitive key to emulate trackpad functionality without interfering with regular text insertion (typing). |
| US08982065B2 |
Method and apparatus for performing processes in a user equipment by using touch patterns
A method and apparatus for performing processes in a user equipment by using touch patterns. A touch pattern may be received through a touch input unit of the user equipment. A memory of the user equipment may be searched for a touch pattern data corresponding to the received touch pattern. The touch pattern data may be loaded from the memory, and the operation that corresponds to the received touch pattern may be performed based on the loaded touch pattern data. The touch pattern data may include at least one of a touch pattern field for storing information on the received touch pattern, an application information field for storing information on the operation to be performed in response to the received touch pattern, and a touch pattern input area information field for storing information on a touch pattern input area of the received touch pattern. |
| US08982063B2 |
Optical naviagation module having a metallic illumination ring
A navigation module for a handheld communication device having a navigation pad, a chrome-like ring surrounding the navigation pad, an illumination ring surrounding the navigation pad, and at least one light source optically coupled to the at least the illumination ring. The illumination ring can be interposed between the chrome-like ring and the navigation pad. The chrome-like ring can be interposed between the illumination ring and the navigation pad. The light source can be a light emitting diode. |
| US08982057B2 |
Methods and systems for processing digitally recorded data in an electronic pen
In an information management system for handling digital position data recorded by an electronic pen, the pen is controlled to convert recordings of a first code on a product to position data in a coordinate system, to convert recordings of a second code to input data, and to process the position data on the basis of the input data. The input data may define one or more functional areas in the coordinate system, and the pen may map the position data against the input data and take appropriate action if the position data is deemed to fall within a functional area. This allows the pen to be dynamically provided with a description of all or parts of the functional layout of a product, thereby reducing the need of the pen to pre-store such descriptions for all products. Encryption or usage may also be controlled based on data encoded by the second code. The product may be generated, via a computer-implemented method, to include the first code, the second code and any supporting graphics. The input data may alternatively be derived from another import interface of the pen, such as a communications interface or a replaceable memory unit. |
| US08982054B2 |
Keyboard having infrared position detection apparatus and input method using same
A keyboard includes an input interface, a rotatable infrared emitter, a first counter, a second counter, an infrared receiver, and a processor. The rotatable infrared emitter emits infrared light across the input interface which represents a keyboard. The first counter starts a count at each beginning of the infrared light emission. The second counter starts a count when the infrared emitter rotates to reach a reference direction in each rotating period. The infrared receiver stops the counts of the first counter and the second counter when the infrared receiver receives infrared light reflected from an obstacle. The first counter defines a transmission time of the infrared light. The second counter defines a rotating time. The processor calculates a position of the obstacle on the input interface according to the transmission time, the rotating time, a rotating speed of the infrared emitter, and positions of the infrared emitter and infrared receiver. |
| US08982046B2 |
Automatic calibration of a gaze direction algorithm from user behavior
A method of calibrating the eye gaze direction of a user, the method including the steps of: (a) monitoring a user's eye gaze direction whilst carrying out a series of predetermined tasks, each of the tasks having an expected subject gaze direction; and (b) correlating the user's eye gaze direction with the expected direction for a statistically significant period of time; (c) calculating, from the correlating step, a series of likely eye gaze direction usage parameters associated with the user. |
| US08982044B2 |
Position detector and position indicator
A position detector includes a tablet and a position indicator, which includes a coil and configured to continuously transmit a coil-based signal to the tablet as a position signal and to intermittently transmit the coil-based signal to the tablet as a non-positional signal. The tablet is configured to detect a position on its surface pointed to by the position indicator by detecting the continuously-transmitted coil-based signal, and to determine non-positional information regarding the position indicator (e.g., pen pressure, pen ID, etc.) by detecting the intermittently-transmitted coil-based signal. The position indicator further includes position indicator control circuitry configured to control the position indicator to: (i) receive an indicator control signal from the tablet; (ii) based on the received indicator control signal, select one type of non-positional information from among multiple types of non-positional information regarding the position indicator; and (iii) transmit the selected one type of non-positional information to the tablet. |
| US08982043B2 |
Electronic reader device and graphical user interface control method thereof
An electronic reader device with a physical control disposed on a surface of the device housing. The physical control is operable to initiate a first function. A display disposed on the surface of the housing is operable to show a virtual control that initiates a second function. A sensor detects a drag operation moving the virtual control to a position on a border of the display adjacent to the physical control. A processor associates the second function with the physical control in response to the drag operation and performs the second function upon activation of the physical control. |
| US08982042B2 |
Image display medium driver, image display device, and image display medium driving method
An image display medium driver includes a voltage applying unit that applies a voltage between a pair of substrates of an image display medium that displays an image, the image display medium including plural groups of colored particles colored in a color which is different for every group, at least one of the substrates having transparent properties, each group of colored particles moved when the voltage equal to or higher than a threshold voltage in terms of absolute value, that is different for every group, and a controller that determines a substrate on which the colored particles are present for each group of colored particles based on the last image information used for displaying an image. |
| US08982037B2 |
Method and apparatus for providing additional information through display
A display device for providing additional information using Visible Light Communication (VLC), including a decoder for dividing an input signal into a video signal and a data signal including additional information on at least one object included in an image output through the video signal; a display; a VLC controller for receiving the data signal from the decoder and encoding the data signal in accordance with a VLC protocol to output the data signal as a visible light signal through the VLC; light source blocks, which include light sources, back light the display, and output the data signal encoded in accordance with the VLC; and a control unit for controlling the encoded data signal including the additional information on the object, to be output as the visible light signal through a light source block at a position corresponding to the object from among the light source blocks. |
| US08982035B2 |
Method of driving a light source, backlight apparatus for performing the method and liquid crystal display apparatus having the backlight apparatus
A method of driving a light source including a light source module which provides a liquid crystal display panel with light and is driven through a dimming method according to a plurality of driving blocks, the method including; calculating gradation data of an image block of the liquid crystal display panel from an external image signal by dividing the image block into a plurality of sub-blocks, determining a duty ratio of a driving signal which drives an individual driving block of the plurality of driving blocks, the individual driving block corresponding to the image block based on the gradation data, and driving the individual driving block in accordance with the duty ratio. |
| US08982032B2 |
Display device with integrated touch screen including pull-up and pull-down transistors and method of driving the same
A display device with an integrated touch screen and a method of driving the same are provided. The display device with an integrated touch screen includes a gate driver that is configured with a plurality of stages that include a pull-up transistor and first and second pull-down transistors and are respectively connected to a plurality of gate lines. The method includes: turning on the pull-up transistor to output a pull-up signal to each of the plurality of gate lines and, after the pull-up signal is outputted, turning on the first pull-down transistor to output a pull-down signal to each of the plurality of gate lines, during an image output period in each frame; and turning on the second pull-down transistor to output the pull-down signal to each of the plurality of gate lines, during a touch sensing period in each frame. |
| US08982030B2 |
Gate output control method and corresponding gate pulse modulator
A gate output control method is adapted into a flat display having a plurality of gate drive integrated circuits. The method comprises: providing a gate control signal; providing a oblique control signal to oblique modulate the gate control signal for generating a gate control signal with oblique; modulating the gate control signal with oblique to obtain a modulated gate control signal; and outputting the modulated gate control signal to the gate drive integrated circuits. A falling edge of the modulated gate control signal comprises a oblique-varying period and a vertical-varying period. In the oblique-varying period, the modulated gate control signal firstly changes to a predetermined voltage in a first slope, and then changes in a second slope until the vertical-varying period. In the vertical-varying period, the modulated gate control signal changes vertically or nearly vertically. |
| US08982024B2 |
Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate, on which a reference potential trunk line that supplies a reference potential to a plurality of sub-pixels and a switching element of each of the plurality of sub-pixels, are disposed; and a second substrate, on which a display signal line that supplies a display signal, is disposed. A liquid crystal capacitance of each of the plurality of sub-pixels is formed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Pixels composed of the plurality of sub-pixels that correspond to a plurality of luminance regions are arranged in a matrix. In case that a prescribed half-tone is displayed in between pixels that are adjacent in the row direction, the plurality of sub-pixels that correspond to the same luminance region are arranged adjacently in the row direction. |
| US08982020B2 |
Pixel driving circuit of organic-light emitting diode
A pixel driving circuit of an organic light emitting diode includes a first transistor including a first terminal, a control terminal and a second terminal and a capacitor including a first terminal and a second terminal. The first terminal and the second terminal of the capacitor are electrically coupled to the first terminal and the control terminal of the first transistor at a first node and a second node respectively. In a first period, a power source does not provide a power supply voltage to the first node, and a data voltage and a variable voltage are written in the first node and the second node respectively. In a second period, the power source provides the power supply voltage to the first node. The first transistor provides a driving current to an organic light emitting diode based on the voltage of the first node and the second node. |
| US08982018B2 |
EL display panel module, EL display panel, integrated circuit device, electronic apparatus and driving controlling method
An EL display panel includes light emitting pixels disposed in a matrix and a driving circuit for driving the pixels. The driving circuit drives the pixels such that a threshold value correction operation is carried out commonly (simultaneously) for a group of multiple pixels, which are connected to a same signal line, and such that an operation of writing a signal potential corresponding to a gradation value is executed individually (time-sequentially) for the pixels in the group. The driving circuit applies a reset potential to the pixels in the group before executing the signal writing operation. The reset potential is lower than a reference potential that is used for the threshold value correction operation. |
| US08982014B2 |
Image generation systems and image generation methods
Image generation systems and image generation methods are described. According to one aspect, an image generation system includes an imaging system configured to transmit light towards an observer's eye to form a plurality of pixels of an image upon the retina of the observer's eye at a moment in time; and a control system coupled with the imaging system and wherein the control system is configured to access data content regarding the image, to generate a plurality of control signals according to the accessed data content, and to output the control signals to the imaging system to control the transmission of the light by the imaging system towards the observer's eye to form the plurality of pixels of the image upon the retina of the observer's eye at the moment in time. |
| US08982012B2 |
Management apparatus, management system and management method
Disclosed is a management apparatus, which makes it possible to use an information viewing apparatus without considering the residual amount of the battery, provided therein. The apparatus includes: a plurality of slots to support a plurality of information viewing apparatuses, each of which is activated by an electric power fed from a battery provided therein and is to be inserted into each of the slots in a detachable manner; and a controlling section to control the plurality of information viewing apparatuses, respectively inserted into the slots. When a predetermined information viewing apparatus is inserted into one of the plurality of slots, the controlling section moves data stored in the predetermined information viewing apparatus to another information viewing apparatus, which is currently inserted into another one of the plurality of slots, depending on a residual amount of the battery provided in the predetermined information viewing apparatus. |
| US08982009B2 |
Antenna pattern frame, method and mold for manufacturing the same, and electronic device
An antenna pattern frame according to an aspect of the invention may include: a radiator having an antenna pattern portion transmitting and receiving a signal; a ground portion extending from the antenna pattern portion; a connection portion connecting the antenna pattern portion and the ground portion to be arranged in different planes; and a radiator frame manufactured by injection molding on the radiator so that the antenna pattern portion may be provided on one side of the radiator frame and the connection terminal portion may be provided on the other side thereof, the radiator frame allowing the antenna pattern portion to be embedded in the electronic device case. |
| US08982006B2 |
Dipole antenna and radio-frequency device
A dipole antenna is disclosed. The dipole antenna includes a feed-in terminal, a balun, a first radiator and a second radiator. The feed-in terminal is used for feeding in a radio-frequency signal. The balun is electrically connected to the feed-in terminal for driving out a return current of the dipole antenna to balance a feed-in impedance of the dipole antenna. The first radiator is electrically connected to the feed-in terminal and the balun for radiating the radio-frequency signal in a first frequency band. The second radiator is electrically connected to the first radiator, the feed-in terminal and the balun for radiating the radio-frequency signal in a second frequency band. |
| US08982005B2 |
Monopole slot antenna structure
A monopole slot antenna structure including a dielectric substrate, a monopole slot antenna and a feed element is provided. The monopole slot antenna is disposed on one side of the dielectric substrate and has a slot including a first slot section, a tuning slot section and a second slot section. One end of the first slot section is located at one edge of the monopole slot antenna with the other end of the first slot section being extended towards internal portions of the monopole slot antenna and being connected to the tuning slot section. One end of the second slot section is connected to the tuning slot section with the other end of the second slot section being extended away from the first slot section. The feed element is disposed correspondingly to the second slot section, and excites the monopole slot antenna to generate two operating frequency bands. |
| US08982001B2 |
Information processing apparatus
Provided is an information processing apparatus including a keyboard portion, a first antenna module, and a connection portion. The keyboard portion includes a base plate to support a plurality of key portions, and a reinforcing member having an electric conductivity to be stacked on and reinforce the base plate. The first antenna module includes an antenna electrode to generate an induced electric field, and a ground portion to electrically connect to the antenna electrode. The connection portion is electrically connected to the ground portion and the reinforcing member. |
| US08981992B2 |
Methods and apparatuses for selectively validating satellite positioning system measurement information
Methods and apparatuses are provided that may be implemented in various electronic devices to identify suspect measurements for use in a position/velocity/time estimation filter and provide corresponding validated measurements that may be either operatively re-weighted in some manner or operatively one-sided isolated in some manner when subsequently considered by the position/velocity/time estimation filter. |
| US08981989B2 |
Projectile detection system
A projectile detection system, and method of detecting a projectile (for example a bullet), for use on a vehicle (100) (for example a helicopter), the projectile detection system comprising: a radar antenna array (4) arranged to transmit and receive microwave signals so as to provide a plurality of detection segments (40, 42, 44, 46) of a volume of airspace (38); one or more processors (3) arranged to: determine which segments (40, 42, 44, 46) microwave signals reflected by a projectile (10) are received from; determine timing information relating to a time order in which the received microwave signals are received; and determine directional information relating to a direction of travel of the projectile (10) using the determined segments (40, 42, 44, 46) and the determined timing information; wherein the microwave signals have a frequency between 1 GHz and 30 GHz. |
| US08981988B2 |
Radar system, transponder device, method for radar processing and computer readable media
A radar system is provided. The system includes a radar transceiving device equipped in a movable body and for transmitting an electromagnetic wave at a first frequency, and a transponder device arranged in a beacon and for transmitting a response wave upon receiving the electromagnetic wave. The transponder device includes a response wave transmitting module for transmitting, when a radar classification of the radar transceiving device is a solid-state radar, a response wave at a second frequency different from the first frequency in response to receiving the transmitted electromagnetic wave. The radar transceiving device includes a transmitting module for transmitting the electromagnetic wave, a receiving module for receiving a radar echo at the first frequency and the response wave at the second frequency, and a display controlling module for displaying, on a predetermined radar display unit, locations of the beacon and another movable body existing around the movable body. |
| US08981987B2 |
Imaging device, driving method of imaging device, and imaging system
An imaging device includes a comparator that compares a noise signal with each of a first reference signal and a second reference signal having potentials with different changing quantities per unit time, and that compares a photoelectric conversion signal with each of the first reference signal and the second reference signal. Also, the imaging device AD-converts signals obtained by amplifying the noise signal by a first gain and a second gain having different gains, and AD-converts a signal obtained by amplifying the photoelectric conversion signal by one of a first gain and a second gain. |
| US08981985B2 |
Analog-to-digital converter for a multi-channel signal acquisition system
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for a multi-channel signal acquisition system, a signal acquisition system, a method of generating a digital output code from an analog input signal, and a method of converting a plurality of analog signals to a digital signal are provided. The ADC comprises a sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit operable to receive an analog input signal for each input channel; a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) common to all input channels; a comparator for each input channel configured to receive an output signal from the S/H circuit of the respective input channel, and an output signal from the DAC, for generating a comparison result of the two signals at each conversion cycle of the comparator; and a successive approximation register (SAR) common to all input channels and configured to generate, for each input channel, a digital output code based on the comparison results received from the respective comparator. |
| US08981980B2 |
Method and apparatus for bandpass digital to analog converter
Systems and methods for providing a mechanism by which digital signals can be converted to analog signals with an efficient structure that reduces the number of filters required by providing a mechanism for cancelling images that would otherwise be generated. By adjusting three parameters in the system, a selection can be made as to whether to generate upper sidebands, lower sidebands and in which direction the envelope of the output from the system will be skewed. |
| US08981977B2 |
System and method for low-power digital signal processing
A system and method for low-power digital signal processing, for example, comprising adjusting a digital representation of an input signal. |
| US08981976B2 |
Analog-to-digital conversion with noise injection via wavefront multiplexing techniques
A novel noise injection technique is presented to improve dynamic range with low resolution and low speed analog to digital converters. This technique combines incoming signal and noise signal with wave front de-multiplexer and split into several channels. Then low resolution and low speed analog to digital converters are used to sample each channels. All signals are recovered using wave front multiplexer. For advanced design, ground diagnostic signals with optimizing processor can be added to guarantee recovery quality. |
| US08981971B2 |
Wavelet-based seismic data compression
This invention is for a method for transforming a seismic trace into a compressed domain. The seismic source wavelet is transformed into a zero degree phase wavelet and a shifted 90 degree phase wavelet, and the two wavelets span a 2-dimensional sub-space. A dictionary is created by collecting the wavelets in the sub-space. In practice this dictionary is usually combined with conventional existing wavelet dictionaries. The seismic trace is projected onto the dictionary (sub-space alone or combined) to find the best matching projection, with a residual determined after each projection, wherein the sum of the residuals determines the fidelity of the data compression. |
| US08981969B2 |
Alarm apparatus for a pilot's headset
The invention relates to an alarm apparatus (1) for a pilot's headset (3) and to a pilot's headset having such an alarm apparatus. The alarm apparatus comprises an attitude sensor (11), which detects its inclination relative to a starting position or the horizontal, and a measuring device (12) for recording a period for which the inclination recorded by the attitude sensor exceeds a stipulated inclination tolerance limit. In addition, the alarm apparatus has a means (13) which is set up to trigger an alarm signal when a recorded period of the inclination tolerance limit being exceeded is longer than a preset maximum period. |
| US08981967B1 |
Aircraft equipment management system
Method and apparatus for managing equipment on an aircraft. An apparatus comprises an interrogator, a display system, and a processor unit. The interrogator is configured to read information from a set of wireless tags associated with a set of equipment in an aircraft. The processor unit is configured to identify the set of equipment from the information read from the set of wireless tags by the interrogator. The processor unit is further configured to display a layout of an interior of the aircraft on the display system. The processor unit is further configured to display a number of graphical indicators for the set of equipment on the layout in a number of locations on the layout corresponding to a number of locations of where the set of equipment is located in the interior of the aircraft. |
| US08981956B2 |
Indication control circuit for indicating workload of electronic device
A workload indicating control circuit includes a coupling circuit, a square wave signal producing circuit, and an integral circuit. The coupling circuit induces a current output by a power input circuit of an electronic device and produces a proportional induced voltage, the current output by the power input circuit being proportional to the workload of the electronic device. The square wave signal producing circuit converts the induced voltage from the coupling circuit into a square wave voltage with corresponding amplitude. The integral circuit takes the square wave signal and modulates the square wave voltage into a sawtooth voltage, to drive the light-emitting unit to emit light according to the sawtooth voltage. |
| US08981952B2 |
Sensor for use in protective headgear
A sensor includes a housing and a mass, suspended in the housing. The motion of the mass emulates dynamic behavior of a brain of the wearer along a plurality of axes. At least one sensing element is coupled to generate sensor data based on the motion of the mass, in response to an impact to a protective helmet. |
| US08981949B2 |
Harvester bin sensor
A harvester grain bin monitoring system is disclosed. The system includes a sensor that monitors the perimeter of the bin proximate to the top rim to provide a warning to an operator when the grain level reaches approaches the bin rim. The sensor may be optical or mechanical. |
| US08981948B2 |
Electrical connector clip for medical sensors
A connector clip for medical sensors, including a first main body having two main tip contacts in electrical contact with electrical wires connectable to an instrument and a second main body mounted on the first main body and movable with respect to the first main body between an open position and a closed position. Two auxiliary tip contacts and an electric/electronic circuit provided with two connecting leads each electrically connected to one of the two auxiliary tip contacts are positioned in first or second main body. When a disposable sensor tab is correctly located and clamped each of two contacts is in contact with one of the main tip contacts and one of the auxiliary tip contacts and the electric circuit is connected in parallel with an electrical circuit defined by the sensor. |
| US08981947B2 |
Water quality monitoring apparatus
There is provided a water quality monitoring apparatus including: an air quality analyzing unit detecting, using an ion mobility sensor, air quality in a space that is at least partially enclosed by a partition wall and a boundary surface with water whose water quality is to be monitored; and an alarm unit that outputs a signal indicating an abnormality if an air quality pattern obtained by the air quality analyzing unit is outside a tolerated range for air quality patterns of air that contacts the water to be monitored. Such water quality monitoring apparatus is capable of monitoring the water quality of drinking water inside a water tank or the like indirectly but precisely by detecting the quality of the air contacting the water using an ion mobility sensor. |
| US08981946B2 |
Soil moisture sensor
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a soil moisture sensor for interrupting an irrigation schedule of an irrigation controller. The moisture sensor comprises a relatively flat body with two lower electrodes and two lower anchoring barbs. A receiver receives moisture readings from the sensor and compares moisture data to a predetermined moisture interrupt value or limit, over which irrigation is interrupted. |
| US08981942B2 |
System and method to monitor and reduce vehicle operator impairment
The method, system, and computer-readable medium facilitates monitoring a vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle during the course of vehicle operation to determine whether the vehicle operator is impaired (e.g., distracted, drowsy, intoxicated), alerting the vehicle operator when impairment is detected, and log data relating to vehicle operator impairment for further analysis. The method, system, and computer-readable medium may monitor the vehicle operator, the environment ahead of the vehicle, and/or forces acting on the vehicle using either or both of optical sensors or accelerometers. In particular, one optical sensor may monitor the vehicle operator to detect eye blinks, head nods, head rotations, and/or gaze fixation. Another optical sensor may monitor the road ahead of the vehicle to detect lane deviation, lane centering, and time to collision. The accelerometers may detect acceleration in the direction of vehicle travel and/or lateral acceleration. |
| US08981938B2 |
Comprehensive system and method of universal real-time linking of real objects to a machine, network, internet, or software service
Methods of connecting or linking real objects to machines or the virtual world in real time utilizing a device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wireless tag attached to an object in communication with an electronic device, such as a cellular phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or watch, monitors and updates the position of a wireless tag locally and on a machine/network/cloud. Methods of using a wireless tag in safety, loss/theft prevention, healthcare, tracking, advertising and marketing, education, games, finance, payment, and athletic are disclosed. In another embodiment, methods of providing an application programming interface and/or a software development kit based on the devices are provided, allowing software developers the ability to create their own programs or applications on top of the disclosed system is disclosed. Methods of allowing developers to distribute and/or monetize applications developed through the application programming interface and/or a software development kit are also disclosed. |
| US08981934B2 |
Loss prevention system
A loss prevention system comprises a protected article and a receiver. The protected article and the receiver are located in the same room. The loss prevention system can help to prevent loss or theft of the protected article. The protected article comprises a transmitter that emits an infrared signal. The infrared signal has a carrier frequency that is modulated to encode a digital signature. The receiver detects infrared signals. The receiver performs an alarm action if the receiver does not detect within a rolling time window an infrared signal having the carrier frequency that is modulated to encode the digital signature. |
| US08981932B2 |
Apparatus comprising a pair of an alarm condition generator and an associated alarm circuit, chip card, and method
An apparatus includes a pair of an alarm condition generator and an associated alarm circuit and a test circuit. The alarm circuit is configured to generate an alarm signal in response to a detection of an associated alarm condition. The alarm condition generator is configured to generate the associated alarm condition for its associated alarm circuit in response to a reception of a first reset of a first type of reset. The test circuit is configured to receive the alarm signal and the first reset and to generate in response to a reception of both the first reset and the alarm signal a second reset of a second type of reset. |
| US08981925B2 |
System, method, and apparatus for detecting wireless devices
A system provides for radio frequency detection of an offending device within a specific range of a body worn device. Upon detection of the radio frequency signal, the body worn device communicates to an infrastructure to alert of the presence and optionally the location of the radio frequency signal, and therefore the offending device. The user and/or location of the body worn device is/are revealed and the source of the radio frequency signal is readily determined for confiscation of the offending device. Other features include locating/tracking of the body worn device (and wearer) detection of tampering with the body worn device, and detection of cloaking of the body worn device (e.g. submerging in water or covering with aluminum foil, etc.). |
| US08981921B2 |
Status indicator and reminder system for vehicle temporary mobility kit
A status indicator and reminder system for a temporary mobility kit for use in a vehicle having a tire pressure monitoring system. A tire sealant containing temporary mobility kit is fittable within the vehicle. A controller coupled to the temporary mobility kit and the tire pressure monitoring system will generate a service warning signal for the temporary mobility kit in response to information provided by the tire pressure monitoring system. The service warning signal will be provided at a message center in the vehicle to apprise the driver of the need to service the temporary mobility kit. The status indicator and reminder system may also utilize inputs from a power load monitor and a trailer brake controller system to generate and display a service warning signal at the message center. |
| US08981920B2 |
Tire pressure monitoring apparatus and method
Provided are an apparatus and method for monitoring tire pressure, and in particular, a method of identifying a position of a TPM sensor attached to a tire using tooth data of ABS. The apparatus identifies the position of the TPM sensor using a point where tooth data of ABS has a variation different for each wheel, by estimating wheel tooth data from wheel position angle information measured by a rotation sensor of the TPM sensor, comparing the actual measured value with the estimated value, and recognizing that the TPM sensor is attached to a tire where the actual measured value is the same as or closest to the estimated value. |
| US08981917B2 |
In-vehicle emergency report apparatus
An emergency report apparatus in a vehicle transmits a signal of an emergency report to a center apparatus via a communication network when determining that the vehicle collides. The apparatus has a plurality functions for the emergency report with an operating power supplied from a vehicle battery in the vehicle. A backup battery is included to supply an operating power when the electric power supplied from the vehicle battery declines. A measurement device is included to measure a battery capability of the backup battery. A restriction device is included to restrict a function for the emergency report when the battery capability measured is lower than a predetermined value. |
| US08981915B2 |
System and method for display of multiple data channels on a single haptic display
A system that produces a haptic effect and generates a drive signal that includes at least two haptic effect signals each having a priority level. The haptic effect is a combination of the haptic effect signals and priority levels. The haptic effect may optionally be a combination of the two haptic effect signals if the priority levels are the same, otherwise only the haptic effect signal with the highest priority is used. The frequency of haptic notifications may also be used to generate a drive signal using foreground and background haptic effect channels depending on whether the frequency ratio exceeds a foreground haptic effect threshold. |
| US08981914B1 |
Portable haptic force magnifier
An improved system for magnifying forces perceived by an operator performing delicate procedures with a tool. The system senses forces between the tip and handle of the tool and actuates forces between the handle held by the operator and a brace contacting some other portion of the operator's anatomy. Magnifying the forces felt at the tip provides the ability to perceive forces that are smaller than could otherwise be felt and to perform procedures that are more delicate than possible without such enhanced perception. In at least one embodiment, the device is completely hand-held and thus can easily be adapted to a wide variety of locations, orientations, and applications. |
| US08981910B2 |
RFID tag issuing apparatus and RFID tag misalignment detecting method
According to one embodiment, an RFID tag issuing apparatus includes a communication instructing unit, a search unit, and a misalignment amount detecting unit. The communication instructing unit instructs a reader-writer unit to communicate with the RFID tag at a reference position that is reached when the label is carried by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction after the specific position on the label is detected by a label position detecting unit. The search unit repeats a carrying of the label and a communication instruction to the reader-writer unit when communication cannot be established with the RFID tag, and thus searches for a communication-available range with the RFID tag. The misalignment amount detecting unit detects an amount of carrying of the label to reach the communication-available range from the reference position, as a misalignment amount of the RFID tag. |
| US08981909B2 |
RFID group selection method
The invention describes a selection and arbitration method for reading a population of RFID transponders (tags). The transponders are selected or de-selected individually, or in one or more groups, using one or more command signals from a reader. The command signals from the reader include selection or de-selection criteria for selecting or de-selecting transponders by moving them between different states by setting or resetting a command flag, such as a flip-flop, in the transponders. The different transitional states include a Ready state, an Active state, a Standby state, a Singulated state and a Quiet state. |
| US08981908B2 |
RFID systems with low complexity implementation and pallet coding error correction
Systems and methods for decoding data transmitted by RFID tags are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention includes an analyzer and equalizer configured to filter an input signal, an estimation block configured to obtain a baseband representation of the modulated data signal by mixing the filtered input signal with the carrier wave, and a coherent detector configured to perform phase and timing recovery on the modulated data signal in the presence of noise and to determine a sequence of data symbols. |
| US08981907B1 |
RFID antenna multiplexing
A system to multiplex antennas for radio-frequency communication uses one or more antenna shorting circuits to selectively enable RF communication via one of a plurality of antenna matching networks. The system is cost-efficient compared to alternatives. The RF communication includes read and/or read/write communication with, e.g., radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. |
| US08981906B2 |
Printed wiring board and wireless communication system
A printed wiring board includes a circuit substrate on which sheets are laminated, a wireless IC element provided on the sheet, a radiator provided on the sheet, and a loop-shaped electrode defined by first planar conductors, via hole conductors, and one side of the radiator, coupled to the wireless IC element. The first planar conductors are coupled to the radiator and the second planar conductors by auxiliary electrodes. |
| US08981905B2 |
Secure asset tracking system
An asset tracking technology wrings from a scan, event, location, and personal data in combination, immense mounds of useful information about the assets by interacting this information with Points of Data via cloud processing and analytics. The system tracks each asset at each location starting at its initial location and thereafter at each succeeding location, including time taken and steps involved as reported by each player in the supply chain. Each asset and each critical embedded component has a tag or mark that uniquely identifies it. Each tag is registered in a cloud-hosted database. Each sending and each receiving location will input the tag information with a scanner. This data flowing from the tracking model is transmitted to the cloud-hosted database for processing using Big Data Analytics techniques and artificial intelligence expert systems tools to determine the probably of a deviation from a normative established by the expert system based on the collected data. |
| US08981904B2 |
Compression of IMU data for transmission of AP
A method, controller and system in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure facilitate reduced energy consumption in a motion sensing device having an inertial measurement unit (IMU), with a strap down integration unit, and an application processing unit (AP). The system and method include rounding velocity increments and orientation increments at the inertial measurement unit, thereby producing a remainder values. The remainder values are added to subsequent velocity increments and orientation increments prior to rounding of those values, and so on. In this way, while motion granularity is slightly decreased, there is no drift of integration errors over time. |
| US08981903B2 |
Device for marking out buried objects
A method and apparatus for marking the location of a buried object in which the location of the buried object is determined and a barhole driver or plunger bar having a detachable plug element and a marking material for marking the location of the buried object is driven into the ground proximate the location of the buried object. The detachable plug element detaches from the plunger bar as the plunger bar is removed from the ground, leaving a substantially continuous path of the marking material in the ground extending substantially continuously from proximate the detachable plug element to the ground surface. |
| US08981901B1 |
Method and system for fingerprint scanning and reporting
Disclosed is a method, system, and device for secret fingerprint scanning and reporting. When a portable communication device has been lost or stolen, an entity may transmit a fingerprint scan-report trigger message to the device. In response to receipt of the fingerprint scan-report trigger message, the device then automatically invokes an integrated fingerprint scanner to scan a fingerprint of a user of the device and to report the resulting fingerprint data to a remote destination. Optimally, the scanning and reporting are done without notification to a user of the device. The method, system, and device may thereby help to identify the user of the device and to potentially recover the device. |
| US08981900B2 |
Method, portable data carrier, and system for releasing a transaction using an acceleration sensor to sense mechanical oscillations
A method, a portable data storage medium, an approval apparatus and a system for approving a transaction using acceleration sensors integrated in a portable data storage medium. |
| US08981899B2 |
Electromechanical lock
An electromechanical lock and its operation method is disclosed. The method includes: reading data from an external source; matching the data against a predetermined criterion; providing a fulcrum provided that the data matches the predetermined criterion; holding the lock by a locking pin, when engaged, in a locked state, and, when disengaged, in a mechanically openable state; and if the fulcrum is provided, levering mechanical power with the fulcrum to the locking pin to mechanically disengage the locking pin. |
| US08981889B2 |
Common mode filter with ESD protection pattern built therein
Disclosed herein is a common mode filter with an ESD protection pattern built therein. The common mode filter includes a base substrate that is made of an insulating material, a first insulating layer that is formed on the base substrate, a coil-shaped internal electrode that is formed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer that is formed on the internal electrode, a first external electrode terminal that is formed on the second insulating layer, a first ferrite resin layer that is formed on the second insulating layer and receives the first external electrode terminal, an ESD protection pattern that is formed on the first external electrode terminal, a second external electrode terminal that is formed on the ESD protection pattern, and a second ferrite resin layer that is formed on the first ferrite resin layer and receives the second external electrode terminal. |
| US08981888B2 |
Magnetic body
A magnetic body which can reversibly change its magnetic force with a small external magnetic field while having a high residual magnetic flux density is provided. The magnetic body of the present invention has a residual magnetic flux density Br of at least 11 kG and a coercive force HcJ of 5 kOe or less, while an external magnetic field required for the residual magnetic flux density Br to become 0 is 1.10 HcJ or less. |
| US08981887B1 |
Magnetic tool and part holder and method of making the same
A magnetic tool-holder, comprising a flexible outer web defining an enclosed area and enclosing an array of solid, rigid magnets. The magnets are regularly interspersed in direction of polarization, so that the nearest neighbors of a magnet having a north pole facing in a first direction all have a north pole facing in a second direction, opposite to the first direction. |
| US08981875B2 |
Tunable MEMS resonators
Tunable MEMS resonators having adjustable resonance frequency and capable of handling large signals are described. In one exemplary design, a tunable MEMS resonator includes (i) a first part having a cavity and a post and (ii) a second part mated to the first part and including a movable layer located under the post. Each part may be covered with a metal layer on the surface facing the other part. The movable plate may be mechanically moved by a DC voltage to vary the resonance frequency of the MEMS resonator. The cavity may have a rectangular or circular shape and may be empty or filled with a dielectric material. The post may be positioned in the middle of the cavity. The movable plate may be attached to the second part (i) via an anchor and operated as a cantilever or (ii) via two anchors and operated as a bridge. |
| US08981871B2 |
High directivity directional coupler
Systems and methods for achieving high directivity (>20 dB) coupling over a reasonable frequency bandwidth on a microstrip transmission line. An exemplary coupler cancels out-of-phase, coupled reflected power signals on the transmission line thereby increasing the directivity. |
| US08981870B2 |
Differential coupler
A distributed differential coupler, including a first conductive line and two second conductive lines coupled to the first one, each second conductive line including two conductive sections electrically in series, their respective junctions points being intended to be grounded. |
| US08981868B2 |
Balun printed on substrate
A balun includes an input port, a first output port, a second output port and a coupling microstrip group including an input line connected to the input port, a first output line connected to the first output port, a first coupling line, a second output line connected to the second output port and a second coupling line. The input line includes a first coupling section connected to the input port, a second coupling section opposite to the first coupling section and a connecting section connected between the first coupling section and the second coupling section. An unbalanced signal is transformed into a first balanced signal via coupling among the first coupling section, the first output line and the first coupling line. An unbalanced signal is transformed into a second balanced signal via coupling among the second coupling section, the second output line and the second coupling line. |
| US08981864B2 |
Multi-layer integrated transmission line circuits having a metal routing layer that reduces dielectric losses
Multi-layer in integrated transmission line circuits are provided having improved signal loss characteristics. A multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit, such as a stripline circuit or a microstrip circuit, comprises at least one reference layer; at least one conducting layer having one or more conducting strips, wherein the at least one conducting layer is separated from the at least one reference layer by a substrate; and at least one additional layer positioned between the at least one conducting layer and the at least one reference layer. The multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit may also comprise a dielectric insulating material, such as an organic material or a ceramic material. The additional layers increase a dielectric thickness of the multi-layer integrated transmission line circuit to reduce dielectric losses. |
| US08981861B2 |
Injection locked pulsed oscillator
An injection locked pulsed oscillator includes a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) responsive to an injection signal. The injection locked pulsed oscillator includes at least one enable circuit responsive to a first enable signal to enable output pulses from the VCO. The injection locked pulsed oscillator also includes timing circuit responsive to a pulse repetition frequency signal and is configured to provide the injection signal to phase lock the VCO and provide the first enable signal delayed from the injection signal to shape a width of the output pulses from the VCO. |
| US08981857B2 |
Temperature dependent timer circuit
A timer to provide pulses at a comparator output wherein a frequency of the pulses is dependent on temperature, wherein providing each pulse includes biasing a first input of the comparator at a voltage and operating a transistor in a subthreshold region of operation to change the voltage of the first input of a comparator at a rate dependent upon temperature. The output of the comparator changes state when the voltage of the first input crosses a voltage of a second input of the comparator. |
| US08981854B2 |
Clock distributor and electronic apparatus
A clock distributor includes a first oscillator and a second oscillator, to each of which a signal controlling an oscillation frequency is input and to one of which a clock is input; a wiring portion that connects the first oscillator and the second oscillator; a first conversion element that converts an output from the first oscillator into electric current, and outputs a result to a first connection portion connecting to the wiring portion; a second conversion element that converts voltage of the first connection portion into electric current, and outputs a result to the first oscillator; a third conversion element that converts an output from the second oscillator into electric current, and outputs a result to a second connection portion connecting to the wiring portion; and a fourth conversion element that converts voltage of the second connection portion into electric current, and outputs a result to the second oscillator. |
| US08981851B2 |
Power supply modulator and method for controlling same
A power amplifier amplifies a radio signal. Negative feedback is applied to a linear amplifier and the linear amplifier receives an envelope signal. A pulse current modulator is connected to a power supply terminal of a power amplifier and an output terminal of the linear amplifier via an inductor, and outputs a pulse current according to a control signal generated from the envelope signal. A diode has an anode connected to an output terminal of a direct current source and a cathode connected to an output terminal of the pulse current modulator. A switching element is disposed between the output terminal of the direct current source and a ground potential, and is controlled by the control signal. |
| US08981849B2 |
Bias circuit and power amplifier with dual-power mode
There are provided a bias circuit and a power amplifier with a dual-power mode. The bias circuit includes a regulated voltage generation unit generating a regulated voltage by using a reference voltage, a bias voltage generation unit generating a bias voltage according to the regulated voltage, and a power mode control unit operating in any one of a high power mode and a low power mode according to a power mode voltage and dropping the regulated voltage in the low power mode. |
| US08981845B1 |
Digital power amplifier
Systems and methods for power amplification using multiple digital amplifiers are provided. A power amplifier includes a first digital amplifier configured to process a digital input signal to generate a first analog output signal. The first analog output signal is configured to have a magnitude corresponding to amplitude information of the digital input signal. The power amplifier further includes a second digital amplifier configured to process an adjusted digital input signal to generate a second analog output signal. The second analog output signal is configured to have a magnitude corresponding to amplitude information of the adjusted digital input signal. An adjustment module configured to adjust amplitude information and phase information of the digital input signal generates the adjusted digital input signal. The digital input signal is adjusted to control a relationship between the first analog output signal and the second analog output signal. |
| US08981842B1 |
Integrated circuit comprising buffer chain
Among other things, an integrated circuit and method for routing electrical pathways of an integrated circuit is provided. The integrated circuit comprises a buffer chain coupling a first cell of the integrated circuit to a second cell of the integrated circuit. An electrical pathway coupling a first inverter of the buffer chain with a second inverter of the buffer chain extends through a first set of metal layers and is routed to form a pulse-like shape having an apex at a top layer of the first set. |
| US08981839B2 |
Power source multiplexer
Circuitry, which includes a first switching transistor element having a first gate, a second switching transistor element having a second gate, a third switching transistor element having a third gate, and a fourth switching transistor element having a fourth gate, is disclosed. The first switching transistor element and the third switching transistor element are coupled in series between a first power source and a first downstream circuit. The second switching transistor element and the fourth switching transistor element are coupled in series between a second power source and the first downstream circuit. A voltage swing at the first gate and a voltage swing at the second gate are both about equal to a first voltage magnitude. A voltage swing at the third gate and a voltage swing at the fourth gate are both about equal to a second voltage magnitude. |
| US08981835B2 |
Efficient voltage doubler
A charge pump circuit using a voltage doubler-type of circuitry for generating an output voltage is described. An output generating stage uses a voltage double structure, except that the transistors in each leg are not cross-coupled to the other leg, but instead are controlled by an auxiliary section. The auxiliary section has a voltage doubler structure, but is not used to drive the load, but instead provides the gate voltage for the precharge section using the same levels as used for the corresponding transistors in the auxiliary section. This arrangement can be particularly advantageous for applications using low supply voltages to address self-loading effect due to loading. As the auxiliary section does not drive the load, its elements can be sized smaller. Additional improvement can be obtained by using separate clock drivers for the auxiliary section to address secondary self-loading effect due to loading. |
| US08981830B2 |
Capacitive coupling, asynchronous electronic level shifter circuit
An asynchronous level shifter electronic circuit including: a transmitter, which can be coupled to a first voltage and generates a communication signal; a receiver, which can be coupled to a second voltage; and a capacitive coupling stage, which receives the communication signal and supplies a corresponding filtered signal to the receiver. The receiver includes: a threshold device, which has an input terminal and an output terminal and switches an electrical quantity on the output terminal between a first value and a second value, as a function of corresponding transitions through a threshold of a first intermediate signal present on the input terminal, to generate a second intermediate signal; and a biasing circuit, which generates the first intermediate signal to have a d.c. component, which is a function of the second intermediate signal, and superposed on which is a variable component, which is a function of the filtered signal. |
| US08981829B1 |
Passgate strength calibration techniques for voltage regulators
Systems and methods are provided to regulate a supply voltage of a load circuit. For example, a system includes a voltage regulator circuit that includes a passgate device. The system includes a passgate strength calibration control module which is configured to (i) obtain information which specifies operating conditions of the voltage regulator circuit, (ii) access entries of one or more look-up tables using the obtained information, (iii) use information within the accessed entries to determine a maximum load current that could be demanded by the load circuit under the operating conditions specified by the obtained information, and to predict a passgate device width which is sufficient to supply the determined maximum load current, and (iv) set an active width of the passgate device according to the predicted passgate device width. |
| US08981828B2 |
Multi-phase generator
A multi-phase generator includes an oscillator unit including a plurality of first buffer units forming a single closed loop and a delay unit including a plurality of second buffer units respectively connected to a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes is connected between two adjacent buffer units of the first buffer units. A phase of an output signal of a second buffer unit, among the second buffer units, lags behind a phase of an output signal of a first buffer unit, among the first buffer units. |
| US08981824B2 |
Phase-locked loop, method of operating the same, and devices having the same
A method of operating a phase-locked loop (PLL) such as an all-digital PLL includes operations of comparing a reference clock signal with a feedback signal of the PLL and outputting a comparison signal according to a result of the comparison, and detecting whether the PLL is in a lock state by using a number of times the comparison signal is toggled. |
| US08981816B2 |
Multi-input voltage-to-frequency conversion circuit
A multi-input voltage-to-frequency conversion circuit, includes: a multi-input operational amplifier amplifying one of multiple voltage signals in response to multiple control signals to generate an amplified voltage; a voltage-to-current converter converting the amplified voltage into a sensed current, and generating an oscillation current based on the sensed current and on an offset voltage that is associated with a predetermined frequency range corresponding to the one of the voltage signals; and a current-controlled oscillator generating, based on the oscillation current, a periodic pulse signal that has a frequency linearly proportional to the magnitude of the one of the voltage signals. |
| US08981815B2 |
Low power clock gating circuit
A clock gating circuit for generating a clock enable signal with respect to a clock input signal and a logic enable signal includes: a first plurality of transistors for receiving at least the logic enable signal and generating a first output; a second plurality of transistor for receiving at least the first output and generating a second output; a third plurality of transistors for receiving at least the second output and an inverted second output; and an AND gate circuit, for receiving the second output and generating the clock enable signal when the logic enable signal is at logic 1. One transistor of the first plurality of transistors, the second plurality of transistors and the third plurality of transistors, respectively, receives the clock input signal at its gate. |
| US08981814B2 |
Permutable switching network with enhanced interconnectivity for multicasting signals
In one embodiment, the integrated circuit has a L-level permutable switching network (L-PSN) comprising L levels of intermediate conductors. The integrated circuit can be used in electronic devices, such as switching networks, routers, and programmable logic circuits, etc. |
| US08981812B2 |
Self-ready flash null convention logic
A self-ready flash null Convention Logic (NCL) gate includes a one-shot circuit to create the flash timing to reset the gate to a null state. The one-shot circuit may be any type of circuit to generate a pulse in response to a change of state of an input line. In one embodiment, the one-shot circuit may start the pulse in response to a change of a flash input line and end the pulse in response to the NCL output being reset to a null state. |
| US08981809B2 |
Compliant printed circuit semiconductor tester interface
A compliant printed circuit semiconductor tester interface that provides a temporary interconnect between terminals on integrated circuit (IC) devices being tested. The compliant printed circuit semiconductor tester interface includes at least one dielectric layer printed with recesses corresponding to a target circuit geometry. A conductive material is deposited in at least a portion of the recesses comprising a circuit geometry and a plurality of first contact pads accessible along a first surface of the compliant printed circuit. At least one dielectric covering layer is preferably applied over the circuit geometry. A plurality of openings in the dielectric covering layer are provided to permit electrical coupling of terminals on the IC device and the first contact pads. Testing electronics that to test electrical functions of the IC device are electrically coupled to the circuit geometry. |
| US08981799B2 |
Current measuring circuit
A first resistor, a second resistor, a transistor, and a third resistor connected in series between a ground potential and an output terminal of a power circuit are provided. In addition, a current-detecting resistor is inserted in series between a high-voltage site and an output terminal of a power circuit that supplies a predetermined direct voltage to the high-voltage site. A differential amplifier controls a current flowing through the transistor so that a potential difference generated between both ends of the third resistor becomes proportional to a potential difference generated between both ends of the current-detecting resistor. At this point, by measuring the voltage of a connection node of the first resistor and the second resistor, the value of a current flowing through the high-voltage site can be calculated from the measured value. |
| US08981797B2 |
Determining a dielectric property of a capacitor
An apparatus for determining a dielectric property of a capacitor arrangement, having an alternating signal generator for applying an electric alternating signal to the capacitor arrangement. It further contains an evaluation circuit for evaluating at least one electric measuring quantity of an electric signal tapped from the capacitor arrangement. It further comprises balancing means which are arranged in an electric path between the alternating signal generator and the capacitor arrangement and by means of which a parameter of the electric alternating signal can be changed in such a way that an output signal of the evaluation circuit assumes a specific value, preferably zero, under defined constant conditions. Control means are provided for emitting an electric control signal to the balancing means, by means of which the change of the at least one parameter can be controlled. The apparatus can thus be balanced in a simple, rapid, cost-effective and especially automatic way. |
| US08981796B2 |
Wireless method and apparatus for detecting damage in ceramic body armor
A wireless damage detector for ceramic armor plates includes an interrogator and a body armor ceramic plate. The interrogator includes an inductive primary coil having a resonant frequency. The plate includes a corresponding inductive secondary coil adapted to cooperate with the primary coil when the interrogator is positioned in an interrogation position wirelessly adjacent the plate. When in the interrogation position, the primary and secondary coils are inductively coupled, that is, form an inductive coupling, when the primary coil is energized at the resonant frequency. The plate includes at least one self-contained frangible continuity circuit electrically connected to the secondary coil. The inductive coupling induces an electrical current flow in the continuity circuit when the circuit is undamaged. A detector cooperates with the primary and secondary coils when the interrogator is in the interrogation position. The detector detects the inductive coupling. An indicator cooperates with the detector. |
| US08981795B2 |
Measuring arrangement for determining electrical conductivity of a measured liquid
A measuring arrangement for determining electrical conductivity of a measured liquid, comprising: a container, in which the measured liquid is accommodated, a gradiometer arrangement, comprising an exciter coil, a first receiving coil and a second receiving coil, wherein the first and the second receiving coils are arranged symmetrically relative to the exciter coil, and a measurement circuit embodied to excite the exciter coil for producing an alternating magnetic field passing through the first receiving coil, the second receiving coil and the measured liquid. The receiving coils are influenced in different manner by the magnetic field induced by the alternating magnetic field in the measured liquid and directed counter to the alternating magnetic field. The measurement circuit is furthermore embodied to register an electrical signal of the receiving coils and to derive from such the electrical conductivity of the liquid. |
| US08981794B2 |
Loss-less frequency dependent dicke-switched radiometer
A Dicke-switched radiometer including a signal channel comprising of an antenna for receiving an input signal and a first stage amplification circuit for amplifying an output of the antenna and generating an amplified input signal; a reference channel comprising of a resistive load, a second stage amplification circuit and a matching filter for matching a frequency and an impedance of the amplified input signal to a frequency and an impedance of the amplified reference signal; a Dicke switch coupled to first stage amplification circuit and the matching filter for inputting the amplified input signal and an output of the matching filter to generate a difference signal; a third stage amplification circuit coupled to an output of the Dicke switch for amplifying the difference signal; and a detector coupled to an output of the third stage amplification circuit to obtain the amplified difference signal and generate a detected difference signal. |
| US08981790B2 |
Electronic device and noise current measuring method
A noise current passing through a substrate on which an electronic component is mounted is suppressed in a housing, to provide a malfunction of an electronic device. A substrate (103) on which an electronic component is mounted is secured to a housing (102) by a metal spacer (108) and a screw (104). A noise control member (100) mainly composed of an insulation substance is disposed between the metal spacer (108) and the substrate (103). A first conductive film is formed on the metal spacer-side of the noise control member (100), and a second conductive film is formed on the substrate-side of the noise control member (100). A resistance member (101) is disposed between the first conductive film and the second conductive film. A noise current introduced from the housing to the substrate can be suppressed by the resistance member. |
| US08981789B2 |
Active matrix device and method of driving the same
An active matrix electrowetting on dielectric (AM-EWOD) device includes a plurality of array elements configured to manipulate one or more droplets of fluid on an array, each of the array elements including a corresponding array element circuit. Each array element circuit includes a top substrate electrode and a drive electrode between which the one or more droplets may be positioned, with an insulator layer being interposed between the one or more droplets and the drive electrode; and write circuitry configured to write data to the array element. At least some of the array element circuits include measure circuitry configured to detect a pinhole defect in the insulator layer. |
| US08981788B2 |
Capacitor power supply, voltage monitoring device, method of monitoring voltage, and method of manufacturing capacitor power supply
In a calibration process, a capacitor unit is removed from end terminals, or namely, respective capacitors are not connected to terminals. A prescribed voltage (a known voltage) is applied between these end terminals. Among bypass switches of a bypass circuit, the bypass switches connected to one terminal or two or more consecutive terminal pairs from the positive end terminal side are ON. Terminal voltages other than the negative end terminal are obtained and stored as calibration information. |
| US08981778B2 |
Method and apparatus for imaging a patient using local shim coils
A method of generating a magnetic resonance (MR) image includes applying a localized magnetic field to a portion of a patient, determining a difference between a local field strength around a first region of interest and a local field strength around a different second region of interest, adjusting the local field strength around the first region of interest such that the local field strength around the first region of interest is substantially the same as the local field strength around the second region of interest, and generating an image of the first and second regions after adjusting the local field strength around the first second region of interest. A coil apparatus and a system are also described herein. |
| US08981772B2 |
Rotating magnetic field for improved detection in cluster assays
In a method of performing a cluster assay, a suspension (14) of superparamagnetic particles in a fluid to be analyzed is provided, wherein the superparamagnetic particles are coated with a bioactive agent. The particles are then allowed to form clusters due to an analyte present within the fluid. Subsequently, clusters of superparamagnetic particles are selectively actuated by applying a rotating magnetic field, wherein the amplitude of the magnetic field varies over time. Finally, the selectively actuated clusters are detected. An apparatus for performing a cluster assay comprises means for accommodating a sample (12) and means for applying a rotating magnetic field (11), the magnetic field being adapted for selectively actuating clusters of superparamagnetic particles. The apparatus further comprises means for detecting the selectively actuated clusters. |
| US08981771B2 |
Aircraft fuselage inspection system
A method and apparatus for inspecting a metallic structure. A first signal is sent into a first location in the metallic structure and a second signal into a second location in the metallic structure at substantially a same time. A first response to the first signal is received. A second response to the second signal is received. The first response is compared with the second response to form a comparison. A determination is made as to whether an inconsistency is present using the comparison. |
| US08981769B2 |
Rotational angle detection devices
A rotational angle detection device may include a sensor wiring member and a motor wiring member. Each of the sensor wiring member and the motor wiring member includes a terminal body section and a connector section that are formed separately from each other and are electrically connected to each other via a connection structure. |
| US08981765B2 |
Motor function analyzing apparatus
It is an object of the present invention to provide a motor function analyzing apparatus which simplifies a calibration measurement necessary before measuring a finger tapping motion, and which is capable of evaluating a motor function highly precisely. The present invention provides a motor function analyzing apparatus which simplifies a calibration measurement necessary before measuring a finger tapping motion, and which is capable of evaluating a motor function highly precisely by using a calibration point unique to each apparatus and a calibration point unique to each subject. |
| US08981763B2 |
Di/dt current sensing
A circuit includes a power circuit and a current sensing circuit. The power circuit has a main current loop. The current sensing circuit is spaced apart from and electrically decoupled from the power circuit. The current sensing circuit is operable to generate a voltage proportional to an electromagnetic field generated responsive to a current change in the main current loop of the power circuit and generate a current information signal based on the voltage. The current information signal describes the current in the main current loop. |
| US08981761B2 |
Partial discharge detector for gas-insulated electric apparatus
A partial discharge detector for gas-insulated electric apparatus of an embodiment detects an electromagnetic wave ascribable to partial discharge in a gas-insulated electric apparatus which is filled with insulating gas, and in which a conductor to which high voltage is applied is supported in conductor supporting holes provided at centers of a plurality of disk-shaped insulating plates, and a plurality of flanged-conductive pipes form a hermetically sealed container, with flange portions thereof pressingly sandwiching and holding peripheral edge portions of the insulating plates from both surface sides. The partial discharge detector for gas-insulated electric apparatus of this embodiment is characterized in that an antenna detecting the electromagnetic wave is disposed in close contact on a portion, of each of the insulating plates, exposed from the flange portions of the flanged conductive pipes, via an elastic member capable of transmitting the electromagnetic wave. |
| US08981758B2 |
Measurement bridge in a printed circuit board
A measurement bridge, in particular for a network analyzer, including a reference port, a central output port and a balun having a first balun input connector and a first and a second balun output connector. The first balun output connector is connected to a first signal path and the second balun output connector is connected to a second signal path. The central output port is connected to the first signal path, and the reference port is connected to the second signal path. The electrical parameters of the first signal path and the second signal path are approximately the same. |
| US08981755B2 |
Method and device for monitoring the state of a network
The present invention concerns a method of detecting electric variables of a three-phase AC network having a first, a second and a third phase, including the steps of measuring a respective voltage value of the first, second and third phases in relation to a neutral conductor at a first moment in time, transforming the three voltage values of the first moment in time into polar co-ordinates with a voltage amplitude and a phase angle, repeating measurement and transformation for at least one further moment in time, and determining the currently prevailing frequency, voltage amplitude and/or phase angle of at least one of the phases from the voltage values transformed into polar co-ordinates. |
| US08981740B2 |
Switching circuit
A multiple output switching circuit (300) comprising an input (302) configured to receive power from a power source; a first output (304) configured to provide a first output voltage; and an inductor (308) and a power switch (306) connected between the input (302) and first output (304). The power switch (306) is operable to transfer power from the input (302) to the first output (304). The switching circuit further comprising a second output (312) configured to provide a second output voltage; a second switch (310) coupled between the first output (302) and the second output (312); and a second switch controller (314) configured to provide the second switch (310) with a second switch control signal (318) such that power is transferred from the input (302) to the second output (312) when the first output voltage level reaches a first output threshold level. |
| US08981735B2 |
Power supply system for motor vehicle provided with control device of voltage applied to field coil of generator
A power supply system for a motor vehicle includes a generator that includes a rotor having a field coil and a stator having an armature coil; a rectifier that rectifies AC power generated in the armature coil; an excitation control circuit that takes control of a voltage applied to the field coil; a capacitor that is connected to the DC side of the rectifier, and receives and transfers the rectified power; a battery connected to an electric load of the motor vehicle; a DC-DC converter that is connected between the capacitor and the battery and capable of converting unidirectionally or bidirectionally an input DC voltage into any DC voltage; and a selection switch which connects the capacitor or the battery to the excitation control circuit as a power supply source. |
| US08981732B2 |
Switch, charge monitoring apparatus and rechargeable battery module
Disclosed herein is a switch for turning on/off the connection between a first terminal and a second terminal. The switch includes a first transistor circuit configured from two transistors connected in series between the first terminal and the second terminal; and a second transistor circuit having a gate terminal connected to source terminals of the two transistors and a source terminal connected to gate terminals of the two transistors. The connection between the first terminal and the second terminal is changed over between on and off states by changing over a potential to the source terminal of the second transistor circuit between high and low levels. |
| US08981730B2 |
Switching device for electric vehicle and method of controlling the switching device
Provided are a switching device for an electric vehicle and a method of controlling the switching device. The switching device includes a switch, a signal selection part, an inverter, and a controller. The switch generates a first or second switching signal according to an operation mode. The signal selection part receives the first or second switching signal, and selects the first or second switching signal according to the operation mode to output the selected switching signal. The inverter performs a direct current/alternating current conversion process on power according to the switching signal output from the signal selection part, and outputs the power. The controller determines the operation mode, and generates a control signal according to the operation mode such that the signal selection part selects the first or second switching signal. |
| US08981726B2 |
Secondary battery system and charging system for secondary battery
A secondary battery system includes a secondary battery, an abnormality detecting unit OC which detects whether the secondary battery has become abnormal, and a signal generating circuit which outputs a signal to an externally connected device based on detection information of the abnormality detecting unit OC. The signal generating circuit includes a circuit element that can be held at least in a first state and in a second state. The signal generating circuit is configured to change an output state of a signal to the externally connected device based on whether the circuit element is in the first state or in the second state. The signal generating circuit is configured to switch the circuit element from the first state to the second state when the abnormality detecting unit OC has detected the abnormal state, and not to return the circuit element to the first state. |
| US08981722B2 |
Cell control device and electricity storage device incorporating the same
A cell control device according to the present invention includes: a discharge circuit that discharges each unit cell selected by the first switches among a plurality of unit cells connected in series; a charging circuit that charges each unit cell selected by the second switches among the unit cells connected in series, and; a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of each unit cell via voltage detection lines respectively connected to positive and negative electrodes of the unit cells; an oscillator that irradiates high frequency electromagnetic radiation upon the voltage detection lines; and a charging control unit that controls switching of the first switches, thereby performing discharge of the each unit cell, and a charging control unit that controls switching of the second switches, thereby performing charging of the unit cells, based on voltages of the unit cells that are detected by the voltage detection unit. |
| US08981721B2 |
Battery control device and electricity storage device
A battery control device that controls a battery module in which a plurality of cell groups, in each of which a plurality of cells are connected in series, are connected in series or series-parallel, includes: a plurality of cell controller ICs that control each of the plurality of cell groups; and one or more connectors that are provided for connecting the plurality of cell controller ICs to the battery module; wherein: the plurality of cell controller ICs include first and second cell controller ICs that are provided in sequence, so as to control two or more of the cell groups that are connected in series; and an auxiliary connection member (a pin) is provided for connecting GND terminal side wiring of the first cell controller IC and VCC terminal side wiring of the second cell controller IC together, externally to the battery control device. |
| US08981718B2 |
Serial multi-vehicle quick charge station
Disclosed herein are embodiments of serial multi-vehicle quick charge systems and stations for battery propulsion vehicles and methods thereof. One charging system comprises a charging unit having a plurality of charging circuits configured to be individually switched. The plurality of charging stations is electrically connected to the charging unit through the plurality of charging circuits. A controller is programmed to initiate charging of a vehicle connected to the charging unit through one of the charging stations by signaling a corresponding one of the charging circuits to close, track order of connection of each vehicle connected to the charging unit and initiate charging of each subsequently connected vehicle one at a time based on the order of connection, such that an individual vehicle is charged until a predetermined fraction of battery charge capacity has been obtained before the controller initiates charging of a vehicle next in the order of connection. |
| US08981711B2 |
System for charging portable electronic devices having apparatus for suspending portable electronic devices from a power source
A system for charging portable electronic devices is proposed, which comprises an apparatus (1) for suspending the portable electronic device, which can be connected electrically to a power source and a part (2) for carrying the electronic device, which has means for transferring electrical energy, further comprising means for transferring electrical energy, which can be connected electrically to the electronic device, wherein the part (2) for carrying the electronic device has electrical contact means (9, 10) connected to the means for transferring electrical energy, which by suspending the electronic device by means of the part (2) for carrying the electronic device on the apparatus (1) for suspending the portable electronic device can be connected in an electrically detachable manner to the electrical contact means (6, 8) of the apparatus (1) for suspending the portable electronic device. |
| US08981710B2 |
Energy management system
An energy management system and method connecting a load to multiple energy sources. The system includes a load connection, source connections for each energy source, a control unit and at least one energy management module having an inductor and four switches. The first source is in parallel with the load. The first switch couples the first source positive terminal to the first inductor end, second switch couples the first source negative terminal to the first inductor end, third switch couples the second source positive terminal to the second inductor end, and fourth switch couples the second source negative terminal to the second inductor end. The control unit controls the four switches of each module to transfer energy between the energy sources through the module inductor. The system can have more than two sources. Modes including one or two switch, synchronous or asynchronous, and buck or boost can be used. |
| US08981707B1 |
Wide dynamic range charger
A wide dynamic range charger module is configured to couple a variable power source such as a photovoltaic cell to a load. The module determines a maximum power point (MPPT) of the power source and based at least in part upon that MPPT selects one of a plurality of power converters to provide power to the load. The selection is such that the selected power converter is operating within its operating regime. The selected power converter may further be configured to a pre-determined input admittance which corresponds to the power source. |
| US08981706B2 |
Electric motor drive apparatus and electric power steering apparatus having the same
An electric motor drive apparatus includes multiple inverter sections arranged corresponding to winding sets of a motor, multiple relays that controls power supplies to the inverter sections, and a control unit. Each inverter section and corresponding winding set are referred to as a system. The control unit includes an obtaining section that obtains a winding current, a determination section that determines a fault occurrence, a specifying section that specifies a faulty system in which the fault occurs, an interrupting section that controls the relay corresponding to the faulty system to interrupt the power supply to the faulty system, and a vibrating section that controls the inverter section of a properly-operating system to add a vibration to an output torque from the electric motor. The vibrating section gradually increases a vibration component of the vibration added to the output torque from the electric motor. |
| US08981704B2 |
Motor controller and electric power steering device using the same
Provided are a motor controller for suppressing a torque pulsation with a simple configuration and obtaining a sufficient output torque in the case of an open-type fault occurring in any one of windings of a motor and inverters, and an electric power steering device using the motor controller. In the motor controller for controlling a current supplied from and a voltage applied from a power source with respect to the motor including winding sets of a plurality of systems, when a fault determination unit (31) determines the occurrence of the open-type fault, the supply of the currents to the windings of one of the systems in which the fault has occurred is stopped by control performed on switching elements included in the inverter of the faulty system, whereas the supply of the currents to the windings of the normal system in which the fault has not occurred is continued. |
| US08981703B2 |
Motor system having an electronically commutated electric machine
A system for operating an electric machine includes: a rotor position sensor to provide a rotor position indication as a function of a rotor position angular range which indicates the position of a rotor of the electric machine; a control unit designed to associate in each case a commutation angular range, which indicates a certain control state for the stator coils, with one or more of the rotor position indications, so that a change in the commutation angular range is triggered by a change in the rotor position indication, and to change an association scheme of the associations between the rotor position indications and the respective commutation ranges as a function of a predefined rotational direction indication which indicates the desired rotational direction. |
| US08981702B2 |
Automated motor control
Input-output linearization (IOL) and extended state observer (ESO) techniques are applied to a Field Oriented Control (FOC) for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM). In one such approach, at least one gain value is determined based at least in part on a given bandwidth value. Operating parameters for the motor are determined based on the at least one gain value and information from a current sensor regarding motor current. Control signals used to the control the motor are determined based on the determined operating parameters. Accordingly, automated control can be effected through setting a bandwidth value through the implementation of IOL and ESO techniques. |
| US08981700B2 |
Vehicle seat apparatus
Provided is a vehicle seat apparatus including drive mechanism for moving configuring elements of a vehicle seat using a motor drive, in order to adjust a posture; control mechanism for controlling the operation of the drive mechanism; a rotation sensor which outputs pulse signals synchronized with a motor rotation; position detection mechanism for detecting a movement position of the configuring elements by counting pulse edges of the pulse signals according to the motor rotation direction; and reverse rotation detection mechanism for estimating that a reverse rotation has occurred in the motor rotation, in a situation where the pulse edges are continuously detected after the motor drive is stopped, if the rotation direction is unchanged, in a case where a motor rotation speed indicated by the pulse edges after the stop becomes faster than the motor rotation speed before the motor drive is stopped. |
| US08981698B2 |
Apparatus for opening and/or closing a door
An apparatus for opening and/or closing a door of a domestic appliance, such as, for example, an oven, a refrigerator and the like, has a drive apparatus for the automatic opening and/or closing of the door and an actuating device which is operable by a user for activating the drive apparatus in order to open or to close the door. |
| US08981697B2 |
Asset condition monitoring in an electric motor
The motor monitoring system of the present disclosure uses several calculated monitoring values to determine a status of a motor and take a predetermined action when a threshold corresponding with the monitoring value is exceeded. The threshold may be calculated by an intelligent electronic device (IED) monitoring the motor. The predetermined action may include further monitoring of the motor. The predetermined action may include monitoring equipment not directly monitored by the IED. |
| US08981694B2 |
Sensorless control apparatuses of motors and control methods thereof
A sensorless control apparatus of a motor may include: a position estimator configured to compensate for a resistance and a magnetic flux of a permanent magnet of the motor according to a temperature of the motor, and/or configured to generate an estimated speed of a rotor of the motor based on the compensated resistance and the compensated magnetic flux of the permanent magnet; and/or a speed controller configured to generate a command current based on a command speed of the rotor and the estimated speed of the rotor. |
| US08981693B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining a zero crossing of a phase current of an electronically commutated electrical machine, in particular for determining a rotor position of the electrical machine
A method for determining a time for a zero crossing of a phase current in a polyphase electrical machine (2). The method including driving a driver circuit (31; 50) for providing phase voltages to operate the electrical machine (2); deactivating a pulse-width-modulated driving by at least one power switch (36, 37; 52, 53), such that no potential is applied to connecting nodes (AI, A2, B1, B2) by the driver circuit (31; 50), at least during a time segment in each cycle of the pulse width modulation; detecting a diode voltage via a freewheeling diode, with which the deactivated power switch (36, 37; 52, 53) has been provided, within the time segment; and fixing the time for the zero crossing of the phase current as the time after which there is no longer a diode voltage present across the freewheeling diode (40; 54) within the time segment. |
| US08981691B2 |
Motor drive apparatus
When a failure detection part detects a failure in an inverter circuit in a first power supply system, a drive control part stops the inverter circuit from driving a motor. An on/off control part turns off a first power supply relay of a power supply on/off part. Under a state that the inverter circuit stops a motor driving operation, a first coil set of the motor generates an induced voltage by rotation caused by an external force. The induced voltage is regenerated to a battery from the inverter circuit through a second power supply relay and a parasitic diode of the first power supply relay. Thus, circuit elements in the power supply system, which is failing, are protected from breaking down. |
| US08981690B2 |
Electric power steering system
An electric power steering system includes short-circuit determination means for determining whether a short-circuit between an energization failure phase and one of the two phases other than the energization failure phase has occurred while assist force is being generated using the two phases other than the energization failure phase as energization phases. When the short-circuit determination means determines that the short-circuit has occurred, generation of the assist force is stopped. |
| US08981689B2 |
Driver for switching element and control system for rotary machine using the same
In a driver, a discharging module discharges, at a discharging rate, the on-off control terminal of a switching element in response to a drive signal being shifted from an on state to an off state. A changing module determines whether a condition including a level of a sense signal being higher than a threshold level during the on state of the drive signal is met, and changes the discharging rate of the on-off control terminal in response to the drive signal being shifted from the off state to the on state upon determination that the condition is met. A loosening module loosens the condition after a lapse of a period since the shift of the drive signal from the off state to the on state in comparison to the condition immediately after the shift of the drive signal from the off state to the on state. |
| US08981684B2 |
Human-machine interface for motor control
A motor assembly includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor. A housing is coupled to the electric motor. A motor controller is disposed within the housing. A human machine interface (HMI) is selectively detachably coupled to the housing and in communication with the motor controller. The HMI includes a user input for control of the electric motor when the HMI is coupled to the housing and for control of the electric motor when the HMI is separately disposed from the housing. |
| US08981680B2 |
Electric power tool
An electric power tool of the present invention includes: a lighting unit; a motor that drives a tool element; a setting switch that is turned ON/OFF to change an operation mode setting and a lighting mode setting; a setting switching unit that changes the operation mode setting and the lighting mode setting corresponding to a manner of operation provided to the setting switch; a motor control unit that controls the motor according to a control method for one of the operation modes currently set by the setting switching unit; and a lighting control unit that controls the lighting unit corresponding to one of the lighting modes currently set by the setting switching unit. When the setting switch is turned on, the setting switching unit changes one of the operation mode setting and the lighting mode setting corresponding to a duration time of an ON state of the setting switch. |
| US08981678B2 |
Illuminated molding control systems
Illuminated moldings with integrated control are provided. The illuminated moldings with integrated control use low voltages, are energy efficient and easy to install and use. The illuminated moldings with integrated control may be attached to various surfaces of different objects. The illuminated molding is insulated and does not carry electricity, and can be placed under water with never a risk of shock even if something damages or cuts the molding. Further, the illuminated moldings with an integrated control allow a user to control various illumination characteristics and effects such as the turn on or turn off time, the color, the brightness, the transition between various operation modes. The integrated control may be wired or wireless. |
| US08981676B2 |
LED backlight driving circuit, LCD device, and method for driving the LED backlight driving circuit
A light emitting diode (LED) backlight driving circuit includes an LED light bar, a power supply that drives the LED light bar, and a control assembly that controls the LED light bar and the power supply. The control assembly is configured with a monitor that reduces brightness of the LED light bar when a display image of a liquid crystal (LC) panel is switched between a two-dimensional (2D) display mode of the LC panel and a three-dimensional (3D) display mode of the LC panel, and the brightness of the LED light bar goes normal after a preset delay time. |
| US08981671B2 |
Illumination system and illumination apparatus
An illumination system includes a plurality of illumination apparatuses, each of the illumination apparatuses including a light source, a detection sensor for sensing presence and absence of a moving object, a wireless communication unit for transmitting a sensing signal of the detection sensor to other illumination apparatuses and for receiving a sensing signal from other illumination apparatuses and a control unit for controlling an output of the light source based on the sensing signal of the detection sensor or the sensing signal transmitted from other illumination apparatuses. If the detection sensor of one of the illumination apparatuses senses the moving object, at least one of remaining illumination apparatuses is controlled together by the sensing signal wirelessly transmitted from said one of the illumination apparatuses. |
| US08981666B2 |
Light emitting element driving circuit
The present disclosure discloses a light emitting element driving circuit. In one embodiment the light emitting element driving circuit may comprise a power conversion circuit and a current balancing circuit. In other embodiment the light emitting element driving circuit may further comprise other modules integrated and interacting with the power conversion circuit and the current balancing circuit, such as fault detection and protection circuits, status indication circuits and phase-shift PWM dimming circuits. In other embodiment, the present disclosure further discloses a current balancing circuit. In other embodiment, the present disclosure further discloses a fault detection and protection circuit. In still other embodiment, the present disclosure further discloses a phase-shift PWM dimming circuit. |
| US08981664B2 |
Current limiting device for plasma power supply
The current (Iout) flowing between a plasma chamber and a power supply is limited by limiting the current change di/dt if the current exceeds a predetermined current. A current change limiting device is provided in the current path between the power supply and the plasma chamber and is configured to determine if the current exceeds the predetermined current and limits the current change. |
| US08981662B1 |
Backlight driving circuit and liquid crystal display
A backlight driving circuit is disclosed. The backlight driving circuit includes a boost circuit, a constant-current driving chip, a detecting module and a LED string coupled with the boost circuit. The boost circuit boosts an input voltage and then provides the boosted voltage to the LED string. The detecting module receives and calculates external PWM optical signals to obtain a duty-cycle ratio of the PWM optical signals, and compares the duty-cycle ratio of the external PWM optical signals with a predetermined threshold to determine if control signals have to be generated for the constant-current driving chip such that the constant-current driving chip controls the current passing through the LED string. The backlight driving circuit can operate normally even when the duty-cycle ratio of the PWM optical signals is very small. In addition, a liquid crystal display includes the above backlight driving circuit is also disclosed. |
| US08981661B2 |
Powering high-efficiency lighting devices from a triac-based dimmer
A circuit for powering high-efficiency lighting devices from a thyristor-controlled dimmer operates a switching power circuit during active portions of half-cycles of the AC line voltage source that supplies the dimmer. A control circuit determines the durations of the active portions such that sufficient energy is transferred to operate the lighting devices until a next half-cycle of the AC line voltage, at which time the active portion of the half-cycle is terminated. A high impedance level is presented to the output of the dimmer until the next half-cycle commences. |
| US08981659B2 |
Input voltage transfer apparatus for light emitting diode lighting system
An input voltage transfer apparatus for an LED lighting system is provided. The input voltage transfer apparatus includes a source voltage storage unit, a zero voltage switching unit, and a nonzero voltage switching unit. The source voltage storage unit stores a source voltage. The zero voltage switching unit turns on according to the source voltage stored in the source voltage storage unit when a zero voltage is inputted. The nonzero voltage switching unit turns on according to a current applied thereto through the zero voltage switching unit when a nonzero voltage is inputted. When the nonzero voltage switching unit is turned on, the source voltage storage unit discharges the stored source voltage. |
| US08981658B2 |
Apparatus for driving light emitting diode
There is provided an apparatus for driving a light emitting diode (LED), performing switching-operation with respect to a pair of LED groups by a phase difference of 180 degrees. The apparatus includes a switching unit that alternately switches a first LED unit and a second LED unit of at least one pair of LED units emitting light by receiving rectified power, in accordance with a predetermined phase difference, a current limiting unit that limits a current flowing in the at least one pair of LED units through the switching of the switching unit, and a driving control unit that controls switching driving of the switching unit in accordance with a voltage level of the rectified power. |
| US08981654B2 |
LED centralized DC power supply system and operating methods thereof
The invention provides a light emitting diode (LED) centralized DC (direct-current) power supply system and operating methods thereof. The proposed DC power supply system comprises a three-phase AC (alternating-current) input interface, a DC power supply output interface, N+1 three-phase PWM (pulse width modulation) rectifier modules, LED cluster loads and a power supply management module. The proposed operating methods are described as following: the power supply management module adjusts the duty ratio of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, based on the control signals formed by synthesizing the information about voltage and current of the positive and negative output buses, the three-phase AC input ends, control signals and output of the three-phase PWM rectifier modules, hence AC voltage of power grid can be directly converted into adjustable DC voltage by the PWM rectifier. |
| US08981650B2 |
Lighting device controller programming
Various techniques are provided for programming lighting devices. In one example, a lighting device includes a light emitting diode (LED). The lighting device also includes a microcontroller configured to receive a programming signal generated by the LED in response to illumination of the LED with an externally-supplied light signal modulated with the programming signal. |
| US08981645B1 |
Gas discharge device with electrical conductive bonding material
Plasma-shells filled with ionizable gas are positioned on or within a rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible substrate. Each plasma-shell is electrically connected to one or more electrical conductors such as electrodes with an electrically conductive bonding substance to form an electrical connection to each electrode. The electrically conductive bonding substance may comprise a pad connected to the plasma-shell and/or an electrode. |
| US08981643B2 |
Electroluminescent display panel
An electroluminescent (EL) display panel includes a substrate, an EL display array, at least one first thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer and a first patterned stress releasing layer. The EL display array is disposed on the substrate. The first TFE layer covers the EL display array. The first patterned stress releasing layer covers the first TFE layer. |
| US08981641B2 |
Method of manufacturing optical film
To provide a method of manufacturing an optical film formed on a plastic substrate. There is provided a method of manufacturing an optical film including the steps of laminating a separation layer and an optical filter on a first substrate, separating the optical filter from the first substrate, attaching the optical filter to a second substrate. Since the optical film manufactured according to the invention has flexibility, it can be provided on a portion or a display device having a curved surface. Further, the optical film is not processed at high temperatures, and hence, an optical film having high yield with high reliability can be formed. Furthermore, an optical film having an excellent impact resistance property can be formed. |
| US08981640B2 |
Simplified patterned light panel
A first device may be provided in some embodiments. The first device may comprise a substrate, a first emissive region, and a second emissive region, where the first emissive region and the second emissive region may comprise a contiguous area. The first device may further comprise a first electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and the second emissive regions, and an organic layer disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, where the organic layer comprises the same emissive material across the first and the second emissive regions. The first device may further include a second electrode disposed over the substrate that extends across the first and second emissive regions, where the second electrode includes a patterned layer of conductive material that is disposed in the first emissive region and that is not disposed in the second emissive region. |
| US08981635B2 |
High-frequency spark plug with center electrode and terminal electrode in direct contact
An ignition plug includes an insulator having an axial bore extending in the direction of an axis and an electrode inserted into the axial bore, and generates plasma discharge through supply, to the electrode, of high-frequency power generated by a predetermined high-frequency power supply. The electrode includes a center electrode inserted into the forward side of the axial bore and a terminal electrode inserted into the rear side of the axial bore. In the axial bore, the terminal electrode and the center electrode are fixed to the insulator by means of a glass seal which contains a glass component, and are in direct contact with each other. Thus, ignition performance can be further improved. |
| US08981632B2 |
Anti-fouling spark plug and method of making
A spark plug is provided. The spark plug has an insulative sleeve with a central axial bore and an exterior surface of a shaped tip portion. A coating is disposed on the exterior surface of the shaped tip portion and the coating comprises a transition metal compound or a combination of transition metal compounds, and an alkali metal compound. A center electrode extends through the central axial bore of the insulative sleeve. A metal sleeve is provided, wherein the insulating sleeve is positioned within, and secured to, the metal shell. A ground electrode is coupled to the metal shell and positioned in a spaced relationship relative to the center electrode so as to define a spark gap. |
| US08981628B2 |
Ultra violet irradiating device for alignment of liquid crystal, and water-cooling coaxial tube
The present invention provides an ultra violet irradiating device for aligning liquid crystal and also an water-cooling coaxial tube. The ultraviolet irradiating device includes a water-cooling coaxial tube configured with an inter tube and an external pipe enveloping the internal pipe. A light tube is disposed within the internal pipe, and an infrared filter layer is disposed between the internal and external pipes; and an ultra violet filter layer is coated over an external surface of the external pipe so as to filter out an ultra violet light beam having wavelength lower than 320 nm. The breakage of the unit filters resulted from inter pushing with each other or leakage resulted from overlapping of the unit filters can be readily resolved. |
| US08981624B2 |
Temperature control of micromachined transducers
A micromachined structure, comprises a substrate and a cavity in the substrate. The micromachined structure comprises a membrane layer disposed over the substrate and spanning the cavity. |
| US08981615B2 |
Wound stator core
A wound stator core disclosed is substantially formed from a spirally piled strip. In an embodiment, the strip with a specific length is formed with a first dentition and a second dentition, whereas the first dentition is featured by a first slot-number ratio and is composed of a first side and a plurality of first teeth in a manner that the plural first teeth are arranged as an array on the first side; which is also same to the second dentition while allowing the second slot-number ratio to be equal to the first slot-number ratio. In addition, each first tooth is formed with a first dental part at a free end thereof, while also each second tooth is formed with a second dental part at a free end thereof, and the first dental part of each first tooth is connected to the second dental part of its corresponding second tooth. |
| US08981611B2 |
Rotor and motor
A rotor includes magnetic pole portions and first and second ferric core portions. The first and second ferric core portions are each located between magnetic pole portions in the circumferential direction of a rotor. A first gap is formed between the first or second ferric core portion and a magnetic pole portion at a first circumferential side. A second gap is formed between the first or second ferric core portion and the magnetic pole portion at a second circumferential side. The first gap has a smaller width than the second gap at the first ferric core portion. The first ferric core portion is inclined toward the first circumferential side. The first gap is larger than the second gap at the second ferric core portion. The second ferric core portion is inclined toward the second circumferential side. |
| US08981609B2 |
Generator for a wind energy installation and method for its production
Disclosed is a generator for a wind energy installation having a rotor which has permanent magnets and is directly connected for drive purposes to a blade rotor of the wind energy installation, and having a stator which has an iron core composed of laminates. The generator is formed without the rotor or the stator on the external circumference as a completely surrounding housing, and the laminates of the stator are connected to one another by adhesive bonding and/or welding. |
| US08981605B2 |
Motor drive apparatus with substrate fixed, member and rotation angle sensor
An ECU attached to a motor assembly has a substrate and a heat sink. The substrate mounts thereon a microcomputer, which controls driving of a motor in accordance with a rotation angle of the motor. The substrate is fixed to the heat sink. The substrate has a first through hole group and a second through hole group, which are through holes connectable electrically by soldering to rotation angle signal wires connected to a rotation angle sensor, which detects a rotation angle of the motor. |
| US08981604B2 |
Active element for an electromagnetic machines, a method of fabricating such an active element, and an electromagnetic machine including such an active element
The invention provides an active element for an electromagnetic machine, the element comprising an alternating succession in a main direction of portions presenting a first magnetic property and of portions presenting a second magnetic property, wherein the element includes a non-magnetic covering that is thin relative to a thickness of the portions and that extends to cover a substantial fraction of an outside surface of the active element, the covering being secured to at least some of the portions and presenting sufficient strength to form a member for mechanically transmitting the magnetic forces to which the portions are subjected. |
| US08981601B2 |
Method of operating a remotely-controlled switching device of an energy management system
The method is for operating a remotely-controlled switching device of an energy management system. The switching device is mounted in series on a local electrically powered circuit on which are also mounted in series a load and an electronic thermostat. The method includes generating a first pulsed signal for controlling the switching device, the switching device opening and closing the circuit in response to the first signal. The circuit is opened to prevent the load from operating and is closed when operation of the load is allowed. The method includes generating a second pulsed signal for controlling the switching device at least when the circuit is opened by the switching device in response to the first signal. The second signal causes the switching device to temporarily close the opened circuit at given intervals for keeping an internal circuitry of the thermostat energized while still substantially preventing the load from operating. |
| US08981593B1 |
Control device and method for varying power supply and load
A control unit connected to power supplies and loads transitions between states to connect supplies and loads in various configurations. In a first state, for example, the first supply and first load are connected in series, and the second supply and second load are connected in series. In a second state, the first supply and second load are connected in series, and the second supply and first load are connected in series. The control unit transitions between states via a transition state in which all supplies and loads are connected in parallel, avoiding load power disruptions. First and second power supplies can be rechargeable battery packs, and first and second loads can be any devices drawing or generating power. If one load is a motor and the other a generator, one battery can power the motor and the other battery can be charged using the generator. |
| US08981590B2 |
Hybrid vehicle and method for operating a device for charging a battery in a hybrid vehicle
In order to operate a hybrid vehicle, a mode is provided in which adjustment to the remaining electrical range is performed, specifically said remaining range is kept substantially constant. For example, the driver of the vehicle can continuously maintain the currently determined remaining electrical range by activating an activation element, in order to be able to retrieve said remaining electrical range later for purely electric driving, for example in a low emission zone. Adjustment to the remaining electrical range is more appropriate than the previously known adjustment to the charge state of the battery, because the vehicle driver can better plan his trip. |
| US08981586B2 |
Systems and methods to harvest fluid energy in a wellbore using preloaded magnetostrictive elements
A magnetostrictor assembly (100) includes a magnetostrictor element (105), a conductor coupled to the magnetostrictor element, and a bluff body (101) coupled to the magnetostrictor element via a transfer arm (103). The bluff body is to be placed in a fluid flow path to, at least in part, produce motion that, at least in part, causes strain in the magnetostrictor element. A preload mechanism comprising a control circuit (1100) may optimize a magnetostrictive generator. |
| US08981585B2 |
Subsurface intelligent cluster of current energy converters
A subsurface floating cluster of current energy converters is disclosed. A cluster consists of many nodes on a single mooring cable. Two converters, rotating in opposite direction, are connected as a pair. At least two pairs, four converters, are connected to each node. Each converter consists of a rotor with curved blades, a transmission, and an electrical generator. A computer on the mother ship, that tows the cluster, controls the rotating rate of every rotor in the cluster. Each node moves vertically or horizontally according to the rotation-rate-differential in each pair of rotors. Each node seeks and remains in peak velocity region, or at a predetermined water depth, to convert kinetic energy to electricity with an optimal efficiency. This invention has characteristics of simplicity in design, using artificial intelligence to achieve high efficiency in peak speed region of an ocean current, incremental capacity, and mobility. |
| US08981584B2 |
Generator torque control methods
A wind turbine typically includes a generator and a rotating mechanical system having a natural period. The present invention relates to a method of controlling generator torque that minimizes oscillations in the speed of the generator rotor. In the event of a grid fault or transient, or a fault in the power converter, the generator torque is decreased at a substantially constant rate with respect to time. The rate at which the generator torque is decreases is proportional to the nominal rated torque of the generator and inversely proportional to an integer multiple of the natural period of the rotating mechanical system. |
| US08981579B2 |
Impedance controlled packages with metal sheet or 2-layer rdl
A microelectronic assembly is disclosed that is capable of achieving a desired impedance for raised conductive elements. The microelectronic assembly may include an interconnection element, a surface conductive element, a microelectronic device, a plurality of raised conductive elements, and a bond element. The microelectronic device may overlie the dielectric element and at least one surface conductive element attached to the front surface. The plurality of raised conductive elements may connect the device contacts with the element contacts. The raised conductive elements may have substantial portions spaced a first height above and extending at least generally parallel to at least one surface conductive element, such that a desired impedance may be achieved for the raised conductive elements. A bond element may electrically connect at least one surface conductive element with at least one reference contact that may be connectable to a source of reference potential. |