| Document | Document Title |
|---|---|
| US07650645B1 |
Trusted bus transactions
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide for trusted transactions between a device and system memory. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a host processor asserts and de-asserts trust over a virtual wire. The device accesses certain data if the host processor provides a trusted instruction for it to do so. Once the device attempts to access this certain data, or perform a certain type of data access, a memory controller allows the access on the condition that the host processor previously made the trusted instruction. The device then accepts data if trust is asserted during the data transfer. |
| US07650643B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for managing, reviewing, comparing and detecting data on a wide area network
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a data management system, apparatus and process for uniquely identifying and protecting data. In preferred embodiments, the data management system comprises a data management server, a key generator, a source print generator and a source print detector. In some preferred embodiments, the data management system further comprises a data embedding system. Keys are created by the data management system for application to source files to create a fingerprint for the source file. The fingerprint is compared to unknown files to identify uses of the source file. |
| US07650642B2 |
Peer-to-peer license tracking and control
Peer-to peer licensing tracking and control is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include individually disabling a controller module when a code to activate the controller module is different from a number embedded in the controller module, and automatically disabling the controller module when the number is associated with another controller module communicatively coupled to the controller module. The method may further include a master controller module periodically querying one or more of controller modules communicatively coupled to the master controller module. The querying may identify the number and the feature associated with each of the controller modules to store in a validation module of the master controller module as a database. When the number of the controller module matches with one or more numbers of the controller modules listed in the database, the controller may be deactivated. |
| US07650639B2 |
System and method for protecting a limited resource computer from malware
The present invention is directed to a system and methods for protecting a limited resource computer from malware. Aspects of the present invention use antivirus software on a general purpose computer to prevent malware from infecting a limited resource computer. Typically, antivirus software on the general purpose computer is kept “up-to-date” with the most recent software updates. When a connection is established between the limited resource computer and the general purpose computer, a signature of each application installed on the limited resource computer is transmitted to the general purpose computer. Then antivirus software on the general purpose computer compares the received signatures to known malware. Finally, the results of the scan are reported to the limited resource computer. |
| US07650637B2 |
System for ensuring quality of service in a virtual private network and method thereof
A system for ensuring quality of service (QoS) in a virtual private network and a method thereof are provided. The system includes a logical bearer network, which is formed by connecting label switch paths configured with preserving bandwidth to routers, and is dedicated to transmit QoS service data; and a bearer control network, which is used to maintain logical bearer network, allocate route, mark service priority, and route service data to opposite end. The method includes the steps of: A. constructing a logical bearer network to transmit QoS service data by configuring label switch paths with preserved bandwidth; B. providing a centralized resource controller to manage resources of the logical bearer network; C. if QoS service data is to be transmitted, marking service priority in QoS field of the routing labels of multi-protocol label switch data packets, and routing service data to the opposite end. |
| US07650636B2 |
Network security enhancement methods and devices
Methods and devices are provided for securely transmitting sensitive information over the Internet to and from a first device in a home network that lacks the ability to communicate according to a secure protocol. Communications between the first device and a second device within the home network may proceed according to a non-secure protocol, such as HTTP. However, the second device has the ability to communicate with the outside world via a secure protocol, such as HTTPS. Various implementations of the invention allow the first device to avail itself of the secure communications provided by the second device. |
| US07650634B2 |
Intelligent integrated network security device
Methods, computer program products and apparatus for processing data packets are described. Methods include receiving the data packet, examining the data packet, determining a single flow record associated with the packet and extracting flow instructions for two or more devices from the single flow record. |
| US07650632B2 |
Password management
A password management solution which provides a user with convenient access to multiple resources (e.g. systems and services), and also provides the flexibility to establish varying password security requirements for each resource is disclosed. In an embodiment, there is provided a password registry for registering resources and securely storing user ID and encrypted password information. An unencrypted user-provided password may be encrypted by a process associated with each resource, using an encryption algorithm specific to that resource, before storage of the encrypted password in the password registry. An encrypted password retrieved from the password registry may be decrypted by a process associated with each resource using a decryption algorithm specific to that resource. |
| US07650629B2 |
Enhanced trust relationship in an IEEE 802.1×network
Architecture for providing access to an IEEE 802.1x network. A trust relationship is created between a switch of the network and an access point of the network such that the access point is authorized to communicate over the network. The trust relationship is then extended from the access point to a wireless client requesting connection to the network such that access to the network by said wireless client is authorized. |
| US07650625B2 |
System and method for controlling audio and video content via an advanced settop box
A settop box system for capturing and controlling live and recorded audio and video content. The system records digital and analog data from video and audio content, such as in a home entertainment center. The system records data from the content as specified and the data may be sequenced into clips that can be searched and indexed. A user may create comparison programs that allow searches of either pre-recorded or incoming content to be performed. In addition, the program allows editing of recorded programs, such as filtering of audio content or overlaying a video program with a different audio background. Multiple audio and video feeds may be handled simultaneously and the program's functions may be executed without viewing of the content being manipulated. The recorded content may also be indexed and even clips of the content may be indexed. |
| US07650624B2 |
Method and apparatus for modulating a video signal with data
A system for transmitting auxiliary data within a modulated video signal from a broadcast source to a hand-held device with a slot, the system comprising the broadcast source comprises means for transmitting auxiliary data to the slotted hand-held device via the modulated video signal; an interface device electronically coupled to the hand-held device via the slot and comprises a card microcontroller, a receiver electronically coupled to the card microcontroller for receiving the modulated video signal from the broadcast source, and circuitry electronically coupled to the card microcontroller and the receiver for demodulating the modulated video signal and reproducing the auxiliary data, and transferring the auxiliary data to the hand-held device via an interface protocol, and the hand-held device with the slot comprises a microcontroller for processing the signal auxiliary data received via the interface protocol from the interface device. |
| US07650623B2 |
Method and system for facilitating interactive multimedia experiences
A method configured for facilitating an interactive multimedia experiences comprising accessing a system-readable specification defining a multimedia experience configured for audience interaction and performing the multimedia experience in accordance with information comprised by the system-readable specification. The information comprised by the system-readable specification includes information for enabling facilitation of audience response tracking, experience navigation and feedback of audience responses. Performing the multimedia experience includes gathering audience responses, analyzing the audience responses, outputting information resulting from the analyzing audience responses and outputting experience content. |
| US07650622B2 |
Interactive session establishment based on initiation failure detection
Systems and methods for implementing a communication mode for a communication terminal are provided. An embodiment of a method for implementing a communication mode includes receiving a plurality of messages from a remotely located network control system and implementing one of a plurality of communication modes responsive to the plurality of messages. |
| US07650621B2 |
Systems and methods for providing storage of data on servers in an on-demand media delivery system
A system and method may be provided that allows users to store, retrieve, and manipulate on-demand media content and data stored on a remote server network in an on-demand media delivery system. More particularly, the system may allow a user to access his or her on-demand media account from user equipment in different locations as long as the current user equipment can communicate with a remote server that stores user-specific information. The system upon user selection may freeze the delivery of on-demand media at a particular point and allow the user to resume the media at a later time from some other network location in system. Users may upload personal images or files to an on-demand delivery server for later retrieval and display. Users may be permitted to assign access rights to the uploaded files. |
| US07650618B2 |
Methods and systems for providing information about programs available for viewing
A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array. |
| US07650617B2 |
Advertisement insert apparatus and advertisement insert method, and storage medium
An objective function and a constraint expression are established by a scheme of the invention as conditions for selecting advertisement information to be inserted into a slot in a content. The objective function is used to maximize a total of cost values held by the advertisements selected to be inserted into slots. The constraint expression is used to equalize totaled lengths of the selected advertisements with the length of the slots. The objective function and constraint expression making up the selection conditions are solved as a mathematical programming assignment problem, whereby advertisement information is selected for insertion into predetermined slots in a manner maximizing the benefits of the parties participating in the scheme. In a setup of moving picture streaming distribution, the scheme allows suitable advertisement information to be inserted selectively into slots of contents. |
| US07650613B2 |
Disc drive
A disc drive comprises an enclosure, a disc carrying unit, a pair of rotating members, and a pair of light sources. The enclosure has an opening for insertion and ejection of the disc. The disc carrying unit carries a disc having been inserted into the opening to the inside of the enclosure and ejects the disc having been carried into the inside of the enclosure from the opening. Each of the rotating members has a disc contact portion in contact with the end face of the disc and moves the disc contact portion in the state where the disc contact portion is in contact with the end face of the disc when the disc carrying unit carries the disc. Each of the light sources is provided at the disc contact portion and has light enter the inside of the disc from the end face of the disc. |
| US07650612B2 |
Transportation arm device for carrying discs
A transport arm device for carrying at least one disc includes a driving mechanism, a sway control member, and a swaying mechanism. The sway control member comprises a hole substantially in the middle of the sway control member for receiving a portion of the driving mechanism and two leaf springs extending up from two sides of the sway control member respectively. The swaying mechanism is capable of grabbing the discs. The swaying mechanism comprises a rotating connection for engaging with a suspension of the transport arm device. The two leaf springs are contacted with the swaying mechanism. The sway control member is moved by the driving mechanism so as to rotate the swaying mechanism along a rotary axis on the rotating connection, and the two leaf springs provide elasticity for the swaying mechanism rotating back. |
| US07650609B2 |
Multi-environment document management system access
A system and method for accessing a document management system in a multi-environment processing system includes receiving a client call command from a web service proxy. The web service proxy, disposed on a client and running in conjunction with a client application. A web service end point, disposed in a web service framework receives the client call command. In conjunction with a class module, the client call command is translated from the second processing environment that the application is executing within and the first processing environment providing the document management system. Through the web service end point and the class module, the client call command is converted for accessing the document management system. |
| US07650604B2 |
Access management apparatus, access management method and program
An access management apparatus, method and program storage device for permitting or prohibiting access to each of a plurality of nodes stored hierarchically, including means and steps for storing rule functions with a plurality of requesters to access a node, each of the rule functions for determining whether access should be permitted or rejected depending on the position of the node in the hierarchical structure or depending on the requester, receiving an access request from a requester, selecting the rule function, and executing the rule function which has been selected by the selector, and controlling permission of, or prohibition of, the access request on the basis of a result of executing the rule function. |
| US07650602B2 |
Parallel processing computer
There is provided a parallel processing computer for executing a plurality of threads concurrently and in parallel. The computer includes: a thread activation controller for determining whether or not each of threads, which are exclusively executable program fragments, is ready-to-run, to put the thread determined ready-to-run into a ready thread queue as ready-to-run thread; and a thread execution controller having a pre-load unit, an EU allocation and trigger unit, a plurality of thread execution units and a plurality of register files including a plurality of registers, and the pre-load unit, prior to when each ready-to-run thread in the ready thread queue is executed, allocates a free register file of the plurality of register files to the each ready-to-run thread, to load initial data for the each ready-to-run thread into the allocated register file, and the EU allocation and trigger unit, when there is a thread execution unit in idle state of the plurality of thread execution unit, retrieves ready-to-run thread from the top of the ready thread queue, and to allocate the retrieved ready-to-run thread to the thread execution unit in idle state, and to couple the register file loaded the initial data for the ready-to-run thread with the allocated thread execution unit in idle state, and to trigger the ready-to-run thread. The plurality of thread execution units execute the triggered threads concurrently in parallel. |
| US07650601B2 |
Operating system kernel-assisted, self-balanced, access-protected library framework in a run-to-completion multi-processor environment
A method for managing multiple processors in the execution of one or more processes in a task-based library platform. The one or more processes are partitioned into highly granulized sub-tasks from a library calling process, whereby each sub-task has a protection attribute associated with it. The protection attribute designates processing resources that a processor may use in the execution of the sub-task. The sub-tasks are placed in a central task queue, whereby idling processors in the multiple processor system obtain consecutive sub-tasks in the queue until all the processes have been executed. Each processor executes a sub-task using only those processing resources that have been designated as being available by the protection attribute of the sub-task. The atomic execution results of the one more sub-tasks may then be combined into an execution result for the process. Also provided is a task-based library for processor management. |
| US07650599B2 |
Method and system for accepting precompiled information
A method of offloading compilation includes transmitting compilation information from a first subsystem to a second subsystem. The method also includes compiling computer program code into machine-executable code on the second subsystem based on the compilation information received from the first subsystem. The method further includes receiving the machine-executable code from the second subsystem into the first subsystem. |
| US07650592B2 |
Systems and methods for multi-view debugging environment
A software debugging environment uses multiple abstract views to provide the flexibility required to perform effective debugging on an executing software program using data structures. Developers can select between one or more views to see different aspects of the software being examined. Each view can have a filter with specific properties determining which quantities are displayed, the format they are displayed in and any editing capability. In some embodiments, the selection of views, filters defining the views, and the editing properties for the contents shown in the views may be set interactively. In some cases, this interaction occurs through the interface of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) containing the debugger. In other cases, the properties of views in the debugging environment are determined by definitions supplied in configuration files. Special facilities are provided for the debugging of JSP programs. |
| US07650587B2 |
Local coloring for hierarchical OPC
A method for designing a mask for fabricating an integrated circuit is provided wherein a mask layout that requires coloring, such as for alternating phase shift, double-exposure and double-exposure-etch masks, is organized into uncolored hierarchical design units. Prior to modification by OPC, each hierarchical design unit is locally colored. OPC is then performed on the locally colored hierarchical design unit. The local coloring information for the hierarchically arranged OPC-modified design unit may be discarded. After OPC modification, the uncolored OPC-modified design units may be placed within the mask layout, and the flattened data may be colored. Thus, turnaround time for mask design is significantly improved since the numerically intensive OPC is performed on the hierarchical data, avoiding the need to perform OPC on flattened data, whereas the less intensive global coloring is performed on flattened data. |
| US07650586B2 |
Development method for integrated circuits, program storage medium for storing the development method for integrated circuits, and concurrent development system, development program, and development method of ASIC and programmable logic device
A method for developing integrated circuits includes generating a core (logic core) in an HDL format readable by a logic synthesis tool, from an ASIC core (logic core) made of ports of blocks and port connection information, creating a temporary chip design from chip terminal information to generate a terminal in the temporary chip design, generating a design identical to that created, as a cell within the design created, connecting a design port with a cell port, wherein a name of the design port is identical to a name of the cell port, inserting an I/O buffer, depending on the device technology, into a net between the ports connected, replacing the cell by the core (logic core) created to generate a netlist, and expanding a hierarchy of the design, being the top hierarchy. |
| US07650576B2 |
Method and system for creating graphical and interactive representations of input and output data
The invention relates to a method and tool which allows users to create interactive representations of input and output data, and simulate the associated algorithms used to manipulate this data, that are used in spreadsheet applications and other similar software programs. The interactive simulation is visually represented by a customizable set of components which hereinafter will be referred to as a control panel. The control panels can consist of a variety of components which include user interface elements (such as sliders, buttons, and checkboxes), charts and maps. The underlying simulation is generated based on data sources within an application software program file (e.g., spreadsheet data cells) selected by the user during the control panel creation process. |
| US07650573B2 |
Layout rules for whitespace sensitive literals
Layout rules are provided that enable white-space sensitive literals to be developed within a source program according to arbitrarily defined or virtual margins. In one aspect, a computerized programming system is provided. The system includes a source program having one or more computer program codes or instructions. A rules component enables a virtual margin to be positioned within the source program, where the virtual margin can be offset from a default margin by at least one position in the source program. The rules component enables a plurality of virtual margins to be nested within the source program. This includes allowing deviations in the margin such as a hole to be declared in the virtual margin. |
| US07650572B2 |
Graphical user interface navigation method
A method for navigating a graphical user interface (GUI) having at least one page, comprising providing a first booklet, wherein user interaction with the first booklet can cause the GUI to navigate to a new page; providing a request based on user interaction with the first booklet; mapping the request to a control tree factory; generating a control tree from the factory based on the request wherein the control tree includes a booklet control corresponding to the first booklet; advancing the control tree through at least one lifecycle stage based on the request; and generating a response wherein the response can be used to render the new page. |
| US07650571B2 |
Smart links and dynamic favorites
Methods and systems are disclosed for browser operation that enable a user to automatically create and maintain links to browsed resources meeting selection criteria. Two species of such links are disclosed, known as “smart links” and “dynamic favorites”. Creation of these links enable automatic creation and maintenance of dynamic libraries of links to network resources. These libraries are sharable with collaborators. |
| US07650570B2 |
Methods and apparatus for visualizing a music library
Visualizing and exploring a music library using metadata, such as genre, sub-genre, artist, and year, is provided. Geometric shapes, such as disks or rectangles, may be divided into sectors representing genre and each sector may be further divided into sub-sectors representing artists associated with each genre. The sector's relative size generally reflects the importance of the corresponding genre within the library. Likewise, the sub-sector's relative size generally reflects the importance of the corresponding artist within the genre which may be determined by the number of media items of the artist. Marks representing each media item may be arranged and displayed within the geometric shape to reflect the mark's corresponding genre, artist, and year. In addition, each mark may reflect an attribute, such as playcount, of the media item and each sector may reflect the mean value of an attribute of all media items within the sector. |
| US07650569B1 |
System and method for focused navigation within a user interface
A method for navigation of television program listings within a user interface includes successively displaying a first set of visual cards in a first area of the user interface. Each visual card of the first set of visual cards represents a corresponding broadcast time slot associated with a graphically represented first card characteristic. Selection by a user of a particular visual card of the first set of visual cards is enabled in order to view a television program corresponding to the time slot represented by the selected visual card. In an embodiment, a transition from display of a first visual card of the first set of visual cards to display of a second visual card of the first set of visual cards occurs automatically at the conclusion of a first time period. |
| US07650563B2 |
Aggregating metadata for media content from multiple devices
Collecting and augmenting metadata associated with media content stored on a plurality of devices for display to a user. The collected metadata remains available (e.g., visible) to a user after the device storing the corresponding media content is offline, disconnected, or otherwise unavailable. In particular, the invention permits metadata associated with media content stored on one or more devices (e.g., consumer electronic devices) to be enumerated, obtained, and promoted into another device (e.g., a personal computer) such that the metadata may be treated as if the media content is stored on the other device (e.g., the personal computer). In particular, the invention automatically detects an event generated in response to an action by a first device storing a media file. In response to the detected event, the invention matches and obtains metadata for the media content stored in the media file. A user organizes or otherwise manipulates the obtained metadata, for example, via a media player. |
| US07650562B2 |
Methods and systems for incrementally changing text representation
To reduce required display space, a text segment is reduced in size by successively eliminating portions of the text segment in an animated fashion. The reduction is thus visually represented in a way that maintains recognizability of the text segment, even if the final representation of the text does not carry a full meaning and/or is not independently comprehensible, because of the impression left in the mind of the user by the animated reduction of the text segment. The reduction may include reducing a size of text of the text segment and/or a spacing between characters of the text segment. |
| US07650558B2 |
Systems, methods, and apparatuses for using the same memory type for both error check and non-error check memory systems
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to systems, methods, and apparatuses for using the same memory type for both error check and non-error check systems. In an embodiment, a memory device is capable of operating in an error check mode and in a non-error check mode. The memory device includes an output having N error check bit paths for every M data bit paths. In one embodiment, the memory device is to transfer N error check bits with a corresponding M data bits, if the memory device is operating in an error check mode. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07650556B2 |
System and method for checking and correcting BIOS errors
A system for checking and correcting BIOS errors is provided. The system includes a program loading module (1001) for loading main programs from a BIOS ROM into a RAM; a checksum calculating module (1002) for reading the original checksum, and for calculating a new checksum for the main programs loaded in the RAM; an error checking module (1003) determining if the new checksum equals the original checksum; an error checking module for comparing the new checksum with the original checksum to identify errors in the main programs; and an error correcting module (1004) for correcting the errors in the main programs loaded in the RAM. A related method is also disclosed. |
| US07650550B2 |
Over temperature detection apparatus and method thereof
A device is provided for detecting temperature-induced delays in a combinational logic path. A signal at the output of the logic path is latched at a first latch using a primary clock signal. The primary clock signal is delayed by a delay element to provide a delayed clock signal. The output of the logic path is latched at a second latch using the delayed clock signal. The delay element delays the clock signal by an amount that indicates the occurrence of an over-temperature condition at the logic path. A comparator compares the data latched at the first latch to the data latched at the second latch and provides an error signal indicative of an over-temperature condition if the first and second latch contain different data values. |
| US07650548B2 |
Power saving flip-flop
A scannable flip-flop and method are provided. The flip-flop includes a clock input, a normal data input, a test data input, a normal data output and a scan data output. The flip-flop has a normal operating mode during which the normal data output is enabled and the scan data output disabled and has a scan-shift mode during which the normal data output is disabled and the scan data output is enabled. |
| US07650546B2 |
Flexible JTAG architecture
A circuit comprises two or more chains of components, each chain comprising a plurality of components serially connected by designated pins on each component and at least one chain including one or more components of another chain, the designated pins being designated for data for one or more specific purposes. A selector is included for selecting one chain from the two or more chains over which to data is to be sent. Another circuit comprises a chain of components serially connected by designated pins on each component, and two or more controllers, each controller capable of controlling the chain for one or more of the specific purposes. A wiring board for implementing the circuit is also provided. |
| US07650543B2 |
Plesiochronous receiver pin with synchronous mode for testing on ATE
A method and apparatus for conveying test stimulus data from an ATE system to an integrated circuit (IC) via a plesiochronous interconnect. The IC includes a core logic unit and a first receiver coupled to the core logic unit by a first data path. The first receiver includes an input having an interconnect coupled thereto. In a normal mode of operation, the first receiver is configured to receive data transmitted plesiochronously over the interconnect and to convey the data, via the first data path, to the core logic unit. The integrated circuit also includes a second data path coupled between the core logic unit and the interconnect. In a test mode, the core logic unit is configured to receive test stimulus data conveyed synchronously over the second data path, wherein the test stimulus data is received by the IC from the ATE via the interconnect. |
| US07650541B2 |
Memory block quality identification in a memory device
If a memory block in a flash memory device is found to have a defect, a memory block quality indication is generated in response to the type of memory defect. This indication is stored in the memory device. In one embodiment, the quality indication is stored in a predetermined location of the defective memory block. Using the quality indication, it can be determined if a system's error correction code scheme is capable of correcting data errors resulting from the defect. |
| US07650532B2 |
Storage system
In addition to setting tasks and maintenance tasks for each portion of a storage apparatus, for which ease of operation is demanded, a storage system enables notification of a monitoring and maintenance terminal, for which high reliability is demanded, of fault information, without detracting from reliability. The functions of a SVP 23 and SVP 25 are functions to monitor the storage apparatus 3, and functions for notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 13 or similar, for which high reliability is demanded. The notification function involves notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 3 or similar of a fault or other event in the storage apparatus 3, detected by the monitoring function. The functions of the SVP 23 and SVP 25 are limited to functions for notification of faults in the storage apparatus 3, notification of information other than faults, and SNMP functions, so that the volume of the OS and other programs installed on the SVP 23 and SVP 25 is reduced. |
| US07650531B2 |
System and method for automatically restoring hard drives on failure
Systems and method for automatically restoring a hard drive after failure are provided. Disk recovery data may be collected and stored from an operational, online hard drive. When the hard drive subsequently fails, a client-specific recovery media may be generated, which may include a lightweight recovery environment. Restoration tasks may be completed automatically, thereby reducing an amount of user effort and/or expertise needed for restoration. Further, restoration tasks may be performed from a lightweight, client-specific disk recovery module, thereby eliminating processing overhead, such as that attributable to installing set up programs, rebooting a system during set up, or other overhead. |
| US07650529B2 |
Data replica selector
There is provided a method and system for replicating data at another location. The system includes a source node that contains data in a data storage area. The source node is coupled to a network of potential replication nodes. The processor determines at least two eligible nodes in the network of nodes and determines the communication cost associated with a each of the eligible nodes. The processor also determines a probability of a concurrent failure of the source node and each of eligible nodes, and selects at least one of the eligible nodes for replication of the data located on the source node. The selection is based on the determined communication costs and probability of concurrent failure. |
| US07650528B2 |
Fuse farm redundancy method and system
A system and method for making efficient use of fuse ROM redundancy to increase yield and security. Some embodiments provide a memory repair system including a non-volatile memory component and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory component. The non-volatile memory component includes a plurality of memory locations. The plurality of memory locations includes a replacement memory location to replace a faulty memory location and a replacement indicia memory location to store replacement memory location indicia. The controller coupled to the non-volatile memory component reads replacement memory location indicia from the replacement indicia memory location, determines an address for the replacement memory location using the indicia, reads the replacement memory location, and transfers a data value contained in the replacement memory location to a second memory component to repair a defective memory location of the second memory component. |
| US07650525B1 |
SPI-4.2 dynamic implementation without additional phase locked loops
A method and apparatus for receiving clocked data signals such as SPI-4.2 data signals is described. In one embodiment, each data signal lane is deskewed with respect to the clock by oversampling the signal on that lane, and considering multiple versions of a data sequence at different temporal offsets to the clock for correct reception of a training sequence. One of the temporal offsets is subsequently selected to provide the received bit sequence for that lane. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07650518B2 |
Method, apparatus, and system for increasing single core performance in a multi-core microprocessor
A method, system, and apparatus to enable at least one active core in a multi-core processor to operate at a higher operating point while at least one other core in the multi-core processor is in an idle state. When the idle core exits the idle state, the operating point may be reduced after a hysteresis timer has expired. |
| US07650503B2 |
Memory card
A memory card has: a flash memory chip for storing digital certificates and a seed of random numbers; a controller chip which can execute a managing process for managing the digital certificates and a random number generating process for generating the pseudo random numbers by using the seed of random numbers; and an IC card chip which can execute an authenticating process for authenticating personal identification information (PIN) inputted from a host apparatus and an encrypting process for encrypting the seed of random numbers. Thus, a processing time of security processes is reduced while assuring safety of the security processes. |
| US07650502B2 |
Method of communications and communication network intrusion protection methods and intrusion attempt detection system
A method, system and computer readable medium for protecting a communications device connected to a communications system against an unauthorized intrusion, including providing a variable identifier to the communications device and entities authorized access thereto. The variable identifier is provided to a user address book and assigned with a permanent identifier and the permanent identifier, but not the variable identifier, is available to a user. The presence or absence of the correct variable identifier is sensed during an attempt to access the communications device for granting or denying access to the communications device. A new variable identifier is periodically provided to the communications device and to the authorized entities and to the user address book and assigned with the permanent identifier, wherein the permanent identifier, but not the new variable identifier, is available to the user. |
| US07650501B1 |
System and methods for construction, fusion, prosecution, and maintenance of minimized operating environments
Several methods are provided for applying minimization to computer systems. A unified security profile is created and applied to a computer system. This provides a listing of software packages required to be installed on the computer system. Extraneous files not associated with a required software package are identified. In one method, a software module interposes between calls to filesystem operations and the filesystem. This module allows or denies access to files based on a configuration information source (which is itself based on the unified security profile), the zone from which the access request originates, and the privileges of the user making the request. Reference to each file minimized is removed from the computer system's package manifest. Files thus minimized are neither visible nor accessible to unauthorized entities on the computer system. If the unified security profile of the system is required to change, minimization actions can therefore be reversed. |
| US07650500B2 |
Encryption communication system
An encryption communication system, comprising a communication relay device that connects a first network and a second network, for encrypting a communication within the first network and a communication within the second network in a network system configured so that communications are performed between a client in the first network and a server in the second network via the communication relay device, wherein the communication relay device comprises key generation unit generating an encryption key and a decryption key with respect to the client, and key transfer unit transmitting the encryption key and the decryption key to the server, and the server comprises frame receiving unit decrypting a receipt frame by use of the decryption key, and frame transmitting unit encrypting the frame by use of the encryption key and thus transmitting the frame. |
| US07650498B2 |
Secure data provision method and apparatus and data recovery method and system
To control access to target data whilst relieving the data provider of policing obligations, the data provider provides the target data in encrypted form to a requesting party as part of a data set with which first and second trusted authorities are associated in a non-subvertible manner. Recovery of the target data in clear by the party requires the first trusted authority to verify that a specific individual is a professional accredited with it, the second trusted authority to verify that a particular organisation is accredited with it, the particular organisation to verify that the specific individual is engaged by it, and at least one of the particular organisation and the first trusted authority to verify that the party is the specific individual. Various ways of encrypting the target data are provided, the preferred ways being based on Identifier-Based Encryption schemas. |
| US07650496B2 |
Renewal product for digital certificates
The disclosure relates to the management of PKI digital certificates, including certificate discovery, installation, verification and replacement for endpoints over an insecure network. A database of certificates may be maintained through discovery, replacement and other activities. Certificate discovery identifies certificates and associated information including network locations, methods of access, applications of use and non-use, and may produce logs and reports. Automated requests to certificate authorities for new certificates, renewals or certificate signing requests may precede the installation of issued certificates to servers using installation scripts directed to a particular application or product, which may provide notification or require approval or intervention. An administrator may be notified of expiring certificates, using a database or scanning or server agents. Interaction with certificate authorities may be by an abstractor providing a common interface for issuing signing requests to disparate certificate authorities. Digital certificate management may also be applied to network-connecting client devices. |
| US07650495B2 |
Security gateway for online console-based gaming
An exemplary implementation of a security gateway for online console-based gaming operates as a gateway between a public network (e.g., the Internet), and a private network (e.g., an internal data center network). The security gateway allows secure communication channels to be established with game consoles via the public network, and allows secure communication between game consoles on the public network and service devices on the private network. |
| US07650492B2 |
Automatic update of computer-readable components to support a trusted environment
The present automatic update mechanism provides a method for determining whether computer-readable components loaded within a memory device are at a level of protection specified for protected content that a media application is attempting to process. If a current level of protection provides lower protection that the level specified, a file is updated to achieve at least the level of protection specified by the protected content. Updating the file to achieve the level of protection is performed in a manner that minimizes rebooting of a computing device. |
| US07650491B2 |
Method and system for controlled distribution of application code and content data within a computer network
A secure communication methodology is presented. The client device is configured to download application code and/or content data from a server operated by a service provider. Embedded within the client is a client private key, a client serial number, and a copy of a server public key. The client forms a request, which includes the client serial number, encrypts the request with the server public key, and sends the download request to the server. The server decrypts the request with the server's private key and authenticates the client. The received client serial number is used to search for a client public key that corresponds to the embedded client private key. The server encrypts its response, which includes the requested information, with the client public key of the requesting client, and only the private key in the requesting client can be used to decrypt the information downloaded from the server. |
| US07650489B2 |
Determining coherency between a non-volatile memory and a system
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method for reading an identifier stored in a non-volatile memory, where the identifier is associated with an operating system that caused storage of the identifier, determining if the identifier matches a comparison value provided by a current operating system of a system to which the non-volatile memory is coupled, and resetting the non-volatile memory if the identifier and the comparison value do not match. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07650487B2 |
Method and structure for coordinating instruction execution in out-of-order processor execution using an instruction including an artificial register dependency
A technique for coordinating execution of instructions in a processor that allows instructions to execute out-of-order includes decoding a particular instruction that is defined in accordance with an instruction set of the processor. A helper sequence of instructions that corresponds to the particular instruction is then introduced into a stream of executable operations. The corresponding helper sequence includes a first artificial dependency instruction that codes a dependency on a register that is not actually employed as a register source or target for an operation performed by the particular instruction. |
| US07650485B1 |
Structure and method for achieving very large lookahead instruction window via non-sequential instruction fetch and issue
A multithreading processor achieves a very large lookahead instruction window by allowing non-sequential fetch and processing of the dynamic instruction stream. A speculative thread is spawned at a specified point in the dynamic instruction stream and the instructions subsequent to the specified point are speculatively executed so that these instructions are fetched and issued out of sequential order. Very minimal modifications to existing processor design of a multithreading processor are required to achieve the very large lookahead instruction window. The modifications include changes to the control logic of the issue unit, only three additional bits in the register scoreboard. |
| US07650478B2 |
Using limits on address translation to control access to an addressable entity
A data storage resource is identifiable by physical addresses, and optionally by a virtual address. A policy defines which resources are accessible and which resources are not accessible. A request to access a resource is allowed if access to the resource is permitted by the policy, and if carrying out the access will not cause virtual addresses to be assigned to resources to which the policy disallows access. Since resources to which access is disallowed do not have virtual addresses, certain types of access requests that identify a resource by a virtual address can be allowed without consulting the policy. |
| US07650466B2 |
Method and apparatus for managing cache partitioning using a dynamic boundary
A method of managing cache partitions provides a first pointer for higher priority writes and a second pointer for lower priority writes, and uses the first pointer to delimit the lower priority writes. For example, locked writes have greater priority than unlocked writes, and a first pointer may be used for locked writes, and a second pointer may be used for unlocked writes. The first pointer is advanced responsive to making locked writes, and its advancement thus defines a locked region and an unlocked region. The second pointer is advanced responsive to making unlocked writes. The second pointer also is advanced (or retreated) as needed to prevent it from pointing to locations already traversed by the first pointer. Thus, the pointer delimits the unlocked region and allows the locked region to grow at the expense of the unlocked region. |
| US07650465B2 |
Micro tag array having way selection bits for reducing data cache access power
Processors and systems having a micro tag array that reduces data cache access power. The processors and systems include a cache that has a plurality of datarams, a processor pipeline register, and a micro tag array. The micro tag array is coupled to the cache and the processor pipeline register. The micro tag array stores base address data bits or base register data bits, offset data bits, a carry bit, and way selection data bits. When a LOAD or a STORE instruction is fetched, at least a portion of the base address and at least a portion of the offset of the instruction are compared to data stored in the micro tag array. If a micro tag array hit occurs, the micro tag array generates a cache dataram enable signal. This signal enables only a single dataram of the cache. |
| US07650461B2 |
Magnetic tape write once overwrite protection
A magnetic tape cartridge, a recording system, and a magnetic tape drive are configured to, for example, guard against tampering with a write once overwrite protection pointer which allows a rewritable magnetic tape to be treated as write once. In one embodiment, the magnetic tape cartridge comprises a magnetic tape and a cartridge memory. The magnetic tape is configured to provide at least one overwrite protection pointer, the overwrite protection pointer identifying data to be protected from being overwritten; and the cartridge memory is configured to provide the at least one overwrite protection pointer, the overwrite protection pointer identifying magnetic tape data to be protected from being overwritten. |
| US07650460B2 |
Hierarchical immutable content-addressable memory processor
Improved memory management is provided according to a Hierarchical Immutable Content Addressable Memory Processor (HICAMP) architecture. In HICAMP, physical memory is organized as two or more physical memory blocks, each physical memory block having a fixed storage capacity. An indication of which of the physical memory blocks is active at any point in time is provided. A memory controller provides a non-duplicating write capability, where data to be written to the physical memory is compared to contents of all active physical memory blocks at the time of writing, to ensure that no two active memory blocks have the same data after completion of the non-duplicating write. |
| US07650459B2 |
High speed interface for non-volatile memory
Various embodiments of the invention connect multiple non-volatile memory controllers in a daisy chain manner, so the multiple memory devices may be accessed from a common host controller. Data and control signals may be daisy-chained in this way, so that many memory devices may be connected together, while not increasing the loading on individual signals lines. Transfer with the various memory devices may be interleaved, so that the relatively slow times of the memory devices doesn't slow down the overall throughout of the memory stem. |
| US07650455B2 |
Spider web interconnect topology utilizing multiple port connection
A data communications apparatus includes a central device and a plurality of communication devices. The central device includes a plurality of central port pairs, in which each central port pair includes an input port and an output port. The plurality of communication devices is arranged in a spoke and ring configuration, in which each communication device is part of a communication spoke. Each communication spoke is in communication with a different central port pair. Each communication device is also a part of a communication ring, so that each communication device in a selected communication ring belongs to a different communication spoke. |
| US07650453B2 |
Information processing apparatus having multiple processing units sharing multiple resources
A technique for improving usage efficiency of a shared resource and improving processing capacity in an information processing apparatus, without increasing the transmission rate or the bit width of a bus is disclosed. Multiple bus interfaces are connected to at least one shared resource. The multiple bus interfaces are connected to a multi-layer bus respectively. Furthermore, data buffers for holding read data and write data respectively are provided for each bus interface. An arbiter arbitrates access requests from the respective bus interfaces, and the shared resource reads and writes data in response to the access request which has been given an access right. |
| US07650449B2 |
Communication system for devices with UART interfaces
A UART interface communication circuit includes a plurality of communication devices, and each includes a UART interface, a selecting apparatus, a CPU, and a multiplexer (MUX). The communication devices connect with each other via the UART interfaces thereof. The selecting apparatus is connected to the CPU for defining one of the communication devices as a master communication device and the rest as slave communication devices. The MUX is connected between the UART interface and the CPU. When the master communication device transmits data carrying an ID to the slave communication devices, a slave communication device corresponding to the ID receives and processes the data, and transmits return data to the master communication device, and then the MUX receives the return data from the slave communication device and passes it to the CPU of the master communication device for processing. |
| US07650448B2 |
I/O and memory bus system for DFPS and units with two- or multi-dimensional programmable cell architectures
A general bus system is provided which combines a number of internal lines and leads them as a bundle to the terminals. The bus system control is predefined and does not require any influence by the programmer. Any number of memories, peripherals or other units can be connected to the bus system (for cascading). |
| US07650446B2 |
Storage system for back-end communications with other storage system
In a first and second storage system, first and second switching apparatuses are interposed between a first and second controller and a storage device. At least one of the first and second switching apparatuses comprises a shared memory. The constitution is such that the first and second controllers communicate with one another via this shared memory. |
| US07650443B1 |
Methods and apparatus for allocating access to a host device buffer
Methods and apparatus for allocating access to a buffer of a host device to buffer data transferred between a controller of the host device and one or more remote devices are disclosed. The host device is configured to couple to each of the one or more remote devices through one or more corresponding dedicated lanes. Buffer access is allocated by determining, for each of one or more remote devices coupled to the host device, a number of dedicated lanes between the host device and each of the one or more remote devices and allocating access to the buffer of the host device for each of the one or more remote devices responsive to the determined number of dedicated lanes. |
| US07650442B2 |
Transfer of media content from a personal video recorder to an external storage device
A personal video recorder (PVR) (10) comprises a receiving stage (12) which receives media content and an internal storage device (24) such as a hard-disk. The PVR has an interface (26) for connecting to an external storage device (30). The PVR is operable to receive an instruction to record content directly to the external storage device (30). The PVR determines if the external storage device (30) can store the media content at a required transfer rate. If the external storage device (30) is unable to store the media content at the required rate, it uses the internal storage device (24) to record the received media content and to transfer the stored media content from the internal storage device (24) to the external storage device (30). The achievable transfer rate can be determined once transfer has commenced. |
| US07650439B2 |
Falling protective device for hard disk of a portable computer
A falling protective device for protecting a hard disk of a falling portable computer against damages includes a falling sensor arranged in the portable computer for generating and sending an interrupt signal to a keyboard controller in response to a detected falling state of the computer. An SMI signal line is extended between and connected to the keyboard controller and a system BIOS of the computer. On receipt of the interrupt signal generated by the falling sensor, the keyboard controller sends an SMI signal via the SMI signal line to the system BIOS, which in turn sends a park control signal to park the hard disk or a power-off control signal to terminate the supply of working power to the hard disk. The system BIOS sends a polling signal via a polling signal line to the keyboard controller, so as to poll about a state signal of a default status bit in a default signal port of the keyboard controller. |
| US07650431B2 |
Serving locally relevant advertisements
A method and system for providing location-based advertisements to requesting devices is provided. An advertisement system aggregates advertisements by collecting advertisements from multiple advertisement sources, extracting data from the collected advertisements, and storing the extracted data in a common format. After aggregating the advertisements, the advertisement system transforms each advertisement into multiple advertisement formats that are specific to protocols supported by the various device types. When the advertisement system receives queries for advertisements, it identifies matching advertisements and ranks them based on a location. The advertisement system then selects an advertisement format that is appropriate for the requesting device. |
| US07650430B2 |
Method and device for transmitting data associated with transmitted information
Data associated with transmitted information over a communication network are transmitted. The data are divided into data groups. An information item representative of the importance of the data of the data group is associated with each data group. A transmission cycle for the data groups is determined. Each data group is inserted into the determined transmission cycle a number of times depending on the importance of the data of the data group. |
| US07650429B2 |
Preventing aliasing of compressed keys across multiple hash tables
A method is disclosed for preventing compressed keys from being aliased across multiple hash tables. A special hashing technique is used to produce hash keys and compressed keys that make such aliasing avoidable. Given a first input key K, a second and different input key K′, a first hash function H0 that produces a first hash key as an index into a first hash table, a second hash function H1 that produces a second hash key as an index into a second hash table, a first compression function L0 that produces a first compressed key for the first hash table, and a second compression function L1 that produces a second compressed key for the second hash table, functions H0, H1, L0, and L1 are selected in such a way that H0(K)=H0(K′) and L0(K)=L0(K′) if and only if H1(K)=H1(K′) and L1(K)=L1 (K′). |
| US07650428B1 |
Mobile cellular network selection from wireless LAN
Methods are provided to enable a roaming Wireless Local Access Network (WLAN) customer to select from multiple PLMNs using a single standard SSID. The methods include addition of a Mobile Country Code (MCC) to the SSID; addition of an MCC and a series of Mobile Network Codes (MNC) to the SSID; and reverse Domain Name Server (DNS) lookup for the gateway IP address through the designated DNS server. |
| US07650426B2 |
Method of and apparatus for communication, and computer product
A communication apparatus, in a communication network in which a plurality of routes can be set with respect to a destination, acquires a line condition of a communication line in each route, calculates a communication cost of each route, based on the line condition of the communication line in the route, and selects a route from the plurality of routes based on the communication cost calculated. The line condition is acquired at regular intervals to thereby update the communication cost. |
| US07650423B2 |
System and method for providing update information
A system and a method for providing update information. The system includes a client computer which is operably connected to a program information server. The program information server maintains one or more program information items. The system also includes a program selection server which allows the user to select which of the program information items are to viewed by the user. Based upon a dynamically adjustable polling period, the client computer requests the program information server to provide the client computer new program information items. The program information items include one or more media items that may be selected for viewing by a user positioned at the client computer. The client computer provides a newness indicator to the user, the newness indicator indicating to the user when one or more items of the media content is new and has not been previously viewed by the user. |
| US07650420B2 |
System and method for content filtering
The system for content filtering includes at least one content server that stores content. The system also includes at least one client computer configured to transmit a request for the content to the at least one content server. The request contains an address of the content server and a port number associated with such a request for the content. A gateway is coupled to the at least one client computer. The gateway is configured to receive and renumber the request with a new rarely used port number associated with a filter privilege of a user of the at least one client computer. The system also includes a content filtering server, configured to block restricted content based on the filter privilege. Finally, a switch is coupled to the gateway, the content filtering server, and the content server. The switch is configured to listen for the request on the rarely used port number and to redirect the request to the content filtering server. |
| US07650414B2 |
Common media consumption across multiple media processing systems via single user control
A system and method for the management of common consumption of media in a media exchange network is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention provide for control by a first user at a first location in a media exchange network of the simultaneous consumption of media content by other users at other locations in the media exchange network. The media content consumed may comprise audio, still pictures, video, and data. The first user may consume the media content simultaneous with the consumption of the other users, and the media content may be stored at the location of the first user, or at other locations in the media exchange network. |
| US07650412B2 |
Systems and method of implementing disk ownership in networked storage
A system and method for disk ownership in a network storage system. Each disk has two ownership attributes set to show that a particular file server owns the disk. In a preferred embodiment the first ownership attribute is the serial number of the file server being written to a specific location on each disk and the second ownership attribute is setting a SCSI-3 persistent reservation. In a system utilizing this disk ownership method, multiple file servers can read data from a given disk, but only the file server that owns a particular disk can write data to the disk. |
| US07650409B2 |
System and method for enabling authorization of a network device using attribute certificates
Methods and devices are directed to authorizing a network device to a resource over a network. An access server determines based, in part, on an attribute of the network device associated with the attribute certificate, whether the network device may be authorized access to the resource over the network. The attribute may be associated with a capability granted to the network device, a condition to be satisfied for the attribute to be valid, and the like. The attribute may belong to a group of network devices, or one or more users accessing the network through the network device. In one embodiment, the attribute certificate may be provided based on an automated security scan of the network device. In another embodiment, the access server may make the attribute available to a network resource associated with the access server. |
| US07650406B2 |
Termination of a security association between devices
A secure association may be established between a first device and a second device for providing secure communication. When the secure association is to be terminated, a first device may save an indication that termination of the secure association is pending, if it is unable to communicate with the second device at that time. At a later time, the first device may communicate with the second device to notify it that the secure association is to be terminated. After the second device has been notified, the secure association may be terminated by the first device. |
| US07650404B2 |
Method and mechanism for providing computer programs with computer system events
A method and system for providing system event notifications to clients such as applications. Clients register for notification of one or more types of events with a registration mechanism, and a System Event Notification Service, (SENS), receives system event information and fires event notifications in response thereto. A distribution mechanism selectively communicates the fired event to each client registered for notification thereof based on the type of event. Events include network events, for which the service monitors the connectivity state of the machine, including whether a connection is established or lost, the type of connection (LAN/WAN) and bandwidth information. To monitor a LAN state, the service caches outgoing and incoming network information including errors and packet counts and statistically evaluates this cached information against current information to determine whether the connection is established or lost. The service also determines if a destination (IP address or name) is reachable, by periodically polling destinations. Other system event notifications may be fired, including logon or logoff operations and power management events. |
| US07650403B2 |
System and method for client side monitoring of client server communications
The performance of client server interactions is measured by the interacting client. The client-generated performance data is efficiently transmitted to one or more servers by incorporating the performance data regarding one or more previous request/response cycles into a subsequent request. Performance data transmission is made more efficient by transmitting performance data context such as client, server and session details once per connection. Performance data is stored on the client until transmitted or until it has aged beyond a server specified maximum age. Performance data is aggregated on the server in memory resident accumulators. The server may have a set of accumulators for each server its clients communicate with as well as a set for each client. An accumulator value crossing a configurable threshold may trigger an event log entry. The number of performance data events in an event class may be limited to a maximum for a time period. |
| US07650399B2 |
Processing method of device information and network device in device information management system
In a device information management system in which a management server for managing device information and various devices are connected, a plurality of different types of device information is transmitted to the management server at predetermined timings, respectively. In a device information management system in which a management server for managing device information and various devices are connected, a request to transmit the device information to the management server is transmitted to another device and the device information of the requesting device is transmitted to the management server in accordance with the request. |
| US07650396B2 |
System and method for defining a policy enabled network
A system and method for communicating with network devices without regard to the device type and/or manufacturer is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a global graphical user interface (GUI) for communicating with various network devices. The global GUI includes an intuitive interface driven by a template library. For each device type and each device manufacturer, this template library can store both the attribute fields required for device configuration and the format for communicating those attribute fields. When a network administrator wants to communicate with a particular network device, the template associated with that device can be retrieved from the template library. The network administrator can then populate the attribute fields of that template with the appropriate data. This attribute data can be formatted and provided to the network device. |
| US07650395B2 |
Network connectivity management
Network connectivity management can manage (e.g., harmonize) network connectivity services and network connectivity modules. By way of example only, network connectivity management is applicable to connections to a network through a network connectivity service via a network connectivity module. In a described implementation, network connectivity configuration information is scanned to locate data that corresponds to a preferred network connectivity service for a given connection scenario. The network connectivity module used in the given connection scenario is extracted. It is detected if the extracted network connectivity module is a preferred network connectivity module that is associated with the preferred network connectivity service. If not, the connection scenario can be redirected away from the non-preferred network connectivity module and toward the preferred network connectivity module. A user may optionally be given an opportunity to elect to connect via the preferred network connectivity module. |
| US07650394B2 |
Synchronizing email recipient lists using block partition information
A client replication component of a replication system sends to a server replication component of the replication system a request to update a target email recipient list. In response to the request, the server replication component sends to the client replication component a list of hashed blocks representing the target email recipient list. The client replication component generates a list of hashed blocks representing a local email recipient list, and compares the locally-generated list of hashed blocks to the list of hashed blocks received from the server replication component to identify the hashed blocks in the lists of hashed blocks that are different. The client replication component then sends to the server replication component the blocks of the local email recipient list that correspond to the identified, different hashed blocks for updating on the target email recipient list. |
| US07650393B2 |
Information processing system and method
Loads on access destinations are balanced. A first controller and a second controller, which accept requests from a plurality of sources, and write and read data to/from a storage device in response to these requests, are provided. The first controller returns to at least one first source of a plurality of sources a response to a request from the first source, and does not return to a second source other than a first source a response to a request from the second source. The second controller does not return a response to a request from a first source to the first source receiving a response from the first controller, and returns a response from a second source to the second source not receiving a response from the first controller. |
| US07650389B2 |
Wireless system and method for managing logical documents
A system and method is provided for managing logical documents using a wireless mobile device. The wireless mobile device, which may be a wireless handset, connects to the management system through a wireless communication network such as a public telecommunications provider network. The network has other devices, such as computers, servers, data appliances, or other wireless devices. Selected logical documents from the network devices are associated with the wireless mobile device, and the selected logical documents are targeted to be stored, copied, distributed, or backed up to the wireless mobile device. In a similar manner, logical documents originating on the wireless mobile device may be targeted to be stored, copied, distributed, or backed up on selected network devices. A logical document may be, for example, an XML document, a file, a set of files, a disk drive, or the files on a device. |
| US07650380B2 |
System and method for messaging and collaborating in an intranet environment
A messaging system includes a plurality of browsers connected through a common server. The server includes a message engine for receiving from a first user browser a request to enter chat mode with a second user browser; then receiving asynchronously from the second user browser a request to download any content from the common server or any other intranet or Internet server; and responding to the request from the second user browser with content modified to instantiate a chat session between the first and second user browsers. |
| US07650375B2 |
Quantitative evaluation system for multiagent grouping and method thereof
Disclosed is a quantitative evaluation system and method for multiagent grouping, which enables agents to be grouped in such a manner as to ensure efficient agent cooperation. The system comprises: a plurality of agents in a network-connected multiagent system, each of which agents has quantitative information on a predicate that is a type of information to be produced or consumed, and produces or consumes one or more types of information; an adjusting means for receiving the quantitative information from each of the agents, performing quantitative evaluation thereof, and then grouping the plurality of agents into one or more communities; and a message broker means for transferring the information gathered from the plurality of agents to the adjusting means. |
| US07650372B2 |
Method and apparatus for varying-radix numeration system
A method and apparatus for a varying-radix numeration system is described. A method includes receiving a first sequence of values, determining a number of positions for a second sequence of values, and generating the second sequence of values, each value of the second sequence corresponding to a radix, the radix for each value of the second sequence varying over the second sequence in relation to an application value, the application value corresponding to a position in the second sequence and a sum of a set of values in the second sequence. |
| US07650367B2 |
Methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting and restoring missing or corrupted data in a distributed, scalable, redundant measurement platform database
Methods, systems, and computer program products for detecting and restoring missing or corrupted data in a distributed, scalable, redundant measurement platform database are disclosed. According to one method, a local database including local database entries is audited to identify suspect local database entries having at least one of missing and corrupted data. The local database is cross-compared with a redundant remote database that is a peer of the local database and that includes redundant remote database entries that are associated with the local database entries to identify local database entries that are inconsistent with the redundant remote database entries. For each local database entry identified as suspect and inconsistent with the corresponding redundant remote database entry, the local database entry is replaced with the redundant remote database entry. |
| US07650366B1 |
System and method for generating a crash consistent persistent consistency point image set
A technique for generating a crash consistent set of persistent consistency point image set associated with a storage space is provided. A client side agent obtains a first set of read/write statistics before causing storage systems to generate persistent consistency point images of volumes storing logical unit numbers comprising the storage space. Once the persistent consistency point images have been generated, the agent obtains a second set of read/write statistics. The first and second set of statistics are compared to determining if they are equal, thereby signifying that the set of persistent consistency point images is crash consistent. |
| US07650362B2 |
Information recording medium, method of configuring version information thereof, recording and reproducing method using the same, and recording and reproducing apparatus thereof
In one embodiment, the method includes reading control information including version information from a specific area of the recording medium. The version information includes a first version information and a second version information. At least one of the first version information and the second version information is used to determine a backward compatibility with respect to reading or writing of the recording medium. A recording/reproducing of data on/from the recording medium is controlled based on the version information. |
| US07650359B2 |
Content reproduction apparatus and content reproduction method
A content reproduction apparatus (a) reads a specific server identifier, from a recording medium storing the specific server identifier and a content data item including a destination identifier, to store the specific server identifier in a table, (b) certifies a server corresponding to the specific server identifier, (c) certifies the recording medium by use of a data item in a storage area of the recording medium designated by the server being certified, (d) reproduces the content data item stored in the recording medium, (e) acquires the destination identifier while reproducing the content data item, (f) determines whether the destination identifier being acquired is equal to the specific identifier stored in the table, and (g) accesses to the server when the destination identifier being acquired is equal to the specific server identifier, and the server and the recording medium are certified. |
| US07650353B2 |
XML specification for electronic data interchange (EDI)
Extensible Markup Language (XML) specification for transforming electronic data interchange (EDI) transactions. A collection of EDI data is received in a batch. The batch of EDI data includes a plurality of EDI documents and each of the plurality of EDI documents has at least one EDI transaction corresponding to a transaction type. The EDI transactions included in the EDI documents are identified by decoding the received EDI data according to EDI standards. A consolidated EDI document is generated from the EDI documents in the batch of EDI data. The consolidated EDI document includes the identified EDI transactions organized according to the transaction type. |
| US07650351B2 |
Internet-linked system for directory protocol based data storage, retrieval and analysis
The present invention is related to databases and the exchange of scientific information. Specifically the invention disclosed a unified scientific database that allows researchers to easily share their data with other researches. The present invention also allows for the ease of data collection, annotation, storage, management, retrieval and analysis of scientific data through and into the database. In addition, it allows for archival storage and retrieval of data collected directly from laboratory instruments to ensure data consistency for patent and other purposes. It also allows for ease of sharing data between laboratories in remote locations. The present invention also supports the automated creation of experimental protocols. |
| US07650342B2 |
User profile management system
A management device that provides user profile taking the user's situation into consideration. The management device creates, in response to a request from applications, a new user profile (hereinafter referred to as “comprehensive user profile”) based on a plurality of user profiles, and provides it to the applications. The management device always monitors a user's situation, directly or indirectly correlates the user's situation at the time that the user profile is registered with the user profile, and stores the same. Because the management device creates the comprehensive user profile based on the user profile corresponding to the current user situation, the comprehensive user profile reflects the user's situation which changes from time to time. |
| US07650337B2 |
Managing rich presence collections
A method and system for increasing the computational and network efficiency of presence servers having collections of publications is provided. The presence system uses several techniques that enable a presence server to provide rich presence information without requiring expensive processing. First, the presence system accepts batches of publication updates in a single presence update request. Similarly, the presence system accepts batches of subscription requests. Next, the presence system supports new expiration types for publication update requests that eliminate the need for a publishing user to continually refresh presence information that has not changed. Finally, the presence system accepts access lists that contain membership groups rather than an individual list of users that are to have access to a particular presence collection. |
| US07650335B2 |
High-level database management system
A method and system for allowing end users to create a database and a user interface to interact with database data are provided. The database management system provides a database abstraction layer that hides the complexities of a database and vendor-specific implementation details from the end user, while still allowing the end user to perform powerful database tasks. The database management system allows an end user with little or no knowledge about databases to create, edit, and maintain a database without understanding the details behind the database. The database management system also provides a facility for the easy creation of web pages to access the database to provide features such as searching, data entry, and browsing data stored in the database. |
| US07650332B2 |
Database query tools
A system that facilitates one or more of querying and updating a multi-dimensional structure comprises a component that receives a statement in a declarative language relating to a typed object associated with a multi-dimensional structure. A conversion component analyzes context associated with the statement and automatically converts the object to a disparate type as a function of the analysis. For example, an execution engine can comprise the conversion component, and the execution engine can be an Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) engine. |
| US07650329B2 |
Method and system for generating a search result list based on local information
The present invention relates to a method and system for effectively providing search results by referring to local information related to a searcher in response to a search request from the searcher through a communication network. The present invention provides a method for providing local information search results, comprising the steps of maintaining local information for searching related to the searcher, relating a plurality of search items related to a network information provider to a keyword and local information related to the network information provider, receiving a search request from the searcher, identifying at least more than one search item related to the keyword that meets the search request and selecting a search item related to local information matched to the local information for searching among the identified search items, and arranging at least a part of the search items according to a predetermined search item arranging method in arranging the selected search items. According to the present invention, as it is possible to provide search results with reference to the local information related to a searcher when providing search results to the searcher, more useful local information can be provided to the searcher. |
| US07650328B2 |
Data storage device capable of storing multiple sets of history information on input/output processing of security data without duplication
A data storage device includes a secure data storage portion including a log memory. The log memory is formed of a plurality of banks, and stores history information in the plurality of banks in a ring-like fashion. The plurality of banks are designated by addresses (0−(N−1)), respectively. Each of the items of the history information respectively stored in the banks includes a management number region, a license ID (LID) region, a Ks2x region, an ST1 region, an ST2 region, a KPcmy region and a LBA region. |
| US07650327B2 |
Managing taxonomic information
In a management of taxonomic information, a name that specifies an organism is identified. Based on the name and a database of organism names or classifications, another name that specifies the organism and that represents a link between pieces of biological identification information in the database, or a classification for the organism, is determined. Based on the other name or the classification, information associated with the organism is identified. |
| US07650324B2 |
Methods and systems for providing context-based reference information
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing within edited shell documents contextual information associated with a referenced object. The methods and systems may receive a request from an author to insert a reference to a fragment object into a shell document reflecting content to be displayed and generate response data including a reference to the fragment object and a first property reflecting contextual information associated with the fragment object. The shell document may be modified by inserting the response data into the shell document. The methods and system may also render the modified shell document including the response data such that the response data conveys a user-ascertainable characteristic of the fragment object based on the first property. |
| US07650320B2 |
Method and system for efficient indexed storage for unstructured content
A method and apparatus for efficient indexed storage for unstructured content have been disclosed. |
| US07650319B2 |
Adaptive pattern recognition based controller apparatus and method and human-factored interface therefore
The need for a more readily usable interface for programmable devices is widely recognized. The present invention relates to programmable sequencing devices, or, more particularly, the remote controls for consumer electronic devices. The present invention provides an enhanced interface for facilitating human input of a desired control sequence in a programmable device by employing specialized visual feedback. The present invention also relates to a new interface and method of interfacing with a programmable device, which is usable as an interface for a programmable video cassette recorder. |
| US07650314B1 |
System and method for securing a recurrent billing transaction
A system and method for securing a recurrent billing transaction using a marked proxy code is disclosed. The marked proxy code includes a merchant system marker which is assigned to the merchant and a proxy code assigned to a consumer. An account issuer assigns the proxy code to the consumer and assigns the merchant system marker to one or more merchants. During system operation, a merchant provides an account issuer with a request to establish a recurrent billing account and the account issuer returns to the merchant a marked proxy code including a merchant system marker and the proxy code provided by the merchant. If a merchant requests satisfaction of a transaction, the merchant transaction request includes the marked proxy account number. The account issuer receives the marked account number and validates the merchant system marker and the proxy code prior to validating the merchant's transaction request. |
| US07650313B1 |
Microbilling using a trust management system
The present invention provides a microbilling system that integrates with existing billing systems and existing devices. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the devices store digital certificates with short-lived expiration dates and specifying transaction limits, preferably using a trust management system. A provisioning agent periodically (e.g., once a day) issues the certificates over a secure channel to the devices. When conducting a purchase transaction, the devices exchange certificates via a communication channel (that need not be secure) and the purchasing device issues a digitally signed electronic check which is periodically deposited over an advantageously secure channel with a clearing service. The present invention enables microbilling transactions by embedding liability in the certificates. |
| US07650311B2 |
Read-only recording medium containing sample data and reproducing method thereof
The present invention provides according to an embodiment a method of reproducing digital content, comprising the steps of: (a) reading a position information where a sample data is present, the sample data being same as a portion of digital content and not encrypted; and (b) reproducing the sample data based on the read position information without a key information, the key information required for decrypting an encrypted digital content. |
| US07650309B2 |
Methods and systems for netting of payments and collateral
The present invention generally provides for systems and methods for netting payments and collateral. Generally, systems and methods of the present invention maximize market liquidity and minimize financial risk and collateral burdens of participants. |
| US07650298B2 |
Automated inventory system and method
Embodiments of this invention are directed towards various sensing mechanisms for bins of an automated inventory system. Further, various communication infrastructures and schemes between the various system components are disclosed. The automated inventory system comprises a plurality of dispensing bins containing stocked items. Various sensors may be used to detect the level or quantity of items within the various bins of the system. If a particular threshold level or quantity in the bin is triggered, a reorder signal is transmitted. The reorder signal may be communicated to other system components via hardwired and/or wireless connections. An RFID reader device may be used to collect reorder data regarding the various bins. |
| US07650297B1 |
System and method for managing returnable containers
The present invention is a system and method for managing returnable containers according to a manufacturer's production schedule. It provides capabilities to move and adjust container inventory throughout the entire parts supply chain. Movements of the containers are tracked to ensure each supplier has at all times a physical inventory of containers that is adequate to ship parts in a timely manner to the manufacturer's facilities. Container movement is controlled through the use of process flows and their relationship with physical locations called “inventory holding areas.” An inventory holding area reflects the quantity of containers that are held within that portion of the supply chain. Each of these portions is represented by an “inventory holding area type.” The system and method operate based on the function of the inventory holding area types and the relationships between each other. |
| US07650291B2 |
Video visitation system and method for a health care location
A video visitation system and method for dispersed health care locations. A patient data server, a teleconferencing server, a patient visual monitoring system and a visitor visual monitoring system are connected to a network. A patient data server receives patient data indicative of the condition of a patient and serves the patient data continuously and in real time to the teleconferencing server. The patient visual monitoring system acquires patient imaging data from a patient location and conveys the patient imaging data to the teleconferencing server. The visitor visual monitoring system acquires visitor imaging data from a visitor location and conveys the visitor imaging data to the teleconferencing server. The patient visual monitoring system displays the visitor imaging data and the visitor visual monitoring system simultaneously displays patient imaging data and the continuous real time feed of the patient data. |
| US07650288B2 |
Fee transaction system and method for intellectual property acquisition and/or maintenance
A facility has been developed whereby an applicant (or his representative) may initiate performance of an intellectual property service such as the making of a maintenance fee, annuity, renewal, tax or other payments and transact the associated fees coincident therewith. Such a facility has several advantages including the ability to reduce float time. Outside the context of annuity-type payments, similar facilities may be employed in conjunction with preparation, filing and prosecution support tools to similarly transact fees associated with the performance of intellectual property services at or about the time such intellectual property services are performed. An intellectual property portal or hub is employed, which in some realizations is hosted on a public, packet switched data network and communicates with both applicants (or representatives) and associates. In some realizations, the intellectual property portal facilitates selection, by applicants (or representatives) of particular jurisdictions and associates based at least in part on fee quotations made in accordance with particulars of an intellectual property filing and in accordance with fee structures of the particular jurisdictions and foreign associates. In addition, some realizations of the intellectual property filing portal facilitate registration of associate- and jurisdiction-specific services and fee schedules. |
| US07650271B2 |
Time-domain device noise simulator
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a simulator for emulating various types of device noise in time-domain circuit simulations. The simulator is capable of adding noise to transistors as well as passive elements like resistors. The simulator utilizes at least one current source in parallel to a device to emulate the noise. The current source generates a random current output to emulate the device noise based on a random Gaussian number and the standard deviation of the device noise. The noise standard deviation can be determined based on the noise power spectral density of the device having a particular bias at that simulation time and the update time. The simulator is capable of emulating any noise source with a constant or monotonically decreasing noise spectrum (e.g., thermal noise, flicker noise) by utilizing multiple current sources having different update steps. The simulator is compatible with standard circuit simulators. |
| US07650270B2 |
Method and simulating by fast Fourier transforms flows in a heterogeneous porous medium
The invention is a computer implemented method for fast simulation of the flow of a single and incompressible fluid in a heterogeneous porous medium such as an aquifer or a petroleum reservoir having application such as, for example, to the development of petroleum reservoirs. After discretizing the medium with a grid, a permeability field is determined from which a diffusivity equation is directly solved in the spectral domain by an iterative procedure involving fast Fourier transforms. A first algorithm directly manages the pressures and velocities, but it may be slow for great permeability contrasts. A second algorithm, which introduces an intermediate variable updated at each iteration, allows faster processing of greater permeability contrasts than the first algorithm. The third algorithm, based on increased Lagrangian, allows consideration of infinite permeability contrasts. The algorithms allow simulation of flows in weakly to highly heterogeneous media, with a reduced computing time. |
| US07650268B2 |
Simulating ion impingement
A method and a computer software program for predicting and modeling ion flux colliding with an ion-propelled vehicle traversing a magnetic field predicts a colliding ion path based upon an ion exhaust velocity, an ion charge-to-mass ratio, and a localized magnetic field vector. An ion-propelled vehicle path is predicted based upon a selected trajectory and a vehicle velocity vector. An ion plume is transformed based upon the predicted colliding ion path. The ion-propelled vehicle is projected into the transformed ion plume. The flux is calculated at a silhouette of the projected vehicle. |
| US07650267B1 |
Distribution of DES replications in a simulation
A simulation system includes a receiver component that receives multiple replications of a simulation scenario. The simulation scenario includes a plurality of interacting components representing devices and elements of the real-world system or abstract process to be simulated. Each of the interacting components has one or more numerical parameters associated therewith, to represent an operational parameter of the system device. During the execution of the replications, each replication operates with a randomness factor that modifies a respective numerical parameter, in accordance with the sorts of variations that can be expected in the actual system. An assignment component is included that assigns a subset of the replications to multiple processors such that a processor within the multiple processors executes at least one replication. |
| US07650260B1 |
Method and system for designing objects using functional object representation
A method and apparatus for designing objects using functional object representation are described. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving behavioral parameters associated with each design feature of an object from a user and determining a correspondence between each design feature and one or more body partitions from a predefined set of body partitions that compose the body of the object. The determination is made based on the behavioral parameters received from the user. The method further includes assigning a contributing volume to each of the corresponding body partitions and computing the digital model of the object using contributing volumes of all design features of the object. |
| US07650253B2 |
Accelerometer and method for error compensation
An accelerometer has an acceleration transducer producing uncorrected analog acceleration signals representing vertical, lateral, and longitudinal components of acceleration. An error correction system is connected to the acceleration transducer for receiving the uncorrected analog acceleration signals. The error correction system includes a system controller for generating a plurality of correction coefficients, an analog to digital converter which converts the uncorrected analog acceleration signals to uncorrected digital acceleration signals, a filter for filtering the uncorrected digital acceleration signals, an error compensation circuit receiving the correction coefficients to compensate the uncorrected digital acceleration signals, and a digital to analog converter which converts the corrected digital acceleration signals to corrected analog acceleration signals. The error compensation circuit corrects for bias offset, cross-axis alignment errors, scaling errors, and thermal offset. The system controller arranges a plurality of calibration measurements into a matrix and inverts the matrix to calculate the correction coefficients. |
| US07650252B2 |
Inclinometer measurement system and method providing correction for movement induced acceleration errors
A system and a method sense the inclination of a machine element, such as a platform, and eliminate tangential and radial acceleration errors. The platform defines orthogonal X and Y axes, and is rotatable about a Z axis. An inclinometer, mounted on the platform at a location spaced from the axis of rotation by a distance r, provides inclinometer outputs indicating acceleration in the X and Y directions, Ix and Iy, respectively. A rate gyro on the platform senses the rotational speed w of the platform. The rate gyro output w is differentiated and multiplied by r to determined tangential acceleration at the inclinometer. A circuit resolves the tangential acceleration into X axis and Y axis components, which are used to correct the inclinometer outputs Ix and Iy for errors that would otherwise result from tangential acceleration. |
| US07650251B2 |
System and method for rule-based data mining and problem detection for semiconductor fabrication
A fabrication history a group of wafers is provided, having a record for each wafer of the manufacturing events that did or did not occur in its fabrication, and having the measured value of a given target. A binary decision rule is formed based on the fabrication history, the rule being that if a wafer has a particular pattern of manufacturing events in its fabrication history then the statistic of the given fabrication target for that wafer is a first value; otherwise, the statistic is a second value having at least a given distance from the first value. The pattern of manufacturing events in the binary decision rule is identified in the generation of the binary decision rule. The identified pattern is significant with respect to the given target. |
| US07650249B2 |
Data compression for a waveform data analyzer
A compressor for waveforms having at least two waveform states separates the waveform samples into waveform state sample vectors for each waveform state. Waveform state encoders encode the waveform state sample vectors separately to provide compressed waveform data. The waveform state encoder selects waveform state pattern vector and associated codes to represent the waveform state sample vectors. The differences between samples of the waveform state sample vector and waveform state pattern vector are calculated and encoded. Encoding can be lossless or lossy. The waveform state pattern vectors and other parameters for compression are determined during a training period. The waveform state encoders detect features in the waveform state sample vectors and waveform state pattern vectors that are useful for common oscilloscope measurements. Typical waveform states include level states and edge states. |
| US07650247B2 |
Method for the electrical protection of an electrical household appliance
A method is provided for the electrical protection of an electrical household appliance that is used to prepare food. The appliance includes an electric pump which is supplied with alternating current in order to convey a liquid through a conduit, and a heating element to raise the temperature of the liquid. The instantaneous value of the current I supplied to the pump is measured at regular time intervals. The method includes calculating the average value αn of m current I measurements taken over a pre-determined time period T; comparing the average value αn with a reference value αref calculated as the average value of the current I measurements taken over an earlier period of the same length; and opening the pump's power supply circuit when the difference between the average values αref and αn exceeds a pre-determined threshold value Δ1 for at least two successive time periods T as a result of low average current indicative of dry running. |
| US07650246B2 |
Process and apparatus for estimating circuit delay
A method and device for determining a delay of a gate driven by a driving gate with different ground or supply voltages. The method includes determining from the supply and ground voltages for the driven gate and its driving gate an adjusted supply voltage value, and applying the adjusted supply voltage value as a single voltage parameter to a pre-characterized delay model for the driven gate. The device is structured to perform the method. |
| US07650243B2 |
Rational evolution of cytokines for higher stability, the cytokines and encoding nucleic acid molecules
Compositions of modified cytokines and uses thereof generated using processes and systems for the high throughput directed evolution of peptides and proteins, particularly cytokines that act in complex biological settings, are provided. Also provided are modified cytokines formulated for oral delivery and uses thereof to treat diseases and conditions mediated by cytokines. |
| US07650242B2 |
Method and system for modeling cellular metabolism
This invention relates to methods and systems for in silico or bioinformatic modeling of cellular metabolism. The invention includes methods and systems for modeling cellular metabolism of an organism, comprising constructing a flux balance analysis model, and applying constraints to the flux balance analysis model, the constraints selected from the set consisting of: qualitative kinetic information constraints, qualitative regulatory information constraints, and differential DNA microarray experimental data constraints. In addition, the present invention provides for computational procedures for solving metabolic problems. |
| US07650241B2 |
Use of the dynamic downhole measurements as lithology indicators
A drilling system provides indications of the lithology of the formation being drilled by dynamically measuring at least one parameter of interest that is affected by the lithology of the formation being drilled. Suitably positioned sensors make dynamic measurements of parameters such as downhole weight on bit, bit torque, bit revolutions, rate of penetration and bit axial acceleration. One or more processors use the sensor measurements in conjunction with predetermined lithological models to determine whether the measurements indicate a change in formation lithology. Suitable models can be on derived expressions such as rock drillability, drilling response, dynamic drilling response, normalized or dimensionless torque; and formation shear strength. The lithological indications provided by the processor can be used to adjust drilling parameters, steer the BHA, monitor BHA health, and provide depth locations for bed boundaries and formation interfaces. |
| US07650238B2 |
Environmental characteristic determination
A processor of an apparatus in one example makes a determination of an environmental characteristic based on an average of a plurality of concomitant values that correspond to the environmental characteristic. |
| US07650233B2 |
Method and system of remote position reporting device
A remote position monitoring system, method, and computer-program product using a global position satellite receiver and information from at least two global position satellites to determine a position of a mobile object with the global position satellite receiver and report via Internet the position of the mobile object to a recipient in search of the mobile object. A remote position reporting device of the monitoring system can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car, and expensive items. The remote position reporting device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, monitoring software and an Internet access module. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to communicated the position information. The GPS receiver provides the monitoring software with position information at prescribed times, and the monitoring software records the position information. The monitoring software communicates the position information at prescribed times to a desired party through the Internet access module. |
| US07650228B2 |
Internet based highway traffic advisory system
A real time traffic control system that includes a plurality of roadside sensors and variable message displays arrayed along the highway connected to the Internet, and communicating with a central computer using the Internet. Each roadside device includes a modem and has a unique internet address. The central computer is programmed to create on demand a plurality of individual virtual communication ports, each of the ports corresponding to each of the unique device addresses, whereby said computer communicates in a quasi-simultaneous manner with all of the roadside devices. |
| US07650227B2 |
System for using cellular phones as traffic probes
A system and method for determining the flow of traffic in a monitored route segment using global positioning system, or assisted global positioning system, enabled cellular phones as traffic probes takes advantage of the existing cellular infrastructure to deploy traffic probes to determine the flow of traffic based on the speed and direction of probes. Filtering of probe data can be used to remove probes having outlying results such as excessive speed, or probes that do not fit the general trend already observed on a traffic route segment. |
| US07650217B2 |
Adaptive cruise control system and navigation system's media with vehicle control information included
On the basis of headway distance information issued from a headway distance detecting device for detecting a headway distance between a controlled vehicle and a preceding vehicle and terrain shape information issued from a terrain shape estimating device for estimating a terrain shape around the position of the controlled vehicle, a terrain shape at a position spaced from the position of the controlled vehicle by the headway distance is detected, and the speed of the controlled vehicle is controlled according to the terrain shape information. |
| US07650215B2 |
Integrated sensing system
A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto. |
| US07650212B2 |
Pedal adjustment system and method
System and method for adjusting at least one pedal for a driver in a vehicle in which a determining system determines one or more morphological characteristics of the driver, a motor is coupled to the pedal(s) and is at least automatically controllable without manual intervention to move the pedal(s) relative to a floor of the vehicle and thus adjust the position of the pedal(s) relative to the driver, and a control circuit is coupled to the determining system and the motor for automatically controlling the motor based on the determined morphological characteristic(s) of the driver. The pedal may be an accelerator pedal and/or a brake pedal of the vehicle. |
| US07650209B2 |
Method for monitoring the functions and increasing the operational reliability of a safety-relevant control system
A method for monitors the functions and increases the operational reliability of a complex safety-relevant control system. Examples of such control systems include motor vehicle control systems such as a brake system (ABS, TCS, ESP, EHB, EMB), a steering aid (“steering-by-wire”), etc. The method also detects and evaluates system errors. The method detects a system error and evaluates as a group error, brings about a complete system degradation or a partial system degradation corresponding to the group error, e.g. limitation of the system functions and the system availability, localizes the system error and the error source by tests, logical combining of the test results, plausibility considerations, etc. and gradually cancels the restrictions of the system functions and enhances the system availability in dependence on the result of the individual steps for bounding or localizing the system error and the error source. |
| US07650205B2 |
Process for controlling industrial robots, and related robots, systems and computer programs
An industrial robot includes a manipulator (1) having a control unit (2) and a portable terminal (3), the unit and the terminal being able to communicate in wireless mode for executing a robot programming session. The unit (2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to implement a step of mutual logic coupling, which is required so as to enable the programming session, only when the terminal (3) is in a substantially predefined physical position (5) close to the unit (2). |
| US07650201B2 |
Determination method and processing method of machined surface of plate-like material, and apparatus for use in said methods
Provided is a surface treatment method for performing machining such as cutting work, grinding, and electrical discharging to a plate-like material with two- or three-dimensional deformation to realize a uniform thickness. This method includes the steps of mounting the plate-like material on a surface plate, setting a coordinate axis in a plane direction of the plate-like material to be X, Y and setting a coordinate axis in a height direction of the plate-like material to be Z, virtualizing a surface containing an origin of the measured Z direction, measuring a height Z1-n from the origin in an arbitrary plane position, and inclining and cutting the plate-like material so that an absolute value of a difference between a maximum value Zmax and a minimum value Zmin of the obtained height data will be minimum. Although a ceramic sintered plate such as a sputtering target or a metal plate prepared by metal rolling or forging, in most instances, is subject to two- or three-dimensional deformation as a result of thermal stress or machining stress during the manufacturing process, this invention is able to obtain a flat plate-like material having a uniform thickness and minimal machining costs from a plate-like material with two- or three-dimensional deformation. |
| US07650198B2 |
Automation system unified data access for disparate data sources
Historical and real-time data access is leveraged to provide unified data access for interacting with manufacturing process entities such as, for example, process overview displays, charting systems, reporting systems, logging systems, and/or recipe systems and the like. The unified data, for example, allows for playback of historical process overviews for a user selected period of time. In one instance, a “VCR like” user interface can be employed to allow ‘rewinding’ and ‘replaying’ of a historical process overview. This facilitates in proper monitoring and/or troubleshooting of manufacturing processes. The unified availability of past and current data also enables reporting systems to provide “living” reports that automatically update with real-time data. This can allow for efficient comparison of current data with historical data for a given manufacturing process. |
| US07650196B2 |
Production monitoring and control system having organizational structure-based presentation layer
A human-machine interface generation system comprises a reception component that receives a request to generate a human-machine interface relating to at least one of an industrial system, device, process, and sub-process and parameters associated with an initiator of the request. A view generation component generates the human-machine interface based at least in part upon the request and the parameters. For example, the system can further comprise a query generation component that creates a query based at least in part upon the request and the parameters and utilizes the query to extract data from a server within an industrial automation environment. |
| US07650187B2 |
Assembly for wireless energy communication to an implanted device
An assembly for wireless energy communication to an implanted device comprises an external belt (7) accommodating a wearer control (1) followed by controller (2), a battery pack (4), an inverter (3), a transmission coil (8) connected in parallel by a plurality of capacitors, and an infrared transceiver 9. Provided furthermore is an implanted device comprising a receiver coil (11) having the same dimensions as the transmission coil (8), a rectifier following said receiver coil (11), an infrared transceiver (10) followed by a controller and an sensor assembly (17) assigned thereto as well as a battery pack (16) for powering said implanted device via an energy manager (14). |
| US07650184B2 |
Cylindrical multi-contact electrode lead for neural stimulation and method of making same
An implantable lead includes a tubular polymer body having a plurality of wire conductors embedded or carried within the inner tube body. A ring contact, e.g., a platinum ring contact, is electrically and mechanically connected to at least one of the plurality of wires at at least one end of the tubular body. In one embodiment, ring contacts are attached at both ends of the tubular body. In another embodiment, a lumen passes longitudinally through the length of the lead body. |
| US07650178B2 |
Magnetic field sensor-based navigation system to track MR image-guided interventional procedures
A magnetic sensor navigation system is disclosed, which includes: (a) a magnetic sensor array, including one or more magnetic non-Faradaic sensors; (b) a sensor interface operatively connected to receive a signal from each sensor of the array, wherein the sensor interface operates to generate a processed signal from one or more signals received from each sensor of the array; and (c) a processing and control unit connected to receive the processed signal, wherein the processing and control unit operates to calculate a spatial position of the sensor array using the processed signal when the sensor array is placed within a magnetic resonance environment of an MR scanner. |
| US07650174B2 |
Superconductive filter capable of easily adjusting filter characteristic and filter characteristic adjusting method
A resonator pattern made of superconductive material is disposed over a first surface of a base substrate made of dielectric. An adjustment substrate made of dielectric is disposed facing the first surface at a distance from the first surface. The adjustment substrate is supported by a support mechanism for supporting the adjustment substrate in such a manner capable of changing an angle between the first surface and a surface of the adjustment substrate facing the base substrate. A superconductive filter is provided which can shift a center frequency of a filter band and suppress disturbance of a waveform of a filter characteristic, with a simple method. |
| US07650173B2 |
Combined antenna module with single output
An antenna module on a vehicle having an antenna for receiving satellite radio signals and an antenna for receiving GPS signals. The two antennas may or may not be on a common ceramic substrate. Either of the two antennas may be a ceramic patch antenna or a helical antenna. The respective signals from each of the antenna as is amplified by a low noise amplifier, filtered, and then combined onto a single conductor and amplified prior to being provided on a single conductor routed through the vehicle to a remotely-located pair of receivers. |
| US07650171B2 |
Cellular phone
A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion. |
| US07650163B2 |
Impedance matching circuit for a multi-band radio frequency device
In an impedance matching circuit for a multi-band radio frequency device, a first radio frequency signal in a first sub-band of a multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Further, a second radio frequency signal in a second sub-band of the multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Selective outputting is done through partly shared and partly non-shared reactive elements, without the need to switch reactive elements. |
| US07650162B2 |
Mobile terminal and wireless communication system
A wireless communication system for high-speed motion use, capable of shortening the frequency channel search time and increasing the communication time available for service. The system includes an access point communicating on a designated one frequency channel and a mobile terminal communicating on the same received channel by receiving radio waves transmitted by the same access point. As for mobile terminal, in a storage, priority data is stored for a channel search in which arbitrary priorities can be set respectively for the channels. Frequency channel search sequence data, set up so that the number of times of appearance becomes greater for channels for which the priority data are set higher, are generated on the basis of the relative data, and a search of communication-capable channels is carried out in accordance with the same channel search sequence data. |
| US07650158B2 |
System and method for synchronizing wireless communication devices
According to the present invention, Bluetooth master device offset information is determined and distributed among the master devices within a Bluetooth network. The system either provides an offset to each master device or determines master device offsets and distributes this information to master devices within the system to allow or efficient hand-offs of a slave between master devices. |
| US07650157B2 |
Mobile device notification with options
Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc. |
| US07650155B2 |
Transmission time difference measurement method and system
The propagation time (1605) of signals between a terminal (1304) and a base station (1302) is calculated from the round-trip time (1601) of signals between the terminal (1304) and the base station (1302) and the turn-around time (1603) from the reception by terminal (1304) of a signal from base station (1302) until the transmission of the signal to the base station (1302). The propagation time (1606) of signals between the terminal (1304) and another base station (1303) is similarly calculated. The difference between the propagation times (1605 and 1606) and the arrival time difference (1607) that is calculated in the terminal (1304) are then compared to calculate the transmission time difference (1608) between the base stations (1302 and 1303). |
| US07650153B2 |
System and method for transmission diversity status detection
A system and method for transmission diversity status detection is disclosed, which receives a synchronization channel (SCH) signal and a common pilot channel (CPICH) signal from a base station for detecting whether the base station uses the transmission diversity technique. The transmission diversity status detector detects the transmission diversity status of the base station by detecting the modulation of SCH symbols coherently. The phase references for coherent detection of SCH symbols are extracted from the despreaded CPICH signal. To detect the odd-numbered SCH symbols coherently, the detector applies all phase references of different antennas on odd-numbered SCH symbols and performs selection in the final decision flow. The detector also contains the Time Switched Transmit Diversity (TSTD) filters, designed based on a dependency between the modulation of SCH symbols and the transmit antenna of SCH signals, to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of SCH symbols. |
| US07650150B1 |
Point coordinated spread-spectrum wireless local area network
Methods, devices and systems for WLAN communication are described. Intercell interference between overlapping WLAN cells is mitigated by a combination of frequency reuse, code division and time resource negotiation. Information used for time resource negotiation can be broadcast via beacon signal or communicated via a wireline backbone system which interconnects access points. |
| US07650149B2 |
User registration in a communication system
A method of reassigning user data in a communications system is disclosed, with a plurality of identities for each user. The method includes storing in a user information store the plurality of identities in association with a first serving controller, the plurality of identities being associated with respective registration statuses selected from a registered status and an unregistered status; detecting that the user has requested registration to a second serving controller using one of the identities; and issuing a registration termination request identifying each identity, which has been newly assigned to the second serving controller as a result of the requested registration. Responsive to the registration termination request, re-registration notification is issued to the user and all identities of the said user from the first serving controller are dissociated. |
| US07650146B2 |
System and method for monitoring communication
A system including at least two distally separated devices that are in wireless communication with each other, wherein at least one of the two devices is provided with a warning mechanism configured to indicate an existing or imminent interruption or disturbance of communication. The inventive system may include a base unit and at least one mobile medical or pharmaceutical device in unidirectional communication or bidirectional communication with the base unit. A method for monitoring wireless communication between at least two devices is encompassed, wherein at least one of the two devices indicates an existing or imminent interruption or disturbance of the wireless communication by changing a type of the communication signal transmission. |
| US07650142B2 |
Method for setting up a conference call
A method for setting up a conference call where the subscribers are not only concentrated in one area but also more widely dispersed. The method allows both groups of subscribers to be contacted for a conference call with individuals close to the point of origination of the conference call being connected to a shared channel call and any members further out being connected to the conference call using individual channels. Members who initially started with an individual channel can move closer to the point of origin and automatically join the shared channel. This is of particular use to the emergency services where they may need to co-ordinate members arriving at the scene or performing related actions further away from the scene of the emergency. |
| US07650138B1 |
Methods for providing overdraft protection for post-paid communication service plans
Methods for adding data blocks to a data subscription plan period. The methods include determining whether a threshold number of data blocks have been reached during the data subscription plan period; and incrementally adding data blocks to the data subscription plan when the threshold number of data blocks has been reached. The cost per data block of the added data blocks is less than the high-cost per data block rate normally associated with exceeding the threshold number of data blocks during the data subscription plan period. |
| US07650135B2 |
Remote sensor interface (RSI) stepped wake-up sequence
A transceiver includes a two-way communication component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the two-way communication component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide the electronic signal to the two-way communication component in order to power up the two-way wireless communication component. The second receiver is configured to screen the radio frequency broadcast for first criteria, and screen the radio frequency broadcast for second criteria. The electric current may be an order of magnitude larger when screening for the first criteria than the second criteria. Screening also may be performed for third criteria, namely, specific data. The second receiver is adapted to draw substantially less current while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast than the two-way wireless communication component. |
| US07650131B2 |
Wireless receiver and its demodulating method
A wireless receiver which is used for a digital signal transmission system to wirelessly transmit a digital signal by packetizing and modifying it, selectively sets the shortest arithmetical bit length satisfying a required communication quality when performs demodulation arithmetical processing to demodulate a digital signal to be packet-transmitted, inputs a demodulation arithmetical result by the arithmetical bit length to calculate an error vector magnitude value that is a measure indicating a difference between the arithmetical result and a known ideal result, predicts a bit error rate by using the EVM value as an evaluation criterion, selects an arithmetical bit length by which the bit error rate becomes optimum, and executes the demodulating arithmetical processing by the selected arithmetical bit length. |
| US07650130B2 |
Spread spectrum isolator
An apparatus comprising a functional circuitry on a first die. Said function circuitry configured to drive an RF voltage isolation link with an RF signal responsive to receipt of a logic signal at a first logic state. Control circuitry modifies the frequency of the RF signal to spread harmonics to other than a fundamental frequency. |
| US07650124B2 |
Balanced and unbalanced electronic circuit and television tuner
A television tuner includes an unbalanced output type VHF-side block, a balanced output type UHF-side block, and a mixing circuit that performs frequency conversion on the output from the VHF-side block or the UHF-side block. In the television tuner, in a first mode where the VHF-side block is connected to the mixing circuit, a first terminal, to which the unbalanced output is applied, is coupled to a first input terminal of the mixing circuit, and a second input terminal of the mixing circuit is grounded. Further, in a second mode where the UHF-side block is connected to the mixing circuit, a second terminal and a third terminal, to which the balanced output is applied, are coupled to the first and second input terminals of the mixing circuit. |
| US07650123B2 |
Receiver and a method of attenuating a disturbance signal by a trap circuit having its resonance frequency adjustable
A receiver for receiving a radio frequency signal includes an attenuator for attenuating a disturbance signal such as an image signal which causes disturbance to a received frequency of the radio frequency signal, on the basis of set information of the received frequency. The attenuator includes a trap circuit for producing a resonance frequency in accordance with the set information. The trap circuit is connected on a supply line for the radio frequency signal and suppresses the disturbance signal by the resonance frequency. |
| US07650122B2 |
Power control circuitry for a mobile terminal application
The present invention generally relates to the field of automatic power control (APC) circuitries used in the analog front end of a mobile transmitter. It particularly refers to a power control circuitry (101M, 101N) and a corresponding method for controlling the power level (Pout) of an RF signal (x(t)) to be transmitted at the output port of a variable-gain power amplifier (105) by performing an additional regulation of the APC loop's reference signal (Vref). Thereby, it is proposed to increase the radiated RF power (Pout) in case a transmitting antenna (110) is mismatched to said power amplifier (105) in order to not release an ongoing call. In case there is a subject very close to the terminal antenna, the antenna load is changed and the increased reflected signal is measured. In a closed loop this increased reflected signal is mixed with a reference ramp signal (Vramp) which is used to calculate (S1A) a reference signal (Vref) representing the nominal power level (Pref) for the power (Pout) of the RF signal (x(t)) to be transmitted, which leads to an increasing of the radiated power and prevents said call from being released.The step of calculating (S1A) the reference signal (Vref) as a function of the reference ramp signal (Vramp) and a DC feedback signal (VPD) is realized by the substeps of multiplying (S1a′) a processed version (K·GOP·VPD) of the DC feedback signal (VPD) by the reference ramp signal (Vramp) and adding (S1a″) the output signal (Vramp·K·GOP·VPD) of the multiplication step (S1a′) to the reference ramp signal (Vramp), thereby yielding said reference signal (Vref). |
| US07650119B2 |
Wireless communication system and method using digital calibration to control mixer input swing
A wireless communication device is disclosed wherein the voltage swing of a local oscillator (LO) signal is controlled to prevent overstressing semiconductor devices in a mixer to which the LO signal is supplied. A quadrature divider supplies the LO signal to the mixer. Digital calibration methodology controls the current that the quadrature divider draws from a power supply to set the voltage swing of the LO signal that the quadrature divider generates. |
| US07650117B2 |
Mitigating interference between wireless systems
Two separate radio frequency networks may be operated within interference distance from one another in a way which mitigates the possibility of interference. Using received signal strength indicator data, the nature of the interference may be determined without actually demodulating the interfering signal. The timing of the interfering signal and its characteristic features may be determined. Using that information, together with the probability that any given slot will actually be occupied by an interfering transmission, a statistics package may be developed which gives an indication of the probability of a transmission from the interferer at any given time. That package may be transmitted to other nodes in the same network. When a first node wishes to transmit information to a second node, the first node may analyze the statistics package received from the second node. The first node may thereby make a determination about when to actually initiate the transmission to the second node. |
| US07650115B2 |
Method of, and apparatus for, protecting from radio frequency interference
A method of protecting an apparatus from radio frequency interference, comprises a policing terminal (PT) detecting the presence of an interfering radio terminal (16) in the protected environment and actively rendering ineffective or terminating transmissions by the interfering radio terminal. Various options can be followed by the policing terminal (PT) including (a) attempting to become the master station of a network of which the interfering terminal is a member and instructing the members to close down or (b) failing to become the master station and transmitting interference signals for at least a selected portion, for example preamble and sync, of the duration of a data packet transmitted by the interfering station. |
| US07650113B2 |
Apparatus for receiving wide-band pulse signal in communication channel using human body
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for receiving a wide-band pulse signal in a communication channel using a human body. When a weak wide-band pulse signal, which is output from a communication channel using a human body as a data transmission medium, is restored to a digital signal, it is possible to accomplish low power consumption and high data transmission rate using a wide-band symmetrical triggering technology using 50-Ω impedance matching, wide-band amplification and symmetrical threshold voltages. In addition, since only a single signal electrode is used, it is possible to provide an apparatus having usability, wearability and miniaturization. In addition, it is possible to remove necessities of an external reference voltage to reduce area consumption and to simply adjust a feedback resistor to easily adjust the reception sensitivity according to a communication distance. |
| US07650110B2 |
Wireless communication apparatus and wireless communication method for storing and accessing a plurality of images
There is disclosed a wireless communication apparatus which provides a plurality of images stored in a storage to an initiating wireless communication apparatus through wireless communications. A reception unit receives an image acquisition request transmitted from the initiating wireless communication apparatus. The request conforms to a camera control protocol for exchanging information relating to images. A selection unit selects, in response to the image acquisition request, one of the plurality of images stored in the storage. A transmission unit then transmits a response to the initiating wireless communication apparatus in accordance with the camera control protocol. Information relating to the one of the plurality of images that is selected by the selection unit is contained in the response. |
| US07650106B2 |
Pressure roller for an image forming apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
An image forming apparatus capable of preventing sheets from being crumpled due to compressive deformation of a resilient layer thereof when the sheets pass through a fixing unit, and a method for manufacturing the same. The pressure roller may include a reinforcing member that reinforces a side of the resilient layer to prevent an axial compressive deformation of the resilient layer, a reinforcing member received between the shaft and the resilient layer to increase hardness of the resilient layer, or a reinforcing member interposed between the shaft and the resilient layer to reduce the compressive deformation of the resilient layer. |
| US07650105B2 |
Image heating apparatus
An image heating apparatus for heating a toner image formed on a recording material is constituted by a roller contactable with a toner image carrying surface of the recording material; a heating member for heating the roller, the heating member contacting a surface of the roller, wherein the toner image formed on the recording material is heated in contact with the roller; and a driving mechanism for moving the heating member to a first position contacting the roller and a second position, contacting the roller different from the first position with respect to a tangential direction of the roller. |
| US07650104B2 |
Developing apparatus including developer carrying member and developer regulating member with surface roughness parameters
A developing apparatus includes: a developing sleeve that carries a mono-component developer; and a developing blade that abuts on the sleeve to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the sleeve, wherein surface roughness parameters of the sleeve satisfy: 3.0≦Rpk≦9.0; and 2≦Pc2≦10. At an abutment portion between the sleeve and the blade, surface roughness parameters of the blade satisfy: 0.030≦Sm≦0.170; and 0.10≦Rvk×(100−Mr2)/100≦1.30, where Sm is a mean spacing of profile irregularities [mm]; Rpk is an initial wear height [μm]; Rvk is an oil retaining depth [μm]; Mr2 is a profile bearing length ratio 2 [%]; and Pc2 denotes the number of profile peaks having a height larger than a count level from a center line per the evaluation length of 1 mm. |
| US07650100B2 |
Development apparatus, image forming apparatus, and developer transfer method
There is provided a technique in which in a development apparatus to perform replacement of developer, the amount of developer can be stably kept irrespective of a change in a physical property of the developer. There are included a development apparatus that circulates and conveys a developer supplied at a specified timing in a specified conveying chamber and causes the developer to overflow through a discharge port provided in the conveying chamber, a fluidity judgment unit to judge a degree of fluidity of the developer in the conveying chamber, and a speed control unit to control a conveying speed of the developer in a specified range near the discharge port in the conveying chamber to become low relative to an average value of a conveying speed of the developer in a conveying passage except the specified range when the fluidity judged by the fluidity judgment unit is low. |
| US07650098B2 |
Image forming apparatus having a plurality of photosensitive drums
An image forming apparatus including an outer frame, a photosensitive unit, a drum drive gear, a first positioning portion, and a second positioning portion. The photosensitive unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a first supporting shaft, a second supporting shaft, and a drum gear. Each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis extending in a first direction. The plurality of photosensitive drums is juxtaposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A position of the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft provided on one of the plurality of photosensitive drums in the second direction with respect to the outer frame is determined by contacting the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft to the first positioning portion. A position of the two of the first supporting shafts and the two of the second supporting shafts in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction with respect to the outer frame is determined by supporting the two of the first supporting shafts and two of the second supporting shafts on the second supporting portion. |
| US07650096B2 |
Electrification device, and image forming apparatus
A needle electrode and a cleaning member are provided. A plurality of needles are arrayed upon the needle electrode in a straight line, and protrude towards a surface of a photoreceptor. The cleaning member is disposed movably along the array direction of the plurality of needles between the surface of the photoreceptor and the needle electrode. When the cleaning member moves, the tip portion of each of the plurality of needles in the arranged order, after having been embedded from the surface of the cleaning member into its interior, then exits to the exterior of the cleaning member. |
| US07650091B2 |
Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus has a heat member configured so that a longitudinal center becomes a conveyance center of the recording material, the apparatus also having a central portion temperature detection part for detecting a temperature of the heat member corresponding to the conveyance center or adjacent thereto, a one side end portion temperature detection part for detecting one end portion temperature at one side in a longitudinal direction of the heat member, and an other side end portion temperature detection part for detecting an other end portion temperature on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the heat member, and a control part for controlling the image forming apparatus based on heat member temperature information detected by the central portion temperature detection part, the one side end portion temperature detection part, and the other side end portion temperature detection part. |
| US07650090B2 |
Image forming apparatus having fusion control circuit that operates even in the presence of a short circuit
An image forming apparatus containing a fusing device, a commercial power source providing power to the fusing device, a triac, a thermistor detecting a temperature of the fusing device, a fusion control unit controlling the fusing device based on a detection result of the thermistor, and a cathode terminal outputting a control current and an anode terminal receiving the control current to control the power supplied to the heating body from the commercial power source and the triac. The fusion control unit of the image forming apparatus contains a control current output terminal outputting the control current to the anode terminal, a control current input terminal receiving the control current from the cathode terminal, and a fusion temperature control unit controlling the control current received by the control current input terminal and the control current output by the control current output terminal. |
| US07650089B2 |
System for measuring and controlling total color of a mixture of colorants such as toner
A developer unit used in xerographic printing retains a mixture of at least a first colorant and a second colorant. An illuminator directs toward at least a portion of the mixture a first light of one color, a second light of a second color, and a third light substantially outside of a visible range. A photosensor records a first reflectance signal based on light reflected from the mixture substantially in a visible range, and a second reflectance signal based on light reflected from the mixture substantially outside a visible range. The signals can be used to maintain the mixture at the desired total color and other properties. |
| US07650088B2 |
Apparatus and method for recognizing error of toner sensor for developing device
An apparatus and a method recognizing the error of a toner sensor that is capable of correctly recognizing the error factor of the toner sensor for sensing the amount of the toner of a developing device main body. The output value and the set value of the sensor are compared with each other to display the corresponding error code. Therefore, a service engineer or a user easily recognizes the error factor to take proper measures corresponding to the error factor. |
| US07650084B2 |
Optical heterodyne receiver and method of extracting data from a phase-modulated input optical signal
An optical heterodyne receiver and a method of extracting data from a phase-modulated input optical signal. In one embodiment, the optical heterodyne receiver includes: (1) a photonic quadrature demodulator having first and second optical inputs and first and second electrical outputs and configured to generate at the first and second electrical outputs an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal, respectively, in response to receiving a modulated optical signal at the first optical input and a reference optical oscillator signal at the second optical input, (2) a passive radio frequency single sideband demodulator coupled to the photonic quadrature demodulator and configured to extract at least one sideband of the in-phase signal or the quadrature-phase signal and (3) at least one analog-to-digital converter coupled to the passive radio frequency single sideband demodulator and configured to receive and sample the at least one sideband. |
| US07650082B2 |
Optical communication transmitter, optical communication receiver, optical communication system, and communication apparatus
In one inventive aspect, a transmitter is provided. In the transmitter, a modulator supplies an electrical current based on a digital transmission electrical signal to a white LED, which emits light including a plurality of wavelengths into the air. A light detector separates a light signal component having a blue wavelength from the emitted light using an optical filter and converts the signal component to a monitoring electrical signal. A waveform control circuit outputs a control signal so that the time delay of the waveform of the monitoring signal with respect to the waveform of the transmission electrical signal is less than or equal to a predetermined value. The modulator corrects the amount of the electrical current supplied to the white LED on the basis of the control signal. In another inventive aspect, a receiver is provided. In the receiver, an optical filter separates a light signal component having a blue wavelength and a light detector detects substantially only the light signal component having a blue wavelength. |
| US07650081B2 |
Method and apparatus for receiving frequency modulated signals on an intensity modulated optical carrier
The present invention provides a method and an FSK/IM receiver to solve the problem of burst-mode detection of frequency modulated labels on an ASK (or IM) payload. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, two FSK tones of an input FSK/IM optical signal are separated and communicated to a balanced detector. At the balanced detector, the two FSK tones are subtracted from each other and result in an AC-coupled data stream. The AC-coupled data stream is communicated to a Schmitt-trigger where the hysteresis of the Schmitt-trigger finally eliminates any residual ASK (or IM) payload in the recovered output data. The present invention provides both single channel and WDM solutions. |
| US07650079B2 |
Integrated optical transceiver circuit
An integrated transceiver contains a optical equalizer for a distorted O/E-converted signal, an adaptive regenerator coupled to the equalizer, and a clock recovery circuit coupled to the adaptive regenerator. The transceiver has further an embedded processing unit and an integrated programmable memory which stores software program. The processing unit is coupled to adjust threshold values of the adaptive regenerator according to a software algorithm loaded into the memory. |
| US07650077B2 |
Multi-data-rate optical transceiver
An optical transceiver module includes an optical-to-electrical converter configured to convert a first optical signal to a first electric signal, a first amplifier configured to amplify the first electric signal, a bandwidth controller coupled to the first amplifier, configured to control the frequency response characteristics of the amplification of the first amplifier to produce a first amplified electric signal, a driver circuit configured to receive a second electric signal and to produce a second amplified electric signal in response to the second electric signal and an optical feedback signal, an electrical-to-optical converter coupled to the micro-controller and configured to convert the second amplified electrical signal to a second optical signal, and a photo diode configured to detect the second optical signal and to produce the optical feedback signal to be received by the driver circuit. |
| US07650075B2 |
Optical add-drop multiplexer, and optical network equipment using the same
Heretofore, it was necessary to individually locate an optical switch, an optical switch control circuit, and the like, before and after an optical transceiver that performs optical protection. As a result, costs and the space for implementation increase, and a delay in services is also caused, which were the problems.For the purpose of solving the above problems, the present invention provides a simple optical protection method used in an optical add-drop multiplexer.Add switches 105-1 through 105-N and drop switches 103-1 through 103-N for optical signals corresponding to each wavelength in an optical add-drop multiplexer 100 are made controllable independently of one another. Add switches and drop switches of the active-side and backup-side optical add-drop multiplexers are switched by optical switch control circuits 106-1 through 106-N respectively to make a detour around a failure so that the optical protection is achieved. |
| US07650074B2 |
Optical transmission apparatus
An optical transmission apparatus includes a demultiplexing unit that demultiplexes a light input to the optical transmission apparatus into a plurality of lights; an optical attenuator that adjusts an output level of a light within a band that includes a signal light from among demultiplexed lights; a bypass unit that bypasses a light outside the band from among demultiplexed lights; a multiplexing unit that multiplexes adjusted light and the light from the bypass unit; and an optical amplifier that amplifies input light. The optical amplifier is provided at least one of a stage prior to the demultiplexing unit and a stage subsequent to the multiplexing unit. |
| US07650073B2 |
System and method for discovering wavelengths in network elements having an optical architecture
A system and method of wavelength discovery in network elements having an optical architecture. In one embodiment, a first wavelength topology map is generated for wavelengths inserted in a first direction at each network element. A second wavelength topology map is generated for wavelengths inserted in a second direction at each network element. The first wavelength topology maps are transmitted in the first direction to adjacent network elements over a dedicated overhead wavelength channel. Similarly, the second wavelength topology maps are transmitted in the second direction to adjacent network elements over the dedicated overhead wavelength channel. Responsive to messaging via the dedicated overhead wavelength channel, each of the first and second topology maps are updated at each of the network elements. |
| US07650072B2 |
Method of upgrading optical node, and an optical node apparatus
An optical node apparatus according to the present invention amplifies a WDM signal light input to an input port, and thereafter, branches the amplified WDM signal light by an optical branching coupler to send the branched lights to first and second optical paths, and selects the light propagated through the first optical path by an optical switch to amplify the selected light by a post-amplifier, thereby outputting the amplified light from an output port, when the optical node apparatus is operated as an optical amplification repeating node. When the operational state is upgraded to an optical add/drop multiplexing node, an OADM section is connected between a set of connecting ports on the second optical path, and the adjustment of the OADM section is performed utilizing the WDM signal light branched by the optical branching coupler, and thereafter, the switching of the optical switch is performed to select the light on the second optical path side. As a result, since the switching the operational state from the optical amplification repeating node to the OADM node can be performed in a short time, it becomes possible to provide the continued communication service at the low initial installation cost. |
| US07650067B2 |
Lens module with focusing mechanism
An exemplary lens module (30) includes a lens barrel (31), a focusing mechanism (40), a resilient member (70), and a bottom seat (50). The lens barrel is mounted with at least one lens (36) therein and is fixed to one end of the focusing mechanism. One end of the resilient member resists the focusing mechanism and the other opposite end of the resilient member resists the bottom seat. The focusing mechanism is for controlling an amount of expansion permitted within the resilient member. The amount of expansion of the resilient member determines a degree of focus achieved by the lens module. |
| US07650066B2 |
Driving mechanism, photographic mechanism and cellular phone
A driving mechanism comprises: (i) an actuator comprising: an electro-mechanical conversion element; a driving member which is connected to one end of the electro-mechanical conversion element and moves in accordance with elongation or contraction of the electro-mechanical conversion element; and a weight member provided on the other end of the electro-mechanical conversion element; and (ii) a driven member frictionally engaged with the driving member, wherein the actuator allows the driven member to move along the driving member, and the weight member comprises a member which reduces a resonance frequency of the actuator. |
| US07650064B2 |
Ophthalmic apparatus
An ophthalmic apparatus which is easy to operate. The ophthalmic apparatus includes a measurement unit which measures characteristics of an examinee's eye, an image-pickup optical system for picking up an image of an anterior segment of the eye, a monitor having a screen where the picked-up anterior-segment image is displayed, a plurality of operation switches arranged on the screen or in the vicinity of the screen, a display control part which controls to display function information items indicating functions of the operation switches on the screen, and a changer which makes a selective changeover between a first operation mode in which a state where the function information items are not displayed on the screen is set as a standard state, and a second operation mode in which a state where the function information items are displayed on the screen is set as a standard state. |
| US07650060B2 |
Recording medium, playback device, recording method, playback method, and computer program
A recording medium capable of executing menu calls based on the particular characteristics of different versions of the same movie work when these different versions are recorded on a single recording medium. An AV clip and a dynamic scenario are recorded on a BD-ROM 100 (recording medium). The dynamic scenario is a command string showing a playback control procedure relating to video data, and has attribute information attached thereto. Attribute information is information showing a control procedure for when a user requests a menu call during AV clip playback, and includes a resume_intension_flag. The resume_intension_flag shows whether playback resumption of video data after the menu call ends is intended. |
| US07650057B2 |
Broadcasting signal receiving system
When a face image can not detected by an individual authentication unit from an image photographed by a camera unit for a predetermined time or more, a control unit records a recording position of a corresponding time, and makes a receiving program continuously recorded by a recording reproducing unit in a common recording state in which a time shift function becomes invalid such that the face image is detected again by the individual authentication unit from the image photographed from the camera unit. When it is determined that a detected person is the same person as a first person based on a recognition result on the basis of features of the face image, the control unit makes a recorded program return to the recorded position so as to be reproduced while maintaining the common recording state. |
| US07650055B2 |
Terminal with internal environmental seal
An environmentally sealed closure, such as a terminal for terminated ends of fiber optic cables, includes a housing having a wall defining an interior volume. A floating sealing assembly is provided including a first plate, a seal member and a second plate arranged in a stack within the interior volume. The seal member has an outer sealing edge for contacting the wall of the housing, which may be straight and/or chamfered. Fiber optic cables extend through the sealing assembly so that the terminated ends are within the splice area. The floating sealing assembly is compressed so as to place the outer sealing edge of the seal member in sealing contact with the wall of the housing. When a pressure differential exists between the splice area and the outside of the housing only one of the first or second plates moves along the longitudinal axis to further compress the seal member and increase sealing between the outer sealing edge and the housing wall. |
| US07650053B2 |
Chromatic dispersion compensation using wavelength tunable transmitter
A method and system for high bit rate fiber-optic communications utilize a wavelength tunable transmitter controlled by a feedback signal from an error analyzer associated with a received optical data stream without utilizing a dispersion compensation module in the transmitter and/or receiver portion. |
| US07650041B2 |
System and method for optical character recognition in an image
Described is a system and method for optical character recognition in an image. The method comprising identifying a connected component in an image, computing at least one parameter for the connected component and selecting a portion of the image corresponding to the connected component for optical character recognition when the at least one parameter is within a predetermined threshold range. |
| US07650035B2 |
Optical character recognition based on shape clustering and multiple optical character recognition processes
Techniques for shape clustering and applications in processing various documents, including an output of an optical character recognition (OCR) process. |
| US07650033B2 |
Method of compressing digital ink
A method of compressing a digital ink input including a sequence of strokes is provided in which each stroke is represented as a series of digital words representing x and y co-ordinates, at least one reference co-ordinate of each stroke is expressed in absolute terms, and a co-ordinate other than the at least one reference co-ordinate is expressed as an offset from a preceding co-ordinate. The co-ordinate other than the at least one reference co-ordinate is represented as a combination of an estimate determined from the previous m co-ordinates and a residual error value. |
| US07650032B2 |
Method for encoding moving image and method for decoding moving image
In the case where a deblocking filter applied to a luminance component is referred to and applied to a chrominance component, by converting a pixel position of the chrominance component so as to have a pixel position of a luminance component which belongs to a same field as the chrominance component (F7a) and referring to the luminance component, the present invention makes it possible to generate a more natural image by filtering the luminance component and the chrominance component with the same strength when the image is displayed in an interlaced-scan form. |
| US07650030B2 |
Method and apparatus for unsupervised learning of discriminative edge measures for vehicle matching between non-overlapping cameras
A method and apparatus for unsupervised learning of measures for matching objects between images from at least two non-overlapping cameras is disclosed The method includes collecting at least two pairs of feature maps, where the at least two pairs of feature maps are derived from features of objects captured in the images. The method further includes computing, as a function of at least two pairs of feature maps, at least one first and second match measures, wherein the first match measure is of a same class and the second match measure is of a different class. |
| US07650027B2 |
Fake document including fake currency detector using integrated transmission and reflective spectral response
A currency genuineness detection system using plurality of opto-electronic sensors with both transmission and reflective (including fluorescence) properties of security documents is developed. Both detection sensing strategies utilise integrated response of the wide optical band sensed under UV visible along with optional near infra red light illumination. A security document is examined under static condition. A window signal signature is thus possible from photodetectors responses for various kinds of documents of different denominations, kinds and country of origin. A programmable technique for checking the genuineness of a security document is possible by feeding a unique code of the currency under examination. |
| US07650024B2 |
Dissipative functional microarrays for classification
The invention provides for a technique of extracting information from signals by allowing a user to select a classifier and a figure of merit for quantifying classification quality; select a transform to generate features from input data; use a recursive process of functional dissipation to generate dissipative features from features that are generated according to the transform; search for one or more dissipative features that maximize the figure of merit on a training set; and classify a test set with the classifier by using one or more of the dissipative features. Functional dissipation uses the transforms recursively by generating random masking functions and extracting features with one or more generalized matching pursuit iterations. In each iteration, the recursive process may modify several features of the transformed signal with the largest absolute values according to a specific masking function. |
| US07650023B2 |
Method for filtering tomographic 3D images after completed reconstruction of volume data
A method is for filtering tomographic 3D images of an examination object. The examination object is imaged by using a volume model that divides the volume of the examination object into a multiplicity of three-dimensional image voxels with individual image values, wherein the image value of each voxel reproduces an object-specific property of the examination object in this volume. After the reconstruction of the total volume for each voxel, variances are calculated in a prescribed region or radius R in order to determine contrast jumps and their spatial orientation with their tangential planes T. The image values in the tangential plane T are filtered with a two-dimensional convolution, and subsequently the original voxel data are mixed in weighted fashion with the filtered voxel data. |
| US07650019B2 |
Method for the early identification of a deviation in the printed images that have been created by a printing press during continuous production
A method is used for the early identification of a deviation in the printed images which have been formed by a printing press during continuous production. A second decision threshold is provided, in addition to a decision regarding good or bad print quality. A current printed image, that has been captured, is compared with a reference image. If the current image deviates from the reference image, that deviation is evaluated using two decision thresholds. |
| US07650016B2 |
System and method for tracking motion of an object image
A system, method and computer readable medium are disclosed for tracking motion of an object image, by receiving an input image and correlating the input image with a reference image by computing differences between the input image and the reference image. A motion vector is generated for a subimage of the input image using a subimage metric surface, and a tracking assessment of object image motion is output based on the motion vector. |
| US07650014B2 |
Image analysis apparatus
An image analysis apparatus includes a unit that accepts plural dynamic image data obtained by imaging a subject to be recognized from positions different from each other, a unit that detects a part to be detected of the subject to be recognized from series of frame image data respectively included in the plural dynamic image data, and a correction unit that compares information of a detection position of the part to be detected from the respective dynamic image data and corrects at least a part of the information of the detection position of the part to be detected from the respective dynamic image data on a basis of a result of comparison. |
| US07650013B2 |
System and method for map and position-determination enhancement
A system and methods for map and position determination enhancement. The method includes obtaining at least one image of a view in an area. Also, identifying at least one high-contrast feature in the image of the area and, embedding the high-contrast feature in a map of the area. The result is the generation of an enhanced map of the area which can be used to determine the position of any device or object. |
| US07650005B2 |
Automatic gain adjustment for a hearing aid device
The object of the claimed hearing aid device is to improve the speech intelligibility of a speech signal transmitted by the hearing aid device. To this end provision is made to define a maximum gain of the input signal and to determine a target gain at least at a first and second frequency of an input signal. A resulting gain is set in the hearing aid device, which does not exceed the maximum gain. A reduction of the resulting gain compared with the target gain at the first frequency is compensated for according to the invention by an automatic increase in the set resulting gain compared with the target gain at the second frequency, with compensation preferably being achieved by improving the speech intelligibility of a speech signal transmitted with the aid of the hearing aid device. |
| US07650000B2 |
Audio device and playback program for the same
The input signal X of one channel is divided by a multi-stage delay processing device Z−1 and each of the outputs is superimposed by a specified coefficient by a coefficient processing device W0, W1, . . . , Wk. The results are added by an adder, thereby providing a correlation eliminating filter for extracting a signal component from the input signal X of one channel having a high correlation with the input signal Y of the other channel. There is provided a coefficient updating processing device 5 for successively changing the feature of the correlation eliminating filter according to an error signal e obtained from the output signal RES and the input signal Y from the other channel, and the input signal X of one channel. A surround signal is obtained from a difference between the output RES from the correlation eliminating filter and the input signal Y of the other channel. Thus, upon reproduction of a two channels stereo signal, it is possible to generate a surround signal not giving uncomfortable feeling to a listener. |
| US07649997B2 |
User transparent registration process for secure communication
A method for secure communication. The method includes receiving a request at a first device to communicate with a second device. The method also includes determining if an encryption key exists between the first device and the second device. Creation of the encryption key is initiated in response to a determination that that encryption key does not exist. The initiation of the creation of the encryption key occurs without user input. The method further includes communicating with the second device using the encryption key and performing user authentication of the communication. |
| US07649992B2 |
Apparatuses for encoding, decoding, and authenticating data in cipher block chaining messaging authentication code
A processor is provided that includes inputs to receive headers and payloads of messages in block form, a cipher key, a counter block, and an indication that a data block is ready to be received at the processor's first input, and that outputs a data block processes according to a CCM protocol and a signal requesting the provision of a data block at the processor input. The processor also includes first and second cipher circuits generating ciphered results that are a function of a input data block and an input cipher key. Furthermore, the processor includes a controller that processes a first sequence of data blocks through the first cipher circuit to generate a message integrity code and a second sequence of data blocks through the second cipher circuit to generate a set of ciphered data blocks. |
| US07649990B2 |
Apparatus to implement dual hash algorithm
An apparatus arranged to accept digital data as an input and to process the data according to one of either the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) or Message Digest (MD5) algorithm to produce a fixed length output word. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotational registers for storing data, one of the registers arranged to receive the input data, and data stores for initialization of some of the plurality of registers according to whether the SHA-1 or MD5 algorithm is used. The data stores include fixed data relating to SHA-1 and MD5 operation. Also included is a plurality of dedicated combinatorial logic circuits arranged to perform logic operations on data stored in selected ones of the plurality of registers. |
| US07649986B2 |
Automated electronic telecommunications order translation and processing
Systems and method for processing orders for telecommunications services are disclosed. Generally a telecommunications transaction set of an electronic data interchange standard is received, the telecommunications transaction set corresponding to a telecommunications product or service for a customer. An order for the telecommunications product or service is then generated based on processing of the telecommunications transaction set. |
| US07649985B1 |
Computerized system and method for displaying line unit performance details and load balance activity
The present invention relates to a computer system and method for displaying line unit performance details of equipment in a telecommunications network. The system includes a report display component for displaying a line unit performance report. The system further includes a line unit performance details component for displaying details regarding line usage information in a telecommunications network. |
| US07649983B2 |
Apparatus and method for channel-transparent multimedia broadcast messaging
An apparatus and method are provided for addressing and broadcasting a message to recipients having both telephone network-based receiving devices and data network-based receiving devices. The apparatus includes a message router that translates the broadcast message into individual messages that are addressed to each message recipient in a format, e.g., voice, text, email, fax, pager, compatible with each message recipient's receiving device. The individual messages are transmitted by a data network server over a data network. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the data network are delivered directly over the data network to the receiving devices. Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices addressable by the telephone network are delivered over the data network first to a telephone network server. The telephone network server then delivers the individual messages to the telephone network-based receiving devices over the telephone network via a local telephone switch corresponding to the telephone network server. |
| US07649981B2 |
Multi-energy x-ray source
An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a radiation filter having a first portion and a second portion, the first and the second portions forming a layer for filtering radiation impinging thereon, wherein the first portion is made from a first material having a first x-ray filtering characteristic, and the second portion is made from a second material having a second x-ray filtering characteristic. An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a first target material, a second target material, and an accelerator for accelerating particles towards the first target material and the second target material to generate x-rays at a first energy level and a second energy level, respectively. |
| US07649980B2 |
X-ray source
A transmission target of a vacuum container is operable to have a ground potential and an electro-optical system is floated at a positive potential in the vacuum container. An electron beam, which is converged by means of the electro-optical system, is decelerated immediately before the electron beam is incident to the transmission target. The electron beam has energy that is several times of the final set value until the electron beam passes through the electro-optical system, and a divergence action exerted by a spatial electric charge effect is reduced. Color aberration of the electro-optical system is proportional to energy of the electron beam. Thus, if the electron beam is decelerated after the electron beam has passed through the electro-optical system, aberration is reduced in proportion to the degree of deceleration, making it possible to concurrently reduce a focus size. |
| US07649977B2 |
Neutron-gamma ray tomography
A neutron-gamma ray tomography system comprises a source, a detector array, and an image processor. The source illuminates an object with a dual neutron-gamma ray beam. The detector array characterizes neutron and gamma ray attenuation in the object. The image processor generates tomography as a function of the neutron and gamma ray attenuation. |
| US07649972B2 |
X-ray CT data acquisition method and X-ray CT apparatus
The present invention provides a method for positively acquiring projection data for reconstructing a CT image at a slice position outside the linear movement range. When performing “projection data acquisition” with “rotating” and “linearly moving” the X-ray tube and the multidetector, a holding time is provided in which only the “rotation” is performed without “linear movement” at the starting point and the end point of the linear movement. By adjusting the holding time, the projection data in the view angle range required for image reconstruction of a CT at the slice position outside the linear movement range can be positively acquired, when the rotating velocity is slower or when the linear movement velocity is faster. |
| US07649966B2 |
System for soft symbol decoding with MIMO log-map detection
A soft symbol decoder for use in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) system. The decoder generates soft symbol values for a digital signal that represents a number of source bits. The source bits are transmitted as symbols in corresponding to points in a signaling constellation. Soft metrics are determined by searching for all possible multi-dimensional symbols that could have been transmitted. The method includes transmitting a sample of the multi-dimensional symbol using K transmit antennas. The multi-dimensional symbol is represent-able as a complex, K-dimensional vector x. Each vector component of vector x represents a signal transmitted with one of the K transmit antennas. After transmission through a communication channel, a sample corresponding to the transmitted sample is received. The received sample is represented by a complex, N-dimensional vector y, where N is the number of receive antennas in the MIMO system. After the sample is received, a soft metric L(bi) is determined for each bit bi encoded by x according to the equation: L ( b i ) = σ - 2 · ( min x j | b i = - 1 y - Hx j 2 - min x j | b i = + 1 y - Hx j 2 ) , , and x j represents all possible values for x. In addition, a reduced complexity method is used for providing soft metric values in the MIMO system. This exemplary aspect reduces the complexity of the above computations from 2BK to 2B(K−1), where B is the number of bits transmitted per symbol per antenna. |
| US07649962B2 |
Phase error correction circuit
A phase error correction circuit includes a complex phase rotator for multiplying an input VSB (vestigial-sideband) signal by a phase correction signal and outputting a resultant signal, a specific frequency component elimination filter for eliminating a specific frequency component from the signal output from the complex phase rotator and outputting a resultant signal, a waveform equalizer for performing waveform distortion correction to the signal output from the specific frequency component elimination filter and outputting a resultant signal and a phase correction signal generator for detecting a phase error based on the signal output from the waveform equalizer and outputting a complex signal corresponding to the detected phase error as the phase correction signal. |
| US07649958B2 |
Transmit signal generator and method
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for amplitude modulation of an RF transmit signal using pulse width modulation to control an amount of energy within each period. The apparatus includes a signal processing circuit with an input port for receiving of information indicative of a carrier frequency and modulation data. The signal processing circuit has a first output port and a second output port for providing of output signals having a phase relationship therebetween. A power amplifier is provided for receiving the output signals and for generating a pulse width modulated signal in dependence thereon. |
| US07649957B2 |
Non-overlapping multi-stage clock generator system
A multi-stage non-overlapping clock signal generator as described herein is suitable for use with a pipelined analog-to-digital converter architecture. The clock signal generator generally includes a back end clock generator, a second stage clock generator, and a first stage clock generator coupled in series. The clock signal generator may also include any number of intermediate stage clock generators coupled in series between the back end clock generator and the second stage clock generator. Example implementations of the various clock generator stages are also described herein. |
| US07649956B2 |
Modulation and demodulation system, modulator, demodulator and phase modulation method and phase demodulation method used therefor
A modulation and demodulation system capable of minimizing a bit error rate in a six-phase phase modulation method. A senary signal phase-modulated and outputted by a modulator is received and phase-modulated by a destination demodulator to a binary signal before conversion by the modulator. The modulator assigns (0, 0), (0, 1), (0, 2), (1, 2), (1, 1) and (1, 0) which are senary signals (bi, ti) to first to sixth phases respectively. The demodulator performs a conversion process from the senary signals to the binary signals, for instance, by storing transmitted senary signals and sequentially converting every senary signal of length m to binary signal of length b so as to output them. The process of the demodulator assigns the first to sixth phases as the senary signals (bi, ti) to (0, 0), (0, 1), (0, 2), (1, 2), (1, 1) and (1, 0) respectively. |
| US07649953B2 |
Differential multiple-length transmit and reception diversity
The present invention achieves differential transmit diversity and related diversity reception schemes transmit symbol constellations which are extended to multiple levels. Heretofore, a group of transmission bits is divided into a first sub-group of transmission bits and a second sub-group of transmission bits. Then, the first sub-group of transmission bits is mapped (14) onto constellation points of a differential transmit diversity coding scheme from an orthogonal design for coding of the first sub-group of transmission bits. Then, after differential encoding of the constellation points (32, 34, 36, 40) a length of the transmission symbol vector is scaled (38) for coding the second sub-group of transmission bits. Therefore, the present invention overcomes restrictions implied through unit length requirements for previously known differential transmit diversity schemes from orthogonal designs. |
| US07649950B2 |
OFDM transmitter that performs a peak reduction process on a transmission signal sequence
An OFDM transmitter that performs a peak reduction process in a stepwise manner on a signal sequence to be transmitted. The transmitter includes a dividing IFFT unit that divides a signal sequence into a plurality of signal sequences and IFFTs each of the signal sequences to obtain time signal sequences. Then, a first peak reduction processing unit cyclically shifts a first one of the time signal sequences by a first amount of cyclic shift obtained based on a first threshold to obtain a first cyclically shifted time signal sequence, and adds the first cyclically shifted time signal sequence and a second one of the time signal sequences. Meanwhile, a second peak reduction processing unit cyclically shifts a third one of the time signal sequences by a second amount of cyclic shift obtained based on a second threshold to obtain a second cyclically shifted time signal sequence. |
| US07649945B2 |
Motion vector derivation method, moving picture coding method and moving picture decoding method
A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1. |
| US07649935B2 |
Digital adaptive feedforward harmonic distortion compensation for digitally controlled power stage
A digital timing read back and an adaptive feedforward compensation algorithm to reduce harmonic distortion is disclosed. More specifically, the approach generates harmonic components digitally with the same magnitude but at an opposite phase to the output harmonic distortion. An anti-distortion signal is generated and added to the input signal. The magnitude and phase of the harmonic distortion change with the modulation level or index and the frequency of the input signal. In addition, the harmonic distortion level varies significantly with different timing error statistics in different power devices. The inventive method takes the modulation level or index, the frequency of the input signal and the timing error statistics acquired through a digital read back circuit as input variables to determine the magnitude and phase of the anti-distortion signal. |
| US07649930B2 |
Filter equalization using magnitude measurement data
A filter equalization technique for an analog signal path, such as in an instrument that simultaneously measures a signal over a band of frequencies, uses magnitude measurement data for high frequency bands for which phase-calibrated sources are not readily available. A sinusoidal signal source together with an accurate power meter is used to provide a stepped frequency input over a desired frequency band to the analog signal path with an accurate measured magnitude. The output of the analog signal path is digitized and the resulting frequency magnitudes are computed. Then the resulting power meter results are deducted from the frequency magnitudes measured each time by the instrument to determine the magnitude response of the analog signal path. Using a Hilbert transform the corresponding phase response is determined based on a minimum phase assumption over the desired frequency band. From the magnitude and phase responses an inverse or digital equalization filter may be designed for the analog signal path. |
| US07649928B2 |
Method for synchronizing seamless rate adaptation
A Discrete Multitone Modulation (DMT) system and method with the capability to adapt the system bit rate on-line in a seamless manner. The DMT system provides a robust and fast protocol for completing this seamless rate adaptation. The DMT system also provides a framing and encoding method with reduced overhead compared to conventional DMT systems. The DMT system and method provide seamless rate adaptation with the provision of different power levels. This framing and encoding method enables a system with seamless rate adaptation capability. The system and method of the invention can be implemented in hardware, or alternatively in a combination of hardware and software. |
| US07649927B1 |
Equalizer filter with dynamically configurable convolution filter
A technique for an equalizer filter with dynamically configurable convolution filter is described. The input to a transmitter chain is modified by an equalizer filter, prior to being applied to the transmitter. The equalizer filter modifies and smoothen the amplitude of the signal. The modified and smoothen signal has its peaks reduced which results in lower Crest Factor. The input to the reconditioning equalizer filter could be a baseband, an intermediate frequency (IF) or radio frequency (RF) signal. In the case of an IF or RF signal, it needs to be down converted to baseband before applied to the equalizer filter. |
| US07649925B2 |
Time transfer utilizing ultra wideband signals
Time is transferred from an ultra wideband (UWB) transmitter to UWB receiver by transmitting a signal structure having an associated timing reference point together with a time value for the timing reference point. The UWB receiver receives the timing signal structure by synchronizing a receiver time base to the signal structure, demodulating the time value information, and using the demodulated time value information to set a receiver clock value. Propagation delay information is used to adjust the receiver clock value by advancing the receiver clock value to account for the propagation delay. In one embodiment, propagation delay is determined from a known distance between the transmitter and receiver. In another embodiment, the transmitter and receiver are part of a two-way link wherein propagation delay is measured by round trip timing measurements. |
| US07649923B2 |
Method for manufacturing nitride semiconductor laser element, and nitride semiconductor laser element
A method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor laser element, equipped with a laminate that has a first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer on a substrate, and constitutes a resonator, comprises the steps of: forming a first auxiliary groove having an exposed region extending in the resonator direction of the laser element and in which at least the second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer and the active layer are removed from the second conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer side on both sides in the resonator direction of an element region where the laser element is formed on the surface of the laminate, thereby exposing the first conductivity type nitride semiconductor layer, and two protrusion regions that are narrower than the exposed region and protrude in the resonator direction from the exposed region; forming a second auxiliary groove whose angle of inclination of the side faces with respect to the normal direction versus the substrate surface is greater than that of the first auxiliary groove within the exposed region; and dividing the substrate and the laminate with using the second auxiliary groove. |
| US07649918B2 |
Multi-component wavelength conversion devices and lasers incorporating the same
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a frequency-converted laser source is provided wherein the wavelength conversion device comprises a plurality of waveguide components comprising respective input faces positioned in an effective focal field of the laser source. Individual ones of the waveguide components contribute different elements to a set of distinct wavelength conversion properties, defining a set of distinct wavelength conversion properties attributable to the waveguide components. The set of distinct wavelength conversion properties comprises properties representing phase matching wavelengths of the waveguide components, spectral widths of the waveguide components, conversion efficiency of the waveguide components, or combinations thereof. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed. |
| US07649916B2 |
Semiconductor laser with side mode suppression
Systems and methods for stripping an optical mode from a semiconductor laser. A waveguide layer is included in the semiconductor laser and is typically arranged beneath the active region. The waveguide layer is configured to match the phase of the second order mode. The waveguide layer does not substantially match the primary optical mode of the laser. By matching the phase of the second order mode, the confinement of the second order mode is reduced and the second order mode strongly couples with the waveguide layer. The optical confinement of the primary mode is not substantially reduced. The side-mode suppression ratio is thereby improved by stripping the second order mode from the active region. |
| US07649913B2 |
Method and system for mitigating traffic congestions in a communication network
A method for mitigating traffic congestions in a communication network uses concatenated data packets to transmit information between terminals, e.g., edge proxies, of the network. Embodiments of the invention are directed to packet communications over military or commercial networks. In one application, the method is implemented in a network using High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryption (HAIPE). |
| US07649909B1 |
Adaptive tunnel transport protocol
An exemplary embodiment provides a method for use in a data compression device wherein optimal compression is maintained in response to network characteristics by switching between a first compression mode, including use of a stateful compression algorithm and a reliable transport protocol, to a second compression mode, including a second compression algorithm and an unreliable transport protocol, as needed in order to keep data flowing. In the second compression mode, rather than bypassing an established tunnel between two data compression devices altogether and losing the benefits of compression, this method allows data to be compressed using an algorithm that does not require reliable packet delivery. When a positive change in network conditions is detected, data transmission using the first compression mode resumes. |
| US07649908B2 |
Conveying transactional messages for GSM mobile operators over two disparate networks
A method and apparatus providing interconnectivity between several telephone networks. The apparatus receives a telephone transaction initiation message that originated with a telephone set located in a first network. The initiation message bears an originator's registration number identifying a subscriber whose home registration is located in a second network, the first and second networks using disparate signaling protocols. The apparatus then queries the originator's home registration database using the network protocol of the second network to determine the registration status of the originator. Finally, the registration status information is forwarded to the first network in the network protocol of the first network. |
| US07649904B1 |
Seamless split-horizon flooding of layer two (L2) network traffic on non-native and mixed architectures
A forwarding component of a routing node floods copies of a packet to a plurality of next hops associated with the same layer two (L2) network as an interface on which the packet was received. The plurality of next hops excludes a next hop that corresponds to the interface that received the packet. The forwarding component requires that forwarding information installed by a control unit specify the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet, and the forwarding component is not capable of deriving the plurality of next hops to which to flood the copies of the packet from a single flooding next hop identifier after the packet is received. Prior to receiving the packet, a flooding next hop control module derives the plurality of next hops based on the flooding next hop and installs the derived next hops into the forwarding information. |
| US07649900B2 |
Local area network/wide area network switch
A local area network/wide area network (LAN/WAN) switch is presented which aggregates LAN traffic onto SONET/SDH transport streams in a programmable manner. The system can concentrate Ethernet packets and map the data onto SONET streams at data rates varying from STS-1 to STS-12C. Depending on the bandwidth available in the WAN interface, different numbers and combinations of STS-n streams can be formed. The system allows for efficient and flexible mapping of LAN traffic onto a WAN for transport over fiber optic networks. |
| US07649898B1 |
Converting media streams in a communication system
Converting a media stream includes communicating a call for a first system according to a first protocol. A media stream is retrieved from a second system, where the media stream communicated according to a second protocol distinguishable from the first protocol. The media stream is converted from the second protocol to the first protocol, and is associated with the call. The media stream is transmitted to the first system according to the first protocol. |
| US07649895B2 |
Apparatus and method for routing multimedia messages between a user agent and multiple multimedia message service centers
An apparatus and a method for routing a multimedia message sent by a user agent to one of a plurality of multimedia message service centers, the user agent applying a pre-determined determined destination address to the multimedia message. The multimedia message is received at the pre-determined destination address, a target multimedia message service center is selected and the multimedia message is forwarded to the target multimedia message service center. Routing is based on address information contained in the multimedia message, session identification information associated with the multimedia message, load-balancing and fault-tolerance information associated with each one of the plurality of multimedia message service centers, service identifying information contained in the multimedia message and combinations thereof. |
| US07649894B2 |
System and method for parallel connection selection in a communication network
The invention provides a system and method of a selecting an egress connection from egress connections at a node for a call being established in a network along a path being associated with the node. Each connection has sufficient bandwidth to carry the call and terminates at a same destination point in said path. The system and method comprise utilizing at least a bandwidth load balance value for each connection in a set of the connections to select the egress connection from the set. An administrative factor score may be used to further define members of the set. |
| US07649892B2 |
Method and system of network communication receive load balancing
A method and system of network communication receive load balancing. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising determining communication path cost information by a computer system (the computer system coupled to plurality of clients over a network), configuring communications from the plurality of clients to the computer system such that the communications are distributed across a plurality of teamed communication ports (the distribution proportional to communication path cost information associated with each communication port), and receiving message packets distributed across the plurality of teamed communication ports. |
| US07649891B2 |
Combined customer-flow and quality-class-based scheduling method and apparatus for scheduling transmission-link capacity between packet-switched traffic flows
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for scheduling transmission-link capacity between packet-switched telecommunications flows, in such a way that it is possible to guarantee that packets representing delay-critical traffic will be scheduled to the transmission link (S0) before packets representing non-delay-critical traffic and, in addition, that it is possible to limit the joint transmission speed of specific service-quality classes of an individual customer flow. The invention is based on the service-quality classes being separated into two different categories: a service-quality-class based scheduling branch (C) and a customer-flow based scheduling branch (F). When selecting the next packet to be forwarded, one of the two said branches (C or F) is selected and in the service-quality-class based scheduling branch a service-quality class (CoS) is selected and, within the selected service-quality class, a customer flow (CF) is selected and in the customer-flow based scheduling branch a customer flow (CF) is selected and, within the selected customer flow, a service-quality class (CoS) is selected. |
| US07649886B2 |
Method and system for processing incoming packets in a communication network
A method and electronic device (104) for processing incoming packets in a communication network (100) is disclosed. The method includes filtering (302) incoming packets in real time by using a recent offender list (212). The method also includes classifying (304) the incoming packets as offending packets and non-offending packets in non-real time. |
| US07649885B1 |
Network routing system for enhanced efficiency and monitoring capability
According to an embodiment of the invention, a network device such as a router or switch provides efficient data packet handling capability. The network device includes one or more input ports for receiving data packets to be routed, as well as one or more output ports for transmitting data packets. The network device includes an integrated port controller integrated circuit for routing packets. The integrated circuit includes an interface circuit, a received packets circuit, a buffer manager circuit for receiving data packets from the received packets circuit and transmitting data packets in one or more buffers and reading data packets from the one or more buffers. The integrated circuit also includes a rate shaper counter for storing credit for a traffic class, so that the integrated circuit can support input and/or output rate shaping. The integrated circuit may be associated with an IRAM, a CAM, a parameter memory configured to hold routing and/or switching parameters, which may be implemented as a PRAM, and an aging RAM, which stores aging information. The aging information may be used by a CPU coupled to the integrated circuit via a system interface circuit to remove entries from the CAM and/or the PRAM when an age count exceeds an age limit threshold for the entries. |
| US07649883B2 |
Network service provider architecture in communications network
An improved architecture in a circuit switched communications network is provided in which a plurality of network service provider devices, eg intelligent peripherals are arranged to provide network service data to a plurality of time division multiplex circuits and trunks by converting these circuits and trunks to streams of packets, and providing network service data packetized in a set of network service data packet streams to the circuit packet streams without incurring delays to the circuit packet streams. The circuit packet streams may be duplicated and forwarded to the network service provider devices without incurring delay to the ongoing through put packetized circuits, and similarly packet streams containing network service data may be superimposed into the circuit packet streams, without the requirement for the circuit packet streams to be switched to the network service provider devices. The architecture comprises a plurality of TDM interfaces, a plurality of conversion means for converting from time division multiplexed mode to a plurality of packet streams; a plurality of packet streams switching devices and a plurality of network service provider devices. |
| US07649881B2 |
Pinning the route of IP bearer flows in a next generation network
Methods and systems for extending the IMS/SIP architecture of the NGN to provide QoS service to generic bearer flows. More particularly, a method is provided for establishing an bearer end-to-end path of a communication session in a multi-domain communication network in which an out of band signalling protocol is used to establish communications sessions. The method comprises receiving an out-of-band signalling message including information representative of at least an opposite end point of a first bearer segment of the end-to-end path. The information is used to define a cross-connect mapping through a node of the network between respective local endpoints of the first bearer segment and a second bearer segment hosted by the node. Information representative of the cross-connect mapping is then inserted into the out-of-band signalling message, and the out-of-band signalling message forwarded. |
| US07649879B2 |
Pipelined packet processor
A pipelined packet processor is described having at least one pipeline, the at least one pipeline having one or more processing slots. Packets are assigned to available ones of the slots, and each of one or more of the assigned packets are processed during one or more cycles of processing. Upon or after a packet has undergone one or more cycles of processing, a packet classification or filtering decision is derived for the packet. |
| US07649872B2 |
Mobile mesh Ad-Hoc networking
An architectural solution in which standalone ad-hoc network cells are used as an extension of the backbone infrastructure in terms of network architecture or/and its service capabilities is provided. These Ad-Hoc networks will integrate to the Internet via cellular and other access networks. This integration brings new possibilities to network operators and ISP's. In its extended architecture, it is envisaged that the mobility issues are handled by utilizing the IP mobility capabilities, taking into account the mobile mesh Ad-Hoc specific requirements. A trunk node is elected from among nodes within a service area of an Ad-Hoc domain that underlies an access domain. The trunk node acts as a gateway between the nodes within the Ad-Hoc domain and a backbone access network. The election can be performed by the trunk node itself or by a radio resource management entity. |
| US07649867B2 |
Method of supporting handover in a multi-mode mobile station
A method of discovering at least one of a homogeneous and a heterogeneous network module to perform handover with in a wireless mobile communication network is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes establishing a network handover module for converging information from at least one network interface module associated with at least one of a homogeneous and a heterogeneous network handover module into a unified presentation and transmitting a broadcast request message from a mobile station (MS) to a source point of attachment (PoA) which transmits the broadcast request message to at least one interface module to identify whether the at least one interface module supports at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module and a capability of the at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module. The method further includes initiating a timer for a specified time period when the broadcast request message is transmitted and receiving at least one response message from the at least one interface module via the source PoA prior to expiration of the timer, wherein the response message indicates that the at least one interface module supports at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module and the capability of the at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module. |
| US07649866B2 |
Method of subnet roaming within a network
Disclosed is an apparatus and method of client device roaming from a home subnet to a foreign subnet of a network. The method includes the client device accessing the network through a first access node of the home subnet, and the client device roaming to a second access node of the foreign subnet, the client device accessing the network through the second access node, the client device maintaining a fixed client IP address, default gateway IP address and IP subnet attachment as the client device roams from the first access node to the second access node. |
| US07649862B2 |
Flexible through-connection process in a mobile switch center when multiple outgoing call legs involved
The flexible through-connection process, operational in a Mobile Switch Center, that provides support for allowing the call routing processor of the Mobile Switch Center to independently perform a through-connection/switch-connection based on different types of calls so that the Mobile Switch Center can make a through-connection at different stages of the outgoing call leg. In operation, the present flexible through-connection process includes in the call control processor of the switching system a new parameter in the existing inter-process message which is sent to the call routing processor at call setup time. The values supported for this new parameter will be pre-defined in the Mobile Switch Center and used by the call routing processor to determine when to perform through-connection/switch-connection for an outgoing call leg. When the call routing processor routs the call out and the outgoing call is at the stage, in which the value of the parameter received is defined for, it performs a through-connection operation. Additionally this flexible through-connection process automatically disconnects the other call leg, i.e., switches the connection from one called leg to another called leg when multiple call legs are involved for an incoming call. |
| US07649861B2 |
Multiple antenna multicarrier communication system and method with reduced mobile-station processing
In a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multicarrier communication system, a mobile station sends a quantized time-domain representation of the channel transfer function to a base station for use by the base station in generating beamforming coefficients for use in subsequent transmissions to the mobile station. In some embodiments, the quantized time-domain representation of the channel transfer function may be generated from selected most significant rays of an initial estimated sampled channel impulse response. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. |
| US07649860B2 |
Buffer-based GPS and CDMA pilot searcher
A pilot searcher for CDMA and GPS signals. In one aspect, the searcher is operated in conjunction with a sample buffer in a “real-time” or “off-line” mode. The writing/reading of samples to/from the buffer may be performed in a TDM manner via a common port, and samples may be decimated and packed prior to storing in the buffer. In another aspect, the overall search for pilots is partitioned into a number of tasks, with each task corresponding to a search over a given sample segment and based on a particular set of parameter values. The tasks may be stored in a queue and performed one at a time based on their order in the queue. Prior to performing a new task, the parameter values for that task is downloaded to a set of configuration registers. The parameters may be ordered and linked such that only new values are downloaded. |
| US07649857B2 |
Method and apparatus for establishing radio bearer for point-to-multipoint multimedia service in mobile communication system
A method and apparatus for establishing a radio bearer of a point-to-multipoint multimedia service by utilizing a reference configuration of radio bearer parameters for quickly establishing a radio bearer when a mobile terminal moves between cells. By configuring radio bearer parameters for a specific point-to-multipoint service by utilizing a reference configuration such that the same, or equal value, protocol and channel parameters are set for each cell, different cells in a communication system in which a specific point-to-point service is provided are able to configure the radio protocol entities, channels, and radio bearer at the same time by utilizing the same parameter values, thereby minimizing delay in establishing a radio bearer and minimizing data loss occurring during handover, conserving network resources, and enhancing reception performance via soft combining. |
| US07649847B2 |
Architectures for evolving traditional service provider networks and methods of optimization therefor
The present invention discloses novel network architectures for evolving traditional service provider networks. The network architecture of the invention has a transport layer including an optical network. At least one node of the network architecture includes a large packet switch that is coupled to the transport layer and to an access layer. The large packet switch aggregates a plurality of services from the access layer. The large packet switch also performs packet level grooming of the information from the services prior to transport of the information via the transport layer. The optical network performs restoration for the network architecture. In one embodiment, the optical network is an optical ring network including at least one optical switch and restoration is performed at the layer-0 (optical layer). In another embodiment, the optical network is a bi-directional line-switched ring (BLSR) utilizing a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) standard and restoration is performed by the layer-1 (SONET layer). The network architectures of the invention by utilizing a large packet switch to perform service aggregation and packet level grooming, and by performing restoration either at the layer-0 (optical layer) or layer-1 (SONET layer), creates a single converged network that achieves the superior restoration performance needed for carrier grade availability but at much lower costs than traditional service providers which operate multiple overlay networks. Also disclosed are methods to optimize traditional service provider networks and the disclosed novel architectures of the invention. |
| US07649846B2 |
Purge mechanism in link aggregation group management
To enable quick movement of communications among links in a link aggregation group, network element use a purge mechanism. A network element implementing the purge mechanism may disable distribution of additional frames to output queues associated with aggregated ports and potentially drop some or all frames from the output queues associated with aggregated ports. In conjunction with the dropping of frames, the network element may exchange one or more marker messages and marker responses with a remote network element. After receiving appropriate responses, the network element may restart distribution of frames to the affected ports. |
| US07649845B2 |
Handling hot spots in interconnection networks
A network may include an interconnection system which allows packets to transit from various sources to various destinations under control of routers. The routers may determine a transit time of packet transit from various sources to a given destination. This information may be used to detect a hot spot within the network. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07649844B2 |
In-order fibre channel packet delivery
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving fiber channel packet delivery. Techniques are provided for the in-order delivery of packets by blocking incoming packets associated with a port channel change at a fiber channel switch and sending flush messages onto links associated with a port channel change. Upon receiving acknowledgments for the flush messages, incoming packets are unblocked. |
| US07649841B2 |
Competitive and considerate congestion control
An end-to-end congestion control is provided that emulates a different service differentiation than the common low-normal priority. This protocol is referred to as 4CP (Competitive, Considerate Congestion Control). The target service differentiation enables provisioning of per-flow average bandwidth guarantees to “normal” traffic, but not at the expense of potentially starving the “low” priority traffic (4CP). It thus features incentive compatibility to file-transfer applications that are throughput-greedy but want to be considerate to other traffic. 4CP is implemented and configured as a sender-only adaptation of standard TCP, and requires no special network feedback. Configuration of the bandwidth guarantee is either statically configured or automatically adjusted by 4CP. The automatic mode aims to be TCP-friendly over appropriately large timescale. |
| US07649838B2 |
System and method for ranking the quality of internet traffic directed from one web site to another
A system and method of determining a quality ranking of user traffic directed from at least one traffic producer Web site to a traffic consumer Web site. A reference for the traffic consumer is established on a Web site of the traffic producer. The reference includes a link from the traffic producer to a traffic quality intermediary and a unique identifier to identify the traffic consumer. The traffic quality intermediary receives user traffic data associated with the user traffic directed from the traffic producer and determines a quality ranking of the user traffic based upon the user traffic data. |
| US07649834B2 |
Method and apparatus for determining neighboring routing elements and rerouting traffic in a computer network
A method and apparatus for rerouting traffic in a computer network select a routing element, apply a subnet mask to an interface address of the routing element to generate subnet addresses, determine the address of neighboring elements from the subnet addresses, and obtain configuration information from the neighboring elements. Network topology is determined from the configuration information, a link in the network topology is selected, and a cost associated with the link is modified. The modified cost renders the link less desirable for routing. A method and apparatus for determining the address of neighboring routing elements in a computer network, combine a subnet mask and interface address associated in a bitwise AND operation to generate subnet addresses, disregard the highest and lowest subnet addresses and the address of the selected routing element from the subnet addresses, and identify the remaining subnet address as associated with the neighboring routing element. |
| US07649833B2 |
Multichannel orthogonal frequency division multiplexed receivers with antenna selection and maximum-ratio combining and associated methods
A reconfigurable multichannel receiver may selectively operate in increased throughput modes and/or increased range modes. In some embodiments, the receiver may select two or more antennas from a plurality of spatially diverse antennas to receive more than one subchannel of a wideband orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) channel. Maximum-ratio combining may be performed on corresponding symbol-modulated subcarriers from the two or more antennas, and a single OFDM symbol may be generated from contributions from the subchannels received by the two or more antennas. In other embodiments, more than one subchannel of a wideband OFDM channel may be received through a single antenna selected from a plurality of spatially diverse antennas. In other embodiments, a single subchannel may be received by a plurality of spatially diverse antennas and maximum-ratio combining may be performed on corresponding symbol-modulated subcarriers received by the antennas. |
| US07649832B2 |
Wireless communication method using OFDM, OFDM receiving method and apparatus thereof
A receiving method receiving an OFDM signal including a first OFDM symbol having first and second pilot signals allocated to first and second subcarriers positioned symmetric on the frequency axis, and a second OFDM symbol having third and fourth pilot signals allocated to the first and the second subcarriers, a difference between a product of the first pilot signal and a complex conjugate of the fourth pilot signal and a product of the third pilot signal and a complex conjugate of the second pilot signal being non-zero, estimating a first coefficient representing a change components of an amplitude and a phase, and a second coefficient representing an interference component, using first and second received pilot signals corresponding to the first and third pilot signals, estimating from the first and second coefficients IQ imbalance, and compensating the influence of amplitude and phase errors in accordance with the IQ imbalance. |
| US07649831B2 |
Multi-user MIMO feedback and transmission in a wireless communication system
The present invention provides a method for feedback and transmission of multi-user (MU) multiple input multiple output (MIMO) in a wireless communication system. The method includes steps of selecting subset codebook or full code book based on traffic load of a base station, and broadcasting the selected codebook to user equipments. In high traffic load, subset codebook is selected, and in low traffic load, full codebook is selected. User stations calculated a channel quality indicator of a spatial codeword vector that is included in the selected codebook. Information of the maximum channel quality indicator is sent to the base station together with a precoder of the user equipment. The base station selects user equipments based on the information of the maximum channel quality indicator and precoder, and transmits precoder signal and data signal to the user equipments. The present invention also provides a system for the base station that causes the base station to perform the above mentioned operations. |
| US07649829B2 |
Method and system for reduction of decoding complexity in a communication system
Method and System for Utilization of an Outer Decoder in a Broadcast Services Communication System is described. Information to be transmitted is provided to a systematic portion of a plurality of transmit buffers and encoded by an outer decoder communicatively coupled to the transmit buffer. The resulting redundant bits are provided to a parity portion of each transmit buffer. The content of the transmit buffers, is multiplexed and encoded by an inner decoder to improve protection by adding redundancy. The receiving station recovers the transmitted information by an inverse process. Because a decoding complexity depends on the size of a systematic portion of the transmit buffer, reasoned compromise between a systematic portion size and number of transmit buffers yields decreased decoding complexity. |
| US07649825B2 |
Splitting element, light emitter, and optical pickup apparatus
An object of the invention is to provide a splitter, a light emitter, and an optical pickup apparatus which can realize a stable track servo. Because of the structure of an optical system including an objective lens (27) and a hologram pattern (25), even when the hologram pattern (25) is irradiated with a reflected light from one recording layer other than another recording layer in a focused state, first and second TES splitting portions (35, 36) are not irradiated with the reflected light from the one recording layer, but the reflected light is led to an axis vicinity portion (38) only. Accordingly, light reception by first and second TES light receiving portions (45, 46) is prevented, accurate track position information and deviation information can be positively acquired, and troubles such as the objective lens (27) being driven beyond a movable range can be eliminated. |
| US07649824B2 |
Optical storage medium control data region
An optical storage medium can be provided by which illegal usage of the optical storage medium involving an infringement on the copyright can be prevented effectively without impairment of the functions for reproducing physical format information and optical storage medium manufacturing information. The optical storage medium includes a main information region in which encrypted data information is recorded as a pit row that is capable of being read out by means of light and a control data region. In the control data region, key information for decoding the encryption of the data information, the physical format information and the optical storage medium manufacturing information are recorded by wobbling a groove. |
| US07649823B2 |
Method for recording asynchronously produced digital data codes, recording unit used for the method, method for reproducing the digital data codes, playback unit used for the method and information storage medium
A recording and reproducing system is broken down into a recording unit for producing a digital audio data signal from MIDI music data words asynchronously produced at irregular intervals and a playback unit for reproducing the MIDI music data codes from the digital audio data signal, wherein synchronous data nibbles are supplemented in the irregular intervals among the MIDI music data words for producing a data stream, and the digital audio data signal is produced from the data stream through a differential phase shift keying and a phase code modulation so as to record the MIDI messages in a digital versatile disk at high dense. |
| US07649820B2 |
Apparatus and method for detecting defect signals
The method of detecting defect signals includes: setting a default pit length range; inputting a data signal including a plurality of pits with different pit lengths; transferring the data signal into NRZ signal and counting the pit length of each pit; accumulating the number of the pits whose pit length are within the default pit length range, and accumulating the number of the pits whose pit lengths are outside the default pit length range but within the corresponding ranges; changing the logic state of a defect flag signal when one of the accumulative value reaches a corresponding threshold. The present invention also provides an apparatus for detecting defect signals. |
| US07649817B2 |
Method and apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data
A method and an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data in which a recording and/or reproduction velocity is be reduced when a data recording and/or reproduction error occurs due to a defect of an optical disc during recording of data on and/or reproduction of data from the optical disc. The method includes: recording data on an optical disc that is rotating at a predetermined constant angular velocity; determining whether a data recording error occurs; and if it is determined that a data recording error has occurred, recording data on the optical disc that is rotating at a constant angular velocity which is lower than the predetermined constant angular velocity. |
| US07649815B2 |
Repetitive control device and optical disc device
In a repetitive control device used for processing a servo signal, a memory (7) is used as a delay element for a filter (6), and a filtering process by the filter (6) is carried out using a clock signal that is an integral multiple of an operation frequency of a driving signal. Therefore, the gain can be increased without generating phase rotation with respect to a compensated signal, and high followability can be achieved to fluctuations in the track position which are caused by the shape of a disc such as decentering or surface wobbling, during recording and playback in an optical disc device. |
| US07649814B2 |
Optical pickup
An optical pickup has a lens that is resiliently supported in such a manner as to be displaceable in different directions by pairs of a first wire, a second wire, and a third wire which are attached to a fixing portion by attaching means. The optical pickup includes a lens holder for holding the lens, and a printed circuit board secured to the lens holder. The first, second, and third wires have the same length and are formed of the same material, and are soldered to the printed circuit board at different distances from the attaching means. |
| US07649811B2 |
Timepiece with moon phase indicator
The invention concerns a timepiece including a dial (12) fitted with an aperture (16) behind which is mounted a moon phase disc (18) driven in rotation by a moon phase train (24). According to the invention said disc (18) is mounted so as to move in rotation about a fixed sun pinion (36). Moreover, two planetary wheels (44a, 44b), secured in rotation to representations of the moon (19a, 19b), are mounted so as to move in rotation on the disc (18), at least indirectly meshed with the sun pinion (36), so as to form a planetary train with the sun pinion (36). |
| US07649809B2 |
Method for optimizing the power supply for a towed linear transmit antenna for transmitting in omnidirectional mode
A method for achieving omnidirectional transmission using of a towed linear antenna of length L greater than the wavelength λ of the signal transmitted. The antenna has a plurality of P projectors. The spacing between projectors is substantially less than λ/2. The method includes applying, to each projector, a transmit signal coming from a common transmit signal. The common signal is assigned a delay based upon a calculation that includes a non-linear term as a function of the position of the projector in the antenna, thereby allowing the angular aperture of the transmission pattern to be modulated. the method permits sonar detection systems comprising transmit and receive antennas having substantially identical diameters, which thereby can be reeled onto the same winch without it being necessary to separate them. |
| US07649806B2 |
Markov sequential detector
The initial detection of a signal of interest in a data stream involves transmitting a signal received by a sonar or a radar to signal detection equipment wherein a signal of interest is characterized by a state model x(t) with values in a finite set {x1, . . . , xN}, to which there corresponds a finite set {ω1, . . . , ωN} of N values of an observation variable ω, characteristic of this signal. To detect the signal of interest a detection criterion Λn(t) is simultaneously calculated in two different ways. The larger of the two calculated values is assigned to the criterion of Λn(t) which is then compared with a detection threshold. |
| US07649805B2 |
Dispersion extraction for acoustic data using time frequency analysis
This invention pertains to the extraction of the slowness dispersion characteristics of acoustic waves received by an array of two or more sensors by the application of a continuous wavelet transform on the received array waveforms (data). This produces a time-frequency map of the data for each sensor that facilitates the separation of the propagating components thereon. Two different methods are described to achieve the dispersion extraction by exploiting the time frequency localization of the propagating mode and the continuity of the dispersion curve as a function of frequency. The first method uses some features on the modulus map such as the peak to determine the time locus of the energy of each mode as a function of frequency. The second method uses a new modified Radon transform applied to the coefficients of the time frequency representation of the waveform traces received by the aforementioned sensors. Both methods are appropriate for automated extraction of the dispersion estimates from the data without the need for expert user input or supervision. |
| US07649803B2 |
Method for retrieval of seismic data acquisition units
A method for retrieval of self-contained, autonomous ocean bottom seismic data acquisition units secured to a non-rigid, non-conducing cable, wherein the cable is retrieved over the trailing edge of a working vessel on the surface of the water so as to permit the cable to billow out in the water column behind the vessel, thereby reducing stress on the cable and permitting greater control in cable handling. |
| US07649799B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
This semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of sub-arrays with a plurality of memory cells arranged in matrix form. Each local bit line is connected to a plurality of memory cells that are arranged in column direction in the sub-arrays. In addition, a global bit line is connected to the plural local bit lines. A column decoder is connected to the global bit line. The global bit line extends from the column decoder toward the plurality of sub-arrays, and it is cut before the furthest sub-array formed in the furthest region from that column decoder. |
| US07649797B2 |
Self-refresh control circuit and semiconductor memory device including the same
A refresh control circuit in a semiconductor memory device includes a refresh controller, a voltage generator and a word line enable circuit. The refresh period controller generates a control signal in response to a self-refresh signal, the control signal indicating a nominal initiation of a refresh period. The voltage generator generates an output voltage in response to the control signal. The output voltage is boosted from a low voltage to a high voltage during the refresh period. The word line enable circuit generates a word line enable signal in response to the control signal, wherein the word line enable signal is activated following a delay after the nominal initiation of the refresh period, and the delay allows the voltage generator to fully boost the output voltage. |
| US07649794B2 |
Wear leveling method and controller using the same
A wear leveling method under limited system resources is provided, the wear levelling method is suitable for a non-volatile memory, the non-volatile memory is substantially divided into a plurality of blocks, and the blocks are at least grouped into a data area, a spare area and a substitution-transient area. The blocks within the data area may be divided into a plurality of lately-used blocks and a plurality of lately-unused blocks. The method includes only recording erase times of the lately-used blocks and blocks within the spare area and selecting a block used for the substitution-transient area is selected from the spare area according to a judgment condition of erase times of another block within the spare area plus a first threshold value. The method also includes performing a wear leveling procedure. Wherein, the selected block and the other block are selected in a random mode or a sequential mode. |
| US07649789B2 |
Semiconductor memory device with various delay values
A memory device includes a delay circuit and a delay selection unit. The delay circuit delays a pulse signal to generate a delayed pulse signal. The pulse signal is used to generate a write enable signal and a read enable signal. The delay selection unit selects one of the delayed pulse signal output from the delay circuit in a test mode and the pulse signal in a normal mode. |
| US07649787B2 |
Semiconductor device
A memory circuit includes a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, and a plurality of memory cells. Configurations of the plurality of memory cells are determined depending on the data (“high” or “low”) which is stored in the memory cells. Data array such as a program stored in the memory circuit is analyzed in advance. In the case where “high” is the majority data, memory cells storing “high” are formed with vacant cells in which a semiconductor element is not formed. |
| US07649781B2 |
Bit cell reference device and methods thereof
A memory device is disclosed. A reference device of the memory includes a trimmable current source and a fixed current source. Currents provided by each source are summed to provide a reference current to a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier senses the state of a bit cell by comparing a current from the bit cell, representative of a logic value, to the reference current. By basing the reference current on both a fixed and a trimmable current source, the reference device can be trimmed to compensate for process and operating characteristics of the device, while maintaining a minimum reference current in the event of a disturb mechanism that results in loss of the current provided by the trimmable current source. |
| US07649780B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
A semiconductor memory device comprises memory cells, a bitline connected to the memory cells, a read circuit including a precharge circuit, and a first transistor connected between the bitline and the read circuit, wherein a first voltage is applied to a gate of the first transistor when the precharge circuit precharges the bitline, and a second voltage which is different from the first voltage is applied to the gate of the first transistor when the read circuit senses a change in a voltage of the bitline. |
| US07649774B2 |
Method of controlling memory system
A memory unit includes a plurality of first blocks each having a first block size. Each of the first blocks stores data of a plurality of second blocks each having a second block size which is smaller than the first block size. A control unit writes the data of the second block in the first block. The control unit is configured such that in a case where the second block to be written is a block that is to be written in the same first block as the second block that is already written in the first block, the second block to be written is written in the same first block even if an address of the second block to be written is not consecutive to an address of the second block that is already written in the first block. |
| US07649773B2 |
Row selector circuit for electrically programmable and erasable non volatile memories
The invention relates to a row decoder circuit for non volatile memory devices of the electrically programmable and erasable type, for example of the Flash EEPROM type having a NOR architecture. The proposed row decoder circuit allows to carry out the erasing step very quickly, for example with a granularity emulating at least 16 kB and even overcoming by at least 2 kB Flash memories of the NAND type. The memory can thus maintain high performances in terms of random access speed but shows a high erasing speed typical of memory architectures of the NAND type. |
| US07649770B2 |
Programming matrix
A programming matrix switches of one of n logical inputs to one of j outputs. The programming matrix includes at least one layer system with multiple magnetic elements situated at selected locations, in which case, during and/or after the formation of the layer system, in the case of at least one of the elements, the magnetic and/or electrical properties thereof can be altered or are altered by means of intervention at least one layer of the element. |
| US07649768B2 |
Resistance memory element
A resistance memory element includes an elementary body and opposing electrodes separated by at least a portion of the elementary body. The elementary body is preferably made of a strontium titanate-based semiconductor ceramic expressed by the formula: (Sr1−xAx)v(Ti1−yBy)wO3 (where A represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, and B represents at least one of Nb and Ta), and satisfies the relationships 0.001≦x+y≦0.02 (where 0≦x≦0.02 and 0≦y≦0.02) and 0.87≦v/W≦1.030. This semiconductor ceramic changes the switching voltage depending on, for example, the number of grain boundaries in the portion between the opposing electrodes. |
| US07649767B2 |
Spin-injection magnetic random access memory
A spin-injection magnetic random access memory of an aspect of the present invention includes a magnetoresistive element, a unit which writes data into the magnetoresistive element by use of spin-polarized electrons generated by a spin-injection current and which applies, to the magnetoresistive element, a magnetic field of a direction of a hard magnetization of the magnetoresistive element during the writing. |
| US07649765B2 |
Magnetic memory cell and method of fabricating same
A magnetic memory cell in which a sensor is magnetically coupled to a magnetic media wherein the separation of the magnetic media from the sensor permits each to be magnetically optimized separate from the other, thus improving defect tolerance and minimizing the magnetic influence of neighboring cells in an array on one another. In an embodiment, the read circuitry is positioned so that no read current passes through the media during a read operation. In an alternative embodiment, processing is simplified but the read current is allowed to pass through the media. |
| US07649762B1 |
Area efficient high performance memory cell
Embodiments for an area efficient high performance memory cell comprising a transistor connected to one of a bit line and a bit line bar are disclosed. |
| US07649761B2 |
Semiconductor memory device
Shunt regions are formed at certain intervals in a memory cell array region as extending in a second direction. The shunt regions each include a contact formed to connect a word line or a signal line wired in the same direction to another metal wire. Extension regions are each formed of an extension of the shunt region in the data cache array region. Data input/output lines extend in a first direction and transfer data on bit lines simultaneously via a data cache array. Sense circuits are arranged around the data cache array and connected to the data input/output lines respectively. The data input/output lines are divided at a certain interval in the first direction. The divided portions are connected to respective leads formed in the extension region in the longitudinal direction thereof and connected to the sense circuits via the leads. |
| US07649760B2 |
Semiconductor memory device having dummy sense amplifiers and methods of utilizing the same
A semiconductor memory device having dummy sense amplifiers and a method of utilizing the same are provided. Embodiments of the semiconductor memory device may include at least one dummy cell block including dummy cells and memory cells. Normal bit lines connecting the memory cells in the dummy cell block in a first direction and dummy bit lines connecting the dummy cells in the first direction. A dummy sense amplifier is also included for connecting any two of the normal bit lines and the dummy bit lines. Some of the embodiments may improve the sensing margin and refresh margin in sensing memory cells in the dummy cell, as well as increasing the redundancy efficiency and utilization of the dummy cells. |
| US07649749B2 |
Wiring substrate, semiconductor device, and method of manufacturing the same
A wiring substrate includes a base insulating film, a first interconnection formed on a top surface side of the base insulating film, a via conductor provided in a via formed in the base insulating film, and a second interconnection provided on a bottom surface side of the base insulating film. The second interconnection is connected to the first interconnection via the via. The wiring substrate includes divided-substrate-unit regions, in each of which the first interconnection, the via, and the second interconnection are formed. The wiring substrate includes a warpage-controlling pattern on the base insulating film, with a warped shape such that when the wiring substrate rests on a horizontal plate, at least a central part of a plane surface of the substrate contacts the horizontal plate, with both ends of the side raised. |
| US07649748B2 |
Multilayer printed wiring board
A multilayer printed wiring board includes a mounting portion supporting a semiconductor device and a layered capacitor portion including first and second layered electrodes and a ceramic high-dielectric layer therebetween. The first layered electrode is connected to a ground line and the second layered electrode is connected to a power supply line. The ratio of number of via holes, each constituting a conducting path part electrically connecting a ground pad to the ground line of a wiring pattern and passing through the second layered electrode in non-contact, to number of ground pads is 0.05 to 0.7. The ratio of number of second rod-shaped conductors, each constituting a conducting path part electrically connecting a power supply pad to the power supply line of the wiring pattern and passing through the first layered electrode in non-contact, to number of power supply pad is 0.05 to 0.7. |
| US07649746B2 |
Semiconductor device with inductor
A semiconductor device with an inductor device is small, thin, and low-cost. A laminated inductor is adhered fixedly onto a supporting conductive plate by Ag paste, and a semiconductor chip is adhered fixedly onto the laminated inductor via an insulating DAF tape. One end of the supporting conductive plate and a terminal electrode of the semiconductor chip are connected by a metal wire, and a plurality of terminal electrodes of the semiconductor chip and a plurality of external lead-out terminals are connected respectively by laterally extending metal wires. The entire structure is then sealed by a resin mold. By employing a laminated inductor and forming the metal wires to extend laterally in this manner, the thickness of the semiconductor device with an inductor can be reduced. |
| US07649742B2 |
Thin flash-hard-drive with two-piece casing
A flash-memory drive replaces a hard-disk drive using an integrated device electronics (IDE) interface. The flash drive has a printed-circuit board assembly (PCBA) with a circuit board with flash-memory chips and a controller chip. The controller chip includes an input/output interface circuit to an external computer over the IDE interface, and a processing unit to read blocks of data from the flash-memory chips. The PCBA is encased inside an upper case and a lower case, with an IDE connector that fits through and opening between the cases. The cases can be assembled with the PCBA by a snap-together, ultrasonic-press, screw-fastener, or thermal-bond adhesive method. Center lines formed on the inside of the cases fit between rows of flash-memory chips to improve case rigidity. The connector has two rows of pins that straddle the center line of the circuit board for a balanced design. |
| US07649733B2 |
Image display device
An image display device having an image display panel, the image display device including: as a casing, a base part mountable on a horizontal surface, a rising part rising from the base part in a state of being inclined frontward at a predetermined angle, and a panel retaining part connected to an upper part of the rising part, the panel retaining part retaining the image display panel; and a speaker disposed in an upper surface of the base part with an acoustic output surface of the speaker facing upward, sound output from the speaker being reflected by the rising part. |
| US07649732B2 |
Strap holding structure
A strap holding structure (200) for an electronic device (100) includes a body (10), a strap holder (22) and a latching element (24). The body defines a receiving portion (12). The receiving porting has a side board (1242). The side board with the receiving portion cooperatively surrounds a space (1244). The strap holder has a pole (228) at one end thereof and two opposite feet (223) extending from another end thereof. A block (226) radially extends from a circumferential wall of the strap holder, and the side board is received in the space. The latching element forms two concave portions (244). Each foot engages with a corresponding concave portion. A stopper (246) perpendicularly protrudes from the latching element, and resists a wall of the receiving portion. |
| US07649729B2 |
Electrostatic chuck assembly
The present invention generally comprises an electrostatic chuck base, an electrostatic chuck assembly, and a puck for the electrostatic chuck assembly. Precisely etching a substrate within a plasma chamber may be a challenge because the plasma within the chamber may cause the temperature across the substrate to be non-uniform. A temperature gradient may exist across the substrate such that the edge of the substrate is at a different temperature compared to the center of the substrate. When the temperature of the substrate is not uniform, features may not be uniformly etched into the various layers of the structure disposed above the substrate. A dual zone electrostatic chuck assembly may compensate for temperature gradients across a substrate surface. |
| US07649728B2 |
Electricity removal apparatus
The present invention relates to suppressing wear and contamination of the electrode needle as well as effectively removing the electricity from a charged body. An electricity removal mode in which the electrode needle is applied with a high voltage to produce ions and a halt mode in which the electrode needle is halted are provided, that are alternatively selected based on a selection of a user. The halt mode includes a halt period during which the high voltage is not basically applied on the electrode needle. When a self discharge occurs by approach of a charged body in this halt period and an absolute value of current that flows through the resistance exceeds the first threshold value, the electricity removal operation is initiated in which the high voltage is applied on the electrode needle to produce ions. Subsequently, after a predetermined time period passes, for example, the electricity removal operation is terminated and the halt period is resumed. |
| US07649726B2 |
Protection circuit for general-purpose digital I/O lines
A protection circuit for protecting a device from destructive electrical conditions, such as ESD, over-voltage, and over-current, while keeping the output impedance of the device's I/O lines to a minimum, and self-regulating power dissipation. The device may comprise a first protection circuit and a second protection circuit coupled to each of one or more I/O lines for providing a primary and a secondary level of protection, respectively, for the I/O lines. The first protection circuit of the device may combine the use of Schottky diodes for voltage clamping, with a current limiting device for self-regulating the power dissipation. The current limiting device may be operable to function as a small, low impedance resistor in a normal operating range and as a controlled power dissipater outside the normal operating range. The device may be a data acquisition device comprised in a data acquisition system. |
| US07649725B2 |
Power limiting circuit
A power limiting circuit for controlling the power of the incandescent lamp not to overrun the rated power limit includes a sampling circuit that consists of two resistors connected in parallel. A control chip compares the received sample voltage with the standard voltage then outputs control signal to drive the conduction of a SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) to change the inner states of contacts of a relay so as to further control the on/off between the input and the output. Based on this control process and technique, this invention prevents the employment of incandescent lamps having a greater power than power rating. Besides, a bi-operational amplifier circuit is used to fulfill the whole examination and control perfectly. |
| US07649724B2 |
Protective circuit for a converter
In a protective circuit for a converter having a plurality of phases, for each phase current of the phases, a signal proportional to the respective phase current is applied to a transformer circuit that, below and in the area of a limiting frequency, functions as a low-pass filter with the limiting frequency, and above the limiting frequency, functions as a divider. The outputs of the transformer circuit are applied to a maximum generator for forming the absolute value maximum. This maximum is fed to a comparator in which the maximum is compared to a reference value. |
| US07649720B2 |
Quench protection of HTS superconducting magnets
A method of constructing a superconducting coil. The method includes embedding a plurality of heater elements throughout a superconducting coil. The heater elements are positioned according to a predetermined distribution and substantially in thermal contact with the coil for heating the coil in response to a quench condition. Other aspects of the invention involve an active protection circuit and a high temperature superconductor magnet that includes such an active protection circuit for internally dissipating stored magnetic energy in the event of a quench. |
| US07649719B2 |
Current perpendicular to plane (CPP) magnetoresistive sensor with improved pinned layer
A current perpendicular to plane dual giant magnetoresistive sensor (dual CPP GMR sensor) that prevents spin torque noise while having high dR/R performance. The sensor has a design that maximizes the GMR effect (dR/R) by providing a pinned layer structure that maximizes the positive GMR contribution of the AP2 layer (or magnetic layer closest to the spacer layer) while minimizing the negative GMR contribution of the AP1 layer. The pinned layer structure includes an AP1 layer that includes a thin CoFe layer that is exchange coupled with an IrMn or IrMnCr AFM layer and has two or more Co layers with a spin blocking layer sandwiched between them. The use of the Co layers and the spin blocking layer in the AP1 layer minimizes the negative contribution of the AP1 layer. The AP2 layer has a plurality of CoFe layers with nano-layers such as Cu sandwiched between the CoFe layers. |
| US07649717B2 |
Data storage device with support for wiring structure portion to suppress fluttering
Embodiments suppress a fluttering phenomenon of a wiring structure portion for signal transmission between a head and an FPC. In one embodiment, an actuator has a support portion which accommodates a wiring structure portion. The wiring structure portion is provided at a rear end portion thereof with a wide tab, the tab having pads for connection with the FPC. The support portion has a convex wall portion formed so as to overlap a front end portion of the tab. An air current occurs at an end portion of a magnetic disk in the vertical direction. When the head accesses a track present on the inner periphery side of the magnetic disk, the tab approaches the disk end portion. Since the convex wall portion protects the tab against the air current, it is possible to suppress fluttering of the wiring structure portion and improve the head positioning accuracy. |
| US07649716B2 |
Head suspension with arm having flexure and resilient support on opposing sides
A head suspension for a hard disk drive has an arm to be attached to a carriage of the hard disk drive and turned around a spindle, a load beam including a rigid part and a resilient part, to apply load onto a head that is arranged at a tip end thereof to write and read data to and from a disk arranged in the hard disk drive, a base end of the rigid part supported on the arm side through the resilient part, and a flexure having read/write wiring patterns connected to the head, the flexure supporting the head and attached to a disk side face of the rigid part, the resilient part at least separated from the arm side and fixed to an opposite disk side face on the arm side and the flexure fixed to a disk side face on the arm side. |
| US07649708B2 |
Differential timing based servo pattern for magnetic-based storage media
A magnetic storage media includes a magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment and a magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern recorded on the magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment. The magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern represents magnetic encoded servo position information for facilitating a determination of a servo position error signal exclusive of noise. |
| US07649705B2 |
Data read retry with read timing adjustment for eccentrity of disc in data storage device
For performing a retry in a data storage device, a spin jitter value corresponding to a desired sector of a disc is determined. A read timing is adjusted according to the spin jitter value of the desired sector. A retry of a data read is performed for the desired sector with the adjusted read timing. Thus, the present invention accounts for eccentricity of the disc as indicated by the spin jitter value during retry of the data read operation. |
| US07649704B1 |
Disk drive deferring refresh based on environmental conditions
A disk drive is disclosed including a disk having a plurality of tracks, and a head actuated over the disk. A refresh monitor is maintained for refreshing data stored on the disk. A need for a refresh operation is detected when the refresh monitor exceeds a first threshold, wherein the refresh operation is deferred based on an environmental condition. |
| US07649702B2 |
Immersion lithography objective
An immersion lithography objective has a housing in which at least one first optical element is arranged, a second optical element, which follows the first optical element in the direction of the optical axis of the objective, an immersion medium that adjoins the second optical element being located downstream of the latter in the direction of the optical axis, and a retaining structure for the second optical element. The retaining structure has a greater stiffness in the direction of the optical axis than in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. |
| US07649697B2 |
Optical lens, optical module having the same, and backlight assembly having the same
An optical module includes a point light source device and an optical lens. The point light source device generates light. The optical lens includes an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface. The inner curved surface has a first roughly ellipsoidal shape having a first major axis and a first minor axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first major axis. The outer curved surface has a second roughly ellipsoidal shape having a second major axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis and the second minor axis that is substantially perpendicular to the second major axis. The light generated by the point light source device enters the optical lens through the inner curved surface and exits from the optical lens through the outer curved surface. Therefore, the number of optical modules used in a display device may be reduced to lower manufacturing cost thereof. |
| US07649696B2 |
Universal security camera
A security camera has an adjustable turret that holds a lens assembly which can be aimed in various directions. The camera also has a compact housing which, in combination with the adjustable directionality of the turret, enables universal mounting to various structures and positions in an aircraft cabin. The camera operates in light and dark conditions, as the lens assembly is configured to focus visible and infrared light wavelengths onto a fixed focal plane. In an embodiment, the camera includes an infrared illumination source to illuminate a field of view during dark conditions. The lens assembly includes a rigid barrel with a pinhole aperture through which light enters a series of lens elements. An optical sensor is mounted to an opposite end of the barrel at the fixed focal plane to generate an electronic image signal, and the sensor is rotatably adjustable to yield a correct image orientation depending on the turret position. |
| US07649695B2 |
Lens barrel and imaging apparatus
A lens barrel includes a focus cam ring that holds a focus lens group and moves in the optical axis direction of the focus lens group while rotating along a cam groove in response to a focusing operation, and a fixed tube having a fitting raised portion that can pivot the focus cam ring in the rotational direction thereof and movably supports the focus cam ring in the optical axis direction. The focus cam ring has a position restrictor that can engage the fitting raised portion, and the position restrictor includes a rotational-direction restrictor that restricts the position of the focus cam ring in the rotational direction and an optical axis-direction restrictor that restricts the position of the focus cam ring in the optical axis direction. |
| US07649692B2 |
Drop centering device
A variable-focus lens that includes a wall made of an insulating material, a drop of an insulating liquid arranged on an area of a first surface of the wall, a conductive liquid covering the first surface and the drop, and an electrode arranged on a second surface of said wall. The insulating and conductive liquids are non-miscible, having different optical indexes and substantially the same density. The drop of the variable-focus lens is centered in a truncated cone centered on an axis perpendicular to the first surface, the bottom of which is pierced with a centered hole, and the insulating material wall is transparent and covers the hole. |
| US07649688B2 |
Auto-stereo three-dimensional images
There is described a method for providing auto-stereo three-dimensional views from a plurality of points of view, the method comprising: providing an image on a substrate made of a medium of sufficient transparency to allow light therethrough, the image being made up of a plurality of cells; placing a barrier screen in front of the image to provide a parallax effect, the barrier screen consisting of an optical arrangement providing staggered apertures through which light can pass, each of the apertures defining a window onto one of the plurality of cells and configured such that a view of a neighboring cell is obstructed from all of the points of view; and illuminating the image using a light source. |
| US07649685B2 |
Fluorescence/infrared device for surgical microscopes
The invention relates to an arrangement for a stereomicroscope, having an illumination apparatus (20) whose light lies in a regulatable spectral region. This illumination apparatus can be freely supplemented by at least one further illumination apparatus (30) whose light lies in likewise regulatable spectral regions identical to or different therefrom. |
| US07649681B2 |
Surgical microscope
A surgical microscope (1) includes a viewing unit (3) for viewing an object (5) and an image projection module (7) for inputting image data (9) into the viewing unit (3). The image projection module (7, 107, 207, 307) includes a plano-convex lens and a plano-concave lens. The image projection module (7, 107, 207, 307) includes an image display unit (11, 111, 211, 311). |
| US07649679B2 |
Photon pair generating device
A photon pair generating device capable of further increasing generation efficiency of a correlation photon pair is provided, the photon pair generating device generating the correlation photon pair by a hyper-parametric scattering. A quantum well is provided in a resonator. An incident light radiated from a light source to the resonator resonates therein and becomes a particular resonator mode. The generation efficiency of the correlation photon pair by the hyper-parametric scattering in the quantum well is enhanced by disposing the quantum well in a position where electric field strength of the light becomes higher by this resonator mode. |
| US07649668B2 |
Transparent window panel with a field of view that can be partially darkened and method of controlling a surface element that can be electrochromically lightened inside a transparent window panel
A transparent glazing, and a control method thereof, with a field of view that can be darkened over a portion of its surface by electrically controlling at least one functional element incorporated into a multilayer composite, the light transmission of which glazing can be varied reversibly. The functional element, for example a solid-state electrochromic multilayer system, includes at least one electrochromic functional layer enclosed between two surface electrodes. The surface electrodes and their leads are matched to one another and spaced spatially with respect to one another such that darkening starts at one edge of the functional element and, with a remaining voltage applied between the surface electrodes, propagates continuously over the surface of the functional element until it is completely and uniformly colored. The glazing can be used as an electrically controllable sunshield for windshields of vehicles or the like. |
| US07649667B2 |
Controlling pockels cells
A controllable Pockels cell system has a switching unit that can apply voltage to the Pockels cell. The Pockels cell system also features a delay unit that enables setting of a precise time when voltage is applied or removed from the Pockels cell. This allows displacing in time the voltage pulse applied to the Pockels cell, in this manner also displacing in time the transmission pulse of the Pockels cell with an analyzer located behind the Pockels cell. Thus it is possible to individually control the amplitude of selected laser pulses. The switching unit can either be a simple push-pull circuit or a bridge circuit made from two push-pull circuits. |
| US07649666B2 |
Components and methods for use in electro-optic displays
An electro-optic display (102), or a sub-assembly of such a display, comprising a layer of electro-optic material (108) on a backplane (100) is assembled using at least one release sheet (112, 116) or masking film having a resistivity not greater than about 1013 Ω square. The use of such a release sheet or masking film helps to avoid damage to transistors in the backplane during the assembly process. |
| US07649664B1 |
Two-element F-θ lens used for micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit
A two-element f-θ lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a bi-convex lens and the second lens is a bi-convex lens. At least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-θ lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and the time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and the time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-θ lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved. |
| US07649663B2 |
Optical beam scanning device restraining beam position error due to temperature change with diffraction grating and image forming apparatus using the same
A technique is provided which enables proper correction of optical characteristics in accordance with change in ambient temperature.An optical beam scanning device capable of causing a luminous flux from a light source to scan a photoconductive surface of each of plural photoconductors in a main scanning direction, includes: a polygon mirror 80 which reflects and deflects an incident luminous flux by plural reflection surfaces arrayed in a direction of rotation, and thereby causes the incident luminous flux to scan in the main scanning direction; and a post-deflection optical system A which includes plural optical devices and which guides the luminous flux reflected and deflected by each of the plural reflection surfaces in the polygon mirror 80, to a photoconductive surface of a photoconductor to which the luminous flux should be guided. Of the plural optical devices forming the post-deflection optical system A, in at least one optical device on which a principal ray of the luminous flux which should be guided to each of the plural photoconductors becomes incident at different incident positions from each other in a sub scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, a diffraction grating is formed at least on one of an incident surface and an exit surface of the luminous flux in the optical device. |
| US07649662B2 |
Optical scanning apparatus and image displaying apparatus having the same, wherein a light beam having entered a housing from a first optical member enters a scanning mirror without transmitting through a transmission-type optical element, the light beam deflected by the scanning mirror enters a second optical member without transmitting through a transmission-type optical element
The object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning apparatus which is not limited in the disposition of a scanning device, can reduce the adherence of dust to each member of the scanning device, and is enhanced in the reliability of the scanning device, and an image displaying apparatus having the same. The optical scanning apparatus includes a housing for containing and holding therein a scanning device provided with a movable mirror, an elastic supporting portion for supporting the movable mirror swingably about a swinging center, and a supporting base for supporting the elastic supporting portion, an optical member OE constituting a first optical system for directing a beam to the scanning device in the housing, and an optical member OX constituting a second optical system for emerging the beam passed through the scanning device. At least a part of the optical member OE and at least a part of the optical member OX constitute a part of the housing, and are provided so that a space in which the scanning device is contained in the housing configures a sealed space. |
| US07649661B2 |
Holographic storage device having a reflective layer on one side of a recording layer
A method is provided for manufacturing a holographic medium by recording holograms in transmission geometry, and applying a reflective layer to one side of the holographic recording material after recording is completed (alternatively, for example, the playback system may contain a reflective surface or mirror). For readout, the reference beam is incident to the media from a side opposite the reflective layer. This beam propagates through the media to the reflective layer on the opposite side, and is reflected back through the media for readout of the transmission hologram. The diffracted hologram signal also exits the media on the side without the reflective layer, where it can be recovered by a detector on the same side as the laser source. Alternatively, the readout reference beam is positioned so that the incident beam reads out the hologram, and both the reference beam and diffracted hologram are reflected back through the media. |
| US07649659B2 |
Image processing apparatus and method for using mark detection to combine multiple images present on the front and rear surfaces of a medium
An image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit 3 that reads a front side image and a rear side image from a front side and a rear side of a medium, respectively, a mark detecting unit 42 that detects a combination instruction mark present in a predetermined position of at least one of the front side image and the rear side image, and an image combining unit 44 that combines, when the combination instruction mark is detected, a front side sliced image and a rear side sliced image sliced from predetermined positions of the front side image and the rear side image in a predetermined direction to obtain one image. |
| US07649658B2 |
Method of reconstructing an image
A method of reconstructing an original image from a printed and scanned image includes determining a plurality of transformation parameters including a rotation a of the scanning grid relative to the printing grid and a plurality of translation parameters which give a position of a node on the printing grid in a coordinate system of the scanning grid, generating a system of non-linear equations which represent the printed and scanned image as a function of: (i) the original image, (ii) a print/scan resolution ratio, and (iii) the transformation parameters, computing coefficients for the system using the resolution ratio, the transformation parameters and the given print model, generating a linear approximation of the system of non-linear equations, solving the linear approximation for an approximation of the original image, and creating a reconstructed original image from the approximation of the original image. |
| US07649654B2 |
In-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams
An in-line laser scanning unit (LSU) with multiple light beams is disclosed. The LSU includes a minimized in-line mirror set composed by a plurality of vertically stacked Micro Electronic Mechanical System (MEMS) oscillatory mirrors and a linear corresponding scanning lens set formed by a plurality of F-Sin θ lens stacked vertically so as to correct the variation of reflective angle of the oscillatory mirror that is sinusoidal in time. Thus the scanning speed of multiple laser beams on the image plane is constant. Therefore, the volume of color printers is effectively reduced and the scanning efficiency is improved when the LSU in accordance with the present invention is applied to the optical engines of color printers. |
| US07649648B2 |
Duplex printer with motorized platen assemblies
A duplex printer includes a body defining one or more spaces in which respective ink cartridges can be placed. A pair of print engines is mounted within the body and a print media path is defined there-between. Each print engine includes at least one printhead coupled in fluid communication to the ink cartridges and is configured to eject ink supplied from the ink cartridges. A pair of print media trays is mounted, in a releasable manner, to either side of the body and each contains print media. Each print media tray includes a movable platen for supporting a stack of print media and a motorized mechanism configured to move the platen. |
| US07649644B2 |
Image processing device, image processing method and remote-scan image processing system using the same
In the image processing device, method and system of the present invention, a destination identifier of an image file is stored, the destination identifier indicating one of a plurality of external stations as a destination station which receives the image file from the image processing device through a network. At least one of a sender identifier of the image file, a subject identifier of the image file and a scan condition of the image file is stored. The image file is transmitted, together with at least one of the sender identifier, the subject identifier and the scan condition, through the network to one of the external stations indicated by the stored destination identifier. |
| US07649643B2 |
Method and device for intermixing hardcopy pages in a print job
A document generation system includes a printing system and a computer. The printing system includes a print engine, a scanner, a controller and a user interface. The computer is remotely located from but coupled to the printing system. The computer includes software for generating an electronic document and software for designating an insertion point in the electronic document wherein a scanned image of a hardcopy document is to be inserted prior to generating a finished document including the electronic document and an image of the scanned hardcopy document. The controller includes software for identifying the insertion point and for holding the electronic document until the hardcopy document is scanned before generating the finished document including the electronic document and the image of the scanned hardcopy document. A method for intermixing hardcopy pages in a print job utilizes insertion points inserted into an electronic document to identify the location at which scanned images of hardcopy documents are to be inserted in a finished document. |
| US07649641B2 |
Printing medium, image forming apparatus, and printing method
A printing medium has means for storing electronic data. The means includes an input-output unit, a first memory, a second memory, a comparison unit, and an access controller. The second memory stores data for confirming the validity of the information printed on the printing medium. The first memory stores data for controlling access to the second memory. In particular, write access to the second memory is denied unless the accessing party also submits comparison data that compare correctly with the data stored in the first memory. This protocol prevents the facile creation of counterfeit copies. |
| US07649640B2 |
System and method of processing print jobs
A method of processing print jobs includes receiving two or more print jobs and organizing the two or more print jobs into one or more job groups that have modifiable group attributes. The method also includes organizing the one or more job groups into one or more group packages that have modifiable package attributes. The method further includes printing at least one of the group packages. A graphical user interface and a printing system are operative to perform the method. |
| US07649637B2 |
Method for printing a global position-coding pattern
The invention relates to a method for generating a printout of a section of a global position-coding pattern in a system comprising a computer unit and a printer unit connected to the computer unit. The method is characterized by the steps of generating in the computer unit boundary information that describes the boundaries of the section in the global position-coding pattern; transmitting the boundary information from the computer unit to the printer unit; generating graphical information in the printer unit by means of an algorithm that defines the global position-coding pattern and on the basis of the boundary information, which graphical information describes pattern symbols in the section; and printing out the graphical information on a base by the printer unit. |
| US07649635B2 |
Method for determining a map, device manufacturing method, and lithographic apparatus
A method according to one embodiment of the invention includes determining a map of a second part of a substrate belonging to a group of substrates. The method includes measuring a first part of at least one substrate belonging to the group to create an average profile map or average height map and computing a map of the second part of the substrate belonging to the group, based on the average profile map or the average height map. The computed map is stored for use during a later determination of a height or tilt of a substrate from the group. |
| US07649634B2 |
Methods and systems for white light interferometry and characterization of films
Methods are provided for estimating a surface profile of a sample in an interferometer having a broad bandwidth light source. The interferometer detects interference pattern intensity data over a series of frames of a relative scan between the sample and a reference surface. Particular methods comprise, for each location (x,y) of interest on the sample: determining an envelope of the detected interference pattern intensity data corresponding the location (x,y) of interest based on amplitudes of the detected interference pattern intensity data; determining a rough estimate zrough of the surface profile of the sample at the location (x,y) of interest based on the envelope; estimating a phase offset θ of the detected intensity data using a curve fitting optimization process to fit the detected intensity data to a broad bandwidth interference model; and refining the rough estimate zrough of the surface profile using the phase offset θ to obtain a fine estimate zfine of the surface profile of the sample at the location (x,y) of interest, the fine estimate zfine having improved resolution over the rough estimate zrough. Similar methods are used for characterizing films applied to substrates. |
| US07649632B2 |
Characterization of micro- and nano scale materials by acoustic wave generation with a CW modulated laser
Apparatus for analyzing thin surface layers. An acoustic wave generating laser beam is amplitude modulated with continuous wave modulation of a frequency in the megahertz to gigahertz range and an optical system directs the modulated radiation to a surface of a thin surface layer. This in turn causes an acoustic wave that is sensed and analyzed to provide an indication of properties of thin surface layer. |
| US07649631B2 |
Distance/speed meter and distance/speed measuring method
In a distance/speed meter, first and second semiconductor lasers emit parallel laser light beams to a measurement target. A first laser driver drives the first semiconductor laser such that the oscillation interval in which at least the oscillation wavelength monotonically increases repeatedly exists. A second laser driver drives the second semiconductor laser such that the oscillation wavelength increases/decreases inversely to the oscillation wavelength of the first semiconductor laser. First and second light-receiving devices convert optical outputs from the first and second semiconductor lasers into electrical signals. A counting unit counts the numbers of interference waveforms generated by the first and second laser light beams and return light beams of the first and second laser light beams. A computing device computes the distance to the measurement target and the speed of the measurement target from the minimum and maximum oscillation wavelengths of the first and second semiconductor lasers and the count result obtained by the counting unit. |
| US07649628B2 |
Optical inspection of test surfaces
In one aspect, the amount of data needed to store image intensity data obtained from a scatterometer (100) such as a Parousiameter is reduced by varying a resolution with which the intensity data is used in different regions of a grid according to determined variations in the intensity. In another aspect, a scatterometer is provided with an aspherical mirror (170, 900, 1000) for imaging a test sample (180) to correct for distortions introduced by the off center placement of the mirror relative to the test sample. In another aspect, an optical surface inspection apparatus uses an auxiliary lens (1440) between a test surface (1420) and an illuminated patterned grid (1410) to project the patterned grid (1610) on the test surface. A camera (1450) is focused on the grid on the test surface as a real image. |
| US07649626B2 |
Imaging spectrometer
An imaging spectrometer is disclosed that comprises imaging means for dividing a received image into two or more spatially separated images and means for detecting each spectral image, and is characterized in that the imaging means comprises at least one polarizing beam splitter. The polarizing beam splitter may be a Wollaston prism. In one embodiment of the invention, the imaging means comprises image replication means to produce two or more spatially separated images, and one or more filter elements such as dichroic filters which act to alter the spectral characteristics of one or more of the spatially separated images. In a further embodiment of the invention the imaging means comprises one or more spectral replication means arranged in optical series, each spectral replication means comprising an optical retardation element and a polarizing beam splitter. |
| US07649623B2 |
Apparatus for optical measurement and/or examination of a welding assembly
Apparatus for optical measurement and/or examination of a welding assembly includes a measuring space in which a welding assembly is located. Further disposed in the measuring space is a stationary reference object which is made of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion α≦2.0*10−6/K at 20° C. A plurality of cameras in the measuring space take images of the welding assembly and the reference object, with the image information transmitted to an evaluation device for evaluation. |
| US07649622B1 |
Multi-site optical power calibration system and method
A test system and method are provided for testing in parallel radiant output of multiple light emitting devices. Generally, the method involves: (i) providing a system having a master, calibrated power meter (CPM), a source transfer standard (STS), and multiple secondary, test site power meters (TSPMs); (ii) determining a relationship between electrical power supplied to the STS and a radiant output therefrom as measured by the CPM; (iii) calibrating the TSPMs using the STS and the relationship between the power supplied to the STS and the radiant output therefrom as determined by the CPM; and (iv) positioning the devices undergoing test on a fixture of the test system and positioning the fixture relative to the TSPMs to test radiant outputs of the devices. Preferably, the TSPMs are calibrated by exposing each to the STS at a known power, determining a difference between the radiant output measured by the CPM and TSPM, using this difference as an offset that is added to the a signal from the TSPM to provide a corrected radiant output for the device under test. Other embodiments are also disclosed. |
| US07649621B2 |
Optical inclinometer
The invention relates to an optical inclinometer. According to the invention, an incline-dependent medium, e.g. a liquid surface, is positioned in the pupil of an optical subsystem and a detectable wave front is imaged onto a detector by means of said medium. A phase displacement of radiation emitted from a radiation source is caused by said medium; the interaction of the radiation and the medium can take place during reflection or transmission. An aberration of the wave front caused by the medium can be analyzed by means of a wave front sensor and compensated by an evaluation unit or the detector. A wave front sensor having a diffractive structure formed upstream of each subaperture is compact and increases the resolution and the detectable angular region of the inclinometer. |
| US07649619B2 |
Optical time domain reflectometer
An optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) launches an optical pulse emitted from a pulse light source to one end side of an optical fiber, receives light returning to the one end side with an optical receiver, inputs an output signal of the optical receiver to an A/D converting unit so as to convert the signal to an N bit (N is the plural number) digital signal, implements a process for the N bit digital signal, and measures the transmission characteristics of the optical fiber. The A/D converting unit has the number of bits that is greater than the N bits by the number of A bits, wherein A is an integer greater than “0”. The A/D converting unit converts an input signal to an N+A bit digital signal, and compresses the N+A bit digital signal to N bit data. |
| US07649615B2 |
Advanced exposure techniques for programmable lithography
Advanced techniques for programmable photolithography provide enhanced resolution and can image features smaller than the single shutter intensity profile, i.e., sub-pixel resolution. Patterns are built up by multiple exposures with relative movement of the mask and resist so as to place each shape from the library where it is needed on the resist. Electro-Optic phase shifting material may be applied to the shutter so as to adjust the single shutter intensity profile, or to adjust the interaction of adjacent shutters. An apodizing mask may be used to engineer the wavefronts of the light striking the resist to achieve better resolution. |
| US07649611B2 |
Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed. |
| US07649607B2 |
Wiring figure pattern of display panel
In a wiring figure pattern of a display panel, each wiring is separated into bands of optimal widths by slits of a constant width as a wiring figure pattern so that minimum light irradiation for curing a photocuring sealing material can be carried out without increasing the electric resistance of the wiring. The optimal width means a resistance such that light coming from both sides of the band cures the sealing material on the upper surface of the band-without influencing the driving and display of liquid crystal. At a point where the width of wiring becomes two times or more of the optical width between the start point and end point of intersection of the wiring and the sealing material region, the wiring is divided by the slit. A first branch forms the band of the optimal width extending from the branch point to the end point, whereas the second branch extends to the end point and is spaced apart from the first branch by the width of the slit. At a point where the width becomes two times or more of the optimal width, the wiring is divided. Subsequently, branching is repeated until the end point is reached. A continuous triangle is formed in the slit at each branch, thus adjusting the width of the bands to have the optimal width. |
| US07649605B2 |
Distortion resistant touch-sensitive display panel with common electrode connected to a common voltage line via a connection electrode and multiple contact holes
An array substrate includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of thin-film transistors, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of common voltage lines and a plurality of common electrodes. The gate lines extend in a first direction. The data lines extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The thin-film transistor is electrically connected to the gate line and the data line. The pixel electrode is formed in each of pixels defined by the gate lines and the data lines. The common electrode is electrically connected to the common voltage line. The horizontal alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is not changed by externally applied vertical touch pressure so that display quality is improved. |
| US07649604B2 |
In-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating thereof
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates, a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates, a plurality of pixel regions defined in a matrix configuration on the first substrate, a plurality of gate lines extending along a first direction on the first substrate and dividing each of the pixel regions into first and second pixels that are adjacent to each other along a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, a plurality of data lines extending along the second direction and crossing the gate lines to define the first and second pixel regions together with the gate lines, a plurality of first and second electrodes for generating an in-plane electric field in the first and second pixels regions, and a switching device formed at the crossing the gate and data lines and driving the first and second pixel regions, wherein the switching device includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes, and the drain electrode includes a first drain electrode connected with the second electrode of the first pixel region and a second drain electrode connected with the second electrode of the second pixel region. |
| US07649597B2 |
Semi-transmission type liquid crystal display which reflects incident light coming from outside to provide a display light source and transmits light from a light source at the back
A semi-transmission type liquid crystal display that maximizes the luminance in reflection mode and transmission mode. The liquid crystal display comprises a lower substrate with thin film transistors, an opposite substrate facing the lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the lower substrate and the opposite substrate, a reflection electrode formed in a reflection area of the lower substrate, a transparent electrode formed in a transparent area of the lower substrate, a common electrode formed on the opposite substrate, and a drive circuit for applying a voltage between the reflection electrode and the transparent electrode and the common electrode. The potential difference between a drive voltage applied to that surface of the lower substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer and a drive voltage applied to that surface of the opposite substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer is lower in the reflection area than in the transparent area. |
| US07649596B2 |
Display panel and method of manufacturing the same, and transflective liquid crystal display with the same
An LCD with a transmission area and a reflection area includes a first substrate, a gate line and a data line formed on the first substrate, a TFT that is connected to the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode that is connected to the TFT and includes a transparent electrode and a reflective electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a plurality of convex-shaped protrusions that are placed at the refection area and are formed on the second substrate, and a color filter formed on the protrusions and on the second substrate. |
| US07649591B2 |
Optical member, method of fabricating the same and liquid crystal display apparatus having the same
In an LCD apparatus having an optical member, the optical member has a base body having a light incident surface and a light emitting surface faced the light incident surface. A first resin layer is formed on the light emitting surface and a light diffusing pattern is uniformly formed on the first resin layer so as to diffuse a first light and emit a second light. Accordingly, the LCD apparatus can improve display quality and can be fabricated in low-cost manufacture. Also, since the light diffusing pattern is formed with a curable material, the light diffusing pattern can have various shapes and superior reproducibility. |
| US07649590B2 |
Backlight assembly and liquid crystal display having the same
An LCD includes an LCD panel, a light guiding plate disposed at a rear of the LCD panel and having a light incident surface on which a curved surface pattern is formed, and a point light source facing the light incident surface and disposed closer to the LCD panel than to a center of thickness of the light incident surface. Accordingly, the LCD including the point light source has excellent light efficiency and brightness uniformity. |
| US07649588B2 |
Positioning structure for sheet-shaped component and display device using same
A liquid crystal panel is mounted in a frame. A positioning component for supporting the liquid crystal panel in a positioned state is attached to the frame using a screw component. A positioning protrusion is provided in the frame. A positioning hole portion into which the positioning protrusion can be inserted is provided in the positioning component. The positioning hole portion has a size such that, in a state in which the positioning protrusion is inserted therein, the positioning component can be moved in a direction in which a support surface of the positioning component approaches or moves away from the liquid crystal panel. A bracket surface that is substantially parallel with a direction in which the support surface of the positioning component approaches or moves away from liquid crystal panel is provided in the positioning protrusion. |
| US07649587B2 |
Tiltable LCD holder
A tiltable LCD holder comprises a base, a fixing device and at least one support device. The base has a platform on an upper end thereof. The fixing device has holes for being fixed on the platform of the base. The fixing device has two upward bended ends having a respective screw hole for screwing a respective screw bolt thereinto. The support device is connected to an object by one end thereof. The support device has screw holes on the other end for being movably coupled with the screw holes formed on the upward bended ends of the fixing device, whereby the object can be tiltable over a wide angle range to provide a steadily positioned visual angle. |
| US07649585B2 |
Liquid crystal display substrate and its manufacturing method
An LCD substrate including multiple LCD panels may be cut along a scribing boundary. All or part of one or more test pads or test signal lines may extend in whole or in part across the scribing boundary. When the LCD substrate is cut along the scribing boundary, the test pads or test signal lines are cut or removed. |
| US07649583B2 |
Semiconductor structure and fabricating method thereof for liquid crystal display device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure with a multi-layer storage capacitor is provided. A substrate having an active element area and a storage capacitor area is provided. By sequentially fabricating a semiconductor layer, a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, a gate and a first electrode, a source and a drain in the semiconductor layer in the active element area, a second ILD layer, a patterned conductive layer served as a pixel electrode, a patterned third ILD layer, a plurality of contact windows in the first, second and third ILD layers for exposing the source, the drain, parts of the patterned conductive layer and the first electrode, a second electrode and a source/drain conductive line, the semiconductor structure with the multi-layer storage is obtained in consequence. |
| US07649579B2 |
Liquid crystal display of line on glass type
A line-on-glass type liquid crystal display device, which includes a gate drive integrated circuit mounted on a liquid crystal display panel for supplying a gate signal to the liquid crystal display panel, and a data drive integrated circuit for supplying a data voltage to the liquid crystal display panel. Further, the data drive integrated circuit includes an output circuit having effective output channels to which the data voltage is supplied and dummy output channels to which at least any one of the data voltage and a common voltage is supplied. Also included is a channel selecting part for selectively supplying any one of the data voltage and the common voltage to at least anyone of the dummy output channels. |
| US07649573B2 |
Television production technique
A television production system 300 affords simplification over the automation of a television program such as a news program by parameterizing State Memory Objects (S-MEMs), each defining one or more operations for execution by one or more production devices. The S-MEMs are typically parameterized in accordance with the scenes they generate. Thus, the S-MEMs can be categorized by style, that is to say, by the “look” or appearance of the associated scene. In this way, a director can more easily select among available S-MEMs to choose those that maintain a particular appearance for a succession of scenes. |
| US07649564B2 |
Image pickup apparatus with brightness distribution chart display capability
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit for outputting an electronic subject image, a metering unit for computing a metering value from the subject image, a brightness distribution chart generation unit for generating a brightness distribution chart from the subject image, and a display unit for overlaying the brightness distribution chart on the subject image and displaying them, and provides the brightness distribution chart for the display unit in various styles. |
| US07649563B2 |
Digital photographing apparatus that adaptively displays icons and method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus
Provided are a digital photographing apparatus that displays a preview image and overlaps setting icons indicating set operating conditions of the digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus. If a user does not generate a signal within a set period of time, the setting icons are no longer displayed. |
| US07649558B2 |
Charge mode active pixel sensor read-out circuit
An apparatus such as an imager includes groups of sensors each of which includes subgroups of sensors. Subgroup select circuits are coupled to outputs from respective subgroups of sensors, and group select circuits are coupled to outputs from subgroup select circuits associated with respective ones of the groups. A bus is coupled to receive outputs from the group select circuits. A controller can provide control signals to the subgroup select circuits and the group select circuits to selectively enable the respective subgroup select circuits and group select circuits to pass signals from the sensors to the bus one sensor at a time. |
| US07649553B2 |
Electronic camera with first and second instruction circuits
If an image quality 1 “RAW” at which image data are recorded without undergoing image processing is selected at an electronic camera which is already set for WB bracketing, the electronic camera clears the WB bracketing. In addition, the electronic camera prohibits an operation for setting and clearing the WB bracketing if the current image quality setting is the image quality 1 “RAW”. |
| US07649551B2 |
Electronic camera system, photographing ordering device and photographing system
An electronic camera system includes a photographing ordering system and a photographing system. The photographing system includes an image sensor which photographs a subject and generates an image signal; a camera-side communication unit which communicates with the photographing ordering system; a subject judging unit which judges whether or not the subject is the person to be photographed based on the person identifying data when or after the subject is photographed; an image processing unit which generates the image data with the image signal; and a camera-side control unit which extracts the image data of which the person to be photographed has been photographed based on a judged result of the subject judging unit and transmits the extracted image data to the photographing ordering system. |
| US07649550B2 |
Camera system, main frame adapter and head adapter
A main frame adapter is detachably mounted, instead of a camera head, on a camera main frame from which the camera head is separated. The camera head comprises an image taking optical system and an imaging device. The camera main frame is adapted to receive an image signal from the camera head that is detachably mounted on the camera main frame. A head adapter that is detachably mounted, instead of the camera main frame, on the camera head separated from the camera main frame. Both the adapters have each the radio communication section. |
| US07649548B1 |
Method and apparatus for transferring image data from an internal camera module
A method transfers image information from a camera module (1) to an electronic device, such as a mobile station (23). In the camera module (1), an image is formed by an image sensor (2) having pixels, where the light to which the pixel (P1,1-Pm,n) is exposed is converted into an analog signal which is converted into digital image information. The image information is transferred in serial form, and the transfer of the image information is controlled by the electronic device (23). |
| US07649547B2 |
Surveillance video camera with a plurality of sensitivity enhancing units
A surveillance video camera to be operative in combination with a surveillance system for watching an object, includes: an optical section having passed therethrough light to be provided as an image indicative of the object; a converting section constituted by a plurality of pixel units to be exposed to the light provided through the optical section; a plurality of sensitivity enhancing units; a surveillance mode selecting section for selectively setting at least two surveillance modes; and an executing section for allowing the sensitivity enhancing units to start, in sequence corresponding to the selected surveillance mode, to enhance the sensitivity of the converting section, and to stop enhancing the sensitivity of the converting section, the sequences corresponding to the respective surveillance modes being different from each other. |
| US07649546B1 |
Image transfer device
A media transfer device includes an inlet opening, an outlet opening, a screen, and a two-way mirror, such that, when an image is projected through the inlet opening and is reflected off of the two-way mirror onto the screen, a recorder located at the outlet opening may record the screen image as seen through the two-way mirror. |
| US07649543B2 |
Image forming device with LED array head
A head moving mechanism includes a head connecting member, a contact member, and a linking mechanism. An LED array head is attached to the head connecting member. The contact member is movable in the vertical direction, and the linking mechanism moves the head connecting member in the vertical direction in association with the vertical movement of the contact member. When a process cartridge is mounted to a main casing, the contact member contacts the process cartridge and moves upward. This moves the LED array head toward a photosensitive drum. On the other hand, when the process cartridge is pulled out from the main casing, the contact member moves downward, moving the LED array head away from the photosensitive drum. |
| US07649538B1 |
Reconfigurable high performance texture pipeline with advanced filtering
Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide texture caches and related circuits that store and retrieve texels in a fast and efficient manner. One such texture circuit provides an increased number of bilerps for each pixel in a group of pixels, particularly when trilinear or aniso filtering is needed. For trilinear filtering, texels in a first and second level of detail are retrieved for a number of pixels during a clock cycle. When aniso filtering is performed, multiple bilerps can be retrieved for each of a number of pixels during one clock cycle. |
| US07649537B2 |
Dynamic load balancing in multiple video processing unit (VPU) systems
Systems and methods are provided for processing data. The systems and methods include multiple processors that each couple to receive commands and data, where the commands and/or data correspond to frames of video that include multiple pixels. An interlink module is coupled to receive processed data corresponding to the frames from each of the processors. The interlink module divides a first frame into multiple frame portions by dividing pixels of the first frame using at least one balance point. The interlink module dynamically determines a position for the balance point that minimizes differences between the workload of the processors during processing of commands and/or data of one or more subsequent frames. |
| US07649535B2 |
Layering method for feather animation
A method of animating feather elements includes: specifying initial positions for a skin surface and for feather elements; specifying positions for the skin surface at an animated time; determining a feather-ordering sequence for placing the feather elements on the skin surface; determining positions for skirt elements that provide spatial extensions for the skin surface at the animated time; determining positions for feather-proxy elements that provide spatial extensions for the feather elements at the animated time; and determining positions for the feather elements at the animated time by extracting the feather elements from the feather-proxy elements. The feather-proxy elements are determined from the skirt elements according to the feather-ordering sequence, and the feather-proxy elements satisfy a separation criterion for avoiding intersections between the feather-proxy elements. |
| US07649534B2 |
Design of arbitrary linear and non-linear maps
Various software mapping aspects are provided. They include, but are not limited to, providing linear map to non-linear map conversion or transformation (and vice versa) in a symmetric fashion, so that data in one map upon conversion is symmetric in another map with respect to the former map. One way this is accomplished is by the use of dual-triangles that are mapped into the former and latter map, by having, in one exemplary aspect, the same vertices in both maps. Additional features, such as selection regions for regions to be converted or not converted are used. Furthermore, dual-triangle subdivision or aggregation techniques can be used to provide a desired mapping scenario. Finally, APIs are presented that allow developers and users of such mapping technology to implement the various aspects disclosed herein. |
| US07649533B2 |
Sliding texture volume rendering
Subsets of volume data are sequentially stored for volume rendering from two dimensional textures. For example, pairs of adjacent two-dimensional images are loaded into RAM or cache. Strips of texture data are interpolated for polygons extending between the two-dimensional images. The strips or polygons are more orthogonal to a viewing direction than the two-dimensional images. After interpolating texture data from the two-dimensional images for a plurality of non-coplanar polygons, the texture data is rendered. The rendered information represents one portion of the three dimensional representation. Other portions are rendered by repeating the process for other pairs or subset groups of adjacent two-dimensional images. A lower cost apparatus, such as a programmed computer or a GPU with a limited amount of memory, is able to render images for three dimensional representations of very large three-dimensional arrays. The images may be rendered without copying volume data for different main axes. |
| US07649524B2 |
Tracking window for a digitizer system
A digitizer apparatus for digitizing user interactions, for example detecting locations of physical objects, comprises: sensing elements, spread across a sensing area, configured for sensing the user interactions, say involving a stylus or like object, and a controller, associated with the sensing elements, configured to dynamically select a tracking window for the interaction, the tracking window comprising a subset of the sensing elements which are activated for sensing the object. The window is selected to center on the interaction based on e.g. last known location data, and thereby save processing resources by sampling only the minimum number of sensing elements necessary at any time. |
| US07649520B2 |
Display device
A display device capable of switching over between vertical and horizontal display on a screen without using a frame memory is provided. A display device has a source signal line driver circuit (102), a first gate signal line driver circuit (103), and a second gate signal line driver circuit (104). The scanning direction of the first gate signal line driver circuit (103) is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the source signal line driver circuit (102), and the scanning direction of the second gate signal line driver circuit (104) is perpendicular to the scanning direction of the first gate signal line driver circuit (103). During normal display, vertical scanning of the screen is performed by the first gate signal line driver circuit (103). Images are displayed in a direction that is in accordance with the scanning direction of the first gate signal line driver circuit (103). On the other hand, vertical scanning of the screen is performed by the second gate signal line driver circuit (104) when switching over between vertical and horizontal display. Images are displayed in a direction that is in accordance with the scanning direction of the second gate signal line driver circuit (104). |
| US07649516B2 |
Light emitting device
A pixel having a structure in which low voltage drive is possible is provided by a simple process. A digital image signal input from a source signal line is input to the pixel through a switching TFT. At this point, a voltage compensation circuit amplifies the voltage amplitude of the digital image signal or transforms the amplitude, and applies the result to a gate electrode of a driver TFT. On-off control of TFTs within the pixel can thus be performed normally even if the voltage of a power source for driving gate signal lines becomes lower. |
| US07649515B2 |
Electronic circuit, method of driving electronic circuit, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus
To reduce the time for writing a voltage onto a gate of a driving transistor. In an initialization period, a node B is fixed to an initial voltage VINI, transistors are turned on, and a current flows into an OLED element, such that a voltage according to the current is held at the node A. Thereafter, the transistors are sequentially turned off, such that a threshold voltage of a driving transistor is held at the node A. In a writing period, a transistor is turned on and a data signal X-j is supplied, such that a voltage of the node B varies by the amount according to the current flowing into the OLED element. The voltage of the node A varies from the threshold voltage by the amount which is obtained by dividing the voltage variation by a capacitance ratio. In a light-emitting period, the transistor is turned on, such that a current according to the voltage of the node A flows into the OLED element. |
| US07649511B2 |
Plasma display panel driving method and plasma display panel apparatus capable of displaying high-quality images with high luminous efficiency
Set-up, write, sustain and erase pulses are variously applied to a plasma display panel using a staircase waveform in which the rising or falling portion is in at least two steps. These staircase waveforms can be realized by adding at least two pulses. Use of such waveforms for the set-up, write and erase pulses improves contrast, and use for the sustain pulses reduces screen flicker and improves luminous efficiency. This is of particular use in driving high definition plasma display panels to achieve high image quality and high luminance. |
| US07649510B2 |
Plasma display apparatus and image processing method thereof
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and an image processing method thereof, and more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved plasma display apparatus and an image processing method thereof which can enhance a gray level representation capability.The plasma display apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a plasma display panel including a plurality of address electrodes; an inverse gamma correction section for inverse gamma-correcting an image signal inputted from an exterior; a halftone section in which a subordinate bit of a fraction bit of the image signal which is inverse gamma-corrected divides a plurality of pixels adjacent to each other into at least two or more types, an error diffusion is performed among the pixels corresponding to any one type, and a superior bit of the fraction bit performs a dithering using at least two or more dither mask patterns; and a subfield mapping section for mapping the image signal which is halftone processed on the corresponding subfield.The present invention is advantageous in that the flicker phenomenon is suppressed when the plasma display apparatus is operated and a distortion of the embodied image can be prevented. |
| US07649505B2 |
Circularly polarized low wind load omnidirectional antenna apparatus and method
A circularly polarized, omnidirectional, corporate-feed pylon antenna uses multiple helically-oriented dipoles in each bay, and includes a vertical and diagonal support arrangement of simple structural shapes configured to provide a frame strong enough to sustain mechanical top loads applied externally. The radiators in each bay fit within the vertical supports. The radiators are integrally formed with cross-braces, and are fed with manifold feed straps incorporating tuning paddles. A single cylindrical radome surrounds the radiative parts and the vertical supports. The antenna admits of application to the upper L-band at the full FCC-allowed ERP. Beam tilt, null fill, and vertical null can be readily accommodated. |
| US07649504B2 |
Backfire antenna with upwardly oriented dipole assembly
In one embodiment, a backfire antenna comprises a cup-shaped member defining an outer aperture and an interior cavity, a splash-plate disposed within a plane, and a dipole assembly comprising first and second arms. The first and second arms are both oriented non-parallel to the splash-plate towards the plane. |
| US07649503B2 |
Combination ETC terminal and rear view mirror for vehicles
A combination Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) terminal and rear view mirror for vehicles is disclosed. The rear view mirror includes a Radio Frequency (RF) antenna, and an ETC module. The RF antenna is fastened to the upper end of a stay in order to transmit and receive RF signals to and from an RF module, which is provided in a tollgate gantry. The ETC module is connected with the RF antenna using a wire, and is mounted in a housing. Thus, the uninterrupted transmission and reception of RF signals between the ECT terminal and the RF module can be stably performed even when a vehicle passes through a tollgate at a high speed. |
| US07649496B1 |
EM rectifying antenna suitable for use in conjunction with a natural breakdown device
A rectenna capable of power conversion from electromagnetic (EM) waves of high frequencies is provided. In one embodiment, a rectenna element generates currents from two sources—based upon the power of the incident EM wave and from an n-type semiconductor, or another electron source attached to a maximum voltage point of an antenna element. The combined current from both sources increases the power output of the antenna, thereby increasing the detection sensitivity of the antenna of a low power signal. Full wave rectification is achieved using a novel diode connected to a gap in the antenna element of an rectenna element. The diode is conductive at a zero bias voltage, and rectifies the antenna signal generated by the desired EM wave received by antenna. Further, the diode may provide a fixed output voltage regardless of the input signal level. The rectenna element of the present invention may be used as a building block to create large rectenna arrays. |
| US07649493B2 |
System for transmitting a signal for positioning and method for producing the system
A transmitting system, which is capable of transmitting a signal for positioning to an area where radio waves are hardly received, is provided. The transmitting system for transmitting the signal for positioning includes a GPS compatible mixer combining a GPS signal for positioning received by a GPS antenna and a BS broadcasting signal received by a BS antenna and outputting the combined signal, a BS-IF compatible amplifier amplifying the signal output from the GPS compatible mixer and outputting the amplified signal, a separator separating the signal output from the BS-IF compatible amplifier into a BS broadcasting signal and a GPS signal, a BS tuner receiving an input of the BS broadcasting signal output from the separator and obtaining a signal of a channel tuned by a user, a GPSBP filter passing a GPS signal included in a predetermined frequency band out of the signal output from the separator, and a GPS issuing unit. |
| US07649492B2 |
Systems and methods for providing delayed signals
A variable delay apparatus comprises a calibrating unit receiving a signal from a variable delay unit and from a plurality of fixed delay sources, the calibrating unit comparing the signal from the variable delay unit with a plurality of signals from the fixed delay sources to control operation of the variable delay unit over a delay range independently of environmentally-induced drift. |
| US07649490B2 |
Method, and apparatus for measuring distance using radio frequency signal
Provided are a method, apparatus, and medium for measuring a distance using a radio frequency (RF) signal. The method of measuring a distance includes setting the transmitter power of an RF signal of a signal generating module to a minimum so as to measure the longest distance when no obstacle exists, measuring a distance between the signal generating module and a fixed module using the RF signal whose transmitter power is set to the minimum, if the measured distance between the signal generating module and the fixed module is available, determining that no obstacle exists therebetween, and if the measured distance is not available, determining that an obstacle exists therebetween, and determining the distance according to the result of the determination of existence of an obstacle. |
| US07649487B2 |
A/D converter and A/D conversion method
In an A/D converter provided with an A/D converter circuit 101 for operationally amplifying an input signal and outputting an amplified signal, the A/D converter circuit 101 includes an initial value setting circuit 4a in addition to an amplifier 1a, a sub-A/D converter 2a, a sub-D/A converter 3a and capacitors C11 and C12. To ensure that the initial value of the output voltage of the amplifier 1a is a given voltage value close to the target value of operational amplification at the start of the operational amplification by the amplifier 1a, the initial value setting circuit 4a applies a given bias value equal to the given voltage value close to the target value to a next-stage capacitor C13 to be connected to the output side of the amplifier 1a. Such an A/D converter circuit 101 that can perform speedy convergence to the target value of operational amplification is used at each stage of a pipeline A/D converter. |
| US07649483B1 |
Communication driver
A circuit includes T sets of digital to analog converters (DACs), each including N current sources and M delay elements. An output signal includes a sum of outputs of the N current sources. An input of a first one of the M delay elements and a control input of a first one of the N current sources receive a respective one of a plurality of decoded signals. T sets of first converters each have a feedback node, an output, and an input that communicates with the output signal of a respective one of the T sets of DACs. T second converters have inputs that communicate with respective ones of the feedback nodes of each of the T sets of first converters. A summer generates a difference signal that is based on the outputs of the T sets of first converters and outputs of the T second converters. |
| US07649481B2 |
Blue-noise-modulated sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter
A sigma-delta ADC (200A) uses blue-noise (random, pseudo-random) modulation (202) to reduce the effect of the substrate noise. Pairs of blue-noise multipliers (202) are placed before and after each non-delayed integrator (106). In the case of a sample-delayed integrator, the integrator is first separated into a non-delayed integrator (110) followed by the delay element (112). The multiplying sequence is a sequence of 1's and −1 's that has blue-noise spectral characteristics (i.e., the spectrum has a low frequency deficiency). |
| US07649480B2 |
Calibration circuit and associated method
A calibration circuit and method suitable for black level calibration in image processing, the circuit comprising an analogue gain amplifier, an analogue to digital converter; a correction circuit for receiving a digital signal and providing a digital offset signal; and a digital to analogue converter for receiving said digital offset signal and feeding a corresponding analogue offset signal back to the input of said gain amplifier. The calibration circuit is arranged such that the correction circuit and said digital to analogue converter form a feedback loop applying an offset to said input signal and said correction circuit includes an inverse gain circuit for applying an inverse gain to a signal within said correction circuit prior to said digital to analogue converter. Preferably the inverse gain applied is such that the total loop gain does not deviate too far from unity. |
| US07649477B2 |
Lockable keyboard for a handheld communication device having a reduced alphabetic keyboard
A handheld electronic device useful for wireless communication has a keyboard including a plurality of externally accessible keys, of which at least a portion have multiple letters associated therewith. The keys can be disabled (i.e. the keyboard can be locked) to prevent accidental actuation thereof by using the navigation tool which has a depressible rolling member. Thus, for example, depression of the rolling member twice in succession or pressing and holding the rolling member down temporarily enables the keyboard lock. The lock can be disabled simply by depressing the rolling member and at least one other key. |
| US07649475B2 |
Tool string direct electrical connection
A downhole electrical transmission system having first and second tubular bodies coupled together by mating threads, each tubular body having a bore. An electrical conductor assembly is disposed within the bore of each tubular body. At least one end of each assembly has an electrical contact surrounded by a dielectric material, the electrical contact and dielectric material forming a polished, planar mating surface. The mating surfaces span an entire cross section of the end and are perpendicular to a central axis of the tubular bodies. The mating surfaces of each electrical conductor assembly are substantially engaged at a compressive load when the tubular bodies are fully mated. |
| US07649470B2 |
Method and apparatus for detection of brush sparking and spark erosion on electrical machines
A method and apparatus for detection of spark activity in an electrical machine having a shaft, wherein at least one of the shaft voltage and the shaft current is measured and analyzed for components which are characteristic of spark activity. The method uses the shaft voltages and/or shaft currents which are normally generally regarded only as being damaging has been found to be accurate and to be suitable for long-term monitoring of spark activities such as brush sparking, spark erosion, spark flashovers between parts of the shaft bearings and can be implemented physically very easily and in a reliable manner, since the existing grounding devices are used. |
| US07649465B1 |
Tie-line-attendant
The Tie-Line-Attendant (“TLA”) identifies a distressed animal and alarms its owner for immediate assistance. The TLA Transmitter is connected between the tie line and the tether line. The owner sets the maximum time duration (“MTD”) allowed for an animal to exert pressure on the tether line. When an animal exerts pressure on the tether line, the tether line and tie line will pull the TLA eyelets closing the normally open contacts. A timer will count the duration of the pressure. If the pressure is released before MTD is reached, the timer will reset itself automatically. Otherwise, the transmitter will sound an alarm and send a signal to the owner's receiver. The receiver will then alarm the owner that his animal needs immediate assistance.The transmitter and the receiver contain: control switches, LED indicators, and an audible alarm. |
| US07649459B2 |
Shipping container security unit quick mount device
Methods and apparatuses for attaching electronics equipment to a cargo container are disclosed. A device in accordance with the present invention comprises a first portion, comprising a wireguide, a second portion, coupled to the first portion at an edge of the first portion, at an approximate right angle to the first portion, the wireguide continuing to at least a part of the second portion, and a third portion, coupled to the second portion, the third portion being approximately perpendicular to the first portion and approximately parallel to the second portion, wherein the second portion and the third portion are designed to accommodate a door flange of a cargo container to attach the mounting device to the cargo container. |
| US07649450B2 |
Method and apparatus for authenticated on-site testing, inspection, servicing and control of life-safety equipment and reporting of same using a remote accessory
A method, apparatus, remote accessory and authentication server are provided for facilitating operations such as an authenticated test of life safety equipment having components including a control panel and sensors. The life safety equipment requires testing according to a fire code. An access procedure is conducted to identify equipment and testing requirements and to establish a communication session between the equipment and an authentication server during an authenticated test. Another access procedure is conducted to provide access for a remote device for facilitating the authenticated test and to establish a communication session between the remote device and an alarm system or authentication server, or the like. Information associated with an impending activation of one of the sensors is received from the remote device and information associated with the sensor, when activated, is reported if detected by the alarm system, to the authentication server and the reported activation information is forwarded to the remote device. Authentication information associated with the activated sensor whether or not detected is received from the remote device and an authenticated report is forwarded to the remote device when all of the alarm condition sensors are tested according to test procedures. |
| US07649435B2 |
Multilayer chip varistor
A multilayer chip varistor comprises a multilayer body in which a plurality of varistor portions are arranged along a predetermined direction, and a plurality of terminal electrodes. Each varistor portion has a varistor layer to exhibit nonlinear voltage-current characteristics, and a plurality of internal electrodes disposed so as to interpose the varistor layer between them. Each terminal electrode is disposed on a first outer surface parallel to the predetermined direction out of outer surfaces of the multilayer body and is electrically connected to a corresponding internal electrode out of the plurality of internal electrodes. Each of the plurality of internal electrodes includes a first electrode portion overlapping with another first electrode portion between adjacent internal electrodes out of the plurality of internal electrodes, and a second electrode portion led from the first electrode portion so as to be exposed in the first outer surface. The plurality of terminal electrodes are electrically connected via the respective second electrode portions to the corresponding internal electrodes. |
| US07649433B2 |
Circuit breaker with magnetically-coupled trip indicator
An oil-immersed circuit breaker is provided having a mechanical/magnetic trip indicator. In a preferred embodiment, the trip indicator comprises a mechanical drive train (coupled to a conventional trip-sensing mechanism), a push piece, and an indicator piece. The drive train and the push piece are located inside the enclosure immersed in oil. The indicator piece is located outside the enclosure. The push piece is magnetically coupled to the indicator piece. Magnetic coupling eliminates problems encountered with prior art trip indicators associated with oil-seal leakage, electrical component failure, and power source failure. |
| US07649428B2 |
Method and system for generating noise in a frequency synthesizer
A method and system for generating noise in a frequency synthesizer are provided. The method includes generating a noise portion of an input signal within the frequency synthesizer and appending the noise portion to a control portion of the input signal. |
| US07649426B2 |
Apparatus and method for temperature compensation of crystal oscillators
An oscillator includes an oscillator circuit and a resonator that produces an output frequency. A temperature compensation circuit is coupled to the oscillator circuit. The temperature compensation circuit stabilizes the output frequency in response to changes in temperature. At least one temperature sensor and a temperature sensor signal modification circuit are coupled to the temperature compensation circuit. The temperature sensor signal modification circuit receives a temperature signal from the temperature sensor and generates a modified temperature sensor signal that is transmitted to the temperature compensation circuit. |
| US07649423B2 |
Oven controlled crystal oscillator
An oven controlled crystal oscillator capable of uniformly transmitting heat from the heat generator to improve the frequency-temperature characteristics. The oven controlled crystal oscillator includes a high thermal conductivity plate having high thermal conductivity and provided on one side of a substrate, where the crystal resonator is provided, in such a manner to contact the resistors, the transistor, the crystal resonator, and the temperature sensor. This structure can transmit heat from the resistors and the transistor as the heat generator to the crystal resonator and the temperature sensor rapidly with less heat loss to assure a uniform temperature inside the substrate, thereby improving the frequency-temperature characteristics. |
| US07649422B2 |
Real time clock integrated circuit and electronic apparatus using the same
A real time clock integrated circuit (RTC IC) and an electronic apparatus thereof are provided. In the RTC IC, only a low-power oscillator is used for generating a standard clock for a real time counter, and the standard clock with a frequency drift of the low-power oscillator is compensated through table lookup. Accordingly, the power consumption, fabrication cost and design complexity of the RTC IC are reduced and the counting operation duration of the RTC IC is prolonged. |
| US07649420B2 |
Frequency detecting and converting apparatus
A frequency detecting and converting apparatus comprises a plurality of frequency-dividers, a multiplexer, a pulse width detector, a comparing unit and an encoder. The invention automatically detects the operating frequency of an input clock signal, divides the frequency of the input clock signal by a pre-defined integer according to the detected operating frequency and finally generates an output clock signal with an operating frequency required for an integrated circuit. |
| US07649419B2 |
Device and method including current measurement and/or amplification
A device and a method including current measurement and/or amplification is disclosed. One embodiment provides supplying a current to be measured to a current amplifier. The current is amplified by the current amplifier. The amplified current or a current generated is fed back therefrom to the current amplifier. The current amplifier may include a current mirror. Furthermore, at least one delay means may be used by which the process of current amplification and/or current feedback may be delayed correspondingly. |
| US07649418B2 |
Variable-gain amplifier
There is provided a variable-gain amplifier, including two cascode amplifiers and an attenuator. The cascode amplifiers are mutually connected in parallel via the attenuator. |
| US07649416B2 |
Load inductor sharing
Sharing one or more load inductors comprises receiving a first input signal at a first terminal of a first amplifier and amplifying the first input signal using the first amplifier. The first amplifier is coupled to one or more load inductors at a second terminal of the first amplifier and is coupled to one or more dedicated source inductors at a third terminal of the first amplifier. Also, a second input signal is received at a first terminal of a second amplifier amplifying the second input signal using the second amplifier. The second amplifier is coupled to the one or more load inductors at a second terminal of the second amplifier and is coupled to one or more dedicated source inductors at a third terminal of the second amplifier. |
| US07649412B2 |
High efficiency amplifier
When an input signal level is small, the electrical length of a phase line 21 and the electrical length of a phase line 23 are set in such a manner that the impedance seen by looking into the output side from an impedance reference point 11 at the output side of a carrier amplifier 3 becomes 2R+α (where R is a load resistance and α is positive), and the electrical length of a phase line 22 is set at a difference between the electrical length of the phase line 21 and the electrical length of the phase line 23. |
| US07649409B1 |
All-pass termination network with equalization and wide common-mode range
An integrated circuit comprises a pin coupled to receive signals from outside the integrated circuit and an input network. The input network equalizes incoming signals by attenuating lower frequency input signals more than higher frequency input signals received at the pin. The input network is configured to generate a DC bias voltage at an output of the input network in response to an AC coupled input signal or a DC coupled input signal received at the pin with a wide common-mode range. |
| US07649404B2 |
Independent thresholds for power supply control circuitry
A system may comprise a control system that controls a state of a switch network, the control system having first and second thresholds that determine the state of the switch network based on the relative voltages at an input and an output of the switch network. A scaling network is coupled across the input and the output of the switch network and providing a gain scaling signal to a first input of the control system. An offset network is coupled to the output of the switch network and providing an offset signal to a second input of the control system, the first threshold being set independently of the second threshold based on the gain scaling signal and the offset signal. |
| US07649403B2 |
Internal voltage generating circuit
There is an internal voltage generating circuit for providing a stable high voltage by making a response time short. The internal voltage generating circuit includes a charge pump unit for generate a high voltage being higher than an external voltage in response to pumping control signals and a supply driving control signal; a pumping control signal generating unit for outputting the pumping control signals to the charge pump unit based on a driving signal; and a supply driving control unit for receiving the driving signal to generate the supply driving control signal to the charge pump unit. |
| US07649402B1 |
Feedback-controlled body-bias voltage source
A body-bias voltage source having an output monitor, charge pump, and shunt. A shunt circuit having on/off control is coupled to the output monitor and to the output of the charge pump. Upon sensing that the output voltage of the charge pump is above a desired value, the output monitor may disable the charge pump circuit and may enable the shunt circuit to reduce the voltage at the output of the charge pump. When the voltage output of the charge pump is below the desired value, the output monitor may disable the shunt circuit and may enable the charge pump circuit. A shunt circuit having proportional control may be substituted for the shunt circuit with on/off control. |
| US07649401B2 |
Driving circuit for an emitter-switching configuration of transistors
A driving circuit for an emitter-switching configuration of transistors having first and second control terminals connected to the driving circuit, forms a controlled emitter-switching device having in turn respective collector, source and gate terminals. The driving circuit comprises a driving block coupled between the collector terminal and the source terminal of the controlled emitter-switching device and connected to the first control terminal of the emitter-switching configuration. Further advantageously, the driving block comprises at least one IGBT driving device coupled between the collector terminal and the first control terminal of the emitter-switching configuration and having, in turn, a third control terminal, as well as a driving bipolar transistor, coupled between the collector terminal and the first control terminal of the emitter-switching configuration for controlling a saturation condition of said bipolar transistor of said emitter-switching configuration maintaining a base-collector junction thereof at a voltage next to zero and having, in turn, a fourth control terminal. |
| US07649396B2 |
Soft error rate hardened latch
A latch is provided that includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit. The first inverter to receive the first clock signal from an input port and to provide a clock signal. The second inverter to receive the first clock signal from the input port and to provide a clock signal. The first latch circuit is to store data and to receive a clock signal from the second inverter. The second latch circuit is further to store data and to receive a clock signal from the first inverter. |
| US07649394B2 |
Latch circuit
A latch circuit (1) comprising a first input device (10a) in a first branch (4a) and a second input device (10b) in a second branch (4b). The latch circuit comprises a first estimator unit (40a) adapted to generate a first estimate of a current generated by the first input device (10a) and a second estimator unit (40b) adapted to generate a second estimate of a current generated by the second input device (10b). The latch circuit further comprises a control-voltage unit (50) operatively connected to the first and the second estimator unit (40a, 40b). The control-voltage unit is adapted to generate a control voltage based on a sum of the first estimate and the second estimate. Further, the latch circuit (1) comprises a first and a second voltage-controlled current unit (30a, 30b) adapted to generate currents at least based on the control voltage. The first voltage-controlled current unit (30a) is operatively connected to the first branch (4a). The second voltage-controlled current unit (30b) is operatively connected to the second branch (4b). A method for compensation for common-mode variations in the latch circuit (1) is also disclosed. |
| US07649392B2 |
System for controlling a signal slew rate in a digital device
A system for controlling a slew rate of a signal, such as used in an imaging device, comprises a counter for measuring a duration that the signal drops from a maximum voltage to a predetermined reference voltage; a register for retaining a desired duration that the signal drops from the maximum voltage to the predetermined reference voltage; and a comparator for comparing the measured duration to the desired duration, the comparator being operative of a current source for the signal. An anti-oscillation circuit prevents the system from oscillating between two discrete durations. |
| US07649391B2 |
Clock signal transmission circuit
A clock signal transmission circuit having a variable initial value for a wait time that is required until a clock signal stabilizes. The clock signal is generated from an original clock signal. The wait time setting unit generates a plurality of wait time signals to wait until the original clock signal stabilizes before providing the clock signal to the internal circuit. A wait time determination unit selects one of the wait time signals and provides the selected wait time signal to a clock control unit. The wait time determination unit includes a data holding circuit which generates a selection signal in accordance with the initial value, a selection circuit which selects one of the wait time signals based on the selection circuit, and an initial value setting circuit enabling the initial value to be varied. |
| US07649388B2 |
Analog voltage recovery circuit
In an embodiment, an analog voltage recovery circuit comprising a plurality of capacitors having first terminals connected to a node having the analog voltage, and comprising a state machine, where during an operating mode the second terminals of the plurality of capacitors are coupled to a first rail, and where during a digitization mode the state machine couples the second terminals of a set of the plurality of capacitors to a second rail so that the analog voltage is closer to the second rail voltage than during the beginning of the digitization mode. In an embodiment, the analog voltage recovery circuit brings the node voltage to the second rail voltage at the end of the digitization mode, and then floats the node and couples the second terminals of the plurality of capacitors to the first rail to approximately restore the analog voltage. Other embodiments are described and claimed. |
| US07649384B2 |
High-voltage tolerant output driver
A high-voltage tolerant output driver for use in a switching regulator is provided herein. The driver allows the switching regulator to regulate supply voltages that exceed device breakdown limits for the process technology from which the high-voltage tolerant output driver is fabricated. Unregulated supply voltages can vary over a wide range. The regulator only needs two intermediate voltages. |
| US07649379B2 |
Reducing mission signal output delay in IC having mission and test modes
An integrated circuit apparatus includes a switching circuit that provides respective signal paths to permit a mission signal, a test signal, and a boundary scan test signal to share an output terminal. The signal path associated with the mission signal imposes a smaller switching delay than do the signal paths associated with the test and boundary scan test signals. |
| US07649377B2 |
Test structure
A wafer level test structure in which, a heating plate is formed on the wafer for heating a structure to be tested positioned above or adjacent to the heating plate. The heating plate produces heat by electrically connecting to a current. Thus, the heat provided by the heating plate and the electric input/output into/from the structure to be tested are controlled separately and not influenced each other. |
| US07649376B2 |
Semiconductor device including test element group and method for testing therefor
A semiconductor device, in which a test element group (TEG) including check patterns is formed together with a chip on a wafer so as to measure electric characteristics thereof, includes an interface circuit for selecting the check pattern from the test element group, a protection resistor connected in series with the test element group so as to protect the test element group, and a dummy element connected in series with the test element group. It allows the TEG test, which can be performed after packaging, to be easily performed at a high precision irrespective of dispersions of parasitic resistances and protection resistors. The test result is corrected based on the calculated values of the parasitic resistance and protection resistor and is then stored in a specific table form, wherein a pass/fail decision is made as to whether or not the test result falls within the prescribed range. |
| US07649374B2 |
Temperature control in an integrated circuit
One example of a test board includes first and second communication ports configured for communication with a master device and a DUT, respectively. A bit error rate tester of the test board is arranged for communication with the master device and with the DUT by way of the first and second communication ports, respectively, and the bit error rate tester includes at least one IC whose maximum data rate is temperature sensitive. Finally, the test board includes a temperature control system arranged to control the IC temperature so that a maximum data rate of the IC can be adjusted through the use of thermal effects. |
| US07649371B2 |
Thermal stratification methods
A method and apparatus for a thermal stratification test providing cyclical and steady-state stratified environments. In order to test an electronic device, for example one having one or more levels of ball-grid-array interconnections, e.g., connecting a chip to a flip-chip substrate and connecting the flip-chip substrate to a printed circuit board of a device, an apparatus and method are provided to heat one side of the device while cooling the second side. In some embodiments, the process is then reversed to cool the first side and heat the second. Some embodiments repeat the cycle of heat-cool-heat-cool several times, and then perform functional tests of the electronic circuitry. In some embodiments, the functional tests are performed in one or more thermal-stratification configurations after cycling at more extreme thermal stratification setups. In some embodiments, a test that emphasizes solder creep is employed. |
| US07649363B2 |
Method and apparatus for a voltage/current probe test arrangements
A diagnostic tool for performing electrical measurements to calibrate a plasma processing chamber probe is provided. The diagnostic tool includes an RF generator. The diagnostic tool also includes a first impedance circuit. The first impedance circuit is a voltage-load network, configured to deliver RF voltage outputs from the RF generator for voltage measurements when RF power from the RF generator is delivered to the first impedance circuit. The diagnostic tool further includes a second impedance circuit. The second impedance circuit is a current-load network, configured to deliver RF current outputs from the RF generator for current measurements when the RF power from the RF generator is delivered to the second impedance circuit. The diagnostic tool further includes a coaxial switch network arrangement configured to provide switchable RF delivery paths to deliver the RF power from the RF generator to one of the first impedance circuit and the second impedance circuit. |
| US07649359B2 |
Electrostatic thin film chemical and biological sensor
A chemical and biological agent sensor includes an electrostatic thin film supported by a substrate. The film includes an electrostatic charged surface to attract predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A charge collector associated with said electrostatic thin film collects charge associated with surface defects in the electrostatic film induced by the predetermined biological and chemical agents of interest. A preferred sensing system includes a charge based deep level transient spectroscopy system to read out charges from the film and match responses to data sets regarding the agents of interest. A method for sensing biological and chemical agents includes providing a thin sensing film having a predetermined electrostatic charge. The film is exposed to an environment suspected of containing the biological and chemical agents. Quantum surface effects on the film are measured. Biological and/or chemical agents can be detected, identified and quantified based on the measured quantum surface effects. |
| US07649355B2 |
Method of operating a dynamic nuclear polarization system
A method of operating a DNP system comprising: a cryostat (1); a magnetic field generator (2) located in the cryostat for generating a magnetic field in a working volume; a microwave cavity (8) within which the working volume is located; and a waveguide (18) for supplying microwave power to the microwave cavity; the method comprising: a) locating a sample in the working volume and subjecting the sample to a magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generator; b) supplying liquid coolant to the working volume to cool the sample; c) irradiating the sample with microwave power so as to hyperpolarize nuclear spins in the sample; and d) warming the sample following the irradiation step by expelling liquid coolant from the working volume while leaving the sample in the working volume. |
| US07649352B2 |
Magnetic field sensor
A magnetic field sensor comprises a first and a second carrier foil and a spacer arranged there between. The spacer delimits a sensing region of the sensor in which the first and second carrier foils can be brought together against the their resiliency. At least two electrodes are arranged in the sensing region in such a way that an electrical contact is provided between them when the first and second carrier foils are brought together. The magnetic field sensor further comprises additional magnetizable layer associated with the first or the second carrier foil so that the first and second carrier foils can be brought together in response to a magnetic field. |
| US07649350B2 |
Railcar presence detector
A railcar presence detector including magnetic field sensors spaced along the length of a rail track for detecting magnetic field disturbances caused by ferromagnetic objects, such as railcars, passing along the rail track. Each of the magnetic field sensors generates an output signal that is received by a control unit. The control unit compares the output signal from each of the magnetic field sensors to a detection threshold and controls the position of a contact member dependent upon the comparison between the output signal and the detection threshold. Each of the magnetic field sensors includes a test device that is selectively operable to modify the magnetic field near the magnetic field sensor to test the operation of the magnetic field sensor. During operation of the system including the magnetic field sensor, the control unit can automatically activate the test device to assure that each of the magnetic field sensors are operating properly. |
| US07649347B2 |
Method and apparatus to evaluate notches in an electrical power system
A system and method to evaluate characteristics of notches in sine wave type electrical signals. An example method includes measuring a voltage waveform. A reference waveform is derived from the measured voltage waveform. A series of threshold voltage values is determined based on corresponding voltages of the reference waveform. The voltages of the voltage waveform are compared with the corresponding threshold voltages. The presence of a notch is indicated when a voltage of the voltage waveform is lesser in magnitude than the corresponding threshold voltage. |
| US07649333B2 |
Active damping device for a positioning stage
A damping apparatus is provided for a positioning stage that is operative to move and position an object along a motion axis. The damping apparatus comprises a motion transformation device operative to rotate the positioning stage about a rotary axis that is substantially perpendicular to the motion axis, in response to forces generated to the positioning stage during acceleration or deceleration thereof. Resilient elements connected to the positioning stage serve to reduce transmission of vibration generated from the positioning stage. |
| US07649330B2 |
Low-power pulse-width-modulated retract of disk drive actuator
A disk drive system including retract logic for control of the voice coil motor in a retract operation, in which the voice coil motor positions the read/write head actuator arm in a safe place in a loss-of-power event, is disclosed. The retract logic includes circuitry for controlling the application of power to the voice coil motor from an external capacitor in a pulse-width modulated manner. Current from the capacitor is coupled to the voice coil motor in a drive phase of the pulse-width modulation cycle, and is recirculated through the voice coil motor in a complementary phase of the pulse-width modulation cycle. The recirculation is accomplished by a recirculation transistor that is smaller than the pull-down transistor used in the drive phase. The pulse-width modulation is controlled by sensing a voltage across an external sense resistor connected on the low side of the voice coil motor, by a common mode circuit including resistor chains, biased from a voltage common to a bias voltage of the sense amplifier. |
| US07649328B2 |
Compact high-power pulsed terahertz source
A sub-mm wave source based on Cherenkov resonant radiation of a microbunched electron beam radiating coherently in a dielectric-loaded pipe. The microbunched electron beam is produced in a pulse photoinjector by illuminating a metal photocathode with sub-ps or multi-ps intensity-modulated laser beam with a beat wave or multiplexing at terahertz frequencies, the photoelectrons generated at the photocathode being accelerated by an electric field and sub-wavelength focused by magnetic field to propagate through a resonant radiator comprising a corrugated wall or smooth-wall metal capillary pipe internally coated with dielectric and attached to an antenna. |
| US07649326B2 |
Highly efficient series string LED driver with individual LED control
A current source generates, with high efficiency, a current that is substantially constant over a wide range of output voltages. This current is injected into the first end of a series-connected string of LEDs, with the second end of the string connected through a resistor to ground. The voltage developed across this resistor, which is a measure of current flow in the series string, is fed back to the current source, wherein feedback maintains nearly constant current output over a wide range of output voltages. A field effect transistor (FET) is placed in parallel with each LED in the string. A level shift gate driver couples a pulse width modulated control signal to the gate of each FET. With the FET being coupled across a particular LED, the LED can be bypassed when the FET is actuated or receive current when the FET is deactuated. By modulating the duty cycle of each FET, the brightness of each associated LED may be varied smoothly over its full range. |
| US07649325B2 |
Methods and apparatus for switching regulator control
A circuit includes a capacitive element for coupling across a load element to be energized by a DC signal, a first sense element to monitor an instantaneous sum of currents through the load element and the capacitive element, a switching element to control current through the first sense element, a second sense element coupled to the switching element to sense current through the switching element, an energy storage element coupled to the switching element, a unidirectional current flow element allowing current flow to the load element, and a converter circuit to control the switching element, wherein the converter circuit regulates to the current level monitored across the first sense element, and wherein a converter regulation loop includes a dominant pole to average the current sensed through the first sense element. |
| US07649319B2 |
Ultra-high pressure mercury lamp
An ultra-high pressure mercury lamp in which the tungsten comprising the electrodes is prevented from spraying during starting and operation, and blackening on the inside wall of the arc tube is prevented is achieved in that at least one of the electrodes has an axial part which is made essentially of tungsten and a starting part which is made essentially of tungsten, at least one of the axial part and of the starting part containing an electron emission material with a smaller work function than tungsten such that the value of S/A in mm2/% by weight is in the range 1≦S/A≦1×104, S in mm2 designating the surface area of the part of the electrode projecting into the arc tube containing the electron emission material and A in % by weight indicating the concentration of the electron emission material in this part. |
| US07649317B2 |
Plasma display panel with an improved electrode structure
A plasma display device having an improved electrode structure that is capable of improving a contrast of the plasma display panel while decreasing a discharge firing voltage is provided. A plasma display panel according to an embodiment of the invention includes first and second substrates disposed opposite to each other, barrier ribs arranged in a space between the first substrate and the second substrate to define at least one discharge cell, address electrodes formed along a first direction, and display electrodes formed along a second direction intersecting the first direction. The display electrodes include bus electrodes formed extending in the second direction, expansion electrodes that extend toward the center of each discharge cell from the bus electrodes and face each other in the discharge cell with a discharge gap interposed therebetween, and auxiliary electrodes located at front ends of the expansion electrodes opposite to each other. |
| US07649314B2 |
Plasma display panel
A plasma display panel reduces a resonance space between a frit and dummy partition walls so as to suppress noise and smoothly supply and exhaust a discharge gas. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate and a rear substrate that face each other, address electrodes and display electrodes that are spaced apart from each other and each extend along directions intersecting each other between the front substrate and the rear substrate, and partition walls that form a display region while partitioning a plurality of discharge cells and form a non-display region along a periphery of the display region between the front substrate and the rear substrate. The non-display region includes a first dummy area in which dummy cells are partitioned by dummy partition walls extending from partition walls disposed in the display region, and a second dummy area in which dummy cells are partitioned by dummy partition walls spaced apart from the first dummy area. |
| US07649312B2 |
Display device with improved hole injection efficiency and method of making the same
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device with improved hole injection efficiency is presented, along with a method of making the display device. A thin film transistor (TFT) is formed on an insulating substrate. A pixel electrode is electrically connected to the TFT, and a hydrophilic wall is formed between the pixel electrode and an adjacent pixel electrode. A hole injecting layer and a first organic light emitting layer covering the pixel electrode and the hydrophilic wall and formed. Then, a second organic light emitting layer and a third organic light emitting layer are formed to partly cover the first organic light emitting layer. |
| US07649311B2 |
Organic electroluminescent display device and method of fabricating the same
An organic electroluminescent display device includes first and second substrates facing and spaced apart from each other, gate and data lines on an inner surface of the first substrate and crossing each other to define a pixel region, a switching element at a crossing point of the gate and data lines, a driving element connected to the switching element, a first electrode on an inner surface of the second substrate, an organic light-emitting layer on the first electrode in the pixel region, a second electrode on the organic light-emitting layer in the pixel region and electrically connected to the driving element, and a coloring element on an outer surface of the second substrate in the pixel region. |
| US07649301B2 |
Actuator capable of driving with large rotational angle or large deflection angle
An actuator 100 includes: a pair of driving portions 1, 11 spaced apart from each other; a movable portion 2 provided between the pair of driving portions 1, 11; a pair of supporting portions 3, 3 for supporting the pair of driving portions 1, 11 and the movable portion 2; a pair of first elastic connecting portions 4, 4 which respectively connect the pair of driving portions 1, 11 to the pair of supporting portions 3, 3 so that each of the driving portions 1, 11 can rotate with respect to the supporting portions 3, 3; and a pair of second elastic connecting portions 5, 5 which respectively connect the movable portion 2 to the pair of driving portions 1, 11 so that the movable portion 2 can rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pair of driving portions 1, 11. In this case, each of the pair of driving portions 1, 11 rotates around a rotation central axis 41 of the actuator 100 by application of an alternating voltage, whereby the movable portion 2 rotates around the rotation central axis 41 of the actuator 100. Further, the torsional rigidity of each of the first elastic connecting portions 4, 4 is larger than that of each of the second elastic connecting portions 5, 5. |
| US07649299B2 |
Rotating electrical machine and alternating-current generator
It is made easy for a stator winding to be wound around a stator core and degradation in efficiency is prevented as much as possible. A stator (6) includes a plurality of phases, i.e., of circumferentially divided stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c). The stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) are each composed of an arcuate stator core (13) having a plurality of axially extending claw poles (16b) and a circumferentially elliptically wound stator winding (14). The stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) are magnetically divided; therefore, magnetic flux leakage is reduced to improve efficiency. Air flowing between the stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) can improve a cooling effect. |
| US07649296B2 |
Stator having an interphase insulator
A stator includes a first through a third windings, and a first and a second interphase insulators. The first interphase insulator has a first pair of strip-shaped insulating sheets and a first connecting portion. End portions of the insulating sheets are connected to the respective opposite end portions to form joints. The first connecting portion connects the insulating sheets so that the joints are shifted so as to be disposed in a region avoiding an interference with the first winding on both of a lead-extending side and the opposite side. In the second interphase insulator similarly constructed, a second connecting portion connects a second pair of the strip-shaped insulating sheets so that joints are shifted so as to be disposed in a region avoiding an interference with the third winding on both of the lead-extending side and the opposite side. |
| US07649295B2 |
Insulation structure of rotary electrical machinery
An insulation structure of rotary electrical machinery which electrically insulates teeth of a stator from a winding wound on the teeth includes: an insulator made from hard insulation material, disposed on both axial ends of the teeth, and having a side wall disposed along a side surface of the teeth crossing to a circumferential direction thereof, and a high-heat-conductive electrical-insulation resin sheet disposed along the side surface of the teeth and insulating the teeth from the winding, wherein an axial end portion of the high-heat-conductive electrical-insulation resin sheet is disposed between the side wall of the insulator and the side surface of the teeth and is stacked on the side wall in a prescribed axial extent. |
| US07649289B2 |
Water-repellent motor assembly for rotisserie and casing thereof
The present invention is to provide a water-repellent motor assembly for rotisserie and casing thereof, which comprises an inner shroud, a motor provided in the inner shroud and an outer shroud mounted around the inner shroud. A plurality of parallel bent, elongated projecting plates are projected out of an outer surface of the outer shroud. A plurality of second openings are formed on the outer shroud, correspond to the projecting plate, and are partially concealed by the projecting plates for preventing fluid from entering the outer shroud. The inner shroud comprises one or more recesses on its outer surface. A plurality of raised members are formed on an outer surface of the inner shroud and correspond to the second openings. The raised members are protruded toward the second openings and each of the raised members comprises a first opening formed on its projecting portion. |
| US07649286B2 |
Electric motor starting device
An electric motor starting device for an electric motor that incorporates air, gas, liquid or electrically actuated engine starter to initiate rotation of an electric motor and its associated driven component. Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for starting an electric motor whether or not it is being used to drive any type of mechanical or electrical device, and are consistent with use as an alternative to or in conjunction with any electric motor starting method or technology. |
| US07649284B2 |
High-voltage pulse generating circuit
Disclosed is a high-voltage pulse generating circuit comprising an inductor, a first semiconductor switch and a second semiconductor switch connected in series between both ends of a DC power supply unit. A diode unit is connected between a gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch and one end of the inductor (namely, one end of a primary coil). A resistor is connected between the gate terminal of the first semiconductor switch and the one end of the inductor. The resistor serves as a gate current-supplying means which allows a gate current to flow to the first semiconductor switch when the second semiconductor switch is turned on. |
| US07649281B2 |
Low power loss uninterruptible power supply
The present invention presents an uninterruptible power supply device including an input circuit coupled between a voltage input terminal and a rectifier circuit, in which the input circuit includes a boost choke being charged with an AC current received from the voltage input terminal for providing a boosted AC voltage to the rectifier circuit. The rectifier circuit is configured to convert the boosted AC voltage into an intermediate DC voltage. The intermediate DC voltage is converted through an inverter into a poly-phase output AC voltage for use by a load. |
| US07649280B2 |
Method and circuit for cross regulation in a power converter
A power equalization circuit in a transformer-based device having a plurality of isolated voltage outputs is provided. The circuit comprises: a threshold detection circuit configured to receive an error signal derived from a selected voltage at one of the isolated voltage outputs, and to determine whether the selected voltage is above a voltage threshold based on the error signal; a timer circuit configured to activate a wait signal after a maximum voltage drift time has expired since the selected voltage rose above the voltage threshold, and to activate a wink signal coincident with the wait signal; an overdrive current source configured to drive an error current to an overdriven value in response to the wait signal; and a commutator circuit connected to a transistor winding associated with the selected isolated voltage output, the commutator being configured to connect a transformer secondary winding to ground in response to the wink signal. |
| US07649279B2 |
Power supply for simultaneously providing operating voltages to a plurality of devices
Power supply equipment includes circuitry for converting an input voltage to first and second DC voltages provided at respective power ports. One of the ports is connected to a cable having a connector or connector adapter which has a shape and pin out compatible for detachably mating with a first electronic device. A second port is connected to a connector for receiving a cable for coupling to a second electronic device. The power supply powers the first electronic device at the first DC voltage and the second electronic device at the second DC voltage. |
| US07649276B2 |
Wave powered generation
Described herein are marine devices and methods that convert mechanical energy in one or more waves to mechanical energy that is better suited for conversion into electrical energy. The marine devices employ a mechanical energy conversion system that harnesses wave energy and converts it into limited motion that is suitable for input to an electrical energy generator. |
| US07649274B2 |
Turbine with constant voltage and frequency output
The disclosure relates to a turbine wherein the rotor windings receive current from a CPU-controlled high speed operational amplifier and the stator windings include four-stage poles with configurations controlled by the CPU. The control of the current to the rotor and the control of the configuration of the four-stage poles of the stator windings is used to provide for constant amplitude (i.e., voltage) and frequency output of the turbine over a range of rotational velocities and loads. The turbine can be used in many applications including, but not limited to, wind or water driven applications. |
| US07649272B2 |
Arrangement of an electrical component placed on a substrate, and method for producing the same
An electrical component is placed on a substrate. At least one film comprising a plastic material is connected to the component and to the substrate in such a way that a surface contour defined by the component and the substrate is represent is represented in a surface contour of the part of the film. Said film is laminated onto the component and the substrate in such a way that the film follows the topology of the arrangement consisting of the component and the substrate. Said film is in contact with the component and the substrate in a positive and non-positive manner, and comprises a composite material containing a filler that is different to the plastic material. The processability and electrical properties of the film are influenced by the filler or the composite material obtained thereby. In this way, other functions can be integrated into the film. Said component is, for example, a power semiconductor component. An electrically insulating and thermoconductive film is used, for example. A contact surface of the power semiconductor is electrically contracted through the film. The thermal conductivity of the film enables heat created during the operation of the power semiconductor component to be efficiently carried away. |
| US07649266B2 |
Method for producing semiconductor chips using thin film technology, and semiconductor chip using thin film technology
For semiconductor chips (1) using thin film technology, an active layer sequence (20) is applied to a growth substrate (3), on which a reflective electrically conductive contact material layer (40) is then formed. The active layer sequence is patterned to form active layer stacks (2), and reflective electrically conductive contact material layer (40) is patterned to be located on each active layer stack (2). Then, a flexible, electrically conductive foil (6) is applied to the contact material layers as an auxiliary carrier layer, and the growth substrate is removed. |
| US07649263B2 |
Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including at least one conductive structure is provided. The conductive structure includes a silicon-containing conductive layer, a refractory metal salicide layer and a protection layer. The refractory metal salicide layer is disposed over the silicon-containing conductive layer. The protection layer is disposed over the refractory metal salicide layer. Another semiconductor device including at least one conductive structure is also provided. The conductive structure includes a silicon-containing conductive layer, a refractory metal alloy salicide layer and a protection layer. The refractory metal alloy salicide layer is disposed over the silicon-containing conductive layer. The refractory metal alloy salicide layer is formed from a reaction of silicon of the silicon-containing conductive layer and a refractory metal alloy layer which includes a first refractory metal and a second refractory metal. The protection layer is disposed over the refractory metal alloy salicide layer. |
| US07649262B2 |
Suppression of localized metal precipitate formation and corresponding metallization depletion in semiconductor processing
A structure for suppressing localized metal precipitate formation (LMPF) in semiconductor processing. For each metal wire that is exposed to the manufacturing environment and is electrically coupled to an N region, at least one P+ region is formed electrically coupled to the same metal wire. As a result, few excess electrons are available to combine with metal ions to form localized metal precipitate at the metal wire. A monitoring ramp terminal can be formed around and electrically disconnected from the metal wire. By applying a voltage difference to the metal wire and the monitoring ramp terminal and measuring the resulting current flowing through the metal wire and the monitoring ramp terminal, it can be determined whether localized metal precipitate is formed at the metal wire. |
| US07649259B2 |
Semiconductor device including a plurality of wiring lines
A semiconductor device includes a first wiring line group made of a metal, wiring lines of the first wiring line group being arranged in parallel with each other, a second wiring line group which is made of a semiconductor and crosses the first wiring line group, wiring lines of the second wiring line group being arranged in parallel with each other and being movable in the vicinity of each intersection with the wiring lines of the first wiring line group, and a plurality of metal regions which are formed to be joined with the wiring lines constituting the second wiring line group, and have a work function different from that of the metal forming the first wiring line group. |
| US07649256B2 |
Semiconductor chip having pollished and ground bottom surface portions
A semiconductor chip having a thickness of 130 micrometers or less includes a mechanically ground bottom surface corresponding to a central circuit area, and a polished bottom surface corresponding to a peripheral scribe area. The mechanically ground bottom surface prevents heavy metals attached onto the bottom surface of the wafer from diffusing toward the source/drain regions of the semiconductor substrate and thereby from degrading the transistor characteristics. |
| US07649255B2 |
Determining chip separation by comparing coupling capacitances
A semiconductor die includes proximity connectors proximate to a surface of the semiconductor die. This semiconductor die is configured to communicate signals with another semiconductor die via proximity communication through one or more of the proximity connectors. In particular, the proximity connectors include a first group of proximity connectors that is configured to facilitate determining a first separation between the semiconductor die and the other semiconductor die by comparing coupling capacitances between the semiconductor die and the other semiconductor die. Note that the first group of proximity connectors includes a first proximity connector and a second proximity connector, and the second proximity connector at least partially encloses an in-plane outer edge of the first proximity connector. |
| US07649254B2 |
Conductive stiffener for a flexible substrate
A structure is disclosed for connecting an electrically-connectable metal stiffener to a ground connection within a flexible substrate, the stiffener comprising nickel-gold plated stainless steel. In one embodiment the stiffener is secured to the flexible substrate by a non-conducting adhesive which includes an opening over a ground connection, the adhesive opening being filled by a conductive epoxy. A sequence for applying the disclosed materials discloses a method for attaching the stiffening structure to the flexible substrate. |
| US07649252B2 |
Ceramic multilayer substrate
A ceramic multilayer substrate has a ceramic laminate including a plurality of ceramic layers laminated, having a first main surface, and including internal circuit elements disposed in the inside, a resin layer having a bonding surface in contact with the first main surface of the ceramic laminate and a mounting surface opposite to the bonding surface, external electrodes, each disposed on the mounting surface of the resin layer and electrically connected to at least one of the internal circuit elements of the ceramic laminate, and a ground electrode, a dummy electrode, or capacitor electrodes disposed at an interface between the first main surface of the ceramic laminate and the bonding surface of the resin layer or in the inside of the resin layer. |
| US07649249B2 |
Semiconductor device, stacked structure, and manufacturing method
An array of electrically conductive members, formed around the edges of a semiconductor device or chip, penetrate from one major surface of the device to the other major surface. In an area located inward of this array, a multiplicity of thermally conductive members also penetrate from one major surface to the other major surface. The semiconductor device can be manufactured from a semiconductor wafer by creating holes that penetrate partway through the wafer, filling the holes with metal to form the electrically conductive members and thermally conductive members, and then grinding the lower surface of the wafer to expose the ends of the electrically conductive members and thermally conductive members before dicing the wafer into chips. The thermally conductive members improve heat dissipation performance when semiconductor chips of this type are combined into a stacked multichip package. |
| US07649248B2 |
Stack package implementing conductive support
A stack package may have a plurality of unit packages. Each unit package may include a first substrate, a semiconductor chip, and a second substrate. Conductive supports may stack the second substrate on the first substrate. Conductive bumps may be provided on the bottom surface of the first substrate. An encapsulant may seal the semiconductor chip exposing the top surface of the second substrate. The conductive bumps of an upper unit package may be connected to the second substrate of the lower unit package. |
| US07649242B2 |
Programmable resistive memory cell with a programmable resistance layer
A programmable resistive memory cell comprising a lower electrode, a programmable resistance layer, and an upper electrode, wherein a lower mask is arranged between the lower electrode and the programmable resistance layer and an upper mask is arranged between the programmable resistance layer and the upper electrode, and wherein the lower mask and the upper mask comprise current-inhibiting regions. |
| US07649233B2 |
High performance transistor with a highly stressed channel
A MOS transistor having a highly stressed channel region and a method for forming the same are provided. The method includes forming a first semiconductor plate over a semiconductor substrate, forming a second semiconductor plate on the first semiconductor plate wherein the first semiconductor plate has a substantially greater lattice constant than the second semiconductor plate, and forming a gate stack over the first and the second semiconductor plates. The first and the second semiconductor plates include extensions extending substantially beyond side edges of the gate stack. The method further includes forming a silicon-containing layer on the semiconductor substrate, preferably spaced apart from the first and the second semiconductor plates, forming a spacer, a LDD region and a source/drain region, and forming a silicide region and a contact etch stop layer. A high stress is developed in the channel region. Current crowding effects are reduced due to the raised silicide region. |
| US07649231B2 |
Asymmetrical reset transistor with double-diffused source for CMOS image sensor
A new method to form CMOS image sensors in the manufacture of an integrated circuit device is achieved. The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate. Sensor diodes are formed in the semiconductor substrate each comprising a first terminal and a second terminal. Gates are formed for transistors in the CMOS image sensors. The gates comprise a conductor layer overlying the semiconductor substrate with an insulating layer therebetween. The transistors include reset transistors. Ions are implanted into the semiconductor substrate to form source/drain regions for the transistors. The source regions of the reset transistors are formed in the first terminals of the sensor diodes. Ions are implanted into the reset transistor sources to form double diffused sources. The implanting is blocked from other source/drain regions. |
| US07649225B2 |
Asymmetric hetero-doped high-voltage MOSFET (AH2MOS)
An asymmetric heterodoped metal oxide (AH2MOS) semiconductor device includes a substrate and an insulated gate on the top of the substrate disposed between a source region and a drain region. On one side of the gate, heterodoped tub and source regions are formed. The tub region has dopants of a second polarity. A source region is disposed inside each tub region and has dopants of a first polarity opposite to the second polarity. On the other side of the gate, heterodoped buffer and drift regions are formed. The buffer regions comprise dopants of the second polarity. The drift regions are disposed inside the buffer regions and are doped with dopants of the first polarity. A drain n+ tap region is disposed in the drift region. |
| US07649221B2 |
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and a fabrication method for the same
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory cell transistors configured with a first floating gate, a first control gate, and a first inter-gate insulating film each arranged between the first floating gate and the first control gate, respectively, and which are aligned along a bit line direction; device isolating regions disposed at a constant pitch along a word line direction making a striped pattern along the bit line direction; and select gate transistors disposed at each end of the alignment of the memory cell transistors, each configured with a second floating gate, a second control gate, a second inter-gate insulator film disposed between the second floating gate and the second control gate, and a sidewall gate electrically connected to the second floating gate and the second control gate. |
| US07649218B2 |
Lateral MOS transistor and method for manufacturing thereof
A lateral MOS transistor that can include a first device isolating layer formed in a semiconductor substrate; a second device isolating layer formed in the semiconductor substrate, the second device isolation layer having a different width than the first device isolation layer and also having an etched groove provided therein; a gate insulating layer formed in the etched groove; a gate electrode formed over the gate insulating layer; and a source/drain region horizontally arranged in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the gate electrode. |
| US07649217B2 |
Thin film field effect transistors having Schottky gate-channel junctions
An active electronic device has drain and source electrodes that make ohmic conduct with a layer of a semiconductor. The semiconductor layer may be a thin layer of an organic or amorphous semiconductor. The drain and source electrodes are on a first face of the layer of semiconductor at locations that are spaced apart on either side of a channel. The device has a gate electrode on a second face of the layer of semiconductor adjacent to the channel. The gate electrode makes a Schottky contact with the semiconductor to produce a depletion region in the channel. The gate electrode may encapsulate the channel so that the channel is protected from contact with oxygen, water molecules or other materials in the environment. In some embodiments, the device has an additional gate electrode separated from the semiconductor layer by an insulating layer. Such embodiments combine features of OFETs and MESFETs. |
| US07649216B1 |
Total ionizing dose radiation hardening using reverse body bias techniques
The present invention relates to radiation hardening by design (RHBD), which employs layout and circuit techniques to mitigate the damaging effects of ionizing radiation. Reverse body biasing (RBB) of N-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistors may be used to counteract the effects of trapped positive charges in isolation oxides due to ionizing radiation. In a traditional MOS integrated circuit, input/output (I/O) circuitry may be powered using an I/O power supply voltage, and core circuitry may be powered using a core power supply voltage, which is between the I/O power supply voltage and ground. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, the core circuitry is powered using a voltage difference between the core power supply voltage and the I/O power supply voltage. The bodies of NMOS transistors in the core circuitry are coupled to ground; therefore, a voltage difference between the core power supply voltage and ground provides RBB. |
| US07649215B2 |
III-nitride device passivation and method
An embodiment of a III-nitride semiconductor device and method for making the same may include a low resistive passivation layer that permits the formation of device contacts without damage to the III-nitride material during high temperature processing. The passivation layer may be used to passivate the entire device. The passivation layer may also be provided in between contacts and active layers of the device to provide a low resistive path for current conduction. The passivation process may be used with any type of device, including FETs, rectifiers, schottky diodes and so forth, to improve breakdown voltage and prevent field crowding effects near contact junctions. The passivation layer may be activated with a low temperature anneal that does not impact the III-nitride device regarding outdiffusion. |
| US07649212B2 |
Active semiconductor component with a reduced surface area
A semiconductor component in which the active junctions extend perpendicularly to the surface of a semiconductor chip substantially across the entire thickness thereof. The contacts with the regions to be connected are provided by conductive fingers substantially crossing the entire region with which a contact is desired to be established. |
| US07649211B2 |
Organic light emitting element
The present invention provides a light-emitting element including an electron-transporting layer and a hole-transporting layer between a first electrode and a second electrode; and a first layer and a second layer between the electron-transporting layer and the hole-transporting layer, wherein the first layer includes a first organic compound and an organic compound having a hole-transporting property, the second layer includes a second organic compound and an organic compound having an electron-transporting property, the first layer is formed in contact with the first electrode side of the second layer, the first organic compound and the second organic compound are the same compound, and a voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode, so that both of the first organic compound and the second organic compound emit light. |
| US07649206B2 |
Sequential lateral solidification mask
A sequential lateral solidification (SLS) mask comprises a plurality of parallelizing repeat patterns. Each of the patterns further comprises a major symmetrical axis and a short axis, and each of the patterns is also composed of first units and second units, in which both the first unit and the second unit comprise respectively a plurality of light transmitting portions and light absorption portions. The first units are positioned in mirror symmetry to the second units via the major symmetrical axis. |
| US07649205B2 |
Self-aligned thin-film transistor and method of forming same
A method of manufacturing a thin-film transistor or like structure provides conductive “tails” below an overhang region formed by a top gate structure. The tails increase in thickness as they extend outward from a point under the overhang to the source and drain contacts. The tails provide a low resistance conduction path between the source and drain regions and the channel, with low parasitic capacitance. The thickness profile of the tails is controlled by the deposition of material over and on the lateral side surfaces of the gate structure. |
| US07649204B2 |
Image display medium
An image display medium includes: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; a first bonding layer provided inside at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate; and an insulating layer fixed to the at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate by the first bonding layer, wherein the first bonding layer has a Young's modulus smaller than the substrate formed with the insulating layer and the insulating layer. |
| US07649203B2 |
Pixel structure of a thin film transistor liquid crystal display
A method of fabricating a pixel structure of a thin film transistor liquid crystal display is provided. A transparent conductive layer and a first metallic layer are sequentially formed over a substrate. The first metallic layer and the transparent conductive layer are patterned to form a gate pattern and a pixel electrode pattern. A gate insulating layer and a semiconductor layer are sequentially formed over the substrate. A patterning process is performed to remove the first metallic layer in the pixel electrode pattern while remaining the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer over the gate pattern. A second metallic layer is formed over the substrate. The second metallic layer is patterned to form a source/drain pattern over the semiconductor layer. A passivation layer is formed over the substrate and then the passivation layer is patterned to expose the transparent conductive layer in the pixel electrode pattern. |
| US07649202B2 |
Transistor, method of fabricating the same, and light emitting display comprising the same
A light emitting display comprises: at least one first metal layer; a second metal layer crossing the first metal layer and having a first width; a light emitting device formed adjacent to a region where the first metal layer and the second metal layer cross each other; and a pixel circuit including at least one transistor which causes the light emitting device to emit light. The transistor comprises a semiconductor layer having a second width greater than the first width. With this configuration, in the light emitting display of the present invention, the semiconductor layer of the transistor is formed in a region where the source/drain metal layer and the gate metal layer cross each other, and has a width greater than that of the source/drain metal layer, so that the source/drain metal layer is disposed within the width of the semiconductor layer. Thus, a tip of the gate metal layer, formed in the grain and the pattern edge of the semiconductor layer, is not disposed within the region overlapping the source/drain metal layer so that generation of static electricity between the gate metal layer and the source/drain metal layer is prevented. |
| US07649201B2 |
Raised photodiode sensor to increase fill factor and quantum efficiency in scaled pixels
An image pixel cell with a doped, hydrogenated amorphous silicon photosensor, raised above the surface of a substrate is provided. Methods of forming the raised photosensor are also disclosed. Raising the photosensor increases the fill factor and the quantum efficiency of the pixel cell. Utilizing hydrogenated amorphous silicon decreases the leakage and barrier problems of conventional photosensors, thereby increasing the quantum efficiency of the pixel cell. Moreover, the doping of the photodiode with inert implants like fluorine or deuterium further decreases leakage of charge carriers and mitigates undesirable hysteresis effects. |
| US07649199B2 |
N-type semiconductor materials in thin film transistors and electronic devices
A thin film transistor comprises a layer of organic semiconductor that comprises an N,N′-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid diimide having at least one cycloalkyl group having a fluorinated substituent at its 4-position that adopts an equatorial orientation in the trans configuration of the cycloalkyl group and an axial orientation in the cis configuration of the cycloalkyl group. Such transistors can be a field effect transistor having a dielectric layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The gate electrode and the thin film of organic semiconductor material both contact the dielectric layer, and the source electrode and the drain electrode both contact the thin film of organic semiconductor material. |
| US07649190B2 |
Portable opto-electro-mechanical scanning assembly for photostimulable phosphor imaging plates
An apparatus and process for evaluating an image-wise exposed storage film positioned about a cylindrically-shaped member and linearly passed by a slot for interrogation by a laser light beam wherein a processing assembly (laser beam and pentraprism) is co-axially disposed within a processing chamber formed by the cylindrically-shaped member effecting a size reduction of the unit and increased clarity of the resultant image, and wherein the processing assembly includes a plate member disposed for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the processing chamber and having a pentaprism and a luminescence light sensor positioned proximate a contact point of the interrogating light beam with the storage film and further including converter electronics wherein after interrogation, the image scanned is digitally archived in a central processing unit. |
| US07649187B2 |
Arrangement for the generation of extreme ultraviolet radiation by means of electric discharge at electrodes which can be regenerated
The invention is directed to an arrangement for generating extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation based on a plasma that is generated by electric discharge. It is the object of the invention to provide a novel possibility for radiation sources based on an electric discharge by which a long lifetime of the electrodes that are employed and the largest possible solid angle for bundling the radiation emitted from the plasma are achieved. According to the invention, this object is met by providing coated electrodes in the form of two endless strip electrodes which circulate over guide rollers and which have at a short distance between them an area in which the electric discharge takes place. The coating is at least partially sacrificed through excitation by an energy beam and generation of plasma, and means for driving each strip electrode are arranged in such a way that during a revolution the strip electrodes, after immersion in a molten metal, are guided through a wiper for generating a defined thickness of coating material, are directed in a vacuum chamber to a location where the desired generation of plasma takes place, and are guided back into the molten metal after the electric discharge in order to regenerate the coating and to make electric contact between the electrodes and a pulsed high-voltage source. |
| US07649180B2 |
Multi-stage waveform detector
A waveform detector may include multiple stages. |
| US07649179B2 |
Lead oxide based photosensitive device and its manufacturing method
A method for manufacturing a photo-responsive device having a photo-sensitive layer is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: a) providing a clean substrate inside an evacuated evaporation chamber; b) evaporating lead oxide (PbO) from a first crucible to form a seeding layer on the surface of the substrate; c) affecting upon the seeding layer such that only tetragonal lead oxide forms the seeding layer and/or such that the initially grown orthorhombic lead oxide forming the seeding layer is transformed into tetragonal lead oxide; and d) continuing to evaporate lead oxide until the final thickness of the photo-sensitive layer has been deposited onto the substrate. As a result the method yields a photo-responsive device comprising a photo-sensitive layer of lead oxide, which entirely consists of tetragonal lead oxide. |
| US07649170B2 |
Dual-polarity mass spectrometer
A dual-polarity mass spectrometer includes an ion source, a negative ion mass analyzer, and a positive ion mass analyzer to measure both the negative and positive ion spectra of a sample material simultaneously. The ion source includes a sample surface on which the sample material is positioned, the sample material providing positive ions and negative ions when excited by a laser beam or an energetic particle stream. A first extraction electrode is connected to a voltage higher than the sample surface to attract the negative ions from the sample electrode. A second extraction electrode is connected to a voltage lower than the sample surface to attract the positive ions from the sample electrode. The negative and positive ions are analyzed simultaneously by the negative ion mass analyzer and the positive ion mass analyzer, respectively. |
| US07649168B2 |
Triple grating optical encoder and modified triple grating optical encoder for displacement detection
In a triple slit optical encoder, a first grating and a third grating are formed on separate members, and values of a first effective width W1 and a first pitch p1 of an optical pattern on the first grating, and a third effective width W3 and a third pitch p3 of an optical pattern on the third grating are set to values such that a periodic signal having the amplitude effective for detection of a relative displacement of a scale is achieved based on periodicity of the self-image, refractive indices of substances of substances and/or spaces interposed in the optical path from a bare LED up to a photodetector, and the thickness of those substances and/or spaces in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane on which the second grating is formed. |
| US07649157B2 |
Chuck table for use in a laser beam processing machine
A chuck table for use in a laser beam processing machine, having a workpiece holding area for holding a workpiece, wherein the workpiece holding area is similar in shape to the workpiece and smaller in size than the workpiece, and a buffer groove is formed in such a manner that it surrounds the workpiece holding area. |
| US07649156B2 |
Laser annealing apparatus for processing semiconductor devices in inline manner
A laser annealing apparatus is provided, which can simultaneously process a plurality of moving semiconductor devices in an inline manner using one annealing laser. The apparatus may include a laser beam emitting unit, which emits laser beams to target regions of a to-be-processed object. Also included may be a plurality of first nozzles and a plurality of second nozzles, through which gas used for controlling an atmosphere of the target regions of the to-be-processed object is introduced or exhausted. The first and second nozzles may face each other so that the laser beams emitted from the laser beam emitting unit fall therebetween. The apparatus may further include a moving unit, which horizontally moves the to-be-processed object, to which the laser beams are emitted, at approximately the same transport speed. |
| US07649151B2 |
Gear-type key switches of keyboard device
A gear-type key switch of a keyboard device of the present invention includes a key top, a holder member, four gears, a spring member, a film circuit board and a supporting plate. The spring member and the holder member are located above the supporting plate and below the key top. The film circuit board is located between the supporting plate and the spring member. The holder member forms four pairs of shafts and the four gears are respectively rotatably assembled to the four pairs of shafts. The key top forms at least four rack supporting members on a bottom thereof. The rack supporting members are respectively parallel to the four gears and engage with the four gears to provide the upward and downward movement of the key top. The gear-type key switch of a keyboard device is simple in structure, with low friction force and decreased height. In addition, the gears can be assembled in mass via special assistant tools, and the keyboard device is also featured in perfect pressing handle, super-thin and easy assembly. |
| US07649147B2 |
Off-circuit tap changer device
An off-circuit tap changer device which includes a spring-biased moving contact that is operable to independent flex and roll. The moving contact includes one or more rings which are independently spring biased to a moving contact support. The device also includes a single rod with locking elongated ribs to mate with a sleeve of the moving contact support. The circulating circuit includes X stationary contacts. The resiliency via the spring-biasing and the rolling of the ring minimizes, if not prevents, surface wearing of the moving contacts. |